We’ve been busy filling orders and busy doing some faux finishing as well.  We’ve been working on our new line of mirrors to go with our furniture pieces.  Another frequent request that we are finally able to fulfill.

It may be summer time outside, but for us, it’s Merry Marketplace time! I can’t believe it’s already approaching for us, but we are so excited to show all of you our new furniture pieces and new frame designs.  We have been working away at coming up with some original pieces and we have added some new great new color choices as well.

Our website has had an update as well! If you are a designer or have your own store, you can now easily get in touch with our fabulously wonderful Sales Rep.

If you are interesting in buying one of our pieces for your home or for a gift for someone else, we have listed the stores you can find us in.  If you have a need for a custom size, you can place that order through one of our stores!

If you don’t see a store listed in your area, please go and tell you favorite gift and home decor spot about our site.  If they place an order, we will send you a FREE FRAME!

On A Side Note…

For those of you who are long time and loyal readers, you know about my personal journey with infertility.  My husband and I started a blog a couple of months ago to share our story and hopefully encourage others who share this same path, to possible enlighten others who don’t but know someone who does and also, we wanted to share our new journey through adoption!

If you would like to read along, feel free to click on over and follow our story!

(Megan, Paige of Vintage Gypsy, Stephanie, Melissa, Emily of Emyo)

It’s been a long time coming, but we finally debuted our first line of Off The Wall Furniture!

When Stephanie invited us to be apart of their Trunk Show, we were so excited to be able to use this opportunity to show off our newest creations, including our tables.  After many questions from some of you wondering why we don’t make furniture and when we were going to start… we now are making tables with our signature style and colors.  Who knows what we will be making next?!

Stephanie and Megan did such a fantastic job with the displays.  The store was absolutely beautiful and they featured everyone’s art with great care and creativity.  Here’s a niche of some of our newest designs.

Jaime and I love to be able to do shows like this.  It’s a great opportunity to be able to get to know all of you and how we can make products that you need and love.  Unfortunately, my partner in crime wasn’t able to make it to this show.  But my sweet husband, Bart came to show his support and was our photographer for the evening.  I think he might just be our number one fan!

This is one of my favorite pieces.  Well, honestly, they all are.  I wanted to take all of our tables home myself. 

Unfortunately, you can’t really get the full picture of our green side table shown above.  It has a Moroccan inspired motif painted on the top.  I guess you just need to take a trip to Bella Vita so you can get a good look.

They have done such a wonderful job arranging each one of frames in the store.  This wall holds many of our designs that can be customized for your own home.  We are constantly coming up with new designs, that we just don’t have the time to put all of them on our website.  A lot of what the store gets from us are one of a kind pieces!

You know we had to put our most popular designs on a table, the Floral Accent Table is shown above, and is currently only available at Bella Vita!

Jaime and I have such a blast building and painting our frames and trays, and now our tables!  It’s definitely a blessing to be able to do what we love, especially this day and age.  Thanks so much to everyone who has supported and encouraged us along the way!

]]> http://www.offthewallhome.com/blog/2009/05/01/off-the-walls-night-at-bella-vita/feed/ http://www.offthewallhome.com/blog/2009/05/01/off-the-walls-night-at-bella-vita/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/offthewallhome/feed/~3/Z6HQsX747KY/ http://www.offthewallhome.com/blog/2009/04/24/off-the-walls-debut-of-new-line/#comments Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:48:59 +0000 Melissa Lewis http://www.offthewallhome.com/blog/?p=1074 Trunk Show - April 30th!

Let me just start off by saying how much I appreciate your patience with our lack of posts on our blog.  This has been one of our busiest seasons.  Lots of new things have been stirring up and developing, and since it’s just Jaime and myself, we are left to be our own book keepers, receptionist, carpenters, designers in addition to being the artists.  If only we had more hands, I could keep you all in the loop here a lot better!

However, I hope you will be happy for the wait.  We developed our own line of custom made furniture and we just can’t wait to show you all!  We will have a special premier of our newest creations this coming Thursdsay, April 30 at Bella Vita in Collierville, TN.  You really don’t want to miss the fun, and we would love to see each of you there!

