The Personal Furniture Shopping Experience

I'm so excited about our new venture of beginning our own personal furniture showroom.  We have so many pieces to offer our clients.  From a large selection of table lamps, accents tables, leather chairs and sectionals to framed pictures and mirrors. 

Because we don't have the overhead of a large furniture showroom, we are able to offer our customers better than showroom pricing.  In addition another benefit to our customers, our person attention will be all yours due to our by appointment only showings.  That's right!  Our flexibility and after hours availability is another benefit we offer.

Whether new construction or just replacing that leather loveseat, you will be able to sit in our leather line from Bradington Young and select your seating, arm, leg, cushion and grade of leather for your personal preference.  This again is one of the benefits we will be offering.

If custom window treatments, pillows or anything created for your home that involves fabric is what you're looking for, after the furniture is selected walk over to our fabric room to view a large selection of fabric books filled with a wide array of pattern, colors and styles. 

If paint color for your walls is also another design element you need to add to your space, we have a full line of paint samples from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.

If you enjoy the comfort of shopping for your interior space in a more home style personal atmosphere  and   enjoy that one-on-one personal attention.  Call or email us today to set up your on personal furniture viewing.

Storage in the Playroom

Being creative with storage in a childs playroom can be fun.  Use your imagination with existing furniture pieces throughout your home.  Here are some ideas I've used for this recent child art and playroom.

The request was to make an all purpose playroom and art center for the children.  So many art supplies needed a place to live.  I was presented with a room filled with boxes and proceeded to create.

Art Supply Center After

Art Supply Center Before

I used the closet in the room to create an art supply center. Organizing paints, brushes, crayons, stencils, paper and all art supplies here.  The children's' own personal paintings and artwork were used as the window valance in the room instead of a fabric curtain.

Paintings Used as Window Valance

The use of a black tall bookcase turned sideways for easy reach by the children of their toys.  Storage baskets hold the smaller toy items.

A child's small black round drop-leaf table is used at the center of the room for art activities. A vibrant red loveseat provides a comfortable place for reading books and hanging out.

Before

 Bookcases were utilized to store and display books, puzzles, toys for easy access.

After

Children's self portrait art was displayed

Kermit found his proper place in the playroom.

Basement play area with bookcase toy storage.

 In the basement was the music center for the children.  Again the use of an existing bookcase was used to display and store loose musical instruments for the children's easy reach.

Creating a child's own personal playroom can be fun and promotes your own creativity as well.  A room like this one inspires the children to be as creative as they can be!

Project Inspiring Props

Wooden Beam inspires kitchen cabinet color

 Simple props we see everyday in our home can inspire creativity and motivation.  Also in our daily travels there are items we see beautiful and out of the ordinary that can also spark our creative juices within our interior spaces.

Here are a few inspiring props that I've been working with.

This hand-sewn silk screen inspires wall, furniture and lighting color of blues, greens and black tones to be used in a large natural lighted space. Spiced up with some shades of teal and tangerine will add that needed pop of color.

Elvis and Nancy inspire a dining area with the theme prints from Elvis Presley's movies.  A very nostalgic way to go.  This poster allows reds, blacks, golds, and soft blues to be introduced in the the room.  Going down this road will spark dinner conversation and old time memories based on the theme created.

This balloon light hanging in the New Museum in New York was inspiration for a children's play room.  The primary colors here make for an easy game plan and color scheme. Creating a fun and stimulating playroom for children using reds, blues black and yellows will make their room "the place to be"!




Finding decorating inspiration is always fun.  I find that once you've chosen the piece that inspires you the most, the creativity that runs through your mind doesn't stop until your project is complete.

If you've found some design inspiration share with.....I'd love to hear what inspires you!

Happy Decorating!

Droopy Hydreangeas

As I was walking on Merrimack Street downtown Lowell this weekend enjoying our nation's largest Folk Festival, I was thrilled and ecstatic that finally a new floral shop had opened within walking distance to my loft.  The Flower Mill stocking fresh cut flowers for purchase (one of my favorite passions) is my new hang out!  Joanne Hall the owner and lead designer at the Flower Mill was so helpful and educated me on keeping my blooms fresh and alive longer than normal.

