submitted by: Jennifer
08/30/11
We’ve all been there- the dreaded phone call or email at 3:30 informing you that company will be arriving tomorrow. You’ve been working all week, the kids still haven’t mastered the art of putting the laundry AWAY instead of merely wearing clothes off the bed until the pile disappears and your humble abode is looking a little…worn. Below are my favorite quick fixes for giving any home a little burst of style in a hurry.
1) Clear the floors! Purchase a couple of storage ottomans or cubes now so that when that doorbell rings all you have to do is hide those shoes/book bags/pet toys in a decorative, easily accessible place on your way to the front door. A room automatically looks bigger and cleaner if there is no clutter on the floor!
Target.com, $229
2) Empty all trash bins. You can easily fake a “just cleaned” bathroom or kitchen simply by taking the trash out. Its a visual thing- just trust me on this one.
3) Candles still rule. I know that reed diffusers and plug-ins are all the rage today but while they may make a room smell fresh they still don’t add anything aesthetically. Unscented candles gathered on a platter on your buffet or entry table create a very welcoming, relaxing environment. Be careful that you don’t use so many that it comes off as inconvenient (“I can’t lay my purse anywhere! It will catch fire!”) or creepy (“Are we here for coffee or a romantic dinner with the Adams’ Family?) and keep the scents limited so that your home looks designer-esque, not like a gift shop.
4) Entry way a bit lacking? If you can’t afford a table, either monetarily or space-wise, pick up some vintage doorknobs and hang them on the wall by the front door to give guests a convenient place to hang up coats, purses, etc.
5) Lighting is key in any environment but nothing says “Welcome! Sit and stay awhile” like complimentary lighting. (Psssst! A little hint? The right lighting will also help to camouflage your room’s flaws). Switch out the lamp bulbs with amber or pink bulbs which compliment skin tones. Make sure your overhead lighting isn’t too glaring or too dim, depending on the room and the purpose of that room. Make use of natural light by opening up blinds and draperies, which also makes a room feel fresher!
Tags: candles, entertaining, home decor, interior design, lighting, tables, vintage knobs
Posted in DIY, Design Trends, home improvement | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
06/27/11
I love my six china sets from four different grandmothers. I adore my handkerchief collection that the women in my family stitched by hand. Most of us would agree that we cherish those lovely knick-knacks and pieces of history passed down to us but they’re not showing off to anyone but the dust bunnies. Below are a few of my favorite ways to bring these beloved belongings out to center stage again without making my home feel like a stuffy Victorian museum.
1) Handkerchiefs. Try hanging up a clothesline made of twine or satin ribbon in your laundry room (I’ve even done this in a guest room). Use clothes pins to hang up your favorites, just make sure they don’t get too much direct sunlight. If you love to entertain, set a hankie underneath each glass or mini floral arrangement. Its okay if they don’t match! It adds to the charm and you may find that each one has its own story to tell (for example I have one that my newlywed grandmother made for my grandfather while he was in the war).
2) Pieces of china. I still love to use china dishes for certain dinners but using the entire collection at once feels stiff and far too formal for many peoples’ tastes these days. To lighten it up try mixing and matching your dishes or dine on plain white plates but use the tea cups to hold cut flowers (I love one peony in each teacup along the length of the table).
3) Recipe cards. Some of you are lucky enough to have inherited someone’s “famous” recipe book. If you couldn’t get enough of mom’s chocolate chip cookies as a child, why not bring those happy thoughts to your own kitchen today? Frame her recipe card in a special frame that reflects the kind of person she was. Place in a corner of your kitchen countertops for a little tug at your heart strings every time you pass by.
4) Retro holiday decorations. The Christmas tree decor of the 50′s is making a major come back but I don’t intend to wait until December to show off my favorite inherited items! This glitter and pearl star hangs up year-round and while it isn’t a hand-me-down, it sure looks like one. It currently hangs beneath a ledge shelf in our living room to add just a hint of whimsy and romance to an otherwise neutral space. Get creative!
