Beachside Apartment Makeover II

When we last checked in on our Beachside Apartment Makeover I promised a mood board, furniture layout and a source list...well it took some time but I think it was worth it. Just in case you missed it, the first post HERE outlined what we were working with: a bare bones apartment near the ocean in San Diego that was off to a great start but just needed some cozy-ing up. Here was the living/dining room before:

Of course I couldn't just do one option, not with all the great online resources those of you in the US have. Here are two options so my lucky beachside couple can pick the one they think will best fit them.

OPTION ONE: Boho Surf Meets Mid-Century Modern

In this option I added all the important finishing pieces: a rug, drapes, pillows, artwork and accessories for what I'm calling a laid-back boho surf meets mid-century modern room. I found this amazing rug on ebay and used it to pull out all the colours in the room. I added some additional furniture pieces for storage and for seating and of course used her stunning beach photos for personal, completely on-trend, artwork. I've mentioned it before but it's super important to hang your artwork at the right height. You'll notice in the before pictures that the art is a bit small and hung too high for the space.

I've also gone ahead and added a mantle surround for the fireplace. Now, this isn't something they have to do-especially since it's a rental, but for a few hundred dollars (or even cheaper if you can find an antique or second-hand one) you completely transform all that orange brick and give yourself additional display space.

OPTION TWO: The New Coastal Casual

As in Option One this moodboard is all about the key finishing touches. This time I went with a more neutral rug and then let the drapes and cushions add the pattern and interest. This feels fresh and modern and layered but not overwhelming. The rug and drapes were a steal from Target (R.I.P. Target Canada) and then the chair was a splurge.

With both these options, the moodboard can be a starting point for the style of the room and then certain pieces can be swapped out for vintages or second hand ones. This couple mentioned they wanted to try and shop some of the room at antique stores or flea markets and it is totally possible. Here are my suggestions for things to look for:

• Chairs- it's easy to find great mid-century modern chairs that may need to be recovered but have great bones. Reupholstering isn't cheap but you'll have a solid chair in exactly the fabric/colour you want for potentially less then new
• Sideboards and Dressers-the small cabinet and media console above are from Ikea and Westelm but could easily be sourced vintage or second-hand. A less then perfect piece can easily be painted and will almost always be less money and better quality then new.
• Books and vases-load up on accessories at flea markets. A pile of books can be used as a stand to display items or used on it's own to fill shelves or tabletops.
• I've found it hard to get the right size rug vintage or second hand but Oriental or Persian rugs are often cheaper on ebay or craigslist so keep an eye out.

Drapes, lamps, throws, sidetables, pillows- I've always had better luck buying new or handmade on sites like Etsy. 

FLOORPLAN: When you receive an e-design I always include a floorplan so you get a sense of exactly where everything should go.

SOURCE LIST: This is pretty straight forward. If you decide not to go the vintage/second-hand route I have a list of everything you need to make your room look just like the moodboard.

So what do you think? Which option would you go with-Boho Surf Meets Mid-Century Modern or The New Coastal Casual? I can't wait to see what they pick and if there is anything they want to change I'm always happy to do one free revision. If you're interested in getting your own e-design done send me an email here and we can get started right away.

Beachside Apartment Makeover

A former colleague and friend was lucky enough to move from Montreal to San Diego. I'm always super jealous of her Instagram pictures of sand, sun and what looks like killer Mexican food, especially right about now! She wrote me a long time ago (sorry friend!) and asked if I could help her out with the finishing touches on her apartment. Of course I said yes but with the caveat that I could share the process on the blog. So let's follow along with the entire process from her first email to my inspiration and design process. Here is what she had to say initially:

Okay so here are the pictures of my apartment as it stands. The truth is, this whole building and many other buildings in this area have such a motel feel. I am not sure if its because the beach is close by but in any case it is off topic!

As you can see, the apartment is pretty bare bones. Mostly it was for financial reasons but also my husband and I have a hard time agreeing on anything!!! I had bought these chairs and we couldn't agree on a table. After buying two tables and returning them we agreed on this one! Everything else was similarly chosen haphazardly merely because we agreed finally on something. For that reason, I feel like things don't necessarily go together and I need to tie them all in with decor (lamps, cushions, rug, mirror etc). We are having a hard time agreeing even on a color scheme so maybe you can start there!

I know that in the living room, we need a side table next to the couch with additional lighting. I also know that we need something under the tv to put his little box on and hide those wires. What do you think should go there?

