January 30, 2013

Project Modern Organic Update

Guess what?  In 24 hours I will be down in Mexico with my family and I am SO excited.  It’s perfect timing because we are wrapping up our most recent bathroom renovation, #ProjectModernOrganic.  It still needs its finishing details but I thought I’d share what has been a really fun design project for me.



The sink cabinet is a modern gray stain wood with an awesome concrete trough sinktop.  

It’s seamless and beautiful.  I love the concept of two faucets and one sink- really clean yet elegant.

The simple slab drawers will look more tailored and finished once we install the hardware.  
Wall sconces set into the mirror will also finish this look.

Instead of a traditional linen cabinet, we built this tall narrow depth piece.  
The top doors are antique mirrors.  The unit also houses a hamper.  

The floors may look like wood, but they are porcelain tile!  So gorgeous in person. 

The dedicated vanity/make up area is coming together nicely.  
It’s hard to see, but that’s a wood counter wrapping down the sides of the desk.


Our area of Philadelphia is pretty traditional, so I always have a blast when my client’s are down for a modern look.  I love how the clean lines blend nicely with more organic elements, like the “wood” floors and pebble shower.  Once the accessories and textiles are in, it will really shine.


I’m off for now, but have planned a few posts for next week while I’m relaxing in the sun.  You will DEFINITELY want to check back here on Monday.  I have an exciting announcement.

January 10, 2013

Designing around a Red Sofa

I’m working on a family room design right now that is to revolve around my client’s existing red sofa.  This is a (fun) challenge for me as I don’t often use red in large doses.  Red can often be overdone- the wrong shade on the walls, or just too much of it everywhere- but with the right design it can be powerful, warm, happy and chic.  Since the sectional is such a big piece visually  I’d prefer not to over-saturate the room with more red.  Instead, I want to find a way to tie it to other colors that will complement it.  

This is the sofa…






I plan to introduce new colors with a rug and pillows.  Here are my favorite color schemes that work well with red.  Which is your favorite?

I love red mixed with powder blue for a preppy, happy feel.  Tie in a powder blue rug with a pillow that features both red and the same shade of blue.


Interiors 1 2 3
I love red mixed with pink for a romantic yet vibrant room.  Mix in black to add a tailored edge to the space.


Interiors 1 2 3 4

Red and cerulean blue is a perfect combo to design a traditional room with a twist.  Mix in pillows that bring in a third color element so that the room doesn’t just read red-white-and-blue.


Interiors 1 2 3


November 1, 2012

DM Project: Client W Living Room Before and After

Hey guys.  Today is a fun today because it’s the last Before & After Project for Client W.  This room- the living room- also happens to be my favorite room in the house.  We started with great bones; windows on three sides, great light and a fireplace.  

The real issue was the furniture arrangement.  With the sofa cross-wise in the space, it cut the room in the half and the beautiful back windows weren’t being enjoyed.  We decided to move things around, add seating, remove the television armoire and update the fireplace mantel.

Here is the room before… 

We moved the sofa to the long wall and made a slipcover for it to soften the modern lines.  The Barcelona chairs moved to the back windows.  This is now a lovely reading area.  I never liked the back of the Barcelonas at the front of the room, but the new settee has a lovely back and I think it fits well here.


My clients really didn’t care for the old fireplace.  The mantel wasn’t their style and the gas function didn’t appeal to them.



Since they have a working wood fireplace in their Family Room, we disconnected this gas fireplace and filled it will logs.  We also designed a new wood mantel.  Christiana Cabinetry made the mantel for us.  The mirror above was a vintage find.



One of my goals with the space was to mix traditional and global pieces in with my clients’ existing modern furnishings.  We replaced the low modern sideboard to the right of the fireplace with a vintage ebonized commode.  It took me months to find a piece that wasn’t crazy expensive but I’m so happy with the one we ended up scoring.



Here we see the French Settee with commode and foyer in the background.  The oil paintings were part of my clients collection.  When paired in threes they look three times more chic.  The middle pillow was one of the first fabrics I chose for the room.  I love it!  (Some of you may recognize that I used a scrap of this fabric in my own loft.)



As I mentioned above, it’s the same sofa as before, just covered with a slipcover and lots of fun pillows!  We continued the theme of yellow, pink and blue that we have going on in the contiguous foyer, powder room and dining room.  The rug is an over-dyed Persian.  It totally makes the room.



One of my favorite details is the vintage Blanc de Chine table lamps.  The iron end tables are pretty fun too, though.


