Shifting Style Gears In Interiors

I’m often asked about my preference for a particular interior design style.  I suppose, growing up in the South and also being around a mother who loved to find antiques, I developed a real appreciation for timeless classics.  I know with the right touches, classic designs can be updated with color, fabrics, patterns and accents and they will stay fresh for years to come! 

On occasion, I’m asked to step into a more modern world and it’s great fun to apply the principles of design, in a different way.  If a designer knows his or her trade, personal preference doesn’t get in the way of creating a client’s desires.

I’m working on a lower level “man space”, where my client asked for me to transition away from the upper levels of the home and to create a personalized living experience for an escape from his normally hectic world.

Here’s a peek into the progress:

A rug is forthcoming and I’ll get those pictures, later.  It’s going to be the piece that pulls this all together.  I’m still in awe that my client and his family installed the cork flooring, all on their own!  It’s a great solution for a sublevel space.  A fun design, on the ultrasuede ottoman, hints of some color accents to come.

Leathercraft was the maker of this super cool recliner.  We wanted to get rid of the bulk of a traditional style and my client, who is 6’4”, needed the height.  We had them add two more inches for a better fit.  It just goes to show, it doesn’t hurt to ask a manufacturer if they can customize their products.

The more rustic fireplace could have pushed us into another design direction.  We decided to wrap our brains around a modern, Arizona lodge.  A little Mission meets Modern vibe.  The side walls are wrapped in American Clay and the remaining walls were painted with Mythic flat paint.  We focused on being as eco-friendly as possible.

The stone and brick gave us some direction for our leather color palette.

Another portion of the area has been devoted to a media function.  A super comfortable sectional, from the Norwegian company, Ekornes, fits the space perfectly.  (Thanks to Rick at Innbo Furniture for all of his great help!)  Another rug is on the way to round out the space and to provide a soft texture.  Eventually, the remainder of the space will be finished with the wainscoting you see in the backdrop.  The larger cabinet, in the background will be moved and a bookcase will take its place.  The client’s original art provided us the inspiration to have some custom pillows done, by Leathercraft, in brilliant Ultrasuede tones. 

I love the top stitching!  The weight of the filler allows the pillows to rest in place on what could be a slippery surface with the leather.  Lightweight foam pillows would be all over the place.  I’m going to say it out loud. . . details are what I think I do best!  I really try to anticipate the cause and effect of product specifications.

I suggested my client might like to consider using some photography in the opposite space.  My wonderful photographer, Whitney Gray, just happened to be in Sedona, last week.  You should take a glimpse of her heavenly views.  I think they would mirror the brick in the fireplace, don’t you?

While some might feel it’s better to see a room in total, or in one big reveal, I like to share some of my projects as they are being layered and personalized.  Each addition has a story and a reason for why it fits. 

. . . And I do love sharing my stories with you. Tell me about yours! ~ Wanda

Christmas Countdown – Day 17

The Christmas House

I think in every area, there is someone who can hardly contain themselves when it comes to the joy of Christmas and sharing it with others.  In my little city, just on the outskirts of Charlotte, NC, there is a house, in the historic district, we fondly refer to as the “Christmas House”.  Of course, depending on the time of year and the holiday, it’s always decked out in the appropriate seasonal attire!

This evening, after having dinner at one of the local cafes, I asked my husband to take a drive by . . . you know, just to be reassured the holiday home spirit still lived on. It didn’t disappoint!  Even though my night photography skills on my Droid phone couldn’t possibly do it justice, I just had to see if I could take a few shots to share with you. 

‘Tis the season to be jolly!

This Victorian Era home is painted in shades of green and cranberry.  All that has to be added is the icing.

I’m sure the owner experiences people getting out of their cars to take pictures, on a regular basis.  I was hoping our local police wouldn’t be dialed up with the idea someone was casing the place!

The lovely iron gates were tastefully dressed with a pair of wreaths.  These were some of the more subdued decorations. *wink*

Another small town, with a Victorian village charm, is Cape May, New Jersey.  I made a quick stop over, many years ago, while visiting with a high school chum.  The Bacchus Inn Main House is a vision in holiday red.

Another bed and breakfast, the Linda Lee, fits the description of a gingerbread house to a ‘t’.  I’m not sure if it’s a reflection but I think the lap board siding might have a tint of pink.  Suddenly I feel a peppermint craving coming on!

It’s always fun to share the holiday merriment.  Do you have a special “drive by” on your list?  Maybe it’s even your own home.  If you see lights flashing outdoors, don’t be worried, it might just be an admirer!