Tags: antiques, china, decorating, decorations, flowers, handkerchiefs, heirlooms, heritage, tea cups
Posted in DIY, Design Trends | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
05/23/11
I seem to be transitioning out of my Moroccan, BoHo phase and into a sophistocated country phase. Which is good news for my husband who is drawn more to a paint color called “Honey Wheat” than one called “Blood Orange”. More good news: when country decor is done right it ages gracefully giving the homeowner more time to enjoy their new look without worry of the latest trends going out of style next summer.
If you’re a regular visitor to Back Talk you know that Houzz.com is one of my favorite resources and I love to share a good resource! So check out one of today’s featured articles and get your own little slice of country charm!
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/409799?utm_campaign=updates&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery0&w=11852
Tags: charm, cottage, country, decorating, design, estate sale, farmhouse, flea market, Houzz.com, interiors
Posted in DIY, Design Trends, Eye on Color, Fave websites/blogs, Favorite articles | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
05/12/11
Thanks to Geri for posting this frequently-asked question on Designing Diva’s Facebook page! ”How do you decide which pictures to hang on your wall? How do you decide it when enough is enough pictures?” While artwork is pretty subjective and everyone has a preferance (“Less is more!” to “show it all!”) there are a few rules I go by when hanging artwork and family photos for my clients. Read on to see what works for you!
1) When you prefer a bit less. The Rule of Three works with just
about everything but it really helps when trying to keep walls from looking cluttered. Examples: A mirror with one wall sconce on each side. A large family portrait with two smaller ones off to one side. One print closely paired with a lamp and a shorter vase (as pictured, courtesy of Hello Metro). Three prints of the same size hung paralell to one another either vertically or horizontally.
2) When you just can’t decide what to use. The Rotatation
method is your best friend! Your family is gorgeous and you want to show them off! But if you’re not ruthless with choosing which prints make it onto the walls you may quickly get a “shrine” look going on and nobody wants to be the wierd neighbor on the block. Your wedding portrait hanging above the fireplace is one thing. 90 pairs of eyes staring back at you in every room, well that’s just creepy. I keep only a handful of family prints out at one time but keep an organized folder in my office of great memories that I don’t want to scrapbook- I want to show them off! So about every two months or so I rotate the photos out which also allows for the most recent ones to get fair play as well. I don’t recommend this for households with more than twenty or so frames in a room as this gets tedious with the number like that.
3) When you like to get busy! I’ll give you a moment to get your
mind out of the gutter…. all better? For you artistic types you may prefer a more eclectic look with a mixture of portraits, hand-painted canvases and other forms of art to grace your walls. For this look there isn’t a stead-fast rule (but that’s okay because you creative minds don’t like rules anyway!) so I tell my clients to use whatever invokes the emotion they’re aiming for. If you want your home office to be a hodge-podge collection of local artists’ work because it makes you happy then so be it! If 100 black and white framed snapshots of things you find on your nature hikes calms you down, why not put those in your living room? My only recommendation is to watch how low and how high you hang pieces. Think eye level. And try to keep like art together (no abstracts with Western oils on canvas, for example). Art shown above/right is the 8″x8″ mini abstract “Radiant” by Oklahoma artist Mark Yearwood.
Tags: abstract, art, canvas, family photos, hanging, portraits, prints, wall decor
Posted in DIY, Design Trends, Eye On Art | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
05/11/11
When I asked Facebook fans to chime in on the decorating topics that bugged them most, many of the answers were similar in nature. Walls-more specifically, how to dress them- seem to be top-of-mind for many DIY-ers. Below are a few of my favorite solutions. See which one fits you best!
1) The TV frame is growing in popularity and is readily available with a basic Google search (example: http://framethetv.com/) Going this route takes some of the pressure off to hang a lot of other decor around the TV because the TV becomes the art or focal point.
