Nearly Complete.....Entryway on the Home Stretch

Last week marked the final phase (of sorts) in our entryway.  When I say that, I mean that all of the work that needs to be done by contractors is complete.  It doesn't include me putzing and painting and decorating and changing my mind until its just "so".  The finished finished product will eventually arrive, but until then, here's a little peek at last week's progress.  Where we started:

Where it sat for a couple of years:

And where it is today:

Such an improvement, even with the cobbled together finishes that have yet to be painted!  When I originally asked my contractor to bid the project, I asked him if he had time for a "quick little job--maybe a half day or so".  Clearly I had no concept of what it would take, as he told me that it would likely be a two day job.  He ended up being there for just over two days, and I learned a thing or two about how much goes into calculating and measuring to get things to work out right.  And we had a skilled carpenter working only on a small staircase project.  I have a new respect for what goes into making those dramatic and beautiful staircases look perfectly planned and put together, and I'm grateful for the care and attention that went into getting this project done for me.  Although its certainly not big or bold, this space is approaching the finish line (finally), and I'm proud of how its looking because I've waited so long to get here.  A beautiful staircase and entryway can really set the tone for what's to come in the rest of the home as well as anchor the space it sits in.  Here are some great inspirations:

Visbeen Associates

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Black is a beautiful punctuation mark in both of these stairways.  I like how its used with restraint in the top image, serving to guide the eye up and around and accentuating the architecture of the staircase.  In the second photo, the richness of the handrail and stair treads is repeated in the picture gallery and lantern pendant, making the space look wonderfully cohesive.

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I love how the staircases in these images serve as a backdrop for the other elements in the space.  The railing and spindles become part of the entire composition and offer a jumping point from which to choose other textures, colors and finishes.  That last photo with the spindles running full height is spectacular, and I can't take my eyes off of the perfect balance, proportion and symmetry that it creates!

Sarah Richardson

Pinterest

Whatever the material or color, a mass of spindles can create great visual repetition.  In the first image, an all white palate by my design crush Sarah Richardson strongly reinforces the graphic nature of the staircase.

Jeff King & Co.

Great modern take on traditional spindles without looking the least bit contrived.  Or, if modern is the way to go, how about no spindles at all?  LOVE the simple but bold statement this space makes:

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I think wood spindles would have been too much in this cozy little space.  The delicate metal x-mullions are perfect in scale and design, and bring the art collection into the rest of the space.  My favorite part is the gold finial--a great finishing touch!

Pinterest

I want to live here!  The rope staircase suggests a casual and relaxed lifestyle, perfect for a day at the beach, which I'm sure is right out the front door of this charming little space.  

desire to inspire

Finally, even though the staircase isn't in full view here, I love the angle of this shot and the feel that it gives. Reminds me of the summertime where playing outside all day long is calling, and little grass-covered feet run in and out for home-made popsicles and lemonade.  A simple beautiful space that's ready to take on the joys and messes of family life.....:)

Help Needed! Which One Should I Choose?

Since we're well into "the feeding stage", I'm learning all about how to contain, entertain and nourish my nine-month old.  He is LOVING solid foods, and getting yummy and nutritious things into his tummy hasn't been a problem.  At first, I was resistant to getting a high chair--we don't have a lot of extra space in our dining room, and I didn't want to clutter it up with a giant piece of baby furniture.  I have enough clutter as it is--no need to make matters worse.  As we've progressed though, its become clear that Tate really does need a space of his own, and the "strap-on-the-dining-chair" type seat wasn't working for us anymore.  So I did some searching, and came across this sleek, low-profile little beauty from Baby Bjorn:

What attracted me to it was its simple, unfussy design--so easy to keep clean and no cracks or crevices for food to get trapped, etc.  It is ridiculously expensive (in my opinion), so I kind of decided against it, until my husband surprised me one night by ordering for us.  When it arrived last week, the box was very tiny, but I kept an open mind because I knew I liked the design so much.  We set it up, and it was confirmed.  This thing is TINY.  Still, I kept an open mind because certainly the designers who came up with this have done the research and have designed it to accommodate a 30 pound 3-year old, like they say it does.  We tried Tate in it, and it really is a slick little high chair.  Comfy with all of the rounded edges, and really easy to set up and use.  Plus, it isn't visually offensive in the slightest, and kind of blends in with my dining chairs, which are these in white:

