Swoon Interiors

interiors that make your heart skip a beat.

Cozy Corner: Living Room Before & After

Welcome back for Part Two of this week’s room reveals! In case you missed Part One, the Master Bedroom, you can read it here. Today it’s all about the Living Room. As in most houses, this corner living room is the first room you see upon walking through my clients’ front door.  When we first met, they explained that it currently held pieces from their previous home, but lacked any style or cozy feeling that made them actually want to use it. Here is where we started …

And now …

In a living room, I  love the idea of using four chairs around a table to create a true conversation area where everyone has their own cozy spot to sit. These chairs are SO comfortable and this shade of blue totally brightens up the room.

On the large back wall, I recommended using a gorgeous, graphic wallpaper as our “art” – in lieu of a large framed piece. This stunning grasscloth is one of my favorites and I was so happy when my clients agreed to go for it.

We painted the rest of the walls in the room a light color to match the background of the wallpaper.

In a smaller room like this one where there really is not a lot of furniture pieces, it’s the little details that really bring it to life. I had so much fun accessorizing this space with just enough things to make it interesting but not cluttered.

I love the leg detail on these chairs …

The most fun little chandelier …

I’m so happy to hear that this family now USES this room! It’s a favorite spot for kids and pets alike and a great place for friends who come over to sit and chat over a glass of wine.

Thanks so much – hope you enjoyed both Before & Afters. Have a great week!

Photography by Marina Storm: Picture Perfect Photography

 

 

 

Airy Sanctuary: Before & After

I’m so excited to share a two-part reveal with you this week!  Especially during these gray, dreary “pre-spring” days, I think you’ll enjoy the bright and airy feel of these two rooms. First up, the Master Bedroom!

These clients are SO fun to work with. We really didn’t change much from my original design board and they were so ready for a completely different look and style than they had had in the past. Here is a picture of the master bedroom when I first saw it:

And here is the after …

The only thing we kept were the drapery panels as they were fairly new, and I knew I could incorporate the classic pattern into my design.

Because this room does not get a ton of light despite the wall of windows, my goal was to keep everything as light as possible.  We painted the walls my favorite Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore. It creates the illusion of a white room, without feeling too stark or cold.  This room is a great example of how you can mix light neutrals: white, gray, ivory, taupe. Navy lamps and a soft blue rug injected a fun pop of color. And I specifically asked my photographer to capture the fan in this shot.  There is often a debate about whether to go with a gorgeous chandelier in a bedroom or a fan. Oftentimes the husband wants a fan and the wife wants a chandelier. In this case, both husband and wife agreed that they love having a fan in their room but wanted to replace the ugly existing one. We found this sleek modern fan and I think it looks great. Form AND Function for the win!

How pretty are these nightstands?

I love how much storage they provide while also giving ample space for pretty styling.

I love doing over-sized mirrors above a nightstand to reflect more light around the room and I find that it usually makes hanging anything over the bed unnecessary.

This room is huge and my clients weren’t sure what to do with this long wall  …

I knew it could be a pretty spot for art with a console beneath.

I love the details on this one.

On a king-size bed, I like to use three large shams and one long lumbar pillow. I love the block print fabric on these shams mixed with the graphic pattern and color of the lumbar.

On the other side of the room is their TV, so we added a pretty dresser with a textured shagreen finish below.

And for the other “what-should-we-put-here?” space next to the bathroom door …

We simplified things with a pretty ladder to hold blankets and a fun little basket, as you can see in the mirror’s reflection.

While we talked about adding 2 chairs and a little table at the foot of the bed (they definitely had the space for it), we ultimately decided a new bench was all they really needed, and this was a great spot to bring in some more texture.

And how about this beautiful vintage inspired rug? The darker color makes it very …

Pet-friendly!

My clients are thrilled with their new room, which now feels more like a peaceful sanctuary. Check back tomorrow for the Before & After of their Living Room makeover.

Photography by Marina Storm: Picture Perfect Photography

 

 

Part Two: Laundry & Powder Room Reveal

Hi and welcome back to reality after the long holiday weekend! As promised, I have more to share from my clients’ three-part remodel. In case you missed the Master Bath reveal last week, you can check it out here.

First, I’ll start with the laundry room. Like most builder-grade laundry rooms, this one was functional with no style.

 

And … it was not even functioning to it’s full potential.  The entire right wall was left blank … my clients put in their own table as a makeshift folding area.

