Georgia On My Mind

I couldn't be prouder. My cousin Graig Sibley takes Best in Show in a Southern California collegiate art competition, sponsored by International Art Magazine (ISM). Patrons of the exhibit voted among 50 entries. Craig's painting, titled Georgia On My Mind, won by a landslide.

His winning painting is inspired by artist Georgia O'Keeffe and the title is a play on the Ray Charles song with the same title.

The painting is not only stunning, but has an equally amazing back story.

This is only the third painting Craig has ever done! He took a painting classes and even though he is a talented guy, a bit of a renaissance man, he felt some trepidation in attempting to paint with watercolor.

His advice: just start.

"The biggest encumbrance I've had with these paintings was fear", says Craig. "I was practically crippled by the fear of failure and was very hesitant to start. Just start. You might find you are capable of much more than you thought. I certainly have!"

He tells his story at this link: Georgia On My Mind. You might leave him a comment, I am sure he'd like to hear from you.

What decorating or creative project are you struggling to start because of fear? Can you considering just making some effort to move forward?

Craig's mantra "just start" may be a new take on Nike's "just do it."

In just starting something there is no commitment to finish. If a project seems overwhelming, you might find it easier to think of beginning rather than finishing. There is no failure in just starting.

I like it. Just start!

KJZZ 14 home team's Maria Carr -- a favorite

Friend Maria Carr is launching a new television show -- home team -- where she will be the host on Thursdays. If you are lucky enough to live in Utah or get KJZZ programing, you will catch her exploring anything "homey", as she says.

From the website:

“At Home Thursday”
Someone has said that the most important work a woman does is right inside the home. Maria Carr will show us how it can be fun and rewarding. Maria will coverall things homey, such as cleaning, scrapping, budgeting, decorating, some cooking (for example, Tony Caputo will be a regular guest), shopping, journals, simple car maintenance; basically the whole notion of making a house a home. And don’t forget the kids. Maria will focus on how to manage the greatest of assets in all aspects of home life. She has a cadre of guests who specialize in various aspects of home management.


Read More about Maria -- click here and here. I think we can all look forward to her new cookbook!

As video feeds are available, I will post any related to decorating and especially budget decorating.

Way to go Maria!

Let's hear it for Jessica Gooley, The Belly Button Bunch

I love giving "shout outs" to entrepreneurial women who offer us home decor from the heart. Let's hear it for Jessica Gooley, who has created a group of fun zany animal wall hangings in colors that really pop. They are called the "Belly Button Bunch".

The style reminds me of children's books or coloring books I saw in the 60s. Made of the ever popular felt, they have a retro fun feel. I think they would be at home in any children's room, day care, classroom and doctor's office.

How do you get one?

Right now, the Belly Button Bunch wall hangings are available either as limited-edition, handmade art or as a do-it-yourself craft kit which includes all materials but the frame. See the website -- click here -- for more details.

Jessica asked for advice on marketing her fun friends. I suggested an Etsy shop.

What ideas do you have for her? And can you share Jessica's Belly Button Bunch with your friends?

Thanks to Whitney Johnson of Dare to Dream for helping Jessica and bringing her to my attention.

Heirloom Chic -- found it at the Big Box

Rachel's favorite, Brocade Home, and others like Target, are featured on the Today Show. But not in a segment you might expect. It is not about creating the "new" look, but the "old". For traditional charm and heirloom- feel, we might think to turn to yard sales and the antique store.

Susanna Salk, home decor expert, tells how you can achieve old world charm even if you can't afford to buy expensive antiques, or if you simply can't find what you are looking for at yard sales or the antique store. She has cleverly sourced items found at the Big Boxes and other mass marketers to create that Heirloom-Chic look.

Here are some take-aways to do-it-yourself:

1) Mass marketers, like Brocade and Target, provide heirloom-chic style furnishings that won't cost an arm and a leg.

2) Wallpaper is grand and beautiful. It does not need to take over a space, but can be hung on an accent wall.

3) Mixing patterns adds character to a room. Don't be afraid to mix patterns.

4) Mix old and new. If you can't afford grand antique pieces, consider investing in smaller pieces, like silverware. "Phoebes" will love the antique source - 1stdibs.com -- given in this clip.

5) Even modern spaces can be made more unique with an heirloom-style accent piece.

6) Family heirloom pictures -- even of your pet -- add that heirloom feel.

7) Consider the hardware on your dressers and drawers. Give them an uplift with new "old" hardware.

What are your favorite take-aways?

No More Hospital Blinds!

Laura, of lauragunn.com, a new St. Louis favorite and artist, has agreed to help Gina and I with our Haven of Grace project. I am so excited about her right brain joining our team.

