Mardi Gras Downtown Dunedin

Don't forget about our own night of naughtiness!!! Downtown Dunedin Mardi Gras 2.21.12!  Stop by one of Dunedin's newest neighbors, Cafe De Paz!  Check out the flyer I designed for the event...

more than just a party! nostalgic NOLA

Once a year the South hosts a weekend of debauchery, drunkenness, and disrobed breasts…you got it, Mardi Gras!! Today kicks off the craziness of Mardi Gras, and despite this salacious, seedy ritual of wildness, one cannot deny the creative power that beholds this Creole City the other 361 days a year.

As the birthplace of jazz and host to world famous cuisine and art, NOLA’s romantic old world aura inspires designers around the globe.  I myself a Francophile, am enamored with the French-Creole aesthetic and imagine myself in the French Quarter, sipping café au lait and nibbling on beignets, gazing at up at the balconies with their Victorian curled wrought iron details, wondering what beautiful designs lay on the other side of their historic walls. Not only will you find French influence in architecture and culture in the Big Easy, but also Spanish, African, and Haitian, all mingling together to form a Parish with a distinct personality of its own.  In honor of one of the most unique cities in the United States, here are some amazing designs to inspire your inner romantic New Orleanian.  Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!



http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/romantic-decorating

This romantic New Orleans dining room features Louis XV chairs upholstered in a toile called Louisiana Purchase. "Each chair depicts different iconic imagery," interior designer Hal Williamson says, including St. Louis Cathedral, plantations, and flatboats on the river. The design also features a blue silk screen portrate and beautiful crystal chandellier.




http://deardesigner.blogspot.com/2009/02/beauty-in-nola.html

This NOLA entryway located in the heart of the city, belongs to designer Ned Marshall. The dramatic chocolate brown wall color, the funky zebra pillows, glam accessories and the hot pink French sofa make for a modern romantic look.



http://deardesigner.blogspot.com/2009/02/beauty-in-nola.html

The elegance continues into the living room with floor to ceiling beautiful large windows that illuminate the bright orange walls.  The romantic lines of sofa and accent chair are juxtaposed with sleek tables. 

PHOTOS COURTESY of MTV's 'THE REAL WORLD: NEW ORLEANS'

Even the set designers of Real World New Orleans got it right, bringing in bold, romantic hues, wrought iron furniture, and historic-esque elements like the decorative glass light fixture.  Love how they brought NOLA inside with the wood shutters!

http://theinteriordesigners.tumblr.com/

What could be rome romantic than a beautiful New Orleans balcony done in a pink and turquosie theme? A traditional wood bench, patterned pillows and rug, and simple iron table complete the look.

http://marcelleguilbeau.com/new-orleans/

Interior courtyard at the Soniat House in New Orleans.  Lush, tropical vegetation creates a private, romantic place for coffee and biscuits.  Bring this look into your home with potted plants, vintage iron furniture and retro glassware.

I hope that these homages to NOLA inspire you to bring some Creole Romance into your designs!  



Lovely Valentine's Day Inspirations!!

As an ode to love and all the cute red and pink designs out there, here are some geat Valentine's Day inspirations!

http://interiordesignhouses.com/

Hot trend alert!! Paint your cabinets a bright color to liven up a dated, dark kitchen.  This DIY weekend project will give your kitchen new life.  Get the how to details... http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,783875,00.html

http://laissezfairedesign.blogspot.com/2009/07/whimsical-red-dresser.html

Give a vintage piece a lovely new look!  Look for freebies on Craiglist or cheap finds at your local thrift stores.  Give the piece a bright paint treatment for a priceless new addition to your home!

http://www.imbusyprocrastinating.com/2011/04/crushing-on-chevron-prints-part-2.html

Hot trend alert! Chevron is a super fun print to mix into any design scheme. From modern to traditional, this pattern will add a dynamic to your decor.  From rugs to wall treatments to furnishings, chevron chic is all the rage.  Can't afford to splurge on an expensive rug? Use a stencil and pink fabric paint to get this chevron look on any budget!

http://www.decorpad.com/bookmark.htm?bookmarkId=10763

I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day shared with the ones you love!

