Wednesday Style Points: What’s On Your Bedside Table?

Wednesday Style Points: What’s On Your Bedside Table?

I never thought I’d be able to itemize every little item that sat beside me as I slept…

But given my appointment with…let’s just call it…’forced rest’…I am now able to list every bloomin’ object on my night stand!

I have a poor man’s version of this chest on my side of the bed. It holds more than I can possibly hide! Mine does not have the gilding or original handles…but I love it still…

What have you got next to you?

Style Points!

I happen to love this feature in the publishing world

But nothing reminds me to update like comparing my list to theirs!

What have you?

Dare I say I take my tea in a pretty cup?

Books?

Mine are stacked high…

This book was given to me by Leslie Hassler, a dear friend from Mastermind. It is officially noted, tagged & highlighted!

Well, at least I can say I am learning…

Another book on my nightstand…

And always to keep me grounded…in the right place…this and the Good Book 🙂

What are your Style Points on your nightstand?

Would your nightstand make the magazines?:)

From House Beautiful.

I’m thinking about updating mine…!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

Tuesday Tidbit: Small Blessings Make The Day

Tuesday Tidbit: Small Blessings Make The Day

First, thank you to all who have extended kindness & grace as we deal with this nasty nasty bug

Jokingly referred to in our house as the “50 year Flu”

oy

That said, some of the smallest blessings make the day delightful

Laughter thru the ick

May these be encouraging to you TODAY

Where you are, who you are, why you are

Tuesday Tidbit: From my mug of hot tea with lemon (& brandy) to yours!

Remember…comparison is the thief to joy. You are delightful. May today be a day filled with laughter even if that laughter has some phlegm ;)! xoxo

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

Sunday Stewardship: Rest, Recuperate & Redecorate :)

Sunday Stewardship: Rest, Recuperate & Redecorate

There is nothing like a nasty case of the flu to force REST

I/We are still down for the count, popping up every so often when our meds kick in!

I must say, the best meds are the home made Hot Toddy’s…image linked. Thank you to Franki for suggesting some brandy! It has most definitely helped! Image linked to ehow’s…”How to cure a cold with Brandy”!

My Doctor assures me I will have a voice again, though my children are loving the silence 🙂

My Webinar recording…not so much loving the silence……..

Hard to talk with no voice….my teenage son has volunteered to “use” the gaming headset we bought to record our webinars but I have hidden it in my office! I don’t want more of my business supplies to end up in the vortex of “play room hell”!

As far as RECUPERATE goes, the best part is what I call visual feasting

Have you SEEN this month’s House Beautiful?

I have been LOVING reading every part of this month’s issue!! The features, articles….all of it…speaking to me right now…image linked

OMG, delight to the heart & eyes

And the REDECORATE part?

Well…nothing like spending a week in bed to make you want to redecorate your room, is there….!….

How fun would this be? Image linked.

Honey, what do you think of green? It’s the color of the year you know….

Image linked.

This would never work in my house, but I do LOVE the sleek style. Maybe if I ever have a desert home….

Sunday Stewardship. I like the redecorate part the best.

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

Friday: Heather Scott Home (Heather Harkovich) Designs the Southern Living Show Case Home

Friday: Heather Harkovich Designs the Southern Living Show Case Home I have the privilege of knowing Heather from Tobi Fairley‘s Mastermind Program. Heather was gracious from the get go. I love Show Case Homes because they make so many Design …

Thursday Spotlight: A Friend & Fellow Designer Denise McGaha Speaking @ Southern Living Showhouse!

Thursday Spotlight: Friend & Fellow Designer, Denise McGaha Speaking at Southern Living Showhouse in Austin, Texas

Topic: Creating Your Interiors On A Showhome Deadline

Denise is beautiful, smart & oh so fab at design!

Denise McGaha is the real deal. She just gets it. I count her as a dear friend who will speak the truth & listen with an open heart.

A powerhouse Designer from whom I glean much, Denise specializes in creating on a deadline

The Southern Living Showhouse in Austin, Texas

This weekend she is scheduled to speak at the Southern Living Showhouse in Austin, Texas

This is one of my favorite designs by Denise. She has a keen eye for scale, color & balance. This image was featured in Design Guide. Image linked.

