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What & How Should I Shop?

So we talked about where to shop, what should I shot? So this is depending on on your design style so in every design so hope you keep a lot of these in mine. And I think jackie said she loves to do this but shopping both high and low. So the way to make your project really unique even if you have a lower budget is to say save some money for some splurge items or some one of a kind items they just really going to be the things that make your projects look really designer and even vice versa it's not very much fun for even a large budget to go it's not very interesting at the end of the day, for every single thing in a project to be very, very high and it's just not. So the idea of you think in fashion mixing dior skirt with a target t shirt? We've seen people like sharon stone on the red carpet years ago saying this is my husband's white shirt that I tied, you know, and I'm not but it's something like chanel on the bottom. So are you thinking about ways to mix this high and low in your...

house? This is a a little girl's room that I did and there's a lot of expensive things in this room, like the american leather bed, and then the lamps were very inexpensive vintage that we spray painted, and we even showed the before and after of those, I think in the color of course, which was fun. But it's, just so much more exciting and interesting toe have a collection of things. The bed is expensive. The stools at the foot of the bed are replicas of mies van der rohe. They're not from design within reach there a knock off from a less expensive company. So there's all sorts of prices out there the same with the lighting. I think there's a company called no way, though in you e vo I think that makes some really interesting replicas of some of the mid century things and some lighting and I think that's where those lanterns came from as we discussed yesterday, certainly being selective with your trans and using them carefully and really it's about proportion. So football has been a trend but used in a very small way here in this showhouse rooms. So this is the other wall that you hadn't seen already. But on the other hand, a room with nothing current can really fall flat or just feel dated. So even if you're an uber traditionalist, think of some ways to bring in some things even its it if it's embracing a current color. So we looked at some of those designer tastemakers this morning that we said had been doing designed for years and years and years and they had really classic styles but then they would be current with a turquoise paint on the wall or a black lacquer paint on the wall, our lime green as as the chair cover and even though jay kay said oh, that looks dated to me in many ways they're little nuances that you can have even in a very traditional home or rumor project that make it a little more interesting a little more you know, applicability to modern day, so make sure that you're thinking of that clicked on that particular images that is that the same apartment where you did that in the lounge area did you carry this thing through this is just the other side of thea other side of the room there's the desk ask on there's little bank it's that I had on either side of the fireplace and the interesting thing about that that may be a little fun tip that people wouldn't think to do one side of the fireplace was smaller than the other side, so I just had hickory chair make the bank cats for me they're not built in their freestanding little cities and once about ten inches longer than the other, but I didn't worry about the fact that they weren't exactly the same size, because when you're in the room, it looks really symmetrical so just made them exactly alike. But one was bigger than the other, so supposed to making them the same size and on one side and it's fit perfectly in the nook, and on the other side, it looks smaller. I scaled them to the it's kind of the same idea of fitting the art to a long, narrow also, so don't feel like things have to be exactly the the same toe look balance, and I think it's more important to think about the space, the architecture as opposed to making the items exactly the same. This happens when you're shopping for a lamp, sometimes our bedside table, so you want to use two different bedside tables because maybe you have a traditional look or an eclectic look, but one's taller than the other. And so you're what happens with the lamp, so they have to be exactly the same size, maybe, or maybe not visually. Another trick I used for that one time to make lamps the same size when the tables were different, is that head to limps that had acrylic bases? And you could really tell that they weren't the same height because when you look across the room when lamp shade was here in one lamp shade was here but they were the same lamp so I just had a little acrylic base built for the other one and one side the base was thicker than the other but across the room the lamp shades were at the same height there's all kinds of little tricks that you can do to make things work together if you don't want to match look but have a balance look yes it's gonna be a little bit off from what you were saying but I just looked at the flowers again where would you recommend of on buying for buying fake flowers so that actually is the indy I that I was talking about natural decorations so that those air foe peonies on they look very really so throughout my work most of the flowers you've seen are our riel but these happened to be artificial but I recommend probably buying them either through a designer or an online source but again they're not going to be inexpensive so sometimes you can go to say a local hobby lobby or I don't know what kind of stories you have in this area but like a bigger box are depart you know uh craft stores when I'm trying to say like hobby lobby and here's it's hit for making flowers look more expensive if you'll notice, most designer projects only have one type of flower in a vase so it's no longer like here, we have lots of beautiful flowers mixed together, but because they're really you can really understand the texture and the quality of each. But when you're wanting to make something really look very expensive in the quality of the flower, maybe isn't that great and it's artificial if you stick toe one flower and use a lot of them together a lot of times, it's the same idea of displaying a collection of things together, it has more impact than mixing a lot of different kinds. So that's a tip that I have learned that works really well? We even talked about that on the google hangout I think noel noel and I talked about artificial flowers and how to make them look more expensive, so certainly you always have an option to customize don't forget that a lot of companies will do this for you, so you don't even have to do it yourself. You don't necessarily have to buy something and come home and change it yourself. If you're buying in a local store, I asked them, are their options for different finishes, for different sizes, for different vips, for different heights? Because a lot of times now the answer is yes. Cos air really interested in working with