JUNGLE FEVER AND ITALIAN CERAMIC TILES

"A person with a real flair is a gambler at heart." - Billy Baldwin

While doing a bit of cleaning and organizing this weekend, I came across this brochure for Rex Ceramiche Aristiche...in other words fabulously, modern, and artistic Italian ceramic tiles. I last used these in a powder room for a client in deliciously rich tobacco hued crocodile print. The tiles happened to be on sale and the final cost for materials and installation was surprisingly reasonable. The look, on the other hand, appeared to be much more expensive.

Even if you aren't so lucky to find designer finishes on sale, splurge a little and use them in smaller areas such as a powder room or entryway. Even on a budget, high style is available to you. Finesse your design dollars to create the posh pad you've always dreamed of...more later!

{images via Rex Ceramiche Artistiche}

SUCCESS IS A JOB IN ATLANTA

"Every man and woman is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done." - Dr.Benjamin Elijah Mays
 

Yesterday served as my last day as a docent volunteer for the Decorators Showhouse and Gardens. Before I rushed out of the house, I spritzed on one of my favorite fragrances, Success is a Job in New York. Smelling this fragrance throughout the day reminds me that each step I take today (no matter how small) contributes to tomorrow's success. Case in point, my calendar this week is chocked full of events and socials that help to recharge by batteries when the road of entrepreneurship get lonely. I don't have a business partner to toss around ideas with or a design firm's name to add instant cred to my name. What I do have is a growing community of like minded people who all are finding success one step at a time.  We may not all have the same interests, but there is a common goal...a desire to fulfill our life's work.

What's better than being in an supportive environment where people are so open and generous about their resources? When you are secure with who you are and what you are about, there's no threat in helping your peers. There's nothing I hate more than a person with "the monkey in the barrel" syndrome. They all want to get out of the barrel, but each one wants to be the "first" one.  This mindset comes from the fear of not accomplishing a goal and witnessing someone else live their dream. If you suffer from this mindset, there's hope for you!  Keep in mind this quote from the great Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays,  

"Every man and woman is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done."  

What this means is that no one can take away from you what you are destined to do. You (if you're not careful) are the only one who can elude you from success. Your goal should be to become the best YOU, not the best DONALD TRUMP, etc. I'm in competition with (me) Erika Hollinshead Ward. She's a tough competitor because she's always trying to make 100.  I'm slowly catching up with her, but as long as she's still in my view I know I have a chance!


 I hope this serves as a motivator for you as much as it does for me. This was not the topic I planned for today, but this is on my heart. As for the pretty home decor pictures, check back with me later on...
HAPPY MONDAY, LET'S GET IT!

4 Ways to Save Money on Your Design Job

The new year comes with new resolutions and if you are reading this blog, I'm sure one of them has to do with decorating. I'm currently assisting a client, Marie, in redesigning her home office on a tight budget. Little did she know, she had more to work with than she initially thought and is pleasantly surprised to be already 80% complete. By using what she already had and following the suggestions below, my client saved precious design dollars and is soon ready to tackle the next room. Here's 4 ways you can, too!


1. Take Inventory

First, make a list of items you have in the space that are working for you. In this case, Marie has a great desk, storage for books, and tons of file storage. Then, make a list of items or furnishings you need in order to make the space function for its intended purpose. Marie doesn't need much for this space other than paint and accessories.

2. Hold an Audition

Look around the house for items that capture the look you are going for. Audition them for a spot in your new room. Marie's current office is cluttered and very stoic, far from the "feminine-but not fussy" look she's requesting. I suggested that she move the bookcase and file cabinets into the closet and replace the bookcase with a curvy dresser I found the in the closet of a neighboring bedroom. She had a great lamp in the Master Bedroom that she was willing to relocate it to the office.

3. Become a Painter
Marie is not a professional painter, but she thoroughly enjoys it and does a very good job. If you on the other hand detest it solicit help from a friend who knows what they're doing..just save the beer (and pizza) for when the job is complete. I suggested she paint the window wall Coral Reef and the other three in Wool Skein (both Sherwin Williams Paints). Below is the color inspiration for this design.

inspiration via Amanda Nisbet Design

4. Seek Professional Help
Maria Killam said it best, "Hire a professional for everything you can’t do professionally yourself." Based on my assessment and Marie's design preferences, here is a quick sketch and a mood board I put together for her to use as a guide.

Receiving professional help from the beginning can alleviate frustration and prevent you from spending money on items you really don't need. For this design, Marie simply purchased paint, curtains, a curtain rod, 1 yard of fabric, and a lamp to complete her home office decor. Stay tuned for the final reveal!

