"Cool, Colorful and Cozy Project Reveal"

So excited to be back today to share with you one of our favorite projects this year.  You may remember this project from last year, when we gave the client's master bedroom a new lease on life with a heavy dose of pattern and a new cozy seating area.  You can read more about that in my

  "Pattern Play Master Bedroom Reveal" post.  

Early this year, our clients returned ready to tackle the living spaces on the first floor of their uptown Charlotte home.  The spaces had really good bones and in my opinion, they'd done a great job getting the foundation right.  The paint color worked well with their style, the layout wasn't bad, but overall the space lacked the life and personality that reflect the cool young family who lives there.  

Since we'd worked with them previously and had already gotten to know them, we jumped right into the design phase of the project.  In fact, we actually started it before they ever called us back for Phase II of their project.  Let me explain...

So, we’d completed the first phase of the project last year, but during the initial consult I snapped a picture of an art print they had tacked up in the kitchen.  Honestly, I was just data collecting to get a sense of their style. 

Fast forward several months after their project wrapped and we were out treasure hunting in the NC mountains during our team retreat, when this abstract fell from the sky.  

It was the prefect complement to that print and perfect for our clients (who hadn’t yet hired us back).  We had a feeling they would, so we bought it and held it... and guess what? They called!  That beautiful original art became the basis for the entire first floor of their home. 

We used it as a driver for the color scheme and vibe for the project and made selections to complement the piece. The vibe was cool, colorful and cozy.  

I really loved this one from day one, so to see it in real life was really amazing.  Love it even more!

We kept the original layout and even several of the family's existing furniture pieces.  There was no need to replace the leather chairs, x-benches, storage console or bookshelves.  However, the sofa, window treatments, lighting and decor were definitely due for an upgrade.  The windows got a heavy dose of pattern and color with a red geometric print roman shade, a subtle nod to the fraternity and sorority affiliation of both clients.  

Check out that sconce in the background!  

We opted for family-friendly pieces that would stand up to the play of two little boys and a pup.  Revolution Performance Fabrics to the rescue on both the sofa and new window seat cushions.  I'm also a little obsessed with the pass-through coffee table.  I can imagine the little ones crawling through it when it's not doubling as substantial storage space.   

While we were working on the master bedroom project, our clients expressed the desire to add a piano to their home.  They went for it and we made its placement much more intentional with the addition of lighting and that original art print.  Love it!

In the kitchen we needed to address the dining seating, the obnoxious fan, dated backsplash and under-scaled lighting.  

Again, the paint selection seemed to work, so we left it unchanged and went BOLD on the backsplash.  We knew we wanted to work with the existing cabinets and countertops as they weren't quite ready for a full kitchen renovation.  

You'd be surprised what a good backsplash, new lighting and hardware can do.   Maybe you won't be after you see this.  Check it out...

Crazy right??  So much better.  The graphic print really does make the cabinetry and countertops seem so much more intentional.   In the eat-in space, we added a modern oval table and fab leather chairs that allow for the family to seat six-- essential when they have friends and family over. 

Lastly, wanting to set the tone as you immediately enter the home, we encouraged them to address the entry.  I think it's so important not to leave this space overlooked.  In this case, a modern wool runner and swanky lighting do the trick. (You should see these at night!)

 I love this home and I love this family.  I'm so pleased that their home is now so much more THEM! You can't ask for more than that.  😊

Photography: Laura Sumrak Photography

Spring 2020 One Room Challenge - Week 2

The Plan

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.  Not exactly the event for which I thought I'd be collecting those things, but in the meantime...

I'll take it.  😂

I've decided, that's the theme for this kitchen project.  

#oldnewborrowedbluekitchenredo

Let's start with the layout.  The space isn't large, but it is the hub of my house. 

Kitchen Floor Plan

 It's where I enter from the garage, it's the corridor to the master suite and it's also my dining space.  The layout will remain the same, as the space functions just fine.  The look however, is a completely different story. 

Magnolia (Belle by Cheryl Luckett)
Sylvester Alexander Furniture

As I mentioned in my Week 1 post, the inspiration for the space is the Belle by Cheryl Luckett Magnolia banquette covered in Revolution Performance Fabric's Darwin pattern (something blue).  

Robert Allen- Auretta (Persimmon)

After going back and forth, I decided to keep my original color inspiration that was drawn from Robert Allen's Dwell Studio collection fabric called Auretta in the persimmon colorway.  While it's been nearly two years since I first picked it, I still love it just as much today.  That's a good sign!

The other fixed element in the space is the cabinetry (well sort of).  Yep!  You heard right.  I'M NOT PAINTING MY HONEY OAK CABINETS (something old).  Actually, I've known for a long time now that when I finally got around to upgrading my kitchen, I was not going to paint the cabinets.  Why?  So glad you asked.  For starters, I like the addition of wood tones in any space, especially a kitchen.  To me, it just adds a sense of warmth.  I'm also not so concerned about what's on trend and what's not.  Trends come and go and I try not to let them dictate my style choices.  The fact is, the living space that's connected to the kitchen has nice hardwood floors in the same finish and I like the idea of having that connectivity between the two spaces.  Lastly, I feel pretty confident that I can make it work.  I tend to like a heavy dosage of color, so the cabinetry will certainly take a back seat when I'm done.  Who knows, in the process I may give other people in similar situations the permission to not feel like they HAVE to paint their existing cabinetry.   However, because I'm making the decision to keep the honey oak, I'll have to be really intentional about my other selections to keep things from feeling dated. 

