Textile Picks

I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day!! Our long weekend was spent getting the tile installed in our kitchen (yay!) and cleaning up the mess afterward. I'll be sure to share some pictures!

In other news, I've been doing a lot of e-decorating lately, which I've really been enjoying because it's been getting me back to my roots (that's pretty much how I started doing this gig!)

I recently was contacted to help pull together some textiles choices. The inspiration was this throw that my e-decorating client has and loves:

This throw sits on an accent chair across the room from her sofa, and she wanted some fabric options for a new slipcover for her sofa along with some throw pillows. Here is what I selected for her:

I'm loving this combo of bright peacock blue and purple!

E-Decorating Design Boards

On Monday I mentioned this fabric scheme was for an e-decorating client:

I used to do a ton of e-decorating but within the last year or so I haven't really done much of it. The blog world has changed, and there are sooo many more decorators/bloggers that offer it now than when I started doing it back in 2006. I also got pretty busy with local clients, so I just wasn't able to do design boards like I used to.

Since I don't do e-decorating design boards as much any more, it was a treat to get to work on these last week. I didn't realize how much I missed doing them!

This is a living room/playroom combo (the pieces coordinate with some of my client's existing furniture, which is why you'll see a sofa, etc missing in the board):

 I also designed an entry that coordinates with this space:

If you're interested in working with me through e-decorating, here are my rates: http://brynalexandra.com/services.htm.

Since my clients pay for my design services and sources for their home, I cannot share the sources here on my blog. However, if you are looking for help with your own space, shoot me an email (bryn@brynalexandra.com).

Workin'

Thought it would be fun to show you what's going on in my work life lately!

The rug ottoman in action. We're finished with this room but I haven't taken portfolio pictures yet.

The guest bedroom of a dear client that I've been working with for a while.. we're almost finished!

These pretty things are going in the space below.

We call this the "mulberry room".

This pretty paper has been backordered, but finally came in! It's slated to be installed this week (it's for this space).

Some fabric selections for an e-decorating client.

New Pics & New Year

Last night I got some new portfolio pictures up on my website of the "pink project". I have loved this project from Day 1 when my client was on board to paint her walls a beautiful, soft pink (I can't remember the exact paint color off the top of my head but I think it was Hint of Pink by BM).

Along with her living room and dining room, I also worked on her playroom. My favorite part are all the books... they became a part of the design when we hung them in acrylic shelves :)

Also, today I turn 29! It's a pretty low key birthday.. but I will be celebrating my favorite way: overindulging on really good food and drinks at one of my favorite restaurants and then eating a red velvet cupcake for dessert :)

Grasscloth Love

I have a client who has a 1960's house with a perfect little entry for wallpaper. As you know, I'm a huge fan of grasscloth and was really excited when she she asked a) if I could help her with the entry and b) could we do grasscloth? YES!

Inspiration Image, Markham Roberts

A couple little things are changing from the board I presented (above), but overall the space will have the same vibe. I can't wait!!

PS- Mother's Day is coming up! If you spend $200 or more at Joy & Revelry and enter code ILOVEMOM you'll receive a free Modern Quill Pen (value $24)!

On The Cutting Room Floor

Just like in any other industry, the first "draft" sometimes doesn't make it. That was the case with this scheme:

We ended up going with a more neutral, feminine color scheme for my clients' master bedroom.

But I still do love Kelly Wearstler's "Mushroom/Straw" Bengal Bazaar and hope to use it sometime in the future!

Pillow by Ryan Studio available through Bryn Alexandra Interiors

Wouldn't it be so interesting to see the discarded design plans of famous designers? Now THAT would make for an awesome coffee table book!

Honored

I am honored to share that I was chosen to be 1 of 3 Charlotte interior designers/bloggers to be featured in a local magazine called South Park Magazine. This was my first time having my face in a magazine, I have to say it's a little strange! But exciting, too :)

I really love and admire the other two ladies featured, check them out! Sarah Catherine from Sarah Catherine Studio of Design and Lisa Mende from Lisa Mende Design. And if you've found me and my blog through the magazine, welcome!! Thanks so much for stopping by :)

In other news, I had some cornice boards installed at the pink house this week.

 It's hard to tell in the iPhone pictures above, but the fabric is Betwixt from Schumacher and yes, I do have it in my living room, too. When my husband saw the cornices in my office, he said "man you must love that fabric". Yes, yes I do :)

(I took this picture a couple months ago via Instagram.. I was reading Celerie Kemble's Black and White book)

You know what else I love? West Elm vases. These new vases were the perfect shade of blue for the living room..

ps - Thank you for the kind words regarding my new website design!

