Artful Character Colors a Textile Designer's Home

Artful Character Colors a Textile Designer's Home

Although Kate and Cody Roebuck had never seen their rental house in person before moving from Georgia to Oxford, Mississippi — just a few smart-phone photographs — the couple trusted that Kate, an artist and also a textile designer, could make the room burst together with DIY pattern, colour and character.

Now a glittery chandelier covers an undesirable light fixture in the dining area, a chicken cage serves as the living room coffee table, and handmade and printed throw pillows from Hable Construction, where Kate does her textile design work, add splashes of colour. Even a very small opossum jaw is appreciated for its layout and made a part of a tabletop display.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Cody and Kate Roebuck
Location: Oxford, Mississippi
Size: 1,000 square feet; 3 bedrooms, two baths

Corynne Pless

Books and accessories organized by color fill a weathered black bookcase from Scott’s Antiques. “I stored up for the bookcase, because I knew it’d be cherished and loved,” Kate says.

Couch (abandoned): Ikea; throw pillows: Red Sails and Water Birds, Hable Construction

Corynne Pless

She discovered the reddish Brahmin Danish Modern chair next to the bookcase in a Regional Goodwill for $20. “My heart was pounding when I spotted it I nearly knocked over some folks racing over for it to claim it as my own!” Kate says.

A large, distressed framework rescued from the side of the road leans on top of the bookcase and frames a shape drawing from school.

International artisans in Stray Dog Designs made the bird figurines by hand.

Lamp: Ballard Designs

Corynne Pless

Here’s Kate alongside a small entry table sprinkled with colorful collectibles by front door, which opens into the living area.

Abstract artwork (abandoned): Laura Roebuck; wall paint: Light Blue No. 22, Farrow & Ball

Corynne Pless

A hamper from Hable Construction corrals vases and blankets beneath the table, together with boots stored in an antique Pepsi crate, while several colorful feathers dress up a bird’s nest on top.

To Cody’s birthday, Kate allow him pick from a string insect paintings she’d done. He chose the spider, and she had it all framed.

Lamp: Apple Barrel Antiques; small beetle painting: Laura Roebuck

Corynne Pless

An aerial view of the coffee table reveals brightly colored succulents, an antique enthusiast and a plate with a discovered hummingbird and small bone. “I suppose the weirdest thing about our house is that I have a fairly extensive selection of creatures around — all which had passed on before I got them,” says Kate. “I want to be clear I am not a killer of creatures — I simply find them that way”

Corynne Pless

A colorful medley of bags and straw hats outlines the wall next to front door. A tiny antique chair functions as a side table, together with books bringing texture and height into the seat.

Totes: by Hable Construction except the one with orange leather handles

Corynne Pless

A thornbush against a white wall adds texture into a corner. Green-printed paper rolls cover the adjoining dining room’s wall. “I made a decision to pin them like artificial wallpaper to bring some life to our dining area,” says Kate.

Crow painting: Scott’s Antiques

Corynne Pless

Kate and her sister-in-law, Laura, made the glittery chandelier for their online internet shop, Bowerbird. It covers the existing light fixture. “With almost any rental you’ve got to be creative to cover exactly what you don’t want anybody else to see,” says Kate. “You can slap something and pattern sparkly on anything, and it is immediately better”

Wall paint : motivated by Cook’s Blue No. 237, Farrow & Ball; drapes: Ikea; vase: West Elm

Corynne Pless

Next to the dining area window, then a John Derian plate hangs over a stocked minibar together with a black and white photograph and a miniature butterfly.

Corynne Pless

A limited-edition letterpress calendar from Brown Parcel Press hangs by clothespins to decorate a small space over a few kitchen essentials.

Corynne Pless

A narrow hallway connects to the rear of the home, with a small trail of local art and antique finds directing the way. “Most of the things in our home have been found or given, which makes them sweet little reminders of their former lives,” says Kate.

Framed heart layout: Kate Roebuck; feather drawings: “Cyan Feathers,” by Rinne Allen; kitty print: Amelia; abstract paintings beneath cat print: Britt Bass

Corynne Pless

In the home office, a tiny black desk functions as Kate’s stitching station. The large flat desk holds her computer and doubles as her painting table.

Kate sewed and painted the drapes. “I created those as a inexpensive way to acquire something expressive in this. They are with this heavyweight cotton canvas and painted with bold black brushstrokes,” she says.

Table lamp: Pottery Barn

Corynne Pless

Organized by color, all Kate’s fabrics and operate essentials are piled neatly on the shelf. A newsprint poster was painted over and created for the Motel Art Show at Oxford, Mississippi.

Corynne Pless

Kate’s desk overlooks the front yard, with large windows offering a visual escape in the small room.

An outdoor fabric covers the desk instead of a normal cotton cloth, to create wiping paint off spills simpler. “My favorite spot in our home is my studio — it is where I sense that jazzy feeling inside of creativity. I could spend all my hours (and I often do) in this area. Of course, I would want to come out every so often for vitamin D and a treat,” she says.

Corynne Pless

Neon washi tape frames a colorful corkboard on which Kate keeps inspiring mementos.

Corynne Pless

A large tiled wood-framed mirror leans against the installed mirror to bring a more rustic sense into Cody’s hall bathroom, Kate’s effort to create the space more manly, she says.

