Tuesday, July 26, 2011

New Kitchen/Family Room Project - BEFORE PICS

Hi!  I'm excited to introduce my newest project ~~ a kitchen/family rm/living rm/dining rm remodel.  This client was my very first client when I started my business.  How exciting is that!  Throughout the years, we have redecorated her son's and daughter's bedrooms, the master bedroom, the guest bedroom, and the powder room.  In this go round, the kitchen is getting completely gutted (or already is!) and redone.  In the family room, we are revamping the focal point wall which contains the fireplace, bookshelves and TV.  We are also putting in new bamboo floors in the kitchen, family room, living room, and dining room.  I am doing this project in conjunction with the builder Scott Santanni of Santanni Custom Homes and Steve Draeger of Imperial Custom Woodworking.  Below are some BEFORE pics:

 Here is the BEFORE kitchen.  After much deliberation and exploration, we've decided the existing layout really works the best with traffic flow throughout the kitchen.  We will be changing orientation of the island and including countertop eating space with stools at the peninsula.  We will also be putting new floor tile and wall finish in the laundry room at the back of the kitchen.

 In addition to new bamboo floors, we will be doing maple, shaker style cabinetry with stainless steel applicances with grey blue accents in paint and backsplash tile.  As for countertops, we will be doing a combination of granite and quartz product.

In the family room, we again will have new bamboo floors, new maple bookcases that flank the fireplace to tie the kitchen and family room together.  The fireplace hearth will be lowered somewhat and get a new top of granite.  The fireplace will "possibly" get retiled with a large greyish tile over the brick.

BEFORE family room

In the BEFORE dining room, we are again getting new bamboo floors.  The existing wallpaper, which is a gorgeous handmade paper, will stay as well as the fabulous, somewhat retro, yet super cool and elegant, chandelier.  I personally love it!  My client just recently inherited a gorgeous Drexel Heritage dining table, chairs, and buffet which will replace the above set.  We will be reupholstering the chairs with a punch of color and adding new window treatments!

The BEFORE living room will also get bamboo floors, we will keep the blue handmade wallpaper, but will get new furniture, a rug, and window treatments as well.

Stay tuned for updates as we proceed!!!

✂✂✂ Susan ✂✂✂


MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Arts and Crafts Dining Room Completed!

A little add on to the last post...being it is the same house and all!  We also completed the dining room in the Arts and Crafts house where we redid the living room and made the cocktail table with the 19th century Turkish platter.  Below is the finished design.  My client already had the table and chairs, chandelier, and corner buffet.  We added window treatments and a focal point to the table.  We also added small turquoise glass tealights from Pier 1 on the plate rail for ambience during dinner parties.

Isn't it warm and welcoming?  We made absolutely stunning table runners from a Cowtan & Tout embroidered fabric called Castello in Celadon/Toffee.

 Close up of the stunning Cowtan & Tout fabric.  The fabric was not cheap, but the colors and design could not have been more perfect.  We both knew it had to be!

My client wanted a centerpiece that she could keep on the table during entertaining, would not block dinner guests from seeing each other, but would also look good for an everyday table centerpiece.  (Sorry didn't light the candles as they were brand new!  Thought I'd save that for her!)  The Chinese antique wood tray is from Zachary, and the mosaic/crackle glass hurricanes are from Pier 1.

Beautiful silk draperies using Pollack's Silk Route in Teak.

Fabricut's Quatrefoil trim adorns three sides of the drapery.  Sorry for the blurry pic.  The trim has a tad of blue in it to tie in with the table runners.

It makes for a very lovely dining experience!!  Don't you think?  I'm getting hungry already!

❖❖❖❖❖ Susan ❖❖❖❖❖
MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Copper Platter turned Cocktail Table ~ Finished!

Hey all!

Remember the early 19th century Turkish copper platter I found and talked about here?  To refresh your wandering minds, I designed a 54" diameter cocktail table using the copper platter inset into the middle, and distressed, dark stained reclaimed wood for the base.  The table was designed to be in an Arts and Crafts inspired home using the philosophy and principles of the A&C era but not necessarily using A&C furniture.  The cocktail table is done, and actually the whole living room is almost done.  One small detail is still in progress and it should be installed in the next couple of weeks.  I'm so excited to show you the finished table!


Pic showing copper tray and inspiration wood sample from old post

 Presenting ~~ the finished cocktail table!  The table was made by Walt McHenry of the 4th Street Guild Furniture Makers in Minneapolis.  Fabulous work, huh?

 Antiqued copper banding around edge


 The tray is permanently secured into the cocktail table.  That way, it doesn't wobble or rattle, and if someone does put their feet up on it, it is secure from underneath since copper is a softer metal, and we most definitely do not want denting!



 I am so excited and absolutely love it ~~ as does my client, which is the important part!  The whole living room will be completed in a couple of weeks.  More pics to come!  Stay tuned!



❖❖❖❖❖ Susan ❖❖❖❖❖

MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected

Monday, July 11, 2011

Linnaeus Collection wallcovering - Is Dr. Seuss in the house?

I am loving this Spring's Designers Guild Linnaeus Collection wallcoverings!  If you aren't aware of Designers Guild, they are a well known home furnishings company (fabric, wallcovering, bed & bath) based in the UK, and founded by Tricia Guild.  The images of the Linnaeus collection have such wonderfully classic, yet almost whimsical, topiary forms (very Dr. Seuss).  So fun!

Noir

Close up of Noir -- They have a wonderful sketch-like appearance as if someone walked right up to the walls with their chunky colored pencil or charcoal and started sketching away.

Indigo

Acacia


It comes in 11 different colorways such as a striking black on white (Noir), or a more subtle white on soft tan/green (Linen), or even a very dark black on charcoal grey (Graphite), plus more colorful options like the above Indigo or Acacia.  


Linen

Graphite



 It would be a fabulous addition in so many different environments.  I can see it in a traditional living or dining room, a cabin or summer home, a children's play area, a bathroom or powder room, etc.  The applications are endless!! 


Can you think of a place in your home for this fabulous paper?  I sure can!!

♕♕♕♕♕ Susan ♕♕♕♕♕
MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Eccentric Contrast

Love this room!  The complementary contrasts (yes, that does make sense ~~ in the design world anyway) are fabulous.  The ornate with the streamlined, the vertical with the horizontal, the minuscule with the gigantic, the feminine with the masculine.  The contrast is what makes each item really play off its complement.  You notice the uniqueness of pieces.  Enjoy!


The heat is blasting today.  Stay cool!!

☼☼☼☼☼ Susan ☼☼☼☼☼

MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected

Saturday, July 2, 2011

4th of JULY!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY 4th OF JULY EVERYONE!!!


Here's a funky room pic I took from the High Point Furniture Market this last Spring.  It was in a sustainable art exhibit.  If you remember, I had a close up pic of the chandelier, which is made from paper coffee cups, in a previous post here.  Think of the below room as a take on the traditional red, white, and blue with a splash of sunshine yellow!


Have a "bang up"(safely) time this 4th!!!

✯✯✯✯✯ Susan ✯✯✯✯✯
MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected