Counting Black Sheep

Have you thought about how important the mattress is to your bedroom's design?  Take a look at my guest post on Somnium's blog

Check out Somnium's high-end mattress offerings here: http://somniumbeds.com

Small Kitchen, Big Ideas

Sometimes the small projects can be the most challenging.  Take for example this galley kitchen for my clients, the Molleras.

This home was built in the 1950's and is what I would consider a cottage.  This kitchen had been updated in the '80's, but now it was ready to come into the 21st century.

With a limited budget, we had to decide priorities.  Ideally, we wanted to replace the cabinets.  Instead, we went for a fresh coat of paint, new doors and drawers, some rearranging and just a couple new cabinets to make this kitchen more welcoming and functional.

The Silestone countertops were a must and a last minute slush fund afforded the backsplash upgrade from the slated subway tile.

From the beginning, I had a vision for this black and white checkerboard floor.  It is fitting to the age of the house and the angled lines really helped to open up the space.

Finish off with some new dining furniture and window treatments and lighting and we've got a happy client!

The Latest and Greatest in Furniture

I just returned from a wonderful week at the Las Vegas Furniture Market.  With 3 buildings of up to 16 floors of showrooms, there is so much to see.  I think this was the busiest market I've been to there.  Is this a sign of the times?  Most vendors and designers I talked to seemed very busy with projects and positive about the economy.

Since pictures are worth a thousand words,  I'll show rather than tell all the fabulous things I discovered:

Spike chandelier, almost marquee style

I love these spiky accessories.  Not great for Feng Shui, though, I am told
 (sigh)

A dining table made from coffee trees

Cog-like mirrors.  Would be a classy addition to a steam punk interior

Fun and flashy pendants!

I saw a lot of dark brown with black.  Drama drama!
(trend alert!)

What fun whimsy legs

Fish scale mirror

Indigo still going strong in accent colors

Sophisticated dining set

Unique display cabinet

This is just the tip of the iceberg.  I'm looking forward to incorporating some of these items in my designs.  Which one is your favorite?

Before and After: Lake Greehaven Remodel

Often, it's hard to truly appreciate an after photo until you see where it all started.  Today I'm featuring a few photos from one of my recent kitchen and bath remodels which has easily become one of my favorites.

Kitchen Before

Kitchen after

Kitchen before

Kitchen after

Guest bath before

Guest bath after

Master bath before

Master Bath after

 The client and designer are very happy with the results!

Before photos by Rebecca Ward
After photos by Steve Folino of InnerVision Photography