No need to put your decorating projects off until fall! You can start creating the home of your dreams now and save hundreds of dollars thanks to these discounts being offered by Designing Diva Interiors LLC and a few of her favorite decorating resources! Simply mention promo code “SUMMER” when redeeming your discount! Please note that these offers may only be used once per household but please feel free to pass these deals along to your friends whose home would benefit from knowing one or all of these amazing local businesses!
DESIGNING DIVA INTERIORS LLC
405.816.9716
WWW.DECORATEOKC.NET
NEW CLIENT: $100 OFF YOUR NEXT DECORATING OR HOME STAGING PROJECT WITH PAID INITIAL CONSULT AND DEPOSIT
REPEAT CLIENT: 50% OFF DECORATING SERVICES FOR ONE ROOM (LABOR ONLY)
EXPIRES AUGUST 31, 2011
MASTERPIECE DRAPERIES
BY PATTI WOMMER
405.615.3086 OR 405.285.2807
$100 OFF ONE WINDOW DRAPERY ORDER PLUS A FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION ($75 VALUE) IF DEPOSIT IS PAID AT CONSULTATION.
EXPIRES AUGUST 31, 2011
THE PAPER LION
1389 E. 15TH ST
SUITE 132, EDMOND, OK 73013
405.348.0952
www.paperliononline.com
15% OFF ENTIRE IN-STORE PURCHASE
EXPIRES JULY 31, 2011
LEZLEY LYNCH DESIGNS
SPECIALIZING IN FAUX FINISHING
405.550.3970
http://www.lezleylynchdesigns.com/
INITIAL CONSULT FEE OF $50 REQUIRED TO BENEFIT FROM THE FOLLOWING DISCOUNTS:
JOBS BID FROM $100-$300 = 10% OFF
JOBS BID FROM $301-$500 = 15 % OFF
JOBS BID FROM $501-$750 = 20% OFF
JOBS BID FROM $751-$1000 = 25% OFF
DISCOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 25% ON ANY LEZLEY LYNCH DESIGN.
JOB MUST BE UNDERWAY OR COMPLETED BY AUGUST 31, 2011 TO QUALIFY.
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Its Q & A time again!
submitted by: Jennifer 03/01/11Every few months I take readers’ questions and answer them on this blog and its your turn! So let’s have it; your design-related queries from paint colors to landscaping. If I cannot personally answer it from a decorator perspective one of my trusted panelists will take over. Just email it to Jennifer@decorateokc.net!
Excuses, excuses. What’s holding you back?
submitted by: Jennifer 02/04/11Over 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!
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
Warm up your favorite spaces for winter!
submitted by: Jennifer 10/15/10The turning of the leaves, the holiday music, the family dinners; it can only mean one thing- winter isn’t all that distant. We’re about to start spending a lot more time indoors and if your space leaves a little (or quite a bit) to be desired, use the photos below to get inspired! Fellow bloggers across the country have their own idea of an ideal hibernation hole. What’s yours?
featured on ApartmentTherapy.com
featured on HouseBeautiful.com
Excuse me, have you seen my sanity?
submitted by: Jennifer 04/21/10If I had assistant, today SHE would need an assistant. With the opening of the Symphony Orchestra Show House and the evening events that precede the days are even shorter (if not more fun) than they have been. Couple that 
with the fact that Designing Diva is at its max for client intake, this is certainly the wrong day for high heels.
I think that some people have this preconceived notion about I do, and I consider that a good thing. If my clients don’t realize how many hours go into the phone calls, shopping, sketching, driving to meet contractors, returning and picking up samples etc that go into making their home gorgeous… well then, I’d say I’ve saved them more than a few bottles of Tylenol. The downside is that some people might think that I wake up when I choose, spend the day shopping with other peoples’ money and doing fun things like designing rooms in show houses. My job is highly enjoyable– it is truly my passion– but it is not as laid back as one might think. Today, like all other week days, I was up and dressed by 6:30 am and returning clients’ e-mails by 6:45. Before the afternoon is over I will locate hardware for a clients’ kitchen sink, have glass cut for a custom desk I’m building (okay, I’m building it with the supervision of my husband), shop for window shades for a home staging client, shop for fabric for seat cushions and meet with a new client to help her find the perfect paint colors for her home. Tired feet? Yeah, I’m wishing I were in my Nike’s right about now.
