The Collected Interior

Home Tour

2024-05-06T16:28:00.027-04:00

Creating a beautiful & functional home for my family is a passion of mine!

Our Weddington, NC brick colonial - built on one acre in the the late 80's was seriously dated when we bought it 18 years ago. We've since painted (Diy & hired) almost every room in the house. The biggest challenge was making our home feel more modern and updated, all while on a budget. Here are a few spaces, Welcome!

Our House

Welcome!

Open Concept

Family Room

Built Ins

Dining Room

Kitchen

Wine Room

Home Office

Screened Porch

Deck & Grill Area

Diy Fire pit

Thanks for stopping by!

I hope you found some simple ideas for making your house feel like HOME :)

Client project, faux stems, a McGee dining room & more!

2023-09-11T11:43:00.022-04:00

Hi there, I can't believe it's been over a year since I last posted!

My two kids are finishing up college and the hubby & I are empty nesters now - how did that happen? On a sad note, I lost my precious Mom this August due to a severe stroke, so it's been a difficult Summer. But checking in here always lifts my spirits - and I know my Mom would want that for me. So here's what has been happening here at The Collected Interior and our home this Summer!

I've been loving this look below lately! Overall a traditional dining space but with loads of texture and clean lines. Love the traditional art but with dark, moody colors. The dark cabinet adds contrast and interest to the room, while the overall color scheme is neutral and easy on the eyes. Would you believe this look can be extremely affordable? It is - many of these pieces below are from the Target Mcgee line. Yes Target is stepping up their home decor game! Rug below is from Boutiquerugs.com.

boutiquerugs.com

Here's a Mood Board for one of my client projects! Love this color combination of smokey light blues and greens mixed with neutrals. This sofa fabric in the upper left - love a good textured, oatmeal colored sofa fabric! Just enough color to hide stains, yet still light & airy. Paint colors are SW - Ivory Lace and Oyster Bay.

This table above is my clients and used to be red. We had it professionally refinished in the color SW - Balanced Beige by Cindy Wood Designs! Love the pretty shape and unique hardware of this piece. One thing I love to do when decorating for clients is to use a few pieces they already own. This saves money and gives a collected, gathered look - as if the room came together over time.

Are you a fan of faux flowers? I didn't used to be, until I found these beauties at Hobby Lobby! Love the neutral white & green, and the organic shape of these make them look real! Fall is coming and I'll be switching these out. But I can't wait to bring these back out next Summer!

faux stems @hobbylobby

Need an outdoor project that will bring you joy in the warmer months? Put a potting table or two in your backyard area. This old table below sits next to our deck and my hubby's grill area where we'll sometimes enjoy a glass of wine while grilling. If you zoom in, this table is falling apart and I'm currently looking for a replacement. To say it's developed a patina from the sun and elements is an understatement ;)

This shelf below sits on our screened porch. Showcasing my favorite outdoor accessories and plants is one of my favorite things! Also potting tables and shelves make great focal points, making any outdoor space feel more like an outdoor room.

screened porch

Finally this Spring I gave our traditional brick home a refresh! Our house is very simple with it's colonial style. However I wanted to add some interest, and I did it with two large black planters by the front door and new carriage style lights. Now the scale of the home looks and feels bigger. Often times when decorating bigger is better, and this definitely is true here.

Okay that's all I have for now! What a joy to be able to design and update our own home where we've raised our family for 18 years now. And to help others do it as well.

I'm currently offering Affordable Interior Decorating & Design Services in Charlotte and surrounding areas. This includes South Charlotte, Matthews, Weddington, Waxhaw, Marvin area, Fort Mill, Huntersville, Lake Norman and more! We offer hourly Design Consultations as well as flat rate - Interior Room Designs (design boards and space planning included).

If interested, contact me at 980-322-5920 I look forward to hearing about your Design & Decorating needs!

Before & Afters, String Lights and a MCM Design Plan!

2022-04-07T16:57:00.012-04:00

Well hello it's been a minute... stopping in to share my latest projects!

I've had some fun client projects recently. As a Decorator, what are my favorite projects? Updating any space with paint. I seriously can't get over what a big impact paint can make and it's so affordable! Also refreshing bookcases. Give me a cluttered bookcase and I love to add cohesive style that will make the most of your existing family photos and favorite home accessories.

Before

After

I helped a friend and neighbor update her kitchen and wow - what a difference! We used SW - Pure White, love this bright white because it has no odd undertones. Just perfect if your looking to do a classic white kitchen that will never go out of style.

The gray painted Island is SW Classic French Gray. We also incorporated new black hardware. Love this light & bright kitchen!

Before

After

Here's another before & after - a client bookcase refresh!

All this transformation took was a shopping haul from Target, and many of my clients existing home accessories. One of the things I love to do in client projects is mix new items with existing items. This way we can achieve an overall updated look, but still keeps the space personal to the home owners.

You guys, I have wanted to tackle this project for years and finally completed it last year! String lights on the deck, and it was so easy. Literally my hubby hung everything in just a few hours. He really did a great job, and I helped ;)

I seriously don't know why we waited so long to do this!

Here is a design plan for my latest client project. This client is renovating a brick ranch in North Charlotte. When I asked about his style, he didn't really know but likes dark woods. So I started there and then incorporated nature inspired art, furniture with clean lines, a rug with great texture. Finally bold color and subtle mid century modern style will bring this space to life!

Okay always fun sharing my design adventures here, thanks for stopping by :)

My favorite metal finishes, a modern farmhouse kitchen and a MCM design plan...

