My April was full of reconnecting and bonding with relatives that I haven’t seen in years, far away in the land of Aussie.

After thirty-three years away from Asia, I gave myself a Mother’s Day vacation across the Pacific Ocean to Australia to attend my niece’s wedding. I tucked my guilty conscience away, and with my husband and son’s approval, I was off to see my favorite cousin Diana (who is only a few years older than me and is more like a sister than a cousin). How rejuvenating it was!

My dear cousin Diana and I were very close. We played and grew up together back in Vietnam. Life had pushed us onto two totally different paths, placing us oceans apart from each other for more than three decades. The last time Diane came to America for a short visit was twelve years ago. We never did have a chance to have a real soul conversation.

Diana married at a very young age and devoted her life to raising two successful, accomplished children and building a restaurant business.  She had just gone through a divorce a few years back; it took a toll on her confidence as an independent and free spirited person. She was so appreciative to have me by her side to celebrate her daughter’s wedding with her.

I, on the other hand, took full advantage of this off time to replenish myself with the pollen-free air Australian air, giving myself a much-needed break from the American allergy season! I indulged myself with lots of relaxation, taking time for sightseeing and shopping with Diana, the mother of the bride. With the exception of a few wrinkles on our faces, we  felt like we were back to our childhood again.

Diana and I,  34 years ago

And here we are 2012, at the Sydney Harbor Bridge climb and Blue Mountain in the land Down Under

At my niece Linda’s wedding

 It was utterly crazy to think about leaving my business unattended for this long and having to come back to deal with all the chaos, but I am glad I did it.  It gave me a new perspective on life, and it was actually very nice to have no cell phone and to not drive for a few weeks

Sometimes we get so involved with our day to day work, jobs and careers, that we forgot how important it is to step back, take a breath of fresh air, and do absolutely nothing for a few days (or weeks!).  I think it’s especially true for women, as we tend to feel guilty for taking a little “me-time”. So, I urge you, do something nice for yourself this Mother’s Day, and give yourself a guilt free Mother’s Day gift.

You will so glad you did!

]]> http://www.distinctivedesignsbytran.com/give-yourself-a-guilt-free-mothers-day-gift/feed/ 4 http://www.distinctivedesignsbytran.com/spring-upholstery-makes-an-impact/ http://www.distinctivedesignsbytran.com/spring-upholstery-makes-an-impact/#comments Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:43:27 +0000 windowdesign http://www.distinctivedesignsbytran.com/?p=2349 I love how the addition of fabric transforms the look and feel of a room. Recently we’ve had a lot of homeowners wanting to freshen up their rooms with window treatments AND coordinating upholstery projects.

In one of our recent projects, our clients wanted to spruce up their daughter’s stark white bedroom with her college’s signature gold.  The room had some great character, with hardwood floors, sloped ceilings, and cozy little window nook. It just needed some coordinated fabrics to pull it all together and add some “wow” factor.

To transform the window nook into a cozy sitting area, we added a box valance and some seat cushions to define the space. The homeowners chose a crisp springy cotton fabric for the valance for a fresh, youthful feel.

Some coordinating suede fabric in Vanderbilt gold was used for the window-seat cushion and voila – a cozy new spot to curl up with a good book!

The gold suede fabric was also used to transform her existing arm-chair, and custom pillows were crafted with coordinating prints for the bed, window seat and chair to tie the room together.

The homeowner plans on finishing the room with a fresh coat of paint and a new area rug. This room design really highlights how a few well-coordinated fabric projects can work harmoniously for a beautiful and cohesive space. Several smaller fabric projects designed together can make one really big transformation!

Like this post? Read More….

Spring Makeover

The Secret to Ambiance

What’s Your Home Worth?

Selecting fabrics wasn’t too difficult thanks to Aubusson Home. The homeowner picked out  fresh colored fabrics from the Wayne Fabric Store for her windows. For the drapes, she selected a large tree print linen blend fabric with a cheerful off white background, with celery green and a variety of red floral colors as accents. The trouble came with selecting the inner layer.

At first she thought she wanted sheers….

Then my client wanted to see a more streamlined option that would be easy to clean and child-friendly

A natural woven wood roman shade could add warmth, but my client wasn’t sure about the texture and the color added to the space. Then she saw a relaxed roman shade in a magazine and fell in love!

The relaxed roman shade has the modern look and still add the softness of fabric to the space with any fuss.The digital rendering allowed her to see several options before making her final decision.

