Our last #IDzinechat was so successful that we decided to make this a regular thing!  I am very excited to announce that I am taking over the hosting duties for tomorrow night’s event founded by Wanda Horton & Leslie Carothers.

Designers & consumers unite tomorrow night on twitter to ask questions & get answers ~ for FREE!  That’s right!  Some of the hottest interior designers from around the country will be participating in tomorrow night’s discussion.

It’s simple.  Log in to twitter & search for the hashtag #IDzinechat to follow the chat.  Chime in anytime to ask questions, but make sure all of your tweets contain the hashtag #IDzinechat so that other participants can see your tweets.

Take advantage of this chat to get all of your design dilemmas resolved by a wide range of design professionals.  Looking for a second opinion on your design project?  During the #IDzinechat, you may get advice from multiple design professionals participating who can offer their perspective & help you get the ball rolling!

For more information regarding the #IDzinechat & how you can get in on all of the fun log on to the #IDzinechat blog or follow them on twitter here!

This was forwarded to me by e-mail this morning.  I got a little chuckle & thought it was worth sharing.  Hopefully it will give you a break from your Monday & a little laugh!

REPLACEMENT WINDOWS

Last year I replaced all the windows in my house with that expensive
double-pane energy efficient kind, and today, I got a call from the contractor who installed them.  He was complaining that the work had been completed a whole year ago and I still hadn’t paid for them.

Hellloooo,………..just because I’m blonde doesn’t mean that I am automatically stupid.  So, I told him just what his fast talking sales guy had told me last year, that in ONE YEAR these windows would pay for themselves!

“Helllooooo?  It’s been a year”,  I told him.

There was only silence at the other end of the line, so I finally just
hung up.  He never called back. Guess I won that stupid argument.  I bet
he felt like an idiot.

If you’re around a professional designer for any period of time, chances are you will probably hear them use the term “case goods”.  This industry term refers to home furnishings that are made primarily out of wood.  Think end tables, armoires, consoles & cocktail tables.

Here are a few of my favorite case goods:

New Gotham City Table in Ivory by Global Views

Thompson Side Table by Thomas O’Brien for Hickory Chair

Raffles Cocktail Table by Century furniture.  You may remember me showing this to you for my 4th of July segment on GMT.

Morgan Media cabinet by Thomas O’Brien for Hickory Chair featuring a hydraulic lift that can accommodate a TV up to 42″.

Game table by Larry Laslo for Ferguson Copeland.

Do you have cushions on your kitchen chairs or barstools?  For a quick update, say “Bye Bye” to bows & tassels.  Clean it up with a simple twist & tuck!

Wrap the cushion ties around the leg.  You can secure the ends with a simple stitch, dab of hot glue or simply tie the ends & tuck them away to where they don’t show.

Voila!  Fresh updated style that looks much cleaner & less “cutesy” than a bow.

*images from the homes of IBB clients

We love to grill & cook lots of yummy food for our family & friends.  You may want to try one of our favorite 4th of July inspired burgers.  Or, how about whipping up this Tres Leches cake?  It’s always a a real crowd pleaser.  We usually make it for the 4th or our Labor Day BBQ.  It’s fun to decorate it with fresh berries for some fun patriotic color!  For the 4th, we place the strawberries & blueberries in a flag design.

Ingredients

In honor of the 4th of July, let’s talk about some  All-American colors!  Friday on Good Morning Texas, I showed you different ways you could incorporate the classic red, white & blue color palette into your home.  Whether you choose a neutral base & add doses of red, white & blue thru your accessories or you use the fresh colors in larger amounts on your bigger pieces, these colors will help you create a design that will make you feel happy.

Here are a few more of my favorite red, white & blue decor ideas for your home:

Stars & Stripes fabric by Perennials.

I LOVE this room by Suzanne Kasler.  If I owned a lakehouse, I would definitely have a room like this.  It feels so fresh & welcoming.

This is a great example of how you can introduce color to a neutral palette.  The furnishings are all a soft painted white with the exception of a worn blue bench a the end of the bed.  Vintage blue & red are introduced thru the linens on the bed.  I think the striped sheet on the box spring offers a playful touch to the bed.

images from Perennials, Suzanne Kasler & Google Images

Happy 4th of July everyone!!!

I hope your day is full of fireworks, family BBQ’s, homemade apple pie & lots of fun!  You may even be enjoying one of my favorite treats ~ a patriotic parfait. Have a blast celebrating our wonderful country & the good ole red, white & blue!

Happy 4th of July everyone!!!

xo
Shay

*image from Martha Stewart