Mirror: Sophie’s Shoppe; shower curtains: West Elm

Corynne Pless

Rich patterns and organic tones adorn the main bedroom to make a quiet space alive with particulars.

A handmade cat garland hangs in the mattress frame, and layered sequined masks hang in your dresser knobs. Kate sewed the pillow shams.

Bed: Ikea; bedding: John Robshaw; comforter: silk, Pottery Barn

Corynne Pless

Kate painted the two-toned desks which serve as nightstands. “They needed some silver boots,” she says. An aged lamp sits on the nightstand with glitter feathers over.

Corynne Pless

A massive wall piece made from 700 dyed turkey feathers hangs over a dresser and several other collectibles. Two leather folding chairs hold small quilts and throw pillows.

Corynne Pless

A small shed offers extra storage at the backyard. Kate hangs her screen-print jobs out to dry on the clothesline joined to the shed.

Corynne Pless

Behind the traditional exterior with red white and brick windows lie colorful memories for the couple. “What makes a house your home is the memories that you create there, and we started making those memories the minute we walked in the door,” Kate says.

See more photographs of this home

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Contractor Tips: 10 Home Places That Probably Require a Pro

Contractor Tips: 10 Home Places That Probably Require a Pro

If you are working on a DIY remodel, then deciding whether to call at a specialty contractor to perform a specific task comes down to several areas you will need to consider:
Skill. Can you have the necessary skills to build a sound arrangement, and do it safely? Scale. Is the magnitude of this job one that you are able to manage in a reasonable amount of time? Cost. When factoring in the value of your own time, can the job be done for less price by an expert? Do you’ve got the tools you want? Aesthetics. Can you finish the project beautifully enough that you’re not forfeiting resale value? Would a demanding grout joint or wallpaper seam bother you?Learn about the specific issue areas that often require professional help below.

Webber + Studio

1. Structural components. Beams, footers, headers etc. — all these are the unglamorous and frequently hidden sections of a home that are crucial to the long-term stability and security. Do not take chances with structural components. Everything ought to be drawn or accepted by an engineer, whose specifications must be followed to the letter.

Re:Vision Architecture

2. Electrical. Here’s another one where security and skill intersect. Poor wiring could be a security hazard — only because you had the ability to wire something up and it worked, doesn’t mean you haven’t created a security hazard. If you are not certain you have the knowledge to perform the necessary work and evaluate the implications of your job on the remaining part of the circuit along with panel, call in a professional.

Jeffrey Dungan Architects

3. Roofing. Here’s a fantastic example of a job where even if you feel you have the skills to perform the task safely and properly, you might not have the capability to complete the job in a short enough time period to avoid exposing your home to damage from rain. If you can not get your roofing job done in a couple days, don’t start it. Even professionals may underestimate the time a job will take to complete, so you might choose to double your estimate.

JAC Interiors

4. Plumbing. A clogged drain line along with a faucet that has to be replaced are tasks that you know that you may complete. Before you do yourself, however, think about the true price.

What’s your time worth? Do you’ve got the resources? If you wind up renting a drain snake out of the home centre that doesn’t work once you get it home, and you need to make another trip before you clear the drain, then you might lose a great deal of precious Saturday.

Buckminster Green LLC

5. Insulation. Certain kinds of insulating material, for example spray foam, should be left to the professionals. Many people assume that installing batt insulating material such as fiberglass is an easy project, but there is a great deal of room for error here. If you leave openings you can create spots that draw heat and moisture into your walls — a bad combination. Even if you do the work well, it is cluttered work. Plus, insulation contractors get a far better bargain on the material costs than you would, offsetting the labor savings of a DIY job.

6. Carpentry. Even if you’ve got the skills to complete the project, professional carpenters will have the tools and experience to get the work done quickly. If you are attempting to complete the job on a part-time basis, don’t forget to factor in installation and cleanup time. Working a full day is often a great deal more effective than an hour here and there.

Ike Kligerman Barkley

7. Masonry. That is just one that bridges all four factors — if there is a structural factor of the masonry job (and there usually is), security is an issue. The scale of projects involving rock, concrete and brick could be deceiving. Make sure to know what you’re getting into. Wrestling a heavy stone into place and making it look good takes years to master. If you factor in all this, the price of paying for good work could be a deal.

Design Manifest

8. Wallpaper. There’s not much room for error here. You need to get it right the first time. You’re drawing attention to the wall by dressing up it, so it’d better look good. You would not pay an arm and a leg for a beautiful cloth and then make a sloppy-looking dress, so don’t buy a gorgeous paper and place it up with seams that are misaligned and corners that are bad.

Buckminster Green LLC

9. Tile. The pace of tile installation is slower compared to that of wallpaper, and there is a lot of contemplation that goes into a fantastic tile installation. If you are not experienced, you might discover something you need to have thought about if it is too late. You also want to prep properly. Tiles are different and require different strategies to installation. Your DIY tile flooring may look good when it is completed, but can you make sure it’ll hold up rather than crack in a year or two? If you are confident about that, go for it. If not, call a professional.

Crisp Architects

10. Painting. I know, it sounds absurd — if you can not paint what DIY job can you do? Keep in mind, I’m not here to stop you by painting your own residence. Just consider that a good, durable paint job requires a whole lot of prep work. Sometimes this may involve wall repair, scraping paint (which may be a health risk when it is lead paint), priming and caulking over old finishes with assorted products. Depending on what you’re working together, you might need somebody with more experience to help.

