DiSabella Design

Goodbye Blogspot

2014-05-22T15:47:00.001-04:00

Ladies and Gents. This is my last blog post here at the blogspot. I've moved on to bigger and better (and hopefully more professional things). I've decided to take this little blog of mine to the next level. I'm launching my brand new website, FINALLY. I've spent the last 5 months or so working on what could have been a 2 week project in my old life (before becoming a mama). But duty calls, so here I am finally ready to launch this puppy into the world. I'll still be blogging from time to time over on my new site, but I've realized that there are just so many hours in the week and my blogging time was always getting squashed. Because, let's be honest here, I'd much rather be chasing around my tiny little stinker than writing half ass entries about the latest design trends. At this point in life, I owe to myself, my family and all of you to be more present in my life and give 100% of my focus to the task at hand, which usually involves diaper changes, snack time and reading stories.
I've had so much fun blogging here and am so grateful for your support. But as I hang up my blogging hat for a while, I invite you to check out my new website and come along for the next ride in the Disabella Design world.
www.disabelladesign.com

Interior Styling Love

2014-02-16T22:13:00.001-05:00

I've been making a lot of minor tweaks to the house lately. I think now that I spend sooo much time here all the little things are starting to drive me crazy. So I've gone room by room and removed all the old junk that was piling up and replaced it with purposeful, organized items. My goal is to make it look more photo-ready. Now, this basically only applies to things from 3' off the floor and higher. Anything below that is in a state of permanent upheaval. Which is fine, that's the way it should be when you have a toddler running around. I wish my house was perfect and clean all the time, but I've resigned to the fact that it will just be a mess for the next 18 years.

But I digress, I wanted to just take a moment and share some of the photos floating around on Pinterest that inspired me to 'style' my house.

I'm loving these shelves. There is such a nice balance of books and objects. The eye moves around to take it all in, but the organization is cohesive and clean. Take a look at Amber Interiors for more photos.

This coffee table is so fun. I love the placement of the candy dishes and spiky object. The colors really make the table pop. More from Sadie and Stella here.

This is one of my favorite trends right now...TRAYS! Using a tray to organize your clutter makes things feel so much less...cluttery. I just bought a few new ones for my house and I am in love with them. I couldn't find a source for this pretty image :(.

This bedside style is so pretty. It's simple and easy. It kind of feels more like you're staying in a hotel than you're own bedroom...which definitely has some appeal these days. I love the collage of photos above the table. They allow you to personalize your side of the bed without cluttering up your table. Take a peak at Sarah M Dorsey Designs for more images.

Bar carts are such a hot trend these days, as is styling them. I love this fun spread. Makes you want a fruity drink with an umbrella. See more of this amazing apartment tour from The Everygirl.

Last, but not least is this cute little vignette. Everyone has piles of books and magazines, but when you pop a little jar of colorful candies on top it suddenly looks purposeful. So cute! Another good find from The Everygirl.

Hope I've passed on the re-styling bug to you too! If you're interested, I've pinned a few more images here. Feel free to take a peak :)

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FIRST FRIDAY {outfit to room series} The Holidays

2013-12-06T20:43:00.003-05:00

Happy Holiday Season friends! It's here...the most wonderful time of year....or something like that. I am so excited for this month's edition of Outfit to Room. Holiday fashion and decor always makes me smile. I'm not sure what it is...the sparkles, the lights, or just the nostalgia that comes with it all, but every year it just warms a little piece of my soul.

My decorations are still in a box in the garage, but if all goes to plan we'll be in full on Christmas mode by Sunday. And in our household that means 24/7 Christmas music and round the clock viewings of Home Alone. I hope next year we'll be adding in a few new traditions for the little guy too.

I'm so excited this year because we were invited to so many fabulous holiday parties. And now that I'm a stay at home mom, I get a bit too overexcited when I get to dress up and go out somewhere nice. So I was drooling when I came across this Oscar de la Renta shift dress. I love the nuetral colors and the sparkle. It says 'I'm here to party', in a sophisticated, I-don't-have-kids kind of way. So naturally, it seemed like the perfect outfit for me to use as my holiday inspiration.

I put together a board of gorgeous Christmas-y stuff for you guys. Much like the dress above, I love neutrals when it comes to holiday decor. It goes with every house, every room, every style, etc. One of my favorite holiday trends this year is laser cutting. I've seen trees, houses, animals....like complete villages of laser cut decor. Its so fun, while still maintaining a sophisticated look. I'm also a huge fan of the mercury anything...it definitely brings the glamour. And last but not least, Christmas would not be Christmas without a nutcracker. And I know my Mom & Grandma would agree :)

Hope you guys are having fun with your own decor. If you'd like to see more ideas check out my Pinterest board. And don't forget to stop by Yana's blog to see her fabulous picks this month. Enjoy the holiday season and try to go easy on your crazy family members!

