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Trunk Show

It has been too hot for too long. Now that the weather has cooled down, we've got our heads wrapped up in Mexican textiles, jewelry, ceramics, mirrors, leather goods, etc . . .!!! We don't want anyone to miss out on our fun. We're debuting these items at a Trunk Show November 12 (5pm-9pm) and November 14 (9am-12pm). It's going to be great event with beautiful items for purchase. Check out our "other" blog: www.mexarttrunkshow.blogspot.com for all the details and more pictures. Here is one photo though just to wet your palate. Gorgeous mirror!

Recession Re-do #2: Enhancing the Inexpensive!

You never know what you'll find at your local antique mart, resale shop or even Ikea. Some of our favorite furniture pieces have been great finds. We take them home, add a little paint or new upholstery and "voila", a one-of-a-kind piece that fits perfectly into our design. Our clients love when we work this way, not only because we save them money but they acquire a unique piece for their home. They also love to tell the story behind the piece; where we found it and how much we did to it all within a budget! Below are are a couple photos to show you what we've done.

The first photo is a white Ikea dresser that we found for $279.00 . We bought it to go in a very clean, crisp room that needed a statement piece.  o, we painted and lacqured it fuschia and added some fun knobs from our favorite store, Anthropologie (see photo #2). This dresser went from boring to bold on a very tight budget.  

Before

After

In this next photo we have some beautiful caned chairs that we picked up at a local resale shop. We had a difficult time finding two small scale matching chairs to place in front of a fireplace. We wanted them to be open and airy and small enough not to block the pathway to and from the room. When we found these, we knew they were the perfect fit. We upholstered them in a richly textured, red animal print (ocelot to be exact!) and now they fit perfectly into one of our favorite Italian homes. We added a punch of color with the teal pillows trimmed in red and gold fringe and trust me, this Italian couldn't be happier. Ciao!

Redone chairs

Recession Re-do #1 : A Little Dab of Color!

Paint.  It's our favorite five letter word. It does wonders. It not only makes your home look fresh and new, but by adding color you give your space a whole new dimension. Don't be afraid to be bold! Too many people have had too many white walls for too many years. Your house is an expression of you.  If you like orange, show it off! 

A gallon of paint at Home Depot is $23.47. Look for adds in a your local/neighborhood newsletters to find a painter. We've known painters that will work for about $25.00 an hour. A normal size bedroom should only take about 1 day (8 hours ) for two coats.

One of our absolute favorite homes was all white. We came in and added color to each room and rehung the artwork. The pictures below are of the before and afters of the breakfast nook in this home.  The lime walls really makes this room pop and the artwork stand out. Now, who wouldn't want to eat cereal in that room every morning?

Before

After

Recession Re-do

Just because the economy has us all forgoing our morning run to Starbucks for that extra foam latte, doesn't mean we can't live in a well designed home! In the last few months,  we have seen a rise in families eating at home more often, and inviting friends over for dinner and game night instead of heading out to town. So why not make your home as inviting and warm as possible since you are spending more time in it?

Desmond Design believes that you don't need to spend a lot of money to make a big difference in your home. A little creativity, a fresh outlook and a little elbow grease can give you the splash you are looking for. The next few weeks, check out our blog as we will be showing you how to turn your home around by spending little and sometimes even no money. 

If there is something specific you would like us to address, please email us.

From Bars to Books!

Now, we're two Irish women, so trust us when we say that we like a good bar! So, it's a little odd for us to decide to tear one out and replace it with something that is definitely NOT a bar. One of our favorite clients had a built-in bar downstairs in their family room. It was a bit tired and really cut the room.  In the last few years it had become more of a storage place for them.  We decided to open up the room and add a comfortable nook for our client's to sit and relax and read books. By tearing down the protruding counter and adding bookshelves to the side walls and a built-in seat, we created an area for our clients to curl up in and read. We framed family photos and made them the focal point over the seat. The finishing touches were installed yesterday afternoon and this morning we already had an email from our client telling us how much she loved it!  

Before & Afters:

Before

Before  

After 

The Reading Nook

AZ Republic Article 02.07.09

We were so pleased to have one of our favorite design projects showcased in the AZ Republic last Saturday 02.07.09.  Susan Felt wrote a great article that I have posted below.  We wish you could all see the magnificent color in this house and meet the wonderful people who live in it.  

Centered on a wall in José and Frances Burruel's house are three paintings by Guatemalan artist Nicolas Reanda. The center one is a portrait of an old Mayan woman, her face finely lined and her gaze fixed and knowing.

When they spotted the painting at an exhibit at the Heard Museum, Frances recalls her husband saying, "We have to buy it. It looks like my grandmother. "
 

Since then, the Burruels have purchased other paintings by Reanda. Two flank the painting that reminds José of his grandmother.

And like artists whose paintings, etchings, prints and sculpture are displayed throughout the couple's home, Reanda too has become a friend and frequent house guest.

The Burruels, along with three other homeowners, are sharing their homes and art collections as part of the Friends of Mexican Art home tour and mercado Feb. 22. It's the 45th year that this non-profit group has sponsored a tour, the chief means of raising money to support its efforts to foster cultural ties with Mexico and raise an awareness of Mexican and Hispanic art by acquiring pieces for Valley museums.

The Burruels' collection hangs in every space, from bathroom walls to the hallways. And like parents' photographs of their children, the art inspires affectionate stories either about the artists or about where, when and how they found the piece.

A retired school superintendent, Arizona State University professor and the first Mexican-American from metro Phoenix to graduate from ASU with a doctorate in education, José has written a b ook, Mexicans in Scottsdale, about growing up in the Mexican barrio of what is now Old Scottsdale. He and his wife are tireless supporters of the Mexican and Native American cultures and their art.

In the Burruels' case, the artwork has also inspired the redo of their gracious, 30-year-old ranch house that is built on an acre near the foot of Camelback Mountain.

The walls of the spacious three-bedroom home were all the ubiquitous Navajo white, Frances said, until designers Kathleen and Megan Desmond, co-owners of Desmond Design, were brought in to give the home a face lift.

The Reanda paintings in the living room helped form the color palette of toasty, warm-hued umbers, tobacco and bright turquoise, greens and red accents.

Frances said she always thought only white walls would adequately display artwork.

"Was I wrong," she said, looking at the artwork hanging on the honey-colored walls of her home.

The kitchen with a large window overlooking the lush backyard went from white to a bright apple green. A grouping of black-and-white etchings, charcoals and pen-and-ink drawings that had hung throughout the house were gathered, edited and displayed on one wall.

It gave those pieces so much more presence, Frances said.

In the same kitchen eating area, another grouping was created. These were graphic block prints by a Burruel nephew of his mother's cookstove.

It's this rearrangement of their artwork and furniture that most delights Frances. It has given them a whole new home, she says, and a new perspective for their collection of paintings and artwork by such artists as Ben Harjo, Amado Pena, Michael Chiago, Chesney Sevier, Doug Hyde and Nelda Schrupp.

When these artists gather for the biannual Heard Museum art festivals, the Burruel home has become the reunion place.

Like the artwork they've collected throughout the years, the Burruels have also assembled a group of artists who are like family.

"I still don't think of us as collectors," Frances said. "Everything we have has a sentimental value."