patterned floors

while bopping around the internet, i sometimes come across the portfolio of a designer that

literally takes my breath away. such was the case as i perused christina murphy's website.

her attention to detail, and balance of elements in each room she designs is absolutely stunning.

among some themes that i found in ms. murphy's work are: trimmed window treatments (love),

laquered walls (love), fabulous wallpaper (love), unique and funky light fixtures (love), and the perfect balance of traditional and modern (love). but the one theme that i noticed, that i REALLY love, 

is her masterful use of patterened rugs and flooring. (LOVE.)

i am also loving the black painted woodwork, and the details on the chairs.

UK Flooring Direct offer a great online range of flooring for the home! 
So if you are thinking about creating a new look for your room click here to see their laminate flooring selection.

this wall to wall carpet and art really makes this traditional room edgey.

um...this is GORGEOUS. notice the striped wallpaper and the mirrored front cabinets? fabulous.

again, the woodwork is painted a dark glossy black which is so yummy. and i WANT those lamps!

the contrast welting on the sofa makes me happy, and so do those pink pillows! it's amazing how something as small as a pillow can change the entire vibe of a room....imagine of those pillows were bright yellow---the room would look totally different!

such a soothing bedroom...it appears so simple, but there are so many details to take in.

LOVE the laquered walls! doesn't this room feel like the coziest place ever?

*sigh.

 i ADORE this room...the lacquered walls, the white sofas, the patterned rug, the blur ikat pillows...yep. totally adore it all.

 that carpet is INSANE! it's totally over the top and gorgeous. i.want.it.

 i'm madly in love with these floors! it's such a bold statement but works so well here....
and i have never met an eames management chair that i didn't like.

 i love the deep, muted pink sofa and pink ikat paired with the medallion print rug and glamourous yet simple details in the room.

this room is brought to life with the blue and white geometric rug.

all images via christina murphy interiors. you can see more of her work here.

affordable find: brass sphere lamp

here is a happy little find to make your wednesday a little bit prettier!

arteriors bishop antique brass lamp

$468

possini brass finish sphere lamp

$179.99

project reveal: construction office lobby

i have posted about this lobby several  times, and i am excited that it is finally complete.

my goals for this space:

1. paint a few walls to showcase the architecture and warm things up.

2. create a more sleek and updated seating area(s).

3. update the signage and add some industry related imagery.

4. add some personality!

before, there was an oversized square coffee table and four chairs that looked like they

belonged on a cruise ship (in the '80's). not only were the chairs outdated, but they were not

very comfortable, and the arrangement needed to be improved.

after:

what we did:

1. painted several walls a soft, warm grey to accentuate the architecture, and "bring down" the

scale of the ceilings and visually warm the room.

2. two seating areas make the best use of the space. believe it or not, this room was done on a

very tight budget. most of the furniture was ordered from overstock. i considered using commercial furniture for the space, but it was way too expensive...and since this lobby doesn't get heavy-duty

wear and tear like some lobby's, i selected residential furnishings. the new furnishings have a

clean, masculine feel totally appropriate for this project.

3. a new sign is re-matted and anchored with a console table.

close ups of details taken on constructions sites are sandwiched in between stained mdf and 

plexiglass and mounted to heavy duty metal screens. the result is a unique, textured and interesting 

piece of art that is everybodys favorite part of the lobby

the metal screens are used in a gravel pit/quarry that the company owns.  they use various sizes of this metal screen to seperate the different sizes of rocks. 

we used three different sizes of the metal screening as a backdrop for our photos. look closely and

you can see how the grid of the squares are different sizes, and the gauge (thickness) of the

metal also varies. the screens were extremely heavy, and were mounted to the wall (and the concrete under the wall) with micropiles. micropiles are typically used in renovation work to reduce 

the effects of possible earthquakes.

you can see how to make this succulent arrangement here.

all the images in the art wall were taken by company employees and represent the different divisions of the company, and the work that they do. i love that they act as a "behind the scenes" 

peek into what the company DOES. i always love to bring this type of personality into a project.

we also added this grid in the adjacent conference area to display a few of the awards the 

company has won.

lighter paint color: benjamin moore: river reflections 1552

darker paint color: benjamin moore gargoyle 1546

sofa: murray sofa from room and board in doria mocha

leather club chairs: anderson club chair: overstock

coffee table: peekabo table: cb2

round side tables: cameron place end tables: jc penney

leather side chairs: jovita leather side chairs in brown: overstock

small accent table: dot accent table: west elm

console table: aristo halifax console table: overstock

pillow fabric: chipper in arizona/denton: premier prints

west elm + benjamin moore

it is often difficult to commit to a paint color, and one thing that really helps

is a recommendation from a friend or seeing a room painted in person.

