Decorating In A Day/One Day Design

This home has had a makeover over the past few weeks.  
It was time for new wood floors, tile in the kitchen, painted kitchen cabinets and then some updated decorating.  I chose all the flooring and the paint colors to make sure good choices were made.
I met with the client for an Initial Consultation and we determined her budget first of all.  I recommended we do a "One Day Design" which allows me to use what the client has as well as add some additional accessories, rugs, lamps and artwork.  I established her design style and had her approve some items to make sure we were on the right track.
A few weeks later, the client left for the day and we got busy transforming, starting with the entry.
The client has this piece in the entry and wanted to use it since it is what they had (budget didn't allow us to purchase a new one).   We added new mercury glass knobs and  painted the hardware to match. The mirror above the dresser was painted with a dry brush black finish and it made it look so much better.  You will see the before in the video below.
I stole a pillow from upstairs and found the chair in the corner in their game room.
She really wanted a family gallery wall.  I purchased some new frames for her and used some of the ones she had as well.  She will add her family pictures later.  I had the metal "M" made for them and then incorporated the other items from pieces I found in other rooms.  I especially love the vintage camera on the shelf (top right), it adds some charm.  I found about 5 of them in different cabinets around the house.  I placed them all together in their family room and now they are a great conversation piece and collection.
We also had the stairway spindles painted black and the handrail gel stained the color of the new floors.  This was a stretch for my client but she is super excited about it now!
 This wonderful airplane artwork was originally hanging over their couch.  It didn't add much to the room and it felt too masculine in their main living room.  We added it to the top of the stairway and it looks amazing there.  Kinda looks like it's coming in for landing when you stand at the bottom of the stairs.
The dining room got some new table accessories and a pop of color in the artwork we added. The funniest thing is that when the two young boys saw the new art they said "mom, look it's our new target practice."  Got to love boys!
A new rug lightens up the space and adds some amazing personality.
You can see the gold mirror below "before" we painted it.
We then headed on to the living room.  We added this geometric rug.  Kept all the furniture but just added accessories.  Isn't the ceramic frog adorable?  I knew their 2 young boys will really enjoy that.  I found it sitting in a cabinet upstairs all lost and lonely.

A collection of new down filled pillows really made this room feel refreshed.
They had the lamps and I found this carved elephant from their travels.  I also found some vintage medicine bottles upstairs that she had forgotten about.  Layered on a mirrored tray, it makes a nice little collection.
  I made a collage of places that are special to the family.  The Atlanta skyline where they met. The Dome in Florence which was one of their favorite vacations, a colorful scene from New Orleans  where they lived for 6 years. Finally, I included their favorite beach getaway. 
 I don't have a before but you can see the before video below!
This new rug added some color to the kitchen and married the living room and kitchen together.  The colors are beautiful with the framed artwork in the living room and they make her new tile shine!  Great to stand on while doing the dishes as well.
We put together a video of BEFORE AND AFTER.  It's fun to see the transformation.
Isn't it amazing what you can do with what you have?  Just by adding accessories we transformed the place.  No new furniture, just a beautiful refresher to this beautiful family home.  It is now a house that invites them in and welcomes them HOME.
Call me for  your "ONE DAY" DESIGN!  You won't regret it.
 
Click right icon to go to my website to see more Before and After photo's as well as my Portfolio.

IF: Gathering 2014

This past weekend I was a part of an amazing retreat here in Grapevine, Texas. I also had the privilege of creating the "mood/ambiance" for the Saturday night dinner.  


 Anytime I get to use my gifts to serve, I'm the one who is blessed.  It is always an honor to serve along side such amazing people.  Serving is also a great way to make new friends that enrich your life.

The mood that the leadership team wanted for this event was the feeling that you were at a gathering in your back yard.  So,.we did our best to create that feeling (on a budget, of course).  I placed a vignette on the left side of the stage mimicking the feel that you were in your yard and could curl up and read underneath the hanging lights with your cup of tea and a good book.



Do you remember the pink bike we painted from last years retreat (see that post here). We used that again propped up against the wall. One of my friends found the rustic palettes so we used them as the backdrop for the vignette.  I blew up an air mattress and gathered some pillows and quilts from here, there and everywhere to make it feel inviting, cozy and colorful. 

