Project Sneak Peek: Teenage Boy Bedroom

After living in our house for over 3 1/2 years, I've finally decided it's time to tackle my step-son's bedroom. I don't know whether or not he's going to be very excited about the transformation. (He loves his hodge-podge bedroom with stickers on the walls, torn posters, and dirty teenage boy stuff everywhere.) But I'm tired of looking at all that and it's time for a change. I assured him it will still look "cool", it will just be a lot more organized, functional and stylish. I saw this room online while searching for inspiration and fell in love with the color combo;

Although he would love to have his bed hanging from the wall like the pictures above, we'll be sticking with a futon style bed instead. I love this color palette with gray walls, navy blue accents and pops of yellow. Here's the design board I came up with for my step-son's bedroom;

There is a large built in desk and cabinets in his room and I plan on painting them white, with the desk top painted dark gray. The dark gray paint color will also extend onto a focal point wall which will have a large built in bulletin board as well. I'm going to hang some navy blue curtain panels with black out lining (his one and only request for the bedroom) and also purchase a new rug for the space. His bedding will stay the same (a navy blue plaid comforter with gray sheets) but I plan on incorporating a yellow accent pillow or two.  All of the rock band/skateboard/surfing/etc. posters will go onto one large wall (I'm not going to be that mean and make him get rid of them!) Lastly, I think I'll incorporate some framed art above his bed (like in the inspiration pictures.)

So what do you think? Do you like this color combo and design plan as much as I do?! I'm excited to get started on a new project!

Project Sneak Peak

Good morning and happy Monday to everyone! I'm back again to share the details of a project I'm currently working on. . .

Floor Plan:

Design Board:

We're using creamy white shaker cabinets with a gorgeous quarts countertop and timeless subway tile backsplash. The floors will be a dark rustic hardwood which will go throughout the house. I selected a farmhouse sink and opted to do open shelving to the right and left of the window above the sink. The other wall has enclosed cabinets for concealed storage. The new appliances will all be stainless steel. The light fixtures above the bar area are chrome and have sort of a rustic country feel, but with a modern twist! The window above the sink will have bamboo blinds with a cornice made out of suzani inspired fabric. I selected Bortoia chrome stools for the bar area and the long, opposing wall will have a collection of framed botanical prints.

So what do you think of this kitchen remodel design?! I'm really excited about this project and am loving the way it's taking shape.

Whether you are interested in remodeling or just doing a little bit of redecorating, contact me for rates and services! JPM Design's goal is to provide clients with affordable, stylish design solutions. I offer extremely low rates and will help you create the home of your dreams, no matter what size your budget is.

Don't live in California? No problem. I offer online design services worldwide! Go here for more information.

DIY Nailhead Inspiration Board

 via Live Creating Yourself

 via Urban Grace

via Suzie, Decorpad

via Green Street

I was inspired by these inspiration boards to create one of my own over the weekend! Since I am in the process of making over my (soon-to-be) step daughters bedroom, I thought it would be great for her to have a place to pin up things that inspire her. When I was her age (ten years old) I had a bulletin board in my room and LOVED having a place to put all those little special things.

I used an old bulletin board I had that measured 24 x 36.

I purchased 1 yard of linen fabric from Joann's for $4.99 and several packages of silver decorative nailheads.

I ironed the fabric to get all the wrinkles out, then stapled it to the front of the bulletin board. Here's a view of the back after I finished stapling;

Next up, the fun part! This step took the longest, as I can sometimes be a perfectionist. . .

An hour later it looked like this;

Here's what the completed board looks like hung over the dresser in Jordyn's bedroom;

I think I will leave it up to her to fill it up with whatever she wishes.

This project was so easy. It cost somewhere around $10 to complete and I think it turned out super cute!

Mother's Day Gift

For mothers day I gave my mom this:

It was an empty paint can containing a home-made gift certificate redeemable for "One gallon of paint and painting labor" and tied with a pretty red bow! My mom has been wanting to paint her master bathroom for quite some time but hasn't gotten around to it. I thought I would do something a little non-traditional for Mother's Days and give the gift of paint and free labor! Please tell me I'm not the only crazy person out there that gives gifts like this to their closest family and friends?! 

Anyways, I spent part of the long weekend at my parents house painting and doing a little redecorating in their master bathroom. Here's the inspiration picture for the bathroom makeover:

My parent live in the country on a huge ranch where they grow all sorts of fruits and nuts. It's definitely a country house. As soon as I sent my mom the picture of this bathroom she was sold on the soft yellow color and was head over heals in love with the claw foot tub! Although I would have loved to have spent the weekend doing some demo work on the bathroom, major remodeling and a claw foot tub weren't included in my 'gift certificate' :) Sorry, Moma, just a few cosmetic changes!

