Pin of the Week: Shoe Obsessions

Raise your hand if you have a healthy obsession with shoes. (We're raising our hands, too, don't worry!) We are loving how Cara Loren's closet is styled—with PLENTY of room for shoes! The other features in this room, like the hair on hide ottoman and the statuesque lamp, make this space oh-so-classy and inviting.

Now raise your hand if you want this perfect shoe haven closet in your home. (We're raising our hands, too.)

Pin on our Closets board. Design by Alice Lane.

Emily Jackson's Closet Design

We've been working on another exciting project with fashion blogger Emily Jackson of The Ivory Lane....her closet! We've designed a few fashion blogger's closets here at Alice Lane, and each time we're amazed at how unique each of their own personal styles are. The end result of each of our designs is proof of that...always entirely new and different from the last. While we won't be revealing the final pictures of Emily Jackson's closet today (watch for that tomorrow!), we wanted to give you a little sneak peek into the design process!

Just like we do with every design closet, we met with Emily in her home to really get a sense for what she was needing. When you're fashion blogger like Emily Jackson, a well designed closet plays a critical role in your day to day life. From storing and displaying her plethora of handbags and high heels to being the perfect back drop for taking a selfie, every inch of this closet needed to be worthy of the spotlight. While Emily already had the bones of her closet in place, we were able to design all of the finishing touches that made the space unique to her. We always like to provide our clients with these hand-drawn sketches of their design so they can begin to visualize their space. Sometimes we even surprise ourselves with how much they look like the real thing!

It's fun to design a space that entirely centered around one person...no need to restrain or take multiple people's tastes into consideration. Emily's personal style is soft and elegant, but there's always an underlying sense of "edge" to each of her ensembles. We wanted to enhance that, while also pulling inspiration from some of Emily's favorite designers like Kate Spade and Kelly Wearstler; which resulted in a fantastically moody combination! We can't wait to show you how this design came to life in tomorrow's reveal. The entire collection will be shopable on our website too! So keep an eye for it, it's going to be a good one!

Hello...We're Alice Lane Home!

Hello friends! It's been awhile since we've done any formal introduction around here, and with so many new customers and followers we thought it was time we tell you all a little bit about who we are. So...we're excited to share our first-ever video project with you! Several months ago we were introduced to Haugen Creative and we were instantly blown away by their high-quality video productions they've worked on both locally and across the globe. We were in the midst of getting our new website ready to launch, and knew we wanted to re-introduce ourselves to the world in a fun new way. Haugen Creative helped us create this short little "About Us" video to do just that.

One thing we wanted to get across in this video is that we reeeeeally love what we do. Whether it be providing you with high-quality furnishings for your home or helping you design your dream home, we want to be a part of it! Haugen Creative help us share our story and our excitement for what we do with you. We hope to share more videos with you in the future, from sharing tips on design to giving you an inside look into some of the spaces we create, so hopefully there is much more to come! A big thanks to Haugen Creative for helping us on this fun new project!

Alice Lane on Hanover Avenue

If you're ever in need of a good boost of self-confidence, Anne Tollett from Hanover Avenue is just the person to call! She reached out to us months and months ago wanting to interview our main gal, Jessica Bennett, for part of her video blog series that spotlights some amazing designers. Of course we were flattered and instantly taken with Anne's energetic personality that we just had to say yes.

With the launch of our new website and the reveal of Emily Jackson's kitchen, Anne wanted the full scoop on how with good design, styling, furnishings, and decor we transformed this large white kitchen and dining space into something truly amazing.

Be sure to head over to Hanover Avenue for the full interview with Jess! You'll love some of the tips & tricks she has to share so you can get this look for yourself. We're even offering a special discount to Hanover Avenue readers, so don't miss it!

Emily Jackson's Kitchen Design

We've been working on a special project these past several months that we're excited to finally share with you! Our most frequently asked question (and winning by a long mile) is "Do you sell online?" For those of you who have heard or seen our responses to this question on social media lately, you could probably sense our anticipation as we wanted to blurt out, "YES! It's finally happening!" Well folks...it really is finally happening! Tomorrow you'll all be able to shop Alice Lane Home online and have items delivered right to your front door (coast to coast!). So now that we have you anxiously sitting on the edge of your seat for the launch of our new site, we thought we'd share a special sneak peek inside our first curated online collection that we've been working on with The Ivory Lane fashion blogger, Emily Jackson.

