Today’s Sneak Peek Saturday is from IBB designer Shannon Gidney.  Shannon is just weeks away from delivering her first child, a baby girl.  We are all so excited & can’t wait until baby Morgan arrives!  This sweet nursery is layered in creams, chocolate brown & turquoise.  A few antique touches, like a rocker Shannon found, help give the room a vintage feeling.  The drapery fabric is from Kravet.  It’s also used on the top of the ottoman & again in the crib bedding.  There are lots of more fun details to share with you like an amazing hand crafted dresser & fun little touches Shannon created to let her sweet little angel always know how much she is adored.  Congratulations John & Shannon!

Stay tuned for more nursery details & updates on Morgan’s arrival.  You can contact Shannon here.  shannon@ibbdesign.com or 214-618-6630

We’ve just returned from our buying trip to High Point, North Carolina and I’m happy to report that several furniture manufacturers & designers are really in tune to today’s needs & how people are living.  They’re offering consumers more & more options as well coming up with innovative ways to allow one piece to be used several ways.   We all know that furniture is an investment, so you really need to take your time to select quality, stylish & purposeful pieces for your home.  Take a look at a few of my favorite finds.  These home furnishings are not only multi-functional, they’re also super stylish!

Cocktail Table by Barclay Butera

The cocktail lifts up on hinges to become dining height.  So perfect for those with smaller homes, lofts or apartments that don’t have a true dining area.  Also great for those days when you just want to dine in front of the TV.  Or, how about using it in a game room or media room for popcorn & drinks?  Your guests will get a kick out of it’s double duty!

Fabulous upholstered cocktail by Century.  The mirrored tray slides so you can place it in any position you like.  Plus, this table is H-O-T!!!

This dazzling floor mirror with eglomise details is by Hooker.  Use the crystal knob on the front mirrored panel to open it & reveal a jewelry display large enough to hold all of your necklaces & baubles.

Round cocktail table by Guy Chaddock.

This table also goes from cocktail height to dining height.

This is one of my favorite end tables.  Michael Weiss created it for Vanguard.  It slides right over the seat cushion of your sofa.  It gives you the option of having a spot for your drink, snacks or remote control anywhere you sit on the sofa.

Thomas O’Brien designed this classic coffee table for Hickory Chair.  It’s not a new introduction, but it’s one of my favorites.  I’ve showed it to you before.  The base of the table is slanted at the perfect angle to hold coffee table books or magazines.

Even if you’re not a huge fan of the Beatles, you probably instantly recognize the iconic group pictured on this fabric.  It’s the photo from the back cover of their album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. This fabric caught my eye not once, but twice during visits to two different showrooms at the High Point International Home Furnishings Market earlier this week.

Century used it in a contemporary setting.  They used the Beatles print for the back of this bench seat & contrasted it with black leather & a coordinating linen.   The scheme is a blend of contrasting neutrals and textures.  They paired it with a white lacquered end table, a fun black geometric screen & large round end table with a chrome pedestal base.  The round table is arranged in front of the bench to serve as a small dining table.  You could even use two of them in front of the bench to create a lounge feeling in a game room, media room, or hip home office or study.

Over at Vanguard, they took a more traditional approach.  The same fabric in primary colors covers a cocktail ottoman with leather, nail head trim & an exposed wood base.  An ottoman like this could add spunk in front of a gameroom or media room sofa.  Or, if someone in your house is a huge Beatles fan or memorabilia collector, this would be perfect addition to a study with book or display cases housing their collection.

I have a lot more fun finds from market to come, so stay tuned!

I was so excited to receive a sneak peek at Barbara Barry’s  new accessory introductions for Global Views that I had to share it with you all right away!  The elegant line contains ceramics, trays, boxes and other fabulous accessories that depict the timeless sophistication that Ms. Barry is known for.  She has selected an assortment of amazing finishes including laquer, leather & silver leaf detailing.

Script Oval Tray in Ivory

This might be my favorite piece.  I love to add a tray to a room.  They are so versatile.  Display pretty perfume bottles on them in your bathroom or use them to group or organize cell phones, keys, pens & to-do lists.  Bring them out to entertain with when you have a party or use it to serve your sweetie coffee or breakfast in bed.  Set one up in a guest room on a nightstand or dresser with items to make your guests feel welcome (fresh cookies, magazines, bottled water & a toothbrush & toothpaste).

Banded ceramic vase & Polished Tazza in white

You know I love to entertain, so of course I love this vase & footed serving piece.  They have such a fresh clean look.  I can just imagine displaying a fresh bouquet of flowers in the vase & arranging yummy muffins on the serving piece to have coffee with girlfriends.

Luxe Organizer in Ivory laquer

This sleek set of laquered boxes offer both form & fuction.  Perfectly sized to conceal pens, pencils, keys, or jewelry this should be on everyone’s “must have” list.

Global Views is one of my absolute favorite home accessory lines.  They also happen to be one of my favorite showrooms to visit at market.  I can’t wait to see them this weekend when we embark on our bi-annual shopping spree in North Carolina for home furnishings & accessories for IBB.  Market is like fashion week for the interior design industry.  I’m like a kid in a candy store there.  By the end of the trip, my head is usually spinning from all of the fabulous finds that caught my eye.

