Dwell with Dignity Thrift Studio & IDS DFW

Dwell with Dignity’s Thrift Studio event is a fundraiser like no other! Thrift Studio is a 30-day pop-up shop created to provide financial viability and fundraising for Dwell with Dignity by selling donated furniture, housewares, accessories and high-end designer finds to the public. Since the concept launched in Dallas in 2011, the event has grown into a highly anticipated and can’t-miss event for DWD supporters, the interior design community and the general public looking for a fabulous deal on home furnishings.

Thrift Studio kicks off with a Preview Party which is a ticketed event where guests can shop the pop-up shop before it opens to the general public. Inside, Thrift Studio shoppers find stunning vignettes created by leading designers, showrooms and retailers featuring donated high-end home decor items sold at significant discounts with 100% of sales benefitting Dwell with Dignity’s mission.

Thrift Studio provides one-third of the operating revenue that allows Dwell with Dignity to change lives through design by bringing good design to those who can afford it the least. In 2016 Dwell with Dignity will complete 22 projects providing fresh starts for 20 families and 2 community partners.

Their approach of one household at a time allows them to be integral to breaking the cycle of poverty. They provide the stability, comfort and pride needed to change the course of the lives of the families they help. See above photos.

They cannot do it without the support of their largest fundraiser, Thrift Studio.

I am incredibly honored to have been chosen as one of the leading designers for this years Thrift Studio event. I am involved in the Dallas IDS chapter (Interior Design Society) and 3 designers were selected to create a vignette in memory of Dot Greenlee. Dot was a member of IDS for years and very loved in the design community. I am honored to work alongside two very talented designers,  Barbara Gilbert and Nicole Arnold for this event.  It has been a wonderful process so far and we are excited about what we have put together for our vignette.

If you are a designer and you are not a part of IDS, you should be! http://www.idsdfw.com/

We are thankful for our sponsors:  Kisabeth Furniture, Nomads Loom and Robert Allen

We would love it if you would come out to this event and support Dwell with Dignity!

SAVE THE DATE; This years thrift studio will take place on April 5th.

    If you would like to see more about Thrift Studio, follow my Instagram and Facebook Page so you can watch the behind the scenes process and get final details once the event gets closer.

Hope the rest of your weekend is fabulous!

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!