Show n' Tell - A Lovely Bathroom Makeover

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For my sister's birthday in November, I designed a bathroom for her! I handed her a packet with the plans, paint chips, hardware and plumbing specs, artwork, etc. And put her on a path to give her subs precise direction to implement a darling guest bath!

We borrowed her Bombay chest from her entry for the vanity with instructions to paint it a high gloss white and top with white Caesar Stone counter, a vessel sink and tall gooseneck faucet from her local Home Depot.

Ta-da! We sold her the Venetian mirror from Alice lane, as well as the truffle colored glass knobs. Light fixtures, bath mats, shower curtain. The contrast is stunning! It's a black and white classical story with a shot of majestic purple! Va-va-voom!

- Jess

Transform your own bathroom with these key pieces:

1. Venetian Mirror - 24"W x 36"H - $838 2. Sherwin Williams Paint - Expressive Plum 3. Ceiling Light - $312 4. Vanity Light - $310 5. Artwork - $88 each

*Tile by Gunner (435) 896-7782 Paint Specialists - Coating Pros (435) 705-3392

The Guerrero Residence

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Occasionally, you get a client who walks in the door and knows exactly what they want. Alicia Guerrero was this client! They moved into an existing home in Alpine five years ago and have loved the location, but the interior never reflected the heart of her family. Every time they returned from their Manhattan Beach residence, things felt heavy, cramped and didn't feel like their home yet. When they decided to remodel, Alicia brought Benjamin Blackwelder, a close friend and insanely talented carpenter to come design the kitchen and fireplace. The before pictures are mind-boggling after you see what the space has evolved into! Light and breezy with layers of refinement was our goal and I do declare that we've succeeded!

Once the demo took place, we had to make sure every function was met. That meant we needed to give them a place to watch TV, dine, prepare and serve food. Not to mention, a quiet spot for Alicia and her husband to sip tea in the morning!

Once we started to design, everything seemed to fall into place. The hand-knotted Oushak rug felt like you were walking on water. The Elizabeth armoire from Oly Studio was a natural fit and mirrored the marble chest oh-so nicely. Not to mention the Moonz sofa filled with down feather goodness!

The dining space and small keeping room of the kitchen are precious! We had the table built by a local craftsman and the figured ash feels like small rivers and streams running through the room. Luckily we had a small pocket where we could place a settee and a high directoire table for Alicia and her husband to sit, sip tea and write thank you notes. Every day should start in a space like this!

[photos by Meikel Reece]

Once Upon a Time... Jack Harlie's Nursery

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I've always loved children's literature! Perhaps it's the simple vocabulary that most often rhymes, but mostly because of the pictures! It charms and enlightens immediately! Have you ever read a Dr. Seuss book that starts out dull before the plot thickens?!? Neither have I. Books written for children have to make an impact at the beginning or the kid will move on to something else fairly quickly. And for this reason, we used books and fantasy as our springboard for a nursery. A nursery for a boy named Jack. Jack Harlie to be exact.

Origami cranes out of pages form old novels make a charming mobile.

An ibex, monograms, and majestic horse drawings... what a sophisticated babe!

Take a look at the snake fabric that was made into the Roman shades... looks like something that came straight from a childhood storybook.

[photos by Meikel Reece]

St. George Model Home - Cypress

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We've shared a few iPhone photos of our St. George Parade Home and Model Homes and have promised to share the professionals... Well, they are finally here!!! And here is one of the model homes...

This was our more traditional styled home with warm colors and rich, dark wood tones. ..

Exterior

Entry

Great Room

Kitchen

Dining

Master Bedroom

Master Bath

Bedroom 2

Check back to see our other model home and the Parade Home!!!

NieNie – Phase II: The Install

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Everything was coming together nicely for NieNie's Basement Craft/Play Room. The cabinets turned out amazing thanks to Chad and Mark Magleby and now it was time to install the rest... After the cabinets were installed there was a bit of prep work that had to be done. Because this was an older home there were pipes that had to be covered, existing light fixture holes to be plugged all with a fresh coat of paint before all of the lovlies like wallpaper, window treatments and furniture were installed. Tom and Gary worked hard on painting and patching to get everything ready.

