Old World Elegance

  BEFORE

You saw pictures of the entry that we recently finished in a recent blog post.  Go here to read more.
We finally finished the tile work on the front of each stair on the staircase and it turned out beautiful.
AFTER
Simplicity, carried to an extreme, becomes elegance.
       - Jon Franklin
This decorative tile speaks softly yet makes an incredible statement!
BEFORE

Looked nice before!
AFTER
Looks AMAZING after!
See how the wrought iron reflects onto the wall?  So beautiful.
Hope you had a great Labor Day!
Ruthie

My Eclectic Imaginary Room

Pandamonium in Grapevine
About a week ago, I was so inspired by these wall panels.  Old doors, cut and painted to look distressed.  I thought they were incredibly whimsical and colorful, especially against the pink wall.
These draperies were such a compliment to the panels and I wanted to bag them up right then and there!  I especially love the vintage hardware they are hanging from.
Later on that week, I came across this rug and I immediately thought it would really look amazing with the panels and the draperies!  Love when that happens.
So....I decided since my room felt almost complete, I needed to finish it.  I've created an imaginary room for a teenager or young adult (in my head of course).
Here we go!
Anthropologie.com
Got an e-mail today from Anthropologie.com with all their new items. 
This couch will fit in my room perfectly.  Who wouldn't love this?
A set of these pillows will be PERFECT on the couch!  Brings out the gold beautifully.
Ebay.com
Imagine this French Cane Bed in the room?
Etsy.com
This dresser has such an elegance about it.
I'd paint the bed and the dresser so they both match!
Anthropologie.com
Knobs always make a dresser look so polished and add style!  These look especially artsy!
West Elm
One of these Duvet's from West Elm would be fantastic on the French bed.  Either color would work with my color scheme!
Now layer with a couple of these firework pillows and the bed will be divine.
Every room has to be finished off with a little "peace."
Today I found this oil painting at a thrift store, can you believe it?  Yes, I know, it's an imaginary room but I just had to have it!  Especially since it was $4.00.
A sophisticated lamp for the bedside!  The black shade is so very classy.
Ebay.com
and a French crystal chandelier will be the focal point in the entire room!
and......my eclectic "Imaginary Room" is finished!
PEACE OUT and have a great holiday weekend!
Ruthie

A touch of seaside to an entry

Today I had a 2  hour consultation with a fabulous client that I've worked with before.  They moved about a year ago and have just never finished putting the detail of each room together.  
They hired me to go through their 2 large tables of items that they didn't know what to do with.  Should it go in their garage sale pile?  Get moved to another room?  Given away?  Thrown away, etc. etc.
A touch of seaside.
We moved a lot of things around but we completed their entryway with some of those items as well as stolen items from around their house.  I thought it turned out GREAT for "using what you have."
We moved other items to their living room, master bedroom, master bathroom, hallways, back porch, guest room and kitchen.  They had some great items, they were just STUCK.  We got rid of a lot of greenery and accessories that all seemed to have the same look.
I placed a mirror on their console table and then put the glass vase filled with seashells on top of it.  They already had the wrought iron welcome sign but it wasn't to scale so we added the metal ceiling tile behind the grouping.  Now it all comes together and makes an amazing vignette.  
Pottery Barn
When we all stepped back to look at what I'd created, I told my client it had a "Pottery Barn" feel to it. 
When I got home, I sat down to read my recent Pottery Barn magazine and there it was!!
Pottery Barn
It was great fun!  Days like today are what make me LOVE my job.
Ruthie 

Get me to the Church on time

BEFORE
Here are the pictures I promised of the Bible Church face lift (Faith lift) we just finished.  They really wanted to "update/remodel" but had a limited budget. 
You know that I love these kinds of projects because it means I get to REALLY put my creative skills to work.  I put together a design board and presentation with all my ideas.  I proposed that they give the stage a  "face lift" with the  budget and maybe do some minor updates to the rest of the auditorium.  They agreed and I got to work preparing for the updates.   We had 6 days between church services to complete this "redo"  WHEW!!
Here are the changes we made.
AFTER
Added a decorative stone wall to the back wall as our focal point.
BEFORE
AFTER
Replaced the stage carpet (of course we had to eliminate ALL the stage squeaks before the carpet was laid.)  We added a stair rail on each side of the stage to make it feel more balanced.  They will also be useful to those that need that extra boost to get up the stairs.
You are probably wondering why we didn't replace ALL the carpet in the Auditorium.  Well....that's for Phase II of the project.  The carpet has been chosen for when they want to proceed and it coordinates beautifully with the stage carpet we put in! 
BEFORE CROSS
Oh my, don't let anyone put that floral arrangement back out unless their is a funeral.
AFTER CROSS
We had a new cross made out of heavy duty copper and I painted it to make it look more rustic and old.
I was pleased with the end result.  
BEFORE
AFTER
I wanted to bring attention to the high beams that are on the ceiling.  They were lost before but now that we have painted them a rich brown, it made the auditorium feel bigger and more open.
BEFORE
AFTER
See what I mean with the columns?  Draws your eye up.
We also removed the large box that was in the middle of the stairs, now it looks less bulky.
I also had the side panels painted black underneath the white music screens.  The stage ceiling was also scraped and painted an incredible gray and it looks awesome with the stone.
BEFORE
Yuck, this paneling was really faded and looked like an old barn.
AFTER
We stained it a rich espresso color and it really made it come alive.
BEFORE
AFTER
We had the stone put in the baptismal area too and now it looks fabulous.
We also took the pulpit away and added a table and chair.  I think it's less intimidating and makes the congregation feel more relaxed.
(We did stain the pulpit a rich walnut color if for some reason it needs to be used later on).
BEFORE
The lobby area had no personality.
AFTER
Now it speaks to you when you walk in.  The entire lobby and hallways were painted a fresh new color too.
It was a long and crazy week but it was a fun project.  I felt privileged to work with such great people.  My team of contractors were amazing!!!  The only reason we got the project done in a week is because they are dedicated to doing things right and are willing to do what it takes to get the job done! 
Feeling blessed! 
Ruthie

Remodel, just in time for a wedding.

Photography by Ken Vaughan
It is always great to see pictures of a finished project!
  This kitchen was remodeled just in time for a family wedding.
Several months ago, I had a "walk-thru" consultation with a wonderful couple.  They met with me desperate for ideas and inspiration to get their home ready for a family wedding.    I made suggestions for floor tile, carpet, wall colors, kitchen cabinet colors, back splash tile and design, granite choices, furniture placement, lighting, window treatments, appliances and much more.
Photography by Ken Vaughan

We painted the fireplace mantel to make a statement
 and tiled entire room which leads into the kitchen.
They hired Jeff Teller with Nationwide Floor and Window Coverings (214-738-6001) to do all the tile, carpet and granite work.  Jeff and I worked together with this client to make sure nothing fell through the cracks.  Everything HAD to go smoothly, especially since they wanted the project done before the wedding.   Couldn't have family and friends staying in your home with no floors and a torn apart kitchen.

Photography by Ken Vaughan
Jeff Teller with Nationwide is amazing!  He is very detailed and doesn't miss a thing! 
The carpet and tile we selected look beautiful together and open up the space.  Using large tile and laying it on a diagonal makes the space flow nicely. The patterned carpet adds texture and interest.   Before the spaces felt really choppy as you went from room to room, now it's roomy and open.
After the whole project was done, I spent a day rearranging their existing furniture, hanging accessories, pictures and putting together all the finishing touches.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE!
An event always gets you motivated to do some remodeling!