Next: The 10 Hats Your General Contractor Wears

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7 Ways To Present Your Study a Victorian Touch

7 Ways To Present Your Study a Victorian Touch

The Victorian research in its day was very much the domain name of the man of the house — believe dark oak- and leather-clad rooms full of solid furniture, fitted bookshelves, trophies, certificates and private memorabilia. In middle-class Victorian homes, the study frequently doubles as a library — a status symbol, as novels were relatively pricey prior to the 19th century.

Today the study takes on a whole new significance, as so many of us operate from home or have multiple uses for this particular room. It needs to reflect not only the preferences of those using it, but also their modern requirements. If you love Victorian style, below are a few methods to incorporate some of its components while setting functionality first.

Atmosphere Interior Design Inc..

1. Go dim. Going dark does not need to mean walls of oak paneling or bookshelves. This room seems like a Victorian research with the timber. The stunning black wallpaper gives a decorative edge, together with a solid table and leather chair. This look could be best reserved for naturally lit rooms, so unless you’re happy working with great task lighting or use the space only in the evening.

Shannon Malone

2. Display trophies and certificates. The Victorian man would have utilized his research to display awards and decorations, which is a great idea now, too. Surrounding yourself with proof of your and your family’s accomplishments can be inspirational and brings itself to a stunning and private display — for everybody in the house.

Compass Design, llc

3. Integrate shelves. If your research will house plenty of novels, try functional, built-in, floor-to-ceiling shelving, which feels authentic to the Victorian era. A library ladder also looks accurate and tips at a well-used publication collection.

Studio William Hefner

4. Utilize an antique table. Your library or study may not be in use daily, but instead may be the place where several relatives read, do homework or operate quietly. If so, you do not need to stick with the classic rectangular desk — elect for a round antique library table. Here, the large Victorian windows, fitted bookshelves and dining table provide a very traditional sense, but the mild, bright colors add a modern edge.

Alan Design Studio

5. Mix modern function with Victorian details. With our reliance on modern technology and gear, the conventional freestanding desk in the middle of the space might be somewhat impractical. Cables monitoring across the ground are dangerous and unsightly, therefore situating desks around the room’s perimeter has gotten more popular.

Here, fitted components and the use of dark wood and leather broadly imply Victorian style in a very modern aesthetic.

Jodie Rosen Design

6. Get cozy. The Victorian research was a quiet, secure place where one can lock oneself away undisturbed. If you’ve got similar requirements, then ensure it is comfy with a comfortable chair or sofa for catching up on paperwork or reading.

Tina Barclay

7. Allow it to feel feminine. Don’t feel you need to stick with masculine styling. The heather tones within this area are pretty and female, and the fitted bookshelves offer space for organizing much-loved collections. The mismatched furniture tips at a more feminine boudoir in which a Victorian lady would have completed her paperwork.

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An Observatory Tops Away a Modern Home

An Observatory Tops Away a Modern Home

When architect Dan Nelson’s clients approached him to create this house high in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, they were very enthusiastic about energy efficiency and a renewable, low-maintenance design. One of those clients, however, had an even larger priority: installing a firefighter’s pole. The consequent home has a small footprint and stunning views, thanks to its siting and four-story height. And it also has that firefighter’s pole.

at a Glance
Location: Stanwood, Washington
Who resides: A couple and their 2 boys
Size: Around 3,800 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms
Year constructed: 2008

Dan Nelson

“The fire pole was the father’s idea; he’d always wanted a fire pole,” says Nelson.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

The house sits at the highest stage of this website. “The higher we went, the more dramatic the views,” Nelson says. Another fantasy house feature for the dad was an observatory for his telescope.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

Views and an interest in sustainable design drove the types and layout. The house has four floors and a rather small footprint. To the left is your garage with the master bedroom above. To the right are the living spaces, with just two bedrooms and a bath overhead.

Nelson intended for the future as well; his design can incorporate solar panels and a wind turbine should the family choose to bring those features later.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

A glance through the front door shows the expansive views enjoyed from every room on the main floor. The open floor plan incorporates the kitchen, dining area and living space, and floor-to-ceiling glass offers western views of the Olympic Mountains, the town of Everett, Puget Sound and amazing sunsets.

Polished concrete floors create continuity throughout the home and provide a thermal mass for spreading heat.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

The fire pole connects the bedroom degree to the main degree and adds a lively element to all the glass, steel and concrete.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

The tall, narrow segment in the previous photo is the stairwell, which extends four tales, from the daylight basement into the observatory.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

The second floor up is your family’s sleeping flooring. It contains the master suite, two other bedrooms, another full bathroom and this reading loft, which opens into the living room under.

The expansive windows are equipped with motorized colors for infrequent hot days.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

The observatory occupies the highest part of the house. It’s a glass box which sits atop the roof. “The higher we made the house, the more complex the observatory could be,” says Nelson. The husband nicknamed his fantasy distance “The Bubble” because of all the glass.