If you would like to schedule an online or in-home design consultation (Metro Atlanta area), please email me at info{at}erikaward.com or call (404) 507-6110

2010 DIY Inspiration

"People are going to continue to deal with the economy in 2010. That can involve repurposing pieces you already own by reupholstering or refinishing, painting the wall a new colour, or simply adding bold accessories to enliven a space."

- Kelly Wearstler for Style and Home Magazine, January 2010

Revamping old furniture and accessories is sure to make the 2010 trend watch list if nothing else. What excites me the most about this "trend" is that more folks will hopefully open their minds and stir up their creative genius when it comes to decorating their homes. We all have it in us, some more than others.

Just think, when we embark on a refurbishing project, we customize a piece (furniture, accessory, etc.) in such a way that no one will have the same item unless we created a duplicate for them. Not crafty? Need inspiration? Here are my favorite blogs to visit for DIY inspiration. Maybe you will be inspired too...

Holly from Life in the Fun Lane
Jenny from Little Green Notebook
Kate from Censational Girl
Freckles Chick

What home decor projects will you tackle in 2010? Will this be your first DIY (do it yourself project)?

Turquoise: Pantone's 2010 Color of the Year

"Turquoise transports us to an exciting, tropical paradise while offering a sense of protection and healing in stressful times." - Pantone, Inc.

In case you've never heard of Pantone, Inc. they are the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries. Pantone believes turquoise is a color that most people respond to positively and is one that is universally flattering. To learn more, click here to check out their press release regarding the 2010 color of the year, turquoise.

Smitten by...Barrel Shade Chandeliers

"When you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you will find a way to get." - Jim Rohn

I'm usually not one for trends, but every now and then I will be totally captivated by the latest craze. My newest design crush...barrel shade chandeliers. It was love at first sight, or as my cousin would say "I had to clutch my pearls!" The perfect marriage of contemporary and traditional design, these beauties can blow a modest budget in a New York minute.

To obtain the high style you desire, you need to have the TIME or the MONEY. Since right now most of us have more of the former than the latter, click here view instructions on creating a barrel shade chandelier as seen in the image below.

I saw an amazing shade this past weekend (similar to the above) in the wine cellar of the Atlanta Homes and Lifestyle's Christmas House. I was so tempted to take a picture with my camera phone, but unfortunately photos were not allowed. Extremely disappointed, I searched for something to bring to you as a souvenir. AH&L did provide guests with a list of paint colors and techniques used in the show home. The image is a bit fuzzy, but if you are interested in receiving a clear copy, just email a request to: erika{at}blulabelbungalow{dot}com
*Just in case you are wondering, when you spell your entire email address it decreases the amount of spam emails to your inbox!

Scent and the City - Bond No. 9

"Another way to take up more space is with perfume. I really love wearing perfume." - Andy Warhol

Talk about blog-worthy...this weekend I was introduced to the Bond No. 9 Collection by one of my close friends and I instantly knew I had to tell all about it. This amazing line celebrates the spirit of New York City and consists of 39 women's, men's, and unisex fragrances that each represents a specific downtown, midtown, or uptown locale or a city-wide sensibility. The bottles alone are works of art and the fragrances are absolutely tantalizing.

My personal pick is the New Haarlem Scented Candle. It has all of my favorite fall fragrance notes, lavender, cedarwood, coffee, vanilla, and patchouli and the purple glass is quite handsome. Spotted at Saks Fifth Avenue here in Atlanta, they are also available in the four Bond No.9 New York Boutiques. Click here to see international locations.

If Walls Could Talk, They'd Ask for This...

"To be successful, a room must contain the element of contrast - in forms as well as in colors and textures." - Michael Taylor

We all know that a coat of paint does wonders for a space and can even make your old stuff appear new. The same can be done using wallpaper. There are tons of affordable options out there and easy installation methods you can employ on your own. One of my favorite wallpaper sites is UK-based Graham and Brown. Their new and improved site is fantastically user friendly. You can search by color, style, designer, brand, or by room usage. Plus, unlike most wallpaper sites, Graham and Brown also provides images of each design in an actual scene making it easier to envision the prints in a room. Here are a few of my favorites



The wallpaper series below is specifically designed for bathrooms and kitchens. The Contour Collection is designed to stand up against high moisture content and are also waterproof. The only place they are not suitable for are shower stalls!

As you peruse the site, you may recognize a few of the patterns from ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition Show. With such a wide selection, choosing a pattern is no easy task. Thank goodness the samples are only $2 each. There are some awesome things you can do with the samples too...stay tuned for more info. Ciao!

