Not usually a "florally" girlie but I like this!

I've been to every antique mall in the metroplex over the last few days looking for items for several client's. 

I saw this vignette at Grapevine Antique Mall and thought it was so beautiful.  So very creative to see  the way she used the wrought iron pieces as the headboard surround and then placed a mirror in the center. 

The Laura Ashley floral pillows are so feminine and soft.

Of course I checked, and all the pillows are down filled!  Just like I like them!

I'll take the two animal print chairs too!

I found so many other treasures but still haven't found what I'm actually looking for....Grrrrr.....

Happy rest of the weekend!

Ruthie

Come on in and sit a minute!

BEFORE

Several months ago I met with a client who wanted me to help her pick out carpet, tile and paint colors for her living room, dining room kitchen and family room.

Today I went to rearrange all their furniture, hang all their artwork and pictures and place their accessories.  ALL OF IT WAS "USING WHAT THEY HAD."  I added NOTHING.

Here's a quick look at what a 1/2 day room re-arrange can do!

AFTER

AFTER

My client really wanted their space to be used!  Before it wasn't very inviting!  I wanted the space to have a "come on in and sit a minute" feel to it.  Now it's much more open and conversational.  I took out several pieces that weren't to scale and made the room look cluttered. 

Suggested they get new lampshades for their lamps.  The pleats are hard to keep clean and date the room.

BEFORE

AFTER

I recommended that they take down the lace drapes and replace them with plantation shutters.  The space is much simpler and classier now that there isn't so much stuff in the room.

BEFORE

AFTER

Angled the furniture and added a mix and match feel to the space.  I loved this lamp base; it is an old roller that stamped wallpaper patterns.  So cool that they turned it into a lamp base.

CLOSE UP OF VIGNETTES

Fun painting that adds an eclectic "artsy" feel.

Don't be afraid to mix antiques with modern art. 

Collection of family members paintings and pictures on the desk that one of their uncles made years ago.

Sketches the client did in college and a clock her mother passed on to her.

We had the fireplace surround painted this wonderful "putty" color.  It used to be stark white and added no warmth to the space.  I suggested that the client do the same tile pretty much throughout the whole house.  This made all the spaces flow together and eliminated the "choppy" feeling from room to room.

I always make sure EVERYONE has a place to put down their glass or put up their feet.

Book your half day install today!  You'll love the quick changes!

Ruthie

Weird and Funky Houses

Just a bit of crazy house fun for your holiday weekend!

I don't think I could sleep at night in this home.  I would worry about falling into the water!

Now that's a tree house! 

Wow!!!!  Talk about feeling on top of the world.

This home reminds me of the nursery rhyme "There was an old lady that lived in a shoe."

Well, here you go!  I think she lived here.

Upside Down House 

Okay, now I'm  nauseated

I'd say this house offers great hospitality

I want to go inside this one.  I wonder if a flight attendant would serve me a drink?

Maybe a bag of  pretzels?

I want this house in Texas!  The stone and the grass roof seems as thought it would be COOL in this ridiculous heat!!! 

Bank turned into a home. 

The bank vault got turned into their guest room.  I'd go to bed feeling pretty wealthy!

Yee Haw!

Wow.. now this is community livin'

I think NOT for the dots!

My husband's dream home!  Looks like an over-sized garage.

All I can say is the groceries would need to be delivered to my door!

I like!

I wonder if they can hear the ocean all night in this house?

I wonder how they made those draperies curved to look like eyeballs?

Wouldn't want my whole family in this house, it may go over!

No way!

Hope you have a great holiday weekend with family and friends.

I'm having a blast and feel blessed and honored to live in this wonderful country!

Ruthie

Pulling it all together

On Wednesday I went to a client's home to help her by just moving things around a little to make it feel more like home. 

BEFORE

Looks a little plain. 

 I looked around her house and found some other treasures that I added to their bedside table.  Moved the lamp and photo on the wall and now it looks so much more inviting.

AFTER

Tip: Sometimes if you take everything off your bedside table and change it up a bit by shopping in other rooms for items that work together. You can instantly have a new space just by "using what you have."

Cozy reading spot now.

Found some photo's that had the same look and put them together on the wall. Alone the framed photo's look just so so.  Grouping them together makes it WOW.

These were all separate and I thought they would look nice grouped together.

The mantel has great style now!

Groupings of three always look great together.

Take some of your rooms apart and start from scratch by shopping around in your house for a new look. Or just move things around a bit to enhance your space.

Here are a few of my tips:

• Move lamps from room to room
• Put a dining room buffet in an entry
• Bring a statue from your garden into the house and place on a table for grandeur
• Stack your favorite books in front of your fireplace
• Move rugs from room to room
• Stack beautiful towels on a chair next to your bathtub
• Get rid of things you don't use and don't like
• Only keep items that you LOVE.
• Create height in a room by hanging pictures on top of each other instead of next to each other
• Add a "character" chair to one of your rooms (show chair)
• De clutter your bookshelves. - Add large items among the small objects to break it up a little 
• Add one really inspiring and beautiful object to each room
• Add luxurious textures to a room and you add instant warmth
• Add large pieces of art to your space
• Group all your crystal and antique candlesticks together and add to a wooden tray
• Add an accent light to each room. 
• Display some of your favorite china in your armoire and keep the doors open to show them off
• Use one of your favorite mixing bowls or salad bowls to keep your fruit in on your table
• If you want to declutter, I've found that most people have too  many family pictures in one space (unless your space allows for lots of these).  Reallocate family photos to private areas if you don't have space for them.
• Don't forget to dust the tops of your pictures if they are hanging in your hallway
• Get rid of fussy finials on lamps
• Change out a lampshade - sometimes changing them out from room to room works
• Remove a pillow or two or add a pillow or two
• If you have heavy drapes on the windows that are outdated and you don't like them.  Remove them totally.  It's better to have none than look at ones you hate.
• Get rid of candles that are old and dusty and replace with new ones
• Take a risk and add a touch of leopard print
• If you hate a lamp base, try painting it - spray paint is the best!

Ruthie

 

A good excuse to get "cooler" in Texas!

I went shopping today for some flowers for my dining room since we are having guests this week at the Staalsen Hotel. 

I've been running around everywhere to make sure we have all the necessities we need for entertaining and serving great food! 

 I love an excuse to buy flowers for the house and I did just that!

Aren't these hydrangea's beautiful?  The soft color blue in this grouping of flowers is perfect for the holiday weekend don't you think?  I'd love to find a few red roses to pop in there with this arrangement to make it really festive for 4th of July weekend.

I've been getting my guest room ready.  I love all the colors in this room but as you all know, I love to shake it up a little. 

I had this white, cream and turquoise comforter in another room but thought it would be a nice "summer" change for my guests this weekend.

I also added the mirror so we would get a nice reflection of the lamp on the bedside table.

The turquoise goes really nicely with the embroidered pillows and now I feel like it feels a little "cooler."  Anything to get things cooler in Texas!!  Those of you that live here know what I mean! 

Clean towels are ready!

New soap in every bathroom!  I love to add river rocks to my guest bathroom sink. 

Got the festive dish towels out!

Now all I need is chocolates on their pillows and we are set to go! 

Well....let me rethink that...

they are family but we don't want them to be too comfortable, they may stay too long! 

I think I'll skip on the chocolates.  Ha Ha.

One of my favorite things is to entertain so I love when my house is full of people and laughter. 

Let the festivities begin.  I know...it's only Wednesday but we are starting a little early!  Party on....

Ruthie