Thought you might want to see this wonderful secretary transformed into a beautiful new & updated piece. Painted SW Rembrandt Ruby it is now a gorgeous piece that will look amazing in my clients piano room. As you can see, it was dated and need to either be donated or renewed. You know that if I see a good piece with great bones, I usually recommend keeping it and revamping it. That's what we did here and it turned out beautifully. Professionally painted inside and out!
This china cabinet was beautiful but felt so formal and all the pieces matched in the room making it even more formal! My client really wanted a more relaxed feeling in her dining room. We had it custom painted in this wonderful soft gray and it transformed the piece. The antique blue china is now showcased and it wasn't really noticed in the room before.
I just loved her blue antique china!
BEFORE
This mantel looked so formal and stark. The family that lives in this house is not formal and wanted a more relaxed feel without totally redoing their mantel ($$$$)
AFTER
Painting the entire mantel and the surround, including the trim, made it look more masculine and smart! Works beautifully with the new furniture we placed in this room.
Mixing masculine and feminine pieces is one of my trademarks.
BEFORE
This formal dining room furniture was painted (the chairs) and moved to the formal living area. We painted this red room and made it an office so she could meet with clients when she needed to downstairs (see after below). Now she uses every square inch of her home. Who uses formal living rooms anyway?
AFTER
(previously the dining room - see above) We moved the chandelier from her entry into her new office and it worked beautifully.
This is her new dining room (use to be formal living room). We painted her chairs and mixed it up a little by adding parson chairs. She wanted an eclectic mix which is more her style.
Ruthie Tip: When you have picture frame molding in a room it is hard to know how to hang pictures. My suggestion is to ignore the molding and hang large scale artwork, or in this case a mirror, and it makes it work. Eliminate a bunch of things hanging in each section, this makes it look crowded and cluttered (see below before) Keep it simple and tailored.
BEFORE
AFTER
Fresh and new without having to get rid of the family table that got passed down to them.
Are you a fan of painted furniture?
I definitely am! However, I do think that you can go overboard. You don't want every piece in your home to be a bright bold color or all the same color. Keep if fresh by having a few painted items and mixing them with antiques and other finishes. This will keep it from looking too "trendy" and your home won't have to be "updated" every few years. You don't want too much of a good thing!
My friend Christian at Noteworthy Home is doing an amazing job locally with transforming old pieces into NEW gorgeous works of art! Check out some of their cool pieces!
My friend Jennifer in Kansas at The Magic Brush is another company that is so creative! Her blog is filled ideas and inspiration.
Visit DecRenew Interiors to see my design portfolio.
If you haven't read Traditional Home's "Great Kitchens" Special Edition, it's really awesome. I'm featured on page 42 Traditional Home.
