Dwell by Cheryl

Class is Officially in Session

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Sun, 19 Sep 2021 14:00:00 +0000

Last year, at the start of the pandemic, we quickly scrambled to come up with a way to help, as we knew folks would be at home and looking to make immediate changes to spruce up and make their homes more functional. We launched Homeschool, a three-part online course designed to teach attendees the fundamentals and our five-step process to create a beautiful and more functional home. We've spent most of 2021, retooling, upgrading, and fine-tuning this original course, providing even more value for our attendees.

I'm so beyond excited to announce the launch of the Dwell by Cheryl Academy and the re-launch of the new and improved Homeschool!

Here's what you need to know!

WHEN: Pre-registration begins NOW! During this period you can register for the course (payment plans available) and receive the bonus Pattern Mixing Module FREE!

Note: Pre-registration and the free bonus opportunity end on Sunday, September 27th.

WHERE: The Dwell by Cheryl Academy landing page will direct you to the course and will be the home of many other courses to come.

HOW: The online course is divided into 3 modules totaling about 90 minutes of video instruction. At the end of each module, we'll test your knowledge and provide valuable downloads to help you on your journey.

WHAT: Head over to dwellbycherylacademy.thinkific.com for the course content details and to register TODAY!

Don't miss this amazing opportunity!

"It's Been Too Long"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Thu, 20 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Hi! I'm Cheryl, remember me?

I know, it's been a crazy long time since I blogged but I'm going to recommit and do better. The past year has been absolutely insane. You'd think with a pandemic and a lockdown that I would've had plenty of time to blog. You'd be wrong. Needless to say with the world at home, nearly everyone was looking to update and improve their dwellings. As a result, we've been swamped. Seriously, like NON-STOP since this time last year. So much has happened since my last post that it's difficult to know where to start. How about we do this... Let's start with a little look back at some of my favorite projects in 2020. We completed and photographed quite a few that I haven't shared here, so let's go in chronological order, shall we?

I'll start with a project that continues to be ongoing. We're actually working on completing Phase III right now. The project originally began in 2019 as a bath renovation project.

The clients came to us looking to update their principal suite. The bath in particular was long overdue. They were looking for something clean and fresh and wanted help laying out a plan for the renovation. Here's where the space began.

The bath and adjoining closet were fine in terms of layout, but they were feeling a bit drab as you can see. We created a design plan that was fresh and classic. With cool hits of fresh green (SW Sea Salt) and gray and a mix of luxurious metals, this principal bath got a MAJOR upgrade.

This shower is the stuff that dreams are made of.

The custom cabinetry allowed us to get exactly what we wanted in storage and functionality and we took advantage of the vertical space with towers flanking the vanity.

The tile wall in the tub niche is a showstopper and worth the investment. We splurged here while saving on the floor with large format porcelain tile with a marble mosaic design installed on the diagonal for maximum impact and visual interest.

We first needed to address the worn carpet in the closet, so we continued the wood flooring from the bedroom here and draped the room in this beautiful wallpaper from York Wallcoverings.

A beautiful new mirror and custom bench in a durable (yet stylish) Revolution Performance Fabric print finish the space off beautifully.

The clear doors on the existing cabinet were causing a lot of visual clutter, so we changed them to antiqued mirror, upgraded the knobs, and voila!

The clients also wanted to "freshen" up the bedroom space and we were happy to oblige.

We took our design inspiration for this space from the client's existing area rugs. The beige and blue would be a great complement to the soft green in the adjoining bath so we went with it.

The plan was to update the paint, keep the existing bed, drapery, and rugs, and level up the other elements. It's amazing what decorative elements and furniture can do to a space.

I'm obsessed with this bedroom. It's cozy and fresh and just makes you want to linger a bit.

We kept things fairly neutral here and played up the pattern. If you ask me, it's the perfect mix.

So, what do you think? It's been a while since I've heard from you guys. Let me know if you're still here and haven't given up on me. : )

I promise I'll be back in June with another 2020 project reveal.

One Room Challenge Week 6: "The Reveal"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 10:30:00 +0000

Today's the day! It's reveal day and I'm so excited to share with you the finished project for this year's Fall One Room Challenge! But first, if you need to catch up, you can do so by clicking the posts below:

Week 1 - Dreams Need Detail

Week 2- Mountain Magic

Week 3- Heigh Ho

Week 4- In the Details

Week 5- Form and Function

The fifth and final step in our design process is the installation. It's the step where all the hard work and planning pays off with the unveiling of a dream space for our client. Today that client is ME and I'm almost as excited as they usually are on the big day.

Here's a look back at the space as I first found it. A little rough around the edges but definitely

full of potential.

Before we could get to the decorating fun, I needed to sure up the foundational elements of the project.

Here are the selections for the aesthetic improvements we made to the space.

In addition to resurfacing the fireplace, installing wood floors and new trim, reclaimed wood beams were added to draw the eye up to the second level windows and vaulted ceiling. They instantly added more character and a more rustic vibe fitting for the home's mountain environment.

I landed on one of Sherwin Williams' new Emerald Designer Edition colors called Simple Stone. It's a beautiful neutral with a hint of green that draws in just enough color from the outdoors, making a subtle reference to nature while working perfectly with the colors in my design scheme.

Take a look at how it all came together...

SOURCES

Wall/Ceiling Color: Sherwin Williams Simple Stone/Marshmallow, Wallpaper: Thibaut Winslow Plaid,

Drapery/Door Fabric: Thibaut Grassmarket Check (Beige), Sectional: Wesley Hall Perreti,

Chairs: Wesley Hall Charming Chair, Cocktail Table: Modern History Large Gravity Cocktail Table

Stools: Norwalk Furniture Hicks Stools, Chandelier: Currey and Company Forest Dawn Chandelier,

Side Table: Currey and Company Jada Side Table Art: Wendover "In Thought", Lamps: Wildwood Antler Hall Lamps,

Area Rug: Capel Sisal Rug, Sofa Table: Modern History Three Drawer Burl Console,

Animal Hide: HPMKT Antique and Design Center, Plant & Florals: NDI Protea and Fiddle leaf

Pillows: Brunschwig & Fil Le Touches, Eastern Accents Decorative Pillows

Mantel Mirror: Uttermost Nyla, Candlesticks: Wildwood Antler Hall Candlesticks

Take a moment to pan around the room (use your cursor for a quick 360 view) to take it all in. One of my favorite elements is the addition of upholstered bi-fold doors on the small two closets in the living space. Y'all know I love an upholstered door. We used the same Thibaut fabric from the drapery to provide connectivity and amped them up with hardware from Charlotte's own, Addison Weeks.

Am I the only one who wants to dive onto that velvet sectional and curl up with someone special (or even a good Netflix series for that matter 😂 )?

On the opposite side of the space lives the dining area. I love setting a table and entertaining, so a more formal look seemed to resonate with me. The only thing I knew going in was that I was using the Dowel Furniture Murdock table and my Cumberland settee from my collections with

Sylvester Alexander.

Here's a look at the space before.

We continued the paint color, beams and window treatments in this area and here it is...

SOURCES

Wall Color: Sherwin Williams' Simple Stone/Marshmallow, Dining Chairs: Designmaster's Richfield Side Chair,

Settee Fabric: Brentwood Textiles, Console Table: Modern History Console, Chandelier: Currey and Company Lauritz, Sconces: Wildwood Franklin Arm Sconce Art: Leftbank Art Massacre and Palette Prose Series VII by Kelly O'Neal,

Lamp: Pierpont lamp by Couture Lamps, Area Rug: Libra One by Surya

Drapery Fabric: Thibaut Grassmarket Check (Beige), Bucket: Wildwood's Village Champagne Chiller

Mantel Antlers: Chelsea HouseSide Table: Wildwood Rothko Side Table, Vase: Nutmeg Vase by Chelsea House,

Animal Figurine: Chelsea House Leopard Table Centerpiece: NDI Faux Bois Moss Mound

The art makes a huge statement in the space. Both pieces are from my friend Kelly O'Neal's collection with Leftbank Art. Take a closer look around with the panoramic view below and try to resist the urge to pour yourself a cocktail from that amazing Duncan Corner Cabinet by Highland House.

Y'all, I love it all so much. What a fun project this has been. I read this quote recently in

Glennon Doyle's book Untamed...

“As every architect and designer knows there’s a critical step between vision and reality. Before imagination becomes 3-dimensional, it usually needs to become 2-dimensional. It’s as though the unseen order needs to come to life one dimension at a time.”

I said from the very beginning that my dreams need detail, so with this ORC project I set out to get really specific about where I'm heading. If my dream of owning a mountain home is one dimension and this project is the second, you know what's next. Let's make this a reality.

Until then...

Digital Renderings by Duke Renders

Check out the reveals from my fellow Featured Designers:

Albie Knows | Ana Claudia Design | At Home With Joseph | Barbour Spangle Design | Dwell by Cheryl

Eneia White Interiors | Gray Space Interiors | Haneen's Haven | Hommeboys | Interiors by Design

Jana Donohoe Designs | Laura Hodges Studio | Lauren Nicole Designs | Nicole White Designs | Nikole Starr Interiors

One Room Challenge Week 5: "Form and Function"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 09:30:00 +0000

Hi there! I'm back for Week Five of the Fall 2020 One Room Challenge as we approach the final reveal. If it's your first time visiting, be sure to catch up on the following posts:

Week 1 - Dreams Need Detail

Week 2- Mountain Magic

Week 3- Heigh Ho

Week 4- In the Details

Today, I'm sharing a few of my major selections with you but first, check this out...

When designing a space for myself or our clients, it's important to keep in mind that form and function are both extremely important. We often begin with the larger impact pieces and build from there. Let's check some of those out!

LIVING ROOM

Dining Room Side

ART

The art drove the color scheme for the space so let's begin here. This maroon and blush abstract caught my eye at High Point Market a year ago and had remained in my camera roll ever since. I love the warmth and femininity of this piece and seemed the perfect jumping off point for my design. It's called "In Thought" from Wendover Art and I think it'll be the perfect focal point in the living space.

SOFA/SECTIONAL

For this home, I knew I wanted to lean in to comfort with a sectional. I loved the Wesley Hall Peretti Sectional the moment I saw it on the showroom floor. I'm sitting on it HERE in this video. It's a bit of a departure from the sofa at my primary residence and leans a little more modern than my typical. We've opted for it in a beautiful berry velvet that will definitely up the glam factor.

