daily decorator

Today’s Room Service is for Taryn and her husband who just moved into their new home.  Taryn seems to be drawn to an updated classic look.  Here is Taryn’s letter.





Taryn sent in some pics of her lovely new space.





Since Taryn wants to surround herself with neutrals, I added warm elements with touches of brass, bronze & a splash of gold.  I also created a little more interest by mixing materials like metals, wood, leather and wool.  Starting with a clean slate of Benjamin Moore’s Berber White on the walls and the gorgeous wood floors, here is what I came up with.





To anchor the room I selected a modern sofa with sloping arms that I believe is a great combination of classic & modern.  I did select a patterned rug because it helps tie in the warmer colors.  If this is too much pattern for your liking, a plush cream rug like West Elm’s Pebble Rug would also work.  I believe the best spot for the couch because of lighting needs and traffic flow, would be up against the window wall.  I suggest a narrow, sofa table be placed out of sight behind the sofa to help with the flow of heat from the rad on that wall.  Not sure if this room would also be used for TV viewing, but I did include a layout that has 2 focal points…the fireplace & the TV.  (More on that later.)

Here’s the breakdown…

1.  JC Penney pair for $29.99   2.  CSN Stores Uttermost Amberlyn Antique Gold Mirror $217.80   3.  JC Penney Adjustable Metal Floor Lamp by studio $99   4.  West Elm Wool Curtain Panels starts @ $69   5.  Accent-Furniture-Direct Riverside Furniture Escapade Side Table $199   6.  Pottery Barn Eva Colored Glass Lamp in Amber $99   7.  Ethan AllenMontery Sofa $1699  
8.  Etsy/MaDahms White Thistle Pillow $26   9.  Etsy/UtilitarianFranchise Butterfly Pillow Cover $30   10.  Urban Outfitters Metal Accordion Coffee Table $128   11.  Etsy/ClayMystique Blue Vase $25   12.  Overstock Mission Brown Leather Tufted Bench/Ottoman  $199   13.  OverstockHand Tufted Jaira Tan Wool Rug 7X10 $324.69   14.  Urban Outfitters Accordian Metal Side Table $60   15.  Macy’sChloe Velvet Metro Living Chair (on sale)$499 Seafoam color shown (comes in Ivory too)   16.  Wisteria Gold Chinese Garden Stool $129

I also did a mock up of what the fireplace wall can look like if so desired.





Here I have added a classic wood mantle in white.  This particular one is from Agee Woodworks and starts at $394.  The bookcase/console is from West Elm and the white version is on sale.  I would love to see all that dark black stone around the fireplace covered in some mosaic tile.  The tiles pictured above are Terra Milan Glass & Stone Subway Mosaic Tiles from Mosaic Tile Supplies.

In case there will be some TV watching in this room I utilized the lone corner that shares a wall with the dining room.  Here is what that wall could look like.





Since no overhead lighting currently exists in the room, I have added 2 plug-in sconces that will bring some light higher into the space.  These Loop Dark Bronze Sconces are from Lamps Plus and are $79.99 each.  If you are still lacking light in the middle of the room one trick is to hide long extensions under the rug to the opposite couch wall.  It’s not ideal but will do the trick.  If installing recessed lights is not an option, consider installing outlets in the floor in areas where you need light.  This media cabinet is the Paterson White 48″ Media Console that sells for $399 at Crate and Barrel.  The clock is an Etsy find from decoylabs and sells for $68.

To complete the room, here is a selection of more possible accessories.





1.  Etsy/utilitarianfranchise $30   2.  Home Decorators 3 Gold Leaf Convex Mirrors $139   3.  Etsy/ponyandpoppy $30   4.  Z GallerieGold Metallic Hourglass  $34.95   5.  Z Gallerie White Globes $24.95 & $29.95   6.  Brook Farm General Store  Recycled Glass Ball Vase  $25   7.  Etsy/madahms White Thistle Pillow $26   8.  Etsy/frannyandjune Pleated Pillow $26   

Taryn’s room has many doorways which can make furniture placement tricky.  Here is a possible layout if TV watching is a necessity.  (If there is no TV, I would place both chairs facing the couch on the opposite end of rug.)

