Marla and Jack Stout submitted three problem areas in their Lee’s Summit home — a little girl’s closet, loft area and master bedroom — and will be rewarded with a professional reorganization, courtesy of local California Closets designer Amy Haller, who met with the excited homeowners recently to discuss the issues and possible solutions. Check out the spaces as they are now, and be sure to check back in when we show you their makeover progress!

The storage space in the little girl's room is cramped and not functional for the daughter's size. The makeover will focus on efficient hanging/shelving options, cubbies, place for shoes and storage containers for seasonal clothing.

The loft area, once Marla's office, was taken over by kids and toys. The inconvenient, small, unreachable shelving and closet space will be transformed into a wall of built-ins, with open and enclosed space, with deeper shelving for board games. Amy also sees a desk coming back into the space as well as a possible window seat. But only time will tell.

With tight closet space and a bathroom currently in the middle of a remodel in the master bedroom, Marla would like to see more shelving and hanging options as well as shoe storage. An additional storage shelf may be added because space allows -- and the desk is moving out!

Hi all, it’s The Traveling Designer and I just got back from the city that never sleeps, Las Vegas.

Vegas, the home of casino gambling and some of the world’s best shopping, was also home to me during the summer of 1998. I was there doing my interior design internship for Yates-Silverman Casino Design Firm.

I usually visit Vegas at least once a year. My recent trip was for the Las Vegas Market where I was on a great discussion panel with some designer friends talking all things social media.

Lucky for me, one of my favorite Vegas hotels is located not far from the Vegas Market. The Wynn Las Vegas and its sister property, the Encore, are always my pick for the perfect place to stay.

It doesn’t hurt that the Wynn and Encore spas are some of the best in the country.

And now let’s talk about the shopping. I know it’s hard to believe, but I may prefer Las Vegas shopping more than New York City. The Chanel boutique at the Wynn (there’s one in the Encore too) always has the latest and greatest offerings inspired by Coco herself.

And if you don’t get your fill of shopping in the Wynn, there are many more options. Located across the street is the Fashion Show Mall with fabulous department store shopping including Neiman’s, Saks, Bloomies and more.

The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace houses great brands like Gucci, Ferragamo, and the home of the little blue box, Tiffany’s. You’ll feel like you’re walking the streets of Rome with the Forum shops Italianate decor and replicas of some of Italy’s most famous fountains.

If you haven’t already spent your life savings, down the way at the Bellagio are more luxury shopping locales. And be sure to see the gorgeous Dale Chihuly anemone ceiling. It will take your breath away!

When you are finally finished shopping at the Bellagio, you can have lunch at one of the many restaurants and then take a walk around the lake and see the impressive fountain display.

There are as many fabulous restaurants in Vegas as shopping destinations. What are my favorites, you ask? Well the Steve Wynn Steakhouse for starters.

And when you take the kids, a trip to Serendipity 3 is a must! It is similar to the famous New York eatery but is executed Vegas style. I love the pink and navy color palette and the over-the-top design details like the fun lighting fixtures.

The world-famous frozen hot chocolate isn’t bad either!

American Fish at the impressive new Aria hotel and casino is uber hip and the food is delish! The menu is quite sophisticated, which makes it a little hard to decide what to order. But everything my family and I tried was fantastic, so don’t be intimidated. As long as you like seafood, you can’t go wrong!

And while at the Aria, take the tram over to the connected City Center. It is a plethora of you guessed it…more shopping! And some exclusive shops at that. The Tom Ford boutique is a sight to see both inside and out.

And if you just can’t spend another dime, no worries. The City Center is a feast for the eyes. I found design inspiration everywhere, including these gorgeous agate-covered steps.

And the unique and impressive tree house sculpture and Mastro restaurant at the City Center are a must-see!

The lovely wooden curves of the structure are awe-inspiring.

And the dining experience is quite chic.

I love the bright yellow decor in the tree house and adjacent dining room. Aren’t those glass chandeliers a wow?

If a show is in order one evening, there are many to choose from. This time, I opted for the new Cirque de Soleil tribute to the King. I am a huge Elvis fan and Viva Elvis was highly entertaining, so if you are a fan be sure to check out this fun performance.

And when you are exhausted from all the shopping, eating, gambling and shows in Vegas, a trip to the pool might be in order. It’s how I finished up my fabulous recent stay at the Wynn.

The views of the stunning pool and pool-side cabanas were all it took to get me in the mood for a fruity drink while lounging on a comfy chaise. And the Wynn pool is very kid-friendly, so don’t be afraid to take your little one along like I did.

Well, there you have my latest Vegas excursion in a nutshell. It was full of food, fun and lots of design inspiration. I hope these recommendations come in handy on your next trip.

Now, I’m off on another excursion to the East coast. I’ll be back soon with more highlights, but until then…Happy Travels!

Hi Friends! It’s me, the Traveling Designer, back with another adventure. This time I am taking you inside the interior design world with a trip to High Point, North Carolina and neighboring Greensboro for the nation’s largest furniture market. High Point market is “to the trade,” which means it’s for designers and retail buyers only and not open to the public. But I thought it would be fun to take you behind the scenes for a little peek. If you see things you love, then you can likely find them through a designer or retailer in your area.

Each year High Point Furniture Market is held for a week in the spring and again in the fall. This is one place I find the latest and greatest in interior design and home furnishings for my fabulous clients around the country. Twice a year here on The Traveling Designer, I will be bringing you highlights from High Point market. And since fall market will be here before we know it, let’s get you up to speed on High Point, the market and the great eats and treats in surrounding areas.

If you’ve never been to the High Point Furniture Market, it’s hard to even imagine the millions of choices in design that await you there. Unlike markets in Dallas or Atlanta where showrooms are housed in a building or two, the High Point market encompasses blocks and blocks of the city including several multi-story high-rises along with many small downtown store fronts like the lovely Oly Studio Showroom shown above.

One of my favorite stops at each market is Interhall, the main floor of the International Home Furnishings Building, where many of the hottest companies show their wares. In fall of last year, Barclay Butera’s Interhall display (shown above) was stunning. Walking the aisles at Interhall is a way to see the latest, hippest and most trendy items at market. With the plethora of manufacturers to choose from in High Point, finding the good stuff is sometimes like finding a needle in a hay stack. It’s great to know you can always go to Interhall and find some of the hottest picks of the show. Some of my favorite Interhall finds over the last 10 years include Barclay Butera Home, Bungalow 5, Dransfield and Ross, Julian Chichester and Shine Home.

There are so many other amazing manufacturers represented at High Point in their own large showrooms that I can’t even mention them all. But there are a few stand-outs that I am sure to see each and every market including Hickory Chair Furniture (this is part of their lovely Suzanne Kasler collection shown above), Oly Studio, Visual Comfort Lighting and Soicher Marin artwork. If I see just these four each season, I go home with a slew of new ideas and inspiration for my work and feel like the trip was a success!

A few of my favorite finds at market this April included this stunning green lacquer chest from the Oscar de la Renta collection for Century Furniture designed by the talented designer Miles Redd.

Also fun were these great quatrefoil stools from Dransfield and Ross.

And Barclay Butera hit a home run with both his collections. His Barclay Butera Home collection didn’t disappoint with graphic patterns and his amazing wing chairs.

And his new Barclay Butera Lifestyle collection gets the award for Most Bang for your Buck!!

What many people that visit High Point Market don’t know is that there is much more inspiration in the area than just at market. And if you are not a designer or a buyer but happen to be in the area, be sure to try out these great places to sleep, eat, drink and shop! High Point and neighboring Greensboro are great little towns with fabulous restaurants, great shopping and cultural experiences that make the bi-annual trip to North Carolina not just work, but a truly enjoyable experience.

The chic Proximity Hotel is much more sophisticated than you would expect in an area this size. Located in Greensboro, the Proximity is the first LEED Platinum hotel in America. And for those of you who are not familiar with LEED design standards, this means the hotel has an extremely high rating in eco-friendly and sustainable design elements. So not only is it hip and cool, it is earth-friendly too.

Nestled inside the Proximity is a fantastic restaurant with a menu and wine list that would stand up in many an urban city. Printworks Bistro’s menu is based on fresh, local ingredients and creative comfort foods prepared in the French Bistro Style.

One of their specialties is mussels, and the fries are to-die-for!

Also high on my dining choices in Greensboro is Bistro Sophia. With a sophisticated menu and an amazing sommelier, Bistro Sophia brings beautiful salads, high quality fish and meats paired with savory sauces, yummy side dishes and lovely desserts. And if you are feeling a bit daring, I suggest letting the sommelier surprise you with a wine selection. Bistro Sophia’s goal is to bring relatively unknown but superb wines to the area and it is great fun to discover new favorites upon the sommelier’s recommendation.

When you need a little retail therapy, there is no shortage of great shopping in the area. The Shops at the Friendly Center is an open-air mall and is home to places like Anthropologie, J. Crew, White House Black Market, and much more. It was a life-saver for me in October when my luggage didn’t arrive with me and I had to give a talk to 300 people the next morning at 7:30 am. The Friendly Center was one-stop shopping for my entire new wardrobe!

And if local merchants are more appealing to you, you should definitely check out Downtown Greensboro. On Elm Street you’ll find loads of antiques, jewelry, quaint coffee shops and local boutiques that are recommended by my fellow Traditional Home’s Top 20 Designers to Watch Kristen McGinnis, who resides in New York but calls this area home.

So there you have it, a taste of High Point. I’ll be bringing you my favorites from the fall market in October, and, until then, I will be bringing you more exciting trips to other fabulous locales.

I’m off to pack…Happy Travels!

For those of you who don’t know what StoryCorps is, it’s a national, nonprofit organization that started in 2003 and is solely dedicated to recording, preserving and sharing American stories — from all walks of life — which are housed in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, with participants’ permission, for future generations.

Whether it’s a recorded conversation between a son and his grandmother asking about her childhood or a couple reminiscing about their 50th wedding anniversary, a trained StoryCorps facilitator guides participants through an interview process that lasts about 40 minutes, and each participant receives a complimentary copy. Some of these inspirational, emotional and ever-lasting bits of history air on NPR’s Morning Edition. StoryCorps also has published two books: Listening Is an Act of Love (2007) and Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps (2010) — both are New York Times bestsellers.

If you’re interested in recording your own part of history while StoryCorps is in town, call their 24-hour toll-free reservation hotline at 1.800.850.4406 or visit their website at www.storycorps.org to sign up. Other appointments will be available at 10 a.m. on September 10. Also, check the website for stationary centers and ways you can donate to keep this a free public service.

“…StoryCorps aims to create a growing portrait of who we are as Americans,” the website states. “By traveling to every corner of the country, StoryCorps currently has one of the largest collections of American voices ever gathered, with interviews collected from more than 60,000 Americans in all 50 states.”

Hi Travel Enthusiasts! I’m back with another fun trip to a fantastic city. This week…the Windy City. Ahhhh, it’s one of my favorite destinations. So much to do, so much to see and it’s an easy flight from home, so there’s no excuse not to visit often. I feel certain this will be my first of many Chicago excursions here on The Traveling Designer. If you are thinking about a weekend get-away there, here is everything you need to know to put together a fabulous two-day excursion to Chi-town.

First things first, hotels. I recently had the pleasure of staying at the luxurious Peninsula Hotel for a little anniversary trip with the Hubby. It is spectacular to say the least and with all the hotels wanting to attract guests, you can find some really great deals out there. I think it was the complimentary upgrade to a corner suite along with the yummy bottle of red wine and chocolate-dipped strawberries sent up from the concierge that made this one of my favorite hotel experiences ever. And when I hopped on Twitter to brag about the service, the Peninsula tweeted right back with a grateful thank-you. Seriously? All this service and social media too…I’m in love with the Peninsula!

And if the room wasn’t fabulous enough, there is this handsome little bar just off the Peninsula lobby perfect for a martini or a glass of full-bodied red. It’s dark and cozy and a place you want to sit and stay a while, especially when it’s cool outside and you can enjoy the fire. Of course there are some less expensive places to stay in Chicago. A fun boutique hotel I am fond of is the Raffaello hotel that is located in this same area of town.

A short walk from the Peninsula is fabulous designer shopping at Branca, the quaint boutique of renowned interior designer Alessandra Branca. A feast for the eyes both inside and out, Branca is full of curiosities and collectibles and it’s a lovely stop just before lunching at nearby RL.

And if you haven’t already picked it up, you should buy Alessandra’s gorgeous new book, New Classic Interiors. It is a great read and the photography is gorgeous!

RL, the chic restaurant in the Ralph Lauren flagship store, located just off the corner of Michigan and Chicago Avenues, is a favorite destination of mine for both lunch and dinner. The scallops I had on my recent trip are quite possibly the best I have ever eaten and the great RL wine list had a plethora of lovely whites to pair with my yummy seafood lunch. You just can’t go wrong with RL.

Conveniently situated across the street is the perfect place to purchase my 5-year-old daughter a souvenir. And if you happen to bring your little girl with you, afternoon tea is fun in the American Girl cafe.

