Inspired Nest

A Support Pole Makeover

2012-01-12T20:34:00.000-05:00

Just a couple weeks ago I posted some before and after pics of my clients basement redesign.

I promised to explain one particular detail in the design- the support column. Here is the before picture again. Kinda sticks out at ya-and-not-in-a-good-way, doesn't it?

During our design discussions, one thing that came up in discussions was the support pole that essentially holds up the ceiling. There were a myriad of different ways to try and incorporate this eyesore into the space. If this were a more formal area I might have suggested wrapping it in wood and making a nice column out of it. Then we threw out making a tree out of it, adding some branches and faux painting the whole thing....but I needed to brainstorm a bit more, afterall this was primarily a kids space , and I wanted to do something really fun and out-of-the-box. The whimsical nature motif exists throughout the design, so the tree idea would defintely work.

One thing lead to another and I found this great shop on Etsy, Eve's Little Earthlings. Eve makes among other things, wine cozies from recycled sweaters. They often resemble tree stumps.

I contacted Eve and she was happy to custom make the "pole cozy". She did a really great job, and here is the completed Pole Cozy today: (I wish I had a better close up, and will try to add one to the post at a later date.)

I feel like it really becomes part of the design rather than some afterthought.

Rae Allain Master

2012-01-10T10:57:00.001-05:00

Rae Allain Master by mrshadrick on polyvore.com

West Elm Bath Collection

2011-12-30T13:27:00.000-05:00

West Elm is always one of the first retailers to launch their spring collections (I mean here we are in December still!!!), and I recently got a sneak peak. I love the new bath collection which is globally inspired from tradtional bath houses in Turkey. I'm espcially fond of these bath mats as they are less "bathroomy" looking (if you've ever been a student in one of my staging seminars you've heard me preach "get the mat off the floor unless in use". These however, are more like an area rug and the construction seems very durable......and they are machine washable! Whats not to love!

The Turks are world renowned for their super absorbent but thin woven towels called Pestemal.

I usually don't love too many of the soap pumps, tissue box holders etc., but this one really appeals to me. Its clean lined, organic stone texture means it could really fit in to many bathrooms styles.

Before & After Basement Redesign

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Remember this post: whimsical modern
One of my recently completed projects was furnishing an entire basement living room. The client had already made great use of the footprint by incorporating extra closets, a kitchenette, and a full bath. This new layout really put the "F" in function for the family of 6, however, there was no cohesive design scheme to keep organized on a daily basis. The homeowner wanted this to be primarily a kid space for games, TV, art and crafts, but she also wanted to be able to entertain adults as well. The jumping off point for the space were the Ikea blue and red kids chairs. Since it is a basement where natural light is limited, I wanted to incorporate bright colors, graphic patterns and a sense of whimsy to the space.

Before:

After:

The new layout separates the space into two zones. The first zone above incorporates plush slipcovered chairs for easy cleaning for the adults to sit, read, or entertain. We even incorporated a cozy little electric fireplace for added ambiance. I also included two red vintage industrial chairs for extra seating or for using with the folding desks.

The second zone is the kid zone. This area includes a rattan hanging chair, a chaise lounge, and the original Ikea blue and red kid chairs with customized cushions to play games, or watch movies. To maximize floor space for the kids toys, I selected two wood stump side tables as opposed to a larger coffee table.

Did you spy the concealed support pole separating the two spaces? We figured out a really fun and creative way to hide this, and I will dedicate a whole post next week to who, what, and how we made this eyesore a fun part of the design!

Genevieve Gorder for Capel Rugs

2011-11-23T10:27:00.000-05:00

I very much admire the rooms of interior designer and HGTV host Genevieve Gorder.... not to mention she seems really down to earth. She defnitely has a global bent in her work, but artfully conveys an eclectic feel without being too trendy. She recently debuted a fabulous new rug line for Capel Rugs. Marisa over at Stylebeat got these shots from her trip to High Point Market. I'm particularly fond of this emerald green moorish rug. I am already picturing it in a 3 season porch or sunroom with vibrantly patterned throw pillows.

Who doesn't love a good Chevron inspired print too!

Here's A Story...of A Lovely Dresser

2011-11-07T15:59:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite things to do in designing a clients room is finding that special token piece, whether it's a pillow made of a hand printed fabric, a vintage lamp or a piece of furniture. Sometimes that token piece adds a higher end feel to a more budget conscious design. Sometimes it adds that one-of-a kind personal touch that no showroom or catalogue can replicate. I think that is what make a room feel really special.

