Readers Projects

I love to get e-mail and pictures of the decor projects from the readers of decor blogs. It's fun to see how everybody else manifests the healthy obsession of serial decorating.

Up first is Melissa Lewis, and old friend from the days when I first discovered kindred souls on the site Rate My Space. Though I don't post anything there anymore, the original RMS group formed the base of the readership of Visual Vamp nearly two years ago, and they continue to stay in touch.
I'll let Melissa tell us about her lovely rooms:

The Dining Room of Melissa Lewis designed for HGTV

Hi Valorie! I have been a fan of your blog for the longest time and just wanted to thank you so much for doing it. It is such a design inspiration to me! I have been a stay at home mom for 10 years and my daughter just started kindergarten, so I am trying to figure out what to do to get started in the design business. I have no formal background and am completely self taught but I have an absolute passion for design. I think doing displays in a store or maybe accessorizing homes is what I am best suited for. I don't think I could do a complete redesign job!! Wondering what you think is the best way to get experience.

The office designed by Melissa Lewis

I have been on Rate My Space and a couple of years ago I was honored to have you comment on one of my rooms! :) Then last year, I was lucky to be picked as one of the shoppers on HGTV's Endless Yard Sale 2008. My husband and I shopped together...I was the crazy girl running for the chandelier if you happened to watch it!! :) Anyway, I have attached a picture of my dining room that I redesigned for the show and wanted to get your opinion! I also am sending a pic of our home office...I think you commented on this one a while back! :) I know you are so busy and everyone probably tries to get advice from you!!! :) So, no worries if you can't answer back, just wanted you to know that your blog is fantastic and you are a huge inspiration to me! Kindest regards, Melissa Lewis

Another view of the office of Melissa Lewis

Melissa Lewis decorated her daughter's bedroom
with a the winning combo of vintage, flea market, and contemporary elements

Next up is my friend Peg DeFilippis. We met many years ago when I did the design work for her wedding. A client became a friend. Peg is one off those people gifted with natural skills. She's a great shopper, and can put togehter a room (or an outfit) that looks wonderful. I posted her New York apartment HERE and her East Hampton cottage HERE.
She is now embarking on another career (her background is in the financial world). Peg recently completed a course on staging from Haverhill, and is trying to land her first jobs. Staging has not caught on in New York, so Peg is a bit of a pioneer. Recently I asked her how her endeavor is going:

Peg writes: Staging is good. I completed my first official staging job in NYC a couple of weeks ago to rave reviews! I will attach a couple of before and after photos for you.

Peg DeFilippis stages a modern look for a vacant studio apartment in NYC

It was a crappy vacant studio and the broker wanted a very modern WOW look to get it to stand out from the rest of the gazillion apts on the market right now. I had it repainted and the windows washed but the owner wouldn’t pay for anything else so the broker is paying me monthly until it sells.

The crappy vacant studio apartment before Peg worked her magic

The after bedroom photo was taken before I added a mirrored side table and floor lamp on either side of the bed...the photo looks too dark without the extra lighting.


It seems in NYC the brokers are the ones who pay for staging right now as in most cases the homeowners can’t be persuaded to spend the money. The brokers however know it will get the place sold so they get the money back and then some with the sales commission.

The bathroom staged by Peg DeFilippis

What I want is to stage homes that are occupied. It is much more of a challenge. I have a broker friend who has two jobs for me coming up after the holidays. Both have the owners living in them so I am excited for that. I need to take my accreditation test next week so I can start marketing myself here and in the Hamptons. I am already passing my card out all over the place! Looking forward to visiting you at some point over the winter! Miss you! XO, Peg

Please send me photos of your projects! We all love to see what each other is doing. I think design bloggers and readers are very talented and the passion we have for decorating is fun to share with one another.

My e-mail is: mizvtheb@yahoo.com

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I Confess To Brian Patrick Flynn at HGTV Design Happens

No regrets: 2008 version of the Visual Vamp living room
photo: CUE Magazine

Have you ever personally had any decor regrets?
This was question Decor Demon Brian Patrick Flynn asked me for Design Happens at HGTV. Go on over and say hello and leave him a comment.

