The Ultimate Home Christmas Gift Guide

Yes, it’s the holiday season and I’m in a state of euphoria. I can feel the brilliant electricity that fills the air of Christmas. I wish for little miracles that seem impossible to achieve, but nothing is impossible this time of year, for those who just believe.  This time of year the infectious holiday cheer that reverberates from our home to the next. This wondrous season oozes magic, and it’s always been important for me to share this delight with my loved ones.I’m excited about purchasing that perfect gift for my friends and family this year. I do know that finding the perfect present is a time-consuming task. Browsing online can take hours, even days and our time is precious. If you’re like me, you want the gifts to be unique, meaningful and to provoke an emotion. Give a gift that says something about that person. Top it off with a glistening red bow, pass it along and make your loved ones feel a little more confident and special. The gift should say I was purchased with love and we have a connection. Whether your on the hunt for that big Christmas gesture or simply a stocking filler, take a look through our collection of favorite home decor gifts for an extra boost of inspiration.My curated list will make for a merry and bright holiday season. “My Favorites” make my heart pitter-patter at the thought of them. Be the best gift giver you can be!

CUSTOM ARTWORK AS UNIQUE AS YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY ARE!

You can upload a photo of your favorite person, place or object and an artist of your choice will recreate your very own custom painting! You can also upload a photo of your room, provide a Pantone color, or share a link to your furniture and receive original art that matches your decor. Just click on the photos below to be directed to Minted.com.   

Garden Drive Square Jewelry Boxes By Kate Spade

Because you can't always wear all your treasured jewelry all at once, these bright lacquered boxes with flocked interiors are perfect for the fashionable women in your lives. 

Gem Water by VitaJuwelLove 

Restructure your water using the power of rose quartz gemstones, while also boosting pH and oxygenation. Put a little romance into your gift with these Love gen-water blends.

Kendra Scott Stone Slab Tray

This stunning stone 16" x 10" tray will look outstanding on a neutral ottoman or as an luxurious accent to your master bedroom or bathroom.   

Stylish Cooler For Wine Lovers

Keep your wine chilled in style without condensation on your table, while protecting the bottle from water or ice. The stunning Portaghiaccio copper wine bottle cooler will certainly be a conversation piece. It's hand-crafted in a workshop in Ravina, Italy and features a hand-hammered traditional leaf design as well as a cork-screw style handle. Can be found at Ahalife.com.  

Poetry Books 

For all the readers in your life these stunning poetry books will be sure to please. The black and white books feature a custom jacket design that displays snippets of manuscripts and typescripts from poets, a visual encapsulation of the varying styles and voices in the collection.

The women's  lovely collection of poetry books features the works of five world-renowned women poets. A custom, removable book band ties the volumes together and makes the set a striking addition to any bookcase. The Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets series consists of small, beautifully bound poetry volumes in charming jackets. Each hardcover book is bound in cloth and features a silk reading ribbon, acid-free, natural cream-colored paper, and European-style half-round spines.

They can be found at Ahalife.com

A Drink Caddy Set With 24K Gold Banded Drinking Glasses

A refined addition to the home bar, this set includes an ice buckets and 8 24-K gold banded drinking glasses that are neatly housed in a brass-plated caddy.  Can be found on OneKingsLane.com   

Alabaster Coffee Pot & Creamer Collection   BY- Ahalife.com

Its mid-century silhouettes feature lustrous metal bases, capped with translucent alabaster lids. The alabaster is made in Italy, by artisans with five generations of knowledge of working with this stone, and the stone comes from the last existing alabaster quarry in Tuscany.

