Limited budgets often get in the way of our home decorating dreams. But more often than not, a small budget, a new set of eyes, and some professional help CAN help transform a space! Case in point….
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My clients’ cute little condo was feeling cluttered. With a few too many knick knacks, patterns and a case of crowded furniture, her home lacked a defined style and wasn’t feeling “pulled together” like she wanted.
We were working with a pretty small budget, so figuring out what needed to go and what should be replaced was very important in keeping within her limit. I suggested we rework the floorplan as much as we possibly could. The room is small and it didn’t offer many alternatives as to how the big pieces in the room could be placed. With that being said, we also didn’t have the funds to replace the red sofa, matching chair or any of the other big pieces in the room. The client had recently bought the painting of the woman above the sofa and wanted to pull more of those colors out to tone down all the red. So, with those thoughts in my head, we worked up a plan to make the room a bit more sophisticated and girly like my client. 
The first thing on my list was to remove the striped linen panels and wood and fabric cornice boxes on the windows. They looked dated and made the room feel more country/old world, than glam traditional like my client wanted. We added silk duponi panels from Pottery Barn and hand forged iron rods to the windows. I put these up myself in a hurry just to get the shot, but we will be adding iron rings as well. They are out of stock right now.
The oval side table that was originally there was replaced with a larger round side table to fill the space better. I would have liked to see an even wider round table there, but again budget was a factor here. On top of the table we replaced the dated crystal lamp with a clean, more modern glass lamp with a simple linen shade. The hammered bowl is from Nate Berkus’ Target line and the frame is the clients. To the left of the sofa we paired down the two floor lamps the client had in the room and replaced it with this mica shade adjustable lamp from Ballard Designs. I apologize for the glare from the lamp! The ivory linen pillows on the sofa were added to bring in a bit more neutral color to the space. And then to the lucite coffee table I added a cool gilded gold tray and mercury glass vase from West Elm, along with a lacquered sea urchin….another Nate piece!
I moved the clients’ antique Swedish chair to the sofa wall, to open up the other side of the room and to make the chair more of an art piece. I then placed her stack of House Beautiful magazines under the chair…again to give more of a “look” to the chair.
{close up of coffee table}
We’re adding some more touches next week and I will be sure to post more photos of the updated space then. But in the meantime my clients’ space has been freshened up just enough and in time for a little holiday party she is having tonight! Enjoy Jen!!!
This weekend I just happened to catch Lara Spencer’s new show “I Break For Yard Sales” on HGTV. If you missed it, make sure you check out the episode online here! Lara Spencer, if you didn’t already know, is the lifestyle anchor on Good Morning America and has a knack for decorating and turning flea market, yard sale, and dumpster dive finds, into treasures that look like they cost much more than they did. She’s quite amazing at it!
In this particular episode she is helping her best friend decorate her new home in the Hollywood Hills. Lara’s friend requested a Palm Beach meets LA, preppy and modern vibe. I think she got her wish!
Here are some photos that I snagged off the internet. They were the best I could do since it seems there are no photos from the episode. So the snipping tool was my best friend here.
The fabulous entry using Kelly Wearstler’s Imperial Trellis wallpaper for Schumacher. I just love the black trim. It really makes it pop and gives it more of a quirky edge.
I couldn’t quite get a full shot of the dining room. I wanted to get the fabulous chandelier, but that didn’t happen. ADORE the Christopher Farr Cloth fabric that is used on the curtain panels. One of my favorite fabrics! And I don’t think I ever would have picked up that dining set as it was originally. It was SOOO ugly and 70s looking! But darn it, it looks pretty fabulous here!
The hot pink rug in the living room is crazy bright! I loved it as soon as they rolled it out. My husband said no way in a million years would he live in a house with a room this bright. I think it’s fun and very happy!
Sorry that the picture is blurry!
A better shot… the sofas were an estate sale find that she recovered in a white linen.
Also, the bright yellow, velvet wingbacks were a find she recovered as well. In fact I’d say most of the items in this room are “finds”. Damn, she’s good!
This breakfast room is one of my favorites! Chartreuse and aqua are such a great color combo and has long been a fav of mine. And the birdcage chandelier is so fun!
And finally the family room. Hot pink and orange….bold, but again definitely cheerful!
A closer shot of the sofa. This was also found and recovered. And I love the nailhead detail that was added to the bottom.
So now I’m wondering if I need yet another decorating book. I LOVE antiquing, dumpster diving and the like, so this might have to find it’s way home to me.
