thank you, JCP

so have you seen the new commercials for jc penney? they are acutally really funny, and star
ellen degeneres, whom i adore.
(i have a link at the bottom of this post, in case you have no idea what i am talking about)

so, i guess jc penney has decided to "revolutionize" the way retailers market and
push sales, and i am ALL for it. the whole idea is a simpler, more direct way to price items.
"fair and square"--that's the new slogan...

no marking things up just to turn around and "lower" the price.
no using ".99" as a way of "tricking" us into thinking something is less expensive.
easier returns.
no coupons needed.
are you falling in love yet?

well, if THAT news doesn't make you want to shout from the rooftops, maybe a few items
in their home store will:

(you can see more items on my affordable finds board...right now, their site is NOT pin-friendly,
and so the links at the bottom will take you to the jcp home page, from there, you can search by the
items name.)


perhaps my favorite item is the sante fe bench. 
(it reminds me a little bit of my old favorite metal base stools, that jc penny no longer carries.)

the legs have a really great shape, and the fabric can easily be changed out to anything that suits your fancy...and at only $65, you can afford to buy a pair of them!




i couldn't find an actual jcp commercial, but here are a few outtakes from the series:

e-design update: tween hangout space

it literally feels like f-o-r-e-v-e-r ago when i first posted about this tween hangout space!

i started on this project nearly two years ago...it was one of the first e-design projects i worked on.

this space was designed as a muti-function room, perfect for a sleepover, don't you think?

--there is a lounge area,(complete with entrainment center and big screen tv...sorry i didn't get a shot of that wall for you!) a huge toy closet, a desk area, a stage area, and a bathroom.

this client happens to live in my former hometown of  knoxville, tennessee,  so when i went back to visit two weeks ago, i made an appointment to stop by and check our our handiwork and take some pictures to share with you!

as you may recall, this was once an unfinished attic space that was transformed into a hangout space for two tween girls. to see progress pictures, click here.

here is the nearly finished room. (i say nearly finished because there are still a few minor details left to work on)

(sorry about the crazy light spots on the pictures--there is actually a lighted disco ball in the ceiling (that you can't see in the pictures), and it casts these fun light spots everywhere...)

the wall color is : gossamer blue by benjamin moore

the darker niche is painted: wilmington spruce by benjamin moore

all of the fabrics are from premier prints, and cost less than $10 a yard.

here, on the "stage" area, we painted the walls a nice grey-black--benjamin moore's "black jack".
the dark wall color helps to create the focus on the star of the stage, and also disguises the odd angles
in the walls and ceilings. the window casings are also painted black to help them blend in with the wallpaper.

the "whiling dervish" wallpaper was purchased at anthropologie (no longer available), and is also installed on the power room ceiling. the wallpaper was the inspiration for the color scheme of the entire space.

the stripes were a particularly fun part of the design for me. i was SO glad my client went along with my idea to paint that may stripes in THAT many colors!

we swapped out the plain knobs on the mirrored vanity for some fun turquoise ones.
the floors are a hexagonal marble tile with black grout.

you may also notice that the window casings around the hexagonal window were painted the same color as the large stripe---again, this was done to help the  window blend in with the walls.

the desk area---we installed a faux roman shade with polka dot grosgrain ribbon on the sides, and a black pom pom trim on the bottom.

here is the originally design board for the bathroom:

and finally, a detail of the painted stripes for the bathroom wall.


isn't it fun to see the design boards and then see the translation of those ideas in a REAL room?
i think so.....i LOVE what i do!

instagram updates

the last couple of weeks have been really busy, but i have managed to make some progress on 

a few things in my house. 

i just installed the instagram app on my phone, and i thought i would 

share my progress pics a la instagram! 

(love that app, by the way. everything looks so COOL when you instagram it!)

i have a collection of prints and original artwork from artist wolf barsch that i wanted to hang.

in previous homes, these pieces have been hung seperately, but i wanted to hang them

together this time to fill the large blank wall in the dining area. i love that they definitely look like they are

part of a collection, but they are all very different from each other.

i finally decided to pull the trigger on the morten table lamp from west elm for grady's room.

i LOVE the way it looks....the matte charcoal finish and natural colored, slightly textured shade are the

perfect balance to the soft blue grey walls and pattern on the window seat cushion and drapes.

 in my entry, i hung my vintage etching that i found at a thrift store last year. (still need to get that mat readjusted...it's totally off center. grrr...) above it are two organic prints from a local artist that i slipped into frames i had hanging around the house. not counting the new linen mat on the etching, the total cost for this art vignette is right around $55 (including the cost of the frames!).

i also recovered my vintage bamboo chairs with some houndstooth fabric i already had, and topped it

off with a pillow i bought at anthopologie several months ago.

i still have a LOT to do in the house. i kinda feel like the little engine that could. i just need to pace myself and PUSH, and eventually, i just might cross the finish line.

i'm glad y'all are here with me to follow up on me and cheer me on.

