Design Reveal: Sweet Dreams, Brooklyn

It’s weird times, indeed. I know every single one of you has had to adjust your regular way of life in some way, shape or form. If you have been fortunate enough to still have your job, there’s a good chance that looks a lot different now than it did 6 months ago - So many companies are figuring out how to continue their operations remotely and out of office. While I have always done my design work remotely, there is one aspect I’ve thoroughly enjoyed doing in person - finishing photos! I’ve shared before that I only get to take photos of about 15% of my completed projects, so when the opportunity arises to take pictures it feels like Christmas morning!

About a year ago one such project was wrapping up just beautifully in Brooklyn, NY, and I was hoping to make it up to take pictures along with another project in the Chelsea neighborhood. As it happens, COVID struck before I made it up there and I was sorely missing this project in my portfolio (and getting to share it here with you)! So I reached out to the client who I’ve been in touch with by the natural evolution of friendship in the process, and she was totally open to taking the pictures for me! We even scheduled a virtual styling session, which looked a lot like this for an hour:

Despite my face it really was a lot of fun! Hah! Having someone else take pictures was such a good practice in letting go of something I normally like to have control over, and boy am I glad I let go. She absolutely knocked it out of the park! I sent her the same photography tips outlined in our Interior Design Starter Guide, and she nailed it.

Before I show you around let’s take a look back at what this room started as. Now, I have nothing against lime green walls. In fact, our design assistant, Joy, absolutely rocked this StyleMutt Home project with lime green walls. But when this client and I were discussing her ultimate vision for this space, her bedroom, the lime green walls just didn’t support the end-goal.

The plan, shown below, was to create a really soft and soothing space using various neutral textures and patterns, contrasted by just a few grounding elements. We wanted to create a sophisticated retreat that represented the client’s fun and joyful personality.

And here is our plan brought to life! ALL pictures are in huge thanks to this sweet client. Her pup, Peggy, seized the opportunity, for sure!

Another look back at the beginning:

One of my favorite aspects of this project was getting to source from some small businesses I’d had my eye on for a little while. The sconces and overhead fixture by Cedar and Moss really make this room feel special. They were an opportunity to use something a little different from the mainstream. All by themselves these lights fold in that sophisticated vibe we were looking for, but they’re still unique and fun.

Hey, over here, Peggy!

This is such an awesome example of how to make a neutral palette visually interesting. Breaking up a monochromatic palette with varying textures and patterns and elements brings a room to life.

And then adding in a few contrasting elements in deeper, saturated tones grounds the space, and actually helps in making the whole room feel lighter and airier!

The beginning again,

and now.

One more time:

It was important to remember while working on this space that the same person I was designing this room for was the same person that, at one time, liked the lime green - you know that person has a bold aesthetic that doesn’t feel the need to fit in any one style box. While we wiped the green clean, we replaced it with a fun graphic paper that nods to the vibrant personality of the client.

A single statement pillow by my talented friend, Abbie at a. Naber Design pulls together the blues from the nightstands and the rug.

With bedrooms I like to make the bed and bed wall the focal point of the room. Since this client said she didn’t have any use for a dresser, we decided on a chic low lounge chair nestled near the natural light, and called it a day.

That’s a wrap, folks! This is one of my all time favorite bedrooms I’ve had the opportunity to design, and getting to share it with you is all because of the great effort of my client. Sarah, thank you. You are amazing and this was such a treat to work on with you.

Thank you all so much for stopping by today!

Reveal: Eclectic Equine Condo

Hello, hello! It's good to be back here with you for another eDesign reveal! If you're newer around these parts of the great World Wide Web, first off, welcome! So glad you're here! I'm Chelsea and peeled off from doing furniture refinishing about 2 years ago to focus on the design branch of StyleMutt Home. It's been a really exciting challenge to learn how to do design work, (primarily eDesign), and navigate where the specific skills can be used. Although we have been blessed with a full load of individual clients this year,  I accepted and began a freelance design job over the summer with a corporate company who is similar to Airbnb. They're purchasing condos in major cities around the US and Canada and making them available to travelers as home-away-from-home stay places. But between their purchase and that first lease, there is a lot of work to do on these condos! My job is the design, (i.e. the fun part)! The work is very fast paced and often unpredictable. I design these spaces from the comfort of my own home, never stepping foot inside the physical space.  I never know what information they'll be able to supply me with on a unit before I get started on the design. Many times they give me a floorplan with measurements and that's it. If I'm lucky I get pictures, and maybe even a video tour! Regardless of what info I'm given for a space, they require all the details that make up a complete eDesign in a day or two. It's a lot of fast research, drawing, note taking and, <gulp> math, but the exciting part is having the creative freedom to design the spaces how I wish. The company always gives me a style direction, (industrial, old world, California cool, etc), but from there I can run with it.

The space I'm sharing today is in Chicago and came with all the lovely before photos a girl could ask for. It is a 2 bedroom condo with a comfortable living space complete with a full kitchen. When I saw the before photos the space just looked tired. The blue-gray walls just made the it all look kind of 'blah'; especially the kitchen. There is absolutely nothing modern or industrial about the architecture here like in many of the other spaces I have designed for this company, so my desire was simply to freshen it up and make it cozy. In my short experience with design thus far I have learned that the most successful designs are a natural extension of the space. Since this space is already very traditional, I stuck to fairly classic pieces that read traditional with a modern twist. When I first showed Cate her remark was how very equestrian it felt with the dark moody colors, rich velvets and warm leather. So I'm calling this the Equine Condo! Lol!

