HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wishing you a safe, wonderful and prosperous New Year!!!!

Cheers.....

The Mini-Makeover

Not too far in the past I blogged about how my office was neglected and became a catch-all for any and everything. Not a good way to start the new year; fresh perspective and an open slate.

Here's a peek at one of the colors selected, which is called Lion's Mane 216-5. Recall when I wrote a post about attending a color trends presentation by Feng Shui and Color Expert, Fawn Chang? What I neglected to mention was that every attendee received a coupon for a free gallon of Silken Touch or Pure Performance Paint by PPG Porter Paint. It worked out great too because the $44.00 per can was not in the budget. Furthermore, I am attempting not to spend any money for this mini makeover. 

Armed with my free can of paint, let the painting begin. I'm only applying this color to the far back wall of my space. Now I'm quite aware of the traditional rules about painting such as cut-in the corners first and then paint the wall. I don't do that. Only because I think it's a waste of my time. I paint in three steps after I've prepped the walls, removed the hardware and cover the necessary areas. 

Step 1 - One coat on the entire body of the wall using a standard roller and leaving the cut-in corners/edges untouched.

Step 2 - Paint the edges - application of paint should be a little thicker than the one coat so you don't have to paint the edges a second time. Doing this allows the wall to dry by the time I've completed the edges. 

Step 3 - Add a second coat to the body of the wall. 

Step 4 - Finish

Notice I don't use the infamous blue painter's tape - Again a waste of my time. The blue painter's tape is time-consuming to place and messy upon removal. *The only exception to using the blue painter's tape is for creating stripes or geometric paint patterns on the wall. Instead, I invested in a quality edging brush. One that doesn't shed it's bristles and is easy to wash and store away for another use. Since I'm the painter in my house, this brush comes in handy ALL the time. 

Notice that the application of paint along the edges is a bit thick. That's because I won't need to edge a second time around. I must admit that not relying on the blue painter's tape took some getting use to. However, trusting in the angle of the brush allowed for a cleaner look; exactly the outcome I was after. 

A nice angled 2' brush should do the trick. Preferably one that is a blend of nylon and polyester so that it's easier to wash, store and reuse. I purchased my Purdy from Home Depot. You can have the top of the line paint but applied with the wrong brush your paint job will not yield the best results. 

Cheers!!!

Pink, yellow & Turquoise - A Colorful Treat

I hope you had a splendid Christmas holiday break and are gearing up for the New Year's festivities. I took advantage of this holiday break to work feverishly on my work/office space, which is near completion. Pics to come soon. One thing you can expect is that it doesn't lack color. 

In the mean time I thought I'd share the following beauty with you. Well you already know why this space appeals to me so much; the color scheme is fabulous. The wall of windows appeals to me as well. This is the 1500-sq ft Miami Beach apartment of John Barnam. When I study a space I take in all the details, not just the aesthetics that initially commands my attention. 

I want to know more. For example, why use a round cocktail table instead of a square one; or why aren't there any window coverings/treatments; is the layout accommodating for conversation; or did the layout/architectural features present any layout challenges. It's questions like those that tickle my interior designer brain. 

Another view of the living room with the wall of windows. 

Even though the architectural details are minimal, yet clean, it also sets the design mood/setting/style.  

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The lively colors in this space makes an otherwise boring white interior come to life. Exactly what colors are suppose to do. 

Cheers

Happy Holidays

This year has truly been a blessing. As you know I'm new to the blogging world. While I've made some mistakes along the way, I've also learned from those mistakes. Through this blog, I've met some really great people. I'm sure I'll meet more as I continue on my blogging venture. But it's you, my readers, that I'm most thankful for. Your continued support means the world to me. 

Where ever you may journey, Happy Holidays to YOU & YOURS!!!!

Sharing my favorite Christmas song with you......Enjoy :)

I'll admit that it takes me a minute to get into the Christmas spirit - hence my late start to shopping, decorating and the whole shebang. I'm slowly getting there though. This is by far my favorite decorated tree - one color, simple and not overly done - soooo pretty!!! I love that the tree sits in an urn. Besides, the pooch steals my heart. Isn't he/she adorable :)

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As Christmas draws near, I look forward to spending time with family and reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas........

