Swoon Interiors

interiors that make your heart skip a beat.

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.

A Divine Downsize

I have such a fun remodel to share with you today! My clients decided to downsize from their large family home once their youngest was off to college.  They love to travel and also have a beautiful lake house they spend their summers at. So, for the rest of the year, they knew they could get by with less space and less maintenance, but still wanted to stay in the same community they raised their family in. They found a townhouse in the same town, but it needed a major overhaul.  The fun part – my clients decided this was the perfect opportunity to start from scratch and create something very different from their original traditional-style home.  Sleek, modern … with a touch of mid-century glamour.  As you’ll see below, we had our work cut out for us. First up – the kitchen.

This is the kitchen shortly after they purchased it, looking towards a little eat-in area, seen below. Nothing sleek and modern about it! (Except maybe the chandelier?)

Everything had to go …

Ready for the After?

Quite a change, right? It now feels so fresh, bright, sleek and modern.  My clients came to me knowing they wanted to do all white tile with radiant heat through out the kitchen and the living room. I had never done this before but loved how it opened up our options for wood finishes in the kitchen!  So many people are doing white cabinetry with wood floors but we did the opposite. We picked a pretty textured tile and Cambria quartz for the countertops.

You can see we combined light and dark cabinetry in two custom stains. We went through many versions to find just the right complementary combo. Coming from a large kitchen in their previous house, our clients wanted to make sure they had enough storage here, even though this kitchen would be much smaller.  Stephanie of Plain & Posh Distinctive Cabinetry Designs once again came up with a smart and functional plan that included extending the cabinetry into the breakfast area.  We wanted it to look more like a wall than a wall of cabinetry so we kept things very minimal and carried the cabinetry from floor to ceiling with the crown and trim flush with the cabinets. The light wood stain that shows the natural grain of the wood adds warmth to the space as well as a kind of textural element.

 

A Saarinen-inspired tulip table in unexpected black ties this area in with the darker colors of the kitchen and adds a touch of mid-century glamour. These acrylic chairs are from Ikea and so comfortable to sit in!

Here is another view of the kitchen’s old layout.  The island in the middle and door on the right that lead to a stairway to the lower level and garage ate up a lot of space in this already tight kitchen.  Plus, the island provided no additional seating.We removed the door and the island and reconfigured the space with a peninsula and 3 counter stools.

You’ll see we also added a wonderful wine and coffee bar in the corner.

Let’s take a closer look at that backsplash … it is a back-painted glass. Perfect for the modern, minimalist look we were going for.

I absolutely love how this dark gray stain shows off the the striation in the wood.

Okay so here is the old view standing in the kitchen looking towards the living room. My clients wanted this to be one open space for entertaining, so this wall came down.

Ready for the new view?

With the door gone and that stairway more open, we added a fun geometric wall paper to the stair well. And the living room? Let’s take a closer look at the before …

And the after …

As you can see, we ripped out the fireplace mantel and surrounding tile and covered the entire thing in a gorgeous stack-stone mosaic tile. It provides gorgeous texture and a touch of shimmer. My clients did not want a TV in this room. I suggested doing four chairs surrounding a round coffee table to make this more of a conversation space with a loungey vibe. These mid-century inspired chairs from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams swivel, so they can turn towards the kitchen area and unite the two seating areas. The wood and glass coffee table is from Wisteria and brings in a sculptural and organic element. The geometric rug from Loloi was the perfect way to ground the space and tie all the colors together.

New built-ins were added in the same custom gray finish as the kitchen cabinetry. Floating shelves and no hardware are in keeping with our minimalist aesthetic.

Now it is one big light and bright space, perfect for entertaining but also a cozy spot for my clients to relax, read the paper or chat after dinner with a cocktail.

At the front of the townhouse is the family room and my client’s home office. This was what it looked like when they moved in.

And now …

Cozy was the theme in this space. Since we did chairs in the living room – this is where we put a sectional – so the family could come in here to stretch out and watch TV. The shag rug from Loloi is so soft underfoot.

The sectional from MGBW is upholstered in a luxurious velvet fabric and the polished stainless steel legs add the modern touch we were looking for.

My clients have traveled the world – and they have collected quite a collection of eclectic art and accessories. I really wanted to keep the walls light and neutral throughout the space so that their pieces could really pop. Below you can see a favorite colorful piece from their travels that we incorporated into the front entry.

As a I mentioned before – this was such a fun project to be a part of as my clients were so open and eager to step out of their comfort zone. What a transformation!

Before & After: The Heart of the Home

Ok – so it’s been awhile! I apologize. I know that one blog post every few months does not make for a great blog.  But blogging has definitely changed a whole lot since I  started this in 2011. Let’s face it, the best blogs are the ones where the bloggers make make it their full time job. They blog daily or maybe weekly. They change their furniture, art, rugs, paint colors, even houses (!) monthly, semi-monthly, or annually to create new content for their blogs. While this can be a great gig, it is just not realistic in most people’s lives and certainly not my own. Staging a ‘Mother’s Day Tea’ tablescape that no one will ever use, or decorating for Christmas in October so that I can have holiday blog content up the day after Halloween, is not my priority. Other design firms I follow have dedicated social media staff whose whole job is to write the blog posts and do daily Instagram stories. Hard to compete with that – so I’m not going to try.  I have been fortunate to work on some amazing projects this past year and that means there’s less time for blogging.  Plus, I believe a creating a good blog post takes time. I don’t want to slap something together just to say I got a blog post up.  Instagram (which didn’t even exist when I started this blog – can you believe it?) makes it easy to share inspiration or sneak peaks of projects quickly, without the need for a full blog post.  So I’m thinking this blog will become more of a place to feature full project reveals, before and afters, etc. and more noteworthy things – not the little stuff we all get bombarded with already through email, Instagram and other social media. If you are anything like me, perhaps you too sometimes feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of blogs and Instagram accounts there are to follow and keep up with. What do you think? I’m all for simplifying!