Source List:

1. Snow Globe from West Elm

2. Twinkle String Lights from Crate & Barrel

3. Mercury Glass Bottle Vases from West Elm

4. Feather Trees from West Elm

5. Drummer Nutcracker from Crate & Barrel

6. Laser Cut Village from Crate & Barrel

7. Boxwood Square Wreath from West Elm

8. Wiltern Knit Pillow from Ballard Designs

9. Le Marais 9 Light Tea Light Holder from Ballard Designs

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{guest post} How to Design a Contemporary Kitchen

2013-11-14T16:10:00.000-05:00

What is great about contemporary design is that it values function without losing sight of aesthetics. Instead of relying on decor it depends on the essentials or structural features to give it a dash of visual interest.

Lay your fears to rest. This method does not come off looking rigid or austere. On the contrary, contemporary bathrooms and kitchens are able to communicate comfort and luxury even without the use of heavy embellishment. In our book, that’s more of a difficult feat to pull off whereas too much décor teeters dangerously towards the tacky.

Go Modern

Because of this emphasis on what’s only essential, contemporary design offers advantages. The sharp, clean lines, the abundance of light and sleek furnishings, plus a focus on organization make it quite attractive.

The kitchen – one of the busiest areas of the home will certainly benefit from this design. It is light, refreshing, and cozy. Homeowners with limited space for kitchens will prefer this method as it provides ample elbow room while creating an illusion of space.

Getting That Modern Touch

Shelves and Cabinets. Modern kitchens are spacious and to create this lively and cheerful atmosphere, more homeowners are opting for open shelves. It makes sense since cabinets can occupy almost half of the kitchen space.

Cabinets tend to be heavy and eschewing that for shelves, literally opens up the area. If removing the structure is not possible or if cabinets are still preferred, then go for cabinets with clean, straightforward lines, simple hardware, and painted in a neutral color. If possible, choose cabinets with full glass doors.

Lighting. Working in the kitchen can be so pleasant with abundant light. Again, this creates a breezy atmosphere and can be very welcoming particularly if the kitchen is the first room you to go to in the morning.

Natural light is the best source of illumination but we’re aware that this isn’t possible all the time. For this, we recommend installing pendant lights. Again, go for fixtures with simple patterns and shapes.

Appliances. A contemporary kitchen won’t be complete without the convenience of modern appliances. If undertaking a complete kitchen renovation; then put old appliances for sale and purchase new ones. Go for appliances with sleek, reflective surfaces.

Countertops. You can still go for granite if laminate or a stainless steel top does not sound so appealing. Only remember to choose tops with a solid color as patterns can clash with the uniformed look of a contemporary kitchen.

Tiles. Glass tiles are definitely the choice here. They are beautiful, easy to clean, versatile, and are available in different shapes and colors. The possibilities are limitless. There are small, square tiles and there are those in the classic subway style.

Whatever you choose, glass tiles, which are considered highly functional works of art can, add visual interest while also providing protection against grease and grime. In addition, glass tiles also reflect light and if we haven’t stressed it enough, a radiant kitchen is a must in a contemporary home.

There you have it: straight lines, clean layout, and giving it enough space to breathe. That’s the secret to a modern, contemporary kitchen. Keep these in mid if you’re planning to go on a kitchen remodelling project. Over time, you will have a sleek kitchen fit for a celebrity chef.

Success comes easy to those who work hard – that’s Roberta Madison’s mantra in life. As marketing manager of GlassTileStore.com, she gives more than a hundred percent in her work to produce the best results. The company is a provider of high quality glass tiles, subway tiles, metal tiles and other tile products. Follow GlassTileStore.con on G+.

Photo Credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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First Friday {outfit to room} Thanksgiving

2013-11-01T16:38:00.001-04:00

Happy November people! Can you believe the holidays are here already? I know, its a scary thought, but before you go into a full on panic, let's take a quick breather to enjoy the fun part of the holidays....entertaining! I absolutely love entertaining, and this year I'll be cooking 'The Bird' at my house (which reminds me, I better go put my turkey order in). So, I thought for this month's First Friday, instead of designing a room inspired by fashion, I'd design a table. Don't forget to check out Nomad Luxuries ideas this month too - Yana never disappoints!

I was so in love with last month's post, that I found another emerald fashion trend to use as my inspiration this month. I don't know what it is, but I'm drawn to this shade of green. I feel like it is the perfect color for a holiday tablescape. This outfit is classic and simple, just like your table should be for the holidays. That way your conservative grandmother or your hip friend without kids can both find it inviting.

I am a huge fan of simple dishes with textural accents. I love this Vera Wang set from Macys paired with natural pinecones and acorns. It says ease and sophistication at the same time. I am adore this emerald stemware and velvet trimmed burlap napkins. Now all I have to do is figure out what to cook!

Sources: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11For more ideas take a peak at my Pinterest board too!
I hope you enjoyed this month's edition of 'Outfit to Room' (or Outfit to Table). Make sure you check out Nomad Luxuries to see what she's up to this month. Happy Holiday's everyone :)

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{client love} paint palette

2013-10-24T16:08:00.002-04:00

Friends! I have been busy! Who knew that taking care a baby 24-7 would take up SO much of your time. I never thought I'd be one of those moms who takes a week to return an email, but sadly, I am that person now. I feel like I do NOTHING and EVERYTHING everyday. My little peanut is napping right now, so if efforts to accomplish something during my 45 minute break from mommyland, I thought I'd share something from my non-mommy world.

