#countrychic project Office and Mudroom

back today with two more spaces (plus one more bonus spot!) from the #countrychicproject! (see here for the family room and breakfast room) my clients are very lucky to have two separate office spaces, his and hers, and I was excited to work on hers! here is the BEFORE:

this space is small but loaded with potential!! here is the AFTER:

this office is all about function AND beauty. though hard to see here, wallpaper was the first addition to this space. in smaller rooms I love using wallpaper to create depth and interest. the rest was all about details - the leather wrapped arm on the very functional desk chair, the woven rattan doors on the storage cabinet, the vintage pulls on the oak desk.

we were originally going to hang the two vintage art pieces but they looked so pretty leaning against the wall, I left them that way.

a chair was one of the asks in here so the kids could come in and curl up with a book and I love how cozy this side of the room became! never underestimate the power of a floor lamp. pretty sure i'd want to work from home every day if this was mine!

ok on to the mudroom now! here is a not-so-great BEFORE pic:

and the AFTER!

here we did more of a refresh - the slate floor stayed but we painted all of the woodwork repose gray from sherwin williams, had new french mattress ticking-style cushions made, and installed a vinyl raffia wallpaper. the mix of tan, gray, and black is maybe my new favorite combo!

lastly we created a really pretty drop zone moment by the stairs. it's next to the kitchen and can be seen from both the front door and mudroom door so it had to be eye catching!

navy blue grasscloth, brass, and vintage-inspired art never go wrong! plus one of my favorite lamps with the prettiest texture.

and that's a wrap! at least for now until we move to the master bedroom. 😉a big thank you to my awesome clients for letting me help them transform their home into a place that represents them so well.

#countrychic Family Room and Breakfast Room

I'm super excited this week to share the continuation of the #countrychic project! you've seen the dining room and living room previously and today I'm sharing the family room and breakfast room. later this week will be the mudroom and office! i've been working with these clients for just over three years and we have just about completed the first floor. so without further delay, let's take a look at the BEFORE!

before of the family room:

and now for the AFTER! photos by Jessica Delaney Photography 💙 we didn't photograph the fireplace side of the room in the "after" but we moved the tv from the easel stand in the corner and mounted it over the fireplace. this allowed every seat to have a view of the television.

the existing family room was chock full of beige and gray and had zero personality. the goal was to make a comfortable but elegant space where this family of four could curl up and hang out together. we didn't keep much but the two things we we did keep were the drapery and the coffee table - the rest went down to the basement or was donated.

the first thing I did was to slather some benjamin moore simply white on the walls to freshen it up. it also helped the existing drapery (which we had hemmed) stand out. before the walls were almost the same color as the drapes. the furniture layout allowed for the piano to relocate from the living room to the family room.

moving the piano created an opportunity for a little moment so we added art and a beautiful picture light above which was actually pretty hard to wire for (thank goodness for really good electricians!) but so worth it in the end!

the room has a bump out that creates a natural spot for storage and we contemplated built ins but in the end we opted for a custom painted cabinet with grasscloth doors.

this was the last area to come together - the sconces were a no brainer but the art was more difficult to find. the key was to find something that tied the room together and this piece picks up on the plum tones in the rest of room. unfortunately it came with a so-so frame so we had it re-framed in a simple gray float frame that doesn't distract from the art.

the family room is open to the kitchen and breakfast room (i'd say nook but it's bigger than that!). it was important to carry that same comfortably elegant feel into this space.

here's the BEFORE!

it was fine but again, just kind of lacking personality. plus there was too much wood - table, chairs, and the light fixture is too much of the same. here is the AFTER!

it took me months to convince my client to replace the existing wood chandelier which, to be fair, was a fairly recent purchase. the room needed a tiny bit of bling just like an outfit needs jewelry! together with more simply white paint, new chairs, an indoor/outdoor rug (that fit the space better), and simple artwork the room came alive.

a big thanks to my clients who have trusted my vision for multiple years now to help them take their home from ok to awesome! i'll be back later this week with the office and mudroom!

selected sources:

sofas - lee industries | family room rug - landry & arcari | coffee table - restoration hardware

dining table - restoration hardware

SN x Ryan Garvin Collab!

i'm here today talking about the new collaboration between two of my favorites - scout & nimble and ryan garvin! scout & nimble is a go-to instagram account for design inspiration. they seriously have a great eye for curating the best interiors and exteriors across the design world! and if you follow me on instagram, you'll know that so many of the photos I post of other designer's work were shot by ryan garvin. it's not just a coincidence, he's really that good! so when SN asked if I wanted to partner with them on their #SNxRyanGarvin collab, I jumped at the chance. together they released a bunch of ryan's beach photography all framed up and ready to go.

I have a client who recently moved to the massachusetts area from sunny southern california and I thought one of these photos would be a perfect gift to remind them of home. it sounds pretty cliche but it's true - choosing just one wasn't easy - take a look at the entire collection here: Scout & Nimble X Ryan Garvin Photography Collection. I finally decided on the piece called The Ocean Pull. we hung it in their master closet hallway that connects the master bedroom and bath. together with roman shades and custom jute runner, the space comes alive now!

a big thank you to scout & nimble for including me in this launch of ryan's beautiful artwork! if you're interested in learning more, check out this q&a with ryan!

