Peek into our Dwell with Dignity Thrift Studio 2017

We have been working hard on our Dwell with Dignity Thrift Studio space. It has been a joy to do this vignette in memory of Dot Greenlee.

Swirl artwork was by Jennifer Ayyed and light blue glass rock artwork by Latoya Jones. Acrylic bases done by E&D Plastics.

Thank you to IDS Dallas Chapter for selecting me, along with Barbara Gilbert and Nicole Arnold to honor Dot in this way.

Artwork by Christi Meril

Dot was known for her use of bright colors, specifically pink.

Art by Artist Mary Howe

We wanted our space to be bright and happy, just like Dot.

Thank you to our main sponsors Robert Allen, Kisabeth Furniture and Nomads Loom. The stunning floral arrangements were donated by Curate Florals (Linda Baker, IDS President).

After we finished the space, the designers that knew her well said the space is a great representation of what she loved.

The lighting in our vignette is spectacular and I want every single light fixture for  my home.  The above fixture is from Currey and Company and it gave our installers fits. Very heavy and lots of sharp edges.  It is the star of the show in our vignette.

One of IDS Members, Josh with Stal Timber donated these unique side tables made from 100 year old beams. They are spectacular!  Paired with the rug from Nomads Loom and the navy velvet chair and sofa donated by Kisabeth Furniture, they are just gorgeous.

Follow me on Instagram to see more behind the scenes clips of our vignette and the event itself.

Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek.  This Charity event will be held on April 5th, just in time for my 50th birthday!  You can purchase tickets at https://www.dwellwithdignity.com. It is the event of the year, I promise!

If you can't make it to the party, Thrift Studio 2017 will be open to the public, starting April 6th and will be open for a month.

Stay tuned for more photos after the event is over.  Hope to see you there!

High Point Market Design Bloggers Spring Tour 2017

I just returned home from sunny Los Angeles! I attended the Design Bloggers Conference! It is my favorite conference because I get to spend time with my designer friends and get to meet new designers and bloggers as well.

When you own your own business, it is really hard to make time to get away for conferences like this. What I have learned is that it is crucial that you take time away from your every day work life so you can be inspired, encouraged, and filled up. This conference is that for me.

Dwell by Cheryl and Artful Interiors are two of those great friends that I have made through this conference.

I also got to spend an evening with a few Dallas Designers, which was a treat.

Brooke Giannetti with Velvet and Linen was one of the speakers, and she was so fantastic. Brooke was one of the first blogs that I started following when blogs were just beginning. I latched on to every word she said when I first started blogging and learned so much from her.

She was a true example of a great designer with a casual spirit that connected with her audience. If you haven't had a chance to read her story, do it! Her husband is an architect and they are so lovely together and so incredibly gifted. They are extra special because they too have chickens, just like us!

Another of my favorite speakers was Lord Spencer, Lady Diana's brother. He spoke about his 13 Acre estate in England and it was fascinating to hear his stories!

I got to eat on the patio at the Beverly Hills Hotel and we got a glimpse of Kim Kardashian. Of course, we only got a quick glimpse of her but it was still a fun movie star sighting. Can you believe these gorgeous flowers in their lobby?

One of the awesome things that was announced while I was at the conference was that I was selected to be on the High Point Market Design Bloggers Spring Tour along with these wonderful designers!

Visit High Point Market Design Bloggers Spring Tour 2017 to see each participant.

I am so excited about this because it is yet another opportunity for me to connect with new designers. I also look forward to being introduced to new vendors and contacts during market.

These are the wonderful bloggers I will be on the tour with:

Courtney Allison, www.frenchcountrycottage.net

Margot Austin, www.thedesigneditblog.com

Elle Cole, www.ellecoleblog.com

Nina Magon, www.livestylishdaily.com

Lisa Mende, www.lisamendedesign.blogspot.com

Michiel Perry, www.blacksouthernbelle.com

Me, Jana Platina Phipps, www.trimqueen.com

Ruthie Staalsen, www.ruthiestaalsen.com

Laura Umansky, www.laurauinteriordesign.com

Rhoda Vickers, www.southernhospitalityblog.com

Our sponsors for the tour?

Meet the sponsoring companies and showrooms we will be touring.  Thank you sponsors for this opportunity!  See you there!

Tips to giving your entry a designer look.

