Author: lizm2019

Does this kitchen look familiar? Right? We have all had or had relatives in the 80s that had this dark kitchen. This kitchen is completely enclosed except for the 2 small openings into it. It’s a hard concept to understand with all the open kitchens we see now. This style is coming back I hear, but I for one am not ready for it. With only the light coming from a small window and the glass on the side door, this kitchen was dark. The only light was the ceiling chandelier. This home was built in the 60s in Miami and has been maintained beautifully. This kitchen was renovated in the 80s with the style at the time. Tuscan and dark. It is a small galley kitchen

So our client, who also happens to be a great lifelong friend, asked us to remodel this kitchen into a new modern one but keeping with the home’s mid-century style that she likes. We said ‘YES PLEASE!” She didn’t want to make it an open concept kitchen which is fine but we knew we had a few things we had to do. (1) bring in more light everywhere and (2) create more storage for her and (3) create a modern mid-century beauty.

Let’s look at a few before and after pictures to get a better feel for the transformation.

Wow! Now wouldn’t you rather cook on the beautiful new built-in cooktop and oven? Yes! We eliminated the large cabinet to the right of the stove and added more counter space, there was none there before when cooking. Crazy! We added lighting under the cabinets as well as overhead in recessed lighting. Plenty of light there now!

This is another WOW! This corner in the kitchen was waster and underutilized. The homeowner needed more storage so she placed a piece of furniture there to help. Didn’t work well at all. Now we created a corner unit with once again plenty of counter space. You could use this whole space as a buffet area if you wanted to. The corner unit houses 2 large lazy susans for even more utilization of every inch of space. We added 2 shelves for the homeowner to display collectibles, cookbooks, etc creating a beautiful space in this corner and still keeping it light.

Look at the beautiful brushed brass handles we purchased. These gorgeous beauties are so mid-century. They are curved inside making it so comfortable to hold and the outside is clean and straight. The Franke faucet is stunning and elegant! We added a hexagon white artisanal tile as the backsplash throughout. It is so beautiful and adds interest and dimension to the counter. The quartz is not only gorgeous but so very durable and hardy!

This is new modern mid-century kitchen they will love for years to come. It is functional, and beautiful and has given her so much more space to store and create amazing meals. If you look closely at the wood, the wood grain flows from left to right seamlessly. Like it was one big piece of wood You don’t see the drawers or cabinets. It is all so smooth and elegant! Amazing workmanship!

Working with our client was such a pleasure (she is a friend first) and we felt the added pressure of making sure this was an amazing experience for her. And can you believe in 2022 that from demo to finish it only took 3 weeks? What?!! YES!! That’s how we roll here at CAME Designs.

The pictures don’t do it justice. It is truly more beautiful in person. Thank you for taking a tour of this Miami Modern Mid-Century Kitchen remodel. What is your favorite part?

What is E-Design?

When I tell my clients or friends that I offer E-Design services, I am asked often what is E-Design? Think of it as the most cost-effective, collaborative way for you to design your space! Some refer to it as ‘virtual decorating’ or ‘online interior design’. I love it because it is convenient, affordable, and faster than traditional design services. This is due to the partnership and collaboration between the client and the designer.

Most of the work is done virtually through emails, video calls, or text. The benefits of this to our busy clients are flexibility, faster turnaround, and affordability. E-Design also gives the client the option of doing it all themselves or having us do it all. Obtaining a shopping list is an option for any client if they want to do it themselves at their pace as their budget allows.

Who or What is E-Design Good For?

E-Design is perfect for small projects like a bathroom remodel, closet redesign, etc. Smaller projects can be designed quicker. The budget can be incorporated into the design options easily.

E-Design is also great for those that need help with a vision. Some clients know what they like and what they don’t like but don’t know where to start or how to decide on color, furniture, etc. This is a great tool to show a vision of a room and how it will all come together. When we can see it in a picture we can then envision it and the client is much happier with the end product. E-Design will let you see what your room will look like with the new design, remodel, etc.

How Does E-Design Services Work?

The Questionnaire

A questionnaire is sent to the client asking basic questions of color preferences, style, who will use the space, the mood the client wants to create, etc. This is important information for the designer to know what direction to take the design in.

The Interview

The designer will schedule a consultation to discuss the questions and to gain a better understanding of the overall design project. This is a time where ideas or inspirational pictures may be shared to gain a better understanding of the styles and looks the client loves.

