Montclair Estates Elegance

This past week a had a quick getaway to Arkansas to kick off the summer with my family.  It was an incredible time.  It was eye opening to me to see how my "DecRenew" team took care of everything while I was away!  I am extremely grateful to the contractors that work along side me, they are continually making my job such a pleasure.

 It was hard to come back after being in paradise at Lake Greeson in Arkansas.

My mind was renewed (as much as it can be for a few days away) and I was ready to get back to work the day after we returned.

A wonderful family hired me to decorate their piano room, dining room and entry.  They have been in their home several years now and have remodeled each room.  They just hadn't done any decorating  to their 3 front rooms.  Of course, these are the first rooms guests see first. They hired me to make it look inviting, comfortable, classy and welcoming.  This is Phase I of the decorating.  We will be adding some additional items sometime next month.

 The dining room was already furnished and had all the lighting.  We just added draperies, artwork and accessories.

BEFORE

 Amazing what a difference color, texture and draperies can do to a room.

AFTER

The artwork was inspired by the drapery fabric.  Mary Howe from Divine Inspirations did the painting for us.  I outlined the concept and colors and she did her magic like she always does, such talent!

I created the urns by adding moss to a round Styrofoam ball and then surrounding them with grapevine to give it a really natural look.  I just love using greenery that has lots of branches incorporated.  Truly looks like you picked it off a tree.  The urns were aged with an aging solution.

 My camera died in the middle of taking these photo's so I apologize for the "not so vibrant" shots.

The piano room was cleared out completely.  We kept the piano where it was because it is the star of the room.

BEFORE PIANO ROOM

 AFTER PIANO ROOM

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

  We had the fireplace fauxed with layers of  grays.  It now is more of the focal point in the room and coordinates with the colors in the entry. We added all new custom furniture, rugs and accessories, leaving the piano as the focal in this room.

AFTER

 This oil painting is the mom of my client.  She is perfect for above a mantel in a piano room don't you think?

BEFORE

We created a gallery wall with all of the oil paintings that were done by family members.  Framing them all in the same frame made them a grouping that works together, even though they are all quite a bit different.

AFTER

 I didn't use the oil painting with the fruit because I felt like that one is more appropriate for a kitchen.

Substantial dark frames changed the look of the artwork drastically!  Grouping them together makes it more of a collection.  Spreading them out all over the home would have lost their impact.  Seeing them all together tells a better story and showcases the collection.

I found the glass  lamp bases and changed out the shades with something a little more decorative than plain white.  The muted chevron pattern is gorgeous with the rug.

 These custom chairs are my favorite thing in the room!  The colorful  pillow makes the entire room come together. Well....I love the gallery of artwork too!

BEFORE ENTRY

AFTER

 The entry accent wall was painted a similar color to the fireplace surround,  uniting the rooms together.

 I found the chair at an estate sale and had it painted a light gray.

 Reupholstered the seat to match the pillows in the piano room and united everything together with a  cream Brazilian  hide.

 These Spanish doors were added to the stairway wall and are an incredible statement to the home with their weathered texture and color.

The amount of work that goes into one of these installs in incredible.  It always blows my mind to see the ideas that have been swirling around in my head come together within an 6 hour time frame. Months of preparation and organization.  Such an  awesome feeling to see it all put together.

The reveal is always so exciting and this family all gathered together to do the final walk thru after being gone all day.

The moment you drive away from a client and watch as the family walks back into their home is always such a rewarding feeling.  I love knowing that as they enter the front door, new memories will be created as they have friends and family gathered around for meals around their dining room table.  I can imagine lots of gatherings around the piano too, especially  for holidays and special occasions.

Thank you Lord for the blessing of using my gifts to warm the hearts of others.  It's a gift that comes back to me ten fold.

Decorating Details & Piano Room

 

Yesterday I had a full day install for an entire home. We recently remodeled the home and yesterday was the detail day where we rehung pictures, placed new rugs, added some accessories, hung draperies and headboards, etc.  I always incorporate what the client has during my installs because most of the time they have items I can definitely re-purpose or include to make the entire space feel collected over time vs. all brand new and "showroom" like. 

 

 

Here are a few snapshots I took of the day.  More professional photographs coming soon! 

Thought you might enjoy looking into what we did yesterday!  The best part of the day is that I hired my niece Jess to help me.  My Intern Audra is on vacation and I needed help!   Spending the day with her was awesome.  She was my right hand girl all day and did an amazing job! 

 

 

We used the existing bedspread and added the headboard, duvet and throw pillows.

I was so happy with the way it all coordinated together!  Can you believe we bought the pillows separately? The set didn't come together but they sure look that way.  Purchasing the duvet cover online was much cheaper than having a custom one made.  It was a great way to save money so we could have gorgeous mercury lamps!  The duvet cover is from Pottery Barn.

 

A lot of times after a remodel, the client isn't able to afford all the decorating details because their funds have been depleted. However, this is what makes the home complete. It's the décor that makes it all come together! I know it gets incredibly expensive to redecorate but I LOVE to "use what the client has" and add in my touch if budget is something the client is concerned about. 

I move rugs from room to room, steal lampshades from different lamps in the house, rummage through closets & cabinets (with the clients permission of course) and sometimes have furniture repainted ahead of time. It's a fun shopping day for me!

 

Showcases the granite and backsplash.  The newly installed LED lights really make the details shine!

 

 

I brought out some of their china and showed them how they can mix and match pieces to create a more eclectic look.

