The Dynamic Duo

My two favourite colours, bar none, are blue and green. Without exception. People who have seen my home will not be surprised. Frankly, even if you have seen only my blog header, the above statement may be just cause for an eye roll. "Really, you say? I had no idea!" Now, while I am partial to nearly every shade of both - everything from pale sky to navy, and from celadon to emerald, my absolute favourites are the pale, watery colours that can be found in nature - in beach glass, in hostas and hydrangeas, and, even on the eggs hatched by Martha Stewart's Araucana chickens! Aren't they cool? Not that I really have any interest in raising chickens, but if I ever did, I would want a few of these!

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And, not only do I love this classic pairing, it would seem that many others do as well:

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Have a great evening!
Kerry

Inspiration

Yesterday, I shared an inspiration photo for my friend's built-in cabinetry. With that big decision out of the way, we focused on the MANY others that needed to be made...and quickly! Construction was set to begin before we knew it.

We picked this gorgeous Kentwood North American Red Oak hardwood for the flooring:

Next came the fabric selections (for drapes, accent pillows, and upholstery). This was SUCH a fun process and we both LOVED the end grouping. Here is the principal fabric (used on inverted pleat drapery panels and on one 20 x 20 " accent pillow):

Isn't it fantastic??? It has all of the colours that we were hoping to pull into the room and it has the most interesting texture (like a heavy linen with lots of "slub.") It is from Tonic Living.

For paint, we tried out at least a dozen colours on the wall, as well as on pieces of cardboard. Finally, we found a deliciously rich hue that has lots of depth, warmth, and character (although there is something to be said about the name - "Drab" by Farrow & Ball).

And then for all of the millwork in the room (crown, wainscoting, window casings, baseboards, and even the ceiling) we picked Benjamin Moore's OC-33 "Opaline" which is a tried and true colour for me  - it is such a beautiful shade of creamy white (and, as an added bonus, the finish on the built-in cabinetry is almost a perfect match! We did well - it looks great!

And here is an "all put together" look that I created using Olioboard.

So, obviously individual items are not to scale, but this "mood board" certainly does give you the overall "feeling" of what the space will look like upon completion, right?

Well, the room is almost complete - two 2' x 2' fixed picture windows with an interior leaded glass grill in a traditional diamond pattern still need to be installed, but is pretty much it. I will have reveal photos to share with you very shortly - wait until you see - it is sooo gorgeous!!!

Until next time,
Kerry

Decisions, Decisions

A few months ago, a good friend of mine (also named Carrie) called to tell me that she was looking to redesign/redecorate her sunken family room and would I help? Now you have to understand, I was still a new student at that time and had never tackled a project that big (other than in my own home) or that detailed before. After my initial hesitation was over (based on a very REAL feeling of unreadiness), I jumped in with two feet and haven't looked back since. I have learned so much, and it has been a very rewarding project - not to mention fun!

At the top of Carrie's wish list (understandable given the fact that she has THREE teenage boys) was storage (for media equipment, games, books, etc.) I wanted to get a feel for the look she was after, so I showed her the following pictures of built-in cabinetry:

We thought this one was interesting, especially given that the back of the shelving has been painted in a darker colour. Hmmm...1

This one was also cool - ample storage, but maybe a little too contemporary for her overall aesthetic? 2

This one boasts clean, simple lines and minimal detail. Lovely, but again, a little too modern. 3

Wow! What a gorgeous space! We loved many elements of this design - we can feel that a decision is right around the corner. 4

And, finally, we have a winner! This image "spoke" to both of us and we put the design plan in motion. 5  


We loved the clean lines, the flat shaker profile on the cabinets, the antique bronze hardware, and just the warmth - doesn't it look inviting? I would love to pick a book from one of those shelves and curl up in a cozy chair beside it to read.

I will be back soon to share further details with you about this project.

Have a great weekend!

Have you heard?

of Olioboard? It is an amazing site that I discovered a few months back - it lets you create your own "mood" or "inspiration" boards using easy-to-navigate tools and it gives you access to a huge bank of images (150,000+). What's more, there is an clipper tool that you can install in your browser bar (similar to Pinterest) which means you can search and save an unlimited number of images. There is a built-in budget tool, a source guide, a Benjamin Moore colour palette tool, and I haven't even told you the best part yet - it is FREE!!! The Pro Plan ($9.95/month) has some additional features to offer, but the basic building tools are only a click away.

I have been having a lot of fun creating these boards and have found that my clients LOVE them. Now, while nothing can replace the touch and feel experience of an actual inspiration board, this one is quick to produce, can easily be edited if a client wants changes, and it can be emailed and even posted on facebook. By now you may be wondering if this is an Olioboard sponsored post, and the answer would be no! I just really love this site and I urge you to try it. If I can navigate it, then so can you!

As one of my recent assignments for school, I had to hypothetically redesign one of the rooms in my home - I chose my master ensuite because it is in SUCH need of a makeover! So, after writing down all of the things I would change about the room and why, I shared my inspiration for what I'd love the room to look like...one day...a girl can dream...can't she?

Here is what I came up with:

Super fun! And just as soon as the money tree in my backyard decides to bloom again, I can turn this dream into a reality.

Kerry

Teal is Tried and True

It is no secret that I LOVE the colour teal - in fact, my grade 12 prom dress was a ridiculous crinolined teal number with dyed shoes to match - and I loved it! Fairly safe to say, this deep and opulent colour fell out of fashion for a while - I am sure that my ensemble didn't help matters any - but recent sightings have deemed it once again worthy of a front and center place in our wardrobes and in our homes.

