Extra! Extra! See all about it.....

We were fortunate to be invited to share some of our design tips on "Mary Talks Money." We love to use clients treasured pieces from artwork to heirlooms and reinvent them creating fresh and meaningful spaces.  We hope you enjoy the clip!

Turning Budget Into Beauty

     

Happy New Year!

We're kicking off the new year with some thoughts on how to get the most (decorating!) bang for your buck. Contrary to what some would have you believe, you don't have to spend a fortune to create a room that looks like a million bucks.

Where to start? Although "cheap" furniture might be the first thing that pops into your mind when you think budget decor, we don't believe in buying "disposable" furniture -- it's never really that cheap and it always needs to be replaced within a couple of years. Instead, we advocate investing in pieces that you love. One way to do this on a budget is to take something old and make it new. Grandma's old chair? A dusty old mirror? A flea market find? It never fails, no matter how much the other pieces in a newly decorated room cost, it's always the made-over piece that becomes every one's favorite. Why? Because it's unique, it's fresh, it's something that no one else has.

And, to help you jump start your design resolutions, we are offering a complimentary "Get Rid of the Winter Blues" design consultation to our subscribers. Contact us for more information and get decorating!

Suggestion 1:  Buy Vintage 
Dining chairs are notoriously expensive (and you need so many of them!).  So, why not buy vintage and transform?  You could take a dining chair like this...

 

and turn it into this.

OR, take these tired old chairs and turn them into...          

                                       

these whimsical ones using the paint color and fabric of your choice?

Or imagine these clean-lined (almost) beauties with slipcovers  

                              

 

 VOILA!

Or you could take an old chandelier like this and transform it into a chic new one,

 

Or how about taking an old, hand-me-down mirror and making it into something that better reflects your personality 

 

  You could paint it white or black...the possibilities are endless

  

Suggestion 2:  Unfinished Furniture
No mud room? Tired of shoes and bags thrown on the floor? Why not take an inexpensive unfinished piece like this bench,  paint it either bright or white (your choice!), add some baskets and perhaps a beautiful but durable cushion.

  

Suggestion 3: Buy Cheap(er)
One of our favorite pieces to get on the cheap is a rug -- especially if it is going under the dreaded dining room table. That's a good place to think discount retailer! How about a fresh gold pattern or cool grey animal print to add a little fun to a dining room? This is a relatively inexpensive carpet you can afford to throw it out when you are tired of the pattern or due to stains.

We hope that these suggestions will help you transform some pieces of your own. 

And don't forget, we offer a variety of services that can be mixed and matched to give you the design experience that fits your lifestyle and budget. We can do it all, from handling every last detail to working as consultants, giving you tips on fabric and furnishings. We can do upscale design using trade-only fabrics and furnishings or we can do more budget-friendly design using a combination of less expensive fabrics and furnishings, perhaps re-painted, re-upholstered and re-imagined.

****BLOG ALERT****BLOG ALERT**** BLOG ALERT****BLOG ALERT****BLOG ALERT****BLOG ALERT****  

This fall we introduced our blog with a story about a client looking to renovate the living and dining rooms of her beach house. It was beautiful (and costly!). This year we've decided to feature a step-by-step story featuring a beach house renovation that strives to be equally beautiful and chic but more budget-friendly. It will feature before and after shots and discuss our decision-making process on how to create a beautiful space on a budget. So, subscribe to our blog and follow us on our renovation journey.

Whetting Your Thanksgiving Appetite!

As Thanksgiving approaches, our thoughts turn to turkeys and side dishes and cranberry molds.  No......that's not completely true.  To be perfectly honest, as the big day approaches, we can't help fantasizing about........dining rooms covered in luscious wall-papers, with dining chairs in yummy fabrics, and whimsical light fixtures paired with seriously sensual tables.  Traditional or modern, large or small, enclosed or open, dining rooms are one of our favorite spaces to decorate.  We like to mix clean-lined contemporary with traditional elements or traditional large scale pieces with pops of modern.  Lots of gratification, lots of style, lots of beauty packed into a jewel of a space.  To really work, dining rooms must be not only beautiful but also beautifully functional.  
 
