Cathedral Antiques Inspiration House Atlanta: Part Uno

Hello lovelies! A few weeks ago, I received this press-only preview invite to view the Inspiration House of the Cathedral Antiques Show:

And I was supppppppper pumped. Why you ask? Because one of my main squeezes  was invited to do a room there, of course! Not to mention several of the very talented women I worked with at Room Service Atlanta and some major design firms I've been watching were also participating. So, I got my pink shirt and my wedges on and headed out to Buckhead. I decided to break my posts down into two different days because I'm tired and there are lots of photos. Don't judge me. Side note: I have a new camera and I don't know how to use it. The house was dark with lots of accent lighting, so some of these photos didn't come out quite as well as I would have liked. Lucky for you...these designs will grace the pages of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles this summer. All of my photos are also sneak peeks, as the house is still open to the public for viewing. If you haven't been, you HAVE to get a ticket and go take a gander..it won't disappoint! Click here for info on tickets. 

the hallway: Dayka Robinson Designs

her custom wall paint was bannnnnanas! love love love. i have to say that everything in her space just felt right. and that's what makes a good design.

ms. dayka robinson herself. designer extraordinare and all. did you peep the carpet? it was a major contributor to why this space worked so well. 

frands. and check out those gorg mirror frames with black & white prints in them. those prints alone added so much energy and personality to the room. such a great touch!  take notice of that light fixture also...they were gorgeous! 

apartment suite living room/dining: bryan kirkland 

beautiful chair and stunning wallpaper.  i just loved that rug. and all the magenta accents. and the accessories. hell, i loved it all. 

dining room area with just enough "oomph." the wall color really set a beautiful backdrop for that glossy black chandelier. 

 i loved this quirky lamp. mary poppins-ish? 

living room: parker kennedy

i want to sit in this chair, pretend i'm kelly wearstler, and sip a cocktail.
seriously..it's fab. 

beautiful sideboard with a well-styled bar. roses, white dragons, pagoda lamps, and all.

i adore these chairs and pillows. the ceiling design, mimicked by the pillows, was enough to make me soon. i didn't really talk to anyone in this room because my eyes were too busy taking in all the goodness. 

boardroom: reiner | white.

their take on a fireplace was spot on. throw in some detailed Roman shades and a white lacquered rhino and i'm sold. the whole room was super moody and inviting. and speaking of inviting, both the designers were SO nice. 

l.o.v.e. those brass sconces with the updated round bulbs. that custom art piece was also amazeballs. with gray laminate on the walls as a backdrop, it was definitely a showstopper. 

windows swagged with brass chains and equestrian-style hooks. suchhhh a good look. 

the dark walls with large white moulding just made the whole room pop. those chairs were also gorgeous. think lots of turquoise upholstery, swanky crystals hanging from brass chandeliers, and don draper sitting at the table. well, that's what i thought of. 

ok, i'm going to see silver linings playbook now. hope i'll have bradley cooper dreams tonight if i'm lucky.

xoxox

Gold DIY Art

If you know me, you know I love me some gold. No..it's not a  bandwagon thing, Bible. Gold and I have gotten along since I wore a gold bangle that my grandmother gave to my mom years ago. I was trusted to wear it on picture day in middle school [although it wasn't in the photo....moving on...] and from that point on, I no longer thought gold was only for old ladies. 

Today, I want to share some of my favorite gold DIY Pinterest goodies with you. These are a jackpot, promise! 

gold mason jars.
image via beautylish

gold sharpie kitchenware.
image via sterlingstylelove

gold leopard tray..double whammy.
image via a creative day

DIY gold urchins.  [checked off my to-do list..we have two]
image via  the sweetest occasion

gold confetti champagne flutes. yowzers.
image via pizzazzerie

love.love.love. i would like these at my birthday party.   thanks.

image via heodeza

a nice touch to plain frames.
image via a thoughtful place

I have a press event to attend tonight, so excited! 

