What I have been up to...

Last week was a busy week for me.  The renovation I have been preparing for since March finally started and I spent a lot of my time at the jobsite.  The job was supposed to be completed Saturday... that did not happen.  However, it will be completed in the next couple of days.  We had a few set backs at the beginning, as all projects do along the way, but now we are going along swimming...  (Literally, it has been raining cats and dogs here and is to continue through tomorrow.)  However, it is always such a wonderful experience to see your designs come to life!

Anywho, here is what I was up to last week.

This gorgeous little chair came in unexpectantly early for a client.  We ordered two of them with a sofa in the coordinating green for her living room.  This will be starting point for the rest of the room.  Chair is by Lexington Furniture Ocean Club Collection.

 For another client, we painted this wicker chair that started out a forest green a cream semi-gloss.  Paint Muslin by Benjamin Moore.

Bathroom and Kitchen Renovation:

Isn't this such a pretty hanging shade light from Uttermost?  It provides great texture and interest above the dining table.  On the right of the frame you can see where we need to drywall and paint.

Here are the matching pendants (unfortunately they are not on) above the long peninsula.  Old tile surrounded all the walls in the kitchen  from countertop to ceiling.  New tile is going only beneath the upper cabinets to the countertop. 

 This little beauty will be our new kitchen backsplash.  Green glass 2x4 mosaic.  This tile was one of our set backs at the beginning!

The Bathroom: This was what the bathtub wall looked like Friday.  Need to go back to take finished pictures!  Timeless white gloss subway tiles with glass and marble accents.

 I will take more pictures of the kitchen and bathrooms once they are completed.  We also selected new artwork for most of the condo and hung that Friday and selected new ceiling fans.  Those aren't very exciting so I will not bore you with pictures of that.  


Up next is a bedroom makeover that I have been receiving pieces here and there every week.  All of the custom bedding and drapes should arrive Friday then it will be installation time!  I will get to put the bedroom together while the client is off Island which will be exciting for them to walk into for the first time.  It will be like designing for television!  I will keep you posted.  

This week

This week I have been lacking on the design inspiration for the blog.  Luckily I received the Rue Magazine to be able to write that last post.  Work has been a little on the slow side the last couple weeks.  Luckily I have my bathroom and kitchen renovation next week to occupy my time.  I've been a little down and out and think I need a vacation.

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This is my first source of happiness... yummy plate of hot cookies!

I have been needing a Happy Place.  (Everyone at work I think needs to go to their happy place too.)  Usually my Happy Place consists of some place sunny, quiet and a beach.  Well I have that in my backyard!  We fully took advantage of that yesterday, but now it it starting to get a bit warmer so a palm tree is needed in my Happy Place.  


Now that I live in a tropical Caribbean paradise, I'm thinking my Happy Place needs to transport itself.  I think in my new spot, I want to go somewhere a little cooler where I can wear pants and *gasp* maybe even a cardigan!  Do some major sightseeing and actual shopping.  

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San Francisco fits my wish list.  Steven and I are really wanting to go here together.   I have only been once and that was 2001.  Sign me up.

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NYC also checks the boxes on my list.  Steven and I went here together in October during our month of not working... (that month turned in to 6 more weeks, but I digress.)  It is the perfect city for sightseeing, shopping, and eating.

I know it isn't right for me to complain or feel like I need a vacation; I live in such a gorgeous place.  In the words of Chandler Bing from Friends "My diamond shoes are too tight."  But sometimes you just need to get away, right?  

On the plus side, our move here has brought our marriage that was already close, even closer.  It has allowed us to spend a lot of quality time together.  It is a test being so far from family and friends that you must be able to rely upon each other.  Steven and I have been able to learn more about each other and really appreciate each other so much more.  I think a vacation from our "living vacation home" would only improve it.  When we do eventually move back to the States and start the hustle and bustle of "real life" again we are going to miss this time of togetherness.  We are so thankful that in the five months we have been here, we have gained so much.  

That's all I wanted to say today that 1) I need to go to a Happy Place and spend the rest of the week, maybe next week too. and 2) Steven and I have gotten so much closer. 

