gone south

hi friends!
i will be out the rest of this week. we are flying to tennessee to spend some time with family and friends, and will be sneaking in few days at the beach in florida (really hoping that the worst of the tropical storm will be over when we get there!) and visiting more family in alabama.

i will be checking my email at least once a day, so if you have questions or would like to set up a phone consultation, please feel free to reach me at: autumnclemons@yahoo.com

client house-another peek

i have been checking in with ya'll about this house for a long time...(i need to get some REAL

pictures taken of the house--like by a REAL photographer, i just haven't made the time to do it yet.

i promise that when i do, i will share them here PRONTO.

in the mean time, enjoy a few snapshots that i took:

the kitchen

close-up of backsplash tile

fireplace

mudroom

mudroom floors

deciding on pillows....

happy monday!
i am spending today packing to go out of town. isn't it funny no matter how early you start packing and getting things ready to go on a vacation, it seems that the last few hours are always spent scrambling around, packing + trying to remember everything you will need, asking neighbors to wheel your trash can out to the curb, trying to find pet-sitters, going to the post office to hold your mail, and making sure there is nothing in the fridge that is going to be too *scary when you return.
phew.
wish me luck!

book-look: segreto:secrets to finishing beautiful interiors

i was recently contacted by leslie, the owner of segreto finishes, a premier decorative painting and plastering company based in houston, texas. leslie recently wrote and self-published her first book, Segreto: Secrets To Finishing Beautiful Interiors, a 300 page oversized boutique coffee table book filled with stunning interiors with a focus on why different finishes were chosen for different architectural and design styles. 

i was thrilled when leslie sent me a copy of her book, and i was able to see some of the beautiful finishes showcased. the book is really beautiful, and is filled with calming, layered spaces featuring leslie's handiwork. 

here a a few of my faves: 

since the book was self-published, leslie decided to self-distribute it as well! don't you love a lady who can take charge like that? the book is only available at select book stores, but lucky for you, you can buy it online here.

other links you might find useful:

click here to see segreto finishes web page (there is an additional link here where you can purchase the book), and here for leslie's blog, which is full of gorgeous inspiration pictures, and totally worth a visit!

happy weekend friends! 

(how in the world is june almost OVER??)

west elm + south africa

i was pretty excited to see west elms newest collaboration with several south african artisans and designers. the pieces have a lot of variety and style, and would add a pretty touch of global glam to any home. here are some of my favorite items:

 source bench

 loren kaplan dinner set

gemma orkin blue birds silk pillow cover

 source console

 wola nani pencil cup

 ceramic matters thorn vases

 source ornyx side table

potters workshop embroidered stripe pillow

 wola nani tray

 gemma orkin gardenia silk pillow

porky hefer wooden pendant

you can check out more of west elms newest offerings from south africa here.

how to tea stain fabric

i finally got around to tea-staining my holli zollinger fabric.
i had holli customize her "diamond circles" fabric to orange for grady's room. when the fabric arrived, it was a tiny bit "brighter" than i wanted, so i decided to tea stain it.
fast forward a few months...i finally got around to doing it!

it was actually a very easy process:

1. bring water to a boil.
i just filled up my largest pot.

2. put in your tea.
i used a generic iced tea bags, and put in one bag for every 2 cups of water. that might have been a little much, but i wanted fast results!


3. wait a few minutes for the tea to steep, then remove the bags, and put your fabric in.


4. let it sit in the tea water for **desired amount of time, then remove.
 i wanted to do several test strips before i soaked the entire piece of fabric, so while my water was boiling, i cut about 10 strips of fabric. i put all of the strips in at once, and then every 2 minutes, i took one out, and set it out to dry on some foil.
here are the results:
**here is a picture of the different strips and the time that each one was in the tea water:
(original fabric, 2 minutes, 4 minutes, 6 minutes)

i thought that the fabric that was in for 2 or 4 minutes was a little light, but honestly could tell very little difference between the fabric that was soaked for 6 minutes and the fabric that was soaked for 30 minutes!  i think most of the staining action happens very quickly.
below is the original fabric, along with one that was soaked for 4 minutes and another that was soaked for 15...

5.wash the fabric.
i washed my fabric on the light soil cycle on my washing machine, and took it out to air-dry.

i was pleased with the results. i got exactly what i wanted--a slightly less vivid
i sent the tea stained fabric off to my seamstress, and will have the pillow back in the next few days.

making progress: an e-design family room

a couple "before" pictures of a family room that i worked on:

the issues with the room:

*there was no storage in the room for tv components.

