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.

Designer "Tear Sheet" Thursday - FLOR

Do you know FLOR?  


If you're in the Dallas area tonight, you can participate in the opening of a brand new FLOR store. 

Flor is one of the most innovative flooring options that's ever been created for people who live in the real world.  They have designed great looking carpet tiles that stick to one another in a semi-permanent way, but allows you to remove and replace tiles that get soiled or stained.  Their FLORdots are self-adhesive and stick the tiles to one another, making it easy to mix and match and replace.  Genius!

They  are even "green" minded in that they will take your old tiles and recycle them!  Good for the planet too!

They make great rugs or wall - to- wall applications.....suit yourself.

And talk about great designs!   Check these out and visit their website for more ideas and designs.  www.flor.com

Botanicals - Moss

Channel Surfing 

Haute Stuff

House Pet - Hamster

Passage Way - Citron

Shaggy Sheep

Souk Chic - Blue

As a designer, I think there are so many practical and stylish uses for the Flor carpet squares.  The options for creativity are endless and it fits into the budget of the most discerning client.  With children and pets in a home, I think they provide a great solution to high traffic areas.  

Although FLOR tiles are not exclusive to the trade, when you need help designing your space with these cool tiles, don't hesitate to call your favorite interior designer.  

(I haven't been compensated in any way by FLOR for this post....I just think they're cool and I wanted to pass the love on!)

Sally J. Designs helps you to LOVE your home!

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

Designer Tear Sheet Thursday

This week I've been up to my eyeballs in drapery designs.  We're designing panels, valances and shades for several projects, and it's important that the right hardware is chosen to enhance the style and fabric of the design.  


Fabricut has created a beautiful collection of drapery hardware in many styles and finishes.  

Look at the shiny gold and the cut crystal!   A real trend setter!  This collection is available in chrome, pewter and brass.

Always a popular choice, the classic traditional styling of this collection works in so many of my clients' homes.  It is available in water gilded gold and silver, 18th century gold, fruitwood and espresso.  

These collections and many more are available through Sally J. Designs.  

Sally J. Designs helps you to LOVE your home!

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

Pinterest: My Newest Obsession

I recognize that I'm not always the first one to the party, so those of you who are already using Pinterest can just scroll on down.  


But for those of you who haven not yet discovered this amazing site, here's a little intro so you can have as much fun as the rest of us!


Pinterest is a site where you can catalog pictures of everything you like, what you want for Christmas, clothes you wish you could wear and places you dream of visiting.  Anything that is a picture on the internet can be "pinned" and placed on a "pinboard" on your own personal page. 


I thought it would be fun to show you a few of the things I've pinned this week.  I'd love for you to follow me and repin to your heart's desire.


I have lots of pinboards for all things about interior design, as you would expect.


Are these beds to die for?

Tucker and Marks ID

I'm really loving yellow paired with black and white these days, and a floral ceiling is just icing on the cake!

 I love the creativity of this upholstery.  I'll want to remember this!

 Is this mirror just the most beautiful thing ever!

 This chair from Anthropology is covered in a bright kilm rug, and it makes such a statement.  We've used rugs for upholstery as well, and its fun to see someone else do it too.

Maps have become a real design trend.  I think the natural colors found in maps really speaks to some of our favorite color schemes.  Plus, their large scale really spreads the color around.

But I have pin boards for all kinds of things that I want to remember.


Recipes.... Crock pot mac and cheese...yum!

Sweet potato fries....an indulgence!

Things I want to DIY.....

I'm thinking this would be great for my  herb garden.....yall save me your coffee cans!

I think this is a great gift idea....who doesn't love some bling?

With two growing grandsons, I'm pinning things to do and make for them.  I've also pinned a few things in case there's a granddaughter on the horizon some day.

What child (or adult) wouldn't love these!

I have a soft spot for this cute little stick horse.  He'd be easy to make too.

As a former teacher, I think this is a brilliant idea to teach reading.  

Think birthday party .... lots of little girls....how fun!

And I keep several pinboards of things that I love and that inspire me.

I always have a soft spot for owls....Hootie Hoot, XO

How beautiful is this?

This I want to paint!

So jump on the Pinterest bandwagon.  You may need an invite, so send me your email address, and I'll send you an invite.   I don't want to be the only addicted one out there.....surely I'm not!Pinterest

Sally J. Designs helps you to LOVE your home!

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