Bring Home the Beach!

It is that time of year again... we are all getting beach fever! If you can't get to the beach as often as you would like, bring the beach home. These coastal designs will inspire you to incorporate this easy breezy style into your home.

You can get these looks by adding a splash of green and blue to your room or go with a nautical look with red and navy. You can't go wrong when it comes to making your space as relaxing and care free as walking on the beach. It can be your own vacation at home!!

~Cassie

2010 Color Trend Prediction....

Okay. So here is my color trend prediction for the next year or two.

GREEN. YELLOW. GREEN-ISH YELLOW.

Or a combination of them all.

Here are some examples of way you can use these fantastic colors,

whether boldly or for just a splash of color.

Enjoy!

Get out your color wheel and pick out your favorite,

Karen

Who says books can't be art, and art can't be books...

My dream is to one day have something like this...


This is the "bookcase to heaven."








For your guest room: How about a convertable bookself bed?







Find a good book, a great chair, and then, find your happy place!

~Karen

Get Inspired...

Ever need that little push? Some sort of motivation for that really great project you just can't seem to finish? Or, maybe you just want to open your mind to new, fun, creative, and functional design ideas and just don't know where to turn?
Well, I have news!
Our Birmingham ASID (American Society for Interior Designers)Chapter along with The Southern Institute for Interior Design at Virginia College(I know, a mouth-full, right?)has a great day of seminars, activities, and shopping just for you!



On Thursday, May 13th from 6pm-9pm and Friday, May 14th from 9am-12pm, we will have Professional Designers, Instructors, and Senior students presenting fun, simple, and creative how-to's on the following:

-Color Forecasting (Don't be afraid of color!)
-Home Staging (Perfect if you are selling your home or just want to impress you friends!)
-Accessorizing (Oh, the difference a great accessory makes!)
-Weekend Fix-ups (For those weekend projects you are too afraid to tackle, BUT YOU CAN!)
-Repurposing Vintage Items (For that one thing you don't know what to do with!)

We will also have decorative items, furniture, and repurposed items for sale.
Door prizes and special gifts from the Southern Institute for those that attend.

This would make a great mother's day gift! Treat her or yourself to something special~ You deserve it!

Grab your friends and come get inspired,
Karen

Sitting Pretty

It is amazing the treasures you can uncover in storage! My mother and I found this chair years ago in my Great Grandmother's attic. It was faded, torn and extremely worn...but had great bones!! After my unsuccessful attempt at a custom slipcover, I decided to get it professionally reupholstered. While it was a splurge, it was definitely worth it. I found a fabric in a modern color that updated the traditional style of the chair.


Before



The apple green velvet coordinates with other colors in my living room. Since green is favorite color, I knew it would be a fabric choice I could live with for many years. A bold pattern would also have been a good choice to bring new life to this old chair.


After


The cost of the reupholstering was around $275. The great thing about refurbishing an antique chair is that the quality is far superior to most pieces of furniture made today. The wood is hard and sturdy and will last forever. I have shopped at salvage stores and antique malls to find more pieces like this one. I recently found a great chair at The Salvation Army for $5!!! I plan to get it reupholstered as well. With a price like that, it is worth putting some money into it in order to create a custom piece of furniture that reflects your true personal style.

Do you have a tired old chair cluttering up your attic or garage? Find a fun fabric and breathe some new life into your space with a great refurbished piece that you will love for years to come!!

~ Cassie