Featured Designer: Martha O'Hara

If you live in the midwest, there's a good chance you've heard of Martha O'Hara Interiors, a Minnesota based design firm that has been featured on Elle Decor's website along with other press and news media sites.

Of course Martha, like every noted interior designer, has a knack for turning the basic principles of design into her own signature style by putting her personal spin on each space she designs. What I most enjoy about Martha's designs though is her delicious use of textures and colors that create a natural and casual design with an elegant twist.

For more of Martha's designs check out the rest of her portfolio at http://www.oharainteriors.com/.

Featured Designer: Tobi Fairley

Tobi Fairley is probably one of the most noted designers in the design industry today. If you skim through the pages of House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Southern Living, or At Home you have more than likely seen her great work.

Below are a few of my favs from her portfolio.

If you dig her style, you can check out more of her work on her site at http://www.tobifairley.com/.

Pulp Design Studios

living room, couch, art work, interior design, interior designer, Pulp Design Studios

One of My All Time Favorite HGTV Design Star Winners :: Emily Henderson

I must say that Emily Henderson is one of my favorite HGTV Design Star contestants (...and winners) of all time. There's just something about her design esthetic that no other designer on HGTV seems to have. I guess that's what makes her so unique.

I must say...I'm still trying to figure out her formula - how she mixes certain colors and patterns, the theory and secrets behind "the style diagnostic" and the commonalities between all of her spaces that give it that Emily Henderson signature.

I think one of the great marks of a truly mature designer / stylist is being able to create a design for a customer that is completely that customer but completely the designer at the same time. I think Emily does this so well that anyone can tell one of her designs, whether she's in the room or not. I think that's one of the things that makes Emily so special...not to mention her incredibly quirky, fun, exuberant personality! :-)

Anyway...time for me to sign off but check out more of her work on Style by Emily Henderson and on HGTV.com then drop a comment to let me know what you think.

White Wall Wow!

You know…I must admit…I don’t really dig white walls too much. I guess I always considered myself to be too much of a “color lover” to "waste" tons of wall space with the sterility of a few coats of colorless liquid. Well certainly Tara Seawright has proven me wrong with her most recent white walled room designs.

by Tara Seawright

by Tara Seawright

These rooms prove that even a color fan like me can be at peace with color-less walls.

I think the secret of this top designer's success with white is her use of varying textures and patterns as well as the playful pops of color that free the room to express itself. It's almost like the white walls act as a blank canvas for her sophisticated but unstuffy interior transformations.

by Tara Seawright

Tara has so much eye candy in each of her rooms that your attention is occupied and senses stimulated enough to completely eliminate the "need" for wall color...turning these rooms into a complete "White Wall Wow" moment! :-)

by Tara Seawright

So, what do you think of Tara's work?

by Tara Seawright

If you are/were like me (a wall color preferer), have you changed your mind? Do you think you could live in a home with white walls and be completely happy and at peace with your surroundings?