We've moved!

The new Decocco Design and DeCocco Design Drapes websites launched with great success!

 Now we're moving the blog to the website, so please head over to that location.  Click HERE and I'll take you there!

Ciao,
Anne

Tomorrow is Labor Day.  Boy, we have labored at DeCocco Design this year!  Lots of great design projects, working with wonderful clients who wanted to see big changes in their homes.   Dreamy stuff.  At the same time we've been working to get the new website up and running to be able to launch the online Drapes collection.  The picture above is my laptop keyboard.  You can see that the letters are wearing off.  There are also keys that are hanging on for dear life and a collection of cookie crumbs.  It's quite a sight.  But all the work is about to pay off, as the website is scheduled to make it's debut tomorrow.  On Labor Day.  Poetic justice, for sure.  I thought we would launch on April Fools Day and I thought that would be appropriate.  Ha.  Tell God your plans and watch Her laugh.

Today I'm very antsy about the new site, so I took myself off to Macy's to buy a new handbag.  Nothing fancy--I'm as hard on handbags as I am on laptop keyboards.  I replaced the old black bag with a new black bag.  Every time I buy a different color bag, I regret it.  Here's a pic of the new handbag:

Looks a lot like the keyboard, doesn't it?  Has lots of nice pockets to stash a variety of supplies.  Big sale at Macy's today.  Isn't there a big sale at Macy's every day?  Hmmm, I can't leave you with these dark and rather dreary pictures.  Let me see what else I can dig up....

Oh yeah!  The Beautyberry is in bloom.  Such a pretty plant.  And, even though the deer have obliterated my sweet patch of Black Eyed Susans, a couple showed up in a new spot:

And when our son, Chris,  was visiting a week ago, he  helped me plant a Fall garden.  Very small, but all that I can handle right now.  There will be several kinds of lettuces, spinach, peas and swiss chard.  Chris is a  great gardener.  Things are sprouting already!  I'll get some pics for you.  I want you to know that you don't have to be neat and tidy and all Martha Stewart-ish to have a garden (I love Martha, but I cannot BE Martha-like).

We'll talk again tomorrow.

Ciao,
Anne

E commerce = jack of all trades

We're moving along, getting closer to putting our beautiful draperies up on the website, but the learning curve is mighty steep.  A LOT of time has been spent photographing the fabrics, trims and drapes.  We shoot pictures, then look at them on the laptop, see all the mistakes we've made, shoot more, look at more, see more mistakes, and on and on.  Photography is definitely an art.  And a skill that I do not have.  But I'm learning.  And trying to enjoy the process.

So I've got to get back to work, but will leave you with this photo I took of one of our drapes.  There are a lot of mistakes here--wrong ISO setting, wrong focus, wrong exposure.  But it's still kind of pretty.

Ciao,

Anne

Finally starting to roll out the fabrics for our new drapery line at DeCocco Design!

We've been working on photos of our fabrics to put on the website--days of taking photos in every light, from every angle. You know how hard it is to tell the true color of an item on your computer screen?  We won't be able to solve that issue for the world, but we're doing our best to get color and clarity on our end.  Today I thought I'd share some of the pictures to start wetting your whistle for the fabulous drapes that have been in development all these long months.

We're going to have beautiful blues.

We're going to have gorgeous greens.

And ravishing reds!

Poppin' graphics...

Elegant dots...

Handsome textures...

Fabulous stripes...

Updated coordinates...

For every room.

That's just a sampling--I'll try to post more soon, but I'm on the run every minute to get this new venture up on the website in just a matter of weeks from now.  Can't wait to show you the trims that we've found.  Nothing makes a drape look custom like a fantastic trim.  Our fabric/trim combinations are not found anywhere--I know because I've been looking for them for years!

Back to work.  Thanks for checking in.  

Ciao,

Anne

Bay windows are a designer favorite

The Raleigh News & Observer was so nice to ask me to write an article for their "Ask A Designer" series.  It appeared in today's Home section--here's the link: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/03/31/1964910/ask-a-designer-what-will-make.html.

The whole section was packed with lots of designer tips as well as gardening info, which I love to read while eating my Saturday morning blackberry pancakes.

However, the layout of my article was unfortunate, as they did not include a picture that I repeatedly referred to!  Readers must have been a bit puzzled.  So, taking matters into my own hands, I'm showing the correct picture in this post.  How handy to have a blog!

Here's the "before" picture that the reader provided, showing her design dilemma:

It's a bay window area in her master bedroom and she doesn't know how to finish it.  Nice problem to have, right?  It's a lovely space, looking out at a wooded area. The reader and her hub want a spot to sit with their coffee and newspaper.

