"use what you have" decorating

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments about the upcoming shoot with Better Homes & Gardens.  Still can't believe it...we are beyond excited.  I promise to fill you in on what I can....I do know a few people who will be here:  the editor locally is Lisa Mowry, the Senior Editor for BH & G is Oma Blaise Ford (who will also be in Atlanta for the Lavish! Conference ) and the stylist will be Annette Joseph.  


I am tired today because I went to see a friend's band (East Ponce Soul Faction) play at a bar Saturday night.  I really don't feel like I've been to a bar in ten years.  And we stayed to hear them play their last song--I'm so proud of myself.

I had a blast.  I like doing it once or twice a year--how did I ever do it every weekend?

Do you know who they opened up for?  A band called "Dumpstafunk"  (Aaron Neville's son).  There is nothing more I can say about that name.

Okay...on to decorating.

We're about 75% completed with the home.  They wanted "Restoration Hardware meets Veranda meets Modern meets Worldly".  Tall order.

via designcliq

via Restoration Hardware

I am calling this "decorate with what you have" because, let's face it, most of us are on a budget.  I have never known anyone who hires someone to decorate carte blanche (but how fun would that be?!).  Most of us create our rooms over time...

So here we are keeping the older sofa.  We restuffed the pillows and added some new ones.

When they moved into their home six years ago she was pregnant, so when her aunt offered to give the walls a faux treatment like Tuscany, they happily accepted.

So the wall color(s) is staying, and we are working with it (it was very expensive)  

We have added a modern floor lamp, a tolix-ish stool, and a few accessories to give her that Veranda feel.  (wall decor is in the works as well)  The leather club chairs are new, along with the rustic coffee table, but the rug and armoire are what they have had for a while.

One must-have for her (and large-ticket item) is this driftwood mirror from Arteriors.

She really wanted it on the mantle, but I wanted to stress to her how beautiful this mirror would be in her formal dining room.  She couldn't see it, so I thought I would just show her.  I loaded up my own lamps from my entry room to try to get the point across.

I ended up selling my chrome lamps!

She felt so bad she went out to try to replicate them for me...

She didn't do too bad!  (This is full service decorating, people :)

I know we're not done, but I do feel it coming together.  I think with even a budget of $500 you can get someone to help rearrange what you have, "shop" and repurpose from your own home, and EDIT!  I think editing is key...and everything.

So I'm going to get some much-needed sleep.  I'm not going to apologize anymore from my rambling posts...if you have read this blog before you're used to it!

Have a good one........Julie