Susan Chambers' Creative Interior Design

Photo Christmas Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Yikes!!! It's time to start thinking about family Christmas cards for 2009... I always like to take new photos, each Christmas, of the kids to include in our cards. This year I bought scarves and hats at Target for the kids to wear in the photos; this added some nice color to the shots. I decided to use Walmart.com for the printing of the cards. They offered some creative cards at the right price. Here's the front of the card...

And here's the back of the card...

As you can see by clicking on the photoset below... I had to take a few picures to get some really good ones.

www.flickr.com

susanchambers.com's Christmas Cards photoset

Product List for Greenhaven Show Home Room

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:05:00 +0000

The product list below is posted in the Command Center room of the Greenhaven Show Home. Many thanks to my sponsors Lakota Cove, Alejandra Dunphy, Verde Home and ecoEMPORIUM.

Come by the Greenhaven Show Home from July 10 to August 9th 2009 and see the Command Center room that I designed.

Greenhaven showcases the latest in green building techniques, sustainable design, state-of-the-art-technology and energy efficiency.... eco-living is attainable even in the suburbs!

Click image below to see full-sized image.

Shade instead of Direct Sunlight

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:37:00 +0000

How does direct sunlight affect a photo?
On sunny days look for an open, even shade for picture-taking and set your camera's flash mode to fill-flash.

How many times have you taken photographs on what seemed to be a perfect day; beautiful and sunny? I've always heard that when you're taking a photo outside, make sure the sun is behind the person taking the picture. The only problem is if the sun is behind the person taking the photo, then the sun is shining directly into the faces of your subjects.

To see what I mean, take a quick look at the photo to the bottom, right of the two girls squinting in the direct sunlight.

Actually, overcast days are much better for picture-taking. There's plenty of light on an overcast day and the colors are rich and vibrant. Your camera's fill-flash setting adds just enough light to highlight your subject.

So, remember, if you need to take photos on a sunny day, look for an open, even shade. The picture to the top, right was taken around 4 pm in an area that was totally shaded from the sun with my camera's flash set to fill-flash.

© Photos copyright, Susan Chambers. All rights reserved.

Going Green means Going Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:56:00 +0000

There's a lot of talk these days about living the green lifestyle. I'm much more in tune to it now days because I'm working on a design project for a green show home. When we think about what it means to live a green lifestyle, most of us are probably thinking... okay....I bring my own bags to the grocery store.... I purchase sustainable products when possible...I recycle cans, glass containers, plastic bags.... But, while recycling is good, reuse is even better.

And reuse also means saving money when it comes to clothing. For years, my Mom has been shopped regularly at upscale consignments shops for children's clothing for her grand kids. So I decided I'd give upscale consignment stores a try for myself. I was amazed by what I found. As a mother's day gift this year, my husband took the kids to a movie and sent me out shopping for myself.

This is one of the tops I purchased for half the cost of a new one at Unique Boutique.

I started at Unique Boutique, a consignment shop in Marietta (suburb of Atlanta), Georgia. Wow! lots of name brands and a big selection.... the store was having a half off Mother's Day Sale. Next, I shopped at Alexis' Suitcase in Roswell, GA. They were not having a half off sale, however, I found "nearly new" items at bargain prices.

My total bill at Unique Boutique Consignment came to $69.49 for items 5 items.

My total bill at Alexis' Suitcase came to $52.94 for items 2 items.

To see my bargain purchases, click on the flickr photostream below...

www.flickr.com

susanchambers.com's Going Green Means Going Shopping photoset

Canton Festival of the Arts

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:52:00 +0000

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend an arts festival in Canton, Georgia, hosted by the Cherokee County Arts Council.

The morning started out a little bit rainy, but the rain was gone by around 10am. The rest of the day was perfect for an arts festival: cloudy, cool and no rain. The festival included artists, musical entertainment, some pretty good food, a youth art exhibit and a hands-on area for kids.

Just 45 minutes from downtown Atlanta, Canton offers the charm of a historic river town with a view of the north Georgia mountains. The festival location is in Canton’s newly revitalized historic downtown district.

