Before and After: Pool Room Done!

This has been a busy week of installs and works in progress, and I'm glad it's Friday night!  This before and after is one of my favorites.  I showed progress here if you want to catch up.

You might recall this before...

This family wanted to turn this uncomfortable, underutilized space into an entertaining destination, complete with pool table.  Here it is after the last of the install today...

The narrow coffee table will be a tad snug when a game is in play, but this room also has a tv mounted on the wall opposite the sectional, and the room needs to multi-task.  A little shift when needed and all will work just fine.

Remember the vintage pinball machine from the last post?  Now it has a couple of custom ottomans in an indoor/outdoor fabric hanging around by it.  These guys are on casters, so they can go anywhere in the room for extra seating when there's a crowd.

A new pub table and custom bar stools offer a place to hang and watch pool...

Another before...

(I believe the green seats on the right are from Fenway Park in Boston -- how fun is that?)  See the sand color in the beach art on the left wall?  That was the inspiration for the sofa color.

So this was my day today.  Finishing up one room, dropping of tile on another job, and ordering some fabric for another.  Good stuff to end the week!

Hope you have a fabulous weekend,
Carol

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Client Living Room Sneak Peek!

Of course, don't you know, I left the befores of this living room on the computer at the office!  I'll have to show them when the room is complete.  But in the meantime, I stopped at my client's house today to see how the painting was coming along in the living room.

It's been sprayed a Modern Masters metallic silver.  The depth of color from metallic is incredible, although it's a bit hard to see in these pics (iphone pics, not the greatest)...

Three walls of this living room have been sprayed, and the focal wall is being wallpapered.  While the metallic adds a sheen and depth to the wall, it is by no means cheesy-shiny.  You'd be surprised if you've never seen it done.

Anyway, this couple's wish for their dining room and living room was to have it feel like a lounge, like a glamorous place to entertain and relax.  The wallpaper, by Stark, has a silver metallic background and the flocked pattern is similar to a black velvet.  You can see (modeled by my lovely and patient painter), both the paper and the depth of the paint in the corner between the two...

What's to come in this space?  Lush, dark purple draperies puddled on the floor with black velvet ruffled trim along the edges, with sheer roman shades underneath.  Then there's the black, very modern existing sectional, two new custom swivel chairs in black and silver, a white shag rug, and occasional pieces.  If all goes according to plan, there will also be a floor to ceiling glass chandelier in one corner.

Can you stand it?  Total glam lounge.  Can't wait till it's done.

If you want to see more of what I've been up to, I'm linking up to Wow Us Wednesday's at Savvy Southern Style with my dining room redo.  There are always great blog projects to look at!

Talk to you soon,
Carol

Should I Get This Chandelier?

I can't stop thinking about this very unique, custom made, porcelain and glass chandelier that I spotted in an indoor flea market this past weekend. 

I'm thinking that this...

Would look really fab in my bedroom office area...

The only reason there is even a debate is because my ceilings are low.  So what do you think?  Should I go back for it?

I'd love to hear what you think.

Carol

Before and After: My Dining Room

I finally finished (well, almost), my dining room, so I'm sharing the before and after.  Here's the view from the living room, and then I'll show you the before...

At Christmas, the brown Jacobean print wallpaper was up, and it just had to go.  Don't ever do something you don't love!  This paper lasted exactly two years.  I would have taken it down the day after I put it up, but I couldn't.  I thought maybe it would grow on me.  It didn't.

Here's how it looks today.  No more oriental rug (yeah!),  no valances, no darkness :)  The mirror is from the before shot.  I painted it and plan to age it, as it's way too white and matchy.  It's there until I find the mirror I'm looking for.

Here's the rest.  I used my sugar and creamer from this post...

 I brought a chair in from the living room because I think it works better in this space...

 Or do you think it is better without it? (Uh oh.  need to paint that outlet cover!)

The Majolica plates that I bought here have made the wall.  I love the unexpected whimsy of them and their worn imperfections...

The two signed prints on the right are of my husband's quaint hometown in Connecticut.  I love the personal meaning they bring to the room.

My plan is to someday exchange the predictable hutch that was purchased about 12 years ago, and replace it with something French, old, and perhaps painted.  I will also change out the host chairs to fabric when I find the perfect ones.  Time and patience.  I will find them.