Lofty Ideas

"In my view, no space without natural light is worthy of human occupation. "

- John Saladino

One of my favorite characteristics of a loft space are the floor to ceiling windows. They flood the entire space with sunlight and virtually bring the outdoors indoors. My second favorite characteristic is the open floor plan. A design dilemma for many, I love an open floor plan because of it's endless possibilities...it is essentially a blank canvas!

{designed by Chelsea Atelier Architect, PC}

{designed by valerie pasquiou interiors + design, inc}

I found a great three minute video from Metropolitan Home on How to Live Well in a Loft. They offer the following design advice:

• Use lighting to divide your space. For example, a chandelier over the dining room table shows a differentiation between rooms and its usage.
• Use color to divide your communal spaces
• In a windowless room use a bold wallpaper pattern or large art piece as a focal point
• Layer rugs for texture and visual interest. Also great for dividing your space
• Use pocket doors in lieu of hinged doors
• Install floor to ceiling storage to take advantage of soaring ceiling
  

Below the video in its entirety. Enjoy, if you live in a loft space, take good notes! For more design advice on tackling loft spaces, please email me: erika@blulabelbungalow.com. Ciao!

Smitten by the Haymarket Hotel - London

"There is magic...in the deep-jewel-colored room, warm and mysterious, where you discover its many beauties as you sit, seduced slowly." - Billy Baldwin

I am completely smitten by The Haymarket Hotel in London! It was love at first sight...The building is an historical landmark designed by the great John Nash (also the master architect of the Buckingham Palace) and decorated by Kit Kemp. The decor is the perfect marriage of modern and traditional style and the icing on the cake would have to be the use of bold color!

Each of the 50 bedrooms and suites have been uniquely designed and are said to be some of the larges rooms in central London.

The atmosphere is so welcoming and appears to look more like one's home
instead of a hotel room.
Find design inspiration in the fresh, contemporary color palettes. It's obvious each room was designed with such care and given much attention to detail.

With fabrics as my first love, I adore the mix of vivid colors and bold, geometric patterns.

Even a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be divine while dining in this room.

Haymarket Hotel

1 Suffolk Place
London SW1Y 4BP
SW1Y 4BP

Have you ever had the pleasure of being a guest at this sophisticated boutique hotel? Especially you Londoners out there...is it as beautiful as it appears in the photos? Until next time, Ciao!

Custom Wall Art Using Paint Pens

"Good taste and design are by no means dependent upon money"

-David Hicks

Amen, David Hicks! I couldn't agree more with this week's design quote. After reviewing my design plan for our home and then reviewing my actual design budget, I've come to the conclusion that I will be performing more DIY projects than I originally anticipated...especially in the kids rooms.

I previously saved this image, a super cute wall decal for my daughter Ava's room, back in December of last year. At the time it was sold out at DaliDecals shop at Etsy, but I had high hopes of it returning in the spring.

Well here we are almost a year later and it's still out of stock! I don't accept defeat (especially in the area of design) and immediately began looking for a replacement until I found this.

Kellie of Every Jot and Tittle shop, also at Etsy, used two fat gold paint pens to draw this wallpaper pattern. Her inspiration for the pattern? An old Fossil catalog. You know where I'm going with this, right? Why can't I use the same process to recreate the Swirling Poppy wall design for Ava's room? This is even better because she, nor her knucklehead brothers, would be able to peel off a painted design like they could a wall decal! I just need to make sure they aren't around to watch me draw on the wall. The cost, under $10! **Cha-ching** Nothing turns me on like saving design dollars!

Read Kellie’s story at her blog and buy what you need here or at your local art supply. I can't wait to get started! Your thoughts?

Fall 2009 BLB Color & Trend Forecast #3 - Anime Luxe

"I owe my color sense to crayons." - Angelo Rafael Donghia

BluLabel Bungalow continues this week with the Fall 2009 Color and Trend Forecast with #3 Anime Lux. If you happened to miss #2 - Exotic Destinations (click here), and #1 - HD Elegance (click here).

Anime is an abbreviated pronunciation in Japanese of "animation," but the world outside of Japan refers to anime as Japanese comics. Visual stylizations in anime typically consist of characters with exaggerated features and facial expressions and are often illustrated in bold colors. The widespread popularity of digitized anime is the design influence of today's trend I like to call "Anime Luxe."