My clients (and dear friends) needed some minor updates with there paint colors. They hired a contractor to take there house from good to great with a few minor tweaks - one of them being touching up the walls. There house has old plaster walls that have warped and cracked over the years. The average guest would never see these imperfections, but to them it was the only thing they saw. So there contractor smoothed out and patched all the walls to make them look brand new. They also added crown molding and new baseboard throughout the house. These minor details made for a pretty amazing transformation. I can't wait until it's all done to share some photos with you.

In the meantime, here is the very simple and neutral paint color palette that we created. I have to say, its one of my favorites. We started with the main house color - Mindful Gray, which was actually just one shade darker than the current color they had. Taking it a shade darker really helped the new base and crown molding to pop. We carried this color throughout the entire house and then used the other colors as accents in the bedrooms and bathrooms. We used Lemongrass in the master bedroom, Ancient Marble in all the bathrooms, and Celery for the new Nursery. Then we picked Roycraft Pewter for the accent wall in there dining room. Its freaking gorgeous!

All the colors are from Sherwin Williams.

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First Friday {outfit to room series} Fall

2013-10-04T14:04:00.000-04:00

It's October already....how did that happen? These weeks just keep flying by. Time is suddenly moving so fast. I now have an 8 month old baby boy!? I know, it feels like yesterday that he was an itty bitty 7 pound baby, and now he can army crawl across the room in 30 seconds flat. Crazy town.

But, that's not the point of this post. Today, I come to you with this month's edition of First Friday! In the spirit of these crisp fall days, fellow blogger Yana and I thought we would find some inspiration from our favorite fall fashion trend. Be sure to check out the fabulous Nomad Luxuries to see her October picks.

I fell in love with this outfit. I love all the textures and layers. And I am absolutely obsessed with this deep shade of green. Its so rich and luxurious.

So with this outfit in mind, I pulled together some pieces for a beautiful and relaxing bedroom. I used the deep green accents, but also some textural neutrals, like the fur pillow and the bedding. This long horizontal painting would look perfect over the bed, and I have to thank my client Joanna for showing me this fantastic artist. It's hard to tell from the photo, but the mirror is actually a leather frame, which reminded me of the leather gloves from the outfit.

I hope you like this month's post. Take a peak at last month's post to for some additional inspiration. And don't forget to visit Yana's page, Nomad Luxuries - she never disappoints!Sources:1. Ronald Hunter, Abstract Painting, Green Blocks Landscape2. Shades of Light, British Reading Wall Lamp3. Layla Grace, Pine Cone Hill, Watercolor Dots Duvet Cover4. Restoration Hardware, Leather Framed Mirror5. West Elm, Nailhead 3-Drawer Dresser6. West Elm, Velvet Pole Pocket Curtain7. West Elm, Martini Side Table8. Lulu and Georgia, Satya Rug9. Zinc Door, Mer Rings Throw Pillow10. Restoration Hardware, Luxe Faux Fur PillowFor further images, check out my Pinterest board. Happy Friday friends!

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{client love} kids rooms

2013-09-27T21:56:00.000-04:00

I have been working on some super fun spaces that I've been dying to share with you. My client has three kids and is in the process of shuffling around there rooms. Right now the oldest boy and girl share a room and the baby has his own room. But we're switching things up so that the little girl has her own room and the two boys will share. It's a little tricky because the boys are about 5 years apart in age, so one is playing sports and collecting baseball cards and the other is still a little guy in diapers.

Functionally, we've been working on the layout to create a private big kid zone for the older boy and a separate area for the little kid toys. The colors and decor have been so much fun to pick. We knew wanted to do a bright space with lots of primary colors. Below is the original concept for the space. Things have progressed from here, but this was our starting point.

For the little girl's room, well this is like my dream come true. She's not a girly girl, so princesses were out of the question. Her favorite color is purple and she asked me for a rainbow of stripes in her room (i love this kid!). Below are some of the initial ideas. We've tweeked our concept slightly, but the flower decals and the pennants are a go. Right now we're working on picking the bedding and carpets, I can't wait to see how this turns out. I'm not sure who is more excited about this - her mom and I or Simone.

Stay tuned for more updates on these rooms. I hope to actually get these photographed when there done!

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First Friday {outfit to room series} School Uniforms

2013-09-06T17:14:00.000-04:00

It's time again for First Friday Outfit to Room Series! As you remember, fellow blogger Yana from Nomad Luxuries and I kicked off our new series last month with a Summery-Beach look. This month we thought we'd draw some inspiration from the oh so fabulous (or not so fabulous) school uniform.

