This year we MIGHT be able to have a little Easter gathering at our house – the sod is going in as I write this and while the work won’t be done (and our driveway is painfully broken up, waiting to be redone) I’m hoping to execute my favorite Easter tradition – a ham, mustard, and pickle sandwich bar. I have no pictures of this tradition but will be sure to document it this year. We started this in LA years ago and it was SUCH a crowd pleaser, so easy, relatively affordable, kids loved it, adults loved it, and I don’t think I can ever look back. Here’s what you’ll need:
The Universal Power of The Humble Hawaiian Rolls
Y’all I didn’t know these existed until 9 years ago when we started doing sliders for kids’ parties, and my goodness the sweetness of these rolls combined with the saltiness of the ham is incredible. Last year I got pretzel rolls, too, just to give variety but everyone gobbles up the Hawaiian rolls first. So soft and sweet – don’t bother getting the healthier options.
Honey Baked Ham
You’ll likely need to order ahead, but this is the only time of year that we really indulge in ham (and if you are vegetarian this sandwich totally still works with multiple slices of cheese). They usually pre-score it for you, but if not you cut about 1/2 of it for your guests in sizes that would fit the sandwich and lay it out on a platter (you’ll have leftovers so try to give it away to guests at the end because you won’t want to eat ham for 6 months after this day).
Lots Of Cheeses
You can get a cheese variety of course, but we have found that swiss or provolone works best here. Please tell me I’m wrong in the comments and suggest another cheese that works with ham because I’m certainly open. The sharper the better and of course supporting local farms feels nice if you can:)
Many The Mustards!
In order to fully indulge in this sandwich bar we need many types of mustard (this is where the cost can add up if you aren’t careful, but we are a mustard family so we’ll go through them). Sure, you might be fine with just yellow – but let yourself live out all your condiment fantasies on this glorious day. Obviously dijon, spicy dijon, stone ground, etc.
Classic + Artisanal Pickles
Whatever you do, do NOT think you are above bread and butter sweet pickles. It’s my humble opinion that these are the best, despite their basic reputation. However, this is your chance to indulge in all your pickle dreams and support some local pickle makers and impress your friends (if they are into pickles – this will not impress them if they are not into pickles). Dill, spicy, sweet, relish, etc. My LA team loves Kaylin + Kaylin pickles (they swear by the honey mustard flavor) and I might have them ship a jar to me. Heck, with enough time I might even make my own. Yes, you can try relish, but for me, I love a sweet pickle SO MUCH in this sandwich that I dabble in dill but only momentarily before I head back to sweet.
Extras
Last year I got horseradish and fried onions (from a can) which I enjoyed. You could also go for capers or literally anything canned from the condiment aisle. You can even get a variety of chips and put chips in your sandwich (if you have never done this might I suggest you stop denying yourself the deliciousness of the internal sandwich chip? Salt and vinegar, ruffled Lays, and classic salt & pepper are all good options. Lastly, we love mayo a lot but this more popular condiment takes a back seat on this day. Feel free to go full “Starke” (my maiden name) and indulge in some Miracle Whip or make your own aioli (which I just started doing and is delicious) should you want to offer something a little less artery-clogging. 🙂
That’s about it. We usually do bunny pancakes in the morning and Brian makes deviled eggs while I make a huge delicious salad because I love combining it with a cold crunch. Then in the afternoon when we invite folks over we’ll put all the above ingredients out on platters, on the island, or dining table. Please save yourself a big headache – don’t decant or label the mustards. Just shove a knife in each jar and line them up next to each other on a table. Part of the charm of this grab-and-hang meal is its ease and casualness. This is obviously not best for a sit-down meal, it’s more for a party atmosphere. Let the kids help themselves (what’s the worst that could happen? Yes, they might just eat roll after roll but it’s Easter and they are going to have a sugar hangover regardless :)). So pop some white wine or local IPAs and indulge in what will be a joyous and gut-busting Easter day. 🙂
Now it may have been a cold and rainy month (at least it has been in LA) but it’s clear that sunshine or more likely, vacation is on everyone’s mind. But hey it’s March! Are we really surprised?! We have warm days full of sunshine and outdoor activities heavily on the brain. However, we are a design blog after all so there were a few big winners that are definitely also helping our homes look and maybe even feel warmer too. Ready to see what’s been coming off the shelves quick this past month??
