Powder Room with POP!

I wanted to to add some WOW to a client's boring powder room, as you know from past posts I love bold colors in powder rooms!

This powder room had been originally faux painted probably 10ish years ago and it just felt old and tired in there.  Also, look at the dinky sink and toilet, that is not an illusion, they really were....I felt like a giant in there.

Soooo bye bye booorrinnnng and dated....

And hello Azure Blue.....Don't you just love that name....Conjurs up a vacation on a tropical island for me....

Since we carried the new hardwoods into this powder room, I really wanted to carry that richness into the vanity.....Doesn't it look beautiful against that Azure blue?

No more white toilet...I actually first got a white toilet for the powder room and the client hated it.  So we ended up with this one, they win, I think it was a beautiful choice with the travertine sink and countertop.

This isn't just some ordinary flat paint color, it's a LusterStone, (which is sooo hard to capture the true beauty of it by camera but here is the ceiling)...See how the light reflects off of it?

Quick Tip: When painting your own powder rooms ALWAYS do your ceilings, it makes all the difference.  

Only the true diehard do-it-yourselfers should attempt this...I had my professional faux painter do this room.  But if you must here is a how to.

My client's cross looks beautiful on the wall, whether in the dark but most definitely in the light. :)

In the Dark

In the light

This color always makes me feel like I had a mini vacation, I love it!  Sooo happy that the client let me make a bold choice in their powder and of course they have no regrets...It's actually a popular visiting spot now. ;)

Solar Tubin'

Okay so it's official, I am in loooovvveee with Solatubes!  I have now added them to 3 different clients master closets that originally didn't have any daylight and now they are being flooded with it!

The innovative tube shaped designs transfer light through attic space and deliver light in ways that traditional skylights can't.  They quite literally take less than 2 hours to have installed without any structural reframing and I think they are worth every penny too.

Every time I walk into my clients closets after install I feel like the lights are on already but they aren't, clients giggle with delight in showing me, which of course I love.  It could be too that natural light can enhance mental and physical well being, boost concentration and energy levels and a variety of other unexpected perks, ie: giggling with delight. ;0

Of course there is the "green" aspect of this wonderful invention....You'll save on your electric bill by not having to turn on your lights as much and of course your heating and cooling loss from inefficient window and skylights.  In other words, installing just 1 10" tub can save about 19 lbs of carbon emissions annually.  Oh and I believe there is a federal tax credit out there for these, even better right?

Think about other places that don't have a lot of light too besides closets....A dark hallway, stairwell, laundry room, etc. pretty cool huh?

So do you get it?  Do you think these are as cool or what?

Please note:  All pictures "borrowed" off of the actual Solatube site, I had to because my pictures don't show the befores and afters correctly, might be my flash ie: me.

Wine Cellar For A Fella(r)

My client's foyer was definitely lacking some color, interest and well even some love.

The mini hall closet door under the stair case was a total eyesore and though my client isn't a big wine drinker he loved the idea of having it turned into a conversation piece if nothing else...A wine cellar with presence.

We lost the door and to play off on all the other arches already in the foyer, decided to add an arch to this new cellar as well.

We had the wine cellar insert custom made obviously to the closet, so you can easily pull it all the way out to store wines on either side as well.

Anyway, it lights up beautifully at night, but of course I haven't ever been to my clients at night WITH my camera so you will just have to trust me.

with flash, faux doesn't look as good up close and with bright lights...

It's normal look....

Sooo my client LOVES showing it off, but I am not sure if he is into wine anymore than before.....

I think it made a BIG difference though to the foyer don't you?  Oh and of course some new floors, and paint helped. ;)

Creative Bath Storage Ideas

Hi, everyone, I'm Susi and I write as a guest blogger for Design Shuffle, a fabulous social media site that promotes Interior Designers and their work from around the world. My writing focuses on things I'm passionate about; interior design, home decorating ideas, home furnishings, gardening, travel and art. I get to look at gorgeous things all day and write about them. I'm a very lucky girl!

Thanks, Marie, for inviting me and Design Shuffle to visit Decorator on Demand to talk about creative bathroom storage. I just saw the article on suzanis... and just wanted to say that I share the suzani love. Not sure if suzanis would work in the bathroom (maybe as a towel pattern), but I think I've come up with some great examples of creative bathroom storage ideas. Hope you enjoy them!

Liz Marie via

The humble, versatile Mason jar makes great storage for small stuff in the bathroom. Mounted with pipe clamps, this is a clever DIY project.

Martha Stewart via

Finding extra space for storage in a small bathroom definitely takes some creativity. Above the door is the perfect place for extras that you don't need every day.

My Home Ideas via

Walls provide ample opportunities for additional storage. A hanging basket system designed for the kitchen works to hold towels, soaps and other bathroom essentials. This is definitely one of those very useful bathroom design ideas.

Real Simple via

Reuse and repurpose flea market finds for clever storage solutions. Old wood crates have a natural vintage charm.

Better Homes and Gardens via

Colorful metal buckets make for charming cottage or beach style storage. Would be cute in a kids' bathroom too.

Beyond the Baby via

A ladder bookcase works in the bathroom to store towels and other essentials without taking up a large footprint. A vintage wood ladder leaning against the wall would work too.

Katy Elliot via

A small piece of furniture, like an ÈtagËre or side table with a shelf, makes a lovely storage space in the bathroom. Measure the space and look for small tables, bookcases and cabinets that will fit.

Boho Bed Love via

Natural elements, like these wood bowls, make for interesting storage ideas. Think outside the ordinary for creative bathroom ideas and clever storage solutions.

