"A New Opportunity!"

I hope you all had an enjoyable Easter holiday weekend.  I was able to get away for a bit and am actually still enjoying a little time off.  I thought I'd pop in to share with you a little good news I received recently. 

A couple of months ago I received a call from the Pride Magazine-Charlotte Editor.  You may recall, my Reinvented Furniture story featured in the November 2015 issue.

Anyway, she was calling to inform me that the magazine was in the process of sprucing up their website.  They were also looking to add a blog featuring local subject matter experts from a number of areas that might be of interest to their readership; one of which was interior design. 

Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity.  Pride Magazine has a long-standing history in the Charlotte community for being a go-to information resource for the African-American community and I'm honored to have been asked to contribute.

You can find me there once each month sharing home decorating ideas and inspiration.  As always, I'm sure they'll be plenty of budget-friendly design tips too!

This month, I thought I'd begin by introducing myself to the Pride readers.  Hop on over to check out my introductory post HERE. 

What an awesome opportunity! Until next time...

"QC Exclusive!"

Several weeks ago I received an email from QC Exclusive magazine.  They were interested in featuring my business in an upcoming issue and wondered what projects I was currently working on that they might be able to include.

Excited about the opportunity, I began running through my mental Rolodex of potential projects and remembered that I'd recently completed a fun One Day Design Plus project that had yet to be photographed. 

After reaching out to the client, we got to work pulling together a few extra touches and scheduled the shoot for just a few days later.  You'd never believe how much work goes on behind the scenes to pull off a photo shoot. 

It looks all glamorous in a magazine, but it's mostly ironing, moving heavy stuff and lots of sweating involved.

Honestly, sometimes there's even some stealing from your own home.  : )

(Hey, sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do.)

A little preliminary work on the day before the shoot and a return visit several hours before the photographer was set to arrive, and we were ready. 

It was an exhausting day, but it came together quite nicely.

I'm included in the Folio (Foundations) segment of the March/April 2016 issue.  It took me a while to hunt it down but when I finally did, I was extremely pleased with the outcome. 

 They ended up incorporating a few photos from some recent projects as well.  If you're local, be sure to pick up copy at the locations listed HERE.

If you're not, you can read the feature and the entire issue HERE. 

I'm humbled and honored to have been included.  These past four years are still hard for me to comprehend.  Who would've thought when I hit that "publish" button on January 1, 2012 to post my first blog, we'd be here four years later.  Wow!  Pinch me. 

Special thanks to QC Exclusive magazine, Cam Richards Photography and Monique Floyd Photography. 

"Project Teen Artist"

Popping in today to update you guys on a fun project I've just begun.  A few weeks ago I mentioned my new teenage client who happens to be an amazing artist. 

One of her "rough" sketches actually was the inspiration for the entire plan.  I wanted to select a starting point that would allow me to branch off with a variety of soft colors, creating a happy and soothing space for this pastel-loving teen. 

Yao Cheng Design

This Yao Cheng pillow was exactly what I had in mind.  The abstract print, hints at the client's artistic side and the soft tones are a dead ringer for inspiration sketch.

Once I decided on the direction, it was just a matter of pulling the elements together in a mood board. 

 After a little tweaking, we landed on this plan.  I'm super excited about this one.  You can expect that they'll be another vintage furniture makeover and a few surprises her and there.

 

The white walls will provide a great backdrop for the infusion of lots of color in the way of accessories.  We'll also be incorporating a workspace and of course the client's art work will be on display. 

I'm beginning with a blank slate, so the transformation is going to be pretty dramatic.

This one is gonna be good.  Stay tuned....

"The Styling Shuffle"

I don't do changing things around in my home.  I know, it's hard to believe but I don't.  Sure, I'll upgrade pieces but generally speaking, unless I'm making over a space, I don't change things out often.  Lately, this étagère in my living room has been bugging me.

There are several things on it that I'm just not all that attached to anymore and I felt it was time to reevaluate it all.  You can read about my love for etageres on the Metrolina ReStores' blog.

You may recall last Christmas I blogged about The Nester's book The Nesting Place.  In it she mentions a concept called quieting the space.  It basically means starting from scratch. 

It's something I almost NEVER do, but I'll admit that there is value in clearing things out and starting all over again sometimes.  So that's exactly what I did this weekend.  I literally emptied the shelves and started from scratch.

With the area completely clear, I began layering on my favorite pieces one by one, carefully styling each section.   However, here's the funny thing, when it was all said and done, I ended up pretty close to where I started.  It's like I just shuffled things around.

Hence the reason I rarely start over in a space.  I think I'm just one of those strange people who knows what I like and it doesn't change that often. 

For what it's worth, here's a closer look.   

At least I was forced to really think through whether my trinkets really needed to be on display here or not.  Often, I think things just land in places and it's easier to keep them there than to make a decision regarding them.

I also pulled the two Pottery Barn gourd lamps together that I was using in separate rooms.  I purchased these shades from Ross for less than $10 each and I love the look of them here.