Before and After

Patience Makes Perfect: Part One

November 7, 2022

A beautiful transformation years in the making …

I am so excited to share photographs of this project with you today. I first started working with this client exactly five years ago. When we first met, she walked me through the house they had built 20 years ago. It was a beautiful traditional home on a grand scale filled with lot of antiques and furniture they had invested in. As in so many homes built and decorated at that time, there was lots of red and gold, formal custom draperies, honey oak floors and overstuffed upholstered furniture.

She explained to me that they wanted to start updating things. But in a house of this scale, they knew it would not be an overnight process. They weren’t interested in “quick fixes” and changes. She wanted to take time to make the right selections, save for pieces she really wanted, invest in custom pieces, sell many of the investment pieces she had collected but no longer fit her style, and have fun in the process.

I am kicking myself that I did not take more “Before” pictures – but at the time, it didn’t feel like a typical Before & After project. We were on a journey and the destination seemed far off. Throw in a worldwide pandemic and the resulting product and shipping delays, and the years stretched on.

My client is also an avid art collector – and she had already purchased quite a few pieces she had fallen in love with. Many were abstracts, modern, light and airy with bold and fun colors. These certainly didn’t fit in with the traditional Red, Gold, French Country vibe of the rest of the house, but they became a jumping off point for our overall vision.

So floors were refinished, walls were painted shades of white, things started to be sold on Chairish, we decided what pieces could be incorporated into the new design (I still love a mix of vintage and modern) and started searching for the perfect … sofas, tables, lamps, rugs, nightstands, bedding … each and every item was very thoughtfully selected.

Of course, paint and furniture can only take you so far … what about an outdated kitchen? Well, of course, we brought my favorite kitchen designer, Stephanie Frees of Plain & Posh in for that!

And so that is where I will start with the photographs. I am going to break this up into three posts of my three favorite rooms. Part One today is the Kitchen. We did take photos right before demo started and this is what it looked like.

And here it is today …

Can you believe it? And this was not a full gut remodel. The perimeter cabinetry mostly stayed but got new doors and height added at the top. The island and tall wood stained cabinet to the left of the sink are new and custom built and Stephanie hand-drew the design of the new range hood. Isn’t it gorgeous?

The beautiful reeded detail came from our idea to add this special element to the new island and cabinetry. Bringing it over to the hood just tied everything together, don’t you agree?

Here is that same view before …

Lets talk about that sink, shall we?

We were so in love with this stunning Quartzite we chose for the countertops we wanted to feature it further in a custom apron-front sink.

We scoured Etsy for vintage runners and this one was our favorite for pulling in colors from some of the artwork we commissioned for these spaces … such as this whimsical piece by Marissa Voytenko.

After falling in love with her work, we realized Marissa is local to the Chicago area. She graciously hand-delivered this piece to my client, saying it isn’t often she gets to see in person where her art will hang in someone’s home.

This area used to be a small desk – common in so many kitchens for many years, but no longer needed or practical in a modern kitchen.

The new cabinetry by Plain & Posh is a beautiful replacement, don’t you agree?

Some other special features of this kitchen – the lighting. That picture light above (a favorite), the pendants over the island and all sconces are from Circa. (I actually have those same Goodman pendants in my own kitchen – I love them so!)

Styling this new kitchen was such a treat!

Of course, I must talk about this backsplash! There were so many times in the design of this house that my client and I could almost agree on things telepathically. We were both in love with the look of Zellige tile and it seemed that all of our favorite kitchens we had Pinned or saved pictures of used Zellige tiles … so it was just one of those … “Well obviously we are going to do Zellige!” moments.

Zellige Tile is a variety of glazed terracotta tile originally handmade in Morocco. It is kiln-fired over olive-branches, giving each tile a unique glaze, color and texture. No two tiles are exactly alike, so every application ends up being a unique tapestry of color and texture.

Once again, rather than make a quick decision, we got samples from a few different companies. And then, because there is inherently so much color variation, we ordered more samples over time to get an overall feel for the variation. Ultimately, we chose Clé Tile’s Zellige in Weathered White.

Installation of this tile, especially in the herringbone pattern we wanted, is not for the faint of heart! It took 5 days of labor and many hours of going through boxes to mix the colors. But definitely worth it!

Another way we added texture … these beautiful stools from Restoration Hardware.

