2 years ago I built with my wife a house close to Vienna, Austria.

Yesterday my wife found in the internet a patchwork chaise lounge – exactly the same like on your homepage (very coloured).

Can you help me, where I can get this, what is the price, ….

I want to surprise my wife to her birthday…

Thank you for your help.”

He was referring to this patchwork chaise lounge that I showed as an example of a fun way to recover an antique piece.  (original post)

With my email address accessible on the internet, I wasn’t sure if this was a spam email or not.  I decided, though, that if it was in fact real, I would want to help this man find the chaise for his wife.

I responded with a few options, but I was unable to track down the manufacturer of the exact chaise.

Four days later, I received this response:

“Dear Cathy

I found the factory (in London!!!) which produces exact the chaise lounge I am looking for: www.squintlimited.com

They have a lot of very, very nice products – maybe you can use it for your job.

Thank you again for your help.”

I was so happy that he was able to find what he was looking for.  The production took 12 weeks – I can only imagine their anticipation in waiting for the chaise to arrive.

Last week he sent me an email with several pictures of their new patchwork chaise lounge.  What a cool space for this eye-catching piece!

The white bookshelves are the perfect backdrop for the colorful chaise. Who wouldn’t want to curl up and read here?

While it may not suit everyone’s taste, it’s hard to deny that this is truly an amazing piece of furniture!

And it looks like they ordered a matching table as well.

I am so happy that I decided to respond to this kind gentleman, and even happier that he was able to find the piece that they were looking for – the power of the internet!

º Would you put this chaise in your home?

The post Patchwork Chaise Lounge appeared first on Cathy Green Interiors.

Today, I want to take you through the steps we’ve done so far.

Here is a reminder of the ‘before’:

And where we are in the process, as of this morning:

(I was out of town for much of the demolition process, so I asked Andrew to take pictures me!)

Andrew and I had done as much as possible to prep for the arrival of the contractor.  We emptied the cabinets that were attached to the wall that was being removed, he took down the crown molding, he was also able to remove some of the cabinets himself.

Once the contractor arrived on Saturday morning, they put up plastic sheeting to protect the rest of the house from as much dust as possible.  They also set up a ventilation system to push air out one of the windows.  In order to protect our hardwood floors in the dining room, they laid down Ram Board.

With the plastic up and the floors protected, they were ready to start.  They removed the oven and the dishwasher:

They cut the countertop, and removed that and the cabinets that were adjacent to the wall.

Next, they ripped out all of the old flooring.  Andrew said there were three layers of linoleum, then hardwood, and then the subfloor.

With everything out of the way, they were ready to remove the wall.

Andrew said this was his favorite part!  Isn’t using a sledge hammer and a reciprocating saw every man’s idea of a good time?

We decided to pull down the ceiling and redo that as well while we were in the renovation process.  The ceiling had a popcorn finish to it, which we did not like and wanted to change.  Ripping it out and replacing it with drywall would also allow us to reposition the lighting in the ceiling more easily.  This step is also where Andrew and our contractor found the ‘surprise’!

Our upstairs bathroom is located above the kitchen.  At some point in the history of the house (it was built in 1941), the radiator in the bathroom had leaked, leaving cracked and damaged beams.  The ceiling had begun to sag and was two inches lower than it should have been. We were lucky to find this ‘surprise’, because at some point, the radiator probably would have come crashing through the ceiling!

In any renovation project, it is always good to budget for and expect surprises.  We were thankful that this was fairly minor and not too difficult to repair.  So, how did they fix it?  First, they jacked up the ceiling to get it level.

Next, they sistered-up the beams with new 2”x8” beams and lag bolts.  Due to sistering-up the beams, they also had to reroute some of the plumbing.

Then, they added new studs under the old cracked beams, in order to even out the ceiling level.

With the support beams in place and the ceiling level, they could install the drywall.

Since I was out of town through all of this part of the project, Andrew wanted me to know how things were going.  He sent me periodic updates, and one morning, I received this picture with the caption: “Don’t worry, I was still able to make coffee!”

