TX Client Breakfast Room: After

Hi everyone!  I'm back from my month long vacation.  It was a whirlwind trip for sure.  During my visit I managed to finish up a few projects and start a few more.  One of the finished projects (actually we'll say 99% finished...still want to add bamboo roman shades to the windows), which I think turned out quite well, is the breakfast room of my Texas clients new home. 

From the beginning I'd envisioned a settee for the room, but after taking a closer look at a few of the photos, I realized that the room had plenty of space for a built-in window seat.  However, we'd already installed the beautiful full length suzani curtains, so to make room for the curtains we opted for a freestanding bench.  Yes, a freestanding window seat bench that we built all by ourselves.  It was tedious, time consuming, and quite heavy, but it turned out just as we planned! 

Here's a couple in progress photos and some afters...

{there are so many screws and so much glue holding this puppy together, it's never coming apart!}

we cut the foam to fit and it's all ready for the custom slipcover...

 

I chose the bright coral fabric and assisted (cutting and ironing) in making the slipcover for the bench cushion...



me with my client who happens to also be my Mom! I'm on the right...it's not the most flattering photo, but it's the only one with us in the breakfast room.

{definitely needing those bamboo roman shades!}

 

 

Giving her pendant a mini makeover took a bit of arm twisting (especially when it came to adding the pom poms), but I think it makes a world of difference and elevates the fixture.  It's quite striking in person and it give off a fun, funky and bohemian vibe now.  You can see a past post with my trim plans here.

 

there will be more vaca photos and project photos to come.  Plus, I have many things planned for my own house, now that I'm back home and looking around after being away for a month....yikes!   

Client Project: Asian Console

The family room in my client's Texas home currently has a rather large armoire housing the TV.  However, with todays streamlined flat screens, there really isn't a great need to hide a big monstrosity behind closed doors. 

Wanting to eliminate the armoire, we have been brainstorming TV console ideas.  My favorite, and something that I'm going to propose, is a red lacquered Asian console.  Something similar to this one...

{via eastern curio}

As I've mentioned before, her home is full of pattern and color.  The colors travel from a pumpkin spice (orange), to yellow and then to red, as you wander through the house.  All with a backdrop of shades of gray (not fifty...more like three) and blues.  It shouldn't be hard to find something similar in Houston.

What do you guys think? Would you propose the red console?  You can also check out the, Texas Client Project, board I created on Pinterest, to see other things I'm proposing, items we've purchased, fabrics we used, and finished projects for this home.

Pendant Trim...

In my last post, Client Project, I mentioned giving my client's breakfast room pendant a little makeover.  The existing pendant is one we replaced the builder grade one with and is similar to this one from Ballard Designs...

With her space becoming much bolder and brighter than I ever anticipated and with the fun and funky mix of pattern we have going on, I thought it only right that the light fixture join in. This is the trim I'm picturing...

Yes, this will allow the fixture to join the party!

Client Project: Foyer Update

The other day I posted a rough plan for the entry foyer of my current client project.  Today, I believe we've finalized it. 

We are going with a driftwood mirror...actually with two!  We've been searching for the perfect mirror all this week and went back and forth with the DIY idea, but my client sent me a link today, asking what I thought of the driftwood mirror at Kohl's.  I quickly checked it out and noticed that the dimensions were two small, but then noticed that it was Buy One Get One For $1...yes, that is right!  Ding, Ding, Ding...if we hang them side by side it would provide the scale we needed!  So with the get the second for $1 and a 15% off coupon, my client ordered two driftwood mirrors for $112.

However, before committing to the mirrors, I wanted to find either the perfect bench or console table to go under them.  I hadn't checked out the West Elm site yet, so I headed over and low and behold...I found just what I'd been looking for!  Oh, and it was on sale.  I sent my client the link for the Essex Printed Bench, in Ikat Feather Gray, and a quick design board to give her an idea of what the bench, mirrors and her new light fixture, from Wisteria, would look like together.  She quickly signed off on the whole scheme, placed the order for the mirrors and is now heading over to West Elm as we speak!

{the walls are painted in a slate blue, the ceiling is a metallic bronze and the light fixture casts a beautiful pattern onto the bronze ceiling}

 Don't you just love it when a plan, finally, comes together!

