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I've had lots of people ask me lately about my e-decorating services so I thought I would take a quick minute to remind y'all how it works. Basically, e-decorating is an abbreviated interior design service meaning it is not turn-key but I do provide clients with a Floorplan and/or Design Plan for a room or rooms in their homes that they can then implement themselves. It is a great way for me to work with clients from a distance and a great service for clients who are DIY'ers but need the vision of a designer to create a plan of action.

I charge by the room and price varies slightly by room based on the time involved for that particular room. You pay a deposit up front and then the balance is due at the completion of the project. I do my best to source products that you can get on your own via catalogs, the internet or local shops however sometimes I do recommend products that you can purchase directly through Eclectic. The idea is that you don't have to buy everything all at once or right away but you can use the Design Plan as a guide when putting your room together, no matter how long it takes for you to complete the project!

I have an email packet that I can send you which further explains all of this information including pricing, a questionnaire and a contract. If you have any additional questions, please let me know, I am happy to help!

Here are some examples of the e-decorating projects I have worked on...

"Living in a small, rural town made Eclectic's e-design service the perfect solution for me. Sidney's most effective tool, I feel, is her ability to listen to her clients. She took the time to fully understand my vision, wishes and needs. Her guidance and professional opinions were always thoughtfully presented in order to accomplish the job while being mindful of the primary use for my living room as well as my sense of style. I am extremely happy with her design and plan on using Eclectic again for my next project."

-S. Rice

"I was looking for a reasonable way to get some guidance on decorating and first used Sidneyto help with my family room. I loved how easy the process was to share my ideas and room measurements and get a new design - all via email. Also, getting the list of products/resources allowed me to buy items when it made sense for me to do so. When my dinning room needed an updated, I came back to Sidney and am so excited to work to put her design into place! I will definitely come back for more ideas in the future."

-L. Mallis

“It was such a great experience working with Sidney. She really listened to what I wanted and presented a design plan that I am thrilled about. Her e-design services were a perfect option for me and I couldn’t believe how easy the process was. I look forward to implementing my e-design plans and working with her in the future to make the rest of my house as beautiful as my master bedroom.”
-M. Corbin

So yesterday I gave some hints on selecting a paint color for one room. Today I am going to give some advice when choosing paint colors for an entire home. Try to select a color palette-three colors that you want to use throughout your home. Ideally pick these colors from something that you already have like a rug or the fabric in a pillow. These are colors that you are going to use throughout your home in fabrics, furniture, art, accessories, etc. I am not saying these are the only colors you can use but they should be predominant colors and they should be used, in some way, in each room so that your house has "flow." No, not your monthly visitor. And not Flo the saucy waitress from Alice.

But flow as in having a rhythm so that the colors easily transition from one room to the next. Flow is something that you don't necessarily notice when it is done correctly but you definitely notice when it is not done in a home. Have you ever been in a house where each room is painted an entirely different and totally random color? It is wacky. And it chops up the place. You need some sort of congruity. I am going to use the same fabric from yesterday to illustrate my point.

You can see that some paint colors are repeated in different rooms throughout the home. You will also notice that variations of the color (or different values of the same hue) are used in different rooms to give some interest. This is an easy design trick. Try to remember this instead of using four different colors of blue, use four different values of the same blue hue. I used Sherwin Williams to illustrate this point because their paint decks show the different values of a hue on the paint strip so it makes it super easy. But you can always ask your paint store to add black or white to get a different version of the hue.

Again, this is best case scenario but it gives you an idea of how the process should work. And to continue my point on making the house flow, I would carry some of these colors to other areas of the house. For example, let's say that the inspiration fabric is on pillows in the living room on the first floor. Then you could have orange linen Parson's chairs in your dining room and/or paint the vanity in your powder room the same orange as your mud room and/or use a blue and orange mosaic tile in the master bathroom. So it doesn't always have to be through paint color alone. Get it? Well, that my friend, is what you call FLOW.

