design highlight....take 5

the miller's home

i was lucky enough to help out one of my good friends, carissa with c.c. miller photography, with her new home.  this was a great project...and a fast project!  if i remeber correctly, they broke ground in march and the house was in the tulsa parade of homes in june!  crazy fast!

for this project i was able to help out from the very beginning.  i designed most of the millwork {cabinets}, selected all the finishes {flooring, counters, backsplash, color palette, wallcovering, carpet}, selected lighting fixtures, helped select the hearth room dining table, and was on site quite a bit as the project was under construction.  i love being apart of projects like this because you get to start from the ground and work your way up.

as you will see, the color palette for this home is simple, yet very inviting.  we chose 3 colors total to use throughout the entire house.  the main color is a light grey/blue, the main accent color is a darker blue/grey, and the third accent color is a soft brown {not shown in any photos}.  these paint colors are paired with dark pine wood floors, tile floors that resemble slate, and also white & espresso cabinetry.  by selecting colors, materials, and finishes that flow throughout the house, you create a home that is cohesive and makes sense from one room to another.

on to the photos...i will explain more as we go through the house.

this is the entry.  wonderful, tall ceilings with beautiful white moldings.  the entry is in the main accent color, the darker grey/blue.  on either side of the entry i designed display areas.  the lighted arches accent the vinly wallcovering and high wainscoting.  the high wainscoting is the perfect place for the family to display photos.

an upclose of the vinyl wall covering.  that's right people, it's wall paper and it's gorgeous!  it's actually not wall paper.  it is vinyl and super durable.  this particular wallcovering is a light silver color with and organic leaf pattern.  it has a slight shimmer to it, which is accentuated even more by the recessed lighting in the arches.  this photo also shows the photo ledge at the top of the tall wainscoting.  you don't need much room at all for simple frames and canvases to rest.

this is a view from the entry into the main living room.  this  room is the main overall paint color, light grey /blue.  here you can see the combination of the rustic wood floors and beams, with the ornate white moldings.  i love the combination...not too fancy and not too rustic.

as i mentioned before, for this project i was able to help with the designing of the client's millwork.  carissa had done lots of research on different things that she liked for the kitchen.  she loves to cook, so having the perfect kitchen was high on her list.  i asked her to find inspiration photos so that i could get an idea of her likes.  this is the elevation, that i drew, of the back kitchen wall.

as you can see it turned out pretty darn close to the drawings!

another area that was important to carissa was their "hearth room".  they didn't want a typical formal dining room.  instead she wanted a space where the family could join together and feel relaxed and comfortable.  she had always wanted a window seat with a big table.  i designed the main focal wall of the hearth room to include storage space with open shelving and closed cabinets and in the center, under the picture window, a built in window seat.  this window seat serves as seating for one whole side of their, huge, beautiful table.  on the left you will see the elevation and on the right you will see the section drawing, showing how to construct the window seat.

carissa and i got a little bit of resistence from some of the guys on this idea.  not necessarilly b/c they didn't think it would look good, but because it wasn't "typical".  the millwork guy had noever done anything like this before.  i distictly remember her calling me saying that i needed to come down and talk to the millwork guy b/c he didn't think it was going to work.  she was like, "i can't give up on this now!"  so, after talking with the sub, measuring out the lines and drawing them on the concrete with my finger in the saw dust, he finally agreed to it and set to work.  i absolutely love how it turned out.  he was an awesome sub.  

this photo also shows the great lantern light fixtures, another photo inspiration from carissa.  also, this hearth room goes back to the darker accent color. 

a closer look at the built in window seat...

for the kitchen backsplash we chose a beautiful glass tile.  LOVE it!  i'm telling you...glass tile is where it is at!  it adds so much dimension and character to a space.

many of the inspiration photos that carissa found showed marble counter tops in the kitchen.  yes, they are beautiful, NO they are not practical.  they will stain...ketchup...red wine....not good.  i would hate for anyone to spend money on beautiful marble, only for it to get stained down the road.  i was able to find a granite that was light and had grey...this was a great substitute for the original idea of marble.  it turned out beautiful, and it even has a few small specs of red.

love the lights over the kitchen island.  so simple, yet they make such a great statement!

this photo shows the combination of the main paint color and the main accent color, beautiful wood stairs, and a darker colored carpet. 

on to the bathrooms.  you will notice that the millwork in the bathrooms changes to the dark espresso color.  the flooring is a porcelain tile that looks like slate.  i love this tile b/c it is so natural looking and great warm colors.  no two tiles are alike, so you get great variety in each room.  we carried the same granite throughout all the bathrooms, which looks great with the bright white vessel sinks.  the backsplash in the bathrooms is another glass mosaic tile. 

below is the master bath.  same dark espresso millwork.  you will notice that we did the whole length of the wall with a mirror and mounted tall, linear fixtures ontop of the mirror.  this provides great reflection within the bathroom.

color pop!



wow!  this was a super long post!  thanks for hanging in there.  i had a blast working on this home project and love the way it turned out.  i joked about mymichael and i living in a small portion of it.  i really don't think they would mind! =)

i hope you all enjoyed all the design highlights this week.  i am getting oh so close to having all the details worked out on my new firm, ruby jewel studio.  i will be offering residential and contract commercial interior design services.  they will range from something as simple as paint color selection to a project like the miller's, so there will be something for everyone!  keep me in mind for any of your design needs.

happy friday!!!