To see photos from the festival, click on the flickr photostream below...

www.flickr.com

susanchambers.com's Canton Festival of the Arts photoset

Susan meets Kent Schneider of Verde Home

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Wed, 13 May 2009 03:32:00 +0000

While working on the Greenhaven Show Home project, I've had the pleasure of meeting several new people lately with very diverse backgrounds. One of which is Kent Schneider, part owner of Verde Home, a transitional eclectic boutique store specializing in eco-chic furniture and accessories.

Founded by Laura Walker, Paul Baird and Kent Schneider, Verde Home is located at the intersection of Howell Mill Road and Marietta Street in the BricksWorks commercial center.

Verde Home served as one of the decor vendors for the show home, loaning their beautiful furniture, Tibetan rugs and accessories to the designers working on the project. They loaned a beautiful, 5' by 7' Aria Silk/Wool 100 knot Tibetan Rug (retail value $3675.00) for use in the room I designed.

Since the Greenhaven Show Home was an eco-friendly project, all the participating decor vendors supplied the designers with green, eco-friendly items. I was amazed that a retailer could adhere an environmentally-conscience philosophy and still offer high-end, gorgeous furnishings.

Their website explains their philosophy best......

Mission/Philosophy
(below is an excerpt from the Verde Home, About Us webpage)

At Verde Home our aim is to provide our customers with the finest home furnishings and the best customer service while making sure we minimize the impact this has locally and globally. Our philosophy of Style and Sustainability allows us to bring beauty into your home without adversely affecting the beauty of the natural world. Our goal is to leave a mark on your living spaces, not the environment. With this in mind, Verde Home offers furniture produced from sustainable forests as well as an upholstery that is entirely organic and Forest Stewardship Council certified. Many of our accessories are exquisite antiques collected by Laura Walker while others are natural artifacts transposed into works of art through the practice of up-cycling. All of the merchandise offered at Verde Home, from our extensive collection of hand-woven Tibetan carpets to our silk fabrics, is hand crafted by accomplished artisans and then personally arranged by Laura to exemplify her design vision of Style and Sustainability.

Verde Home is located in Atlanta, Georgia at the intersection of Howell Mill Road and Marietta Street in the BricksWorks commercial center.

Verde Home
1000 Marietta St, Suite 244
Atlanta, GA 30318
phn: (678)927-9113
fax: (678)927-9114
http://www.verdehomeinc.com/
info@verdehomeinc.com

Susan meets Alexis Veremakis of ecoEMPORIUM

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:20:00 +0000

While working on the Greenhaven Show Home project, I've had the pleasure of meeting several designers lately. One of which is Alexis Veremakis, designer and Assistant Manager of ecoEMPORIUM, an Atlanta eco-lifestyle store.

Founded by local Atlanta residents Carol and Bruce Held, ecoEmporium is located in Atlanta, Georgia at the intersection of Howell Mill Road and Marietta Street in the BricksWorks commercial center. They offer earth-friendly, organic, and non-toxic products for folks wanting to live a greener lifestyle.

ecoEMPORIUM served as one of the decor vendors for the show home, loaning their eco-friendly accessories to the designers working on the project. They loaned a bamboo, 52" x 72" throw (retail value $75.00) for use in the room I designed.

Here's what the throw looks like in the Greenhaven room...

I visited the store recently and here's what I found....

Alexis was warm and friendly from the moment I walked in the door and this store is beautiful.... well-stocked with items ranging from baby wear to mattresses to kitchen accessories and furniture. I immediately noticed the baby section to my right as I entered the store. Along with their products, they offer tips on how to prepare an organic baby nursery.

Another service they offer is a gift registry. For shoppers who are not able to come in the store, they will fax or email the registry list to make gift selection easier, and they will ship your gift directly to the purchaser or the mommy-to-be. To complete the gift, they also offer eco-friendly gift wrap.

Alexis says their biggest draws are the baby department and the mattress department. Their mattresses are organic cotton on outside and on the inside natural latex, customized to the customer's firmness. They sell mostly Savvy Rest mattresses and topper pillows.

The bamboo sheets were amazingly soft and silky. Not being familiar with organic mattresses, myself at this point, I was curious to find out just what "natural latex" meant.... so, I went to the Savvy Rest website to investigate. I found a useful web page explaining the production process along with a short video explaining how latex is made.

I also browsed the kitchen accessory department.