 that's why i get excited when big companies like pottery barn and (now)

west elm team up with paint companies...

it's like getting a recommendation from a friend that has great taste,

and the best part is that they use these colors in their catalogs, so 

we can catch a glimpse at what the color may look like on our walls.

yay for US!

here are some of my faves:

galveston gray

ac-27

(i am thinking of using this color in my living room....more on that later.)

baby fern

2029-20

 nightfall

1596

(a great alternative to one of my favorite dark grays: kendall charcoal)

ozark shadow

ac-26

silver half dollar

2121-40

one of the things i really like about the west elm/benjamin moore 

selections is that many of the colors are wonderful neutrals that play well

with many other neutrals as well as brighter colors.

***

on a side note: it's officially summer! my kids got out of school on friday

and we are so looking forward to a fun-filled summer. of course, i will still

be posting all summer, i just may miss a day or two on account of the fun-ness with

my kiddos.

also, the redesign of my blog is nearly complete. it has been a long process, but i am 

thrilled with the results. 

e-design progress: candace's master bedroom

candace is making progress on her master bedroom,

and it has been really exciting for me to peek in on her blog and see what she has been up to. 

she has already tackled some pretty impressive diy projects, including:

 this box pleated bedskirt with contrasting fabric.

 painting the walls and the ceiling.

 a diy embellished sunburst mirror

and this pretty little pillow that will be on the bed. 

i got to go shopping with her this weekend while i was visiting boise,

and we picked out some lamps for her night stands. it was so fun to hang out

and talk a little and of course, shop! i even got a peek at our ikea hack. nicole has done an

amazing job, and i can't wait until they show it off!

**the ability to take a project as fast or as slow as you want is one of the beauties of e-design.

you can get the plan for your room, and do it all at once, or spread out the cost and

projects over several weeks or months.

the house i'm building...

did you know that i am building a house?

oh, not MY house! gheesh. if i was building my own house,

i would blog about it NON-stop. for real...i would NEVER shut up about it!

you would be like..."enough about this house already! we GET it. you're excited. let's move on!"

no, it's not MY house, but i am having a fabulous time helping my clients build their dream home.

sometimes i get asked:

 when is the RIGHT time to hire an interior designer if you are building a house?

and you know what? the answer is:

 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

ideally, a designer should be brought on board before the floor plans are finalized, and before the 

footings are dug. an interior designer can help make minor changes to the floor plan that can

add comfort, function and personality to any new home. 

when my husband owned his own custom home building company, i would assist all of our clients 

with their selections during the building process....everything from exterior paint, brick, and rock selections to flooring, lighting, trim details, interior paint, door styles, cabinetry, hardware, and countertops. 

i guess if there was one area in interior design where i feel the most comfortable, it is 

in new construction. i love nothing better than trapsing around in a house that's being built,

smelling the sawdust and seeing the hustle and bustle of the sub contractors.

there are a TON of decisions that need to be made when building a home, and it can be 

overwhelming. most of these decisions are things that you will have to live with for a very long time,

and things that cost a LOT of money.

even if you have never hired a designer before, and you don't plan on hiring a designer in the future,

it is a wise investment to hire  a designer when building a home.

so, for the next few months, i will be showing you the progress on this house and letting you tag

along while we make our selections! it should be a lot of fun. we are planning a few fun trim treatments,

pretty patterned stone flooring, and maybe even some blue/grey painted cabinets! stay tuned.

go big or go home.

i love a traditional room, but i love it even more when it has a little "kick" to it...

in these cases that "kick" is introduced with oversized light fixtures.

(via veranda)

these peach walls are so soft and dreamy, and i love the lucite bench.

this is a great example of a monochromatic room done right.

(scott laslie)

this fresh color scheme would work so well in a teenagers room. 

the matching curtains and headboard really tie this room together.

(via pinterest)

ah, well.

i pretty much want to marry this room.

and wallpaper on the ceiling? j'adore.

(yep...i speak french..."two year high school french")

(heather garrett design via decorpad)

the grey walls are such a pretty backdrop to the warm soft neutrals in this room...

and i SO want that light fixture to come and live with me!!

(mabley handler interior design)

tiny room, BIG design.

(house beautiful )

oooo. and ahhhhhh.

i SO love the orange velvet dual sided sofa, the striped floors, and the eclectic vibe of this room!

(pure style home)

as always, lauren does amazing things when playing with scale.

(william hefner architecture interiors + landscape)

simple and classic, and the paper lantern keeps it young and not too serious.

***

oh, and just in case you are wondering, it IS possible to go TOO big:

(via pinterest)