Nicole Lanteri | On My Agenda

What does the back of your sofa look like?

2012-01-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today's Agenda: Working with client and electrician to hang these lights,

in this space! (this is the before picture -- everything is cleared out now except for the art on the wall)

Pretty exciting!

So, I have two current projects that require me to take into consideration how pretty the backs of sofas are. In addition to being just the right size, the right color, the right fabric and the right level of comfiness. The backs of sofas have never been this critical in a project before to be honest. But it really does matter. And in either space there is no room for a console table to style. The back of the sofa will just be out there on its own. I've narrowed it down to a couple of options that will work well.

This is my set of criteria:
- Fabric that is either colorful or textured
- No seams
- A lower back so you see the rest of the room with the sofa (almost like you are looking at the front of it)
- Pretty legs that prop the sofa up just the right little bit.

Here are some good looking backs of sofas...

Image via Michelle Workman

Image via Angie Hranowsky

A Sunday in Georgetown

2012-01-09T11:13:00.000-05:00

Today's Agenda: A lighting plan. A serious, awesome lighting plan for a large, airy open living room.

This Sunday found me at the Georgetown Flea Market admiring various treasures and thinking about creative ways to use them. These were my favorites this week. I just came away with a Kelly Green bangle bracelet (my favorite color and favorite jewelry/accent piece that I can just throw on and pull an outfit together). But these teacups made for Bergdorf's were hard to leave behind...Imaging on some rustic shelves with a really pretty paint color -- oh, my favorite Gentleman's Gray from B.Moore would look great with these...if they are still there next week then maybe it was meant to be :)

And, I was happy to see that the holiday season is still alive. These wreaths can really be kept up all winter.

{love the color of this house!}

And, my favorite photo of the weekend! The dress, the red door on the church! Love it.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Lovely + Salvaged

2012-01-04T10:42:00.000-05:00

Today's Agenda: Taking advantage of Elfa's sale @ The Container Store and designing 3 closet overhauls for a client. Am excited to see the transformation!

I also uploaded my photos from the little point and shoot camera I carry around when I'm shopping. 468 photos I hadn't uploaded!

Here are some from an a-mazing store I went to while in Chicago in November -- Salvage One (60,000 sq ft of awesomeness). SERIOUSLY awesome.

Chicago was great for design inspiration! I'll share some more sources and inspiration photos as I dig through my photos :)

Friday's Organizing Item

2011-12-16T08:20:00.000-05:00

Today's Agenda: Seeing if this Friday's Organizing Item is a "win" in a client project -- hoping so!

This galvanized metal floor storage has always caught my eye.

Perfect for a small bathroom for extra storage, next to your office desk for organizing bills, or in the kitchen for spices and oils that you reach for often.

I'm pairing it with classic white bath fixtures and a beautiful plum/wine color paint and a chic black and white curtain. We'll see if functionally it works and adds the right amount of additional storage!

Soothing Hallway

2011-12-15T09:15:00.000-05:00

Today's Agenda: An Ikea adventure! It's always an "adventure" when going to Ikea, right??!

I find this hallway/entryway picture very soothing and real. The white wire hanger, the dresses hanging in the doorway (I think I have that peach colored dress), the one bulb light fixture...It all works and looks like you can actually live in it.

{Inspiration image via here}

Cowhide Wall Decor?

2011-12-14T05:56:00.000-05:00

Today's Agenda: So I was supposed to start the day off with my awesome 6:45am yoga class but I just woke up with a pounding headache that I'm hoping will wear off by later in the day...water, advil, walk outside will hopefully make this go away...

I ran across this bedroom in Royce Pinkwater's Park Avenue home. {From House Beautiful, October 2011}

Different. Fun. Young. I think i like it.

But, I'm still thinking about the cowhide on the wall...what do you think about this?

Could be really fun in a hotel room design...

One Awesome Bench

2011-12-13T08:11:00.001-05:00

Today's Agenda: Enjoying this chilly day inside with the sun beaming into our home. Organizing, etc. today. Feels good to play catch up.

I was trolling 1st Dibs this morning -- it really does goes well with a cup of coffee! -- and I found the most awesome bench.

It's the perfect amount of vintage, clean lines, cool storage, narrow, pretty wood.

Let's take a closer look.

Perfect for an entryway or amazing dressing room.

Neither of which I have. {Sigh.} But I have designed an awesome entryway or dressing room in my head with this as the centerpiece if anyone is in need of this :)!

Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season.

Getting Inspired to Decorate for the Holidays

2011-12-07T09:04:00.000-05:00

Today's Agenda: Trying to ignore it's going to rain all day -- 100% chance of rain! Which doesn't bode well for my install today but we'll manage...I hope.

But I am looking forward to the weekend! It looks like it's going to be nice and cold and December like out there. There will be some office rearranging as I am picking up a few painted barrister bookcases to reorganize my design books and binders. And, lots of holiday decorating to be done.

Check out these fun ideas for holiday decorating from Houzz. I was scrolling down ooh-ing and aah-ing at the images and then ran across our tree from a couple years ago and it was a nice surprise :). It's still funny seeing my design work out there in the world.

