Dallas Blog | Material Girls | Dallas Interior Design

I am super pumped to announce that the fabulous Ronda Rice Carman will be coming to the wonderful city of Dallas.  She is the founder of All The Best blog which was started in 2007, all the way from Scotland, and more recently her new book “Designers at Home”.  A Texan by birth, she now splits her time between Scotland and the United States.

Not only will there be a signing for her newest book, “Designers at Home”, but you will get a sneak preview of the Collective 3 Design Furniture Line, and as if that isn’t enough there will be complementary cocktails and wonderful company to be enjoyed.

Mecox is by far one of our favorite places to shop.  They’ve got everything from furniture large and small to accessories and original art, as well as one of the best selections of coffee table books in Dallas!  It’s definitely a unique and one of a kind shopping experience!

So don’t be tardy for the party!  Join the Mecox team in welcoming Ronda back to her native Texan roots Thursday, August 8 from 5-7 pm at Mecox Dallas, located at 4532 Cole Ave.

The countdown has begun!  There’s a brand new royal on the way, and the baby prince or princess is expected any day now.  July 11th is the official due date of the future monarch of the United Kingdom (third in line after the baby’s father and grandfather).  According to tradition, the news of the baby’s birth will be posted on a gold easel outside Buckingham Palace and there will be gun salutes, flag flying, and bell pealing.  With so much hype going around about The Duchess of Cambridge’s pregnancy, we can’t help but ask ourselves the question, “what does the royal nursery look like?”

According to acclaimed British interior designer Oliver Burns,  the nursery is expected to be of a traditional nature, which should come as no surprise.  Mr. Burns has actually prepared a few sketches of what he expects it to look like.

 

The royal baby will have its own suite at Kensington Palace Apartment 1A, just like the baby’s father and brother.  The new Kensington Palace baby suite is said to have cost an estimated $1.5 million!  Im sure it’s filled with the finest of everything!  After all, would you expect anything less for the future king or queen of England?

We may not have royals here in the states, but, we’ve got the next best thing… celebrities!  And boy do they like to have babies!  Here’s a peak at some of my favorite celeb nurseries that just might give Kate and Wills a run for their money!

Mariah Carey’s nursery is full of pink and green for her twins.  Check out that huge giraffe in the corner!  I’m loving the drapery treatments around the cribs!

Jennifer Lopez’s nursery for her twins is pretty regal if you ask me!  The crown like canopies over the cribs and the chandelier and fixtures dripping in crystals would definitely make any royal baby feel right at home!

Dr. Phil and his wife recently renovated one of the rooms in their home for their baby granddaughter.  Just look at those flowing blush pink silk curtains, and the damask wallpaper!   If my room looked like this at my grandparents house, I’d never leave!

Kim Kardashion is rumored to have been looking at this bed for her new baby’s nursery.  All that silver leafing and detail! Wow!

I’ve always been a fan of Restoration Hardware’s baby nurseries.  If you ask me, I think they’re regal in their own right!

It’s that time of year again… The weather is hot and sandy shores with glistening waters are calling your name.  Or perhaps the cool mountain breezes are beckoning you to the mountains.  Maybe it’s the call of the open road with the top down, to head to an unknown destination to see what adventures are in store for you.  What ever your fancy, it’s summer time in the good ‘ol U.S. of A, and it’s vacay time! (for most of the general American population anyways).

 

 

I have always dreamed of owning a vacation home of my own, but alas, if that day ever comes it will be quite a long time from now.  In the mean time, I’ll just have to save my pennies so that I can rent one every once and again when vacation time or a trip rolls around.

I’ve always admired beach homes that have clean and simple lines.  I feel like there’s nothing to distract from the view of the beach and the ocean.  It sure does look like a lot of glass to clean though!

 

A semi-outdoor entertaining area like this would be the ultimate for me!  Doesn’t it look relaxing, and welcoming?  Your guests would never want to leave! Who could blame them?

I’ve always found that the majority of beach vacation homes have light colors throughout the interiors, and are full of refreshing natural light which I love.  It’s so revitalizing and invigorating!  This space just feels so fresh and clean!