Antique Mirror Glass Spheres  By- Onekingslane.com

 

Speakers With A Fabulous Twist  By- https://us.amara.com

I had to throw something fun and colorful into the mix. I'm totally in love with these fabulous and vibrant speakers! They will make the perfect gift for your beach loving friends and family! Get the party started in any setting with this Beach Sounds radio from Sunnylife. Easy to carry and transport from place to place, these speaker radios are adorned with a playful print and is perfect for playing your favorite songs on any occasion. Compatible with any smart phone or tablet, the water and sand resistant body is ideal for beach days, the odd spot of rain or outdoor dining.Beasley & Henley Interior Design

Shop This Mid-Century Modern Living Room

  

Click on the items below to see pricing and availability:

             

~Dive Right INTO A POOL OF GEOMETRIC BLISS ~

Are you craving a little something different in your home’s decor? Are you looking to occupy a space in your home that has an architectural flair? If you are,  you may want to add a little geometry to your world. I’m not speaking of the math class you took in high school, but the geometric world of funky hexagons and fearless patterns. The geometric trend is a perfect way to energize your home. It’s a fabulous way to breathe life into a space and enhance a minimalist point of view and give a room an incredible polished look. If you want a room to look like you hired a designer, you’re going to have add a few pops of visual interest to your interiors. Patterns are fundamental and meet interior designer’s basic requirements while looking famously modern.Deciding to incorporate geometric into your home can be easy, but I am always asked how far should a person go? Do you use the patterns as an accent role or do you want to make a  bold statement with wallpaper? It’s about understanding which elements of a room should play the leading role and which should act as an assisting director. If you choose to add more than one geometric pattern go ahead. Having a slight variation between the tones keeps things feeling unoriginal. I just love the unexpected and so may you! Below are a few ways to you can add a little geometric flair to a space. Always remember have a little fun, be a little daring and never be boring!  

An open airy construction piece just as West Elem’s below can provide and artful component to a negative space!

Sophistication meets geometry with a prism coffee table. It has a refined softness to it while furthering the modern look you are trying to achieve. It stimulates the senses every time one engages with it.

 

Blue & Gold Geometric Shower Curtain By Society 6

 

By adding a bold geometric rug you can make a bold WOW statement, like our designers did below. They added a small geometric metal accessory to tie the look together:

  

Another geometric trend is the addition of patterns and finishes to a piece of furniture. Here are two of our favorites!

 The Haynes design is an innovative, architectural display and storage solution of pretty Mondrian geometries grounded by a black lacquer inset base. The grid design features useful pedestals and shelves that cantilever, suspend or float on the substantial iron frame.

Photo: Bungalow 5

     

How To Design Your Dream Dining Room

An inviting dining space is a home essential and chances are it’s one room in your home that could use a little attention. It’s not only about function, but a little fashion as well. It’s much more than just eating. It should be about the ambiance people feel when they dine in your home. A space where family and friends make time to share their lives. A place where a little drama may erupt in conversation or a place where a little drama can be felt within the décor. Your table is the anchor of the room and the surrounding chairs are just as important.  You want a table set that looks great, serves your dining needs and will last a long time. It’s important to take the time to select the right table for your room’s size and purpose. If you’re looking to go smaller or for great conversation and social gatherings, a round table is a great option. If you’re looking to go larger, a rectangular is popular choice. Most importantly don’t forget to confirm your dining room’s available space before making any table purchases. “Measure and measure again to before falling in love with a table that just won’t work.   It’s fun to add an eclectic mix of chairs to your dining space and a great way to add your own personal style. Make sure they are the right height for your table before falling in love with them!  I also love the look of a bench. So often in a dining space we think of individual chairs as our only choice. A bench with a medley of chairs works for any style of dining space from formal to casual, traditional to transitional. You can also cozy up to your favorite person and squeeze in a few more people during the holidays.  Plan for beautiful lighting in your dining room. Include that uniquely gorgeous chandelier you have been eyeing for a while now. The right fixture can do your space a major favour and exhibit your personal style. It can easily contribute to mood and functionality of the room. A light fixture is like a beautiful piece of jewelry that’s enjoyed from a far. It can be more adventurous because no one’s touching these hanging works of art. Your chandelier can act as the sculptural element in your dining room. It can create the exact mood in which you choose to feel in the space. Don’t forget to consider the diameter and height in which you choose to have your chandelier hung when redecorating the space.     

