Save & Splurge

Doormat 1 / Doormat 2 
Gold Garden Stool / Gold Accent Table
Marble Cutting Board  1 / Marble Cutting Board 2 
Wood Charger 1 / Wood Charger 2
Chair 1 / Chair 2 


Isn't it fun to see certain items for your home that look SO similar around the web, in different places and at different price points?! As a designer, it's important to find those stand-out special pieces for my client's rooms and sometimes you have to splurge on those items (and then other times those pieces happen to find you at a garage sale or vintage store for a lot less!) In order to stay on budget for my clients, once we splurge on a few items, we have to save in other areas. Luckily, there are so many great items that have a high-end look for less. Today I've rounded up a little something for everyone's budget! 

These wood chargers are totally calling my name. We are using them for the April Bloom Workshop photo shoot! I have a purchase list for my apartment, so when I have the budget for the next item of priority I can get it. The next thing on my purchase list is a marble cutting board. I'm going to get this one! It's going to cover up my laminate countertops (blah!), be a great cutting board and pastry chef slab, AND double as a great background for photos. Finally, these chairs. AHH. Love them! World Market has a very similar version to the Restoration Hardware chair. Can you even really tell a difference?!


There are certain things worth spending a little extra money on and then those are some things that just aren't worth it. What pieces of furniture or accessories do you think are worth spending money on and where do you save the cash?!

Enjoy your Wednesday!
xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

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On My Desk: West Michigan Client Living Room Design

Happy Monday, all! How were your weekends? I spent the weekend away at a winter retreat with our youth group. It was a ball of fun (and super cold!)

This past week I've been working hard on pulling together details for a few client's homes. I just love the way one of my client's living room's is coming together, so I wanted to share it with you! We are doing the entire bottom floor of Angela's house, but the living room is becoming my favorite (okay, and the entry way, too!)

One of the first things I do after meeting with a client to hear about their space and the direction they want to go, is create an inspiration board with pieces I think will work well in the room. These are always just the foundation items (like a couch, table, etc.) This is a starting point for both me and my client, as I show it to them and let them give me feedback. Right after I emailed this inspiration board to Angela, she replied with "I love everything!" That's a pretty good starting point ;)

While construction on the house continues, we have been ordering pieces for the living room and it's making some good progress! The above couch came last week and it is so gorgeous, I can't wait to show it to you in a picture. The nailhead trim makes it look high-end and gives it that special detail. I also can't wait to throw some custom designer pillows on it, sewed by my grandma. Our pillow cover business, Lilac & Grace, is so fun to run together. I love that each of my clients get a custom look on their sofa.

Once some of the other major items come in, we will start accessorizing with pieces that offer a bit more color to spice it up. The pillows will be in the blues, turquoises, and gold palette. Here are some other accessories we will be adding:

I can't wait to show you more as the space comes together.

If you are looking for design help with your home, I'd love to step in. Whether you're looking for an hour consultation to help start the ideas flowing with a second pair of eyes, you are far away and want virtual design services, or you're in the West Michigan area and want in-home design services, I've got you covered. If you're interested in where some of the above pieces are from, I'm happy to help you get them ordered. I'm currently running a winter discounted special, so email me at hello@michaelanoelledesigns.com for more information! 

Have a wonderful week!
xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

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Apartment Update: Storage Bench in the Bedroom

It's so fun to see my apartment coming together! I've found I have to be very intentional about the pieces I'm choosing for my apartment, as it's a small space! I just showed you my dining room chairs yesterday, and today I'm sharing my new storage bench for the end of my bed. I love that this gives me an extra place to put things (think winter scarves, hats, gloves, etc!), as well as provides a place to sit to put on my shoes. Besides the obvious functional aspects of the bench, it's just plain cute, too! I've always had a thing for a nice upholstered bench at the end of a bed. It visually anchors the room, bringing balance and harmony-- two principals that are really important in design!

This tufted storage bench is from the Threshold line at Target, one of my favorite lines in the store. I love finding inexpensive items of good quality, to mix in with other items. This really helped me stay on budget!

Photos by Michaela Noelle Designs

BENCH / Shoes / Bedding

Have you added anything new to your bedroom recently? 

