Here’s a recent bedroom we did that our clients were kind enough to let us share the sources for (all items linked below).

Believe it or not, the headboard is from Target (Nate Berkus’ Line) and it’s just the right amount of comfy and casual for this vacation spot. We always like to layer our bedding for depth and interest. You can get a custom look without a custom pricetag by ditching the “bed in the bag” look. We used an affordable chambray linen quilt from Target folded at the of the bed and this white quilt from Pottery Barn for max comfort and washability.

Because a fan wasn’t a necessity in the unit, we swapped the builder grade “boob light” for this semi-flush stunner. The best way to dress up a bedroom is with lighting and bedding! Every. Single. Time. So always start there. Or contact us and we’ll start there for you.

The wall mount sconces are an easy add since they don’t require hard-wiring and the board and batten treatment on back wall (Benjamin Moore Hale Navy) is a great way to make a big impact for little investment. The side tables are functional and don’t break the bank but also add a new detail to the room with the unexpected shape.

We presented a couple of different rug options. Winner is TBD. Which do you like best? Blue accent pattern or solid neutral?

This design was so fun and we know it’ll bring in rave reviews from renters. On to the next one!

Click on the item listed below for product details.

Bed // Lamp // Bedding // Pillow

We’re firm believers that little changes make a big impact--in design and in life.  So here are our tips for decluttering each day, and keeping your home and your mind clear!  

1. Make your bed- Have you heard the saying “A tidy bed, tidy mind”?  There’s a reason such a phrase exists. As U.S. Navy Adm. (and former Navy SEAL) William H. McCraven told the 2016 graduates of the University of Texas “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.''

"If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.

Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you'll never be able to do the big things right? And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better."

We couldn’t have said it better.  Start your day off right, your home off right--and the rest will fall into place.

2. Laundry-  I’m always amazed when I see or hear people post about the mounds of laundry they need to tackle.  Mostly because I don’t ever give myself a chance to have that as an option. Let me explain. I have two laundry baskets in our home.  One small one IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM for my kids to place their dirty items (they are three and give and can absolutely handle the task). And one basket for mine and my husband’s laundry.  When either of these get full, I do a load. I don’t have a set laundry day. Just when either of those small baskets get full. This way, I’m never surrounded by piles and piles, and the task never seems too daunting. So get yourself a smaller laundry basket. Place it INSIDE the laundry room (no lugging around the house or down stairs). Ask your children put their clothes in the basket. This way you can easily run a load when it’s full, and you’re not stuck combing the house for dirty clothes!

3. Mail/Makeup-  Don’t let a “mail pile” be a thing in your house.  As soon as you get the mail, go through it. Recycle the junk and give immediate attention to the important.  Don’t wait until tomorrow to fill out that bill. Do it right then. Not only will this keep your counters clean but also your mind, as you will subconsciously feel lighter in knowing that’s one more thing that you DON’T have to add to your mental to do list.  And besides, who cares how beautiful your kitchen is if it’s covered in piles of junk? Same thing applies to your bathroom counters. Use your makeup/toiletries and put them away. Even if this means shoving it in a bag and putting the bag in a drawer. Keep your counters clean.

4. Car- Another place that stuff tends to collect is in our cars, especially when you have kids. Get in the habit of collecting all the trash in your car when you are pumping gas. There is typically a trash can right next to the pump that makes it convenient to throw everything away.  You can also keep a Swiffer Duster cloth in your console for a quick dust of the dashboard. I mean what else are you doing while waiting for your gas tank to fill up?

5. TV- Don’t worry.  We’re not asking you to get rid of your TV.  But we are asking you to re-evaluate what you watch.  Go through your DVR (or Netflix/Hulu lists) and be ruthless about what you really want to watch versus what you watch because you got sucked in a few seasons ago.  Do you constantly say to yourself “why did I just waste 40 minutes of my life on that?” or “this show just isn’t funny anymore” or “does this do anything to better my life or just give me another excuse to put things off I need to be tackling?” Physical and mental decluttering in your home are key and television is one of the biggest culprits.  So challenge yourself to go through and delete three shows you no longer need. I did this a couple of weeks ago and it felt so good! I wondered why it had taken me so long to realize how easy it was to say “no” to a show and maybe yes to thirty minutes of a book instead.