Client Project: Thomas Lane Breakfast Room

today i'm sharing the newest updated space in my parents' home (aka the thomas lane project)! previously i've helped them update their living room and powder room which have been great transformations. as always let's start by looking at the befores. my mom and dad know i'm going to roast them on the old space. ;) stuffy, dated window treatments, a scroll-y metal base table, and a snoozefest rug. the chairs were actually quite comfortable but that's about all I liked about them!

BEFORE:

now for the afters! I convinced them that a lighter, airier space was actually going to make it look bigger and that going for awesome window treatments on all of those windows was key. luckily they trusted the vision and we got to work. (all sources listed at the end of this post)

AFTER:

much simpler faux roman shades in a fabulous raoul textiles fabric really set the stage. when you have fabric this pretty, you don't need anything fussy! we chose faux (as in they're not operable) because the shutters provide enough privacy so that they would never be lowered. it's a great savings both in yardage and labor! the folds are soft and have a more laid back feeling and goodbye weird handkerchief tie thingys from before!

then we added color to the floor by way of an indoor/outdoor navy rug - perfect for a kitchen - and an extending pedestal table with woven chairs.

while the kitchen itself isn't ready for photos (still have some convincing left to do there 😉), we did update the counter stools and lighting. the stools are by lee industries and upholstered in kravet's angelus in pacific. the pendants are brass with white glass and add to the softness the room has now.

SOURCES:

table | chair | rug | pendants | breakfast nook fabric - raoul textiles vera in delft

counter stools | counter stool fabric

Cherry Brook Project: Living Room

hello! i'm happy to be sharing my latest project - the cherry brook rd living room! let's get right to the before shots. basically this space was empty except for some random pieces of furniture and old baby gear and toys. :)

 and my favorite part always, the afters!

such a breath of fresh air right?! the mission here was to create a beachy, relaxed space where my clients could kick back after a long day. they have three little children and I can certainly appreciate the stress that goes along with being a parent to young ones! they didn't want anything formal or fussy but plenty of seating to entertain guests. 

we added everything you see from drapery to lighting to furniture to accessories. the palette was blues, soft grays, and a touch of rose. the color came from the artwork and pillows but also those fun blue matching sofas. a fresh coat of white paint created just the right backdrop.

texture is also a big component in this design and there is plenty to go around. the chairs, stool, cabinet, and accessories all bring in depth and warmth. since the sofas are floating, I made sure that there was some detail on the backs and the nailhead trim did the trick. I borrowed some of the accessories from Casita in sudbury and they look so perfect here! p.s. would you believe the "art" above the fireplace is actually a tv!

one of my favorite things that we added was the sconces flanking the tv. I ADORE these sconces!! the shape, the finish, everything! my other favorite is the drapery. duh. ;)  the navy triangles are such a fun pattern and even though it's not, it resembles a block print which I love. the french returns on the drapery rods are a great way to change things up and I think work so well in the overall design! we needed a small cabinet to house the tv components and I sourced this one which was narrow enough to tuck in next to the fireplace.

that's a wrap! thank you to my sweet clients. it's always so wonderful to work with genuinely nice people and that was certainly the case here! while I can't list most of the sources for this project since it was a client, here are a few!

SOURCES:

sofas: lee industries

fiddle leaf fig tree

tree basket

drapery & rods: custom

television: samsung frame

Fresh Styling with Brooke & Lou!

my friend bria hammel of bria hammel interiors started a new line of furniture, accessories, pillows, artwork, and wallpaper called brooke & lou after her two kiddos! when she asked me if i wanted to join her in supporting the launch of the brand, it took me maybe .5 seconds to say yes. i love seeing other woman succeed and it is so empowering to watch (and even help!) someone grow.

as soon as i saw the email, i knew exactly which pieces i wanted to use and where i wanted to put them. the new build i had worked on over the summer has this great built in nook upstairs with two bookcases and a bench seat. it was still empty! i chose the between the lines artwork in pink in the 30x40 size as well as two 20" pillows in lyla stripe in blue. the photo online does not do this fabric justice. it's so pretty!!

i paired the two lyla pillows with a bungalo lumbar pillow that i already had and the colors worked really well with the artwork. the art was all created by artist abbey holden and framed in a soft gold frame. it comes in a bunch of other colors too!

that took care of the bench seat and the wall but the bookcases needed some major accessorizing. i shopped at west elm and target (it doesn't need to be fancy!) to make the shelves come to life. i wanted the overall feel to be fresh, light, and feminine.

styling isn't a perfect science - at least for me! but there are some tricks i use to get it just right.

1. lay everything out in one spot so you can see everything you have to work with.

2. work with odd numbers. stacks of books, vases, or even just one larger item feel better when there is 1, 3, or 5.

3. pay attention to height of the items and vary it left to right and up and down. for example, three times i used one accessory by itself but i made sure not to place them both on the highest shelves, especially since they weren't a pair.

4. find a color palette and stick to it. here i did a lot of pastels but also included some darker accessories to ground everything.

5. proof of life (to steal a phrase from alyssa rosenheck!). greenery is a must and always makes whatever you're looking at feel alive - pun intended ;)

i always tweak and tweak some more. it's never right the first time! what other tips do you have for styling a space? thank you to bria for the beautiful art and pillows and to my client for letting me invade her space!

ACCESSORIES LIST

bench: art | lyla pillow | lumbar pillow | basket

left bookcase, top to bottom: cement box | marble planter | white round vase (homegoods)

pink bowl | glass box | surf shack book | white vase 

right bookcase, top to bottom: plaid vase | rattan basket | white dipped vase | blue marble planter |

plant | topiary | pink vase | bowl | inspired home book