I was searching her blog -- Paint in My Hair -- and found so many amazing ideas for stretching our decorating dollar. I will feature a few here, so stay tuned, or visit her site if you can't wait.

Her slip covered blinds (see above photo) should win some kind of prize! Oh, how I dislike those metal or plastic hospital blinds -- so sterile, home use should be outlawed. Learn more: click here.

And look how Laura retrofitted an antique highchair to buckle in her son so he doesn't take flight. How did they do without seat belts in the olden days?

Wow, I am impressed. Laura wins my DIY prize for the week!

Creative Cousin Craig

I was born with the right side of my brain, that I know for sure. I can't say what has happened to my left side, atrophy most likely. I don't take to math or science.

I have to create, make and forge new paths.

Many of my kin were born like me -- a heavy branch of artsy folks weights down the family tree.

Let me introduce you to one of them, my cousin Craig. Though his imagination is more wild than mine, I claim him anyway.

When Craig is not composing music or blowing up cars (for real) in the desert, he is making furniture, sculpture, paintings and redesigning his home.

I love his niche display (pictured below) in his living room wall that features prisms in the style of his hero, Frank Lloyd Wright. I think it is stunning.


See more of his work at http://www.craigsibley.com/

In my dreams, it would be so fun to collaborate with Craig on a project.

Love you Cousin. It's been too long, let's get together.

"Stylish Spaces for Little Faces"

I love to highlight home decorating entrepreneurs in St. Louis.

Recently I met Sara Zigman, creative director and the brain behind Three Little Ziglets, children's room furnishings and accessories. Inspired by her triplets, Sara discovered a passion for painting and designing furnishings for her girls. She turned her passion into a business.

Her items are not only beautiful and custom, but also practical:

The furnishings are designed to grow with the child from the nursury through elementary school.

Her murals are painted on cloth or canvas -- a clever and easy way to provide a focus for a blank wall. Unlike murals typically painted on walls, Sara's are designed to be moveable, infact she calls them "moveable murals". This is ideal for anyone who might move and doesn't want the hassle of redecorating the new place.

It is easy to shop online for her items. Just select a pattern from nine selections, pick the pieces and click a button.

1-2-3, as easy as three little ziglets!

Shout Outs for Faves -- art and design

Here is a shout out to a couple favorites:


It is so fun to find people around the world via the blogosphere, but especially fun when you meet a neighbor. In my backyard of St. Louis, artist, Lee Klein, found me. I am so delighted. She does such beautiful contemporary art. You can find her work on the East coast and in the West; in Washington DC at the Watergate Gallery and in Jackson, Wyoming at the Lyndsay McCandless Contemporary.


In addition to her own work, Lee can help you to collect and display the perfect art for your space. She says:

"I can work within your budget to help you build your fine art collection to include photography, paintings, works on paper, and sculpture from artists around the world. Fine Art in a home or corporate setting lends class and sophistication".

Our favorite for elegance on a budget: Brocade Home is having a 40% off sale. Also check out their new scrumptous bedding collection: Mist Dream.

Remake by Rhoda

I am so glad I listed my blog with Delightful Blogs because I have been introduced to a whole new community of friends. Last week I met Rhoda and found her blog: Southern Hospitality.

With all the inspiration on the web, who has time to watch HGTV? I can sift through content rapidly and find inspiration without any commercials!

Rhoda focuses, like I do, on remaking or repurposing furnishings and stretching a budget. I was so impressed by her remake of a lampshade. The lamp is a vintage piece with a beautiful crystal and marble base. It was in good shape except for the tired shade. See more details and step-by-step photos to learn her tips for remaking a lampshade.

"Steel" Crazy for John Beck

Look at what's new from John Beck -- a St. Louis favorite -- this console, above.


I am "steel" crazy for his designs. Check out more: click here.

World Market Screen Tranformed

Here is a great idea from Dose of Design. This World Market screen is budget-friendly and makes a great addition to almost any style room, but imagine how it can be transformed with paint.

Dose of Design used Photoshop to create the bright-colored versions below. These would be perfect for a contemporary or whimsical space.

What can you transform with paint?

Real People; Real Homes

This photo and the following photos are the home of Phyllis Johansen and Ivan Torres-Ubillus, of Town and Country, Missouri, as seen in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Lifestyle section. Pictured above are masks collected from around the world by Phyllis and Ivan.

Have you ever driven by a home and wondered what it looks like on the inside?

Sometimes I just want to open the door and take a tour.

Lucky Susan Fadem gets to do that each week. She writes the At Home With series where, each Saturday, in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Lifestyle section, she explores how people make their house a home, with decor and lifestyle.

These homeowners are not necessarily the rich and famous, though some are. They are people of different backgrounds who live in homes and apartments of varying sizes and styles. Not all have had the help of a professional designer, but all are appointed with special touches – the history -- that reflect the people in the home.


