Dallas Blog | Material Girls | Dallas Interior Design

 

Recently, Beverly Hills House Wife Lisa Vanderpump, her husband Ken Todd, and their dog Jiggy, moved into their newly remodeled Beverly Hills home…. well, mansion.  At 8,000 square feet, it’s a downsize from their 15,500 square footer they just moved out of.  Lisa’s reported net worth is valued at $65 million.  So, with that being said, it’s no wonder she lives a life of lavishness!  With pink as her trademark hue, she’s tricked out her new princess digs in the pretty color.  Take a look at some of these “Before & After” shots of this glammed out Real House Wife of Beverly Hills super sumptuous pad.

Here’s the entry before:

And after:

 

 

 

Definitely a massive change!  The mirrored walls, and lighter wall colors with Lisa’s touches of pink, totally brighten this baby up!

The formal living room also “had a little work done”!

Lisa’s new Formal Living Room:

Darker hardwood flooring, lighter upholstered furniture, painted trim work, chandelier and mirrored furniture transformed this once dark living area into a room fit for even Marie Antoinette to receive callers.

 

Next on the list is the dining room.  Here’s what it looked like before:

And after:

 

The next area that got a major face lift was the outdoor living areas.  Check out the before and after’s of this part of the estate:

 

 

 

 

Talk about a night and day difference! Love how you can lounge outside, yet still be under a fabulous chandelier at the same time! And, I’m totally obsessing over that infinity pool with it’s view of the famous ‘Hills’!

Check out the master bedroom. Major pink transformation!

Even Ken’s closet got a make over!  I love how all the white and mirrors can still be made to feel masculine.

And here’s his closet after shot.  I guess the love of pink is a mutual thing! Looks like he has more pink shirts than I do!

And now, without further ado, I give you the piece de resistance….. Lisa’s closet! (although, I feel like “closet” isn’t the correct terminology for this palatial dressing room).  I don’t know whether I should stand and stare, or go shopping!  This thing is so big, it needs not one, but TWO chandeliers!

OMG, am I in Hermes? Oh, no, wait, it’s  just Lisa Vanderpump’s private closet! Check out all those Birkins! My mouth is watering!

And here’s just a little sampling of some of her bling:

Clutches, purses and bags, Oh My!

Well folks, there you have it.  The life of the the rich and famous!

The opening ceremonies for the 2012 Summer Olympics, was indeed quite a show.  We certainly enjoyed watching all the festivities, especially the Queen’s awesome entrance into the stadium! Another great highlight was watching the parade of champions.  This year’s summer games ushered in some fantastic inspiration from fashion.  Fashion can be a marvelous muse for creating an unforgettable interior space.  Here are some of our favorite inspirations from this year’s Summer Games:

Cobalt, Orange & White: Holland

 

 

This year, Holland totally rocked their bold color pallet of cobalt, orange, navy, and white.  Each athlete was exquisitely tailored in these designer outfits.  A wonderful touch and homage to their homeland’s national flower, can be seen here with a tulip pinned to each athlete’s lapel.  These colors are a fresh and trendy way to spice up any interior.  The contrast that these colors make next to each other creates a statement that is sure to impress.

Mixing patterns with these exciting  colors works well, and adds even more look to this stimulating mix of hues.

These deep navy walls with accents of orange is striking and at the same time, elegant and fun.

This luxurious cashmere blanket by Hermes is a definite must have statement maker.  The unmistakable, classic Hermes orange and white will not go unnoticed!  Also, these orange and cobalt painted vases would be fabulous on any mantle.

Aqua, Sunshine Yellow, & White: Sweden

Sweden’s athletes were definitely noticed at this year’s opening ceremonies.  Their bright yellow and aqua stripes with white pants were definitely “spot on” for summer fashion.  Even their sneakers made a statement, blue with yellow laces. Great attention to detail.

This delicious dining room makes great use of yet another bold color pallet.  Beautiful,bright bamboo chairs in a cheery lemon yellow are definitely a focal point.  The black accents of the doors and the chevron pattern rug help add a touch of chic to this fun dining space.

Add some colorful light and sparkle to your space with this amazing yellow chandelier from Cyan.  This piece brings fun antique whimsy with its classic shape that is sure to liven up any space.

Check out this brightly colored room! The yellow sofas and bright blue pillows are festively summer, and help give this room its own signature look.

Kelly Green & White: Nigeria

Take a look at these fabulous white and green outfits worn by Nigerian Olympic competitors.  Kelly green makes a luscious color statement against bright white.

This gorgeous green upholstered head board transforms this bedroom into a tropical retreat.  The simple bedding with a classic green stripe is simple and refined, making a calm compliment to the statement making headboard.  The bedside lamps with a clear glass base add interest to the room, without taking away from the clean, crisp feel of the space.

