Mod Quad (Not Squad)

Cicada Studio on Etsy

There’s Something About This Couch…

Kukunochi

Radio from the future…

White Fruit Radio

I’m not a fashion-lover…

But I’m obsessed with these purses. Zaum

The Most Flexible Bookshelf Ever…

Too amazing. It grows with your needs. Rek bookcase.

Why You Should Consider Hiring an Interior Designer (or at the very least a consultant)

I suppose this post could alternatively be titled “Why You Should Consider Paying Me Money for a Service”. And while it’s true I’m writing this article to lobby on behalf of my chosen profession, I’m looking out for you, too.

I once read a wise wise book that said (and I’m paraphrasing here, I can’t find the darn thing to write down exact quotes) that you should stick to what you know, and pay someone else to do the stuff you don’t know as much.

Take me, for example. I am crafty, industrious and more than a little enthusiastic about saving money whenever I can, but when it comes to taxes, I give up! I bow out. I hire someone to help me. It’s not because taxes are completely out of my comprehension (I tell myself I could learn it all, given enough time), it’s because I’ve decided the time it would take me to learn all of that IRS gobbly gook is way more valuable to me than the money it would take to pay someone to help out.

So what does this all have to do with you? And why are you still reading this quasi-rambling article? Wait for it:

Hiring a designer, if even for an hour, buys not only that designer’s fresh, professional eye, but also all the years of experience in design that they’ve seen in their career (which they can assumably apply to your home’s specific needs).

Sometimes you can’t always see your home or office in a the way that a seasoned, professional eye will see it. Maybe you’ve gotten so used to an unfinished room that it doesn’t even bother you anymore. Hiring a designer means you’ll finally be able to ask someone (and trust their answer) when it comes to the little things like what to do with that blank wall in the living room that’s been there for 3 years or how on earth anyone’s supposed to work around that pink tile in the hall bathroom.

And, if you feel like you can’t afford a full-fledged, fancy-pancy interior designer, considering hiring a consultant or a reDesign specialist, whom along with offering flexible time frames usually also come with a lower rate.

Did I mention I’m an interior design consultant? Why not check out my design consulting page for more information?

Tips and Thoughts on Rearranging

I rearranged my teensy little studio apartment that I share with my lovely boyfriend yesterday. Since I’m still afflicting on it all manner of design elements and decorative ideas, I’ll withhold from sharing any photos from the time being. I did want to share with you an article I wrote for 2Modern’s Design Talk blog about tips on rearranging. We might not be able to afford to travel to exotic locations because of our stinky economy right now, but we can still change the scenery in our homes if we want to!

So, the economy’s tight. You probably don’t have the budget for that new couch you’ve been eyeing, and you certainly can’t afford to hire an interior designer to pull it all together for you. What’s a homeowner to do? Suffer through the same old home decor as you always have? Of course not, you can redesign your home.

ReDesign is basically defined as using the furnishings you already have in new ways to create fresh spaces in your home. And while the very best thing you can do is enlist the help of a designer to craft your new home, there are a few tips you can remember when opting to tackle this job yourself.

1) Take photos! You live in your home, day in and day out. Sometimes you can’t always see the things that could be changed or even the areas that are a bit cluttered. A photograph never lies though. Take a bunch of shots and examine them for areas that look confusing, cluttered or even that could change.

2) Take stock of your current inventory. Maybe those nightstands in the guest bedroom that you don’t use could be better utilized in the living room as end tables? Perhaps even just switching out throw pillows and accessories could be swapped to enliven spaces. Don’t rely on your memory; make an actual list!

3) Get creative. As mentioned above, take freely from rooms all around your house to help transform your new spaces, and don’t get stuck on what a piece of furniture is “supposed” to be used for.

4) Remember to arrange for more than just aesthetics. Sure part of the fun of rearranging is making your space look better, but also concentrate on things like space planning and traffic flow. Is there a chair you’re always running into on your way to the kitchen? Take this time to really examine what works and does not work in your home.

5) It may seem obvious, but measure before you move! You might think you’re eyeing things correctly, but how much would it suck if you hauled that huge couch on the other side of the room only to find out its two inches too long?

6) Lastly, get help with large things. I don’t know what the statistics are on injuries incurred in the house place while moving huge pieces of furniture, but I bet the numbers are high. Always keep in mind safety so you don’t end up injuring yourself!

Happy rearranging!

Between Worlds

So, if you’ve known me for a little while you may be familiar with my old website: adriennebreaux.com.

I decided to start transitioning into a new, more user-friendly blog/website hybrid care of wordpress a few months ago. I’m still hammering out all the details of this site, so I’m hanging onto my good, old yahoo sitebuilder site for a little longer, until I really feel confident in this new-fangled wordpress site. The great thing about this new site is you can add comments to posts and keep updated on projects I’m currently working on.

Cool right? Give me your feedback!

-adrienne

Modern Tuscan!

Many clients request that I help them infuse the spirit of Tuscany into their kitchen spaces. With the colors and textures of that Italian region, it’s no wonder many people want to reproduce it for their own homes. You don’t have to go overboard to create the feeling of Tuscany, and you don’t have to compromise your modern aesthetic, either.

We’ve just begun transforming this client’s breakfast area into a modern, Tuscan retreat, but you can already see the small changes we have made have been ultra affordable and easy to do! A faux wall treatment using Benjamin Moore paints (I’ll list the colors on a later post) and some simple, handmade “shutters” painted a great olive green compliment each other to give the impression of an Italian villa.

Stay tuned to this project for more as it progresses also!

Small Spaces, Fun Style!

I love, love to work on small spaces, especially rentals! Too often, people in small apartments don’t put much effort into designing their surroundings. Whether it’s fear of money or just thinking there’s no point, making sure you have a place to come home to everyday that you love it so important!

I’ve been helping this client make a studio apartment a place where she feels inspired. Since there aren’t any rooms, making clear distinctions between live and work areas through thoughtful furniture arrangements is paramount.

We’ve been working on bringing in lots of fun colors and features, so you’ll want to stay tuned to this project for updates on our progress!

For future reference, we’ll call this project: Small Yet Spunky!

-adrienne