The Detailed Designer

This Little Piggy is Back From Market!!!!

2012-01-17T16:36:00.001-06:00

I just returned from a Super Fast Trip to Market in Atlanta and Here is just a few of the Great New Things that Caught My Eye. My new webstore will be up and running in a week or two and everything will be available for purchase there. It is Decor Estes at www.decorestes.com and will also be featuring jewelry, bath and kids products carefully selected by moi!

Faboulous Chest! On it's way for a very Fabulous Client! Will be a Vanity with and Antique Mirrored Top when we Get Finished with it!

Sleek and Simple! What not to Love. It is on it's way right now as we read to it's new home in MY FOYER!!!

The Wood on this is GORGEOUS!!!

These Throws Come in The Prettiest Colors and are So Soft and Comfy! So glad to be Selling them Now!

Cannot Wait to put You in a Playroom!

Cannot wait to Put You Over a Kitchen island!

Market was great and there was way more than this to die for! Keep your eyes peeled for more here and on www.decorestes.com

xoxo Jennifer

Free Room Design for The New Year

2012-01-03T22:03:00.000-06:00

I have had so much fun learning how to use olio board and incorporating it into my design work. Here is the first board that I just finished. I decided to pull together a room in a trending color scheme of Gold and Grey from the Trendy and Low Budget Home Store West Elm. It has a good Look for a very Nice Price that should be affordable to everyone! So here it is!!! Your Free Room Design to Kick off 2012.

Out with the Old and in With the New!

2012-01-03T00:44:00.008-06:00

MY NEW YEAR Is Looking LIKE THIS!!!!!

Simplified, Subdued, Bold Colors and Tailored Pieces

Love the Overall Neutral Design with Sharp Contrasts Mainly Coming from the Toned Down Graphite and Ivory Color Scheme. The 2 Citrine Pillows and Pair of Citrine Chairs mixed in Is Just Enough without being to Much!

Love how the Excessive Use of a Texturized Dark Neutral Can almost Come Across and Soft, Subdued and Fabulously Simple

Out with The Old!!!

My Old House . Early 2000s Traditional decor with triadic color scheme antiques, ruffles on draperies etc! In with the New!!!

On the Way Out????
This is the more recent trend of soft , serene colors, transitional styles ( transitional pieces that have been tweaked to give them a more tailored and modern feel.) There is almost nothing about this color scheme to offend anyone.
(picture found on Pinterest)

Is this what's Next????
Not too Far off From the Neutral and Tailored Days but The Bold Blues with the one Acid Raspberry Colored Wall is Almost Screaming For some Fun. As much as I like where we have been ............ I do like where this is going as well. In small doses though.
(Picture Found on Pinterest)

So this does leave me to tell you where I think things are going ( or I hope they do)

I really like some of these chevron patterns in small doses. Here are some pictures of chevron patterned decor that I found on Pinterest that I think could hang around for awhile without becoming too much.

The Simple and Classic Grey and white Small Scale Chevron Fabric is Understated enough to Keep it Around a Long Time But with the Bold Geometric Design of the Chevron Lends some Real Punch. The Tailored and more Simplistic Chair Style is Great As Well

What is Not to LOVE!!!! Artwork is one of the Best ways to Add some Punch that you will never get tired of . I love the watercolor nature of this Chevron design and the fact that it tames the bold nature of the color scheme and fuzzes up the boldness of the chevron pattern!

Using the Reclaimed and Rough Sawn Wood to Create a Chevron Pattern on this Table Top is Fun and Timeless. You can Never Beat That

LOVE the Soft Feel of the Pale Grey and Crisp White. Combined with the bold chevron design it gives it such staying power and I feel both qualities enhance each other.

The Thing I Like About this room is the classic color scheme of the Black and White. The pop of red in a more organic texture is great against the hard and slick nature of the rest of the room . The Artwork really represents the marriage of all of the other design aspects that are inherently different. A Bold Chevron Pattern in watered down version of the black and White Color scheme. Heaven

This is the one Example of where I think the Chevron should be Avoided! This is overcommitment to a trendy design pattern and to a bold color. Do not Go this route. It is fun for awhile but an expensive change once this trend has had it 's
day .

