Blog

Arizona Tile, a Field Trip

Posted on July 27, 2011 at 11:35 pm.

Written by Alba

Arizona Tile 1 — IDS members at the July 2011 meeting at Arizona Tile

This month, the Dallas/Ft Worth chapter of the Interior Design Society had it’s meeting at Arizona Tile, distributors of tile and stone products for residential and commercial applications.

As our host, Arizona Tile treated us to an informative presentation and a tour of their Dallas facility.

Arizona Tile 2 — John Contero of Arizona Tile giving our members a presentation

The showroom is filled with samples of beautiful tiles.

I was very impressed with their beautiful sample room. Look at how neat and organized it is. It’s obvious that they have a lot of respect for their product!

The granite yard is an impressive sight. Gorgeous slabs stacked row after row. The flags that hang from the ceiling represent the countries where Arizona Tile purchase their product.

A special thanks to Showroom Manager Tamara Morin and Sales Rep Lindsey Ward.

Arizona Tile 8 — Tamara Morin and Lindsey Ward

Till Next Time,

Alba

The Formal Living Room…NOT!

Posted on July 26, 2011 at 10:49 pm.

Written by Alba

Here’s a “formal” living room that I recently completed, and had a blast doing so. My client wanted a more updated look that was clean and simple, yet comfortable and casual.

Everything in the room would go except for the ficus tree and console table. THAT made the room essentially an empty canvass with a high potential for a major change.

And that’s exactly what we got. To accomplish that, we created a new focal point…a fireplace. Ok, a faux fireplace, but still real fire and real heat! The firebox was purchased online at Electric Fireplaces Direct.com The illusion is created with paint. Two floating shelves serve as the hearth and mantle.

I absolutely love the 2 chairs with the large contemporary pattern. But the “fun” factor was brought in by the unexpected Drum Coffee Table. Both were purchased at I.O. Metro, one of my favorite stores.

Texture and pattern played a large role in the success of this room.

My clients love it!…THAT’S the real success.

As always, I hope I’ve inspired you to love your interiors…

Till Next Time,

Alba

Creative Picture Galleries

Posted on July 16, 2011 at 8:25 pm.

Written by Alba

In my March 2011 newsletter, “5 Unique Decorating Ideas”, one idea was about hanging a picture gallery. A couple of months ago, during a consultation with a wonderful client of mine, I suggested this idea to her…and she just ran with it! I took this picture on a recent visit back. Her gallery is on a long wall that is partly a hallway, so this placement of the frames is perfect because it follows the shape of the wall. It looks STUNNING!…clean, cohesive and organized. Not at all cluttered and chaotic. Great job!

To display a successful picture gallery, you definitely need to do a little planning and a little measuring. They need to have a defined shape or flow. Otherwise, they can appear haphazard and contribute more to clutter than the decor. Here are a few other suggestions for picture galleries.

As you can see, the frame is the unifying feature. They don’t all have to be identical, but they DO need to be similar…all black, all silver, etc.

Of course, a picture gallery can be more than just family pictures. A collection of sketches.

Fortunately, there are companies out there that make this look very easy to achieve. Like The Perfect Picture Wall. It’s an all-in-one system that includes the template AND the frames. If you watch Candice Olson, you’ve seen her use this type of system in her designs. It’s as easy as 1, 2. 3!

So if you’re considering a family picture gallery, or even if you have one already, take the time to change out the pictures, maybe paint the frames all the same, and try something different. A fresh configuration can go a long way in energizing the room.

Till Next Time,

Alba

A Family Room: Traditional to Transitional

Posted on July 14, 2011 at 9:58 pm.

Written by Alba

Recently, I completed this family room for a dear family of four whom I have known for a few years now. Their family room had not changed in the last seven years and, although it was functional and comfortable, it was certainly not cohesive. Plus, they were totaly ready for a change…

The new design had specific requirements:

Substitute the existing “Traditional” style to a more “Transitional” look.
The design had to be casual and most of all, comfortable for daily living.
The design also needed to accommodate both reading and watching TV.
It needed to be practical with more storage.

