Child Safe Shades & Big Rebates

Celebrate National Child Saftey month with cordless lift window coverings.  Enjoy a safer more beautiful home with Hunter Douglas' variety of cordless shade options, such as the above honeycomb and roman shades.  Plus celebrate the season with generous mail in  rebates.  Contact for a consultation dailydesigner@gmail.com

What is trending right now?

 Reclaimed wood looks great when mixed with upholstered chairs

 Animal sculptures, this one is a paper mache from West Elm.

Chevron is popping up everywhere, in bedding, drapes, rugs and upholstery.  I recommend limiting the use to one chevron pattern in a room to keep it from getting dizzy and busy.

HomeGoods- New Store in San Diego

Are you a HomeGoods fan?  Check out the new store that just opened at 3331 Rosecrans Street.  Great prices on all your interior design needs: bedding, pillows, unique furniture, area rugs, artwork, lamps, mirrors, dishes, you name it, you can find it at HomeGoods.

Removeable wallpaper and wal decals

When you look at model homes, don't you just fall in love with the bold use of wallpaper and think to yourself, "If I could do this in my home it would look so professional".  If you tend to redecorate every 15 to 20 years, I say go for it.  Pick a pattern you love and wallpaper away.  If, like me, you like to redecorate every 5 minutes, it might be best to stick to removeable wallpaper and decals.  I especially love the idea that you can wallpaper in a house that you are renting and not have to live in a white box, or that you can give your childrens room a real fun personality that can easily change as they grow.  Check out the removeable paper at http://www.tempaperdesign.com/ and the custom graphics at wall http://www.dalidecals.com/ .  A quick search in google and you will find that there are quite a few companies getting into the groove with this cool product.  If you have used removeable paper or decals, send me your pictures and I will post them on my blog.

Picking Paint Colors

One of the most exciting things about paint is that it can be used to alter the architecture and mood of a room, at a very low cost.  The most difficult part of the process is deciding on the right color and whether to paint all walls the same color.  To lengthen a square room, paint one wall an alternate color.  To add width to a long, narrow room paint the end walls a dark color and the long walls a lighter color.  Reds, oranges, and yellows make a room feel "warm" while blues and greens will "cool" a room.  Painting a high ceiling a color will visually make it appear lower.  Because cool colors are more relaxing they are great for bedrooms, whereas warm colors work well in dining rooms and kitchens to stimulate conversation and appetite. 
Do not be afraid to do whatever suits your lifestyle best because there are no rules when it comes to your personal space.  The only rule I have is to make sure you love it, and if you don't change it.
What is my next room going to be?  I'm thinking black.  I am inspired by Bill Compton's office on "True Blood" and Kris Jenner's home office on "Keeping up with the Kardashian's". 

Great Daily Deals on Designer Interior Products

I love mixing high end designer items with bargain finds to create a truly unique look, both in interior design and my personal fashion.  If you love a good deal too, check out one of my favorite website http://www.hautelook.com/.  It is a short term sale sight and items go fast, so if you see something you like, buy it quick.  Look at this 100% wool 5x8 rug made in New Zealand for $197.  The feather design is totally on trend. 

Imagining Your Window Treatments

Shutters, blinds, shades, oh my!  There are so many different types of window coverings to choose from it can make your head spin.  If you are you having a hard time deciding what would be best for your windows, go to http://www.hunterdouglas.com/ and use the "Imagine" Design Center Program.  Upload a photo of your room or use one of the stock pictures to help you see different colors and window covering options.  It is an invaluable tool for people who have a hard time visualizing.

Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets

The new trend in kitchen design is two-toned cabinets.  Some low cost ideas to incorporate this trend that do not include a complete remodel: changing just the doors on your upper cabinets to frosted glass or white.  If you have an island, paint the lower cabinets a different color or change the counter top.

The new trends with Restoration Hardware

I don't know about you, but I have been ready for something new and I have found it at Restoration Hardware.  I love the the look of the 18th century French inspired furniture in reclaimed pine, weathered finished oak, and elm; an aviation wing desk inspired by World War II fighter planes; a new interpretation of 1950's Copenhagen chair with hair-on hide. 

