Kimberly Reuther » white

office makeover…part 1 – ideas and organization

Kimberly — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 04:05:45 +0000

So, recently I have fallen out of love with my office space. I am running out of usable space to work and would love to move to a bigger space but that is not in the cards at the moment. Add to that, it seems like a ton of designers have recently updated their offices and I am bombarded with beautiful inspiring spaces on a weekly basis. No sense fretting over it…instead, I will dream up ways to transform my existing space!

P.S. I kind of think that my frustration with my office is because I am super busy with work and it is an unnecessary distraction to daydream about an organized and inspiring space…

First, here are a few spaces which get me inspired and anxious to be creative!

Love the windows & crisp color palette!

I like the eclectic and functional feel of this space.

Multi-functional yet bright and open!

Since my office also doubles as my dining room, I need to consider dining seating. I love this photo and I already have this table!

Love the floor mirror and the soft blue/grey of the chairs!

I have been scouring Craig’s List and finally came across these super cheap chairs that I will refinish for my office/dining room. See my colorful inspiration photos below…

Definitely in need of some TLC...

Now, these are my before and in progress shots…

I moved my desk in front of the window, feels more open and kind of like Sex & the City!

I've started to accumulate more stuff that doesn't fit anywhere...

I ordered a matching desk which works as my new credenza! Yeah!

Much more organized but it needs color!

Stay tuned for progress updates!

Simple Holiday Decor

Kimberly — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 06:10:12 +0000

So, you love all the berry branches and amaryllis flowers that are abundant in stores right now. But how do you use them without putting them in the “usual” tall vase? How do you incorporate simpler elements to your holiday decor? Here’s what I did with one of my favorite hurricanes to give it a holiday “facelift”…

empty hurricane...what should we do?

candles, flowers & berries, oh my!

I purchased a large white unscented candle which burns within. This is important as you don’t want wax dripping on the botanicals surrounding the candle. Unscented is also a must if you are entertaining a lot. It allows you to burn the candle without interfering with multiple aromas such as perfumes or yummy entrees! Lastly, notice the scale of the candle. Sometimes I bring my candle holders with me when I shop for candles so I don’t guess and have to make several trips to the store!

Okay, I also have some winter berries and these beautiful white amaryllis stems. My idea is to chop the amaryllis really short and frame them around the candle at the base of the hurricane. Time to cut…wire cutters or strong scissors are a must!

time to cut...

So, unfortunately, my idea didn’t work so well. I only cut one to test and it was too squished once it got closer to the base of the hurricane…now what to do with it. Well, I have this cute little red vase that I normally don’t put flowers in but figured it worked nicely for the season. I cut a second amaryllis stem and situated them so they offset the shape of the vase nicely.

looks better here!

Okay, back to the hurricane…how can I incorporate the berries? I remembered I had some black rocks leftover from another project and pulled those out. I love how the black creates a nice base for the candle. You don’t have to fill the rocks too far, just use your best judgment on proportion.

hmm...black rocks may work

almost done!

Now for the finishing touch, I must say this is harder than it looks. I cut off 2 parts of the berry branches and I still have enough leftover for a future project; that was the easy part. The hard part was placing them ever so gently in the rocks without them scratching the candle or falling over. I ended up using scotch tape to hold them together, only from the back so you wouldn’t see the tape. I love how it turned out and I can’t wait to see how nicely it burns!

voila!

Inspiration Collage 101

Kimberly — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 04:17:08 +0000

A key part of making your house a home is developing your signature style. This is similar to developing a fashion style. We all see trends come and go but over time we learn which styles flatter our figures and mirror our personalities.

Creating an inspiration collage is something I encourage people to do, even when not working with a designer. It is important to gather images of rooms, furniture, colors, accessories that you love and edit to help shape your vision. As you move forward in purchases for your home, this collage will serve as a blueprint for your style.

I have a framed corkboard that I change out periodically to reflect my focus at any given time. I’m starting fresh in several aspects of my life and this is my inspiration at the moment.

my inspiration collage

I rearranged some accessories in my apartment as well as pulled new concept photos for my board. This is always an easy trick to reinvent bookshelves, coffee tables, etc. Moving things into different rooms gives your accessories and photos new perspective and saves money!

Here are my inspirations at the moment…

I love flowers: real, fake or in photos. It is too expensive to get fresh flowers, so I settle for realistic-looking fake versions. Love these from Pottery Barn!

I love looking at photos of my close friends & family, especially my sister Tabs. I have lots of framed pictures of the two of us all over my apt. She’s my best friend; can’t imagine my life without her!

I also adore my Patch NYC butterfly plate from West Elm. It is such a cute shaped platter and the free-hand feel of the butterfly sketch is simply beautiful.

Inspiring poems and quotes are included in my collage along with photos of places I would like to live someday. Outdoor spaces are especially inspirational to me; I love watching nature. The photo of the crystal chandeliers over the simple vases of tulips shows creative balance. The Prada sunglasses ad in the center represents how I would like to be perceived: a juxtaposition of an intense & playful spirit.

As I pass by this space, I feel uplifted and hopeful. I hope you enjoy making your own inspiration collage!

My Dream Office

Kimberly — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 17:44:42 +0000

So, it has been a couple of years and I am still obsessed with the color white. It is the absence of color which has a very clean, soothing effect if executed properly. The key is to balance the textures and lines of the space to create the warmth normally found in a room with more color.

Here are a few images I pulled together as concepts for my future office space. I love the lines of the furniture and the crispness of everything. I can already imagine the uncluttered backdrop to allow me to create beautiful spaces for my clients! Mixing in weathered wood elements, satin silver finish, natural raffia and classic white marble offset the sleek white lacquer furniture fabulously. Of course, the room would not be complete without my accent color “du jour” in the form of bright pink area rugs!

Things I love – Black & White – Part 1

Kimberly — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:18:05 +0000

So, if you don’t know me, you have no idea how much I love the combination of black and white and how classic and timeless it is. Also very versatile, it can be upscale or whimsical, depending on the application. (I am also crazy with a capital C for the color red but I will leave that for another entry.)

I am also loving the chevron pattern trend which is of course the rug I am slowly saving my pennies to afford at West Elm (see below).

Well, I have just discovered a few other fun black & white pieces to covet…Let me know if you like them, too!

how fabulous will this look in my living room? Zig Zag Rug from West Elm

seriously adorable!! Dottie Chair from PB Teen

LOVE IT!!! Libery of London for Target - Melamine Platter

Durable & Fabulous - West Elm's Melamine Outdoor Dinnerware

Just ordered it, can't wait to wear it all the time! Black Dot Jet Set Tote from PB Teen

Who doesn't need this timeless addition to your jewelry collection? Bloom Flower Ring - Stella & Dot

Show off family photos in style & for super cheap! Liberty of London for Target

Don't forget the tray! Jungle Flower Tray from West Elm