Great Little Girl’s Room Before and After

Plain, petite and not at all pretty. When Cindy and Robert moved to their new home in Denver, this bedroom was clearly the right spot for their 5-year-old daughter, Megan. We found the paint, furnishings, lighting, art and accessories to make this a gorgeous little girls room — and you’ll see the after too! (No cheating by scrolling down to the bottom first!)

This family’s Stylefinder palette choice is bold jewel tones and their Stylefinder Style is mostly Traditional. Perfect for this bedroom with honey-toned hardwood floors.

They wanted a classic pink and lime green palette. While this palette may have originated in Palm Beach — we do it As, Always, Affordable…My Design Guide style selecting Candy Lime from True Value Hardware paints. Need help with a paint selection? Only $39.

This bed from Target made Megan (and Mom) giddy. Keep in mind that white furniture is also easy to create from thrift store finds. My Design Guide Must for this room: Keeping the furniture scale small to fit the rooms size and mostly Traditional in style.

The bedding (we always give you options) really sets the tone of the room. The quilting keeps it traditional, like the furniture and the bed, but the color keeps it kid-friendly and playful.

The important thing in a child’s bedroom, and in most rooms, is to not be afraid of adding personal touches, like these wall shelves and graphic area rug. Those items will make any space feel cozy and comfortable, as well as marking the space as uniquely yours.

Lovely Lighting. A chandelier and your choice of adorable, affordable bedside lamps makes this room complete. (Yes, youv’e seen our favorite chandelier from Target before — it works!) The Takayam table lamp (#2) is a little more modern, but the right size, scale and color — making the overall design look a bitch more rich. Anyone can go out and buy a room full of matchy-matchy furniture, our Custom Room Designs use the unique!

Drum Roll Please…

Do you love it? While a bed on an angle isn’t always successful, this one works because it helps to get some of that furniture off the walls and interacting with the negative space in the room. The other furniture also is set parallel to the bed, which creates square spaces int he room, adding a structured feel in a playful way.

This room’s playful nature is designed to be a room for a child that serves a function while still creating a place of whimsy and energy any child would love. It has feminine touches in both the decorative headboard and foot board, as well as the color palette. Green and pink are complimentary, and that always keeps a color concept strong. The white furniture allows the wall color and bedding to really stand on their own and minimizes some of the heaviness of the furniture, which helps to make the space feel child-friendly.

Want a room like this of your very own? Let us create it for your Style and Lifestyle with a My Design Guide Custom Room Design.

Have great furnishings but just need those finishing touches? Try our Art and Accessory Design.

How to Make your Home Look Expensive

If I were rich I’d have fresh flowers in my home at all times and my sheets changed every day. That’s about it. Those things make me feel rich. I splurge on flowers as often as possible have a new MyD secret weapon in that regard that I’ll tell you about soon.

This post is about things you need in your home that will make it look rich, even if we are not…

Stylish Drapes

That doesn’t mean expensive drapes. Stylish drapes have:

• The right pattern and texture needed to match your Stylefinder style
• The right length
• Preferably lined or combined with a shade like our MyDesignGuide hallmark bamboo shade

Depending on your style profile, these are some examples:

How do I know that drapes are the rich finish to any room?

I bought this gorgeous pair from Ballard design and hung them in our home office. My husband was amazed. According to him, “They make the room look so large and warm and finished.” More importantly, he insisted that we buy new drapes for the bedroom…and now our den!!! Can you believe it? Granted he’s kind of metrosexual — but I’m telling you he is now the Drape King. So what do you need to know to impress your Drape King/Queen?

MyD Rule of Thumb for Hanging Drapes:

Drapes typically come off the shelf in three standard sizes, 54″, 84″ and 96″ — yes, that’s 4.5′, 7′ and 8′ corresponding to 1 foot below most standard ceiling and window heights. Keep that in mind when shopping. The rod should be installed above the window frame unless there is an impediment like this problem I have in my bedroom.

Then, unfortunately, on the window frame it is. The drapes should reach to approximately one inch above the floor.

What about having my drapes puddle on the floor?

