FINISHED FRONT PORCH

Remember this? A while back I pulled together a fresh new look for my front porch and wrote about it here. We did some mild landscaping on our front yard late this summer and it motivated us to spend more time out front. Yesterday I picked up a pretty mum so I thought I would photograph the whole thing for you. It's also nice to see my new drapery panels from the outside. I was able to catch the two planters on sale at West Elm and I already owned the owl and lanterns; so the planters, table, chairs, rug and pillows came to $355. A great investment for a new place to hang out, have some wine and play with the dogs.

HER IMAGINARY DREAMY BEDROOM

As a last ditch effort to hold on to sunny summer fashion, I'm loving this fashion girl for her bright summer pallet used in a long sleeve sweater look. The mix between aqua and powder pink is feminine and comfotable. The ankle length jeans with a collared shirt and sweater suggests to me that this girl is out on a crisp September afternoon- people watching and window shopping. Her style is inviting and delicate; she likes to watch the world and learn new things. Her dreamy bedroom is somewhere she can come home to and record the stories and memories of her life. The room is a blend of styles that stem from Mid-century glam that she's incorporated layers of personal objects and comforting textures.

Inspiration Girl

1. Circle Jig Mirror
2. Dandelion in a Jar 
3. Links Printed Roman Shade
4. Vintage Nystrom Globe
5. Worlds Away Phillip Glass Desk
6. Octavia Headboard
7. Large 12 Arm Brass Light
8. SMOK Chair
9. Seeded Glass Table Lamp
10. Georgina Bedding 
11. Zigzag Rug
12. Hans Pedestal Side Table
13. Dresser with Chrome Detail

HER OUTDOOR DINING ROOM

As Rachel Zoe says, "Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak". I love picking up on my client's personal style. A good designer should be able to have an idea of what a client likes before they can even explain what they like. 
I met with one client regarding a work space; it was a brief introductory meeting but I had a good idea of what direction I was going to go before I walked out the door. He wore a soft vintage American motor t-shirt with clean, well fitting jeans. He leaned back comfortably in his chair and spoke very knowledgeably about his business and the commercial property he owns. He swore casually and used a lot of funny analogies regarding relationships with women. From this first impression I knew he wanted an inspiring and humors place of business and I worked off a concept of Apple meets dive bar. Vintage neon signs, quality and eclectic artwork, simple industrial materials- all within a budget that made sense in relationship to the property's value. To say the least he was very surprised how far I was able to go based off of a first impression and I got the job.

As I sift through Tumblr and Pinterest for inspiration, I especially enjoy the fashion photos. I had the idea to pick a picture I was drawn to and to try imaging the client behind the photo. This pretty girl below has a casual and cheerful style. In my imagination she's girly, a little nerdy at heart and cares about the environment. That's why I pulled together a solar powered outdoor dining room for her. The color pallet is directly related to her outfit, the subtle geometric patterns blend well with the ruffly solar lanterns and humorous brass corkscrew. Our beautiful blonde and her study buddies can gather around the farm table for late night conversation over a couple bottles of organic wine.

her look is from Nordstrom

1. Solar Birdhouse from oooms

2. Stackable Acrylic Wine Glasses from Crate & Barrel

3. Brass Muse Bottle Opener from Jonathan Adler

4. Farm Table from Seabrook Classics

5. Surya Rain Area Rug from Rug Studio

6. Soji Solar Lantern from SFMOMA

7. Hot Mesh Chair from Blu Dot

8. Rope Ice Bucket from Haus Interior

9. Cross Dye Napkin Set from West Elm

FRONT PORCH- ROUND 2

On Monday I wrote a post about decorating my front porch. Yesterday I stopped by Ballard Designs to pick up my fabulous new rug but I was disappointed when I saw it in person. The Suzanne Kasler Indoor/Outdoor Ikat Rug is unlike the rest of Ballard's indoor/outdoor rugs; it's a thick loop pile as appose to flat woven so it looks and feels like an indoor rug. This rug would be a great fit for someone who's needs a durable, easy to clean rug for inside their home- a pet owners or someone with children. Even though it's 100% poly-acrylic, the rug didn't look like it would hold up very well outside. Our front porch is uncovered and unprotected from the elements. I also wasn't feeling the thick texture, it just wasn't what I had in mind. So I left the store empty handed and went back to the drawing board. 

original concept

I already got the white Ikea chairs, the teal metal table from Cost Plus World Market and the planters from West Elm. It was tempting to grab the West Elm lumbar pillows because the price is so great and they only had a couple left but I knew I would have more rug options available if I wasn't committed to the tan pillows. Below are a few alternatives I came up with that include the white and teal pieces I already have. 

