Grande Format Installation: Peggy's Bathroom

When my customer, Peggy, remodeled a bathroom recently to make it accessible for an aging family member, she knew she wanted to dress it up with a UL tree. She had a very specific space for us to work with; the tree had be narrow enough to fit between two towel racks but full enough to fill the space above them. During our consultation, we discussed our different styles, took measurements, and played with several color combinations before settling on our Leafy Tree in Mocha Brown with Terra Cotta leaves. When it came in, she was kind enough to share these photos of the installation with me. They are an excellent tutorial of how to put up our Grande Format designs. 

Because of their size, Grande Format expressions come in multiple pieces. The design includes numbered registration marks to help you match up the corresponding parts. By lining up the registration marks on different parts of the expression, you will get a perfect installation. The registration marks are the diamonds you see in the photo below; they will be removed at the end of the installation. 

The registration marks show you exactly where each section goes.

Once all of the branches have been applied, you can remove the registration marks.  Peggy chose some additional pieces for the base of the tree, which she has begun to apply here.

The grasses at the base of three are layered to add depth.

At last, it's time to add leaves.

With all of the leaves added, the tree looks beautiful! Notice the leaf that is falling softly toward the grass?

By investing a little time, Peggy has added a striking focal point to this bathroom. She may decide to add more grass or some birds in the future, but I think her tree looks pretty great as it is. Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos with me, Peggy.

Bailey's Room: Old Hollywood Glamour

Korina, one of my fabulous hostesses, is a busy mom of 4, wife, daughter, friend and elementary school teacher. This woman goes nonstop! She also has a love of words and a great eye for decor, which is great for her lucky daughter, Bailey.

While Korina was home for Winter Break, Bailey's room got a dramatic makeover! As Bailey heads into her teens, her room needs to reflect her more grown up taste. With dark furniture and photos of Marilyn Monroe already in the space, Korina knew exactly what she wanted to add.  She started with a custom Marilyn Monroe quote in one of our newer fonts, Satisfaction. Korina has become quite a pro at using the MyDesign Suite on my website to create custom expressions. The quote she chose is perfect for a teenager's room, I think, especially when insecurities creep in. She placed it on a narrower space above the closet, where Bailey will see it from her bed. The space doesn't lend itself to most decorating options, but UL lettering fits it beautifully.

The focal point of Bailey's room is her bed, featuring pale grays and pinks. Korina set it off by adding our Grande Chandelier in Matte Black. The color pops on the soft gray walls, but doesn't distract the eye from the color on the bed. Elegant and glamorous, it's a wonderful addition above Bailey's headboard. 

The finished room is a gorgeous space for Bailey to hang out. The decor Korina picked is sure to please for many years. I don't foresee Bailey outgrowing this room any time soon. In fact, I can think of several adults who would love a room like this. Oh, and did I mention the fabulous deal Korina got on all this vinyl (and much more) by hosting an Uppercase Living party just before the holidays? She got much of her order absolutely FREE.

I'd like to thank Korina for allowing me to share these photos of her beautiful work. I'm so pleased that I got to be involved in a small way in helping create Bailey's room. I can't wait to show you what else Korina has planned!

You can see more photos of Bedroom Decor in my public Facebook album.

Customer Photos: Raquel's Inviting Home

Those who are fortunate enough to get invited to my hostess, Raquel's, home might feel so welcome and at ease that they may never want to leave. If you're lucky, like I was when I went to do her Uppercase Living party in February, you'll be greeted by a sweet little girl even before you enter her home. She'll enchant you with her sing-songy voice as she leads you to the front door. Once inside you'll be welcomed by the beautiful Raquel and another, smaller, smiling little girl who clearly dotes on her big sister.

Raquel created this custom design to adorn the arched entry to her kitchen.

As you glance around Raquel's home, you notice the family photos first. Carefully arranged into attractive groupings, they showcase happy members of this close family. This is a home where there is no shortage of love.

There's also no shortage of style. The walls are painted in rich colors that are both trendy and elegant. The furniture is comfortable, attractive and perfectly accessorized. When you comment on how beautifully Raquel's home is decorated, she admits with a smile that that her husband, Jose, is actually the one with the eye for design. It seems like no detail was left missing, except for the finishing touch that Uppercase Living lettering adds to a room. Luckily, Raquel found me and added meaningful words to her home, unifying the look and expressing the emotion behind the decor.