30 Beautifully Inventive DIY Christmas Decorations

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More»

Browse Home Office Products on Houzz- For Example:

Bulletin Board · Cable Management · Desk Accessories · Desks · Filing Cabinets And Carts · Task Chairs ·

Looking for a Fun Holiday Gift?

2011-12-05T06:31:00.000-05:00

Today's Agenda: Meeting new people and catching up with old friends! Appropriate for the holiday season :)

Speaking of the holiday season...what are you doing for holiday gifts this year? I think we are going to focus on fun stocking stuffers and saving up for a great trip for next year. I do love presents that fit in stockings and sometimes smaller ones are just as fun! And, diamonds fit in stockings. Probably not this year but I'm just saying, lots of treasures can fit in stockings so you just never know! :)

Another fun gift idea (that likely won't fit in a stocking...) is buying art for your home. The Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, DC has an "Off the Walls" sale each year that features fine art, jewelry and ceramics handcrafted by Corcoran students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

It's a great way to get your holiday shopping done and benefit local artists. And you don't have to go the mall and you get away from your computer and enjoy DC decorated for the holidays!

And, it's happening this week!

Head down to the Atrium at The Corcoran Gallery of Art, 510 17th Street Northwest

Thursday, December 8, 5–9 p.m.
Friday, December 9, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Saturday, December 10, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

For more information contact (202) 639-1801 or email studentaffairs@corcoran.org.

Then walk around the monuments and grab a drink at The Willard and check out their holiday decorations -- I guarantee it will get you into the holiday spirit!

A Thanksgiving Table Setting!

2011-11-14T09:22:00.000-05:00

Today's Agenda: A busy week but lots of fun stuff...that I'll let you know about next week!

This week I'm FINALLY getting into the Thanksgiving planning mode. Figured the week before was as good as time as any to start thinking about it :) And, what is better to help me get started than a 'Mood Board Monday' party hosted by Sarah at Pewter and Sage -- thanks, Sarah!

I am in a decluttering mode these days in my own home and am really liking a couple bold colors standing out against a neutral palette with layers of interesting textures and patterns. What's the best bold color to stand out for Thanksgiving? The food!!

So, against a beautiful turkey, luscious stuffing, an amazing squash soup and crisp green beans, I created a backdrop that compliments and is a bit whimsical. Starting with the David Stark plates, I layered in whites, creams, beige, blacks, other metallics, some woods for warmth and, literally, a splash of color with those great placemats. And, with plenty of room for lots of personalities and storytelling at the table!

1. David Stark dinner plate
2. David Stark salad plate
3. Organic shaped, metallic rimmed bowls
4. Crate and Barrel Olivier Flatware
5. White wine glass
6. 'Cheers' ice bucket
7. Opaque white water glass (an Ikea classic)
8. Splatter recycled placemat
9. Classic white napkins (use Oxiclean to whiten!)
10. Vintage napkin rings (lots of fun ones on Etsy and one more Sunday at more local antiques market -- and fun to mix and match!)
11. Scuplted platter
12. White drum chandelier (classic, great light!)
13. Bridge Extension Table, Walnut (perfect for lots of family and friends!)
14. Benjamin Moore, Cloud White (just enough pigment to balance the stark whites and off white colors in this color palette)
15. Frames wallpaper (fun for everyone to bring a photo of their favorite memory from the past year)
16. Paul Loebach dining chair
17. Ikea Stockholm Rand rug
18. Linen, metallic curtains (love the detail at the top!)

And, lots of stores are offering free shipping and other deals on dinnerware as we get into the holiday season! Crate and Barrel right now has free shipping on purchases totalling $99 or more through Dec. 21.

Reupholstering My Favorite Sofa

2011-10-12T09:07:00.000-04:00

On My Agenda: Picking out a fabric for one of my favorite sofas!

Bought 10 years ago at a cute antique store, Circa, in Charlottesville, VA while I was in law school for less than $300. It was for my husband's (boyfriend at the time) first apartment he purchased on Capitol Hill in DC. A sweet, light-filled, amazingly well laid out 500 sqft apartment. This sofa was the right price, long enough for lazy Sunday naps and a low sofa to make the space feel taller. I purchased it apartment unseen and it couldn't have been more perfect for the space!

A walk down sofa memory lane...

Washington, DC, Capitol Hill Apt., Circa 2002

NYC, Gramercy Park Loft, Circa 2005.

Arlington, VA Loft, our dining room, Circa 2008.

Arlington, VA loft, my design studio, Circa 2011.

But, now the coils are sagging and it needs some help.

Which means I get to find a fun fabric to recover it in!

I've always had this picture in my files for recovering this sofa when the time came. (Actually, it was a picture from a Domino mag but I can't find it now...)

Source

But I think it's too much with everything else in our home now.

I'd like something neutral but with a fun texture/subtle pattern.

So, I've ordered a few swatches from my favorite online fabric retailer -- Modern Fabrics -- to try out. They have good prices on really quality fabric. (They had a Paul Smith navy and pink pinstripe fabric the other day that I hesitated on and it was gone! It was just 2 yards but would have made amazing pillows. And, I love Paul Smith.)

Excited for the samples to come! Stay tuned...

A $500 Kitchen Transformation: Complete!

2011-09-21T08:04:00.001-04:00

Today's Agenda: Staging a condo for sale, checking out some bathroom tiles, and in search of the perfect lighting for a home office (lighting is always tricky!)...

Remember my $500 design challenge?? Well, the kitchen/breakfast room facelift is done! I'll just get right to the pictures. The changes are subtle but remember our goals and plan -- add color and life and a place my client wanted to hang out in for $500!

Before (before my client moved in; previous owner's stuff):

Before (after my client moved in):

After! (after our $500 design challenge):

Another before + after view:

And a couple other "after" images:

In order to make some fun changes but keep it within budget I needed to (1) create zones in the room to anchor it and make it feel homey but deliberate, (2) focus on a few key details (can't change everything for $500!), and (3) bust out some DIY skills.

Let's start with the zones...

There is a cute little nook that's perfect for a kitchen office space...

But you have to be very careful when doing this -- can't be cluttered or messy or overly "office".

So, I took everything out of the space and started over, layering in only what was necessary.

To end up with this inviting, but organized space:

- I found a sweet accent lamp from an antique store for just $32 that actually had a very mid-century modern shade on it with a pretty vintage black base that made the space feel less office-y.
- I added a set of drawers underneath the counter to organize and hide the clutter that was accumulating on the counter. By putting it in drawers, you can easily find stuff! (Next step is to label the drawers but my labelmaker ran out of tape, sadly...)
- I added a file container that is on the desk, open at the top so easy to put things in and mobile so if you want to sit somewhere more comfortable and organize it you can.
- I took the bulletin board down...and didn't put it back up. In this space in the kitchen, it just made it feel too casual...
- And, added a couple other decor touches -- spray painted the stool white to minimize the wood tones in the space and really let the dining table shine and added a curtain panel to block out the blazing, hot sun just a little bit. And it was the perfect blue shade next to the blue cabinet!

There is also this great space where my client put a fun vintage bakers rack.

But again, needed some structure and purpose to it. So, I took everything off of the bakers rack.

And, then added some fun baskets that are designated for pet food, and husband's and kids' stuff. A plant and a piece of art made the space feel less utilitarian and anchored that side of the room.

Paint + Wallpaper: There are tons of fun things to do with paint and wallpaper! I loved the idea of painting this cabinet and the back door a subtle color. Since the cabinet and back door are on opposite corners of the room, I also liked the idea of using these corners to balance the room. So, we went with a pale, pretty blue and a bolder yellow by adding the wallpaper inside the cabinet and next to the back door with the DIY message board, using the bolder color as an accent and the pale color as the base to keep with the feel of rest of the house (which I think is forgotten sometimes -- v. important to make the whole house feel cohesive!).

Note: The wallpaper I found at a warehouse sale for $10! And, the paint, well one color was too baby blue and the other color too light, so...we mixed them! And, it worked (since they were both semi-gloss). So, it's a custom color and neither "oops" paint quart went to waste!

Message Board: What's a family breakfast room without a message board?? I took a framed piece of art that I found at an antique store for $7, took the art out and then used the same wallpaper that I used in the cabinet and placed it behind the plexiglass. Add a dry erase marker and you are done!

File Bin: I took a bin that had been from another client project that we decided not to use and then covered it with black textured contact paper I had found at Lowe's (it's really beautiful contact paper...). I left the top off so it was easy to use and for another little pop of blue placed some aqua file folders from The Container Store inside. Super easy and useful!

And, the details round out the space!:

Curious about the final tally? Here you go (tax included!):

2 white barstools: $50.00
1 set of drawers: $41.99
1 dry erase marker + 1 frame: $10.49
2 yards fabric + rods and clips for curtains: $8.38
12 colorful pots: $133.23
1 black/brass accent lamp: $33.60

2 sheepskin throws: $83.98
1 picture ledge for frames: $15.74
4 baskets for bakers rack: $78.71
1 (real) plant and pot: $24.13
1 baskets and 6 (fake) plants: $17.84
2 quarts of paint: @$30.00
1 roll of wallpaper: $10.00
2 mini red chairs: $14.98
6 hanging file folders: $7.34

Grand Total: $560.32! (not too bad!)

And, a final look.

My client and I actually already had a glass of wine in this space and it felt cozy and inviting...a perfect spot to hang out in!

Fall.Flea.Market.GO!

2011-09-08T09:05:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: Trying not to wash away with the flash floods...apparently there is a warning till 3:45pm today...it.just.keeps.raining.

If I did get washed away, I would hope that I could show up in Chicago in a couple of weeks for this. At Jayson Home and Garden.

A $500 Kitchen Transformation: Progress!

2011-09-07T14:48:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: Get through this gloomy week! So much rain...

So, we've made lots of progress on the Kitchen/Breakfast Room transformation!

