Let's take a trip: Hawaii

This cold front we are experiencing this late in the year has me jonesing for a beach get-away.

Last summer my family and I visited Oahu for the first time and fell in love with the island. The lush scenery is breathtaking. The climate is always pleasant with little to no humidity and the vibe of the island is friendly and laid back. I found inspiration in the natural landscapes as well as some of the architecture and beautiful store fronts that line Waikiki Beach.

Kate Spade Honolulu. Beautiful Starburst light fixtures and awesome gold foil wall paper.

Cute lighting and fun wallpaper in the dressing rooms.

I love Kate Spade's color combos. Even the boxes behind the check-out were beautifully arranged.

Tory Burch. Such mid-century yumminess. The geometric print, stair runner needs to find its way to my home.

Love how the colors eggplant, pink, green, and orange work together.

The next time we go back we would like to explore the island of Maui. While in Maui, I would looove to stay at the Lumeria.

Jettsetter descibes it as "lovingly restored 1909 estate on six manicured acres, the 24-room Lumeria Maui, an adventure retreat, is focused on bringing that tranquility to its guests at every turn. In sync with Mother Nature, you’ll find natural wood, stone and metals with decor from around the world under soaring 12-foot ceilings. Get your blood pumping on a surf outing, and then recover with a meditation session, a dip in the saltwater pool or a massage in your suite. These luxe digs are surrounded by beautiful — and edible — gardens (used in the farm-to-table Harvest Cafe), yet they’re just minutes from the historic town of Paia and Maui’s legendary north shore surfing spots."

All the guest rooms are furnished with incredible spindle furniture.

How beautiful is this bed?

Lobby. Beautiful textiles were used throughout.

After we wake up in our mountain-view room and enjoy fresh fruit that was grown on the premises, we can than have an Eat, Pray, Love moment by joining the yoga class on the front lawn.

I would be the lady struggling in the second row.

Followed by some paddle boarding in this cute number from Mara Hoffman.

And finishing the evening with some fresh Ahi Poke.

Aah....

A girl can dream, right?

A Vintage Nursery for Twin Boys

Per usual, our hectic schedule has kept us from showing you a design project we completed months ago.  We've designed several nurseries in the past, but this was our first for twins!  Kristi from Atlanta contacted us about helping to finish off her adorable boys' nursery.  This momma already had great taste but needed help making the finished product a sweet, vintage space just as she dreamed.  She was super enjoyable to work with and was on board with everything we sent her way--a dream client!

Here's how the room looked when she contacted us:

We needed to work with some existing furnishings, wall color and chair rail.  Our job was to tie everything together and bring in some new pieces to add color, interest and texture to make this space everything it could be.  Here's what we suggested (click on image to enlarge):

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We switched out the white blinds for bamboo shades for added warmth and texture, added in new fabrics and linens in pops of green and yellow and brought in new wall art and accessories to bring the room to life.  For long wall, specifically, we suggested the collection of oars shown in the image above.  Here's the elevation we sent Kristi to give you an idea on the size/scale.  

Sometimes all a space needs is a few elements and switches to really make it what it could be.  We were very happy with the outcome of the room and were so pleased that the client loved it too!  If you have a room that you need help designing, whether it's a clean slate or just finishing touches, we'd love to help.  Contact us for your E-Design needs.  

Vendor Spotlight: Cost Plus World Market

One of my go-to affordable, home furnishing stores is Cost Plus World Market. I always come away with some great finds. I like that they offer handmade items from all over the world and that much of their furniture is made from real wood. 

Here are some of their new items that I am currently loving.

1. Metal Bookcase & Ladder, $599 //  2. Gold Taj Wine Rack, $30 //  3. Hammered Steel Tea Kettle, $25 //  4. Mushroom Kaelyn Daybed, $500 //  5. San Paolo Outdoor Dining Collection, $179-499 //  6. Black and White Dhurrie Rug, $230

The Kaelyn Daybed is such a versatile piece and at a great price point. It could easily be used in a home office or a child's room as depicted here.