The bumper chaise option provides a great alternative to a traditional sofa chaise because the additional seat-back functions as a seat and a chaise.

LIGHTING

I wanted to intentionally add elements that spoke to the environment. This Forest Chandelier from Currey and Company stuck just the right note providing a glamorous, yet rustic vibe all at once.

DINING ROOM

Dining Room Side

DINING TABLE

This Murdock dining table has been on my mind since I first saw my friends from Dowel Furniture and their licensee Mally Skok debut it at High Point Market in 2018. I love the rich wood finish and the scalloped edge. The length is customizable and it's going to be just what the

dining space in my project needs.

DINING CHAIR

I've been a fan of Designmaster Furniture since using them in my own home for the last ORC. Since then, we've placed them in several homes and they NEVER disappoint. I love the metal finish on the legs of this Richfield Side Chair.

CORNER CABINET

I felt the need to add a bar in the space and this Highland House corner cabinet is just perfection. The idea of having a cabinet tucked nicely in a corner is genius and I'm obsessed with the finish on this one.

SETTEE

Lastly, using my own piece from the Belle by Cheryl Luckett collection for Sylvester Alexander is a no-brainer at this point. The Cumberland is a classic wingback settee and adds just the right amount of tradition to the space. Stay tuned to see the fabric selection on this one.

Next week is the BIG week, so be sure to check back on Wednesday. Until then, be sure to check out the other featured designers who are participating.

Albie Knows | Ana Claudia Design | At Home With Joseph | Barbour Spangle Design | Dwell by Cheryl

Eneia White Interiors | Gray Space Interiors | Haneen's Haven | Hommeboys | Interiors by Design

Jana Donohoe Designs | Laura Hodges Studio | Lauren Nicole Designs | Nicole White Designs | Nikole Starr Interiors

One Room Challenge Week 4 - "In the Details"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Hey! Hey! Hey! I'm back!

Thanks for checking in on the project's progress. Again, if you're new, be sure to check out my previous posts linked below in the series to get all caught up.

Week 1 - Dreams Need Detail

Week 2- Mountain Magic

Week 3- Heigh Ho

Get the scoop on what I've been working on over the past week in this week's video...

So that's Step 4 of our process. I'm having a blast picking the final details in my project.

Next week, I'll be sharing my favorite furniture selections in the project and I'm also giving you a sneak peek into what's coming. Stay tuned and be sure to check out the other Featured Designers...

Albie Knows | Ana Claudia Design | At Home With Joseph | Barbour Spangle Design | Dwell by Cheryl

Eneia White Interiors | Gray Space Interiors | Haneen's Haven | Hommeboys | Interiors by Design

Jana Donohoe Designs | Laura Hodges Studio | Lauren Nicole Designs | Nicole White Designs | Nikole Starr Interiors

One Room Challenge Week 3 - "Heigh Ho.."

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 09:00:00 +0000

♪ Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to market we go. 🎵

Welcome back! We'll, we've reached the sourcing portion of the project when it's finally time to pick all the pretty things. But first...if you're new here, be sure to check out our previous posts to get caught up.

Week 1 - Dreams Need Detail

Week 2- Mountain Magic

Check out the video below to get the latest and to learn why we source product at High Point Market twice each year.

After a super productive trip to High Point, I'm now back in the office pulling together all of the selections we've made. I fell in love with so many items at High Point Market, but not all of them will make the cut. Here's a look at just a few...

Faux Antlers from Chelsea House

Side Chair from Wesley Hall

Ottoman from Norwalk Furniture

Hide Rug from Antiques & Design Center

Thibaut Wallpaper

Corner Cabinet from Highland House

Once I've made decisions, the final selections will be compiled and sent off to our rendering artist to create a picture of the space that we'll be working on.

As mentioned in the video, this step in the process is critical because it helps to create and communicate a visual of the vision we have for our client's homes.

Be sure to check out my behind the scenes videos from High Point Market!

And if you're like me, you can't wait to see what the other designers are up to this week!

Albie Knows | Ana Claudia Design | At Home With Joseph | Barbour Spangle Design | Dwell by Cheryl

Eneia White Interiors | Gray Space Interiors | Haneen's Haven | Hommeboys | Interiors by Design

Jana Donohoe Designs | Laura Hodges Studio | Lauren Nicole Designs | Nicole White Designs | Nikole Starr Interiors

One Room Challenge Week 2 - "Mountain Magic"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Welcome back friends! I'm super excited about this week's post because today I'm revealing the space I'll be designing for this fall's One Room Challenge! Before we get started...if you're joining for the first time this week, be sure to check out my week one post, "Dreams Need Detail" to get caught up.

This week, I'm taking you inside to get the first look at my Mountain Magic dream home project.

As I searched for properties to serve as the inspiration for this project, I wanted to find something with built-in character and this property DID NOT disappoint. Yeah ok, so it's not in the best condition, but the bones sure are good. Check out the video below to learn more about the space I'm tackling and where the design process begins.

Get a closer look at the space and our preliminary plans below.

THE SPACE

View upon entry

Living Space

Living Space

Dining Space

The mood for the space is warm, cozy and a little fancy. I'm a pink girl- through and through- so I want to play those hues up in my getaway without being overly girly. Juxtaposed with dark rick woods and stone, I think it will work!

THE MOOD

I've not completely settled on the layout for the dining space but I know there will be a table and a settee from my furniture line with High Point vendor, Sylvester Alexander.

THE LAYOUT

Typically we move from this step to the budget/proposal phase. In my case, there is no budget (Yay!🎉) so only a needs list was developed during this step. It will help us as we travel to High Point Market later this week to specify items for the project (among other things).

THE LIST

So there's the plan! Be sure to follow along on social media this weekend to get all the behind the scenes of our trip to furniture market. The abbreviated schedule is going to make for a world-wind of a trip. Stay tuned!

Be sure to check out the updates from the other featured designers this week!

Albie Knows | Ana Claudia Design | At Home With Joseph | Barbour Spangle Design | Dwell by Cheryl

Eneia White Interiors | Gray Space Interiors | Haneen's Haven | Hommeboys | Interiors by Design

Jana Donohoe Designs | Laura Hodges Studio | Lauren Nicole Designs | Nicole White Designs | Nikole Starr Interiors

One Room Challenge Week 1 - "Dreams Need Detail"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 10:30:00 +0000

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! I'm Cheryl, Owner and Principal Designer here at Dwell by Cheryl Interiors. I operate a boutique residential design firm that helps busy clients create classic, colorful, cultured and cozy homes that are beautiful, functional and a representation of who they are and their journey to get there. We create homes that allow our clients to live their fullest lives. I'm so excited to be joining the One Room Challenge as a Featured Designer once again! If you're new here, be sure to check out my Spring One Room Challenge transformation.

If you haven't heard already, the One Room Challenge has teamed up with High Point Market, the world's largest home furnishings industry trade show, and this season the featured designers will be tackling virtual spaces with product exclusively sourced through High Point Market vendors.

Yep, we'll be designing rooms from top to bottom, culminating in week six with beautiful (and very realistic) digital renderings. Check out the video below to hear more and to learn a little about the space I'll be tackling.

So, there you have it! I'll be designing a space in my future mountain getaway...

or at least a stand in for it. The property even meets quite a few of my dream mountain house getaway wishlist items:

It has a great mountain location
It's within 2.5 hours from my home
It has a mountain view
There's enough space from me and guests
The interior has lots of character

(NOTE: Just so we're clear, I'm not purchasing this home, but it looks like something I'd be interested in if I were ready to pull the trigger.)

Fact is, my dreams need detail and this year's One Room Challenge is the perfect opportunity to paint a pretty vivid picture. Check back next week when I'll take you inside to see the space I'll be designing and share my preliminary plans and vision for my dream getaway.

Mountain house living...here I come!

Be sure to check out all of the other featured designer's Week 1 posts and be sure to subscribe to have each week's updated delivered directly to your inbox. Until next time...

"Cool, Colorful and Cozy Project Reveal"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 22:18:00 +0000

So excited to be back today to share with you one of our favorite projects this year. You may remember this project from last year, when we gave the client's master bedroom a new lease on life with a heavy dose of pattern and a new cozy seating area. You can read more about that in my

"Pattern Play Master Bedroom Reveal" post.

Early this year, our clients returned ready to tackle the living spaces on the first floor of their uptown Charlotte home. The spaces had really good bones and in my opinion, they'd done a great job getting the foundation right. The paint color worked well with their style, the layout wasn't bad, but overall the space lacked the life and personality that reflect the cool young family who lives there.

Since we'd worked with them previously and had already gotten to know them, we jumped right into the design phase of the project. In fact, we actually started it before they ever called us back for Phase II of their project. Let me explain...

So, we’d completed the first phase of the project last year, but during the initial consult I snapped a picture of an art print they had tacked up in the kitchen. Honestly, I was just data collecting to get a sense of their style.

Fast forward several months after their project wrapped and we were out treasure hunting in the NC mountains during our team retreat, when this abstract fell from the sky.

It was the prefect complement to that print and perfect for our clients (who hadn’t yet hired us back). We had a feeling they would, so we bought it and held it... and guess what? They called! That beautiful original art became the basis for the entire first floor of their home.

We used it as a driver for the color scheme and vibe for the project and made selections to complement the piece. The vibe was cool, colorful and cozy.

I really loved this one from day one, so to see it in real life was really amazing. Love it even more!

We kept the original layout and even several of the family's existing furniture pieces. There was no need to replace the leather chairs, x-benches, storage console or bookshelves. However, the sofa, window treatments, lighting and decor were definitely due for an upgrade. The windows got a heavy dose of pattern and color with a red geometric print roman shade, a subtle nod to the fraternity and sorority affiliation of both clients.

Check out that sconce in the background!

We opted for family-friendly pieces that would stand up to the play of two little boys and a pup. Revolution Performance Fabrics to the rescue on both the sofa and new window seat cushions. I'm also a little obsessed with the pass-through coffee table. I can imagine the little ones crawling through it when it's not doubling as substantial storage space.

While we were working on the master bedroom project, our clients expressed the desire to add a piano to their home. They went for it and we made its placement much more intentional with the addition of lighting and that original art print. Love it!

In the kitchen we needed to address the dining seating, the obnoxious fan, dated backsplash and under-scaled lighting.