If you are anywhere near, you should make your way over. If I could just wrangle that private plane I’d be on it…

Denise is also in my Mastermind group with Tobi Fairley

Still recouping in my pale pink, trying to save my voice & heal from this nasty flu, may this be a blessing to you today!

This is a great pale pink. I use it line drawers, linen cabinets, undersides of desks, closets…

Spotlight: Denise & Southern Living!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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Tomorrow? My friend and fellow Designer Heather Harkovich…lead Designer for Southern Living Showcase in Austin, Texas & owner of Heather Scott Home

Wednesday Style Points: Can’t Rock Them When You’re Sick…or Can You?!

Wednesday Style Points: Can’t Rock Them When You’re Sick…or Can You?!

Holy Toledo Batman, this flu season stinks!

Pardon my French but we had a busy week planned & most of it’s shot…re-schedule a video shoot, re-tape a Webinar, Mastermind Telecall, A 3-Day Conference…and the best laid plans…

So I learn daily that someone else is in control which I know in my heart is a good thing

Ha! says the Lord. Take a chill pill Ann. OK, I’m listening God – I’m just really excited about what we have coming out & want to carry on.

There IS delight in knowing all we have to do is plant the seed. It’s up to someone else to make it grow….

Style points – still on my brain even as I am surrounded by Nyquil, Vapo Rub & Vitamin C. How silly is that. A designer still cares about those things even when down for the count.

That said, these pale pink rooms are delighting me right now. May they be a delight to you as well.

The soothing pale pinks are helping me right now…hope they are a blessing to you – and equip you to take a deep breath & enjoy health!

Check out some pretty pale pink spaces  = a style point.

Image linked via House Beautiful.

And with this, I am back to resting. I know when I’m beat! Hope you are spared…

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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All said, I am grateful for solid assistants. We are still testing our Webinar with a select group at the end of February. If you sent in your email, you should receive instructions by Friday of this week. There are no more tester spots available but at least one 1 Hour Webinar will be made available for free to any and all who like. We are delighted to share this growing process together and walk along side in this thing called life. Our first Formal Product Launch will be available for purchase in March!

Monday Matters: Another Holiday, More Themed Design Stuff…oy…

Monday Matters: Another Holiday, More Themed Design Stuff…oy

Don’t get me wrong, I love Washington…George that is….

And I am grateful for a day hidden with family & close friends

& yes…a bit of work…

but the THEME thing can wear on me from a design standpoint

I love kitsch – as anyone who has visited our cabin can attest

the “boot room” is literally engulfed in kitsch

I also happen to have a couture design habit & may have reached my limit for this month’s themed design

What about you?

Do any of you decorate for Washington’s B Day?

Do any of you still have Valentine’s Day stuff out or has it switched to St Patrick’s Day?

Or are we already on to Easter & other Judeo-Christian Traditions?

Hummm….

I always make sure we have enough white linen, white canvas, white anything….on hand to slip cover anything & everything the client may want covered. It is just one of those “things” I grew up with. Summer slip covers – a lost tradition that is actually pretty practical from a design & decorating standpoint!

From a business end – it IS Monday Matters after all, we are focused on the Summer Slip Cover Switch Out for long term full service clients…

We often make the switch for clients on everything from main sofas to casual dining chairs. This image from Victoria Peterson’s Blog. Image linked. I just liked the vignette. Casual Nantucket to me…

From a personal business end – I am still stuck on those striped walls for the guest room in the cabin!

Wider stripes from Tobi Fairley!

Monday Matters

Too much on the brain 🙂

Time for a Washington B Day Cupcake!!

Maybe I will get some striped wall inspiration from a themed cupcake…humm…

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

Sunday Stewardship: A Day of Rest from All Things Design + Decorating

Sunday Stewardship: A Day of Rest From All Things Design + Decorating

At the counsel of my wise husband, I am resting today

This is one of the sweetest quotes. Thank you hun for reminding me to sleep!! And so it’s MY turn to remind you – for I KNOW you were MADE to move mountains with your gifts & talents….

This does not come easily to me

Does it come easily to you?

Maybe these quotes will help!

I’m trying ;). I’m just really excited about what we are rolling out – what I feel called to share to equip YOU to live a custom life where you are, who you are, why you are…

I LOVE this quote. This is the FOUNDATION for my Decorating Principle # 1.

