Yes, that's right, it is all your fault. I asked your opinion about re-decorating my home and most of you said that I should leave it alone. Don't get me wrong, I think you are right, but that led to the following decision: I think it's time to design a new home.
Steve and I met with our friend and realtor Ellen Conrad, and we all agreed that we should sell our home as is and design a home that better represents our present design style. Now the hard part starts. Trying to figure out what the heck our "present design style" is. Steve has asked me to gather inspirational pictures to help him draw up our new home.
So here is what I came up with.
Let's start with the best... John Saladino. I want this steel door off of my dining room leading to a gorgeous outdoor dining area....
I know I can't have the stone walls, but I think I can have this door. All of the door hardware will be ORB (oil rubbed bronze).
I know I want to do some paneling as well. If I can't find old paneling, I'll do white oak. This is my dream chandelier also (although Steve asked me not to get side tracked on interior design as this point, which is hard to do given what I do for a living!( (also love the dining chairs. Just had to add that). I think we will forgo a fireplace in the dining room for an fireplace in the outdoor sitting area.
Although I would like one of these in the library. Exquisite Surfaces has a fantastic
selection of mantles.
I want to do simple plaster walls. No trim. Simple iron drapery rods (as thin as possible. 3/8")
I'm not a big fan of complicated bathrooms. Creamy limestone slabs with frameless glass. Perfect.
Powder Room: Vessel sink, spout out of the wall, antique mirror, grey tinted plaster walls. Done.
I want to do very simple iron hand rails.
and iron pickets.
So, to Mr. Saladino, we add a little Renea Abbot....
Gorgeous chandeliers in simple plaster spaces. No trim, no crown moulding, no base board. I think we are going to do heated cement floors, waxed.
I want to do open shelves in the kitchen. I think they will have iron brackets, but will probably be glass shelves in front of windows. I like the creamy colored stone and baskets. The wood is too dark for what I am thinking of. All of the wood will be white oak paneling.
I definitely want a double shower. Again, this is nice and simple. Should I do Carerra or a creamy limestone? Help!!!
I definitely will do a free standing tub, but I think I'll do another pewter one.
Next ingredient? A dash of Barbara Wiseley. Yum!!
This is the color of the walls, plus a good example of simple iron work.
Steve said that we can make the cement on the floors this color. What do you think?
I love the neutral colors in Ms. Wiseley's home.
The drapery hardware is the best.
Ms. Wiseley's Formations also carries some great stone mantles.
I know we will furnish our home with off white slip covered furniture, like this gorgeous chaise, mixed with antiques and industrial furniture.
Now we need a pinch of Rose Tarlow.
I wonder if I can get Boston Ivy to grow inside my home?
Most of the house will be clean and simple, but I do want to do paneled doors.
Again, ours will be white oak, but I do love Ms. Tarlow's. Look how small those door knobs are!
My newest book obsession is Jean-Loup Daraux's By the Way of the Sea.
I love the calm feeling of all of these interiors.
Because our lot size is small, an open floor plan is very appealing. I think that is also why I am drawn to more neutral color schemes. I want to do a big farmhouse table at the back of the house off of the kitchen and family room.
We need to add those antiques.
and a little whimsy...
Rather than doing a living room, I want to do a library at the front of the house with a big table piled with books and four old leather club chairs.
I've always liked the idea of having a room that is glassed in. I'm thinking of doing this in our bedroom. I want to have a big steel window looking into the bathroom.
Last but definitely not least, I need to add a big helping of Steve and Madeline Stuart.
This bed is one of my favorites.
Antique doors, fantastic chandelier, simple iron work.
I like the idea of our home looking like a mediterranean farm house.
Plaster walls, old terra cotta roof tiles, like Barbara Wiseley's home.
Big shutters.
So, this is where we are starting. I know if looks a bit confusing right now, but it will start making more sense as we move along. Steve is working on some design schemes that I will share with you next time.
For now let's just say I'm hooked on designing a new home, and it's all your fault!
xo
Brooke
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