Again, the paint selection seemed to work, so we left it unchanged and went BOLD on the backsplash. We knew we wanted to work with the existing cabinets and countertops as they weren't quite ready for a full kitchen renovation.

You'd be surprised what a good backsplash, new lighting and hardware can do. Maybe you won't be after you see this. Check it out...

Crazy right?? So much better. The graphic print really does make the cabinetry and countertops seem so much more intentional. In the eat-in space, we added a modern oval table and fab leather chairs that allow for the family to seat six-- essential when they have friends and family over.

Lastly, wanting to set the tone as you immediately enter the home, we encouraged them to address the entry. I think it's so important not to leave this space overlooked. In this case, a modern wool runner and swanky lighting do the trick. (You should see these at night!)

I love this home and I love this family. I'm so pleased that their home is now so much more THEM! You can't ask for more than that. 😊

Photography: Laura Sumrak Photography

"The White House"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 23:20:00 +0000

Today I'm excited to reveal our first ever exterior project! Last year, we were approached by our clients who were looking to refresh the exterior of their traditional brick Colonial home in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Rendering by: Jackie Ramdin

While there was nothing really wrong with their home, it was time to make a few significant home maintenance upgrades, so it just seemed like the right time to rethink the aesthetic elements as well. On the the list for the project were the following items:

New roof
Exterior paint
Gutter replacement
New shutters
Upgraded lighting
New door
Window replacement
New awning
Finishing touches

We pulled together a plan to address their concerns and quickly came to a consensus on the next steps. The most important selection was obviously the paint color for the brick. The client wanted white from the beginning, but picking a white paint for the exterior of a brick colonial home isn't as easy as it might sound.

We landed on Sherwin Williams' Pure White for the house and Tricorn Black for the shutters and trim. Keeping things high contrast with a true (but not sterile) white and a rich black with lots of depth.

Are you ready for this transformation?

Go ahead, scroll back up to that before, I'll wait...

The results are really pretty astounding. It's a little hard to believe it's the same house, right. You get a completely different feel when you drive up now.

This project was truly all about the details. We selected deep charcoal shingles for the rook and opted for a warm medium stain for the solid wood door. The oil-rubbed bronze hardware pops against the warm tone of the door stain. I think it's the detail that really stands out as you pass by on the street.

There was a small debate about whether the garage door should be painted black and I'm pleased to report that I won that one. Answer? It should. I love the contrast on the side of the home and as someone who has a white garage door, trust me, go dark if you can.

The gutters were a pretty critical element in tying the look together. They act as sort of an outline around the home, punctuating the new facade.

From the moment we arrived at the project's site, I knew the porch lighting needed to be more substantial. The previous fixtures were barely visible from the street. These Troy Lighting lantern sconces were the perfect classic touch to add lighting as you approach but also to give a warm and welcoming vide as you enter.

The homeowner was totally set on the addition of a copper awning. I'm so glad she pushed for it. We looked high and low to find the right vendor and finally settled on New Creations Custom Ornamental Copper out of Greenville, SC.

We worked to get the design and placement just right and then they got busy constructing a beautiful (and functional) piece of art.

Pretty cool to see it going up.

Imagine, how fun it will be to watch this piece patina over time.

With the awning installed, the last element was finishing off the small porch stoop.

We found these INSANELY heavy vintage urns and went through a few options for plants to flank the entrance.

We landed on option #2, the spiral guy and I think it looks awesome!

For as beautiful as the transformation was in the front, the back is just as beautiful. I love how much brighter it seems. Totally a space I'd like to hang out (and I have actually 😊 ).

I couldn't love this transformation more. It feels so fresh and welcoming. It literally beckons you to come in...

Photography by: Cameron Reynolds

What do you think? Painting the brick was a bold move and one not everyone in the client's circle agreed with. In the end, I think we all agree though that the house looks so much better. In fact, it looks a whole lot more grand.

Spring 2020 One Room Challenge - Week 8 (REVEAL!)

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 17:00:00 +0000

The Reveal!

It's finally reveal day and I'm beyond excited to share my new kitchen with you all! C'mon in!!

Cameron Reynolds Photography

Oh wait! We should probably take a look back before we go in. It's been quite a transformation and frankly, I need to look back myself to fully appreciate how far the space has come.

So sad. Like I said in my Week 1 post, this has been the space in my home that I've avoided tackling for the past thirteen years and it showed. Well, not anymore...

Cameron Reynolds Photography

Y'all, I feel like I live at Disney World. For me this is the HAPPIEST place on earth.

I'm obsessed with my new kitchen!

First, if you're just joining the party and need to catch up on things, you can check out the backstory, the plan, the foundational elements, the soft selections and the special touches in my

Week 1-7 posts linked below:

Week 1 - The Backstory

Week 2 - The Plan

Week 3 - The Foundation

Week 4 - The Foundation Part II

Week 5- Cancelled

Week 6- Soft-scaping and Functional Solutions

Week 7 - Special Touches

Renovating your kitchen (or any space for that matter) in the midst of a pandemic is a tall order, but thankfully uber anal me, started really early and had minimal delays in receiving product and getting things done. I think in the end the only thing that didn't make it in time were my new upgraded electrical outlets and switches. They've arrived now and I'll be adding them soon.

My goal with this kitchen was to make it more functional for how I live (it wasn't far off there) and much more a reflection of who I am from a style perspective but also on a deeper level.

Check out the video below to learn what I mean and to take a little tour.

From the start, I dubbed the project the Old, New, Borrowed, Blue Kitchen Redo. This kitchen is a mix of old things like a vintage Duncan Phyfe dining table, my existing honey oak cabinets and a beautiful vintage Turkish rug and new things like my beautiful new Tile Shop floors and backsplash, Designmaster bar stools and custom drapery.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

For as much as the space utilization remained, so many other things have changed. Lighting plays a big role in the space. It's something that I've learned to value more and more as I've grown as a designer. Lighting definitely impacts my mood, so I added it in a number of new places in the space. In addition to upgrading the existing lighting, I added a picture light above the commissioned art at the back door, a floor lamp in the corner near the bay window, a sconce atop the blue and white tile and a table lamp in the entry nook.

One Room Challenge sponsor, Hudson Valley Lighting did not disappoint. Ironically, they're one of my favorite vendors for client projects, so it was nice to get the opportunity to use them in my own home.

I went with a mixture of traditional and modern pieces, but all with a classic feel.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

I've loved the Mitzi lanterns since the first time I spotted them. They come in a variety of colors but the white just seemed to work best here. The Mitzi lamp is one of my favorite pieces. I literally couldn't stop touching it when it came in. It has the most delicious texture and mimics the Milton and King Tulip Seeds wallpaper motif.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

While we're here, let's talk about this little corner, shall we?
For starters the wallpaper makes it so much more special. The graphic large scale floral leaf pattern adds personality and installation (according to my wallpaper installers) was a breeze.
Creating some sort of landing zone was one of the things that was pretty high on my needs list.

Art: Ray Hart Art and Photography: Cameron Reynolds Photography

It's tiny but it's mighty. I adore the beautiful custom painted cabinet and metallic mirror from Wildwood Home.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

It provides the perfect storage for all of my everyday essentials. It's so nice to be able to grab things just as I leave out the back door and to not have them pile up on the dining table.

Art: Allison Ford Photography: Cameron Reynolds Photography

After things started to come together, I quickly realized I needed a landing spot for my purse too. I had already began to hang it on the back of one of the dining chairs and that was NOT going to work. I scoured Etsy for the perfect vintage addition and found it. This little cane stool is too cute and guess what? My purse is always on it. A place for EVERYthing and everything in its place.

Emtek Hardware came through big time with the most beautiful door hardware EVER! Their selection was so good, I seriously had the hardest time settling on which to pick. I landed on this beautiful satin brass deadbolt and knob from their American Classic collection.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

These upholstered doors are a whole mood.

I'd been waiting on a place to add them in my home and this was it!

Cameron Reynolds Photography

My laundry closet lives in my kitchen and these beautiful doors conceal them from the rest of the space. Mark of Baity's Custom Upholstery did another amazing job with them and the custom cornice above my sink window. I'm a textile girl and anywhere I can add a soft surface, I'm game! The Addison Weeks hardware on these are a stunning addition that makes them total showstoppers. Mark said they look like doors to my wine cellar. I wish! Lol!

Cameron Reynolds Photography

In terms of greater function, a tv cabinet was a MUST! What we created is simple, but really is a great substitute for that terrible little cabinet that used to live here and serve absolutely no purpose.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

Now, it not only conceals my tv, but it also includes ample storage and a beautiful antiqued mirror provides a reflective surface to increase the light in the space.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

As much as the kitchen is a mix of old and new, it also includes a little "borrowed" and a whole lot of of blue. The tile was one of my very first selections. I never doubted it for a moment. Thank you Tile Shop! Yeah, it's a bold choice but hey, a designer lives here! I couldn't love it more. It makes me so happy.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

I decided early on to remove the singular upper cabinet that previously lived here but replaced it with these beautiful white oak floating shelves handmade by local firefighter and woodworker, Char'd Wood Woks.

Art: Kelly O'Neal Photography: Cameron Reynolds Photography

They provide the perfect perch for several pieces of my grandma's Fiestaware (I guess that's my borrowed element) and a few other pretty things.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

Probably the biggest surprise to many in this project was my decision to NOT paint the cabinets. Do I regret it? NOT A CHANCE! I love the warmth and depth they add to the space. It's also pretty crazy what a BIG difference the modern black hardware from Schaub made on the cabinetry. They do wonders for both the painted and wood-stained cabinets. Oh and can we talk about my Cafe appliances?

Cameron Reynolds Photography

I'll admit I'm not the biggest cook, but these appliances are the BOMB! Having spent the last three months home and eating three meals a day here, I can say that with more confidence than I ever could have in the past. All (except the microwave) are smart appliances and can be controlled from my smart phone. I thought that was a bit much until I was chilling on the porch swing one evening and needed to preheat my oven for dinner. Hello smart appliance app!

