Saturday Style Diary

by lauraadmin | Jun 10, 2017 | NOC

2017 has been a whirlwind; the past two months alone, I have doubled my client roster!!  I have been a busy bee with lots of really exciting design projects ranging from a kitchen showroom, media room, a few family rooms, tons of kids’ rooms, a couple of formal living rooms and so much more!! I can’t wait to share my finished projects with you.

One of my favorite things about being a designer is that (for obvious reasons) no two projects are alike.  Interior Design is a study in psychology, sociology, economics and fine arts.  Each project is different and stretches me in ways that always leaves me feeling like a better version of myself by the end of it.   I enjoy getting to know each of my clients and hearing about their lives, as well as what role they would like me to play in the design of their home.

I always begin asking about how my clients want their space to feel.  I have learned that asking clients this question, as opposed to how they want their space to look, allows me to lead the design process by instinct.  Since clients often have trouble articulating how their space should look (hence, my role in the process), this is the best place to start.  I strive to find unique ways to achieve the clients’ dream room.  I love when a client says “I never would have chosen any of this, but this is EXACTLY how I wanted this room to look!”

With all of the diverse projects I’ve been working on, I thought I’d share a quick post on things that I am loving right now.

1.  White Painted Rooms

Gray has completely taken over the market the last few years.  It is EVERYWHERE!! I love gray; it is a great neutral. However, it has been overused and is beginning to lose the characteristics that initially attracted us to it.  In addition, when everything and everyone is using gray it begins to suck the life out of a space.

I have been really loving white-painted rooms.  White rooms need not translate into boring spaces.  Quite the contrary; a space with white walls can be very dramatic.  Painting walls in white lets you control where the focal points are and orchestrate what elements you want to showcase and what elements you might want to hide.  It is no secret that art galleries favor white paint to draw focus to each piece of art.  It is the same for interiors.  An heirloom piece is so much more impactful when showcased in a white room.

Bright white paint with blue undertones is perfect for a modern room; white paint with pink or yellow undertones is more suitable for a rustic interior; and white with gray undertones is perfect for a transitional space.

I love the clean and sophisticated backdrop that a white-painted room provides.  However, white is a very fickle color. Hands down, it is the hardest paint color to pick because of all of the undertones.  When done right, it feels fresh, calm and allows all of the right elements to shine.  When done wrong, it feels cold, boring and sterile.

Below are rooms where white is done beautifully:

2.  Antiqued Mirrors

Antiqued mirrors are the easiest way to add interest and patina to a room.  This element immediately elevates any room or piece it adorns.  Adding an antique finish is not cheap, but the visual payout is HUGE!!!

There are so many antique finishes to choose from; they can range from blue, black, brown and gold.  Choose the finish that best conveys the look you are going for, or that shares the same color palette as the rest of the room.

I have backed bookcases, added to cabinets and used them in a myriad of decorative ways.  I can not say enough about antique mirrors; I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this finish!!

3.  Lucite

This is the finish that I get the most initial push back on from clients, and the one they ALWAYS love once they take the leap.  This is also a finish that looks horrid when done poorly.  The key is in the material used, which usually coincides with the price.  Thin, cloudy lucite looks cheap.  Look for lucite that is thick (usually heavy) and crystal clear.  The beauty of lucite is that it takes up no visual space; therefore, it is the perfect piece to put in small spaces or if you want to highlight a beautiful area rug or wallpaper.  There is MAJOR impact in this transparent material!

4.  Matte Black

I have been loving this material for months now (see my post here).  There is something really rich about this color.  I have always felt that every room needs some black.   Black is a neutral.  Whereas some neutrals move the eyes through a room, black serves to ground a space and stops the eyes “dead in their tracks”.  There is something so incredibly chic about black; the matte finish adds a more current feel to this versatile color.   I always compare black elements with black eyeliner.  Like black eyeliner, black serves to outline spaces and creates a portal through which one’s focus is guided.  This is the reason I love to paint the moldings for doorways and windows in black.

5.  Overdyed Area Rugs

Like gray, geometric rugs have been overdone.  I still use them when the space warrants it, but I am loving the depth that overdyed rugs lend to a room.  I also love the juxtaposition and tension that an overdyed rug creates in a modern space.  The saturation in the dye, as well as its absence, adds a really interesting layer in a room.

I hope this post has served to enlighten and inspire you to try some of the elements I’ve listed here.  What makes design so fun, is for the most part, things are easy and inexpensive to change.  If you don’t like the paint, then repaint; if you don’t like a piece, return it.  Design should not be stressful.

Our home is a reflection of who we are or who we would like to become.  It is within those walls that we dare to be all that we truly are.  Have fun. Be bold. Stay curious.

I would love to hear what you think of some of these trends.  Let me know which, if any, you have tried and loved.

XO

Laurie