A "special treat" for Halloween!

Happy Halloween!  No tricks, just a special treat from CAD INTERIORS...

I'm officially kicking off the holiday spirit with this SPECIAL PROMOTION!!!  Book now for 2015 e-design services and enjoy a 40% discount on current e-design package rates.  This promotion expires on November 30, 2014.  Don't wait!!!

Nearing the finish line!

We are inches away from crossing the "finish line" in the main bathroom.  If you follow me on Instagram, you saw that the last major piece just went in...

Pardon the less-than-stellar cell phone photos.  The frameless shower enclosure was finally installed, complete with beveled and brushed nickel hinges and hardware!  They were so worth the upgrade from the standard chrome, as were the 8-inch door handles.  Even the hubby noticed. :)

Design Trend: Edison Lights

Hmm?!  What exactly are "Edison Lights" and why are they considered a design trend?  Well, if you have seen these bulbs, then you are (un)knowingly familiar with Edison lights...

Amazon

There has been a strong surge in lighting design that features these classic bulbs re-invented for the present day.  Such a "bright" idea!  Pun intended. :)

Restoration Hardware

Pottery Barn

Edison bulbs are named after their inventor, Thomas Alva Edison.  Their timeless shapes and exposed filaments are a nod to the first electric bulbs, yet re-invented for modern day.  I love them because they are architecturally interesting, and have a contemporary-vintage appeal.

Alibaba

Houzz

The re-emergence of the Edison bulb likely ensued from the recent popularity of industrial design.  If you have exposed bulbs in your lighting fixtures, consider replacing them with Edison bulbs to give your fixtures a fresh update!

Feature Friday: A Stylishly Inviting Outdoor Porch

Southern Living

What do you think is my favorite part of this inviting porch?!  Yes, the area rugs!  Animal prints and natural fiber rugs are some of my favorite design touches.  I especially love how the rugs were layered, giving the space added impact, texture, softness, depth, and dimension.

The ornate coffee table and architectural mirror also caught my attention.  The large scale of the mirror is spot on.  It balances the height of the adjacent window and reflects the view of the greenery.  It also adds architectural detail to the space.  As for the coffee table... so unexpected!  It looks like it belongs in a more formal indoor setting.  The carved details are quite traditional and ornate.  Mixing an unexpected piece of furniture into a casual outdoor setting can make a space look more interesting and feel collected!

For other featured spaces, click here.  Enjoy the weekend!  We'll be busy working on home projects and watching some football! :)

A Touch of Industrial

Remember when I asked for your input in replacing the vanity light fixture in our guest bathroom?! Well, after sourcing those contenders, I went in a slightly different direction.  Typical me.  I liked each of the options, but I didn't feel like any of them really hit the mark for the space.  Thank you so much to those of you who gave your input. :)

New Guest Bathroom Vanity Light

I stumbled upon this light fixture a couple weeks ago.  The scale fit the space perfectly, and the price tag was great.  We scored this light for only $68 after a trade discount.  I had my eye on light fixtures priced over $300, so my handy hubby installed the fixture pretty quickly! :)

The general style of the light fixture is classic and traditional, yet it also has an industrial aesthetic that gives it a more modern, updated appeal.  It compliments the transitional-modern design of the guest bathroom.

The "strap and knob" details and ribbed "double prismatic" glass covers are what really drew me to the fixture.  It is quite eye-catching from a design standpoint.  The antique nickel finish is beautiful in person, and it compliments the modern brushed nickel hardware finishes throughout the bathroom. The antique finish looks very similar to aged pewter, which I love!

My goal was to find a "unique" bathroom sconce that was different from the modern bath bar that was initially installed in the guest bathroom (which is now in the remodeled main bathroom).  Mission accomplished.

Stay tuned for another reveal of the entire guest bathroom with all the new updates soon - which includes the shower door!  Finally.

Office Snapshot

No real design plan?  No problem.  Our home office is spontaneously coming to life.  I have been busy with other projects, so I went with a "create as you go" mentality in sprucing up our home office. Design is a fluid process anyway, right?!

