Thursday Spotlight: Shine It On Your Decorating Successes

Posted on by

0

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

********************************************

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!

Posted on by

4

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.

🙂

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

xo Ann

**********************************************************

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!

Posted on by

2

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

In the morning, everything…

Along about 11 am ABSOLUTELY nothing!!

🙂

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

*****************************************************************

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

Posted on by

2

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.”™

xo Ann

**************************************************************

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 ;)…

Happy Easter!

Posted on by

4

Happy Easter!

I am grateful for the message of hope.

It brings joy into the darkest places & does not depend on anything we do

Nor anything we can bring to the table

It just exists because we are

May today be a day where you know you are loved

May you know that you are LOVED. Not for anything you have done, can achieve or be…but just because you ARE!!!!

Happy Easter!!

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

xo Ann

Saturday Stuff: Springtime At Your Home

Posted on by

4

Saturday Stuff: Springtime At Your Home

I hope yesterday, Good Friday, was a blessed day for you + yours

May this be a blessing to you. May it cover you as we head into the Spring.

I hope the rest of this weekend is a time of celebration for you + yours

If this is a time of struggle for you, may you know comfort + care from my heart to yours

Truth.

If this is a time of joy for you, lets dance together

Happy Easter + Passover Week

Blessings + Protection

What is your Spring time hope for your home space?

What are you thinking about as the weather (hopefully) near you starts to lighten?

Are you pulling out some slipcovers?

Freshening up some flower beds?

Gorgeous. Image Linked.

Pondering a new side table or chair?

Do tell!

We’d like to share in the celebration of Springtime at Home!!

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

xo Ann

*******************************************************

PS: Pay it Forward. That’s my motto for this upcoming April! If you have one, do share!! 

Thursday Spotlight: What Is A Couture Chateau Type of Life?

Posted on by

0

Thursday Spotlight: What Is A Couture Chateau Type of Life?

I recently had a meeting with a new friend. They asked me….

WHY do you call the Bespoke Interior Design Portion of your Business “Couture Chateau”?

WHY isn’t it Ann McDonald?

For a large segment of my Business, it IS “Ann McDonald”. We (my team & I) are rolling out a new website which will be Ann McDonald “Home Base” so it’s easier for you to find us, the blog, the design…all of it

HOWEVER, when it comes to a HIGHLY SPECIFIC SEGMENT of my business, that is, a Bespoke Fully Serviced Designed Home Space for my Clients, it’s about THEM…not me

Read below…let me know if it resonates…

I believe YOUR custom is about YOUR fingerprint

I bring my gifts & talents to the table to make MANIFEST you, not to make manifest me!

Here is the actual page from my site describing that elusive “aha moment”…

**************

Ann McDonald conceived of Couture Chateau in 1989 with a simple mission:

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

Here are some of her musings about opening this once very private door…

I am passionate about Couture Chateau. It’s the proverbial child that has spent decades “behind the gate” with my private Design Clients and dear close friends.

Finally I open the gates a bit and NEW friends and clients peek into the Couture Chateau world…

COUTURE: To layer and sew or build by hand with absolute attention to detail. To use the best available materials and trade fabricators budget will allow

CHATEAU: The place YOU call home

For years my Design Philosophy has been to create Couture Living Spaces, lifestyles really… for Clients. We work to custom make almost every item that isn’t acquired from antique sources or art houses/auctions. We private label for the client.

My Custom Couture Chateau Crewels take at least 5 months to complete. That is for a single commission. Furniture, Upholstery crafted by hand by the best available. Those Couture details from Hangers to Silver Leaf Closets that only a client sees when dressing…private bespoke items that make a house a home.

I have been in COUTURE Yurts…

I have been in COUTURE Manses…

Style and Taste are not the strongholds of the wealthy….they are the STRONGHOLDS of the soul…you can learn to love and live with style at any point in your life.

A I begin to open these very private gates, my passion is to FOSTER my motto: “Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

I believe living intentionally well in any space, any time, under any budget enhances you. It changes the life that comes out of us & contributes to those around us…

Start today living your CUSTOM life.

COME on the journey with me.

Delight (in who you really are). Do (what you were meant to do). Be (what you are supposed to be). Couture (you are custom & therefore worth it). Chateau (the place you call home).

*********

Do you see? Do you “aha”? Do you believe YOU are CUSTOM & therefore worth it?

I do!!

Thursday Spotlight: YOU!

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

xo Ann

********************************

PS: Do you have someone who needs to know they are custom? Share this post with them to let them know YOU value THEM “just because they are” not because they do or achieve…but just because they are…

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

Posted on by

1

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.”™

xo Ann

***********************************************************************

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

Tuesday Tidbit: Never Decorate When You Are…..

Posted on by

4

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 🙂 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

********************************************************

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

Posted on by

2

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 🙂

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

*************************************************************************

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