Artwork | Lori May Interiors

April 22, 2013

A Preview of the 2013 Decorator’s Show House

The last week has gone by so quickly. With everything that has happened in Boston, it has been difficult to focus on the blog. I decided to focus instead on my girls and their mental well being after another tragedy that I can’t control, much less explain. Today felt like we were back on track and my mind was able to get back to normal. While my thoughts and prayers are with those who are still hurting, today we’re going to distract ourselves with absolute beauty.

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Not too shabby, huh? This is the 2013 Decorator’s Show House. If you live in the Atlanta area, you know that there are many show houses throughout the year. The Decorator’s Show House which is sponsored by the Atlanta Symphony each year is one of the best. It is a must see. For those of you who can’t get to Atlanta, I’ve got a treat for you today. A sneak peek! I was lucky enough to be sent professional photos of this beautiful home.

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Even empty this room would be amazing. The subtle, elegant design feels warm and inviting. But, my favorite thing about this space is all the seating areas. It reminds me of what Windsor Smith says about bringing the family back to the center of the home. There is a place for everyone.

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Love the simple styling on the coffee table and that fabulous round pillow.

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Hate that this photo is so dark, but a room by Jimmy Stanton is always worth seeing. Neutral and full of texture. The light fixture and the gorgeous sea fans are so beautiful.

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I’m drawn to neutrals, that is no surprise, but this space with the orange walls and chairs really make me smile. The graphic rug plays nicely with the amazing windows.

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What is this you ask? Apparently, the man room is giving way to the coffee bar! Not so sure about this one, but way to think outside the box!

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Look familiar? This room is completely designed from Ikea merchandise. Ikea is a sponsor of the show house this year. Would you have known if I hadn’t told you?

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Love this kitchen, but it’s the light fixtures that make it amazing. Yes, they are cut crystal. Gorgeous!

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Proof that a room does not have to be huge to be fabulous. The tub alone is a work of art, but add in an exquisite painting by Holly Irwin of dk Gallery and the bar is raised. I could spend a good deal of time in this bathroom.

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I saved my favorite space for last. The master bedroom by Melanie Turner is just lovely. The casual, yet elegant touches are classic Melanie Turner. It is always so impressive to me that a designer can pull off these kinds of rooms every time. If you don’t believe me, head over to her site and take a look at her portfolio. It is worth your time.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the sneak peek. There’s more to see, but I’ll save a few for after I see the show house myself! Can’t wait!

Thank you to Jeff Roffman photography. The show house is open through May 12th.

Be safe friends, and hug your family. My thoughts are with you all.

by Lori | Filed Under: Artwork, Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Dining Rooms, Inspiration, Kitchens, LIving Room | 3 Comments

April 1, 2013

Sweet Easter DIY treats and a Room Service Atlanta update

Hi everyone, I hope you had a wonderful weekend. It was a wet Easter for us, but warmer than it has been, so we were thankful.

My sweet girls and I put together this quick DIY project to take to our Easter brunch with friends. I realize that Easter is over, but wouldn’t this make a great end of the year teacher gift? Just switch out the bunny for a pretty flower and you’ve got it. Here’s what we did.

We started with chalkboard paint, a foam brush and a plain terra cotta pot.

This is the first pot after 1 coat. A word of warning, this does take multiple coats of chalk paint. It took 3 coats to cover ours completely. Don’t forget to wait 24 hours to use the chalk or you’ll scratch off the paint! (Lesson learned the hard way, unfortunately.)

Here is the finished product. Easy and inexpensive. The girls loved it and so did I!

Now, for an update on our Room Service Atlanta project. Angela, Rhoda and I met last week and primed the entire space. This is where we started.

After a day of priming.

Priming in the kitchen.

This is me standing on the counter trying to remove two of the cabinets. It was not going well. It’s amazing what you find yourself doing in these projects.

