Bunk Rooms

We are having so much fun working on an e-design for a client’s bunk room.  There is something about a bunk room I find whimsical. Maybe it is the nostalgia associated with children stories, such as Madeline where the beds were lined up in neat rows. Or, my days spent at summer camp. Who knows?

What I do know, bunk rooms are great at maximizing a room’s square footage. Either by utilizing the vertical space or in the case of an attic room, utilizing the lowest height of the room by placing beds back-to-back.

They are perfect for vacation rentals, families with children close in age, and as we learned from Madeline, a boarding school in France.

Here are a few bunk rooms we find inspiring.

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Oh, how I would have loved a bunk room as a kid. Hope to show you our final design next week. Until next time, lovelies.

Vendor Spotlight: West Elm

It's no secret that we have a slight love affair with West Elm.  They are one of our go-to companies when looking for great elements to add to a room (especially for our E-Designs).  If you type "West Elm" in the search field in the right column you'll see several other posts about them as well.

So why do we love them?  We love their accessibility, quality product and fair price points.  They are also known for having a great relationship in their local communities, something most retailers can't say for themselves.  And not only that, but they also have amazing sales, a true perk for anyone keeping on a budget.  In fact, if you follow us on Facebook, you probably saw the deal we posted a couple of days ago about their Perfect Throw (currently on sale for $19).

One of my most favorite things is something they just recently added to their site-- the ability for customers to post photos of their products in REAL rooms.  Online shopping isn't always the most reliable when it comes to colors and proportions so this is a great tool for internet shoppers.  Well done, West Elm.

Now to show you a few of my current favorites:

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A few are new, a few are classics and some are even on sale at the moment!  

1.  A perfect way to bring in some color for fall and to keep you warm on cooler nights.  

2.  Do yourself a favor and click on this one to see the real life photos people posted of this.

3.  This is also offered in a black finish and MAKES any room it's in with a price tag of only $249!

4.  These industrial stools are so well done.  

5.  Do you want this one your desk as much as I do?  It's also offered in copper!  

6.  This rug is a classic and looks good in any space.  Honestly, I can't think of one room it won't work.

7.  I need this one too.  Love the sculptural elements.

8.  For $10 this towel is mine.  It's sitting in my shopping cart and will make a great addition to one of my guest baths.  Y'all know I have a thing for stripes.

9.  This bar cart is a great buy (currently on sale!) for all of you who love to entertain.  So glamorous!

Happy shopping and happy weekend (all three of us are headed to weddings...in three different states!)   

A new metal on the design scene

A growing trend right now is copper. Every where you look this season, retailers are offering items in this beautiful finish. Even Target has quite a lineup of copper goods in their kitchen and dining section. Here is quick pic I snapped on my trip there this weekend. Their copper barware was on sale!

Copper accessories can be found in polished orange/pinky hues to a more matte bronze hue. Regardless, they can bring warmth and sophistication to any room.

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Consider incorporating some copper accessories in your home to change up the look for fall. Here are a few of my favorites. The mirrored copper trays are killer!

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If you want to try making your own copper accents, here are a couple neat DIYs.

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P.S. Need help designing a space that you will love? No matter how big or small, we can help. Contact us here so we can talk.

Introducing...the 3A Design Studio SHOP!

We had a lot of fun putting together our fall table for our Give Away last week. So much fun that we decided to implement a new addition to our site: a shop where you can purchase Table Settings! 

(And in the future, maybe more--who knows?!)

Maybe you're hosting a special fall get-together at your house--maybe Thanksgiving. 

Maybe you're helping to set up tables at local community function, work party, or church gathering.

Or maybe you just really want your table at home to look nice for the season. Tables are a great way to enjoy seasonal decorations. It's easy to pack away, and can usually be done with found items in your own outdoor area or at a local market. 

Either way, if seasonal decoration is not your strong-point, we've decided to put together a package that will make it easy for you. For $10. TEN. I mean, it's a steal. 

We have three different Table Setting packages, each including a moodboard featuring all your items, a shopping list, and a plan and sketch to help you put it all together. 

For ten bucks, it's totally worth having everything already done for you (and by designers, I might add)! No re-arranging everything a million times, and no searching all over town (I mean how many of you have done like I have and thought "they'll have everything I need at one or two stores" and then you end up going all over town, spending way more than you planned because no one has exactly what you need).

We hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed putting them together. If all goes according to plan, we will have a Christmas edition as well! 

You can view and purchase a Fall Table Setting here.

And if you want to take it a step further and need help on a customized table for your upcoming gathering, contact us here. We'd love to help!

10 Fall Centerpiece ideas

Happy October!

Even though we have technically been in fall since September 23rd, it now feels like it. Here on the Gulf Coast, we are enjoying cooler mornings, which has prompted me to bust out my fall decor. However, I have discovered that I really don't have any! Except for a single fake pumpkin and a few candles, nada.

Well my friends, if you are in the same boat no need to fret. A simple walk outdoors or even your next trip to the grocery store could provide you with plenty of material to put together a great looking fall centerpiece.

For example, when we did the shoot for our fall table give-away, Mallory and I simply went outside and collected a bunch of pine cones and magnolia leaves. With the exception of the white and green pumpkins, the rest of the gourds we purchased at our local grocery store. In the end, we had an inexpensive yet beautiful centerpiece.

Here is a gallery of nine more, fall inspired centerpieces using readily available items.

Simple right? My favorites are the ones that incorporated some type of edible greens. Just goes to show that you can create an elegant table while being resourceful.

Well, I am off to get a few pumpkins. We would love to see your fall table. Share with us on Instagram or Facebook. Also, there is still time to enter in our Fall Table Give-Away. Click here for details.

P.S. Need help designing a space that you will love? No matter how big or small, we can help. Contact us here so we can talk.

Fall Table Give-Away!

As part of our one year anniversary, we wanted to find a way for all of our clients and followers to celebrate with us.

Because we love this time of year so much, we decided a fall table setting give-away would be appropriate! Something about fall lends itself to hot meals shared by friends. Hand-picked by us, we've put together a great little bundle that will have you on your way to a beautiful fall table in no time. 

Take a look! 

One lucky winner will receive the following (shown above):

• 4 Indigo Patterned Placemats
• 4 Round Rattan Chargers
• 4 Hemstitch Cloth Napkins
• In total, valued at $50

All you need to finish it off are some pumpkins, pinecones, your own dishes/serveware, and some simple white tapers or pillar candles. Brass candlesticks are inexpensive and easy thrift store finds. You may already have some great candlesticks that would work beautifully! The magnolia leaves we've used (that we found right outside) make great decor and/or name cards, shown here in Mallory's post.

It's an easy way to a beautiful table. And we've done the majority of the work for you. Win-win!

For Entry:

• Like us on Facebook and share our Give-away post   AND/OR
• Find and follow us on Instagram and re-gram our post photo. Tag us in your post!
• Entering on both Facebook and Instagram will enter your name TWICE into our drawing
• Winner will be chosen at random (via random.org) on Friday, October 3rd at 8pm and announced on both Facebook and Instagram.
• We will mail your place-settings directly to your door!

We can't wait to share this with you. 

Good luck!!