My girls game room pillows had a new home for a few days because they had that pop of green I was after.
I purchased a bolt of frilly white fabric for the curtains and hung them with 3M removable hooks (my new best friend).  They acted as a frame behind the vignette.
We added christmas lights to the vignette and got creative by tying them to the microphone stands.

I ordered these cute little milk jars from Saveoncrafts.com.
I filled them with moss and wildflowers.  I wanted a bit of fragrance too so I added fresh lavender as well.  The kitchen smelled absolutely fabulous while we were making the arrangements.  100 arrangements in all, whew!  My poor intern Audra, broke out in an allergic reaction.  I wonder if she will ever help me with an event again!
Lots of helping hands made all these natural beauties!  8 hours later and we were all set up and TIRED!
We placed 3 arrangements on each table.  Of course, we made them nice and low so people could talk to each other without the arrangements distracting them.  Nothing like trying to talk through the centerpiece. I'm sure you have been to an event where the centerpiece blocks you from talking to your guests.
It's the details that makes a gathering come together and that doesn't have to be expensive.  Tying the tablecloths with burlap that matched the moss in the jars, brought the table colors and textures together.  We were into simplicity for this event!

Also makes it look more casual and less formal and pretentious.  
Sorry for the terrible lighting in the picture.  Hard to take a picture with spotlights shining down.
We also had this wrought iron table from last year.  We repainted it a nice pale yellow.  I layered a lace curtain panel (found at a thrift store) and a small pink floral quilt as the tablecloth.  I always love to add a shiny element to my designs, so the wild flowers were in a LARGE silver vase.    It makes a casual atmosphere have a little glam to it.  The vase really looked fantastic with the flowers and branchy, whimsical  arrangement. A bit of "shiny" goes a long way don't you think?
Each napkin ring had a bit of bling too.  We added a little dried flower to each wrapped napkin.  The details take a ton of work but they are what make the guests feel welcome.You want your guests to feel as though you thought about every little thing to make them feel comfortable and invited in.
We placed a few rocks running along the center of the table too.  If you look closely in some of the above pictures, you can see the mossy branches we added to the center of each table.
 

During the weekend, we all gathered in different homes in the metroplex.  We watched a live broadcast that was streamed live over the Internet all over the world (IF Gathering).  It was so much fun to have a variety of speakers.  Nothing like having a bunch of woman in a room together sharing life experiences and encouraging one another.
This was the first IF GATHERING and I'm sure there will be more of them in the future.  It was a powerful event for woman all over the nation.

I believe that we woman do better in small group situations.  I also think that meeting in HOMES is the key to us being vulnerable with each other.  It is more relaxed, comfortable and creates a feeling of safeness.  Doing life together is the best thing ever when you do it with woman you love and respect. We are all in different stages of life and when you get us all together it's amazing.

I encourage you to get involved in a group with other woman.  It is the best medicine for your soul.  Our bodies grow old and weary but our souls continue to strengthen and grow strong.  I truly believe that is what keeps our hearts beating.
Visit my website by clicking on the right.  You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram.  Join me as we talk about everything to do with HOME.
 

Houzz Press Release for DecRenew Interiors

DecRenew Interiors of Grapevine, TX Receives

Best Of Houzz 2014 Award
Annual Survey and Analysis of 16 Million Monthly Users
Reveals Top-Rated Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals
Grapevine, Texas, February 4, 2014 – DecRenew Interiors of Grapevine, TX has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The 10 year Decorating Business was chosen by the more than 16 million monthly users that comprise the Houzz community.

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2013. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 16 million monthly users on Houzz, known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 230 million professional images of home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site, iPad/iPhone app and Android app. Winners will receive a “Best Of Houzz 2014” badge on their profiles, showing the Houzz community their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.  

“DecRenew Interior’s mission is to Connect Life and Home and we do so through a focus on exceeding our customers’ expectations.  We are very honored to receive recognition from Houzz for Customer Satisfaction.”  Houzz has made our job much more efficient, when working with clients, because now they can share their inspiration boards with us, helping us better understand their design style right up front.”

