painting windows.

making windows look like new.

over the past two weeks, i have been getting pretty comfortable with painting. i learned which paints are better to use in a project, how to clean a brush the right way, how to paint trim, wainscoting, windows, baseboard, walls, chair rails and paneling. i worked along side a painter in the trade who has been painting for 20+ years. i asked him many questions about the business and we shared each others knowledge.

i can officially add painting to my skills list. check!

town house remodel.

this is by far the largest project i have been able to be involved with. my uncle's town home is now being rented out by a new couple, but in order to get it in rentable condition, they have decided to roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty alongside my dad and people he knows from the trade.

everything had to be ripped out including carpet and baseboard. new doors had to be installed as well as all the walls had to be re-patched and primed for paint. i have been priming every wall and every closet for the past week. things look 100 times better than what they did. before pictures are too graphic and nasty to put up on my blog, but you can believe me when i say the past renter didn't take care of anything. here's just some of our progress..

this leads to the back porch as well as the laundry/rec room.

a view of the new front door as well as the garage door. entry way.

new front door.

doorknobs had to be replaced as well.

view of dining room. carpet was ripped out.

kitchen cabinets are re-painted, small updates.

family room view with stairway leading upstairs. townhouse is 3 levels.

stairs leading to bedrooms. carpet was ripped out.

1 of 2 guest rooms. primed and ready!

closet done.

window wall.

master bedroom color going in. it was chosen by new renters.

another view of master bedroom closet.

master bedroom nook.

hallway in progress of being primed.

this is what happens when you are really into painting.

the second guest bedroom closet.

another view.

more updates to come :)

rizz tile inc.

@rizz tile inc. -mosaic glass tile.

@rizz tile inc. -mosaic glass tile.

my dad is the main reason why i am the artist that i am. he is my inspiration for everything creative that i compose in my life. he went to art school himself, but decided to stick with the family business of working with flooring, specifically tile. him and his partner work on mostly residential projects, but also have worked in restaurants, been featured in designs that have been published while collaborating with designers and contractors. i am working on a website to publish more of their work, so when it's done you should check it out! this is just one of hundreds of projects. a newer, finished job.

enjoy!

*website to be shared soon!

boconcept chicago.

walking in to a business like boconcept, i am in awe of how professional the overall layout looks. this showroom is top of the line in my eyes. meeting with the owner and the store manager gave me insight to how a business can still be family oriented even under corporate control.

@boconcept.

every piece is custom order from the material to the fabric to the parts and pieces. i enjoy the 'dual function' of them as well.

they are celebrating 60 years in a few weeks! congratulations!

@boconcept.

@boconcept.

boconcept website.

DIY network: rehab addict.

this woman inspires me truly! she is such a role model for me in all that design stands for in my eyes. nicole is never afraid to take on large projects herself. she finds under appreciated pieces of furniture and turns them into something beautiful! the whole idea behind 'adaptive re-use,' 're-models,' 'renovations,' it all intrigues me and i wish more designers would adapt this instead of tearing down a perfectly good structured building or a home.

with a little elbow grease nicole seems to get things done and i am always in awe with the final results. check out her website!

nicole curtis design star on DIY network.

@nicole curtis design.

interior design magazine.

@vanity nightclub, las vegas, nv.

i am heavy into the nightclub scene, being the age that i am. i love music and how it affects my mood and my senses. it has been and will always be a big part of my life.
i would never want to leave this bathroom. vegas always designs 'over the top' and i love every square inch of this space!

"..while the women’s room spans 2,000-square-feet and features eleven stalls and six sink, individual vanity stations and a custom $40,000 chandelier made from 70 hand-blown glass globes."

- interior design magazine 9.1.2012

mix-matched office: existing chairs.

check these out!

these are the two side chairs that my client

wants to incorporate into her office. i think with a little re-upholstery work

and a little love, they will fit in just fine!

mix-matched office space: sketchup style.

these basically speak for themselves. google sketchup office space i designed for a client of mine. the ideas a rough, but the inspirations are there!

hope she likes it!

having fun with filters.

closet view with fabric. (pattern to be decided).

closet view with doors.

interior view w/partial cork wall. coat hanger is to display pointe shoes.

interior view with full cork wall.

area rug option 1.

area rug option 2.

area rug option 3.

area rug option 4.

area rug option 5.

top view.