2) Going with canvas art is easy on two levels- you buy two, hang one on each side of the TV AND they’re a cinch to hang, requiring only one nail in the center. I recommend this look for people who like a more simplistic, minimalist look (the TV frame works well for this group also). This is a great way to balance out your TV, add color to the walls and not have to spend a ton in the process. You can even have personal photos scanned onto canvas! I recommend Affordable Art & Frame.
3) Wall sconces are another alternative to tons of framed family portraits. You can really use your imagination here and go with one of thousands of options. Movie theater-inpsired, traditional, old world wrought-iron, modern, vintage… the possibilities are endless!
Not sure which look is perfect for your wall? Let Designing Diva take the guess work out of the process, saving you time and money (fifth trip to Home Depot, huh?)! Email Jennifer today to make your appointment. A solution like one of the three mentioned above can usually be selected within a couple of hours.
405-816-9716 or Jennifer@decorateokc.net. Be sure to follow DDI on Facebook and Twitter (divainteriors)!
Tags: canvas art, flatscreen tv, LED tv, photos, plasma tv, sconces, wall decor
Posted in DIY, Design Trends, home improvement, new products | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
05/04/11
You follow all the tips on the DDI Facebook page, you check out the blog from time to time to get trend alerts and you read my How-To’s in Edmond Active Magazine BUT you’re still not convinced. Come on… you need me… admit it… *nudge nudge*
All nudging aside, have you ever said/thought:
”I hate my house.”
“All of this stuff is so old!”
“I love running a store but don’t know how to make it all look good.”
“We have to sell this house-fast.”
“We have to get our asking price for this house.”
“I just can’t visualize.”
“I don’t know how to pull it all together.”
“I don’t know where to begin on my remodel.”
“Our builder wants us to pick out all of this stuff by Monday!”
“As a Realtor I can’t get my clients to understand the value of staging.”
If you fall into any of these catagories chances are you’re like the other homeowners, retailers or Realtors that DDI has helped. Professional decorating service is…guess what? For EVERYONE! Single, married, builder, Realtor, city, country, work hard, play hard- great design that meets you where you are both in budget and in functionality is a must. Not an option. If you can dream it I can help you make it happen. If you can’t dream it…well I can help with that too!
Tags: bathroom, building, design, Designing Diva, home builder, homeowner, interior decorating, kitchen, living room, new construction, NURSERY, oklahoma, painting, realtor, remodel
Posted in DIY, Design Trends, Eye On Art, Eye on Color, Green Design/Living, Outdoor design, Remodeling/Renovation, new products, organizing | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
04/20/11
Everyone has an opinion when it comes to mixing patterns and colors. Think you don’t? My favorite is when I ask a client how they feel about graphic black and white wallpaper and they say something like “I really don’t care, whatever you think looks good.” And then I show them what I have in mind and watch them start shaking their head and backing away. Playing with patterns isn’t for the faint of heart but the payoff can be huge IF you commit. Below are a few of my go-to tricks for getting it right.
1) Keep your big pieces neutral. Sofas and other large upholstered pieces need to play it safe. Stick with a solid color or a tone-on-tone fabric. You will absolutely regret spending a large sum of money on a trendy fabric only to fall out of love with it in six months when animal prints are out-again.
2) Use a large, bold print in a classic color on your window coverings or bedding. For the draperies, think oversized flowers, houndstooth or any of the other big hits right now but in a color you won’t tire of quickly, like navy, black or yellow. The same color rule applies for bedding but make sure the pattern isn’t too busy. I recommend a more sublte duvet with bold mix and match pillows.
3) Now its time for floors; try broad stripes or harlequin diamonds either painted on the wood or concrete floor OR in an area rug if you’re not entirely committed to altering your floors. This is the place to tie in colors from your window coverings and the wall OR your accent color (which will be used in your accessories, discussed in step 4).
4) Be a little crazy with accessories! Let me clarify: I do not mean in quantity! Every room should be carefully edited for the ultimate designer look. I mean that in your final touches- the throws, the pillows, the vases- this is the place to try out the season’s latest and greatest. The loud color, the outrageous pattern, anything you love right now but wouldn’t want to use in a larger capacity.