Here is such a piece I recently did in my client's daughters bedroom. We decided the width of the wall really dictated a wider than normal dresser. We talked big box stores, but then the choices for finish would be limited. Wood stain would darken the compact room too much, and white just seem a bit blah.

As luck would have it, I found the perfect dresser on Craigslist almost immediately. It had lovely traditional lines that complimented the vintage bed handed down to my client, and once painted, it wouldn't seem so serious for the pre-teen and toddler sisters sharing the room.

I selected a two-tone semi-gloss lacquer treatment for the dresser to liven it up. To keep the room light and airy, I chose the body color to be one shade darker than the wall color, Sherwin Williams Enchant, while the drawers were painted Sherwin Williams Heavenly White. Most of the original hardware was kept but sprayed silver, and I found some whimsical knobs at Anthropologie for the center drawers.

Here is the revitalized piece in the room:

In the next couple weeks, we will be finishing up a reading nook with a new window seat and wall mounted bookshelf, and I'll be sure to post more pictures of the redesigned room!

Happy Halloween....belated!

2011-11-01T18:18:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween!!! Better one day late then never, right! It turned out to be a great Halloween day despite a weekend snowstorm that blew through (boohoo).

It was Cowboys and Lions for 2011!

aarons pad

2011-09-27T11:58:00.001-04:00

aarons pad by mrshadrick on Polyvore.com

LilSugar.com

2011-08-29T15:33:00.002-04:00

I was thrilled to hear LilSugar.com wanted to feature my son's chalkboard table project on their website! If you don't know about LilSugar.com, I highly recommend visiting it from time to time. It's chalkfull (no pun intended) of great information on home, fashion, parenthood, and everything in between!

Check out the article here:

Some Contrast For A Quick Fix

2011-08-28T14:23:00.001-04:00

With the Hurricane turned Tropical Storm Irene blowing its way through New England today, we are staying indoors and bunkering down for the day. Its been a newspaper, movie, and clean-up the house kinda day. I thought it also might be appropriate timing to fix a real eye sore in the house.....our back door. This was the state of the sloppy-barely-primed-paint job our landlord had done at some point. Add to that a few years of dirt build-up:

Its bothered me since we moved in, but I just didn't think to do anything about it. I finally decided to prime the door again a few months ago, and the new primer at least took care of the cracks and dirt showing on the door. I figured at some point I would get around to selecting the right black or gray paint....The pantry needed something dark to ground all the stark white going on. As luck would have it, I was at my local hardware store a few weeks back and decided to check out the "oops" paints they have from time to time. Low and behold there was a little quart of charcoal gray sitting there calling my name! I picked up the $5 can and thanks to Hurricane Irene, here is the finished door today:

I love my new door! Now if I could just snap my fingers and have the rest of the pantry freshly painted.......

Happy 1st Birthday Cora!!

2011-07-06T21:51:00.002-04:00

We had a relaxing 4th of July weekend in the Berkshires in Western Mass at our friend's wonderfully rustic lakeside cabin. Being that it is nearly off the grid completely with varied cell phone reception, and no TV or computer in sight. What a way to get away.

Cora had her must have 1st bday cake mug shots.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl! More celebrations ahead when we have our family party in Narragansett, RI this weekend. We'll see how my beach themed party turns out: )

I have to add this final shot of Liam and our friend's little niece in the hammock. It could be a postcard!

Remember this dining room....

2011-06-20T17:25:00.004-04:00

Remember these pedestals and dining room?

Well, we finally got around to shooting some afters (during daylight hours), and I long ago promised a shot of the console table I custom designed using some salvaged old stone balusters from the Boston State House.

I also have shots of the living room we were working on at the same time. Again, I was working mostly with existing furnishings but we really changed the overall feel completely through accessories and paint.

Before:

After:

A Major Overhaul

2011-06-08T10:33:00.042-04:00

Hello Blog....long time no see! Apologies on that end. I have had my hands full of all sorts of projects little and big as of late, but I'm really excited to share pictures of one of my favorites. This project has been nearly complete for sometime now, except for a few final touches. As you can see, this was a major overhaul. The wall to wall carpet has been replaced with handscraped wood floors. A new window was added, there is now a vaulted ceiling, a skylight was added, wainscoting and wallpaper were removed, the trim was painted....you name it and it was done. I dubbed the new look organic modern. What is that you say? I would define it as clean, simple lines and lots of natural textures - brick fireplace, rustic barn wood mantle, and oak floors with the wool shag rug. The result: I'll let the pictures speak for themselves but I'm proud of the new look.

