E-Design: Dining Room!

I have really enjoyed working with one of my E-Design clients!  Her style is so fun!  She loves a mix of old and new and isn't afraid of some color! Her family just got a new place and she wanted some advice on furniture, color and accessories! I did a design board for her and thought I would share it with you! 

Her walls were originally a shade of gray.....

{ We liked the deep color however I wasn't a fan of it with the neutral walls that are in the connecting rooms. We decided on a deeper shade of NAVY.  }

Here is her design board! 

Don't you love the balance of eclectic, classic and modern style! :)

I will post more pictures of the finished space once the time comes!

The Benefits of Modular Home Design

If you are in the market for a new home, you have probably invested a good amount of time in researching available properties in your area. Maybe you have looked at condominiums, homes in new residential developments, and some older, historic homes in established neighborhoods. You can weigh the advantages of buying a house with historical significance against getting something newer, but there is something to be said for a more contemporary design - in particular, the modular home.

What is a Modular Home

As the name implies the modular home is a construction that is built in parts, or modules. Similar to a manufactured home, the modular design comes together through different parts of the house which are built in factories, rather than constructed onsite. As sections of the house are created, they are transferred individually to the site and pieced together, not unlike a large puzzle. The end result is a beautiful house ready for residence.

The Benefits of a Modular Home

It is not uncommon these days for developers to use modular homes to populate a new residential community. In the time it takes to individually build houses in a neighborhood, a company specializing in modular buildings can have the area ready for new homeowners more quickly. This in turn allows the investor to see a return in a more timely manner, and perhaps allow for plans for another community. A home buyer looking for a fast sale has the advantage of closing and moving in as soon as possible.

Another benefit to such a house is design flexibility. If you are working with a homeowner who wants a specific layout, you can structure the home to his/her preference and have the modules ready in no time. Home buyers can choose carpeting, fixtures, closet plans, windows, and other components easily.

From a greener perspective, modular homes tend to be more energy efficient than older houses. Section are built with saving money in mind - meaning better sealants are used to guarantee decreased loss of heat, and construction materials are environmentally friendly. With less time spent to build, less of a mess is created on the site.

Modular home design helps bring home owners to a new place economically and efficiently. With new innovations in house construction, one can enjoy a home built to code that offers all the features one desires. Take the time to look at your options for modular home design.

Carlins Bedroom

Remember when I mentioned that I went to Murray to visit my best friend, Carlin,  and help her spruce up her bedroom?  I've got pictures! I love how fresh the room turned out! It goes to show just what an impact new artwork, bedding and accessories can do! 


First thing we did--Get the RIGHT floor plan! It helped the room function a lot better! After that we swapped out the bedding, changed up the artwork and dressed the room with new curtains!  I found some fabric at a local fabric store and made a pillow for her to pull together all the colors.  The room definitely needed some color considering we decided to go with a solid quilt! The striped pillows are so preppy--I love them!  Carlin decided to splurge on a stained glass piece that we found at her moms (adorable) store in Murray! ((If you are ever in the area it is definitely worth stopping in...Red Bug on Third!))


It fits Carlin and Tyler's personality so well! I can't wait to help her with her family room next! :) I am sure her husband Tyler is thrilled! hehe! :)

Etsy Round up: Monograms!

Monograms are such a great way to personalize your home! Luckily they are easily accessible for us to purchase!  They make great wedding gifts or even baby shower gifts (for the nursery)! In your own home, be careful not to over use them! If you are buying a sticker to be the main focal point of the wall be sure it is big enough!! It is always best to be bigger than smaller! And consider your color choice.  Go with something that is going to pop off your wall and not tend to blend with your paint color.  If you have other small items nearby, maybe consider a simple, large single letter verses a 3 letter scripted monogram! 

Here are a few of my favorite monogram items I found on etsy! 

1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9

Click on associated numbers to see easy listing!

Enjoy your Monday!!!

