The Vast Landing Wasteland . . . Project Eight

Hey !

Have a big, boring upstairs landing and don't know what to do with it?  A lot of new builds do.  You come to the top of the stairs and have this vast area of walls and floor.  A photo gallery is the typical solution.  I say there can be more to it and you can add a lot of style to a landing.  Create a vignette. Every time I go to the Kips Bay Designer House I am always amazed at how the stairwells and landings are equally as beautiful as the rooms they lead to.  We have two landing we are working on for the Robbin's.  With a front stairwell and back, our goal is to tie them together and have them both tie back to the first floor.

This is the largest, with room enough for an 8 x 8 foot square rug.  We are adding two large art pieces, two chairs,  an ottoman and a really cool, tall bookcase.

This one fabric is where we plan to pull everything from.  So beautiful with the look of hand painted botanicals which is so hot right now.  I found a great vintage teal ottoman to mix with two new chairs.

What ties the two spaces together, a wall paper down the two opposing walls and wandering through the hallway to the front landing.  Vertical stripes this time in a slight yellow and silvery, taupe.  These colors are used downstairs so it will all have a cohesive feel.

The second landing has another large footprint with a long wall.  Rather than a photo gallery we are creating two long, upholstered benches with two tall wall mount, upholstered backs!  I cannot wait to see those go in.  All atop the stripe paper this should fill the space with pattern and color and really give you something to look at as you come up the stairs !

Stay tuned !!

Growing Up a Playroom . . . Project Seven.

Hi.

Yep, purple is hot and this room has a nice dose of it as well!  I have been working with the Crowder's on overhauling their entire digs as oppose to moving and this room wasn't left out of our room by room overhaul. Their three kids have a great space just off the main first floor hallway but as we all know, playrooms can be just a collection of plastic trucks and Barbie dream houses that we wish they would hurry up and grow out of.  The solution for most playrooms is to just shut the door. With this space so visible on the first floor we are working to give this space a little love, make it functional and fun with a lot more style.

I started with a rug and windows pulling all the new colors we used in the other rooms of the house, greys, purples and taupes.  I love mixing patterns and this space is no exception.  Take a look our what we are combining in this space.

We replaced all the white blinds with functional romans and added to large custom, upholstered storage ottomans on either side.   Some fun art and a new overhead fixture.  The new sofa is a lot sleeker and will change the feel of the space completely.  Kid friendly fabric and a tight back to keep it looking clean and tight.

The biggest problem with this space is storage.  Along the largest wall are bookcases.  Sounds great, but their depth is only 8 inches.  I really didn't want to ripe them all out and start over so came up with an idea to added 12' double door cabinets within the shelves.  The overall look will feel really modern with it's checkerboard look and deeper storage (behind doors a bonus) to hide all the plastic.

Two new swivel chairs and there you have it !

On such a roll at the Crowder home !  Stay tuned.

Purple Is Big Right Now. . . Project Six.

Hey !

Yes,  purple is big.  I love purple and there was a time I didn't.  Purple is warm, rich and vibrant.  My thought about purple is that when used in abundance, not so good.  When used as an accent - gorgeous.  This living room project for a new client in the Longview neighborhood has just the right amount of purple, her favorite color.

What we love about this design is the overall grey grass cloth for texture and the perfect backdrop.  With this space opening into a beautiful new kitchen the flow is seamless and the pop of the rug adds a bit of drama.  I love all the grey grass cloth choices from our favorite Phillip Jeffries, it was hard to pick.

So how about this rug for the purple lover?! So pretty.

The flanking bookcases get a new coat of grey as oppose to their current white, but leaving the mantle white. Mixing in a new cream, round coffee table and cream leather swivel chair.  A grey sectional with new pillows .

We have several great contenders for pillow options, but want to get that rug sample in to really pick the best one.  We found this one the other day and kinda love !

Our client loves a little shimmer and "glam" this piece would be way too much if it were not against that calming grass cloth . . should be really pretty and cannot wait to pull it all together at the install.

Stay tuned !

Foyer and Office to Transform . . . Project Four.

Hi There . . 

Excited to help a long-time client complete her entry foyer and home office to tie back to the work we did in her dining room (one of my all time favorites) and music room.  These two spaces compliment each other so well, right as you enter the home, and set a tone.  What we are looking to do is have her foyer do the same and be equally as eye catching !!!

