Linda {Calling it Home} 6/20/13 Linda {Calling it Home} 6/20/13

Do You Want To Be On My Blog?

It's Summer, so let's have some FUN!

You are the best blog readers...and I know it. You help and encourage me, endlessly. Whenever I ask you for a creative solution....you have twenty.
Together, we obsess over the smallest of details and share the best information.

I would love to showcase your creativity and wisdom with everyone.
So, I'm going to try something new.
I am opening my blog up to you.

If you would like to write an original guest post for my blog...let's talk.
Calling it Home is about all things Home & Garden. Your post would need to fit into that category. Other than that, I'm totally open. Pitch me your idea via email.
After I see what kind of response I receive, I'll set a schedule. If you don't have a blog, send me pictures of a project along with a description.
I think this could be a fun way to meet each other.

What do you think?
I have the right to alter your post if necessary.

Linda {Calling it Home} 4/22/13 Linda {Calling it Home} 4/22/13

Kelly Wearstler Miami

When Nicole and Debbie asked me to guest post for them while they went on vacation....I felt like taking a virtual vacation to Miami.
And as long as it is a virtual vacation......nothing but the best for us!
We will be visiting The Viceroy Hotel designed by Kelly Wearstler

Come with me over to Live Laugh Decorate

I'll be waiting for you by the pool.

Here's the link to my guest post.

Linda {Calling it Home} 3/27/13 Linda {Calling it Home} 3/27/13

Let's Wander to the Orchid Show

This is going to be total eye candy today. Sandy, from the blog You May be Wandering, is giving us a flower show tour. If you are not familiar with Sandy's blog, she writes about all things travel related. Her information is great, but I just love all the beautiful images she posts. Totally Pinterest-Worthy.

Wandering to...The New York Botanical Garden for The Orchid Show:

"A woman loves orchids because it makes her feel like she is floating on a cloud of possibility"

-from the movie, A Perfect Man

The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is one of the great treasures of New York City. My family and I have been members for years. We enjoy strolling through the beautiful gardens and seeing what is in bloom - spring bulbs, azaleas and flowering trees; summer roses and perennial gardens; and fall foliage at the height of its color. And, while most people wouldn't think of visiting a botanical garden in the winter, the Holiday Train Show is truly enchanting. Another annual exhibit happens each March just when we have all had just about enough of winter in the New York area, The Orchid Show.

A few weeks ago, I stepped inside the large Victorian glasshouse also known as the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, where the 11th annual Orchid Show was being held. I was instantly transported to a tropical oasis and surrounded by thousands of spectacular orchids.

The NYBG Orchid Show is the largest curated orchid show in the United States and contains over 7,000 orchid plants representing species from Australia, South America and Africa. This years show was designed by one of the NYBG's own, Francisca Coelho.

The NYBG was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. Coelho decided to bring some of the fallen trees inside to incorporate into the design of the show.

All photos are by Sandy at You May Be Wandering

The Orchid Show will continue at the New York Botanical Gardens until April 22, 2013. It is definitely well worth a day trip up to the Bronx to view this beautiful exhibit.

Thanks for the tour, Sandy. I love to stroll through Botanical Gardens.....wherever they are.

You can check out Sandy's blog and see all the travel related things she posts about, here.

Linda {Calling it Home} 3/8/13 Linda {Calling it Home} 3/8/13

I Have a Guest....Mimosa Lane

You know her, I know her, we all love her.....Albertina from Mimosa Lane is here. Does anyone else think of Champagne and Orange Juice when you hear her blog name? Just me?

Albertina has impeccable taste, a wonderful sense of style and her pillows are now available at Society Social....but, did you know that she designs her own fabric, too? What can't she do? Wait till you see the amazing ideas she has for us today.

Pink Mimosa Lane pillow via Society Social

Hi there! I'm Albertina from Mimosa Lane and am just thrilled to be here at Linda's. I love this blog and am always in awe of how much I learn here. Linda has always been so sweet and supportive, so when she asked me to guest post I jumped at the opportunity.

If you have been following this installation of One Room Challenge you very well know the moldings Linda is putting in place. Boy are they fab! (see here). I love the look- it is so elegant. So, I started thinking about how to achieve a similar look for way less.....and of course the solution is 'faux' painted moldings. Painting 'faux' moldings is cheaper, faster, easier and looks pretty clever, wouldn't you say?

And how about using two colors for an added extra punch? I love the black and gold!

Or how about using foil tape for that silverish look? (you can get the tape here) Pretty, Pretty!

What do you think? Can 'faux' moldings carry you through? Or do you need the real thing?

And I just saw this and nearly died because I found it to be such a great idea. It has nothing to do with moldings are you ready? See that orange splatter below? Its a painted mirror!!! Talk about a statement art piece. Totally doing this with my five year old. Ikea, here I come to get me a mirror!

Thanks Linda for having me and for entrusting your sweet readers to me :) Come say hi here.

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Thank you, Albertina. If I read this post before I did my entry, I probably would have painted it instead. I love this idea and will definitely be trying this somewhere. Can't wait to see your painted mirror.

Linda {Calling it Home} 2/18/13 Linda {Calling it Home} 2/18/13

Gracefully Searching is my Guest

Oh, are you going to want to pay attention to this! I think I found Laura from Gracefully Searching when her room was featured on my adopted Niece Lindsay's blog, here. I immediately became a follower. Some time last week, she did a Pink Office layout that I just loved.

Since I don't do Design Boards, and I love to teach you things when I learn them....it is not a competition, people...I asked Laura if she would tell us how she makes them. Honestly, she is so fantastic...I'll just hire her to make them for me.

Hi Everyone! I am Laura from Gracefully Searching & LCD Design and I am so excited to be here today! Linda is an amazing DIYer and I have followed her for a while now as she is full of great ideas. I am a huge fan of the "One Room Challenge". She did such a fabulous job on her dinning room and master bedroom last year and I can't wait to see this year's result. Today I am going to be talking about Design Boards. I am an interior decorator and one of the services I offer is E-Design. To make it easy for my clients to visualize I create a layout for them, as well as a perspective view of what their space will look like when the furnishings are placed.

When working with clients I ask them a series of questions to determine how the space will be used. Will any pieces you currently own be carried over into the new design, color preferences, dislikes, price point, inspiration...? All of your answers will give me a jump off point to begin researching complimentary components for your space. The boards are a great way for clients to visualize the end result, and a great way to guide the client when choosing pieces in their home to achieve the overall look.

I use Adobe Photoshop CS6 and Illustrator CS6 to create these boards. I learned most of the fundamentals in college (I studied Fashion Design & Marketing) and then applied it to creating these boards. I photoshop your space with the design elements found through my research based on your search criteria. To further demonstrate the feel of your newly designed space I will sketch by hand. This process more accurately demonstrates the product we would use as well as the textures of the materials, layering, etc.

Here are some recent projects I have worked on- I include all of the sourcing, pricing, layout info when working with clients. If you are interested in leaning about my design services further come visit me at Gracefully Searching or contact me at lauracollinsdesign@gmail.com