Once all of the prep work was done, the beautiful green and white graphic wallpaper was installed. See the awkward bump out in the wall next to the door? We needed something to cover that up... Time to put on our creative caps!

Meanwhile, the window treatments were installed. This charming little Thomas Paul fabric was turned into whimsical Roman shades that dress the window.

Solution to problem "bump out" - We needed something extraordinary so the kids knew they were in a special place... perhaps something older than they are? Something that could tell stories and grow out of the wall as if they'd been there from the beginning of time! Antique columns! We will split one of our favorites from the store and flank the doorway with these wise and trusted pieces of history!

Now that all of the built-in pieces, wallpaper and windows were installed it was time to bring in the main players. The table and the chairs! This beautiful Oly Studio Rocco table and these fun translucent amber chairs will provide the perfect place for the kids to do their homework or the many art projects with their crafty mom.

The finishing touches! You all must know that everything Stephanie loves is felt in this space. It's an indescribable feeling when you are organizing bins of paper dolls that Steph played with when she was a little girl. Or seeing her children reach for a Golden Book and read to each other. She even has this set of wooden stilts I saw Ollie walking with the other day. When I hung them from a hook in the play room, it was so much more of an emotional experience knowing how much they use and appreciate these simple joys! (I had to try them out - they're so cool!) This room is perfections. Period.

Although we weren't quite finished, we wanted to bring Stephanie and the girls down to see what they thought! Squeals, gasps and excitement filled the air as they pranced through their indoor tree house!

Check back to see tomorrow to see the finished room with everything in it's place and all of the toys and art supplies tucked away!

Don't forget about the book signing for Nicole Hill's, Nicole's Classes, books tomorrow at our store!

NieNie- Phase II: Cabinetry Install

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With the old cabinets removed in Stephanie's basement, it was time to bring in the fresh, new and improved cabinets with the rich walnut countertop! Mark Magleby, the real-estate guy, and Chad Magleby, the president of Magleby Construction, did a great job at taking these cabinets out but you have to see the amazing job they did at building the cabinets and installing them!

You can already see the transformation that these cabinets are going to have on this room. Here are the guys hard at work.

And the magic begins... Didn't the Magleby's do an amazing job?

So what's next you ask? Well, there's paint, wallpaper, curtains, furniture and accessories... Check back tomorrow to see the pieces that will make up this room!

NieNie - Phase II: The Before's and Demo

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You may recall, back in August, we began and completed the first phase of our project with our dear friend Stephanie Nielson from NieNie Dialogues. In case you missed it, you can view the transformation here. Beautiful, right? And because we adore being near her and her family so very much we decided that it was time for Phase II: The Basement Kitchen with the yellow cabinets turned Play Room!

As you can see, the room already has a very charming atmosphere to it, but was simply in need of an ounce more function and an invitation for her kids to come in and play. More whimsy! More enchantment! More Nielson please!!!

Mark & Chad Magleby

When it came to the function we honestly could not have taken on such a detailed project without these two very talented, skilled individuals. They are absolutely amazing and sure do know how to tear out cabinets. But just wait to see the amazing things they can do when building and putting new and improved cabinets back in!

We're bubbling over with excitement as this project gets underway! Now that the old cabinets are out and the rebuilding phase begins, stay tuned to watch this wonderland begin to take shape!!!

St. George Model Home - Cypress

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Introducing Cypress - this is the second model home in the Escapes at Entrada in St. George. The style of this home is more traditional with warm colors and rich, dark wood tones. A lovely welcome home!

Great Room - A gorgeous linen sectional is accented with a metal trunk and one of our favorites - the spool chair! The Robert armoire by Oly Studio sits next to the fireplace with a stunning antiqued mirror front.

Dark wood cabinets juxtaposed with linen dining chairs and barstools brings a lighter, more airy feel to this traditional space.

