6/14/2016

Bright Light Living


This family called us in to help with their new build and it was such a pleasure. Throughout the space we used one of my favorite wall colors of all time: Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray. Along with Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray, these colors provide the perfect neutral backdrop for all the shades. All of them. It hasn't failed me yet. You try not to do the same thing over and over but you also have to respect what works. You know? 

These two colors are the perfect mix of warm and cool. They teeter the tot of gray and beige right in the middle without either one being propelled into the sky by that jerk who decided to push off with all of their might taking over what was a really nice teeter (I really don't know what kind of action teeter tottering is. Is it a ride? a game? Or if this illustration will resonate with anyone. I just never understood why it was so hard to find someone on the play ground that could just have a nice, slow, teeter tot with me). Talking about about middle ground greiges is apparently triggering some bad playground memories that seem to have nothing to do with what we are talking about... but they do. These colors are calm and easy and play well with others, and that's all I'm trying to say. Moving on. 






We created a welcoming entry mixing metal tones, color and lots of texture. Here are some pointers on entry ways that I always like to stick to. 

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Three Tips for Creating an Inviting Entry 

1. Represent the colors that are throughout the rest of your home. 
Throughout the main living space of this home, oranges, blues and golds are used in various ways. We took those colors and combined them in the entry way to make the rest of the living space feel cohesive as you enter other rooms. This is especially effective in open concept living spaces such as this one. Think of it as the invitation the party where you introduce the theme and give people an idea of what they are getting into. I don't know about you, but I totally judge what a party will be like by the invite. 

2. Maximize the function of the space.
I think art can totally be functional, in that it makes me really happy and it can set the tone for a space, so I have no problem with taking up a lot of real estate to showcase art. However, in order to maximize the use of spaces and make them functional for families, they need to be more than pretty. We used this console table and added a tray where a guest's keys can be thrown as you walk in the front door. A lamp adds warmth and a plant adds some life. We tucked two stools under the table to function as extra seating for the living space. When entertaining these stools can be pulled around the coffee table for games or in front of the television for football. 

3. Introduce the family. 
I think entry ways are one of the best places to represent the family who lives in the home. Whether its a table full of family photos, a gallery wall, or a more abstract introduction such as these silhouettes that welcome you as you walk in the front door. We used these silhouettes that my mom makes for many of our clients as a way to introduce the family into the space along with color and texture. 
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In the living area we kept it up with our neutral base and added color with accessories. We brought in pops of yellow, blue and green with textiles. 


Choosing lighting in this project was one of my favorite favorite parts of the process. The clients were not afraid to mix styles and metal tones and you know that's my jam. Ok, the husband was a little scared. We made it though and I love the mix. 


One of the main requests from these clients was that somewhere in the space we had a gallery wall. This large wall in the dining area was the perfect spot to play up our theme of mixed wood and metal tones and I think it's one of the clients favorite things we did. In a post soon, I'll break down my tips and tricks to creating the perfect mix on a gallery wall.  



These huge-a-mongus (roll with it) lamps were basically the HomeGoods find of the century and are just killer. KILLER. Or course, we tasseled 'em up and called it a day. 


On top of it's kitchen duties, this space acts as homework, office, and entertaining headquarters so it was important that the space was friendly for all of these activities. We kept things light and bright and popped color here and there. 


We chose Sherwin Williams Shoji White for the cabinets. It's a soft creamy white that plays well with grays and doesn't lean into the realm of yellow in any way. I don't like it when they do that. Yellowy white looks old and yucky and I don't think old and yucky is what anyone sets out to accomplish. But hey, you do you, if that's what you're into. 





Sherwin Williams Tempe Star is what we chose for the island and I don't think I could love it anymore than I do. We paired White Maucaubas Quartzite with a warm butchers block and kept our mix rolling. A hand-poured tile on the backsplash adds texture and keeps things from feeling too sleek with our more traditional cabinetry. 






And there it is. A living space full of light and color used in healthy doses. Cheers, friends! 

XO, Amanda Louise 



6/02/2016

The Ladies Room


Happy Thursday, friends! This week has been a whirl wind after being out of the studio for a week and a half. So many fun things going on and only so many hours in the day. I'm sure most of you can relate. Well, here is our latest completed project and I am over the moon with how this space turned out. This project was so so fun. This client loves color and pattern and has wonderful collections that we were able to showcase. My kind of client and my kind of project.



We started with this collection of Mary Cassatt prints that were in the space already. We rehung them and mixed in other gold elements to make them cover the wall and accentuate the high ceilings of the room. Mixing traditional and modern elements in the room came to be a theme and I love how the mix turned out. 


My favorite part of the room... the coffee table was one of the last elements that came together in the space. We really needed something that would stand out and we knew it needed to be special. My client loves elephants and supports many elephant rescue organizations such as the DSWT in Kenya. If you don't know about or support the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust you need to check them out. They rescue orphaned elephants and help protect wildlife across Kenya from poaching... and if you follow them on Instagram, you get to see pictures baby elephants all day. ALI fosters the elephants, Roi and Turkwell, and I think they are the jam. My client loved the idea of using elephants in the space, so we ordered these two garden stools and had a custom piece of glass cut for the top. 



These Blush Label pillows just make my day. The colors are perfection and the pattern plays so well against some of the other traditional elements of the room. 


We anchored the room and our color pallet with this colorful Dash and Albert rug. From the rug, we pulled out dark coral tones, blues, greens and pinks. 



These Dana Gibson Chintz lamps were the perfect mix of fun modern colors and a traditional style. 


And if you know anything about me, you know that I love pups and furniture and especially a combination of both. Stella is just the coolest. 



This large chandelier anchors the room. I loved it's traditionalism with it's gold tones but how it also had geometric lines and provided plenty of light in this large room. 



All the single ladies, all the single ladies... and I love them all. We jazzed this lady up and I think she looks so fab. Actually, though the real lady of the house is not single and theres a really nice man who hangs out in this space as well. I love husband's who are troopers and don't put up a fight about how we ladies like to decorate. They are my favorite kind of husband and my husband, Kevin,  is the president of this club and I love him for it. 




I am crazy crazy in love with this wallpaper. It worked out as the perfect backdrop for my client's collections and books. 




My client had this chair and we took a hint from the Mary Cassatt prints and used this lady fabric from Cotton and Quill to recover this chair. Oh, to be as fabulous as the ladies on this chair with their high wasted skirts and fabulous jewels! 


We again took to mixing colors, patterns and styles, mixing this fun and modern Jonathan Adler fabric with a ruffled monogrammed pillow that screams Southern Belle. 


Here, we layered draperies on this large window: A softer linen with a blue leopard tape mixed with a more formal colorful panel on top. 


And.... that's a wrap. This project was so fun and I loved being able to create this space full of cheer for one of my favorite clients ever. 

Until next week, friends!  

XO,
Amanda Louise