Another great vintage-hip Lucketts Store event!

Lucketts is having their Spring market this weekend -- May 22 - 23, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

I can't make it (we're having my husband's 40th birthday bash!), so you have to go and buy great pieces and tell me ALL about it! Jealous already.

Have fun if you check it out.

Ground hog sale @ the Old Lucketts Store

I love a great find! Combine a great find with musical ground hogs and an appealing sale promotion and I'm there.

The Old Lucketts Store, in Leesburg, VA, is holding their 14th Annual Ground Hog Sale Feb 5 - 7.

"Killer deals on one-of-a-kind items will make you want to sing and dance like
a rock star — you can't miss it."

If you've never been to their store and Design House you should make the trip for this event. A ground hog wouldn't lie, right?

Happy decorating!

design star - personality winner?

Congrats to Antonio Ballatore, the new HGTV Design Star winner.

Does anyone else out there think he won over Dan Vickery just because he has a unique personality? One we don't currently see on HGTV?

They were both good designers, so it was a tough call, but maybe it wasn't.

I'm just sayin'....

Happy decorating!

decorating quiz - what's YOUR style?

I just ran across this neat decorating quiz through retailer HomeGoods, called StyleScope.

Visit the website and take the quiz for yourself (you can also enter to win a $5,000 shopping spree!).

I took a few minutes to take the quiz and they said I'm Bohemian Classic.

"You have a refined sensibility and bring a sense of history and tradition into your decor. You appreciate how symmetrical arrangements and beautiful, well-crafted pieces create a solid foundation to a room. But you like to shake up this restraint with objects and accessories that express your personality and your love of other cultures. When traveling, you seek out unique objects that reflect what you love, and you use them in a sophisticated way. You want people to feel comfortable in your home, and cozy chairs, ethnic fabrics, unique pieces, and even a little touch of quirk or humor give your house a laid-back, Bohemian flair.

You value comfort. Your home is a warm and open friendly place, and you feel happiest when everyone is cared for and relaxed in your space. Elements like pillows, throws, overstuffed furniture, and good lighting set the mood. You may also enjoy layering different fabrics or mixing patterns to create a cozy effect."

Some of this sounds right, but the color pallet they gave me wasn't exactly my vibe. Fun quiz though.

Report back on your results. Do they fit your current style? Help you define your style? Or, did the results surprise you? Or, inspire you!

I want to know. Really!

Voting for a great cause!

You all know I love decorating, but I also love pets (and especially dogs!). I've combined those two loves into an online photo contest, Rooms for Rover, which benefits the MD SPCA.

I asked folks to submit pictures of their challenged rooms and now we're ready to vote for the one who deserves the prize of free decorating time!

The good thing about these voting in this contest? No party affiliation is required, you can vote until July 17 (not just on one Tuesday!), you can vote as often as you want (we won't be counting hanging chads!), and your vote will help save the life of a pet.

How cool is that?

Visit Rooms for Rover to see the entries of "challenged" rooms and vote for your favorite!

Happy decorating.

Last day for Rooms 4 Rover!

(Whiskers, at the MD SPCA)

What are you waiting for? Today is the last day to submit your photos into the Rooms for Rover contest. You will help save the life of animals (like the ones shown here from the MD SPCA!) AND could win free decorating services. All proceeds go to the MD SPCA.

(Hooch, at the MD SPCA)

So grab that camera and shoot a photo of a room in your home that needs decorating help! Then visit the Rooms for Rover site for submission and contest details.

I look forward to seeing your rooms!

Happy decorating.

fun things to do this weekend

I've taken the liberty of putting together a list of things you can do this weekend! You can thank me later.

1. Enjoy a nice dinner out with friends or family or go out on a date

2. Read the paper with a cup of coffee or tea

3. Play with the kids/pets/friends/_______ (fill in the blank)

4. Take photo of your rooms that need decorating help and enter them into Rooms for Rover!

5. Don't put off #4, the last day to submit photos is June 25 and you could win free decorating services!

(take a peek at this video of me explaining Rooms 4 Rover)

Love this contest idea? Please share it with others so we can help save the lives of pets, like Bruno, below!

(Bruno was recently adopted from the MD SPCA after coming in because his owner died)

How I love a great flea market

Oh, how I love a great flea market. There's no better way to spend a spring morning. 

It's a shopping trip full of possibilities. You never know what will be waiting for you at the various tables. There's the digging and hunting and bartering, and the idea that you might go home with something really unique or special—at least to you! This is "green" shopping at its best.

My style is somewhat eclectic, so I don't like everything matchy-matchy or new. I like to mix old pieces with new things, or with gently-used pieces. Some need paint, some need nothing at all. The ability to see the possibilities is what makes it great.

Here are a few tips if you are considering going to a flea market.

1. Go early. Be the first one there! This will ensure that you have a chance to see the best stuff.

2. Have an open mind. You need this in order to buy someone else's "junk." 

3. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You can barter on price, ask for a special deal if you buy three, ask if the seller will split up a set at the end of the day if it's is still there (most people do NOT want to take stuff home).

4. Make it YOURS. You can paint almost anything so don't let things like an ugly color get in your way. If you love the size and shape of a table but it's not a color you like, buy it and paint it! (The ways in which you can jazz up junk are endless—cover it in fabric, cut it down to size, add a wire screen, hang it on the wall, etc., etc.)

5. Don't think too hard. Remember, this is about finding objects you really like, things you are drawn to, don't worry about where you'll put it or what you'll do with it when you get home. My experience has taught me that if you love it you'll find a use for it!

6. It's not over till it's over. I once bought something from someone who had already bought them from a vendor. I really, really wanted them and just asked if they'd be willing to sell them to me. They did!

7. Have fun. Even if you don't find that "perfect" piece enjoy the weather and the friendly conversations and remember, there's always the next time...

My favorite flea market was scheduled for tomorrow, but I just found out it is postponed until the following weekend....I guess that's just more time to imagine the possibilities!

Free subscription anyone?

Hi all,

This is not design-related, but an exciting technology update. Okay, it's not new technology, but it's new to me.

You can now subscribe to my blog posts. Better than Cosmo or People, it's free and full of valuable decorating information and ramblings. This basically means you can sign up for my new blog posts to come to directly to you via email. 

It's easy! Look for the "subscribe to my blog" option in the left column and click on the link below. Once there, enter my blog address (afpinteriors.blogspot.com) and your email address and now you will receive my posts automatically (versus me sending them out).

I hope this isn't too much technology for some of you...if you do subscribe please let me know and I will take you off of my email list so you don't receive my postings twice. Also, send me any questions and if I haven't already asked you too many times—please SHARE my blog.

Didn't your parents always tell you to share—it's the nice thing to do!

Happy feeding and sharing!