Weather you think of little cuties like these kiddos:

Or perhaps you mind goes more to GG Season One:

In either case the basic features of a uniform are the same. Black, White, Plaid, Primary color. Done. I mean the basic premise of a uniform is to keep it simple, right? Keep everyone on an even playing field. They're not really made to stand out. But I've noticed some super-fly kids (think Jo-L, Jenny from the block era) walking the streets of DC in school uniforms. They all find a way to make there personalities stand out regardless of the uniform. So with that in mind. I choose some pieces that are basic with a few highlights to make a statement...like the red ampersand or the yellow farm light. All these pieces are also reminiscent of a school classroom. I mean, why not go for it.

Sources:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

So if you're ever in the mood to design a fun little schoolhouse inspired office space, you've got a good palette of options to work with now. This could be adorable for a home office or small little desk area for a kids room. Check out my Pinterest board for more pieces that will top off this look.

And don't forget to check out Yana's post to see what she came up with for her School Uniform look. I'm sure it will be super glamorous!

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{client love} nursery concepts

2013-08-30T15:49:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to be helping two of my closest and dearest friends design there nursery for there first baby. He or she is due in January, which sounds like we have tons of time to plan. But, its almost September and before we know it the holidays will be here and then it'll be January. And there is always that possibility that the baby will come early. Ahh, that sounds scary when I put it like that! But fear not, because we've been working hard on getting this little room together so they're not scrambling at the last minute.

They've decided to keep the gender a surprise (we did too!), which means we have to design a gender neutral concept for the room. I put together a little sampling of some gender neutral rooms that I've found absolutely adorable. (More on Pinterest).

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

(Starting at the top left)

They all have a few ideas in common:

No pink or blue. Choose a color scheme that is calming or playful for either a boy or girl, like greens, grays or yellows.
Replace a gender specific theme (like butterflies or cars) with bold patterns and prints like chevron or polka dots.
White furniture makes a neutral base for either gender.
Use simple artwork without suggesting a theme, like ABCs, animals or a cute saying.

Here are a few concepts I put together for them based on a few ideas we talked about.

{dog theme}

in honor of there cute little sproodle

{giraffe theme}

because all kids love animals

{music theme}

since they are both really into music

{travel theme}
they also both love traveling and toured the world together

I hope you like them! We've narrowed in a few ideas, so when everything is final I'll report back with our final selections. In the meantime check out my Pinterest board to see more of the products we pulled together.

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New Photo Ledges

2013-08-21T17:00:00.001-04:00

A little over a year ago, I made this cute tack board for our kitchen. It was super adorable and at the time I thought it looked so perfect and organized. And it did....for a while.

Until it turned into this disaster:

There is so much clutter and junk on there we couldn't tell who just had a baby or what season it was. So, we ditched the old tack board and put up these photo ledges, which just so happened to fit that little wall perfectly, and I mean 'to the inch' perfectly.

I feel like it was meant to be. Doesn't it look sooo much cute now? I just hope I can keep it looking cute and adorable and not clutter it up with crap like I did before. I guess time will tell.

Now I just have to find some sort of artwork to hang above it. It needs something to kind of finish it off. Don't you think? Any suggestions?

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{client love} Bedroom & Living Room Concepts

2013-08-13T16:14:00.003-04:00

I had a wonderful meeting over the weekend with a great friend/client/neighbor. I was so touched that she called me for help, because quite frankly I always thought her place looked great. But she's secretly been struggling to pull everything together and this can be quite challenging for alot of people. So I was happy to help! Luckily she's got great bones (ie. awesome furniture, rugs, floors, etc.) to work with but just needs a little help with the finishing touches. So that's where I come in.

She already had a fairly neutral palette to work with. Mostly everything was black, white and pale blue, which makes my job easy. She knew she needed an accent color, but just wasn't sure which one would look the best. I recommended yellows, oranges or poppy reds. I love a warm color to balance out the cool tones of the blue and black. It also really pops against the neutral background. I usually go with the 80/20 rule. 80% of your room should your base color (in this case neutrals & blues) and the other 20% should be your accent color.

You can pull the accent colors in with pillows, artwork, flowers, etc. These pieces really help to move your eye through the space and create a balanced look. I also encouraged her to introduce pattern into her space to add a little visual interest.

Another area she was struggling with was a place to display all her trinkets and travel keepsakes. Currently they are just scattered throughout her bookshelves, making them look cluttered and hard to see. So, I suggested using a photo ledge to display them. This allows you to have all your items displayed in a neat and organized way.

Living Room concept:

Next, she needed just a little bit of help in the bedroom. She has kind of an awkward layout, so I recommended some new furniture pieces that might help take advantage of some of the strange little nooks. I also recommended this gray tone finish. She's got dark, almost black hardwood floors, so this finish will pop nicely on them.

The other thing she needed was window treatments. She has dark gray/charcoal bedding with a big graphic pattern, so I felt that solid or small patterned curtains were the best approach. I really like the moss green color below. Its a nice calming color for the bedroom and its a dark color so it helps provide some blackout without paying for the premium for blackout curtains. I'm also in love with the oversized curtain rods below. We have them in our house and I recommend them to everyone.

Bedroom concept:

Now that she has some guidelines, I hope she has luck pulling everything together. I love working with my clients, especially when they're friends too :)

Check out my Pinterest board for more images and sources.