Cheers!!!!

Last Minute Shoppers - You still have time

If you're anything like me, a late starter to the Christmas shopping endeavors, then you're probably still on the hunt for the perfect gift. Well, here my picks......... 

A. Portable Scanner (coolest thing ever) @ Brookstone

B. Subscription to House Beautiful @ House Beautiful

C & D. Michael Kors Leather satchel (love the green one) @ Bloomingdales

E. Silk scarves (nice colorful addition to any neutral outfit) @ Macys

F. Cole Haan oxfords (my favorite style of shoes) @ Cole Haan

G. Apple iPad @ Apple

H. Bluetooth Keyboard (comes in handy) @ Brookstone

J. Canon digital camera (you should never leave home without one) @ BestBuy

I. Bullsh*t Button (sometimes you just need to call someone on their bullsh*t) @ Amazon

Cheers!!!

Destined to Design - Ashante Greenlee

Meet my friend Ashante Greenlee, interior designer and photographer. Although I'd seen her around campus, I first met Ashante in building codes class. Ashante and I were the only ones laughing at the same silly joke about interior design and codes. As a recent graduate (BIG CONGRATS!!!!), Ashante is ready to hit the ground full force. Ashante took the time out of her busy schedule to share her thoughts and some of her work, which is amazing. I'm so glad she did because she deserves a spotlight. 

Why interior design? What intrigues you most about designing a space?

I started thinking I wanted to be a paleontologist when I was little, then my fascination went to another type of bone, the human teeth. I wanted to be an orthodontist. Well to always be a creative kid and then go into either of those fields, I think I would have been a different person. Interior design is something that excited me. Its always going to change based on an individuals taste, and if its for a more mainstream public I always thought what better way to constantly inspire others than by designing something that takes them to a new way of thinking of inspiration. My parents were the ones who really catapulted me into the thought of making it into a career after many days, and nights watching HGTV and every design show that came on TV, I knew it was something I wanted to do to help people.

After you began taking interior design courses, what were your thoughts?

WHAT IN THE WORLD HAVE I GOTTEN INTO! Haha, I was more excited than anything and a lot of that wore off when I spent endless nights with no sleep working on finishing projects or staying up at the school until all hours trying to complete projects to my liking. I’ve never been a competitive minded person, or a high- stress person, and practically everything about this field and learning it is just that. I learned to adapt and to take mistakes, and crunch time very seriously even if I was tired. I’m a procrastinator, so that was a hard habit to break.

With graduation at your fingertips, what’s next? Do you plan on working in the industry right away or continue your education? Do you think you’ll have to relocate to pursue your dreams because of the current job market or are you hopeful?

Continuing education always sounded daunting to me. I couldn’t bare spending another year in a classroom learning about something that I am passionate about. So my idea of “continuing education” is travel. I’ve always enjoyed traveling, and it will always be in my blood to do so, which is something I’ve missed while being in school this long. I had the largest grin on my face after I turned in my portfolio and realized this is it. I will attempt to look for jobs in my field, but not the conventional job at an interior design firm. I am all about relocation because what have I got to lose? I’m enthusiastic to see the next steps in my life after completing college, I’ve been waiting for this day for at least 7 years now.

Interior Design is a very broad field, what area/s would you like to specialize in, if any?

I’ve thought about doing a lot of non-profit work with my skills and knowledge, but have also always loved the visual merchandising field and walking into a store and being brought into a different world because of the display and visual set up. I will probably look into some jobs dealing with that to start out with and go from there. The world is my oyster now, right?

If you could design a space for one person, who would that be, famous or otherwise? And why?

Good question. I’ve always thought of designing and creating the best house for my parents. Besides God, they have been my biggest supporters and cheerleaders my entire life, and I’ve always wanted to have that opportunity to provide for them and give them their dream home. They’ve given me the best life that they could provide for me and my sister and I will always be grateful and no forms of gratitude could ever be enough, but I think God got it right placing me in their care.

