My Home | Lori May Interiors

November 19, 2012

Our home in the AJC

A few weeks ago, I was thrilled to be interviewed by Linda Jerkins of the Atlanta Journal Constitution about our home remodel. The story was in the paper today and to say I was honored was really an understatement.

What a wonderful way to start the holiday week. I’m incredibly thankful for the past year, for my work and for my beautiful family. I’ll be spending Thanksgiving with my extended family and I can’t wait. It seems that the older I get the more I treasure these moments. We’ll all be together, the cousins will play, the parents will reminisce and I’ll try to take in each moment with a thankful heart.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank all of you who read this blog faithfully. You’re continued support and enthusiasm means the world to me.

Thank you.

by Lori | Filed Under: Family, Holidays, My Home, My Projects, Outdoor spaces | 8 Comments

September 21, 2012

I got shelves today!

Now I realize this may seem a bit odd that I am soooo excited about a few shelves, but let me tell you that for the past few weeks, I’ve been working in chaos. (Who am I kidding, it always seems to be chaos around here, but this was beyond chaos even for me!) So, after debating what to do first in my new office, paint? furniture? window treatments? I decided to go a different route. Storage!

After a painless trip to the Container Store, JD arrived this morning to install these beauties in my office and in Kate’s closet upstairs (more on that later). Yes, we did pay extra to have them installed, but before you judge, know that it’s these small things that keep my marriage in tact. It took JD 4 hours of silent construction to install everything. Let’s just say, it would have taken much longer for Eric and I to do this together and it would not have been pleasant or silent.

Now, as I sit here writing this post, for just a moment, all is right with the world. No, everything is not in the correct spot and there’s a ton left to do, but for just this moment, life seems a bit less daunting and I feel that ever fleeting calm.

And all it took was a few white shelves. :)

by Lori | Filed Under: Closets, My Home, My Projects, Offices | 8 Comments

September 4, 2012

Fall’s here and I have a loooong to do list

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Fall. It’s officially here. In Georgia, the temps still say it’s still summer, but the leaves are beginning to turn and the air is beginning to feel different. I love all of the seasons, but fall is my favorite. It’s the expectation of holidays to come, the smell of the crisp air and cinnamon, football and comfort food.

This fall, there’s also a change coming to my home. It’s time to update a few things. My design work has taken priority over everything in our house for the past year. There are unfinished projects and rooms that need to be reworked. Here is the list of things that I’ll be working this fall.

1) Kate’s room-It’s time for her to have the room of her dreams. She’s helping with the design and it’s so fun to work with her. She even sketched out her own plan. The photo above is an instagram sneak peak after the painting was completed.

2) Charlotte’s room-No big changes here, but how can big sis get a complete makeover and little sis not get a small update?

3) My office-This is a big one. A few weeks ago, Eric and I dismantled our guest room and moved my office downstairs. After working in our loft for the past year with the exercise equipment and toys, I want to create a calm, creative space just for me. I love the image above from this year’s Southern Living Idea House. I’m using this as my inspiration, with perhaps a touch more color.

My first purchase for my office was this bench that I found at the Ballard outlet last week.

4) Pillows for the family room. Remember this? I still love the changes that I made to our family room. Out with the red and in with the white. It’s such a welcomed update. You can see the before here.

5) New slipcovers for kitchen slipper chairs. This is the before picture, but this space has experienced a makeover as well. New artwork, new mantle accessories, new rug. The last step is new slipcovers to add that final layer of texture. More pics to come…

6) New Christmas decor-I really like to keep my holiday decorating to a minimum. It’s not that I don’t enjoy decorating, it’s just that I really hate the takedown and put away process. I liked my minimalist look last year, but this year, I’d like to be more thoughtful about our decorations. Not sure exactly what that means yet, but it will require some time and planning.

Wow, that’s only 6 things, but it feels like a lot, doesn’t it? How am I going to get it all done, you ask? I plan to handle this the same way I handle my client’s projects. This is my first step. Write it down. Second, make a list of things to do to make all this happen. Third, make a time line and stick to it.

That’s my plan. What’s on your list of things to do this fall? I’d love to hear about them.

by Lori | Filed Under: Bedrooms, Holidays, LIving Room, My Home, My Projects, Offices | 6 Comments

July 12, 2012

Artist crush: Katie Robinson

Today I want to share with you my latest dk Gallery artist crush. My mom was in town recently and as always dk Gallery was one of our first stops. As we walked in, we were met by the beautiful paintings of Katie Robinson. They were so new to the gallery that they were still sitting on the floor. Of course, we had no intention of actually buying artwork that day, but we were both mesmerized by Katie’s work. My mom and I both decided to each take a piece home to see it in our own spaces. This is always a must when making an investment in original artwork. You can love it to pieces in the gallery, but once you get it home, it may not give you that same feeling. To me, artwork is all about emotion. How does it make you feel? What does it make you remember? Who does it remind you of?