If you aren’t already, make sure to follow me on Twitter to get instant updates & see all the great things I found at market next week!  http://www.twitter.com/designershay

AND, if you’re a designer & you’ll be at market, you won’t want to miss our Tweetup at Global Views on Sunday, April 18th.  Click here for details & to RSVP.

The weather in Dallas in absolutely gorgeous right now!  Aside from the wind, I have been dreaming up ways to try to do my job poolside.

Springtime usually gets us all in the mood for home improvement projects, especially those outdoor projects.  My list continues to grow.  It got me thinking… is your outdoor space IN style?

I took the  photo above in my parent’s pool cabana.  It showcases one of my all time favorite outdoor elements.  I call it the swinging sofa.  It’s a deep outdoor sofa that is made to function like a classic porch swing.  It’s perfect for lounging & reading a book or taking a nap or just to sit & swing!  It’s hung from the cedar beams of the cabana.  My daughter’s favorite design element is the lady bug print pillows out of sunbrella fabric.  We often pile on it to sit & talk or watch TV.  Ahhhh, so comfy,  relaxing & peaceful!

You read it right!  Gray does not have to mean boring, drab or dreary!  Gray is actually quite the glamorous neutral.  It serves as a wonderful back drop for colors that pop like a sunny yellow or feminine lavender.  I also loves shades of blue like aqua with gray.  Picture it with Hermes orange.  I’m using that color combination for a client in Dallas right now.

I featured a swanky sitting area of gray & yellow on GMT last Friday & created quite a buzz about the hot neutral.  Watch the video here.

Make no mistake, gray is certainly hot on the scene right now, but it’s a timeless neutral that has been used in interior design for generations.  It’s always been a favorite especially amongst those who love the look of Hollywood Glamor.

Benjamin Moore makes two of my favorite shades of gray to use.  Wickham Gray will lightly wash your walls with a subtle yet fresh gray.  Dior Gray,  on the other hand, will give you instant drama with a rich blue undertone.  It’s simply stunning.  I actually walked into my friend Shelly’s house recently only to discover that her master bedroom is painted in this stylish gray.  I’ve also specified it for an upcoming project for a client’s office.

So, my fellow design devotees, I encourage you to embrace this neutral color & get glamorous!

Accessories help tie your room’s whole look together.  Lamps, art, rugs, floral arrangements, and other decorative items can add color and style to a room.  Make sure to allow plenty of room in your budget for great accessories.  The best accessorized rooms combine treasures from your travels with new purchases.  Your treasures can help tell your family’s personal story and new purchases can co-ordinate textures, color palette & design style.

Last Friday on GMT, I gave viewers some helpful pointers on things to look for when shopping for upholstery.  I have to give a big shout out to my Twitter friend Carl for suggesting a very helpful pointer to give everyone.  Thanks Carl!  Watch the video here.

Let’s use the photo above & discuss few things to keep in mind concerning cushions when you’re selecting upholstery for your home.

1. Upholstery Styles:
   Here we have a tight back sofa by Hickory Chair.  A tight back has a very structured & tidy look.  There are no back cushions to fluff.  We added a few throw pillows for comfort & to soften the look.  Decorative pillows are always a great way to add a punch of style.
2. Cushion Type:
   Multi-cushion box seat:
   Multi cushions are great for durability.  You can flip & fluff them as needed.  This comes in handy when you need to flip a cushion to hide a stain that won’t come out.  A box cushion is shaped like a box & generally finished off with a welt cord.
3. Chairs:
   Here we have a dark wood frame with upholstered loose “T” cushions also by Hickory Chair.  A “T” cushion simply wraps the arm of a chair or sofa to form a “T”.

Today’s sneak peek is from my client Dr. Harrison’s new dental practice, MINT Dentistry.  His main priority was to create a hip relaxing environment that didn’t feel cold and sterile like most dentist & doctor’s offices.  We decided to play off of his logo & practice name MINT and use green as part of our color palette.  We used furnishings with straight lines and sleek details.  The coffee table with cool chrome legs is by Vanguard.  The sofa, also by Vanguard is covered in a rich chocolate brown velvet with a green pinstripe.  The office is now open & they’re off to a great start.  We’re wrapping up a few loose ends including a textured wall in the lobby that looks like cork.    It’s absolutely amazing!  Enjoy this sneak peek & stay tuned for more details.  Or, better yet, go visit Dr. Harrison yourself & tell him I sent you!

How would you like to dine amongst the celebrities, or better yet, get waited on by them?  The Child Abuse Prevention Center’s 16th annual Celebrity Waiter Gala is coming up & there is still a chance to snag a ticket!  Former Dallas Cowboys star Daryl Johnston & his wife Diane are the honorary event chairs so you know this will be a star studded event!  Plus, I’ll be there along with some other local TV personalities (and remember, we’ll all be waiting on you to raise that tip money for CAP!).   So, help a sista out & come support the Child Abuse Prevention Center!  Hope to see you all there!

When:  Saturday, April 17, 2010
Where:  Hotel Palomar
5300 East Mockingbird Lane
Dallas, TX
Time:  6:30 Cocktails & Silent Auction
7:30 Dinner, Celebrity Waiters & Live Auction
9:00 Dancing!
And don’t forget to bring your tip money for your celebrity waiter!

To purchase your ticket & more information, click here.