These are real people, in real homes.





Seeing people enjoy their spaces with their style, in their way, affirms that style is personal, and can be made fit you and your lifestyle.

Our things reflect what we value, how we spend our time and how we view the world.

And while my neighbor’s whatnots and bric-a-brac may not be what I would have in my home, I can celebrate what they love and learn more about what is important to them.

Style communicates something very deep and personal.

Style is a snapshot revealing our hearts and minds.

Often people say to me, “I don’t know my style, I can’t decide what I like.” It seems to be a common concern, the second most expressed concern right after: “What color do I paint those walls!”

You might feel like Phyllis Johansen, featured in last week’s At Home With, who expressed a concern to a friend that she liked too many styles. Her friend advised Phyllis to get over it and to buy what she liked and it would all work out.

Taking her friend’s advice, Phyllis and her husband, Ivan, have created a home that reflects their backgrounds, passions and travels. She calls their style: eclectic-bohemian-global.

People who have found their style focus, as did Phyllis, on their very basic needs and desires and are not driven by the latest trends or what their neighbor likes.



If you feel that you are trying to find your style, ask yourself these questions:

What do you want your home to DO for you?


What story do you want the home to tell about you and your family?

Remember, as Susan Fadem shows us each week, style is personal and it starts with the heart and your stories.

Not Grandma's Wallpaper, Part 2 - Found it at the Big Box

The party goes on, “virtually” forever.

If you missed it yesterday – you can join in now. This has been so fun and, I enjoyed your birthday wishes and my relaxing day off.

But now it’s back to work churning-out design ideas and spreading the good news of “design on a budget”.

My mind is still on wallpaper -– “designer” wallpaper, for less.


What do I mean by “designer” wallpaper? Well, it is the artsy-looking kind, the kind that looks unique, not the every-day kind.

The trend these days in most design is “bold” -- bold colors and bold patterns. So while your Grandmother’s wallpaper might have had small lacy flowers in subdued colors, the new look of today will tend to be large graphic flowers in often saturated or rich colors.

Following?

Here are some examples from Graham & Brown, which I found at one of our favorite places: Target.


A fresh take on baroque. This reads "sophisticated". I can see this in an elegant hallway or bedroom.

This reads "periwinkle" or at least it reminds me of Julie's favorite color.

This woodgrain pattern is an inexpensive way to add wood to the walls. This is not your Grandma's wood paneling!

Faux tile in the bathroom. You can fool your guests!

Pots and Pans in the kitchen. Too fun! I can see this being a great backdrop to show off colorful accessories and appliances in blue, lime and orange.

Wallpaper with too much information. This would be fun in an office or it would make good reading in the bathroom!

Wonderful for those feminine spaces.

This can work in about any space as a backdrop for bold color or soft subdued furnishings.

Very retro, very fun! Team this with your mid-century modern furnishings you find on eBay or Craigs List.

I am considering this one for the focal wall, behind the headboard, in my son's room. He already has the guitar.

Very fun for a focal wall. Great in a bathroom or for a child who is a swimmer or diver.

Find more examples online at Target.

Are you getting the “wallpapering bug” like I am?

Tell me, which of these Graham & Brown wallpapers is your favorite and why? Where can you see it in your home?

Not Your Grandma's Wallpaper - introducing Ferm Living Shop, a favorite

I am getting excited about wallpaper again. For years I have been telling people to take it down, especially if they plan to resell their home.

While I don’t think we will ever get back to the homes that have every room covered in wallpaper, I do think we will do our bathrooms, hallways and focal walls.

Designer wallpaper has the most exciting choices. Mostly these are high-end priced, but I am finding resources that are more affordable, like Ferm Living Shop just launched in the United States last June. A roll -- 32.8 feet long and 21” wide -- costs $85.00.

This is not your Grandma’s wallpaper. This is art!


Just look at the yummy selection on the Ferm Living Shop website, including fantastic wall stickers too. And coming in February many of these designs will be found in their bedding selection too!

Christiana, a retired lawyer, saw an opportunity to indulge her passion in design by signing on to be the USA distributor for this new Danish firm. She is delightful and she is happy to take your order and answer questions.

Or you can see me, if you live in the St. Louis area, to view their selection of samples.


Don’t miss their ornaments, just in time for Christmas.

These damask inspired acrylics (pictured on the left) also feature kissing squirrels! What a fun play on the damask design. I plan to get several for my tree this year.

Happy Turkey Day!

Ok, I about lost it on this one.

If I still had a little one, I’d learn to knit just so I could make this darling hat!

Where did I find it? At one of my favorite blogs that shares everything related to the home.

Check out Shelterrific: “where people who love their homes click”.

