a little peek at Rue & color inspiration

Don't you love white milk glass and woven baskets in an antique locker?

I have only seen the two spaces I'm writing about, and they are so lovely and unique--I can't wait to see the rest.  It will be out soon!

Okay, and Anisa and I LOVED meeting our prospective client yesterday.  You can tell they are a kind and warm family and that is exactly what kind of home they want to create:  a warm one!

Here are some colors we are thinking about....

maybe some deep, smoky gray cabinets in the kitchen  (they say they want this remodel to last them 20 years, so we want to stay away from trends as much as we can)

Down Pipe  Benjamin Moore

I know this blue/gray paint is cool color, but for the ceilings cool will work to elongate the rooms

Palladian Blue   Benjamin Moore

a good teal will be a great accent color (especially for painting the back of some dining room built-ins)

Sea Star    Benjamin Moore

In this mid-century brick ranch you will find the original sunny yellow-tiled bathroom!  It really is groovy and they want to keep it  (the kids love it!)  We think we can make it tie in with the rest of the home.  One way will be to incorporate this sunny and warm color as an accent in the rest of the home.

Golden Honey    Benjamin Moore

But the main inspiration photo she showed us is of a very warm living room with some wonderful and luxurious orange velvet seating.  We think we have to make their dreams come true and bring in some orange!

Corlsbud Canyon    Benjamin Moore

a room quite similar to the one below from My Home Ideas

(And of course you know we encouraged some white!  We are thinking Benjamin Moore's Navajo White for the walls....a bright yet warm cream.

And for your Friday, here is a song I would love to share with you that gets playtime in the Holloway House..the band is called Luna and we really love them.  This song always reminds me of the weekend Chris and I met flying up to New York.....enjoy.   Julie

Rachel McAdams' Glam Living Room (imagined)

The other day I was asked the question, "What kind of rooms do you dream of designing?"  

I couldn't help but admit I do dream of decorating rooms where the sky's the limit with resources and freedom.

I have loved Rachel McAdams ever since The Notebook.  She just has something--beauty, humilty, and that smile.  

I can't wait to see her new movie Morning Glory.

Here is a living room I imagine for a young and single starlet.....(she is single, right?  I can't keep up)

I know there is a lot going on here, but sometimes I think a room can handle a lot if you keep the colors fairly muted and neutral.

The mirror and the shell sconces on the top right would go above her mantel.  

The bookcase/cabinet in the back would be covered in the white and gray floral wallpaper you see on the top shelf.

The ceiling would be the blue/gray paint color you see on the far left.  I would paint her window panes the deep Orion Gray (Ralph Lauren paints).  

The walls would be BM's Decorators White for that crisp, true white.  The twist is I would have them be high gloss (similar to the picture below from Decorpad)

In the picture moulding beneath her imagined chair rail in her living room would be filled with the deep gray floral wallpaper you see on the left of the design board.

Oh, and these would be her floors!  (below, from Greige)

Hope you had a good Halloween!  We had a blast...Chris carted two little firemen around the 'hood.  These years when they are young are so precious!

If you want help creating the room you dream about, I can help you by creating a design board just for you & your family.  ($150 or $250, depending upon the room--you can view my design services on the tab above under the header.)

One more matter of business--Lavish! has added Jillian St. George from HGTV.com to our session panel.  I do hope you are coming.

All the best......Julie

your home is your portfolio....

...or at least it is for me.

We have spent time (and money) this week getting the house like we wanted it before they came to look at it.  These were plans we had in the works for the next six months or so---but with an opportunity like this, why not do them now?  

Here is one new purchase:  this brown linen settee (from Ballard)  It is so perfect for this room.  It is a great place to sit and type or read and put your feet up with the sun hitting your back (this room, and our home, faces south)

And on the other side, sweet Kate painted this for me this week (there is no way you can paint furniture with two little boys at home.  If you know of a way, please fill me in!)

my old antique dresser (deep sea green...oil-based semi-gloss Ben Moore)

So today was really great.  Seriously one of the best days of my life.  Whether or not they do choose our home or not, I was so happy with our work and my design and how the home was.  All you can do is give it your all....and we all did.  I think I can feel good about surrendering the outcome if I know I did all I wanted to do.

Here are a few more shots of the house (clean (!) and with roses from our yard)

By the way, that candle right there (as well as those candlesticks you can see on the island) were from a recent shopping trip to Anthropolgie.  I find that a lot of candles make my head hurt.  I don't know the name--but this cream & black one is so subtle.

Our inspiration board got a coat of white dove to lighten it up a bit.

The nightstands finally got dressed up with the new knobs I've had in the drawer for about a year.

(shot from yesterday--not clean--but the setting sunlight was so unreal.  I am a book hoarder.  And pillow and lamp hoarder.)

and Kate's new stitch art for this room....

How beautiful are these?  And stitches!!!  And she is a fine artist, not a seamstress.  I cannot tell you how much I love these.

