DESIGN BLUEPRINT: Rowhouse inspired

I usually enjoy talking about interior spaces and how to achieve a similar look. But something I have loved doing since I was a kid is checking out the exterior of homes, different architectural designs, and then imagining how I would style the interior.

I love this adorably blue town home found on My Design Chic and can only dream of how I would design the inside. 

Here's how I would start....

DESIGN BLUEPRINT

Framed Artwork / ZGallerie

Wall Sconce / Schoolhouse Electric

Dinnerware / Bloomingdales

Arm Chair / Schoolhouse Electric

Side Table / 1st Dibs

Pendant Light / Schoolhouse Electric

Area Rug / Loom

Basket / Crate & Barell

Bedding / Schoolhouse Electric

Table Lamp / Lawson Fenning

Candles / Haus Interior

 

- Cori

Stylin' Mamma: A Little Shot o' Somethin'

My last several posts have reflected the mood of the summer, which has been road-trip-tastic and comfortable.  But every Stylin' Mamma needs a break from cutoffs and Birks, so before we head to Tahoe next week for the big summer vacay (read: two weeks alternating between swimsuits and running shorts) I'm planning to hit the happy hour circuit with my husband for a Friday date night.

We do the happy hour date thing about every two weeks, and I oscillate between jeans & beers and martinis & heels.  This week I'm feeling the need for a shot o' glamour and methinks these graphic heels are just the way to set the mood.

A shoe like this needs little embellishment; if the weather cooperates then a silky tank and frayed white jeans will do the trick (I don't know why, but ripped jeans are speaking to me this season). Because I never met big jewelry I didn't covet, I'll throw on a big sculptural necklace to pull it all together.

Of course, this be San Francisco, meaning a lightweight trench is ALWAYS in order (grr), and in case we can't find a seat I'll bring a bag with a long strap to keep hands free for my cocktail.  If time permits, maybe I'll even find a way to squeeze in a mod mani beforehand (ha!).  

Date night AND a manicure?  Hey, mommy can dream.

 

- Jaime

Dreaming with Chairish

Chairish recently asked me along with a group of other design bloggers to do a little online window shopping and create a design board based on fun accent chairs featured on their site.  For those of you who don't know Chairish, they are a great new marketplace for vintage and secondhand finds.  They bridge the gap between 1stdibs and Craigslist.  I did a post a while back featuring some mid-century lamps that I'd listed on their site.

Well, when I was invited to team up with Chairish to dream up a space from scratch, I jumped at the opportunity. With my own home pretty much done and focusing more now on my hardware, I haven't had much reason to go shopping or concept new spaces.  I perused their extensive selection of accent chairs and landed on these awesome Milo Baughman easy chairs as my starting point (although these teal and chrome Thonet numbers were a close second).

Recently I've been loving fresh white interiors with colors that pop, but in the end I will always be attracted to dark moody spaces as well.  I decided to do an almost-black wall color similar to my dining room and created a sophisticated living space with punches of teal and rust. The vibe is deco, mid-century, boho. Definitely a space that I could see myself lounging in.

Here are the specifics:

Milo Baughman Lounge Chairs on Chairish
Islimi Vintage Kilim Lumbar Pillow
Egg Collective Side Table
West Elm Waterfall Chandelier
Serena & Lily Cole Brass Floor Lamp
Restoration Hardware Belgian Shelter Arm Sofa
Islimi Ikat Pillow
Spark Modern Kelly Wearstler Pillow
Mecox Garden Mirrored Coffee Table on Charish
Man Ray Nude Print on Chairish
Blue Portrait on Chairish
Turkish Rug on Chairish
Cubist Wall Sconce on Chairish

Thanks to Chairish for inviting me to team up with them!  It was so much fun creating this space. What spaces have you been dreaming up recently?

CURATED NEST: Summer Cabin Dreaming

Some of us have a summer home and some of us dream of one... For the dreamers, we can at least fill our homes with natural wood products that help bring us a little closer to nature.

1. Pendant Light / Y Lighting

2. Dining Table / Hive Modern

3. Accent Chair / Dot & Bo

4. Task Light / All Modern

5. Candle Holder / Ferm Living

6. Cutting Board / Crate & Barrel

7. Dresser / Ikea

8. Coasters / CB2

Inspiration image: Panoramio

 

- Cori

DESIGN BLUEPRINT: Balanced Elegance

Believe it or not, there's a way to design a high-end style space without creating a space that no one really wants to live in. The key is, like always, balance.

This home, specifically the dining room, found on Sukio, is no doubt somewhere I want to live!

Be sure to include the high-end pieces like the English-style chaise longue, black tulip table paired with mid-century chrome director chairs and of course the Alexander Calder inspired mantel art. 

