Emily A. Clark

Our Bedroom: Paint Color Decisions

2012-02-11T08:50:00.001-05:00

Am I the only one who feels like those excited homeowners on Trading Spaces when you open a new can of paint? The paint color reveal when they opened the lids was always one of my favorite parts of the show. . .

So, I opened the quart of Castile (by Olympic) that I bought earlier this week and started slapping samples on our bedroom walls before my husband got home from work.

The first picture is right after I painted it, and it was definitely more blue than I expected. The second picture shows it an hour later, after it dried a little darker. I’m still undecided. Our bedroom is a pretty big room, so it’s going to be a lot of blue. All or nothing, I suppose.

The thing that scares me most? My husband actually noticed the color when he got home. (This doesn’t happen often.) His reaction? “Whooo, that’s blue!” Uh-oh. Then he followed it with the disclaimer he always makes. “But, you know best. Whatever you think.” Yep, that’s why it works :)

Have a great weekend. And, don’t hold your breath for a blue bedroom grand reveal on Monday. You know I could have these swatches on my wall until Summer.

Progression of a Guest Room

2012-02-10T07:33:00.001-05:00

When Maggie emailed me pictures of her guest room, I first noticed how many patterns and styles she mixed in this small space and how well they all worked together to give the room a really collected—and still serene--feel.

I always love to see how rooms evolve over time depending on the homeowners’ needs and tastes. Here’s a look back at how this beautiful room came to be.

The space started as a cramped home office. . . .

And, was eventually transformed to a traditional guest bedroom. . . .

The updated space today:

(This antique Suzani was an anniversary gift from her husband.)

I spy the small Edland chests from IKEA. The size of these are perfect for tight spaces.

For more details on this space, visit Maggie’s blog Bellissimo & Bella.

PS—I’m announcing the winner of the Mystic Valley Traders sheet giveaway today. Pop over to my Facebook page to see if it’s you!

Decorating My Mantel & A Mirror Makeover

2012-02-09T08:32:00.001-05:00

I’ve been semi-unhappy with the way our mantel looked ever since I hung the big rectangular mirror several months ago. (Unfortunately, this is the only “before” picture I could come up with. . .) I think there were too many straight edges with the door/window on each side.

My parents (on one of their shopping trips—they’re good shoppers) found these mirrors at Pier1 on clearance:

This particular one had several nicks and scratches so they reduced it even further. I think the final price was around $40.

After some matte black spray paint:

I went around the house and accessorized with some things I already had, including greenery from our yard, and some artwork and old bottles I bought at the flea market.

In non-mantel related news, we have our first bloom of ummmm. . . . Spring? My kids are sad that we haven’t had one flurry of snow yet and now we have Spring flowers. They’re still holding out hope.

Dry Erase IdeaPaint: A Good or Bad Idea?

2012-02-07T08:07:00.001-05:00

While I was standing in line at the paint counter at Lowe’s yesterday, I started reading about IdeaPaint. It lets you paint a dry erase white board directly on the wall.

According to the web site, you can create your own dry erase board by applying just one coat and any dry erase markers will work on it.

Obviously, there’s the benefit of not having to deal with chalk dust, but I have to say I’m still drawn to the texture (and dark color) of chalkboard paint. I think using IdeaPaint in office settings is a pretty cool concept, but I’m not sure I’m a fan of using it in the home.

Kids’ rooms seems like the obvious choice and this little tree is a cute idea. But, I know way too many people in the Clark household who like to color outside the lines, and Mama would not be a happy camper if she found marker all over the wall. (Actually, I have found marker on the wall, but that’s another story for another day.)

I thought this was a smarter idea if you’re going to use it in a kids’ space:

It’s definitely a little pricier than chalkboard paint. If I remember correctly, it starts at around $30 for a kit that covers six square feet, and also comes in several different colors.

I think I’m still a chalkboard girl myself. But, if you’ve tried IdeaPaint, I’d love to hear what you think about it.

Westbrook Interiors via DecorPad

Online Design Projects & A House Tour

2012-02-06T07:31:00.001-05:00

I recently received some photos from an online client of some rooms she had completed based on the plans I put together for her. I thought you might like to see how the idea boards translated into “real life.”

The first room is a den that she wanted to have more of a masculine feel. We used lots of navy and burnt orange to complement the leather sofa:

We also worked on her playroom together. She recovered her existing sofa in a great, durable indigo blue fabric and we used punches of coral, with a bold black and white rug. (Unfortunately, the striped one from IKEA I recommended was out of stock, but I love the chevron one she used instead.)

It just so happens that they decided to list their house for sale recently, so I thought I would share photos of the rest of her beautiful home, staged and ready to go on the market.

If this room looks familiar, you may remember that I blogged about it here.

And, if you happen to be looking for a great home in Chicago, you can see the entire real estate listing here.

Sheet Set Giveaway from Mystic Valley Traders

2012-02-03T07:24:00.001-05:00

This giveaway is now closed.

Is there anything better than good sheets? It’s one of those things that’s such a luxury, and always feels like such a splurge. If you feel the same way, it might be your lucky day.

Mystic Valley Traders is giving one lucky reader a set of their 300 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. The winner will get their choice of size (they come in all sizes, including twin extra long and California king) and color (white or ivory). The set includes one flat sheet, one fitted sheet and pillowcase(s).

To enter. . . simply “Like” Mystic Valley Traders on Facebook and leave a comment here letting me know that you did.

For an additional entry, visit Mystic Valley Traders here and leave another comment letting me know which of their bedding collections is your favorite. (They have some really good ones—my personal favorite is the Trinity.)

The winner will be chosen at random and announced on my Facebook page next Friday, Feb. 10th.

Good luck!,

How to Decorate a Corner

2012-02-02T09:05:00.001-05:00

After my post on making use out of small spaces, Elizabeth of Little Black Door left a comment sharing how she took a little corner of their home and made it a cozy art gallery.

Here’s the space before (complete with a “time-out chair”—well, that is functional, in my opinion!) . . .

And, this is how she transformed this little spot with a cheery pillow, a few accessories and lots of personal photographs and artwork:

I think the idea of hanging artwork corner-to-corner is a great one. Makes such a big impact in a small spot.

To see more of this project, visit Elizabeth’s blog here.

Wanna See My Belly?

2012-02-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

Yeah, I know. I never thought that would be one of my post titles, either. . .

But, you all have been so supportive and encouraging of our big news, I feel like it’s only fair to show you how the babies are progressing. (Plus, my parents haven’t seen me since Christmas so this is for them, too.)

I’m growing—everywhere. (Why does my hair look flame red in this picture? It’s not.)

I think it’s hard to tell from these pictures, but I've “popped” in the last few weeks. I’ve officially entered into that grunting-while-you-put-on-your-socks-and-shoes phase. Flip-flop weather will hopefully be here soon. We saw the babies again this week at my appointment and they were laying horizontally, belly to belly :)

Making the Most of Small, Unused Spaces in Your Home

2012-01-31T09:26:00.001-05:00

I love the idea of discovering new, unused spaces in your home and making them functional (and pretty). This will be especially true as we go forward settling into our home that we bought with three kids but will raise five in, instead. I’m not a big fan of unused spaces, which is a good thing—since we’ll need every square inch.

Here’s an example in our last home. There was no mudroom but an abundance of backpacks and jackets. So, we used this small hallway by the back door to serve as a drop off point for everybody’s stuff and I added the chalkboard for notes, messages, etc. I’m working on a similar set up in our house now.

Here are some other great examples of how you can take a small, unused space and make it a functioning part of your home:

House Beautiful

Ohdeedoh.com

Country Living

Thrifty Decor Chick

Design Sponge

Apartment Therapy

Brooklyn Limestone

Anne Coyle Interiors

Ohdeedoh.com

How have you maximized the small spaces in your home?

Colorful Inspiration via House of Fifty

2012-01-30T15:54:00.001-05:00

The new issue of House of Fifty is out, and the one thing that stood out to me was bold, vibrant color throughout. Here are some of my favorite images:

page 54

pages 114-115

page 125

page 126

page 134

page 136

page 155

page 163

You can read the entire issue online here.

A Fun Day Trip

2012-01-27T12:48:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week, I spent a day in Greensboro, NC, helping MirrorMate with a photoshoot to showcase some of their frame styles for their website and print ads. (You may remember I blogged about this product here.)

It was a lot of fun seeing the process of how they made this bathroom look magazine-worthy with some great lighting and styling.

This specific shot was for their Arcadia frame, and the bathroom was one of my favorites:

To top off the day, I had the chance to meet up with Rene of Cottage and Vine for dinner. It’s so fun to hang out with someone who understands all of my crazy blogger talk :) She is even more adorable in person and doesn’t look close to being old enough to have two teenage sons.

Have a great weekend,

PS—After yesterday’s post, some of you shared your own favorite DIY projects, as well. I have posted some of these to my Facebook page and will be posting more later.

Pillow Giveaway from Elisabeth Michael

2012-01-27T07:30:00.001-05:00

This giveaway is now closed.

Today, I’m happy to announce a giveaway from my sponsor, Elizabeth Michael. It’s been fun to watch her grow her Etsy shop and expand her offerings. Besides pillows in fresh, modern fabrics, she now offers curtain panels, shower curtains and bedding. And, if you have something specific in mind, she also takes custom orders.

