Ruby Red Desk

When I found this desk on Craigslist I knew I wanted a rich, super vibrant color to update it. 

At first I thought Kelly Green, but I couldn't find the right shade, everything was to Christmas-y. 

So if you know off a great green I'd love to hear it!

So I browsed my paint deck obsessively and finally decided on oil-based, high gloss, Heartthrob by Sherwin Williams. 

Isn't the name of the color dead on?

It makes my heart go ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum.

Or whatever noise your heart makes. :)

Smooth, glossy, vibrant and ruby red.

Little Ms. Ruby Red desk you are a show stopper.

Before and After-Tricky Walls

Hello friends how are things? Have you ever had an odd shaped space in your home so as to have you going bonkers?  That was the case in a clients home I decorated a few years back. This couple is beautiful in every way and they even have good taste but an odd space was giving them trouble. (Now you know we can’t have that). Right! Well this sweet couple called me for help to get to the root of what was making their room look so awkward and I have to tell you I was a little scared but I wasn’t backing down from any decorating challenge so I ran over and immediately I was able to point out what the issue was. I said “it’s that tricky wall right there or should I say window” well my motto has always been If you can’t get rid of something or can’t ignore it make it a focal point. A focal point makes it something to look at. When considering ideas how to decorate you must always think about what you’re trying to accomplish. In my case I was trying to make the window go away because of its awkwardness which made it a tricky wall. Watch what I did to solve this problem.

The Rules:

Keep the dresser  
The blue carpet must stay

The desk must stay, need workspace in the bedroom no exceptions

Keep the air-conditioned in the window- in hindsight I would not have taken the photos with the AC in the window. This is a forewarning:

Very low budget

Did I do it?

As you can see there is only one window on this wall. It makes it very awkward. Would you agree?

The window awkwardness solved because we place the window covering at the width of the whole wall now we make it blend with the rest of the wall it’s no longer just a little window in the way but a wall with balance and function.

Office space before

Office space After. Sorry foR the AC in the window!

The desk that must stay very big and bulky. Yikes!!!

The Desk After, I guess it doesn’t looks so bad. Right!

This cabinet must stay,hmmmm good thing it was moved  to another wall

As you can see I moved the cabinet to the taller wall on the other side of the room. By the way this is the dresser that I had to stay because of budget so this desk and the cabinet switches places. Oh I love the African lady in the picture next to the door; isn't she beautiful?

This is the tall wall next to the bathroom. I eventually moved the cabinet to this wall this is where the dresser use to sit it was to wide so it was moved to give me room for the workspace hmmmm. (There is a reason for my my madness ha!).

Here is the cabinet moved to the taller wall- Makes more sense right? Because this cabinet has not a lot of width it gives me the space I needed to put the workspace on this wall.  Sometimes all needs to be done are a little space planning.

I love the art peace on the wall. Quick that was very easy to make. All I done was take some wood and cut it to size and wrap and staple pretty fabric around it and Walla you have instant art.

Friends odd shaped spaces aren't difficult to decorate; you just have to get creative and always remember what you’re trying to accomplish with the space and what is the emphasis you want to focus on with that space?

Friday's Runway Decorate-Home Office

Happy Friday, I’m looking forward to the weekend and I know most of you feel the same way after a long work week. Because it’s Friday we all know what time it is yup Friday’s Runway Decorate (you know when fashion and interior design collide and make something inspiring). Because you had such a long work week were going to dedicate this Runway Decorate to the home office so sit back and grab a cup of coffee or any choice of beverage and enjoy the show. 

Oops I'm sorry oh did I say sorry! No I meant to say sari! Nida Mahmood’s bold and whimsical sari and jeans mix outfit is A-Ma-Zing I’m just blown away. Checks out the earrings on this model are they not remarkable and the colors are killing it. Wow what an outfit.                               Now check out the amazing home office that’s rocking it too can you believe this is an office wow them colors is hitting on all levels I can’t say enough about this room. Check out the sari draping over the chair. I love how a home office can functional and pretty. Wow I love it!

Now for our next model she is rocking a warm orange blouse with a taupe, light brown faun mushroom skirt along with gray socks and black flat shoes. What do you think it looks as though she ready for work right?                                 Just as our model is ready for the office check the home office that is a close match to her outfit. I love this office its dark and it pumps with style. Are you feeling the orange and brown art on the wall?  How about the desk and two chairs, this home office can be for man or women just another reason why this home office gets my vote.