Accessorize your space using colors in this fun-loving palette which proves to be upbeat and vibrant. If you're looking to liven up your space with bold color without it appearing juvenile, reupholster your accent chairs with this beautiful "pop fabric" Metro by Alexander Henry {#5}. To further the design without being too theme-y use a dark wood frame to display a large piece of Uzu Kanji fabric also by Alexander Henry {#7} as instant artwork! Illuminate your space with this modern daisy-shaped Margarita Lamp by Miguel Herranz {#4} made from natural wood veneer and comes in numerous colors. For a table lamp that makes a statement, opt for the Tube Top Color Lamp by Pablo {#1}. Its sophisticated, acrylic base comes in 6 colors...gotta love options! Wanna splurge? Anthropologie's Antwerp Chair in Bloom {#2} has a gorgeous, feminine shape and the upholstery fabric isn't too shabby either! Serving your guest a beverage in one of these tumblers {#3, source unknown}. The festive design will carry the lively theme of any party. This high-gloss green lacquer table {#7} from cb2.com will certainly be a conversation piece at any gathering. It's always a good idea to take risks with small scale furniture in gutsy colors before making a commitment with a larger scaled item.

On the fashion tip, here's an example how anime has influenced the fashion world. Takashi Murakami, a Japanese illustrator, created the canvas for Louis Vuitton's Multicolor Palette heavily based on anime. Check out the Matsuya Department Store in Ginza (below) decked out in LV's colorful , iconic logo!


Murakami has recently produced an anime short entitled Superflat First Love that celebrates their six years of collaboration. Check out the video below.

Design Quote of the Week

"Good taste and design are by no means dependent upon money."

-David Hicks

This weekend I began working on a decorating plan for our new home. The plan consists of many items that currently are not in the budget, but it actually makes me even more determined to obtain the same look for less. There are numerous sites that offer excellent tutorials on sewing pinch-pleated curtains as seen below at Little Green Notebook to Darby's instructions on sewing a fixed roman shade (this one I can't wait to try).

The first step I take when tackling a design project is assessing my family's needs. Then, I take a complete inventory of items we currently have. For example, the Ikea lack wall shelf below was once in the twins' bedroom and now sits in my "refurbish" pile awaiting a makeover as seen here at design*sponge! Woven grass cloth, wood stain, and polycrylic clear sealant were used to transform this basic white shelf into a bohemian inspired wall accent.

And for the finale...who would've ever guesses this nightstand was once a pine-dresser eyesore from Ikea? The folks at Penny People Designs featured this Ikea hack for their weekend project challenge. The hardware and simple white drawer fronts give the appearance of a pricier mid-century piece. I'm also loving the subtle palette of this room with its cool gray walls and warm wood tones in the nightstand. Just in case you were wondering, the paint color is Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore (OC-23).
I can't wait to get started on these projects and will keep you posted on my progress complete with pictures and lessons learned along the way! I love seeing the ingenuity of others, adding my own personal touches, and more than anything else saving a few bucks, don't you? What inspiring DIY projects have you tried?

Design Quote of the Week

"Color can extend walls, raise ceilings and eliminate corners."

-Donald Kaufman

Don't you just love this high gloss salmon pink library? It's the perfect shade of pink without coming off too sweet (Farrow and Ball's Red Earth 64).

I had initially planned to focus on color this week, but received more emails with questions regarding home office decor and storage solutions. So I'm switching gears and will be back tomorrow with the first post of BLB's Home Office Series! Keep the questions coming! By the way, the kinks have been worked out with my email so feel free to use the new address: erika@blulabelbungalow.com

{image courtesy of House Beautiful}

Design Quote of the Week

"Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. There is nothing a little spackling paste, paint or even another picture can’t hide!"
- Cortney Norogratz of Sixx Design


Design Mom Cortney Norogratz is the better half of design firm, Sixx Design. She and her husband Robert turn urban eyesores into profitable and highly sought after real estate. Their design aesthetic is hip, urban, funky, and family friendly. Parents of seven children, I admire their ability to successfully manage their large family while building an iconic design firm. Here are some of my personal favorite photos of their work...More soon, enjoy!

{images courtesy of Sixx Design}

Design Quote of the Week

"A person's a person, no matter how small" - Dr. Seuss

In this playroom, a kid could be busy for hours!

I absolutely love this leather platform bed and the oversized plaid chair...the wallpapered map...oh, this kid's room is ivy league status!

Fuchsia and orange accented with a hint of turquoise, a sweet alternative to baby pink! This room will take a toddler into her tween years. You may have a little fashionista on your hands!

Your Little Miss Priss will never leave this frou-frou room...complete with its own little white tuffet!

What a sophisticated little room! Perfect for tea parties with Miss Ava...and the chandelier adds a touch of modern elegance


{image credits: 1.)unknown 2,4,5.)Robyn Karp 3.)HGTV Dream Home}