My Work: Eclectic Style Model Home, Southern California

Hello my lovely readers! I'm still here, working away and keeping busier than ever. I've missed you all so much and have had some life-changing events happen recently that have re-inspired me to get back into blogging and connect more with the design world. I've been a busy mom to two boys (4 and 22 months) and am pregnant with our third - a baby GIRL due in September!!!

 I'm still working full time as a designer for a firm specializing in designing and merchandising model homes - an industry that's booming and keeping us very busy with projects. It's a great job and I've had the privilege of designing, from top to bottom and everything in between, about 40+ homes in the last 3 years. Needless to say, I have a lot of projects to share with you and look forward to doing so over the next several months.

 Today I wanted to share some raw/unedited/non-Photoshopped snapshots of a job I designed about 18  months ago. What really made this otherwise ordinary tract home stand out were the 13ft ceilings in the open living and kitchen area. I won't go too much into detail on this house (for lack of time today), but you'll get a peek at the Great Room, Kitchen, Master Bedroom and Home Office. I hope you enjoy and find some inspiration here! 

ALL IMAGE CREDITS: JULIE THIGPEN 

xoxo,

Inspiration Snapshot :: Chic Family Home Office

I hope this post finds you well! This adorable home office caught my eye today on Pinterest. It's the perfect set-up for a family with kids or even teens. Everyone has a spot to work and the space looks fresh, organized and functional. I love the chunky sisal carpet and the white tongue and groove paneling partially up the wall. It looks like most of the furniture is from Ikea so this can be done affordably! What are you liking about this space?

 [IMAGE SOURCE]

Inspiration Snapshot: Classy + Feminine Workspace

How beautiful is this office space? The blue chinoiserie wall mural seriously "makes" whole design! Other highlights: the quartz table lamp, elegant ivory desk, gold sequin pillow on the slipcovered wingback chair, the dramatic silk drapes and the sisal rug for a layer of texture. I think I'd be super productive if my home office looked like this! Are you loving this space as much as I am?!

[IMAGE CREDIT: JESSICA LAGRANGE INTERIORS LLC]

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Inspiration Snapshot: Feminine + Glam Workspace

How amazing is this work space designed by Tobi Fairley?! There are so many reasons why I love it..the pops of pink against crisp white with subtle gold accents, the panels of amazing wallpaper, the adorable chair upholstered in a graphic faux bois fabric, the simple and beautiful artwork...it's so fresh and chic! I have a feeling I'd be very productive if I worked in a space like this. Do you love it as much as I do?!

[IMAGE FOUND HERE | PHOTOGRAPHED BY RIKKI SNYDER]

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A Bold & Beautiful Library

This is by far one of the boldest, color-filled libraries I've ever seen! It was designed by Lindsey Coral Harper Interiors for this year's Cathedral Antique Show's Inspiration House. Lindsey says her jumping-off point was the carpet. "I wanted to do a rich, jewel-toned room, glossy from floor to ceiling. I love the unexpected, and I wanted to take your typical library and turn it on its head. It’s okay to push the envelope and go a bit modern in a traditional space. A bold, rich color can work in a small room. Hopefully, it made people realize that it’s OK to think outside of the box." I agree with what she says and applaud her for taking such a daring leap for the show house. I can tell you right now, I'd never have the guts to paint an entire built-in of bookshelves this bold of a color, (which happens to be Mulberry by Benjamin Moore), but it totally works! And I love the eclectic wallpaper on the back of the built-in, in addition to the fabric choices, artwork and gorgeous chandelier. I'd be so happy to work in this library or curl up with a good book and cup of tea (or be fancy and sip a martini in the middle of the day :) What do you think of this space? To see the rest of the show house which was featured in Atlanta Homes Magazine, click here!

Quote of the Week

"Books - and their wonderfully haphazard arrangement - can play as much a role in giving a wall personality as art (not to mention jewelry)."

- Quote from Be Your Own Decorator, by Susanna Salk

{IMAGE CREDITS: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5}

Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis

Hello and happy Friday! To help kick off the new series on Bravo, Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis, Bravo asked me to participate in a mini-challenge to give my own office space some interior therapy. They sent me "Workplace Therapy Kit" centered around a vintage design theme. The kit contained various products to incorporate into my current workspace to boost my mood and productivity. It was a bit of a challenge, but I think I pulled it off in the end. Below are some before & after snapshots and explanations of how I transformed my space with the items that were sent to me! I'm a huge Jeff Lewis fan and look forward to his new show - it sounds hilarious and completely out of his comfort zone (scroll all the way to the bottom for show details).