You could call it fate that Emily Jackson reached out to us for help around the same time we started working on our online store. She had just wrapped up a massive new-build and asked us to put the final touches in her house to make it feel like home. With her cutting edge fashion sense and our love for designing forward-thinking spaces, it was the perfect combination!

Her newly built kitchen was beautiful to begin with. But the great thing about designing for someone who has a keen sense of style is that it really allowed us to push the envelope. We presented Emily with a design that would take her vanilla white kitchen to a whole new level! After all, this is a girl who wears burgundy suede boots over the knee...her kitchen should be just as bold and daring! We pulled in a little Kelly Wearstler and even browsed through Emily Jackson's abundant closet for inspiration.

Keeping in mind that Emily is more than just a fashion blogger, we made sure our design was also kid-friendly and comfortable to live in. A corner of the kitchen was designated for her mother/daughter bake sessions and we selected dining room chairs that would easily transition from casual breakfasts to dinner parties with friends. That's what Emily really needed.

We can't wait to show you how it all came together in tomorrow's blog post, so stay tuned! We're even more excited that now you'll actually be able to shop every little thing from her home, and so much more! Eek!

Vote for Jess - New Trad Designer

Lookie here! Jessica Bennett, Owner & Design Principal of Alice Lane Home, has been nominated as one of Traditional Home's "New Trads." If anyone is deserving of such a title, it's this lady right here. Do something good today and go vote for her HERE: http://newtrads.traditionalhome.com/entry/1926/. You'll actually earn yourself a voting badge you can be proud of this year!

It's been awhile since we've done any formal introductions around here, so we thought we'd share a little bit about Jess and what makes her tick. You know...like what's her favorite treat? That kind of stuff. We're going deep people!

Q: What's your personal take on design?  A: I believe good design improves the function of our spaces, in the most beautiful way imaginable! Before I put my designs in action, I ensure that it’s custom fit and every little part is considered and loved. My work is always so personal. It's thoughtful, collected, and usually some form of transitional style. My team and I are mix masters. We put in all the right ingredients, and then send it through our transitional filter. It must perform well, as well as look good. When it does both, that is design at work! Most importantly, I feel like our designs best represent each of our clients.

Q: What are your proudest accomplishments?  A: This past summer our French Moderne Manor home was featured in the Utah Valley Parade of Homes. It was voted Best Home, and also swept the competition in other areas like Best Interior Design, Best Master Suite, and Best Kitchen. This past month, the home was featured on the cover of Utah Style & Design Magazine. Pinch me! It was a huge project, and literally everyone on our staff was needed to complete the project on an accelerated build schedule in order for it to be ready for the parade, be judged, and toured by tens of thousands of people. All of these recent accomplishments take me back to how proud I am of the design program we've built here at Alice Lane Home. Designers, Jr. Designers, Stylists, and Interns - they each play a role in our success. As our company has grown, each member of our team has been able to expand their wings and grow. My mama heart couldn't be more proud of them!

Q: How did you get started in Interior Design? A: I studied Advertising Design at Utah State University. Afterwards I worked as an Art Director and Creative Director for a few advertising firms. It was my love for design that got me a job designing the corporate head quarters for Omniture, a local Software Company. That soon led to designing the executives homes where my design work took off. I opened Alice Lane Home Collection, our home furnishings boutique and interior design firm, in 2008 to make transitional style furnishings more available in Utah. It also allowed me to gain more access and resources to the types of furnishings I was passionate about. Today our firm is working on over 100 design projects with 10 designers on staff, 60 employees over all, and 2 furniture showrooms in Orem and Salt lake City, Utah. Our online home furnishings store will go live this April!

Q: Do you have a favorite design book? A: Yes! ABCDC's is full of basic design tips that everyone should know. I highly recommend it.

Q: And because we really want to know...what's your favorite treat? A: The Kouign Amann pastry from Les Madeleines, a local French bakery here in Salt Lake City. It's to die for! With layers of flaky sweetness, it's a rich, buttery caramelized piece of heaven. If you're ever in the area, you need to try it!

See...she really is awesome! So now you can feel really good about your decision and go VOTE!

Utah Style & Design Feature

I dare say there was no better way to ring in the New Year than to see our French Moderne Manor smack-dab on the cover of the newest issue of Utah Style & Design. Not only is it a dream to see our work front and center, but the issue boasts 11 full pages of the home inside. You could say it's a major pay-off for all the hard work we put in in 2015!

