submitted by: Jennifer
11/30/09
Your husband doesn’t need one more tie and mom has seen her fair share of picture frames. Go for something truly unique this Christmas; something they will be proud to call their own: a well designed room. Designing Diva Interiors, LLC offers gift certificates in increments of $75 (equal to one hour of service). Who are gift certificates for?
~The sister who’s expecting (nursery design)
~The bachelor brother (Man Cave/Bachelor Pad design)
~The busy executive spouse (Master Suite decorating)
~ The cousin who loves to cook (kitchen design)
~The best friends who just bought a new home
and everyone in between! See DDI’s homepage for a list of services. Gift certificates expire six months from date purchased.
Tags: Christmas, decorating, gift certificates, home
Posted in General | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
11/25/09
In honor of the upcoming holiday, family time and much-needed rest, Designing Diva Interiors, LLC will be closed November 26-28th. Additionally there will not be blog posts for these days. Hold back your tears.. there will be plenty of hot-off-the-press design news and tips come Monday! Happy Thanksgiving!
Tags: blog, closed, decorating tips, design, holiday, Thanksgiving
Posted in General | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
11/23/09
Just when you thought you were done with it. Just when you’ve finished scraping and peeling the last of it. Now that you’ve had the entire house faux finished from top to bottom. Wallpaper is back. And its coming for you. (Cue “Jaws” theme music here.)
Fear not! This isn’t your 90′s “fruits and plaids” paper and the papers of today bring a lot more to the table than grapes. Surprised? No one was more shocked at the selection than this girl. The last time I looked at wallpaper it was for a client’s pre-teen who wanted to look at nothing but purple and blue flowers. Easy enough. But this week my challenge was..well, actually challenging. My mission was to find a wall treatment that complimented the architecture of a 1908 historical home while embracing the modern pieces we would be incorporating. This was an active, younger family and sticking to just one style wasn’t an option. I walked into Ketch Design Center (50th and N. Western Ave, OKC) expecting to find one or two samples worth the client’s time. I was blown away at the selection and the patterns have never been more fun! I found six varieties to take back to the job site and each one had a vibe all its own. Dark and dramatic, metallic and vintage, monochromatic but modern. And Ketch isn’t the only place catching on to the craze (again). Designers all over the world are stepping outside of their traditional rolls and putting their outlandish ideas onto paper- literally. http://www.lelandswallpaper.com/modernwall.htm is full of oldies-turned-goodies and new modern patterns that would turn even the smallest powder room into the biggest conversation starter.
If you’re like me and crave a look of old-meets-new, try the paintable wallpapers. Completely textured/embossed, these white papers can take up to 3 coats of paint so you can get the best of both worlds. These are especially ideal for the recreation of tin ceilings. Painted a metallic copper or silver it might be hard to tell the difference once installed!
Not much for the new designs? The throwback collections are for you! Ketch has an entire section of retro wallpapers you thought you would never see again! Their helpful design staff can even recommend wallpaper installers if you’re not in the mood to DIY.
The point is, don’t disgard the idea entirely. I won’t put it in every client’s home but it certainly has its place and it can completely transform a room in a way that paint sometimes can’t. Not sure what pattern is right for you? What a coincidence… I know just the designer….
Tags: metallic, paint, wallcovering, wallpaper
Posted in DIY, Remodeling/Renovation, new products | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
11/20/09
By now you have had time to recount the last few winters and you get tired just thinking back to the trips to the store for ornaments, a second trip to the store when Fluffy broke your ornaments, decorating the tree at midnight (because when else were you supposed to do it?), getting the house sparkling clean, preparing the meals, entertaining the guests— WHEW!
WANT TO ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON AGAIN?
So you’ve wisely decided to hire Designing Diva Interiors, LLC to take care of the decorating for you this year but you’re not sure what to do next.
