All posts by Beth and Carolina

Why You Should Invest in Your Home’s Interiors

February 13, 2019Entertaining + Home Livingcolor, counters, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, interiors, investing in your home, kitchen, living, Los Angeles, pattern, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, seattle, space, tips, trendsBeth and Carolina

Your home is one of the biggest purchases you’ll make in your lifetime, but it’s also much more than that. It’s a sanctuary, the place where you’ll make memories with your family, and a great place to entertain your friends. We work hard to make sure that our clients’ homes are their favorite place to be, that they function for how they live, and have interiors that they want to show off! So why should you invest in interior design? We’re glad you asked!

Pulp-Design-Studios-Kitchen21 — Interior by Pulp Design Studios. See the full project here.

Making it work – for you

Your home should work to support your lifestyle and how you use each room. We work hard to understand where you might need another plug in the kitchen, and whether it needs a USB port, too. We know how to layer the light in a room for every activity, from reading, to hobbies, to gaming. If you have pets and kids, we have access to all the materials that will avoid stains and issues while still giving you a stunning room. We think through every movement you and your family will make in the house, and we ensure everything is exactly where you need to be. You shouldn’t have to think about it at all!

PulpFinals_0001 — Interior by Pulp Design Studios. See full project here.

Saving you time and effort

Renovating or designing your interiors can be time-consuming and frustrating if you don’t know what you’re doing. We not only love thinking about construction costs and working with contractors, we know how to make the job go more efficiently and cost-effectively. We’re meticulous with dimensions, specifications, timelines, and budgets, and we take care of all the details so you don’t have to. You have a lot on your plate already – why add more?

Nod-to-Nautical-Home4 — Interior by Pulp Design Studios. See full project here.

Smart investing

Since home design is our specialty, our expertise is knowing which architectural features and renovations will get you the biggest return on your investment if you want to sell your house in the future. We know which styles, colors, appliances, and finishes will attract home buyers, and what will increase or decrease the value of your home. Studies have also shown that a property sells for more if the interiors look professionally done. We’ll tell you where to splurge and where you can save, so you’re making the smart decisions for your home.

Fearless Style Fit for a Family 20 — Interior by Pulp Design Studios. See full project here.

An invaluable resource

We love the subcontractors and resources that we work with – and we have access to the best! We have great relationships with artisans, drapery workrooms, specialty painters, home furnishings resources, custom wood shops, and more. And we coordinate all of those people and their work so you don’t have to do a thing other than enjoy the craftsmanship and quality they bring to the project.

unspecified-16 — Interior by Pulp Design Studios. See full project here.

You’re worth it

We specialize in creating custom and unique homes that also include unexpected touches. We want you to be surrounded by beauty and things that you love. A recent Forbes study shows that living in a gorgeous space reduces your stress levels and makes you a more creative thinker. You deserve a home that’s gorgeous and inviting!

Have any questions about investing in your home? Click here to contact us!

Inspired by Adventure

February 11, 2019Traveladventure, aspen, color, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, food, greece, home, hotel, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, mexico, museum, paris, pattern, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, santa fe, seattle, space, tips, travel, trendsBeth and Carolina

We’re asked so often about where we get our inspirations and how we stay creative. Our answer is simple: We love to travel! It can be a trip to the State Fair or a voyage to Greece, but any day spent out of our own home cities is always an adventure!

One of our favorite sources of inspiration is a well-designed boutique hotel, like the one above in Baja, Mexico. The color palette, the chandelier, and that floor definitely are giving us ideas for upcoming projects!

In this Parisian hotel, we were fascinated by the nooks cut into the wall, and that gorgeous glowing metallic ceiling.

Even in a grander hotel that’s more traditional than our designs, we can find plenty of things that spark ideas for us. In the Tulsa hotel above, we loved the pattern on the floor and those huge sconces.

We’re crazy for a funky pattern, and these plates in a Dallas restaurant made us swoon! You never know where you’re going to find your next favorite design idea.

