Country Retreat

This past few days I decorated a house for a client that I've been working with for the past several months. I prepared a vision for them and they decided to go for it!  I've been preparing for their installation carefully, excitedly and thoughtfully. This week we redid their family room, dining room, master bedroom, game room and pool house.  They live out in the country with lots of acreage and lots of privacy.  The home and the pool house overlook their stunning pool/courtyard and the views of their property are magnificent.   It truly is a restful retreat! 
My team and I decked out their house and their pool house with furniture, accessories, draperies, lighting, rugs and much more.  It was a lot of hard work but a very rewarding  and fun project.   Here are a some snapshots I took of the space. 

The house is full of light, sorry for the glare in the photos.

BEFORE
AFTER
We incorporated some of their existing items with the new selections.
BEFORE
AFTER
Close up AFTER
BEFORE Re-upholstery
I reupholstered these 2 club chairs..  My client loved their shape and quality and they are very comfortable. 

AFTER Re-upholstery
Added a new leather round ottoman too so the family can gather around and play games in front of the fireplace.  Chess anyone?
Don't they make a beautiful vignette?  Cozy and intimate.  The mirror on the mantel adds some sophistication and elegance to this rustic style.
Pool House BEFORE
Pool House AFTER
My client plays guitar and uses the pool house for practicing with his buddies.  He wanted me to incorporate his existing artwork and we added some new colorful artwork.
Pool House BEFORE
Pool House AFTER
Looks so much more stylish and has an eclectic flare.
These hand carved teak chairs really made the room come together.  I wanted to keep these for myself but I resisted.
Here are some of the accessories
we added throughout the house.
Added a new 9X12 rug to their dining room.
The rug and drapes coordinate beautifully.  Notice how they go with the reupholstered chairs which are in the adjoining room.
The niche which was way up high in the living room is now decorated with style.
Gathered things from here and there to personalize.
Added gorgeous hand painted wall art.  Artwork and draperies can create amazing height to any room.
Yes, scaffolding was needed!
Client had this painting already and It was my inspiration for the colors for the house decor.  I added the tall lamps and the arrangement to the console table and now it is a beautiful grouping.  They had selected lamps but I replaced them with these because the others were way too short.  Scale is everything!
I added a decorative leather box underneath the arrangement to make it higher and to add interest.
Found this wooden box/basket filled with all kinds of trinkets and emptied it out so I could use it for these fresh fall flowers.
I am so excited when my interior design encourages families to gather together.  There is nothing better than being at home with your friends and family that you love.  Home is a place where we should gather and enjoy each other. 
I hope this transformation makes this family spend more time together in their lovely home!
If they do, I will feel like I've done my job well! 
Feeling Blessed,
Ruthie
Today I am also participating in Metamorphis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Contact DecRenew Interiors if you would like to set up your consultation.

Antique Bed BEFORE and AFTER

BEFORE
I was on the hunt for an old antique bed.  I looked and looked and knew I'd found it when I saw this solid oak piece. Antique beds like this are hard to find, especially if you don't want to pay a fortune!! 
I was inspired by Restoration Hardware's new bed line. I especially like their "Empire Rosette" collection. Go to Restoration Hardware to see their amazing new lines.

I had a local artist paint it for me. Didn't she do an amazing job?
AFTER
Perfect gray with a light glaze rub.
Isn't it a beauty?
This bed is FOR SALE for $1,500 if you are interested.  It is a double but I have the adjustments for it to become a queen.  Mattress and boxspring shown are not for sale.
Look around YOUR house today, are there furniture items that could be painted that could transform and update their look totally?  I bet you have a treasure right in front of you.  Hope this inspires you!
Have a good weekend!
Ruthie


Central Market and Fresh Florals

I had to pick up some fresh flowers today for a big installation that I'm doing tomorrow.  I always love to add a couple floral arrangements to the finished design.  The aroma that the flowers send out is always so refreshing and represents "newness and freshness" to me.
Here are some beauties that I found at Central Market.

Don't you love the fresh pomegranate attached?   Incorporating the fresh palm leaf is a fun twist too.
Nothing like the yellow rose!  Simple yet speaks to me.
My favorite color.  I love the black center.
Fall is my favorite time of year.  Such vibrant colors.  Pumpkins have such great textures & shapes.
Yellow and orange together sing such a beautiful melody.
All white pumpkins with some berries intermingled.  Beautiful.
Now this bunch will go with my color scheme for tomorrow!  
Aren't these carry bags the cutest?
Thank you Central Market for doing things with such class!


Best dressed scarecrow

It's finally cool here in Texas and I'm elated. 
 This year my scarecrow got a new wardrobe!  I decided that we needed to ditch the straw hat that she's worn the past 4 years.  She  needed a makover and I made her a leopard print bandanna.

