Featured: Crave Photography and Groom Sold Separately

Lookie here... Crave Photography has been recognized and featured on Groom Sold Separately for her incredible talent.  And I had the opportunity to stylize these shoots for her.  The little details just add to the overall concept of the photographer and help tell the story without distracting from the subjects.  

Natural Light effects

Our inspiration and passion to create surroundings that express our creativity and style is what fuels the desire to redecorate a living room, bedroom, office, or kitchen, but when you stand next to a wall of paint color options at your local home improvement store or search online for home decorating products, are you considering which direction the windows face in this particular room?

Here are some tips on how natural light can affect your decor.

Facing North

Northern Light is usually cold, and direct sunlight in your room only occurs in the middle of summer. Use warm colors such as red, yellow or orange in your decor to compensate for the coolness of the light. Blues or greens will make the room appear even colder.


Facing South

Southern Light is warm and sunny. You can use darker colors in a room with a southern exposure. Blues and greens in this room can create a summery feel all year long.


Facing East

Eastern Light gives a room sunny mornings but muted middays. The afternoon offers no direct light. Use a mix of warms and cools to balance out the daylight.


Facing West

Western Light features afternoon and evening sun. Use neutrals in this room. Using warm colors will overpower the room in the afternoon.


Your natural light may vary depending on how many windows in each room face what direction. Being aware of how the dominant natural light in your room affects your décor will help you make the best decisions about the color you use for paint and home furnishings.


Let the Light in!
I recently replaced my 2" wood blinds for 4" Plantation Shutters. The difference is, well, "day and night". The 4" fins let in so much more light. I particularly love the look of shutters. It fits the feel of my home and carries the clean white lines of my bead board and trim.

Shutters are not for everyone. Some people love window treatments and draperies rather than blinds or shutters. Some love a combination of both. It's a personal preference thing. Either way, OPEN them up during the day and let the light in. It's cheery and welcoming to have natural light. Maximize it no matter where your room is located.


*Nearly all these rooms are NORTH facing and get almost NO direct sunlight. Installing Shutters to maximize light (enhanced by the wide trim and white paint) made a big difference in the airy feel and natural light appeal. 


**disclaimer**  I am not a photographer. In fact, I just have a crappy point and shoot camera. So forgive me for the poor pictures:) My exposures are all over the place!

Flea Market Set

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to work with Crave Photography again. She was doing an amazing bridal shoot which included a horse of all things. Amongst the already beautiful setting of the field, rustic barns, and horses, I added a little "Flea Market" flair as if the couple was having a little rendezvous and discussing their future together. Stylizing gives depth and texture that sometimes isn't achieved in nature alone. This particular set gives a romantic feel and grounds the area as if it were a room outdoors. There is no limit to the possibilities of stylizing. It can only help set the tone of the story the photographer is telling with their art.

sTyliNg SesSioN for CRAVE photography

A few weeks ago I worked with the very talented Crave photography to style a set for a "PaRty in the orchard" shoot she was doing. Even though the weather was threatening, it turned out great and I'm excited that her post is up and I can show some pictures from the session. I love working with Andee.  She understands and sees the value in stylizing a set for the look and feel she is trying to achieve.  It is great "eye candy" for your blog.  Check out her entire post here. She is incredible!

sTyliNg SesSioN for Gina Maxine photography

As promised....here is some more of the shoot with Gina Maxine photography.  I can't believe how comfortable and laid back she was with these three unruly tots.  She just let them do their thing as she shot and she got some great material. Check out her amazing work and lots more of this session here.

*The items here are from the VINTAGE PICNIC set.

Dare to paint...

Reclaimed, recycled, and reproduction furniture is all the rage right now. Each piece I have admired has been grey (of course) and a little too pricey. So I figured since the concept is to "reuse" that that is exactly what I would do.

I have an existing sideboard that is in my little entry. It is the perfect size and is so functional (this is where we store our shoes). I decided to paint it grey and freshen and update it. I got a sample paint from Restoration Hardware (charcoal) and had Home Depot mix me a quart of that exact color. RH paint is expensive and I didn't need a whole gallon either. I then went over the dried paint with a wax stain to give it an old worn in look.

The total cost of this project, including all my supplies was $28. You just can't beat that. I think she turned out nicely. When I'm sick of grey I will give her a new coat of whatever. Maybe you have something in your home or garage that just needs a little facelift. I say, dare to paint! Go for it and you may have found yourself a free piece of furniture:)

BEFORE

AFTER

It looks a little blue here but it is more grey.

sTyliNg SesSioN sneak peek....

Last week I styled a set for Gina Maxine photography from California. She was shooting the adorable vintage clothing line Eden's Bouquet. It's not fully posted yet but I got a sneak peek and I was excited to share.

The original set had a lot going on, in fact, there were two separate sets for Gina to pick from. We had never met and since she was out of town I kind of had to improvise with what I thought she could use, including the adorable little model featured here.  I over did it a little (ok, a lot)  but the great thing about over accessorizing the shoot is that she had her own little flea market to pick from. In this shot Gina chose a simple antique stool and I had pre-made the vintage sign with the clients name on. Remember, "It's all in the DETAILS".  I stylize based on customer request and the photographer captures the perfect shot. Beautiful. It's so much fun to work with such talented photographers! Thanks Gina:)