Friday's: A Few of My Favorite Things

I love flowers and greenery in my decor. The feng shui folks will agree- it's a must. It adds an element that is irreplaceable- an absolute necessity. These above are from Botanik.

I love beautiful doors. Not just the exterior front door- I love homes where all of the interior doors are beautiful as well. My old college friend Staci once told me that when she gets tired of a car, she just buys a new car stereo, and then she loves it again. Are you tired of your house? Maybe you just need new doors. This door is from Portera Doors in Pasadena. Don't have $ for all new fabulous doors? Go watch Adam Sandler in Big Daddy this weekend. His loser girl friend who dumps him for the old guy has a fabulous black doors in her apartment- maybe you could just paint your doors...

One of my favorite things is incorporating the old in with the new. This is a 1940's vintage surveyor's lamp. I find it fabulous! From Factory 20.

What else are my favorite things? Rascal Flatts, running and frozen yogurt. What are your faves?

Before and After

I so rarely get "after" pictures- and I always find them so interesting. This one comes from Dawna- my long lost college friend. She had some awkward "cubbies" in her wall and we discussed changing them to more of a "bookcase" look. Her husband designed and built them- he did a great job- don't you think?

Dawna asked me what to add to the mantle and the shelves. The mantle is a little tricky- as you know I feel like there should always be "overlap"- but with a TV- "overlap" is not good. I would however- see if I could find a piece of greenery that is long and short- that overlaps the TV a little- but not so much that it is in the way of the screen itself- or any area that you need exposed for remote purposes... Is that possible? I don't know. her bookcase are easier. She needs some more color and substance- like the canister at the top of the post.- Nothing too small- go as large as you have room for. Your paint color looks great! Your rug looks great! Your floors look great! I would also add some long panels on the windows and you are set! (not a solid color- I would do a pattern- you only have pattern in the rug- you need some pattern at eye level.)

Thanks for the after pics!

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The Beautiful Basement Bookcase

Christine,
First of all, I LOVE your site- thanks for blogging!
Secondly- would you mind telling me the manufacturer of the white bookcase featured in your second 'basements' blog? You were talking about painting the 'family made' bookcases white, and attached a photo of a white double-door bookcase I love.
I may reach out to you for some help with my home, if that is okay with you- I have a couple of small bedrooms that could use some help, as well as a man-cave basement that I'm trying to accessorize.
Thanks in advance,
Kim Hardy

Dear Kim,

Thanks for asking, I should have included the source. I do, however, remember the source- it was William Sonoma Home. I looked on their web site and did not see the same piece. The post is about a year old. They have the piece above in white. Notice how the trim on the top is the same? It has a very similar feel to it, but without the glass doors. They have a desk in the same style that I really like as well.

Write in any time!

Thanks,

Christine

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Wallpaper Wednesday

Today's wallpaper Wednesday is for Jen, who is getting married this Saturday. She is so in love

that she is finding hearts in her strawberries and photographing them.... aahhhh....

Jen's "signature color" is yellow. So I found some fabulous yellow wallpapers for today's post from Farrow and Ball. Which is your favorite?

#1
#2

#3
#4

#5

#6

#7#8#9

Congratulations Jen!

The Perfect Romantic Dining Room

Frequent readers of my blog hear me harping about the boringness of drywall. Back east, where I grew up, homes had wood trim. For some reason, here in California, builders can get away with building million dollar homes that don't even have the windows trimmed out- let alone any paneling or wood beams in sight. (I wont' get into the architecture itself today... ) Some of the older cities and towns have some charm however. Pasadena, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, Montecito, San Francisco.... This picture is from my "Santa Barbara Design and Style" magazine. What a beautiful ceiling! The paneling and beams add a coziness and charm that cannot be under valued. The wood paneling with it's aged washed finish is breathtaking! There is a lot to notice in this one dining room- the chandelier, elegant window treatments, table decor, antique fireplace, beautiful furnishings- what is your favorite aspect? Compare this dining room to your own, from this great example- what can you change in your own home?

Oh yes, and have you voted? ;) go here to vote.

And if you've written in a design question for me- go here. :)

A Ticket to Tuscany

Hi Christine,

I saw your blog and offer for designing advice. I am finishing my basement and wanted to get your thoughts on layout and design. I have a large space which is about 2400 square feet. I wanted to include an exercise room, wet bar, storage, full bathroom with steam shower, bedroom, pool table, wine cellar and home theater. I want a dramatic space with earth tones and a Tuscan/old world feel. I attached a schematic of the unfinished and preliminary design I came up with. Keep in mind that the bedroom and bathroom locations are fixed due to plumbing and egress window placement.

A few questions for you:

- Am I optimizing the space for my needs?

- How would you layout the wet bar? I want something large that makes a statement.

