Small Changes, Big Difference

You probably remember my online client, Caycee, and her living room and guest bedroom makeovers.  (Yes, we are "virtual decorating" almost her whole house!)  She recently contacted  me again because she was planning a party and wanted to make some changes to her den--fast!  She also wanted to work with the existing furniture and to make updates without spending alot of money.

This is how the room looked before:

Although a comfortable room, it seemed to lack color and a focal point. This is the accessory board I created for her room:

I had spotted this beautiful canvas bird art a few weeks earlier and knew the colors would be perfect for Caycee's Charleston home.  We also brought in more color and pattern with pillows and added some lighting and coordinating window treatments.

In less than a couple of weeks, Caycee was able to make some quick changes, just in time for her guests:

The improvements to her room are easy changes that anyone can make, even if you don't have lots of time or a huge budget.  Here are a few ideas for a quick makeover:

#1.  Rearrange your furniture: One of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to give your space a facelift!  Don't be afraid to pull your furniture away from the walls and arrange it so that it creates a cozy conversation area.

#2.  Create a focal point:  The room should have (at least) one big element that draws your eye into the space.  This may be done by adding a a large art piece or mirror or as I previously mentioned, by just rearranging the furniture.  By moving Caycee's sofa and adding the art above her mantle, the fireplace is now the focus of the room.

#3.  Use coordinating window treatments and hang them high:  Before, Caycee's windows had different treatments, which looked a little confusing.  We replaced them with simple ivory panels on all of the windows and hung them near the ceiling.  It instantly gives the room more height and softens the space.

#4.  Bring in color through your accessories: If your room feels a little flat, but you don't want to commit to a major overhaul, try playing with color.  Add pillows, throws, lamps, etc., in colors that give some life to the space.  I started with the artwork and found accessories that played off those colors.

Have you made any quick and easy changes to your home lately that have given it a whole new look?  I would  love for you to share them.  (If you have photos, you can post your home improvement pics to my Facebook page.)

Vintage Jewelry Giveaway from Everton Terrace

I recently discovered that one of my readers, Jeanette, has fun vintage jewelry shop on Etsy called Everton Terrace.  Along with some cool vintage finds, she also makes her own creations using "baubles" from other pieces and combining them with hand-stamped jewelry.  She offers necklaces, rings, brooches, cufflinks, and more.

Today, I'm happy to announce that Jeanette is giving this pretty vintage compact necklace to a lucky reader.  The compact itself is reversible with a gold mesh bottom and black and gold fabric top. 

Giveaway Details. . . . . .

TO ENTER:

1.  You must be a follower of this blog (through Google Friend Connect) and visit Everton Terrace on Etsy.  Leave a comment here telling me about your favorite piece from her shop. 

2.  For a second entry, become a fan of my Facebook page.

3.  For a third (and fourth, and even fifth entry), you can post to your Facebook page, Tweet, or blog about this giveaway.

Winner will be drawn at random this Friday.  Good luck!  Enjoy browsing Jeanette's shop.  (You can also find her blog here.)  These are a few of my favorite pieces:

Kindergarten: It's Here

No design talk around here today.  We've got bigger and better things going on in our house.  The first day of kindergarten has finally arrived.  Seems like only a few months ago, they handed this sweet boy with big brown eyes to me in the hospital.

Give me a week, and I'm sure I'll be a pro at this school thing. 

Check back Monday for a fun, vintage jewelry giveaway.  Happy Friday!

My Dining Room: An Update

Since breaking up our dining set earlier this year and pairing these old/"new" chairs with our dining table, I've been pondering using a dining bench on one side of the table.  I think I found it.  Remember that clearance-priced ottoman I ordered a couple of weeks ago?  I thought it might be a little large, but it just happens to fit perfectly under the table. 

And, while I do like the zebra print, there's a tiger living in the attached room in the form of a rug.  So, I'm pretty sure the ottoman is going to get recovered in this:

I love the way these fabrics look together, and they work well with the botanicals I've already used in the room (but have yet to show you).  Next step: painting the room a rich brown (sent to me to try by my friends at Dutch Boy Paints).  I'll be sharing my transformation with you along the way.

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On another note, if you want more ways to keep tabs on me and my projects, I'm now on Facebook. 