A few fabrics we picked up from Award Fabrics, one of our fabulous sponsors. I’m so loving that navy stripe. We have some wonderful things up our sleeves for this makeover!

Last, but certainly not least, here is Rhoda, me and Angela at the end of the day. I’m not quite sure why I chose to pose with that artwork, but it is an original piece that we found. It will be hung on a gorgeous gallery wall that we have planned.

Stay tuned. Be sure to follow me on Instagram at LoriMayInteriors to see the updates on our Room Service project. More awesome things to come.

by Lori | Filed Under: Artwork, Bedrooms, Kitchens, LIving Room, My Projects, Tips/Tutorials | 6 Comments

March 20, 2013

It’s that time again: Room Service Atlanta #3!

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It seems like just yesterday I was writing about our last Room Service Atlanta project at the United Methodist Children’s Home. Angela, Rhoda and I collaborated on three spaces in the Sam Bell cottage for young men. You can read about it here and here. It was such a fun project that we decided to team up again and take on the girls’ cottages this time! Let’s take a tour.

This is the view as you open the door. Very similar to the boys’ spaces at first glance. Remember all that paneling? Yes, we will be painting all of that again! The room has great light just like our last space and good light truly adds life to any home.

Here is the view back toward the door. You can really see the light pouring in from this view. The floors are in good shape, so that is not a worry this time.

The bed will be placed on this wall. Almost all of the furniture that you see here will go. It’s not bad, but very oversized for the space. Think that wall will need a bit of primer??

Here is one of the major differences between the girls cottage and the boys. A bathroom. Not so pretty at this point, but just wait.

Here’s the other major difference. A tiny kitchen! Rhoda has already secured one of her wonderful sponsors to replace that very uneven countertop for us. Yay! We have big plans for this space. Remember this before shot, because you won’t recognize it when we’re through.

And here is the final before shot. This brick wall is one of the main reasons we chose this space. So. Much. Potential!

After we chose our space, we headed over to UMCH’s “store”. Our vision for the space will come from several of these amazing pieces of original artwork that we found. We’ll share the color palette soon, but these pieces along with a few of Angela’s beauties will create a gorgeous gallery wall. We will thrilled with this find and several others. Speaking of the store, if you live in the Atlanta area, UMCH will be holding their annual flea market and bake sale this weekend and there are some major finds to be had. Head over to Decatur and check it out if you’re in town.

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This is Rhoda and I and our loot headed back to the cottage! This is going to be a great project and as always we would love your help. Help can be given as donations, your time or both. We will be painting soon, so if you’d like to help out, please feel free to email me at lori@lorimayinteriors.com.

Stay tuned for more updates!

by Lori | Filed Under: Artwork, Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Kitchens, My Projects | No Comments

February 5, 2013

A visit with Steve McKenzie and a can’t miss event!

After seeing this fabulous chair in Rhonda’s space at the Inspiration House, I had to visit it’s creator, Steve McKenzie. Steve and his wife Jill, have recently opened up shop in the Westside district of Atlanta. Sherry and I stopped by to check it out last week.

Once I saw Steve’s bright orange logo, I knew we were cut from the same cloth. Steve’s background is in the corporate world. He has spent most of his career traveling the globe, but his dream was to open this shop. When the opportunity presented itself, he and Jill jumped at the chance.

The shop features furniture from Grange, The Old Wood Company and 2nd Story Wood Co., as well as accessories and tabletop pieces from Blenko, r. wood studio and several fabulous vintage finds.

My favorite part, of course, is the artwork. Many of the pieces painted by Steve himself. Steve’s artwork inspired a line of fabrics that is represented in the shop and also on many of the furniture pieces and pillows.

Let’s take a look…

I so love these fabrics. I plan to use them in a project or in my own home as soon as possible!

The doors were leaning against the wall when Steve first visited this space. He asked if he could use them in the shop. Aren’t they gorgeous?

A fabulous bookcase from Grange. Love the turquoise color on the back. It comes in many color combos, but this one is gorgeous!

