You can follow my day to day stuff on  instagram–  JILLHSORENSEN@INSTAGRAM.

Today we were doing this…

Shooting my private label. Finally!

Why is it the second you put a carpet on the floor, a pet needs to come and lie on it right away?

It never fails.

We got some nice pictures done by www.geoffreyhodgdon.com

Lucky also loves to squeeze out some love from anyone working or visiting here.  My assistant Flavia is getting some forced fur love.

My fun client Jenna came in to the office checking out some colors for her dining room.

Can’t wait to see her house done–

Katie Ridder fabric crush.

A quick trip to…

…NYC was torturous sitting in traffic and thunder storms for seven hours!

So much for the fun idea of driving up.

Dinner at Jennifer Jaunsch cool apartment roof top.

Check out her fun new company (bag-all.com)

Kids playing on the roof.  (Don’t worry there are roofs with bars all around below.)

Master bedroom colors for client’s NYC apartment.

That too will be photographed this summer.

And finally…

Getting to focus on my label.

New exciting stuff to share soon.

Hope you’re having a good week!

GREY LUCKY BEDDING is here. King and Queen sizes are in stock and can ship immediately.

We asked the tiny dog with the big under bite to model. Something he’s always happy to do. ( He has been in 10 magazines already!)  The truth is we can actually not get him out of the photos when someone is shooting.

If you are an agent…call me:)

As promised please ENJOY 15% off with the code below. The grey is really great works in so many interiors and great for both men and women, boys and girls.

The code works for all bedding!

This image is really true to the color.

Shown here with the Orange Pagoda headboard.

If you’re on the east coast – stay out of the storm today!

First off I want to say I’m sorry the video did not show up in the e-mail to blog subscribers. I’m new to this video thing so if any of you know how to make the video appear in the mailed version of the blog please let me know! It’s so frustrating figuring out all things tech.  And again thanks for your tips and stories about moving. I love them!

I know you’ve seen my office before but photographer Geoffrey Hodgdon was here last week and took a couple of pictures, so I thought I would share a quick Before/After picture.

Photographer: Geoffrey Hodgdon

The space is not big enough for the kind of office I need anymore, but it’s been a cheerful place to work.

You can see the lamps on the orange dresser you can see in the image below before the makeover. I  always think if you can rescue something that you need it, why get rid of it.

It was a lack luster unfinished guest bedroom before.

This bed I just shipped to Sweden for Luke’s bedroom there.

Today it looks like this–

Photo: Geoffrey Hodgdon

Cheerful workspace.

I added a cool kilim in unusual colors.

The curtain in the room is my REGENCY CURTAIN, it’s to me the best kept secret in town. It’s from my private label and something that pretty much all my clients order if they want to save on their budget by not doing custom curtains. They look custom, chic and are high quality.

Right now you can order them with a few different silk band colors.

People often use them for kid’s/teen rooms as well as you can also order them with black out liner.

Soon I will have all new amazing photography for all my products.

Can’t wait to share.

This has been a crazy busy time preparing our house for sale.  When you get ready to move, it’s amazing how much stuff you realize you have that you don’t really need?

How did that happen?

I’ve spent days organizing, clearing things out and fixing things that had been put off for a long time.  I’ve now turned in to the official stressed slob!

Stuff, just so much stuff…

Packing up – step one.

I was introduced to the pod! (if you get this post via e-mail and don’t see video click over to the blog)

episode # 3 – Move.Like.You.-The Pod!

There are a lot of nights lying awake wondering where this adventure will take us. But I’m also excited about change, new challenges and ideas.

If you have any great tips on moving or have moved I would LOVE to hear from you in the comment section. The last video comments were so incredibly uplifting and the tips very helpful. They are appreciated more than you think.

As some of you know I’m moving.  And we’re moving FAR away.  This summer we’re relocating to the other side of this great big country. That means two things…we can’t take all our furniture with us, and we’re selling some Marmalade Inc./LiveLikeYou inventory.   I’m posting this sale on the blog, that will continue for the next 6 weeks.

Items are either BRAND NEW , VINTAGE or ANTIQUE, fresh/new CUSTOM VINTAGE designs, or slightly USED items.  You will be able to get stuff  for an EXCELLENT DEAL.

