Thank You Very Much!

It was quite a treat to open my mail box this week and find a note from Nancy Marcus, who writes Marcus Design Blog, giving me this!

What fun!!

The rules are simple.....Link back to the person who sent the award, blog about 7 things about yourself and send it on to 10 blogs you love!  

I can do that!

I've enjoyed reading Nancy's blog for a while now, finding that her design esthetic is close to mine.  She's an aspiring decorator and I can tell she has a great eye and talent for design.  

So click over and visit Nancy's blog today.  Her latest post is on gallery walls....You'll learn something!  

Thanks again, Nancy!

Hmmmmmm..... 7 Things about me????

1.  I have discovered audio books, and I'm hooked!  I listen in the car, while I'm doing laundry or while I'm getting ready for work in the mornings.  Such a multi-tasker!

2.  I spent 17 years in public education, the last 7 of the as an educational diagnostician, testing kids for special ed programming.  I don't miss it!  (I miss the lovely people I met and the kids and teachers I worked with, but I'm grateful to be working as a designer instead!)

3.  I laid all the hardwood floors in my home....all..by..my..self!!!

(Here's a sampling along with the amazing McGuire tables that I found for $19 a pair!  I probably messed with their value by painting them orange, but I'm happy with them!)

Which brings me to #4......I love a good, junky store!  I like to dig for treasures that someone else might have missed!  I pride myself on having a good eye for quality, so I'm always finding something wonderful when I go junking....a favorite Friday afternoon pasttime.

5.   I've been experiencing a shift in my design style, and I have to admit that I'm waffling between several styles that I love.  The question is, what style do I want to live with now?

I'm leaning toward a more edited (although the bookcase isn't the greatest example of editing ....you should have seen it before!), yet colorful and artistic look that says "Sally" when you walk in.  I love my newly painted and styled bookshelves.

6.  I drive this.....

But I'd love one of these....

Just don't know where I'd put this....

7.  I have some of the greatest clients you could ask for, and I'm grateful everyday that I get to walk into my studio and do what I love.  Thank you all for being so loyal to Sally J. Designs over the years.  I can't wait to see what we do next!

Now on to the fun part....

You've got to check out these lovely blogs.  

1.  Isabelle and Max's Rooms by Janelle is full of stylish DIY projects that don't ever look DIY.  Janelle has great style and writes an amazing blog.

2.  Life at 5 feet - Style Attic by Kelly ( a Chi O sista and fellow Texan too!).  Kelly has a talented eye for design and she's doing some amazing photography as well.

3.  VT Interiors  is one of my favorite blogs for inspiration.  Viera is an interior designer in Australia, and she has great taste and style.  

4.  Ragland Hill Social is written by Gwen Driscoll, fabulous designer from Memphis.  She shares projects she's working on as well as things that inspire her as a designer.  She's a cool person too!

5.  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia by Kristin.  She was one of the first bloggers I got to know when I started blogging, and I've been following her DIY projects and design finds ever since.

6. The Virginia House is a fairly new blog to me.  She's been transplanted to Texas from Virginia and brings that Southern flair with her.

7.  Varnish is written by Amy who is an interior designer in Las Vegas.  She has a fresh and colorful style which I love.

8.  A Life's Design  is a popular blog written my Megan, celebrating all things beautiful in design.  She's got great photography and amazing projects that you'll love.

9.  ABCDDesign Sketch Book is written by the Twitter Queen and blogger extraordinaire, Amy Dragoo.  She is an artist and stylist who is renovating an old farmhouse while she creates an amazing career in all things design!

10.  Chattafabulous, written by Kim, has just embarked on a new adventure of opening a store, The Green Room Interiors, in Chattanooga.  Follow her along in this exciting new venture.


Thanks again, Nancy, for giving me to opportunity to showcase some of my favorite bloggers and bask in the sunshine of this lovely award!

A little zig and a little zag

 It all started with this rug from FLOR….

“Sophistikat” from FLOR

If you’re not familar with FLOR, they sell carpet squares…..really cool ones!  I love this chevron pattern, and if you lay the squares in different directions, you can have a brand new pattern.  And the part that I like is that if Henry (The Big Dog) gets one of them dirty, I can just pop it out and replace it with a clean one!  How cool is that!

Anyway…I digress.

I’ve become smitten with chevron.

Of course, that sends me out in to cyberworld to see other great designs that bridge classic traditional with modern trends.

Judith Barrett Lennard

This floor is so beautiful, and those of you under 40 might even think it’s a brand new look, but this patterns was found in many upscale homes built in the 50’s and 60’s.  What goes around, comes around, and this awesome floor feels right at home in 2011.

Apartment Therapy

Same floor, completely different look.

Miles Redd

I love to take risks in design, and anything Miles Redd does is great inspiration for me.  This marble tile chevron is crazy! but that’s what separates Miles from the rest of the pack.

Marie Burgoss Design

This looks like it might be a floor cloth…not sure, but that could be a great way to bring the chevron to the floor without having a permanent installation.  I think this could be fun…..for a little while!

Chevrons don’t have to be relegated to the floor…..moving on up to the wall. 

Madebygirl.com

There are tutorials that will show you how to do this paint technique on the wall.  Buy lots of tape and sharpen up your math skills!

It might be easier to hang this amazing wallpaper instead.

JS Interiors

I love the statement that this backsplash tile makes.  Paired with rustic neutrals in this kitchen , they are the star of the show.

(I wonder is Miles Redd has seen this???)