I gave her a new scarf and a colorful fall flower around her neck!  She's quirky but I like her.  The dog barks and barks every time she sees her thinking that someone new is about to intrude.
She sits ever so nicely on my pool rocks along with my pumpkins.  I get to admire her from my living room window and she makes me smile.  She's scared me a time or two already though, almost jumped out of my skin.  
I need to find a black crow to put on her shoulder and she will be perfect!
I added a touch of fall to our Gazebo patio table too.  This time of year always gets me excited about being with friends and family and the anticipation of the holiday season around the corner gets the kids all excited too.
The texture of these gourds make me think of being out in the woods.  Something so peaceful and restful about natural things.
Hope you've had fun putting your fall things out.  I find it very therapeutic.
Ruthie
MY WEBSITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.

MY NEW WEBSITE SHOULD BE UP AND RUNNING IN A FEW DAYS.


Quay House

In my growing up years, we would go visit my Grannie and Grandad in Cornwall, England.  They lived in a beautiful old house right on the sea.

My brother and sister pushing each other in an old pram (stroller). 

It was a beautiful place and I have great memories of spending time with my grandad in his wood shop and on his little motor boat.  I remember time in the kitchen with my grannie and in her garden admiring her beautiful flowers and herbs. I remember each room in the house had such character and I especially remember the stairway being all stone.  There was always a raging fire to keep us all warm.   I would love to go back now and see what a beauty this house has become over the years.  It was named the Quay House, which means - a landing place,  one of solid masonry, constructed along the edge of a body of water; wharf.

That's exactly what it was.  It wore its name well!
Me on the far right, my brother and sister and my cousins at the end of the garden.
I remember it being really cold down by the water.  Aren't my cousins little British cuties?
We loved feeding the swans with the left over bread!  We loved our Wellington boots and needed them because of all the mud.  This picture was on one of our visits when we were much younger.
This was the view from the bedroom window where we kiddos stayed.  You can see my grannie playing with us here.  As a kid you just don't appreciate those times enough.  I look back now and feel so blessed to have been somewhere so beautiful with grandparents that loved me so much. 
Now that's being a true kid!  You can see that the tide has gone out in the background.
I loved the little village that it was in, so quaint and quiet.

Quay house is on the left in this photo, you can see the name on the side of the house.

The narrow streets that led to the house only allowed one car at a time.  If a car came the other way, you would have to pull over to the side of the road to let them pass.
I decided to google Quay House to see what other homes had that name, just because I was curious. 
I found this wonderful home (now a bed and breakfast)in Ireland, named Quay House.

Right by the harbor.
I immediately went crazy because the decor in the rooms were right up my alley.  Each room has a quirkiness to it.  There are 15 rooms in all, each with their own bathroom.

Here are some of my favorite rooms.

 

This  mirror as the headboard is fantastic.  I so want to do this!!!!
The little table and chair set is perfect for breakfast by the window.  I don't usually like pink carpet but in this room it works.  The antiques add so much character.
This antique furniture is very similar to what I have in my office!  I'm especially fond of the chair.
Great mix of antiques with wicker and a splash of zebra print.  The oil paintings I'm sure have history and a story to tell.  This room definitely looks collected over time.  The kind of character I'm always trying to achieve in my living room.
A zebra print rug adds some spice to this room.  There is no reason you can't mix it up a little.  In fact, that's how it should be done.  Keeps things new and exciting. 
The family portraits within the home are gorgeous and I love that they are so large and framed so beautifully.
Another room with a headboard mirror.  Not as ornate as the first one above.  I'll take the couch, thank you very much. 
 
The yellow striped wallpaper is a perfect backdrop in this room.
  Not sure where they were going with the drapes here though?
The sconces above the fireplace are the favorite thing in this room.  Your eye immediately turns to them because of their great curves.
This sun room is a happy place to have a full cooked Irish breakfast.  The copper molds on the wall are fun (at least I think that's what they are).  Somebody correct me if I'm wrong?  Are they silver serving dish covers?

Now this bed makes a statement.  Doesn't that balcony look inviting? I wonder what kind of a view there is?
Maybe this is the view? 
 It looks similar to "our" Quay House in England doesn't it?

Cozy, warm and comfy.
Another angle of the room with the sconces.  More family portraits on the wall.
Perfect room to curl up and read by the roaring fire.  I wonder who the china belonged to that is now hanging on the wall?
Simply classy.
The Quay House in Ireland was voted one of the 100 Best Places to Stay in Ireland in 2010.
I can see why!
Go to Trip Advisor to see comments about this bed and breakfast!
I so wish we still had Quay House in our family but my grandparents are no longer with us and house was sold.  However, I am happy for the great memories of a beautiful home with family.

Have a great weekend!

Ruthie