FAMILY HOME FACE LIFT - KITCHEN/DINING

PROJECT NEEDS:

The kitchen and dining room area was like the family room, a purely cosmetic update. In the photo below you will see that the cabinets were the outdated honey-color with lack luster hardware and beige tile that was "meh".

DETAILS OF KITCHEN BEFORE

We needed to update the kitchen, but we had the countertops to work around. With the black/brown speckled warm-toned granite I thought black cabinets would look the best, but we didn't want to make the space too dark and dramatic, so we went with white upper cabinets and black lowers. As for the dining area, I unfortunately didn't take a before picture, but you can imagine the changes we made by looking at the photos.

These are the updates we needed to make:

• paint kitchen cabinets
• new tile backsplash
• new floor tile
• new hardware
• new barstools and dining chairs
• new wall paint
• dining light
• window treatments
• create computer space in dining 

(all photos are by the talented, Sara Bateman)

FINISHED DESIGN:

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS:

• The dining light is a favorite of mine - and it fit the space perfectly! 
• And who doesn't love some classic bistro chairs?
• Isn't the white wall color classic? It's my favorite go-to Benjamin Moore 50/50 mix of White Dove and Glacier White. Hasn't failed me yet!
• The earthy/industrial stools are a great value and a must-have.
• The white beveled subway tile and black slate tile really complete the room. (locally sourced)
• And I am loving the cabinet hardware. The knobs and pulls are perfection.
• The kitchen roman shade is custom, and I love how it ties together the green accents and black in the room. It finishes off the space in just the right way. 

Hope you enjoyed this project as much as I do! It's a great example that you don't have to gut your home to get the look and feel you want. 

FAMILY HOME FACE LIFT - FAMILY ROOM

I was saving this project for a special day, and it turns out that this ordinary Wednesday, is that day. I actually finished this project almost a year ago, but it remains one of my favorites to date.

PROJECT NEEDS: My clients are one of those beautiful couples with even prettier children who needed a home that matched their great taste and good genes. They had a good budget, but didn't want to tear down any walls but rather work with the space that they had. In the kitchen they simply wanted a face-lift, not new cabinets and appliances, etc. So we were going to do a cosmetic overhaul on this family room, dining room and kitchen area. Today I'm going to focus on their family room.

STARTING POINT: 

BEFORE

The bones of the room were good: the floors were nice original wood floors and the fireplace mantle was pretty and original. But the room was missing the finishing touches that makes a room feel sophisticated and interesting (without furnishings). What they needed was finishing work:

• Crown Moulding
• Casing the Windows
• Wainscot

And let's talk about the furnishings. They had inherited this furniture and while it was comfortable, the sofas were way too big for the space. The earthy tones didn't fit their design aesthetic anymore. This beautiful couple also happens to travel to New York and London often on business and wanted furnishings that you would find in the chic spaces of these cities. We wanted to go from earthy to glamorous and traditional. 

• family friendly sophisticated seating
• art on walls (they had great art they had accumulated over the years)
• new fireplace tile to match the new furnishings

And this is what we created.

(all photos by the talented Sara Bateman)

FINISHED PRODUCT:

HIGHLIGHTS: 

• The English Roll Arm sofa is made of a beautiful extra-durable fabric that cleans beautifully but looks high-end and comes in the best colors. (sofa available through White + Gold) 
• The Chaise/Bench sofa was a custom design to allow the light from the front window to come through without a back of a sofa blocking it. It is also extremely comfortable to lay on while watching TV or reading, which is what they wanted for the kids. 
• The blue Madeline Weinrib rug added the color we wanted for the room. My client was in New York and spotted this rug I had shown her, in person, and fell in love. It's the hero of the room for sure. 
• The slipper chair is upholstered in a bright graphic pattern that they wanted to be the hint of glam and trend in our traditional room. It's also as comfortable as it is pretty. (slipper chair available through White + Gold)
• The marble coffee table is from Wisteria and it's a total love for me. A great piece for any room.
• The mirrored sconces added style to the fireplace mantle and made the TV not feel too techy and more artsy. (sconces available through White + Gold)
• The fireplace tile is my so great! I love how it's reminiscent of a honeycomb since Utah is the "beehive state" and the marble surround and threshold is so pretty. 
• The velvet blue piano bench was a lucky find and fit perfectly! A great way to glam up your piano. 

Can you believe the transformation?! It was such a satisfying project and so much fun. Tomorrow I will post the dining/kitchen. You have to see it! Such a great relatively inexpensive update that made the biggest difference.

BEST OF HOUZZ 2015

I NEVER WIN ANYTHING. Raffles, giveaways, games at parties, (like the guess how many gumballs in the jar game), and definitely not awards. So when I saw a message in my inbox from "The Houzz Team" that said, "You won..." I was super excited! It could have said, "You won a free subscription" and I would have been thrilled. But this was even better - I actually won Best of Houzz 2015 in the Design category. And they gave me a badge for my website and a certificate to display!

my badge and certificate for my award!

The little kid in me is really excited about this. It just felt good to win something and get a BADGE! I mean, when was the last time someone gave you a badge? Even if it is for my website and blog. I am wearing it proudly.

And this was the room that helped me win this prestigious award...

Yes, it's my master bedroom that was so well captured by the talented Emily Brown. And it's funny, because this room is probably my least expensively decorated room. With nightstands and a rug from Ikea, bedspread and skirt from Target, and $30 art from a consignment store. The only expensive item is the headboard, which is custom and was the big splurge of the bedroom coming in at $1200. 

I do love this room today as much as I did four years ago when we moved into our new home. The best part about it is that I don't feel like I need to redecorate it because it feels really timeless to me, but not boring. (a win-win) Thanks Houzz community for sending the love my way and giving me this award!

And in honor of this award I'm going to post my newest project that I posted to Houzz, next week. It's one of my all time favorites, and I can't wait to share. Look for it on Monday and have a great weekend!