Adjacent to The Bubble is a large roof deck where the family enjoys fresh air and expansive views.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

The first floor is a daylight basement which contains an in-law package for guests.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

Native plants populate the landscape, and a cistern shops rainwater from the roof to summer irrigation.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

The western windows harness solar heat. Other energy-efficient elements incorporate using insulated concrete form walls (ICF), structural insulated roof panels (SIPS), radiant floor heating and geothermal heating.

“This client truly let us do a contemporary house,” states Nelson. “When we proposed what we wanted to do, ” he said, ‘Proceed.'”

More:
Innovative Home, Heated and Cooled by Design

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Modern, Renovated Home in Seattle

Modern, Renovated Home in Seattle

When Gay Silvestri and Ted Kadet bought their 1960s house on Seattle’s Lake Washington, it cried pink from top to bottom. Pink tiles conducted underfoot, and the previous homeowners had painted the ceiling beams pink to match. Gay asked her longtime friend James Spicuzza, a salvage artist and thought consultant, to assist with remodeling.

The first thing Spicuzza did was rip out the pink flooring and replace it with remnants of utility-grade maple floors. He then sanded the first beams and painted them a contemporary charcoal gray. The few enjoys an open-plan great room, refurbished structural elements and an updated color palette, all while shooting in a stunning view of the lake.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Gay Silvestri, her husband Ted Kadet, along with boy Colin Silvestri
Location: Seattle
Size: 2,800 square feet
That is interesting: The wall panels in the upper toilet are surplus fluted, titanium-impregnated elevator panels.

Louise Lakier

The open program welcomes beautiful views of Lake Washington. A yellow chandelier found at a garage sale brightens the stairway. The milk glass world over the exterior deck is out of REStore.

Louise Lakier: Where’s your favorite spot or room in the house?

Gay Silvestri: My favourite spot is the entrance walkway with the waterfall and koi. Favourite room? The upstairs-downstairs wall of windows into the water. The opinion is always different and a surprise to see and revel in through all kinds of seasons and weather — even the superb humid or gloomy days.

Ted Kadet: My absolute favourite spot is the great room overlooking the windows in Lake Washington.

Louise Lakier

The remodeling team eliminated an entrance cupboard blocking the opinion, reconfigured the staircase and altered front doorway to align with the entrance walkway. Spicuzza installed and designed the light utilizing copper pipe so that it disappears against the timber ceiling out of Pacific Iron & Metal.

LL: What is your next home project?

GS: No fresh ones, thank you … only to complete the present ones. Both decks, for certain, are first.

TK: Yes, another home project is to complete the new deck rail on the upper deck.

Louise Lakier

A drop ceiling has been eliminated in the hall that contributes to a bedroom beyond, showing beautiful wood beams and ceilings. Superior Custom Cabinets constructed the cabinetry, along with the corrugated glass on the island pub is out of Earthwise. The classic bar stools are garage sale finds.

Louise Lakier

The narrow space between the staircase and outside window glass introduced a furnishing challenge, however an elongated oval dining table and chairs proved to be the best answer. Spicuzza constructed the standing lamp from the background out of three salvaged table lamps from Goodwill. A closed clothing stand from Nordstrom, also found at Goodwill, got a second life as a TV stand.

Louise Lakier

The hanging wall shelf and image display on the rear wall are created from repurposed Ikea bed stretchers. The downstairs walls were sandblasted to reveal original concrete; the present brick fireplace has been sandblasted as well. The sandstone mantel and fireplace screen came from Secondly Utilization.

Louise Lakier

Salvaged glass walls from Second Utilization form horizontal wall panels in the guest toilet. The shower tile is also from Secondly Utilization.

Louise Lakier

Surplus titanium-impregnated elevator panels out of Forms & Surfaces cover the walls of Colin’s toilet. A aluminum and glass commercial entrance door doubles as a shower partition. The quartzite stone flooring, fluorescent tube mirror light, toilet paper holder, salvaged spray head and robe hook are from Secondly Utilization.

Louise Lakier

Pacific Iron and Metal provided the 8-inch galvanized duct to the double bath exhaust fan on the upper floor. Spicuzza made the custom made grill.

Louise Lakier

Colin is an avid climber. Rope knots on surface of the stair wall and include a colorful sculptural element.

Louise Lakier

Spicuzza also creates art from found objects, along with his sculptures appear throughout Gay and Ted’s home. This “Cat 5 Slideshow” is produced from a slide, an espresso machine grate along with a low-voltage LED light mounted on a wooden base.

Parts and bits: 3R and Goodwill

Louise Lakier

Spicuzza created this “Walking Slide Show” from items found in Goodwill: alloy slide trays, wood sneakers, a curling iron tray and a Plexiglas disk.

LL: Which one of those discovered art bits is your favorite?

GS: The first art piece [Spicuzza] hung above our fireplace the day we began the remodel. He bought it at Goodwill for $1! He introduced it to us our home would feel like a house, even though all was being hammered. The day before we moved in, 1 year after, we carefully cleaned it off and rehung it by ceremonial acclaim along with a little bit of vino as well. It remains very unique.

TK: The piece made from slide projector trays and shoehorns. It’s just whimsical.

Louise Lakier

Spicuzza constructed this vinyl rocket ship out of elements found at Secondly Utilization and Goodwill. It’s made from a vinyl record turntable, a dim sum steamer tray, marbles, two recycled glass pendant shades, a copper plant holder along with recycled bearings.