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

The piece of wall art shown above was found at a consigment shop and is actually an old door to a confessional, (my Catholic clients got a kick out of that) but I loved it for all its character!

Oliveira Living Rm

2011-05-03T18:49:00.001-04:00

Oliveira Living Rm by MRShadrick on Polyvore.com

Oliveira Living Rm

2011-05-03T18:37:00.001-04:00

Oliveira Living Rm by MRShadrick on Polyvore.com

Before & After

2011-04-08T10:00:00.010-04:00

One of the things I love to do - as most creative types probably do- is finding unwanted furniture and breathing fresh life into them. I don't have a whole lot of time or space for that matter to really collect as much as I would want, but I do have some pieces that I will try to complete in the warmer months ahead. I will be posting these projects from time to time as I finish them. I hope to inspire others from discarding otherwise good pieces of furniture if all they really need is a good coat of paint or new upholstery.

I'm kicking this off with one of the first pieces I refurbished. The before pic is actually mid process- tan brown wood stain and the ugly peach velour upholstery aren't shown, but you can still get a great idea of the change made. I actually toyed with the idea of leaving the wood stripped as shown in the "before" and upholstering the seat with a light colored, linen fabric, but I love injecting some good old vibrant personality into occasional chairs. The floral fabric is from Anthropologie, but is not longer available. Yes, its not well advertised, but you can buy cut yardage from select Anthropologie stores!

BEFORE

And the after......

Vintage Kitchens Abound

2011-03-22T10:00:00.002-04:00

Well, over at House & Home Magazine's blog, Michael Penney was blogging about retro pink kitchens. The look oh so feminine and fun, but who would be courageous enough to do it! He included some of kitchens of yesteryear, and to my shock I saw this picture:

Now, I knew my kitchen was original b/c of the state of decay the cabinets were in (you might notice a missing drawer face in one of the shots), but when we looked into renting this place I loved all the vintage charm and light it had. What I didn't know is that it actually still has the original hardware as well! Look at the picture of my kitchen! I have to say the cabinets & hardware are really a love/hate thing for me. Everything is pretty beat up and dated at this point in its 90 or so year life, BUT I would so much rather have the kitchen I have than some dark wood veneered cabinets from the 80's, or even 90's. I'm a sucker for a white kitchen. I suppose there probably was a cool retro stovetop at some point as well.....too bad it has been replaced only for the fact that these stoves give it that oh-so vintage vibe.

Design Board - Whimsical Modern

2011-03-14T10:51:00.003-04:00

Here is the latest design for a client who has 4 very active and creative kids. They had recently finished out their basement when I came on board to help make the plain-ole-nothing-to-talk-about-basement into a fun, and engaging spot for the kids to hang out as well as the whole family. The basement is devoid of any furntiture except the children's IKEA red and blue barrel chairs. My client also loves a casual, whimsical look in general, so that was a win-win between the kids and parents. However, I wanted inject some clean lined furniture pieces and a crisp contrast with black and white to give an air of sophisitication as well.

Stay tuned for the final after shots.......

Kids Basement by MRShadrick featuring tops

Spring in near.....Staging advice

2011-03-04T09:00:00.002-05:00

With the spring real estate season approaching, I thought I would share a little staging vs non staging advice. Sometimes the hardest part about being a stager is convincing a client that they should follow through with most if not all of my recommendations. I can't blame them entirely since I am asking them to spend even more money on a home they are about to leave. I wish I could show them the future just as Ebeneezer Scrooge saw his future of doom.

Well, as is happenend I can show you almost that very scenario. The condo right above our place was put on the market last September. It was renovated extensively about 7 years ago and is a 4 bdrm/2bath. List price: $475,000. Exactly one week later, another 2nd floor condo one street over was also put on the market. This house had just been gutted and renovated by a builder. Its a 3 bdrm/2 bath. List price: $489,000.

As it turned out, I did not stage the property above us even though my landlord did ask my advice. Advice was given, but unfortunately advice was not taken. One of the items I suggested doing was repainting in more neutral colors as they were strong colors that wouldn't appeal to a broad market. The colors also made the rooms look smaller. The other condo one street over used very "of the moment" neutrals.
I also suggested staging some furniture, particularly in the open living room/dining room/ kitchen area.

Here are pictures of the two condos:

The verdict? The condo one street over sold 2 months later, November 1st. The condo upstairs from us lowered the asking price to $440,000 and finally took it off the market January 1st without any buyers.

There you have it folks. There are many factors involved in getting a house sold, but staging can play a very important part!

