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One Room Challenge Spring 2016 | Week 5

It’s been a productive week here Chez Moi with lots of goodness rolling in and all the pretty starting to take shape. If you follow me on Instagram you’ll have seen some of the details as they’ve arrived, including our STUNNING new Essex chairs from Whittington & Co which arrived yesterday. Friends, I am smitten beyond words. These chairs sit perfectly, the result of the pitch being so carefully designed and the envelope cushion construction on the seating being so flawlessly crafted. Noah curled up in one the moment he got home from school and declared he was never getting out of it because it was the most comfortable chair he’s ever sat in. He isn’t wrong.

Beyond being impossibly comfortable and incredibly gorgeous, these chairs tell a good story. It’s a story of the people and the planet involved in their making being deeply respected. They tell the story that a beautiful process always leads to a beautiful product, and as a designer, a home owner and a citizen of humanity, that makes me happier than anything.

Some of the other pretty to arrive this week included gorgeous frames from Framed & Matted to house some beautiful pieces of art from Minted. The point of all of this loveliness was to make sure that no corner of this main floor makeover was left unturned, including the stairway. As I shared last week, we’ve had a blank wall here forever, and given that this wall reads from both the front entry and the kitchen, it’s felt soulless to me for far too long. Enter the magic of a gallery wall.

I am sooo happy with the way this turned out. I love the way the beautiful signed, limited edition prints from Minted mix in with the paintings I’ve collected over time as well as the super cool print from my brilliant friend Melody Hansen that is on the bottom left of the grouping. I chose two really simple frame styles from Framed & Matted, both in black, to create cohesion with the only variation being the thickness of the frames. This is one really easy way to create cohesion in a gallery wall. Another is to vary your mediums but try to repeat some elements of colour (I did this with shades of green, blue and yellow here).

I hadn’t previously realized that Minted offers artist signatures and archival paper on their limited edition prints, and I am in love with the watery, mountainous, woodsy story the three prints featured here help me to tell. That’s the whole point of a gallery wall in my opinion – it’s an opportunity to tell something of your story. For me, this tells our family story of wanderlust. We are never happier than when we are by the ocean, hiking in a forest or in the mountains. These are the prints featured in case you want to scoop them up for yourself – one, two and three.

I know a lot of people are intimidated by gallery wall installations, but I am telling you the absolute truth when I say this is probably the easiest DIY I took on for this ORC. I’ve developed a fool-proof method for art installation over the years that totally takes the sweat out of the process. If any of you are planning a gallery wall and want to know how to install your art like a pro, I’ve created a How To Guide so you can download the virtual me and it will be like I’m right there with you while you install yours. Check it out here.

Speaking of DIY’s, it’s time to reveal the finished product on my lovely lady dipped portrait from my friends at Anewall. Last week I asked you to weigh in on which Farrow & Ball colour she should bathe in (Oliver Jeffers style), and the results were mixed. Which is funny, because I took a left turn when I got her back from the framers and decided she was too demure and quietly coy for either of the original colour options of Blazer Red or Drawing Room Blue. She started out wearing the historical equivalent of a LBD, after all, and I felt I needed to honour that, so here is how she came to be veiled in the end.

Yep: Pitch Black. I think it’s really the perfect Farrow & Ball hue to hide her thoughts and secrets behind, don’t you? I love her! You can take the girl out of the historical context, but you’ll never get her out of her Little Black Dress.

Speaking of black and classic and gorgeous, my top secret art project came home this week in the form of this gorgeous Ashley Woodson Bailey “Fringe” print which we mounted on board and finished with ArtResin.

This one took a little longer than expected, so I don’t have the process video I was hoping to share with you, but you can learn more about how to use this amazing VOC-free, non-yellowing product here via the video we made for our last ORC project together.

Other classic beauty to arrive on the scene includes a pair of these gorgeous brass floor lamps from LampsPlus.

When it comes to lighting, function has to come first, which is why I had to go with a lamp with a linen drum shade. The way it diffuses light is soft and warm and casts a wider glow than a directional down lamp, and this room needs that at night. That said, this floor lamp is far more than just functional. It is elegant in its simplicity and totally timeless: the perfect design neutral choice to evolve with our tastes.

In other news, I may or may not have chosen to feed my copper addiction a bit further with the introduction of this gorgeous tray in the kitchen.

OK, so I did. No regrets. Copper in the kitchen is like butter in baking. Meant to be.

I’m still waiting on my rug pads from RugPadUSA to arrive before installing the living room rug, but I cannot wait to get that 9×12 installed as I know it’s going to make a HUGE difference to the room. Also making a STUNNING difference are the drapery panels which went up today. Unfortunately with all I was doing I didn’t manage to get a photo of them before the light was gone, so you’ll have to stay tuned on Instagram for some sneak peeks before the reveal next week.

