Project Sneak Peek, Redefining Art

Good morning,

My Modern Organic project is a few days away from being complete (queue the party!). This week the art will be installed in all halls and rooms which means I can take the final pictures and reveal the FINAL before and afters.  Considering that this project commenced construction in February, I am beyond thrilled to see it finishing.

Today I want to share with you the metal art installation that completes the lobby decor of the space. It's a great example of thinking outside the box with art, especially in commercial spaces.

Take a sneak peek at the new metal art installations.

 

 

It's important in design not to forget the details not to mention view points that make a space complete. In this case, by strategically placing the art in the lobby and hall we actually compliment the wood feature wall and the logo as opposed to competing with it for attention. It's also nice that through the different view points you catch a glimpse of the artistic elements in the space which seem to blend together seamlessly. Keeping with the industrial modern theme the use of metal and iron works well, and yet the warm colors and tones in the sculptures give life to an otherwise cool palette.

What do you think? Do you like the use of other mediums such as metal and wood as art or are you more traditional in your approach to art?

Project Sneak Peek, Stenciled Accent Walls

Good morning,

Remember a while ago when I posted this about making a "big red" sofa work? Well there are a couple other rooms that I did in this main floor project, and today I wanted to share one room which has inspired a new favorite of mine. I'm talking about stenciling walls.

This is something that I had never done before, so when my client mentioned that she wanted to try it I can't tell you enough how glad I am that we did! I love that the pattern we chose is a large print, but done in a subtle contrast of colors it adds depth to the space without over taking it. Don't get me wrong, I could see this done in a very bold and contrasting way that would really stand out, but in this case we are going for chic and soothing.

Take a sneak peek at the amazing accent wall that required only a $50 stencil and some paint!

 In these pics taken with my i-phone (and therefore not showing the true beauty here), you can see how adding a stencil to the accent wall adds just the right amount of chic to this living room. 

When working with a budget you have to think outside the box. In this case only paint and $50 for the stencil are all you need. The greatest part about this project for me was learning that you can use a stencil on textured walls which is something that many people think is not possible. The trick is that you have to blot the roller very well before applying the paint so that it doesn't drip in to the crevices of your wall. You can find your own Cutting Edge Stencil as well as a step by step tutorial here .

This is definitely a budget decorating tip that I will be using again, and could see working really well in a dining room, behind an upholstered bed in a bed room, or in a child's room.

What do you think? Is stenciling something you would give a try?

Chic And Easy Dinner Party Decor

Good morning,

This past weekend I helped a friend and client create the most stunning table for her dinner party which was also her first since I redecorated her home.

Hosting a dinner party doesn't have to be a huge undertaking. You could always make it easy on yourself by asking guests to bring a little something. I also recommend getting as much done before the day of the party such as any shopping and prep work, or possibly having things on your menu that can be prepared in advance so that on the day of you aren't going crazy.

This also applies to the decor of your party or table. A few things that I always have on hand when entertaining are candles and flowers. You really can't go wrong with this combo and when done purposefully they will make any occasion feel special.

Here are a few pictures of the table I created over this weekend (with my i-phone because I forgot my camera!!!)

Creating a nice table setting doesn't have to cost a fortune, and it also doesn't have to be intimidating. For the table above I used only a few different items which I grouped and scattered down the center of the table. Throughout my own home and in any home I decorate I don't know the meaning of the words "too many candles", or "candles only for show". I light and replace every candle in my home, and I also have them everywhere. My one tip however is to buy unscented candles as too many scents are never a good thing and can become obnoxious. I purchased stems of orchids which I tied on manzanita branches, and I also added a single orchid to each of the 10 fish bowl vases which were lined with moss. The total cost for flowers for this party was around $30. Though I already owned the vases and branches, you can find them at affordable prices at places like Home Goods, Joanne's and Michael's or really any home store.