Matchbook Magazine

2011-01-26T18:11:00.001-05:00

Always on the hunt for a great new read, I just heard about another new online magazine via Design Sponge that launched this month called Matchbook Mag. Its a lifestyle magazine for women and is chalkfull of fun stuff like fashion, interiors, travel, art and culture. Check it out here.
Perhaps with yet another snowstorm coming our way tonight, I will have cancelled appointments tomorrow, and I MIGHT get to peruse this mag in more detail over a hot cup of morning coffee..... (long pause) but I'm not counting on it with the kiddos: )

Photographing Cora's first year

2011-01-17T15:51:00.001-05:00

In honor of Cora going for her 6 month check up tomorrow, I thought I would show a photo project I am in the middle of doing. I've taken a picture of Cora each month since she was born, and after her 12 month photo I am going to make a photo collage of all the months combined. I always think its a nice way of documenting a child first year without plastering pictures all over the wall. Originally I had the intention of buying a 12 month size white onesie and taking a picture of her in it each month until she turned one, but I never made it out to grab said onesie. Instead, I used her birth announcement picture as my guide. Each month I have taken a picture of Cora in the same position and same spot on our sofa.

Here is the original shot when she was 3 weeks old.

Here are the subsequent shots from month one to six:

1 mo.

2 mo.

3 mo.

4 mo.

5 mo.

6 mo.

Now that I've put them together like that I notice an unintentional trend of red, white, and blue clothing going on.....hmm, well she was born on July 2nd. Ironically, this is what my living room looks like:

I see a color pattern going on. Well, people often decorate in the same colors they wear, so guilty as charged! Stay tuned for the final collage in 6 months.

Wednesday snowstorm

2011-01-13T11:13:00.000-05:00

We had quite the snowstorm today.....somewhere in 15"-20" range! It was a good day to stay inside and catch up on home "to do's" after the holidays. As much as I love decorating for Christmas, I love taking everything down as well. It just feels refreshing, and uncluttered. As I was putting things away on my desk I looked out the window and saw this:

Now, I don't know if you see it as instantly as I do, but the way the snow piled on the car looks remarkably like a face, right! I thinks it is a Snow God chuckling at the new tenants from San Francisco that moved in above us a few days ago. Welcome to Boston!

Client Dining Room

2011-01-06T13:43:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago I posted about a dining room I was working on. We designed a custom console table to fill in a very large blank wall. So large in fact, that if I selected a table to fit the wall proportionate to the size, it would have dwarfed the dining table by comparison. The solution was adding some architecture to the room to fill in the space by way of picture frame molding and crown molding.

In every design, there is a jumping off point. For my client, it was the fabric I selected to reupholster her dining chair seats (and two new upholstered dining end chairs which will carry the fabric at eye level for more visibility, but they are still being made as we speak). The fabric is from Calico Corners called Kaiya Shiki. I'm not sure I've ever had so many people comment on how much they love this fabric. Everytime I pulled the swatch out at a store, someone would say "oh, love that fabric".

From there we selected the paint color using the fabric swatch as guidance. We ended up going with a saturated clay color call Sienna Clay from Benjamin Moore.

This dining room connects directly to the kitchen which we are also in the middle of updating and redesigning. In the kitchen we selected bold blue and white damask window treatments, along with a gray/aqua/dark-blue glass backsplash. To tie the two rooms together, I choose a rich azure blue as the accent color for the dining room.

The draperies are a solid bronze color so they don't compete too much with the kitchen fabric, but I did throw in a hint of pattern with the blue greek key banding on the edges of the drapes. (squint hard and you might see the color and pattern in the picture!)

Here are the before pics, although the room was painted Sienna Clay by this point, so I don't have the original yellow walls to show you.

Here are the after shots:

Upcycling

2010-12-20T16:53:00.000-05:00

One of my current jobs, a dining room, has had my creative side working overtime. It should have been such a simple thing- add some window treatments, a console table, rug and a few pictures to the room and call it a day. Well, sometimes the most simple project turns into a brain teaser. I could not find the right table - at the right price ANYWHERE! I started researching possiblities months ago, and it finally dawned on me one night lying in bed. A) It wasn't as simple as it seemed b/c B) the room is actually bigger than many living rooms, so it really needed more than just a table and pictures, and C) we needed to custom make a table. I did an about face and suggested we really need to added architecture to the room instead of just filling the wall with "stuff". We worked out a elevation plan to add picture frame molding to all the walls to bring down the scale of the room and cozy it up a bit.