Giveaway Details. . .

Elisabeth is giving one winner a 20x20 pillow of their choosing plus a 30% discount off any curtain.

To enter, please visit Elisabeth’s Etsy shop and leave a comment on this post letting me know the name of your favorite item. A winner will be drawn at random and announced on my Facebook page on Tuesday, Jan. 31st.

Good luck!,

Send Me A Picture: The DIY Project You’re Proudest Of

2012-01-26T07:47:00.001-05:00

Today, I’m kicking off a new (semi-regular) series called “Send Me a Picture.” It’s a take-off on the monthly feature in House Beautiful called “Send Us a Picture” where they ask designers to send in a personal photograph based on the topic for that month.

In the same fashion, I asked several design bloggers to share their photographs based on this month’s topic . . .

SEND ME A PICTURE:

The DIY Project You’re Proudest Of

The DIY project that I am proudest of to date is probably my wall of Intaglios in my dining room. Framed Intaglios are not cheap. Ahem, you can buy ONE framed Intaglio at Ballard Designs for $299. This wall of 18 Intaglios, which cost a total of $194 is now the center of my dining room. My favorite part is that people who see it in person ask me where I bought them. When I tell them that I made them they say "Oh, I think I can do that." and they can. It is very simple.

Krista Salmon, Kiki’s List

Upon moving into my house this past summer in Seattle with some roommates, I knew my whole room was in need of a serious makeover. First up was a place to store my clothes and so, my DIY chevron dresser was born! I measured out the chevron pattern, taped it off, painted the lines in with "Natural Gray" by BEHR, added some cute vintage knobs and called it a day! I love the modern pattern paired with a trendy color and shabby chic knobs."

Michaela, Michaela Noelle Designs

This Ikea Malm dresser got a little glammed up with some fretwork from O'Verlays and spray painted gold. I love the classic greek key motif and it makes a perfect credenza for my home office.

Amanda Eck, Amanda Carol at Home

You could say I'm pretty proud of my powder room redo -- or you could just ask my friends and neighbors, plus the sprinkler repair man and the UPS guy, because I've forcibly made them all come in and admire it.

Lindsey, Better After

One of my favorite DIY projects was a striped wall I did for my sister's apt. Since she is a renter we couldn't paint the walls, but we didn't let that stop our desire for stylish walls. I came up with a cheap solution and used black electrical tape to make my stripes. It was inexpensive and didn't damage the walls. A win, win for a renter. (You can find a link to the steps here.)

Camila, Effortless Style

They say first impressions are the most lasting, so I wanted to give my entry foyer a good dose of our family's personality. This was an easy diy project that involved magnetic primer, chalkboard paint, and gold spray paint. I'm most proud of this project because I followed my heart, stopped listening to those voices in my head that are constantly making me second guess myself, and just went for the gold (literally and figuratively)!

Carmel, Our Fifth House

We needed an inexpensive solution for flooring in a large room in our addition; so I painted this large checker-board pattern directly onto the subfloor. It is sealed with poly and has held up very well, even with two young boys.

Darlene Weir, Fieldstone Hill Design

These DIY striped drapes were a labor of love. Although they took a long time to make, I am thrilled with how they turned out and they are definitely the DIY project I am most proud of to date!

Courtney Fernan, A Thoughtful Place

This was my grandmother's hutch. After she passed I was the only one who wanted it. I removed the top portion to create a buffet. Then I painted it white and added new hardware. I am a big believer in making the furniture you have work for you! Now we have a beautiful piece that still holds sentimental value.

Abby, A Delightful Design

Thanks to these bloggers for participating. Hope you enjoyed the first installment of Send Me a Picture.

My HOUZZ Tour

2012-01-25T13:25:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Houzz for featuring a tour of our last home on their site today. (And, a big thanks to Vanessa Brunner for such a nice article.) See the full tour here.

Speaking of Houzz, I just started writing some ideabooks for their site featuring some of my favorite products. My first is a collection of lantern pendants (you know how I love them!) showcasing all styles and prices. See it here.

source

Lynn’s House Tour: Part Two

2012-01-24T13:38:00.001-05:00

There were just so many pretty photos that I had to make this a two-part post. Hope you enjoy the rest of Lynn’s home. (Catch “part one” here.)

Thanks, Lynn, for sharing your wonderful home with us!

All of the beautiful photographs were taken by Ellen McDermott.

Be sure to stop by Lynn’s blog tomorrow. She’ll be sharing her best tips for how they made a new home look old (in other words, charming and oozing with character!).

PS—Do you have a great space that you would like for me to feature? To submit your photos for consideration, please email up to three pictures and we’ll get back to you with more details if we’re able to feature your home or project in a future post.

emily {at} emilyaclark.com

House Tour: Lynn of Decor Arts Now

2012-01-24T07:31:00.001-05:00

Since announcing on the blog that I’m expecting twins, I’ve received lots of emails from other moms of twins with great advice and encouragement. Lynn Byrne is one of those moms—and she just happened to mention that she also had some never before published photos of her home that she would be willing to let me share.

Besides being the mom of twins, Lynn is an interior designer just north of NYC and shares her inspirations on her blog, Decor Arts Now. Believe it or not, the original home was built in the early 1900’s and just six days after Lynn and her family purchased it in 2001, it burned to the ground. They began an extensive process of rebuilding and restoring the exterior back to its original charm.

Let the tour begin. . .

The home was photographed by Ellen McDermott.

Want to see the rest of the house? Check back this afternoon for “Part 2” of Lynn’s home tour. And, be sure to visit Lynn’s blog to see more.

Painted Furniture and DIY: Trends That are Over???

2012-01-23T07:12:00.001-05:00

Let me start this post off by saying that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I just happen to find some opinions more “interesting” than others. . .

When I read this Elle Decor online article last week (found via Twitter by a fellow blogger), I have to admit it ruffled my feathers a little.

They asked five design experts their opinions on the “trends” that are over. While I did agree with a couple (designing for form rather than function, for example), there were two comments that I just had to blog about.

Here’s the first via Mary McDonald (who I actually found really amusing on Million Dollar Decorators . . ) :

“It’s time to retire brightly lacquered Hollywood Regency furniture, says decorator Mary McDonald: “I think we all have seen enough garage-sale junk sprayed in high-gloss Skittles colors to last through the next century.”

Oh dear. Can I just tell you how much satisfaction it gives me to actually find a great piece of “garage-sale junk” and paint it a bright color? She might be shocked and appalled, but it makes me totally happy. And, I’m pretty sure there are some other bloggers (who like me, aren’t on million-dollar budgets) that would agree this trend is here to stay. In fact, there are several who have built successful businesses out of painting these finds the colors of the rainbow.

Natty by Design

Centsational Girl

Dayka Robinson Designs

The Southern Eclectic

The second comment that got my attention was this one from Sheila Bridges. (I checked out her portfolio, btw, and she’s not decorating for folks on tight budgets, either.)

“The DIY craze has run its course, says decorator Sheila Bridges, who has seen her share of “earthy, handmade concoctions. Just because it can be reclaimed doesn’t mean it should be.”

And I thought being “green” was now trendy. . . If she thinks DIY is over, I’m guessing she doesn’t follow some of my favorite bloggers. Reclaimed, repurposed, recycled—I think it’s pretty exciting to see what some really creative people are coming up with:

image

Kristen F. Davis Designs

Young House Love

Nina Holst via iVillage

Like I said before, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I get that there are people with all kinds of budgets out there. I just found these specific comments pretty surprising. Maybe I’m just way behind on the “trends.” :)

And, now for the million-dollar question . . . What do you think?

Quick Tip for Lightening Up a Dark Kitchen

2012-01-20T13:25:00.001-05:00

Did you all catch this kitchen in the newest Better Homes & Gardens?

I, for one, was glad to see a kitchen with dark cabinets featured. There seems to be few great examples out there for those of us who have perfectly good cabinets and are afraid of painting them. I liked this easy step for opening things up a bit. The homeowner removed one of the cabinet doors and used wood putty and stain to cover up the peg holes. The open area display for white dishes makes things a little brighter without painting the cabinets themselves.

Have a great weekend,

Adding Texture With Bamboo Shades

2012-01-20T07:21:00.001-05:00

I’ve been studying this picture from the latest Lonny ever since it caught my eye a week or so ago. It feels so layered (notice—I said “layered”, not “cluttered”), and I love the mix of gold, black and texture.

One of the easiest ways to add texture to a room is by using inexpensive bamboo shades. (This apartment owner added the ribbon trim herself. This little project is on my “to do” list for our living room.)

What I love about bamboo shades besides giving rooms another layer of texture, is that they can work in casual and dressy spaces, alone or under other window treatments.

Lynn Morgan via DecorPad

Cottage Living

Southern Living

House Beautiful

Samantha Pynn via DecorPad

Simply Seleta via DecorPad

I used them throughout our last home under curtain panels. I didn’t depend on them for privacy (they are more light-filtering than anything), but pulled the curtains instead.

In our dining and living rooms, I used these shades from JCPenney. They come in different colors and were pretty substantial.

JCPenney Woven Bamboo Shade (in Pecan)

In the other rooms, we used these inexpensive flatstick shades from Home Depot. They were thin, but great if you’re just wanting the layered look. I was also able to dress some of our wider windows for little money. (I had to order the wider widths online.)

Home Depot Flatstick Bamboo Blind

Have other favorite sources for bamboo shades? Feel free to share!

And the Ultrasound Says. . . .

2012-01-19T08:26:00.001-05:00

Looks like we’re going to have

a little more PINK

and

a little more BLUE in our future!

We couldn’t be more excited that we’re getting a boy and a girl.

This makes everyone happy!

Sleeping in the Dark

2012-01-17T08:46:00.001-05:00

Scheming and dreaming about everything I would “like” to get done before the babies come early this summer. At this point, I’m just doing a lot of thinking out loud. Want to hear my thoughts?

Today, I have our master bedroom on the brain. As much as I love a neutral, relaxing bedroom. . . .

source

I’m also having thoughts of a dark, sleeping “cave” in a deep peacock blue:

As much as I appreciate sleep now, I’m sure it will become even more precious later this year, and this color feels so cozy to me.

House & Home

I’ve looked at several colors, including “Castille” by Olympic Paint:

And, “Summer Nights” by Benjamin Moore

I like the deep blue best paired with white bedding:

source

And, gold accessories:

source

I would also love to include some black and white photography in gold frames:

So, that’s where I am now. Of course, with my raging pregnancy hormones, I could be back to loving white and bright again by next week. . .

source

What are your personal feelings about light versus dark bedrooms?

Board and Batten Up to the Sky

2012-01-13T08:13:00.001-05:00

Julia (who writes one of my favorite blogs, Hooked on Houses) featured the home of designer Roger Hazard earlier this week, and I love how he used extra tall board and batten, painting the top of the walls and ceiling a dark contrasting color:

Roger Hazard via Hooked On Houses

It adds instant architecture, and the dark ceiling gives the room such a cozy feel. He used the same technique in other rooms, although I don’t love it quite as much with the lighter color paint on top.

Roger Hazard via Hooked On Houses

What do you think of this look?

Our Last House: The Paint Colors

2012-01-12T14:06:00.001-05:00

This post is long overdue. I should’ve put a source list together a while ago so all of the paint colors for our last home are in one place. Better late than never.

Family Room

Fireplace Accent Wall and Back of Bookcases: Stunning (Benjamin Moore)

Rest of Family Room, Kitchen and Throughout Hallways: Sherwood Tan (Benjamin Moore)

Breakfast Area

Stripes: Sherwood Tan (lighter) and Algonquin Trail (darker) (both by Benjamin Moore)

Home Office

Wall Color: Trout Gray (Benjamin Moore)

Dresser: Fresh Grass (Benjamin Moore)

Living and Dining Rooms

Flatland (Dutch Boy)

Master Bedroom

Silver Chain (Benjamin Moore)

Kids’ Bath

Mackinac Island (Dutch Boy)

Daughter’s Room

Wall Color: Lemon Parfait (Valspar)

Polka Dot Accent Wall: color was custom matched by Benjamin Moore(I took a fabric swatch from the pillow on her bed to the store) ; WallPops decals were used to create pattern

Dresser: City Storm (Valspar)

Playroom

Quicksilver (Olympic)

Choosing Paint Colors: Here’s Help

2012-01-12T08:26:00.001-05:00

If there’s one choice in life that can cause you stress and sleepless nights (besides what to name your kids), it’s picking the right paint colors. It seems to be the one decision that’s hardest for people to make in their own homes. Although paint isn’t the most expensive investment you’ll make, painting does require some effort, which makes it seem like a commitment.

I get it. It’s always been easier for me to help clients choose their paint colors than it is to decide what’s going on my own walls. So, where do I get my inspiration?

Often, it starts with a great fabric:

Country Living

Or, from the floor up. I pulled the wall colors in our old family room from this Pottery Barn rug:

And, sometimes, I choose paint based on the overall feeling I want the room to convey.

Light, bright and calming (via Lonny magazine) Warm and cozy (Brian Watford via Houzz)

So, if you’re the one who agonizes for days/weeks, staring at swatches on the wall, you may be excited to learn about a new tool developed by Glidden Paint that can help you find the colors that best suit your personality and lifestyle.

You can get started on the “My Life, My Colors” quiz right here:

I took the quiz, and according to Glidden, it looks like I’m on the right track with the gray color palette I’ve chosen for our current home:

And, for more help, Glidden Paint has recently launched a web site called My Colortopia that provides inspiration, tools, and relatable advice from the Colortopia Team (some popular bloggers you’ll recognize).

Hope you’ll take a minute to take the color quiz. If you do, I’d love to hear how your results match up with the colors you usually choose for your home.

I have partnered with Glidden/Akzo Nobel Paints to write this post but the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

PS—Since we’re on the subject of paint colors, I’m finally putting together a complete source list for the paint colors I used throughout our last home. Will post soon!

Patience is a Virtue, Especially In Decorating

2012-01-11T08:18:00.001-05:00

When it comes to decorating your own house, I think patience might be just as important as a good eye. I started thinking about this after trying to make a quick decision last week about ordering new lighting for our kitchen.

What I was considering. . .

image found here

What I ideally envision . . .even if it never happens.

Truth is, I was never 100% sold on the look of those lanterns for that room, but they were a good deal. I had several readers remind me that I was on nobody’s timeline to get this house “finished” and should wait until I found something I loved.

I totally agree.

My motivation for buying pieces in the past has often been affordability, and to some extent, it still is. But, we’ve all gotten stuck with things that we don’t really love because we’ve been impulsive. It’s a careful mix of buying what you love and what’s in the budget. That’s where the challenge comes in.

I’ve found that if I’m willing to look (and/or save) long enough, I’m always happier with my purchase in the long run.

I had my eye on a poster canopy bed for a long time and ummm, “patiently” waited until my husband gave me the green light.

This chair, on the other hand, I ordered online in a rush because (gasp!) we had an empty corner that needed to be filled and it was, once again, “a good deal.” It’s uncomfortable and is now residing in the corner of my son’s room.

So, when it comes to decorating your house, are you a sprinter or a marathon runner?

And, for fun, what’s the one impulsive purchase you’ve made for your home that you regret the most? :)

Blogging, Babies, and Business Decisions

2012-01-10T07:32:00.001-05:00

So, continuing on with the idea of simplifying that I mentioned in yesterday’s post. . . . When I started this blog a little over two years ago, I had hoped that it would also help my new interior design business get going, as well. At best, I had hoped I would have one or two paying clients by the time my kids all got in school. Little did I know how fast your business can grow once you put it out there online.

One of the first client projects I completed

I was first approached about online decorating a couple of months after starting my blog, and began to pick up a steady stream of local clients thereafter. I will be the first to admit, it’s both thrilling and flattering when people actually want to pay you for your ideas. It’s also very hard to say no when an opportunity comes knocking. Maybe it was all misperception on my part, but I saw other blogger/designers who seemed to be juggling all the demands of running a business, along with raising their kids and running a home, and didn’t see any reason that I couldn’t do the same.

Well, I’ve come to a realization. I can’t.

Not only can’t I do it all, I just don’t want to.

For the last year--as I’ve been running around like a crazy woman taking on way too much work--I’ve been waking up at night and hearing the word “simplify.” It’s been really clear, and I believe that’s God talking. So, I began toying with the idea of giving up my design work to focus on blogging, not knowing when or how to make it happen.

When we got the big news of twins in October, that was all the affirmation that I needed. There are parts of working for clients that I really like and there’s a lot of satisfaction in completing a project. But, there’s also the less glamorous side--the long hours, the running around without stop, the feeling of being overwhelmed. For me, at this point in my life, it didn’t add up—especially when I felt like my focus needed to be on my kids while they’re little.

So, what does all of this mean?

I’ve decided to step away from my design business to become a full-time blogger. That’s really where my heart is right now and what I enjoy most. Will I ever go back to design? I think that’s very possible after my kids are in school, but that’s obviously years down the road at this point. I’m still open to the idea of taking online design projects, but am enjoying a little break for now.

My blog

This also opens up a lot of possibilities for my blog. I’m looking forward to bringing you more posts, which hopefully consist of more “simple”, inspiring ideas and more of the progress (hopefully) that I make on decorating our home—something I’ve had little time for since we moved in. And, I’m hoping to showcase more of your projects and rooms. (I’ll tell you more about this later.)

Thanks to those of you who faithfully read. I appreciate you sticking with me, and am looking forward to what’s ahead.

Turning a Dresser Into a TV Console

2012-01-09T16:23:00.001-05:00

Want to see a peek of what we spent way too many hours doing this past weekend?

We moved the dresser (that was in the foyer blocking that annoying vent) to our family room. I couldn’t look at that other ugly console for one more minute. Problem was, we’re using our “biggest” TV now, and the components (which we also have more of now) won’t fit on top like they did in our last house:

I love TV, but I detest cords and cable boxes. Why can’t everything just work and be pretty, too?

So, my husband spent waaay longer than anticipated fishing cords here and there, drilling holes and removing drawer glides.