CB2 for the Holidays

As I stare at my bowl of candy and anticipate trick ‘o treaters tonight it is hard to think about Thanksgiving or Christmas. But CB2 is making me think about the holidays.

CBWhat?

CBWow!

CB2, the new store and catalog, by our Crate and Barrel friends, is just two years old and gaining in popularity.

Stylish and affordable - my two favorite words together! – is the way I would describe CB2.

The furnishings are contemporary and trendy and target the loft or apartment dweller. But I see items that can work in every home.

For instance, I love their beautiful Christmas ornaments with a twist -- a candle in the middle!

Christmas ornaments are not just for your tree! Look how beautiful they look over a dining room table.

If you are lucky enough to live in Chicago or New York, you’ll find a CB2 store. Otherwise order your catalog today!

My Color Bible - Exploring Dana's Design Library

Ok, I have scoured the bookstores for books on color. Many are cute, offer inspiration and ideas, but most are not very meaty.

In fact, some are very disappointing. I really don’t need a book that analyzes my mood swings or checks my horoscope to help me decide what color is right for my room. I don’t find the books offering predetermined color palettes – color swatches or ready-made palettes - very helpful either. And most people have told me they are frustrated by such books.

As I prepared for my Color Confidence class, I came across a truly substantive book by Jonathan Poore, with photography by Eric Roth. Their book - Interior Color by Design - offers practical instruction for applying color theory. I found the checklist in the back of the book especially helpful.

Jonathan Poore gave me permission to use his book’s outline and photos for my Color Confidence presentation. He told me that what inspired him to write the book is that he could not find a practical book on color theory. This surprised him, but he did what every good author should do: write the book you want to see.

I have only a few design books on my shelves. I just don’t like the clutter. So what goes on my shelves must be meaty. Poore’s book is my bible on color.

I have two other books on color, next to Poore’s, but that is it. More on those later.

What design books do you find helpful or inspiring?

If you would like to schedule the Color Confidence class based on the book, Interior Color by Design, please contact me at 314-652-1759. I will be giving my next class on November 6th at 7 p.m. Please call me for details.

Nick Olsen - a favorite!

Here is another favorite: Nick Olsen.

He’s the deal hunter of Domino Magazine’s blog, The Daily Dose.

He’s on the hunt for deals in trendy and classic contemporary design. I love that, especially since St. Louis does not have an IKEA (Calling all design conscience St. Louisans, shall we start a petition to IKEA?)

From Nick's bio: “…he’s learned a thing or two about fabulous interiors and how to make (or fake) them on a budget.”

If you are looking for contemporary furnishings on dime, bookmark: The Daily Dose

Ask Alice - a favorite

I like to share my favorites and Alice Fakier ranks up there. Why? Because she follows the doable-livable-affordable approach to interior design that this blog is all about.

I love her new series, an online 12-part video series featuring practical do-it-yourself solutions for common design dilemmas. These are projects that can be done by anyone with a limited budget and time and don’t require advanced carpenter skills. This month she features easy window treatments.

Fakier says she aims to be “inspiring, not overwhelming.”

She believes design is should not be taken too seriously, "It's not like it's brain or cancer surgery," she says. "It's important but it's supposed to be fun. If you make a mistake in design, it can usually lead to some thing more interesting. Or, at the very least, it can be redone."

I agree!

Got a design dilemma? Go Ask Alice!

And/or email me your interior design questions at dana@danasdesignstudio.com. I hope to hear from you!

John Beck - a favorite!

I play favorites. Every designer has them.

One of mine is John Beck, owner and chief creative director of John Beck Steel and Paper – handmade and custom steel furniture. He’s in my home town, St. Louis, Missouri, but makes his furnishings available to the world.

John proves that steel is not just for skyscrapers!

I love him not only for his designs and the fact he lives in St. Louis - though those are good reasons enough - but also for his unstudied and unassuming approach, lacking any stuffiness, he’s confident without being cocky about his popular work.

He says, “Some folks like to call me an artist because of the things I create. But I don’t think so. I’m a regular guy, just any random guy you’d see walking down the street. The only difference is I got lucky and I’m able to do the things I love for a living and I’m actually pretty good at it.”

And he practices what I call “contrarian creativity”. He even says it in his tag lines: “Rule Breakin” and “Hand Makin”.

I love his pendant lights, a new product introduced last week. For $90 this is a great price for custom lighting. Each is hand distressed and can be customized to reflect your color scheme.

His work is mostly contemporary in feel, but can complement just about any décor. I can see his furnishings working well in: a cabin, farmhouse or a loft; any room with an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary furnishings; also in a room with transitional furnishings (contemporary furnishings that lean traditional – think “Pottery Barn”).

Consider one of these pendant lights for over a sink in your bathroom or in your kitchen.

For more on pendant lighting see my blog: Pendant Lighting.