The chair that started it all…

These pieces were all drawn by Rebecca Wood of r. wood studios in Athens, GA. She makes beautiful pottery, which Steve also carries in his shop.

An example of Steve’s striking artwork.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour. This was not a sponsored post. I wrote it because I love to support local shops and especially local artists. If your in the area, please stop by. It will be well worth your time.

steve mckenzie’s 996 Huff Rd. Atlanta, GA 30324

One more exciting bit of news today. My friend, Angela, from The Painted House is being featured on Joss and Main tonight at 9pm est! Please head over and check out her shop. She is one of the most talented people I know and I’m so proud to call her a friend.

You might remember that Rhoda, Angela and I worked on the most recent Room Service Atlanta project together. All proceeds from Angela’s Joss and Main sale will go toward the spring Room Service Atlanta project, so be sure to check it out!

by Lori | Filed Under: Artwork, Shopping | 4 Comments

February 1, 2013

Art show tonight at dk Gallery/Expressions of Love

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, you know how much I love dk Gallery. Each month, they have a wonderful first Friday event. This month’s event is no exception.

Jennifer Rivera and The Atlanta Poetry Community have joined forces to create a beautiful event. Jennifer used poems such as Dr. Bruce Gillet’s moving piece about his late wife, as inspiration for her paintings. The painting and a portion of the poem is shown below.

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“My Eternal Spring”

Inspired by Dr. Bruce Gillet’s poem “Sans Souci Lounge (Romance)”

“…Deepest love grows, a journey

of twisting rapid rivulets

that slows with time and trust.

waters merge, flows as

one water, deep dark-blue; blessed – never enough.

Now my tears of remembrance are the only waters.

I long to care for you, to see you smile.

The promise of walking mountains in our eighties – a dream.

The joy of holding hands, anywhere, everywhere always attached - a memory.

Inscribed in your wedding band and forever etched in my mind

Ma Vie Mon Amour My Eternal Spring 3-20-1996″

If you’re in the area, please don’t miss this event. It will be moving and inspiring. In these days of constant motion, a beautiful show like this is a welcomed respite.

Expressions of Love/February 1 6-9pm

by Lori | Filed Under: Artwork, Inspiration | No Comments

December 19, 2012

DIY monogram art

This is a DIY art piece that I put together last week for a client’s master bedroom. We were working on a very tight budget and purchasing a headboard was not an option. I love how this turned out and I thought I would share this simple project with you today.

Here are the supplies. It’s a pretty short list and that’s how I like it! I ordered the custom monogram from Alphabet Boutique 123. You can find them on Etsy. They have many options in many sizes and were wonderful to work with.

I started by sanding the monogram so that my finish would be smooth.

Even though I used Annie Sloan chalk paint and you don’t have to prime, I chose to do so anyway. This was raw wood and I felt like the dark gray primer would keep me from using a great deal of the chalk paint.

I used two coats of Annie Sloan’s Graphite chalk paint. I did decide not to wax it once I completed the coats. I really liked the matte finish.

Next it was time to cover the canvas with burlap. I simply laid the burlap on the canvas and cut it to fit.

I flipped the canvas over…

…and stapled the burlap onto the canvas.

Once the burlap was tight and stapled, I positioned the monogram, cut a ribbon out of the left over burlap, tied it on the monogram and stapled it to the back of the canvas.

And there you have it. I’ll share the finished bedroom project soon!

by Lori | Filed Under: Artwork, Bedrooms, My Projects, Tips/Tutorials | 4 Comments

November 9, 2012

The Room Service Atlanta/UMCH Final Reveal/Part 2

It’s time for more UMCH photos! I’ve shown you the lounge that Rhoda, Angela and I created for the young men at UMCH. Today, let’s look at the bedroom and entry.

