5 Reasons To Hire An Interior Design By The Hour
We spend the majority of our lives in our homes, yet some of us don’t love the place we’re living in. Not because there is anything wrong with the walls, the yard, or the bones on the house, but because it’s not truly a HOME. A home doesn’t happen just because you move in. It happens when your surroundings reflect your personality, way of life, and ideals. That’s what a designer can help you achieve.
Even those with style for days may not have an eye for interior design. There’s no shame in it, we all have our talents in life. But, instead of trying to force it, and most likely failing, at creating a cozy, comfortable, stylish space, here are 5 times that hiring a designer (even for the small stuff) will pay off in spades. Now that we’ve created our Hire-By-The-Hour Packages ( Contact us here: http://bit.ly/designstiles-hourly) We wanted to show you a few ways you could leverage this amazing offer for your next project!
- Space Planning - When designing a space, we need to look at the size of the room, the elements, the way it flows, the natural light, and many other elements to determine where the best places are to situate furniture, rugs and decorative pieces, and many other elements. This is one of the first and most important steps in creating a space that feels cohesive.
- Color Palettes - Selecting the right paint colors is crucial to achieving the look and feel you’re after in your home. Too light and it can feel cold. Too dark and it can feel eerie. Too bright and it can feel tacky. And just one shade off can throw the whole design. The paint stays no matter what furniture inhabits a room. Don’t risk it, work with someone who knows just what shades, tones, and hues will work for you.
- Furniture Sourcing - Have you ever looked at a glossy home magazine and wondered “where do they find such beautiful, unique pieces?”. A question we get from our clients, and non-clients, all the time is “Tell me where to buy the right furniture!”. While it’s not information we give out freely, you can hire us (by the hour, now! Visit http://bit.ly/designstiles-hourly) to source furniture FOR YOU! We’ve spent the last decade building relationships, searching shops, and developing go-to spots for the right pieces for any space. Leverage our experience and connections to get the right furniture, lighting fixtures, and decor that you’ve been dreaming of.
- Contractor Liaison - Are you preparing for a remodel, and you keep hearing what sounds like gibberish come out of your contractor's mouth? They’re asking for heights of decorative pieces, finishes of handles, shapes, styles, and colors - and you draw a complete blank. Don’t let inexperience cost you a fabulous remodel. Hire us (in our new hire-by-the-hour package) to be the liaison between you and your contractor, telling him the right heights, colors, widths, depths, and shades, as well as sourcing materials and finishes on your behalf. Make remodeling easy by working with a designer!
- Interior Decorating & Refreshing - Sometimes, you may not need a top to bottom home redesign. You may need a refresh in decor, or someone to arrange things in a way that actually looks good. You could be hosting a holiday party and want the perfect mantle, tree, and tablescape. You could be changing the style of your sunroom or the accent colors in your kitchen, and want to bring in an expert to make the choices quickly, easily and beautifully. That’s the perfect time to hire a designer.
- If you’re thinking about layout, color palettes, interior finishes, remodeling, or refreshing your decor, you can now work with me and designstiles BY THE HOUR! Our clients have been nudging us to add this option for years, and we finally caved! >> http://bit.ly/designstiles-hourly
This gives you the opportunity to work with us on projects big and small, no matter what your needs are. Click here to request a quick discovery call so we can figure out how many hours you might need for the projects you’re thinking of!
>> http://bit.ly/designstiles-hourly
I can’t wait to speak with you!
Six Years
I'm back.
Well, I scheduled this before I left so I guess I was never really gone.
But today's our anniversary and what better way to profess the love you have for your husband than on the internet. To strangers. Who weren't there for your wedding.
Six years, ey. It only feels like 60.
Kidding.
I found this picture in our wedding photobooth scrapbook and it made me laugh.
I remember this was at the very end of the night and I'm not sure if a) it hit me that, oh man, am I really married? or b) wait, is this ring even real?
To answer my own questions, I am married and it is real....and needs to be cleaned.
I'll keep the extra corny stuff for the anniversary card, but just wanted to openly share how lucky I feel to have been paired with such an amazing person.
Happy Sappy Saturday!
Office Redo
My BCF (Best Cousin Forever) is currently grinding out a Master's Degree in Social Work at USC. Her internship entails being a psychotherapist for HIV clients who are predominately Latino. She was assigned her own office and came to me to cheer it up. A small office with a small budget, I was up for the challenge. Making the office look even remotely cheerier is the least I could do for clients coming in who are already in a difficult situation.
Here's the before, but after it was painted with the color I chose.
Let's add come color. Some life.
IKEA acrylic desk chair, vintage lamp, Home Goods accessories.
Girl with the pearl earring art piece used to hang in my living room, but took it down after I replaced it with this piece. It now complements this 50s stile desk.
Treating the Trauma of Rape - quite the polar opposite of all the design books filled with pretty I'm used to.
This horse watercolor painting was already in the office. I love it and the matting ties in perfectly with the black baseboard.
To save costs, I bought plain, white IKEA drapes and had my mom sew some inexpensive houndstooth fabric and trim from Joann's. Thanks mom.
Just a few minor changes can make a big impact.
Happy Monday!
Summer Fun
Summer is quickly coming to an end and if there was one thing I absolutely had to do before it was over, it was host outdoor movie night.
We invited a small group of friends to come over and watch Dazed and Confused (Trust me, I wanted to screen Clueless too) to give this outdoor movie a test run. If all goes well, we'll host more next summer.
Saturday is all day antics with three of my favorite girls.
Here's to summer.
Happy Weekend!
images via designsponge, live creating yourself, plush palate
Mumbo Jumbo No.5
TH emailed me after yesterday's post went up and suggested I show off his coffee tin.
Here you go TH. Rejoice.
Don't judge the baby's breath. I like it on its own, okay.
Someone buy this sofa. She's a classic beauty. Those curves. That tufting. She was on my wishlist but I bought a daybed instead.
Life is handing me lemons alright. Lemons the size of asteroids. Our tree must be magical.
Even the doggie treat canister is confused.
Nora got an ugly haircut so I tried hiding it with a dress. But really I bought it because dogs in clothes crack me up.
Isn't she stylish?
And last but not least, an invite. Party on.
To what, you ask? A charity project. The one I discussed here, remember?
If you're in the Los Angeles area and you're available either Saturday or Sunday from 11-3, come check out some amazing rooms by some really inspiring Interior Designers, including Tamara from House of Honey (blogged about here), Hillary Thomas who many of us know from Lonny, and Vanessa De Vargas who pretty much put campaign dressers and e-decorating on the blog map. And betwixt all these fabulous designers is me. Exciting and a bit nerve-wracking. My room is very thrift store chic while some are high-end exquisite. Something for everyone, yes?
Come! You're sure to be inspired. Oh yes, and it's free!!!!!!!
Happy weekend.
Shorts and Ryan Gosling
The pink shorts I mentioned waiting for yesterday arrived.
They'd fit perfectly if I was, Oh, I don't know, a four year old.
I'm pretty positive I was shopping in the women's department when my order was placed.
My friend asked me if the girls size 6 were my "goal shorts" for summer.
Now she has me thinking.
Just Kidding.
I'm returning them.
But not before I chased Nora around the house to get her to try them on.
shocking pink is not her color, she barks.
I think she just likes to give me a hard time.
Now you think I'm a sicko for forcing my dog into human shorts before returning them.
Let's just say I'm keeping them because the thirty something dollars was worth the thirty something seconds of laughter, and because I'm going to try to fit into them next summer.
Kidding again.
While we're on the topic of shorts and yesterday's post,
these cross crochet and shorts off my summer wardrobe list.
outfit, you are perfect.
Looking for crochet shorts too? I found these.
