Ch-ch-ch-changes…and inspiration

Surprise! I’m doing a drive-by random post! I wanted to thank everyone that has been so kind to send me thoughts and prayers and well wishes regarding my marriage. My husband is moving out on July 1st; while I haven’t given up on our marriage, I have accepted that this separation is going to happen and I’m actually feeling at peace with it. But, to guarantee that I don’t completely fall apart that first week when he’s gone, I’ve started making plans for a small 4th of July get-together (anyone gonna be in Atlanta around then? E-mail me, you have a standing invitation!).

Part of the plans for this little shindig include getting my patio pulled together. My patio is AWFUL. Extra super awful. I’m being honest. The small garden has gone to seed and I sold the furniture last summer, thinking I’d buy some I liked better… but finances got in the way (you know how that happens!) and instead of creating a nice place to have a light supper, the kids created a small mess of toys and stuff. All of which needs to be crated off to somewhere prior to the 4th of July.

So my drive-by today consists of impromptu inspiration for the small patio. You can be sure I’ll be scouring craigslist like a mad woman this week and next to find patio furniture, and visiting Lowe’s, of course, to replant the garden. These are the photos that will be inspiring my makeover:

Isn’t this the cutest patio set from Walmart, and only $138.00 too! It’s perfect for my small patio, comes with the umbrella and it’s wooden so it can withstand the elements since my patio is completely exposed to the elements. Now, because I’m a tightwad, I’ll try to find something similar for less money, but if I can’t, this is a great option.

Speaking of Walmart, if I had just all kinds of extra cash, this is the set I’d pick up:

Wouldn’t this make a patio truly feel like part of your home? It’s only $588 which is very reasonable, but still way out of my price range.

While I’m daydreaming and talking about out of my price range, how beautiful is this:

It’s the Pottery Barn Palmetto Honey sectional. I LOVE It! But it runs around $3,000 as pictured. It’s funny to me how I’ve become such a Pottery Barn girl as I grow older. And to think, at one time I thought PB was for old ladies!

Anyway, back to realistic inspiration for my patio! In addition to furniture for dining, I do want to find a small settee, probably wicker, for just cuddling or reading on. Something like this maybe:

Pottery Barn Palmetto collection again… Isn’t that a cozy little set-up though? I love the cushions and the pillows and I will definitely copy that idea with handmade pillows on my patio.

I’m a little bit at a loss for garden inspiration. My planting plot is fairly small, only about 3′ x 4′, but it’s weird because in the early spring it get hardly any sun, but by mid summer, it’s almost full sun. Any gardening aficionados out there with suggestions on what to plant? I like colorful flowers and they can’t be high maintenance. Otherwise, I’m pretty open…

I guess that’s it for now. “See” ya’ll soon!

xoxo - Shauntelle

P.S. I almost forgot to tell ya’ll - while I was gone, I actually got some press… ironically enough, I was an “expert” for an article on creating a family friendly outdoor space. Go check the article out if you get a chance: Radish Magazine.

In the Trenches featuring Kristy, aka Vintage Pleasure

Happy Wednesday budget decorators!

I’m glad to be back with another “In the Trenches” interview today. To be honest, this interview was scheduled to go live well over two weeks ago, but my crazy offline life really threw a wrench in my online plans. For that I offer my sincerest apology to you, my dearest readers, and to Kristy, who has been waiting so patiently to see her interview go live!

I ran across photos of Kristy’s home while browsing for inspiration for baby Elizabeth’s nursery and was immediately charmed by every photo! I could rave on and on about how I’m ready to move in any time she offers an invitation, but instead I’ll keep my introduction brief and let you discover the lovely Kristy and her home for yourself…

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Let’s start off by finding out more about you… I know you’re an extremely creative stay at home mom of four. How would you describe your decorating style?

I live just on the outskirts of Manchester,UK in an Edwardian house that needed total renovation from new bathrooms to complete redecoration. Partly due to financial necessity I have become addicted to thrifting, but I must admit that I just love vintage pieces so much. I love the history and the integrity they hold. I would say that my decorating style is definitely ecclectic. I am too much of a vintage loving pack-rat to stick to any one style or era for decor. I want my home to look like it has evolved rather than been staged and I really don’t like matchy matchy things. Any imperfections would drive me mad!

One of the things I love about your home is the way you intermingle vintage pieces with more modern/contemporary pieces. I think if I tried to do that, my home would just end up looking like a hodge podge of mess; your home, however, feels so pulled together and charming. How do you manage to create that balance?

I try only to buy things that I really love or make me smile. I think the best decor advice I was given was to always buy things you love when you see them. Don’t worry about where they will go. Eventually you will find a home for them. Don’t be scared to live with something for a while and move it around until it feels right. That’s the joy of many thrifted pieces as they really are affordable. I love the juxtaposition of a vintage piece next to a hopefully modern classic. Like my edwardian armchairs next to my glass coffee table. I love vintage pieces or modern pieces but I really don’t like modern pieces pretending to be vintage.

I also try to keep in mind certain colours for each room. So for example my kitchen is based around the colours of my collection of 1940’s china (that we use everyday by the way)- pastel pink, yellow, green, and blue against a white background. The same way a lot of people feel you should always have an element of black in a room, I always include a little red. It’s a colour that really lifts my mood even in very small doses.

I have to admit that while exploring your Flickr photos, I became completely fascinated by the images from your inspiration books. Will you tell us a little bit about them? How/why did you start them and how do they assist you in designing your home? (And just for my own curiousity, are they made from altered books? I noticed type written words in the background of several pages…)

My inspiration books are one of my most valuable decorating tools. I love interior magazines but got really fed up having to flick through them to find the images I wanted. I decided to start a scrap book of torn out photos. As I tend to look for a vintage option before a new one I picked up a couple of old household encyclopedia for a pound in a charity shop. I ripped out about half of the pages (otherwise it gets too thick to close) and kept any interesting pages. I just stick my torn images directly onto the pages and build them up randomly. It is so good to be able to flick through them and they really highlight exactly what I like. Themes and colours emerge naturally and keep me focused.