Sorry no design tips today.  Eventually I want to talk about lighting as a design dilemma and hopefully next week will update on the renovation that will be under way!!  

Trove Wallpaper

Latest edition for Rue.  (Kind of a Mad Hatter cover for this issue, but don't let this deter you from looking.)

Do you all subscribe to Rue magazine?  It is a free online magazine that comes, I guess 6 times a year.  The pages are always super colorful, fun and free spirited.  There are ideas for home, parties, food, shopping and clothes.  While everything isn't always my style, it makes you happy to look at the magazine.  Anyway check out their website which features past issues, photo galleries, etc, and you can subscribe. 


Anywho...In the May/June 2012 issue, Rue features a home in Pasadena designed by Tamara Honey.  What a fun name?!  The interiors featured in the issue are not in my style (Her online portfolio is much more vast and eclectic).  They are kooky and feature bold bright colors everywhere, but I came across the living room walls and stopped.   

Home featured in Rue's May/June 2012 issue.

This image made me pause and take a longer stare!! How awesome is that wallpaper?  

Detail of Fuoco wallpaper by Trove. 

The great thing about online magazines is you can click on the picture and it takes you directly to the source's website.  I was taken to Trove's website to learn more about their amazing designs.  

I can't get over that wallpaper!  It's so funny, it will always be a conversation starter.  It could also be a good way to keep mischievous children to behave by making them find objects on your walls!  

Trove was started in 2004 by Jee Levin, a painter specializing in encaustics (a type of paint using heated beeswax and resin with color pigment added) and Randall Buck, a multi-media artist with a background in photography, branding and graphics.  When they moved to their Manhattan apartment they saw the lack of artistic wallpapers out there.  With their skills combined, they started to develop wallpapers.  They take pictures of things that inspire them to digitally create these beautiful patterns.  Because they digitally create the wallpapers, they are able to create much larger repeats than most wallpapers.  Pattern repeats can be 12' high and 3'-6' wide. All wallpapers are produced on commercial grade paper with UV resistant inks and a non-toxic wax based protective coating.   

It seems like pricing I have seen is around $20 a foot. You can purchase samples of the wallpapers from their website.  There also is an option to customize.  Each pattern comes in a few different colors. 

Here are a few of the ones I liked:

I just love how there is so much movement and pattern in the wallpapers.  With that in mind, you can understand why these are also being used in many commercial applications. 

Not only does Trove print their wallpaper with a linen or a smooth finish, they offer all the designs on wood veneer!  You can choose the type of wood such as birch or bamboo.  

How amazing does the Alcoyne print look on wood veneer? It helps create a more masculine look for the floral design. 

Not only can you get one of their 22 designs on wood veneer, but also as a window film.  For those that  live in apartment complexes with an unsightly complex next door but need all the light, this is a great alternative to window curtains.  You can also put them on shower or cabinet doors.  The film is printed on either rice paper or bamboo paper.  

Trove's wallpaper designs also can be printed for glass applications!

Aren't these all so beautiful?!  Hopefully you liked one or two!  My favorite was definitely the oceanscape "Sargasso."  But I also like the one below that, "Ursa" which looks like falling jellyfish. 


PS Oprah has featured Trove twice in her O at Home magazine.   If Oprah shows it, you know you are supposed to own it!!

All images from Trove.

Sometimes I get featured in magazines!

In January I was asked to do a feature in InsideOut Magazine, a Cayman design publication.  It was my first time ever being asked by a magazine to be featured and I was quite nervous.  I was not expecting to be the only designer featured in the article.  The writer emailed me a list of questions which I answered and emailed back to her.  My answers are pretty much verbatim as to how I responded, except she changed how I spell color to colour.  I was told that it would be coming out in a few months.  I had no idea the issue was out, until clients came in to the store today telling me they enjoyed my article.


The article is really about what I have discussed several times already on my blog.  It is not important if your home is trendy or looks like the cover of a magazine.  Instead, it should be a reflection of you and your lifestyle.  You should be happy and comfortable every time you come home.  


