a chevron cake for you to eat…

a spunky cushion for your seat.

A cozy blanket to keep you warm…

a sassy wrap dress for your form.

Zig zag pattern underfoot…

an awesome dresser for clothes to put.

A fabric basket to hold your stuff…

a stylish pillow for you to fluff.

A fabulous lamp to keep things bright…

I could go on and on all night! But I won’t.

]]> http://www.simple-e-design.com/2012/01/chevron-on-my-mind/feed/ 1 http://www.simple-e-design.com/2012/01/porch-pretty/ http://www.simple-e-design.com/2012/01/porch-pretty/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:27:08 +0000 Lisa http://www.simple-e-design.com/?p=1681 Could it have been the 65 degree day here in Denver with gorgeous bright sunshine?  All that melting snow has turned my thoughts to porch sitting. There is something about a porch that’s a perfect spot for casual entertaining with good friends or sitting in solitude and peacefully enjoying the outdoor scenery. The best porches have a combination of indoor/outdoor access, great views, creative lighting with ceiling fans or dramatic pendants, cozy furniture that’s not quite outdoor durable, but close. I want it all.

We have a porch. At it’s worst, our porch has looked like this. (I realize revealing this image could be bad for business.)

It’s the old cobbler and his shoeless kids story (except my kids have a lot of shoes, bikes, sports equipment, school projects, etc. and we apparently put them all on this porch!) It does have potential, so sometimes I catch myself dreaming about porches that look like this…

Oh, how I adore that furniture. Or this…

We could have a nice little chat over a glass of wine in those cozy chairs.

The glossy floor and steely trim color on this porch are delish. They probably don’t allow bikes on their porch.

This porch is like hanging out in the swankiest treehouse ever.

My sheer embarrassment about the state of our porch did motivate me to do some porch prettifying last summer. I found some kitschy patio furniture at an estate sale for a steal. It was in great shape and just needed a coat of black spray paint. But the big change was using porch paint to clean the floor up. What do you think? Better, no?

Of course I’m not done, and this picture does not show the wall where we hang backpacks, coats, pool towels, and whatever else I can hang on a hook. However, it’s waaaaaay better, and we are motivated to take care of our porch and enjoy it more often.

I have plans for more improvements next summer, but I know it will get cold again soon, so I’m not in a hurry. As it is with most projects here, to be continued…

All pretty porch pictures are from House Beautiful or Better Homes and Gardens.

Suffice it to say that there was nothing about my bright, cheerful, put-together client that was mirrored by her office. Our goal was to brighten and lighten the space (but you probably figured that already!). Wallpaper was our jumping off point because we couldn’t remove the paper that was there before. My client has very traditional tastes, and I wanted to honor that, but get her out of her comfort zone just a tad. A simple, clean and graphic pattern was what I had in mind. I was so excited when she said yes to this one.

{Seabrook Wallpaper 21273}

It’s pretty, feminine, bright, fresh; everything her prior office was not! We freshened the desktop and shelves with white paint, and added some office and media cabinetry from Pottery Barn and a sleek desk chair from Crate & Barrel. Now the office is so fresh and lovely I want to work here!

Doesn’t it look so much bigger? Here’s another shot where you can see how my client continued the pink and white color scheme with these cute boxes and magazine files she found on One Kings Lane for organizing her paper work and photos.

To give her eyes a rest from the pattern, I put together a gallery of some of her favorite artwork from around the house, and ta da! She can start off the new year inspired by her surroundings.

If you’d like help refreshing a room in your house, please contact us.

However, the crumbling plastic turquoise tiles, icky linoleum flooring and rubber trim (a mid-80′s upgrade?!), a tub that left you need deep in water after a 5 minute shower, and a toilet seat with rust marks that appeared, er, questionable all culminated into a dire need to remodel!

Ick, that floor was gross! We took the bathroom right down to the studs. Here’s what we found under the linoleum:

More linoleum!  But at least this pattern makes sense with the original yellow and turquoise tile. I’d always wondered about that.