Jingling all the way! ~ Wanda

Easing Into Green Design

As a consumer, if you aren’t familiar with the Sustainable Furnishings Council, let me take a brief moment to introduce you to them and why this connection will be a valuable tool as you make your next furniture buying decisions.  I do promise to be brief as I’m working fast and furious so that I’ll be ready to get to all of the showrooms during my upcoming trip to the High Point Furniture Market.  I’ll also give you great links so that you can further explore some of the details! 

(A composite of manufacturers who belong to the Sustainable Furnishings Council.)

As a Charlotte, NC area interior designer, I know the jury may still be out, regarding green or sustainable design practices, mostly due to concerns about this being a “trend” or just some type of marketing tool, as well as the expectation it will create higher costs.  I do find; however, when I have a client who is getting ready to plan a nursery or a small child’s room, there is great attention paid to the sourcing of the furnishings, the bedding, and how we treat surfaces, such as the floor, walls, and ceiling, so as to keeping the environment as non-toxic as possible.  It’s certainly understandable that any parent would desire to provide their children with the best possible place to be nurtured, not only by them, but by their home.  Here’s the catch . . . What’s happening in the rest of the house?  Living goes on outside of the nursery and/or the playroom doors.  And, shouldn’t the rest of the family members and visitors receive the best of which any interior environment can offer? 

  

(Great examples of “pretty”, green design from SFC members.  Click on a photo to visit their websites!) 

Wouldn’t it be nice to take some of the guesswork out of the process of making selections?  First, part of that responsibility falls on my shoulders, as your interior designer.  My charge is to be sure I learn as much as I can about the various sources, not only from the way they manufacture their products, but equally important would be how they travel to get to the consumer.  I also want to see if the vendor offers an aesthetic quality and comfort, which would be pleasing to my clients.  What makes the process much easier is knowing about the Sustainable Furnishings Council and the manufacturers who have been able to join as members.  Just being able to head to their website and browse the roster gives me a valuable tool to share with clients and the consumer public.  (An important note:  Some of the manufacturers, who are SFC members, may not have updated their websites, to acknowledge their memberships, and there are some manufacturers who do subscribe to green practices, who may not be members of the SFC.)  The benefit I can share, from my attendance at the High Point Furniture Market, will be seeing most of these sources, firsthand!

I’ll admit, I’m a discerning client, too.  I like to take my time to research and discover all of the details before I decide to make purchases, not only for my own home, but for my clients, as well.  I’m easing into the world of green design and thank you for allowing me to share my newfound knowledge with you!

Take a softer step to leave a smaller footprint.  All my best! ~ Wanda

A Bathing Beauty – Modern Design Meets Italian “Fusion”

I’m sharing a little side “trip” from my series, “Designing A Room At A Time”, by featuring a portion of a new-build project I completed, last year.  Actually, my client and I are still adding personalized touches, due to the scale of the process, but the bulk of the work has been done.  You’ll be able to view the architectural designer’s featured link to the home – Here. (It may be best viewed if you have Flash.)  I was the project’s interior designer, from blueprint to finish, and from top to bottom.  (The architect’s photography was done in an earlier stage, but you will have a good grasp of the overall design concept.)  There were so many special spaces in this home! It has been difficult to decide which one is my favorite.  Each area has its own little story.

One bath and bedroom area, in particular, required a little extra thought, given the overall design is an Italian Villa meets the French Mediterranean.  This area was designated to be a guest suite, as well as to be a retreat for a daughter, during her visits home.  She loved the aesthetic of a streamlined, fabulous hotel suite.  As I was pondering how to create this area, while still honoring the areas leading into this space, I knew I could call on color to be my “first assistant”.  I decided to focus on some of the softer palettes of green, mocha, and brick. I’m sharing with you the final results of the bath, and I do think “she” turned out to be a real bathing beauty!

 

The cabinet compliments the strié tile, with the sparkling deco inserts of crackled glass.  The broad horizontal plane, painted in the same color of the trim, creates the perfect location for placing crystallized, tile-like color accents.  It also brings a tall ceiling down to human scale.  The vanity light defers to an iron scroll design, used in the bedroom window treatments.

 

A closer look at the crystallized accents.  You can see the glimmer of green on top of the rust base.  Every girl loves a little bling!

The location of the bedroom and bath faces a very sunny exposure.  The mostly green palette virtually brings the temps down on a hot day.

This paisley bedding adds some feminine curves to the bedroom.  We are still tweaking that area so watch for a future post on the completed look.  The colors are spot on!

The starting point . . . This beautiful White River granite made us feel as if we were sailing on the Italian Riviera.

