Interiors by Jackie Brown

I'm a big girl now!

2010-08-17T19:44:00.000-07:00

This was a fun redesign! The best part about it was that the client - a 5 year old girl - hounded her mom with "When are we going to do my room???" after seeing the livingroom makeover. As they left for vacation, I moved in! It was a surprise remodel we had been planning for a month. She wanted a Ballerina styled room, but we didn't want to go too heavy on the theme since young girls tend to be drawn to many things at that age. So...here is the before:

And here is the after:

Finally she has girlie accents, a desk for make-up and - someday - gag - homework; a dresser with flower knobs; proper bookshelves and tables for all her accessories; and - of course! - a crown for her bed! My favorite part was the tutu valance!

Mom told me the only problem with the room is that "we can't get her out of there now!" Isn't it great to be a girl!

Hey Ma! Look what I did!

2010-07-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

Kids have lots of "show off" projects and papers and, let's face it...sometimes the fridge is just too small! That need lead to this awesome artwork corkboard. This playroom has a rich color and toys are colorful, so why can't the corkboard be colorful also!? Now the kids can hang up all kinds of papers, artwork, awards, ribbons and collectables stylishly in their playroom!

The corkboard was cut into various rectangles for more interest and to allow for more colors. The colors are drawn from the floor rug. That keeps things fun and bright but also sophisticated for Mom and Dad.

I then used simple molding to trim out the board and painted it the same color as the room molding for a more "built-in" feeling.

I was able to find cork "rounds" that helped give the piece dimension and more shapes for the kids to identify.

Next time you need a practical solution to a problem...make an artful solution. You will never tire of the results!

GRRRReat Baby's Room

2010-07-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

Momma is expecting in September and wanted to get her little guy's room all suited out. We did quite a lot on this small room.

Before Photos:

First, covering up the lilac and plum walls with soft beige and warm light brown with a high chair rail. Then we accented all the trim and doors by painting them in a deep espresso brown - even the window ledge. Finally we wallpapered a border above the high chair rail and started the mural. Three sweet animals to protect the new baby - an elephant, a monkey, and, momma's favorite, a shy lion. A special touch was added to the animals.

After Photos:

Each has a tactile feature; the elephant's ear is looped terry cloth, the monkey's feet are super-soft sherpa and the lion's mane is clipped felt strips. Not only will the little bundle had lots of visual stimulation, he will also have interesting textures to play with! I enjoy doing baby rooms and think each one should have that something unique - just like the little babies who will make it their home.

The forest hides the trees

2010-01-26T19:41:00.000-08:00

Everyone has a personal style...you just might not know it.

I have a client who was a bit color shy. Her sister had done a great job decorating her home and my client decided to follow her lead. She had her home in San Antonio painted with the same colors as her sister's home up north. Sometimes that works...sometimes.

After several years living with these colors, my client realized something was not clicking so we set up an initial consultation. It was very clear to me that the walls were actually hindering the decor. The furnishings were rich and ornate with a bit of old world detailing, but I could not "see" them. The pale yellow walls distracted me from seeing the richness that my client so loved. "Let's paint" I said. "You have great pieces, but the wall color is doing nothing for them." So, we painted. Transforming the pale yellow to a warm, rust-tinted golden hue and instantly her rooms felt cozier and her furnishings seemed to fit. Window treatments and some new light fixtures gave the rooms sparkle. "I can't wait to show all my friends!" For the decorator touch, I faux finished her columns and really called out those architectural details.

We continued to assess her home and her bedroom suffered as well. No bedding, curtains or sparkle. It didn't take long to create a retreat for her and her husband that they both love. Now, they feel that their room is a stylish getaway. "We have spent an entire Saturday in our new sitting area in the Masterbedroom. It's so luxurious!"

BEDROOM BEFORE: khaki green paint; no bedding or draperies

NEW BEDDING: Soft blue and gold silks with coordinating jaquards and taffetas

NEW MASTER BEDROOM SITTING AREA: Custom embroidery silk drapes with custom chairs, pillows and coordinating ottoman. Paint color is now a soft blue/grey.

