I don't often get the chance to do "special event" decorating but it can be a lot of fun.  Just before my niece's wedding I co-hosted her Bridesmaids’ Luncheon. If you haven't been to one - a Bridesmaids’ luncheon is an event intended to be a thank you from the bride to her bridesmaids and is a lovely opportunity to bring the women in the bridal party and in the family together to celebrate the upcoming nuptials. Our luncheon was held the day before the wedding, a sunny and hot Friday in June. My niece requested that her luncheon be held in my lakefront backyard. A great idea, except that we live in Florida, and June in Florida means 90 plus degree heat and near 100% humidity. I wanted to give the bride what she requested so the solution was a rented tent for shade, industrial strength fans, and a menu of light and refreshing foods.

The bridal couple's colors were pink and green with accents of gold so we used those colors as our inspiration. We hung an assortment of colorful paper lanterns from the underside of the tent to lend a festive air. On the tables we had fuchsia table cloths and bright green napkins.  Pictures of the bride in pretty gold frames, provided by my co-hostess, were scattered around the top of the table. The finishing touch was bright bouquets in a variety of pinks and greens.  My daughter and I made arrangements of  pretty pink roses, green tinted hydrangeas, berries and a few smaller blooms in simple square vases.




Keeping cool in the Florida heat was a challenge, but with the fans on high and the tent giving us shade, the ladies stayed comfortably cool. Just in case anyone was feeling a little overheated, our party favors were paper fans personalized with the name of the bride and groom and happy wishes for my niece and her future husband. 

Our menu was all cool, summery foods. A chilled avocado cucumber soup was a perfect, light starter. Respecting the bride’s vegetarian tastes, we followed up with a summer pasta salad with quinoa, asparagus, and strawberries on a bed of spinach. A lemon burst cake from a local bakery was a pleasantly light final note.

Keeping the heat at bay with plenty of iced tea, fans, and a shady tent, the ladies were able to enjoy the setting, the food and the company.  The event offered a little bit of relaxation and 'girl-time' before the big day and was one more happy bridal memory for all who attended.
(The Co-Hosts)


Gail Barley Interiors
Awarded Best Of Houzz 2016

Over 35 Million Monthly Unique Users Nominated Best Home Building, 
Remodeling and Design Professionals in North America and Around the World

Gail Barley Interiors of Orlando, FL has won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The full service interior decorating firm was chosen by the more than 35 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than one million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2015. A “Best Of Houzz 2016” badge will appear on winners’ profiles, as a sign of  their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.

“Anyone building, remodeling or decorating looks to Houzz for the most talented and service-oriented professionals” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. “We’re so pleased to recognize Gail Barley Interiors voted one of our “Best Of Houzz” professionals by our enormous community of homeowners and design enthusiasts actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

Follow Gail Barley Interiors on Houzz.

About Houzz

Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a small room to building a custom home and everything in between, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community empowered by technology, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin, Sydney, Moscow and Tokyo. Houzz and the Houzz logo are registered trademarks of Houzz Inc. worldwide. For more information, visit houzz.com.

Before
We recently worked with a client who wanted to sell his investment property and appeal to a vast market of potential home buyers. He knew when he bought the home that he wanted to sell it as an investment, and now was the time. To make the most return on his investment, he asked that Gail Barley Interiors come in and spruce up his home. This included new light fixtures, carpeting, and paint, but the most important detail was the curb appeal.  A key element of his investment was repainting the exterior of his home.
The Predictable Choice
While the contractor worked on creating more traditional columns on the front of the house, we went to work selecting 3 palettes for our client to chose from. The first was what we would term “The Predictable Choice”. We’ve all seen these homes - beige exteriors, with brown trim, and a burgundy door. While not a poor choice - it looks good on a wide range of homes - this option felt too ordinary and we feared it would blend into the other homes on the market, lacking that extra something to make it  stand out. 
The Transitional Choice
Our second choice we termed “The Transitional Choice”. With a soft green body color, cream accents, and a deep brown door, this palette still felt traditional, but blended into the house’s  modern architecture. However, it still didn't have the wow factor that would really make it memorable. Our homeowner’s final decision was to go with what we dubbed “The Bold Choice”.
The Bold Choice
Like “the Predictable Choice”, we worked to create harmony with his brown windows by supplying a rich brown color for the trim. Instead of a neutral beige, we chose a more sandy color. Finally, for our door we chose a vivid red-orange, sure to make a memorable first impression, called Hearty Orange. 
Final Sketch
This pulled the eye  to the welcoming front entrance and gave our client a fun touch of color. Still in the traditional color scheme, this palette had a little more personality and appealed to a wide demographic while still standing apart from the crowd. A couple of new outdoor lights and a little landscaping and this home was ready to list!