West Elm

All that said, after staring at the Bjorn high chair for three days, and trying to imagine that it would be even the slightest bit comfortable for anyone past one year of age, I can't keep it.  Tate isn't a huge baby--19 lbs at 9 months, but he almost completely fills out the chair.  His feet almost touch the foot rest, and the fact that the back rest is so low already I can't imagine it working well with a taller, larger child.  Plus, the seat depth is SO shallow, that I'm already wondering if its comfortable for my little guy.  He never really complains though.....bless his dear little heart :)

So wanting the best for my pride and joy :), I was off searching some baby stores this morning for some other options that would do a better job of growing and transitioning with my boy.  In my opinion, if we're going to be investing some serious dollars in one of these, it better be hardworking and have some longevity. After trying Tate out in a few different ones, I'm probably going to go with this one--the OXO Tot high chair.  It has a smaller profile than some, but not teensy like the Bjorn, and the depth and height look much more comfortable.  Plus, the foot rest is adjustable, and the chair transitions into one that can be pulled right up to a dining table for older children.  I'm happy with this direction, and my only dilemma is which color combination to go with.  Opinions wanted!  

This is the one I immediately gravitate towards because it blends with some of the other dark brown finishes in my house.  I'd love it if the whole thing were white (of course), but I realize that it is going to look like a baby item no matter what, so I need to be willing to embrace some bright color and let it be what it is.  My issue is that the "espresso brown" trend is kind of going away now, and I want something that I can sell in a few years when our babies are done with high chairs......hopefully there will be more babies!  So I could go with this one:

But it doesn't really have the "pop" that the other one has.  My other option would be to go with a custom combination.  There's a boutique baby store down the street from where I live that will interchange the colored chair pads with the wood frames at no extra charge.  So I could do the dark brown frame with the taupe chair pad if I want a more sophisto-baby look.  Any thoughts would be so appreciated, and any feedback, either positive or negative on the OXO Tot is welcome as well.  Or maybe you've had a positive experience with the Baby Bjorn high chair, and it has transitioned well with your child......all thoughts and opinions are welcome!  Just trying to make the right decision because its all about this guy:

Entryway Updates & How to Survive a Never Ending Renovation

If you're anything like me, the lure of a "project house" can sometimes outweigh logic and practical sensibility.   In the fall of 2009 when we purchased our current home built in the 1950's, we (and when I say "we" I mean "I") had a romanticized view of what it would be like to transform the space and call it our own.  I have the advantage of being in the design and remodeling industry, but even with an understanding of the work and upheaval that goes into every little thing, there have been (and continue to be) times when I wonder if it will ever get done, and I'm just tired of living in a constant mess.  Since we moved in, we've completed most of the first level, including the kitchen, bathroom (after pictures soon!), Tate's nursery, as well as the majority of the entryway.  What's left is our bedroom and the sunroom, which is currently in progress.  Looking back, its been quite a journey, so here are some progress pictures as well as some thoughts and survival tips!

This is the best picture I have of our entry stairwell when we first moved in.  It leads to two large bedrooms on the second level (one is our future master bedroom......someday!), and was completely enclosed, with a door at the bottom.  It seemed awkward and claustrophobic to me from the start, and we planned to open it up at the same time as we did the kitchen renovation.  Which we did here:

1  L O O K I N G   F O R W A R D   I N S T E A D   O F   B A C K W A R D
The demolition in this phase instantly opened up the space, and made me excited for a future project, which involves renovating the second level.  Plus, an open staircase is well-appointed in this entryway, and offers the opportunity for a nice stair runner, fun painted stairs, etc.  Several times over the past couple of years I've had to remind myself that its important to look forward and not backward.  Its so easy to get wrapped up in the fact that a finished product takes time, and sometimes its a even nightmare to get there.  In my personal and professional experience, those who can respect the process, understand that we're all in it to achieve a beautiful end goal, and plan for that end goal instead of fixating on present and past headaches are happier throughout the process and more satisfied in the end.

