Living Well: Tips For Pet-Friendly Interiors

Living Well

Living Well: Tips For Pet-Friendly Interiors

Pets Are Family, Too- Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography

Pets are part of the family, and #LivingWell with a pet means creating durable, pretty interiors that can withstand the wear and tear that comes from them. Interiors you can enjoy with your pets, family and friends.

Ask my dog, Bitsy, as she is sure to show you how she has free rein in my home.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen on my Instagram stories how I refer to her as Waldo- you never know where she may appear- but it’s always in a comfortable spot.

Pets need to be taken in consideration when designing your home. Yes, you can have a gorgeous, jaw dropping home the entire family can actually live in, including them.

Here are a few tips for worry-free living with your best friend:

1. God-made materials, such as natural stone, only become prettier with a little wear and tear. Scratches, etching- it’s called patina.

2. When selecting fabrics, choose ones that have a high durability rating. If it doesn’t have one, have the fabric treated.

I use this trick- a lot. Let me show you a few examples…

Chaises with a treated fabric, Dana Wolter Interiors

Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography

3. Incorporate antique and semi-antique rugs. Needless to say, if it has lasted a hundred years or close to it, it can stand the wear from a pup.

Maggie was quite the model when shooting this home. She loved to be where the action was (and on the rugs).

What can I say? Some can easily claim a favorite spot of their very own. Isn’t he the sweetest?

Where’s your pet’s favorite spot to perch, or is he even allowed on the furniture?

Here’s to #LivingWell with pets. After all, they are part of the family, and a home should be enjoyed by all.

Have a great day-

dana

To see what we are doing on a daily basis, follow along-

Facebook- Dana Wolter Interiors

Twitter- DWolterinterior

Instagram- DANAWOLTERINTERIORS

Pinterest- DWolterinterior

Living Well

Wednesday Wisdom

Happy Hump Day!

Do you share your home with those you love? Or, do you rarely invite guests over because your house isn’t perfect?

The more happiness and laughter that enters your house, the more it will feel like a home.

While interiors make your home pretty, the people inside are your best accessories.

Recently, I had a friend make a comment about my home always having fresh flowers and looking “magazine ready”. While I wish that was the case, it is far from the truth.

Most days, my foyer is filled with the clutter of clothes, shoes, bags and books, much like the picture below.

Yes, that is only one of two different pairs of shoes. Who knows where the matches are?!

I’ll take the disorder, though.

The mess we make living our lives fills our home with memories and turns it into much more than a mere dwelling place.

Homes are meant to be lived in, and I hope my friends and family always feel “at home” when they are in mine.

Have a good one,

dana

Please connect with us…

Facebook- Dana Wolter Interiors

Twitter- DWolterinterior

Instagram- DANAWOLTER

Pinterest- dwolterinterior

Living Well

We Have A New Look!

Guess what?!

I am excited to announce my new website is finally up and running!

We took my old one, added to it, changed it around, and uploaded A LOT of pictures. If you have ever been involved in creating a new site, you can relate to how much work goes into it.

As I tuck my tail between my legs, I hesitantly admit I had projects from over two years ago that were not up on my site. Thankfully, that is not the case anymore as my site is as current as it can be- at least for now.

Click here to see and let me know what you think! We also have a place on our contact page to sign up for our latest newsletter. I promise you won’t want to miss it!

Have a great day, everyone-

Dana

If you like what you see, follow us for more day to day information.

Facebook- Dana Wolter Interiors

Twitter- DWolterinterior

Instagram- DANAWOLTER

Living Well

What A Difference A Plan Makes- Part One

I thought it might be fun to look at a few BEFORE and AFTER pictures of the home featured in TradHome (click here to see the full article) to see why I took the design approach I did for this project. This is going to be in two posts, so here goes part one….

When the homeowner first contacted me, she was frustrated. She had purchased a few pieces that did not fit in her home and she wanted to unify her choppy, cluttered, mismatched home. She wanted it to reflect their fun personality, but she also wanted it to feel calm, cohesive, and be a place to retreat from their hectic lifestyle.

