I’m beginning to work with a new client ~ a 27 year-old professional woman who has just moved into a new home. Although she is not a first-time homeowner, she brought very little furniture, lighting, accessories or wall art with her from her last residence. 

We have a vision, timeline and budget and are ready to begin the design process.

Her home is approximately 1700 square feet ~ three bedrooms, two baths, living room/dining room combination and kitchen/breakfast nook/family room combination.

Follow me as I design a home for her ~ a residence suited for a young professional woman with an eclectic sophisticated-yet-whimsical style.

 Turkey dinner in the oven....football on the TV....my family all together in Payson for the weekend....for all these gifts I am thankful! Hope your Thanksgiving holiday is filled with family and friends and ever-lasting memories!

Well, a lot has been happening in the condo since I last checked in.

Cabinets and flooring have been removed and drywall dust has been flying! We chose to keep the basic floor plan intact (the HOA is very restrictive about what we could and couldn’t do), so attention was paid to cosmetic changes ~ particularly in the kitchen and bath.

Here are some photos of the kitchen and bath before we began ~ very eighties and plain boring!



kitchen – ugh! Old appliances, horrible tile on the floor, ugly ceiling lights, and boring cabinets

bathroom – check out the overhead lighting, flooring and cabinet– not so chic!

My wonderful contractors, Dean and Ron, are working feverishly to finish the renovation by the end of November. I’ll update you on their progress with more photos later this week.

Actually, it's in Coronado, CA, a beach town near SD. The town is quite charming ~ very quaint Victorian ~ A mere two-mile drive from cosmopolitan, downtown San Diego, across one of the world's most distinctive bridges ~ a town rich in history, blessed with one of the finest beaches in the world and bathed in endless sunshine, Coronado is a vibrant beach community loaded with charm.

As the next several weeks pass, I'll keep you posted on progress made ~ It should be a fun project to watch unfold ~ I can't wait to dig into it and share it all with you!

The next Valley Design Network event in Phoenix is scheduled for Thursday, June 25th. Email me for more information.

ANTIQUES WEEK

Round Top, Texas

I just returned from a week of antiquing in east Texas and did I have a ball!!! 

Twice a year, antiques dealers, interior designers, end-use shoppers and anyone wanting a good time descend upon the tiny town of Round Top in Texas for a week of selling, shopping, and just plain having fun in the Texas hill country amid the longhorn cattle and beautiful bluebonnets.  Tents are set up along the roadside, and dealers from across the country are peddling their wares, from rustic farmhouse to exquisite European furniture, artwork and the like. 

For a period of two weeks in early spring and again in the fall, people begin to descend upon the area with the notion of buying or selling their one-of-a-kind treasures.  Beautiful bed-and-breakfasts have sprung up in the area to accommodate all the travelers.  Decorated in antiques and “Texas-chic” (as I fondly refer to it), these homes-away-from-home are charming to behold!  Many friendships are made amongst the guests as we are likely to return time and time again ~ to buy, sell and reunite with our new-found friends.

Over the next several weeks, I’ll unfold the timeless treasure known as “Antiques Week.”  Hopefully, it will inspire you to travel there and experience the fun and excitement of those of us who consider ourselves “hooked!”

 The new Valley Design Network was a huge success last evening!

Designers, redesigners, stagers, certified cabinet designers, faux finishers, and shop owners all attended and were excited about the prospect of networking with other professionals related to the field of interior design. Everyone agreed, we should meet again next month to continue our networking and relationship-building.

Meetings will be kept short - 1 hour - with half of the time devoted to socializing and networking and the other half dedicated to a program of sorts ~

I encouraged everyone to invite other guests to our next meeting so we can grow and provide greater opportunities for our network of professionals.

  I am launching a new Phoenix designer's networking group this evening - for designers as well as the trades that make us look good!  My goal is to develop a network of design professionals and the trades, artists, vendors, etc. with whom we work in our design-related projects who will periodically come together, learn something new, share our triumphs, understand our not-so-shining moments (!), and generally help us become better design professionals in our community.

Wish me luck!  More to follow.... 

 an excert from STIR eEXTRA, January 2009

Dress your recession in purple.

This past fall, when Michelle Obama made an appearance in St. Paul, Minn., during the 2008 election season in a purple dress, she almost single-handedly assured us that this popular color, called a "new neutral" by some because of its versatility, would not be considered played out anytime soon. And for her President-elect husband, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and virtually every news anchor and talking head, purple has usurped red as the color of the power tie.

The color of royalty and enchantment is the "it" color this winter. Its many shades and hues are showing up in fashion apparel, accessories, cosmetics and personal-care products. Its hues range from deepest amethyst, grape and plum to delicate lilac, wisteria, orchid and pansy. Depending upon the shade, purple can be formal (eggplant), feminine (lavender), or warm and cozy (violet). And purple’s popularity doesn’t end there: The royal hue is popping up on walls, textiles, tabletops and even home furnishings.

"Purples, especially red-cast purples, are going to be important in 2009," said forecaster Michelle Lamb, editorial director for The Trend Curve. "I’m seeing dark, passionate plums, used along with black, and layered purples. It’s a feeling of luxe. Think purple velvet."

Why? Because purple symbolizes both luxury and fun — both things that people feel they can use more of these days.

A common New Year's resolution is to be more organized.  This is one resolution you can keep ~ if you start small and don't overwhelm yourself with a huge project at the onset....

Begin with a small but typically cluttered area ~ your junk drawer.  Overcoming the clutter in that one small space will give you a sense of accomplishment and encourage you to tackle another project in your home.

Remove all the contents of the drawer and discard those items that aren't necessary ~ You'll be surprised at what has found its way in to that small space!  Only replace those things that are necessary, using dividers to separate and organize the contents. 

Be creative with what you use to organize the drawer.  Vintage muffin tins are perfect for holding paper clips, small batteries, stamps, etc.  Not only will you be organized, but you'll also enjoy memories of days gone by at the same time!

Once you've tackled the junk drawer, move on to your linen closet, coat closet or laundry room.  You'll be motivated to conquer all the cluttered areas of your home when you see how organized you're becoming!