We're pretty proud of this home. The French Moderne Manor was showcased in the 2015 Utah Valley Parade of Homes this past summer (big shout out to our partner McEwan Custom homes!), where it was voted not only Best Home, but also Best Interior Design, Best Kitchen, Best Master Suite, and swept many other categories. Ah! That still makes us giddy to think about.

We know many of you have anxiously been waiting for us to share more of this home with you, so now you can finally go pick up your own copy of Utah Style & Design and delve into it's beautiful pages! Or, head on over to our Press page (here) to read the full article online and our Portfolio page (here) for a complete tour of the home. We're also working on a series of "Show N' Tell" blog posts that will give you a further look into the home, so stay tuned for that! If this is any indication of what's to come...2016 is going to be our year!

2015 In Review...Instagram Style

2015 was a big year for us. We launched our newest concept store Wonderland by Alice Lane, hosted the amazing Tom Felicia for a book signing at our store, showcased not just one but two amazing Parade Homes, received multiple awards including Best Interior Design in the Utah Valley Parade of Homes, and had multiple design projects featured in renowned design publications like Rue Magazine and Utah Style & Design. And somehow we managed to not completely implode in the process! Of course, we can't go without mentioning that the support and praise we received from all of you in 2015 was overwhelming! Our Instagram following more than doubled and we can't believe there are actually 70K people who follow and admirer our work. Wowza! So in celebration of such a great year, we thought we'd share our top 10 Instagram posts of 2015:

1. Cottonwood Craftsman Kitchen - It's easy to see why this kitchen was your favorite image from 2015. It's clean, fresh, cool and has the perfect touch of gray for a modern craftsman home. Check out more of this home in our portfolio here.

2. French Moderne Manor Living Room - What isn't there to love about this home! You aren't the only ones who loved it, it was recently featured in Utah Style & Design magazine and even made the cover!

3. Lakeside Loft Master Bedroom - You don't even have to look out the window to know that this bedroom is a lakeside retreat. This home was part of the Salt Lake Parade of Homes this past summer. We loved being able to showcase our work and we're so glad you all loved it!

4. Our Fall Porch - The perfect way to rock black and orange for the fall. We had a fun time decorating our front porch for fall and we're a little shocked to see that our humble abode made the top 10. Flattered to say the least.

5. French Modern Manor Master Bath - We're not one bit surprised to see that the French Modern Manor made 6/10 of our top ten posts. This Master Bathroom is a bit of dream. Check out more pictures of this home in our portfolio here.

6. French Modern Manor Playroom -  It brings out the kid in all of us, doesn't it? Perhaps that why it received such love and admiration. And lets be honest...we're all a little jealous that a 5 year old lives in that playhouse.

6. Hilltop Haven Powder Bath - Those lights! We're right there with you on this one. This bathroom combination is a top ten for us too! Killer. Stay tuned for more on this project coming soon!

8. French Modern Manor Guest Bedroom - You read that right...guest bedroom. The homeowner offered to let us crash the night in this room during install...it was tempting. VERY tempting.

9. French Modern Manor Living Room - It's no surprise that this room made the top ten twice. This home was in the Utah Valley Parade of Homes this past summer and won several awards, including "Best Home" and "Best Interior Design". We're thrilled!

10. French Modern Manor Master Bath Vanity - It's the gold geode knobs, isn't it? Our hearts pitter-patter whenever we see them too.

We hope you all continue to follow along with us in 2016. We have a few tricks rolled up our sleeves and we can't wait to share them all with you! It's gonna be our year!

What's Trending: Market Recap

We just got back from another glorious trip to market in High Point, NC where we previewed the newest collections from leading industry designers. Not only do we get the first glimpse at the latest trends, but we also get to met the style makers behind the beautiful designs. You could sort of say they're our heroes! Today we're sharing some of the top trends we noticed at market and what some of the experts had to say about them!

1. Animal Prints - They’re back, better, and bigger than ever! We’re known for sneaking in a hint of animal prints into our designs, but don’t be surprised if you start to see this bold print step into the spotlight more often. We saw full-blown sectionals spotted from head to toe in leopard print!

2. Visual Texture - It's texture you can see! The thing we love about this newest design trend is that it excites multiple senses at once, drawing your attention closer and closer. You don't even have to touch to know it's full of texture.

3. Angles/Geometric Shapes - The geometric craze continues with a particular vintage-modern vibe. While you’ll continue to see geometric shapes in textiles and art, you’ll also see them come to life in 3D visual design applications, such as lighting, sculptural objects, tables, etc.

4. Acrylic - The fact that acrylic can be made into just about anything has made it a very popular material. We saw it molded into beautiful light fixtures, chairs, tables, and accessories of all sorts. This is one plastic that sure knows how to get dolled up classy!

5. Color - Whether you go with bold saturated colors or muted Mediterranean hues, color is everywhere! With white walls trending, it’s particularly fun to bring a pop of color in through your art and upholstery.

Available for purchase at Alice Lane Home:  1. Axis Deer Fur Lumbar Pillow - $407 | 2. Rigid Canister - $62 | 3. Brass Cube Sculpture - $59 | 4. Melrose Bar Cart - $1,674 | 5. Fabric swatches not available for purchase

Watch our segment with KSL's Studio 5 for more on these trends from our Founder and Design Principal, Jessica Bennett:

How To Get That Custom Home Look

There are many reasons someone decides to build a new home, but by far the most notorious reason is because they want a home that fits their exact needs and tastes....a custom home. While not everyone can afford to go 100% custom, choosing a community home builder is a great way to get new construction and still be able to select some of those custom finishes you're looking for. We just wrapped up designing a parade home with Destination Homes in their Daybreak Lake Village community, so we thought we'd share some of our tips and tricks on how to obtain that "custom" look when building with a builder. 1. Tweak the Floor Plan

Most community home builders have a handful of floor plans for you to choose from. It's important that you find the floor plan that meets your needs best (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, etc.), but don't leave it at that! The key to turning a generic floor plan into a custom one is finding those areas of opportunity where you can do something special! At the Lakeside Loft we converted an empty wall cavity in the bedroom into some open shelving. We also added some built-ins next to the fireplace and even reconfigured the kitchen layout. Take your furniture into consideration, too. Will your sofa fit there? Will the windows be centered behind the bed? Do you need an outlet in the floor for your sofa table lamp? Little structural changes like this can go a long way!

2. Upgrade Where It Matters Most

Most home builders will allow you to "upgrade" a number of finishes in your home, and you may find yourself wanting to upgrade everything! While there is certainly no harm in this, you may find your budget disappearing quicker than you thought! Our recommendation is to upgrade the most permanent finishes first. Things like flooring and cabinets should be first on your list of upgrades. It's hard for us to really put a limit on the upgrades, because let's be honest...we all want the fancy finishes! Things like hardware and light fixtures are the jewelry pieces in your design and can make such an impact! However, if you find yourself having to cut back, go basic on those items for now and you can always change them out later. At the Lakeside Loft, we decided to make a major upgrade to the kitchen cabinets and painted them indigo. Not only are they a killer statement piece in the design, but it really gives them that custom look.

3. Push The Design Limits

So now that you've sat and picked out all your finishes it's time to think about how those finishes are being applied. You know that black slate tile you chose for the mudroom...wouldn't it be cool if you had it laid in a herringbone pattern!? Or what if you took your subway back splash all the up to the ceiling? That's exactly what we did in the Lakeside Loft to give it that high-end look. We even eliminated some of the upper kitchen cabinets and replaced them with open shelving (which was also less expensive!). And our favorite design element of the home was adding the ship lap walls in the entryway. Stunning! You'd be surprised what custom changes you can get away with if you just ask.

4. Be Involved Throughout The Building Process

Just because you've wrapped up your design center appointment doesn't mean you now just sit and wait for your home to be built. Make frequent visits to the build site to ensure you're happy with how things are developing. Depending on your builder, you can usually make some minor changes throughout the building process if needed. Things are hard to visualize on paper, so it's a good idea to make sure you love it just as much in person too. Who knows, you may even pick up on another hidden design opportunity you didn't see before. For us, Destination Homes was excellent to work with and we kept an open line of communication throughout the entire process. Our Lakeside Loft is nothing short of beautiful!

If you're looking for some inspiration, be sure to stop by the Lakeside Loft (house #32) at this years 2015 Salt Lake Parade of Homes, designed by yours truly! We love the opportunity to get to work on homes of all types and styles. Once again, proving that beautiful design can happen on anywhere!