And the custom table.....I wanted something rich, with history and patina, and I found it at an architectural salvage store. Restoration Resources came to my rescue when I came upon these pedestals:

According to the store owner they are from the old State House in Boston, but since my client is in RI, that won't mean much to her! Nontheless, they have the patina I had been searching for.

I came up with a sketch to add a tabletop and with a crown molding style profile, and handed it off to my furniture maker to work his woodworking magic.

Here it is almost done- we will be painting the top in a high gloss warm white with subtle gray undertones, Ben Moore Monterey White, to finish it off. Stay tuned for the final pics in my clients home!

Client Before & After

2010-11-22T13:29:00.000-05:00

This is long overdue....and quite frankly I just need to be happy with the pictures of took of my clients home. I haven't put them in my portfolio because I always thought I would get new photos taken of their place, but it hasn't happened.

This was a great project, and the clients were completely on board with starting from scratch minus their artwork collection and the grand piano (not shown in the pics). What a remarkable change and they are fully ready to entertain in style!

Before -Living Room Center

Before Living Room Side View

After - Living Room Center

After - Living Room Side View

I Heart My New Stationery

2010-11-15T12:03:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have noticed the slightest change in my logo- I recently had the very talented Tara Hogan of Ink & Wit do some beautiful letterpress business notecards for me....one thing lead to another and I ended up having her tweak my logo as well. It was just feeling a little too busy for me, and I really wanted to refine things a bit- my old logo had a bit too much going on. I couldn't be happier with the result, and I can't wait to deplete my remaining business cards for something a little more tactile.

Very Tardy.....

2010-11-08T11:28:00.000-05:00

With the end of my maternity leave and the arrival of fall, life has been busy, busy, busy. I have been terrible about posting anything- most of my energy has been spent juggling new jobs with an infant who still wakes a few times a night, wha wha. I wouldn't have it any other way though: )
I was doing my usual Sunday morning blog reading, and I came upon this new e-mag, Gifted from the blog, Creature Comforts It truly has me inspired for the holidays to come. Not to mention its given me some great ideas to implement in merchandising The Little Fox Shop in Arlington. I volunteer helping to merchandise this non-profit childrens resale shop inside the Fox Library. Proceeds go towards keeping the Fox Branch Library open and running!

Check out Gifted below....more posts coming in the weeks to come: )

Open publication - Free publishing - More christmas

Graham & Brown Wallpaper

2010-09-02T19:21:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to learn I won Graham & Brown wallpaper designed by Amy Butler as well as an autographed copy of her newest book, Midwest Modern! I'll be holding onto this wallpaper until I find a great wall and permanent digs to hang it on. I think I'm going to go with the Fountain pattern in Smoke, but I love Field Poppies as well. See images below. Fountain in Smoke is a sophisticated neutral that can complement many accent colors-reds, blues, yellows. I can picture it instantly in a foyer with crisp white wainscoting or as an accent wall for a media room- a darker wall to help camouflage a TV.

Fountain in Moss

Fountain in Smoke

Field Poppies in Smoke

Field Poppies in Moss

Ulitmately I think Field Poppies works best in an area that you have preselected for a bold pattern statement, but I love the bold statement is DOES make! I also want to note the the Moss colorway of Field Poppies is actually much prettier in person than it is online. The greens are much more vivid in person, which is why I always suggest getting a sample before purchasing home merchandise online.

Maternity Leave

2010-07-21T11:17:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who has been checking my blog and/or Facebook page for updates. I have to apologize for falling behind, and I hope to get blogging again soon. I officially went on maternity leave 2 weeks ago after the birth of my daughter, Cora Elizabeth. Keeping after a 2 1/2 year old and a newborn is proving more time consuming than I even thought!

Please keep a lookout for more updates this summer as well- new pictures in the portfolio section of my website, as well as a new option for e-design where I'll be able to serve clients both near and far all through web!

Childrens Decor

2010-06-14T15:59:00.001-04:00

With the impending birth of my next son or daughter only weeks away, I find myself more interested in childrens decor as of late....well the nursery was designed to be gender neutral so I wouldn't have to redecorate necessarily. However, we have had to slowly transitioned my 2 year old son from the crib to a twin bed over the last couple months, which has led to slightly redecorating the room from nursery to something more toddleresque. We decided until we move, the baby will either be rooming with us, or sharing the room with Liam (if the baby sleeps well...fingers crossed). I have repositioned the furniture to make room for the crib and a twin bed, and I will be posting on that in another week or so with before and afters.

Decor8 just posted today on an artist, Tamar Mogendorff, who creates beautifully crafted items from nature out of fabric. I particularly loved the birdhouses shown here. We recently stayed at a B&B in Kennebunkport, MA that had hand painted birdhouses cover the wall of the sun porch. Liam absolutely loved them. I think these fabric birdhouses would be great in a girl or boys room as well.