What would you say has been your greatest challenge decorating your home so far? Is this a challenge that you’ve conquered? If so, will you share how you managed the challenge? If not, do you have any ideas about how you’ll tackle this challenge?

Most rooms have had to go back to bare brick so I guess the biggest challenge has been raising a family in a building site! My girls are a dab hand at avoiding pots of paint and the odd tool lying around. Specifically though I think that the kitchen renovation was the most major undertaking. It had been heavily remodelled between the 60’s and the 80’s and had been stripped of all its character. It was just a box with ugly units and dark appliances. We reinstated the chimney breast and restored the doors and windows back to their original positions. The ceiling was also raised to it’s original level. Even the floor had to be taken up and relaid.

To keep my sanity I insisted on keeping my dishwasher plumbed in throughout the whole renovation. It caused many raised eyebrows from tradesmen but helped me so much. I did have a very clear idea in my head of how I wanted the room to feel but was flexible about how to achieve that. The best advice I can give when tackling such a big job is to research and plan then plan some more. Shop around as there is always a more economical alternative. Always try and see the funny side of any catastrophies (of which we had many!).

Another thing that I love about your home is how family friendly it is. You’ve managed to create a place that looks comfortable for everyone, male/female, adult and child. What tips can you share on how to create an attractive yet comfortable family home?

I am constantly juggling the balance of aesthetics versus practicality. To create a family home that really works, storage has to be your top priority. If the storage looks good then you are halfway there. Everything needs to have a place. I utilise lots of baskets and boxes. You can never have too many!

Ours is not a show home, it’s a family home that really has to work hard for us. My personal taste has to be blended with the rest of the family especially my aspiring minimalist husband. He doesn’t always have the first choice but he always has the last word and gets to say what stays or goes. It’s important not to fall into the trap of compromising each individual taste too much. If you do, then you end up with pieces that nobody really loves. I have my own little corners that are just mine and hubby has a few statement pieces that he loves too. The girls get to input lots of ideas in their own spaces and I love to display their artwork alongside those purchased elsewhere. It gives them a sense of belonging and adds a relaxed feel to schemes.

I know that you are a very crafty lady and have recently begun an etsy shop to sell your creations. Do you find that your crafting interests influence your design of your home? If so, in what ways? Are there areas of your home where you can see the colors or style have definitely been influenced or inspired by your crafting interests/style?

I think that my home is more heavily influenced by the creativeness of others. By all the fantastic artwork available through etsy especially. Also through seeing other peoples homes in blogs and on Flickr. My mind is always sparked by other peoples decor ideas and how I can interprete them in my own way.

Finally, if you were asked to share 3 tips with someone who was just starting off decorating their home on a budget, what would you say?

1. Always buy what you love and if you can’t find it in your price bracket then wait. You’ll either save up for it or an affordable alternative will turn up.
2. Regularily check out your local charity/thrift shops, car-boots, yard sales, freecycle etc. It always amazes me just what people are willing to give away.
3.Look at as many decor images as you can so that you can work out what you like and, just as importantly, don’t like. It will help define your own style. That way you are less likely to buy things you really don’t like or need.

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As usual, I had a really hard time narrowing down the choices of photos to accompany the interview, so you HAVE to go visit Flickr to see more of Kristy’s beautiful home! You can also visit her blog, Vintage Pleasure, to learn more about this sweet lady, her family, and all her great bargain hunting finds. Kristy, I can’t thank you enough for sharing your home with my readers or for being so patient to see this post go live!

Until next time - Shauntelle

Inspiration Friday: Room to Relax

Hello my Friday Lovelies!

Today was an amazingly beautiful day in Atlanta. The weather was perfect - sunny, warm, with just a hint of a breeze. I just wanted to curl up in a hammock somewhere and lie in the sun. Which gave me the inspiration for today’s posts… rooms that look perfect for curling up and relaxing.

From Coastal Living:

From Pottery Barn:

From Crate and Barrel:

Hope you have a great and relaxing weekend!

xoxo - Shauntelle

In the Trenches featuring Nina in Vorm…

By now ya’ll have to know how much I love these interviews. It’s such a joy to me to be able to share the talented vision of these wonderful real life designers. Every now and then, I completely stumble upon someone who hasn’t been in the limelight before, but definitely SHOULD be… you know, someone like the insanely talented Aja, who truly should be designing professionally… or someone like our guest today, fellow blogger, Nina in Vorm.

In addition to having a gorgeous home, Nina is a spectacular collage artist. I was in complete shock to discover that she doesn’t sell her artwork professionally because it is so lovely, full of fun and whimsy! And that’s why bringing this interview to you today makes me even happier. Not only do I get to present you with a glimpse into her home, but I also get to introduce you to her art (with the totally selfish hope that your positive response will encourage her to start selling on Etsy so I can buy a piece or three!).

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First things first… where can I buy your art work, Nina? Do you have an etsy shop? I really adore your collages… the colors are so bright and vibrant and just full of fun… one of the things that I also admire about your home! Tell us what inspires your work?

Thanks for your nice words about my art work! So far, I haven’t been selling anything, drawing and making collages is just something I do for fun. I display things in my home or on my blog, and sometimes I give something away as a present, but that’s all. I’m not a professional artist and so far, I never had the confidence that anyone besides myself and some people close to me could be interested in (buying) it. Maybe one day I’ll feel confident enough to try and start selling something, but that’ll probably take some more time… It’s already a big step for me to show things on flickr and my blog!