At the end of the day on Friday, the following had been DONE:

- Cabinet and exterior door painted light blue
- Back of cabinet wallpapered
- Cabinet styled
- Colorful pots purchased at TJMaxx and hung (we need a few more!)
- DIY message board made with same wallpaper used on back of cabinet and fun $7 frame found at antiques store
- Chairs (Bertoia and barstool) spray painted
- 2 more barstools purchased and picked up -- $50 on Craigslist for 2! And on the same street as client :)
- Art hung
- File box covered with black embossed/textured paper for easy organization at the office area
- Baker's rack styled and organized with new baskets
- Sheepskin rugs thrown on Bertoia chairs
- Glass of wine had in improved breakfast room on Friday night!

Hardest part so far? Trying to get these panes as perfect as possible :) (You can see the light blue color I painted this in the lower right hand corner.)

Client's thoughts from last week?

"The Knoll chairs have a first coat, but along the way, I added grasses to the bases (plucked out), nearly fainted (I, too, chose to not use the mask), struggled with the tarp, which managed to blow and catch on ALL of the careful work I had done on the bases, and painted much of my lawn white. THIS IS NOT MY SKILL SET - DO I HAVE ANY SKILLS ANYMORE???!!! I told you that I wasn't "crafty" and I should have believed myself. Tomorrow, please treat me like a freshman college student with no practical life experience and I'd imagine that I can take direction and not cause harm...let's hope."

The Knoll chairs actually turned out really well once seen the next day in daylight!

This week, I'm heading back over to put a few finishing touches on the project -- add some more pots and pans, paint a chalkboard menu wall, and take final photos (assuming enough light...)!

Then for a final reveal and tally up!

A $500 Kitchen Transformation: A Plan

2011-08-31T19:48:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: Reveling in my latest Craigslist purchase. The Crate and Barrel Dylan chair that I always visit and sit in when I'm at the store. Was found on CL for $850! Used for staging a property. Reg. price @ C+B = $2000. It's a beautiful gray...looks lovely in my guest bedroom/lounge. Pictures to come...

So, the $500 Kitchen Transformation Project is off to a good start. On Monday the idea was finalized and the plotting began and by Monday night a plan was emailed to my client. On Tuesday the plan was discussed with my client. Today, Wednesday, I am getting caught up on other work before tomorrow and making my list for things to purchase and then on Thursday we get started and put the plan into action. We are hoping to finish by Friday and close it out with a celebratory dinner!

Here is the $500 plan!

{Items in pencil are the current pieces, items in green are things to do/buy and in red is the cost.}

The goal is to retain the lightness that we have established in the rest of the house (amidst a lot of molding and not an incredible amount of light) but add a little bit of whimsy in this space to keep it fun and not so serious.

Client is on board with just going for it!

Her initial response though did include a couple hesitations. Especially in a project like this where we are just going for it. Wonder what her thoughts are? I was too :) So here are a few.

"Reigning in my inner control freak and giving Nicole carte blanche on the kitchen.  Now, I would not have chosen anything with snakeskin (!!!!) embossing, nor would I put yellow, blue and black together. But...

I trust in Nicole's capacity for vision via thrift and I love the little accents - rugs on chairs - who knew? - that tell me that she has a vision for the outcome.

And the kitchen CAN'T be any worse - so there's always that.

In all seriousness,  I anticipate nothing short of magic.

Also, I now understand that my expensive taste will bankrupt me if I allow it to, so a bargain kitchen without a scrap of Ikea (ok, the rug/ throws are Ikea) makes my heart sing.   In my mind, at the end of the day this is in the pages of Dwell with me looking svelte and worldly, my kids brilliant and edgy and, oh yeah, this is about my kitchen...my kitchen looking amazing and - guess what - it just cost 500 bucks! :)"

As you can tell, we are definitely having fun. We'll see how it all turns out :)

Will try to post in progress pics tomorrow!

A $500 Kitchen Transformation: An Idea

2011-08-29T06:47:00.001-04:00

Today's Agenda: Lots to do! Just hoping no earthquake or hurricane this week that I need to react to/prepare for/or be consumed by the news by...that would be nice...

One of my awesome clients hired me to design her two teenage sons' rooms in this amazing Victorian house (yes, think Royal Tenenbaums awesomeness) before they moved in, and to advise on layout and design for the living and dining areas of their home. We've now finished the sons' rooms, they have moved in and the living and dining areas are well on their way.

And, then there are about 27 other rooms to work on in the house. This is where patience comes into play. And, honestly, a budget.

On the upside, this is how a fun idea was born -- The $500 Kitchen Transformation! Originally born from the perplexing question -- "What the F*!% Am I Going to do with this Kitchen?".

So, in my awesome client's words below, we forge ahead. With $500. One week. And very. little. patience. left. with this behemoth of a house!

My awesome client...

