Girls night out Entertaining Tips

 

If you are like me, you love to entertain but find it hard to do with all the hats you wear as a mom. We are all involved in so many activities, commitments, work, charities, church, etc. that it's hard to find time to relax and enjoy.

However, we find a way to do things that we love, right?

The other day I had about 6 friends over to sit under my gazebo for the evening.  My girlfriends are extremely important to me.  It is easy to get so "busy" with our lives that we forget to make time for those that we love the most.

 I refuse to let that happen and am purposely making time to enjoy and nurture those friendships, despite my crazy, busy life these days.

I knew I wasn't going to have time to prepare homemade appetizers but wanted them to feel treated. I not only wanted the food to look good, I wanted it to taste yummy.

So I purchased some  of my favorite appetizers.  Some of great places to get yummy treats is Central Market, Trader Joes and I've even found some tasty favorites from Costco, if you can believe that :)  This time around I chose guacamole, hot sauce, fresh veggies, grapes, chicken salad, corn salsa, chips, crakers and some tasty cookies.  All easy "grab and go" snacks.

The key to making your appetizers look more "appetizing" is the way they are served.  It's tempting to open up a store bought chicken salad or hot sauce and put the container out and call it done.  There is nothing wrong with that and believe me I won't judge you if that is the way you do it :)

What I like to do is place my items in different kinds of bowls, dishes, jars, glass cups, etc.  It takes a few more extra steps but it's easy to do and makes your guests feel a little more cared for.  It shows them that you spent some time getting things ready.

 I purposely look for different kinds of  interesting plates and glass containers when I'm at estate sales, etc. Actually, most of you have these kinds of things in your kitchen cabinets.  Some of the glass jars I use are actually candle holders.  I love etched glass and glasses with colorful bases (as seen below).

Another thing I like to do, if we are eating outside, is serve the items inside on my kitchen island but have all the dishes on trays.  This allows us to move all the appetizers easily to the table outside if we decide to do so.

So next time you feel like you miss your friends and want to have a time around the table chatting, catching up, encouraging one another and laughing until you cry, don't hesitate!  Offer up your home and make it easy on yourself by purchasing your food and displaying it with some of  the tips I just mentioned.

 There is nothing better than being in a Home vs. a restaurant.  You will find that there is deeper conversation and a more meaningful time when it's around a kitchen table or an outside patio.

Step out of your comfort zone, I promise you won't regret the memories you make with friends gathered around yummy food!  Don't let "I'm too busy" be your excuse.

Fresh Decorating Ideas for the Color Blue

Yesterday was a great day!  It is always fabulous to have a job in your head for so long and watch it come to life.  I put together a design plan for my client after our Initial Consultation and I listened carefully to what they wanted their family room to look and feel like once it was totally transformed.

They desired something comfy, crisp,  relaxing and wanted blue and gray to be the color scheme, combined with warm tones as well.

I presented the plan to her and she LOVED it.    A design plan is a great way for the client and I to get on the same page before we start the job which is ALWAYS a good idea.  It is a chance for my client to see my vision for their space and helps them visualize themselves what it could look like.

Some of the items I actually know where I'm going to purchase, other items are a concept or an idea and will be selected/created as I go.

My job is to then make that vision come to life.  After all the main items are finalized, all the details start falling into place. It's a process and my creative juices are constantly working while choosing every single item.

I pour myself into my designs and it's my baby for about 6 weeks.

Every selection is chosen for a reason and I make sure each item is the right color & scale.  I'm known for adding a touch of fabulous texture, and I always  incorporate accessories soft curves and shape.

The Design Plan also allows us to get realistic about the budget and helps us prioritize what we really can and can't do.   Of course, there are always changes and adjustments to the plan and budget, and some special surprises I save for the install day which always makes it fun!

So yesterday, we cleared the room with the old furniture & rug.  We installed the custom sectional which the client loved because it is super comfy and perfect for their family life. The only piece they wanted to keep was their bookshelf which I agreed to (because I had a plan)  and I suggested that we reuse their console table since it was the perfect height and color.

BEFORE

AFTER

What a difference!  What do you think?

Here is the console table in it's new spot,  just cleaned it up (thanks to good "Old English").

We added these gorgeous ginger jars with some branchy greenery to create height.

We have a new coffee table on order but in the meantime, we used their existing one.  We added an incredible bench which is made from an an old door.  I had it custom painted to work with the room.  There are tiny bits of blue paint peeking through.  The artwork is so cool and I almost kept it for ME!  This was my added bit of texture!

