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Styling a Living Room & Photo Shoot

August 8, 2011 · Comments { 19 }

For the last several months I have had the pleasure of working with interior designer, Leslie Lundgren on several of her projects {watch out for more of her work – she is up and coming!}. Last week she asked me to help style one of her client’s homes for a photo shoot. Michaela, my summer intern is a great amateur photographer and she agreed to take the pictures.

spanish style home living room fireplace

The charming Spanish style home, located on the San Francisco peninsula features gorgeous arched windows, doorways and wooden beams. The beautiful décor blends traditional, Chinoiserie and a relax California styles.

Leslie’s client gave her free rein to move items and style the space as she wished. Fresh garden roses and orchids were brought in for the photo shoot, but most of the other accessories and smaller furnishings were simply rearranged.

The vignette above is a great example of how the room evolved while styling; Originally the chest had the green jaguar lamp {now on the entry console seen below}, a bar set on a wooden tray and a small framed wedding invitation hung above. Although the original vignette was sweet, we added larger and more colorful artwork, replaced the wooden tray with a metal one and added height by bringing in a trio of orchids in a blue and white Asian pot.

We had such a fun time working together. As you can image, we all had opinions on what looked good where. In the end however, our ability to work together and keep an open mind helped evolve the look. Not only were we pleased with the result, most importantly the client loved it. Here was her response,

“Leslie has helped me finish off my rooms with great style and a certain edge that says ‘so long to boring beige’! She and her team brilliantly utilized my existing traditional pieces and adding a freshness through colorful accessories, rugs and simple yet brilliant floor plan changes. The results are exciting and fun. She has also helped me hone in on my personal style so that I can move forward on my own (with her input when needed). She has helped me take chances, and go with my gut on designing. Fab!”

chinoiserie living room cristin michaela leslie

{me, Leslie and Michaela at the end of the shoot}

Do you have a favorite image? Don’t you think Michaela took some amazing pictures?

*all photo used with permission from Leslie Lundgren Design

Read full story By Cristin on August 8, 2011 in chinoiserie, foyers, interior design, living rooms

Summer Reading… New Lonny!

July 11, 2011 · Comments { 6 }

Here’s one to add to your summer reading list! Lonny Magazine’s July/August issue is live and they are celebrating the season in a big way.

Loving theses chic entryways by designers Hillary Thomas {top with console table} and Jennifer Dyer. Jennifer found the fabulous octagonal table with elephant truck legs at an estate sale. The best!

Happy Sunday!

Read full story By Cristin on July 11, 2011 in console tables, foyers, interior design

Veranda’s The House of Windsor

July 7, 2011 · Comments { 7 }

If you are in the Los Angeles area or plan to be there in the next couple weeks, don’t miss a tour through Veranda’s design showcase, The House of Windsor. Spearheaded by the very talented Windsor Smith, the house was designed inside and out with the demands of the modern family in mind, while being luxuriously beautiful.

the house of windsor entry foyer veranda

Ten LA-based interior designers were selected to be on the elite roster which included Candace Barnes, Richard Shapiro, Peter Dunham, Tara Shaw, Richard Hallberg, and the fabulous Million Dollar Decorators, Kathryn Ireland and Martyn Lawrence-Bullard. Martyn’s black and gray game room with kelly green accents is below. Love his daring use of the wallpaper!

And of course, Windsor Smith took a lead role in designing the home. The fabulous kitchen is her design and has a delightful mix of old and new. I just love the open shelving and stunning white marble farm sink.

“We call it a concept house, but it’s really more than that. It’s an intersection of heartfelt ideas and sophisticated execution, with results that are at once soulful, stylish and enlightening.” says Dara Caponigro, Veranda’s Editor-in-Chief.

It’s for a great cause too – all proceeds from The House of Windsor will benefit the Children’s Action Network and P.S. ARTS. Don’t delay! Tours run now through July, 17, 2011.

{hmm, I’m thinking of a way to sneak down there! Are you with me?}

*all photos and images via Veranda Magazine

Read full story By Cristin on July 7, 2011 in foyers, interior design, kitchens, wallpaper

Design Blogger Series #6: What Would You Do?

May 18, 2011 · Comments { 28 }

For the sixth Design Blogger Series: What Would You Do?, I invited four talented design bloggers – all of whom have up incoming careers in the design field. Michaela of Michaela Noelle Designs, Kerry of First Time Fancy, Marissa of Roost, and Mackenzie of Design Darling were asked to design a space around the sleek, white lacquer console by Jonathan Adler by incorporating four or so home décor items of their choosing.

white lacquer console table jonathan adler

Made in Vietnam using traditional, artisanal techniques, the “minimalist sparkle” Jonathan Adler console is coated in twelve layers of lacquer. It is quite a process; Every coat is allowed to dry for 48 hours and water-sanded before the next coat is applied.

