Caitlin's Wish

So I just finished my second room makeover for the Make-A-Wish foundation. Caitlin Caro an extraordinarily resilient young woman has been battling cystic fibrosis since she was born and her one wish was to get her room designed by an interior designer. I was the lucky designer fortunate enough to make her wish come true.

As I interviewed Caitlin, I began to draw inspiration from her personality and interests. Walking out of our meeting a few ideas came to mind. Floor to ceiling mirrored walls to expand th small space while providing ample viewing for cheer leading practice with her girl friends! She also mentioned she wanted bright colors. Luckily I already had vintage headboard, which I reupholstered with a funky colorful floral pattern, which became my inspiration for the color palette. I decided on a deep turquoise for the walls while choosing splashes of bright colors for accents to keep the space upbeat and cheery.

Another thing Caitlin asked for was storage, so I added a lacquered zebra storage unit to hold all of her nic knacks along with a flat screen and DVD player to keep her occupied during her treatments. To make Caitlin feel like a princess I painted the baseboards and doors and antique gold and finished the room off with a custom chandelier and a Tibetan lamb rug.

What a great week, I am so thankful to have met Caitlin and her family. Caitlin's face was priceless when she walked into the room and per her words the room was beautiful! So I guess I did my job.

 

Caitlin we are glad you like you’re new grown up room!

 

To see more interviews with Caitlin check out The Mission Viejo Dispatch or The OC Register.

Glamorous Black and White

What one person may view as "Glamorous", another may not, but the following interior scenes by Cattelan Italia are beyond imagination and one can only dream to live in a space as glamorous as these. The unexpected combination of highly ornate detailing with contemporary lines and art give each space a modern flair that once seen, can never be forgotten. To combine hints of sparkle, glitz, rich fabrics and muted colors while still managing to remain young and fresh is a token of true design.

Scandinavian Surfaces

I came across this company Scandinavian Surfaces and thought it was so cool.  This company was founded by a few designers coming from all types of design backgrounds from set and costume design to applied art.  They fell in love with design and brought their vision to life through Scandinavian Surfaces.

They have many different patterns for all types of surfaces fabrics, wall paper, building facades, interior decoration, accessories, serving trays, and the list goes on and on. This inspired me, now I want to go and put a cool surface on my wall.

I love this pattern!

Be creative every day! ~ Rachel

Remodel on a budget

Do you find yourself thinking about taking a vacation more recently then ever? Well here's a solution that won't require any flight or hotel accommodations. With just under $750 you can remodel a guest room to look and feel like a vacation suite. As an example, I transformed my guest room into an "Italian villa". The project only took two days and didn't break my budget.

Recreating a space can be as easy as re-finishing or re-painting existing furniture pieces. I wanted to create a space that was a retreat from the rest of the home. A guest room that had the feeling of being on vacation. The color palette I chose is a combination of a soft red, pale yellow and turquoise. I started with an antique bed frame, a side chair, two side tables and a storage trunk, all pieces that I already had. I painted the side chair in the turquoise color and added a seat cushion that I purchased from Pier 1 for only $24.

http://www.pier1.com/Catalog/Furniture/Furniture/tabid/519/CategoryID/159/List/0/catpageindex/2/Level/a/ProductID/2994/Default.aspx?ProductName=Embroidered-Flower/Stripe-Dining-Chair-Cushion

Dunn Edwards: DE5725 Dragon Bay. Gloss finish

I had two different side tables and decided to use the two as nightstands for a unique feel. One is a round marble top table that I found in my grandmothers garage, the other, a square wood top table with iron legs that I revamped with two cans of spray paint. Gold for the legs and white for the table top.

Before the remodel...

Family heirlooms are great pieces for guest rooms because they are conversation pieces and definately help to create a warmth in the room. To create additional seating, I added a chest that my mother gave me, and hung three antiqued mirrors above it. I bought a unique green lamp at an estate sale for only $5 which went perfectly with the room. I stained the existing woven shades in an ebony finish and added white linen drapes.