And what about all of you? Do you regret any design or decor choices you have made?

The same space now
Visual Vamp living room 2010

I met Brian last May when we were thrown together on a panel at Grace McNamara's VISION 10, International Window Coverings Expo in Atlanta. It was love at first sight. Brian was clearly the good looking TV star that everyone was besotted with. But to me he was a smart guy with a great attitude and enthusiasm for decor. He was great fun to hang out with.

Visual Vamp at HGTV Design Happens

Many bloggers were invited, and promised to participate on the social media day panel Jackie Von Tobel put together for Visions 10, but most backed out, and a few mocked me for making the trip.

I am so happy that I went to this event. Not only did I learn alot about the window fashion industry (and meet some great people), but I was hosted by blogger and interior designer Renae Moore, and met bloggers Skyla of Sanity Fair, Holly from Things That Inspire, and Jenny from My Favorite and My Best.

Who's smiling now? Brian Patrick Flynn is my secret FB boyfriend. He has a hot TV show on TBS and is an HGTV personality, and he gave me, his cougar FB girlfriend, a great mention on HGTV Design Happens.

Happy Weekend!

The panel at Visions 10 in Atlanta

Visual Vamp Valorie Hart hanging out
with Brian Patrick Flynn in Atlanta
Love those groovy name tags!

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A Dirty Little Secret

Dear Vern Yip,
My dirty little secret is that I actually like you and your work. You are oft ridiculed on the blogs as a veteran mediocre designer who relies on big box store merchandise, who uses an alarming amount of candles mounted on walls, who likes to over use multiples and lots of knick-knacks, who has a soft heart for those in need, who can be a bitchy Asian empress on Design Star, etc. etc.

But here you are designing an Urban Oasis in New York City, that is to be given away in a sweepstakes.

Italian made sofa, antique Peruvian rug, vintage bar cart as an end table

At first I wanted to hate it. All the "hip Yip", "urban" big box stores are represented: West Elm, CB2, Crate and Barrel. I read all the catalogs, so all the merch is instantly recognizable.

Couch converts to chaise

And I work in a home furnishing shop that is a dealer for Kartell, so I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I saw the Ghost Chair used in multiples.

And the couch converts to a bed
Maybe the dogs will like it

The apartment itself is a slippery slope. It's in a trendy hotel, and to me it doesn't seem very much like a home, but rather a glorified hotel room, something to visit once in awhile but not to live in.

The apartment at night

I will replace and lower the chandy

But if I win, I do plan to live here. I don't know if the building allows pets, because there are two dogs to be reckoned with. I also don't know if there is a monthly maintenance fee, or what the property taxes will be, or for that matter what the taxes will be on the value of the winnings of this prize. I will surely have to sell my home in New Orleans to afford these things, and then who knows for how long? But that's okay, because I will work my ass off to afford living in New York again.

Over size photo over the couch - it could be bigger
An image taken in the Natural History Museum in New York
I will change the side lamps, and ditch the knick-knacks

But back to the decor. As I poured over the photos of what you did for this space, I began to appreciate it. Your choices are thoughtful, and I suppose all you could do with this cold box of a small, impersonal place. That, and I am sure all those stores donated the furnishings.

Classic modern chaise

I wonder what you would have done if you were doing this place up for yourself, and money were no object. Perhaps you would not have chosen this address, or if you weren't looking a gift horse in the mouth, you might have purchased a larger apartment, or perhaps two small units like this, and joined them.

Classic modern chaise - this is a keeper

I like the way you tried to add some funky artifacts, and some photographs. Perhaps I would not have chosen photos with images of New York, since, duh, the living photograph of the city is right outside the window.

Groovy artifact with CB2 candle holder

And the apartment feels a little cold. The light is New York tends to be on the cool side, and this apartment just doesn't say cozy...yet. Gray is fine, but this is not the right one.

Nice wood floors - maybe too dark?

I of course can add the finishing touches, and style it to look much more inhabited and less like a catalog photo shoot. I would add some color, though you tried with that red rug, but man that red is so heavy looking. I would also add window treatments.