What's more exciting than decorating a beautiful room? Being recognized for your hard work! A couple of weeks ago, BuildDirect wrote a blog recognizing the 15 best decorators in Orlando, FL and I was lucky enough to make the cut! Here is the article they wrote. I would appreciate it if you would vote for me in the poll at the bottom of the article!


  I was hired recently by a couple who were interested in redecorating their living and dining rooms.  The clients showed me images of a home of a south Florida friend who owns a local shop specializing in vintage and re-purposed products imported from Asia and the Far East.  They specifically requested that we purchase at least one statement piece to incorporate into their new space.   Because nothing currently in the room was staying, I decided to use this statement piece to kick-off my design plan so the wife and I went shopping.  We selected a long, somewhat rustic, cabinet to anchor the main wall in the living room.  We also found a mirror made out of an old window frame that we felt would bring just the right touch to the dining room.
Before & After
 When we started, the room felt small with nothing to draw attention to the high ceilings and architectural columns in the room.  The clients had already decided to replace the tile floor with a wood floor which added warmth to the space.  With our inspiration pieces selected,  I put a design plan together.  The color palette was inspired by the blue and green tones in the newly purchased pieces and I added orange to incorporate the warm tones the clients favored.  We emphasized the height of the room by removing a ceiling fan and the outdated dining room chandelier and replacing them with two different but complimentary gold-toned chandeliers.  We also hung tall drapes to draw attention to the windows, add height, and a big hit of beautiful color.  Most of the walls are painted a nice neutral gray/beige to let the vibrant colors really stand-out. We added one accent wall in a lovely shade of pale green.  My clients were hesitant at first about the color but they trusted my vision and I love the way the cream colored sideboard and blue painted mirror look against this color. Emerald green lamps and accent pillows bring the green into the living room and emphasize the green in our cabinet.
Before & After

One of the most stunning touches in the room came when we added the coral upholstered dining chairs. Our clients love the bright pop of color and added fun that these chairs bring to the space. 
Design Concept & Final Result

From design concept to final product, these clients encouraged me to give them a timeless look that also reflected their desire to have unique and one-of-a-kind elements.  I couldn't be happier with the results.  When we started, the wife said when it was her turn to host her book club, she didn't want to invite people to her home and she wanted to change that.  I hope now she will look forward to her turn to host and show off her beautiful rooms. 


Over 25 Million Monthly Unique Users Rated Top-Rated Home Building, 
Remodeling and Design Professionals in the United States and Around the World

Gail Barley has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” for Customer Satisfaction by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The founder and principal designer of Gail Barley Interiors was chosen by the more than 25 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than 500,000 active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

The Best Of Houzz award is given in Customer Satisfaction. Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2014. Winners will receive a “Best Of Houzz 2015” badge on their profiles, helping Houzz users around the world who discover and love a professional’s work to learn even more about that business’ popularity and satisfaction rating among their peers in the Houzz community.  

“Houzz provides homeowners with a 360 degree view of home building, remodeling and design industry professionals, empowering them to engage the right people and products for their project,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of industry marketing for Houzz. “We’re delighted to recognize Gail Barley among our “Best Of” professionals as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

Follow Gail Barley Interiors on Houzz.

About Houzz
Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish - online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin and Sydney. For more information, visit www.houzz.com


New clients assume that the size of their decorating budget is in direct correlation to how happy I and they are with the finished product.  This is truly not the case.  For example,  I recently completed a one room project for a young woman living in her first house.  She had a spare bedroom that she was using as an office but she wasn't happy with how it functioned or how it looked.  She was interested in moving the desk into the closet so that the rest of the space could be used as a lounge/study.  You can read about and see the transformation of the closet in the blog I posted on April 25th (Converting a Closet to an Office).

