Texas Traditional...Before and After

Get your boots ready, ya'll because I'm about to walk you through the design of a very traditional Texas project. My client owns a wealth management company and reached out asking for help making sense of his office space. 

Take a look at how things turned out...

This is where we started...

The room was bland and the tv placement was awkward. My client wanted the space to be more functional and have an overall cohesive feel. We chatted a bit...I listened a lot (remember this post?)...and we came up with an eye-catching solution.

Boom! Did you expect the tv to be hiding behind the barn doors and floating inside that beautiful faux stone wall? Fun little surprise, right?! We used the Rolling Cabinet Media Solution from Pottery Barn but had to make some modifications to fit our design.

This project moved a break-neck speed and I'm shocked/thrilled that we met his insane deadline! I was literally styling shelves and hanging pictures as a film crew was setting up to shoot his business videos... which is what started this project in the first place!

If you live in the Dallas area and want to see this project in person and you're looking for a trust-worthy financial planner, give Mike a visit, Mike Mills Wealth Management. He doesn't realize yet, but I added a large fee for this little plug. ha! ha! Just kidding...he can consider it a random act of kindness. :)

What's next?

I'm feeling a bit torn about which project to tackle next. We've done all the "easy" projects and now we're reaching the point of "Oh, that one's going to hurt a bit." Let's face it, bathrooms, kitchens and couches are not cheap, even in the DIY world.

So, while I sit and get my ducks in a row, I'll share what's been rattling around in my brain. Let's start with bathrooms. I love freestanding tubs. Have you noticed the trend of "enclosing" the shower and the tub in same space?

via Change your Bathroom, Inc.

I find myself drawn to this modern vibe until I run across the vintage option...

via Garden & Gun

So much character! I honestly couldn't tell you which one I like more. Guess that's where my 'eclectic' taste comes in play.

Now, for the couch...

I finally talked John into John decided we needed a new couch! But, darn it anyway, he made the requirement that it 'be comfy.' Doesn't he know it's solely style that matters?! ha!

Reese Sectional

I had my heart set on the Reese Sectional from Room and Board but there isn't a store close by for me to give it the 'ol comfy test. So, my sweet friend, Pam from Simple Details, ran to the store near her and was kind enough to lay on it for me. Bad news...not so comfy. Back to the drawing board.

Then, there's the kitchen. Do you remember that my cabinets are stained green? Click here to see the awesomeness. This kitchen from Adrian Amore Architects has me dreaming of the potential.

Adrian Amore Architects

So, what's next? I don't really know. When I find myself getting antsy, I have to remind myself that we decided to tackle this house like it's a marathon, not a sprint.

Commercial Moodboard

I've been working my patootie off trying to meet a fast deadline on this conference room design. The business owner is having a video shot on the 26th and wants the room complete before then. It's been a month of praying contractors show up and merchandise is shipped on time!

While this isn't the normal design aesthetic I typically present on my blog, I thought it'd still be good to share. Not every project that comes my way is 100% in line with my style but that doesn't mean I'm not going to put my best foot forward and give my client something they absolutely love.

Many years ago, before I found my passion in design, my father-in-law gifted me a design consultation for Christmas. I remember talking to the designer on the phone and asking how things worked, especially if she didn't share my taste. I quickly learned the answer to be simple...it's all about listening. If you're working with a good designer, they'll listen to you, hearing not only what you're saying but a lot of what you're not saying, and be able to design the perfect plan for you and your taste.

Mother's Day Recap (blogging vs. reality)

Blogging can easily have a smoke and mirrors effect. It's one of the biggest complaints from readers. Our posts can often leave a reader feeling very inadequate. It's one of my biggest struggles with blogging. Let me give you an example...

Mother's Day recap (blogging version)
It's Mother's Day! My husband and kids wake up early and scramble to the kitchen to prepare a delicious breakfast. They quickly make sure every detail is covered before placing it all on a tray to bring to me in bed. My door creaks open then I hear the glorious voices of my sweet angels singing "Happy Mother's Day to you" to the tune of 'Happy Birthday.' I sat up in bed and welcomed the tray of goodies and sweet loves from my family. Words of gratitude poured out of their mouths as they acknowledged what a wonderful mom they're blessed to have. I finish my breakfast while basking in the glow of my family's love. Wow, what an amazing Mother's Day!