This is a project I worked on at Wild Dunes Resort. Now that their children are grown, my clients were ready to redecorate their second home with a little more sophistication that matched their current style. Although the furniture arrangement remained pretty much the same, we updated all of the furnishings and decor while adding some finishing touches that were lacking. We painted the room in Restoration Hardware's Silver Sage and covered the backs of the built-ins in a light taupe grasscloth. I wanted the inside decor to mimic the outside views of the marsh and intercoastal waterway so we kept all the fabrics, art and accessories in soothing tones of creams, tans, browns and blues.
~Images: 1) Before of the Living Room 2) After of the Living Room 3) Before of the Built-In Bookcases 4) After of the Built-In Bookcases

I am a big fan of repurposing objects. Why you may ask? Well...a) Recycling is good. b) I enjoy the challenge of thinking outside the box. c) It is great to have a one of a kind piece in your home. Personally, I lean more towards adding an industrial edge than a "country with a k look"(yes, I coined that term). If you agree, I think the key is to have only one "wow" factor per room. Keep the rest of the decor clean-lined, modern and simple so that your repurposed piece can really stand out.

An old air conditioner, stripped of its motor and topped with glass makes a unique nightstand.

Old foundry parts adds to the rustic look of this living room.

Old metal drum turned side table makes an interesting conversation piece.

A pigeon coop topped with glass and with the addition of some wheels adds a little modern country flair to this room.

Antique Pedistal topped with concrete makes a statement on this patio.

Antique columns topped with glass equal instant desk.

The Junk Ladies, who are masters at repurposing objects, prove that virtually anything can be turned into a table! Check it out...

As I have mentioned before, one of my major Design Crushes is Kay Douglas, designer and owner of South of Market. Check out my previous post or her website or visit one of her stores in Atlanta or Charleston for more inspiration!

~Images: 1) Book Modern Country 2) Country Home 3) Southern Living 4 and 5) Country Home 6) Country Living 7) Book Junk Market Style

People seem to be terrified of picking paint colors. Oftentimes living with the builder's white for years out of fear. I understand that you can make a poor paint choice...I have done it myself. Once I chose a shade of brown that looked like I had wiped my nephew's diaper all over the wall. It was gross. But guess what I did? I repainted. It is really that simple so have no fear!!! Here are some (hopefully) helpful hints when picking out paint.

For starters, don't arbitrarily select paint colors! Choose the color from something in the room like a rug, bedding, a vase, etc. If you don't have anything in the room then wait to paint until you have made some other selections. It will be worth it. Why? Because there are infinite colors of paint to choose from and you can pick a shade to match anything (literally). It is a bizillion times easier to work forward instead of working backwards. If you have ever spent hours, weeks, months, or years trying to find the perfect fabric to match a paint color that is already in the room then you will know of which I speak.

If you do have let's say a fabric that you are trying to pull a paint color from then you can either match one of the colors in intensity like this...

Or you can go to a lighter or darker version of the color (hue) like this...

If you are afraid of an actual color then you can try pulling one of the neutrals like this...

Or you can match the "ground" (background) of the fabric like this...

**These paint colors show differently on your computer screen. I promise the do match the fabric!

Be sure to look at all of your room selections together when selecting a paint color-carpet, fabrics, trim color, window hardware, furniture finishes, etc. as all of these can affect the way a color is perceived.

Be sure to look at the paint color options in the actual room and in the various lights of the day.

People often have a hard time seeing how the room will look once it is painted just by looking at a tiny paint chip. This is understandable. If you are able, paint out a section of the wall so you can see it in larger scale. If you are unable to do this then paint a sheet of white poster board (paint the entire thing corner to corner and paint on the dull side) and put it in the room.

Once you have selected a color...go for it! And relax, it's just paint.

Martha has a new line of office/craft room products through Home Decorators to help keep you organized! Not bad, especially for the price!

You might remember this feature from Cottage Living a while back. It is one of my all time favs! The designer is L.A. based Tia Zoldan who describes her work as classic with a bohemian edge. LOVE! She is a self professed art junkie and got her start in store design for J. Crew but left the corporate world to raise her two daughters. Her friends were so enamored with her style that they requested her design services, which eventually led her to start Zoldan Interiors in 2004.

I was thrilled to see that she has her own blog, The Roof Over My Head. A fellow blogger got a interview with her that you can check out here. She has since redecorated her home and shared with us some images on her website. I love to see how a designer's home evolves over time! Here is an updated photo of her living room.

