WG Holiday House Tour 2014 – Sneak Peek!

I love the holidays!  So, I was very excited when my friend (& talented designer) Amy Herman asked me to be a part of the Webster Groves Holiday House Tour this year!!  The tour is December 7th from noon – 4:00 p.m. and it benefits the Hixon Middle School.

I’m part of a team of talented designers decorating 3 out of the 6 houses on the tour and I’m fortunate to be focusing on one homeowner in particular with the assistance of another super talented newbie designer, Julie Tesson!  Our homeowner has been phenomenal to work with and I’m very pleased with how her space is coming together!

Here’s a sneak peek at how we evolved her living room in preparation for the tour!

This is the before shot of her space…

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Step 1: We rotated the chairs 90 degrees in order to line up the 2 taller chairs with the fireplace as the focal point.  Immediate improvement!

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Step 2: We added the companion piece of art above the TV and raised the left piece of art so that they are centered horizontally with 4 over the fireplace.  Now the whole wall reads together.

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Step 3:  We added new pillows to the grey chairs which ties in the colors of the art and livens up the chairs.  We also added loose branches to the vases on the mantel which completes the visual of the art as a whole.

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Step 4:  For the holiday decorations, we decided to keep the mantel simple and added pieces of pine roping in loose layers and partially hanging off the front to balance with the art.

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Final look: With the tree and the beautiful red roses, the whole room looks ready for Christmas!

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To see the rest of the house, attend the Webster Groves Holiday House Tour on 12/7 from noon – 4:00!

Learn more about the tour here!

holiday 2013 – neutral luxe

I am obsessed with white rooms and the layer of textures which translates into a winter wonderland atmosphere for the holidays.  Starting with a neutral base and adding in shimmery textures makes for an enchanting space.  The ambient lighting achieved with candles and starry lights completes the effect for entertaining!

See below for inspiration photos and a few of my pics for luxe this holiday season!

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Mercury is a given for neutral luxe and these new ornaments from RH don’t disappoint.  They are gorgeous!

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Venetian Glass Ornaments from Restoration Hardware

Everyone needs a little faux fur/snow in their “wonderland”…perfect backdrop to beautifully wrapped gifts!

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Faux Fur Tree Skirt from West Elm

I love the energy of this sculptural wreath and it pairs well with white!

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Modern Tinsel Wreath from West Elm

I am kind of obsessed with this lantern and it’s simple clean lines.  It would look stunning all year in your home!

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Lillian Lantern from Crate & Barrel

These unique snowflakes have an origami feel and could definitely be displayed beyond the holiday season.

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Geometric Snowflakes from Wisteria

 This fabulous brushed gold bowl would make a statement to any dining or cocktail table.

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Ophelia Bowl from Crate & Barrel

Love the octagonal shapes and modern edge of these candle holders which would fit in to almost any decor.

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Mercury Octagonal Hurricanes from West Elm

Adding a little bling to your sofa just got easier with this glitzy geometric pillow!

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Maddie Beaded Lumbar Pillow from Pottery Barn

These string lights are amazing and are available in gold or silver.  Where are you going to use them in your home?

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Starry String Lights from Restoration Hardware

Love the graduated beading effect on these candles; bet they look beautiful as they burn down.

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Silver Beaded Pillar Candles from Pottery Barn

holiday 2013 – rustic traditional

One of my favorite things about the holidays and winter in general is the transformation of the outdoors.  Sleigh rides and skating outdoors amidst pine trees, snow and barren branches makes warming up next to a fireplace all the more appealing.  Adding rustic traditional elements to your decor can take your interiors through the holidays and into the abyss of winter.  Pops of red, lots of textural elements and plenty of candles aglow will warm your spirits!

See below for inspiration photos and a few of my favorite things to buy for this season!

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I love this new collection of lit twig animals!  The polar bear is by far the cutest!

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Lit Twig Polar Bear from Pottery Barn

Who doesn’t need a sleigh that has no function other than to look pretty?

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Red Metal Sleigh from Pottery Barn

I love burlap and red plaid and together they make a festive combo!

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Burlap & Red Plaid Stockings from Ballard Designs

I had a cocker spaniel growing up and one of their signature features are their eyes.  PB captured the essence of them plus a few other breeds in these quirky ornaments!

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Bottlebrush Cocker Spaniel Ornament from Pottery Barn

I love this handwritten effect of the sentiment on this platter; perfect for a hostess or holiday gift.  Also, the warm color makes it ideal for fall and winter entertaining!

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Shanna Murray Platter from West Elm

With the upswing in craft breweries, these would make a great gift for your favorite beer drinker this season!

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Hoppy Holidays Beer Glasses from Crate & Barrel

With its traditional font, this festive runner feels as much at home on your dining room table as in your kitchen!

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Jingle Sentiment Runner from Pottery Barn

Pine Roping 101 – Concept to Installation

I’ve always loved the soft swags of pine roping I see in magazine photos.  I finally got the perfect opportunity at my client’s house last year!  See below for the process and the finished product!

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Here’s our concept photo!

So, the concept photo shows Mixed Greens roping which costs 3 times as much as the traditional White Pine roping and my client and I decided to go with the less expensive option, especially since it was our first time attempting this!

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(1) 75 ft bundle of White Pine Roping – is it enough?!?

I had my handyman meet me at my client’s house while she was out running errands.  I kind of wanted to play with this a bit without her feeling like we didn’t know what we were doing!  Plus I wanted the “wow” reaction when she came home!

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Laying out the bundle of roping…

When we started to lay out the bundle, it was a like a clown car that just kept growing and I really began to get a sense for 75 feet of pine roping!  At that point I was much more confident that we had enough to get the job done.

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The pine only goes one direction on the swag and we decided it was easiest to start at the top of the stairs…

While Joe was draping, I started making bows out of the burlap so we could see how long to cut each ribbon.  In order to secure the roping, we used plastic zip ties which wouldn’t scratch the wood railing and would hold the roping in place.

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1 row draped doesn’t make enough of an impact…
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2 rows draped and then we started adding bows!
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Loving how it is turning out!
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Burlap Ribbon from Pottery Barn – looks beautiful!
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Finished product! Couldn’t be happier!

My client and I were very happy with how it turned out and it added such a simple festive element to her entry.  Not to mention the smell of the live pine roping was amazing!  It didn’t cost that much for roping and the ribbon we saved which makes this something she can do every year.

If you have a concept for holiday decor that you need help executing, let me know!

Happy Decorating!

“the one”…my fave new desks for fall 2013!

It’s back to school time!  We all remember the joy of getting new supplies for school & I’m sure some of you are reliving it as you help your kids prep for their first day!  The ultimate “school supply” is definitely a stylish & functional desk, which can make even the biggest procrastinator  in your house put down the remote and get to work!  Here are a few of my favorite offerings for the fall season!

First up, the new Mid Century Desk in White from West Elm!  So glad we have a store in St. Louis, now!!

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Next up,  the stunning Emerson Secretary from Crate & Barrel – love the leather accents!

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Another showpiece and workhorse is the Patchwork Secretary by West Elm – love the mixed woods & clean lines!

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An elegant addition is the Sentinel Desk from Horchow – I’m always a fan of the spindle legs!

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Last but not least, modern & sleek with a feminine touch! – White Spur Desk from Horchow

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Hope you are inspired!  Happy Designing!