Design Board Creation

Based on the package purchased you’ll receive a set number of design boards and/or revisions. Our goal is to achieve a design the client loves. And that’s it! A beautifully designed space that is ready to be implemented.

Design Implementation

Once design boards are completed the client can implement the new design themselves. All the shopping links can be provided if this was the option the client wanted. Most of my clients have very busy lives and don’t want to implement the redesign themselves. Instead, they hire us to do the entire work for them. We work with licensed contractors on all our design and remodel projects.

E-Design is a fast, easy, affordable way to get a design vision for a room, remodel, etc.

I Can Create Beautiful Designs on Any Budget

A beautiful design should be accessible to all not just to those that can afford it. I pride myself on working within my client’s budget to curate pieces from multiple sources to produce the most beautiful space. We can design beautiful spaces on a small budget or a grand one. The only difference will be the quality and prices of the pieces but the design won’t suffer. I put in as much time and effort to make a low budget design look as beautiful as a large budget one!

If you want quick affordable design direction and expertise E-Design can be right for you. Let’s schedule a short consultation to see if this is right service for you.

click here to learn more about my e-design packages

Grey is here to stay!

Love it or hate it, the grey trend in decorating is going nowhere. However, I am loving the new trend of combing tones of grey with other colors for a beautifully neutral yet bold palette. My new favorite color story is dark shades of greens and greys!

Although beige and greens and blues are having a moment this year, the grey trend is still popular as a neutral base. The greens bring nature into our homes and when combined with lighter walls and furnishings this can be so calming, soothing even though the accents are dark. See the picture in my blog of the bedroom with the throws, pillows, and chairs in these accent colors.

Different tones of grey or charcoal with different tones of dark mossy greens are such a perfect match! I always thought that greys and blacks for that matter needed a bright pop of color. Don’t get me wrong the pop of color can be fun, contemporary, and appropriate. But when you combine cool grey tones and dark green tones, the effect is for me so soothing and can easily be elegant too.

Grey doesn’t have to be boring!

A dark green accent wall in an otherwise neutral and lightroom can be a beautiful backdrop to art, mirrors lighting. It will add virtual interest and depth to a room. You can see this as an example in my blog picture of the beautiful green wall.

If you have a beautiful window that shows off trees and the greenery outdoor, what a great way to bring the outside in with GREEN. We don’t have to use plants as the only way of bringing the outside in. Just by bringing in this beautiful color we find in nature it will do the trick. In the picture below I just LOVE this room! The huge windows bring in so much light. The neutral floors, table and light grey neutral sofa all are the perfect backdrop to the beautiful dark green chairs and art that brings all the colors together! This neutral room is not boring! Not grey! It’s just beautiful!

Don’t be afraid of grey! Don’t hate grey. It’s a great neutral and with these dark greens, a perfect match to create a gorgeous space! I hope this can show you ways to use my new favorite color story for beautiful designs.

I color combinations can be intimidating. It is hard to see what works and what doesn’t work together if you don’t understand color. I am a certified color expert and I can help you design a space with a color that you will love. Reach out to me at CAME Designs and I will be happy to assist you with your custom color consultation.

During this strange time, we have all been spending a lot more time at home. This has given us the opportunity to look around and work on projects perhaps we never got around to or especially to redecorate. When we are spending more time at home we want that space to work for us and to make us happy. Redecorating in easy simple ways can create new looks without costing us anything at all or very little. I have 6 easy ways to redecorate when stuck at home. You will find these simple and better yet, cost no money to implement.

Review Layout

Play with your layout. Sometimes moving your furniture around and trying different layouts can make a room feel completely different. Create cozy spaces by moving the sofa away from the walls and bringing chairs close in. Place a desk in an office at an angle to see how interesting it can look. The options are endless.

Mirrors, Mirrors!

Mirrors can easily make a space look bigger, all smoke and mirrors as they say. If a mirror is opposite a window it can reflect light into the room and make it brighter. A big beautiful mirror is great over a fireplace or over a buffet as a statement piece. Mirrors come in all shapes and sizes and can create a lot of interest while expanding the space or reflecting a beautiful view. Small mirrors in a grouping can be an art display that can bounce the light in the room around.