Old dining room...

Updated dining room...

It seems that her adorable children have inherited her passion for art. Look how stinkin' cute this photo is of her daughter creating a charcoal masterpiece...

PRECIOUS!!!

Charleston folks have been getting some good press lately and I like it! The current issue of Southern Living features tips for creating a quintessential Charleston Home which, of course, needs to be primed for entertaining (as us Southerners love to do)!

First up is designer, Jenny Keenan, who shows us the
"Elements of a Charleston Living Room."

Next is designer and store owner, Muffie Faith, of Elizabeth Stuart Design who shows us the "Elements of a Charleston Piazza."

Tara Guerard of the event planning powerhouse, Soiree, shows us the
"Elements of a Charleston Dining Room."

Click on the links for the full articles.

Thank God for the ocean. It is my happy place.

Elle Decor

Coastal Living

Coastal Living

Coastal Living

Coastal Living

I had my maiden voyage to the beach this weekend. And as expected I now have a crazyass tan. Well, not so much tan as red in some areas and still pasty white in others. I look something like this...

Yep, it's hot.

A basket for carrying pigeons.

A coffee table made out of a basket used for carrying pigeons.

Why not?

HGTV Dreamhome 2008

Coastal Living

Better Homes & Gardens

A Paris Market in Savannah

They are pretty much one-of-a-kind, as they are made from actual pigeon baskets with casters added on the bottom and a glass top to make it functional. But never fear, wait long enough and Pottery Barn will knock-it off and you can buy a mass produced one straight from their catalog. And so can your neighbor. And their neighbor. And so on and so on...

Do you remember the Friends episode where Rachel bought the Apothecary table at Pottery Barn but lied and told Phoebe that she got it at a flea market because Phoebe hates Pottery Barn? I actually saw that episode being filmed when I was in L.A. Still cracks me up...

"No no no, but I am mad! I am mad! Because this stuff is everything that is wrong with the world! And it's all sitting up in my living room and all I can think about is how I don't have that lamp!" - Phoebe Bouffay

Paid $150 for my IT guy to come install my scanner. After about 4 minutes, he told me my scanner was already installed. I had just not plugged it in correctly. Awesome. Reminds me of the time I took my car into the shop because the check engine light was on and they told me that my gas cap wasn't screwed on tight enough.

Dropped off the custom tables my carpenter made for some clients. Clearly it is not accessorized BUT wanted to show you an attractive way to store oodles and oodles of toys.

Helped my talented builder friend Richard Jackson of Jackson Built Custom Homes and his super sweet clients with a design dilemma. The clients were worried about the massive, super wide living room bookcases...they didn't want to have to fill it up with large amounts of chotchkies! I thought it was super smart of them to be thinking of that in the construction phase. Most people don't do that much forward thinking then they are stuck with either empty shelves or shelves filled with (pardon me) crap. The solution was an altered version of this set-up mimicking what is above the fireplace then working around windows and using some amazing architectural corbels on open shelving.

Southern Living

It is gonna be GORGEOUS!

Finally saw the installed wine racks (technically champagne riddling racks) that we hung for my client's who are wine enthusiasts (aren't we all?). I know it's a terrible picture...hard to see and still not finished. I'll have the money shot later on!

Saw a Goose hangin' with the turtles. I wonder what they talk about? (If you are reading for the first time...I see these turtles each time I go visit a client. They are usually lined up in a row, in order, by size. Not kidding. So cute!)

Don't forget to stop by Eclectic Finds and do some shopping!

Have a great weekend!!!

Unknown

Designer Suzanne Kasler

Southern Accents

Elle Decor

Coastal Living

I haven't seen my living room all week. I miss it. I am hoping to get some quality time in with my long lost friend over the weekend. If fact, if you can't find me, I will probably be in "sofa city sweetheart." Hope you have a nice relaxing weekend yourself!

I have a client who told me her one dealbreaker was a round mirror because it was too nautical looking. Um, here are some of my "pins" on Pinterest...

Haha. I promised her I would not put a round mirror in her home. No matter how much I want to!

