"African Inspired Living"

So excited to be sharing my latest project with you today.  In addition to creating a beautiful kid-friendly living space for my clients, I think we also successfully created a culturally-affirming space for them without being too "themed".  In this post,  I'll share with you how we did just that.  

Let's start by taking a look at the space before we began.  

 

In order to create a moody feel, we added a rich blue hue to the walls.  I was super excited to work with a darker wall color since so many homeowners we work with want to keep things light.  In this space,  we knew we had plenty of sunlight to keep the room from feeling too dark.

The client shared a few inspiration photos and mentioned that they had some African art pieces that they wanted to incorporate into the space.  With that in mind, we put together a design plan to serve as a jumping off point for the project.

 
With the exception of the orange chairs (which were switched out for a more neutral option), we were good to go on the selections for the space.

One of the first pieces we purchased for the space was the white juju hat for the fireplace. I knew it would be the perfect touch to add softness to the rough stone fireplace surround.  Not to mention, hint at our "theme".  I've blogged about them before, but in addition to being an on-trend design element, juju hats are a traditional African celebratory headdress originating in Cameroon. (Read more about them here.) 

The color scheme centered around this earth tone ikat fabric that we planned to use on a custom ottoman/cocktail table for the space.  I knew the rich earthiness of the colors would be the perfect palette to showcase the client's African pieces.

We utilized the existing dining furnishings but gave the seating new life and durability with bonded leather upholstery and a coordinating accent fabric on the outside backs. 

I love how the blue and orange tones, natural complements, play with one another.  

Texture was a big key element in this space and the capiz shell lighting here adds a natural element as well as texture and dimension.  

via 

Opting for an island light fixture, we were able to play up the dining areas length.   Let's take a look around...

Baity's Custom Upholstery did yet another great job on both the dining chairs and this custom ottoman.  We opted for something large to serve as the connector in this somewhat wide seating area. Since the clients have three girls under the age of 5, an upholstered ottoman was the way to go.

If you know me, then you know I love to mix patterns.  Here, the colors were drawn from our ottoman fabric and the animal print again hints at our African theme.  

These Hooker Furniture demilune tables were one of the first things we sourced.  Since built-ins weren't in the budget, addressing the nooks on either side of the fireplace was a high priority.  Simple mirrors, lighting and these stunning tables provide storage, style and a solution for these empty spaces. 

The accessories in this project cap really things off, especially the client's large African mask.

For the seating we selected this comfy Aeron Bassett sofa and covered it in a super durable Revolution performance fabric.  Revolution is a no-brainer for young families.  The fabrics are not only beautiful but also super durable and "green".  

The pair of wing chairs opposite the sofa, provide ample comfy seating for family and friends.  I love how it turned out!  

In addition to the living/dining space, we also spruced up a previously unused area near the entry of the home.  Originally intended to be the formal dining space, this area had become a dumping ground for unused items.  We opted to turn it into a serene reading nook.

Immediately, the addition of the York Wallcoverings trellis wallpaper immediately gave it a bit of an elevated feel.  

York Wallcoverings -Tracery 

Here again, we opted for Revolution fabric for the modern wing chair.  Because while this space wasn't intended for use by the girls, I have a sneaky suspicion that they'll end up here.  

Such a fun project for a sweet family.  As the project neared a close, they informed me that they'd be relocating to Missouri soon, so it looks like someone will be inheriting all of our changes.  Who knows, maybe we'll be taking this show on the road and helping them settle into their new digs in Kansas City.  I'm in! 

"Ottoman Upgrade"

 

Back in January I blogged about upgrading my ottoman/coffee table.  It was originally a McCreary Modern floor model that I scored at the Habitat ReStore in Hickory.  I fell in love with the massive amount of storage it provided, but I knew I'd eventually need to have it reupholstered.  It took me a couple of years, but I finally had it done and I couldn't be happier with the result. 

 

 

I opted for the same fabric my vintage sofa is covered in and dressing the piece up a bit with a fun nail head trim.   

 

 

Mark of Baity's Custom Upholstery did an amazing job.  We tossed around a few ideas but ultimately settled on this design.  He really is a genius when it comes to bringing a vision to life, because my sketches often leave a lot to be desired.  

 

I can hardly wait to settle in on a chilly fall evening someday soon and put my feet up on this beauty. 

 

 

 For the spring and summer I've been using my new gold coffee table which I love, but this one is so much cozier. It's almost hard to believe what it looked like before.

 



 

 

I love how unifying the sofa and ottoman seems to elevate the space a bit.  Kinda fancy, right?

 

I change out the pillows for fall and I recently had a few new custom ones made.  The more neutral palette is perfect for fall. 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes getting things just right takes a bit of time.  I've found that when I'm patient and really hold out for what I want, I'm never disappointed in the end.   

 

Have a great week!

"Coastal One Day Design Plus Reveal"

I'm back!  I've been M.I.A. for a while, but it was for good reason.  Last Wednesday I celebrated my 40th birthday and spent the week on vacation, speaking at the Black Southern Belle event (more about that soon) and taking a little girl's getaway to celebrate with family and friends.  Today, I'm back at it and excited to share with you my latest project. 

Recently I shared that I was working on a One Day Design Plus project for a family who needed to spruce up their guest bedroom fairly quickly, well we completed the project last weekend and I think it turned out great! We began by pulling together a quick idea board utilizing some of the homeowner's existing items.

While the client had a number of foundational pieces (i.e. pillows, duvet, furnishings), essentially began with a blank slate.

We utilized the existing drapery to build out a blue and coral scheme with a bit of a coastal flare. 

As usual, pattern mixing played a huge part in pulling the color scheme together.

The client requested a fresher and more modern looked to balance the traditional look of the furniture and the existing wall color.  We chose to begin with a simple what matelassé bedspread and build from there.  This navy organic dot duvet cover and sham set struck the perfect note with the geometric drapery.  As I've been known to do, I added a touch of animal with custom taupe and white animal print pillows.  The coral and blue crewl pillow is likely my favorite thing in the entire space.

This gallery wall was just what this room needed to add a bit of personality and to mask the television.  Adding in a bit of variety with the turtle shed and the paddle keeps it interesting and adds visual interest and texture. 

The client's existing chair was given a makeover with navy blue linen and antique brass nails. Baity's Custom Upholstery never ceases to amaze with what he can do with a piece of furniture.

You'll notice that the blue and white lamps didn't make the cut.  It turned out to be just a bit too much pattern, so I went with this classic white gourd lamp instead.  And, how cute is that flamingo print?  We scored a pair and used both in bedside vignettes. 

I love how it all turned out, and can hardly believe that the project was just one month, start to finish. Mission accomplished!  

So, what do you think?