Beat Recession Depression- And Tackle The Small Stuff (A New Series)

OK, so where have I been, right? I'm sure that's what you have all been wondering! I recently embarked on a move that I would swear was across country- and it was only 15 minutes away from my last home. I moved to Queen Creek, AZ from my home which was previously in Mesa, AZ. Queen Creek would be considered the super suburbs compared to the urban city of Mesa, which is a bit less urban than the extremes of culture in Phoenix. So, if you ask some, I've now moved to cow country! That's not true though, as I only moved 15 minutes into QC- I am only a good 10 minutes away from the highway, straight down one street to civilization. I have a cousin who really lives in Queen Creek and you have to plan a day trip just to get to her house! ( I love you Nikki!)

I did what many homeowners are doing right now, taking advantage of the deals... and homes are practically being given away here, though typically due to someone else's misfortune. ( I firmly believe that through all of this misfortune- a silver lining will arise and all of these crazy loans will be forgiven- if they were truly done accidentally..political sidebar ((lol)) So me, hubby and my four kids and two kittens moved into a larger home with a pool FINALLY, in a great neighborhood where everybody knows your name and they're always glad you came... yes, I know you are humming the Cheers song now. It's a great home with good bones. (Don't non-designers hate when we say that- my hubby does!) But, it really does have some great possibilities with it. I have gained a living room from having a home with just one living area. Now I have a living room and family room. (we've discussed this area in a previous post: Please read "Your Formal Living Room is Too Dressed Up" Tuesday, May 12, 2009. This was important to me because, with 3 teenagers and a nearly 5 year old, we were all packed like sardines in our last house. I prefer a two-story to a single story home. Even as large as they can be, I never feel as though I can truly escape in a one story. Here, I can walk away to a whole new level, literally and metaphorically. What a great thing... well, now back to my post...

This recession has caused a whole new way of living for most of us affected by the economy. Whether you have been forced into a smaller space or downsized by choice, maybe you have been able to take advantage of the market and move to a larger home, or perhaps you are trying to sell what you have to free yourself of the burden- I have decided to ATTEMPT to create a series that will tackle one small space of your home at a time. Of course, the reoccurring theme of each piece, will be that you should hire a designer to help you do all of these things for your home- but I would never expect you to spend money on something that you CAN genuinely do on your own, either. I am a firm advocate for do-it-yourself projects (in moderation) that can truly increase the value of your home. AND- that is really the key to a well done DIY. So many channels boast these tacky projects that one can do on their own, that will significantly diminish the value of your property. Just because you can go buy a can of paint at the store all by yourself, does not mean you should be taking a paintbrush to your kitchen cabinets! There has to be a balance of quality and skill within your project.

Now, I joke about ATTEMPTING to do this series because over the last three weeks I have not been posting anything due to my constant problems with my Internet service provider... which should now be resolved!

Our first space to tackle will be the powder room...

More Recent Cabinetry Work

I was upset that my fine photographer could not get this cabinet on the left in one shot. There is so much beauty in that cabinet and it can not be taken in in each individual shot. The cabinet on the left is the adult desk unit on the North wall and the one on the right is their kid's desk unit which sits adjacent on the South wall. Unfortunately, after we completed the cabinetry, the clients asked us to make a floating shelf on the South wall for a 4 in 1 printer they bought for their sons, and not the original printer that I had measured to account for within the cabinetry I designed! Something always happens to throw off the balance of the universe!

A Recent Project Completed In Chandler

Hello All,
I just wanted to post pictures of a recently completed job I did in Chandler, Arizona. The cabinets are in a multi-million dollar home in a private community here and I loved working with these clients. They were a laid back, fun couple with two great boys.
I got to design a custom buffet piece to sit between two walls in a niche area of their dining room. I selected a warm brown stain with a hint of Bordeaux in it-(custom made stain)- to pull out the warmth in the floral and paisley Tuscan print on their dining chairs. I did not go with a stain that matched the wooden dining table and chairs, but instead chose one one tone darker. I do not believe in matchy matchy. It just doesn't look lived in, it looks planned. The marble that I selected for the top is a color called Rosso Fiorentino. It is a very high grade of marble, with a deep Bordeaux with some purplish areas and hints of green and white veining. It is fantastic. I will try to post a close up, as I know I have one somewhere... I wanted the bottom of the cabinet to sit on delicate legs with a grape leaf and for the center drawers to have a nice pattern. They are lined with felt for dinnerware. This cabinet is made of alder, with a multi- edged, raised panel door. It is simple, yet elegant and defines this space. It commands attention in this room, and that was just what I wanted. They love it and I am proud to see another vision in my head come to life. I am an interior designer who has the ability to design my own custom cabinetry. I draw and detail my own designs and work with my custom cabinet team to manufacture the pieces in house. My husband is a custom cabinetmaker and master finisher. We make a great team, as you can see!

I will post the office cabinetry tomorrow.