Sometimes life is black and white. Sometimes it is many, many, many shades of grey! Defining and understanding those shades of grey can be both exciting and excruciating. Pardon me, but I'm in a grey period so I would like to relish in a lil' black and white...

This past week has been so busy! I'm so glad you have found time to stop by.
Some time ago I inherited my Gramma's button box. There were so many beautiful buttons to sort and sift. I didn't want to hide them away and so I decided to display them proudly in my living room. What fun I had "tweaking" a very plain lampshade. When I turn the lamp on it fills the room with warmth as each button seems to glisten and glow.

I love this time of year. Home seems so much cozier...so much warmer as the brisk winds and cool temperatures arrive.
My sister, Patti, made this beautiful Autumn quilt for my sister, Marsha. I was asked to photograph it for my sister's quilting business.
I tend to prefer brighter colors, but, oh, these warm Autumn colors add such an inviting touch.

A closer look...Aren't the colors soothing and peaceful?

I love the touches of baby blue throughout. They remind me of the Autumn sky.

My sister did a beautiful job of machine quilting this feather pattern.
She used a variegated thread.
It adds such a nice contrast.

Thank you for popping in, my dear blogging friends.I always love hearing from you...So many of you have left such kind comments.Blessings and Thanks to each one of you! Carolynn xoxo

THANK YOU, ELAINE AT "SUNNY SIMPLE LIFE"

FOR FEATURING MY BLOGON "SUNNY SIMPLE SUNDAY" Linking To The Little Red Housewww.dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.comThe Shop Around the Cornerwww.alittleshoparoundthecorner.blogspot.comEtsy Cottage Stylewww.etsycottagestyle.blogspot.comKathe With An Ewww.kathewithane.comCozy Little Housewww.cozylittlehouse.comKnick of Time www.knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.comCoastal Charmwww.linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.comLavender Garden Cottagewww.lavendergardencottage.blogspot.comHave A Daily Cup of Mrs Olsonwww.jannolson.blogspot.comMy Rose Chintzwww.sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.comCommon Groundwww.debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com I Gotta Createwww.igottacreate.blogspot.comRooted in Thymewww.rootedinthyme.blogspot.comThe Charm of Homewww.thecharmofhome.blogspot.com

I'm a big fan of the outdoor living room. I feel like I have been really negative this week, maybe because I didn't feel good. Plus I was bummed that I had too much work to do and couldn't spend all week with my nephews in Beaufort as I had hoped. Regardless, I wanted to end the week on a good note! I love the idea of a decorated and lived-in outdoor room that you can actually enjoy! God bless you outdoor fabrics and polypropylene rugs. Here are some prime examples...

I have a client who's handy husband is going to build some built-in shelves and cabinets that I designed for their living room. We are toying with painting the back wall the color of the adjoining dining room to subtly tie the two rooms together AND bring some color to the large, boring wall. Here is some inspiration...

via Two Ellie

So I am helping a Bachelor friend with his place and all the flooring needed to be replaced. We decided to go with stained concrete in the living room, kitchen and entryway since he is a man's man (i.e. he hunts, fishes and has a dog). I figured we could just put a drain in the center so he could hose it down once a week (lol)! I am dying to see how they turn out! He is also having wall to wall seagrass installed in the adjoining rooms. Yum!

I stained the concrete floor on my sunporch myself. I kinda did it sponge painting style except with two paint colors and a plastic bag. Don't tell anyone.

As you all know...
I LOVE COTTAGE STYLE!
There are so many ways to achieve this charming, vintage look. My Gramma is my inspiration. No matter where she lived her home was a haven...a place of love and a gentle sweetness. She was not a woman of means but her home was always enchanting...a little piece of heaven!


This charming shelf has been in my home for over twenty years. It was originally brown, then red and now creamy white. My Gramma crocheted the beautiful white lace. She lovingly stitched it to my wedding pillowcases many years ago. After the pillowcases wore thin I carefully removed the lace and saved her lovely handiwork.
Nearly all the items...dishes, cups, the candlestand, creamers and sugar bowl were thrifted.
The only things I purchased new were the three candles and the "Cottage" sign.