We’re not quite finished but everything fits now. I still have to paint the inside of the drawers and possibly add some trim to the shelf fronts.

Design. Simplified.

2012-01-09T08:28:00.001-05:00

Yes, you are at the right blog (if you were looking for mine, that is. . . ). My new blog design was installed over the weekend, thanks to Elizabeth at TMC Designs (you may also know her blog, The Mustard Ceiling). She was great to work with—fast, professional and made the whole process really easy on me.

You may also notice I’ve changed the subtitle on my blog from this:

To this:

Why “design. simplified.”?

When I decided to change up my blog a little, the word “simplify” kept coming up again and again. In fact, it’s been coming up in lots of areas of my life. Considering the fact that I’ll soon be a mom to five, simplifying may seem a little far-fetched at this point. But, I’m making some changes—blog and business related—that I’ll be sharing tomorrow.

Until then,

A Little “Pinspiration”

2012-01-06T11:55:00.001-05:00

Thanks for all of your feedback on the lanterns. Nothing like having 50 friends to help you decorate your house :) I decided against them for now, but I’ll post more on that next week.

Now, onto something that stresses me out less than house decisions. . . Pinterest! It really is like therapy, isn’t it? What I love most about it is that if you do enough clicking, you can wander upon some really great portfolios that you’ve never seen—like this one from designer Nichole Loiacono. Her work was recently featured in Adore Magazine, but I somehow missed it.

all images from Nichole Loiacono Design Design

Start pinning! I’m working on my own Pinterest page, trying to get it cleaned up a bit and cataloging photos of my projects and our last house.

I’ve read a lot of great information lately—including this post—on how to use Pinterest along with your blog. I’m still stumped about StumbleUpon, though. . . Do you understand it? Do I need to use it?

Alright, enough of my ramblings. Hope you all have a great weekend. Come back Monday and you’ll see some changes around here. Like that little teaser?

Welcome to my new sponsor, Windows by Melissa!

To Buy or Not To Buy?

2012-01-05T16:02:00.001-05:00

I’m possibly considering pulling the trigger on a pair of these lanterns from Overstock.

But, for some reason, I’ve caught the indecisive bug. They’re on sale (an extra 10% off) on Overstock today and I have a coupon code.

They would replace these two lights over the island and the table. (This is a picture from the day we moved in.)

A very bad mock-up:

I can’t decide if I’m considering because they’re a good deal or because they would be great in the room. I know you all are an opinionated bunch :) So, I’m ready for your opinions. And, if anybody owns this light, I would love to hear your feedback.

Thanks for helping a girl out.

Our Living Room: Slipcovered Chairs

2012-01-05T07:27:00.001-05:00

You may remember that one of our first purchases for our new home was a pair of slipcovered chairs for our family room. I wanted white chairs, so slipcovers were the only feasible option. I had never owned anything slipcovered in my life and to be honest, it was a look that had to grow on me. Since I’ve had them for a few months now, I thought I would give you my two cents on the ones we chose.

I knew I wanted a basic style and quickly narrowed it down to the IKEA Ektorp armchair and the Pottery Barn Basic Armchair, which is basically a twin to the Ektorp (except for the price tag).

My husband and I set out on a chair shopping trip, and of course, he was very enthusiastic about the price of the IKEA version:

He might be all smiles here, but when I reminded him that this would be the chair that his bottom would be sitting in for the entirety of the Kentucky basketball season, he suddenly realized it wasn’t all that comfortable.

In the end, we opted for the Pottery Barn chairs. I upgraded to the down-filled cushion (so we could “sink in” a little).

They didn’t stay super-white for long. You see, around here, we like to draw with marker all over our fingers and then rub them on the whitest pieces of furniture in the house. Oh, and we also like to put our dirty tennis shoes in the chairs. And, sometimes—just for kicks—we also eat Cheetos, lick our fingers and then rub them on the chairs. (None of this makes me crazy in the least bit. Can you tell?!)

I waited as long as possible, but after three good months of abuse, it was time to take the slipcovers off for the first time and put them in the washing machine. Pottery Barn’s instructions say to use a commercial washer, but I asked others on Twitter and they all said their own washers work just fine.

So, I put my two-year-old to work:

(And, a little peek of the wallpaper I have to tackle one day. . .far, far in the future.)

The good news is that the chair cushions are tons of fun to play on while the slipcovers are washing. . .

I put them back on while they were slightly damp and the wrinkles fell right out on their own. So easy, I may wash them again before three more months pass.

Overall, I’m a happy camper and based on comfort, I’m glad we splurged for the Pottery Barn ones. (Although, if I were putting these in a spot where we didn’t sit on a regular basis, I would most definitely choose the IKEA style for the price.)

On another subject, some of you have asked about the jute rug I purchased back in August. I’m happy to report that it is holding up extremely well and has soaked up several spills with no problems. More details here.

A Client’s Master Bedroom Makeover

2012-01-04T06:50:00.001-05:00

Right before Christmas, I was able to finish up a master bedroom project for my clients, Brooke and Mat, a fun couple who live in adorable house built in the 1940’s. This the room when we started:

It was a small space, leaving little creativity when it came to a floor plan. So, we moved out several pieces of furniture. . .

And, we made every inch count—including the ceiling, which was wallpapered in a natural grass cloth. We also replaced the ceiling fan with a pretty star pendant. The walls were painted a light aqua color, and fortunately, she told me in our initial meeting that she wasn’t afraid of a little orange :)

Remember the Edland chest I painted? It now serves as extra storage and a console for their TV.

(As a courtesy to my clients, I don’t share source information.)

Thanks to Brooke and Mat for letting me share your new room!

Welcome to my newest sponsors!

(Click on logos to be directed to their sites.)

A Fresh Start

2012-01-03T08:13:00.001-05:00

Remember when you were a kid and how exciting a new school year always seemed? This would be the year you had more friends, better hair, etc. It was always the promise of a fresh start, new notebooks and a clean backpack.

January gives me the same rush as a grown-up—especially when it comes to creating a fresh start for our home.

It’s the possibility that this will be the year I am more organized. . .

Martha Stewart

The year that I take more risks in my decorating.

Better Homes & Gardens

The year that I decorate my house beautifully with the most clever ideas on a tiny budget. :)

MuseInteriors via Houzz

The year I learn to enjoy living in my house more than doing. . . (well, I can hope).

Kate Jackson Design via Houzz

What resolutions/goals have you made for your home in 2012?

Welcome to my new sponsor, TaylorCrafts!

One More Day

2012-01-02T10:52:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow, it’s back to school and alarm clocks. So today, we’re enjoying one more day of lazy mornings and unbrushed hair.

It’s back to blogging as usual tomorrow, I promise.

I Was More Productive Than I Thought

2011-12-30T18:57:00.001-05:00

It’s always fun for me to look back and see what jobs I’ve actually finished this year. It helps me to know that all of this running I’ve done in the last 12 months hasn’t been for nothing. So, if you’ll humor me, here’s a quick rundown of some of my favorite projects that I’ve posted about in 2011. (Click on the titles for links to the individual posts.)

A Client’s Master Bedroom Makeover

Dressing Up a Dresser

Our Breakfast Room Redo

A Client’s Living Room/Dining Room Makeover

Under the Counter Chalkboard

Our Completed Dining Room

And, Adjoining Living Room

Our New House

(and one of the highlights of my year!)

Built-In Bookcases

A Client’s Sunroom Project

A Client’s Home Office Update

And, My Biggest Project to Date

Happy New Year!,

Oreck Giveaway Winner

2011-12-30T11:17:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Kristen, winner of the Oreck Magnesium vacuum giveaway!

Find more information on the Magnesium and other Oreck products here.

I’m Around. . .

2011-12-28T19:20:00.001-05:00

And, I’m doing nothing! Isn’t it wonderful? I needed this little blogging break. I’m spending my days this week eating (for the babies, of course), watching movies and taking naps. And, I’m dreaming about all kinds of things I would like to do to our house in the new year (my dreams exceed my budget. . . ). I’m also pinning pretty pictures like this one:

Style at Home via Pinterest

Hope you’re not working too hard, either. And, just a reminder, I’m announcing the winner of the Oreck Magnesium vacuum giveaway on Friday, so pop over to this post to enter.

Merry Christmas from the Clarks

2011-12-23T17:42:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Blogging might be sporadic at best from now until after the holidays, so I just wanted to say thanks for another wonderful year. I really do appreciate you taking the time each day to stop by and read. And, I look forward to sharing the exciting changes for our family and for my blog coming in 2012.

Thank you, Secret Santa!

2011-12-23T08:01:00.001-05:00

Okay, if this is from my Blogger Secret Santa, I am really getting spoiled. (And, I might add that the gifts I’ve sent to my Secret Santa have pretty much stunk!)

I received this personalized embosser, made by Three Designing Women, in the mail yesterday. There was no card, so I’m assuming it has to be from her. I have always wanted one of these! Thank you so much. I am getting ready to emboss everything in sight.

Want to play along? Stefanie at Brooklyn Limestone is hosting a little game (and giving a prize) if you can match the blogger to their Secret Santa.