Client Project: Fabric Story

Just wanted to share some of fabric selections for the New Home Build project I've been working on for several months now. 

Of course, this is only the fabric choices from a couple rooms.  I don't remember if I've mentioned this before, but the home office (which can be seen from the formal dining area and is partitioned with french doors) will be painted in the same rusty orange shade of the formal dining curtains.

Another update.  The two crystal chandeliers have arrived for the formal dining room.

Client Project: Lighting Update

Just wanted to let you all know that a couple of the lighting selections, for the new home build, have arrived...

For the Foyer we selected the Regal French Chandelier from Wisteria

and the lighting for above the kitchen island is called Flemish from the World Imports Dark Sky Rever Collection at Home Depot.

I can't wait to see these beauties installed!

Client Project: New Home Build Update

Just wanted to share another photo of the Kitchen breakfast nook area and the design board.



I just can't wait to see how the whole look pulls together!  Love the blue walls!

Client Project: Paint and Curtains

The other day I mentioned that the Kitchen cabinets in the new home build, I've been working on, will be painted, upon move in.  The island color had already been chosen a while back, but we still needed to choose the paint color for the rest of the kitchen cabinets.  The walls have already been painted blue and the island is going to be painted a dark slate blue, so we knew that we wanted the rest of the cabinets to be gray.  The only debate was light or dark, warm or cool.  In the end (if the sample turns out similar to the paint chip...big if!) then we're leaning towards a darker gray called suede gray.

I also decided that, since the living room windows are directly opposite the gray kitchen cabinets, gray linen curtains on the those windows will provide a nice balance.

Well, that's all the new decisions for now.  I'll do my best to keep you all up-to-date!  Cheers

Client Project: New Home Build Update

Just wanted to give you all a little update on the new home build I've been working on with a client.  The house is almost finished being built, but the closing isn't until the end of November.  The builder has already painted the interior the shade of gray/blue we chose, so I wanted to share a photo I have of the kitchen with the paint color.

after they move in they are going to paint the kitchen cabinets gray and the island will be a dark slate blue the same color on the paint chip below that says table paint.  Also, the lighting above the island will change as well as the lighting in the breakfast area.

if you're new to the blog, this is the design board for the breakfast room.  The curtains have already been made using the yellow fabric, the table has already been purchased and painted, the burlap lamp shade for the pendant has already been purchased and the woven chairs are on back order.  The only thing that has changed from the board is the settee.  Although we love the dark gray linen, the homeowner found a settee at a thrift store for a great deal that will work out perfectly... 

here is the settee the homeowner found



the fabric is in perfect condition and I recommended she make a long rectangular lumbar pillow in a gray linen to add to the sofa to tie some gray into the breakfast room, which she is going to do.

So far, so good.  I'll keep you all updated on the progress.

Client Breakfast Room Revisions

We're down to only 2 days until the big move!  Even with the time ticking down, I wanted to share some of the design revisions my client and I have made to our original breakfast room design plan.  To refresh your memory here is the...

BEFORE


AFTER

This is all actually my doing...the client was perfectly happy with the original design board, but I decided to change the kitchen island from being painted black to being painted the dark blue/gray of the 'after' table color.  Then I remembered the gray linen settee from Urban Outfitters and the one from HSN by Nate Burkus.  After that the drapery fabric needed to be changed and we found this great fabric from fabric.com (already purchased and will soon be made into curtains) and it just all pulled together.  We still maintained the original concept (settee, round table, two chairs) and the woven chairs are still the same, the table is the same just a different color (already bought and painted the shade of blue...pictures to come) and the burlap pendant light is the same.  The rug will probably just be a natural jute or seagrass.

So what do you think?  Do you like the new changes?  I really do, and I think it will look quite lovely!

Design Board: Breakfast Room...

Just finished up the breakfast room design board, for the client with the new house build.... 

Since it's in the more casual part of the house (open to the kitchen and family room), I thought we could do something a little more fun and graphic, but still keeping with the traditional/'old world' feel the client wants.

p.s. the client loves it!

*Note: The light fixture has changed from the original concept board, found here and if you missed the post with the formal dining room board click here.

Design Boards: Formal Dining Room

Today I'm sharing a couple design boards that I presented to the client with the new home build.  Actually, the only difference between the two are the lighting options. 

