Design Vitamin #15 In Honor of Church Day--Holy Holy---!

Check it out--would you like to sleep on an altar!

Design Vitamin #12 Spooktacular Book Club!

Okay--I know I owe you all a zillion posts/vitamins since returning from Furniture Market---late Tuesday night.  Proceed to Wednesday where I hosted bookclub at my home---of course fresh off of Market I was full of design ideas and went a little nutty with Halloween decor and "Spooktini's". I had my husband hauling furniture for me out of my space at Oak Street Mill in downtown Cornelius.  He was not happy!  I was determined to have book club fireside---and the perfect three hundred pound organic cypress table had to leave my space. So in a very Veruca Salt way---I said I wanted  the table brought home "NOW" Lots of cursing and sweating ensued---yes my husband pretty much is a saint because when I get a bee in my bonnet I do not give up!  In the end the table looks fab--and he agreed it is a welcome addition to the  porch. Also brought home from Oak Street were these darling vintage books turned inside out so all the pages were folded with jack-o-lantern faces---get it book club? everyone that attended was very excited about the decor and theme.  I did not spend allot of money--- but EFFORT goes a log way.  I emphasize effort because that is what seperates a successful gathering from a ho-hum one.  I took empty glass hurricanes filled them with candy corn--very inexpensive.  I had the of course "blue/grey pumkins.  I enlisted my dear friend Jill to do a dip that she baked right in the oven in a pumpkin that was delicious.  Candles everywhere--a must---and please keep your candles to one color---do not have a circus of canlde colors all over the house. I have ivory, cream or white--keeps it simple.  The book we read this month was The Help by Kathryn Stockett---I highly recommend it! I am colleting my thoughts about market---lots to discuss!

Design Vitamin #11

See you after Furniture Market with lots of Catch up Blogs!

Design Vitamin # 10--a break from Me! Enjoy!

Before & After - Chateau Chic

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Eddie Ross is one of my favorite blogs that I enjoy. I am one of his followers! He was on the design show on Bravo " Top Design" He was also one of the finalists. He is such a creative person and hilarious! Eddie also worked for another one of my favorite "icons" Martha Stewart. Yes. I love Martha! I have never left her side. She gave all of us the shot in the arm that we needed----to be creative and be perfect while you are doing it! Smile. I met Martha at Furniture Market--I was in awe, but we will save that for another blog! of course Eddie worked for Martha--he is just as neurotic and creative as she is----watch for him--he will have his own empire one day! Enjoy!

Design Vitamin #9

Don't be in a rush. That is when bad things happen. Research,research,research! I hope the person whom I am speaking about knows I am talking to them. Trust me--we have all been there! I do not care if the painter is standing at the front door and he showed up a day early because his "Tuesday" cancelled--do not make a rash decision and choose a paint color nonchalantly to make the painters life happy. You have to live with the color--he does not. When making major decisions such as remodeling I am always about bringing in the "experts" If you are re-doing a kitchen ie:tearing out cabinets reconfiguring please use a certified kitchen designer NKBA. You will save yourself lots of heartache,headache and money. I have allot of clients that bring me in as the "band-aid" designer. They want me to fix the mess that was made previously by them because they tried to take short cuts. Please take your time--make your lists--research and get quotes and opinions. The web is a perfectly place to start!

Lonny Magazine « The Cultivated Home

Lonny Magazine « The Cultivated Home

Design Vitamin #8

If are interested in design--or are totally confused about it--you must subscribe to shelter magazine. Each page holds a wealth of information. One page could be a paint color, the next a piece of furniture that appeals to you. Tear the page out! Put it in a file labeled appropriately for future reference. When the times is right and you do have that meeting with a designer you will be prepared,she will not have to read your mind,and you will get some much more bang for your buck within that hour because you are not flipping through magazines!My faves hands down---Veranda, Southern Accents, Coastal Living ,Traditional Home and House Beautiful. Soooo sad that Domino is no longer--it was so cool. There is a new magazine on line called Lonny--check it out. I just like touching and feeling glossy pages--very old fashioned.