We Put Baby in a Corner!

I have been posting hints of Lenas nursery on Instagram, for some time now and I am finally at a point where it feels complete enough to share. 

We put baby in a corner, and here is why...

We moved into our home a little over a year ago, with our children ranging from ages 7 to 16, with no plan to have any more! So having our master bedroom downstairs, was a win. (Far enough away from noise and the children).

Not even six months in, we were blessed to find out that I was pregnant and recently added baby number 5!  And the only place we could put her, was in a corner...in OUR bedroom. My initial thought was to convert our walk in closet to a nursery, but we really had no alternative plan for our clothes, even though we have great big dresser. However, this is still quite a win for us, because I could not imagine walking up the stairs, to change or nurse our sweet girl. Not only is she in the corner, it is now dubbed "Lenas Corner". That is not the only thing she rules or owns in our home, but I will save that for another post, at another time.

I am really pleased with the way Lenas Corner turned out, while it is a small space, it is completely functional and has allowed me to add color, in ways that I had not before.

Cute hooded towel, a bath time favorite!

Dresser | Shelves | Changing Pad Cover | Bunny | Frame | Crib | Crib Sheet | Piggy Bank | Moccasins

Disclosure Statement: Some links in this post contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link. 

My Re-kindled Excitement to Celebrate Christmas Again!

For a few years now, I have not felt much excitement around Christmas time and I really could not figure out why…I still don’t know. This year, things just feel different! Christmas is only two weeks away and I have yet to purchase a gift, I feel extremely excited for the season. We even started to put up our decorations much earlier than we ever have.

I use to be afraid to let the kids help me with decorating the tree because, I may be slightly OCD when it comes to ornament placement. But about 6 years ago, we put our tree up so late that, while I was at work, my sweet baby girl decided she was going to surprise me by decorating the tree with the help of her brother. It was very sweet of her and the tree looked crazy LOL!!!

Now they help me every year and I have let go of my need for a perfect tree…embracing the fact that my now teenagers are fine spending time with me. We will also have a new family member to help us celebrate Christmas, this year!

From Pool House to Guest Suite in 30 days!

This pool house was transformed into a guest suite, and has been a great addition during the holidays.

I recently received a message from a favorite client asking if I was up for a challenge, no questions asked I said yes!

Well, he asked me to update his pool house, in 30 days. I  figured, “It’s a pool house. Shouldn’t be too bad.” With that being said,  I had never been inside the pool house and when I finally saw the inside  (two days later), my chest sunk and my skin filled with goose bumps...

After a short discussion, my client gave me the budget and said, "You have full control.” Designer’s dream words right? I was very excited and immediately got started taking pictures and measurements. OH MY!! The bathroom had "ancient" gold framed doors (my grandmother had these, back in the 80's) Now I know brass has made a comeback, but those were clearly the dated version. Did I mention my nerves were already bad? I knew then, I needed to get rid of  those doors, but I didn't really have time for a full remodel, and the deeper I dug into the pool house the more I realized was going to have to be done…..in 30 DAYS!!!

Well as I stated, the more I got into the project, the more the project grew. We went from, upgrading to partially remodeling, From the shower doors only to the entire shower and the vanity and the toilet! (In other words, everything but the floors). In the kitchen, the plan was to "update" the cabinets, appliances and hardware. Most of that went without saying, but once we got into it, we ended up changing out everything except a small area of blue tiles, that we kept, because a) it was blue and pretty. b) it was a pool house after all, right?!

Finally, not only were we able to accomplish everything that we set out to do and so much more, we met our deadline, came in a bit under budget (after some refunds and savings) and exceeded expectations. My client was able to entertain his family and guests during Spring break and we have received some of the most amazing compliments about our work.

Hope you enjoy this post as much as we have enjoyed this project!

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We searched the client's photo library for pictures, for a more personal touch.

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This is what became of the empty frames on the bare wall.

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How Designers think? From a Design Perspective!

How often do you wonder how designers think? Or at least what their perspective is? It was brought to my attention that blogging is about perspective. What????! And here I was waiting for perfect content, waiting for perfect clients and to only show what I'm currently working on and so on. Well if there is anything I've learned about design, it is that none of it is really new, it's basically all been done before and I am definitely not here to reinvent the wheel.
I simply want clients who understand the importance of a designer's role. If you say that you want "butterflies riding horses" ( lol ), well designers are probably the only people who could interpret that and you are very likely to get different ideas from different designers, and you will also get a few that should say, "no, I don't do that!" Good designers won't claim to know how to do all things. In those moments, you should definitely wonder how designers think, because we certainly wonder how our clients are think, often.

From a design perspective, we know these clients are out there and we know that design roles are necessary and extremely relevant. Designer have the ability to look at the unknown. As you saw above, designers have to be able to interpret what many clients can't tell them and visualize what has yet to be seen.

I have also learned, while doing some research, just the other day, that some designers charge $300 an hour, so when I quote you a price and you look at me like a wild beast with three heads. My three heads and I will be right there, serving you more faces than there are emoji!!!

 Anyways, I hope you enjoyed my perspective on this topic of how designers think. Stay tuned, I have a lot of perspective, coming to you "straight outta" Tampa!

Below are a few inspirational images that can be better interpreted and meet the need of the client above, by mixing delicate fabrics, prints and textures with bold and contrasting pieces.

A mix of Styles: Textures and Tones

A little while ago, I had the pleasure of working with a very fun loving couple who were not afraid of bold design and textures. They were very open and had a great idea of what they wanted. After only 24 hours we had made selections for the main rooms of their new home.
Some areas are very delicate and feminine, while others are extremely masculine.
Follow us on this beautiful journey as we blend these two styles in one amazingly beautiful home.
 

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Interested in hiring Principal Designer Simone to design your very own Thrive interior?

Contact her below for more information and to set up a consultation. 

Sketches by Simone

Bayway Waterfront

BAYWAY WATERFRONT: MASTER BEDROOM
 

I'd be lying if I didn't say that living rooms weren't my favorite to design (they're just such dynamic spaces!). But next to that, bedrooms are a dream. Bedroom design should be simple yet effective. While few activities require confinement to the bedroom's offered privacy, what happens in the bedroom has the greatest impact on your health and lifestyle—sleep! This makes comfort key. 

The layout of this space was simple and rightfully so; the client requested a clean look with a glamorous feel. 

Work on this project will resume soon and updates shared! Stay tuned for an amazing transformation.

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Interested in hiring Principal Designer Simone to design your very own Thrive interior?

Contact her below for more information and to set up a consultation.