eDesign Reveal: Dani Barbe's Great Room

Hi friends! We hope you are all enjoying your Summer, wherever that may be! We've been so ridiculously excited to share one of our favorite eDesign projects so far that we picked up in the early Spring and recently finished. Today we are sharing part 1 of our amazing client, Dani Barbe's, home. This sweet lady contacted us with excitement, motivation and a completely open mind - all the makings for a wonderful eDesign adventure for us all! She is a self-made jewelry designer, (she has a collection in Anthropologie!), and to work with someone who inspires us so much has been such a gift. First up is her Great Room and Breakfast Nook, with more to come from her country side home in Frederick, MD shared with her fiance and their 'Lonny' - the most adorable french bulldog to walk this earth.

If you'd like to look back at our design boards and 3D renderings of this space before you see the entire finished product below, you can check out this post! Otherwise, come on in!

BEFORE

Fairly early on we settled into a less stuff-better stuff mentality all around. It's not overly filled but every piece was selected through thoughtful consideration of the grandeur of the room. Although the space is grand, indeed, Dani and her fiance are quite laid back and desired a space that was comfortable and easy to entertain young and old alike.

The light in this space was really inspirational in the design process and when we were faced with tough decisions, we ultimately focused on the natural glow of the space and what pieces would enhance that! Pastel colors came into play from the beginning, with mixed dark and light wood tones peppered throughout.

Both the area rug and runner for this space were ebay scores that we were definitely throwing virtual fist bumps over. Lol!

The entry way is balanced by an antiqued mirrored and brass console as well as an epic antique Craigslist find, (keep scrolling). Mixing in these unique old, (or old looking), pieces into the space, along with the vintage rugs, gives the modern bright white space some necessary grounding and storied character.

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Ah-ha! Here is our extraordinary Craigslist find. I've truly never seen anything like this and admit I found and saved this piece in my phone before any aspect of the design even begun! I remember quickly creating a hypothetical design around this piece so I could share it with them and they could snatch it up before it was too late!!

As it goes with every design job, there are always a couple hurdles to overcome. The area rug turned out to be a bit smaller than what the seller had listed, so in order to fill a bit of awkward empty space on the side of the sofa where the sofa should have reached, we added an inexpensive mirrored accent table from Urban Outfitters. It balances the mirrored console beautifully and adds a touch of reflection to the darker side of the sofa!

On to the dining nook! Serious confession; I've been waiting for just the right opportunity to use a custom made fiber piece from Designs by Filia, who's work I've been following for a while. I don't know how she does what she does, but she's amazing at doing it! When we selected just the right furniture pieces for this spac and the light fixture, it just needed one final statement. Since we decided to forgo a rug in here, I really wanted to bring a touch of color and texture up the wall - and our opportunity was born! We worked closely with Filia to pick just the right colors for this space and she just knocked it out of the park! As I mentioned earlier, our focus was to maintain the natural glow of this entire space, and this piece does that so well.

When we mentioned that a tree of some sort would be ideal in this far corner, Dani mentioned that she had her eye on an olive tree. Little did we know what a green thumb she had - when we arrived to shoot this space we got to see all the olives on this thriving tree of hers!

Minted art for the win, folks. The black and white watercolor over the mantle is Minted as well!

Two of our most clutch finds were a StyleMutt Home team effort - McKenna nailed the art for over the mantle and Cate hit it out of the park with this light fixture found in Etsy shop, Intermountain Lights.

That's it for now! As you head out you'll notice this gorgeousbrass vortex fixture that gives the entry way all the attention it needs!

Speaking of attention, Lonny would love to say hello before you go.

Thank you all for walking through our latest project with us! This one was pure joy for us to work on and we thoroughly enjoy getting to share it with you friends. Stay tuned for more from this home! Hint: Green velvet, apothecary storage, raw minerals and gemstones, cement coffee table - we've got another doozie of a reveal ahead for you!

Mid-Mod Dining Chairs

Not even two weeks into the summer and somehow I managed to get my hands on some Brody mid-century modern dining chairs!  Can I get a holla?!?!  Except there was only one problem...

