It’s been way too long since I last posted.  Things have been busy!  But I thought I would share some design thoughts with you today and a few of my favorite things, many of which I use in a lot of my projects.

1. Favorite paint color = Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White.  White paint colors are so hard to get right!  Sometimes depending on the undertones or the colors they are next to, they can lean ivory, yellow, muddy, gray or even pink.  Decorator’s White is a nice crisp white without being stark.  It looks great with cool colors like grays and blues.  It’s the color I used for the trim and cabinetry in my own house and it’s still my favorite 5 years later.  Here’s a photo of my keeping room where I used it on the trimwork and brick.

2. Favorite bedroom staple = a white quilt.  Not sure how to get the magazine worthy look when pulling your bedding together?  I love to use a white quilt for layering. Sometimes I use it as a blanket under another quilt or duvet with color and/or pattern at the end of the bed and sometimes I like to use a white quilt at the end of the bed with other pieces layered underneath.  There is just something so clean and crisp about a white quilt in a bedroom!  I like linen/cotton blends the best and you can often find them at big box retailers pretty easily which allows you to spend a little more money on pillows and the rest of your bedding. Here I used a textured white quilt for layering under a patterned gray duvet cover in the Chastain Master Bedroom Project.

3. Favorite styling accessory = a tall vase.  I am ALWAYS looking for pretty, large vases.  Even if I don’t need one at the time, I’ll pick one up whenever I see a pretty one because I know I will use it on a project down the road.  They are very versatile because you can add real greens or flowers, some cool branches or even leave it empty.  They give really nice height and movement when styling a vignette.  Here in this kitchen I used two vases and added real branches on this center island.

4.  Favorite “behind the scenes” item = feather down pillow inserts for your decorative pillows.  Seriously, this one is huge for me.  Nine times out of ten, a polyester insert just won’t give you the same high-end look.  For a little bit more money, you can get much better looking pillows with feather down inserts which are about 2 inches bigger than your pillow cover.  If you see a pillow you love but it’s got a polyester insert, most pillow covers have a zipper so just swap it out!  Of course, don’t forget to fluff your feather down pillows every once in a while.  They will look beautiful when you do!  In this guest bedroom, I used feather down inserts in these ready made pillows and they look beautiful!

5.  Favorite finishing touch = real greenery.  Whether it’s a fiddle leaf fig, fresh flowers, eucalyptus, a succulent, cool sculptural branches or a palm leaf, you can’t go wrong.  It’s amazing how much a pretty plant or stems in an interesting vase can transform a room.  I LOVE how this fiddle leaf fig tree looks in this dining area along with the eucalyptus branches in the milk jug.

So there you have it!  These are just a few of my favorite things!

First, I am thankful for so many people and so many opportunities this year.  I am grateful for amazing clients who have invited me into their most personal spaces and shared with me sentimental moments and big milestones in their lives!  These same clients have supported me with their referrals, encouragement and compliments. It is because of all of you that I am able to do something that brings me so much joy.  It is a wonderful feeling to have a client tell me I have made their home a more enjoyable place to create memories with their families and friends or a more peaceful retreat to escape all of the stimulation of the outside world.

I continue to be excited and passionate about the journey of cultivating and growing my design business. There isn’t a day or night that goes by that I don’t think about the how, why, where and when of improving the satisfaction and value I bring to my clients while balancing my desire to grow a sustainable and profitable business with being a mom, wife, friend, daughter, etc.  It is a balancing act for sure!  There is always more to learn about running an interior design business and a successful and profitable one at that.

I am also thankful for some amazing women who have supported and inspired me this year. I am encouraged and hopeful to see so many women in my community and really all over the world, lifting each other up and genuinely cheering each other on.  It has truly inspired me to want to do better – to stop comparing myself to others and instead to pave my own unique path.  This world is certainly big enough for us all to be successful.

So what’s in store for 2018?  I am excited for several upcoming projects with some established clients as well as some new ones.  I can’t wait to see what this year holds and look forward to some new challenges that push me out of my comfort zone.  One exciting part of this business is that no two projects are ever alike!

To end, I thought I’d share the before and after shots from one of my favorite projects of 2017.  It was a big transformation for a room that was never used in my client’s home.  I was so happy to turn it into a functional space that this family is now excited to use for entertaining or a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the house.

BEFORE

AFTER

After I did a paint color consultation last week which included exterior paint color selections, I realized I never posted before and after pictures from our favorite exterior renovation last year.  I will let the photos speak for themselves!

Here are a few before photos of the insanely overgrown, 1970’s beauty.

The AFTER photos:

Thanks for stopping by!!

Today I have a confession to make.  “My name is Heather Brown and I have an obsession with pillows.”  Seriously.  I went into Homegoods the other day to return something and I told myself at least three times “do not go down the pillow aisle.”  Sure enough, I wasn’t in there for more than 10 minutes and I got totally sucked in.  I DID NOT have time for this!  I had no place for these fun colorful pillows but they caught my eye and I found myself imaging them on a white slip-covered sofa in a beach cottage.  I forced myself to walk away!

 

Awhile back, I did a consultation for a new client. She and her husband asked me for some ideas to update their family/TV room.  They asked for my thoughts on the furniture arrangement, fabrics, accessories, etc.  But by the end of the appointment, they had not mentioned the dark wood judges paneling that was smothering their room.  The dark brown wood paneling that was the backdrop for their brown sofa, brown wood floors, brown rug, dark brown leather chair, and dark wood side tables.   Needless to say, they liked brown.  Or so they thought.  When I realized they weren’t going to mention it, I asked if they would consider painting the judges paneling.  My client looked at her husband and his face turned to one of alarm.   There is something about painting wood that makes some men cringe!  It took some time and some inspiration photos but they ultimately agreed that the paneling should be painted.  Here’s the paneling:

 

Since I took these photos, we have also added a new rug and art on the walls to finish the room.  Are you ready to make a transformation in your home?  I’d love to help!