Dwelement's Room for Inspiration - Design Ideas - Budget Decor - Solutions

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August Deal: $50 off eDecor Plans!

Aug 27, 2010

Been thinking about working with me to redesign your space? Now is the time. During August 2010, I'm offering a $50 discount on the following eDecor Plans:

Keep It Simple, now $450 (rooms 500 square feet or smaller)

Live Large, now $750 (combo rooms or rooms larger than 500 s.f.)

Spiff It Up, now $350 (cosmetic redesign for kitchens and baths)

Want to see some examples of eDecor Plans that I've designed for other clients? Click here to download actual plans in PDF format.

One of four Inspiration Board pages I created for Helen's Refined Revamp, a kitchen/dining/living room eDecor Plan. Read all about it and see more of the plan here.

To receive the discount, please email me. Questions? There is never an obligation when you contact me. Or check my FAQ page.—Diane

TAGS: edecorating e-decorating edecor discount sale deal room design plans online virtual long-distance decorating diane kolak interior decorator designer

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Celebrating Dwelement's First Year

Aug 13, 2010

{Short & Sweet Friday}

It's already been a year since I started this interior design / edecorating / blogging / budget decor website! One year ago, the business was called Inspired Room Design, I had about 12 Facebook fans, and I was bursting with ideas. Since many of you have discovered the site since that time, I thought it would be fun to run links to some of the best posts from my first month in business, August 2009. Some of this stuff is too good to bury in the archives.

Have a happy weekend, and start it off with some inspiring ideas:

IDEA: Buy vintage home decor.

An interview with the owner of Etsy's The Best Things, and my vintage-loving friend, Kelly Nogoski.

IDEA: Paint your cabinets.

See how Theresa transformed her dated cabinets with a two-tone finish.

IDEA: Let me help you transform your room without buying a thing.

See how Ellen and I worked together in Traverse City to bring her fireplace out of hiding.

IDEA: Decorate with your garden.

A beautiful and long-lasting combination from the shady side of the house.

IDEA: Learn how to mix vintage and modern furniture.

See how I did it in my guestroom.

IDEA: Reduce chemical usage in your home.

These two inexpensive ingredients will replace multiple commercial cleaners.

IDEA: Discover my favorite resource for home decor fabrics at huge discounts.

You'll want to reupholster everything!

IDEA: Make a clever Mondrian-inspired message board.

And add some artful color to your room.

IDEA: Have fun with a trend. But don't spend much on it!

Equestrian is still in… in fact, it's even more in than it was last year. And I still love my Look-for-Less equine accessory.

Thanks for following me during this first year of business. The biggest compliment you can give me is to refer me to a friend or share my blog or Facebook page. Stay tuned for many more ideas! —Diane

TAGS: edecor edecorating e-decorating dwelement home design diane kolak interior design traverse city northern michigan home design blog budget decorating

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Announcing Dwelement's New Curb Appeal Design Service!

Aug 11, 2010

I'd been thinking for a while about putting a twist on my eDecor Plans and offering a service for home exteriors. And then the incentive I needed came along in the form of an email from Angela in Houston, Texas. She stumbled upon my site and wondered if I'd be willing to work some design magic on her corner-lot bungalow. She sent a photo with this first email, and I thought to myself, "How hard could this be?" The place already had a lot of built-in charm and the benefit of a beautiful lot. So I said yes.

The process went quite the same as it would for an interior room: Angela and Dan took my design questionnaire, sent photos of the house and neighborhood, and sent some photos of houses she admired both in her neighborhood and from online sources. Then my work began.

I decided that a hand-drawn sketch of each street side of the house was the best way to approach this project. After drawing the suggested architectural changes, I applied three different color schemes to the drawings. I also designed a loose landscape plan and made some suggestions for trees, shrubs, and flowers native to Texas. (Native gardening has been a passion of mine for 10 years now.) Then I put together an Inspiration Board just like I do for rooms, but this one included suggestions for materials, hardware, outdoor furniture and accessories. The eDecor Plan, as always, included a To=Do List to help Angela and Dan accomplish all of the projects as their schedule allowed. For their convenience, I also included some local sources where they could get quotes for some of the jobs that would require professional help, like stamped concrete.

Here are a few visual highlights of the first Dwelement eDecor Plan for Exteriors. Click to enlarge these photos, or to get the full-screen effect and play with all the live shopping links, download the complete plan.