Ways To Infuse Orange Into Your Home Décor This FAll

Marking the beginning of Fall, pumpkin spiced lattes have made their presence in our favorite coffee shops and fall festivals have begun with their variety of fun filled activities. The shades of Fall such as orange, yellow and brown make for bewitching accents for the home. This week I want to focus on how the happy color orange can be introduced into your home decor and how its many flavors can bring warmth and energy into a space. Physically, this flamboyant color stimulates activity and socialization. It's time to inject a little fun into your life, don't you think? In home decor, it can revitalize and refresh a room in the most attractive way. Playfully dramatic, orange can wake you up in the morning, draw attention to a space or act as the star, making it the focal point to a room.  If your not ready to take the full "orange" plunge, introducing a piece of artwork, bedding, lamp or  pillows will add a surprising splash of color your room craves to have. The brightly colored hue of orange makes for a great contrast to neutral furnishings. It won't be a overpowering, but can still be beautiful. Today we appreciate orange in all its varying shades and the spark of energy it can add to a home. Let's commemorate it in your home and allow this versatile color to bring an uplifting mood. Let us inspire you with the many ways our design team incorporated orange into their designs. Enjoy the photos as we say cheers with our pumpkin lattes in hand.  

Was Choosing A Metal Roof For My Home A Good Idea ???????

The long awaited question "do I love my new metal roof?"  is about to be answered today, and I answer this question with an unalterable YES!  I say yes to the style, form and function of this beauty.  I never thought a clean, crisp roof could administer the butterflies as our new kitchen did, but it does. It gives my home a little pick me up.  It's a fetching protector of my home and has not only added to the numerical value, but a striking design element as well. You could say it gives my home that certain je-ne-sais-quio I had been looking for.As of today I don't have a single regret. I don't regret choosing this shinning beauty over a shingle roof.  I don't regret spending 20% more, because most of the cost will be recouped over the next several years.  Like I mentioned in my previous blog, "To Metal Or Not To Metal", I would like to reiterate all the reasons why it was the best choice for me...Metal is non-combustible and will never catch fire, i'm a big fan of this one!  It will protect my house against extreme weather conditions such as hurricane level winds. During heavy rain storms metal roofs can be noisy, "so I heard", but since installation the heavens have opened up several times and I've heard  nothing!  Not a pitter, not even a patter of sound against the metal . It won't crack, chip or warp, unlike all other common roofing materials. It's going to save us as much as 25% off our annual home energy bill.  It's cooling reflective surface reflects solar heat right back into the atmosphere. I cannot wait to see the savings on my electric bill this summer! My roof will certainly last past my lifetime and will remain 100% recyclable at the end of its service life. It will never end up in our landfills and for that reason alone the choice was a wise one for me!

Roof Before

     

Complete!

                                                                                              

"The Great IKEA Challenge" Part II

Ikea Blog 2When we left off last week we were at the Ikea store, unattractively gaping at the impossibly gargantuan number of options in the furnishings warehouse.(Recap – Beasley & Henley Interior Design has been tapped by Lennar Homes to create 2 unique model home using IKEA furnishings only. This has never been done in a regular single family home! This Blog is our second entry about how we are going to make these IKEA homes happen! Click here to read the previous week’s Beasley & Henley/Ikea/Lennar adventure!)  We find Sam, who it turns out, didn’t sneak off. She is actually elbows deep in huge blue bin searching for coordinating sofa pillows.Let’s stop a moment. This is good time to dispel some of the delusional dreams about the glamorous life of an interior designer. It certainly has its glam-moments, but more often than not you’re elbows deep in a blue bin full of pillows.But anyway…We leave IKEA, exhausted, and head back to the Beasley & Henley design studio. Sam is already diciphering the notes and measurments she wrote on the floor plan and trying to make sense of it all. Was that the Karlstad corner sofa or the Ektorp sectional? Is that number a 3 or an 8?Back at the office Amanda, Sam's assistant on this project, helps sort out all the details, and there are a lot! Along with Sam, Amanda searches the IKEA site for product images, double checks measurements, jots down pricing and slowly begins to put the presentation together for Lennar. At this point Kim, interior detailer, enters the room looking for the furnishings dimensions so she can lay all the pieces into the CAD floor plan with proper sizes and details. Amanda hands over all she has, and not missing a beat, gets right back to the website and her fledgling presentation.According to Lennar Homes, the idea of the IKEA home is to tell propestive homeowners- You can furnish you home in IKEA only and look how great it can look! Not just that, but this is how much it will cost. You can afford that!Of course, it's our job to make it look great, and we will.Amanda hands the pricing list over to Leah, the new assistant. She's quick on excel and soon her fingers are flying across the key board and the pricing begins.A few minutes later I wander over to Amanda and Leah to ask how it's going. When I get a muffled group response of, "It'g going" and no one looks up from their computer screen, I know that means it's a good time to back away and let them do what they do.As I leave I can't help but look at the presentation as it nears completion. OMG this is going to be great!_________________________________________________The phone rings and my Lennar contact is on the other end. She is so excited the thrills are just dripping from her voice.“When will you be ready to show us the ideas for the two models?” she asks. I know she’s trying to be calm, but she’s really revved up to see how we are doing.“Tuesday!” I volunteer hopefully. I’m not sure where Sam and her team are in the process, but I’m pretty sure it can happen.  I figure we’ll be ready on Monday, but Mondays are bad for client presentations. What if something goes wrong late in the process or someone gets sick and you can’t finish properly?  On a Monday there is not much you can do to fix it, but by Tuesday, well, we figure it out!So Tuesday it is. I let the team know.  The response is clear as eyebrows are silently raised in my direction. Their pace picks up and I back out of the room.One more time, selections are checked to make sure they coordinated in color and style with the ‘backgrounds’ in the home (ie the flooring, countertop, cabinetry etc). Each piece of furniture is properly sized for each room. Furnishings are scrutinized again with the end user in mind. Do they match the demographics?  Are the rooms family-friendly? Does each bedroom have a unique personality? Colors are coordinated. Artwork is selected.  Last minute reselections are made where needed. Double check. Triple check.It’s Tuesday. Sam has her water and her game-face on. We load the car with the presentation boards and print outs and head off to the Lennar office.It’s go time!