Louise Lakier

Humpty Dumpty, a garage sale find, sits on a wall in the entrance to the main hallway.

Louise Lakier

At the end of a cantilevered counter stands a leg support. Gay wanted a leg so James discovered this for her in a garage sale.

Louise Lakier

“Pick Up Sticks,” a relief sculpture, is made from salvaged materials, including detachable wood window dividers, a hollow-core doorway, gray landscape cloth and 1970s chandelier glass.

LL: Do you have a favourite designer or artist?

TK: My favourite artist is local sculptor Gerard Tsutakawa.

Louise Lakier

A landscape and pool architect put in this enchanting courtyard. The fluted glass sidelight by front door came out of REstore, and the transom glass is first.

Louise Lakier

Upon walking up to the inviting front entrance gate, guests are greeted with the sound of trickling, bubbling water and amazing filtered light on the way to the front doorway.

LL: What is the first thing you’d grab if your house was on fire?

TK: Assuming all people, for example cat Bocelli, are outside, I would catch the Bill Cumming football picture along with my wallet.

GS: After taking a head check to include our cat, I’d grab my purse, telephone and address book, so as to not lose touch with buddies.

Louise Lakier

James replicated the first column detailing when refurbishing the eave rafter tails across the sides of the home.

LL: What do you love most about your city or your neighborhood?

GS: I love that we live in a “secret pocket” of Seattle with great views.

TK: The area: the diversity of people and that it is near the airport.

Louise Lakier

Gay and James like a moment in their courtyard garden.

More Tours:
Between Sky and Ocean on Raft Island
Nautilus Studio: Creative Living in 600 Square Feet
Northwest Beach House with Secondhand Flair

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9 Pointers for Perfectly Styled Pillows

9 Pointers for Perfectly Styled Pillows

We’ve seen the beds covered you could swim in them. Or the couches with all these cushions you can not sit on these. It is time to discuss throw-pillow rules: what the guidelines are for pillow numbers, pillow placement and pillow selection for colour and texture. I certainly empathize with all of you compulsive throw-pillow buyers; it is hard to resist that locate in the discount store that goes perfectly with your living room style. But let us all collectively now step away from the cushions. Less is often more. Your spouse and your visitors will thank you.

Rebekkah Davies Interiors + Design

1. Mix designs and textures. When choosing throw cushions, be certain that you select unique designs and textures to create the kind of depth and interest you would find in a painting. That is what we’re doing when we are decorating — painting a masterpiece.

This sofa has two matching cushions, which create a degree of symmetry. They are shiny and likely silky to the touch, which matches the matte sofa fabric. A furry pillow ramps up the feel, and a pattern amps up the sense of fun.

Loom Decor

Nota bene: This mix of patterns is unexpected, but imagine the room without it. It’d be like a standard sterile canvas. The artfully matched patterns bring that canvas.

COCOCOZY

2. Use odd numbers. Generally speaking, whatever the furniture piece, odd numbers are greatest.

Perfection and symmetry can leave a room looking too-too; take one thing off to please the eye and include a feel of lived-in-ness.

S / Wiley Interior Photography

3. Don’t fit the sofa. A white sofa with white cushions is simply too much (unless you know you are breaking the rules and it looks amazing anyway).

Within this room, the velvety blue paired with an stripey blue along with the soft yellowish throws is a great match. The sofa simply provides the sterile sheet.

This couch’s cushions do break our livability rule. If you like throw pillows as much as I do, then simply change them out with the seasons to enjoy all of them, just not all at the same time.

D Swift

Exception: Once you understand the rules, you can break the rules with intention. These cushions break two rules: They are paired at a much number, and they fit the colours and fabric of the sofa. But wow, what colours and fabrics! The combo is a statement, and it is apparent that the decorator understood what he or she was performing. It simply works.

Sutton Suzuki Architects

4. Do match the room. Utilize throw cushions as a way to pull a room together by selecting up colours utilized everywhere.

A solo orange seat like this one would seem dropped; an orange seat with two orange cushions nearby looks cohesive. The leather pillow also picks up the white of the walls behind the sofa, the artichoke lamp along with the coffee table.

Steven Miller Design Studio, Inc..

Exception: In a neutral room like this, one look-at-me pillow concentrates on the design and the people’ interest.

Becky Berg Design

5. Leave room for living. Take it out of Coco Chanel, who famously stated to take one thing away before leaving the home: Take one pillow off your sofa. It will both avoid overperfection and leave enough room for folks to sit throwing your prized cushions onto the floor.

On a smaller sofa like this one, three cushions are most likely enough.

Margaret Donaldson Interiors

Nota bene:Window seats are easy victims for pillow smothering. But see how this bench’s two cushions actually invite someone to take a seat? That is what we need.

Colors Of Green Landscape Architecture

6. Soften modern spaces. Utilize the softness and cushiness of cushions to round the hard edges of contemporary and modern styles.

Consider outdoor spaces, exposed-brick lofts and new houses with concrete floors. Throws on furniture in these spaces invites people to enter and delight in that modern appearance you adore so much.

Natasha Barrault Design

Nota bene: Make sure your pillows are really comfortable. Yes, even discount pillow inserts are inexpensive, but they also can go flat quickly. I’ve discovered down that inserts from Crate & Barrel, in addition to Michaels, are firm and hold up well. The prices at both stores were about the same when I looked.