Happy Wednesday!
xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

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Apartment Update: My Dining Chairs Arrived!

Last week my dining room chairs arrived! I love having an actual table and chairs now...hooray!

Not only do I love having chairs, I specifically love these from 55 Downing Street! They're so perfect for the style of my apartment- updated shabby chic. The tufting is just feminine enough to dress up the dark wood table, and the chair's legs match surprisingly well with the table. I couldn't be happier :)

Dining Chairs / Curtains: Crate & Barrel, but sold out :(

The chairs are really comfortable and look pretty expensive (they're not! You can steel a pair for just $350, which is a wonderful deal.) Oh, and I only got two chairs, because my dining table is tiny at just 36" diameter. The dining room is so small itself, that it really couldn't take any larger of a table. Two chairs look perfect around the table, and accommodate McCann and I. When I have friends over, we will just pull up a cute bench I have in another room. Should work well! 

Do you like?! 

I can't wait to show you more of my apartment soon. It's really coming along! 

Happy Tuesday!

xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

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Friday Finds: 5

Friday is here and so is Friday Finds!

1. West Elm is having a big sale on chairs and sofas! While I was deciding on a sofa, I highly considered this one-- the Bliss Sofa.

It's so cute and a few of my clients have it. Now is the time to scoop up a good deal on your new couch or chairs! 

2. J.Crew is offering 30% off sale items! (Love their weekly sales!) Use code SHOPSALE at checkout.

My favorite hairbands ever: (they hold all my thick hair and don't pinch!)

Love this striped sweatshirt:

Pretty baubles: 

3. You may have seen on Instagram that I got my custom designed table (by yours truly!) in my apartment yesterday! Now to find chairs. I think I'm going with these lovelies! They're from 55 Downing Street and at such a great price, I can't pass them up.

4. New obsession: trying to locate a fiddle leaf plant in Michigan for the corner of my living room. It's not going well! Help a sister out!

Have a great weekend!

xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

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Shop Talk: Outdoor Furniture & Pretty Bedding

I often get emails about my favorite home decor stores, and today I'm going to share a few fabulous finds with you from my go-to online store, Serena & Lily. Every so often I'm going to try to share some of my favorite home design stores with you here, and feature my favorite products from the site. I'll even let you in on a variety of pieces my clients have bought and love.

Before I'm done with them, all my clients purchase at least something from S&L, as I trust their quality, style and service is always amazing! I'm going to say right up front, this isn't even a sponsored post! I just had to show you some amazing new beauties I found while browsing the site:

1. Bedding: Catalina Duvet is divine. It's the same as my new bedroom duvet, but in navy and I love the pretty contrast it creates. 

Shop my other favorite bedding below:

2. Tabletop: Tasteful and colorful, these items are just TOO good. I can definitely see that lavender runner in a summer party mix!

 Shop the look below:

3. Outdoor Furniture & Accessories: I'll take that view, too! :)

Shop the look below:

How FUN are those outdoor pillows?! I love every last one! Did you see anything that caught your eye?

Happy Friday!

xoxo

interior design website / services / portfolio

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Shop Favorites: One of my Go-To Resources As A Designer

Hey, friends! I consider it my duty, as a design blogger and interior designer, to help you find the best items to fill your home with, share my favorite online stores, tip you off about sales and inspire to create a home you love. In keeping with that mission, I'm sharing about one of my favorite stores today, Serena & Lily. I get emails from sweet girls and young women wondering where I source from and shop. While I can't answer all those emails, I will show you one of my go-to's today! I source from S&L for all my clients, because their products are of great quality and high style. Two of my favorite things. Their bedding is my absolute favorite. One of the many reasons I adore them is because of the classic and effortless style.  

Serena & Lily is offering a great deal right now-- but quick! It ends today.

Here are a few of my very favorite items from the store:

bar cart / pouf / coral bedding / cream and blue rug / scallop pillows / coral pillow / alabaster ring table lamp / white mirror / bookcase / chair

And, just to be fair to a few of my other favorite online stores, here's a collection of what I'm loving currently. (And by loving, I mean coveting…because I'm on a spending freeze and not allowing myself to buy a single thing for two whole months! It's going well so far ;))

Let me know if you snag anything for yourself today!
Have a great Tuesday!
xoxo

Disclaimer: I wrote this post all on my own with my own opinions and no compensation from Serena & Lily. I genuinely love their product line!

