 This past March I was honored to attend Detroit Home Magazine's 2012 Design Awards Gala. Every spring the magazine awards the area's top designers and architects for their achievements in design in a wide range of categories. I've looked to these winning designs over the years as inspiration, so it was especially thrilling this year to hear I had won two awards upon my first year entering. When submitting entries for the awards, I selected two of my children's room designs for the Children's Room category. I had just completed them for a client here in Northville and was so pleased with how well they photographed. I spent a lot of time refining the details in these rooms to ensure that everything would reflect the girls' tastes, be fun, yet also grow with them over time. To me, the combination of those three is what helps makes a successful children's room. And upon their transformations, I also felt they could be inspiring for other children's rooms. After submitting my designs to the magazine in the fall, I had to wait until January for their panel of judges to review all entries to find out if I had placed. Sure enough a beautiful, orange envelope from Detroit Home appeared in my mailbox mid-January and I was elated to discover I had won for both rooms! I wouldn't know which places I'd won until the Awards Gala, but that didn't matter too much after realizing that I'd finally have my work published in a magazine, a long-time goal of mine :) Complete List of Interior Design Winners
 1st Place - Children's Room Design  2nd Place - Children's Room Design When March rolled around and it was time for the Awards Gala I took my good friend and design consultant, Erica Shy, with me to enjoy the evening. We had a great time strolling the GM Heritage Center with delicious food, cocktails, and mingling with the other designers and vendors. When they started announcing the winners, it was so fun for us to view these designs in detail on the large screen projectors. For design enthusiasts, such as Erica and myself, it was a real treat. After hearing previous winners tying themselves for projects, I jokingly told Erica "I bet I tied myself for 3rd place," but was pleasantly (and I mean very pleasantly) surprised to hear I had won First and Second! We did a little happy dance in our seats and then composed ourselves to take in the rest of the night's winning designs :)
Below is a highlight video from the Gala, and if you look closely you can spot me in it a couple times!
The excitement of winning two awards was fantastic, but even better than that, the feeling of being included in this elite group of designers, representing our hometown of Detroit made the whole experience so special. And while I'm still thrilled from the awards (and buying copies of this spring's issue left and right), I'm also looking forward to the projects I'm wrapping up now. I've been doing a lot of remodeling jobs lately, and hopefully some of these great transformations can be photographed in time to enter the awards for next year. As always stay tuned for more updates, but be sure to pick up a copy of this spring's magazine (or check out the Digital Edition) to appreciate all the stunning designs!
This fall I was honored to participate in the AAUW Designer Showhouse, where I designed the home's kitchen & breakfast room. The event was for a wonderful cause and showcased a select group of interior designers in one of Northville's most historic homes, a beautiful 1929 Tudor.
I brought my "updated traditional" aesthetic to both rooms through new paint colors, textiles and furnishings, taking inspiration from the home's landscape and architecture.
The following images are materials I selected for my designs:
Paint Colors (both Benjamin Moore) Window Treatments Wall Decor Furniture (R.J. Thomas Showroom) Here's how the rooms looked when we started...
Breakfast Nook - Before Kitchen - Before And here's the transformation...
Breakfast Nook Kitchen The 2011 Showhouse turned out to be a great success for the AAUW and was a wonderful experience for me as a designer. I felt so fortunate for the opportunity to showcase my work in my community and to work alongside such a talented group of designers.
My goal was to highlight the rooms in their best possible light in keeping with the traditional feel of the home, and I hope I was able to inspire some people along the way :)
TGIF!
Tracy
At TGI we have been working very hard on a local, client project over the past 6 months. This project started with our client's kitchen remodel and has expanded to include their adjacent dining room, living room, and powder room. As those elements come to a close, I wanted to give you all a sneak peak behind my design.
We found inspiration from this beautiful, Kravet fabric that will end up being used in our window treatments. This floral has a fun and updated feel while also providing a color palette of soft greens, blues and taupes that we'll use throughout the space.
