top of page

Creating a Fun Family Home You Love

Melanie Raver

Designer + Mom to Three Girls

Owner, Rave Interior Design

~

Photos: Melanie Raver

 

Less Stuff, More Experiences

We are moving our family of 5 from our 3000 sq. ft. home to a 200 sq. ft. Airstream. We are traveling around the country for one year! We want an adventure. We want to connect more as a family. We want to have less stuff, and more experiences!

Instrumental Lesson I’ve Learned?

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Life can change in an instant. Don’t take your life for granted. You find strength in pain. You come out the other side appreciative for life, love and health!

Design Hacks + Tips

Design boards are my #1 tool I use with every room or project I design. I gather pictures of different wallpapers, furniture, lighting, rugs, pillows, and artwork, and upload them into PowerPoint! I create a board, and switch my different options around until I get that “stoke.” It’s the little flash that says “THIS IS IT!” I love being able to see at one glance, all my major design elements. For me, this is the KEY to making sure I have a cohesive design. Don’t have PowerPoint? You can make boards from tearing out your favorite looks from your latest design magazines! Become inspired, create your looks, find your stoke!

Design Ideas I’m Loving Right Now

Colorful peel and stick wallpaper, stenciled tile, shiplap, oversized lighting pendants, woven anything, and paint color blocking. The power of paint is life changing!

Favorite Hashtags

Your Proudest DIY Moment?

Woodworking! One of the most dramatic DIY’s to completely make over a space is to add custom woodworking. I’m talking wainscot, window trim, base, and crown. I call myself a DIY savage, because it can be intimidating to learn to work power tools. Once you can get past your fear or your doubt, you can do anything! Add some paneling, a chair rail, picture frame boxes, shiplap, or beadboard! What a great way to add value and charm to your room, DO IT YOURSELF!

Something I Wish I’d Known In Business When I Started

I wished I would have known that, YOU don’t have to know everything when you are beginning. I was so worried about thinking I had to know it all, instead of being confident in my talent and understanding of my failures. So much of the design business is learned on the job. You learn from your mistakes. It’s a process of ups and downs. Once you survive a handful of projects you realize, it’s not just about what you know, but how you handle the process. You live and learn!

Tips to Choosing a Paint Color

Take your time and do your homework. Pick up paper samples and take them home. Test the colors with items you are matching. Take some time to sit with your options. Always test on the wall with a small sample first. Check back in with the sample throughout the day. Different light can affect the color. Don’t be afraid to have to go back to square one and start over. I have done that too many times to count! It’s okay, take your time!

Tips For Choosing Wallpaper

I love wallpaper! Wallpaper is my spirit animal. I am absolutely obsessing over the killer designs and the power punch it gives ANY space! Here are my go to tips! Figure out what the vibe of the room. Once you have your vibe go shopping. Order samples of your favorites from online. Samples all day every day! Third, make sure it works with existing items. Do you have to match a bedding, flooring, or artwork? A great tip for this is creating a design board, so you can see all your selections together, so you get a cohesive design.

Motherhood Design Hack

I know mamas like me are tired of cleaning up massive messes in the kiddos rooms. A big secret to help keep clutter in the rooms at bay is to take the toys out of their rooms. I suggest finding an empty cabinet or dresser drawer in a family room or extra bedroom. Having a clutter free room helps with cleanup and creates an open canvas for play. I even heard recently taking toys out of the room also helps with kiddos sleep! WIN/ WIN.

bottom of page