Using Your Talents in Other Ways

Not sure if any of you are familiar with this dynamic organization, so I thought I'd share.  Years ago when I first started staging homes here in Birmingham for the real estate market, I would go on line for inspiration. When you are staging a home for the real estate, your client is not interested in spending any money on furnishings.  So, you have to be clever.  I can remember during one of my searches, the portfolio of a Homewood architectural firm came up in my search.  

Interior Design by Tracery Interiors

Fast forward a couple of years -  I heard John Hudson speak about his organization 100 Fold Studio.  He started his presentation with a slide show and gave some background on how he got started.  One of the first images he showed us as a project he worked on before turning to mission work.  This home is in Homewood, AL, and I had bookmarked (this was waaay before pinterest!) way back when. 

Interior Design by Tracery Interiors

Come to find out, this talented guy decided he could use his architectural degree to serve global missions.  And boy has he!  With the help of his wife, Samantha "Sam" they have developed 100 Fold Studio.  This is a nonprofit architectural firm providing innovative and affordable design services for global missions.

Here is the mission statement of this amazing organization's purpose (straight from their website):

We believe that all people deserve safe, efficient & inspiring structures regardless of their ability to afford an architect. Also, quality design does not create additional costs. Our local & international projects have proven that a well-designed building can be affordable – literally saving millions of dollars. Through innovative design, limited resources can be multiplied towards serving people and sharing the Gospel. 


By using their creative talents this organization is dramatically changing lives.  Some of their projects - an orphanage in El Salvador, a soccer complex in Togo, Africa, a community center in rural Kentucky, and a learning center in Zimbabwe, to name a few.   This group is providing a very valuable resource to areas both in the US and abroad who desperately need it - you need sound structural plans in order to build gathering centers, even in areas of need.

Sometimes I think we convince ourselves our talents/jobs are not really suited for serving others.  Well, John Hudson is proof this is not the case! If you have time you must check out their website.  They need your support.  If you are looking for a unique mission to contribute to, I would encourage you to contact them!

Happy Weekend. M.

    

A Special E-design (Huntsville style)

Here is the second installment of my Huntsville project.  If you recall, I did an e-design for a client who lives in Huntsville, AL.  Then, I actually got to travel there to style the new space and to do a redesign to the rest of the rooms on the main floor.  For all the details on the e-design, here is my first post to get you up to speed.  For today, I want to focus on the redesign aspects of this project.  Often times, clients will ask me to design a room in their home.  Once the new design has been implemented, they are left feeling less than thrilled with some of their other rooms.  Listen, it happens.  It's like getting a new pair of shoes - you love them but it makes your old shoes seem, well, sad.  While I can't help you with the shoes, I have a solution for your rooms.  It's called a redesign and you would be amazed what spending a bit of time fluffing can do for these rooms.

Our goal here was to subtly inject the the same modern pops we implemented into the newly designed family room to help blend the old with the new.  Sometimes it difficult to know where to begin when trying to add some modern touches to a traditional space. Here are a few of my tricks to make this happen.

The Living Room
The living room before . . .
I had already moved a chair before I snapped this picture (I just get too excited and forget to take pictures) - but there was another leather chair beside the one you see on the right.  They were floating in the opening to the foyer.

And Another Before . . .  As you can see, there are some beautiful furnishings in this home, and there is not a thing wrong with this furniture layout.  Our clients just really wanted the spaces to feel as fresh and new as the family room at the end of the day.  So, that takes a bit of change!  

OK, now for a few afters . . .  As you can see in this first picture, we did some editing to give the room a cleaner (aka more modern) feel.  We also made one subtle, yet very important changes to the space.  We rotated the rug to run with the length of the room - this gave the room the illusion of more space and allowed you to see the fabulous hardwood floors. 

We also pulled in a chest from the bedroom and created a grouping of artwork with a more modern feel.  The top piece was in the powder room and the two smaller pieces were on the wall to the left of the sofa in the before pics.  We chose not to include an end table on this side of the sofa.  

Now for the fireplace wall.  The chest to the left of the fireplace remained and we simply restyled to the top.  But by moving the leather chairs to flank the fireplace, you now see the nail heads and more modern lines of the arms of these fabulous chairs.  Again, they are reading more modern at this angle.

We restyled the coffee table with a glass sculpted bowl (one of the homeowner's favorite modern accessories) for a pop of blue and notice we removed all artwork from behind the sofa.  Leaving just the wall sconces for some much needed light in this space. 

