Dallas Blog | Material Girls | Dallas Interior Design

For the past month, we’ve been hard at work on a vignette for Dwell with Dignity’s new Thrift Studio store which just opened up in the design district here in Dallas.  Five local designers were asked to plan out a room vignette using Dwell’s vintage furniture and accessories from their warehouse, as well as other donations from the design community.  We had so much fun on this project because it was different from any other project we had done before. We really had to stretch our creativity on this one! We had a really short time to complete it in, limited resources, and virtually no budget, but we were definitely up for the challenge!

Taking this lackluster space from this-

{Before}

To this- in just a couple of weeks was a little bit of a stretch for EJ Interiors but somehow we managed to pull it off!

{After- EJ Interiors’ dining room vignette for Dwell with Dignity’s Thrift Studio opening}

Our room centered around bold orange and turquoise. The inspiration? A pair of these adorable chairs that we managed to dig up in Dwell’s warehouse…

The process was so unique that I had to take some photos along the way to document our Dwell journey!

Phase 1- All of the designers meet at Dwell’s warehouse to grab the pieces they want to use for their vignette.  I put everything in my little pile that could be a possibility for the space.  Now the question is- what in the world am I going to do with it all?

Phase 2- There was a lot to do in a little amount of time.  Since most of the things in the warehouse were older items, I knew that re-upholstering and re-painting furniture had to happen..and quick!

I couldn’t believe my luck in finding these four matching chairs in the warehouse…

And  then I was even more shocked to find the perfect turquoise fabrics hidden in a corner…

It was meant to be!

M&M Upholstery donated the upholstery labor and Nicole Horne of Modern Relics donated the painting labor for the chairs…what a fantastic team they made!

Phase 3- Time to get the room painted!  Twenty five Neiman Marcus volunteers came out to help us get our rooms ready and I must say that I couldn’t have done it without them!  They quickly helped my vision come to life and did such a great job painting the walls and trim.

I loved our little team! If any of you are reading this, thank you again so much!

The Thrift Studio starts coming together…

Loved the entrance!

Ok we are making some progress..drapes are almost up!

Phase Four- Completion! Everything is in place for the sneak preview party and so now we just wait for people to shop, shop, shop!

For those of you that weren’t able to make it for the great deals at the preview party last Friday, not to worry because the Thrift Studio pop up shop is open from now until October 29th- Monday through Saturday 10-5:30 pm at 1616 Hi Line Drive in Dallas.

So many great deals to be had and such an amazing way to help out a good cause!

So many volunteers helped make the Dwell with Dignity event such a success.  Thank you again!  Some of the sources below..

{Royal Old Fashioned Tumblers- Wisteria Outlet}

{Mirror- taken off from an old dresser and re purposed for the buffet.  Christian at Think Twice kindly helped us hang the mirror by decorative gold chain}

{Bust- Pettigrew Associates}

{Pedestal- Dwell with Dignity}

{Custom white drapes with turquoise band on leading edge- Stitches by Carmen; wood drapery rods- Williamson Supply}

{Crystal Sconce- Dwell with Dignity}

{Vintage Gucci bag- Dwell with Dignity}

{Painted brackets from Hobby Lobby, vintage New Orleans prints, wall sunbursts, antler horns- EJ Interiors}

{Chandelier- Visual Comfort, Taylors on Ten}

{Wall Color- Benjamin Moore paint}

{Flatware, dishes, wine glasses, decorative bowls- Dwell with Dignity}

{Dining table- Dwell with Dignity- base painted orange}

{Mercury glass vase- EJ Interiors}

{Sticks in vase- found in a pile of bulk trash-no kidding EJ Interiors}

{Chaise lounge- Dwell with Dignity- repainted creamy white}

{Custom 18″ pillow- Trina Turk fabric; chaise upholstery- Childress leopard print fabric- EJ Interiors}

{6×9 Sisal rug- Dwell with Dignity}

Photos by: Fort Worth Real Estate Photography

Yesterday marked the three month anniversary of being in the new office space.  It’s hard to believe that ninety days have gone by and I still have a  mishmash of furniture in there.  As a designer, this normally is something that would drive me completely bonkers, but we’ve been running around so much these past few months that we’ve barely had time to notice.

{the big blank space}

Last night I finally got serious about purchasing some new office furniture.  I did some extensive research and discovered that a lot of people were giving the CB2 Bubble White Office Chair really good reviews so I took the plunge and ordered one for Taylor’s desk.  Of course, then I stumbled upon the CB2 Vapor Counter Stool and its acrylic good looks (and the fact that I had been borrowing my sister’s stool for my craft desk) had me at first glance.  Before you knew it, the darned thing was in my shopping cart too!