Man, I was happy to see this sconce on the list!! I have a personal attachment to it because it’s from my sculptural sconce post. I know there was some interesting debate in the comments but we are FIRM believers that if you have the wall and/or space, a sculptural sconce is such a cool and beautiful design piece. Sadly this one is no longer available. Did y’all sell it out?? I’d like to think so, ha! Here’s a similar one if you’e interested.
I’d like to take credit for this one with my special switches and switch plate post but I don’t think I can. This beauty was probably snagged from Emily’s farmhouse kitchen and that is anything but a surprise. I know switching out outlet covers and switch plates can feel unnecessary but if you have the budget it’s such a special touch that we love. I’m planning on switching out as many of mine as possible! (At least the visible ones:))
This is what I was talking about when I said vacation was and is on all of our minds. This is Ryann’s new favorite bag (that is going to be perfect for her upcoming Japan trip) and this is what she had to say about it: “My husband and I are going to Japan in less than 2 months (EEEEEEEK) and a few weeks ago he surprised me with this super versatile shoulder bag. I love how simple and utilitarian it is and think it is going to be perfect for our travels. Speaking of our travels, I would love any Tokyo recs! Know of any restaurants, shopping, design stores, excursions, or sights we must see?? Let me know!!” It also comes in a bunch of other really cute colors.
Oooo baby did y’all have OPINIONS about unitards last Saturday. However, the popularity of this little number in the link up was the final straw that told us people were into this trend because of how many of you bought it. Thanks to Albie and her new self proclaimed title of “comfort influencer” a lot of you are owners of fashion’s current hottest trend – unitards.
As a reminder this was her review: “Hi my name is Albie and I’m your fave comfort influencer lol. One of my fave new comfort finds is this jumpsuit from Old Navy! So good! I purchased two colors to start and now I want em in every color. What I especially love is that I can wear em around the house with a robe and then switch out my robe for a shacket to pick up the mini from school or do a quick Target run. There’s a built-in shelf bra that’s surprisingly supportive considering how too heavy I am, although to leave the house, I pair it with a bralette to be safe.”
This is a mystery link but there’s zero mystery why this beautiful faucet was popular! It’s modern but timeless and that Rejuvenation brass is without a doubt stunning in person. You just can’t go wrong with anything from them.
GET US TO A WARM BEACH… or pool… or lake… or river… or even a clean puddle at this point! Once I’m there I want to be in this swimsuit because not only did Emily make an incredible case for it, so did Caitlin because she bought TWO. It seems that a lot of you felt the same since it’s #5 on this month’s list. Here are Caitlin’s exact words: “I have been #emfluenced (yes, it happens to our team, too) and I AM GLAD. After reading Em’s glowing review of her new TA3 swimsuit, I grabbed two of my own (the Plungey, which she recommended, and the Lacey, which is a little more covered up – that’s the one I’m wearing up there) and both are AWESOME. I love swimming/the beach/the pool and don’t have a ton of swimwear-induced agony – like, I’m at a place with my body where my general feeling is “it is what it is” – but these suits made me feel SUPER comfortable AND cool. They were both incredibly supportive (the lace-up back is NO JOKE – you’re in TIGHT, in a good way!) and held up awesome after hooooours and hours in the ocean. My friends and I are renting a blow-up waterslide later this month and I can’t wait to wear this one again for the whole day.”
Now, I know we shouldn’t care about how we look in a swimsuit but I think most of us still do and this shapeware swimsuit really does a great job at making whoever is wearing it feel confident. What’s also so great about this brand is that their sizing goes up to 4x and they show models in varying sizes. I think this is the year I’m investing in one.
It may have taken momentary break from this list but IT’S BACK! Maybe we’re all still cold or maybe it’s just an incredible product that I also very much want. If you didn’t catch Em’s updated review after three years of use check that out there🙂 IT’S COMPELLING.
EE! This was my link and I hope whoever bought these pants loves them as much as I do. I truly would sleep in them if I could BECAUSE they are that comfortable. I even bought a slightly different black pair because I couldn’t get enough. I’ve been dressing them up and down depending on the day so I stand by their versatility. Now, they are linen so the wrinkling is real after a day of wearing them but that’s what irons are for right?
Same brand as the pants (Farm Rio) but an incredibly fun and colorful dress that Mallory almost bought to wear to a friend’s wedding! While it didn’t work for the style of wedding Mal was attending, it’s SUCH a cute dress and hopefully whoever bought it has been loving it. I think anyone who has tried on Farm Rio’s clothes can attest to the high quality. They just feel so good on.
AH! It’s been a minute since one of my links was #1 so this is an exciting Friday for ole Bunge:) But truly, this shirt is one of my new favorites because of how soft, cute, and AFFORDABLE it is. A perfect layering piece when it’s cold (I have my Paris trip to prove that) but can easily be worn on its own. 1000/10! It also comes in other colors.
Well, that’s it for today! Hope you enjoyed this little data review and if you bought something we really hope you are loving it.
Happy hump day friends!! We’re here to chat about the latest animal-inspired trend that’s popping into our homes in 2023: the tortoise shell. Now I could’ve seen this one coming given the fact that leopards and leopard print have been on the rise for the last few years. The tortoise shell is a similar color way and pattern but it feels slightly more new, fresh, and modern in the year 2023. I’m not sure why but I LOVE animal motifs in design, so this is right on the money for me. I bought some tortoise shell decor a few months back and I must say it is a controversial trend in my household. I found two of these vintage candle votives at Big Daddy’s Antiques (thank god I bought two because I dropped one and broke it a mere two weeks after purchasing but what’s new). Here’s what the last one standing looks like:
I am a HUGE fan but my boyfriend is confused by the tortoise shell pattern. I’ll admit it’s specific and certainly not for everyone. Also note in the above photo I put a tea light in there but once it ran out of juice I swapped it to a battery operated candle and I am in love. I love having candles in the house at all times so this is my “backup candle” for when I run out of real ones and am desperate for ambiance. It works great! I also recently realized that I purchased a phone case that’s tortoise shell and I’m also thinking of getting this apple watch band. Too much?? Turns out I’m a tortoise shell addict and it might be getting out of hand.
Now this trend is most common in glassware, but I’ve recently seen it expand to furniture, lamps, coasters and all sorts of other items. Because it goes hand and hand with glass materiality, one of my favorite ways I’ve seen this trend incorporated in the home is in the dining room. If you’re having a dinner party and are in need of some fun new dishes, glasses or coasters, here’s are some fun ways you can add tortoise shell decor to your table, starting with this cute placemat styling by CB2:
I love the red undertones of these placemats and think it’s such a chic and subtle pattern addition to a dining table. If placemats aren’t your thing I love some of the tortoise glassware (linked below) in a table setting. Or for an even more subtle accent coasters are great too. It’s all really good, here’s what we love for the dining room:
Another cute way to add tortoise shell decor to your home is through vases and lamps. There are SO many good ones on the market, and a lot of them have expanded colorways and designs beyond the classic black and brown pattern. Here are some very cool vases styled by Anthropologie so you can get a sense on how to bring these into your home:
Aren’t these so cute?? I MUST give an honorable mention to this vintage tortoise shell mirror as well (proof that this trend has been around for a while, but is just coming back around the course)!! How cool is this?? It’s $4,000 so certainly out of my price range but man it’s fun to look at 🙂
When I see a colorful home, it reminds me of why I love interiors. A colorful home is not only exciting to look at, but it shows the art form that is interior design in a really powerful way. Much like a painting, the decision to use color (or not use color) in a room plays a huge role in how a space will turn out. Although there are no strict rules, there are ways to use color well and Dee Murphy’s home is a prime example of that. Her home is colorful yet balanced, making it feel personal, layered, and eclectic. As I said there are no rules, but virtually touring her home is like taking a Masterclass on how to use color (and pattern) in your home. So, shall we begin taking notes? Let’s get into it.
The entry stairway wallpaper should give you a good idea of her style and bravery when it comes to pattern and color. The size of the stairway and her commitment to this wallpaper really intrigued me so I asked how she chose this wallpaper for this space (and how she approaches choosing wallpaper in general):
“When I choose wallpaper, whether for myself or for one of my clients, the inspiration comes from both the home (how old is the space, what does the architecture provide?), and from the aesthetic we are aiming for (moody and cozy, bright and cheerful?). My home was built in 1920 and feels very much like a Parisian apartment. You enter from a center courtyard into a tall, somewhat dark staircase. I wanted the wallpaper to be impactful and dramatic, to embrace the moodiness, and to ‘speak to’ the flowers and foliage just outside the front door.”
At the top of the stairs, you can see Dee’s expert eye when it comes to mixing colors, tones, and patterns. The wallpaper brings in varying tones of blues and greens which she complements with the green framed mirror. The plant and coffee table books pepper in more blues and greens, which are grounded by the clear glass console table. For more movement and texture, there is the concrete ball sculpture that is both bold and dramatic. This might be one of my favorite vignettes ever! It is balanced, eclectic, and so fun.
