You know that moment when you walk into a party or someone’s home and go, “Ooooh damn… who did THIS?”
Yeah. That’s the moment I live for.
Welcome to the first blog of the year, where I’m spilling the tea on how a Dolce’s Designs piece actually comes to life — from the spark-in-the-brain moment all the way to the glammy, photo-ready finish. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes (or if you just need a five-minute break from the kids arguing about who breathed louder), grab a coffee and settle in.
⭐ Step 1: Inspiration Hits (Usually at the Worst Possible Time)
Design inspiration does not arrive politely.
Nope. It pops in when I’m:
-
halfway through a crime documentary
-
cooking dinner while someone screams “MUM HE TOOK MY LEGO!”
-
listening to country music and pretending I’m on a peaceful farm instead of my real-life circus
But that’s the magic: inspiration is everywhere, and keeping up with it is basically a sport.
⭐ Step 2: Mood Boards, Colour Palettes & A Little Creative Chaos
Once I’ve got an idea, I build a mood board — which is a fancy designer term for “a digital pile of beautiful things that make sense only to me.”
This is where I play with:
🎨 colour palettes
🌸 textures
✨ shapes
🌈 themes that busy mums and party-loving grandparents actually use in real life
I’m thinking about how a design will feel, not just how it looks.
Warm? Feminine? Glam? “I cleaned the house but please don’t touch anything”?
All important vibes.
⭐ Step 3: Materials — Only the Good Stuff, Darling
Next up: materials.
I’m picky. Like, “won’t-watch-a-new-Netflix-series-unless-someone-recommends-it-three-times” picky.
I choose things that are:
-
high-quality
-
long-lasting
-
gorgeous
-
able to survive a toddler’s sticky fingers (within reason… I’m a designer, not a wizard)
Because beautiful pieces come from beautiful materials — and I’m not here to create anything flimsy.
⭐ Step 4: Making the Magic Happen (AKA: The Hands-On Messy Bit)
This is where the real fun begins.
I cut, shape, paint, seal, glue, polish — basically turning a pile of materials into something that looks like it crawled straight out of Pinterest’s dreams.
Sometimes it’s smooth.
Sometimes I wonder why I chose a career that involves glitter in my bra for three days.
But it always turns into something special.
And for the record?
Custom décor is NOT “just a hobby.”
It’s hours of skill, patience, experience, and a touch of chaos management.
⭐ Step 5: The Final Glow-Up
When the piece is done, I step back and do the world’s most dramatic exhale.
Then I style it, photograph it, and make sure it looks as good as Beyoncé at a red-carpet event.
Lighting matters. Angles matter. And yes — sometimes I move one flower ten times because it “just doesn’t feel right yet.”
This is the part you see on Instagram.
Everything before this… yeah, that’s the part I’ve hidden behind this tidy little blog.
⭐ The Dolce Difference
People often say, “You can tell when something is a Dolce’s Designs piece.”
And honestly? That makes my heart do a little line dance.
Because my work isn’t mass-produced. It’s not rushed.
It’s carefully designed, built with personality, and made for real families — the busy mums, the loving grandparents, the chaotic households, the country-music lovers, the crime-show binge-watchers… the people who want their home or event to feel warm, personal, and a little bit magical.
⭐ Ready to Add a Little Magic to Your Space?
Whether you need something custom, something glam, or something that makes your guests say “OMG where did you get THAT?” — I’ve got you.
✨ Explore my latest designs
✨ Message me for a custom order
✨ Or just come hang out on socials for inspo + laughs
Either way, you’re welcome here. 💛