Ever since I can remember I’ve been concerned with my surroundings and their effect on my state of mind. I’ve also always been inspired by the way I can manipulate a space, which consequently changes the way I feel. My earliest memories of being interested in space and the aesthetics of a room are from when I was in grade school and loved rearranging my bedroom and the bedrooms of my friends. It started earlier, however, as my mother tells me stories that starting at age 3 I rearranged objects on bookcases and bureaus when we went to their friends’ houses for dinner. It must have been embarrassing for my parents to have to explain that I thought the way they had arranged their things looked bad and that I just had to correct the situation…
This interest in interiors did not lead me to pursue a degree in Interior Design, as one might imagine, but rather Art History; although I think the study of aesthetics that is embedded in both go hand in hand and complement each other well. Now, as a showroom consultant at a kitchen & bath showroom, I’m getting hands on experience working with clients. A few friends have also been gracious enough to let me help them design and configure rooms for them in their houses/apartments.
This will be a space where I share thoughts on renovating, design projects, and the work I’ve started doing, thanks to my lovely friends!
______________________________________________________________________________
Traditional Powder Room
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Modern Powder Room
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
South Loop Modern // Chicago, IL
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Sherwin Williams Color ID
Do you know what your color palette is? I didn’t either until I just took the Sherwin Williams Color ID test. It turns out, I’m a dreamer. I definitely knew that (hooray!), but I didn’t know what colors are associated with being a dreamer. I don’t love all of these colors, but the category and style are spot on – clean, classic, elements of both modern and traditional, and simply comfortable.
Take the test to find out what your color palette and style are!
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Hyde Park Bachelor Pad // Chicago, IL
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Bohemian Bedroom // South Bend, IN
___________________________________________________________________________________________
One bedroom loft // San Jose, CA
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Ironwood Doors and Hardware
How pretty are these barn doors from Ironwood Doors and Hardware? They have several different styles of doors, wood finishes, hardware styles and finishes, hanger styles and finishes, and optional features like door locks and soft close. And they’re all hand-crafted in the U.S.!
Their website also has a cool tool that allows you to configure the door you want based on all their options.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Ashley Woodson Bailey Prints
Ashley Woodson Bailey‘s floral photographs and wallpaper are just exquisite, so check her out if you don’t know her name. I know her because of her partnership with Kohler‘s Artist Edition sink collection. There are two designs in two shapes:
You can learn more about the Kohler’s process for putting Ashley Woodson Bailey’s prints on their sinks here. The design is sketched onto each individual sink, then it goes into a plaster mold, the pattern is hand-applied, and finally it gets fired in a kiln. The end result is beautiful! The florals are just incredibly life-like and the colors are vibrant. They cost a pretty penny, but there is a lot that goes into making each sink.
I think this one is my favorite 🙂
Ashley Woodson Bailey’s story is heartbreaking and amazing…she has gone through so much adversity after a terrible accident. You can read more about that and why flowers have been a comfort and inspiration for her here.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
One Bedroom Apartment // Mishawaka, IN
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Brick-walled Loft // Chicago, IL
_______________________________________________________________________________
Studio Apartment // Dallas, TX
Living
Dining
Sleeping
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Robern Designer
Robern, a luxury bathroom brand, has a new design tool to help you build their plethora of customizable vanities. Their collection features contemporary glass vanities in several sizes that can be ganged together and stacked. They are also offered in many colors, including some digital wood options that are really cool. You can choose either glass or a few quartz colors for the sinks, as well as sconces and medicine cabinets/mirrors. The design tool also has different room settings you can choose as the backdrop to help you envision it in a real space.
Give the design tool a try yourself! There are soooooo many options and it’s fun to watch the room come together.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
A few SktechUp models for bathrooms
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Kohler’s Kitchen Planner
Kohler has an interactive kitchen planner that allows you to choose your sink type based on material, color, and type of installation, as well as various faucet options in different finishes. You can also choose wall color, counter top, and cabinet color to help you really envision it. These are a few examples that I put together.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
New biz cards!
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Mood boards for days
At work we put together visual presentations based on plumbing selections that customers/clients make for their kitchens and baths. I always enjoy working on these not only because I know they help the customer visualize how everything will look together, but also because I like the creativity involved. Sometimes I can’t help but do a little dreaming of kitchens and baths for myself, so these are some mood boards I’ve put together of my dream rooms.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Shower panel ideas
Kohler has a feature on their website where you can build your own shower walls with their Choreograph products. Named choreograph for its customization, the idea is that you can build, or choreograph, a design that fits your needs and looks custom-made. I play around with it sometimes and these are a few examples of what you can do with it. You can customize panel color, panel texture, panel pattern, accent walls and panels, and add shelving units and other accessories. Made out of a composite material, it’s durable and easy to install. Check out the Choreograph Planner and design your own!
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Living/Dining Room & Bedroom Design // Portage, MI
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Some material inspiration
I’m really liking this quartz counter top and subway tile back splash that I’ve recently come across by Cambria and Walker Zanger.
Not that I would put these two together, because I think they’re too dark and wouldn’t necessarily complement each other well, but they’re just both gorgeous in their own right. The dark grey/charcoal quartz meant to look like marble has an earthy, soft concrete feeling to it, and the subway tile takes on a grey/blue tone depending on the way light hits it. I think each paired with a light back splash or a light counter top would definitely drawn one’s eye to them.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Living/Dining Room Design // Memphis, TN
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Master Bedroom Design // Grand Prairie, TX
_______________________________________________________________________________
Some Things to Keep in Mind as You Prepare for a Renovation
- Think about longevity – A tremendous amount of work and money go into renovation projects, so think about how long you will enjoy the finished product. Is this your forever home that you hope to be in for years to come and are therefore willing to spend a little extra, or is it more of a short-term living situation that you might not want to splurge on? This is an important consideration to help you set a budget for the project.
- Budget – The budget for your project will include the products themselves, the labor, and a design professional you may hire. Keep in mind that issues may arise throughout the course of the project, so you’ll want to leave some extra room in your budget should unforeseen obstacles arise. These unforeseen obstacles could include extra labor required when gutting a room (because you never know what you’ll find behind a wall that you weren’t expecting), or additional shipping costs for products if you need them quickly.
- Choosing a designer/contractor – The best way to choose a professional to complete your project is by word-of-mouth referrals from people you know and trust. It’s one thing to read a review online, but it’s better if you can get a personal review from someone you know.
- Timeline – Setting a realistic timeline for your project is a key component that you’ll have to be flexible with. Timelines for projects can often change and become longer, so your contractor may not be able to begin your project when originally specified if he is being held up with a previous project or if something more urgent comes up. It’s better to set aside more time than not enough, and be prepared for the potential of it taking longer than expected.
- Input from everyone involved – It’s important to include everyone who will be utilizing the space in the decision-making process so that no one feels left out or unhappy with the end result. Disagreements can arise, but they also offer the opportunity for a more creative process that speaks to the tastes and practicality of everyone involved.
- Tips on ordering materials – It is better to order things ahead of time and have them stored wherever you are ordering from until you are ready for the materials, rather than waiting to the last minute and then have to wait for products (that may be on backorder) when your contractor is already underway with the project.
gooollysandra 