Still seeing RED....but in a good way.

Some people and some projects are just a lot of funand this client and her project proved to be just a joyfrom beginning to end. First off, this client had areally good sense of humor about the apparent need for a redo in this living room. She knew that it wasn'tworking, but it was the Living Room and, really, who cares about those? But it IS the first room thateveryone sees when they come into her home andthe kids are getting older and the kitchen and deckhave been redone, so why not give a facelift to theroom everyone passes to get to the rooms they really live in?

I love projects like this because there is no way I can fail. I'm not trying to be mean but, well, look at the pictures. Luckily, there was nothing in the room she wanted or needed to keep. The main priority for the redo was to have it look new, fresh, updated, pretty and to give her husband a comfy seat in which to play his guitar-away from the family room.

She gave me a lot of leeway and a lot of trust. I pulled together some fabrics and we were off and running on our way to a whole new look. Despite the fact that there was a lot of furniture in the room before, it's really not a very big room. I downsized the scale of the furniture by quite a bit, added some interesting pieces, gave her a bit more seating and a one-two punch with a leaning mirror (to open the room) and one huge flower print for POW.

We think the overall effect is pleasing to the eye yet also so comfortable. It's traditional yet it's hip with the flower power print and the polka dotted bench.

Loving Living in the Living Room

This very special client of mine is one that I've been working with since I first began designing 20 + years ago. She and her husband have consulted with me on many, many projects over the years and this particular project is one that I've been waiting for them to do for years. THE LIVING ROOM! That room in the house that no one ever, ever uses unless it's Christmas or they are having a Graduation party.

In this case, we had given the room a lick and promise more than once over the years-including the construction of the beautiful mantle and bookcases that you see in this before photo. (Mr. Client, in this case, is more than just handy. He happens to be a very talented woodworker, as well as painter, wall-paper hanger and as of this year, layer of hardwood floors). But despite the beautiful built-ins, it remained a seldom used room and the furniture, brought from a previous home, never really seemed to be just quite right.

At the beginning of 2009 this couple decided that it was time to turn a never used room into an active part of their home. How would we accomplish this? One word-TV. They made the decision to put a television in the room. That, and add beautiful new french doors going out to their gorgeous new pergula covered deck.

All of Mr. Client's sweat equity: hardwood floors, paint, new french doors, electrical work (including the lamps over the sectional), and new brown marble surround coupled with the beautiful new furnishings, art, and area rug (Can't forget the star of the show- FLATSCREEN TV) combine to make this a warm, serene, subtle and inviting space. After more than 20 years in the same home they've gotten a new addition without adding anymore space. Maybe it's time more of us start finding a use for that seldom used room in many of our homes.

A lot of old, A bit of new, some rearrange=BIG CHANGE

This client called me looking for an update to her outdated living room. She did not want to buy new furniture, but was willing to invest in drapery and an area rug. She donated the peach colored chairs and window coverings, as well as a couple of lamps that were screaming 1975. We rearranged the furniture that she was keeping to emphasize the fireplace and we borrowed the buffet from the dining room (giving that room a much more open feeling). We painted the room a fresher color and added floral drapery panels as well as a patterned rug. The only other thing we purchased were the new lamps on the buffet. In the built-in shelving we displayed some collectibles left to her by her mother which were very sentimental and important to her. This client was very happy to have gotten such a different look without having to invest in all new furniture.