A few Crate and Barrel gift cards later, my order was processed.  Mission accomplished!

But wait- blank walls, a counter stool that practically disappears into thin air and a white desk chair didn’t scream “interior design office’” to me.  It was more along the lines of “chic sterile hospital”.

Luckily, visions of kelly green and shiny metallics started to pop into my head and soon after, this inspiration board was born-

Now for the reality of it all- (what I have and what I still need to make this happen)

HAVE:

• My own desk chair is currently upholstered in the blue Duralee geometric printed fabric and sits in front of a glass and chrome sawhorse desk.
• The artwork above that used to be in my home, is a perfect way to incorporate the color from my desk chair fabric as well as bring in the jolt of kelly green.   I also love how the black and cream in the art provides a nice graphic punch.
• I had the EJ Interiors logo bags made for client projects (off Vista Print) and staggered about twenty of them on Container Store brushed nickel hooks down a long, unused and really boring hallway when you first walk in the door.  You’d be surprised how interesting this looks with the repeated logo coming down the hallway.

NEED

• Touches of metallic in mirrors and furniture hardware
• A smidgen of animal print- like Jan Shower’s favorite Snow Leopard fabric
• Would like to paint Taylor’s desk a funky Kelly green color with brass hardware
• Would love to eventually have more comfy seating- four lounge chairs sitting around a round coffee table
• A very large sisal rug

We desperately need a little more color and pattern in this place.  All in due time I suppose!

But for now I’ll just have to settle with this black and white printed fabric that our EJ Interiors mascot brought in-

I can’t wait to start watching The Nate Berkus show this fall, premiering next Monday, September 13th on NBC.

It is going to be filmed in NYC, so Nate had to relocate there from the Windy City.  The word on the street is that he moved into a rented two bedroom, 1700 square foot apartment in the Chelsea neighborhood.

I was perusing through Us Weekly the other day (my end of the week ritual) and there was Nate’s new apartment featured in an article.  I love when Us Weekly derails a little to the interiors side!  You don’t see it enough in gossip mags!

The article proves Nate’s not afraid to mix high and low either.  The designer’s Pottery Barn jute rug (that he takes with him from home to home) is among more pricey items such as a gold leaf hand sculpture by artist Pedro Friedeberg.

For an official tour of Nate’s new abode, click HERE to watch the video that was featured on Us Weekly’s website (and I have to say that their sneak peek is MUCH better than my poorly scanned photos from their magazine!)

Back in June, I went out to Baton Rouge to complete the Wisk Detergent laundry room makeover design for winner’s Kristen and Matt Maurel.  EJ Interiors partnered up with Wisk laundry detergent, Whirlpool, Star Exhibits and Environments, and TV’s Designing Spaces to give Kristen and Matt the laundry room of their dreams!

The design will be revealed on Designing Spaces Monday, August 30th at 8:30 am CT and Friday, September 10th at 8:30 AM CT on the We Network.  You can also watch the episode HERE.

Oh to be in college again! <Sigh>.  As my intern Kim gets ready to go back to school, I’m left living vicariously through her start of a new semester.

It feels like a million years ago that I lived in the dorms, but no matter how much time passes, I don’t think I’ll ever forget that decrepit building, the long trek up four flights of stairs to get to my room, those “pain in the neck” shower caddies (not to mention the awful community bathrooms) and the Laura Ashley floral EVERYTHING that I decorated my room with.

“Kids these days” are so lucky that there are such stylish and affordable decor options out there to make the dorm room the comfortable home away from home that it should be.

I recruited Kim (the recent dorm residing expert) in helping out with my top picks for cheap (but not cheap looking!) small space/dorm must-haves.

Airgo Chair- currently on sale!

Small Double Bell Alarm Clock- White

Twin Cherished Garden Quilt

Girls’ Solid Canvas Bins

Desk Lamp- Green

Tranby Mirror- only $19.99! A mirror at this price is pretty unheard of

Coming and Going Coat Rack

Knitted Poufs- beanbags with a twist!

Splendent Suzani Pictures

Perfectly Prepped Hair Accessories Organizer

Brocade Desk Accessories

Bredgrund Shower Curtain

Kim sent me photos of her dorm room from a few years ago and I had so much fun taking a peek into her hot pink, black and white dorm room world! Truly a designer in the making…

Last week, I had the pleasure of working in the charming city of Baton Rouge.  I was in town to accessorize the laundry room belonging to the winner of the Wisk Laundry Room Makeover contest and also to watch the filming of the makeover (which will be featured on Designing Spaces in August).

