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Monday, May 26, 2014

Room Makeover-layering

This is a story about a room....
That started as a blank slate....

 "We need to keep the couch...but I need help with the rest..."
my client told me.
A blank space is at once a thing of beauty
and one that can instill sheer panic in a designer ...
Filling space can be challenging...
especially when you have the task of creating a cozy and warm environment...
that someone else is going to live in.
Here's how I went about the process of designing this room for my client.

After adding needed lighting to the ceiling and a fresh coat of paint in a basic neutral.
{ Kelly Moore: Navajo White walls and Swiss Coffee trim}
I began the task I call "layering".
I like to start with the floors and windows and fill in the space in layers.

I knew the hardwoods and couch were darker and had a heavy reddish tint...
and so I added a seagrass area rug to define the space behind the couch.
Then I created a "feature wall" on the main wall.  
I needed length and height, and a sense of symmetry and balance.
The large dark mirror anchors the space and its size helps fill the large wall.

I got most of my items from Cost Plus World Market.
Like these fun linen chairs, layered with a throw and a reddish-golden hued pillow.

Under the rustic console I placed textural items of interest--
baskets, glass, and metal....

A large shell layered on a few vintage books add to 
the nuetral color palatte with a naturalist feel.

I added two "rusty" lamps to pick up the darkness of the floors, and my client's existing couch.
Plus their burlap shades add more textural layering.
 A bird print is layered over a tall mirror  that anchors the space,
{both from HomeGoods}.
I brought in a "heavy" garden acorn to provide interest and texture and 
to provide some visual weight to the area.
This was the window wall "before".
There are two windows at one height and a slider that was slightly taller.
Thiswas leveled out by placing curtain rods at the same height 
to visually connect all the windows and make the room taller.

Beautiful Belgian Linen drapes from Restoration Hardware 
add a soft and relaxed formality to the room.


  Fresh linen pillows from Pottery Barn speak to the linen drapes
and lighten up the darker couch.
Burlap based artwork also adds to the textural feeling
and echoes the darker colors in the floors and couch as well.
The finished look is a contemporary take on a rustic theme...
both warm and inviting as well as fresh and crisp.
Here is a more recent photo where the owner 
changed out the yellow-gold pillows for ones with hints of blue.  
Additionally a new coffee table was added to match the rustic console table--
bringing a place to layer books and a textural basket to hold magazines.
A big empty space now feels Cozy. Comfy.
 Home.


sharing with:
Inspired Sunday at Sunday View 
Make It Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

11 comments:

  1. this is a beautiful room. I am sure decorating for other's home is difficult. I love how your explained the layering effect. This seems like a very comfortable room. Gorgeous!

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    1. Thank you Emily for your sweet comment and for stopping by. :o)

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  2. Its wonderful and welcoming room Aimee! Well done. Now come on over to my place, giggle. Hugs!

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    1. Thank you Katherine for your sweet message! I would love to come see your place! :o) Have a great week.

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  3. Aimee,
    You did a wonderful job in this room...smart idea to hang those curtain rods at the same height. Thanks so much for sharing at my party.

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  4. lovely work, aimee! it's a beautiful, inviting room now:)

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  5. Looks GREAT! Truly fresh, crisp, and very inviting! Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY...
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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    1. Thank you Cindy for your sweet comment and for hosting. Love your link ups!-aimee

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  6. What a stunning room you've created for this client, loving the console and the elements on it. I've used the curtain rod idea myself and it's amazing how it can pull odd shaped windows and doors together into a cohesive look.

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  7. Hi Aimee, what a beautiful room you created! Loved the layering. Great rug and hanging the curtains at one height really gave the room a great look. I'm sure your client was thrilled! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  8. Aimee,
    It looks beautiful! Love the colors, the sea shell prints, and the seagrass rug! Thanks for linking with Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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Thank you for making my day and leaving a comment! :o)