This content is provided by Design Shuffle, where you can find and share talented interior designs from New York Interior Designers, to Los Angeles interior designers, and more, check out the latest at Design Shuffle.

Check out more home decorating tips.

Life is NOT a HGTV Show

Shocking I know...Let me explain further...

1)  HGTV shows make remodels look easy and painless, weekend handyman be warned...If there is something that will go wrong it will....Costing you more money, time and of course your sanity and the sanity of those around you.

2)  HGTV shows make remodels look like they are done with a wiggle of the nose (remember Samantha from Bewitched?)  Those shows have large crews who planned everything out months in advance and have you heard of editing?  What is a wiggle of the nose to us takes time behind the scenes.

3)  HGTV shows make remodels look inexpensive.  I love it when I watch one of those shows and at the end they will say something like, "and this room only cost $1,000.00 to complete"...Who are they kidding?  Most of those shows don't factor in the lots of free product, labor, etc.

That said,  I do love having first meetings with clients, because most of them really have a pretty good grasp on design elements already, which in turn make my job easier.  Clients nowadays seem a lot more open and willing to experiment or step out of their comfort zones and I think it's because of shows on HGTV.

So at the end of the day, I think it's important to walk into your remodel with your eyes wide open and not be lulled by HGTV magic. Be prepared and buttoned up with your crew; ie: Architect; Designer; Contractor, BEFORE moving forward, I promise you will have a lot better experience that way.

Now back to my HGTV show...Ha!

Suzanis, Suzanis, SUZANIS!

Do you know what Suzanis are?  They are large embroidered textiles originally from Central Asia.

Traditionally made by Central Asian brides as part of their dowry and were presented to the groom on the wedding day. They represent an artistic realization of prayers for blessing and happiness of the future young family.

My fav's are the antique Suzanis (hand embroidered)....A great source for these is over at ebay.

Now they seem to be popping up all over the place....Calico Corners has a Suzani inspired fabric....

I am crazy for these chairs...all 3 of them.  I have a favorite, the orange one, but seriously I want 1 of each..

How do you feel about Suzanis?  Do you feel the need to inject some color/life into your own color palette?

Mirrored Kitchen Cabinets?

I know it sounds very, disco ball/70's maybe right?

But I just saw these the other day and thought it was a very creative and wonderful idea to consider for your own kitchens to add a little something to dull/boring kitchen cabinets.

Everyone likes the texture of glass but not everyone wants people to see in inside their kitchen cabinets, some plastic cups or mismatched plates aren't worth displaying, ha!

With mirrors you still get that same feeling of them being glass but everything is obviously hidden.

I transform old kitchen cabinet doors all the time with glass inserts but now I am going to try mirrored...I am looking forward to using this technique for my clients.

Do you like this idea as much as me?

Introduction to Induction

When it comes to cooking I guess you could say I am a bit old fashioned...I like to cook on my gas cooktop...It's responsive and anyone who has ever cooked on electric and then goes to gas knows what I mean.

I thought over time induction cooktops would just be a fad, but after seeing them out there for a good 15 years now they seem to possibly be gaining some traction. I've read that they are up in sales.

So in case you didn't know this like myself....Induction cooking takes place when heat is generated directly in the pot or pan.  The cast iron skillet or stainless steel pot itself becomes the heat source instead of your standard cooktop.

I think this picture says it best...

Induction cooktops consist of a coil of copper wire placed beneath the ceramic glass surface on the cooktop.  When the unit is turned on, the electric current flows through the coil producing a powerful, high frequency electromagnetic field.  Doesn't that sound scary?

I couldn't resist these pics....

So let's start with some PROS to consider when looking at induction cooktops:

*Faster cooking (supposedly faster than gas)

*No wasted heat (When it heats directly to the cookware it's not generating heat in the actual room)  Now with our recent heat wave that sounds good to me, but I am still not sold.

*Cooler, safer surface (There is no open flames or hot coils, in fact the cooktop barely gets warm to the touch).  Now there are people out there who are sensory challenged and with that alone it's probably worth it to some.

I still wouldn't touch this would you?

*Super easy to clean (It's just a flat ceramic glass top, easy to wipe away and because it doesn't get hot, no baked on spills either)

*Energy efficiency (The US Dept. of Energy has said they are 84% efficient as opposed to 40% for gas cooktops and 60% for electric cooktops.)

Isn't this crazy?

Now for the CONS:

*Cooking vessel specifics (You can only use cookware that has a magnetic material in it, ie: cast iron and stainless steel cookware.)  

*Air circulation clearance (They can't be placed above an oven nor can a drawer be installed below them.)  

*Limited color options, only available in black and white 

*Purchase costs (They are pricey little suckers, but with that said, I guess you would save on your utility costs too.

I personally will be sticking to gas but I would love to know what you think of induction cooking and if you are game to consider one in the future.... 

Randomness, my apologies

Okay, I just got in my email box a VERY old blog posting from April 2010 called #23!!  I haven't looked at that blog post since I wrote it back then and quite frankly I haven't even been in my Blogger today, so I thought I really needed to post this to apologize to all of you out there...Especially one like that.  

Wish I knew how that happened...Are we becoming so reliant on computers and technology we are losing control?

Quick Trip Over The Pond

I am really excited, I am leaving today for London...No I haven't been invited to THE wedding but I will be there at the same time, which is kind of cool.

I am taking a bit of a break from my crazy spring work schedule...I am really looking forward to it and updating this blog with some FRESH content.

So hang tight and see you next week!  Cheers. :)