A Lifestyle Thing

#1ROOMCHALLENGE: Week 3

2012-02-01T13:31:00.000-08:00

Hi All.

My assistant Hillary's last day was yesterday. SAD. SAD. FACE!! As she was coming to work, she had a wreck and totaled her car. She's fine but I haven't felt right about it or her ever since. It was a sad "non-goodbye" as I didn't see her at all before she left for her new ventures in St. Louis. So, Hillary, if you're reading, just know that you are in my thoughts. I LOVE you and know that your future is SO bright! I'm excited to see what you do!! And you deserve 100 times as many posts about what you've done for my business in this past year! More to come on this girl...

Okay, so I have got things going a mile long here...

To do list:
1. ~~Have the secretary painted in a hard coat, high gloss, deep salmon color.~~ {Benjamin Moore-Pink Mix-Color Preview-2089-30}
2. ~~Then a second layer of fretwork design painted over the deep salmon color in a satin creme color.~~ Painting done by a muralist and then delivered to Nixa, Mo.
3. Be looking and waiting patiently for several online orders to arrive and/or ship out...pillows, sheets, ikat duvet cover, ottoman empire bench for the end-of-the-bed, framed artwork by Lee Ufan.
4. Find a chandelier that suits a man. "No frilly girl stuff". Something good enough to justify the removal of the ugly ceiling fan. Client's hubby is quite attached to his ceiling fan. This is one of those things that I run into with couples. The wife wants a chandelier and the hubs wants his fan. Any suggestions on coaxing or counseling between the two differing opinions here? I mean I see the need for moving air, but isn't the need for sexy lighting/dim lights in the bedroom so much more fun with your hun?
5. Coordinate with Kendra {my seamstress} on drapery + valance design. She was given fabric on Monday and has two weeks to complete them. eek...But she is so good that way. I can throw anything at her and she whips it right up.
6. Find a screen to go behind the bed and have it painted either green or salmon. Not sure which. What do you think?
7. Find a little tiny frenchy styled table to go between the navy queen annes.
8. Figure out what "splashy" pillow will go on the bed.
9. Have an upholsterer recover the seat for the secretary chair.
10. Have my contracter build and install simple frames for the window valances. Add screws for art, and finally install the drapes and valances.
11. Have the chinoiserie cabinet painted in a bright Lizard Green from Benjamin Moore. See if it works in the space. Not sure that it will. If it doesn't, I'll just sell it at the shop.
12. ~~Have scrolly-gustavian chair painted white~~ {secretary chair}.

AND, finally accessorize and photograph the room so we will HOPEFULLY have something pretty to show you. {Fingers crossed, OY!!} It will take a full day of preparing and staging for the photoshoot + an assistant on hand to help me iron everything out, stylize and add any needed flowers/props.

As you see I still have a lot left to do!

AND, it's not been without it's glitches. Every single project has it's glitches, of course. To give you a run down of some of those so far on this project. Here goes...

1. After I purchased the secretary, I found out the back legs were completely rotten. UGGGH...That was my mistake for not checking it over really well. In addition, the chinoiserie cabinet had a cracked leg and had been jimmy-rigged back together with glue to the point that it stood sorta crooked. I noticed this and thought at the time it wasn't a big deal. Then my contractor told me differently.

{All of this goes without saying, as I'm sure you know that most anytime you purchase antiques or thrift store finds, the sales are always final. Once it's in your hands, you cannot go back and ask for a refund or discount. So always check a piece over really well. Don't be in a hurry. Most of the time I try to check things out really well and if it has a flaw or two, I always ask myself first "Is the flaw something we can see as a "character enhancement", or is this a trench I'm digging for myself? One, do I want to have to mess with one more call to see if it's something fixable. And two, is it worth the amount of having to fix it? If I decide it's something worth trying to salvage and use on a project, I'm always up front with the client first and foremost. What I've found is that every person is different when it comes to these flaws. Some either embrace flaws or shutter. The people who shutter make me laugh sometimes. I laugh at myself too now mind you. A LOT in fact!}

ARe you one to get hung up on perfect pieces or do you like a little FLAW--er {FLAIR}?

Okay, I was getting side tracked...back to the glitches!
The next one is a sort of glitch...but a "smart one" I caught before purchase. As you'll see, catching the glitches before purchase can be MOST beneficial to your pocket book. After going to the flea market two or three times to inspect an oriental rug that I'd been eyeing and negotiating on, I finally purchased an oriental rug. When they were rolling it out, the owner discovered a bad spot right in the middle of the rug. They ended up taking $400 off the total price, in addition to coming down in our initial negotiations to begin with.

I was just sick about these damaged secretary and chinoise cabinet. $200 in repairs! But, in the end, I just told myself to look at the overall picture here. First of all, I have two amazingly lined, good pieces with good bones. These are good ones that one rarely runs across. I also have a client that will hopefully hire me for the rest of her amazing house. I sure hope so, because she is a dream client. AND, my client is spending a good amount of money on this bedroom project alone...which always reflects nicely on my portfolio-ol-ee-OH!

So, in this particular instance, these pieces were things that I felt I needed to "make right" in this particular instance. I don't only do it for my client, but I also do it for myself. I wrap myself up in these projects as if they are my own. I do this job because in the end, it's the high that I seek in seeing it thru to the best it can be.

Okay, enough, enough, I hear you say. Here's some progress I hope. Tell me what you think. I'd love to hear your thoughts/questions/suggestions. Don't forget. I need SERIOUS help on deciding what color to paint the screen behind the bed. Dark Salmon...the same as the secretary? Or, Lizard Green {think kelley green}?

Progress:

Before of the secretary.

The Secretary in progress.

The finished product of the Secretary!

Here is the Chinoiserie cabinet that had a broken leg.

This is one of the Lee Ufan prints I ordered.

This is an antique tapestry that is going to be used as an overlay for the bedspread. I found it at Greater Ozarks Garage Sale this past weekend.

This is the waverly fabric being used for drapes. We're doing valances that I'm super uber excited about. More to come on that...

I hope you enjoyed this week's update and be sure to check back in next week! And don't forget to check out the other bloggers to see what they have been up to...

Suzzanne ~ Saved by Suzy

Jayden ~ Dutch.British.Love

Nicole ~ Nicole Scott Design

Kim ~ Kim Macumber Interiors

Emily ~ Rue De Emily

Jennifer ~ The Pink Pagoda

Lisa ~ Trapped in New Jersey

Kelly ~ Refresh Designs

Danylle ~ Nana Moon Shop

Taylor ~ Taylor Morgan

Jen ~ Inside Ways

Linda ~ My Crafty Home Life

Janet ~ House Four

Tiffany ~ Living Savvy

sharon

One Room Challenge: Week 2

2012-01-25T17:59:00.000-08:00

Hi all. It's week number two here of the one room challenge! Last Wednesday I shared with you the 'before" pictures of the room I'm redecorating...as well as some sketches for structures/things I thought the room needed. To see that post, go here. This week, I'm here to share my inspirations.

I put together the room inspiration board above. It all started with two amazing chairs that my sister found for me at a yard sale down in Branson, MO {second home to country music...which, I think Branson made it's name known in a phrase from the movie "Horse Whisperer" with Robert Redford, and Kristen Scott Thompson}. But ....ME....I'm just a hop skip and a jump from there. A little town called Springfield, MO. Brad Pitt's hometown. Not that these are facts too relative to design, but moreover facts that relate to BEAUTY, and "hollywood-ish excellence", which I'm hoping to accomplish with this here room.

Pretty vintage blue velvet. In great shape.

NEEDS:

1. serious cleaning by my rug cleaner.

2. Wood to be painted white. {white paint just makes it much more slick!}

3. Tacks to be added to all of the edging {we all know that tacks just look MMmmm..}

I'm going to make it look somewhat like this beautiful and AW-mazing chair that Aerin Lauder sits in pictured here below {from one of the most recent issues of House Beautiful.}

Okay, so the client's bedroom is grey. I know grey is a current color and it's pretty much a great color, but I'm tired of doing it in every single client's bedroom. I want to give the room a facelift that refreshes and says "HELLO!".

SO, I chose Benjamin Moore's finest aura paint in their Gentle Breeze from their Preview deck. Sort of a minty-greenish-soft-robins-egg-blue.

As you can see, and I WARN you, this room is going to be colorful.

STYLE: Mixed Eastern style, meets Classic English, Meets Early American goes to Hollywood with a dash of Branson salt and peppa. YES, it's one where the client trusts me completely. EEEK. I love it. And, you know I really just hope you love it too when it's done.

APPROACH: Sometimes I have a set, clear plan, but usually, it's a piece by piece experiential approach where I'll be mixing and layering styles, colors, textures, eras, flea market finds, and online products. I'm sticking mostly by the inspiration board however.

INSPIRATION IMAGES:

The minty blue on the door will be the color of my walls. And the red-ish tone will come into play with the oriental rug I found pictured below.

This rug is pretty, huh? I will be pulling some unexpected colors and textiles to join in with it.

Love the idea of mixing salmons, corals, peaches, greens, blues. Also going to add a screen behind the dark headboard. I may add a painted embellishment to the screen. NOt sure yet

God is a designer. How did he think to make rocks not boring?

I found an early american secretary, but who's to say it needs to stay early american? Why not twist it into hollywood mod? Pushing the envelope with my attempt to twist two eras together.

Beautiful, huh? Did you notice the reflection of the chair in the mirror? This reminds me of an old dutch painting.

IKAT. A Little boho style. Always good in any room.

Miles Redd...the unorthodox king. Traditionally rooted.

Beautiful figs. I'm going to turn them inside out.

LOVE the plum against the greenish-blue walls.

Great color scheme.

LOVE Olatz Schnabel's sheets.

BLUE and WHITE ware. I'm hoping to bring a lot of it in. Deeply rooted in chinoise-chic.

More to come from Branson/Springfield next week, including floor plans, elevations and a curve towards "box office" records. HA!

Be sure to check everyone else's progress. That's where I'm headed now...

Bloggers

Suzzanne ~ Saved by Suzy
Jayden ~ Dutch.British.Love
Nicole ~ Nicole Scott Design
Kim ~ Kim Macumber Interiors
Emily ~ Rue De Emily
Jennifer ~ The Pink Pagoda
Lisa ~ Trapped in New Jersey
Kelly ~ Refresh Designs
Danylle ~ Nana Moon Shop
Taylor ~ Taylor Morgan
Jen ~ Inside Ways
Linda ~ My Crafty Home Life
Janet ~ House Four
Tiffany ~ Living Savvy

xx
sharon

Babies In The Making

2012-01-21T07:22:00.000-08:00

I've been scurrying around squeezing in last minute photo shoots to make submission deadlines. And, that always requires bringing in the "just right" props/accessories/flowers to make the project sing and swing well when pitching it to various publications. This week, I loaded up the van {in between meeting with clients for other projects} and inevitably, I got in a hurry and broke a vase. I was sick about it. I guess I should be glad it wasn't a mirror. I tried to find a reason to make light of it and finally arrived on the notion of the phrase..."MAZEL TOV!"

Here's a project that still hasn't been photographed by a professional. It's my baby. Boca Baby. I've put the photo shoot off because it overwhelms me a bit. The reason it is overwhelming, is because there were many customized details that went into the project and I want to make sure each one gets highlighted with my stamp of approval and stylization. SOMEDAY. Meanwhile I will work on my client's current needs.

To give you a small taste of where some of the quality details started, I should share with you that the table tops were made of disposed-of/free pallet wood. Now, bare in mind, to see these tables in person right now, you would never in a million years believe it. They are beautiful. I'm in complete awe of the craftsmanship and utilitization of discarded materials.

Here's what my carpenter started with. I love him for how his brain thinks.

And, we didn't just find things out of catalog or online to make this project unique. We customized everything.

This job was a TON of work, antiquing, phone calls to vendors, problems, and things that had back to the drawing board. I was nine months pregnant on installation day. A baby in the making x's two!

Here are some of my iphone snapshots of just one side of the building. Hopefully I'll blog about the other half someday soon.

The cafe chairs were so bad before. It took me two and a half meetings to convince the landlord that the awful 1980's cherry-ish colored finish on the chairs needed to be painted. You know how some people are about painting "nice wood", even if it's the worst pressed wood piece ever? Well, I understand that with some wood pieces, but these were really bad.

