Get the Look - A Norwegian Kitchen

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Typically, I am not drawn to rustic designs but this beautiful kitchen located in Norway is an exception.  Something about this kitchen has me envisioning rolling out dough for home-baked bread, which I have no idea how to do nor would typically enjoy. Perhaps it is the combination of several elements: the natural light that floods the room, the tall ceilings and wooden beams, the fireplace next to the farm table, the juxtaposition of the contemporary white cabinets against the natural woods, the basket pendants, and the global accents. Alluring, no?

The greenery against the muted color palette looks so vibrant and beautifully injects color into the space.

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Inspired? Well, you can re-create the look with these elements.

leather chair // gray paint // basket pendant // tree // rug // elbow chair // table

Feeling crafty? Here is an easy DIY to create your own basket pendant for a lot less.

Until next time, XOXO.

Condo Refresh

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With summer vacation days coming to a close, condo owners are assessing their rentals and looking to refresh their properties to get more bang for their buck next year.  I don't know about you, but one of the main things I look at when renting a condo (next to location) is the style of the place.  If you're going away, you'd like it to be a place you want to relax, right?  A place you want to spend time.  A place to make you feel like you're on a vacation.  

A few design updates can go a long way when sprucing up a condo.  And thinking outside of the coastal cookie cutter box can make your condo stand out among the rest of the competition. 

Here a condo E-Design we recently completed.  They didn't need a full overhaul-just a little refresh, and we were more than happy to oblige.

With a great neutral backdrop to start, all we had to do was add in a few new pieces to bring this place back to life.  We suggested updating the kitchen with a new backsplash in these coastal blue arabesque tiles and replacing the existing can lights over the bar with these antique nickel pendants.  Finishing off the updated kitchen, we suggested using these modern, easy to clean acrylic bar stools in lieu of the dated wooden ones they had.

In the living area we added in a durable seagrass rug one size larger than their existing one (scale is huge), brought in some new pillows for their existing slipcovered sofa and added some blue lamps.  The blue color and acrylic base of the lamps tie into the tile and barstools in the adjoining kitchen, and the fabric on the pillows (great for camouflaging stains) has a coral inspired look with a slightly unexpected color palette. Update complete!

If you're looking to update your condo or rental, here are a few things to consider giving a "refresh"--

  • lighting
  • pillows
  • wall paint colors
  • hardware
  • backsplash
  • rugs

And if you have no idea where to start, contact us and read more about our E-Design process here.  We'd love to help!


Mirror, mirror on the wall

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Large wall mirrors can make a bathroom feel bigger but they tend to be pretty boring. If you are like the many who have these ubiquitous mirrors and have been considering ripping them out, try layering a decorative mirror on top. It elevates the look without breaking up the expansive feel that the larger mirror provides. Plus, it saves you from needing sheet rock repair work.

The images below take it a step further by installing sconces on top of the wall mirror as well. Not only does it make it more interesting, but it reflects more light into the room.

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Artist Spotlight: Christina Baker

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"There will never be enough blank canvas to fulfill the desire within me to create." 

-Christina Baker

 

Artwork is such an intricate part of a room's design.  While I'm all for DIY pieces and black and white family photos, sometimes nothing can do the space justice like a true art piece.  

One particular artist that I love is Christina Baker.  Her paintings go so well with almost any style and have such a softness and fluidity to them.  She is excellent at marrying beautiful color combinations with abstract forms and the outcome is nothing short of amazing.

She began painting in watercolors with her grandmother, and I love that you can still see that inspiration in her work.

Here is one of her recent watercolors.   

Here is one of her recent watercolors.   

Many of her paintings are available at galleries around Atlanta, GA, but you can follow other available works and her latest paintings on her Facebook page or website.  

Don't you just want a piece for yourself now?

All images via Christinabaker.net


Designer SOS : Crown molding

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Today's question comes from a dear friend of mine. Like many, she has standard eight feet ceilings and wants to know, can crown molding work in my house?

Crown molding can add architectural interest and make a room feel more polished. When deciding if and what type of crown molding to go with, there are a couple key things to consider.

1)The architectural style of your home.

If you have a very contemporary or modern home, crown molding all together may look out of place. The period of your home should also influence the crown molding profile that you use. A very ornate crown molding would not be complimentary in a craftsman style home.

2)  The ceiling height of your home and the available wall space above windows and doors.

Scale is important. A molding that is too overpowering will make a room feel smaller; too small and it will look wimpy.  As we know, all rules can be broken but here is a general guideline:

Eight feet ceiling height - keep crown width to  3-5"                                                  

Nine to Ten feet ceilings- keep crown width to 5"-7"                                                                 

For even taller ceilings, you will need to build up. Once you get to this range, more than likely you won’t find crown molding in exactly the right width. The molding is usually built up by combining multiple pieces of trim.  One common way to build up molding is by starting with a standard baseboard, installed upside down. Then, on top of this, a piece of crown molding is used, exposing the bottom few inches of the base, as seen in the image below.

A trick when working with lower ceiling heights, you can achieve the illusion of a wider crown without taking up much wall space by extending molding onto the ceiling. 

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In the image below, they took it a step further and painted the crown the same color as the walls giving the illusion of the ceiling being lifted.

This crown is pretty narrow in height but has a wide projection.

So yes, crown molding can look good in homes even with standard ceiling heights. Just be cautious of its proportions and that it is in harmony with the aesthetic of the home.