Interior Design Archives - Page 13 of 14

Family Room Transformation: Fireplace & Mantelpiece Before and After

A few months ago, we posted an article on adding dimension and texture to a room through woodwork, where we installed beautiful beadboard paneling on the ceiling of a family room in Reston, VA. Today, we’re going to take you through the rest of the transformation of this family room, and how we achieved it.

The Before

The original room has some beautiful bones – the angled ceiling paired with the floor-to-ceiling brickwork around the fireplace gives the room a lovely shape. However, the walls were painted with a deep red color, making the entire room feel a little small and outdated. Additionally, the wooden floors in this room are incredibly beautiful – a medium-toned wood that was completely drowned out by this aggressive red color. The exposed brick did not match the tone of the walls. Most of the furniture surrounding the fireplace was very short, and in my opinion, a waste of space. One of the best parts of this room is just how tall it is. So I knew that we needed to accentuate that.

The fireplace is clearly the central focus of the room, as it should be. I think that fireplaces are a beautiful feature for any room. I absolutely love the way that this one was designed, with the bricks reaching all the way to the ceiling, and the juxtaposition of the rounded frame around the fireplace, the straight mantelpiece, and the angled corners at the top. The fireplace was going to stay, but I wanted to find a way to use the space more cleverly and give everything that modern update that it was craving.

During

The first step, of course, was planning. I wanted to use the height of the room be to our advantage. I also wanted to extend the framing of the fireplace with two bespoke built-in bookcases on either side. It was important to me that the bookcases didn’t seem placed in the room, but rather a part of the room’s structure. That’s why we opted for bookcases that had shelves to create an angled corner so it seemed like the bookcase was almost emerging from the wall. These shelved corners created a bit of a round shape, which complimented the curved brickwork around the fireplace. As we were installing the new bookcases, we removed the original mantelpiece and marked exactly where the TV would go above the fireplace. We used joinery to connect each bookcase to the bottom trim along the floor, as well as a new mantelpiece connecting the two bookcases over the fireplace.

Once the bookcases were installed and our woodwork complete, it was time to begin pulling the design together. I loved the white color of all the wood, including the wood on the ceiling. I wanted to highlight that, so we opted for a beautiful neutral color from Ralph Lauren. While I wanted the fireplace and the walls to be similar shades, I still wanted them to be different. So I chose to use matte paint on the wall, and glossy paint on the brick. This paintwork allowed the brickwork and the woodwork to stand out in a lovely and subtle contrast that felt modern and purposeful.

After we finished the major components of the room, the final step was styling. I felt that the original room felt crowded, so we kept the decor to a minimum, allowing the shape and structure of the room to really stand out. My client filled her new bookcases with wonderful family collections of books, beautiful artwork, and antique weathervanes.

The After

I love the way that the finished mantelpiece and fireplace turned out. It feels like the entire room has been brought up to date. The white woodwork and the wooden floors look beautiful against the glossy bricks. The styling is much more minimal, making the room seem bigger and cleaner. And all of it looks beautiful underneath the beadboard ceiling. As always, the most important thing is that my client was happy with how it turned out.

If you’re interested in renovating or remodeling a room in your house, let us help you turn your dreams into reality! Head to our services page to see how we can help you today.

Bathroom transformation: Custom Made Vanity

Last week I took you through a before and after transformation of a master bathroom – a plain, one-dimensional bathroom was transformed into a luxurious modern and chic washroom. What I love about designing bathrooms is that all bathrooms are more or less the same…or at least expected to feature the same things: toilet, sink/vanity, shower/bath, and mirror. Because of this, creating a bathroom that really stands out is no easy feat. Every decision is important, no detail missed, with each element deserving careful intention. Today, I’ll be showing you how much thought goes into each element by taking you through how we custom-made the vanity that featured in the final design.

The Original Vanity

The original vanity in the space was boring. There was nothing special about it – and to me, that is the worst place that a design can fall. I would always rather make bold choices and take risks than play it safe and run the risk of being boring. It was clear that the original vanity was designed to be functional, and that’s exactly what it was. With it’s two sinks, plain cupboards and drawers, and plain white counter, it simply got the job done and nothing more. Other than the silver hardware, it was all the same tone and dimension. It was the perfect example of how, without the detail and creativity that a bathroom craves, it will quickly fade into the background and become a space that serves a specific purpose, rather than a space that creates a feeling and atmosphere as well as serving a specific purpose.

Designing the New Vanity

I always opt for custom-made cabinetry and storage spaces where I can. I feel that it gives me more creative freedom and that’s exactly what I needed when designing this bathroom. I wanted to think outside the box for each detail. Because the overall vibe of the finished bathroom was going to be chic and clean, I didn’t want to use any extravagant colors or patterns. I wanted to keep it classic and timeless, while still having that “oomph.” I knew the perfect way to achieve this was through the woodwork. Woodwork is one of my favorite ways to have texture to a design – you quite literally create ridges and dimensions that the eye finds interesting.

