My New Business!!

This is my first post to commemorate my new blog. I recently went back to college and finished my degree in interior design. I was unofficially doing design for my husband's company but now I am getting serious about starting my own company. I have had several design consultations and submitted bids for several jobs. If and when those become finalized I will post pictures. One is interesting - a mural for a dining room ceiling. I have already contacted a local artist who I am excited to work with to complete this and can't wait to start.

One of the latest large projects I worked on was our home we bought a couple of years ago when we downsized from a larger home. We intended to renovate the property and move on but then the economy self-destructed so now we are biding our time and remodeling it in stages. It was a disaster when we moved in. Horrible faux painting, yellow laminate counter tops in the kitchen, bathrooms straight out of the early 1980's. The first area we tackled was the kitchen. We had a limited budget as we were living on one income while I was in college. The yellow laminate counter tops were replaced as well as a combination stove/oven monstrosity-replaced by a nice glass cook top. We installed a microwave above it with an updraft vent in it. We installed all new counter top and a new backsplash as well as a tile focal point behind the cook top. 

We also installed all new lighting - under the cabinet lighting, new pendant over the bar and down-lighting in the ceiling. Lighting makes such a difference in a home especially the kitchen!!I found a unique rooster light for the dining area and some shades to accent it perfectly. I do have an obsession with roosters in my kitchen which I have been told is passe but to me design should make the person who lives in the home happy and my roosters give me great pleasure so - they stay!!! The rooster plates in the corner matched my kitchen perfectly and came from a local discount store. The paint color on the wall is one of my favorites - Sag Harbor from Lowes. I did have a little cream put in it to lighten it just a bit and I love the color. It makes me feel connected to nature and is a very peaceful color.

One of my favorite accent pieces in the kitchen is the large floral/bird faux wood plaque over the sink. It was intended to be hung over a doorway but I placed it over the sink and it provides an architectural  French country accent. I did change the ugly mustard color by glazing it with shades of green including the wall color which had a lovely matte finish. You can see it here in this picture of the area over the sink.  I found it at a Hobby Lobby sale - the price was reduced to around $4.00.

One of my favorite pieces in the kitchen is my china cabinet filled with my rooster collection. I know more roosters but I love them.
In addition, to the rooster collection are some antique dishes I have collected. One pattern is the Franciscan Apple pattern and it is so beautiful. One of my design projects involved a home being readied for sale after the death of the elderly owner. These dishes were destined for the trash heap. I was horrified and asked for them as part of my commission. The rescue included digging through an old refrigerator that still had food in it to retrieve several pieces. I eventually recovered plates, bowls, cups, platters and some of the accent pieces including the gravy boat, creamer and the exquisite salt/pepper shakers shaped like apples.

 

And here is one of our fur babies enjoying the new tile. He is a rescue like all our five cats and is truly a precious spirit. He is very loving and is so appreciative he has a good home. He was found when he was a tiny kitten wandering a church parking lot by our neighbor. She brought him home, showed him to our son and the rest is history. He is very beautiful and his azure blue eyes are stunning. Nothing prissy about this boy though - he rolls in mud, chases bugs and hates to be brushed.  His life has changed as has mine, my kids are
growing up and leaving home, I have finally finished my degree and started my own business - so join me on my new adventure !!!!!!