6. E-Mail-  Just like with your DVR list, clean it out!  Ruthlessly unsubscribe and go through all unread messages.  If you want to keep some for reminders, create folders to easily find things by category (Online shopping receipts, travel info, upcoming appointments or kids events, etc).  We all know how good it feels to see a single digit number in the Unread Email notifications on our phone! Jessica can attest to this one. After shockingly realizing she had over 2,500 unread messages (she says don’t judge they were mainly from retailers, lol ). She spent an hour one evening going through her inbox and is happy to report she is down to 11.

7. Toys-  Set aside an afternoon (literally put it on your calendar so you have a date and time to hold you accountable) and go through your child’s old toys.  Even better, have THEM go through them with you. Explain to them that it’s important to get rid of things that we no longer use anymore so that another child can find joy in it.  You’ll be amazed at what they say they don’t need anymore! Drop them off at a local charity or sell them in your local consignment sale. Nothing sparks a fire like making a little extra money right?

8. 10-Minute Clean-Up-  Take 10 minutes out of every day to do a quick sweep through the house, putting everything back in its rightful place.  Use a basket and go from room to room picking up everything that you see that doesn’t belong in that space. This will make for easy collecting and also save you time (no trips back and forth!) when putting everything away. Everyone has 10 minutes a day. Make it fun, turn on some music and get your family involved! I like setting a timer (like Google Home) that goes off when it’s done and my kids do too. Everything is more fun when it’s a race!

9. Vacuum a room-  Yep, you heard us. Pick one room a day to vacuum and much like the laundry in tip 3, you’ll never spend more than 10 minutes at a time vacuuming!  If you have a Roomba, even better. Lock that guy in a room and let him do his thing for a little while and then move him to the next room while you’re putting in your one load of laundry. :)

10. Wash Your Face-  If you follow us on Instagram, you know that we recently saw Rachel Hollis’ documentary and it truly spoke to us!  Much like making your bed starts your day off right, washing your face at night helps you end it right. Take the extra 2-3 minutes and do your skin a favor!  

2019 is your year to create a peaceful home, peaceful mind and it starts with one bed, one change, one task!  Five minute changes create days, weeks and months worth of peace! We’ve got this!

Do you see this desk chair? Isn’t it pretty? Would you believe it took me over a year to finally decide to buy it.

A. Year.

We all get design decision paralysis. Even designers.  And we all have to do lists that are never ending.

But can I tell you something? When I finally clicked “purchase” and received my new office chair, I wondered why I had taken so long to purchase it. The impact that that ONE piece made in our productivity, mood, room, house is huge!

What piece(s) or room(s) have you been putting off? What things could you change in your home that would make you more productive, feel better and truly change your life from day-to-day?

Here are a few tips to getting a functional room that brings you joy:

1. Start with one area.  What room in your home gives you the most angst? It easy to start feeling motivated and wanting to tackle several areas at once but that can cause you to get overwhelmed and walking away from making any progress all together.

2. Analyze the space to figure out what isn’t working. Too much furniture in one room? Could the layout be better? Is the scale of the furniture wrong for the space? Maybe there’s not enough comfortable seating or storage? Is their proper lighting? Does your furniture need an update?

3. Figure out your design style. You can’t love where you live if you don’t know what you love.  Don’t fall victim to buying something that matches colorwise and then get it home and not like how it looks in your home because it isn’t reflective of your style. Most people have a Home/Decor Pinterest board. Review your board and look for the underlying theme that attracts you.  Do you like neutrals or bold colors? Modern furniture or an antique collected feel? Remember some styles can be mixed and matched but you first have to know what you like and then know how to make them work together (why we’re here). If you don’t have Pinterest, don’t worry. You can do the same with magazine cut-outs.

4. Put together a shopping list.  Once you’ve discovered what isn’t working and what you like, put together a shopping list of what you think is needed in the space(we can see the space and help with whatever you miss or don’t see). Be sure to take measurements so that if you come across the “right” piece while you are out and about you can confirm that the size will work.

Let this be the year you stop procrastinating and get that room that you have always envisioned. Make your home a place where you love doing life.   

If you need help, we offer a variety of design services, from picking finishes for your bathroom or kitchen remodel, a virtual exterior makeover for you to implement, or helping you design a functional space that is reflective of your lifestyle and tastes. All our service can be done in person or virtually. Click here to learn more about our services.