Immediately to the left of the stairs, you enter the most sun-filled room of the house where Dee wanted to play with the beautiful tension between dark and light.
When introducing colors to a neutral room, balance and cohesion are key so I asked how she goes about mixing colors. She explained, “When mixing colors in a room, you begin with the strongest hues from your statement piece (for me that usually means the wallpaper or the rug), and you layer in some accessories in those shades. The more interesting and fun part, though, is to find the ‘supporting cast’, and to work those less obvious choices into the room.”
In this case, the colorful Persian rug creates the backdrop for so many different colors to come through. The most obvious is blue, which is showcased most notably with the gorgeous blue sofa. Then you see more blues peppered throughout. The throw pillow, the coffee table book, the art, and even the wallpaper in the connecting dining room create a calming cohesion throughout the space.
The more subtle tones in the rug allow for other colors to shine in the room as well. The tan sofa color is pulled from the rug so it feels very connected to the rest of the room. The styling on the bookcase also speaks to the rug so there is so much continuity throughout the space.
It is my opinion that we can’t fully appreciate color without first recognizing the absence of it in a space. In this room, for instance, the white walls and molding create a canvas for all of the colors and patterns to really pop. With a really bold wall color or wallpaper in here, all the wonderful colors in this room could get lost, so the white walls are the perfect backdrop.
I love how the light green fireplace breaks up the white walls and adds another calming color to the space. I was really curious about this color choice so I asked Dee if it was painted prior to her living there, or if she painted it herself. She told me, “The fireplace was painted that color when we bought the home, and I always found it to be an interesting choice, so I have lived with it that way for the past six years. I recently repaired the firebox, though, and had a stone specialist take a look at what might be underneath that green. There are roughly six layers of paint! I am finally going to strip it all off to restore and reveal the original stone, which will accentuate the beautiful details.”
In the dining room, the wallpaper is the focal point that introduces color and pattern but instead of pulling colors straight from the wallpaper, she introduces new colors and patterns for an eclectic look. The pink curtains are light and neutral enough that they blend with the room effortlessly and speak to the light wood tones and the jute rug. The stripe pattern on the rug adds another dynamic pattern to the mix that creates more visual interest.
With many colors and patterns blending together, I love that she kept the wood tones similar so the space feels grounded. By the way, how incredible are those chairs?? I am sure you have already noticed that Dee has a keen eye for blending vintage and contemporary furniture, which gives her home a sense of warmth and “lived-in” energy that is intoxicating.
This balcony off the dining room is SO dreamy and I love that she kept this area of the home quite neutral and inviting.
In her kitchen, Dee still manages to play with color in a really exciting way through decor. Of course, the vintage rug runner adds fun doses of color and pattern that really pop against the white cabinets and neutral tile backsplash. I also love the wood paneling on the ceiling that adds so much texture and warmth, which contrasts the dark floor tile.
The green oven range creates another powerful color moment that I am obsessed with. I also love how she played with more green tones by adding the landscape oil painting. It is also worth noting that we are big fans of leaning mirrors in kitchens 🙂
In the hallway, I really love this colorful wall-to-wall gallery wall that displays a mixture of art and family photos. The different frames make it feel extremely eclectic and personal.
Dee’s bedroom is a primary example of maintaining a cohesive (but striking) color palette. I even wrote an entire post about it here. Again, the rug acts as the perfect jumping-off point which allowed her to pull colors from and sprinkle them throughout the room.
The wall color (Off-Black by Farrow & Ball) immediately pulls you in and creates a moody vibe, but I love how she sprinkled in warmth through the decor. The brass details, wood tones, and floral accents balance the room so it doesn’t come across as dark or gloomy.
The bathroom mirrors the moodiness of the bedroom which creates continuity between the two spaces. I love how she honored the architecture of the home by working with the vintage tile and keeping the decor classic and timeless.
Another way she expertly mixes colors is by playing with different tones. The dark blue paint color is paired with a brighter, more saturated blue dresser and both are tied together with the blues in the vintage rug.
To end this home tour, we are going full circle and back to where we started. Off of the entry stairway to the right, there is this magical bunkroom that is doused in rich color and pattern.
Isn’t it lovely?? The green paint color is a custom color by Fine Paints of Europe and it is STUNNING. It is such a happy color that pairs beautifully with the whimsical wallpaper. For more color and texture, I love how she hung tapestries on brass rods in each bunk, which almost gives a ‘headboard’ effect. This is such a cool feature that creates a really dynamic, eclectic look.