2021-07-13T15:45:00.002-04:00

Ahhh back to reality and some normalcy...right?

The world is finally opening up, and all I can say is - what a difficult year this has been! I've been busy this Spring with hourly design consultations and a handful of flat rate interior room designs (room makeovers). It's been so great getting back to work and doing what I love! Here are a few fun things...

I was so happy to receive an email (above) from one of my clients and it absolutely made my day! We had an hourly design consultation in their home, and then met a week later at West Elm and found the perfect sofa and club chairs for their small apartment space.

Today and every day, I am thankful for wonderful clients.

Our kitchen is finally finished with the addition of new gold hardware and I am loving the look!

Clients always ask me about which metal finish I prefer for hardware, door knobs etc... For me personally I like to mix gold with dark oil rubbed bronze in my home. Gold hardware works beautifully in a more traditional home. However, If your style is more modern, you can also mix silver with dark oil rubbed bronze.

Tip: when choosing oil rubbed bronze, look for a darker one that almost reads black. Black hardware is another popular finish right now and If you have a white kitchen, bookcase or built-in, adding black hardware is a super fun & affordable update!

Finally, all the finishes in a home do not need to match. It's perfectly fine to mix and match.

Speaking of kitchens, here's a fun client project - kitchen design board we completed this Spring!

My client needed to update her kitchen, but wanted to keep her existing cherry wood cabinetry (center). So we went with a modern - farmhouse look mixing creamy whites, warm woods and black for contrast. New quartz countertops took center stage, classic subway tile, black lighting & hardware and finally new LV flooring completed this space.

Current Project

Mid century modern is one of my favorite design styles, so I had so much fun putting this Design Board together. A beautifully renovated mid century modern home is getting a colorful new family room designed around my clients soon to be delivered Crate & Barrel sectional sofa. This room has a vintage inspired wood accent wall, as well as a huge stone fireplace, Can't wait to see everything come together!

So that is what's happening around here guys, thanks for checking in! Always fun sharing my design adventures here :)

A coast design plan, swivel chair LOVE & our Diy Kitchen Island!

2021-02-03T15:16:00.006-05:00

Well hello! It's been a minute. With this Pandemic actually it's been almost a year now :(

I hope everyone is healthy and safe! Getting through this year has not been easy but praying we're getting close to rounding the corner of this awful virus. As you know I don't blog a lot anymore. But I do like to check in a handful of times per year to share my design adventures. So here are few fun things...

I was so excited for this coastal inspired project above!

However right when we finalized the design board, Covid made it's awful appearance and we put everything on hold. My client's existing sofa and art are up top, and I've added a handful of new accessories to give the room a fresh new coastal look! Go here to read learn more about our affordable Room Refresh Services. They're a lot of fun!

I am in LOVE with this small scale swivel chair. It may be smaller in size, but I'm telling you it sits big! I used two of these for a client project in the South Charlotte area and both my client and I couldn't believe how comfortable this chair sits. And the color - neutral flax toned fabrics are one of my favorites!

Have I told you how much I love paint color consultations!

For this project above we used a cool cream (with no yellow undertones) in the main part of the house - entry, up the staircase and down the hallway. We used a warm gray in the office and a smokey light blue for the dining room. It's simply amazing how different a home can look and feel with new, updated paint colors.

Space Planner

One of the Services we offer are Flat Rate Interior Room Designs. This is where we source furnishings & accessories to do an entire room makeover!

With this service both Design Boards and Space Planning are included. These help give my clients a visual before the design process begins. In this space planner above, we've maximized the seating in this family room with two large sofas, two club chairs and even a large ottoman.

So this beauty above is our latest Diy Project!

We decided to get new quartz countertops back in November. But quickly realized if were getting new tops, we need a bigger island. So my hubby built a new one! This one is 7 inches wider and 15 inches longer with room for a third seat. My favorite part is the board & batten trim. Shout out to my husband for doing an Amazing job.

Okay guys thats what's been happening around here, thanks for checking in! Praying the Covid vaccine can get rolled out quickly so we call all get back to living our lives fully again. One thing I think we can all agree on is it sure has been a difficult time.

New rug in the family room, a client project & The Charlotte Heart Ball!

2020-02-29T14:23:00.003-05:00

Hola my Design loving friends!

Well it's been a while since I've posted here, but glad to be back! Feels like the older my kids get, the harder it is to find the time for blogging. And they are 18 & 20 years old now, gah we're about to be empty nesters!! Okay back to sharing what I love, here's whats been happening around here...

After years of having an indoor - outdoor rug in our family room that was super practical with our kids and dogs, we made the switch to a lighter and more stylish rug from www.rugsusa.com.

I also added new blue throw pillows to the sofa and now our family room feels soooo light & airy. Amazing how just a few new pieces can totally change a space!

Spring is right around the corner! And when things finally warm up, you will find me here many evenings.

I love this outdoor space and don't think I could live in a house without a screened in porch. These black and white striped outdoor pillows I purchased years ago from Pottery Barn, and they are still going strong with very little fading. And I keep them out all year round - I love that!

I had a fun Design Consultation this week in Fort Mill. We’re doing a Family Room Refresh and the Inspiration is my clients coastal themed gallery wrapped canvas! Can’t wait to get started sourcing throw pillows & accessories for this space. And how cute is this guy Oliver?

Click here to learn more about our affordable Room Refresh Services, where we can give any room in your home a fresh new look!

Heres a Design Board from my latest Flat Rate - Interior Room Design.