A Handprint Wreath

2011-12-22T16:11:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine gave me this idea for a gift from my kids to some family friends who often fill in as grandparents since our families all live out of town. Besides the mess, it was an easy and quick project with a personal touch.

I got the canvas, bow, and paint at Hobby Lobby. We used three different shades of green—one for each of their handprints. As you can see, some are more “textural” than others :)

And, for fun, we tied a movie gift card onto it.

My Week in Pictures

2011-12-22T08:58:00.001-05:00

Is it just me, or does this week feel like a mad dash to the finish line? We’re trying to cram in as much fun as possible before Christmas. Here are some snapshots from my week so far. . .

I got 50% of my Christmas cards actually mailed out. That’s not too bad. I had good intentions.

Our Christmas card tree. It looks like the Charlie Brown version of the one I posted about here.

Santa drove by our house in a fire truck. My kids were terrified of the sirens. . .

For teachers’ gifts, I ended up going with Target gift cards tied to ornaments decorated by the kids.

A visit from Santa at a friend’s Christmas party.

One of my favorite pictures. They’re plotting on how to figure out if this is the “real” Santa.

This was as close as she was getting. . .

Until I held her.

And, I can’t forget the highlight of our week. We ran into Justin Bieber at the mall.

Hope you’re having a fun week, too!,

PS—Pop over to my Facebook page to see who won the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint giveaway!

Our Foyer and a Rugs USA Review

2011-12-21T10:26:00.001-05:00

I wanted to add a little punch to our entry and when Rugs USA contacted me about reviewing one of their rugs, I started searching their site for something bold and colorful.

After considering stripes, trellis and geometric patterns, I found their Serendipity Ikat orange rug:

Unfortunately, I just saw that it’s now out of stock. . . I personally think it’s worth the wait, though.

I love the fun pattern and it’s a nice contrast to our more traditional front door. It’s also really plush. My kids have been rolling around around on it and have no complaints.

Since I liked this one so much, I decided to do a search on their site for more ikat area rugs, and found all kinds of styles I had never seen before:

These rugs are such a fun way to make a big statement in your space! Thanks to Rugs USA for making my foyer a little more welcoming.

Yes, Tommy, There Is a Santa Claus

2011-12-20T12:46:00.001-05:00

Tommy is my dad, by the way. And, for those of you who supported him in his plight to save the incandescent light bulb, you’ll be glad to know that Christmas came early for him this year. Have you heard? Congress has reversed the upcoming ban on the old light bulbs! Read all about it here.

photo credit: my mother

Nice tie, Dad.

Although the media says the light bulb industry has moved on and will probably quit producing the incandescent bulbs anyway, I’m hoping people like my dad will make them rethink that decision. At least it feels like a victory for him for now, anyway. And, he now swears people in Congress are reading my blog :) That makes him happy, too.

Hanging Art

2011-12-20T07:22:00.001-05:00

Someone recently left a comment saying they would like to see how I used pieces from the old house in our new house. So, here’s one example.

Remember the huge abstract painting that hung in our living room? It was a Craigslist find and one of my first purchases for our last home.

See more of this room and details here.

It was a great focal point above the sofa, but we don’t have the same kind of wall space in the new house. So, it ended up on an available wall in our hallway, visible from the front door:

I’ve been wondering about all of the orange and brown in the painting lately, but this rug arrived for our foyer last week and is making me feel better about all of it. I’ll share more details about the rug tomorrow.

PS—There’s still time to win an Oreck Magnesium vacuum! Go here to enter.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Giveaway

2011-12-19T07:13:00.001-05:00

This giveaway is now closed.

There’s no better way to start off Christmas week than with a wonderful Annie Sloan Chalk Paint giveaway sponsored by The Back Porch Mercantile. It’s also a great way to let you know about the upcoming Annie Sloan Tour of North America of 2012. This is an exciting tour featuring the creator Annie Sloan herself at each regional workshop.

Giveaway Details

One lucky winner will receive an Annie Sloan prize package valued at over $150!

The package includes 2 quarts of ASCP in color of choice, a clear wax, a dark wax, Quick and Easy Paint Transformations by Annie Sloan and two pour spouts.

To enter. . .

There are up to three ways to enter. Be sure to leave a separate comment on this post for each entry, along with a way that you can be contacted if you win.

Visit www.anniesloanunfolded.com for details on the upcoming tour and leave a comment letting me know which region you would potentially attend.
Become a follower of The Back Porch Mercantile
Become a follower Annie Sloan’s blog.

A winner will be chosen at random and announced on my Facebook page this Thursday, Dec. 22nd.

Good luck,

What I’m Up To Today. . .

2011-12-16T08:12:00.001-05:00

This morning, my van looks like this. . . . which means somebody’s bedroom is getting pretty, and I’ll be finished with my client work for this year.

See my red and yellow moving blanket? I bought that in Mexico on our honeymoon and thought it was the coolest thing ever :) ???

Here’s part of the room plan:

Show you more soon!

Joan’s Living Room & Den Updates

2011-12-15T09:15:00.001-05:00

Well, thanks everybody, for your well wishes on yesterday’s big news. Chalk it up to hormones, but some of your comments made me teary-eyed :) We really are excited, and I’m looking forward to sharing this crazy transition for our family with you all.

Okay, so back to business. I know you love to see real houses. . . . I met Joan earlier this year when I did a couple of consultations with her to give her some fresh ideas for her home. Since our meetings, she’s been a busy bee making lots of changes to her living/dining room and den, and she sent me updates to share on the blog. (On a side note, Joan is one of the most stylish grandmothers I’ve ever met.)

What I love about her updates is that she used nearly all of the same pieces, moving them from room to room and adding some new accessories. She wanted to phase out some of the brighter pops of color she had going on. She ended up keeping the same paint colors in both rooms. Here’s a shot of the dining room before her changes:

And, this is what the room looks like now:

In the living room, I suggested she change her furniture arrangement, pulling the sofa out in the middle of the room and bringing the big console from the den into the space:

I love that she created new artwork (and brought in a great pop of blue) by wrapping a canvas painting (that she previously had in the den) in fabric. It’s such a great focal point without being too distracting.

Here’s another shot of the space decorated for Christmas. The white tree works perfectly in there, doesn’t it?

In the den, I suggested she lighten things up by replacing the canvas above the mantel (the same one she wrapped in fabric later) with a mirror. She also re-accessorized her bookshelves by removing some of the books and adding more pops of blue.

Joan had two of her existing chairs reupholstered, and changed out the rattan ottoman for a coffee table she also had already.

Her mantel all decorated for Christmas and ready for the grandkids’ arrival:

Hope you enjoyed this little tour. Thanks to Joan for letting me share her home! Makes me want to do some rearranging around here today. . .

Surprise! The Clarks are Growing (Again)

2011-12-14T07:25:00.001-05:00

This year has been a year full of changes and excitement for our family. (Read about some of them here and here.) And, it seems that God has decided to bless our family in a BIG way as the year comes to an end. Yes, I’m expecting!

But, that’s only half of the story. Literally.

This picture is what I like to call “the biggest surprise of my life.” It seems that our “fourth and final baby” is actually TWINS!!! Yes, we are going to have FIVE kids. I have to keep saying that to myself so I’ll actually believe it.

To say that we were shocked is an understatement. We’re also a little scared and a lot happy. I feel undeserving of this wonderful blessing.

After our ultrasound, my husband and I went to lunch and had a 30 minute conversation that went something like this:

“Oh my gosh.”

“Oh my GOSH!”

“Oh. My. Gosh.”

(You get the idea.) We even took pictures of each other with our phones to capture the moment.

This is my shocked + severely nauseous look. . .

I’m so glad to be able to share this with you. The last couple of months have been challenging, to say the least. I always have a rough first trimester and this time was no different. Add three other kids and way too much work on my plate. . . it’s not been fun. The good news is that I’m feeling much better and clearing a lot off of my schedule. I’m officially due in June (if I make it until then).

As far as I know, this is the last big announcement I’ll be making on the blog this year. Prayers appreciated! :)

Oreck Magnesium Vacuum Review & GIVEAWAY!

2011-12-12T11:58:00.001-05:00

This giveaway is now closed.

I will admit that I’m not the best housekeeper. I love to decorate our house, but cleaning doesn’t give me any great thrill. However, when Oreck recently contacted me and asked if I would like to review this vacuum cleaner, it did make me a little giddy :)

This is Oreck’s new Magnesium vacuum. It’s lightweight and the frame is stronger than many types of steel, according to their web site. They must have known what kind of house they were sending it to. (We can break almost anything around here!)

I actually sold our last vacuum at our moving sale for $3, if that tells you anything and since then, I’ve been struggling with the huge hoses that came with our new home’s central vac system. So, the Magnesium was a nice change for a novice cleaner like myself.

It comes with 30 feet of cord so there’s not a lot of plugging and unplugging, and it worked well on all kinds of surfaces, which is nice since we have carpet, wood floors, rugs and tile in our home.

Since it’s really streamlined, it was easy to maneuver and even fit easily under the sofa (where all kinds of interesting dirt can be found). I’ve had vacuums in the past that felt like it was always a fight, but I’m happy to report that there was no pulling, grunting or sweating on my part :)

Two other features I really like . . . It has an easy push-button on/off switch with two settings—high for carpet and low for wood floors.