I have sourced some lumbar pillows for these leather chairs in a light fretwork pattern (another great opportunity for interjecting some modern style), but other than that, we used things the homeowner had on hand.

Lastly, we moved the oversized armoire (we needed it in the bedroom to house the TV and AV equipment) and replaced it with a large modern abstract painting.  This makes the room feel larger and more open.  Again, less traditional.

So, one more shot of this room and how it relates to the foyer and master bedroom beyond.  I did not realize I took my picture in the mirror!  Too busy at this point to photoshop me out of the image! 

Dining Room

Here is the only before I have of the dining room.  My clients sent me this picture at the beginning of the process.  From the centerpiece, you can tell this picture was taken around Easter.   But, it's really hard to tell much else about the space.

  I did not take a before when we arrived at the house as the dining room was our "shopping" area and it was filled with accessories. Now for several Afters . . . 

Again, we made some very subtle changes here - we moved the butler's tray to the bay window area and filled it with silver goblets and other drink ware.  They we used the small wall to stack a pair of more modern oil painting for a gallery effect.  While we can't change everything in the space, the style of artwork and how you choose to hang it can add lots of modern flare to a space. 

This wall to the right of the doorway had a small display shelf with plates and figurines that was reading super traditional.  Now, we've added another son's portrait to mix things up in here.

This is the painting from the living room which is very traditional in feel.  So, we've added a clear glass pedestal bowl (that feels more modern) and mixed it with a more traditional pierced silver footed bowl for some contrast.  Again, we are balancing the modern and traditional elements in this space.

OK, this was one of my favorite things we did - our clients had a gorgeous collection of Herend china.  It is really like art so we decided to use it over the buffet for some major impact.  However, rather than just using the china, we decided to add the botanical prints on either side for a less conventional arrangement, making it feel more current. 

Son's Bedroom

We also did a freshen up for one of the son's bedroom.  Here is a before of the bookshelves in his room.

Now for a few afters (with the backs of the bookshelves painted a new accent color)

This child has the most extensive collection of snow globes that I've ever seen!  It was hard not to get distracted and start playing with them. 

A trick for creating a cleaner more organized look in bookshelves is to group like items.  

Even a container of bouncy balls and be interesting.

I hope your day is wonderful and it kicks off a very productive week for you! M.

Happy Dance - West Elm is Coming!

Just found out that Birmingham is getting a West Elm!  Can't tell you how happy this makes me.  I know, I know - many of you in other areas are thinking, "They are just now getting a West Elm?!"  The problem is that Atlanta is only two hours away, so for many large stores, that is simply too close to justify a store front.  But, wow - so happy about this!  It is going to make the "fluffs" I do so much easier!  

Here are some of my Fall favorites to look forward to . . . 

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There is a series of three of these - love the look of them.

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OK, so I think this is a very clever product - it's self adhesive wall tiles that once applied will give a room some instant character through texture.  I'm dying to use this in a design plan. It comes in all different colors of wood.

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If you've worked with me on projects, you know how much I love a great tray - this one has tons of interest with the wrapped metal for a super price (most are way more expensive than this).  One of my favorite reasons to use a tray is that it allows you to use smaller accessories you may already have on larger surfaces.  For example, if you have a great bowl that is smaller in scale and does not work as a centerpiece for your dining room table, layer a larger tray underneath.  Visually, the tray will "eat up" some of the space and the bowl added on top works!  Great trick! 

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Also, did you know that one of West Elm's sister companies is Mark and Graham? I love all their linens and just look at these super cute paper weights!  Perfect gift for the student (or for your own desk)! 

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The new West Elm is located at the Summit here in Birmingham - no idea as to when it opens but I'm assuming it will be soon! M.

Summer in Review (and other random musings)

I can't believe that summer is coming to an end.  We received school registration information last week for the junior high.  Needless to say, it has been a very different summer for me.  With my Mom's surgery and lots of challenges with her recovery, it has not been the summer I envisioned it would be last Spring.  But, we have had many moments of sheer summer bliss, along with lots of blessings from her experience.  I'm totally grateful for these as they've helped me to see that God is good, even in the mist of our suffering.    

So, before I get back into all things interior design, I wanted to share a few highlights of our summer.  I hope yours has been just as interesting and full of fun.

Ok, first up, I've been obsessed with this artist's ability to paint water.  These paintings evoke memories of my childhood and jumping into a pool or lake.  Just love them!  Since I'm not a painter, I marvel at this kind of talent.

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Look at this one and the reflection of light on the waves the swimmer has created.