“Houzz provides homeowners with the most comprehensive view of home building, remodeling and design professionals, empowering them to find and hire the right professional to execute their vision,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of community for Houzz. “We’re delighted to recognize DecRenew Interiorsamong our “Best Of” professionals for customer satisfaction as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

With Houzz, homeowners can identify not only the top-rated professionals like DecRenew Interiors, but also those whose work matches their own aspirations for their home. Homeowners can also evaluate professionals by contacting them directly on the Houzz platform, asking questions about their work and reviewing their responses to questions from others in the Houzz community.

Follow DecRenew Interiors on Houzz by clicking this link. DecRenew Interiors

About DecRenew Interiors:
Interior Decorator, Ruthie Staalsen of DecRenew Interiors has been in business over 10 years, serving clients in the Dallas Fort Worth Area.  DecRenew Interiors tailors its services to the individual needs of their clients, offering everything from full-service design to “Walk-thru” consultations.  Ruthie’s unique approach focuses on making her clients homes look collected, not decorated. DecRenew Interiors was featured in Traditional Home Magazine "Great Kitchens"  Page 42,  in May 2013. www.DecRenew.com

About Houzz
Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish - online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to get the design inspiration, project advice, product information and professional reviews they need to help turn ideas into reality. For more information, visit www.houzz.com

I'm extremely honored to receive this award.  
Be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram too (Click icons on right sidebar). 
Weekly inspiration to inspire your inner decorating needs!


Waterlogue App and office inspiration


I recently came across the greatest App called "Waterlogue."
 
It allows you to upload your photos and transfer them into sketches, watercolor photo's, etc.  
What I found interesting is that the watercolors show the lines that I see in my brain before I even start working on the job.  Waterlogue
 It emphasizes the, shapes, colors, textures and detail that I think of while processing my thoughts as to how the room should all come together.
  For instance, in the above  photo you can see how the staircase work beautifully with the floor, paintings and coffee table.  The horse head on the coffee table works beautifully with the pillows, etc.  My trained eye is what makes a room look pulled together with ALL the elements use.  It's not just about shopping for items, it's about selecting just the right items for each room.
 
 I love how you can see the shapes incorporated in the design in each watercolor.
Anyone can purchase furniture, accessories, artwork, unique architectural pieces and rugs. 
 
 However, pulling it all together is where a trained eye comes in.   Lots and lots of experience with the layering of objects and furniture.
 
 We Designers make it all come together and use unique items you wouldn't have thought of.
Often times I'm working with a client and they can't see how it is all going to come together.  I can literally see this sketch in my head and know it will all work together when finished.  The details truly are what make the client LOVE the end result in the end.
I've been thinking about how I can re-decorate my office lately and this Waterlogue App inspired me. 
 I'm going to have all these "new watercolor" photos enlarged, matted and framed.  I am then going to create a gallery wall of them all. 

They are all jobs I have completed and I love the idea of them hanging in my office.  As you go through this post, take a look at the detail and you will notice all the elements I'm talking about.  Each room is scaled perfectly, has a variety of shapes, texture and all the colors are married together somehow.
Have fun as you look through each one.  See if your eye can connect the dots.






What do you think?

HGTV & Jennifer Hatmaker

I've recently been exposed to Jennifer Hatmaker.  My lifegroup (the amazing girlfriends  I do life with) decided to do a study that she has written.  We have just started and I'm already LOVING it.  Thought I'd share some details with you!
 "American life can be excessive, to say the least. That’s what Jen Hatmaker had to admit after taking in hurricane victims who commented on the extravagance of her family’s upper middle class home. She once considered herself unmotivated by the lure of prosperity, but upon being called “rich” by an undeniably poor child, evidence to the contrary mounted, and a social experiment turned spiritual was born."
 
She has a book that goes along with this workbook too.  It's a hilarious read. 
Watch the Youtube trailer of the book at this link. Book Trailer
I also found out that HGTV is doing a show about them and their journey fixing up an old house.  They are filming it at the moment.   See her blog post about it here.

You can follow the HGTV process on her blog.  It's such fun!

"7 is the true story of how Jen (along with her husband and her children to varying degrees) took seven months, identified seven areas of excess, and made seven simple choices to fight back against the modern-day diseases of greed, materialism, and overindulgence"

They have also adopted children from other countries that are now a part of their family!  So cool and such an inspiration to so many!
Hope she inspires you as much as she has me. It's always so refreshing to see woman who are making a difference in the lives of others.
  You can order her books at Amazon.com