With the ceiling fixed, they turned their attention to the floor.  We chose a gray tile (from Mosaic Tile, Folio Artistica Meteor, color: Silver).

Over the past few days, they’ve worked to:

-grout the tile
-finish the drywall behind the sink
-spackle the new drywall and ceiling
-fix some of the electrical and re-hook up the disposal and dishwasher (yay!)

What we still have left to do:

-finish the spackling and sanding of the drywall
-paint the walls and ceiling
-install the new cabinets
-paint the cabinets
-choose and install new cabinet hardware
-have the new granite countertops installed
-Miscellaneous & accessories
-Clean up!

We are excited for the progress and are happy to have the hardest parts of the project behind us!

One last look at where we are now:

º Have you found any ‘surprises’ during a renovation?

The post Kitchen Renovation ~ Part 2 appeared first on Cathy Green Interiors.

Here are a few ‘before’ pictures of our kitchen and dining room:

Our main reason for doing the project is to make the space feel more open by removing the wall between the kitchen and the dining room:

Here is a bird’s eye view of the 3-D computer rendering I did in order to help us visualize the two rooms once the project is completed.

Another view of the model – looking into the kitchen:

Our project list includes:

-Removing the wall between the dining room and kitchen.

-Removing and replacing the ceiling, including adding recessed lighting.

-Painting the cabinets white.  Our cabinets are in pretty good shape, so we decided to keep the ones we have and add a few new ones.  To complete the space, we are adding a peninsula, tall cabinets to the left of the refrigerator, and another upper and lower cabinet to the left of the sink.

-Replacing the laminate countertops with granite.

-Tiling the floor.

-Changing the backsplash.

-Miscellaneous: new cabinet hardware, a light fixture over the sink, counter stools, new window treatments, etc.

So, now that I’ve shared our plans, I’ll also share a progress picture.  Andrew and our contractor have been working tirelessly over the past week (in between juggling their full-time jobs), to take the rooms from this:

To this:

The wall has been torn down and the chairs are there to keep the dogs off of the newly tiled kitchen floor.  The tile is down, but it has not been grouted yet – that is on the ‘to-do’ list for tonight!

The past week has been a little hectic (and we even had company in town this weekend!), but we are excited about the progress and can visualize what it will look like once completed.

I’ll be back later in the week with more pictures and details of the process so far – and a ‘surprise’ that we’re glad we found now and not a few years from now!

º Have you tackled a kitchen renovation?

The post Kitchen Renovation ~ Part 1 appeared first on Cathy Green Interiors.

Today, I’ll share the ‘Top Five Green Household Must-Haves’.  Please feel free to leave a comment below to share your must-haves!

#1 A good vacuum cleaner

A few years ago we met a guy whose family owns a local vacuum store (Willett Vacuum).  We had just gotten Charlie, our first dog, and we already had two cats.  The amount of fur and dirt in our house was getting out of control and we needed to upgrade our vacuum.  I visited the store, told them our needs, tested out various models and decided on this Riccar vacuum.  It easily transitions from carpet to hardwood, and does a master job on cleaning up all of the pet hair that accumulates in every nook and cranny around our house.  As the main vacuumer in our house, this is definitely one of my must-haves.

#2 A lint roller

A good lint roller is also a necessity in a house full of animals.  We now have two dogs (one yellow, one black) and one cat (white), so leaving home without animal fur on us somewhere is almost impossible.  A lint roller by the door sure helps though.  In addition to using the lint roller on clothing, I’ve also found a few other useful tasks that truly make it a must have:

-cleaning lamp shades (have you ever noticed how dusty they can get?)
-cleaning the tops of window treatments (when I’m in a hurry and don’t have time for a full vacuum)

#3 Green All-Purpose Cleaner

I like to wipe down our kitchen counters every night, and I prefer to use a green, natural cleaner.  This multi-purpose cleaner comes in handy all over the house though, from the bathrooms to the basement.  Right now we have the Seventh Generation lemongrass scent, but I prefer the smell of the Clorox Green Works, so we’ll probably be going back to that as soon as this bottle runs out.