Obviously art is a major inspiration for us, and that can be everything from street art to grand museums, like the Picasso museum we visited in Paris.

How gorgeous is the Jeff Koons piece right out in the open in New York? That’s a city that offers so many ideas and creative sparks!

Creations by local artisans are just as exciting for us as those major museums. We love to find fantastic and unique pieces for our clients’ homes, like these snakes made in New Mexico.

Architecture, new and very old, can be an endless source of inspiration and ideas. Seeing The Acropolis up close was completely awe-inspiring. Even the shades of sand colors in those columns can give us ideas for an upcoming project.

It isn’t always adventure we’re looking for on our travels – sometimes it’s a view. Look at the colors through this window in Mexico. We may just have to use a few of those in another collection of our fabric line.

And sometimes we’re just looking for the peace that comes on a fabulous trip, like this one to Palm Springs. It’s so important to recharge our batteries so we can keep that creativity flowing.

We’re endlessly inspired by our travels around the world, and can’t wait to take off on our next adventure! Where will you go this year?

The Value of Building a Community

February 6, 2019Entertaining + Home Livingcollaboration, color, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, entrepreneur, home, house, ideas, inspiration, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, pattern, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, seattle, small business, space, tips, trends, working with othersBeth and Carolina

At Pulp Design Studios, we love to collaborate. Given that we’re a partnership, it’s in our DNA. Some people are surprised, though, when they learn that we love to collaborate with other designers. We’ve even had people ask us why in the world we want to network with people who might be our competition. Well we have 5 fabulous reasons, and we can illustrate them with photos from an exclusive designer dinner we hosted at the most recent High Point Market (Fashion Week for the furniture world)!

1. Other designers inspire us.

The reason we hosted the Black & White dinner for interior designers is to celebrate other creatives who inspire us! We love looking at beautiful rooms on Instagram and Pinterest as much as you do. When we see gorgeous interiors, they inspire us to stretch our boundaries and challenge us to push ourselves creatively. Although we all have our own styles and niches, inspiration can come from seeing how others interpret a room differently.

2. Networking is critical for any business.

You never know where a connection might lead! We’ve recommended other designers for jobs that weren’t a fit for us. We’ve introduced our designer friends to contacts we think would be good partnerships for them. And we’ve had many generous industry friends do the same for us. It only makes us all more successful if we collaborate when and where we can.

3. We learn from each other.

With our amazing network of designer friends, we talk about everything from where to find the best trim to what the going rate is for the best tile installer. At our Black & White dinner, we used ice-breaker questions to talk about everything from our biggest design issues to our favorite clients! What we learn from each other makes us even more effective and efficient businesspeople.

4. We solve problems.

Crowdsourcing an issue is instrumental in getting to the right solution! We host, and belong to, several industry forums where we can ask for help and ideas. If we’re doing a showhouse in Napa, for example, we can ask for resources in that area to help us get the job done. And we’re happy to help with any information or ideas that we can, too! We all win if we’re all successful.

5. We make lifelong friends.

Relationships are really what life is all about. We feel that way about our clients and our designer friends. Making friends through our work is truly rewarding!

We loved hosting our first Designer Dinner, and look forward to many more! If you’re in business, think about how you can work with people that might be your competition to help create success for everyone!

Here’s the guest list for our first Black & White Designer Dinner – be sure to check out the work of these incredible creatives:

Jeanne Chung, Cozy Stylish Chic
Cheryl Kees Clendenon, In Detail Interiors
Kara Cox, Kara Cox Interiors
Kati Curtis, Kati Curtis Design
Lori Gilder, Lori Gilder Interior Makeovers
Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason, AphroChic
Susan Jamieson, Bridget Beari Designs
Denise McGaha, Denise McGaha Interiors
Lisa Mende, Lisa Mende Design
Melissa Mittag, J. Banks Design Group
Krista Nye Nicholas and Tami Ramsay, Cloth & Kind
Glen Peloso, Peloso Interior
Natalie Reddell, Commander in Chic
Justin Shaulis, Justin Shaulis Inc.
Traci Zeller, Traci Zeller Interiors