St. Pete Style

This post is for the locals…As the self declared “cultural hub of central Florida”, with seven  museums, dozens of galleries, and progressive performing arts community, it’s no wonder that Downtown St. Petersburg has developed a thriving arts business district. Nestled on the eastern waterfront of Tampa Bay, Downtown St. Pete not only promotes small business, but actually gives incentives to small business owners to open shop along its sun filled, palm tree lined streets.  DTSP is home to high end home galleries, vintage clothing and furniture stores , and up and coming original designers.  Two of my favorite vintage shops are Paper Street Market and Furnish Me Vintage, both featuring one of- a- kind vintage pieces.

Paper Street Market is a new addition to the Downtown scene. They specialize in antique medical, vintage industrial, re-purposed and eclectic furniture, jewelry, and home accessories, Paper Street Market is a truly different kind of vintage! Located at 915 Central Ave., Paper Street Market owners built their shop out of their “love for all things old”.  They take pride in educating buyers about the history and meaning of the pieces they purchase.  Their eye for “coolness” is showcased in the vintage signage, industrial chic furnishings and funky lighting, and even the 1920’s building they occupy. http://www.paperstreetantiques.com/

http://www.paperstreetantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/0009815.jpg

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.172619036104820.40094.154885411211516&type=3

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.172619036104820.40094.154885411211516&type=3

On the opposite side of the vintage furniture spectrum, is Furnish Me Vintage, a meticulously curated collection of Mid Century Modern, Danish Modern furniture, art and accessories.  From avid collector to retro admirers, their 7,000 sq. ft. showroom at 1246 Central Ave. is a treat to tour! 

http://furnishmevintage.com/

Retro RYA Shag Rug Modern Art Wall Hanging



Walnut Wood Sliding Door Mid Century Modern Dresser



Mid Century Modern Geometric Cross Coffee Table

2 Vintage Rich Brown Rattan Lounge Chairs

Seeing Southwestern!

I called it! As confirmed by Apartment Therapy, Southwestern Style is making its way back into popular presence.  Having Mexican roots, I have always had a sweet spot for southwestern, Navajo, and Mexican textiles and architecture.  This affinity awoke once more on a recent vacay to Breckenridge Colorado, where the Native American aesthetic is embraced on a daily basis.  I wanted to bring it all home with me!  Mix in a cowhide rug or Navajo pillows into a traditional or modern dialogue to bring a bold splash of the southwest into your home.



http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/trend-watch-the-southwestern-a-161713



http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/incorporating-southwestern-inspiration-164566?image_id=3172891

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/incorporating-southwestern-inspiration-164566?image_id=3172891

small space, small budget, big impact!

So let’s be honest, I have a hideous, old bathroom and I’m not Genevieve Gorder with an HGTV crew or have a $10,000 budget to gut and renovate this monstrosity.   I think a lot of people find themselves in the same situation:  stuck with an ugly bathroom with little options.

So how does one proceed? A lipstick job is in need!  If you have a similar quandary, paint and accessories will be your best friend.  Here are some tips that I think will help you on your quest for a presentable powder room.

Paint- Although some may counter, I believe that small bathrooms could use a dose of color. Whenever I find myself at a large home improvement store, I always check the “oops” shelf for mixed paint that was deemed a mess-up.  These “oops” gallons, quarts, even samples are priced slashed up to 75%, making a gallon of regular paint around $6-8! Such a steal. I found this “oops” paint in a salmon pink and based my room around it.  I painted walls and ceiling to distract from the tiny dimensions of the space. 

Lighting, hardware and mirrors- These are the details that really age a bathroom.  I was lucky to have a recently replaced light fixture and sink handle (both were cheap though!).  I replaced the run-of-the-mill rectangular mirror with a circular, beveled mirror.  I think this adds a vintage touch.