Here Are Some of my Pinterest Finds that I think Represent a Happy Compromise to the Bold Bright Incoming trends and the Present Love of Serene Neutrals and Stripped Down and Streamlined Furniture. Either Way............I feel Like the way to go this year is still Less is More !!! Just maybe a Few Bold and Colorful Surprises Will Make all The difference

Love the Simple Bold Geometric Wall design with the very traditional and Retro Pillows. Very Cool and Still Somewhat Minimal

If there is anything I have seen yet to make me want to go crazy with color this would be it. Even though the room is composed of some very bold colors and in large amounts... it almost comes off as a neutral due to the fabulous muted tone of turquoise. The small splash of gold for the accessories gives it a little sparkle. The rug with its muted grey and citron colors helps to ground the other vibrant colors in the room and keep it from being too bright. Fun , Fabulous and in its own way timelessly Bold

Love the Contrast of Colors and most of all The Lacquered Walls!!!! The glossy and glassy finish really takes a room full of simple traditional furniture and flooring and brings it right up to date. The contrast of the murky aqua walls and the murky gold in the artwork is a heavenly contrasting color combination!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! This Room. It is aesthetically so Traditional. Look at the furniture styles and the artwork. It is the Boldness of the Color Charcoal with that super glossy finish that makes this room so Bold. That was a brave move to go that dark on the wall and on the floor. It really works and makes the art pop like crazy!!1

I am a big fan of this room for 2 reasons. The first one is that it has a very well intentioned Bold Color pop. The Chairs and the draperies are so simple but the color speaks for itself. The chair style is the only contemporary looking thing in the room so it really adds some weight upholstered in such a bold color. Love the White Lacquered walls . it makes all the difference . and in the middle of the room the streamlined dining table. It looks like someone took their grandmothers old dining table and stripped it of all fussy detail and had it refinished.
The second reason that I love this room is that when the day comes for everything to go back to being safe , traditional and cozy. THis room will still work. Just reupholster those chairs and slap a coat of eggshell paint on the wall.

Love the Room because it is mostly simple and traditional. They were able to get a great updated punch of color and pattern by simply using 2 contrasting colors and patterns to upholster pillows. The layered effect from headboard to pillows to bolster pillow is it!!! Great Example of HOw to transform any bedroom on a small budget

I love this because I really do LOVE the trend of using different shades and textures of white and beige . But I cannot resist the small punch of magenta and purple. The fact that it is in such a small and artistically placed dose makes it even more yummy!!! The simple white in the rest of the bathroom really sets off the fabulous paper

I LOVE THIS NOOK!!!! The shade of pale olive / citrine is DIVINE!!!! It is so pale and muted you almost cannot call it a color and once you get that spectacular blue layered in there and neatly as it is It IS EYE CANDY!!!!. ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO ENJOY SOME BOLD COLOR WHILE STILL MAINTAINING SOME SANITY.

Hope this Year Brings you Peace Love and Joy but Also Throw Some Color Your Way Every Once in Awhile!

Some of the Things I look Forward to Using More of in 2012

1.) Small Splashes of Bolder Colors
2.) More Geometric patterns in Furniture style
3.) Lacquered Walls
4.) More Painted Wood Floors. ( I started with those last year and will definitely be bringing into 2012)
5.)Wallpaper is Not Dead! Will be using in more creative ways however!

Some of the Things I Look Forward to Leaving Behind in 2012
1.) Metallics ( I love these but anytime anything becomes so popular.....)
2.)Urban / Warehouse Looking Pieces
3.) Ikat Patterns ( same as number 1. Once Embraced by the masses its days are numbered)
4.)Eggshell Paint
5.)Cording at Welts on Upholstery Altogether

Design In 5!

2011-10-20T11:01:00.003-05:00

For whatever reason I thought it would be fun to virtually design a room in about 5 minutes and blog about it. Here is what I came up with!

How about a Nice Neutral Texture
to start on the Walls

And a Pair of Clean Sconces ........

To go over this Fabulous Chest! So fabulous in fact that it was only in my store for less than 24 hours! Needless to say another one is on it's way

A Great Pewter Colored Sofa With Clean Lines From Lee Industries. Should we Nano Tex it so That Your kids can hop all over it with spaghetti sauce?

