MY LATEST PROJECT ~ RENOVATING AND STYLING A BEACH CONDO IN CALIFORNIA

Actually, it's in Coronado, CA, a beach town near SD. The town is quite charming ~ very quaint Victorian ~ A mere two-mile drive from cosmopolitan, downtown San Diego, across one of the world's most distinctive bridges ~ a town rich in history, blessed with one of the finest beaches in the world and bathed in endless sunshine, Coronado is a vibrant beach community loaded with charm.

The Hotel del Coronado has made the town famous and is considered one of America’s most beautiful resorts. The Del, as the hotel is known, was built in 1888 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977. The condominium complex is adjacent to the Del ~ what a fabulous neighbor to have ~

The one-bedroom oceanfront condo, built in the 1970's, is a cozy 950 square feet. It has a spectacular view of the ocean, and the roar of the surf is almost deafening when the windows are open. A cool breeze continually blows through, and the sounds of laughter from surfers and beachgoers can be heard all day long.

My vision for the beach condo includes a palette of calm, neutral colors, a variety of textures and casual-yet-sophisticated furnishings. I love to use furniture and accessories in unexpected ways ~ just to keep things interesting and unpredictable.

As the next several weeks pass, I'll keep you posted on progress made ~ It should be a fun project to watch unfold ~ I can't wait to dig into it and share it all with you!

Quebec Holiday

I just returned from a summer holiday spent exploring the province of Quebec. I had never been there before and found it to be very friendly, charming, quaint, lively and interesting.

It's the only Canadian province that is predominantly French-speaking; French being the official language of the province. No worries about a language barrier though ~ they are very bilingual and speak fluent English.

~ beautiful architecture ~ delicious food ~ warm and friendly people ~ lively streets ~

a delightful vacation!!!

Valley Design Network Event in Phoenix

Barb is planning the next Valley Design Network event on Thursday, June 25th. Email me for more information.

The new Valley Design Network was a huge success last evening!

Designers, redesigners, stagers, certified cabinet designers, faux finishers, and shop owners all attended and were excited about the prospect of networking with other professionals related to the field of interior design. Everyone agreed, we should meet again next month to continue our networking and relationship-building.

Meetings will be kept short - 1 hour - with half of the time devoted to socializing and networking and the other half dedicated to a program of sorts ~

I encouraged everyone to invite other guests to our next meeting so we can grow and provide greater opportunities for our network of professionals.

I am launching a new Phoenix designer's networking group this evening - for designers as well as the trades that make us look good! My goal is to develop a network of design professionals and the trades, artists, vendors, etc. with whom we work in our design-related projects who will periodically come together, learn something new, share our triumphs, understand our not-so-shining moments (!), and generally help us become better design professionals in our community.

Wish me luck! More to follow....

an excert from STIR eEXTRA, January 2009

Dress your recession in purple.

This past fall, when Michelle Obama made an appearance in St. Paul, Minn., during the 2008 election season in a purple dress, she almost single-handedly assured us that this popular color, called a "new neutral" by some because of its versatility, would not be considered played out anytime soon. And for her President-elect husband, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and virtually every news anchor and talking head, purple has usurped red as the color of the power tie.

The color of royalty and enchantment is the "it" color this winter. Its many shades and hues are showing up in fashion apparel, accessories, cosmetics and personal-care products. Its hues range from deepest amethyst, grape and plum to delicate lilac, wisteria, orchid and pansy. Depending upon the shade, purple can be formal (eggplant), feminine (lavender), or warm and cozy (violet). And purple’s popularity doesn’t end there: The royal hue is popping up on walls, textiles, tabletops and even home furnishings.

"Purples, especially red-cast purples, are going to be important in 2009," said forecaster Michelle Lamb, editorial director for The Trend Curve. "I’m seeing dark, passionate plums, used along with black, and layered purples. It’s a feeling of luxe. Think purple velvet."

Why? Because purple symbolizes both luxury and fun — both things that people feel they can use more of these days.

Conquering Clutter

A common New Year's resolution is to be more organized. This is one resolution you can keep ~ if you start small and don't overwhelm yourself with a huge project at the onset....

Begin with a small but typically cluttered area ~ your junk drawer. Overcoming the clutter in that one small space will give you a sense of accomplishment and encourage you to tackle another project in your home.

Remove all the contents of the drawer and discard those items that aren't necessary ~ You'll be surprised at what has found its way in to that small space! Only replace those things that are necessary, using dividers to separate and organize the contents.

Be creative with what you use to organize the drawer. Vintage muffin tins are perfect for holding paper clips, small batteries, stamps, etc. Not only will you be organized, but you'll also enjoy memories of days gone by at the same time!

Once you've tackled the junk drawer, move on to your linen closet, coat closet or laundry room. You'll be motivated to conquer all the cluttered areas of your home when you see how organized you're becoming!