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Totally digging these botanical blocks of resin.  They are the perfect accessory to place on a stack of books on a chest or coffee table.  

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I always love to see an oddity included on a coffee table and this is a great example.  Any of these would be perfect for the Fall.

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I've been rocking out in the car to this song all summer - Get Lucky.  You know how certain songs make you think of certain times of the year.  Well this one will forever remind me of summer! It's totally a throwback disco song and I'm so hoping it will start a trend for more disco songs!  My son found this youtube video where they have dubbed this current song onto the dance moves of some kids on Soul Train.  Just look, it totally fits!  Thinking that's why I love this song - I watched a lot of Soul Train and American Bandstand when I was a kid.  The bow ties are cracking me up on this!

While at the lake with some sweet friends this summer, we toured the only Frank Lloyd Wright House in the state of Alabama - the Rosenbaum House.  A real treat for me to see it.  Remember, I toured his studio on a trip to Chicago last Fall so it was interesting to see a slighting different design in this Usonian (named for the United States of America) style home.  Btw, the man who gave us the tour was so knowledgeable, and you could tell he loved his job! 

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We had dinner at the 360 Grille which is a rotating restaurant atop a beautiful hotel overlooking the Tennessee river.  My kids had never seen anything like this and were completely mesmerized trying to figure out the mechanics of the whole thing!  I just enjoyed the food, wine and view!  It was really special. 

This photo of 360 Grille is courtesy of TripAdvisor

We've had many discussions this summer about the Green Flash.  To date this elusive phenomenon has totally escaped us, but I am determined to see it in my lifetime!

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On this same trip we were treated to an outdoor production of The Miracle Worker at Helen Keller's birthplace.  

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The production began just at sunset, and it was a wonderfully cool evening in early summer - perfect for sitting outside.  During the first half of the show, we looked up and saw hundreds of June bugs attracted to the spot lights.  A real summer experience (sort of like smelling cut grass).  But by the second half of the show, they had completely disappeared.  This is not the actual actress who played Helen, but I have to say the child did an amazing job.  

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I just discovered Lewis and Wood fabrics - particularly "Cobweb" . . .

There's something classic yet midcentury modern about this fabric.  I think it could really blend those two styles together in a great way.  Always love a fabric you just don't see everyday. 

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We were turned on to this comedian named Brian Regan.  What I love about his routine is that it's completely clean and hilarious - a very rare combination for stand up comedy.  My kids can quote almost every one of his routines.  The walk around our house quoting him and laughing.  My favorite is this one on "I walked on the Moon." (it's at the very end of this standup routine and it makes me laugh out loud!)

Our July 4th beach trip was a total wash (literally - there was major flooding on 30A).  So, we celebrated the 4th here in Birmingham.  We found a wonderful vantage point to see the fireworks and the rain stopped just in time for the show.  It turned out to be a lovely evening. 

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Then we were off to the mountains with my husband's entire family to Montreat, N.C. for a week with all the cousins.  We do this trip most summers, and my kids love it!  

We ventured out to sliding rock, lookout falls and a new jump off place.  The water feels like you've jumped into an ice chest!

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Then, I took the girls to the Biltmore House for a self guided tour.  We then enjoyed a "ladies lunch" in Black Mountain where we discussed our favorite rooms and then things in each room that we loved!  There was a close tie between the Breakfast room and Mrs. Vanderbilt's bedroom as our favorites.  

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I think I've eaten my weight in this completely delicious avocado egg salad this summer.  It's good on a bed of mixed greens or as a sandwich.  Very Yummy.

recipe here

My summer read has been this (very dense) book a friend loaned me called At Home - it's a history of everything in your home that you use everyday and probably have no idea why it's called what it's called.  Very interesting.

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My kids also spent some quality time with my brother and sister-in-law.  It's always a party with them -  fishing, lounging, movies, swimming, water slides, you name it!   

They even have an underwater camera - love this shot of my daughter!

So, now it's time to get back to my favorite subject - interior design!  During my summer break, I've seen lots of inspiring things, along with some really great installations of some of my projects.  I'll be sharing it all with you here at the Muse in the next few months.  I'm going to slowly build back up on my number of weekly posts.  It's great to be back! M.

An E-design Project

Many of you know I offer e-designs for clients who live outside the Birmingham area.  These are a great way to get a plan in place for decorating your spaces.  With access to the Internet, this type of design has become a very cost effective way to get a high end look for your home.  Recently, I completed an e-design for a client who lives in Hunstville, AL.  The home is in a much sought after neighborhood in Huntsville.  Here is a picture of the exterior of this incredible house.  