We just moved into a large, Victorian townhouse in DC (too much space - what was I thinking???!!! I know, it's not really a problem but right now it feels like it!) and am feeling overwhelmed. I don't live with the neatest of boys - two sons and a husband - and I care quite a bit about design/ aesthetics. We have an eclectic mix of good furniture. Some we bought when we lived in a 1920's center hall colonial, some from our loft (I still miss those windows!) and some family pieces (for good and for bad). It's not a coherent collection at all, but it definitely suits us. We love mid-century furniture and design, but strive to mix it up with things from other eras - too much mid-century and you get, well, sadly, kitsch. We've moved around the country a lot, most recently living in a rented house while looking for a house. When we finally found a house that had great bones but needed a lot of cosmetics to bring it alive, I realized that I would never get the house transformed by making small adjustments over time. I was so lucky to meet Nicole Lanteri of On My Agenda in my search for a young, creative designer who might make the process fun, create layouts, pick colors, help to find pieces, and generally make the house work for us. I am so impressed - yes, this is a naked plug (Nicole didn't ask me to write this part ;)) - at her capacity to envision things, at her willingness to balance, create, and revise. I am a theater director, so I am used to working with design and space, and enjoy the process. But while I am drawn to individual pieces, most often very expensive pieces (oops!!) Nicole is constantly imagining the scope of the room. She loves the flea market as well as the design center. And she has a wonderful sense of proportion.

So here we are - two months into the design process. The living room and dining room have really come together (pictures to come!) but I keep having the sense that the kitchen (which we hope to remodel within the next few years if I don't get scared off by the price tag $$$) is a big, ol' bummer. It's grey, 1970's, grey walls, choppy, cramped, did I mention grey??. It does have tall cabinets and reasonable appliances going for it, but it otherwise feels pretty grim compared to the rest of the house.

What to do??

So here's the challenge Nicole and I came up with: A $500 Kitchen Transformation.

The goal: a beautiful space in which am inspired to make complicated dishes, want to drink martinis with friends, and enjoy cleaning up at the end of the night with my husband. Is that too much to ask for?? :)

Stay tuned!

The site of the $500 Kitchen Facelift.

I'm So Excited About My Iphone Handset I Can't Stand It

2011-08-01T20:35:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: Basking in the excitement of Amazon.com notifying me that my purdy little yellow Iphone handset being on its way.

I love working on home office projects, working in my home office and seeing what other people's home offices look like. How someone works is really fascinating and I'd venture to say no two people would like the same home office setup.

Do you know the blog Made By Girl? Super fun inspiration. Especially to take pictures of hanging out with friends. I need to be better about that.

Well, I love her home office.

Favorite Part = Iphone Handset.

So much that I had to have my very own. It's on its way. And, yes I rearranged my home office to find the perfect spot for him. Stay tuned...

An Updated Guest Bathroom...for a Special Guest!

2011-07-27T17:28:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: I've come down with a terrible summer cold. Hoping I'm over this soon...it's hard to keep my head up, it feels like a heavy bowling ball...argh...Anyway...

Here is another recent project that I was thrilled with how it turned out. This guest bathroom needed a facelift. It's a compact space so needed to be sure that everything was scaled appropriately and made the space seem as large as possible but still interesting and in character with the style and the location of this home. Best part -- the owners' dog loves is really the one that uses it the most for his baths! Check out his sweet face in the pictures below. And the pretty bathroom. Remember to focus on the pretty, pretty bathroom. He does sort of steal the show though...

Bathroom, before...

And, after!

The star of the show!

A Crisp and Comfy Nursery!

2011-07-25T07:28:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: I've discovered Blik's pattern wall tiles. And am now becoming obsessed as we speak. I'll do a full post on these once I do a little more research and maybe order a few samples to try them out...

Today's before and after is a recent nursery I designed, and love! I really love working on nursery designs and thinking about all the little things that go into making the space just so.

For this nursery, we had this 10' x 10' guest room to transform into a space for baby, new mom to nurse in, and all of baby's accoutrement.

My first goal was to make the space seem as large as possible -- babies are small but they come with a lot of stuff! I played with a couple ideas for making the space feel larger -- one which included wallpapering the entire room. Instead, we settled on a warm white palette and it really worked to make this space feel comfortable for baby and mom and dad!

Take a look at the after and then I'll walk through a few of the key details...

1. Paint: In order to make the room feel as large as possible I selected a warm white and used the same color on the walls and the ceilings. This effect worked in this room because the room already had a lot of light. In spaces that are always dark, painting it white might not necessarily make it feel that much larger. In this space it had a great effect. {Don't forget to paint the inside of the closet too! It makes such a difference.}

Bonus Paint: In order to keep the space interesting, we painted the back of the two doors a gray color to make the space feel fun and not so serious. And since I never resist the opportunity to use the back of the doors when space is constrained, hanging sweet towels and basket for dirty laundry or toys look purposeful and decorative against the gray doors.

2. Closet Reorg: This closet is actually pretty big (well, tall and deep widthwise) for a 10' x 10' room! But with the single bar that was in the closet nothing was going to be stored very well. So we took advantage of the Container Store's shelving sale and outfitted the closet with custom Elfa shelving.