The Alice in Alice Lane Home

"Hi, can I speak with Alice, please?" It's a frequent question we get here at Alice Lane. Usually we respond with a slight chuckle because, you see, Alice Lane isn't a person. It's a street. Or, at least that's what we thought up until last week when we received the most surprising phone call... Let's go back to the beginning shall we. If you've read our history you know that Adam and I named our business after the street we built our first dream home on: Alice Lane. It's a beautiful street tucked up on the east bench of Farmington, UT; surrounded by apple trees that were once part of an orchard that stood there before. Turns out that wasn't just any apple orchard though...it was Alice's apple orchard. Alice Burbidge and her husband once owned and tilled the very ground that our first custom home was built on. Their family farm is where they raised chickens, grew fruit trees, and harvested alfalfa. This is the real history behind Alice Lane.

Fast forward a few decades to when Alice's husband passed away and she sold her 15 acres of mountain land to a developer (our developer!). She moved on with life, but left just a small piece of her behind...her name engraved upon one of the street signs. Little did she know that that very street would soon steal our hearts and later become the inspiration for what is now our beloved interior design and home furnishings business.

For years I had wondered who that Alice might be! After all, you must be pretty special to have a street named after you. You can only imagine my excitement when Alice's grand-daughter (who's also appropriately named Allison) contacted us and told us her grandmother's story. She then asked if we'd like to meet her. You mean, there really is an Alice after all!?! Of course we wanted to meet her! We arranged to have Alice and her grand-daughter visit us at our Trolley Square location. At the young age of 90, Alice is as sharp as a tack and is as witty as she is wise! We swapped stories and reminisced about the very same place we once called home. That feeling of "home" has stayed with me after all these years simply because I named our store after the greatest address there could ever be: Alice Lane.

I love that the complete history of Alice Lane has come full circle, and there couldn't be anything more special! What a treat to meet the woman behind the name. And in case you're wondering...next time someone calls in asking to speak with Alice, we'll tell them she's either busy making her renowned peanut brittle (which we can't wait to try!) or off practicing her golf swing. Alice, you'll forever be a part of our hearts!

Closet Styling Tips & Tricks

In our recent reveal of Cara Loren's fashion-forward closet (check it out here if you missed it!) I shared some tips on how we made her closet work perfectly for her. While you may not have the same luxury of converting an entire 11' x 11' room into your own personal closet, there are a few styling tricks you can do to help make your closet look just as fabulous! First things first...organize! A closet can look pretty blasé when it's crammed full of nothing but clothes, shoes, and accessories. I know, I know...where else are you supposed to put it all!? Start by sorting through your pieces and putting like things together. Whether you sort by colors or styles, grouping like things together gives your closet a more cohesive look! If you're really shy on space, a great trick is to switch out your clothes seasonally and put those bulky winter items away in storage for a few months.

Okay...now that you're organized, the real fun can begin! Even if you have the most beautiful clothes in the world, it's the accessorizing that makes or breaks a closet. My first tip -- use coffee table fashion books! They're perfect to lay flat and stack shoes on top of, lean them against a shelf wall, or push them to the back so everything in front can support that look. A beautiful book cover with interesting photography can make any of your shoes or purses seem like runway fashion!

Next, pull in sculptural objects to give your eye somewhere to rest in between all the purses and shoes. Objects don't take up a lot of space, but they complete the look. You can even make them useful by draping necklaces or hats on them.

Trays are by far the most beautiful and functional way to group small collections of lipsticks, jewelry, or clutches together. Everything looks less random when it's housed in a beautiful way.

A favorite trick of mine when styling any type of shelving is to push a piece of art or photography against the back wall (or cubby in the case of your closet). It gives your eye something to read and makes everything up front look dressed up.

If you have windows in your closet...don't forget window treatments! Window treatments can help stabilize your space. Go all out with a bold and fashionable print like we did for Cara. Whatever you do, make it you!

Now you know all the tips and tricks! Have fun styling your closet like you would any of your daily outfits! Who knows, maybe afterward you'll even feel inspired to start your own fashion blog!

