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I back with part 2 of my recap of the trends from Homearama 2014.  (Did you see part 1?) One luxury space that was over the top in every home on the tour was the master bathroom.  I think this shower was bigger than our dining room! And this was only the shower and tub.  On the opposite wall were the beautiful vanities; there was also a separate space for the toilet, and of course a spacious walk-in closet.

Do you like the open concept shower?

Something like this bathroom is more my style.  It still has a spa feel to the space, but the shower offers a little more privacy.  I also like the vertical strip of mosaic tiles that adds an interesting accent to the back wall. Look closely at the two shower heads.  Do you prefer a rain shower, or a traditional showerhead?

Another trend I noticed while touring the homes was the use of various wall treatments throughout the rooms.  Many of the builders and designers featured wainscoting in various heights and patterns. The patterns in these two dining rooms caught my eye.  (Do you also see the paneling on the ceiling in the first room?) I thought this fully corkboarded wall was a cute idea for a teen/tween girl’s room.  I can just imagine the posters and pictures that would get pinned up there! This room featured a stenciled ceiling.  I liked that the stencil was done in a random pattern with metallic paint.  It added a touch softness and hint of glamour to the room. One last photo I want to share is this one of these beautiful floors. I fell in love with these naturally finished walnut floors.  I wouldn’t call these a trend that I noticed on the tour – in fact it was more popular to have a gray-washed or cooler color stain to the floors.  I know that gray is a popular color right now, but for flooring, it often feels too cold to me.  I also think that gray floors restrict your design choices for years to come.  When choosing hardwood floors, I always recommend a medium brown-toned option for clients – one that isn’t too red or too yellow.  Like blue jeans, medium toned brown hardwood flooring is the most neutral option you can give yourself when designing the ‘outfit’ that is your home!

Want to see more photos from Homearama 2014?  Richmond-based bloggers Young House Love did a full recap of each home. (They also were the team of designers for one of the houses!) Happy Memorial Day weekend!  I hope everyone has a chance to relax, spend time with family, and enjoy the lovely weather.  To all of the active military, retired military, and their families, we say “Thank you!” for all you have done. Last weekend, my mom, my sister, and I celebrated a belated Mother’s Day with a girls’ outing to Homearama.  The seven houses showcased were beautiful and all had a different style – one felt rustic and Tuscan, another had a French Country theme, and another gave off a laid-back and funky vibe.  We enjoyed seeing the different features each builder and designer presented in their homes.  There were a few trends that I noticed across several of the houses and wanted to share them with you.

The first trend I spied was the use of reclaimed wood.  It was used in each of the seven houses!  Whether it was featured as a wall treatment, on a ceiling, or in another creative way, the look of reclaimed wood was definitely a hit.

I loved this mudroom area - with reclaimed wood on the back of the ‘lockers’, and recycled coffee sacks on the seats of the benches. Look up, do you see the reclaimed wood on the coffered ceiling? I thought this was a creative idea – to frame out the TV in the master bedroom with wood and interesting hardware. In this yellow and gray boy’s bedroom, the designer whitewashed the wood for a softer, but still rustic feel.  (And how cute is that airplane light fixture?!) A variation of the reclaimed wood was to use it as barn doors.  At least four of the seven houses used barn doors somewhere in the house.  Mixing the rustic feel of the barn doors with the elegance of a dining is a perfect combination! This photo showcases a beautiful barn door, and also features another trend I noticed – second floor playrooms/media rooms.  (This one was from the French Country house, but some of these rooms in the other houses were decorated a little more casually.) I will leave you with one last image for this recap. I thought this was a cute idea – they took an old door and used white mats to feature sepia toned photographs. Stay tuned for more trends from Homearama 2014!

º Do you have any reclaimed wood in your house? Hi friends and welcome back!  I know it has been quite a while since my last blog post, so I wanted to share a few updates of what I’ve been working on…besides spending time with this sweet boy! (Beth Furgurson Photography)

Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to work with wonderful clients on fun projects for their homes.  My hairdresser referred me to a young couple who lives only a few blocks from Andrew and me.  At the time, they had recently moved into their home and wanted make it more reflective of their personal style.  We have been working on the family room and dining room to bring in their personalities.  They are not afraid of color, and they love to search antique malls and thrift stores looking for fun and unique pieces.  We are working to find a few last things to finish up the dining room, but here is a sample of what they decided on for their two rooms. After the window treatments in their family room were installed (the off-white and navy geometric fabric on the right), the wife sent me one of the nicest emails with a sincere compliment: “My husband keeps saying "I love the curtains" every time he walks in the family room.  We REALLY appreciate your guidance.  We were just talking about how you weren't pushy at all - almost to the point where we feel like we picked this fabric ourselves - but we know you gently steered us in the right direction :)  Thanks!”  Wow!  I was so appreciative of her email and happy to hear that they are enjoying the window treatments!