This is the "after" picture that I created:

I used a neat design softeware to build the room right on top of her picture.  Clients love to have as much help as possible to visualize what their space could look like.  The drapes in this picture are based on one of the fabrics that DeCocco Design is using in our new line of semi-custom window treatments.  The chaise is from West Elm, but folks in the Raleigh area can get the same look and shop local at Dexter Furniture on Glenwood Ave.  They've got a great selection of fabrics, so customizing the chaise to the space would be easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Hub is painting a new wall color in the Library, in preparation for installation of lovely drapes (again, using one of our fabulous fabrics--I cannot wait to show them all to you!).   Stay tuned for how that turns out!

Ciao,

Anne

Home decor items that caught my interest

This is the Gould Cocktail Table by Harbinger. Look at that orange lacquer finish and those brass corners and legs.  It would look fantastic in my house and definitely bring a smile to my face!  But it's almost $5,000.  Wow.  I've going to have to think about how I could get this look for a little less (a little?).

Then I saw this:

It's the Matter Lamp from Schoolhouse Electric, a favorite lighting source.  I like it a lot.  Not sure I'd buy it--it's $239, 22" high and the base is made of cast concrete.  Their description calls it "elegant."  Can't agree with that, but  it is kinda groovy.

At DeCocco Design we're getting closer to unveiling our fabrics for the new drapery line. My impatience knows  no bounds.  Every step of the online retailing process moves at a glacial pace.  Well, it feels like that to me. But we're almost there!

Have a great day--it's Friday!

Ciao,
Anne

DeCocco Design Drapes are special--want to know why?

Do you want to know what makes our drapery panels different from any others that you see online or in the big retailers/catalogs?  Let me count the ways;

      The fabrics and trims - ours are beautiful, versatile and of high quality. We've got textures, patterns and
                                   colors that you will not find with ordinary, off-the-shelf products.
                                                 
     The workmanship - custom-made upon order in a professional workroom that has been chosen because
                                   of the spectacular quality of their work, right here in the U.S.

     Quality Control - everything is chosen and supervised by Gail and I.  We are experienced, knowledgeable
                                   and extremely picky.

More another day. In the meantime, enjoy the day.  The trees here in NC are blooming and green leaves are appearing.  The season is changing and springtime in NC is so pretty it can bring tears to my eyes.

Below are more lovely photos from my friends at Houzz.com  that show how window treatments bring beauty and balance into the space.  Picture any of these rooms without the drapes and you'll see that the result will be a little colder, a little less inviting and not quite so interesting.

Ciao,
Anne

DeCocco Design is growing!

Things are really hopping in the office and I've got a couple of announcements to make.  The most important one is that Gail Healy has joined DeCocco Design as a Design Associate.  Sound the trumpets please. I am so glad she's here!

Gail has run my workroom for many years--that means she makes the beautiful custom window treatments that I design for my clients.  She's super talented and a lot of fun to be around.   Her company, "It's Curtains" is well known in our area (and beyond) for creating the best of the best. Gail trained as an  interior designer, specializing in kitchen design, but just liked sewing better. I've convinced her to come on board to help me launch a related product (next announcement, coming very soon). 

I know she would want me to post a very professional photo.  But this one shows you the true Gail:

Her passion is water skiing.  Doesn't that look like fun?

Welcome Gail!

Ciao,

Anne

Dog in the house!

Her name should be Goofy, but it's Dixie (Chick).  This picture is from the shelter--she hasn't stood still long enough for me to take a picture.  She's about 8smonths old.  Full of energy.  Arrived here yesterday, don't think she's slept yet.  I swear I saw the cat give me the finger this morning.

Will  eventually do a post about designing around animals, but right now have to go take something out of her mouth...

Ciao,
Anne

Summer days

This has been the fastest summer of my life.  It was a great one with time spent with family and friends, plenty of design work with lovely new clients (my clients are always the nicest people, I am so lucky) two trips to the ocean,  discovering the kayak, oh, the list just goes on and on.  In such a turbulent time for our world, I have had nothing to complain about.  That doesn't mean I don't have my challenges, but I'm always surrounded by trees and air and smiling people, so it's manageable and I feel blessed.

Here's a couple of shots of recent fun:

First and foremost, Hub had great career news, so there was a party--large and festive. 

 I did not take one single picture because I was busy yakking and laughing.  Before it began, I took this shot of some of the lanterns that were hung on the screened porch.  They look so good that I went back to Pier 1 the next day and bought some more--they're on clearance, so it wasn't a major splurge.  The small and medium sizes have LED lights in them.  Very magical at night,  colorful and fun during the day.

Then we went to Wrightsville Beach for a couple of days at the Holiday Inn.  I love that place.  You can park the car and never leave the property.  It's on the beach, there's an outdoor pool and an indoor pool and it's very family oriented.  Plenty for the kids to do and eat.   Not a cheap getaway, but it's definitely a break for everyone.  Friends of ours surprised us by driving down for dinner one night. Then we watched the movie "Rio" on a big screen at the pool.  Very cute.