So, when you feel something isn't just clicking in your home...give me a call. Let's look it over. You may be hiding some of your best pieces in plain sight.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-01-04T07:36:00.000-08:00

It seems that 2009 just flew by! I was very busy this year with a wide variety of projects. Curtains, cushions, redesigns, painting rooms, murals...all filled my days with joy. I want to thank you all for being such a great part of my year.

Since I have not posted photos on here for quite some time, I would like to just load up some of my latest projects with more to follow! Feel free to drop me a line with any questions/comments. And remember, if you are ready for a change in your home or need help with your remodel, I would be happy to help!

Enjoy 2010! I'm sure it will roll by just as quickly as 2009.

Dollhouse Mural

2009-07-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about working for a mother of twins....

TWO MURALS!

Here is a kinda "making of" video of photos...enjoy!

I hope the girls have a great time playing with their dollies here. And, yes, those are real mirrors and real shelves...I just couldn't help myself!

Where does the time go!

2009-06-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

I know exactly where it went! On Monday, I was painting for a funny client; on Tuesday, I was consulting for a tile project; on Wednesday, I was calling stores for a certain fabric for some curtains for a living room, on Thursday, I was painting a mural for a sweet girls bedroom, and so on and so on and so on...

First, let me say, THANK YOU! I have had so many wonderful experiences and clients in the past months and it's all your doing. Thank you for thinking of me when you were ready to change your kitchen colors or when you were out with friends and they wanted help with their living room decor. My blessings are boundless and your friendships mean so much to me...so...thank you so much.

Second, I have so many things I want to share with you, but I will start with my most recent project...completing a mural for a darling little girl. First, we painted the room a perfect pink color...then it was time for some real character. Mom knew what she liked and the style she wanted and I know we are both excited for the outcome. This project took me about 7 hours and was a blast. I hope you like it. The next layer will be to hand some bird houses from the "tree" with a variety of ribbons. It will be super cute then. Remember, I'm booking about 2 weeks out so if you have

something in mind you would like to accomplish or change, just give me a call and I will put you on the calendar!
Best summer wishes to you all!

Taking time to say "Thank you!"

2009-02-28T17:19:00.001-08:00

Today, I had the opportunity to meet some wonderful ladies and I want to thank Brooke so very much! I don't normally name my clients, but I cannot help it! She is such a dear friend and I appreciate her opening her other friendships to me. As soon as possible, I will post her GORGEOUS twin girls' bedroom on this blog that I was able to help her design. She knew what she wanted and, together with her hubby's strong arms, we created a truly stunning room for her baby girls to grow up in. Thank you so much, Brooke for your friendship and the opportunity to help your circle of ladies enjoy their homes a bit more. I feel so blessed to constantly be meeting the most sincere ladies who just need a little decorating help. Thank you all so very much!

Curtain call!

2009-02-12T15:07:00.000-08:00

Hello all!
I wanted to share a great, little project with which I was honored to help a client. She knew exactly what she wanted for her dining room window. A curtain that will "frame" the window, still let in light, but allow her to still see the kids playing in the backyard. She had found a photo of a curtain in a book, but it was custom and not available in the stores. Luckily, for us both, I have a knack for bringing images to life! As part of my fashion design training, we often were given only sketches of garments and we had to construct them. This skill, along with my ability to see things as they can be, not just how they are, made for quick work of these curtains.

Here is the image:

What made this valance so rewarding for me was the problem solving. Instead of having four fabric sections, we took a pre-made, purple curtain panel and turned it sideways to create this valance for this rather large window. The linen panel below the purple is also a "turned" panel. Next, we needed to find 7 "hooks/hangers" that matched the decor theme but could still hold the curtain ties. These are actually black, fleur de lis drawer pulls that we glued a double sided screw into and just screwed them into the wall (with anchors of course!). The trim was the most expensive part of the valance, but really gives it that final, polished touch.

I know the client is very happy with the outcome and I feel great having helped her make her curtain "dream" a reality.

Not so boring border

2009-01-20T18:51:00.000-08:00

Hello all!
I hope the new year is treating you nicely!