I do sometimes think of selling the ceramics I make in an etsy-store, but my ceramic pieces are very frail and not so easy to send by mail. So I still have to figure that out. Í hope to start selling some stuff on etsy one day, also because I really like the concept of etsy, but that’ll probably take some more time and confidence…

About what inspires me in my work… That’s difficult to say. I love colors, patterns, vintage stuff, scandinavian prints. I read loads of interior decoration magazines and art and design blogs on the internet, so I get inspiration in a lot of different places and all the time. I try to create something new from all that inspiration that I get daily. I need to see beautiful things around me to get inspired, unfortunately I’m not the kind of person who has this enormous imagination and original creativity that can make anything out of nothing. When you put me in an empty room with just a blank piece of paper, I probably couldn’t draw anything good or interesting. It’s seeing beautiful things around me and thinking “hey, I could use those elements in a different way” that inspires me.

Your home reflects an interesting love of color and print… There’s definitely a sense of the whimsical there, but mostly I’m struck by the way it all comes together to create a sophisticated effect. Can you share with us how you manage to combine color and pattern in such a great way?

That’s a difficult question! I guess I just follow my instincts, so it’s kind of difficult to describe how I actually do that… I do have some sort of inner sense of color and pattern; I like certain contrasts, and I’m drawn to some colors or color combinations. I’ve never been afraid of color, but I feel like I’m still learning not to overdo the prints and colors. I’m trying to create more balance between color/print and whites, calm and quietness. But that’s still a struggle, because I’m naturally attracted to bold colors and patterns. I can really enjoy other people’s minimalist white homes, but it doesn’t work for me. I guess I was born like this!

Lately, I’ve been speaking with a lot of people who would like to start decorating their homes, but are afraid of making a mistake. Do you have any advice to share with readers who may be in that position? Have you ever bought something only to realize it completely didn’t work and how do you recover from that kind of challenge?

I often feel like I make mistakes all the time! But most mistakes can be undone if you really want to. For me, decorating my home is a way of playing around, it’s something I really enjoy. It’s great if something works out nicely, but if it doesn’t, I’m happy to try something new. The fact that most of my furniture isn’t that expensive also helps. When you buy very expensive stuff, it’s much harder to replace things.

I think people can look at their interior in different ways. Some people want to buy their whole interior once and don’t want to change it for the next ten years. I prefer to see my house as some sort of organic place that grows and changes. When something doesn’t work, I try to change it.

Sometimes I make mistakes myself that are difficult to change. I’m not happy with the curtains I chose for our living room. We bought them only two months ago and they weren’t cheap, so we can’t just buy other ones. So I guess I just have to live with them, and try to make a better choice next time…

While you do have some wallpaper and color on a few walls, mostly your home (apartment?) isn’t painted. Despite that, it doesn’t feel bland at all. Could you share any tips you have for creating a “colorful’ environment in a space where you can’t paint or put up wallpaper… in a rental apartment situation, for instance.

Haha, please don’t say the rest of our apartment isn’t painted, we’ve been painting for almost a month to get those walls white… :)! When we moved in, everything was yellow, red and purple… It was so ugly that it convinced us to keep most of the apartment white and simple. Our apartment is rental, but fortunately we’re allowed to paint and put up wallpaper. But if you aren’t allowed to do that, there are other options. You can, for example, frame a beautiful piece of wallpaper and put the frame on the wall. But you can also bring a lot of color in your house using colorful accessories. When I move in somewhere, color will always follow. it would be a better question to ask me how not to bring color into a house…!

I love all the artwork that you have displayed in your home. Do you have any tips to share for arranging a varied collection like yours in the best way, without the different pieces clashing?

I think that when you have an ‘eclectic interior’ like mine, different pieces don’t clash that easily. The clashing can actually be an interesting element of your style. Personally, I think interiors that are perfectly combined in similar style and colors are quite boring. But of course that doesn’t mean that you can just put anything together and call it eclectic. I mean, you can do that of course, but it doesn’t necessarily look good…

I think it’s all a question of following your instincts in shape, color, style. In displaying my artwork, I tried to vary between bold, colorful pieces and more modest pieces, for example in black and white. You have to find a balance between the pieces. But balance doesn’t mean that you can’t mix styles, sizes or colors. In displaying my art, one of the ways I used to create unity was using similar frames. No matter how different the works of art displayed are, there is unity in the way they are framed.

My favorite photo of your home is your “Laura Ashley Room.” How did you ever come up with the idea to hang the dress/shoes/jewelry? What inspires you to try avante garde ideas like that in your home?

I started hanging my favorite dresses on my bedroom walls in my former apartment. I have a bit of a dress-fetish, I probably have about a hundred dresses, and among them are great vintage ones and dresses with very pretty prints. It would be a shame to just leave those in the closet and only take them out when I wear them. So actually I was just looking for a way to look at my favorite clothes more often. There are many dresses that I hardly ever wear, but like this I can still enjoy them.

I don’t think you necessarily have to spend that much money on interior decoration. Of course, there are many expensive things that are beautiful, but there are also many ways of beautiful and original decorating for your house that cost little. If you use your creativity, you can find beauty everywhere.

How would you describe your decorating style? If you had to give a person only 4 tips to creating a look similar to yours, what would those tips be?

My style is eclectic, colorful, playful and with a lot of vintage items. I love it when objects have their own story, when they’ve already lived a whole life before they came to me. I like to make things myself, mix and match and use my creativity and imagination in my interior.

And my tips…

1) Go thrift shopping. You can find fun pieces that are not very common. Within some time, you can build a great mix & match-collection of special pieces.