{via}

Mother's Day recap (real version)
It's Mother's Day! John coerces the kids out of bed early enough to fix me breakfast in bed. One child pleasantly abides while the other awakes with a scowl. The door creaks open and I'm serenaded with the birthday song only this time they've replaced 'birthday' with 'mother's day.'  The tray of oatmeal and coffee is placed on my lap and immediately it's bumped by a rambunctious child. Anyone every tried coffee IN their oatmeal?  Reed unzips his pillow and announces he's the only one who actually got me a present and hands me $6! I finish my oatmeal and sip on my coffee as the wrestling begins and quickly ends, as that same rambunctious child hits John's coffee causing scalding liquid to spill all over his arm and our white quilt. John's temper shows, for the first time ever (literally) as the kids retreat to their rooms and I begin the 3 loads of laundry now required to clean up this mess. Wow, what an amazing Mother's Day!

Isn't it funny how a few flowery words and editing can make a very normal event seem like it's the best thing ever? Isn't it funny how we're often scared to show people the 'spilled coffee' moments in our lives for fear of not being perfect?

Well, friends, if you gave me the choice between the blogging version of Mother's day vs. the real version, I'd pick the real version a thousand times over. In reality, I giggled inside as all the craziness went down. It's so my family and I wouldn't expect anything different. I even told John thank you for showing his temper. In fact, that was the BEST Mother's Day present ever. For one day, just one day, the kids realized mommy's not always the monster but daddy's capable of it too!

Progress is a good thing

Cassie, from Primitive & Proper, was kind enough for to ask me to share our home on her blog today!

Preparing the post served a great reminder of how much progress we've made in the past 10 months. Sometimes I feel like we've barely touched the place. Ugh!

I'd love for you to hop on over and give Cassie a visit. Check things out here. While you're there, snoop around her projects. She's the queen of eclectic in my books!

Our new family members

The Easter bunny brought quite the surprise this year! Maverick was hoping it was a furry brother...

But these babies are of the feathered type...

Let me officially introduce you to Kirby and Jace (any Duck Dynasty fans?).

 A little swim in the tub.

After a week of crate training, we finally introduced them to the pond. Um, apparently we're awesome crate trainers because these crazy little boogers are afraid of the pond. I kid you not! We've tried for 5 days to coerce them into the water with no success. 

Yesterday, two wild mallards showed up and tried all day to "show them the way." It was really neat to watch. But, we have strong-willed ducklings and they're still not enjoying the water. So, we've concluded that we're probably the only duck owners in the world who have ducks that are afraid of water (unless it's in a bathtub)! How ironic!

Duck training tips welcomed and appreciated. ;)

Repurposed art turned DIY "masterpiece"

The previous owners of our house left behind a huge framed poster of the Rat Pack. It sat in our garage forever and I was a little ticked that they hadn't taken it with them. It's BIG and the frame was busted which is, I'm sure, why they opted to leave it behind and make it our problem our treasure.

Fortunately, I had an "ah ha" moment the day I was dreaming of an oversized piece of art for our dining room but, unfortunately, didn't have an oversized budget.

This moment consisted of me ripping off the back of the framed art to see what lay beneath. Here's the front...

And, here's the back...a beautiful blank canvas in my eyes!

It's hard to tell in the pictures but this frame is HUGE and would cost a fortune to have made. Hence, why my brain kicked into overdrive trying to figure out a way to save it since it had seen happier days. 

While I problem-solved, I also began searching for the perfect art to fill my new canvas with. I did a google search for abstract line drawings and quickly ran across one that peaked my interest...

{Abstract Line by Japhycat}

While I give absolute credit to the original artist, I figured this was a fairly simple piece that one (namely me) with limited art experience could pull off with minimal effort. I drew it in pencil initially then busted out the black paint and had at it. You should really give it a try, I'd put this DIY art project in the "beginner" level for sure.

So, back to that pesky busted frame...

Each corner was coming apart and needed special "V" staples to properly pull it back together. I didn't  have special "V" staples so I loaded this giant frame in the back of our SUV and walked it into Hobby Lobby only to find out they didn't have the special "V" staples either. Man, I knew I should've called first! It was no small task walking this piece of art that's about as big as I am into the store and all the way to framing department which, of course, was located in the back of the store.

I was super bummed when they told me they didn't do frame repair. What?! They must have felt really sorry for me as I stood there and looked at them with a complete blank stare, trying to figure out my next step, because they decided they'd "give it a try" and call me if it worked. I figured this was going to cost me a fortune but they tallied things up and said it'd be $37. I said "sold!" and ran back to my car to say a little prayer.

Obviously, things worked out in my favor and that's the story of how I scored my first piece of oversized art for a mere $37. One man's junk is another man's treasure!

By the way, if you haven't entered the Rugs Direct giveaway, make sure you do it today. The winner will be selected Friday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway