Sneak Peak

I know I haven't made a post in a while but I promise you it's because I've been busy. I'm working on two projects right now, both bedrooms, and they're not ready yet but I want to give you guys a sneak peak. That way you can decide if it's worth it for you to come back and check it out. My first client is an out-of-this-world gorgeous girl who's funny and smart. She's one of those laid back teenagers who uses cool words like 'awesome' and puts pictures of starbucks coffee up on instragram. She's just overall very cool. So I was asked to come redesign her room and make it feel more soft and urban and less green and "blah." I'm very excited about her room; it's bohemian, soft and a little eclectic. 
Her requirements:
- New linen
- Floor mirror
- New light fixture
- New lamp
- New bedside table
- Floor pillows
- Seating for people
- Paint job
- Overall amazing-ness in the room

I can't show you pictures of the room from before because I was told under strict instructions not to, but I can show you my plans for the room (if you're reading this, you know who you are, you're welcome and I told you you can trust me.)

My Solution:

The paint is Benjamin Moore Portland Gray. It's a warm gray that adds so much to the room. The sheets are soft, colorful and so pretty. The print on the wall is going to be an accent piece behind the beds, the light fixture from West Elm is pure gorgeous. The gold knobs in the corner are going to be used for the closet in the room, the chair with the sheep skin and the metallic pillows are for lounging. This bedroom is almost done and I'm so excited about it. The client has mentioned to me that she's excited too so we're all on the same page. Yay for agreement.

My second client is a beautiful woman, a financial adviser who lives in Brickell and has absolutely no time to create her dream bedroom; so in comes me and you can judge if that's a good thing or bad thing. 
Her requirements:
- A new bed frame
- A new night stand
- A space for all her accessories and bags etc
- A mirror
- Add some life to the space

The starting point:

My Solution:

The headboard is a slate grey suede that is really tall and will be the perfect scale for the height of the room. The sheets and bedding will be white and simple. The wall color is a soft grey that will balance well to all the light that comes into the room, the curtains are cream with a metallic glaze that will add texture and romance to the room.

I decided to wallpaper one wall and add shelves with a mirror for all her accessories. That will be her zone in the morning to see everything she has and keep things organized.

The pillows and plant add color and life to the room and the light fixture is modern and tribal, I love it. This project is still in the concept process and I'll update you once I get to the next phase.... 

She hasn't called me back though and I'm pretty sure that's a bad sign. My mother said maybe she didn't have reception for the last week or maybe she just hasn't had a chance to check her phone yet. I'm sure neither of those two options are true or even possible. If I don't talk about this job again it means she still hasn't looked at her phone.

We're Interpreting Style

I decided to start doing monthly installments of the post "interpreting style," for those of you who haven't read that post, click here. Every 4 weeks or so I'm going to put together a post based on the original due to popular demand (and by popular demand I mean I heard someone say the word "style" last week.) The reason I decided to do this is because I feel like this type of post best represents what this blog is all about; design, style and observations.
So let's begin the challenge of finding the homes of these stylish people;

Here's a woman who looks cool and laid back. I love her round sunglasses and the color palette. She looks like a modern yoko ono only instead of being a bad influence on the Beatles she has no influence on the Beatles. This is where she lives:
 

This living space feels stripped and exposed in a good way with the concrete floor, the fireplace and the exposed brick wall. This room has the same message as the modern yoko, "I exude style minimally."

The first thing we see about this woman is that it doesn't seem like she's wearing a bra. The second thing we know is that she likes to wear multiple earrings in each ear. The third thing we know is she's pure chic. She's wearing just a t shirt, sunglasses with her hair pulled and looks like she could be attending a fashion show for Celine. When she does head back home, this is probably where she will end up:

This feels fresh, simple, uplifting, natural and crisp. I love this space. This is a good example of editing at its best; knowing when to stop. The bra-less woman and this interior have restraint but not severity in common.

 

This woman is about textures, shapes and being naturally amazing. Let's guess which room she belongs to:

Close, but no. This dining room is sophisticated and has edge with all the brass but it doesn't belong to her, it belongs to her:

Ah yes, the glamorous, goth-like, boho, lady like, sleek woman. She's bold and delicate, like the dining room with high gloss black walls and a crystal chandelier.



So the woman in the killer leather jacket lives here:

This bedroom is perfection, it's designed by Nam Dang Mitchell. It has a masculine feel with sturdy grounding furniture pieces. I love the form of the two arm sconce (Serge Mouille). This is a really good combination.