That’s fine, but it’s not really the hot trend it used to be and for those of us with kids and pets, those puddles are just dust bunny magnets. If you have a cleaning person or a butler…you go girl!

Want to feel rich every day?

A MyDesignGuide Window Treatment service provides you with 3 unique drapery selections that will meet your Style and your Lifestyle.

Need a DIY Solution

Check out A Soft Place to Land‘s drop cloth drapes. They are drop dead gorgeous!

And Remember, the MyD Dont’s

High water drapes are horrifying!

And you really need to say sayonara to your swags…unless you are decorating an old folks home, banquet room or a super formal home, consider retiring these to the basement. Don’t get me wrong, I did it too, but now we must overcome.

7 Tips for a Stylish Nursery

Creating a comfortable, safe and stylish nursery doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. All it takes is some simple research, good advice and a plan to get you started and you can’t go wrong. You probably already have a few ideas for the decor, and have thought a little about cribs and other furniture. Here are a few more things to keep in mind.

Do start out by making a plan. How do you want the nursery to look? Will the colors and decor blend with the rest of the house, in keeping with current trends? Or do you prefer a colorful room, busy with children’s characters? Remember that it will always be easier to create a new look by swapping out art and toys than it will be to paint over a bright wall color. A clean and simple design, embellished with changeable design elements, will ensure that the room can grow with your child.

Don’t make the nursery an obstacle course. It’s tempting when you’re pregnant to buy lots of fun gadgets and cute furniture, but keep in mind that the nursery needs to be a functional room. A crib that converts to a toddler bed, a changing table, a small dresser and a relaxing chair are all you really need. If the nursery is large you can certainly add a rocking horse or other decorative items, but keep in mind that the room should be open and accessible. If the room has little or no closet space, look for furniture with built-in storage. Otherwise, be sure to stash all of your supplies in the closet and up off the floor. You should have unhindered access to the crib and other furniture, and not be in danger of tripping over anything when you walk in the room.

Do load up on supplies well before your due date. Check the Sunday paper for coupons, keep an eye out for sales and sign up online with manufacturers of baby products. Your nursery should be stocked with plenty of baby wipes, diapers, diaper cream, lotion and powder. Don’t forget the hand sanitizer for yourself, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol for swabbing the umbilical cord.

Don’t settle for a cheap chair. Skimping on a chair will cost you in the long run. You will be spending many exhausted hours in your nursery chair– make sure it’s one that will provide plenty of back support and cushioning. It’s also a good idea to look for features such as recline and swivel, and for locking mechanisms, all of which make resting (and standing up) while holding a baby much easier. You can customize a Storkcraft glider and ottoman to fit your nursery decor, or choose one of the styles available in-store if you’re pressed for time. The advantage of choosing a quality custom chair is that it will fit effortlessly into your living room, or your next nursery, when the time comes for it to be moved out of the baby’s room.

Do outfit the baby’s room with organic bed linens. You don’t have to pay a fortune for exotic or expensive brands. Most retail stores now carry cute and affordable bedding made with unbleached cotton that is produced without the use of chemical pesticides. You can be confident that your baby is sleeping in a healthy environment, free from harsh chemicals, and you don’t have to break the bank.

Don’t paint the walls with standard paints. They contain substances known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which emit toxic fumes. Low or no VOC paint is available in all price ranges at home improvement stores and at many large retailers. You can find it in any color, or you can have it custom mixed to suit your design plan. A popular trend for nurseries is to paint the lower and upper parts of the walls in different colors. Even if you choose colors that complement the rest of your house, this fun design idea can help to make the nursery unique. Whichever color you choose, be sure to paint the nursery at least a month before your due date to ensure that any fumes will have dissipated before you bring your baby home.

Do look over the nursery one last time with safety in mind. Get down on the floor and consider the room from a baby’s perspective. Are there lamp cords within reach, or other electrical cords that could be pulled down? You should conceal them behind furniture. Also remove any curtains or blinds with cords that might present a risk of strangulation. Have you fitted all of the electrical outlets with plastic covers? Those little holes are enticing to little fingers.