Our yellow toilet found a happy home, too.

Apparently our curbside toilet disposal was a popular idea among our neighbors. One actually put it in his pickup and drove off with it. I guess our trash really is someone else’s treasure.

We’re almost done with the remodel. Here are some sneak peak shots.

Stay tuned for the big reveal which is TBD since my finisher would rather ski than get this project done! Any bathroom doozies in your house?  Remodels on the horizon?  Do tell.

If you’d like help creating spaces in your home that you absolutely love, please contact us.

Here’s the living room before…

And here is the new loungey living room…

The chairs swivel so they’re perfect for watching TV and socializing, and they’re covered in the most supple leather…mmmm!  We carved out a nook by the front door for a desk for our client that does double duty as a console when the drawers are folded inward.

In the dining room, we switched out her traditional table and chairs and ho hum chandelier…

for a swanky new light fixture, sleek glass topped table and creamy white leather host and hostess chairs with nailhead trim.

In the kitchen, we updated the blush toned maple cabinetry and French Country table and chairs

with bright white paint on the upper cabinets and an earthy tan on the base cabinetry. To offset all of the angles in the room, we switched out the rectangular table for a round one that has a removable leaf, and paired it with sleek curvy chairs that pick up on the white cabinets and are a snap to wipe down.

A triple locker replaces the former desk area and gives the boys room to store their jackets and backpacks when they walk in the back door.

The family room’s carpet and furnishings had seen better days…

so we added new hardwood floors, a sectional that accommodates the whole family, and relocated the desk area to the nook by the fireplace.

We ripped out built in bookshelves that our client hated because they were too shallow to hold anything and made room for a game table.Now the family room looks pulled together and connects to the kitchen beautifully.

When I asked our client if she loves her new family room, she said, “I’m never in it! But I love MY new grown up family room. I’m in that room all the time now.”

If you’d like help creating spaces in your home that you absolutely love, please contact us.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to bring a little Happy Halloween into your house…

Grandin Road is the Mecca of all things Halloween.  We love the items in the Tuscan Collection because they will look great in your home through the fall.

These decorative leaves from Pottery Barn can give your house a little pop of fall foliage color.

This classic terracotta pumpkin from Target would look great inside or outside.

Please forgive our blogging absence. You’re not off the subscription list as many of you have asked. (As if we would remove you–NEVER!) We’re just chasing babies (Cameron) and driving to swim team/tennis/soccer/camp (Lisa). If you’re looking for some affordable home design style, check out our portfolio here!

We’re staying in our pj’s and working on Valentines today (or at least for the next 15 minutes).

{Clearly we’ve been so busy that there’s been no time for brushing hair. }

{At least one of us is dressed and ready for action.}

Yep, 15 minutes have passed, and we’re on to Scrabble Junior. What are you up to today? Hope you’re staying cozy, wherever you call home.

Months ago, I read an inspiring article (December issue of BH&G) about a talented young designer, Lauren Liess, who is transforming her home along with her husband and their young family. I was totally smitten with her (she’s gorgeous, friendly, creative, and from Virginia). I found myself going back to the article again and again. It was the first time I could recall a national shelter magazine featuring a house that was so relatable for regular folks. Lauren’s house doesn’t have a charming wrap around porch, a gourmet kitchen with granite and high-end appliances, or a spa-like master bath. No. Her home is a 1970′s split level that sat on the market for four years before she came along and saw the potential. Now that, I can relate to.

(I promise I’ll include all the links to everything I’ve mentioned about Lauren and her fabulous home, but please indulge me for a few more sentences while I make this about me and my nanosecond of glory.)

Did I mention I was inspired? I was so inspired that I actually wrote to BH&G to thank them for including such a relatable article in their publication. And guess what? They thanked me back by including my letter on page 15 of the February issue. I know it’s a little thing, but dang if I’m not excited. I’m in print!

{Oy, the scan is so blurry! Sorry!}

What is really fun for me is that I first learned that my letter was published from my friend Ann in Chicago who mentioned it on Facebook. I’d forgotten about even sending it in, to be honest. Then, Pam, an old (but still young!) friend from Virginia, said the world felt a little smaller when she saw my letter in her copy of the magazine. I love hearing from everyone, and I also love the idea that we can reach out and connect with each other even though everyone is so geographically spread out and far flung these days. How cool is that?

Here is the article about Lauren’s house from the December 2010 BH&G entitled “Christmas Present”. The best way to read it (unless you get your hands on that issue) is on Lauren’s blog, Pure Style Home, which I highly recommend.

Lauren Liess Kitchen from BH&G 12/10 Issue

Also, here are more pictures from her DIY kitchen remodel that include tons of doable ideas. Take a look at all of it when you have time. I think you might find yourself rather smitten with Lauren, too.

It was, and you can do it too. Just follow this easy formula:

Step 1: Start with a plant

Or fruit, or fresh flowers…something living is the idea here. I’m momentarily stumped since my budget doesn’t allow for fresh flowers, and I do have that black thumb affliction. But then I remember that my one surviving plant might work, so I add it to the table.

Looking better already!

Step 2: Vary the heights

Ok, well I’m just working with one item here, but I’ll keep that in mind as I add more. For now, I am liking the spiky tall leaves on my plant, so step 2, I guess, is complete.

Step 3: Add books and stack them

Well that’s something we have a lot of! The idea is you switch out books based on seasons, or the interests of your guests, but since I’m the only one home right now, I’ll choose a few of my own home decor faves. Note to self: later must switch to BBQ cookbooks and a gnomes/fairies/Star Wars combo to meet the needs of the other residents and their after school play date guests.

Step 4:  Place an object on top

This step leaves A LOT of room for interpretation, but I’ve seen enough to know what we’re looking for here. The article suggests a non-scented candle. (Why? Scented candles are bad? I did not know this!) I only have a scented candle handy, so I try it.

Remember Step 2 about varying the height? I’m not loving the way my candle is looking on the stack of books; it’s too stumpy (although it smells lovely, so there!). I go for a little black vase with a little feather ball thingy conveniently already in it. I like the height better. Don’t you?

Step 5: Use odd numbers

I do the math so far. Three books, one vase, one plant. As far as I can tell, my grouping is filled with odd numbers, and since I’m a whiz at first grade math lately, I think Step 5 is complete! Check!

Step 6: Keep proportion in mind

Proportion? Scale? This is definitely more like middle school math, so I reflect on my arrangement. Is it in scale with the table? I think so. Is it in proportion to the room? I think so. It doesn’t look overwhelming or oversized, so I think I’m good here. But that’s all a matter of interpretation; you have to trust your own instincts on this one. So ambiguous, I know! Don’t you just long for the “right” answer?!

Step 7: Keep it all on one side

Whew, we’re back to basics on this step! The idea here is if you keep your display to one side, then you have room for a tray of goodies when you’re having company. I don’t have anyone coming over today, but I pretend I do. Here’s what my imaginary guests and I are having…

Step 8: Use the space underneath

Honestly, I’m more in favor of this step if you have a base to your coffee table. I like the sleek lines of my coffee table without something below. But not to be one to deviate from directions, I find a basket and cover its contents with a throw.

Step 9: Keep it interesting

Although most of you might not find much interesting here except that bottle of wine, the point is, if you mix things up and include objects that are interesting to look at or touch (photos, books, found objects, etc.), then it becomes an appealing display that is easy to modify as long as you keep the basic steps and principles in mind.

I do think that my coffee table looks a lot more interesting now, and the steps were really easy to follow and required no purchasing of new swag. But I honestly don’t know how long that plant or vase will last with my dog wagging her tail around, and I know my kids will mess up that stack of books within minutes of arriving home from school. As for the wine, anyone want to come over for a clink later?