Office/Guest Room
When this client first contacted me to remodel a multi-use space, I was slightly hesitant due to the distance between us. But after our initial chat, I decided to move forward with her project and I’m so pleased I did. She and I both couldn’t be happier with the final outcome.
Like many spaces on first walkthrough, I could see that all it would take was a little imagination, patience and planning to bring the tired rooms to life and deliver the relaxed, yet classic feeling she was hoping for.
Her guest room doubles as an office space so I knew I’d have to take care while creating a sense of cohesiveness yet separateness between the connected rooms. I chose velvety blues and neutral soft cream materials for the bed, floor-to-ceiling curtains and side lounge. The side tables as well as the desk in the office were done in a beautiful driftwood grey finish. And the artwork above the headboard ties the serene mood together all while coordinating with the moss art in the adjacent room.
Pink Arrows Boutique
Pink Arrows (FLAGSHIP) Boutique was my first paid design job. This cozy space was tucked away in a cute courtyard just off of First Street in Benicia, Calif.
Objective: boho-inspired, California-chic space
Rope hanging displays, copper accents, acrylic clothing rods all worked so well together to create a very organic overall feel. Owner and founder, Nicole Yarbrough, quickly outgrew this sweet shop space and decided to move just across the street to a place where she could more efficiently showcase her beautiful merchandise.
Pink Arrows (Location #2) A bit larger than the 1st.
Objective: A little more boho vibe with a nod to original shop design. Focus on denim display. This is where we had the denim table custom made to fit the “current” inventory, and it was such a good start. Copper accents are usually slipped in somewhere if design style allows, and I typically lean towards a light and airy aesthetic base to build upon.
I thoroughly enjoyed working on this unique project as it has pushed me well past the boundaries of solely focusing on home design.
Pink Arrows (Location #3) A lot larger than the 2nd.
Objective: Welcoming, light and airy boho vibe that tells the story of shop objective and purpose. Helping women feel empowered and beautiful. Organic details thoughtfully placed through design to include floral and faux greenery, cement flooring, leather, capiz chandeliers.
Shop owner, Nicole Yarbrough, has a natural drive to help women feel and look their best. She delights in connecting with her customers and finding out what makes them shine as individuals. I kept this in mind as I designed her new space. While I was able to use most furniture items I’d previously purchased for the first two shops, we had a lot more space to fill and lots of other details to design.
A custom quote adorns the far wall and is visible on entry. It reads “There is GOLD in your story.” Gold also runs through the cracks in the cement flooring. This is an ancient art called Kintsugi, an idea I wanted to use for the flagship shop but was not able to get clearance. The golden details tie in with the underlying message of the shop. Beautiful moments and things can come from our brokenness.
A bountiful arch of Bougainvillea dances across the ornate gold mirror at the back of the shop which reflects the gold velvet drapes which were custom made for shop #2 to adorn the dressing rooms. It’s such a romantic and breathtaking touch.
Cross Country Mortgage
When CCM owner, Monica Jones, contacted me to discuss the possibility of designing a 3500 sf building she purchased, I answered so fast. “Yes!”
Objective: her words, “sexy mortgage office”
THE MAIN FLOOR: During initial meetings with clients, I always ask for a few words to describe how they would like their dream space to feel when they walk in. Monica said, “I want a sexy mortgage office. Somewhere people want to be." Oh, and “just do whatever you feel will look best. I trust you.” Amazing!
A few words and my client’s complete trust was all I needed for creativity in the overall design.
This project was a two-story building, basement and all, which needed to have multiple private offices, a large group work space, bathrooms, kitchen, and a conference space option, if possible.
First off, there was one long curved wall which ran through the center of the building. It looked so dated, so I had to come up with a way to transform it into an anchor and design feature instead.
I had originally told the contractor to straighten the corner, then immediately changed my mind before he got to it, deciding that it would be better to just roll with the curve and give it a facelift. We added slats painted in a silken black along the length of the entire wall, running from the front hallway around and to the back. Oh the drama of this black-slatted wall! It’s showcased against the rest of the office, painted in a soft white, and really makes the entire design
Neutral flooring in a soft greyish brown works well against the juxtaposition of the black and the white.
THE BASEMENT: This floor was originally scheduled for a later date, so when my client said she would like to move forward with finishing full design right away, I had to think fast.
Objective: Make a basement/storage area with no windows feel like it wasn’t a basement/storage area. A conference room that isn’t scary or stuffy.
I really wanted to create an airy feeling of spaciousness and nature. I found an artist out of Southern California who creates beautiful moss art pieces and commissioned her to create a few pieces I’d planned to put near a conference table at the far end of the room.
Edward Jones Investments
Objective: Classy, professional, modern mid-century design with a comfortable welcoming feel
This was such a cute space to begin with. All it needed was, like most other projects, some cohesiveness and thoughtful details running throughout. Where there was a curtain over a closet turned microwave space, I had ordered a door to match the overall existing design and that small swap alone truly transformed a forgotten and awkward corner. The tired fireplace and front door got painted white and I advised on a soft grey paint on the walls throughout. The space was instantly cheerier and more relaxing.
This client loves to photograph and display his collection, but the beautiful pictures were in an array of mismatched frames that did not do the collection justice. I had the photos reframed and hung down the hallway in one cohesive and thoughtful collection.
Our Family Cabin
When we purchased this home back in 2017, we knew from first walkthrough that we’d someday build out the third floor. It was a dingy storage space only accessible through a hatch near the dining room. When I asked my realtor what was up there and if I could climb the ladder to take a peek, he confirmed what it was, simply a storage space that nobody would do anything else with but store stuff.
Little did he know. But we knew….
We’ve since built out and pretty nearly finished all the details of the third floor, complete with game table, built-in private bunks, full movie space, bathroom and an 11-foot window seat.
Down on the second floor, we were able to shorten the very spacious kids’ bunk room and then created a hallway where there was once a closet. Then we added a door to the rarely-utilized back deck, which has amazing views of the forestry behind the home. I have to say that being able to sit at the dining table and see straight out to the back of the house is so relaxing and helps us feel more connected to nature.
I’ve also refinished our kitchen cabinets by doing a light sanding and painting. I chose black because this cabin is so rustic looking on the outside, we thought it’d be fun to play with a little bit of juxtaposition and make it pretty modern on the inside. I love how it turned out.
We still have some rooms to finish up and are redoing texture through the entire home, but we will be done someday. Hopefully sooner rather than later. We rent this out on Airbnb and have had so many people asking when it’ll be available again. I can’t wait to share the new space with both past renters as well as new.
Client Cabin
This was such a fun one for me. This cabin was a complete overhaul with an addition to be added over the garage. These are also returning clients that I was so excited to work with again.
The husband was sold on this cabin, the wife; however, was not. When I was approached by the couple to help with the overall feel and design, I reassured her that I could already see it in my mind, and it was going to be incredible. Concerns were raised about the orange-tinted stain throughout this gorgeous chalet and the fact that they did not have a desire to re-stain everything. I was able to counteract the warmth by integrating the right use of color, texture and accents.
There are so many details I love about this home that it’s tough to pick only a few. But I love the updated fireplace with the cool-toned stone, the coat closet turned wine/bar nook, and the plaid carpet up in the game/tv loft at the top of the stairs. And who doesn’t love a classic antler chandelier.
This is the most gorgeous cabin retreat!