Artisan Pieces -- cocktail table

One of my favorite resources is using local artists for bespoke (custom) products in my room environments! They add a strong personal, unique touch like nothing else! Usually the need arises from not finding the particular piece I had in mind for the space, whether that be the exact style, color, size, timeline, or price. Lately, I have been able to do quite a bit and it's a real treat!!

Below is a piece I designed for a recent music room/library. I collaborated with Asa Hoyt of A.W. Hoyt Metal Arts discussing the particulars of my design combined with his expert opinion in metal working so we could create a stable and interesting piece. I knew I wanted the piece to have an aged gold, retro, yet clean feel. Since the client has grandkids who roam the house at will, I wanted to make sure the top was resistant to scratches, stains, etc. but still giving us that clean Carrara marble look. Hello Cambria! And Voila'! Asa's fabulous metal table base with a Cambria Torquay top!

On to the golding: I had the table delivered to Candice Simpson of Textural Hues. Candice has worked on oodles of my projects, whether it is a decorative paint finish on a wall, accessory, or piece of furniture. We selected the color of gold (there are many!) for the legs, one part being base and the other a metallic paint finish, percentage of metallic to base and location of distressing. When all was completed, it was delivered!!

I think it's perfect!!

Art~~It's a good thing!! Later, Susan

IGH Living Room Progress: Mantel going UP!

Happy Spring!

Details are coming together in an Inver Grove Heights living room I am updating.  Let's look!

In this corner, we added grommet style curtains using Robert Allen and Schumacher linen fabrics and a new olive green Hickory wing chair with nailheads. I love this Schumacher linen with the oversized paisleys but chose to use it only on the large floor to ceiling windows on either side of the fireplace so we could keep the focal point on that wall. I put Robert Allen linen solids on the patio door, but connected the draperies with the rust colored border at the top. Linen just hangs so beautifully, it's one of my favorite fabrics!

We added a new Charles Ray sofa, but I decided to keep the coffee table my client had inherited from his mother.  I just love the oversized feel of the piece, the carved details and those bulbous legs are so fabulous!  We highlighted the details with gold leaf and gold Rub n' Buff...thanks to Candice of Textural Hues!!  We're also adding cabinet doors to the bottom half of the built in bookcase behind the sofa.  There's one on either side of the dining room entry.  Now they'll look like built in cabinets instead of built in bookshelves. Still need to redo that piano seat...it's in progress!

And yet in another corner, you can see we've painted the rooms' walls and ceiling with new Ben Moore colors and added this luscious Hickory chaise in a soft grey/blue.  This fabric is soooo soft, you can snuggle right in and watch the wildlife right outside the window. The homeowner already owned the espresso colored faux fur throw, but I think it's perfect on the chaise and grounds the colors in this corner.

Back to the other corner, you can see the old mantel from a chunk of cedar and the graduating bricks holding it up.  I am not a fan of protruding bricks in fireplaces, and it truly doesn't work with our revamped style...too retro, too 50's/60's looking, so...

 ...we are going to cover them up. We could have possibly knocked them off, but we didn't want to risk weakening the entire fireplace structure. The above corbels are hollow, acting as caps, to go over the protruding bricks and hold up the new larger mantel which will wrap around and tie right into the window casing on either side of the fireplace.

Here's my fabulous woodworker, Walt from McHenry's Custom Furniture & Cabinets refining the fit on the new mantel.  Now to paint it to match the trim, and install.

Keep posted!!

Susan

Thank You Joan Rivers!!!

Joan Rivers?!  What?  Yes, you read it right.  We all need a little cover up now and then.  To begin, my gorgeous auburn locks have turned to gray.  Not the whole head, but enough.  HOWEVER, my hair grows so fast that within two weeks of coloring, I can see a little gray halo where my hair meets my forehead (so angelic like me, I know...). Do I have the time, or do I even want, to have my hair dyed every two weeks?  No way!  Tried the touch up dyes, disaster.  Tried brushing brown eye shadow on, no stick.  So I ordered Joan Rivers Beauty Great Hair Day from Soft Surroundings catalog.  It's a powder you apply to your hair with a makeup brush.  OMG!!  It is truly a miracle!  Totally covers my gray roots, matches my color, stays in when I brush or swipe my hand through my hair, doesn't transfer to the pillow at night, takes only 2-3 minutes to apply, and comes out when my hair is washed.  Really, I am floored and in love with the stuff.  It truly is a miracle!  Believe me, gray and auburn, when it comes to hair -- not a good combo.  You salt & pepper people got it made!

SPEAKING of cover ups...below are a few Before and Afters from a decorative painter friend of mine, Candice Simpson of Textural Hues.  Every time, I look at these photos, I am blown away by the gorgeous and transformative job she has done.  She truly is a miracle worker also.  Check it out!!

Stunning!  Feel like doing a little concealing???

~~~ Susan ~~~