design highlight...take 4

the yokum's nursery

this was a great little project that i did for one of my friends. the family had already selected all the furniture for the nursery and simply needed help selecting a paint color, fabric for the bedding, curtains and a rug. the goal was to create a comfortable space for a sweet baby girl that wasn't full of the typical "girl" color...pink. the end result was a combination of many colors, both subtle and bold. the walls are a light blue which provides a great backdrop for the bold bedding fabric that draws in purple, navy, green, yellow and a little bit of pink. the multiple patterns all come together with a unified color palette that is carried throughout the room.

the blanket, below, was made by the mom and her grandma....beautiful!

multiple patterns can be used together with a unified color palette.

color pop!  this color palette is not typical of most nursery's.  navy, lavender, pink, green, grey, and blue make up this sophisticated color palette.  these colors and patterns could easily transition into a toddler's room a few years down the road. 

congratulations to allison and michael on their new bundle of joy!



design highlight....take 3

the watson's family room

BEFORE

AFTER

the family room is the epicenter of this family.  located right off the kitchen, the family room becomes the place to gather in the evenings.  this space needed to incorporate a small family dining area as well as a comfortable seating area.  also needed was new paint, ceiling light fixture & floor lamps, rug, ottomans, curtains, and art.  beacuse of the shape of the room, the way to get the most seating was to utilize a large sectional.  this was a custom furniture piece with a durable, neutral fabric.  instead of a typical coffee table i chose to use four leather ottomans that double as storage cubes.  these can be rearranged throughought the room as needed.  the family dining is located behind the sectional and is a unique table that can swivel to be typical table height or taller for standing height.  the color palette for the family room starts with a fresh light grey/blue color on the walls, which accentuates the wood beams and terra cotta tile floor.  the sculpted rug has an organic pattern with chocolate brown, citron green, cream, pink and light orange.  the art in this room is focused on the family.  family portraits and art pieces from travels are displayed throughout.  this is a family room that is functional, flexible and most of all comfortable.

another beautiful rug!  a great way to add pattern and color to a room.

color pop!  the color palette for this room utilizes light colors with dark accents.  the existing tile floor and wood beams are a rich masculine brown.  the lighter blue, green, and pink are a great feminine balance for what could become a very dark space.  the result is a comfortable and inviting room for the whole family. 

the watson's foyer

that is all of the watson residence for now.  it was a super fun project to work on and i am so glad i was able to reconnect with some old friends! 

design highlight...take 2

the watson's dining room

BEFORE

i could eat dinner in here, how about you?

AFTER

this is the watson's dining room, it is located directly across from their formal living room, which i highlighted yesterday.

for this project we needed curtains, a light fixture, wall treatment, art, and a buffet piece. since the floor, table, and chairs are all existing and dark wood, i wanted to brighten the room. the white and silver trellis pattern wallcovering added just the right amount of interest to the walls. instead of doing one large light fixture right in the center of the dining room, i opted for two smaller fixtures that would center over the long table. the buffet was an existing piece, of the client's, that i had refinished in a white lacquer. it completely changed its look and made it work perfectly for the space. the blue silk draperies create a focal point while breaking up all of the white. a simple color palette and pattern can create a calm and comfortable atmosphere.

this is a perfect example of how you can take more traditional pieces and pair them with more contemporary colors and patterns to create a unique space.

this piece of furniture was a dark wood and black.  paint can make a huge difference on furniture.  it can give a second life to a piece that otherwise you might get rid of...and not to mention that it is great on the pocket book!  i love this wall covering.  it makes such a statement, but yet it is so simple.  it can go traditional or more contemporary/modern. 

BEFORE

AFTER

the color pop for this space shows the tight color palette.  the blue tones pair perfectly with the dark browns in the floor and furniture, while the bright whites and silver lighten the space.

stay tuned for more tomorrow!

design highlight

getting things in place for my new business has made me take the time to photograph recent residential projects i have completed.  this week i am going to show a different space each day.

at my past job i did all commercial interior design.  that means that i worked on schools, churches, offices, pharmacies, etc.  residential and commercial interior design is very different.  the commercial interior design that i did was very much interior architecture.  in my free time i was able to work on some great residential projects that included furniture selection, art selection, rugs, and accessories.  so, onto the first design highlight....

the watson's formal living room

BEFORE

this family had just moved into a new home and needed help with furniture selection, rugs, art, and accessories. also, the client had a few pieces of family art that they wanted to incorporate into the room. the gorgeous chandelier was existing and was a great focal point to work around. the walls stayed their original neutral color which was a great backdrop for the rich materials, textures, and colors. Turquoise, citron green, burnt orange, and charcoal give the space interest in an otherwise neutral palette. by combining elegant pieces and formal items with rustic touches,the combination of all these elements allows the room to become a very welcoming place where many people can gather.

the mirror credenza reflects the colors and design from the area rug.

this rug is gorgeous.  it is hard to tell from the photo, but it is a "sculpted" rug.  it's not just flat.  there are grooves that separate the design and colors.  gorgeous! 

the bird art on the wall are family prints.  by placing them in a white frame your focus is on the subject matter instead of the actual frame.  the daybed creates the perfect reading spot in the formal living room. 

the painting above the desk was painted by one of the client's grandparents.   bringing sentimental touches into a space allows the space to become home.  the desk, with extensions on either end, doubles as additional eating space for large dinner parties. 

here is a color pop of the space.  you can see how bold colors can work very nicely in a formal space, without being too overbearing and heavy.  the color palette, along with all the textures, and materials, helps make this formal living room a comfortable and inviting space.

i hope you enjoyed the photo tour of the watson's formal living room!  you will be seeing more of their home later this week...stay tuned!