Big thanks to Dee Murphy for giving us a tour of her vibrant home. Which part is your favorite? Sound off in the comments! xx
How has it been over a year since we “EHD-alumns, turned-sister-team” reported back?! Today, Julie and I, along with Grace (our other EHD-found-friend who supported this project while juggling many others) are happy to say it’s been for good reason. We have a couple of large projects that will be INCREDIBLY fun to share when they are installed this/next year. We also aim to revisit some more E Design reveals (of which, we’ve nearly reached 300!) soon. (Shameless self-endorsement: you don’t have to be in Los Angeles to work with our team! Join us through E-Design!!!!)
For today’s reveal, we’re rewinding time… Back to the days of wiping down apples and oreo packages before bringing them into our homes, back to when wood prices were sky high and sofas were taking 9+ months to deliver instead of the “currently-impressive” four months… yes, I’m sorry, we’re going back to 2020… to the Days of Quarantine… the “DQ”. During the DQ, VHD (Velinda Hellen Design) was a months-old team and were lucky enough to have a still-to-this-day-favorite client reach out with this proposal: “Is Ojai too far??? I promise it’s a nice break from LA!”. Alongside this client, during a crazy time, we found a new appreciation that “small improvements” really do matter! Changes don’t always need to be big, to be high-impact. Great news for most of us “human-projects-in-works”! I can speak for myself, despite all the therapy, there’s still clearly some sorta “mold or asbestos-like” infestation up in these “studs”. It’s probably safest to just keep some wonky drywall in place and look the other way, am I right?! (Legal Disclaimer: this is not home advice. If you fear spores below surfaces, call remediation asap. If you’re personally a little “wonky,” join the rest of us!).
Back in the DQ, Julie, who was the lead designer on this project, was new to the VHD team and we hadn’t-yet ventured outside of our own city for “Full Service” projects. Although, thanks to remote projects as a part of the EHD team, we already had tools for that type of experience. Our client’s promise of being merely a fun road trip away, nearby orchards, and a tour of a newly-attained Airstream had us nature-needing designers trekking. When we arrived, the space looked like this:
Upon meeting our client, we discovered that during a time of absolute unease, she was, well… an ease and a delight! Frankly, we had forgotten anything in the world could possibly be so. She and her husband are smart, have great taste, communicated well, already had a contractor that they trusted, and the capacity to serve as their own project manager. This is something we never really encourage, but in a household of multiple lawyers, we didn’t doubt that every “T” would be crossed. We felt lucky to get to help (and eventually camp with???) this client.
Appreciating simplicity, they wanted a clean look with a natural coziness that didn’t pull the eye from the surrounding views of nature. I’m SURE their THREE boys UNDER the age of 10 never distracted from this Zenful setting. But juuuust in case they ever did introduce chaos (doubtful) we all agreed some hidden storage and a better “running through and out of the house flow” might prove beneficial.
While the location and home were a dream, the allocations of some pretty unimportant walls were not. The dated, pass-through wall, half-heartedly divided the kitchen from the rest of the space unnecessarily. Meanwhile, the entry seemed to be missing part of a wall that would transform the function and visual impact of the home’s first impression.
By client-request, we originally explored additional footprints. For fun, here’s a quick look at a variation; the “what could have been”.
We love the puzzle-solving nature of the design process and appreciated a client who wanted to see varying project scopes in order to fully compare, but in the end, this was the simplified design we landed on! Notice that the “befores” shown above and the “afters” to follow are the results of changing only TWO, ITTY-BITTY PARTIAL WALLS. The major footprint, plumbing, and windows were left alone.
The aim was to solve the following dilemmas:
A dated kitchen & dark, divided space
The lack of an entry/landing space for the kid’s school bags/dog supplies & an awkward opening into the living room
Missing kitchen functionality (for their needs), a want for updated appliances and ease for multiple cooks
An overall lack of storage and visual “anchors”
So, onto the solve:
The first thing to note is that the layout of the major plumbing and appliances remained the same. To do this we simply combined the stovetop and oven into an induction range (which is environmentally friendly!). At first, we encouraged moving the sink from the diagonal, but it was important to our client to keep it there for easy surveillance of backyard activities, which I assume means watching her boys garden and meditate. 😉
We put a huge emphasis on seamlessness within this design in an attempt to keep the eye flowing throughout the zones of the home. Where it was previously unnecessarily divided, a few tricks helped hide functionality within visual unity! An obvious help was panel-ready appliances, which we love for their ability to contribute to a clean, unobstructed look. When it came to cost, this was a priority more so than shifting appliance locations. So, leaning toward accepting existing plumbing provided extra funds for added panels and panel-ready machines.
