It was a chilly but sunny day in the poshest part of town today.  I ventured to tour these four glorious homes with my new friend, Leigh.  There was so much to take in–the climbing ivy on whitewashed brick, lawns so green and lush you want to grab the closest pillow and just lay on the grass forever, and people-watch, of course.  I imagine the ratio of Lexi (that is plural for Lexus, right?) to person is only surpassed at Hamptons’ beach wedding.

There are no homes more storied or historic than those that grace these streets named Habersham and Rivers.  The blog Things that Inspire is much more thorough than me.  I won’t try to be–I’ll just show you some pretty pictures I took before my phone died.

This is the amazing home of my friend Leigh’s best friend, Betsy.  Leigh says she has always been elegant.  She is kind, unassuming and humble.  You can tell she has a knack for decorating, but it’s a big house to do alone!  She did have some help.  Oh, I forgot the man’s name (Walter someone?), but she and her husband hired Phoebe Howard to assist with all the finishing touches.  Enjoy:

I have never seen such beautiful rugs in my life!

and the art.  I was speechless over the art today…

minimal, elegant styling throughout…

adorable boy’s room….

bath for the girl…

The painting over the child’s bed was the prettiest I’ve ever seen:

The elegant master bedroom:

in love with the headboard

ta-da!

Leigh said she gets to crash here (the upstairs guest room) after she & Betsy have a long night out.  A dream.

Even an elegant basement:

There is so much more.  Maybe I’ll beg Leigh to take me back with her.

The next home is filled with wood and earth tones.  Pretty darn amazing, too:

You’ve seen this bath before I think…

Love this dining room!

Kitchen not so bad, either

Family room…

breakfast room

so warm, isn’t it?

mudroom bath–love!

study & sitting room…

There really is a lot more.  I’ll share more later

Have a great day,

Julie

A potential client contacted us recently and I asked her if she was local.  Well, not only is she near Atlanta, she is in walking distance.  She found our blog and had no idea I lived in her neighborhood.  I love that!

She has this innate style I wish I had:  clean, warm, minimal without being stark–very thoughtful.

(here is a peek at her dining room.  She had this hutch constructed and it is almost finished.)

She (I always type “she”, but of course I mean “they” ) chose Farrow & Ball’s Matchstick for her main floor.  They have light-filled rooms and tall ceilings, so it reads white and creamy, not dark and yellow.  She did good.

Her style reminds me of some of my all-time-favorite rooms:

Country Living Magazine (let me know if this is actually Country Home)

(I don’t know source)

Again, don’t know, but isn’t this just beautiful?

design by Ruby Beets

Although our clients’ style is more old farmhouse than traditional colonial, I think it best we marry the two.

This isn’t their home, but it is quite similar.  Grand, stately, and painted brick.  (dream, right?)

     Our advise is always to honor the architecture of your home.  If your home is a total mid-century ranch, then we think it best to keep some elements that honor this time period (maybe a mod lamp or two, low-scale furniture, etc).  If your home was built in the ’20s or ’30s, then consider some timeless white subway tiles and dark grout for your kitchen and baths, or, at minimum, some period light fixtures here and there.  It makes me hurt when people renovate a home and the home’s essence is completely lost.  If your facade beckons to an era of design, then at least make mention of it in the interior.

Man, had to get preachy there for a minute.

Darryl Carter does a perfect job of combining minimal farmhouse & timeless traditional:

his work in Country Living

Maybe not much farmhouse in the last photo, but the art nods to it.  (I read that he prefers to hang his art lower than most.  He said it should be at eye level while sitting.  Genius, and less formal, don’t you think?

As much as I adore this aesthetic, I find that I am more and more drawn to color.  Wyatt’s room is now aqua and red, Liam’s is green and I’m Anisa and I are about to hang a million landscapes above my sofa below (and move the tv and clean up.  I can’t believe I’m posting this picture)

Oh, I really want this sofa, but I also want to stay married.  Chris ain’t having no new sofa.

How great is my new lamp, though?  Worth every cent.