Below is the foyer, which sets the tone for the home. As you can see, there wasn’t much to the existing space, other than a rug too big for the space.

BEFORE

AFTER

The space is tiny, but you can see we added quite a bit of warmth without overcrowding the area.

We painted her existing console table because the size was good for the space. Everything else was added. What was once a cold, mismatched space now feels warm and pulled together.

Know what my favorite thing is in there? The cast baby foot of one of her now teenage girls… How sweet is that touch?!

The foyer opens up into the living room, which was a walk-through space for the family. Imagine an 18 x 24 room of basically wasted space they never used.

Here is the BEFORE of the living room:

AFTER

GYC_BMetro_Dec094 — AFTER- the living room

I wish I had a picture to the right of the sofa in the bay window. Not only did we create a great place to lounge, we also included a second seating area with the sofa and two chairs.

GYC_BMetro_Dec086 — AFTER- the living room

The homeowners have several collections- from crosses from oncology patients, to tons of family photos, to baseballs from their favorite major league teams. They had them spread throughout several rooms with no order to them at all.

I incorporated their momentos in a way that is cohesive and tidy.

BEFORE

AFTER

GYC_BMetro_Dec010 copy — AFTER-the study

AFTER- the study

GYC_BMetro_Dec098 — After- gallery of family pictures

Notice the grouping of family photos and the shadow box of the baseballs? Now they hold special meaning and are focal points in this home.

Stay tuned for part two as I will talk about the master, family room, and kitchen. This transformation is amazing- not only aesthetically, but how this home functions for this busy family of five.

Also, please remember to take a second and vote here for the NewTrad designer’s style you like best. It is quick and easy, only takes a second, and I hope you will vote for us. Every time you cast a vote, you enter a chance to win $1,000 from Hunter Douglas.

Have a great day everyone-

Dana

If you would like to see more on a day to day basis of what we do at DWI, join us.

Facebook- Dana Wolter Interiors

Twitter- DWolterinterior

Instagram- DANAWOLTER

Living Well

Can Hiring a Designer For Your Home Save You Money?

Have you ever made a large purchase for your home and the moment the piece came through the door, regret set in?

As I was reading what my client wrote for my new testimonial page, it hit me there are probably a lot of you who can relate to what she writes below.

“Dana entered our recently renovated, chaotic, choppy home and listened to our family’s needs, vision, and lifestyle.

Unfortunately I had recently bought some furniture (that our kids loved) which did not necessarily match what I ultimately envisioned, but she was able to transform even expensive mistakes into a balanced, livable, inviting home. While at first I had misgivings that following all the recommendations could be costly, I quickly realized that Dana was spot-on and much less expensive than fixing more mistakes made by me with a loose credit card. ”

homeowner and client

I hesitate to even write a post that focuses on the monetary aspect of my profession, because I believe my value is in my knowledge, my creativity, my service, and my practical ability to create beautiful, functional homes that can change how a family lives.

BUT, I think a big misconception with hiring a designer is that it is costly.

Yes, if you look strictly at the cost of hiring a professional, then you will not see past the dollar signs. After all, it is an investment, and one that can cost several thousands of dollars.

BUT, if you are making that kind of investment in your home, can you afford NOT to hire someone to make sure you are doing it right the first time?

Making the right choices from the beginning saves you time, effort, and money. If you hire someone who is trustworthy, talented, and practical, she will know how and where to invest your money.

How?

By listening to your needs and wants. By creating the RIGHT plan of action tailored to your home and family. A vision without costly mistakes, with pieces you will want to keep. Designed spaces that will stand the test of time.

Just food for thought. Let me know what you think-

Have a great day, everyone-

dana

If you would like to see what we are doing on a day to day basis, stop by and say hello.