And, changing the bag is super easy, with a convenient zippered pouch right on the front:

It’s so easy to use, even your crazy kids can start vacuuming for you! (Oh, and another plus—according to my son—it just happens to come in the perfect shade of Kentucky blue.)

GIVEAWAY TIME!

And, now for the best part of this post. . . Oreck is giving one of my readers a Magnesium vacuum of their own (a $499 value!). There is one required way to enter with several other ways to increase your chance of winning. Here are the details:

*******

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Oreck.com and leave a comment on this post, telling us one thing you learned about the Magnesium vacuum. (Please include a way that I can contact you if you’re the winner.)

*******

After you’ve completed the mandatory entry, there are up to six additional ways to increase your chance of winning. (Be sure to leave a separate comment with the link/info for each additional entry.)

Follow @oreck on Twitter.
Like Oreck on Facebook.
Sign up for Oreck’s email list by clicking on “Sign up for Email” in the top navigation bar and entering your email address.
Tweet about the giveaway, mentioning @oreck and a link to this post.
Follow me on Twitter.
Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect (right sidebar), Facebook, or email subscription.

Please note: The giveaway winner must be a resident of the U.S. 48 contiguous states. No duplicate comments. Contest officially ends at midnight EST on Thursday, Dec. 29th. One winner will be chosen using random.org and will be announced Friday, Dec. 30th, 2011. Winner will be notified by email and will have 72 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: I received this product to review for free from Oreck. Oreck Corporation provided the prize for the sweepstakes but is not the sponsor of the sweepstakes. I am the official sponsor of the giveaway. Oreck is only supplying the prize.

Good luck!,

PS: Oreck is also offering 20% off your order now through Dec. 15th. Just use promo code FESTIVE20.

Blogger Secret Santa

2011-12-12T08:16:00.001-05:00

Stefanie of Brooklyn Limestone was nice enough to coordinate a Secret Santa game among several bloggers this year. And, over the weekend, I was excited to find this in my mailbox:

The cutting boards I have are more of the IKEA variety, so this was a treat! It was ordered from Etsy shop Taylor Crafts. (And, some sneaky blogger has been paying attention to when my anniversary was. . .) Thanks so much, Secret Santa!

Here’s a quick list of other bloggers who are joining in on the fun:

And, while we’re on the subject of Christmas happiness, I have to show you my little angel in the program at church yesterday morning. Is there anything sweeter than seeing your kid in a tinsel halo singing Silent Night? :)

Check back this afternoon for more Christmas cheer. I have a wonderful giveaway for an Oreck Magnesium vacuum ($499 value!) that you won’t want to miss!

3 Quick Holiday Projects

2011-12-09T08:53:00.001-05:00

If you haven’t started your Christmas decorating, here are three quick projects I saw this week that can make your home look and smell a little more festive—fast.

Here’s a quick tutorial for making clove oranges. They smell great and can used as a pretty centerpiece.

Martha Stewart

This project, that I saw over at Full House, is easy, inexpensive and could be left out as an accessory year-round. Or, make several and use them to create a pretty, wintery table setting.

Full House

This is less of a project and more of a pretty idea that caught my eye. Rosemary trees are a fragrant, inexpensive way to bring a little Christmas green into your house. I especially love these potted in the silver urns:

Image found here

Arranging Furniture Around the Christmas Tree

2011-12-08T08:59:00.001-05:00

I knew I wanted our Christmas tree in our family room so we could enjoy it every day, but that meant rearranging some of our furniture. You may remember this is the layout we started with. . .

We ended up putting the Christmas tree to the right of the fireplace and putting the pair of slipcovered chairs side by side, directly in front of the TV.

The room isn’t huge and on paper, this plan probably looks too crowded. But in real life, it makes the room feel so much cozier and gives more of us a direct view of the TV, which is always a good thing. This arrangement also gives us room to add more seating with another chair and some lighting in the corner, once the Christmas tree is gone.

I also moved in a smaller coffee table and layered the faux cowhide rug over our jute for warmth.

I hesitated to even post pictures of our living room. There are so many things I want to change, but hopefully you’ll enjoy the process of seeing the room evolve over time. See that ceiling fan reflected in the mirror below? It’s next on my list! (Along with changing out the mirror over our mantel, new pillows for the sofa, lamps, aaaaghhhhh. . . . Like I said, it’s going to be a process. Hang around and see.)

Our Christmas Tree

2011-12-06T18:21:00.001-05:00

We put our tree up over the weekend, and the decorating is primarily dictated by my kids. In fact, I was seeing all white, silver and gold ornaments but my 7-year-old son insisted that red would show up better. Okay.

Since we don’t have a tree topper, I brought in more branches and sprayed them white.

And, I had the kids make ornaments with their name, year and something that described them. I’m hoping this will be a yearly tradition:

Our tree “skirt” cost me a whopping $9 for 3 yards of burlap:

We also did some furniture rearranging to make room for the tree, and I’m really liking the changes. And, I’ll show you as soon as I get the rest of the room picked up :)

Want to see Christmas last year at our old house? Here’s the post.

Teachers’ Gifts: I’m Always Stumped. . .

2011-12-06T08:42:00.001-05:00

When it comes to the holidays, teachers’ gifts are always so tricky for me. It seems strange to give them such a small gift, but it gets crazy expensive when you have to buy for multiple kids who have multiple teachers.

I always want to give them something they’ll use and have a sneaking suspicion that they might throw out homemade candy, cookies, etc. (I think I would. . . ) So, with that being said, I compiled a short list of possible, inexpensive, ideas. But, I would love to hear if you’ve got something better up your sleeve.

Etsy

Have some other great ideas? Or, if you’re a teacher, tell us what you love/hate to receive!

Our Front Porch: My Favorite Free Christmas Accessory

2011-12-05T08:34:00.001-05:00

Besides putting up our tree, I spent some time sprucing up our front porch this weekend. My goal with holiday decorating is to spend as little as possible.

Besides adding some fresh greenery (from our yard) to a wreath I already had, I also took my kids in the wooded area behind our house to collect fallen limbs. (Yes, they thought it was lots of fun and no one poked their eye out. . .)

Once I had our collection of branches, I sprayed them white. My parents did something similar last year and it looked so wintery. . .

I did buy two Allen+Roth black planters from Lowe’s and two Dwarf Alberta Spruce trees that will hopefully last year-round.

I liked the white branches so much that I even brought some inside. Will show you that later this week.

Game Day

2011-12-03T10:25:00.001-05:00

If you live in our house, you’re required to like (or at least strongly tolerate) Kentucky basketball. Even Bob the Elf has gotten in the spirit in preparation for today’s big game against the Tarheels.

My seven-year-old also decorated the kitchen chalkboard, with no spelling help from us :)

Now, if Bob can just work his Christmas magic and help the Cats win, we’ll have a happy household.

An Easy Wreath Project & Some Christmas Touches

2011-12-02T08:38:00.001-05:00

I’m more of a bit-by-bit holiday decorator rather than knocking out the whole thing in a day or two. I better hurry it up, though. Can you believe Christmas is in just 23 days???

This week, I spotted this simple white wreath on Lisa’s blog, and followed her easy step-by-step directions (found here). I originally thought it would be perfect on the mirror above our mantel but it wasn’t quite big enough, so it went on our bookcases. The good news is that it only takes two yards of an inexpensive white fabric and a wire coat hanger! (I did have to search our house for the wire hanger, though. . . )

The only other thing I’ve done so far is to take a walk through our yard and snip greenery for our mantel. . . .

And, I used extra clippings to spruce up a fake wreath on our front door:

This weekend, we put up the tree!

For Those Already Mourning the Incandescent Bulb

2011-12-01T16:29:00.001-05:00

Two family members sent me Christmas gift ideas for my dad after my post on the upcoming phase out of incandescent light bulbs . . . .

source

Do you think these would make him feel better? :) I’m thinking actual light bulbs might be the best gift for him.

A Client’s Office/Guest Room Makeover

2011-12-01T09:10:00.001-05:00

I recently had the chance to help one of my client’s with a fast-paced update of her office/guest room before her Thanksgiving guests arrived. Lisa (she’s the founder and president of MirrorMate—one of my fantastic sponsors!) uses her home office on a regular basis but also needed to incorporate a comfy spot for guests when she has lots of company.

Multi-functional spaces can be tricky—especially when they’re small. This gives you a general idea of the size of the room.

Since time was of the essence, we decided to keep the paint color and existing rug and fluff with some new window treatments, a casual daybed that could double as a sofa, two new bookcases and some new lighting.

Here’s the original mock-up I showed her of what the sleeping area would look like:

To be able to fit a twin-sized daybed in the space, we opted for wall sconces and a small accent table floating in front of the bed. Since rug had such a big design, I kept the other fabrics simple, with straight, geometric designs.

And, be ready for my notorious fuzzy phone pictures. Wouldn’t you know I brought my camera with no memory card?! Here’s how it turned out:

(Just a reminder—out of courtesy to my clients, I don’t share sources for their projects.)

Hope you enjoyed—fuzzy pictures and all!