Natalie Younger Interior Design, Allied ASID

7. Use bolsters for chairs. Generally speaking, bolsters will help keep side chairs and wingbacks from appearing lonely. But instead of full size throws, they really allow people to sit on the chairs.

Exception:This vignette actually needed the large graphic punch that this throw provides. A bolster in this pattern would still seem good, but this square size also imitates the square-framed artwork. I bet this seat doesn’t get sat on considerably, and if it does get sat on, there is a convenient basket nearby for placing the pillow while putting shoes on to go out the door.

Just Perfect!

8. On beds, much less is more. Two cushions, two sham cushions and one or two accent pillows ought to be the maximum quantity of cushions you permit yourself for your bed. The shams along with the accents maintain it comfy and cozy, and they can readily be arranged for daytime resting or reading. Don’t overdo it the simplicity of this bed is what makes it.

(This bed does break the odd-number principle, however, the symmetry of the cushions matches the symmetry of the artwork on the walls, making for a tranquil, tranquil space. I bet that only one of these yellow throw pillows would make the bed look too bare, and an additional pillow for the interest of odd numbers would overdo it.)

Jennifer – Rambling Renovators

Nota bene: You may not need as many pillows as you think if you use the stacked-pillow effect. These two cushions placed on top of every other include a layer of depth to the room. That one tossed-on patterned throw pillow is the great last bit.

JayJeffers

9. Don’t karate chop. Whatever you do, don’t karate-chop your cushions. No exceptions. Why do people do that? Nobody knows. Perhaps it’s believed that it leaves the cushions look less contrived, but who actually does this in their house? This is a beautiful, lovely vignette. No demand for arts.

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5 Ways to Make Your First Home Beautiful

5 Ways to Make Your First Home Beautiful

Interior designer Kyle Schuneman’s adventures as a Hollywood production designer finally led him into the world of interior design — the perfect career for a guy who drew floor plans and turned through style magazines as a small boy growing up in Chicago. After building his industry contacts and working together with high-end clients, Schuneman noticed that a good deal of his twenty- and thirtysomething friends were still feeling fulfilled by the design procedure — a realization that planted the seeds for a style book.

“I wanted to put together a guide filled with design information that is useful, fresh, interesting — and also the antithesis of a style manifesto regarding how you need to decorate to fit into a mould,” says Schuneman, 28. He collected his adventures in solving his clients’ real-life style challenges in his very first book, The Initial Apartment Book: Cool Design for Small Spaces (2012).

Here are just five of the hints for anybody setting up a first apartment or house.

Kyle Schuneman | Live Well Designs

1. Take good care of something beautiful, something alive. One of the initial things Schuneman suggests to his clients would be to go out and purchase a plant or fresh flowers. He utilized a collection of glass bubbles from CB2 to house magenta dahlias in this street-level San Francisco apartment.

“When you have something residing in your area, you need to take care of it. You turn into a larger part of your area when you are nurturing something in it,” says Schuneman.

He adores the architectural look and feel of this magenta dahlias and how out the flowers’ placement frees up valuable table space.

Kyle Schuneman | Live Well Designs

2. Your distance ought to have roots. Schuneman designed this bedroom for a young man living in an historic Los Angeles building. “I actually wanted to pay homage to the masculine lines, warm woods and layered textures of this building,” he says. “You just can not deny the larger context of this distance.”

The designer gave a collection of vintage tennis racquets brand new life by turning each slice into a mirror; the collection creates a graphic pattern onto the wall area over the bed. “The racquets are the focal point of this space. They soften the tough, angular edges of the bed frame”

He cautions against damaging your flat or house like it’s a “floating cloud” You can live in the city and elect for a cottage-coastal vibe, however let where you live somehow organically influence your choices.

Kyle Schuneman | Live Well Designs

3. Take design cues from the places you love. The top-shelf mirror design of the retro kitchen repeats the layout of Schuneman’s client’s favorite neighborhood watering hole.

“She just loved the way her beloved pub reflected the hard-to-reach, top-shelf bottles. For her kitchen we moved for the same effect. But rather than spirits bottles, the mirror reflects an assortment of coasters from her travels,” he says.

Kyle Schuneman | Live Well Designs

4. Tell a story with your surroundings and have a definitive perspective. When the designer came to assist this Nashville couple with their first flat together, drum sets and guitar cases overwhelmed the place before the picture window, wasting their opinion of the Cumberland River.

Schuneman freed the guitars from their cases and integrated all the instruments through the loft. “The instruments give the distance an advantage,” he says. They immediately demonstrate the clients’ musical origins, “giving the distance a rock-and-roll vibe”

The designer chose low club-like furniture to make an intimate lounging area within the open expanse of the loft. A set of wicker coconut chairs soften the hard stone appeal of this living space and help bring out the warm wood tones of the flooring planks.

Kyle Schuneman | Live Well Designs

5. Bring home treasures and conversation starters. Without any intention of purchasing an extra armchair for her living space, Schuneman’s customer spotted this midcentury modern seat while strolling through her neighborhood and fell in love with its own layout and $150 cost.

“it is a great lesson on fixing yourself to items when the right moment — and right piece — appears. She’ll always have that love-at-first-sight story to look back on,” says Schuneman.

