I've been Junkin'!

What do you do when you have a whole house to furnish on a less than adequate budget?  

You go JUNKING!  

Now, I love to shop the high end interiors showrooms, purchasing stylish and beautiful pieces for clients, but secretly, I'd almost rather dig around in a jam-packed thrift store, searching for treasure.

So that's how I spent part of last week, and I've found several pieces for my clients home.  They're still in various stages of redo, so I'll have to show them to you later.  But one of the upsides to my job is that sometimes I find things that I love!

I've been looking for a small, narrow piece for behind my love seat.  It needed to be a demure little piece that would blend into all the other things in my open concept space.  I found a cutie!!

Size is perfect.  It needs a little TLC....maybe a complete makeover?....I'm thinking vertical black and white stripes...or maybe I'll just leave it alone....I've got time to decide.   It's exactly what I didn't know that I wanted!  And guess what?   It was $20!!

I did goooood!

So, now I need something to go on it.  A lamp is always good, right?  So I go on the hunt for a cool vintage lamp (that's what you call a lamp that is as old as me....vintage....nice!).

I was scanning the lamp section and saw this shape....the perfect shape...and I grabbed it!

I looked all over for the price....like it mattered!  I would have paid up to $20 for it, big spender that I am, so I grabbed it.   The price was written on the brass bulb socket....$3.98!!  Score!!   It looks like a pretty creamy white, but trust me, it was a nasty painted on finish that was chipping off in places. 

Spray paint in hand, it is transformed.  I had an old lampshade in the closet, so I searched through my fabric stash and recovered the shade.  

Check it out!!

Is she fabulous or what!! 

I'm almost ready to show you the room, but for now, you just have to know that this is so cute, it makes me crazy!!

I love being an interior designer, but I have just as much fun being an "artistic transformer".  I love making a silk purse from a sow's ear!  (I hope all my northern readers get that....you Southerners know what I'm talking about, don't you!)

Sally J. Designs helps you to LOVE your home!

Contact us for in-home or on-line interior design and decorating services.

Tear Sheet Thursday

Lighting fixtures are so artistically designed these days.  There are new manufacturers stepping into the market place all the time.


The Spiral Nest is one of the new artistic fixtures from Ridgely Studio Works, and I'm loving the artisan feel of this unique design.

The Nests are made from hand spun cold-rolled steel rod in various thicknesses and can be finished in a wide range of options - both plated and painted. 

The modular design of the Spiral Nest is such that single pendants can be grouped on a custom canopy to create big or small chandelier configurations or placed in a linear group - over kitchen islands or tables.

Each nest is handmade, and no two are alike.  

Who doesn't like a one-of-a-kind object d' art?

Available to the trade through Sally J. Designs

Sally J. Designs helps you to LOVE your home!

Contact us for in-home and on-line design and decorating services.

Pins of the Week!

Pinterest is quickly becoming the favorite site for collecting and storing images and ideas.  I've pinned so much that inspires me this week, that I thought I'd share some of my favorite pins with you.

There were plenty of inspiring rooms this week.

Table vignettes....

M. elle Design

Loving this yellow-drenched space (not sure about the foot pillow or the funky art!)

desire to inspire blog

I always love a creatively painted piece of furnitue.  Isn't this fun?

Sheridan French

I wish I could tell you where this lovely breakfast area originated (one of the less than perfect things about Pinterest), but I liked it so I pinned it.  Isn't it a pleasant place to have a meal?  (Thanks JL for letting me know that this photo is from Pottery Barn)

I couldn't leave out some amazing artwork.  This just took my breath away!

Emily Tom

This pendant shade from Shades of Light is made from a Fabricut fabric that I've chosen to use in my own Master Bedroom.  I love the colors and the whimsey and it's silk....just lovely!

Isn't this a beautiful color palette...and that it's in soft pretty yarn?.....I'd like to cuddle up with it! (or knit!)

I have grandsons, and this typography just made me laugh!

I think these speak for themselves.  I swear I'm not that bad!!

I pinned way too many dessert recipes this week.....way to many!!  But doesn't this look yummy!! Check out my "Decadence" board for many more!

 "On a stick!" Cookbook by Matt Armendariz

I'd love to have you follow me on Pinterest.  There's so much inspiration there, and I pin alot!  

Sally J. Designs helps you to LOVE your home!

Contact us for in home and online interior design and decorating services.

Who "Decorates Dallas" ?

I'm blaming it on the heat.
I've been a baaaad blogger, but I'm determined to stay in the air conditioning and get back to blogging after an insufferable month of temps over 100degrees.  


OK.  Excuses are behind me!


And that brings me to the question:  Did you see were appauled by  
"Donna Decorates Dallas" on HGTV?




OMG !  I was so excited to see a design show originate in my beloved metropolis, but two seconds in, I knew we were in deep____!


I'd love to show you some of the images from the show, but strangely enough, there are NONE!   Reading over the HGTV discussion posts, I'm not surprised.   Comments centered around "Are you kidding", "What were  you thinking. HGTV?".  Perhaps they're "rethinking" this one!


 Picture1990's - over-the-top, Tuscan/Old World/neo-Baroque thematic bedroom design.  It's the stuff I've been trying to rid my clients of ever since! 


So, I thought it was my duty to showcase a few bedrooms by Dallas designers who really DO decorate Dallas.

Adrienne Morgan Interiors

Emily Johnston Larkin

Emily Summers

Hayslip Designs

Jan Showers

Joanie Wyll

John Phillip Mars

Laura Lee Clark

Margaret Chambers

Sally J. Designs

(Thought I'd throw in one of my own!)

All the best to Donna Moss and HGTV.  I wish you and the show well....if it makes it to air.