Here's the guy equivalent of the perfect outfit.
Doesn't hurt that it's Ryan Gosling underneath those clothes.
these two would make beautiful outfit babies.
kinda sucks to be the guy walking behind Ryan.
Happy Thursday!
Tired Tuesday
After a long weekend in Vegas and coming home close to 1 am, I can't even get my thoughts together.
I just know I'm tired.
Hope everyone had a great three day weekend.
images via weheartit, This Is Love Forever
My First Guest Post-er...Postee. Eh, Whatever. Today I have a Special Guest
Sometimes I turn to TH (The Husband) and ask, What should I blog about tomorrow? His quick response is always, ME. Although I could probably write a book dedicated to his quirks and weird habits, my husband is not really why people pay me a visit.
Yesterday when I was driving home, I thought, I've never had a guest on my blog. What if I ask TH?
And here's what he had to say...
On my birthday.
My one request, keep the cheese to a minimum.
Hello. I'm The Husband, or as referred to recently - Evan - in The Wife's recent post about our Vacay.
Those of you that are avid followers of designstILes (one word, no spaces, capital I and capital L) are completely smitten by Irene's stILe. . .which makes it rather paradoxical that she'd marry somebody who was at one time proud to look like this:
Yep. That was me, and in fact would STILL be me if The Wife hadn't rescued me from my button-up polo & khaki-wearing, ear- and eyebrow-piercing, long Jewfro-having ways.
I still have a long way to go to be 
or even 
, but I guess by this point my stILe is what it is, and The Wife loves me anyway. Lucky me.
Seriously lucky, in fact. I mean have you SEEN The Wife?
Way out of my league: 
, and I'm not just saying that because it's her Birthday.
Which reminds me, aqui esta un globo para ti, mi esposa: 
(she really, really likes balloons. Or she used to, until I tied one to our precious Jesus Dog as a birthday surprise last year. Bad idea. Our poor, poor puppy subsequently reacted as if an alien was chasing him, completely freaking out to the point that we had to destroy the balloon, and even then he was only okay with us about 24 hours after the incident).
So the point of all of this madness? It must be love.
(thanks google images!).
I'm guest posting, if you haven't assumed by now (I hope I haven't lost too many of you). I believe I am the first guest poster on designstILes, which is exciting. . .and nerve-racking. I know how diligent The Wife is about this blog, which has blossomed into a business, and thusly transformed both of our lives.
She is now the consummate professional designer; balancing projects, doling out (sometimes free) advice, carrying a tape measure everywhere, leaving drafting tools all over the tables & desks, and my favorite. . .making our home completely stylish, whimsical, unique, beautiful and most importantly, FUN. I mean, honestly, who else has a pink (I know, it's NOT pink. . .ahem) laundry room, a blue living room and a red bathroom. . .all with a turquoise door? Combine that watching the cutest little doggies ever grow up. . .
. . .and that's the point of this whole thing, isn't it? We are extremely fortunate to have each other, and more importantly - I am extremely fortunate to be with The Wife. Because when I'm with you, Irene, I have fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sj5_WITMpA
Happy Birthday, designstILes, I love you.
Stop and Smell the Flowers
I am well aware that the sayings goes; Stop and Smell the Roses.
I don't always mess up colloquialisms (big word), you know.
Around these parts of town, the weather is was warm and the flowers are in full bloom.
I heard it snowed last week in Boston. That April fools joke is way harsh, Tai.
Warm weather and pretty florals for everyone.
See, I am nice.
Happy Weekend everyone!
image Oh So Viktoria, Free People, Think Runway , Little Lovables via Lonny
Thanks!
I just wanted to thank all of the new subscribers. I'm sure most of you found out about me from Made By Girl. The pressure is on to quadruple check for typos and share interesting and sometimes funny content.
Thank you, thank you to each and every one of you who find me interesting enough to keep visiting.
If this was a bar, I'd buy you a drink.