Kristen and Matt Maurel entered the contest back in March by submitting this video.  If you haven’t already seen it, you must watch it!  Their video was so creative and so entertaining, I found myself laughing out loud at parts.  Kristen and Matt found out that they won the Wisk contest mid April, and then I had about two weeks to select the finishes and accessories for their laundry room while coordinating the makeover process with Whirlpool and Star Exhibits.

When I first went out to Baton Rouge for a site visit in April, I made sure to take tons of photos and measurements while I was there, to document their existing laundry space (and I knew I’d want to hold onto the original photos for some interesting Before and After comparisons!)

Their laundry room seemed even smaller in person than it appeared on their video (if you can believe it!)

{BEFORE}

Outdated vinyl flooring, an old washer/dryer, lack of good storage, and a poor room layout were just a few of the things that stood out to me on the site visit.  I knew that the room had a lot of potential and that it could look SO much better with more color, a little bit of pattern, and updated finishes.

Probably the most awkward part of the room was the window between the office and the laundry room.  This room was originally a sun porch, which explained A LOT.

The Maurels needed a new laundry room and needed it fast.  EJ Interiors to the rescue!

My intern Katie and I arrived in Baton Rouge on Tuesday and coincidentally enough, had our first meal two doors down from the Maurel’s house (I promise, we weren’t stalking!) Bistro Byronz came highly recommended and it did not disappoint.  Their blue cheese chips were a great start to the trip.

Wednesday morning we arrived at the Maurel’s home bright and early to start the decorating process.  The renovation had already been completed based on the finished we had specified a few weeks before, so all that was left was the decor.

The electrician finished installing the light fixture that morning, just in time!

And Katie (my awesome intern) measured the walls and cabinets in order to plan for the accessories.

The Maurel’s dog, Marty, was just a little overwhelmed by all the chaos and visitors, but was a great sport about it all.

After spending almost twelve hours putting the finishing touches on the room, we retired for the day and got ready for the big shoot that was to happen the next morning. Designing Spaces showed up bright and early Thursday morning along with Kristen, a scientist from Wisk.

{The Maurels, Katie, and Kristen}

At this point, Kristen and Matt had not seen their new laundry room yet and the big reveal was going to soon be on camera.

{Kristen and Matt two seconds away from seeing their new laundry room}

{Kristen from Wisk, showing them their new Whirlpool stackable washer/dryer and explaining to them that they must only use HE detergent in their HE washer/dryer}

All in all, it was a success and Kristen and Matt were overjoyed with their new room.

The color palette in their laundry room was taken from the rest of the house and its existing colors so it would all flow.   If you noticed in the previous photo, their kitchen is painted a grayed out blue/green color so this was the jumping off point for our design.  I chose a fabric from Duralee for the flat roman shade that incorporated this color and also a creamy white.  The creamy white color was then used on both the beadboard and built-ins (Benjamin Moore’s OC-13 Soft Chamois).

The flush mount light is Alexa Hampton for Visual Comfort (this fixture was love at first sight for me) and the ceiling is painted Benjamin Moore’s Gray Wisp (1570) to match the shade color.

Since Kristen and Matt told us their laundry personality was “Type A All-The-Way”, I made sure to include organizational pieces such as the numbered jars and woven baskets from Pottery Barn.  I decided to go with a lucite stool to add a bit of excitement and also since it takes up less visual space.  Towels are from West Elm and just happened to match perfectly to the window treatment and laundry basket.  The jute leather rug is also from West Elm and has flecks of blue/green in it which coordinated nicely with everything else.

I decided that yellow would be the accent color in there to add that extra bit of pop among all of the subdued colors.

Kristen and Matt- hope you enjoy your new laundry room half as much as I enjoyed working on it!

The five finalists for the Wisk Laundry Room Makeover Contest are in and there’s only a week left to vote!

Click HERE to view the videos of the finalists and vote for your favorite!

Winner receives a laundry room makeover designed by Material Girls and a new HE washer/dryer set from Whirlpool!

Will the winner be Constance…

Kerry…

Julie…

Fayeruz…

or Kristen?

Just by voting, you are automatically entered into a drawing to receive a year’s supply of Wisk laundry detergent!

Voting ends Monday, April 19th at 12:00 pm EST.  (only one vote per person/email address please!)

I’ve totally had laundry rooms on the mind ever since we announced the launch of the Wisk Laundry Detergent “Pimp my Laundry Room” makeover contest last Monday. If you missed the announcement, Material Girls is teaming up with Wisk and Whirlpool to give one lucky winner a laundry room makeover.