Elfa shelving is great, but it really needs to be arranged in a way that makes sense for what you are using it for. So I reconfigured the Elfa shelves and bars a bit based on how long baby's clothes were and then added some baskets that were easy to get things in and out of the closet.

Here are the elements of this closet which I think make a big difference:
* Kid-sized Hangers: Huggable Hangers are great for pieces that fall off easily (jackets, button down shirts) and plastic ones are great for onesies. You can get clips that attach to the huggable hangers to hang pants and odd-shaped clothing.
* Bins with Lids: I think it's key to not have all of the baby's clothing out at once. Try grouping clothing by age or topic (e.g., swim/beach gear, pajamas, etc.). And then storing it in a bin with a lid to keep dust, bugs, etc. out until you are ready to put them into circulation. I like these Grey Storage Bags or these Clear Storage Boxes at the Container Store.
* Bins without Lids: It's also key to have bins without lids. I think people get into trouble when they put things into too many boxes with lids. If there's a lid and you need to tidy up quickly, then you just won't put things in the right place! The Tribeca Bin at the Container Store is fantastic, and looks nice too.
* Erasable Labels: I love these Erasable Labels from the Container Store! This way you can easily change the categories you've set up. Especially as the kids get older or if you are organizing your baby's closet before the baby has come.

{And, check out the Hable Construction bin that a friend bought for this new mom -- I love Hable Construction -- what a great gift!}

3. Furniture Selection: This was a tough one in this room! We debated over whether to use mom's old dresser, to put the glider in here and what color for the crib. In the end, we decided on light colored furniture to keep the light and airy feel going on in the room.

And, for the floor, I originally thought that FLOR tiles were a clear winner for this space. But I would need to cut them and figure out how to maneuver them around the radiator. When I found this Kajsa rug from Ikea that was 9' x 9' I couldn't believe it and it not only fit the space perfectly but the colors were right on point and the stripes gave an illusion of the room feeling bigger! Done and done.

The items used are:
- The Giggle Better Basics Harper Crib in a natural finish
- The White 2-over-2 dresser from Land of Nod with the changing tray, etc.
- The Morgan Swivel Glider from Bassett.
- A classic Elfa storage piece.
- Kajsa rug from Ikea.
- The Ikea Stockholm Footstool -- used as a placeholder for a custom ottoman that is on order. This footstool usually lives in the living room and apparently baby loves that it swivels!

4. Lighting: Lighting is so crucial in any project, but I think especially a small room where lighting can help make it feel brighter and a nursery where you want different qualities of light depending on what's going on. My rule of thumb is at least 4-5 points of light in any room. A nursery is challenging to get that many light sources in the room because most of the surfaces don't allow you to set a table lamp on.

Here's how we acheived great lighting:

- Use your ceiling and your walls! And, check out what you have around your house already.
* I changed out this terrible ceiling light for a fun, modern one (the Fillsta from Ikea) that gives off great light and looks fun and whimsical but blends in well when it's not on.

* I installed this wall light that blends right into the wall but is at a good height that is easy for mom and dad to reach to use, with cords secured for when baby starts crawling...

* The wall lamp actually already matched another floor lamp that we had moved to another room from what was the guest room so we brought that back in and tucked it behind the glider. (And check out the little Tooli rechargeable nightlight glowing yellow on the shelf -- what a fantastic idea and gift!)

* I found another lamp from a different room and tried it in here with this fun, preppy shade I found on sale at Anthropologie.

That gave us 4 different lights + a nightlight -- not bad in a 10' x 10' room!

5. Art + Toys: In a small space you want to be careful how you provide for storage and how much art you place on the wall. And, wait until all the furniture is in before you get your heart set on one way of providing for storage or art.

Again, look around and see what walls you can use for art and toy storage.

We went up the wall behind the glider with these narrow shelves and brackets from Ikea. An inexpensive solution for storage in a small room. And, the toys themselves act as decor.

This awesome wall decal took up no visual space and makes the room feel taller and won't fall down on baby. Bonus -- baby loves looking at it!

And, the piece we knew from the beginning needed to be in the room -- a family treasure. And wonderful wisdom to impart to new baby.

Blogging Update!

2011-07-21T06:28:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: Hopping over to what I'm calling the "Georgetown Design District" -- a whole host of fantastic stores just a 5 minute drive away. Some "big box" stores -- West Elm, CB2, Bo Concept, DWR, Baker, Restoration Hardware, Anthropologie but also a fantastic thrift store and antique stores with a random assortment of goods that are perfect for inspiration and purchase.

So, I try not to apologize for not posting as often as I would like on the blog -- but I now really do need to apologize for not posting regularly on the blog since it has been so irregular!! My excuse -- it's been a crazy ride starting this design business and it takes a lot of time to do everything well! So the blog has suffered because of it -- but I'll try to be better about posting more regularly and I'm looking into expanding On My Agenda as the year goes on which is v. exciting.