Crocheted cotton lace made by my Gramma. Hasn't it made
a perfect edging on this pretty white shelf?

This darling cream and sugar is one of my favorite thrift shop treasures.
I paid a total of five dollars for them.

My sweet Mom-in-Love gave me this feminine little rocking chair
when we left Tennessee to move to Oregon.
I recovered the seat and fashioned a new cushion
out of discounted home decorating fabrics.
The country french scene is a fabric sample that I purchased for two dollars.
I added soft pink pompoms to add a bit of whimsy.

Not very pretty with books and baskets in view...

"SOLUTION"
A soft and pretty skirt. I made a waist band and added a skirt...
Just like I was making a wrap skirt for myself.

Would you believe I found this beautiful lamp at my local thrift shop?
It was on sale for sixteen dollars.
It had no shade and a very tattered cloth electric cord.
My hubby rewired it for me and I purchased a new shade.
I found the crystal trim on clearance and added it to give it a touch of elegance.

Oh, the things one can do with a can of spray paint!
The little chair and powder blue tray are items that I repainted.
They were originally brown.
The linens...
clock...
candle votif
and
baby shoes
were all thrifted finds.

My sweet little Zoey loves sitting by the fire. She is one of my three housekitties.
The blue and white nine patch quilt is something I made to disguise the large opening above the fireplace.
There are various items stored discreetly behind the quilt.
I made the white wicker chair cushions from discounted home decorator fabric.
I shopped at Joanns and waited to use my 50% coupon to purchase the fabric.

Yes...I spray painted the little thrifted blue basket.
It provided the perfect place to display some of my handmade pillows.
I perched it atop a trio of hatboxes that provide storage for odds and ends.
My cats love napping in this chair in the late afternoon.

I love having special quiet times in my blue plaid chair.
The big chair and the matching loveseat used to be in our living room.
The ottoman is cushy and my kitties love curling up at my feet.
The quilt lying on the ottoman is one that I found thrifting . I only paid ten dollars for it.
It is snuggly, soft and in perfect condition.

Thank you, my dear friends, for your kind visit to my Cottage Nest.
I hope you'll come back...
I have more to share...
and, lots of helpful and inexpensive tips.

Blessings,
Carolynn xoxo

"The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22

I have been wanting to write the post for a while but didn't have the time to really research it like I wanted to. Thank you strep throat for giving me some time! I have posted before on my adoration for Nancy Meyers and her brilliant moviemaking "The Holiday," "Somethings Gotta Give," "Father of the Bride" just to name a few. She not only tells an amazing story but I love how much time, effort and detail she puts into the character's surroundings. Well, "It's Complicated" is her latest creation and as I sat in the theater watching the film, all I could hear was the audience's comments on the home of Meryl Streep's character, Jane's home which was set in Santa Barbara, California. And when I wasn't drooling over my boyfriend, John Krasinski, I was looking at the home too!

Who's Emily Blunt?
P.S. My face is so shiny because I am so happy.

I like that it looked lived in and you can see how it evolved over time. Nancy talks about the importance of creating the environment because as she sees it, it is an extension of the character. In this movie, "70% of the screenplay takes place inside three rooms, 70 pages. I was building a house, what I wanted it to look like. I get into it..."

When asked about the natural, earthy elements in the decor, Jon Hutman, the film's production designer, said the following: "It's the idea of classic elements used with a modern aesthetic. There's slipcovered furniture with natural linen, beautiful old wood on the doors, dining table and floors. There's also a very Italian influence in terms of color and materials. There's a casual comfort that's very approachable and appealing" according to an article by The Washington Post.

For those of you that haven't seen the movie, the main character is renovating her kitchen and as the owner of a famous bakery, you just know it is going to be good! So I was anxiously awaiting the end of the movie because I was dying to see Jane's new kitchen which sadly, was never reveled. The reason for that, Jon explains is that the kitchen was not the focus of the movie, it was Jane's life quest. And Nancy (I presume) thought it best to let the viewer's imagine what the newly renovated, dream kitchen looked like. Okay, okay, I get it but it would have been fun to see Jon's vision, right?

Well if you love this kitchen, as is, Remodelista did a post on ways to recreate the look. Check it out!