Another clean color pallet of green and white makes this living room feel swank.  The modern floor lamp and glass top cocktail table make this space feel expensive, without going over-the-top.

The metallic accent pillows and chrome side table really adds some glamour and flash to this tropical living room.  The palm tree is also a great touch of natural color.  We also like the white cow-hide rug turned on an angle under the cocktail table.  Definitively chic and modern!

Red, White & Blue: U.S.A

Who better than to dress our American Athletes than Ralph Lauren? This classic American preppy look was a fantastic representation of fashion directly from the USA.  Navy blazers, white trousers and knee length skirts with berets and ties definitely has an Ivy League spin.  Feel like standing up straight and saluting the flag?  With and outfit like this, I sure do!

Using red judiciously is key in this bedroom.  Red is a powerful color, and helps define the headboard, bedding and bench.  The gold pendant fixture definitely adds a designer touch to the room.

Adding adventurous patterns makes these living rooms come alive.

This patriotic painted chest with gold accents demands attention.  Finding unique furniture such as this, really adds a great deal of character to any room, and is sure to serve as a conversation piece!

Although we’re always on the lookout for fun, creative showrooms, it’s sometimes hard to find one whose character truly stand out from the rest. But West Palm Beach, Florida-based resale shop Circa Who has done just that with its wild selection of colors, fun trimmings, and collection of whimsical pieces from artichoke lamps to dolphin candlesticks.

Circa Who manages to fulfill your wildest design fantasy, while not going tacky-overboard, and the store’s owner and buyer Tracy Deramus describes the pieces as “20th Century furnishings meets vintage Palm Beach.” We love the mix of fabrics and colors that the store offers, with more than enough pieces to satisfy even the most avid of bamboo-lovers.

Here are a few of our favorites…

Orange ‘X’ Benches

 

 Pair of Clam Shell Lamps

 

Hollywood Regency Mirror

Cyprus Root Console

Faux Bamboo Chippendale Arm Chairs

Greek Key Headboard

Faux Bamboo Barrel Chairs

Pagoda Mirror

William Haines Cabinet

Artichoke Lamp

We asked store owner Tracy a few questions:

When did Circa Who open, and what inspired you to open your own store?

 The store has been open since 2004. While buying things to put my own house together, I realized there is so much FAB merchandise out there with so much LIFE left. I started buying all the things I loved and hoarding them in my husband’s warehouse and he encouraged me to open up a shop.

What inspires you to find “20th century-meets-West-Palm-Beach” pieces?

  I love the 20th century design, and how it was interpreted through Palm Beach details, especially in the 1970s!

Do you have a favorite room in the house to decorate?

The entrance/ foyer.

Who would you say are your ‘typical’ customers?

DIY decorators.

What is your favorite aspect of owning your won business?

Doing something that I LOVE to do!

Anything else you would like to share with Material Girls readers?

 I always tell my clients that it is the piece I fall in love with, not the color or the fabric. It’s the new life that I leave up to them!

Check out the site for more information on the store and its playful pieces! http://circawho.com/

Every designer in Dallas has their go-to vintage stores that they frequent for the best deals and hidden treasures. EJ Interiors would like to share one of our personal favorites for finding the best in vintage furniture and accessories – Antiques Moderne! (We are not alone, this is even Barbara Bush’s favorite spot for vintage furniture shopping!) They are a one-stop shop – you can pick your piece and they will refinish, restore, or reupholster for you as well.

John Bacile is the owner of this 20,000 square foot space that is packed full of furniture, art, lighting, and accessories. He has a workshop in the back where they are busy restoring, upholstering and lacquering unique pieces for their wide range of clients. John finds some of the most amazing pieces that you just can’t find anywhere else, and he’s always got the history behind each piece! This guy really knows his furniture.

Take a look at some of the furniture pieces our clients have purchased and the amazing job that Antiques Moderne has done refinishing them -

Wing Chair AFTER!:

We refinished the wood in a glossy white and reupholstered it in a fun gray and white fabric with shiny silver nail heads. Didn’t their team do a great job? Our client just loves it, and we do too!

This credenza stopped me in my tracks when I first saw it. I completely fell in love, and our client did too!

This is it BEFORE:

And here is the AFTER!:

We had John and his team lacquer this piece in a gray-blue color to coordinate with a fabric in the room. It looks absolutely fabulous now!

For the same client, we purchased two wing back chairs that were in need of a little T.L.C.

Here is the BEFORE:

And AFTER!:

We had Antiques Moderne reupholster the pair in a vibrant orange velvet to pop in the navy room. They turned out amazing!

If you live in, or ever visit, Dallas you must stop by Antiques Moderne to see their huge inventory of great vintage furniture. You’re sure to fall in love with something!

