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Love for Bloglovin'

I hope you had a great weekend.  I can't tell you how excited about the fact that this is a 3-day work week for me.  Yay!!!  I had a very productive one, spending most it working on the newly opened cabinet in my kitchen.  I CANNOT wait to show you how it turned out.  I'm loving how it looks.  But for now, let's talk blog following. 
 
I know that for a large segment of my readership, my blog may be the first (or only) you've ever followed.  So thankful for that by the way.  But for others, my blog is one of many that you read and enjoy each week.  There's quit a buzz in the blogosphere this week, as the popular platform, Google Reader, as of today is no more.  There are a number of ways to follow a blog, with the goal being not to miss any of your favorite blogger's posts.  However, if you're a Google Reader user, you'll need to find a new method to ensure that your remain a faithful follower.  I don't use Google Reader very much so the change isn't really impacting me, but I thought I'd share with you the platform that I've recently fallen in "love" with called Bloglovin'.  
It's a super simple way to keep up with all of your blogs in one place.  You simply log on to www.bloglovin.com and create an account. If you follow blogs with Google Reader, you have the option to import them to Bloglovin'.  Here's a screenshot of my feed....
 

 
 
I love that all of my blogs are in one place and I can read them without having to hop all over the web.  Best of all, there's an app that allows you to view your blogs on your mobile device.  Brilliant!
 
 
If you're not using a reader now, I'd recommend Bloglovin'.  I've added it to my sidebar if you're interested in signing up.  lastly, if you need suggestions on other great blogs, check out my favs. 
 
 
 
Happy Monday!!
 

"A Cool and Crisp Color Palette"

Ok, I admit it.  I've been a little lazy (i.e. tired) this week. It's a rare Saturday when you hear from me, but I felt like I owed you guys one.  : )

So, I thought I'd give you a little peek under the tent of my latest client project. I'm really excited about this one.  Seems like I always am, right?  I guess that's a good thing.  The client recently moved and is anxious to create a new home in the fab new dwelling place.  We're going for a cool clean and crisp look in this space.  We're beginning by cooling off the color palette a bit with these crisp hues. 


Think breezy and airy like Coastal Living....

Coastal Living

...or something like that.  We'll actually be working on an adjoining living and dining room, but for now I'll just give you a feel for the direction we're heading in the living room. 

 Did I mention I was excited?  (Lol!) 

Now it's off to start on my weekend projects.  Next week's blog content awaits.  Until next time, have a great weekend!

My Newest Intern!

In the past year and a half, I've been blessed to not only start my own business, but to also have the opportunity to work with several fabulous interns.  When you're starting a small business, as you might imagine, profit can be pretty elusive, so overhead costs must be kept to a minimum.  Dwell by Cheryl has essentially been a one woman show.  That is of course, with one exception; the assistance of great design proteges that graciously offer their time and talents to the cause. 


Today, I'm pleased to announce the addition of my latest victim, I mean intern, Anna.    : )
We're so pleased to have her on board. I thought I'd let you hear from her in her own words.
                                             
Hi everyone!  My name is Anna and I'm thrilled to be joining the Dwell by Cheryl team!  My passion for design started at a young age, and by having an architect as a father, I have been lucky enough to have always been around it.  Being an interior designer had always been in the back of my head throughout my younger years, but it wasn't until my senior year in high school that I decided that this profession was really for me.
via
At the beginning of the year we were all assigned a semester long project which required that we each choose a profession, find someone within that profession to shadow, and create a presentation related to the chosen profession.  Since I had always been interested in design, and was about to enter college and needed to have an idea on what I was going to major in, I decided to do mine on interior design.  I was lucky enough to know a local designer in my hometown of Tryon, NC, and he agreed to be my mentor throughout the project's duration.

via www.townmapsusa.com
I chose to do a mock re-do of my basement, where I developed floor plans, chose finishings and selected furniture, all within a 'fake budget' that my mentor and I came set.  Throughout the scheme of the project I fell in love with the profession, and it hit me that this is what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. 


via
So, here I am, currently attending Queens University of Charlotte where I am pursuing my BA in interior design, and loving life along the way.  I look forward to completing my education and beginning my career, and I know that working with Cheryl will help me on my path to achieving my goals.  Can't wait to see what all I will learn from her!



Join me in welcoming Anna to the Dwell by Cheryl team! 

"Open Kitchen Cabinets"

For a while now I’ve been contemplating an open cabinet in my kitchen.




Emily A Clark
Pretty Handy Girl


Likely from all of the recent blog posts I’ve come across with design bloggers doing just that.  I like the idea of displaying view-worthy pieces in an open cabinet.  However,  I’m not so sure I’m ready to get rid of the entire cabinet door just yet.

Country Living
I’m thinking about taking the first step by inserting a glass pane in my existing cabinet. 


It’s something I’ve been going back and forth on for some time now, and I think I’m ready to bite the bullet. 


In addition to giving a modern look to my builder grade oak cabinets, it will force me to get rid of some of those awful mugs and cups that seem to collect over time.

So, THIS just happened…..

 

I guess there’s no going back now.  Hey, what can I say, when I make a decision, I commit. I used a fairly bootleg process to remove the center panel.  Because I don't have a saw, and the insert is actually wood paneling, I just used a sharp utility knife and a little weight to force out the center portion of the cabinet.  It wasn't pretty, but it worked. 

I just need to figure out what I’m doing to the back wall of the cabinets and then I'll need to get glass. cut.  Then comes the fun part, styling it all.   Another project in process.  Wish me luck!

P.S. Dear Santa, I need a Skilsaw.  : )

"Client Project: Bold Color"

I was extremely excited to get the go-ahead on my latest client project and to get this family room makeover underway.  The space is totally a blank slate and it happens to be huge with lots of light.  We won't be painting in this project so I knew immediately that I was going to have to go bolder than usual.  With the budget in mind, I began the design concept for this space in an unlikely place, at the bottom.  I decided to try to knock out one of the more expensive elements first.  I scored this GREAT rug at an amazing price and that's where it all began.
 
 
 
With the rug as the driving force behind the design, I searched for some inspiration for color pairing  in the space.  It's amazing what you can turn up if you really look with a fresh eye. 

 
 
 I feel in love with the navy, chartreuse and purplish violet color. The addition of a couple of fun prints and a punch of color....
 
 
...yielded this moodboard.  
 

The client loved it and we are well on our way to turning this moodboard into a reality.  So excited!
Have a great weekend!

Hump Day Humor

I've been working hard lately to pull together design plans for two new client projects.  So,  I thought we could all probably use a little Hump Day humor. Have you guys seen this commercial?

        

I think this commercial is hilarious, especially the reactions of the office employees.  Lol!

You know, design can be funny too, or at least a little quirky.  I find that it's often those odd and whimsical little elements that give a space personality, don't you?  Here are a couple of my favorites.

Check out Dwellings By Devore's super cute towel hook.  Sure, you could use the standard big box store's towel hook options, but how much more personality does this DIY'd guy bring to this powder room.  Love it!  See more of the project on her Glittered Gold Taxidermy post.


Emily Clark hit the ball out of the park with this cute kid's space.  I'm a die-hard Emily fan and when she posted sneak peeks of this project I just knew the navy clover stencil was going to be the show stopper.  I was wrong!  This oversized "funny" poster makes an even larger statement.  Retro, quirky and somehow chic.  Love it too!  Read more about her design and vote for her the Pottery Barn contest by checking out her entire project on her Book Nook Reveal post.

 
And lest we forget my fun and quirky bright yellow front door.  Please, don't get me started.  If you missed that post, check it out on one of my very early blog entries called See It, Like It, Do It: Front Door Project.
 
 
The goal in every design project should be to be yourself.  If in the end the space makes you feel at home and happy (even to the point of a little chuckle inside) then, in my opinion, that's a well-designed space.  Happy Hump Day!

"Be My Guest"

I hope every one had a fabulous Father's Day weekend and had a chance to spend some time with dear ol' dad if possible. 
 
I was fortunate to spend the entire weekend with a friend of mine who was in need of a weekend respite.  I was happy to oblige.  I love playing hostess.  I think I always have.  Yes, it's a lot of work, but it's so rewarding to have people compliment your home and the feelings of warmth that they have when they visit.  I'm a firm believer that there is NO place like home and I want guest to feel completely at "home" in mine.

I realized recently that I haven't ever blogged about my guest room.  I think early on I mentioned the wallpaper and chandelier, but I don't recall every blogging about the room itself.  It has pretty much remained the same since I moved in.


I knew I wanted a spare bedroom for guest, and a place where I could nap and/or relax.  It all began with the wallpaper.


I'm a sucker for a damask floral.  I also LOVE wallpaper.  There is no better way to make an instant statement.  And, I've said it before but I'll say it again, wallpaper ain't your Grandma's wallpaper anymore.

I also think that a guest room needs to be functional for guests, so I added a luggage rack and a valet.



Baity's Custom Upholstery hooked me up with a recovered parson chair that makes the perfect small scale seat for visitors to use while getting dressed. 



I found this end table at Goodwill and repainted it in a cool gray.  I loved that it could serve as a coffee table and also provide storage for extra blankets.

 
Finally the piece de resistance is the thrifted gold chandelier that got a quick makeover with hammered bronze spray paint. 



The room provides a quite retreat for guest to relax at the end of a usually fun-filled day which makes them very happy.  And when my guest are happy, I'm happy. 

Tip:  Spend a night in your guest room to see what might be missing that will make your next overnight guest's stay special. 
 
Make it a great week!!



"Sprucing Up the Patio"

Every Spring I spend one whole day gardening.  You can read about this year's Gardening Day HERE and last year's gardening day HERE.  It's typically the day when I clean things up and officially begin the gardening season.  This year, I actually didn't complete the process so I was on a mission to do so while I was on vacation last week.
 
First on my list was an outdoor rug.  I had purchased these black and white pillows earlier this year and really wanted to incorporate them on my patio.  I had hoped to find a graphic black and white stripe outdoor rug, but to no avail.  Outdoor rugs can get pretty pricey, especially when you need an 8' X 10'.  Then one day after viewing the options on Ikea's website, I realized that I could put together four rugs to create one larger one.  Genius!  (I'm not the first to do this, fyi.)




My original plan was to sew them together with twine, but after getting two stitches complete in about ten minutes, I shifted to Plan B.
 
 

Did you know they make outdoor duck tape?  Yep, they do. 
 

Duck Brand- website HERE

I didn't use this, but I may actually go back and redo it with this specialty tape.  I simply taped the 2'6" X 6'7" runners together, careful to align the stripes.  In a few minutes, I had a huge cost-effective graphic black and white stripe outdoor rug.  Yes!
 

Next order of business, an outdoor mirror.  I've been pinning them lately.  You can check out my board on Pinterest HERE.  I loved the look of those indoor/outdoor options, but as usual wanted a cost effective option.


I found this lightweight large circular one at Tuesday Morning for $19.99.  Yes please.  It wasn't the color I wanted, but I knew we could fix that.


 
I had recently read about this new 2X the coverage spray paint, so this project gave me a chance to use it.  It really does cover in half the application amount/time.  Love it!
 
 
Ready to see the results?
 

 
 
The addition of a few summer plants and some staging and I'm feeling much better about how my patio looks. 

 
 
 
        
 
 
 
 
 
           
 
And just so you know that I live in the real world with you, I got home tonight after a series of severe storms blew through our area and THIS is what it all looked like. 
 
 
No worries!  I fixed it.  Happy Friday!
 
 
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