Tag: interior design

Work in Progress: My New Office/Studio

I’m involved in a very exciting project right now — designing my new office and studio space.

I’m involved in a very exciting project right now — designing my new office and studio space.  Besides the excitement of moving into a bigger place better suited to my business needs, I am so happy to have a place to do something for myself.  I can’t wait to see my own simplified, well-edited vision come to life.

This is very much still a work in progress right now, as you can see from the “before” pictures.  One must have great vision to get through this mess!

The exterior.
Definitely a diamond in the rough!
Can you see the potential?

My goal for new new office space is to make my clients feel like they are in a showroom for a lifestyle rather than a product.  I see the overall design as minimal, not decorative.  I want it to be a neutral space, with quality products and craftsmanship, good lighting, and just the right details.  Everything will be functional, creating a great place for everyone to work.

Plan for the exterior.
The plans give an idea of how the space will be utilized.
Plenty of open storage.

One important consideration I made when designing my office was to avoid distractions for my clients.  When I meet with a client to present designs for their projects, I don’t want the surroundings to compete with the samples and plans I show them.  I want the focus to be on their project, not my own office.  At the same time, I want to use elements that reflect the level of style and quality I appreciate in an interior.  I like the idea of wool window treatments with metal poles, reclaimed oak counter tops with nail heads, and walnut walls.  I love the idea of a concrete floor as well.

Walnut walls.
Sleek and functional Eames chair.
Concrete floor.
Unfold pendant light.
Nail heads.
Wallpaper covered in transparent beads.
Ochre lighting.

I can’t wait to see how all of my plans come together!  Stay tuned for a future update on the finished office!

Interior Design Trends for 2013

I’ve seen quite a few lists of design trends to watch for in 2013, and several of them really resonate with me.

I’ve seen quite a few lists of design trends to watch for in 2013, and several of them really resonate with me.  Some appeal to the traditionalist in me, while others are a bit riskier.  It will be interesting to see which of these trends get the most attention over the upcoming year or beyond, and which turn out to be more short-lived.  Here are the predicted trends I am most excited about!

1.  Brass:  This is a metal I’ve seen come up on more than one list.  This warm, ’70s inspired finish is something I’m already in love with.

Brass staircase designed by Kelly Wearstler.

2.  High Gloss:  Nothing compares to the shine and polish of a high gloss lacquer!  Lacquered walls really stand out and, when thoughtfully combined with more traditional elements in a room, create an unforgettable look.

Incredible lacquer walls, design by Jeffrey Bilhuber.

3.  Art:  Selecting just the right piece of art for a client’s space is one of my favorite things about designing.  I am always on the look out for an artist whose work appeals to me and fits perfectly with one of my projects.   I love that this is a trend for 2013.

Octopus sketch by artist Tierra Connor.

4.  Antique Furniture:  The trend here lies in mixing antique furniture with more modern elements, something I always enjoy doing.  In fact, hunting for just the right piece until I find exactly what I’m looking for is so exciting.

This gorgeous antique piece I found for a client’s entry used to be part of an 1800’s bar in the south of France.

5.  Embellished Walls:  I have long been a fan of custom wall coverings.  There are so many amazing options available to suit the needs of nearly any client in nearly any space.  From grass cloth and linen to hand painted and beaded, wall coverings are as varied and unique as the spaces they decorate.

For this client, I covered the walls of their home theater in Ralph Lauren Mahogany Yacare Crocodile.

6.  Lace:  If the word lace makes you think of your grandmother’s doilies, think again.  Like other old-is-new trends, using lace in unexpected ways can bring a lot of beauty and character to a room.  Think of combining it with more contemporary designs or using it in small, non-traditional ways.

This pillow features black lace accents. From the Jason Wu/Canvas line.

Which trends for 2013 are you most excited about?

 

Top 6 Online Design Resources for 2013

As a designer, there are six online resources I find myself regularly using for different reasons.

There are so many online magazines, blogs, storefronts, and websites dedicated to the world of interior design that it’s often a daunting task to find a consistently reliable source of information and inspiration.  Add into that the possibilities of social media and apps, and the idea of staying on top  of changing technology and online resources begins to feel like a full time job!  Like any other resource, however, the internet is something each of us can find just the right way to use depending on our needs.  As a designer, there are six online resources I find myself regularly using for different reasons.  Throughout the upcoming year, I know I will utilize these sites and tools to enhance my business and the options I can offer to my clients.