Tags: animal print, bedding, bold, color, drapes, floors, houndstooth, owl, paint, pattern, pillow, print, rug, stripe, subtle
Posted in DIY, Design Trends | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
04/18/11
As if I needed ANOTHER reason to love The Container Store! They have found the solution to every home owner’s plight of “What’s in that paint can?” with their clear paint pales. Each pale
allows you to see and clearly label every paint you use, keeping them handy for touch ups. Just be sure to store your fancy new paint pales indoors where the temp is controlled year round. Storing paint in the garage is a big no-no; fluctuating climates in Oklahoma can quickly ruin the paint’s formula making the paint ineffective at cover ups.
Tags: Container Store, paint cans, paint pale, paint supplies, storage
Posted in DIY, Design Trends, Fave websites/blogs, home improvement | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
04/14/11
Are you following DDI on Facebook? If not you’re missing out on monthly specials, sale and trend alerts, DIY articles, local decorating-related events and more resources! Everything you need to get started on your next decorating project is waiting for you on the DDI fan page. Visit Facebook and “Like” Designing Diva Interiors LLC’s page to stay ahead of the curve!
Posted in DDI in the media, DIY, Design Trends, Designer's Attic, Drawings/Prizes, Eye On Art, Eye on Color, Fave websites/blogs, Favorite articles, General, Green Design/Living, Home staging, Local news, Local shopping, Monthly Specials, Outdoor design, Philanthropy, Q & A, Remodeling/Renovation, Uncategorized, holiday, home improvement, new products, organizing | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
04/01/11
1) Potted Plants. I’m all about the interior (obviously) but we can’t ignore the exterior! Potted plants are perhaps the quickest way to liven up a patio or outdoor living space. If you are lacking your black belt in Green Thumb be sure to ask a local nursery which plants are ideal for you based on the direction they face in relation to the sun, how high maintanance they are, etc.
2) Bedding. Now is the time to remove the heavy down comforters and quilts from the bed and replace with a light-weight duvet in an airy color or whimsical pattern. Keep your pillows to a minimum as well- spring isn’t the time for 15 decorative pillows. Less is more on a warm-weather bed! Left: Grey Vines Bed Linens by www.cb2.com
3) Scents. Plug-ins and Scentsy warmers are all the rage and for good reasonn. They provide a safer way to dispense fragrance when you’re not in the room to supervise the open flame of a candle and most of them are quite decorative. Try a scent like lavender, sweet pea or fresh linen to bring the smell of spring indoors. Certain scents-like certain colors- are linked to a person’s state of mind so if you’ve been feeling a bit down lately try one of the scents listed above to lift your mood.
Tags: bedding, flowers, interior design, potted plants, scents, spring decorating
Posted in DIY, Design Trends, Outdoor design, home improvement | No Comments »
1) Potted Plants. I’m all about the interior (obviously) but we can’t ignore the exterior! Potted plants are perhaps the quickest way to liven up a patio or outdoor living space. If you are lacking your black belt in Green Thumb be sure to ask a local nursery which plants are ideal for you based on the direction they face in relation to the sun, how high maintanance they are, etc.
2) Bedding. Now is the time to remove the heavy down comforters and quilts from the bed and replace with a light-weight duvet in an airy color or whimsical pattern. Keep your pillows to a minimum as well- spring isn’t the time for 15 decorative pillows. Less is more on a warm-weather bed! Left: Grey Vines Bed Linens by www.cb2.com
3) Scents. Plug-ins and Scentsy warmers are all the rage and for good reasonn. They provide a safer way to dispense fragrance when you’re not in the room to supervise the open flame of a candle and most of them are quite decorative. Try a scent like lavender, sweet pea or fresh linen to bring the smell of spring indoors. Certain scents-like certain colors- are linked to a person’s state of mind so if you’ve been feeling a bit down lately try one of the scents listed above to lift your mood.
