shopping secrets- the hunt

However, these awesome pieces below are still available... for now.

Well-made Wednesday- beauty edition

Like many women, I like beauty products and potions. Recently, I became overly frustrated with the volume of loose powders I had and the lack of great containers. I like the design of the L'Oreal loose powder with the brush top. I do not like the powder that is suppose to "shake" through the bristles or the containers with a puff that I can easily spill. I am also too cheap to just throw them out because they are poorly designed for my needs. So, my weekend "project" was to combine all my powders and put them in the "good" containers.

Popping and prying the lids off was the hardest part!

Everyone into the bowl!

Interestingly, the darkest color was actually the "concealer" powder.

Stir with a whisk to blend!

I refill the containers and had a bit left over to store in the cute polka dots container from Clinique.

Now that I have these mixed and in usable containers, I will use these up faster! I would only recommend doing this with new powders, or powders that only you have used. Otherwise it is rather un-hygienic.

Color inspiration- the Grey and Bronze of Adelina Sotnikova's costume

I love the combination of color on the Gold medal winner, in Ladies Figure Skating, free skate costume. Rich dark grey and warm bronze.... Matte grey and sparkle bronze... Pretty silk drapes and bronze hardware... Dark grey linen pouf with bronze nail heads... Soapstone counter tops with copper sink... I cannot decide how best to apply the combo!

Some inspirational riffs on that combo-

Here

Here

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Here

Here

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Kitchen inspiration- the black and white kitchen

My sister asked me to help her re-do her kitchen. So, we have been sharing a pin board on Pinterest to banter about ideas. We have different views on what would make a cool Black and White kitchen!

Her contemporary kitchen pick-

From blog: searching for style

My contemporary kitchen pick~

from blog: SF girl by the bay

Her Shabby Cottage kitchen pick-

from blog: cupcakes and crinolines

My Shabby Cottage kitchen pick~

from website: Jennifer Hutton Interiors

The constancy between both of our pins is glass on the doors to exposed shelves.

Glamour in new textiles

Shopping for fabrics today, I kept running across new fabrics that are total GLAMOUR! Sequins in boucles, aurora borealis rhinestones on silk, silvery filaments in velvet. Gorgeous glam! Interested in adding some glam to your space? Glam-ing up the greys? Try these!

How can damask be better... in shiny silver velvet!

Glorious as drapes with the sheen of silk and the glimmer of crystal.

Isaac, you are killing me with this glorious sequined boucle!
Glamorous ottoman, or new item of clothing, I cannot choose.

Drapes or ball gown?

New chaise upholstery?

It is a HOOT!

Shopping this weekend, I ran across this not-so-little HOOT! I love the colors, the style and the attention to detail. The original intent was to be a candle holder, but it look great on it's own. Handmade in Italy for Rosenthal-Netter, it is attributed to Aldo Lossi for Bitossi in the Rimini Blu colorway. I have yet to completely confirm that. He, or she, is such a looker... whOO, whOO, whOO cares. (little owl humor)

Check out the rest of the pictures below.

If you would like to own this 15 inch tall drink-of water, click here to take you to my Etsy store to purchase. UPDATE- sold out... but I am on the hunt for more!

Winning at Home Goods- organic Earl Grey green tea

I love tea... I have posted about tea before. Recently, I was at Home Goods and cruzin' the food items, because you can find some crazy interesting things there in often great packaging, when I found this...

Green tea + Earl Grey + loose tea + organic = 35.27 ounces of delish!
And, I cannot believe I got it for under $12!!!!

I'm just sorry I didn't get the black tea variety. I like that as busy as I am, tea makes me slow down, wait, and do one thing at a time- for a moment at least. And, it always reminds me of Precious Ramotswa at The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (a book series by Alexander McCall Smith), when Mma. Ramotswa needs to think, she asks Mma. Makutsi to make tea. Then there is all the tea drinking in Harry Potter... though I think I will have mine without Ogden's Old Fire Whisky.

Thumbtack design service

Photo credit: Jean Alsopp

I am intrigued by a new product on the web called Thumbtack. I have long believed that design services, in many ways, can be streamlined using the internet. This service allows you to contact a professional service by placing a project of the site to be "bid out" by professionals. It is a great way to find a designer, or any other service, and have them come to you.

You can see their portfolio, an they will send you pricing info for your project. No strings attached. To find my profile, you can click the link below. I am listed under the catagory:

interior decorator

So stop by and see me, I'd love to begin on your new project!

Best of Houzz 2014 awards- customer satisfaction winner

I am very excited to announce that I received a Best of Houzz 2014 Customer Satisfaction award. Press release below!

Laurl Self of Hoover, Alabama Receives

Best Of Houzz 2014 Award

Annual Survey and Analysis of 16 Million Monthly Users

Reveals Top-Rated Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals

Hoover, Alabama February 4, 2014 – Laurl Designs of Hoover, AL has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The new design business reconginzed for their use of color was chosen by the more than 16 million monthly users that comprise the Houzz community.

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2013. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 16 million monthly users on Houzz, known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 230 million professional images of home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site, iPad/iPhone app and Android app. Winners will receive a “Best Of Houzz 2014” badge on their profiles, showing the Houzz community their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz. 

“I am excited to be recognized for my customer service and satisfaction. I try to make every space reflect the best of each clients personal design.”

“Houzz provides homeowners with the most comprehensive view of home building, remodeling and design professionals, empowering them to find and hire the right professional to execute their vision,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of community for Houzz. “We’re delighted to recognize Laurl Self among our “Best Of” professionals for customer satisfaction as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

With Houzz, homeowners can identify not only the top-rated professionals like Laurl Self, but also those whose work matches their own aspirations for their home. Homeowners can also evaluate professionals by contacting them directly on the Houzz platform, asking questions about their work and reviewing their responses to questions from others in the Houzz community.

Follow Laurl Designs on Houzz http://www.houzz.com/pro/laurldesigns/laurl-designs

About Laurl Self

Laurl Designs is a interior design firm rooted in the tenants of art and design focusing on residential work and bringing the believe that everyone deserves good design. With undergraduate degrees in art and interior design, Laurl began her practice in 2009 and soon after decided to take the opportunity to complete a graduate degree in interior design from Savannah College of Art and Design, the top ranked program in the country. With her LEED-AP id+c combined with design experience and her top ranked education, she is excited for new challenges in the design community.

About Houzz

Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish - online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to get the design inspiration, project advice, product information and professional reviews they need to help turn ideas into reality. For more information, visit www.houzz.com

Tag, I'm it! The best of the tag sales this weekend.

Tag sale, estate sales, etc. They are the best for shopping for special pieces. This weekend's sales netted a great find. And though I will be bringing it to Hanna Antiques this week, a part of me want to re-upholster it into something fun and keep it for myself!
So, I am super excited about this vintage to antique settee below. I would love to see it at the end of a bed for putting on shoes, in a wide hallway for a great reading area, or in a limited space home. The exposed wood provides a smaller profile to fit into smaller spaces. And, it is comfortable. Oh, if only I have a client right now that needed this item!

Note how much space is left in the Prius!

Love to think that I can easily fit a settee into the car. Prius' are the best!

Pretty carved leg, that is lightly bunged- easy fix.

Check out the pretty and simple upholstery! I think it is the second upholstery job on the piece.

Original tied springs and burlap webbing underneath the dust cloth on the bottom.