Ghost chairs in dining area shows how small the living space is

But overall I like what you did Vern, and Alberto, my co-worker Jack, and I are entering to win everyday. We have a three way pact that if one of us wins, we will share the place with the other two. The questions of who will sleep on the sofa bed, or how three adults can share a bathroom, or how we will get Jack's 60 pound dog Girl who is object phobic into an elevator, all remain to be worked out. (Cholo we can pick up and carry in, or for that matter smuggle him into the building in a tote bag).

But work it out we will!

Galley kitchen
The table used as an island is pretty cool
But the whole of the main room seems to fit on the rug!

The bedroom
The back wall looks like glorified cinder blocks - this is not witty

Bed is from Oly - hope it's a king!

Another clever artifact with another photo of New York
Duh, just look out the window
I will change the art work

Greek Key bedding from Williams Sonoma

Pocket door between living area and bedroom

Leather covered radiator cover makes it a window seat!
Oh boy hot leather!!!

On closes inspection it looks like faux ostrich
Nubby and hot!

The hotel size closets are painted a bright color inside

The skinny console came from ABC Home
It's a great space saver, and the mirror finish is nice
All the electronics you win look great

The bathroom
I do not like the asshatbox toilet

So dear Vern, thanks for designing this Urban Oasis. You did a heck of a job Vernie!!!
ex oh ex ho

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The Year Of Emily

Emily makes over Glee co-creator Ian Brennan's home

Emily Henderson has the whole world in her hands. Well at least a couple of globes she is considering to use for her a project for her first HGTV show premiering Sunday (9 PM Central, 10 PM Eastern) August 29, called Secrets From A Stylist.

One her secrets seems to involve globes, so in her honor I did round up of some globe images for you.

Visual Vamp uses a vintage globe on a French chest HERE

Globes have been used as decor objects forever. They are probably one of the prettiest scientific tools to crossover into interior design.

Antique globes were highly prized for posh studies and libraries in the home, but since using vintage objects is so ingrained in the way we decorate, vintage globes have been a staple in mod hipster rooms too. And vamp granny rooms. And fancy designer rooms. And most importantly, your rooms.

House Beautiful

To keep a globe stylish do not use those hideous ones made from semi precious gem stones.
For some reason guys like buy these expensive fugly globes. In fact most new globes are tricky. Vintage (or vintage style) and antique globes work better for our purposes.

Step away from the fugly gemstone globe

How do you all use globes? On your desk? Do you have a globe collection? Do you think globes are lame and over used? They've been around since ancient times, so I think they qualify as a classic that's here to stay. Maybe you have one from your school days in the back of a closet, and it's time to get it out. Kids love globes, and they are great to use in their rooms.

Joni Webb's famous globe collection

A vintage style globe at Hazelnut in New Orleans

Ralph Lauren style vignette using a globe

Globe from a favorite shop of Sketch 42

Blackboard style globe

Vintage globe collection

Book shelf filled with a globe collection

Open shelves with a globe collection

from Velvet and Linen HERE

Back to Emily -

Emily has been giving us a great diary of her whole experience on her blog The Brass Petal, which I fear is going to be taken over by HGTV in some way. Maybe they have to control creative content, and/or Emily will not have the personal time she has spent with us since she started her blog.

She tells us this on her blog: "Two years ago I was struggling to get clients in LA after moving from New York. I was kinda bored and we weren't exactly Scrooge McDucking it in money. But I woke up January 1st, 2010 with less fear than I've ever had. This was my year, I could feel it. I started a style blog (hello), auditioned for a reality competition show, and its turned out to be one of the best years of my life."

What resonates in all of us with Emily is that we have that blog connection to her. She's one of us and she has really made the big time, and we are very proud of her, and hopeful that if she can do it, maybe we can do it too.

As she takes on the world, some things will get left behind, like maybe The Brass Petal.

I know we all wish her the best of everything in this Year of Emily!!!!

Watch her show Sunday night, and send her some Tweets and comments on her blog.

Visual Vamp vintage globe

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