Over the next week or so I am going to highlight projects that I have been working on so you can see a little bit of what I have been up to. I am still loving what I am doing each day -- even if I've had a really long day on a project site running around Manhattan looking for just the right piece of furniture I pop out of bed the next day bright and early and can't wait to get going on the next thing I'm working on. It's an amazing feeling and I am very thankful.

Stay tuned for some fun projects -- a clean and crisp nursery (white walls aren't boring!!), a master bedroom takes on wallpaper (my own -- which your own projects are the most difficult to finish...), a living and dining room that you never want to leave (I love the rugs we used in this project!), some wedding stationary (a fun way to display your escort cards -- and a beautiful setting!), and a small but elegant bathroom (with a fun cameo in our photo shoot!).

Anthing Miniature is Cute

2011-07-11T10:33:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: Testing paint colors! Palladian Blue, Weimeraner (a pretty warm gray -- I hope!).

I have a theory that anything mini is cute. I'm not saying practical, necessary, or even something you should buy. But you just can't deny that you are drawn to things that are petite.

Take foods.

Mini cupcakes will go like crazy at any party. Or anywhere really.

Aren't you always tempted by the Starbucks Petite options?

And Trader Joe's seems to make a mini version of just about any food you could think of.

And, I love children's sized version of modern classics.

But, Emily Henderson took the mini craze to a whole new level this weekend. Did you see Secrets of a Stylist this past Saturday night?? In her "Style Diagnostic" she used...MINI FURNITURE to help the homeowners seek out their inner style. Genius.

So I was curious where you could find cute little mini furniture them. Well, you can buy these modern classics at Design Within Reach.

I have no need for them. And they are crazily priced. But you can't deny that they are incredibly cute. And, I sort of want them.

If only I still had my dollhouse and could fill it with these modern classics...

Sunday Morning Flea Market Finds

2011-06-14T08:55:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: It's nice outside for a DC summer day -- must break free from the computer and get out for a workout!

On Sundays, I like to head up to the Georgetown Flea Market in DC. It's hit or miss, but it's always fun to use my imagination for how to use certain pieces and where to put them and nice to see familiar faces who I am getting to know and getting to know more about what they sell.

Best part is the walk from my home over the Key Bridge to the Market. It's a great workout with hills on both sides of the bridge and an amazing view of DC, which I still never tire of and reminds me of why I love it here.

Here are some of the finds at this week's market. So many fun ideas for these pieces...

Painting this white would really make it shine.

This was a super sweet set that had one for nouns, verbs, adverbs, etc.

Pretty lamp in an all white modern space.

I just loved this table. I'm a sucker for small tables and trays though...

This was beautiful. In a 1950s mid century home, it would be a great statement piece.

Fantastic outdoor lights!

Fun organizing cart. {I actually bought this for me to organize client work/ideas/tear pages!}

Fun art.

More fun art.

Loved these chairs. Husband loved them too.

Kelly green!!

A lucite stand! What everyone one needs...no, I've actually been thinking about getting one to have in the kitchen to use as a cookbook/recipe holder.

Sort of cute elephant. Weird, creepy eyes though.

Cute trays! And there were three of them. Great for wall art in a kitchen or dining area.

A fun way to spend a Sunday morning.

Before and After: A Renovated Farmhouse

2011-06-13T07:50:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: ISO good desk for a client...Desk, I know you are out there!

I recently had the nicest request from a friend -- "Would you help me get my house ready for a neighborhood house tour?" I know it doesn't sound like much but every time someone asks me to come into their home, invade their space and completely move their things around, I am humbled and thankful.

My friend lives in a beautiful home that was originally built in 1904. A renovation was done in 2009 that added on a brand new kitchen, living room and master bedroom suite. I'm about ready to move into her home...it's beautiful and cozy -- my perfect idea of "home".

We hung pictures, cleaned up some spaces and found some great pieces to use that were lying about in her basement. But the bulk of my fun, um, I mean, work was in the two guest bedrooms. Bedrooms sadly end up a little neglected since so much time and energy (and, honestly, money) are spent on the living areas so I'm always happy to try to create a cozy space in bedrooms and have them feeling "done".

In just a few hours' work, with no paint changes or structural changes and by just bringing in pieces I have in inventory and using what my friend had and a few bargain purchases, I was happy to be able to turn these two guest bedrooms into cozy and inviting spaces. My husband is now officially in trouble...instead of sleeping on the couch if we fight, I'm headed to my friend's house!

Guest Bedroom No.1: The light is great in here! Beautiful blue paint on the walls. And that bedding is one of my favorites. With some pretty art that my friend had, I went out to create a little Parisian-inspired guestroom. We were thinking of getting rid of the armoire but I was able to salvage it and just find a better space for it.

Before & After #1

Before & After #2

Guest Bedroom No.2: This room felt so cozy when I walked into it so I wanted to go with that feeling and create a cozy nook. I created a spot that you could use just for reading, you know just in case the entire house is a disaster and you just can't face it! It is pretty nice to have a couple rooms in a house that you know will pretty much always be clean and that you can escape to. I went with a neutral color palette to create a cozy feel and had fun layering lots of different textures.

