Delectable Decor

Today I’m sharing the most recent transformation in the Chalet - our diningroom.

January 2019

This is where we were two years ago. I had just purchased the sideboard lamps. This space has a northern exposure and stays a bit dark a lot of the time with the exception of sunlight bouncing in from the porch. I was happy to add more lamps.

Kouboo wicker light

I’d been looking for a new ceiling fixture to replace the CB2 one we had for years. and I had a few I liked but, nothing I loved - until I found this lamp by Kouboo.

I was thrilled when my husband installed it.

September 2020

Let’s talk about the rug. Its from Morocco and I liked it for years - until I didn’t

How huge does a space look when you’re looking at a bare floor. Please don’t mind the carpet tape and debris from the carpet pad.

I knew I wanted a change, but, previously I had concentrated on rugs for the porch and then replacements for our livingroom. Just like the ceiling light there were some options I liked - things I was keeping my eye on but, nothing screamed buy me until I found this beauty by NuLoom! It was the combo of the modern pattern and the gradation of this saturated color that did it for me.

I mean look at this color!!!

I love how they play off each other in our open concept home.

The last change I made was moving this canvas from the livingroom.

So pretty!

Til next time friends please be safe and wear a mask!

A Refreshing Recipe for Change

This week I’m sharing a space I helped my dear friend refresh. Late last summer my girlfriend lamented how she wanted to scrap her entire livingroom. Of course the designer in me immediately took over. I started asking questions - the very first being - What feeling do you want the space to evoke? While I was in the car with the boys on our way to the beach - she and I were texting at the same time I was looking up rugs, and other furnishings.

The Finished Space

I get it 5 months into Lock-down and I think a lot of us were looking around our homes and thinking ICK!!! The first thing we did together was talk about what would make the biggest impact in the room.

Some of you will have guessed what it was before I type it - PAINT - if you ever start to feel over a space - the least expensive and most impactful way to reinvigorate those happy feelings is through paint.

The Livingroom was painted in Benjamin Moore Hot Spring Stones with Linen Ivory trim. Now, It’s Sherwin Williams Snowbound on both the walls and trim.

Hot Spring Stones

Snowbound

What a difference… the space felt brighter and lighter.

The other element that changed was the rug. The previous (I wish I had a picture of it) was brown. This new beauty located through Rugsource introduced so many colors while still grounding the room because of it’s navy base. I told her to mix the pattern rug with whatever pillows she wanted and the feeling will be wonderful and uniquely hers.

Next I talked pillow covers and I turned to my favorite source: Annabel Bleu. A few pieces from the Indigo Farmhouse Collection were chosen.

As you can see there are a bunch of frames on the sectional - the family photos that had once lined the stairwell were relocated to the livingroom and new graphic art pieces were chosen for the space: Conversationalist 1 by Rikki Drotar and Blue Rapture II by Julia Contacessi through Art.com.

Conversationalist 1

Blue Rapture II

The movement and intense colors are captivating!

The refresh extended to other spaces. The front hall has a new Pottery Barn rug. The dining room’s new rug is from Wayfair. The downstairs office off the livingroom went from gray to a lovely vibrant blue with the addition of Sherwin Williams Needlepoint Navy.

The downstairs of this open airy 1929 colonial is a sea of blues with thoughtful touches of cream, tan and white.

I want to extend an extra special thank you and big hugs to my dear girlfriend Andy - thanks momma for asking my opinions and having faith when I said a few changes would accomplish what you were after xoxo!!!

What was done:

• Paint

• Rugs

• Pillows

• New Art

• New shades for the fireplace sconces

This design is Minimal Traditional with a Beachy vibe and I love it!

Revisiting the Reimagined

I receive inquiries regarding the items we live with here in the Chalet so this week I’m sharing my thoughts about them and what, if anything - I’d do differently.

October 2018

During the Summer of 2018 I got the itch to change things around. I started by completely revamping the Livingroom console table. Changing the orientation of the family photos and adding books to the top of the table made such an impact. Then I moved onto finding a new coffee table. I love this table from Home Sense with its brass accented legs and the round shape was definitely the way to go.

October 2018

In October 2018 our new Montclair Sofa from Crate & Barrel arrived. I had to reorder it, when the original didn’t have fabric suitable to be scotch-guarded. We ended up with a microfiber fabric but, I do have a piece of the original heathered herringbone fabric that I will eventually sew into a pillow cover. The sofa is pretty stain resistant and comfortable but, truth be told the original fabric of linen and cotton had more give because it was natural fabric - the sofa was more comfy.

If I had known the difference would I have gone with a microfiber or maybe just have gone with a different color? I don’t know. Look at these side by side images taken 11 days apart - granted the time of day and light conditions aren’t exactly the same but, you can see that the white sofa did what I wanted - what I hoped it would do - it brought a feeling of lightness to the space.

January 2019

Then I added a pair of matching lamps from Home Sense on the sideboard. I really love the balance in the space. I am tossing around the idea of updating the shades with fabric. And friends can I share - that I chuckle at the fact I have six lamps that are either green or turquoise!

February 2019

In February of 2019 I swapped the beige and blue chairs in the livingroom! I was on my way to being wholly in-love with the room after our antique Bergère chair was brought into the space. The addition of the lovely New Zealand Wool Baxter rugs from Crate & Barrel left me absolutely gaga! And just this past weekend I unveiled the large abstract canvas I painted. This space is still evolving.

I will say the coffee table, sofa and rugs are holding up marvelously. The rugs shed very little from the get-go. So yes, I will give all of these pieces a great big thumbs up.

Like I said - would I have gone with a white microfiber again? I don’t know. Maybe I would have gone with color instead - a green or blue sofa. The idea of bringing in more color definitely appeals to me but, then the rugs would need to change and if any of you were here and read my article Chalet Design than you will remember it took me 6 months to find my Crate & Barrel Baxter Rugs. I even ordered rugs from a different company I sent back because they caused me to have one of my Vertigo attacks. The space is 10 x 24 and many don’t seem to notice I use 3 separate rugs to cover it. We have a 5x8, an 8x10 and a 6x9. Swapping the sofa for a color would cause a domino effect friends. So for now I am pleased.

I continue to crave color and I brought in more with the addition of my ever changing pillow collection, the new canvas and the new curtains I sewed for our kitchen once it was painted and recently with our new diningroom rug. I’ll be sharing a piece about the diningroom transformation in a few weeks.

If you’d like to read two articles dedicated to the transformation of the space please click the titles. Design Shift and Chalet Design.

Tell us what would you change about your space? Leave a comment below.

Til next time friends be safe and wear your mask!