While the exterior of this house is very Victorian, the homeowners are a young, hip couple who are actually drawn to a more modern aesthetic.  So, I was asked to come up with a new design for their family room that would satisfy their modern taste while still blending the Victorian style and antique pieces in the rest of their home.  A tall order!  But, I was completely up for it.  I do confess, I spent several sleepless nights working on this project.  The layout of the space was very difficult.  These older homes have lots of little niches and details which add tons of character to the overall look of the home, but make furniture placement for practical living incredibly challenging.

Here are a few before pictures of the family room.  .  .
While the space was very pretty and open, it was not was not really working for their family.  The doorway you see to the right of the fireplace is coming in from the garage.  So, their rug was getting lots of wear from this traffic pattern.  

Due to the placement of the TV(in the picture below), you had people crossing between the sofa and the TV which can be distracting.  Also, if you wanted to sit in these chairs, you had to swivel them around to see the TV.  

This built in area was serving as their breakfast table and at first glance seemed to be working for the space.  However, the banquette was completely throwing off the main seating area and was making it impossible to line things up on the fireplace which was the focal point in the room.

Also, if you were in the kitchen, you could not see the TV which is not any fun when you are hosting a football game party!

Here's a close up of the bookshelves  - the clients were at a loss of what to use the deeper cabinet to the left for in the space.  They already have a fantastic bar area in the space.

So, after several sleepless nights (and I do mean several), I came up with two options for the space. 

And Option 2

My clients decided to go with Option 1, but with one small revision (based on option 2).  They made the decision to go ahead and remove the pass through to the bar. This allowed for more wall space in the new design for artwork, and for the addition of upper cabinets in the new butler's pantry (rather than "bar") area.  Also, notice in both designs, we removed the banquette.  Now, I realize this move may seem counter intuitive to some of you; but, the banquette (which was put in by a previous homeowner) was really limiting our ability to create a large seating area centered on the fireplace.  Sometimes, you have to really evaluate what is working in the space and what is not to create the very best layout possible. 

OK, so now for the fun part!  With most e-designs, I never get to see the space in person.  It's one of the biggest negatives for me in doing e-designs.   However, since Huntsville is not that far away, I had the rare opportunity to see the space in person!  My client asked me to come up and style the new space. Additionally, they asked for a complete redesign of the other rooms on the main floor of the home.  This is a great way to make the other rooms in your home (that are not getting any new furnishings) feel fresh and new.  You will have to wait to see the redesigned rooms (that's a whole post in and of itself)!  But for now, here are the images of the family room. 

  They are still working on some of the furnishings for the new space; however, they have made huge strides on the implementation.  So, far, they have removed the banquette area, closed up the pass through to the bar, reworked the bookshelves, and purchased lots of new items for the space.  We did complete the styling of the bookshelves and table tops, but some items are on order.  So, the space is not completely finished.  Here are a few shots I took while we were there.  The new dining table is still to be installed, but the leather bongo stools (and the new fabulous chandelier) are in! 

The swivel chairs in their new home (coupled with a table we moved in from the living room and a lamp from the foyer).

The amazing piece of artwork was hanging at the top landing of the stairwell, and it was just too fabulous not to be seen.  So, we pulled it into the space.  There are still a pair of small scale chairs that have yet to be delivered.  They will go on the left side of the sofa.  Also, notice we have included a new glass top coffee table to give the illusion of more floor space.  Any trick you can to make a small space feel larger!

Now, for the bookshelves, we had the uppers finished out to match the other bookshelves (removed the doors too) and moved the AV equipment to the lower cabinets.  This created a more cohesive look.  We also painted the backs of the bookshelves for some contrast.  Now, they simply wrap around and allow for the inclusion of more books and accessories.  Since this space is not huge, we really needed one more spot to display accessories.

This is a shot looking into the kitchen - please excuse all the accessories on the kitchen island.  That's what it looks like when we are styling a space.  That is cute Laura Cope who helped me with the styling on this project!  We had the best time in Huntsville!  Sorry to digress!  There will be linen drapery panels on the windows to the left to soften this area.  Also, I wanted to show you this Chesterfield sofa and new pillows.  What I love about this sofa is that it can read modern or traditional depending on the space you include it in.  This is the perfect combination for a traditional house with homeowners who like a modern vibe.  

That's it for now! As for the rest of the rooms we did a redesign in, you'll just have to wait!  Have to save something to look forward to, right?! M.