Another Chair Re-Styled.

The Lattie Chair.
$325

Just had to share my latest addition to the shop.  Isn't she Gorgeous???  It is an amazing green velvet lattice design.  The photo doesn't do her justice...you must stop by Worth Repeating in West Columbia to see her in person!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer....I know I am, but whew it is H-O-T!

What to do with these???

When I went to Scott Antique Market, I somehow left with about 15 old wooden spools.  There is something about them that I love. The old pealing paint, the fact that they are wooden, the history,   I walked by the garden center area at Scott's and there were boatloads of these things...the spool graveyard.(they are probably happy for the rest from spinning around and around and around!)  It really saddens me in a way, because it is an era when things, even spools were made so well....replaced by plastic I am sure.  I digress....

So I had lots of ideas in my head as to what to do with them....

The colors of the pealing paint, lends itself to decoration as is.  Can't you see them resting on a shelf?

Little side tables?  Would have to add a base for stablility...Hmmmm

stacking them up....I think I am getting somewhere....

A LAMP!!!!

So, my friends, I have settled on the lamp idea, Isn't it great?????and am ALMOST finished. A tutorial will be on its way soon.  

So excited, and it is going in an client installation that I am working on this week...in the process of painting the room now....I hope to show you all (at least progress pictures) soon.

Have a great Weekend Everyone!

Been "Dreaming" at the beach.



2420 Myrtle Avenue, Sullivans Island SC
a Circa 1898 Renovated Beach house
For SALE for a cool $2.5 million



Something about white at the beach...look at that marble in the foreground, the industrial chair, and floors....MWAH!

I could curl up and read a book here.

more white...and the different iron beds....I LOVE!

I could get into having a pool like this.

and a pool house...I feel like I have seen that door color before...on my front door:)

This is a gorgeous greeny blue ceiling....not the usual "haint blue" but more green.

Ample parking for the whole family....and the shutters wrap all around. 
We need shutters and I have been thinking of going with the same color as my brick...and the farmhouse style?
Feeling swayed.

I could look at this ceiling all day!

maybe for the guests?  I love the shingled look.

Sorry ya'll we were on a little vaca at the beach (in a 2 bedroom 2 bath condo...a girl can dream can't she??)...and I didn't even feel the need to open my computer.  I mean, my family needed my undivided attention.  And I frankly, needed a break (no offense:)

Anyway, when I am on vacation, wherever I am, I decide right then and there, that this is the place for me and that I am going to find a home, even if it is a multi million dollar mansion, I mean, I feel rich on vacation....I don't know if all of that wine goes to my head, but I pull out the real estate section and start picking my favorite houses...dreaming of the life I would create there.  My husband just rolls his eyes...."really, Gretchen???"  I say, "oh, honey it is just dreaming, but we could get 30 of our closest friends....bla, bla...I mean we could make it work, couldn't we?????!!!!"

I could probably be in Mongolia ( I bet I could find a deal there!) and I would do the same thing.    "this place is PEEEEERFECT, I don't mind the cold":)

Are any of you tourist real estate stalkers when you go on vacation?  Picking the perfect vacation home....dreaming of the time that you win the lottery and what home you would pick.

I only wish I could see this home "for real" on the inside

Scott Antique Market!

If you like Architectural pieces...Scott's is your meca!

This past weekend was the weekend of Scotts' (and I mean that literally, my husband is a Scott too!)  Anyhoo, last Thursday afternoon, I drove the kids up to Spartanburg to see their Grandma and Grandpa, and woke up early,early to make my way to Atlanta on my maiden voyage to Scott Antique Market....ALL BY MYSELF...Bliss I say, shear bliss!

Two Hours and 30 minutes later I pulled in and was overwhelmed by eyecandy!  Every time I turned around I saw something else that I wanted!  I figured I would start outside, b/c at 10:00 it was already 90 degrees....nothing like sweating and shopping. 

I pulled my camera out and started snapping photos immediately, but (some lady stopped me and said "Are you aLOUD to take pictures?", "Um, yes, I think so" I replied... totally bursting my bubble for a sec (I mean it was like being a kid caught with my hand in the candy jar, even though I had just been told I could get some candy!)  So, I didn't take as many photos, as I had planned because that stupid lady kept popping up in my head, like I was doing something wrong....excuses, I know, but I really DONT like getting in trouble.

Without further, adieu, here are the photos that I took.

Architectural Salvaged Lamps, and tables, oh my!

I thought these little triangular pieces would make great pendants

There were 2 of these....and the LIGHT up inside! 

Thought these lamps were quirky and cool.

