Okie A'la Mode Interior Design

For the past 2 months I have been working with a new Interior Design client and this past Sunday it finally was install day! Before we talk about this house I will share with you all a little of how and what I do. 

I specialize in using things you already have in your home in a new way while bringing in new items to make those items shine. Sure, I would love to start from the ground up but for most people (myself included) that is not realistic. I come in with fresh eyes and a plan to turn your house into a HOME.

I will meet you discuss your wants/needs and tour your home. Then I will come back with my design boards to present to you! You can see this families boards HERE If needed be I will make changes and once we decide we move forward with a plan. 

Once everything arrives and I have shopped for all your new stuff install day is here.... AND I kick you out of your home for 7+ hours! LOL

Let's see the BEFORES:

Living Room

 Home Office

 Hallway and might I add the client made this and I wanted to make sure to turn this into a focal piece!

 Guest room (and yes, I just caught them on a messy day)

 Now let's see the AFTER:
Literally by moving around the furniture in the office it looks TWICE as big! I kept it clean and simple while highlighting their memories. A rug helps ground the desk and gives it it's own space.

 They had a HUGE long hallway so I created a "landing" space. A little vignette of a place to sit, store and check yourself before you head out for the day!

 If you remember these painting created by the couple were just laying on top of the shelves in the office and I love personal touches so I gave them their very own gallery wall. Plus there is room to add on.......

 OMG first of all look at their cutie pie dog Wren! She looks like a model in the guest room! I wanted to completely change the look of this room and make it bright and inviting. The Aspens above the bed and the framed Rocky Mountains print on the wall play homage to our beautiful state.

 My clients love maps so I added touches of them throughout the house. I wanted a huge print to anchor this table....

 And also by adding these awesome metal bins under the table it gives it more depth... functional and stylish!

I am SO PROUD of this, in one of the bins I got vintage maps cu tin 1/2 and rolled to fill with. It looks so cool and also is a play off their love of maps! When this came together I was giddy with excitement!

If you remember their living room had a weird blank space and I needed to add height to the room so I found this awesome ladder shelf that was also a great price! On that bottom shelf I brought in more of those vintage maps to tie the rooms together with. 

 I love creating gallery wall, this makes the house feel like a home full of memories and it is also so chic!

 Look at how that new rug brightens the room and adds warmth! LOVE

 Lastly the dining room... we added modern curtains, those great Ikat prints to tie in the blues plus the huge fork and spoon!!! They did not have a dining room rug which is a must.... it perfectly completes the room!

Right before they came back I was like crap, what if they don't love it but they did! And in fact the next morning I got the sweetest text from them again telling me how in love with everything they are!


SaveSave

Colorado Wolf and Wildlife

Friday Mom, Dad and I took a day trip to Divide, CO population 210 BUT a nice population of foxes and wolves! I found this Sanctuary online and I am SO glad I did, The Colorado Wold and Wildlife Center was amazing, educational and in a breathtaking setting. This place is first and foremost committed to education the public on the crisis of the wolf population and their conservation efforts. Watch this video shot at the sanctuary to learn more.....

At the Sanctuary you get to take a 1 hour tour to meet all the wolves (foxes too), learn about them and watch them get treats. You guys, they are just like puppies.... for real. 

Take a moment to read how this lovely sanctuary got started, something we learned about was the "true pack" mentality of this amazing species. I mean we knew how bonded they are together but seeing it first hand and learning how important family is to these animals and how hard the grieving process is for them, it's incredible and sad considering how people are treating them.

The fox enclosure was so cute and these guys are little busy-bodies thats for sure! This one finally decided on a morning nap after a busy morning of digging holes!

When you look at them so close its almost hard to remember that this isn't a family pet but a wolf, and they were the sweetest!

These two are a mated pair who we learned like to occasionally battle back and forth for who is the Alpha. Bickering old married couple is right.

Just look how stunning they are and we got to hear them howl and talk to one another and it was beautiful!

We all had the best time and highly recommend this place to anyone traveling near Colorado Springs.

To learn more about the center, plan a visit or make a donation please click HERE

Hall and Oats!

Last night we celebrated my 35th Birthday a few months late thanks to my Mom and Dad.... They got me tickets to see Hall and Oats at Red Rocks! We have been lucky enough to see a total of 3 shows here at this "Bucket List" venue (Incubus and Kings of Leon). We always get there early for parking and tailgate but last nights tailgate was epic and JUST my style! Ya, I brought homemade cake to Red Rocks!!! BUT the crowd was older and all the people around us had wine, some brought SUSHI...SUSHI to a tailgate and I even heard groups of people talking about what books they are reading! I mean really I FOUND MY PEOPLE!!!!!!!!