The plan, to bring the navies and purples  from the two side rooms.  I love all the white heavy moldings and don't plan to change any of that but a little accent paper on this small flat ceiling just by the door.

I love this paper and used it on the walls of an upcoming foyer and stairs, I had to have it make a second appearance on this small ceiling.  It's just too perfect !!

A simple black console table, and amazing ottoman covered in the most gorgeous fabric will complete the look.

The office, just off the kitchen is a little lack-luster.  I have always thought that if you have to work, you might as well surround yourself with pretty.

We want to add a wall of paper - just one wall -  in this navy, white and latte horizontal ombre stripe.  Over top, a large custom push pin board with silver molding.  New romans on the two windows, again, an amazing fabric with both the navies and fuchsia and a custom desk chair.

I have been working with my upholster to create custom desk chairs.  The options out there are so few and far between.  An upholstered "dining chair type" seat with swoop arms (as not to bag on the desk top), attached to a swivel base. 

 Comfortable and upholstered but most importantly - pretty !

Such pretty details !!

A Whole House . . . A Whole Design Part Three

Hey . .

The last of three first floors I have been working on will be the first to install, next month. Holly Liakakos and I got together at the end of last week, finalized some of the details and picked the last of our big pieces.  The dining room and family room needed slight tweaking.  We were missing just the right dining table, something special.   I am a huge fan of the unexpected.  We decided on the live edge dining table to mix with the glamor of the other details in the room.  The walls are a slight metallic grass cloth, the windows are a semi-sheer "bubble like" chevron pattern, one entire wall is antique mirror and the rug a silver seagrass.  Can you say texture . . . it's filled with it.  While somewhat monochromatic in color, each piece has a different surface quality.

Take a closer look . . .

These dining tables are amazing.  All custom made to a specific size and can be made with or without an extension leaf.  While we are deciding on the base, metal or Lucite, I cannot wait to receive this conversation piece.  Paired with 10 upholstered  "tub" chairs with a nubby wool on the back and a soft flannel on the front, it will be a dining room they may not want to leave after desert.

Loving the new window treatments, available in two great colors, either of which would work.  We decided on the grey on grey version . . . 

While I was in Hidell Brooks on Friday I had Holly in my mind as well.  I spied this piece by Jacob Cooley in person.  I had seen it on their site when I was designing the room and seeing it in person clenched it for me.  Hung over the mirrored wall would add warmth to the space and add to the serenity I would like to achieve.  Art in every space is so important.

Holly's great room has a 14 foot fake rock fireplace wall.  She has always hated it.  It's coming down.  The new facade we chose on Friday will be perfect.  We were pondering the color and after receiving the samples we picked the perfect one, bottom left.  Love !

Let the demo begin, messy, but will be so worth it.  Keith is working on a large, modern, mixed media piece to bring in color over the fireplace and we picked a new coffee table option.  This piece is perfect to compliment the Oly side table she already has and the new large floor lamps.  An aged gesso with a smooth finish and raised fretwork, it will sit on a new wool and viscose Ikat rug. Two new grey velvet, tight back sofas, and the most comfortable pop chair in peacock leather.

She and I both love the "hunt" so much that we are planning to trip to NYC to find some one-of-a-kind accessories (and who are we kidding . .  we really just want  to run away for a day or two).  We plan on hitting 1st Dibs in the Design Center to find a few truly unique accessories to have when we install.  She has a small curved hallway nook that needs something.  It's screaming for a fun wall paper and this painted grass cloth by one of my favs Celerie Kemble would do the trick.  A piece with a little Greek key I couldn't resist  (right Stavros) and I will be pushing for another mixed media piece of art combining black and white photography of the family (Mekenzie get ready) and oils.  I came across these sconces on 1st Dibs. . . love love... we'll see what we can find. 

Juxtapose is the name of this game, and I cannot wait.  I posted images of the front lounge not to long ago and with the exception of changing out the seagrass rug for Stark's Antilocarpa, it's underway with custom side cabinets backed in a new paper from Zoffany.

And no space is complete without a small touch of animal . . .

. . . and a wet snake !!! You won't be laughing at me when you see the finished product . . . it's killer.

The powder room,  just off the foyer is getting a face lift with horizontal wood planked wainscoting and yes, a little snake above.  We are taking off the sink cabinet doors and replacing them with something a little more modern . . .

The last touch, a bit wall paper in the stairwell, framed out.  

I am just happy Holly lives about 6 minutes from my office . . .