Outdoor Furniture For Thought

2010-05-19T15:59:00.000-04:00

I've been getting inundated with catalogues lately, and they are all heavily marketing outdoor living....something we truly look forward to in New England. I thought I'd point out a few pieces that caught my eye.

First, the Rutland barstool from Ballard Designs could be great used as much for an outdoor space as indoors. They are rust-resistant so no need to worry about leaving out in the elements. To make it extra inviting, I would love to see a colorful cushion custom made for the seat to complete the look.

This next bench at Grandin Road is a classic based on the design of renowned architect Edwin Lutyens. However, the price is much less than what I typically see for this style bench at $249! It would be great in a garden corner, or placed on a front porch of a classic Colonial house. I love the pop of red, although it comes in a pretty peacock blue finish as well. I

Something a little out of the ordinary. Susie Coelho has a new line out for Grandin Road. This whimsical little "Rose" bench would be equally fitting for a beach cottage or a modern ranch style home.

Colorscope

2010-05-13T15:58:00.000-04:00

I was at one of my favorite stationery stores today, Papersource, and came across this brochure for their stock card sizes (not shown). However, they brilliantly added a "colorscope" to the front of the brochure, which definitely caught my attention. They have paired colors with certain personality traits. Take a look and find out what your favorite colors say about you!

Inspired Nest: Liam's Offi-like table

2010-05-13T15:48:00.000-04:00

Inspired Nest: Liam's Offi-like table

Client Designs

2010-04-22T14:08:00.000-04:00

Here is a room from one of my clients who really just wants to "finish out" the room. She is using existing upholstery items (a red loveseat and sofa), area rug, accent tables, as well as some of her own antiques which include an exotic wood cutout trunk and piano (that plays itself!). However, what is left to do is accessorizing to complete the space and taking it to the next level with some quality textiles. The inspiration point is actually in the framed etchings of the universities they attended. They both grew up and attended schools in Rhode Island, and the husband wanted to incorporate them with some new etchings of the graduate schools they attended. Without getting overly themey, my goal is to create a room that relays geographical location of where they attended schools and live: Rhode Island otherwise known as the Ocean State. Here my plan of attack:

This is a formal living room and a place they will entertain guests, so it needs to feel formal and traditional. I would like finish out the seating area with a traditional Louis XVI armchair upholstered in a fresh graphic pattern for modern appeal. This would also help break up the all the red in the upholstery. I would like the keep the accent tables as is, but add a full length tablecloth to one side table in a vivid Celerie Kemble floral: Hot House Spark. Next, the existing rug is great but slightly small for the room. I will be layering a 9x12' natural seagrass rug with black border in order to add some natural texture to the room and create a cozier feel. (Design tip: if using alot of red in the room, using textured neutrals helps to balance out the vivid color without becoming overwhelming.) The room is also quite dark as is. To get more natural light into the room, I proposed new linen drapes in a caramel color installed beyond the window frames and all the way up to the ceiling as well as adding a red coral chandelier, and a round mirror hung the opposite wall of the windows. For added symmetry and color, two peacock blue gourd lamps will flank the larger sofa and this will help frame out the artwork we will be adding. Finally, for some finishing touches, we will add a mixture of throw pillows in camel velvet and the Celerie Kemble print as well as an oversized clamshell for the coffee table. Stay tuned for after photos!

Healey Formal Living by MRShadrick on Polyvore.com

Liam's Offi-like table

2010-04-13T12:02:00.000-04:00

Finally, I'm happy to post these after pictures of Liam's new modern craft/dining table, and I've included the before picture again since its been a few weeks. I will say he eats at it more than he crafts at it, but I couldn't be happier with the FINAL product. I actually went through a process of sanding it down three different times and applying the chalkboard paint after each time to get a nice smooth finish. I have found some Ikea childrens chairs that I think will work well with the table, and plan to purchase them soon. See them here.

Inspiration:

Before/After

Cozy-ing up a large bedroom

2010-04-09T11:12:00.000-04:00

I have a client who recently hired me to help finish out her townhome. We started moving furniture around in her master bedroom and the bed ended up fitting best on a large, and I mean large, empty wall near the open staircase leading downstairs. She really likes the new floorplan we implemented, however, she doesn't like the open feeling of the bed right next to stairwell.

My solution: add privacy and/or storage, which they desperately needed despite the room size, all the while keeping the bed cocooned between some built-ins. Here are some images that show different ways of adding storage and a cozy atmosphere all at the same time.