Let's take a look!

LIVING ROOM

Below is a before picture of the living room paired with my design plan:

BEDROOM 1

I'm telling you, it's so hard to design rooms without the current season on your brain. I worked on this space right as the days were turning crisp and pumpkins were being displayed on doorsteps. Can you tell?! I went all out cozy. It's a rather large bedroom and I just wanted to make it feel inviting, quiet, and relaxing. It's like a big green cave and I just love it.

BEDROOM 2

They said a bed couldn't be done. They said a dresser could never fit. Literally - I actually (accidentally) stumbled onto other designers' notes on this room. The client deeply desired this space to be a second bedroom, and with an en-suite bathroom it surely made sense.  I studied that floorplan and researched beds. I knew if the measurements were right that a full bed mattress would absolutely be doable. A bedframe, maybe not. So I found an adjustable bedframe that could be pulled inward a few inches if need be but still support the full size mattress. And with the bed nestled cozy in the corner there was more than enough space for a modest tallboy dresser with a small footprint. I'm not usually one to sit and work on puzzles, but I thoroughly enjoyed figuring out how to fit the pieces together comfortably in this room!

And how about that wallpaper?! Target has a gorgeous line of peel-and-stick that is ~$30 for 27.5 sq ft! That's a lot of impact for a tiny bit of $! I'm still fairly weary of using wallpaper, but I'm so pleased with how it turned out in this space. It's the perfect tiny room for it.

KITCHEN

I admit I wasn't thrilled with these cherry cabinets and cherry floor - it was a lot of red wood, hurt my eyes. Hah! But once again I am floored by the magic of a fresh coat of paint. My design for this space included painting the entire main living space in Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore and it absolutely wakes this space up. With all the red wood, the stools may seem an odd choice. I totally get it; why add even more red toned wood? Well, for one thing I didn't want any statements in the kitchen. I was adding a lot of contrast to the living room right next to it and wanted the kitchen to just be easy on the eyes, nothing sticking out. Secondly, although the red toned wood itself is not my favorite, keeping it all the same gives this space a slight modern feel. It's monochromatic which I love.

That's a wrap! I hope you enjoyed looking around - I sure am grateful to you for coming by!

Reader Design: Kathleen's Impeccable Emerald Accents

I have a question for you.  What's better than a Friday?  How about a fall Friday?  Nay - how about a...  

As Chelsea posted about here and here, we are keen on green this season. Well not only do we have a stunning home tour courtesy of Kathleen from Lindsay Hill Interiors for you today, we have more of our favorite trending fall color: emerald.

From Kathleen:

I would describe my style as crisp, clean, and cozy. I love in a small and cozy much more than big and ornate! I love using white backgrounds and adding interest with pops of color and with wood and texture. I always add something vintage, or antique, or a family heirloom to every room. I think old things have such charm and character, and they help keep us connected to our past and to those we love.

[This is my] dining area with plate wall and old buffet that I painted. I don't love my table, but I'm making it work for now! Also, I removed the inner drum shade lining from the chandelier so the crystals could sparkle.

The Kitchen is my favorite room in the house! I have a thing for white kitchens, and I love adding pops of color to them.

Would you look at those excellent green accents people!?

I snagged this vintage tin canister set at a local antique shop. It's become my favorite kitchen accessory!

My kitchen, living room, and dining area are all open to each other. This sofa, though a nice quality, was a boring brown tweed. I decided to sew slipcovers for my living room furniture (crazy idea, since I had never sewn a slipcover in my life!), but I love how they turned out and how they tie all those open areas together now.

My husband thought I was crazy when I dragged this old door into the house (he still thinks I'm crazy!), but I love using it for seasonal decorating.

I have one of those myself Kathleen [both the decorative door and the less-than-thrilled husband].  Decorative doors unite!

This slate topped entry table is perfect for little vignettes, and to hold my white-headed lady.

This little settee [in the entry] also got covered in a white slipcover. In fact, I started my slipcovering experience with this settee, which was probably a mistake since it was the curviest of the pieces I covered!

Ok well you can't tell this was your inaugural slipcover Kathleen.  And how chic and fun is that typographic wall art and those touches of brass?!

I love the built-ins [in the mudroom] for hiding all those not-so-pretty necessities.

I originally wanted wallpaper [in the hall bath], but when I priced out the one I wanted, I just couldn't bring myself to spend the money. So I went to my local dollar store, bought a cheap stencil, and this is the end result. I love how it perks up this space.

My office is my happy room where I do my creating.

This [master bedroom sitting area] is where I retire to before bed to read, browse IG, and relax.

I love the feature wall behind the bed [in the master bedroom] - it adds a lovely tailored touch.

Thank you so much Kathleen for this incredible gem of a home tour!  And if you are not in on this already, be sure to follow Kathleen @lindsay_hill_interiors for more STUNNING home decor and design.

Want to see your own fall tour on our SPACES page?  We do too!  Tag your your home pics with #stylemuttspaces on instagram or post directly to our Facebook wall.