Tag: design

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It’s not what I do. It’s what I do, can do, for you.

Thoreau suggests you should:
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams!
Live the life you’ve imagined.”

But are you? Are you living the life you’ve imagined?

Has the pursuit of your career dreams taken a toll on creating a balance in your personal time and environment?
Of course you love your family, just as much or more than your business. But how can you be everything to everyone, and everywhere, all at the same time? You are successful in the workplace, but struggle to get it all done at home. All while still striving to be the best spouse and mother you can be.

Do you sometimes think, if you just had help you might be able to:  Entertain more often and with less stress; add those final design touches to your home; properly decorate for each season; have a welcoming entranceway; or perhaps even cook brunch with the fresh herbs cut from your own garden.

You know, live like Martha does.

SOLUTION:

People ask me: “What is it that you do Krayl?”

There is usually a pause.

The problem is, it’s not that cut and dried. It’s not that simple to explain what it is I do.
It is a different project every day. Not one particular project fits everyone’s lifestyle needs. For some it is creating the perfect entranceway for your home. (I call it my gateway drug. Try it sometime, you will love it.) For others it may be planning a dinner party you have been wanting to host for clients, complete with the perfect tablescape, menu, wine and flowers. For some a project entails redecorating a guest room and bath to prepare for their summer guests’ arrival. Other days you may find me styling for a photo shoot.

Every day is completely different in my life and I love it all. It’s not simple to explain because . . .

It’s not what I do. It’s what I do, can do, for you.

I’m not always sure what I will be doing next week. What I do know is that it will be giving you the support you need to let you get out there and be who you want to be.
Essentially, I put the LIFE back into your LIFESTYLE.

While this may seem like a luxury, in the long run, I can save you time and stress. From overwhelming projects to simple tasks, always check with me first, let’s discuss your needs and find a solution. Creating personalized environments for gardens, gatherings and everyday living is my passion, my gift to you.

So go out and create the life of your dreams, everything will be ready when you come home.

If this sounds like exactly what you need, head over to my newly focused website for more information. Or simply email me directly today with your concerns and start living the life you’ve imagined.

If you’re not quite ready yet, not to worry. I will continue to post tips and ideas for you

right here on An Appealing Plan.

XO ~ Krayl

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Gratitude to the Home & Lifestyle Universe.

Some weeks are better than others. This happened to be a particularly challenging one for me. But hey, we all have them right? Then tonight I come home and what do I see, the bounty that this week has brought me in the mail.

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Town & Country, Martha Stewart Living, HGTV Magazine, Traditional Home and House Beautiful all in one week! And all right before a forecasted rainy weekend. The home & lifestyle gods are looking down on me and smiling. Gratitude.

What is your favorite magazine you subscribe to? Why? Please let us know by leaving a comment below.

Enjoy your weekend ahead!
Krayl

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Entranceway Design: Bamboo As a Structural Element in Vero

On a recent trip to Vero Beach, FL we stopped into Gloria Estefan’s hotel and restaurant, Costa de Este on the beach.

Although the day was cool and overcast the staff at the pool bar was welcoming and gracious, the drinks and view were delicious.

The restaurant was not yet open for dinner but the architecture of the entranceway caught my eye and I had to take a few pictures.

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I love how the circles in the concrete wall provide just enough light through but still offer guests protection from the parking area. The bamboo clusters are perfectly placed and thinned to again let the light through but still create a barrier. The bamboo was at least 15 feet tall and grew through circles in the roof area up to the sky.

Large beach pebbles create a clean covering for the base of the bamboo and near by walkway.

Well done Gloria. Cheers to An Appealing Plan! Enjoy this post? What did it inspire you to do? Let a comment below and share the love with your friends using the social share button. Complete the form below to receive weekly updates to your inbox.

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Pantone Color of the Year for 2013: Emerald

Radiant, jewel-toned Emerald promotes balance and harmony

Pantone LLC announced PANTONE® 17-5641 Emerald, a lively, radiant, lush green, as the Color of the Year for 2013.

“The 2012 Color of the Year, PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango, a spirited, reddish orange, provided the energy boost we needed to recharge and move forward. Emerald, a vivid, verdant green, enhances our sense of well-being further by inspiring insight, as well as promoting balance and harmony.

Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity – no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.”

As I am so inspired by nature and the natural world we HAD to begin our look at this color by starting in the garden. Leaves, garden stools and garden tools inspire and are inspired by the color green.

