Tips to giving your entry a designer look.

This week I completed an entry for one of  my clients.  When I met with her, she explained to me that she really loved her entry table because it was a gift from her mom who she recently lost.  She also loved her artwork that she and her husband chose together on one of their trips.  She wanted me to add color and personality to the space to make it feel BRIGHT, HAPPY and WELCOMING.

BEFORE ENTRY

AFTER

No Problem!  I found these wonderful yellow lamps and knew they would make the space so much more inviting and happy.  They came with black shades but that wasn't going to give me the look I wanted.  I traded them out for these fabulous striped gray and white shades.

Ruthie Tip:  If you find lamps you absolutely love, trade out the shade to bring it up to the next level.  A patterned shade can change the look completely.

Ruthie Tip:  If your lamps don't come with beautiful finials then add some gorgeous ones to make them have grandeur and class.  You will be so surprised how that one thing can bring them up to the next level.  I personally love large crystal ones like the ones above.

BEFORE

Placing family photos on your entry table is a nice thought, however, in this case they are off scale with this large painting.

AFTER

Ruthie Tip:  Layer your accessories and choose items that either have a unique shape or texture.

If you look at my website you will see that I always use something from nature to make my designs come to life.  This driftwood looks fab against the wall color.

Ruthie Tip:  Fresh flowers always makes an entry feel alive and happy.

BEFORE

Curved entry walls are always a challenge.  Because we were on a strict budget for this entry, I had to be creative without going over budget.

AFTER

I found this wonderful bench with a curved back.  It fit perfectly in the space.  I added colorful pillows that coordinate with the artwork and we were all set.

Ruthie Tip:  If you have a large open entry, don't put small items there.  Choose large items that fill the space so the scale looks right.  I'd rather have one larger item that makes a statement than lots of clutter that says nothing.

Ruthie Tip:  When using a bold, colorful pattern, tone it down with a masculine print like a plaid, stripe or houndstooth.

Hope you are inspired to go decorate your entry this weekend.

Enjoy!

Modern Style Spanish Home

We recently completed decorating a home for a client that built their home several years ago.  They were tired of living in the space without the details. We came in and added accessories, lighting, rugs and some furniture to complete the home.

We had the dining room chairs upholstered in this colorful pattern outlined in the blue velvet that matches the couch.

The client had a couch that they LOVED because of comfort and quality but the style was outdated.  We had the entire couch redone and reshaped into something much more stylish with modern lines.

Custom swivel chairs with a geometric pattern, paired with a vintage style rug and round ottoman.  As you can see, the fireplace with the Spanish tile was definitely our inspiration for the colors in the room.  Don't you just love the gold ship that my client already had in their closet.

Grandma's old stool looks great with an antique embroidered pillow and newly made round ottoman.

This drum was in their entryway but I thought it looked better as a side table.  I found the pottery scattered on bookshelves and picked a few that I thought looked nice paired together.

Pillows really made the couch pop!

She still needs a grouping of artwork above the TV but she is waiting for something that really captivates her.

This home sits on a beautiful treed lot and is so peaceful and quiet. Their pool is absolutely stunning and can be seen from most of the rooms.

I'll be posting another job we finished this week soon.

Blessings to you! XOXO

Grapevine Master Bedroom Makeover

BEFORE

We completed a master bedroom for a client right before Thanksgiving.  They are recently empty nesters and are slowly starting to redecorate and remodel their home.

BEFORE (on day of install)

I got the privilege of assisting them, oh what a joy it was!

They decided to start with their master bedroom so it could be ready for the holiday season.

 AFTER

They had the bed already.  We added new bedding, side tables, lamps, artwork, accessories and draperies.

As you know, I love to use items the client already has.  I shopped their home for treasures and added them to the items I purchased to give it a "collected" feel.

These pillows!!  Love the textures and variety of patterns. It is always amazing to me how a room comes together.  I started with an inspiration fabric (the draperies - see below) and go from there!  Layering textures on a bed is so luxurious and really makes a statement.  I do think that too many pillows can be overdone.

For a king size bed, I usually use two king pillow shams or 3 euro shams.  For this room, I decided to use 2 king shams because I didn't want to cover up the tufting detail on the bed.  I then added three throw pillows.

Side tables with drawers are a must in a master bedroom. The lamps look so amazing with the dots on the pillows.  Subtle repetition of detail.

The artwork I found is PERFECT with all the colors and has just enough gold to work well with the pillows.

The draperies were hard to photograph because of the light.  You can see the colors well in the above photo.

Such a great project for a fun couple!

Her grandma's rocking chair even got a makeover.