I suggest playing around with what ever you have and going with flowers that are in season. You can buy a variety bunch of flowers at the grocery store and then separate them by flower type and place them in different vases, or I have even used shot glasses with a simple rose bud clipped at the stem which turned out beautifully. You really can't go wrong with a little creativity, and these details are the things that make your party unforgettable and special for you and your guests.

What do you think of our chic and easy table setting? What are your tricks for entertaining and decorating for dinner parties?

Mirrored Night Stands, Yes Please

Good morning,

Things are returning back to normal around here since our European vacation. This week I hope to show you our lucite kitchen pulls that I posted about here . I plan to FINALLY order the blinds for the master bathroom and possibly even paint the bathroom doors. I want to reveal my closet that I posted about here . I would like to show you our completed concrete squares drive way which I originally posted about here and here . I would also like to post a couple sneak peeks on one of my projects. In theory this will happen, in reality I will do the best I can I promise!!!

Today I want to talk about what I have my eyes on next, mirrored night stands. More specifically mirrored dressers as a night stand. In our storage deprived master bedroom (as a reminder it used to be the garage) I love the idea of using 2 chests of drawers as the night stands. The scale of them would work well in our space and our bed can definitely support the bulk. I also love the idea of having 2 full chests to store the extras what ever they may be.

Take a look at some mirrored options and see what you think.

Though some of these spaces are a bit too romantic for my taste, you can take this versatile furniture style any way you want. For me I would make it more modern and clean as opposed to romantic and traditional, but that's just me!

Here are some "affordable" options that I have my eyes on.

Omni Mirrored Hall Chest $999 for a more aged look

Borghese Mirrored 3 Drawer Chest $899 with a gold trim detail

Concerto 3 Drawer Chest $799 for a modern clean white trim option

Simplicity Mirrored 5 Drawer Hall Chest $899 as a clean all mirrored modern option (one of my favorites.

Park Mirrored Dresser $799 for a clean no handles or pulls option

For me this isn't something that will happen soon (hello expensive summer vacation!), but one day in the future I WILL have myself 2 mirrored hall chests/dressers/night stands to call my own.

What do you think? Would you want to use a substantial dresser as your night stand or do you prefer something small and non obtrusive? Do mirrors make your heart sing, or are you worried about keeping them clean?

The Perfect Me Vignette

Hello and I'M BAAAACKKKK!!!!!

In case you didn't check the last post, we took an extended 17 day trip to Europe. I'm looking forward to sharing all of it with you, but I have some odd hundreds of pictures to chop down on before then plus so much waiting here on my plate when I got home so it will have to wait for a minute.

Today I want to share the perfect "me" vignette with you.

 

What do I love about this setting and room so much that makes it so perfect and so me? A better question here is what don't I love about it?!

Let's take it from the top shall we?

1- Black lacquered console, LOVE. I'll take black lacquered ANYTHING please. 2- Brass elk book ends, brass sea urchin and gilded gold frame. I love gold and I don't care if it's brass, gold, vintage or shiny and new this old to new again favorite is back and bigger than ever. See my post about gold here , here , here. If I can't find it I paint it, gold leaf it or embellish it on somewhere. Bring it on! 3- Skull paper weight, are you kidding me? I will have to post about my recent skull obsession so stay tuned, but here's the one I just added to my desk. 4-  Mercury glass lamps, have I not posted about them enough to prove my loyalty there i.e my console, desk lamp and multiple client projects as seen here?  5- The coral is something that I love and use (along with drift wood) in most every project that I do. I did a Kelly Hoppen version here. 6- The Chinese garden stools under the console, well I've posted about exactly that here. These suckers are versatile and perfect and are available in so many colors and styles.  7- Last, but not least are those horns. I LOVE me some horns and will be doing a reveal of the Arteriors horn pair that I acquired very very soon.

There you have it. As if this perfectly edgy vignette didn't speak for itself, I went down the line to share with you why I find it perfect for me.

What do you think? What are this things that you can't get enough of and would make a room totally "you"?

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