My original plan was to slowly update things over time, so last year I purchased this vintage Duncan Phyfe dining table (something else old) from an estate sale.  I love the lines and there's a small honey oak inlayed wood veneer border around the edge of the table that provides a subtle nod to the cabinetry color (see intentional).  I've also amassed a pretty large collection of blue and white ceramic pieces (more blue) and decided to incorporate those in the space. 

I'll talk about the my tile selection (even more blue) in the next post, but I knew from the beginning that a patterned tile was the way I wanted to go.  I'll be honest, since I'm not the biggest cook, I fought buying new appliances.  However, in the end, not upgrading them was just not an option (something new). More on those in the coming weeks.   With the blue and orange scheme taking shape, I began to play out the color story.  Since I definitely planned to keep my yellow pepper Kitchen Aid stand mixer, yellow seemed the obvious choice for an accent.  

After making the preliminary selections, I sent off the info to our rendering artist and anxiously awaited her drawings.  Here's what came back...

Umm...yes please! 🙋

It's exactly what I pictured in my head.  I love it!  It's warm and cozy, classic and colorful. You'll notice that I planned to extend the island to create seating there.  I've always wanted that.  I also planned to paint the island to add a little contrast.   One thing that the rendering helped me see, was the fact that I didn't actually like the look of a butcher block island.  I'd always envisioned having one, but turns out it was a bit too much wood.  

After seeing this, I made plans to replace that element with new our countertop selection.  

Here's what we needed to accomplish in the space:

• New flooring
• Add backsplash/wall tile
• New countertops
• New sink and plumbing fixtures
• New appliances 
• Replace stand-alone cabinet with floating shelving
• Wire for wall sconce on tile wall 
• Paint island
• Update cabinetry hardware
• Updated lighting
• Update electrical plugs/switches
• Paint
• Replace trim
• New dining seating/bar stools
• New rugs
• New custom drapery/hardware
• Add cornice above sink 
• Address laundry closet doors

I think we can handle that!  It's not a total overhaul, but a complete refresh for sure.

Our consultation highlighted a need for a functional space at my back entrance.  The wall hooks, boot tray, painted chalkboard and tiny mirror I currently had, just weren't cutting it.

Here's what we needed to accomplish in the back entrance nook:

• Add lighting source/electrical outlet
• Storage for boots, bags and such
• Add mirror
• Drop zone for keys and sunglasses
• Install wallpaper

I envision this tiny nook as a separate space and didn't feel compelled to make it "match" the kitchen.  I wanted it to work with my kitchen selections, but I was ok with it being a bit of a departure.  I also knew that this area would be totally for me, so I wanted the changes and additions to reflect that.  After sharing my selections with our renderer, this is what she whipped up.  

Is that not the cutest little corner you've ever seen?  I couldn't love it more.  Yes! Yes! Yes!

Be sure to check in each week for details on the progress and a deeper dive into the project's selections.  Until then, be sure to check out what's going on with the other featured designers...

A Glass of Bovino | Beginning in the Middle | Beth Diana Smith | Clark + Aldine | Coco & Jack

Deeply Southern Home| Design Maze | Dwell by Cheryl | Erika Ward | Home Made by Carmona

House of Hipsters | Hunted Interior | Kandrac & Kole | Kate Pearce | Katrina Blair | Liz Kamarul

Veneer Designs | Rambling Renovators | Renovation Husbands | Studio Plumb | Media BH&G

"Leveled Up Living"

There comes a time when you realize it's time to level up and that include your home.  That was exactly the case with my clients.  They'd recently moved to a larger home and were looking to create a space that was more indicative of their style and frankly more...elevated. 

We'd actually worked together in the past on their bedroom and I was very familiar with their aesthetic.  They tend to be drawn to earthtones and while the wife likes a bit of a natural, global feel, the husband prefers a bit of a more polished look.  We set out to give them both.  Using oranges, teal and touches of warm neutrals, we created a plan for their formal dining, living room and eat-in kitchen area.  

The dining room had furnishings but otherwise was a blank slate.  We decided to go bold here with a York Wallcoverings dragon wallpaper.  I'm always amazed by what wallpaper can do.

We're actually going to be switching out the dining table soon, but it's still a pretty dramatic change.  In the living room, we needed to upgrade the furniture and give the entire space a more elevated feel while remaining family-friendly. 

The space is a bit awkward in that it's a long and narrow space.  We addressed this by creating a couple of seating areas and a walkway behind the sofa. 

So much warmer and cozier!  Revolution Performance fabrics were used on the pair of chairs and the sofa and I'm obsessed with these custom swivel chairs by Sylvester Alexander furniture, the manufacturer of the Belle by Cheryl Luckett collection. 

 We didn't want to overlook the entry. So we created a little landing in the small nook, which became the perfect place to drop keys, display photos and get a last look as you head out the door. 

The eat-in area off the kitchen was a bit small and awkward when we arrived.  The current scale of the furniture was tiny and it needed to be a continuation of the living space we'd created.  

The large scale art, appropriately scaled furniture (BTW, the table extends to accommodate additional guests) and patterned drapes completely transform this area.  

I'm so glad my clients recognized the value of creating a home you love.  They've already remarked about the number of times they've entertained family and friends in their new space.  Hearing that makes me so happy.  After all, that's what it's all about.