You'll see me blogging about the Cathedral Antiques Inspiration House soon...

be lookin' out!

xox

Contemporary Kitchen Before & After

For many of us, the  kitchen is the heart of a home. Family is often centered around this room during the holidays, at night when everyone is finally home to regroup for dinner, and for special occasions like birthdays. Kitchens are one place where clients tend to have super specific needs according to how they cook, what activities they do in there [i.e. lots of baking, family meetings, workstations for people who work from home, etc.], and what they need stored. 

We recently had a friend/client that came to us wanting to renovate their kitchen. The goals: 

1. The most hidden storage space possible 
2. A more useful island
3. Updated finishes to brighten the room
4. Cover pantry and laundry room area with cabinetry for a cohesive look

Here's how we did it:

1.  Modern Shaker cabinet in a crisp white finish
2. Streamlined stainless cabinet pulls
3. New stainless appliances [including an exposed venthood]
4. Streamlined soffit
5. Marble brick-pattern mosaic backsplash
6. Caesarstone countertops
7. Darker island paint 
8. Large 3-bin sink for optimum use
9. Added more can lighting
10. Ipad docking station for music/television

Here are a few before & afters:

light, bright, and airy..just the way I like it.

happy hump day, yo.

xox

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Boss Part II

Hello lovelies! So Monday I promised you a part two and never got around to it. This week has been crazy busy, so you'll have to excuse me. 

Monday I shared this image with you: 

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Boss: Five Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Is what you're doing going to land you where you want to be?

We all get so caught up in the day-to-day "housekeeping" of our lives, that sometimes we forget to set ourselves up for success. Things like "calling the insurance company, get dog food, go to the farmer's market, etc." take precedence in our lives before the meaningful things. Are you doing things every single day to give you the ammo to do what you'd like to be doing? Probably not. A successful boss is constantly thinking of the betterment of their business, which involves every decision they make. Sometimes it's better to miss out on sleep and fun in order to achieve a goal. That doesn't mean you never have fun, it just means you don't miss opportunity when it's a-knockin'.

2. Do you feel like a boss?

No one is going to take you seriously unless you take yourself seriously. And be comfortable with exactly who you are. I think success is merely a state of mind combined with action. But both ingredients must be there or no cigar.

3. Do you have clear cut business goals?

If you don't, you should work on those. The general "I want to be successful" ain't gonna cut it here. If you don't have very specific and defined goals, you'll never know if you're moving forward, backward, or sitting still. They give you something to compare your progress to. Have no fear, they can be edited if you change your mind. But not if you give up. :) 

4. Did you know being a "boss" doesn't mean you have to be bossy?

Wow, what a thought! There is nothing people hate more than someone who is a bossy know-it-all. Being a "boss" is in no way related to being bossy, arrogant, or demanding. It's actually the exact opposite.  That's where the "lady" part comes in...

5. Do you have a vision?

The answer to that is yes. You are a boss and can be successful because of your vision alone. Everyone should feel blessed that they have the power to have their own unique vision, and you should never waiver from that. Your vision is powerful! 

is it time to go back to bed yet?

xoxox

Act Like a Lady, Think Like A Boss

Happy Friday everyone! I came across this quote on New Year's day...and I love it. I'll elaborate more on this Monday...

Today, I'll be:

1. Calculating tile & grout for a new construction home [nerve-racking  e.v.e.r.y.t.i.me] and pricing their drawings.
2. Picking out a rug to go with a client's powder room wallpaper below...gorgeous right??
3. Doing a photoshoot of a house we've been working on since May. 
4. Updating my client folders and planner for next week. 
5. Scheduling an appointment with one of our favorite commercial furniture suppliers to finalize some options for a small multi-family update we're working on.
6. Crossing my fingers, legs, arms, and eyes in hopes that we get a HUGE residential design project here in Atlanta. When I say huge, I mean mind-blowing. The proposal is due next week. Wish us luck!
7. Riding down to Macon with my bestie to go see our other best friend, Kristen, and her husband Seth. Always guaranteed to have a good time when we all get together. I'm hoping for a bonfire, a yummy drink, and storytelling. 