Home Office Accessories

The black focal wall was brewing in my mind, so I went for it.  I LOVE it.  The latest additions to the room design are the fabrics.  Two fabrics caught my eye while I was at the fabric store: the burlap print and Ikat chevron.  Rather than decide between the two, I purchased a yard of each fabric!  I knew they would work perfectly for the bulletin board projects I had planned.  Yes, those are DIY fabric-covered bulletin boards.  It was a quick and super easy project for a non-crafter like me. :)  They just need to be hung once the room's layout is finalized.

The acacia wood "cookbook" holder is a thrift find that is being re-purposed as a paper holder.  We already had the task light.  Now, I'm just debating whether I should spray it gold!

Remember the desk chair that I recently purchased?  Well, it just got a little facelift...

I love nailhead trim.  I think it adds classic refinement and a little glam to furniture.  The trim has an antique gold finish.  It was very inexpensive (less than $15 for 5 yards, plus I had leftover trim).  It took me less than 30 minutes to install the trim along all the bottom edges of the chair.  I love simple improvements with impact!  Next on the list... storage.

Thirteen Today

I remember it like it was yesterday.  The day was perfect.  The ceremony was touching and intimate. Friends still reminisce about the fun-filled reception and dancing the night away.  The gorgeous sunset, amazing views, and beautiful weather were icing on the cake.  The best part was sharing our special day with our cherished family and friends who have touched our lives in one way or another.

Happy thirteenth anniversary to my very loving and supportive husband!  We have been truly blessed in our journey through life together.

Feature Friday: Transitional Dining Room

Source Unknown

Happy Friday!  This week's featured space is this elegant transitional dining room.  I can imagine some great dinner parties and thoughtful conversations happening in here.  Some takeaway features in this room include:

• There is double the beauty from two pretty chandeliers!
• "Settees" were used for host chairs.  The different style of chair, as well as the different upholstery fabric used on them, sets it apart from the other dining chairs.
• The room has a more formal and elegant appearance, but it is also casually inviting given the use of upholstered chairs, rich wood tones, and a warm color pallet.
• Great layering of patterns and fabrics bring warmth and texture.
• All the millwork provides a gorgeous finishing touch to the room.
• Windows are beautifully adorned with floor-to-ceiling treatments.  They add softness, pattern, color, dimension, and texture to the space.
• Large-scaled area rug grounds the room and provides softness, texture, and sound absorption.  The rug colors tie the room's color scheme together.

See you back here next week!  In the meantime, come follow me on:

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Design Trend: Blush Pink

I have been seeing a surge in the color I refer to as "blush pink" just about everywhere.  It's trending in wardrobes, fashion/home accessories, furnishings, and home decor.  It's a decidedly feminine color - one that can bring instant softness to any interior pallet.

Elle Decor

The color pink, in general, is soft and demure.  But pink can also read as bold and confident when it comes to your design sensibility.  I favor the blush pink hue when it comes to designing with the color.  The shade is more flexible and mature than say, hot pink!

Phoebe Howard

Blush pink can add a sense of glamour and softness to a space.

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It can make a contemporary space feel warm and soothing.

Sarah Richardson

It can add a touch of romance and delicacy.

Elements of Style

Have I helped convince you to try (or at least consider) using blush pink in your interiors?!

Renovation Ramblings & Updates

Hello everyone!  How is it that it's already mid-October?!  PLEASE . SLOW. THE . TIME . DOWN .  We have so much to get done "house-wise" before the holidays.  With the exception of two years in our thirteen years of marriage, it's been our annual tradition to host an overnight Christmas Eve/Christmas Day gathering for our immediate family.  The two years that we didn't host was due to the fact that I had just given birth to our first child days before Christmas, or we were in our way-too-small-for-all-our-family interim rental.

CAD INTERIORS I OUR PREVIOUS HOME

Our current house has been in some state of renovation or remodeling mode since we purchased it last year.  Since we had only been in our home for a few months before the last holiday season, we just spruced up the house a bit to host our first family Christmas here.  It's amazing what holiday decor can do to camouflage the unsightly things!