interior designers and other do it yourselfers that want to customize things because one size doesn't fit all anymore, so many, many people will do this for you, so don't forget to do that and even vintage an antique. Not only do we want to add them in, but there are a lot of companies that will adapt things for you, like vintage lighting fixtures. You can ask people if they can do some of the things that you need to retrofit it for you, so that you don't have to do it yourself, said there's. A lot of customer service out there more than there used to be. What would you say that this's the room? Yeah, this is the living room, part of the room with visits so that's the other. The other idea of what's interesting about this is a lot of people wouldn't think about using a pair of mirrors you think you needed to use three right one or three so there's the idea of only using two things, having you always heard, you need to be in in odd numbers of groupings, naso theirs where I booked the trend right there, so that's when that's the idea of knowing the rules and knowing when to break the rules if it works, so um, how should I shop? This is a really design this is interesting so let me show you let me click back and show you something this room is a show house I did in richmond, virginia this is the actual drawing a night of it on an airplane when I'd only seen the shop once and I wasn't even using any kind of graph paper anything I was truly just sketching it those aren't even pretty drawings that's just my total brain dump of planning what I wanted so even if you're not an artist thinking about sketching out ideas and earlier someone said d by the rug first and then that other things I plan everything first this is just my total brain storming of what I thought everything would be and if you read if you could read all of those notes you would see that the room ended up almost exactly what I thought it would be from my first initial kind of gut instinct or intuition so definitely think about using paper and writing things down it will help you move through the process here's something that we do in our office certainly for for clients you can have hire people to help you draw things if you can't visualize them or you can use things online do this but this is just a sketch this is you could you could do this you may not think you have the confidence to sketch but just try to put it on paper can really help you visualize so there's the little thumbnail sketch and then that's when it's been turned into a real drawing but it helps you especially things like the artwork and laying it out on paper and even if you're working from a plan just be flexible sometimes you're going to decide that you want something you're not going to be able to find it or sometimes you're going to find something fabulous that you weren't even looking for so be open to changing instead of being rigid so this is just showing a collection of some different things but it was just to keep in mind these or even little um insulate er's that would go on telephone poles and electric poles from years ago and they're just an accessory they look fun it's certainly not something that I had planned to put in the show house but I loved the color and I love the glass and my dad is in the telecommunications business are remembered that we used to have these at his company when I was a kid so I related to them we've definitely covered this but quality versus filler paying attention to those details tailoring this is something that I do my mom and I had a long conversation about this this week too because I will buy inexpensive clothes and pay to have them tailored to fit my body and they look really expensive the same thing with inexpensive home purchases you can have things, then you can have things added to them, details added to them, trims added to them, like I was saying, so don't forget about tailoring things to your own home. Um, and then wait, meaning dimension form we talked about that idea of a sofa, contrast ing with the wall or being an extension of it, so just adding weight and depth and interest to your project also the weight if you're shipping, it could be important the physical weight can be important. Of course, I have to give a plug for us design experts because they're really a lot of people out there and a lot of designers and decorators that are offering a wide range of expertise now, so you don't have to hire somebody at the top luxury level to get people to help guide you through certain part to your projects any more to just get design advice or my beat your kitchen design? Eso don't forget that it's not necessarily an all or nothing thing, and there are people out there that can really help you or in some stores, they're still great design services within those big buck stores that can really help you. But there is a good chance the investing in a pro, even at the start of your project, are using something like I said, I'm not the only person who does the design in the box idea, there's some other designers who do it. So getting a master plan and then going out and purchasing it at your own budget over time could be really great. Yes, I did that with our when we first bought a house, because we I was I was going to paint all these rooms. I was really nervous, and I found a local interior designer, and I think I paid or two or three a hundred dollars to come over for a few hours and had all these pain samples that I liked, and she just kind of basically, she reassured me and what I was picking out, and so help me plan it out, but it was completely, totally worth it, and not every designer will work that way, they already differently. So you look for the one who does so if you need a little bit of help find someone who works in that way. If you need a whole lot of help, find someone who works in that way, but you're right and that's that remember the very first day and that'll be interesting, we get teo the end of this course and see how many of you say, well, really, I was doing a whole lot of things right already and really already didn't know what my style was, and you just gave me the confidence to know that was my style. That's what designers do a lot for people because it gets overwhelming and you think you know what you want, but you just need that person to bounce ideas off of. Plus we know a lot of things we know a lot of resource is, and we could say, you know what? I don't love that, but have you ever heard of this company or this resource? So there are plenty of people who work as those guides and not only full service design, so certainly thinking about that, it will save you money many times. So shopping, when you feel inspired that's how to shop on dh, certainly you have to just get out there sometimes and even go when you don't feel inspired, but be out there looking for things that flea markets because you can only go the day you really feel inspired and find everything. I've been on many trips to vintage stores and found nothing, and then I've been out not expecting to find anything and fun, great by so but certainly if you're constantly thinking about your style and what you want, maybe keeping a notebook or a journal or a sketchbook, then when you and keeping it tucked