Design Discovery: Diallo Chandelier

I look forward to the day when I will have the opportunity to attend the High Point Market, but in the meantime, I will have to be content living vicariously through the High Point Style Spotters. This season, I am completely smitten with the Diallo Chandelier by Arteriors they highlighted.

The coral inspired design is made of lacquered resin, and can be specified in white with a satin brass canopy and rod, or red with polished nickel. My mind is filled with creative places I could hang this fixture, and I am excited for the ideal client project where I can use it. I have a Rhode Island beach home project starting soon, maybe that will be the perfect one.

images via Arteriors

Where would you like to hang this beautiful globe of coral?

Welcoming Spring Indoors

It seems like spring just got here, but summer is already about a month away.

Oversize greenery potted in an urn is an unexpected vertical element in this sleek living room.

It's easy to let seasons come and go, but I enjoy using fresh flowers and greenery to bring some life to our living and working spaces. I have my go tos like tulips and hydrangeas, but possibilities are really endless when creating and lovely arrangements. Below are some of my favorite ways for displaying greenery and blooms to enjoy inside.

Pretty pink peonies in a low bowl

Chevron flooring, a gold mirror, architectural details, and an urn filled with green and white

Recycled glass wall terrarium

Herbs above the kitchen sink

Reflecting: Building Lasting Relationships

via design-magnifique.com

My husband recently forwarded me this article from the New York Times, and it got me thinking about relationships with my clients. I found it incredibly interesting, and if you substitute the word designer for contractor, the message is the same.

As with most designers, when working so closely with a client, it's inevitable that we eventually become friends. This article offers some interesting advice, to be mindful to not let frustrating punch list items get in the way of ruining a great project and a great relationship or future referral.  

One contractor I work with once said he was always confused by why his clients ended up "hating" him after months of good work.  But, it is just what the article says - a bunch of minor stuff left undone for a long time until he had a rainy day to come by and button things up.  The same is true for we designers.  

In the article, Dr. Kahneman concluded that people don’t evaluate the pain of an experience on an overall level. Instead, they remember the pain at the very end — and whether it got better or worse.

The end of a project is oftentimes the most crucial point- everything that I've worked so hard to get perfect for my clients can finally come to fruition. It's easy to crumble under pressure and just focus on getting tasks done in order to move onto the next, but care must be had to ensure that the perfection that I strove to work towards at the the onset is carried through to the end.  That is, after all, why our clients put trust in us in the first place.

Looking Up: Colorful Ceilings

I was inspired by a blog post about patterned and painted ceilings, and couldn't stop my mind from from dreaming about the possibilities. In my opinion, a white ceiling is classic and refined, but a hint of the unexpected can work wonders for a space that otherwise may need that last detail.

colorchats.benjaminmoore.com

The ceiling above is in William Morris's Red House, built in 1860. Morris was a textile designer, artist, and writer from England, and was one of the founders of the Arts & Crafts Movement, so peeking into this home is like stepping back in time, and witnessing an influential piece of the past. The yellow and white motif is a lovely complement to the diamond mulled windows.

colorchats.benjaminmoore.com

I wanted to show this image above because I am intrigued with the look of painting the trim and ceiling beams in a room as another way to infuse color without putting it on the walls or into the decor. The blue bunk room is so cozy looking,  the deep color and the way the dressers are integrated into the bed platform is another homey touch.

colorchats.benjaminmoore.com

Painting a ceiling dark is for the fearless, but it can create a very successful effect.  A tall ceiling painted black is dramatic and enhances the eclecticism of the space. It makes the walls look as if they are free-standing.  The contemporary artwork above the fireplace, streamlined leather sofa, and gold shaded lamps juxtapose the traditional detailing in the mantel and on the walls.

Houzz

By putting a bold color on the ceiling, bright bedding and an upholstered headboard can pop off a neutral wall, like in the image above, and no sunglasses necessary. (You are getting a little peek of one of my favorite pendants at the moment, too.)

Houzz

Have you ever wondered why porch ceilings are painted blue?  I once read it was so bees would confuse the ceiling for the sky, and would be less likely to build a hive. Who knew? Although this soft blue is inside, it certainly gives a light and airy feeling to the foyer. I've been debating painting my living room ceiling a similar color, so it's wonderful to see how it works above. I think it would look great above my new chair.