As for window treatments, they always go a long way in completing a room, and our client's kitchen and dining room were no exception. We decided to go with the following treatment styles in the same fabric to add a softened texture and cohesive feel to the space.
Relaxed Roman Shade Box- Pleated Valance
As for some of the furnishings in the room we decided to go with an english roll-arm style loveseat and armchair for a comfortable yet classic look.
English Roll Arm Loveseat Round Side Table
The fabrics we selected for our upholstery furniture are both done in Kravet Smart fabrics. They're durable, affordable and will really help to reinforce our color scheme in the space. This small-scale blue & green fabric for our armchair brings out our accent colors in a subtle way. Our loveseat is then upholstered in a neutral, chevron fabric to simplify the overall look and provide a timeless piece of furniture for our clients.
Kravet Smart: King Pool Kravet Smart: Classic Chevron, Umber
We then put a lot of focus on the last element in the space, our custom fireplace. We designed it as our focal point, viewable from all three areas in the open floor plan. Our trusty carpenter built a custom mantel with inset panels and moldings to add a more substantial look. He then applied similar moldings and arch-top detail around the adjacent built-in shelves. We painted all the trim and woodwork in the space a "cloud white" to brighten the space and contrast nicely with our fireplace-surround consisting of soft green, yellow and neutral tiles (the yellow was thrown in as another fun accent but will unite the adjoining front, entry room of the client's home...our next project which will be painted yellow). These 4x4 tiles from Virginia Tile were done in a matte finish to provide a soft overall look that would add interest but not compete with our light green wall color.
Wall Color: Benjamin Moore - "Nantucket Breeze" Before Image Middle Stage Image: Here you can see the new wall color, painted mantel and built-ins. This picture was taken right before our new, bronze fireplace door and surrounding accent tiles were installed.
Currently we are waiting for a window wall to be installed by the dining room. There is a 6' sliding door on this wall now, but a new stylized sliding door with sidelights is on its way. This will give our client 14 more square feet of natural light and make the space feel even bigger!
After the window wall installation in the coming week, we'll just be waiting on our rug, furniture and window treatment installations. Then our last step will be selecting artwork and accessories.
Be sure to check back in the coming weeks for more updated pictures as our project comes to a close!
Happy Friday :)
I thought it would be fun to showcase a different color in upcoming blogs and with Valentine's Day quickly approaching, pink was the obvious choice for this week.
Pink is a color that can be used to promote a fun and flirty spunk, yet it can also be spaced out in subtle ways to add that soft, feminine and romantic touch.
Here are some of my favorite Pink inspirations...just lovely :)
With New Year's Eve upon us, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite spaces that sparkle just as brightly as that ball will at midnight tonight :)
Notice the reflective glass, tiles, mirrors, and lighting that all help to bounce light throughout these spaces. A little shine can really dress up a room and create a more elegant, glamorous look. Wishing you all a happy, healthy & beautiful new year!
Check back every Friday in 2011 for more design inspiration, tips and advice!
TGIF :)
Decorating your first apartment can be overwhelming, so I've gathered up some inspiration photos and tips for any new apartment or condo owner looking to transform their blank canvas!
1. Paint if you can: If your complex allows you to paint, by all means do! Color enhances your mood and is a great pick-me-up from the depressing builder's white they give you. A color on your walls also allows artwork and wall decor to really POP! Your space will instantly feel cozier!  This dark gray paint provides the perfect backdrop for white ceramic accessories and a colorful piece of art! 2. Oversized Mirrors & Artwork: Large-scale wall decor makes a bigger statement than lots of little pictures and prints. Think of larger items and you'll need less of them!  This apartment bedroom shows how simply adding 1 oversized mirror and 1 large frame are all that's necessary to complete the look.  One large, mirror is all that's needed in this bedroom to make a unique design statement. 3. Group frames together If you have a collection of photographs or prints you'd like to display, you can make more of an impact by grouping them together. Hang prints together tightly with minimal spacing and go for oversized matting and identical frames for a rich, gallery look.  Different size compositions still look unified with thin, black frames  All white mats and frames give a super chic look 4. Skip the matching bed & bath sets. Instead of the "bed in a bag" and coordinating bathroom sets, opt for simple, solid sheets and towels, then pick the accent color of your choice!