Cameron Reynolds Photography

I'll also admit, it was hard for me to get excited about things like countertops and faucets; that is until I got new countertops and a new faucet. I'm obsessed with my new quartz counters from Stoneworks. They are light, bright, durable and easy to clean. Build.com was gracious enough to provide my new Kohler sink and Delta faucet and matching strainer and disposal cap, p-trap and disposal. These things are super important to the function of my new kitchen. Build.com has the best selection of home improvement products including trending and traditional styles, unique finishes, and new technologies at competitive prices all in one place. Customers can find what they need to create their own personal style. The selection really is pretty awesome.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

You'd be surprised how motivating a new sink strainer is in helping you keep your sink clean of debris.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

It's really hard to put into words how much I love this kitchen. I can hardly wait until we all are a little more comfortable about being close to one another again. I can't wait to host my peeps in the new space.

Cameron Reynolds Photography

Until that time it's just me and you better believe, I'm enjoying every minute of it.

TRADES RESOURCE LIST

Special thanks to Linda Weinstein, creator of the ORC and Better Homes and Garden Magazine. To be asked to participate as a featured designer this spring was a huge honor and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity. While it was my first time to participate, it likely won't be my last.

Special thanks also goes to all of my sponsors. This was certainly a team effort and I couldn't have pulled it off without the generous donations from the following vendors:

Thanks to you all for tuning in each week to check in on the project's progress and for your support and kind words here and on social media.

Be sure to check out the reveals of this super talented group of fellow featured designers.

A Glass of Bovino | Beginning in the Middle | Beth Diana Smith | Clark + Aldine | Coco & Jack

Deeply Southern Home| Design Maze | Dwell by Cheryl | Erika Ward | Home Made by Carmona

Veneer Designs | Rambling Renovators | Renovation Husbands | Studio Plumb | Media BH&G

Spring 2020 One Room Challenge - Week 7

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 09:30:00 +0000

Special Touches

Hey guys! I'm back this week during the final leg of the One Room Challenge™. If you need to review or missed any of the blog posts, you can check them out here:

Week 1 - The Backstory

Week 2 - The Plan

Week 3 - The Foundation

Week 4 - The Foundation Part II

Week 5- Cancelled

Week 6- Soft-scaping and Functional Solutions

I'm a firm believer that your home should, not only be functional and beautiful, but a reflection of the people who live there. I always look for ways to infuse little pieces of my clients into their projects. Since I'm now the client, the rules certainly don't change. When my assistant and I sat down during my "initial consult" for the project, I talked about ways I wanted to incorporate meaningful elements into the space. For starters, I knew art would play a role.

Unfortunately I don't have much wall space in my kitchen. so I needed to be strategic in adding it where possible. I'd stumbled upon Ray Hart last year while sourcing for a client project and fell in love with his very loose and abstract take on figurative art.

Dwell by Cheryl Interiors

This piece called "On One Accord" was perfect in my client's master bedroom. I reached out to Ray asking if he'd be willing to sponsor a piece of art in my ORC project and he graciously agreed. I'd spotted this colorful piece months prior and it immediately reminded me of my mom and sisters.

It's called "Get Behind Us" and I love the colors almost as much as I love the resemblance to my family. I figured it would be a great addition to my entry nook and I knew just how to elevate it. If there's one thing I believe in, it's the power of a good framer. Mine is amazing! When it arrived, I took it straight to her and we settled on this frame.

The piece had a more modern feel to it, so I wanted to juxtapose that with something much more traditional and classic. This beefy somewhat ornate black and gold frame was EXACTLY what I had in mind.

I love it layered atop the graphic navy and white Milton & King wallpaper.

Next, there was NO way I was doing this project without adding a piece from my absolute favorite artist, Allison Ford (Hello Allison Art). I first reached out to Allison to collaborate with me on my Julian Price Showhouse project.

Dwell by Cheryl Interiors

I'd found her on Instagram and adored here colorful abstract paintings. I also loved that she lived just down the interstate in Greenville, SC. We met for the first time while working on that project and have been collaborating ever since.

Dwell by Cheryl Interiors

I approached her about creating something for the narrow space between my back door and larger window. I knew it would need to be a custom commission because the size of the piece would be dictated by the space available.

I'd already planned to add a light above her art to make it a little more special. This small Holly picture light was exactly what the space needed.

Mitzi Lighting

We worked to come up with a size and a scheme and she got to working doing what she does best.

Once it was finished we needed to decide on the framing. A simple floater seemed to make the most sense. It was just a matter of which color.

White?

Black?

Turns out, it was actually neither. If I was going to embrace the honey oak...I needed to embrace the honey oak!

Love, Love, Love the final result. When evening falls and that little light comes on, I couldn't be happier.

Next up was official ORC sponsor Jill Rosenwald. I wasn't familiar with Jill's work prior to this year, but I AM NOW! Jill's business is a small team of potteristas, painters, and designers in Boston, Massachusetts. Like me, they are BIG champions of pattern and color! The studio makes all of the pottery by hand. Every piece of pottery is made to order—handcrafted on the pottery wheel then drawn and painted by skilled artisans. They use a creamy white earthenware that provides a smooth white canvas for their colorful patterns. Then, each piece is finished with a coat of glossy clear glaze and a luxurious 14k gold rim. Yes please!

After checking out her site and offerings, I had to decide which piece I wanted to incorporate into my kitchen. While scrolling her Instagram feed I spotted this beauty.

I reached out and Jill informed me that she had a similar style in stock in the same color and print that might work for me. She was right! It's just perfect!

Lastly, as the overall plan for my kitchen began to come together, I started to shift my focus to styling. Because I wanted the space to feel pretty personal, I didn't want to run out and by a bunch of new stuff. Of course, the option to do so (given Covid-19 closings) was pretty much off the table anyway.

After my maternal Grandma passed in 2002, I inherited her collection of colorful Fiestaware. I have a thing for dishes and to have the pieces that she loved so much makes my heart happy.

Country Living - May 2019

It was featured last year in Country Living Magazine. What a thrill!

With new open shelves coming in, I started to wonder if some of the colors would work in my new space.

Turns out, they did! The periwinkle, persimmon and cobalt worked great, adding yet another layer of history and meaning to a space that was really starting to become something special.

Stay tuned next week for the BIG reveal! You don't want to miss this. In the meantime, check out the final stretch for the other One Room Challenge Featured Designers linked below:

A Glass of Bovino | Beginning in the Middle | Beth Diana Smith | Clark + Aldine | Coco & Jack

Deeply Southern Home| Design Maze | Dwell by Cheryl | Erika Ward | Home Made by Carmona

Veneer Designs | Rambling Renovators | Renovation Husbands | Studio Plumb | Media BH&G

Spring 2020 One Room Challenge - Week 6

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 09:30:00 +0000

Soft-scaping and Functional Solutions

After a week of pause, I'm back with another update of my One Room Challenge, Old, New, Borrowed, Blue Kitchen Redo project!

If by chance you're new here and need to catch up, check out the past posts linked below:

Week 1 - The Backstory

Week 2 - The Plan

Week 3 - The Foundation

Week 4 - The Foundation Part II

Week 5- Cancelled

This week, I'm breaking down some of the softer selections along with a couple of the more functional additions to the space. Let's begin with seating, shall we?

With the addition of the new overhang on the kitchen island, I was able to add a couple of bar stools. I've long since wanted seating at my island but never got around to making it happen. My kitchen isn't large, so I needed the stools to be pretty sleek in style, but I was dead set on having some sort of seat back. I decided to reach out to one of our vendors to see if they'd be interested in working with me on the project. To my delight, Designmaster was ALL in! I'd stumbled upon them at High Point Market last year and had since began sourcing them for my client's dining seating.

After combing through the endless selection of beautiful bar stools, I landed on the Madera counter stools. The height was perfect, but the short and streamlined back also provided some support without taking up too much space. I love that their stools come with the memory swivel which allows them to swivel but returns them to a straight position automatically.

I knew that with the right color these could be some pretty awesome stools. Not to mention, I had the option of adding a fancy nailhead trim. Yes please!

The folks at Designmaster did a phenomenal job. The Operations Manager even delivered them to my doorstep when they were done. I mean, talk about top-notch service.

They turned out even better than I imagined. As if the stools weren't enough, Designmaster also agreed to supply me with four dining chairs to pair with my Magnolia banquette from the Belle by Cheryl Luckett collection for Sylvester Alexander.

Here I needed something classic and simple. I previously had a set of Louis chairs and I felt as if the squared back was the way to go again. I landed on the Knollwood side chair. One of the many reasons I love Designmaster is the fact that they offer Revolution Performance Fabric. Crazy as it is, I've been the Brand Ambassador for Revolution for almost 3 years now and it wasn't until I added the Magnolia banquette that I actually owned any in my own home. I was certain my dining chairs would be Revolution, so I went with their classic base cloth, Grande.

We dressed things up with a contrasting welt and I think it adds just the right touch. Did I mention that these are the most comfortable dining chairs EVER?

Once the seating was settled on, I needed to figure out my rug. I went back and forth trying to source the right one for the main dining area. I was pretty sure I was going vintage on the runner so the larger rug needed to be a quiet one. In the end, the winner was a simple, navy, bordered wool rug that anchors the area and adds a dark rich layer to the space.

Surya

You know they say, good things come to those who wait. They're right! I had completely given up on the right size and color vintage rug appearing in the inventory at Rug Lords in time for this project. I'd spoken with the owner back in February about sponsoring a rug for my space but after waiting months on the perfect size and color to arrive (thanks Covid-19), I had to abandon the plan and start looking online. I'd found an option and actually ordered it when this beauty popped in my IG feed.

Rug Lords

It was perfect! But I'd already ordered one. 😫

I reached out anyway and confirmed the sizing and decided to try it out "on approval". After sleeping on it, I knew it was the one and I circled back with the online vendor and was fortunately able to cancel my order just in time. Yay!

Such a beautiful addition to the space.

Now, let's talk upholstery. If you know me, you know it's not a DBC project until Mark Baity of Baity's Custom Upholstery get's his hands on it. So, needless to say, my kitchen project was no exception. I called Mark in to help me with a window cornice and a set of upholstered doors.

I found the cornice design online and we made a few tweaks. The fabric was selected really early on in the project but I decided at the last minute to add the blue Brentwood Textiles welt.

Mark NEVER disappoints. I couldn't love this cornice more. In addition, I've been obsessed with upholstered doors since I did them in a client project a couple of years ago. So when it came time to decide what I was doing with my laundry closet doors, this seemed the logical option.

With so much going on in this kitchen, we opted for a classic design (Shocker, I know!), but we glammed them up with this STUNNING Addison Weeks Hardware.

Addison Weeks

This is the Enamel Star Backplate and the Scallop Knob from the Michelle Nussbaumer collection. I am absolutely obsessed with this hardware!

Like I said. Mark NEVER disappoints...

In terms of function in the kitchen, I needed to address the sad area above my fridge. It had a small (unreachable) cabinet above it that was good for ABSOLUTELY nothing.

We worked with a local cabinet maker to craft something that would provide additional storage and house my tv as well.

In order to maximize the light in the space, we added antiqued mirror to the doors and a decorative mullion detail to spice it up a bit.

Another shoutout goes to Baity's Custom Upholstery for being my last-minute solution for these. Delayed shipping issues and a few fails on the part of some local businesses had me scurrying to make this element happen.

Here's what the cabinet looks like. I tried my old tv in it for size and I love how it works.

I'm loving the look of it and how it completely conceals the new tv. It's in the perfect spot for cooking and viewing and with the addition of a pull-out tray is visible from the banquette seating too.

I mentioned in my first post the need for a landing zone at my back entrance. I was desperately in need of a place to drop my keys and glasses, purse and other essentials as well as a place to check myself on the way out.

I reached out to my friends at Wildwood Home and they graciously agreed to help me with this cute little corner.

Wildwood Home

I ended up selecting this beautiful Pomegranate Blossom Mirror. It features an interlinked pomegranate blossom design inspired by an ancient Indian necklace in The Museum Of New Mexico. (Love that!)

Next, I needed a small cabinet for storage. Needless to say, I wanted something colorful and with Wildwood's Custom Color Collection, the options were only limited to the multitude of colors available through Benjamin Moore.

I went with a rich golden color called Apple Crisp that helped to tie back to the kitchen accents and seating. Little did I know how amazing the color would actually look on the piece when I was done.

I love it! I love it all!

Stay tuned until next week when I'll be sharing all of the personal touches that are making this kitchen my own. In the meantime, check out the other featured designer's posts...

A Glass of Bovino | Beginning in the Middle | Beth Diana Smith | Clark + Aldine | Coco & Jack

Deeply Southern Home| Design Maze | Dwell by Cheryl | Erika Ward | Home Made by Carmona

Veneer Designs | Rambling Renovators | Renovation Husbands | Studio Plumb | Media BH&G

Spring 2020 One Room Challenge - Week 5

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 09:30:00 +0000

In light of recent events, Week 5 of the One Room Challenge (ORC) has been cancelled.

I will return next week with an update and the Week 6 ORC blog post.

I invite you to follow along with me on social media for timely updates, information and insights.

Spring 2020 One Room Challenge - Week 4

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 27 May 2020 09:30:00 +0000

The Foundation - Part II

Welcome back! It's Week 4 and we've reached the halfway mark of the One Room Challenge. Today I thought I'd dig in to a few more of the selections for my kitchen project. I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing sponsors, who have been generous enough to offer their products and discounts for this project. Needless to say, I am beyond grateful.

Countertops were one of my number one priorities, so I was pretty stoked when Stoneworks LTD in Charlotte agreed to come along as a sponsor of project. The staff and team there were amazing and didn't hesitate to help me make the right decision in a pretty tight timeline (prior to the tile going in).

From the start, I knew I wanted to go with quartz. The look was what I wanted, but also the durability is hard to beat. It was just a matter of which of the many options to go with.

Since I had to consider the warmth of the cabinetry in my selection, I ended up going with
MSI's Calcutta Arno.

Seeing the selection on this HUGE screen definitely sealed the deal!

This selection had a clean fresh feel but the veining added a bit of warmth at the same time. We did an eased edge and 3/4" outside radius. It was the first thing that went in and boy did it make a big difference. So fresh and so clean, clean. 😆

I'd been wanting to extend the island counter to create bar seating since I moved in 13 years ago, so this little addition was long over due.

Speaking of the island...It was the only cabinetry that I intended to paint. I love the idea of a island painted in a contrasting color. I decided on another neutral that's in line with the wall color. With so much color being added with tile and drapery, I felt like a neutral was the way to go.

Sherwin-Willams' Moth Wing was saturated enough, without being overpowering.

Before the project officially began, I knew I wanted to be strategic about working with and highlighting other small business owners. I've connected with so many local talented artisans on social media over the years, many of whom we use in our client projects as well. For this one, I tapped local decorative painter, Alicia Slayton of Organize. Create. Decorate.

Alicia brought not only her cabinet painting skills, but also a few great ideas on sprucing things up. She suggested we add beadboard to the island surround and cap off the cabinets with crown molding to add a more finished touch. Both VERY good ideas.

I absolutely LOVE how the cabinet turned out. The color is perfection and the beadboard totally finishes it off.

You may be eyeing that gorgeous hardware in the photo above.

Schaub Fonce Collection
2" Matte Black/Satin Brass Cabinet T-Knob and 6" Matte Black/Satin Brass Cabinet Pull

I don't blame you one bit. It's amazing! Schaub and Company is one of the official sponsors of the One Room Challenge and they offer an amazing assortment of beautiful cabinetry hardware. I knew keeping my honey oak cabinets would require me going more bold on the hardware. Originally, I figured I'd go with simple brass but it didn't take long for me to find that brass hardware almost just faded away. Black made much more of an impact and was also in the plan in a couple other places. Black has this grounding affect that I like in projects. In a project that's full of color, that can also serve as a place for the eye to land among the bold pops of color. I decided on smaller T-knob for the drawers and 6" pulls (4" center to center) for the doors. Of course, I had to add a little brass to

dress things up.

Yes please! It's so amazing how hardware can REALLY make a big difference. My cabinets immediately felt more modern with the addition of the black. Schaub and Company for the WIN!!

Next up were the more functional pieces like my sink and faucet. You'd be surprised how many choices there are here.

Thankfully Build.com offers a variety of styles and brands to choose from in one place, making it super easy to narrow the selections. As an official ORC sponsor, they were super helpful in offering up options to pair with my new quartz countertops. After a little "market research" (i.e. asking friends), I decided on cast iron for the sink. I tend to like white and bright when possible and the cast iron just says clean to me. I'd scoped out the Kohler Iron Tones 33" Drop In Double Basin Cast Iron Kitchen Sink at Stoneworks while shopping for counters and kinda fell in love with it.

Lucky for me, Build.com had it stocked and ready to go!

Finding a faucet proved a little more difficult. I needed to not only decide on the look, but also how I wanted it to function. I opted for a touch sensor one with a pull down sprayer option. I love that the

Delta Trinsic Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet with On/Off Touch Activation, Magnetic Docking Spray Head is clean and simple and comes in the most beautiful champagne bronze finish that's almost identical to my appliance hardware (getting to that part soon). With the faucet selected, I then opted to finish off the sink with the matching Delta 3-1/2" Basket Strainer and the Delta Classic 4-1/2" Brass Flange and Disposal Stopper.

Funny enough, my plumber was super impressed with these. 😁

Rounding out the hardware in the space were the drapery rods and hardware. Obviously this is an item we use in nearly all of our client projects, so I realize the importance of drapery hardware. I'd been stalking Helser Brothers for a while and had recently reached out to get a trade account set up to begin sourcing their products for our client projects. I thought I'd reach out to see if they'd be willing to help me with my ORC project and much to my delight, they agreed!!

Helser Brothers
Metro Rod and Bauhaus Crystal Finial

Clean and modern was what I was looking for and the Metro collection delivered just that. I capped off the brass rod with a Bauhaus crystal finial and wowza!

They are EXACTLY what I wanted...only nicer.

Last up, but certainly not least, are the appliances. I was honestly in a little bit of denial concerning my existing appliances. See, when you're not a big cook, new appliances rank pretty darn low on the priority list. However, I realize that it's hard to pull off a kitchen makeover with sad appliances. So....

If I was going to have to spring for new ones, I was definitely getting what I wanted. I've loved

GE's Cafe appliances since I first saw them, so I decided to reach out. They agreed to work with me and I selected a new fridge, microwave, range and dishwasher from their smart series.

Y'all, I'm in love!

While they did sit in my living room for weeks during the height of the Stay-at-Home order, when they were finally installed and I was able to use them, I couldn't have been more delighted. I went with the matte white collection. If you know me, you know I'm not much for following the masses so there was no way I was getting stainless "just because". I love the idea of white appliances for several reasons:

1.) They work with the vibe and style of my home (fresh, cozy and cottage-like)

2.) They reflect light and I need a much in my house as possible.

3.) The Cafe series comes standard with this amazing brushed bronze hardware (and can also be customized).

The dishwasher, range and fridge are all Cafe Smart appliances and can be paired with your smart phone to operate when you're not in the kitchen. Whoa!

I'm not gonna lie, I love the fact that my phone tells me when my dishwasher is low on Jet Dry and when my range is finished preheating. Gotta love that, right?

Well, that's all for now. I know that was a LOT! Stay tuned until next week when I'm sharing all things pretty!

Check out the other featured designers here:

A Glass of Bovino | Beginning in the Middle | Beth Diana Smith | Clark + Aldine | Coco & Jack

Deeply Southern Home| Design Maze | Dwell by Cheryl | Erika Ward | Home Made by Carmona

Veneer Designs | Rambling Renovators | Renovation Husbands | Studio Plumb | Media BH&G

Spring 2020 One Room Challenge - Week 3

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 20 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The Foundation

Welcome back y'all! This week we'll dig into the foundational selections for Project Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue. Whoa that's a mouthful. 😂

The foundational selections set the tone for pretty much everything that is to come. As in the case of this project, I almost always begin with textiles. They're my favorite and I often draw the most inspiration from them. So, with the drapery fabric, upholstered banquette and the wood tone of my cabinetry already determined, I set off to determine the tile, paint and wallpaper selections for the space. These would become the foundational elements in the design, so getting them right was paramount.

Let's start with tile, shall we?

Check out this video of my trip to The Tile Shop, official sponsor of The One Room Challenge™

The Tile Shop has a ton of great tile options. With numerous locations across the country, I'd highly recommend them for your tile needs. If you go be sure to tell them Dwell by Cheryl Interiors sent you. I was pretty certain that I wanted a patterned tile, but I envisioned using it on the flooring. After quickly realizing that nothing quite fit the bill for the floors, I landed on this beautiful Annie Selke ikat ceramic wall tile.

Annie Selke for The Tile Shop
Shadow Navy Ceramic Wall Tile

I knew it was perfect almost as soon as I spotted it. I love that it was fun, yet classic and would infused a little culture into the space as well. It was also pretty much a dead ringer for a preliminary window cornice fabric I'd been eyeing.

