• Recessionista
  • 9May

    7 Comments

    I’m sourcing fabrics, furniture and items for a number of homes that I’m currently designing. It’s been a bit of a crazy pace, since my private label is growing rapidly and there’s an on line store to tend to. Definitely going to slow down the pace come the summer months!

    The Design Center is home to amazing fabrics, it’s where I source most my material when working on a job. They have a superb sample service that’s so helpful to the job.  Sometimes good fabrics can be crazy expensive. $ 100/yard -sometimes even double that or triple that!!

    I do a number of online design plans for people (jeez got to get my site updated with the services!) and then source from lots of online fabrics stores so clients can order themselves.  Came across this cheerful group of fabrics that I would love to use somewhere…all under $ 25.

    Definitely for people who love color!

    SANTA MARIA DESERT FLOWER

    PANAMA WAVE DESERT

    ONE WISH BLACK BIRD

    The pattern below reminds me of the pattern in the popular Schumacher fabric that’s over $ 100.yards. Love the colors.

    WONDERAMA BLACK BIRD

    And here in a second color way….

    WONDERAMA TOUCAN

    And a ton of IKAT’s under $ 25.

    KHANDAR JEWEL

    This is a really great one!!

    BATAVIA IKAT

    BATAVIA IKAT

    This is my favorite colorway of this one.

    MEDALLION BAND CITRINE

    Any of these could be put to good use in a space!



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  • 5Dec

    10 Comments

    So the new look is finally here!  The Recessionista personality is imagined as a fashionable woman on a  budget. Living in a glam and stylish apartment in a city somewhere.  Being a Recessionista doesn’t mean she would go out and buy every single item as inexpensive as she can. She knows great style only comes when you mix it up. She throws in a couple of designer items, a few vintage pieces and the rest is great style for less.  And she shops only after she’s shopped her own home, to see what she can reinvent!!

    Here are a few of the items in her apartment.

    Obviously Recessionista is not afraid to be glam!

    WHITE TUFTED PVC SOFA $ 1975

    GEOMETRIC MIRRORED PANELS (SET OF FOUR) $ 299

    GOLD TUFTED CUBE $ 145

    TRANSPARENT STOOL $ 175

    GOLD PRINTED ZEBRA HIDE

    MOD TULIP TABLE $ 590

    GEOMETRIC CHAIR $ 262

    GOLD LOVE PRINT $ 25

    LOUIS CHAIR IN BLACK AND OAK $ 497

    MARCELLA TABLE $ 242

    BLACK LEAF CHANDELIER $440

    Hop over and visit The Recessionista!

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  • 27Nov

    10 Comments

    We’re in a recession. People are looking for work, people are looking to save money, people are frustrated, people are worried about the future, people put dreams and projects on hold. Alright I don’t mean to be a downer right after your Thanksgiving vacation….but it’s a reality. But even if you are on a budget and worried, you can’t ignore your home. Looking at a depressing, unfinished home will only make you feel worse!  There are ways to design with style, even during an economic downturn.

    So the next personality we’re launching on LiveLikeYou is RECESSIONISTA – a stylish abode on a budget. I’ve sourced products that won’t break the bank, and designed rooms for a fashionable woman. Now to be a true Recessionista I suggest you  first follow these steps:

    Image Lonny magazine.

    Images Marmalade Interiors.

    The look will go live Monday December 5th. If you are signed up to our newsletter & mailing list, you will receive the insider discount code. You can do that here, or scroll to the bottom of the blog page and do it there.

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  • 16Sep

    9 Comments

    Good morning everyone!  SO happy it’s Friday…these 6 am school mornings are rough. I’m glad I wrote controversial in the cowhide title… I love a good debate on the blog, I love to hear people’s diverse opinions, but I do ask that people stay polite, if not the comment will not be approved.

    Well, I’m off to Luke’s assembly early this morning and then taking the train to NYC to do a design consultation and dinner.  Before I leave I thought I would post the least controversial thing on the blog…just sharing some interiors I think are cool and that appears to have one practical thing in common…

    The first three images interior design by Vanessa Vargas.

    Great idea to wall paper a back of a book case.

    Image source unknown.

    Love a space that multi tasks! And love that dresser.

    Image via Lonny magazine.

    Is this a West Elm desk?

    I think the rooms have great style and  yet they also feel fairly affordable.  Fairly…I said because I don’t know the exact sources.  As I’m planning the next look on LiveLikeYou, I’m thinking of ways you can live and design like a Recessionista!

    Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

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