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DIY Dresser Makeover: Love Me Some Chevron

Hi loves! I'm finally sharing one of the major projects I've recently completed for my new room!  It took me a week, but I did find a dresser! A little antique white dresser was calling my name at the local consignment shop.  When I bought it, it looked like this:

Straight out of a little kid's bedroom, I'm sure.  I consulted my girl Michelle {Ten June} about what to do with the plain white dresser, and at first I was just going to get some new knobs and call it a day, BUT Michelle is a genius! She suggested I paint a chevron pattern on my dresser like the one she showed me from Pinterest, so I took the challenge. I didn't know how it would turn out, considering measuring and taking my time were all ingredients to this recipe coming out to perfection {I'm not really good at either sometimes!}  

Guess what?! It came out well. I am still in shock the measurements worked out! I have to say, 2 hours of measuring, taping and carefully painting that little thing was so worth it.

 Here's how I did it:

1. Taped off the pattern.

I started by measuring the dresser drawers and dividing the length of the drawer into 3 {allowing for 3 tips of the chevron per drawer}.

2. Next I measured the height of each separate drawer and divided that into 2, so I would have a starting point for my first diagonal line.  Each diagonal tape when from the drawer mid-point to the top, then back down to the mid-point, then back up...creating the even zigzag pattern.  

3. Then after taping the whole top row of zigzags, I measured down 3.5 inches from the tip of the chevron.  3.5 inches directly underneath would be where the next row of chevrons would meet.

After repeating this same formula all the way down the dresser, I realized a miracle had occurred and the chevron pattern had perfectly fit on all 3 drawers. Praise the Lord!


4.  Make sure your tape has nice and clean lines and edges.

5. Using an artists brush, I painted the edges closest to the tape first, ensuring I was careful in not getting any paint up under the tape. {I had no white paint to fix mistakes so this was important!}

6. Paint two coats of the chevron pattern color {I choose gray to go with my walls}. Immediately remove the tape after the second coat.  This helps get a clean tape line, and if there are mistakes, a small damp paint brush will clean it right up.

7. Add new fun knobs! The top two are from Anthropologie and the bottom 6 are from Meadow Boutique.

I'm really happy with the end result. Just shows that a fun pattern, little bit of paint and a whole afternoon of tedious measuring can totally change the look of a plain white dresser!

Here she is:

 

 

The best part? If I ever forget what my blog looks like, I just look at my dresser. They're twins! Guess you could say I love me some chevron (:


Have you painted any furniture recently?
Happy Tuesday!
Love,


PS.


I'm sharing this post with the lovely Beth from Home Stories A 2 Z &

66

The Pretty Dresser Found a Home

I'm home!  You know what that means? The dresser has a new home, too. My newly finished dresser is finally in my room and I'm lovin' it.  This all started back in March when I found this at Goodwill:

I updated by painting it white and adding fun sparkly knobs.  Much more my style! If you missed the step by step process on how I refinished it, you can find it here.


I wanted to update my room by switching out my little girl/teenage furniture with something more modern and more me, and since this is my first week back from school, I finally had the chance to do so. Don't be mad, but I was a bad blogger and totally forgot to take a picture of my old dresser that sat in my room for 8 or 10 years...but here is its matching desk set, so you can imagine what the dresser looked like. 

It was big, had a laminated wood top with mirror attached, and had some floral designs on the top.  It was cute for being younger, but out it goes!


 In with the newly refinished dresser:

Fresh flowers in pretty jars and vases are a must!

I lined each drawer with a coordinating paper: 

A cake plate is a fun way to display my favorite flowers for my hair: 

Still loving my Anthro knobs: 

Hi (: 

....and, end picture overload! (:
Crisp, white, chic dresser all for around $80 {including the dresser, paint and finishing products}


Have you refinished any furniture lately??
Love,


PS. I'm sharing this post with Amanda at Serenity Now, Primitive & Proper, Remodelaholic,  Between Naps on the Porch &  

 

AND

I'm guest posting over at Simplified Bee, sharing my tips on how to maximize a small space

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