And while we’re hiding appliances, let’s talk about the coffee and small appliance “garages”! The desire to hide frequently used, usually countertop-located machines is common, but not all of us have the extra space to lose to added widths required for retractable doors (which has become a popular “appliance garage” solution). Since this was a smaller space and we needed to utilize every inch, the solution became soft-opening cabinet doors that operate on a mechanism to go “up” and get out of the way.
A few additional space-and-clutter-saving solutions we opted for: pull-out drawers to flank the range to eliminate “stuff” on the countertops (spices, oils, cooking utensils, and cutting boards). A small shelf above the range for an easy-to-reach surface space when cooking. Lastly, keep a “ledge” behind the corner sink to display some greenery & bring that Ojai nature feeling indoors.
By losing that unnecessary wall and keeping the sink in the corner, we were able to create a large, seamless island with a wonderfully “unbroken” countertop surface for cooking day prep, homework, crafts, and beyond! (By “unbroken” I mean there isn’t a sink or stovetop). We used the island’s depth to hide even more cabinets for storage on the stool side which is operated by subtle, finger-pull hardware. The design of the doors was meant to be softly disguised as a millwork face.
While on the other side of the island is where we have some necessities that are hidden away from view when you first enter the home. A built-in microwave with a large drawer below, in the middle two large drawers for pots and pans, and last but very necessary the pull-out drawer for trash & recycling, topped off by the staple of everyone’s home, the “junk” drawer.
The other note-worthy cabinets in the space are the full-height, countertop cabinets. We really hate letting vertical space go to waste in a smaller kitchen, but we didn’t want to overpower the eye with heavy/solid floor-to-ceiling cabinets since they were so close to the corner windows. We found a solution that our client could store infrequently-used items up top, while masking plates, bowls, and your favorite mug behind the glass fronts which creates a sense of depth and “airiness”. The MVP for this game: reeded glass. It comes with a lot of the expected perks of a glass cabinet (“visual room” and lightness) but it hides more. If you like to keep your cabinets styled and ready to feature in the next issue of (insert your favorite home magazine here), you may not need this option. If you have three boys, two dogs, and an active cooking life, meet your new best friend!
The dining room was simple, both in style and solution. The idea was to increase the “feel” of the size of the kitchen by confusing the eye as to where it stopped and the dining room began. So, we tied the tone/style of the custom buffet build into the kitchen cabinetry. Aiming again to reduce visual bulk, open shelving was utilized within the overall goal to keep most storage “hidden”. And as an extra, nod to the kitchen, the same wood detail on the sides of the kitchen island was used as the back of the open shelving. This also contributed to added depth and texture in this open dining space helping to define and “anchor” the area a bit more from its before version.
Both of these spaces lived within the eye line of the home’s main door, meaning they contributed to all “first impressions,” but not perhaps not as immediately as the entry itself. Our clients had lived in their house for years prior to renovating, which meant they knew what they needed more and less of within their space… and what they never used. The latter proved to be the under-utilized access between the front door and the living room. We decided to redesign this “zone” for something a bit more craved – a spot to “land,” put on shoes, and hang jackets. So, we turned that “dead zone” into storage, adding a drawer for shoes and hooks to the space above to hide unsightly leashes and doggie bags in baskets.
Then, on the other side of the new wall, we gained shelving in the living room, providing the perfect place to display book collections and family photos. The client loved the new spot for a cozy reading chair by the fire. Bonuses on all sides!
Since we’re in the living room, let’s look at the major impact the custom build had on the space. That’s really the only major change in the room…. Well, it’d be unfair not to emphasize what a MAJOR impact a good vintage rug can have. We actually added one to every room we touched on this project.
We customized a full-height, wall-to-wall storage unit, built around the size of their television and customized it to store large speakers and electronics. The design allowed for unobstructed sound and ventilation as well. We also balanced open shelving for displaying cherished collections and art with hidden storage for lots and lots of legos! Above it all, awning-style cabinets function well for accessing more seasonal items.
Small, careful changes made a big impact for our clients who proved, in the end, to be as delighted as they were delightful. And though we have yet to see them in person without masks, we’ve decided we’re invited along for their next Airstream camping adventure! Should they find themselves asking us for small-design solutions for said camper, SO BE IT! Bring on project #2. Until then, we’ll leave you all with one last, post-COVID thought: you still need to add at least a week or two to listed lead times, but your apples no longer taste like Clorox. Cheers to improvements!