2) Everything pretty can be a decoration object. Who cares if it originally had a completely different function; if you think it’s beautiful, why not display it as a work of art? We have a beautiful old table soccer game put on the wall like it’s a painting, I display nice clothes on the wall, and on my desk is a beautiful huge tin filled with olive oil. I just surround myself with what I consider beautiful, no matter what it’s function is.

3) Don’t be afraid of wallpaper! Covering a wall with nice (vintage) wallpaper can give a whole room a complete new look. When you choose a small wall, you don’t need much wallpaper so it’s a cheap option, but with an enormous effect. It can make a room cozy or chic, depending on the type of wallpaper you choose.

4) Invest in a few pieces that you really, really like. It’s not difficult to buy a bunch of standard accessories in a department store, but you’ll get bored with those easily. Wait till you really fall in love with something that’s special, maybe something handmade or vintage. When you really fall in love with something that can’t be found in just every store, it’s probably worth spending some more money on it. I spent quite some money on an amazing vintage advertorial elephant, but it’s so very worth it. There’s no day going by that I don’t look at it with content. It’s al real eyecatcher and totally unique: I haven’t ever seen it anywhere else ever. When you display your favorite items on a special spot where you can really enjoy them, you can have so much fun of them.
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Another great interview, wouldn’t you agree? It was especially hard to decide on photos to accompany Nina’s interview because she had so many great ones to choose from. And then there are the great pictures of her art… so this is one time you HAVE to visit her flickr account! (But no blaming me if you spend an hour visiting, okay?) You can also find out more about Nina by visiting her blog, NinainVorm– be sure to let her know you saw her interview here!

As usual, don’t forget to leave comments on this post so she’ll know how much we enjoyed our peek into her home. And if you enjoyed this peek, be sure to subscribe to the new A Beautiful Abode Magazine, which will feature exclusive content including more “In the Trenches” interviews with expanded photos! The magazine is free, but only subscribers can get a copy… so don’t wait, subscribe by sending me an e-mail: snhamlett at gmail dot com, subject line - subscribe Beautiful.

Tomorrow Tricia and I will share updates on Elizabeth’s nursery. See ya then!

xoxo,

Shauntelle

Coming Attractions…

I’m skipping my normal Tackle It Tuesday post because:

a) I didn’t do much tackling today (or this past weekend)

and

b) I have exciting news to share about plans for A Beautiful Abode!

First, I’m so excited to tell you that I’m in the process of working on an AWESOME interview with two very special ladies. Carrie & Danielle have been called style shrinks… the essence of their business is to help us, you and me, live our lives more authentically. Through a process of in-depth inquiry, Carrie & Danielle have assisted over 600 clients in discovering their unique style statements, providing them with a powerful compass for creating a more fulfilling, authentic life.

I have been secretly fiending for a session with them, but even with the currency difference (they’re Canadian), it was out of my price range. So you can’t imagine how happy I was to learn that their book, Style Statement, will be released in April. As I was checking for information about pre-ordering the book, it occurred to me that an interview with them would be a great post for Inspiration Friday. And badda-bing, badda-boom, an e-mail or two later, I had permission to interview them!

Carrie & Danielle have been featured in so many major magazines, I can’t start to name them all (Domino and Elle Canada to name a couple), so it’s just a wonder that I will get to feature them here, picking their brains for info to help us all create beautiful homes that are a real reflection and celebration of our spirits.

You’ll have to wait a couple of weeks to read the interview, but in the meanwhile, go on over to their site and sign up for their Friday Focus. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

As if that wasn’t exciting enough, I’m also planning the first issue of the A Beautiful Abode Magazine! It’s going to be a free electronic magazine in the same vein as this blog except MORE… as in

• more “In the Trenches” interviews with an extended photo spread of fantastic homes
• more DIY projects, including $20 projects
• more Inspiration

Even better, you can also expect:

• Tips from professional designers
• Thought provoking articles about the psychology of home
• Reviews of online and real world shops
• Budget decorating resource lists
• Indie Artist features
• an Advice column

and contests. DEFINITELY contests!

This is content that will be exclusive to the A Beautiful Abode Magazine. You won’t find it here on the blog or anywhere else. All free.

The catch is that you have to subscribe to get it. Subscribers will get a link for the free download sent to them every two months. That way you can download and read it at your leisure. Sound cool? Then subscribe… I haven’t set up the automatic subscription thingy yet, so for the time being, send an e-mail to me at snhamlett at gmail dot com with subscribe Beautiful in the subject. And don’t worry, I promise, no spam or selling your address for ANY reason. The only time you’ll hear from me is when it’s time to download the magazine… unless you send me your birth date. Then you’ll get a virtual b-day card!

Whew! Just talking about it all has worn me out… but in a good way. It’s such a wonderful feeling to know that I can share my decorating obsessions with ya’ll and maybe help someone along in beautifying their home on a budget too. Ya’ll make writing this blog a complete joy!

That’s it for tonight. Don’t forget to peek back in tomorrow afternoon for the newest “In the Trenches” interview!

xoxo,

Shauntelle

In the Trenches featuring Carissa, the Brown Eyed Fox…

When I first started the “In the Trenches” interviews, I was a little worried that I had set myself up for failure. I mean, we started off with a bang, touring Manuela’s home, and I was afraid that I would have a hard time continually finding real life decorators who could live up to that high standard.

Happily, that hasn’t been the case. I continually run across more and more amazingly talented home decorators. Ladies (so far, but I’m not sexist) who I can’t wait to introduce to you, whose creative minds I want to pick so that you and I can both benefit from the secrets of their great design talent. Today’s feature is the perfect example of this.

Carissa’s home is absolutely gorgeous. Did you hear me say gorgeous? I could gush about it for hours. But I won’t. Instead, I’ll just get to the interview and the pictures so you can judge for yourself… but fair warning, I’ve got dibbs on the first open invitation to spend the night! (And I will fight you old school, West Side story dance-off for it too!) : )

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Wow. That’s all I can say after looking at pictures of your home. just. WOW. And, to add to that, do you have guest room where I can come for a vacation? I wouldn’t go anywhere, just wander through your house looking at every little thing. LOL! Will you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you developed such a wonderful eye for design?

Oh… thanks SO much! We love to have guests… room is always ready & waiting!
A bit about myself… hmmm. I’ve been married for ten years & am blessed to be mom to two little girls! I have an online shop that quenches my creative passion! I love & look forward to my coffee in the morning! Flee markets make me want to sing with joy! Mexican food makes me smile BIG!

An eye for design… thanks! I have had this compliment before… I am really not exactly sure where it comes from other than I think I just “see it”… “get it”… and am willing to “try it”!

The tagline for your shop, Brown-eyed Fox, is “the art of whimsy.” I can definitely see this enjoyment of the whimsical in your home’s interior. Can you define this design philosophy (so to speak) for us? What inspires you and how do you draw from that inspiration to decorate your home?

I really just believe in surrounding myself with things that I love & make me happy! I think… It’s your home… and your home should reflect who YOU are!

I’m completely enamored with the little vignettes that are everywhere in your home. I believe it’s those arrangements of accessories that really give a home that finishing touch and show the owner’s personality. How do you manage to display your love of the whimsical in such a way that your home feels pulled together, rather than cluttered and overwhelming?

Keeping it simple… keeping it to the things I treasure most. When you display collections together… keeping like things with like things there is more interest. Using wall space and going vertical rather than horizontal is great too. Vignettes… I think… are like little windows into the home owner’s soul. Placing what you love most out to enjoy always. It may be a quilt that has been around for generations… a quirky souvenir found on a special trip or a dainty dish that belonged to your great-grandmother… these make a house your home!

This month, my personal challenge is to tackle organizing the hidden clutter in my home… you know, the stuff that accumulates in the cabinets, in my craft space, and bedside… One of the things I noticed in your home is how attractively organized it is…I especially admired the way you manage to have loads of books without them taking away from the design of your home. Do you have any advice to share with me and my readers regarding organization?

ah yes… we all have storage that seems to grow all on it’s own… over time we do collect! Each closet and cabinet should serve a purpose… store specific items. I think baskets & bins are the BEST thing ever! Use them to hold linens… those tiny kid’s toys… items to be donated… party supplies… snacks in the pantry… your children’s keepsakes… the possibilities are endless! Then… when you pop a tag labeling what’s in the container it makes organization & cleaning much easier!

Books can add a lot of warmth to a room… the key… change it up! In shelving… try standing them AND stacking them… while still keeping open space… this will help prevent it from looking cluttered. .

I almost hesitate to ask this because I think you are one of the lucky people who are born with a great sense of style and a perfect eye… despite that, have you had any decorating “oops” as you’ve created your home? If so, what was it, and how did you bounce back and rectify the mistake?

I think really there are no mistakes… just stepping stones… changing needs… maybe changing tastes. I rearrange furniture and things in our home constantly. Very often I will have a neighbor come over who has been in our home thousands of times and they will ask “when did you get that”… referring to something that has been around for years! Sometimes I may try an arrangement that just doesn’t work… just isn’t real-life livable. That’s okay… easily fixed! You have to try things sometimes to know whether you will like it! If you’re willing to try… you’re likely to find some fun alternatives!
What would you consider your favorite DIY project in your home? Can you describe your process for coming up with the idea for that project and your DIY home projects in general?

This is a tough one to answer… I am BIG on DIY! Many times it is a result of tight funds or just wanting to give a fresh look to something. I pretty much am always “working” on something. The coffee table in our family room was a fun project. An old salvaged door… legs from a home improvement store… a fresh coat of paint… some vintage door hardware and POOF a fun new table! I’m willing to tackle anything… the reward is so great and it feels good to create something all your own!

The focus of A Beautiful Abode is providing inspiration, tips, and resources for creating a beautiful home on a tight budget? What would you say are your top 5 tips for decorating on a budget?

my nifty two cents…

1. Try to buy only what you really love… it really speaks to your style… your heart!

2. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Just go for it! Use what you already have in a new way… keeps things fresh… if you don’t like it you just change it back!

3. Pull the furniture away from the walls! please! Make conversation areas within the room… this way you can actually hear & see to whom you’re talking!

4. Make pretty baskets your friend… they are attractive and a great way to keep things handy but out of sight.

5. Think BIG… if ever in doubt which size to buy… buy the bigger one. My personal opinion. A bunch of little things in a room can read as clutter.

one more …

6. As you’ve heard before… it is best to display things in odd numbers. Three is always good!

Finally, on a sorta unrelated note… have you ever considered selling your photographs in your shop? There are more than a couple that I’d love to hang on my wall… any tips to share on taking better photos?

Oh… so nice of you to say! I LOVE taking pictures! I think my favorite pictures are usually ones where I use natural lighting (no flash)… take the picture off-center… and really zoom in on the object or person.

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Isn’t Carissa a doll? You can view more of her beautiful home by visiting her flickr page. And please drop by her shop, Brown Eyed Fox, to enjoy her whimsical art, jewelry, and belt buckles. But don’t blame me if it induces a buying frenzy! As always, don’t forget to leave a comment here to show our guest how much we appreciate her sharing herself and her lovely home with us!

Tomorrow, we’ll kick off our first DIY project for baby Elizabeth’s nursery, so be sure to tune in as the big nursery renovation continues!

Happy decorating!

Shauntelle

In the Trenches: Featuring Aja, The Super Shopper!

I know I have said this EVERY Wednesday since this feature began, but seriously, I AM SO EXCITED about the designer that I’m featuring today, I could squeal! You see,Aja is the inspiration behind the “In the Trenches” feature.

It all started when I was browsing the flickr home decorating groups. I kept seeing these beautifully put together rooms by this one person. The kind of rooms that I would want to live in… rooms where you could curl up with your kids and read a book or have friends over to hang. I’d added so many of this person’s pictures to my favorites that I felt like a stalker. Then, just as I was clicking on the profile link, it hit me… I could interview Super Shopper for A Beautiful Abode! This was design that was meant to beshared… A few e-mails later… voila! The new feature was born.

Aja would have been the first feature, but technology (and old e-mail addresses) worked against us. Fortunately, we both persevered… and I am so extremely pleased to finally present you with the interview below:

I know that you are an amazing decorator, but not much else. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Aja and I am 28 year old design junkie. My husband and I moved to Newport News, VA from NJ about five years ago and we’ve been living in our first home for three years now. My husband could probably tell you better than I, that I loooove to shop, but not just shop, bargain shop. I get a natural high from buying something on sale or better yet “clearance”. I also have a fascination with change, I like to decorate a room and then see how little I can spend to change the look. My friends say I’m nuts, and sometimes I agree!

How would you describe your decorating style?

My overall decorating style is modern. The clean lines, repetition, symmetry, and unclutteredness (is that a word?) give me a sense of calm and order. I find it very hard to function in chaos. I also love beadboard, baskets, plantation shutters, shaker style furniture, and lots of other design elements that go along with country stylings, as long as the space still has a clean and unfussy feel.

How did your style evolve? Were you just born with a gift and knack for designing a beautiful living space or did you learn through trial and error?

I think I’ve always had a good design sense; even as a child I would give “mental makeovers” to any space that I saw as unappealing. As I got older I began to do a little more experimenting with decorating. When I moved into my first apartment my creative juices really started flowing because I now had a canvas to bring my ideas to life. Budget has was always a been big concern, so I’ve always had to make do with what I had or could afford, but I would never let budget stop me. I learned that when you had less money you just had to be more creative.

Do you plan your room designs? If so, can you describe the planning process for us? And if not, can you explain how you make sure that your finds create a cohesive design?

I always plan my rooms before I take any action, that way I know what to keep an eye out for when I’m shopping. My ideas are usually inspired by something that will get my design wheels turning, and it can come from anywhere, a piece of art, a pillow, a plate, a magazine tear out, anything really, but almost always it is the color or combination of colors that get me going. I find it so much easier to decorate when I have something to refer back to in order to stay on track. After I’ve figured out the look I want, I began my research. This usually consist of online window shopping. If I find something I like or that inspires me I copy and paste the pic to a MS Word doc. I am usually able to find a picture of just about anything online and if I can’t, I’ll scan the object, then add it to my Word doc. When I have all my ideas together I print out the sheet(s) and carry those around with me when I shop. I find this is a lot easier that carrying around clippings, paint chips, and fabric swatches.

When shopping I try to stick with furniture and accessories that are versatile and easy to change, such as slipcovered upholstery, poster frames instead of actual artwork, throw pillows with removeable covers, and accesories that can be used in multiple rooms. This allows me the flexibility to change things up each season with minimal investment. Knowing what I like keeps my style and decor cohesive, I make sure my purchases can be used in at least two different spaces/rooms before I buy it.

Which room(s) in your home do you like best and why?

That depends on the time of year. During fall and winter I love my bedroom, it’s small very cozy. It gets very little sunlight this time of year and that makes it great for snoozing, cuddling in the bed to watch a movie, and reading.

During spring and summer the sun porch rocks! I like to do my eating, reading, crafting, internet surfing, and afternoon napping out there. The sunshine is amazing and the AC is on remote control.

Did you have a/any challenging areas and if so, why were they challenging and how did you overcome their challenges?

The master bedroom had to be the biggest challenge design wise. Our previous bedroom was almost twice as large as our current bedroom, so we had to figure out a way to make it just as functional but with a lot less space and storage. Other than the two small his and hers closets, the room lacked sufficient storage for our clothing. I solved this problem by flanking the bed with dressers rather than nightstands. This allowed us extra room for our folded clothing. I also had to forego the vanity that I had previously used for applying my make up and styling my hair, due to lack of space. I addressed this by adding a folding barstool that I could store on the side of the dresser. The barstool serves double duty by holding our extra pillows and bedding at night. Upgrading to a flat panel tv made it possible to use a narrower tv stand and gain storage for books, magazines and bedding, all behind closed doors.

Overall, most of our design, storage, and organization needs were met in the new space and we are happy with the outcome!

What is the most important (or best) piece of advice you can offer to readers who are in the process of creating their own budget friendly, beautiful abode?

I think the best thing you can do before embarking on a design project is:

1. Get in touch with yourself.

You need to define your style and find out what “you like”. I recommend going thru design magazines and books, blogs, window shopping at your favorite stores and discovering new ones. Creating an inspiration board has always helped me. I think seeing all your likes and ideas in one place can help identify what works and what doesn’t.

2. Commit.

Decorating on a budget could mean more of an investment of your time and it is easy to become discouraged when you can’t find the perfect shade of red for your throw pillow and stay within your budget. You will have to do a lot more hunting or waiting (for an item to go on sale or clearance).

3. Use your resources.

If you do a lot of shopping in person don’t forget to check out the store’s website. Quite often you can find the same item on the website cheaper or vice versa. It’s also a good idea to know your merchants return policies. I sometimes puchase things at regular price and wait for it to go on sale. Then I’ll take my reciept back to the merchant and get a price adjustment.

4. Think creatively.

That beautiful set of sheets could be you new shower curtain or streched canvas art. A pair of napkins can make a unique throw pillow with just an hour and a few dollars investment. Take those pretty note cards you got on clearance and frame them for easy and inexpensive art. Decorating on a budget requires thinking outside the box.

5. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

The biggest and best design lessons I’ve learned were through mistakes that I have made!

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Isn’t Aja a true doll for sharing such wonderful advice with us? She was also kind enough to include a copy of her most recent inspiration board, a redesign of her family room for the spring, which you can download: Family Room Inspiration Board (it’s a Word document). Look at what a change she accomplished for $35!!!

Before:

After:

Visit Aja’s flickr set to get a full tour of her beautiful home. And be sure to leave plenty of comments to let her know how much you enjoyed the interview!

In the Trenches: Featuring Jen of Sanctuary Arts at Home

Are you all as excited about the new interview today as I am?!?! In case you haven’t visited her blog previously, Jen is a wife, at-home mom, and handpainted furniture artist in Illinois. Her work is so gorgeous that it tempts me to change my design style so that I can purchase a few pieces for my home.

Jen’s personality is as warm and beautiful as her art pieces. Which is why she’s adding a new role to her list of accomplishments: Television personality! Read on to find out more about this talented and multifaceted artist:

May I gush for a moment? You are such an amazingly talented designer/artist! The first night I visited your blog and website, I literally spent a good hour looking at your handpainted furniture. Every piece was so beautiful and lust worthy. Share with us how you got started? Do you have an art background or was this a talent that you stumbled upon?

Back when I was 17, I was originally a theatre/art major (and, actually, what I received my Associate’s Degree for) but I was at a loss as to what to do after jr. college because I thought “well, nobody makes any money in art, that’s not a very stable career.” I only had 10 credit hours left to graduate and I was dating a firefighter and he suggested the EMT class to kill the credit hours.

I took it and I loved it! It was exciting, and stable money-wise, so I started testing for fire departments, got into paramedic school, and got hired as the first and only woman at a full-time career department as a firefighter/paramedic. I loved it, but after I got married (my hubby is a cop) we didn’t want two of us in high risk jobs so I “retired” so to speak. And started doing craft shows for money (this was after a stint as a personal trainer… let me just say, I was a bad personal trainer….) and then did a few projects like murals and furniture for friends and my business grew word of mouth.

Each of your pieces share a certain elegance that I really appreciate, but at the same time, each piece is unique. Where do you draw your inspiration?

A lot from antique pieces. I love botanical art as a passion, so that theme shows up a lot, and I love the art of 17th and 18 century Italy and France. Sometimes I’ll just see something and think, this just needs to have pomegranates on it. This part is going to sound very eccentric-but sometimes the furniture kind of tells me when I look at it what it wants to have done.

How would you describe your personal design aesthetic? Does your artwork reflect your personal style? if not, what would you say is the difference?

My design aesthetic…I have 2 preschooler’s and a toddler. I like to tell people it’s early Fisher-Price with a twist of post-modern Little Tyke’s (wink). I guess my main adult aesthetic is eclectic with a bit of French country; a smidge of Traditional with a hint of Europe and a big dash of trash… actually I mean thrift. Always on a budget, a lot of what I put in my home had been thrifted, resaled or yard-saled and has a coat or two of paint slapped on.

From the pictures I’ve seen, your home looks picture perfect! You’ve set up all these wonderful little vignettes and tablescapes… worthy of Victoria magazine I’d say. Do you have any suggestions for readers who may be trying to put together those little finishing touches that make your home look so put-together?

I just put together what I love, and when I get bored with something I move it from one floor to another. I do try to do little grouping of related objects. Right now in my living room on the console, I have all “natural” themed items…

My biggest piece of decorating advice in regards to accessorizing is one I am passing on from my girlfriend, Amy, an interior redesigner. “Shop your own home first.” Most people have enough stuff. And they don’t need to buy more stuff. Half of it might be in the attic or buried in a box; but see what you can do with what you have; it might just need a coat of paint, or just might need to be used in a new way.

We both have young children, yet somehow your home always looks so pretty and adult… every picture i take would have matchbox cars or stuffed animals in it! How do you keep things looking so gorgeous with three young girls at home?

I’m laughing, because everything looks good for pictures. With 3 kids age 5 and under, most days my husband walks though the house and whistles the theme from “Sanford and Son.” It’s such a mess! I shove a lot of things into baskets or drawers and I always wait to take pictures until they are in bed. I have recently banished most of the toys except for a few of the baby’s to the downstairs and those go into a basket. If it doesn’t fit into the basket it stay’s downstairs (where I can close the curtain in the doorway so I don’t have to look how they’ve trashed it.). I have to admit, I’m a bad mom, I don’t make them pick up the basement every day…

I know that you are also a stay at home mom who decorates on a budget. Will you share with our readers how you determine a budget for your decorating projects?

Mostly the change in the bottom of my purse!

Seriously… I had an orange juice container I filled halfway with in 3 months from change in my purse (I never spend my change, that’s an Oprah tip…) and around the house… it had $70! Also, when you shop thrift, that can go a long, long way….I spend a lot of the birthday and Christmas money I’m given on my house. Also, if I have a garage sale, I get to use that money to decorate with. While I don’t have a set budget, I try to save up over time when I want something new like curtains. And I garbage pick a lot. It’s free.

As an expert in revitalizing thrifted furniture that other people have given up on, can you share thrifting tips with us? How do you determine if a piece is worth saving? How rickety is too rickety… or is there such a thing?

I’m a huge fan of Gorilla Glue and Aleen’s tacky glue. Rickety, if it’s meant to hold any weight, is bad. A little shake to shimmy is okay, sometimes a fresh glue will fix it up. But Good wood is really important. Pass on laminate or pressboard. There’s no quality. A smoky (cigarette) smell is okay because most of the time a good wash, cleaning and fresh paint will take care of it. Always pass on anything that has water marks up the back and sides, smells/looks mildewy or moldy or has a funk to it you just can’t place. I am sure stuff ends up in thrift stores that has been in basement floods and who knows if that involved sewage or not so it’s better to be safe than sorry (This goes for garbage picking too.).