So, having said all that – I DO have a real blog post for you today! I am revealing one of my favorite projects of 2017 – a dramatic makeover of a large kitchen and dining room for wonderful family with great taste and ideas about what they wanted their dream kitchen to be. It was a fun collaboration with Stephanie Frees of Plain & Posh Distinctive Cabinetry Designs.

Want to see where we started?

As you can see, we had a lot of space to work with! Despite the light cabinets and floors, the room still felt dark. The pendants over the island were new. Before my clients knew they were going to do a full renovation, they asked me to help them change out existing light fixtures which were way too small for the space … think little silk shades with tiny crystal drops.

But this kitchen was not working for them. Besides all of the ornate details, the layout and flow of the space meant many things were being underutilized.

On the other side of this range wall is the dining room – which has large windows and is flooded with light. But the only way to get to it was to zigzag through a small dark corner Butler’s pantry, whose entrance, above, is where the light is shining from.

The floors were also a problem. They were very hard to keep clean – with so many thick deep grout lines – and tile that just seemed to hold on to dirt.

This was one of the big questions for this remodel … do we lay wood floors down to match the rest of the house?  Normally this would be a good option, but my clients do not love the existing wood floors and did not want to bring that stain color into this new kitchen. If we were going to do wood floors, it would mean redoing all of the floors on the whole house!

The main entrance to the kitchen from the front hall was through this little hallway with a desk on one side and a pantry door on the other. Not only was this desk space not needed since the family has a large home office space right across the hall, but, as most kitchen desks do, it became a clutter and drop-zone.  And this was the first thing you’d see as you’d walk into the kitchen.

Ok – ok! Are you ready to see the After? Drumroll please ….

Where to begin? We opened up the wall on either side of the Range to create two entrances to the dining room and flood the kitchen with it’s beautiful light. Gorgeous cabinetry designed by Plain & Posh is more streamlined and functional and  includes a deeper island in a custom wood-stain to warm up all the white. But actually … the cabinets are NOT white! They are painted Benjamin Moore’s Classic Gray … this is my go-to color for creating the illusion of light and bright, but with more warmth and depth.  The walls are Benjamin Moore’s White Dove.

The countertops and back wall of the range niche are Silestone Quartz in Pearl Jasmine from their Eternal Collection.  We wanted some veining and movement but not too much, so this was the perfect choice.

We also painted all of the window trim Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal. Another great way to bring added dimension to an all-white kitchen.

The floors! After deciding against wood floors, we looked at a lot of different stone options. We wanted much larger tiles to look less busy and for less grout lines. And … to get just the right color – not too gray or cold looking, but too not too gold or yellow either. We finally hit the jackpot at Exquisite Surfaces with these beautiful tumbled limestone floors.

Check out this fun coffee station …

Stephanie at Plain & Posh has such a knack for designing functional little details like this.

Here are some great closeups of the gorgeous leather barstools from Made Goods and the capped feet of the island.

Ok -so what about the former desk area?

Before …

And after …

With beverage and wine refrigerators and beautiful glass front cabinetry, it is now so much more useful to the family and a more lovely way to enter the kitchen. The warm wood planks were stained to coordinate with the island and wood beam above the stove niche. I love mixing metals -so this little area was a great place to play with antique brass hardware and accents.

Across from the previous desk was a door to a walk-in pantry with very basic shelving that was hard to keep organized and not very pretty to look at upon entering the kitchen.

The new plan called for breaking through that pantry wall into the former Butler’s Pantry and creating a functional yet lovely walk through pantry that could be accessed from either side of the kitchen.

Wait … back up … did you check out those double doors?  That was one of my favorite last minute design decisions! Why have one plain door when we could do 2 charming doors with fluted glass and fun brass knobs?

So what do you think? I am so in love with this bright airy kitchen and it was so fun to style and accessorize. But wait … there’s more … let’s check out the new adjoining dining room, shall we?

First – here is an old photo of the dining room from when my clients first purchased the house.  They hadn’t done much to it since besides moving in their old dining room furniture.

And now …

We wanted a light and soothing color scheme and the design all started with this gorgeous green-gray grasscloth wallpaper. My clients wanted it to feel elegant but not too fussy or formal. I think we achieved that with the lighter wood tones and the more casual side chairs.

I love the sleek lines of this two-toned sideboard.

And a round mirror is a great way to break up all of the linear features of a dining room.

Also, I love the mix of patterns here between the rug and chairs – the rug is more traditional yet the geometric pattern on the chairs is a fun modern pop.

Here is a closer look at the wallpaper and gorgeous Camille sconces from Circa Lighting.

Custom draperies by Mimsie O’Hara in a pretty sheer fabric with metallic threads running through.

All the sunlight filters in so beautifully!

This is the view from the front entry hall …

And then, the view into the new kitchen …

Well … that was a long post! Thanks for sticking with me! This was such a fun project and I am thrilled that my clients have this new wonderful space to gather. It is truly the heart of their home!

And finally, a great big thank you to Marina Storm of Picture Perfect House for her wonderful photography of this project. She captured everything beautifully!