Another project that is in the works is taking a little boy’s room from his nursery theme and colors to his ‘big boy’ room.  Here is a picture of the ‘before’: His only request was for the room to have a sports theme.  They had already chosen a madras quilt for the bed, so we pulled two colors from that to use in the room: navy and red.  As a fun wall treatment, we added horizontal stripes that run around the top of the wall.  He also shares a Jack and Jill bathroom with his brother, so we’ve been working in there to do some updates as well.  A glow-in-the-dark constellation wallpaper on the ceiling was the inspiration for the bathroom!  Here are a few of the things we selected for the two rooms: And a sneak peak of the bedroom: We will be putting the finishing touches on these two rooms over the next few weeks – I cannot wait to see them come together!

Right before Christmas, I had the opportunity to work with a couple who had just purchased their first home.  The house was great, but the paint colors made the house feel like it belonged at the beach: turquoise, yellow, peach – in every room!  They called me for a whole house paint consultation.  We went room by room and chose the perfect paint colors for the space.  We were able to have fun with a few of the rooms, but we also wanted the main living areas to flow from one to the next.  Here is a look at what we chose: I also have two other updates that I’d like to share.  First, I’ve teamed up with a local contractor, Doug Lewis Remodeling, to offer their clients design services.  For a limited time, when contracting a kitchen remodel with Doug Lewis Remodeling, a consultation with me and idea board for design selections is also included.  Have you been considering a kitchen remodel?  Read more details of our partnership here. Lastly, I am excited to share an event that I have been helping to plan.  Did you ever watch Queer Eye for the Straight Guy?  If you did, then you will remember Thom Filicia – the interior designer on the show.  Thom has continued his design business and formed a successful firm and brand in New York City.  We are thrilled to be bringing him to Richmond!  For details and to purchase tickets, visit the Day of Design website. º Did you watch Queer Eye for the Straight Guy?  Will I see you at Day of Design? This week A Small Comfort held a beautiful dedication ceremony to officially open the Chippenham Playroom! A Small Comfort is a wonderful organization that was founded by Bill and Kirsten Tanner to help families going through very difficult situations. This project was very close to their hearts, as they spent many hours in the playroom with their young daughter during her battle with cancer. from A Small Comfort: Lee Ailstock ~ Program Manager, and Bill & Kirsten Tanner

I feel honored to have been a part of this exceptional project.  My first meeting with Lee was back in March.  While Lee was fundraising, I was designing, and we worked together for countless hours over the past seven months to create a fun playroom for the courageous children at the hospital.  It was amazing to see it all come together.  I was so pleased to hear from doctors and nurses at the hospital how much the children will enjoy this special place. from CJW Medical Center: Becky Coviello ~ Director of Pediatrics & PICU

During the ceremony, I had the honor of cutting the ribbon and opening the room!

(Check out the door & window design!) Bill and Kirsten waited to see the completed room until the day of the ceremony.  I had the pleasure of showing them the new playroom for the first time and seeing their reaction. I have a few sneak peek photos to share today, but first, here are the ‘before’ images of the room: All ‘after’ photos by Beth Furgurson Photography

There are so many wonderful people that contributed to the project.  I am so grateful for their hard work and commitment to helping my vision come to life!  A very special thanks to:

-Kirsten & Bill Tanner, and Lee Ailstock ~ A Small Comfort -Duane Wallace ~ contractor, Wallace and Sons -Chris Battle & Chris Sweat ~ woodworkers, Integrated Millwork -Christine Shepard ~ custom window treatments & bench cushion, Iron Gate Interiors -Cheyenne McQuilkin ~ graphic design ~ door and window image, EYE intuitive -Mark & Susan Collins ~ door and window graphic installation, Speedpro Imaging -Marisa Anne ~ animal prints, Creative Thursday -Beth Furgurson ~ photography, Beth Furgurson Photography -All of my friends and family that supported and helped me throughout the project!

There will be more ‘after’ photos coming soon, so stay tuned!

º Was this the room design you voted for (it was choice #1)? Last week I attended Richmond IFDA’s Day of Design event featuring Tobi Fairley! Tobi is a leader in the design industry and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet her and listen to her speak.