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Client Update: Paint Color Consult

2013-08-08T10:19:00.000-04:00

Recently I got a somewhat emergent request for a paint color consult. A couple was in the middle of a renovation and ready for painting. There plan was to use the color experts at Frager's until the dreaded fire arouse. While this still hurts my heart every day and I cannot wait for the triumphant return of our beloved hardware store, this created a unique opportunity for me. I responded to there cries for help on our neighborhood list-serve and low and behold they hired me.

So one morning we got together bright and early while the sun was shining and selected paint colors for there entire house. I encouraged them to hang samples and wait a few days before committing, but these two didn't have the time to wait. The contractor had a schedule to uphold and they were in no position to hold him up. So off to the paint store they went.

Below are the paint colors we landed on. They have a great relaxing vibe to them. I hope they are liking these new colors and there new place! All the colors were selected from Sherwin Willliams paint system, my personal fav.

Whattya think? You like? I hope so! If you're interested in learning more about the paint color selection process, take a peak at this post.

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Introducing....First Friday, Outfit to Room Series

2013-08-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

I'm super excited to announce the first edition of First Fridays...Outfit to Room series. I've teamed up with fellow blogger Yana from Nomad Luxuries for a fun little project that we're planning to do the First Friday of every month. Basically we're planning on finding inspiration from fashion and styling a room based on the outfit. Fashion and Interior trends are so highly influenced by one another, so why not embrace it!

For our first edition, we're starting off with a summer/beach look. Below is my inspiration. I love the vibrant colors against the natural textures of the background.

And here is my mood board. Like the photo, I paired neutral textures with bold pops of color. I used the more permanent elements, like seating, tables and flooring as the neutral base and back drop. Then layered the accents on top with pillows, art, accessories.

I love the ease and cheeriness of this space. I'd be thrilled to have a room like this in my house someday!

Image Sources:

1 Shades of Light, Quatrefoil Cage Table Lamp
2 Layla Grayce, Somerset Bay Lillie End Table
3 West Elm, Crosby Sofa
4 Lacefield Designs, Vintage Uzbek Linen Pillow
5 West Elm, Dune Vases
6 Zinc Door, Palm Beach Light Wood Taupe Boucle Chair
7 Lacefield Designs, Sultana Pillow in Fig & Glass
8 VN Printable Art, Botanical Sea Kelp
9 Dash and Albert, Natural Jute Woven Rug
10 West Elm, Carved Wood Coffee Table

**You can also take a peak at my Pinterest board to find these images and more.

Hope you liked the first edition of our Outfit to Room series! Be sure to check out Yana's blog to see her creation and stay tuned for next months edition. Maybe it'll be a Back to School theme or possibly a Labor Day Picnic scheme. We'll see where the mood takes us.

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A page of my portfolio....

2013-07-24T21:51:00.000-04:00

hello happy campers. a long long time ago (ok it was actually like only 6 months ago), i worked in a design firm for big company that designs pretty buildings and interiors called VOA. Before my son was born, I lived and breathed for my clients and projects. I loved it and I miss it so much. But, I've decided that I love my little guy more and I'm going to put his needs ahead of my own for a while. So the days of putting on a pretty dress and going to work have been put on hold temporarily. I can now classify myself as a Stay at Home Mom. And while I used to be so envious of all the moms I would see hanging out in the park just relaxing the day away with there kids, I now know better. These women have a much harder job than I ever did. Staying home with your kid is no joke, they are demanding little monsters who occupy every second of your day. They need constant attention and just when you think you have it all figured out they throw a curveball and you're back where you started.

But I digress. I love my baby more than anything, so for him I will forgo my career and just be his mommy. And I'm hoping to find some great opportunities while I'm at it. I've got a residential handful of clients that I'm working with right now and that is keeping my me happy for the time being. Actually, its been a great balance of mommyhood and working. I just hope I can continue to find more great clients with great projects.

In honor of my beloved career in the commercial world, I thought I would share some photos I just got back from one of the projects I left before my maternity leave. It turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. Take a looksy.

Main conference room looking into the lobby-waiting area. This image shows the operable partition wall closed.

This is the same view, with the operable partition open

Break room/pantry area

Main reception

Reception waiting area

Open workstations

Disclaimer: VOA is the owner of these photos. The client's name has been blurred to protect there privacy.

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Product Trends: Summer Favs!

2013-07-09T20:53:00.000-04:00

Well summer is here, there is no denying that. And so are the summer catalogs in my mailbox. These things show up in herds and usually I just take a browse at the cover and throw them in a pile on my table until I toss them 6 months later. But, for some reason they got my full attention this month. Could it be because my child will keep himself occupied for more than 2 minutes at a time now? Haha, no. I wish. I think its mainly because I'm missing working and I actually enjoy the few minutes I can tear away from diaper changes and feedings to take a peak at the latest and greatest products on the market.

I found some pretty cute stuff and I collage-d it all together. I love all these pieces individually, but I love them even more together. I think they will look perfect in my summer beach house that I pretend I own. What do you guys think? Don't you love summer style? It's so easy breezy!

In case you're loving these as much as me, here are the links to all the product pages:

1. Salon Mirror

2. Bushel Basket Pendant

3. Aura Credenza

4. Granada Cocktail Table

5. Sand Bar Art

6. Beulah Rocking Chair

Happy Summer everyone!

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Custom Sliding Barn Door

2013-06-11T10:20:00.000-04:00

So there was a super amazing thing that we did before the baby arrived that I never told you about. The pregnancy fog took over and I neglected to share all photos and stories about our beeeauutiful barn door! Before I get into the nitty gritty, take a look at this beauty:

Here is the AFTER:

And here is the BEFORE:

The background is basically this: Before the baby we had a two bedroom house, and that was fine then cause we really didn't need any more than two bedrooms. But, now with the baby and the grandparents stopping in all the time, we kinda needed another bedroom. And luckily the layout of our house made adding a third bedroom super easy. Basically we just built a dividing wall on the top floor and called it a day (or a bedroom). It was really that simple. So now we have a 3 bedroom house, and the top floor is kind of like this awesome apartment now, which is so nice when we have visitors because they have there own little space to retreat too.

My biggest concern with adding the wall was that it would block off all the light, so we wanted to make the opening as big as possible which meant a standard three foot wide door would not do. So I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to introduce a sliding door. That way the opening could be closer to four feet wide and we wouldn't take up space in the bedroom with the big door swing. The only problem was where can we find a custom size sliding door.

Well, i'll tell you where. An amazing website called CustomMade.com, thats where. This site was perfect for this little project. Basically you create and account there, post a custom project that you're interested in and then people or shop owners from all over the country will send you bids. You can put in parameters for local vendors and pricing. So I posted our project with a couple of photos of what we were looking for and I think I got over a dozen bids within days. We ended up using a local craftsman in Virginia called Strong Oaks Woodshop and couldn't be happier with the results.

Here are a few close ups of the door:

The door was built out of reclaimed hickory and salvaged hardware from an old barn in Virginia. They added in a little new oak for structural stability as well. That thing is super sturdy! Also, pretty green my friends!

I'm so excited I finally got this posted! This was by far one of the best projects we've done in our house. Have you ever had anything custom made for your house? Were you happy with the results??

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Giveaway: Custom Typography Print

2013-05-30T12:11:00.000-04:00

Today's giveaway is brought to you by the darling Etsy shop Indigo Rain. I couldn't be more excited to tell you about the adorable print she's offered to giveaway to one lucky reader! I actually picked out the print in honor of all my great friends that I consider family. I would love to hang this on my walls to have a little reminder of all the amazing people that have come into my life. I hope you all like it just as much as I do.

So without further ado, here is the adorable print that could be yours:

The winner can choose either color scheme. The giveaway is open to readers worldwide (thanks Indigo Rain!). Each reader will have 10 ways to enter with additional daily entries for Facebook shares and Tweets. Please note, you must complete the activity you've entered to be eligible to win. Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If this print looks a little familiar thats because we have an Indigo Rain original hanging in our nursery. I absolutely adore it! When I saw it I knew I had to have it. I just love the saying, it couldn't be more true!

If you’re enjoying Design Create Love, show me your <3 by liking my Facebook fan page, subscribing to my Blog, or following me on Twitter.

Terms & Conditions:

Giveaway ends June 5th at 12:00 AM EST. Open to Residents Worldwide. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by email. Winner have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Please note that Design Create Love, by DiSabella Design is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. I will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly. I will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with a sponsor, please notify the blog you won a prize from within 30 days for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you. The product provided for the review was free of charge from the company. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter and Etsy are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.

Giveaway: Colorful Art Print from Artualized

2013-05-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to tell you about today's giveaway from Artualized! Gustavo, the fabulous shop owner at Artualized has offered to give away one free 8x10 print to the winner. The only problem is, there are so many great choices its going to be hard for you to choose just one! I mean really, check out how awesome these are. There's something for everyone....

....Queens:

.....Dog Lovers:

....Marley Fans:

....Design Nerds:

I want them all!

Actually, remember this little guy? This Nerdy Owl in our nursery came from Artualized. And we adore him.

So now that you've seen a sampling of the amazing prints from Artualized, go check out the shop and enter the giveaway for a chance to decorate your own walls with these one of a kind prints. Everyone has 10 different ways to enter. Choose 1, 2 or all 10. Please note, you must complete the activity you've entered to be eligible to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is restricted to US residents only. The giveaway winner will be announced on Monday, May 20th. Check back soon for details! Thanks for entering :)

If you’re enjoying Design Create Love, show me your <3 by liking my Facebook fan page, subscribing to my Blog, or following me on Twitter.

Giveaway ends June 5th at 12:00 AM EST. Open to Residents Worldwide. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by email. Winner have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Please note that Design Create Love, by DiSabella Design is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. I will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly. I will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with a sponsor, please notify the blog you won a prize from within 30 days for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you. The product provided for the review was free of charge from the company. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter and Etsy are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.