 

Once you select these pieces to ground the style in class, then you can include a fun accent pillow, baskets and lots of greenery. These small details help the space feel more liveable and personable. You never want  your home to feel like a showroom, even if you have the budget to do so.

Here's how to get this well-balanced look:

DESIGN BLUEPRINT

Stand-up Mobile Art / Design Within Reach

Framed Art / ZGallerie

Black Candle Holders / Crate & Barrel

Glass Sphere / ZGallerie

London Chaise / Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

Steel Candle Holders / Crate & Barrel

Abstract Pillow / West Elm

Black Tulip Table / Dot & Bo

Black Dining Chair / Room & Board

Square Basket / Target

Indoor Tree / Shop Your Local Nursery

 

- Cori

My Summer Uniform

Now that Lucy has arrived I've given away most of my maternity wear (well, except for a couple pairs of jeans that I can't part with) and have been trying to re-assess my wardrobe. Since I work from home and seldom have any sort of formal client meeting, the need for nicer work wear is sparse.  I don't want to look like a slob, but more casual outfits that work for playdates and for working with my associate Jessica are more my vibe. So I've been investing in more classic durable items like my diaper bag I bought a while back and these clog boots from No 6 that I bought over the winter. And I've bought a bunch of inexpensive flowy tops that work well for nursing (that I'm not afraid to mess up or throw in the washing machine).  Here is a peek at what has become my summer uniform:

 

1 This top from Old Navy is sheer and breezy.  I love the pin dot detailing and how cleanable it is. 

2 A pair of fun sunglasses is a must for summer. I never spend more than $15 on mine and these from Target fit the bill.

3 I've been trying to pay more attention to my skincare and makeup routine (but not spend an arm and a leg). This sparkly eye shadow palette from Sonia Kashuk is great for every day as well as a night out.

4 & 5 Casual doesn't mean no jewelry. This classic bangle and knot ring from Kate Spade keep it simple and classic.

6 I ended up deciding on this diaper bag from School House Electric.  It has not disappointed.

7 A shandy (beer and OJ) is my summer drink of choice. Hydrating and increases your milk supply if your nursing!

8 This nursing tank from Gilliagan O'Malley is my go-to under most tops.  I have it in black, white and grey.

9 A nice broken in pair of boyfriend jean shorts - perfect for the park.

10 These sandals from Target are simple, comfortable and on-trend.

- Jess

Apartment Therapy Client Home Tour

I have to admit that I've been really lucky lately. Apartment Therapy has been giving me a lot of love. Most recently my client's home was featured in one of their professional project recaps.  Take a look here!  Here is my favorite shot from the post.

Also, I'm finishing my clients condo in Hoboken and hope to do an AT house tour soon.  Be on the lookout! 

CURATED NEST: White on White Part II

Last time, I rounded up a bunch of white for the closet and now, in honor of this beautiful color, I've collected some white beauties for the home. There's no rules for using white in the home, so go for it!...

Like with fashion, you can never go wrong with white on white. Also, go ahead and throw in a little beige and light brown too, they create a soft contrast. This living room looks like the perfect Summer vacation home, but why not live there year-round?!...

1. Floor Lamp / Ikea

2. Rope Vase / Tuckernuck

3. Toaster / Crate & Barrel

4. Mini Planter / Crate & Barrel

5. Sconce / Crate & Barrel

6. Side Chair / CB2

7. Bookcase / Dwell Studio

8. Cushion / Ferm Living

9. Cloud Sofa / Hive

Inspiration image via Deas Og Mia

 

- Cori

Stylin' Mamma: June Gloom

This is a tough time of year for San Franciscans.  Summer weather in SF is so abysmal that Mark Twain famously derided it, and modern-day meteorologists have coined the term "June Gloom". 

It's hard to get dressed when the calendar (and shop window) screams "shift and sandals", but the thermometer compels you to wear a pea coat and boots.  This might be the one city in the world where girls throw leather jackets over their Lily Pulitzer and wear tights with their peep-toes.  Fashion Capital of the World, we are not.

So here I am, your intrepid Stylin' Mamma, trying to find the happy medium.

I didn't invest in this pedicure for nothin' and dammit, I'm showing it off.  I was DEEPLY unsure about the Birkenstock trend but I found myself gravitating to these slightly more refined ones from Nine West (c'mon, they were on sale!), and I am digging them with drapey cropped trousers and a racer back tank.  Of course, the backless thing won't do for work -- or for 55-degree commutes -- so I'm rotating a few different jackets: a blush blazer for work or a classic denim for play.

I literally never leave the house without sunglasses, rain or shine, and this look calls for something  maybe a teeny-tiny bit surfer-hipster.  You can buy killer cheapies at Target or Old Navy if you don't want to invest in the real deal. A cross-body bag and geometric necklace polish off the outfit.