I still owe you a proper post on her art.  It's coming...along with the mantel post :)

One reason we justify spending this money (like on new sconces for Liam's room) is that we believe it is cheaper than interior design school.

And this is no knock at school...or being ASID for sure.  Just for us, and our lives now, it wouldn't work.  I have a master's degree in English (not that my grammar and spelling always display this), and I just think I am learning so much by living as a decorator and using my home as an example.  People will like it or not like it, but our home is the one place where I have (kinda) free reign to do what my heart desires.

Wyatt got new (old) mirrors, a new pillow, some silver satin Dutch Boy paint on his changing table, and more of Kate's finery above it.

new antique chair, PB rustic frames and photos

And for me, it works out best that I read and learn by reading design books while they nap.  Perhaps I'll go back one day, perhaps I won't...but for now I don't feel I need it.  I do need to learn, for sure, but in a more organic way.

Anyway, I do hope I have good news to share with y'all soon.  And if not, the good news is I am proud of what we've done...and it feels nice to sit back and enjoy a little accomplishment.  "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair", for sure, so you gotta appreciate the high notes.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, friends!  I'm off to see babies tomorrow.  Both my friends I threw baby showers for this summer both delivered a week early....babies Ruby and Daisy.

Julie

paisley stencil & champagne paint & Rue

Oh, so much work in the Holloway household the past few weeks.    Please look at how pretty this stencil is turning out in the laundry room.  The paint is RH's silver sage (which is pretty, but not really us).  I was going to paint the entire small room a real pop of blue...like electric blue.

Instead I picked up some champagne metallic paint from Benjamin Moore.  I had a small stencil from Hobby Lobby (they have some great stuff), but it was too small.  I also had a small paisley stencil but it was too nursery.  So, sweet Kate Dukes (an artist whom I will properly post about later), is kind of my decorating assistant for a while.  That girl is talented.  She went out and found a huge paisley stencil I love.  Isn't the shimmer nice?  Proper photos will come!

here's Kate

photo: three pennies

And please read Rue tomorrow!  Let me know what you think and be honest...good criticism will only make it better.  Here is one of the pictures you'll see--this is Crystal's home, one of the founders.

 I can't believe that I also won a giveaway..my first, and I think I've entered all of them.  Please check out
2 by design  such a funny and pretty blog--and for white lovers she has a "Wednesday Whiteout" feature.

Reader's mantels post tomorrow--If you didn't send me yours, please click on my picture to send it.

Julie

A Favorite Home Tour: You'll Be Seeing More of Her

You have written about Anisa Darnell before.  I feel we are 

kindred spirits in design.  We have the same clothes,

and when we meet we talk about the same photos

in magazines.  She also helped us renovate our home...

she is a style guru.

And one of my top five designers of all time.  (Yes,

she's a decorator, but you know what I mean.)  

She is beautiful inside and out...and here is her beautiful home.

Let's start with the kitchen...

Her husband, Casey, recently came home to find her in the 

garage with the cabinet doors on the ground with 

buckets of Benjamin Moore's Cloud White by her side.  He sighs...

by now he knows it's an occupational hazard when 

you are married to a decorator.

They recently got colonial cream granite installed, too.  

I love how everywhere you look in their home, you find beauty

and practicality.

They entertain a lot, so there are myriad seating options and

places to eat.

I adore her mix of vintage lighting with modern, some things she 

finds at IKEA and some are custom.  All are lovingly placed

and serve a purpose.  She is a natural, I tell ya.

If you have been reading, you saw this post 

when I told you it was her bucket idea.

Well here are the originals:

for place mats, etc.  Is that the cutest vignette, ever?

To the left of this eat-in area she (they) have more seating, a play

area, storage, and some work space.

Yes, she sews, too.  These vintage grain sacks are handmade by

Anisa.  If you have seen some in my home...they are by her

hand as well.

Check out the lanterns!  How fun for their little girl & friends.

In the armoire she hides her computer, paperwork & toys.

Check out the light on the incredible vintage (white!) barcart

with wheels.  You should see it in-person.  Really romantic & soft.

Here is the nook that leads to the formal

dining room.

I love her ironstone collection:

And her dining room doesn't disappoint, either.

I told y'all she was the artist behind my mantel painting.  (And for the 

record...mantle or mantel?  I should know, but I don't.)

She reupholstered the chairs herself in to-die-for fabric.

love the crystal drops

Now back to the living room...

She has a tall, two-story den.  To make it

more intimate she (well, with her family.  Her husband helps, of course,

and her mom & dad in Canada preserves homes for a living.  She

always saves jobs for her dad when they come to town!) added boards

to make it have texture and coziness.

I love that she added green above to make the room even more quaint.

Do you not love her window treatment?

The "H O M E"?

and the rest of the room?

The mix of drapery styles & fabrics totally works.

To reach Anisa...feel free to email me (just click on my picture)...

and I have more pictures of her home to share soon!

Here are some pictures of her:

And I couldn't choose which picture of Ava was best,

they all are...

All the best  

Julie