Year in Review: Design Trends, Travel and More

high-rise decorated by Pamela Hope Designs

Décor By Pamela Hope Designs

Wow, what a year 2022 was! It was an excellent year for us at PHD. We had great clients, great design, great networking, great referrals and lots of time spent with friends and colleagues in the industry. It was so nice to have a more normal social and business schedule. Of course, as always, leisure time and travel are also important. We enjoyed some wonderful travel experiences too. Here are my highlights from a year in review.

Year in Review: Photoshoots and New Design Projects

We were thrilled to finally be able to schedule a few photo shoots. The delays and supply chain issues caused project completion to lag but we are happy that schedules are becoming a bit more manageable and we finished several large projects. We photographed a high-rise remodel (shown above) that had started in 2019 but had to be put on hiatus because of the pandemic. Happily, the job was completed and it turned out very nicely. The client had beautiful views of Memorial Park and the Houston skyline. By removing a partial wall in his kitchen, we expanded the view and brightened the whole home. Adding state-of-the-art electronics and sleek, discrete lighting created a beautiful gallery-like experience for the entire unit. Our friends at Echo Workshop provided the fabulous nearly invisible speakers. Here’s a direct quote from the owner Luis Cortes: “We use a Sonance Discrete Opening System. The great thing is that that the speakers are very small (3”) and create a big sound. They are a premium quality offering. I love the way that system sounds.”

Décor By Pamela Hope Designs

I can attest that when they were testing the speakers, the sound was a thing of beauty! Add to the fact that the ceilings and walls were so clean and pretty!

We decided to have a little fun and invite one of vendors, The Creative Branch to accessorize with (a lot of) plants. With all of the Instagram accounts full of houseplants, we thought it would be cool to do what I called “too many houseplants” in a few areas. While we do not use this many in our projects or our personal homes, we did think it made for some nice shots, especially on the outdoor patio (shown above).

It was time for me to update photos for our website and social media as well. I had a great time working with Girls at Flourish and Beauty by Andi More for an action-packed photo shoot in High Point, NC. We booked it while I was at the Furniture Market (HPMKT) in the fall. The weather was great, and we chose several showrooms to provide a variety of design-type shots. You will be seeing lots more of these photos soon!

Pamela O’Brien of Pamela Hope Designs

I followed up with my traditional visit to my aunt and uncle near Asheville. We had a lovely visit, and the fall foliage was just gorgeous! This photo was taken from my rental car. Few things make me happier than autumn weather!

Colorful Artwork

We ordered a lot of art this year. Much of it has been production level for office buildings but it really perks up a hallway. We enjoyed decorating a building that had been nicely updated architecturally by one of our clients. It’s located in a prominent part of town. We can’t wait to see who moves in there!

Décor By Pamela Hope Designs

Pamela Hope Designs team

Speaking Engagements

I was honored to speak several times this year as well. I presented at two events at Arsin Rugs and my team joined me.

We also had a great day taking realtors, loan officers, title company executives, mortgage brokers, builders and others involved in selling homes on a walking tour of the Houston Design Center. This was a repeat performance of a similar event in 2020. It was a wonderful morning full of great design and creativity. I really enjoyed reviewing trends and seeing what was on the floors in the wonderful showrooms. Thanks to James Craig Furnishings, Thorntree Tile and MAI for hosting us.

I had the distinct pleasure of helping a friend and her builder/husband break ground on their next home. We took it to the next level and we are in the process of finishing up window treatments, rugs, art and accessories. Believe me, no matter how beautiful the build, it’s the décor that will make your heart sing and make the house your home.

I was honored to be a member of the Design Influencers Tour at the 2022 Spring Furniture market. That was the BEST way to experience High Point – being wined and dined and educated about all the new trends! It was fun to blog and post about it too. See my highlights here.

Travel

Jon and I traveled quite a bit last year. From winter sports in Utah, a fantastic safari in South Africa and sophisticated culture and dining in Mexico City, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Here’s a bit more on how travel inspires me and my work.

PHD Team

This year wasn’t just me having fun. I tried to treat my hard-working team too! We are working from home more these days and often Danna travels to clients on her end of town. I try to help them avoid commutes whenever I can. We’re now set up with more cloud-based technology so we can do many things remotely. It’s nice to have that flexibility.

We also celebrated when we were together with some meals, spa days, holiday events and a retreat. We had such fun hanging out at Margaritaville in Conroe in mid-August just after school started so we had the resort to ourselves!

Pamela Hope Designs team

Danna and I also were invited to spend two days at a residential showroom experience in Austin. We had a great time enjoying the beautiful and comfortable home, visiting the hip downtown neighborhood and experiencing the state of the art appliances while we cooked a gourmet meal together. How cool is this outdoor living area?