Updated Website

My awesome Dad has been helping me update my website, and we launched it yesterday!

 
We made it more simple with bigger pictures and a new thumbnail view on the portfolio page. I also added some new portfolio pictures.

Check it out here!

Pink!

Happy Valentines Day! 

I have to say, for the past year I have been surrounded by PINK! I've had a handful of jobs use pink in their spaces.. which is completely awesome because I love pink :) But it's funny because it's quite a bold color to use.

Here are some work in progress pics of some of my pink projects! 

On a side note, I used to hate the idea of sharing "work in progress" pictures, but it's one of my new "resolutions" this year for my blog. After all, the job of an interior decorator is 99% about the in between, not just the before/after.

Bookcase Styling Tips

I recently wrapped up a cozy, glossy blue den project that had two bookcases flanking the fireplace.

And you know what that calls for... bookcase styling!

I thought this would be a good opportunity to share some of my favorite bookcase styling tricks.

Two Blue Chairs

I've shared this project with you before (here), but I visited my client again this week to discussed her dining room and took some more pictures. We brought in a storage ottoman and some two more pillows on the sofa. We originally had our heart set on a marble top coffee table, but with two young daughters a storage ottoman was more sensible. Interior Decorating is first and foremost about LIFE!

I know, I shared these with you already... but they are two of my most favorite chairs ever.  Navy Velvet!! :)

(chairs are Lee Industries, stool is from Wisteria)

Fresh & New

I love the beginning of a New Year! This is what always happens to me... the Christmas break is spent being lazy and my mind is spent with family instead of on work. By the time the first day back to work in the New Year rolls around I am PUMPED for the fresh start. And I know I'm not the only one.. the blogs are full of the same excitement and energy. I love it!


I haven't set any "resolutions" for myself, but I am setting some intentions for myself.

1. The Blog

As myself and others have said many times before, Pinterest has changed the game for bloggers. Sometimes I wonder if blogging is becoming a thing of the past. Whether it is or isn't, I would like to keep blogging.. I'm not sure when/if I will stop. But I do want to change the way I blog in 2013. I want to write more meaningful posts.. even if that means they aren't every day. I don't necessarily mean more words, just more of a "quality vs. quantity" thinking. I've come to realize my favorite blogs to read now are those who write posts to really say something, and not just post for the sake of posting.

And to sort of go along with this thinking, I'm working on "cleaning up" the design of my blog and making things simpler. (I'm also still working on my website. My client work comes first, so my website always gets pushed to the back burner. BUT the new freshened up look is ready to launch soon!)

2. Our House

I did a lot in 2012 to "finish" our house. I use quotations because let's be honest, it's never actually going to be done ;)

Obviously, I am a huge believer that your home is a part of you, it's a reflection of you and you should always love the way it looks and the way it feels.

And after 3 YEARS of making this house our home, I finally feel that way :)

But that's not to say there aren't a couple things I want to do in 2013. Here is my short list:

+ New Flooring in the Kitchen (I've decided to just keep the hardwoods we have in our house even though I don't LOVE the color and probably bring them into the kitchen. This is TBD and I'm not sure when I'll tackle this...)

+ Granite & Backsplash in our Kitchen - WHO KNOWS when this will happen.. but it's still on my list.


+ Custom Drapes in LR - I almost always do custom drapes for clients, and I would really, really love to have them in my home... someday!

+ New Family Room Lamps - this one is more obtainable than the three previous items. I'm looking for the perfect ones..

+ Dining Room - This is another TBD item. Honestly - I've thought about just NOT decorating the dining room, and then when we eventually have a kid, that room would make a great playroom. We always congregate in the kitchen nook when we have friends over, anyway.

3. Work

I am really excited about what's to come in 2013 for my work life. I am wrapping up some big projects and I'm so happy and excited to see them unfold into what we've been working so hard towards!

My new 2013 work goal is to "work smarter, not harder".

 

OKAY I realize that was a ton of words.. and this post is probably only interesting for me ;) To make it a little more interesting for you, I've added in some never before seen (I think) pictures that I found while cleaning out my iPhone recently!

Thank you so much for reading my blog, and I promise I'm going to work on making it even better this year!! xoxo