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
05/15/11
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
05/04/11
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
03/08/11
The daylight is beginning to linger, tax return season is upon us and blooms are sprouting all over the state which means one thing: spring time is here! And inevitably spring air seems to carry with it a sense of change. We’ve been trapped in our houses for three months and during that time we’ve noticed that we really do hate that paint in the kitchen. Our countertops are like something from the Brady Bunch home and the bedding in the master, what were we thinking?! Designing Diva Interiors gets it. Unfortunately, so do a lot of other homeowners which means as of today there is a four week wait list for large projects. Call 405.816.9716 or email Jennifer@decorateokc.net today to get your Initial Consultation on the books before summer!
Tags: bathroom, bedding, bedroom, design, home decorating, Initial Consultation, interiors, kitchen, living room, media room, NURSERY
Posted in General | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
03/01/11
Every 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!
Tags: accessories, bedding, carpet, decorating question, design, drapes, flooring, hardware, home, interiors, landscaping, lighting, office, paint
Posted in Q & A | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
10/07/10
Hosting the Halloween party, the Thanksgiving dinner, the Christmas Eve famiy gatherings, etc can be a joy. Decorating for all of them can be a nightmare. If you’re short on time, ideas or just plain old motivation, let Designing Diva Interiors LLC pull your home together and do the hard work for you! Just sit back and enjoy the “ooh”s and “ahhh”s (and the food, of course)!
Book your holiday decorating service by October 15, 2010 and save $25 on your first hour! Prices start at $75/hour or money-saving package deals for large spaces.
Don’t forget about the Diva Referral Program. Refer a friend and when they hire DDI for four hours or more, you get one hour FREE!
Tags: autumn, Christmas, design, dining room, fall, famiy, food, friends, gathering, Halloween, holiday decorating, interiors, living room, New Years Eve, Thanksgiving, tree
Posted in Monthly Specials, Outdoor design, holiday, home improvement | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
08/04/10
Designers have been decorating with bamboo for years and with good reason. It looks great, lasts forever and is an eco-friendly material. Below are some of my favorite ways of incorporating this hard-working friend of nature into my clients’ homes:
1) Curtain Rods. Ditch the metal rods and hang your window panels on rings and a bamoo rod. Because this isn’t commonly found in stores you will have to locate and cut your desired length on your own. The result is an unexpected focal point and where better to put a natural beauty like bamboo than in a place where it can frame the beauty outside?
2) Flooring. Bamboo flooring is catching on and your options aren’t as limited as you might think. Designing Diva Interiors has access to every style of bamboo available in today’s market and the looks are as varied as the clients’ personalities. Its soft on the feet and looks amazing, not to mention that it cuts down on household allergens. **DDI also offers discounts up to 40% off on flooring for clients.
3) Tables. Bamboo tables rock my world and I can’t give you a better reason than this: they last forever and stand up to daily wear-and-tear like no other. Plus, the pricing is usually pretty fabulous. Not sure what your style is? Bamboo fits in wherever its needed!
If you would like to work bamboo into your decor but need a little nudge, allow Designing Diva Interiors LLC to show you the way! Contact DDI today to book your initial consultation.
Tags: bamboo, coverings, curtain rods, decorating, design, Designing Diva interiors, draperies, flooring, interiors, tables, window treatments
Posted in DIY, Green Design/Living, Home staging, Remodeling/Renovation, home improvement | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
04/27/10
From creating a spa-like retreat to adding a punch of drama, the color blue is universally popular thanks to its versatility. Below are some of my favorite shades and how I would use them:
1) Valspar’s “Regal” 4004-8C. Use in a high gloss on a front door for an instant “wow” factor. Looks good with terra cotta oranges and against neutrals.
2) Ace Hardware’s “Blueville” A41-7. A fabulous jeweltone that has more green than purple in it. Use on bedroom wallsto create a colorful but sensuous cacoon. Looks good against bright whites and soft greys.
3) Dutchboy’s “Tournament Blue” E26-1. Described by Better Homes and Gardens as an “all-American hue”, this classic shade of blue looks good in smaller doses. I would paint the fronts of porch steps or shutters this color. Looks good with whites, reds and purples (also used in small doses).
4) Sherwin Williams’ “Gulf Stream”. This is the shade of blue you find in Carribbean waters and is fun yet sophistocated in nearly every application. Use in a kitchen or bathroom for unexpected and cheerful color every day.
Tags: bathroom, bedroom, blue paint, cabinets, decorating, interior design, interiors, kitchens, living room, outdoor living space
Posted in DIY, General, home improvement | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
04/26/10
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 May 1, 2010 and you will receive 20% off of your total!
Tags: answer, bathroom, bedroom, centerpiece, decorating, gift certificates, holiday, home selling, Home staging, interior design, interiors, kitchens, Mother's Day, organizing, outdoor living space, redecorate, remodel, tips
Posted in General, Home staging, Monthly Specials, Remodeling/Renovation, Upcoming Events, holiday, home improvement, organizing | No Comments »
submitted by: Jennifer
04/21/10
If 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.
Tags: answer, art, bathroom, bedroom, blog, centerpiece, decorating, home, home building, home selling, interior design, interiors, kitchen, kitchens, outdoor living space, paint, question, real estate, staging
Posted in General, Upcoming Events | No Comments »
If 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.