My client wanted a master bedroom retreat that is light and airy, with all new gray wood furniture. And this solid wood bedroom set from Birch Lane hit the nail on the head! I also sourced an upholstered bed where my client can finally ditch the dusty old bed skirt. Love how this project turned out, my client is super happy too! Hope to get pictures soon.

And finally, the hubby and I cleaned up for an event here in Charlotte - The 62nd Annual Greater Charlotte Heart Ball! My husband recently took a new position for Supply One in the Charlotte area, and they are a contributor for this event. This was our first black tie Ball and it was such a fun experience and supports a great cause - The American Heart Association!

So that's all I have for now guys, thanks for stopping by. So far we've got a great start to 2020! And look forward to many more design adventures this year :)

Back to doing what I LOVE!

2019-11-20T17:00:00.003-05:00

Hey guys thought I'd pop in to say...I'm baaaaacckk!

I took a break from my interior decorating business to explore going back to work now that both my kiddos will soon be in college. And ended up realizing 2 things - selling furniture (and working weekends & Holidays) is not for me, lol! And NO... I don't want to give up my decorating business that I've worked so hard to build over the years. So now I'm back to doing what I love! I even have a few new client projects in the works :)

I'm also ready to get back to this blog, so let's get to it! Here are a few fun things happening around here...

So my last decorating project was such a fun n' modern little update. Put a round mirror over a rectangle shaped table with clean lines. Yup, it doesn't get any easier than this. This table above is from Tuesday Morning and the mirror is from Kirklands. Easy and affordable decorating ideas like this are seriously one of my favorite things!

Well say Hello to my new ~~little~~ big furiend... this is Duke!

Duke is a 90 lbs. Newfydoodle. Half gentle giant Newfoundland and half standard poodle. We got Duke at 4 months old, a few months after our beloved Ginger & Bear passed last Summer. He is simply a LOVE. Smart, loving, and loyal...he's a wonderful addition to our family!

I chose these Sherwin Williams colors above for a client paint color consultation this Spring. One thing I am NOT a fan of when decorating is using too much gray. I like gray undertones, as you can see in these colors. But I am not a fan of painting an entire house gray.

I like to mix warm and cool colors in a home to create balance and a nice flow from room to room. Also cream (with no yellow undertones) and farmhouse whites are some of my favorites!

So here's the thing I most wanted to share today, we're running a new promotion here at The Collected Interior! For a limited time we're offering $25 off all our hourly design consultations. This includes color & home staging consults as well as regular design consultations too.

Go here to see a list of all our Services. Thanks for stopping by guys, it feels great to be back!

25 years, a Design Board and saying goodbye to our Ginger & Bear :(

2018-10-14T17:30:00.001-04:00

Hey guys, stopping by to share my latest. And I can't believe my hubby and I have been married 25 years!

Yes you read that right, a quarter of a century. We celebrated with a quick and very rainy trip to Charleston. This man, who I met in high school is my rock and soul mate. What a journey this life has been with two precious kiddos, five fur babies, four cities and five houses!

Ahhh black, white and warm woods...this is one of my favorite color combinations! This is also where I make my coffee every day. Yes and on some mornings, I couldn't start my day without it! We also added a new tile backsplash to our kitchen. We opted out of the gray grout trend, and instead chose the textured subway tile.

Need a houseplant to add a little exotic flair to your home? Look no further than Bird of Paradise! This is my new favorite plant. Love how it can fill up a large empty corner perfectly.

Our precious Ginger passed away in July at the age of 15. She had a vestibular attack, similar to a stroke, and was paralyzed in her hind legs. This girl was so special to us, she was our first rescue and a true one of a kind! Even sadder her brother Bear, who was also 15 passed away just 3 weeks later.

There are dogs that make their way deep into your heart. Ginger and Bear did just that. They were loved beyond measure and we will miss them dearly.

Sharing a Design Board I recently made. One of the services I offer are Flat Rate Interior Room Designs, which are basically a whole room makeovers. With this service space planning and Design Boards are included, so my clients get a visual of their space before the design process begins.

This is what I love to do! Design overall traditional spaces with a few modern updates and clean lines. Add in texture and a new color scheme and boom...you've just updated your home with our affordable design services.

Okay thanks for stopping by! Love sharing my passion for design here, as well as updates on new things happening in and around our home :)

A Happy Fiddle Fig, Bookcase Refresh & a 2018 Houzz Award!

2018-02-21T15:47:00.001-05:00

Hey guys popping in to share my latest! Things have finally slowed down here in January and February and I'll be honest, it's been a nice break! One of the things I love about running an Interior Decorating Design Business is the flexibility in the hours, and the natural ebbs and and flows of design work.

Okay so let's get to it, here are a few of my latest decorating adventures...

My Fiddle Fig is officially a year old!

Now don't worry I haven't turned into a crazy plant lady ;) But when I purchased this guy a year ago, I was worried he'd be too temperamental and that basically I'd kill him. Well no concerns over here because this guy has been easy to maintain! I just keep him in a well lit corner and water once a week. Yup, that's it!

So here's a recent client project above in Charlotte. This big white sectional was feeling like the white elephant in the room for my client. And with a baby blue pillows and rug, nothing was grounding this piece. So we added texture and earth tones for a warm and inviting update complete with new rug, pillows, lamp.

Truth is I naturally gravitate towards neutrals if you peruse my designs & Instagram page. But every now and again I have a client that wants some fun color! Here's a home office - guest bedroom combo recently finished with accent colors in teal blues and olive greens. Loving this color combination!

