Plans for the New House-Living Room Moodboard(s)

The countdown is on people...25 days left until we close on our new house! I've been keeping busy with a few fun side projects but have also set aside time to work on some inspiration, a floorplan and my painting everything black plan for the new place. This time, I've done up a few moodboards to help me decide what direction the living room should go in. To recap, here were some of my inspiration images:

via 1/2/3/4/5/6

Yes, my inspiration seems a bit bi-polar. I have to admit it's always harder for me to design my own place. I love so many different styles and colours that one day I want neutral and another day I want colour everywhere. What does help is that, due to budget constraints, I have to keep the larger furniture pieces and rugs we already have. I'd love to reupholster my vintage tub chairs but as I mentioned in an earlier post-that's not gonna be cheap. 

I ended up creating three moodboards to show three different living room styles- from what I'd have if I used mostly everything I already own, to what I'd do if I could re-do a bunch of things. The elements that stay the same are my inherited vintage white sofa, the overhead light fixture Chad is in the process of making (in addition to the large scale one I've asked him to make for the family room/open hall area) my marble and wood coffee table, and my buffet and metal wall art.  

Here is my tentative floorplan to get an idea of where the living room is. I'm focusing on the new living room (former dining room) for now. 

OPTION ONE

This first option uses a majority of items we already have (with a few new additions). The vintage white sofa and chair I inherited from my grandparents. The camel chair is a purchase from the Brimfield Antique Show I made us drag all the way home at the same time as the bingo sign. All of this furniture was residing in our basement at the old house because the large black leather sectional couldn't fit down the stairs. I'm excited to have it see the light of day. The rug is my old standby Ikea and the white side table I already have from Target. I figure I can create some similar artwork and then would only be purchasing a few new items like the sconces, side table and pillow. I'm kicking myself that we gave away two mid-century side table before we moved but I'm fairly certain I can find something secondhand. I'm surprised by how much I like this neutral room.

OPTION TWO

This option was the one I had been leaning towards the most in my head. After seeing the number 6 inspiration photo from Jessica Helgerson, I wanted to recreate the pink on pink room. I think it stops just short of being overly saccharin due to all the black accents. I also obviously love a black accent wall and have always wanted to add wainscoting. Both this option and the one below involve me reupholstering the tub chairs. These were/are my top two colour choices for the chairs-either a pink or blue velvet. I love all the saturated colour in this room and that overdyed rug is a thing of dreams. 

OPTION THREE

Option three to me feels like a mix of both other options. Still some pops of colour but also calming and neutral. The blue velvet was, or still is, a top re-upholstery choice. This room also includes a beautiful beni ourain rug- which is modern but classic. I also added in the DUO wall paneling I saw at the CHEO dream home.  I love how both the rug and wall add pattern and interest without being too loud. This option also calls for a whole bunch of new throw pillows (sorry Chad!) so it would obviously be a "down the road" option. 

It looks as though some variation of option one will be what I start out with. Which one is your favourite option 1, 2, or 3? Do you ever plan out your decorating in phases?

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.

Bland be Gone!

When Chairish contacted me and asked if I wanted to take part in an activity that would require me to browse through their site (which I already do), pick whatever I wanted (which I wish I could do) and then create a style board (which I love doing) that highlights bright,bold colour- of course I said yes!

If you don't know what Chairish is then you're either one of those lucky people who gets to jet around the world and frequent antique markets all day (and I hate you) or you're someone who has hours and hours to search through Craigslist and doesn't mind dealing with the hassle of picking things up from sketchy locations and questionable people. If you haven't browsed through Chairish's curator approved, online market for vintage and used furniture then you are about to get lost down an amazing rabbit hole of goodness-thanks internet!

I was asked to pick from a selection of vintage rugs and then design a room around that rug. I picked the brightest and most colourful one.

I know what you're thinking, because it's also what my Mom said when she first saw it, "ummmm... well, that's interesting. It looks like a rug for a kindergarten class." 

To me it immediately had the potential to be the centerpiece of a vibrant, jewel toned room that was part Mid-Century Modern, part 70's glam and anything but juvenile. 

TAH-DAH!

I loved how this room came out! What do you think? Could you be convinced to walk away from a boring, bland neutral room into a jewel box of a space like this? It just feels so happy to me. I'm very tempted to get rid of all our furniture in the move and just buy everything on my Chairish pinterest board (don't read this part Chad). 

I pulled all the colours in the room from the rug, added just enough white accessories to not overwhelm the space and refrained from using any pattern apart from that amazing grasscloth wallpaper- also found on Chairish! If you're not quite ready to leap into the deep-end of colour, why not take a few small steps and try one colourful piece like a rug and then keep all the other pieces neutral? Or pick a bright couch and then keep the rug neutral? I know you've often heard the rule about keeping larger pieces neutral but sometimes that's just boring. Look at how many colour combinations you could pull from this rug or even from the couch. 

Everything I used in the room was sourced from Chairish. Here are links to all the individual pieces (please buy them before I do):

Gene Meyer Multicolor Triangular Rug

Schumacher Waiyevu Grasscloth Wallpaper

Nicolette Quilted Sofa

Cylindrical Hand Embroidered Pillow

Solid Elm Turquoise Asian Bench

Orange Slice Serving Tray

1960's Saarinen Armless Executive Chair

Large Oval Cobalt Blue Vase

Danish Modern Lounge Chair by Nanna Ditzel

Round Rattan Cubes

Mid-Century Teak Tea or Bar Cart

Vintage Framed Tiger Needlepoint

Vintage Italian 1950 Blue Vetro Opalina

Lana Lucite & Chrome Console Table

Mid-Century Hexagonal Glass Lamps

Puces De Vanves by Artist Hardie Cobbs

Geometric Cut Out Wood Wall Sculpture

Geometric Cut Out Wood Wall Sculpture II

Saarinen Tulip End Tables

Lacquered Vintage Bassett Triple Dresser

Orange Leather Mirror

Interlocking Rings Sculpture

Since you made it to the end, let's just take one last look at my new favourite room. Thank you to Chairish for letting me play around in their amazing site, have a great weekend and I'll be back with the second part of the beachside apartment makeover next week.

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.

Mid-Century Modern Man Cave

Remember when I talked about finally renovating the basement here? Well, that hasn't happened. Maybe it's a good thing we haven't gotten started because a little while ago, I was asked by Man Crates to be part of their 'Man Cave Makeover' campaign. Man Crates say they deliver "awesome gifts for men" and one look at their site and I had to agree. I mean , guys, they have a whole section for Zombie Preparedness! I think it's safe to say Chad's Christmas present is checked off my list.

This was the perfect time to re-think my idea for the basement a.k.a. Chad's man cave. With a little refinement it's gone from simply 'Replacement Basement' to 'Mid-Century Modern Man Cave'.

Source: Sofa/ Chairs/ Coffee Table/ Side Table/ Rug/ Credenza/ Record player/ Ceramic Hand/ Print/ Wall Art/ Screen/ Lamp/ Chandelier /Pendants/ Foot stool/ Bar & bar stools

I know when I think man cave I picture a dark room with an ugly recliner or left-over couch that has seen better days, sports paraphernalia and maybe if you're lucky a mini-fridge. I honestly don't think the men who get these man caves choose this decor on purpose. I think it's just another room that is not a priority and so never gets any special attention.

The man cave I envisioned is a perfect mid-century modern gentleman's room.We all know the men in our life have a little 'Don Draper' in them and could use a room to let loose the sophisticated, whiskey drinking 'Mad Men'. I feel like this room will be a place friends will be dying to hang out in and the opposite sex won't be scared to venture into -only if invited, don't worry boys. This would be the ideal space to enjoy the personalized Whiskey Crate (Chad's Finest Quality Distilled Spirits) while listening to a record or jamming out on a vintage guitar.

Here are a few tips to help you create your own Mid-Century Modern man cave, or really any man cave that isn't a scary, dark cave.

• A comfortable couch doesn't have to be a boring couch. This is a room that's a great chance to take a risk on a fun colour and a masculine couch doesn't just have to be leather.
• A cowhide rug is stain repellent and super durable.
• Have lots of seating options that can be moved around easily- who doesn't want to cozy up to the bar!
• Have multiple light sources so you can change the mood and create an atmosphere dependent on your needs. Just having drinks? Bar pendant lights on. Practicing guitar? Turn them all on to get it right.
• Create zones in the space. Try using a room divider to hide anything you don't want to see and be sure to create space for your favourite activities.
• Personalize the room with artwork. I used vintage advertisements but this could be the time to bring in a sports reference if you must, just make sure to have it framed properly (that means no tape or staples). 
• Add a few details to finish off the room. Don't worry, I don't mean adding a million throw pillows - just one or two. If you have a collection or a few pieces that 'someone' won't let you display elsewhere, now's your chance.

What do you think? Are you ready to tackle giving your man cave a makeover to turn it into a space everyone wants to hang out in? Thanks to Man Crates for inviting me to take part and seriously go check out the site to check off a few gifts for that special someone who will appreciate using a crowbar to pry open their present.

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.