Kristan Cunningham

You know the amazing  DIY designer Kristan Cunningham, right?

She's an interior designer and DIY extraordinaire.

In 2001, she competed on HGTV’s "Designer’s Challenge" and one year later, she kicked off the first of 10 seasons as part of the HGTV "Design on a Dime" family. Later, Kristan returned to the network as a judge and mentor for "HGTV’s $250,000 Challenge" and "Bang For Your Buck".  Kristan then joined the "Rachael Ray Show” as the resident design guru, where she tackled hundreds of assignments. She currently serves as host, mentor and judge on the competition series "Super Saver Showdown", premiering this July on OWN.
I am going to add that she is super sweet and easy to chat with.

(and I am totally thinking about getting bangs at this point too! lol! Love her hair!)

So, remember my crazy busy week last week? Well,  It was even busier than I told you about
:)
I was super excited to have an opportunity to be able to schedule a little time on Wednesday morning
to interview Kristan  Cunningham about projects you can do to easily transform a space in your yard or home even if you have just an hour to complete the project last minute before your guests arrive.
 I'm on my cellphone so I sound a bit fuzzy but you can watch the interview if you like & I will also be sharing more of what we talked about and some ideas with you in another post.

So what are some ideas that you have for projects that can be completed in

just like an hour?

'Sure, so let's start with an hour. 

I think that this is a great idea if you have a great yard that truly has great potential but you still haven't taken on the landscaping projects its a little overgrown- don't spend 3 months

replanting things and digging things up - create what I like to call a garden moment.

So this requires something of great scale

it could be a really great wooden arbor that you paint a zippy color like a laquer china red

it could be one big obelisk it could be a pedestal with a great urn on it

the idea is that it be something of real scale or real heft 

place it literally in the middle of the yard  or centered under the one great tree in the corner

take one of those spotlights stake it into the ground, plug it in

and in five minutes you have something that feels a real statement

you have something with impact and true grace in your backyard that makes it 

feel really well appointed

I think that is the key there it's truly about making it feel like a well appointed space rather than like eh we planted some flowers

So that is a way you can literally get such fantastic impact and it takes moments to do.'

'We spend so much time and money and effort making our interiors feeling like a great representation of us and our personalities

We want the outdoor spaces to really feel like an extension of our homes.'

Kristan talked about really making an outdoor space like a'room' and part of your home.

An easy way to impact an outdoor space in just an hour?

'Throw down a rug- that's space changing and that takes moments.'

It's so true. 

Adding a great outdoor rug to your sitting area is a quick and easy way to make a change.

One of the things we talked about is using paint to make impact in a room or a space.

  One of my favorite things to do is to transform a room, a piece of furniture, etc with paint and
 Kristan is big fan of bold and bright colors to really make an impact.

'Nothing is going to give you a bigger bang for your buck than paint.

Paint can truly be your best friend.'

She talked about what you can accomplish with just a fresh coats of paint in a new color as well as
lots of inspirations for outdoor rooms and getting them ready for the Summer.

Her go to project if you have just one project you are planning for the Summer?
 Transforming the front door with paint and new accents.

 I used classic colors for my front door refresh that I did with Lowes recently

but if you are looking for a brighter or a bolder look for your porch or yard or rooms

 Kristan has some awesome ideas for colors or accents in pots or rugs
that I just might be borrowing a couple of!
 :)

Or maybe you just want to make a little change- add a special feature or
 or element to bring in to make a big impact in your space
such as a 'Garden Moment'


Well, I am taking taking Kristans advice and putting it to work and will be sharing a couple things
 I am working on and changes I am making with you shortly!
Don't forget that I also have the Lowes Gift card Giveaway  going on right now that you won't want to miss!!