Sneak Peek: A Favorite Project From the Book!

You probably saw on my Instagram over the weekend that one of my favorite projects from book 2 graced the cover of the Boston Globe Magazine on Sunday.  This was such a thrill for me, as my most meaningful (in new business growth) press I had ever gotten in my career was the cover of The Globe Magazine in 2009.  It’s how my most long-term employees (Lindsey and Allison) found me and many, many of my most valued clients. National press is amazing, and makes you feel legitimized as a designer, but nothing beats local press for actual clients in the door.  So thank you to the Globe for being such an amazing supporter of me from the get go!  Also, in my new book we feature Lindsey’s nursery which is BONKERS good, so it’s kind of a full circle moment in the life of my business!

OK, so this picture is EVVVVVVVVVERYTHING. Michael J. Lee shot this project for the book and this picture was exactly as I had pictured it in my mind when I finished this room (an all time favorite I’ve ever done).  I envisioned it as a cover, and so this is very gratifying!

You can read the article by the lovely and generous Marni Katz right HERE.

Since this home is split up into different parts of the new book (WHICH COMES OUT TOMORROW!!!!!), I thought I’d share it here (including a couple images that didn’t make the book, and there are even MORE in the book too).  I just love this house, and I think it’s such a good example of great design, but still comfortable and approachable in its style.  Some rooms that are a bit more refined while others are totally designed with kids in mind.  And it doesn’t hurt that the client is as obsessed with wallpaper as I am.

This family room is both totally pretty enough for entertaining but also easy-going enough to be the day-to-day family room.  And yes, real people have TV’s in their family rooms – so while not the prettiest thing to photograph, it’s real.  This was taken pre-“Frame” TV, so now that is what I always recommend clients install because it’s flat and blends right in with the decor (but not everyone wants to toss a perfectly good TV, either)!

As stated in the article, I rarely use red, so this request for red in this room by the husband made me stretch my design muscles a bit– but OMG do I love it!

I always like to add some grasscloth or wallpaper to the backs of bookshelves- it makes everything pop on the shelves and adds warmth– sometimes huge built ins can feel a little cold.

This is the pass through butler’s pantry, another opportunity for wallpaper!!! :)

This house was newly renovated when we started working there, but we did change the pendant lights in the kitchen and did some barstools and a rug.

The clients already had this dining set and there was NOTHING wrong with it, so we just added a cool light fixture and gallery wall.

This entry needed a little oomph, so we added a tone on tone Farrow & Ball wallpaper to the walls and this DROP DEAD antique console I found on an antiquing trip. I’m obsessed with it. And how cool is that original door?

The formal living room is certainly more refined and formal feeling, with being FORMAL.  Long, skinny rooms can pose a layout struggle, so we decided to do back to back sofas to create two seating areas.  We warmed it up with a natural grasscloth on the walls, layered rugs and a color scheme of paler blues and linens.

This wallpaper is SO perfect for the back of bookshelves as it reminds me of antique Florentine endpapers. And this chair? Oh my. A true favorite.

Looking into the dining room from the formal living room.

Really can’t get enough of this shot.  A custom dining table paired with Ballard chairs (in COM velvet) is a great mix, but this paper in the scene stealer.

I wanted to offset the traditional paper with very modern art, so we bought this piece by Mallory Page to add an unexpected twist.

One of the powder rooms all dressed up and looking mighty pretty.

The guest room is a nice, clean space with a slightly more rustic feel. They bought a bedroom set before working with us, but we made it work!

A calm and soothing master bedroom (and notice the wallpaper in the little entry hall!)

The guest suite was a room we had some fun in! This Galbraith and Paul wallpaper is so awesome in this colorway of chartreuse and pale turquoise!

And yet another great wallpapered room- the baby nursery! I adore this space- the brass crib feels so vintage and the scenic wallpaper paired with the vintage rug (an Etsy find, believe it or not!) is the perfect complement.

The son’s room is SUPER fun, you can see the whole space in the book…. it’s pretty amazing.

The library is an updated take on a classic, dark wood library- chairs in contract velvet so the kids are welcome to come in :)

While this project is a lot of custom items, you can still get the look sourcing through retail shops!

SHOP THE LOOK:

See you tomorrow on pub day! Hope to meet some of you at our launch event and also hear what you think of the book!