wallpaper borders

and this plan (which was the final look the homeowners decided on) has a more colorful rug, with fuchsia, eggplant, tangerine and mint. the new accent fabric picks up on the mint in the rug and adds another dose of geometric pattern.

interested in working together to create a more beautiful and functional space?
email me at autumnclemons @yahoo.com to set up a consultation!

i worked with this e-design client on a whole house remodel--picking out flooring, paint colors, cabinetry and lighting. (yes! it IS possible to work with a designer remotely on a remodel or even a new construction project! these types of projects are my favorite! and honestly, hiring a designer will save you money in the long run and ensure you spend your money where it matters.)

the powder room was one of the last spaces we worked on, and is a great complement to the rest of the house--warm, rich, and textural with a punch of graphic pattern!


interested in working together to create a more beautiful and functional space?
email me at autumnclemons@yahoo.com to set up a consultation.
click here to read more about my services.

PS:
*these consultations also make GREAT gifts!

oh, i know. it's the holiday season, and very few of us are thinking about the beach. but these clients have recently purchased a beach villa and needed a design plan for their master bedroom that was chic and affordable, and easy to pull together in the next few months before the rental season goes into full swing.



not a SINGLE piece on this board costs more than $300. pretty incredible, right?

interested in working together to create a more beautiful and functional space? i still have a few openings for december! email me today at autumnclemons@yahoo.com to set up a consultation!

nearly all items on the boards come from sources like target, ikea, kirklands, and etsy....
because often it's not a matter of HOW much money you spend, but WHERE and HOW.


if you are getting ready to redecorate a room in your house, and will be spending hundreds or thousands of dollars, it is worth the investment to do some homework:

*look at sites like houzz and pinterest to get a better vision of what you like and want. it is a good idea to have a sense of your style before you begin any redecorating project.

*blogs (like mine!) or copy cat chic can give you ideas for less expensive look-alike alternatives for everything from lighting to sofas. be sure and check them out to see if something that you have your eye on is available somewhere else for less! i have a board on pinterest called "affordable finds" that you may want to take a peek at!

*get familiar with what is available online at big box stores like target, overstock, jcpenny and even walmart. there can be treasures "hidden"in all that STUFF.

*do some preliminary budgeting so that you know what you could end up paying for things.

if all else fails, and you feel overwhelmed, hire a DESIGNER! they can end up saving you a lot of money by coming up with options that fit your budget and can open your eyes to other ways to improve your space!

interested in working together on a space in YOUR house?
contact me at autumnclemons@yahoo.com to schedule a consultation.

interested in working together?
email me at autumnclemons@yahoo.com and lets get started!

in the plan:
*painting the back of her existing built-in bookcases a deep peacock blue
*replacing existing lamps with updated budget friendly options
*new pillows for the existing light blue sofa
*soft vertical stripes on wall
*new patterned curtains
*painting existing mirror/medallion collection white
*adding a super affordable art arrangement over sofa

this is a local client who moves FAST--i met with her 3 weeks ago, and she has nearly completed the entire project and hired me to help her with her office. i will be posting before and after projects of both plans in the coming weeks!

thank YOU for the comments on my last post! i was actually a little surprised at how varied the answers were! i think option D is out, but i am still struggling with the other options. if you haven't left a comment, please do!

there are a few small, (even teeny, tiny) spaces in my new house.
often, spaces like this are overlooked and larger spaces are decorated first. since i am trying to stretch my budget, and the larger rooms in my house will require a lot more "monetary attention", i am tackling those smaller spaces first.

the first tiny area i will be working on is a vestibule that separates the entry and great room from the master bedroom and powder room. it is about 4 feet wide and 5 feet long.

 as you can see, i have already put my super slim console table and oly knockoff mirror here. (i have owned both of these pieces for over 10 years!)
i adore having the table in this spot---it makes the space feel more like a ROOM!
we will one day add some pretty leaded glass to the transoms...one day.


one of the challenges of this space is the number of utilitarian items that need to be minimized.
-light switch
-thermostat (we bought the nest and we LOVE it. i will write a post on it soon!)
-doorbell. ugh. they had it placed on the entry wall originally, and i freaked out they moved it to here...better there than right when you walk in, but STILL, not fun to decorate around.
-smoke detector

 at first, i wanted the walls to be really dark---black, even.
i want this little space to feel very different from both the powder room and the main living area.
however, the more i looked at the space the more i realized that unless i painted all of the door casings the same color as the wall, i would not get the look i was hoping for---it would have felt very chopped up, since there are 3 doorways in this teeny, tiny space.