So that wraps up my weekend!  Nothing like a deadline (hosting a wedding shower in two weeks) to get things done.  These days, that's what it takes for me!

Talk to you soon,
Carol

Consignment Shop -- Majolica Score!

My friend Tracy and I went to Consignmentworks in Dudley, Massachusetts today.  Eight thousand square feet to hunt through.  I've been wanting to go for quite some time.  Totally worth the trip for these beauties...

This sugar and creamer came home with me.  I could. not. resist.  Wedgwood from back in the day.  (You know, those old days.).  I have NEVER seen anything like them and they had it all for me -- a bit of cobalt blue, some blue green and some brown to speak to my love of brown transferware (of which I own, well, none.)

We were actually on our way out when I spotted the vase to the left in the back of the image above.  The color caught my eye, and then, hello, I saw these!...

Majolica!  I have coveted Majolica in magazine images, and when I have seen it from time to time in antique shops.  Today, it had my name on it.  Again, I've NEVER seen anything like it.  The colors are spectacular (subjective, I know), and the gnomes on each are so enchanting.  (I realize there are some among you who are rolling your eyes, but isn't life grand that we all find different things great?)  Each of the 13 plates has two gnomes engaged in different garden activities.  On the one closest to the bottom, the gnome on the left is riding a snail, and on the one to the right of my friend's knee, one is standing on the other's back to smell a flower.  When I hang the three I bought (tomorrow :), you'll see which ones I picked!  And the plate behind the sugar and creamer?  Majolica, too, but I had to stop somewhere!!

And hello glam with this vintage Whiting and Davis purse!  Another score in the true love department.  I'm going to a black tie wedding next week, and this will be my bag.  I nearly fell over when the price was a whopping...$15!  Better than anything I would have bought otherwise. :)   I love that it was made in the US and that the company was founded one town over from me in the late 1800's. (love the web)

While those were my purchases, here's some other fun stuff I saw...

I don't know anything about this baby, below, but I was tempted.  It is electric, and I could just see it with some black shades.  If I had a spot...

Total quality piece.  It could either be fabulous or completely gaudy, depending on how it is used in a room.  I'm voting for fabulous.  Maybe white shades?  I couldn't get a price because it had just come out on the floor and the Consignworks owner was out at an estate sale.  Bummer. 

Next to it were these fun chairs.  Fantastic for a traditional space with a twist, or a modern space that needs some traditional grounding.  The fabric was beautiful, great hand to it...

While I'm not a mid-century person,  I did find this completely appealing and would love to use it on a job (the lamp, not the poodles)...

And how about these?  I can actually see these brass numbers anchoring a grouping of four white Barcelona chairs with a bar cart in the background and a round cocktail table in the middle.  Something chunky and rustic and grayed.  Am I nuts?...

So, that was my St. Patrick's Day.  I had the luck with me (I am a bit green), and came home with some treasures.  If you know anything about any of the items above, I'd love any info you've got. :)

Talk to you soon,
Carol

Clarksville Gray and The Ashby Bed

I'm in the middle of a client master bedroom/bath redo that involves Pottery Barn's Ashby bed.  My client's asked me what I thought before they purchased it, and that prompted the start of this room.  I'm really loving the warm, rustic quality of it.  It works well with the rest of their home.

Here's a bit of what's going on...

Saliz Ikat by Kasmir

This warm Ikat is going on a large window as panels flanking some woven woods that look something like this, but with more texture and definition...

The wall color is Ben Moore's Clarksville Gray, HC-102, which in person is the exact right color to coordinate with the gray (with green undertone) in the drapes...

Finally, the last major piece is the Ashby Sleigh bed from Pottery Barn.  My client is doing her bed in white, too (no ruffles, though)...

The bathrooms on this project are starting installs next week.  Won't be long before the reveal.  I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.

Enjoy the weekend!

Carol

Outdoor Rugs Indoors

Outdoor rugs are coming inside more and more.  We have used them in several projects.  I've been a fan of faux sisal for a while, but when I saw a few very wool-loop-looking indoor/outdoor rugs by Jaipur, I must admit I was sold. 

Designers always hear "it needs to be family friendly," whatever it is.  Indoor/Outdoor rugs can be THE perfect solution when you have little ones, or dogs, or messy relatives, or people over who always drop stuff on your rugs (the ones you never really wanted to invite over anyway).  You can literally wash them off with a hose.  They fool you into thinking they might be wool. 