The joy the client receives. on the day of the installation, has no comparison to the joy and blessing that I receive in being able to make yet another home beautiful!  Connecting Life and Home is such a pleasure.

Hope you are enjoying the Christmas season so far.

I've started some of my decorating, at least the mantel is done and the stockings are hung!  I am purposely doing simple décor this Christmas.  I'd rather spend more time with my family than stressing about making it all perfect.  Plus, I have to put it all away in a month!  Simple can be beautiful too!

Thanksgiving Table

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.

My goal this year for me was to set a very "natural" table.  I wanted neutral colors and simplicity.

My daughter and I found a Magnolia tree close by and we took a drive with our clippers in hand. It was a blast and a memory with great laughter.

We found more than just magnolia leaves.

I had a brand new large tarp (bought from Lowes) that fits over 2 large tables.

It was the perfect texture and color for what I was looking for.  We wanted everyone to be able to sit at one large table.  All 21 of us fit perfectly.  Now that we have teens, they would rather be with the adults.

I then placed black striped wrapping paper down the middle as my runner.  I found the animal print pumpkins at Hobby Lobby for 80% off so I was thrilled.

The magnolia leaves were layered down the center and I added fresh pears for some color.

 My husband bought me the plates for an anniversary present several years ago and I love them! I also layered cut aspen pieces amongst the magnolia leaves.

Time together around a table is priceless! Great conversation, good food and a beautiful table makes everyone happy!

  This table could easily be duplicated for a Christmas table.

Just add some pomegranates and you are set!

If you would like to see the live periscope that I did of our table, visit Katch.me where you can view the replay video.

You can also see many other video's I have done for decorating inspiration.

Transitional Navy and White Kitchen Remodel

Kitchen remodels are always the hardest on my clients.  It totally disrupts every day life.  However, these clients were READY TO GO!

BEFORE

As you can see, the homeowner  started the demo in the above picture but that is about as far as they got with this remodel.  The fun thing about this client is that I have decorated other rooms in their home so I am very familiar with their style already.  They wanted a dramatic kitchen and truly trusted me to make that happen (so honored that they trust me) I recommended that we paint the cabinets a dark navy and they were SO EXCITED and  asked me to take it from there!

AFTER

As you can see, even though we painted the cabinets a dark color, it didn't make the kitchen feel dark at all.  With the bar all one level now and the light granite and stacked stone, it feels very open and light.  The adjacent eat in dining area has lots of light pouring in too so that helps.  As a decorator, I choose colors based on the space and what is going on in the room and surrounding rooms.  Color is tricky and it is very important you hire a professional to help you choose just the right color for your space.  The color that is right for this kitchen may be totally wrong for your kitchen.

BEFORE

We added glass front cabinets to the top of her existing cabinets and refaced the doors to give them a more modern style.  No need for brand new cabinets if the bones are good already.  All the cabinets got pull out drawers put inside them which makes the kitchen much more functional.  We kept the existing oven, stove and the client had the vent-a-hood already that she wanted us to work around.

The wood floors were replaced during our PHASE I last year.  The granite was leathered to take away the shine.  It really is amazing in person.

They had some cabinets that were not being used so we made them a wine cabinet to store their wine.

New backsplash and hardware and it turned out gorgeous!  Hardware is the jewelry in the kitchen.  Don't skimp on your selections, they can make your kitchen have so much style.  They are not cheap but if you are wanting your kitchen to look classy, do it right!

New accessories for the counter and it was a wrap.

We then tackled the kitchen eating area.  Added new drapes, new table, chairs, lighting and accessories.

I found these fabulous blue and white drapes and got so excited.  I adored the henna like design.  However, they were too short for the space.  I purchased them, found some fabric we could add to the bottom of them to make them the right length and added some trim and lining.  They are now perfect in this room.  Added light and not too much pattern. The rustic table is imported from India and can't be damaged by the kiddos in this house!  Actually, the more you use it, the better it looks.  Family friendly = fab

Isn't the chandelier spectacular with the pendant lighting?  The chairs with the oval hole in the back makes this room feel more open and less crowded.

Thanks to my wonderful installer Reuben who spent lots of labor on this rod that continues all the way around the window. You can see how fab the pendants are below!

Thanks for joining me on this tour.  As I was writing this post I received a text from my client saying this "OK Ruthie, you need to leave me a bunch more of your business cards!!!! I'm having a birthday party for my son and his baseball team and parents.  The mom's want your contact info.  I'm getting hand cramp from writing your number down." I always feel so blessed when I get feedback like that from my clients.

 I'm off to finish off a bathroom remodel and another kitchen.  Will post pictures soon. Hope it is a great LABOR DAY with friends and family!