Zaxby's Nursery

Summertime craziness has kicked in!!! Garrett and I have so many plans and projects, I haven't had a minute to post anything! I traveled to Murray, KY to visit my very best friend on Wednesday to help her redo her bedroom! We loved how it turned out! Stay tuned for the photos!

In the meantime, I wanted to post a picture of another nursery I've been working on! Themed rooms are OUT, however I wanted to do an UNDERSTATED circus themed room! The reason themed rooms aren't working anymore is because...

1) They don't work as the child ages, making you want to redo the room by the time they are 2 or 3!

2) They are to matchy matchy.  It is much more design friendly to mix patterns, textures and styles! 

3) And Its what we did 10 years ago! :)

...But I am sure that you already knew all that! :)

Here is the design board for the Nursery!

Home Design Plans - Unique Style Options and Considerations

Choosing the best home design plans is a difficult task. Because there are so many different options out there, it can be confusing to keep track of everything that you have to choose from. Figuring out the best design involves looking at the options, so here are some great ideas to help you start your search for the perfect home design plans:

Architectural: These plans are all about architectural style, providing larger floor space and more unique details that will surely catch the eye of anyone looking at your house. Lofty ceilings and open floor plans are a must-have, along with unique architectural elements that add a touch of beauty and elegance to every residence.

Classic: Classic home design plans feature an upper-market version of traditional weatherboard houses, and are available in single and two storey designs.

Modern: Freestyle houses have a monoplane roof style, perfect for the city or the beach. Having the single plane roof design is more modern and upscale, and there are many different styles and sizes of homes to choose from. Those who enjoy modern function and design will appreciate this style of house.

These are just a few different styles of home design plans that you can choose from.

More important elements of designing a new house are the interior and exterior features. Cladding, brick colour and style, roof style and material, colour steel fascia and guttering to compliment your choice of roof and cladding, garage door and aluminium joinery are just some of the exterior features that you will need to decide upon when customising your home design plans.

In terms of interior features you also have many considerations including: colour of the walls, doors, lever handles and door stops, blinds for the bathrooms, living areas and bedrooms. In the kitchen you need to select bench tops and cabinetry, in the bathroom - taps and shower mixers, and then flooring for the house. There is a wide range of pure wool carpets to choose from, or you may be more interested in wooden or concrete flooring.

Many construction companies offer house and land packages within stunning subdivisions. This offers you the chance to view other houses made by the company, which can offer valuable inspiration when it comes to designing your own house plans. Showhomes are another valuable resource. There is nothing quite like walking through a replica of what could be your future home. It is the best way to get a feel for the space you need and the aesthetics you appreciate.

By taking the time to explore your options, it will be easier for you to find the design that suits your tastes.

Generation Homes is a multi-award winning home building company with locations across New Zealand.

Generation Homes devised a construction programme that allows customers to be given a guaranteed move-in date the day their unconditional contract is signed. These systems have enabled Generation Homes to build over 1500 homes and deliver 99.7% exactly on the due date. This guaranteed delivery date, a fixed price contract and a complete turnkey house and land package takes the stress out of home building for customers. By combining all of these features Generation Homes is able to fulfill its business purpose to 'Make Building Easy'.

Dining Room Table!

I don't know if any of you remember reading about how I've been desperate for a new dining room table or not... but we found one!   


Story is:  I saw an awesome table at a boutique close by to us unfortunately it had a big S-O-L-D sign on it! :( I decided to ask the owner of the store if there was anyway she could get another one! I gave her my number, thinking it would be awhile until I heard back from her! ONE week later she called and let me know her dealer could get another! 


She called today to let me know it had arrived! I am so anxious to get it in the house! I'll post pics once its here! For now- here is a picture I took in the store! 

I can't want to combine the distressed look of this table with all the glitz in our house! 

A huge thanks to Amanda @ Dress&Dwell! 

Click HERE to see her Facebook page! 

