Countdown to 2015

A new year is right around the corner but I'd like to take a moment to reflect on 2014...and what a year it has been! There were LOTS of changes for me professionally and my new career choice has been a huge adjustment. I am really excited to see what 2015 brings and maybe find out if I'm crazy or not. No, wait, I already know I AM crazy. My house all but fell apart with repairs for a leak and the need for a new HVAC unit slamming all at once while my mom struggled physically the first half of the year with a herniated disc in her back. Thank goodness for her amazing surgeons! Luckily my beau has stayed busy and happy while my dad retired and stayed busy and happy! My sister road the same roller coaster ride professionally as I did and I'm so glad she and I could support one another during these times of transition and decision...that's why we have Sir Paul.

With all of those things in mind, blogging played second- and sometimes even third- fiddle this year with fewer posts from me but I hope you found the quality better even if I posted less often. I'm pleased to see that two of the top five most viewed posts of the year were design and decorating posts- one from before I started my business and one from after. You, dear readers, love a Red Carpet, as do I, and springtime wardrobe options make us all happy or puzzled...not sure which. Here are the top five posts (actually six because two posts tied!) of 2014!

Tied for #5: Third Bedroom Upgrades 

and Nine Spring Wardrobe Essentials

#4- Making Me Blush

#3- Red Carpet Round Up: 86th Annual Academy Awards

 

#2- When Life Imitates Art

#1- Red Carpet Round Up: 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

 Thank you so much for reading! Wishing you success, health and happiness in 2015! I'll be going off the grid for a while to spend some time with family but I will see you next year!

The Perfect Red Lip

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Every girl needs a good red lipstick. It's sort of a rite of passage into full-fledged womanhood. As a redhead, I have long struggled with this hunt. Nothing was ever quite right...until recently. This time of year begs for a fun red lip so just in time for the last round of holiday parties, I must present to you the result of the search for perfect red lipstick. 

 NARS Audacious Lipstick in Lana

Elle recently published an article about several types of make-up that were perfect for every skin tone. They suggested NARS Audacious Lipstick in Lana as the perfect red for everybody. Considering I have been on the hunt for this shade for years, I ran to my closest Sephora to test it for myself... and helloooooooo orange pout. With just two swipes of this lipstick, my pucker was a bright shade of nectarine- not exactly what I was going for. Luckily, Sephora had other great NARS lipstick options. 

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Annabella 

 

One shade cooler than Lana is Annabella. Eureka! The lipstick is perfection. As a red, it's not too aggressive or overpowering. It just provides a really striking pop of color, much more so than I'm used to wearing, without a crazy red-lips-in-yo-face effect. I can easily wear this lipstick during the day with just a little blush and mascara and think it will be really pretty in the evening with a hint of gold or bronze eye. 

(Insert cheesy selfie of me puckering up to show off my red lipstick)

This time of year, I'll use anything to keep me from looking like Casper! If you've been struggling to find the right red lipstick, give this one a try. The best part about Sephora is that if you don't like something, you can send it back. Do not commit to anything until you've given it a test drive.

Happy Holidays!!

The Collected Kitchen

What do you do when a client's kitchen needs a few updates to make it as modern as its neighboring rooms but any changes are probably a few years off? You've got to get creative...really creative.

The current conundrum: Upfitting an older kitchen that won't be updated any time soon to make it as cool as its dining room/sun room counterparts. Kitchens host so many surfaces and materials that are almost always hard and solid. Creating a beautiful, modern kitchen from scratch has quite a different set of challenges than making an outdated place look au courant. This kitchen I'm working on now boasts fun black and white tile flooring, butcher block and white porcelain tile countertops with a few blue and white tile accents. If that wasn't enough of a mix, we've got to tie in the pale pink that the dining room wall shares with the kitchen and eliminate the dark navy accents that actually do make some sense. What was I thinking??

My plan: Go with this eclectic mix and ram into it full force. We're going to up the amperage on the blue and white without paint and with ginger jars. They are unexpected in this space yet fully functional as countertop storage and will look just as good against the pale pink walls as they will with the backsplash's blue and white tiles. I'm also going to play with the black and white tile reference by adding some kitschy black floral throw pillows to the rattan bar stools. They will help make the space feel homey and luckily have a bit of blue and pink in them! Lastly, a few collectibles like china and artwork will be on display. I particularly am drawn to the Tobacco Leaf pattern because it does display so many fun and bright colors. It will seal the deal with every single color in the kitchen.

