The Birth of a Home

I have had such a blast working with a wonderful Dallas couple on their new home over the last year, and I can't wait to show you the finished project in a few weeks!  Floorplans, mood boards and mountains of samples and sketches have slowly transformed into the reality of a beautiful home that they plan to spend the rest of their lives in.

mood boards, samples and construction drawings for Del Roy project

Here is the story of where our journey began...

Take an attorney who is an art-collector with a heart that beats for clean modern lines and personality pieces... add a wife and mama with an impressive collection of antiques and heirloom treasures who has traveled the world with her family and loves to entertain... insert a designer (yes, that's moi) who is passionate about the art of mixing periods and styles... and you end up with a beautiful home that is the best of both worlds!

I will be posting a few more teasers before the great reveal.  So come back soon!

All Grown Up

Okay so anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE to entertain!  Some people dread the thought of it, but I love to go all out and have a blast planning events.  Of course my favorite part is setting the "scene" for whatever the occasion may be.  So I guess it's no surprise that my favorite room in our house is our Hollywood Regency inspired dining room! 

Helen Mirror from Jan Showers Collection and sconces are Oscar de la Renta for Oriental Accent

My amazing grandparents were kind enough to give us their 1920's Japanese inspired Chippendale dining room furniture that I have adored since I was a little girl.  When Nana and Papa purchased the table, chairs and buffet at an auction in the 60s it even came with a sweet love story, as it was originally given as a wedding gift from a groom to his new bride in the 1920s... ahhhh, now that's a wedding gift!  I actually have an old newspaper clipping describing the auction and their particular purchase which is a neat piece of history for us to treasure!

I would love to know more about the history of this furniture, so if there are any furniture buffs out there please educate me!!!  All I really know is that it was purchased in the 1920's, but I don't know if it is American or European.  And I don't know if it was made in the 20s or if it is older. 

For larger dinners and brunches,  I send the hubby to pull out the something like 6 or 7 leaves that can end up filling our entire dining room!  But, my very favorite part of the room are the twelve black-lacquered queen anne style chairs, each featuring a unique hand-painted and gold-leafed scene.  They really need to be re-lacquered, but in a way the chips and aging are kind of charming.  There really is something magical about these chairs, which I treat like my babies... just ask my husband who teases me for my habit of obsessively reminding people to be careful with them.  I know, I know not great hostess behavior - I'll have to work on that!

As a young couple (do we still qualify as such?), we have been slowly working on our house since we moved in 4 years ago and this is the first room to feel finished.  Of course, for me, it is never really finished, but I'm in love with it for now and know I will be for a long time to come.  We call it our "grown up" room and I really do feel a little glamorous when I'm in it! 

India Table from Jan Showers Collection

Love my vintage mirrored lucite lamps that were a very kind gift from someone!

I wish I had a better picture of the antique chaise longue that sits in the window.  It has all the right curves and I love it!  The awesome coral linen velvet has even come full-circle to stylish again!  Lately this has become Patrick's song-writing perch... lovingly referred to as the psychiatry chair.

There are a few orders of business left though... and very important ones at that!  A chandelier - that must be fabulous!  And to reupholster the chairs which probably have the original 100 year old fabric on them... yikes!  After 2 years working for Jan Showers I unfortunately acquired expensive taste in chandeliers.  Hers are always to-die-for!!!  But unless I win the lottery or Patrick's record goes platinum I'm going to need to get realistic.  ;) 

Just for kicks, here are some dream chandeliers (all from 1st Dibs and all over $3500)...

1940's Brass Lotus

Vintage Venini

Vintage Murano

1930's Empire Design

Vintage Murano

Vintage Bagues

And here are a few more affordable options that I'm liking right now (pieces inc, oly studio, made goods, inside avenue)...

This asian palm chandelier would be gorgeous painted jade or coral with gold-leafing detail!

 

Wish this came in gold or green

Cozy Gameroom

The gameroom I talked about in December is almost complete, and until the room is photographed, here are some images of furniture, fabrics and other elements we used to help inspire your own cozy retreat...

This galvanized steel coffee table looks fabulous topped with a leather tray and art books.  The bottom is perfect for storing games and blankets in large baskets.

 

A small loft/nook is carved out in one corner of the room and is piled high with a houndstooth cushion and lots of custom pillows.  The pillows and cushion were inspired by menswear textiles and really add a cozy richness to the room.  I am a fool for monograms, and the one above was the perfect touch to a crisp ivory linen pillow in the loft.

To add a nice pop of color, a large Persian rug was laid over the new sisal-like carpet.

One of my favorite additions to the room are the custom built-ins!  We transformed an odd attic space layout into a custom media center and bookshelves.  The media cabinet was custom finished by Linde Browning Giddens with base of Benjamin Moore's Wedgewood Gray and a gorgeous glaze that gives it instant patina.  It is flanked by antiqued ivory bookshelves (also finished by Linde) filled with pretty books and accessories that were special to the family.

The best part of all is hearing the family talk about how much they love their new room and that they spend tons of time there together... that's what it is all about!

Park Cities Pad

I recently started working on a new project in Park Cities for a young lady with a refreshing sense of adventure.  When I heard she loves Kelly Whearstler I knew we were going to have fun!  We are still in the beginning stages, but I am loving the direction of this soon-to-be stylish pad.  I am so in love with these fantastic tufted French slipper chairs that are going to be recovered in a gorgeous indigo velvet with a peek of ikat on the back.

  

sahana ikat by schumacher         slipper chairs from again & again        luxury velvet by fabricut

The overall look of this project is a mix of traditional and vintage french furniture with a playful edge and feminine appeal.  Subtle pops of pattern along with classic textures like linen, velvet and silk keep the look young and fresh while still sophisticated.  A mix of materials (navy lacquered french commode, bronze coffee table, and mahogany lamp tables) come together in a "I didn't try to hard way".  And there will be lots of attention to detail with pillows, trims, accessories, artwork and lamps to complete the comfy yet glam room.  Here are a few more pieces that I have scoped out for her living room.

rug by shades of light

     

lamps by Arteriors 

(but not the crazy shade shown on the right!!!)

venetian mirror by wisteria

Since the client adores Kelly Whearstler I was delighted to run across this image of one of KWID's projects the other day.  This shot totally echoes the feel of our room, but instead of being inspiration - it was affirmation!