#4 A filtered showerhead

(Don’t you love our 1940′s Tiffany blue tile?!)

Where we live, our water is hard and harsh.  About a year ago, I was having a hard time with dry skin and an itchy scalp.  I had tried various lotions and shampoos, but nothing really seemed to do the trick in minimizing my symptoms.  I decided to buy a filtered showerhead to see if it would help.  Boy, did it ever!  I could immediately feel a difference in the hardness of the water.  As a result, my skin is less dry, my hair is softer, and my scalp is no longer itchy.

There are many choices available for filtered showerheads, but I chose this Sprite model from Lowe’s.  We flip the filter once a month and change it out for a new one every three months.  Definitely worth it, and definitely a must-have for us!

#5 A good tape measure

This was Andrew’s pick for a household must-have.  Whether it’s measuring for furniture placement, for picture hanging, or for building something, a good tape measure is a necessity for us.  Andrew actually put this one in my stocking this year because he was tired of me ‘borrowing’ his !

º What are your household must-haves?

The post Our Household Must-Haves appeared first on Cathy Green Interiors.

I love springtime and all of the colors that come with it.  There are so many ways to chase away the winter blues and brighten up the spaces within your home.  I’ve gathered a few ideas that I hope will give you some inspiration.

I often think about decorating our dining room chandelier around Christmastime, but what about for Easter?  You could use ribbon, greenery, Easter eggs, or whatever else you have on hand to dress up your chandelier.

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If you want to keep your décor on the table try combining pastels and bright colors.  Using a mix of flowers, patterns, and colors will make your table feel fresh and inviting.  Also, don’t forget to add details to other pieces in the room – did you notice the purple ribbon on these chairs?

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I also really like the look of using a monochromatic color scheme when setting a tablescape.  This assortment of yellow tulips and daffodils is simple and sweet, but the tiered arrangement in small containers keeps it interesting.

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Instead of buying new flowers from the store every week, try using what is blooming in your yard.  Forsythia, dogwood, and cherry blossom branches are great to bring inside and use in tall vases.  They also make perfect Easter trees!

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Another option is to take branches without any blooms and spray paint them a fun color, or colors.  Place them in a pretty vase and add spring-themed adornments, or leave them as is for an understated accessory.

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If you want something that will last throughout the season, and can even be reused for years to come, try these adorable ribbon topiaries.  Mix and match the colors you want to coordinate perfectly with your décor.

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Spring is the perfect time to refresh your mantel.  I found two ideas for using a picket fence as a focal point on the mantel.  Here, the fence is kept in its wood tone for a natural look.  The paper wreath keeps the natural feel while the flowers add a little bit of color.

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The bright and fun mix of colors on this mantel would carry these decorations into summertime as well.  I love the “Hello, Sunshine!” message too.  How could that not put a smile on your face?

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Another great place to add a touch of spring décor is your front door.  I love this rustic wreath, tied with an oversized burlap bow.

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If you want a colorful wreath, I always love the yarn wreaths.  They can be adorned with flowers, branches, birds, or other ribbon, and the color choices and combinations are endless.

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º What spring decorations are you putting up in your home?

The post Spring & Easter Décor appeared first on Cathy Green Interiors.

(What we brought home from our first trip to Babies ‘R Us ! )

I’ve been gathering ideas for the nursery, and I plan to use a navy, green, and white color scheme.  I have wanted to bring navy into our home since I wrote my two navy posts (part 1 & part 2) a year ago, and we decided this was the perfect opportunity.

Here are a few rooms I pinned for inspiration.

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Carousel Designs has great nursery bedding options, and we’ve been looking through all of the navy choices.  There are so many fun patterns to choose from, but here are two that we like.

For the window treatments, I wanted to find a fun fabric that would incorporate both the navy and the green.  This geometric pattern of random blocks in a variety of colors I think will be perfect.

