Five Ways To Update A Room (Without Breaking The Bank)

Living Well

Five Ways To Update A Room (Without Breaking The Bank)

Last week, I had the opportunity to do live segment for ABC3340’s “Talk of Alabama“. It’s been several months since I have taped a design segment, and I forgot how much I enjoy it. It was a lot of fun!

In case some of you are wanting a quick overview of what I discussed, here are a few of the tips I shared.

And guess what?! The first two suggestions are won’t cost you a dime!

1. Clean out. I am a big believer that if you are not using or don’t love something, get rid of it. Life is too short to surround yourself with things that you don’t love or enjoy. You’ll be amazed at how much better a space looks when clutter is contained.

2. Arrange a new floor plan. After you clean out, access how your room flows. If it doesn’t seem right, move your furniture around and create a new arrangement. Your room will feel like a new one when you do this, and hopefully the space will function better for you and your family (which is always the goal!!).

3. Paint. This seems so simple but it’s truly the best and most economical way to make a big impact. Color is hot right now, so consider going bold in a small room or space.

4. Add sheers. I love sheers because of the texture they provide, and Iuse them in quite a few of my projects. Regardless of the price point of the fabric, you’ll save money by not having to line them, and usually the labor is much less, too. Sheers are perfect for the window with a gorgeous view, but just needs some softness around it.

5. Accessorize. Buy new pillows, artwork or a throw. These tend to be easy ways to completely change the look of a room.

Watch the segment below as there are a few more specifics not listed above (make sure you notice the beautiful pillows Suite Dreams in Mountain Brook let us borrow!).

Let me know what you think as I would love to hear from you!

Have a good one-

Dana

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Five Pieces of Design Advice To Ignore

When it comes to designing and decorating your home, you want to do it right the first time, and there is some advice given out often that, in my opinion, needs to be ignored.

It usually comes from a builder, a worker on your home, or a well-intentioned friend. Trust your gut, or better yet, hire a designer you can trust with one of the largest investments (your home) you will ever make.

So here goes…. A few pieces of friendly advice you should ignore:

1. Don’t paint your brick – If you have a new or cookie cutter brick home and you used the standard brick you see everywhere, painting your brick can be one of the best things you can do to make it look a little more custom. Yes, you cannot go back, but who would want to when it’s the mass produced brick you see so much of these days? Painted brick is so pretty to me and it is a great way to give your home a new, cohesive look. See how gorgeous this home is below?

It is the home of Milieu editor, Pamela Pierce, as seen in Veranda magazine. If you have not checked out Milieu, you must do so as it does not disappoint.

This Houston house was designed by Pamela Pierce. It was featured in Veranda magazine in the March 2013 issue, pages 122-132. — Pamela Pierce’s home as seen in Veranda. Image from decorator.com

2. Using 6″ recess cans throughout a space– Heard of a swiss cheese ceiling? Yep, this is exactly what I mean.

If you must incorporate recess, use the smaller ones that provide lots of light from a small bulb. Yes, the smaller recess cost more than the typical 5″-6″ builder cans often speced, but the look far outweighs the cost. Use dimmers to soften the lighting, and use a variety of different types of lighting to create warmth and layering. Table and floor lamps that direct light in the living areas is best. It allows you to see things better, puts a nicer light on your face, and illuminates the colors and textures in your furnishings better.

3. Selecting granite over marble because you do not think marble is durable- This one is a BIG one and I am constantly having to educate my clients about this stone.

I can only hope I am aging as well as marble does, because to me, there is nothing prettier than a well worn piece of marble after several years have passed. I have had it in my house for almost eight years, and trust me, we ~~live hard in~~ use my kitchen and bathrooms. And guess what? Do not tell my dirty little secret, but we are not the neatest group either.

The key is to choose a honed marble so etching wont take place if something hot is placed on it, and if you like red wine, don’t leave it spilled on the counter for days on end. If something does happen and the stain bothers you (which it shouldn’t- it’s called patina), the material can always be resurfaced.

4. Hanging artwork too high– Keep the center of your artwork at eye level or a little lower to create intimacy in a space. In a room where people will mostly be sitting, artwork should be hung a little lower.

5. Arranging all of your furniture against the walls– You never want to create a furniture arrangement that makes conversation difficult. If you have a room that is big enough, be creative and float your sofa and add a couple of sitting ares to the space. A sofa can look great off of the wall, so use open spaces to be creative and create intimacy.

(2) Tumblr — Image from Georgiana Design

What advice have you been given when it comes to your house that you wish you’d ignored? I’d love to hear from you so please share!