This Malibu beach house has a perfect living room.  The wood cocktail table and built-in cabinetry add an excellent element of texture.  Take a look at that panoramic view! It’s like a giant painting on a wall.  This room doesn’t even need any wall decor because the view does all the talking!

When I’m on vacation, one of my favorite things is to enjoy a wonderful fresh seafood meal right on the beach.  How fabulous would it be to dine at a tablescape like this one with a gorgeous chandelier made from beautiful seashells!

If the beach isn’t quite your scene, the mountains are always a great escape for cooler weather.  I love mountain cabins, and their cozy environments with commanding views of majestic mountain vistas.

The majority of mountain retreats that I’ve visited are usually have a great rustic feel that really makes you feel like a part of all the natural surroundings.  This particular living space is a little different, in how it combines both rustic elements with contemporary furnishings and sculpture.

If I were lucky enough to own a mountain get a way, I would just die for a dining space like this! The soaring ceilings make a perfect shelter for the quaint and simple white dining table and chairs.  I totally adore the book shelves in the area too!  It’s almost like dining in a library!  I love how the white chair upholstery adds a new and fresh touch to the old, rough floors and ceiling.

This cozy living area is in the same home of the one pictures above.  The mix of furniture styles, along with the contrast of wall and ceiling colors, make this room have a curated feel that I would love to curl up in! Especially with that Hermes throw and a good book!

Another marvelous vacation destination for those with distinguished palates for wine, is Napa Valley.  A good friend of mine just returned from there with her husband.  They told me that the scenery was amazing, the wine was fabulous, and the houses they saw there where breath taking and calming.

 

This Napa Valley home has some great outdoor rooms to relax by their amazing pool, while they can take in the views of the vineyards below.

Most of the luxury homes in the area of the country wouldn’t be complete without a grand wine cellar to hold all their vintage labels of their extensive wine collection.  Not sure what to serve with the foie gras you’re having for dinner? Just call the sommelier, he’ll tell you!

Now this is the kind of solon you’d expect to see on your way up from the wine cellar.  The beautiful crispness of the white accented with gold, and the baby grand in the corner, would be excellent for entertaining an intimate group of friends while sipping on a delectable wine.  I’m really digging the furniture placement in this room.  It’s not stuffy at all, and allows a few different areas for guest to sit and mingle at.

After you’re done entertaining guests, you can retire to your grand bathroom and soak in the tub overlooking the vineyard below. The large floor to ceiling windows may be too much for someone on the modest side, but it sure does make a great view and allow for maximum natural light!

When we moved into our house last May, my husband would repeatedly tell me how badly our house needed new landscaping. Naturally, being a first time homeowner and having always focused on decorating the “indoors”, I just didn’t understand why we would spend a fortune hiring a landscape designer and putting in flowers and plants when we could be spending that money on the fun stuff inside.  “Why buy one Japanese Maple when you can buy two custom pillows?”

{House landscaping before}

 

And the backyard was as bad as the front (or worse). We didn’t even have grass! It was a big field of mud and totally flat looking.  Photos right before we moved in-

Ben kept trying to convince me of enhancing our curb appeal and I just wasn’t buying it.  Then one day it hit me last June.  As the big Dallas hail storm descended over our little historical Hollywood Heights neighborhood and totaled cars, broke original stain glass windows, and damaged roofs, we were left with a huge mess to clean up outside. Hollywood Heights looked like a scene from a movie- our street was even on the local news! We hadn’t realized it yet, but our little clean up project from the hailstorm would soon turn into much more.

Once we gathered up all of the leaves, broken stems, and even the tree branches that fell through my husband’s car, I realized that this was my chance to start over and make our landscaping what it needed to be.

In order to execute our new landscaping properly, Ben and I decided we had to hire a landscape designer (a fellow Longhorn no less!) since neither of us knew anything about plants.

Mark drew up the plans for us and after a few tweaks, we were ready to get started! We knew we had limited time to get it done..not only because I was hosting a Sip and See for my sisters’ babies in November but also because the cold winter would hit and it was now or never to get these plants in the ground.

We got the landscaping of the front yard done 12 hours before the party started and we were really impressed with Mark and the Green Thumb landscapers work.  We had a nice conglomeration of coral colored encore azaleas, bunny grass, double knock out roses and my favorite, the sculpted pom pom juniper.