The first look is the most exciting to me; the golden and rusty colors combine very well with the teal and the mix of patterns would add a lot of interest to such a small space. My biggest concern with this option is that the color palette might get old fast, I don't typically lean towards Earthy colors like these. 

Vinhais Garden Pot from Anthropologie, Lumbar Pillow in Raffia Gate Tuscan from Frontgate, Leanne Ikat Rug from Horchow

Our house is painted a light sage green, so when I came across this outdoor rug I thought that the range of blues and greens could tie the porch decor into the exterior of the house. Also, I've always liked the way green pillows and cushions look outdoors against natural greenery.

Beacon Birdhouse from Anthropologie, Trimaran Stripe Pillow from Dash & Albert Company, Pond Stripe Rug from Dash & Albert Company

The final look I pulled together is bold black and white with a pop of teal. This look is similar to the interior of our house. The porch is painted white so I like the idea of a high contrast rug and a simple palette. Also, our back porch furniture is black metal with khaki cushions and aqua blue and khaki pillows, if I wanted to mix things up back there I could switch these pillows out for a new look. I think the thick black stripes and dark pots would catch people's eyes from the street and from the inside of our living room. 

ANGENAM Vase from Ikea, Throw Pillow from Land of Pillows, Diamond Rug from Dash & Albert Rug Company

Now I just need to make a choice...

A PORCH WORTH SITTING ON

David and I have been doing a lot of yard work this summer. We've lived in the same rental house for a couple years now and in the past we haven't had the interest in landscaping considering that the house isn't ours. This spring we made the decision to stick around for a while and with that choice came a whole new list of projects. Luckily, my mom moved to Atlanta in June so we have a professional home owner to teach us some Gardening 101. After a few laborious weekends we have a nicely improved yard with the groundwork laid for more plants next year. Now that our front yard is no longer an eye sore we've been migrating toward the front of our house, peaking out the windows at our labor of love. This inspired the bonus project- a front porch worth sitting on! Now is a great time to buy outdoor furniture and accessories, I always recommend that my clients wait until summer is here or on the way out to buy outdoor products because the seasonal sales are well worth the wait. A couple years ago I got outdoor pillows for our back porch from Restoration Hardware, $70.00 marked down to $17.00! Below is the shopping list for my $400.00 front porch update! 

Clockwise from top left: 
AKERBAR from Ikea- This glazed Terracotta dish is perfect for serving summer snacks.


Pagoda Blue Metal Table from Cost Plus World Market- This table was marked down from $49.99 to $16.99 and inspired the color pallet for the porch.


Claude Planters from West Elm- West Elm is having a great outdoor sale right now these Earthware planters went from $16.99, $34.00 and $69.00 to sale prices $9.99, $12.99 and $24.99


HOGSTEN from Ikea- I got two of these outdoor chairs along with the wire table as an early Birthday present (thanks Mom). I am very impressed with Ikea's newest outdoor furniture, it took me a long time to finalize my choice there. I went with this steel and Ployethylene chair because of the mix between contemporary Scandinavian design and kitschy rattan, it was also the most comfortable.


Outdoor Mosaic Texture Pillow from West Elm- These pillows are marked down from $34.00 and they will be a great color tie in for my new porch look!


Suzanne Kasler Ikat Rug from Ballard Designs- This indoor/outdoor runner is defiantly my big splurge item. While Ballard does have some great markdowns on outdoor rugs right now, I have to have this brand new runner (that was clearly made for my new front porch).

MY MEGA DEN EXPERIENCE

Hey everyone, last night I watched a new episode of Mega Dens, featuring one of my paintings! The host, Anitra Mecadon, came by my office while they were scouting for locations and she fell in love with a custom painting I was working on for a client (see here). When she interviewed The Vogeltanz for the show she thought one of my paintings would be a perfect fit for their colorful basement remodel. It was really fun working for the show, Anitra gave me a lot of freedom as far as the shape, size and exact colors of the piece. Before I started on the painting she showed me The Vogeltanz's home, their photography, the wall paint colors and some accessories that she picked out for the remodel, this was enough direction to get me off the ground and running! Check out the photos below, and stop by DIY Network to see more on the episode (season 3, episode 4). 