It's SUCH an adorable shop...I wish that I could keep it a SECRET! ;)

Hunny--Can we please spruce up our bedroom? :}

I have been dying to spruce up our bedroom! Now that I've let my husband in on this secret, I can also share it with you guys! I've been trying to figure out a way to include some things we already have without having to buy a ton of new things! We have an awesome navy rug in the basement and I would love to be able to use it!  I think I've found a way to incorporate a few other colors to make everything work to my liking!

At some point, I would like to also purchase some new curtains but haven't made my mind up on what I want! :) Luckily, the existing curtains will work for now! 

This is the design board Im working on to incorporate existing items and a few new things: duvet, shams, & pillows!!  Leave me some feedback and let me know what you think! 

Best Home Design Software - Architectural Home Designer

For folks who are looking for a home design software that is not only easy to use, but more importantly, equipped with the best tools for all types of designing needs, then perhaps it's time to stop searching. Famed home design software producer Chief Architect has once again come out with a product that is definitely going to be there or thereabouts when talking about the best home design software in the business. With Architectural Home Designer, users can make use of a variety of designing tools for remodeling and home design that covers cost estimation, site planning, landscaping, decks, baths, kitchens, as well as entire interior designs.

Everything in One Package

What makes a good home design software is its ability to strike a balance between a user friendly interface and excellent outputs. However, aside from this combination, what makes a great home design software is its integration of all types of remodeling and design tools that will satisfy all of its users needs. It must be an all-in-one design solution which should leave users with a feeling that they could no longer ask for anything more. Architectural Home Designer is one type of software which is just that.

With this amazing piece of software, users can choose from thousands of sample plans which they can use as a basis for their designs. Also available are a myriad of different home style templates that can be used in line with either the House Wizard Feature, or customized fully to suit the user's wishes. Architectural Home Designer also features highly effective building tools such as automatic generation of foundations, framing, stairs, dormers, and roofs. This program also makes use of the most artistic rendering methods to come up with the likes of Technical, Glass House, or even Watercolor illustrations.

Excellent for Interior Design

Although Architectural Home Designer is indeed an excellent program for both deck designs and landscaping, its strength lies in its interior design capabilities. For starters, there's the Material Painter feature which allows users to easily apply all types of materials and colors on their walls and scene objects. Users can choose from thousands of different textures and colors which are brought to life by the digital photograph feature. Also on board is the Smart Design Objects feature which lets users literally drag and drop thousands of objects from the program's extensive library which has been excellently categorized by object types.

Quick and Hassle-Free Startup

What makes Architectural Home Designer even more impressive is it allows users to get started quickly and without any unwanted hassles. Aside from the Quick Startup Options Guide, there's also the very useful House Wizard feature which allows users to easily lay out rooms in a very uncomplicated manner. As mentioned earlier, the program is also loaded with hundreds of different templates that come in full color and are complete with all sorts of objects and fixtures. Also included are 40 helpful training videos that provide step-by-step instructions on how to get started on a home design project. Further support is also provided on the publisher's online help system which gives even more detailed information on all sorts of designing projects.

Out with the Brown, In with the Gray!

I read an article recently that suggested GRAY was only the hot color-of-the moment for 2012.  Color for the moment?  I think its going to around for awhile! I had a friend text me the other day saying, "I love gray and canary yellow!"   I dittoed that comment! Its one of my favorites combos also!


Gray is such a great background color for all the pops of color that are quickly replacing all the of the "earth tones." Bright colors are definitely coming back! And go great with GRAY! 


I thought I would share a little bit of advice on what I know is true about GRAY!


1.  Decide whether you want your gray to have a green, purple or blue undertone.
GREEN UNDERTONE GRAY
BLUE UNDERTONE
PURPLE UNDERTONE GRAY


If you pull up all three colors, it might be easiest to see the differences.  


2. Consider your existing elements in your room! 


Take into account the things that will be REMAINING in your room! If your dated stone fireplace will stay (because you don't have the cash flow to fix it) notice the grout color! It is probably a putty color, which would fit better with a green undertone gray than a blue one! 