The Pulp Edit: 10 Bold & Beautiful Trends

February 4, 2019The Pulp Editbeautiful, black, black and white, bold, color, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, fabric, graphic, home, horn, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, kelly wearstler, living, Los Angeles, necklace, pattern, pulp, pulp design studios, quartz, rooms, sea glass, seattle, space, tile, tips, trends, wallcovering, wallpaperBeth and Carolina

The Top 10 Bold & Beautiful Looks for Spring

Graphic patterns, bold statements, and dramatic black are making daring debuts for the spring season. Here are our top 10 fearless looks in interiors and fashion.

Oversized patterns are making a bold statement on wallcoverings, and this nature-based print from Voutsa lets the butterflies fly free.

F is For Frank celebrates the human form in all its glory with the Goddess Necklace. Also look for accessories shaped into hands, faces, and lips.

You don’t have to scream color to make a strong statement. This Weitzner wallcovering in the Isolde pattern speaks softly but carries a big punch with the glow of metal.

Nothing makes an impact in a room more than original art. We love the artist William McLure and we’ve commissioned him to create a very large custom painting for one of our clients – it will be the show stopper of the room!

With the lovely look of sea glass, these Ghanian beads from Ngala Trading are actually created with recycled glass. They look amazing on a coffee table, or hanging from a lamp.

Mom, actor, singer, performer, ex-Fly Girl, super businesswoman and HOT AF at 49! Hats off to Jennifer Lopez, Harpers Bazaar February cover girl, who shows us you can keep killing it at any age!

Bold lines are taking center stage on fabrics and wallcoverings in 2019. The pattern is formed with chalky lines on the Pastiche fabric from Kelly Wearstler for Ground Works. In a great embroidered trim called Drum Circle, S. Harris makes a point with triangular shapes. And Arte adds a little blue-green color to its Oculaire Metric grass cloth wallcovering.

The pattern of liquid and bubbles on the Vapor plates from CB2 is mesmerizing. They would add a bold layer to a dinner table!

The Kudu Horns from Ngala Trading are sustainably sourced and offer an adventurous look that works in any room.

Speaking of bold and beautiful trends, Art Deco is just starting to make a comeback. We love the more graphic elements of this design style, like the Ellington collection of tile from Walker Zanger, in brass and ebony.

8 Can’t-Fail Tips for Choosing Art for Your Home

January 30, 2019Entertaining + Home Livingart, color, commissioned art, decor, decorating, design, drawing, emerging artists, framing, interior design, interior design trends, interiors, life, painting, pattern, pulp design studios, pulp home, sculptureBeth and Carolina

We love using original art in our interiors – it adds a unique touch and personality to the rooms. And original art can tell you something about the people who live there. Art selection is a personal process, and it can be intimidating if you’re not a curator or designer. So here our our 8 can’t-fail tips for selecting art that will give your interiors the perfect look!

1. Go with Your Gut.

This is THE most important tip! If you love a piece, if it speaks to you, then it is the right one for you. You are the one who has to live with it in your home, and it should be a reflection of your taste and personality. Let your art tell the story of who you are. That’s what we did for a client who is an orthopedic surgeon in the photo above – that art definitely tells his story!

2. Color Your World.

You can use your art to complement the colors in a room, either matching the palette or offering a great counterpoint. You can even use a statement piece as the jumping-off point for the decor of the entire room.

3. Size Matters.

Remember the size and scale of the art you choose has to fit your room. As you go through the selection process, have an idea in mind of where you’re going to place the art and how large (or small) it should be to balance the scale of the room.

4. Look for Emerging Artists.

Not everyone can afford art by well-known artists, so look for emerging talents. Local galleries and shops often showcase new faces who offer very affordable art. And who knows – it might be one of the best investments you make! We love the stunning work by Gordon Shadrach, a Toronto artist we were introduced to by Aphrochic at High Point Market.

