After you all have waited so patiently…

I finally have a few moments to show you a bit around the new studio space!

I have been blessed with so many wonderful clients these last 6 weeks, I have had to focus on them and not the blog.

I do have some fun things planned to share with you over this summer, so I will try to post those more timely

!

Without more ado… here is our new little creative workshop!

In this space we will host creative events, workshops, shopping events (our first one is being planned right now!), meet with clients and create unique finds for home and life!  It is a small space, but we will use it very efficiently.

This shot is looking out into our entry vestibule and our changing inspiration board.

Here are our desks… this area will have some color added to it soon, (some creative painting techniques from Alicia), along with a place to hang fabric swatches.

One of my favorite fabrics…. reinventing a dated chair.  (I also have this fabric in my other office!)

The place were creative projects get done….

Some of Lulu & Lilly’s merchandise that is for sale.  Custom pillows, vintage pieces, artwork, frames, and little treasures.  There is even more coming…. wait until you see what we have planned for fall!

Maybe the perfect thing is waiting to go home with you?

Our past projects board in the vestibule of our entryway.  Alicia and the Studio were featured in the Twin Cities Metro Mag during the month of April… a delightful article about my artistic partner and her business… written by the uber talented Cy Winship!

Thanks Cy for the wonderful kudos…

Lastly… when you come to visit us… this is your view into our space. 

So… welcome!

Please come by to visit us soon… we are by appointment only, so please call first to make sure we will be at the Studio.   We’d love to show you around our little space and introduce you to all of the current Lulu & Lilly projects!

Thanks for stopping by and thank you even more to our fabulous clients, friends, and associates who has helped make this new creative playhouse a reality.  We couldn’t have done it without you.  We are blessed!

Erica

I am so excited to review this next book!   Decorate by Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick is hot off the presses.  Just released in the UK, soon to be released in Australia, and not being released in the US until late April… I have my hands on a gorgeous copy!

Thanks to Anthropologie…(they being the only venue in the US to be able to sell advanced copies of Decorate)  I received my beautifully wrapped book, as only Anthropologie can do, last Friday.  I was so excited; you would think it was my book that was being delivered!  I have anticipated the book’s debut for a couple of months now, and as a current student of Holly’s (her latest Blogging Your Way class) I am thrilled to be able to review her and Joanna’s co-efforts in the form of Decorate.

Holly Becker is the founder and author of the extremely popular Decor8 blog and columnist at Real Simple online and has contributed to many design publications over the years.  Joanna Copestick is a writer and editor with more than 10 books to her credit.  Both women have combined their talents, resources in the design world and experience, to put together a fresh design book like no other.

First off… the book’s photography is simply gorgeous!  The attention to detail, lighting and composition is rare and fresh.  Debi Treloar has set the tone for the book with her talented photography, creating more than 400 stunning photos to delight in.

Decorate is a different kind of decorating book as the cover suggests…. It focuses on decorating and lifestyle ideas to transform your home, rather than just one trademark look or design aesthetic.  It absolutely lives up to that promise.  It is packed with more than 1000 professional ideas and solutions for every area of the home.  There is page after page of designer contributions- each stylist, designer, shop owner or creative, lending their expertise and style wisdom for everything from floor plans and space planning, to defining one’s style through every room of one’s home.  Some featured talents include:  Kelly Wearstler, Celerie Kemble, Amy Butler, Vincent Wolf and Amy Neunsinger.

The rooms are not just spaces that are creatively decorated, but really lived in homes that have become highly personal spaces that allow for real-life to happen there.  This is the kind of book that speaks to my design heart.  These homes reflect the families or artists who live there and how their home really compliments and enhances their day-to-day life.   The spaces are not showcase experiments by designers just looking to stretch the “wow” factor, but homes that really have evolved in most cases to what the home-owners really desired to surround themselves with.

One of my favorite quotes from the book by Nate Berkus is “Your home should tell the story of who you are, and be a collection of what you love brought together under one roof.”  Surprisingly, it is very reflective of the words on my website about telling the story of who you are and how that past, present and future story should be reflected within the walls of your home.

The book features four categories:

Space Matters

Setting Your Style

Room by Room

Attention to Detail

The overall design aesthetic of the book is simply fresh, usable ideas that can translate to any style of decorating and almost any home.  It is refreshing to see this direction in a decorating book.  The pages are jam-packed with tips, hints and decorating guidelines to allow the reader to really pull the ideas that strike them the most and to be able to put them into action.

I believe Holly, Joanna and Debi have created a book that will live on as a design classic to be turned to for years to come.  My congratulations and thanks to Holly and her partners for this lovely new book. 