3. Think about your LIGHTING!


If you have a bright lighted room, go with a paler gray! It will change with the sunlight throughout the day! If your room is dark, choose a gray with some depth as you will NEED lighting to bring some life into your room! 


4. Pick your FABRIC before your PAINT!


I am a huge follower of this tip! It is easily explained:  There are a trillion paint colors, not a trillion fabrics! In other words, don't go and test 5 shades of gray on your walls before you paint.  The chances that ONE is going to jump out at you are RARE without other main components! 


Here are some of my favorite gray inspirations!

Etsy Roundup: Colorful Pillows!

In honor of this beautiful day, I thought I would do an etsy round up of some fun, colorful pillows! 

Enjoy your Thursday!! 

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 

I am a big fan of Design Star! Garrett and I love to watch and critque all the designs! Last night was the ultimate WHITE ROOM CHALLENGE.  For those of you who don't keep up with the show...the white room challenge consists of designing a space that is completely white, with one white couch and 2 white side tables. This year they were only allowed to shop at a Home & Garden Center.  I thought I would show you what went down on this episode and show you my favorite and least favorite designs!


BRITANYS Design:
Britany is shaping up to be one of my favorite designs this season.  I loved her creative light fixture, the graphic feel and the pop of red on the floor! 




RACHELS Design:
Rachel is clearly one the best designers on the show! She has won the past two challenges! Vanilla Ice (a guest judge...yes, I'm serious!) said her room had "moves this Jagger!" I absolutely loved her artwork that she quickly painted... it looks like it took hours!





LUCA's Design
Poor Luca has struggled two weeks in a row! The judges say that he just "didn't design enough."  Just like most people, he bought furniture and put it in the room.  There was a lack of creativity. On the other hand, he did create a cool light fixture!!!



JORDAN's Design
Jordan didn't make it this week and got sent home! And I have to say I agreed with the judges.  David Bromstad challenged him to do more than "turn a table into a table." OUCH! I would bet Jordan finished before everyone else bc of the lack of projects his room had.  He didn't do much besides PAINT. 

My Favorite Young People Spaces!

For whatever reason, I am super into kids rooms these days!! (Especially Nurseries!)  Maybe because I am around it all day at PBK!  One of the main things I enjoy about kids room design is finding a way to create a space that will grow with them!  I thought I would share some of my favorite REALISTIC rooms that I can find these days via pinterest and magazine websites! 

My Favorite Details:


-Cheerful Color (and the fact that the homeowner wasn't scared of it!)


-Pattern in expected places like the ceiling and area rugs!


-Vintage Details! 


-Use of accent chairs!


-The fact all the girls rooms aren't pink and all the boys rooms aren't blue!


-Nothing is too match-y match-y

Stencils have Grown Up and Sophisticated!

Do you remember way back in the day when stencils were cool?  I remember people stenciling random patterns as a BORDER in a room? What were we thinking?!

  Well, things have changed!! Stencils are now all grown up and sophisticated! These days the goal is to make a wall appear to be wallpapered.

{ Stenciling is a great way to bring pattern in to a room affordably! This stencil design proves how fabulous they can look and how easily they can be mistaken for expensive wallpaper! }

{ Don't forget about the ceilings! I love that they incorporated a stencil on the ceiling because it really shows off the height of the room! And LOVE that shower curtains, don't you?! }

People are also stenciling the floors, fabric, and furniture! The possibilities are endless! And they best thing about them is that they won't break your bank! 

Here are more of my favorite stencil projects! 

If you liked this post and would like to purchase a stencil- Click here!

little lady nursery

I have a confession to make!!! I've had an itch to design a nursery... and randomly decided to do so! Personally, Ive always wanted wallpaper in my baby's nursery so that was my inspiration for the room! 

I am working on getting things together to do edesign and also needed some practice putting together edesign boards! 

Enjoy! 

Next up: A boys nursery!:) Even though Garrett wants all GIRLS! :)