2  T R U S T   Y O U R   C O N T R A C T O R
When it comes to your home the importance of finding someone you love working with is huge.  From the beginning, we've worked with great contractors who are trust-worthy and detail-oriented, and its made it easier to get through the bumpy times.  I am always budget conscious, and want value for my renovation dollars, but you can't always put a price tag on peace of mind. Knowing that the person you hire has your satisfaction as top priority will help you not to sweat the small stuff.  The guy I love to work with has such a positive and "can-do" attitude and takes a lot of pride in the work that he does.  He's a good communicator, I trust his judgement immensely, and would be happy to recommend him to anyone in the Minneapolis area looking for good work at a fair price.

3  D O N ' T   N A G   Y O U R   H U S B A N D
At least not all the time :)  My husband has been so great at tackling a large portion of the demolition, and keeping me on task when necessary (I tend to get sidetracked).  He's trusted me with almost all of the design decisions, and although I know I can be a nag sometimes, I find that he responds better when asked nicely.  Don't we all?  It also helps when I'm willing to get in there and get my hands dirty, as the above (goofy) photo shows.  I promise I dress nice for my job, but when it comes to home stuff, the baggier and comfier the better!

4   S M A L L   P R O J E C T S   C A N   K E E P   Y O U   S A N E
Here's a peek at my new grasscloth walls!  After waiting for back-ordered material that turned out to be defective once installed, taking that off of the walls and ordering different product, the project is now complete.  It seriously took almost a year for this whole process, and as you can see from the horrific wallpaper that is underneath this beautiful grasscloth, it was hard to live in the mess for as long as we did.  It was worth waiting for though, and it helped to do a couple of little "crafty" projects in preparation for the new wall space.  I framed these old keys using a natural linen background, and the antique pieces are a nice contrast to the modern magnetic key holder from Umbra, which is a sleek way to store keys as well as incoming and outgoing mail.

5   B E   G R A T E F U L   Y O U   H A V E   A   H O M E
Here are a couple of photos of where we're at today.  It was worth the wait, and the pretty grasscloth walls make me happy every time I walk in the door.  You'll also notice that we added new interior doors--5 panel as opposed to the flat wood ones that were previously there.  The look is serene and clean, and the texture adds a nice warmth.  Even though its taken a while to get here, looking back on the process reminds me how grateful I am to have a home.  I mean this in the most sincere way, and have to remind myself of this on a daily basis.  We are bombarded each day with new design inspirations, creative spaces, diy projects and beautiful before and after images, and its easy to get wrapped up in "what could be".  I think that if we're not careful (me at least), there's the tendency to become dissatisfied with what we do have, and the blessing it truly is.  With the housing market as its been for the past few years, I'm grateful for the four walls I have around me, no matter how imperfect and incomplete they may be.

Check back in a few days.....we're getting the handrail and spindles done this week, and I couldn't be more excited that this area will finally be done!

Living Room Updates: Sneak Peek

This past weekend was a productive one.  Thanks to my parents-in-law, who are very generous with their time, my husband and I were able to make a dent in a few projects while they kept an eye on the little guy.  One thing that's been on my to-do list for over a month is getting grasscloth wallpaper on the backs of two new shelves for either side of my fireplace.  I purchased these units from IKEA at the beginning of June, and they've been randomly sitting at the end of the living room since then:

I'm actually pretty pleased with how these look.  They are solid wood construction (surprising for IKEA), the ends are paneled, and they sit nicely on simple square legs.  The finish is kind of a white "wash", which I wasn't sure about at first, but it reads as a solid color in my space, so I'm happy.  Plus, they were on sale (also surprising for IKEA), so I feel like I got a deal.  In a perfect world, I would have an entirely custom built in fireplace surround like what I design for my clients, but that's not always "in the budget" :)  More on that in a future post!

After our grasscloth disaster got resolved I had a few feet of leftover material--just enough to cover the backs of my new shelving units.  The result is exactly what I was looking for, and gives them a more custom, 'expensive' look.  Here's a little peek:

It was easy to style these shelves, since I've had all of these treasured little items stored away just waiting to get out and on display.  I like to take the jackets off of all my hardcover books anyways, but feel like they look even more uniform and pretty when turned around so the pages show.  My plan is to have both shelving units accented with hits of turquoise and chartreuse--the colors really pop against the gray-toned grasscloth back, and tie in with the rest of my living room.

