Things that make me happy

Yes, outdoor furniture and fabrics can be this stylish.

Love the accent button and contrast welt.

I love me some Osborne and Little. Their designer fabrics and wallcoverings are pure luxury and decadence. I don't know about the rest of you but I could always use a little more of both in my home.

If the idea of mixing patterns or the use of such bold colors makes you break out in hives, break it down into smaller doses. Use one fabric in a couple of accent pillows on a neutral sofa. For a high-impact focal point, wallpaper the fireplace wall in your living room or the headboard wall in your master bedroom.

New weekly feature - ask a designer!

Got an interior design dilemma? Could you use some help with a tricky furniture layout? Are you looking for suggestions on how to personalize your space or add some impact? Do you have a question about paint color or color in general? Maybe you'd like some general interior design advice? Here's your chance to get those questions answered!

At Revive Interior Design Blog I'm starting a new weekly feature called "Ask a Designer". Each week, I'll select one of your emails to answer on this blog (so you'll have to be ok with any photos that you submit being published on this site). Along with your questions, send me photos and room dimensions (if necessary).

Email your questions, dilemmas and photos to me here. And check back next week to see if your email was selected!

Eco-Friendly decor at Viva Terra

Felted Wool Stools

Wood Cubes - great for tables or seating

The Lotus Chandelier - I'm coveting this for my dining room!

Bag made of reclaimed tires

If you've never heard of Viva Terra, now is the time to check them out. This eco-friendly site features truly unique home goods and women's apparel all while maintaining a focus on value and sustainability.

Many of their products are made of reclaimed, organic or recycled material. The decriptions for each item discusses what makes the product environmentally friendly and why you can feel good about buying it. In addition to scoring some beautiful things for yourself or your home, you can help out the earth while doing it!

Why You Need to Hire an Interior Designer - Yes, Even in THIS Economy

Anyone even remotely aware of the state of our economy these days knows that things are tough to say the least. For some, even tougher. So you may think that now, of all times, is no time to go out and hire some diva of a designer to overhaul your diggs. You know the divas I'm talking about, the ones who will tell you that you "simply must have this" as they try to convince you that this $300 pillow (which, by the way, will be "out" next season) is going to completely transform your space. I get it. I get it because before I went to design school, that's pretty much what I thought interior designers did too.

In design school, I quickly learned the difference between decorators and designers. Call any interior designer who actually holds a degree and some sort of certification a "decorator" to their face and you'll begin to notice a sizeable vein in his/her forehead begin to throb. For many interior designers, being called a "decorator" is, with one word, completely invalidating their years of education, training and advanced knowledge of design principles. It's putting them on par with "my cousin Helen who has a real flair for color".

Decorators make things pretty. Designers make things pretty and functional and safe. They know the science behind why particular colors work well together or why they don't. Designers know their clients, their lifestyles and how to make a space function best for them. They understand advanced design concepts that you just can't pick up by watching a lot of design shows on TV. Oh and designers never, EVER put fake, plastic ivy on your curtain rods.

Although they will most likely charge more per hour, interior designers can actually save you money in the long run. With all of their knowledge, training and (hopefully) years of experience, a good designer will give you sound advice that can keep you from making costly mistakes.

They can advise you why granite would be a better countertop material for you than say, a high-maintenance marble. They know what to look for when determining the quality of a carpet for your high-traffic areas. Designers will help you find the right paint color, the first time because they've done this many, many times before. They see the pink undertones in a beige paint chip that the average person may not.

Still think you can't afford to hire an interior designer? Check out this article on the website for the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). You may be surprised to find that when it comes to home improvements, you can't afford not to hire a designer. Just find a nice way to break the news to your cousin Helen.