Human Lifestyle

I've been working my fingers to the bone with Room Service Atlanta, and I'm so glad to finally see everything take off!

The Nicholas House has 12 residential rooms and the capability to house up to 45 people at a time. In addition to residental rooms, there's also a cafeteria, adult education room, computer room, child center/learning room, and 2 common areas (entryway and lounge).  The shelter is located in the Grant Park neighborhood of Atlanta  in a house that's 108 years old, so you can imagine what that means for the residential rooms--most are very small and none have closets, as it wasn't very common  back in 1903.

A few weeks ago I was asked by my good friend, Amanda Burdge of AB Home Interiors to join several fabulous bloggers in participating in a "Designer's Challenge".  I didn't hesitate to say "yes"--not only because Amanda is my friend, but also because she's always cooking up some great ideas (like this bootcamp). I thought this would be a great way to get to know new bloggers and see what I could really accomplish with $6k, so I signed myself right up!  The rules for this challenge were simple and brief--the space had to be a living room, and the design budget was set at $6000 (which isn't pennies, but isn't cheddar either).  She included this floor plan:

And set us free to design to our heart's content, with the goal of going live today!  Here's what I came up with:






Paint = La Paloma Gray, Benjamin Moore






As listed, the total comes to $4989, minus the cost of the shown items from 1st Dibs.  You'll also note that a few of the items were already owned by the client, which was totally within the rules and helped stay within budget.  As someone who sources and refinishes vintage items, I would include custom finished pieces, and have added these details (etageres & dresser) as visual guides for the client.  Estimated total cost for refinishing the client's current chest of drawers with paint and new hardware ($300) and sourcing & refinishing etageres ($550) is $850 (yes total--my prices are very reasonable!!!). After factoring in $150 in labor costs for having the drapery lined and pleated by a skilled seamstress (I would add the black trim myself), the grand total is $5989 leaving $11 to spare (but I'm sure I could find some way to spend it!).

The concept for this room design was based on a young family who was looking to upgrade their style quotient to a more sophisticated, glamourous, and yet unassuming space, while creating a design that would be welcoming to both sexes.  The beautiful thing about this room is that the whole vibe could easily be changed by swapping out the pillows (think combinations of lime green, royal blue, and/or chocolate brown) and changing the images in the Ribba frames from Ikea.  The Karstad Sofa (also Ikea) is one of my favorites because it's inexpensive, super comfortable, and the fabric is so forgiving (great for kids!).  The updated button tufting on the sofa I've selected also gives it a more detailed look, but if your short on funds, the one without tufting is just as fab (trust me--I have one in my office now). Add a few Watermelon Trellis Print pillows from Pieces  (one of my go-to Atlanta boutiques!), and some sleek new metal feet for the sofa, and you've got yourself a beautiful spot to party on a Friday night or relax on a Saturday afternoon. The white, modern Accent Chairs from Overstock can easily go from desk to kitchen table (you get 2 for $197--what a steal!), and the Empire Mirror from Z Gallerie is a great statement piece that will also allow the natural light from the single window to reflect across the room.  The Tangerine velvet Aubrey chairs from Room & Board brought a much needed "pop" to the room, but their classic, timeless style means that these chairs can be recovered for a dramatically different look time and time again, thus justifying the budget splurge.  Of course I added vintage/custom refinished pieces to the design plan, because that's what I live by! I believe that every space should feature a one of a kind piece, or something that's finished in a way that speaks to the homeowner's personality, and the thrill of finding that perfect score (see here and here) is something that I love to do for clients.

Want to see more? Here's a list of the bloggers participating in this challenge:



Please stop by and check them out--hope you enjoyed!

Where do you find decor inspiration? People ask me where I get inspiration. I don't know the answer to that. I guess from the game of life. You?

The other day I was at Tuesday Morning, and I was inspired by the packaging on a Bentley's tea cannister. It was a glossy, pale teal blue, with black and white classic type writer setting, white embellishments, and a gold crown. So cute!

Today, it rained and it poured. And metaphorically, my shopping jaunts were filled with amazing things all over me. Lucite, over the top large mid-century light fixtures, and old shelving recovered from Riverside Inn {locals and some of the elite alike know this place well}.

So, now that I've emptied my pockets for all these goods, I guess you could say "Now that the house reigns, it's pockets are really poor."

I hope you'll enjoy your week and hopefully enjoy my a.d.h.d posts.

{images via kelly wearstler, and marcel wanders}
xo
sharon

I found this amazing faux bamboo mirror at a thrift store I NEVER go to, because they NEVER have anything . . . but I guess I won't be able to say that anymore!  The faux bamboo mirror I found a few months back was nowhere near as fabulous as this one, 'cause this one's famous.  You may even remember it from LA designer Vanessa De Vargas' spread in Lonny Magazine a few months back.


 Yup, it's the same one (well, not the same one, but you know what I mean).  For now I'll be keeping it for my home, but there's a possibility it may be up for sale in the future.  If so, I'll definitely post it here.
Finding this mirror led me to search the internet for others like it, and I found a treasure trove!  Here are a few looks at some of the great faux bamboo mirrors floating around the web . . .

I like to think that faux bamboo makes everything better . . . don't you agree??

I'm up late Monday night, thinking about the Power of Intuition and crafty ways to write this post that I want to share.  I wanted to tout Laurie Ann Goldman's accomplishments as the former Head of Worldwide Licensing for Coca-Cola, and all that she's done in only 8 years as CEO of SPANX (read more about that here), but as these hours are ticking on, I'm coming up with a blank.  So let me start by telling you what I do know.  I believe that when you're where you're supposed to be, the road will rise to meet you, and I believe that to be true for career, life and relationships.  I debated for a bit as to whether I was going to attend this event, because I had so much school work to do (as always), but decided at the last minute to go.  When I got to the event and realized that it was going to be about The Power of Intuition instead of Shaping and Expanding a Brand, I'll admit I was a bit disappointed.  Still, I stayed planted in my front row seat, ready to transcribe her words of wisdom.  In the end, I'm glad I stayed because I think I got more insight from this topic than I would've if she had actually discussed branding.  Understanding and harnessing this thing called intuition isn't just about business, but about life itself.  


Laurie Ann made some great points throughout her dialogue, and shared some interesting reflections about her childhood experiences and how they shaped her career path (and her old way of thinking).  The points that stood out the most to me were:


1.  The Power of Intuition is your greatest asset and lives thru any/everything that you do, but it needs structure & support to reach its potential.  Don't obsess over facts & ignore that voice deep inside of you.  If you really believe something is right/wrong, it probably is. 
2.  True creativity is the courage to let go of what you know and is at the heart of every business through the acts of innovative thinking and researching new solutions.
3.  It's okay to set the destination, but you don't have to have a tight grip on the journey--sometimes the windy road is the only one that will get you there.
4.  Don't look for perfection in making a decision, because it rarely exists.
5.  Continue to ask questions, most importantly to yourself (and/or your business)--Did I get results?  Am I growing and changing?  Always remember that if it can be measured, it can improve.  
6.  Know when it's time to let go and move on to the next thing (big idea, new opportunity, etc)--don't get so attached to the "golden apple" that you can't see beyond it.  

Are all of these concepts new to me? Not necessarily, but again, I think that when you're in alignment with where you're supposed to be, you can hear an idea that means something different than what it used to, or a word that nudges you and encourages you to examine your situation in a different light.  As I'm making the preparations to officially start my design business, I relish the opportunity to learn from those who know the road because they've walked it before.  If you haven't read her bio by now, you should take a look--she's the real deal and she's a mom of 3!


In parting, here's great video I recently found through Success magazine (which I highly recommend!), where Sara Blakely talks about success, failure, and intuition.  Enjoy!

Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, on Failure