Have you seen Emily A. Clark’s house yet?  She’s like the house whisperer for real people with kids who watch TV and have shoes on the floor, but still love pretty houses.

Emily is a blogger/house stylist/mom of three little ones and she has created a beautiful home for her family without breaking the bank.  Along the way, she chronicles her rooms on her blog and teaches us without knowing it.

This makes me want to add unexpected color into every room.  I love it all.  Moody walls, black and white photos, drum shades.  Emily is incredibly talented and she has quite the skill of mixing pattern, strong color, modern, traditional, high end and thrift.

She helps other people with their spaces too.  Here’s before Emily::

Here’s during Emily, when she sent the Perkins family her ideas::

And here is what the Perkins family did after they got Emily’s ideas::

Huge difference.  Can I get an Amen? What I love about this project is that they didn’t have to go out and buy all new furniture but they still got an all new look.  Like welcome to 2010 look.  Sometimes you just need someone to guide you and then you are off and running.  The Perkins family didn’t have Emily come to their house, they just emailed.  No shower needed.

There is something about her work that makes each room sophisticated but still really approachable.  Just like here in Emily’s daughter’s room.

As of today, I’m officially referring anyone who emails me for personal help, to Emily.

Two years ago, I offered online design services.  The work was just too much for me to balance with the blog and my hobby of writing pretty things on toaster strudel with the icing pack so, I referred people to Layla and Melissa.   Then they needed to focus on their blogs more and they no longer offer online consultations.

For the last year I’ve been searching for someone to be able to partner with here at Nesting Place.  Someone I could promote who I knew got the whole It Doesn’t Have to be Perfect to Be Beautiful thing.  There were a few people who I considered, some who inquired and just weren’t the right fit but, once I saw Emily’s work, I knew she was the perfect match.  Emily is an advertiser at Nesting Place, but unlike regular advertisers where I approve them based on whether or not I would want want they sell, she had to undergo extra scrutiny.  I can’t be sending you to just anyone for personal help.  I take referrals like this very seriously.  Emily is Nester approved.

She can combine Wal-Mart, fabric and glue, updating things she already owns, and  Goodwill finds to create a beautiful, welcoming, usable home–look a family room that makes the big TV look like part of the room.

Ways to learn from Emily

1. Read her blog. Emily’s blog is FULL of useful information that we can apply right now. And her blog is good reading. She has ideas for displaying children’s artwork, shows before and afters, and is super adorable.

2. If you need personal attention, let her design a room board for you. If you are stuck in the design process for a room and you need help and want a focused goal for a specific space, Emily can help.  She offers different levels of guidance starting at $25.  The price of a room board is much less than purchasing the wrong sofa for a space, a good investment.

3. Tonight from 9-10pm EST Emily is going to be available to answer quick questions on her blog. She’s hosting a Q & A session that will take part in the comment section of the top post on her blog.  You’ll see it when you get there tonight.  She won’t be able to answer really specific stuff like, can I use my aunt Martha’s rug in my family room if I move the sofa and buy a new TV and will my husband like it? But, she can answer general questions like, do you have a favorite color of gray paint that you reccomend?

4. Move to her neighborhood, make her dinner every night and hope that she will want to be your friend and help you with your house for free. It’s a long shot and takes commitment but, I have a feeling this could be a viable option?

5. Follow Emily on Twitter @emilyaclark

6. Enter to win a free idea board personalized for your space. One person will be chosen from the comments to work with Emily and receive a free idea board to help them complete the vision for the room of their choice. This includes an idea board, shopping sources with detailed design notes and a space plan for their room.

Leave a comment to enter to win, tell us what room of yours needs Emily’s help the most.

Don’t forget, fall mantel party tomorrow!