The Scottsdale project consisted of a beautiful shell that my clients and I worked together to transform into their new home.  This was such a fun project; it took me out of my modern grove and let me explore a modern rustic interior.  As a designer I love switching between styles.  Here’s a few bits of information on this project.

Square Footage:  8,500 interior; 2,500 patio

Style:  Modern rustic

Challenge:  To honor the beautiful architectural details without screaming western.

Other fun notes:  We took advantage of custom details and drapery which really make a space personal.  It was hot when we shot the photos (it is Arizona) and the fireplace in the bedroom was blazing hot even with the AC on.  I have no fear that my clients will be warm in the winter.  Did you know that Saguaro cactus is a highly protected species of cacti?  You can get fined big time if you let one die on your property or move them without permission.  Thankfully, no cacti were harmed in this project.  

Exterior at dusk

Living before installation.

Living room after installation.  Custom drapery by Dressed to Kill pulled all our fabric colors together. 

Living – another angle.

Kitchen vignette showing detail of the custom chairs and drapery. 

Dining Room…our custom felt rug did not show up in time for the photo shoot.  Sad because we designed it using the motif found on the chair fabric to create a border.

Game Room, cluby and masculine.

Twin guest room with custom shades and bedding.  A slight nod to the western style. 

Desk in the twin room.  A beautiful find by my client.  Nice work!

King guest room…perhaps my favorite.  Warm and elegant.

King detail – LOVE those textures!

Queen guest room.  We worked with existing furniture and created this beautiful duvet cover that complimented the wood tones perfectly. 

Master bedroom sitting area.  The scale of this room is hard to capture on film.  The fireplace mantle is about one foot taller than me! 

Master Bedroom with its rich reds and yellows.  We custom made the nightstands to fit the space and used Hickory Chair for the beautiful chest of drawers on the far side of the room.  The bed is styled after pieces from the Museum of New Mexico. 

Office…can you spot my favorite pattern? 

Casita vignette with more great textures and color.  Love the custom pillows and rug!

It’s that time of year.  The leaves are changing to bright yellows, deep oranges and chocolaty browns.  Seeing the seasons change inspires new color palettes and makes me long for nesting indoors under lush blankets and fall scented candles.  Although I love Spring cleaning to freshen the house, I also love Fall where I can re-incorporate items to make the long winter as cozy as possible.  Here are a few of my favorite ideas and items to make that transformation.

Coverlets – When the weather turns brisk, yet it’s too early to turn on the heat, adding a beautifully quilted coverlet will add just the right amount of warmth.  Look for a color to enliven your current sheets or duvet cover and you’ll get a new look. 

Textured Throw -Grab a great textured throw and add it to your living room for the cool nights ahead.  My favorite throws are the ones that look like a large crochet sweater. 

Candles – I unfortunately don’t have a fireplace so the next best thing is seeing the warm glow of candles around a room.  Placing several in clear cut glass reflects the light around the room.  My favorite scented candle is  “Holiday” from Ralph Lauren (thanks for the introduction Pat!).  It is one of the few candles that actually smell like the holidays without giving you a headache. 

Organized Entryway – Sounds simple but it’s not when you have a small space being invaded by gloves, hats, boots, umbrellas, dog leash…well you get the idea.  In the fall and winter it is imperative to have a well organized space to keep the wet mess and leaves from traveling further into your home.  Start with at mat outside the door, followed by an absorbing rug inside.  Find a functional furniture piece, like the one from Room & Board below,  that has drawers or a place to put cubbies to store all those items you want out of sight.  Make sure to have ample hooks nearby for all those coats and umbrellas.  I suggest picking up miscellaneous styles and arranging them in a creative way.  Ahhh, now you can relax!

This past weekend I visited the NYIGF to hunt down some new decorative items for my clients.  I was specifically looking for accessories, bedding and pillows.  I found all of those and so much more.  Bedding is always a challange because there are lots of vendors however, finding MODERN designs is not so easy.  I’ve added some of my favorites below to share with you.   I have a signifant list of others that I cannot get to post to this blog so contact me if you’re looking for something specific. 

1.  Designer’s Guild already offers some of the best fabrics, but they are starting to do bedding and pillows.  Here are some of my favorites.

 
2.  Bliss Living you may know…but may not have seen these designs.  They also have a great selection of pillows.

3.  Made Goods is one of my newest finds – before the gift show.  Mirrors are another item in the hard-to-find-the-perfect-one category.  But this company has nailed some great designs.  Most of their mirrors come in different materials, finishes and sizes.  I ordered the bird mirror for a client without first seeing it in person so it was great to see the quality this past weekend.