I refreshed our built-ins the other morning. Specifically I added more frames and family pictures to the mix! I use many design elements when styling bookcases including texture, contrast, and nature inspired accessories and plants.

For me it's all about combining the old with the new for an overall collected look that naturally came together over time. Never bought all at once off a show room floor!

And finally I'm saving the best for last. The Collected Interior received another "Best of Houzz" Award for client satisfaction this year for 2018, Wahoo! And this is our 4th year receiving this award. This makes me so happy...to know that our clients are happy!

Thank you Houzz for the honor, I am grateful! Okay guys that is what's happening around here, thanks for checking in!

Our Thanksgiving tablescape, new tile backsplash, and a client project design board...

2017-11-30T11:16:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness is it December already? Well Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas too! So many fun things are happening here at The Collected Interior and at home and I am thankful!

My daughter and I had so much fun decorating our Thanksgiving tablescape this year! And with a full house of 11 total guests, I was excited to finally fully extend our dining room table. But I knew decorating this very long table would be a challenge.
.

So I ordered 2 simple low flower arrangements that flanked the table on either side of a white pumpkin centerpiece. Then added in a few deer antlers and mini pumpkins and done.

And this can be easily changed up for Christmas! Maybe do flower arrangements with more greenery and a candle centerpiece. I seriously love simple and beautiful decorating ideas like this!

Here's our coffee table all prettied up for Christmas! Actually this pic was taken a year ago, but it looks exactly the same today ;) As you can see I have a thing for deer antlers. I also love mixing silver & gold with pops of red when decorating for the Holidays.

We've finally finished several projects around our 1980's brick colonial, and here's our new subway tile backsplash. I'm loving the white tile next to our black cabinets, and all the contrast it provides. Textured subway tile is so fun because it has both a classic and modern look at the same time, I love that!

Just WOW! The other day my daughter and I headed to a neighbors house to pet sit. We walked into a side entrance, through the garage and into a long and narrow sun room. And saw this beautiful black and white wall gallery! Simply Amazing. I love how this gallery honors my neighbors beautiful kids, grand kids and even beloved family pets!

And finally here is the Design Board for my latest client project! We're doing a Flat Rate -Interior Room Design and my awesome clients gave me the green light to go modern. Love so many things in this design including all the clean lines, warm woods and blue & greige color scheme. Ahhh and that artwork...so calm & serene, can't wait to get started.

Okay guys so that is what's happening around here! Always thankful for my family, home and business. Thanks for stopping by :)

Our Diy fire pit, a finished client project, and a fun swivel chair!

2017-09-05T17:54:00.000-04:00

Hey guys, happy almost Fall y'all!

Have your kids gone back to school? My kiddos have and what a crazy busy time of year between carpooling to school, sports & activities, and all the back to school shopping. Ahhh but I love my crazy mom life, and wouldn't change it for the world! Okay, here's what's happening at The Collected Interior...

Are you ready for Fall? I sure am. This is a pic of our Diy fire pit we built a few years ago. I simply cannot wait to be sitting here when the weather finally cools down in a few weeks. Yes like many people, Fall is my favorite time of year.

Okay random fact, but this green pillow is probably my favorite throw pillow. Like ever. And that's saying a lot since I have a slight pillow addiction ;)

I just wrapped up my latest client project and this home office is finished! loving the symmetry we created here with the matching lamps and botanical prints. My client loved them as well, and this black cabinet above has loads of storage!

And in this same space we used two Pottery Barn Aiden Chairs for a cozy reading area. Love the mix of the traditional lamp and sunburst mirror paired with the updated sloping armrests of these chairs.

And speaking of awesome chairs, I am so excited to be using two of these sweet swivel chairs for a client project. It's from Birch Lane and soooo affordable considering this chair offers over 40 fabric choices. It's also the perfect size for my clients smaller space - slim at only 30 inches, but a comfy 35 inches deep. Will be following up with this coastal inspired - fun project!

Okay guys that is my latest, thanks for stopping by. Love sharing my passion for Design & Interior Decorating here. It just feeds my creative soul ;)

A Stylish Girls Bedroom, Custom Upholstery, Nature Inspired Home Accessories & More!

2017-08-07T11:42:00.003-04:00

Happy August everyone, I hope your having a wonderful Summer!

Wow is it really August? Usually client projects slow down every year around this time. However this is the first Summer that I've worked straight through June, July and into August. And I am GRATEFUL. I love my work, and love helping my clients design beautiful and functional spaces, without breaking their budgets! Okay let's get to it! Here are five fun things happening here at The Collected Interior...

Just finished a Room Refresh and I am loving this stylish girls bedroom! For this project my client kept all the main furniture pieces. I added new bedding, window panels, lamps and mirrors. We painted the walls a fresh turquoise blue per my clients request and added cool x benches for versatile seating.

Check out these custom armchair fabric choices! Here we've got great neutrals with loads of texture. One of the vendors I use for custom upholstered furniture is AllModern.com. They have a nice line of sofas, sectionals, love seats, armchairs and swivel chairs at simply amazing price points too. And they offer hundreds of fabric choices as well!

Does your dining room still have gold, red or maroon walls? Ours once did, until I painted over them with Sherwin Williams - Magnetic Gray, and I've never regretted it once. Today's lighter paint colors with gray undertones will go a long way in making your home feel more modern and updated. And because these hues have cool undertones, your home will feel lighter and even brighter!

Need help deciding a paint color palette for your entire house? Call for a Color Consultation today!

