S E P T E M B E R | 1 5 T H | 2 0 1 8

The Happiest Day of Our Lives!

And one we most certainly will never forget!

Everything seemed perfect that day. Like we were dreaming the entire thing.

For 24 hours, the world smiled and everyone was happy.

Not a thing was out of place. And we got to spend each moment surrounded by those we love.

On my way to marry Jace, I couldn’t believe how lucky I felt. I found the man I’d spent my entire life searching for! And after today, he’d be mine forever.

09.15.18 will forever be the happiest day of our lives!

Let’s be honest, I spent the entire sealing ceremony crying my eyes out. I was just so happy!

But just look at him! Look how unbelievably handsome that man I can now call husband is!

The minute we stepped out of the temple, we were greeted by a crowd of friends and family!

Followed by lots of hugging, happy tears and photo ops.

Sharing a few of my favorite snaps from the temple grounds below. Meaning, I’m really trying to keep it to a minimum, I promise!

Did I mention, lots of hugging?

Look at these cute little girls! I love that we have these tiny moments captured.

These next few film photos are everything!

Can we talk about how beautiful these florals are? My incredible mother (probably super woman) designed them all! Okay lets be more real, she designed my entire wedding - so thank you mom! You are absolutely amazing! Thank you for making my special day so pretty!

I mentioned just a few favorites, right? Trust me when I say I narrowed them down! Our photographer was everything we could ask for + more.

Alright, who’s getting antsy to fast forward to our ring ceremony + reception?

Let’s run that way . . . Shall we?

Truth: I booked this venue before Jace and I were even engaged that’s how badly I wanted it!

We converted this white industrial style “barn” into a minimalist’s DREAM.

I love this photo of my mom prepping the little ones on how to walk down the isle!

So perfect.

My one wish if I could somehow have it different, would be to trade Jace places up front.

That way, I could have watched these little flower girls looking so pretty coming down the isle sprinkling the room with peddles!

And look how beautiful my bridesmaids were walking down the isle with Jace’s groomsmen (sorry spouses)!

And then for the happiest moment of my life.

Because by now, the jitters have sided. And I can really focus on me and Jace. On us forever!

Exchanging vows was the most magical experience.

I just wish we had written pages and pages of them, only so the ceremony could have gone on longer!

I wanted to live in that moment forever.

I can’t even tell you how happy I was listening to the man of my dreams talk about our future life together.

He made me happy cry (again for the one trillionth time that day)!

Party time.

We snagged a few photos before the guests arrived. Just look at this wedding crew!

This photo is everything!

All of our nieces and nephews looked so cute in the wedding colors!

My sister designed the little girl’s dresses, and my mom of course made the flower crowns.

Give me all the small handsome boys in suspenders!

Welcome to the wedding of Amy + Jace!

Where the groom specializes in cheesy dipping photos . . .

A little memoire of my grandparents. We chose to get married on their same wedding day!

Can’t get over their cutest cake toper and my grandpa in his army suit.

Of course for dinner, Jace and I requested our favorite: pizza!

Paired with a hand squeezed Sicilian pear lemonade!

And for dessert, huckleberry ice-cream (of course) and an assortment of mini pies!

I love these happy scenes from the rest of the night!

My amazing family! I love them so much!

And just like that we had danced our way through the entire evening!

A huge thank you to everyone who made this night come true for us!

Especially my beautiful mother who worked tirelessly to pull this dreamy day together for the two of us.

Also, our amazingly talented photographer Bri who captured every detail!

We are eternally grateful for you all!

09.15.18

Last time on the blog I shared my lesson outline for Pinner’s Conference 2018. But what those of you who were not in attendance missed out on were all of the wonderful questions asked by audience members! In an attempt to remember them all, I would love to delve into those key conversations over the next upcoming blog posts. Giving you (and even those in attendance) a chance for an even more detailed answer to everyone’s most commonly asked questions!

One of the questions I got during the duration of the meeting was, “Where do you like to go to shop?”

In all honestly, I told her I keep a google doc of all of my favorite sources divided into categories (like furniture, lighting, artwork, etc.) so that when I am sourcing for a client I don’t forget shops I’ve stumbled upon previously and loved. Since THAT list is far too large - I’m going to break it up for you. Starting with, our go to sources. Meaning the more retail option shops that are always there, always stocked, always have multiple options to choose from, etc.

Later on, I’d like to share with you my other “small shop” favorites. Shops like my own, Shop by Ames Interiors, that are run locally, may have fewer options to choose from all the time, but have pretty things that you can’t pass up!

So let’s talk retail, shall we? Below we’ve divided up into categories our GO TO sources! Sources that will never fail to have the items you need. Each of them are linked so don’t be afraid to click on the title and be directed to their website to peruse through all the pretty options. Otherwise, we’ve linked our favorite options from each of them below! So scroll through the reel and click on the picture you like! It will direct you straight to the product should you wish to add it directly to your cart…

Happy shopping!