Here's a before...

The landlord finally listened to me. That was the first triumph of the project. The second one was getting to paint the ugly high chairs. Green... "For the sweet pea babies".

Anyway, I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend and I hope you'll visit Boca. The food and people there are the nicest. I'll be at the store today. Come by and see me and baby Jack!

xx
sharon

The One Room Challenge!

2012-01-18T12:23:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. I have a new little venture for the next six weeks. It's called the one room challenge. Linda, from My Crafty Home Life invited 15 talented designers from across the country and even Canada to make over one room and then blog about it.

I like challenges! And I know some of you out there do too. Sometimes you just need an extra push or a helping hand to do it. Call me if it's that "helping hand" thing you need...

Okay, here goes....

My one room challenge is for a client's master bedroom. Here are some before shots.

Here are my sketches of what I am thinking about doing in this room.

More to come next week!!

Below are the links to the other 14 bloggers so you can check out their rooms. I can't wait to follow all of their projects, can you?

Suzy ~ Saved by Suzy (girls room)
Jadyn ~ Dutch.British.Love (dining room)
Nicole ~ Nicole Scott Design (master bedroom)
Kim ~Kim Macumber Interiors (living room)
Emily ~ Rue De Emily (boys room)
Jennifer ~ The Pink Pagoda (laundry room)
Lisa ~ Trapped in New Jersey (dining room)
Kelly ~ refresheddesigns (office)
Danylle ~ Nana Moon Shop (TBA)
Taylor ~ Taylor Morgan (living room)
Jen ~ Inside Ways (spare bedroom)
Linda ~ My Crafty Home Life (dining room)
Janet ~ House Four (master bedroom)
Tiffany ~ Living Savvy (master bedroom)

xx
sharon

Tobi Fairley Chair Contest Winner

2012-01-16T05:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Martin Luther King day! I will be celebrating with my family by participating in a local march across the Martin Luther King bridge. I have never done this before, but am excited for what's to be an uplifting experience for all, I'm sure. How about you? What are you doing?

I haven't been regular with posting, but will be updating with more regularity, and good stuff. We have a very exciting week this week. Promising new ventures, and MORE publicity!

In other news: I won THE Tobi Fairley chair contest I told you about awhile back. It was a fun process! AND, I just love Tobi Fairley period. She's a master of not only design, but of business, and planning for success. So winning was a great honor. Her words were beyond sweet and she even sent me a personal message of congratulation. To see the full post, go here...

A special thank you to heather cherie photography for taking such pretty photos. Also, to BIG Fish screen printing for taking care of all my printing needs.

And thank you to YOU for stopping in today. I hope you enjoy your day and your week! May you find windows filled with much, much sun streaming thru.

xx
sharon

2012 is SWELL!!

2012-01-11T05:58:00.000-08:00

Hi All! It's been awhile since my last entry. My babies had a long spell of coughs...and we found out that Sylvie had pneumonia. Poor girl. I kept thinking she'd bounce back, but it took a long while. New Years eve we stayed in, and baby Jack coughed all night...so I spent New Years day at the E.R. only to find out that he had pneumonia too. whew! They were sick. We're all on the mend now and I'm so glad to see their happy little selves back to normal.

I've been strategizing my year. AND, since the last time I posted...I 've seen a real promising start to this year.

You know how a lot of the weddings featured in ALL the magazines and on ALL the blogs are usually from the East and West Coast?? Welp, I'm here to stand on the very tip of these Ozark Mountain roof tops and shout hooray for the Midwest!! We know how to throw weddings here too. Yes indeed.

Style Me Pretty announced their best 20 weddings of 2011 just this past week. We're SO honored to be on that list! Here's the cover of their Best of 2011.

The link to their jaw-dropping, chuck-full-of-ideas e-gloss mag link is below that. ENJOY!!

Here's Top 20 weddings. It was an honor to help design Elsie and Jeremy's wedding.

I have another fun announcement tomorrow.

Thanks for following me, you all. I hope it's a fun journey filled with fulfilling dreams for all of us! Are you making plans to make your dreams come true this year? You know, I believe in that.

2011 Year in Review

2011-12-31T15:02:00.000-08:00

Ring out the old, ring in the new; The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true! -Alfred Lord Tennyson 1850

I want to thank all of you for riding along with me this past year. I can't thank YOU enough. Really. You really are an extension of my sweet, supportive, and truly loving family. I LOVE you. At times it was a bit crazy for me, as you may recall. It's been one of climbing mountains, sweating bullets, tears + punch-drunk tears from the special weddings we did, + tow trucks, some broken egg shells and mirrors. But, yes, we made it... and I must say it's been a darn good year.

AND...I can't wait for next year. How about you? Are you ready?

Here's a quick recap from Pickwick House:

We opened the brick and mortar extension of Sharon Taylor Designs...called Pickwick House {A design studio for my interiors and creative event planning where I have thrown some workshops , sold retail furnishings, and also launched an on-line bazaar.}

The Euro-Cirque wedding we designed was featured in Real Simple Weddings.

My very first commercial project was published in book form along with several other international projects compiled for an inspirational architectural coffee table book called, PLAY! Indoor and Outdoor.

Pickwick House was featured on the "HOT sheet list" in the Knot magazine.

I won a 417 Magazine Interior Design of the Year award for Home Office Design.

You can read the link here.

Best of all, we welcomed little John William, who you all know as Jack.

Happy New Year and Best Wishes for ringing in the truly best YOU for 2012!!

See YOU there!!!

xxxx
sharon

New Years Eve Bash {at home}

2011-12-30T05:56:00.000-08:00

It's almost New Years Eve! Just when you thought all the holidays were winding down, it all starts ramping up again. Although, it's a good night to go out on the town to see all the city offers, it's usually crazy, crowded, expensive, not to mention, REALLY hard to find a sitter. And if you do find a sitter... you know she's premium dollar.

Sometimes it's just nice to stay home, relax, sit by the fire, and enjoy your house on the last night of the year.

Here are some ideas of what to do:

Host a chili party: Chili is pretty easy. Versatile, and hard to mess up. Have one friend bring a white chili, another friend bring a veggie chili, and one bring a bison...you get the idea. For those that aren't big on cooking, have them bring the cheese and crackers.

Host a dessert/champagne party: Whether you are a master baker, or you like to pick up sweets at a local bakery, sweets always satisfy. Don't forget to have lots of champagne... and one fun tip: why not chill the champagne in something fun, like a cool aged pot, or urn? It's a fun twist on the standard, and simple. Go look in your potting shed.

Host a Game Night party: Board games don't have to be "BORED" games. Get out your best old fashioned fun self out for the new year and give it a go. My favorite games that get everybody engaged and laughing for a bit are: Battle of the Sexes, Fiction/Diction, giant jenga, + roller skating around the block backwards, forwards, and funk-ified with a pot and pan in hand while wearing a sparkly, glittery hat. {be careful}

Stay Safe and Happy New Years Eve!

{all images via pinterest}
{ganache cake with infused gold via Martha Stewart Living}

Much Love to you all. I'll be back tomorrow for a special New Years Eve post.

{Have a question? Wanna hire me to redesign your house/apartment, be your personal shopper, or plan the most smashing bash you've ever had? I'M IN! Just email me and I'll have a bottle of champagne at the ready.}

xx
sharon

Merry, Merry!

2011-12-23T11:24:00.000-08:00

Oh my. What a week. I'll share some lovely nods we've received on the web this week. You can see the posts here and here.

Are you merry-ing it up out there? I am merry-ing up my sweet Will today with a little package for him.

I used fabric for wrapping his package...The menswear is the excess fabric from the sofa reupholstery and I had some extra brown paper bags laying around for the vest. The old watch face is from a junk store. I love Will in his everydays, but when he dresses up, he does it right-dapper-he-does...in fact, I've called him Lord Fauntleroy since the minute I met him.

Here are a few pics from the workshop we had at Pickwick House. The full story is at the top of the page. I've gotta run now cause baby Jack is crying...

All photos taken by Adie Gateley of Twin Town Studios.

Happy Eve of the Eve!

xxxx
sharon

5 DETAILS U CAN DO TOO!

2011-12-22T10:45:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a very merry christmas! Are you ready? I'm almost there.

Loving all these details, so I've added them to a doable list of mine for tomorrow. I invite you to do the same. We should be able to do all of them. It's not a tough list.

1. kissing my honey extra much tomorrow and telling him that I love him more than I love cake! It's his b. day.

illustrations by joy cho of oh joy!

2. Entering this tobi fairley chair contest. I invite you to do the same!

3. Drinking Champagne and making a toast to the start of the holidays!

4."free-floating" gift wrap {in other words....I'm taking it to a simple level.} White/brown craft paper + easy to find toppers.

5. Biking. Whether it's to work or to cocktail hour or to a party...I'll be biking with baby in tow. Preferably on a gold bike like this one, but bubz might need a gold seat too. :)

{via pinterest/? on source}

OKAY:
Have a question? Wanna hire me to redesign your house/apartment, be your personal shopper, or plan the most smashing bash you've ever had? I'M IN! Just email me and I'll have a bottle of champagne at the ready.

Merriest of Days to you!

xxxx
sharon

TIPS: Pulling a Christmas Room Together

2011-12-21T05:27:00.000-08:00

Need something around your tree, instead of under it? Here's a brand-new upholstered suit to outfit a room in for Christmas...all for sale at Pickwick House. It's like "gifting the earth and yourself" with vintage. *I know, sounds like too much commercial-type lingo to push on you overspent and tired people right now, right here at Christmas, hustle and bustle time*, but really, do you know how much this set means? It's come from a sweet 1940's estate auction, to my back room, it then served it's purpose well as a used sofa for many of meetings, then it traveled to the sweet upholstery place, and now it's back at the store waiting like "Corduroy". I'll be quiet now, but seriously, I could go on and on about it. What do you think of it? Do you like it? Just come in and sit on it, and I promise, I won't sell you hard on it. I'm not like that pushy sales guy.

I think these furnishings would look really good with these three things.
1. grass cloth wallpaper

{via h.h.}

2. a worn looking anatolian, turkish rug pictured here...

abccarpet

3. fresh green garlands draping the large-scale frame. Something like these would be darling...but a simple greenery draping would do the trick quite nicely.

{via pinterest with photography by Aengus McGiffin}

The antlers have really been flying out of the store this season. Do you love them? Most people love them or hate them. I LOVE them. We have more in, just in case you need a cute little something to hang a bulb from.

I'm going to see Sylvia's first school performance this morning.

Hope you're surrounded by LOVE this week.

xx
sharon

For the Kids

2011-12-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

How much online shopping have you done this year? I'm so thankful as a last-minute type mom to find a few online things. It's just clickety-click fast. These two things should arrive by Friday for my bambinos. The dress is from Saks and is only $30. And the one piece is from baby gap. I'm a sucker for cable knit sweaters.

Hope your week is stress free and filled with happy,cheery Christmas punch.

xx
sharon

NOT Quite Done...

2011-12-17T04:56:00.000-08:00

Nothing quite like a deadline to get my projects wrapped up! I would so rather be shopping, wrapping gifts, and eating truffles right now, but there are deadlines right after Christmas. What about you? Are you all ready for the Holidays?

Here's a project that is not even close to being done, but I will toil like cinderella to put the shiny touches on it. LOL!

Do you like what you're seeing so far? You don't have to say yes. It's a work in progress. Here's what I can say I like about it as it is today: The painted trimming accents the storybook-styled peak.

We just ordered a vintage kantha throw for the daybed that literally has me salivating on it and the bed itself.

I was struck by this room pictured below on pinterest today when I was searching for rooms with colored trim. I wanted to show you that there are ways to bring colored-details into a room in an unexpected way that doesn't overwhelm. Do you like it?

I love the designer's color choices. Does anyone know who the designer is? Its funny that we share a love for the same violet.

I hope you enjoy your weekend. Please visit me at the shop. I'll have baby Jack there to give you good cheer!

Need design services, stylizing, or fluffing up your nest? Contact me thru here.
xx
sharon

...Get Busy Do It

2011-12-16T06:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! Here's a before and after of a big chandelier I found...

It's going to be the "glam" in a soft baby's room.