The ecoEmporium is located at the intersection of Howell Mill Road and Marietta Street in the BricksWorks commercial center.

ecoEmporium
1000 Marietta Street
Suite 114
Atlanta, Georgia 30318
404-875-5224
info@theecoEMPORIUM.com

Susan Joins the Greenhaven Team of Designers

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:36:00 +0000

I am thrilled to announce that I have been asked to join the team of deigners participating in the Greenhaven Show Home. http://www.greenhavenhome.com/

Pace Homebuilders has formed a team by of 20 Atlanta designers, each with a fresh and unique perspective on eco-friendly design. Each designer is challenged to adhere to the guidelines of the LEED program and work closely with industry-leading local vendors to transform the Greenhaven into a widely recognized model for designers, builders, and homeowners.

The Greenhaven Show Home will open in May 2009 in East Cobb County, Georgia. For directions, click here.

Greenhaven Press Release

ABOUT GREENHAVEN

Pace Homebuilders presents Greenhaven, Atlanta’s newest model for green building and sustainable design. Located in Chelsea Landing, the first eco-friendly neighborhood community in East Cobb County, Greenhaven will carry the US Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and showcase the latest in green building techniques, sustainable design, state-of-the-art-technology, and energy efficiency, teaching that eco-living is attainable even in the suburbs.

Bringing together industry-leading local talent, Pace Homebuilders creates the ultimate Green Team to transform the 7,000 square foot house into a widely recognized green building model for designers, builders, and homeowners. Joining the Green Team will be top Atlanta decorators, local vendors, consultants, and landscape architects, all with the same environmental initiatives as Pace Homebuilders. The team will work closely together to ensure that Greenhaven represents the future of green building and wows visitors as they tour the home upon its completion in April 2009.

Years of environmental responsible building practices has established Pace Homebuilders as forerunners in Atlanta’s green-building movement, allowing them to approach Greenhaven with expert knowledge of the latest green products, energy-efficient technology and resource-saving practices to ensure homeowners receive the healthiest and most efficient home. In addition to LEED for Homes certification, Greenhaven will receive the EneryStar, EarthCraft, the American Lung Association Health House, and the National Wildlife Foundation’s Backyard Wildlife Habitat certifications and incorporate the Xeriscaping landscaping method to its outdoor environment. Greenhaven has also pledged their support to neighboring charity the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, raising funds whenever possible to benefit and promote the charity’s mission to clean the water of the river which flows nearby the Chelsea Landing community.

Pace Homebuilders has designed Greenhaven with the homeowner in mind, focusing on quality, comfort and distinctiveness. Its unique three-level floor plan is designed with functionality to meet the lifestyle of today’s homeowner and highlights amenities such as a bedroom level laundry room, kitchen-centric entertainment area, drop-spot entry room, state-of-the-art home theatre , and private home office. The indoor comforts are rivaled only by inviting outdoor living areas and walkable streets lined with lush landscaping and good neighbors.

For more information, visit: http://www.greenhavenhome.com/.

Tulips Add Color without Adding Cost

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:40:00 +0000

Winter is almost over and Spring will be officially here in a week. And, I'm definitely getting Spring fever. Today was a gorgeous day in Atlanta (around 70 degree F), so I decided to start celebrating Spring early with a bright bouquet of tulips.

Tulips are a quick and cheap way to brighten the kitchen table. I bought three bunches of violet tulips for $6.99 each at Publix. I selected the tulips with the closed buds so that I could enjoy them longer when they open up.

I knew I would need more than one bunch to fill my square vase. If you don't add enough, the bouquet doesn't look full. Plus, the stems of the tulips criss cross in the base supporting one another so that the tulips stand up and don't droop too much. I add a little water, and my arrangement is ready to enjoy.

The next day, the tulips are beautiful, they are beginning to open up and still standing tall.

You can see the water already needs changing. If you change the water every day, flowers last longer, even without adding the flower packet that comes with the bouquet.

The rest of the day I enjoyed the weather on the back porch with family.

Color

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:17:00 +0000

Color is a really cool thing. It's the most emotional of all design elements.... and it's one of the cheapest. Compare the cost of a few gallons to paint to the cost of a new sofa, new side table, new accessories or new window treatments.

