Kari Vander Plaats

This week we wanted to give you a peak into the inspiration of our latest DesignIt 2012 contestant, Kari.  Be sure to check out her photo on Facebook and Like and Share in order to vote for her.

Why did you choose the pieces that you did to design around? 

There were so many pieces that I loved in Vander Berg Furniture & Flooring, so it was hard for me to decide on just one room design.  I chose to do an office/conference room design because I wanted to design something different than others in previous weeks had done.  Also, I thought that customers would get a good feel for what a home office or a conference room for a business could look like with furniture from Vander Berg Furniture & Flooring.  

The inspiration piece that got the ball rolling was the rug that is located underneath the conference room table.  I found it in one of the modular homes and instantly thought it was the perfect piece.  It allowed me to incorporate all different colors.  I was not limited to black or brown.  It seemed to pull out both colors well.  After I found that piece, the other pieces just fell into place.

How would you describe your design style?

I would describe my design style as sophisticated with a rustic twist.  I love both ends of the spectrum.  I love the fancy feel, but have acquired a love for rust and antiques as of late.  You'll see pieces with a little bit of sophistication (like the conference room chairs) and then see pieces with a fun rustic edge to them (like the burlap bow on the red chairs and the burlap lamp on the desk).  I think you get a great balance by incorporating a little bit of each.

Why did you sign up for DesignIt 2012?

I love to design and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try my hand at a larger project.  I had never designed a whole room from scratch.  I love to redecorate my room at home, but only add new accent pieces here and there.  This great experience gave me the opportunity to try something new and I had a blast doing just that.

What would you do with the $1000 shopping spree?

There are so many pieces in Vander Berg Furniture & Flooring that I don’t know if I would ever be able to make up my mind.  I think that I would choose something that I could use later on when I have a place of my own.  I would also want it to be something that I could remember this great experience with.

What else would you like us to know?

I just want to thank Vander Bergs for putting together such a fun activity for the community.  I had a blast getting to work with all of you and hope to see many more fun designs in the weeks to come!

Lori Horstman: Inspiration

VB: We're continuing our series of DesignIt 2012 blog entries.  This week, Lori Horstman was kind enough to let us in on a few of the things that inspired her design.

Lori: I really like the look of old furniture with a splash of formal. My real passion is decorating with antiques, which is reflected in my design style for DesignIt 2012 where I mixed the old look with a little bit of a modern flare. I picked pieces with that look in mind. 

I really wanted to be a part of this challenge to express my design style outside of my comfort zone.  I love to decorate and my home is always changing with new treasures that I find.  As for the prize money, I'm not so sure what I would do with that, but I'm sure my daughter and son would have some ideas for me!

DesignIt 2012 has given me the opportunity to share what I like with others and I hope they like my room as much as I do.

Fall Inspiring Design: Loreen Marra

Fall is such a beautiful time of year.  The leaves turn and fall and give way to a season full of family, celebration, and giving thanks.  Loreen Marra from Hull is our designer this week and she chose the fall season as her inspiration.  She loves to design a room with a few unexpected vintage and whimsical surprises and she's not afraid to mix wood tones like the black painted buffet with the stained dining room set.

 

Loreen believes that you don’t have to get all new furniture to give your room a facelift; just add one or two exciting pieces and your room will have a brand new look. She wants to thank Vander Berg Furniture & Flooring for the fun contest and issue a stern warning to our friends at HGTV... watch out! Northwest Iowa has some very talented designers too!

Well, I wouldn't describe her as beige.

We had a blast with the gals from KICD 107.7 FM this past Friday when they stopped by for DesignIt 2012.  If you haven’t heard, they are designing on behalf of ATLAS of Sioux Center!  If they receive the most likes and shares on Facebook, ATLAS will receive the $1000 shopping spree!

We caught up with Rhonda Wedeking this week to ask a few questions about her design.  As someone who describes her design style as “early attic”, we think she did a pretty fantastic job!  Here’s what she had to say.

Why did you choose the pieces that you did to design around?  

I really liked the distressed furniture and when we walked in the store and saw that credenza, we just knew it was meant to be.  I really liked that piece.

How would you describe your design style?

I’ve always made fun of myself and often joked with friends that the style of my house could easily be described as “early attic”.  However, we found some beautiful new pieces to put together at Vander Bergs.  As for the space we put together for DesignIt 2012, well, it’s a little eclectic and a little funky with a touch of modern.  Make sense?

Why did you sign up for DesignIt 2012?

I just thought it sounded fun.  And it was!  It was a great opportunity to be creative! 

Everyone that knows me understands that I’m a little out there anyway—I like to do the non-traditional things and this was a great opportunity to do just that.  It’s also really cool that if I’m fortunate enough win, we can help out a great charity as well.

Why are you excited about partnering with ATLAS?

As you know, there’s a Spencer chapter of ATLAS.  I know someone whose son had chosen a few wrong paths in early adulthood.  He began working with a mentor from ATLAS and is now someone that you would want in your school, in your church, and working in your organization.  ATLAS helped him choose a better direction.  Viewing that experience really opened my eyes to how ATLAS works and it’s awesome to have this opportunity to partner with them.

What else would you like us to know?

I could’ve chosen so many different pieces to work with!  Vander Berg’s had a great selection that included several different styles.  There was a great Western chair in one of the homes and a fabulous dining room set in another.  It is well worth your time to stop on by just to look and get ideas! The toughest part of the entire competition was to decide what type of room we wanted to go with, but we ended up with a space that really expresses my personality, which is certainly not beige!