Spring is here!

The first day of Spring is somehow always a bit of a relief, isn't it?   Maybe it's my New England roots, thinking "we made it through another winter."  Here in NC, making it through winter isn't nearly so hard!

Snapped this photo this morning right before Grandboy headed off to school.

This time I moved the camera over to the left a smidge to show you the redbud in bloom (the purple) and the beginnings of flowers on a dogwood.  You can also see a bit of the red sky we had this morning.  And now it is raining and thundering.  Give it a minute, it will change.

Ciao,

Anne

Dinner with friends at Mez

Last night we met a group of friends at Mez in Morrisville, NC.  It's a great place!



Love the exterior, but the interior is even more beautifully done.  Only have this picture from Hub's phone, but it gives you an idea:

Great lighting, fabulous artwork, beautiful paint colors--and the food is wonderful.  It's upscale Mexican--I had the spinach enchiladas with red rice and black beans and it was amazing.  Shows how easy it can be to eat vegetarian, that's for sure.  We were a very noisy table because one couple was visiting from Charlottesville and we had a lot of catching up to do and we all make each other laugh--a lot.  Great fun.

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

Want a peek inside a trade only fabric showroom?

There are many reasons to hire a trained interior designer.  Oh, the things we can help you with!  We  have access to some really special places, and one of my favorites are the "trade only" fabric showrooms.  The selection is completely and totally awesome and the staff is knowledgeable and helpful. There are thousands upon thousands of choices, so their help is important.  Otherwise I'd have to spend much more time (at an hourly rate to my clients mind you), tracking down that perfect pattern in just the right colorway.

Karen Saks is one of our showrooms and A. Hoke is the other.  And they're right across the street from each other, which is very helpful, except that the road is super busy and crossing it is life threatening, but I'll save that rant for another day.

Would you like to get a peek inside the Karen Saks showroom? I just happened to take a few pictures last week to show you!

Rows and rows of fabric manufacturers, organized by vendor, type and color.

 

Here's an example of one row.  Nicely organized.

Fabrics, trimmings, wallpapers, furnishings and rugs are scattered throughout.

Tables down the center aisle to hold our bags, notebooks, laptops, etc.  My table is always piled high with "stuff."   I'll bring my camera to A. Hoke this week.  Same business, super nice people, very different kind of floor plan.

Ciao,

Anne

The Southern Ideal Home Show is this weekend!

Just a heads up that the Southern Ideal Home Show will be at the NC State Fairgrounds this weekend, April 1-3.  This is the perfect time to get some great ideas for your home and yard and that's what this show will provide.  The  Triangle chapter of the Interior Design Society will have a booth at the show that features our Attic Sale.  Designers always seem to have a stash of things in their inventory that need to find new homes, so come on out and take a look at some fabulous finds.  I'll be manning the booth on Saturday night with my fun loving colleagues, so please stop by and say "hello!"

This is me, in Kindergarten.  I'll try to find that dress and wear it so you'll recognize me!

Ciao,

Anne

The leaves are back!

I love trees in every season, but have to say that I get the most excited by the sight of their emerging leaves in the Spring.  I am SO glad they're back!   I also welcome the flowers that preceed the leaves on some of my dear friends, such as the gorgeous purple redbuds that are strutting their stuff this month.

What amazing little petals these are.  And they just cover the branches of the whole tree.

And so much more.  Oh, a girl from Maine never gets over Spring in North Carolina!  So early!  So full of flowers!  So warm!  Well, it wasn't warm today, that's for sure.  But last week was in the 80's, so let's not get carried away with a pity party.  My sister in Maine had snow.   

And look at the Lambs Ears that are already up with their soft, fuzzy leaves!  Mr. Turtle is lovin' them up!  I put the hummingbird feeder out early last week, but so far, no one has come for a drink.  Last year it was right around this week when the first tiny hummer came around, so I wanted to be sure to be ready.  Will keep you posted.

If it's not quite Spring yet where you are, hang on, it's coming.

Ciao,
Anne

Transitional interior design, Part 3, Coffee Tables and Accent Tables!

If you've read Part 1 and Part 2, you know what to look for in furniture to get that "transitional" look (reminder--a little traditional, a little modern, a little eclectic) and what direction to take in fabric choices.  Let's move on to the tables, both coffee and accent.  Don't know why this is so daunting to so many.  Maybe it's partly because there seem to be so many choices out there, yet few of them feel right (or they're cheap and cheesey and you know in your heart that they're going to look that way in your home, AND you're right!).  Sorry for all the parentheses, I'll try to stop.

If you want a coffee table that can take a lot of abuse, please buy one with a stone top or maybe a woven rattan or at least put something protective on top, like glass or plexiglass or whatever.  I have nothing against a nice wood surface from Pottery Barn, but that thing is going to scratch up in no time!  Here are some other choices:

Ethan Allen

This one has a travertine top and if you look closely, you'll see that there are 2 nesting tables tucked underneath.  Brilliant.  I do love nesting tables.