 My personal favorite is the one with the abalone shell chandeliers, but they're a bit pricey for two of the smaller size...so, if this is the lighting we choose then we may end up going with only one in the larger size. I am partial, however, to the drama and impact two fixtures would provide. 

Since, we will be keeping all of the existing furnishings and just giving them a facelift: painting the vintage china cabinet black, papering behind the shelves, adding new knobs, re-upholstering the existing chairs and making the curtains (themselves), papering the ceiling and painting the walls (also themselves)...all this will keep the total room cost fairly low, so perhaps there is room to splurge on the second chandelier!  We shall see...

Oh, by the way, the client loves everything and thinks that either lighting choice will be beautiful in the room...and I really think so too!

Design Board: New Home Build

Yesterday, I spent the day putting together a couple design boards for a new home build.  I received the builders design options (granite choices, tile choices, cabinet choices..etc.), from my client, in an email and got straight to work.  I only had 4 granite choices (in the basic package) to choose from.  We're trying to stay as much in the basic package as possible, so that we can splurge elsewhere (like removing a wall, extending the outdoor patio, buying some new furnishing, upgrading the cabinet finishes, upgrading the lighting and wallpapering).  Here are some of the basic options that we had to pull from...

{top four are the granite choices in the basic package}

{these are the basic tile options...the client does not want light tile, so that instantly knocked out half the choices}

{these are the 3 basic options for cabinet finishes...we decided to upgrade here and chose a darker finish (not shown) for the majority of the kitchen cabinets and are upgrading to a black painted finish (not shown), for the kitchen island cabinets}

So, here is the design board I proposed for the kitchen finishes....

Explaining the design board...
The two cabinet choices on the design board are ones that I pulled on-line to show the client what the kitchen will look like with the darker cabinets and the black painted finish on the island, since I didn't have access to photos of the design center's upgraded options. The tile flooring is a choice from the basic plan, but laid in a pattern using two of the size choices.  It should only be a slight increase in labor costs to have the two sizes of basic tiles laid in a pattern rather than your typical grid.  I pulled photos of finished rooms online, with this same tile pattern to show the client.  The bronze finish for the hardware was a request by the client, so I went online and found these knobs and the pull selection at The Home Depot (my favorite knob is the pumpkin shaped one in the upper right along with the bin pull for the drawers).  The light fixtures were also found at The Home Depot and I love them!  The builder will allow you to upgrade the lighting and hardware to all bronze (all matching from their design center), but we decided to either allow the builder to install the standard lighting and just replace it after move in or to ask for a lighting credit (if it's an option) and then purchase our own fixtures to be installed.  Either way, it looks like we'll be adding unique (mismatched) fixtures...yay!  The faucet was another Home Depot find, but we may just go with the upgraded bronze fixture from the builder, if it's more cost effective (it's nice, just a bit too modern).  And finally, the backsplash selection is one that is not at all a standard option (they just told us to choose from the floor tile selection for the backsplash...uuummm...NOT!)  So, we'll see what they have to offer at the design center, in an upgraded option and if nothing "fits" then we'll just have them apply a credit for the backsplash and put in one on our own (even if it has to wait for a while, it's better than the basic floor tile as backsplash option).

The next design board shows furnishing options for the kitchen/breakfast area.  This board helped to seal-the-deal (so to speak), for the client, as to the finishings (granite, tile, cabinet colors) we selected...

I believe this is pretty self explanatory, but I did want to discus the wall color and the grass cloth.  The wall color was chosen to balance out all of the brown that will be in the house.  The brown tile, brown cabinets, brown hardware, brown leather sofa, brown wood armoire and tables...etc.  I felt that a cool wall color, rather than a warm shade would work best and I love this gray blue shade (of course, once the house is built we'll go in with many paint samples to see which shade looks best in the home with the lighting and the finishes, but for now I'm crushing on this color story).  The grasscloth was selected for the breakfast area to add a bit more texture and interest to the space.... really though, I just love grasscloth and try to think of any excuse to incorporate it!

So this is where we stand, so far.  It was a fun challenge to take a couple basic builder grade materials and make them look high-end.  I feel that it was successful, but we shall see in about 5-6 months when the house has been built!  Stay tuned for more long winded selections/explanations for this New Home Build.