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

Saturday Stuff: What Decorating Issues Keep You Up At Night?

Saturday Stuff: What Decorating Issues Keep You Up At Night?

Ok, no laughing at me…

Yes, I admit, there are decorating issues that keep me up at night

I like this quote!

Have you ever dealt with that?

I suppose, in truth, it’s why I chose the profession I did

I was always thinking about that STUFF

What about you?

Did any Decorating, Design or Lifestyle Design Q keep you up last night?

Send me your questions because we are recording our First Ever Video Blogs over the next week and I’d like to answer YOUR QUESTIONS!

Are you stuck on a floor plan?

One of the things we always talk with full service clients about is their safety! For my long time readers…you know my “Safety + Order + Beauty”™ trademarked formula. Sometimes we just get “stuck” on floor plan and flow!

Can’t choose a paint color?

I love Pratt & Lambert paints. Image linked. Have you ever used one of those virtual paint selectors where you see a room painted on line?

Can’t convince your friend to change her window blinds out?

What about this…do you ever wish you could “refresh” your house for the spring but get completely stuck on how?

Send your questions to me at Ann@Couturechateau.com and I will answer them ON THE VIDEO Blog AND send you an individual document with your answer in more detail with a worksheet to help you figure it out!

We will be video blogging 1 day a week from “Inside The Design Studio” and will keep them short & sweet, goal is under 5 minutes – hopefully closer to 3…we KNOW you are busy!

Saturday Stuff….what kept me up?

FABulously over the top. My first office was entirely black – it was so chic & I loved it, until I HATED it! What fun….this is too over the top for our cabin, but I love the fearlessness & may have to remember for the next NYC or Salon Project…

The width of the horizontal lines we are painting in one of the guest bedrooms at our cabin. Seriously. 11″? 12″? 13″?…..to outline or not…shade or not…

This is from my friend Liz Carroll via another friend Traci Zeller. I love the use of these stripes on the ceiling. We have a dropped beam ceiling in this guest room at the cabin, but maybe up the walls…

Red & White? Too strong? It is a cabin…

STUFF…it’s what life is made of 😉

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

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REMEMBER, We start filming next week for our short 1 time a week video blogs so:

Send your decorating questions to me at Ann@Couturechateau.com and I will answer them ON THE VIDEO Blog AND send you an individual document with your answer in more detail with a worksheet to help you figure it out!

Who will be our first ever Q?!

We want you!

It really does!! Chances are, someone else has the same question you do but is afraid to ask…there are no stupid questions & FEARLESS is the word of the year around here. If I can get in front of a video camera (Lord help me!) then I know YOU can send a question or three!!!

Frugal Friday: Do You Ever Wish Someone Would Explain How Decorators REALLY Decorate?

Frugal Friday: Do You Ever Wish Someone Would Explain How Decorators REALLY Decorate?

Do you ever wish you could go behind the scenes to hear how projects come together, what tips & systems decorators use that they are not sharing?

Do you ever wish someone would explain how the whole “trade vs retail” thing works and why the light fixture your decorator specified is the same one you found on line?

Do you ever wish someone would give you simple, practical, non-phd level counsel & tools you could actually USE?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then we have something fun coming for you.

Finally!

Over the course of the next few weeks we are:

1) AUDIO RECORDING a FREE Webinar

2) VIDEO RECORDING a series of three FREE Video Trainings

3) VIDEO RECORDING our first ever Video Blog

4) Consolidating our first ever publicly available Information Product as part of my Design Systems Simplified Program. The FIRST Information Product we will have for sale will be the one below:

THIS particular Information Product is the compilation of a ton of work, some fabulous testers & an extension of our In House, In Person Seminar we held in October of 2012

It is designed for EASY use, EDITED for content – not a ton of fluff & will be in Webinar Form, the same way we teach & work with Full Service Clients.

Like I said, FINALLY!

Stay tuned: March & April are the roll out dates

🙂

Make sure we have your email so you can receive the FREE products, with actual information – not fluff.

If you haven’t seen my short 1 minute video yet about this series of products, “Design Systems Simplified” then check it out here:

Happy Frugal Friday!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

Send your email to Ann@Couturechateau.com to be placed on our never sold, never traded, uber private mailing list to receive the most up to date release information on all these products & to receive our Video Newsletter Blog, starting in March, 2013.