5. Know Your Style.

Know what type of art is your favorite before you begin to shop. Do you love landscapes or portraits? Are you fascinated by watercolors, or are you more about sketches? Narrowing down your choices will save you a lot of time. We’re currently obsessed with photographic art.

6. Switch Things Up.

You may have traditional decor in your home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also hang that stunning contemporary painting in your living room. Some of the best looks in home decor today mix things up with vintage art in modern settings, or a cutting-edge print in a boho interior.

7. Be Bold and Commission Art.

If you love a piece, but it just isn’t the right color or size for you room, ask the artist if they can customize the art for you. Many artists specialize in creating pieces that are uniquely yours. And emerging artists are also great for fully-commissioned pieces that no one else will have.

8. Make Your Own Mix.

As you start to create a collection, don’t fixate on price. A great mix can include flea market finds mixed in with expensive works. Create a collection of things you love and you can’t go wrong.

Founders’ Five: 10 Items That Make Us Happy Right Now

January 28, 2019Shopping GuideBeth's Picks, Carolina's Picks, founders picks, shopping, shopping guideBeth and Carolina

Here are some of our current favorite finds that we want or that are making our lives better and more stylish, right now…

Interior Designer Style + Home Favorites

BETH’S PICKS

I am in love with this 18k gold and eroded black sapphire band from Erica Weiner!

I love this Edward Wormly inspired black and brass rattan chair.

When you aren’t ready to spring for a complete California Closets makeover, these acrylic shelf dividers are amazing. I use them in my own closet!

For good dreams, I’ve been spraying this On A Clear Day room clearing spray that my friend gifted me on my pillow each night.

I am obsessed with these Dr Dennis Gross daily peel facial pads. They make my skin baby smooth and make all my other serums and creams work better!

CAROLINA’S PICKS

I love the personality of this stylized cubism candle, but even better that it makes a great container after it’s burned.

Every wardrobe needs an a classic fedora! I love this rag and bone hat .

An age-defying pillow! See how this Beauty Bear Anti-wrinkle pillow can save your face.

Of all the candles in our new collection, I am constantly burning this Obsidian Candle. It smells so luxe and expensive!

I love this gorgeous Okhtein mini dome crossbody that can double as a clutch, especially if you’re wanting to amp up your style game.

7 Ways to Decorate with Pillows Like a Pro

January 23, 2019Entertaining + Home Livingaccessories, color, couch, Dallas, decor, decorating, decorative pillows, design, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, odd numbers, pattern, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, scale, seattle, sofa, space, texture, tips, trendsBeth and Carolina

Decorative pillows add that extra finishing touch to a room. They’re both functional and pretty, which is the perfect combination. But there are tricks of the trade for decorating with pillows that every pro knows. We’ve rounded up our top 7 to share with you!

1. Try Being Artfully Odd.

Designers love to use things in group of odd numbers like 3 or 5. It isn’t that we just love prime numbers – it’s a balancing act. Those odd numbers are more artful and provide a balance to your room. Try 3 pillows on each side of a sofa, or 5 on a bed. It isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, but it works almost every time.

2. Use something unexpected.

Whether it’s a different shape or an unusual material, try mixing things up. Nothing says you have to use square pillows that are all the same size! We love using varying shapes and sizes, and even throwing in something more adventurous, like the leather pillow on the sofa above. How cool is that equestrian look with the stirrup-like details?

3. Mix It Up.

Use different colors and patterns in the grouping. It adds more visual interest and gives you a range of textures. We used the pillows in the project above to provide pops of color in a mostly neutral room.

4. Tell a color story.

Pull colors from other items in the room, like art, drapery, or accent pieces. That helps move the color story through the room, like in our Playful Modern project above. Those bright pink pillows not only pop on the sectional, they also draw the eye to the gorgeous pink swivel chairs!

