What a mess! I got inspired watching Sarah’s House and reworked my home office. I had no space and had even resorted to using a card table for an extra surface. I am thrilled with these Ikea tables (like Sarah was) and I think they will function very well in this corner. OK, no more excuses, I think I’d better get to work now . . .
2009
Here’s the snow scene this morning. Can’t compare to last year’s (curb appeal-wise).
Yes. For those of you who noticed – I have slacked off the last couple of days. But today, I went to a fabulous place. Any guesses??
I found this great Thonet chair at the Habitat for Humanity Restore. Do not discount that place when moola is tight (and even when it’s not). The console is another flea market find and the painting, well, let’s call it homemade.
Any success in the way of design here is thanks to great lamps (ok, not super budget-friendly) and TJ Maxx. The headboard is an old door covered in fabric.
It’s 5 o’clock . . . here! Friday afternoon is calling my name, but later in the weekend I’ll want a project and this is a great one to spruce up the interior of any cabinet. Grab a leftover can of your favorite paint color and go for it. ’Til Monday.
I found this alabaster lamp, which is one of a pair, ages ago at a flea market. It has worn many different shades, but I love this modern black lacquered drum one for now. This is an easy, easy way to modernize or just update your lamps. Go for a bold contrast for maximum drama.
Okay, in a perfect world I’d have replaced this railing with some cool metal system. But perfection is boring, right? I chose a camouflage-like color for the railing and a fun “bottle green” for the doors. The emphasis is now squarely on the doors and the shoe-system. The shoe system is by The Container Store and it’s great (what shoes?).
These pictures were taken early in the setup phase – but I was hoping to show how cool we made this space look for a party held in this great building this past weekend. But, the beauty of it all will have to live in my memory. Turns out that taking decent pictures of the whole space, which was very dimly lit at night, was impossible. Trust me, it looked awesome and I think the warehouse-type atmosphere was very fun for the event.
This is the DWR “Nut” fixture which we added over the piano in this music room. There are other plans for this space, but this fantastic fixture alone has transformed it. I’ll keep you posted.
While flipping through the new House Beautiful last night I noticed The Last Words page is featuring doors that designers have “dressed up” somehow. Reminded me of this door – which I painted red as a welcome to the new bathroom that lay on the other side of it. Truthfully, the door did not match the other doors in this 1920’s bungalow and I wanted to set it apart somehow.
How cool is this sculpture I picked up at the last Metrolina Expo? It’s made from a rainforest vine which is then steam-bent to form various shapes. Most interiors really benefit from the addition of something organic and from original artwork. This kills two birds with one stone!
Here’s a bathroom I did together with my pal and fellow designer Catherine Barkley. We loved these Kohler sinks and wall-mount vanity. The client worked in all her favorite colors on the glass backsplash and I think the result is nice.
I love a simple mix of one part modern, one part antique, and a splash of whatever works. Ha. Seriously, using what you already have and what’s been handed down in new ways will make your home different from anyone else’s and will give it lasting character. Don’t forget to change it up occasionally. Keen eyes will see that I changed the artwork above the chest at some point between shots. The abstract painting is by Davidson NC artist/poet Lou Green.
