We are delighted to show you our most recent press in the September/October issue of  Southern Lady Magazine and the September issue of Carolina Parent.

Southern Lady Magazine, highlighted the firms successes and Judy’s hard work over the past 30 years, while Carolina Parent focused on our recommendations for sprucing up your deck/patio just in time for Fall.

Copies of the Southern Lady Magazine can be found at your local Barnes & Noble. We recommend calling first and if they do not have a copy of the magazine, we suggest calling Southern Lady Magazine directly.

Carolina Parent is a free local newspaper to the residents within North Carolina. You can usually find copies right outside the grocery stores. I have always had luck at Whole Foods.

We are so thankful for all the press we receive. Thank you Southern Lady Magazine and Carolina Parent!

Judy and Hilaire are in route to NYC for the Business of Design 2010 conference from Designing Profits, Inc. They always come back energized! This conference is the equivalent to receiving ivy league business school training. They learn new high-level business strategies, hear from inspirational speakers within the interior design industry, panelists and of course network with other successful interior design firms from all over the country.  

This time around they are going to hear keynotes from Tobi Fairley ”one of the Top 20 Young Designers in America for 2009,” luxury experts Steve Nobel, Pam Danziger, and  Adam Japko.

Hilaire will keep you updated throughout their trip. They might even squeeze in a few hours to shop or site see!

images: 1.  Joe Buglewicz  2. Alex Lopez

As we retreat and savor the last few days of summer, we have a wonderful September editorial calendar for you.

As always we will bring you exciting current projects (including an update on the 1800 Farmhouse), more posts on the Guest Blogger Series and the East-2-West Series. What cities will we have next? You will just have to wait and see!

Judy and I will also be live from New York City as we will learn key business strategies and hear from luxury market experts at the Business of Design 2010 Conference. Check back on the blog for continuous updates, Hilaire has got you covered.

Enjoy our video segments? We will have two more  videos this September.  Judy and Jon Rufty of Rufty Homes, Inc. will talk about sustainability and green design, while Molly will talk about our accomplishments out at the 12 Oaks Development in Holly Springs.

And last but not least, we are thrilled to share with you some of our recent press in  Southern Lady Magazine and also Carolina Parent. 

So are you ready? We ARE! Grab some coffee and settle in.

 P.S. I almost forgot, if you haven’t joined our Facebook page yet, you should!

image: Modenus Blog

We have now added another social media channel to our online community presence, Facebook! Through Facebook we will be able to connect with future clientele, key media contacts and manufacturers within the interior design industry.

Back in 2008 when we jumped on the social media band wagon, we wanted to be sure we had clear business strategies before we signed up for every online community. Our goal with Facebook is to raise the overall awareness of the Design Lines Ltd. brand.

On our Facebook page you will find all the latest interior design news and events, get great design tips for your home and view pictures of our current projects.

So go ahead spread the Design Lines love to all your friends!!

At staff meeting yesterday, Laurie passed on the “Living the Mission” award to Judy for her continued commitment to client relations, her enthusasim to promote the firm on My Carolina Today, a local television show and for her leadership in running the business.

This award is given out each month from one employee to another in honor of all their hard work. We are a team and this award is our own appraoch at recognizing all the various ways in which we help each member of the team.

Over the weekend the Design Lines team got together to celebrate the upcoming arrival of baby Sophia. Ashley is expecting her first child in October and this is the first Design Lines baby in over six years. The team is thrilled for Ashley and her husband Dean!

From one Design Lines family to another, Ashley below shows off the hand-made blanket, one of Molly’s kids made for baby Sophia.

I cannot believe it’s August! I want to update you on what to expect this month on the Design Lines Blog.  

How does art make a statement in a room? Several blog posts this month will focus on art hanging, the joy of finding the right picture frame, and our  favorite artists.

Whether your children are on the traditional or the year-around calendar, the kids are heading back to school. Phew! We will have back-to-school inspired posts and a few DIY projects. For example we will teach you how to create your own chalkboard at home for the kids playroom.

For all those readers who do not live in Raleigh, we’ve got you covered. While we completed the Designer Profiles last month, our next adventure will give you a front row seat as we tour the company office. How does everyone stay organized? Where do they eat lunch? What does the resource library look like? I have always heard about that mysterious rug room, does it really have rug samples everywhere?

Hot off the Press! Design Lines will be featured in the September/October issue of Southern Lady Magazine. We will give you all the details once the issue hits newsstands, including the spread and where to buy your own copy.

As always we will have updates on current projects and our My Carolina Today segments.

This month is exciting and we can’t wait to share it with you.

image credit: Traditional Home Online

At this morning’s staff meeting, Laurie was presented the Living the Mission award for her commitment to our clients and her support to our team.  Her extra effort to find new sources for our out of town projects and to expedite our processes is really appreciated. 

So far our team has recognized Lauren, Hilaire, Ashley, & Brittany. You may read more about the award here.

Chris Elliott, Principal of Creedmoor Elementary School (CES) approached several interior design firms in the Raleigh and the Durham area about helping create a more stimulating environment for the children at CES. When we heard what Chris was trying to accomplish, we jumped at the opportunity to help the school and also at the chance to give back to the town of Creedmoor. The team at Design Lines firmly believes everyone deserves good design and for these kids, this was no exception.

Brittany and I drove out to Granville County on Friday and met with Chris and a few administrative staff to select some paint colors. The walls, doors and trim throughout the school are in a dire need of a new coat of paint.

We believe children learn better when the are around stimulating colors, and so does Chris.

Brittany first was inspired by this Lincoln Log picture in the April 2008 Dwell Magazine. She took the inspiration a step further with these CB2 his & her bathroom signs.

As we toured the school with Chris, we instantly understood the vision for creating a place where children feel proud of where they go to school. Brittany even had a neat idea for Chris’s office-create a Lego wall.  

 As the school project progresses I will be sure to update you on the transformations and even get a couple of the kids reactions when they arrive at school on August 16th.

Thanks Chris for letting  us be a part of the team, we cannot wait to hear all the buzz it creates around town.  

Summertime is here and we have plenty of blog posts for you to enjoy.  Grab some refreshing lemonade and take a break from those rays, as I share with  you what’s in store this month.

Ready for some more NBC 17- My Carolina Today tapings? We are! We will have two days planned of behind-the-scenes shooting to share with you. Stay tuned for more details too on when those segments will actually air. By the way, we are always looking for new segment ideas, so if you have any please let us know. Do you want more of a DIY spin or do you want us to stay with more of an interior design expert feel?

Brittany and I are working on a couple guest blogger series that are sure to bring you knowledge on that summer furniture of yours and also discover local artisans who are brilliant in their own way.

Hilaire will be the last highlighted staff member for the designer profiles this month. While she may not have an interior design degree, she has a relentless passion for the interior design industry as the Director of Communications.

Also, there will be three BIG press announcements, that I cannot wait to share!! Until then my lips are sealed. I promise they are worth the wait.

And finally, we have several before and after projects to share with you. Ashley, just finished up an amazing  living room and dining room transformation. We will also share a kitchen, a nursery,  several living spaces and our most talked about project, North Carolina State University Chancellor’s House on Centennial Campus in Raleigh. 

It is a busy month and we want you to join us so come along for the ride!

image from Papercrave blog.