 They looked like this:

See that splitting vinyl??  Tres tragique!  What's worse was even the underside of the chairs had instructions on how to care for the upholstery.  Someone had seriously neglected these puppies in a past life...

I motion that they add to the *DON'TS column: "Do not give to frat house or wreckless bachelor" (which is how I got my hands on them).

Since the original vinyl was so SHOT, I  had no choice but to replace the fabric.  New upholstery challenge accepted! 

As is my usual reupholstery MO, I went with a cream linen that really lightened up their silohuettes.

In a perfect world, I would've restored the original fabric.  But the seats and the backrests were truly unsalvagable.  The back panels, however, where in mint condition so after some jerry-rigging, I found a way to keep them for a two-toned contrast.

The chairs' original swivel chrome bases were in excellent shape as well. 

The backrests had some cute keyhole detailing - which I'm not gonna lie, was one of the trickiest parts of the reupholstery project.

But those wishbone keyholes, coincidentally, inspired the unconventional staging wall-art.

And (of course), I couldn't style a chair without my favorite Kilim pillow kid (shhh don't tell the others).

Is it just me or do they look like a chorus line?  

Let's practice that high kick ladies.

If you're in the D.C. Metro area and are looking for a set of dining chairs (or even some occasional or desk chairs if that's what you're in to) - hit me up.

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Mid-Mod Dining Chairs
Now Available for Sale
$175 each/ $600 for the set

If you are interested in this set or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com.

Quatrefoil Credenza ||A Collaboration with Modern South||

Today I have the privileged of debuting not only a fresh piece but also a fellow creative!  Posts like these are some of my favorites - when two creatives join forces to make something together.  I connected with Cory of Modern South via Instagram and jumped at the chance to work with her on a juicy collaboration.

Modern South Studio

Original Artwork by Cory McBee
Charleston, SC

Cory and I share a mutual love of color and abstract art.  When we were looking for an excuse to work together, I had the perfect piece in mind to show off her ethereal landscapes art.  I found this four door credenza without a leg to stand on and the sweet quatrefoil detailing was so endearing that I couldn't pass it up. 

Plus I was jonesing to do something in a buttery gray again.

The classic lines of this piece called for a feminine and glam look - something a little softer than I normally debut in the garage shop.  

The paint color I went with was Hailstorm Gray by Behr Marquee.  In person, it's almost blue, almost purple, almost green and therefore an all-around very mysterious neutral.

It actually did pain me a bit to paint the burled wood inserts on the doors but there were too many areas of damage that needed repair and I just couldn't picture a two-toned look.  I think because the two-tone is more indicative of a modern streamlined piece that wouldn't fit a piece like this with more decorative details.  

For her new gams, I found these metal 7" legs.  Their sleek lines help modernize the credenza so it can appeal to a wider variety of home decor styles. 

The piece's original floret-ed knobs complimented the quatrefoil design on the doors too perfectly to give up so I gave the legs our favorite faux-gold finish to match.

Inside is a cabinet on the left

and a set of drawers on the right.

Any one of her prints would have been the perfect compliment, but Cory's "Blue Fever" and "Dreaming in Orange" make such a lovely couple. 

Blue Fever by Cory McBee, Modern South Studio

Blue Fever by Cory McBee, Modern South Studio

Dreaming in Orange by Cory McBee, Modern South Studio

Dreaming in Orange by Cory McBee, Modern South Studio

The navy and blush paired with the gray and gold of their piece reminds me of a quiet sunrise.  

I kept a relatively neutral color scheme with the rest of my decorative items: dried eucalyptus in a white ceramic vase, a couple stacks of books, white picture frames and touches of glass and gold.

Cory's prints are the precise soft/ feminine accents I was picturing when I finished this piece.  If you want a set of your own, you can shop Modern South Studio or email Cory for customize print sizes.  And if you're local to the DC Metro area, this gray quatrefoil beauty could also be yours.

Gray Quatrefoil Dresser
Now Available for Sale
72"L x 20"D x 30.5"H
$685

If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com.