Facebook- Dana Wolter Interiors

Instagram- Dana Wolter Interiors

Twitter- DWolterinterior

Pinterest- Dana Wolter

Living Well

A Family of Five- Before and After

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are doing well. I recently switched computers and in going through some old photos, I realized I have a lot of “before” pics on homes I have worked on the past few years. So for fun, I thought it might be nice to show a couple of transformations. Here goes the first of several posts….

Below is the home to a family of five. With a house of three girls ranging from a tween to teens, this busy family needed a home that could keep up with their fast-paced schedule. Real Homes for Real Life. By reworking a few key spaces in the house to make it more functional, family-friendly, and company-ready, we gave this family a home they can truly live in and enjoy.

Here goes the BEFORE…

AFTER

If you would like to see more pictures of this amazing transformation, click here for a feature in the December issue of B-Metro magazine. As always, thanks to Graham Yelton for the amazing photography.

Have a great day, everyone-

Dana

If you like what you are reading, subscribe to our blog to receive posts on a regular basis. We always enjoy you catching up with you in other ways, too.

Facebook- Dana Wolter Interiors

Instagram-DanaWolter

Twitter- DWolterinterior

Living Well

Enjoying A Formal Room In Your Home

Hi Everyone,
I thought it might be nice over the next several weeks to show a few pictures of my work from the past. Here is one taken of my own home a few years ago. I love that while my living room
is the most formal room in my home, it is still used on a regular basis by my family.

What you can’t see from the picture is a niche to the left of the chairs. Believe it or not, this is actually my girls’ favorite spot to read and watch a show on the computer. From the number of food wrappers I find tucked away where they aren’t suppose to be eating, they enjoy the space A LOT.

The picture above is not the best as it was taken with my phone ~~by me,~~ but it helps give you a visual. So yes, you can have a formal living space your family can enjoy on a regular basis.

Have a good one!

Dana

Photo Credits: (1) Southern Living At Home (2) My Phone

Living Well

Family-Friendly Interiors

Wanted to give you guys an update on how the residents in the Real Homes for Rea l Life post really LIVE in their house. This pup is the second K-9 addition to this family, and he is certainly making himself at home. It is such a good feeling knowing my clients can actually live in the homes I have designed for them.

P4180300 — Getting good use out of the coffee table!

Have a good one!

– Dana

Photo Credit: Courtesy of my client

Living Well

Real Homes for Real Life

It’s been a while since I last blogged (September, but who is counting?!). By the time I work, take care of my family, complete my volunteer commitments, keep up with social media, and other things that pop up with everyday living, blogging just seems to fall the wayside. No excuse, I know, as I am really going to try and do better.

My business has grown quite rapidly over the past few years, and to be honest, I am experiencing a few growing pains. As I am setting new goals and looking toward the future, I am trying to be honest with myself as to where my strengths- and weaknesses- lie. Maybe it is because I have a dog and a revolving door with three active, busy children who constantly have friends coming and going, or maybe it is because I grew up one of five children so I am pretty practical, but I think one of the ways my work stands apart is I design for real living. Yes, that’s right….you can actually live in the pretty homes I design. Real homes for real life.

Take this home in the Liberty Park section of Vestavia that was recently featured in B-Metro magazine. With two boys and a dog (a second pup just joined this family btw), the mother was adamant for a home they could entertain AND live in.

Come on in and see for yourself how we gave them just that:

What began as a builder spec home quickly became their own through new paint and new furnishings. Custom upholstery, done in lush but forgiving fabrics, can be wiped up with a dishrag. No worries about spilled milk in this home.

With the exception of the foyer loveseat and the kitchen banquette, notice how all of the fabrics are light? I tell my clients all the time the durability of a fabric is so much more important than the color of a fabric. Even with active children and K9 friends, you can live in a beautiful home with light upholstery. The key is to choose durable fabrics and finishes, and with today’s options, they are not hard to find.

For more on this home, you can read the article here. Have a good day, everyone.

Dana

Note: Photography courtesy of Graham Yelton

Looking for more from Dana Wolter Interiors? Follow us on FB, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.