Archive for December, 2010
Newly completed design project for Baltimore area client
I have been working with R on her master bedroom suite since the end of October. She contacted me after she purchased new (massive) furniture for her room. She was a very good customer and the furniture salesperson must have been pleased. She bought the entire suite and even bought two of the tall chests and a third nightstand.
The master bedroom's massive bed
There was no overhead lighting and only 2 small bedside lamps. The ceiling fan had no light and was a very modern style. The bed visually merged into the floor. The space was all dark finishes and hard surfaces. R wanted a more feminine space where she could relax.
New furniture lined up against the wall
All of the furniture was lined up on the wall.The furniture feels like it is standing at attention. There was no sense of balance. Again, a very dark elevation.
There was also this space. It was probably supposed to be a sitting area but it had 2 single and one double door as well as a large window. This space did not offer an obvious solution for furniture placement.
An awkward space in the master bedroom
Her master suite is very large but it still felt overwhelmed. You never would have expected me to bring in even more furniture.Through careful furniture placement and editing (I removed the third nightstand) we were able to create the bedroom area, a dressing area and a sitting area in a space that was previously only comfortable when you were in bed.
These photos were taken today right after I hung all of the art. The room is not styled and the camera is not professional. I just couldn’t wait to share these images!
The master bedroom now has a sitting area at the foot of the bed.
The awkward space is now a dressing area. I moved both tall dressers into this space, added a rug, bench and mirror. This is now a convenient, comfortable and elegant space for R and her husband to begin and end each day.I chose a second, more traditional rug for the space in front of the bed.
Awkward space turned into a dressing area
The traditional rug incorporates the gray, yellow, and chocolate colors found in the art and the bedding. It also coordinated well with her existing custom curtain panels.
Ethnic art chosen by my client
The furniture is no longer lined up like soldiers
Great Home Decorating Sources in Baltimore
I was very lucky to spend Friday with Meg at Pigtown Design. She hosted a ” Shop Hop” of some of her favorite sources in Baltimore. This was a great opportunity for me to explore parts of Baltimore that were unfamiliar as well as to get an insider’s look behind the scenes at one very special shop.
We started our day at Housewerks. They specialize in architectural salvage and have some of the most interesting and unique pieces I have ever seen first-hand. In addition to the items for sale, the building itself is an architectural salvage wonder. You can read all about Housewerks on their web site. Their inventory is constantly evolving. While we were there, one of our group purchased some enormous glass fishing floats in a great shade of green.
After Houswerks, we continued by visiting McLain Weisand. They gave us a tour of their workroom and we go to see their artistry in action. In addition to the location in Baltimore, they sell their pieces through furniture showrooms. The store in Baltimore also has some great smaller decorative items. I bought some resin molds of architectural ornaments for my Christmas tree. They also had some antiques and jewelry.
Work Room at McLain Weisand
Our next stop was Red Tree. It’s a quirky store with a great combination of unusual gifts, home decor and furniture. I had to walk around the store at least twice in order to see everything. I bought some mini pinecones and dried berries to add to my holiday decor as well as a small gift for my husband (shh, it’s a secret). They also generously gave each of us a gift. A lovely dove tree ornament made of ivory felt. Thank you Red Tree!
Next we had lunch at The Dizz. Located on the top floor of an assisted living home, it has the best views of Baltimore I have ever seen. The food is good and the decor is very casual. I will definitely bring my family here the next time we have out-of-town guests.
The Dizz Rooftop Restaurant. Roland Park, BaltimoreThe view from The Dizz rooftop restaurant in Baltimore
Across the street is The Turnover Shop. This is a well-curated consignment store with furniture, china, accessories, jewelry and art. I almost came home with a primitive wood doll on a stand. I stopped when I realized that my daughters would never let her just sit on a table and be admired. She reminded me of the reproduction santos that I have seen in some catalogues.
The Turnover Shop, Roland Park, Baltimore
We were a little late getting to Gore-Dean. It is not easy to keep a group on schedule when thee is so much to see. We walked in the doors and were greeted with the most amazing and subtle aroma from some of their candles and reed diffusers. This store has a great collection of upholstered furniture and wood pieces as well as table-settings, accessories and art. One of our group bought the fir scented candle. It was very realistic and not perfumey (real word?).
Our last stop was supposed to be Mount Clare for their shop and greens sale. They had an interesting variety of vendors and the greens were very fresh. This should have been our last stop but we couldn’t resist one last stop at DuBois Textiles. I’m so glad we went there! They have some very high-end designer fabrics (Ralph Lauren, Kelly Wearstler, and more) at extremely low prices (less than $5 a yard). I will be working on a pair of chairs and plan to return there for my fabric.
This was a fun and exhausting day. I saw some parts of Baltimore that I didn’t know before, met some great people, and was introduced to some fantastic sources for home decor.
Thank you Meg for putting this together! I will definitely be joining you for future shop hops.
‘Til Next Time,
Make Yours A
Welcome Home
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 2 so far )
The Welcome Home 