Here's Grandboy on the beach.  Isn't he getting HUGE?  He can officially swim and rides a mean boogie board. He's my "barefoot boy with cheeks of tan."  Ever read that poem by John Greenleaf Whittier?   Click on the link and enjoy--it's very sweet.

Here's a shot of footprints left by Grandboy and a sandpiper.  It's so much fun taking pictures at the beach.  They all look good! 

 

Wait--one more. Some of the shells we collected,drying off on my newest dishtowel from Crate & Barrel.  You've got to know how much I love dishtowels.  I think they called this one "beach."  Excellent!

LOTS to talk about.  I promise to be much more regular from now on.  Oh, that didn't sound the way I intended it to.   In posting!  No, it still doesn't sound right. 

Ciao,

Anne

The Company Men

Last night Hub and I watched "The Company Men" on demand (I love on demand).  As a family experiencing this very subject matter, we were amazed at how well they nailed it.  Every character and situation was well played. Each person who goes through the loss of a job experiences it in a very personal and unique way, but there are (obviously) common threads,  reactions and realities.  The movie has a great cast--including Kevin Costner (still a hunk of a man).   Not my favorite subject, that's for sure, but a very good movie.  You should see it!

Ciao,

Anne

Let's Catch Up!

I am determined to have some balance in my life, but it would really help if there were a couple more hours in the day.  Or perhaps there are plenty of hours, but if I could stay awake for more of them--maybe that would help?  That's not going to happen.

Lots of interior design work lately.  The Design Direction option  offered by DeCocco Design works well for many people.  Sometimes it morphs into more, so then I'm on a bigger job.  Sometimes clients don't need that much help and it shrinks into an hourly job.  All are good by me.  I continue to meet the nicest people, who love their homes and families and want their spaces to work well for them.  So I've been choosing colors, cabinets, tiles, light fixtures, etc. all over town, as well as sourcing online and writing endless reports.   Oh!  And now DeCocco Design takes credit cards and Paypal.  Very handy!

Should I be showing you this?  When I've collected all kinds of samples for a job and am ready to make decisions, I lay it out on the floor in my office, in front of a big window.  What a mess!  But that way I can see how everything relates and, in the end, it all comes together nicely.  But it has to start out looking like this!  I'm not even showing you all of it.  Personally, I love this part.  The pieces all meet each other and definitely start to form cliques.  Sometimes I have to step in to make everyone behave and introduce new possibilites. 

I haven't done a Find of the Week lately, so here's one I found weeks ago.  It's in Ecko on Glenwood Ave., here in Raleigh.  See those 3D flowers?  They're made of some sort of plasticy material, with a matte finish (looks good).  You get all the flowers you see here for $30 and what a FUN idea for so many spots in a house!  Kids room, for sure.  High on the wall and onto the ceiling in a powder room.  Behind a chair with a lamp shining up on them, as you see here, etc.  I'll bet you could embellish them if you wanted to, but I like the simple color.  They could look rather sophisticated or they can just be fun.  Love them!  I also like that lamp, but that's another topic for another day.

One more little piece of catch-up.  A couple of weeks ago, on a cloudy morning, I was sitting in a club chair in our living room, being very quiet, starting my day with some silence as life was feeling stressful and I wanted to let go of useless anxiety.  I looked out a front window and saw this:

The sun had broken through and was just shining down in one spot in our yard--on this bench.  My mom gave us this bench as a housewarming gift for our very first house, over 25 years ago and it has followed us to every subsequent house (and there have been quite a few).  The bench is now very fragile and covered with great, crusty, growing stuff and Mom has been gone for over 7 years.  Seeing the sun shine on that bench felt like a message from her that all was well.  It felt great. 

Oh my gosh, I have been rambling!  Will try to get back to more regular, shorter posts.  I hope you know that in your life, too, all is well.

Ciao,

Anne

Monday's post--on Wednesday

Wow.  Busy, wonderful weekend and now it's Wednesday already.  I extended the holiday for one extra day and spent most of it on the screened porch, reading the Sunday New York Times.  One of my all-time favorite activities!  Two articles in the NYT Magazine that I wanted to share with you.  The Young Mother Abroad  by Janny Scott is a fascinating look into the story of why Barack Obama's mother took him to Indonesia as a little boy and then sent him back to Hawaii to live with his grandparents several years later.  I think every mother would find this story to be very interesting.  It's not a quick read, but worth taking the time.  Not a political story whatsoever. 

Another story in a very different vein is The Return of Ellen Barkin by Alex Witchel.  I love reading about people; their lives, their decisions, how they face challenges.  