Also referred to as blue-green, dark aquamarine, cyan, and even peacock, this complex colour is as versatile as it is bold - and it seems to complement so many other colours! Here are some of my favourite uses:

I love this tufted "City Chic" sofa by Old Hickory Tannery and it can be found here at Horchow.

Check out this great space - the future palette of my office??? Yum! I love the grouping of vases on the top shelf, and, how cute is that lattice patterned stool? I found this inspiration on Pinterest.

This is more of a traditional fabric, but it would look stunning in a slightly formal dining room, either on upholstered chair pads or on drapery panels. This fabric is from Tonic Living right here in Toronto.

And I don't even have to look back at photos of that 1989 prom dress, I KNOW that this dress from Ruche is MUCH more chic!

And teal grasscloth wallpaper? Are you kidding me? LOVE! I love grasscloth in ANY colour, but in teal? Fabulous!

What I love the most about the above picture is how the majority of the room reads more or less "neutral." Yet, adding in some subtle teal accents  is enough to take this room from good to GREAT!

And finally, teal glass backsplash tiles - how gorgeous are these? Shiny and reflective, just like a deep swimming pool.

Oops - I lied. I couldn't quite stop there. Here is a wallpaper that I absolutely adore from York Wallcoverings. Oh, how I would love to wallpaper my dining room in this paper!

Do you share my affinity for this colour? If so, tell me what you love!
Have a great evening!
Kerry

Teenage Dream part 2

Wasn't the weather totally bizarre today? One minute it was snowing, then pouring rain, then sunny, and then the entire cycled just repeated itself. Over and over. Well, at least if it wasn't bright and sunny outside today, it certainly was in Emma's bedroom where the transformation continues to take place. We decided to go with a fairly light shade of yellow for the walls - light and airy was the overall goal, so we chose Benjamin Moore 2022-60 "Light Yellow."

And for all of the trim, we chose Benjamin Moore OC-130 "Cloud White."

Now for some hardware. Emma has wanted a black chandelier for quite some time, so we thought, why not? Let's glam it up (plus, it looks great with the black desk). We selected this beauty from The Home Depot: 

A subtle matte finish on this fixture tones it down to just the right level (at the end of the day, this is a 12-year-old's bedroom, not a night club, right?) Emma LOVES it! 

Now for storage, we picked this 3-drawer chest from Ikea - it is a GREAT price and looks great beside  the white finish on Emma's bed, as well as with the trim colour. 

For some visual interest and surface protection, we added a glass top and these AMAZING glass knobs from Anthropologie.

And now, for the "piece de resistance," (well, personally, I think this room has more than one), we wanted to give Emma a spectacular headboard. We decided to create a MDF headboard attached right to the wall, and then wallpaper inside the recessed space. This was our inspiration shot from House and Home (via Pinterest)  

And this is the stunning wallpaper that we chose for this DIY project: 

York Wall Coverings in "Open Trellis" from the Silhouette Collection. Be still my beating heart!!! :) 

I can't wait for this project to be finished so that I can share the reveal with you! 

Have a great evening! Kerry 

Teenage Dream

What 12 year old girl wouldn't dream of having a bedroom makeover? Well, when my friend Tracy asked me to design a new space for her daughter Emma, I jumped at the chance. You see...I have BOYS. It is rare that I get to express my feminine side, and here I was, getting to design an entire room based around bright, vibrant colours - I was tickled PINK!
After speaking with Emma and her mom, and learning her favourite colours, her hobbies, and what she likes to do in her room (i.e. Does she do homework at a desk? Would she like to curl up by the window in a cozy chair and read a book?), I took this information and began looking for inspiration. I soon found my jumping off point in the form of these beautiful fabrics from Amy Butler Designs. Here are the ones we ordered from Fabric.com in all of their girly glory.

Aren't they gorgeous? They are from her Midwest Modern collection and look even better IRL! These fabrics are in the process of being made into pillows (in a variety of sizes and shapes) for Emma's bed.
We plan on using the scraps to make her a memo board to hang over her desk. And speaking of desks, this is the one we purchased for her.

It is from Ikea and is going to receive a coat of black paint in a lacquered finish (because every teen or tween's room deserves a little glam, wouldn't you agree)? To go along with the desk, we picked up this chair, also from Ikea,

and it is going to get sprayed in this gorgeous shade of turquoise.

"Refreshing Teal" (2039-70) by Benjamin Moore. It is going to look stunning! 

I will be back tomorrow to share more details about Emma's room. Good night! 

Kerry 

the first post!

Welcome to the well-nested interiors blog! I hope that you will visit often and stay awhile.

Lots of this is new for me, so please hang in there while I get my bearings.

I am in LOVE with my blog header and I have this exceptionally talented woman to thank - Joelle of InBloom Studio designed my logo, business cards, this blog, and very soon, a website! I am so very excited about this new venture (I've been dreaming about it for years) and also VERY grateful to Joelle for helping to bring my vision to life.

I have had the recent opportunity to work on some super fun design projects - several good friends have put their faith in me before I even graduate - thanks guys! Anyway, a couple of these projects are wrapping up shortly and I will then share some great before and after shots. Watching a space transform right before your eyes is a fantastic experience!

Today I woke up to find a vase filled with stunning yellow tulips on the kitchen table. This was a nice surprise from my husband, Scott, and I realized, once again, just how much a simple bunch of flowers can lift one's spirits AND add a little colour and texture to a room. Here are some images of flowers that do just that:

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Happy spring!
Kerry