Mid-century Soft Mod

Warm wood tones with vibrant accents, elevate this mid-century modern home located in Houston, Texas. The exterior embraces clean, simples lines with stacked, multi-level stone bringing a pleasing texture to the eye. Large black trimmed windows and doors allow an abundance of natural light to flow through the home.  

The eye catching chandelier enhances the modern feel to this living room space, as well as the textured stone fireplace, with warm wood paneling. Light coloured flooring throughout this great room opens up the room and allows the space to feel larger. 

Model Home Perfection

I was reviewing photos of my very first model home design and I was having a proud moment that I needed to share! When creating my own design firm, I never would have imagined the success I could achieved and the fulfillment creating beautiful spaces would give me!

 

 This model home has been layered with texture and pattern to create an inviting feel for potential home owners. Being an open concept floor plan, the great room had to have an instant wow factor and this was achieved by the high impact kitchen design. With unique chrome pendants hung above the 8 foot rustic slate grey island and the contrasting painted white perimeter cabinets enhance the ever growing design trend of 2015, two toned kitchens.

10 Statement Making Sofas!

Living room seating that incorporates comfort, functionality and beauty can be difficult to find. Here are some of my favorite, statement making sofas that can elevate any living space!

Dwell Studio - Walker Sofa $1785 

Classic Ameriican lines with a modern twist.

Casalife - Kingston Sofa $2273 

Mod clean lines with simplicity at its finest. 

Bernhardt - Kenworth Sofa 

Luxe Down filling with unique arm detail

Bernhardt - Beckett Sofa 

Tufted traditional lines

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams - Bennet Leather Sofa 

70's style, influenced by the classic shelter style sofa

Mitchell gold + Bob Williams - Alicia's Sofa 

Traditional scoop arm with bench seat 

Elte - Saffron Sofa $2195 

Traditional overall with modern elements

Elte - Watson Three Seat Sofa $1895 

Masculine armless leather bench seating

Urban Barn - Fillmore Sofa $1199 

Traditional chesterfield style

West Elm - Dekalb Leather Sofa $2699 

Mod warm leather with oversized pillows

Details: Styling your Space

The fine details of a room enhance the character, originality and adds a boost of personality to the design. 

Feature Walls:

Hang your favorite photos, mirrors and artwork in an unique way to create the perfect focal wall that will liven up a drab living space. My basement living area needed some character and by hanging a variety of wall art in a unique, yet still balanced way, I was able to achieved a successful, fun feature wall.  

By hanging artwork or photos in a linear or geometric pattern it creates a more formal look with clean lines and continuity. This look is often achieved by using the same frame or frame color and meticulously measuring out the ideal pattern. Overall, the end result is quite striking.

This brilliant design features a stunning feature wall by placing wood and mirror in a striped pattern. Not only does this look beautiful but it is functional by allowing the space to appear larger then it is. 

The Pet Spaw & Lounge - Sneak Peak

One of my newest design projects involves pampering cute, cuddly pets in a Toronto based Pet Spaw & Lounge. This approximately 1000 square foot commercial space is being transformed into a retreat for our pets and pet lovers!


Here is a sneak peak of the story board that portrays the overall design of the space!

Top Nursery Designs

Having a baby is one of the most joyous occasions and designing the perfect nursery can be a daunting task! Here are some beautifully designed spaces that can transition through the years of newborn to toddler without having to create a brand new look.

Think playful and whimsical and forget the matching furniture sets! This amazing rug brings texture to the floors in soft pink and neutral hues.

Use bold coloured accessories with soft neutrals. Spend your money on versatile furniture that can be used for the years to come and does not scream baby nursery!

White subtle walls with accents of warm wood tones allows this transitional nursery to sooth any newborn.

How stunning is this soft, billowing fabric lining the ceiling and draping onto the wall? Do not be afraid to create a bold feature wall. This design is so successful due to its soft neutral and unisex pallet.

Light fixtures are another easy way to add style and flair to your nursery. I love seeing the baby's name in lights!

DESIGN OF THE WEEK...

ASPEN RETREAT

This stunning Aspen chalet has the ideal mixture of soft and hard finishes to create a relaxing neutral space. The focal wall features a wood burning fireplace surrounded by concrete and mosaic tile with a balance of wood cabinetry flanking on either side. 

The many uses for Barnboard

Barnboard has grown in popularity in the last few years due to its rough natural appearance and its versatility to make a statement in any application and not to mention it is a green, recycled material! Paired with high gloss cabinetry or chrome finishes to create the perfect juxtaposition of modern and rustic. 

Here are just some of the many ways to incorporate barnboard into your interior...

Clad your kitchen island

Using barnboard in a kitchen setting may be a challenge if the wood is not sealed properly. By cladding the back of an island not only is there no worry of food messes but it creates a beautiful statement and focal point, especially laying the planks in a horizontal pattern as Sarah Richardson has done in this stunning kitchen.