It was fun travelling with you, today!  I would love to hear about one of the most beautiful bathrooms you’ve seen.  Tell me what made it so special or about a favorite feature.

Con Grazie!

A Mossy Mishmash

The prolific rains, from the El Niño effect, have provided much commentary about folks feeling as if they might be “growing moss”.  Well, for me, it’s partially true, as I’ve looked at the effects it has rendered on certain woodland-type areas in my yard.  The perfect degree of shade and moisture have created an abundance of the lovely, velvety textured growth. 

Forest flooring at its finest . . . moss carpets in low-lying, shaded areas.

While in the world of botanicals, they are classified as bryophytes, and there are about 12,000 species, for simplicity sake, I’ll just zero in on the type I’m seeing spreading and creating lovely surfaces in my gardens.  Most people are familiar with seeing this in a sheet variety, as it can be excavated and used in a multitude of ways.

  

If you love are a fan of green, an outdoor container can become it’s own little eco-system with the addition of a moss covering.

Not sure how to treat a wall?  Forget the paint and paper, a vertical garden can be created with a moss foundation and plantings . . . and a green thumb!

Taking it to a whole other level . . . or two, or three!

And here are the steps to get there . . .

I love this application for the Athenaeum Hotel in London. What a great high rise alternative if planting trees may be prohibitive.

I want this interior tablescape!  So interesting and yet so simple.  A glass top makes for no fuss, no muss.

A designer’s dream!  Architecture, combined with textural variances, sleek meets earthy - and the juxtaposition of a perfect pattern.

And to think it all began, here:

 

What are your favorite ways to use moss?  Please do share!

Cheers from the woodlands! – Wanda

(Architectural photos are courtesy of Trendhunter Magazine.)

del.icio.us Tags: Moss,Green Walls,Designing with Moss,Eco Walls

del.icio.us Tags: Moss,Green Walls,Designing with Moss,Eco Walls

Springtime Means “Green” Time

While some parts of the country may still be experiencing a few last wintery, weather events, we have now officially entered into the spring season, or the Vernal Equinox, the transitional period between winter and summer.  As the days will become longer and we’ll have more temperate weather, many consumers begin to think about opening up the windows to let in the fresh air, as well as to catch up on spring cleaning and some household maintenance.  Interior designers, remodelers, and other trades people know their phones will be ringing! 

A lush, green garden.  Wouldn’t it be nice for your interior spaces to feel this fresh?

My “dance card” has already begun to be filled with the process of project planning and implementation, for quite a few clients.  Almost all of these projects are requiring either a refreshing of painted surfaces, due to lots of “love”, or it’s just time to change up the palette.  I do love how paint can transform a room and give it a new lease on life, so to speak.  I’m also more aware of how important choosing the right paint product can be.  In this day and time of better home insulation products, and where tighter windows and doors allow for less outdoor air exchange, (great for energy efficiency but not so great for holding in toxic fumes), I make every effort to steer clients in the direction of low voc or no voc paints.

Sometimes there is a misperception of less color choices being available in eco-friendly paints.  All of the colors of a spring bouquet, and then some, can be customized for your room!

I’ve found a great site, which shares a lot of information about these harmful compounds.  Many of you may be familiar with these products, but this site shares an eco-paint primer, (pun intended), on terminology, facts, and sources.  If you click on this > Simple Earth Media <, you can see more details.   

I’ve always been a big Benjamin Moore fan.  Now, their Aura line really has me cheering!

As an interior designer, who likes to create healthy homes, I recognize how the walls, ceilings, and trim work cover a larger surface area than some of the other products I specify.  If I can offer guidance, for just one element in green living, it would most definitely be the paint.  Even though the initial cost-per-gallon may be off-putting for some consumers, those with allergy issues and asthma will make a few less trips to the doctor.  On average, for eco-friendly paints, you could be paying $40-$55 per gallon, as opposed to $23 per gallon for a budget paint.  Here is a 2008 comparison on the top four best paints, reviewed by Consumer Search.  If you’ll notice, Benjamin Moore’s Aura was number one.

   

Sherwin Williams has stepped up to the plate with a real winner – Harmony.  Their Green Sure designation indicates a paint which minimizes the impact on air quality and maximizes performance.

A slightly lesser known brand, Mythic, was recommended to me by my painters.  This non-toxic paint, is minus the VOC’s, which can be off-gassed many years later, and can contain carcinogens.  It’s low odor, too!