Happy New Year!  The New Year is always a time to start fresh.  Did you know "Getting Organized" is one of the top 10 New Year's resolutions every year?  It makes sense since clutter is scientifically proven to cause stress and anxiety. While we love creating beautiful spaces for our clients, we also place a huge importance on function as well.

“Clutter can play a significant role in how we feel about our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves. Messy homes and workspaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed” says psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter from Psychology Today.

• Clutter overwhelms us because it causes excessive stimuli so our senses go into overdrive

• It distracts us from other things we’d like to focus on

• It makes it harder to mentally and physically relax

• It signals to our minds that our work is never done

• It can impede productivity and creativity

• It makes it harder for us to find what we need and takes away time from doing other things on our list

“Yet, rarely is clutter recognized as a significant source of stress in our lives,” says Carter.

Here are a few tips to help you get clutter free:

1. Purge. In the words of Marie Kondo, if it doesn’t bring you joy, say “thank you” and remove it from your home. Go through every cabinet, drawer and closet one-by-one and ruthlessly get rid of things you haven’t used in a year.  Chances are if you have a shirt that you “might wear one day” you’ll always find something else you’d rather wear so might as well donate it to someone else who can use it!

2. Clean.  Start the year fresh with a deep clean. Don’t wait for Spring. You know how good it feels so good to walk into your home when it’s clean!

3.  Designate. Once you’ve cleaned out, it will be much easier to give the remaining items a home, helping you find things easier later and keep things organized in their designated places. This will keep new clutter at bay.

4. Streamline.  With everything in its rightful spot, getting out the door, finding an outfit, even cooking dinner will become more streamlined and less stressful.  Create an order to certain tasks that normally bring you anxiety and stick to your schedule to create a more productive day.

5. Maintain.  Don’t wait until next January to do another house cleanse. Once a quarter, go through everything (it will be much faster after your initial purge!) Making sure everything is still on track and adjusting systems as needed is key.  Maintenance is what keeps your home organized year-round.

6.  Enjoy!  Enjoy your newfound productivity, creativity and relaxation in your new spaces! A calm home is a place you will find rest and want to spend your days. When your home is clutter free, it functions at its best and as a result, so do you.

The house had high ceilings and great original features that we wanted to accentuate. It was important to us that the finishes we chose complimented the architecture and age of the house.

On the exterior we chose to keep a clean and crisp color palette to match the roof’s existing green shingles. The house was painted Benjamin Moore’s Simply White and the accents Behr Totally Black. New light fixtures and fresh landscaping finished off the new and improved look.

before

after

Heading inside, the only bathroom in the house had pretty emerald green tile that was in good condition. So we built our design around it using accents that tied in with the vintage style.

Pottery Barn’s Mercer double horizontal sconce and vintage recessed medicine cabinet were the perfect options. We purposely chose to mix the finishes for more character and dimension in this small room. The newly selected oil rubbed bronze shower fixtures pop against the refreshed white shower tile. And a previously covered up arch leading into the shower/tub was exposed again adding so much character to this little space.

BEFORE

AFTER

We continued to mix the house’s original pieces with new ones while working in the kitchen. Ikea Bodbyn cabinets were used for the lower cabinets while the original cabinets were kept for the uppers. Both the upper cabinets and walls were painted Valspar’s Soft Wool to blend in with the Bodbyn’s warmer white finish. Keeping the same theme throughout, we again mixed the finishes and found a cool light fixture to modernize this old space. To top off the space, we went with Atrafloor luxury vinyl from England in a fun, vintage print for both the kitchen and the connecting laundry room. Both the pattern and color brought a breathe of fresh air to the previously neglected spaces.

BEFORE

AFTER

The living room was the last big room to need some major revival. The wall above the fireplace was ripped off and needing great repair. Matching the original plaster texture would have been difficult and not added any character to this charming home.

So instead, we outfitted it with ship-lap and swing arm lamps to bring it back to the true focal point it once was. A fresh white coat of paint on the brick and a new mantel detail finished off the fireplace. The original hearth tile and fireplace grate looked right at home now. Lastly, the walls were painted Silver Drop by Behr and the overhead fixture got a much needed swap.

BEFORE

AFTER

There’s truly nothing more satisfying in our job than bringing a space, or in this case an entire home, back to life. If you have a room or whole property that needs some new vision, please let us know how we can help. You can contact us here to get started.

1) Use high-quality paints.