Okay random fact...sourcing home accessories for my clients is simply one of my favorite things! And nothing gets me more inspired than nature. Here we have shells, hunks of coral, sea glass vases and driftwood accessories that I used for a client's home office. Amazing how color and texture can liven up any space!

And finally here is the Design Board for my latest client project! We have soft creams, blues and grays paired with light - beachy wood tones in this family friendly space. We'll use a farmhouse white on the walls. Texture will infuse the space with a sisal rug and other coastal accessories.

Ahhh, I can't wait to get started. Love helping my clients get a high end look, for less!

Pottery Barn love, a room refresh & a client project (home office)!

2017-06-04T18:40:00.002-04:00

Hey guys, popping in to share what's going on here at The Collected Interior.

Between work, end of the year school stuff with my kiddos, and just life stuff in general, I can barely find the time to blog. But I try to make time because sharing work projects here, and in general being creative makes me HAPPY! Yes you've found my happy place. Okay so let's get to it...

So excited to use this chair for a client's home office (see Design Board below). It's the Aiden Upholstered Armchair from Pottery Barn and I am loving the clean modern lines as well as the deep seating for comfort. This is actually our second chair option after our first chair was discontinued by the Manufacturer - not cool ;) But think I love this chair even more than the first!

So this After picture is from a Room Refresh, and wow what an improvement! This space used to have yellow walls, a dark mirror that was too small and mismatched accessories. Now this area looks coordinated and pulled together. And my client kept her existing window panels, love that!

Ahhh another fun find for a client's family room redo! I'm loving classic gold in home decor these days, and this affordable coffee table will make a great accent in my client's open concept family room. Her style is glamour girl chic, and were using gold accents mixed with neutral creams, light gray and blush pink...so fun!

Wait what? Yes this is my little boy before his first high school prom. Only at 6'4" and 17 years old, he's not so little anymore! Just love him so much and am so proud of the young man he's becoming. I've got another little girl (who's also not so little) who I'm also crazy proud of. Will share a photo of her on another day. Love my family & kiddo's, they are my world!

And finally back to my latest client project! Here we have an elegant home office that is both stylish and functional with loads of storage. We're using contrast with a a sleek black cabinet and light tan and white upholstered chairs. Mixed metal accents, and nature inspired botanical prints and sisal rug will keep this space down to earth. This will be a home office the entire family can use!

Okay guys, that's what's happening around here.. lots of budget decorating goodness! As usual thanks for stopping by!

Client Project - paint & upholstery updates!

2017-05-10T12:13:00.000-04:00

Hey guys, I'm sharing a fun client project today!

My client wasn't happy with look of her main living area...the great room! So we made a few simple updates to make her existing furnishings work. We changed paint colors & finishes, lightened upholstery and added new lamps. Ahhh, projects like these are so much fun!

This mirror before was a dark pewter color. So I hired a local paint refinisher from We Chic'd It. She worked her magic using a creamy farmhouse white, and then lightly distressed to perfection. Then we relocated the mirror to my clients front entryway and this space has loads of charm now!

before

after

Check out the before & after pictures of these dining chairs! We lightened them up with a greige Sunbrella fabric. Before with the brown leather chairs, the dining space was dark and dreary. Now everything is so much lighter and brighter. And the beautiful detail in this hutch below pops, I love that!

Talk about a transformation...buh bye dated old world paint finish! Now this dining buffet is clean & updated, painted in a cool gray green - Sherwin Williams Oyster Bay to be exact.

Okay guys, my passion is mixing traditional style with modern updates, and breathing new life into tired spaces!

And we have several affordable Decorating Services to choose from, go here for a complete list. Thanks for stopping by :)

Friday Five...cool x-bench, nature inspired abstract art, and a mirror transformation!

2017-03-09T17:01:00.002-05:00

TGIF and welcome to my Friday Five!

Well another week has flown by here at The Collected Interior and I simply cannot believe how busy we've been. In fact, was saying the other day to my hubby - this is our busiest time of year between Jan.1st and May. And I am so thankful for my wonderful clients! Okay so let's get to it, here are five fun things happening around here...

all modern.com

Just ordered this pretty ottoman for a client's Room Refresh and cannot wait to deliver. We're using it as an end table. I love that it can serve double duty as extra seating when needed. And with a tray on top, can function as an end table. So versatile!

source

Sharing one of my favorite types of art today...simple abstract art rooted in nature gets me every single time. And I love that it easily coordinates with so many different design styles. Modern, traditional, farmhouse, and eclectic styles all look great with simple and serene art like this.

This mirror has undergone a major transformation thanks to We Chic'd It, a painting and refinishing service in the Lake Norman area.

When I meet with clients, instead of purchasing all new items to design a room or space. I will identify furnishings in your home that you can use or even refinish. And then move on to sourcing the new home furnishings and accessories needed to give your space a whole new look. For me, it's all about mixing the old & new.

This mirror after painted and lightly distressed was relocated to the clients entry. And this entry has loads of character now! So the money my clients save in one area, can be used to pretty up another area. It just makes $ense.

source

Do you know what I love? Finding design inspiration in nature. And I find it even when I'm not looking for it. Just the other day I saw a big patch of moss at a baseball field and my heart skipped a beat. Moss is so natural and organic, and you don't even need a green thumb to keep it alive. Ahhh and that texture!

Sutton Mini Pendant

Finally, the hubby and I just installed two of these industrial pendant lights and they are so fun! And at nearly 14" wide each, they are big. But because our ceilings are tall they work, and update our traditional black kitchen beautifully with a cool industrial vibe. Will share photos later, but these pendant lights are such a fun update. And a single pendant can be used in a foyer or even mudroom.

