the little red couch

Before & After TV Console

H Interiors, LLC — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:41:35 +0000

I know it has been awhile I have been pretty busy the past couple months. Between growing my business and family obligations my blog has definitely taken a backseat.

My latest passion is painting furniture. Last year I read about Annie Sloan chalk paint and was instantly intrigued. You can use her paints on furniture without having to prime or sand. Annie has a variety of vivid, classic colors and they are very forgiving if you make mistakes (me). I took an introductory course on techniques and how to get the look you want.

I decided to first tackle our old Crate & Barrel TV console. I think we bought it 8 years ago and between two kids, a puppy and normal wear and tear the console was horrendous. I wanted to go with a worn-white wash style to go with the rest of my family room. I bought three different colors of Annie Sloan paint and had some fun.

Here is a pic of the console before (excuse the messy garage):

And here is the after (excuse the terrible photography):

Our console has new life and we now will keep it a few more years. Onto my next project-it is sooo addicting!

If you would like more information go to http://www.anniesloan.com/ You can order straight from her website or you can go to a stockist near you.

Enjoy!

Early Valentine Gift

H Interiors, LLC — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:52:55 +0000

I don’t usually put personal, non-decor stories on my blog, but today I felt like I had to share my exchange.

I was at the radiologists waiting for an X-ray for a stupid foot injury when a lady came in and sat across from me. I was in a pretty bad mood mainly because of said foot injury ruining my Friday but also from things that have been weighing on my mind lately.

Since I had crutches and was wearing a boot she asked me what happened to my foot. After I informed her we started talking about our children and then she told me her husband had a stroke last year and was paralyzed on his right side. She explained to me the hardships they have since endured; husband being in rehab for over a month, losing his job, tired and angry, children not taking it well and realizing that marriage now means something different. As I was called back to get my X-ray she thanked me for bending my ear and said that she does not get a chance to just chat with people often.

On the way home I thought I was the one who should have thanked her for putting my life and all the tiny bumps in perspective. As I hobbled into the house I could not wait to plant a big smooch on my husband.

Maybe it is the wine and vicodin talking but its nice to be reminded of the positive things in your life and take a little break from the negative.

So look we all know that Valentine’s Day is a hallmark holiday where we are forced to eat chocolate (what you’re not?) and tell everyone you love them, but maybe we should use this day to put our lives in perspective-it might end up being your new favorite holiday.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Heather

Great Taste…Less Money

H Interiors, LLC — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:59:50 +0000

Last Friday, I had the pleasure to spend time with new shop owner, Joanne Schimmel. Joanne’s store, L Gifts & Home Furnishings is located in downtown Leesburg, VA. Right next to the parking garage on West Market Street, if you drive past the new sex shop (locals-don’t act like you don’t know what I am talking about) you have gone to far. L for short is an eclectic mix of great finds in furniture, home accessories, gifts, gourmet foods and wine.

What impressed me the most about Joanne is her obvious love and passion for all things in her shop. You can tell that she takes time picking and choosing inventory carefully. A true reflection of her personal style which she wishes to share with customers.

I had such a great time chatting and drooling over all the beautiful furniture and accessories. The only thing missing we later realized was some wine. But don’t worry Joanne is taking care of that, she will be having regular wine tastings along with choice of gourmet food-YUMMY!

Next time you are in Leesburg, L Gifts & Home Furnishings is a must on your shopping trip. You will not only fall in love with the selection but also the reasonable prices.

Don’t forget to like L Gifts & Home Furnishings on Facebook!

Enjoy!

PS-Keep in mind when viewing the pics that I am not a professional photographer!

L Gifts & Home Furnishings

Joanne Schimmel-Owner of L Gifts & Home Furnishings

Accessorize! Accessorize! Accessorize!

H Interiors, LLC — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:22:32 +0000

Some of my favorite things to wear are accessories. A great scarf, bangles, belts, shoes, purses, etc. can really characterize your style. It is the same in interior design. Have you ever walked into a house (even your own) and thought it lacked character? I have and I think that is one of the biggest headaches clients face.

Everyone focuses on the big pieces-sofa, chairs, tables, but then what? You need to think about art, lamps, rugs, curtains, vases, candles, ottomans, occasional tables and these are usually the ones that really make your house a home.

Hiring an interior decorator can help you make those decisions. You find out things about your style that you did not even know. You might think you need to redo a whole room when all you need is a few accessories to achieve the look you are going for. You might even have fun in the process!

I have added some of my favorite and easy accessorizing options.

Enjoy!

Courtesy of Lucketts Design House

Courtesy of Ekster Antiques and Uniques

Courtesy of Bonny Kielty Neiman

Gallery Wall

H Interiors, LLC — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:44:10 +0000

The most frequent question I receive is how to set up a gallery wall. If one cannot add built-ins, which would be my first choice, then the gallery wall is the next best.

The great thing about the gallery wall is you can style it however you want. You can make it perfectly lined up side to side and floor to ceiling. You can also create what I call planned chaos where everything has a place but looks like it was effortlessly hung on the wall. You can hang pictures, plates, collectibles or memorabilia.

The key is to measure it all out before you start. I learned a great tip, trace the shape of your items on large brown paper bags, cut them out, then tape the shapes on the wall to see how it all looks before you put holes in the wall.

Below are a few photos of some great gallery walls.

Enjoy!

Courtesy of House Beautiful

Hip Hotels

H Interiors, LLC — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:34:27 +0000

I recently got back from Spring Break with my family. While we did not stay at the most incredible hotel I have ever seen it was very accommodating, great for the kids and fun. Usually I don’t get to crazy over hotels, I feel like once you get past the lobby they are pretty much the same.

I started thinking about the coolest hotels I have ever stayed or seen and I kept going back to the W and Kimpton hotels for their unique style and pizzaz. I love that they think outside of the box but stay true in style to the cities they are in. Maybe one day I will stay in a W’s Extreme Wow suite. Here are a few photos of why they are just so cool:

Enjoy!

Hotel Rouge/DC

W Fort Lauderdale

W Hong Kong

The Muse/NYC

W Vieques

The Guest Room

H Interiors, LLC — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 20:02:57 +0000

If you are like me, the guest room is usually the last room in your house to decorate. Our guest room is a bedroom/office with stuff everywhere. This week we decided to put the office in our finished basement and officially make a guest room.

My inspiration for the guest room is a trendy, upscale hotel room. With the exception of occassional out of town friends our main guests are my mom and my mother in law. Since our primary guests are woman I would like to add feminity to the room, while not going over the top with florals and pastels. Here are some samples of the color pallette I am working on. I will post pics as I go.

Enjoy!

Heather

H Interiors, LLC

Gray Tint-Benjamin Moore

Yellow Lacquer Side Table-Courtesy of Bungalow 5 Furniture

Honeysuckle

The Ottoman Empire

H Interiors, LLC — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:33:17 +0000

I love ottomans! I would have them in every room if I could. They are one of my favorite pieces of furniture, mostly because you don’t have to take them seriously and they come in so many varieties. Ottomans can really add flair, sophistication and style to your room. Below are a few of my favorite ottomans out now.

Cowboy Ottoman/Arhaus Furniture

Ettiene Ottoman/Hickory Furniture

Tufted Ottoman/Lucketts Design House

Launching a Design Business, One Step at a Time.

H Interiors, LLC — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:46:12 +0000

Launching a design business in 2010 is completely different from starting one up ten years ago. The world we live in has gotten smaller people are blogging, tweeting, Linking In and Facebooking at record pace. I believe Facebook is one of the best free business marketing tools of our time. It is a great way for you to get the word out about your biz. I also think starting a design blog is important. Not only do potential customers get to see your taste, they also learn a bit about your personality, which is almost as important as your designs.

Another great resource when launching your business is to join interior design associations. I am currently a student member at IIDA. I can go on their website and get the latest trends, happenings in my area and a forum where other designers share their successes and deterrents. Because I am a member and I also have a business license I can also get To the Trade discounts on furniture, flooring and textiles.

One more bit of advice: READ, READ, READ! Read everything you can about design. Read design blogs, design magazines, design books from your favorite designers. If you want to read some great design blogs, check out my blogroll. You can really learn a lot from others.

Since I started my business I try to do something every day that pertains to my future success. Whether it is setting up my Resale Tax ID (that was a real pain in my butt) or clipping out articles and pictures for my lookbook. It might not sound like much but when you have two young children every little step counts!

I guess you can apply these tips to launching most businesses. So no matter what your passion is remember not to get overwhelmed, just breathe and do it one step at a time.

Cheers,

Heather

H Interiors LLC

My Portfolio

H Interiors, LLC — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:32:17 +0000

Most of what I have learned when launching a design business is that you need a portfolio of your designs. I am working on my portfolio starting rooms, finishing rooms, gathering and taking photos. If you are like me and not a professional photographer (and don’t have the funds to invest in one) I found some useful information on how to take interior photos.

Here are some great tips from a great blog by Maria Killam, Colour Me Happy.

Below is one of my photos of my upcoming portfolio:

I cannot wait till the finish product. Looking forward to sharing the rest!

Cheers!
Heather

H Interiors, LLC

“Home Design One Neighbor at a Time”