HGTV.'d urban oasis 2012 giveaway.

i just entered to win this high-rise in miami, fl. you can enter now through october 15th until 5pm eastern time. you should enter too!

hgtv urban oasis giveaway 2012

enter again here @frontdoor.com

two chances to win!! (can enter twice daily).

HGTV'd urban oasis miami 2012.

area rug mix-match.

these rugs reflect the idea of the painting my client chose as inspiration for her office space. i've been researching rugs and found these few @jc penny's. i'm in love with the finds so far. we shall see how she likes the ones i chose. i do have a few more choices on back-up, but these will go perfect with the overall concept.

she also doesn't know, but i am working on building her office in google sketchup. cannot wait to surprise her!

*images to come!

@jc penny's area rug.

@jc penny's area rug.

inspiration artwork:

artwork by: becca lemme

luxury home design magazine.

@luxury home design.

so i stumbled upon this interior image while liking a few pages on facebook. this sofa is SO my style and it will be the kind i look for once i move into my own place. it gives off that asian vibe with the pattern of the two outside pieces as well as the height being so close to the floor level. the mix-match of the fabrics makes me melt inside.

UGH, so gorgeous!

HGTV.d'- 'mediterranean kitchen' by fiorella design.

HGTV @mediterranean kitchen by: fiorella design.

i watch HGTV religiously and am always curious as to what i can use as inspiration.

 this kitchen screams words at me: bohemian, mediterranean, eclectic, eggshell, delicate, sleek, history, bright, unique. the backsplash is my most favorite part of the whole entire space. the designer used a simple pattern when laying out the tiles to give a more subtle, yet finished look. the yellow paint helps compliment the eggshell blue of the tile and the kitchen chair as well. i would make sure to display colorful dishes and glasses in the open glass cabinet. i would use this kitchen anytime of the day!

HGTV - designers portfolio.

laguna design center.

 

laguna design center.

also on my trip to OC, i met up with a designer for an interview here. this place is very resourceful and reminds me of the arlington heights design center where I used to work. they carry many products that designers can use within their projects. i will definitely sign up to purchase here when i have my business.                                    http://lagunadesigncenter.com/

pdc- design mecca of LA.

on my california trip to OC and LA this past week, I was so excited to be able to visit PDC. one of my girlfriends who lives in LA uses and visits this building quite often. I had the opportunity to sit down with a vendor from unico designlab and chat with him about his business and what he contributes to the design industry.

 

Sandro's website: http://unicodesignlab.com/

 

he deals with mostly high end clients for his pieces are one of a kind. i was truly inspired by him and his ideas. check out his website for more images and work done by unico designlab. with ideas in the making, i hope to partner up with him sometime next year.

pacific design center.

HGTV.'d - 'urban oasis.'

@HGTV.

another gorgeous shot of an 'urban oasis' from HGTV. i am just in awe of how the photographer can line up and capture a shot like this. photography has always been a second love of mine and I like to use it to my advantage. my best description of this image to say the least,

"city heights & pretty lights."

inspired!

mix-matched office space.

another long time friend of mine was looking for some help. she was given free reign to a room withing a stunning home in algonquin, IL. she expressed to me that she had a few ideas, but wasn't sure what direction she should go, since her and her boyfriend had such different tastes. that's where i come in!

being a young, hip woman within a constantly changing generation, her and i read on the same page. we started with a mini consultation just discussing what her ideas and wants for the space were, while i measured every nook an cranny around. the room itself has a unique ceiling with lots of space to play with. although, the design would have to be subtle overall, for it would become her office to work in. she works in dance studios all day, but has also grown up around music. i asked her if she had anything at all that inspired her: artwork, a song, colors, furniture piece, image, etc. she showed me these...

artwork by: becca lemme

artwork by: becca lemme

both pieces are beautiful and are designed by a friend of my clients. my client is in love with the color scheme of both paintings as well as the style in which they are painted. i expressed to her that i found her individual style to be a bohemian, rustic melody between the mix matched pieces of furniture she seemed to like as well as the overall color scheme.

when i start with a blank room and have no idea what direction i want to head in, i begin with some type of object that inspires me. for instance, these paintings. my client and i talked for a bit more and i explained to her that we should take these colors and the style of the overall painting and use it to find an area rug. it would be an easy start, and this way, she would feel included in the process.

my research has begun and with a few miscellaneous chairs my client already has, our ideas and collaboration together has mixed so well. i cannot wait until i get back from my California trip so we can get started!