so then i started thinking that i should go a little lighter on the walls, but add some texture.
here are my thoughts:
*add texture and interest with a fabulous wallpaper. this is such a small space, that it wouldn't cost very much.
*add some drama with the lighting. right now, i have an $8 fixture up there that i grabbed from lowes when we were building the house. i didn't want a "look at me!" type light, just something that will give some directional lighting, and create more of a gallery feel.
*get the dark, intimate feel of the black i originally wanted on the walls by painting the ceiling dark.

here is the plan for the space:


i was contacted by lamps.com and asked to do a product review of a light fixture. i was super excited to select this little spot light for the ceiling:


wac lighting 826 low voltagesurface mount spotlight.
(it is also available in white and brushed nickel!)

it will add a pretty, soft pool of light on the wall, and will blend in perfectly with the black ceiling.
i am excited to see my vision come to life!

this would be really easy to replicate on a budget:

mirror

vanity

floor tile

sconce

stencil

hope y'all had a great weekend!

a friend of mine recently asked for some help in pulling together some bedding ideas for her daughter, who will be starting college in utah this fall. she mentioned that she was looking at some options at pottery barn teen, and i immediately stopped her and told her she was about to make a terrible mistake. (you can say mean things like that to a friend....i would have said the same thing to a client, but in a more professional and "nice" way!)

hey, nothing wrong with pb teen. i actually love pb teen, but taking an entire bedding ensemble from their collection can look a little juvenile--especially for a college student. their girl bedding tends to be bright, and more "clear" colors, which aren't as sophisticated as more muted tones.

for instance, yellow is a great color, but at full intensity (think big bird), and mixed with a hot pink AND a dose of turquoise, it can get bad.


(imagine mimi from the drew carey show... as a bedroom. yeah, YIKES.)

now, take that same yellow, but add some gray and brown to it, and you get a muted, pretty mustard color that will mix well with dusty blues, deep plum, lavender, and ALL kinds of neutrals. the palette can still be youthful, but in a controlled and sophisticated way.



here are a few color schemes that i came up with using a few of my go-to places for tween/teen/young adult bedding items: urban outfitters, west elm, etsy, and serena and lily.


so, which one did she end up choosing?
she chose the "dusty blue + black/white" option, and we ended up throwing in some green for an additional dose of color:

i am looking forward to seeing it all pulled together! my friend and her daughter flew in yesterday, and we met at west elm to make a few purchases....i will be sharing some pictures of my visit tomorrow, so stay tuned!

interested in working together?
i still have openings for september and october. 
email me at autumnclemons@yahoo.com to set up a consultation!

a few preliminary design schemes that i pulled together for a nursery (for boy/girl twins!):




any guesses which one the homeowner chose?
which one would you choose?
i'd love the hear....

an oldie but goodie...i realized i never shared the design plan for this breakfast room/family room that i worked on a while ago:




interested in working together to create a more beautiful and functional space?
email me at autumnclemons@yahoo.com to set up a consultation!

ok.
hang on to your wigs.
i might actually be finishing a room in my new house in the next few weeks!

after 5 years of renting, i feel a little bit like rocky balboa when he climbed up the steps of the museum of art in philly! can you hear "the eye of the tiger" playing softly in your head right now?
i hope so! (becuase i can!)

as i mentioned earlier, the first spaces i will be working on in my house will be the bathrooms. i am going to start with my sons bathroom, which is upstairs, near the bonus room:

while the house was under construction, and i was selecting the tile, vanity, plumbing fixtures and lighting for the bathroom, i came up with this design plan:

now that the "hard" decisions are made, i need to move onto phase 2: the decorative stuff---art/shower curtains/mirror, etc. this bathroom has a simple, masculine feel to it, and i want to inject a little fun with the accessories and art. it needs to function as the "main" bath for guests who are hanging out in the bonus room, but my little man will be the one using it everyday.

i originally wanted to do a screen printed shower curtain, something like this:

however, i also wanted the shower curtain to be open, so i could see the tile work in the bath surround, and ultimately decided that i wanted two panels, so any detail in a "cool" screen printed panel would be lost if it was gathered on the side of the shower.

when i was at home goods a couple of weeks ago, i found a pair of grommet top curtains for $25 that look almost identical to these ikat grommet top curtains from west elm:

i decided that they would make a great addition to the bathroom....they will add subtle pattern and some softness, but still have a masculine look that my son will appreciate.

i want to hang a buffalo print that i have had for a while. (i still love the "tree" print that i have on the first board, but think i will hang that in grady's bedroom instead) i like the graphic feel of the buffalo print, and think the orientation (landscape versus portrait) will work better here.

here is the revised design plan:




still to do:
hanging the other pendant (this just got done last week! (can i get a "CHECK!?")
paint decisions
hardware (towel ring, toilet paper holder)
finding a mirror
hanging/buying the shower curtain rod
final art decisions
buying some baskets for under the vanity


stay tuned! i WILL have this bathroom done by the end of july!
i just need to keep channeling my inner rocky balboa....