Expressions Furniture, Artistica

Oh, this one (above) is SO good.  The top comes in a few choices, but the marble makes me drool (sorry about the drooling).

Expressions

I call this one the Lobster Trap.  Just my own interpretation of the look.  Love the glass, love the wood, love the clean lines and the size.  Guess I love it.

Ethan Allen

The copper top gives a glow to this piece.

Ethan Allen

Expressions

This one is a favorite.  It gives you natural elements and combines texture with a smooth top.  Oh baby.

So by now you get the picture; clean lines, simple design, natural materials = transitional design in the best possible sense. It's useful, beautiful and low maintenance. Buying better quality will pay off in this area. The same goes for end and accent tables. Here's a few:

all end tables found at Expressions

Did you notice that the accent tables were not all clean lines or modern leaning?  Good for you!  Please don't forget to mix in some other shapes. We don't want flat, one-note rooms!  That table right above this paragraph would look fabulous in a more modern room because it brings such warmth to the table (get it? warmth to the table?).  Have some fun with your accent tables.  Don't go overboard, but you've got to have some circles, curves and swirls in a room full of straight lines.  It makes it human, inviting, comfortable. 

While I want you to always look for and choose really good quality in these important pieces for your room, please remember that I also LOVE it when you find a crusty old piece at the Goodwill or any thrift store, yard sale and flea market, take it home and rework it to use in your home.  Many times those old pieces are in those stores because they were good quality in the first place and now just need some updating.

Oh my gosh, the next post is lighting.  Lighting is the MOST important element to finishing a room, so don't skip that one!

And I haven't found a "Find of the Week" yet.  But the day isn't over and I'll try to find one for you today.

Ciao,

Anne



Find of the week--an artist across the street

Diana Porter lives directly across the street from our house in Raleigh.  I know her--she's a great neighbor and the loving mother of two tiny, adorable children.  I knew that she was employed as a teacher before having children, so in my head her label read "teacher."

Then I discovered another label for Diana--artist. She has beautiful paintings scattered about her house; many of them lovely landscapes (my favorite paintings always seem to be landscapes), some with water views (even better). I almost fell on the floor when I learned that she had done them all. It's so much fun when you learn about another layer of a person you thought you knew.  Diana Porter is an artist!  Here's one of her landscapes:

Diana Porter

This landscape is 9x12 inches. It is a painting of the view from West Lake Road in Skaneateles New York.  Pastel on pastel paper. Oh, this would be so pretty in a frame on your wall.  Every time you pass by and glance at it, your blood pressure will drop a bit.  Paintings begin at $200, depending on whether it's framed.  Diana also works in acrylics.

And another

Diana Porter

Diana also makes jewelry, like this beaded cuff in gorgeous colors:

Diana Porter

One more--she makes wonderful door signs.  This one is for a child and only costs $25:

Diana Porter

Something for everyone.  If you click on her name, Diana Porter, it will take you to her website.  Very bare bones, but it gives you contact info.  It's exciting to know that she's an artist.  Now when I look across the street at night and see the light on in one of the rooms upstairs, I know that she's painting yet another beautiful scene while her children sleep.

Ciao,

Anne

Find of the week!

Readers tell me they love the "Find of the Week" feature that I've done a couple of times, so of course  I completely let it slide.  It's a good thing I'm self-employed, that's all I can say.  But I've got something for you this week.

A couple of weeks ago I spent some time checking out local thrift shops.  Oh, what fun I had!  First stop was the Habitat ReStore in Durham/Chapel Hill (on 15/501).  SUCH a great place.  You never know what you're going to find, but there's plenty of great salvaged building materials there to feed your creative spirit.  This is what I bought:

It's a lovely luan, hollow core door, untouched by human hands.  No hinges, no doorknob holes, no paint.  Measures 24 x 80, your typical inside door measurement.  It cost $2.00.  $2.00 (bears repeating).  What am I going to do with it?  You'll just have to wait and see.  But when it's done, you'll agree that it's easily the Find of the Week.  Until that time, here's another little find from the Habitat ReStore in Pittsboro (there's one in Raleigh, too--they're all over the place);

The lamp base is a very creamy ivory and it cost $12.50.  It is the kind of lamp that can be used many places in a home.  I would put a shorter harp in it (the piece that holds the shade), but that's just me. The shade (which still has the plastic wrap on it but you can tell how cute it is) was also priced at $12.50.  It's a lined lampshade in brown, cream, palest yellow and soft gray.  They had all kind of shades that day--drums, solids, patterns.  Christine put the shade on the base. She cannot stop herself from staging an area, it's a compulsion of hers and it makes me laugh so hard I often make a scene.  The ReStore people weren't that amused--they put the shade back in the pile, which made me laugh even harder. 

So the lamp and shade are my finds of the week, pictorially speaking.  But the real find is the Habitat ReStore.  It's just an amazing place with loads of creative potential in every aisle.  And it supports Habitat, what more could you want?  More?  Ok, it's very "green" design--recycle, reuse, restore.