The Master Bedroom feels luxurious with a silk accented organic print rug. The dark woods contrast the light walls nicely with accents of gold in the artwork and lamps.

This secondary bedroom relates back to the Great Room with these matching spool nightstands and a beautiful upholstered headboard accented with French Brass nailheads.

The bathroom adjacent to the secondary bedroom has a touch of whimsy with a brightly colored floral rug, butterflies and a ruffled shower curtain.

The Parade of Homes runs through February 27th so if you haven't made it down to see them you still have the rest of this week and the weekend! Hope to see you there!

St. George Model Home - Oakmont

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Last week we had blogged about the Parade Home that we had done in St. George. If you've been down there you also know that we have two model homes in the same neighborhood! Entry - Welcome to Oakmont!

Great Room - Designed to be a little more on the contemporary side - chairs with clean lines, metals and sleek woods are used in this home. The Teak Root coffee table brings in a touch of organic.

The Kitchen

Dining Area - A solid wood, Indian Walnut dining table is lined with 6 matching chairs upholstered in a chocolate leather.

These gears are so large and make a bold statement!

Master Bedroom - A clean lined four poster bed with matching nightstands and dresser. The dresser and nightstands are topped with a cream leather.

Master Bath

Bedroom 2 - A beautiful lilac and metallic upholstered bed with a Bungalow 5 nightstand.

Bedroom 3 - An upholstered headboard with great height! A lovely gold tree stump and unique floor lamp. A beautiful wood dresser sits in the corner of the room adorned with a sunburst mirror above.

Bath 3 - A whimsical Thomas Paul shower curtain lines the wall. Keep your eyes open in this room for some hidden insect plaques!

Laundry Room

Casita - A private getaway from the main house! The Casita provides a bedroom, bath and a kitchenette!

If you're in St. George or are looking for a little getaway, stop by to take a closer!!!

St. George - Parade of Homes

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So here it is... The preview we have been promising for the past few weeks! Enter the lovely Spyglass, the Parade Home, at The Escapes at Entrada. We love the entryway to this home! The gate leads you in past the Casita, giving you a sneak peak of what to expect in the house, the cozy patio and to the front door. Robert McArthur, the architect of these homes, did a wonderful job of creating a sort of excitement just walking to the front door.

The gray velvet sofa sits atop this beautiful blue rug along with one of our favorites, the Cisco Brothers Pouf in the Great Room. A chaise, for lounging, along with an Arteriors Twig Table make for a comfortable and stylish place to sit.

This Oly Emma Armchair in Raffia is the perfect side chair for this setting.

The Kitchen counter - Oh those cookies! Such a pretty and sweet treat! Robert McArthur's "Creative Spaces for Cooks" cookbook adorns the counter.

The Dining area has a beautiful view of the red rock that sits behind the home!

The Office - What a grand room to view as you walk through the door of Spyglass.

Turtle shells line the wall behind the desk.

Master Bedroom - What more could anyone want than an Oly Studio upholstered headboard in a gray faux bois silk! Maybe add a petite linen bench with a luxurious throw and yes, that will complete the room!

Master Bedroom This Cisco Brothers linen slipcovered bed  is dressed with this great striped Pinecone Hill duvet by Annie Selke in this secondary bedroom.

The Casita is a private little getaway from the main part of the home with it's own kitchenette and bath.

Please excuse our iPhone photos! We were brimming with excitement and couldn't wait for professional photos to share with you. Make sure to come to the Parade and see everything in person and the other two model homes that are just as gorgeous!

Check back here later this week for photos of the model homes!

My Colors are Blush and Bashful

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I don't think any woman can hear the word "pink" and not think of this famous quote from Steel Magnolias! Blush and Bashful are written in our vocabulary from an early age and we are grateful! Whether on walls, in a pillow or lining a lamp shade, shades of pink make everyone and everything around them look their absolute best. We have Pantone in agreeance, as they have named Honeysuckle, a dynamic reddish pink hue, as 2011's color of the year. As lovely and charming as these flattering shades may be, it's not always the easiest color to pitch for a client's space if you're not talking about a little girl's room! "Is it too feminine?" Will it indeed feel like it's been hosed down in Pepto Bismol?" I declare, NO! It's all in the shade of pink you choose my friends! And we are so obliged to have such a lovely and trusting client to allow us to  show you why blush on your walls is brilliant!

