Baby Makes 3! Nursery Inspiration

We are beyond thrilled to be welcoming a baby girl into our lives and I personally I'm so excited to become a mother.  A baby is one of life's greatest gifts and I'm so thankful every day to be blessed with this little gift and a healthy pregnancy.  

Cheesy "Babymoon" Pic

Of course in anticipation of her arrival in May, my mind is racing with to-do's, checklists and above all else the nursery!   I started the design process a few months ago, but with so many ideas and inspiration hitting me at first, I quickly became overwhelmed.  I've often said being your own client can be torture, which for me, was all the more reason to break it down and follow the same process I do for my clients.  So if you find yourself stressing or overwhelmed by all things baby, FEAR NOT!  I will be sharing my design process, tips and sources along the way, starting with Step 1; Inspiration.

STEP 1:  INSPIRATION
It's important to spend time thinking and imagining how you'd like the space to look and feel before you make any decisions.  If this step alone overwhelms you, start with identifying what you don't want for the space by making a list of all styles, colors, layouts, furniture, etc you don't care for.   This list will help you better clarify what you do want and set you on a better design corse.

What I Don't Want...What I Do Want

- I don't want the room to feel dark and moody...I want the room to feel light and calming.

- I don't want a cluttered space... I want storage solutions and places to stow away items. 

Your next step is to begin gathering pictures, materials, information from all sources that inspire you.  My sources include magazines, internet design sites, blogs, retail sites.  I recommend creating a 3-ring binder filled with photos and items you've collected.  Use sheet protectors for keeping paint and fabric samples together.  I also use virtual "pin boards" or ideabooks which are provided by internet design sites like Pinterst and Houzz to keep ideas.

Inspiration Sources:  Here are some images I found that helped shaped my design concept.

Internt Resource:  Houzz

Internet Resource:  Pinterest

Online Publication:  Parenting 

Blog:  Project Nursery

Other Blogs to check out:  

Spearmint Baby

On To Baby

Chic Cheap Nursery

Sending Love and Design...Jess

Color of the Year

PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald, a lively, radiant, lush green, is the Color of the Year for 2013.

Here are some ways you can incorporate Emerald into your home:

Vintage China Pattern

Wall covering 

Wool Rug

Pillow

Trim

Fabric

Fabric

Notebook

Sending Love and Design....

Style Resolutions: Renew Your Home

A New Year always deserves a fresh start and usually, come the first week of January, I feel the need to transform my entire house!  Of course, transforming the look of a space can be achieved without going to extreme lengths.  In fact, it can be as simple as renewing the space you already have with color, art, linens, lighting and accents.

I vow to renew my home through these 2013 Style Resolutions...

1.  Add a Fresh Coat of Paint to the Walls:  It's really amazing how a new paint color can transform the look of a room in a matter of hours!  I'm feeling awakened this year, so perhaps I'll experiment by using a brighter color on the walls, and a darker contrasting color on the trim.

2.  Play with Pattern and Color:  Adding more visual interest to our family room, through the mix of pattern and color, is a must this year.  To help the room flow and feel relaxed, it's important to select patterns within the same color family, like what is shown in the design by Angie Hranowsky.

3.  Hang more Art:  I'm on a quest to replace more of my prints with original "looking" art this year and try some unique wall arrangements.  It's time to dust off the old hammer and nail.

4.  Liven Up The Guest Bedroom:  With the holidays behind us, now is the perfect time to transfer our basement into the guest bedroom.  Fortunately our basement has lots of natural light and a full bathroom, so my hope is to make the room warm and welcoming for guests.   I love the use of cool blues and textures used in this design my Emily Ruddo.

5.  Replace the Chandeliers:  I've been waiting to replace our chandeliers ever since we moved in.  I'm opting for a no fuss sophisticated look, and this one from Shades of Light caught my eye.

6.  Update the Fireplace:  My fireplace is looking extremely barren these days without it's holiday decor, so I plan give it a fresh update.  Filling urns with boxwood or branches is a great look during the winter and spring months.  I also like the simple glass hurricanes displayed on the mantel.

7.  Organize my Home Office:  This is one room in the house that could use a complete overhaul and I am determined to reach this level of organization.

8:  Plant Hydrangeas in the Backyard:  Just beautiful...

9.  Try a New Monogram:  To make a space feel more personal and special, I often add a embroidered monogram to linens, towels, pillows, serve ware, and even gifts.  Perhaps this year I'll give one of these styles a try. 

