Elementary School Career Day

Career day at Valley View Elementary

Career day at Valley View Elementary in Austin, Texas (supporting the VVE Booster Club) is one of my favorite events of the year. We gather old kids magazines and discontinued fabrics from a few local stores, draw up a floor plan and off we go.

This year we had 31 kids (4th and 5th graders) choose "Interior Designer" as a career they wanted to learn more about. Some of the other careers that were available were Spa Owner, Photographer, Realtor, Wedding Planner, Doctor, Veterinarian, SWAT Team and Mounted Police. Can you imagine going up against policemen on horses for a tweens attention?!

We handed the kids a floor plan and a furniture template and requested they come up with their "Dream Bedroom" to present to the class at the end of the meeting time. It is amazing what those kids came up with in 30 minutes. Some preferred to draw only, while others picked fabric swatches and combed through every magazine I brought for ideas.

We had ladders to lofts above the beds, full functioning rooms that the kids would never have to leave except to request additional food. One girl even added on to the 18 x 25 room because she couldn't plan her bedroom without knowing where the bathroom door would be located.

Thank you to Valley View for allowing me to spend time with their wonderful and creative kids. I had a great time and can't wait to come back next year!

Below are some of the fun drawings and kids hard at work. There are some budding Designers and Architects in this mix. I will be able to say "I knew them when..."

Career Day

Career Day

Career Day

Career Day

Career Day

Career Day

Career Day

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HGTV Fresh Faces of Design Competition

Paula Ables Interiors is proud to be one of the 12 nominees in the "Organically Designed" Category of the HGTV Fresh Faces of Design Competition!

I need your help to win my category and move on to the next level of competition.  Hit the "Category Nominee" button above and you will go straight to my Category on the HGTV website.  You will need to go through approximately 10-20 photos for the "Organically Inspired" Category, then a "Vote" button will appear on my photo.  You can vote once a day.  EVERY DAY!!!  So put it on your schedule with your morning coffee.  This is what the middle of the page will look like:

The beautiful house that was nominated is one of our latest jewels,  The LAKE AUSTIN CONTEMPORARY house on our website.

To tell you a little about the Competition, there are 11 categories with up to 12 nominees in each category.  You can vote once a day.  Voting Begins on September 25th at 9am and ends on October 30th @5pm.  Once the voting is over a panel of celebrity judges will convene to choose the overall winner of the competition.  Overall Winner and Category Winners will be announced on November 3rd on the HGTV website.

Thank you so much for your support during this exciting competition.  Don't forget to VOTE TODAY!!

About HGTV

America’s leading home and lifestyle brand, HGTV features a top-rated cable network that is distributed to more than 96 million U.S. households and HGTV.com, the premier source for home-related inspiration, instruction and entertainment, attracts more than six million people each month. The brand also includes the HGTV HOME™ consumer products line which showcases exclusive collections of paint, flooring, lighting, furniture, plants, fabrics and other home-oriented products. For more information on HGTV HOME branded products and to find a retailer, go to www.hgtvhome.com. In partnership with Hearst Magazines, the HGTV Magazine, a home and lifestyle publication, is currently available on newsstands. Viewers can become fans of HGTV and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., HGTV is wholly owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI).

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2015 ASID Legacy of Design Awards

Paula Ables Interiors is excited to have won Honorable Mention at the ASID Legacy of Design Awards for Custom Contemporary House over 3500 sq ft category.

 Click HERE to see the award winning Lake Austin Contemporary House.

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HGTV Designer Showcase-July 2015

Paula Ables Interiors is excited to be included in the HGTV Designers Showcase Series.  This wonderful article by Morgan Galbraith features our Spanish Oaks Hill Country Contemporary House on the outskirts of Austin, Texas.

Comfortable, Contemporary House Blurs Lines Between Indoors and Outdoors

A young newlywed couple wanted a comfortable, contemporary home that complemented their outdoor lifestyle. Designer Paula Ables drew on the property's surrounding nature as she created a home that the couple could enjoy for years to come.

When a young couple approached Paula Ables for help creating a home where they could feel comfortable for a long time, the Austin, Texas designer looked to their love of the outdoors for inspiration.

The newlyweds' property was the perfect spot to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living thanks to its proximity to a greenway and wildlife.

“It was all about bringing the outside in, keeping that comfortable feel, making sure all of the furniture was oriented in the right direction so that you were able to enjoy the wildlife and enjoy the green belt beyond with the quietness and serenity of the area,” Ables says.

Soaring ceilings and oversized windows let in bright, natural light and views of the surrounding Texas landscape. Ables maintained an open floor plan among the kitchen, living and dining rooms to take advantage of the light and the views.

To further blend inside and out, Ables selected a neutral color palette for the home that complemented its surroundings and kept windows bare of coverings.

“We tried to keep the color palette fairly similar so that walking from one space to the other wasn't a shock to your senses,” Ables says. “It was always just a nice soft even flow from one space to the next.”

A stunning swimming pool and outdoor living room with fireplace offer spots for the couple to be outside with their friends and family. Inside, Ables selected easy-to-clean materials so that the constant movement between indoors and outdoors wouldn't result in hard-to-clean messes.

"We like to try to take the feel of the outside and bring it inside so that the house flows really softly and simply for entertaining as well as for their general use."    -Interior Designer Paula Ables

Ables helped accentuate the separation of the master bedroom and other private living areas from the more public living spaces with a breezeway to offer the couple privacy when they want it and to give the home the look of one that had evolved over time.

  “They wanted to feel like the house was pieced together like it had been built over time rather than all at one time,” Ables says.

Small details such as mismatched flooring tiles, rectangular sinks and hidden tape lighting seem almost insignificant up close. As a whole, they offer a sense of history to the home.

“I think it's those little details and hidden elements that give it so much more character and so much more interest,” Ables says.

To read more about Interior Designer Paula Ables, see link below.

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Austin Woman's Magazine- "Elevating Interiors"

We were excited to have our blog included in the July 2015 edition of Austin Woman's Magazine "Elevating Interiors".

 (Double click photo to enlarge article.)

Want to pick up a copy of your very own?! Austin Woman's Magazine can be found at Whole Foods, Central Market, HEB along with many other fun places you love to spend your time. You can also read the article on Austin Woman Magazine's website.

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Helen Thompson - "Windows on Our World"

Helen Thompson is an Austin-based writer, producer, stylist and blogger, and she recently featured Paula Ables Interiors in an article! We love the Lake Austin Contemporary project she wrote about, and are so happy to have it published again! You can read the full article here, or on her website.

WINDOWS ON OUR WORLD Posted by Helen: May 11th, 2015

This limestone-and-stucco house by architect James LaRue and project manager Emily Marks is for an active family that enjoys hunting, fishing, swimming, and entertaining. Its location on Lake Austin is ideal for the enjoyment of the outdoors, but LaRue and Marks also created space for privacy. They designed a series of rooms and courtyards, in part to focus the view on the lake, and interior gardens that are extensions of the main rooms. They arranged the most-used spaces—the screened porch, living and dining rooms, and the master suite—to take advantage of the views. Garage and guest rooms were positioned closer to the street.

The exterior walls are made of antique Lueders limestone; stucco from Waterloo Plastering is finished in a putty color.

The house is sliced through by a dog trot, which also serves to point the view to the lake and the nature preserve beyond.

Landscape is by Tim Benton and Ramon Suarez, Land Restoration.

Interiors are by Paula Ables, who used a Radici USA wool rug to anchor the dining table by Lundon Furniture from Room & Board. The McCreary Modern chairs are also from Room & Board. Pendants are by Hubbardton Forge.

The house is linked by steel-gridded Portella doors and windows. Entry floors are ivory travertine; in the dining room they are white oak.

The slate fireplace surround is from Stone Solutions. The American Leather sofa is from Room & Board; the recycled pine coffee table is from Four Hands.

The green chairs in the living room are a pop of color taken from the homeowners’ favorite tapestry, hanging above the fireplace (see below).

Pendants are by Kichler Lighting. Rug is by Stanton Carpet.

Kitchen, dining, and living room open on to each other—the view of the pool and nature preserve are the focus of the room.

Another good view—this house borders on a drainage ditch on one side and has encroaching neighbors elsewhere, but LaRue focused every room on the assets of the lot and the nature preserve across the lake.

The pool makes a visual connection to the lake.

Tropitone chaises are ready for lounging.

The connection between indoors and outdoors is seamless.

The screened porch (on the right) is faced with Spanish cedar siding and is connected to the main house by a roof that creates another outdoor space.

The garage is on the left; guest suite on the right. Landscape is by Tim Benton and Ramon Suarez, Land Restoration.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DROR BALDINGER

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HGTV Professionals

PAULA ABLES INTERIORS of AUSTIN, TX is now featured as one of the HGTV Professionals

HGTV has added a new feature to their website-- Professionals Page!

The resident pros at HGTV spent over a year searching for the top Interior Designers /Architects /Builders /Landscapers from major cities nationwide to feature on their site, and we were chosen as one of them!

We are so excited and honored to be promoted as a top designer by HGTV. Their new site is a wonderful resource for home improvement inquiries. Go check it out and give us a visit!  We would love to hear your thoughts.

Best of Houzz 2015

PAULA ABLES INTERIORS of AUSTIN, TX Receives Best Of Houzz 2015 Award

 Over 25 Million Monthly Unique Users Rated Top-Rated Home Building,

Remodeling and Design Professionals in the United States and Around the World

AUSTIN, USA, January 22, 2015 – Paula Ables Interiors of Austin, TX has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” for Customer Satisfaction by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The contemporary and unique interior design firm was chosen by the more than 25 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than 500,000 active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Design and Customer Satisfaction. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 25 million monthly users on Houzz, known as “Houzzers.” Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2014. Winners will receive a “Best Of Houzz 2015” badge on their profiles, helping Houzz users around the world who discover and love a professional’s work to learn even more about that business’ popularity and satisfaction rating among their peers in the Houzz community.

Paula Ables is excited and honored to be a winner of the “Best of Houzz 2015” awards and looks forward to what opportunities this may bring.

“Houzz provides homeowners with a 360 degree view of home building, remodeling and design industry professionals, empowering them to engage the right people and products for their project,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of industry marketing for Houzz. “We’re delighted to recognize Paula Ables among our “Best Of” professionals as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

Follow Paula Ables Interiors on Houzz http://www.houzz.com/pro/painteriors/__public

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Luxe Magazine Winter 2015

PAI is excited to be included in the Winter 2015 issue of Luxe Magazine--featuring a 10 page spread on her Lake Austin project.  Look for it in a store near you!

Want to go paperless?  Luxe Magazine also offers the full copy on your iPad or Tablet: https://luxe.sandow.com/subnew1r.aspx?PC=LX&PK=

Click here to see more Details on this Project

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Congratulations to Hailey! Our newest Professional Interior Designer

PAI is proud to announce the addition of a newTexas Board Certified Professional Interior Designer to our team. Congratulations to Hailey Roberts for passing the NCIDQ and becoming an Official Interior Designer!! Hailey has been a member of the PAI team for 3.5 years. We are excited she chose to take the next step in furthering her career as a designer (I haven’t scared her off yet!)

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Kitchen Trends Magazine June 2014

Paula Ables Interiors is excited to be included in the latest Trends Magazine-Kitchen edition on shelves now in your local grocery and hardware stores.

Double click on the photo to read the text.

Want to go paperless?  Trends Magazine also offers the full copy via Ebook at:  http://issuu.com/trendsideas/docs/us3006

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Texas Home and Living May-June 2014

PAI is excited to be included in the outdoor issue of Texas Home and Living this month for their May-June 2014 issue.  Look for it in a store near you!

Double click on photo to enlarge.

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Urban Homes Magazine 2014

We are excited to be included in the Urban Home Magazine April/May 2014 edition with our Hill Country Contemporary home in Moody, Texas.  If you like the idea of being "Off the Grid", this is a great article to read.

(Double click the photo to enlarge)

or check it out at http://www.urbanhomemagazine.com/

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Bathroom Trends Magazine 2014

PAI is excited to have an article in the latest Bathroom Trends Magazine on news stands now.

(Double click the photo to enlarge)

Here is a link to the magazine online:  http://ebooks.trendsideas.com/Book895

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PAI on Austin's He Said, She Said talk radio

Paula was the Living By Design guest on Austin's most talked-about radio show, "He Said, She Said". Last Saturday night she and Bistro guest Leilani Galvan joined host Karen Matuszewski and Co-host Daniel Siegel and talked about what's going on in the design world, plus revealed her obsession with... well, you're going to have to listen to it!  

Listen to the He Said, She Said podcast now!

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Austin Home Magazine-Winter 2013

Check out our highlight in the "Fab Finds" section of Austin Home Magazine Winter 2013!

(Double click the photo to enlarge)

 

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27th Annual Design Excellence Awards

Paula Ables Interiors was featured in the ASID Design Guide as winners of the 27th Annual Design Excellence Award for Residential: Contemporary Large >5000 sf and Residential: Remodel Small <3500 sf! Click on the thumbnails below to see the articles.

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Austin Home

Paula Ables Interiors work on the Spanish Oaks house was featured in the Winter 2012 issue of Austin Home! Click on the thumbnail to see the article. (Double click the photo to enlarge)

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Great Cover Ups

Houzz featured a patio designed by Paula Ables Interiors in a recent blog titled "Great Cover Ups". The patio:

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The full blog entry with slideshow:

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2012 Legacy of Design Awards

The 2012 Legacy of Design awards is a state-wide design competition sponsored by Design Guide and American Society of Interior Designers.

Paula Ables Interiors placed:

2nd Place-  Residential Contemporary (Large)

2012 Legacy of Design Awards