 

After we finished with the front yard though, it was time to get serious about the backyard.  Let me preface this with Ben has never ever been into gardening or planted a plant in his entire life up until this point but he decided to take on the challenge of the backyard himself- designing and implementing it. It was definitely no easy feat! So over a period of eight months, I stood back and watched as he transformed the backyard from our flat, dry, no grass mud field to a beautiful area with a diverse assortment of plants and flowers.

{Our rosemary, mint and chive garden at the entrance to our gate…wish I knew how to cook!}

 

Ben rearranged the stone walkways (for my new chairs no less), built a shed on the side of the house with his dad (good bonding experience), added a lattice above the existing fence (still in progress), and is now trying to grow ivy up the brick walls (may take a while).  He is out there every single weekend perfecting his garden and I have to say I’m really proud of him for what he has done with it all!  (I can’t say I was too much help though…the inside and patio furniture got the best of me 🙂

 

While he was busy digging in the ground, I set out to find interesting backyard accents and furniture.

I managed to find this 1950’s seahorse bird bath on Craigs List for only $60!! (saw one in Houston and had been in love with it ever since)

I also bought a cool outdoor metal bamboo dining set from my friend Christian at Think Twice (seats still need to be recovered).

And then some of my favorite finds ever were these vintage fiberglass peacock chairs that I bought from Grace of A Storied Style. I added some Pottery Barn pillows to them for a quick easy bit of pattern.

The fun didn’t stop there…I then hopped over to Scout to purchase this antique garden stool from my friend Kristen. They always hook me up with the best pieces! I then found a really interesting white iron bench from Lula B’s with a greek key motif- a total steal!

 

 My mom even picked up my front porch patio chairs out of bulk trash from my sister’s neighbor’s front lawn (yes we’ve stooped to a new level!) and then I adorned them with graphic pillows and cushions to make them look more customized and unique.  All for a whopping $35/chair!

Of course the front entry and office entry wouldn’t be complete without interesting door mats so I swiped up two from Ballard.  One was Suzanne Kasler’s personalized coir mat  and the other was their lion coir mat- both of which I’m obsessed with.  I love a good lion motif!

If you haven’t been to Uncommon Market yet in Dallas, they have some great outdoor accessories (as well as indoor). I got two of these gray urns at an amazing price for our front porch. They each flank the door and are a great way to experiment with new plants.

The one piece that Suzanne (the previous owner) had left ended up being our favorite outdoor piece of all (and no I’m not talking about her outdoor frog thermometer or her “cat and mouse” weather vane!) We actually really heart our Mrs. Powers doorknocker! I can’t help but laugh when I arrive home each day to this little old brass lady on a swing greeting me at the door.

So once we were done with the backyard and the last plant was potted, I couldn’t resist putting Zoey on our Christmas card in front of the house because this picture really did sum up our ENTIRE year of being hermits who worked on the house non stop-

So what I’ve learned is that outdoor decorating is a whole new kind of fun and a good activity that Ben and I can do together on the weekends.  Our next project will hopefully be to remove our old iron gate and build a new gated structure for the entry that will lead into EJ Interiors’ office.  Our inspiration? “The Secret Garden”….well, actually it was Ben who thought of this idea (what has he turned into?) but I won’t tell him I told you that!! 🙂

 

Last week I had the amazing honor and opportunity of interviewing the one and only Tim Gunn!  Watch the video here! Be sure to turn your volume up!

Tim has been one of my favorite TV celebrities ever since I watched the very first episode of Project Runway years ago.  I also look up to Mr. Gunn as a role model.  His career in design is truly inspirational.  He’s basically covered everything from architecture to fashion!  His perfect mannerisms, dress, and personality are nothing short of captivating.  And let’s not forget about his outrageously extensive vocabulary that he’s so well known for, as well as the famous ‘Make It Work’ quote that he coined!

In the interview, you’ll find that his love for architecture and design started with Legos as a child! Legos were a a favorite of mine growing up as well (and I’ll admit, I still like playing with them as an adult).  It always seemed that my brothers and I usually got a new set for birthdays or at Christmas.  Who knew such a simple toy could lead to design stardom! (in Tim’s case anyways!)