 Photo Credit: Nicole Gerulat

Top 5 Design Trends of Spring 2015

We recently returned from an amazing week in High Point, North Carolina attending the infamous High Point Market. For those unfamiliar with market, it's essentially Fashion Week for the interior design world. Everybody who is anybody in this industry is there, either showcasing their latest collection or shopping current styles and trends. Every year, we're inspired by the beautiful creations we see at market and then bring those ideas and products home with us to share with you! Here are the top 5 trends we noticed from this year's market:

1. Blush Pink - Shelby from Steel Magnolias would be so proud to see her signature color making our top 5 trend list of 2015. This delicate shade of pink is feminine, elegant, and incredibly eye-catching. Yes...you're seeing it all over the runways right now in too. Turns out that dusty pink shawl you bought will double as the perfect throw for your couch!

[Tobi Fairly collection for CR Laine]

[Tobi Fairly collection for CR Laine]

2. Jewel Tones - You don't have to be a billionaire to deck your halls in sapphire, emerald, pink, ruby, or canary. These rich and bold colors are being applied in upholstery, drapery, on the walls...you name it. The trick here is to pick one color vein and use it at different strengths throughout your room. Too many colors and it starts to feel really dated.

[Lillian August collection for Hickory White]

[Tobi Fairly collection for CR Laine]

3. Modern Art – If your home is full of traditional pieces, adding some modern art is an easy way to stay on trend. Take down your landscapes and oil paintings in favor of abstract or minimalist pieces to give your home an updated and clean look.

[Modern Baroque collection by Bernhardt Furniture]

4. Sculptural Furniture - Let your furniture be a piece of art! When your chair can double as both a place to park your tushy and be the topic of conversation with your guests, you know you're on trend.

[Thomas O'Brian collection for Century Furniture]

5. Vintage Modern – You know what they say, if you wait long enough it’s bound to come back in style! Trends are pulling inspiration from vintage design for a stylish mix of old and new. We've see this a lot already with mid-century inspired pieces, but it’s expounding into more decades and eras of design than ever before.

[Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams]

[Kelly Wearstler Collection]

French Moderne Manor - Marble

If you ever go to France and take a stroll down the Champs Elysees visiting the little shops, patisseries, and cafes, you'll notice one common thread between them all...marble! While France doesn't always get the credit for harvesting marble, the French sure know how to use it. Whether it's applied on the floors, on the walls, or even used as counter tops, marble is a staple in French design. So, it should come as no surprise to see that our French Moderne Manor parade home is full of it! For starters, we're using marble in the fire surrounds for several of the fireplaces in the home. While this is a very traditional use of marble, the crisp straight lines give it a fresh and modern look that is also timeless. That second surround (hard to see here) has the most dramatic black veins running through it. Gorgeous!

This shower wall has to be one of the most amazing applications of marble I've ever seen. Look at how those veins match up...the sheer symmetry of it all! One of the reasons marble is so great is that it really serves a double purpose: as function and as art. When you find a piece of stone as incredible and unique as this one it deserves to be the center of attention.

Here we are using a light cloudy marble as counter tops. I get asked all the time if marble is a good choice for a counter top and the answer is "Yes!" There's a common misconception that marble is too "fancy" or "formal." Yes, it's beautiful, but it's definitely no pretentious. And remember how the French have been using it for thousands of years? Trust me...it's an excellent choice (as seen here).

Of course, you can't forget this amazing floor tile where we used a variety of marble to create a modern twist on a traditional French check floor. Stay tuned for more updates of our parade home and behind the scenes looks. Things are progressing nicely!

Cara Loren on Alice Lane: The Design

Designing a closet for Cara Loren is like getting to design a magic lasso for Wonder Woman! “Of course!” was our answer when we got the call. It’s not just a closet…it will also serve as her office and set design for her tutorials and fashionable selfies. If you follow her fashion blog, you know the drill.  I immediately began researching her look so we could create the perfect environment to suit her vibe. Together with Alice Lane designer, Stacie Graves, we worked on every last detail for both form and function. Getting Cara’s input was the best part. She had ideas that we incorporated to make this super closet function for her. Cara is as lovely to work with as she is to look at.  It’s been a great collaboration. We can hardly wait till it’s all installed and she can fill it with all of her beautiful clothes, shoes, coats, hats, sunglasses, jewelry, fashion books, and objects of inspiration!

Lucky for us, we had a blank slate to work with. An adjacent room to her bedroom was reconfigured as a huge walk-in closet that could be accessed from inside her room. That's right...a whole room! Let's just all take a second and sigh - sigh. With all this space we were able to design a large modern island that will be centered in the room. Floor to ceiling built-ins will line the walls and house all of her clothes, shoes, and accessories in a beautiful display.