In the end, I think the result will be a really fun and personal space. It will be well collected, cozy and unlike most of the kitchen pins you'll see on Pinterest! In this day and age of unrealistic expectations, I think this space will challenge the notions of perfection and celebrate the charms of imperfection...with good taste, of course. Stay tuned (and cross your fingers for me)!

J.Crew Becomes Duchess-Worthy

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New York City is always magical this time of year. This December, the vibe was even more exciting with a quick visit from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. You've probably all seen how Kate and William stayed at the Carlyle Hotel, met Beyonce and Jay-Z and got a one-arm hug from Lebron James. But what most excited this fashion lover most was seeing the princess come face to face with J.Crew Creative Director Jenna Lyons and what JENNA was wearing! 

After this photo surfaced, it was time to do some immediate investigating. Could her that effortless yet fully sequined top possibly be from J.Crew?! Turns out the top is part of J.Crew's high end Collection line. It's styled beautifully on the site- once with this red coat and turtleneck and with white tuxedo pants in another image.

 

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Unfortunately, many pieces in the Collection line have very few sizes left. That might be okay considering the sequin top's retail price is over $1000...it's certainly fit for a queen though!

By The Chimney With Care...

 

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Are you ready for a little holiday decor chat? Or are you up to your eyeballs in it and ready to think about something else?? I'll make this brief just in case you're the latter! 

 

A friend of mine recently told me she was having the hardest time finding Christmas stockings she really liked. Her sweet family is just beginning to grow as she is married with an adorable baby boy who recently turned one. Like many girls who are trying to plan for their family, she was looking for a beautiful stocking with a little bit of charm and a lot of longevity. It had to be the piece they would pull out at Christmas year after year, they would fill with Santa's tiny surprises and cheerfully sift through together on Christmas morning. When she just couldn't find anything that fit that bill, I offered to help get one made and imagine my delight when she agreed! We had a little inspiration, she gave me a color scheme and we came up with a design...

 

 

 

 

The stockings for this family of three were completed yesterday and are off to the monogram shop today! We are both so pleased with how they turned out! I can't wait to see these hanging on their mantel this year.

 

 It truly warms my heart to think about these sweet friends of mine using these stockings every Christmas. It's such a special time of year and this family is very special to me. When you get to help create pieces for people's homes, big or small, it is TRULY an HONOR. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to make people happy and help make things that will last. 

 So there's my Christmas story for this year!! Happy holidays to all of you!!

You Betta Werk!

 

Osborne & Little Wallpaper/ Barbara Berry Scallop Chandelier/ Acrylic Hanging File Organizer/ Acrylic Inbox/ Acrylic File Organizer/ Ikea Bookshelves/ Sterling Tufted Arm Chair/ Sterling Croc Desk/ Lamp/ Computer/ Rug

Contact me at lsuggsinteriors@gmail.com if you're interested in any of the products above but are having difficulty sourcing a retailer.

Could you get some good work done in a room like this one? Just because you have to get down to serious business doesn't mean you have to sacrifice personality and style! I think I would just wallpaper one wall in that fun dog silhouette wallpaper and paint the other three walls a nice cream shade. How fabulous is that faux crocodile desk?! I love that touch of unexpected texture while the tufted upholstered chair, scalloped chandelier and oriental style rug keep the room cozy. Of course, acrylic desktop accessories keep your eye on the prize and not on your storage...

Now let's get back to work!

That Southwest Flavor

In the midst of holiday gift guides and Christmas decor inspiration, my mind can't help but wander to a completely off topic subject. If you came to this site today looking for great holiday ideas, I'm sorry. I'll get some to you soon, I promise! But I have been so majorly drawn to Southwestern influences lately and I really can't explain why. The geometric shapes and warm colors soothe the soul. They remind me of good times spent in the desert and how I can't wait to go back to visit someday. Do these speak to you too or am I cuckoo? (Don't answer that second part.)