FURNITURE:

- Burke Decor

- CB2

- Crate And Barrel

- France & Son

- HD Buttercup

- Jayson Home

- Living Spaces

- Restoration Hardware

- Rejuvenation

LIGHTING:

- Barn Light

- Burke Decor

- Cedar & Moss

- France & Son

- Jayson Home

- Rejuvenation

- Schoolhouse

ART:

- Minted

- Restoration Hardware

- Schoolhouse

- Serena & Lily

- The Poster Club

- West Elm

TEXTILES:

- Anthropologie

- Burke Decor

- CB2

- Jayson Home

- Rug & Weave

- The Citizenry

HOME DECOR:

- Burke Decor

- CB2

- Crate & Barrel

- Jayson Home

- Rejuvenation

- Schoolhouse

We hope you enjoyed this post and our favorite retail selections! Stay tuned for many more shopping opportunities to come!

Xo, Ames

Hi friends!

Many of you may have already caught wind. But this past weekend we had the special opportunity to be at the Salt Lake City Pinner’s Conference. We had a booth set up for Shop and were able to showcase and sell a new line of product! I even got to teach a class on all things design! It was a busy weekend and a lot of work to prep for - but we did it! And we’re so happy with how it went!

At the requests of many of you who attended my class, I’m here to share what we chatted about in my class titled, “Guidelines to a Design Friendly Home.” While I was prepping for what material to share, I decided that I really wanted to gear this more towards those who may not have a clue with how to go about designing their own home. What to do, what not to do, how to do it, all the things! So let’s jump right in, shall we?

We started by discussing the number one mistakes people make when designing their own space. First up: BUYING WITHOUT MEASURING. This is huge!! And I can’t emphasize enough how important this is. Before you do anything to your space, you first have to measure! So run down to your nearest Home Depot and buy yourself a nice long measuring tape. And then scrounge up some scrap paper. Because you need to lay each room out!

I took the liberty of drawing up some of the main areas of the home. With guided notes to help you find the right sized furniture for your space. Starting with the dining room

Now, I get it. Your dining room may look nothing like this. You may have built-in cabinetry, or other furniture such as a sideboard or bar cabinet. But the point is to apply the rules to your own individual space, as noted above.

One question I get a lot for this space is: “Do I need a rug under my table?” And my answer to that would be, not always. In some instances, like our #aipohproject the space would not fit a standard size rug. And I still think it looks great without it!

You might run into this same problem if your dining area is a nook off the kitchen. But in general, if you’ve got the right size space to allow for a rug, do it! It will really ground the space and make it feel more complete. But just please, oh please, measure before you buy!!

I told my class that for every room, measuring for your rug should be the first thing you do. And I’m going to tell you right now, you most likely need one wayyy bigger than what you think you need. That’s right, the 5x7 rugs that they have stalked at Ikea just aren’t going to cut it anymore. Not if you’re wanting a “designer-look” home anyways.

You want to make sure to allow for at least 24” of rug space off either end of your dining table, so that in the case of your dinner guest scooting out to stand up, their chair is still on the rug. My advice is to go with a flat weave rug that won’t catch or make it hard to move your chairs around. And BONUS: They are also much easier to clean in the case of spills!

Now, let’s talk about lighting in this space. If you’ve got a chandelier above your dining table, you want to make sure that it is AT LEAST half the width of your table. I’m sorry, but If you have a tiny pendant hanging above a 8’ wide dining table, nothing about that space is going to look to scale.

This same rule applies for your kitchen pendants. I’ve had clients in the past text me pictures of kitchen pendants they want for their island when they only measured to be 8-10” in diameter. If you have a 9’ long Island and need three hanging pendants, you better make sure they are at least 18” around!

9x12 = 108 | Divided by 2 = 54 | Divided by 3 = 18!

Hopefully you’re catching on there..

Moving on to the living room. Again, this may look nothing like your living space. But apply the same rules! Most importantly, make sure you have at least 24” of walking space between all furniture and make make MAKE sure you have at least the front two legs of all seating selections on the rug. If you don’t, your rug is definitely too small!

Another fun rule for this room applies in the same sort of way the lighting does. And that is to make sure that your coffee table measures to be AT LEAST half the width of your sofa is. Otherwise, it’s just too small!

Last but not least, the bedroom. This one here is a master bedroom with a king sized bed. Which will most likely always call for a 9x12 rug (to allow for 24” of rug showing on all three sides of the bed). If you have a queen bed, you most likely need a 8x10. If you have a full bed, you most likely need a 6x9. And if you have a twin bed, you most likely need a 5x7.

If you have lots of empty space in your bedroom, fill it! Add some pretty end of bed seating, if space allows. Or a chair and side table in the corner. Even a potted plant would be pretty! Don’t be afraid to push that 24” of walking space to it’s maximum here!

But most importantly: always make sure that you source the right sized nightstands for the space. If you’re typing in “nightstand” in the search bar at Target.com, I can almost guarantee you that every option is going to be anywhere from 12-24” wide. If you have a master bedroom, with a king sized bed and lots of extra wall space, you may need to find a new term for your search. Something like “cabinet” would most likely serve you well! Scale and proportion need to be your best friends when it comes to designing a space!