You know I don't endorse products, but I do like to share brands I use and love.  I thought you might benefit from seeing a few of their designs...

I could see any of these in a living room.

I'd be good with either of these as a twist in a more traditional room.  Could you?

I do see this orange one on a covered deck with white outdoor furniture, lots of greenery and bold flowers in great pots.  Near the pool.  My pool.  I digress. I have no pool.

I'm not much for cute, but this chocolate one would be killer in a playroom or a kids space, or even the back entry of a ski house.

So, have you ever thought of using an indoor/outdoor rug in your home?  You should really check them out.  You'd be surprised.  Jaipur is available online, or you could always email your favorite designer :) for help with one.  (Um. That would be me.)

Have a great end of the week!
Carol

Design Board Update

Remember this post, where I showed you the design board for a client with a new construction home?

When I went to visit and consult on paint for other spaces, I tweaked the colors for the family room.  I had put a color on her board just for looks, knowing I would get there to choose one on site when she was ready.  I thought you might like to see what we went with.

Here's the fireplace again, which really feels like a wallflower in the space -- awkwardly waiting for a deeper paint color to bring it into the party.  This room gets very bright sun until late afternoon, and a light color would completely wash out.  I chose Ben Moore AC Pismo Dunes.  Why?  It is a taupe with great purple undertones to completely harmonize with the fireplace...
  

 

Here's a close up...

That's the drapery fabric, by the way (I'm sure you figured that out, but if you are new to this story, a clue is always good).  The goal for this space is to achieve a room that hugs this family with warmth, comfort and relaxation.  

The dark little swatch on the Pismo Dunes is a Sherwin Williams color (my mind is totally blank on the name of it right now!).  Anyway, it is going in the coffered ceiling, which will add an element of drama to the space, but still maintain the harmony.  Imagine that color in all these ceiling "boxes"!

Before you get all weird about the color and furnishings in the room, keep in mind this is a just-moved-in picture, and the furniture isn't staying.  (Whew, right?  I know what you're thinking.)  Aside from that gor.gee.us  ceiling, you can also see the carpeting really well.  Critical that we keep the palette in harmony with that permanent element, too, as its pink tones talk to the purple tones in the stone.  Eventually, there will be an area rug in there to ground the conversation circle.  This room has SUCH potential.  

So that's my update on this project.  My client is in the process of stenciling her first floor powder room and I can't wait to share that with you.  (I have to be patient, she is a DIYer with 4 kids and a job!)

Talk to you soon,

Carol

Coral And Orange. I'm A Bit Annoyed.

Huh?  Yes, I'm annoyed with all the attention that coral and orange are getting.   Here's the thing.
 
Orange, followed closely by coral, are my favorite colors to wear (yes, I know you know that). This has been the case for say, oh, two decades, maybe?  Orange, especially, has always been hard to find in great things to wear.  At the mall today, it was EVERYWHERE! Where I used to be original, now, I'm buying a trend!  By next year, when I am still wearing my signature, I will look like I was late to the trend party.  Don't you hate when that happens?  Surely, something like this has happened to you?

Here is the dress I will be wearing as I write this post.

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Switching gears to design, I really love seeing my faves used in beautiful interiors.  It's a fresh twist when used in a traditional aesthetic, and I'm loving these images I borrowed from Pinterest.

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Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com via Rose on Pinterest

 

 

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Source: lh4.ggpht.com via Lauren on Pinterest

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Source: alamodemaven.com via Brittany on Pinterest

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Source: Uploaded by user via Lauren on Pinterest

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Source: adelightfuldesign.com via Abby on Pinterest

I love all of these images (believe it or not, this is the first time I've used Pinterest. Patience with me as they aren't perfect and I'm really quite frustrated.  Oh, technology, you are not a joy.)

Anyway, have you ever really loved something forever and then looked like you were late to a trend when you still have it going on?  Really, it won't stop me.  Just don't like sharing my one true (color) love.  :)

Have a great week and talk to you soon,
Carol
.PS  The last image comes from A Delightful Design and my friend Abby.  She did a gorgeous coral ceiling in her guestroom.  Check out the rest of the room here