Nursery Design & Decor...Part 2

2013-05-08T11:19:00.001-04:00

So, I recently debuted our owl themed nursery design and got lots of positive feedback. Check out that post for info about the overall design concept and where to find some of the big ticket items (and again, I swear I'm not being paid to promote Pottery Barn Kids). This week I thought I would tell you about all the little details and some of the fabulous vendors I worked with to create all the personal touches.

All of the artwork that I purchased for the nursery was sourced from Etsy. I am a huge supporter of Etsy sellers and purchase things from them whenever possible. I love using it for interior decor because 9 times out of 10 the sellers are willing to customize there pieces for you free of charge. Which allows you to create a unique, pulled together space.

Here are a few pics of the overall nursery:

To recap, I decided on an animal scheme room that morphed into owl themed room. The main color scheme was blue-green and white with pops of orange. The bedding and upholstery are all warm neutral, earthy tones. The area rug brought in a few additional colors, but I wanted to the main accent color to be orange to tie into the rest of the house.

With that in mind, I was on the hunt for owl-slash-animal-slash-cute in a nursery artwork that worked in my color scheme. I found some amazing artists and had such a time deciding between everything. But eventually I pulled everything together and created a cute little collage that I my little man already loves looking at.

Below are the links where you can find the art pictured above:

Numbers and Letters Prints: Print Chicks. I worked with this vendor to customize the colors of these prints. She has a custom color palette that you can choose from to create any color combo you choose. I love this concept and I usually look for vendors that offer this. It really helps pull together a room.

Geeky Owl Print: Artualized. I just loved this print and the orange was perfect for the color scheme. This particular vendor doesn't specialize in nursery art like some of the others I found, but I think that's why I liked the print so much, because we can use it later in his big boy room.

Woodland Owl Print: Delivered by Danielle. I liked the softness of this print. I thought it was a great compliment to the bold colors of the other prints. It also picked up on the neutral tones of the bedding.

On the opposite side of the room, I picked up this super adorable print that I fell in love with when I first found out I was pregnant. I had seen the quote somewhere else and then I saw it with the owls and had to have it! How can you resist such a cute little saying!?

First We Had Each Other Print: Indigo Rain

And lastly, let me tell you about the super adorable tree decals. I actually can't take credit for this idea. My husband really wanted to do these big decals. I wasn't for it at first, because I thought it would fight the stencil on the opposite wall (which i still kinda think it does), but I just love the way it turned out. It totally makes the room. And this is where my husband will start talking about how he's a better designer than I am, blah, blah. So there are a ton of great decal sites, but personally I think alot of them are a rip off and there designs are a bit too over the top. I wanted something simple and customizable. I choose this vendor because I thought the graphics were very elegant and they also let me choose the colors. And as I mentioned before, I think that is a critical factor of bringing a room together.

Tree & Owl Decals: In An Instant Art

So that's the nursery in a nutshell. Our little guy loves it. I love walking into his room in the morning to find him happily laying in his crib looking at his walls. It makes my heart melt and makes me so happy that I spent the time to pick out every last piece for him. I would love to design another nursery! But not for me, not right now anyway! One little owl is enough to handle right now :)

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Guest Post! Summery Looks - Beach House Touches

2013-04-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hello, all! It's Mari here and I'm so excited to be here at Design Create Love today with a guest post from Arcadian Home blog. It's a fabulous place to find lots of interior design inspiration including beautiful home dÈcor ideas from coastal wall art to awesome foyer lighting and much more. Today, we're going to take a look at ways to get a summery look for your home with beach house touches. Whether you live near the ocean or in a land-locked apartment, it's a great look. Please enjoy! Thanks for letting me stop by for a visit. ~ Mari

Let's begin with an all out beach cottage look. This entire coastal vignette could be transported to the mud room of a suburban home with great results. The blue and white beach towels would be perfect for days at the local swimming pool instead of a sandy beach.

Add a wicker chair and a gallery wall of ocean themed artwork and you have an instant beach house look. A natural fiber area rug and blue skirted ottomans reinforce the coastal feel here.

Got the coastal blues and longing for summer? Add a beach house vibe to just about any white room with a chair upholstered or slipcovered in wavy blue and white fabric. Not all coastal looks must be literal.

This dining room has a rough painted gnarled wood table, but a space with a more traditional table base could just as easily be given a summery beach house look with blue glassware and contemporary painting in ocean blues and greens. A capiz pendant light and pale watery seats on the white chairs finish off the coastal look.

This lovely dining room goes for a summery look with sea blue bottles, a beach landscape painting and driftwood on the built-in buffet. A blue drum shade adds a beach feel to the modern pendant light.

Textiles are one of the easiest ways to add summery beach house touches to a room with a neutral color palette. The row boat on the ceiling, not so easy. I love the interior designer who did this bedroom suite.

By simply adding coastal wall art, this beautiful blue breakfast room gets a summery beach house look. I love everything about this room from the table decor to French bistro chairs and garden table.