Casa Midy

I think every fabric company has a chevron pattern in their line.  Great for drapery and even upholstery, the chevron pattern always brings energy into a space.

Blount Designs

Atlanta Homes

Rubie Green fabric

  Stephen Gambrell

And then my favorite….the painted furniture!

1st Dibs

 

Sunset Magazine

 What an easy way to get a new look to a vintage  piece!

I’m making way for some chevron in my life this year…..one way or another!

Yeah, this will work too!!

Let Sally J. Designs help you to LOVE your home!

Contact the team at Sally J. Designs

for in-home and on-line consultations and turn-key results.

Technorati Tags: chevron,rugs,Flor,drapery,painted furniture,floorcloths,pattern,Dallas interior designer,tile patterns,backsplash,Miles Redd

Dreaming

Opulence.....

McAlpine Booth Ferrier Interiors

Mary McDonald

Jessica LaGrange Interiors as seen in Chicago Home

Mirah Carey's closet

Sweet Home Style

Neal Stewart Interiors as see in D-Magazine

House Beautiful

John Phillip Mars

Tina Kl  Sweden

Greg Natale Tierney

Sally J. Designs will help you to LOVE your home!

We are available for in-home and on-line consultations and turn-key results.

Contact the team at Sally J. Designs for all your design and decorating needs.

HELLO....2011 !!!

I'm not big on the whole resolution thing to start the new year, mostly because I've had many years before where the momentum of the resolve had dissipated by about the second week of January!   I know I'm not alone in this  (I've read your blogs this week!), but there is some comfort in knowing that looking forward to improve ourselves or our lot in life is a universal thing.  


My list of goals and resolutions has gotten shorter and shorter with each passing year, and so this year, in that spirit, I resolve to be happy....every day.  To be grateful....every day.  and to recognize that "It's ALL good"....every day.


In that spirit, today's post is just a collection of images that make me feel good when I see them....that make me happy.....today. 

Patrice Cowan Bevins Interiors

This bedroom picture always stops me in my tracks.  I think it's the art because I realize I don't pay much attention to anything else.  If the rest of the room didn't work, I'd probably notice.  

Apartment Therapy

I want to sleep in this bed and look out this window.  I think I want to be in whatever place would have this wonderful attic space for sleeping.  There is probably a mountain nearby, don't you think?

BHG

I love painted furniture, and I love to paint it myself.  I like using furniture as a canvas, so I'm resolving to do more furniture painting this year.  I'm itching to be artistic, so I'll be taking commissions again this year.....or maybe I'll just paint for me....but either way, it's time to go there again.

Jeffrey Bilhuber

Over the last few years, I've spent all my time working on my business and I've let lots of things that are important to me get pushed to the back.....entertaining being one of the big things.  So this year, I'm going to have people into my home again....and I'm going to cook!  Imagine that!

This year, I'm hoping to add more pink to my life.  I'm hoping to have a client that is dying to use "Honeysuckle", the color of the year.  If not, then I have a guest bedroom that will work.

I love to transform...kitchens, bathrooms, furniture (and even me!).  I can't wait to dig into some great remodel projects and watch the magic happen.

Country Living

I want a beautifully organized and pretty to look at craft room, and this is the  year I'm going to get it. (I can hear the snickers of my family right now).  I have a craft room, which is really a junk room, but one way or another, I'm going to make this space happen this year....Promise!

Wilson Creek

I'm going to sit on a porch like this at some point this year.  It will probably be connected to that attic sleeping space above!   I'll have a good book and a basket of knitting and all the peace in the world.  Join me???


That's my list for today.  Knowing my history, I'll have a new list in a couple of weeks!
But, isn't that what it's really all about...finding the things that make you happy in THIS moment?   
I wish all of us an abundantly happy and prosperous new year!  Cheers!

Sally J. Designs can help you LOVE your home!  

We are available for in-home or on-line consultations and turn key results.

Contact the team at Sally J. Designs here!

I'm still here!

As my Grandmother would say..."I'm just resting my eyes".  
Recharging my batteries for a few days after a crazy busy few months.
I'll be back very soon....maybe after my nap!

It's Time.....

.....To welcome the fat man!

Sally's house

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas trees…..Neiman Marcus Style!

Everyone has heard of Neiman Marcus, the original luxury shopping experience.  Now, any designer who is anyone has their own store on 5th Ave or Rodeo Drive (oh, and by the way, here in Texas that is pronounced RO’ dee O, not ro Day o, but that’s another story).
But Neiman’s was the first, and some say, the best.  Christmas in Dallas just wouldn’t be Christmas if you didn’t go check out the Christmas decor at Neimans, Downtown.
Well, I haven’t been there yet this year, but I took pictures of last year's trees, and I thought  you might like to see the creativity of the Neiman’s design team.

These trees greeted us when we came in on the ground floor.

Stars were a theme on one floor.



I love how they stuffed these in horizontally instead of hanging them.


These “Sputnik” trees were in the children’s department.   How fun are these?


Squares were the theme for these trees.



Check out how they incorporated the ribbons into these trees.  What a unique look!




Lots of lights and glam!

I can’t wait to see what divine decor Neiman’s has done for this year! 

Sally J. Designs helps you to LOVE your home.

Contact Sally J. Designs for personal and online consultations and design services.

Technorati Tags: Neiman Marcus,Christmas decor,Christmas trees,Christmas sparkle,Decorated Christmas trees,Dallas Interior designer,Dallas Neiman Marcus,Downtown Dallas