1.  Houzz  Back in October, I wrote about why I love Houzz as a design resource.  It’s the ideal way to articulate my ideas to clients as well as an incredible place to find inspiration.

2.  Interiors Magazine  An international design magazine, Interiors is a unique voice among design publications, featuring designers and products I don’t often see in other magazines.  Their website allows you to browse digital versions past issues and is great for sourcing product.  For example, I discovered Kyle Bunting Rugs in Interiors Magazine and am really excited to keep them in mind for future clients.

3.  1st Dibs  I could submerge myself for hours in 1st Dibs.  Once a source for great furniture and lighting, you can now shop for jewelry, vintage fashion, and even real estate.  With designer highlights and options for shopping local, 1st Dibs is a worldwide market you can browse without ever leaving your home or office.

4.  Pinterest  Pinterest is a great organizational tool for categorizing thoughts and ideas.  I love seeing what other people are doing as well!  Having the Pin It button right on my toolbar makes it easy to go back to products and inspiration I find anywhere on the web.

5.  Color River App from House Beautiful  Color River is a beautifully done app that I have on my iPad.  It’s a great tool to use with clients for choosing color and coordinating palettes.

6.  Dering Hall  Dering Hall is a favorite source of high end furniture and products from a huge collection of designers and storefronts.  Users can follow favorite designers, browse portfolios, and read about current design trends and happenings in the DH Blog.

Pantone’s 2013 Color Trends

I always look forward to Pantone’s list because it’s great to see how their choices compare with my own changing preferences as well as trends among my clients.

Each year, Pantone announces its choices for the Top Ten Women’s Colors for Spring and their Color of the Year.  This influential forecast highlights color trends in both fashion and design.  I always look forward to Pantone’s list because it’s great to see how their choices compare with my own changing preferences as well as trends among my clients.

My three favorite colors from this list are Lemon Zest, Grayed Jade, and Emerald, the Color of the Year.  In fact, I was pretty close to the mark last year when I created my Jade Color Board and my Yellow Color Board!

Lemon Zest is both bright and soothing.  It’s not a color I would have naturally gravitated toward in the past, but it stands out and and really has a mood-lifting effect.  I like it more and more as time goes on!

Yellow lacquered ceiling. Design by Jeffrey Bilhuber.
Lemon Zest canopy. Design by Jeffrey Bilhuber.
Lemon Zest works as a bright accent here, by Jeffrey Bilhuber.

Grayed Jade’s soft, subtle hue appeals to my more traditionalist nature.  It pairs well with other shades and is a calm alternative to brighter greens and a more romantic alternative to simple gray.  It communicates elegance and sophistication.

Grayed Jade on the runway. By Rodarte.
Grayed Jade makes a very nice neutral.
A living room I designed for a client, using tones of Grayed Jade.
Chair detail.

Emerald, Pantone’s Color of the Year, is also my favorite color from their Top Ten list for Spring.  Emerald is such a chic and glamorous color, bringing to mind gems and luxury.  For all its elegance, Emerald is also an energetic color that injects any space with a vibrant depth.

A kitchen I designed for a client with Emerald lanterns and accents.
Emerald sliding door.
Emerald house in the Netherlands.
Emerald green bedroom by Miles Redd. The artwork on the walls is perfect!
Emerald green as an accent. Design by Cristi Holcombe.
S.R. Gambrel’s great use of Emerald Green in a living room.

What do think of Pantone’s Top Colors for Spring and Color of the Year?  Which colors do you prefer from the list?  I look forward to a New Year of exciting design opportunities and challenges, as well as the chance to incorporate some of these colors into my own designs!

Favorite Things: Holiday Mantels

Few things sum up the holiday spirit like a beautifully decorated mantel hung with stockings and lit up by a cozy fire in the fireplace.

Few things sum up the holiday spirit like a beautifully decorated mantel hung with stockings and lit up by a cozy fire in the fireplace.  Mantel decorations can be simple or extravagant.  Mix in different elements with traditional greenery.  You can make it playful and try something different each year.  I like to use real flowers and unusual greenery such as magnolia leaves, nothing artificial, to give the mantel more substance and make it truly special.

