Love Me Some HOUZZ

Rhonda Kieson Designs, LLC, of Oklahoma City, Receives

Best Of Houzz 2014 Award

Annual Survey and Analysis of 16 Million Monthly Users

Reveals Top-Rated Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals

Oklahoma City, OK, February 4, 2014 –Rhonda Kieson Designs, LLC,  of Oklahoma City, OK, has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design.  Rhonda Kieson Designs, LLC, creates designs that stand the test of time, and was chosen by the more than 16 million monthly users that comprise the Houzz community.

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2013. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 16 million monthly users on Houzz, known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 230 million professional images of home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site, iPad/iPhone app and Android app. Winners will receive a “Best Of Houzz 2014” badge on their profiles, showing the Houzz community their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz. 

“I strive to bring beauty and balance into every room I design.”

“Houzz provides homeowners with the most comprehensive view of a home improvement professional on the Web, empowering them to find and hire the right professional to execute their vision,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of community for Houzz. “We’re delighted to recognize Rhonda Kieson Designs, LLC, among our “Best Of” professionals for design as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

With Houzz, homeowners can identify not only the top-rated professionals like Rhonda Kieson Designs, LLC, but also those whose work matches their own aspirations for their home. Homeowners can also evaluate professionals by contacting them directly on the Houzz platform, asking questions about their work and reviewing their responses to questions from others in the Houzz community.

Follow Rhonda Kieson Designs on Houzz at http://www.houzz.com/pro/kieson

Rhonda Kieson has always brought a unique approach to design and decorating.  From her conceptual drawings to the “art” of rearranging her clients’ furnishings, her ideas are always based on “customizing the project to fit the person.”

About Houzz

Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish - online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to get the design inspiration, project advice, product information and professional reviews they need to help turn ideas into reality. For more information, visit www.houzz.com

Rhonda Kieson Designs Receives "Best of Houzz Award - 2013"

Rhonda Kieson Designs LLC, of Oklahoma City, OK, Receives

Houzz’s 2013 ‘Best Of Houzz’ Award

Annual Survey and Analysis of 11 Million Monthly Users

Reveals Top-Rated U.S. Professionals

Oklahoma City, OK  --  January 21,, 2013 – Rhonda Kieson Designs LLC, of Oklahoma City, OK, has been awarded  “Best Of Houzz” 2013 by Houzz, the leading online platform for residential remodeling and design.  For the second consecutive year, Rhonda Kieson has been chosen by the more than 11 million monthly users that comprise the Houzz community.

The Houzz “Best Of Houzz” award for 2013 is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Customer Satisfaction award winners are based on homeowner members who rated their experience working with remodeling professionals in 12 categories ranging from architects, and interior designers to contractors and other residential remodeling professionals.  Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the community of 11 million monthly users, also known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 124 million professional images of home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site, iPad/iPhone app and Android app.

“In my world, creativity has no boundaries.  And it is truly an honor to be acknowledged by the Houzz community.  Thank you!”


“Houzz provides homeowners with an in-depth, 360-degree view of building, remodeling and design professionals through images of their work, reviews and an opportunity to interact with them directly in the Houzz community,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of community. “We’re delighted to recognize Rhonda Kieson Designs among our “Best Of” professionals for design as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

With Houzz, homeowners can identify not only the top-rated professionals like Rhonda Kieson Designs, but also those whose work matches their own aspirations for their home. Homeowners can also evaluate professionals by contacting them directly on the Houzz platform, asking questions about their work and evaluating their responses to questions from others in the Houzz community.

About Rhonda Kieson Designs

Rhonda’s creative aspects and drawings become reality with the expertise of her subcontractors. We do our best to get the job done well, and get it done within the stated timeframe . . . and on budget!

About Houzz

Houzz (www.houzz.com) is a leading online platform for home remodeling, providing inspiration, information, ‘advice and support for homeowners and home improvement professionals through its website and mobile applications. Houzz features the largest residential design database in the world, articles written by design experts, product recommendations, a vibrant community powered by social tools, and information on more than 1.5 million remodeling and design professionals worldwide who can help turn ideas into reality. @houzz_inc

By Invitation Only

It started out innocently enough.

Let's have a Halloween party!
And let's NOT do Evites.  No!
Let's get creative and design our own invitations!

Here's what we'll need:

Supplies, supplies, and more supplies!  From card stock, to stamps, to stickers . . . and don't forget the sealing wax.

Now . . . what to say?
Some intrigue for sure:  a sinister poem, a list of "rules" as well as some ghostly RSVP "regulations."

Insert all these "notes" into a black envelope and seal it with a drop of "blood," then finish it off with a custom-designed skeletal postage stamp.

Oh, and while we're at it, let's not make any two alike!!!

There!

That should get their attention!

. . .

Now all we have left to do is . . . PLAN THE PARTY !!!