Their address is 1208 N. Riverfront Blvd. Tell John we sent you!

For some reason I feel like all of my projects lately have had one thing in common… ottomans! Random I know, but it seems like these multi-purpose pieces have solved some big design dilemmas for us at EJ Interiors! Whether we are working on a family room, bedroom, home office, or even an outdoor living space, ottomans have been the perfect solution when we are tight on space or need the room to serve several functions! I searched my go-to sites (Pinterest and Decorpad) for some fabulous examples of how ottomans can transform ANY room.

IN THE MIDDLE OF FOUR CHAIRS-

I must say that my favorite use of the ottoman is a square ottoman set on the diagonal placed between four chairs.  This seating arrangement makes for a very cozy conversation area-

{Traditional Home}

IN PLACE OF A TRADITIONAL COFFEE TABLE-

Sometimes you just want to put your feet up when on the couch watching TV, but this is never as relaxing with a regular coffee table.  With this layout, you don’t have to feel guilty kicking back and relaxing and it’s super comfortable too-

{Elle Decor}

In this situation, I like a tray on the ottoman- one that can hold books, vases, and other random accessories-

{Elle Decor}

BETWEEN TWO CHAIRS-

J Lo chose to put a coordinating ottoman between her two two matching chairs.  This ottoman can serve a few different purposes…it can be pulled up in front of one of the chairs as a foot rest, could be an extra seat, or if it had a tray, could pose as an accent table to hold drinks.

{Veranda}

This ottoman poses as a foot rest and/or coffee table between these two chairs in this gorgeous gray library-

UNDER A CONSOLE TABLE-

You never know when you are going to need extra seating at a party, so the placement of this ottoman is a great solution for when you have to accommodate larger groups. Not to mention, this ottoman just looks good as an accent under the console table and softens the lines of it.

IN FRONT OF A CHAIR-

This is the most obvious place for an ottoman, in front of a chair..however, where the chair and ottoman are, couldn’t be more unexpected- in a master bath!

AS EXTRA SEATING IN LIVING ROOM-

These round and oval ottomans are pretty fab and are a great way to add extra seating to your living room. Usually placed right in front of a coffee table, these ottomans provide a place for guests to perch and enjoy their cocktails!

Jamie knew what he was doing when he added this huge round hot pink ottoman-

{Jamie Drake}

And here he did it again!

{Jamie Drake}

AS A BED BENCH-

Ottomans in the bedroom are perfect for breakfast in bed! (or more realistically, a good spot to sit and put on your shoes!)

{House Beautiful}

{Tobi Fairley}

OUTDOOR OTTOMANS-

Ottomans in an outdoor living area add seating without blocking the beautiful view OR they could serve as footstools for days when you just want to lounge!

{Architectural Digest}

{Windsor Smith}

AS STORAGE-

How amazing is the Rousseau storage ottoman from Lilly Pulitzer?? 16 storage pockets inside for shoes!! This is seriously every girl’s dream…

IN A CLOSET-

Well actually, maybe THIS is every girl’s dream. Great use of it, wouldn’t you agree?!

And another…just so I can live vicariously through these women with their big closets!

So I guess the question is- is there anything you can’t do with an ottoman?!!

In Texas, you come across a lot of houses with massive stone fireplaces or stone walls (particularly in newer homes…ones that were designed by home builders).

Some Texas sized fireplaces and walls for your perusal…(before photos)

As they say, everything is bigger in Texas….seriously!

I can’t say that I’m particularly fond of them as I think they make it a little more difficult to decorate around.  I much prefer a smaller, crisp, white fireplace with a stone surround like this one below, as I love to decorate with whites and grays- (but that’s a different story)

When I get a project with a massive stone fireplace, it does present a little bit more of a challenge (but EJ Interiors loves a good challenge) so we tell the client in most cases that you don’t have to call in the bulldozer and that we should look at fabrics that complement the stone and try to work with it first.

I met with a client today who has a big stone fireplace and so I proposed a Thom Filicia fabric from Kravet (for sofa pillows) as a starting point to bring out the neutral tones (browns, beiges and grays) in her fireplace and she loved the idea!

Fireplace +

Existing Granite and Cabinets (that have to stay) +

Pillow Fabric=

It was like it was meant to be.  Add in some other pops of color through artwork and accessories, and we have our room plan!  I think the key with stone fireplaces is to not go crazy with pattern in your upholstery fabrics because the stone in itself is already very busy.

As you can see from the photos below, these designers and home owners did the exact same thing.  They selected textiles and furnishings that enhanced the stone, rather than ignored it.  The stone no longer stands out like a sore thumb, and instead, it blends in and flows with the rest of the space.

{Basement by Candice Olson}

{House Beautiful}

{Elle Decor}

{anyone know the source on this one?}

{House Beautiful}

{Decorpad}

{Decorpad}

{Coastal Living magazine}

{Veranda Magazine}

The funny thing is, that after the project is over and the decorating around the stone fireplace is done, clients usually tell me that they don’t hate their big stone fireplace anymore.  I guess that means my work is done!

Suzanne Kasler’s furniture line for Hickory Chair is nothing short of stunning.  I’m always drooling over her French inspired pieces and daydreaming about one day adding a piece of her collection to my own living room.

Well, that day isn’t going to be anytime soon unfortunately, so you can imagine my surprise when I came across her Tuxedo Chest at Hickory Chair and almost fell over when I saw how closely it looked to the vintage 1950′s chest that I just bought at Lula B’s Antique Mall in Dallas.

Of course the first person I emailed was my boyfriend (who definitely didn’t share my level of excitement) to tell him that there was our entry chest’s twin (well, its three paneled, more expensive twin) sitting at Hickory Chair for about $7,000 more than what I paid.

I swear, you really never know what you will find at these great vintage shops on Riverfront!

{Suzanne’s Tuxedo Chest}

{Lula B’s vintage chest}

Of course nothing compares to Suzanne’s furniture (and I can’t say I’m any less obsessed with her collection), but after taking the former laminated countertop credenza from Lula B’s and transforming it with a marble top, it looks like a whole new piece of furniture!  I call it my “Suzanne inspired piece”.  Now if only Lula’s would get a quatrefoil shaped chair in the Alexandra’s likeness, I’d be on a roll!

Be sure to visit Lula B’s Antique Mall for other amazing deals and steals!

1010 Riverfront Boulevard

Dallas, TX 75207

“Visit William Sonoma Home” has been an item on my to-do list for some time now.  The home furnishings retail company opened up a Plano location a few years ago and I have been meaning to make the trek up north to check it out ever since its grand opening.

It’s funny how quickly time passes and up until last Friday at 12 pm, I hadn’t stepped foot in their door.  I was at one of my client’s houses (who lives in Plano) and she suggested that we go up to WSH to take a look at a chandelier that she had been eyeing.  I never realized how close she lived to the store (otherwise, I probably would have dropped by sooner!) but it was nice to take a quick unexpected trip to check out their lighting.

We came in for a chandelier, and left with a mirror! Isn’t that how it always works?

The store was beautiful.  You can tell that they put a lot of thought into their vignettes.

Everything at the store seemed to be of great quality.  There’s nothing worse than when you go to a new store (whose website merchandise you love) and then you come to find out that the merchandise in person is a huge disappointment!

This wasn’t the case with WSH at all. I was very impressed with how they presented their furniture and accessories.  They even had refined music in the background to boot!

I am a regular to their website, so it was fun to come in at long last, and see those mysterious pieces that I’ve always wanted to view in person.

They were right in the middle of their “White Sale”- 25% off bedding and bed essentials and 15% off bath towels and rugs.

Half the store’s walls were covered in a warm colored grasscloth and the other half was painted a really pretty light neutral color.  Of course I had to snoop and ask them what color the walls were (and the trim nonetheless!)

Turns out walls were painted Benjamin Moore’s Shaker Beige (HC-45) and trim was painted Benjamin Moore’s Navajo White (OC-95).

It was the perfect paint color to pose as the backdrop for all of their exquisite pieces.

They also had some great sales on furniture and accessories.  The chair on the left hand side of the below photo was only $299!

There’s nothing more captivating than a bold orange wingback!

William Sonoma Home

7300 North Dallas Parkway

Building A, Suite A-100

Plano, TX 75024

Thank you Rachel from the Raenovate blog for featuring Before and After projects from EJ Interiors.

Rachel’s fabulous blog showcases the transformation of rooms by interior design firms.  Be sure to check out other Before and Afters on her site- including fellow MG blogger, Julia Edelmann’s!

My mom just got back from Houston and brought me back a little souvenir.  Well, not the typical souvenir you would imagine!

She emailed me an inspiration photo of a room vignette that she saw at a shop there called Boxwood Interiors (one that sells Farrow and Ball wallpaper and paint.)  She snapped a photo of the room for me so I could live vicariously through her jaunt around Houston visiting all of their cool shops and showrooms.

I am OBSESSED!  I wouldn’t have ever thought to put all of those different patterns together in a room and would have been afraid that it would get “way too busy”; however, for some reason, it works here.  I really love all of the individual elements and that wallpaper is amazing!  I predict that the bold blue hue above will replace the turquoise fad (at least I hope so! I love turquoise but I’m so ready for a new blue to take over.  What about you?)