Layering Rugs (and a New Gig)

 

Our bedroom carpet was in perfect condition when we moved in last summer.  A year later?  Not so much. (Are my kids the only ones who feel the need to come into our room and make a grand announcement before they get sick in the middle of the night?  I’ll let you figure out why we need a rug in there.)

 

 

Since we are determined to get the good out of this carpet and replacing it isn’t in the budget for now, I decided to use this natural rug that I had in storage.  For Fall, I thought it would be cozier to layer it with my faux cowhide. 

 

 

 

 

I also think it helps to tie in the black and white pillows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of rugs, you can find my post on how to choose the right area rug for your room over on the “Getting Fresh with Oreck” blog today.  I’m excited to be the interior design contributor for Oreck’s new blog and will be sharing design tips there each month. 

 

 

 

 

 

Client Before & After: Fresh+Preppy Bedroom

I love working on a room from start to finish – coming up with the design concept and feel and then executing.  This bedroom that I recently completed was a fun project.   This is what we started with:



The room needed some architectural presence and I thought that panel moulding/trim would be a great solution. As an example, I showed them Jen’s bedroom and they absolutely loved the panelling and decided to tackle the work themselves. They did an amazing job!


Photo: Leah Kirin

In the Before photo, you can see that the side tables were just too big for the wall with the king bed.  These ones from West Elm were perfect.

The ceiling fixture is one of my favourites that I blogged about here. It is just so pretty and suits this bedroom perfectly.



When I showed them this fabric (Thom Filicia for Kravet) for the headboard, they loved it! Paired with nail head trim, it looks amazing with the panelling.  (We used a different colourway of this fabric on roman shades and pillows in other rooms in the house, we loved it so much!)

The pillows and the striped rug from Crate and Barrel in a bold yellow/mustard colour punch up the neutral grey/white/cream palette.

We were all set to commission a painting above the bed but decided the room didn’t need one.


Photo:  Leah Kirin

I loved working on this bedroom with these clients. They were so trusting and wonderful – makes my job so much easier and fun! They said that they feel like they are waking up in a 5 star hotel every day! Love that.
I also worked on other rooms in their house and will show you their dining room in the coming weeks!

Have a great week!

Have a decorating dilemma and don’t know where to start? Contact me at vanessa@vanessafrancis.com

How Many Kids Can You Cram Into a Room?

 

Considering we’re getting ready to have five kids in a three bedroom house, I think it’s a valid question.

 

Although we’re planning on putting the twins in our room for a good while, I have started thinking about our long-term plan.  Whether that means converting another space in our home into a fourth bedroom, or sticking a few kids in one bedroom together, remains to be seen.  The most economical solution would be to have them share, but would they kill each other?  You know, lots to think about. . .

 

 

As far as actually making this solution look good, I’ve seen some really good examples lately.  The photo above is of my friend Shannon’s boys’ bedroom.  She’ll eventually phase out the crib for another twin bed, and I love the look.  (Shannon writes a fun fashion/lifestyle blog, btw.)

 

A few other great examples of triple twin beds. . . .My concern for our house is storage since a third twin would eliminate a dresser.

 

Munger Interiors

 

 

 

 

 

Pottery Barn is always showing examples of triple twin beds. . . Of course, maybe they’re just trying to sell more beds :)

 

Pottery Barn

 

 

Quadruple bunks also seem be popping up everywhere and are a great solution, IF you have a really long wall, which we don’t. . . Plus, I wonder how this would work when they kids get bigger. 

 

 

 

 

S.R. Gambrel

 

 

 

 

 

Double bunks are my favorite look, if you have the right room layout to make this work:

 

Coastal Living

 

 

But, hanging bunks. . . . well, they kind of just make me dizzy.

 

 

 

What I really want to know is, did you share a room growing up?  If so, was it a good or bad experience? 

Do you have three or more kids in a room now?  How’s it working out?

 

My First White Room

 

You all are going to think I’ve lost my mind.  And, that might be true, but I’m still sticking the “pregnancy-hormones-make-you-do-crazy-things” excuse. 

 

A week or so ago, I posted about painting our master bedroom this rich blue:

 

 

 

 

And, two days ago, I started painting it . . . . this color:

 

 

 

It’s Shoji White by Sherwin Williams.  I know, I know.  But, after living with the blue swatches on the wall for a week or so, I started to feel like it might be too much.  Considering how much more chaotic our lives are getting ready to be in another few months, I kept finding myself drawn back to images of calming, neutral rooms. 

 

 

 Tracery Interiors

 

 

 

Lonny Magazine

 

 

 

Linda Burkhardt via Houzz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lauren Leiss Interiors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jamie Laubhan-Oliver via Houzz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emily Henderson

 

This will be the first time I’ve ever had a white room in any of our houses.  What does that say about me?  I’m getting older?  More nervous?   Less brave?  I don’t know.  White actually seems like more of a risk to me.  The paint job should be finished by the weekend.  So far, I love it.

Sleeping in the Dark

 

Scheming and dreaming about everything I would “like” to get done before the babies come early this summer.  At this point, I’m just doing a lot of thinking out loud.  Want to hear my thoughts?

Today, I have our master bedroom on the brain.  As much as I love a neutral, relaxing bedroom. . . .

 

source

 

 

I’m also having thoughts of a dark, sleeping “cave” in a deep peacock blue:

 

 

 

 

As much as I appreciate sleep now, I’m sure it will become even more precious later this year, and this color feels so cozy to me.

 

House & Home

 

 

I’ve looked at several colors, including “Castille” by Olympic Paint:

 

 

 

And, “Summer Nights” by Benjamin Moore

 

 

I like the deep blue best paired with white bedding:

 

source

 

And, gold accessories:

 

source

 

 

I would also love to include some black and white photography in gold frames:

 

 

 

So, that’s where I am now.  Of course, with my raging pregnancy hormones, I could be back to loving white and bright again by next week. . .

 

source

 

What are your personal feelings about light versus dark bedrooms?

 

A Client’s Master Bedroom Makeover

 

Right before Christmas, I was able to finish up a master bedroom project for my clients, Brooke and Mat, a fun couple who live in adorable house built in the  1940’s.  This the room when we started: 

 

 

 

It was a small space, leaving little creativity when it came to a floor plan.  So, we moved out several pieces of furniture. . .

 

 

 

 

And, we made every inch count—including the ceiling, which was wallpapered in a natural grass cloth.  We also replaced the ceiling fan with a pretty star pendant.  The walls were painted a light aqua color, and fortunately, she told me in our initial meeting that she wasn’t afraid of a little orange :)

 

 

 

 

Remember the Edland chest I painted?  It now serves as extra storage and a console for their TV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(As a courtesy to my clients, I don’t share source information.)

 

Thanks to Brooke and Mat for letting me share your new room!

 

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