 

 

This tray was in her living room but it belongs in the kitchen. 

 

 

I added this beautiful bowl to their china cabinet.

 

New parsons chairs and a rug were added to the dining room so now it's less "matchy matchy".  We also added new hardware to her existing china cabinet.

 

New pillows were added to her existing suede couch in her piano room.  Now it looks sophisticated and classy.  This is the waiting room for her piano students that come through her home all day long.

 

New rug in the piano room to warm up the space and add texture and color.   It also coordinates with the adjacent dining room.

 

 

Hope you enjoyed!  Now off to unload my car with all the leftovers from yesterday!  On to another install on Tuesday!  Stay tuned!

 

Visit my website DecRenew Interiors to see my Design Portfolio!

Freshen up your "stiff" dining rooms and get people talking.

At this time of the year I get restless.  Right before summer starts I start dreaming more than usual about changing things up in my home. 

 Over the next few weeks, I thought I'd give you some quick suggestions you can make to spruce up your home.  Hopefully they will be ideas that will make you feel like you have done a transformation without going overboard on your budget.

I love INSTANT changes and I'm sure most of you do too.  My hope is that these images and my descriptions will give you some inspiration and desire to change things up with INSTANT results!

SPRUCE UP YOUR DINING ROOM

WITH MIX AND MATCH CHAIRS

(Freshen up your "stiff" dining rooms)

(Elad Gonen & Zeev Beech)

Your chairs don't have to match.  I especially love mixing up a formal dining room.  Just changing 2 of the chairs can make a drastic difference to the feel of the room.  It can make the room go from "stiff" to "inviting"

(Dreamy Whites)

These folding chairs make the room look summery and beachy.  Perfect for kitchen dining areas.  It's not expensive to buy folding chairs like these and have a change for the summer months.

(Lisaleo Designs)

If you really like a FORMAL feel then make the end chairs different to the rest of the chairs.  Add a fun whimsical fabric that makes it more interesting and playful. 

The above room wouldn't be so fabulous if it didn't have the end chairs that add such a fun flair.  CHANGE up your dining rooms so that they are USED and not just FOR SHOW!  The less intimidating they look, the more people will enter the rooms.

(Fougeron Architecture)

This is a great mix if you have a modern style and are brave enough to really mix up styles.  The end chairs make the table feel less stark and adds some history to the mix (also coordinates with the antique buffet).  You can find these kinds of chairs at resale stores or your local thrift stores and have them recovered for a whole lot less than replacing all the chairs.

(Glen Gissler Designs)

How about getting rid of the chairs and adding two painted benches?  Red and black together always make a great combination.  Great look for a space that isn't used often but you want it to be striking.

Slipcovers is a great way to transform a room without spending too much. 

(Lorraine G. Vale)

These slip covered chairs are beautiful in this room.  Don't you love how they put the orange at the bottom of the skirt to tie into the wall color.    This is a perfect grouping for a room that you are just not sure what to do with (like a small front living area that isn't really big enough for entertaining). 

(Nurif geffin-batim Studio)

Old farm chairs with a bench is always a great way to add style and also adds lots of seating for little ones.

(Rachel Reider Interiors)

Maybe you have a couch like the above somewhere in your home that just isn't speaking to you.  Try it with your dining room table and see what it looks like.  You may even have one in storage?

(Rachel Reider Interiors)

 Imagine how boring this room would be without the side armless couch.  It's a little tall compared to the chairs but they balanced it with the vases they placed on the table.

(Country Living)

Oh, I'm loving this casual setting.  Old and new all mixed up together!  A space that looks lived in will be USED!  In my house, this would be a "chat with my girlfriends" kind of nook.  Don't you want your dining room space to be used?  Amazing wall color in this photo!

(Decor Pad)

Shop around your house and add a wingback chair to your dining room table mix.

(Decor Pad)

Makes me want to sit over a long dinner and have great conversation. The blue walls are gorgeous too.

Maybe you already have this look but have a drab color on the walls.  PAINT, PAINT, PAINT.

(Rebekah Zaveloff)

Loads of mixed up modern character!

(Sutton Suzuki Architects)

These were probably pretty boring parson chairs and now they have fancy pleated skirts that adds a feminine spin without being too girlie.  Very classy and the pleats are beautiful with the lines of the wood floor.  You know I'm all about the details.

(Teneke Triggs)

You may have a set of dining room chairs right now that are all matching.  Take the two end chairs and reupholster them in a lively fabric.  Immediately you will have a quick change for little money.  Again, imagine this dining room with all the same color chairs.  Wouldn't be so fun now would it?

See all the chairs don't have to match. Do remember you want the colors to coordinate. This is so my personal style! 

Shop around your home and accumulate a collection around your table.

(Cottage Living)

(Cottage Living)

Eclectic and full of fun!  Doesn't it make you wonder who lives here and what kind of personality they have? 

Make your rooms a place that makes others curious about you!

An old chair painted white to match the slipcovers.  The gray stripe is stunning with the wall color.

PAINT YOUR FURNITURE FOR A QUICK CHANGE.  The above table painted black is immediately the focal point in this room.

Perfect mixed up combination for a wine cellar.

If you are really on a tight budget, just change out the seat cushions for a fabulous tranformation that everyone will talk about.

I challenge you to mix your dining room chairs up, even restaurants do it!

I look forward to sharing more quick updates for your home over the next few weeks.

Don't forget about your outdoor dining space too!

Visit my website DecRenew Interiors to see before and after pictures of my work.