Meet Catherine Wong, a young executive who is surrounded by engineers all day long. When she first came to Alice Lane, she wanted to transform her home into a retreat; somewhere she could be where exactness wasn't essential! You can only imagine how excited we were to get started on this haven! As her rooms came together, the walls started to talk and her living room wanted to be pink! (Squeals!) Here are just a few shots of how this space is coming together and some of the supporting players. You will be seeing a lot more of this gorgeous girl in the next few weeks to come - Enjoy!

Imagine, if you will, this furniture grouping with the muted blush backdrop pictured above adjacent to this beautiful metallic gold wallpaper.

Here are a few other photos of spaces to inspire that have embraced pink hues.

[photos from Lonny Magazine, Domino Magazine & House Beautiful]

Brady Residence

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Remember our lovely client, Laura? Her home is located in Las Vegas and is just a dream! We had posted a few photos this summer because we were just so excited with how everything was turning out and couldn't wait to share it with you. Now her home is complete with window treatments and all of the other finishing touches that give that charm. This beautiful leather Oly settee along with these magnificent metallic draperies greet you as you enter this sophisticated Las Vegas home.

Picture perfect. This fabulous traditional Chesterfield sofa is done in a contemporary ivory leather and is accented with the great chairs from Palecek that are just gorgeous from the back. All of this is anchored with a hand-knotted wool and silk Faux Bois rug by Martha Stewart. That elegant gold floor lamp from Shine brings in a bit of youthfulness with that playful pleated green shade!

Isn't this Dining Room to die for? These two Elisabeth cabinets by Oly add a bit of sparkle to the room. This custom walnut table is adorned with off-white leather sloping side chairs and bronze shagreen leather wingback chairs for the host and hostess. The beautiful hand-knotted rug is Thomas O'Brien's Caruso Rug and brings the room together perfectly.

Simple white cabinets and gorgeous calcutta marble backsplash and countertops, a beautiful place to cook and gather with family and friends. These glass front cabinets allow Mrs. Brady to show off her collection of dishes. We have wallpapered the backs of the cabinets to bring a punch of color and pattern into the room.

This room is definitely a place for the luxaholic. With all of the sophisticated finishes the room feels timeless. From the tufted headboard to the lovely bed linens to the metallic croc leather x-based ottomans at the foot of the bed, all of the great textures give the room movement and bring it to life.

Opposite the bed, a pair of "Just Right Chairs" and a sleek modern fireplace. All sit upon a hand-knotted wool and silk Julie Cohen rug.

Attention to detail...a Shine pillow covered with Swarovski crystals, antique columns, a cozy throw and a great faux zebra pillow from Oly. What a perfect place to begin and end your day!

We shared this Master Bath with you in our previous post but its now complete with a graphic, bold and metallic roman shade.

The library - a place to read and study but style is still a necessity. The Duncan chair by Oly custom upholstered in a smokey lilac graphic pattern adds that touch of style with the great crane lamp by Shine for a little piece of jewelry for the room.

Still in that library space, we have added a desk to make it a bit more useful for studying. This is a desk with some pizazz. The Sophia by Oly is topped with a pieced limestone top in a herringbone pattern. We couldn't resist this chair because of it's interesting back. Since the chair will be tucked under the desk we had to make a statement with the back of the chair upholstered in a dark slubby silk to related to the desk's dark finish.

Isn't this the bedroom of every 13-year old girl's dreams? Complete with an upholstered headboard in pink mohair. gold lamps and organic shaped nightstands by Shine and lovely patterned Roman shades.

Add the Oly Sophie lounge chair upholstered in a faux zebra hair-on-hide, the Essex floor lamp also by Shine and beautiful patterned draperies and the room is complete!

Visit our Portfolio to see more photos of the Brady's gorgeous home.

[photos by Nicole Hill Gerulat]

Private Residence

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Have you ever been in a space that feels infinite? How are you going to address the multiple functions that are supposed to take place? How can you create visual walls without erecting actual walls? This was the dilemma our client had in her just-finished basement. The bones and finishes of the space were perfection but the long alley seemed daunting.

First, we divided the space into sections and catered to the functions of each grouping. The largest being the family gathering area. Here, they can watch tv, enjoy the fireplace and each other. In our second grouping, we decided to create a more intimate setting with a dreamy French daybed and a high coffee table to study, play games or write love notes. The third  we envisioned being a place for dining, crafts and the occasional game of Risk!

Private Residence

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How does one marry fashionable living with functional living? This was our client's dilemma as she, a mother of five, loves catering to family and friends while admiring a well-dressed room. BEFORE

It all began with a polished white lacquered cocktail table, trimmed with natural resin details and clean lines. Our client fell in LOVE with this table, as did we! From there, we pulled in a charcoal tufted sofa for a touch of grace and loads of comfort. We then, nestled a pair of Oly Studio Gio chairs finished in a classic herringbone - perfection, really! For a little whimsy, we sprinkled touches of mirror, mixed metals, added layers of texture and threw in a few pops of color for that extra personalitiy. Proof it is possible to marry glamour and practicality!

Private Residence

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There's something magical about a home nestled in a grove of mature trees! When the light finally filters through the leaves and leaks into the windows, it highlights and flatters everything that it touches. This is exactly what happened in our client's Music Room! The neutrality and simple lines of each piece came to life! Even the layout of the furniture felt as if it were planted there along with the trees right outside the window. BEFORE

PHASE 1 - Sometimes all you need to do is throw your existing pieces in a blender and shake things up a bit! By centering our client's loveseat on her window, it created instant symmetry and allowed us to get two additional club chairs in the space.

AFTER - After rearranging the existing furniture in Phase 1, we had to help this music room reach its optimal potential. First we added an amazing rug by Thomas O'Brien which started to dictate the simple elegance our client was hoping for. Second came a tailored sofa from Michael Weiss and what would a Music Room be without a little zebra hair-on-hide and a fiddle leaf fig! Encore! Encore!

Private Residence

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Master Suite - We installed a sitting are in this Master Suite last week. The client asked that we work with her existing chaise, because it is so comfortable for her to nap in. So we took it from a butter yellow to a chocolate linen with a metallic finish - Robert Allen Metal Alloy in Pewter. We topped it off with a raw silk pillow from Shine adorned with Swarovski crystals - Magnolia Twill Tussah with Clear Stones. D'lish!

The origami table in a stripey wood brings some of the energy from "his" chair over to her side for a nice balance. We added a floor lamp for a little height, and to make for a nice reading spot in the evening.

The central chest is Michael Weiss - mirrored front drawers with classic contemporary ring pulls in chrome. "His" chair is also by Michael Weiss in a zippy pattern to give the area a little designer buzz. New draperies in a Beacon Hill linen with a metallic taupe lining. (Wish I had a tight shot.)

Shine Magnolia Twill Tussah Pillow

The Breakfast Nook -

We reupholstered the banquette in an indoor/outdoor fabric that is 100% acrylic! I know you're thinking "ooh gross"... but it's white pattern is raised and has a soft pile. you'd never suspect! This family has five young kids and it had to be smart! We installed the Magnolia round 60" table in dark oak. We did custom finishes to the Newton Side Chairs. We used an orange wood frame to relate to the orange chairs in the Barbara Barry French chair fabric.

The front of the chairs are upholstered in an off-white ostrich leather, easy to wipe clean. The back of the fabric is black and white ticking to relate to the black and white banquette fabric.

The Serena Drum Pendant casts a spell on this room with it's magical graphic arrangement of capiz shells. We used the client's saucers to complete the little plate arrangement on the wall. She inherited her Grandmother's teacup collection. They were too cute to go unnoticed! So now she can adore them daily!

Detail of Barbara Barry Window Treatment Fabric