The color we decided on was Benjamin Moore Lemon Sorbet; 

It's definitely a buttery, soft yellow which is exactly what I was after. The cheerful color looks amazing in the small bathroom. I'll share more pictures of the bathroom makeover once I put the finishing touches on it!

Project Update: Gender-Neutral Nursery

Good morning! Happy Tuesday everyone :) I thought I might share one of my latest projects with you all this morning. I have been working with a new online-design client to help her put together a nursery for her baby that arrives in August! They are keeping the sex a surprise so the nursery had to be 'gender-neutral' and serve several functions. My client requested that in addition to a crib, glider and clothing storage for baby, she also wanted some type of sofa bed or futon so that the space could serve as a guest bedroom if need be. The room measures approx. 11' x 12'. The wall on the right when you enter the room is completely taken over by closet doors and the bathroom door, so furniture placement in this space was a little tricky! Here's what I came up with;

My client loves the color blue, and although she's not sure if she is having a boy or a girl, still wanted to incorporate the hue into the space somehow. Also, she is unable to paint because she lives in a rental, so we were working with the existing white wall color. Here is the design board I created showing all the furnishings that I selected for the space;

I chose a tree wall decal to be the focal point of the room and kept everything very neutral using lots of creamy hues in the upholstery and wood pieces. The rug has a little bit of the slate blue color in it that my client loves (which coordinates with the drapery panels) as well as some green and peachy tones as well - perfect for a little baby boy or girl!

So what do you think? If you would like to see some inspirational gender-neutral nurseries, go here.

If you are interested in finding out more about my online-design packages, go here!

One day makeover

Sometimes all a room needs is a little rearranging, a couple new accessories or a little tweaking here or there in order to make a dramatic difference. That's exactly what I did recently with my sister Melissa.

Melissa is currently living at home with my parents (while she is in the nursing program at CSU Stanislaus.) She's been  living there on and off for the past couple of years and hasn't really done much with her bedroom since she never sees it as a 'permanent' living situation. Just because you don't plan on living somewhere for several years doesn't mean you shouldn't make ANY effort to decorate, in my opinion! I helped Melissa with a quick, one day makeover on her bedroom. Here's a peak at the before and afters;

BEFORE

AFTER

The old 1960's closet doors were removed a longgggg time ago when my parents began to remodel the house. Nothing was ever done after that so the focal point of the room was always the catastrophe of clothing in the closet! I found drapery panels on clearance at Ross for $1.50 each, no joke! We used an existing rod and brackets that my mom already had in order to hang the panels. So for $3 total we were able to hide the messy closet and add some softness to the space. We also painted the chair in the corner with orange spray paint. Total cost for that - another $3!

Here's another shot of the space: 

BEFORE

AFTER

This side of the room got a little TLC by decluttering the bookshelf and hanging an existing mirror that was on the floor leaning against the wall. We also hung up a 'gallery' of art and prints using what Melissa already had stashed in boxes under her bed. We added a few frames to the collection that were from the dollar store and printed some free, downloadable art (from here.) The wooden 'm' was also a dollar store find! Total cost. . . $4.

So what do you think of this $10 makeover?! This is proof that you can do a lot with a little!

Project Update: Master Bedroom

Here's a design concept board I came up with recently for a client I'm working with. (I shared a little bit more about her home here if you are interested.)

Two main requirements for the space were 1) a bed with a foot board and 2) lots of storage for clothing (since closet space is pretty minimal.) Keeping in mind the historic bones of the house (built in 1895) and the young, hip couple that I am working with, I came up with a design that incorporates traditional elements with some modern accents. The result, a serene beach-inspired master bedroom!

(click to enlarge)

Here's what the space plan looks like:

The room measures approximately 12' x 12' but I was able to maximize the space by using short dressers as night tables flanking each side of the bed and by placing a large clothing storage armoire opposite the bed. A lucite Ghost Chair in the corner creates a small sitting area, but without taking up too much space visually. The couple lives just minutes from the bay and has a love for all things coastal-inspired so I incorporated some 'beachy' accents like the capiz shell pillow, driftwood mirror and ocean scene artwork. The large slate blue graphic rug grounds the space and the pale green wall color gives the room a serene, retreat like feel. I love the way this design board turned out and I can't wait to see the room come together!

If you would like to find out more information about my e-design services, go here.  

I offer stylish design solutions at very affordable rates!!!  

Email me at mary_jpmdesign@yahoo.com for additional info.

Project Update

I'm working with a new client who recently purchased a historic home in the bay area. Here's a shot of the exterior;

Isn't she a beauty?! Built in 1895! While there is a lot of work to do, the house definately has good 'bones' and TONS of potential! My client so graciously gave me the thumbs up to share the design plans for her Foyer with you today.

