Outdoor Living Area

One of the first weekends after buying the house we HAD to get busy landscaping our front yard.  It was hard to pull up to the house and be inspired when the outside was so yucky.  The brown grass, the lack of flower beds, and dead rose bushes had to go.  One busy Saturday and the yard was completely turned around.  Matt loves his yard. The neighbors complement him on it alot ... I kinda get jealous haha.  It looks great.  Even though summer is starting to get the best of it :(

So now it's the backyard's turn.  A couple of months ago I drew up this landscape design ...

These are a few of the fillers for areas ... I LOVE texture in plants

 So I created a design board on my new favorite thing ... my iPad.

 I absolutely love the idea of an Outdoor Living space. 

This resin wicker sofa with white plush cushions is my favorite.  Chartreuse green throw pillows complement the outdoor elements.  I imagine having a covered area over the sofas, planked by two black and white striped drapery panels.  A candle chandelier hanging from the ceiling to illuminate the art work. Modern adironrack chairs to surround the firepit and snuggle up to! 

I did not even attempt to pick out a grill for Matt, that will be his department.  But I can totally see us entertaining with this space.  Coming Fall 2011, hopefully :)

wedding bells

a friend of mine is getting married in october.  if i have not mentioned this, i LOVE weddings.  i have kept a folder of tear sheets of wedding ideas since junior high. myself and another young designer, miss blaire andrews, are helping her out.  we got started about two months ago.  and are making some head way.. courtney's dress is freaking gorgeous.  of course i cannot attach that image just in case her future hubby tries to sneak a peek.  but it seriously has a lot of fashion to it and i hope we can carry that through out the wedding.  here are some of the ideas we are working with ...

courtney told me she wanted to use tiffany blue, orange and brown.  so i created this tear sheet that has some ideas with the colors she mentioned.  i hated to do it, but i had to tell courtney ... these colors were not going to work.  every girl dreams of their wedding day so i couldn't change the colors up completely.  when i looked at this color story it reminded me alot of summer.  so we went with the idea of just warming up the hues a little bit and came up with this ....

i hope we can convince her to let go a little and throw some more trend into the mix.  i LOVE the paisley ties,  the strung marigolds, the exquisite fonts, the peacock feathers incorporated, and especially the new warmed up colors!  this definitely says fall wedding.

 above is a sketch sheet for the wedding.  no where near done with it but it's a start.  i will keep you posted on wedding details.  and definitely make sure i get some pics at the florist.  my favorite part!

coming home

three years ago when i graduated college i knew exactly what was next for me. so many people assumed that i was moving to la or new york to start the next chapter of my life.  i knew where i wanted to be, and that was home, in marshall, texas.   i planned on moving home to start my career as an interior designer. i never had a doubt in my mind that i wouldn't be able to support myself and stay busy.  i even sold my two door convertible to get an suv that would support my profession of hauling around samples!  as of now i am working in the oil industry.  and missing interior design every day.  that is why i plan on making this blog an outlet for my real passion, interior design.  marshall is a very small town and alot of people expect you to prove yourself.  there are a handful of fabulous designers in marshall ... competition is tough!  but maybe this channel will be a way for me to get out there :) i hope! 

here is a copy of my business cards that i pass out like a nut ....

here goes nothing ...

as my first post i am at a loss as to what to blog about ... especially since i have this feeling that no one is reading this.  haha! 
my boyfriend, matt, just bought his first house!  it is precious, a perfect starter home, on my dream street, sooo it is now my little project.  it might have driven me to this blog ... i swear i cannot sleep without thinking about that house.  matt says im obsessed  ... annndd i might be. maybe.  but really, i went to school for this!  it is time to shine, but oh does some grind come with all that.  we started working on the house tuesday.  today is only friday and so far i have gotten high off of ammonia, debris in the eyeball so i am wearing my nerdy glasses today, i've really gotten to know the paint lady at lowe's, and last night i managed to get white freckles from painting the ceiling. needless to say i am tired.  and i wish i were this fabulous designer with assistants to do all the crappy work.  i'm ready for the fun stuff dangit! here are a few of my favorites i've picked out for the house ...

living room ...

dining room ...

love these plates for the kitchen ...

there is a screened in patio to the side of the house that adds so much character to the house ... i look forward to spending time out there and love these things to furnish it ...

i really really am excited. i am.  but all of this prep work is tough and i don't like it. it will pay off in the end i guess.  i will post progress pictures soon ...