Rugs.
Love them WAY more than carpet. Please, if you have or want carpet…reconsider. Ok, I’m not talking about carpet in a bedroom. That’s a whole different subject. I mean in the living room, family room, the SOCIAL spaces of your home. Rugs add such an interesting layer to a room and bring in another shot of color and/or pattern. And you can switch it out down the road if your style changes or if you want to do something new to the room. I just love them.
Here are some that have caught my eye as of late. I give the prices for the large sizes, but many of these come smaller too. I’m crushing on….
Aztec Rug 8×10 $883.20
To do a room like this…
{via So Haute.com}
Overdyed Aqua Rug 7’10″ x 11′ 2″
Just like this eclectic dining room….
{country living}
Cream Garden Floral Rug 8×10 $699
Adorbs in a girls room! But this could be so fun in a breakfast area or maybe a family room with buffalo check! Cute!
Fair Isle Grey/Platinum Cotton Woven Rug 8×10 $385
You can’t BEAT Dash and Albert rugs and their pricing! This fair isle beauty is a perfect layering piece that will give your room instant texture and depth.
Olivia Jade Area Rug 8×10 $623
I have been crushing on this rug for a while. I just love the jade mixed with turquoise and then accented with black! It’s definitely not an expensive rug, so I’m not sure about the quality. But I may just have to get this for myself and my new office! More on the new office next week friends! But this little number seems like it could be really pretty in person.
And a side note, I’m not usually a big tea drinker. However, in my attempt to not always relax in the evening with a glass of red wine, (I like red wine…a lot!), I’ve been trying out hot teas. I recently picked up this tea at World Market and I’m really enjoying it!
It’s caffeine free and is suppose to clean out the liver. Which obviously this red wine drinking/ coffee lover needs every once in a while. Haha!
Well friends, I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
We’ve been completely blessed since having Ellie, with an abundance of fabulous babysitters for her. Lydia was her first sitter and over the years she has passed along a few of her friends for us to use as well. Carly of Carly Rae Weddings was one of those friends! Not only is the girl great with kiddos, but she is THE go-to for a fabulous wedding!
Recently she asked me to give her a little help with her newlywed abode. She knew what she liked, but she needed a little jumping off point to start from. The Ikea sofa and the table lamp were the only things that needed to stay in their living room. The rest was where she was having trouble. I tried to keep things super affordable and budget friendly for her. And since they’re a young couple, I wanted to keep the feel fresh and bright.
Living in an rental can make personalizing your space a little more difficult. Since the walls must be left boring white, it’s important to bring in color! Starting with a fun aqua chevron rug (which happens to be a fav print of Carly’s), it instantly adds some personality and color to the space. A mirrored, lacquer console will double as a television stand and extra storage. It will also create a focal point for a fabulous gallery wall! Then the big grey sofa gets a punch of color by adding a fun mix of pillows… metallic gold linen, a quirky Thomas Paul bird print, a small scale faded coral and a cute monogram accent pillow. For extra seating and another dash of color, two Moroccan turquoise poofs can go on the opposite side of the coffee table. Add a fun faux fur throw to cuddle up in on colder evenings, and simple linen panels that can be spruced up with fun trim and you’ve got an expensive living room that can move when you do!
floor lamp | coffee table | side table | console | metallic pillow | bird pillow | diamond pillow | monogram pillow | leather poof | chevron rug | faux fur throw | drapery rod | draperies
I would say 9 times out of 10 my clients chose to focus on their master bedroom last…or sadly…not at all. This always befuddles me! In a room that you spend so much time in (yes even though your eyes may be closed most of the time), I feel it’s so important to have a soothing space that you love!
A few months ago a busy, young mom to three energetic little boys contacted me to transform her sad, neglected bedroom. After chatting with her on the phone about the project, I felt a innate sense of DUTY to give her a room she and her husband could enjoy after they put the kiddos to bed.
Like most married couples it seems, they were living with hand-me-down furniture and lifeless walls.
The couple lives in a charming old home in a very sought after area in Northern California. The room lacks storage…which they need desperately for their clothes AND her office which is also in the bedroom.
Then there’s the bed….which DEFINITELY needs a full makeover. Her inspiration pics really helped me to design out a space that is uniquely THEM!
So our plan is to bring in traditional elements with some unique touches. Lots of white fluffy bedding with some soft accent pillows. There will also be a slight coastal feel to the room with the paint, roman shades and accessories. The whole room is going to be about layers, layers, layers. And calm….. a place my client can retreat to at the end of a busy day of chasing boys. Ahhh…
The ordering has begun and I can’t wait to see this room transformed!
I’ve always been drawn to furniture with natural elements such as wicker, seagrass, rope, etc. Recently, while searching for interesting chairs to go in a clients’ breakfast room, I ran across this photo… and I stopped dead in my tracks.
{architectural digest 2012; madeline stuart}
IN. LOVE.
I know I’ve seen them around, but I guess they had never made an impression on me before now. They are a perfect example of French modernism and were designed by the French duo Audoux and Minet for Vibo Vesoul in the 1940s, out of rope woven from the fronds of local trees.
So…I’m hoping my clients fall for them as much as I did. Fingers crossed! But here is some more rope chair goodness for your eyes…
{steven gambrel}
It’s been a bit quiet here due to the kiddo having a few weeks off before she started Kindergarten this month. Nothing like trying to work AND juggling entertaining a 5 year old! Yikes! I was almost out of my head there for a while. But Ellie started school last week and I’m happy to report she LOVES school. She thinks it’s much better than preschool because, “they let you walk all by yourself, way down the hall to the bathroom Mommy!”. Hilarious. If that’s what it takes for her to like school, I’ll take it!
She was very excited about the skirt SHE picked out at Old Navy to wear on the first day of school! Such a ham! (And yes, she’s double jointed!)
In other news I’ve been helping one of favorite repeat clients on the east coast with a little master bathroom and bedroom renovation. This client is quite the adventurer in decorating and I love her enthusiasm to try new things! She begged me not to show pics, but I have to give you guys one to know what we started with. *Jessie it wouldn’t be a good reno without a really yucky before!!*
Here is what we started with……
A bathroom in a very old classic house. Hasn’t been loved in years and was totally and completely ready for a CHANGE!!!
And here are the almost finished with the renovation pics. Please excuse the low quality pics, but my client was nice enough to send me progress pictures along the way. I’ve been DYING to see it in person!
Custom vanity with rubbed black finish. Marble countertop. Antique brass fixtures, lighting and medicine cabinets. White subway tile with black pencil liner detailing. LOVE IT!!! …if I do say so myself. hee hee!
The walls still need to be painted…but OH those lights! Pretty pretty!
Large brick marble floor and love that the black detail extends down to the floor.
AND then there is this…..
A modern marble basketweave tile for the shower floor with black edging. I might have to take a flight out just to raid my clients bath and take a shower! haha!
I’ll be sure to share the final pictures once we wrap up the project. I’m now designing away on their modern meets traditional New England master bedroom remodel. Stay tuned!!!