I wanted to share these photos with you and show you a great example of how some "fresh eyes" can help with your interior spaces.
This wonderful couple already had the theme for their young son's room down. Country Cowboy. They even had a saddle in his room set up like a rocking horse for him to play on. SO CUTE... but, like so many of us, they still had the "builder beige" walls and really didn't need to do a total paint job. They did, however, want something unique to give the room some spice. So... here I was surveying the room and thought to myself, "Cowboys wear bandanas" and a border was born! This was a simple project, but pretty time consuming. We did it in stages so the paint would fully dry for each layer. Tell me what you think! I love it and I know the clients are happy (even their son gives me big hugs when I come over now!). Just remember, it doesn't take much paint to make a big difference... so call me if you are looking for a unique way to give your interiors some more life!

Makeovers!

2009-01-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you had a very blessed holiday season and are ready to start this new year off right. As a present to my step-daughter, we offered to redecorate her room for her. Her previous room was bright orange (the local college colors) and it was lacking a place for her to study. Also, the large bed was mostly unused and swallowing up her valuable space. Here are the before photos:

She is 10 yrs old and very active, but still girlie. She told me these details: "I like purple and brown and stripes and that scrolly print stuff (brocade)". So I took those directions and gave her this, much more girlie and open room.

She and her mother loved the changes... This was a big job. We did this makeover on a tight budget, but we wanted a big change. It can be done and I would love to help any of you with your room makeover needs!

Making a room feel homey

2008-12-17T05:36:00.000-08:00

We all agree that certain rooms need certain things - bedrooms need beds; living rooms need couches, tables, lamps. Although it may be a hard sell to some, rooms need accessories. These accents - pillows, artwork, flowers or plants, really change the feel of a room. You can have the same furniture with totally different accessories and the room will have two different vibes. To most of you, this may seem elemental, but I wanted to state it for two reasons. One: adding a few simple accessories to your room (or removing some) can change the look and feel of that space. If you want a change, you can do it very inexpensively. Two: three to four key accessories can give your room much more life or warmth.

If, for example, you have the basic living room: a couch, a chair, some end tables and a coffee table; think about the walls of that room. Do you have some coordinating curtains? Do those curtains give another texture to the room and add more dimension? Are the walls displaying artwork? Are they placed in a way that helps the room feel appealing? If you have artwork - be it a painting or some ironwork - be sure it is in a focal spot. Does it center over the couch? Does it not distract from the architecture of a room?

Please do not forget flowers/plants/greenery. They act as neutrals for any color scheme, but can really bring life into a space. Just a few touches of foliage will give your eye another spot of interest as well as give the room more dimension and texture.

If these concepts are a challenge for you, just give me a call to schedule your initial consultation. We will review your spaces and with an educated eye, determine what needs updating. A few small changes can create big payoffs!

Different, but Unified

2008-11-09T19:50:00.000-08:00

So here's Tuesday's tip ( a wee bit late!). Check out these images. This is a great way to tie together two-three-however many rooms without taking away from each of their personalities. In the below images, you can see a dominate stripe - in the same color - throughout three rooms. This gives the three rooms unity. The rooms were all painted different colors - one a grayish-green, one in a dusty orange, the last in an umber yellow. Then, a bold burgandy stripe was placed just below the top of the door frames in all three spaces. These rooms are a boy's bedroom, a playroom and a nursery, respectfully. Maybe you can unify your spaces with this similar technique. It's quite simple and so many paint companies show you coordinated - but different - colors. And, with so many of our homes having an open floorplans, maybe this is the "spice" you are looking for in your space. Separate the spaces with a differnt color, but unify them with a common theme/color/stripe/detail/whatever!

Mementos

2008-10-21T06:32:00.001-07:00

Is it Tuesday again!? Well, here is my tip for you today! SHOW OFF YOURSELF! In every home, I believe, there should be personal items that either tell other's who you are, what you are about or remind you of your history on this earth. For example, one of my clients had an art friend take all the little mementos of her and her husband's past (old movie stubs, maps from vacations, menus from fav restaurants, etc) and decoupage them on a large canvas. This is prominently hung in their entryway to show everyone who enters that space, what the owners are all about. It's a wonderful way to display your keepsakes, make wonderfully personalized artwork and free up drawers space! Decoupaging is so easy... just get a canvas, put on some decoupage paste, lay out your items and decoupage them over. I recommend determining your layout before you grab the glue! Maybe you want to cut the edges of the movie stub to give it some interesting texture? Maybe have a piece of fabric from your wedding dress? Whatever you have tucked away in that little shoebox, get it out... show it off and watch it bring a smile to your face whenever you pass by it... remembering some good times.