Take care,

dana

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Living Well

Friday Favorite: Go Pink

In case you ~~live under a rock~~ did not realize, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the necessary steps to detect the disease in its early stages.

Early detection saves thousands of lives every year, and what better time than now to schedule a mammogram.

For today’s Friday Favorite, I want to share some pink images that caught my eye.

Cynthia Brooks Design :: chair detail — Image from Cynthia Brooks Design

kate long stevenson — Image from Kate Long Stevenson

Dana_Francis_03 — Teen room we installed a few years back- Dana Wolter Interiors

pink2 — Image from Dana Wolter Interiors

Have a good one,

dana

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Wednesday Wisdom

For today’s Wednesday Wisdom, I am sharing some wise words from Thomas O’Brien.

Making a space feel collected -versus a room that looks like it was installed in one day- is best achieved through layering different elements in unexpected ways. Mix up your pieces as this creates depth and interest. You never want all of your furniture or its woods to “match” as this looks too much like a showroom floor.

There are several ways to layer effectively while looking less than perfect. Check out the images below.

The picture above is a great example of how layering artwork can make a space feel like it has evolved over time.

The picture above shows how important it is to mix the woods found in a room. You see stained, painted, and gilded all in this very small space, yet it works.

web-kampakishome.jpg4 copy — Dana Wolter Interiors

This master is a good example of how important it is that not all of your upholstery have legs. Again- it is a collected you are striving for- and you need some of each to balance the other out.

Who knew a breakfast area could have so many layers?! You have a stainless steel table top, mounted onto a painted wood base, that sits on a cowhide rug. Again you have the exposed legs of the ghost chair sitting next to a skirted banquette. Mixing is key.

Hope you found this post helpful. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Have a great day, everyone-

Dana

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Living Well

Fun Fall Trends

My segment on fall trends for the home is airing TODAY, October 19th, on NBC-13 Daytime Alabama at 11:30 AM. I have to say, I adore this season’s looks! If I had to sum it up in one word, I’d say — lush!

Here’s a preview for what’s in for fall 2011:

1. Brass — It’s back! Whether it’s lacquered or unlacquered, this is not your 70s flashback. The shapes are uber-modern, and the color is rich and refined. I’m also loving bronze right now — see the large handle below.

2. Driftwood — The gorgeous shape and color of wood touched by the sea is showing up in homes all over. It acts almost like a piece of sculpture, and I’ve found some amazing accessories made out of it. What better way to bring a bit of nature into your home, while still keeping it chic? Check out the chandelier below to see what I mean…

dana fall trends — unhung chandelier made from driftwood

The wall below makes a bold statement, but check out the crafty yet chic driftwood lamp next to it. Driftwood in the home is definitely a trend, so a little goes a long way.

3. Colors — We saw a lot of turquoise last spring and summer, but as it cools off, the deeper hue, teal, is popping up in its place, and it is beautiful! I especially love it as an accent with warmer neutrals and even grays…. Other colors to pair with gray are the softer purples that I’ve been talking about, as well as eggplant.

Here is a great example of grays and purples by Susan Ferrier:

Another color that is a must for 2011 — saffron!

4. Wool — As far as materials go for fall, wool cannot be beat. Softer wool is making its way into homes and fashion this season. The look is draping, feminine, and sophisticated. In homes, it is being used as upholstery as well as on pillows, rugs, and throws.

Tune in tomorrow to NBC-13 — that’s Friday, October 7th– for more on these amazing fall trends!

Living Well

Dirk Walker – Birmingham’s “Landmark” Artist

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Dirk Walker for years now. He’s an amazing artist based here in Birmingham and also the owner of Loretta Goodwin Gallery. If you have never been in his gallery, you must go soon!

Dirk is known for his “Birmingham Landmark Series.” He says the works evolved “completely by accident.” He had been doing mostly pastoral and landscapes scenes, but then one day he attempted an urban setting with some “non-descriptive figures.”

As he puts it, “There was such an immediate appeal that I felt I had found something that allowed me to pursue a more individual style. The flowing paint and abstract qualities also loosened me up in my brushwork. Having grown up in Birmingham, I have [seen] so many changes to the city and landscape, so the ‘landmark buildings’ had sentimental meaning not only to myself but to my clients.”

The foundation for his artwork began with a more traditional approach called chiaroscuro, which deals with light and shadow, that he learned through the teachings of David Leffel, a Contemporary Master who taught at the Art Students League in New York City.

Today, Dirk Walker describes his approach as “Impressionistic with a slant towards Abstraction.” He works primarily in oils for the “wet-into-wet” look and for their luminosity.

