Install of the Day !

Hi There !

Black and white was another request and made an appearance recently in this project Maggie designed and installed last week for the Allen's.  I love these neutrals and these spaces certainly tie together with such an ease to the eye !

From the foyer back there is a sense of calm - take a look !

This open and airy living space mixes pattern perfectly with the two neutral sofas and graphic chairs all on top of a gorgeous Stark rug.  For a real sense of casual comfort, this white wood coffee table and accessories.

I particularly love the sofa pillows !!

Pull that sofa off the walls and add a custom upholstered cornice to dress up blinds !

The bathroom, too has a coordinating black and white look with killer ceiling paper, drop pendant and strong black walls.  With all the white it can handle it for sure !

On to the dining room and here we have Harlequin's Sumi paper.  We have used this paper in a few different colors and applications and still love !!  We make it a goal to never duplicate a room, so each application is different !

Simple accessories showcase the paper and don't clutter the space !

And warm woods contrast the cool colors.

photos by mekenzie loli

Great job Maggie !  So pulled together.

Inspired by Culture and Color, Upcoming Install !

 Hi There . .

Influenced by different cultures and incorporating pieces with an ethnic vibe not only give a space a collected feel, it adds so much interest and uniqueness.   Trending at the moment - tribal, a little dose from Africa.  Moroccan touches are filtering in rooms as well, along with treasures from India.  I am in love with the eclectic look with a feeling of history and travel.

I have a new couple who asked for help with their master bedroom.  Half of this duo hails from India. She wanted her culture present in this space.   A large room with high ceilings and, at the moment, beige walls with a pretty bed,  great bookcase and a teal sofa.  Also in the space, a rug I needed to work around.  The colors - mint, peach, teal, and a touch of rust.

It was fun working on this design board, infusing the culture of my client with touches of India and Morocco.   I worked on an eclectic space loaded with pattern and texture to compliment the rug and have the Indian feel my client so wanted.

Take a look at the pieces I needed to incorporate in my plan.

I started on the bed wall.  A large king size upholstered bed with wood trim resting on this oushak rug.  In this space I created several focal points, each wall in fact, as oppose to just the bed wall.  I brought in a wall paper with a large scale, gold medallion pattern.  In my mind, and without full knowledge of Indian culture and heritage, it's shapes and detail reminded me of the amazing carved art piece my client owns.  I am seeing a lot of precious metal incorporated in the culture, so the gold tones brought that in.  Two matching bedside tables with jewel like knobs and gold corner detail.  The lamps, more modern in shape to bring in the teal of her existing sofa.

The bedding, an off white Moroccan Wedding Blanket and dark peach velvet pillows mixed with an embroidered pillow with the perfect combination of teal, mint, taupe and cream to coordinate with the rug.

The window wall is also a focal point.  My client's sofa purchase needed to be incorporated.   

I plan on painting the remaining three walls the field color of the accent wall paper, yet punch up the entire room with a mint, gloss ceiling and these dramatic window treatments, pillows, lighting and side table.

Opposite the bed, another focal wall.  This tall and wide Henredon etagere fills the wall but lacks accessorizing.  My goal here is to bring in pieces my client has collected, and well as a few new ones creating one large "art wall" of beautiful sculptures, art and textiles.  Flanking the bookcase, two framed "torans" in a more vibrant mint stitched on peach burlap.  

I love all the detail on this wall.

The last wall in the room, to the right of the bed, a grouping of Priya's collected art.

Another thing I love about this space is it's own "foyer."  It's the perfect small space to include in the design and give it it's own beautiful look.  Incorporating another wall paper in the same tans and gold, yet with a large pattern floral.  Over top, a carved piece of art in my client's collection and two gold mirror which will introduce you to the feel on the wall paper you are walking in to.

The floor isn't neglected either.  A more modern rug in mint and taupe defines the space and a bench along the wall with a new cushion in a velvet tribal pattern.

After I created all these boards, we met and for the most part all was good !  We decided to go with my back up option of wall paper for the space behind the bed.  This paper did change what we wanted to do on the windows.  Take a look at how one paper can really change a look.

This fabric, new from Zoffany is simply gorgeous and Pyria fell in love with it.  It worked perfectly with the area rug and wall papers.

It was not only a fun and collaborative meeting with Pyria the other day, I learned a thing or two more about her culture.  My framed toran idea on the bookcase wall . . . well apparently they are sold on every corner and about a $1.00 - so we ditched them !