Bathroom Design

Woven wood bamboo style roman shades add a spa feel to your bathroom

If you want your morning routine to feel more like a spa visit, declutter your bathroom.  Keep the color palette neutral, put all your necessities under the sink or in the medicine cabinet and keep the counters free of excess items.

Udpate a brick fireplace and hide a television

There are so many great designer ideas in this one set of photos of HGTV's new Green Home: 
1. If you are like me and do not like to see electronics including today's huge flat screen TV's, cover it with a set of pictures on gliding tracks.  Voila, a hidden TV when you are not watching it.
2.  If you have a dated brick fireplace and not enough money to invest in ripping it out or covering with tile, try painting it.  I love how they painted this one Sherwin Williams Grizzle Gray (along with the walls) to the side so that the element your eye sees now is the floating shelves.

April Showers

If the grey weather has you down, brighten up your living space with a splash of bright yellow.  It will feel as if you have pulled the sunshine into your room.  For a low cost option, try a vase or fresh flowers, a bowl of lemons, a few throw pillows on your sofa, or a set of new towels in the bathroom.  All can be found for less than $20.

Ms Manners

A gentle manners reminder:

If you invite guests to your house and require that they remove their shoes, let them know in advance that you will ask them to do that.  Provide your guest an appropriate seat near the entry way.  A better option, if you are trying to protect your flooring, is to buy a box of shoe covers.
When you ask someone to your home for an estimate on work such as carpet, window coverings, replacing windows, remodeling, etc. always treat them with the same respect as you would any other guest in your home.  Provide them with a comfortable clean space to work and offer them a drink.

Padded Headboards

Upholstered headboards pull your room together and look so custom.  You can purchase online at a number of different vendors that offer reasonable prices.  If you want to get more creative, go to a local upholstery shop with pictures or drawings of what you would like to do and have it custom made. The shop can tell you how much yardage you need and you can buy it yourself at a warehouse fabric store. 

Cow Hide rugs

You do not have to live in a log cabin to have a cow hide rug in your home.  In fact, they are most interesting when found in a traditional or modern environment because it is unexpected.  I like to stick to all white, solid black or brindle.  You can even layer it over a sisal rug.  You can find them for great prices online.  If you want to have more fun, go to a rodeo and pick one out. 

The importance of lighting

You recognize the importance of lighting when it is not working for you.  Whether it is the favorite spot you sit in to read your book is too dark, or your trying to have a romantic dinner and the chandelier is too bright.  Lighting can be one as easy as a do it yourself  weekend project, or in the case of hanging and wiring through the ceiling, you may want to call an electrician.  You can go economy, such as this super sculpural light I just put in my living room from Ikea that is an impressive 31".  Or you can go with my favorite tv designer Candice Olson's who has created her own line of lighting.  If you can switch out your bathroom lighting yourself to something this beautiful, what are you waiting for?

Temporary Window Coverings

If you have just moved into a new house with no window coverings or you removed what you had to paint or replace the windows, get a few of these temporary shades at Home Depot or Lowes.  They are essentially large "post it" notes that stick to the glass so you do not have to put up a sheet, and they only cost about $5.  That will give you time to do research to determine what beautiful new Hunter Douglas window coverings you would like to put up. Let me know if you need help with your window covering needs, it is my specialty.

Do you know about Kirkland Home?

http://www.kirklands.com/
They have fantastic home decor at great prices. Check out this custom looking padded storage bench for only $150!  What a steal!  You can use it as a coffee table to store magazines and throw blankets or at the end of your bed for your extra linens.

I love birds



HGTV's Green Home uses bird bedding in the  master bedroom

Great bedding at west elm



would make a cute painting on a childs bedroom wall

My current obsession is birds, especially when it is just the silhouette.  The style is so fun and whimsical and looks great on bedding, pictures, dishes.  Just don't over do it.