To purchase (or questions)– e-mail info@marmaladeinteriors.com and my lovely assistant FLAVIA will get a quote to ship the item to your place if needed.  If you live in DC and proximity you can also arrange to come pick it up. You can pay with Paypal or credit card.

Please share this post with friends, your blog, Facebook. Items will be continually updated!!

One SCARSDALE CHAIR from Worlds-Away- Brand new!  $ 656   SALE PRICE: $ 425

It has faux metallic snake skin as upholstery. Nickel nail heads, high gloss white lacquer.

Newly done CUSTOM VINTAGE 70′s CANE CHAIR with geometric black and cream fabric. White high gloss paint.

$ 975  – SALE PRICE $ 475

25″W x 28″D x 35.5″H- Great as a desk chair or occasional chair.

Turquoise VENUS CAPIZ PENDANT – Worlds-Away- Brand New! $ 398  – SALE PRICE $ 275

FRENCH VINTAGE NESTING TABLES with brass detailing

$ 975  SALE PRICE $ 487

Three vintage tables. French style , nice brass detailing. Blends well in modern interiors as well.

AMAZING HOT PINK “MOROCCAN” PAGODA HEADBOARD WITH GOLD NAIL HEADS
QUEEN SIZE – 70″ high

$ 1950  SALE  PRICE $ 995 –

Very high end pink velvet upholstery.

9′ x 12′ MAZE JILL SORENSEN COTTON DHURRIE  - Brand New!!
$ 1650  SALE PRICE  $ 1,050

Cream base,  espresso brown middle with pink outlines. This is a unique colorway — you will be the only one to own in a new pattern that has not even come out yet!

GUSTAVIAN CHEST HIGH QUALITY REPRODUCTION by Swedish Blonde furniture.

SALE PRICE $ 1,550

37 x 20 x 43

here is and image from Swedish Blonde.

VINTAGE FRENCH CHAISE  in cream damask upholstery ( this is missing on back leg that I will probably find!) It still functions and seats perfectly.

$ 1,450  SALE PRICE $ 975

MID CENTURY ROSE WOOD MIRROR —- $ 295  SALE PRICE $ 159

26″wide x 45″high

SWEDISH COFFEE TABLE with gold marble top — $ 890  SALE PRICE $ 489

(leg has been repaired on this antique table)

42 long x 26 deep  x 25″high

GOLD GARLANDS WITH BLUE CERAMIC FLOWERS

$ 795  —   SALE PRICE $ 495 for the pair

QUEEN SIZE GUSTAVIAN BED “INGRID” in Gustavian Gray with blue and white checked silk upholstery. Made by Swedish Blonde Furniture. High quality reproduction of a Swedish antique.

It’s very easy to change fabric, needs only a couple of yards.

New retail $ 3,350 - SALE PRICE $ 1450

CLOSE UP

See the picture below of the exact same model from Swedish Blonde.

FRENCH CHAIR ANTIQUE – WITH AUBUSSON WEAVE UPHOLSTERY

$ 4,300  SALE PRICE $ 2,350

28″wide x 25″deep x 42″ high

Tan crushed velvet seat. This is a fine antique!

4 CREAM SILK PANELS WITH LEAF MOTIF -  --pinch pleat top, lined, PERFECT condition. Used only briefly!

See pic below in a room – 108″ high and the width on top where pinch pleats are is 46″

Sold in pairs- SALE PRICE $ 350/pair

CUSTOM VINTAGE WING CHAIR - with designer fabric. Martyn Lawrence Bullard fabric, black velvet sides, white lacquer feet

33″wide x 29″ deep x 45″high

$ 1,950  SALE PRICE $ 1,250

JOSH ROSENTHAL PAINTING – 24″HIGH X 30″WIDE

$ 1450 – SALE PRICE $ 875

Part of THE artist’s personal collection.

POTTERY BARN NAVY BLUE BUNK BED – (does not include mattresses)

SALE PRICE $ 850

Pottery barn image below

CERAMIC URN  SALE PRICE $ 85

17″ dia x 12″ high

ANTIQUE RED TOILE BRASS LAMP – 5 arms

$345  SALE PRICE $ 210 ( if you want a shade for this we have many who will work)

CLOSE UP.