This table was GORGEOUS!  This table was bleached!  A trend???  I was seeing a lot of it.(maybe I am just late to the party, but I am loving the way the bleaching turns the wood.)

a close up, aren't the details beautiful?

Had to take a photo, because these chairs are just like some I just sold from my booth, done by my friend Sandy.

Fun what people do with junk...having a cycling collector husband...I think maybe he could put some of his bike parts to good use!

Inside the building
(and my reflection, I was chatting away on the phone!)

outside the building.

Both are awesome metal curio cabinets.  LOVE!

A trip down memory lane....I grew up with a sofa that was slipcovered in this fabric....the guy had 2 of them!

I thought these little lamps were such a good idea...pretty too.

To top off the whole trip, I met Design Blogger Extraordinaire, the one and only Sherry Hart from Design Indulgence.  And wouldn't you know she was over in the pillow section...she always picks out the most gorgeous pillows, and features them on her blog.   If you haven't checked out her blog....you must!  Oh, and she is an AMAZING designer to boot.  I have a feeling we could have chatted design all day, but, alas... there was shopping and gazing to do, I only had a few hours to pack it all in....and boy did I.  WHEW!

Will show my finds tomorrow.

Have a great day ya'll.

Trash...I don't think so!

This week I am going to blog about my finds and adventures this past weekend.  Part of my weekend was spent in Asheville, NC where my husband and I got married 10 years ago.  If you haven't been,  it is a must.  There is so much culture and history....to see and explore.  Part of our Day on Saturday was spent doing just that.  Driving/walking around and exploring.   On our way to one of my favorite antique malls we drove by this sign.....

Trashincasheville

and I said "STOP!"  Sooooo..... my dutiful husband did just that!  He actually likes the thrill of the hunt too, so it is fun to do this sort of thing together (something that rarely happens anymore).

Guess who went home with the B in the upper left hand corner;)

We walked inside and were so pleasantly surprised at the ordered chaos.  I mean when you are dealing with scrap materials there is a definate bit of chaos, but they have it nicely ordered.  They had a nice long table in the building for people to create...it is such a fun idea, and I hope they are successful.

Another score were these walnut corbels...

They are going to be great to hold up shelves...marble maybe??

Under the work table a stack of tracing paper with architectural renderings caught my eye....a sucker for anything architectural I had to take a look.  As I was shuffling through this treasure trove of old fashioned hand drawings,  I asked where they got them, and the owner said that an architect had retired and given them all of the renderings....and pointed to one above the register.  I took a look and exclaimed "Oh, Honeyyyyyy a rendering of the hotel we stayed in the night we got married!"   That certainly got his attention:)  I immediately asked, what it cost....Expecting it to be much more because it was highlighted behind the counter....the response was " $2 for the large, just like the rest of them."  SOLD!  YAY!  It was meant to be ours...and found while celebrating our 10 year anniversary...I am a sucker for sentimental artwork!

This will look so great framed.  I am doing a collected wall of black and white artwork in our bedroom of places that hold special meaning in our life...and this will work perfectly!  Can you tell I am excited....and for $2!!!!!!!

So, ya'll the next time you see a sign that says TRASH...take a second look, you just might be pleasantly suprised at what you might find!

I have lots more things to share....stay tuned.

Trying to Organize

Now I am Ready for any Design Emergency!

So lately I have been ALL OVER THE PLACE!  And by that I mean, my life and business have been intermingling in lots of different bags.  Magazines and books in bags, with fabric samples and notebooks in another, cameras and measuring tape hammers and nails, tape in another, pencils and paper and pens all swimming on the bottom never to be found when I want them!   Oh, and my purse with wallet, keys, juice boxes, snacks, crayons, and the random toys...I mean how in the world am I supposed to run a business, not to mention a family like this???

This is the curse of a creative person, I tend to be not the most organized. (although I can organize for OTHER people.)  I mean I have my processes, and I can usually find things when they go missing, and I, at least, have a folder for receipts and business papers, thank goodness for quickbooks and online banking!  But seriously, I have a vision of order NOT chaos.

Yesterday, I went on a quest for some organization.  For family AND business.  And I didn't set my goals too high, I mean who wants to be disappointed by the end of the day when nothing is actually organized and it is all still a mess.  So my goal was to get 2 bags for business/styling stuff.  Sort through my 10 bags of stuff, and consolidate!  I found my inspiration from Heather Bullard here...simple enough. A place for my swatchbooks, measuring tape, notebooks, pencils, camera, and important papers...all in one little bag. 

I keep important information on little notecards that is filed away in this little box. 
(kind of like recipe cards, but they are design cards with measurements etc.)