Before 6:00 I have to get my room at the Show House cleaned and ready to go for this evening’s Media Party as well as get myself presentable because by that time you’re dealing with flat hair (helllooooooo headband) and makeup that isn’t doing such a great job anymore of hiding the last 48 hours.
By the time my clients have gone to bed I will have followed up with more e-mails and phone calls and completed any prep work required for tomorrow’s appointments. If I could fit some laundry into that mix somewhere, that would be awesome; my wardrobe is getting down to the wire. If I don’t intervene by Friday I could be down to a red swimsuit cover-up and my dresses that I only wear to funerals.
Oh boy. This is definitely a double-shot espresso day.
Show House nears deadline
submitted by: Jennifer 03/23/10For designers, the end is near at the 2010 Symphony Orchestra Show House, located at 2550 E. Overholser Drive. This is our last week to fluff the pillows, touch up the paint and put every last detail in perfect order before the home is photographed and opened to the public. Today was a productive day for Designing Diva’s room, the Guest Powder Bath, located in the front of the 17,000 sf mansion. The draperies have been hung, the last touches put on the hand-painted designs on the metallic ceilings and accessories were brought in this afternoon that will “wow!” guests upon entry. You won’t want to miss the end result! Get your tickets at Bruno’s Home Furnishings or Cedarburg Square!
Sneak peek at the dramatic black walls of the guest powder bath
Designing Diva Interiors, LLC would like to thank the following local businesses for their contributions to the Guest Powder Bath:
Bruno’s Home Furnishings- Accessories
Cedarburg Square- Accessories
Lezley Lynch Designs- Painting
Cox Electric- chandelier installation
Custom Draperies- drapery design and installation
Got bedroom decorating questions?
submitted by: Jennifer 03/08/10
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!
Is your house making you sick?
submitted by: Jennifer 01/27/10
According to TheNest.com some of the things you love most about your home could be making you sick over time. Read on to get the low-down on paint, carpeting, wood flooring and more.
Paint
Beware: Two things: lead and toxins. If your house was built before 1978, your walls could be full of lead — paint, that is. Chipping or peeling paint can be ingested by infants and children, which may lead to serious health problems. Also, paints and finishes release low-level toxic emissions into the air, even years after you applied it. These toxic emissions are called VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. They’re so toxic you can smell them. If you’ve ever painted a room, you know what they smell like.
Take Care: Lead in paint was banned in 1978 and is no longer sold. If you’re worried about lead, have your home tested and then seal any traces of lead paint with a fresh coat of nonlead paint. Until recently, VOCs were essential to the performance of the paint. Now, low- and no-VOC paints are available from mainstream and eco-friendly companies nationwide. For cost-effective, low-VOC wall color, try a shade from Benjamin Moore’s Eco Spec® and Aura® paint lines.
Carpet
Beware: Chemicals in your carpets. Carpets and carpet cushions can contain VOCs and emit formaldehyde, a colorless, pungent-smelling gas. According to the EPA, formaldehyde has been shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans. Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; skin rash; and severe allergic reactions.
Take Care: Look for carpets made from natural fibers with little or no chemical treatment. Shaw Floors sells a variety of eco-friendly colors and styles for both wall-to-wall and area carpeting. Also, purchase carpets with natural-fiber backing that’s attached with less-toxic adhesives.
Wood Flooring
Beware: Who knew even wood was toxic? Well, it’s not the wood; it’s the stain and finish. VOCs (here we go again) from solvents, such as mineral spirits and petroleum distillates, can cause allergic reactions, headaches, and nausea.
Take Care: Why cover a beautiful wood floor with toxic chemicals? Look for a low-VOC finish, available at most home improvement stores. If you’re in the market for new flooring, consider bamboo. It costs less and is better for the environment compared to traditional wood flooring.
Mattresses
Beware: Bugs and toxic chemicals. A typical-used mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million bed mites inside, feeding on your dead skin cells and causing allergic reactions in some people. Many mattresses also contain flame-retardant chemicals known as PBDEs, which have accumulated in high levels in American blood and breast milk.
Take Care: Dust mites hate hot water! By covering and protecting your mattress and washing all comforters, sheets, and pillows in hot water every week, you’ll get rid of those unwelcome visitors. Also, consider replacing your mattress with an organic cotton model or an affordable one from IKEA — they contain alternative flame-retardants that haven’t raised any significant consumer health or environmental concerns.
Detox Your Home
10 easy things you can do today for pennies or less
- Clean your fabrics, drapes, and rugs to eliminate dust, molds, and pollens.