I promise to have my sister come take a pretty picture of our living room when we hang the art.

We also have some great stuff going on—Daniel and his crew are crankin’ out some renovations.  The kitchen below will be green, the hood will be tiled, the hardware will be brass…oh, and they got a white Viking range and white SMEG.  Can you see it?

Okay, I am so sorry this is not straight.  I tried three times and can’t get WordPress to flip it.

They opted for more windows & a better view in lieu of more storage.  Good choice.

I hope you’re having a good day!

Julie

Our plan calls for a lot of color (navy, pink and teal) in the rest of the room, so we thought it best to keep the built-ins simple.

I can’t believe we left the styrofoam balls in the demijohn.  Oh dear.

One styling tip we learned from our friend & artist, Kate Dukes–take the covers off of your books.  Usually what you find under the dust jacket is a pretty, muted color and a matte finish.

We know a lantern is not as practical as a ceiling fan (especially in Georgia), but isn’t it worth it?

Our favorite spots to pick up pretty and affordable accessories:

probably no surprises here–antique stores, Target, Anthro, Homegoods, Hobby Lobby, and we “shop” from our clients’ own stash.

We love real when you can find it–real plants, real coral, real wood.  And don’t be afraid to mix white with cream.

Have a great day!

Julie

And we got to hang and fluff and style.  Install days are hard work, but a bit euphoric.

I couldn’t pick and choose which pictures to post, so I’ll just share them all.

They love coastal colors, geometric (can you tell?), and a touch of the rustic vibe.

I think this dear family was inspired by Anisa’s design on HGTV’s Design Wars (barnwood planks on mantel), so they hired Daniel, our contractor, to recreate the look.

Their family room is quite tall, so the wood treatment on the fireplace and all around was kept at 8-ft high to keep the space intimate.

The white console was behind their sofa yesterday, but today it replaced a large, dark unit that didn’t do the room justice.  (Y’all know the one–below:)

The faux taxidermy used to grace the mantel, but we found it would work better mixed in with other goodies.  It becomes more textural and monochromatic against the white wall.

We knew the hex mirror would be a winner:  clean, geometric & simple.

Shelly (homeowner), said, “We like funky, not pretty.”

Anisa and I can go nuts with florals and old paintings and curvy baroque mirrors.  Nothing too romantic here.

We did squeeze in one worn piece of art.  But it’s a tad quirky.  I think Anisa said the tree is upside down but I don’t see it.  Do you?

The closet we came to floral is one lovely ikat pillow.

She’s a pretty one, though.  One good pillow can pull an entire room together.

They owned the chair already.  A new white slipcover and a new large, light burlap drum shade on their floor lamp brings this sunny corner new life.  We added a metal industrial side table because everyone needs a place for their coffee or wine, right?

paint colors:  BM White Dove (lower portion of wall), BM Revere Pewter above, and I think BM Chelsea Gray for handrail and mantel (right, Shelly?)

She loved the “fur baby” as we like to call them.  She said she dressed up as a snowgirl in a dance recital when she was little and and she wore an entire ensemble made of the stuff.   She said their family of five may fight to see who gets to snuggle with it.

They are the best!

Hope you are well,

xo

Julie

Before:  a great bed already and soothing gray/blue walls…

The plan…..

First installment, new woven blinds and a navy & white striped rug….

Then, the large wooden mirror over the bed…

(I would pick that gushy spot too, kitty, kitty)

Next, the capiz shell Moravian star pendant 

And finally, the lamps, nightstands, panels, pyne hollyhock floral pillows, polka-dot sheets, and a soft pom-pom throw…(and a new blanket of New Jersey snow for the view)

Have a great week,

Julie

Here are the good ones from Jennifer:

There are glass doors on the shower now (just no photo of it!)

We stretched our clients’ dollars on this project by using inexpensive slate on the floor and subway on the shower walls.

Another way we save money?  Buying from the baby aisle.  The black pendant is from RH Baby & Child.  The white pendants are from Urban Outfitters.  Aren’t they awesome for like $49 each?  Style doesn’t have to break the bank.

