Working on some smaller projects as we wait for the bamboo ceilings to go in downstairs. Remember to break things up so you're getting little victories everyday to keep you motivated and on task.
The fireplace painting is complete and we hung the lady of the house at her appropriate height above the fire. I'm deeply/madly/truly in love with her and the two large urns on either side of her. This fireplace makes me happy.
We also removed this large mirror from upstairs and placed it in the hallway. I'm loving the reflection of the stairs. I'm working on shelling this mirror to complete the look. Will look amazing in the end.
And I got my Frosty Montgomery's up. You might remember them from the old house in a similar arrangement, and while I don't like to carry all of the old home's details into a new space, it's fun to keep some details the same for nostalgic appeal. And these just look great together.
Stay tuned for a lot more progress to come in the New Althea Project!
Some progress shots from The New Althea Project. We tore out a built-in bookcase in my future office. Gave us TONS of extra space (and cool to tear back the layers of paint to see what once was!). Really excited about prospects for this room. My home office is where I get all of my design ideas and brainstorm for future projects. Very important space.
I found some inspiration in this fabric from Sherry's Honey Pot. You never know what is going to bring you inspiration, but this little piece of fabric is everything I want in the new home...it's happy, textural, and wide open, baby!
And remember the fire place before...
Here's what it looks like with just the primer!!! Already a huge improvement. The final color will be Benjamin Moore's Cumulus Cloud!
And in here...lights are up and new bamboo ceilings are being installed. Long days, but so worth it.
Lots of work to go, but really enthusiastic about the progress. Remember to pace yourself and take each completed task as a small victory. Helps you to keep forging on for future design projects.
And as much as you can do yourself (Mr. Jimmy took out the bookcase in my office), you can save money for future ideas!
Decided that this hutch has found its home in the living room. It's a great statement piece, it fills up the space physically/visually/design-wise, and I love it. So it's time to bring in some accessories.
I love white china and serving pieces. It seems so clean and refined. And against a dark surface, the pieces really provide some great contrast. Doesn't mean you can't bring in colors or patterns. I would just recommend they coordinate/compliment each other. If it's a big mismatched mess, it takes away from the room. If you have patterns that speak to each other, or a monotone theme, you get a cohesive and concise story.
Also just loving the vintage tiles in our guest bathroom (below). I know that sometimes we are all moving towards slick/modern designs in a bathroom...but there's something understated and classic about a vintage look that, if it's done right, still translates into modern design.
Still feeling somewhat like squatters in our new home...but wanted to give a little progress report with this new piece of furniture in (love it!!!)!
Remember to keep your self (and your patience) in check when remodeling. It's a long process, but well worth it, so stay the course. Good design doesn't happen over night...so don't rush.
Very inspired right now for some new projects and bringing in pieces. Including this new mirror that we're going to use as a headboard...will look superb!!
We already talked about gradually moving furniture into a space. While you're bringing in signature pieces, remember to bring in art. Art both physically and visually takes up space, so you want to remember to keep it in your overall scope and plan for the room.
Surfaces you know that will not have furniture on them/against them (above the fireplace for instance), you can go ahead and throw a piece of art up there. And stay flexible. If it doesn't work, take the piece down and rotate amongst your collection.
This gal is one of my favorite pieces in our home, and she's stays my favorite because I can move her from room to room and she always "fits".
You can find great pieces of art at local galleries or through artists directly...sometimes the task of finding art for purchase can be daunting, so we have a series on Art You Should Consider Buying and where to purchase it on the blog! Happy hunting!
BEFORE:
MID-DEMOLTION:
AFTER:
Working on the den with our phenomenal contractor, Tim Michaels (if you're in Savannah and surrounding areas he is the man for your next remodel). The den's ceiling has some low acoustical tiles and exposed beams...we pulled those down, heightening the overall room and making it feel ten times bigger already!
Floors came up in the den, too, and we're really excited for the progress. Lots of work, but well worth it. Look forward to sharing the final product with y'all!
Whenever able, ease into bringing your furniture into a space that your redoing/redecorating. You want to make sure you have the bones perfect (paint, trim, window dressing, floors, rugs...etc.) and then you should bring in large pieces one at a time to really get a feel for the space.
I know we often don't have the luxury, but look into a temporary storage space (we're using a Pod now and we love it) or keep some of your furniture in your garage/another room for the time being. You can get a better overall feel for the space if you're not bombarding it with everything all at once and working in stages.
This photo is so killer. First off, the Plycraft Chair is a modern masterpiece (and super comfortable). Then, I'm just loving seeing this room take shape before my eyes.
I love a good awkward wall space or nook and cranny in any room. Gives another opportunity to tell a story and, in effect, create a greater mood for the whole room.
Now, I'm not talking about filling every little bit of wall with something...a la Bennigan's or other popular over-the-top restaurant chains...everything in moderation.
This little nook in our old Althea home is a place where I can show off my mini-collection of Frosty Montgomery pieces. These exceptional miniatures give a larger statement grouped together and they look lovely in our former, formal living room (intentional alliteration).
If you're beginning your art collection, look for small pieces by your favorite artists for starters. One, they will not break your bank, and two, if you're able to get several of them, they do the work of larger pieces when grouped together.
Happy decorating! Lynn.
Wallpaper is coming down all around us. And while I do enjoy a good bit of wallpaper [I prefer it in moderation on an accent wall or in a small guest bathroom], it can be a tedious process removing it.
