Part II - A Living Room Is Used For What??

In November I wrote a blog article called A Living Room Is Used For What?? and showed you the beginnings of a Living Room turned Library/Game room for a family of four in Breinigsville, PA. I promised you a peek at the end result.  I just love happy endings:

BEFORE

The Living Room used to be unused space with three bookcases on their last legs.

AFTER

The re-designed space is now full of wall to wall built-ins on both sides of the room, perfect for this book collecting family.

A bench with storage that hides board games and is long enough for friends to read together. 

 

BEFORE

A traditional Dining Room didn't work for this busy family whose large kitchen did the job of hosting family and friends. 

AFTER

The new space is less formal and more toasty chic.  It multi functions as a place for family game night/homework station and. ...

.....a quiet sanctuary to snuggle up with a good book.                  

Decadently Yours,
Shosh

Good Bye 2009

I sat outside my house in the blistfully cold air today and watched the sun set behind the mountains. With all of the changes we take in (like it or not) throughout life, the glow of that yellow orange fireball descending behind the horizon is a constant-and that is why I treasure it; finding joy and inspiration from it.  As an Interior Decorator I get to design spaces that, no matter what the day brings, one can find joy and inspiration in their home. 

Feels like a lifetime ago when I worked behind a desk in my past career.  This was my office on the 25 floor of the MetLife Bldg in Grand Central Station, NYC. 

This was my view.

Now my office is anywhere I can get wi-fi on the road and my hours depend on how little sleep I can get away with.  I mean, when you can create something like this:

Out of this:

And make someone so happy because you could turn a pair of treasured settees into funky chic pieces of art that befits them, I can't think of a better thank you.  Stay tuned for the rest of the redesigned space in 2010 (the hot pink pillow is a hint)!

Thank you 2009!

Looking forward to 2010!

My Bedroom Retreat

I just re-decorated my own bedroom, creating a little cozy cove out of the16'x16' box shape room in my home which can get chaotic. So this is my version of an elegant and serene retreat.  It starts with the walls and the ceiling painted a watery blue green color called Quietude (SW6212 by Sherwin Williams) and adding chunky bright white ceiling moulding.

Instead of just adding wall art above my bed, I turned the wall into art by building rectangular wall boxes out of panel moulding and inserting grass weave wallpaper in the center.  I love this wallpaper for two reasons. #1. great texture; the look and feel is so interesting to look at and touch.  #2.  nail hole forgiveness.  You can hammer in a hundred holes and the grass hides it.

It became a great natural setting for my shell and strange sea crustacean collection that includes a large odd shaped piece of coquina from Flaggler Beach, Florida, a cone shell from Queensland, Australia, and a very cracked purple snail shell from Aruba.  I hung some wall boxes up and literally wrapped a few of my shells with string I bought from my local craft store.  I suspended them from nails i placed in the center of each box.

The bedroom furniture has that Dutch West Indies style with a deep rich brown finish and rattan textured inserts on the bed and the long classic legs on the end tables.  The king sized bed is key!

I added lots of green, blue and creamy white pillows in silky fabrics that shine like a reflection off the sea. My comforter is a soft and casual cotton that is easy to wash.  It has the same relaxing colors I used in the room.

This very cool faux Fokati fur rug adds coziness to the cool colors on the bed.  I bought it from Kohls for 1/2 price.  I now have a laid back sophisticated getaway....where's the Mai Tai?

Decorate Your Mantel For the Holidays With $6

I was at my local Dollar Store the other day and was happily amazed at the selection of holiday decorations they had.  I picked up a few cool colored sparkly snowflake ornaments, these shiny rainbow cones, and a silver rope, to dress up my mantel.  Total cost was $6.

Here is another decorative inexpensive mantel idea:

Try purchasing $1 boxes and fill them with faux greenery.  Then add candles and a ton of ornaments in different shapes and finishes.

Happy holidays friends!!

Office Makeover in 2 Days

I received a call on Friday from a local business that was in need of a quick makeover by Monday morning, just in time for them to be interviewed by the media about a new unique product.  Ok, time to start humming the entire Rocky Balboa anthem. 

Step 1: take on the 2 spaces that will be seen on Monday:  Reception Rm and Conference Rm

Step 2: Decide what changes to make & measure measure measure

Step 3: Run around like mad to local stores because no time for custom anything

Step 4: stop for deoderant and new hammer

The RESULTS:

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

Sorry about the poor photo quality.  I used my i-phone (pretty good for phone quality I say).

Thinking Between Appointments

I am sipping my coffee at a Panera chain, between my last client's home and my next appointment.  It has been a day of traveling for me.  Maybe its all the Regina Spektor I have been listening to, or the season, but I am thinking about time and how fast it is pushing me into tomorrow.  Maybe it's the thirties; Ever since entering this new set of numbers I don't sit around looking forward to something that is over six months away, because so much can happen between now and then.  Earmarks of time are no longer signified by birthdays, but by events that have changed me.  And what I want, who I am, is evolving every day.  My empathy has grown, my self-consciousness has shrunk, and I want to put myself out there, and I want to be surrounded by people that put their feelings, passions, opinions, out there.  Time is but a word, because as soon as you say it, you lost one second; I have to run to my next appointment, as a chill runs down my spine, and a lump mounts in my throat, and yeah, I have listening to Regina Spektor too much.  Go out there and jump into whatever you have been putting off!