If you don’t care for hoards of excited young girls, steer clear of this hopping retail establishment. You can instead opt for a visit to the historic Water Tower or head to the top of the John Hancock Tower observatory right next door to see exquisite views of Lake Michigan and downtown Chicago. The Hancock Tower and the other famous Chicago Skyscraper, the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower), were both designed by the famous architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and are major Chicago attractions. If you don’t do heights well, just run over to the Drake Hotel, a few steps away from the Hancock instead, for an afternoon cocktail and rest your aching tootsies.

Once your feet are up for more walking, you can hit some of the best shopping in the country all within walking distance down Michigan Avenue. The magnificent mile has anything and everything that you could want. Some of my favorites destinations include Neiman Marcus, Saks, and the famous corner location of Crate and Barrel.

Just a bit off Michigan Avenue is another great design destination. The Jonathan Adler store is a feast for the eyes with Jonathan’s inimitable graphic style visible from the front windows. Loaded with fun gifts that I picked up for my staffers and many things I wanted for myself, I could hardly tear myself away from this cheerful little shop! This funky backgammon set brings back memories of playing with my family as a child and may just come home with me on my next visit.

And when you have had all the shopping you can stand, hop in a cab and head off to the cultural parts of Chicago. The Chicago Art Institute can keep me busy for hours. On this most recent trip I was lucky enough to catch the Matisse exhibit. One of my favorite artists, Matisse’s work was breathtaking in the extraordinary exhibit that was housed just off the new Modern Wing of the Institute.

And I can never go to the Art Institute without a trip down to the basement to see the Thorne Miniature Rooms. If you are an interiors enthusiast, you just must see the 68 delightful mini versions of historic and modern interior spaces conceived by Mrs. James Ward Thorne and meticulously built by craftsmen of her choosing. There is even a great book that chronicles these fantastic little dollhouse-like versions of rooms. I can hardly wait until my daughter is old enough to appreciate them so I can take her there.

And a hop, skip and a jump from the Art Institute is the famous Bean at Millennium Park.

What is it about this whimsical chrome sculpture that makes me keep coming back to it? I can’t depart the Windy city without at least laying my eyes on this shiny bright beauty if only for a second. And by the looks of the crowds that are always there, I am not the only person enamored with it.

There are many historic building worth seeing in Chicago, but it is a new one that has my fancy at the moment. The Elysian hotel is definitely a highlight of Chicago’s new design and architecture scene. The newly opened hotel and residences are a sight to behold. I was lucky enough to get to tour one of the private residences and all I can say is WOW. I felt like Carrie Bradshaw in the Sex and the City movie when Big takes her to the amazing condo and opens the door to reveal glorious windows and phenomenal views.

As if I haven’t already given you enough tips for food and drink, there are great restaurants and bars in the Elysian that are high on the list of chic places to hang out or to see and be seen.

It’s a good thing that I am recommending all this walking in Chicago, because I can’t stop telling you about Chicago’s food. My husband and I met a blogger friend for a casual Chicago pizza lunch at the famous Giordano’s Pizza, conveniently located next door to the Peninsula hotel. I have to say this might have been my first experience with real Chicago style pizza and I was quite impressed.

But don’t eat too much pizza on your next trip because you need to visit another landmark Chicago eatery. Garrett popcorn is a legend in Chicago and it even made Oprah’s O list. I have never been there when a crowd wasn’t lined up down the street and around the corner. But when you get a bite of warm caramel or cheese popcorn (or both) in your mouth, you will decide it was definitely worth the wait.

Art gallery hopping is a great way to walk off some of those popcorn calories. I found a great little art and antiques district on Superior Avenue. I was quite fond of Gallery KH, especially the abstract works of Carolyn Cole.

I fell in love with a pair of citrine yellow Murano lamps at Douglas Rosin Antiques. But don’t worry if you can’t make it to Chicago soon, Douglas Rosin sells their gorgeous wares on 1st dibs.

And no trip to Chicago is complete without dinner at Spiaggia. The favorite restaurant of President and Mrs. Obama might be a bit ’80s in the décor department, but there is nothing dated about the menu. The food is consistently delicious at this famous Italian eatery thanks to Chef Tony Mantuano. Be sure to get a reservation for your next Chicago visit.

So there you have it. More than enough to keep you busy on your next trip (or three) to Chicago. I hope you will visit some of these well-known and not-so-well-known spots in the Windy City. I can assure you they will not disappoint.

I’ll be back soon with another exciting adventure from one of my favorite destinations. Until we meet again, Happy Travels!