 Lucky for me I watched the weather carefully and knew it might rain but I vastly under estimated how cold it was..... I was not warm enough in my 2 layers that is for sure! Around 8:45 when Hall and Oats took the stage the skies OPENED up.... I mean do you see the rain in the lights? It was kinda awesome!

Some people say that a Bucket List event is seeing a concert AT Red Rocks IN the pouring rain and well, CHECK!!!!! I am SOOOO glad we brought ponchos but it poured!! We had a great time singing to my oldies in the rain!! Very epic!

Thanks Mom and Dad for a wonderful Birthday present!!!! xo

Breck or Bust!

Last week Matt and I went to Breckenridge for a few days for a Farmers Insurance promotion! My husband and 7 of the other District Managers took care of this for the qualifiers and there were 300 people in attendance! Thursday Matt and I took the 2 hour drive up to the high country and stopped for a fun picnic lunch in Georgetown on the way!

 You know people love Colorado in the winter, as do I but I LOVE it in the Summer! Everything just comes alive and is so lush and pretty!

 I have never been to Breck before and the stream running down main street is just so charming! Matt golfed with the guys (typical) and I did a little shopping and relaxing.

 Our room was at Beaver Run and was a 2 story cabin thing and this was our view... not bad! Those clouds look fake they are so perfect!

Thursday night we went to have a nice dinner at Hearthstone one of the best restaurants in Breck and it did NOT disappoint! It was housed in a 100 year old Victorian home, I just loved it!

 Ha, the sun was SOO bright I couldn't look up at Matt while he took the pic, I swear! But this was my night out look via Anthropologie and I thought it was the perfect "mountain" look! And I felt so good I got so many compliments from nice strangers!

 I also got to spend a little time at the Beaver Run spa and relaxed with a massage! And this huge salt water hot tub was great.... I stayed in so long I got pruney!

 Friday night was the BIG Farmers Family BBQ and I got to play photog! I felt so professional, I took around 200 pics of the events and the families attending...... luckily we got one of the two of us!

Matt had a great time, these guys really out did theirselves! And the setting, the weather was all just perfect!

Savage #staycation

So I said this yesterday on Facebook and it's true... Sometimes the sign of a good weekend is the lack of a ton of pictures! Matt's parents and brother were here Thur-Yesterday and we did a lot of fun things but honestly we were enjoying the moments and didn't snap too many pictures. And thats a good thing! BUT I do have a few to highlight the weekend!

Friday was Boys Day and Girls Day which was great.... and the guys went golfing!

 Meanwhile us girls starting the day off with a little shopping then went downtown to have High Tea like the fancy ladies we are! It's a special place that I like to take people when they come to visit and my MIL loved it!

 Friday night was GREAT we went to see Styx and Boston and we all couldn't have enjoyed the concert anymore than we did! We got to hear all our favorite songs and the weather was just perfect! I had "More than a feeling" that we would all love it and we did! (You see what I did there?? ha)

 Saturday we started off with a great breakfast here in Castle Rock before heading downtown to the Rockies game and even though it felt like we were sitting on the surface of the sun we all had a wonderful time and my husband has the sunburn to prove it!

 I wasn't as big of a trooper as these guys.... I gave up and went to find a spot in the shade for the last hour, I just couldn't hang! After the game I tok everyone to a German place I love and then we all had a friendly game of Bocce..... and Matt and I won in case you were wondering! lol!

Sunday morning Matt's parents headed out early so Landon and Matt did what else.... GOLF! Then the three of us went to the pool and had a steak dinner on our patio before Landon headed out!
I think I can speak for all of us including my dogs.... we were worn out but only because we had so much fun!

Spring Snow

Unless you live in Colorado its hard to wrap your head around all this snow we have been having but to us March is our snowiest month! In fact we will see snow until the beginning of May, the past 2 years there was snow flurries on my Birthday in April. Now, the Blizzard we had last week was a first for me.. it was insane and I LOVED it! It was crazy when I looked outside I couldn't even see the backyard at times it was so bad and we got 24 inches at my house!

 I know I know..... this Fall for his Birthday he will be getting a snow blower which will be much needed! He was thrilled to shovel 2 feet of snow last week... ha!

The morning after snow I swear it is so beautiful, the whole yard just sparkles like diamonds. And we are suppose to get more snow today and tomorrow which is ok with me! Honestly I love all the seasons here in Colorado... we don't have Spring but our Summer and Fall is perfect and I look forward to the snow. The weather here makes me a happy camper. 

Friday Matt and I went to the movies and check this out.... this is the pile of snow, well ONE of the piles around the parking lot of snow that was moved. It was insane and I totally wanted to climb it! Matt said no. wah wah

Anyways don't feel sorry for me while you are already in the 80s down South I am ok with some more Winter!