Storage- Especially in tiny bathrooms, storage is a commodity.  Take advantage of vertical space with over-the-commode storage, shelves or cabinets.

Photos- Like I’ve said before, I truly believe a space should reflect your individual style, even the bathroom.  I love the photo frame collection hung across from the toilet.  I really didn’t feel like looking at pictures of the family at those moments, so I chose pictures from trips in eclectic frames.

Accessories- Be bold! Your shower curtain can be a show piece. Many stores carry curtains with great graphics and fun motifs. Shop cheap! Thrift stores and garage sales can be a treasure trove of crystal bowls, glasses, and vases to accessorize your potty room.  Be utilitarian! Use these beautiful finds to store usable items like Q-tips and Cotton Balls. Display your pretty things. Today, products themselves hold great aesthetic.  Whether it’s makeup, soaps, or hair products gather pretty products of different heights and similar style and create a vignette.  Metallics are another way to bounce light around small bathrooms which are often not exposed to natural light.

My restroom restyle budget broke down like this:

·         Bright paint- $6 Oops paint! Home Depot

·         Over-the-commode space saver- $50 Walmart

·         Bold print shower curtain- $19.99 sale! Urban Outfitters

·         Circle mirror- $19.99 Ikea

·         Bath mat- $12 Home Goods

·         Photo frames- under $10.00 Target/ Home Goods

·         Vintage crystal- under $5 thrift stores/ garage sales

·         Vintage silver bird- $2 thrift store

·         Jewelry hook- $9.99 Pier One

·         Vintage-esque glass knobs- $14.99 Pier One

·         Vases- under $10 Home Goods

So for less than $200, you can dress up that lame lavatory and turn it into a space you’ll love to do you business in!!

Travel Mod: Vintage Inspirations from Abroad

On my quest to keep design personal, I firmly believe that you should style your life with items that are individual to you.  A fun way to do this is to incorporate your travels into your home.  Why not surround yourself with beautiful pictures, accessories and functional design pieces from places that hold beautiful memories as well?  You can also take this design theme a step further and use these places as inspiration themselves.  Use maps, vintage postcards, ethnic prints, and indigenous textures or colors to layer in details to make your home feel individual to your style and experiences. I spent months traveling throughout Spain and fell in love with their architecture and culture.  Here are some inspirations (with a modern twist) I found that bring me right back to my travels!

http://www.ispacedesign.com/glamorous-living-room-design-by-vintage-spain-house/



http://www.ispacedesign.com/glamorous-living-room-design-by-vintage-spain-house/





http://www.trueartworks.com/poster.php/0000-0026



http://551eastdesign.blogspot.com/

Masculine Minimalist Musicians seek Dynamic Danish Den

My newest design endeavor is a big one, literally.  I am preparing a holistic interior redesign for my friends Chase and Josh, 6’7” and 6’9” brother bachelors, both with intense musical flairs.  I am so excited to take on this new challenge. 

Josh and Chase live in a great, loft-style town house with extremely high ceilings and interesting architectural details.  They are unique individuals, both all star athletes and passionate musicians.  They present an awesome opportunity to combine masculine, clean lines with warm organic design details.  I coin their style “Melodic Modern”.

The design program consists of a phased approached which will restyle all of the rooms in the communal living spaces, including the entry space, open planned living room/dining room, interior open air patio, and kitchen.  My goal is to create an encompassing design theme that captures Josh and Chase’s individual personalities, while keeping clean lines, textural interest and maximizing the architectural opportunities of the loft.  The following are my design inspirations for Josh and Chase’s retro restyle. 

Of course, their design will be hand tailored just for them! See Etsy. com for great inspirational pics http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/?s=get-the-look-decor







Josh and Chase's Exisitng Man Pad



I N S P I R A T I O N S*



Etsy Get the Look- Artist Retreat



Etsy Get the Look- Greatest Hits

Etsy Get the Look- Mellow Modern