- Open a window. Circulating air in the home ensures good ventilation.
- Choose natural cleaning products to reduce toxins in the home.
- Buy a vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove dust mites, dust, and dirt from your floors and carpets.
- Keep your house clean and remove any piles of clutter that are collecting dust.
- Go green with plants. They improve air quality by adding oxygen and removing carbon dioxide.
- Replace or cover the plywood and MDF. Glues in cheaper woods can contain volatile toxins.
- Make your house a smoke-free home. Who needs to breathe in toxic fumes?
- Run computers in a well-ventilated area and shut them off when not in use. They release gaseous pollutants into the air the longer they run.
- Think before you buy. Make a healthy home a priority every day.
Great discounts on decor your home loves!
submitted by: Jennifer 01/13/10Visit my friends at Cedarburg Square (http://cedarburgsquare.com/) this week to take advantage of their store-wide OFF CLEARANCE SALE! Take home your favorite accessories and gift items like table lamps, accent rugs, artwork, fragrance diffusers and more at prices you won’t likely find again soon as the store prepares for new shipments arriving from market in the spring. Holiday items are 50% off, home accents are 10% off!
Need a little help creating a designer look with your new finds? Designing Diva Interiors, LLC offers guidance from beginning to end with shopping assistance to decorating your new space.
DESIGNING DIVA INTERIORS LIMITED TIME OFFER:
Receive $5.00 off initial consultation. First-time clients only, please.
Expires 1.31.10
What To Look For In A Home Stager
submitted by: Jennifer 12/29/09This concept of allowing total strangers into your home to handle your personal belongings AND tell you what is good enough for other people’s viewing pleasure can be daunting. As with hiring any professional to work in your home, trust is a must! I have created a brief checklist of things to look for in a professional home stager. Chances are, if your Realtor is recommending him/her, you are in good hands. However, it never hurts to do your own research (this is your stuff, after all, not your Realtor’s!) and make sure the person you are considering:
1) Respects your time by showing up for appointments on schedule and working quickly to meet your Realtor’s deadline.
2) Respects your belongings by handling them with care. Is your stager insured should anything be damaged or broken in the process? Accidents do happen. When staging homes I let the clients do their own packing to reduce the chances of mishaps on my watch.
3) Plays well with others. Ask for references or read testimonials on websites where they are listed. A reputable pro will have updated information and praises coming from multiple sources.
4) Truly has something to offer. Hanging a few pictures on the wall does not make a home “staged”. Are they making changes that will draw in potential buyers? Are they maximizing your space/recommending updates that add value, etc?
5) Allows for actual living. If you are residing in your home until it sells, your home stager will do a few things differently than he/she would if it were an unoccupied home. You will need obvious items like towels, kitchen items, and clothes in the closet while you wait for an offer. A good stager will understand your needs and will not force you to get rid of every day amenities but will still help you get that model home look.
*Originally written and posted by Jennifer Hicks, C.I.D. on http://blog.edmondoklahomesforsale.com/
This concept of allowing total strangers into your home to handle your personal belongings AND tell you what is good enough for other people’s viewing pleasure can be daunting. As with hiring any professional to work in your home, trust is a must! I have created a brief checklist of things to look for in a professional home stager. Chances are, if your Realtor is recommending him/her, you are in good hands. However, it never hurts to do your own research (this is your stuff, after all, not your Realtor’s!) and make sure the person you are considering:
1) Respects your time by showing up for appointments on schedule and working quickly to meet your Realtor’s deadline.
2) Respects your belongings by handling them with care. Is your stager insured should anything be damaged or broken in the process? Accidents do happen. When staging homes I let the clients do their own packing to reduce the chances of mishaps on my watch.
3) Plays well with others. Ask for references or read testimonials on websites where they are listed. A reputable pro will have updated information and praises coming from multiple sources.
4) Truly has something to offer. Hanging a few pictures on the wall does not make a home “staged”. Are they making changes that will draw in potential buyers? Are they maximizing your space/recommending updates that add value, etc?
5) Allows for actual living. If you are residing in your home until it sells, your home stager will do a few things differently than he/she would if it were an unoccupied home. You will need obvious items like towels, kitchen items, and clothes in the closet while you wait for an offer. A good stager will understand your needs and will not force you to get rid of every day amenities but will still help you get that model home look.
*Originally written and posted by Jennifer Hicks, C.I.D. on http://blog.edmondoklahomesforsale.com/
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