4 FANCY SILK PANELS IN GOLD AND RED DAMASK with pinch pleat top. Barely used Perfect condition.

105″ high x 40″ wide at pinch pleat top

SALE PRICE $ 350/pair of panels

FRENCH reproduction Louis XVI drum side table  with brass appliques ( circa 1970)

19″ wide x 14.5″ deep  x 29″high

$ 695  — SALE PRICE $375

Keep checking with this list as new items will be updated weekly.

KING SIZE HEADBOARD with tan textured fabric and antique brass nail head detail CALICO CORNERS – perfect condition/briefly used

60″high

$ 1050  SALE PRICE $ 375

Antique brass nail head detail

And also a bunch of fabrics–

5 YARDS OF FANCY FLORAL FABRIC (  2 yard piece and 3 yard piece)  SALE PRICE $ 35

3 YARDS of RED FLORAL  – SALE PRICE $ 20

8 YARDS OF VINTAGE FLORAL WAVERLY FABRIC — SALE PRICE $ 60

10.5 YARDS GREEN AND CREAM TOILE FABRIC ( one 5 yard piece, one 5.5 yard piece)

SALE PRICE $ 55

3 YARDS OF BLUE & WHITE PLAID  – SALE PRICE $ 15

Please share on Facebook , on your blogs or with your friends!

A lot of my home makeovers are in it.

Seeing the “before” pictures reminds me how dull and depressing our home looked.  It really reminds me how much I love living with color.

Here are a few pages in case you miss the real thing…

Better Homes and Garden’s new publication.

Yes my living room looked like that. Hard to believe! In case you read the text, no, I never had a corporate job (but I probably would have  quit it.) . But the colorful makeover was started to cheer Luke up when his dad got brain cancer.

So glad we did it.

Some living room “before pics”

The funny thing is Dan and Luke fought me all the way, asking me not to change the house.

Only to 100% agree with me now!

Luke’s chair was put in the hallway for shoot.

Omar you made the magazine spread!!!

The advice above I stand by fully. It’s an absolute MUST to start there when attempting to do you house.

Thank You to Better Homes and Garden, writer Jennifer for sharing my tips in such a fun way, and lovely Bonnie and Gordon.

Oh, and my name is Sorensen with an “e”! Oh well.

The last two weeks have been a flurry of activity getting the yard to look good and “depersonalizing” the house to get ready to sell. You don’t realize just how messy your place is until you get ready to put it on the market. We all have so much unnecessary stuff in our homes!

The crazy thing is when all is cleaned out and the garden looks great, it kills me that we’re leaving this charming Virginia house. With the wrap around terraces it feels like living in the South of France or the hills of Malibu, not outside DC!

So I thought I would share our outdoor space, and some stuff we did to get it ready…

Matching pots and fresh entry carpets is the simplest fastest way to freshen up. I like these carpets with a wide black border from Pottery Barn for every entrance. I like defining entrances.

The deck got power washed. The little outdoor eating area outside the dining room got cleaned up.

All I can think of — why didn’t we eat here more often?

Thankfully the beautiful pink Knock Out roses started to bloom. Thank You Katia Goffin of KG Landscape for putting them in. That’s a genius idea! They bloom the entire summer, yes the ENTIRE summer. (Katia just launched her own company so if you live in DC and need your garden designed call her. She just won for best garden design Houzz)

They frame the little area perfectly.

And makes everyone smile when they see them.

I spray painted a pair of rusted lanterns high gloss black.  Black always looks so elegant against greenery I think.

They sit on either side creating an “entry” in a few areas.

I like framing entries everywhere.

It always simply defines outdoor areas as “rooms”.

We are surrounded by forest in every direction.

And the entrance…

…to our home is a big lush Wisteria covered pergola.

I like these formal upstanding (what is their name?) ferns in all the planted pots. They look old world chic. Pretty obsessed with this plant.  Do you use them?

I let them frame all the seating areas.

The outdoor Restoration Hardware furniture I recovered in Trina Turk fabric a couple of years ago.