We will also have brand new designs for our newest line of frames and trays.  Lots of new things to see and fun to be had.  So be sure to put the date on your calendars.  The Trunk Show starts at 5:00 pm and we will be there to chat and say hi.

Here’s a little sneak peek of our work in progress… because we are just too excited to wait till then!

Bella Vita

Trunk Show

There are some weeks where there is just simply too much to do. The past few weeks have been that way at the Off The Wall studio.  This is definitely a good thing, trust me, no complaining here!  However, it does make it a tad bit difficult to blog with all of you guys as often as I would like.

So today, I thought I would just share a new favorite of mine with you.  You may have heard of this blog already, but if not, you must head on over and check out Melissa’s blog, Operation Nice.  In a day where all the talk is about the bad economy and how hard life is, this is a great place to find some light in the world!

It’s only been over the past year that I have began to appreciate wallpaper. Before that, I couldn’t escape images of the very outdated walllpapers in my grandmother’s home.  You all know the kind I’m talking about!  However, wallpaper has made a come back in the world of interior design in a very big way. Weather your style is traditional, modern, bohemian or classic… there is a wallpaper for whatever your taste.

After Jaime and I returned from our Mini Spring Break today, we went out to re-stock our paint and supplies for the studio.  I happened to stumble upon a new wallpaper book by Candice Olson.  It consists of some great papers that combine traditional, modern and sophisticated.

And if you are a big fan of texture, as I am, you are sure to love what Candice offers.

Interested in our other pictures and writings about some amazing wallpapers:

• Flock Wallpapers, A Luxury To Be Seen By All
• Nama Rococo, Wallpaper Art

I am drooling over this outdoor room created by Interior Designer Windsor Smith. I mean, who doesn’t just need a bohemian backyard oasis filled with antique rugs, animal print ottomans and especially a bright turquoise trellis wall lined with beautiful wall sconces!  I’m really not sure I would ever leave this spot.  Would you?

10 Steps to Your Own Paradise

Tips from Windsor Smith for creating an outdoor transitional room:

1.  Stake out a flat spot in an area with indirect sunlight.
2.  Create a sense of enclosure with a trellis, a canopy, or a Moroccan tent.
3.  Delineate space with a cozy rug.
4.  Make the area large enough for dining.
5.  Use paper lanterns, ground lights, and candles for ambience.
6.  Mix indoor rugs and furniture with the usual garden pieces. Seasonal slipcovers can protect indoor furniture from weather. Add pillows for sitting and lounging—interior pillows are fine, or make covers from soft, weather-resistant fabrics.
7.  Provide hard surfaces for trays of food or a pitcher of mojitos.
8.  Let attractive game boards double as decorative pieces. Backgammon, chess, and checkerboards work well.
9.  Use colors that imply a completely separate experience. Think international, ocean getaway, or similar escapist themes.
10. Hang art or mirrors to create the atmosphere of a real room.

(excerpt from Traditional Home)

After an exhausting couple of months in the studio, it’s now Spring Break at the Off The Wall studio and we’ll be taking the first part of this week off!  Yippee!  However, after we’ve rested a bit, we will have some exciting news for you all… we’re just bursting at the seems to share.  Many of you have been asking about it, and we can’t wait to tell you!

Images courtesy of Traditional Home.  For the complete article about Windsor Smith, check it out here.

]]> http://www.offthewallhome.com/blog/2009/03/16/monday-inspiration-windsor-smiths-outdoor-getaway/feed/ http://www.offthewallhome.com/blog/2009/03/16/monday-inspiration-windsor-smiths-outdoor-getaway/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/offthewallhome/feed/~3/T8cIxNyQl3Q/ http://www.offthewallhome.com/blog/2009/03/10/decorating-with-blue-can-be-good-for-your-health/#comments Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:00:35 +0000 Melissa Lewis http://www.offthewallhome.com/blog/?p=1023 In continuation with our series on the effects of decorating with colors, this week we are featuring the color blue.  I explained last week my love for the colors green and blue.

