Quote of the Week

"I love the visual energy that comes from the imperfect, the unexpected. People sometimes think designers create fairy tales, but we give them something that’s much more sincere. We don’t live in fairy tales.”

— Victoria Hagan

 IMAGE CREDITS:HOUSE BEAUTIFUL; COUNTRY LIVING; DECOR PAD; ELLE DECOR

Royal Wedding Bliss!

What an exciting day filled with love, romance and a girl's dream come true...to become a Princess! Prince William and Kate Middleton are now husband and wife and it's been so much fun watching the live coverage of the day's events. Kate looked absolutely beautiful, in a wedding dress designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen. I snagged several photos from the British Monarchy's photostream via Flickr, which capture the beauty and magic of the bride and her prince on this magical day.  And if you live in the UK, did you join the crowds along the streets to catch a glimpse of the Royal procession?! What do you all think of Kate's dress? Enjoy and cheers to the happy couple! Have a great weekend. xoxo - Julie

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE BRITISH MONARCHY'S PHOTOSTREAM VIA FLICKR

IMAGE #4: Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe

Update Your Decor! 6 DIY Weekend Projects

There are endless ways to update your home, many of which you can do yourself. It's amazing how just about anything around the house can be completely transformed with a little time, creativity and planning! I often blog about quick and easy DIY projects, but today's round-up of projects require at least one day or possibly an entire weekend to complete. If you find yourself with a little extra time on your hands one weekend, you might want to take a stab at one of these fabulous DIY projects. Are there any that you'd love to try? Any other DIY ideas you want to share, please do!

1. Add texture & pattern to your walls by installing Fabric Wallcovering {click here for DIY details}

2. Transform your boring bathroom door with paint & trim {click here for DIY details}

3. Create a drapery focal wall - great idea for a guest bedroom! {click here for DIY details}

4. Update a standard bathtub with a custom beadboard surround {click here for DIY details}

5. Dress up your existing upholstery by adding nailhead trim {click here for DIY details}

6. Create a stenciled focal wall - you can get as creative as you want with this project! {click here for DIY details}

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IMAGE CREDITS: HGTV.COM

Inspiration Snapshot: Cool, Classy and Beautiful

Have you seen this dining room by designed by Miles Redd?! It's part of an amazing home featured in House Beautiful's April issue. Where do I begin on describing  my love for this space?! For starters, how stunning is that wall display of celadon vases mounted on plaster brackets? The matching vase and wall color keep the  display from overwhelming the space and the white brackets provide just enough contrast. The monochromatic color palette is fresh and soothing - I could see myself spending hours in this room! And I love the  bleached midcentury dining chairs paired with the ivory dining table. What do you think about this space? Would you try a wall display as dramatic as this one?

IMAGE CREDIT: HOUSE BEAUTIFUL / JAMES MERRELL

Home Tour: Victorian Meets Modern

I've been in love with Victorian homes ever since I was a little girl. It's a combination of their dollhouse-like appeal, intricate detail and impeccable craftsmanship that I find so charming. While I'm fond of the exterior of Victorian homes, I'm not a fan of Victorian or super traditional interiors, which is why I fell in love with this home tour via Interiors Magazine. Designed by Lynne Scalo, this renovated 1826 Victorian is anything but  stuffy or outdated on the inside. "On the outside you have this Norman Rockwell slice of Americana," says Scalo, about the storybook Ridgefield Connecticut neighborhood. "But it needed to reflect who the owners are and the way people live now." This design of this home is fresh and fun with a touch of sophistication and glamour. I absolutely love it! What do you think? To view the entire home and article, click here.

IMAGE CREDITS VIA INTERIORS MAGAZINE / PHOTOGRAPHER TIM STREET-PORTER

Quote of the Week

"I could never live without artwork. 

It’s a constant inspiration.”

- Narciso Rodriguez

IMAGE CREDITS: 1. ADORE HOME (P.68)  2. ADORE HOME (P.94)  3. ELLE DECOR; 4. OOPS-CAN'T REMEMBER...?!; 5. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL

Hello! Did you have a nice Easter and enjoy your weekend? I had a lovely time with my husband and family, but the weekend went by way too fast, as usual. Last week I was out of town for a few days, installing a couple of model homes with my former boss. That's what I did before starting my own business - I was a project manager for a design firm that specialized in designing model homes for new home builders. That was a dream job for a designer! We pretty much had complete creative freedom to design and execute our vision, as long as we stayed within budget. The best part was installing the job and seeing several months of designing and planning come to fruition. It's much more fast paced than residential design! Anyway, I'm heading out of town today until Wednesday to help install another job. On the go again... that's pretty much been my life for the last few months! Take care and have a wonderful week :) xoxo - Julie