Create Beautiful Displays

We are halfway through my 6 easy ways to redecorate when stuck at home! Take a look at your wall units. Are they overcrowded with stuff? Wall units look beautiful with shelves that are coordinated and organized. Placing books on their side with a beautiful item on top and on the opposite side of the shelf an item that you love to display will balance the shelf nicely. Coordinating the colors or the theme that you are displaying on shelves or tables is a great idea too. Remember the simple design rule of 3. Displays look best when in groups of 3. If your collectibles are spread out throughout your home then they lose impact. Consider placing a large number of your collectibles together for a bigger impact, and they will be noticed!

Eliminate Furniture

Take a look at your rooms. Do you need all the pieces you have? Are some of them bigger than you need? Sometimes removing an extra piece of furniture and rearranging things can create a more cohesive room. Sometimes we inherited a piece and we ‘found’ a place for it. Perhaps now is the time to pass the piece along to a new home. Sometimes I decide to use a little side table from one room as a nightstand in another. If you have a beautiful chair or little table that is not getting noticed, move it to a new spot where it can take center stage. Repurposing furniture is always a great idea too. A little side table can become a small desk or entryway catch-all. Be creative and think outside the box.

Store Items Away

Sometimes we can end up with a lot of personal items lying around like hand lotions or keys. We can find great storage solutions that can double for small ottomans or benches or beautiful baskets to keep our personal items neatly stored away. This makes it an easy tidy up situation when you have unexpected guests pop in and you want to clear up. Very quickly we can place these personal items in an ottoman storage box and it will be out of sight and you still have an ottoman as additional seating. Two birds for the price of one! I love especially in small spaces to have pieces that serve multiple purposes.

Define Areas

If you live in an open concept home, like a condo, you may want to define the different areas. This can easily be done using area rugs. To define the living area from the dining area that is adjacent, place an area rug in the living area under the sofa and chairs. This creates a cozy living space that is defined with the furniture placement and the area rug. This can give the illusion of a large space when our eye can see the separate areas as opposed to one large room.

There you go! Being stuck at home can be fun. With my 6 easy ways to redecorate when stuck at home you will be living in a space that is more comfortable and more beautiful for you and you invested no money. You can always reach out to a professional home stager and redesigner in your area, like us at CAME Designs in South Florida, to very inexpensively provide you design assistance to redecorate and repurpose your home to love!

Selling your home can be a very stressful time. With my help, it doesn’t have to be. I have the 3 Cs of home staging tips to help you sell your home fast in South Florida (or anywhere else for that matter)! These 3 are really simple and easy and require very little investment on your part, just maybe a little sweat equity. Ready to check them out?

Clean

No one wants their home to be remembered as the ‘smelly home’ right? We only have one opportunity to make a good impression. Before we list our home it is critical to take time to deep clean the floors, furniture, rooms, etc. Professional home cleaning services are a great investment for this and not a huge investment. We want to remove musty or pet smells that may be lingering in our home. Sometimes we don’t smell them anymore so enlisting the help of a scent checker friend is a good idea. You can find odor eliminators easily at home improvement stores for not a lot of money. Home fragrances that remind us of a spa or freshly baked cookies are very inviting!

Clear

We may not notice all the clutter we have accumulated in our home through the years. But potential buyers will see the ‘stuff’ and not your home if it is cluttered. We want to also clear the home of all personalized items like pictures of family and friends. Why do you ask? Remember that you are trying to get your home ready to sell. We want potential buyers to see themselves living there. A home that is full of personal pictures buyers will see you and your family and it will be hard to envision theirs. Before listing your home is the perfect time to start packing things away in preparation for your move. Pack away those pictures, extra nicknacks, extra or large furniture pieces, and collectibles that are special to you but may not be to potential buyers. A professional home stager can provide their expert design services and give you great ideas for the items that should be removed and stored versus those we want to keep in the home. When a room is clear of clutter it can look bigger, roomier which will be very appealing to all potential buyers.

Create

Lastly, but even most important, is to create a design in your home that focuses the eye on features of the home that you want to emphasize and diverts the eye from those we don’t. This is easily done with the help of a great home staging professional. A home stager can see what you have currently in the way of furnishings and accessories to help you create spaces that are beautiful with emotional connections throughout. It is so easy to upgrade the look of a home with new accessories. Pillows, vases, art are just a few ways we can upgrade the look giving your home a more modern feel.

Remember my 3 Cs of home staging. Let’s clean, clear, and create and watch offers pour in for your beautiful home. You can do this!

I have customizable home staging and design services that can help you with any budget you may have. If you want to find out more check out my home staging services.

Let’s sell your home fast!