And a Pair of Sleek yet Comfortable Chairs

And Some Great Throw Pillows with a Unique Embroidered Design!

Of Course The Room would be Naked with out Some Fabulous Draperies in this Mark Alexander Embroidered Fabric. This Large Scale Embroidered Pattern will Make a Great Vertical Focal Point Without Taking over the Room

A Sleek and Simple Coffee Table will Be Perfect and I would Use the End Tables Below to Keep up The balanced Mix of Old and New.

Fun With An Updated Antiqued Look.

And This Fabulous Ottoman with a Fluid Nailhead Design by Schumacher

And A Few Tabletop Accessories from Jennifer Estes Interior Design

Some Alternative Wall Decor Like this Sunburst Metal Mirror and the Gold Metal Leaves to Give Your Walls Some Unique Interest

And Finally Some Great Artwork like this piece from one of my Favorite Artists Leslie Barron. Check out some of her work on her website

Voila! Here is the your first Virtual Design Presentation, Hope you like it!

All items available through Jennifer Estes Interior Design

Decorate & Celebrate!

2011-09-30T05:59:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it is not a house that gets my attention but just a tabletop! When some of my friends decided to throw me a Birthday Tea Party I could not resist! I unleashed my creative fury and decorated my own table. As you can see....... Marie Antoinette is guilty once again for influencing me. I had so much fun looking for just the right materials to make the flower arrangements, cake decorations and tabletop decor.

Here are some mini 2 tiered petit fours with one of the cake decorations that I made from the goodies I found in the scrapbook supply aisle

I am wild about the plumes that I found to adorn my rose floral arrangements and the adorable sweet treat tags that I found from Cavallini . I used the tags to adorn my guest's favors and as table place cards.

Here are some more pictures of the tea party. Enjoy!

Chez Moi!!! A Work in Progress.

2011-08-23T23:53:00.008-05:00

As most of you know, I have just finished renovating my personal home here in Memphis Tennessee. The details have been put into the bones of the house and I am just now getting around to the details as far as the interior decoration. Here is my progress so far!

This is Before I got my hands on it.

Here is the house when we found it. Most of my dear family and friends thought I was crazy but still said they knew that I must have had a vision. It is hard to see it but I did.

The house had an historical element to it that I did not find as interesting until after I read The Help! This is a maids's toilet. Can you imagine? Needless to say it was ripped out during demolition and is long gone.

Here is the house after we moved in. Before Landscaping and before I had to get rid of this blue color that was intended to be more of a cool icy grey.

Here it is almost finished. We have the first round of landscaping and I have painted the shutters and garage doors a much better shade of a greenish french grey. Now I await some fresh sod and a new driveway. And last but certainly not least my fabulous Red English Mailbox that I picked up in England. See Below

I cannot wait to have it set in brick and ready to receive my daily post. This type of find that I get so excited about. There are a million boring standard mailboxes out there and most people do not put that much thought into their mailbox. THat is exactly why I had to have this. What a great detail to have in front of your house for all to see!

I love the window that I designed on the front of my house. There used to be a regular window with a fan detail above it. The main thing I love is the Antique French Oak Front Door that I found in Atlanta at Architectural Accents. I love the unique shape of the window panes.

Stay tuned...... More to come soon!!!!

Where It All Begins! My latest trip to ADAC Showrooms

2011-08-17T09:05:00.000-05:00

Fabulous Display Featuring Fabrics by Larsen at Travis & Company. Just Received These Sample Books and Cannot Wait to Use Them Myself!

A huge source of inspiration for me comes from my main resource . The Atlanta Decorative Arts Center!!! It is the mothership for all interior designers in the southeastern states and the main source of all the wonderful and exclusive goods that we sell. It is to the trade only and can be very overwhelming because of the vast array of things. Each showroom is crammed full of the most divine displays and fabulous fabrics, wallcoverings , furniture and accessories. My first stop is always to my favorite showroom Travis and Company. They always have the most creative details and you are always greeted by the friendliest smiling faces. Here are some of the wonderful and inspiring things they had for my eyes to feast on!