5. Decide on your firmness level.

Pay attention to how the pillows are filled. Pillows that are super-firm will give you a more traditional look. If you want to be more casual, use some pillows that are more loosely filled and let them droop decoratively, like the yellows ones in the photo above.

6. Big is better.

Don’t skimp on the size – that’s a rookie mistake. Designers like to use pillows that are at least 20 inches in width, but we prefer 22 to 24 inches for the largest pillow in the group. That adds a designer touch and makes the room look more luxe.

7. To chop, or not.

This is something that designers still debate – whether to put that signature karate chop into the top of a pillow or not. To be honest, it’s entirely up to you! We even mix things up in our projects, with a serious chop in one pillow and more of a fold in another. For this particular tip, it’s up to your personal preference.

Pillows are fabulous decorative accessories that add color and personality to your room. Use these tips to make the most of the look!

10 of Our Favorite ‘Strange Bedfellows’

January 21, 2019Entertaining + Home Livingaccessories, celebrities, celebrity, collaborations, decor, design, furnishings, furniture, home, house, interior design, interior design trends, interiors, licensing, names, pulp design studios, pulp homeBeth and Carolina

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There are plenty of celebrity collaborations in the world of home design, some that make a lot of sense, and some that… don’t. Let’s take a look at our list of the 10 most unlikely celebrity collections of furniture, or Strange Bedfellows:

Kanye

1. Kanye and Kanye

Although he tried to entice IKEA into a collaboration, Kanye has yet to find the perfect match for his design genius. The closest he’s come is his own design for an all-marble bed that he showcased in a sketch on social media.

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2. Justin Timberlake and HomeMint

JT does have style, we’ll give him that. And we also have to give him kudos for collaborating with interior designer Estee Stanley for HomeMint, which is still selling six years after its debut.

jane seymour

3. Jane Seymour and AICO

TV’s Dr. Quinn debuted her first collection with AICO – called Hollywood Swank – in 2010. Eight years later, she and AICO founder Michael Amini are going strong with their (sometimes over-the-top) furniture designs. Does she really design it? Who knows.

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4. Trisha Yearwood and Klaussner

This collection is described as “comfortable living,” which matches the country singer’s down-home persona. This fairly new partnership is still working the charts, so we don’t have a good grasp yet on how popular it will be.

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5. Paula Deen and Universal Furniture

It’s always risky to enter a partnership with someone else – you never know what might happen. Universal found that out when Paula Deen dropped the N-word and found herself in a lot of hot water. However, her Southern comfort designs were a big hit with consumers, so Universal downplayed the tie-in and kept producing the successful collection.

Brooke-Shields-in-La-Z-Boy-Room

6. Brooke Shields and La-Z-Boy

In an attempt to appeal to young moms, La-Z-Boy signed a long-term deal with Brooke Shields to hawk a collection under her name. The former “bubba boy recliner” company wanted a fresh re-do and was upfront about Brooke Shields being an ambassador rather than a designer. She’s still a part of their campaigns, so maybe this one is Endless Love (sorry).

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7. Cindy Crawford/Sophia Vergara at Rooms To Go

When this mega-retailer needed star power for its in-house designed furniture, it knew just where to go for mega-wattage. Cindy Crawford and Sophia Vergara definitely know how to brighten a room, and they both have appeal with women and men, which is a plus when you’re trying to sell furniture to everyone. Here it’s less about the design, and more about the sizzle.

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8. Donny Osmond and Coaster Furniture

This collection by former teen idol Donny Osmond made its debut, appropriately, in Las Vegas with a lot of fanfare. Meant to appeal to former fans and families, this collab didn’t have a very long shelf life, but you can still find Donny Osmond Home sold at Wayfair today.

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9. Ellen DeGeneres and Thomasville Furniture

Just as we saw with Paula Deen and Universal, sometimes one side of the partnership spoils the fun for the other, and in this case Thomasville has left Ellen hanging. Authentic Brands purchased Thomasville, along with its sister companies, in a bankruptcy sale earlier this year. Currently, all inventory for Thomasville is expected to be sold by the end of the year, which leaves Ellen without a dance partner.

10. Donald Trump and Lexington Home Brands

We saved the strangest for last. In 2007, Donald Trump was putting his name on everything from steaks to suits. So why not furniture? He signed licensing deals with Lexington, Serta, Staples and more. Today, the Trump Home brand is still alive and well at Dorya. Which is interesting given that Trump’s day job has changed dramatically since 2007.

So what do you think of our list of strange bedfellows? We didn’t even get to the licensed collections of furniture from the past like Elvis, Ernest Hemingway, Humphrey Bogart, Duck Dynasty, and more! Which collabs have been the strangest for you?

3 Tips for Buying the Right Bar Stool

January 16, 2019Entertaining + Home Livingbar stool, barstool, color, counter stool, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, dimensions, height, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, pattern, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, seattle, space, stool, table, tips, trendsBeth and Carolina

interior design by Pulp Design Studios – image via @pulpdesigns instagram

Even though most people call all shapes and sizes “bar stools,” there are actually a lot of different heights, styles, and official names for this popular seating option! In fact, there’s a perfect fit for every table, counter, or bar. Here’s an easy guide for getting the stool that’s right for your room:

interior design by Pulp Design Studios – tour the project: Eclectic Abode

1. Made to Measure.

Officially in the design world, a table-height stool should be between 16 to 20 inches from the seat to the floor. A counter-height stool is between 24 to 27 inches. And a bar-height stool should be between 28 to 32 inches. As you can tell, they’re named for the surface that they’ll work with. Measure the table, bar, or counter carefully so you have room for the stool and a seated person’s legs to fit under the surface top!

interior design by Pulp Design Studios – tour the project: Anise Kitchen + Market

2. What’s Your Style?

Stools can be made with no back, a low back, or a tall back. And they can scoot, slide, or swivel. You can even find stools with arms or without. The easiest way to decide which one is right for you is to think about the time someone might spend on that stool. If they’re just pulling up to watch you prepare food, a backless stool could work. But if you plan to use the seating area for eating or lounging, go for comfort with a tall back and swivel option.

interior design by Pulp Design Studios – tour the project: Fearless Style

3. Material World.

There are so many fabulous options in stools today. Lucite has been trending for a few years now, and still looks amazing in a setting where you want the stool to be a quiet part of the decor. We love all-metal stools, and those with raw wood seats. Keep the material in mind when thinking about how the stool will be used, too. An upholstered seat makes for a better experience if a person plans to spent a lot of time there, but it can also be difficult to clean if you don’t choose the right textile.

No matter which style or height you choose, stools add a lot of extra function and seating to any room. Use our tips to help find the perfect one for your home! And, if you need help with your own interior design needs give us a call!

Founders’ Five: 10 Shoppable Links We’re Lusting Over

January 14, 2019Shopping GuideBeth's Picks, Carolina's Picks, founders picks, shopping, shopping guideBeth and Carolina

Here are some of our current favorite finds that we own or we want to own as we start the new year!

Interior Designer Style + Home Favorites

BETH’S PICKS

I just bought this black marble bistro table for my new home! Have you seen the progress on my own home over my instagram?

I love the vibes of the asymmetrical jeans… great way to hide the pooch!

Since the new year, I can’t get enough of this newly discovered and healthy green goddess dressing!

I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect candy jar for the post-dinner treat… this is on my list!

With all our Pulp travel coming up I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect new toiletry travel bag.

CAROLINA’S PICKS

The Clean Plate Book – Always looking for a new cook book! Have you seen my pinterest boards?

Loving our studio friend’s new jewelry collection! I’ve already bought some pieces for myself!

I started using this face roller over the holidays and really like it!

I just got one of these for Luna and I love it! Jingle free dog collar!

New favorite workout pants!

Wherever You Are

We work all across the country, designing primary residences, pied-à-terres, and vacation homes, for our clients near and far.

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