What does it mean to shop your closet?

What does it really mean to shop your closet?

What are the advantages?

-The ultimate goal is for you to love your wardrobe and wear everything in your closet.

-Do you want to clean out your closet once and for all and get rid of what no longer feels like you? But you feel guilty about your past shopping mistakes and overwhelmed about where to start?

-Sometimes clients don’t know why they aren’t wearing an item. Is it the fit? The style? The color or pattern? Or is it just a matter of creating the right outfit with it?

-Shopping your closet can be so much fun. I love helping women create new outfits using what they already have.

– I like to think outside the box and create interesting color combinations and add accessories to complete the look. The idea is to embrace your current style and have fun with it!

-And yes sometimes an item just doesn’t work. But this is the easiest way to know you gave it one last styling attempt and it’s time to let it go.

-Shopping your closet saves you time, money and frustration. When you do need to add some pieces to your wardrobe you can create a VERY intentional shopping list.

Have you shopped your closet lately? Are you bored with your wardrobe? Are you constantly running out shopping to buy something new?

I’m here to help if you need it!

Modern Office Design Reveal

 

Guess what my client’s first thoughts were on this wallpaper that was already in her office space when they moved in?

This is going to give me a headache. I cannot work in here and this is really not my style.  We debated removing the wallpaper but the rest of the office had bold patterned wallpaper and I did not want her office to feel like it wasn’t even part of the same space. So we worked with the wallpaper and let me say it was definitely a design challenge. I needed to add some traditional elements to make the client happy and calm down the overall space. However, I wanted her office to still feel like it could flow with the rest of the other work spaces around her. I love the way it turned out and the client was happy which is the most important thing!                                  

So what did we do to calm down the overall space?

Here are some of our design tricks and tips:

-We added some ivory into the color palette with chairs and a rug to soften things.

-We added some greenery and florals to add contrast against the busy wallpaper.

-We added a mirror to reflect light and the beautiful view.

-We added pops of teal with furniture and artwork so it still felt modern and bold and brought in the wallpaper.

-We chose a natural wood color for her desk so that she could keep the traditional feel she wanted.

How does your home make you feel?

 

 

Does your home feel like a sanctuary or is it a source of stress and anxiety?

I had an interesting conversation with a longtime client last week. She commented that she loved her powder room and it made her happy. It was recently redesigned with a new bold patterned wallpaper and a textured tile backsplash. Along with a new beautiful navy vanity and a fun piece of artwork.

Before my client even said anything I had been thinking how much the powder room represented her fun bold and colorful style. And how streamlined and clutter free it was compared to other parts of her house. So I asked her “What if your whole house could feel as good as this powder room?”

You don’t have to tackle your whole house at once. Just take one space at a time. Walk around your house and take inventory of what spaces and things you truly love. Less is more..you can create the home you have always wanted.

Take one room at a time and be a ruthless editor. De clutter, organize and style it so it represents your current lifestyle. And your style right now. Not the you from 5 years ago, not your ex-husband’s style and not the hand me downs from your family and friends you are keeping out of guilt. Keep only the things that feel like you and make YOU happy. (Of course, you do have to be mindful and respectful of other family members and their spaces.) But start with what you can change and you and everyone else will notice a difference I promise!

Are you ready for summer vacations?

I love to help my clients put together some go to outfits ahead of time for travel; I find that this makes packing for a trip much easier!

Take inventory of your closet and wardrobe when the seasons change, it will help you to avoid any last minute panic. Don’t run out shopping right before a trip, create some outfits you love ahead of time. Assess your closet and make a list of any pieces you are missing. When you have a list of what you truly need, you’ll be prepared and shop more intentionally in the future.

I recently made this outfit for a client and it just feels like a day at the beach to me. Throw on some sandals and you are ready to go to lunch or dinner or a day of sightseeing.

 

Cozy Den Design For Senior Clients

 

I got a call from some clients that I have worked with for years. They are a sweet older couple in their late seventies and wanted to convert one of their guest bedrooms into a cozy den.  I was so excited to help with this project! The only things they really had in the room were 2 new recliners and a TV stand that had a fireplace insert. (Which they said they absolutely loved the coziness the fireplace added so that right there gave me some ideas.) So the design was a clean slate!

I suggested we do a cozy library feel with lots of browns and oranges. Soft glow of candles and fireplace.

They had an eclectic mix of artwork so we discussed that 3 different types of art would not work in the room. Southwest, Thai dancers and a barn. We decided to use some beautiful prints we had discovered while de cluttering my client’s office. They were beautiful brown sketches with an old world feel and would definitely go with the vibe of the room. We redistributed the other pieces of art to different areas of the house.

We started with a Pinterest board to narrow down color palette and general aesthetic. I encouraged them to order a low bookcase to go on an empty wall to add some warmth. I suggested we style it with some mementos from their travels, old books and a few new accessories. It would also be a good place for my client to keep his lap top and any reading materials he wanted near his recliner.

I took them shopping and it took us a little over an hour to find everything left on our list!

It really is amazing how a cohesive color palette and accessories can completely transform a room.

We still have a few tweaks and things to add but I love the way it turned out. It is such a cozy relaxing room. And the best part… the dog agrees!