Here's the space plan I drew in AutoCAD;

And here is the design concept board I came up with:

The mirrored console is an existing piece of furniture she already has and the gorgeous light fixture was something she had actually already picked out. We're going to be doing woven wood shades throughout the main living areas as well as painting a few rooms in this gorgeous shade of gray-blue (Restoration Hardware, Shore.) I think the 8' round rug is really going to make the entry way to this home come alive! The whole vibe of the house is going to be very 'rustic-beachy' with lots of blues and greens and whites balanced with weathered gray furnishings and white lacquered pieces in the living areas. I really love the way the design for the Foyer came together! What do you think?

If you would like help creating a home you absolutely love every time you walk in the door, contact me! I'm offering my e-design services at really low, reasonable rates right now!

Project Update: 10 year Old Girl's Room

I needed a little kick in the pants to get started on the latest project I am tackling around my house (that you read more about here.) So I did what I always do to get myself motivated - come up with a plan! Here's a sneak peak at what I have in store for my soon-to-be ten year old stepdaughter's bedroom:

Floor Plan

Design Concept Board

The desk, dresser and tall bookshelf are allready in the room, but will be getting fresh new coats of paint! I plan on purchasing a plain white duvet but use her existing red gingham dust ruffle. The rug is also existing, as is the lamp, bulletin board and yellow chevron pillows. I'm on the hunt for a new chair and hope to find something with a mid-century feel like this Bertoia Chair or a Panton Chair at a reasonable price. I am going to create a gallery wall of white framed art prints which I am really excited about! Also on the list is a DIY headboard, some floating shelves, a few new accessories and a new woven wood shade. 

So what do you think? Think she will love it?! Ok. . . now that the fun part is done, it's time to get to work! 

images in Design Concept Board via Young House Love, Centsational Girl, Pottery Barn, & Ikea

DIY Suzani Napkin Pillow

What do all these pillows have in common???

via Centsational Girl

via La Maison Boheme

via House of Hepworths

via Mmmcrafts

All of these stylish pillows were made using inexpensive napkins! Yep, you heard me right - cloth NAPKINS! 

Today I am guest posting over at Our Fine House where I share the details on how I made this pillow out of a suzani inspired cloth napkin:

Here's another shot of my beloved new pillow, modeling on my bed next to my yellow chevron pillows from Mason Moonbeam! 

Check out the tutorial here.

Wedding Inspiration Board

On Wednesday I mentioned that I am helping a friend put together some ideas for her wedding coming up in August. She has already picked out her dress and bridesmaid dresses and was toying around with a cranberry red and aqua color scheme. I took it one step further and suggested that she include a third accent color, tangerine. I think this modern and fresh color combination will look great for a summer wedding! Here's the initial inspiration board I created. I'm looking forward to helping her pull it all together!

If you are interested in JPM Design's Event Styling Services, contact me for further information. Lets start the planning and designing process today!

Tray Makeover

I've been looking for a tray to set on top of my large leather ottoman in my living room. I've always loved this tray below from West Elm but never took the plunge and purchased it.

via here

While perusing the isles of Ross in hopes to find a bargain, I spotted a large black lacquered tray that was in need of some TLC. It was beat up, of course the wrong color, but the price tag said only $7.99 so I purchased it without thinking twice!

I sanded the tray, cleaned it up with soap and water and then let it dry. Next I used a coat of spray primer, and then spray painted it two coats of glossy white. To make it extra durable and also to give it that laquered look that I love so much I sprayed it with a clear gloss to finish it off.

Now I have a gorgeous, white lacquered tray to hold magazines, a cigar box that houses remotes and other little treasures on my ottoman! Since I already had all the materials (sand paper, spray paint, etc.) this little project only cost me $7.99. Gotta love that!

psssst! Want to know a secret? I'm not the best at giving step by step tutorials, but if you are looking for a great place to find directions on how to paint just about anything in your home (from cabinets to furniture and accessories and everything in between) Young House Love is my go-to resource!

Wedding Inspiration Board

Here's the inspiration board I came up with to describe my vision for our wedding!

Style File: elegant casual with a bit of a bohemian surf vibe 
Color Scheme: loads of white and cream with hints of magenta, turquoise, and yellow

Elements: orchids, succulents, capiz shells, mason jars, sand, burlap, and hemp

Stay tuned for more wedding plans, projects, and info! 

Happy Hump Day!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I've been sick and took a few days off to recuperate! I'm feeling almost 99% better, so that's wonderful news! Yesterday the lovely Leah from the blog The Way We Are featured my bedroom in a series called "The Way YOU Are". Go here to check it out!

I'll be back a little later for some Wedding Wednesday goodness! Stay tuned :)