Here are a few more of Katie Robinson’s pieces. You can find her on Facebook, her own website, as well as dk Gallery’s website. Her pieces have an ethereal, soothing quality. Many pieces have a touch of metallic and a wash of acrylic that makes them feel at home in a beach side retreat as well as the most contemporary of homes.

Here is what Katie says about her work, “I like to observe color in different settings, take a mental snapshot, and then make the colors come alive again on the canvas-in no particular order. I find color inspiration in textiles, fashion, and nature. My goal with each painting is to try not to manipulate it at any point in the process. Someone once described my art as a happy accident. I take that as a compliment!”

I love the idea of art being a happy accident. Katie’s artwork gives me a calm feeling and makes me smile. What a wonderful happy accident!

After my mom was able to see her piece over her bed in the master bedroom, she had to have it.

This piece does not have the acrylic wash, so the texture is much softer. (I apologize for the grainy photo. Unfortunately, I forgot my regular camera.) The colors and tones of this piece are perfectly in sync with the neutral palette and splash of blue in my parent’s master bedroom.

This photo does not do the artwork or this room any justice what so ever. The blues of the space were completely washed away. Just imagine the walls in a cool blue and the painting coordinating perfectly. (I’ll be sure to take more photos with the fancy camera next time.)

To see more of Katie Robinson’s work be sure to visit dk Gallery. If you’re not in town, you can visit them online as well, although I highly recommend an in person visit if you’re able. I’ll be happy to meet you there and introduce you to a few more of my artist crushes. There are many.

What do you think I decided to do? Could I live without my own Katie Robinson piece? More to come on my latest artist crush…

by Lori | Filed Under: Artwork, Bedrooms, Family, My Home, Tips/Tutorials | 2 Comments

July 3, 2012

My personal design dilemma: 3 easy steps to finding your personal style

One of the on the job hazards of being an interior decorator is seeing beautiful things on a daily basis. Now, you might think, “why would this be a problem? I wish I could spend my days researching the newest fabrics and the latest trends”. Well, friends, it is wonderful, I’m not going to lie. Unless, I’m trying to make changes to my own home. It’s even more difficult with the advent of Houzz and Pinterest. I can find 100′s of jaw dropping images on a daily basis. Let’s take a look at a few of my favorites.

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This photo represents my love of texture and neutrals.

Can you see my dilemma? All of these images, while beautiful, are quite different from each other. A few are more modern, a couple more casual and then a more formal traditional space thrown in as well. Does this happen to you? When you look back at the magazine pictures you’ve pulled, your Pinterest boards or your Houzz idea books, are they all one style and one color palette? Or, like me, do they tend to be several different styles and looks? This is where people, even interior decorators, get frustrated and feel overwhelmed. I see it almost every time I meet with a new client. That’s why they end up calling me. I have no trouble sorting through their images and finding their true style. My own true design style, however, is much more difficult to pin down, because I love so many different styles. It’s not practical to change rooms in my home every few months. On the other hand, I want a consistent style throughout my home. I don’t want each room to feel completely different from the others.

So, what’s a frustrated decorator or homeowner to do? Here are the 3 easy steps that you can use to find your own design style.

1) Collect-Pull together images of things you love. How do you know you love it? You shouldn’t even have to ask yourself. If there’s a moments hesitation, then put it away. Something you love should overwhelm you instantly with good emotions and perhaps even memories. Remember this is how you want your space to feel, so you should get that feeling when you look at your images. As I mentioned before, use Pinterest and Houzz to collect your images. If you’re not on Pinterest yet, leave a comment and I’ll be happy to send you an invite.

A few of my Pinterest boards

2) Curate and Evaluate-Once you’ve pulled together your images, sort through them once more and throw out any that don’t truly speak to you. Look at the similarities between the images. As I did this, I was reminded of my love of texture, neutrals and pops of color. Even though these pictures are different styles, those three things remain constant. I also love a bit of a modern touch in my spaces. These are things I’ve known for some time about my design style, but this exercise puts me back on track in my own home. What do you see in your photos? A similar color palette? A love of painted furniture? A bit of sparkle? Pay attention to these things. Make notes about which paint colors, furniture styles and accessories you love. This will keep you on track when you’re decorating your space.

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This photo represents my love of texture and neutrals.

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Pops of citrine are what draw me to this image. It is more modern than the image above, but it still has that fabulous texture that I love.

3) Prepare a design board-Stay with me here. This does not have to be difficult. It doesn’t even have to be on a board. It can be a file folder, a plastic tote or a file on your computer. It should be what works for you. The goal of the design “board” is to have something that you can reference while you’re out shopping. This will prevent you from making expensive design mistakes.

This is a design board I created for a downtown loft project.

Two of the after photos. Can you see how I used the design board to keep my plan organized? The final project ended up very close to the actual design board, but that is not always the case. Use your design board for inspiration. For example, if you see a lamp that you love and it is similar to the lamp on your design board, then you can feel comfortable that it will work well with your design plan.