Reveal. Next. Week!!!

Oh friends, I could not be happier! The end is in sight, and I cannot wait to share all this hard work with you. I also can’t wait to see what my fellow design daredevils have been up to, and I do hope you’ll follow along with all of their creative genius via the links below. There’s a whole lot of beauty being created by these friends of mine, and next week’s reveals are sure to be nothing short of spectacular.

Until then, stay well, hug your loved ones, and focus on the beauty you find in each day.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|May 4th, 2016|14 Comments

One Room Challenge Spring 2016 | Week Four

This week has been all about breathing and reminding myself of what matters. I shared most of the unexpected plot twists with you last week, and just to make sure I got the memo, a few more doozies showed up to round out the storyline this week. But I’ve decided I’m not going to give them any more air time because I am here, things are progressing, and life is good.

It’s at this point in any project that I am reminded of the reality of the business of design: Schtuff happens. Always. No one is immune to it. Whether you are decorating one room, renovating or creating an addition, or designing and building a brand new home, the safest bet is to expect the unexpected.

The truth is, it’s our expectations that can get us into (or out of) hot water in just about everything in life. Expect everything to go perfectly and you’re setting yourself up for major disappointment. You’re also slowing your own ability to be flexible and meet the plot twists with strategic thinking and innovative solutions. Expect that things won’t be perfect and you’ll be ready to deke left or right as needed, dodging the punches life throws at you like a designer Mohamed Ali. I for one am working on being lighter on my feet in life. Float like a butterfly, right?

Butterflies are beautiful, and so are the details that have taken shape this week! First off, take a gander at the gorgy-gorgeous accessories that have been trickling in over the last few days.

I’m totally in love with this horn handled tray from AllModern. It’s modern and classic with a bit of an edge and I love the beveled rim, because simple details make me happy. The vase is one I actually borrowed to style my last ORC space and I’ve been coveting it ever since, so I’m beyond thrilled that it is finally coming to make itself a permanent home here Chez Walker.

I’m also thrilled to finally share the unusual project I have been scheming with the gorgeous new Thibaut Panthera wallpaper. This paper is a part of the newly released Bridgehampton Collection of both wallpapers and fabrics, and the entire collection is STUNNING. I cannot wait to find a project for Demetrius, but in the meantime, here’s how I snuck Panthera into this project.

After lining the kitchen bookcase in that stunning faux leather alligator paper, I couldn’t bear to just put plain old regular cookbooks back on the shelf. They needed to up their game a bit. Enter Panthera to wrap the cookbooks and elevate them to absolute edgy elegance. To label them, I just used this chalkboard contact paper, a liquid gold pen and my developing calligraphy skills. Not quite true calligraphy when just using a pen instead of a proper calligraphy nib, but the pen worked like magic on the contact paper and the whole thing was gratefully way easier than I anticipated.

I have to admit that I love styling. Many of my interior designer friends (if not most) hire a stylist for all of their photo shoots, but I could never do that. As I always say, details are a love language, and for me they are such an important way to make sure that your space tells your story. In this case, it’s a story that involves being obsessed with hand lettering since I was a little girl. Not a big deal, but a little, lovely detail that matters to me.

More styling details in the mix include these two Dwell Studio numbers that arrived this week from AllModern.

I get asked quite often both by fellow designers and design enthusiasts for my tips on styling, so I’m sharing my Secrets To Styling Like a Pro in this lovely little downloadable below. If you’re facing a bare bookcase or vignette waiting to happen and don’t know where to start, click on the image below to get started!

In other VERY exciting news, our gorgeous and super tech-savvy new Brizo Solna faucet and soap dispenser have been installed and I’m in germaphobe, touchless technology heaven.

Please excuse my iPhone photo (I cannot wait for the professional reveal images, including the new faux roman valance that is on its way in the gorgeous Groundworks for Lee Jofa Kelly Wearstler Channels!).

You’ll notice two things in the photo above that make me VERY happy. First, you’ll see that the faucet handle is open but there’s no water flowing. This is because the Solna is equipped with Smart Touch technology, so all we have to do is touch it anywhere on the faucet or handle to turn it on and off. No getting raw chicken goup on my faucet ever again! All I do is use my wrist instead and voila! Happiest. Cook. Ever.

