Who doesn't love a Whopper every now and then? Well, let me not lie, it's been a LONG time since the last time I had one - back in my college days! (Insert chuckle.) Anyway, I was so surprised to see the Burger King right next to my job on Northside Drive had been completely demolished. I was astonished of course because the first thing I thought was "Is McDonald's next door and Krystal's across the street really killing the infamous Whopper (or as my fiance likes to refer to it: beating b*tches down). Okay, flash forward to my drive home. As I passed it, I noticed a sign posted in front of The King's rubble "Future home of BK image", with a picture of a builder holding architectural plans. I had to get to the bottom of this.

But first, an advertisement for your amusement:


This was the first thing that turned up in my search. "Fill your desire for something long, juicy and flame broiled..." Yes, it's quite suggestive, but funny none the less. I say, why not make food advertisements funny? It all goes in (and out) the same way, so to me it's really not that serious. And just as you may have wondered, BK most certainly caught some heat for this advertisement. As for the coy ad executive that gave it the O.K. - give that guy a raise!

And while we're talking about clever advertisements, how about this one?

 



So for the premise: In large cities people have found these wallets laying on the street, park bench, etc. Clever marketing huh? You get a a wallet full of coupons to spend on BK goods! P.S. I love the license.

Okay, now I've got you hyped about going to BK, right? But how does all of this translate into the branding for its interiors? I did a little more digging, and the results may or may not astound you. To keep up with the Mc Cafe's that are popping up all over the place, BK had to do something...






Oh yes, ladies and gentleman, may I introduce the Whopper Bar. Complete with Whopper-istas (Hey, a nod to your favorite Starbucks employee) and get this  - you ain't even ready - you can actually get a BEER with your Whopper and Fries for $7.99, courtesy of Anheuser Busch and Miller! The first Whopper Bar debuted as a pilot in Orlando, and by golly gosh, it's catching on. You can customize your burger with 22 different toppings and have it made right before your very eyes! "Have it your way" just got a little more meaningful.

The color scheme? Red, black, and gunmetal -otherwise known as sexy. Combine that with the dollar menu and the fact that the Mc Donald's next to the one that will be built down from my job is extremely old and outdated, BK will definitely be doing the beating of ... well you get the point. No word as to whether this will be the exact design for our location, but hey, why not? A sexy new image and interior? What's not to love?
I've always been a fan of the classic cabriole leg. I grew up with it in my home (my mom is all about some Queen Anne style). But for me, it is so important to have a modern look in my place with a respectful nod to the past. Lately, I've been obsessing over some of the pieces purely out of the infatuation for their attractive legs (agh, I sound like a dude) anyhoo, check these out!

Occasional tables anyone?
The sideboard of my dreams

Platform bed night stands (or as I like to call them, little show stoppers)!

The most attractive, little tv cabinet ever!

 

Who do you know with a coffee table this cool?
China cabinet or linen cabinet? You decide!


Dress me up and call me a vanity.


A place to keep your bedtime secrets...

Very classic meets modern, huh? I'm sure that I don't have to tell you where they're from. These pieces are definitely great staples, and I can't wait to have some of them in our home. :)
So I've seen this picture over a hundred times in my folder.


And I have no idea why, but every time I see this picture, I think of my future. Maybe it's because I own a black sofa that's waiting to used, maybe it's because there is an awesome balance of black, white, and sweet colors, maybe it's because whenever I see it, I think of my awesome sweetie and the amazing life I'm going to have with him. This scene looks so chic and relaxing. The coffee table's set for a candlelit dinner, the shoes and purse are casually laid on the floor, and the sofa looks as if it's more than ready to be cuddled upon. This image makes me feel so warm and cozy, and I can't wait to make it a reality.



Speaking  of the future, my babe is actually anticipating our awesome married life as well. With his new blog takethisgroom.com he's telling the world all about how life feels for a groom-to-be. Hey, you know you're curious! Check it out!
So back in January, my dad got me a rather cool gift for my 23rd birthday - a 32" Vizio flat screen television. And while it came as a total shock, I can say that pretty much everything techie I've ever received came from my daddy! :)


Naturally I began to think about what I could actually do with such a too-cool-for-school thing (up until then I had always been rockin' the cathode ray tube). After seeing what seemed like endless possibilities, I started to get sketchy with it using some stuff from work. 


Truth be told, these were the most inexpensive options. Just some down time I had between kitchens. Next time I'll do a price upgrade sketch. Can't wait until to start decorating our future place. Stay tuned, more excitement to come!
So I found a dress that I kind of dig for my bridesmaid. Finding turquoise dresses is proving harder than I ever imagined it would be, so lately aquamarine has been a close second.  The dress is made by Alfred Sung and I found it on Dessy. Hmmm... what do you guys think? I thought I'd sketch a little too (hey, I was a little bored, can you blame me?)

Brandon and I finally decided on the perfect wedding location. To tell you the truth, I definitely felt like Goldilocks when I stumbled upon it because I had been looking for so long without any success. I absolutely love the place, as well as my wedding coordinator - she's wonderful! I can't wait for that lovely day in September! Get ready!!!!

