Making it Homey with box full of Empowerment

"Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt

I have a lot of stuff. I love painted walls, no builder white for me, although I do like muted cream walls with a hint of an undertone that picks up color from the fabrics in the room. There are so many ways to make a room your own.  

 

Art of course makes a room and is absolutely essential in my décor. I am not talking high brow like you would find at the Musée du Louvre 
in Paris, France. I like pop art you may find on Etsy or old inexpensive portraits you pick up at the flea market or garage sale. Watercolors are a favorite too. 

http://www.bromstad.com/

I am not past getting an ugly canvas at the goodwill and knocking off a copy of something modern a la David Bromstad style with his squirt bottle in one hand and paint brush in the other.

You need tools to hang the art which will make things look homey. I impatiently want to put a new piece up right away as soon as I get home with something. 

The first time I had an apartment of my own I had no tools and the art was stacked in neat piles in all three of the tiny rooms for weeks maybe even a few months before I found the most amazing pink box of DO IT HERSELF tools. 

 I wasn’t looking for a box tools when I found it but it spoke volumes to me. The hammer and needle nose pliers had cute pink rubber grips and the tape measure I needed to get columns and rows just right was so pink too! This premier box of goodies was neatly packed in a self contained pink plastic case of goodness for $20. What really went into the cart was a box full of pink empowerment. You see this loaded tool box in all its pink regalia said you can do anything you want. It was telling me that I did not need help and that I could achieve and reign supreme! And achieve I did. Specifically, I gained a deeper sense of self worth when I bought myself and used tools with the color that celebrates femininity. I know! who would think such a little thing would mean so much.

I have a confession………I covet my pink tools. I delight that they are mine and we have a history.

Pretty tools anyone for the holidays?!!!!!!!!!

Napkin Floor Plan

sometimes inspiration can strike when you least suspect. this was the case at lunch today. while sipping thai ice tea and visiting with a fellow design school student, we brain stormed our "team" final kitchen project. the results are on the napkin. i am not usually a fan of the team style project and i have had to do team projects every semester. i plan to post some of my kitchen and bath drawings soon.

kitchen drawing NTS!

Strangers- no danger and Random stuff

the helping hand of kindness

i have recently been touched by kindness through the acts of total strangers. I find it surprising and wonderful. I have come to know that I will most always talk to strangers. My Grandpa was talker, I am a talker and so is my brother.

i just want to say thank you to those who have been kind enough to take the time to be such generous friends and family and strangers to share yourselves, your time, your input. It means a lot!

the rug reminds of a Frank Lloyd Wright design seen at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, of course the colors are different and the scale is much larger here.

a nod to pink for the month of October's Breast Cancer awareness. Sue I am so happy you are healthy!

I AM LUCKY!

 

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A ROSE WITH NOT ONE THORN.

THOUGHT  I WOULD SHARE A NICE LITTLE SCRABBLE OF IMPORTANT THOUGHTS AND MOTIVATIONAL WORDS. THIS IS THE KIND OF THOUGHT PROCESS THAT ALLOWED ME TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND LEARN WHAT INTERESTED ME.  

I CAN HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT IF YOU DO WHAT YOU LOVE, AND LOVE WHAT YOU DO, IT WILL LEAD YOU ON A PATH OF HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS! I HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO WATCH MANY LOVED ONES DO EXACTLY THIS. TODAY, I FEEL JOYFUL AND THANKFUL THAT ONE SPECIAL BOY IS NOW CLIMBING THE STAIRS TO HIS DREAMS AND I WISH HIM ALL THE HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS HE CAN HOLD!

Descion Time! This post is dedicated to my long time friend Betty.

i have been pretty enamored with concrete for sometime now, say ten years at least.

this is the saw you need to use with a diamond blade to cut patterns into the concrete which will make your floor one of a kind!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this is what my floor looks like, it is the first thing people comment on when they come to my house for the first time.
 

ABOVE: concrete island counter and side panels make a modern statement coupled with that cool Ann Saks onyx glass tile wall.

A polished edge so the aggregate detail shows, adds texture.

          Concrete is here to stay, and if you should tire of it, just cover it with any other material.

   glossy sheen on a very mottled acid stain floor.

   when choosing your flooring and counter tops remember to coordinate them like you would an outfit, e.g.  your shoes and your blouse/top usually compliment each other. the cabinet acts as your skirt/pants. Of course there are other ways to choose but this is the simplest analogy to share.

a honed finish in the bathroom with a eased edge.

