Category Archives: Ann McDonald

Tuesday Tidbit: Taking Time to Tinker With Design to Get It Just Right

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Tuesday Tidbit: Taking Time to Tinker With Design to Get It Just Right!

It’s always interesting when design doesn’t just “come to you”

I absolutely love this! Decorating & Design is fun…it’s also a bit of work đŸ˜‰

As a Designer by trade, we sometimes think it should just happen…without work or effort

There are times when we just walk into a space and “see it”

Yes, that’s the mania part

Then there are spaces & places that trick us

I mean really Esher! Image linked. Sometimes this is how a design job starts!

They toy with our heads, they mess with our 3-d modeling

We really have to pour heart & head into it

Do you ever struggle with that?

When you are planning a room at your home or designing one for another?

Is there ever that moment when you think “I’ve got nothing”

Time for a walk

Time for a head clear…a run, anything

I have found that if I try to jam in a bunch of design inspiration in, all I get is

1) over loaded

2) over stuck

But a clear head, some fresh air & time away from the Designing World always does a brain good.

What do you get stuck on?

Do you feel like this is the start or the end?!

Is there a space that you just can’t seem to finish?

Is there a room you’ve just given up on?

Let me know!

Yes, even Designer’s have them…

Tuesday Tidbit: What’s yours?

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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PS: We are Tobi Fairley’s this week in Little Rock, Arkansas. Enjoying her Get Published Camp with some good friends. We will keep you posted. So fun!

Monday Matters: Spring Break Around The House

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Monday Matters: Spring Break Around The House

Do you take a Spring Break when kids are gone?

Is it a vacation or an “around the house” type thing?

This past week many close to me were off building houses with Amor Ministries in Mexico. As I listened to their stories, I am reminded how important our spaces & places are. Grateful to be a part of this industry…

Do you do those house cleaning, design refreshing things when they leave?

I wonder…

I know my single friends are great at scheduling time both for themselves and for their breaks

I learn from them daily to steward the “me”

(Thank you, you know who you are:)

This does not come easily for a Kansas Born, California Bred girl

So this past week I forced myself to “Break” in the middle of it all

A few days in Lake Tahoe with enough design work to keep me engaged but not so much that my husband and I couldn’t catch a glass of wine & a beer on tap at a local tavern

It was just what the Dr ordered

So what about you?

This Monday, have you taken a Spring Break?

Did it refresh you?

Are you ready to face the Spring now?

Love this. A gentle start. Reminds me we must be careful with our “new growth”….stewarding those around us and ourselves in areas of new growth is important…it matters

Let me know!!

Time to dust off the rest of those cobwebs, fluff the pillows, open up the windows, change the slip covers…

It may be raining & windy here in SF, but it is Spring somewhere & we are after it!!

Monday Matters & so do YOU.

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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PS: Don’t forget our show house friends! If you have a favorite show house that we didn’t mention, let us know in the comments!

PPS: If you like what we are doing here, please share on Facebook, Twitter etc. We are grateful for those who journey along side. It’s the daily walk that counts, not the sprint! 

Thursday Spotlight: Shine It On Your Decorating Successes

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Thursday Spotlight: Shine It On Your Decorating Successes

Hard to do, right?

We are always second guessing, always wondering what if…

Here’s my challenge to you today

Give yourself a Decorating Diamond Award

Is there some space that you absolutely love?

A corner you created just for yourself or a loved one?

What is that space, perfect or not, that speaks to you?

As I was/am working on this Webinar Recording…it really struck home how often we judge, second guess & hem & haw at our potential pitfalls

So the spotlight today is about saying something nice to yourself!

Me? Tough one!

I’ll lead the way. This is not easy for me.

My Decorating Diamond today goes to the corner I created in the back of our Lake Tahoe Cabin living room. We jokingly call it The Library.

It is no Library. But I love it still.

Two comfy chairs, one comfy ottoman. No fancy designer fabrics. No fancy designer labels.

Plywood walls with an aged green wash stain.

Low brass lights. Aged. Some fabulous bookends. A few fabulous books.