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We have a ceiling fan in the room that I’d love to replace with a fun light fixture.  Our ceilings are 8’ and Andrew is 6’5”, so any new light fixture can’t hang too low.  I’ve found three choices that I really like.  What do you think?

atom chandelier / metal pendant / navy & white pendant

I didn’t want to have too much of a theme in the room, but we do like these whale and nautical sheets.  They’ll be a cute addition to the room, and something that will be easy to change out as he grows older.

blue whale sheet / nautical sheet / blue & green whale sheet / blue & gray whale sheet

I also found these artic animal prints on Etsy that are really adorable.  A penguin, a narwhal, a whale, and a polar bear, and you can choose the colors you want!

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Those are the ideas I’ve gathered for Baby Boy Green’s nursery so far.  I’m still working on finding a rug, and we also want to find a dresser that we can paint and turn into a changing table.  The nursery has been fun to plan and I can’t wait to see it start to come together.

º What is your favorite go-to source for nursery and baby items?

The post Our Nursery appeared first on Cathy Green Interiors.

My sister has taken family portraits for Matt and Ada-Marie for years, and they are wonderful clients for her (Beth Furgurson Photography).  Ada-Marie is a talented and creative design blogger herself (check her out at spark!), so when Beth mentioned to me that they were moving and suggested that we head over there first to take some pictures, I knew it would be beautiful.

When we arrived, Ada-Marie and the adorable Julia were there to greet us.

Upon entering the house you immediately get a feel for Ada-Marie’s design style – open, clean, unique, inspired.  In the entrance hall, I loved the acrylic table and chevron runner.  When they first moved in, the hallway sported two brass light fixtures.  Ada-Marie quickly replaced both of those with more contemporary white chandeliers from Crate & Barrel.

To the right of the entrance way is the living room.  The airy and fresh feeling continues into this room with light paint colors and an oversized ocean view print.   I love the pops of color Ada-Marie added with the pillows, throw, and tray.

The dining room is opposite the living room and comes to life with a fresh green paint color.  This color was a selection from the previous owners and Matt and Ada-Marie loved it, so they decided to keep it.  The dining set has an interesting story: “The dining room set was passed down from my great-grandmother.  I have been trying to figure out more about it because the set only has 5 chairs, but I haven’t found anything that looks like the chairs anywhere — they are truly unique!”  Does anyone have any insight for Ada-Marie on her dining set?

In the family room, Ada-Marie combined a blue and chocolate rug with colorful pillows (all from Target and machine washable!).  Those hints of color playing off of the white couches and neutral walls create a space that is welcoming and family friendly.  I love how the room feels coordinated without being matchy-matchy.

One of my favorite spaces in the home was the upstairs hallway.

The gallery wall of family pictures and the bookshelf topped with two orange foo dogs (found at Home Goods) and mini Tiffany-style lamps create the perfect ‘pass-by’ vignette for the hallway.

In the master bedroom angled walls made the layout tricky.  A light paint color, white furniture, and white bedding keep the space feeling open.  (Even their dog Annie fits the color scheme ! )

The symmetry created with the two night stands, mirrors, and lamps also helps to bring balance to the room.

I would have loved to have grown-up in Clare’s room (Matt and Ada-Marie’s oldest daughter)!  Pretty purple walls, a tutu inspired bed skirt, and fun pink and purple accessories – a little girl’s dream!

Ada-Marie chose mint green and white horizontal stripes for the walls in Julia’s room, with bright pink accents. How cute is the monogram above the bed?!

Ada-Marie is very crafty and made some of the other window treatments in the house, but she chose to have these Roman shades custom made.  I think the Greek-key pattern is perfect.  I also love the mix of pillows she chose for the sofa – like the family room downstairs, they all coordinate without matching perfectly.

