High-end Interiors without the High Price

I lust for luxurious fabrics, sparkling accessories, and jaw-dropping designs that are showcased in Hotels or high-end interiors. I admire streamlined and serene design or high-contrast color interiors. So how do you achieve a luxe look without the high-end budget? I will tell you how!

How to Get the Look:

Faux Custom Curtains - I am a big believer in window treatments. Custom designed curtains are like the scarf that ties your entire outfit together. By adding a decorative trim or tape to store-bought curtains, it will take your curtains from standard to extraordinary! It will also create a more high-end and custom designed look.

(Photo from Style at Home)

(Photo from chinoiseriechic.blogspot.com)

High Contrast Doors - If your wall color permits, painting your doors a semi-gloss black will take your bedroom or hallway up a notch. There is something oh so sexy about high-contrast interiors. Black and white hues scream "chic". I have also seen really dark walls, depending on where the application is, it can really look drop-dead gorgeous, if you dare!

(Photo from Apartment Therapy)

Flowers - Something about fresh flowers can make a home feel so welcoming. Maybe because we often use fresh flowers for special occasions? I am all about the flowers, but not about the maintenance. Girl, nobody's got time for that! Polyvore, Michael's Craft Store, and Nearly Natural, have some great faux alternatives. You can even thrift vases and spray them white or gold. My personal favorite right now is mercury glass vases - so glam.

Fluffy Pillows - You might be thinking, "What is this girl talking about?" The softer, the plumper, the better. Add pillow inserts that are larger than the actual pillow size for a more volumized look. I love the down inserts. If you have allergies, there are some great hyperallergenic alternatives that are available in the market.

(Photo from emilyaclark.blogspot.com)

Hotel Style Bedding - Crisp, clean, white linens just ooze luxurary. I love the Restoration Hardware bedding or the Matouk Bedding from Bloomingdales.

Chunky Crown Moulding - Thick crown moulding adds architectural detail to your space and also draws your eyes upward to give the illusion of a higher ceiling. I must admit, the beautiful and thick molding can add up in price. I did find on pinterest an amazing trick if you need a more budget-friendly option. Check out how to cheat when it comes to creating thick moulding (the tutorial is for base moulding but the same concept can be applied to the crown).

(Photo from sheknows.com)

Details, Details, Details - Accessories are the jewelry of your room. I'm all about the details. I love touches of gold or polished silver. If your room has more warm tones, choose gold or bronze accents. If your room has cooler tones, pick silver, nickel, or even lucite accessories. Add stylish coffee table books and a tray to your cocktail table, or even a few bone-framed picture frames. Add the details where necessary, but don't over do it! Too many accessories will make your room feel cluttered. Check out this coffee table vignette from The Glitter Guide.

(Photo from the Glitter Guide)

(Photo from Style at Home)

(Photo from Lauren Conrad)

Random Thought: Did you know that H&M came out with a home decor line? Say what?!! I am the last person to find out? I'm not sure when this happened but I am happy. The items are super cute and affordable! I'm loving the vases with the polka-dot relief detail. I saw clear vases too but I thought this ombre color glass was different! What do you think?

DIY Tutorial: Make a Drab Lamp Fab!

I have been crushing on a gold desk lamp for months. While I was cleaning out my basement, I found a white desk lamp that I was about to toss. Fireworks went off in my head and I suddenly had a bigger grin on my face than the Grinch before Christmas. My gold desk lamp wish is FINALLY coming true..

It was the perfect shaped lamp to spray gold. I dusted off the lamp and cleaned it up. I grabbed all my old newspapers and ran outside. I eagerly sprayed the lamp with Gold Metallic Rustoleum Spray paint. After 15 minutes, and two coats of spray paint later... my gold lamp was complete !!

CALL TO ACTION

- What do you think of the finished result?

- What have you been crushing on lately?

- If you can't buy it, can you DIY it?

- What fun DIY projects are you working on?

COMMENT BELOW! I would love to hear from you. :)

Can't get enough of DIY? Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

http://www.pinterest.com/byamadesigns/

AMA Designs is New to Blog Lovin!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin Hello Friends!

I am new to bloglovin! Making it easier to keep up with my posts and all the other blogs you follow :) Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Kick off the Holiday Season with STYLE!

In honor of Thanksgiving coming around the corner, I am surely in the holiday spirit! This year I will be visiting California and spending Thanksgiving with my cousins and family. I could not be more grateful to be celebrating with them this year! I am very close with my family but the distance hinders communication. I can't wait to spend quality time with them. Since I am not hosting Thanksgiving this year, I thought it would be nice to share gift ideas for the host to show my appreciation for having me. After all, it does take a lot of time, effort, and stress to be a host !! I feel they should be rewarded for their tremendous effort for putting together a wonderful evening. As it is the season of giving, I like to give gifts that are both functional and thoughtful.

Gift Ideas for the Host or Hostess

For the Wino (If you love wine say AYE! ..... Ayeeeee! ) - A bottle of wine with gourmet cheese, bread, and fig jelly spread. Or you can create this fabulous dinner basket with a pasta strainer and fresh pasta. Great idea for the couple who just moved in.

For the Tech Savvy - I have tech savvy people in my family. I found a list of cool tech gifts. I couldn't decide which gadget I liked most! Here is one of my faves. A charging case, which is totally needed for any person who is constantly on their phone (guilty).

For the Dream Chaser - Okay, I admit. I even want one of these beauties for myself! I found these mantra bands on Etsy.

For the Beauty - Create a beauty basket. It can be filled with nail polish, facial masks, or an amazing body scrub. Learn to make your own body scrub, here!

For the Cozy - A fuzzy blanket from West Elm paired with a great read, a fun mug, or a starter log if they have a fireplace.

For those of you hosting the part, I've got your tables decorations covered! The focal point during dinner parties is always the dining table or wherever you are serving the food. Learn how to create the perfect table scape for your dinner party!

5 Steps to a Fabulous Table Setting:

1. Candles - Nothing sets the mood of your evening than some candles burning! Place a couple votives or hurricane candles on the table as a centerpiece.

2. Linens - Add texture and interest to your table by layering linens. Add a table cloth to protect your table and to anchor the table with a basic color or pattern if you wish. Then add a table runner and contrasting placemats.

3. Glam Napkin Rings - I'm a sucker for some glamour! I am loving these brooches

4. Flowers and Naturals - I love fresh flowers but they don't have to be used for every holiday. Try using pinecones, white pumpkins, or gords for Thanksgiving.

5. Personalize It - If you are having a large gathering, sometimes it is easier to pre-determine where everyone is sitting first. This way you can avoid that awkward moment of people aimlessly standing around the table saying. "Where am I sitting?" or "I think I put my drink here...." Create decorative place cards or use Initial Ornaments that guests can take home after the party.

Not your #Basic Nighstand

Welcome to the No Basic Zone! Say Goodbye to the ordinary nightstand and Hello to unique! Here are 10 unconventional nightstands that add a little extra character and charm to your bedroom. 1. LADDER

2. NESTING TABLES

3. SHELF

4. STEP STOOL

5. SWING

6. TRUNK

7. CONSOLE TABLE

8. RECLAIMED WOOD

9. CHEST OF DRAWERS

10. CINDER BLOCK (Why not?)

Stray away from standard. Are you willing to be daring with your next nighstand? Which nightstand style was your favorite? Share your comment below, I would love to know! My favorite is the vintage trunk. Love the extra storage that it can pack - great for seasonal items.

The Nightmare of the Curtains!

I took on the challenge of installing stocked drapes for someone close to me. I made them semi-custom by hemming the curtains. My talented seamstress AKA my Grandma helped me on this special project..... and boy, was this task an adventure!!! It started with me buying the curtains from Bed Bath and Beyond. Due to the various ceiling heights, 84" was the best option. The issue I came across was that the one side of the room was significantly shorter.... which means I had to take up the curtains at least 12"+

"Not a problem!" I thought.

I installed the curtain rods and put the curtains up. I grabbed my pins and folded up the fabric to mark where the new hem should be. After I finished pinning, I took the curtains down and headed to Grandmas.

My grandma whipped out her sewing machine (which is older than me) and she got right to work! Until we realized, one of the curtains was sewed the wrong way. The hem was facing on the frontside instead of the back!! So what did we have to do? We had to take the stitch-ripper and re-do the entire thing..... It's ok, one small problem right?

No.

We hung the curtains up, and they weren't laying right - still too long in some areas. How did that happen?! We repinned and went back to the work room AKA my grandmas guest bedroom. We laid the curtains on the floor.... "Wait, these are crooked.....is it suppose to be 74" or 76?"

Before we sewed anything, we went back to remeasure. Turns out that the floor is slighting slanted!! Instead of sewing crooked curtains, we decided to hem at an average height.

After heading back and forth numerous times, we were completely drained. Staring at those curtains was the last thing we wanted to do. We pushed through tho! We finished the project, the curtains are installed. They look fabulous and you would have never known the blood, sweat and tears that went into them without this story. haha :) --- Ok, no blood but definitely sweat and tears happened....

FUTURE ADVICE: If your going to DIY, measure first. If not, hire a professional window treatment installer.

8 Tips to a Better Bedroom

Follow my blog with Bloglovin When it comes to designing, I feel like the bedroom gets neglected. The living room and kitchen tend to get the most focus and the bedroom usually is saved for last.

With a few quick changes, you can create a better bedroom without spending a lot of time or money.

1. ARTWORK - Artwork can change the feel of the room. It can add dimension and introduce colors into your space without painting. You can choose one large statement piece or opt for a gallery wall.

2. BED LINENS - A new comforter set can make your room feel brand new. You can even spruce up your bed with a throw blanket and some new pillows.

3. ADD LIFE - Place flowers or plants near your nightstand or in a place you can enjoy waking up to in the morning. We often use flowers for special occasions, why not make your bedroom feel a little special too? If you are looking for something low maintenance succulents or faux flowers can work!

4. DRESS YOUR WINDOWS - Don't over look window treatments, swapping out blinds for curtains can make a huge impact to your space.

5. DO IT YOURSELF - Make a statement with a fabulous headboard that you have created or a simple canopy. Get inspired by 30 Extraordinary Headboard Ideas.

6. LIGHTING - New lighting can change the way you look at your space and how it feels. Lighting really sets the mood for any room.

7. UNIQUE ELEMENTS - Add some character to your space with unique pieces such as a fun nightstand, a vintage chest, or a fabulous wall mirror. Having trouble deciding which piece to swap out for something different? Think about a place that you see the most - this way you can enjoy it the most :)

8. FRESH PAINT - A new coat of paint may be a bit time-consuming but it can also be a budget friendly way to change the entire look of the room.

How will you spruce up your bedroom? Tag AMA Designs on instagram so I can see your room! @byamadesigns #amadesigns

The Inner Struggle

As you may now, I have been participating in Alex Beadon's "Feel Good Blogging Challenge" this week. I am approaching the end stretch with today being DAY 6.

In middle school, I never really felt comfortable being who I was. Middle school was definitely the worst stage for me growing up. Think about it - you are going through that "awkward stage", you have no idea how to apply makeup or style your hair, and boys suddenly don't have "cooties" anymore. On top of that, you have the evil "cliques" that you have to deal with.

I was very outgoing and friendly in school. Regardless of the amount of people that I seemingly got along with, I was still bullied. When a group of kids are calling you names, of course you will question if is true. You start to question who you are and then you become insecure. The voice inside my head was worse then the voice of those girls.

But I broke free ..

One day, I woke up a NEW person. It was the day I found my voice. Surprisingly, my voice was so strong that it stopped all the bullying. It was that day that I realized who I was. It was the same year that I ran for Student Council President and won!

I managed to master middle school, but I haven't mastered self-doubt. Tell me if you can relate to some of these --- "Am I good enough? Can I handle it? Do I deserve this? I'm not smart enough. I'm not creative enough. I'm not skinny enough. Why aren't I more successful?"

It is time to start mastering the negative voice inside. I feel that we can be our worse critique! Our mind makes up excuses and reasons for not doing something and we end up holding ourself back. We skip out on opportunities to grow because of the voice of fear. It's time to listen to your "inner cheerleader" and start believing in yourself. If you don't believe in you, WHO will?

I have realized that these negative thoughts and feelings no longer serve me and they are NOT who I am. Sometimes it is best to do things in spite of our mind. I recently was in a "funk" and lacked passion and creativity. I was torturing myself inside. One day, I said "THAT'S ENOUGH." I took all my paint brushes, all of my drawing tools, all of my sketch pads, and got to work!! That day I surrounded myself with creativity and all the things that make me happy. I proved to myself, "Hey, I really am creative. I can do this".

A few months back, I was preparing to film an episode on how to create a home office. The night before I began to psych myself out. You're not confident enough. You're not exciting enough. You don't know what your talking about. You don't have enough experience. You aren't talented enough.

What did I do? I kept repeating in my mind the opposite: You ARE confident. You ARE talented. You ARE enough. You ARE creative. You ARE exciting! You ARE awesome and you can handle anything that is thrown at you !!

It was these affirmations that validated who I was. Not to mention, it helped me tremendously with my stage presence, performance, and confidence.

This is still a learning process for me. It is all about acknowledging your thoughts when they come in and letting them go if they do not serve you. I can tell you that bringing out your inner-cheerleader truly does help! Start looking at yourself in the mirror and say how wonderful you are. Start to appreciate and embrace everything about yourself!

If you haven't heard it today, I want to tell you that you ARE awesome and hope your day is as bright as you are.

Much love,

Amanda