The second extremely happy detail in this image is barely visible, but it is the not-yet-paneled but super-incredibly-thrilling-because-it-is-finally-here-and-works-like-a-dream Bosch dishwasher to the right of the sink that was installed today! Friends, if you ever want to be grateful for this now-standard luxury appliance, live without it for four months. You’ll never complain about loading or unloading your dishwasher again. This baby is particularly exciting because it is one of the most silent dishwashers on the market and tricked out with extra racking at the top to allow us to max out the capacity. I also love that Bosch forgoes the food grinders that ALWAYS die in dishwashers (hello reason our old one is headed for the dump!) and use a food strainer system instead that is way smarter and more functional. Here’s a peek at the interior of this baby.

I don’t generally want to get an appliance as a gift, but this beauty is the happiest present to arrive at my door in a long time.

In other news, I have a couple of fun art projects on the go. One is top secret and will no doubt be the showstopper of the reveal (though I’ll let you in on it next week and spoil my own surprise).

The second one represents my always-necessary dose of quirk for this project in the form of a dipped portrait inspired by one of my favourite artists and illustrators, Oliver Jeffers, and I need you to weigh in. I’m working with this lovely lady from Anewall and feel her demure demeanour will only be highlighted by receiving the Oliver Jeffers treatment by way of a gorgeous historical paint colour from Farrow & Ball. The question is, which colour to choose? The options are a delicious, classic red called Blazer or an energizing blue called Drawing Room Blue. Let me know which one you think I should use in the comments!

Also on the art front, if you follow me on Instagram you’ll know there have been some very exciting arrivals this week. First up, this evocative limited edition image by Jeremy & Claire Weiss via ArtStar which looks amazing all framed up in its picture-perfect Framed & Matted frame.

Also on the exciting art arrivals list from this week is this gorgeous signed, limited-edition Jaime Derringer print from Minted. I have wanted one of Jaime’s pieces in my collection for years now, and I love the dynamic energy this piece brings to the space, especially in its simple but modern Minted copper frame.

As you can see, this week has been all about the styling details and art coming together. I still have the gallery wall for the hallway to complete (see the before below),

not to mention that top secret art project yet to finish and share with you all, and of course there’s the drapery to pick up and install, the rug still to be installed, LOTS more styling to be done, the sofa and chair replacements to confirm, more pillows yet to arrive, the gorgeous Essex chairs from Whittington to pick up, the kitchen to style, the whole house to clean because it’s basically turned upside down right now, and a whole lot more on my never-ending to-do list!

I know I’m not the only one beating back my to-do list with a stick! Be sure to check out what my fellow ORC design daredevils have been up to this week as there is some serious magic happening out there, friends.

Until next week, I’m off to git er done one to-do list item at a time.

By Sarah Walker The Curated House|April 27th, 2016|5 Comments

One Room Challenge Spring 2016 | Week Three (aka The Good, The Bad + The Ugly)

This business is not for the faint of heart. I’ll be the first to dispel the notion that being a designer is glamorous. Being a designer is 10% inspiration and 90% sweating-bullets-while-putting-out-fires-and-trying-to-make-it-look-as-easy-as-your-mama’s-homemade-pie, and don’t let anyone tell you anything different!

I could have titled this post “What To Do When Nothing Goes According To Plan,” but that would have been too dramatic because there are truly a LOT of things going right. So that’s where I’m going to start.

THE GOOD

I promised you last week that I would share my pillow story this week, and I cannot wait for all of these beauties to come to life in this space.

ONE: I’m beyond excited to have managed to snap up the last of these two beautiful black and gold burnout velvet numbers from Hollie Cooper Interiors.

TWO: I may or may not have drawn blood biting my lip when I first laid eyes on these stunning tribal beaded vintage leather pillows from Stone Textile. I am pretty obsessed with the graphic energy they possess, and I love that their vintage soul will imbue an uncommon sense of history into the space. Love them hard, along with literally every other pillow in Elizabeth’s edgy collection. Be sure to check it out.

THREE: I have been a fan of Arianna Belle‘s stunning collection of pillows for years, and these killer beauties have my designer heart a-pounding. I love the patina to the silver sections of this pair of gorgeous linen pillow covers. So modern, so elegant, so yasss.

FOUR: Also from Arianna’s collection, this yummy leopard velvet is totally a win for me. As the only female in the house, my guys have reacted pretty hard for years now to my attempts to bring anything leopard into the house. Take note, friends: the tide has turned! I got a unanimous “sure” to this one, and I’ll take it!

If you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen this close up of the gorgeous Bernhardt Pearl Cocktail Table last night.

The finish is made of crushed mother of pearl, and I feel like no photo will ever do it justice. It is lustrous and elegant and luxurious and yet so simple. Truly divine, and the perfect centrepiece to the entire room.

