July 2010
4 posts
Art in Process
Vintage stamp scarf found.
Now to frame it beautifully. It will be available at Birdhouse Collectible at the end of the summer.
This July 4th
Pool Party.
(Myself and the talented Becca Herskovitz.)
Britney showed up.
Puppy napped.
Time to eat again. Hope you had a good holiday weekend.
Store Inspiration
I love this store so much. It is even cooler in person.
All images from La Dolce Vita.
Custom Conference Table
Lucky me, I met a super cool furniture designer and talked him into creating a beautiful custom table for the new Birdhouse studio. Peter Cales dreams up amazing pieces of furniture and also doesn’t take himself too seriously (like some extremely talented artists can) which makes him really great to work with.
Here is his sketch of the proposed table.
It is Parsons style in 2 types of...
June 2010
6 posts
Lights
After much searching, I have finally found a couple of light fixtures for the showroom/office. I was looking for some vintage, swag style lights that had some character and discovered these adorable girls at my favorite antique store in town.
Light #1. I’ll call her Daisy.
Light #2. Meet Sunny.
Close up of Daisy. She’s pretty.
2 down. 2 more to go. Best job ever.
Before and After - Part 2
Last week (or the week before, I’m losing track of time) I did a before and after of a tudor style home built in 1940. Though the house had seen better days, the bones were amazing and the character could not be replicated in a new home. Thus, the renovations began.
Next up is the kitchen (mostly the breakfast nook).
Before:
Terrible arrangement, terrible floors, old appliances and...
The Art of Display
I’m currently obsessing over the decor (and inventory) for Birdhouse Collectible. While out thrifting last week, I came across some really cool, vintage paint brushes. I think they would look amazing in an artist or designer’s studio. For now, they will be a fun little accent which will display at the shop.
(See what I did there with the title? Art = paint brushes and they will be...
Before and After House Tour - Part 1
Thought I would share some before and afters on the good ol’ blog. First up is the dining room of a 1940’s brick tudor.
Before:
Gross, completely no light, ugly carpet and that chandelier makes me gag.
After:
Added french doors to access the backyard, took up the ugly carpet to get to the hardwood floors, new paint and new sputnick light.
Better, right?
Lack Looks Good
As much as I would love built-in bookshelves in every nook of my house, our budget (and probably yours) will not allow that. So, as I solution to that design dilemma, I picked up some Lack bookshelves from Ikea.
Mixing the inexpensive shelves with a splurge piece (the art) makes everything seem a bit more sophisticated than a whole wall of janky bookcases (not that these are).
A collection...
More From Birdhouse Collectible
Got home from a meeting to find a lovely, little package on my doorstep. Peeked inside and look what I found.
Adorable notebooks that will be available at the store! I’m keeping one of the houndstooth books for myself.
Also, I scored this vintage lamp while having a delightful time up in Minneapolis/St. Paul this past weekend. I’m going to use it for my studio as task lighting for...
May 2010
6 posts
Let Me Introduce You...
Meet the new animal print chair and funky geometric ottoman.
Most times I repaint the frames of chairs that need updating. But this beauty, and her worn arms, demanded that I leave her as is. I love seeing the history in this chair, and with it recovered in a bold and more modern print, I think it is a good combination.
Yes, I realize that it is a bit over-the-top, but shouldn’t every...
Raising Hourly Rate!!
In an effort to be transparent, something talked about in great length at Big Omaha this past weekend and a value that I believe strongly in, I want to let everyone know that I will be raising my hourly rate. Starting Monday August 2, 2010 my rate will become $40/hr. I know that seems like sort of a large jump, but let me explain why.
1. It will be a year that...
Updating the Portfolio!
Last night I got a fabulous email from my good friend Catherine, of Bosley Creative, full of beautiful photos of a couple newly designed spaces. Room photography is not her speciality, and look how great she did. Imagine what she can do to make your mug look gorgeous!
We’ll be updating the website portfolio this week.
Online Consult - Advanced
Let me say, there are a million things that must be done before one can open up any brick and mortar space. Since we are in the process of updating and reorganizing the entire business, it is time to rearrange the online options as well.