A collection of oversized blown glass bottles can easily bring a beach house look to a city apartment. Add blooming branches and suddenly it's a spring, dreaming of summer time.

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 What do you think of these beach house spaces? Leave your comments below and come by our blog for more lighting and home decor inspirations!

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Nursery Design & Decor....Part 1

2013-04-15T20:52:00.000-04:00

I think its finally time that I debuted our nursery to the blog-o-sphere. After spending countless hours nursing and rocking and bouncing our little man in here, I feel like I know every detail of this room. And I've been wanting to share it with you.

So if you recall, this room used to be our guest bedroom. It looked like this:

Things have changed quite a bit, and now it looks like this:

Since we didn't know the sex of our baby beforehand, everything had to be gender neutral. I thought through various themes for the room, but eventually decided that an animal theme would be best perfect for a boy or a girl. I fell in love with a few bedding sets from Pottery Barn Kids, first it was going to be elephants, but then as I purchased things, I changed my mind to owls. (Again, Courtney and Elysia, if you're reading, sorry about that last minute switch which completely derailed the baby shower theme).

Once I had the owl theme going, everything just kind of fell into place. We got owl bedding, animal carpet with owls, owl art, owls decals, etc. There are tons of adorable little owl sayings out there too, which I fully intend to post about soon! We couldn't be happier with the way the room turned out, and I was feeling like either way - boy or girl the room would be a happy, cheerful and restful environment.

Here is a list of all the big items we purchased:

Crib: Pottery Barn Kids, Catalina 3-in-1 Crib. I really liked the idea of the crib growing with our baby. So for now its a crib, in a year or two it'll be a toddler bed and then eventually a headboard for a twin bed.
Changing Table: Pottery Barn Kids, Kendall Extra Wide Dresser. Again, this is a piece he can grow into. At some point when we're done with all those diapers, we can take off the topper and use this as a regular dresser.
Rocker + Ottoman: Pottery Barn Kids, Charleston Convertible Rocker. We liked this piece because we thought it would fit into our home as a regular chair after we're done with the baby phase. It came with a set of stationary feet, so you can swap out the rocking part at any time. The upholstery is also customizable which is a fun perk.
Rug: Momeni Lil Mo, Whimsy Rug. My husband actually picked out the rug. He really had his heart set on a round rug. And this one was perfect. We love all the colors and animal theme. This was sort of the catalyst for the rest of our selections. We used all the colors of the rug to inspire the accent colors in the artwork.

Now I know this sounds like a big plug for Pottery Barn Kids, but I did my research and found that I liked the style and prices the best from PBK. Plus, my good old designer discount never hurts to sway my opinion.

So, stay tuned for Part 2 of the Nursery Design & Decor for more info on the artwork and accessories.

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New Portfolio

2013-03-21T17:21:00.000-04:00

Now that I'm a mom life has changed dramatically, but one thing is still the same - I never have enough time to do all the projects that I dream up in my head. But somehow between diapering and feedings I managed to put together a little online portfolio of some of my projects. I get requests all the time to see my work, so here it is! Please check it out when you have some time!

http://heatherdisabella.carbonmade.com/

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Sponsor Love

2012-10-17T19:06:00.000-04:00

Today's post is dedicated to one of my fabulous sponsors: The Moroccan Room! They have been a sponsor of mine for the last few months, so today I would like to say thanks!

Moroccan decor has emerged on the marketplace and The Moroccan Room has been at the forefront. With fabulous selections in rugs, lamps, pillows, and jewelry, there is no shortage of authentic Moroccan pieces to choose from.

Below are some of my favorite pieces from there store:

Antique Berber Interior Door

$5,000

Red Tagine with Berber Motifs

$59.00

Small Tea Pot

$49.00

Beautiful Design Tote

$79.00

Beni Ourain Rug

$2,995.00

If you haven't checked out there store, do it now! And many many thanks to The Moroccan Room for there sponsorship.

If you’re enjoying Design Create Love, show me your <3 by liking my Facebook fan page, subscribing to my Blog, or following me on Twitter.

Nursery Gliders

2012-10-03T21:37:00.001-04:00

This week, we've taken leaps and bounds with the nursery planning. We went to look at cribs and changing tables and we've also narrowed our search of gliders (which are a huge freakin chunk of change - my god!).

We're still in the process of deciding on the glider, so I thought I'd write up a quick post about the ones we're looking at to see if you guys have any ideas for me. My criteria is pretty basic - good simple design (obviously), comfort (obviously), and ease of repurposing (will this look good in our loft in a few years).

Below are the finalists:

Gus Modern, Sparrow Glider + Ottoman
Glider: $999
Ottoman: $399

Monte, Luca Glider + Ottoman

Glider: $995

Ottoman: $385

Room & Board, Shay Swivel Glider + Ottoman

Glider: $899

Ottoman: $499

Pottery Barn Kids, Charleston Convertible Rocker + Ottoman
Rocker: $649
Ottoman: $349
Stationary Feet: $69

So, now I need your opinions. Please tell me what you think. Mommies out there, what are your opinions?? Which one would you pick? Can't wait to hear from you!

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