Welcome to my newest sponsor, Hadley Pottery!

The Great Light Bulb Conspiracy

2011-11-30T08:33:00.001-05:00

I got to spend some time in Kentucky with my family last week, and my dad and I made our traditional trip to Lowe’s—just to walk around. He once again got me in a little panic about incandescent light bulbs, which are slowly but surely being phased out (in case you haven’t heard). Beginning in January, 100-watt incandescent bulbs will no longer be available. . .

Forcing us to start using the fluorescent bulbs instead. . . . (I know, I know—many of you have been using these for years already but I’m holding out. They’re just not the same.)

My dad, for one, is not a happy camper. If he was a Miss America contestant who had to choose a platform, this would be it. He has literally been stockpiling the “old” light bulbs for the last year.

You can see his dismay when we found a final palette of bulbs and this sign at Lowe’s.

(This is why I love my dad. He willingly poses for these blog pictures.)

So, do you have strong opinions about this? Or, is it just my dad? And, if you want more 100-watt bulbs, you better run to the store now—before he buys them all.

Christmas Card Tree

2011-11-29T18:50:00.001-05:00

THIS idea I love for Christmas cards. . . I’m thinking I need to go on a hunt for sticks in my yard. I always throw my cards in a basket and never enjoy them like I should. This would work perfectly on our front entry table (you know, the one in front of the vent, for now).

Martha Stewart

Speaking of cards, here’s the post I wrote last year about our previous family Christmas cards (in case you need a laugh).

5 Christmas Mantel Ideas

2011-11-29T08:10:00.001-05:00

Bob the Elf has officially landed—on our mantel. And, as soon as he flies back to the North Pole tomorrow and takes up a new spot in our house, I plan to start decorating for Christmas.

In the meantime, I’ve been pinning my little heart out and found some great—and easy—inspiration for creating beautiful mantels:

Better Homes & Gardens

Love this idea of flanking the fireplace with two tall trees. It’s such a statement and actually eliminates the need to decorate much of the actual mantel. It’s also a fun solution if you are short on space for a full-sized Christmas tree.

Traditional Home

This monochromatic mantel would be easy to recreate. And, it’s a great idea if you have a piece of art above your fireplace that doesn’t jive with your Christmas decor. Simply buy a large canvas from your local craft store and wrap in a textured white fabric. Mix in glass and natural elements for a clean, sophisticated look.

Coastal Living

I love the sparkle and casual element that galvanized tins bring to Christmas decor. And, layering lots of the same thing—tins, glass, garland, etc.-- is always an easy way to make a big impact.

Martha Stewart

Traditional and simple (of course, Martha makes everything look easy). You can’t go wrong with layers of fresh garland, and I like how the icicles are mixed in. The pop of green in the urns on the hearth completes the look.

Cottage Living (I think, correct me if I’m wrong.)

I’m not in love with this entire look but I like that the overall idea could be achieved with a couple of trips to Goodwill and some spray paint. The layered white mirrors create an easy, sparkly backdrop for the rest of your decor. Even if you can’t find enough mirrors, you could buy some inexpensive artwork, paint the frames white, and transform the glass with this product I found out about here through Pinterest:

(This could actually be great if you wanted to spray a collection of glass containers for your mantel, as well.)

Hope this gets you thinking! Have you started your Christmas decorating yet? (Don’t tell me if you’ve finished. . . )

PS—Just a quick correction on my previous Black Friday post. The link I listed to HeadyBed’s Facebook page wasn’t working over the weekend so I wanted to post the correct one here. Stop by to enter their “Sweet Dreams” giveaway, for a chance to win an Amazon Kindle and everything needed for a luxurious nights sleep.

Black Friday Specials from My Sponsors

2011-11-22T16:55:00.001-05:00

Christmas shopping starts NOW! Here are some great specials from my sponsors to get you started. Just click on their logos to be directed to their sites and for more detailed information on each of their promotions.

Storewide sale offers $25 off any shower curtain or drapes and $5 off any pillow cover! Offer good on Black Friday and Saturday, Nov. 26th.

Use promo code EMILYBF to receive 30% off any single bedding item. Valid online Friday, Nov. 25, 2011.

For local readers, Bedside Manor will be having an Open House in their Charlotte store on Dec. 1-4 with items in the store marked to 15% off. Local customers can use the 30% off single bedding item promo in the store, as well. Customers just need to come in on Black Friday and mention that they saw the promo on my blog.

Get ready for holiday guests with a MirrorMate frame! For a chance to win $200 toward a frame, visit MirrorMate’s Facebook page to enter the giveaway, running November 25^th-28^th. If you don’t win, there is still reason to celebrate. Everyone can enjoy the holiday sale with 15% off through December 7^th on their web site.

Use coupon code BF20GIFT to receive 20% off (excludes custom prints and print of the month) PLUS a free gift (while supplies last). Offer good Black Friday through midnight Monday, Nov. 28th.

Use coupon code “Thanksgiving” to receive 10% off all orders Black Friday through Monday!

Offering 10% off all items in their Etsy shop through Monday!

Use coupon code HOLIDAYS20 to receive 20% off everything thru Cyber Monday, Nov. 28th.

Use to coupon code EAC725 to receive 50% off any (unframed) blue prints! Offer good through Monday, Nov. 28th.

Receive 25% off any order! Good on Black Friday only.

Use discount code ECLK15 at check out to receive 15% off plus enjoy free shipping! Offer good Black Friday through Sunday (Nov. 25 through Nov. 27).

In addition, Heady Bed is hosting a special 'sweet dreams' giveaway. Included is an Amazon Kindle and everything needed for a luxurious nights sleep ($200 value). To enter & for more details, visit Heady Bed's Facebook page.

Offering a 15% discount off all items! Offer good Friday, November 25th through Sunday, November 27th.

Use coupon code EMILY to receive a 20% discount off your order! Offer good Black Friday through Monday.

I.O. Metro’s 28 days of giveaways starts Black Friday! Visit I.O.Metro for contest details. Be sure to “like” them on Facebook so you don’t miss the first scavenger hunt clue on Black Friday.

Happy Shopping!,

Thankful for . . .

2011-11-21T21:54:00.001-05:00

This week, I’m thankful to be spending time with my family and taking a little break from blogging. But, please check back on Friday (or very, very late Thanksgiving night). I’ll be posting Black Friday specials from my sponsors that you won’t want to miss.

Canadian House and Home

Happy Thanksgiving,

Well, Dang It. . .

2011-11-18T08:45:00.001-05:00

Well, you all just totally burst my bubble about the dresser in our foyer yesterday :) I had so many comments and emails telling me to not cover up the vent (and my husband completely agrees, btw) that now I’m just paranoid and will most likely be going with Plan B—when I figure out what that is. Thanks for caring, though. . . Maybe I’ll look for some kind of open console/sofa table.

Here’s how things stand now. I hung the gallery wall last weekend. Am I the only one who hangs frames with no art? One day at a time.

Thanks for all of your feedback. I’ll take all the help I can get :) Have a great weekend. I’ll be finishing up a client install and doing lots and lots of laundry.

Welcome to my sponsor, Winterberry Cottage!

(Beautiful images printed on vintage book pages)

Our Foyer: Disguising Ugly Vents

2011-11-17T07:24:00.001-05:00

Not only is our foyer the first “room” you see when you enter the front door, it’s also the space I stare at from my desk. Needless to say, the lack of decoration is getting on my nerves.

Here’s what we have so far. (I removed the heaps of stuff from the floor and dresser for the picture.)

The upside is that it’s a big space—lots of room to work with. But, look closely and you see the problem.

Yep, a vent that’s about 3 inches higher than I need it to be. The easy solution would be to buy a taller piece of furniture. That solution isn’t fitting into the budget, however. I’m using the dresser that used to be our TV console in the last house. It’s nice to have the extra storage right across from my office space.

Here’s another view of the foyer. My office is to the right. My someday wish list includes a new light fixture and a rug.

Okay, so back to the problem of the vent. Accessories to the rescue. Since I’m trying to get back into the mode of using what I have, I started with this huge piece of driftwood but decided it would get in the way of the gallery wall I was hoping to hang on this wall.

I also really wanted some lighting in this spot, so here’s what I came up with so far. A tray and some stacked coffee table books are doing the trick for now. I’m hoping a big collection of frames above will provide further distraction.

So, there’s my start. More on this later. . .

My Day

2011-11-16T20:09:00.001-05:00

I had a birthday today. (The mid-thirties kind.) It started with a 2-hour visit to the DMV to renew my license, followed by lots of emails and a few work-related “issues.” Fortunately, it ended with a small celebration with my family at home:

My husband was mad, however, that the store sold him a “defective number 3 candle.” I swear to you he really said that. He might get me for telling you that, but it gave me the laugh I needed after my long day.

Sunnier Sunroom Pics & A Rug for Sale

2011-11-15T06:26:00.001-05:00

I was able to snap some brighter pictures of a client’s sunroom we recently finished and wanted to re-share. (You can see the before pictures here.)

We also ended up with an extra rug in the process and I’m selling it, if you’re interested. Unfortunately, I’m unable to ship it so if you’re in or around Charlotte, email me for more information. It’s a custom Fibreworks 8x10 rug with a 2” cotton banding. It’s a wool/jute blend which makes it really durable and still soft underfoot.

