The Appointed Home

Mirrors and reclaimed wood- oh my!

2011-11-13T05:42:00.000-08:00

The quest for the dining room server

2011-11-01T04:28:00.000-07:00

I found the perfect dining table and chairs for one of my design clients this summer. They are building a beautiful home, like things to be a little rustic-dressy and are great fun to work with- my kind of client! We didn't purchase the matching console table because:

1) Mrs client wanted a place to ~~hide~~ store things and 2) I didn't want it to get too "matchy". Here's a picture of the table and chairs. It's from Schnaidig- the Coast to Canyon group One of my projects on my recent trip to High Point Market was to find a server for them. I found several possibilities- all good choices......... Guess which one she picked? NO SCROLLING AHEAD!!!!!!

I love the branch design on the back of the chairs!

I loved the design on the doors on this piece- beautiful wood finish too.....

This one had beautiful wood and the finish was just right. Maybe the drawers would be a little impractical though?

I was crazy about the design on the doors and the finish on this piece!

Squirrels in the mountains- this one would be great!

This could work too.....

The branches were great on this beauty!


I loved The semi circle detail on this piece...... AND THE WINNER IS......................................................

This beauty from John Richards!!!!!!! I can't wait to see it in the room!!!!!!!!

More Highpoint Market findings!

2011-10-28T04:11:00.000-07:00

I had a great time wandering around the market! I love seeing all the trends, colors and design ideas that are overflowing from each company's space. As promised, here are some more things that caught my eye.

I LOVED this piece from Port Elliott. They make beautiful case goods and I always visit their space at market!

We LOVED this color combination of plum and gray!

Reclaimed is still hot- loved this mirror from the Crestview collection!

More reclaimed love!

This beauty caught my eye at Guildmaster

Pool anyone? This is a coffee table! great in a family/ game room

Honeysuckle- a BRIGHT fuchsia was EVERYWHERE!


Reclaimed WITH Fuchsia accent - talk about trending....doesn't get any better than that!

MORE LATER- can't give up all my good stuff in one post!!!!!

Image of the Day!

2011-10-26T19:17:00.000-07:00

I LOVED this showroom at High point Market!!!!

In face- I loved it so much I found his website. You can check it out Here!

Have a wonderful day!!!!!

Highpoint Bound!

2011-10-20T02:47:00.000-07:00

I'm headed to Highpoint for the fall furniture market tomorrow and I can't wait to see all the new trends!
I love to go to market to see all the latest and greatest even though I know most things won't be available for several months. Most of my clients want their homes finished sooner than that so while I do some research for client jobs, I also just spend some time wandering through those gorgeous showrooms getting inspired and recharged!
This year the market is doing a really cool project- Teaming up with pinterest.com, they've enlisted "style spotters" - well known designers in the industry to wander the market and take photos of the trends as they see them- then post them on special boards on pinterest! Don't you know with all that design talent walking the market they'll come up with some great finds! I'll be repinning like crazy!!!!

Here is the link- http://pinterest.com/highpointmarket/ Of course I've already signed up to follow their boards!

NEW fabrics on ETSY!!!!!!

2011-10-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

We're back up and running on The Appointed Home on ETSY- we've gots several new therapy bags along with some new ideas we are creating! We've got plans for a line of baby blankets, ready made curtain panels, dust skirts and shams. Keep checking back to see all the new listings!!!!
Here's a sneak peek of a few of the new fabrics!

Decorating with trophy big game mounts

2011-09-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

Question of the week: What do you think of decorating with big game mounts?
Several of my clients are avid hunters and have asked me to incorporate the fruits of their passion into their vacation home decor. I've designed around moose, deer, rams, kudu, fowl, bear skin rugs and even a leopard!
The key to incorporating these trophys into your decor is scale and keeping your fabrics and furniture rustic and large. Leather is a great upholstery element as is chenille and textural fabrics Rustic wood tables etc. look great with the coloring of the animal.I also love to incorporate animal print fabrics into the design!

One client I had went all the way to Russia to get a Moose- If I remember, the antler span was 6' across! Luckily, he had a HUGE fireplace!

This client not only had kudzu's on the fireplace, he also had a grand slam of rams on the opposite wall!

This client had several trophies in the master bedroom. SHE had shot the leopard! They used animal skin rugs on the floor, upholstered a chair in zebra and had several mounts above the bed. We used a leather sofa and a huge rustic wooden bed to balance the scale of the animals.

I've balanced out large mounts by surrounding them with antler mounts. I especially love the carved Black Forest type mounts.

For those of you that think the animal thing is a bit much you can always go Faux........

Made with recycled book pages- go figure!

This one even has a night light built in!

Cardboard art!

DIY Tableskirt

2011-09-14T03:23:00.000-07:00

After my article yesterday I wanted to share this article on how to make your own tableskirt. Easy!
Send pictures!

Here's the link:

"The Newlywed Diaries" blog

Day 766: No-Sew Skirted Table

After we made the skirted tables for my sister's wedding, I knew that we needed one to use as a desk for the office. It took a little convincing to get Wes on board -- I think he was hung up on the word "skirt," which clearly wasn't fit for his man room/office. I eventually wore him down by e-mailing him inspirational photos every other day and threatening to never make him pancakes again.

Not only did he change his mind, but he upped the anty and really improved on the original project by building a super-sturdy desk that fits our needs perfectly (and it looks pretty darn good, too). He's so handy.

You'll have to ask him if you want to know more about the measurements, but the desk is basically two boxes made by 2-by-4s and 2-by-3s and connected in the middle, with a piece of 3-quarter-inch plywood on top. He researched ready-made desk sizes to come up with the measurements for height and depth.

And he used the sizes of the two plastic drawers we bought to decide on the width. He was worried about storage, but with these babies (which we picked up at Target, for under $30 for both), we have more storage than in the old desk.

The rest of the project was basically free since we used lumber left over from other projects, and the cotton-duck fabric from the previously-mentioned wedding tables. We did have the plywood cut to size at Lowe's. Since the desk is so much shorter, it wasn't a problem that I had cut my yardage into pieces. By the way, I used about five yards of a very wide fabric (the bolt was probably more than 54 inches) to make this skirt.

I didn't take any photos of the beginning of skirting the desk, so refer back to the post on the tables for that. Basically, I stapled the top of the fabric around the edge of the plywood, creating a crease in the middle where two pieces of fabric meet.

If I had a sewing machine/knew how to sew, I would have hemmed the bottom first. Instead, I'll use my fabric glue to hem the bottom, using the floor to help me keep a straight line.

To make a pleat at the sides, I wrapped the fabric around and stapled at the corner, and then again about two inches from the corner.

Then, I folded the fabric back and brought the folded edge to the corner and stapled it down. I made sure that my fold wasn't too deep that the rest of the fabric wouldn't make it to the end of the side.

When stapling the skirt to the top, it's not necessary to staple to the very edge of the desk, or to staple super close together. I put about one staple every two-to-three inches.

To cover the top, I hung the fabric face-down on the front of the desk, and stapled as close to the edge as possible, as often as possible.

Then I folded the fabric back toward the back of the desk and secured along the back with a couple of staples.

To make the sides neat, I trimmed the fabric so there was about three-quarters of an inch on each side, then folded it under and secured it with fabric glue.

And there you have it! All that's left is the finish the bottom (which could be interesting) and have a piece of glass cut for the top to make a better work surface, and to protect the fabric. I'm thinking about putting a trim tape along the bottom of the skirt -- maybe Greek key?

Skirt it!

2011-09-13T03:47:00.000-07:00

I love table skirts! They're a are a great way to add more fabric to a room and create storage at the same time. Tailored linen with tape trim seems to be the hot trend now.

The embroidery on the bottom of this skirt is beautiful. Notice how they shaped the marble top and conformed the skirt to it. So pretty!

This one may just be my favorite- of course anything red or coral catches my eye!

Of course I would like this one! Coral! So clevor how they applied the banding pattern- I could do that DIY!

Just for fun, check out this galvanized work of art- I have a client that would love this- however she may not like the $48,000 price tag...........

Classic and pretty Phoebe Howard table skirt

Burlap is hot and this outdoor skirt would be great for a mountain porch. I'm planning to develop

a line of burlap table skirts for weddings etc.

This skirt is beautiful and gives a masculine feel to the skirt idea- I love the wide band on the hem.

Happy Paper - Helen Musselwhite

2011-09-09T19:38:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered these intriguing paper works of art by Helen Musselwhite, an artist from the UK.

Amazing!

Have a great Weekend!

www.helenmusselwhite.com

Mushrooms!

2011-09-07T05:52:00.000-07:00


	These mushrooms were a hit in the room I designed on a recent home tour. I had several requests of where to purchase them- Francie Hargrove Interiors is the place people..................

Furniture layouts for narrow rooms

2011-09-02T04:05:00.000-07:00

Great article from Houzz.com
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/672823/list/How-to-Arrange-Furniture-in-Long--Narrow-Spaces

Is your room so long and narrow that when you walk in you start looking for black balls with 3 holes in them and suddenly get the urge to wear tacky shoes with a big size number on the back? Hey, bowling alleys are great! They are one of the few places where I can chew bubble gum and blow giant bubbles without the slightest embarrassment.

Well, unless you love the ambience of a bowling alley, the following tips for furniture arrangement in long, narrow spaces will give you rooms that are functional and don't look like a tunnel.

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1. Keep the foot traffic to one side. One of the main difficulties in arranging furniture for a long, narrow room is where to have people walk through. The number one thing to avoid is sending your foot traffic between a seating piece and the coffee table in front of it.

This condo's main living areas are one long rectangle with tall ceilings that made it feel even more narrow. You can see that there is a French door to the patio on one end ....

by Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR

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... and looking the other direction you can see that the front door is at the opposite end. So we kept our furnishings over to one side of the room to allow the foot traffic to move in a straight line between the furniture and the fireplace. The ottoman is close to the sofa so people can put their feet up. That, combined with the L-shaped sectional, prevents anyone from trying to pass through the room between the sofa and ottoman.

Tip: Make sure any area rugs are placed so that you either walk over them or can stay completely off. In the room above, the open space on the area rug is wide enough to let people walk right across it. The hearth is flush into the floor, so you can also stay off the carpet and walk through without crossing the carpet.

It is really annoying to have a rug hit halfway into a pass-through area so that you need to walk through with one foot on and one foot off the rug. If you need a custom size to achieve this, an affordable solution is to buy one you like and have it cut down and bound.

by Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR

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This room uses the same principle, but this time the furniture faces away from the pass-through area. You need a little wider room to do this. Keeping an open space to one side of the room effectively creates a hallway with the living areas to one side.

by Chelsea Atelier Architect, PC

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2. Place furniture in a corner arrangement with the foot traffic angling across open space. In this living room, the door opens right into one side, and a console table keeps you from walking straight down that side. But because the furniture has been placed in a nice conversational grouping in one corner, people can easily walk through the room past the furniture at an angle across the carpet.

They were wise to avoid trying to put another chair in here, which would have made the pass-through too tight a squeeze. The screen in the corner is also a nice touch in a narrow space because it visually changes the shape of the room a bit, rounding out the corner.

Tip: Just say "no" to too many pieces of furniture. We are often tempted to cram in an extra chair for the maximum seating, even when we only have guests a very small percentage of the time. Instead, consider double-duty pieces like the ottoman in the above photo which can work as seating when extra people are there.

by Jace Interiors & CreateGirl Blog

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3. Place some furniture perpendicular to the length of the room. In this room, if they had placed a long sofa facing the fireplace, by the time you put a coffee table in front of it, you would have to walk right through the sitting area to get by. Plus, the room would have looked longer and skinnier! By using loveseats instead of a longer sofa, they were able to place them perpendicular to the length of the room with space left for a pass-through area down the side of the room. I know wide-angle lenses used for professional photos make rooms look nice and big. But based on the furnishings, I estimate that this room is not more than 12 feet wide.

by Nicholas Moriarty Interiors

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Judging from the loveseat at the end of the room, I bet you this room is also about 12 feet wide. That little loveseat across the end of the room helps to stop the eye. Without the loveseat in front of the big window, it would feel like the room just didn't stop, exaggerating the long, skinny feel.

by Jennifer Brouwer

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4. Put some furniture on an angle. To reduce the feeling of tunnel vision, try an arrangement with some of your furniture on an angle. By most people's standards, this isn't a terribly narrow room. But it is much longer than it is wide, so it could easily get that bowling-alley look with the wrong furniture arrangement. Here they actually had room to put their entire sectional on an angle, breaking up the long straight lines of the room.

by David Vandervort Architects

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This narrow room is used by my client as a TV room. They also wanted a small home office space where they could work on their laptop and some papers.

Fortunately, the doorway into the room is in the middle of one side, so we didn't have to allow for foot traffic through the room. We placed a sectional in this end with the TV.

by Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR

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On the other end of this room we placed a small writing desk and angled just the desk. It keeps the room from feeling quite as long and also that angle helps to define a separate functional area. I like that the desk faces in to the room — I hate desks that face the wall, don't you? I feel like I'm being punished if I have to sit facing the wall.

by Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR

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Placing a long sofa facing the fireplace wouldn't have done much to break up the bowling alley feel in this long room. The arrangement of four angled chairs makes this end of the room feel wider.

by Architects Magnus

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5. Circular coffee tables and dining tables work well. In this long room accommodating a sitting room and dining room, the circular coffee table and dining table both help to counteract the linear feeling you can get in narrow spaces.

by Lea Frank Design

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6. Narrower options for coffee tables are good too. Sometimes you don't have room for a round coffee table. This long rectangular ottoman works perfectly in a narrow space and is soft, so you won't bang your shins.

by Rachel Reider Interiors

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Small stools, cubes or chow tables are perfect as options for coffee tables in narrow spaces. Notice that they also used a loveseat and chaise facing each other and perpendicular to the length of the room similar to photo No. 5. This is a very compact furniture arrangement that would work in all types of small spaces.

by Niche Interiors

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7. Use the upper part of your walls to allow maximum floor space for furniture. Creating bookshelves up high on this wall instead of having a bookcase standing on the floor allows the daybed to be placed next to the wall. The shelves are high enough so you don't bang your head when sitting down.

by Stacie Velten

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If you need free-standing storage pieces, placing them at the end of the room keeps it from looking narrower. Notice that again you are seeing the seating pieces placed perpendicular to the length of the room.

Let me know how you dealt with your long, skinny room and put up those photos below!

Painting my den

2011-08-31T10:20:00.000-07:00

I'm contemplating painting my den. Right now it is the dark hunter green that was popular when we remodeled the house 14 years ago. Time has gone by so fast! I remember I was pregnant for my daughter when I did this and she will be 14 in December. My den is one of those rooms that doesn't get used very much. When my two grown girls were teenagers they used it alot but now I rarely go in it and have just ignored the color.....
That is, until now......

You see, with the economy the way it is and where it is likely headed, after having an office in Cashiers for 14 years, I am moving my design business into my home- the den to be exact....... EEEK!
So off to the paint store I go,
I'm thinking Robin's Egg Blue and red color scheme............
Great way to use those great red check drapes I made the wrong size for a client years ago!
Any suggestions for a great paint color? I'll report back after going to the paint store!

How To Be a Good Client

2011-08-18T03:32:00.000-07:00

I love the work of Phoebe Howard and follow her blog Mrs. Howard Personal Shopper an insiders look with Lee Kennelly. Check it out- it's a great blog! A few months ago she posted an excellent article on "How to be a good client"

May 25, 2011

Weekly Q&A with Phoebe: How to be a good client

Question: I know that you work for a lot of different people at many different levels and locations. Your work appears to be broad in range. I am sure you have favorite clients, some that you feel have brought out the best in you. I am currently working with a designer and want to make sure I get the best possible result. Can you tell me, in your opinion, what makes a client a great client?

Phoebe's Answer: GREAT question - thank you. At the end of the day, every decorator or designer wants a successful and fulfilling result just as much, or perhaps more, than the clients. Great projects are the result of a collaboration where there is open communication and mutual trust and respect, much like a marriage. Here are some guidelines every client should know in order for all parties to be happy and satisfied:

Choose wisely. When choosing a designer, make sure you do your due diligence and check them out. Carefully study their portfolio, speak to past clients if necessary, and make sure you are comfortable with all fees and pricing structures. But most of all, make sure that they understand you - who you are, what you want, and what your desires and needs are. Be sure that the body of work they show you excites you and feels like something you would want to live with. Good designers never have projects that all look the same, but they will all have a certain sensibility. You need to define that and make sure you have compatible taste.

Be clear and reasonable about your budget. If you have a certain amount that you do not want to exceed, express that number in the very beginning. A good designer can tell you if that number is reasonable or not. Sometimes clients have unrealistic expectations. Furnishing a house with a designer is not inexpensive, but at the same time, you should have a clear grasp of what it will most likely cost to achieve the look and feel you want.

Communicate all desires and wishes as clearly as possible. Do your homework. Sit on upholstery. Carefully study colors and fabrics. Give the designers as many visual clues as possible from magazines, web sites, blogs, etc. There is a wealth of information available, so try to narrow the focus for the designer as soon as possible.

Be involved. Listen. Pay attention. But do not micromanage. Creative people need breathing room. Clients who call and question and are accusatory squelch the creativity they are paying for.

Be patient. Allow a reasonable amount of flexibility for a project to be finished. Do not plan a party or try to force completion of a project. This is almost always disastrous. Delays happen - they are often unavoidable - so try to be flexible and understanding. Plan your party after you move in. This will give you extra time to tweak everything and make it perfect.

Show a united front in front of the designer. Work out your differences as a couple before your meetings or after. The designer is usually a good objective party to use as a guideline for melding the decision-making process, but fights are uncomfortable for all involved parties.

Make sure you have a thorough understanding of what is being ordered and being delivered. You will ultimately live there and the designer will leave. If you really think you will not like something, stick to your guns and ask for an alternate suggestion. This is something that definitely requires balance and tact, but the main thing is to be clear about what will be the end result.
During installation, it is a stressful and busy process. It is better to go off and enjoy your day, and come home to a completely finished house. This will ensure you experience the "wow" factor. There will undoubtedly be snags along the way, but if you trust your designer, trust that she/he will make everything right . Don't get worried if things don't look like they are coming together during the process - the finished product is the only thing you need to worry about, and any good designer will resolve any issues that crop up.

Pay your bills in a timely manner. It is unrealistic to expect that furniture should be delivered without payment. Clothes, cars, groceries, everything requires payment before receipt. Decorating is no different. It does require a leap of faith to pay in advance, but it is standard procedure for all good designers. Any furniture store requires payment in advance of delivery, and usually in advance of ordering.

Decorating is a service business. Clients need to realize that those who have the heart to serve others are a sensitive lot. If you are unhappy about something, try to cool off a little before calling the office and ripping into someone over the phone. Always keep your temper in check. Nothing is ever gained from losing your cool.

Having said all of this, I would like to add that I am very lucky to have had the clients that I have worked for over the years. I appreciate all the friendships that have formed. I would do practically anything for my clients, we work very hard to earn their trust and respect. I am thankful and grateful every day to be in a profession that I love and never seem to tire of. Perhaps these guidelines will help you with your own decorating journey. Good luck!

Favorite Projects

2011-08-16T04:08:00.000-07:00

Here is another one of my favorite projects!

Hot/ Cold Therapy bags

2011-08-14T04:40:00.000-07:00

Fall is just around the corner and we are cranking up the Hot/ Cold therapy bag machine again! We make these bags in several sizes and in beautiful fabrics that not only compliment your home decor, but can bring some joy to a person who is under the weather! Here are some of my favorites:

Just shoot me an email if you are interested in purchasing from us. You can also see and purchase these bags at Rosebud Cottage in Franklin, NC.

The Appointed Home: Cashiers Mountain Home

2011-08-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

The Appointed Home: Cashiers Mountain Home: "Like everyone I have favorite projects I've worked on over the years. This is a home I worked on that turned out especially well. Enjoy & Ha..."

Cashiers Mountain Home

2011-08-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

Like everyone I have favorite projects I've worked on over the years. This is a home I worked on that turned out especially well. Enjoy & Have a great weekend!

A touch of orange

2011-08-12T04:02:00.000-07:00

I'm loving what a touch of orange does for these aqua rooms!

sketch42

Southern Living

Tobi Fairley

Aqua, Blue and Brown Love...........

2011-08-11T04:13:00.000-07:00

While looking through a magazine, an article on blue and brown caught my eye. Mind you, not a baby blue/ muddy brown, I'm talking deep blue and chocolate. A combination that really makes a statement.I tend to think of this in more formal room settings but it especially works in a more transitional look. I've never been one to go to blue but this has me inspired to use it!

I love the touch of orange in this room- looks so great with the chocolate!

Art Glass Vase

Such a fun mud room!

Crisp brown and white geometric- sharp!

I love the touch of dark brown and the nailheads on this custom headboard!

You can't go wrong with brown and white transferware- so classic

Awesome color of blue on the walls

I'd love to find out the maker of this wallpaper- aqua and brown with DEER..... perfect for those mountain homes!


Such a fun office space!

Showhouse Time!

2011-08-04T06:59:00.000-07:00

It's fast approaching- the 13th annual Cashiers Designer Showhouse. It's an exciting event for the town of Cashiers, always great fun for me to participate and this year is no exception. The home and property are beautiful and will make a fantastic setting for a showhouse.
Check out this link from the "Laurel Magazine"

http://thelaurelmagazine.com/news/?p=1602

From the Cashiers Historical Society Facebook page:

Preparations for the 2011 Cashiers Designer Showhouse are in full swing! This year promises to be the best yet with an extraordinary home, "Reflections," book signings by Charles Faudree, James Farmer and Mary Palmer Dargan on August 21 and a speakers luncheon featuring Mary McDonald and Nathan Turner, the stars of Bravo TV's hit show Million Dollar Decorators on August 20.

I've been planning for months, acquiring the furnishings- move in day for me is next Wednesday. Here are a few of the things I'm planning to use.

Here's a few before pictures:

Yup- a kitchenette, complete with a 70's aqua sink! Don't worry- I've got plans!

It's a small space which is perfect for me. I'm calling it the "upstairs sitting room."

Now, for the fabric!
Manderly- Alpine- I LOVE this pattern! The room has rough hewn log walls and chinking and the colors in this fabric go so well. I also like the semi funky look of this transitional floral. After much debate, this fabric ended up as a chair, pillows and roman shades on the windows.

Next I've selected solid color linen in the dark brown and aqua- Got to think of that sink you know......

Next, I found this sofa in the perfect neutral linen: The "Chilton" Sofa

I'm painting this console demilune in a neutral color glaze and Aqua base coat.

Undertaking this myself- I'll post pictures of the progress on this one!

Eduardo's Painting (he's a great painter!) painted the drywall for me- I used a soft grayed aqua with just a hint of color. Thanks Eduardo!!!!

That's how the process works- little by little the whole thing comes together....... I'll be back soon with more pictures!

Everything in it's place- time to Organize!

2010-12-22T10:30:00.001-08:00

Everything in it's place- organize!

Set of 3 Jewelry / Accesso...
thejarcollec...
$35.00 USD
MODERN LEAF Shoe Bags (ta...
happygolucky...
$26.00 USD
Large Tree Wall Hanging Je...
GreekArt
$85.00 USD
Early American C1879 Repro...
JDMCreations
$126.00 USD
Medium Jewelry Display Tre...
SewMuchMoreD...
$60.00 USD
Large Ribbon Organizer Rac...
RyliesCrafts
$40.00 USD
Large Bare - Reclaimed Wo...
PegandAwl
$65.00 USD
BIT O HONEY Fused Glass Je...
willowglass
Sold
DELUXE Makeup Brush Roll -...
BellflowerTe...
$22.00 USD
Desk Organizer, Box, Wood,...
MalcolmStudi...
$56.00 USD
Yarn Bowl Green Handmade P...
TheMudPlace
$32.00 USD
Linen Morning Glory Large ...
brodyandma
$26.00 USD
Merkled Coat Rack - Burnt ...
Merkled
$525.00 USD
Hand Crafted Wood Recipe K...
AltarDesigns
$35.00 USD
Cook Sale Kitchen Utensil ...
HurricanePot...
$34.00 USD
Funky This and That Jars
tulipgirls
$10.00 USD

Hot for Honeysuckle! Pantone's color of the year for 2011......

