Designing Diva Interiors

Mother Of Pearl

 

If your walls need a splash of something different-something to really steal the show- skip the standard wallpapers and faux finishes. There’s a new player in town and it goes by the names “Mother Of Pearl”, “Cork” and “Crushed Mica” just to name a few. House Beautiful and Designing Diva Interiors LLC  rounded up our top picks for a truly unique wallcovering and you might be surprised at which ones you would actually consider.

My mom loves to joke that “it must be nice to get paid to shop”. Of course I love the thrill of the hunt, the victory in finding the absolute ideal item for a hard-to-please client, but I spend a great deal of my week shopping off the clock just to stay on top of what’s new. Scouring the catalogs, online sources and the Dallas Market Center helps me provide my clients with a shopping edge.

Here I have listed a few of my favorites that can be found in local stores now.

OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES could use a little extra TLC this time of year since this is where everyone wants to be. I love Pottery Barn’s Riviera Double Chaise ($899) because it simply begs you to come and relax with a glass of lemonade. Pair it with their Three Tiered Umbrella ($119) and use their Ceramic Garden Stool ($159) in blue, cherry or white to add additional seating, tabletop space or to display pots in the garden! I currently have one available in my Designer’s Attic in a teal/turquoise for $99.

KITCHENS might not be used quite as often in the summer months but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored completely. Add a fresh look to your dining table or island by filling clear glass vases or canisters with lemons, limes or oranges. These can usually be purchased at my local favorite bargain shops like Ross, Tuesday Morning or Target for under $20.

BATHROOM lighting tends to get a bit drab if you stick to shopping at the standard outlets- chain home improvement stores. Add a personal touch here with Ballard Designs’ customizable chandeliers and pendents, great for above the tub or vanity! Shop www.ballarddesigns.com to find the perfect fixture and fabric for your bathroom!

Some of you may have hired a professional designer or decorator in the past. Some of you are considering it for the first time and many of you have upcoming initial consultations with one. In an effort to minimize any confusion and to make the most out of your time with your home’s new best friend, I would like to take a moment to list a few common things you should know before diving into your next project.

1) Is he/she currently certified, liscensed, insured and/or registered with the state? Many people find that they have a knack for decorating and begin offering their services to others. While you may save money going this route, be aware that this is definitely one of those cases where you get what you pay for. He/she may not have the experience and education required to provide you with the results you want in a timely and desirably manner. Additionally, hiring someone who is not insured is a huge risk to you. If that person is injured while in your home they could sue and win.

2) Talk about fees. At or before your initial consultation your designer should discuss her fees. If she doesn’t, bring this topic up before she leaves that first appointment. You don’t want any surprises later. Make sure you are clear on the following: Is the rate hourly or by the job? When it payment due? Which forms of payment are accepted? Is there a late fee for past due payments?

3) What are your goals for this project? Over the years I have gotten much better at reading clients’ body language to help me understand what they want when they cannot verbalize it. However, this should not be the standard method of communication between designer and client. Before meeting with your designer for the first time make a list, no matter how long or short, of your goals concerning this project. This can include a desired budget, timeline and overall look. I encourage clients to tear pages out of magazines that show colors, styles or items they are inspired by. This will help to make the very most out of your time together.

4) Are you and your spouse on the same page? Again, this is something that should be determined before the designer arrives on the scene but if your wants differ from those of your spouse, a good designer can help bring the two of you together. But know this: we are not marriage counselors. We are here to create a look that compliments your style, needs and budget. If she wants a coastal vibe for the family home and he demands Old World traditional decor, there is only so much I can do. It is awkward to watch a couple bicker in front of me so please discuss your wishes with one another before bringing me in. This is will save everyone time and money and believe it or not, a designer WILL “fire” the client if the job is going nowhere because of this issue.

5) Does my designer have a niche or specific style?  Many designers across the globe establish themselves in one niche over the course of their career. This may mean that, while they can do all styles, they are particularly skilled at bringing French Country to life or really prefer doing childrens’ rooms. So why is this important for you to inquire about? If you hire a designer who’s portfolio shines with photos of rustic cabins and outdoor living spaces, you may not be getting someone who ”gets” your style which could be more modern.

6) How many clients does he/she work with at one time? No one ever asks me this and I am surprised by it. I have recently made it common practice to tell each person who inquires about my services that I only work with five clients at any given time. This ensures that each project gets my utmost attention and that I won’t be too busy to assist them with a last-minute or emergency need. With a designer-or any contractor- who overbooks himself the client comes up short changed. Make sure your designer will have the time to deal with any and all needs you require- whether you know about them yet or not.

Skip the flowers and put down the Snuggie- Designing Diva Interiors wants you to consider a more unique and practical gift for the mom in your life this Mother’s Day. With a DDI gift certificate she can:

* Redecorate

* Get advice on everything from paint colors to furniture selection 

* Start that remodel you promised her last year

* or utilize any other service DDI offers!

Gift certificates are available in $75 increments and expire six months from date purchased.

**DISCOUNT** Purchase your Mother’s Day gift certificate before April 15, 2010 and you will receive 20% off of your total!

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!

People tend to believe that their decorating problems are unique; that they are the only people on the block with outdated furniture, with a bad room plan, with a themed room gone wrong. But truth be told I hear a lot of the same complaints from homeowners and that is never more true than at this time of year. Holiday decor has always been a mish-mash of collected items from over the years, in my home and in most homes I visit.  I don’t know anyone who has a perfectly coordinated Christmas look– sure, your gift wrap may match your ornaments but that’s as far as most people get. I’m not encouraging a Stepford Wife approach to holiday decorating, either, I’m simply saying that most folks have common issues with their holiday decor and its my job-I mean joy- to solve them! The most common gripes include “Everything I have is hand-me-down and nothing matches,” or “My Christmas decorations are so old, I don’t even know what’s in style this year.” My solutions to these individual households are very customized but in general you could safely stick to these rules:

1) If you have a collection of odd and end decorations, work with it! Its called “eclectic” (or “Bohemian” if you’re from the east) and it works because it looks effortless! This usually ends up looking very colorful and its okay if every ornament isn’t color matched or if you have pink ribbon in one room and green in the other. Think more “Dr Suesse” than “Martha Stewart” and you will easily pull off this playful style on a tight budget.

2) Add a little sprinkle of “new” to your decor. So obviously the kids’ reindeer cutouts from kindergarten have to go up but there’s nothing stopping you from adding a few new pieces to give the room an entirely different look from years past. But be disciplined and make a list before you go shopping otherwise you will get easily overwhelmed and end up purchasing more than you had intended. I recommend replacing the garland every two years depending on its quality. Replace the tree skirt every year (3-5 yards of fabric will do the trick and is only $8 compared to a $50 off-the-rack skirt. Tuck under the raw edges and no one will notice!) and the silk floral arrangements every 3-5 years.

3) For a more tailored look, choose three colors. Two will be your main colors (what your ornaments, tree skirt, gift wrap, candles, etc will be in). The third will be your accent color (use on throws, candle holders, decorative plates, ribbon– smaller doses). Carry these color scheme throughout the home for a designer look.

4) Stick with classic pieces and ornaments if in doubt. Trends are..well, trendy, but if you haven’t shopped for Christmas decorations in several years you could run the risk of going in the very extreme opposite direction (having very outdated decoration to having very modern decorations all over the place, which looks forced) in the middle of the excitement.  You can never go wrong with glass ball ornaments in clear urns, vases, bowls, etc. 

*Photos by Cheryl Meares of Captured By Cheryl Photography www.capturedbycheryl.com, Edmond, OK.

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.

…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.

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!