A Sleeping Beauty: Inside Greenwood Gardens Matthew Patrick Smyth transforms a challenging space in a former Manhattan warehouse into a stylish urban oasis for ELLE DECOR's Designer Visions. Plus: Learn more about Designer Visions The Living AreaThe Living AreaELLE DECOR: What were the particular issues you faced with this project?MATTHEW PATRICK SMYTH: The building, 250 West Street, is a former warehouse that dates from 1906 and was selected by Hearst for its Designer Visions showhouse program. It’s the last structure before the Hudson River, but this is a middle unit, with windows on only one side facing a side street, so light is an issue. As in all conversions, the developer, the ELAD Group, inherited certain structural elements that just can’t be eliminated, like columns and bearing walls. This apartment includes a room that is big enough to be a third bedroom but can’t be listed as one because it has no windows.ED: Is that the room you’ve set up as a dining room?

I wanted to show off the flexibility of the apartment. For example, most of us don’t have the space to dedicate a bedroom to occasional visitors. So after conversations with Designer Visions’ executive director, Alana Frumkes, I decided to turn the second bedroom into an office and the “auxiliary” room off the entrance into a dining room. Since dining rooms are used mostly at night, the lack of a window was not a big deal.ED: Is it more or less difficult to design a place without a client?MPS: That depends on the client. Some are great, of course, but there are nightmare clients too. Either way, the client gives me the clues I need to do my job. I like to say that I can walk into a room and immediately think of five ways to do it, so I rely on client input to focus my thinking. Living AreaLiving AreaIn the living area, Schumacher fabrics cover the sectional, pillows, and chair; the sofa’s trim is by Samuel & Sons, the mirror is Indonesian, and the rug is by Patterson, Flynn & Martin.

The walls and door frame are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Notre Dame and Barely There, respectively. Renovation Style Guide: November 2012 20 Ways To Make A Big Statement In A Small Bedroom 20 Ways To Pull Off Beautiful Design In A Small Bathroom First We Had Tiny Homes, Now We Have Tiny Parks 17 Tips From Chefs On Arranging An Efficient Galley Kitchen 15 Kitchen Storage Ideas Every Organized Person Knowschandelier for sale in pampanga Inside A 300-Square-Foot Apartment With A Gym And Home Theaterchandelier solaria This Bunk Bed Is Also A Sofahilden & diaz forest chandelier for sale 7 Design Dilemmas You'll Inevitably Face When Living With A Roommate The 10 Most Stylish Secretaries

10 Drop-Leaf Tables Your Small Space NeedsI find myself constantly incorporating turquoise lamps into design plans when working on a new project. There is just something so classic, yet so modern about the turquoise lamp and it works well in almost any style of interior. I love them in all shapes, sizes and materials, but ceramic and gourd-shaped happen to be my fave! Take a look at a few spaces incorporating this coveted trend; via Bonesteel Trout Hall via House of Turquoise via Velvet and Linen via Coco and Kelley via It's Great to be Home via Grant K. Gibson Lamps available here, here, here, here and here. Lamps available here, here, here and here. Want to know a secret?! I like to hunt for lamps at HomeGoods, TJMaxx and Marshalls. Their prices typically range between $20 - $80 and they have large selections of stylish lighting options! Here's a glimpse at the lamp isle at HomeGoods. I'm like a kid in a candy store every I see all those delicious colored lamps!!!

It's Friday, so that means we have another guest stopping by to share some ideas on how to save money but achieve high style! Today Carissa with The Fabulous Design File is here. If you're not already familiar with Carissa's blog, you should be! It's filled with loads of design inspiration, decorating ideas and DIY projects! Check out the stairway wall in her foyer, which happens to be one of my favorite spots in her house; Isn't her gallery of art amazing?! And I love that it's a mix of family photos and art with specific meaning to everyone in her family! Read on for more art ideas from Carissa.It's Carissa from The Fabulous Design File. I was so excited when Mary asked me to participate in this guest series! I love finding ways to create a stylish home on a budget, whether it's by scoring a great bargain, finding a new use for something old, or by tackling a fun DIY project. I love the challenge, and I really believe that great style does not depend on a large budget. I thought I'd share one of my favorite money-saving decorating tips.

We all know that fantastic art can really MAKE a space, and yet finding the right piece on a budget can be tricky. Here's the tip: find a print shop and create your own original art! You'll be surprised at how little it costs to get something unique and fabulous. I use a local print shop in my city, but you can also check out online sources like PosterBrain.Make sure you stop by her blog and say hello and see what other ideas and projects she has up her sleeve, like this DIY globe pendant chandelier, AMAZING! via A Well Dressed Home I have loved this lantern fixture from Chandelier Lighting from Pottery Barn for a while: Originally priced at $269, this Gothic Lantern is marked down to $215 right now. But wait, it gets better. . . Check out what I found at Overstock; Antique Copper 4-Light Chandelier, $139.99!!! Antique Copper Finish Glass Lantern Chandelier, $151.99!!! I'm feeling bright and cheerful today, what about you?! The sun is shining and summer is just around the corner.