A gift from some very special friends, I have two of these guarding my books on a shelf made from a recycled plank we found. Very safe. Very low key. Very wonderful. Linked to Levenger.

A Navajo Rug traded for by my Paternal Grandfather.

This is not ours, but the one I have hanging is similar. Circa 1915. Not hugely valuable from a dollar standpoint, but is a blessing to me personally.

I love it. It’s safe. I write there, design there, nap there.

Diamond Award.

Now, you?

The spotlight is on! Do share!

There must be some corner. Somewhere…

Thursday Spotlight. You are better at Decorating & Design than your head & heart give you credit for. I know it!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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PS: I just finished a fabulous book by Dr. Valerie Young called “The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women”. It is a remarkable book dealing with The Impostor Syndrome. A must read for anyone. I had the honor of spending a few days at a conference with Valerie. She is humble, gracious & oh so wise.

Dr. Valerie Young

Wednesday Style Points: Sharing Some Show House Love From San Francisco to York, Maine!

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Wednesday Style Points: Sharing Some Show House Love From San Francisco to York, Maine!

It’s Spring and those Show Houses are coming into bloom!

Check out the pages & sites of a few friends who are involved in various projects from the Bay Area to Maine!

Are any of them near you?

If so, you simply MUST check them out!!

Scott Meacham Wood: SF Bay Area Woodside Sneak Peek!

Kriste Michelini: San Francisco Showcase Sneak Peek!

Traci Zeller & Lisa Herring Mende: High Point North Carolina

Tam Stone: Kansas City

Meredith Bohn: York, Maine

Style Points: Love it!!

Are there any of YOUR favorites I haven’t included?

Do you have a friend we should support?

LET ME KNOW!!

I’d love to include them – or you! – on this list!!

Remember, we cannot do it alone.

đŸ™‚

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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PS: If this site blesses you, do share. It’s that candle thing…we don’t lose anything by sharing…we actually bless by sharing! Have a great Wednesday & embrace your style points! They are unique to YOU! xo

Tuesday Tidbit: What I Am Loving Now In Spring Cleaning!

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Tuesday Tidbit: What I Am Loving Now In Spring Cleaning!

In the morning, everything…

Along about 11 am ABSOLUTELY nothing!!

đŸ™‚

Just being honest!

I am fine at doing the regular clean outs – the stuff you can see…it’s part of my job & I love it

BUT

This cleaning out my files? HARD for me.

I am that (confession) person who stores EVERYTHING on my desktop

Yup.

Everything.

It’s like a wildly out of control pinterest board…and I wonder…WHY can’t I find the files?!

Since we have streamlined & everyone is now offsite or remote, I no longer have the accountability of someone walking into the Studio & looking over my shoulder & seeing the “Desktop” aka my personal pinterest board!

When we started recording the Webinars, I realized something had to change…so I casually dropped everything into a folder called “Hide My Desktop Crap”

Not so pretty…even with a hot pink background & a pug picture overlay…

Yes = true Luxury Design, right?

NOT

Now I have spent too many hours untangling this mess & I have MUCH compassion for those real life messes that creep up on us.

Compassion = it’s an amazingly powerful thing. We ALL need it.

Do you struggle with keeping any area clean?

Is there any area that is your hidden confession or pile of “they won’t see that”?

A closet where old chargers go?

A drawer full of things you will go through “next week”?

I know we shouldn’t do these things

I KNOW how powerful it is to be clean through and through

It really is

But sometimes it gets out of control

Real life living. I want my Louboutins to be shiny & perfect, my car shined within an inch of its life…& my outfit perfectly pressed

YES, I have shoe addiction….:)

& then you get a peek at my desktop.

Opps!

Time to file, edit & DELETE!!

Tuesday Tidbit.

What’s yours?!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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PS: Practice compassion! Start with yourself….it’s hard. We overcoming perfectionists struggle daily with this. I just finished a GREAT book by Brene Brown entitled “Daring Greatly”. I downloaded it to my Kindle & read it in one sitting. Blessed through & through.