2010-12-16T04:54:00.000-08:00

Honeysuckle is predicted to be the color of the year for 2011. In hard economic times we're all looking for some cheer to jump start the economy and these beautiful shades of pink make me smile! Here's some cool things from a treasury I created on ETSY. Check out our store there- the appointed home!

Hot for Honeysuckle

Cherry Blossom & Kiwi . Co...
soapstudio
$4.00 USD
Pale Coral Glass Block Clo...
LeosDesign
$45.00 USD
DESIGNER WOMENS APRON, A P...
PUKKAPINNIES
$54.00 USD
Folkdance cushion on natur...
roddyandging...
$38.00 USD
SALE Diamonds in Cashmere ...
phindingphun
$70.00 USD
Felted Herringbone Bowl - ...
JoyfulHandKn...
$20.00 USD
Hot Pink Open Weave Beanie
NoodleNoggin...
$30.00 USD
Coral Vintage Teacup Light
mostazaseed
$38.00 USD
Cherry Blossom Linen Pillo...
YellowBugBou...
$40.00 USD
Vintage Red Toile Transfer...
EnglishTrans...
$44.99 USD
Pink Daisy Sewing Box/ Rea...
SimplyDivine...
$20.00 USD
6 Natural Acorns with Pink...
woolicious
$12.00 USD
Fresh Boxwood candle ring ...
NHWoodscreat...
$14.50 USD
Take Care Bird papercut
thetimeisnow
$45.00 USD
Silk Chevron Scarf - Salmo...
willowknits
$39.00 USD
Spa Towel with applique in...
threetreesem...
$24.95 USD

Lighting with Industrial style!

2010-11-01T05:22:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been drawn to this new trend in lighting that has an industrial feel to it. These pendants all appealed to me in my research to find lighting that looks great with barnwood, reclaimed wood and surfaces that have more texture. I love the look of these pendants.

Sustainable Living- Countertops and Tile with a past

2010-10-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

If your thinking about building or remodeling your kitchen or bathroom and are concerned about the sustainability of building materials, check out these options for countertops and tile that are not only environmentally friendly, but gorgeous at the same time!

Recycled Glass tiles come in sheets of mosiac enabling you to create any pattern. They are available in a huge array of color and texture

This color changing tile is cool in the way the colors will change but also can serve as a safety feature to parents with small children or the elderly to alert them to extreme temperatures. Like the mood rings of our childhood, Moving Color glass tiles change color with exposure to heat. The tiles are available in eight base colors, and are suitable for use in any kind of wet installation. You can install the tile in a shower or where a radiant heat source is installed behind the tile, causing it to change colors without any apparent outside heat.

Blending green with beauty, these recycled glass countertops by Vetrazzo do more than simply recycle materials – they also tell the story of their origins, from beer bottles to Skye vodka bottle glass. The results are of course always unique one-of-a-kind designs. With a recycled content of up to 85% they will compliment the home while serving the green urge.

Mirror, mirror....everywhere!

2010-09-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

No room should be without a mirror!

Mirrors are a great design accessory that can make a room look brighter and larger. When hung opposite a window they can bring the outside in, enhancing the natural light in the room.Hang a mirror over the table in the foyer so your guests can check their appearance upon entering. Mirrored walls in the bathroom can make a small room open up.

Mirrors have even been showing up applied to light fixtures, on furniture and tile. Check out these ideas to brighten up your home.

This quatrefoil mirror with antiqued glass from Restoration Hardware would look great over a sofa. The quatrefoil motif is generally a symbol of good luck and dates back to celtic times.


I used these oval mirrors recently in the bathroom I designed for the Cashiers Designer Showhouse. I really liked the finish on the reclaimed wood frame

The Gothic Twig mirror from Carvers Guild makes a beautiful powder room mirror. It is available in an antique gold leaf or a faux bois finish.

These river mirrors created by Caryn Mobelry are in burred elm.The mirror symbolizes the water flowing in the river.Caryn uses the natural undulating shape of the tree to form the river banks, and so no two mirrors are the same.


Mirrors are showing up applied to light fixtures used in shabby chic and retro looks. I like the combination of bronze and antiqued mirror in rustic mountain homes.