 {Garden Stool from About.com}

“Green is the most abundant hue in nature – the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”

Moving from the garden through the entranceway and into your home, Emerald Green bring a luxury to your Doorway and Front entranceway.

{Planters from Fireside Antiques }

{Image courtesy of Franki Durbin }

“Emerald for Interiors Enhance your sense of well-being at home by rejuvenating the interior with Emerald paint, accents and accessories. This jewel-like hue will create a luxurious feel in an entryway, powder room, dining room or study, and bring life to a living room as an accent wall. Add a splash of color to the kitchen and dining room areas with Emerald dinnerware, stemware and appliances.”

I love the image below because it utilizes mirror images to showcase the Emerald Green outside, on the velvet couch and also in the glass mirror on the wall.

Moving on to the kitchen and dining room we see the color come to life in cake stands, glassware, and centerpieces.

{cake stand image courtesy of news-press.com}

{glassware image courtesy of Williams-Sonoma}

{Bells of Ireland Centerpiece Inspiration}

 2013 is going to be a year filled with good fortune and prosperity and we look forward to searching for and providing you with everything you need to create your own appealing plan. {See more of this fantastic color by following us on our Emerald Pinterest Board}

Pantone Reveals Color of the Year for 2013: PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald via read the release in its entirety on their website Press Release …more…

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When Garden Containers, Design and Parties Go Bad

Whether is it for a garden project, home or event design, we all have good intentions, but then sometimes….things don’t turn out as expected. Believe me, I see it all the time around my neighborhood and on my travels.

CASE #1:

You carefully put together a beautiful garden containers to place near your home or business entranceway or pool patio area for the season to bring life and color to the environment. They look fabulous for a week or so, you get lots of compliments and then; you go out-of-town for a week, the combination of plants is wrong for the location or you simply forget about them completely. Next thing you know your guests are being greeted at your doorway by a container full of dried up, dead or past season plants {think Poinsettia in April}.

CASE #2:

Your High School BFF is pregnant and you have offered to host the Baby Shower at your home. With excitement you buy everything you can in pink and blue from the internet for the garden party of 25 guests. The box of items arrives with plenty of time but you suddenly realize you have no idea how to put it all together to make it all work together. You end up throwing them all on the table together and then buying pre-bunched flowers from the local shop, plop them in a vase smack in the middle of the table. Your intentions are great but your execution is not what you had wanted, not like your inspiration picture at all. Not for lack of trying but due to: creativity, design knowledge or simply time constraints.

Do these sound familiar? Well they do to me because I see them ALL the time. Intentions are high but execution or follow through does not match up to your vision.

Well I CAN’T take it anymore. Starting this week, I will be doing a weekly post on these situations. Heading out and taking pictures of “When Garden Containers, Design and Parties Go Bad”. Think store fronts who have let their curb appeal fail to match their brand image, homeowners who allow dead plants to remain in entranceway containers for weeks, people buying those dyed flowers in the supermarket, etc… I will then post them with solutions and suggestions to the design “situation”.

If your business, home, party, design, etc.. is featured not to fear. I will not leave you on your own, I will offer you my services to work with your dilemma such as: 1 free month of container maintenance,  25% off event coordination services or design consultation. {I will not be mean or mention your name or business, unless you have approved this}

If I am able, I will post a follow-up before and after with a picture of your happy smile.

Feel free to send suggestions and you will also get a certificate for my services if the item/location is featured.

So say CHEESE if you see me with my camera peaking from your bushes! x0 ~ krayl

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Design Finds: Casa Nova Tampa

Lastnight I attended an event at CasaNova in Tampa, FL for a networking function {and if truth be told to stare at all their beautiful home decor items}, and found a few new favorites to put on my growing wish list as well as an item or two for a client’s office re-style.

This Bird Nest Pillow would make an excellent addition to the 75 other pillows currently on my bed, after all I don’t have one with a nest and eggs on it… And the whole bird trend is so hot right now.

Bird Pillow

If you follow my blog at all you know my love for Natural Design inside and outside the home, so when I saw this carved wooden chandelier hanging above a round card table I was mesmerized. I stood trying to figure out if it was a created from one single block or created separately then synched together. Still not sure but either way it is amazing workmanship. {although also on trend I apologize in advance for too much of the Tangerine Tango bookcase in the background of the photo}

Tablescapes, Tablescapes, Tablescapes. I LOVE them on an entranceway table, side table, waiting area, dining room, retail merchandising and for entertaining. Pretty much can’t go wrong. Try recreating the ones below on your empty table.

