How to create outdoor spaces with interior items

When it comes to entertaining in the summer, taking full advantage of all your available square footage is just smart. That means utilizing your outdoor space too. Here are a few ideas on how to maximize your outdoor space for entertaining.

When you're thinking about reupholstering indoor furniture, think about using an indoor/outdoor fabric. Not only will you be able to use those pieces outside when entertaining, any inevitable spills will be a snap to clean up! And today's options when it comes to indoor/outdoor fabrics may surprise you... 

Ceramic Asian plant stands do double or even triple duty. From holding potted plants inside, you can then move them outside to be used as additional seating and/or side tables.  From traditional to ultra-modern, there's a plant stand out there just for you.

Lastly, don't forget to 'dress' your table! Bring out your linens, china, and crystal for an elegant evening complete with candelabras and flowers. Or, for a more relaxed evening, hang some old mason jars with tea candles from the trees with simple place settings and a bushel of fruit as your centerpiece. 

Tell me what you love to use to when entertaining outdoors!

A Mid Century Living Room in Green

As an interior designer, I love searching on etsy to find unique peices for my clients. Here I've designed an entire room, from furniture to lighting to art, using only fabulous etsy finds. I hope you love it!

A transitional living room with a romantic inspiration

I was driving through downtown West Palm Beach the other day and came across this building.

It inspired me to design a living room.  For this space, I wanted to incorporate the traditional and romantic motifs of the architecture, however with a modern twist that the pink, grey, and white lend themselves to. 

So here's what I came up with.  A transitional living room with touches of the formality of yesteryear juxtaposed against the clean lines of today's design.

Doggy Pop Art

My home is always a work in progress… from rearranging my current furniture, adding to the window treatments, or repainting a space, my home reflects my love of design and evolution and change.


Currently I’m redoing my daughter’s room. She’s turning 13 later this month, so I think it’s about time to graduate into a more sophisticated style that will grow with her as she traverses the treacherous waters known around these parts as…GASP…the teenage years.

I’ve been looking for art that will give her room it’s soul. Something young and hip, funky yet personal, anti-establishment, but will still look good in my home!

I think I want Pop Art! I found this great website that has exactly what I’ve been looking for. You pick the style you want (they’ve got everything from Britto to Warhol to Anime to Photo Portraits), send in your photo, and then let the magic happen. You get a proof to approve online, then your new art will arrive ready to be hung in your home!

I am sooooooo loving this! And the pricing is really reasonable, too. Starting at around $200, no matter your budget, you can find a product that will work for you there.

Since my daughter is such an animal lover, and we already have an menagerie of animals to choose from (our 1 Chinese Crested at home plus 14 Chihuahua's over at the Nana's house), I think a tribute to the little dogs in our life would be just right!

Etsy hunting

Sometimes inspirations strikes, and sometimes you have to go looking for it. As I sit here with my computer screen giving me this blank look, otherwise known as an empty blog post, I have come to the conclusion that today is one of those hunting days.  So off to Etsy I go...

I'm feeling a little artsy today, so I started in the Art category. After a few pages of prints and paintings, I refined my search to Sculptures. Ta Da!!  Inspiration struck! 

Here are just a few of my favorites.

This guy Jimmy Lee does these incredible wood turnings. (It has a lot to do with the woods he uses) This example is ambrosia maple with a coprolite finial. Check out his shop to see his other work!

I'm loving these minimalist pieces from Paint Square. Tell them your colors, and they'll custom make one for you!

Susanna Shap over at ModernHouseArt does all her work with a palette knife and paint. I loved so many of her pieces, but will only feature the one that moved me most today. Check out her other work too. She works with a lot of color and abstract concepts too. I'm a big fan!

And last, but not least, I discovered these twisty aluminum sculptures by a guy named Andre. Good for indoor or outdoor use, I could see one placed in the vegetation surrounding a waterfall as well as I could see it placed on a pedestal in a large foyer.

OK, back to Etsy to see what else I stumble across... See you guys next time!