Fresh from the Market...

Oh, my goodness...we are so excited!! The last few days were a blur...

We have been up and down and all around the Dallas Total Home Market and Lighting Show...

And we have found some great stuff!!

Our original goal was to discover the vendors who would help us provide unique, beautiful and budget sensitive pieces to our clients! That goal was met...and then some! We are thrilled to have found several lines that we will begin offering to our design clients!!

Market is a fantastic way to explore the current trends in home design/decor...this trip, it was impossible to miss the trend of all things

vintage, shabby french, grey, rustic, bucolic (anything rural, pastoral)

...these looks (and a combination of all!!) were EVERYWHERE!!

Coming soon...Eryn and Amanda's market favorites!! And a special surprise for you...stay tuned!!

Take a look!!

One of the reasons we love this "job" is found in the endless projects we are asked to take on...the variety is fabulous!! Late in the summer we were contacted to assist the great folks at Varney's with their upcoming location in the newest hotel in Manhattan! They are thrilled to operate the gift shop and we were thrilled to help them with the finishes!!

This project was a huge collaberation between the designer of the hotel and the hundreds of people that work together to make a hotel come to life...we had no idea...and we learned so much!!

Talk about starting from scratch!! This was our first look at the space...

So...the goal was to take the great history of our local college bookstore and showcase it in this new hotel...In order to connect the old with the new, we borrowed a motif found in the original store and installed it in the exterior in interior windows of the space...like so...

As we got deeper into this project, we discovered that a few of the finishes had been selected and there were a few yet to be decided. So, we found the perfect wallcovering to brought together the browns of the wallcovering in the hallway outside of the shop and the gray of the flooring in the space...

Once we chose the last of the finishes, the ladies from Varney's brought in the merchandise fixtures and filled the store with purple!!

(Colors: Sherwin Williams Pavestone and Grizzle Gray, Wallcovering, Sherwin Williams City by Living Style in Tarnished Gold)

Design Resolutions...

Amanda and I are list people...We like to make lists...we both like to add items to our lists (even if we have already done them)...just because we relish the feeling of checking another goal off the list...

So, as looking forward to 2012...here are a few goals that I, for one, look forward to accomplishing...

1. I resolve to finish, or at least almost finish one project before taking on another...well, I will not begin any new projects before finishing the current to-do list...ok...I resolve to limit the additions to my to-do list...

2. I resolve to spend less time online and more time actually creating the cute ideas I "pin" on my "I-am-going-to-do-this-someday" list!

3. I am going to experiment in style and try some unexpected touches in my own home and those of clients...(Don't be nervous, folks...I will always ok it with you before bringing it into your home...I almost promise!!)

4. I resolve to surround myself with the objects that are meaningful to me...art that speaks to me...pieces that make me smile...reagardless of how "on trend" it may or may not be!!

5. I resolve to study and read and learn more every day...

...to stretch my design understanding, appreciate new things and learn from the icons of the industry.

What are your New Year's resolutions??