quote of the day...

"we are the least expensive psychiatrists you can hire."

~mimi mcmakin

holla

new business cards! eee!

quote of the day...

"...designing a home can be a very daunting and expensive process. rich man, poor man, and everyone in between, no one ever has enough money. everyone is always trying to stretch practicality and what they have to meet their dreams."

~william norwich

shout out

 a big thank you to visual comfort for sharing my work! be sure to catch the lovely post over at the vc blog featuring the use of their lighting in my hgtv showhouse!

the rooms you didn't get to see, part two...

as soon as the episode ended everyone who saw my bathroom in person was asking 'why didn't they show your master bathroom? it was my favorite!' i was also screaming at the television something along the lines of "nooo. my bathroom. the 15' shower. whyyy." so to say i was disappointed they didn't show it is an understatement... not only for the satisfaction of seeing the tile sparkle on the television screen, but for all those who brought my vision to life. so here you go... the debut of my master bathroom!

i found the original plan of the master bathroom to be a complete misuse of the space.  because i did not want to simply decorate a bathroom that someone else had designed i chose to redesign the bathroom plan and make it my own. as seen in joe’s house (see below), the original plan of the master bathroom involved a drop in tub with a tile surround, a corner shower, and separate his and her vanities. 

i wanted the shower to be the main focus of the room, not the tub. often with the busy lifestyle most couples experience today, they're competing for their turn in the shower each morning. having a shower large enough for two to shower at the same time was key! i predict major marital problems will be solved in that shower! 

stripe detail continues from the wall onto the ceiling!

artwork by yours truly! to-die-for crystal sconces by visual comfort.

i'm not a fan of drop it tubs like those called for in the original plan. i wanted something freestanding and modern... i wanted the space to feel open, airy and modern! many have inquired on the fabric used for the side panels... the linen/cotton blend pattern is 'gazebo' from lee jofa through kravet.

"details are not details, they make the design"

joe's (my competition) bathroom

so there you have it! who gets your vote?! :)

the rooms you didn't get to see, part one...

for those of you who already know, my episode of showhouse showdown was originally set to be an hour long program showcasing all five rooms we were assigned to design. unfortunately,  they decided to cut down the hour long program to 30 minutes leaving my office and master bathroom on the cutting room floor. while the new format was a drastic and much needed improvement, i was still disappointed that the hard work put forth but not only me, but the people who made it happen was not showcased. so here we have it... the 'room of choice'!

we were given 'a room of choice' on the first floor to do whatever our heart desired. knowing most would take the standard route and design an adult office, i chose to step outside the box and create a 'young adult office.' because i was designing for a couple in their mid-thirties with children it was only natural to accommodate children ranging from grade school all the way up to high school. i aimed to promote creativity with the use of chalkboard paint, encourage learning by the installation of two workstations and of course, an element of fun, the bubble chair! 

what child wouldn't want a bubble chair? what adult for that matter? 

this bubble chair will undoubtedly be present in my barbie dream house waiting for me in my future!

one door closes...

the highly anticipated premier of my episode of showhouse showdown aired on march 3rd. i was very lucky to have viewed the episode with my close friends at our local watering hole in shadyside. i want to thank each and every one of you who came out to support me... it meant more than you know! one of my besties even surprised me with balloons (i gain an indescribable amount of happiness from the presence of balloons)

 i would also like to thank each and every one of you took the time to send me a message via facebook, twitter and email. i spent most of the day saturday in tears while reading all the kind words... what can i say, i'm a sap!

this past friday marked the end of my so-called '15 minutes of fame' with showhouse showdown. heartland homes hosted a fabulous viewing party at joe's (my competition) model home and we had a meet and greet with fans! it was great to meet the viewers and chat with them about our experience. it was also bitter sweet to bid farewell to joe and bob! my experience on the show is something i will never forget and i look forward to all the future holds. as this door closes, many more doors have started to  open! 

stay tuned this week for photos from the showhouse you did not get to see on the episode! i have also been receiving numerous emails with questions on where to buy pieces used in the house and will be sharing my sources with you!

drumroll please...

my episode of showhouse showdown aired on saturday! 

if you missed it be sure to catch the encore this friday!

 www.alishagwen.com is LIVE :) click over for a visit!