We wanted to keep the space simple. The dressers were existing. A fresh coat of paint gave them a new life. The bed was donated by Room and Board and was a jumping off point for our color palette. The fabulous lamps were donated by Kirklands. Yes, Kirklands! Be sure to check out their online assortment. Of course, the artwork was all created by Angela.

The Waffle House painting is my favorite piece of Angela’s. I love how she worked with the color palette. The paining pulls the entire space together. The curtain panels are from Ikea. I added black ribbon to the edge of the panels. I’ll give you more information on that soon.

This little table has got to be our best thrift store find. It was $21. We did nothing to it. It was so perfect for the space. This is also a good shot of the great vinyl flooring donated by Lowes.

Here’s a quick reminder of the bedroom before. I’m so happy with the final result.

Let’s move on to the entry. We chose not to paint the paneling in this area. Angela found this wonderful dresser and had it painted. She then painted the beautiful bird painting.

The lamps were mine. When my husband saw them repainted with new shades, he couldn’t believe it. It is amazing what a can of spray paint can do.

This small blue pedestal bowl was another thrift store find. Don’t think that you need to spend hours thrifting to make great finds. I’ll be honest, I don’t enjoy hours and hours of thrifting. It’s overwhelming for me to go in and see all of that merchandise stacked everywhere. Thrift/antique store finds, however, can really make a huge difference in the final styling of your space, so I’ve developed a method that works for me. I give myself a time limit and go thru the store quickly. I realize that I may miss a few finds, but moving quickly keeps me focused. Do I sometimes go through more than once? Of course. But generally, I can be in and out of a pretty large thrift store in a under 30 minutes. I found all of the items for this project at one large thrift store near the UMCH cottage. I was in and out in less than 30 minutes.

Don’t be afraid or let thrifting be overwhelming. Find what method works for you. It can save you a great deal of money and give you unique pieces for your home.

More photos of the other spaces to come next week!

by Lori | Filed Under: Artwork, Bedrooms, Entryways, My Projects | 7 Comments

November 7, 2012

3 thankful projects from At Home in the Northwest

I’m so lucky to have my good friend Jen from At Home in the Northwest back here at the blog today. She has put together 3 wonderful (and easy) projects you can do with your kids for Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

Hi! I’m Jen from At Home in the Northwest. Lori invited me here today to share a few fun Thanksgiving projects that can be done with your kids.

While I try to have a thankful heart, I am not always successful. Life gets busy. Kids get cranky and it’s easy to lose sight of our blessings. So hopefully these projects will give you a tangible way to remember what you have to be thankful for.

THANKFUL TREE

free thankful tag download from jones design company

To create this thankful tree…

1. Grab branches from your yard. 2. Select a vase or container to hold the branches. 3. Place rocks in the vase to secure the branches. 4. Download thankful tags here (or create your own) to be hung from your branches.

Here are my kiddo’s working on their thankful tree….

And it’s so sweet to see the tags written in their handwriting.

THUMBPRINT TREE

1. Download tree image here. 2. Drag image into your favorite word program. {I used Pages on my Mac}. You can either personalize them with names and dates in Word or Pages, or leave the tree plain.

3. Gather your favorite ink pad colors.

4. Have kiddo’s start stamping away with their thumbs!

Frame the new artwork and you have permanently frozen those tiny thumbprints in time.
What more is there to be thankful for than tiny fingerprints?!

FRAMED GRATITUDE PRINT

I just saw this at a friends house and had to include it in this post!

1. Print “gratitude”, “thankful” of ‘”blessings” directly on a piece of paper or dress it up with some scrapbook paper. 2. Place in an 8×10 frame {leaving the glass out.} 3. Set out a pen for friends and family to write down the items that they are thankful for.

Aren’t those fun Thanksgiving themed projects?! You can do them by yourself, or include your friends and family in on the fun!

Thanks for having me here today, Lori!!

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Thanks for sharing today Jen! I’ll be over at Jen’s blog next month, so stay tuned. There are more photos from the UMCH project to come on Friday!

Have a great day!