So, just to whet you appetite, we share our recipe for the perfect dining room.  Enjoy!

There is a lot we love about this dining room.  For starters, we love how the fluffy light fixture (!), the mix of white and dark woods and the pop of coral against the backdrop of blue-greens all combine to make a space that is warm and wonderful. A great example of how white paint and cool fabrics can re-make some very traditional chairs.

This dining room demonstrates that The key to a warm, welcoming space is all in the mix. Don't buy chairs that match the table, don't even buy chairs that all match, use a mix of fabrics and add some vintage items (lighting fixtures are one of our favorite ways to bring in the old). No room should be all new. Love it or hate it, this dining room has personality and style.

Ahhhhh.  Graphic but feminine fabrics and carpeting, the walls bring in a rich masculine touch, while the touch of gold and a vintage chandelier bring it all together.

This dining room was designed by Architect Ken Levenson. We love the perfect balance of formality and the casual contemporary feel that this dining room exudes. Simply splendid!

Not over-designed but reeking of clean-lined sophistication.

One of our favorites.  The curvy chandelier above the straight-backed chairs; the blue vases sparkling against the pale walls; the punch of the chocolate fabric and the gold frame.  Simple perfection.

This is a simple but beautiful dining room designed by Simpson Design Group Architects. The large scaled lantern light fixture, combined with the hearty table and graphic back chairs say, "Wow!" in a very subtle way. Casual with  a kick.

Regardless of how formal a room may be, it's always a good idea to shake things up with unexpected touches.  
Note the fun striped fabric on the back of the chairs.

Clean, but not austere, this dining space exudes both glamour and relaxation.  We can just picture ourselves       having breakfast here (kids not included!).

Not everyone's cup of tea, this dining room is more Tom Collins than Earl Grey, but the punches of color and 

graphic touches are perfectly balanced by the white walls and black elements.  

Undeniably traditional, undeniably luscious. We love the wall-paper and chandelier and mixing upholstered host chairs with classic side chairs. Note the ceiling beams. What a rustic touch to a seemingly formal room.

Dining rooms don't have to be loud or busy.  As this dining room shows, you can create an inviting space by     using two contrasting colors and a great focal point.                                                                                                    

Speaking of focal points...one great piece of modern art can update the most traditional of spaces...not to 

suggest that there's anything very traditional about this space (maybe the light fixture?).  

                                   

Dining rooms don't need to be formal to be wonderful.  We love how the colorful, ethnic fabric (with nailheads too!) adds an unexpected touch to the space.  What a great idea to use painted lattice to give a plain room some architectural interest.

                                   * all photos courtesy of House Beautiful unless otherwise noted

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and if you need any help with your dining room, you know where to find us!



The Role of Inspiration In Design

What is “inspiration?”  Inspiration is what excites and motivates you, but more than that, it
provides invaluable focus and clarity for your design vision.  By narrowing your choices, 

it enables you to make good editing decisions, giving your space a cohesive, put-together 

look.  Inspiration can come from anything and anywhere; a piece of art that captures a mood,

a piece of furniture that makes you smile, a rug or fabric around which you can design an 

entire room, or even just a single photograph that captures your fancy.  

An Example of Inspiration at Work

We recently started working on a proposal for a beach house project which includes an entry

foyer and dining and living rooms.  As we always do when meeting with new clients, we 

asked the owner for the three words that best described her vision for the finished space.  

Her three words?  " Elegant but relaxed and pretty." 

So many colors…. so many spectacular furnishings and fabrics…… so many ways to go.

The inspiration for this space ended up coming from an unexpected 
source --- Kelly’s daughter's bathing suit.  The earthy but elegant palette
of brown, golden yellow, turquoise and two shades of orange screamed

“summer at the beach" without a single nautical reference.  So much 

more chic than the expected all-blue beach décor.