Schedule your consultation! But please be forewarned that you may not get scheduled in the same week you call. As this is the busiest time of the year for DDI we do our very best to meet the client’s needs as quickly as possible but may be booked several days out so plan ahead! A consultation is $75 and includes 1-2 hours with the Jennifer Hicks, owner and an experienced Certified Interior Decorator (C.I.D.). During this time the following points will be discussed (see below) and a plan of action/design will be laid out. Holiday decorating jobs are priced by the size of the job. The following are topics that you will need to think about prior to your consultation.
a) Time frame. If you intend to have the home decorated in time for a party, open house, home tour, etc, please give your designer ample time to complete the project so that every last detail can be perfect!
b. Budget. If new accessories/garland/ornaments, etc are required how much would you like to spend on these items? This may or may not be a realistic budget given your design preferences but your designer will be able to estimate costs for you before the decorating begins.
c. Style. Do you like your mantle overflowing with things that sparkle in the night or do you prefer a more natural, simplistic look? A custom holiday design is indeed very custom– no two centerpieces from DDI will ever be the same, no two Christmas trees donning the same ornament collection, no duplicated floral arrangements, guaranteed.
d. Inventory. Before your consultation it is important to go through your current decorations and determine what’s broken and needs to be replaced and what you would like to use again this year. Once your expert knows what you have to work with an appropriate budget and shopping list can be determined.
Tags: centerpiece, decorating, decorating tips, fireplace, holiday, home, Home staging, interior design, outdoor living space, real estate, Thanksgiving
Posted in General | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
11/18/09
Yesterday I was in a new client’s home and was so enchanted by one single space-the formal dining- that I kept coming back to it just to look around. It finally occurred to me that it was the satin black walls that were so alluring. So rich in color but not so shocking that it was all you noticed, her walls created the perfect backdrop for an intimate and luxurious feast. As luck would have it I came across this article from www.shelterpop.com that same evening. If I could tell my readers one thing about black walls its this: do not be afraid! If its done right you will not feel like you’re living in a dungeon and your furnishings/wall decor/accessories will absolutely POP against such a dramatic yet simple color. Read on!
I love black walls. Not only are they glamorous, dramatic and brooding, but they create a fantastic backdrop for your home furnishings. In fact, we’ve got a few tips right here on when to transform your walls with a can of black paint. But how to do it without looking like you’re living in a cave? Here are a few important tips to follow with a bit of help from eHow.com:
1. Make sure your walls are well prepped, as chips and impressions will show up easily on dark walls. Make your walls smooth or add a textured coat.
2. Use a matte black paint over your prepped walls. Gloss or semi-gloss paint will highlight any imperfections.
3. Paint one wall at a time. Most rooms will benefit from having only one or two walls painted black. Too much black wall space can become over-powering.
4. Leave ceilings white or light-colored since a dark ceiling will appear lower and more claustrophobic.
5. Accent black walls with white or light colored trim, wall hangings, fixtures or other white or contrasting décor so the black becomes a backdrop.
6. Use light colors or metallics to furnish a black-walled room. Again, contrast can use the black wall to its best advantage.
7. Remember that painting over a black wall will require several coats for full coverage, so make sure you know which wall(s) you want to paint before experimenting.
-By Erin Loechner
Tags: black walls, dramatic, how to, painted walls
Posted in DIY | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
11/16/09
NOVEMBER 20TH IS FREEBIE FRIDAY!
This Friday only you may purchase a DDI gift certificate and receive one free hour for each hour purchased! Use the gift certificates as gifts or as a treat for your own home; may be applied to any DDI service offered! Gift certificates expire three months from date purchased and must be purchased in $40 increments. Call or e-mail Jennifer Hicks on FRIDAY, NOV. 20TH to get yours!
See http://decorateokc.net/services.php for a list of services all customized to suit your budget and style!
Tags: BOGO, decorating, design service, gift certificates, interior design
Posted in Monthly Specials | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
11/13/09
Receive your $20 OFF coupon for booking your holiday decorating service 
by November 15th! Remember, you do not have to have your home decorated by the 15th, you simply must schedule your desired appointment by the 15th.
Who is DDI’s Holiday Decorating Service for, anyway? You don’t need a huge home or an overflowing bank account to get a professionally designed room for the holidays! We do it all, large or small: tree decorating, fireplace/mantle decor, decorating for dinner parties and more.
Use your current decor or allow Jennifer Hicks to design a new look from the ground up and at an affordable cost to you! Take it easy this year and let us do the hard part for you.