The designer found the hanging metal piece at a nearby thrift shop. “It’s hard for folks to devote to art, but these vintage metal bits feel sculptural and unique, therefore I think that is why people are gravitating into them,” he says.

Kyle Schuneman | Live Well Designs

Schuneman acknowledges that good design — no matter how big this room — boils down to one’s personal taste.

“We don’t operate in a wrong-or-right industry. Take for example this man cave I did for a Hollywood writer; many folks reacted to the inclusion of a urinal within the area — and I loved it. I think it’s great that people either loved or hated the urinal, because at least I understand that the customer and I took a stand. At the end of the day, what matters is the way we feel about the distance.”

More:
Create a Chic First Apartment to a Dorm Room Budget
Grow With Intention: 10 Strategies to Maximize a Small Space

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Casual Glam Home for a Family of 8

Casual Glam Home for a Family of 8

The first thing inside designer Melanie Turner did to Susie Stern’s home in Atlanta was paint the walls white and stain the bamboo flooring a brown-black color. The new neutral canvas set the stage for layering in color and pattern. “Susie formerly color coded the rooms,” says Turner. “Her artwork supplies were like little trails that led to different projects throughout the home. None of the rooms had a particular, clearly defined purpose.”

Though Turner let Susie’s artistic side and her blended family of eight ascertain a lot of the design choices, she did not lose touch of her main objective: to create a calm area for Susie so the mom-artist could handle the day’s challenges by a calm and centered home.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Susie Stern, husband Clark Davis and their 6 children
Location: Atlanta
Size: 3,000 square feet
That is interesting: Susie and Clark have a blended family; they all came into the union with 3 children each after their own children introduced them to each other on the football field.

Erica George Dines Photography

Erica George Dines Photography

Grass fabric wallpaper and a sisal rug add a bit of contemporary, organic simplicity to this traditional living space, creating what Turner calls a casual glamorous feel.

An assortment of calligraphy brushes traces in Susie’s artistic spirit.

Erica George Dines Photography

The press space is Clark’s “man den.” Chaises provide plenty of living space.

Turner utilized the negative distance from the recessed walls to keep logs, lending the space a cozy, rustic sensibility.

Erica George Dines Photography

“They are a contemporary Brady Bunch, this family. I made the common areas to be elastic, providing different options for furniture structure. The distance is sophisticated and elegant, but you never once forget that a family lives here,” says Turner.

Erica George Dines Photography

The concrete-top kitchen dining table is surrounded by sloped, slipcovered chairs. Upholstered chairs give adaptive seating options and could be moved around.

Erica George Dines Photography

From the entry, a Versailles dome chair with blanched wood trim and kelly green upholstery clearly sets the color tone for the rest of the home.

Erica George Dines Photography

This chest and sunburst mirror add attention to what was a closet space. Turner eliminated the closet doors in front of this area to create this glamorous, high-shine corner.

Erica George Dines Photography

High-backed, slipcovered and slightly oversize dining chairs match the play of this big light shade.

Erica George Dines Photography

Turner altered the sunroom into Susie’s art studio by painting white a classic kitchen table, a flea market light pendant and antique seats. The children use the surrounding West Elm tables in apple as their homework desks, and cozy armchairs upholstered in luxe Schumacher cloth function as their reading chairs.

“A huge chunk of our funding for this job went into the furniture upholstery and wall therapy cloths. A base of white paint, stained flooring and a shuffling of existing furniture into different parts of the home helped us stay within budget,” says Turner.

Erica George Dines Photography

The designer gave the stairs a punch of color by painting onto a runner — a vibrant, budget-friendly alternate to a carpet runner.

Erica George Dines Photography

“For our huge design reveal, my partner and I shipped Susie and Clark away for supper, and if they returned she just started bawling. I am so happy that I could give her a serene, stabilizing home that felt genuinely hers,” says Turner.

Erica George Dines Photography

The guest bathroom upstairs includes a heating palette of white and blue, breaking in the kelly green theme downstairs.

Turner appreciated how that this family approached their home’s redesign. “They are a real family with a true budget, so that they went about things. They could only afford to redo the bottom floor and a little the next floor — and only now are they prepared to operate on the master bedroom, bath and an additional bedroom,” says Turner.

More:
Colorful, Luxe Designs to the Traditional Home

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A Becomes a Labor of Love

A Becomes a Labor of Love

Katherine Fugit and her husband, Conan, fell in love with their home on first sight — even though the house was formerly bank owned, without heating and teeming with black, liquid-oozing radiators. “My husband chanced upon the house on the way to lunch one afternoon and was drawn in from the sidewalk. He didn’t even wish to mention the house to me because it looked like way too much effort,” says Katherine. A few weeks later, she stumbled upon the house online; the rest is background. “It was just supposed to be,” she states.

They must work fast, she states: “We had to do lots of cosmetic things before we’d 50 guests in our house for our garden wedding just three months after closure.”

in a Glance
Who lives here: Katherine and Conan Fugit
Location: Wichita, Kansas
Size: 2,500 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths
That’s interesting: The home was once a girls’s lodging house.

Keep Smiling Home

A 1940 census enabled the Fugits to track down the granddaughter of their household that conducted this former women’s accommodation house. “She was able to tell us interesting tidbits about the house,” Katherine says. “For example, she said that her grandparents really slept in the dining area, and the upstairs bedrooms were completely inhabited by the lodgers.”

