Martie & Greg were in a tough spot with their Dining Room and Living Room.  With the rest of the house complete, they just couldn't make these two spaces work. 
With a new view on style, it was hard to meld their more contemporary new view (see light fixture,) with the old school (old house,) pieces in the living room. 
They too struggled with choosing a paint color and what to do with those windows.

We 1st picked out a new paint palette using the rest of the completed home as our guide, we choose rich toffees and herbal greens.  We then addressed that living room, and decided to keep the tables but replace the couch and side chair.  The large red recliner moved to the master, as well as the side chair.  She had just purchased a dining room table and 2 black parsons chairs.  We did a search within the home and found a lovely mirror and an additional, more scale suited chair in the master.


The side chair, although wonderful in scale, didn't have wonderful fabric on it.  As we discussed window treatment ideas, Martie excitedly said she had some fabric yardage she bought and just didn't know what to do with.  Ironically, when she pulled it out, stunningly the colors were the same I had chosen for her paint palette. 






With a plan in progression, I suggested she have the chair reinvented, with the floral motif fabric.  To keep the more clean lines of her new style, she should have silver nail heads added to the chair. The other fabric was a stripe, which I then drew a plan for the window treatments, gave her a shopping list for furniture, accessories and additional fabric yardage for window treatments - And here are the results.

Just back from filming the "After" of Liz & Hector's Newlywed Home.  WOW, is all I can say!  Super shoppers - Using my advice - here are the before and after results. If you've read the previous post - Although she had "good bones," the room needed a bit of additional ingredients to make it shine - From lighting to art to window panels - Look at what around $700.00 worth of accessories can do for a space (Zoe the dog not included...)
Panels (4) Are from Target
Accessories, Lamps, Side tables from HomeGoods, Hobby Lobby and Target.

I was convinced there was phenomenon occurring, and it was validated this week when I got in one of my to-the-trade magazines and there it was as one of the 2011 Color Forecast trends! I have been say now for a few years that there is a growing trend in homeowners taking the typical container garden or two to a whole new (or shall I say old) level. And even last week on two separate occasions the 1st at a Staging Evaluation at an 1 Million dollar home in a lush suburb - the homeowner proudly showed me her freshly planted vegetable garden along the side of the home, as well as picking out a few new paint colors for an old friend then chatting on her growing seedlings for her Naperville community garden plots she rents each year - Everyone is getting their hands into the earth!

  As the 1st in 4 new color trends forecasted - Depicted as "Well Rooted," in the article goes on to say - "The effect of multiple economic and world crises have driven us back to time at home, centering more on the family and brightening our own environment against the world."

It's Chic to "Farm" Your Home's Land...

For those who know me personally, I've had a flock of chickens now for almost 10 years - Yes, I said chickens - (My friend Ruth in tony San Francisco has done the same for the same length thank you very much -) All nicely laying eggs in my what I call their  "Coop de Jour."  I've also had a potage garden for the same period of time, which every harvest brings me fabulous heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs and the best un-wind after a hard day's work. Call me a daughter of a depression parent, or now call me - "Recession-Chic..." Read on:

"As people look more to their immediate surroundings, embracing nature becomes more important than ever.  Authentic, honest neutrals as well as greens in layers from yellow to grass and deep forest greens will dominate. Paint Company Benjamin Moore names the same theme “The Farm,” stating recession-chic evokes a call back to basic lifestyles and values. The movements toward locally grown, preservative-free are key drivers in this palette. Shades of the farm include natural neutrals, organic tones and rich vegetables hues.

Farm textures and patterns play out the trend – Gingham checks, burlap, plaid, farm house floral, cows, yarn and rope."





Pony Ottoman from Room Service
http://www.rshcatalog.com/product/Pony_Patch_Ottoman/23