* the furniture layout felt too "wide" and blocked a doorway to a small office

*the leather sofas needed to be replaced

*the homeowner wanted to bring in some more pattern and color

*the ceiling fan wasn't needed, and the client wanted it removed.

a couple of i-phone progress pictures:

*we had a built-in designed for the side of the fireplace to house the tv components and provide additional storage. the walls were painted a soft blue, to balance out all of the neutral tones.

a new pottery barn sectional was added, as well as a large leather ottoman and a side chair....

the new rug provides some pattern and color, and side tables and pillows are slowly being added...

there is still some additional work to do on the room, but that is one of the beautiful things about the

e-design progress...once you have the design plan, you can buy things as quickly or as slowly as you need! 

this client ordered most everything in the first few weeks after receiving her design plan, but while some items were received quickly, and other items have taken months to arrive. one item in particular has been on back order for over two months!

i will be sure and share some additional progress pictures as this room comes together...

house hunting update

we are still house hunting.
we have been renting for nearly 4 years, and i have to say that it kinda stinks.
i am really, really ready to get my OWN house again.
we have had a few things almost come through for us...but almost doesn't really count
when it comes to real estate.
i have been really quiet about our search lately. we have just had so many
disappointments, and it is hard to get your hopes up and then have them dashed to pieces.
it was just easier to suffer in silence.
we have turned up the volume on our search over the last few weeks.
and we MAY have finally found something that will work...?

maybe.
just maybe, the stars have finally aligned?
i certainly hope so. no one will be more excited than me if it happens.
i promise to bring you along for the ride.
cuz if this goes through, it is going
to be a very FUN ride.

summer wish list

a few things that could make my summer ju----st a little bit happier:

1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,   7,  8,   9

premier issue of PIMLICO magazine is live!!

i am thrilled to announce that the premier issue of pimlico is now live!
pimlico is a new online magazine dedicated to the art of celebrations and inspired gift giving...
and the first issue is wonderful!

i am so amazed at how gorgeous everything is! this is such a unique and wonderful magazine....i know y'all are going to enjoy it.

click here to check it out.

**the party table that i designed is on pages 40-44!**

the power of an hour: modern nursery for a baby boy

i wanted to share another success story from a client who opted for my one hour phone call + pinterest board design service. i had worked with this client once before, on a full room design, so i had a pretty good idea of her particular taste. she loves color and likes a slightly off-beat, modern touch in her spaces. i was really excited when she asked for my help to design the nursery of her soon-to-be born baby boy #4!

before:

as you can see, the room was very beige...

what we were working with: 

my client already had a very comfy rocker that she wanted to keep, and needed to keep her existing crib. she also wanted to re-use the large fabric wall hanging, didn't want to replace the ceiling fan, and had recently scored a great looking mid-century dresser that she was hoping to incorporate into the nursery.

what we discussed:

* my client was in love with a polka dot fabric that had some really great colors, so we used as as inspiration and talked about pulling out colors that were unexpected and still masculine. we opted for green and orange.

*changing the wall color to something a little more crisp and fresh, and coordinated with the polka dot fabric, but didn't necessarily match. we opted for a soft, fresh blue.

* bringing some curtain panels up to the ceiling to not only soften the wall, but also to block out the sun while the little one napped.

*painting the dresser that my client found on craigslist a nice white to give it a more modern feel.

*adding a patterned fabric and contrast trim to some ready-made curtain panels to maximize budget and add an impact.

*adding a fun spoonflower fabric for a punch of color and pattern on a pillow.

*recovering a lamp shade in a map for a touch of whimsy.

*adding a new metal table.

 after:

 my client did a fantastic job transforming this lamp and lampshade!

one of the really great ideas we discussed during our phone call was how to effectively use the dresser as a changing table. we decided to create a box made from wood, and cover it in our inspiration fabric...and then place the changing pad on top of the box. it worked like a charm! the changing pad is at the perfect height, and in a year or two, the box can be removed and the dresser can be used just like a normal dresser.

 i really love how the orange animal fabric pairs so nicely with the polka dot and green chevron fabrics.

i get so excited to get pictures like this in my inbox! my client did a great job of taking these pictures...and even though my portfolio as a designer may not be filled with amazing, polished, professionally staged pictures, i take a lot of pride in knowing that my clients have the confidence to tackle their rooms on their own after just an hour of professional guidance.

do you have a room that needs some simple updates? have questions about a space and
are not sure what to do? need advice on color? fabrics? floor plan layout?
contact me and schedule a time for us to chat!
 i am currently accepting clients for full room designs
for august and september, but i can fit a phone consultation or a 
pinterest board + phone consultation ANY time!
feel free to email me at: autumnclemons@yahoo.com