Man I love it when things just seem to fall into place.

Next, it would just be a matter of finding a complementary selection for the flooring. Since this Annie Selke option struck just the right note, I decided to explore other options in the collection. Turns out there was a pretty great selection of floor tiles as well. I was immediately drawn to these two options:

I have no doubt that it's because they both remind me of fabric and provide an awesome visual texture. Ultimately though, I decided to go with option 2, which I affectionately named "seersucker". I mean it looks like pants to me. 😊 Once I narrowed the pattern down, I had to figure out the size and color I wanted.

They seem pretty similar but once I got the samples and viewed them at home, there was a pretty big difference.

I ended up going with the darkest option of indigo in the 6" x 20" planks. It seemed to work best with the wall tile and I figured the darker might be a little more forgiving in terms of daily wear. As soon as the installation began, I knew I had made the right decision.

The plank style just felt like the right option for my cottage home. I was right! I have a tendency to lean a bit more formal in my tastes (upholstered skirted banquette, full length drapery, vintage dining table...), so this more casual tile style would be a nice juxtaposition against the more traditional options. I also don't have a huge kitchen so the smaller scale seemed like the better option.

Eek!! So freaking exciting!

Once I had the tile selection done, it made selecting a paint color so much easier. Sherwin-Williams graciously agreed to partner with me on this project and provided the paint. I wanted a neutral hue with a little warmth. Of course, I have my SW go-to's but I wanted a little less gray neutral than our clients tend to want. In the end, I decided on Accessible Beige.

It's a really neutral...neutral (lol!). Not quite warm, but also not quite cool in color. It reminds me of a really light pair of khaki pants. There I go with the textiles again. 😜

Sherwin Williams
Emerald Interior Acrylic Latex Paint

My painters were really excited to hear that we'd be using Sherwin-Williams' Emerald Paint, informing me that it was their favorite. We went with a 20% Accessible Beige/80% white mixture on the ceiling. This helps to provide a more seamless transition from wall to ceiling rather than simply painting the ceiling white.

So much fresher!

Lastly, but certainly not least among the foundational pieces was the wallpaper for the corner nook. Here I wanted something fun and classic that could serve as an exclamation point in my kitchen space. This space would be all about function but also pretty things. As soon as I heard that Milton and King would be a ORC sponsor, I headed over to check out the options.

I landed on these two options-one in three colorways.

All were really beautiful options. I really wanted a large scale floral wallpaper, so the Wildflower just seemed a little too dainty pattern. I selected the Tulip Seed! It was a really striking paper, but something about it just felt classic. The deep navy had a grounding effect that I felt was missing, making it the perfect option.

The folks at Milton and King were awesome and wasted no time in getting us the wallpaper so we could get the installation scheduled. Jordan's Wallcoverings is my go-to for professional installation. Zach and his team are second to none. Installation was an absolute breeze. Especially for me. Lol! It was a small space, so they were done in no time.

I mean, the cutest corner ever right!? It's only two small walls, but the impact is astounding. I love wallpaper!

Paint, Tile (Backsplash and Flooring), Wallpaper - ✔

Talk about a good foundation! These are the pieces that will serve as the base for a really pretty kitchen. Stay tuned...

Check out the progress of the other featured designers. There's some pretty incredible stuff going down!

A Glass of Bovino | Beginning in the Middle | Beth Diana Smith | Clark + Aldine | Coco & Jack

Deeply Southern Home| Design Maze | Dwell by Cheryl | Erika Ward | Home Made by Carmona

Veneer Designs | Rambling Renovators | Renovation Husbands | Studio Plumb | Media BH&G

Spring 2020 One Room Challenge - Week 2

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 13 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The Plan

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Not exactly the event for which I thought I'd be collecting those things, but in the meantime...

I'll take it. 😂

I've decided, that's the theme for this kitchen project.

#oldnewborrowedbluekitchenredo

Let's start with the layout. The space isn't large, but it is the hub of my house.

Kitchen Floor Plan

It's where I enter from the garage, it's the corridor to the master suite and it's also my dining space. The layout will remain the same, as the space functions just fine. The look however, is a completely different story.

Magnolia (Belle by Cheryl Luckett)
Sylvester Alexander Furniture

As I mentioned in my Week 1 post, the inspiration for the space is the Belle by Cheryl Luckett Magnolia banquette covered in Revolution Performance Fabric's Darwin pattern (something blue).

Robert Allen- Auretta (Persimmon)

After going back and forth, I decided to keep my original color inspiration that was drawn from Robert Allen's Dwell Studio collection fabric called Auretta in the persimmon colorway. While it's been nearly two years since I first picked it, I still love it just as much today. That's a good sign!

The other fixed element in the space is the cabinetry (well sort of). Yep! You heard right. I'M NOT PAINTING MY HONEY OAK CABINETS (something old). Actually, I've known for a long time now that when I finally got around to upgrading my kitchen, I was not going to paint the cabinets. Why? So glad you asked. For starters, I like the addition of wood tones in any space, especially a kitchen. To me, it just adds a sense of warmth. I'm also not so concerned about what's on trend and what's not. Trends come and go and I try not to let them dictate my style choices. The fact is, the living space that's connected to the kitchen has nice hardwood floors in the same finish and I like the idea of having that connectivity between the two spaces. Lastly, I feel pretty confident that I can make it work. I tend to like a heavy dosage of color, so the cabinetry will certainly take a back seat when I'm done. Who knows, in the process I may give other people in similar situations the permission to not feel like they HAVE to paint their existing cabinetry. However, because I'm making the decision to keep the honey oak, I'll have to be really intentional about my other selections to keep things from feeling dated.

My original plan was to slowly update things over time, so last year I purchased this vintage Duncan Phyfe dining table (something else old) from an estate sale. I love the lines and there's a small honey oak inlayed wood veneer border around the edge of the table that provides a subtle nod to the cabinetry color (see intentional). I've also amassed a pretty large collection of blue and white ceramic pieces (more blue) and decided to incorporate those in the space.

I'll talk about the my tile selection (even more blue) in the next post, but I knew from the beginning that a patterned tile was the way I wanted to go. I'll be honest, since I'm not the biggest cook, I fought buying new appliances. However, in the end, not upgrading them was just not an option (something new). More on those in the coming weeks. With the blue and orange scheme taking shape, I began to play out the color story. Since I definitely planned to keep my yellow pepper Kitchen Aid stand mixer, yellow seemed the obvious choice for an accent.

After making the preliminary selections, I sent off the info to our rendering artist and anxiously awaited her drawings. Here's what came back...

Umm...yes please! 🙋

It's exactly what I pictured in my head. I love it! It's warm and cozy, classic and colorful. You'll notice that I planned to extend the island to create seating there. I've always wanted that. I also planned to paint the island to add a little contrast. One thing that the rendering helped me see, was the fact that I didn't actually like the look of a butcher block island. I'd always envisioned having one, but turns out it was a bit too much wood.

After seeing this, I made plans to replace that element with new our countertop selection.

Here's what we needed to accomplish in the space:

New flooring
Add backsplash/wall tile
New countertops
New sink and plumbing fixtures
New appliances
Replace stand-alone cabinet with floating shelving
Wire for wall sconce on tile wall
Paint island
Update cabinetry hardware
Updated lighting
Update electrical plugs/switches
Paint
Replace trim
New dining seating/bar stools
New rugs
New custom drapery/hardware
Add cornice above sink
Address laundry closet doors

I think we can handle that! It's not a total overhaul, but a complete refresh for sure.

Our consultation highlighted a need for a functional space at my back entrance. The wall hooks, boot tray, painted chalkboard and tiny mirror I currently had, just weren't cutting it.

Here's what we needed to accomplish in the back entrance nook:

Add lighting source/electrical outlet
Storage for boots, bags and such
Add mirror
Drop zone for keys and sunglasses
Install wallpaper

I envision this tiny nook as a separate space and didn't feel compelled to make it "match" the kitchen. I wanted it to work with my kitchen selections, but I was ok with it being a bit of a departure. I also knew that this area would be totally for me, so I wanted the changes and additions to reflect that. After sharing my selections with our renderer, this is what she whipped up.

Is that not the cutest little corner you've ever seen? I couldn't love it more. Yes! Yes! Yes!

Be sure to check in each week for details on the progress and a deeper dive into the project's selections. Until then, be sure to check out what's going on with the other featured designers...

A Glass of Bovino | Beginning in the Middle | Beth Diana Smith | Clark + Aldine | Coco & Jack

Deeply Southern Home| Design Maze | Dwell by Cheryl | Erika Ward | Home Made by Carmona

House of Hipsters | Hunted Interior | Kandrac & Kole | Kate Pearce | Katrina Blair | Liz Kamarul

Veneer Designs | Rambling Renovators | Renovation Husbands | Studio Plumb | Media BH&G

Spring 2020 One Room Challenge - Week 1

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 06 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The Backstory

Today's the day! I'm so beyond thrilled to be joining the ranks of those participating in the Spring 2020 One Room Challenge(ORC)! If you're not familiar, the ORC is a six-week (this time eight-week) event that fosters creativity and inspiration and provides a forum for support, encouragement and community while participants transform a room from top to bottom. The event began in 2011 and has grown exponentially over the years. Better Homes and Gardens magazine serves as the official media sponsor for this inspiring biannual event.

I am so very honored to be one of the twenty design influencers selected as a featured designer this round. Happy to say, I'm in good company.

If you're new here, you should probably know that I'm an Interior Designer based in Charlotte, NC who runs a boutique design firm creating classic, cultured, colorful and cozy interiors for my clients. I'm a Registered Dietitian by trade who worked for 15 years in the corporate space and came to design as a second career. It all began with the launch of this blog in 2012, six years of night classes in design school and a whole lot of hustle. I made my exodus from Corporate America on December 30, 2016 and haven't looked back since. If you like, you can follow me @dwellbycheryl on the following platforms:

When Linda, creator of the ORC, reached out back in January about me participating, I'm pretty sure I heard angels singing in the background. The timing couldn't have been more divine. I purchased my little cottage bungalow 13 years ago and over the years have worked to make it a place I absolutely love to be. Each space is a total reflection of me and my style, that is, with one exception...