Follow these 3 easy steps and you will find it much easier to discover you’re own design style. Once your design style is in place, you will be well on your way to creating a space that you love.

If you still feel that the process is too overwhelming, contact me. I will work directly with you to create a design plan that is perfect for your space.

by Lori | Filed Under: Inspiration, LIving Room, My Home, Tips/Tutorials | 3 Comments

June 19, 2012

Sometimes things don’t always go as planned…

Well, I had planned a different post for today, but this is what I found when I opened my closet door this morning.

Sometimes things don’t always go as planned do they? The bar broke in my closet last night. I had other projects planned for my weekend, but now it looks like I’ll be redoing my closet. After giving it some thought, I decided that this is a great opportunity to give my closet a much needed update. I’ve always wanted an inspiring space, but I’ve never taken the time to do it.

Who wouldn’t want a closet like this? Unfortunately, I don’t have this much space to play with, but here are a few closets that I love.

This is definitely one of my favorites. I think I’ll add a pretty light fixture. We should all have a little glamour in our closets.

This is such a serene space. There’s something I like about having doors. (maybe because I could hide all of my unorganized stuff…)

I love the closet “island”. These cabinets are very similar to the ones I have in my closet. I like the added texture of the bench and the baskets.

Love the mirrored doors and the shelving. Why don’t my folded things look this neat when I’m done. I think I need a folding lesson.

Here are two things that I will definitely add to my new closet. A festive wallpaper or a beautiful new paint color on the walls and…

…jewelry, scarf and bag storage. I love these two simple solutions.

Do you have a pretty closet? What are your best tips for displaying and storing your accessories and clothing? Send me your pics and I’ll do a follow up post with all of your helpful hints. If you’d like to see a few more of my favorite closets, head over to my Pinterest page.

by Lori | Filed Under: Closets, My Home, My Projects | 5 Comments

June 13, 2012

5 easy ways to give your home a beachy feel

It’s always bittersweet to come home from vacation and get back into the swing of things. I love the beach and I’d love to have a home there someday. While that’s not in my near future, I started thinking about ways I could add some of the things I love about beach decor to my own home. Here are 5 easy ways that we can all have a “beach” home no matter where we live.

1. Color Palette

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Blue and white reminds us of the sea and the sand.

2. Texture

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This space is almost void of color, but what it lacks in color, it makes up for in texture. Add a sisal rug, a wicker chair and bamboo blinds for a natural, casual beachy feel.

3. Driftwood

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This is the most literal way to add a beachy feel to your home, but driftwood is one of my favorites. You can easily collect it on beach trips or purchase pieces online. Driftwood can be placed on bookshelves, made into wall decor or furniture.

4. Bamboo blinds

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I love to add bamboo blinds to my clients homes. They are not only affordable, but can give a quick update to any space. They aren’t exclusive to beach homes, by any means, but they are an easy way to add the texture that I love about my favorite beach retreats.

5. Palm fronds

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Palm fronds are my current favorite beach accessory. I love to use real ones, but you can find amazing artificial options as well. They add another layer of texture and color.

What do you think? Have you added things to your home from your favorite vacation destination? I’d love to see how you add subtle beach decor to your home.

by Lori | Filed Under: Bedrooms, Dining Rooms, Kitchens, LIving Room, My Home, Outdoor spaces, Tips/Tutorials | 6 Comments

May 21, 2012

What I’ve been up to lately…

Hi all,

I know that my blog posts have slowed to a crawl, but you guys are still on my mind constantly. Today, I thought I’d share a few photos from what I’ve been up to these last few weeks. I’ll be off the radar for another week or so. This week is the last week of school and I’ll be spending most of my time at my girls’ school and working on my existing and new client projects. I have so much to share with you all, but my girls come first right now. They are so excited about the last few days of school. It feels like there are parties every day! I know that many of you are doing the same thing this week, so enjoy and I’ll see you back here in a few!

Thought I’d share this with you first. This is what my desk looks like right now. Think I need to spend a little time here? But instead, I’ve been…

…here, doing a lot of…

…this, for…

…this sweet girl and…

…her phenomenal soccer team. We had the most amazing weekend ever and I can’t tell you how proud I am of these girls. They are warriors!

They may not have ended up with the final win, but they fought hard until the end and were great sports through it all.

We spent the weekend before here in Fountain Hills, AZ. We all went out to celebrate my fabulous mom in law’s birthday.

It was a great trip. We took a boat ride and watched bald eagles nesting. Charlotte thought that was pretty cool.

I’ve been incredibly blessed with several new design projects these past few weeks as well. I’m looking forward to sharing my new projects and the final pics of some projects that have been in the works for some time now. Here’s a sneak peek.

So, that’s what’s going on for me right now. How about you? Are you crazy with work, kids and life? You’ve gotta love it! I truly appreciate your patience. I’ll see you back here soon!