1.  This mantel uses white dishes and greenery for a classic, simple look.

2. An abundance of greenery looks fantastic!

3.  I love the idea of hanging a wreath on a mirror over the mantel.

4.  Mixed greenery and fruit create a fresh, lovely mantel.

5. Magnolia leaves make a substantial wreath.  Varying candle heights add interest to the greenery and pine cones.

6.  Sweeping swags of evergreens and a large wreath make the mantel a dramatic focal point.

Holiday Flowers

Incorporating flowers into your holiday designs gives your decor an unexpected and memorable twist.

When you think of decorating for the holidays or creating a centerpiece for your table, you might think of evergreens, holly, pine cones, and berries before thinking of flowers.  However, incorporating flowers into your holiday designs gives your decor an unexpected and memorable twist.  You certainly aren’t limited to poinsettias, either!

A unique and more modern way to cluster flowers. The hint of red suggests Santa is coming.
French tulips – a very white Christmas indeed.
Paperwhite flowers always remind me of the holidays.

Arrangements that include more than just flowers can also make a great centerpiece for the holidays.  Leaves, feathers, acorns, and fruit are items you can use in different ways.  Experiment with colors and textures, even adding elements you wouldn’t typically think of including in a floral arrangement.  The finished effect can be surprising and eye-catching.

Feathers arranged like flowers make an interesting centerpiece.
Oranges and acorns – great idea!

There’s no hard and fast rule that says your centerpiece has to be on the table.  Look up and around and take advantage of accessories already present in the room.  The materials in your arrangement an reflect the colors of the holiday without being composed of the typical trappings.  The chandelier below is the perfect example of making an unexpected jump and decorating for the season without being literal.  The green and red pieces evoke the holidays in a traditional, yet unexpected way.

Love the decked out chandelier and the red pomegranates that hint at Santa’s suit!

Do you make flowers and greenery part of your holiday decorations?

Color Obsession: Black and White

The combination of black and white in both fashion and design is always very graphic.

The combination of black and white in both fashion and design is always very graphic.  You have two strong elements that are not at all subtle.  People shy away from using it in interiors, especially those clients with families, but a black and white color scheme makes for a striking environment.  On their own, each color evokes its own singular response (mysterious black, pure white) but when used together, the results are quite stunning.

1.  Painting by artist Renato Freitas

2.  Zebra Cube, Design Within Reach

3.  Oscar de la Renta

4.  Madeline Weinrib Carpet

5.  Black Satin from Benjamin Moore

6.  Alexander McQueen

7.  Platinum, Diamond and Onyx Ring from Tiffany & Co., circa 1925.

8.  Wallpaper by Osborne and Little

9.  Sorenson 18 Pendant from Remains

10.  Black and white foyer, design by Rob Southern

Ski Lodge Design

When you think of ski lodge-inspired design, the kitschy, literal images that first come to mind don’t necessarily represent the best this look has to offer.

My perception of ski lodge-inspired design is the opposite of the kitschy sort of approach the term “ski lodge” brings to mind.  I don’t think of plaid, antlers, and Navajo-themed prints.  Instead, I envision the ski lodge pared down to its basic, rustic elements.  When you think of winter, you tend to think of snow, evergreens, and bare branches.  My ideal ski lodge design would follow that train of thought, allowing an appreciation of elements that come from a natural place.

Ski lodge designed by Ray Booth.
Design by Christian’s and Hennie of Norway

Without the distraction of novelties, the natural beauty of ski lodge elements create a retreat worth getting away to.  With exposed wood beams, a field stone fireplace, and vast windows framing mountainous views, the building’s architecture is better reflected.  Using modern and sleek furniture as opposed to overstuffed, cushy styles contributes to clean lines and balances out the natural elements.

Beautiful design by Atelier AM, via Architectural Digest.
Ray Booth design.

Gathering places like the living room and porch, as well as private spaces like the bedroom and bath, can evoke the ski lodge feel while keeping a thoughtful atmosphere.

Aspen bedroom design by David Easton.
Aspen living room, also by David Easton.
Unusual furniture color here is great.  Image via Elle Decor.
Perfect modern bathroom for a ski lodge. Design by Frank de Biasi.
Modern. Image via South Shore Decorating.