Below is a painting that he was commissioned to do for a client of mine.

He chose this perspective — with the driveway leading the viewer into the painting — because we wanted the piece be more “painterly” rather than architectural. Dirk found this angle focused more on the figures in the painting rather than the structure of the house, while still leaving room for the abstract feel he leans toward. Dirk achieves this effect by using many thin washes in the beginning stages of the painting, claiming that it sometimes creates “fun mistakes” that he leaves in the work.

This piece is an interpretation of my client’s home that they can pass down through the generations. The palette of soft golds and blues and the watery, abstract feel is absolutely beautiful. Isn’t it dreamy?

Living Well

Floral Arrangements for the Shoot

One thing that made the photo shoot I mentioned in my previous post so much fun — and the rooms that much more exquisite — were the beautiful flower arrangements created by Chris Carter of Christopher Glenn. Take a look…

Living Well

Photo Shoot

I have been working hard the past three weeks on an exciting new project!

It’s an incredible, historical house in Birmingham — home to a fun, young family — and they hired me to work on the interiors of a few rooms. Interestingly, as we began the project, Cathy Johnson, editor of Birmingham Home and Garden Magazine, called. It turns out this house appeared in the magazine’s first issue, and she wanted to feature it again for the upcoming 10th anniversary issue!

While the rooms are not complete due to the quick deadline, I was pleased with how it looked for the shoot. If it looks this beautiful with a few pieces we plan on replacing, imagine how it will look when everything is installed! While I cannot share the final photos until the article is published, I do want to give you a little preview.

me with the girls who live there -- aren't they cute?!

cathy helping with placement for the angle of the shot

Thanks, as always, to Cathy and Jean Allsopp Photography!

Living Well

Five Ways to Make an Impact in a Room In An Hour

Are you looking to update a particular room, but you (like the rest of us) are short on time? Good news! You can make some major improvements in as little as an hour! Try one or all of the following tips and poof! that room that was bothering you may just become one of your favorites.

1. Accessorize: Is the top of your coffee table cluttered? Do the tops of your end tables look messy? Tired of seeing the same accessories?

Begin by clearing off the tops of furniture. You’ll get a fresh look this way, and it’s easier to add to than take away! Remove the lamps, the books, the candles, the ceramic pears, everything. Now that you have a clean surface, ask yourself: what kind of furniture is it? Is it a wooden chest with a marble top? If so, begin with a wooden lamp and go from there. Mix up the textures, materials, and styles to see what suits you best. Be a little daring! Playing with the hard and soft surfaces creates tension that works.

In this client’s home, I played with shiny and rough textures; metal, wood, and ceramic; and curves and lines to create the perfect combination. Even the stick in the corner adds dimension!

MonicaStewart19 — notice the juxtaposition of materials in this one small corner!

2. Create a Vignette: By definition, a vignette is a “small picture.” In decorating, it’s a part of your home — say, a nook, a window, an entry way — that, after your creative touch, will tell a story and shed some personality. Do you have a corner in your home that is empty and boring? If so, find a purpose for it, and make every inch of your home count! For instance, I took this bare hall in a client’s home and made it warm and inviting:

3. Paint: I’ve said it before, but it’s a must for instant impact. Paint! Even painting one wall can create dimension in a space. Paint also makes the space look fresh and can give a light fixture an entire new look.

4. Clean out: Sometimes we just have to get rid of it. Bookshelves that are overcrowded, china cabinets with plates that haven’t been used since 1977, bedrooms with stuffed animals that haven’t been played with since 1987 — you get the idea. Even spaces guests don’t see count! Is your make-up drawer out of control? Has the storage closet collected so much that you have forgotten what was in there? When you hold onto items you aren’t loving and using, you — and your home — are being weighed down. Say ba-bye, and feel lighter!

5. Reframe Your Art for a New Look: While you are cleaning out that storage closet, you may come across some treasures as well. If you’ve been meaning to hang some forgotten pics, do it! Whether it’s artwork that suddenly appeals to you again, or photographs that bring back fond memories, walls welcome anything that warms the heart. It’s good to change these things out from time to time too, perhaps using different frames or switching the bedroom art with the living room’s.

This is a room I designed for a client’s daughter. See how the child’s owl art is taken to a new level when mounted on black?

Customizing a room doesn’t have to be over the top. It just has to be creative and well-thought-out! With a clean slate and a few good ideas, your home can go from ho-hum to custom in no time at all.

All photos by Jean Allsopp Photography. Thanks, Jean!