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
06/02/11
The day has finally arrived! Designing Diva Interiors is
partnering with Brecheen Brothers Area Rugs & Furniture to bring a unique booth to Showplace Market. If you’re looking for something quirky, something modern, something from a world away, this should be your next stop. I’ll be working on the booth this evening, putting finishing touches on tomorrow and we should be up and running by Saturday! I invite you to stop in and check out the hand-crafted furniture from around the globe and affordable accessories in the season’s hottest colors. If you make a purchase from our booth in June you qualify to recieve a COMPLIMENTARY Initial Consultation for interior decorating or home staging service ($85 value)!
To receive your complimentary Initial Consultation, just call 816-9716 to schedule with Jennifer, mention this blog post, and tell me what you purchased!
*Initial Consultation must be scheduled in the months of June or July in order to redeem complimentary initial consultation.
Tags: accessories, Area rugs, BRECHEEN BROTHERS, CID, decor, decorating, design, Designing Diva interiors, desk, furniture, hand crafted, interior, Jennifer Hicks, lamps, shopping, Showplace Market, solid wood, style
Posted in Home staging, Local shopping, Outdoor design, home improvement, new products | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
05/15/11
Tags: articles, decorating, design, green, HGTV.com, interiors, shopping, Traditional Home
Posted in Design Trends, Fave websites/blogs, Favorite articles, Green Design/Living, Home staging, home improvement | 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
DDI is excited to announce a new partnership with
Brecheen Brothers of Oklahoma City, OK. Beginning June 1, 2011, we will join forces to bring our unique home decor and design expertise to Showplace Market in Moore. Shoppers will be able to see hand carved Moroccan accent tables, modern vases, hand woven rugs and everything in between! Not sure what your style is? Designing Diva can help you create the perfect space in any style! If you need a little (or a lot) of guidance for picking out that next dining table, paint color or nursery design, Designing Diva has you covered there, too. Initial Consultations are my own unique way of getting to know your home, family and decorating needs. Stop by our booth this summer in Showplace Market and schedule yours!
Tags: accessories, BRECHEEN BROTHERS, decor, design, Designing Diva interiors, furniture, interiors, moore, oklahoma city, outdoor living area, professional decorator, RUGS, Showplace Market, vendor mall
Posted in Home staging, Local shopping, Remodeling/Renovation, home improvement | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
04/28/11
Vetrazzo Recycled Glass Countertops
If you have gotten curious about the latest trends and techniques in surfaces I recommend reading this article by The Oklahoman.
Outlining one of Oklahoma’s most innovative businesses this brief article defines the new green countertop materials for anyone who may be considering a new look with better benefits.
Need some help deciding which countertop is perfect for your home? Designing Diva irons out the confusion for you by bringing the latest research and pricing to your doorstep so you end up with the best results possible. Call Jennifer today to schedule your Initial Consultation!
Mention this article and receive $10 off your Initial Consultation!
Tags: bathroom, concrete, design, Designing Diva Interiors LLC, hard surfaces, Jennifer Hicks, kitchens, oklahoma, recycled glass countertop, Vetrazzo
Posted in Design Trends, Green Design/Living, home improvement | 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
04/03/11
Maybe it took tasting the sour milk in my fridge to realize it but I haven’t been home much lately. New projects and spring activities have kept my dance card full for two weeks with no end in sight. I’m not really complaining– I come from a long line of BBBCs (Busy Bodies By Choice). But that mouthfull of expired dairy got me to thinking about more than my itinerary. It got me to thinking that when I finally pull into the driveway for the last time that day, when I walk in, kick my shoes off and walk into our bedroom for the first time in 13 hours, I try to ignore all the stuff I didn’t get done that week and focus on relaxing.
I love my home, for what it represents, for how it makes me feel, for all the work that is still to be done. I don’t necessarily love the structure itself- like many first time homebuyers our budget dictated that we buy a 1980′s ranch rather than a custom cottage on ten acres. And for all the time I spend telling people how to make their homes prettier/more efficient/less cluttered, I never forget to remind them of the most important design tip of all:
Design should be simple. It should fit your lifestyle. It should make you happy. So while I need to replace the drawer pulls in the bathroom, finish painting the living room and get something-anything-planted in the flower beds, I still like coming home. My budget is small, my free time is smaller but our home is much more than decorated walls and trimmed out windows. Its a house that my husband and I paid for-together. We repair it-together. We choose the things that go in it-together. Its a house that we have made a home. Your clothes can hang out in a 900 square foot rent house in the plains or a sprawling two story cabin in the mountains but if it doesn’t feel like home when you walk in, if it doesn’t have memories that make you smile, you can spend money with every designer in town but its still just four walls.
So today my advice isn’t about choosing the right color or which flooring is right for you. My advice is this. Live your life in your home. Decorate with things that mean something to you. You may not get to enjoy your casa as much as your retired pal next door but whether your budget is $10 or $10,000, learn to love what you’ve got and the pretties that come along will just be “nice little touches”.
Tyler & Jennifer currently live in Yukon, OK with fur-child Duke.
Tags: cabin, cottage, decorating, flower beds, home sweet home, interior design, ranch style
Posted in Outdoor design, home improvement | 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.