Home Circa 2008

...THE KITCHEN. I know, I know. The kitchen is supposed to be the heart of the home, but in my house, it just isn't. It's like that one space I've been totally avoiding for years, knowing that tackling it would be a big project. (See for yourself.)

It doesn't get much more basic than this. I think the last project I did in my kitchen was adding glass to a cabinet door. It was 2013 and apparently, I thought I was really doing something because I actually blogged about it here. Yikes!

I'm sure I don't have to tell you since I've lived in a kitchen sans upgrade for the past 13 years, I'm not really a big cook. Ironically though, in addition to being a dietitian, I'm also a pretty big entertainer. 😊 Thankfully my friends overlook the outdated kitchen and focus on my sparkling personality and the warm hospitality instead. 😉 From the linoleum floors, to the laminate counters, the non-existent backsplash and the outdated appliances, this space was way past needing an upgrade.

So, so, so sad...

After signing on for the big event, I wasted no time in getting things rolling. My genius Design Assistant Jenn suggested we approach this project like we would any other client project, and that meant beginning with a consultation. We scheduled a time for her to come over on our off day and we took measurements and she walked me through a series of questions that got at the heart of how I needed the space to function.

A little weird being on the receiving end and kinda funny to see the notes..crazy sketches and all. Lol! 😂

I've actually been seriously planning to update my kitchen since 2018. In the fall of that year, I launched my first licensed collection, a five-piece capsule collection for Sylvester Alexander furniture, called Belle by Cheryl Luckett. Included in it is Magnolia, a Southern-inspired, tufted banquette named after my home state of Mississippi.

I loved this piece from the moment we put pen to paper to create her and I had no doubt she'd eventually land in my home.

Magnolia - Belle by Cheryl Luckett
for Sylvester Alexander

After showing her at the fall and spring High Point Market shows, she finally made it to her final resting place in my totally outdated kitchen. It was at that point that I began making preliminary plans to update the space.

I had planned to keep things pretty basic, using what I had and adding a few budget-friendly upgrades here and there. Unfortunately, it all kept getting pushed to the back burner as my schedule became busier and more and more client projects started to roll in. Needless to say, that all changed when I got that January call from Linda. Praise heavens!!!

Tune in next week, when I'll share the official updated plans for my kitchen makeover. Until then, check out what the other featured designers are up to...

A Glass of Bovino | Beginning in the Middle | Beth Diana Smith | Clark + Aldine | Coco & Jack

Deeply Southern Home| Design Maze | Dwell by Cheryl | Erika Ward | Home Made by Carmona

Veneer Designs| Rambling Renovators | Renovation Husbands | Studio Plumb | Media BH&G

"Home School"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 19:52:00 +0000

Last week I launched the first in a three part online course entitled, Home School: Everything You Need to Start Creating a Beautiful Home. I'd pondered the idea of an online offering for some time, but never seemed to have the time to sit down and pull something together. Needless to say, the pandemic changed that.

After the immediate shock of it all, I like many, began to wonder how I could help in some way. With people now sequestered at home, I knew many would begin to think about ways to improve their space. That was certainly an area in which my expertise could help. I reached out to my web designer, knowing that if I put him on the task of creating a course landing page, I'd force myself to actually do the work to get it off the ground. Believe it or not, I have an issue sometimes with wanting things to be too perfect. I can also use that as an excuse not to get said things done. In true Cheryl form, I pretty much regretted putting in the work order immediately. Nevertheless, I knew it was too late to turn back.

With only 10 days until the first live session, I announced it on social media and was AMAZED at the immediate response. With just hours until the class began, attendees were still signing up for our first class. Wow! I'm happy to report that last Thursday was a blast and we're ready to do it all again this week.

It's been awesome to be able to add this offering to our ladder of services and to help people create a space in which they actually don't mind being confined.

Client Project Reveal: "The Next Chapter"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 23:44:00 +0000

In light of recent worldwide health developments, I thought it might be a good time to get back at blogging. Ok...so that may not be the whole truth. Actually, the current recommendations have forced us all to slow down a bit and that may not be the worst thing. I don't know about you guys, but I've been going non-stop since the start of the year and the thought of some mandated time at home sounds pretty good to me. Of course, I hate that it had to come as a result of a pandemic. Who would've thought? But since we're here, I figured this would be a great time to reveal one of our favorite projects from last year.

With so many workers now at home, I think we've all become more aware of how important your environment is to your productivity and well-being. We were approached by a client who was looking to create a more functional and beautiful home office. As an entrepreneur, she was no stranger to hard work. She'd literally built her business in her home from the ground up. Over the course of nearly a decade she'd found herself working in hallways, her kid's room and the kitchen table. It was finally time to create a space all her own.

The space was pretty much a blank slate. It was barely functional for our client. The desk was too small, she wasn't able to accommodate visitors well and the layout was totally off.

There were however a few things she wanted to keep- the bulletin board where she kept notes and memories, the branded dry erase board for goal-setting, the gold etagere she had recently purchased and the overhead light (well at least so she thought 😉).

We began with revising the layout. We knew etagere would be better placed on a smaller wall and that we needed to add a secondary surface for documents and task lighting. After relocating the utilitarian items to the room's closet we opted to float the desk in the center of the room, adding a console for lighting and additional storage. Since I met this client at the public launch of my furniture line, Belle by Cheryl Luckett for Sylvester Alexander, I thought it only appropriate to pitch the idea of adding a piece from the collection in her space.

Room Layout

The color scheme for the space was driven by one of the client's favorite pieces of art, this Chica painting by local Charlotte artist and friend, Windy O'Connor.

Art by Windy O'Connor

Needless to say, there were no objections from me. We got to work pulling together a design plan that pulled from the colors of the painting but adding a little more intensity and sophistication. Knowing that we'd be focusing on adding color and pattern we went with a neutral wall color. Sherwin Williams' Perfect Greige was just what the space needed to add a little warmth and provide a neutral foundation with major staying power.

Design Board

Early on I suggested adding wallpaper to the ceiling and I'm so glad we did. The room isn't large and this bold yet classic floral print on the ceiling added so much interest without closing in the space. It also gave us a cornucopia of color from which to work.

Mood Board

One of the features in the space became the Ivy from the Belle collection. I'm so glad she agreed to go for it.

Ivy Settee - Belle by Cheryl Luckett for Sylvester Alexander

We went with a lush velvet on this french-inspired settee. It's the most comfortable office seat I've ever seen. It provides the perfect seating for our client's small team meetings.

Take a look at how it all came together...

When I first walked into the space, I knew the chandelier was a little undersized for the room. It took a bit of convincing but we ultimately went for something larger and relocated the smaller light to the hallway.

Who wouldn't love looking up at this everyday? The art set just the right note in the space and became the focal point as you enter the room. We couldn't love it more.

We kept some of the client's collectibles on display and added layers of color and interest with small art pieces, vintage finds and lots of color.

You can never go wrong with a well-styled shelf.

When you work from home, a comfy seat is a must (trust me I know). This pleated velvet desk chair is stylish, sophisticated and comfortable to boot.

A few personal touches, like freshly custom-framed degrees and a branded throw pillow and the space came together beautifully.

As much as I love how the space looks, my favorite part about this one was the reaction from our client at the reveal. She was overcome with emotion. I think we all knew that for her, this was much more than just a pretty space. It was the reward for nearly a decade of hard work and sacrifice and the beginning of her next chapter.

BEHIND THE SCENES: Take a look at how we pulled it together...

Photography: Cam Richards Photography

Resource List:

Paint: SW Perfect Greige

Wallpaper: York Wallcoverings

Task Lighting: Robert Abbey

Settee: "Ivy" of Belle by Cheryl Luckett collection for Sylvester Alexander

A New Decade!

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 22:18:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

Hard to believe we've entered a new decade. Over the past few weeks, I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about the past 10 years. I spent the better part of it building the Dwell by Cheryl brand and business from the ground up. Here's a look back at my very blog first post on January 1, 2012. Wow (and yikes)! I spent this next few years working hard to turn my passion into my career and five years later, on January 1, 2017, that's exactly what I did. I wrote all about it here. And well...you know the rest.

If you've been around here for any length of time you know that the last couple of years have been nothing short of amazing. A recap wouldn't do it justice, so I'll just leave it at that.

While it's been an amazing ride, none of it has been easy. Last year was filled with highs and lows and riddled with lots of learning lessons. To be expected, I suppose. In preparation for the new year, my team spent a few days locked away reviewing the past year and planning for the new one. We spent a lot of time on our mission and core values. It seems that in recent months, these things have become more and more clear.

It's been interesting to see our business evolve over time. It's even more exciting to feel the greater sense of alignment with purpose lately.

We had the pleasure of working on some amazing projects last year...

Got some pretty darn good press...

...and we can hardly wait to see what 2020 and this new decade has in store. All I can say is, buckle up, it's going to be a fun ride!

Happy New Year!

"Pattern Play Master Bedroom Reveal"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 01:31:00 +0000

So excited to be revealing one of our recent projects today. This one was a bit of a departure for us, and may just be one of my favorites this year.

Instead of me giving you the lay of the land for the project, I thought I'd let you hear it straight from the client. Here's an excerpt from the testimonial they shared after we completed the project.

"The three things I said I needed a designer for were:

1) completing the room;

2) sourcing the furniture;

3) blending me and my partners' styles.

She. Nailed Each. One. This was an opportunity that we never seriously considered. With all the free design services offered at home furnishing stores, it seemed like frivolity to pay for an interior designer. We had multiple people, from multiple different stores come to the home. We’d even purchased items based off of sketches they proposed. At the end of the day, however, our most pressing needs for the bedroom were never addressed; we didn’t really love the way our space looked; we had bits and pieces but couldn’t agree on anchoring pieces that would bring the space to a point of completion. SO we just lived in a room with a bed, a too-small rug, too small side tables, a ginormous tv, a cool but unnecessary bench, and a nursery chair.

When Cheryl saw the room, she said we lived in a white box that was ripe for character. The biggest issue my husband and I faced was that we couldn’t agree on anything firmly enough to commit to buying it. The things we did end up buying ( and spending a lot of money on) wound up never working. Upon Cheryl’s design presentations she could see we were decision-ally-challenged. She patiently worked with us. I’d done enough research on her to give her my trust, but I was nervous...