  

beautiful ogee edge detail following the legs of the island with a small clipped corner for safety as corners can be dangerous!

Betty you have great taste and whatever you choose it will be the right thing!

Anyone would who like a complimentary consultation on any and all design dilemmas just email me kal0707@gmail.com or leave a comment. Karen


note: working on learning to format, it will get better.

GREAT KITCHENS

This semester I am taking INT 240- KITCHEN AND BATH DESIGN. We are learning about all the high end appliances and what it takes to get them in properly. So I thought I would post some great kitchens!

 High end integrated fridge hiding under panels on right. Contrasting black cabinets on left. Like the beams on the ceiling. A white kitchen never goes out of style.

A wolf  brand cook top. This is a great hood because it is about 6 inches larger than the stove which means it will capture all the steam and grease that rises.

This has another wolf range and a gorgeous carrera marble back splash and counters. Aren't the bar stools great! I don't care for the Asian inspired figures on the range mantle, vintage pottery would have been better. This kitchen is a bit over styled for the photo via House of Turquoise blog.

This kitchen feels European, the cabinets are two toned and are hiding a high end integrated fridge (behind the island). The mix and match of wood colors and counter top material keeps it interesting along with the zinc top table and Versailles pattern on the floor. Can old world really go out of style when it is done as clean as this?!

Balance

This pair of Louis tub chairs needed some partners in the room for quite a while. The room was out of balance so I added some brown cotton velvet drapes. The room began to level as soon as the first panel went up. They also have rythmn with the newly painted interior doors.

                      Brown as color is off trend now. It makes me love
                      it even more. Lots of Prints.

Keith Scott Morton for Country Living

    

Jonathan Berger for House Beautiful

...

 See in the back......Louis Chairs similar to mine with a lovely brown floral!

SHOCKING........I have dark doors!

A study in contrast........

Sad but true, in most modest track homes there simply are no special architectural details. In this case, calling attention to the height of the doors draws the eye up & makes a bit of drama in a rather plain space. In person the acid stain floor has always been the attention getter. Since going dark on the doors, the eye goes to the doors and then up to the ubiquitous 1990's pot shelf. The eye then travels around the room to see the  other elements such as the lighting fixtures that are also dramatically dark . The dark is foiled by a warm neutral paint by Sherwin Williams called Nantucket Dune. The trim is Sherwin Williams -Basket Beige and the doors are also Sherwin Williams, color Manor House. I say don't be afraid or better yet ordinary, GO BOLD-GO DARK!

If you want to see more dark doors go here and enjoy some glossy black doors that look so good! 

dreaming design........Karen

Color + Pattern + Texture ='s Visual Interest

In this commercial bathroom I was working with only paint for the budget!




The bathroom had some taupe dal tile and a stainless receptacle and that was the extent of the inspiration. The best idea was to bring in some fresh green with a bit of the organic. First, I started with a combing technique for texture. Below is a good close up of the texture that results from combing.



Next, I used a laser level to mark out my pattern with blue painters tape.



Then I made a circle stencil out of cardboard from the side of a box, nothing special needed. I penciled in all the circles on all walls. I chose a taupey brown to complement the tile and painted all the circles with the same details as I was going for a symmetrical wallpaper look.

Next, I cut out another stencil of uneven squares out of a file folder!After penciling them in I continues to paint the squares in the same taupey brown.I tried to make the same type of squares on each circles, devil is in the details.


Close up of the next detail-making a "Z" pattern inside the little squares.



The "Z" pattern was also applied in a uniform pattern


Another color was added in quick straight line and then once it dried I put another quick top coat of silver metallic over just the blue stripe for shimmer and interest.

SCALE MODEL 1/2" =1'-0"

Won't you join me for a glass of wine in the Castle Drawing Room!


YES! That is Clarence House red mohair velvet....I know you feel the luxury with your eyes!



Love the Spanish honed limestone on castle walls and floor...simply elegant!



English Mahogany end table with antique vase....nothing but the best!



Historic Viennese style piano and bench....I do hear Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata!

Hope you enjoyed the drawing room for my son's production design I class,I sure did!!

PAPERS ARE IN !!!!

Just a few images that will inspire some possibilities!

MODERN FLAT SCREEN TV UNIT

First, these are fuzzy because they are both sketches which don't scan so well!

TV armoires are considered passé now that the age of very slim-flat screens have taken over. Good news is..... There are many choices for the flat screen. I have designed two custom units. The first one is a fairly complete drawing sans dimensions and the other is a draft of the first; you will noticed how it morphed into a more refined design. Shall I design one for you!