Before
Before

A few paychecks later, she was ready to furnish the rest of the room.  My client had a few pieces she definitely wanted to keep: an art-deco wing chair covered in black leather with white piping, some of her artwork, and her pink dress form.  I was happy to accommodate these requests.  I also suggested keeping the hot pink Ikea bookcase. By turning it on its side, we were able to use it as our media console and still have storage for books. A budget friendly solution.

I often consider furniture made for children when furnishing small spaces. In this case, we used a love seat in a light gray fabric with tufting detail from PB Teen. Using a "teen" company allowed us to find a piece that was smaller in scale (just what we needed for this petite lounge).


To go beside the love seat, we found a three tier glass and brass table from West Elm.  The three glass tiers gave us the function we needed without making the space feel crowded, while also relating to our Ghost style chair in the desk area.  A white ceramic lamp from Z Gallerie atop the glass table provides light and some feminine curves. The only other piece of furniture we purchased was West Elm's Martini table in white.  This petite table provides a place to set a glass or the remote but keeps the space feeling open and can easily be moved to anywhere it is needed.

The final touches are what really put this room over the top.  The hot pink and cream toile drapery in a Robert Allen fabric gives a nod to our Parisian mural on the desk wall.  Pillows in the same fabric really pop on our gray couch and bring a little pink to that side of the room.  A few more gold accents were added for sparkle and the client's artwork was hung back on the walls.

I love the way the space turned out and so does my client.  I've had clients with bigger budgets but this room is one of my favorites.  We were able to give her an office and a lounge in 120 square feet, marrying function and style. It seems perfectly suited for a young professional woman.  The pink little girl's room all grown up!

When describing a room, magazines will often use the word “Timeless” to capture the elegant and everlasting quality of a space. How do we design a room to be “timeless”? What is the difference between good design and great design?  In the coming months I will start a series of blog entries on 20th century rooms and what makes them appealing to us today.  I will also suggest changes that could be made to bring the rooms into the 21st century. I hope that this will serve as a guide to anyone seeking to understand how design works, the trends involved, and where things change and where they stay the same. 
Living Room by the late Mark Hampton
Photo by Durston Saylor for Architectural Digest
Published in 1996

Classic pieces are understood to last, but what makes a piece a classic? Trends are best used in small amounts, but where can I use them and still keep my room looking updated and current? This series of rooms will be a fun way to explore these and other questions that a decorator can help answer. I also hope that this will give you general knowledge of some famous designers and what made them great.

Decorating a room doesn't have to be a never ending project, but it also isn't something that we can set aside for years at a time. In these blogs I hope to show you quick ways to keep a space fresh and new feeling, without having to start over every couple of years.
In my last blog about my daughter's rental property, the main living room was unfinished, but on its way to becoming a place that she could call home. In the ensuing months she and I have worked to create a homey feel on a very tight budget. The first thing we installed were her bamboo shades. An inexpensive choice for a room with a large window but also an attractive one. With a little help, my daughter found blinds that she liked on sale, saving her about $200. The shades add texture and color while providing much needed privacy from the street.

The next item on the to-do list was a rug.  Rugs can be expensive with custom rugs costing thousands of dollars. An expensive rug was impractical for a young woman starting out and impossible on a budget from a just-out-of-college job. However, the space really needed the warmth and softness that a rug provides. Instead of a ready made rug we purchased a carpet remnant and had it cut and bound to perfectly fit the space.

Our next step was to add curtains to give this small space some height. I love curtains because they are a great way to add color and pattern and can really make a room feel finished.  We worked to find the perfect fabric.  With a little research and time we managed to find her dream fabric discounted by $15 a yard, saving her around $100 in the end. Having a pair of side panels made is not terribly expensive but they make such a difference! We were careful to make her curtains in a size that would work in any space with 8' ceilings. When she moves onto her next home, she will have curtains that she can use again. I purchased the curtain hardware on clearance from one of my suppliers, saving about 50%.

With some time, effort, and a little bit of luck, the space came together to create a modern room for a young woman. The final result is a comfortable, custom-looking space that my daughter is proud to call her first home and we didn't bust the budget!

