Aside from designing roomsettings and non-sales areas, another responsibility I have as an interior designer at IKEA is to create and maintain vignettes. A vignette is essentially a wall that looks as if it could have been taken right from a roomsetting. They are usually done to break up the monotony of a furniture compact (a surprise wall, if you will, amongst a sea of furniture). They usually feature one main product (in this case it's Stuva) and shows the customer how that particular product could be used in their home. These areas are usually briefed, but more often than not we have to make changes on the fly due to product availability and space allowance.


This was our first time experimenting with wallpaper on a vignette wall which actually worked out great (although you do only have one shot to make any holes). This "Lemon Ribbon Transportation" motif from Graham and Brown is pretty adorable.  I was pleased with how it added a touch of whimsy, but still looked very sophisticated.


Here's the wall all put together! This Stuva combination is all about play storage.


Storage containers keep small stuff from looking too cluttered...


while drawer organizers keep everything in its place.


We even added small Ribba ledges for the cars. Little customers love this, which is quite evident because its hard to keep these little toys in their area. :)


In the tall unit we have more storage bins for toys and art supplies.


Because let's face it, it's never too early to start teaching organization! Am I right?


I'm so happy with how it turned out.


Big thanks goes out to David for hanging the wall paper, Nkosana for building the furniture, and De'Airra for help with the execution. This is definitely one of my faves!
One of my absolute favorite stores on the planet in CB2. Not only because it speaks to my design aesthetic, but because no matter what's going on outside the store, whenever you step inside, you're immediately transported to a space where the colors are so amazing that you seriously can't help but smile. When I received their recent catalog in the mail, my mind went bonkers - so. much. color! It makes me excited for spring, AND makes me wanna spend some money.  I visited them on Friday with one of my design divas (shout out to Keidre at 726) and did my best to resist the urge to spend my pennies. I really need to clear out some things at home before I add to the madness. And in case you didn't know,  interior designers are predisposed to hoarding, and the struggle is real! Anyhoo, here are a few of my favorite pieces that are oh, so spring chic!





1. Dot candy runner 
This runner would be a perfect contrast to our black brown table.

2. Hedgehog candle holder
We have a bird + dino tealight family who would love to meet this little guy.

3. Wall pockets
This would be cool anywhere - above a desk, in the bathroom, above a nightstand...

4. Stella Cabinet
This is just gorgeous, but I'm frugal, so I'd have to stalk this floor sample until the end of the season. I would love to try this paint treatment on a chest of drawers though. Maybe a Rast makeover?

5. Stinger, Marcher, Flutter appetizer plates
I've been collecting plates for this awesome plate wall that has yet to come to life. These would fit in perfectly.

6. Taurus coat hook
How cool are these? It's an immediate goal of mine to organize my closet. These would make dressing and undressing so much cooler.

7. Xystum color block vase
 Kroger flowers, enough said.

8. Motley rug
I'm in love with the texture on this rug, and it would fit in seamlessly with our pool blue sofa - maybe in our next crib. :)

Gosh I love this place! See anything that strikes your fancy?


Next up on the Children's IKEA remodel - R92. The idea, children go through lots of phases when it comes to their hobbies, interests, and style. How do you appease them while still leaving it flexible enough to for them to change their minds? How do you combine their interests so that it doesn't look like a hodge-podge? Welcome to room 92, home of a little 5 year-old who love soccer, but still loves toys and his favorite characters.


The stars of this show are the Kura Bed, and of course Stuva with Malad fronts. To make it work, every piece had its own color complement. Lime green fronts + a lime green tent, blue bed accents + blue chair, dark curtains + dark bedding, pine bed frame + pine storage, and lots of white throughout made this room feel cohesive. We even "took it there" and used carpet tiles reminiscent of a soccer field. It's fun, but it's focused. 


This Stuva unit is a beast! Can you believe that Marianne and I installed it by ourselves? And the over-cabinet Inreda lighting makes all the difference. We even floated the bottom cabinets to make space for rolling storage bins, and eventually a step stool.