I originally planned for the painting to be above the bench, but once we placed it, it wasn't as beautiful there.  I opted to hang it to the left of the bookshelves because the colors really came to life on that wall.  On install day, my client usually trusts me to make the best decisions and believe me, we make sure each item is in the perfect place.  Things get moved around several times before they find their true home and sense of belonging :)

The painting was created especially for the room.  We knew what fabrics we were using so the artist "Mary Howe" with Design Inspirations created this one for me.  The two of us make a great team, I give her my ideas, concepts, colors, etc. and she creates it based on the vision I've presented to the client.   She is incredibly talented and the artwork in the room always makes the space have personality.

Ruthie Tip:  If you have a dark bookshelf in your living space, a way to lighten it up and update it, is to use lighter accessories.  Don't use items like wrought iron or dark photo frames, they just disappear with a dark background. As you can see above, I used a lot of gray and white accessories to make the items show up on the dark bookshelf.  This same concept applies to your fireplace mantel.  I actually found the ceramic books at an estate sale (they were bright gold)  and had them painted and they are now gorgeous.

These two dark blue velvet chairs were added underneath the window for another little sitting area.  They swivel so you can turn them around to watch TV.  I'm in love with the draperies too.  The blue glass lamp is stunning up against the window.

I have 2 more installs this month so I'll post pictures as soon as I'm finished with those.  Hope these images have inspired you to make your home beautiful!

If you would like to see more of my work, visit my website at https://www.ruthiestaalsen.com

Marble Love

We are almost finished with a master bathroom remodel.  My client wanted a marble shower, gorgeous lighting, custom vanities and a free standing tub!

and....that is what we gave her.  It has turned out beautifully and I'm crazy about all the selections.

Here is a before so you can see what we had to work with.

The shower glass gets put in next week and we will do a photo shoot soon.  I'll post pictures as soon as it is all done!

Ruthie's "Walk-thru" Consultation Inspires

I'm extremely passionate about my "Walk-thru" consultations.  As you know this is how I originally started my business.  Hourly consultations have always been my specialty and I absolutely love them.

 

I recently met with a couple that wanted to remodel their master bathroom but didn't know where to start.  They had some thoughts about what they wanted but didn't know how to implement their ideas.  I met with them for 2 hours and helped them define their style and made suggestions for colors, textures, granite choices, tile colors, lighting, accessories and many other details.  Yesterday, they sent me this note:  "

 "Hi Ruthie! Here's a quick video tour of our bathroom. Your guidance was so helpful!! We couldn't find mirrors and lights in the shape and scale we really wanted but are pleased with these second choices. Thanks again for all your help!!"

You can watch the video below.  I added music to make it fun.

Master Bathroom Remodel

Here are some questions to ask yourself to see if you are a candidate for one of these specialty consultations.

Getting too many opinions? Confused about what color paint to use? Dealing with contractors or homebuilders that need your choices NOW? Just moved and cannot figure out how to make things work in your new home? Just married and consolidating? Kids are grown and now you don't know what to do with the space? Sprucing up and need ideas? Have ideas but just need someone to bounce your ideas off of? Need ideas to save you money? Selling your home and need suggestions for updates? Want to receive some design ideas or a glimpse of what we could accomplish, before committing to a full service design project?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, my walk-thru consultation is for you. This consultation is perfect for the DIY that is looking for inspiration but wants to take the lead and finish out the project. Have your pen and paper ready to take notes! We will meet at your project for up to 2 hours and together walk from room to room, discussing design ideas, paint colors, solutions to your decorating dilemmas and design challenges, ways to incorporate using what you have, and suggestions for any new furnishings and accessories.

Call me if you would like to schedule your "Walk-thru" Consultation!

Comfortable, Elegant Family Room

We finished up an install for a client last week.   They moved into a new house and hadn't done a thing yet.

They wanted to hire a decorator so things were done right.

I created a design plan for them, making sure I heard all the things that they wanted in their new living room space. The gorgeous, rich rug was our inspiration for the space.

They really wanted comfortable, cozy elegance and a place where they could entertain family and friends.

I created that look for them by adding warm colors, crisp textures, rustic elements and a touch of  glam.

Here is a quick video with before and after photo's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBjEm_--J-g

Hope it's a fabulous Easter for you and your family!  I just loved this stained glass I saw at a thrift store this week.  So appropriate for today's celebration.

You will notice I have a new website and blog. We moved to a different platform so now I'm learning Word Press. We are still ironing out all the glitches but it will be great in the long run.

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