Custom creative project for my client

I finally finished my client’s living room mantle after months of collecting all these colored glass pieces.

I would call this maximalist design. It might be too much for some people but it’s perfect for my client and I am so happy with how it turned out.

There is a story behind this…

It all started last year at Christmas  when I surprised my client with a new Christmas decorating theme to go with her newly redesigned colorful living room. I collected bottle brush trees in a rainbow of colors and scattered in some colored glass with battery powered twinkle lights.

Once it was time to take the Christmas decorations down my client said she was sad and didn’t want a mostly empty mantle.

I knew instantly what I wanted to do…

Creative projects like this that are custom tailored to my clients are my absolute favorite thing to do!

I love bringing a creative vision to life! Could your home use some creativity? I’m here to help!

Style your space for the New Year

Have you noticed when you take down the holiday decorations you feel better without all the clutter BUT it can look a little sparse and sad?

It is a New Year after all so change some things up and refresh your space!

My favorite thing to do after the holidays is give all the surfaces a good wipe down. (get all that glitter off).

Once you have cleared the spaces and wiped them down then get creative when putting things back.

Is there any excess clutter or things that have just landed there accidentally? This is your chance to start with a clean slate.

Only put back what you love. I realize things have to be functional as well. But they can be beautifully styled and be functional. One of my absolute favorite ways to elevate a space is to add a decorative tray. We have 2 decorative trays on our entryway table. One has to be functional and holds a bowl with our keys, my husband’s sunglasses and a few other things.

But the second tray is my fun area where I like to decorate seasonally. I have battery powered candles in various styles of votives on there. And I also have my favorite scented candle and I burn it all year long.

I have a faux plant or a vase of faux flowers depending on the time of year and then I add some twinkle lights.

You would not believe what a difference these details can make. They add so much warmth and coziness.

There are so many ways to accessorize your home without spending anything or spending very little.

Some of my favorite accessories to change the look and vibe of your home:

-Throw pillows and blankets

-Candles and twinkle lights

-Faux or real plants and flowers

-Decorative trays, bowls, boxes (these are a great way to add beautiful storage and still have a practical space.)

-Display favorite mementos from travel or sentimental items in creative ways.

-Go to thrift stores and find unique pieces that tell a story. Mixing old and new gives a home some interest.

-Do not display and keep things out of guilt. (because someone gave it to you or you spent too much money on it).

Display what you love and what represents your personal style.

What do you already have in your home that you can restyle and refresh your space?

How to add Hygge to your home

What is Hygge?

If I had to describe Hygge in one word I would say “ cozy”.

I have found that over the years my style has evolved and I love the feeling of a cozy home.

The more cozy elements I add the calmer I feel. 

Some of my favorite ways to make a home feel more Hygge are:

-Blankets, pillows and more blankets!

-Battery powered candles and twinkle lights.

-Real candles burning in my favorite scent 

-A warm dog on my lap 

-A cup of tea or coffee 

-A good book or movie 

How does your home feel right now? Could it use some cozy touches for Fall?

Living room 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