The art here is vintage paint-by-numbers from Etsy.  We had to bring in at least a little color!

We weren’t lacking art for this project.  The grandpa was Angelo Ippolito, a contemporary of Jackson Pollack.  We had fun shopping from their storage.

We loved his green painting below–it looks like an abstract landscape.

Now for some of my not-so-good pictures:

We loved the simple cotton damask panels….

We also love Daniel’s custom barn door with handles made out of gas pipe.  He’s the best!

We think you always need something masculine over the toilet.  Men always need something good to look at when they are standing, you know? (this toilet area is what was formerly their shower.)

Our clients have an Airstream.  We have one, too, but ours is actually getting fixed at Airstream headquarters in Ohio.  Chris brought back little favors for our boys in this cute bag.  Bags and such can be great, affordable (free!) art.

One of our always go-to for great art is Lisa Gabrielson’s boot at The Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta.  We love her stuff!

And we are excited that Lisa Mowry sent this project to Kitchen and Bath Makeovers Magazine and they will be shooting it soon.  Woohoo

Have a great week,

Julie

here is the new bathroom:

It is a tad more modern than our personal tastes and pushed us a bit out of our comfort zone (which is so good!)

When there is a good thing going on with good clients, we can really have fun.

Here I am with our client (I am also her’s)  I was done with my ombre.  Not that I was trying for ombre, just lazy and busy.

Do you not tell everything to your stylist?  I feel like she knows more about me than about anyone.  And sometimes she will book me as her last client of the day and we will walk outside, sit on the curb and drink a plastic glass of wine that we grabbed at Kroger.

Then she gets to vent a little.  We sit for a long time (I have a lot of hair to bleach) and talk about men and God and kids.  I may only see her three or four times a year, but three or four really good times can make a real friend.  I’d take it over a million half-ass ones.

This woman is awesome.  She would kill me if she knew I posted this.  Lucky for me she hasn’t read the first blog.

I can’t wait to share more pictures with you.  I will…

We are working on some good projects–almost all renovations.  (3 kitchens!)

These pictures are by Jennifer Kesler

xo

Julie

Maybe former client is a better adjective.

Emily Followill photo

Last year, she (they) allowed us into their  home to transform the powder room, kitchen and keeping room.

Emily Followill photo

Jennifer Kesler photo

Monday, Daniel and his crew are beginning the transformation of their master bedroom and bathroom.

Like most of us, the bedroom is the neglected room.  It should be the first room we make lovely, instead, though, it is usually a dumping ground for laundry and stacks of stuff we move out of sight when company is on their way.

It has good bones:  a modern poster bed, a nice view and amazing original paintings.

These are the only items staying.

What the room really lacks?  storage, lighting, and hardwood floors.  Daniel is going to continue the oak boards into the bedroom and do his best to match the stain.

Our plan for this room?  Continue the same feel from the kitchen and other bath–a bit untraditional, a bit rustic, a bit modern.

Some images that inspire us:

Restoration Hardware

Braithwaite Design featured in Cottage Living

a peaceful, beautiful bedroom by Amy D. Morris

We are totally copying her tone-on-tone drapery by the way.  Isn’t it elegant?

And the rustic–a white rolling barn door.  We are planning to increase the size of her door opening.  (I should say “they”–but, truly, this is one husband who totally allows her to call the shots–design shots anyway.)

Yes, they are super-trendy.  But they are still so cool.  She didn’t have many requests on her “must have” list, but this is one of them.  You have to make your clients happy

For the bath?

It is your standard 1980s special:  builder-grade cabinetry, white tile and a separate vanity area (carpeted, of course!)

In all honesty, I see what designers were going for in this decade.  It does make sense to have a private area to bathe and potty and another area to primp and brush your teeth.  It does make sense I think.

However, what this dark bathroom doesn’t need right now is another wall to block out the light.  We are hoping new windows will fit in the budget, but if they don’t at least this wall is going.

