Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

The problem with safe is that it almost never gets you WOW. – Karina Jones

One of my favorite things about interior design is that I get to work on projects that have a beginning and an end. Unfortunately, it always takes way longer to bring a project to completion than I prefer.

Since the start of the year, I have been working on a very special dining room makeover. Dining rooms have become one of my favorite rooms to design because my husband and I spent so many years without one. Now that we have a dining room, I totally have an excuse to host major holidays and special events in there.

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

As you can see in the before picture, this particular dining room was already a beautiful space to begin with. Still, the homeowner wanted to take this prominent space in her home up a few notches.

Luckily for me (and the homeowner), this dining room has a slew of traditional architectural features including 9 foot square columns at the entrance, chair rail, picture molding, and crown molding. The traditional cherry wood table, chairs and server were a solid financial investment by the homeowner and will be incorporated into the final design.

The Design Plan

Source: Houzz

In order to get things rolling, I did an online search for a few inspiration images. Typically, clients send me their inspiration images, but I know this particular homeowner really well. I came across the above image and used it as a basis for re-designing the space. Before hiring an interior designer, you should collect 3-5 inspiration images. This is a clear way to communicate your vision to him or her.

Everything started to come together once we found the perfect work of art. Art is such a personal and subjective thing so I was elated when we found a canvas that really spoke to her. Although the dining room color scheme started out as cream and burgundy, the homeowner actually prefers colors in the blue-green family. My favorite color to decorate with is teal so I was all in with this color palette! In addition, the palette will also include a mix of gold and silver metal tones.

Initially, the homeowner was hesitant about using such a bold color in the space because strong colors can be off-putting. This reaction is completely normal; most clients tend to err on the side of safety when it comes to design. The problem with safe is that it almost never gets you WOW. My job as an interior designer is to gently nudge a client towards a bold choice without making them uncomfortable. Good thing I am a Libra! Ha!

Since this family of four is young and hip, we ultimately decided to go with a transitional design style. The transitional style is way less traditional since it marries both traditional and contemporary elements. The funky artwork, gold lamps, stylish mirror, colorful window treatments and a geometric rug will help to bring in some more contemporary touches. I like to ground a dining room with a rug for very practical reasons; the constant pushing and pulling of the chairs can really do a number on your wood floors.

The biggest changes in the entire space are the addition of a subtle but elegant wallpaper and a bold tray ceiling. The bold teal color is somewhat unexpected in a dining room, but it is also fun and youthful. Because the dining area is a formal space, we made certain to tone things down with neutrals, gold and silver accents.

Final Thoughts

Even though dining rooms tend to be these formal spaces that we barely ever use, they should always represent the homeowners to the fullest. In this case, we wanted the room to be elegant, but not overly fussy.

As I mentioned before, the project is taking longer than expected due to lots of backorders and a slight adjustment that the homeowner and I agreed needs to be made. But in the end it will be stunning! I guess that when it comes to interior design, good things do truly come to those to wait!

Stay tuned for the grand reveal in a few weeks!

Cheers!

Karina

The post Design Project Sneak Peek: Transitional Dining Room Makeover appeared first on Superior Interiors by Karina Jones.

No matter how large or small, a design project always begins with a vision and then several revisions. The case was no different with this small entryway project, which started with a client email and an inspiration picture.

The process of how a design project goes from the abstract to the concrete isn’t always pretty, but it’s an incredibly fun journey. This year, I promised myself that I would do a better job of documenting my design process so I am starting right here, right now with this entryway project.

I have worked with this client in the past so I am pretty familiar with her design aesthetic. She loves simplicity with moments of glam and a whole lot of brass! Although she is generally open to suggestions, she really does know exactly what she wants.

Drawing Inspiration

Source: Pinterest

Inspiration pictures are great starting points for a design project; in fact, designers love inspiration pictures so please keep pinning away! But it is also completely normal for a designer to deviate from the inspiration pic if the actual space presents its own set of unique circumstances, and this one did.

From the inspiration picture I concluded that certain things were in order, like a mirror and seating. An entryway is a vital part of the home since it is the first area guests see when they step into your home. The entryway sets the tone – good or bad – for the rest of the home so treating it with high regard is a must. In addition, it serves a pragmatic purpose – a place to put your keys down, a perching spot to lace on shoes (especially if you abide by a no shoes rule like we do) or to give yourself a once over before running out the front door.

The Design Challenge

Entryway: Doorway before

Entryway: Nook before

My client’s foyer is a healthy size, but the space we were designating for furniture was rather compact. While the inspo pic featured a full wall, the only usable wall in our space was intercepted by stairs. This created a 45 degree angle that made the idea of using a large scale mirror or a beefsteak console a total no-go. Not an ideal start, but onward we go.

The Design Plan

This is the part of design where the designer and the client do a back and forth dance involving choices. Some clients need a significant number of options (I would be that kind of client unfortunately), but this client makes decisions rather quickly (Sweet!).

A design board provides a nice jumping off point to get all of the main elements of the design approved by the client. In addition, a quick rendering of the proposed two options for the nook allows the homeowner to visualize the end result in all its glory. Since the doorway was also getting a quick face-lift, it was also included in the rendering.

I sent my client two options for the nook and she quickly decided on the second one. There were some changes in the end that didn’t compromise the design, but that were made to preserve the budget and to account for discontinued items.

The Design Solution

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

Capitalizing on the width, we selected a low console without a crossbar. For some reason, I had trouble finding an abundance of these types of consoles last year, but I finally did. We wanted to utilize the space below the console to accommodate two ottomans. If you notice, the inspiration pic had garden stools underneath, but the ones we went with are upholstered and have the added benefit of storage inside. This is ideal for throwing in those last minute toys or kid’s socks we notice just before we open the door for guests.

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

Since the console is simple, I added lots of accessories to glam up the space. An artificial orchid keeps things low maintenance, while the canisters, tray with accessories and lamp speak to my client’s love for gold. If we were using a console that was more complex, I would have definitely reigned it back in the accessories department.

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

Although the hexagon mirror is small, it follows the lines of the angle of the stairs and keeps things functional. The mirror was one of the design elements that changed in the end because the original choice was discontinued. I hate when that happens! But we still managed to make it work!

I initially toyed with the idea of a mini lamp (same exact lamp but just shorter), but my client went for the full size lamp and I am so glad she did. It balances the height on both sides of the console since the mirror and the lamp are relatively at the same eye level. A shorter lamp would have only served to further emphasize the obvious fact that the wall is angling down.

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

The doorway got a simple quatrefoil inspired rug with an artificial fiddle-leaf tree. I love real plants and flowers, but this busy family doesn’t have time to take care of them. And if my client is anything like me, she would kill the poor tree anyway. No green thumb here!

Final Thoughts

Photo Credit: Vic LeDan Photography

With some careful planning and simple but beautiful pieces, we made this formerly empty space inviting and welcoming for this young family. The entryway now sets the tone for this home, sending the message that this family is stylish but still very down to earth.

We are now on our way to making another space in this home beautiful – the dining room. I can’t wait to show you the before and after of that room!

Keep making your world beautiful… Until next week….

Karina

The post Before & After: Golden Glam Entryway appeared first on Superior Interiors by Karina Jones.