Again, a wires problem, next to the dining table, I need maybe a table/console to put the plant on and to hide all those crazy gadgets and wires that just drive me crazy. Maybe we also need shelves..

Besides furniture, I was thinking a round mirror on top of the fireplace (thoughts?) I HATE the carpet in here...what can I do to make it less carpety? I also hate these blinds. Should I put curtains up in the living room and take down those blinds?

We have a West Elm in San Diego, Ikea, Target, World Market etc. but I can also order online. If you send me ideas I can also check out the flea market. 

HELP!!!! I don't feel cozy in our place!!

Firstly, I think she's done an amazing job in terms of getting some great larger pieces. I think they definitely have a style that reads very mid-century modern to me. Her ideas of what she needs are also spot on. Here is what I think we need to work on: 

• A few more accent furniture pieces like she mentioned-tables, lamps, shelves, mirror
• Some pieces to add layers, colours, texture and personality-area rug, original artwork, curtains, pillows

I find a lot of people want a cozy room but don't necessarily know what goes into getting that feeling. It's the layers of things in a room, like area rugs, blankets, pillows, curtains, artwork and decorative objects that take a room from motel-like to cozy. 

I usually like to start off a decor plan with a search for inspiration for the final space. With this space, I immediately thought of all the beautiful Instagram beach photos she takes that make me so jealous. The mass produced art above the sofa isn't screaming "we're a cool mid-century modern couple who live by the beach so feel free to hate us." Why not use your own photos to inject some personality and originality into a room? 

Any combination of two or three of these photos blown up and framed inexpensively would look great over the sofa. I also often like to start a specific Pinterest board and search for inspiration from other rooms. 

A little tip for you, don't search coastal or beach house if you don't want a whole lot of rope mirrors and seashells! That was not where I envisioned this room going. I was thinking more along the lines of this:

via Top Left to Right: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

From that I have a pretty good idea of the kind of mood board I'll start working on. To recap:

I'll look for pieces to bring in a cool blue colour palette to reflect the ocean inside, pull in some warm wood tones to offset the cool blue and crisp white, add in lots of layers and original artwork. Time to go get started on sourcing some possible options. I can't wait to use all the amazing online resources not available to us Canadians. Next time I'll show you all my sourcing options, get some feedback from our cool mid-century we live by the beach couple and give you a peak at the moodboard.

Wallpaper

If you know me, you know I love wallpaper. If Chad was willing to install it in more rooms I would plaster it everywhere. It can make such an impact in a room and also hide a multitude of imperfections if you have questionable walls. Not all wallpaper is created equal though,  as I can tell you after taking down two layers of 70s vinyl wallpaper in the living room. This is why I am so glad I found Spoonflower. This way you can have removable wallpaper at a reasonable price in either your own design or one from the Spoonflower Marketplace where independent artists get a commission from every sale.

As I mentioned in this post, I've been working with an amazing client to make her rental apartment a chic, feminine, modern yet cozy space. She knew she wanted wallpaper somewhere in the space but wanted to keep it within budget so a large wall was out. The entryway, or entry wall in this case, is often the perfect space to try a little bit more pattern or colour. It was important in this room because the best place for the sofa was facing the entry wall so I wanted to give it some extra punch. It was hard to narrow down our choices from Spoonflower but we needed something to reference the colour scheme of blue, coral, mint and grey. To get sense of the other side of the living room here was the original moodboard...

...and here are a few of the final contenders:

Birch Grove in Greige and Rich Cream by Sparrowsong

Blushing Peacock by Peacoquette Designs

Coral Jubilee by Evie&Co

William Morris Strawberry Thief in Blue and White by Peacoquette Designs

Mexico Springtime White on Linen (Large Scale) by SammyK

What do you think? Thanks to the mock-ups I think we're down to a choice between the birch trees and the William Morris pattern that references the throw pillows. Just in case you're looking for even more options, I've rounded up another nine that I'd put up in a heartbeat (click on the numbers below the image for the source).

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9

E-Decor

I just wrapped up a project with an e-decor client that I could not wait to share with you. In fact, I loved it so much I came up with two options instead of one! 

I feel like the dilemma this client was having is one that I hear from a lot of people. She had moved into a space that her partner had already been living in and he had a lot of stuff that was not exactly to her taste. She had slowly been redoing each room to reflect both of them but needed some help with the master bedroom as it had an awkward layout and needed all new furniture.

