Hellllooooo 2012! What better way to kick off the new year than to post about… (pause for dramatic effect) … animal print! I am an absolute sucker when it comes to animal print - zebra especially. Animal print seems to add just the right touch of Bohemian spice to any space. Tread lightly though, a little goes a long way.

Another detail that can add a lot of character to a room or home are the doors. It would be easy to play it safe in this regard, but look how fun it can be to step outside the box!

Another popular style is Shabby Chic. The keyword here is WHITE. Characteristics of Shabby Chic include slipcovered furniture, vintage items such as linens, accessories, and furnishings, distressed pieces, as well as floral and toile fabrics. Although this style is often thought of as more casual, I would have a hard time letting down my guard with so much white. In a nutshell, I’d describe Shabby Chic as feminine, light, and airy.

Next up - Orange! (Sorry Orange, you didn’t get much of an intro there). Orange is one of those colors that most people either love or hate. Personally, I have to admit that Orange has found it’s way into my heart.

From Red-Orange to Yellow-Orange, this color is known to suggest humor, happiness, encouragement, adventure, spontaneity, creativity, and abundance. A common element in nature’s palette, Orange is frequently represented as the undertone of many wood grains, soil/earth, sunrises and sunsets.

Hello again! I’m having such a great time with these colorful posts - hopefully you are enjoying them as well. Next in our series is what I would refer to as Blue-Green or Turquoise.

Although Pantone may have coined their “Turquoise” as Color of the Year for 2010, I wouldn’t consider Blue-Green to be out of fashion. After all Blue-Green encompasses a wide range of colors. For example, ”Quarry” is a hot color trend for Fall 2011.

Maybe it’s the soul of summer, but Blue-Green (or Turquoise) is really speaking to me.

As a woman in her early 30s, it should come as no surprise that many of my friends/ acquaintances are taking the next step in adulthood and becoming parents. Very exciting!

One benefit to working with a designer, is having a friend to see you through life’s many changes. A relationship that may start with a nursery can develop into finishing off the basement to create a playroom, or adding a bathroom to manage a house full of teenagers.

Here’s a super cute kid’s room I just whipped up

Where do I begin? Just the thought of writing this post has my mind racing with excitement!!! That, or perhaps I’ve had too much coffee. Either way, Target is a fantastic resource for just about everything. Rather than walking you through, aisle by aisle, I will do my best to focus on that which is most relevant.

The images below reflect a lot of my own personal style. Aren’t they fabulous?! If you happen to disagree, don’t count them out alltogether. Between their retail stores and online, Target has a huge selection of bedding, lighting, window treatments, home decor, tableware, and the list goes on…

After what has been nearly a lifetime (I’ve been known to exaggerate), I am finally graduating! The past 4-years studying Interior Design at NH Institute of Art has been nothing less than sensational. My path to higher education took a slight detour before I realized the artistic direction I wanted to take in life. NHIA provided a challenging opportunity to study Interior Design in New Hampshire while continuing to work full-time. I encourage anyone and everyone to consider NHIA for pursuing their own creative interests.

For the “senior” project, we were given a general footprint of a house and required to either use Universal (handicap accessible) or Green design principles. Being the green enthusiast that I am, you can guess which option I went for.

My concept for the project was “A Walk In Nature”. Elements of nature and New England landscape served as inspiration for each room of the house. In other words, the living room used colors, textures, and patterns found in the forest. The kitchen, a field of tall grasses. The bathroom, a flowing stream. The bedroom, sunset in the mountains…

Visit www.nhia.edu for more information. (ID is available through the Continuing Education Dept).

Spring is just around the corner — and not a moment too soon. After another dreary New England winter, I have a serious craving for color. Delicate and subtle shades are all well and good, but right now I want bold, delicious, breath-taking color. Below are a few designs to help shake those winter blues. Enjoy!

Shown are images from Domino and desiretoinspire.blogspot.com - love them!