...What most struck me was how she and her assistant took note of what we already had in the house to get a sense of our character (which I imagine was also like pulling teeth). She worked with our budget and even got creative with our resources. She listened to our needs and made them work. What she was careful to note, however, was that we hired her for a reason. To really make our dreams come to fruition, we had to trust her and acknowledge the investment.

Words cannot begin to describe the way we felt on reveal day. We were literally HGTV reveal participants. We were astounded by our finished master bedroom. Utterly amazed. The fabrics, the sketches, even the install of the chandelier the day before the full reveal did nothing to prepare us for the magnificence we walked into. Not only was our room beautiful, but it was so us. Fully representative of our style. Colors, decor, everything. It was even personal. Personal photos, books that spoke directly to our interests, fabrics that acknowledged the presence of young children in our home, and elegant luxury that made the bedroom feel special. This was a worthy investment. I can’t wait to have Cheryl complete the rest of my home."

Such a great review right? Our client's really wanted the space to feel light and bright but they needed to add a little life. Instead of playing with color, we opted for pattern to add interest to this unadorned space. The Kravet fabric used on the drapery is by far the biggest statement in the space. I honestly thought it would be a hard sale, but they were game.

After presenting our plans for the space we made a few small changes and then we were

off to the races!

Everything came together beautifully. Check out these dramatic before and after photos.

Such a cozy little area. We added quite a bit of furniture in the space and as usual it seems even larger than before. Space planning is so important. After all, we not only want the spaces we create to be beautiful, we also want them to function well.

The change in this space is pretty astounding given the fact that we didn't paint. I love a good decorative project. It really is amazing what pattern, color and well-placed furnishings can do for a space. The clients wanted to add a seating area for their young family to watch tv and hang out. Also on their wish list was a place to do work if needed. We were able to achieve this with a small seating area (including a large storage ottoman) and a lucite console and custom X-benches that serve as seating when they need to break out the laptop and do a little work.

Durability and clean-ability were keys in this project. With a dog and two children under 3 years old, we opted to use Revolution Performance Fabric on the bedding, ottoman and swivel chairs (by Sylvester Alexander). What we gained in performance, we certainly didn't lose in style. I love the textiles is this space.

One of the things we like to find out in our first meeting with our clients is who they are as people (or as a family). We posed this question at our initial consult and it sparked quite the discussion. Ultimately, they told us that they were a music loving family who wanted their culture reflected in their home with items that resonated with them.

We were extremely intentional about the art and decorative objects that we chose for the space. We wanted them to be a complete reflection of our client's journeys and interests.

I totally love how this one turned out. Don't you?

"Colorful and Cozy Charlotte Living"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 21:35:00 +0000

It's usually my intent to publish a blog post each month, but lately the months seem to zoom by at the speed of light and sadly sometime they slip by me. Today, I'm making up for lost time with a post packed with some great before and afters...I promise!

Cam Richards Photography

Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of working with a client who was looking to spruce up the main level living space in her new home. One of my favorite things about her was that she wasn't afraid of color. She'd seen our work at a friend's home and knew that she had to level up the living at her own place.

The client loved to entertain so we needed ample seating for gatherings with her family and friends. With a toddler in the home, we also needed things to be pretty kid-friendly. We started with the color story on this one. Like I said, she was totally game for color so we took advantage by wrapping the space in a rich moody purple called Graphy by Sherwin Williams. She'd mentioned that purple was her favorite color and this particular hue helped create that warm sexy vibe she wanted.

Immediately after the paint went on, the space was transformed and had so much more personality! With the purple as a base, we begin layering in rich golds, blues, reds...you name it. Sounds a little crazy but it totally worked. The purple Windy O'Connor wallpaper was going to be just the thing to give the spaces flanking the fireplace some interest.

The hand-rendering brought our vision to life and she was SOLD! Not a single revision made to our original plan. I love when they trust us! 😃

Artist: Jackie Ramdin

It honestly couldn't have come together any better. The colors in the space just pop without being jarring at all. Take a look...

Bassett Furniture Sectional in Revolution Performance Fabric

We knew those nondescript niches needed something and the graphic stripe paper gave us that rich global vibe we wanted. Subtle and impactful all at the same time!

Sylvester Alexander swivel chair
Wildwood Lamps side table

Bassett Furniture

While the space was a good size, it really didn't have a lot of storage. We added large media cabinets flanking both sides of the fireplace to add ample storage for toys, blankets and media components.

With so much color in the textiles, we kept it pretty neutral with the accessories.

Funny enough, the link that made it all work was this Brentwood Textiles cut velvet fabric. It was our jumping off point for the colors in the project and allowed us to pull our accents from it. We used it as the covering on the large tufted storage ottoman from Baity's Custom Upholstery and it's one of my favorite things in the space.

In the adjacent dining area we needed to create a more comfy seating are and update the space a bit. Enter the Anderson banquette from the Belle by Cheryl Luckett collection for Sylvester Alexander. The current seating and lighting were functional but not on par with the client's current style. We also wanted to address the option for privacy on the sliding glass doors to the patio.

The Revolution Plus fabric provides a beautiful and completely durable textile for the banquette and the golden cut velvet adds a lush layer to the wall that combines function with high style.

Wildwood Lamps, Bassett Dining Table and Chairs, Hudson Valley Lighting

The art and lighting are the real showstoppers in this space.

Anderson banquette- Belle by Cheryl Luckett for Sylvester Alexander

The addition of bar stools provides ample seating our clients when entertaining.

Leftbank Art

Two often overlooked areas of a home are the entry and the powder bath. Often situated near the front of the home, they can set the tone for your guest's entire experience. We encouraged our client to address them both and boy was she glad she did! Here's where they began...

We decided to keep the entry mirror but updated the storage piece to be a bit more contemporary. A little change went a long way in connecting this small entry with the newly revamped living area.

The powder bath was a basic as they come. It was screaming for wallpaper.

We selected this bold peacock paper from York Wallcoverings to add pizazz to this small space and upgraded the lighting.

Two small changes...BIG difference!

This project proves that playing with color doesn't have to be a scary thing. We love the warmth, life and cozy factor this Charlotte home now has. What do you think?

"Art and Home"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 21:22:00 +0000

Lately I've been finding myself constantly on the hunt for art for client projects. When helping source pieces for clients, it's important to me that I select something that's not only visually appealing but that also reflects who the clients are on a personal level. In this post, I thought I'd round up a few of my favorites.

Ray Hart
"On One Accord"

Allison Ford
"Mother's Day on Palm Beach"

Ivey Hayes
"Dancers of Black Skin"

Sam Pace

Obviously I have a penchant for color. I love the vibrancy of these four pieces. I've also recently started collecting a bit of my own. Earlier this year, I ran into this original Maurice Cook painting at a local antique mall. It reminded me of my maternal great grandmother's house in the Mississippi. Just up the road was the church she attended that sat on a hill just like the one in the painting. She was even laid to rest in the cemetery that sits off to the right.

I'd passed it several times before and finally (with a little push from my social media followers) decided to buy it. So glad I did. I love it!

While recently in Augusta, I visited the Morris Museum of Art where Southern favorite, Jonathan Green was on exhibit.

I couldn't resist this SIGNED poster of one of his popular colorful paintings. Can't wait to get it framed.

It's pretty amazing how art has the power to completely transform a space and if our clients aren't already collectors we try to introduce them to pieces that may resonate with them and get them hooked.

A space can quickly go from pretty to pretty and meaningful with the addition of just the right piece.

I love when clients already have art that they love, but need help working it into the space we imagine for them.

So spend a little time sourcing the art for your home improvement projects. You'd be surprised what you mind find that has the potential to completely transform your home.

Until next time...

"A Davidson Home Reveal"

noreply@blogger.com (Dwell by Cheryl) — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 22:22:00 +0000

So excited to be back to share the reveal of this fabulous project. This Davidson, NC home had us at hello.

When we met with the homeowners, they had already begun purchasing some of the furnishings. They quickly realized that making their new house a cozy space they'd be proud of was going to require more than nice furniture. Their major concern was the first floor living space. Here's a look at the living area when we first visited.

While they had ample functional seating, the space was pretty drab and devoid of any personality or finishing touches. We presented the vision for the space which included new lighting, a transition from a large sectional to a comfy sofa and two swivel chairs, coffee table, end table and a piece from the Belle by Cheryl Luckett collection.

Rendering by Jackie Ramdin

The client really liked earth tones but we shifted things a bit because the spaces were so light and airy that we wanted to maintain that feeling if possible.

Here's how things came together in the living area...

We absolutely love the addition of The Park Parson's Table from the Belle by Cheryl Luckett collection for Sylvester Alexander in this corner. After all was said and done, our client told us it was her favorite thing in the entire space. Yay!!

Also, sometimes we find that it's that one special small element that brings it all together. I fell in love with N'gala Trading at last year's High Point Market and knew I had to begin working them into projects. They have an amazing assortment of stylish African and African-inspired furnishings, textiles, lighting and accessories.

Ardmore via Ngala Trading

This pillow was just the right finishing touch.

We always make it a point to work in Revolution Performance Fabrics. These swivel chairs scream style without screaming stain-resistant. Sylvester Alexander did an amazing job on them. And can we talk about that Addison Weeks hardware we added to this simple drink table?

The kitchen was already beautifully built and appointed when we arrived, so the addition of stylish bar stools was all that was needed. We selected the Marcello Counter Stool from Ballard Designs and couldn't have been more pleased.

Adjacent to the kitchen is this lovely light-filled breakfast nook. The clients had already purchased a Bernhardt dining table and chairs so we just needed to dress things up.

While the chandelier wasn't bad (at all), it didn't quite jive with where we were going so we opted to change it out for something that would flow with the other spaces. The driving factor in this area was the original Kelly O'Neal art we sourced at High Point Market. The colors and scale were perfect for the space.

Kelly O'Neal Original Art

The painting helped to accentuate the height of the area and consume some of the dead space created by the pitch of the roof.

In the formal dining area, we again worked with the homeowner's existing Bernhardt furnishings.

We amped things up here with lighting and beautiful grasscloth wallpaper. I still love this Wildwood chandelier. It was delicate but striking.

Wildwood Home

I've said it before, but it's worth repeating, design is in the details. This project was a great example of how nice furniture will only get you so far. It's the other elements that are often more difficult to bring together that complete a space. Thankfully our clients let us help them take things to the finish line.

Lastly, the open entry got a new chandelier and a round entry table to welcome guests in to this beautiful home.

Photography: Cam Richards Photography