The laundry room is often the most neglected room in the house unfortunately.  I’ts not usually a room that we make a priority to decorate (especially when we have tons upon tons of other projects going on in the house).  That’s the bad news.  The good news?  A small space like this could easily be turned from drab to fab in no time.

The great thing about tiny spaces is that since you don’t need large quantities of materials for them, you can use more desirable materials (but in smaller doses) for these types of rooms.  For instance, you wouldn’t have to install nearly as much glass tile, wood flooring, marble countertops, and fabulous wallpaper in a laundry room as you would in let’s say, a kitchen.  So why not treat your laundry room with the DLC (the Designing Love and Care) that it so deserves?  Think of your laundry room as just another powder bath- a small, unexpected gem, that can give you that fabulous jewel box effect upon entering.

In the spirit of the video contest, I’ve gathered some of my all-time favorite laundry room images.  These are not your run of the mill rooms- they certainly put my laundry room (excuse me, laundry room/pantry/storage room) to shame!

Since you don’t usually use upholstered furniture in a laundry room, where else are you supposed to bring in pattern?  This is where amazing wallpaper comes in handy!

You are one lucky gal/guy if your laundry room has this much natural light (and a nice view while you are folding clothes doesn’t hurt either!)

Here’s another great example of wallpaper.  This one brings the outdoors in- no need for a window!  (they have even gone so far as to paint the ceiling light blue for a “sky effect’) Can I just say how much I love the lantern in here and the chicken wire on the cabinet doors?

Storage is key in a laundry room.  Using things like galvanized tubs, glass apothecary jars, tin cans, hooks, floating shelves, and labeled laundry hampers can really help one get (and hopefully stay) organized.

Don’t be afraid to go crazy with your backsplash!  Break out that subway tile, colorful glass blend mosaics, marble slab, natural stone (or whatever suits your fancy really!) The backsplash is the one place that you can really make a statement and you will need so little of the material for it, that you can go for that more desirable option without breaking the bank.

This clean-lined laundry room is literally a dream come true.  How do these people stay so organized and tidy in one of the most used rooms in the house?  I want to know their secret!  One guess- it could be those incredibly large green built-ins storing all of their stuff!

Getting new hardware for cabinets (along with painting your cabinets) is a great way to update the look of your laundry room.   I love how the owner of the laundry room below added adorable green knobs to their white cabinets- very unexpected!  Anthropologie perhaps?

Smoky grays and silvery metallics paired with bright whites is such a pretty look (just about anywhere); however, to keep the laundry room from looking too stark, the homeowner added wood accents through hangers and hampers to warm up the space.

In this room, the homeowner decided to make the focal point, the tile flooring.

What I would do to fit a whole desk area in my laundry room!  (and a chair!) Can you imagine?   I forget that I am looking into a laundry room when I see this photo!  The stained cabinets and wood flooring help this room feel so much cozier and breaks away from the typical utilitarian look that so many laundry rooms have.

And how could I not show you Jenny from Uptown Country Home’s laundry room nook?  I love the white fabric skirt she made to hide her washer/dryer and I have to say that her pink/turquoise color scheme isn’t too shabby either.  This laundry room would be perfect for our Marie Antoinette!

A great way to add texture (and privacy) to a laundry room is with a woven shade.  If you are not crazy about a natural shade, get a roman shade made out of your favorite printed fabric.

If your laundry room is feeling a bit dreary and drab, a bright color will definitely help to liven up your situation!

If you are like me (or live in NY), and need to take advantage of every nook and cranny in your home, why not make a laundry area multi-purpose?  This countertop poses as both a wet bar and a laundry room.  I’d come over and fold clothes for this person anytime, in exchange for a cocktail (or two)!

This laundry room could easily be mistaken for a kitchen.  Just look at all that counter space!  The one thing I would have done differently in here is added a few more accessories and/or pops of color.  I just finished reading Inspired Interiors last night and Suzanne did say that “when you do something very simple, like an all-white room, you have to have enough detail so it looks finished.”I couldn’t agree more.  For some reason this laundry room still looks a bit unfinished.

Don’t even get me started on my love for black and white checkerboard flooring.  It would look dynamite in a laundry room!  Also, consider adding a ceiling (or wall hung) light fixture for added sparkle in the room.  We just re-did my mom’s laundry room and we finally got rid of her awful fluorescent lighting in there and added a pretty bell jar lantern…looks SO much better!

