Install of the Day !

 Hi There !

One of my favorite rooms, why you say ?  The richness of it, the collected look and the feel above all else.  This project was fun and successful for one main reason, my client, Beth Langston and I worked together to achieve the end result !  We were on the same page working towards the overall vibe.  Dark,  moody, cozy.  What once was just a big white passage way to the upstairs,  is now a room to entertain, read, listen to music or just hang out and chat.

What I have been doing over the past couple of years or so is creating these saturated, collected, personal rooms.  Moving away from the large, all white.  I love older homes and I love smaller individual rooms. It may come from my love of British (old) chic.  We have project over there in motion and every time I go I fall in love with what I am seeing (it's definitely the vibe want for our new offices) When I have a client that shares the same love it makes it more than fun to work on.  We surprised each other with art, rugs and random furniture finds (via text images while we were on the hunt) and when the day came to bring it all in I was thrilled.  The final product was just how I pictured in my head, even better.

I am seeing now, splattered all over instagram are the trends for this New Year.  Color and saturation are replacing the monochromatic whites and beiges.  Now don't get me wrong - I can absolutely do the all whites so long as it's loaded with textures, but I am loving the return of richer colors.  I have always loved the layered collecting, been doing that for years in both my "city" house in Charlotte and for sure in my "weekend" place in the mountains (see here).  The art of the hunt is what I love more than anything.  There's nothing cookie-cutter about this, it's personal and special.

Take a look !

The key was the perfect "merlot" color for the walls mixed with a deep teal grasscloth wall paper in the niche.  LOVE.  That color was pulled from the amazing Kelly Wearstler curtain fabric, not a match, but deliberately close.

Curtains and walls done, then onto the furniture.  Carmel leather mixed with a plume velvet vintage chair, along with a random hide chair and ottoman.  I try to keep in mind the legs on things, mixing up the look so there is not too much "fabric" and each piece is different than the other.  Beth found the art over the sofa.  We loved that old man, framed in a heavy brassy frame.  Layering the rugs was another must on my my list.  The room was so large and oddly shaped the solution was a large seagrass, perfectly cut and bound on site, layered with a vintage Moroccan over top.

Across from the sitting area we created a game table spot.  Now I have been dying to use these leather and wood chairs, but no one would bit.  I knew Beth would .. was thrilled.  I love them so much and they are perfect.  She then found the large wall mount, over table wall fixture which just the right look and size.  

Let's talk about the art... two amazing pieces by J. Louis, through Shain Gallery (here).  Now I brought them over mainly show Beth the best sizes and basically because I loved them so very much !  She did as well.  We added them to the wish list, but look how the colors are so beautiful and the composition is just perfect.

On a side note, I love his new work.. take a look !  Just amazing and all available through Shain Gallery here in Charlotte.

all images from Shain's website

The colors continued up the stairs with the mix of a black railing.  We kept the leopard runner, because, well it was perfect !  As a place holder for now we pulled a side chair into this spot until the perfect turntable cabinet is found !!!!!

A few details - this large floor lamp, the perfect navy velvet pillows, all a perfect tie in to those killer curtains.

Lastly, layering in my client's existing are with two new large lamps all atop her existing sideboard !

VOILA .. one happy room.

Now... wanted to include the dining room we completed a while back.  I feel it's different yet visually cohesive with what's now happening in the lounge across the hall !

For you people that have a "formal" dining room that you only use on holidays I say... "it's probably beautiful to walk past and look at, but why not really use the space !"  If you are about to design your dining room keep in mind to think about more regular use and choose your pieces accordingly !

A very visible space as you walk past constantly towards the kitchen and family room we wanted a little drama.  While working with Beth room by room in her home, this dining room was a space we both were really excited about just as much as the lounge.

First off.. a killer paper.  This grasscloth, by Windy O'Connor was where we started.  It jived with the rest of the house but created such visual impact when you we in and walking past the space.

We then started mixing in all the pieces.  Texture, uniqueness yet simple.  A huge vintage round mirror, cain back chairs, beaded chandelier and wood curved back side chairs.

 

A very casual rug and contrasting painted ceiling finished off the look.  I love this dining room !

photos by Mekenzie loli

This home is well on it's way.  I am meeting Beth this morning to go over the front foyer and master bedroom.  An ongoing relationship which I love.

Take a peek at what I am proposing for the foyer... pulling together the colors from both the lounge and dining room !

Finger's crossed.  

Install of the Day !

Hi !

Just before Thanksgiving we installed this amazing home in Eastover.  Amazing because the architecture itself is beautiful and happily my client's the Ferguson shared a lot of the same ideas for the interior so we all knew we could create something beautiful.

Designed by one of my favorites -  Frank Smith (who created another beauty I am working on right now) this home was built in 2005 and has all the architecture detail I love, slate roof, gorgeous moldings, open living to dining and huge kitchen with paneled ceiling and hidden storage as well as plenty of small side spaces for office, bar, scullery and mud room, it's a gem.  Featured in Southern Accents back in 2008 it was time, however, for a little update, fresh colors, tweaked kitchen and new styling but what a pleasure to work on a home designed so beautifully to begin with!  Thinks well designed and built stand the test of time.

Enter the Foyer . . . our color palette started at the front door and worked its way through.  My go to off white - Ben Moore China White, it never fails.  It's a warmer white that doesn't turn cream.  We kept it simple and clean without a lot of fuss.  Art pieces by Shain Galleries - Karen Hollingsworth and another piece by Hayley Mathews

art by Karen Hollingsworth

art by Haley Mathews

The front living room we created has such a grand, yet casual feel.  Gorgeous french doors and mantle as well as the cross beams all keepers and now just showcased with cleaner colors and furnishings.  I chose two modern style sofas in a rich charcoal velvet with embroidered graphic pillows that pop over top a simple shag rug.  Flanking huge fiddle figs for a little color !

art by Saliha Staib

We kept the detail of the two built in shelves leading to the dining room, just re-styled.

This space is dramatic yet approachable and comfortable !

Your view from the living room is into the dining space.  I adore this room !  We went back for forth a bit on it's style but landed on this gorgeous grass cloth wall paper by Windy O'Connor.  Switching out the one chandelier for 2 and mixing the Ferguson's traditional sideboard and table with more modern chairs and black metal cabinets.  It's such a pretty view from the living room and as you walk down the long hall the back back of the house.

One of the smaller rooms off the front living room is a quite little office, a new coat of fresh charcoal paint and new lighting mixed with new pieces.

art by Keith Keim

The tusk chandelier, large art and chair brighten the space and add the depth.

Front the dining room through the double set of double doors you reach the heart of the house, the kitchen and breakfast room.  How beautiful is this woodwork !

We had the island and original banquette taken out and added a new larger island, created a new concrete and reclaimed wood beam hood installed and changed all the colors to white.

New pendants and that gorgeous back splash are stunners.

art by Sally Tharp represented by Shain Gallery

Just off the kitchen, another little space, the side entrance turned wet bar and quite corner.
Ship lap was added and painted a lighter charcoal.  New Hunter Douglas blinds and re purposed pieces from their previous home.

A small, small powder room, too small to even shoot just off this space.  The paper we chose though is killer.

The kitchen feeds into the family room with a warm fireplace at the back of the house.  This entire area, kitchen through den is the coziest part of the house and I would image countless hours spent with family in these rooms.  I love the bright and eclectic look all in shades of white.

art by Teresa Roche

Lastly this basically untouched powder room . . . it was gorgeous as is !  Dark and moody navy with touches of brass . . .

all photos by mekenzie loli

Such a fun project, with the look I love, all were happy !!


Update !

Just finished the master bedroom !