While the furniture in the bedroom was all practical and functional (sounds like so many guys I know) it was not exactly the mood she was going for. After we chatted and I saw a picture of her almost-done living room, I completely agreed. She had lots of dark wood bedroom furniture that did not reflect the fun, modern style she had created in the living room. The bedroom already had three new pieces- the cool campaign style bedside tables, a full length wood mirror and a neutral upholstered headboard. There was also a this cute print that had to stay - obviously! These were the jumping off points for the room. I also needed to find a way to cover up an off-center window on the only wall the bed could go on.

We talked about a calm and neutral bedroom space that would still have an element of fun and pattern all while tying in the burgundy bedside tables. I love the combination of icy blue and wine so I sourced this light blue rug that fit perfectly. Then I stumbled on this gorgeous tribal rug and just had to do second, maybe not so relaxing but definitely stunning, design. 

The two options:

All the furniture in the moodboards will not necessarily be in the room but I added in all the pieces to get a sense of them all together. There are several options in terms of layout depending on their end decision regarding one or two dressers. 

I recommended she cover the off-center window with wall-to-wall curtains which makes a great textured backdrop for the bed.  In two of the options she gets a great little sitting area, which even though we all know ends up as a place to throw clothes, it is nice to have a place to sit and read or relax. Having a small stool is also a great options as it allows you to move it around the room to use as a footstool or a seat at your vanity table. Either way, I'm loving the colour scheme in both rooms. I usually don't gravitate towards reds but I think I may just reconsider now! 

What do you think? Do you have a favourite layout or design? I can't wait to see what they choose and how the room turns out.

Do you have a space that needs a little, or a lot of, help? E-decor is a great option if you don't live in the Montreal/Ottawa area or if you have a limited budget and don't mind doing part of the work yourself. After an initial consultation by phone, Skype or email I send you a moodboard, a floorplan and a full source list. Then you go off and easily create the space you've always wanted. Just in case I missed the mark, you also get two free revisions. Check out my services page or send me an email for more information.

E-Decor

Hey Everyone! It's almost Friday, which means it's almost the weekend- who's ready to relax with some pumpkin spice? I know I'm a cliche but I can't help it. I'm going to spend the weekend brainstorming decor ideas for the Thanksgiving dinner and Halloween party I'm hosting. Maybe I can combine them- scary Thanksgiving? That's way more important then the food-right?

Anyhow, I thought I'd give you a peek into an e-decor client I recently helped. In case you don't know, e-decor is a great option if you don't live in Montreal/Ottawa or if you have a limited budget and don't mind doing part of the work yourself. After an initial consultation by phone, Skype or email I send you a moodboard, a floorplan and a full source list. Then you go off and easily create the space you've always wanted.

This client was a real estate developer who had two luxury condos to stage-the idea was that the furniture would be used in one space and then moved over (with the addition of some pieces to the larger unit). The decor had to appeal to both potential buyers-young couples and empty-nesters. We went with a mix of  what I'm calling modern/lux/industrial. This was a really easy space to work with as the finishes were gorgeous-dark maple cabinetry, 'super white' granite, dark maple floors and a canvas of Benjamin Moore 'Stone Harbour Grey'. It was also requested that I use a few of their wholesale suppliers like Gus Modern- which is always my dream choice for sofas! We had to keep the budget reasonable so we tried to mix in some craigslist/kijiji and vintage finds. Ummm, yeah , I think I can handle that.

My favourite option-I've seen that blue Gus Modern sofa in person and it is gorgeous. The chairs, table and lamps were all vintage. Now, a blue sofa isn't for everyone so here were a few other options:

This last option was probably my favourite grey sofa option. I really loved that cobalt blue mid-century chair and the benches. Which one do you like best? Which one do you think they picked?

The dining room was fairly open concept so I wanted it to tie into the other spaces - natural tones with the industrial edge of metal and graphic art. Also, you can't beat a round tulip table in a small space.

The den/office already had the cool industrial metal desk- see how easy it was to work on this project? I added bright and colourful elements to soften the space. 

This guest bedroom re-used the art from the living room to make a calming, modern retreat using a mix of vintage (dresser) and some newer thrifty finds- the headboard is from Home Depot!

I feel like the master bedroom is exactly what I'd want in my own house. The mint and mustard colour scheme may be a new favourite - if only I was redecorating my own bedroom! 

To find out more about e-decor services take a look HERE and shoot me off an email so we can start working to create a space you love for a great price. Then go get yourself a pumpkin latte!