Here is the Main Entrance to Travis & Co. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this artsy wallcovering by Porter Teleo. It is Artwork in the form of Wallpaer. Great in Small doses and I am dying for a client to be brave enough to let me use it somewhere fun! It is custom made to order and can be done in any color combination. Porter Teleo is a favorite of one of my favorite designers Kelly Wearstler.

Another Great display Featuring Colefax & Fowler lines in Travis & Co. Love that mirror.

Love the Colorful Artwork and how they Downplayed everything else to make it pop.

Travis & Company always do such a great job of making creative use out of their corners in the showroom that would otherwise be dead space. Check out these fabulous 3 vignettes.

Great Ikat Display in another great showroom. Will be using soon on some pillows and maybe even to cover some drum Lampshades.

Great Window Display of Hand Printed Fabrics at Jerry Pair. Such Fun and Happy Colors and another Line that is Made to Order in Any Color Combo you Desire.

This Display in Ainsworth Noah reminds me of my Fabulous friend Fiona that lives in NYC. It is so sophisticated , pretty and is what I imagine seeing once I step off of an elevator and enter an upper east side classic 6.

More to come from my trip later!!!!

Painted Floors: The Options are Endless and the Results are Fabulous

2011-08-02T20:46:00.008-05:00

My Newly Renovated Sunroom with Painted Hardwood Floors.
Paint Color on Floors , Walls & all Trim is Porter Paint in Off White.
By Jennifer Estes Interior Design

One of my new favorite specifications is to paint hardwood floors. It is a great inexpensive way to get a lot of punch in your space. (or an elegantly casual look if you prefer as I did) . I have recently renovated my own home and have painted the floors in my sunroom and my office. I used a basic off white color and I love it! Not only does it have a fresh , clean look but it is very durable and is easy to clean. This application works very well if you do not currently have wood floors that have a great grain pattern or are in less than perfect condition. It also allows you to cut the cost of installing hardwood floors because you can use a less expensive grade of wood and it is less to paint than to stain and seal. I personally LOVE the clean look and I love it more and more the longer I have it. Don't fear that this is a trend and chicken out. This has been a widely used finish across the pond for a long time.

Here is a Guest Cottage That I Designed and I Did The Painted Floors . I used a Clean White and An Apple Green Diamond Pattern To Give this Guest Retreat a Happy and Fun Feel.
By Jennifer Estes Interior Design

I Used the Same Off White Color in My Office that I did In My Sunroom. The Soft White Color Throughout Gives This Space a Clean and Organized Feel Even When It is Disorganized and Crazy . Which is Often!

Here is The Link to The Info On The Type of Porter Paint I used To Paint The Floor

http://www.ppgporterpaints.com/products/specialty/glyptex_floor_and_porch_enamel/index.htm

Here are some other Pictures I found on the Internet of Painted Floors that Inspire Me! I cannot wait to design some more painted floors soon!

Love this Bold Pattern in Classic Black & White. This would look Great in Light Neutrals For Less Contrast and Boldness.

LOVE this Pattern and the Soft Color Palette Selected

I Love The Design on These Draperies and Would Love to Have it Stenciled onto Painted Floors.

Love the Chevron Pattern. Great especially in this small space.

What a Fun Stenciled Pattern. The Glossy Paint really adds a clean fun look as well.

Adding a Painted Rug is another fun and appealing way to incorporate painted floors into your project .

Love the way they used this bold pattern in such subtle paint colors and used it to tie together these 2 spaces.

Here are some great books on Amazon below to help get you started with your own project!

Let Them Eat Cake ........... And Decorate!

2011-07-26T21:32:00.000-05:00

Marie Antoinette inspired Bedroom / Nursery by Jennifer Estes Interior Design

I have been waiting to do this Post since before the birth of my daughter March 30th but have been waiting until I had all of the little details in place. When I started to design this room / nursery I did not want the typical sweet nursery for a little girl. I wanted something that was feminine, a little bit sassy and something that reflected my love of all things French and of course Marie Antoinette.

