July 30, 2015

When To Use An Antique Rug

When it comes to oriental rugs, I always prefer the look and feel of an antique.  However, it’s not always possible to find the correct color, style, or size – especially when you need a large one, as shown here.

The interior of this Charleston parlor (featured in Fall/Winter 2012 Elegant Homes), with it’s beautifully restored moldings, paneling, and antique glass windows, needed furnishings that would complement, not compete, for attention.  A lengthy renovation afforded me the time to have a custom rug made for the room.  I wanted it to appear as if it could have always been with the house and a simple faded Oushak design achieved that goal.

July 9, 2015

Make your walls anything but ordinary…

“My contractor says he needs my paint colors by tomorrow at noon.”

As a designer, helping clients pick out interior wall colors is an important part of my job that sets the tone for room and furnishings to follow.  But, walls can be so much more than simply a paint color.

I like to add texture and dimension to interior walls through interesting architectural details.  Wood paneling, both horizontal and vertical, decorative wall panels, soft upholstered walls, wallpaper, textured stucco and specialized paint treatments are all possibilities to give your walls some personality.  Here are some of my recent projects where we’ve incorporated some of those different wall treatments.

Pickled cypress wall and ceiling boards transformed this beach home game room.

Horizontal ship lap paneling in a soft white has an understated elegance in this dining room.

A high paneled wainscot for the walls in this hallway adds architectural interest.

Wood molding frames out these panels of printed grasscloth in our client’s hallway.

The walls in this study are lined with horizontal planks of heart pine with textured grasscloth above.

We chose to upholster the walls in this dining room in a lovely, hand printed damask fabric.

A mix of textured stucco and exposed brick give this wine cellar basement an old world feel.

What can we do to add some character to your walls?

January 8, 2015

1970′s Resort Home Remodel

When I was asked to assist with a “face lift” renovation at a Hilton Head resort home recently, I was pleased to see the classic island architecture style of the 1970′s. The owner wanted to keep the basic structure of the spaces the same, with only cosmetic changes where deemed necessary. She was interested in bringing some of her artwork from her home in Spartanburg, South Carolina to mix with some of the existing furnishings.