Any time I work on a painting I start off on a freshly organized desk, but somehow by the end of the project I always find myself spread out across the floor!

Below are some of the things I took inspiration from after my trip through the home owners house- photography from their recent trip to Africa and these beautiful pillows and blankets Anitra found at West Elm.

Please contact me for pricing information on one of my custom paintings.

WEST ELM GOES TO AFRICA

I stopped into West Elm yesterday and was blown away by their latest African collections. The big box store that can be found across the US in shopping malls and plazas has been doing a great job of exposing it's cliental to more worldly and inspired products. They collaborate with designers and artists from across the globe and share their stories in their catalogue, website and blog. Every interior should have items in it with history or a personal story attached to it, West Elm has made it possible for mass produced home goods to have the warmth of a one-of-a-kind product. People can share the history and design behind their West Elm purchases at dinner parties! The tableware below is designed by Potter's Workshop; described as "collective of homegrown artists founded by Chris Silverston in 1991". In the video below Chris and one of her potters talk about how they let the nature and culture of Cape Town inspire the work. These beautiful, textural pieces would add personality to most any decor style, the most obvious choice would be an African inspired home but I could see these in a contemporary home, a mid-century style home, a country cottage or a in Martha Stewarts kitchen. Check out the handmade work of Potter's Workshop at their website.

West Elm and Potter's workshop also collaborated on a line of pillow cases to help customers pull the look into other parts of the home.

Another collaboration that contributes to the African Collection is with Cape Town furniture designer, John Vogel. His woven bench and dinning chair are so gorgeous, they caught my eye as soon as I walked in the door. The quality and design of these pieces are so striking that if I came across them in someone's home I would have never in a million years guessed that they are from West Elm! Vogel's designs are unique and would make great statement pieces in a home, especially if the customer can't afford one-of-a-kind furniture or doesn't have the interest in collecting fine furniture.

Check out John Vogel's site here.

PALM BEACH SUMMER

photo credit (left to right): Pinterest via Lauren Dott,  Jose Villa Wedding Photography

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather this week! After a day of being locked up in my windowless office, all I want to do is sit outside with a festive cocktail! I came across the beautiful photos above and they inspired me to create an inspiration board for a Palm Spring style outdoor room. FYI, the  Montauk Nest Chair on the bottom right is on sale now at West Elm!

1. Trina Turk Shanghai Links Pillow- $52.00 and Origami Pillow from Room Service- $70.00

2. Azimuth Cross Lounge Settee by Janus Et Cie

3. Primer Objeto by Jorge Diego Etienne

4. Small Woven Tumbler Set by Privet House for Target- $21.99 for 4

5. Driftwood Coffee Table from Pieces Atlanta

6. Hot House Spring Outdoor Rug in 5'x8' by Dash & Albert Rug Company- $414.00

7. Worlds Away Bar Cart from Zinc Door- $847.00

8. Montauk Nest Chair by West Elm- $679.00

SUCCULENT SUCCULENTS

West Elm has launched an Indoor Garden line that I am really excited about. I love succulents and air plant, and I hear they are pretty easy to care for (a big plus for me). The terrariums and globes that are popular right now give the greenery a cool Sciencey look. They would blend well with a lot of different style homes from stark minimal to vintage shabby chic. The dull colors of cacti and succulents would also find  a place mixed in with a wide variety of room palettes. The plants range from $ 22.50- $37.50 and the containers from $8.00 -$129.00   

west elm

Another company on my raider is Flora Grubb Garden. They are a San Francisco based florist and their website is full of gorgeous flower arrangements and gifts. I love checking in on their blog for color inspiration, lately it has been featuring a lot of succulents and air plants. You can order these really unique gifts below on their online store. The Kits come with all the parts you need to create your own hanging or wall mounted mini garden. The kit prices range from $29.00 - $39.00 and would make a wonderful housewarming gift!

flora grubb gardens

 I first learned about Wearable Planter at the Indie Craft Experience.The Atlanta based jewelry designer, Colleen Jordan, creates these precious and delicate accessories with 3D software. The pattern is printed on materials like nylon and acrylic then hand finished. They make a sweet home for your favorite herb, a flower from your garden or a tiny succulent arrangement, and they just added a really cool collection for you bike too!

wearable planter