We’ll go back to the #aipohproject for another example of this. As you can see, theses “nightstands” are no joke!

So pin these images in a place you’ll remember! Because theses helpful guides will do wonders for your space!

Next on the agenda was something we like to call “buying to check the box.” I only had time to talk about this briefly, but basically we are all guilty. We need something for our space like a sofa or some dining chairs and out of desperate need, we just buy the firsts good looking one we see. We may have even failed to measure for it! But we definitely didn’t take into account it’s color or finish, fabric, scale, design in comparison to the other items in the room, etc. Don’t buy to check the box! Take time to source the right thing! Don’t feel bad if it takes you six months. I promise you - putting time and effort into the designs of your space will pay off!

Now let’s talk about buying generic for a second, shall we? Because, let’s be honest, if you’re shopping retail (like most of us are) we just need to be informed with what’s on the market that we NEED to stay away from.

I note: This is not to offend you if you have these things in your home right now. But only to make aware what we as designers try to stay away from when sourcing furniture for a “design-friendly home.”

There are plenty of items I could have hit on for this section. But here are the ones I feel customers fall for the most. Starting with the “Generic sofa.” Above are things that classify theses sofas as looking cheap. And below are what we want instead:

Ahhhhhh. See? Much better!

This is not to say you have to spend $5,000 on a designer sofa. There are still great and affordable options like these out there! You may have to hunt and it may stretch you a little bit, but I promise you it’s worth it!

Next we chatted about finishes. What “generic” finishes are on the market and should try to stay away from at all costs. Plus their way more prettier “sister finish.” First, the espresso finish. A classic manufactured finish. Can I note that all of these are very cheap options? They are only using cheap materials and covering them up with layers of lacquer and color to hide the fact that they are poorly made and assembled. Instead, if you’re wanting a darker tone for your space, try a natural walnut wood:

See the difference? And same thing applies with the sofa! There are still amazingly wonderful options out there that are just as affordable as the bad stuff. To give you a few more contrasting examples, keep scrolling!

VERSES:

IN CONTRAST TO:

We live in a world with endless options! Let’s do our research and discover the BEST for our homes!

Now that you have some helpful guides regarding what not to do and what to do for your space: let’s talk about the how. How do you feel confident about all your decisions before you buy them? And how do you make 100% sure they look great together? And that the space will feel cohesive and beautiful? Make a mood board!

First step: Source inspiration. Make sure you review my tips as to how to go about that!

Next, establish a theme. What style are you going for? This is going to help you pull together the rest of your decisions. Googling things like “modern dining room” is a good start if you really just don’t know how to put together your options!

Creating a color palette may also help you narrow your search. If you know what colors you want to incorporate in the space, it’s going to help you when it comes to selecting your final materials!

Lastly, put it all together. Here are some helpful softwares that allow you to do just that! But I promise it’ll help to see everything laid out next to each other. Whatever it takes to feel confident about your decisions!

In my last 8 minutes of the class, I mentioned briefly what small things you can do to upgrade your space! Try them and I guarantee you will feel like Joanna Gaines came in over night to make over your home. The little things, added together, make a big difference!

I hope theses were all helpful tips that can in turn guide you to creating a design-friendly home! And thank you to everyone who attended my Pinner’s class! For your participation and comments, I enjoyed meeting with you and helping with your own design dilemmas. That’s all for now! Xo, Ames

HELLO!

And welcome to the blog! We can’t wait to get going here + provide even more inspiring content in more ways than one. We’ve got BIG plans for the future of this here section of the web. Including lots more design tips + deeper looks into projects + video content galore!

Today, I wanted to start by talking about an exciting new venture we’ll be taking on over the next few months! Some of you may have already caught wind of the news via instagram. But let’s dive deeper into…

THE NEW AMES INTERIORS OFFICE + SHOWROOM SPACE!

Yes, you heard me right! We’re moving into an even bigger and better space for our team to be able to manage even bigger and better projects! As well, we’ll have an entire section to showcase the latest and greatest finds from SHOP. This will allow our local customers + clients to view product in person and coordinate free pick ups! We’re thrilled.

I’m not going to lie, it’s a pretty scary space to start with. But by the time we’re through, it’s going to be an interior design’s office paradise!

So let’s show you a before photo, shall we?

Here it is. In all it’s glory! I mentioned we had a lot of work to do right? Ha!

You know the famous close out sale slogan, “Everything must go!” That’s the perfect description of this space as it stands now. Because everything is changing! All new flooring, walls, ceiling treatments, light fixtures, plumbing, etc. etc. etc.

To give you a better idea of the layout of our new office/showroom, keep scrolling! We’ve mocked up our ideas for build-outs and construction below.

We’re so excited to take you along with us as we transform this space from the ground up. In the meantime, we’re working up some fun partnerships and finalizing all the design plans! So we’ll be back for more soon, we promise! Just thought you deserved a little teaser for now.

Until then, be sure to get lost on the rest of the site. We’ve got plenty for you to see!

Xo, Ames