This chandelier by Currey & Company is another example of iron and venetian mirror combined to add an elegant look. I have a client using this in her bathroom!

This mirrored cabinet would look wonderful beside a dark wood bed with textural fabrics. A piece this special wouldn't need alot of pattern used in the room with it.

I'm getting more requests for transitional fabrics and furnishings.I love the circle motif and mirrored legs- This chest would look great in a funky transitional setting!

This room is so pretty! I love the mirrored chest and grouping of small mirrors.


I found this mirrored bed while googling for mirrored furniture. Love this!!!!!!

If your looking for a mirror or have questions about mirror placement feel free to email me- I'll do my best to answer your questions!

2010 Fall Fabrics and Trends

2010-09-29T03:21:00.000-07:00

My reps have been making their way through the mountains lately, showing their new fall fabric collections. I absolutely LOVE all the brighter colors, embroideries and fresh transitional fabrics that they are laying out on the table. It seems to me that they have a crisp, preppy vibe and I don't know about you, but I am so ready to use these fun fabrics and wallcoverings! Here are a few of their offerings-

Lee Jofa has some of my favorite new fabrics this fall. I loved their new collection called "Foxwood"

I love the upholstered headboards in this transitional bedroom - (notice the nailheads!)check out the combination of yellow and brown in the contemporary floral. That mustard in the floral really makes it pop!They let the floral fabric be the show by keeping companion fabrics to a minimum. I've had several requests for mustard and yellows lately- it compliments the browns so well.

Love these bright funky florals and geometrics! Red/orange and aquas are showing up in many collections. These two pillows are part of the Ty Pennington Collection for Sears.

Texture! These look as though they came out of a jewel box! Purple and orange red colors are showing up in lush velvets and prints for fall. I want that purple floral! This look compliments all the hot new IKAT designs that I've been seeing.

All this color trending points to the fact that we're ready to transition out of neutrals- sure, they'll always have their place but we've cleared the color palette with them for the past few years and now are ready to bring on the brights and pattern!

Welcome to my Blog!

2010-09-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

I am an Interior Designer in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I started English Green Interiors in 1997 with another designer, Traci English. We worked together and were not happy in our place of employment. I'll never forget the day she looked at me said "I'm leaving and if you want to come with me we'll start a business."
We sealed the deal over Chinese and never looked back. So began English Green Interiors (our last names).
At the time, I was 7 months pregnant, we were remodeling our house and my husband was between jobs.Talk about a leap of faith! I remember driving by the lake on my way to work-(I live in a beautiful place and have a very scenic drive) and praying..... OK God, if you want me to do this, open the doors and I'll walk through them. I never had a moment of doubt. My clients followed me, opportunities came from everywhere and we never missed a beat. Talk about being in the right place at the right time! God put me exactly where I needed to be to succeed and I am truly blessed to have a job I love!

Now 13 years later I can't believe the journey I've been on. I'm still walking through those doors! I continue to own English Green Interiors, and although Traci moved about an hour away 7 years ago and now has her own business, we are still the best of friends. I'm divorced, my 3 girls are 24,21 and 12 and time has flown by!

The downturn of the economy has brought changes to our area- our second home community has been hit hard by the slowdown in real estate sales. I have seen an increase in remodeling and have several small jobs going on also. I made the decision to close my retail shop and focus entirely on Interior Design. My mother and I recently opened a site on ETSY called The Appointed Home where we sell pillows that I design and she creates. I'm also working on adding a retail store to my website and doing some online Interior Design consultation. I have a wealth of resources, know where to find just about anything wonderful for the home and love to help people achieve just the right look. I feel, in this new market we need to expand our scope and the internet is a great way to branch out and reach potential clients. It's the way of the future for sure!

I decided to start this blog to give exposure to and promote my ETSY and English Green Interiors websites, help people connect with all the great resources I find in my research, and give me an outlet to talk about my love of decorating and Interior Design!

I hope you'll follow me as I begin my journey of blogging. (blogging- seriously....are you sure GOD?????) I plan to post some before and after articles, portfolio shots, (Maybe that will encourage me to take those pictures!) fabulous finds and trends that are on my radar. I'd also like to post your design questions so ask and I will answer!

Yours in design,
Debra