I couldn't be happier! What's making you smile today? Do you think it's strange to have a sentimental attachment to a piece of furniture?! Lets rewind and I'll start from the beginning. . . The year was 1989 and my parents bought a brand spankin new sleeper sofa. It was a grey-blue and had sort of a corduroy feel to it, a rounded back and sat low to the ground. I grew up with this sofa! At the time (late 80's, early 90's) it totally fit in with the 'southwestern' decor my mom had going on in our living room. It transitioned with us when we moved in the mid 90's and eventually it just became an eye sore. In 2002 I moved out of my parents house they let me take the sofa with me. It was still in good condition, sturdy as a rock and being a poor, furniture-less college student I happily accepted the offer and moved the sofa into my first apartment. I had the sofa for a couple of years until it got handed down to the next family member. And then the next, and then the next. Whether it was used in as-is condition, or combined with a slipcover, it was a functional piece of furniture and provided a pull out bed for guests which was always a plus.

My younger sister Michele was the last person to get to be the proud owner of this family heirloom  hand-me-down. Last summer I helped Michele spruce up her townhouse near the beach in Santa Cruz. We painted the walls, put up new curtains and a gallery wall of art, amongst other things. Here's a shot of the sofa I have been ranting about, in Michele's living room, before the new slipcover we purchased had arrived; Michele just recently moved in with her boyfriend John and they decided they wanted to buy a new sofa together. The old blue family sofa ended up on Craigslist. A day later two guys came and picked it up, for free. I never had a chance to say goodbye which makes me kind of sad :( It wasn't the prettiest or most comfortable thing in the world, it was over 20 years old and totally outdated, but it had sentimental value. You can laugh at me for saying this, but that sofa will always have a special place in my heart. What about you, have you ever had a sentimental attachment to a piece of furniture?!

Or am I the only crazy one?! Plantation Design ads have really been catching my eye lately! This retail store with locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Venice Beach offers an amazing selection of unique accessories, lighting and custom furnishings. I think the next time I am shopping in the city I need to check it out in person! Isn't this vignette gorgeous?! I love everything about it from the white console table, the crystal lamps, the amazing shell mirror and stacked purple boxes. This has my name written all over it! Here's a few more of their adds that are wonderfully styled and showcase some their gorgeous products available; To see more, check out their website here. Laura from JourneyChic is here today to kick off the guest-post series I will be running every Friday for the next two months. In case you missed the announcement, I've invited some amazing blogstresses to come on over and share some ideas with you on how to create a stylish and gorgeous home without spending a lot of money!

Hello JPM Design readers! I'm Laura from JourneyChic, a gal on a lifelong quest to find fabulous style at realistic prices, and help others make their homes and wardrobes more chic. Sometimes the tiniest objects can have a real style impact while also serving an important function. Do you take your rings off when you wash your face, apply makeup, or do the dishes? Have you ever come dangerously close to losing your heirloom (or fantastic bargain find) down the drain? Recently I got sick of worrying about this potential catastrophe and went on the hunt for a ring dish. Anthropologie is one of those stores that have loads of beautiful things I'd love to buy, but at prices that are just at the edge of what my wallet is willing to endure. So, I wondered if they might have a small ring dish at a reasonable price. They have several pretty, interesting ceramic dishes all under $14! Anthropologie Ring Dishes by journeychic featuring a leaf ring I bought the Saguaro dish for myself (the flower), and the Sidekick Show-off (the dog) as a gift for a friend.

Here's my dish, dressing up the toilet tank in my bathroom: The dish rests in a capiz tray that I scored at HomeGoods, and the ring was my grandma's. The inscription (JAA 19) stands for "Junior Athletic Association, 1919" and she received it when her high school basketball team won the championship back in 1919. It goes without saying that this is an important piece that I wouldn't want to fish out of the drain with a coat hanger! Although my dish is making my bathroom a bit more pretty, it would look equally lovely perched on a bookshelf. Looking for a stunning ring to dress up your fingers and give yourself another excuse to pick up a pretty dish? Check out these finds, all under $45! Bold Beautiful Rings by journeychic featuring glamour jewelry I must admit that the working title for this post was "Where to Keep Your Precioussssss" but I was worried that I might be the only Lord of the Rings fan in the group. Now you know I have a geeky side. And a really big thank you to Laura for stopping by!