PPS: If you want to stop for an hour & just be filled, check out the Webinar we finally put out there. The link is here. FEARLESS. It’s our word for 2013. If you’ve already signed up your email you will not be double “listed” you are just taken straight to the Webinar! My heart is that it would bless you so you can pay it forward. Remember, it’s really not about “the couch”…xoxo

Monday Matters: Dusting Out The Cob Webs

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Monday Matters: Dusting Out The Cob Webs

So it’s Monday. Yesterday was really lovely.

Quiet. Peaceful.

And now it’s back to work!

We are doing some Spring Cleaning

As I have been putting this Webinar together

(it’s partially live)

One of the things that I really struggled with is the computer!

So this Spring Cleaning is all about getting files in order, emptying mail boxes & putting us back in line on line!

At least it’s better than this!

What about you?

Do you struggle with this like I do?

There is a part of me = out of sight, out of mind…

Since the screen saver is cute I assume the rest of the files are in order

I have pugs so can’t resist a screensaver that reminds me…problem is that cute face HIDES my folder mess on the other side!!

ummm…let me just say NOT!

So tech or no tech, am off to delete, re-sort, dump, clean & virus sweep!

Happy Monday!

Let me know if you are up to the same or if you have any tips!

I am all ears!!!

Monday matters & so do you!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”â„¢

xo Ann

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PS: Our Webinar is up! If you watch it and want to join us for the 8 week seminar, just click the pay pal button. We are trying to put together a coaching package or two, but those links aren’t quite live. Check it out HERE. You need to insert your email to watch. I am quite picky about sending emails so no worries – I will not inundate you! Just ask our subscribers…I think we send one about every 10 days ;)…

Wednesday Style Points: My Current Obsession With Tufting In Home Decor

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Wednesday Style Points: My Current Obsession With Tufting in Home Decor

Tufting is one of those things I absolutely love

This image is from 2009 but I absolutely love it still.

Especially in unusual places

I honestly love the austerity of this room. I do tend towards the traditional but sometimes a simple space infused with drama sings to me!

Upholstered walls, banquettes, headboards of course…even tile

Tufted tile. Love this! Image linked.

Style Points. What is your current obsession?

I am kind of wishing we had a project to place these doors via Turbo Squid (image linked). Are they completely over the top? Yes! Could they be perfect somewhere? Of course!!

Is it Pantone’s Color of the Year?

Some gorgeous fabric?

Let me know! We are having fun comparing our current obsess in the Studio.

I vote tufting this week….what say you?!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”â„¢

xo Ann

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PS: Thank you for your continued support!! That’s it – just THANK YOU!! We love our readers!!!!

Tuesday Tidbit: Never Decorate When You Are…..

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Tuesday Tidbit: Never Decorate When You Are…..

Tired?

Mad?

Frustrated?

Super Happy???

Humm….did I just say that? Super Happy???

Let me just throw this out there:

Has there ever been a time when you were super excited and you bought something that didn’t look so great two weeks later?

I call those Vacation Clothes Moments “VCM’s”

You know…when you are in Nantucket and buy the cutest pants, not the reds which are appropriate anywhere imo đŸ™‚ but the ones you can ONLY wear in Nantucket during a few months. They usually involve maps & whales…

Mustique

When you are in Mustique and the white linen something calls you……and then you realize that $$$$ for a simple something that you can only wear in Mustique…..might not have been the best idea

Sometimes we do the same thing when it comes to our homes

Now, this might be fantastic as an art installation, but no amount of champagne & caviar should convince you that you need this in your main living area.

ESPECIALLY when it comes to our homes

We get super excited & are SO SURE that the “Insert Any Item Here” will look perfect on our entry hall table. Besides, at $$$$$$ it’s “such a deal” ;)!

Tuesday Tidbit: Do you have any “Don’t ever decorate when you are ———?” stories to share?

Can you laugh about them now?

I would so love to hear!!

I can not be the only one….

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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PS: Make sure and sign up for our Beta Test Website! We have an awesome group & YOU need to be a part of it!! Don’t worry, I think we’ve sent out 4 emails over the past months while in test format. Link HERE.