I prefer a liquid remover. You can find a variety of them at your local hardware store or Home Depot. Just ensure you give the old wallpaper a good scoring/scratching and it will come off rather easily. We are fighting back a couple of layers of wallpaper in Althea, so while the process can be frustrating, the final look will be so worth it.
In the third photo down, you can also see our shutters going up which I absolutely love. Here's another photo of them...
More to come!
We always like to start a new project with getting a classic color of paint up. Our choice for The New Althea Project...Kitty Gray by Benjamin Moore. A vibrant, no-nonsense gray that really packs a punch. It looks excellent against the white trim...still will do some touching up and have plans for wallpaper (on the ceiling!...stay tuned).
Once the paint is up, you can get better organized and the space, overall, feels anew. Our first to-do was getting rid of that dreadful carpet. Those beautiful hardwood floors underneath we're aching to come out. They really are sharp.
Weekend One is over...paint is up and carpet is over. We have several more cosmetic touches on our long list of DIY renovations before we tackle the monsters that are the kitchen and garage. [That carpeting on the stairs will be up in no time!!] This home really does have some great bones and was very well taken care of. It just needs a little sprucing up.
We always recommend taking renovations in stride. Obviously, with a move, stress is already high. Manage your projects, finish one before moving on to others, and you really will deserve that Bud Light (for Mr. Jimmy) at the end of the day. And, when necessary, get experts involved. Not only with electrician work and other major muscle movements, but get a designer to come lend some advice. That is what we designers do for a living and thoroughly enjoy the process.
Stay with us as we continue with our new home and some styling tips from The New Althea Project!
Alright, y'all. Lynn and Jimmy just bought a new home on Althea Parkway (just down the way from their old Althea Parkway home) and here's what the New Althea looks like...GREAT bones and space.
And y'all know Lynn is going to do some great things in there. This is their first official weekend in the New Althea (as we're affectionately calling it). So be prepared for lots of painting, de-carpeting (etc.) pictures to come!
Happy housewarming, Lynn & Jimmy!!! Welcome to The New Althea Project.
Put the finishing touches on our four little cottages that we styled for Cohen's Retreat. Very excited about how they turned out. And tonight, you can go walk through each...The Bohemian Girl's Retreat, The Black & White Cottage, The Artist's Studio and The Coastal Cottage...each has a unique sensibility and story...AND pieces from each are for sale through Cohen's!
Cohen's is also going to rent out these little cottages in the future so that's pretty fun!! Go support local business and enjoy the opening of Cohen's Retreat tonight, 28 February 2014.
Two more progress shots from the styling job we're doing over at Cohen's Retreat for their grand opening (28 February!!). Excited to see these little cottages coming together. More to come!
Original art in the Bohemian Cottage (Top) is by our very own Jimmy Rahn; pillow by THE Lovelane Designs; and beds from the incredible Rest Stop team!
I like to come up with a little story when styling a space. For the second of four cottages that we're doing at Cohen's Retreat, I'm working up a Bohemian Girl's Oasis...a spot for that girl who doesn't have cable, kind of a floater, a thinker, a traveler, a philosopher to relax and read Tennison or journal the night away.
Come up with a story in your own space, what you want the room to reflect or how you want to feel in a bedroom/living room/office wherever. And if you get stumped, give me a call. I'd love to come help you fulfill your design dreams.
Excited to be a small part of the Cohen's Retreat opening (28 February 2014!!!). Clutter has been asked to style four cottages and we're just smitten over this little preview of our Working Artist's Studio cottage.
Lots of neutrals, a cozy spot to sit and sketch with some great light! There is more to come with our adventures at Cohen's so stick around!!
The store is styled up this week in full Limoge & Turtle Shell action in this rustic, yet sophisticated vignette. Really loving that turtle shells are so "in" right now, from Nate Berkus' Target line to our genuine assortment at Clutter, they add a great little statement. And because they are not too expensive, you can really create a great feature wall with an assortment of them.
It can get really frustrating styling a bookcase or shelf sometimes when you feel like pieces are not exactly speaking to each other or that one might be overwhelming to the whole scheme. I like to "play" until I've got a great conversation going between all the individual elements. The limoges above really speak to the super chic, white lamps and the coral (my favorite) sets the whole thing off without being too much.
Come talk to us at Clutter anytime for styling advice or just to gab about ideas for your home. Love dishing on my obsessions of the moment and sharing ideas!
2013 has been a great year. And before it ends...we just want to recap some of our favorite moments of the year on the blog with y'all!
Here are some of our FAVORITE moments in our Styled by Lynn series from this year:
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Lynn's Home Office
22 April 2013
In April, Lynn dished on reupholstering furniture and gallery walls. Her home office is her little oasis, and y'all deserve to have a space equally comfortable and stylish in your own homes.
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An Open Letter from Lynn
27 April 2013
Lynn offers some of her design (and blogging) philosophy in this open letter.
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Red
29 April 2013
Red can be a touch color to tackle...Lynn offers some advice on how to tone down the power of red and use it in refined and chic way in your home.
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Tablescapes
29 May 2013
How to set the scene on any horizontal surface...
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Warm Metals
09 June 2013
Using warm metal accessories to brighten up any space...
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Do Lampshades Right
25 June 2013
How to pick the right lampshade to add value to both the lamp and your space...
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Horns O' Plenty
05 November 2013
Working with taxidermy to really funk up (in a good way!) a space...