I have also been paying regular visits to Whittington & Co. to capture the process of the making of our two beautiful Essex chairs. I am such a believer in the power of a beautiful process to produce a beautiful product, and the team at Whittington & Co truly embody this in their work. From the initial design concept to the highest quality materials used in construction to the finest finishing details, they really do offer a design lesson in the Anatomy Of A Well Made Chair, which is why I put together this infographic below to help tell their story.

STEP ONE: All well-constructed furniture begins with a kiln-dried frame for stability and the assurance that your piece will resist warping over time. All the joints are double-dowelled, glued and corner blocked for further stability.

STEP TWO: I’m pretty sure the team at Whittington & Co. love wood as much as I do, and that’s saying something. We may or may not have had a moment while discussing all of the varieties available, and the figured maple chosen for the show wood on the Essex chair is so yummy I want to bite it.

STEP THREE: This one is a BIG DEAL to me as a designer: heavy gauge coil springs are hand tied to the frame 8 ways. This is truly the Gold Standard of spring systems for bench-made furniture. Whereas drop-in coil units can be noisy and don’t offer an exact fit for custom furniture, hand tied coils are a perfect fit every time and unlike the much cheaper s-spring or zig-zag spring systems, they won’t sag over time, ensuring you a beautiful piece of furniture that will last a lifetime.

STEP FOUR: The seat springs are covered in high quality cotton felt lining to prefent the springs from transferring through to the fabric. High quality foam edging is also secured and then STEP FIVE: The leather deck is sewn to the sisal webbing underneath for a perfect finish.

STEP SIX: Things start to get exciting as the supple top grain leather is all single or double top stitched and then upholstered to the frame.

STEP SEVEN: Not pictured above, the seat is constructed from a core of soy based foam and wrapped in a feather blend envelope. All cushion covers are made to be reversible to once again extend the longevity of the piece.

To say I’m excited about enjoying these beautiful chairs in our home would be a massive understatement! I’m so delighted to be working with Whittington & Co. on this aspect of the space.

Also on the GOOD list, Graham managed to get the frieze mould from the kitchen cabinets wrapped around the dining room and living rooms thanks to some poplar plans from Metrie.

I believe details are a love language, so I get pretty excited about seeing this happen. It may seem a small detail to some, but for me it’s the final touch that’s been missing for 6 years and I couldn’t be happier to see it finally happening! I love that this delicate trim detail integrates the 1960’s plaster valances and the beam between the dining room and living room, making it all feel very intentional. Up next for me: fill all the nail holes, sand and paint out all that happy trim.

THE BAD + THE UGLY

So the last week has been pretty loaded with plot twists, not the least of which was the discovery that FEDEX LOST THE GREEN VELVET FOR THE SOFA. Yes, you read that correctly. Somewhere between the mill in Holland and the workroom here in North America, that stunning emerald green goodness went totally MIA.

When I first learned about it, I spent two days scrambling to find a substitute fabric because (naturally) the original choice is now backordered. Clearly emerald green is the sleeper Colour Of The Year (hello Pantone!) because we probably vetted 20+ options without finding anything that was the right colour matched with the right performance ability and actually in stock.

After one really restless night, I made the executive decision to handle this situation the same way I would handle it if it was a client project without a media deadline: I am waiting for the right fabric.

I’ve seen it too many times: driven by “the magic of Christmas” or some other über-important event, a client decides to compromise the design plan in order to have the space finished for the calendar date and then they regret it for all the remaining dates on the calendar thereafter. I’m going to be living with this sofa for far too long to compromise on the fabric. While I’m sad that my reveal will not be true to the original emerald vision, I’m turning them lemons into lemonade with the opportunity to make the room over twice (enter a beautiful loaner sofa!) with two photo shoots to show the room two ways. Hoping y’all will come on back for both reveals!

To secure the “One Room Two Ways” theme, I learned today that the brass and black Strand chair is still at sea and will also not arrive in time for the reveal. So I’ll be adding “find a fabulous loaner chair” to my to-do list for this week. Onward and upward.

Bad news usually comes in threes, and my third was dropping my iPhone in the toilet leading to a rather undignified death. And you know what? It’s all good. I have friends struggling with FAR bigger REALLY HARD battles right now to think I have anything to complain about. These design dilemmas are peanuts in comparison, and the truth is I’m summing up Week 3 with a sense of gratitude. I may not be able to do the splits anymore, but I’m still flexible-as-heck as a designer and will use my love of strategy to make this week’s plot twists work to my advantage.

I truly can’t wait to check in with my fellow design daredevils to see what ORC goodness they’ve gotten up to this week. Be sure to check out their updates and let me know which projects are your favourites!