The most important item on your to-do list is to get started. Your pregnancy will be over before you know it, and taking care of a new baby leaves little time for anything else. If you plan ahead and take some time every day to work on your nursery then you’ll be able to breathe easier in the days leading up to your baby’s birth. And you’ll both come home to a nursery that is functional, warm and welcoming.

Real Art

So, we love Art.com for their selection and pricing, but we also triple love Real Art – made by real people and being reproduced on a small scale.  Real art makes your home totally you and if you make your way to local artists studios…..it can be affordable. 

Check out UGallery.com for just such good stuff.    We love the way you can see the art on your walls and return it if you don’t like – shipping paid….This 8×8 real oil painting by Bart Dluhy is colorful, fun and festive. 

 When purchasing a small piece of art like this have a spot in mind that is small, a pit stop where someone will naturally be standing so that they will stop and enjoy it .  By a doorway, a mirror, window,  light switch, small section of wall in a kitchen.  Or, group it with a number of other pieces of art to make a larger composition.  In a larger composition, look for art that is of similar coloring, content or style – combining unique pieces of art into one display is the black diamond of interior design.    Have a grouping of art you’d like to share - tell us about it.  

Want your MyDesignGuide.com custom Art and Accessory service to include this perfect painting…or something even more like your Style?  It’s simple, affordable and totally you.

Want Your Home to Look Terrific, But Not Too Trendy?

Try IKAT.

it’s the hip fabric in use in all the magazines like this recent picture from ElleDecor. 

It’s just showing up in our favorite online stores, our My Design Guide custom room designs and Art and Accessories plans.  We all need to introduce just a bit in our home – to keep it fresh.  But, we gotta do it so our house doesn’t look like crazyville.  Too much IKAT and your signifcant other will ask you to start wearing a belly dancing outfit and riding a camel.

First, What is IKAT?

 Fabricadabra.com  (what an awesome name) offers a great, detailed definition….I just use pictures:

The colors are fantastic, the patterns large and organic (organic? – see below). 

MyDesignGuide Rule of Thumb: 

IKAT is great if your Stylefinder Profile is Traditional, Coastal, Modern, Tuscan or even Rustic. Consider introducing this pattern in pillows covers like these from Fabricadabra.Com

 

MyDesignGuide  – As Always, Affordable. 

Target, Bed Bath and Beyond now offering products in this fabo, fabric.  Everything from breakfast trays to bedding.  Something for everyone.

Decorating with Tree-Themed Removable Vinyl Wall Decals

I could easily spend days at a time looking through the magnificent creations on Etsy and pretty much everyone I know has admitted to feeling the same way about it. Quite some time ago I was browsing through the website and came across these awesome removable wall decals by designedDESIGNER.

One of the decals I immediately fell in love with was the Birds in the Urban Forest tree decal (pictured above) that consists of six trees, birds and loose leaves. Perhaps it’s the hermit in me that loves this so much; making me think that if it were possible to bring the outdoors inside, well, I could enjoy the best of both worlds without ever having to leave my house. Another favorite is the Flock of Flying Birds decal (pictured to the right.) These decals really start making you think outside of the box when it comes to how to design your space, whether you put them on the walls of your living room, office or bedroom. They are classy, lend your room to a nice modern, minimalist feel and gives your whole space a great amount of unique character. I love these!

designedDESIGNER also makes great decals specifically for nurseries and when it comes to those decals, I can’t make up my mind on which I like the most. They are all so great and will definitely make any nursery fun, happy and inviting.

designedDESIGNER also does custom projects upon request and all of the decals are made of quality vinyl sticker which can last up to 5 years outdoors and a lifetime indoors–until you decide to take it down. A step-by-step guide is also included with your purchase with simple instructions on application and removal and you will also receive a test decal to get acquainted with before you go to apply the one that will be on your wall for some time to come. All of the decals come in a variety of sizes and you can choose your own colors. So go check out designedDESIGNER if you’re shopping around for removable vinyl wall decals.

Posh, Petite Family Room Before and After

This petite family room has lots of architectural charm and character, a fantastic fireplace and flooring, classic columns and recessed lighting galore. Want it!!!!  Stephanie and Terrence just moved into this space in Maryland and contacted My Design Guide for a custom room design right away.   