Here's big boy...

He looks to be a serious baby, huh? But he goes really, totally crazy when I sing...

"Get up, get up, get busy do it
Get up and move that body
Get up people now get down to it before the night is over
Get up, get up, get busy do it
I wanna see you party
Get up people now get down to it before the night is over"

Well, it's the weekend and what are you doing? We're seeing lots of cousins and hoping a new baby arrives too. Baby Zelma is due any minute.

Hope you have a trillion good moments with family and friends over the weekend and Holidays!

xx
sharon

SNEAK peek: Holiday Rappin'

2011-12-15T14:38:00.000-08:00

I"m popping in because I wanted to share something special. Here's what just rolled in...

Do you like this rolling industrial cart? Me too. It's for sale.
AND.My sweet friend Adie, of twin town studios, came over to photograph our "rappin' workshop". I'll have more to share soon.

NEed any last minute gifts that we can wrap all up real pretty for you? Come to Pickwick House. The neighborhood sidewalk shop.

xx
sharon

Visions of Sug. (SHOOOG}

2011-12-15T00:59:00.000-08:00

Making final selections on things for a few bedrooms this week. Finalizing can be hard for a lot of people. Pulling the trigger just sometimes take an extra set of eyes. That's me. EYES PLUS a nose.... {a nose that would like to think it KNOWS...ha} Sorry, I've just been up way too late catching up on things for my clients and sound a little cooky.

A few projects are about to wrap up and we're almost ready for photo shoot time. I hope to share soon!

I put together a little inspiration board for a bedroom makeover. The walls are grey. I may do a tone on tone moroccan-shape stencil over the existing grey. I like the one pictured in the top right corner...although those aren't quite the right colors, but you get the idea.

lamp: bungalow 5
pillow: zinc door
console: drexel heritage
flowers: dianthus
bedspread: pine cone hill
karntha throw: one kings lane
navy wing back: crate and barrel

So, do you like it? I am in love with the lamps. They are $300 each, so not so sure that they'll make the cut when it comes to final subtotal.

Happy Thursday to you all!

xx
sharon

Revamping: Tiny Tips with Large Impact

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

In need of some revamping your home or office space after the new year? I look forward to January for several reasons. It's a time to get reorganized AND revamped! Give me a call if you're interested in booking for January.

Pictured above, is the jellybeans design center that I designed. I wanted the center and/or desk area to feel like a little inspiration island in the middle of the sensory overloaded store of many sweet things. As a general rule of mine for any small space, I am a firm believer in creating "islands" or "pockets" of creative think spaces. This one happened to be only a 4x5 foot space.

What We Used:
For the jellybeans store, we repurposed MUCH of what was brought over from the old store. The desk is old, but given a fresh coat of paint. The chairs are vintage flea market finds. The curtains/pelmet/canopy are newly made and the boxes are from Lowes. The geometric valance at the top is attached with velcro. I thought if we ever wanted to update the look, we could always have another one made in a different style and/or color with a simple switch-a-roo.

I painted the edge of the table peach to match the valance edging. Then to tie the chandelier in, I painted some of the crystals peach too. I feel like painting more of them peach and coral could've given it more of a "punch"...

I hope you're enjoying your holidays and this week! Boy, it's flying by.

xx
sharon

PLAY! Indoor and Outdoor

2011-12-12T10:05:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! Here is a little project that happened to me. I know you've seen some images of Jellybeans before, but today, I can't help it, I am kinda proud to say it's now in published book form. Play! Indoor and Outdoor is the title. and it features some really cool kids spaces from around the world. Jellybeans is among them!

Jellybeans is a baby + childrens boutique I was privileged to design. My sweet friend, Nathalie Bearden is the published photographer. I will be ordering some to sell at Pickwick House. Let me know if you're interested in purchasing one and I'll add you to my cart.

Here's the cover:

And, for the kids...Here's a quote for believing in yourself. I've had to tell myself this quote several times along the way.

Today seems like a good day to share it with you.

"If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means, paint, and that voice will be silenced. ~Vincent Van Gogh.

I hope you have a good week!

xx
sharon

Color of the YEAR: Tangerine Tango

2011-12-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday! I always look forward to hearing the color of the year prediction from Pantone. It's been announced for 2012. AND, it's TANGERINE TANGO. LOVE.

I recently started pinning on pinterest. I know I'm one of only a million to jump on this midnight train ride. How about you? Are you pinning? Are you overwhelmed by all the options, ideas, and trends that you're seeing on there? Sometimes I am too, but after the color of the year was announced, I immediately wanted to blog some inspirational rooms etc., but then quickly realized that "my personal" pin board on pinterest was already a bit covered up with tangerine.

SO....

Here are some pinterest pins I made of my tangerine dreams.

Hope you're having a wonderful tango weekend.

xx
sharon

Little Women + Gift Wrapping

2011-12-07T04:34:00.000-08:00

We're about to get "Crafty" in the house tonight for our chic gift-wrapping party. Special guests Elsie and Emma will be bringing their own collection of unique wrappings and bows to share with several of my sweet customers, friends, and neighbors.

So, the workspace is set! Long tables, scissors, and buckets of stuff to use. I think the cover of this Little Women book is so cute and it reminds me to get that movie out again. The movie gets to me, does it you? Speaks to some of my fondest memories of growing up in a house full of mostly girls. A strong, strong Mom, roughing it, long work tables for crafting, and proud things that we made.

If you weren't able to make it to this workshop, no frets... I'm anxious to announce all of our WINTER workshops very soon.

source

source

Stay tuned for photos of our good times. My sweet and talented friend, Adie of Twin Town Studios will be sharing soon!

xx
sharon

Annemarie's Christmas Party

2011-12-06T11:07:00.000-08:00

Hi All. Are you staying cozified? I've got my new sorel boots on for the soft blanket of snow...It's amazing how much these boots put me in the mode for "getting 'er done" today.

Okay, so I'm happy to introduce you to another one of my special interns, Annemarie. Her time is almost up here at Pickwick House and I am not so happy about. She's been wonderful, funny, full of ideas + tons of tips on style.

Today, she's sharing her idea of the perfect Christmas party. And, she's using my fave color...RED.

For cocktail hour, this setting is my favorite. I love the use of red especially the use of cranberries. The wreath has a natural look with the long pine needles. If you want to recreate this type of wreath, I suggest taking a wreath and spreading the branches out to elongate the design and create that realistic look.

A delicious drink to serve would be this cranberry margarita from the website My Recipes. It can be served frozen or on ice. For a little extra Christmas flair, add a garnish of a holly leaf and sugar around the rim to make the glass look frosted.

For setting the table for a dinner party, I always believe that less is more. This setting from Martha Stewart Designs reminds me of my mother’s style with the ornaments hanging from the chandelier. Again I love the use of the deep red, but if red is not your color; this setting could be just as lovely in an emerald green.

Make sure your guests remember your party by leaving them with a gift. These ornaments are unique and easy to make, with the only materials being newspaper, modge podge glue, glass ornaments and glitter. Your guests will love the gesture and be dying to know where you got them!

Cute ideas, huh?

Thanks Annemarie. I'm going to have to try that cocktail recipe!

Have a cheery-cherry-cheeked week, everybody!

xx
sharon

It's a Wrap!

2011-12-05T06:09:00.000-08:00

Happy December-Monday to you! A few delightful details here. We're about to find ourselves knee-high with gift-wrapping as well as wrapping up the year of 2011.

I am really loving these hanging stars and palette for a New Years brunch or bridal shower.

source

Do you see stars in your future for 2012?
source

I know it's a little soon to already be thinking of next year, but we are so humbled to be booking and looking into planning some of the sweetest weddings for next year. There are more and more roses bloomin in the month of May! We can't help but feel grateful for what this year has brought to us in terms of the fruition for the year to come.

How about you? What are you feeling grateful for?

Have a merry and joyous week! And don't forget about the workshop. We still have room to squeeze a few girls in to our pile of sequins, ribbons, glitter, and bows!

xx
sharon

Fun Before and After

2011-12-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday! I thought I'd pop in on this rainy weekend day to share our new online Pickwick House holiday bazaar that just went up this week. It's here. It's just a small collection of special things I love that I hope you can enjoy per-using from your own little abode. What things are you up to at home? Here's something I've had going...a before and after. And, yes, I'm so happy to say it's already sold. Even though I wouldn't have minded keeping it for myself. I have a sick chair addiction.

Happy Day. Peace & Joy!

xx
sharon

Re-Upholstery: Why It's Worth The Wait

2011-12-02T03:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! What's new?

I've had a couple of people call me recently to ask me who I use for upholstering. My answer to that question is: I use whoever I can find that is the most readily available. I think there are three listed in the directory and I actually have had to use those three different upholsterers all on one project. Mostly because I needed to finish by a deadline date and each upholsterer could only work so fast. But, because there aren't too many upholsterers left in town, these craftsmen are always backed up. The wait time is always longer than I like it to be...but it's worth the wait. Bless their hearts, some of them work night and day to please their customers, and the two that I love and trust the most are the sweetest old men with wives as their partners in the trade. They always deliver their craftsmanship with a smile. Their work is really good. Have any of you had any pieces reupholstered lately? Was it a good experience?

To see a few examples of the upholstered pieces I commissioned for a design project, you can go to Boca Mocha to check out several upholstered pieces done quite nicely by all local craftsmen. I can't praise them enough.

Here's my reason as to why upholstery and upholsterers are worth "the wait" in gold...

Pictured below is the perfect example. It's a sofa just waiting to be reupholstered that Will and his mom found at an auction for me to resell at the shop. It has been the comfiest and most rock-solid of all sofas. Have you noticed that they don't make sofas nowadays like they used to make?

While this comfy sofa has been perfect for nursing my baby in my back room...it could be perfect for holding a slew of rambunctious kids or a really tall man who wants it all to himself for a football game. Are you in the market for a sofa like that?

I chose a soft, charcoal tweed. I'm loving menswear for furniture. I think this piece will ranscend all times once it's all done.

Here's a similar shape and styled sofa below from Oly. I love it too. It's just $6,785. A little too expensive for my taste and client's budget.

Do you need a designer to help you with just the little things...like selecting fabrics, paints, or even just to stylize your home for company coming? No job is too small for me! Let me know if I can help you. Please call 417-873-9999

Happy Friday and Have a wonderfully cozy weekend!

xx
sharon

Warming Up for the Holidays!

2011-12-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

We're gettin in full warm-up gear at our house. How 'bout you?

Here's Big Girl Syl in her new Christmas coat. The wreath was all her idea. Funny how she never seems to like photo ops, but today she was all about it. I would be too in a coat like that!

Hope you're all having a productive week! Calling all you local crafters and party-wanna-be-ers, I know you won't want to miss the upcoming gift wrapping party at Pickwick House! It's going to be fun. You can find out more about it here.

I'm off now to go meet with Elsie and Emma to plan * design * create...!

xx
sharon

Candy Cane Inspired

2011-11-30T14:50:00.000-08:00

sources

Friends! Have you signed up for the chic gift wrapping party next week?! Well be sure to sign up because it'll be more fun than it will be work.

So wee are in the throws of party planning for our next few bashes here and I'm currently loving this sweet candy cane twist color scheme of a table scape. Chic yet played down with a pretty linen table cloth. And what about that cake?! The umbrellas are just an cute and unexpected fashion accessory for a wintery mix of a sleet + rain.

What are you up to these next few weeks?

Happy December!

xx
sharon

Chic Gift Wrapping Party

2011-11-29T10:43:00.000-08:00

Hello my lovely readers. I hope you all had yourselves a nice thanksgiving holiday. I sure did. Without further adieu...it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We're so excited for our next in-house event!! Be sure to read to the bottom to see who our very special guest will be.

Need some fun ideas for wrapping your presents this Christmas? Grab a gift and a friend and come to Pickwick House on December 7th for a Chic Gift Wrapping Party. Arrive at 6 p.m. for cocktails and conversation and stay till 7:30, leaving with a perfectly wrapped gift to place under your tree. Cost is $15. Wrapping paper, ribbons, sequins, and glitter will be provided!!
Seating is limited so RSVP today!
Special Guest Elsie Larson from Red Velvet Shop and A Beautiful Mess will be in attendance to help with inspirations!!