 

Things I envisioned for the room:

-Low bookshelf in a dark wood to match TV stand

-Vintage sketches framed above bookcase

-Panoramic picture on long wall above recliners

-Faux plant to bring outdoors in (they did not want maintenance of a live plant and very little light comes in room).

-Battery powered candles in metal votive holders to create a cozy relaxing vibe

-Rug with warm colors like brown, orange and green

-Curtains in a neutral color

-Display old books and mementos from travel

-Stained glass lamp

-Wooden tray

Colorful Office Design For My Client

 

I recently worked with one of my longtime clients on designing her office. She is a doctor who was moving to a new office space and wanted to make it colorful, fun and inviting. Because I know her style and personality I had a vision in my head and I knew it would embrace her personal style! The office was pretty drab to start with so we really wanted to add some blues and pinks to give it some pop.

We started with a Pinterest board and narrowed down some of the options I presented to her. Things that were on the list:

-Cabinet for storage but not too big

-Bar cart to use for extra storage and add some glam

-Round rug to add color and warmth but not get in the way of the door opening

-Colorful fun art- I chose a few alcohol ink paintings because I thought they would be a bold fun look.

-2 cozy chairs for patients to sit in

-Standing desk positioned so she could see out the window

-Round mirror to reflect light

-Faux roses to add some pops of pink

What is your favorite part?

The Advantages Of A Closet Clean-Out

How is your closet feeling this Spring? Are you constantly wearing the same few outfits? Are you frustrated with your wardrobe? Tired of trying on things that don’t fit or don’t feel like you?

This is why I LOVE closet edits! A good closet clean out can provide so much clarity and save you time, money and frustration. Once you get rid of everything that isn’t working then you will feel so much better! When the seasons change it is the perfect time to evaluate what you actually wear. The seasonal swap is a great time to take inventory and you can make an intentional shopping list based on what you truly need. Then when Summer rolls around your closet is organized and your wardrobe is refreshed! Just in time for those summer vacations.

This photo shows a closet of “styled” outfits I have put together for my busy client. We know all of it fits and looks great on her. The whole outfit is ready, complete with jewelry! It’s an easy grab and go. No more last minute clothes crisis before work, your next event or a last minute trip!

I like to shop your closet and mix different colors, pieces and accessories so that you never get bored with your wardrobe. There are so may great staple pieces that can be styled a million different ways. Once you have the staple pieces you need then it makes getting dressed so much easier. The staple pieces in your closet are the building blocks to an outfit and the accessories and third layers are the icing on the cake.

How would you feel if you could open your closet and have an outfit ready for any occasion?

Let’s dive into your closet! I’m ready when you are.

Turquoise Outfit Inspiration For Spring

Are you bored with your current wardrobe? Shop your closet first and get creative with styling different color combinations. Thinking outside the box can give you so many more outfit combinations. I am currently loving turquoise for Spring and Summer. Here are a few examples of outfits I love. Visit my instagram to see even more turquoise inspiration! If you are feeling stuck. I am here to help and make style fun again!

 

Fall Outfit Inspiration

I love adding accessories to really elevate an outfit. I have even been known on more than one occasion to create a whole outfit starting with an accessory like a scarf, necklace or earrings. I found this beautiful pink and blue Ikat scarf at the local consignment shop, My Secret Closet, and I just had to get it. That is one thing I love about Consignment and thrift shops is you never know what you might find. It is kind of like a scavenger hunt.

Once I got home I realized that I am drawn to this color palette quite a bit. This art by Jenna Webb Art has similar colors to the outfit and I have always loved it. I also have photos of bright pink flowers and pictures of the Amalfi Coast with all the blues and pinks. I Iove just about any shade of blue and pairing a hot pink with it just gives it that extra pop!

There are so many great sources of color inspiration around us. What colors are you constantly drawn to? I bet if you look around in your home or closet you will see some color themes!

Pantones Fall/Winter 2022/2023 Colors

Don’t you just love Pantones colors for Fall/Winter of this year?

There are some great bright colors you would not expect going into Fall and Winter.

However, there are plenty of great neutrals as well for those of you that like a more classic and neutral wardrobe.

I am a big believer in layering in the Fall and Winter. There are many pieces of my wardrobe that I use year round so I am loving that I can incorporate some of these brighter shades like Rose Violet, Amazon and Waterspout.

So what do these color predictions really mean? Well one of the biggest benefits is if you regularly wear any of these shades and want to add more pieces to your wardrobe they will be much easier to find in the stores. That means you can shop within your budget because multiple price points are available. You can also shop thrift and consignment stores and buy things secondhand. These are great ways to add to your wardrobe on a budget and have fun discovering new brands.

One of my favorite ways to help my clients is to teach them to shop their closets first. We create new outfits using interesting color combos and accessories they haven’t tried yet. Once we identify what colors and styles you are drawn to it is so much easier to make a small shopping list of any pieces you may be missing. Don’t forget adding even just one great accessory like a scarf or piece of jewelry can totally elevate an outfit!

Are you stuck in a style rut? Look around you for inspiration. Let these new colors for the season inspire you. Check out Pinterest or catalogs or store windows. Challenge yourself to create a new outfit using what you already have!