And, here it is….

The transformation is absolutely stunning!

The room is fresh and inviting with vibrant colors, and the opaque sheer linen of the Relaxed Roman shades are fully operational for privacy.

The window seat cushion and accent pillows add comfort  to the space and extra seating for entertaining guests.

The drapes are operational, hanging on a rich walnut pole  to match with the dining room set. They can be swagging up on the rosettes for a formal look, or hang straight down for a more casual look.

These homeowners are very happy with their distinctive window treatments, and they can’t wait to invite over their friends and family to show off their gorgeous dining room. Mission accomplished for Distinctive Designs! What do you think?

The easiest way to change the ambiance in your home is by changing or adding fabric. It’s true! Think of all the fabric  surfaces in your rooms; curtains, rugs, seat cushions,  tablecloths, pillows etc.

The secret is knowing what fabric to choose to create Your Ideal Ambiance.

Feel the difference in this living room? New fabric instantly transforms this space.

Here are 5 ambiances we think you might like…

Romantic – You cherish the soft, warm, glowing feeling of love. Fabrics that are airy, sweet, delicate, and flowing are the best choices for you. Look for billowy, beautiful, and whimsical  fabric  such as taffeta, tulle, and lace in whites, creams, blushes and blues to feel  Romantic.

Organic - You love being outdoors, whether tending your garden or going for walks in your local state park. To get the natural, easy feel you are looking for, choose linen, raw silk, or jute in neutrals, greens, and browns to feel  Organic.

Stunning –  You want to make a statement and strive to live a dazzling life. To get the striking, sumptuous, sensational feel you want, choose silk, satin, taffeta and matelasse in brilliant, gorgeous  colors  to feel Stunning.

Mellow - You enjoy have a cozy movie night with the family, and you want spaces that are durable, relaxed, and comfortable. To  give you the casual feel you want, choose cotton, twill, and synthetics in  simple styles and patterns to feel Mellow.

Classic – You embrace family  traditions and time-tested elegance. To get the refined, cultured feel you want, use stately fabrics such as  damask, chenille, and tapestry with details such as piping, fringe, and tassels to feel Classic.

This client fell in love with her home all over again…thanks to a change in ambiance!

So is it time to rekindle the love  with your home? Adding new fabrics is the easiest way to change the way your home “feels”, and change the way you feel about it! So share your thoughts  below… What’s your dream Ambiance?

P.S. – Still unsure of what fabrics to use? Give me a call or shoot me an email… I’m always available to share advice with you on fabric selections to help  you create your ideal ambiance 

Window treatments add value to your home, similar to the way a designer handbag adds value to your look. Unlike designer handbags, which only provide value in two ways, window treatments add value in three different ways. 

The first kind of value is what we’ll call “emotional value.” It’s that simple joy you experience when you see how a fashionable bag completes your outfit, or the pride you feel when you carry it around town in the crook of your arm. Professionally designed window treatments provide the same type of emotional value! Besides adding to the overall “comfort” factor in your home, draperies and shades aesthetically complete an entire room’s look, much like your favorite handbag can tie together your whole outfit. Well designed draperies add joy to your life every time you enter the room.

The second value is “functional value.” For a handbag, the “functional value” is having a place to carry your wallet, phone, makeup and every thing else the modern woman needs. Window treatments provide important functional value by giving homeowners privacy from the street and neighbors, and by providing light control options to protect furniture and floors.

The third value that window treatments provide is an “economic value”. Professional grade window shades provide huge energy savings because they are able to insulate your home from heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. And most shades have an effective lifespan up to fifteen years, so window treatments can truly be considered an investment in energy savings for your home.

Window treatments provide emotional, functional, and economic value to your household that will last for years to come. Do you live in a “cookie-cutter” development? If so, the decision to invest in custom treatments is a decision to invest in your home’s individual style and help it stand out from the crowd. Window treatments add visual beauty and comfort, privacy and light control, and insulate your home for noticeable energy savings. So what is your home worth to you?  Window treatments  add to the value of your home, just like your designer handbag adds value to your wardrobe.

What are your thoughts? Sound off below!

Join Lea Tran as she shows you how to save big bucks on your energy bill through the application of window treatments. If you’re interested in attending this three-hour Saturday course, Register Online through Montgomery Community College.

Registration Instructions: Click under “New Students Registration for Continuing Education.”For more information, check out pg. 29 in MC3′s Live to Learn Brochure.