Tuesday's Tip!

2008-10-14T15:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!
As I sit here enjoying the fresh rain, I am reminded of one of my clients comments after we painted a room of hers. "It looks so fresh, so new, so clean!" While it may be an easy change, painting a room does more than just give you a new colored backdrop. Painting provides an opportunity to fix any knicks you may have incurred in your walls. It also makes all those scuffs and scrapes disappear. It's very gratifying to roll that paint over a scuffed wall - erasing the "mistakes of the past" and makeing a clean start! (well, that may be a little optimistic!)
Bring fresh color to your walls to clean up your room and bring some much needed, relatively inexpensive style to your room. I would love to work with you on changing a room with a coat of paint. You may be surprised to fall in love with that old room even if you don't change one piece of furniture!

And finally some photos....

2008-10-07T20:09:00.001-07:00

Thank you all for your patience!

It has taken me quite some time to get to posting photos, but here they are!

These are some images of homes I have worked on. Some are just adding color and character, some are rearranging things for a better flow.

Enjoy!

more images!

2008-10-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

and even more!

2008-10-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

Tuesday's Tip!

2008-09-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

Since I am starting this design/decorating blog, I thought I would make a commitment to doing a weekly tip called "Tuesday's Tip!".
Today I want to talk about the biggest question/issue I have found most of my clients face: COLOR. "Is it too dark!?" "Is it too light!?" "Will it make my room look too small!?" "Is it the RIGHT color!?"

So many questions about color and, of course, they are all valid questions. Color is important - especially in your home. Color evokes emotion and can literally change your state of mind. Some colors seem to be soothing, but they have a hint of a red or a yellow that can make you feel - yes FEEL - a bit out-of-sorts. My tip for today is to find a color in the paint store that "speaks" to you. I truly believe that people can find a good color by just being focused on what they like.

For example: Let's say Sally knows she likes Daisies. She has a yellow lab puppy. Sally also wears gold jewelry by choice more often than silver. She has gold toned lamps she bought last year and they have off-white shades that she just loves. From these clues, I would say Sally likes yellow - soft, ivory yellows. So, let's work from that initial palette and start something wonderful.

Ask yourself: What clothes am I drawn to? What jewelry do I love? What shoes are my favorites (except those black "make you look like a goddess" heels)? When you buy stationary, what color paper do you pick up first? These clues will help you see what colors you like.

Don't forget to notice your furniture, too. If you have a strong colored couch, you are more courageous with color. If your couch is neutral in tone, you want more subtle color. Either way is right. Either way can create a beautiful interior that can make you FEEL relaxed and proud of your home.
I would love to hear any comments on this topic. Drop me a note!

For more tips... give me a call and we can set up an initial consultation!

Friends and Clients

2008-09-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

Hello again from my little design house. I just wanted to pass on some positive energy today. I have been so blessed with great clients who become great friends. The ladies with whom I work are so like me - personally - that I feel honored to be helping them enjoy their homes. As we chat and find out similarities, I get another perspective on issues we all deal with. Makes me feel less crazy! Heehee! Interior work can be hard and sometimes, yes, I get sweaty, but knowing that my friend will enjoy it is like a little gift to us both. So, thank you darling clients for your support, your trust and, most importantly, being wonderful ladies!
I'm almost ready to post some photos here so ... stay tuned!
Wishing everyone sunny days and happy homes!

WELCOME!

2008-09-25T15:16:00.001-07:00

To those in need of decorating advice... Interiors by Jackie Brown is here.

I have met some wonderful people and, together, we have transformed their homes. Some just needed some color advice... others needed furniture rearranging... still others needed painting jobs and redecorating help. Each home offered unique challenges and each client has specific needs for themselves and their family and my goal is to resolve all those issues so the space is cohesive and enjoyable.