Hey there. . .
When your job is to provide inspiration, it's vital to be surrounded by color, pattern and images of great works of art and design. I am a huge coffee table book collector. After 15 years in the business, I finally have an office.. with a door. I am so excited. Having purchased my building a while back and renovating all 4,000 square feet of it .. not once, but about 3 times, the time is finally here - now that I am surround by the best help I have ever had - to retreat back to my office for quite, focused design work. While my team has filled the main space and is so on top of it . . . I love having a retreat all to my own, away from the ongoing day-to-day business of calls, deliveries, tracking, and general hubbub !
I wanted to fill the space with everything I love... to excess... why not, right ! It's full of pattern on pattern, color on color, fabrics, wall papers, art, books and an obnoxious amount of furniture crammed in one small space !
I did an inspiration board for myself... and yep I did change my mind once or twice on the overall colors. But here's the finished product . .
What once was a back storage room, now a back retreat. I chose two papers to begin with. A Harlequin graphic, yet organic, metallic on one side of the room - with a Phillip Jeffries grasscloth on the other. I wanted to mix the silvers and golds in an elegant, yet fun way. The windows were short, small and lacked any molding. I decided to add floor to ceiling trim to elongate the look and give them some weight. I painted all the trim, including the window a darker grey. There is nothing I dislike more that long drapes on a short window or drapes that don't hit the floor. You can mix window styles as well - blinds on the side of the room, drapes on the other.
Take a look at my re-purposed sofa. This piece lacked all that deep tufting, thanks to my great upholster, it now looks more elegant and rich. We had the frame painted a cream as well. I found this soft, yet heavy textured hemp rug . . as apparently there are no grey cows in the world and I couldn't get the hide I wanted . . . funny - huh!
The didn't stop with an abundance of furniture, a large hand painted coffee table, an old cream rattan chair, an asian inspired chest in a blue/grey, upholstered side chairs and tree stump - painted gold - side table.
Keith painted a Rothko inspired piece for me with touches of gold leaf and kelly green and peach, a combination I have always loved.
A little mid-century inspired bookcase and lamp and plenty of books to inspire.
Plenty of texture and color in the pillows and accessories.
I have been wanting to use Rose Cumming's banana leaf fabric. I love it so, I filled the windows with large, to the ceiling, panels!
all photos by Mekenzie France
One of my favorite art pieces, and gift from Rebecca Brooks, a Chas Walker combine all my favorite colors and hangs low near more of my favorite things, a Christian Lacroix pop up notebook.
Take a closer look at the amazing pillows. Thanks Kevin O'Brien, the soft cut velvet in a vibrant green snake skin pattern was hard to resist !
Love the retreat. Don't forget your work space - you are more apt to be creative and productive in a space that makes you happy !