They are more durable, will not show scuffs or other wear marks and will hold up better to cleaning.

2) Create a space that is pleasing and stands out from the competing rentals.

Today's renter is more design conscious than ever. It's reported that the average traveler considers eight properties and inquires on five before making a booking. The more attractive rentals are going to get booked the most. One of the biggest design mistakes we see is people using furniture and accessories that are not proportional to the space.  Make sure sure to keep in mind the size of the space when furnishing your rental. Also, use beach-themed decor with restraint. Too many seashells and fish can look tacky.

3) Don't wait until your upholstered furniture is dirty to clean it.

Be sure to have upholstery cleaned at least once a year after the rental season and reapply any stain protectant, like Scotchgard. Make this upkeep a part of your routine when you come to the beach to check on your unit.

4) Make certain that you have enough seating for the number of people your unit can sleep.

Have extra chairs tucked in a corner of the dining room that can be moved into the main living space if needed.

5) Invest in a good mattress.

A cheap mattress is a guaranteed way to get a negative reviews. Prolong the life of your mattress with a mattress cover that breathes well. Avoid ones that make noises. Guest should not be able to tell there is a mattress cover on.

6) Opt for white linens. 

They are easier to launder and also give guests a sense of cleanliness and comfort. Inspect your sheets between bookings. If you can’t get a stain out, replace the sheet.

7) Keep a well-stocked kitchen.

Many of the good reviews you will read will mention that the rental had everything that they needed. Renters tend to cook at some point during their stay. Make sure to have a coffee maker, tupperware, mixing bowls, a wine opener and varying sized pots and pans. If you're on the beach make sure to have a few beach chairs, beach towels, a beach umbrella, and a few toys to play in the sand. It is a thoughtful gesture that your guests will appreciate. Your guests will appreciate not having to pack them or purchase them once they arrive.  

8) Think of everyone.

If you advertise to be a rental for families, don’t forget the little ones. Having a booster seat and pack n play in the unit will help visiting families have one less thing to worry about. It'll also help set your listing apart from the others.

9) Lighting.

This is one of the easiest ways to make the most impact on your guests. Having a design element that catches their eye will make them remember your property. Also, having varied reading lighting is appreciated for a nice relaxing night in.

10) Remember durability.

When considering new furnishings and materials, remember to select items that will hold up to wear and tear such as slipcovered furniture, stone countertops, etc.

We wish you a great rental season! If you find that you need help furnishing your rental, let us take the stress off of getting it right the first time. We can help both locally or from afar. Contact us here to discuss your needs.

Here are a few things you can do to add personality to your investment property and get it sold!

1) Add charm/ personality to the exterior of your home.

Set your house apart by getting buyers' attention from the second they drive by or pull up. A fresh coat of paint, new flowers on the front porch or even new exterior lighting can make buyers feel welcome.

If you are needing help adding personality to your exterior, check out our curb appeal makeover service here.

2) Trade out boring, builder lighting

One of the easiest ways to customize your house is with lighting! Swap out those old, builder-grade lights for something that will catch your buyer's eye. You don't have to spend a ton to make a huge impact! Even the simplest of changes can add a lot of value to your property. Keep in mind the appropriate scale. You don't want tiny lights over a huge island! Keep the theme and feel of the home in mind. If it's a traditional home, don't install more contemporary lights. Here are a few of our current favorites (click for links and pricing). If you can't make up your mind, we can help.

[Click images for sources]

3) Add architectural interest.

Add architectural enhancements to make your home stand out. Opt for taller baseboards over the standard size. Add molding around windows, create a custom sliding barn door or mantelpiece. These are the things that will catch a potential buyer's attention. It will show that your property is unique.

4) Add interesting tile in an area.

Redoing a lot of tiles can become costly with labor expenses and materials. Think of areas where a little bit goes a long way (a fireplace, a bathroom floor, a new backsplash or even laundry room floor or wall). A small amount of material in the right place can make a big change.

[Click images for sources]

5) UPDATE HARD FINISHES.

Trading out old cabinet or door hardware can bring an instant facelift without a lot of effort. Also consider updating tired faucets for something with a little more interest. Kitchens and bathrooms are used daily.  Adding details to these spaces can enhance your property.

[Click images for sources]

Remember, time is money.  Use your funds wisely to make your property stand out from the rest.  Investing a little can yield a big and quick return!