Because I was on the planning committee for the event, I also had the chance to have dinner with her the night before the event.  Wow, what a great experience – and yes, I was sitting right next to her! (We ate at Arcadia, which is delicious!) (left to right: John Magor, Muffy Barden, Steve Dash, Diane Fairburn, me, Tobi, Jennifer Stoner)

First, I want to share a few pictures of the event, and then I’ll reveal what I learned from Tobi.

We were lucky to have such a beautiful day for the event! The tent, before: and the tent, ready for the event: Beautiful flowers, provided by Flowers Make Scents: A few of our sponsors, Shades of Light: Porter Paints and Marva Marble & Granite: Ferguson and Homelink: We had a great crowd... …and everyone really enjoyed Tobi’s talk on the evolution of her signature design style throughout her career. What I learned from Tobi:

1. Have industry knowledge

Tobi is one smart cookie!  She has been in the design industry for years, and established her own firm over 10 years ago.  She has educated herself on styles and trends and is always staying ahead of the curve.  She knows what works in a room and what doesn't,  and she uses her learned knowledge and natural sense of style to create unbelievably stunning spaces. Image from Tobi Fairley’s website

2.  Be business savvy

Tobi has a degree in interior design and accounting, and she also earned her MBA.  Her schooling and knowledge have led her to develop and create the ‘Tobi Fairley brand’ - one that is internationally known and recognized.  Along with her luxury interior design services, she also offers Inbox Interiors (a do-it-yourself approach to her design service), you can attend one of her Design Camps that are held in her studio, and she also created a home furnishings line – Tobi Fairley Home -  that includes fabrics, pillows, and lighting.  Tobi also writes a blog that is extremely popular where she shares tips, ideas, and trends with her readers.

Being business savvy has helped her anticipate and know what her clients and followers will want.  By creating her brand, she has positioned herself as leader in the design industry.

(Sign up for Tobi's A-Z course or Designer MBA program!) picture of Tobi from Southern Living

3.  Be gracious

Tobi was such a pleasure to be around and get to know.  She is from Little Rock, Arkansas, and her southern roots shine through.  She was delighted to be in Richmond and have the opportunity to speak at our event.   With everyone she met, she had a smile on her face and was happy to answer their questions or pose for a picture.

Being gracious and nice can never be underestimated in the business world, and Tobi’s warm personality has helped her succeed in her endeavors. 4.  Be yourself

Tobi’s topic was on the evolution of her signature style over the years.  She shared pictures of her work and talked about how her style has grown.  Her inspirations and color preferences may have changed, but throughout it all, she has stayed true to herself.

As still a fairly new designer, it was reassuring to hear that everyone grows and changes as they learn and gain more experience.  The important part is to know who you are and what is important to you, and to stick to those beliefs.

I’ll leave you with some inspiring pictures of Tobi’s work.

All pictures are from her website. º What have you learned from the leaders in your industry? Today, I attended the R•Home for the Holidays event featuring Design*Sponge blog founder Grace Bonney!  As described on their website, Design*Sponge is "a design blog...[that] updates between 6-8 times per day and was declared a "Martha Stewart Living for the Millennials” by the New York Times. "  The blog posts columns on everything from design inspiration, to DIY, to before and afters, to advice for women run businesses. (Image from R•Home)

The main attraction of the event was Grace's informative and inspiring talk followed by a book signing.  She discussed her background, how she founded Design*Sponge, and her thoughts on the future of magazines and blogs.  She also talked about her newly released book, Design*Sponge at Home, and how the book came to be. Before Grace's presentation, I heard two other speakers: Chris Arias of Arias Design Services and Karen Guard of Darling Octopus.  The Flower Girls and Susan Jamieson of Bridget Beari Designs were also speakers.

I  enjoyed being around so many designers and bloggers.  I think my most exciting moment of the day came during lunch.  My sister, Beth, attended the event with me and introduced me to John and Sherry Petersik from Young House Love! They ended up eating lunch at our table (Thanks Beth :))!  They are just as nice and genuine as they seem on their blog and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet them.

I was so excited, in fact, that I forgot to take a picture with Grace when she signed my copy of her book. Grace was equally as nice and engaging, and I cannot wait to read the book!  Flipping through it, I already see a number of projects I want to try.

(Here is a link to it on Amazon if you would like to purchase a copy.)

I'm so thankful for such a wonderful day!

° What bloggers do you want to meet?