Giddy with excitement!! :)

Yesterday, I was down in Soquel sourcing for a project when I got this text from a client

I was giddy with excitement when she sent me this! (waiting in the wings, to be installed)

I love how it’s shaped up!  We custom designed it for this wonderful family’s California-casual family room.  Gorgeous lines, a beautiful leather (durable too), and the workmanship is on point.

Here’s a few pictures of the sofa silhouette. Don’t miss the subtle slope arm - a beauty. And the aged wood finish

I was able to source out a leather that is first of, gorgeous - a beautiful color and grain. And secondly, very durable and meant for high-traffic spaces like this busy family room.  And it was well-priced!  Leathers can get insanely expensive so I’m truly glad to have found this one & add it to my design arsenal.

Better pictures once it's installed, but I had to share a quick glimpse with ya’ll.  So exciting! And an awesome way to go into my birthday weekend :)

Floored by It

I came across the beautiful home of designer/antiques expert Furlow Gatewood  in Veranda recently. WHAT. A. HOME.  It's a home that demands close examination and I'll do a whole other post on it in the future.  But one of the things that caught my eye in these pictures were the beautiful painted floors! (close ups below).

I had to explore all things painted floors & made some great discoveries along the way.  Stenciling or hand painting, when tastefully done, can give even ugly / boring floors an incredible face lift.  And for a fraction of the cost (and a relatively quick process) than if you were to gut and replace them.  Not only to cover up an unattractive floor, one of my favorite designers and design great, Bunny Williams,  uses this technique effectively to enhance an entry or a living room.

There's actually a few great options for floor stenciling on the market today & I've shared them  below.  Young House Love did  a FANTASTIC in-depth write up  on how they stenciled their closet floors (a 2-day project - pretty cool!). I highly recommend reading it if you're looking to give it a go in your home. 

In my research, I was particularly drawn to rooms where the flooring fills up the space & sets the tone for the room, without overpowering it. Sharing a few snapshots and sources below -

Greek key border floors in the home of Furlow Gatewood. I love the marble-esque texture to it (it's all paint on hardwood floors people!)

Another Furlow Gatewood vignette - someone please transport me to this room!  The painted floors, blue & white china, door surrounds, and stunning leaf decor - I know we're talking floors here, but man, just look at this room.

Something  more contemporary - this trellis pattern  by Anna Louise - she transformed "depressing dark vinyl floors" into THIS.

Stenciling  in progress (they've used a brush, and I've seen small paint rollers used as well)

A checkered entry - Bunny Williams

A tortoise shell pattern that Bunny designed for an entry

Geometric floors in the kitchen - a great choice of color in that silvery grey

Mirth Studio makes beautiful hand painted hardwood tiles. How fantastic are these! Lots of fun patterns & colors and they create custom designs as well.  The little helper to the right - came across on their Instagram

Some whimsy up the stairs! 

I love this room and it's blue floors.

For some pretty, traditional patterns, take a look at Royal Design Studio

Have a great weekend everyone!

Design Crush Tuesday: Paloma Contreras

I came across this beautiful, happy bedroom on Pinterest the other day and instantly wanted to find out who it was designed by.  It's the work of Paloma Contreras,  an award-winning designer based out of Houston and the founder/curator/writer of her wonderful blog, La Dolce Vita. Her work seemed familiar but I couldn't  quite place where I'd seen it before... and then I remembered - it was on postcard I'd picked up at deGournay a few months ago.  It turns out, I've loved her style for a while now! :)

Looking at room after room of her work, I found myself saying, "Holy smokes, this is gorgeous!" at least 20 times!   They're tasteful and textured.  Sometimes formal but never fussy. A play on patterns. Comfy but not homely. Gorgeous vignettes!  And a BOLD use of color. And they seem to have a quality to them that says "these are real, livable homes for real people" , and not just clicked for a magazine spread (although she's been featured in quite a few of them! )

A happy, cheery bedroom. Every time I see this Katie Ridder wallpaper I'm more in love with it - it serves as a beautiful backdrop to this bedroom! The suzani pillows are a winner too.

Want to liven up a basic white pinboard? Add a nailhead trim to it. Love it!

Normally, I wouldn't be a fan of matching shades and throw pillows, but here, somehow, it just works! I think all that natural light, the large window and the surrounding white, balances of the pattern and colors and makes it all come together really well.

Love the arched entrances to the rooms, the columns and the mounding. Don't miss the fantastic antique side/end tables!

A lovely vignette. 

A small but grand bathroom.  It's moody, it's luxurious. Paris flea market chandelier, anyone?! :) And that console sink is va-va-voom gorgeous.

If one is ever to pick a taupe-ish brown wall color for a room - let this be it!! 

The striped curtains, the headboard and the pillow choices (a Schumacher fabric on the square pillows) are all fabulous. 

Statement Pieces

One piece of design advice that has really stayed with me (this one from the inimitable Erin Gates) is this - pick one item you absolutely, die-hard LOVE, something that makes a statement or has an interesting shape or color, and build the rest of the room around it. It's really good advice.  

Right now there's 2 things I'm in love with that I feel make for great design elements in a room.
 

1. The bold & beautiful federal eagle mirror.  It's definitely statement-making and so so versatile. 

You can put it above the fireplace, in an entryway....

Up the stairs... literally place in anywhere, and it works. It just takes the space up a notch.

2. X benches! They're such an EASY way to bring some style into a space. Especially smaller spaces like an entryway (and they serve a purpose - sit down and wear your shoes people :P)  They're great in the living room too for some extra seating, apart from being so visually interesting.

I love, love these malachite pattern X-benches designed by Erin Gates (from her book Elements of Style). Never get old to look at. Aren't they stunning?

And here's one that has both my favorites in one place! 

What do you think? Any of these call out to you? :)

Image Credits: Desert Domicile,  Haus And Home, Cup Half Full,  The Gathered Home, Element of Style,  Laurel Home,  Bright on the day, No 29 Design