Ready for the After?

The cabinets were painted this lovely custom shade and given new doors and hardware. And in a room like a laundry room, why not go fun and bold with the flooring? We selected this tile that mimics the look of more expensive cement tiles.

A new sink, countertop and faucet updated the old utility sink. And on the other side of the room … brand new cabinetry was added, along with a true designated area for folding laundry and wall-mounted drying racks.

But that’s not all … previously this corner behind the door was just a place for piling up all of the tall household items that wouldn’t fit elsewhere.

But now …

… this “bottom-less” cabinet is the perfect place to hold a clothes steamer or vacuum that you can simply roll right out and use when needed. Of course, we had to add some warm wood tones too …

My client said she actually likes being in her laundry room now … mission accomplished!

Ok – next up is the powder room! This room, while tiny, needed a dose of style to tie-in with the other areas of the house. Here is where we started ….

And after …

Good things come in small packages!  The jumping off point for this room was this fantastic watercolor-inspired wallpaper. We matched the color on the custom-built vanity and added shiplap to the back wall.

A favorite library sconce, fun crystal knobs and this gorgeous wall-mount faucet are other details I love.

Once again, I warmed up the space with a touch of natural wood, in the form of this wood-framed mirror that ties in with the existing wood floors. Finally, it’s hard to see in photos, but the quartz countertop has a lovely textured, “leathered” finish.

Thanks for reading along! It was fun to transform these smaller rooms into something fun and fresh!

Photography by Picture Perfect House.

Now & Zen – Master Bathroom Reveal

When it comes to home remodeling projects, what’s better than getting a whole new space?  Getting three of them! When my clients decided to update their Master bathroom, we talked about how their laundry room and powder room where also needing some love. While the Master was a full gut remodel, the other two spaces were completely transformed as well. Working again with Stephanie Frees of Plain & Posh Distinctive Cabinetry Design, we came up with a plan. Today I’m revealing the Master Bathroom. Are you ready to see where we started?

 

The builder of this home was obviously of a “More is More!” mindset … more arches, more walls, more steps – all if it making what is not a huge space to begin with feel even more cramped and choppy. While the colors were neutral, they still felt dark and dingy. We wanted to make the room feel light, bright and luxurious … and to tie in with the style we created for this family’s kitchen remodel a couple of years ago. (See A Modern Rustic Kitchen Reveal.)

Ready to see the afters?

Our clients could not be more thrilled – and neither can I! It is the exact same square footage as before but now it feels huge! Even with all of the lights off – it is so bright and cheery. And check out the ceiling! With all of the arches gone, we were able to create this unique hexagon shape from which to hang this gorgeous wood bead chandelier.

One of my preferences when doing bright white spaces is to bring in a warm element.  We could have easily done a light floor – white or gray marble, and it would have been beautiful, but maybe a little cold – and certainly not as cozy feeling. When I approached my client about doing a wood-look tile in a herringbone pattern for the floors – (especially since the adjoining bedroom is carpeted … we wouldn’t be competing with more wood), I wasn’t sure if she would be on board. Thankfully, she loved the idea of giving the room a slightly more rustic, farmhouse element.

To refresh your memory – here was the old shower …

And the new …

The entrance is now on an angle and a high window was added inside to bring in light. Another large window was added facing the tub to allow you to see through to the gorgeous mosaic tile on the back wall.

In addition to the sparkle the mosaics add, we dressed up a classic white subway tile with beautiful marble hex tile on the shower floor, gleaming polished nickel fixtures and a stunning lucite door handle.

I have been dying to find just the right project in which to use these vertical double light sconces, and I knew this was the one.  As big as they are, they don’t take up much visual space when mounted to the mirror, yet they still make such a statement in the room.

And … just the right quartz counter tops are still a win-win in my book, for both their beauty and durability. This one has such great movement and even some soft brown tones that tie in with the flooring.

Remember the old bathtub?

In it’s place is a curvy soaking tub with a gorgeous free-standing tub filler.

What used to be one straight vanity and a big empty wall …

… is now a beautifully designed double vanity that wraps the corner with mirrors and provides and extra spot with seating for putting on makeup.

What do you think? The perfect place to relax after the Thanksgiving guests leave – am I right? Stay tuned for Part Two of our transformation featuring the laundry and powder rooms!

Photography by Picture Perfect House.