Monday Matters: Making A House A Home

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Monday Matters: Making A House A Home

I have been trying to practice what I preach and let me tell you, I stink at it!

“Turn your phone off”

“Turn the game off”

“Read a book”

“Walk the dogs”

All the while I am glued to my phone, rooting for my basketball teams, checking out HGTV instead of a good book & throwing a ball in the hall way for the pugs instead off walking them up the hill đŸ™‚

The mirror isn’t kind this Monday Morning…

BUT, there is hope

Why? Because sometimes it’s those things that are slightly out of whack – those vulnerabilities – those “real life transparency” issues that our Children, Pets & Spouses live through with us that shows us if our House….is just a house or if it is really a HOME…

Let me explain a bit:

Monday Morning I always try to re-set for the week

Get those calendars tightened, make the calls, check the orders…plan the schedules…

But coming off a weekend of slight chaos from Junior Prom, to Junior Day at Cal, to tech issues DAY & NIGHT on the computers in the office, I was really struck by how we were all rather off kilter by Sunday afternoon…throw in church (are we always late?!), some spilled coffee & it was not my finest moment – let’s just say moments…

But what kept us all in check?

What kept ME in check?

Our imperfect house held us safe – it was our HOME where we (I) kept returning & getting our (my) balance on…

Not my house but I like this space. It looks safe, easy to engage & cozy. I could curl up here in heels or slippers! Image linked.

Our home was safe for me this weekend. It was beautifully imperfectly ordered to catch our (my) disorder…

This is our family room coffee table. This weekend? No wine or cheese, but there were cleats & magazines piled...real life living...

This is our family room coffee table. This weekend? No wine or cheese, but there were cleats & tech magazines piled…real life living…

I don’t mean it is perfect, it is not

I mean it CAUGHT us after a chaotic weekend as a place we could retreat & recharge

Nap & Nuggle & watch some basketball for the pure joy of it

( Nuggle: What a pug does when you nap…a pug nuggles you )

There is nothing like a dog for an afternoon snuggle when you need a boost…

It humbled me

I am passionate about making Houses into HOMES because it is a blessing and a gift & because HOMES can change lives

I know it is not that way for everyone & I so want it to be…

I am grateful & moved

So this Monday, I am just embracing the joy of the everyday chaos moment

I believe it is what makes our houses HOMES. They catch us when we fall. They hold the JOY in those everyday moments.

Like this, especially for a Monday Morning.

May your week be filled with everyday moments of JOY

May at least some small corner of your house…be HOME to you

May it hold you & keep you safe

May it equip you to go forth and change the world

Monday matters & so do you.

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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PS: If you like what we are doing here, please share! Your friends are our friends.

Saturday Stuff: Oh, I’d Forgotten About That Side Of My Proverbial “House”!

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Saturday Stuff: Oh! I’d Forgotten About That Side Of My Proverbial “House”!

We all have them

Those areas we forget about until…

We schedule a party

A visitor is due to arrive

We get the “Donations Accepted” postcard & start hunting for forgotten treasure to pass along

Or…as in my case…one of the pugs goes sniffing around a corner around a corner…and I follow!

Oh my!

I’d forgotten about that area đŸ™‚

Today I’m sharing a few videos that we use to help get at some of those areas in our Life & Home

As part of Saturday Stuff…this gets at the STUFF that holds us back from the inside!!

I need to thank Karen Davis for reminding me of these videos

I love them. We watch & share with clients because one of the MOST important things about decorating a BEAUTIFUL SPACE is being REAL about who we are, where we are, why we are & being COMFORTABLE in that space

May these be a blessing to you.

Saturday Stuff. YOU are worth the time it will take to be blessed by these videos.

Take it for YOU!!!

It’s Saturday. The stuff life is made of.

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”â„¢

xo Ann

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PS: Don’t forget to share what we are doing here with friends who have the same heart. I’d be grateful to build a community of people who desire to LIVE as beautifully as our spaces  look…

PPS: Sign up NOW to be part of our BETA TEST for Decorate Like A Pro System (Linked). We are still in the starting gates. BE in from the ground floor!!! You are SO worth it!