This die-cast, Franklin Mint car is a recent acquisition, and a most treasured possession.  My dad has collected these for years, and has a beautiful collection of classic cars that spans many decades.  This 1958 Chevrolet is one of his favorites, but he parted with it so I could have a little "piece of home" in my living room.  I chose it, of course, for its shape and color, and love how it looks.  Thanks dad, for sharing your toys!

After we got married, my husband would say to me almost daily "I love my life with you".  I loved hearing those words, and was so excited when I came across this graphic card that said the same thing!  I framed it in a simple IKEA frame, but wrapped the mat with natural linen to make the words stand out even more.  Its been sitting like this under my bed for almost a year--I'm glad I finally have a place to display it!

Let me tell you about this little piece.  For all of you Canadians out there, lucky you.  You likely have a Winners/HomeSense right out your back door.  Being in the USA now, I miss this store terribly because others like it--TJMaxx/HomeGoods just aren't cutting it for me.  The two retail chains are similar in concept, but I would say that the US version (HomeGoods) is like HomeSense but without all the stuff :)  Take this amazing find, which I spotted for $29.99.  Initially I thought it was a bit pricey, since small little objects like this are usually under $20.00.  Upon closer inspection though, I realized that it was a Jonathan Adler piece, normally selling for $110.00!  You bet I snapped it up.  I usually walk out of HomeSense with a handful of treasures, and this trip was no different.  More on that in a future post.

I have stacks of Canadian House & Home Magazine--I think I've had a subscription for over ten years now. I can't seem to part with any of the issues, largely because the content is so good, but also because the spines are so pretty and I've always wanted to display them like this.  I grouped like colors in a few colorways, and plan to fill the top row if each shelving unit with them.  Cheap, easy, and a great way to store and display my over-abundance of design magazines!

That's as far as I've gotten so far, but I'm having fun styling and playing around with this little decorating project.  Again, I'm so pleased with the way the grasscloth elevates the style of these units, and recommend it if you're looking for an inexpensive and easy way to add some style!

Decorating My House: Why Is it So Hard to Decide?

We're in the midst of several projects at home right now, which will [hopefully] result in some more frequent and interesting blog posts!  Currently, we're renovating our sunroom, finishing our entryway and stairwell, and adding some furniture (and style) to the living room.  Whenever we start a new project, the excitement gets me antsy about all of the other "unfinished" spaces, and I want to do everything at once and get it all done so everything can look finished and pretty.  This drives my husband crazy because it means I'm spending money on "details" not related to the current project.  Can anyone relate?  So right now, as we're trying to get the sunroom and entryway completed, my mind is wandering and I'm on the hunt for accent pillows for my living room. 

Here are a couple of corners of my living room (sorry for the Christmas photo--its the only one I have of that end of the space!).  The colors are cool but cozy--light gray on the furniture with accents of chartreuse and turquoise here and there.  My problem with the space is that I don't think there's enough pattern going on.  The large patterned pillow in the Christmas photo is too festive for all year round, and its on its way out in favor of some more livable patterns.  My problem is that I'm completely indecisive when it comes to committing to patterns for my own space.  I can pull things together for clients, no problem, but for myself its another story.  I want to keep the chartreuse pillows because I love that color and don't get tired it, but I need something else. Here's what I've found so far, but I'm nowhere near saying yes to any of these!

Etsy

Imperial Trellis is everywhere, almost nearing the point of being overdone.  I don't care even a little bit though, because I love it, and I want a piece of this trend :)  This is probably my number one choice for pattern and color, but then I'll need something a little more random and organic to pair with it.

Etsy

There's a reason that this pattern is also hugely popular and nearing overdone-ness as well.  The color combos are so unique, as is the overscaled subject matter.  I think its the perfect juxtaposition with the Imperial Trellis.

Other fabrics I'm loving--not necessarily together, but as a jumping point for the room:

Bold, but with an organic quality that I like.  Both by Schumacher, and I love the charcoal and chartreuse colorways it comes in

Also by Schumacher, these fabrics would bring in more of the colors I love, and definitely make a statement

Or I could play it a bit safer, and go for a softer feel.  The fabrics on the left are from Calico Corners, and the bird-inspired one on the right is from Schumacher.

Obviously, I have a split personality when it comes to what direction to go, and what would be a really great jumping point for the space.  Opinions are welcome here.....anything to give me a push to choose something!

Have a great weekend!