To read the article you can go here. Luckily I chose to wear a "colourful" shirt the day they chose to take my picture!

Rugs for You to Buy!

Here is my round up of great new rugs out there.  Several you can buy online, if you love the ones from Surya  you will have to find a dealer in your area to purchase through.   I tried to keep the price point below $1500 for an 8x10 but I can't guarantee the prices from Surya as each dealer will sell them at different prices.

Dash and Albert Indoor/Outdoor New arrivals:

Dash and Albert sells wonderful, affordable rugs.  Annie Selke designs for living, which includes having kids and dogs.  She sells colorful cotton rugs, a few wool rugs, and a great many indoor/outdoor rugs.  Her newest arrivals seem to all be the latter.  As I stated here, indoor outdoor rugs have come a long way.  They are great for high traffic areas and messy rooms like underneath kitchen tables, kitchen areas, and playrooms.  With 8x10's under $550 you can't beat that price for how durable they are.  Stripes seem to be the theme for Summer 2012.  All rugs come in several other colors.  My favorite is the new color for the Diamond pattern. 

Dwell Studio's rugs new arrivals:

Most of their rugs were a little more 1960's contemporary for my taste, but I did like this Dapper Stripe and brown speckled cow hide.  Both can be yours for under $800.  I'm thinking I need to get a cowhide, and hey you can always layer it on a solid rug because they tend to be 5x8.

Horchow's newest rug arrivals:

Horchow rugs can go real expensive real fast.  It was harder to stay under the $1500 cap for an 8x10.  However, these rugs are fun and at a good price point.  HGTV's Genevieve Gorder created the first two rugs.  They are a flat weave construction which allows you to flip them. As is the one below it and the pink geometric print.  Wouldn't the little pink and white be cute in a girl's room?  How about that crazy pink cowhide?  I was thinking more of the grayish cream one, but hey put a pink cowhide in your house!  They carry several indoor/outdoor rugs which the last option represents.

Surya's latest rug offerings for 2012:

 Wonderful coastal themed rugs.  The coral rug is part of a new collection from Somerset Bay furniture. 

Playful geometric rugs.  They come in many different colors all for under $1500!

If you are in need of a traditional rug they have hundreds!

This year Surya has hundreds of new rugs on the market.  Including several new partnerships with designers and one with the popular furniture line Somerset Bay.  Many of the new rugs are just new colors in their popular lines.  They also offer throws, pillows, artwork, rug poufs, and indoor/outdoor rugs. 

Hopefully you enjoyed today's shopping trip of the latest rugs out there.  I would love to hear if any of you have seen rugs your are dreaming of for your home.  

Design Dilemma #3: Area Rugs

If you are looking at your current living room and feel like something is lacking, the answer is probably either: a) curtains (which I discuss here) or b) an area rug.  These two elements dramatically change a space into a cozy, warm environment that feels complete.  A rug will instantly ground the space and develop concrete sitting areas, while curtains help frame the space and add height.  

The main dilemma with rugs that I see in homes is that they are too small for the space.  The rug becomes a little cocktail napkin for the coffee table. 

Placing an area rug in your room creates a soft spot for your feet, often providing one of the only sources of softness besides the curtains.  It can also provide pattern to an otherwise lacking room. 

Here are the basic guidelines for choosing the right size rug for your space:

In a living room, you want to have at least all the front legs of your furniture on the rug.  Including end tables and side chairs.  This does not have to include your media console.  Other sources tell you that all four legs of the furniture should be on the rug.  I do not agree with that theory.  The main reason you want the legs on the rug is to delineate areas for the furniture.  The rug helps to organize all the pieces of furniture together, either in a living room, dining room, or bedroom. 

 

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This is my definition of using a cocktail napkin for your coffee table.   This massive sofa (which is awesome by the way) requires a MUCH larger area rug.  The rug seems interesting, and in this case, I would probably layer a neutral rug underneath to cover the floor space.  The chair also needs to be included in the area rug as it is a part of the seating arrangement.