Cannot wait to install later this month !

Install of the Day !

Hey There.

Maggie and I finished up a gorgeous room over the weekend.  We call it Boho Chic, my client's request.  I was pretty excited about the color and pattern combination in this room.  We used navy, purple and mint and it all started with the amazing large scale graphic wall paper - GG's pick.

I wasn't thrilled that the four-poster bed I ordered months ago, along with the navy dresser were pushed back another month, but, what can you do beside re-select or wait.  This space really isn't suffering too much without it, but when it does arrive it will be the icing on the cake.  The dresser, well that was delayed as well, but in an effort to complete the space for a big, beautiful reveal by my deadline,  I found an amazing navy dresser at Slate to use in the interim (and will be quite fabulous in this empty spot I have in my showroom).

My long time clients, have a teenage daughter, GG, whose space was looking too young for her. We thought it was time to give it an update to take her through high school.   At our design meeting, we pulled our thoughts together and voila.  I love this space.  I always have such a clear picture in my head as to the finished product and I think my clients do as well.  But when the space is revealed, there is always that surprised reaction of wow . . . it works.  My advise to any young designers out there .. install with everything so your client can see the completed look, it will win them over, delivering piece by piece will only cause anxiety with some of your clients who have trouble seeing things.

Take a look at what Mekenzie shot for me yesterday . . .

Don't discount a window wall, it can be a beautiful focal point of light and drama.  With the organic, loose feeling of the paper, the symmetry of everything else gives it order.  I am beyond thrilled over the chandelier . . . 

Wow, that paper and bigger wow, those curtains and rug.  I really love the combination together.

These linen curtains are beautiful.  The gradual light to dark of the fabric so amazing, and Amy our seamstress, did such a beautiful job with the pleats falling just where the color changed (Amy I totally noticed that . . . beautiful)

I love a large push pin.  We make those at Lucy and Co.  Quite simple actually, but the frame is what makes it look finished and fab (look close there's a pic of Keith and I as kids, lol).

A few more last minute accessories found at Slate.

The initial design included a floral paper.  Pretty, but wasn't GG's favorite.  I pulled out this huge navy and white leaf pattern at our meeting and it was The One, she loved it.  

Don't be afraid to mix gold and silver.  It does break up the over match !

The added touch of yellow in the rug, also breaks up the over-match.  

Boho Chic can be interpreted in several ways, and in this space "chic" drives the look, and the boho (a.k.a bohemian), to me, means a collected mix of vintage, modern, patterns - and lots of them, a bit of metal and something organic.  The key to boho is layering pattern on top of pattern, literally.  The wall paper has an apparent organic feel in a sophisticated color palette.  When you layer the gradated curtains on top, it not only creates a beautiful look, it softens the walls.  I love these curtains.

I recently read a post by one of my favorite bloggers, Bri, of Design Love Fest.  Her style - simply gorgeous.  She created this dream catcher (a boho must).  I loved it, so Maggie and I decided to create our own, to not only add color to the wall, but bring in even more texture in the way of tactile art.  Take a look at our inspiration.

Now take a look at our version.  Maggie and I stitched the stripes of fabric around rope which was looped over a treated birch tree branch.  We mixed in a vintage pearl and gold beaded necklace.  We wanted it on a large scale to fill the wall.

I didn't want to group art on that wall, as I thought it would only start looking cluttered with everything going on next to it.  It really needed to be simple yet jive with everything else.  I think it's perfect.

all photos by mekenzie france

The bed I love.  Iron and simple, with thin enough posts not to be too overwhelming.  If it would just show up !   It will, again, add to the symmetry of that wall and the straight lines, as oppose to the curves of her existing iron bed and won't compete with the wall paper.  Pretty - huh.  

. . . and annoying back ordered dresser.  Love this piece - newly available in navy (maybe that's the hold up?)  But must wait, it 's the right height to balance those bedside tables.

So - Great room, love seeing the boards come to life, love that everyone was happy !
GG's comments . . .

“I gave Beth one color as inspiration and she

created my dream room. I never want to leave it. My favorite pieces

are Beth's custom "dream catcher" and the wallpaper everyone

disagreed with me on initially. The light fixture is definitely the

thing that makes the room.”

Happy Wednesday !!