Install of the Day & Hot off the Press

Happy Saturday !

I am dying .. I love this house (and client) so, so much !  Oh how it started... A few years ago, pre-covid, we were going to remodel their previous house.  Had that pretty much figured out.. but then covid hit and things got put on hold .. in this case it was a happy set back !  Fast forward to earlier this year, they decided to sell that previous home and bam.. found this killer house in Myers Park.  Originally built in 1938 and then renovated in 2013 by Architect Ruard Veltman.  Hillary Rondero having done all the original interior design work it was a score on all counts.  Hillary's choice of colors, perfect.  We didn't need to change a thing, color wise just freshened up... Several of her light fixtures and details, also perfect so we kept all those !  The stars all a lined and I stepped in with all new furniture as the style of this house was so very different from their previous home.  What fun !!!!  These client's were game for everything I chose, which I love, love, love.  

Let's take a look !!

With an all white house, we decided to add a little fun moment in the foyer with this dramatic paper, a Designer's Guild show-stopped. The runner we also changed to something darker and dog friendly!

This is a fun detail right by the door... inside you access the mail slot !  We reworked the look of it but kept its function.  Thanks Jacob for the new look.  Added a big new knob from Nest and filtered in a new wall sconce.  Love it.

You swing right into the front living room.. All new pieces.  Loving the new Verellen chairs !  We overlaid the rugs and mixed in a few favorite pieces I have been dying to use.

Like this killer framed art piece.. old books, a plaster side table and Oly coffee table.  The fireplace prompted my to redo my own at home.

Now.. this wall, opens to a hidden powder room.  We took down the fabric, nail head panels and installed these hand painted leather ones.  All created by Avo in Brooklyn

Mixed in a few Romo pillows with a vintage one from John Derian in NY.

Loving the eclectic vibe.

So speaking of the hidden powder room.  It was perfect as is !!  We negotiated all the artwork with the sale.

Gorgeous table, and great rug find !

This little moment houses a liqueur cabinet with vellum doors and a brass base.  

John Derian horn .. had to have and a small piece by Ron Royals to remind my client of their place on Bald Head Island.

Across the way a smaller sitting room, just off the kitchen.  Great for a little morning coffee.  Incorporated a chaise and leather swivel over top of a stamped hide.  Fringe on the leather accent stoop and new metal console tables.

This dining room .. besides the fact I'd like to pluck it out and place it in my house !  We kept the original color because it was perfect.  Also kept the original chandelier sold with the house, it was perfect too !  Filtered in all the rest.  A 60" round wood table with really cool base, and chairs we managed to snag before the lead times got stupid long.  The burl sideboard is a beauty and I really wanted these stubby resin lamps.  The art (Baja Man) by Ron Royals, one of my favorite photographers.  We just loved him and with various forms of art throughout the home, it added a little whimsy.   Killer room !

Just love the back of these chairs ...

.. and how pretty is this sideboard !

Another great piece over the fireplace.

Round the corner and you are in the kitchen and breakfast area.  We kept this fixture as well but moved it from over the island to this spot.

Simple yet again striking ... hand painted wallpaper.. particularly love. 

I have been dying to do these dining chairs, but no one has bitten until now !!! So happy when I got a yes on the chairs !

The kitchen opens into the family room and it was perfect as is.  We added these gorgeous pendants and a fresh coat of paint.

Jealous, so jealous.

 

From the kitchen you pass through the family room ....  we were able to repurpose their old sofa, but added new pillows and this fun mirror, coffee table and side chairs

Stay tuned because these doors to the back yard are changing to larger doors and a beautiful new back patio.

Upstairs we had fun playing with the guest room and two (adult) kids spaces.  We did focus primarily on the master bedroom... 

New bed, side tables and lamps.

And this gorgeous new chandelier and accent chair.  A cohesive mix with the downstairs.

Last but not least.. and recently wrapped up.. the gorgeous new outdoor living space.  

all photos by mekenzie loli

Such an amazing project I couldn't be happier with the outcome.

Big thanks to QC Magazine for the feature on this home !  Great your copy today, just came out for Jan/Feb 2022

Install of the Day !

Hey There . . 

The Foyer . . . an introduction to your home, expressive of your personality, your style.  I have been working with Jill Pleune of Sloan (best of . . . as far as cool clothes and shoes for us girls) on creating a look for her entire home, room by room.  I have had the most fun surprising her and with each install and it gets better and better as we go along.  We started with her family room (see here), moved to her dining room (see here) and moving to the living room or master will be next to continue the first floor.

When designing Jill's space I looked at her personal style.  A fan of black and white, classic yet edgy with a bit of whimsy and a lot of chic.  I love working with Jill.  Enthusiastic, open and just fun to be around.  Each project I have worked on with her has been a welcome home surprise, in that she has an idea of what I am doing but not the whole picture.  I love that - it's a win win for both!

Mekenzie always manages to capture and image that explains exactly the feeling I want for a space and this is the one that reminds me the most of Jill. 

Her foyer, like many homes I have been into, is your typical two story, turned stairs, big chandelier type of space with a dining room on one side and a "formal" living space on the other.  With a plan in place (in my head) for her first floor,  I continued with an eclectic mix of furniture with high levels of texture and pattern yet all black and white and cream.  We have a little leopard, a little cream fur, antique brass, cane, sequence, embroidery, lacquer, metal, distressed wood, lucite, burlap and corrugated paper!

I love the birds and I love the white on cream.  Just a little something to backdrop a vignette.  Check out the floor lamp.  Vintage, highly ornate.  I paired it with a burlap shade with rough, frayed edges.  I couldn't find what I wanted so we made it, or should I say Carson made it for me.  Great job creating the soft pleats and exposed wire.  Love and love even more her attention to detail.  I give her a project and with very little instruction she creates something beautiful and exactly what I am looking for.

The ceiling medallion is the only thing I kept in this space.  Love that it is similar to the embroidery on foot stool underneath.  The large metal and distress wood chandelier is delicate and simple, and beautiful through the front window.

Keith did this amazing piece for me not too long ago.  Floating on plexiglas, Veronica once again came up with the most amazing frame.  It's large 5 x 6 foot scale is perfect for all that dead space overhead on the blank 2 story foyer wall.  The tone on tone colors are simply beautiful with my palette but the high texture keeps it interesting.

My biggest piece of advise in this space is the size of the rug.  There is nothing I dislike more than a postage size "mat" by the front door.  My installer did a template for us, cutting this area rug equal distance off each baseboard.  Now this foyer appears to look more like a room than just a cut through to the home.  We painted the banister and stair treads high gloss black rather than the more casual stained look that they were.   Now when you enter the front you have a welcoming sight to greet you.

If you do a little "fur" keep it rich in color and use it only once in a space.  Don't overdue it and it will be amazing.  And what girl doesn't love a little glitz, again just a small dose!

The small table top, a gold metal clover, also has that small detail that makes it interesting.

Maggie created a design board in this case for us - it's the way we keep track of everyone on the "big wall."  Jill loves the surprise and now that I think about it, the extent of our meetings are a text that say maybe . .  "I have some money, do some more . . ."   What's next ?  I already have the living room in my head . . . 

Happy Sunday !