The results:

Two paint colors were used; a dark gray and a light gray. Gray is a perfect backdrop for the semi-monochromatic color scheme.

SW7024 Functional Gray

SW7025 Backdrop

The sofa and two chairs are upholstered in microfiber, making them very practical for hearty living. We kept with a neutral color scheme, which helps make the room feel calm, then added a splash of terracotta that was picked up from the floor.

Since storage was a requirement, all tables and cabinets were chosen for maximum storage options. A custom, built-in TV cabinet provides even more storage.

Natural woven Roman shades were outside-mounted and placed all the way to the ceiling making the windows appear taller. They provide texture, necessary when color is limited.

..and the new look…definitely Transitional.

Till next time,

Alba

Trend Alert: The Restoration Hardware look

Posted on July 9, 2011 at 5:05 pm.

Written by Alba

If you’ve ever picked up a catalogue from Restoration Hardware, you’ll recognize the “look” immediately…white-washed, distressed woods in tones of grays, taupes and tans…with an unmistakable Industrial Flair. Today, this look is EVERYWHERE!

As a designer, I yearn to design a room around this look. I love it’s vintage yet modern and classic feel. And I’m particularly partial to monochromatic schemes. They tend to be very soothing. But you don’t have to go total industrial to incorporate this look in your home, a few furniture pieces and some well-chosen accessories can give you that vintage flair.

Industrial decor is inspired by elements found in warehouses and factories, featuring metal, casters and wheels.

Of course, I am very drawn to this gorgeous desk and chair from Restoration Hardware. Vintage Aviation…riveted sheets of metal softened with luxurious leather. How stunning is that!

The Vintage Toledo Barstool, also from Restoration Hardware, is a perfect reproduction of a vintage draftsman stool. Man-made of industrial steel and a tobacco finish wood seat. Each piece is unique.

Here are 2 perfect examples of integrating this industrial look into your existing decor. An unmistakably industrial coffee table gives a touch of color and interest, to this otherwise drab room.

Even though this room is filled with classic traditional furniture, it’s been given an updated feel with the use of industrial elements: light, distressed woods, tans, taupes and grays…not to mention the plank coffee table with metal wheels.

Yes, I would LOVE to go industrial…so, if you’re out there, and have decide to update YOUR home, and incorporate a touch of this industrial look, DO give me a call. 🙂

Till next time,

Alba

A Not-So-Typical Media Room

Posted on June 26, 2011 at 12:05 pm.

Written by Alba

Recently, I’ve been decorating for a wonderful family who first hired me in 2004. I’ve had the pleasure of helping them with several rooms in their home, and most recently we’ve completed their Media Room.

I’ll affectionately call them “The Travelers”, because traveling is a major part of all their lives. So when it came time to redo their Media Room, it was clear to me that this was the perfect opportunity to make this, not just a media room, but a personal showcase of travel memories.

BEFORE, the room’s decor had been neglected a bit…

So the first thing we did was paint the walls AND ceiling with Sherwin Williams 6228 Refuge.

The sofas and tables were recycled from the downstairs family room, which has also been redecorated (that’s a blog post for another day).
Pictures from their travels were selected and framed to form a gallery that can be updated with future trips.
Most of the accessories used are items or suveniers purchased during their travels.
The focal point, however, is the gorgeous, over-sized world map.

Flag pins indicate the places visited.

Incorporating the “travel theme” in the media room, has given it a more “personal” feel for this family of travelers. It has also made it a multi-purpose space. So if you’re fortunate enough to have a dedicated media room, think outside the “media room box”, and consider the decor possibilities….

A media room library:

A media room office:

Or how about a murphy bed!!

…now enjoy the show!