I was unaware of how to keep these precious summer blooms alive and kicking for up to 2 weeks.  If you've every cut your blooms and notice the next day they are drooping, you might think they are dying. This is not the case at all.  Hot water is the secret!  Joanne had educated me on this little tip.  Cutting the stems under running hot water and placing them also in a vase of hot water helps to keep the stems open popping the blooms back to fullness.  I've found I need to perform this ritual every 2 days and it works like a charm.  All these years of "hydrangea loving" without a clue.

Would love to hear any other tips on keeping your hydrangeas full of life!

Blog Name Change: Designs for Daley Living

To all  followers, my blog title name change is official, from Debbe Daley Designs  to "Designs for Daley Living". The name change fits the content of this blog perfectly! Thank you for following and look for my next blog post titled A Piece of History Adds Inspiration to a New Space.

Concrete in the Kitchen

While I was sitting at the bar of the Flatbread Company in Portsmouth, NH, http://www.flatbreadcompany.com/FlatbreadPortsmouth2010.html I was intrigued by the magnificent concrete counter top glaring back at me. What was so intriguing about this piece was the added embellishments mixed within the finished surface resulting in a beautiful counter top masterpiece.

Concrete is known to be used in more modern designs.  However, the beauty of concrete is creating your own design shape and mold. Concrete can be colored and tinted and is very durable lasting a lifetime.  The word "concrete" would make one think they were getting a cinder block look, gray and unattractive.  This is not the case.



Sea glass and a variation of multicolored stones compiled this concrete concoction creating an interesting counter top surface.  Create your own design with your own collections. Whether it be sea glass, shells, white gray or black stones collected at the beach, these can all be used to create a unique design piece.

Try a smaller project at first.  Possibly a bathroom counter top.  Here's one scenario... find or create an interesting base to showcase the counter top.  The base must be strong and sturdy as well as the floor under it as concrete is very heavy.  A stainless steel frame created from piping, an old Singer sewing machine base would work, just a thought.  Create your concrete counter top from your collections.  How about old keys embedded into the concrete for that nostalgic feel or even your loose change, pennies for instance.  The Natural Handyman gives great instructions on making your own concrete counter top.
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/author/dcn/conccounter-a.html

Whatever your style, light, white, dark or bold.  A concrete counter top will emminate style and create interesting kitchen conversation!

Share with us any of your concrete design stories and suggestions for added embellishments.

From Dress to Decor

Shopping for the perfect dress to wear to one of two weddings next month, I thought a soft shade of coral or peach and something very simple would be perfect.  Believe it or not while walking through TJ Maxx I found a multitude of dresses varying in shades of coral.  Most  being brighter than I preferred, I found one in a dusty coral and the style was light and airy. Not believing my eyes I will reveal the dress price of $12.99....yes!

The fit was perfect the price was right so snatched was the dress and on to accessorizing. Looking through my jewelry collection my eyes were immediately drawn to the special antique turquoise slide enclosed in sterling silver and a sterling cuff which had been given to me as a Christmas gift. Looking further, I thought of my spa green sea glass and sterling ring and the perfect turquoise pashmina hanging on my dressing hook.  Fantastic, now footwear. The dainty coral pink strappy sandals embedded with rhinestones and sitting on the shelf of my shoe cabinet for years were just right.  Putting the whole look together, I was ecstatic at the cost of this fabulous looking ensemble.

Once my excitement subsided, I returned to work on my laptop. I turned my head to catch a glimpse of the beautiful sunset available to me from my large loft windows looking out over the back acre of Lowell.  You may be asking, where am I going with all this?

 The ugly turquoise painted house that faces my windows which I have despised from the first day I purchased, and considered mailing suggested paint swatches to their home anonymously,  had been embellished by the sun setting sky and the beautiful corals, peach, oranges and shades of blue/green hovering over the roof line of the house.  I laughed to myself looking at the fashion ensemble I had just put together having the same colors I was viewing in the sunset with the exterior turquoise paint colored home.

I will never look at the ugly turquoise painted house in the same way again. Seeing it in the light of the sunset made me realize all things interior and exterior can be made beautiful through embellishments.  Whether it be shoes and jewels or a kiss from Mother Nature.