A Marriage of Masculine and Feminine Design

We just finished an awesome install last week. What makes the install amazing is working with fun clients during the process. I have to say that this client was one of my favorites. As a designer, when the client is joyful and excited about their reveal, that makes it so rewarding!

They totally put their trust in me during the whole process which enabled me to do my job well.

 BEFORE ENTRY

The client hired me for the remodel portion of their home and then to finish it out with accessories, rugs, lighting and draperies.

AFTER ENTRY

The entry had some great pieces but they just weren't making a statement. The desk in the entry was too deep for the space so we moved it to another room (see details on that in a later post).

Ruthie Tip: In small spaces, I try to use anything that gives the illusion that the space is bigger. Example in this entry would be open legs on the console, a mirror, crystal lamp, glass vase and white stools.  

We painted the clock a pretty gray, added a round rattan rug (notice the black that ties into the stair runner) and slid some fuzzy ottomans underneath the console for some fun and a casual flair.

 BEFORE ENTRY

AFTER ENTRY

 I incorporated some of the antiques that were spread out throughout the home because antiques mixed in with new items makes it look collected, not decorated.

We painted the stairs white and added a black runner to the center of the staircase. We also painted the staircase railing black. We had a barn door custom made especially for the music room that adjoins the entry so they can close that room off. The detailing of the barn door is fabulous and can really be seen better from the inside of the music room (this is the back of the door).

BEFORE FAMILY ROOM

Their family room needed some lightning up, that's for sure. The Tuscan "old world" theme was everywhere.  She loves traditional and he loves a more contemporary style. I encouraged them that we could marry the two and get something that they would both like. I created a transitional look for them and they LOVED it.

 The leather sofa and 2 chairs were in decent shape so we reused them, along with the coffee table. We painted the entire downstairs walls as well as the bookshelves and mantel.

AFTER FAMILY ROOM

Amazing transformation, right?

TV was moved to top of the mantel. Added new lighting, a new rug, draperies, artwork, coffee table & bookshelf accessories, side tables, lamps and pillows. It made a huge impact to the feel of the room. When people say, the details don't matter, THEY DO! Just look at the details above!

BEFORE

AFTER

I love layering the coffee table accessories. The tray can be removed easily if they want to play games, etc. I collected all of these items over the month at different places I shop and it makes for a nice mix and loads to talk about when entertaining. I found the tiny binoculars and painted them gold (they are my fav).

The rain stick from Mexico is cool too.

Loved these gold candle holders.

The rug!!!

BEFORE BOOKSHELVES

AFTER BOOKSHELVES

The chairs swivel so they can easily watch TV and can pull in chairs from their dining room for extra seating when needed.

Ruthie Tip: Notice how we painted the candlesticks white with a gold leaf dusting? Reuse what you have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BEFORE KITCHEN

Notice the faux brickwork!! Remember when we use to love this?

The kitchen felt closed off from the living room, due to the funny opening on the right. We took out the sheetrock column and opened that area up. We wrapped the support beam with rustic wood all the way across and stained it to match the barn door. It now feels so much more open.

AFTER KITCHEN

We added new lighting in the kitchen, above the island.We took cabinets to the ceiling and that made a big impact to the kitchen vibe. It is now so much more updated, and we didn't have to gut the entire thing. I love how you can see the entry in this photo too! You can see here that the desk that was in the entry, is now a place in the living room to pay bills, etc., it is also painted cream.

 The family room feels a part of the kitchen now!

The client had this camel saddle and I thought it looked perfect on this shelf, rather than on the floor. The colors I incorporated on the bookshelves brings in the colors from the fantastic painting.

A animal print throw on the ottoman pulls the room together. Small detail but you can see how it makes a statement. Another small detail is that we added hardware to the drawers and cabinets under the bookshelves. They don't match but I love that!  Leather pulls and crystal knobs!

Pillows, pillows, pillows, and they don't all have to match! Texture, texture, texture. I love to mix it up.

Fabulous, colorful artwork with gorgeous lamps on a console table that the client painted black for me with chalk paint.

Ruthie Tip: You can mix gold and silver! It makes it more interesting.  

Here is the video of the reveal as well as a walk through video of the entire finished project.

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I'm working on my next home as we speak!

Hope you mix it up this week in  your HOME!

Hope it's a great week!

Ruthie Staalsen - What my design philosophy is and why!

I wanted to share with you a snippet from my book that was published a few months ago. This portion of my chapter truly describes what I am all about.

Ruthie Book

"My main objective is to create environments that are gathering places for families and friends to do life together.

However, I am about more than that.  I believe that the home is a special hub for the best moments in life.

  It is the place where you watch your kids dance around the kitchen.

It is where you and your hubby carry your kids to their bed because they fell asleep on the couch.

 

It's where your daughter brings a boy home for the first time, and where  your family laughs around the dinner table so hard that you choke on your food.

Home is where real life happens and sometimes real life is a little bit messy.

That is why I want the homes I decorate to be a place for peace and solitude.  Our society is so busy and hurried that spending time AT HOME is almost a lost art.

My goal is to connect these wonderful moments of life to the home through interior design.

  I have a different perspective on design in that it isn't totally about a specific look.  It's more about finding the soul of the people living in the home, and helping the client find the surroundings that makes them feel good. Decorating is about creating a quality of life, a beauty that nourishes the soul.

Our homes should reflect what we are about, our beliefs, our experiences and family traditions.  After all, homes are not just about nice things, they are about a place where you want to spend time.

I want to be known as the designer that connects these dots."

I'm working on a project at the moment where I get to do exactly what I've described above. I get up each morning, ready to make lives and homes more beautiful!

Asian Inspired Office with a Texas Twist

decrenew interiors

I always love decorating office spaces.  The accessorizing is what makes an office feel inviting! There is no reason an office needs to feel stuffy and stale.  Your spaces create a mood and can instantly make a client feel at ease which equals profits for you in the long run.

BEFORE

 

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My client had all the furniture pieces but needed me to add the detail.  They wanted an Asian influence with a Texas flair.  The main problem here is the scale of the couch.  It seems small for the room.  I knew we could make it work with whatever we put above the couch.

AFTER

full room

My inspiration for the entire room was this vintage oriental rug that I found.  If you follow me regularly, you will see that I like to add an international flair to my designs. This project was perfect for me because of that.

Ruthie Tip:  Never under estimate the power of pillows.

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The large antique blue and white ginger jars added such charm to the room.  I wanted the flannel plaid on the leather couch to create a masculine feel.

The white cow rug is the twist of Texas!

The floor lamp is really nice in an office for evening working. Also, creates height in the space and makes everything come together nicely.

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Pops of green on the coffee table as well as the fig tree makes the space feel alive.

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I always love how fig trees look. They are so lush and green. I put this one in a basket which is a bit of a Texas flair and adds interest and texture vs. a typical planter.

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Two gold bamboo pagoda lamps really added a fun flair to the console table.

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Yellow florals pop against the black console table and definitely add an Asian flair.

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The reception area is very welcoming now with the blue and white pottery and the striking florals.

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 The artwork was custom made by "Divine Inspirations" and I love it!  So colorful and striking when you walk in.

I'm busy working on some design plans and will be posting pictures as soon as those jobs are finished.  We finished up 3 kitchens this week so photo shoots will be happening sometime soon too.