Color is an amazing tool that can do many things including: make a small room feel larger, make a large room feel smaller, make a room cozier, make a dark room lighter, create a mood in an entire home and link rooms within a home.

To understand color and the role it plays in Interior Design, let's start with the basics.... the Standard Color-Wheel Theory. This theory is based on three primary colors (technically, we should call them hues), yellow, red and blue which are placed equidistant on a color wheel.

Between the primary hues are secondary hues: red plus yellow makes orange, yellow plus blue makes green and blue plus red makes violet. Next comes intermediate hues which are created when we mix a primary hue with a secondary hue. Red plus orange gives us red-orange, and yellow plus orange gives us yellow-orange (notice that the primary color is always listed first). This continues around the color wheel for the other intermediate hues, and we end up with 12 colors. These 12 colors can be mixed in various amounts along with white and black to give us an unlimited number of hues.

If we draw a line across the circle cutting it in half starting between the red and red-violet and extending to the other side between green and yellow-green we've divided the circle into warm and cool colors. The colors on the red and yellow side are considered warm hues and the colors on the blue side are considered cool hues.

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noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:01:00 +0000

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noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 23:26:00 +0000

Susan Chambers, a native Atlantan, is intrigued by fine design wherever it is found, whether in the historical architecture of a small southern court house, like the one in Newnan, Georgia or a modern example, such as the TWELVE Hotel in Atlantic Station.

Armed with an engineering degree from Georgia Tech and pursing a degree in Interior Design, Susan focuses on design that is continually evolving while also applying timeless design principles and elements to interiors. Her natural creativity, communications skills and love of learning about design have allowed Susan to hone her ability to listen to clients and find design solutions that clients love.

Susan has a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree from Georgia Tech and is a former Microsoft Certified Trainer and Microsoft Certified Solution Developer.

She worked for 14 years in the Information Technology industry, using her flexibility and creativity, designing software systems using tools including HTML, Active Server Pages, Javascript, Visual InterDev 6.0, XML, SQL Server and Access 2000. In the process Susan gained the ability to see solutions before they were implemented and the creativity to start with a "blank canvas" when designing new systems.

Next, Susan became a Microsoft Certified Trainer putting her love of continual learning and excellent commuication skills to work training other software developers. Along the way, she has always enjoyed reading about and dabbling in the world of Interior Design.

After redecorating her home and providing Interior Design advice to friends and relatives, her natural creativity, communications skills and love of learning about design lead her directly into the Interior Design business. She has honed her ability to listen to clients and find design solutions that clients love.

Today, Susan works with clients, attends design classes, writes about Interior Design and speaks to groups on the topic.

Memberships:

ASID, American Society of Interior Designers.

Talent Experience:

Appeared as Technology Expert guest on Tech Support TV show.
Appeared as talent on 10 minute demo video produced by Atlanta Video (http://www.atlantavideo.com).
Six years experience as a Microsoft Certified Trainer explaining technical topics to students. Student comments include:

Very patient, knowledgeable and exciting [instructor]
The instructor was GREAT!! Wish they all would have been this quality
The course and teacher were the best of the whole series in the Web Dev. Programming track
The instructor brought a lot of practical knowledge & experience to the class
Great job, very impressive! Tremendous knowledge of product!

Certifications:

Independent Certified Producer
at PeopleTV (www.peopletv.org) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Passed Introduction to Television Production exam and crewed on 8 episodes of Tech Support show, a consumer computer related television show.

Training:

Introduction to Television Workshop
PeopleTV, Atlanta, Georgia

Location Production & Editing Workshop
PeopleTV, Atlanta, Georgia

Education:

Georgia Institute of Technology, September 1988
Bachelor of Industrial Engineering

What's This Site About?

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Chambers) — Fri, 25 Nov 2005 16:46:00 +0000

Hi, I'm Susan and this is my blog.... It's all about the things I love... designing, creating, learning and living. This category list below will help you find your way around...

Categories (click each category below to see details)

Design

Susan's Show Homes

Greenhaven Show Home

Color

Create

Create with Photos
Create with Flowers
Create with Ribbon

Learn
- Simple Photography

Live
- Festivals
- Consignment Shopping

Archives
2009 July
2009 May
2009 March