Currently Birdhouse offers basic and advanced online packages. How boring does that sound? So, we are working on overhauling all the online options into...
Everybody's Doing It
I know that all the other cool kids moving (or moved) into the Mastercraft building have posted pictures of their future (or current) spaces. Well, I want to be a cool kid too and do the same.
Allow me to introduce you to the future Birdhouse Interior Design Consulting offices and Birdhouse Collectible furniture and accessories showroom.
Vaulted ceilings when you first enter. Oh, and the...
Online Design Plan
A section of a design plan for a lovely client from California.
Anybody out of state interested in an online consult just email design@birdhouseinteriors.com
April 2010
11 posts
This Weekend
Tonight
Attending our friend Jamie’s art exhibition opening.
After that, enjoying a lovely sushi dinner here.
Saturday
Gettin’ mah hair did here.
Then, taking the pup for a little lesson in being a “lady”.
Lastly, enjoying myself at the CD release party for The Mynabirds at Slowdown.
30 Under 30
I was very excited to be named one of Shout! Weekly’s “30 Under 30” which profiled 30 young professionals in the community. It came out yesterday and I couldn’t wait to pick up a copy.
That’s me, second from the left. Now, go pick up a copy and check out everyone in the issue!
House Tour
I’m loving this house tour on Apartment Therapy. The owners did the decorating without a designer and I think they are in the wrong profession. Seriously, they should open their own design firm.
Take the tour here.
New Design Plan
I am working with a really sweet couple with an awesome loft space. I finished up a rough design plan for their great room. They already had some major pieces, but I’m helping them tie the large space together. Can’t wait to start putting everything into place.
We are working over the next few months, so I will try to post updates.
Major Design Crush
This afternoon, I have had a crazy headache so I am taking a little break from real life to stalk other people. My current victim is Christina Murphy and her eponymous firm’s portfolio.
Do you blame me, for wanting my headache to feel better by gazing about such awesomeness?
Accessories I Wouldn't Throw Out of Bed
Spring is here and Summer is around the corner which is making me itch to get some new warm weather accessories.
A couple of things on my radar:
These bad boys. (Or the solid red).
Pretty and affordable.
I’ve been crushing on these shades for some time and found them on Ebay for half the price.
Too bad this is sold out.
I do have a birthday at the end of the summer. Maybe I...
Kitchen + Couch
I have had my eye on my mother-in-law’s couch since the first time I saw it. It is so elegant, yet a touch modern with the way she did the cushions. Well, not too long ago she upgraded to a new, black leather couch and asked me if I could find a place for her old couch. We already have one in the living room, but I knew just the place that I wanted to create a comfortable seating area.
...
A little sneak peek...
A little teaser (courtesy of my terrible photography skills) till the photos that Catherine took are up on the website. Yay for updating portfolios! Clients, be prepared for a photo shoot of your homes in the near future.
March 2010
7 posts
From Barn Door To Headboard
The master bedroom is getting decorated slowly, but surely. We converted the unfinished attic into a master suite, which means every bit of furniture that goes in it, has to make it up a somewhat narrow flight of stairs and through the ground floor doorway first. We learned our lesson the hard way when we attempted to move our queen size box spring up and the movers said there was just no way it...
New Original Art!
Last night, my adorable friend Rebecca Herskovitz brought over an amazing painting she created for me. My mother-in-law actually commissioned the piece on my behalf as a wonderful Christmas present this past year. I couldn’t be happier!
Honestly, the pictures do not do this piece justice. She is an amazingly talented artist and when I someday reach my goal of opening up a storefront,...
I love Books
Since, I am waiting for some major projects to get rolling, this week I have been working on furniture redesigns (which I hope to have pictures and a portfolio of soon) and getting my own house in order.
First up, our little main floor hallway. I am attempting to make it a makeshift library and I like the direction it is headed. We love books in our household. In fact, it kind of freaks me out...
Color and Texture
Just finished painting the mirror and the bench (and another similar bench).
Plus, recovered the seat(s) in an awesome, white snakeskin vinyl.