Also, when buying thrift, never look at the color of an item. Especially furniture. Almost everything decent can be repainted or reupholstered. Some of the best furniture starts out as the ugliest color….

We both know that “blogland” is a huge place and the finding the best blogs can be hard work! We found each other through Manuela… who are some bloggers that you consider MUST see for decorating inspiration?

Besides Manuela, I love, love love, Rhoda from Southern Hospitality, Angela at the Cottage Magpie, Notes from a Cottage Industry, Sadie Olive, the Paris apartment, and Debbie Egizio’s Beat of My Art. Those are always on my “daily read” list if I’m in hurry. But I do have to say I have so many other favorites, I actually read every blog on my blog roll at some point almost everyday, even if it’s just a click in to see if there is anything new.

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All of the photos accompanying this interview are of Jen’s home and work. Please drop by her blog, Sanctuary Arts at Home, to comment and show her our appreciation for chatting with us! You can also see more of her work and learn how to make your own painted furniture masterpieces. (But if you’re like me and hopelessly paint disabled, take a peek at her business site to see what lovelies she has available for you to purchase!) And if you’re in the Illinios area, keep your eye out for “Inside Studio 180″ where you’ll get to experience Jen’s sparkling personality as she keeps you in the know about the local art scene.

Bonus Inspiration! Kid friendly design…

I wasn’t very satisfied with yesterday’s post; I suppose that’s what happens when you try too hard to work through your “to do” list when you’re actually sick.  Anyway, because I felt I’d gyped you, I’m giving you a bonus inspiration post.  A few weeks ago Tricia asked about kid friendly design and ever since I’ve been keeping my eye out for living rooms that would work for regular families… you know, the kind like mine, where there are crazy boys who run everywhere and have matchbox car races over everything.  It’s been a difficult hunt, I’ll admit.  Either designers have much better mannered children than I do or most people who have their rooms professionally designed keep their children in the basement… But I have assembled a few rooms that I thought had potential and that’s what I’m presenting to you now.

Designs from Whitehouse Builders:

From Designer Zina Samek:

From Designer Loretta Willis:

Hope ya’ll are a fabulous Saturday.  I’m going to sip hot tea and take a nap…

Craigslist Monday: Furnish an apartment for less than $500

Happy Monday Budget Decorators!

Did ya’ll have a great weekend? I started some major projects…AND ran into a pole in our brand new truck! : ( As you can imagine, the hubby wasn’t too happy with that. Especially since I had my accident going to purchase a $10 lamp from craigslist!  That’s easily the most expensive $10 lamp I’ve ever bought.

Anyway, I set myself a little challenge for today’s post. As I sat pondering if the hubby would leave me for dinging the new truck, I thought, I wonder if I could furnish an empty apartment for less than $500 with stuff from craigslist? Luckily, I don’t have to put my plan into action since he finally forgave me last night, but I thought I’d share my “imaginary” purchases with you. This is my list for an empty one bedroom apartment, starting with this lovely white sofa (cause in my daydream, I wasn’t worried about sticky kid fingerprints!):

I love the modern lines (crisp, short, and square) and I can totally see making a few colorful throw pillows from Heather Bailey’s fabric to accent it. And the best part is, it’s only $60!!!

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/fur/569631677.html

Next on my imaginary shopping spree was this really cute coffee table for only $30. (And I had every intention of asking if they’d take $20 for it too ’cause I needed to make my money stretch!)

Then I added more seating with this $20 red chair. Once again, I liked the lines and the pop of color. http://atlanta.craigslist.org/fur/569748411.html

I really wanted this wonderful mid century lime green chair, but figured they were out of their mind for $250. Regardless, I’m pretty pleased with my $110 living room set. But now I need a place to eat…

While looking for a dining room table and chairs, I laid eyes on this sorta old fashioned chest of drawers. Since it was only $20, I could definitely afford some wood glue and white paint to clean it up. And down the line, I could save up for some on sale Anthropologie knobs to change out the handles. My bedroom will be all lovely and shabby chic!

Speaking of bedroom– maybe I need a bed? Let’s see… not fond of the idea of a used mattress, but beggars can’t be choosers, right?

I sighed when I saw this lovely antique head and footboard. It was a budget blower at $145. And it didn’t come with a mattress set.

But it’s just so lovely that I had to have it.

So what if it doesn’t match my newly painted shabby chic dresser? And who cares if I’ll have to sleep on the sofa until I save up for a mattress? This is true beauty and who can go without that in their life? http://atlanta.craigslist.org/fur/564024195.html

So I’ve spent over half of my $500 budget ($275) and I now have furniture in the living room, most of what I need for my bedroom, but I still don’t have a place to sit and eat. That’s really important to me because I love to cook and have friends over for dinner.

And then I saw this and wanted to yell and scream with glee! (No. Really. I’m serious. For a minute I completely forgot that this was all fantasy and was so happy that I jumped up and down!)

Can you blame me? This is THE deal of the day. $95 for a 1957 Drexel dining table with six chairs (and 2 leaves). It’s a little big for my imaginary apartment, but I’m going to make it work. This is a piece that can follow from my imaginary apartment to my new imaginary house, when the time comes.

That brings my total to $370. Leaving me $130 for an Ikea run to stock up on kitchen supplies and a few decorative accessories.

Not too bad, huh?  THAT is why I love craigslist!

*Remember, I’m not associated with anyone selling any of the furniture I’ve featured today. Everything looks like a good deal based on pictures and the ad details, but make sure you check it all out for yourself before letting money exchange hands.