We pictured a desk sitting in front of her large windows, with fashionable roman shades and a large pendant mirror mounted between them. I imagine Cara sitting her in the morning putting on her makeup or writing on her blog, don't you?

Just as we'd hoped for, Cara loved the design! During the presentation she was able to select and approve all finishes and even see some of the accessories that we'll be using to style her closet. Needless to say, we're all a little excited around here!

Cara's closet recently received a fresh coat of paint and the carpet has been installed. Stay tuned for more updates and progress of the closet. You can also visit Cara's blog (caraloren.com) to see her take on the design process. We can't wait to show you how this super closet turns out!

French Moderne Manor - Modern Bath Design

As the Parade of Homes draws closer, we are busily working on getting our French Modern Parade Home designs finished up. The project is still in construction mode, but we're finally starting to seeing some of our design elements take shape and form. One room in particular, the master bathroom, has us eagerly awaiting. We think you’re going to fall head-over-heels in love with this master bathroom. It’s so good you’ll never want to leave. I pinky swear. We’ve combined all our favorite bath fittings in one space with a perfect blend of technology and beauty – a sculptural soaking tub with a perfect pendant suspended above it, a steam shower with a book-matched marble wall, custom brass mirrors, a sparkling champagne ceiling and a Calcutta marble floor crisscrossing the whole space. Dreamy, no?

Here’s a glimpse at the initial design to spark your curiosity…

There's only a few short months to go until this amazing home makes it's debut! Don’t forget to block out your calendars for the Utah Valley Parade of Homes June 4 - 20, 2015. We’re excited to see you there!

French Moderne Manor - Master Bedroom Design

Things are coming along nicely in our French Modern Parade Home in Highland, Utah. While the kitchen and living room are definitely major focal points in this home, we can't be more excited for the master bedroom! I mean come on...who doesn't dream about a luxurious french bedroom?! And this master bedroom is exactly that...the room of our dreams! We began with the idea of punctuating the vaulted ceiling with a sculptural chandelier and a canopy bed. You heard me right, A CANOPY BED. Our inner child is going crazy right now. We tucked a swoon-worthy velvet chaise at the end of the bed and an arm chair on either side surrounding the fireplace. Speaking of the fireplace, we can’t wait for you to see it. We have a custom stone surround that is out of this world. Here's a sneak peak at our sketches and design board for the room. Now you're dreaming about too, aren't you? You're welcome.

French Moderne Manor - Kitchen Design

Kitchens are the most technical and time-intensive spaces in the home. We’ve spent many hours on this parade home perfecting our cabinetry drawings, selecting appliances and hardware, and fine tuning the finishes with our cabinetry shop. We take the time because the beauty is in the details. Here’s a peek at our site visit progress photos, drawings, and finishes to give you a peek into the space.

French Moderne Manor - Living Room Design

We took special consideration when designing the living room because we knew it would set the tone for the rest of the home. This room needed to be the perfect blend of French and modern. Here’s the vision: imagine an elegant French fireplace in the palest hue, a fresh take on a traditional coffered ceiling, well-dressed columns lining the hall, sophisticated furniture silhouettes, and a 20 foot wall of windows flanked by the softest linen drapery panels. Sounds dreamy, right? We’re excited for you to see it in person.

French Moderne Manor - Parade Home

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but our latest and greatest parade home will be installing in a few short months. We’ve already spent a year designing and specifying and can’t believe the time is almost here! In the coming weeks, we’ll be giving our readers an exclusive peek at the beautiful, fashion-forward home we’re designing, so keep checking back.

Let us introduce you to the house and its owners. The owners are young, cool, and willing to embrace bold design. The house began as a traditional French country estate and through the design process it evolved into something with an edgy twist. With perfect blend of old meets new, our French modern home was born.

Okay, now that we’ve all met each other, let’s jump into the design!

THE EXTERIOR

As we explored concepts for the home’s exterior, we kept coming back to photos with modern black windows – clean and minimal with skinny grids.

We took our inspiration from these photos and dropped them into our drawings. It was as if the house had slipped on its black stiletto heels. Our exterior finally had the right stylish punctuation. Check out our progress!

Mark your calendars for the Utah Valley Parade of Homes June 4-20th, because we’d love to see you all there!