You never really know what you are getting in to when visiting a clients house for the first time. When we first visited our cute new homeowner back in April 2021 she had just moved in and was looking to hire us to pretty much design the entire house. K, as we will call her, is a bit younger than most of our clients. So Shauna felt she might be a little more adventurous with her design and man, it is SO sexy. The first room we tackled was the living room. It was a blank slate but had built in cabinets that K was not a fan of. So, we pulled out the shelves, put a new stone top on the lower cabinets and installed a cool light fixture above the artwork. The fireplace was refaced in a black porcelain tile to give it a sleek modern look.

BEFORE

RESOURCES
​Sofa: Four Hands from Burke Decor
Chairs: Wayfair
Coffee Table: Arteriors
End Tables: Anthropologie
Drink Table: West Elm
Rug: Oriental Rug Galaxy. Similar here
Chandelier: Hudson Valley Lighting
Wall Sconces: Hudson Valley Lighting
​Art: Client's collection, similar here
Circle pillows: Etsy
​
While we waited an eternity for these sofas to come in, we went upstairs to the media room. Now, you'll know that we love a mural. So we hired our friend Captain Casual to do this cool Op-Art mural on all the walls. Maybe not so great an idea to hang out here after a few too many cocktails, but perfect for movie night! Leather coffee table doubles as an ottoman, and we tucked two additional stools on either side of the media console so everyone can put their feet up.

 RESOURCES
Sectional: West Elm
Rug: West Elm
Swivel Chairs: Wayfair
Coffee Table: Four Hands
End Table: CB2
Stools: Wayfair (reupholstered)
Chandelier: Arteriors
Lamps: Regina Andrew
Pillows and fabric: Hapi Art

​Moving right along, our most recent room to complete was the dining room. "A place to host a sexy dinner party" was the direction we were given and when K came to Shauna's house for a meeting and fell in love with her Wendy Morrison rug, we jumped off from there. We ended up having a custom square rug made that fit the space perfectly.
We love the contrast of the somewhat masculine dining table with the floral rug, velvet console and sexy chandelier. K is a HUGE Kacey Musgraves fan so we bought this photo in the largest size possible and had it framed in a hot pink to coordinate with the wallpapered tray ceiling.

RESOURCES
Dining table: Arhaus
Dining chairs: Arhaus
Console: Anthropologie
Mirror: Anthropologie
Lamps: Crate & Barrel
Chandelier: Homeowners, similar here
Rug: Wendy Morrison
Photograph: Getty Images

What's next on our list? The main bedroom and guest room. Stay tuned! 

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Back in 2019 (seems like ages ago, right?) we wrote about all the Fall trends that we were swooning over at Anthropologie. It seems we are always swooning over something at Anthropologie but that's another blog post. The trend curve for home decor is a mighty long one, primarily because of the investment made in buying furniture. Unless you are Jeff Bezos or something, you likely can't afford to redecorate your home every couple of years. (If you ARE like Jeff Bezos and CAN afford this, please contact us immediately so we can help you spend your money.)
ANYWAY, one of the trends we wrote about was rattan and cane furniture and let me tell you, the obsession has not waned. No longer relegated to the patio or sunroom, the incorporation of natural elements in a space adds an additional level of texture and warmth. Plus for us Gen Xers, rattan and cane furniture rank right up there with macramé and avocado green on the nostalgia meter and don't we all need a little vintage flashback in our lives? 
I know, I know, get to the point you say. We've rounded up some of our favorite cane accent chairs with price points for every budget. Don't be discouraged if they are out of stock until September. Remember that long trend curve. Plus, if you love it, it will always be on trend.

1. Ankara Black Cane Chair -- Crate & Barrel
2. Mulholland Cane Chair -- Industry West
3. Autumn Club Chair -- One Kings Lane
4. Linen Cane Chair -- Anthropologie
5.Carole Rattan and Metal Chair -- Urban Outfitters
6. Marte Lounge Chair -- Urban Outfitters
7. Hallie Lounge Chair -- Urban Outfitters
8. Tulip Accent Chair -- One Kings Lane
9. Henredon Cane Back Chair -- Chairish

​This post contains affiliate links and we may be compensated for purchases made via these links.