One more important note - if you are considering a remodeling project, requiring any removal, sanding or disturbing of a painted surface, you will want to check out the latest information in this EPA brochure: “Contractors Lead Safety During Renovations”.  As of April 22, 2010, Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renovating six square feet or more of painted surfaces in a room for interior projects or more than twenty square feet of painted surfaces for exterior projects in housing, child care facilities and schools built before 1978.  They must also provide a copy of this Renovate Right brochure.

Aaaahhh . . . .  a green springtime!  Don’t you feel like you can breath a little easier?

Cheers to your health!  Wanda  

The Difference between Fresh Greens and Yellow Greens

Anytime I show a client (that already went through the 70’s era of avocado green appliances, etc) a yellowy green like BM Pale Avocado or Dill Pickle, 9 times out of 10, they wrinkle their nose at me and say, ‘I hate that colour’ (below). 

Ceiling – BM Wales Green

But if we are standing in a room that I think would look fabulous in green, all I have to do is show them a green with a little more blue in it, like Fernwood green or Georgian Green and they sigh and say, I love that!

So if you don’t like Avocado green, don’t rule out a fresh green because you just might like it! Oh, and one more thing; if you compare fernwood green to dill pickle, fernwood green will look ugly beside it because it’s muddier than the yellowy greens.  So make sure you look at it without the comparison.

Related posts:

Clean vs. Dirty Colours

Hot Pink & Kelly Green

Do all Greens go Together?

The Best way to Update Forest Green

Do all Greens go Together?

I have wanted green velvet drapes somewhere in my house ever since I saw The Holiday movie with Cameron Diaz. And by the way I’m calling it Kelly Green because I think it’s so much more current than saying Forest Green. Then I was at Cote de Texas the other day reading about the big debate on Bunny Williams Kips Bay Living room and saw this room designed by Bunny which I instantly loved so I had to post it here!

I also adore the wispy ferns on the table. My friend Lauren at Pure Style Home wrote a post last week about accessorizing with ferns.

Here is her office in The Holiday—love those drapes, they are way more amazing in the movie (this picture is blurry)! I even have a sample of the fabric in my office. However, I need to buy this house and renovate first, in order to install them!

Cameron Diaz in The Holiday

For about 2 years now, I have been predicting that Kelly Green is coming back, (newer and more vibrant than Forest Green from the 80’s) I see it around, and shelter magazines mention it, but not with any great resurgence [yet]. I’m willing to be wrong though, especially because it seems that ‘yellow and gray’ seems to be the big new colours coming in. Here is another room done entirely in greens by one of my favourite Canadian Designers, Sarah Richardson:

This was a lottery house in White Rock which I toured a few years ago. Although the fabric on the sectional looks black it’s actually a dark olive green. It’s a games room, and here is an image of the other side of the room:

Here’s a close up of the fabric on the ottoman[above] repeated here on the barstools.

I have heard the mantra “All greens go together” and I think it’s mostly true; what do you think? Since all greens go together in nature, it makes sense that they should work in interior design right? Anyone that reads this blog knows how I feel about mixing clean and dirty colours together in design. The only time I have seen that it actually works is with greens. Here is another example:

Image source

Here we have olive green walls and a matching ottoman, mixed with a fresh ‘clean’ green in the painted armoire and end table. You could even throw in a clean yellow (like they’ve done with the addition of the tulips) and it would look great!

Image source

Here the ‘clean green’ is on the walls and in the printed ottoman and drapery. The throw, lamp and pictures frames are in a ‘muddy’ olive green. Notice here, there is lots of white in both images! White is the perfect neutral with light, fresh colours, including blues, turquoise, pinks, etc.

Image source

Here we have mostly an all ‘clean green’ room with a hit of turquoise. Notice there’s still plenty of white to keep the look fresh. Which brings me to the point of this post. I thought I’d include my opinion on this living room by Bunny Williams to add to everyone else.

I’m not as fussed about the red egg-chair, other than to say it doesn’t make sense from a design perspective, simply because the colour (or the style) is not repeated anywhere else in the room. It does visually appear as if ‘the client’ (I know it’s a show house) wanted it to stay and the designer ignored it.

My lowly (I am not a famous designer so who am I to say) opinion is that the turquoise is clean while the rest of the colours in the room (except the lipstick red chair) are muddy. That to me is the biggest reason why it’s not the most spectacular room in the world. And, like I said in my comment to Joni, Bunny Williams is brilliant to decorate a room that created this much publicity!

Well my lovelies, what do you think?

Related posts:

The Best way to Update Forest Green

When to use White vs. Dark Colours

Three Ways to Describe Colour

What everyone Should know about Beige