The Inside Story- What Designers REALLY Do

WHAT DO YOU DO ALL DAY?

Back by popular demand we are reposting our "What Designers Really Do" blog today. We found  a deep interest in our design process and are happy to share it with you again.

I recently met with an intelligent reporter who focuses on architecture and engineering in the media.  We had a good conversation that eventually came around to the subject of interior designers.

Turns out that this well-meaning woman had almost no idea what interior designers actually do.  She knew about furniture and fabrics, which is great, but little else.As interior designers, we live and breathe our work, so it is always a surprise to us when people assume we spend every day picking paint colors and sofa fabrics.Most of our projects go on for more than a year. The important ‘furnishings and fabrics’ part takes place in the last 3-6 months of job. So what could we possibly be doing the rest of the time?  Here is a glimpse into a ‘day in the life’!1. The first stop for any project is a review of the architect’s Floor Plan. We work with good architects so we are always thrilled to get their good floor plans.  But designers and architect’s don’t look at spaces with the same eyes.  We start with a general furniture layout using typical features or even specifics (like, a client may say I need room for my Baby Grand or I have a huge collection of antique books).  We make sure things fit and that the floor plan flows per the furniture plan.  We make sure the doors swings won’t hit the furniture, the windows are aligned to the furniture layout, the walls make sense and are long enough for the client’s fantastic huge sofa or California King bed. We also look at the bathrooms and often make suggestions for changes there as well.TIP: The sooner we are involved in the floor plan the better.  It is a lot cheaper for the client to change things on paper and make sure they are built right, then to change things in the field where every alteration costs money and time. Cha-Ching!2. Lighting and Electrical.  We receive the lighting plan from the architect and make sure it works for what the client told us and how the house flows.  Again is easier to work out problems on paper then with the electrician standing there, waiting for decisions, charging by the hour. Lately, there is often an additional expert, the lighting consultant, on the project.3. Reflected Ceiling Plan (RCP).  The RCP is the project’s ceiling details, beams, coffers and other interesting details. Usually the architect gives us the RCP with very little on it.  They know we will create the designs to match the other aspects of the interiors.  This is a huge part of the project and when we create it, we are also consulting with the mechanical, electrical, engineering and HVAC specialists, plus we make sure the new lighting plan works as well.4. Flooring Details. We determine what flooring will go where, like carpet, tile wood, etc. It may not be the exact tile, but at the early stages we determine the concept of what the material will be.  These are decisions that need to be made very early, even before the slab is poured, because the final flooring material will affect the thickness of the slab the builder needs.  And believe it or not, the Flooring Plan goes with the Electrical Plan, because floor outlet locations have to be decided before slab is poured to avoid a loud guy with a huge saw cutting concrete months later.