So, here's the way our most favorite projects go: 
Client: Hi Shauna! I want you to come do my living room.
SGD: Great! Yes, we'd love to, when can we meet?
Client: Here's my dilemma, I love your work, do your magic.
SGD: Here's what we want to do, OK with you?
Client: Perfect, when can you start?
SGD: Ready to install, you are going to love it
Client: I can't wait, when can I see?
**BIG REVEAL**
SGD: What do you think? Do you love it?
Client: OMG! This is amazing, I love it so much! Thank you!
3 MONTHS LATER
Client: OK, I've saved up some more money, can you come do our bedroom? 
We LOVE when this happens. And such was the case when a close friend of Shauna's bought an AMAZING MCM home in the Ridglea Hills neighborhood of Fort Worth. One of those homes you drive by and say, "this is what MCM is all about". Definitely the coolest house on the block. And what really got the team excited was A. The original terrazzo floors and B. The atrium in the middle of the house. 

Our first project was the living/dining room. A wide open space that gave us plenty of flexibility for furniture layout, we anchored the leather sectional with a great rug to create the main sitting area. The niche area between the bookshelves was a perfect place to add a console table and accent chairs that can be pulled in for additional seating. Vintage lamps were updated with new shades to keep with the mid-century aesthetic. 

Resources: 
Leather sectional: Client's own, similar here
Rug: RugsUSA
Coffee Table: Home Goods, similar here
Bench: Custom, similar here 
Accent Chairs: Anthropologie
Console Table: Client's own, similar here
Garden Stools: Wayfair
Lamps: Vintage, similar here

To define a dining space, we hung two pendants under the dining table situated against the wall. Then added chairs from West Elm to the existing table and bench. Artwork from Captain Casual hangs behind the bench, and a bar cart in the corner houses vintage glassware.
Resources: 
Dining table: Client's, similar here
Dining chairs: West Elm
Pendants: Wayfair
Art: Captain Casual

In the powder bath, Shauna was inspired by some graffiti art wallpaper that she fell in love with and hand drew on the walls with a paint pen. The walls were given a painted wainscoting in a bold blue to provide contrast. Yes it took forever (7 hours!), and yes, she had hand cramps for days. But, the client loved it and she'd do it again in a heartbeat. 
Resources: 
Wall Paint: Blue Mosque by Sherwin Williams
Art: Society 6
Mirror: Client's, similar here. 
Hand Towel: Client's, similar here. 

Our most recent project in the home was the master bedroom. The West Elm Platform bed was new so we worked with that and added new bedding, a wallpapered feature wall, this amazing vintage Moroccan rug and new bedside tables. The client also had some vintage chests that we incorporated in to the room for more storage. Lastly, the shoji style sliding doors were painted on the inside with a hot cherry red. You can see a glimpse of the atrium across the hall from the bedroom, what an amazing view to wake up to! 
Resources: 
Bed: West Elm
Bedside tables: Blu Dot at All Modern
Lamp: West Elm
Bench: Blu Dot
Rug: Chairish, similar here and here
Bedding: Annie Selke
Wallpaper: Scion from Style Library
​Chandelier: Original to home
Paint color: Cherries Jubilee from Sherwin Williams

Apparently, the patio is next, so stay tuned! 
This post contains affiliate links and we may be compensated for purchases made via these links. 

Quick quiz: What's the easiest and cheapest way to update your space? Well, based on the title of the blog, I think you know the answer. With pillow covers as low as $29, you can have a fresh new look for less than $200. Want another tip? Buying separate pillow covers and inserts make for super easy switch outs.  For nice full pillows, go up a size in your insert. So, if your pillow is 18 x 18", buy a 20 x 20" insert. Our favorite inserts are from Amazon and come in every size imaginable. Now, for the fun stuff. West Elm and Crate & Barrel have some really amazing pillows right now. Shauna has been updating her living room and well, we are totally inspired. Shop the look below.

1. Fuentes Plaid Pillow 
2. Luana Striped Pillow
3. Embroidered House Plant Pillow Cover
4. Brenner Velvet Pillow
5. Moyano Black Patterned Pillow
6. Mongolian Lamb Pillow Cover
7. Corded Rippled Circles Pillow Cover
8. Taavi Turkish Silk Pillow
9. Embroidered Jeweled Chevron Pillow Covers
Bonus! All pillows, bedding and throws at West Elm are 25% off. Get shopping!