This Model is bold and vibrant all decked out in pink, yellow, orange and white. She glows in color what a beautiful fun outfit.                                 Now check out this lovely bold office that reek with loud vibrant colors, I can’t say enough about this room hmm let me think I love the chairs the cabinets and hmm everything else  about this home office.

Now our last model but certainly not least she's walking tall in a very beautiful orange v neck orange and black striped dress, what can I say she's very simple but I love her style?  This is an outfit you can definitely rock in the workplace but can she rock it in a home office hmm I say yes at home you can wear anything you want so let’s rock on.                         Here’s our stylish home office all dressed up in hardcore style and I love it. Checks out the lampshades aren’t they gorgeous?  I’m convinced the lampshades are what bring the runway model and the room together as a match. Wow I'm in love!
Source unknown 

What do you think?

Let me know in your comments below!

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Color Crush-Blue and Green Kitchens

Hello lovely friends, every once and a while I have a color crush somewhat of an increasing love for a certain color and (the color turquoise is among my crush today) but I must say I’m feeling a crush on a color combo in the heart of the home (the Kitchen) no less. Yes as you may have seen on my blog a few times me crushing on a color. You may have also heard me say” if I crushed a lot on one particular color I might just be in love with that particular color”. Well I have got to say, this is such the case with the color combo Turquoise and Green. I’ve been flirting with the color for a long time in fact way before I started this blog. Years ago I challenge myself to get bold and out of my comfort zone and design something different, something that will initially put fear in a person but yet in the end make them trust in the spirit of taking risk. Years back I did it. I took a risk on designing a kitchen in this exact  color combo Turquoise and Green and friends I must say it was a scary adventure but I did it nonetheless. Well without further ado I prowl down some beautiful kitchens in the beautiful color combo Turquoise and Green and I even have that bold and risky kitchen I did for you to see at the bottom of the page too. Take a look!

Beautiful!

I absolutely love this Turquoise and Green Kitchen

This is the start of the Kitchen I've designed years  ago... It's bold and somewhat different at-least its what I thought years ago before I ever seen other rooms decorated in the turquoise and green combo. So without further ado here is the room designed by me a long time ago.  
Here is the kitchen I did below!

I's this bold or what? Turquoise walls, green and brown cabinets and Slate and blue glass tile for the back-splash. I have to confess this was scary!

This kitchen is very retro in style and the colors on the pic's looks more muted on camera. The cabinets were painted brown on the backs and the doors painted green and I'm sure you see the touch of brown rubbed in for that extra touch.

A few shelves were added  over the fan and a new cabinet next to it. In fact this whole side is all new cabinets because of the lack of counter space this was a must.  I had to bring in base cabinet that could rest a counter-top on. Previously there had been a tall cabinet in the same place which left no room for counters or no place to put a microwave.  Although small kitchen trust me the new arrangement proved to be Problem solved! Sorry no before pic's

Back-Splash- I promise you the pictures does no justice for this kitchen or slate and sea blue green back-splash.

The wall treatment was my favorite part of this kitchen. Can you guess what's on the wall? I'll tell you later!

The kitchen didn't have a island before- More counter space was the challenge in this kitchen. Oh I love that the island is not the same color of anything in the kitchen which makes it interesting

I love the picture arrangement and most of all that the photos inside the frames are photos from old recipe books. Easy DIY!

The curtains I love! Aren’t they cute? Well I have a little secrete for you, I couldn’t quite find what I was looking for so I decided to look else ware. Believe it or not those are shower curtains. That’s right (what you hang in bathroom to keep water off the floor). Yup when you can’t find what you’re looking for and your back is against the wall. You have got to get creative.

Here are some of the colors you can find in this kitchen I did long ago. Have you ever heard of Chip-it from Sherwin -Williams Chip It! is an online tool that lets you instantly turn any picture, from any website, into a beautiful palette of Sherwin-Williams paint colors. 

OK before I let you go- remember I asked you to guess what was on the wall? you know  those cute little cubes  at the bottom of the wall,well its scrap-booking paper yup that paper you find at the craft store. Yes this is scrap-booking paper used as wall art. Well that's what I call it. This was my favorite thing  about this kitchen when I did it years ago- The colors blue-green and brown paper. You can't see it by looking at the photo but that paper has little specks of a shining glimmer to it. Not glitter but beautiful shimmer.  Well one day I'll show you how its done but until then thanks for stopping by.

XOXO
Shinay Key

What you think?