I want to thank you Taryn for ordering Room Service from the daily decorator.  I hope this helps you design your brand new living room! 

If you would like to have an online room design like Taryn, click  HERE  to find out more information.

It’s Wednesday and time to talk about some of the talented folks out there that I happen to come across while surfing the net! 

Lara from the blog, less cake {more frosting} designed a “rad” surf-themed room makeover for her son.


Here’s the before. 





With a new, more big boy color scheme, new accessories and bedding, Lara was able to completely transform this space.  Here’s the after.








Love that color combo!
To see more on the makeover click HERE.

Found out about this prop stylist from HGTV’s Emily Henderson on her blog The Brass Petal.  I imagine he must have a colorful personality with the color he brought into our lives from the pages of magazines like Blueprint.  Remember when?  Sigh.

To see more of Scott’s portfolio, click HERE.

Did anyone catch HGTV’s Design Star winner Emily Henderson’s premiere last night, Secrets From a Stylist?  It was definitely must see TV! 





Emily’s first show really showcased her talent.  I’m sure her 1st time nerves were calmed a bit because her client was her good friend, Ian Brennan who also happens to be co-creator of the show Glee.  He made an interesting client.  Emily is really good at making things look pretty which probably wouldn’t appeal to your everyday masculine man.  Plus, Ian wasn’t your typical HGTV client jumping up and down, wiping tears of joy away from his face when he would see his reveal.  Although it may have been part of the show, he was pretty honest when he saw things that didn’t quite make the cut for him.

It pained me a little to see walls repainted and furniture moved in and out until the client was satisfied and the final look was achieved but, sometimes that is how rooms evolve in real life.  We try things and see how they look and change them out if we don’t like what we see.  It’s a little more time consuming & labor-intensive than  David Bromstad’s colorful hand-drawn sketches in Color Splash or Scott McGillivray’s computer generated sketches in Income Property but it makes an interesting show.  Here are the befores and afters of Ian’s Hollywood home.

This last pic is my favorite!  Bravo Emily!  Great Job!





Click image below to get your own makeover!

Click on image below to go to daily d’s rerun on John Willey’s Interior Design.

Click on image below to see daily d’s rerun on the color orange.

September is around the corner.  Goodbye summer!  Hate to see you go! 

Luckily my weatherman is giving me a little gift in my neck of the woods!  Warm sunshine for the next week!  Maybe I’ll sneak another trip or two to the beach.  How about you?  Are you back in school already?  Have you shopped for your kid’s school supplies yet?  Or are you on the other side of the world waiting for your summer still to come?

Mega hit Eat Pray Love, based on the incredibly popular book by Elizabeth Gilbert has turned into a huge merchandise campaign that includes clothing, jewelry, candles, perfumes and home decor.  It has even inspired our Etsy friends. 

Here is a look at a few of daily d’s favorites…

1.  Etsy/creationsbyingrid   2.  Etsy/petettes   3.  Etsy/pinkcaffeination  
4.  Etsy/3rdaveshore   5.  Etsy/wordvisions





Elizabeth Gilbert lives in a quaint river town not too far from my home.  It is a place where I love to eat by the Delaware River, walk the river path and shop in all the cute stores.   In fact, I bumped into the famous Elizabeth enjoying the same path by the river not too long ago.  When she is not writing, meeting with Oprah or meeting with big movie reps…she runs her unique imports shop with hubby Jose called Two Buttons.  Here is a little peek into their warehouse. 

This young designer first caught my attention when he was recognized as one of the 20 New Designers To Watch on House Beautiful’s Next Wave list. 

Kyle Schuneman runs his design company, Live Well Designs out of Los Angeles and is really making a name for himself.  He keeps his days busy with interior designing, prop styling, set design & event design for a variety of clients such as Target, Howard Miller Furniture, Marie Claire Australia, “The Tyra Banks Show” & HGTV to name a few. 

Here is a peek at his youthful approach to great design.




















All images from Live Well Designs.