Gorgeous flooring and fireplace

Their Stylefinder color palette is cool

Their Design Profile is Traditional, Asian and Modern

 Want to know your Design Style?  - Take the Stylefinder Quiz. 

During their personal consultation with our designer, they said they needed a stylish family room for watching TV, entertaining and relaxing.  They planned to install the TV above the fireplace and their big challenge was what sofa to buy and where to put it..   

They are SOooooooo smart.    How many of us have bought the mongo sized sofa we saw in the 10,000 foot show room and thought it was just perfect, only to get it home and go – Oh, no,…..it’s too big……  ugggghhhh….. (Me! did it with chairs!)?   So we created this gorgeous room for these cool, modern traditionalists…. 

And the Results!

 A 5 page custom design that shows Stephanie and Terrance their room in 3D from every angle,  every product, every price and how it works with their design style and lifestyle.   As, Always, Affordable – chairs from Home Decorators,  Paintings from Art.com – all so budget friendly.

I love  the drapes. This room is hip, its trendy, but classic at the same time…..aaaahhhhhh. What do you think?  We love patterned chairs.  They really demonstrate your style and make the room seem like it is professionally designed (which it is!!).   

We found the perfect neutral Transitional sofa for them. How gorgeous! And the designer created the most calming, comfortable and cozy family room anyone could imagine.  Purchasing a neutral color sofa is smart because it will work with your decor for years to come.  You can change out pillows for a song, but sofa….not so much. 

MyDesignGuide.com Rule of Thumb: 

Every room should have about three different pattern fabrics a solid (easy), a geometric (circles, stripes etc…) and an organic pattern (leaves, flowers, etc..) to give the space interest and a truly rich design.  We’ve got Stephanie and Terrence covered!   Introducing pattern in accessories or even drapes is inexpensive and safe.  

Coffee, cocktails or kids stuff, this room is perfect for it all.

Want your own custom room design - we can even use your existing furniture.

Successories – How to do Art and Accessories Right

Do you struggle when buying accessories for your home….

Buying and returning – buying and returning…keeping and regretting????  Sounds more like boyfriends not bedrooms.  Do you have lots of nice pieces, but just can’t get them to work together?  Or has your room just gone EXCESS-ory?

Successories:

The secrets to success when accessorizing your home

1.  Less is More – buy fewer and  larger art and accessories in your home and rooms will be calm, cool and cohesive.

2.  Use accessories to define and create an accent color for your room.   Like this fabo orange and carry it throughout the room, moving the eye from one point of interest to the next.  Elledecor.com

3.  Group accessories in odd numbers for display.

4.  Picture frames – are an inexpensive way to accessorize.  Keep frame finishes mostly of one type (i.e. black, gold, or silver, etc…).  Spray paint can make this happen for a song!

5.  Succulents (i.e. cactus etc..) are our favorite plants for  those of us who are busy, busy, busy and have brown thumbs.

6.  Consider a My Design Guide Art and Accessory service - we’ll make your room a success for only $79. 

7. Candles are a My Design Guide hallmark, elegant and inexpensive in any room .

Now get out there and Successorize!

How Would Your Dream Home Look?

If you could have your dream home, what would it look like on the outside? A castle, A luxury townhouse, a mountain retreat?

Mine would look like this cute little cottage.

See how the My Design Guide designers and architects turned this faded farmhouse into a dazzling domain!

Want to know the Secrets of Interior Design?

Why can’t we all be interior designers? Why can’t I just make my room beautiful – I’m smart, I’m not color blind, I watch Sabrina Soto on HGTV.

But I can’t do it. So instead, I move things around in my home CONSTANTLY until I find just the right spot. But it makes my husband crazy. He’s afraid to go to the bathroom in the night because he might trip over something I moved after he went to bed

The answer is blah, blah, blah–hard work, education and experience… boooooo hissssss. Ok, so I’m not ever going to be an interior designer because I ain’t going back to school for that; instead I’ll just drool over the amazing designs at  My Design Guide.
 
Take this room for example, great cute city living room.  Note the paint swatches on the wall – don’t we all do that? Click to see the magic process our designers use. It’s amazing and inspiring.