A Snowy Week in D.C.

Hi There !

Just got back from a long week in snowy Bethesda.  It was all hands on deck to install a multi-room home of one of my favorite clients.  I worked with Eve and Greg Besant about 6 years ago and they recently moved to a new place.  Deciding to change it up quite a bit and having the trust of these fab clients to really make all the decisions, I started in the family room and worked my way around that.  I wanted a light, airy space using neutrals with a touch of navy, fresh and collected feeling.  They are color people so this was a big change from their previous place.  I did, however, give them their dose of color in other spaces visible throughout.   This living space is almost there and I can't wait to go back in a few weeks to receive the two key pieces on either side of the fireplace and dining room chairs to finish it all off and shoot .. for real.

Take a look a the design boards I created to give them an idea of the overall look.

I adore the pieces flanking the fireplace, totally worth the wait.  They fit perfectly and with the brass mesh fronts they are perfect for electronics.

I really love this new rug and coffee table...  so much so I added the same rug to our office space.  The coffee table is an amazing black and white marble stripe and so dramatic. 

One thing I love to do is an a folding screen in a dead corner.  Keith made this one for me adding silver leaf with a black pattern detail.  Kinda love it.  

So we put a major dent in the living room,  a few new pillows and those blasted sideboards I am still waiting for will complete the look.

The hall powder room was pretty blah, but had a good sink.  We added paper and big ole mirror and a drop pendant.  It's dramatic now.

This paper I brought in late in the game in a dry bar from the kitchen to the dining room.. It's loud and gorgeous and gives eve the color she wanted.  It's perfect in that it combines the navy of the dining room chairs and the teal of her existing chesterfield we placed in her home office.  Perfect way to combine the colors.

Moving into the dining room my challenge was to dress up their rustic wood dining table.  Adding a rustic sideboard with marble top did that as well as a new dramatic chandelier.  I also decided to have Keith paint a pattern on the walls.  Love the drama this will create.  The new upholstered navy dining chairs will complete the look as well as a splashy piece of art in all Eve's favorite colors.

I didn't ignore here love of this fabric and incorporated it in curtains and pillows in her office across the hall from the dining room !  

Keeping her teal velvet sofa the other nearby colors bring it all together and Eve can work in a space filled with her favorite colors.

Even though it never got above 30 outside we installed the back porch and come spring those french doors will be open wide for a little outdoor lounging.,

It was all about a more neutral palette this time with dollops of color in places here and there, just enough to get the color point across !

Stay tuned for our big shoot in a few weeks of all these rooms and a few others upstairs and down.. it was a big, big project.... 

Can't wait to take Mekenzie up to shoot.. 

Philly Bound . .

Howdy !

Not long ago I went up to Philly to check on a client I have been working on for about a year !  Decided to bring Kate for the weekend for a little big city, girl time.  Not only is she fun to travel with, she can hold the tape measure.  We played around doing the Philly thing.  This is such a fun city, dare I say a mini-NYC.  We had a great time shopping and eating our way through town.  I love the Rittenhouse Square part of town.  My go-to hotels the Kimpton Palomar or The Warwick.  Both close to shopping, a great spa and fabulous restaurants.

We hit Reading Market for an Apple Fritter Donut at Beiler's.  Had dinner one night at Parc and another at Zama for some pretty perfect Sushi.  Best coffee and breakfast the Bluestone Lane in the Warwick lobby.  Such a fun time.  She's a gas.

So yes, a year in the making.. Guess building in downtown Philly has it's challenges and hold ups.  Our August 2017 install has turned into February 2018... hum hope the weather will cooperate.  I am at the mercy of the contractors up there !  I cannot wait to get up there in a week !

This client loves, and let me say that again, loves crazy pattern and color.   She also loves vintage.  It has been a fun project to play with in that she really isn't afraid of layering it on.

We are working on every inch, from the front door back and up the 3 flights of stairs in this Philly walk up.  I cannot wait to install it.  Take a look at the crazy fun boards.  The front entrance  brings you straight into this dining space.  Being somewhat narrow I chose to do a banquet along the inside wall and off set the chandelier and chairs - this gives them room to come in.  Vibrant chairs and wall paper on the ceiling all mixed with a vintage inspired chandelier and antique over dye rug.

The floral curtains pull it all together color wise and mood wise.

We have a custom art piece by Lori Love, here in Charlotte, a request from her to him - cannot wait for that surprise.

So a big mix of pattern and color, all layered against white walls.

Past the kitchen and stairwell, the back family room, filled with more colors, but pattern that all work together.  Have a Windy O'Connor piece in there, in pillows and another custom art piece,  as well as a dreamy bottle green velvet sofa and fabulous split coffee table.

Up the stairs the master bedroom is a little more soothing with it's grey palette but with a big punch of fuchsia in the dressing area and office.

Even the girls have a lot going on in their rooms . . .

Basement playroom won't be ignored either .. .

Wondering how all this crazy color will work ?!  Stay tuned and I'll show you !!