Clad a feature wall

One of the main reasons barnboard is so highly sought after is because of its unique quality and by cladding a wall in your space, whether being behind a fireplace or the wall behind you bed, it is bound to create a wow factor and draw your eye in that direction.

Rustic barnboard furniture

Rustic reclaimed mantles to barnboard tables, using rustic furniture pieces incorporated into interiors gives a natural, earthy feel. By using the recycled barnboard not only are you creating beautiful furniture pieces but also saving yourself money by reusing this old wood!

Reclaimed beams and cladded ceilings 

Rustic reclaimed beams broken up by planks of barnboard is just another method to create a rustic retreat. Adding reclaimed beams to a modern design gives interest to an otherwise plain aspect of the room and utilizes natural materials.

Photos: Houzz.com

Design Timeline

Are you building a new home or are you renovating your existing home? Here are some great tips on selecting your finishes in sequence to ensure a cohesive overall design in an organized manner.

1. Exterior Finishes

When selecting your exterior finishes first think about the overall look you would like to achieve. Select your brick, stone, stucco, siding or a combination of these, then decide on a colour schemes for your window trim, soffit, shakes and shingles to compliment the main features of your home. 

A Traditional Exterior with board & batton, stone accents and
contrasting windows, trim and soffits.

2. Select your appliances

When designing your kitchen cabinetry exact sizes of appliances are needed in determining the perfect, functional space. Whether designing a modern kitchen with a stainless steel hood or a professional kitchen with a 60" wide refrigerator and range, all of these decisions need to be made before moving forward with cabinetry design.

3. Cabinetry Design

Whether designing custom cabinetry or standard box cabinetry there are many options and it may be an overwhelming process. I suggest searching for some inspiration photos and pick some elements that you love and the design style that works best for you and your home. Cabinetry for your kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room should all coordinate throughout but may have different finishes.
Countertops and backsplashes should also be selected at this point.

A farmhouse kitchen design with crisp white cabinets, white subways
tile backsplash & granite countertops 

4. Flooring

Once the cabinetry is determined it now time to move onto the flooring selections throughout your home. This would include hardwood, carpet, tiles and wall tiles for your bathrooms. Create a unique tile look in your ensuite shower by combining standard rectangular tiles infused with a mosaic design.

5. Doors & Trim

There are many different styles and finishes of interior doors and trim. Select a style and finish to best suite the rest of your selections thus far and that will coordinate with the overall design style of your home.

6. Paint Selections

At this point selecting your paint colours for each room becomes easier when most of your finishes have already been determined. I suggest only choosing 3-4 colours to carry through your entire home to allow a proper flow from room to room.

7. Lighting

Determine the amount of light that is needed for each space and select statement fixtures that add interest and style. There is an abundance amount of lighting fixtures available that it may be an overwhelming task to select for your entire house. Stay tuned for an informational post on everything lighting.

Standard lighting options are not always the best choice. I love the chandelier in the middle of the ensuite and two sconces flanking the mirror.

  8. Bathroom & Kitchen Fixtures

When selecting fixtures for your bathrooms and kitchens make sure the finishes coordinate with all of the hardware on the cabinetry that has already been selected. Remember to never forget the details such as a great shower head, hand held shower fixtures and unique faucets.

9. Furniture

Furniture throughout your home can be a very personal thing. By this point in the process the design style should already be determined and by carrying this style through in the furniture will allow the entire home to look cohesive and flow together nicely. Arrange your furniture in a functional way and select larger pieces that are neutral that will withstand the test of time.

10. Window Treatments

In keeping with the design style of your home choose a window treatment that is again neutral in colour and timeless. Determine the amount of light that you would prefer to allow into the room and the amount of privacy needed for the space. Drapery panels in a pattern are a fun way to add personality and design to a room and are easy and cost efficient to change out.

Building and renovating a home can be extremely stressful and overwhelming. If you require professional interior design assistance to create a stunning home please contact me today to set up an initial consultation. 

Add Shine and Sparkle!

Every room needs some interest and by adding some eye catching glitz and glam pieces to your space it gives a dynamic design.

Houzz.com

Mirrors

Not only do mirrors add reflective surfaces and give the illusion of a larger space, they can also be a statement art piece. A perfect way to add sparkle with this great Casalife starburst mirror!

Casalife, Sierra Star wall mirror

Furniture

A mirrored side table or console table is not only a functional piece of furniture, but a very pretty reflective statement piece. Furniture with glass, mirror or metallic finishes all add glam to your room.

 

Urban Barn, Reflection Console Table

Lighting

Lighting can make a huge statement in any space. A chandelier with glass and crystal is a perfect way to add sparkle and shine. This Restoration Hardware light fixture would look great over an island or dining table.

Restoration Hardware, 1920's Odeon Glass Fringe