On Waldo's Pond

I hadn't lived here but a couple of months when my friend, Phyllis, came to visit.  Up until now, her version of Oklahoma had been the same as mine . . . flat, flat and flat.  As it turned out, we were wrong, wrong and wrong.

The acreage that I now called home had great topography, plenty of land for pasturing my horses, and it had this incredible pond.

Just a few hours into her stay, we found ourselves relaxing by the pond.  It didn't take long before she suggested that we give my new home a name.

Okay.

Our first thought was, "On Walden's Pond."  Wouldn't work.  Already taken.
Our second thought, "On Golden Pond."  Also taken.

Then along came the resident cat, full of himself, enjoying life.  His personality was gentle, yet fearless.

I had acquired this cat along with the purchase of the property.  This may have been the first time in history where there was a specific "cat contingency" clause in the offer.  The sellers agreed it was the right thing to do.  It was, after all,  his home.

"Phyllis, this is my new cat.  His name is Waldo."

Phyllis and I looked at each other, and in unison we said, "On Waldo's Pond!"  And so it is.

Over the years, this pond, which I thought would only be used for swimming the horses, has been a resource for paddle-boating, swimming , fishing, dog training, and just plain cooling off.

It has also served as a backdrop for about a bazillion photos.

And where's Waldo?  He's in cat heaven.

But he left his legacy:  "Be gentle.  Be fearless.  Enjoy life!"

Indeed, Waldo.  Indeed!

Life Going on 60

Today I am 59.
Tomorrow I'll be 60.

And it is a reminder of the day I turned 30, and the lesson I was about to learn.

I was living in Madison, Wisconsin, taking care of two small children and wishing my birthday would just go away.  After all, I was turning 30, and my life was not where I thought it would be.
I had already spent the prior month preparing to have a bad day.

Be careful what you wish for . . .

I woke up grumpy, made breakfast for the kids, and sulked for the remainder of the day.

Then the roses arrived.  They were from my husband, who was somewhere in South America at the time.  A dozen red roses.  They were beautiful.  But they were not enough.

I told the kids that their father had sent the roses, but I did not tell them why.

And then a friend showed up and handed me a box containing six cupcakes.  The cat was now, as they say, out of the bag.

My kids were delighted with the cupcakes but disappointed that I had not told them it was my birthday.  In my desire to ignore my birthday, I had robbed them of a reason to celebrate.  It was demoralizing.

Thirty years have passed since that day, and I have not forgotten the lesson.

Where I am in my life is defined by my attitude, not my age, and certainly not whether I think life is fair.

Today I celebrate being 59.

Tomorrow I'll celebrate being 60.

Large Hail, Damaging Winds . . . and Thunder!!!

Here in the Midwest--and specifically Oklahoma--there are four seasons:  Summer, Fall, Winter, and Wild.

Just last week, I was running for cover as the softball-sized hail was heading in my direction.  This is, after all, the Spring Season, and anything can happen.

Fifteen minutes of enormous hail can do a lot of damage . . . broken windows, battered roofs, shattered windshields.

In a good year, we will get rain, the grass will turn green, the ponds will fill up, and we will hear Thunder.

I'm talking Oklahoma City Thunder!!!

This NBA team joined our city about four years ago, and they have been pivotal in transforming this once fly-over city into a vibrant, why-don't-you-consider-coming-here type of destination.

We could not be more proud.

It has been a long time since the sports world has seen a team like this.  They are young, energetic and honest.  They play as if they were a catch team made up of neighborhood kids.  If they have egos, it is not apparent to their fans.  And their fans are many.

It is Spring here in the Midwest.  We expect the tornadoes, the winds, and the hail.  And when there is lightning, there is thunder.

It is Wild!  Bring on the Thunder!!!

An "About-Face" about Facebook

An "about-face" is a reversal of attitude, behavior, or point of view.

I admit I was more than reluctant to join Facebook.  Who needed to know what everyone else was doing, thinking, or reading?  Autonomy is good, right?  But I signed up with FB and was determined not to get too serious with its content.  I'll just have fun, keep it light.

Then I did an about-face.

When tragedy strikes, we look for reasons why.  We ask ourselves, "what if?"  And then we reach out for support.  In today's world, that is Facebook.

About a week ago, my daughter and I were involved in a tragic accident that resulted in the loss of her horse.  Within three seconds, a wonderful morning ride had turned horrific. Badly bruised, but still alive, my daughter picked herself up off the gravel road and gave her attention to her horse.  While her life had been spared, we were unable to save his.

So the haunting questions began.  We drove in silence to the emergency room, our minds cluttered with the day's events.  Any words we wanted to say could not be spoken.

Later that evening, I posted a status update on Facebook because I didn't know what else to do.  My daughter needed more support and reassurance than I was able to give.  The responses came in immediately, and they were many.  It was remarkable.

In the still of the evening, we read the responses through our tears.
The healing could begin.