What else is going?  The garden tub.

They never use it and it takes up 50% of the space.

We begged and pleased (for resale’s sake) to add the frameless glass walk-in shower they desire AND a tub, but they didn’t bite.  They have no plans on moving and could care less about a tub.  Good for them, though.  Why not make it your dream bath if you’re planning to stay?

The current shower (on the left above) will either be a closet or open shelving for storage.

Our inspiration for the bathroom?

a study in contrasts:  dark slate flooring, light tile & dark grout (like the kitchen)

Picture charcoal here instead of green (unknown credit)

The warm, modern feel of this bath (unknown source)

dark & light (another unknown source)

frameless glass shower

mod vanity:

exposed shower fittings:

We are excited to show you the finished space–hopefully very soon.

Other news:

If you are near Atlanta please visit the Cathedral Antiques Show.  A few of our good friends designed rooms and they are amazing!  Here is the link for tickets and directions:  cathedral antiques show

I took some pictures on the press night but they are horrible.  I can’t even post one.  I spent more time talking than taking pictures.

Anisa and I have finally turned my front room into our office.  We are grateful for how 2013 has started for our business.

We are presenting our plans for a kitchen remodel (restoration, really) of a 1930s home in Decatur.  We want it to be a surprise for our clients, so we will share them after they see them.  Here is the kitchen–original sink and authentic metal cabinets!

And, thanks Houzz, for voting one of our rooms:Hope you are well,

xo,

Julie

We spent our New Year’s Eve having a lovely dinner with old friends and were home to relieve the sitter at 9.  Do you actually always do the countdown each year?  For some reason I’m perfectly fine missing it year after year.  Nightowl I am not.

New Year’s Day we took advantage of everyone’s hangovers and subsequent empty roads to head on down to Rosemary Beach to hang a few things at Aqua and see all the work Brulio Casas and crew have done in person!  Anisa and I are just so freaking happy–It is our dream come true to design a restaurant.  And here is the (almost) finished project….a few things need tweaking and panels need to go up…but it is pretty much done.

Photos:  Jennifer Kesler Photography

I swear my favorite part of this whole restaurant is that wedgewood gray door.  It makes me so happy.

I have many stories and behind-the-scenes pictures, but I really don’t want to mess up her photos by posting my grainy phone pics now.  I do want to share a picture Jennifer (photographer & my sister) took as she was walking on the beach.  She didn’t carve this praise out with a stick–someone else did–but isn’t it perfect?

Here’s to more dreams coming true this new year…

Julie

We are so happy with how the restaurant is pulling together.  Next time you’re near 30A in Florida please stop by.  The doors are almost open!

The cabinetry in the bar is cream and antique brass pulls are installed:

The glass shelves aren’t in, but the industrial piping & reclaimed wood tops are.

The bar’s countertop is white glass and the floor (tile!) is a dead-ringer for hardwoods with some patina.  My favorite, though, is the kitchen door with the restaurant’s only color, some BM Wedgewood Gray…

The glass window will have a “K” in relief.

The table tops were hand-crafted by Brian Preston and his team of carpenters.  If you haven’t heard of LamonLuther, please click over and watch the video about this awesome ministry.

Our clients’ fave is the banquette section.  Panels are in the plan for this space, too.  It’s 8 ft tall and boasts polished nickel swing-arm sconces.  We are happy indeed.

We were thrilled to work with architect Braulio Casas (his work is also featured & on the cover of Coastal Living Magazine this month!).  Hopefully it won’t be the last time we work with him…

This wall will be adorned with this very soon…

A collage of vintage ocean paintings will go here:

And here’s the bathroom!  (this place used to be a Starbucks, by the way)

(the pipe won’t be white–the health inspector has to check it first)

We had to sneak in a little more brass.

No, that’s not a wedding reception; that’s all of the white outdoor chairs ready to take their place on the patio.

barstools & more lucite chairs…

It is crazy to see the plans come to life:

Merry Christmas y’all,

Julie