Amber B Design Studio

Interior Design & Decoration for the South Florida region

My Top Home Accessory Picks {And Basement Sneak Peek!}

by Filed Under: accessories and vignettes, basement, design, personal design style, style


A room truly does not feel complete without the accessories. They definitely make the space and take it to the next level. For me, a room feels completely finished when there are layers of pattern, art and texture. It is through the careful editing that a space fully comes together. I thought it would be fun to round up my favorite accessories and pieces that work with any home and style. Every room pretty much needs one of these pieces!  🙂

X Benches or Small Ottomans

Whether by themselves or in pairs, x benches and small ottomans look great under consoles, at the foot of a bed, under a large piece of art or mirror and to use as a foot rest. They are such a chic and practical option for almost any room. Plus, you can add a pop of color to the space by upholstering them in a fun fabric.
Poufs
via
Poufs are similar to small ottomans and x benches, in that they can also go anywhere! I love seeing them in a family room or nursery. They are great for resting your feet, a small seat for playing games or a step stool for a child. The above nursery shows how they can add great texture to a room with a sweater like fabric. 
Abstract Art
Whether your home is modern or traditional, any space would look stunning with abstract art. It gives an edge to a room and shows an eclectic, fun style.
Sculptural Accessories
Our Living Room
Accessories with a fun shape add texture and interest to a space. They can be layered on top of a few books to add depth and dimension.
Do you have any favorite accessories to add to the list???
And now for a sneak peek {via instagram} of our finished basement… The carpet is installed and we are loving the new space!
Our basement

The carpet is a light sand color, which is hard to tell in the picture. I can’t wait to snap some real after shots soon!
Have a great day!!

{DIY} Backing Shelves With Wrapping Paper

by Filed Under: design, DIY, shelf styling, style


In my last post, I mentioned that I was looking for a floral paper to use for the back of my secretary shelves. After reading Emily’s suggestion to try a bright floral, I knew this would be a great option for the room. The wood is a very dark mahogany which I love, but the accessories were getting lost in the space.

Before the Paper

I didn’t want to choose anything permanent, because I didn’t want to ruin the wood finish on the antique piece. How can I make this paper removeable without compromising the wood underneath? Blog friend Pam suggested using double stick removeable poster tape. I went to Jo Ann fabrics, and did just that! While I was out, I thought I might browse through their fabrics to see if I could find something to line the back of the shelves with. I did find some great fabrics, but didn’t want to spend $20-$40 on something that I might want to switch out later. {By the way, did you know that Jo Ann Fabrics now sells an HGTV line of fabrics? They are pricey, but beautiful! I think I’ll wait for a great sale!} So back to the drawing board. I left with the tape and decided to go into Target, since they usually have pretty cool wrapping paper. And there it was- a beautiful vintage looking wrapping paper for $3.99! I immediately loved it and decided this was the one! And if I didn’t love it on the desk, at least it would be great for wrapping presents. Here is the paper and tape I found…

The Materials

Since this paper has a white background, I knew it would brighten up the dark wood and make a difference in how the accessories stand out. Luckily, the shelves slide right out, so it was easy to place one large piece of paper on the back of the shelves. Here is the process..

Without the Shelves

I needed about a 2×3 piece of paper for this project. I cut it to size and made minor adjustments to the paper before attaching the tape to the back of the desk. I placed about 9 pieces of double stick tape to the back of the desk, making sure I got the corners and the center. When the shelves are put back into place, I knew that would also hold it well.

Attaching the Tape

Those little square pieces you see are the double stick tape. It was great to work with, because if I didn’t get the paper in the exact spot I wanted, it was easy to remove and start over. {Which happened about 3 times!} Here is the paper all ready and wating for the shelves…

Paper is Up

And here is the desk with the shelves installed…

Shelves Are In

And now it’s time for the accessories! I have been changing the styling since the paper went up, so I may even edit it some more. Theare are many options for shelf placement in this desk, so I can always adjust that later on. But here are the afters for now…
After


I have been having fun with this new change. What I love most, is that it’s versatile and can easily be changed when I come across a new paper or fabric that I love! All of the accessories were already in my home. I just shopped around my house and changed things up a bit. I only spent $3.99 on the wrapping paper! Just to recap, here is another before, without the paper…
Before
And After
Have you ever tried to use wrapping paper for projects that don’t include wrapping presents??

Some Pins I Am Loving

by Filed Under: design, inspiration, personal design style, pinterest, style


I have been pinning like crazy on pinterest! There is so much great inspiration out there, so I thought I would put together a little collection of my recent finds, ideas I want to try and all time favorites.

Here we go…

If there’s space in your living room, I love the idea of adding a console behind the sofa that doubles as a desk. Even better, using inexpensive materials to achieve the look. This looks like they used plumbing pipes to make the desk legs. I hope to make bookshelves with a similar look for our home. More on that later…

In the right space, I love dark, moody walls. It looks like this bedroom gets a lot of natural light and has a great balance of creamy white, to tone down the dark walls. I will go moody and dark in our office this spring. This color to be exact!
I have admired industrial style chairs like these for a while! Nicole’s dining room is fabulous, and there are so many amazing elements in this room. I love the balance of the metal with the wood. This is the plan for our kitchen someday!
This bedroom is both stunning and casual! I love symmetry in bedroom design, and this styling has it down to perfection! I am doing some similar styling for a client’s bedroom, and this is great inspiration. I am also loving bird art at the moment, and these whimsical framed prints are beautiful in this space.
How sweet is the above image?!? I used a similar idea for a client’s dining room table, and I might just have to do this myself. When my mom and I head out to the antique fest this summer, I will be on the hunt for vintage glasses and vases to recreate this look! It’s simple, can be inexpensive, and you can use greenery from your yard! I feel a new dining table centerpiece coming on!
So that’s my inspiration for the week! Any great finds lately??

Mixing Metals and Wood Finishes

by Filed Under: design, e-decorating, e-design, personal design style, style


I am putting a living room design together for a client and we’re going for a modern, mid century look. I love the idea of mixing metals and wood finishes in a space and plan on doing that here! I think sometimes, people may be afraid to mix metals in a room, thinking they all have to match. If you have a chrome lamp, that doesn’t necessarily mean every metal has to also be in chrome. Why not mix it up with a little gold for an eclectic look?? The same goes for your wood finishes. I love seeing light and dark woods in the same room, just like when mixing design styles. You can really take an everything goes approach, within reason. Here are some great examples of mixing things up…

Light woods with Dark…

Mixing Metals…

 
 
Try it out! You’ll be surpised that it actually goes together!

Style for Your Life

by Filed Under: fashion trends, style, tablescapes


A little while back, Erin, a representative from Style Outside the Box, contacted me and introduced me to this creative site which promotes and sells unique, one of a kind products made by independent designers. This company was started by Laura Adamson and she set out to team up with these designers who could showcase their work for this site. There is everything on this site from home decor gifts to jewelry to men’s ties. I browsed Style Outside the Box and came up with a few of my favorites to share with you today!

And this is just a sampling of what you can find at this unique site! Stop by and check it out here.