I hope you’ve enjoyed Matt and Ada-Marie’s house tour as much as I did!  I think she has such a welcoming and beautiful style.  I’ll leave you with Ada-Marie’s own thoughts on her decorating style:

“I just believe that your house should be your oasis and full of things that you love.  I read somewhere that you should feel like your house is giving you a huge hug when you walk in, and I totally agree.  Like most thirty-somethings, I have a lot of hand-me-downs from my family that I am slowly repurposing, donating, or consigning as I have the time and money to fill my house with pieces that fit better in our home and reflect our lifestyle.  I am trying to decorate with my young kids in in mind instead of waiting 18 years to ‘really’ decorate the house, that’s why there are a lot of slipcovers and indestructible materials (lucite, seagrass, etc.).  I have embraced the journey and finally realized that I am never truly ‘done’ with a house — I had so many more plans for this house, but I think that’s the way it would have been even if we had been there 36 years, instead of 6!  :)”

A huge thank you to Matt, Ada-Marie, Clare, and Julia for inviting us into your home!  I’m sure their new home will be just as beautiful!

Don’t forget to check out Ada-Marie’s blog – spark! – and be sure to leave her a note saying “Hi!”

Also, another huge thank you to Beth Furgurson Photography for the beautiful pictures!

º What was your favorite part of the tour?

The post Cribs ~ Matt & Ada-Marie appeared first on Cathy Green Interiors.

It was definitely a design plan gone astray – black and white with a beige tile floor and marble sink.

Black trim can have its place in certain spaces.  This was not one of them!  Let’s just go ahead and move on to the during portion of the project.

The plan was to rip out the vanity and replace it with a pedestal sink, remove and replace the floor, paint, and voila!  Of course, no reno project, even a small one, is ever that simple.

The vanity would not come out without removing the chair rails and baseboard.  Once Andrew had all of that removed, he found drywall damage behind the vanity .

Andrew worked to replace and patch areas of the drywall and then reattach all of the molding.  He also chiseled up the tile floor and removed the toilet.  It was not an easy process!

Once all of the repair work was done, he was able to lay the new floor.  A few years ago, we replaced the old carpet in our basement with laminate flooring, so we continued that into the bathroom.  Next, he painted the walls, reattached all of the molding, and painted that as well.  We returned the toilet and installed the new pedestal sink.  All that was left to do was add a few new accessories.

A reminder of the before:

And the after:

To keep the small space bright and cheerful, we chose Benjamin Moore Forget Me Not (2049-60) for the walls.  We found the pedestal sink at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore for $50, and added a new brushed nickel faucet (from Lowe’s, $35).  I brought in a little navy with a striped hand towel from Target.

We kept the same mirror we had in there, but spray painted it to change it from black to peacock blue.  We also were able to reuse the wall sconces and towel ring.  In one of our guest bedrooms we had two framed pictures my sister took on a trip to Greece.  I brought them down to this bathroom and they work perfectly with all of the shades of blue in the room.

The basket on the back of the toilet holds extra toilet paper and a scented candle.

Andrew worked hard to complete this project and it turned out great!  Even though it’s a small space in our home, the renovation has made it feel fresh and clean.  I love the new space and am so glad to be rid of that tile floor and old vanity!

º Do you have any small spaces in your home that need a facelift?

The post Basement Bathroom Renovation appeared first on Cathy Green Interiors.

Brass

The first design trend is brass.  Brass accents in lighting, hardware, and accessories are back in a big way!

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The past several years have been filled with brushed nickel, but brass is making a comeback. 

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If you already have brass door knobs and other hardware in your home, you’re in luck!  And if you’ve changed everything out for brushed or polished nickel, don’t worry – those finishes are still in.  Keep your eye out though for a fun mirror, étagère, bar cart, or other unique piece that will work in your home.

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Colors- Emerald Green & Neutral mixed with color

Emerald green is the Pantone 2013 color of the year.  Emerald is a beautifully rich jewel tone that pairs well with many colors – yellows, blues, pinks, purples, other greens –almost anything really.

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A few ways to incorporate emerald green into your home: pillows, lampshades, a new front door color, or a painted piece of furniture.