CAD INTERIORS I HOLIDAYS 2013

This year, and especially in recent months, we've been tackling more major renovation projects - and it's got me in a doozy!  Remember our main bathroom renovation that started back in August?  Well, it's done, at least from a construction standpoint.  Hooray!!!  Although our contractor crew is great, it's been nice to have the house back to ourselves.  That being said, the front exterior makeover is on the horizon, and we're waiting for the frameless shower enclosure to be installed.  I'm hoping to reveal the completed new space with all of you very soon!  In the meantime, here's a recent sneak peek of the room (it was given a little fall decor for the season):

There isn't much going on with our new laundry space.  Construction has been done in there for weeks, but it still isn't functional since we have yet to purchase the stackable laundry units!  Aha!  With the expense of the main bathroom and laundry renovations, and upcoming front exterior makeover, it's just one of those things that keeps getting pushed aside for the time being.  We did purchase a pretty light fixture and some shelving for it though!

Speaking of the front exterior, we have been busy meeting with numerous contractors for the project.  Construction crews all seem to be back-logged in our area, so we've had time to price-compare several contractors.  No one is available to start the work until later this month anyway (at the earliest).  I can't tell you how excited I am for the day when I don't have to drive up to the dirt "landscape", unevenly painted stucco'd walls, and the crumbling brick pathway!

This photo is from the MLS listing.  We since tore up all the landscaping and replaced all the windows.

At the moment, we are also replacing moldings around doorways and adding new trim around passageways... as well as sprucing up our home office.  Although it's been hectic juggling multiple projects at the same time, it's been nice to slowly see the home improvements come to life.  We still need to cover up the windows too!

Happy Monday!

Feature Friday: A Stylist's Home Makeover

Happy Friday!  I have a few featured spaces for you today, all from the home of Emily Henderson, designer, stylist, and HGTV host.  Emily recently completed a makeover of certain rooms in her Los Angeles-area home, as featured in Domino magazine.  Here are a few snapshots of her newly-done living room, dining room, and bedroom nursery.

Living Room

Dining Room

Bedroom Nursery

I think her cute son, Charlie, has the most unique and whimsical room in the house!

{All photo images are from Domino.}

I absolutely love Emily's "mid-century modern meets vintage" design aesthetic.  She's great at seamlessly combining high and low, new and old, to all the spaces she designs.  She always brings her own unique style to every space - often incorporating that "quirk" that I love in room designs!  To see her newly renovated kitchen, click here.  And for her guest room makeover, click here.

To catch up on all the inspirational rooms on my "Feature Friday" series, click here.  Have a great weekend!  See you back here next week. :)

The Power of Black

THE POWER OF BLACK

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Would you dare paint your ceiling, wall, or floor black?!  Black is bold and dramatic.  It is also unexpected and non-traditional when you think "color", which is why I absolutely love to use the color in room designs!  I love how black brings impact, interest, and dimension to a space.  

My husband thought I lost my mind when I told him I was going to paint our home office black.  Because the room receives plenty of natural light, I originally wanted to paint all the walls in the room black.  Instead, I made a last-minute decision and opted to paint just one wall black to give the room a focal point.  Here's a peek:

I am still deciding if I'm going to do a stenciled treatment on the wall.  Right now, I really like how the plain black wall adds drama and impact to the room, as is.

Now, let's take a look at how the color black elevated the design of the following spaces:

>>Black adds glamour, sophistication, and the "romance" factor in a room.<<

Ralph Lauren

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>>Black helps highlight beautiful moldings and architectural details.<<

Decor Pad

Houzz

>>Black can envelope a space with warmth and coziness.<<

Decoist

Original source unknown

Candace Cavanaugh Interiors

As seen in the spaces above, black doesn't make a room feel small (contrary to popular thought).  Black is actually a recessive color.  But it is especially important to pay careful attention to lighting (both natural and artificial) and/or "sheen" (gloss) when working with black, or any darker color for that matter.  Proper lighting is especially important when using black.   Remember, reflective materials, such as mirrors and objects with metallic finishes, are great tools for distributing light!

Playing with Pattern

It's no secret that I love pattern.  Patterns can be strong and bold, or more subtle and textural. Either way, pattern can add dynamic depth, texture, color, and dimension to any room.  When designing spaces, I often use fabric as a starting point.  The colors or patterns often found in fabrics can help provide design direction.  Today, I will be sharing with you how you can coordinate one fabric in two different ways.

When you have a vibrant pattern as a starting point (such as the floral pillow above), you can easily pull colors from the fabric to coordinate other textiles and fabrics in a room.  It essentially guides the color scheme.  One "trick" that I often use when working with fabrics is to pull the "recessive" colors out of the fabric - as I did on the right side.  The black, grayish-brown, and muted yellow tones in the floral pillow became more prominent when the colors were used in the supporting pillows.