This week I completed an entry for one of  my clients.  When I met with her, she explained to me that she really loved her entry table because it was a gift from her mom who she recently lost.  She also loved her artwork that she and her husband chose together on one of their trips.  She wanted me to add color and personality to the space to make it feel BRIGHT, HAPPY and WELCOMING.

BEFORE ENTRY

AFTER

No Problem!  I found these wonderful yellow lamps and knew they would make the space so much more inviting and happy.  They came with black shades but that wasn't going to give me the look I wanted.  I traded them out for these fabulous striped gray and white shades.

Ruthie Tip:  If you find lamps you absolutely love, trade out the shade to bring it up to the next level.  A patterned shade can change the look completely.

Ruthie Tip:  If your lamps don't come with beautiful finials then add some gorgeous ones to make them have grandeur and class.  You will be so surprised how that one thing can bring them up to the next level.  I personally love large crystal ones like the ones above.

BEFORE

Placing family photos on your entry table is a nice thought, however, in this case they are off scale with this large painting.

AFTER

Ruthie Tip:  Layer your accessories and choose items that either have a unique shape or texture.

If you look at my website you will see that I always use something from nature to make my designs come to life.  This driftwood looks fab against the wall color.

Ruthie Tip:  Fresh flowers always makes an entry feel alive and happy.

BEFORE

Curved entry walls are always a challenge.  Because we were on a strict budget for this entry, I had to be creative without going over budget.

AFTER

I found this wonderful bench with a curved back.  It fit perfectly in the space.  I added colorful pillows that coordinate with the artwork and we were all set.

Ruthie Tip:  If you have a large open entry, don't put small items there.  Choose large items that fill the space so the scale looks right.  I'd rather have one larger item that makes a statement than lots of clutter that says nothing.

Ruthie Tip:  When using a bold, colorful pattern, tone it down with a masculine print like a plaid, stripe or houndstooth.

Hope you are inspired to go decorate your entry this weekend.

Enjoy!

Modern Style Spanish Home

We recently completed decorating a home for a client that built their home several years ago.  They were tired of living in the space without the details. We came in and added accessories, lighting, rugs and some furniture to complete the home.

We had the dining room chairs upholstered in this colorful pattern outlined in the blue velvet that matches the couch.

The client had a couch that they LOVED because of comfort and quality but the style was outdated.  We had the entire couch redone and reshaped into something much more stylish with modern lines.

Custom swivel chairs with a geometric pattern, paired with a vintage style rug and round ottoman.  As you can see, the fireplace with the Spanish tile was definitely our inspiration for the colors in the room.  Don't you just love the gold ship that my client already had in their closet.

Grandma's old stool looks great with an antique embroidered pillow and newly made round ottoman.

This drum was in their entryway but I thought it looked better as a side table.  I found the pottery scattered on bookshelves and picked a few that I thought looked nice paired together.

Pillows really made the couch pop!

She still needs a grouping of artwork above the TV but she is waiting for something that really captivates her.

This home sits on a beautiful treed lot and is so peaceful and quiet. Their pool is absolutely stunning and can be seen from most of the rooms.

I'll be posting another job we finished this week soon.

Blessings to you! XOXO

Thanksgiving Table

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.

My goal this year for me was to set a very "natural" table.  I wanted neutral colors and simplicity.

My daughter and I found a Magnolia tree close by and we took a drive with our clippers in hand. It was a blast and a memory with great laughter.

We found more than just magnolia leaves.

I had a brand new large tarp (bought from Lowes) that fits over 2 large tables.

It was the perfect texture and color for what I was looking for.  We wanted everyone to be able to sit at one large table.  All 21 of us fit perfectly.  Now that we have teens, they would rather be with the adults.

I then placed black striped wrapping paper down the middle as my runner.  I found the animal print pumpkins at Hobby Lobby for 80% off so I was thrilled.

The magnolia leaves were layered down the center and I added fresh pears for some color.

 My husband bought me the plates for an anniversary present several years ago and I love them! I also layered cut aspen pieces amongst the magnolia leaves.

Time together around a table is priceless! Great conversation, good food and a beautiful table makes everyone happy!

  This table could easily be duplicated for a Christmas table.

Just add some pomegranates and you are set!

If you would like to see the live periscope that I did of our table, visit Katch.me where you can view the replay video.

You can also see many other video's I have done for decorating inspiration.