Ciao

Anne

Kitchen and Bath Galleries Remodeling Expo

Thanks to the fabulous Regina Tobin of Wallscapers, I went to the Remodeling Expo at Kitchen and Bath Galleries on Glenwood in Raleigh today (because she told me about it on FB).  So many wonderful ideas and products!  I think I touched every kind of backsplash  they sell.  I love the selection of finishes--glass, marble, granite, stainless, etc.  They also have beautiful flooring products, appliances, tv and audio systems--and just everything you need for your kitchen and bathroom updates.  Loads of pulls and knobs too, which can really add a personal touch, even if your budget isn't ready for the big time.

wouldn't this be a wonderful butler's pantry?

Kitchen and Bath Galleries

Even more importantly, I met some really nice people who can design and install all of the amazing products that I saw today.  We all know how hard it is to find the right people to do the job when we're ready to roll.  Let me give you a few names (if you click on them, it will bring you to their sites or emails--I'm very technologically advanced--ha!).

The Marengi's of California Closets are a delightful couple who obviously enjoy helping people organize their spaces.  Gotta love that!

clean lines, a place for everything

California Closets

Scott Frey of Freys Building & Remodeling put on a seminar entitled "remodeling your bath" and really connected with the crowd because of his easy manner and experience in the subject.

love the colors and finishes

Frey

Jay Beaman is a home builder and remodeling specialist with a large and varied portfolio and he's easy to talk to.  Beautiful details.

This may not be your personal style, but the workmanship tells you that this guy can do anything!

Beaman

Mark Masters of "neuwave" can help you pull together your technology in every room of your house, right down to the remote control blinds in your Home Theatre space (but also in your kitchen, bedroom, etc.)  He has an office at Kitchen and Bath Galleries, so it's super easy to incorporate his services right into your project.

Mark showed me the Sonos wireless music system--the sound is SO good!



And just one more plug for Wallscapers, because Regina is so much fun to be around. You would not believe what they can do with your old cabinets, your dingy walls and your dated bookshelves!

Ciao,

Anne



French Connections in Pittsboro

This shop is such a find.  French and African textiles, baskets, artwork, etc., very reasonably priced, in the cutest little house in the very sweet town of Pittsboro, NC.  French Connections.  The two countries mix very well together with their vibrant colors and beautiful craftsmanship. 

The baskets from various countries in Africa are gorgeous and of  high quality.  Whether a great big hamper or a small lidded basket that might sit on your desk and hold supplies, they're pretty darn fab.  The french dish towels make me swoon.  I really love dish towels.   Big cotton or linen towels of various colors fill a deep drawer in our kitchen.  I don't throw them out (or recycle them to the garage) until they are riddled with holes.  They feel so good and do such a great job of drying dishes and counters and little boy's messy faces after eating fruit popsicles.

And look at those handbags!  I think they're straw, but they were way up high and I didn't get to touch them, or price them.  But I want one!  There are a number of rooms, filled with all sorts of things, including antiques.  It's a fun place to explore. French Connections celebrates their 10th anniversary in October (the 10th month), 2010!  Go wish them a happy anniversary. 

Have you been to Pittsoboro?  A pleasant drive down Rt. 64 from Raleigh.  Over Jordan Lake.  Such a treat to see all that lovely, cool water.  Lots of trees.  Very pretty.  The town center has some nice shops, a wonderful place to eat called The Pittsboro General Store Cafe (really, really good) and the historic courthouse that accidentally burned down earlier this year and is being rebuilt.  Oh, it had quite the courtroom inside.  Like the set of a movie.  Actually I think it was used in several movies.  I think the old fashioned soda shop is still there, too.  I didn't have a chance to check that out this time.  Will report back on that one next time I go (which will be as soon as possible).

Ciao,

Anne

Furnitureland South

Boy, this week has just gotten away from me.  I have lots of things to tell you about, but time is not on my side right now.  Will try to catch up a bit over the weekend.  For now, I just want to make sure that all you NC residents know that delivery is now FREE within our state at Furnitureland South.  That is BIG!  It's a nice savings at a landmark store.  Hope that some of you can take advantage of it.  I believe delivery is free all over the country for the month of September, but it's now always free in North Carolina.  BIG.  Oh, speaking of BIG, don't you love that humongous highboy in front of the store?  Talk about landmarks!

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

SNOW!!

I was going to shut this baby down, but have decided to try again. It's hard to blog, whine, whine. I'm a talker, not a writer.

So we had snow in NC over the weekend. Grandboy thinks it's wonderful. He's wrong, but it's his opinion and there's no changing that. Today the sun is shining and the temps are rising, so all will be well soon. In the meantime, we'll go out and play in it one more time.



I'm working on a couple of projects in the house this winter. First I'll show you the fireplace project. It's a big, brick, kind of dark thing, yet lovely in it's own way. We love our fireplace and have roaring blazes in it as often as possible. Very cozy. But I like light and clean lines, so have come up with a solution. Will leave you with the "before" picture today and will update as we progress. The photo makes the brick wall look a bit brighter than it actually is--maybe I had the flash on. Really, it's kind of dark!

Ciao,
Anne