Dream House Studios walked away with two awards; including Design & Architecture and the Grand Award, Home of the Year.  In addition we received an Award of Merit for Interior Merchandising at Wedderburn Estates in Vienna, Virginia.  Our client, Courtland Homes builds an amazing house and we always enjoy our collaboration as well as the final product.

Enjoy our new blog!

We wanted the dining room to feel elegant and relaxed at the same time but not take away from the beauty of the outdoor scenery. The colors are soft blues with crisp white paneling on the ceiling and walls. The fireplace was originally brick and was updated with a beautiful stone that is the focal point of the room. It really makes it a perfect spot for any special occasion year round. We wanted it to have a flavor of the Chesapeake without being too literal. Bayside is one of the best spots for a wedding ceremonies and receptions, corporate events or private parties. Not to mention that the food is amazing! Check out their website to see some of the beautiful photos and services they offer.

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The basement guest room posed some design challenges right from the beginning. First of all, it is small with doors to closets, storage and a sitting room on all the walls but one. The one wall, ideal for the bed, has an off-centered window with an unpleasant view of the stairs outside. Although natural light is always ideal in a basement, Wesley decided to sacrifice the light and the view. She had off-white draperies hung, equidistant from both the side walls. Staying closed, they conceal the offset window which allowed Wesley to center the bed on the wall with larger nightstands that offer storage.

There was also room for a fabulous bench at the foot of the bed for guests to set their belongings. A neutral, soothing color palate was chosen using fabrics that coordinated with the existing wall color. Alabaster lamps, floral etchings on the wall, and some small accessories on the nightstands finish the room.

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Any time you spot good design, good art is almost always present. “Good” art doesn’t necessarily mean valuable or expensive – it can be a framed postcard, a family photograph, or even a child’s painting. What’s important is that YOU enjoy looking at it and that it complements the design and proportions of the room.

Gallery walls are showing up more and more in design, both residential and commercial. They allow you the opportunity to cultivate a personal collection and the display it as whole for greater visual affect and interest.

Sometimes oversized paintings can make a very strong impact, perfect for public areas or larger rooms.

Here’s an example of a clever use of stationery with a generous mat to make a much stronger impact than it’s size and stretch decorating dollars.

If you’re looking for some unique and affordable work to create your own gallery wall, check out Etsy for a myriad of great options, both original work and prints from independent artists.

Read more about this post’s author, Anne Harwell, over at her blog, Annechovie.

The Johnson Residence

In April, we visited the Johnson residence in Crownsville, Maryland, that Riley Custom Homes just completed along with architect, Teresa Todd, AIA. The property was once the Herald Harbor Club, which once served as a place for people to swim and dock their boats. Three college buddies purchased the property and subdivided it to build additional houses in addition to renovating the existing clubhouse into a residence. Now the three families share a huge beach, along with all the amenities.

The Homeowner’s Experience

We chatted with the homeowner, who said they had an amazing experience working with their design team because they took a vested interested in every detail. The team met with the homeowners every two weeks to ensure progress and go over questions or budget concerns.

Why We Were Impressed

Not only were we impressed with the collaboration of efforts that went into the building and design of the house. We were impressed by the flow and the execution of the beautiful trim work and built-ins.

After interviewing a few designers, she selected Dream House Studios, mostly because she really connected with one of our designers, Wesley. After connecting so well, Wesley designed the home for this young single Mom and her daughter, both whom are sophisticated and girly in their personal taste and style. And although girly can sometimes mean an all over pink house, we sufficed with just a pink bathroom, while the overall style remained a neutral palette: creams, greys, & browns.

Wesley approached the layout differently, treating it the townhouse more like a home than a designed model. The kitchen was designed with comfort and more seating areas for better function, considering that it would be the hub of the house. We used some interesting fabrics, like Sunbrella fabric which is stain and fade resistant, and some vintage pieces from an antique store in Charlottesville, Virginia (check out the amazing table!). Wesley also helped with all the other selections for house (lighting, furniture, drapery, etc.), with the exception of two toothbrushes, of course.

The entire project took about six months.  On “move-in day” we installed EVERYTHING.  We made the beds, washed the new dishes and stemware, filled the picture frames with their photographs, lit candles and waited for our client to “come home”. It was such a rewarding experience for all of us.  Our client was overwhelmed by her new, beautiful house.  We opened a bottle of champagne and walked from room to room watching her take it all in. 

These are the moments that we designers relish.  It is a lot of work to design and install an entire house, but it’s moments like this that make it all worth while.

After checking out the gallery of our work, you can let us know what you think. For example, nathy_0308 let us know how much she loved the color palette in one of our model home designs. Our photos have even been added to the Fine Design and Home & Décor groups on Flickr. It is always great to share our work, and even better to get feedback from you!

For a while, Dream House Studios had been looking for a community project to become involved in, so when we learned about the new shelter, we jumped at the chance to be involved. We headed the interior team with all of the interior selections and furnishings for the building, allowing us to help out while still expressing our passion. Construction on the new shelter finally got underway at the end of September and will be opening Summer/ Fall of 2010.

We will keep you updated on the shelter’s progress as we move closer to its opening. If you are interested in learning more about the shelter, check out www.annapolislighthouse.org.