here's to a productive friday, with hopes of a relaxing weekend..cheers!

xoxox

Room Service Atlanta: UMCH Bedroom Reveal

Hi you guys..so I'm finally going to share the final photos [shot by Pixel Interiors Photography] from my Room Service Atlanta project back in October. As you remember in this post, designers and creatives alike got together to give a total facelift to a teenager's bedroom/living room out at UMCH in Decatur.

This project not only warmed my heart, it left it feeling full. Surrounded by talented designers, deserving children, and many supporters, who wouldn't feel humbled and blessed? 

so lucky to have worked with such great people on a project bigger than all of us.

xoxox

2013

Happy Monday, ya'll! Here's a little Monday inspiration..

Now back to the real world, where there is only ONE Ryan Gosling..so sad. Here are my hopes for 2013. It's so funny...our pastor yesterday started off his sermon talking about New Years resolutions. "If you don't tell anyone your goals for 2013, then no one will know you failed!" He proceeded to start the series called "Breathing Room." How fitting and refreshing. So here's my shot at breathing room and creating margins in my life:

Host 

        For a girl that loves parties as much as I do, I sure as hell don't ever throw any! This  

             year, I'd like to invite people into my home more often. It's so much more personal 

             meeting out somewhere for dinner. I want to get my host on in 2013. I already have 

             three parties planned in between now and March..so I've already committed to this!

Blog  

For goodness sake, I need to be better about blogging. I love to write, love to read, 

             and if you know me well enough, you know I love to share my opinion. This blog is 

             a wonderful platform to do so. I've committed to blogging at least three times a  

             week. 

Focus

  On me. 2012 was spent worrying about a whole lot of things that took time away 

                from my own personal health and people who matter the most to me. 

Photograph

 I got a nice camera for Christmas, and I'd like to take a lot more photos this 

                          year. I made my mom a photo memory book for Christmas and was thinking

                          of how cool it would be to make one every year. Yearbooks of your life that

                          look beautiful on a shelf and they sure do bring you back.

Travel  

I already have a trip planned to LA in late March/early April and am giddy to say

                the least. Don't mind me if you hear me screaming "hopped off the plane at LAX 

                with a dream and a cardigan" all the way in ATL. Except hopefully I'll be in 

                aviators, a fur vest, and some cute wedges. I'd like to go to the beach this year with

                my sisters, and maybe to the mountains in the fall. 

Conserve

  Energy. We all need more of it..and I plan to get more this year. I want to

                        conserve time, energy, and heart by investing my time wisely and refusing

                        to overwork myself. 

Practice 

 I'd like to learn to practice more. Practice seamlessness in design, practice design

                    skills, practice more patience, practice some yoga, practice discipline, practice 

                    better financial habits. 

Read 

 Read more, watch less. Instead of opening a book the minute I crawl in bed like I 

              used to, I now flip the tv on to some juuuuuuuunk. I mean, serious junk. Don't get me wrong, I will still be engaging in SATC and the occasional Real Housewives..but less. It's a 

              little out of hand, so I have a goal to read 2 books a month this year. Library...here I 

              come!

Give 

 Last year, I was able to participate in Room Service Atlanta's project at the United 

             Methodist Children's Home (be looking out for a post with pictures tomorrow!) and it 

             touched my heart and literally overfilled it. I also participated in the Be Rich 

             campaign at our church, and realized my heart felt happiest at this time. I need more

             of this in 2013. 

Live 

  Eat healthily, exercise more, lounge less, laugh more, spend more time with friends 

             and family, and enjoy. every. minute. 

don't let yesterday take up too much of today. each and every day is a fresh start.

xox