{Foyer by Michaela of Michaela Noelle Designs}

“My style is a mix of modern and vintage, so I knew I wanted to add a touch of vintage with the juxtaposition of a few whimsical items. I can see this console table in a foyer. I imagine the walls painted this cool shade of gray {Benjamin Moore’s Cobblestone Path} to add just the right amount of contrast between the white items and the walls. A classic zebra patterned rug in gray and ivory will cover the floors. The curtains are consistent with the geometric shape of the console, but also point to a more vintage feel with the addition of the turquoise organic swirls. An echo of the turquoise is found in the lamp to be placed on the console. The modern white chair will sit to one side of the credenza, providing a chic place to slip on your shoes before you head out. To brighten up the space, above the console I would layer an oil painting from Jen Ramos with an eclectic, mismatched mirrors …and let’s be honest, we all want to check our lip gloss one more time before running out the door!”

* Simplified Bee’s favorite thing about Michaela’s design: the oil painting by Jen Ramos.

{Nursery by Kerry of First Time Fancy}

“Most of the time, if you give someone a console table, they will automatically think entryway or living room. Maybe it’s because I have some serious baby brain recently, but I put together a sweet little nursery using the lacquer console. I picked the Jennifer Delonge Glam Glider because I love the simple lines of it, and think it looks like the perfect spot to curl up with a babe in the wee hours of the night. The Aerial Crib mimics the same clean lines, while the Tiger Boo rug brings some fun and colour to the space. Then, to give the console purpose in the space, I picked the Jonathan Adler Giraffe Lamp to go on top, and some Pottery Barn canvas buckets for storing baby toys underneath. If we had, had a bigger budget for our own nursery, I am sure at least a few of these pieces would have made their way in.”

* Simplified Bee’s favorite thing about Kerry’s design: thinking out of the box and placing the console in a nursery!

{Foyer by Marissa of Roost}

“I am usually drawn to pretty traditional design, so it was fun for me to step out of the box to use this cool modern console in my imaginary entryway design! I started with Navy Bean Grasscloth from Phillip Jeffries. Grasscloth is so classic and works well with a lot of styles. In my imaginary entry, there is a nice big set of windows, which I would frame with Lyrical Branches Curtains from World Market. A lot of the other elements I chose for this room are very symmetrical and/or geometric, so I like the flowing, organic lines of the branch pattern. Under foot, I chose the grey Riviera Rug from Calypso St. Barth, and overhead, Troy Lighting’s amazing Sausalito Pendant. I love gold accents–so glamorous and refined. Under the console, more gold with a pair of Circe Benches with Greek key detail, which I’d reupholster in Tapdance by Stout Fabrics, available at Decorator’s Best. I love mirrors in entry ways (or anywhere, really), and I chose Horchow’s Bone Inlay Mirror as the statement piece for this entry. I can’t get over how beautiful and intricate it is! This is a pretty pricey little design, but a girl can dream. Or surf Craigslist to DIY some of it myself!”

* Simplified Bee’s favorite thing about Marissa’s design: it’s a toss up between the bone inlay mirror and the Greek key bench.

{Foyer by Mackenzie of Design Darling}

“I love Jonathan Adler having interned for him last summer so this challenge was a real treat! I envision his divine lacquer console in a playfully chic foyer. My first move is to soften its straight lines with a curvy framed mirror and to-die-for vintage chairs. His traditional-with-a-twist zebra rug is a must and I love that the Quadrille Kazak pillow ties in both the orange and the hot pink. Topped with a sparkly chandelier, it’s everything a preppy foyer should be!”

* Simplified Bee’s favorite thing about Mackenzie’s design: the pillow in Quadrille Kazak {swoon} – it pulls it all together beautifully.

Don’t you love what these gals have created? Each of these spaces has a distinct feeling, but I couldn’t help but notice the similarities: 1. Three out of the four used the lacquer console in a foyer, 2. Three out of the four coupled it with an animal print rug, 3. All paired it with a upholstered chair or bench, 4. All incorporated lighting that makes a strong statement. What similarities or differences do see?

Also, a big thank you to Michaela, Kerry, Marissa and Mackenzie for participating in this series!

xo,

Read full story By Cristin on May 18, 2011 in design blogger series, foyers, furniture, interior design

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