A Work in Progress
I’m working with a lovely client, who lives outside the city, on an entire house remodel. She has done a fantastic job with picking many of the finishes already, but I am working with her on lighting, floor plans, color palette and much of the decor.
Since it is such a large project and she lives a couple of hours away, it is a slow process. But I can’t wait to finish up a few...
From Linen Closet to Library
This hallway linen closet was a mess and pretty much just a closet filled with extra stuff that could be organized better and placed in other more convenient locations in the house. Not pretty.
But I thought we could take this sad excuse for a closet and make it a library.
So…
The door came off, the shelves were painted black (still need to paint trim where the hinges came off), the...
February 2010
9 posts
Thanks Catherine!
I am not the most photogenic person in the world and I feel sort of strange posting several pictures of just me, but I wanted to share a couple photos that Catherine Bosley of Bosley Creative took for me.
Minus the fact that I chose a dress that makes me look pregnant (note to self: put on a belt and look like you have a waist!), I loved what she was able to do with my awkwardness in front...
Back in Black
Ugly Before:
And, much better:
More pictures to come once the room is finished.
What We're Eating
(Please overlook the weird, yellow tint in the pic. I took it under our lamp in the kitchen which casts a yellow glow. Lesson learned.)
Yes, I can cook (not great, but good enough). Yes, I like to do such things and I’m pretty sure my husband likes that I like to do such things too. In the past I would have included more meat (other than seafood) in our cuisine, however as of late I am a...
New Design Crush
I’m obsessing over these spaces designed by the super cool firm of Pal + Smith.
I love the mix of patterns in this bedroom. And, can I please have the rug for my house? I’ll pay you in love and adoration.
This is really someone’s house. They walk down those stairs and catch the view out those windows. I’m more than a little jealous.
Say what?! I must figure out a...
A New Redesign
A little while ago I helped a client work on redesigning her traditional family room. The budget was small ($300) and we mostly focused on a few tweaks and rearranging the furniture to open up the space more. She has two small kids and a large extended family that likes to come and hang out too.
Here is the before (I know it’s a terrible picture, but it was taken on my phone on a cloudy day...
An Updated Nightstand
While helping a friend of mine update her bedroom we went rummaging through her basement to see if she had anything we could use. I found these two end tables that I loved which were just sitting there collecting dust. However, she didn’t love them and didn’t want to use them even after I said I could pretty them up (they just weren’t her style). Lucky for me she told me to take...
January 2010
12 posts
A couple more
I’m just going to keep posting random shots of my house as I start to get rooms together. I like seeing how things develop and it helps me view what my house looks like when I step back and look from a different perspective.
I also need to get my portfolio updated so that I can share images of projects I’ve worked on. I can’t wait to start working with a couple of creative...
Working On
Touch ups and a glossy finish and we’ll have revamped dining room chairs and end tables (or, in our case, nightstands).
A few little peeks
Here are a couple more shots of my house. I’m only showing little slices because the majority of the home looks like a fraternity house after a rager (minus the piles of pretty clothes thrown on to the extra couch still needing to be sold on Craiglist - those are a statement). I feel like I might lose my mind and call the whole thing off any minute now, but since we are slaving through the...
Office Update
I’ve been working away moving, packing, cleaning, unpacking, organizing, decorating, working on design projects and every once in a while, showering. Since I need to start work on a couple of online consults, I figured I needed to get going on my office ASAP. I started it a while ago and I am almost done with it.
I still need to get my desk more put together, so you only get pictures of the...
A Little Inspiration
I love finding pictures of wonderfully decorated rooms and adding them to my inspiration files. Lately, I have been trying to find pictures of spaces that I gravitate toward and that complement the ideas I already have for different rooms in my house. I find it really helpful to start planning a room and then search out other similar rooms to help me tie everything together or add extra touches...
Movin' on Up
Well, sort of. Anyway, the movers come this Saturday morning and we have been doing nothing but packing and moving, packing and moving. I’m finishing up a small redesign for a client and have been put on hold at a bigger project I’m helping with, due to electrical difficulties.
Though I should be doing the big productive stuff, somehow I found time today to set up a little vignette in...