Making Mass-Market Work For You by Guest Designer Jessica McKay

Posted February 23, 2010 by deb under How to

We’d love to welcome Jessica McKay as a Guest Designer this week.  Jessica is an interior decorator located in Omaha, NE. and is the owner of Birdhouse Interior Design Consulting which specializes in affordable and accessible design. Birdhouse’s services include interior decorating consultations, remodeling consultations, online Client Files and custom furniture redesign.

I like to look at decorating like I look at getting dressed in the morning {or let’s be honest, sometimes the afternoon} – use what you have and make it unique to you. That means you have to blend high, low, and every price point in between to get your desired look. Most people can’t dress in head-to-toe Prada and can’t furnish their home with nothing but designer pieces. In my opinion, even if I had the money to do that, I wouldn’t want to because when you never have to think about cost and can look at a showroom or the runway and snatch up exact looks, then you will never develop your own personal style.

So let’s break this down. I shop wherever I want and can afford {I’m not too proud to pop into Wal-Mart on the rare occasion}. I can’t afford many {if any at all} designer duds so that part of my wardrobe is very, very limited and probably only purchased at a discounted rate. My budget affords me to buy department store prices, which can limit the originality that will go into my closet. But, I love peeking in anywhere from the Gap to my favorite store of all time, Target. I know that I can find something there that will allow me to build on with more unique pieces. Those unique pieces often come from thrift stores, hand-me-downs from the women in my family, random little boutiques that I pop in while traveling, etc. Then, I blend everything together and it comes out original to me.

This is how one can approach interior decorating. You don’t have to look like a showroom, and quite frankly it’s boring if you do. You can find an awesome lamp at Target and place it atop an inherited side table like I did here.  The marble side table was my grandfather’s.

Mix in some books, personal accessories– that red jar was my husband’s grandfather’s and where he kept his tobacco– and you have a unique, little vignette.

Or take a look at what Elizabeth from the blog Peacock Feathers did in her bedroom. She mixed a thrifted little bench with a K-mart lamp that she spray painted to make it even more unique, and other personal accessories.

Start thinking about what is important to you. Think about what you love and would be thrilled to incorporate into your décor. When you add personal touches and original pieces, any stylish mass-market piece will fit seamlessly into your space and people will think you paid much more for everything then you really did.

Tags: Jessica McKay, Mass-market

How To: Select carpet like a Pro

Posted January 19, 2010 by erin under How to

Go into any flooring store and you’ll easily be overwhelmed by the many different types of carpets available.  How do you decide which type of carpet will work best for your space?  Start by asking yourself these questions:

-What type of space is getting the new carpet?  Is it a space that is frequently used, a high traffic area, or one rarely lived in.

-What type of surface is the carpet being applied to?  The concrete foundation?  Maybe it’s on the 2nd Floor and will be applied to a plywood substrate?  These things can make a difference when deciding what type of backing for your carpet to use.

-How much time do you have for maintenance?  Some carpets require different types of cleaning.

With the answers to these questions in mind you’ll be ready to select your carpet.  The first type of carpet that I’ll share with you today is Nylon carpet.

Nylon carpet is the most widely used in residential.  This type of carpet is dyed after production and is available in a wide range of colors and patterns.  It’s durable and resists crushing.  (You know…what happens after you’ve walked the same path on the carpet for a while and it starts to crush the fibers and looks like a trail?)  Nylon carpet is fairly easy to clean, and usually a yearly maintenance with a carpet cleaner is all that’s required to keep it looking good!  Here are some of my favorite nylon carpets:

{Ethan’s Dream from Shaw Carpet}

{Casco Carpet from the Angela Adams collection for Shaw Contract}

Don’t be afraid of patterned carpets either!  When you’re looking at carpets, place them on the ground and step back 10′ or so and look at it.  Many times when you step back the carpets with smaller patterns will disappear.  It looks like a solid color, but because it has some variation, allows for little spots to not show up as well.  They become camouflauged in the variation of the yarn colors.

Patterned Carpet up Close

Patterned carpet installed

{These Dreams from Shaw Carpet}

Tags: carpet

Tip#2: Displaying your collection

Posted January 14, 2010 by erin under How to

Remember Tip #1?  What if just a consistent layout line isn’t enough?  Have lots of different images, color, black and white, things that don’t necessarily go together?  Frame them in the same frames, or different frames and use the same mat color.  You’ll create the consistency you need and allow your collected items to shine through!

(Frames Courtesy of West Elm)

Tags: collections

Twice Cooked Pork

Posted December 10, 2009 by deb under How to, Recipes

Remember those wonderful egg rolls I taught you how to make last week?  Well, here is the entree to go with them.  It’s called twice cooked pork.  You boil the pork and then also cook it in the skillet.  Hence the twice cooked name.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Pork- boil it before hand
• Leeks- cut in about 3/4″ squares and soak in water to clean
• soy sauce
• garlic powder
• white pepper
• sweet bean sauce
• chili garlic sauce

Aren’t leeks so pretty?  Here they are stilling out to dry and are all ready to be cooked.

Now let’s getting cooking.  Here we go step by step:

We added the chili garlic sauce at the table so it was kid friendly and everyone could choose their level of spiciness.  This meal was ready in no time and was so delicious.

It would be perfect for those that don’t have a lot of time to cook.  Boil the pork ahead of time and place in the refrigerator so it’s there ready to go when you’re ready.

Look at this scrumptious meal!  It was to die for!

Tags: Twice Baked Pork

How to Pick the Right Sized Wreath

Posted October 21, 2009 by erin under How to

Remember Deb’s wreath she showed us how to make?  Isn’t it just gorgeous?

I get questions from time to time about choosing the right sized wreath.  Many people aren’t sure what size wreath would work well for their door.

When choosing a correctly sized wreath it’s all about proportion.  Look for a wreath that takes up about 2/3 of your space.  If your door is 36″ wide, then look for a wreath that’s 24″ in diameter.  If it’s a 30″ door, find a wreath that’s 20″ in diameter.  Use the same math for hanging a wreath above a fireplace too!

*Designer Tip:  Think of unconventional places to use wreaths.  I usually have one hanging on my pantry door in the kitchen.  Try a linen closet door, or even a bedroom door.  If you’re using them for a decoration inside, play with the scale a little bit.  I love this miniature DIY wreath from Women’s Day or the Feather Wreath from Martha Stewart.

Do you have any special wreath projects you’d like to share?  Contact us!

Tags: designer tip, hint, wreath