And, you can also follow me on Twitter.  I'm so up on my social media; can you tell? :)

Julie's Bright Basement: The Reveal

You may remember I posted an idea board several months ago that I did for my online client, Julie.  She wanted to make her basement a fun, modern, comfortable place for her family to hang out.  She did a wonderful job pulling everything together and adding in some really great fabrics. Thanks, Julie, for sharing pictures of your finished space.

I love this big sunburst mirror and the fact that it's the first thing you see as you come downstairs.  She recovered two extra dining chairs in this bold stripe fabric and added a punch with these retro floral pillows.

The sectional was a Craigslist purchase and was in great shape.  The rug is from Nate's HSN line.

I hate covering up a great rug with a heavy coffee table, so I suggested this glass one from Overstock.  I like how the base mimics the chevron rug.

She sprayed these lamps yellow; the color really brings this corner to life.

How To Find the Best Deals on Craigslist

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know of my obsession with Craigslist and that almost 90 percent of our furniture has been found there. If you live in or near a metro area, I don't think you can beat the deals (or unique pieces) that you can find on this site.

I have heard from several of you, however, that tell me you never have any luck. Although I don't have any magic formula, I will share my best advice for finding--and getting--great deals on Craigslist:


1.  Search the site often.  If you're looking for a specific item (or even if you're just browsing), look several times a day--or more.  New listings are added all the time, and if there's something really great, you want to be the first to know about it.  Sometimes I type in keywords, but usually, I just keep refreshing the page to scour new listings.

This Pottery Barn wool rug was used in a builder's model home for a few short months. I found it on Craigslist for just $100. 

2.  Don't use keywords that are too specific in your search.  If you are looking for a tufted chair, for example, I would just search by "chair."  In many cases, sellers may not know the correct term for tufting, upholstered, etc.  I can't tell you how many times I see "cloth chairs" listed. . .  If your search terms are more broad, you'll come up with more results and hopefully find a gem that other buyers have missed.

This pair of slipper chairs were literally like new and had been sitting in the seller's unused foyer.  I was lucky enough to find them for $100 each.

3.  Be decisive, and act fast.  Craigslist is not the place to spend  two weeks deciding if the $25 coffee table you found is the perfect fit for your living room.  Good items will go fast.  So, if you find it, like it and feel like it's a fair price, go for it and don't look back.

I found this oversized abstract painting for $125 and bought it immediately. 

4.  Always offer less than the asking price.  I always email with a lower offer (still within reason) or to ask if they're willing to negotiate.  Why not?  Nine times out of ten, I get a better deal.  Craigslist is made for negotiation.  I just try to keep my offers fair so that the seller will know I'm a serious buyer and respond. 

I had no real place for this chair when I found it, but it was a great deal from a model home listing and I loved the lines.

5.  If you can't afford it, email the seller with your budget.  I know I just said to email the seller with a reasonable offer.  That being said, if you're looking at a bigger ticket item and can't necessarily pay what they're asking, I will sometimes email the seller and tell them what I can pay, in case the item doesn't sell.

This is the very way I got our family room sofa.  The seller had a Rowe sofa that had been used for less than six months and was then wrapped in plastic and stored when they moved.  She was asking $700.  I emailed her and told her I only had a budget of $300.  She politely declined.  I understood.  She emailed me a month later and told me she would take $500.  I politely declined.  Fast forward another month later--and sofa still sitting wrapped in storage--she emailed me again and told me she would take $300.  Done deal!


6.  Imagine the possibilities!  I always try to look closely at the (very often terrible) photographs on Craigslist to find the potential of a piece of furniture.  Think about what changes you can make with paint, fabric, etc.  I look for the small details that may make a piece really shine after a little makeover.  Remember my bookcases?  I got them for just $20 each, but this is what they looked like online, and then after some TLC:

Want to see more of my bookcase makeover?  I'm guest posting today over at Cottage and Vine with the details.


Good luck with your searches and happy shopping!  Would love to see what you find.

CSN Giveaway Winner

Congrats to Danielle, the winner of the $70 CSN gift card!  She said:

"I could so put that to good use - I love CSN stores! I follow.  - Danielle"

Can't wait to see which great CSN item you choose.

My Office on Southern Hospitality

Today, Rhoda of the beautiful blog Southern Hospitality is featuring my home office makeover. Would love for you to pop over and check it out.  (And, notice she calls me a "young" interior designer in her post.  That's right, Rhoda is my new favorite blogger!)

Speaking of Rhoda, her home has tons of Southern charm--as you would expect from her blog name.  I love the way she incorporated these ledge shelves into the plate display in her dining room: 

You can see more of her lovely home here.