Guest Blog: Marissa with Thanksgiving Interiors

2011-11-22T23:14:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone and Happy Thanksgiving! Marissa, my wonderful p.r. intern, is popping in today with some of her own inspirations for this holiday on a special blog post. I really loved the pumpkin idea she posts below! I'll be doing the table scaping at my mother in laws today...in preparation for thanksgiving day tomorrow. Using gold pumpkins, antlers and some bits of nature. I'll be sure and share some pics from our family dinner with you...meanwhile, here's Marissa!

Keeping with the fall theme, I (Marissa) will be showing you how I would design my home for Thanksgiving. There is a way to make your house feel that giving sprit without being tacky. I will show you a few of my favorite home decorations.

Lets start with your door decorations. A wreath on your front door is a good way to being your guests experience into your home. I think all your decorations should say something about self. Make sure to choose a wreath that goes with the overall theme of your home.

Small fall decorations around your house can be very simple. The decorations shown below can go in your kitchen, on your dinner table or your living room table. You can completely transform your typical pumpkin by just painting it and applying some scrapbooking letters.

I really like this next Thanksgiving themed decoration. You can use the same picture frames around your house and insert an image like below. Having interchangeable pictures can really change the whole theme of your house.

Thanks Marissa! Love the last idea of interchanging pictures out for the holidays!

To all of you out there who read my blog and listen to my boring stories....thank you! I really do love you and always love hearing from you.

xxxx
sharon

LOST December

2011-11-18T03:56:00.000-08:00

"Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest moments in a useful life." ---Ralph Waldo Emerson

source via Teddy Truc

I was looking at the NY times best seller list the other day and saw the title, "LOST December" and the title alone really struck me. It made me realize that I don't want to wake up in January and go... "What just happened?"

My 17 year old daughter was pausing the other day and making a verbal account of her year this year, and it made me so happy to hear her say that "THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD YEar!" Her statement made me ask myself about my year too. Whew, has it been a crazy one for me and my family! All in all it's been one of the very best years ever...even with the new storefront, learning how to balance time with customers/clients, family schedules, carving time with Will, teen issues, soccer, soccer, and soccer. A van on the fritz. A new baby. A 3 year old. A baby at work with me. We've settled into a really good groove though and have come a long way. I attribute it to the new cliff builder protein bars. They have made a huge impact. HA! They have 20 grams of protein and it's amazing what they'll produce energy-wise. They also curb low blood sugar meltdowns considerably!

What about you? What has your year been like? For all you moms out there, I'm sure your year has been googly-eyed too, no doubt. I see a lot of moms in the same boat... on the same squirel-like-treadmill...even when they have only one child. When you're a mom, wife, working mom inside or outside the home..pockets of time are few and far between.

What am I gonna do about it?

I'm going to make a real, "Holiday-spot-lighted-effort" to not fill it with useless junk this December. I guess you could say I'm starting a new years resolution a month early....

Here are my December GOALS:

Be less plugged-in to social media. Turn off the phone and thoughts of the business at 5 oclock. Make time to read with my kids every day. Carve out time to read to myself. Take better care of the van that gets my family where it needs to be. Stay positive, and cheerful, and give praise where needed. LOVE my family. Give to others who are in need. Make life simpler by saying yes to less outside stuff. Visit my father in law, and my youngest brother. Send "love" to everyone around me.

That should be easy, right? Shees-ish...Thanks for listening to me ramble upon my personal quests.

What about you? How are you going to use your December? I'd love to hear from you and see some of you this season!

May you have a December that won't be lost OR forgotten. {Oh, and last week and a half of November thrown in too}

With Much Love, and Some Cheers!

sharon

8 Things to Cozy Up Your Home

2011-11-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

It's officially cold. With these temps, we are busy cozying up. It's not too hard to do in our little house, considering four of us sleep in one bed. {he, he} Five kiddos and two adults in one house sometimes makes for a good way to heat the house with just our own breath alone. Lol. But no, really, with winter coming on and knowing we'll spend SO much more time in the home...I REALLY find it important to like spending time in it...do you? Here' my list for making the home cozy with a few simple changes.

1. Fur Throws. I really love the faux ones. We love the sheepskin pelts too. We have about three or four of the faux throws and we still sometimes fight over them at our house. They are great to curl up in when we sit on the porch, or when we sit on the leather couches in front of the t.v.

source via Nicole Stormer

{I would love for our kingsize to look like this}

2. Change out the pillows. Bring in some warmer textures like velvet, fur, wool, tweeds. Deeper colors too. I love the look of this....Layer. Layer. Layer.

source

3. Books. Aren't these pictured above pretty? I have a friend who collects old leather bound books and these are hers. *want* I especially love the warmth they give off. I imagine each of them to be as great as the likes of Charles Dickens. Read candlelight or by the fire.

Will was lovingly rearranging our book shelf just last night. It gets dis-sheveled looking pretty quick in our house. Before I met him, I only had books out that looked pretty. No significant meaning or use to me. But Will quickly changed that and made our house look smarter in more ways than one...Using both...Books for show. Books to read. I LOVE that. :)

source

4. Branches. More Bushy ones really create an impact. Like this one above that I did for a client. I always love magnolias. And even though they dry out pretty fast inside the house, they still look really pretty all dried out. Last year, I drove around town looking for a tree, because I think I'd depleted my sisters in years past. ha. So, I finally found a huge magnolia tree, knocked on the door of that personal property and when the lady came to the door, I offered to pay her for a bundle of branches and asked if I could help myself. She was so nice and declined taking the money, and said to instead donate the money to my favorite charity. How nice is that? I find that if you just ask, people are more than happy to help.

Sara Pratt via Pinterest

5. Healthy, Seasonal Snacks setting out. Pears, Oranges, Pomms, Nuts.

Ana Mineiro via Pinterest

6. Activity Stations. You gotta have this! Growing up, that's what my mom had for all of us nine kids. The dining room table was always the hub for everything. Art, Puzzles, Dinner, games... Even if there are no kids in your house though, it's still a good idea. Another one of Will's ideas was to put a pad of paper and pencils in each room. For jotting ideas on, making lists, and writing notes. I LOVE this idea and have found that I get more creative with these incentives laying around.

7. Baking Materials for the Kitchen. Not from a box.I guess this is an extension of the activity station, but it's a whole other area that feeds all of your loved ones in your life. Here are my two girls above. Eleanor is the baker at our house. She also bakes all the goodies at Tea Bar and Bites. She's SO good at it. I love how she makes our house smell good and that she takes little Syl under her wing. So much can be said for getting in the kitchen. And, as you can see, our kitchen is by no means fancy. Just a place to get messy and dream.

8. GOOD movies. And while we're on the topic of baking, I'll bring one movie up that I'm sure everyone has seen. Julie & Julia. It was a good one, huh? I'm sort of a.d.d. My family makes fun of me because I usually either fall asleep or lose interest in most movies before the movie is over. Because to me, unless it's a REALLy good movie, I can't hang on to watching it. SO, this brings me to my question for you. Share some of your favorite movies. I would love to add them to my wishlist on Netflix.

What are you doing in your homes to cozy up?

I hope you have a happy Thursday.

sharon

Learn a SIMPLE plate setting

2011-11-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

source
Last year, I donated a table scape package to a wonderful cause. The doula foundation. The winner of the package asked me to put together a special table scape for a dear friend's birthday party. The client was beyond happy when they saw the final result, but in addition to his complements, I heard the sweetest complement thru a friend of a friend about the work I did for this special party. That warms my heart to hear that I can somehow be helpful in making a party memorable. Have I told you, I LOVE my job?

What are the things you love to do to make a holiday memorable? To me, it doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive.

For this fallish-toned table scape pictured above, I wanted to do a simple place card setting and take-away. Here's what I did...

1. Since the dinner was Italian, I decided to use something used in a lot of Italian cooking. Garlic. Fresh garlic. Inexpensive. I took a knife and put a slight cut in it to hold a cardstock name card.

2. For the custom take away, I made a bookmark using some leather strips I found at a local leather shop. I think they were $1 each. Then, I took thin, copper tubing and fed it thru the top of the leather strip to make a fancy curly-cue topper. The strip then became a fancy, looking book mark that looked like an expensive thoughtful gift. To me, the bookmark was the perfect-little-useful-something to use going into the winter months. A good gift made simple. Cheers!

xx
sharon

Warm Inspirations

2011-11-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

What are your inspirations for Thanksgiving table scaping? This outfit is mine. I love her whole outfit. I've never seen high-heeled duck shoes. Have you? I wouldn't be able to walk in them. So, yes, I'd be a waddle-duck for sure in them. But, I do think they're pretty cute. Plus, I'm loving the combination of blues + mustard gold. I think I might just have to table scape with these colors.

Have you checked out our online bazaar? Pickwick House Online Bazaar. I'm proud of it. I'm launching the next series around black friday time. What do you do for black friday?

What if, instead of shopping at Target, Pier One, or all the other superstores on black friday weekend... you took a little visit to my store? I'd love it if you would.

Thanks for your support. I love it. AND, I LOVE YOU!

Project Progress: Bone + Ice

2011-11-11T06:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday!

I have the most lovely client. She's a cool woman in her fifties who is young-spirited, artsy, well traveled, and kind. She has a hip, steel grey hair cut, loves all shades of grey from charcoal to marbled rock, to shiny metallics. Her wardrobe reflects the same. I'm most envious of her amazing collection of geodes, crystals, and rock conglomerates! I tell you, she's cool and I'm lucky. Here's progress at her new condo. It's a photo taken from my i-phone, so I hope you can see past the fuzziness.

Yesterday, I added the lonie mae pillows to the the u-shaped vintage sofa. The bone colored pillows are warming up the icy effect of the the crystals, sequins. We're getting ready to warm the walls up with some large prints with some similar tones.

Notice the cabinet in the background? That's a vintage 60's hutch that was originally an orange-ish brownie color...we painted it in the same Martha Stewart metallic that I used on the sunburst mirror in her foyer.

source

Love this bone + ice print. It could easily fit into my client's house.

Loving nature...
I'm feeling a bit distracted this friday with all the fall beauty around. I may drive down to Arkansas and take a gander at things and nature with my little-fam. I hope you can find some pretty fall distractions this weekend!

Recent Work from Pickwick House

2011-11-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

source

Happy Thursday!

Here's a bedroom that I recently did for a client that Nathalie Bearden photographed.

xxxx
Sharon

Guest Blogger: Pickwick House Intern

2011-11-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

HAppy Wednesday! The workshop is a week from today. To find out more about it, go here.
It's basically just an excuse to get out, have a seasonal cocktail and get your creative juices flowing before your fam arrives for the holidays!

With all of our preparations for our next workshop here at Pickwick House, I've asked my interns to share some inspirational ideas for the Holidays.

Here is Marisa. She has been updating my website, and readying all of my work to be launched soon for the Pickwick House website.

Take it away, Marissa!

Hi! I’m Marissa, an intern with Ms. Taylor. I am currently pursuing my career in public relations. I’ve come to show you some of my fun party ideas for this coming Thanksgiving Holiday.

First the invitation. Everyone loves a personalized invitation these days with all e-invites everyone gets. This invitations from Brittany Kinzie classy and simple.

Second the table scape. You can have an elegant dinner and still be able to tie in the thanksgiving theme. This table setting from Krystin Vidal brings in the vibrant reds and oranges that we all love during the fall.

Third the Pumpkin Spice Martini. To help bring the holiday cheer and give your guests a martini.

Last but not least the party favors. Leave your guests remembering your amazing party. Using old corn husks and plastic bags create a great candy favor. Guest will remember your party from the invitation to the gift leaving the door.

Thanks Marissa!

Bedroom Inspiration

2011-11-08T14:08:00.000-08:00

Have you signed up for the "Sprucing Up For The Holidays"? It's next week and my team has been busy helping me prepare some really fun ideas/things. We are REALLY excited about it. It's been fun hearing about each of my team members own holiday traditions. What brightens your spirits during the holidays?