Finally their collection of custom fabrics which takes up pretty much the majority of one wall was too pretty not to take a few snappies of. Hmmm, I think the chair in my master might need a new slip cover…

NEUTRALS

Color Swatches Neutral

RED & YELLOWS

Color Swatches Red & Yellow

If you live, work, play in the Tampa Bay area be sure to stop in Casa Nova and say hi to owner Barbara & designer Kylie Italiano. And tell them I said hello.

Enjoy this post? What did it inspire you to do? Let a comment below and share the love with your friends using the social share button. Complete the form below to receive weekly updates to your inbox. Enjoy ~ krayl

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High Style Planters As Clothing??

“Searching for clothing with room to grow? Look no further than Egle Cekanaviciute’s six-piece “Seed” collection, which doubles as a series of wearable planters. Using potato sacks and tailor’s muslin, the LIthuanian designer deftly manipulated familiar silhouettes to accommodate a sprawling assortment of living flora. Beneath the superficial whimsy, however, is a profound sentiment about human creation—specifically, our fundamental helplessness against “the power of nature.””

If you follow my posts you know I am a huge gardener, anything Eco lover, recycling, design, etc… everything that this collection stands for, BUT, even I’m not sure I could wear these and be serious. I mean as it is, at almost 6′ tall I am a pretty tall girl, and having a tree growing out behind me would just put me over the top!

That all being said, I love the concept and am pretty much jealous I didn’t come up with it…Would have loved to be at the runway show and see it in its glory.

As they stated, Fashion you can Grow with. Would you buy them?? Have an appealing day. ~ kf.

Enjoy this post? What did it inspire you to do? Let a comment below and share the love with your friends using the social share button. Complete the form below to receive weekly updates to your inbox.

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The Home Depot Launchs the “Doing Nation”

Do your spring plans include projects such as a Vertical Garden? Patio Firepit?? Raised Vegetable bed?? Consider joining the Home Depot in their Doing Nation program recently launch, running from April 12, 2012 till May 24, 2012, with the potential of up to $125,000 being donated to partner non-profits.

Sure you have to head to your local store and spend a few dollars but, if this projects are on your list of things to do this spring anyway, why not help support the cause.

 Your Outdoor Spring Projects can now Support Veterans!

The Home Depot®,  announced the launch of its “Doing Nation,” a special spring initiative on Facebook. The benefiting nonprofit organizations serving U.S. military veterans and their families include:  Fisher House Foundation, Operation Homefront, U.S.Vets and Volunteers of America.

To participate, consumers can go to The Home Depot or The Home Depot Foundation’s Facebook page, and choose how many of the six easy and fun outdoor projects they want to tackle.  Once their project is completed, consumers simply upload a photo of their creation and select which organization they would like to receive $100.  The Home Depot Foundation will donate up to $25,000 to each of the four nonprofits for projects completed in their honor, and will double the total amount for the organization that receives the most projects.

Each project has a detailed how-to video highlighted on the Doing Nation Facebook application and you can download shopping lists for each project directly to your mobile phones.

“We hope people will join our Doing Nation and have some fun with these great outdoor projects,” said Craig Menear, executive vice president-merchandising, The Home Depot, and chairman of The Home Depot Foundation’s Board of Directors. “We offer great values every day at The Home Depot, but now we’re taking it a step further – we’re giving consumers the power to donate up to $600 each to support our nation’s veterans using our money.”

To learn more or to start doing these spring sprucing projects that do extra good, please visit www.Facebook.com/homedepot.”

Happy Spring ~ kf.

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Growing with GROW.

Education Conferences are meant to grow your brain, but this week I worked with an Event Sponsor Grow Financial to bring life to their employee table and their vendor table.

Working with my newest passion Succulents I created small pots for each table guest. I ordered the succulents from Simply Succulents but they are also available at many local shops. Using succulent soil as a base and then filing with the small/medium-sized plants. I then place crushed oyster shells to cover the dark soil and to add visual interest and a clean look. The final touch was a wooden “popsicle” stick with GROW written in green sharpie. The hope is that they will place them on their desks as a reminder of all the useful tools they learned during the work shop. And to also remind them to continue to grow everyday.

The ladies from Grow Financial love their jobs and it shows! I was happy and honored to be able to help them spread the word and bring life to their tables. ~ kf.