:)

happy friday friends!

affordable find: twig floor lamp

i spy with my little eye...a BARGAIN.
yessirree!
and i just had share it with you:

clark street twig floor lamp
$795

silver branch floor lamp
$99

you can see more affordable finds on my pinterest board.
happy shopping!

linen love

isn't finding an affordable source for something you love the best?
a few weeks ago (on pinterest--where else?) i spotted a source for $9 a yard linen.
i called and ordered a few sample cards because i KNEW i was going to
be all over $9 a yard linen! i love linen because it is a natural fiber with slight variations and
imperfections and i love the subtle texture it adds to a room.

the company that offers this linen is called gray line fabrics and is based out of new york.
i  ordered three sample cards:

the warsa linen is a thicker linen, suitable for lightweight upholstery, pillows and other home dec. applications, and is available in 51 colors.

the judy linen is a mid weight linen, (perfect for window treatments and pillows) and is
available in 71 colors. YES, 71 colors!

i also ordered the yarn dyed handkerchief linen sample card. these linens have a "cross dye" appearance to them...each color appears to have at least two colors woven into the fabric. (kind of chambray looking)

you don't have to be a designer to order sample cards! most of the time, it is more affordable to order a sample card than it is to order a memo sample of your favorite 3 or 4 colors. if you have several projects in your home that you will be working on, then it may well be worth spending $10 on a sample card so you can see the dozens of options available....
at any rate, i have already used this linen in two projects, and i have a very good feeling that this linen
company and i are going to have a long happy history together! i think i will be ordering a few more sample cards very soon.

you can see their other products here.

feeling beachy

every year around this time, i start to fantasize about being someplace warm.

someplace with palm trees and warm breezes and azure waters.
doesn't that sound divine?
one of the items on my bucket list is to own a home with a view of the ocean. 

i even have a pretty great idea of what i want in that house:

it would have a casual, layered feel...with lots of white and some pattern and color
thrown in here and there...

(sarah whit design via elle decor)

(tracery interiors via traditional home)

(sarah richardson)

the kitchen cabinets would be white, with some great light fixtures, and an interesting pattern on the
floor would be perfection....

 some modern barstools would keep the space  from feeling too traditional.

design serendipity

the bathroom would have lots of texture, and use natural material like wood and concrete:

(m. elle design)

i would love to see some some patterned roman shades in any room...maybe the dining room?

(tim clarke interior design)

the master bedroom would have a relaxed, textural vibe with soft touches of color.

(tracery interiors)

(m. elle designs)

a fun burst of color would be a welcome addition in the guest bedroom:

(via coastal living)


i would pile all the kids in a great bunk room like this...

(melanie turner interior design)


or this:

(m. elle designs)


an outdoor space where we could sit and eat is a must.

(wall street journal)

i would also love to have a pool, especially if it looked like this:

(via things that inspire)

and, of course, a view like this would be the icing on the cake!

how about you?
do you fantasize about living at the beach?
do you have a favorite beach town or spot you enjoy visiting?

two e-design before + afters

i wanted to share with you a couple of  before + after for two e-design clients...both plans were completed using nearly all of their existing furniture, and with minimal design help (in one case, just a phone call and some exchanged emails.)

texas living room before:

for this client, we discussed changing a few things about the layout to make the space function better, we also added some fabrics to pull out the colors in the rug.

the bench was recovered and swapped out with the ottoman, a new lamp was added in the corner by the tufted chair, the leather chair was moved, and a new side table was added. we also addressed the area behind the sofa with a storage piece and a gallery wall. 

texas living room before:

the result is a room that has more personality, a better traffic flow and conversation area, more storage,
and more color and pattern!


*edit: i had a request for a closer view of the pillows:

indiana dining room before:

 this client wanted the room to have more personality and wanted to take the color palette for the room from the large painting you see at the edge of the photograph.

indiana dining room after:

the walls were painted a rich terra-cotta, and brown and cream chevron curtains were added for some graphic appeal. a new mirror, light fixture and art configuration add additional polish.

i LOVE a good before and after, don't you?
sometimes, just the smallest changes can make a huge impact in a room!