Annapolis Designers Say: There's Something Fishy Here!

Annapolis Designers Say: There is Something Fishy Here!

                                            One fish for every member of the family!

                

                   
                          Every once in awhile, a bit of whimsy is OK in decorating your home.
                       I'm sure that you have heard and read in magazines that you should always
                        make your space more personal. Well, this is a version of making it your own,
                         displaying a sense of humor. These are well crafted fish with denim and
                       white painted pine, with overlays of cut-out tin, fish scales. When we saw
                                these at Market, we decided to go big and get 4 of them!

                       Our Entry Platform has been transformed to show a casual Summer Vignette.
                        The driftwood stained table with geometric metal base is flanked by two very                                        comfortable woven wicker chairs with cushions that are attached with Velcro.


                        Since accessories make the room, we have included some close ups of our
                          accent pieces in our display. Think of accessories as the jewelry that you
                            put on after you get dressed. They are what makes an outfit special!

 Our Itty-Bitty Starfish Lamp
 is so sweeeet! It is just perfect
 on a shelf or up on a tall dresser.
 The cream base is topped off with
 a classic linen shade.

 Then our Sea Blue Conch Shell
just happened to be juxtaposed
with our 4x6 Marble Stripe Frame.
The frame is made up of small
 strips of neutral, white and
blue marble.
That's a great Hostess Gift!
Hint, Hint!

 

A Chesapeake Bay Oyster Votive with a small
Glass holder surrounded with native crusty shells is pure art! A row of three of these would brighten up any table.

      And then, ...last but, not least we have our
     Red Wine Glasses with an Etched Sailboat
     front and centered. Another great gift idea!
     Give a nice bottle of wine with two glasses
      and an expensive bottle of wine to the Happy           Couple for their Wedding Gift.




    June is a big wedding month, so stop in and see       us, we can help you come up with a creative gift!
   
      Hope to see you soon!  Gina

Coastal Vibe

 Our Coastal Vibe is showing!

Details of Design in Annapolis

                     Coastal Design is hot, and happening now! We just got back from Market 
                     and the Coastal trend is still very vibrant in design. So, here we have a vignette
                     in our store to show you the fun ways, you too, can pull it all together with the
                     right selections and accessories. 

                     The sofa we used in this grouping is a slip-covered sofa. It has a casual look,
                     with washable fabric that will make your life easier. Stripes of all sorts are one
                     of the main patterns in coastal, whether it be a pinstripe or a large awning type
                     of stripe. The fun  pillows on our sofa are half grey and half blue. They are a
                     great price for $58.00 ea. They have feather fillers so you can give them that
                     Karate chop in the center that enhances their voluptuous look!

                     The star of the show is the hand painted artwork in the background !
                     It is 48"x 72" It is painted on grass-cloth, which adds a wonderful texture and
                     contrast to any painted wall. It costs $698.00

                                Even this wooden tray has the stripe motif!  It is unique, fun
                           pieces like this that really set off the design. The tray is only $38.00

                                                                           

                                                                           





 We have added some light to the display
 with the teal blue lamps on each side. I
just love the creative proportions with the exaggerated height to the shades. It gives 
a fresh look to a classic lamp shape. The lamps come in just under two hundred at $193.00 each.
















                     A trick of the trade!                           



The successful layering of accessories is easy to do with the right pieces. I fell in love with these vases, because I could picture them one in front of the other on a console, with the open centers allowing you to see through to the pieces behind them.

Annapolis Designers Coast through Summer

Annapolis Designers Coast Through Summer

I just want everyone to know that I would blog more if I were retired!

 Work just gets in the way!

I hope that you have missed us not blogging. Summer is almost over and we have been hit by this great economy! Busy, Busy, Busy. So many projects, and so little time.

It is almost time to go to Market again! We have been concentrating on our Coastal vibe.  Our Retail Store has never looked so good! We have some really cool summer throws in to take the chill off of you in the air conditioning. They are very light weight. Come in and see all of the patterns and stripes they are available in. We try to keep the store jammed packed full of intriguing artifacts. We love it when people say that it takes two spins around the store to see everything.

Our highlighted vignette this month has some really different tables featured. The plank console has iron legs and a very rustic feel. The two accent end tables are rope covered and iron with a chipped marble top in Carrera. It's a lot of fun  when you consider one of these creative tables added to your space at home!

The "ropey" ottoman could not have more "Coastal Presence". It is hand braided wool and solidly stuffed.
It's great to just slow down and put your feet up now and then. You can use one as an accent or add two under a console for anticipated visiting crowds!

It runs $225.00

Now, when I was at Market my feet were killing me and so I sat down in this chair in the showroom. I found it so firm, comfortable and enveloping, I almost did not get up!