The photos show you some of the expressions Raquel chose at her party. The custom "Mi Casa es Su Casa" (Spanish for "My house is your house." See, I told you her home is welcoming!) is directly across from her entry. What a lovely greeting for visitors to this bilingual home.  A gorgeous portrait of Raquel and Jose is crowned by the romantic expression, "Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favorite."

Of all the expressions Raquel chose, I think the most perfect for her home is the two-part "FAMILY where life begins and love never ends" placed above one of the family picture groupings. Notice that big A monogram? True to the decor in the rest of the home, it's right on-trend but personal at the same time.

It is such a treat for me to spend time with my hostesses and their friends and family. Raquel is definitely one of those people who I'd love to be friends with, even if she wasn't a customer. Her tight-knit family and friends were such lovely guests. I'm looking forward to hanging out with this group again next month. I'm sure that Raquel will once again choose an expression that is simple, decorative, and a beautiful expression of the warmth and love in her home. 

Customer Photos: Ashlyn's Nursery

I have always loved babies. I love them even more now that my own babies are getting so big. So I get pretty excited when a mom brings her baby to one of my parties. That's how I met Miss Ashlyn. She and her sweet Mommy, Charissa, attended an Uppercase Living party late last year. Ashlyn was a perfectly behaved guest. She napped quietly during the presentation, then woke up for a snack before treating us all to smiles and a peek at her gorgeous blue eyes.

Charissa looked through my catalog for something to decorate Ashlyn's room. Inspired by this design, the Moxie Butterfly, she considered several color combinations before settling on a Green Tea butterfly with Concord Grape lettering. Her choice fit perfectly in Ashlyn's butterfly theme nursery, but the sophisticated color combination is one that will serve Ashlyn even when she's a big girl.

Last week, I got to help Charissa install her new design (and get another visit with Ashlyn). The custom expression went on with no problems. True to form, Ashlyn woke up from a catnap halfway through our installation and once again cooed and smiled and giggled and gave me serious baby envy. Before I could run away with Ashlyn, my own 4 year old (who was a trouper and let me work while he played quietly - I'm so lucky I can bring him to work withe me) informed me that it was time to leave. So I bid Ashlyn a sad farewell, hopeful that I would see her and her Mommy at another Uppercase Living party soon. Before I left, I was able to snap a picture of Ashlyn with her newly decorated wall. As gorgeous as the expression is, the picture is so much better with Ashlyn in it! Enjoy your butterfly sweet Ashlyn!

Customer Photos: Sophia's Holiday Home

My friend Sophia is an elegant hostess with a talented eye for decorating. Small wonder she is a successful consultant for Willow House (formerly Southern Living At Home). Today I had the pleasure of helping Sophia with some Uppercase Living products as she decorates for her upcoming customer Open House. With a professional floral artist on hand, as well as contractors working elsewhere on her property, her home was bustling with preparations for her big event. I arrived with my 4-year old in tow, got him settled with a toy and got to work. (I love that I can take my son to "work" with me!)

The pine trees are the perfect accent for this arched doorway

Sophia had ordered the Merry Christmas Holiday Decor Set and decided to use it in her large kitchen. It turned out to be the perfect choice. With 48 pieces, we were able to decorate two doorways, a large arch, and her French doors. Everything coordinated beautifully without looking overly cute. There were even extra holly leaves left over to add to some of the kitchen cabinets.

Despite all that, by far the best part of today's installation was when Sophia realized, after living in her home for 7 years, that she could finally decorate her range hood. Situated in a stone surround, it has been quite impossible for Sophia to hang, stick, screw in or otherwise decorate for Christmas in this part of her kitchen. Watching her delight when she realized that her problem was solved reminds me again why I love my job so much. You can bet I got a big hug when I stepped off the stool to admire the expression! The "Merry Christmas" looks fantastic decorating the focal point of Sophia's beautiful kitchen. As a removable, reusable Decorative Print, Sophia will be able to use it for years to come.

If you'd like to visit Sophia's home and see her beautiful decor for yourself, you're in luck. Her Willow House event is Friday evening in the Westlake Village Trails neighborhood. You can email Sophia for directions. If you'd like to place a Willow House order, you can visit her website (lots of great items just got marked down 40%!). I highly suggest you try to drop by, as our friend Rosalie from Tastefully Simple will be there with delicious treats to sample.You'll  also find more Uppercase Living products scattered through Sophia's home. You'll love her great ideas for holiday and everyday decor and entertaining. 