Until next time lovelies.

entry makeover

Entries are so neglected. Especially mine. And that's sad, because entries have the tough job of first impressions. Here's mine. I finally painted the short wall using a quart of sample paint from my bedroom. And then I hung our wedding photos (finally printed after 2 1/2 years of marriage) and a crucifix I picked up in Rome. Annnnd that's about as far as it's gotten. 

Wall Color: Nocturnal Gray by Benjamin Moore

And here's some things I'd like to add to it (eventually), along with finishing the paint job. I want it to be southern, warm, inviting, and personal. I want it to be a first impression of who we are. Here's a look:

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Sourcing: 1. magnolia sconce from barnhouse electric // 2. nocturnal gray paint by benjamin moore // 3. brazilian cowhide rug // 4. threshold bar frame from target // 5. black "P" from hobby lobby // 6. threshold nest frame from target // 7. threshold wood inlay frame from target // 8. ikea maffens basket // 9. antique silver pitcher (I have a similar one) with a cotton flower arrangement // 10. currey and co. signature white table lamp // 11. ikea rekarne table

I'm considering using just two sconces as a source of light. The overhead is not very bright and the ceiling is too low for a hanging pendant. Also I think bringing down the light source will help make the space more cozy feeling. 

What do you think??

Sprucing Up for Spring

Well, I had a long blog post set for you guys and then my screen froze and it was all lost.  Sometimes technology is not my friend.  But perhaps that mishap works to your benefit as I can tend to be long-winded at times.  Allow me to cut to the chase.

This warm weather and prolonged hours of sunshine has lit a proverbial fire under my bottom and has me wanting to breathe new life into my home.  Here are a few of my favorite ways to do so, just in time for spring.

1.  Plants.  If you have a green thumb, by all means use it.  Bringing plants and flowers into your interiors is great way to freshen up a space.  Small pots and vases can be sprinkled throughout your home at very little cost.  If you don't have a green thumb, succulents are your friend.  I was gifted with one a couple of weeks ago and lo and behold, it's still alive!  If I can do it, so can you.

2.  Candles.  Trade in your cinnamon and cloves for some gardenia and lemon scents.  Nothing says spring like the smell of freshness.

3.  Updated linens.  Whether it's a new monogrammed hand towel for your guest bathroom or some bright throw pillows for your sofa, purchasing a few new linens is an easy way to update a space without redoing the whole room.

Image via Lonny 

4.  Cleanse.   Everyone is all about juice cleanses and body cleanses these days, but what I think we need is a home cleanse.  Pick one room each day to go through and discard of unnecessary items and find a home for those things that constantly get shuffled around.  Just tidying up a space can make it feel new again!

5.  Enjoy!  When your cleaning and updating is done, reward yourself by actually sitting back and taking it all in.  What good is a great space if we don't stop and take the time to enjoy it?

Image via Elle Decor

Have a great weekend!

Baby Nguyen's Nursery

As some of you may already know, the Mr. and I are expecting our 2nd addition this June. Just twelve years after our first baby was born. What can I say, we like to take our time :) We are super excited. Baby Nguyen will round out the 3A Design family as the third baby girl.

With our new addition comes figuring out where the baby’s room will be. When we purchased our house a couple years ago, we converted two bedrooms that share a Jack n Jill bath into our bedroom and my closet. The room that is supposed to be the master does not have its own bathroom so we made it an office / guest room. The plan is my closet will turn into the nursery; my clothes will magically fit somewhere and within a year build on master bath so that eventually we can move into the master bedroom.  Are you still with me?

As many designers can relate with, I am my worst client. The dozen mood boards I have put together are a testament that I like too many different styles. Narrowing it down to one is tough. Here are the top three contenders so far. 

The crib and dresser have already been purchased. Currently, I am leaning towards the fun and whimsy of the Floral Palm Springs design. Which design do you like best?

Stay tuned, as I will be updating you on our progress.