 

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This beautiful Aztec rug provides plenty of pattern for this otherwise neutral living area.  Plus the rug is large enough for the sofa and chair.

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This wool rug provides subtle pattern and fits the sitting area completely so that all front legs of the furniture are on the rug.

The dining room is a crucial area where the rug needs to be a certain size.  The average person requires 24” of clearance to back their chair from the table to get up.  With this said, the rug underneath the table needs to have an excess of 2 feet around the perimeter of the table or 4 feet in length and width.  The dining room rug is also a good spot to choose a bolder pattern or color because the table masks a lot of the rug. 

 

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This rug is too small for the dining area.  If you were to push back from the table in the white chairs, you would no longer be on the rug.  It will cause the rug to flip up and get damaged.  As you can see the head chairs are not even on the rug. 

 

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This rug fills up the dining room beautifully, allowing plenty of excess space to move the chairs around.  It also shows how you can do a large patterned rug with plenty of color in an otherwise neutral room.

The bedroom allows for more flexibility in size.  Most people choose to have their bed covering the majority of the rug.  You usually have the rug starting just where the nightstands end.  Another possibility is having a smaller rug turned horizontally for the bottom half of the bed.  Or a less expensive route is to have matching rugs on either side of the bed.

 

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This bedroom uses a rug large enough (probably custom made for the space) to start at the edge of the nightstand and extends out past the end of the beautiful bed.

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This rug is used only at the foot of the bed, but encompasses the sitting area in the window. 

 

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This bedroom uses matching Summak rugs surrounding the bed with runners, while an 4x6 is used at the foot.

Standard size rugs are 2x3 (bathmat, doormats) 3x5 or 4x6 (entry way, sides of beds) 5x8 or 6x9 (ends of beds) 8x10 or 9x12 (living room, dining room, underneath queen or king beds) and 10x14 (large living or dining rooms). 

One way to save costs on a rug is to buy a larger solid rug.  If your living area could use a 9x12 or 10x14 rug, head out to your local carpet store and have one of their remnant pieces bound.  This is a cost effective way of having a rug.  Then you can shop for a smaller more expensive rug to lay out on top of the neutral rug. 

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A rug on a rug is a cost effective way to use a patterned rug for your space.

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The chenille rug underneath the bed is a cost effective way to provide softness when getting in and out of bed, while the antique Oushak at the foot provides color and more floor coverage.

What to keep in mind when shopping for a rug?  First thing, take measurements of your room.  As I have listed the standard sizes, have an idea of what would work in your space.  This article had a great idea of laying out towels of the different dimensions.  That way it visually shows you the area rather than marking with the tape measure.  Bring all your fabric samples and paint sample with you while you are shopping.  I love the customers that come in with their Ziploc bags of all the necessary items for their space.  It makes shopping so much easier and allows in-house designers to help you more effectively. 

 If the rugs are hanging up in the furniture showroom, they will look VERY different once they are on the ground.  A rug will change colors once it is flat on the ground.  If it is a hand knotted or vegetable dyed rug the colors will run different if you look at the rug from different angles.  That being said, ask to take the rug out on approval to see it in your space.  With your own lighting and furnishings, the rug will change colors again.  Generally design stores will allow you keep a rug or two for 24 hours on a trial basis.  If they do not allow this, find out about return policy.  Do not buy a rug without checking it out in your home. 

While you are shopping you may notice the large price range in rugs.  They are not cheap!  Most rugs are made of wool, and take months to complete.  It is an amazing, pain staking process to create those beautiful hand made rugs you see in stores.  One should truly have an appreciation for what you stand on every day.  I found quite a few Youtube videos that show the process from start to finish.  This video is by Surya that makes beautiful rugs.  The video is a thorough description of the process in 6 minutes.  I highly recommend watching it.

I could go into WAY more detail about the varying types, construction of rugs, etc., but I will save that for another day!  (If you have any questions about rugs feel free to ask me.) My main point today is to discuss a design dilemma I often see and how to rectify it.

I have seen many great new rugs on the market now, so I will dedicate my next post to showing you new rugs that you can have!