Blog

DDI sets up shop in Moore

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.

Great Reads While You’re Pretending to Work

submitted by: Jennifer 05/15/11

…Don’t worry. I won’t tell the boss you’re not really updating that spreadsheet. While you’re killing time check out my favorite articles from this week in the world of design!

http://ecosalon.com/the-incredible-shrinking-house/

http://www.traditionalhome.com/design_decorating/marketplace/tech-girl-wake-up_ss1.html

http://www.hgtv.com/color-dos-and-donts/package/index.html

 

Summer Announcement!

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!

 

Designing Diva keeps you in the loop on Facebook!

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!

SO WHAT DO YOU DO ANYWAY?

submitted by: Jennifer 03/21/11

I hear this question no fewer than three times a week. People know what my title is as a Certified Interior Decorator but few people know what that entails. Below is a detailed list of services I offer and it goes far beyond telling you which sofa looks good with which chair. The options available may surprise you…

Product Research, Selection & Shopping

This service is aimed at the client who is unsure about which items to purchase for their room(s). They know what they like when they see it but may not know how to put it all together for a stunning end result. This service is extremely customizable to fit the level of assistance the client requires. This means that for one client I may spend a few hours researching handmade rugs to find the highest quality, the right colors, etc. For another I may meet them at the showroom and walk them through their options so we can shop together and they have an expert present to bounce ideas off of. Some clients hire me to do it all- they don’t want to make the decision between eight different accent lamps nor do they want to  spend hours driving all over town trying to pick a bed. For these clients I do the homework for them right down to having it delivered and even meeting the delivery truck on the job site to oversee placement and installation if required.

Home Staging

For those putting their home on the market. I’ve written multiple articles on the topic explaining why you need a professional home stager, what a home stager does, etc. I encourage you to check out the following links:

http://www.showmeokc.com/do-i-really-need-a-homestager-part-i/local-businesses

http://www.showmeokc.com/so-what-can-a-home-stager-do-for-me/seller-tips

http://www.showmeokc.com/anatomy-of-a-staged-home/home-owner-tips

http://www.showmeokc.com/a-staged-home-before-and-after/seller-tips

http://www.showmeokc.com/home-staging-tips-for-the-diy-crowd/how-to

Redesign

So let’s say you’re pretty happy with your current furnishings; you’re just bored with the layout.  That same lamp has been on that same table in the same room for fifteen years. Time to shake it up a bit and that’s where I come into play! Taking an objective look at your rooms and your belongings I can help any household achieve the appearance of a freshly designed room using what they already own.

Organizing

Before any great design can really take place, the clutter must move out. Because this can be an overwhelming task for the family who owns said clutter, I offer this highly sought-after service to clients at competitive fee. For you this service may mean closets get a makeover. Maybe the kitchen needs to be wiped clean before the plans for the remodel can continue. Perhaps your hobby room is such a mess its hard to appreciate the great color on the walls you worked so hard to paint. Whatever your clutter issues, they don’t scare me!

Outdoor Living Spaces

Don’t ignore the outside!! This year people will spend thousands of dollars improving the interior of their homes without spending a dime on the exterior. For shame! Sure landscaping can get costly but it doesn’t have to. An affordable outdoor living space can be done if you have the right pro behind you and if you hurry, you can have a family-friendly patio ready for all those sunset BBQ’s before summer gets here!

Color Consultation

Your furnishings are fine. Your wall color is not. No problem! DDI will sit down with you and in about two hours you will have a new color palette to work with, whether it be for the entire house or just one room. Spare yourself the endless paint swatches over the next three weeks- let DDI handle this one early!

Furniture Layout

Does your room feel smaller than it is? Do you have to walk around pieces of furniture to get from point A to point B? Do you have too many pieces (or not enough) in one room? If any of these issues sound like something you’re dealing with DDI can fix you up in less than a day. Similar to what takes place with a Redesign but focusing soley on furniture placement rather than accessories. This task creates improved traffic patterns for a desirable ebb and flow from room to room. 

Small Remodel Assistance

Working with multiple contractors is a necessary evil. Nearly every type of remodel requires more than one person on the job site and knowing how to work with these professionals can be confusing, time consuming and often times frustrating. At the client’s request I will not only find the right professionals for your project but will stay in communications with them throughout the job, setting up deadlines, placing orders, dealing with delivery and invoices, etc. The client remains in control of the final decision making but doesn’t have to deal with the hassle of coordinating a remodel. DDI already has preferred contractors for many projects like flooring, electrical, tile installation, wallpaper, etc. which are liscensed, insured and have a history of providing great service. However, the client is always free to hire whomever they choose and DDI will still provide the services mentioned above.

Jennifer (center) Patti Wommer & Lezley Lynch, drapery designer and specialty painter

 

Please be aware that Designing Diva Interiors’ services are completely customizable and are created around the client rather than making the client fit the service. If you are needing a design service that you do not see here please call me to inquire!  405.816.9716 or email Jennifer@decorateokc.net. I look forward to working with you!

 

 

Affordable Mirrors that WOW!

submitted by: Jennifer 02/12/11

Mirrors are a staple in every decorator’s ”tool box”. From over the top to strictly utilitarian, mirrors aren’t just for checking your lipstick before you waltz out the door (we don’t “waltz” enough anymore, by the way). Bigger mirrors are often assigned the task of making a room look bigger. A grouping of smaller mirrors can easily take the place of artwork and add a punch of texture or depth to an otherwise ordinary hole on the wall. Below are a few of my favorites, all at reasonable prices.

Sunburst Mirror, 79.98. Pier 1 Imports.

 

Knot Mirror, 79.97. Kirklands.

Becca Mirror, 79.97. Kirklands.

Berlevog Mirrors, set of 3, 14.99. Ikea.

 

Excuses, excuses. What’s holding you back?

submitted by: Jennifer 02/04/11

Over the years I’ve realized that making a room look attractive requires much more than just knowing which chair to put where. There is a significant amount of psychology that goes into great design and any decorator worth her fee knows how to combat her clients’ fears and misconceptions, helping them overcome whatever is holding them back so that they get the room they really want. Today I would like to cover a few of the most popular fears or misconceptions that may be keeping you from hiring a professional decorator to finally achieve the design you deserve.

These items may be found at Cedarburg Square, Bethany OK

1. Decorators are too expensive. I can do what they do for a lot less.

As gently as I can may I ask “and how’s that working for you”? While to some it may appear that a decorator is nothing more than a paid professional shopper, there are many aspects that require professional education and training- knowing building codes is a requirement for those who call themselves designers, for example. Knowing which fabrics are suitable for certain items and environments is a big one. Having great taste simply doesn’t cut it. As harsh as it sounds,  if you could do what we do on your own, it would be done. Professional decorators know of the resources available to the trade that it will take to get your job done right-the first time- while many homeowners wing it by searching online and hoping for the best. They are also aware of sale prices that could be of benefit to you- prices that retailers won’t tell you about. Additionally, the fees a reasonable decorator charges pale in comparison to the thousands of dollars one can spend trying to DIY without a clear plan of action.

2. I have no idea what my style is. Why hire someone until I know what I like?

While it can certainly speed up the process to know what you love and hate, part of my job is to work with you to help determine your true style. You may have gone the last ten years assuming your style was French Country but a series of questioning and some quality shopping time may reveal you’re really more modern. Just because you’ve been living with aunt Edith’s antique heirlooms all this time  doesn’t mean you have to let them dictate your personal style!

 
 3. What if the decorator tells me to get rid of everything? Won’t she just do what she wants in my house?

A true professional won’t. Of course there are cases where the client dictates that everything goes and the decorator is given carte blanche to start fresh. But for the most part, I (and my thousands of colleagues across the country) am very good at due diligence- that is, discovering exactly what you will go for and what you won’t before any walls are painted or any furniture purchased. I tell all of my clients that I can think a room is amazing but once I leave, if the clients hate it everything was a waste. You have to live there, you should like it! I have a home that I get to decorate for me; a real pro will not force his or her personal taste on you but rather, will work closely with you to achieve the factors you want with ideas of her own that will complete the space.

4. My life is too hectic, there’s no way I have time to work with a decorator.

While every decorator works a little differently, most of them will gladly take the wheel for a busy client and do the legwork without them. If you would prefer not to go shopping with your decorator, he or she will gather up the pieces they want you to see and deliver them to your home. I personally love to utilize email, getting clients’ approval on work orders or items to save us both time. If you let your decorator know ahead of time what your schedule is like, he or she will work with you to keep your end of load nice and light. Most decorators will even show up on the job site to let contractors in if you have somewhere to be. Of course, details like how much access the decorator has to your job site should be outlined in the contract.

So if any of these sound like you, I’ve got your number! No more hiding behind that 70′s wallpaper, its time to get moving on the house you’ve hoped for but never got! It isn’t as scary as it may seem and once the ball gets rolling most people find its quite a fun process! Designing Diva Interiors LLC would be glad to answer your questions or schedule an Initial Consultation to help you define your needs. 405.816.9716

 

More Blogs To feed your creative side

submitted by: Jennifer 01/21/11

Check out these informative blogs- there’s something here for every style, every room, every budget!

* http://www.restyledhome.blogspot.com/

* http://www.thejewelboxhome.com/

* http://www.sohautestyle.com/               

* http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/

4 Ways to warm up your room in a weekend

submitted by: Jennifer 01/19/11

*Originally posted in January of 2010 by the author.

With spring just out of arm’s reach we’re all feeling the need for a little warmth. Combat the grey skies outside your window with my favorite tricks for warming up a home!

bloombranches-vase-m11) Add fresh flowers. Many grocery stores stock a decent variety of beautiful blooms and nothing freshens up a room quicker than a vase full of flowers! Skip the silk arrangements and opt for red, yellow or pink flowers. In more masculine rooms I choose flowering branches instead. Use a taller vase for these.

2) Paint one wall. I’ve said it a million times before because it works and its interior-decoration-with-citrus-shadeseasy! Citrus colors are huge right now and would make a fabulous accent wall when paired with chocolates and beiges. Go for a satin or eggshell finish to keep the color from overwhelming the senses. Better Homes & Gardens Magazine suggests Dutch Boy’s “Iced Shrimp”, True Value’s “Juicy Nectarene” and Behr’s “Cantaloupe Slice”.

 

3) Replace lamp bulbs with amber-colored bulbs. The amber glass softens the room and gives a nice warm glow to everything it touches.

4) An area rug can do magical things in a “cold” room. I love the way a sisel rug adds a natural touch. Seek out an indoor/outdoor rug if you are placing it in a high-traffic area. When it gets dirty you can just take it out back and hose it down! These hold up very well and come in tons of warm colors for all kinds of rooms.

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Don’t Miss This free Event, Saturday only!

submitted by: Jennifer 12/06/10

Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar 2010

Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, Centennial Building

Free admission, family friendly, live music and 100% handmade goods!

Over 70 vendors

11am-5pm

 

Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar 2010

Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, Centennial Building

Free admission, family friendly, live music and 100% handmade goods!

Over 70 vendors

11am-5pm

 

405.816.9716 • P.O. Box 850155 Yukon, OK 73085 © 2009 Designing Diva Interiors, LLC