Okay guys that's my Friday Five! Love sharing what I do here in my little corner of the Internet. Thanks for stopping by :)

Friday Five...client projects, our new sofa & a fiddle fig!

2017-02-03T10:12:00.001-05:00

Hey guys TGIF! Today I'm sharing five favorites from my recent decorating adventures so let's get to it!

Between client projects and my own personal decorating adventures, there are always fun things happening around here. And it usually involves saving money too because as you know, my passion is Affordable Interior Design!

Client Project

I've mentioned before that I source many of my client's home furnishings and accessories from Wayfair! In fact these two lamps and dough bowl above are from the W. I also source from Birch Lane, Joss & Main, AllModern.com, Ballard, Pottery Barn and Houzz to name a few, as well as a few local favorites.

Did you know that this years HGTV Dream Home 2017, designed by Brian Patrick Flynn was furnished top to bottom by Wayfair? Yes! And I run my business with this same designer trade program and absolutely love it!

I finally have a picture of our Pottery Barn sofa we purchased a few months ago! Ahhh, I can't get over PB's line of performance fabrics and how durable and stain resistant they are. They even have a Sunbrella line. This is the Comfort Square Arm Sofa - it's slipcovered and the fabric we chose is Performance Tweed in Ecru.

Client Design Board

A fun services I offer here at The Collected Interior is our Affordable - Room Refresh. And if you're on a budget or need the most decorating bang for your buck, then this is a great option!

With a Room Refresh I'll source a handful of home furnishings & accessories to coordinate with your existing furniture pieces. Here's a Design Board I made for a client above. We're incorporating a new blue - green color scheme, stylish throw pillows & accessories and even a new club chair for extra seating in a family room that needs some love.

My simple New Year's Resolution this year was to add more plants to our home. So I did my research and chose low maintenance plants including snake plant, ponytail palm and a few others. And WOW, this simple change has made a huge difference in how our home both looks and feels!

And after the success of our smaller plants above, I finally found the infamous Fiddle Fig Tree here in Charlotte. And purchasing this guy was a huge leap of faith for me because Fiddle Figs are not low maintenance, and can be very temperamental. But again I studied up and this guy is thriving!

Just look at how pretty he is in our home office, drinking in the morning sunshine. Yes I seriously think I'm becoming a crazy plant lady ;)

Okay that's my Friday Five, thanks for stopping by!

Design Inspiration...Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees!

2017-01-25T11:21:00.000-05:00

Oakdale Greenhouse

Hey guys, so do you own a Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree? I've been seeing this potted plant everywhere in the home decor world on blogs, Instagram feeds & Pinterest for years now. And finally just the other day I found several at a local greenhouse here in Charlotte and picked one up.

Wow, I have to say this plant is beautiful! No wonder so many plant & home decor enthusiasts love them. If you have a large, well lit empty corner...then this plant will bring that space to life! Here's some Fiddle Fig inspiration. All images sourced from my favorite place for home decor ideas, Houzz...

Photo by Dana Frieling Interiors - Look for contemporary home design design inspiration

Photo by SPACE Architects + Planners - More transitional living room photos

Photo by Historical Concepts - Browse farmhouse living room photos

Photo by Cynthia Lynn Photography - Browse eclectic living room photos

Photo by Bliss Home & Design - More beach style staircase photos

Photo by CCG Interiors, LLC. - More transitional living room photos

Photo by Georgeanna Parks Interior Design - Look for transitional dining room design inspiration

Photo by Burnham Design - More beach style bedroom ideas

Photo by Kate Jackson Design - Discover beach style entryway design inspiration

Well I hope our new Fiddle Leaf Fig thrives in our home! I've read they can be very temperamental. They need a well lit area, but no direct sunlight. And they don't like to sit in water, so let the water drain out after watering. But I am up for the challenge because these beauties are worth the extra effort!

Design Inspiration... Black & White Stripes!

2016-10-10T12:00:00.001-04:00

Hey guys, today I'm featuring one of my favorite design elements...simple black & white stripes!

I'm always on the lookout for easy and affordable ways to add style and interest to my home's decor. And this graphic pattern is all about classic style and bold contrast, and it won't break the bank either, I love that! So get ready to be bold, because this tried and true favorite is anything but understated.

Photo by SchappacherWhite Architecture D.P.C. - Look for shabby-chic style living room pictures

Photo by J. Latter Design - Discover traditional dining room design ideas

Photo by Pleysier Perkins - Browse contemporary hallway photos

Photo by Studio Revolution - Search Scandinavian family room design ideas

Photo by Pottery Barn - Browse contemporary living room photos

Photo by The Room Illuminated - Look for eclectic living room pictures

Photo by CYAN Horticulture - Look for contemporary patio pictures

Ahhh, such great design inspirations here all sourced from my favorite site - Houzz. I love how these bold stripes coordinate so well with different design styles including mid century modern, eclectic, and even traditional.

So if your home's decor is falling flat, think about adding stripes. With pattern and contrast even a simple pillow can up the style factor in any room - giving you more decorating bang for your buck!

Friday Five! new sofa, client project, easy decorating tip & more!

2016-09-16T14:44:00.000-04:00

Hey guys, TGIF!

Thought I would pop in today to share what's been going on here at The Collected Interior. I've got a fun client project, a new white sofa - wahoo, finally! And some other fun stuff to share, so let's get to it...