Things are also clicking along with my projects. Here's a bedroom inspiration board for my client's bedroom. Check out my online links below. But, remember Pickwick House has things to show ya too. It's the little white building to go for interior design/event design and event planning. *Wink. Wink.*

Capel Rugs: Emerald Arabesque by Genevieve Gorder ${waiting price request}
I.O. Metro: Fiona Lamp $199
Arhaus: Seville Chair $999
Zinc Door: Trina Turk Pillow $52

Hope you're having a not-too-gloomy day.

Cheers!

xx
sharon

Bedroom Inspiration

2011-11-08T14:03:00.000-08:00

An Invitation to "Spruce Up"

2011-11-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

It's time to get your sprucing on! With the cold weather and the holidays fast approaching, I've come up with a wonderful excuse to host an evening of "Sprucing Up for the Holidays". I'm so excited and there is no better time than now to get in the mood for it! It's gonna be a night filled with some real goodies. It will be part seminar, part nibbling, part-PARTY, part funny.

When: Wednesday, November 16th at 6:30pm

{source}

I hope you can join me and a few other special guests!

sharon

Guest Blogger: Pickwick House Intern

2011-11-04T11:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday all! I'm excited for you to hear from my interns, here at Pickwick House. Starting off, I'd like to introduce you to Morgan Franke. She is a hospitality, event planning major at MSU. She's involved mostly with my store layout, store layout for parties, workshops, and stylish ideas for upcoming events. Today, she talks about trends she's loving in interiors.

Take it away, Morgan...

Alright! Now it’s time to talk about design trends and stuff we love at the Pickwick House. Personally my favorite! So lately I’ve been noticing wood and rustic tones offset by modern twists. Overall it gives a neutral tone but also serves as a pop piece in most rooms. And when offset by patterns and different genres, the room becomes a team where every piece works with one another.

Another trend I’m excited to talk about is the pop of color. This is usually mixed in with large neutral pieces and one or several small pops of color. It brings your attention and your eye all over the room and you don’t miss a detail.

{sources}

Here they’ve paired a neutral couch with a neutral flooring and the neutral table with the zebra rug and bold pillow patterns.

The last thing I want to talk about is a trend I’m just beginning to notice is large, elaborate, ornate headboards! They can be subtle and blend with your room, or they can serve as the main focal point in which the room is designed around. Since the patterns and possibilities are endless, there’s always room for extremely unique one-of-a-kind pieces!

This headboard was so fantastic I had to share it!

Foyer Progress

2011-11-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a little more progress on my client's foyer. Picture is a little fuzzy and dark, but what do you think?

The overhead light is a pottery barn capriz pendant... it's a readymade portable{with chain and plug-in}. We had it cut and mounted to a ceiling cap to make it a permanent fixture. It's similar in shape to the large-scale commissioned globular pendant that's in the dining room. We're building upon a theme of spheres, which was the client's initial idea to start with. Hence my idea for the door, the sunburst, and circular looking sofa that I'll share soon as well.

I stopped in her place last night to check on the art installation. The carpenter mounted a beautiful marble-veined vase on top of a rustic wood column.

The gold sunburst mirror I posted yesterday needed to brought down a notch, so we used a Martha Stewart glaze from Home Depot, called anchor grey. We used it on several other pieces in her place too.

More from this project to come...

Happy Thursday! And don't forget that we're getting ready for a Holiday Open House this weekend!

xx
sharon

Foyer Blazh

2011-11-02T00:13:00.000-07:00

Greetings to you, my friends and Happy November! Various projects are taking shape.

I'll share with you the before's of a project that is beginning to take shape this week. The homeowner tidied things up by tearing out gross carpet and laying hardwoods before we took this picture.

It's a good start. I chose the paint color, Rare Grey, for all of the interior walls from Benjamin Moore. I love it and so does the homeowner.

I really dislike small, skinny floorboard trim, but this homeowner's keeping it. I feel like painting the skinny trim a glossy white would only be accentuating something that should not be accentuated. So, the question is... How do you NOT accentuate it? My solution is that you just paint it the same color as the walls. The cheaper quality trim then disappears and blends in with the walls. Suddenly the walls seem taller too!

The first thing you see when walking into this condo, is the ugly louvered laundry room door. It adds a blank feeling to my life that makes me want to slam doors and shout at all the things I really don't care for, like flourescent lights, crooked lamp shades, and faux tuscan decor in the Ozarks. Well, I didn't even come close to yelling at the door. I just said, "See ya door." And, then said, HELLO to "fun" door from Lowes. It's the second time I've used this door for a project. I love it.

So, what do you think? Do you think the hallway needs a long console table for the right hand side? I say, yes. A long rug, and a few cool, trendy fabric-cubes tucked underneath. I hear the foyer needs to wet the appetit. First impression is SO important. It needs to be major-statement-hor-dourves. I think I learned that from Nate. My main goal is to make this foyer go from blazh, to ding-ding-ding! I'll know it when I see it, hopefully.

Well, look what I found. A funked-out, grooved-out table with pink/red granite. It was a deal of the day. Super cheap. Like $55.50. I told the dealer to keep the granite. I shoulda sold it on ebay, but then again, some things aren't worth dealing with. Then I had my carpenter take a look into what it would take to oxidize some mirrored panels to adhere on all sides underneath and atop.

Someone actually built and welded this thing really, really well. I love the knobby legs. So different. Unexpected and beautiful.

My friend told me about this sunburst mirror. It was huge. Pretty cool. Almost a tad bit, new-age, 80s-ish-icky gold. Not something a little paint won't tone down. Just the thing to go in the entry way. Hanging over the console table.

Well, that's it for this post. Be sure to check back in to see more progress this week! I have lots to share. My interns will be posting about some upcoming events we're working on, but I ALWAYS like taking suggestions on what you'd like to hear, read, see, eat, etc...! Please share.

sharon

Graphite + Emerald

2011-10-14T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hello! Happy Friday!! What do you have planned for the weekend?

My teenagers are doing homecoming festivities. It's pretty exciting this year. My Eleanor is art commissioner and she came up with the theme concept/decor/t-shirt design. It's "INTO THE WILD". I'm so proud. Will share pictures soon...

**********************

This week, I'm presenting a bedroom makeover for a woman and her two sweet little dogs. She loves green. She also loves a hard-core durability factor and she loves Better Homes & Gardens magazine. I'm using this room below for inspiration. What I love about this room is that it is easy-going and livable elegance. You know how you see most homes with elegance that look too pretty to touch? Well, this room is not that. The casual linen chairs and bone chandelier are really great combo of relaxed textures and silhouettes against the graphite colored wall. And then the green drapes just knock it out of the

"back-yard-ball-park" with flirty, fun drama. Do you love it?

{Veranda Magazine}

Restoration Hardware Vintage Washed Belgian Linen Quilt and Shams in Graphite

Ballard Designs Stevenson Nailhead Headboard {In Grey}

Ralph Lauren rug called Kenya in ivory and dark chocolate

This is the "before" of the room. She's starting over in here and I can't wait to get started!!

Hope you all have a beautiful weekend!!

sharon

Inspirations + Mom + Family + Client Progress

2011-10-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

Hi ALL!! I haven't blogged in a while. I'm still trying to find the balance of work and new baby on Pickwick Street. I admit that I really could handle a full time job of canoodle-schmoodling this good, sweet baby all day long. Here's a snapshot of the 100% juice box.

Jack has grown 4 inches in 6 weeks!

Loosening the seat belt straps this time hasn't been so easy for me. Partly because I'm sad that he's the last one + the old saying, ... "They grow SO fast"... but mostly because Sylvie stuck her a.b.c. gum inside the mechanics of the lever on the baby car seat. Gum hardened that lever...so now it requires a hard-press-down from a screw driver every day or so that Jack grows again.

Sylvie, Raleigh, and Payton

Sylvie was a flower girl this past weekend for her uncle Michael and aunt Gabby's wedding. She did a good job throwing the petals down, but refused a bath beforehand because she was a little obsessed with these older girls.

In the swirly whirl of the things going on in my office:

Can't wait to use this AMAZING chair for another office design! Just scored this off the truck of one of my favorite vendors. Chocolate Upholstery with GOLD legs = Truffle Delight.

Sneak Peek of Client Progress: an old pedestal table in it's primer coat before it gets a pickle finish. Thomasville Chairs are being reupholstered in a beautifully worn turquoise leather.

My big boys are finishing up their own busy soccer season this month and Eleanor just had her senior pictures taken. Eeek. Yes, they do grow fast.

I feel very lucky + happy with all my loves around.

I'm going to leave you with one more love. This interior inspiration from Veranda's recent "House of Windsor". The room is sheer perfection to me. The windows letting in the light and I love the mostly white restraint, but not overly minimal. The vintage chairs are what make it. Wish I knew what kind they were. Any one know?

I hope to start blogging more regularly and also, I hope you have a wonderfully, pretty Friday!!

xx
sharon

33 Ways To Stay Creative

2011-09-20T05:42:00.000-07:00

source

What did you do over the weekend? We had a rain filled weekend that made for a soccer tournament rain-out which led to nice, long family lunches, quiet time, flea marketing, and time for dreaming up new project ideas.

Hope you have a great week!

sharon

thank you

2011-09-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

source

I need these fans. Not for any events necessarily....but so I can thank and "fan" all of you for being so sweet to me these past few days. I'm so incredibly grateful for all of you.

The open house was this past weekend and it was great to see everyone that stopped in. We had most visitors in on Saturday...but here's my very first customer. Charlotte Collier. The sweetest, spunkiest, classiest 90 something year old lady. She's got it together more than anyone else I know. She wanted to hold Jack immediately upon walking in the door. It was so cute. I think she was pretty sold on him. {Notice the sign behind her.}

Counting my blessings. I have way too many to count. How about you?

This huge chalkboard was just given to me for free by a nice flea market vendor I recently friended. Who gives things like that away? That in itself is a blessing.

My intern hung tons of charms, old clock faces, and odd objects from this tree we arranged in the front window for the fall open house. The charms are only $2 each. I've sold a few of those, but still have many left for those of you unable to stop in this past weekend. They'd make great charms for necklaces, funky napkin rings, key chains, or even a rear view mirror little thing. The windows are going to get some more dressing up here in the next few weeks. Be sure to watch for some new creations.

I hosted the monthly Met Bride bridal vendor luncheon here at Pickwick House on Tuesday. We used an all monochromatic color scheme of black, white, silver, and gold. About 20 vendors came. I love Met Bride. And the community of vendors we have here in Springfield is really great.

Here's an "in the works" buffet set up I pulled together that morning. All different shapes, sizes, and finishes of mirrors for the back drop behind buffet. By the way...I just discovered a new LOVE. An alternative to a table cloth. Shiny black patent leather vinyl. No sewing needed. Just a few yards covered this 8 foot long table. It's sleek, chic, easy to wipe down, no wash or iron needed. PERFECT for a Halloween party or a chic Holiday party. Super cheap too. It kinda draws me back to kindergarten where I remember one of our school supplies was called an "oil" cloth. Does anyone else remember this?

Ta-Da!!...Notice the spread of food arrived...but I did not cook the food. The Traveling Chef brought yummy stuff.

How's your week going? I hope it's a smorgasbord of good things.

sharon

If you'd like to make your house into an inviting home, please call me or come see me.

bad day

2011-09-12T19:26:00.000-07:00

   (source)
I've had a bad day. I could use cheerful thoughts, if you have any.

   xxxxxx
   Sharon

2011 Interior Design Award: Office {Sharon Taylor of Pickwick House}

2011-09-08T04:21:00.000-07:00

Hi All! Could the weather be any more invigorating and inspiring? I hope it'll put a pep in your step to come into Pickwick House today thru Saturday for our "FALL into Style" Open House.

My interns have been busy helping me ready the store while I work on more design projects outside of Pickwick House. I'm so happy to have five interns joining me this fall! I could still use two more art + design students to join in for our fall and winter window installations. Qualification Must-Haves: must be a hard worker who is passionate about hunting for the unconventional objects to weave and create a storied window. Please email me if you are interested.

Photos by Randy Colwell

I'm so proud to share my 417 Mag's winning interior design award with you. Here are a couple of pics from the online version of the magazine....and here's the link. To see a better overall room image, take a peak at the September issue of 417 Home, now on newsstands {p. 70}. I'm a little sad to say it, but...we're already moving on with this office. It actually was recently just disassembled to become a little girls nursery. That's the good news! I hope to share that soon.