*DDI and temporary holiday assistants are insured.
* Includes interior design only, exterior decorating jobs accepted at designer’s discretion.
See “Contact Us” link on homepage.
Tags: bathroom, bedroom, centerpiece, Christmas, decor, decorating, Designer's Attic, holiday, interior design, kitchen, kitchens, living room, outdoor living space, Thanksgiving
Posted in Monthly Specials | 5 Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
11/12/09
Q.) My home needs help. I have white walls throughout my entire home and hardly any pictures or decorations on them. I am on a tight budget at the moment and cannot afford to buy nice paintings or frames. Are there any ideas you may have for me to spice up the look of my home that is not too expensive? I have some fabric and one old picture frame that I thought might work for something.
-Amber, Oklahoma
A.) There are a number of inexpensive and unique ways to add life to your walls! I have listed a few for your consideration, all of which are simple DIY projects that you can do in a few minutes or hours!
~Visit your local hardware store’s paint department and ask to see their “Oops” section. This consists of custom-blended paints that either didn’t get picked up by the customer or were not approved by the customer. These paint colors range from the very common Beige to odd shades of Turquoise but they are priced as low as $5 for a gallon. You can always have them adjust the color if need be. NOTE: If you end up needing more of the same “oops” paint mixed at a later time beware: The label on the can likely does not match the actual formula. The paint itself will be need to be scanned and even then it is not a guaranteed match.
~Canvas wraps make for simple, quick and affordable artwork! 
Perhaps you can put your fabric to good use using this trick that my clients love! You will need:
1) Your desired size canvas from craft store
2) Fabric (enough to cover canvas plus an extra 3″ on all sides)
3) Staple gun
Lay your blank canvas on the floor or on a flat, sturdy surface. Tightly wrap your fabric around the canvas and staple down the excess fabric on the backside. Voila! In ten minutes you have created your own custom art and your only cost was your material (Pssst, wait for the canvas to be on sale at Hobby Lobby)!
~You say you have old frames lying around? Skip the family photo and pick up a plate instead! A single framed plate can really make a statement because its unexpected and always unique. Are you the formal type? Paint your frame black or gold and opt for a piece of your grandmother’s china. If your style is more casual or modern pick up a quirky plate from Target or Blue 7 and paint your frame a brighter color like orange or pink. Wall brackets for plates can be found in most frame sections of any store.
*Remove the glass from your frame for this project.
Tags: boring walls, inexpensive decora, white walls
Posted in Q & A | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
11/10/09
…to receive your $20 OFF coupon for booking your holiday decorating service by November 15th! Remember, you do not have to have your home decorated by the 15th, you simply must schedule your desired appointment by the 15th.
Who is DDI’s Holiday Decorating Service for, anyway? You don’t need a huge home or an overflowing bank account to get a professionally designed room for the holidays! We do it all, large or small: tree decorating, fireplace/mantle decor, decorating for dinner parties and more.
Use your current decor or allow Jennifer Hicks to design a new look from the ground up and at an affordable cost to you! Take it easy this year and let us do the hard part for you.
*DDI and temporary holiday assistants are insured.
* Includes interior design only, exterior decorating jobs accepted at designer’s discretion.
Tags: Christmas, decor, decorating, Designer's Attic, fireplace, holiday, home, Home staging, interior design, interiors, kitchen, living room, Thanksgiving
Posted in Monthly Specials | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
11/09/09
If you have a question, Designing Diva Interiors has the answer! In the comment box below, leave your home improvement/design question and get it answered by your favorite interior decorator or one of her expert panelists in fields such as carpentry, faux finish painting, landscaping, and others!
Tags: answer, art, bathroom, bedroom, buying, cabinets, centerpiece, decor, decorating, Designer's Attic, furniture, green, home building, kitchens, magazine, outdoor living space, photos, question, real estate, remodel, selling, shower, staging, tips
Posted in Q & A | 1 Comment »
If you have a question, Designing Diva Interiors has the answer! In the comment box below, leave your home improvement/design question and get it answered by your favorite interior decorator or one of her expert panelists in fields such as carpentry, faux finish painting, landscaping, and others!