Till next time,

Alba

A Family Room Facelift

Posted on June 19, 2011 at 5:02 pm.

Written by Alba

I LOVE helping clients “update” their rooms.

Unless you are a fundamental minimalist, after a while, our interiors begin to accumulate items that we have purchased or received throughout the years, often becoming cluttered and chaotic. This was the case with my client’s family room…

My client’s, I’ll call them “The Young Grandparents”, were looking to update the decor in their family room. They were looking for a more Transitional look without going over the top. Plus, we had to use 2 existing leather recliners and the TV had to stay. Without spending a huge budget, here was my interpretation of that…

The room was painted a soft gray-blue.
Shutters were installed in the color of the crown molding.
We used their existing furniture except for a new sofa and coffee ottoman.
The HUGE TV cabinet HAD to be separated…many times, these over-sized cabinets are too overpowering when placed together in a small room.
New art and lamps were chosen in a more Transitional style.
Accessorizing was kept to a minimum.

The room looks fantastic.

The existing items make it feel familiar, warm and comfortable, while the new items make it look calm and fresh. The Young Grandparents love it!

Hope I’ve inspired you to change your interiors and energize your living spaces.

Happy Decorating!

Alba

AllSaints Spitalfields

Posted on May 28, 2011 at 9:10 pm.

Written by Alba

During my trip home to Miami last month, I went shopping with my sister to Aventura Mall in North Miami Beach. The mall is anchored by Nordstrom, Macy’s, JCP, Sears and Bloomingdales…

…but the main event are the hundreds of exquisite specialty shops in between. It was there where I found:

The London based retailer of clothing for men women and children, has been around since the early 1990’s. The apparel is a curious mix of biker and Victorian…and evokes what feels like an Early Industrial Age.

Privately held, AllSaints has presence in Miami, Boston, San Francisco, So California, New York’s Soho district, Chicago and Las Vegas. That’s, of course, in addition to United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

The stores are known for the countless vintage Singer sewing machines that line the windows floor-to-ceiling.

Inside, the display fixtures are constructed from salvaged industrial materials, or at least made to look that way.

iPads are strategically installed throughout the store, allowing customers to order online or simply browse digital touch-screen catalogs.

Vintage mannequins, with an industrial look, contribute to an aesthetic that is a mix of British Punk and American Wild West.

The apparel can be best described as minimalist, in an almost non-color pallet of greys, blacks, tans and whites, with a definite and prevailing Steampunk look.

My sis modeling a great little dress that she fell in love with.

I LOVE these shoes!

I love this store! Probably not a style I would wear daily, but definitely for those special occations. The prices are a bit on the high end, but not outrageous. The quality is good and the clothes are unique. But even if you don’t care for the style of dress, simply visiting the store is a visually stimulating experience…I love this store….maybe one will come to Dallas soon.

Till Next Time,

Alba

International Learn to Fly Day at McKinney Airport (TKI)

Posted on May 26, 2011 at 9:59 pm.

Written by Alba

International Learn to Fly Day on May 21, 2011 at McKinney Airport.

It was an overcast and painfully humid day. But the planes were flawless. Here’s how I saw it….

A few visiting planes on the north side of our beautiful new tower.

Beautifully vintage.

David Williford in his new Stagger EZ.

Fellow pilot Chance, with his son…..a DEFINITE future aviator.

The interior designer in me LOVED the 2 complimentary throw pillows on the back seat of this Cessna.

When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.

~Leonardo Da Vinci

Till Next time,

Alba

My Father’s Garden

Posted on May 9, 2011 at 9:44 pm.

Written by Alba

My grandparents (on my father’s side) were native of the Canary Islands. They migrated to Cuba for dreams of a better life, and they raised 8 children by living off the land.

To this day, my dad continues to love the thrill he gets from nurturing and harvesting the land. When I was growing up, the back yard was always alive with growth…..lemon trees, orange trees, beets, yams… Today, not much has changed.