"It's Been Too Long"

Hi! I'm Cheryl, remember me?

I know, it's been a crazy long time since I blogged but I'm going to recommit and do better. The past year has been absolutely insane.  You'd think with a pandemic and a lockdown that I would've had plenty of time to blog. You'd be wrong.  Needless to say with the world at home, nearly everyone was looking to update and improve their dwellings.  As a result, we've been swamped.  Seriously, like NON-STOP since this time last year.  So much has happened since my last post that it's difficult to know where to start.  How about we do this... Let's start with a little look back at some of my favorite projects in 2020.  We completed and photographed quite a few that I haven't shared here, so let's go in chronological order, shall we?

I'll start with a project that continues to be ongoing.  We're actually working on completing Phase III right now.  The project originally began in 2019 as a bath renovation project.  

The clients came to us looking to update their principal suite.  The bath in particular was long overdue.  They were looking for something clean and fresh and wanted help laying out a plan for the renovation.  Here's where the space began.  

 

The bath and adjoining closet were fine in terms of layout, but they were feeling a bit drab as you can see.  We created a design plan that was fresh and classic.  With cool hits of fresh green (SW Sea Salt) and gray and a mix of luxurious metals, this principal bath got a MAJOR upgrade. 

This shower is the stuff that dreams are made of. 

The custom cabinetry allowed us to get exactly what we wanted in storage and functionality and we took advantage of the vertical space with towers flanking the vanity. 

The tile wall in the tub niche is a showstopper and worth the investment.  We splurged here while saving on the floor with large format porcelain tile with a marble mosaic design installed on the diagonal for maximum impact and visual interest. 

We first needed to address the worn carpet in the closet, so we continued the wood flooring from the bedroom here and draped the room in this beautiful wallpaper from York Wallcoverings.  

A beautiful new mirror and custom bench in a durable (yet stylish) Revolution Performance Fabric print finish the space off beautifully.  

The clear doors on the existing cabinet were causing a lot of visual clutter, so we changed them to antiqued mirror, upgraded the knobs, and voila!

The clients also wanted to "freshen" up the bedroom space and we were happy to oblige.  

We took our design inspiration for this space from the client's existing area rugs.  The beige and blue would be a great complement to the soft green in the adjoining bath so we went with it.  

The plan was to update the paint, keep the existing bed, drapery, and rugs, and level up the other elements.  It's amazing what decorative elements and furniture can do to a space. 

I'm obsessed with this bedroom.  It's cozy and fresh and just makes you want to linger a bit.  

We kept things fairly neutral here and played up the pattern.  If you ask me, it's the perfect mix.

So, what do you think?  It's been a while since I've heard from you guys.  Let me know if you're still here and haven't given up on me.  : ) 

I promise I'll be back in June with another 2020 project reveal.  

"Bright and Airy South Charlotte Home - Part 2"

I'm back to share with you the remainder of this beautiful Charlotte home.  It was such a pleasure helping our clients make their new retirement house a home.  We love how it turned out almost as much as they did.  If you haven't seen the first of this three part reveal, be sure to check out Bright and Airy South Charlotte Home - Part 1. 

So, Part 2 begins with the living room and the hub of this open concept home.  The clients were clear that they wanted cozy and livable but also cool and breezy.  Here's a look at the space just after the builder turned it over.  

Again, Classica Homes did a great job with the house, giving us a pretty but blank slate to work with.  Our plan included lots of neutrals with dashes of soft blues, teals and greens.  

Rendering by Jackie Ramdin

The clients also mentioned that they'd like to have some original artwork, so we discussed what they wanted and ended up commissioning a piece from one of my favorite abstract artists, Hello Allison.  

Sample Art from Hello Allison

Since the man of the house agreed to not put the t.v. over the fireplace (God Bless him), Allison's piece became the centerpiece for the living space.  

Mark of Baity's Custom Upholstery did another amazing job crafting custom ottomans and X-benches for the space.  He's so good at making our visions come to life. 

Additionally, this project was a treasure trove of Revolution Performance Fabrics.  We opted for them for the living room sofa and swivel chairs.  While the clients don't have small kids or pets, they love to entertain and actually live comfortable in their home.  I can totally relate.  Revolution provides such ease, even when you've opted for light colored upholstery. 

Directly off the living space is a beautiful porch.  What I love most are the collapsible glass doors that allow for a seamless transition from indoors to out. 

We carried the fresh color scheme into this spaces opting for outdoor furnishings from Ballard Designs and then upgrading the seating upholstery to Revolution's new outdoor fabric.  Wouldn't you just love to chill on this screened porch on a nice spring day? 

Finally, we were tasked with creating a retreat for the clients in their spacious Master Bedroom.  The lighting was pre-selected so we worked around it for the plan for the space.  

Again, light and airy with a touch of color was the order of the day here.  We centered around this custom upholstered bed designed by yours truly and skillfully crafted by Mark Baity.   We covered it in Revolution Performance Fabric and even used Revolution on the bedding as well.  I mean if you have the option to go for durable, stain-resistant, environment safe and beautiful, why wouldn't you? 

I sort of wish this post was "scratch and feel" because this bench by Sylvester Alexander furniture is the softest thing I've ever laid hands on.  

No Master is complete without a comfy seat and this Sam Moore swivel and matching ottoman were just perfect. 

We addressed the passthrough niche by adding a crystal light fixture and a beautiful Bernhardt mirror, making it the perfect place to check yourself before heading out for the day.

A little warmth, life and texture help to add interest in the space.  I love how the woven mirror hits at a vacation/island resort...it's a retreat after all. 

And of course, you know it's not my project without a little pattern play.  These Euro pillows and bolster finish things off so well. 

I could hang out it in this home all day.  There's something so welcoming about it.  It's pretty without being stuffy.  We happened to be stopping by one day when the clients were entertaining family and it literally warmed my heart to see everyone so relaxed and comfy.   That is the essence of why we do what we do.  

Believe it or not, that's not all.  There's one more space to share.  It has a bit of a different vibe and you'll understand why a little later.  

Until next time...

Photography by: Cam Richards Photography