Special Thanks to my intern, {now assistant}, Hillary Ellison and my two older sons who helped me load up a truck load of props to use for this photo shoot, on one of the very hottest days in July, I might add. You may not realize it, but a lot of work goes into preparing a room for a photo shoot. It took all day to get things situated just right for every angle of that lens.

Hope to see you today! Bubba Jack will be here with me. He's one of my best-natured babies, so be sure to come say hi.

xx
sharon

Nursery DESIGN

2011-08-30T06:29:00.000-07:00

Not sure of the Source? Help.

Pickwick House

I'm working on a nursery design for a little girls room. I love the sweet little nursery at the top. I think those chinoiserie cabinets are really pretty and not so expected. I love the calm, soothing nature of the room. When I ran across this image, I was reminded of the cabinet I have for sale at the shop. It's still for sale. And, it's still a really sweet deal. I hope to sell this design to my client for her nursery.

So far, this turquoise dresser is the only piece we have for sure for the room... And the crib, of course. This one, above, will be used as a changing station. I just love not only the color of the piece, but the hardware especially. Although, I'm really drawn to the soothing whites.

Found on One King's Lane

Here's another piece I love. LOVING the classic lines and sweet little slipper feet it has. It looks more sophisticated and slightly too serious for this girl. But mixed with some fun, and funky lamps + wall art, I think it would be darling.

John William {Jack}

Amy Pennington Photography

Amy Pennington came to the shop to photograph our bubba Jack.

I love this little guy...and can't wait for my client to welcome her new little girl.

Have a swell day.

xx
sharon

Equestrian Love

2011-08-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

Good Monday Morning to ya!! Remember this fun, chevron chair? Well, it has sold, sadly...but the pillows are for sale at the shop. $68.

Did I ever show you this equestrian pillow? I'm sure I have. I have a thing for equestrian stuff. I was reminded of my love for it this morning when I popped onto Lonny Mag's tweet. Their great equestrian finds are at the bottom of this post. I want their soft-grey-ish horse pillow they have posted....badly.

Back in January, I designed the horse silhouette pillow with my logo frame-work and then had Kendra of Lonnie Mae sew it up. These pillows are extremely well made. The down pillow inserts are terrific too. I don't like pillows unless they are down filled, really, do you?

amypenningtonphotography.com

blog.lonnymag.com/

What have you got planned for the week? We are planning the fall open house. SO, pull your boots out, and ride your little pony to the shop!!

xx
sharon

back in the saddle again

2011-08-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

Windsor Smith Foyer

LOVE that settee up there!!

Hi All! I apologize for the long, long absence. I hope you're doing well! I've missed you!

With the new little addition to our family and the end of summer nearing, we've been soaking up all we can of baby and also getting settled into new activities with the school year fast approaching.

This little break has given way to a much longer list of to-do's. Top of the list is to find new, cool things for my clients and the shop.

Here is a picture below, of a table I found at a flea market. I loved the lines of the legs, but hated the look of the wood, and the wing-top... reminiscent to me of the 1980's shaker style that was so popular. The lines of the legs reminded me of the french benches I'm seeing in a lot of the magazines right now, though. So, I de-winged the table with a screwdriver, painted the legs white, added a 2" foam cushion, a durable steel grey colored fabric, and brass tacks. What do you think?

Wing-Top Flea Market Table

{Re-Invented bench at Pickwick House}

I think the bench would be great for a bathroom, extra seating for a living room, a bench to pull up to a desk or even as bedside table with a mirrored tray on top.

Will and his mom spent an entire blistering-hot, 103 degree, July day at an auction purchasing some really great items from a house that was still fully decorated with antiques and vintage finds. The house was also auctioned and I had so much fun peeking at its 1960's decor done by one local designer, complete with flocked wall-paper and matching drapes/valances. Such a gem.

Anyway, I'm busy as a bee getting some of those auction pieces re-worked and upholstered for the "Fall Into Style" opening at Pickwick House on September 8, 9, & 10th. I hope all you locals can make it. I'

I love re-working pieces. And, I love the step by step design process for making custom pieces out of something no one else would care to envision. Do you have any pieces like this in your own home that you are proud of and want to share? Please post to the facebook Page or send me an email!

Going back up to the top of this post, I have to say I'm obsessed with Windsor Smith's room pictured at top. Obsessed mostly with that settee. I have decided to attempt to build it. It may end up being a failed attempt. But, I've got to get it out of my system. Using an old coffee table from the auction, I'm going to work with my handy, dandy upholsterer to try to achieve that look. Stay tuned for that re-do.

And, in case you're wondering, yes, I am working again.. Please feel free to call me or stop in if you have any need for a decorator! xx sharon

I'll leave you with the August Pickwick House newsletter,

Breathe In, Breathe Out

2011-07-28T05:38:00.000-07:00

Life is about to get fuller. I've slowed down a bit, as of yesterday to get ready for baby. I love the floating beauties above. Geronimo balloon-troopers have me in a frenzy to want to celebrate life. Aren't they fun? 100 Layer Cake is having a pop up sale on their splendidness until Friday. Check it out!

Lemon, Lime, and Ginger Hazelnut Crunch Mousse. Sounds like a mouthful, huh? That's where we are in coming up with a baby name too. Throw some out there for us. We need help. Bad. {source}

blissfulbblog.com/

Love this soft landing pad for a little one from anthropology.com/

Can't wait to share some news with you soon. As well as projects that I have just about got licked.

xoxo

sharon

Summer Buzz

2011-07-14T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hi All! How's everybody fairing in the hot, hot heat? I've been meaning to post for awhile now, but things have gotten crazy backed up with many appointments booked before I have baby. Some fun ones that I can't wait to share. I really love the clients I'm working with. New and Old.

If you'd like to see some snippets of the summer soiree I threw at Pickwick House, I just noticed that Elsie blogged a sweet little post about it here. Thank you, Elsie! It was an honor to have you and Emma and Mallory there to help us celebrate wedding season and summer entertaining!!

So...
13 days til due date. I'm getting all day-dreamy wondering about what our little guy is going to look like. As you know, I have two great sons already...{one taller than me and one inching up on me by the minute} by my former husband.

This baby boy is a first for Will. So, I'm loving Will's excitement for this big first-moment to arrive for him. Not to mention Syl's three year-old lovey-dovey affection towards the baby in my belly too.

****************

Okay, sneak peak of a quick-quick-quick project I'm in the midst of. I haven't even put together an inspiration board yet, but am wanting the vibe to be rustic-cottage meets modern funk.

Installation completion date will be mid-week, with a photo shoot also mid-week for a home profile in a local magazine.

And, to throw more grunt-work-moving-furniture fun into my last days of pregnancy, one of my projects will be photographed for an interior design award next week. Luckily, the home-owner is an OBGYN and can deliver my baby if I go into labor.

A potting shed/wine tasting room

Interior of Shed: Love the herringbone brick floor, but we're looking at breaking up {softening up} some of this brick

Hansel and Gretel Door: Rough Sawn Cedar Door

Sketch-up I did for wood cabinetry being custom built on two walls

Wanting to hard-coat paint this jack-and-the-beanstalk-boy

pedestal table {must for the tiny space}

The one we purchased yesterday. LOVE the base!

A chair option??

Chair inspiration {source: HGTV design star}

Boxes for storing Bird Seed. Going to add castor wheels to the bottoms

Burlap Coffee Sac Cloth to be used for custom made pillows and wall panels

Trying to figure out a rustic-chic-wall panel design to go on back wall. Print side? Plain side???

This is what I decided on: No print + BIG tacks. 6'x4' double panels to soften the interior + Taylor-ize the walls

Wall Panels with Tacked edging inspiration. Mary McDonald does no wrong with tacks. I LOVE tacked edging on anything!!

Stay tuned for tinier updates!

xo
sharon

Just Chill! {July Birthdays}

2011-07-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

Hi all. Hope your 4th of July day is swell and not just swell-tering hot. We've really been having a relaxing few days, with food, fireworks and water. I hope you are too!

{sylvie in her ruffled bottomed suit by our stock tank}

I went flea marketing with Will, his mom, and Sylvie yesterday and we came home with a truck load of fun projects {spray paint and upholstering jobs}.

I was so worn out yesterday, especially after this past week of work, that I actually took a big nap {a rare thing for me to do} to rest up for our little baby-greet-and-meet. It's funny, how at the end of pregnancy, the weight really wears you down. Will's mom has been spoiling us with good food and fun as usual though, and this morning there was a sweet neighborhood parade that started and ended at her wonderful house and back yard with popsicles + watermelon + bubbles + water balloons.

source

I've been feeling a real urge to nest at our house. There is so much that I want to get done before the little guy arrives. We just rearranged all the rooms and everything is still waiting to find its place. Will has done so much at the house lately. Adding crown molding, rebuilding the front porch, and continuing on with his great landscaping. I'm so proud of what he does.

But, there are the little things that I notice and want to move on with before the big day. I try to stay chill about these things, but I guess it's the nervousness thing that I get at the end. We still have a table saw in the front room. It might need to be replaced with a crib, rocker, baby clothes, and some dust-free floors. With less than three weeks away, i'm ready for the fresh paint to dry and the great gust of sweet baby's breath to infiltrate...I can hardly wait for that goodness to blow thru our doors.

source

I'm also planning on setting up nursery at the shop. So, for those of you who've been wondering if I'm taking time off, the answer is mostly "no". I wish I could take a small breather, but it will be time to get back to work right away to keep the ship running...Baby in tow, because I'll be a nursing mama.

Thanks so much for listening to my long, and restless rambles. I appreciate all of you so much!!!

Will is off to buy sprinklers. They are my favorite fourth of july thing.

Have a chill day!!

xoxo
sharon

Pickwick House + Re-purposed Stuff

2011-07-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

It's a good thing my air conditioner is working today! It was on the blink last week, here at the shop.

So question of the day...What to do when it's this hot out? DECORATE. I love decorating the house and bikes for the fourth, don't you? Here at the shop, I'm loving a few new set-ups we've done. We didn't go overboard with red white and blue, but we do have a few corners devoted to Old Glory.

Here are a few snapshots. Kendra took some better photos from the soiree that I'll share with you later. By the way, it was great to see new faces at the shop. I had people from Branson and Joplin come for the event. So sweet!!

Here's a little update we've got going today for all you locals to see what you can come in and purchase today to make your gatherings have a little glittering effect.

Old Dress Form

Summertime, and the livin is EASY

Pickwick House Vignette for the 4th...the frame sold right after I set it up.

My daughter, Eleanor, at the store today trying on a beautiful feathered Elsie head-dress.

Okay, now a little A.D.D. action-dillioni: I'll skip now to a current project where I was trying to configure some kind of cool light fixture to fit inside some 4foot barrel burlap shades I designed for Boca Mocha. As you know, Boca Mocha , the restaurant I've been talkin about, opened yesterday. There are a couple big things that we weren't able to install... but for the most part, it's done!!! {And, I am WORN out.}

As of last Saturday, it was getting down to the wire before opening, and I still had no idea what fixtures to put in. I even dreamed one night, that a vendor who calls me regularly with his cool finds, called me to tell me he had six oversized disco balls to hang inside the six barrel shades I had. In my dream, it seemed to be a perfect juxtaposition to the burlap...a little glitz to balance the rustic burlap. Weird, I tell you. Not really the look we're going for, but in my dreams, I was overjoyed with excitement to have fewer questions in my head on the almost-to-deadline project {5 days from opening}.

Back to the project... the image above is a retro bowl-shaped shade intended for lighting. Backing up a bit to the dream I had....The very next morning after, I happened to see that very vendor the next morning at a yard sale, and told him what I had dreamt of the night before...that he found JUST the right thing for me. Well, a few hours later in that day, the vendor called to tell me he found eight of them for the barrel shades. {So sweet to have good resources and good people to help me}.

Anyway, with these bowl shaped "boca-bocas", I thought they might just be the thing to give off a good, industrial-like looking bulb from below. The idea was good, but the dome was too small and did nothing to light the huge shade. Also, I should tell you that the shades were first and originally made to be 4 x 4 feet. TOO BIG and almost hilariously so. Here's an image of what one looked like before I had it cut down to be two feet tall. This big thing looked to be more like a private changing booth you'd see on the beach or something..