The graphic above shows three spreads from the eDecor Plan. I did a hand drawing to illustrate the architectural changes, then colorized it three different ways to give Angela and Dan options. Then I mailed them 8-by-11-inch samples of all the paints so they could see them for real (not distorted by a computer screen).

This is the landscaping plan. While it's not as detailed as what you might get from a landscape designer, it shows the basics of placement, proportion, and color. I included several suggestions for plants native to their area, links to two local nurseries that specialize in native Texas plants, and some inspiration images of landscaping styles they can imitate.

And here's the Inspiration Board that shows the materials, hardware, and small touches that will make the house look beautiful. I included a few splurges (like the mailbox) but also gave tips on how to make $3 flower planters look custom.

Dan and Angela were really happy with the results. She says: "We are beyond-thrilled! We love it. I love the way you showcased the front entrance with the different siding and color. And your idea to camouflage that weird roofline on the side of the house with the standing seam metal is just brilliant! The fence layout with the additional walkway is exactly what I wanted but just didn't know how to say it or plan it. And on top of it all everything seems so accessible and easy to implement. The to-do list is very helpful and gives us just the direction we need. We are very happy!"

I'd love to make you happy, too. Indoors or out, how can I help? —Diane

Download Dwelement's first eDecor Plan for Exteriors.

Want to improve the curb appeal of your own home? I can give you do-able ideas that maximize the impact on a minimal budget. Plans are $250 for as many as two sides of your home. Find more information or order here. Or just email me.

TAGS: curb appeal makeover house home exterior color consultation design plan edecorating e-decorating architectural advice landscaping plans online virtual renovation improve curb appeal

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July Special: $50 off a Room Redesign Session!

Jul 26, 2010

Heads up, Traverse City: this doesn't happen often. I'm doing a special on my Room Redesign Sessions during July! Book a morning or afternoon appointment in July (yes, I do weekends!) and get $50 off. Most sessions take 2 to 3 hours, making the regular price $150-200. During July, pay $100-$150. The time depends on the size of your space and the extent of rearranging required.

What is a Dwelement Room Redesign Session?

It's a fast and inexpensive way to make your space more functional, more inviting, and more appealing. We don't buy a thing— I just make the best of what you have, and every time I walk out the door, clients are amazed at how good their old stuff looks. The session begins with a discussion of your needs and wants for the space. Then we take a walk through your house. The whole house: basement, garage, storage areas… because we're going to think out of the box and swap, rearrange, repurpose, and reinvent. Then we rearrange furniture, declutter, refresh and refine the room together. I'll probably suggest using things in ways you never considered. The session finishes with a wall color recommendation for the room.

The session illustrated below utilized pieces from the spare bedrooms, the basement, and the storage area. See more before-and-after pictures and details of this Traverse City Room Redesign Session here.

BEFORE

AFTER

Company's coming, right? It's a great time to refresh your home with me. I bring an unbiased and constructively critical eye to a room you see every day. Email me to book now for any session in the month of July 2010 and get a $50 discount. And hey, don't bother cleaning up for me… I've seen it all! —Diane

TAGS: room redesign interior design use what you have decorating home staging traverse city michigan mi leelanau grand traverse benzie frankfort suttons bay glen arbor empire elk rapids

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Calling all TC-area creative DIYers!

May 24, 2010

Do you have a knack for transforming thrift=store finds into beautiful, useful pieces? Maybe your creativity as an artist is inspired by reclaimed materials. Join me and other thrift-store junkies in Traverse City for the Goodwill Hunting contest. Pay $20 to register, get $30 in Goodwill Hunting Bucks to spend on whatever inspires you at the store, then transform it and bring it to the Reinvention Convention on October 8. It's a party where the entries will be on display for voting and purchase. The winner gets $500 in Downtown TC gift certificates, and the Goodwill Inn benefits from your creative efforts.

I'm going to register this week and give my frequent stops at the thrift store a little more purpose. Gotta give this competition a little Dwelement style! So how about you? Feeling inspired? See the official rules here. Register at Goodwill, or in downtown Traverse City at McMillen's Instant Framer or Pure Essence Salon, both on Front Street.

I took a walk around the house with my camera and snapped a few of my favorite thrift-store and secondhand finds. Maybe I'll be so lucky in the coming months!

Watch the blog this summer to see what I come up with. In the meantime, check out some other clever Transformations (my own and others') featured on Room for Inspiration.—Diane

TAGS: goodwill hunting contest reinvention convention traverse city 2010 recycle reuse revamp art contest fundraiser goodwill inn thrifting trash to treasure

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