Decorating, like any other creative endeavor, goes through changes as styles and tastes change.  Today I wanted to write about trends that I am currently seeing in decorating.  Most of my clients want their homes to be current but not too trendy.  For big ticket items, I prefer classic and timeless choices.  I save the trends for smaller and easily updated items.  The trick is to know the difference between a trend that will soon fade and a new classic with longevity.  Here are my thoughts on some of the newest decorating styles.

1.  Ikats. You may not know what it is called but you have most likely seen this textile pattern in design magazines and at retailers. Ikat, pronounced e-cat, is an ancient pattern that has become very popular in today's interiors. The graphic nature of this pattern makes it work with many different styles and it is available in a wide range of color combinations. My recommendation is to use ikat patterns to update your decor but use them on items that are easily changed: throw pillows, small chairs, window treatments, etc. Although I expect ikats to be around for a few more years, I see them as a trend.

2.  Quartz Composite Counters. For years the go to material for countertops has been granite and other natural stones. Quartz composite is changing that. A man-made material, available in a wide range of colors and patterns, it is more durable than granite, doesn't require sealing and is relatively 'green'. I was quick to jump on the quartz bandwagon, first using it 10 years ago, and I still love it.  This is a trend with real staying power.

3.  Gold metals.  Silver has been the metal of choice for hardware, light fixtures and accent pieces for many years. But now I am seeing a shift from silver to gold. For those of you who are shuddering and having laquered brass flashbacks, don't worry. The new gold finish is much softer, often with a more satin or burnished finish than what we saw in the 90's. The good news for everyone is that it is perfectly acceptable to mix metal finishes so if everything in your house is silver, you don't need to start over to embrace this trend. You can introduce gold in a lamp, a vase or a picture frame.

4.  Gray. If you don't know already, gray is the new beige.  After twenty years of beige being the 'go-to' neutral, gray is coming on strong. Just like beige, gray comes in many shades and can work with a wide range of colors in a wide range of environments.  The only caveat I would offer is that it is hard to introduce gray into an all beige environment.  Gray will be here for a while so consider it as an alternative to beige or white.

5.  Outdoor Living.  Over the last few years, furnishings for outdoor spaces have become more and more like their indoor counterparts.  Outdoor fabrics are now almost indiscernible from indoor.  Fully upholstered outdoor pieces offer comfort and quick drying features.  Water and electricity usually don't mix but there are lamps designed for outdoor use.  Overall the line between indoor and outdoor spaces has blurred giving our homes more usable square footage.  I expect this trend to continue.

If you want to freshen up your home, try adopting one or more of these trends.  Just invest your money wisely and if you need help, you know who to call.
You've painted the walls, re-arranged the furniture, and moved all of your DVDs into your media console, but your room just doesn't feel done. Why? Normally when a client asks this question it's because their room still isn't done. What makes a room feel finished and purposeful in its design? I would say there are a couple of key items that push a room from "yawn" to "Wow!". Specifically, every room needs: window treatments, art and accessories.

Window Treatments:

Window treatments frequently come with your home in the form of blinds, shades, or something equally functional and utilitarian. These are fine in that they keep the sun out of your space and allow you some control of whether or not you're going to be sleeping in on Sunday. But a room doesn't really have that finished quality until the windows have been thoughtfully dressed. Be it a tiny valance in your bathroom, or formal drapes in your dining room, window treatments can be the difference between bland and beautiful.  Fabric treatments are a great opportunity to add color, pattern, and softness.  I love installing window treatments because of the reactions I get from my clients.  They are usually amazed by how much difference they make in a room and how it elevates the whole design of the space.

Art:

Sometimes I go into a client's house and find art or pictures on every single available wall space, but more often I go into a space and find that there is very little art. Art is one of the last things we place in a room, and it is oftentimes the most personal. Family portraits and your art choices give a sense of the people who live in a house. Choose your art carefully, art is one of those things where quality shows.  So buy the best art you can afford, buy something you love, and hang it up!

