Beautiful Outdoor Spaces

Summer time is here and for most of us that means spending a lot of time in our backyards. Some of us though, don't have those chic outdoor rooms that we see in magazines or on HGTV, but that doesn't mean you can't have one. Decorating doesn't have to stop indoors, as a matter of fact, it shouldn't. Our outdoor spaces are as much a part of our homes as our interior spaces and with a little elbow grease and some of that inspiration I'm always talking about, you can have a beautiful outdoor room that you'll want to spend all summer in!

Start by selecting that one part of your yard that gets the most use and also the most attention, whether that's your patio or a deck. Create a focal point by sprucing up your existing patio furniture and arranging it like you would your living room, i.e. sofa, coffee table and some chairs flanking either side. If your existing patio furniture is a little worse for wear, paint, paint, paint! Add some new cushions and a few coordinating pillows (make sure they are weather resistant fabrics) and you've got yourself brand new outdoor furniture! Finally, lay down an outdoor carpet, put up some candles and a potted plant or two and voile! You've created an outdoor room.

Overtime and with a little more money, you can add an outdoor kitchen and maybe even a water feature. Before you know it.. you'll be spending so much time in your newly acquired room, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner!

Check out some of my favorite outdoor rooms below, and hopefully you'll get inspired to start yours today!

As always... Happy Decorating!

Christina

Ok girls...so we're in a bit of a recession. But lack of funds doesn't have to mean lack of fun! And what's more fun than re-doing an outdated room? Well.. I can think of a few things, like shopping for shoes...but I digress.

We all have that one room that falls short of looking like the rest of our home. You know the one I'm talking about, right? The one that always gets the closed door when our guests come over. Well, it's almost summer time and you know what that means...barbeques, dinner parties and lots and lots of guests in your home!

Here's a chic and surprisingly easy way to achieve an expensive designer look for not a lot of money...wall paper one wall with some really cool textured wallpaper. It's not as hard as it looks and it could be the inspiration you need to get the job done. Just pick a pattern and a color that suits you and off you go! Once you get that wallpaper up, you'll be surprised as to how easy it'll be to get the rest of the room "guest" ready in no time! Check out a few of my favorite wallpapers below.. and as always, happy decorating!

Celebrity nurseries

I was doing some research and thought I would share these with you.

Actress Constance Marie introduced her home to PEOPLE magazine giving readers a peek at her eco-friendly nursery! The bedroom is outfitted with organic bedding, a green crib and non-toxic paints!

Brooke Burke's nursery for her newborn daughter Rain - Designed by Tori Swain http://www.newarrivalsinc.com/
Brooke opted for English Rose Garden crib bedding set, soft toile, polka dot and linen fabric combinations in a light pink and chocolate shades.

Jennie Garth's nursery - Designed by Tori Swain http://www.newarrivalsinc.com/

English Rose Garden Crib set with a custom crib canopy, a cozy chair with an English Garden pillow and personalized wall letters with pink and chocolate ribbons, give this beautiful nursery all the final touches it deserves!!!

Trista Sutter's Black and White Nursery - very gown up baby room...

Tori Spelling's bright pink nursery - do you think they might ever get tired of so much pink?

HAPPY NEWS!

At Root Studio we are thrilled to announce I will be the proud aunt of a beautiful little girl and a handsome boy! I am so excited and cannot wait to start doing all the auntie and decorator duties!!!! Only if I were there to help...

So... I started looking into this whole organic line for babies. Did you know Gap just launched "BabyGap Home"? They have gorgeous sheet and towel sets and chew toys made out of 100% ORGANIC COTTON. Just a thought! Check it out and use the discount below.

Gorgeous tile!

Check out these porcelain tiles! They are unbelievable.

"Glam" by Ceramiche Caesar www.caesar.it - To find them in Florida, contact www.tropicaltile.com

BEAUTIFUL!

Obsessed with Mirrored Furniture!

These pieces are not just practical but you can also mix and match with any other style of furniture. You can combine them with any colors and they can become an astonishing focal point of any room.

Mirrored furniture adds elegance and appeal with a little glamour to any room and can completely transform a space. The light reflected , adds a sparkle to small areas, making them appear much larger than they are. Parents, beware if you have small children, it could take a lot of work to polish the mirrored surfaces and remove the smudgy fingerprints to keep it looking stunning.

Horchow - Mirrored Entry Table

Horchow - "Circles" Mirrored Cabinet


Horchow - "Gracie" Cocktail Table


Horchow - Maitland-Smith Ebony Mirrored Chest


Brocade Home - Lattice Flocked Foil Wallpaper


The Paris Apartment - Rococo French Vintage Desk

Brocade Home - Venetian Mirror

Rosen Berry Rooms - Isabella Mirrored Armoire

Lamps Plus - Candice Olson

William Sonoma Home - Horn Mirror Candle Sconce

A Few Of My Absolute Fav's From Horchow!

Hey everyone! Don't you just love Horchow? At Root Studio we LOVE them. Every chance we can, we try and incorporate a few of their pieces in our client's design. They're stylish and beautiful and these pieces in particular, can be used with almost any design style. So take a look, make a list, and get inspired! Happy decorating!

Laguna Sofa with some pretty fabulous toufted tables.

Baroque Style Mirror
Mercury Lamp. In one word...gorgeous.

Horchow Monroe Sofa..isn't it dreamy?

Bella Crystal Ceiling Fixture, adds an elegant feel to any decor!

Annie Selke Settee... classic with a hint of retro.

Black Shade Sconce

Inspiration Pieces!

Decorating can be a bit daunting. Sometimes just the thought of going shopping for furniture and accessories, can have even the most seasoned decorator thinking that lime green couch they purchased at a thrift store back in college, really doesn't look so bad! Which is why most people prefer to hire a professional, or forgo re-decorating all together.

We've all been to that friend's house, you know the one I'm referring to. She has the perfect clothes, just the most unbelievable shoes and accessories and can put it all together in five seconds flat and still manage to look flawless! But her house, on the other hand, congers up images of a fraternity house just after an all night kegger! It's a mess! Missed matched furniture. Old and outdated accessories and a kitchen that even your grandmother would hate! She, just like countless others I encounter everyday, is suffering from a lack of inspiration and of course, a deep seated fear of not knowing where to start.

But I'm hear to tell you... it doesn't have to be a daunting task. It can even be fun. All you have to do is find an inspiration piece. It can be as big as a sofa, or as small as a crystal vase. Maybe it's a really cool piece of art, or that beautiful chandelier you saw in that vintage store last weekend. Just so long as it's amazing to you and inspires you to think big, it's worth having in your home! Once you've found your inspiration, everything else falls into place.

But don't rush it and please don't go into one of those one stop furniture stores that puts it all together for you. Yes, it is easier, but where's the fun in that? Take your time and find pieces that say who you are. When it's all finished, your friends will be begging you to help them decorate their homes!

WELCOME!

Hello everyone! This is our first blog and we are so excited!!!!

Root Studio was officially created a couple months ago so this is a dream come true!

Root Studio is composed by my good friend Christina and I, Nathalie. Through this blog, we'll offer design tips, amazing buys we find and any other thoughts we might have!

Please, join our blog and post your own comments and ideas.

We look forward to this new great adventure!!!