Image courtesy of Coastal Living

Image courtesy of Domino Magazine, designer Celerie Kemble

image courtesy of Domino Magazine, designer Adrienne Neff

Image courtesy of Domino Magazine

Master Bedroom Retreat

2010-04-02T17:40:00.000-04:00

First, apologies on the delayed "after" pic of Liams new table. As it happens I used leftover chalkboard paint that wasn't sealed well after I last used it....about 7 months ago. The result? The paint went on a bit goopy and streaky. I need to sand it down to get rid of the streaks and then I will apply another coat of BRAND NEW paint. Liam has been loving his new table at any rate. Learned my lesson on that one.....

Now on to some eye candy you can actually look at! I recently finished doing a master bedroom in Rhode Island. The busy family of 5 moved into their "forever" home last year and have been patiently waiting to get settled into their space before deciding to undertake some major redecorating throughout the house. First on their list was their master bedroom. The wife loves a contemporary feel with classic lines, and luckily the husband was happy with whatever she liked! One of her favorite colors is blue, which ended up being the starting point of a relaxed and luxurious master bedroom retreat.

Take a look at the lackluster before:

Ho hum walls, hand me downs not worth keeping (words of my client) and some bedding that has been well loved.

The Design Board:

Now for the after:

We completely revamped the room with new furniture from Potterybarn, Crate & Barrel, Boston Interiors, and Art.com. The only special orders were the two euro pillows with handprinted fabric from Galbraith & Paul (well worth the wait!!!) and the custom king size Filmore headboard from Boston Interiors. Even the silk duponi drapes were ordered stock from Potterybarn and then hemmed to the correct length and hung on drapery rings for a custom look.

Offi Woody Chalkboard Table

2010-03-26T20:07:00.000-04:00

I have just about completed a table for my 2 year old son. I have been feasting my eyes on the OFFI Woody chalkboard table since I first spotted it in a feature Domino Magazine did on Barrie Benson's home way back in 2007. However, I did not want to spend the $400 just on the table plus chairs, so I have been keeping my fingers crossed that I would find that table for less eventually. Just my luck when my neighbor was throwing out the side table shown below on garbage day.

I immediately saw its future life as Liam's table. I cut a hole out the middle of the table and inserted a stainless steel mixing bowl I found at Home Goods.......now comes the paint and new legs!

Stay tuned for the after photo........

Lonny Magazine

2010-02-17T10:01:00.000-05:00

Just heard through the grapevine the latest issue of Lonny Magazine is out. Click here to view the third issue.

In case you haven't heard of it, its an online only magazine dedicated to the home launched by former Domino editor and blogger Michelle Adams.

It is the closest thing to the real Domino mag, so for all you fans out there get ready for a visual feast! However, I must admit the tangible magazine is sorely missed....do all the instant click-to links make up for this?

2010 Color Trends

2010-02-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

After attending color forecast seminars from mega paint giants Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore, there are some clear color trends for the year ahead. Both companies shared thoughts that clearer, more vivid colors will emerge this year.

In particular, the color green gains a truer presence than years previous- a little less sagey and a bit more vivid. Ben Moore's choice is "Cedar Green" and Sherwin's is "Pickle". If that gives any indication of its hue, I think we can figure out that the greens of 2010 have a bit more blue in them than we've been use to, while retaining a bit of yellow.

Blues are getting more attention as well (although has blue ever been out of style?) The biggest change I see is that whether you like a purplely blue or an aqua blue, they are more intense- think blueberry, navy and deep turquoise.

Reds of the year are Sherwin's "Tomato Red" and Ben Moore's "Claret Rose". I don't see a huge change from past years reds. However, the literally mouthwatering reds we're seeing have an added nuance of pink. Interestingly, neither company noted any pinks at all- sorry for any of you pink lovers out there. It looks like that ultrafeminine look is on the down swing.

Yellows continue to gain more ground, and from everything I'm reading yellow is a color of optimism. Its no surprise that people are gravitating towards it during these difficult economic times. Ben Moore shows "Sundance" as their "it" yellow, and I can see it's not quite as acidic as last year- seems to have a bit more orange in it. Well, ALL the yellow colors are morphing into the oranges- something we'll see more of in 2011 and beyond???

For all the neutral lovers out there- here's the lowdown. Today's neutrals are grounded in earthy elements and the trend for more organic things. Wood tones, natural fibers, and stone are big influences. Your average beige is out and the more sophisticated "greiges" are in, and they are lighter or much deeper in color. Sherwin's top picks are "Nomadic Desert", "Magnetic Gray", and "Foothills" while Ben Moore's top picks are "Slip", "Thunder" and "Fairview Taupe".