Accessories:

Like art, sometimes I come into a home and every available surface is used for display, often this gives the impression of clutter. More often, however, I go into a home and find that there are empty bookshelves, bare coffee tables, and empty cabinets. Just as the right earrings or a great pair of shoes can make an outfit, great accessories can take your room to the next level.

When working on your home remember not to stop at furniture, or paint, but to finish what you have started. A home is a place you spend time in, raise a family in, and live life in, it should be a place where you feel happy and complete.

In light of the upcoming holiday, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge fathers.  When it comes to home decor, men often take a backseat to the women in their lives.  When it comes to family, men have a very important and difficult role to fulfill.

I am fortunate to have many wonderful men in my life who have taken on the role of a father and done it well.  First and foremost is my own father.  I know from speaking to other women, and personal experience, how important being loved and accepted by the first man in your life is to your self-esteem.  I am blessed to have a father who makes me feel special, loved, and accepted everyday of my life.  My husband, the second important man to enter my life, has been a devoted father to our two (now adult) children.  From sporting events, camping trips and family vacations to everyday dinners at the kitchen table, he has made his children a priority in his life.

My husband brought two more wonderful men into my life, my father-in-law and my son.  I appreciate the love and support my father-in-law has always shown me.  He welcomed me into his family and into his heart and I will always be grateful.  It remains to be seen what kind of father my son will be.  I am confident that with the positive examples he has grown up with, he will continue his legacy of love and devotion.

So, thank you to my father, my husband and my father-in-law for enriching my life.  I know I am blessed to have you all.  Happy Father's Day to you and to good fathers every where!
1

How to Use Mirrors In Your Home


Why do we keep the flat, sheet mirrors that our contractors install? And why do we buy the mirror that matches the dresser?  I find that clients imitate what they see in the furniture store, or do what the previous owners of their home did. But, why? There are so many creative and interesting options. Today's blog is about the many uses of mirrors in your home and how the mirror you choose can reflect you and your style.

2
A small bathroom (1) can be a tough place to create a sense of space, but I've found that a couple of impact pieces can lighten these sometimes cramped areas considerably. A good place to throw in  a great accent piece is over the sink. Mirrors come in all shapes and sizes and finding the perfect one can be difficult, but when you do it can bring about a great result. For example, this powder room is near the entry in the more formal part of the house. It had to be sophisticated but also bright and welcoming. The use of a Venetian style mirror brings reflected light and glamour.

Traditionally people think of bathrooms as the place where we have mirrors, but a mirror in the bedroom is a useful and beautiful tool. This bedroom (2 - 3) had a cozy feel with the fireplace lit, and plenty of light with a wall full of windows, but
3
with a fireplace as a centerpiece and an equally strong focus placed on the bed with a patterned comforter, the mantel was a place to introduce calm. The mirror reflects the focus of the room, the bed, and is simple enough not to detract from the fireplace, but to enhance it. With a gilt frame, this mirror complements the elegance of the room without overwhelming the homier touches.
4

It's true that bathrooms are the traditional location for a mirror, but often people overlook the different styles of mirror that they can place in a bathroom. The simplicity of an oval shaped mirror can make a bathroom stand apart. This one is off of a cozy family room. We combined classic fixtures in an updated brushed nickel finish with a quartz countertop and added a gorgeous antique wooden mirror. Because of its simplicity, a piece like this can be used all over your home, and can be moved about for a quick change to your décor. The wood finish allows it to fit in informal spaces like a bedroom, while the brass inlay gives it enough style to work in more sophisticated areas like a formal living room.

Oftentimes when buying a mirror, clients go for the trendy, or "in" piece, a practice I don't disagree with; however, there is a way to be trendy while still buying a piece that will work, even when the trend has passed. To work with the popular sunburst mirror trend, I chose a mirror that may still technically be "sunburst" but is a little more unusual. This gives the trendy vibe we wanted for this family area without the downside of having a statement piece that will be out of style in a year or two.
5
The almost brutalist style of the mirror brings texture and sparkle to the chocolate brown wall.  Using a mirror over the sofa allowed light into an otherwise dark area.