In the process of design, plans ALWAYS change. Here is an image of another design possibility that I had floating in my head. A pretty chandelier peaking out from under the burlap.

So, here's the final product. No big, industrial bulb, no chandelier, no cheesy-I-detest-last-minute-when-all-else-fails-lowes-purchased light. Just a big, beautifully lit shade, underlit with a simple, simple THIS below.

I found these enamel pendants when I was driving to the country to do a wedding. A junk shop had them sitting out front for sale.

So, what do you think of the end result? I think it's contemporary, organic, and HOT all at the same time. The green drapes are happy too, huh? All the words we used to describe the place in the initial planning stages.

So, where'd the bowl shaped boca-bocas go??? Well, they are siting on a table at the shop serving a very different purpose. Elegant Place Setting Domes. Do you like them? I tied knots of silk thru the holes at the top. I have eight of them for sale and I think they are just the perfect thing for a crab leg boil, or shrimp and grits meal for a Fourth of July Picnic, eh??? What do you think? Would you use them for your dinner party? Yay or Nay?

I hope you're all having a good weekend.

I hope to have sweet family time and love under fireworks.

xoxo
sharon

Relief to The Abused

2011-07-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Front Side of Relief Effort. Back Side still unfinished and waiting for brushed nickel tacks.

Remember these chairs? I got these from a place called STD's. Of course, I WOULD be attracted to a place with a name like that. Funny little thing... after I licensed my business name a few years ago, I realized the initials of Sharon Taylor Designs actually match up with this place. Probly a good indicator for why I fall for and want to rescue things that are abused, germy, bruised and overlooked.

These chairs had mouse droppings caked into the the crevices of all the seats. No worries, they have been relieved, disinfected and stripped to the wood. I did not touch them! Only purchased them.

What are you all doing for the fourth? We're making it a stay-cation in our back yard. I want to see the fireworks at Hammons Field. Glad there is something going on in town. Don't forget Boca Mocha Opening. Let me know what you think of it. I'm pretty proud of it. Also, happy that I worked with amazing owners who had great input, ideas, and trust. Thanks Trimbles and Kellys~!

xoxo
sharon

Shade Under a Walnut Tree

2011-06-29T06:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday! Because it's so hot out, and because I enjoy treating myself and this little human inside me....baby J, I've stocked up on popsicles, lemonade, and, ice. I picked some fresh mint from Will's mom's house this morning to put in the lemonade for the KY3 tv entertaining segment I had today. It smelled so good.

source

Summertime is my favorite. It is about being a kid at heart and catching fireflies, drippy popsicles, lemonade stands, inch by inch garden growing, portable radios in a field, golden night skies, tree-climbing, patio umbrellas, zinnias, roller skating in the driveway, backyard picnics, tee-pee building, rock collecting, creek floats, blowing electric fans, charades, outdoor parties, mean croquet matches, country drives, badmitton.

Our yard has a towering walnut tree that shades our whole back yard. The stock tank is going to be filled today and I plan on dunking in it for a bit this evening with my Sylvie after a big day at Boca Mocha cafe. The cafe opens day after tomorrow and we're in the midst of crazy faze of everything going wrong that could possibly go wrong. It will all get ironed out though.

I'm giddy for the owners.

Don't forget the soiree tomorrow night! It's getting all fluffed at the store today and tomorrow. Smiles and Summertime Shade to you today!

xo
sharon

Happy Friday!

2011-06-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Next week has us all a buzz with excitement for lots of fun reasons.

#Boca Mocha Opening {just ordered some yummy, shiny, black patton leather to go on some rustic, rattan chairs for the organic meets glam coffee/restaurant shop.

Summer Soiree at my shop.

KY3 tv segment...I think Wednesday?

About the shin-dig invite up above: Please come, no matter who and how old you are! Elsie will be in the house along with my other fave artists, dainties, and fluffs!!

Get your summer wedding AND summer outdoor entertaining shoes on and come on in!!

sharon

Bocha Mocha Progress

2011-06-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

Remember the Pizza Hut-looking cubby booths + chairs I showed you at Boca Mocha? The whole space was covered in dreadfully awful booths and cheap chairs.

At first I wanted to obliterate most all of the booths. They were BAD. I can't think of a person that would want to sit on those grimy, stick-to-your-thigh-skin booths in the summer {winter, spring, fall for that little matter}. Not to mention the snag-cloth {polyester backing}. There was just not one ounce of ambiance to be had with all those booths and awful chairs.

Design is tricky though. You have budgets and you also owe it to the earth to at least think about how to not make it suffer heaps and heaps more with piles of grody, old, used commercial furniture. So, my first question in designing were and continue to be: How do we save costs, earth mama, and not sacrifice style?

Using what we had, I decided to cut the short backs off of the booth benches and separate them so that the cubbies were not facing each other. I had all the seats reupholstered in a warm grey, had some high-back tufted boards assembled, and made it all go flat against the wall. Placing the tufted backs out, gave the room a softer, more elegant feel. I kinda like it. What do you think?

This image above is before installation. The tufted backs are actually taller now that they are installed.

Here's a close up of what the booths looked like before.

I'll be back with more. There's been a lot of bustle going on at the shop, and with projects. I hope you'll stop in next week for a summer soiree at the shop. I'll post the invite soon.

Have a lovely, sunshine day.

xoxo
sharon

{Press LOVE} Springfield, MO Weddings

2011-06-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

Getting some nice press on "what I do"...

As a Springfield, MO girl...It's always nice to see my work gracing the pages of magazines and sites that I absolutely adore. Thanks so much to the following:

The Knot Missouri/Kansas Weddings Magazine...where we made one of five on their "Hot Sheet List", highlighting our new studio , design work, and "unique, outside-of-the-box" ideas.

Also, over on Style Me Pretty yesterday, Abby featured a wedding that she said "will be a feeding frenzy for ideas". Elsie and Jeremy's Beautiful Mess Wedding that Kendra Skinner and I collaborated on for reception site design. It is one of my fav weddings ever.

source

We are also so grateful to be featured in the local Metropolitan Bride's beautiful summer issue! It was a 7 & 1/2 full pages that touched on three different projects of ours:
Our new boutique design studio {Pickwick House}
My REAL SIMPLE weddings feature for 2011
And a summer tablescape I designed.

source

NOTE:

Mark your calendars for a Summertime Soiree at Pickwick House on June 30th

CELEBRATING:

Our New Design Studio

All Things Wedding-ISH

Recent National Press

Stay Tuned for an Invite! We will have summertime refreshments, music, fresh ideas & "Taylor-Made" decor tips for entertaining!

Can't wait to celebrate with all of you!

xoxo

sharon

Boca Mocha Rendering #1+ FOUND Things

2011-06-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

Hi All! I took a little leave of absence from blogville. Sorry. Last week was unusually crazy. Here's a long post. If this drains you, just realize you can be fueled back up with Boca Mocha from Haiti, here in a few days or two.

Follow me on twitter, ST_Designs, you'll see that I was busy working on four different photo shoots with @Nathaliebearden {photog/friend who is now moving to Houston, Texas shortly}last week.

Nathalie and I have worked together and clicked so well since last summer. I'm pretty sad that our future jaunts are being cut short, just as we were forming a good friendship and biz-lady-mom-bonding. So, to say the least, these have been #bittersweet photo-shoots. Interiors and Party-Scapes. One more to go that is going to be so sweet and all Nathalie inspired. Houston is lucky.

Boca Mocha Project Update: Here's a rough draft rendering that my wonderful intern, Danielle, and I have been working on. Still not sure whether to paint the awkward cabinetry above the countertops. Any thoughts? We're two weeks out from deadline, and still have not been awe-struck with lighting/uber cool chandeliers out there. I'm designing something to be custom made out of coffee bean burlap sacs. We'll see how goes...

Boca Mocha

In other news, the fam and I went up to St. Louis to see my Louis compete in the State Cup soccer games. We saw the second of his team's game-winning streak, had a mini-mini-vacay, made some work phone calls, kissed Louis good-bye + good-luck to more games, drove home for a "good-to-go" ultra sound, and just now got word that his team won quarter finals! SO, now I'm heading back up to St. Louis tonight, completely empty-pocketed after hotels, gas, and food, to see the semi-finals game tomorrow. I don't want to miss these next few games.

I left St. Louis with an awe-inspired appreciation of FOUND style, architectural wander, industrial-wander genius ideas. The City Museum. The City Museum was incredible. It's one of the top ten places for family fun in the world. All genius envisioned by one guy. Bob Cassilly. With all it's gears and fancied up junk, I'm in high gear for Boca Mocha project.

Industrial Rack on Wheels {to sell coffee and coffee stuff} Found for $50

FOUND these Hefty-Backed Horses for $10 each

I'm thinking white lacquer on the wood, white vinyl seating, nickel finished tacks all along the edging, and they'll look like million dollar chairs. Contemplating leaving the back side that's black leather and stenciling on a bold letter to spell out B.O.C.A....

FOUND: for $12 bucks

We'll use this for either wall art or a fun/funked out light fixture. The tag said this was yard art. I think it more like upscale wheelin' and dealin' art work. Gold spray paint will glam it.

Remember these?

Pizza Hut Ponies

My Little Pony

One of the Boca Mocha owners, Rachel, decided she'd hand-paint chevron stripes on some canvas after we couldn't find an inexpensive fabric that we liked. A girl after my own heart. Mom + DIY-er with good tastey ideas. She has 79 more of these pony seats to go...using an additional weather resistant urethane to protect them from food and coffee spills. Each one will be different patterned too. Any suggestions on a graphic stencil that might make it go quicker? Oh, and luckily, we sourced the best painter that will sand, paint, and re-seat each chair for only $5 a pop!

This project is turning into mostly all up-cycles, and we didn't even intend for it to be fully so, it was just found that any new furniture we wanted to order, would take six to eight weeks for shipping and delivery. And the clock was ticking under six weeks when I took this boca.‘km

I just sent off these double sided monstrosities to be upholstered by one of the three upholsterers we have on the project.

In the meantime, to fluff up some historic proportions of junk, I fell in love with this room's curtains. I'd love to do a sweeping 18ft drape at the back of the store. Just for some good ol' Scarlett O'Hara drama. You know, I love that Scarlett was a grassroots DIY girl herself.

anngetty.com/

A little Boho

Lastly, for today, but not least, I sourced a hanging chair {sorta like this one} from a friend who found one for the shop in KC. Rachel, the shop owner showed me this one from Anthro, and I thought it perfect to hang from the lofty knook.

Fist Pump

2011-06-08T03:21:00.000-07:00

I've notice that designers are enamored with the Pedro Friedeberg Chair. Who has one? Jonathan Adler, Kelly Wearstler, and now, me. Except mine aren't solid-gold-chic. They are the "Wanna-be-Pedro's" {knock-offs} to be used in Boca Mocha. When I'm done with mine, these chairs will be joining all the cool people.

{Ever seen the cool people dance with their hands pushing up and down? That's what these chairs look like...Cool dancers, fist pumpers, and really impressive, fabulous hand-shakers.}

Here's one of Jonathan Adler's client's homes with a pair.

(source}

Kelly Wearstler in her foyer. Posing in her usual rad way with her rad skateboarding boys.

{source}

More golden goodness in Kelly Wearstler's home office, featured in her newer book, HUE {which I sell at the store.

In need of a good manicure and hand massage.

I'll be priming it and then using a high gloss brush-on gold from Benjamin Moore.

So excited to share these DIY's and a few more that I've got going to the shop.

Hope you're staying cool, with this debilitating heat were having here. If I had it my way, I'd be near some cold water today....Splashing away to a wildly wet Wednesday.

sharon

BHLDN Decor + More

2011-06-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

BHLDN decor has hit the market and who wouldn't love it?? It's anthro's sister for all things wedding and soiree's. Here are some fun faves to get you started, but to see more, go here. Just the sweetest stuff for weddings, parties, and life's sweet cele-BRA-tory occasions + fashion.

It's a wedding weekend for me. A sweet, vintage minded girl named Jillian is getting hitched at Wommack Mill in Fair Grove and Kendra, Danielle, and I are coordinating and setting up.