The wall graphic was custom made by our store's graphic designer. We get a lot of questions about it, but a stencil and a couple of hours of concentration could get the same effect. These photos were taken before we installed plexiglass over the loft bed ladder for safety, but trust me when I say that it went up immediately. :)


Underneath the Kura bed is a little reading area complete with lighting, cushions, and wall pocket storage.


Thanks so much to David for the construction, Bob for the graphics, and Marianne for helping me bring this room to life. I'm very happy with it. What do you guys think?
Remember that Children's IKEA remodel that I working on? Well, here's the next room we completed! Can you really fit a complete bedroom in a space small enough to be closet? Skeptical?  Let's call this an attic space conversion, and for kicks let's start with the closet.



Did you know that Stuva can make slanted ceilings look chic?


Add some integrated lighting (Komplement or Inreda) and you have yourself a fancy piece of storage or in our case, a closet. 


Then you bring the room together! To say I was challenged to create a floor plan for this space is a understatement. It's barely above 100 square feet, and a mouse hole (for our little customers) runs right into the space! Thank goodness the Minnen bed could be placed in its lowest position. Aside from sleeping, I wanted to incorporate a spot for clothes storage, reading, storing toys, and doing crafts.


The reading nook is adorable, but super practical. Deep sliding drawers a great for toys, and cabinets above can be used for books and out of season storage.




Initially this little nook was planned for our famous Mala easel, but let's face it, that thing sells itself. Plus, it fit so snug that Marianne suggested a little vanity instead. It turned out so perfect, and what little princess wouldn't love her own little vanity?


The textiles are bold and bright instead of sweet and saccharine, which is a nice change from our previous roomsettings. I totally need that Karlstad cushion in my life too.


I even turned the smallest Stuva into a doll house courtesy of our Huset dollhouse furniture.


A big thanks goes out to Marianne for her help with the room, and David for the construction. The best part is that we've had such great reactions from our customers, big and small. This room is perfect for a short-term solution where the family is growing, but the house isn't. I think it turned out pretty well. What do you think?
Happy New Years everyone! Hope you guys enjoyed / are still enjoying your holiday! Today I thought I would drop in before it was too late and share some holiday cheer! This Christmas I let Brandon choose the color scheme. This holiday's color was lime green!


Up close was sparkly and sweet.


I also added a couple of CB2 whirly candle holders with some curled pieces of cardstock.


Another new addition this year was a tree skirt that I made with two yards of fabric, and by "made" I mean wrapped around the tree. :)


Here it is all lit up.


When it came to gift wrapping, I brown-bagged it. Then I dressed each bag up a little bit of yarn and a gift tag left over over from our wedding.


But there weren't too many gifts under the tree this year because Brandon and I decided to do something a little different - a Christmas stay-cation of sorts.


The weekend before Christmas we gifted ourselves a wonderful, relaxing weekend retreat downtown at the Glen Hotel...


...complete with chocolate-dipped strawberries, champagne, dinner, and skyline views.


It was wonderful to be able to get away from the holiday stress and just enjoy my boo.


We spent Christmas Eve at my in-laws, where for the first time we participated in many awkward Christmas-themed family games (note the giant notepad below), but genuinely had a nice time. This is the third Christmas my mommy has spent with us in Atlanta, and we truly enjoyed having her here with the rest of our family.


P.S. She's still adorable!


For Christmas dinner which consists of just my mommy, Brandon, and myself,  I kept the table setting casual using a small centerpiece sprinkled with silver and gold. The mirrors were snagged from my parent's attic a while back, the votives came from CB2, and the tray and candelabra came from Goodwill. The plant was two dollars courtesy of, you guessed it, Kroger! Sweet, simple, and chic.


This year has been such an amazing blessing, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for 2014. I don't actually have any specific New Years' resolutions. I just want to work harder, play harder, and take it all in. I'm so thankful for this life, and I want to continue to live it to the fullest. May your year be full of positivity, risks, lessons, and success!  XOXO- Rae