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
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. 😊
Oh wait! We should probably take a look back before we go in. It's been quite a transformation and frankly, I need to look back myself to fully appreciate how far the space has come.
So sad. Like I said in my Week 1 post, this has been the space in my home that I've avoided tackling for the past thirteen years and it showed. Well, not anymore...
Y'all, I feel like I live at Disney World. For me this is the HAPPIEST place on earth.
I'm obsessed with my new kitchen!
First, if you're just joining the party and need to catch up on things, you can check out the backstory, the plan, the foundational elements, the soft selections and the special touches in my
Renovating your kitchen (or any space for that matter) in the midst of a pandemic is a tall order, but thankfully uber anal me, started really early and had minimal delays in receiving product and getting things done. I think in the end the only thing that didn't make it in time were my new upgraded electrical outlets and switches. They've arrived now and I'll be adding them soon.
My goal with this kitchen was to make it more functional for how I live (it wasn't far off there) and much more a reflection of who I am from a style perspective but also on a deeper level.
Check out the video below to learn what I mean and to take a little tour.
From the start, I dubbed the project the Old, New, Borrowed, Blue Kitchen Redo. This kitchen is a mix of old things like a vintage Duncan Phyfe dining table, my existing honey oak cabinets and a beautiful vintage Turkish rug and new things like my beautiful new Tile Shop floors and backsplash, Designmaster bar stools and custom drapery.
For as much as the space utilization remained, so many other things have changed. Lighting plays a big role in the space. It's something that I've learned to value more and more as I've grown as a designer. Lighting definitely impacts my mood, so I added it in a number of new places in the space. In addition to upgrading the existing lighting, I added a picture light above the commissioned art at the back door, a floor lamp in the corner near the bay window, a sconce atop the blue and white tile and a table lamp in the entry nook.
One Room Challenge sponsor, Hudson Valley Lighting did not disappoint. Ironically, they're one of my favorite vendors for client projects, so it was nice to get the opportunity to use them in my own home.
I went with a mixture of traditional and modern pieces, but all with a classic feel.
I've loved the Mitzi lanterns since the first time I spotted them. They come in a variety of colors but the white just seemed to work best here. The Mitzi lamp is one of my favorite pieces. I literally couldn't stop touching it when it came in. It has the most delicious texture and mimics the Milton and King Tulip Seeds wallpaper motif.
While we're here, let's talk about this little corner, shall we?
For starters the wallpaper makes it so much more special. The graphic large scale floral leaf pattern adds personality and installation (according to my wallpaper installers) was a breeze.
Creating some sort of landing zone was one of the things that was pretty high on my needs list.
It provides the perfect storage for all of my everyday essentials. It's so nice to be able to grab things just as I leave out the back door and to not have them pile up on the dining table.
After things started to come together, I quickly realized I needed a landing spot for my purse too. I had already began to hang it on the back of one of the dining chairs and that was NOT going to work. I scoured Etsy for the perfect vintage addition and found it. This little cane stool is too cute and guess what? My purse is always on it. A place for EVERYthing and everything in its place.
Emtek Hardware came through big time with the most beautiful door hardware EVER! Their selection was so good, I seriously had the hardest time settling on which to pick. I landed on this beautiful satin brass deadbolt and knob from their American Classic collection.
My laundry closet lives in my kitchen and these beautiful doors conceal them from the rest of the space. Mark of Baity's Custom Upholstery did another amazing job with them and the custom cornice above my sink window. I'm a textile girl and anywhere I can add a soft surface, I'm game! The Addison Weeks hardware on these are a stunning addition that makes them total showstoppers. Mark said they look like doors to my wine cellar. I wish! Lol!
In terms of greater function, a tv cabinet was a MUST! What we created is simple, but really is a great substitute for that terrible little cabinet that used to live here and serve absolutely no purpose.
Now, it not only conceals my tv, but it also includes ample storage and a beautiful antiqued mirror provides a reflective surface to increase the light in the space.
As much as the kitchen is a mix of old and new, it also includes a little "borrowed" and a whole lot of of blue. The tile was one of my very first selections. I never doubted it for a moment. Thank you Tile Shop! Yeah, it's a bold choice but hey, a designer lives here! I couldn't love it more. It makes me so happy.
I decided early on to remove the singular upper cabinet that previously lived here but replaced it with these beautiful white oak floating shelves handmade by local firefighter and woodworker, Char'd Wood Woks.
Probably the biggest surprise to many in this project was my decision to NOT paint the cabinets. Do I regret it? NOT A CHANCE! I love the warmth and depth they add to the space. It's also pretty crazy what a BIG difference the modern black hardware from Schaub made on the cabinetry. They do wonders for both the painted and wood-stained cabinets. Oh and can we talk about my Cafe appliances?
I'll admit I'm not the biggest cook, but these appliances are the BOMB! Having spent the last three months home and eating three meals a day here, I can say that with more confidence than I ever could have in the past. All (except the microwave) are smart appliances and can be controlled from my smart phone. I thought that was a bit much until I was chilling on the porch swing one evening and needed to preheat my oven for dinner. Hello smart appliance app!
I'll also admit, it was hard for me to get excited about things like countertops and faucets; that is until I got new countertops and a new faucet. I'm obsessed with my new quartz counters from Stoneworks. They are light, bright, durable and easy to clean. Build.com was gracious enough to provide my new Kohler sink and Delta faucet and matching strainer and disposal cap, p-trap and disposal. These things are super important to the function of my new kitchen. Build.com has the best selection of home improvement products including trending and traditional styles, unique finishes, and new technologies at competitive prices all in one place. Customers can find what they need to create their own personal style. The selection really is pretty awesome.
It's really hard to put into words how much I love this kitchen. I can hardly wait until we all are a little more comfortable about being close to one another again. I can't wait to host my peeps in the new space.
Special thanks to Linda Weinstein, creator of the ORC and Better Homes and Garden Magazine. To be asked to participate as a featured designer this spring was a huge honor and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity. While it was my first time to participate, it likely won't be my last.
Special thanks also goes to all of my sponsors. This was certainly a team effort and I couldn't have pulled it off without the generous donations from the following vendors:
Thanks to you all for tuning in each week to check in on the project's progress and for your support and kind words here and on social media.
Be sure to check out the reveals of this super talented group of fellow featured designers.