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New year, new you. Isn't that what we always hear? And as we wrap up 2018, some of our clients are already getting a jump start on their newness with all kinds of projects. Good thing, we like it busy with a side of chaotic. For those of you mulling the idea of updating your home in 2019, we pulled together some of the top home decor and design trends that we are gravitating towards. Some of them (minimalism) (?!!) just aren't our style, so we'll smile graciously and wave to the all white lacquered room as we pass by. Hopefully this will give you some inspiration for getting your own project started. Or just call us. We'll always make room for one more! 

Bathrooms

Two of our favorite bathroom trends are floor to ceiling wall tile and matte black hardware. For greater visual interest, we picked two different tile patterns from Ann Sacks. Ceramic tile flooring that is made to resemble wood is also a top trend for the bathroom. Stick with light colors for an open, airy feel. While we love the matte black fixtures, it's always fun to mix up the metals as with these brass accents in the light fixtures, mirror and hardware. And don't be afraid to have some fun by incorporating a bold wallpaper, especially in a powder room. 

Kitchens

OK, so we have thing for blue in the kitchen. Seems as though we are not alone in that as  blue cabinetry is one of the top kitchen trends for 2019. Along with patterned tile backsplashes and waterfall countertops, today's kitchens are anything but plain Jane. And the same wood textured tile we loved so much in the bathroom is also the perfect flooring for your kitchen. How cool is it in black? 

Living Spaces

Turns out that another big decorating trend for 2019 is pattern mixing. Hello, have we met? Glad to see you've joined the fun! It's no secret that we love pattern and texture, and we will mix anything we love with anything else. Don't be shy! Go for it! In other trend news, statement light fixtures have moved beyond just the dining room. I know we all love our ceiling fans but give these beauties a try. On the more elegant side, curved barrel style chairs and Art Deco style curved sofas are an upcoming trend. Combine with brass accents and you have a chic space to serve those retro cocktails.  
Need help with an upcoming project? Contact us here, or email. We'd love to give you a fresh start for 2019!

A few weeks ago we shared with you a little bit of the Lakehouse project we were working on. Well, we were back in Athens yesterday to finish up and OMG, y'all. It. Is. Gorgeous! The clients were such a joy to work with and super thrilled with everything we did. Kinda scary going in to a project where you have free reign to do whatever you want. I mean, we have some wacky ideas sometimes. But, it all came together beautifully. We hope they enjoy many happy family weekends in this amazing home! 
​
Living Room

Resources
Sofas: Article
Swivel chairs: All Modern
Console table: Wisteria
Coffee table: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
Sideboard: All Modern
​Rug: Houzz

Master Bedroom

Resources: 
Bed: West Elm
Nightstands: Wayfair
Bedding: Rebecca Atwood
Lamps: Pottery Barn
Print Rug: Anthropologie
Jute Rug: Houzz
Bench: Wisteria

Family Room

Resources:
Sectional: Wayfair
Coffee Table: Wayfair
Rug: Houzz

Guest Room

Resources:
Bed: Pottery Barn
Bedding: Pottery Barn
Nightstands: Wayfair
Table Lamps: Ballard Designs
Artwork: Pottery Barn
Rugs: Houzz
Chair: Birch Lane

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As you by now surely now, we are a huge fan of color. Lots of color, mix and match color. Textured color. Unexpected color. One of the reasons for that is the energy that color conveys. While we appreciate calm and serene neutrals, there is just something about the vibrancy and "happy pops" that a colorful room conveys. In the latest issue of 817 Home Magazine, Shauna talks about her design influences and how color plays such a huge part of her aesthetic. Shauna also believes that your house should be a reflection of your life, so she encourages clients to bring out treasures they have acquired from family or travel and incorporate them in to the decor of a room. When you surround yourself with favorite pieces, it just brings even more joy to a space. "I think everyone needs color. There's just something about a neutral backdrop and happy pops, especially if it's carried throughout a room." Read more here.