Paint for all four walls: $50 Dunn Edwards

Back wall: DE5089 Geranium Red

Three walls: DEC734 Jasmine
Stain for shades: $13 Minwax, ebony 2718 from Home Depot

Drapes: $49.00 Ikea http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80110274
Area rug: $129 Ikea http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80084920
Round accent pillow: $39.99 Pier 1 Imports http://www.pier1.com/Catalog/RugsPillowsWindows/RugsPillowsWindows/tabid/514/CategoryID/144/List/0/Level/a/ProductID/3661/Default.aspx?ProductName=Round-Boxed-Appliqué-Pillow
Full size Mattress: $400 Costco
Sheets: $44.99 Bed Bath & Beyond

As a finishing touch I added fresh flowers that I picked myself from the neighborhood. This is a great idea and will save you a lot of money!

These were picture frames that my grandma gave me and I had antiqued mirrors put in the frames.

Godiva decadence suite

I came across some furniture pieces made entirely of chocolate while I was surfing the net which reminded me of Godiva's annual Valentine's Day promo. I know I'm a couple months late, but I've got chocolate on my mind and I thought I'd share the clever pics with you anyways. At last years event, Godiva teamed up with Jonathan Adler and The Bryant Park Hotel for their annual promo, creating the ultimate hotel "sweet" suite ;) as a giveaway for one lucky couple. A chocolate lovers dreams come true! An amazing exhibit of a hotel room suite made entirely out of chocolate or of things painted to look like chocolate.

The Jackson Pollock abstract art piece (above) and Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss" (below) were reinvented using Godiva chocolate.

Here are some other fun chocolate surprises!!

Love love love these shoes!! Two of my favorites wrapped into one: chocolate and high heels!

Chocolate computer keyboard anyone?

This racecar was made entirely out of chocolate. Even the wheels and hubcaps were painted with chocolate powder!!

Pantone color of the year

What comes to mind when you think of Mimosa? I think of a fabulous sunday brunch and relaxing on a hot summer day with this brightly hued cocktail.

What about color of the year? Pantone has named "Mimosa" PANTONE® 14-0848 Mimosa, a warm, engaging yellow, as the color of the year for 2009. In a time of economic uncertainty and political change, optimism is paramount and no other color expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow. Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation. It is a versatile shade that coordinates with any other color, has appeal for men and women, and translates to both fashion and interiors. So how can you incorporate this highly saturated bright yellow into your home for 09? Take a look at the ideas we've compiled below. You can't go wrong, afterall, it is the "color of the year!"

Want to learn more about Pantone paints? check out their website @ http://www.pantonepaint.com/

Easter Decorating Ideas!

Great tips for Easter Decorating!

1.. Lighten Up your Room!
Do you have a heavy looking sofa, or drapes that are just too dark for the room? It's time to change them out for lighter and better looking alternative. Take away the drapes and replace them with sheers. Slipcover the sofa or chairs with pastel tones or florals.

2. Views
Your furniture may be positioned to surround the fireplace, but now with spring coming up its time to think about ways to rearrange the look for summer. Change the focal point away from the fireplace to a view of a garden or water or wherever your best view is at your location.

3. Re-Accessorize
Its time to re- organize your accessories! Clean the dust off the shelves and begin to replace objects with lighter tones and fun bright colors. Bring out your floral china and set up a collection of pitchers, and include plants.

4. Flowers!
Easter is the perfect time to arrange beautiful spring flowers around your table. If you are buying the flowers from a boutique make sure you give them an advance order as this is one of the busiest times of the year. Small pots of prim roses, petunias, hyacinths and a short tulip..work the best with spring. Arrange the flowers in woven Easter baskets and fill the empty spaces with floral moss.

5. Sheer everything!
Sheer curtains, sheer tablecloths, sheer bed skirts, and pillows, all of these are the best elements of spring and summer. Plain, embroidered, or printed sheer designs can all be used for interiors, so look for the one that best fits your interior.

Great ideas for table setting!