10.  Fix the Towel Rack:  We are going on 3 years of procrastination...

- Sending Love, Design and a Wonderful New Year!

   

Mai-Tai the Memories

It's our 3 year wedding anniversary, and inspired by our honeymoon trip to Maui, I decided to surprise Michael with a pitcher of Mai-Tais.   I've already done some heavy "sampling" and I must say this Mai-Tai recipe is crazy good... so good that if my husband doesn't join me soon, it's going to be lights out for me!  Have a great night everyone ;)

Get the Look:

1. Mugs from Mai-Tai Lounge 

2.  Serving Tray 20"x16"from Catstudio 

* Gift Idea!  Select from 18 other geographic locations

Sending Love and Design...

Clutter can be Chic

We are all guilty of clutter to a degree.  Of course we try hard to keep things neat and orderly, but sometimes our systems fail or we lack the motivation to work at it everyday.  I once heard clutter is directly related to how we think; if your thoughts are scattered, than you are more likely to have clutter issues...  

Sure we'd all love to have clear thoughts and clear countertops, but clutter is apart of life, which is why it needs to be managed.  To help manage and keep clutter looking chic, try repurposing everyday household items into unique "catch all's," like the ones below. 

 KEYS, PHONES, POCKET CHANGE 

An entryway is the perfect place for a catch all because of the need to drop keys, cell phones and empty pockets.  To help contain these items and still keep them visible for everyday use, I repurposed a small fruit bowl, into a chic and welcoming catch all.  

  MAIL, CATALOGUES, INVITATIONS  

Like most people, our mail was tossed on the kitchen counter, and left to collect until it was time to sort and discard.  Piles of paper can be unsightly and stressful to look at, so I repurposed, a champagne bucket, into a chic catch all for collecting mail.      

REMOTE CONTROLS

The thought of needing at least 3 remote controls to work a TV is crazy, and also a reality.  In efforts to keep our remotes within a arm's reach and away from our seat cushions, I repurposed this mini ice bucket into a remote control catch all.  The acrylic tray is also a catch all I use for keeping current magazines and coasters.   

How to Create Your "Catch All" Solution at Home:

1. Anticipate clutter.  

2.  Visualize your household's daily routine and habits.  What foreseeable items could accumulate in the space?  

3.  Are these items used everyday or shared?  If the answer is yes, then it's best to keep the catch all visible on a countertop.  If your answer is no, then it's best to stow these items in a drawer or closet.  

4.  Look for items around your house and shop the antique markets for unique baskets, crystal or china serving bowls, shallow vases or square plates that could be repurposed and used to collect everyday clutter.  After all Clutter can be Chic. 

Sending Love and Design...

If you need help de-cluttering or creating chic catch all solution, please send me an email at jessica@jessicalovedesign.com.   

Let's build a fire

The weather forecast is predicting cooler temperatures for my visit to PA.   So perhaps I'll be spending less time sunning, and more time huddling around an outdoor chiminea.  I've had some of my best life chats lounging by a fire, so I'm always up for building one!  In fact, as the nights begin to get cooler, adding an outdoor firepit or chiminea to your patio will keep your outdoor space enjoyable as we transition into Fall.

If you are considering adding a wood burning element to your outdoor retreat, please consider the safety of others and the safety of your home.  For safety tips, click here.

Images featured in this post are provided by houzz

Get the Look:

Amazon

PureModern

OneKingsLane

Hermes

Sending Love and Design...

If you are interested in creating an outdoor retreat, please send an email to jessica@jessicalovedesign.com

Home Sweet Home

So I'm headed West, to Hollidaysburg, PA, to spend some quality time with the family and hopefully squeeze in a little r&r by the pool!   I'm also craving some Barbecued Texas Beef Brisket, so heads up Mama we'll be doing some cookin' ;)

Michael and I always look forward to visiting my hometown.  We have the best time catching up with family and friends, embracing the outdoors, enjoying a ton of laughs, cocktails and of course, endless plates of food!  It's moments like these that remind me why I love residential design and work to create warm, comfortable spaces for all families to enjoy.
 

My Family:  Dave/ dad, Liz/ mom, Lizzie/ sister, James & David/ twin brothers, Michael/ husband, Jess/ in white

Our attempt to ALL wear coordinating white and denim outfits...

See you all soon!

Sending Love and Design...