Beauty and the Beach House

Beauty and the Beach House

We're back in TX!  

We spent the week at Brigantine Beach, NJ to celebrate my parent's

50th Wedding Anniversary-

Congrats again, Mom and Dad!

Brigantine is located just outside of Atlantic City,

which of course which allowed us to spend some time at the casinos:)

The beach house we rented was beautiful...

just look at the fabrics throughout the house!

Below is the bathroom where my sister stayed....

 

This was my bath...

(one of these is not like the other!)

NOTE:

If you are remodeling or building...

1. Do not put a tiny square mirror over the tiny vanity

2. Do not put the light switches between the tiny square mirror and tiny vanity

3. Do not put the ONLY outlet near the floor

Good thing I'm not high maintenance:)

On a serious note, the three level house was gorgeous

and we had a fabulous week with my immediate and

extended families... it was wonderful to see you all!

We gave my parents a party on Tuesday and I decided that if I lived

any where near NJ/NY, I'd be at least 50 pounds heavier... yikes!

I did take advantage of some "me" time

which I cherished early, early in the morning...

The water, my playlist and my Nikes-

Thank you Mom, Dad, Tom, Tricia and the rest of my

NJ family... we enjoyed our visit very much!

Now... back to work!

Until next time,

Sunday, July 31, 2011 Comments: 1

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Find 1: Custom Chairs that Wow!

Find 1: Custom Chairs that Wow!

Fun day at Dallas Furniture Market on Thursday... 

lots of snacks and oh-so- many buyers...

 but I enjoy the perks of braving the crowd.

Once in a while, I'm stopped dead in my tracks. 

~Photo break for the above~

Not only do I adore the color combination, but this chair

 is a go-to resource because it is....

A winning combination!

1: Simple:  Clean lines on the frame

2: Custom: Choose any fabric you love

3: Affordable: Use the focal fabric on the front or back only 

4: Functional: Faux leather goes on the seats for easy clean up!

I raved about this same style chair last year... so I must still love it!

Read that post here and see more examples of how to use 

it in your kitchen or dining room.

Greenhouse Fabrics sent me an extra book which has some of these
extra fabrics!  I say-
Go for it!

I also carry vinyls faux leathers in all colors-

... and I probably don't need to remind you of how I feel about nailhead-

read about it here

Tobi Fairley's twist on the same idea...

A bit simpler but classy-

Bold on the front and solid on the back-

Use the more affordable fabric on the back or switch it up!

Don't forget to customize the wood color as well:)

I'll be sourcing these chairs for my clients, More, More, Moore's, 

so let me know if you want some too!

Until next time,

Sunday, June 26, 2011 Comments: 3

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Once Upon a Vine: Kasmir Fabrics

Once Upon a Vine: Kasmir Fabrics

We all know that Turquoise is hot, hot, hot... but so is cool Magenta!

I attended an educational seminar presented by Kasmir Fabrics...

"Kasmir Trends in Home Decor Fabrics"

...just in the knick of time.

Today I spent some time sifting through thousands of beautiful samples for
three of my current jobs,

and found a ton of fantastic options!


Fresh Fern Green for the master bedroom project in Allen

or maybe this one...

Also found a twin for the ottoman fabric for the DINK's... so similar-

As you can see, botanical prints are in!  Don't be afraid to use them in small doses...

pillows, shams, ottoman tops, valances... just a pop will do!

Check out this metallic sheer shown by the local rep, Susan Morales. It would be gorgeous layered in front of the turquoise and installed on a double rod...ahhhhh-

(Bonus... it is a rayon/poly blend that looks like silk but without the price tag!)

Perfect pumpkin for a family room in Plano...

and bright magenta and greens for a different family room in Plano!

and for me? I'm running out of space:)

Thank you to the beautiful showroom of Resource Designs for hosting a great seminar!

If you are in the market for a brand new bedroom look or a family room update,

call me for a change you'll love!

Until next time,

Traci



Tuesday, November 9, 2010 Comments: 2

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What's old is new... is reupholstery for you?

What's old is new... is reupholstery for you?

It is time for a client project update!

Vintage Chick has is going on!  I would consider her look a bit country french
with a splash of vintage glam.

Here's why...

She is a DIY (do it yourselfer) and has a great eye for style and color, but needed help creating a fabric combination in order to reupholster some existing pieces.

When I first entered the picture:

After I entered:

I don't typically recommend reupholstering furniture unless they have good bones! 

That is if the pieces are good quality and are still in style....

Vintage Chic still loved her bergere chairs as well as her wing chair

on the opposite side of the room. 

Next step... modernizing her current furniture... and boy did we ever!

(I think I turned the corner!)

Vintage Chick could only get a small amount of the floral that she fell in love with,

but it is definitely the star of the show and

backed with the modern geo fabric... love it!!!!

The green piping customizes these beauties even more (same fabric as window treatments)...

tying the look together... that's the goal:)

A step further would be to even give the wood a distressed, antiqued black finish...

ahhhhh- a brand new look for less.

I'm sure you have an old wing chair sitting around... this looks brand new!

This Shabby Chic sofa was purchased new and VC had a great idea by

covering the cushion with a cream matlesse coverlet so her puppies

could jump up and take a nap!  Who knew?!

Fresh green kitchen wall color and sweet shades...

With that said, if you are adventurous, here are some resources to guide

your way through your first reupholstery project!

First, check out this chart to help determine how much fabric you will need. 

Do a little fabric shopping to see what quality upholstery you like and how much it costs. 

 Weigh your options... new or repurposed????

Follow this link for your own tutorial on Country Living.com 

On the other hand, if you are a "caller" and not a "doer", then I can help!

Until next time,

Traci

Images via* Moi, Country Living, Better Homes and Gardens, and Fabric.com

Monday, October 25, 2010 Comments: 2

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The Perfect Dining Chair!

The Perfect Dining Chair!

While I am away, my blog is still working!

The one thing
I always tell my clients...

"Less is More"-

...so perhaps I should follow my own advice when sourcing dining room chairs for my DINKs. 

While searching for chairs that have an upholstered seat and wood back, I came across a

simple Louis Chair and loved the clean lines as well as endless possibilities of styling! 

Although these are not right for my DINKs, they may work for you!

Start here and watch the ideas multiply!

Simple chairs but add drama by using two fabrics-

my personal fav is an upholstered back

with a faux leather seat (practicality!)

(also, totally okay to add two different host chairs at each end of the table..

or in this case with the round- mixed in)

Let the walls do the work! Louis chairs paired with a custom banquette... ahhhh

On top of beauty, here's another way to add a custom feel for less.

 Change out the fabric

on the back side of the chair only-

Another example~

Can't get much simpler than this, but what an impact! Is it the chandelier?

You can always add nailhead and paint, paint paint!!!!

Remember, the chairs don't have to match the table. 

It's all about making the colors, patterns and finishes work together...

 I can help you do that!

You know I'm totally in love with the photo above:)

We are getting close to making a decision for the DINKs dining set and this chair is the front runner...

Will the finish be white? Espresso? Red? Will the seat be a green faux croc?

 Decisions... decisions...

I'll keep you updated!

Until next time,

Traci

Images via* Cottage Living, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Renovation Style,

Friday, September 3, 2010 Comments: 0

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