Decorative Print Tip: The adhesive on our Decorative and Photo Prints is quite strong and might make it difficult to remove the Print, especially from non-porous surfaces. You can "dirty up" the back of the Print by adhering it to a tablecloth, rug or fuzzy sweater before you apply it to your wall or other surface. The lint will make it easier for you to remove the Print but will not interfere with the adhesive.

Getting Up and Around: JoAnne's Rotunda

 

JoAnne had a problem. Her gorgeous home has a rotunda! Most of us don't have a whole lot of extra space in our homes, much less a rotunda. As you can imagine, it's difficult to decorate a space with rounded walls. JoAnne was feeling a little stuck about how to proceed when we met at her friend's Uppercase Living party. 

During my demonstration, I mentioned that our expressions can fit rounded objects such as vases, wine glasses or candle holders. All of a sudden, JoAnne realized that she had found the solution for decorating her rotunda. It took her some time to choose the perfect expression for the space, and then a little more time to actually apply it after it arrived. A few accessories and narrow frames holding photos of her adorable boys fill the space below the expression, which unifies the space and fits the curved wall beautifully. Now not only do JoAnne and her family have a beautiful space to enjoy, but visitors to their home are greeted with a lovely foyer and a warm, welcoming expression that describes this sweet family perfectly.

If you have a space in your home that's a decorating challenge, don't give up on it! Let me help you brainstorm a solution that you may not have thought possible. Like my friend, JoAnne, you could end up with a unique result that's as enjoyable for you as it is welcoming to your guests.

Oooh La La - Heather's Kitchen

When I decided to become an Uppercase Living demonstrator, I knew there would be lots of things about my new job that I would love. What I didn't think about was how many interesting people I would meet and how many lovely homes I'd be invited into.

Earlier this month I did a party at the home of one of the busiest women I've met yet. Heather is an active mom who is passionate about her involvement in her child's school; she teaches, travels, is an avid decorator and a competitive baker. She is a devoted friend and amazing hostess. Now that I've tasted her creations, I'm not surprised that she has has won numerous ribbons for her baking and shot two Food Network pilots . This woman knows her stuff: just check out this gorgeous table she set for her Uppercase Living party. Aren't her guests lucky?

I met Heather about 9 months ago when she was a guest at her friend's Uppercase Living party. Drawing upon her expertise in contracting and decorating, she quickly sized up my catalog and declared that she's seen similar products in showcase homes. She chose a few expressions for her home, but wasn't satisfied with our standard offerings for her kitchen. So she chose our expression, "Eat Well, Laugh Often, Love Much" and decided to translate it to fit her French theme kitchen. The translating part was easy for Heather, because, of course, she's fluent in French. Together we worked on a design that incorporated Fluers des Lis in two sizes. Mind you, this was before the upgraded MyDesign Suite was available so creating a design of this size was not easy. Nevertheless, Heather had a vision and she was undeterred.

What a thrill it was when I visited Heather's home to see that vision beautifully executed in the perfect spot in her kitchen. I don't know how many times I heard her guests say, "Have you seen the lettering in her kitchen?"

When I joined Uppercase Living, I knew that I would love seeing our products used in unique applications to express my clients' personality and individuality. Heather's kitchen is the perfect fit of product, client and design. My only challenge now was to create a hostess gift for Heather that would fit in with her ooh la la decor. Luckily, UL made that easy: Fluers des Lis coasters, of course!

For You Lovers of Restoration Hardware: Tami's Entryway

If you've ever stepped inside Restoration Hardware and felt the rich, inviting tones of their blue-gray and deep chocolate brown color palette, you can imagine the look of my friend Tami's entryway (I love this color combination so much I used it for my own bedroom). She's spent a lot of time and effort adding on to her home and it looks fabulous. Decorator touches don't overshadow the fact that this is a busy, loving family with four active boys.

Tami is relatively new to Uppercase Living, but she started off with a great choice. Yesterday, the two of us installed the expression you see above a table and a grouping of photos in her entryway. Blurry cell-phone photo aside, it was really the perfect expression, size and color for this spot. What a lovely way to be greeted each time you enter this home. I can't wait to see what Tami does next!

Send me your photos of UL expressions in your home and you just might see them featured here!

View this expression on my website here.