 

Leather

I love leather. It has a masculine, tailored feeling and grounds everything around it when you put it into an environment.

I love leather.  It has a masculine, tailored feeling and grounds everything around it when you put it into an environment.  I like to use it in unexpected ways, not just on your typical desk chair.  On surfaces, walls, pillows, and doors, as well as couches, leather imparts a rich, sumptuous look. There are so many colors and finishes available now, such as ostrich, python, and larger etchings, there’s no end to the possible uses of leather in interior design.

Starflower Engraved Belting Leather Tiles
Genevieve Bennett – Leather laser cut tiles. Totally off the wall!

There are many great sources of beautiful, quality leather.  One of my favorites is Edelman Leather.  They have a huge variety of colors and styles of leathers, each more gorgeous than the last.

Edelman Leather’s Ostrich in Grey Slate
Shagreen City Lights in Smoke, also from Edelman.
Edelman Leather’s Rose Petal City Lights in Smoke.

I find myself drawn to leather with a lot of tooling, unexpected details, and customization.  It looks old, but is done in new ways, leading to some amazing products.  Leather gets better as it ages, like a great pair of jeans.  It can be expensive and you need to be smart about how you use it, but the results can be stunning.

Holland & Sherry Interiors, Birdseye leather rug.
Samuel and Sons Passementerie Woven Italian Leather Braid. Makes a great detail trim!
3D leather wallpaper by Genevieve Bennett.

Macassa Leather in Cote D’Ivoire from Rose Tarlow. I upholstered the interior of library bookcases in this leather. Totally luscious in an inky blue color.

One of my favorite projects involved this leather door with nailhead trim.  When I first presented the idea to the client, their reaction was “It might look too S&M!”   However, once the door was installed, they loved it.  It gave the interior an unexpected aspect and grounded the rest of the space.  They had to see it in place to fully appreciate the effect of this amazing door.

Leather door with nailhead trim.

The look of leather is so attractive, but not suited to every room in the home.  If you want this look without the upkeep or possibility of damage in an area such as the kitchen or bath, take a look at these tiles from Walker Zanger.  They look so much like leather, you have to touch them to convince yourself they are really porcelain tiles!

Matouche Design by Walker Zanger
Another example of Walker Zanger’s Martouche Design

Have you, or would you, use leather in your home?

Windsor Smith

I adore Windsor Smith’s designs, from her interiors to her own home line.

I adore Windsor Smith’s designs, from her interiors to her own home line.  She’s an amazing designer and very clever about choices, making the success of her many ventures no surprise.

One of my favorite projects involving Windsor Smith was her collaboration with Veranda magazine on the House of Windsor.  This first ever Veranda concept house, located in Los Angeles, California, featured Windsor Smith’s architectural design as well as the skills of several other notable designers such as Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Kathryn M. Ireland, Richard Hallburg, and others.  The creation of this dream house was a very cool concept.  Proceeds from the open house ticket sales and VIP events benefited two charities for children, the Children’s Action Network and P.S. Arts.

Veranda’s website about the House of Windsor is really interesting.  It shows the floor plan of the concept house as well as 360 degree tours of each room in the home, including exterior areas like the courtyards and stables.  You can even browse specific designers involved with this project and watch videos featuring each designer’s thoughts and experiences.  The House of Winsdor was a huge undertaking based on a truly grand vision.  Veranda’s unveiling of the home showed it to be very well executed.

House of Windsor floor plan.
Entry hall, designed by Windsor Smith, is wide enough to serve as a dining room for entertaining on a grand scale.
A graceful room with back to back sofas for increased seating and entertaining.
Geometric pattern on the carpet offsets the chinioserie on the walls.
The use of a corner sofa is very smart, and the wallpaper is beautiful!

Windsor Smith uses beautiful products in her designs.  I love the way her rooms are layered and how everything looks perfectly collected.  She can be bold, but her interiors never look too decorated.  They seem effortless and timeless.  Windsor Smith’s own collection reflects her design style, featuring furnishings that are as well thought out and executed as all of her other projects.

Samantha scroll arm chair.
Moroccan ottoman: Great style and size.
Mirrored console: Super chic!
Colony breakfront.
Insignia printed pattern: Great for window treatments. Check out all of the color ways.

To see more of Windsor Smith’s designs, visit her website.  You can also see her Collection, find her on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest.