Paper Anniversary

One year ago today, I married the Mr.  It was the best, laidback Sunday Kind of Love wedding.

all images courtesy of Rob Ingram Photography

This year has been pretty amazing. I wouldn't change a single thing. And I have to say that me plus him equals a good, good thing.  Hey, maybe I could redesign that one year anniversary into paper artwork that I could frame as a gift for him! I will use the colors of our bedroom and find a nice white frame so we can display it on the dresser or nightstand.  It's a simple equation really.

Gonna try and eat the top of our cupcake cake one year later tonight. I'll keep ya posted how that turns out!

Redesigned Room by Room: The Formal Living Room

So...i had a totally different vision for our formal living room. I never have owned or lived in a place that had two sitting rooms. I was sort of going for a very formal but fun space for the formal living room and a casual, comfy style for the den.  I imagined it like something HGTV's Secret from a Stylist, Emily Henderson, may have designed. Something like this!

photo via Emily Henderson

Rich color with some mid century modern pieces! But.....our furniture was a little bigger than we had anticipated and so the "den" furniture we already owned had to be the formal living room furniture instead. So my hopes of a "formal" living room literally went out the back door, down the deck stairs and back through the front door.

So this was the room before.

And this is the room now. Until we can figure out another style concept in this room the theme is currently rustic comfort.

My adorable friend, Christen from Fashionplate Cheapskate, who I miss terribly did a whole post on mason jars here. She even gave me one of the best gifts ever, a mason jar filled with memories.  I decided to use that same mason jar as a design concept and build around that. I have spotted some antique suitcases and a few other pieces around town already that may soon be moving into this room for a bit more color and intrigue.

Hey, maybe I could redesign that rustic comfort living room into a rehearsal dinner invite. I previously mentioned it in this post that I was working on a design for a client.  She decided to go another direction for the invites {which I will post soon} but here is the final layout.

So stay tuned and I will keep working on this unformal living room and report back.

Redesigned Room by Room: My Office

If you have been following my blog for a while you will know that this is my dream office. It all started with this photo from Fabulous on a Budget.

photo via Fabulous on a Budget

 Finally my dream is a reality!  My office was the first room we painted while waiting on the moving truck. Thanks to my sister and her adorable hubby {who happens to be a pretty rockin artist & musician} for loaning us their paint and time!

Here was my office before:

 

And here is my office today.  Those lamp shades were def the first thing to go!

It's amazing what a coat of paint can do. We painted the walls, the desk, the two bookcases and I even spray painted the little knobs on the daybed.  I found some black & white storage baskets from Tuesday Morning, that amazing pillow from Marshalls and the graphic print rug from Pier 1. All for a steal.  I framed photos I already had from my own personal collection or found in magazines or online in white & silver frames.  Even Kitty Lynn seemed to like the vibe in the new office. I am still one the lookout for some black and white curtains but I think overall my office is pretty much complete.

So the only thing missing besides some curtains is a sign on the door.

Hey maybe I could redesign that graphic print rug into an official office sign.  Here is my design and here is my design hanging from my brand new dream office door!

Like the sign says: Redesign That is always open. Feel free to come back and visit anytime!

Sneak Peek

So balancing a full-time career, freelance design jobs & moving into a house has not left enough time to blog. I promise I will get better blogosphere. In the meantime, here is a sneak peak of a rehearsal dinner design I've been working with for a potential client.  More to come...

Redesigned Room by Room: Guest Bathroom

So we have moved into our house and I started a full time job right away.  What we haven't done is fully unpack and decorate.  We have a lot of things to do before it finally feels like home such as buy smaller furniture, paint rooms and get a new oven.  Until then I thought I would keep y'all updated Room by Room!

First up: The Guest Bathroom.  This was the Guest Bathroom when we purchased the house in March.

And this is the Guest Bathroom as of today.

So I still need a bathmat, curtains and a cute soap dispenser. But for the most part if you were to come over to our house and stay the night, you could take a shower!

The amazing angel painting is a gift from my favorite artist, our travel agent and dear friend, Patty George.  The shower curtain is from WorldMarket. {I was on a mad search for a red, brown and white shower curtain. No one, I repeat, no one but WorldMarket carried one. Thank you, WorldMarket.} I also have these great coordinating wall accents on the far wall that you can't see that well in the photo from Southern Living Home that match the shower curtain perfectly!

Hey maybe I could redesign that Guest Bathroom into a wedding invitation.  I would keep the color scheme of red, white, brown and gray. I would used medallions as the backdrop.  And to stay with a rustic feel, let's have the event at the newest wedding venue in town, WinMock at Kinderton. You can see why from the picture below:

photos via WinMock at Kinderton

And here is the complimenting invitation inspired by our Guest Bathroom!

Stay Tuned-there's more rooms to come and if you need to take a shower you are more than welcome in our new Guest Bathroom!

Cheers!

Oh how I have missed you blog!  I am sorry it took so long to get a new post it.

A lot has happened. We packed up our renting ways, bought a house and I immediately landed a new job upon arrival.  I say this calls for a toast!  Luckily, my new friend in town Becca from the fabulous Rebecca Rose Events, and creator of the inspiring Ever Lovely Blog {you're welcome} took me out for a cocktail my first week!

photo via Tate'sCraft Cocktails

She took me downtown to Tate's Craft Cocktails.  It's a swanky little bar in downtown Winston-Salem. The moment I stepped inside I felt like I had stepped into a SpeakEasy in 1920s New York.

photo via Tate's Craft Cocktails

If there were tables available we would have sat outside and enjoyed the cool summer night. Just walking by the patio, I forgot I was in North Carolina and not Miami or Havanna.

photo via Tate's Craft Cocktails

And ultimately the menu full of hand crafted tasty cocktails remind us of the four reasons for drinking:

• the arrival of a friend
• one’s present or future thirst
• the excellence of the drink
• or any other reason.

Hey, maybe I could redesign that!

Luckily right before we left Alabama, I was asked to redesign just that.  The client wanted a classy, upscale cocktail party invite.  Her reason for an invite falls into one of the 4 reasons-one's present or future thirst.  Instead of doing the traditional graphic of cocktail glasses we kept the look more realistic, added a custom monogram and scripted font.  {details have been changed to protect the innocent!}

Thirsty?  Come visit me at my new house and I'll take you to Tate's Craft Cocktails  afterall it would be the arrival of a friend!

After these Messages...We'll be Right Back