in your purse than when you do go out or even keeps watches, I have clients. We create little books for them. Kind of like our inbox interiors that they can have little swatches. So even after we finished a project, if there's certain areas that they're still gonna look for art worker accessories over time, they have their little swatch kit that they can match it to. So questions, ideas, thoughts where to shop. We just want me to have questions about a shot we definitely inspired. Christine simply must know where you get your lampshades. What's your preferred vendor. I is. Well, a lot of the lamps that I buy actually come with the shades. And then I use a local lamp store for the most part of the ones that don't. But I know there are some online's sources for lampshades, and I can't really name anybody. Any ofthe handy. Any coming to mind for any of you thieve ordered. Let just lampshades. I think there was we have one target target, okay, really, and russian markets, yeah, one of my one of my clothes. Friends is ah manufacturer so she's not an end user but she makes lamps for target and wal mart and she also makes the lamp shades for those companies have bet you're buying her lamp shades when you're buying at a lot of those stores but she sells too t j maxx, homegoods target, wal mart and costco all of those places so extra I've heard that that's that's good that's a good suggestion bethany has a question of booze in tow with since run lamps and lampshades with an incandescent light bulbs being phased out what's your favorite replacement diego halogen cause halogen khun b that's really hard I get asked this question a lot and I haven't really landed on the one that I love you that's so the trick there are they are getting better the color rendition of a lot of those but you know what? I really haven't been happy with our the floor essence that change colors a lot trying todo tricky they change the colors in the room they change the color of the lamp shade so know that technology is being worked out some of this yeah incandescence are going away there's some that are there's a I think it it's not maybe in led there's one that has that has a name that sounds like true color or something that really is supposed to mimic and incandescent better than anything else that I've used a couple times, but I need to go do some research on that cause I get asked that question a lot. It's a hot area? I mean, I find that a hot area to to keep them with because there's a lot of developments, and we do have another one, and I'm not sure whether it's too technical because the background of this view is is photography by asking whether you use temperature killed on what color temperature killed when you designed the lighting field kitchen? Do you use? Yeah, I don't know like a photographer, we don't, you know, I don't really I'm not really well versed in those temperatures, but but certainly I don't know what an incandescent bulb would have been considered is that have a certain temperature that you would consider that war it zero was warm, like hopefully one that closely mimics natural lighting is what I try to go for. So, like you're outdoors on not bright, bright, sunny day, but a fairly sunny day that's the best lighting when we photograph projects our favorite days, believe it or not, are not the sunny, sunny days, but the little bit overcast days where it's natural light comes into a spice, it looks most beautiful and natural for sure. Well we really appreciate all your questions I'm just gonna throw one more tio toby but then we're going to actually go to our students to get some feedback from their head their thoughts in the last couple days and then we really of course want to hear toby's really last inspiration that she'd like to show the before we go see is just a really quick question did you ever lack of your piano because you said in your last course you not the idea not but you know what since I've moved into my new house it's I'm not all settled in and I'm just starting the design process so it's really just jumped in the corner of a room that's not where it's going to live so I'm still interested in lack a ring that old upright piano were interested in seeing it when you do how share for sure that sounds great we'll be telling people we can come back to try to get some religious last inspirational thoughts but let's go to our students who've been with us some of them today some of the last three days marianne entries over your backside be killing you thank you what do your final force mariana what if you live from this course what's good what's you're going to your bigger our moment you take away um I've learned so much I think thiss course was awesome for me to define more what but style, really one embrace for my apartment or wherever I get a house and this part of the course to, like, where twice things and stuff. I loved it because I really want to look into those stores and maybe by their buying changed your design style by, you know, really understanding more about toby approaches, projects, et cetera. Do you still think you're very set in think, thought, thought process that you happen. You came? Uh, no, I think I think I changed from what? When I started to. Now, like I now feel way more sure about, like, my styling. What I want to put into my interior design. It is. Yeah. That's great to hear. And tereza house, this lawsuit is what it was going to your big takeaway moment from this cool. Well, it's just been so interesting. I feel I feel more confident. Like I was saying with the designer with the paint color how she just made me feel like I trust my instincts more. And I got a lot of that here. I think I'm not too many surprises. Other than that I like I said before that a more glam. Then I realized I wass um and it was interesting to see all these rooms and talk about all these rooms and hear your opinion because I love to look at design magazines and be on pinterest tonight I do read I don't just look at the pictures but having your ongoing commentary has been just really fascinating case thank you you're welcome thank you thank you to this has been a wonderful experience I've definitely learned a lot today and just like the example with the basement where you did too it was just very inspiring and seeing how clean you know christmas every room was and how using wallpaper can really I mean it's not it's coming back and I learned a lot and thank you you did a great job you're welcome thank yeah and I'll stand touch and sandra thank you are facebook envoy for the crunchies thinking men and both countries you're welcome jackie likewise I learned so much particularly my big takeaway is editing and learned at it and learned put away tio appreciate later on and then also what I learned from color and from this class moving forward is the whole comfort and comfortability and even with the fabric it can be beautiful but can also be functional like I like to have a home or people don't come in and drink wine you know if you come to my house there's always wine and cheese might not be anything else, but I don't want my bad break to. People worry about spent on red wine on it. So using fabric so I could just wipe off and we can keep on partying party.