HAPPY HALLOWEEN

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Happy Halloween everyone! I hope your day is frightfully fun and filled with the people and things you love. I will be spending the day with my three little loves, who happen to have the day off school today. We will be visiting Daddy's office during the day to do some trick or treating, and then tonight we will be meeting up with my hubby's family at his parents' house for homemade soup and bread bowls. After we have filled our bellies, we will head back down to our house where all the cousins will join together for trick or treating in our neighborhood. While I may not love Halloween decor, I am a sucker for any Holiday that brings friends and family together and also includes candy! What are your plans for the day? Whatever they are, I hope your Halloween is one to remember!

Signature Style

I got some sad news this week when my good friend Jenny called me to say that she and her family would be moving. Luckily, she is only moving about 15 minutes away, so we will still be able to get our families together often.

Jenny's current home is beautiful and totally her. It is classic, fresh and feminine. Three words that describe Jenny's style perfectly. I really can't believe she can leave it behind, although I am sure her new home is going to be a knockout as well. I really wanted to take the opportunity to share some pictures of her home with you. I think Jenny's home is the perfect example of making a home your own and filling it with the things you love.

all images courtesy of Jenny Barton

Isn't her home lovely? I love homes that have the signature of their homeowners on them, and hers definitely does. Jenny's home is currently for sale in Davis County, Utah. If you are interested in more information about, please contact me via email at sita.montgomery@gmail.com and I will get you in touch with Jenny.

Fail Safe Fall Fashion

As I mentioned in my last post, the weather in Utah is taking a turn for the colder this week. Along with crafting to my hearts content (I'll share my masterpiece later), I spent part of my weekend putting away my summer clothes and pulling out my Fall and Winter clothes in preparation for the cooler temps. I wanted to share with you a couple of my favorite pieces from my fall closet.

The J Crew Perfect-Fit Mix-Tape Cardigan

This cardi is fabulous. I own this it in black, navy and heathered gray. It fits like a dream and is the perfect layering piece. Pair it with a tank, some skinny jeans and some boots and you have a casual look you can be proud of. Throw it over a blouse with a pencil skirt and you have a sophisticated office/church look. Also, I know I said fall fashion, but I wear these cardis year round. They never leave my closet. It is a super comfortable piece and washes up like a dream. The best part...select colors are on sale for $39.50 right now! You can snag yourself one...or two...or three, like me, here.

Secondly, I'm a girl that loves my boots.  These boots have graced my closet for the past two winters and are making a return appearance again this year. 

The Steven by Steve Madden Intyce Boot

I love this boot! I have it in the Congac color and it goes with everything. The little wedge heel makes this a versatile boot that can be worn with leggings and jeans as well as skirts and dresses. Like I said, I have had these boot for a couple of years and they have held up great in the harsh Utah winters. I just give then a little leather lotion polish at the beginning of each season and I am good to go! In fact, I love them so much I decided to buy them in black this year! They aren't inexpensive, but with all of the wear you will get out of them, they are totally worth the price! You can find these lovely boots here.

Lastly, I am loving the whole stacking bracelets and watches trend. 

Image courtesy of Jen Ramos @ Made By Girl

When I saw this post by Jen over at Made by Girl announcing that she had added these gorgeous bracelets, made by artist Monika Hibbs, to her shop I knew I just had to have one. 

Image courtesy of Jen Ramos @ Made by Girl

Sadly, most of the colors are already sold out, but once she restocks, I hoping to grab myself one...or two!

Thanks for letting me share a couple of my favorite fall fashion pieces. Tell me is there a staple piece in your closet that you can't live without?

Getting my craft on

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I realize that it isn't even Halloween yet, but I am already looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have the pleasure of hosting both my parents and my husband's entire family for Thanksgiving this year. My mind has been turning over the last few weeks about decor and tablescapes for Thanksgiving day. I have spent lots of time gathering ideas from blogs and Pinterest and I think I finally have a good idea of what direction I want to go. I'm leaning toward a mixture of rustic and glam. Think natural elements like pumpkins, branches and leaves, mixed with metallics and mercury glass. As I have mentioned before, I'm not much of a crafter, but my sweet mother in law has agreed to let my kids (who are out of school on Fall Break) and I hang out with her for a few hours today while she helps me "create" some seasonal baubles to dress up my home. We'll be putting her Cricut machine to work and there will also be glitter involved. Wish me luck in my crafting endeavors. Let's just say there have been crafting attempts in the past that have been less than successful. :)

PS - Enjoy your weekend. This may be our last weekend of good weather before the cold sets in...we plan on taking full advantage of it!

Well Read

via Shelterness

Like many interior design lovers, I have a fondness for design magazines and books. There is so much inspiration to be found on their pages. I already subscribe to a few different shelter magazines and own my fair share of design books. While I never get tired of pouring over their pages, I am looking to expand my collection of design related publications. So, I am turning to you, my fellow bloggers and design enthusiasts, for help. Tell me, do you have a favorite book or magazine? What is on your list of "must have" design related publications?

By the way, I would LOVE to have a library in my home. If you have one...I envy you.

Office Overhaul

I am currently working with a client to design a few different spaces in her home. One of the rooms she wanted me to help her tackle was her home office. It is pretty much a blank slate, except for a black desk, which will remain in the room. We are also going to keep the wall color because her home has an open floor plan that does not allow for a good starting/stopping point for paint. Essentially, if you want to paint one room, you have to paint the whole main floor...not an option.

She wanted to her office to be feminine and fun. Plus, she loves the color turquoise, along with all it's relatives (teal, aqua, robin's egg blue), so some shade of it, has made it's way into each room I am designing for her.

Here is the "before" picture of her office...

Like I said...a blank slate...with exception of the gorgeous wainscoting .

This is the design board I put together...

She loved the design plan and the room is really coming together. I will definitely be sharing the "after" pictures once it is complete!

Light it Up!

Good lighting is one of the most important elements in a room. Having varying light sources in a room (table lamps, floor lamps, recessed lighting, ceiling fixtures, sconces, etc.) can help to create just he right ambience. Lighting can also be a high impact accessory in a space. Bright, bold colored table lamps can add a much needed pop of color to a neutral palette, while a metallic finish floor lamp can add a touch of glamour to a casual room.

Good lighting can be pricey, and sometimes budgetary constraints don't allow for high end designer lighting. Recently, while looking for lighting options for a client, I stumbled upon some reasonably priced table and floor lamps that could offer the same impact in a room as their more expensive counterparts.

Twin Links Floor Lamp

We selected this floor lamp for my clients's office and it is fab.

Aqua Glass Floor Lamp

Frizz Glass Lamp

Urn Table Lamp

Belly Table Lamp - Bright

Glass Table Lamp

Belly Table Lamp

All of the these lamps come with the shade included. The table lamps are all priced at $129.00 or less! All the punch without the high price tag! To get more info on any of these lamps go here or here.

My Kind of Halloween

Those who know me well are aware of my lackluster attitude towards Halloween decor. It's just not my thing. As a child I would get physically ill every Halloween because I was so scared of the vampires, mummies, witches and ghosts that walked the streets. It wasn't until I was 8 or 9 that I actually made it out the door to go trick or treating. Is my lack of enthusiasm for Halloween decor a direct result of my childhood trauma? I doubt it, but I still can't get myself to deck out my home for this much loved holiday. I feel bad because my kids love Halloween. They have managed to talk my man into hanging a huge black spider and web from the pillars in front of our home. Still, I can't help but feel that I should get more excited about Halloween, if only for the sake of my kids. So, on my quest to right my wrong, I turned to Pinterest. Are you on Pinterest? It is inspiring, amazing and totally addicting. If you are not on the bandwagon, you must get on it....fast!

Pinterest showed me some Halloween decor I could get into. This is the kind of stuff I actually want to display in my home, and it in no way reminds me of the bloody, gory, scary Halloween of my childhood.

via Cortney on Pinterest

via Amanda on Pinterest

via Paige on Pinterest

via Mary on Pinterest

via  Sallie on Pinterest

Thank you Pinterest. You may have just made Halloween at the Montgomery home a bit more festive. If you are on Pinterest, and would like to follow me, you can do so here.

Painted Ceilings

via Kiki's List

Ever since I saw this incredible room reveal by Krista on Kiki's List, I can't get it out of my mind. I love everything about this room, the bright colors, the built in cabinetry and the fab chandelier. I especially love the painted ceiling. Painted ceilings can add so much drama and interest to a space while also making it feel bigger. There are a myriad of options when painting a ceiling too. Who says that it has to be all one color? Take a look at these fabulous painted ceilings...

Bold and Beautiful

via Apartment Therapy

via Belle Interiors

I Love the reflectiveness of a high gloss ceiling.

via House and Home

 Dark and Dramatic

via Jordan Guide Design

 Patterned Perfection

via 4 Men 1 Lady

via House Beautiful

My daughter turns 8 soon and we are planning a bedroom makeover for her birthday. I think a painted ceiling may have to find its way into the design. How about you? Do you dare paint a ceiling in your home something other than white?

What's in a name?

I've had a few people ask me how I picked the name for my blog, so I thought I would share the back story. There are two main reasons for choosing "The Family Room Design Studio" name. First, the family room of my own home really has become my design studio. I don't have a designated office in my home. My husband used to work from home and during that time we did have an actual home office. It was not pretty. Ugly wood laminate furniture coupled with exposed wires and papers everywhere does not make for a sophisticated space. So after my man took a new job, which required him to go into a corporate office, I reclaimed the room and turned it into a formal living room. It has since been transformed into a formal dining room. Like most decorators, I am constantly changing things in my house.

Not having an office forced me to find another place to curl up with my Mac Book, and the family room is the place I have settled in to. It is while seated on the sofa in my family room that I spend my time, reading blogs, sourcing products online and finding the inspiration that helps to define my own style. On the floor in my family room I can often be found spreading out fabric samples or creating a color palette for a space I am designing. So like I said, my family room has literally become my design studio (at least for now...I am seeing the rebirth of a home office in the near future ;) ).

Secondly, and maybe most importantly, the name of this blog is founded upon my belief that the family room of a home, whether it be big or small, is the gathering place for all that enter it. It has been said that "the kitchen is the heart of a home." I believe that the family room is a vital artery that brings life to that heart. No matter if you live in 500 or 5000 square feet, the family room and kitchen are central to the home and serve to welcome in, not only the people invited to a home, but also those that live in that home.

So there you have it. What's in a name? Well, in the case of my little blog...quite alot!

In honor of family rooms, here are some I love...

via Cote de Texas

via Country Living

via decorpad

via Emily A. Clark

via Home Bunch

via House Beautiful

via Houzz

via Houzz

Wouldn't it be wonderful to be gathered with ones you love in one of these fantastic rooms?

Welcome and some painted pretties

Let me start off by saying "Welcome"! After nearly a year of talking myself into...and then out of....and then back into starting this blog, I am finally writing my first official post. It is both terrifying and exhilarating, and I want to thank all of you that have encouraged and supported me as I have shared with you my hopes and dreams for this endeavor. This blog will be a place for me to share with all of you the things and places that inspire me and bring me joy. Interior design is truly my passion and I am also excited to show you some of the spaces that I have had the pleasure of designing. So again, "Welcome" and "Thank you". I hope my blog will become a place where you will visit often.

Okay...now onto the prettiness! Have you seen Ballard Designs' latest catalog? While their catalogs are always full of eye candy and inspiration, I went particularly gaga over the custom painted furniture they are now offering called the Casa Florentina Collection. As you know, painted furniture is all the rage these days. I absolutely love how a piece of painted furniture can draw your eye into a room and provide just the right pop of color. The blogsphere is full of DIY instruction and inspiration on how to get this look. While I have recently tackled the task of painting a piece of furniture myself (more on that later), I am not really a DIYer at heart. But boy do I wish I was! So for those of you, like me, that are DIY challenged, Ballard may be the answer...but you will have to pay for it. Painted prettiness doesn't come cheap! Check it out...

Each of the pieces in this collection is available in these finishes...

Check out the entire collection here.