Although I used pillows to mix and coordinate different patterns above, other items, such as throws, draperies, upholstery, etc., could easily substitute.  On the left side, for instance, the blue and white geometric fabric would look great on an upholstered accent chair or ottoman.  On the right side, either the black and white spotted fabric, or indigo blue fabric, would look great as an upholstered headboard.

With every design or decorating project, just have fun and try playing with pattern!  It will add lots of impact and interest to your space.  Enjoy your day!

An Eclectic Living Space Design

Are you drawn to modern, mid-century, or contemporary interiors, but also like the textures and beauty of rustic or global decor?  Or perhaps, do you have a more traditional aesthetic but like the casualness that "coastal" interiors evoke?  Or are you transitional, but can appreciate the unique vintage find?

These are all common scenarios when you have eclectic taste, just like me!  I am drawn to elements of several design styles.  I think the key to seamlessly blending styles is by following what we designers call the "elements and principles of design", but knowing when and how to "break or bend" such "rules".

At first glance, it's hard to give a specific aesthetic to this design - other than eclectic!  This room design all started with the leopard ottomans serving as inspiration.  A little traditional, modern, mid-century, and transitional was thrown in there for good measure.  The crane and flamingo wall art, coupled with the elephant stand, added the touch of quirkiness and unexpected element that I love to incorporate into all my designs!  Scale, balance, and repetition of colors, patterns, and textures were key design principles that helped achieve a cohesive design - despite everything in the space being "mismatched".

If you need help with a room design, or perhaps just need a little design direction, CAD INTERIORS would love to partner with you to make your house YOUR HOME!  Contact me today for a virtual consultation and/or e-design services.

Feature Friday: Home Office for Multiple People

{Image Sources: Houzz}

This home office provides a creative space for multiple people to work. The white furnishings and soft wall color act as a neutral backdrop for the color pops that come from the supplies, accessories, and art work.  I love the abundance of work surfaces in this space.  The desks along the wall provide ample space for multiple people to work, while the large table in the center of the room provides a great space for kids to gather, draw, and get creative! I especially love the use of floating shelves above the work space along the wall.  It's great for storage and provides a place to display any accessories, or items you don't want within easy reach of the kids.  The painted cork or foam boards below the shelves also provide the perfect spot to hang any paperwork.  I love the dark, bold contrast color!

Although this home office is much larger than most, it is serving as great inspiration for the design of our own home office - which I am currently sprucing up!

Have an enjoyable first weekend of October.  Special wishes to my one and only niece, Kalea, for a Happy 11th Birthday!!!

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Super Easy Rustic DIY Decor Ideas Using Rope

I'm so happy to welcome the month of October!  October is the epitome of fall, with the change in colors and seasons.  It's also a fun, yet busy month for celebrations in our family.  My hubby and I will celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary this month, and I get to be thankful for celebrating another year of life (well, that's my spin on birthdays at my age!).

I also associate the month of October with rustic elements and natural textures, such as rope. Here are a few SUPER EASY rustic home decor ideas using rope that you can do all by yourself with minimal effort and time.  All you need is some twine/rope, a hot glue gun, and the object of your choice!

#1 Rope Drapery Tie-Backs

 

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How simple and clever is this idea?!  My kind of DIY "project"...

 

#2 Rope Candle Holders

Four Generations One Roof - Click here for tutorial.

DIY Network - Simply add rope to the top of the candle holder to create a lantern!

Tip:  Wrap twine around ready-to-light candle jars to make things even easier!

#3 Rope Basket

Hometalk - Click here for details.

Turn a cheap wire (or even plastic) wastebasket from your local dollar store into a more stylish and decorative basket!  I love this idea.

#4 Rope Details

Funky Junk Interiors

Combining two re-purposed items (in this case, a suitcase and table base) is a great upcycling project.  The rope provides a finishing touch to camouflage any gaps!

Tips:  You can add rope to just about anything to give an object a more rustic appearance.  Some favorite objects of mine include: mason jars or old spaghetti jars, recycled tin canisters, plain lamp shades or lamp bases, plastic photo frames, pillows (trim), and mirrors (hang on a rope)!