PB Comfort Square

Our new sofa finally arrived and I am in LOVE! I chose the Performance Tweed fabric in Ecru, and am absolutely loving the lighter look in our home. And the fact that I can pull those slipcovers off to wash them is simply genius. From a functional standpoint, I am obsessed with slipcovers. In fact, I have exactly 11 slip covered chairs in our home, 10 dining chairs and now one sofa!

I was shopping the other day at World Market and spotted this awesome industrial bookshelf! It's the Emerson Shelf and it has so much style, and it only cost $399. This perfectly balanced home office is from @blessedmammatobabygirls on Instagram, LOVE!

I shared our home's entryway table on Instagram the other day. You guys this table is literally about 14 years old. But with some fun accessories I was able to bring it back to life with pattern, texture and contrast. I like how the traditional lines of the table mix with the clean lines of the more modern accessories.

If your on Instagram let's follow one another! I'm at @the_collected_interior :)

On the work front, my latest Client Project is coming together nicely. We're doing a family room - Interior Room Design and the look is overall traditional with an industrial - farmhouse vibe that is so fun. Here's the Design Board above. So far I am loving these industrial coffee and console tables sourced from Birch Lane! BL is one of my top sources for fabulous home accessories and furnishings. And guess what, those savings get passed onto my clients!

You can check out these tables here & here :)

And finally I have a decorating tip to offer today, and this picture above illustrates it well. When decorating any space indoor or outdoor, and after deciding on the main furniture pieces, attempt to incorporate color, pattern and texture. Here I've used navy blue as my color, the blue bamboo pillows offer my pattern, and texture is found in the coral pillow, the candle lantern, and even the wicker itself.

So that's my tip...use color, pattern & texture - it's so easy! Doing this will add interest to your space, and keep your home's decor from falling flat. Okay guys that's my Friday Five, thanks for stopping by!

Client Project - Upstairs Family Room!

2016-09-08T12:02:00.003-04:00

Hey guys, today I'm sharing one of my current Design Projects, and this one is so much fun!

I am working with a client in the Lake Norman area and we are designing a traditional family room in a beautiful waterfront home. Here's the house...

Ahhh, isn't it beautiful? This house is so charming, and the detail and craftsmanship are Amazing.

And here's the Design Board I put together. A family friendly upstairs den that just fits this house and it's surroundings! The bird prints lend a coastal vibe, and the white slip covered swivel chairs are casual and relaxed. The distressed rug has a vintage feel, and soft blues and greens add subtle color to this traditional space.

Now for this project my client has some great ideas, and her style is girly, shabby chic all the way! In fact, check out the antique sideboard we plan to repurpose as a media cabinet...

Yes this gorgeous old piece will be painted, glazed and distressed in a creamy - farmhouse white. I can't wait to see this space come together!

Okay guys, if a room or two in your home is needing a whole new look, then a Flat Rate Interior Room Design is for you! And did I mention that custom Design Boards are included free with this service? Yes they are!

Okay you can check out all of our Servi ces here at THE COLLECTED Interior :)

Our Antique Dining Table... updated with Ikea Henriskdal chairs!

2016-07-29T15:18:00.002-04:00

Hey guys I hope your having a great Summer!

Wow with a few weekend getaways and my kids Summer sports...our Summer has flown by. So I'm popping in today to share how I updated our antique dining room table! Yes this old table below got a fresh new configuration last Spring. And the best part...it was crazy affordable. Like Ikea affordable!

before

So If you're new here, our dining room table is an antique and was built by my hubby's Great Grandfather. This picture above was taken a year ago. Here the table is in it's oval shape and you can see those awesome handmade leaves.

Now I love this old table! So much so that I refinished it several years ago using Min Wax Gel Stain. You can read more about that project here. But as much as I love this old table, it was starting to look too dark. And the table was feeling too big for our small kitchen dining area. So I started thinking of possible solutions to freshen up this space.

And then I came across this image...

source

Ahhh, are you kidding me!! I was totally inspired.

So I took an Ikea leap of faith with the addition of 4 Ikea upholstered chairs, the Henrisksdal chairs. And this simple change has brought new life to this old table! We removed the leaves to make the table smaller at 40" round, and then added the new chairs. And what I really love is the contrast between the dark wood and the white chairs. It's just brightened up our entire kitchen!

Now a few years ago if you had asked me to add white fabric chairs to our kitchen with my baseball playing son, and my trampoline jumping daughter? I would have said "no way"! But guess what...the replacement covers for these chairs cost just $10. Each. Yes these chairs are crazy affordable!

So if they get stained or dirty it's not the end of the world! And besides the covers are machine washable as well.

And the best part of this whole project? Is that I didn't have to drop $1000 on a new table, or relocate this family antique to the attic. And another added bonus is that because the table is smaller, we sit here mainly for breakfast and lunch now, and use our actual dining room more for dinner. Imagine that!

Friday Five - new logo, client project & more!

2016-05-27T10:51:00.001-04:00

Hey guys, TGIF!

With all the end of the school year craziness at our house, I am ready for the weekend. So here at my Friday Five post I like to share fabulous finds from my weekly decorating adventures, client projects, and anything else that has me inspired. Okay so let's get to it!

The Collected Interior - New Logo

First off, and I can't believe I forgot to share this earlier. But I'm so excited because we have a new logo here at The Collected Interior! Isn't it pretty, I created it on Tailor Brands! This site is so fun, you can design and create any logo with their logo maker. And then order business cards, social media covers or anything else needed for your business.