Who do we think is waiting behind this door?

 Not her,
 

This woman is waiting for a sandwich....

 No no not her, she's behind these doors:

These are amazing brass and steel doors; Doesn't get much better than this.


So who is waiting behind that burnt orange door?

She's relaxed and a little boho. I love that necklace and the earth tones of this outfit. Although I do feel like it may be a challenge for her to see anything.

Where has this woman escaped from? Maybe she's running away from Tim Allen in 'Jungle 2 Jungle.'

I think that's a safe assumption.

This is where she'll find refuge from Tim Allen. It's peaceful, full of nature and light. 

Hmm... she seems interesting. I wonder where she lives...

She lives in a fantasy ti pee in the corner of her brownstone apartment in Brooklyn; very native.

Oops, I forgot I don't want to know where she spends her time, moving on.

Wow.. this woman looks incredible and she also looks very angry, she probably hasn't sniffed a carbohydrate in ten years.

This kitchen is by Jean Louis Deniot, one of my favorite french designers. This is a prefect kitchen for someone who's goal is to not eat. 

I love this jacket with the leather arms, shows the importance of detail. She pulls off that gray wool hat really well. I like this Annie Hall feel that's going on here.....

This space by Sally Wheat is so perfect. It's an effortless mix of styles and feels classic. The floor lamp, the graffiti painting, the wood panels on the wall all equal classic edge. 
The perfect way to end a perfect post........ ok, a nearly perfect post....... a great post? How about, a perfect way to end a mediocre post? Sounds accurate. 

Feel free to leave suggestions of rooms or people you would like me to pair up (again I'm just trying to encourage you to leave comments :)

How To Get That Look

So you flip through a magazine and see tons of pictures of rooms you love. So you fold the tip of the page in hopes of someday creating something just as special in your own home. Two years later that page is still folded and your hopes have some what lessened. How do we translate those beautiful rooms into our every day lives so we can really enjoy it? "That's a good question Chana, I'm glad you asked. I thought this was going to be just another post of gorgeous rooms and George Clooney..."
Look who is full of surprises... 
When trying to recreate something you're inspired by, the key is not to get stuck on the individual pieces but the feelings of the space and aim for something similar.
So let's start with this area:

This is a dining room that feels earthy and light with a little touch of tribal edge. Let's get the look:

This is earthy, natural with some tribal punch. The woods I used here are darker than the woods in the picture above, but the feel for the room is the same. The dining table is from CB2, the cowhide is from IKEA and so is that plant. The black and white print is from Crate&Barrel. Once you know the feeling you're looking for, it's much easier to find pieces at affordable prices and put them together. When first looking at the first picture, it may seem unattainable, but it's not. Recognize the vibe of the space, and slowly build up with pieces that are in your price range.

                  

This is a bohemian minimalist look taken from Vogue. The chairs aren't matching, the flowers and vases are different shapes and textures. It feels bohemian because every piece looks like it was collected and thought about over time. Although the room feels free spirited, it's not all over the place. Let's get the look:

So this is the bohemian, clean look. The space needed to feel collected and eccentric but with simple lines. I added the black curtains for the warmth and the depth. The console and red chair are from West Elm, the lamp and dining table are from IKEA. Does this feel bohemian minimal to you? (Please feel free to leave comments at the end.)

Almost everyone I speak to can use a small work space in their apartments/homes. A space for the computer, laptop, mail and other gadgets. It's not hard to make it look stylish either, let's get the look:

The table is from IKEA and the chair is from Overstock, you'd be surprised at the stylish affordable things you can find there. The wall accessories are CB2. This look has the cozy, intimate feeling that we liked from the picture above but has a little more "downtown" to it which I think works. If you want to stick to the airier version, you can just switch out the black cowhide, that will change everything:

You see? It changes everything....

This vignette is a beautiful example of the 'Palm Springs retro' thing. It's basically the same as mid century but with a lot more cactus and desert. I love the shaggy rug, the funky shaped chair and iron base table. Everything works well together and doesn't feel exaggerated. Let's get the look:

Welcome to Palm Springs baby. I'll admit if I would of put a picture of palm trees or lots of sand it would be more convincing but I wanted to focus on the furniture choices. The rug is from IKEA, console and lamp, West Elm. I like this interpretation because it feels authentic and clean. Sticking to a neutral color palette was key, how does this feel to you? 
You can leave your comments at the bottom. My posts are not generating a ton of comments so I'm trying to be encouraging.