AND I have another cool canvas bag for all of my client fabric samples(which I keep in zip lock bags) magazines that I am using, etc.

I kind of really love this bag!

Since I am a immediate satisfaction girl, I wanted the Canvas Riggers Bag from Harbor Freight just like hers...I showed my husband and he said "Oh, there is a Harbor Freight in town!" Yes!!!!  A 40 minute drive with the kids and I had my Riggers Bag ($14.99) and the other canvas bag ($13.99).   I couldn't wait the 2 days for shipping, I wanted organization and I wanted it NOW!  AND there was a Goodwill right next to the shop where I HAD to stop and I found a something to organize my Child's life as well....a place for the dolls....

A fun red retro suitcase for the dolls. Her new Color scheme in the room is pink and red so it fits perfectly....
And I love the name Lady Baltimore!

So, ya'll I am set and ready!  If you call I I will be out the door in a flash with my little tool bag.  If you need that collected wall designed, consider it done! If you need a paint color consultation I know where the swatches are!  No more looking for all of the tools I need!  YAY!  Business is looking better already....now if I could only get that Enormous Inspiration Board created, and collect all of my thoughts, I would be golden...

via Amber Interiors

I am headed out of town and will be at hanging at Scott Antique Market tomorrow and then headed to Asheville with MY Scott on Saturday!  Lots of antiquing in my future...at least now I am organized!

Bring out the Bubbly!

I have a stockpile of bubbly presents brought to me by my friends for the Nate Berkus Celebration.

Because it is my 1st Anniversary!  Woot, Woot!

It all started here, 1 year and 207 posts later.(did I really have THAT much to talk about???!!!!)  Not only has that sofa changed...but so many more things that I never could have imagined.


What started as my little ol' design diary,  has developed into a passion that I always knew was there, I just hadn't tapped into it!  I didn't know that I loved to write, and take photos as much as I do.  I knew I loved interior design, but didn't know that it would twist and turn into my career...and that other people would be receptive to my way of designing.  Dare I say I have a business now:)

This blog has helped me find all of this out... Not to mention the amazing and wonderful people that I have met along the way...both near and far.  Really I could go on and on, but I will spare you all, and will just simply toast....so glasses up my friends!

To my family and friends that believe in me and support me, to the people out in the blogland that read my ramblings daily or just stop by on occasion, to my wonderful husband for letting me write and create and be who I am (without him I certainly would not be here!), to my sweet children for being patient when mommy says "one more minute, I am almost finished writing!" 

Really, in truly, I couldn't have designed a better scenerio if I tried...some things in life are better left un-designed!

THANK YOU!

Have a wonderful day my friends, I know I will.

Bathroom Redesign

The Vanity!  Still needs knobs/pulls...so pretty and fresh.

I don't know whether you all remember this....

the old Vanity I found for $95  that I painted myself.

the plan I came up with for the bathroom.  Some things have changed from the plan.

Now ya'll, there were a few stressful moments with this vanity.  Starting with the Miss tint, the antique marble top that wasn't (it just wouldn't clean up like I had been told it would), and the under mount bowl size...I mean nail biting for sure.  But talk about a learning experience....I have learned an ton about things that I should think about BEFORE I jump right in...but it all worked out with problem solving and ingenuity....and a great team of people around. Some things are just worth the extra time and effort....I will happily jump through hoops to get something that I feel is worth it for my clients. They now have a unique one of a kind vanity and bathroom...and saving on the vanity allowed for a really pretty marble top.




For the most part the bathroom is finished.

Minus the knobs/pulls, backsplash, and the mirror...I just had to share. The bathroom is just so fresh and pretty now.  I just wanted to show that we have made progress...and that I really have been working on things other than my own!

I don't have befores of this bathroom, but it was a total gut job...my client loved the wallpaper that was in there before...so we got the same paper (Thibaut Saffron in Apple Blossom)  Originally, she really wanted the paper to go to the floor, but the cost of that was prohibitive, so we had a nice chair rail made, and painted the bottom white...now it is really fresh and clean looking...and I really think that it sets the green vanity off with the marble top.  Sometimes the budget makes good decisions for you (and your client), I think if it had gone to the floor it would have been overwhelming and too much.)

I was inspired by Sarah Richardson's Bathroom design....

Oh, and the kitchen.....ya'll I don't mean to toot my own horn, but it is SOOOOO pretty and QUITE the transformation...I promise to share before and after's soon.  There is just a little bit to button up.

Now we are doing all of the fun stuff, and installation will be in the next month...things off to be upholstered, drapes being fabricated, etc.  My stomach does flips with excitement.

Have a great week everyone, we are without AC...waiting and sweating until the guys get here to check it out.