Marie Antoinette is well known for the opulent Versailles but it is her Petit Trianon and its surrounding Hameau that I adore. She would escape from the formality of court life to her casual retreat at the Petit Trianon where she pretended to be a milk maid.Don't you love the fact that the Queen of France pretended to be a peasant in her spare time! The Petit Trianon was decorated in a less formal decor with a pale color palette. Marie Antoinette preferred a more casual attire as well. She wore sheer muslin dresses as she lounged around her hameau and the Petit Trianon. I myself find such beauty in the simplicity of a sheer linen as well and incorporated that detail many places in this project. Here are some pictures of the various details I created while designing this room.

This Designer Guild Fabric has a woven metallic thread in this cream soft pillow fabric that gives it a slight shimmer. The blush tassel trim scalloped across this pillow is Designer Guild as well .
Pillows designed by Jennifer Estes Interior Design

This blush Nancy Corzine Satin Fabric is paired perfectly with a Sheer Shimmering Designer Guild Fabric for a pair of pillow shams with a Peek a Boo ruffle accent at the seam.
Pillows Custom Designed by Jennifer Estes Interior Design

The cream Designer Guild fabric woven with metallic thread is also used to give this upholstered headboard a little shimmer and fun. The headboard is trimmed out in antique bronze nailheads with a triple raised panel design. The ivory matte satin Barbara Barry coverlet with a scalloped quilted design was just what this bed needed to finish it off. I mixed the more contemporary glass ball lamp on an antique side table to keep the room fun and interesting.

Headboard custom designed by Jennifer Estes Interior Design

Custom designed chandelier with pearlescent beads and crystal cherry accent.

My two favorite women in history ......Marie and Coco! They both made such and impact on Fashion and Design that are still with us today.

This Designer Guild wallpaper is the first thing that I picked out for this room. I love the way they used the pale blush background and the stamped metallic ribbon design to give this wallpaper such a modernized yet rococo period look. It is definitely a very modern day Marie Antoinette look.

An antique French hand sewn lace and satin baby cradle cap that I found antiquing. My daughter Meriwether wore this for her Christening. It now is displayed in her room to help accessorize. Art and accessories are best when they have a personal meaning.

The beautiful scalloped petal pleats give simple cream silk a feminine and striking impact while maintaining such a simple elegant look.

The dust ruffle is also accented in the corners with a blush satin ruffle peeking out of the tailored pleated skirt. Adds a girly sense of fun to the bed tying it together nicely with the pillows on top of the bed.

Custom designed by Jennifer Estes Interior Design

Here are some of the images that inspired me while designing this space.

Rose flavored macarons. My FAVORITE!!! Especially when they come from Laduree in Paris! These light and airy treats so pretty and tasty

My new favorite parfume! It is the re-released parfume worn by Marie Antoinette herself. Click here to read the link about the history of it and how it was http://fragrancebelleslettres.blogspot.com/2011/07/black-jade-by-lubin.htmlrediscovered. I love the beautiful design as well.

The soft shades of pink and the different textures in this picture are complete eye candy. This is also a shot from the movie Marie Antoinette starring Kirsten Dunst.

This antique print is soon to be displayed in this room as a reproduction painting.

This portrait represents the formal court life that Marie Antoinette was trying to escape. The attention to detail in the floral swag design adorning this portrait is fabulous.

This room of Marie Antoinette's at Versailles is where I got the general inspiration for this room. The subtle tone of the colors is exactly what I was going for. The elaborate detail in the moldings on the wall not so much. I do love how the wallpaper is a simplified version of this paneling.

This picture says it all!!! I love the decor of this room as well as the french pastries! This is a recreation of her hidden quarters at Versailles.

Love Vogue's take on Marie Antoinette.

I drew a lot of inspiration from this dress belonging to Marie Antoinette. I love the cream satin with the elaborate embroidered design. Check out the pale pink scalloped design on the skirt. Does it remind you of the scalloped trim on the pillows?

Here I am at the Petit Trianon in front of her famous portrait by Vigee LeBrun

Me in front of one of the cottages in Marie Antoinette's Hameau. Isn't it so quaint and tidy. Very nice for a provincial peasant village. J'adore l'hameau.