He’s also written a few books along the way.  I highly recommend picking up one or two if you’re a book junkie like me!

 

Gunn’s Golden Rules is my favorite!

A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style will show you how to always have impeccable style that is timeless.

Tim Gunn’s Fashion Bible is a great go-to when you find your self in a fashion conundrum!

I hope you enjoyed my video interview with Tim Gunn!

A special thank you to Mr. Tim Gunn and Caroline Ambuhl of
Sullivan and Partners

When I was a senior in high school, one of the items on the required reading list was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.  After chapter 1, I was hooked.  It’s a beautiful story, and if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it before you see the movie (scheduled to premier May 10th).  The descriptions of the life of the wealthy in the 1920’s is mesmerizing.

Original book cover of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby

A life full of partying, prosperity, and feeling the need to be free from the constraints of what was deemed socially acceptable at the turn of the 1900th century brought around the Art Deco movement.  A call for new fashion, new architecture, and new furniture and home decor!  Immediately everything went streamline, architecturally as well as decor.  Geometric shapes, and bold colors were all the rage.

A real 1920’s beauty bedecked all in dazzling Cartier jewelry.

Baz Luhrmann is by far my favorite movie director and producer.  He can take a old classic story and turn it into something new and over the top like no one else.  You can totally see what I mean if you’ve ever watched Moulin Rouge, or Romeo and Juliet.  His adaptation of The Great Gatsby has once again totally hit the mark with his impeccable style and lavish ways of transforming something great, into something even greater.  If you ask me, I think he’s done a remarkable job defining the 1920’s era by putting a modern day spin on it.

The stunning Leonardo Dicaprio as Jay Gatsby.

Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan

Gatsby’s Humble Abode

Now this is the kind of entry hall I’m talkin’ about!  This is where Gatsby hosts all of his lavishly epic parties.  It’s the perfect atmosphere if you as me!

Welcome to the party!  The outside movie set of the famous swimming pool/fountain party scene.  Looks like a blast!

Take a look at Gatsby’s bedroom.  The clean lines and no frills make it the perfect bedroom for such a dashingly dapper bachelor.

Daisy’s sitting room exudes femininity with all it’s pinks and blushing hues, accented by soft whites and golds.  I’m loving that patterned rug and long fringed throw over that side chair!

Even Tiffany and Co. has gotten into the spirit of the movie.  They’ve designed an entire collection devoted to Daisy, the leading female role in the movie.  If you visit their flagship store in NYC, you’ll find their famous window displays bedazzled with 1920’s glamour in  honor of the movie.

Looking for that special outfit to go along with your new diamonds and pearls from Tiffany’s? Just stroll on down to the Brooks Brother’s flagship store on Madison Ave.  They’ve transformed their store with a vintage 20’s ambiance that’s sure to make you want to pop open a bottle of bubbly!

Still can’t get enough of that fabulous Art Deco style?  Take a gander at these gorgeous rooms!

I love the soft golden back drop of this room.  The ebony furniture pieces make a dramatic contrast against it.  The marble floor inlay is breath taking, and look at that console on the back wall!  I’m in love with the Greek Key motif in white that borders its edges!

One of my favorite pieces of furniture in a grand home like this one, is an entry table that sits in the center of a foyer.  It’s so stately!

Let’s face it, deep down, everybody wants a grand sweeping staircase like this to walk down every morning.  I know I sure do!

This Art Deco interior embodies the clean and simple shapes found in many period buildings.  Check out all that silver leafing on the ceiling!

This Parisian apartment designed in in the early 20’s is still fashionable today!  Just look at the shape of the cocktail table, and the gilded screen behind the sofa!

I’ve always been in love with these simple and sophisticated prints from the 1920’s.  These wallpapers are still a classic, even after 93 years!

So, if you haven’t bought your ticket yet, what are you waiting for?! This is definitely a movie you don’t want to miss on the silver screen!

Last week we had the honor of being invited to High Point Market in High Point, North Carolina!  We were more than thrilled when we were contacted to host a tour of new vendors at the Suites at Market Square building.

Our first evening there really set the tone for the entire trip.  Material Girl Lauren, Material Guy Nathan, our friend Meg of LeSueur Interiors, and I made our first stop at the CR Laine showroom for a little get together with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.  While we were there, we met up with Material Girl Jill, and our fabulous friend Christian, of Maison21.  It was a great first night in High Point!  What could be more fun than having a blast with friends in a gorgeous showroom, while meeting other fellow designers and design bloggers?!

 The Material Guy and I at CR Laine!

Material Girls Lauren and Emily with Meg Lonegran! Check out that awesome Schumacher fabric on the wing chair and accent pillow!  It’s perfect with that sofa!

Emily, Rachel and Meg with design blogger Nicole of So Haute!

Our first full day was just that…. a FULL day of shopping, checking out all the vendors we could possibly squeeze into one day, and spotting all the new stuff we could see!  We found a ton of new and exciting vendors that we can’t wait to start using in our designs!  There is so much to see at High Point Market, we feel like we barely scratched the surface!

Amazing new lamps at Visual Comfort-

We brought home lots of great new vendor sources to use on our client projects!

The Bungalow 5 showroom was amazing in person!

We’ve always been a fan of glass knots as accessories.  These beauties are from Sklo.

We met Tara Shaw of New Orleans, who couldn’t have beem more nice!  It was incredible that she gave us a one on one tour of her booth while we were there.

We loved these guys too!  Their look is fresh and exciting, with great use of color and materials.

On day #2, we hosted our Material Girl tour through the Suites at Market Square.  It was really special to be able to meet and connect with some of our devoted readers!  The vendors I targeted on the tour Nathan and I hosted were Festoni, The Detroit Wallpaper Co., CHC Art, Louise Gaskill Lighting, Tamarian Carpets, Saddleman’s of Sata Fe, and Tara Shaw.  We had a really good group, and we think they enjoyed their tour!  We know we sure did!

Tamarian Carpets

CHC Art

The Detroit Wallpaper Co.

Louise Gaskill Lighting

Saddleman’s of Santa Fe

Our tour group at Tara Shaw!

After our tour….. you guessed it!  More shopping and scouting for new vendors to add to our list!  We found some good ones!

Of course Aerin Lauder (and her new collection at Visual Comfort) was s-t-u-n-n-i-n-g!

Regina Andrew had some great new lighting and accent furniture pieces that are to die for also!

Loving this wheel bookcase from Noir!

The agate series from Wendover are so colorful and each one is really unique.  We will be specifying these asap for a client.

After another full day of shopping, checking out vendors, showrooms, and hosting tours, it was time for the famed Halo party!  What a great way to spend our last night in High Point!  We were finally able to get all the Material Girls that were at market all together in the same place, at the same time!  It was a blast getting to hang out at the fab Halo showroom and share a glass of champagne with our fellow Material Girls!

From left to right: Nathan (Dallas), Emily (Dallas), Julia (Chicago), Jill (LA), and Lauren (Houston). We missed you Rebecca (New York)!

Our last day in High Point was short, but we were still able to squeeze in a few more places to see! Our first stop was Oly Studio’s showroom.  It was beautiful with it’s clean and crisp white color scheme.  Have always wanted to see their pieces all in one space and they certainly did not disappoint!

The biggest highlight of the day we found at the Vanguard showroom.  As we were walking through, we turned the corner, and low and behold, there was Thom Felicia!  How adorable is he and his greek key belt? Love!

Before we headed back to our hotels to pack up and head to the airport, we were able to have a fantastic roof top lunch over looking High Point.  A perfect way to end a spectacular trip to market that we’ll never forget!

We’d like to give a big thank you to the High Point Market staff and vendors who all helped make 2013 Spring Market memorable and successful! See you next year! 

This Thursday will kick off the 4th Annual Thrift Studio hosted by Dwell with Dignity!  Dwell with Dignity, is a Dallas-based non-profit organization founded by interior designers dedicated to creating inspiring homes for families struggling with homelessness and poverty. This amazing charity provides and installs home interiors for families that include furniture, art, bedding, and kitchen supplies.  They even put food in the pantry!

This has always been a cause that’s near and dear to my heart!  It really gives people a new chance at living life.  I think that creating a comfortable atmosphere that people feel proud to call their own, is one way to better their lives.  It really is a touching and gratifying experience to be involved with fellow designers in helping out those in need.  This is by far one of my most favorite charities, and also one I find unique.  It’s always so exciting to see what all the designers come up with! You can check out some more info on Dwell with Dignity and Thrift Studio by visiting their website www.dwellwithdignity.org.

I’m also excited to announce that this year, Dwell with Dignity is partnering with One Kings Lane!  One Kings Lane is one of the leading online destination for the home that brings members exceptional value on a spectacular collection of top-brand, vintage and designer items.  One Kings Lane works directly with leading home brands, antique and vintage dealers and designers to bring the very best products at exceptional prices to its members – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!  One Kings Lane also partners with top designers, decorators and industry insiders to deliver content that inspires, enlightens and informs.  Be sure to check out www.onekingslane.com for some great sales!

Here are some sneak peek photos from this year’s vignettes!

Design by: IBB Design Fine Furnishings /Photo by: Lance Selgo at Unique Exposure Photography

Design by: Square Foot Studio/ Photo by: Lance Selgo at Unique Exposure Photography

From April 19th- May 18th Dwell with Dignity will host their 4th annual Thrift Studio fundraiser. On April 18th there will be a special preview party for offering the public an early peek at Dwell with Dignity’s first Thrift Studio of 2013, the event will be hosted in the Dallas Design District at 1100 Slocum Street , Suite 590. One Kings Lane Co-Founder and Chief Merchandising Officer Susan Feldman will be the special host for the evening  Guests that want the first opportunity to purchase anything can do so at the VIP Champagne Reception from 6pm-7pm on April 18th for $175 a ticket. And Preview Party tickets for guests arriving at 7pm at $125. Anyone wanting to attend can purchase tickets at thriftstudio.com.

But wait! The shopping doesn’t stop after the party! One King’s Lane special Thrift Studio Tastemaker Tag Sale will launch online the following morning- April 19th at 10 am CDT at onekingslane.com. There are items available from the designer vignettes and things from the personal collections of participating designers AND the proceeds go to Dwell with Dignity! HOW AWESOME IS THAT?

Design by: Dwell with Dignity/ Photo by: Lance Selgo at Unique Exposure Photography

Design by: William-Christopher Design/ Photo by: Lance Selgo at Unique Exposure Photography

Design by: Horchow/ Photo by: Lance Selgo at Unique Exposure Photography

Design by: DJ Lucy Wrubel for Peacock Alley/Photo by: Lance Selgo at Unique Exposure Photography

Design by: One Kings Lane/ Photo by: Lance Selgo at Unique Exposure Photography

Design by: Studio Ten 25/Photo by: Lance Selgo at Unique Exposure Photography

Photo by: Lance Selgo at Unique Exposure Photography

Featured Designers at Thrift Studio include:

One Kings Lane

Horchow

DJ Lucy Wrubel for Peacock Alley

IBB Design Fine Furnishings

Square Foot Studio

Studio Ten 25

William-Christopher Design

The Thrift Studio Pop-Up Shop will be open to the public on April 19th until May 18th, 2013, Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 am to 5:30 pm, and Sundays, noon until 5:30 pm

To see what they are all about come check it out!

One of my all time favorite movies ever is 9 to 5.  How can you not just love Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin?  I could seriously watch this movie every week!

I’ve been thinking about how these stellar heroines transform their working atmosphere by the end of the film.  They’ve been on my mind a lot lately, as we’ve been workin’ 9 to 5 (and then some), on tons of home offices for clients these past few months.  I’ve always believed that people work more efficiently in an environment that they’re comfortable in, so for me, an office full of  personal touches and some glam elements makes me work that much harder!

Our clients must be thinking the same thing because, they also want colorful inspiring environments to work in and we are having a blast designing them.

So without further ado…. meet our seven most recent office designs (including our own!).  All of these designs rock a different color scheme and have their own unique personality.

NAVY/SLATE/ORANGE/WHITE-

We knew from the start that we wanted deep rich navy walls in this home office and so when we found Oscar de la Renta’s amazing grosgrain ribbon fabric at Lee Jofa, it was love at first sight.  This gorgeous silk fabric comprised of slate blue, navy and white was the perfect fabric to pull everything together.  We added splashes of orange through her vintage butterfly chairs and abstract artwork while incorporating a gorgeous carrarra marble countertop desk and custom metallic snakeskin swivel chairs. The big gold sconces from Global Views and stone lamps from Currey and Company were a no brainer in this room!

GRAY/BLACK/WHITE/GOLD/PUTTY-

This client wanted a calming color palette that would flow with the rest of her house so gray, putty, white, black and gold immediately came to mind.  She had an existing black and white zebra rug that we were to incorporate over a sisal rug as well as beautiful white built-ins.  We found a scrolly Lee Jofa fabric that screamed perfect (there is that Lee Jofa fabric saving the day once again!) and we decided to do this fabric on the backs of two rounded French Louis desk chairs.  When you walk in, the patterned backs are the first thing you see which makes for a really dramatic entrance. We paired the French chairs with a modern lacquered lucite desk (love the juxtaposition here) as well as custom greek key pillows, mirrored twig tables, and a gray tufted settee. This one will be installed soon- I cannot wait!

BLACK/WHITE/BROWN/GRAY/BLUE/GREEN-

This office was also a lot of fun to work on because it was for a client’s commercial office.  This was his personal office and as a home builder, we wanted him to have a very aesthetically pleasing space with lots of cool pieces to reflect his taste as a builder.  We used items that had a slightly masculine mid century modern feel to them.  Most pieces were neutral and then we added a pop of color in the large scale artwork.  We made sure all of his neutral pieces had a lot of texture to them- zebra wood, cowhide, rippled leather, etc so it would keep your eye wandering from one piece to the next! How fabulous are those cowhide arm chairs from Palecek?

 

CHARCOAL/GOLD/TAUPE/CREAM/PLUM:

This office couldn’t be more of a focal point in this client’s home..it is the first thing you see when you walk up the stairs so of course, it had to be eye catching and fabulous!  We love this office because it’s traditional and classic, but with a contemporary twist!  I’m obsessed with the moroccan drapery fabric at top left and the tufted velvet gray sitting chairs.  Of course no office is complete without a wall mounted set of horns (for those UT longhorn grads)!  We picked up on the deep purple through the abstract landscapes from W King Ambler and were over the moon when we found this gold and black funky sunburst from Cyan. It’s a perfect marriage of masculine and feminine pieces- an office space that works for both hubbie and wife!

DEEP TEAL GREEN/CREAM/CHARTREUSE/CHOCOLATE BROWN/GOLD-

This office was a more of a library/sitting room area (not your typical desk/desk chair set up).  We painted the walls a deep green and incorporated four small cozy wingback chairs for curling up with a good book. I could stare at those Russian landscape art all day- they are some of my favorite prints!  This office was super calming but also really cozy.

 

GRAY/BLACK/CHARCOAL/GOLD/CREAM/BUTTERY YELLOW-

This office was definitely on the more dramatic and glammy side!  We incorporated a dark manly desk with modern artwork behind it.  The mirrored credenza was my favorite piece (actually, it’s a toss up between that and the herringbone patterned cowhide rug) And take a look at those lamps with the black shades from Arteriors- love!! We need those for our own office.  The sea urchin wall art from Global Views completes the look.

TEAL/BLACK/WHITE/WARM WOODS/DEEP PINK/GOLD/EMERALD GREEN-

And last but not least…I’ve also been working on my own office!  I bought some new wall art while I was in Roundtop this week and I can’t wait to get it framed and up on the wall!  We also just had wall to wall seagrass put on the stairs, as well as the second floor!  I had the pink terracotta tiles downstairs painted white, (thanks Kelly Wearstler for the inspiration)  Now we’re just waiting for our deep teal morroccan style rug to come in!  We bought the gold Indian “hand” to hold our business cards (thanks Scout!) and will eventually do a gallery wall up the stairs. I randomly found some gorgeous acrylic and glass lamps from Home Goods for $49 each (who would have thought?) and am now just waiting on a black Dorothy Draper chest to magically appear at my local consignment shop so we can snatch it up and have a pretty place to hold our printer paper (who are we kidding?)

Hope you enjoyed our office design tour. And now off to utilize our own office design some more…with some late night work!

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