5. Wall Elevations and Details. At the same time the other design work is being done, we are also creating the details for the walls; creating special detailed features, niches, making sure walls meet up with proper, trim, baseboards, fireplace design and all built-ins and media centers.

   6. MEP (Mechanical Electrical and Plumbing). We also consult with the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing professionals to make sure things like AC chases and mechanical closets are detailed in. If not, we re-draw the plan and make them work.7.Wall textures and base paints.  Walls that are to be painted need a different treatment than those that will get wallpaper or faux or decorative treatments. All these details go on a spreadsheet and are sent to the builder and painter.8. Then comes the ‘Specifications’.  Such as, the exact plumbing fixtures in the project including toilets, showers, faucets etc.; the exact flooring materials and detailed patterns for them all drawn out so the installers can follow the plans; cabinetry and hardware in kitchens and baths are determined or custom designed; countertops decided on often after visits to the marble yard to select exact slabs; lighting fixtures, paint colors, wall textures, faux or decorative treatments; wall paper, etc etc, all set up on detailed spreadsheets for the builder, the client and anyone else who needs a copy.9. During all this,  an introductory color and furniture plan is presented to the client.  This way we know the colors and general style of the home. All the details, ‘specs’ and drawing are all geared toward the meshing with the final vision.10. Then we do furniture. :)THAT is what all the fuss is about.  That is why only a talented interior design firm with dedicated resources and a talented team of professionals aimed at completing all these important steps  should touch your design project!And that, is what we do all day!

4 Of The Best Reasons Why You Should Hire An Interior Designer

1.  YOU WILL HAVE HIRED A JACK OF ALL TRADES

Your designer will act as the liaison between you and your architect, vendors, contractor and spouse. While building a strong bridge between you and everyone else, designers have a trained eye and are always a head of the game. They address issues before problems arise and think about things that may have been overlooked.

2. RESALE VALUE

If you choose to sell your home the benefit to hiring an interior designer is two-fold. Not only will you have a faster turn-around, but it will bring more money to your pocket. An interior designer will add an increased appeal and beauty to your home that will attract your future buyer. They are trained to show your home in the best possible light.

3.  YOU WILL HAVE AVOIDED COSTLY MISTAKES

Scale and proportion can be a difficult subject for amateur decorators. Purchasing furniture that does not fit can be extremely costly. Things like plumbing fixtures, light fixtures, flooring, wall color and window treatments are just a few selections carefully thought out with the space and design in mind.

4.   YOU WILL HAVE AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF RESOURCES TO CHOOSE FROM:

Your designer has access to a vast variety of furnishings, fabrics, fixtures and accessories that’s only available to them. The look and feel to your home won’t be cookie cutter and will wow your friends and family!

WOW- A 3D Printed House!

First there were miniature handheld sculptures, then heart valves and now sprawling homes that have all been created by using 3D printing. Through 3D printing technology they all possess the same anatomical architecture as the real thing.  The Chinese company WinSun developed a 12,000sq ft. mansion and a five story apartment building using 3D printed layers. The layers were made of mixed concrete and recycled waste materials, such as glass and steel.Not only are these structures eco friendly, but the cost is a fraction of what the going market asks today. This awe inspiring technology can shorten production times up to 60 percent and save up to 50 percent of building materials.  In the future,  different architectural design software applications can be used to build bridges and skyscrapers. Advancements will eventually  lead them to be built right on site. Who knows what the future holds for 3D technological advancements, but it's exciting to think of all the possibilities.

Luxurious 12,000 square foot mansion built by WinSun, using 3D printing. The home was reinforced with steel and filled with installation.

In order to  build this mansion, they needed a 20 feet high printer with a span of over 4,000 feet.  The substantial printer squeezes out one layer at a time, in a diagonal fashion.  They use recycled materials and quick dry cement in the process.

A computer controls a mechanical extruder arm to lay down the concrete. It is then treated with special hardeners so each layer is strong enough to support the next.

Here you have the final product. It's simply amazing to see!

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