When working with mirrors remember, you don't have to go with what is "expected"or part of a set, but you can instead pick what you feel works best in your space as well as what makes you feel like this house is your home.
Before: Peninsula Separating Kitchen from Great Room
When you picture a home in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, you might imagine rustic spaces, a roaring fire and cozy furniture. Well this house was so not that! The previous owners seemed to think they were in Palm Beach.  Lily Pulitzer pinks, lime green and yellow were everywhere!  This 70's era home needed a serious facelift.  It was a close contest, but I think the award for the ugliest room in the house had to go to the kitchen.

Before: Looking Into Kitchen
Before: Original Cabinetry and Appliances
The kitchen was terrible. When I say terrible, you’d better believe it was awful. Bright yellow and brown cabinetry, mismatched appliances, orange-hued pine paneling, closed in corners, wavy vinyl floors, yuck! And even though the space is right off of the main living area, upper cabinets and a single opening, made the kitchen feel closed off and separate from the rest of the house. We immediately went to work (or my contractor did), gutting the whole kitchen.  We planned on opening up the space by getting rid of some upper cabinets and adding an island.  This gave us a nice "U" shaped layout and good flow.  To save on costs, we kept appliances in their original places, adding a vented hood over the stove and tucking the microwave into the new island. We also gained a nice bar area for casual dining.
Midway




I love color, it’s true, but yellow was not doing it for me, and while the overall color scheme for the house is blue and green with touches of brown, I decided that this room needed to be bright so that meant white.  All white cabinetry is a classic, and quartz countertops with a soft gray limestone look gives a little contrast.  The gray tones look great with the new stainless appliances and relate to the gray stone fireplace in the adjacent space.  We eliminated the paneling on the walls and added a wood plank ceiling for warmth.  The wood ceiling continues into the adjacent space which visually ties the spaces together.


Almost There!
Finally, we added our color with pops of blue on the countertops, pretty accessories, and cookbooks in the built ins. The wrought iron lights and bronze finish on the hardware bring a touch of that rusticity that seems so suited to a mountain home. A pretty curtain for the window will be the finishing touch. Quite a transformation!
After: The new brighter, more welcoming space.


When people see beautiful pictures of a professionally decorated home they often think that they could never afford to hire a decorator. Many people believe that to afford a decorator you have to be wealthy but a home can be beautifully decorated on a small budget with smart choices and carefully selected pieces. Good decorators work together with their clients and their client's budgets to create a beautiful and functional space.

Recently I had the opportunity of working with a wonderful young couple buying and furnishing their first home. They had a small budget and they wanted to hire a decorator to help with much of the first floor of their house. The wife told me that she had interviewed several decorators that didn't want to work with her because the budget was too small but I was up for the challenge.  I am glad I took the job because they were wonderful clients and we all loved the results!

To furnish the living area, dining area and foyer within our budget, we used readily available pieces from a variety of retail and resale sources, nothing custom. We skipped drapes in the main area, but brought them into the front hall for big impact. These ready made drapes bring in some color and accentuate the height of the two story foyer. A large hanging light fixture also emphasizes the ceiling height while adding a bit of 'wow'.

In the dining space, two host chairs were placed at either end of the dining table for color, and antique store chairs (only $40 each!) were used along the sides of the table allowing seating for up to eight people. The oval table has a soft gray finish which relates to the gray sofas in the living area. Replacing the builder-grade chandelier with something prettier was the finishing touch.

We chose two sofas for the living area, a bit of nailhead trim makes these budget friendly sofas look more high end.  One pricey accent pillow on a sofa is surrounded by more budget friendly finds. An accent chair in a bold floral pattern brings in a bit of fun.  The media console was our biggest splurge and way over budget but we all felt it was the perfect piece for the room.  Finishing touches include a trellis pattern rug, blue-gray lamps and a silver garden stool to bring in a little shine.

 Overall, we came in right on budget.  We were able to offset our media console "splurge" by staying under budget on other pieces. I think this project proves that a space can be functional, pretty, and affordable!


So can you afford a decorator? The answer may be "Yes"! You don't know until you ask. If you have a room that needs decorating, you have to be realistic about what furnishings cost. But, with some savvy shopping, you can work within your budget, and have a better result, thanks to a decorator. Think of a decorator as an investment in your home. You want your investment to look its best, and a decorator helps you to accomplish that, even on a small budget.