As we get ready to head into the family room in tomorrow’s post, these shots below give a good example of how we were able to incorporate the old with the new …

The dining table and chairs were custom well-loved pieces my client had invested a lot into years ago and wanted to see if they could still work.

The chairs were so unique I definitely wanted to be able to keep them. We had new cushions made of faux ostrich leather by Sew Special Designs and a custom rug made by Carpet Showcase to break up the wood-on-wood. I think the setup ads a lot of unique character to the space.

A huge thank you to Marina Storm of Picture Perfect House for capturing this space so beautifully. Be sure to come back tomorrow to see the Family Room. It’s a beauty!

The power of color: Before & After

November 15, 2021

Oh it feels so good to have completed projects and photo shoots again! This Before and After is an especially warm and uplifting one as we head into these shorter, darker days and colder temps.

I’ll admit, when I first walked into this client’s house my initial thought was, I wonder what she needs me for! Ha! They had a very sophisticated space with lots of unique details, lighting, art and furniture. She admitted to me that she had done the whole “neutral” thing … lots of gray, white, ivory, beige … but she was over it! She wanted to bring in some bright and fun colors. The neutral palate had actually made the space feel darker. And the kitchen, with it’s dark brown cabinets and granite countertops wasn’t helping the situation since it was an open layout with the family room.

Teaming up with Stephanie Frees of Plain & Posh Distinctive Cabinetry Design again for her amazing kitchen designs, we set out to transform the space with color and brightness.

Before:

After:

Looking towards the kitchen before …

And now …

Bright and cheery is now the best way to describe this space. Can you believe the transformation?

First, I’ll delve into what we did in the family room. My client loves navy (me too!) … but what brighter colors could we add to the space? After selecting this fun rug from Serena & Lily …

… and a new crisp white slipcovered sofa from Crate & Barrel for a comfy casual feel, my client said she’d love to bring in bright chartreuse and pops of pink.

We decided her existing chairs with their great shape were the perfect opportunity to go bold with a luxurious chartreuse Velvet. Karen Flanagan of Sew Special handled the reupholstering and made our custom pillows.

Next – can we talk about his amazing art by Heidi Becker?

The bright happy colors draw you into the room from the front door and tie all of our selections together.

We said goodbye to gray walls and dark trim and painted everything Benjamin Moore White Dove, always a great backdrop for pops of color and bold artwork.

On to the kitchen …

Besides just painting the perimeter cabinets (Benjamin Moore Classic Gray), there were other things we could do to make it not feel so heavy. Removing the cabinets above the windows was one thing that just opened up that whole area by the sink.

We also added a white farmhouse sink and more lighting with these classic sconces.

The cabinetry surrounding the range also felt heavy. Stephanie designed a beautiful and sleek new custom hood that allowed us to bring our backsplash tile all the way up to the ceiling.

The island was originally painted with that distressed finish that was so popular for awhile. I suggested we bring our favorite navy color into the kitchen and onto the island. It was a hard-sell at first, but we landed on a pretty dark blue-gray custom color that just really ties into the family room and makes the new honed marble countertops pop.

Let’s talk about this busy wall. We decided to simplify things by adding solid doors next to the fridge and giving the bar area a whole new look.

Rather than doing the same backsplash in this area, we wanted it to feel a little different … and the natural wood shiplap and shelves bring some nice warmth to this white kitchen.

As you can see in the before picture, this large kitchen never had any pendant lighting over the island. We chose the Katie Globe pendant to tie in with the other brass Circa Lighting fixtures she had in the space. And you can see the Boston Double-Arm library light there above the shelves in the bar area.

The dark cabinetry of the kitchen also carried into the family room in the form of this corner bookshelf.

We lightened it up as well and used the same wood shelves from the bar area in a custom stain.

Finally, the breakfast nook got a little love too …

We needed to bring some fun pops of color to this area as well and these chairs presented the perfect opportunity.

A mix of navy cheetah print and pinstripes and instantly the space feels much more fun!

Stella agrees!

As we all have been spending more time in our homes during this crazy pandemic, creating spaces that feel happy, bright and uplifting seems even more important. Bring in colors, patterns, and artwork that bring you joy. Simplify spaces that feel chaotic or heavy so that you can feel the comforts of a home that makes you happy.

Photography by the talented Maria Storm of Picture Perfect House. Thank you, Marina!

Cozy Corner: Living Room Before & After

March 12, 2019

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

March 11, 2019

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

November 26, 2018

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.