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The Fugits tore from the old plaster and lath kitchen ceiling to show wood beams.

“We painted everything new white, for instance, previous cabinets,” Katherine says. “We added new hardware, a classic stove and created our very own antique trouble lights. We also tore up several layers of linoleum and refinished the wood floors underneath.”

Cabinet hardware: Martha Stewart for The Home Depot; cage lights parts: Lowe’s; cages: 1000bulbs; Edison bulbs: The Home Depot; saddle blanket: Atwoods Farm Supply

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They painted their old refrigerator with chalkboard paint and used a classic floor joist from the basement as a shelf over the stove to add much more character and background to the room.

The whole price of this kitchen upgrade was a little less than $400. Then see the kitchen before the upgrade.

Before Photo

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BEFORE: Here you find the old cooker and also the plain fridge.

Before Photo

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BEFORE: This shows the cupboard side of this space with old hardware, a pulled-off door, dirty floors and sagging ceiling tiles.

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AFTER: “We kept costs down by not purchasing new appliances, cabinets or countertops. We applied a new coat of paint and hardware and did a tiny dish organizing. At the moment, the kitchen is perfect for us,” Katherine says.

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A reclaimed basement floor joist was repurposed to an above-stove kitchen shelf. “We cut [the joist] in halfan applied one coat of wax and used two brackets for approximately $3.50 each to secure it to the wall,” she states.

Before Photo

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BEFORE: following is a look at the Fugits’ living area before the furniture was reshuffled.

Keep Smiling Home

AFTER: “Conan and I agreed that his Natty G [National Geographic] collection would be a big portion of the living space, because they were such a big part of his life; the shelves have been designed especially with them in mind,” Katherine says. “I kept the wall color very muted because of each of the colorful publications but very warm so it seems comfy by lamplight. I wanted this space to feel like the interior of a tiny boy’s cigar box full of treasures and pretty images.”

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She rearranged the furniture so that a newly purchased sofa today sits in front of the windows and shelving components.

“The wall color picks up the yellow at the National Geographics and little touches of yellow here and there. And that couch was quite a find at $25,” she states.

The couple also reglazed and recorded their double-hung sash windows, which makes them easier to open and shut. “We are now able to open the windows and the rear door and get an amazing cross breeze in the day once the weather is cool.”

Wall paint: Crumb Cookie, Olympic

Before Photo

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BEFORE: Here’s exactly what the mantel and French doors looked like before the renovation.

Keep Smiling Home

AFTER: They painted the mantel and the dining area (background), and also extra crown molding and a new light fixture in the dining area.

“I was curious about painting the French doors a black colour,” Katherine says. “We spent hundreds of hours poring over blogs and scouring the Internet until Conan discovered Door Sixteen. I saw her pocket painted black, and I knew right then what needed to be done.”

Door paint: Black Magic, Olympic

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The Fugits bought this Eden pendant light from CB2. They moved with a “pretty gray wall color,” Katherine says that seems a bit green in this photo. “Some day we will catch the gray shade just right,” she states. The table is from a yard sale, and the seats are a Craigslist score.

Wall paint: Ash Mist, Olympic

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“Our 1917 bathroom had dropped its character somewhere along the way, and after the toilet and bathtub began leaking to the kitchen we knew we needed to start working on it,” Katherine says.

They tore out the plaster and lath, the old tile beneath layers of linoleum and the builder-grade fixtures.

“We re-created the tile pattern, inserted a subway tile shower in which the cabinet was and refinished an antique claw-foot tub. The unusual sink was a Craigslist find, and the toilet came from our downstairs water cupboard,” Katherine says.

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She bought the claw-foot bathtub for $100 and refinished it with black paint. “If you are creative and individual and willing to perform a little slow decorating instead of running out and purchasing a fixed pair, you can do amazing things on a very small budget,” she states.

Wainscoting paint: Montpelier Madison White, Valspar; wall paint: White Knight, ACE Hardware; bathtub paint: Black Magic, Olympic; flooring tile: Merola, Home Depot

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The scrappy DIYer initially repainted this TV cupboard a deep forest green with light blue shelving and backs; she quickly changed her mind when she saw the dark color simply didn’t work with the remainder of the bathroom’s neutral theme.

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“We discovered these shutters at a thrift shop for $4. 2 coats of paint and a number of hinges later and they are perfect for our classic bathroom,” she states.

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The Fugits turned a third bedroom that was formerly swathed in bright teal and neon yellow trim to a crisp and collected office space.

They began with glowing white paint from Olympic and added a built-in desk and shelves with pockets for a printer, a scanner and other office materials. Book spines add splashy colour punches and draw the eye up, taking attention away from the smallness of this space.

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The guest area is a nod to Katherine’s thrifty ways: The metal bed frame was a $10 thrift shop find, painted with low-gloss black spray paint; the sheets, the lamp (painted with $10 cherry red spray paint) and also the ship painting were also thrift shop purchases.

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“Almost every bit of furniture at our home was purchased in a thrift shop or garage sale,” she states. “We’re not saying that everything you find in a thrift shop is worth purchasing, but recycling things that still have plenty of life in them and just need a little love is most likely one of the best things you can do to help the environment and your pocketbook.”

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