Designing Diva Interiors

I’m not generally one for decorating in over-the-top fashion for the holidays but this is one of those things I could easily put in every room. Make that 10 in every room. Check out creator Kathryn Jordan’s Facebook Marketplace page for more photos and details!

http://apps.facebook.com/marketplace/view/-/1853821909/?orig=NEWSFEED&cm_mmc=Product_Feed-_-Posted-_-edit_listing_news-_-1853821909

These handmade Easter Follies are absolutely adorable and truly unique- custom made to your specifications and color scheme! Put a few in a three-tiered serving stand or pile them into a glass bowl lined with moss (found at craft stores) to create a DIY tablescape. If I were hosting a brunch I would place a small one on each plate on top of the napkin. Or draw some serious attention to kitchen islands, buffets or fireplace mantels by setting a small egg on each arm of a candle stick (in place of candles)! Artist extraordinaire Kathryn Jordan will design these holiday gems just for you and ship them in time for Easter! I’ve ordered two for myself just to get started but plan to have others made for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

So, you’re hearing more and more about how beneficial home staging is. You’re wondering “what can a home stager do that I can’t do myself?” An experienced, professional home stager can do wonders to get your home from “listed” to “sold!” in record time.

Here are some of the things a good home stager should do for you:

• He/She will work with you to decide what stays and what goes in the way of furniture, art, accessories, etc. Once the stager has determined which items will be used in the staging, you may have these options in regards to your unused items: Store off site, Move to the new residence, Store in garage in an organized manner.
• He/She will arrange and display the selected items so that each room, as well as every nook and cranny within that room, is maximized to the fullest.
• He/She will look at your home objectively and create a space that appeals to the masses. Personal items such as family photos will likely not be used, as it is the stager’s job to convince the average buyer that they could be at home there. This is hard to achieve with personal collectibles, memorabilia and photos on the shelves.
• He/She will make suggestions on curb appeal if necessary.
• Along with your Realtor, he/she may suggest upgrades that will be most beneficial/efficient (i.e. new appliances, new or painted light fixtures, new faucets).

From the first meeting with your realtor to moving day, selling a home is a major undertaking, but with a professional home stager, it doesn’t have to be a major headache!

Originally posted in okREblog.

Imagine you’re sitting in the den this evening, enjoying a glass of wine while you catch up with your dinner guests. Later you retire to the master bedroom for a good night’s rest (finally!) or to the study to do some reading or to send out a few more e-mails before the day’s end. Now imagine what those rooms look like. Are they comforting? Are they cacoon-like in the way the colors envelope you as you enter the room? Spaces that are enjoyed by candlelight or low light (or after-hours rooms, as I call them) should do just this. The walls should emit a relaxing but rich vibe, saturating the room with colors that signal the brain and say “Relax, your day is done. Sit awhile.” If you’re thinking “My room is anything but those things!” read on for the best colors for after hours rooms.

1) Benjamin Moore’s “Glenwood Brown”, a reddish-brown that is perfect for Oklahoma sitting rooms, studies and master bedrooms.

2) Benjamin Moore’s “Providence Olive” which is a color seen in the Old World style. I would use this on a tall ceiling to enlist a more cozy atmosphere or on an accent wall paired with Benjamin Moore’s “Mocha Brown”.

3) Farrow and Ball’s “Pelt” is my favorite color right now and I cannot wait to drench a master bedroom in it! The absolute best of both chocolate and plum, this color practically wraps you up in itself.

4) Benjamin Moore’s “Kendall Charcoal” is a masculine paint color for all styles. I would do in a study, master bathroom or use as an accent wall in a sitting room with Benjamin Moore’s “Abalone”, an elegant neutral that House Beautiful says has “the iridescence of the inside of a shell, and its that shimmer that makes it sexy.”

5) Fine Paints of Europe’s “Post Office Red”, a regal red that is so lux it screams “drinks after work?” in the most sophisticated way. Similar to the red seen on the soles of LouBoutin pumps, this color feels like your favorite shade of lipstick without being too garish.

Today I wish I had a jet pack. Or a personal assistant who could read my mind. Or a clone. Today is one of those days when I have to be in two places at once and then in at least four places after that before the shops close this evening. I’m not complaining, don’t get me wrong! I love to stay busy but days like today leave me yearning for a foot massage and fluffy bed.

All this huffing and puffing about a packed schedule and I have to admit: at least I’m busy doing one of the funnest jobs in the world. In about an hour I get to brighten a client’s day by delivering a long-awaited custom chaise lounge for their 100 year-old master bedroom. After that I’m headed out to shop for the perfect hardware for my bathroom at this year’s Symphony Orchestra Show House and gather up a few other items that need to be installed this week. Then its back to the home office to work on a custom Design Binder for a repeat client who needs a long term design plan for her home. The day is far from over but there are few ways I would rather spend the hours. If you have blessed with a job you adore, tell us what it is (even if you sometimes need a clone to get it done)!

One of my favorite rooms of the home to decorate is the bedroom. You can go for optimum luxury to playfully casual and everything in between and I love it all! Because you can’t keep using your college twin bed forever, send your bedroom decorating questions here or to Jennifer@decorateokc.net and they could be answered on this blog this week!

Examples:

~ “Does my master bathroom hardware have to match what’s in the bedroom?”

~ “Does the furniture have to be the same finish?”        

~”We don’t know what kind of flooring we want in the bedroom.”

~ “How do we make the bedroom part masculine and part feminine for us both?”

I can’t wait to see what kinds of queries you come up with!

I like to think of myself as a fairly organized girl. I can tell you at any given moment where a client file is, where my next appointment will be or how many days are left until a deadline. HOWEVER. I work from home when I’m not in yours. This means the paper fairies frequent my desk and occassionally (okay, often) invade my car when they get bored with that room. In an effort to maintain my sanity and get prepared for the busy spring ahead, Designing Diva Interiors will be closed tomorrow, Friday March 5th for a little spring cleaning. To view some of the organizing tips I will be implementing in my own home please check out “Organizing 4 Important spaces for Spring” in the HOME section of www.EdmondActive.com!

If you wish to schedule a consultation for March please contact me at Jennifer@decorateokc.net.

Designing Diva Interiors is excited to participate in this year’s Symphony Orchestra Show House and equally excited about the room assigned to me: The Guest Powder Bath in the front of the home. One of eleven bathrooms in the sprawling 17,000 square foot home, this room has been transformed from a traditionally formal, seldom-used space to a 1920’s-inspired cacoon, topped off with luxurius and sassy finishing touches. It is by far my most favorite bath project to date and it got me to thinking about the endless possibilities. When it comes to these necessary rooms you see it all from timeless tiles to trendy prints and everything in between. So DDI wants to see what you’re working with!

Leave a photo of your fun, funky, classic or streamlined bathroom in the comment section below or E-mail them to Jennifer@decorateokc.net! They could be featured on tomorrow’s blog!

With our completion deadline of March 25 looming near, designers from across the state rush to pull together their rooms at this year’s Symphony Designer Show House (http://www.symphonyshowhouse.com/). As for Designing Diva Interiors’ room… well, let’s just say I feel like a proud parent! Having gone through the planning, the preparation, even some criticism (”Black walls? Oh my….”)  the overall vision of the Guest Powder Bath is coming into clear focus this week. Specialty painter Lezley Lynch (Edmond, OK) removed the last bits of tape yesterday to reveal one of her favorite hand-painted designs to date!

I went to purchase the new cabinet knobs yesterday but they were not on sale and this Diva doesn’t pay retail! I’ll try again next week. Instead I’ll spend the next 48 hours locating and installing the mirrors and anxiously awaiting the delivery of the custom draperies by the very talented Patti Wommer (Edmond, OK).

Unfortunately, designers are not permitted to post photographs due to Symphony Orchestra Committee policies, but you can get a first-hand look at this very unique space in all its 1920’s glory starting May 1st!

This week’s favorite space comes from http://schappacherwhite.com and is a dining room designed for a man if ever there was one. Its a new favorite of mine because I can see myself living here, too. It contains a personal element that reflects the personality of one, if not both, of the residents. I can definitely see this in one of OKC’s newest downtown lofts.

Motorcycles in the dining room not for you? The point here is to make it meaningful. If you’re a musician you could position a cello on a stand in the corner. For one current client in Heritage Hills we put the family’s heirloom piano in their oversized dining room, keeping it away from windows and direct sunlight. Get creative- get reflective!

Click http://www.houzz.com/photos/20858/SchappacherWhite-Ltd–modern-dining-room-new-york for amazing photo of this room.

You may have already heard the turquoise has won the title of Color of the Year. What’s not to love? A timeless classic that goes with everything and has evolved with the ages  kind of like Madonna. Still not convinced that its for you? Fear not! House Beautiful has composed a list of a few favorites that can make almost any naysayer swoon for blue. From the Tiffany Blue’s to the grey-green hues you’re sure to find the right color for your project. Remember, you don’t have to go big with blue! Skip the walls and use one of these gems as your accent color on backsplashes, bedding, pillows or seat cushions! Most paint suppliers will be able to color match your item with the cooresponding paint color and samples are usually available for around $5.

1) Benjamin Moore’s “Dolphin’s Cove” 722

2) Farrow & Ball’s “Blue Ground” 210

3) Benjamin Moore’s “Blue Toile” 746

4) Ralph Lauren’s “Mystic River” SS21

5) Benjamin Moore’s “Stunning” 826

Don’t want to make a trip to the store just to check out these paint swatches? Go online to these manufacturers’ sites, type the color name into their search engine and see for yourself if these colors are worth your while!