Contents of the Bravo Workplace Therapy Kit

My desk before - simple and in need of a little sprucing up

My desk after - I rearranged a few things, got rid of extra paperwork clutter and added some new accents. Sometimes changing things around and adding some fresh new items to your workspace can be just what you need to feel refreshed and energized.

I added a couple more accessories to the shelf above my desk, including the picture frame that came in my kit. I also added another book to the stack and the phrenology head (which I already had).

I hung the Wallcandy Chalkboard Decal horizontally to fit it above my desk, which I can use to scribble note and reminders.

The details: I added a vase of fresh flowers to my desktop for a burst of color and wrapped the gold Buckyballs around the top for a touch of glam. I also poured the potpourri that came in my kit into an empty candle holder that I already had. 

Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis – Premieres Wednesday, March 14th @ 9/8c on Bravo

Everyone's favorite obsessive-compulsive house-flipper is moving in with his clients. Bravo's Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis follows Jeff Lewis and Jenni Pulos as they move into someone else's home and Jeff does what he does best -- judge their flaws and redesign their space.

He'll observe the homeowners, diagnose their problems, and then take over their house for five days -- with the goal of improving them inside and out. Of course he does this by using a combination of brutal honesty, impeccable design, and a few unique solutions that only Lewis could come up with. His trusted assistant Pulos, and his loyal housekeeper, Zoila Chavez, are along for the ride to make sure he doesn't go too far over the line. This time, Lewis is not just redesigning a space; he's redesigning people's lives. Click here to visit  the official website for details!

Great Design Ideas for Your Home Office

My sister-in-law has enlisted me to help design the home office in her new home. I'm excited to take on the challenge, as I love designing home office/craft rooms! To get the ideas flowing, I've searched around online for some inspiring spaces that are both functional and chic, which I'm posting today. I have a home office that I'm 85% happy with, however, I think it's time for a little pick-me-up. I'll be re-styling my office space later this week as part of a mini-challenge sponsored by Bravo TV, to help promote their upcoming show, Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis. Be sure to come back on Friday for details! In the meantime, do you have a home office that you'd like to spruce up? Or do you dream of creating your very own personal workspace at home?

 {ALL IMAGE CREDITS ON MY "LIBRARIES & HOME OFFICES" PINTEREST BOARD}

Modern Office Inspired by Cover of Vogue

You can find design and color inspiration in just about everything...fashion, travel, nature, people...especially when you're feeling really creative. Yesterday I came across Gisele Bundchen's February 2011 Vogue China cover, where she's wearing a fabulous ensemble from Prada's spring 2011 collection. The vibrant colors and mix of bold stripes immediately inspired me to create a new design board and color scheme for a modern, feminine and chic office. Here's how I pulled the look together...

The Inspiration: Gisele Bundchen's February 2011 Vogue China cover

Creating the Color Palette: Using Photoshop (a designer's best friend!), I pulled each color from her outfit to get a better sense of palette I'd be working with.

Creating the Design Concept: The bold stripes, contrasting colors and slightly ruffled neckline of the Prada ensemble came across to me as tailored and a bit preppy, yet chic, casual and feminine. I wanted to office I designed to have the same overall look and feel. I'm pretty pleased with the result and wouldn't mind moving right in to this bright, cheerful office myself! What are your thoughts?!

SOURCES & DESIGN NOTES: Nautical Rivierra Wing Chair via Room Service! (LOVE this chair!); Ceylon Table Lamp (great for adding a pop of sunshine to your workspace!); Pranafication high gloss laminate art (this whimsical piece breaks up the geometric patterns and ties the color scheme together); Jonathan Adler Channing Desk (sleek, modern and 100% chic!); Jonathan Adler Walnut Claude Etegeire Set; Chevron Black Rug; Palm Springs Block Print Pillow in Pink by Trina Turk;  Small Regal Urn in Green (which would look great displayed on the etegeire with books and accessories!).