7 Apr 2015

Episcopal Academy House Tour

by lisa | posted in: Blog | 0

I am very pleased to announce that I will be participating in the 2015 Episcopal Academy House Tour as a Boutique.

The event will be held on April 30th, 2015 at elegant homes throughout the Main Line. The boutiques will be at the Bentley Homes Ashwood Hall Model Home in at 222 Waterlood Road in Devon, PA.

About the Episcopal Academy House Tour:

“Each year, on a Thursday in late April, the Episcopal Academy House Tour presents a diverse selection of the Main Line’s most beautiful private homes and their impressive gardens. Homes are selected for their individuality, and all ages, sizes, and styles are represented. Each home features a local caterer, who prepares a special menu for tour participants to enjoy, and an area florist, who has arranged beautiful floral displays designed to complement the home. Your ticket price includes access to the homes, a House Tour program book full of useful resources, and a unique retail experience at the Boutiques.”

Click Here for Tickets

I have assembled merchandise from some of my favorite vendors:

16 Mar 2015

Dining Room Design

by lisa | posted in: Before & After, Blog, Dining Room, Makeover, Renovation | 0

Today I am revealing the final Dining Room Design for my first virtual renovation. I have taken an actual real estate listing photo and used it as the basis of a virtual Design Project. I am designing for an imaginary couple living in Wayne, PA. Above is a “mood board” or photo collage like the ones I create for Design Action Plan clients. Instead of hammers and nails, I am using 3D rendering technology, to ‘construct’ this virtual renovation.

Besides those items I called out in my previous post, I have selected some beautiful silver leaf mirrors from Global Views to reflect the light from the windows and create a strong symmetry in the room.

I have also selected a greige wall color and a muted peach/greige/beige F. Schumacher fabric for the draperies. The room will be a soft and elegant space. The bargello weave on the head chairs, is a bold choice, but it becomes less so in the context of the entire Dining Room Design. More than just a decorating project, the removal of the wainscot and the addition of the ceiling design that I described in my previous post add a bit of construction work to this project. But, I think you will agree these changes really elevate the room from it’s previous state:

I hope this virtual renovation has inspired you to look for the potential in the rooms in your home.

15 Mar 2015

Wayne PA Real Estate Renovation- Dining Room Design

by lisa | posted in: Blog, Dining Room, Makeover, Renovation | 0

My virtual renovation of this Wayne, PA real estate listing’s dining room is underway.

As you can see in the listing photograph, the wainscot (woodwork below the chair rail) is painted a contrasting white. This draws attention to the fact that the room is asymmetrical and the strong contrast draws your eyes away from other elements in the room. For this renovation, I am removing the wainscot and want to draw attention to the ceiling instead. Adding a beautiful ceiling medallion and applied molding design to the ceiling will add some architectural interest and wow-factor to this room.

via Decorator’s Supply

It is already looking amazing and we have just gotten started! I was on the fence about whether to use a buffet or a tall china cabinet as I felt either would work in the space, but once I found this stunner, the decision was made.

via Hickory White

via Hickory Chair

via F. Schumacher

I think the room is big enough that doing a great contemporary print on the head chairs would add some personality to the space. This bargello flamestitch weave from the Mary McDonald Collection for Schumacher is just the thing. A mix of olive, mint, blush, greige, and brown, this fabric sets the tone for a soft, but dramatic space. Because the adjacent room is painted green, I want this room to have some green in it but I want the green to be the accent color, and not the primary color.

Tune in next time when I reveal the renovated dining room.

2 Mar 2015

Real Estate Renovate- Wayne, PA Dining Room – BEFORE

by lisa | posted in: Blog, Dining Room, Makeover | 0

What to choose, what to choose?????

I pored over luxury home real estate listings (partially because it is fun) trying to find the perfect first room for a virtual renovation. There were many good candidates, some I saved for later, and some that needed many more hours than I could give in just three blog posts. Eventually, I selected this dining room for a virtual renovation.

via realtor.com®

This 4,500 square foot real estate listing has 6 bedrooms and the kitchen was renovated within the last 6 years. The dining room has three large windows and a double entrance door into the kitchen. The wall you can’t see holds a large china cabinet. A tiny piece of the cabinet is visible on the top left. Based on my analysis of the photograph, the room is 18′ x 14′ and has 8′ ceilings.

The wall color is actually quite similar to the controversial 2015 Pantone color of the year, Marsala.

NEW HOMEOWNERS

My virtual clients, let’s call them, “Pete and Nancy”, are hosting Thanksgiving for the first time in their new home in Wayne, PA. They have hand-me-down dining room furniture. They have decided that it is time to get some grown up furniture now that their kids are older and they intend on staying in this house. They want make this room a very special place in their home but aren’t sure how. The adjacent kitchen is very light and bright and has green in it and they would like this space to feel more connected to the kitchen.

WISH LIST

Some green, but not a green room

Traditional furniture

New furniture, lighting, draperies and rug

27 Feb 2015

Real Estate Renovate

by lisa | posted in: Blog, Renovation | 0

Home buyers get overwhelmed when they move into a new home trying to figure out where to start. The bedroom may need painting, the wallpaper in the kitchen really doesn’t fit your style, or the bathrooms may have that 1980’s look. For a while, it can feel like you are living in someone else’s house. There are so many choices in furniture and fabrics, it can be hard to know you are making the right choices. You decide to just paint the kids rooms and will deal with the rest later. Who has time and energy for all that decision making?

That is where I come in. I am an Interior Designer based in the Philadelphia suburbs serving what is known as the Main Line (Bryn Mawr, Villanova, Wayne, Gladwyne, Haverford, etc…) I specialize in renovation of luxury homes and am going to take my magic designer wand and transform real estate listing photographs into the comfortable, stylish rooms I know they have the potential to be.

I want you these makeovers to inspire you to take on that renovation project you have been contemplating. Inspire you to make your home reflect your personality and style. Inspire you to turn your house into a home.

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