With the ever changing technology and the sustainable market, where do you think interior design will be five years from now?

Endless possibilities in five years if we get enough financial backing from our states and politicians. I don’t mean some half done proposals of promises, but someone being an advocate for things to change and be different. I would love to see more sustainable school systems in America. I mean that in building and in food source, if I have kids, I don’t want them coming into a world of waste. We have too many natural resources in our own backyards to be outsourcing a lot of goods as much as we have in the past and now. I think people are slowly starting to understand that living a sustainable life starts in your own backyard, so even if we start small, it will be a great improvement to see in five years.

Tell us something quirky about yourself; what makes you laugh?

I don’t know if I can even pick one quirky thing about myself, everything about me is quirky. Everything under the sun can make me laugh because life is too short to be somber about everything. My family makes me laugh all the time, we are all just characters from shows we’ve watched over the years and we make the best of times even if things don’t go as planned. I love that characteristic about my family, if we had a motto it’d probably be “Smile and laugh in the hardest of times and always be grateful.”

Ashante in action - you can find her here: Ashante Kalisha Photography

Thanks Ashante!!!

Colorful Creations

It's all about color today......

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Have a great Monday.......

A Christmas Story - A Classic Holiday Movie

Now that my work is somewhat tamed, I can finally relax and ease into the Christmas season starting with this: "A Christmas Story". Have you guys seen this movie? It's a classic holiday movie (one of my personal favorites) I'm sure you and your family will enjoy and can relate to on some level. Sit back and enjoy Ralphie's unwavering quest for a Red Ryder BB Gun. 

One of my favorite scenes. Cracks me up every time. "Not a fingah"

Cheers........

Past and Present in Design

In random order, I put together a compilation of images that represents the past and the present. It's funny how design evolves but still exhibit some characteristic of the past. Be it architecture, interior or furniture designers may borrow from the past to form a new future. New materials used, new building techniques implemented and new forms appear. 

The industrial revolution was a period of innovation, new building techiques, and introduction of new materials, especially the use of iron. Exposed iron was a common feature. The travelling trunk or the secretary trunk was the hallmark of the elite business man.  

The exotic period takes us to the east for our design inspiration. Turkish, Moorish, Islamic, Indian and Arabic styles captivated us. Onion domes, surface detailing, peacocks, arches and carnations are some of the design elements. Wicker and tufted furniture were featured during this period.  

The biedermeier style started in Germany and was quite utilitarian in design. Wall-to-wall carpeting, curvelinear furniture, light and bright colors were used during this period. Focus rooms included the dining room, drawing room and studies. Natural lighting was a very important component.

The return to the classics in form and element. Wood was the primary building material; all types of woods including mahogany, cherry and other exotic woods. The stair hall was a stunning focal point of the residence during this era. Pedestal tables was quiet common during this period. 

Wood, wood and more wood was used and it was heavy in detailing. Coffered ceiling and wood beams are indicative of this period. Wood and tiled floors are prominent features.  

This is one of my favorite periods. Clean lines, rectangular shapes and simplicity defined this period. Very little detail and ornamentation found. The Barcelona chair by Mies Van Der Rohe is probably one of the most recognized chairs in the world. 

I hope you enjoyed this short walk through history. 

cheers!!!

Honeysuckle it is - Color of 2011

Here it is guys: Pantone's color for 2011, HONEYSUCKLE. I must admit, pink is definitely my least favorite. I can thank my daughter for the pink overkill; reason behind my current feelings. 

However, this shade of pink appears modern, fresh and certainly uplifting. There's a nice undertone to it, which means you can be as playful as you want by combining it with other fun and vibrant hues....... 

Or as modern as you wish with a more neutral palette.  

The possible color combinations are vast. If I were to apply this color, it would definitely be in small doses. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing applications of this color throughout the year. 

Cheers!