If you could re-do one room in your home…. what would it be?   We all seem to have that room that needs the most attention, so in your home, what is that space? 

Why do you desire the change?

What is your vision for it’s makeover?

If you desire this change, what is holding you back?

In my home, it is my combined kitchen/dining area.  Yes the heart of my home.  The place where daily life happens.   Meals prepared and cooked, homework done, temporary work station, creative zone, and yes, we actually eat here as well.

So, a complete makeover would be ideal, tearing down walls, opening up the space to allow for optimum functionality and design.  I see a classic design with modern and vintage elements.  A mix of light and dark, as I love contrast.

What is holding me back?  Like many of you, the funding for the project is one that is the most difficult.  It seems every time we consider starting, the money needs to be re-allocated to another spot.  I also envision my hubby and I doing most of the work.  We love to work on our home and having the time to makeover a major part of our living space does seem a bit daunting.  Finding the right time to make the changes is almost impossible.

So, tell me about your home and what you’d like to see happen there.  I would love to hear your thoughts and wishes for your challenging space.

(photos from My Home Ideas and Southern Living)

This is the last post in the Painting with Color Series.  If you missed the first three posts: Terminology of Color, the Basic Color Schemes, or Considerations, please check those posts out.

Today we are going over the basics of Color Psychology.  One of the most compelling things about paint color is its power to dramatically effect how people think and feel.   Certain hues can instill feelings of anxiety, calm, warmth, cold or even anger.  Color can also stir the appetite, one’s overall spirit or even one’s sexual desires.

Color is immensely powerful, so use it to your painting advantage!  Thankfully, most people are effected by various colors in the same ways.  Generally, warmer colors, such as red, yellows and oranges, are perceived as just that- warmer, active, youthful, energized, and invigorating.  Cooler colors like blues, purples, and greens are seen as relaxing, calming, passive schemes.

Each color has it’s own particular signature effects, so let’s check them out…

REDS: Stimulating.  Red is a good choice for a dining room, as it is known for stimulating the appetite and is a color of  energy and passion.  Best used in smaller doses, such as accent walls or in upholstery.  It also works nicely in kitchens where there is limited wall space. 

YELLOW: Attention.  Yellow can make us think better, increase our memorization skills and grab our attention.  Use it thoughtfully, especially when using a more vibrant hue, as it intensifies in most rooms and can change tones dramatically with the natural light.  Especially good for offices, creative spaces, and hallways.

GREEN: Relaxing.  A more versatile color than blue, a nice transition for may other colors.  It can be calming, yet has a cheerfulness with certain hues.  Certain hues blend well with almost any color.  Great color for kitchens, living areas and schools.

PURPLE: Royally Tricky.  This is one of the trickiest colors to use.   Many adults dislike shades of purple, yet most children like them.  It can be a regal color hinting of royalty, but hard to live with long term.  Nice mixed with whites or neutrals.  A good choice for children’s rooms or bathrooms.

BLUE: Calming.  An ideal color for bedrooms and sitting rooms, but best not used in dining rooms.  Those who like blue are often drawn to the blue and white color scheme, but certain shades of blue, like green, work well with almost any color.

ORANGE: Welcoming.  A happy color, yet most people either love it or hate it.  It can be toned down with natural neutrals or accentuated with other colors, such as blue or turquoise.  Best for family rooms, living areas, or entryways.

Oh, how fun color can be!   Just think of the possibilities! 

So, now that you have learned some inside tips and suggestions for working with color in and around your home, maybe your next paint project won’t be so intimidating.   There are many resources for color, using color, and paint online.  If you are interested, check out some of these sites to add more knowledge to your arsenal.

Benjamin Moore

Sherwin Williams

Devine Color

HGTV

House Beautiful

Have fun and don’t forget to drop me a note updating me on your latest paint project!

‘Till next time…

Yes, it’s just around the corner (though we hate to admit it!)…. but the holiday season is coming up fast.  Yes, I probably should have warned you about a holiday post…I know it’s early- BUT- this holiday delight won’t make it until holiday season, you have to think ahead!

Do you love the holidays or are you overwhelmed by them?  The food, gifts, entertaining and decorating… can put you in the spirit or overwhelm your spirit.  (I will be posting a Series about this soon.)

But… for now, I want you to get on over to Holiday with Matthew Mead and order your copy of his latest magazine.  You CAN’T purchase this magazine on news-stands, so you HAVE to order your copy by going HERE.

Once you have ordered your copy, you will want to thank me when your copy of this fabulous magazine is revealed!  (you can do so in the comments!)  LOL…

I just want to make sure you have something to inspire you and not overwhelm you this season… and that is what Matthew Mead‘s Holiday is all about… Inspiration!

Happy (Early) Holidays Everyone!