FOCAL POINT STYLING: Discover Interior Design

Had such a wonderful day Thursday at the DCOTA's Outdoor Chic Affair and showrooms! It was the first Thursday in a series of events they will be featuring every Thursday - from now through August 5th - for their International Design Series. It was an eye-opening adventure - exploring showrooms, studying vignettes, and viewing the tablescape competition between the designers...

But one of the most intriguing, inspiring and fun interactions of the day was getting to meet new people. And some, not even so new to be meeting for the first time and have no re pore, but meeting people face to face for the first time after having met them through facebook! NETWORKING - it's a beautiful thing!

Left - Gloria | Center - Designer Juan Montoya | Right - Michelle

Gloria & I met through facebook...

and since she is living up north in the DC area, she is personal friends with

Jennifer Sergent - of DC by DESIGN blog

Jennifer actually featured my 'Food-Inspired' design

earlier this year on HER blog!! Small world!!

What a treat and a delight to have met DC designer Gloria De Lourdes Blalock of Blalock Interiors- who also introduced me to yet another fantastic person located right here in South Florida - Michelle Mendez (of Rustic Rooster in Delray Beach - FL). Most people were pleasant, but I guess some people were st having a bad day - like when I politely asked a girl if she was going to the book-signing event - she replied "Maybe"..... Be that as it may - here's a round-up of pics of the tablescapes featured. Considering these were set by "designers"... so I'm really curious to read what you think...

DCOTA TS 1

DCOTA TS 2

DCOTA TS 3

DCOTA TS 4

DCOTA TS 5

DCOTA TS 6

DCOTA TS 7

DCOTA TS 8

While touring the many showrooms in between the tablescapes featured on the four floors of the DCOTA, we also met some other talented designers like Andy Quinones of Artistic Interiors, Aldo of DCA-Decor Concepts by Aldo, and Joan Caruso of Casual Environs. Andy studied at the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale (so did I!!) and he started his career displaying some of the vignettes here at the DCOTA. The event will happening for three more weeks, but here are a few vignettes and pieces on displayed in the DCOTA showrooms...

The day ended with a poignant surprise - one of the showroom windows was featuring panels of magenta fabric in their window... and since my dress was ombre magenta - I couldn't resist a moment to get silly and go pop in the window...

and maybe even get inspired for another color...

You never know where your next inspiration can come from...

break free & get creative this weekend...

and don't forget to leave

your comments about the

designer tablescapes...

Aaaahhh.... a new year means a new look. So what better store to go to than one's own garage? Back in November, I had cleaned out the house to collect items for a garage sale. After the sale, I donated the leftovers to SA... but some I held onto... I took it as "a sign" I should keep because it didn't sell. One item in particular was a pair of Surf colored linen panels (pair was only $7 at Target.com). Those became the inspiration to restyle our FL great room.

Trends have changed... playing it SAFE with a clean 'hotel look' is great for staging, but maybe not to 'LIVE' in... With more cocooning happening, (which is probably why the mixing of our "collections over time" is becoming increasing popular), why have all these goodies kept in the garage or closet? Pull them out! Play with them to create a new look... so I guess you could say, some of the 2010 DESIGN RESOLUTIONS I wrote up at Kristin's Discover Interior Design blog, have been applied to our home: (RE) vamp and (RE)lamp. (Speaking of VAMP, here's Valorie's 2010 DESIGN RESOLUTIONS)

B&W Art Collection: Youth, Wisdom, and us...

Space BEFORE: on left Autumn Remixed of 2009

on right: space when purchased in October 2006

Found "Cat Nap" illustration (5/25 series) by a 'Linda' too

(RE) vamp of accessories came from collecting unused items from the garage, and repositioning some pieces from other rooms. Two new items complimenting existing pieces are two THRIFT STORE finds: Cat Nip illustration (only $3)The table (only $10) and a print I found last weekend I negotiated down to $10. The glass was loose, but when I when I removed it's corners, I discovered the frame had cracked. fear not! I happened to have a silver frame that actually worked better.

(RE) lamp came from not only repositioning lamps in the house, but found FABULOUS new shades (too sweet to pass up) at Marshalls Home goods. The B&W graphic pattern relates to the rug and photography. It's pattern also relates to the fret-like grid panels, I brought back downstairs (previously located up in the bedroom).

Originally had set this wall with only a collection of mirrors at Holiday...

Now the wall has impact, height and drama with the addition of B&W framed photos. Still to 'tweak' on the wall, is the framing of the DRIFTED Photos from Friday... which I'd like to keep some in COLOR to play SURF color into wall...

Thrift table was actually too small to stand alone as coffee table for the size of sofa and space. Adding two storage ottomans helped to anchor, give storage, surface, and a renewed focal point in the space. Small chest here functions as the keeper of the remotes... while a smaller chest on the right side table holds all the cats toys...