 So, of course, I had to buy it and have one delivered to our store in Annapolis.
It is a steal at $1033.00
 So much comfort for so little money!

This Primitive Wooden Hurricane with glass globe is a strong accent piece. We have it here on the console table, but, it would also look just perfect in the middle of a round dining table with a fat candle in it. Or you can use your imagination and fill it halfway with sand and shells.

Take a look around your house and see if you have been purchasing little itty bitty accessories.
If you have, this is a chance to get a nice piece with some size to it.

The metal banded votives deserve a little attention. They would make a thoughtful gift for one of your friends this summer. They would enhance any table with a bit of candlelight
peeking through the bands.











Just to keep you informed, our Annual Tent Sale is September 8th!

We have a lot of great slightly scratched and dented items for sale as well as some special purchase items that we were able to get great prices for you on.
We like to clear out a lot of Floor Samples at this time, because, as I said in the beginning of this blog, we are going to Market soon!

It's going to be the Best Tent Sale Ever!!!!!!

Winter's Colors

Winter's Colors at Details of Design in Annapolis

As we are in the midst of the Ho Ho Ho, Happy Holiday Season, I just love the “Snowflake” subtleties that inspired the designers, Megan, SeDell and Leeann, this month on the Vignette.

The carved whitewashed wooden panels set the winters theme with their geometric nod to the snowflake. The whole color scheme is from a winter’s day when the first dusting of fresh fallen snow just coats the trees and ground. The taupe, charcoal, creams and whites are very soothing and make for a very relaxing space. Keep these colors in mind for your living spaces, you’ll never grow tired of them.

I can envision the start of a great family room from the suggestions in this vignette. The plaid rug comes in larger sizes, and is very easy care since it is a low level wool weave. In fact, it is very affordable as well, in an 8X10 it is only $1,060. A sectional in a solid taupe texture would be nice with 2 of the accent chairs that could be pulled up into a larger grouping at a moments notice. The chairs are very easy to move about. Maybe add a large upholstered chair facing the TV in a charcoal colored leather. Then just fill in with the Mercury Glass Lamps at $240 each. The sparkle that they add to a room is a very special accent. For your Cocktail Table, Console and end tables take it from the designers and use a mix of Driftwood, lighter wood tones and metal for a more interesting effect. The whole vignette is a winning combination! 

We have a lot of winter to go as we are just coming up to the Winter’s Solstice. It’s a good time of year to take a look around and take inventory of the furnishings in your home that have to be replaced. Please think of us at “Details of Design” to aid in your search for the perfect piece or pieces to complete your projects. Just drop in the store anytime and bring a few photos to show SeDell what you are up to and she can definitely help you with the perfect new rug, sofa, or accessories for the mantle. We have many regular clients come back over and over, that we have been helping for many years. In fact, this February we will have been in business for 26 years! Time flies when you are having fun!

Keep in touch, and Happy Holidays!

Gina Fitzsimmons

The Coastal Design Balance in Annapolis

Coastal Design Balance in Annapolis

I haven't blogged in a while. We have, luckily, been very busy with our design projects.

But, when Megan, SeDell and Leeann put together this beautiful vignette in the store, I was inspired to take to the internet and dissect and interpret their creative results with our new furniture arrivals. Three great designers, in their own right, they worked so well together as they brainstormed, arranged and set up the perfect example of what we all strive for in our own homes, " Balance".

I love the "Easy Breezy" , relaxed look of this compilation. It has a "Coastal Flair" without the port holes and anchors! The vignette has the calming color scheme of gray, cream and navy, which is a very soothing palette. It has mixed media, worn driftwood finish, nubby  textured pillows, natural wood, metal finishes, geometric patterned rug, pottery and ceramic textured surfaces, and whimsical art of pesky sea gulls to tie it all together. By mixing all of these elements, the texture against the smooth, the light against the dark, and the hard against the soft, one has the "Balance" that I have been talking about. It has the effortless look, as if it had been put together over a period of time, not just one day. It looks like it evolved with favorite touches of pottery, lamps and accessory pieces that have been purchased over the years and moved about from room to room.

Instant gratification seems to be the desire of a lot of people lately, however, we don't want our inner sanctums to look as if it was just dumped off a furniture store truck. That type of interior design is only ever published in the newspaper sales flyers not Architectural Digest.

I want to commend the trio for their natural abilities and talents.  I stood in front of this display in our store for quite a bit of time when I first saw it.  I was just taking it all in. The vignette looks as if it could be the start of a family room by adding a creamy colored sectional to the grouping or even a guest bedroom by adding a queen size bed to the mix. I hope the three have inspired you to pay a visit to our store. We love our jobs and really appreciate our audience and clients.

Please follow along with our blogs, as we create one space at a

 time, looking for the perfect Coastal Balance to our lives. 

We are all so  lucky to live on the Chesapeake Bay!

Well done, ladies!

Gina Fitzsimmons, ASID

Annapolis Design Store Keeps it Cool!

Annapolis Design Store Keeps it Cool!

Keep it cool and keep it relevant!

The design world is all about keeping your home fresh with accents that can mix in with your existing pieces. Just by adding one accent piece, one piece of art or a splash of color, you can bring your spaces into this century and give the room a new lease on life.

Just look around the room.... OK, that's enough time. What is the one thing that dates your room the most when you look with an objective eye? Is it that art over the sofa that you have had in that place for the last 20 years? Is it the Queen Anne console table against the wall? Or, is it the shiny brass Floor Lamp next to your chair?

REFRESH! It is time to refresh! Let go of these things! They do not have to stay in the same place, just because they have always been there! Go to Details over on Bay Ridge Rd. in Annapolis and bring us a photo of your room. LeeAnn our newest Designer will meet with you and take a look at your photo and make some good practical suggestions that don't cost an arm and a leg.Once you get results, you will start to look at your entire home with a new eye. Which room will be next?

LeeAnn did this wonderful display above and the colors, balance and style are spot on! It is a great look for the end of summer, in very cooling colors. This traditional chair, in a teal finish puts a whole different spin on it. It is a more current piece and adds style her vignette.

The Artwork is a print of a watercolor, very
 serene and washy in the blue, grey and green tones.


See how she added the vases on the counter top in front of the art. She purposely pulled the colors out of the art to make more of an impact.
Then balance-wise she reinforced the vertical nature of the trees by using the candlesticks and vases in the elongated shapes.

 This concept can be used on your fireplace mantle.









                                                                                Our featured rustic cabinet is just plain fun!
With three doors that are not the same size, color or finish, you can store a lot behind them. I've not met a person yet that says that they have all of the storage that they need.

Remember that Queen Anne Console you had? Let's loosen up the room and go for a more Coastal Look. You do live in the Mid-Atlantic States, you know.








Here is more storage! These are great boxes in     all types of finishes to maybe use on your coffee table to keep all of your clickers and TV remotes in. Storage boxes like these come in hand to hide all of the small bitty things on your table or
shelving that add to the cluttered look.

Come in and see LeeAnn even if you just need to pick up a Hostess Gift for your friend. These rose bud votive holders come in a variety of colors and are a very useful gift that your friend will cherish. We also have fun , polka dot candles, and as always, the best picture frame selection in town.


Don't forget our annual tent sale is coming up ... September 10th at 9:00 AM. In the top right hand corner, enter your email address and we will keep you posted about our big Annual Tent Sale.

This is a big one! It is our 25th Year in Business!

See you there!    Gina

The Best Seat in the House!

Spring has come on so fast!

When you write a blog, one often makes comments like this because of how often it comes time to write another blog! It has been so busy, I've been neglecting our blog.

We have certainly gotten our share of spring rain.

So, this blog is very appropriate for a spring afternoon. We are concentrating on "The Chaise" . It is the most stylish place in the house to take a nap. In fact that is what my husband is doing right now! I better take a picture or you won't believe it!

There! I told you so.

In interior design, most interior designers have shunned the recliner and opted for using "the chaise" in their designs. It has always evoked a much more romantic feeling and can seat one with their feet up or two sitting sideways in case of a party or a more populated gathering. I just love a chaise with one arm because of this reason. I often use a chaise in my clients projects. Sometimes clients ask me to take it out and just use a loveseat, because they are uncomfortable with the concept. But, once they have a chaise they never go back! It ends up being the preferred seat in front of any TV.

 

Here in our front platform display this month we have a good looking chaise with great lines. This beautiful seating option is for sale for the mere price of $2038.00   

The composition of our vignette this month is using the Greys, neutrals and yellows. These vases are favorites of mine because I like how they layer together and provide some asymmetry to a design.They go for $93.00 and $145.00.

When accessorizing your spaces, remember to use a bit of metallic finish to add the sparkle to the room. These candlesticks are functional and do just the trick. Keep your accessorizing interesting by playing textures, colors, sizes and finishes against each other to create the tension in the room. Keep it exciting!

Be sure and get your monthly visit in to our retail store, Details of Design and view this vignette in person. You can stand in front of it and study the design to really understand the interplay of all of the components.

Bring in a picture of your trouble spot in your home and our in store designer, SeDell can help you bring a fresh new look to your space for Spring!