In the bedroom, keep your bedding neutral, and bring in a color scheme through pillows, drapes, lamps and accessories.
 Loving this bedroom's color scheme of black & white with accents of blue. So chic! In the bathroom, look for crisp white or gray towels and rugs with a simple touch of color. And if you can, avoid the matching counter accessories, instead opt for clear glass jars to hold cotton balls, q-tips, etc. and then find ceramic pieces in your accent color for water cups and toothbrush holders.
 Now this is a grown-up bathroom. White towels with a darker shade of blue tie in the wall color without overdoing it. 5. Tie it all together: Whether it's your inspiration or the final touch, you'll need some pieces to unify your space. This could be an area rug, a great piece of art, a colorful print for pillows, or a grouping of accessories. Consider all these items in addition to your wall color and upholstery to have a well-balanced room :)  The colorful canvas and ceramic vases bring this cheery living room's color scheme to life. With these tips in hand, you should be well on your way to making your first apartment a home of your own!
Looking for a creative gift idea this holiday? Consider gifting my in-home consultation package as a thoughtful way to help a friend or family member improve their home with professional design advice! Happy Holidays from TGI :)
 With Christmas right around the corner and decorating season well underway, I thought I'd share some great, new holiday decorating ideas.
By sticking to a simpler color palette (bright red & green don't always need apply), using fresh, seasonal greens and utilizing the "less is more" approach, these spaces achieve an updated holiday look without lacking the charm.
And while most of you might go out for a real tree, consider also incorporating real, fresh cedar or fir garlands as well to enhance your mantles, stairwells, and add that unbeatable Christmas aroma :)
Happy Holidays from TGI!
 I visited High Point Market in High Point, North Carolina for my first time this past October and wanted to share some of my favorite snapshots with you. It was a week full of viewing the latest in the home furnishings industry. From furniture, to lighting, rugs, accessories and more, it was a wonderful time and now a trip I plan to make every fall. For a look at all my pictures from Market, click here to view them on my Facebook Page: Full Market Photo Gallery
 Many people find that certain areas in their home tend to accumulate massive amounts of clutter, and sometimes attempts at organization can be met with even more mess and frustration. So to simplify the process, focus on the 3 main clutter-catchers in your home: open bookshelves, the office, and your bedroom closet. Here's a few quick tips from TGI on how to combat this clutter and create simplified and beautiful spaces in your home.
Baskets
Baskets are perfect storage tools. They can hide anything from magazines and random papers, to kids toys and dog toys. They are great to store under your bed, a nightstand, in closets or even on the stairs, like this basket from Ballard Designs. The white magazine boxes are from Ikea and the multi-purpose Utility Basket is from Pottery Barn. No matter how much clutter you have, everything can appear tidier when concealed in coordinating baskets. Color Coordination
To keep everything looking beautiful but still organized, color coordinating is key. Keep binders, baskets, pencil holders, frames and hangers all consistent in the same color scheme. This will instantly create a clean and orderly look.
A fun example of this can be seen in the home office of one of my favorite reality-tv stars, Bethenny Frankel. By using all-white office furniture and sticking to her signature color of red as an accent, her office has a streamlined look without lacking personality.
CreativityNow if you go to the other-end of the spectrum and if you have your spaces so squeaky clean that nothing is on display it can start to feel cold and impersonal. To avoid this, make sure to incorporate a few personal touches. Keep out a favorite family photo, an antique or bring a potted plant into the mix. It's important to seek a balance on open shelves between showcasing a few treasured items and keeping out groupings of books or stacked magazines. Just try to keep the majority of content in concealed storage bins or behind closed doors.
Find more inspiration images like these, visit Houzz and leave a comment if you have a tip to share! TGIF :)
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