SO much going on.  Not enough hours in the day right now.  Grandboy is on Spring Break, he had a FABulous birthday last weekend with family but his kid-party is still coming up.  Things are hopping at DeCocco Design and I'm trying to get to that bedside table project. Did I tell you that I finished reading "The Help?" Bravo to the author, Kathyrn Stockett, on a job well done.  What a story.  What a time in our history.  Tough stuff. 

Ciao,
Anne

My kitchen

This is my kitchen. 

I've been putting more pictures on the "My Work" page (look on the right sidebar of this blog where it says "DECOCCO DESIGN", find those words and click).  This was one of the pictures I was adding and I found that, instead of a quick caption underneath, I was writing a paragraph..  So I'll make it a post instead.

When we moved into this house, we did a LOT of expensive things to renovate and update.  Putting in a new kitchen was not in the cards.  So we had the old oak cabinets painted this lovely sagey color and the walls a neutral khaki, purchased a new island and counter depth fridge and moved our stuff in.  I love this room.  There are a few things you can't see, like the little desk and the pantry, but you get the gist.  It's a nice size kitchen and we could tear it out and make a showstopper, but I hope we never do. 

This room feels old, warm and cozy to me.  It feels like the place where spaghetti sauce is stirred, brownies are made and science experiments are conducted in the sink.  And that's exactly what happens here.  I make homemade pizza on that island every Friday (what a mess--are you a messy cook?  I sure am!).

See those lovely oval Vietri dishes hanging on the wall over on the left (there are 3, you can't see them all).  Underneath those dishes is original artwork by my favorite artist when he was 4 years old (he's now 5).   

Ciao,

Anne

Hey! That's MY slogan!

For almost 8 years, I've used these words on my websites and other promotional materials--"Does your house make you smile?"  I know I don't own the words, but then again I kind of feel that I do.  So imagine my displeasure when reading through a copy of "House Beautiful" yesterday and seeing this;

Humpf (did I spell that right--humpf?)!  I guess what I'm saying is that no one else can use the word "smile" in connection with "house" or, in this case, "home" (cause it's the same thing).  Don't worry, I hear how I sound.  I'll let it go.  Detach with love.  First I need to pout a bit.  Thanks for your indulgence.

Ciao,

Anne

Affordable design help

Sometimes a client needs to pull together a room quickly for all kinds of reasons.  This was a bachelor's condo that needed furniture fast--before law school began.  Shop, shop, shop, grab some pillows to color things up, make sure there's a place to put down a cold mug of something refreshing and...done!

I should have mixed up those pillows a bit more before taking the photo, but you get the picture.  Yes, the accent tables are matchy poo, but that was the client's choice.  Drapes would have really been a nice addition too, but design and decor choices are very personal.   Sometimes a person just needs a little of my time to make a comfy space that they can pursue life in.  It doesn't have to be complicated!

Ciao,

Anne

DeCocco Design, Back in the house!

Several years ago, I had a successful interior design business, based in Chapel Hill, NC.  A good time was had by all.  Wonderful clients, beautiful homes, booming economic times.  Then life intervened and my priorities had to turn in another direction. So the business was closed up, temporarily.  That was a over 4 years ago.

In the ensuing years, the economy ground to a screeching halt, the furniture business changed a whole heck of a lot, transportation costs skyrocketed, many businesses closed, etc.   It was a great time NOT to be looking for clients, that's for sure. But I've sat on the sidelines for long enough, so DeCocco Design is back in business.

I love being an interior designer and look forward to working again, although I know it's going to be different.  The economic boom times are, temporarily (remember that everything is temporary), over.  So I'm working on a new business concept that might be a better fit for clients right now.  Design Direction is a 2 hour consultation, in the client's home.  I will provide ideas and guidance and the benefit of many years of experience and formal training (B.S., interior design with a minor in art). 

Design Direction could make a huge difference in your DIY projects, but it can also be a big help if you're ready to work with a contractor on a remodel, renovation or new construction project.  I can advise on lighting plans, paint colors, possible resouces, floor plans, additions and on and on.  Working with a trained interior designer can save everyone time and money.  I'm betting that there's still a good amount of demand for design services out there, but people aren't comfortable paying a lot of money for it.  It's not that our talents aren't valued, it's just that we're all being more careful right now and that's just the way it is.  But feeling good in our homes is never more important than in tough times.  Design Direction is an affordable alternative, so here I am.

My new website is done and will be online today.  John, the web designer that I'm working with, is talented,  knowledgeable, creative and endlessly patient with me. Can you imagine what it's like to do this sort of thing with an interior designer? We're extremely visual and picky, picky, picky. He's a saintly man. He's putting the finishing touches on the launch as I type this.

The picture on the top of this post?  It's an illustration I did back in design school.  It's just a silly thing, I know--I drew it from a magazine picture.  But I cannot draw, so I'm proud of this little picture.  Must've taken me quite a few classes to do.  I still can't draw though.  I just thought I'd throw it in.  It's my blog.

Ciao,
Anne