The whole bathroom design features a lot of geometric shapes and patterns, as seen in the floor tiles. I wanted to incorporate that motif into this vanity, so I decided to have these beautiful diamond shapes designed onto the cabinet doors below the sinks. Placing the diamond shapes below the round sink created lovely contrast, while still matching the floor. For an extra unique detail, we built three sets of drawers with one set of drawers unconventionally running in between the two cabinets. This felt really interesting to look at and is extremely practical. For a clean bathroom look, you need to have a lot of storage, and I find drawers a fantastic option for bathrooms. Additionally, if there are two people using this bathroom, each will have their own set of drawers, with the set in the middle a perfect place to store shared items like toothpaste and extra towels.

With the framework and basic layout down, we were able to move on to all the finishing details to tie the vanity together.

The Finishing Details

As stated previously, we didn’t want any bold patterns or colors on the vanity, largely because we loved the floor tiles and wanted those to stand out. Because of this, we decided to keep the color scheme neutral, choosing shades and tones that would help those tiles stand out. The base of the vanity was painted with Benjamin Moore’s China White. Of course, we had to use marble for the countertop, so we chose one from Marble Systems Fairfax. We went with a marble that had nice veining but used a light gray against white. This provided something interesting for the eye to dance on, without being too distracting. The grey and white tones really complimented the rest of the color scheme in the bathroom.

Paired with two beautiful silver mirrors from Restoration Hardware, all fittings were done in polished chrome from Rohl. The shiny silver and chrome really helped provide that luxe effect, while still complimenting the color palette we chose. Our vanity lights were also from Restoration hardware, but we custom-made the lampshades in a gorgeous gray silk from Fabricut.

The result

I love the way that the final vanity turned out. I think it is so chic and clean, while still being super interesting. The woodwork really brings it together for me and goes to show that details don’t have to be extravagant or massive in order to have an effect. It was relatively simple changes made from the first vanity to the new vanity, but one blends into the background and provides nothing more than a place to wash up and the other brings its own finesse. Guess which one I prefer!

If you are looking to renovate your bathroom or have cabinetry in need of transformation, let us help you! Among interior designers in Northern Virginia, we are unique because virtually all of our cabinets, upholstery, and window treatments are completely custom-designed. We have ongoing relationships with a range of licensed contractors and skilled craftsmen who work under our supervision on all our projects. Head to our services page to discover how we could collaborate!

Why You Should Install Bespoke Bookcases

Creating a balance between function and beauty is the job of the designer and one area that a designer must be able to do this is with storage solutions – everyone needs storage but how do you make it beautiful? One of my favorite ways is with bespoke bookcases!

What is a Bespoke Bookcase?

A bespoke bookcase is one that has been custom-designed for a specific space. Because of this, there isn’t just one type of bespoke bookcase – rather the imagination of the designer is the limit of how many different shapes and sizes bespoke bookcases come in. My favorite type of bespoke bookcases are those that are built into the room and installed into the space using joinery for a beautiful and seamless finish.

Unlike a regular bookcase that you might purchase from a furniture store and have moved into a room, bespoke bookcases present a variety of creative opportunities and will pave the way for a more seamless design. Keep reading to find out why!

The Advantages of a Bespoke Bookcase

More Creative Control

Nothing will give you more creative control than custom-making elements of your design, such as a bookcase. Rather than having to think of the premade piece and how the rest of the design can match it, you are able to think about how the bespoke piece will match the rest of your design. It means that you can think outside the box and make bolder decisions, which is the mark of a really skilled designer.

Additionally, creativity doesn’t just encompass what the finished piece will look like – it also dictates how it will function. Each person and family has their own individual needs when it comes to storage solutions. Starting from scratch allows the designer to keep the client’s specific needs in mind. For instance, we designed a bespoke bookshelf for a family with a desk and chair behind the doors because the client needed a space to work, but didn’t want the living room to be cluttered with an office desk. Because we were going with bespoke furniture, this wasn’t a problem and we were able to find a solution that was both beautiful and functional!

Allows Room for Joinery

One of my favorite elements to use in a design is joinery – this is where woodwork is used to join a design together. For instance, the crown molding at the top and baseboard of this bookcase wraps all the way around the room – There is no gap between the bookcase and the ceiling. It blends into each other and the bookcase now seems a part of the wall. This little detail completely elevates the design, because the joinery makes everything look so intentional and thought out.

Creates texture and dimension

A design without texture and dimension is hardly a design at all. It quickly becomes boring and does not feel welcoming. Bookcases in general create a lot of dimension and texture. However, when the bookcase is bespoke and installed using joinery, the entire wall is transformed and suddenly it’s no longer flat. Each shelf literally creates nooks and crannies of depth and dimension giving the eye much to dance on.

Adds Value

It’s no secret that bespoke bookcases may come at a higher cost than an Ikea flatpack bookshelf. But if you have a custom bookcase built into a room, you’re adding tons of value to the property. Increasing storage space automatically increases value. Additionally, having custom woodwork elevates the look of a room, thereby increasing property value. So even though it may require a little more money upfront, there is no doubt that the value will be returned to you upon selling the property!

Get a Bespoke Bookcase Today!

A bespoke bookcase is the ultimate storage solution, turning storage into beautiful decor – the marriage between beauty and function. Whether you’re interested in a built-in bookcase with a hidden desk, or a case framing a window with a little place to sit, we’ve got you covered! Head to our services page to book your free consultation today!

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