 
  

  

  

 

This space will be transformed to accommodate our color pallet. Imagine chocolate linens, turquoise accents, and beautiful, vintage center pieces. So excited!!!
So needless to say I've been a little busy bee with all this wedding planning going on. I always had the idea of sending cute bridesmaid invites because "the call after the proposal" thing was never really my style. I really needed to think about some things, about how I really felt about my girls, and more importantly how I wanted them to feel. Below is my bridesmaid invite -a packet if you will- for the most important ladies in my life. I sent them a few weeks ago and to my pleasing heart, they were delighted to receive them!


This page was personalized with each girl's name. Notice the "r&b" in the background; it's officially our monogram for all of our paper goods. The font was essential to me because I really wanted to hand write them but was finding consistency quite difficult (and time consuming). I love the textual paper, but I promised myself I wouldn't go overkill. Someone may have to stop me...




I felt that this page was absolutely necessary. Let's just say that prior experiences gave me the need to make sure that my bridesmaids not only felt comfortable calling me out or giving me advice, I also wanted them to know that this experience will not, under any circumstances, become bigger than their lives and our friendship.




So often I feel like bridesmaids don't receive a clearly-defined role and that they're just expected to know what their duties are. Of course this really isn't the case. I know that most things I'll have to take care of on my own, but there are always some biggies that make the bridesmaid experiences worthwhile. Mind you, I have 5 of them, so if some of them are busy doing amazing things in their life while I'm cutting invites and watching male strippers (okay, just joking, well, not really) then I totally understand.



Of course the dress thing is always a big issue and I wanted to do my best to explain my thought process. Hopefully everything will work out wonderfully, and it will all turn out amazing. I also made a fourth sheet entitled "here's the skinny" but that one is about time, location, arrangements, etc. - You know, top secret bridesmaid stuff lol! I'll share some more little tidbits soon. Stay tuned!
Urban Outfitters is amazing - I'm sure that you all agree. So I was browsing their site yesterday, and I said to myself, "Self, I sure do love this store, and I must incorporate some of Urban Outfitter's stuff into our future love pad (yes, that's what I am officially calling me and Brandon's future place). Their spring collection is crazy cute, and I just had to share some new and old loveliness with you!

 

Wafflewall curtain, anyone? Why yes, I don't mind if I do. These ruffles are absolutely wonderful.



  

What about bursting color? I mean hey, it's almost spring time! Check out this Fleur Mirror, 'cause everyone needs something turquoise in their home (it's a requirement). I also dig the Pod table because you can sit things inside or on top. The fawn mirror is just glossy and cute, I mean how could you not love it?



Now please tell me, who wouldn't want to throw an awesome dinner party with these plates?
They each come in a set of four. Conversation starters for sure!

 

I keep thinking that this Spider Frame would we such a fashion-forward baby mobile. I'd suspend it safely over a crib with photos of familiar faces like siblings and grandparents.

 

This 3d Chandelier is composed of two pieces of MDF (and a cord kit). 
Definitely thrifty chic on a budget.


 

I LOVE the shag rug, and I bet it feels so good on the toesies. 
The KEYS PHONE WALLET rug does more than remind you about how cool your foyer looks.

 
And to save the best for last - I've been coveting this set for quite sometime now. The Apostrophe chair and ottoman are SO within my price range, but with only one review (and a not so great one at that) I'm wondering if I can still make it mine. We'll see! So as always... I'll keep you posted. 
My friend Kera had a lovely little design question and I wanted to give her some feedback!
Let's set the color mood, shall we...

Q.
"So I've heard that there's an unwritten, or maybe in the design world a written rule, that the paint colors of your house need to go together. Do you suggest using similar shades or using complementary colors? Whats your thoughts on this? I ask this knowing what color I want my living room to be (sea foam) and my bedroom (medium-toned lime), which leaves my kitchen and bathroom. Do you think I should stick with one of these two colors or use a lighter yellow or a blend of the two." - Kera

A.
Well My little Purdue Princess, it may just be an unwritten rule, however there are ENDLESS ways to make it work. Here are some options that may work for you:

1. Choose your paint colors based on what will be going into a specific room (such as favorite pieces, fabrics, shower curtains, paintings, window views, etc.) - This is probably the easiest way because designs often fall flat without inspiration and a concept.

2. If areas are open to one another, it can be a little more tricky. Sometimes, you can look at the paint deck (where your sea foam color came from) and choose a color that is adjacent to (left or right) or on the same strip (up or down).

3.You can also choose a complementary color by looking on the color wheel (I believe salmon is sea foam's partner in crime.) Just stick with the same color intensity (lightness and brightness vs heaviness and darkness).

4. Another option is to bring out or tone down your existing finishes, such as choosing a color that is the background of the wood grain in your cabinets or flooring (in your case, those would be neutrals).

 Try uploading a photo of your room using Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer,  and see how it will look before you make that big color commitment.

6. And of course, if you really want some straight answers from your truly -

Living room - Sea foam! It's working!


Bathroom - A soft melon, or turquoise (to enhance the curtain and still complement the living space)


Bedroom - A rich taupe (if you keep the pink, black and orange) also keeping in mind that us girls love to change our bedding, so color commitment is sort of hard  - for me anyway.


Kitchen - A soft lime only a few shades away from your sea foam would be beautiful (perhaps a lime with a hint of brown undertones). I think it would also bring out the color of your cabinetry in a cool, chic, retro kind of way.
 

I hope  this helps! Good luck, and happy painting!
 
 
   

Just some images to get you inspired for the color journey ahead.  :)