The setting is too precious... Follow me there as a I tweet. {ST_Designs}

Happy Weekend!

sharon

BHLDN decor has hit the market and I'm loving it! Here are some fun faves to get you started, but to see more, go here. Just the sweetest stuff for weddings, parties, and life's sweet cele-BRA-tory occasions. And some fashion.

Boca Baby

2011-06-02T16:01:00.000-07:00

Need a smile to brighten your day? Go here. Hope you enjoy!!

In other bright news: I had my first "Tony Braxton"{non-real contractions that cause drama reactions} moment today {with little guy} and Sylvie also got a new cousin on her Papa's side of the fam today. Welcome to the World, Sophie Ellen Lampe! Congrats, Callie and Tom!!

Speaking of kids, the Boca Mocha cafe will have a sweet little loft upstairs devoted fully to:
kids, moms, dads, creative playspace, a cozy cafe, a quiet hideaway, an art oasis, and a neighborhood meeting spot.

source

Here are some inspiration pics.

source

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday. I hope to share some renderings tomorrow.

xo
sharon

Boca Mocha

2011-06-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

The owners papered and taped up the windows today at 320 Park Central West. They painted a cute little temporary logo on the window too. The two couples' excitement is so evident and really cute. The girls are here, while the boys are on a coffee buying trip in South America. Getting ready for the latest coffee shop/cafe to open. Boca Mocha.

I've been drawing up inspiration boards, and renderings with my assistant, Danielle. It's so fun. But it's also work. We're crunching numbers, re-drawing bids, making changes and trying to stay under budget. All in an effort to say "Buh-Bye" to a 1980's Pizza Hut-looking-space.

What do you think of the before picture? It's a lovely old building, huh? {The old Randy Bacon Studio}. I'm hard-pressed on this project because there are an awful lot of pressed wood chairs, laminate top tables, cheap cherry wood carpentry, sage green walls, rust-colored accents, and hunter green duct-work.

Lighting a match to the wood, would be my first instinct, but I think we can achieve a really rich look for less with a little paint.

the one up top is "right white"

"gravel" is the bottom right

For starters, Restoration Hardware's "right white" for the walls, and "gravel" paint for the wood. It took some time to convince the landlord that I know what I'm doing.

This is a big generalization, but do a lot of men have a hard time painting wood? What is up with that? Even if it's cheap. I love wood, don't get me wrong, but it's all wrong, here.

{source}

Here's what I want to go for: A rich-warm-grey wood cabinetry with white walls. I want to weave in concrete, woven rattans, reclaimed wood table-tops, industrial metals, lacquered chairs, and soft feathery cushions.

More to come on this later this week. I hope you're having a great week and that your past weekend was wonderful!!

xo
sharon

Happy Friday

2011-05-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

What a week. Hearts still heavy for Joplin. My thoughts will be with those who have lost their lives and their families.

I am happy though, when I think on the resilience, cooperation, and care that people are showing. That's why I titled the post Happy Friday. I hope you will find a piece of Happy in that too.

**********************************************************************************

I'll leave you with a sneak peak into a project presentation that I've been working on late this evening for a new coffee bar/restaurant that will be opening in July, called Boca Mocha.

{Salon Chair From Bernhardt}

{Flame Stitch from Tonic Living}

{Via Design Sponge}

Happy Friday and Memorial Weekend to you.

sharon

Guest Post w/Kendra

2011-05-26T08:41:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Kendra and I put together a "Summer Lovin" party shoot. Janae Hardy, an amazing photog, neighbor, friend, blogger, and mom photographed the set-up for us. We had so much fun! Thanks Janae! Be sure to pop over to Elsie's blog this afternoon to see that Summer Lovin guest post we did for Elsie, who is still away "honey-ing and moon-dancing" with her new hubby. Congrats, Elsie and Jeremy!

**************************************
For those who took a hop over from Elsie's blog, HELLO, And welcome to MO stuff.

I just opened Picwick House, here in Springfield, MO, a little over three months ago. It was a long time dream. It's so great to finally have a space to think clearly and to meet with new clients outside my home, where I formerly worked under the name, sharon taylor designs. Anyway, Pickwick House serves as a mini-showroom where I sell "finds" that I simply fall in love with and can't resist...mostly refurbished vintage pieces/antiques, one of a kind items, and art. I also use it as a design house for working on my commercial and residential design projects, events, and weddings. I host monthly workshops, and also love to host private parties for people at the store.

if

Me {30 weeks along}{source Janae Hardy}

{source}

A Picture of The Shop {snapshot by iphone}

My Home Designs {source nathaliebeardenphotography.com/}

Summer Cocktail-ing by the Pool {source Twin Town Studios}

Summer Dining {source Twin Town Studios}

Last Summer Wedding {Kendra and I designed with LA event designer, JL Designs} {source gabriel ryan}

A Dining Room I Designed for a Client {photo by Sesha of Convey Studios}

Thanks for stoppin in! Hope you're having a lovely, sunshine day!

sharon

Emerald-City Wish List

2011-05-25T06:57:00.000-07:00

The perfect shade of green to me is Emerald. Would LOVE to have shades in my living room just like these...

{source}

{image via coco and kelley via stockholm street style}

Somehow this girl makes this crazy-patterned jewel toned outfit above work. LOVE the tailored emerald jacket and the fabric on those pants is stunning.

{dainty ring by Carla Caruso}

Willy+Daro Malachite and Bronze Lamp and agate plate via 1st dibs

I don't know how much this lamp above costs, but I imagine it's well worth the thousands of dollars I predict it to cost.

Hope you all are having a wonderful day! I know I will. It's my birthday.

xo
sharon

Heartbreaking

2011-05-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

I don't normally touch on local news and events, but hearts are heavy here... for the town of Joplin {A neighboring town not far from Springfiel}. Not one life is untouched there after one of the deadliest tornadoes in this past century's history devastated the city with a fierceness six miles long.

Scenes and stories are too much to bear. Devastating. My heart and prayers go out to them as well as all of those helping with the relief efforts.

/AP Photo/Mike Gullet and Springfield News Leader

How you can help Joplin relief efforts:

Convoy of Hope

• You can donate to Convoy of Hope at its website: convoyofhope.org, or donate $10 by texting Convoy to 50555. Additional texting charges may apply

The Food Bank/Ozarks Food Harvest

• Donations are needed and can be delivered to The Food Bank/Ozarks Food Harvest at 2810 N. Cedarbrook Ave. in Springfield.
Monetary donations are also requested at this time and can be made securely online at ozarksfoodharvest.org. Or, you can mail donations to Ozarks Food Harvest, Attn: Joplin Disaster Relief, P.O. Box 5746, Springfield, Mo., 65801-5746.
The Food Bank is requesting that community members donate easy-open, ready-to-eat nonperishable food items, or canned goods and can openers. Snacks such as crackers and granola bars are needed.

There is a demand for all types of personal hygiene items, including diapers, and paper products such as paper plates, eating utensils, paper towels and toilet paper.

Cleaning supplies are also accepted. Water bottles are not a priority from donors at this time.

Donations for Joplin relief can be delivered to Ozarks Food Harvest between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. through this week and beyond.

Red Cross

• Red Cross is not accepting material donations but is taking monetary donations.

You can donate by log onto Red Cross Greater Ozarks Regional Chapter at redcross-ozarks.org.

You may also come to Red Cross’ Springfield office, 1545 N. West Bypass.

Or you can donate by calling the toll-free number 866-206-0256. You can also text the word “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the American Red Cross.

Salvation Army

• The Salvation Army is accepting non-perishable food donations at its Springfield location, 1707 W. Chestnut Expressway.

Those wishing to send monetary donations to help with this disaster should designate those donations with the word “Joplin.”

Habitat for Humanity

• Habitat for Humanity is collecting items such as water, blankets, toiletry items, food, batteries, medical supplies, etc. Please bring items to the ReStore located at 2410 S. Scenic Avenue. Habitat will deliver the items to a central location/drop-off point in Joplin.

Thoughts and Prayers to all Affected.

sharon

Sweet Red Velvet

2011-05-20T14:56:00.000-07:00

The wedding season has ushered in. Last Sunday, a special girl got married. Elsie Flannigan of Red Velvet Art. Kendra and I had the best time collaborating with her. Boy, was it ever a fun and different and sweet experience of a wedding??!! Unlike any we've done before. We can't say enough good things about Elsie. She's queen of inventions and talented in many areas: fashion, style, DIY, and entrepreneurship. She's humble, kind, sweet, relaxed and open. This picture above is just a snapshot from her good friend. You can read and feel Elsie's excitement here in this...blog post. The professional photographer was Anna of Arrow and Apple. of Seattle, WA. She was super sweet to work with, too. More to come on this very soon, we hope.

Next week, we'll share what we {kendra, myself, and interns} have been busy, busy working on. Excited to share some sweet posts and also let you in on the interior design plans I'm preparing for a much anticipated coffee bar/cafe that will be opening in July.

What plans do you have for the weekend?

xo
sharon

Take a Load Off and Could You, Would You?

2011-05-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

One of the main questions I hear when customers walk into the store, is "What do you do?". The phrase I also hear in response to their walk-thru is..."Cute Store." Thank you so much for that. But did you know I offer more than just a little shopping experience?

I just found out this morning, that one of my interior projects is going to be published in book form. That's a first for me...and I'm pretty proud. But what me makes me most proud is that it's not just about a good looking space. It's about building a trusting relationship where we {me and you, the client} hit the goal together. I hope to do this and that with a lot more of you. Opening the store is sort of like a first step towards building new solution-solving relationships, trust, and de-mystifying the myth that decorators can be snobbish and/or not real.

For those of you who know me, you know I'm far from putting on airs. I'm the first to tell you that I haven't cleaned my house in weeks, I hardly have a social life, and that my back room is pretty much a day-care for Sylvie and baby-on-the-way.

That said....Take a load off, browse my work, visit with me, and ask yourself.

Could you? Would you? Let me do these things for you?

1. Design a Space You LOVE

2. Find "Unique-ness that reflects YOU"

3. Plan It and Make It Happen for you.

{photo source: }

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!!

Big wedding decorating weekend in store for me. Can't wait to share this "famous girl's" wedding with you. She's so sweet, real, and fun.

sharon

Design Crush: Chris Barrett

2011-05-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

Im working on a proposal for a coffee shop project as well as trying to figure out some things at our house...{the tee-tiny kitchen}. I went straight back to my design inspiration files to pull this out. The work of Chris Barrett. It's probably no surprise that this restaurant, COMME CA speaks to me. I chose the same palate for Pickwick House that he used here. Notice the black and white striped awning. So classic, happy, and cute to me. Drawn from the time-honored tradition of the Parisian brasserie, Chris used a minimalist color palate and eclectic decor to provide an intimate and understated backdrop that works for any gathering or special occasion. I think it's sweet perfection.

What do you think of the chalkboard walls? Are they a long-gone-overdone fad? I still love them, but Will thinks I need to move on with something else.

Happy Facing-the-Spring world today! "It's so BEAUTIFUL out!", as Sylvie says.

xo
sharon

Spring In My Step

2011-05-11T07:10:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys! Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner of the Mothers Day giveaway. The winner is...........Nicole Chilton. Yay, Nicole!! AND, Thanks to all of you who signed up for the giveaway and shared sweet little stories about your inspiring moms. I LOVED hearing all of them!!

So, movin on into spring...The roses are blooming at my house on Pickwick Street, and the sight and smell of them are putting an extra spring in my step. There is also a fresh scent of herbs filling the store at Pickwick House. By the way, the roses are called Zephrine Drouhin. A sweet farmers market farmer told me about them years ago. They are a thorn-free, new/antique hybrid that grow in the shade or sun, bloom all season long, and are maintenance free. They grow fast too.

This past week, I needed to have 90 favors ready for a local fundraiser benefitting The Developmental Center of The Ozarks. I wanted to use something that cost virtually nothing, but that also reflects the unique services and style we offer at the store. I came up with the idea of using vintage books and stamped them with my logo and then added sprigs of fresh Rosemary.

I have a set of sweet, sweet vintage-french-reproduction twin headboards in the back storage room. I haven't brought them out to the floor because they are waiting for the perfect client or customer to put some tender loving care towards them. If I could, I would cover them in a soft velvet, or creamy linen.

Gotta run. Have a Slap Happy Day!!

sharon