See how much potential a laundry room can have?  Have I convinced you to want to re-vamp this tiny space?  We know that sometimes small spaces can be the most intimidating to get started on…so let us do the work for you!  Enter the Wisk contest by submitting a video stating why you deserve a laundry room makeover (and also which laundry personality fits you best).  We just may be at your doorstep ready to put the above tips and tricks to life and give your laundry room the makeover it deserves!

Today is the first official day of the Wisk Laundry Detergent “Pimp My Laundry Room” video contest!  We are SO excited to announce that Material Girls is teaming up with Whirlpool’s DreamLaundry Solutions team and Wisk Laundry Detergent to help bring one lucky winner a laundry room makeover.

All you have to do is submit a video of your makeover plea between March 1 and March 29, 2010 and you could be the recipient of a laundry room makeover as well as a new Whirlpool High Efficiency (HE) washer and dryer set, a year’s supply of Wisk HE laundry detergent, and (drumroll please)…you’ll also be featured in a makeover segment on Designing Spaces, which will air this summer!

So how are we going to take your laundry room from drab to fab?  Well, let’s start here.

I’ve spent some time designing three distinct laundry room schemes that reflect three different laundry room personalities.  Which one are you?

1) Type A All The Way-

2) Constantly Connected-

3) Livin’ Large Lounge-

Decisions decisions!

Here’s a lil explanation to help you figure out what laundry personality you are-

• Type A All The Way- When you think High Efficiency, it’s not just HE washers and detergents that come to mind. High Efficiency for you means uber (but still stylish) organization.  From drying racks to cabinets galore, this concept will ensure your laundry room keeps everything, including your sanity, in check.
• Constantly Connected- Admit it – you love to update your Facebook status. And Tweet. And catch your favorite shows on-the-go.  Technology is a part of your life and you don’t have to check it at the laundry room door.  This concept is all about keeping you connected – from the flat screen TV to the charger station.
• Livin’ Large Lounge- You like to have a good time while you get things done and doing your laundry is no exception.  So, go ahead and have fun – blast some tunes while you load and sit back as you fold.  This laundry room is sure to set your pulse – and your spin cycle — racing.

So once your laundry personality is in check, all you have to do is enter!

To enter, submit a creative video of your makeover plea between March 1 and March 29, 2010 at Wisk’s website.  In your video, please tell us which of my chosen laundry room looks (above) fit your laundry personality and why you deserve a laundry room makeover.  (videos should be under three minutes and not exceed 100MB- see official rules here).

A panel of judges (Wisk scientists, myself, members of the Whirlpool DreamLaundry Solutions team, and the Designing Spaces cast) will choose the finalists between April 12 and April 19.  Then the grand prize winner will be chosen by popular vote!  (all voters will be entered into a drawing to win a year’s supply of Wisk HE laundry detergent.)

The contest is all about inspiring laundry room owners to re-think their laundry room routine and also educating consumers about High Efficiency washing machines and how you must only use HE Detergent for your HE machine.  (You can visit Wisk’s Laundry Line blog for more tips from me on how to update your laundry room.)

I’m eagerly awaiting your videos! Good luck!

I just got back from seeing Avatar (I’m a little behind on my movies as you can tell!) and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it.  It’s nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars this year and it should be really interesting to see if James Cameron takes home the statue for this one!

{Neytiri- whom my boyfriend had a crush on throughout the entire movie- probably because she was only wearing a few necklaces and a small piece of cloth}

The Oscars is like my Superbowl.  I prepare a big thing of queso, drink a cold Bud Light and get ready to scream my head off when my favorite picture wins.  I try not to miss a second of it- from the initial red carpet segment to the closing credits.

How does this relate to interior design you might ask?  Well, there is a little private room at the Kodak Theater, where the Academy Awards are held, that goes by the name of the Greenroom.  Each year, this legendary room is designed by an interior designer chosen by magazine great, Architectural Digest.  This year, it was created by Roger Thomas and has a 1930’s Old Hollywood feel to it.  It was designed around shades of black and white, with touches of platinum, blonde, and silver added in for a glitzy effect.  Roche Bobois, Amadi Carpets, Sunbrella, and Restoration Hardware are just a few of the vendors whose pieces are shown in the room.

At 1,029 square feet, this hidden gem is where the Oscar hosts and nominees reside during the awards ceremony.  Unfortunately, only people like Meryl Streep and George Clooney will be allowed back  here, but we do have an all-access pass for you…to see the rendering!

Isn’t it lovely?  These are always so much fun to get a peek at!  I love the layering of flooring, crisp white furniture, mirrored walls, and colorful screens.

Only a week left until we find out the official winners of the 2010 Oscars! I cannot wait.  Who is your vote for Best Picture this year?