(House Beautiful)

Blue brings down blood pressure and slows respiration and heart rate. That’s why it’s considered calming, relaxing, and serene, and is often recommended for bedrooms and bathrooms. Be careful, however: A pastel blue that looks pretty on the paint chip can come across as unpleasantly chilly when it’s on the walls and furnishings, especially in a room that receives little natural light. If you opt for a light blue as the primary color in a room, balance it with warm hues in the furnishings and fabrics. ~Better Homes and Gardens

(Domino)

(Domino)

To encourage relaxation in the rooms where people gather — family rooms, living rooms, large kitchens — consider warmer blues, such as periwinkle, or bright blues, such as cerulean or turquoise. ~ Better Homes and Gardens

(Domino)

(Domino)

Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms.

(Country Living)

(House Beautiful)

If you are drawn towards blues, but don’t want to use paint to achieve the look you desire, try adding pieces through out your home.  The bedroom pictured above is a great example for achieving the visual impact of blue without paint.

(1. Antrhopologie Flora & Fauna Wallpaper; 2. Antrhopologie Peeping Posies Knob; 3. Anthropologie Coyure Necklace; 4. Pottery Barn Chase Bench; 5. Kate Spade Sag Harbor Water Glass)

Wow, what a whirlwind of a week last week was. Jaime and I did a Trompe L’oeil painting on a ceiling dome earlier in the week.  We couldn’t stop laughing as the two of us were walking around each other on scaffolding as we were painting above our heads.  If only I had my camera, I would have made a little video for your entertainment!

Now, the warm weather is here to stay and the days are longer! There is just something so refreshing to the soul when Spring first arrives.  Do you experience this too?

I love the furnishings pictured above, by Roche-Bobois.  The beautiful patterns made up of glorious bright colors are like a breath of fresh air. The balance of all the color with the serene backdrop of whites just makes feel instantly relaxed and creative at the same time.  If you haven’t checked out his work, you must go on over.  And you know that I am just in love with that gorgeous turquoise console!

Our Monday Ispiration would simply not be complete without some bit of fashion. This dress from J.Crew is just perfect for this weeks Inspiration Board.  I am loving the unexpected colorful collage on this classic sheath.  This dress is definitly on my wish list!

So, Jaime and I are all ready to go shopping for garden accessories and vibrantly colored flowers to liven up the home, and then Saturday happened.

I’m still hoping for and dreaming of a pergola in my own back yard, but for now, I’m giving you this gorgeous snowy view from one of my dearest friends wonderland.  We received a foot of snow in Memphis this weekend, which is the most I have ever seen or remember.  And just when the temperatures had started reaching 70!

But… Jaime and I aren’t letting go of our cravings for gardens and Spring Flowers!  We are hanging on to them even more. We still feel Spring just around the corner.  And for your Spring Delight… one of our newest creations inspired by Spring.

Meanwhile, here is what is on our Off The Wall Inspiration Board. Do you have your own Inspiration Board? Gathering pictures or things for inspiration and placing them in a prominent place that you see through out your day or your week is so important for your creativity.  When you are drawn to a picture, whether it be from a magazine, a book, or maybe even a piece of mail or a pattern on gift paper or wallpaper - keep it near!  You never know what that inspiration might turn into.

Top Images Courtesy of : Donna Milard

Bottom Pictures Courtesy of : Free People, Debi Treloar

As many of you know, here in blog land, we are always discovering new things.  I was reading one of my favorite blogs, The House That A-M Built, and saw a picture from a company in the UK that I hadn’t yet ran across, An Angel At My Table.  I immediately went on over to check it out, and found endless pictures of beauties like these…

An Angel At My Table has everything from furniture, to gift items, to home accessories, to kid’s decor and gifts.  I could find a reason to buy just about every piece my eyes set sight on.  I know that you are drooling by now, right!  Well, I couldn’t stop with these.  I just have to show you more!

Oh, I just love all the color here.  Each piece just oozes a certain French-Bohemian charm. The bright colors mixed with the soft colors, the vibrant patterns mixed with the soft touches, modern pieces mixed with vintage.  It’s all just perfection in my book!

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