~And, as a last reminder, today is the final day to enter to win a $70 gift card from CSN Stores.  I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow.  Happy Weekend!

Brooke and Cameron: A Bachelor Pad Overhaul

I'm currently working with a couple of nearly-newlyweds, and thought I would give you a sneak peak of what we're doing.  Meet Brooke and Cameron. 

They're anxiously awaiting their wedding day in November.  In the meantime, Brooke and I are on a mission to convert Cameron's bachelor pad (an adorable house) into a home suitable for both the bride and groom.  In the den, we started with several pieces of inherited furniture and not much else.  But, I have a plan.  And, it looks something like this:

Brooke already had her eye on the IKEA Ektorp sofa and wanted to work with the existing paint color. She's a fan of soft neutrals and soothing blues. Since she didn't want to paint the whole room, I suggested instead painting the wall around/above the fireplace a darker tan to give the room a focal point. 

I also found this mirrored top coffee table (for $55!) that's going to look fantastic on this rug, one of my favorites from Ballard Designs.

Stay tuned.  The wedding is quickly approaching and we're working like busy bees on this and several other rooms in her house that I can't wait to share with you.

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Have you entered to win a $70 gift card from CSN Stores yet?  Only two days left!  Enter here.

Trish's Chair Makeover

Recently, Trish, one of my readers--and an expert in container gardening, emailed me asking for help choosing a fabric for a pair of these chairs that she scored on Ebay for less than $12 each!  Knowing how I love a great bargain, I was excited to help her make these chairs look like she paid hundreds more.

She already had some beautiful pillows that she has purchased from Plum Cushion, but the room still felt like it needed a bold punch of pattern.  So, this is what I suggested:

I thought a strong blue would work really well in the room, and loved this fabric from Calico Corners.  I also suggested she paint the frames a glossy white.  For more color, I recommended a fun, green geometric pillow from Etsy seller Purple Pajamas.  The result:

I love the way these fabrics give the room a little "facelift." Here's the room before:

And, after adding more pattern (and the "new" chairs):

Thanks, Trish, for allowing me to share your beautiful living room!

Need help selecting a fabric, rug, window treatments, etc.?  Find more info on my online decorating services here.

Gift Certificate Giveaway from CSN Stores

Yes, another great opportunity to win--this time, from one of my favorite online shopping resources, CSN Stores.  I use their site all of the time when creating idea boards for my online clients. They carry table lamps, mirrors, artwork, furniture--you name it.  They probably have it.

To prove it, here's a mock room I created using products from the various CSN sites:

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Feeling inspired?  CSN is offering one winner a $70 gift certificate that can be used on any of their sites.  To enter:

1. Make sure you're a follower of this blog (through Google Friend Connect on right side of the page) and leave a comment.

2.  For additional entries, you can tweet, blog or post to your Facebook page about this giveaway.

The winner will be announced this Saturday, Aug. 21st.  (Please note: the gift certificate may not be used toward any shipping costs.)

Good luck!

FLOR Giveaway Winner

A big congrats to Gina, who wins the FLOR rug giveaway!  She said:

Thanks to everyone who entered and to FLOR for sponsoring such a fantastic giveaway.

FLOR Giveaway Reminder & A Few More Home Office Details

Don't forget today is the last day to enter to win the rug giveaway from FLOR.  Go to this post and leave a comment.  They are letting the winner choose which 5x7 rug they want--and there are LOTS of great choices.

Secondly, I just wanted to thank you for all of the wonderful responses yesterday to my home office makeover post.  I was really overwhelmed with your nice comments and appreciate the encouragement.  Since some of you had questions, I thought I would take a minute to answer them here:

1. Does the dress on the dress form have any special meaning?

Not really.  It is my dress and I wore it once on a cruise.  Other than that, it's just a dress. I bought the dress form when I had my Ebay clothing shop, but the fabric on the form is worn in certain, distracting areas (if you catch my drift), so I decided to dress her up a little :)

2. Where did you find the rug?

I bought it at Garden Ridge, of all places, for $20 a couple of years ago.  It was originally purchased for my daughter's room, but it ended up in the office because it feels like turf and is a terrible texture for a bedroom or elsewhere.

3.  Do you have a source for the curtain fabric?

It's Covington Wilmington ("multi" color wave), and I bought it at a local fabric store.  Fortunately, you can also purchase it online here.  Best of all, it's only $10.98/yard.