Before & After #1

Before & After #2

Before & After #3

Before & After #4

And, the neighborhood house tour was a success! I love any house/embassy/design house tour and try to go to as many as I can but I had never been on the other side of it and it was so fun to meet people on the tour and hear their thoughts on houses in the area, what they liked about this house and where they lived! Only downside was that I missed seeing the other houses on the tour!

No Closets?

2011-06-12T16:48:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: Trying to come up with a creative way to address the "no closet" situation for a current client's teenage boy's bedroom...

Requirements for this closet solution --
(1) looks neat AND is easy to keep neat
(2) doesn't break the budget
(3) is interesting and fun
(4) is masculine
(5) keeps clothes from getting dusty and/or faded

Here are some fun inspiration photos I have been culling. None of them are right for the space but taking bits and pieces from these and from items that are actually out there (you know, in the world) I'm going to come up with a solution that meets all of the criteria. Stay tuned!

Kate Spade Pop-Up Shop

via papernstichblog.com

via Modern50

via Simplified Building Concepts

Graham and Brown, you have done it again!

2011-04-20T13:34:00.000-04:00

Today's Agenda: Figuring out where these lovely wallpapers can go!!

I love Graham and Brown wallpaper. Okay, I love a lot of wallpapers but their paper is such good quality, designs beautiful and price point great for the quality. And their samples are fantastic -- I'm like a kid in a candy store the day they arrive! (my poor husband...)

I'm not sure which one is my favorite but I know that if I had a little girl that pink plaid would be my starting point for her room...

While wallpapering a whole wall or room may either not be what you want to do or not in your budget, there are some other fun options to work wallpaper into a space.

Recently, I worked wallpaper into a space by making a coat rack. This was the inspiration.

I had found some ready made coat racks at Target and Ikea but they were just so boring and not terribly sturdy. Plus, we really needed as many hooks as possible for coat hanging for this client's awesome parties.

So, I went to work finding a wallpaper that was perfect for the space and hooks that were above all sturdy and great for coats and reasonable.

I found this wallpaper from Graham and Brown (through Target so if you end up not liking it it's easy to return to the store).

And, these cute (and inexpensive!) hooks from Ikea that went well with the style of the house and coordinated with the hardware that was in the kitchen which is just down the hall from this space.

Then went to Home Depot and picked up the rest of my supplies -- (1) two pieces of plywood cut to the exact measurements I needed and (2) some brown little screws that would blend in better with the color of the hooks (but you can easily just paint the screws to match with a little sample of paint or a permanent marker).

I already had wallpaper paste at home so I then laid out all of my supplies on our kitchen island and went to town covering the plywood with the wallpaper and measuring the space between each hook (definitely the most tedious part of the project!)

Just a little bit later I ended up with this!

I couldn't wait to get them up on the wall and see how they looked!

The next day, we went to install them. This is what was there before.

And, now! {We've made changes to the living room as well but am saving those for later!}

The hooks worked out really well! To install the boards, we removed one of the hooks on each end and drilled through there so that there would be no visible signs of how it was hung. See? Seamless :)

As you can tell from the after photos, we made some additional changes to really max out this space and to try to keep all "entryway clutter" -- shoes, hats, coats, etc." in one spot. In DC, it's really important to use every bit of space smartly to eek out a bit more storage!

To max out this space, we went vertical using all of the available wall space and I chose things that used all of the depth of the wall as well. I used a simple white shelf and some brackets that mimicked the scrolls in the wallpaper for additional storage for things that you don't use every day -- hats and gloves for really, really cold days, sporting equipment, etc. The baskets are from the Container Store and are made of a plastic woven material that is water resistant and really durable and they are slightly oval so that I was able to fit two on the shelf instead of one large one to be able sort the items a little bit more and make it easy to find things.

Below the coat racks, I hung one of the most versatile items out there -- the Ribba picture shelf from Ikea. In the morning, you can set your phone, keys, important piece of mail here while you are putting your coat and shoes on and in the evening, you can empty out your pockets when you are hanging up your coat at the end of the day. I had to be sure to put something there that had a narrow enough profile so you could still sit on the bench and the coats could hang over and the Ribba shelf is perfect for that.

We then found this great storage bench from Grandin Road that fit perfectly in this nook. I was a little hesitant about the storage bench -- most of the ready made options I found online looked a little cheap to be honest and I wasn't sure how they would hold up. I then found this one at Grandin Road and while he was a little bit more expensive than some of the other options out there he is really sturdy, has a safe opening mechanism and looks classic -- I was psyched about how well the molding on it went with the molding in the house!

Look at all that storage in there!

Finally, I added a runner that will hide dirt and be easy to keep clean but still look nice enough to finish off the space.

This is what you see when you first walk in to this home. I think it really maximizes this space but still looks pulled together and will be easy to keep neat.

Yikes -- I need to go run a few errands for clients but I'll post a step-by-step how to and some tips that I learned along the way tomorrow!

**PS Did you know that Graham and Brown has a pretty decent sale section on their website? Check it out here. This could be dangerous...