In any case, check out the show if you haven’t already!
I’m a Twitter addict. I used to think, “What’s the big deal?”, but now that’s a faded memory. Last Friday working away but checking on my Twitter account every hour or so, I almost fell on the floor when I read this….
What the WHAT!!!???
Then I remembered….while I was in New York for Blogfest 2011 we were treated to a wonderful day at the House Beautiful magazine headquarters. At the luncheon that day interns were walking around asking us bloggers what was the one thing in our home that made us happiest. I thought for just a second and knew the answer instantly. My happiest “thing” in our home happens to be a beautiful, vintage oil painting that my husbands’ grandmother bought from the artist while vacationing in Maui with her husband during the 1950s. What was crazy about the painting (we would later figure this out) is that it was of the exactly surf break we surfed while he and I vacationed there for the first time! Fate!
We had it reframed and it now proudly resides in our entryway right by our front door.
A few months after that New York trip I got an email from someone at the House Beautiful offices asking for a picture and a description of why I loved the painting. Well, I had NO idea that our lovely piece would end up in the magazine!
My first magazine mention! Not much….but I will most certainly TAKE IT! To be in my favorite shelter mag of all time is truly a dream come true. But next time…yes because I’m banking on there being a NEXT time…. it will be for my design work. Ya hear that House Beautiful?! I’m setting my sights and my work on your magazine!
Thank you HB for making a girl happy. Very happy.
We have exactly ONE WEEK until we are to move into our new home! It’s been CRAZY….running around trying to manage our house remodel, packing and attempting to purge ourselves of the stuff we’ve accumulated while living in this big ol’ house, selling all the old baby equipment and toys, handling three new client projects (YAHOO!), and the best part…taking time out of all this to attend Blogfest 2011!
Here are some highlights of the week taken from my ever so humble iPhone. I know…not exactly the best camera to use, but I forgot the nice Canon, so I had to use what I had!
Lunch at the House Beautiful offices.
The beautiful backyard of the Kips Bay Showhouse done by Greener by Design
I’m uber-obsessed right now with pea gravel and small stones in the garden, rather than hardscaped surfaces. Feels much more organic!
Probably one of my favorite rooms at Kips Bay. This “stereo lounge” was designed by Brad Ford and features a wood slab turntable/coffee table. Such a cool space! Here is a better pic of the room.
Lilly Pulitzer for Lee Jofa preview and picnic lunch at the Lee Jofa showroom.
Such fun, happy color and pattern! I can’t wait to use some of these lovely fabrics on upcoming projects.
Barbara Barry showing us her new Indochine fabric line for Kravet!
Horrific picture, but it doesn’t matter! Me with one of my ultimate design idols…Suzanne Kasler. I about flipped when I walked into this party and saw her there. LOVE!
Suzanne’s gorgeous, feminine room designed with the line of fabrics she reinterpretted for Kravet.
Design legend David Easton in the room he designed.
Meeting ANOTHER design biggie…Thomas O’Brien!
And one of the best events of the week….hearing Architectural Digest editor in chief, Margaret Russell speak. You’ve never heard a room full of design bloggers so quiet in all your life!
It was an amazing trip from start to finish, but boy was it tiring! I’m glad to be home and back in the saddle of all my ongoing projects. Today the kitchen and guest bath marble is being installed. I will share pictures this weekend!
Happy Friday everyone!
As I was researching 2011 color trends for a fun upcoming design project, I saw that Pantone had announced that honeysuckle, (a reddish pink hue), was named color of the year. Say what…honeysuckle!? Really Pantone? I don’t know why that hit me funny. But then as I read the description they gave and why they choose the color I suddenly realized what was going on. Even the design world is in a stupid funk over this economy!!! They even say on the website that last years’ color turquoise was “an escape for many”. And that this years’ honeysuckle, “emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor..”. Wowzers. What I read into that is that no one thinks things are going to get better anytime soon. Sad huh?
But I will say, it is a pretty color. And boy does it look fab when paired with orange, brown, or turquoise! So I started browsing through my saved inspiration pics and just look at the honeysuckle hues that popped out of some photos I found….
{Eddie Ross is on it! Honeysuckle-ish hues on many of his tables.}
{Eddie Ross for Phoebe Howard Thanksgiving table}
{Is that honeysuckle on the backs of those chairs? Hillary Thomas}
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{Jennifer Flanders}
{via The Decorista}
So, would you put this bright girly color in your home?