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Another color trend I see continuing in 2013 is popularity of grays and neutrals mixed with splashes of color.

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Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors and patterns to find a balance that works for you.  In this mostly neutral living room, the red chandelier adds a fun focal point, while the blue accents on the two lamps are much more subtle, but equally interesting.

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By keeping the walls and sofa neutral, this mix of color and pattern works to create a fun and personalized living room. (Did you notice the brass lamp and side table?)

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Rustic & Industrial

A third design trend I see for 2013 is the use of rustic and industrial pieces mixed into spaces.  They could be used together, although not necessarily.

This living room has a fairly formal feel to it.  The rustic wooden console table and metal lantern, however, work really well in the space and add unexpected touches to the room.

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In this cozy den, the light fixture and small red stool provide the industrial elements.  All of the wood pieces – paneling, chair, and accessories – keep the room from feeling too cold.

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Rustic doesn’t always mean wood though.   Try layering textures, like a faux fur throw and a hand woven ottoman, to create a warm and inviting space.

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I love that all of these design trends are so different, yet easily could be incorporated into any home and to suit any style.  I am sure that we will also see many more trends emerge in 2013.

º Will you be incorporating any of these design trends, or others, into your home this year?

The post Design Trends for 2013 appeared first on Cathy Green Interiors.

“Hi Cathy…My family and I recently moved to Glen Allen from Connecticut and I could use some design/decorating help with making our new house feel like home.”

Over the next few months, Hanna and I met several times to help her vision come to life.  Hanna has a good design eye, but wanted help pulling everything together in their new home.  She had already visited a few fabric stores and was willing to have fun with color choices.  Her main goals were to choose paint colors for the majority of the house and to add window treatments to the downstairs rooms.

We started in the Living Room and Dining Room.

Hanna found the brown floral silk and the tan silk at Williams & Sherrill.  With the expertise of Christine from Iron Gate Interiors, we designed complimentary window treatments for the adjoining rooms.

Dining Room

Living Room

As I mentioned before, Hanna was willing to have fun with color.  To complement the fabric, we chose three shades of blue to use on the walls.

All Benjamin Moore:

Painting the tray ceiling in the Dining Room the lightest shade of blue gives the room added interest without being overbearing.  Here is an angle where you can see all three colors (dining room on the right, living room on the left):

The kitchen contains an eat-in area and also opens up into the family room.  For paint colors and window treatments, we were working with the existing granite in the kitchen and their current sofa.

In order to coordinate with all of the pieces in both rooms, we choose Benjamin Moore Gray Mirage 2142-50 – a nice blend of gray and beige with a hint of green.

Again, we enlisted Christine’s help and decided on neutral linen pleated window panels with a contrasting trim.  We repeated the same fabric and trim on all three windows in the space in order to keep the two rooms feeling connected.

Family room

Kitchen & eat-in area (Notice the cute idea for hanging Christmas balls!)

For the window over the kitchen sink, we decided to go with a Relaxed Roman Shade.

The red and green in the trim helped tie in the couch to the rest of the space.

Trim detail:

I also helped Hanna and Peter choose a few other paint colors.  For their foyer, stairway, and upstairs hallway: Benjamin Moore Brandon Beige 977.  Brandon Beige is one of my favorite neutrals right now – sometimes it reads gray, sometimes it reads as a rich beige, and sometimes it picks up a hint of green.  It all depends on the light and the time of day!

In the downstairs bathroom we repeated the Rendezvous Bay 726.

For their Master Bedroom, we chose (Benjamin Moore):

And in the Master Bathroom (Benjamin Moore):

I really enjoyed working with Hanna and Peter.  They were delightful and friendly, and helping them feel welcome in Richmond was truly a pleasure.

A big thank you to Hanna and Peter for giving me the opportunity to work with them, and for allowing me to share their pictures with you!

º Would any of these paint colors work in your house?

The post Window Treatments & Wall Colors ~ Client Reveal appeared first on Cathy Green Interiors.