Spring Market 2014- Gold! Gold! Gold!

Hi Everyone,
So it's been a little busy and I'm just getting around to sharing some pictures with you from Furniture Market in High Point last week.  Once again, Scott and I had so much fun perusing the showrooms and checking out the latest trends.  I apologize if I can't remember what showroom all of these pictures are from and for the fuzzy pictures that I took with my camera phone:(

Gold, Gold, Gold...antiqued gold, brass, antiqued brass, gold leaf, gilded gold- so many names this traditional finish goes by these days.  It was everywhere at market, from lighting to tables, to accessories.

Worlds Away was all about the Jewel Tones- Emerald Green and Fushia look great with all things gold!

Currey and Company had an abundant of gold lighting- the showroom was gorgeous.  A special thank you to Sonny Koontz for assisting us- having the CEO show you around was quite a treat!

   More stunning plums and golds

Even my buddy and renowned photographer Michael Partenio was sporting their gold logo on a navy blue background.  If you've never seen Dunes and Duchess before, check out their website here -  very unique lighting and accessories designed by Michael and his amazing partner Stacy Kunstel.

Oly had a stunning showroom - fresh whites with pops of aqua and gold- this chandelier is a show stopper...

How cool is this coffee table? - mosaic resin veneer atop a traditional wood base- so unique

For those of you that have never been to market, it can be a little overwhelming.  Unfortunately our schedules only allowed us one day so we tried to get in as much as we could.  Already looking forward to Fall Market!

www.allywhalen.com

Mountain Island Lake Kitchen Transformation

This beautiful home on Mountain Island Lake was in need of an update and what better place to start than with the kitchen?!  The homeowners knew they wanted a fresh look, but weren't quite sure where to start, so in I come helping them step out of their box and into the world of pretty blue/grays and soft whites for one of the most amazing transformed kitchens that quite frankly gives me kitchen envy!

The darker cabinets, blue tile backsplash with beach motif and ho-hum lighting screamed, "ready for a makeover"!

Before:

and After….

Before:

And After:

ooh la la, loooooove this kitchen!

It all started with the paint.  I knew what color I wanted the walls, the cabinets, island and bar area, but needed that perfect countertop to pull it all together. And here it is, the most beautiful quartzite I had ever seen.  Beautiful movement with different shades of grays and whites- perfect with the paint we selected.

Here is a great picture of the quartzite installed…

A few more great shots…

A separate bar area complete with mini fridge and ice maker

Look at all this storage concealed behind a great barn door

               An innovative spot for the microwave- even opens by the push of a button

Love the splash of red in this space…

Every cooks dream... hidden storage for spices flanking the stove- a perfect place for them!

 

We used Amerock hardware from their Allison line, its modern edge with classic vibe added just the right touch!

I love my job- to be able to see a space transformed and know I had an important part in bringing it all together, makes me very happy!

New Ally Whalen Design Logo!

What does everyone think of my new design logo? 

Simplicity Interiors will remain as the shop name and furniture line, but Ally Whalen Design will represent my interior design portion of the business!

Kitchen & Bath Makeover Magazine Features my Budget Bath!

I am so blessed…  how many people can say they really enjoy what they do for a living?  Now it wasn't like I sat back and my business grew organically-  I worked my butt off to get if off the ground and made a lot of sacrifices.  But I can honestly say I have no regrets and couldn't be happier.  I spend more time with my adorable kids...
(Yes, this was NC last month, can you believe it?:)

and my fantastic husband who keeps me laughing all day long and makes me stop to appreciate life and all it has to offer…  Yup, I know, funny and he's hot:)

A Fireman and Policeman by trade, but now an awesome partner in my business who is extremely knowledgeable about my business, social media and my furniture lines we carry.  

Ok, so back to why I started to write this blog (sorry, got sidetracked),  Today the Kitchen and Bath Makeover magazine came out on stands with my budget bath featured! Amazing what a great stylist can do with a ho-hum bath:)  Andrea Caughey is not only a talented Editor and Photo Stylist, but an amazing person with a big heart.  And a huge thank you to Brie Williams (http://briewilliams.com) for producing amazing photos- you are such a talented photographer with great style!

So here are some pics from the Spring 2014 Issue of Kitchen & Bath Makeover Magazine:

The photo shoot included my kitchen as well, so stay tuned for that feature in a future issue of KBM!

-Cheers and Happy St. Patty's Day!!!

Lake Norman Currents did a feature on our Shop!

Thank you to LKN Currents and Holly Becker for featuring our shop Simplicity Interiors! Great article!

Our Addition Made the Cover of Lake Norman Magazine!!!

So exciting to wake up this morning to see that our addition we put on our house made the cover of Lake Norman Magazine!  We knew they were featuring it, but the cover…what a surprise!

For the full story you can go here to read all about it: 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/02/21/4714126/cover-story-comfort-zone.html

Simplicity Interiors of Huntersville, NC Receives

Best Of Houzz 2014 Award

Annual Survey and Analysis of 16 Million Monthly Users

Reveals Top-Rated Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals

[CHARLOTTE, NC], February 4, 2014 – Simplicity Interiors of Huntersville, NC has

been awarded “Best Of Houzz” by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and

design. The interior design firm was chosen by the more than 16 million monthly users

that comprise the Houzz community.

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design.

Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the

number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2013. Design award

winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 16 million monthly users on

Houzz, known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 230 million professional images of

home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site, iPad/iPhone

app and Android app. Winners will receive a “Best Of Houzz 2014” badge on their

profiles, showing the Houzz community their commitment to excellence. These badges

help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area

on Houzz.

“Houzz provides homeowners with the most comprehensive view of home building,

remodeling and design professionals, empowering them to find and hire the right

professional to execute their vision,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of community for

Houzz. “We’re delighted to recognize Ally Whalen of Simplicity Interiors among our

“Best Of” professionals for both customer satisfaction and design as judged by our

community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and

decorating their homes.”

With Houzz, homeowners can identify not only the top-rated professionals like Ally

Whalen, but also those whose work matches their own aspirations for their home.

Homeowners can also evaluate professionals by contacting them directly on the Houzz

platform, asking questions about their work and reviewing their responses to questions

from others in the Houzz community.

Follow Ally Whalen on Houzz http://www.houzz.com/pro/allyrm99/simplicityinteriors

"Ally Whalen brings a fresh approach to design that has been recognized not only

by local media, but she has projects featured in four national magazines,

including several Better Homes and Gardens special interest publications."

About Houzz

Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with

everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish - online or from a mobile

device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of

homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the

country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world

and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to

get the design inspiration, project advice, product information and professional reviews

they need to help turn ideas into reality. For more information, visit www.houzz.com