I have added links to both paint companies websites 2010 forecast palettes. Take a look and let me know what you think!

2010 Color Trends are.......

2009-10-07T10:26:00.001-04:00

Its hard to believe 2009 is almost done, and its time to start looking towards 2010. I will attending a Benjamin Moore 2010 color trends seminar today.....stay tuned for the low down on what's hot for next year!

Studio Bon

2009-10-05T19:00:00.000-04:00

I am very excited to hear that fellow Dallasite, Bonnee Sharp of Studio Bon, has just partnered with F. Schumacher to distribute her line of fabrics. Check them out here. She does amazing work, and all are hand-printed, so you really get a hand-made, customized look in each run.

2009-10-05T16:25:00.000-04:00

Loving these vintage barstools. If only I needed them.....I think they could really work with a number of different styles from a sleek retro modern look to a warm, rustic classic look. They come from Three Potato Four, a Brooklyn based company that specializes in one of a kind finds.

Foyer Complete

2009-08-05T17:00:00.000-04:00

Here it is! I am even pleased to say it only cost $10. $7 for a can of oops paint in "Timothy Straw" at Benjamin Moore, and $3 for the painters tape. I also moved the Flor area rug from the kitchen to the entry, which I really think completes the look.

Design Inspiration

2009-08-04T13:28:00.001-04:00

Inspirational photo + the pattern in my drapes

photo courtesy of F.Schumacher & Co

Foyer in progress.......The tape is up and the painting begins!!! I knew I wanted to do something in the foyer to brighten things up, and I loved the idea of a wallpapered accent wall. However, budget and the fact that I don't own the place really wasn't letting me do that. I've got a good amount of pattern running throughout, so I needed to be careful not to overdo it. As I was browsing the Schumacher website for a client, I came upon a Trina Turk design that I loved, and realized its very similar to the patterns I've got in my drapery and area rug. I tweaked the pattern design a bit and came up the with the one above..

Stay tuned for the final reveal tomorrow and then its on to the next project, my home office/kitchen area, which is in dire need of more storage space and a more cohesive feel.

Foyer Update

2009-07-20T15:53:00.000-04:00

A year after moving into our place, and 11 months after putting down the paint cans I'm once again going on a home improvement binge.....it hits me about every 6 months. This time of course, I'll be documenting the changes for all to see!

I hope to show people that even designers don't always have a perfect home- do I dare say its like the Cobbler who's kids don't have shoes? Well, maybe not quite, but my place is a work in progress like most people.

This is for the many friends and aquaintances who've apologized to me about the state of their home before I've even stepped inside....and to show you what you can do to make your place better even if you are a renter like us.

So my foyer is a cream and brown disaster. I need color! Lucky for us, our landlord said it was okay to paint the walls (probably because the apartment hasn't seen a coat of paint in 10 years). In return, I promised to choose colors that would be fairly neutral....but this place is about a neutral as one can get, so some necessary color is in order.

Stay tuned for the after which is almost complete.

Bath Design

2009-04-04T20:38:00.000-04:00

Here's the latest brainstorming ideas for a friend of mine who is redoing their small bath in a classic cape cod style home. They currently have white and black subway tiles that are original to the 1950's home, but they wanted to warm it up a bit. To keep it feeling light, bright and spacious I incorporated white beadboard tiles and light color that remain warm. The neutral octogan floor tile warms things up along with the "biscuit" color 2x1" tiles I suggested for the the shower stall floor to ceiling. I'd like to top off the modern cottage look with a classic vessel sink and simple chrome fixtures. I've also suggested finding an antique cabinet they can use as the vanity.

I'll be keeping tabs with them, and hope to get and a before and after pic.
Shad Bath by meghabeth on Polyvore.com

Baby Nest

2009-03-28T12:43:00.000-04:00

Just came across the amazing little baby bassinet called Mawok. This Swedish company makes baby products that are at once modern and organic. I love the flexibility of the bassinet to easily pack in your suitcase eliminating the need to bring the Pack 'n' Play!

Welcome

2009-03-28T11:16:00.000-04:00

Welcome! This Blog is dedicated to all things related to house and home. It will be geared towards redesign- the idea of decorating with things items you already have in your home and turning old into new.

I've decided to start my blog with being green in mind. Tonight is Earth Hour. At 8:30pm participants will turn off the lights in their homes for 1 hour. Vote Earth by turning your light switch off.