Armed with the client’s vision and our inspiration, we came up with a warm combination

of rustic and elegant pieces, mixed with fun pops of graphic color and a bit of gold.  As 

with all of our rooms, we mixed new and vintage pieces  to create warmth and character.

We’ll give you a sneak peek at our proposed design plan………

THE ENTRY FOYER

In the entrance foyer, we wanted to make an immediate statement that was welcoming,

functional and breathtakingly beautiful.  After all, the entrance sets the mood for the rest

of the house.  We suggested covering the primary wall with a graphic wallpaper that was

both elegant and fun, 

adding a curvy oval table made from reclaimed lumber (the perfect

piece for this sun-washed cottage),

juxtaposed with a huge, distinctly less rustic mirror,

a fun, organic chandelier, 

and I brown rug showcasing circles, a common theme throughout our design plan.

On a functional note, we proposed adding rows of knobs resembling twigs to one wall in

the entrance foyer, creating both the perfect place to hang your sunhat or beach bag
and a colorful, folk-artsy tableau.

THE DINING ROOM

We continued these themes in the dining room, where we suggested using colorful, graphic 

fabrics and a mix of dark brown and white painted furniture.  We chose a glass-topped dining

table to make the room seem large and airy, added a couple of beautiful but functional

pieces for needed storage and a strong graphic rug to anchor the space.  For the walls, 
we proposed one of our favorite colors, a white with just a smidge of blue.

We love these Frances Elkins loop dining chairs which are both elegant and casual covered
in an orange fabric with great movement and pop.

At the foot of the dining table, we chose a dark brown bamboo console that could serve as

both storage and the perfect place to setup a buffet. 

Above the console, we proposed a dramatic faux coral mirror with gold leafed tips. 
Spectacular!

On either end of the long console, we suggested some fun Christopher Spitzmiller lamps

with dimmers for evening dining.  They look yummy enough to eat.

Speaking of lighting, we chose a playful take on a more formal chandelier for above

the dining table.

And for additional storage we added a stunning mid-century Chinese Chippendale

buffet to the mix. It’s truly special pieces like this that elevate a space from predictable

to breathtaking.

THE LIVING ROOM

After much discussion over what to propose, we decided to float two of these long, 

comfortable sofas across from one another in the living room.  Covered in an

easy-to-bleach white denim…. to us, they epitomize casual elegance.

 Using our inspiration as a guide, we chose a fun and colorful mix of pillow fabrics. 

Above the sofa we suggested a big, beautiful, abstract oil painting that captures the

essence of this quintessential island house.

We chose a long vintage faux bamboo gilded coffee table to center between the sofas.

You can never have too much faux bamboo!

We added two of these chairs to the mix for additional seating.  We love the sense of order

and harmony that comes from the symmetry of using two sofas, two, chairs, and…….

two side tables – a girl’s gotta have somewhere to put her cocktail!

For lighting in the room, we proposed supplementing the existing recessed lighting with

a pair of these gorgeous Oly floor lamps. Love them!

Rounding out the room, we added a restored mid-century faux bamboo bar on one wall….
so chic, so Cary Grant and Myrna Loy with a twist!

On either side of the bar, we proposed these stools made from woven seagrass.

They serve as additional seating and add a comforting texture and symmetry to the space.

As an extra bonus for the lady of the house, who likes nothing better than to curl up with

a book, we chose this (surprisingly comfortable) chair paired with a lamp and a side table.  

What could be better?

The rug we proposed coordinates with and compliments, but doesn’t match, the one in the adjoining dining room.

And, finally, our favorite piece in the room, a one-of-a-kind, hand-made, functional piece

of art, a rocking chair made out of hand bent rebar.  Beautiful, functional, and certainly a conversation piece!

The Result

Elegant? Check.  Relaxed? Check.  Pretty? Check.

Our next inspiration?   We’re dreaming about seasonal rustic elegance with a touch of 

modern whimsy.  

How about...mmmm....Tori Burch Boot + Hudson Table (with a sprinkling of flowers and
peppers) + Schumacher Fabrics and Suzani Pillows = Fabulous Fall

What's your inspiration?