The coffee table is a great weathered wood in a cross pattern.  No need for coasters here!  Actually the whole room was designed with my clients young sons in mind.  Even the white cotton slipcover can be pulled off and washed.



We added a tulip table between my clients Barcelona chairs.  Behind them is a vintage Asian console I stumbled upon while shopping one day in Philadelphia.  The fiddle leaf fig and driftwood floor lamp balance out each side.



One last look at the coffee table styling.  My clients gave me carte blanche and I had a fun time mixing in vintage and new items.



And that, my friends, is the last of Project Client W.  That is until we tackle the master suite.  Hopefully next year?  I feel so fortunate for having such amazing clients who totally get my vision!

I hope you liked the tour.   Get caught up on the dining room, foyer, powder room and family room.

Thank you to Courtney Apple for taking al of the lovely images

October 25, 2012

DM Project: Client W Dining Room Before and After

It’s Thursday and I have another project reveal for you! So far I’ve shown you Client W’s foyer, powder room and family room and today it’s the dining room.  We did a big transformation of the space and I really love the modern  bohemian feel.

We tackled the architectural elements first with wainscot and paint.

The walls needed some real attention in this room.  We were dealing with the same bumpy plaster as in the foyer, but instead of smoothing it out with a plaster coat, we opted for a flat paint in a dark gray color.  (Flat paint hides imperfections the best.)  The DM crew installed wainscot on the lower portion of the walls.  I love how the crisp white offsets the gray and the detailing makes the room more traditional and finished.  

Note: we painted the window mullions.  I like how they look like iron windows now.


3 gold stars if you remember me sharing this portion of the project forever ago.

Next we filled in with furnishings.  My clients like modern, but not too cold, so I thought the combination of the Panton chairs with the farm-style trestle table was perfect.  The family can eat at the table with no worries of scratching or denting the rustic top.  I love the chairs too because they can be wiped down so easily.  Perfect for a family.  The skirted head chairs were a nice softening balance.  I need to mix in some traditional with my modern.  The warm pink rug ties in nicely with the one in the foyer.  Flatweaves are great for dining rooms- easier to clean.  Oh and the chandelier?  I’ve had a crush on it for a long time and it was fun to be able to use it.  (

I should note though that when the lights are on the color is a little weird.  It wasn’t a home run for us.)

We had a little “moment” in the bay window.  The lacquer console by Jonathan Adler is such a great piece.  We paired it with two x-stool cover in yellow Chinoiserie silk.  I don’t have any good pictures of the stools!  So sad- they are really pretty.


I love the sideboard we used in the room.  It’s modern yet classic at the same time.  I like how structured it is compared the dining table.  It helps formalize things a bit without being stuffy.


This is just a terrible spec shot I took myself but I wanted  to share this angle of the chairs.  I don’t use a ton of mid-century pieces in my work, but it was fun to use these iconic chairs .  Oh and I love that mirror from West Elm.  It’s such an inexpensive way to add a little pizzazz to a wall.  (Great across from windows to reflect light!)


I’d say its quite the transformation.  I really love the space now and I know the family has been enjoying it.  Can I just say, I love when people actually use their dining rooms?  I think that’s cool.


Philadelphia Area peeps, we are for hire!  What can we transform for you?

Tune in next week, I am sharing my absolute favorite room in the house.  The living room.  It’s good, guys.  


October 18, 2012

DM Project: A Striped Foyer {Before and After}

Oh how I love the foyer.  It really sets the tone for the whole home, right?  When I first came into Client W’s foyer it wasn’t the most welcoming space.  The bumpy plaster walls were an unfortunate yellow, a wallpaper border was dating the room and paint sampling had proven unsuccessful.  



My clients were down to make a statement, so I suggested tone on tone stripes.  We contemplated wallpaper, but with two active boys we decided paint was a more practical route.  We went for a taupey- grayish beige.  First we had to skim coat the walls to even out the bumpy plaster.  Once the stripes went up the room felt so different!

We filled the room with a mix of high and low.  The console is from  Ballard Designs whereas the rug is stunning antique.  The mirror was a steal from Pier 1.  The horsey lamps may be my fave.




Next we addressed the radiator  and the left side of the room.  We built a narrow counter that serves as the “drop zone” and mail center.  Above the counter is a collection of black and white family photos.


(See the dining room?  I’ll be sharing that next week.)


 
A little more of that rug.  I’m such a sucker for pink and blue!



Get caught up on this home tour.  See Client W’s Powder Room Here and Family Room Here.