Sneak Peek: Music Room/Library

Today, I'm giving you a sneak peek into a music room/library I am designing. You can see my color palette of turquoise and chartreuse here in the reupholstery pic (yes a tad blurry...sorry) of one of the sofas. There will also be grey and a tiny proportion of lavender. You'll have to stay tuned for the final look!!

Have a "COLORFUL" week!!!

***Susan***

Sun Room Update

Happy Spring! Not a pleasant topic in this northern neck of the woods, as we are continuously getting dumped on by Old Man Winter...and yes, it is getting "old"! One small project I am currently working on is a sun room update. However, in addition to a sunroom, this room is also the main, year-round family/TV watching room...and not a large space.  Currently the room is painted blue with wood trim and ceiling of a golden hued tint.

The goal of the space is a soft, monochromatic environment accented by dark wood furniture and a pop of color in the artwork. We are going to paint the walls a wonderful warm grey, Ben Moore's Smoke Embers 1466 above. The planked wood ceiling and trim will be painted Ben Moore's White Dove OC-17...my always go-to white.

Above is the existing grey/brown leather sofa and loveseat.

The new carpet:  Love this Shaw carpet! It's called Polished Comfort and this color is Silver Smoke. Sooo reasonably priced -- gotta love that!

My color palette: folded branch-like Duralee fabric will be the roman shades with the Dwell Studio's Robert Allen diamond pattern in a large ottoman with accent welting in a silvery vinyl that turns tan/gold when the sunlight hits it, like in the picture above. How cool is that? Perfect for this color combo, huh? The remaining fabrics are pillows.

Now for the punch of color...no final decisions yet, but up for grabs from MN artist Jessie Schreier:

 Buddy and/or...

Lilypads

Or...

Stay tuned for the final before and after results!

Toodles my dear noodles...Susan

Spring and Petite Wonders

I recently saw this wonderful, dainty floral arrangement while on a trip to New York.  There were so many things that caught my eye: it's petite, but full presence, the contrast in hues, the desaturated color of the large grey green leaves contrasted with the intense chroma of the dainty, frilly fuchsia flower petals.  This one little presentation has so much richness, and best of all...it won't get in your way while eating!

So, of course, I had to ask the Garden Guru, my mother-in-law Deb Brown, the best way to duplicate this little dandy on your own.  Her suggestion:

"It looks like several frilly carnations for the center wired together at the bottom. I would say look to your houseplants and trim the ends from trailing philodendrons or pothos this time of year.  In summer, you could cut a few leaves from perennials.  Or any time, you could pick up a small bunch of floral greenery at a grocery store florist -- or wherever you buy the carnations.  I think the fun part would be the creativity involved.  That little arrangement or bouquet could be made with other flowers as well as carnations...a mound of mums, for instance.  And in June, one luscious peony, surrounded by contrasting leaves."

Spring will be here...eventually...really!!

Susan

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 ✂✂✂