The back of the house has a pool….

…and another pergola with Wisteria. And a great hill for sledding in the winter time.

Why don’t these bloom longer?

There is one screened in porch on the back of the house.

We styled it for a magazine shoot the other day.

It has a seating area facing the big green hill so I hung a mirror (Ballard Designs) a couple of years ago from the ceiling on the opposite wall. That way you can enjoy the lush view even when facing the wall.

At the front of our drive way….

..is a windy country road (really suburban road!) but it looks like country.

I’ll miss dropping Luke off at the school buy here every morning.  But life has to change and move on right now. But I’m thankful for this place, and know whomever buys it will feel really lucky gets to live here.

Thanks for letting me share this space.

Drawing inspiration from animals gives you a timeless design.  Leopard print, zebra print, faux fur, cowhides might have their in and out periods, but they will really never go out of style.  The peacock has been “in” for a while, but how can a color combination so awe inspiring ever be out? That would be crazy!

I’m so excited to have created an area on the new Live Like You site called ANIMAL INSPIRED. This week we’re focusing on one of God’s wonders – The Peacock.

Image LiveLikeYou

How can you ever tire of these colors?

A direct copy of the beautiful pattern in this wool carpet. PEACOCK CARPET

Magical PEACOCK PILLOW.

Can’t you just stare at it forever?

They beauty of the peacock inspires me daily in the work I do.

My headboard designs – The LILY was inspired by the shape of a peacock.

This is a fabric I’m using in a client’s living room coming up.

And at a magazine shoot at my house yesterday, our porch was “rescued” by an amazing table cloth from Anthropologie.

Serious Table cloth crush! (with Mustard Regency pillow)

There are wallpapers I’m dying to use.

Nina Campbell  wallpaper.

Funny enough I was googling rooms with peacock colors for this post…

…only to realize….

Interior Design Marmalade Interiors.

…our own living room has been done in the colors of the peacock.

And this was unplanned!

Follow me on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK for daily updates on work and the move!

We will still be doing updates to the style personalities and bring you new digital renderings for the next ones that are up. So stay tuned for more improvement. As a thank you grab a 15% discount code good for 15 days.

And thank you to Lily and Ernesto for working hard on this.

Photography Tanya Malott.

Thank You Tanya Malott for letting your gorgeous dog model for our new site!!

We have added a few new products and curated our previous selection of products. You will be able to find some of my favorite new finds!

We’ve got some beautiful mirrors.

Gold Peacock mirror

Nice new carpets. Greek Key Carpet.

Irresistible chandeliers. Orli chandlier.

Photography: Tanya Malott

And bedding is IN STOCK in Queen and King size in all patterns and colors.

Unusual fun lamps. Artichoke Lamp

And all kinds of inspiration from the animal kingdom.

Hope you enjoy! And please feel free to share the discount code with your friends!

Don’t forget to follow on FACEBOOK for daily updates and inspiration.

And make sure you have signed up to OUR MAILING LIST!

If you want to read more about the tradition you can do it here.

All images various Swedish blogs and sources.

All kinds of places have big bonfire celebrations. It was originally done on Easter to scare away witches, but since the 19th century it’s on the last day of April (and have nothing to do with witches! )

As you can see people are not standing around in shorts!! It’s still cold over there!

Some places still have snow on the ground.

It’s a magical evening of toasting and singing in the dark night.

Often mens choirs sing songs about how the winter is disappearing and how spring is rapidly coming.

No Swede really remembers or knows that Walburgis was a saint (I think!) all they can think of is that soon they can wear shorts! And what better way to get rid of garden trash than a big fire in the yard?

Valborgs celebration at a Swedish Ski resort.

Living in a country covered with snow for several months, the sight of the first spring flowers make people seriously giddy. It makes them feel alive again. And as my mother said this morning on the phone, it gives her tons of ideas of things she wants to do!

“Vitsippor” the first spring flower.

Appreciation for nature lives deep in the Swedish soul. I don’t think you’ll find a country where they talk more about the weather!

To all my friends back home, summer is coming, soon you can bike without mittens! Promise!

NEXT VALBORG I will be home….seriously what’s better more homework, or an unforgettable memory?