Bayan Dining Armchair - Pier One

I spotted this Chinese Chippendale chair the other day at Pier One and did a double take! I could see a few of these chairs almost anywhere in a home... next to a sideboard in a dining room for extra seating. Or maybe in a kitchen as a desk chair. And it's on sale right now for $169.99 - I love stylish and affordable finds like this!

Seriously guys look what was waiting for me at Home Goods this week! This mac daddy collection of blue and white chinoiserie vases. It's all just soooo GOOD! And I should have scored at least one because these won't last long.

My latest client project is finished and I am having serious home office envy! Here's a sneak peek above. I hope to feature the entire project next week. This room ended up with so many great design elements, including nature inspired accessories with touches of watery blues and greens.

And finally I freshened up my website with a few photos, and this collage made the cut! It really showcases my design style, which isn't flashy or trendy. My style is traditional and classic, with clean lines and nature inspired elements.

Okay guys that's my Friday Five, have a great weekend!

Spring Deck Makeover!

2016-05-16T17:50:00.001-04:00

Hi guys, this Spring I gave our deck a fresh makeover and the color that has me inspired lately is navy blue!

This sectional used to have back cushions but because the size of this outdoor sofa is smaller in scale sitting here wasn't very comfortable, the seat depth was too shallow. So I removed the back cushions and added throw pillows in various sizes to help make the seating deeper. And my solution worked because this baby is super comfy now!

Check out our new umbrella below. The nice people from DFOhome sent us this 9 ft. beauty to Review, and when it arrived I seriously did a happy dance! We love it, It's made from quality sun and fade resistant fabric, which is important because our deck sits in the sun nearly all day.
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DFOhome is an online retailer that manufactures hammocks, outdoor rugs, outdoor curtains, pillows, patio furniture, and more. So if your outdoor space needs a fresh new look, check them out!

Our dog Bear seems to approve ;)

We painted the spindles on our deck the same color as the trim color on our house. This is such an easy way to update a deck. The old deck used to be one solid tan color. You can see the Before here. Now the trim color ties in with our house, and the brown solid stain grounds this space - making it feel more like an outdoor room.

Way in the back here you can see our Diy fire pit! We built that pit from a kit that we purchased from Home Depot on-line a few years ago. You can read more about our Diy fire pit here.

Ahhh, pillow fabrics with pattern and texture...two of my favorite things! The solid and coral pillow are outdoor pillows from Pier One. The bamboo patterned ones are from Target. They all got sprayed with an outdoor fabric water repellent for extra protection from the elements.

A year ago last Spring we replaced 28 year old deck boards and went with a solid dark stain on the new boards. If you missed this transformation go here to see how we gave our deck a modern new look that really works well with our brick colonial home.

And to give you a tour of all our outdoor spaces, our deck flows right onto our screened porch here...

Okay so that's the scoop on our deck makeover! We love our outdoor spaces, and because we live on an acre of land it's nice to take advantage of all the nature around us. And what I really love is that we didn't spend a lot of money. From the Diy fire pit to the Diy solid stained deck to the screened porch...everything was designed on a budget with color and comfort in mind.

And we didn't sacrifice style! For me that's the best part :)

Green leaf + glass vase = LOVE

2016-05-11T19:41:00.001-04:00

Today I'm sharing a crazy easy decorating idea that I love!

Place simple green leaves from your yard or garden in glass vases. Yup, that's it. No trips to the florist or spending $25 on flowers that quickly die. Just place cut green leaves in a vase with water and done. And with little effort, I'm amazed at the beauty these simple arrangements offer. Check out these pretties all sourced from one of my favorite places for design inspiration...Pinterest!

source

Ahhh, I am swooning! And if your home is decorated with neutral home furnishings and accessories, then a fresh pop of green is the perfect accent in neutral spaces.

Okay well we don't have tropical palm plants in our yard. But we do have Hostas, Elephant Ears and Ferns. I seriously have a passion for simple & chic decorating ideas like this!

Friday Five - favorites from the week!

2016-04-29T12:16:00.000-04:00

Hey guys, TGIF! So I'm back for another Friday Five where I feature five favorites from my weekly Decorating & Design adventures here at The Collected Interior. So let's get to it...

1. You guys I am loving this console table from Birch Lane! If you've not visited this site, check them out here. They simply have beautiful and affordable home furnishings and accessories. This table has the prettiest distressed wood finish. And those metal legs have an industrial vibe that is so fun!

2. I was shopping the other day at Kirklands and this awesome mirror caught my eye. It's The Metal Rope Wall Mirror and priced at just $29.99 is crazy affordable! It's not a large mirror at only 20" round. But what a great option for a side or back entryway. I love great finds like this!

3. Next week I plan to style a clients built ins with these fun accessories below. Seriously so many natural elements and textures inspire me here including coral, beach glass, and drift wood. Oh and those modern vases, love!

4. So my daughter's dresser has seen better days and she needs a new one. We're getting her the Hemnes dresser from Ikea! You guys this dresser is Awesome with its clean, modern lines. And affordable too at just $250...sold! Heck at that price she can take it to college in a few years ;)

source

5. And finally here's a Design Board I created for a Home Office refresh. So far three art pieces are hung, the rug is laid and delivery and installation for everything else is scheduled next week. I can't wait to see everything come together, this has been a super fun project!

Okay guys that's my Friday Five! I really enjoy sharing what I love in this little corner of the internet. Thanks for stopping by. And if you have questions about any of our Design Services here at The Collected Interior, please feel free to contact me!