Christian Louboutin himself has been inspired by Marie Antoinette. My favorite shoe designer and my favorite historical figure in one shoe. Love them!!!

Be Back Soon!

2011-06-03T20:46:00.001-05:00

I know it has been several months since my last post but stay tuned! I will be blogging away very soon!

Creative Details in Kid's Rooms

2011-02-25T00:13:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite places to really get creative is in designing rooms for children. They allow for such a broader range of whimsical and fun design. They also tend to be the most budget conscious projects I have because naturally no one wants to invest a ton of money in their child's room. Whether it's the wear and tear of a rowdy little boy or because of the ever changing tastes of a preteen girl you know it is not forever .It is funny though how it seems the tighter the budget the more creative my mind has to work and usually results in something better than I expected. Here are some of the children's rooms that I have done over the past few years. Hope you enjoy and call me to help with your kid's room.

A pair of Custom Pillows with the Silhouette of my Most Sophisticated lil' client set upon the backdrop of Custom Euro Shams and a Fabulous Custom Headboard.

A very Sweet and Feminine Bedroom for a Very Girly lil' Princess. I especially love the scallop detail on the Bed Draperies.

A more transitional approach to a nursery for a little boy. The neutral squiggle wallpaper and the cream draperies and rug give the room a very serene and soft look . I collected antique and vintage baby items to decorate the room with along with some fabulous art I purchased outside the Met in NYC to keep it interesting.

A Bedroom for a Sassy Preteen Queen fit with her own sitting area.

Pillow Talk: Add Unique Detail to Any Room with Some Accent Pillows

2011-01-28T23:06:00.001-06:00

Accent Pillows are one of my favorite ways to add a creative and unique touch to every room that I design. I am always looking for new details that can be added to pillows to make them more than just a throw pillow. Accent Pillows can make a plain basic sofa really pop with just a little bit of imagination and creativity. They can also be an economical way to get a lot of bang for your buck. Most of the time I will get out my sketchpad and doodle designs for hours when I am working on a presentation. It is always fun to think of new ways to apply a trim to a pillow front or how to incorporate 2 or 3 fabrics into one pillow design. Here are just a few of my favorite pillow designs that I have used in my projects.

By Jennifer Estes Interior Design

Have Your Red Wine and Drink It Too!

2011-01-24T18:50:00.000-06:00

Nano-Tex Fabric Treatment Makes Your Designer Sofa Fabric Water and Stain Resistant.

Jennifer Estes Interior Design

Memphis, Tennessee

Have you always dreamed of having a beautiful and elegant beige room like the one shown above but resisted it because of kids, pets or even your love of red wines? Well now you can have that beige designer decorated living room (or even white)and live without the fear of it being trashed because beige and white are just too easily stained. Nano-Tex is a revolutionary fabric treatment being offered through many designer fabric lines sold to the trade. Your interior designer can now specify this finish when ordering your fabrics. It is not a costly finish and can be applied to a wide range of fabrics of all different price points. Schumacher, Fabricut and Duralee are just a few of the fabric lines that offer this finish on their products. It can be applied to upholstery, drapery and bedding fabrics among many other uses.The best thing about this nanotechnology finish is that it does not alter the fabrics natural softness and texture. This treatment also improves abrasion resistance so it will really extend the life of your fabric. This finish will not wash off over time and if it is applied to a solution dyed fabric bleach can be uses for cleaning. The homeowner is still responsible for making sure that liquids and stains are not left to sit for a long time. They must be cleaned up in a reasonable amount of time. Tests showed that after red wine was left for 24 hours it still came right out with a dry towel and without any other cleaning. Red wine ,coffee and other liquids will bead and roll on the surface and must be blotted up rather than wiped down. Other stains will come out with just regular soap and water. Marinara sauce, pet stains, grape juice and vomit are just a few of the problems that won't be yours anymore.So go ahead and order that sofa in that fabulous designer fabric without any more thought to whether or not it's sensible. Anything is practical now with Nano-tex on your fabrics.

Mixing Different Fabrics Without Overwhelming a Room

2011-01-21T13:31:00.000-06:00

Featured in Midsouth Magazine May 2010

Click on The Article To Read at Full Scale