So now we've nailed the look.  Time to head to La Mar for a pisco sour and some pretend...it's summer somewhere, after all.

- Jaime

On to the outside

If you've been following along on the blog, you know that the inside of our house is mostly done (at least until we decide to do something major like finish the attic).  So I've been focusing on the outside - planting, dressing up our porch and deck etc.  Gardening is so therapeutic for me, all these projects have been so gratifying and fun. The first and largest project that happened in the spring was our gravel project.  I still owe the friends who helped us out big time!  Well, a couple weekends ago we embarked on another project, planting River Birch trees along our back fence and spreading out 9 cubic yards of mulch.  I have to give my brother and sister in law a big shout-out for helping and my parents for babysitting while we worked.  If you recall, here is what the back yard and gravel area looked like pre-mulch, and there are the birch trees in the driveway, ready to be planted.  That's our neighbor's yellow corvette which gives you an idea of how little privacy and screening we have.

And here is the pile 'o mulch in our driveway.  This time we learned our lesson and put a tarp down before the dump happened... much easier clean-up (and that's a sneak peek at my watermelon vines next to the walkway)

I wish I could say I got my perrenial shade garden planted around the gravel area but that will definitely be a multi-phase project over the course of a few years.  In the meantime at least the mulch makes it look neater and keeps the weeds at bay (although these photos make me realize that the back side of our garage and composters - and our neighbor's trash cans - look pretty dismal). 

I love how the River Birch add a lacy privacy screen to the back yard.  And look how our sunflowers from last year reseeded (Even though the seed packet said they were sterile)! 

I feel like the back yard is FINALLY turning into a space that feels planned and pretty.  Can't wait to show you more outdoor updates.  What projects are you taking on this summer?

READER REDESIGN: A baby boy's room

My close friend from college Jen has managed to have babies 3 months before me both with Bryan and with Lucy. Sadly, she lives on the west coast so we have yet to arrange a meetup of our spawn, but can't wait to do so at some point.  Her new son Rory commandeered what was the former guest room in her house. Similar to with Bryan's room in our old LA house, Jen wanted to keep the wall color and drapes the same but punch up the color scheme and make it cuter for a little boy.  Keeping a paint swatch of the wall color next to her computer monitor, Jen hunted through all sorts of options and agonized about color pairing until she found the perfect rug online and then it all came together.

After sending me an email with her selections and refresher photos of the existing room, I suggested adding orange ribbon on the leading edge of her drapes and on the bottom of her bed skirt to help them tie together with the rug.  She also kept the project on-budget by purchasing the big pieces of furniture from IKEA. Here is a panorama of the new room:

Jen's big project was knitting the chevron blanket on the crib to tie everything together. I love how it brings all the colors up onto the crib and has a totally Missoni feel.

The chair is from Pottery Barn and the ottoman was a Craigslist find that Jen recovered in a matching fabric. At the eleventh hour, Jen also decided that she wanted to knit the striped pillow on the chair which was completed just before heading to the hospital!  She also sewed the other pillows on the chair and her husband Patrick's aunt made the quilt.

The two side tables next to the chair are from a little antique store in Healdsburg.  Jen spray-painted them white. One is actually a magazine rack.

The photos are pictures she took in Africa and then framed in cheap IKEA gallery frames.

I know that hanging artwork above a crib can be a safety issue, but I think a nice mobile (maybe one of those twigs wrapped in yarn ones to tie in with the blanket) would be the icing on the cake.

Thanks Jen for showing us your space. Rory is one lucky guy!

DESIGN BLUEPRINT: The eclectic sophisticate

One of the most challenging, yet most fun type of spaces to design is one with an eclectic aesthetic. It requires pulling from many different sources and styles.

This bedroom, designed by Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick, brilliantly coordinates a broad color palette, modern furniture and fun wall art. The room is both whimsical and sophisticated, not an easy combination to achieve.

Design such as this would require a lot of custom work, such as that duvet cover.... most likely high-end fabric purchased and made into bedding. The framed artwork has a very specific border color, most likely done by a professional framer. The rug is both the perfect color palette to tie everything together, as well as an abnormally large size.

Don't be discouraged!... There's always a way to apply any design style into your own home, no matter your design resources or budget. Check out my design blueprint below....

DESIGN BLUEPRINT

Chandelier / Lamps Plus

Gold Framed Wall Art / Accents & Art

Abstract Art / Crate & Barrel

Landscape Art / Crate & Barrel

Leopard Pillow / Target

Green Geometric Pillow / Z Gallerie

Green Bolster / Improvements

Faux Fur Pillow / Dwell Studio

Antique Wood Stool / Chairish

Bed / Room & Board

Bedding / Urban Outfitters

Nightstand / CB2

Table Lamp / Crate & Barrel

Area Rug / The Rug Company

 

- Cori