Welcome to my newest sponsor, I.O. Metro!

Catching Up

2011-11-11T07:10:00.001-05:00

Thanks for all of your encouragement after my last post. I know most of you have “been there” and I appreciate you letting me know. My house isn’t any better, but my frame of mind is . . .

Since I didn’t blog for the last couple of days, I thought I would play catch up with this post.

We were in Pottery Barn shopping for a client yesterday when I saw this wall. I love how warm this little setting feels and the mix of frames. It might be what I needed to get me going on our entry.

Bad phone picture, but a great deal. I just discovered that Pier 1 recently started carrying hardware. Many are very Anthropologie-ish and almost all were priced around $5 or $6. I bought four for my ho-hum TV console for a quick $20 facelift.

I’ve got this beauty sitting in my garage waiting to go to a client’s house next week. That’s one of the downfalls of this job. All of this beautiful furniture so close to your home, but just never quite makes it through the door . . ..

This is one of the prettiest autumns I can remember since I moved to NC. Look at these trees outside of the mall:

And, some more pictures I snapped in our backyard. . . Trying to savor all of this color before the rain and wind take all of it away.

And, finally, today—on 11/11/11—we’re celebrating our 11-year anniversary. Lucky, huh? :) It’s been a good, productive 11 years. In case you want to go back and read my husband’s ever-popular anniversary post from last year, you can find it here.

(Like my Saturday look? Okay, who am I kidding? This is my Monday through Saturday look. . . Now you know. )

Happy weekend!,

Getting Out of a Design Slump

2011-11-08T12:17:00.001-05:00

So, I know I haven’t shown you many pictures of the progress of our house lately. And, there’s a good reason for that. There is no progress! Between work and life, my house has become the last thing on my priority list and to be honest, it’s a little depressing. My mood is so affected by my environment—is yours? Clutter can make me feel nervous. A project sitting unfinished and untouched for weeks/months makes me agitated. I’m not the only one, right?

When we moved in, my goal was to get the family room finished fast. I painted the bookcases, ordered a new rug and decided on slipcovered chairs.

Since then, not much has happened. Currently, I have an entry housing a dresser with lots of stuff piled on top of it and a light fixture in the floor beside of it that I plan to put up “someday.” My hallway still has three different paint swatches that I put up months ago. And, our family room is full of chaos and blank walls.

I wonder, do designers have something similar to “writer’s block?” I think they must. Tiredness—along with being consumed by client projects—can definitely affect creativity. That’s where I am right now. But, sometimes, you just lose your design “umph” in general.

So, my question is—what do you do when you lose motivation to work on your own house? Take a break? Buy something (small) to inspire you? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

It’s Monday. . .

2011-11-07T07:43:00.001-05:00

And,I’m headed out to do an installation. We’re using these pillows in their living room (and check out their white and camel horizontal striped curtains—folded on the chair). Hope to share pics soon.

Hope you have a great Monday!

Blog Header Giveaway from Elegant Custom Blogs

2011-11-05T08:51:00.001-04:00

For those of you looking to spruce up your blog, I have a wonderful giveaway for you from my sponsor, Elegant Custom Blogs.

They are giving away a custom blog header and coordinating button, which may be used on either Blogger or Wordpress. (*Please note, they will only be able to do the installation for you on Blogger.)

Here’s some great examples of other headers they’ve designed:

To enter, simply leave a comment letting me know what you blog about and why your blog needs a facelift. I’ll announce the winner on my Facebook page this Wednesday, Nov. 9th.

Good luck!,

A Fabric Option for Messy People?

2011-11-04T09:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday! I’m glad it’s here. Following up on yesterday’s post, a reader reminded me about Crypton fabric. I had actually recommended this for an online client but had forgotten about it. It’s suppose to be a very stain-resistant, take-all-kinds-of-abuse, high performance fabric. There aren’t tons of color/pattern choices but the price point is reasonable. I’m drawn to this fun acid green print:

(This pattern also comes in two other colors.)

So, maybe there is a chance that upholstered chairs will stay in our kitchen. . . Have you had any experience with Crypton?

And, just for kicks. . . my parents recently gave me this picture that proves I was destined to be a blogger from an early age :) That’s one big computer, and some really straight bangs.

Check back tomorrow for a custom blog header and button from my sponsor, Elegant Custom Blogs!

Pretty Chairs for Messy People

2011-11-03T09:21:00.001-04:00

Since we’re using the big, bulky table from our last dining room in our kitchen area now, my initial thought was to soften it with some slipcovered dining chairs. It seems practical with kids, right? You just remove the slipcover, wash and you’re good to go. But, in reality, I wonder how many times I would actually wash the slipcovers. In our house, it could be a daily chore and that’s just not going to happen.

Better Homes & Gardens

So, after we completely destroy the upholstered chairs we have now (and we’re getting there quickly!), I’m thinking easy-to-wipe-down chairs are the way to go.

For those of you who have messy people living in your house, here’s a quick round-up of practical chairs. (Click on the image for the source.)

And, by the way, if I’m totally wrong about the slipcovered chairs, let me know :)

An IKEA Edland Makeover

2011-11-02T08:39:00.001-04:00

I love the lines of IKEA’s Edland series. (You may remember I used the dresser in a dining room here). I also love that IKEA prices make “makeovers” a little less scary. We recently painted the two-drawer chest for a client’s bedroom in a bright shade of orange.

And, a little surprise—I didn’t know the Edland chest came with a cute pattern inside already. . .

We’re also doing a hardware change and using these fun daisy knobs from Anthropologie:

Installing this bedroom soon and will share final pics then :)

A Little Reading Material. . .

2011-11-01T16:51:00.001-04:00

Just a reminder. . . The new holiday issue of House of Fifty went live today, and it’s really beautiful with lots to look at. (A great read after you get the kids to bed!) Janell, the founding editor, has been a huge support and help to me from the beginning of my blogging career and I’m so happy for her success.

Check out the new issue here.

Our Halloween

2011-11-01T08:11:00.001-04:00

For those of you requesting to see our version of “Olivia”. . .

My other two kids were “scary” this year. . . Hope you had a great night and got lots of candy!

Welcome to my sponsor, Old BluePrints!

(a great source for architectural wall art. . .)

Giveaway from Elegant Touch

2011-10-29T09:54:00.001-04:00

Elegant Touch is one of my go-to pillow sources for online design clients. She has some beautiful, designer fabric options and they are really well made. Here are just a few of my favorites from her current selection:

Okay, ready to shop?

Elegant Touch is giving away a $50 store credit to one lucky winner. To enter, simply visit Elegant Touch on Etsy and leave a comment on this post letting me know which is your favorite. The winner will be announced this Wednesday on my Facebook page. Good luck!

Halloween Thoughts

2011-10-28T15:06:00.001-04:00

We have a busy Halloween weekend ahead. Is it just me or was Halloween just a one-night event when we were kids? It’s a full three-day affair now, and I have to come up with regular costumes plus book character costumes for my school-aged kids. (Do I sound like I’m complaining?!)

At least we’ve settled on costumes. (Thank goodness Party City offers free shipping!) We’ll have a one light-up vampire, a storybook witch and Olivia (the pig). Makes perfect sense together, right?

I remember being Cyndi Lauper on repeat Halloweens. I loved that it meant I could get my hair spray painted orange. I wish I had that picture. . .

What was your best costume as a kid?

Back to design talk next week. In fact, check back tomorrow and I’ll have a great giveaway from my sponsor and Etsy pillow shop, Elegant Touch.

Using an Accent Color Around the Fireplace

2011-10-26T16:06:00.001-04:00

Love this idea that I recently spotted on Houzz. I see so many new construction homes with a similar set up--fireplace (meant to house a TV above) with built-in bookcases on each side.

Houzz

I often suggest painting the back of the bookcases for color, but painting just the mantel and fireplace surround is a great way to use a bold color without going overboard. (A dark color is also another way to make the TV less noticeable.)

Creating Vignettes

2011-10-25T08:08:00.001-04:00

I’ve had a few readers ask me for advice on how to accessorize end tables, console tables, dressers, etc. It’s definitely one of those things that’s easier to do than explain how and usually just takes some “playing” until it feels right. There are, of course, those “design rules” that are typically a good rule of thumb. . . Vary the height of your grouping, use an uneven number of items, etc.

And, there are some items that are usually a sure bet—a nice tray, a glass vase or container, a decorative box, books, etc. Those quirky, unexpected items are also great to mix in. It’s hard to go out and buy a group of accessories to make the perfect vignette. Instead, collect over time and pick up those little pieces that catch your eye. In other words, if you’re at Homegoods and spot a purple ceramic bird that makes you smile but you have nowhere to put it, buy it anyway. It might work perfectly on a stack of books. It ultimately comes down to how you mix it, and including pieces that have special meaning to you makes it even better.

Okay, enough words. Here are some good inspiration pictures for arranging vignettes on accent tables in your home. Think layers.

Knight Moves

Lonny

image source

Eddie Ross

Cynthia Smiley

Image Source

image source

Southern Living

Lonny