- The wine cellar will be the first thing you see when you get down the stairs. What else can I do to make it stand out?

- The space is large enough to relocate the pool table between the bar and theater. Is this is a good idea? If so, what other options would you consider for the pool table area?

- Any design/finish ideas to give the dramatic old world feel I am looking for?

Thanks for your help.

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

You clearly have given this layout some thought and you have done a terrific job. Here are a few thoughts for you:

1. Vary your wall art. Use some paintings, (the one below is 80 inches wide) some metal, some mirrors, some plaques.


(wall decor from Uttermost)




2. Keep your fabrics rich and use lots of different pattern. Your rooms don't have a lot of furniture- and there are not long drapes- so use furniture that incorporates multiple patterns in single pieces. (furniture and mirror from Horchow)


3. Don't forget a lighting plan. Start with light from the ceiling. Put directional lighting to accent art and wall decor. Add overall lighting with cans on dimmers throughout. Add a hanging light over the pool table. Add sconces in your theater room,- I added six sconces in my drawing- and lamps in your living area and bedroom. Add some nice quality faux greens to every room. Put uplights on timers next to each one. Add hanging lights over the table near the wet bar. Think of LAYERS of light.


4. Add a bench to the foot of the bed. Consider a couple of end tables with your chairs. Not because the design needs them so much, but because the lighting plan needs the lamps.


5. In your wet bar area- curve the bar to mimic the curve in the round table- see my altered floorplan. This will give the area a richer more dramatic feel.
   
   
   
   
6. Add some old world columns leading you into the sitting area- (cast stone columns like those used outside would also be perfect for a Tuscan interior. repeat them by the wet bar where you have an existing column. Find some cool art for the pool room especially. Fill the walls with art in that room and put directional lighting throughout. With only a pool table- this will be what still gives that room ambiance and style.


7. To create your Tuscan feel, you will need to do more than just select "Tuscan" furniture.

• Your walls need a Tuscan old world texture to them.





• Consider paneling the theater room and wallpapering the bedroom.


• Don't forget your ceilings. Do a cool surface on the ceilings of your main area with the wet bar pool table and sitting area- perhaps a wood ceiling, (only if you do not have wood floors) or a wallpaper ceiling- a metal or raised relif celing would be fantastic.



• I participated in a home show a few years back where the wine cellar had an amazing wine country Tuscan mural. - that would be something to consider. The one below can be found here.



• Carpet does not say "Old World Tuscan" at all. I would do a distressed hardwood or chiseled edge stone . (Except in your theater room where sound is an issue.) Adding some great rugs will also add to your atmosphere.
• I would add floor skirts in place of baseboards. I would have my doors and mouldings either a warm dark wood or painted a darker color. No white. White is not Tuscan. :)
  

So- there you go- it will look fabulous! What a fantastic basement you are going to have! Talk about party central! Invite me over! I'll bring "Ticket to Ride." (am I a partier or what?)

Hey everyone- don't forget to vote :)

Enter to Win- and of course, to help me win :)

For all of you who tell me "You're the Best!" Well- now you can vote for me :) And if you vote for at least ten categories, you enter yourself into a drawing for $250 cash. This is for Style Magazine. Just click here and under Favorite Interior Designer - which is under "Shopping and Services" put in my name: Christine Fife. Under "Favorite Local Website"- (which is the last line under Community) you could also put designwithchristine.com- if you so choose :)

Hey! Thanks!

Christine

What do you think?

In my June Southern Living magazine I saw this little article showing a vanity being used as a bedside table. I don't have a vanity and yet dream of the life where I can leisurely sit and carefully apply make up and hold the curling iron in my hair as I SIT and look at my design magazines and sip my herbal tea. My master bath is plenty big, but requires a complete overhaul to produce a sit down vanity- which will not happen for years. And so- when I came across this article- I loved the idea. This particular vanity is from Drexel Heritage. The chair is from a junk store - re-upholstered by a talented person like Tamlynn :). The fabulous rick rack fabric is from Studio Bon.

Of course- what gives the room style is the wallpaper :).- From Osborne and Little- Benvarden W5600. What do you think? Would you like a vanity for a bedside table? The only issue I see is that my husband is still sleeping sometimes when I am getting ready...

Beth's Den- Wallpaper Wednesday

Today I will interject in orange.

Hi Christine,

I found your site when I was researching the Benjamin Moore paint color "Vellum". Now I check in all the time and love all the advice you give! I am in desperate need of some help updating my den/home office. It measures 13' x 16'9" (excluding stairs), 2 windows on 16'9" wall and a 5' wide arched opening on the 13' wall. Square off the opening, make the opening a little wider and add a couple of columns. New cut-and-loop carpet is being installed in 2 weeks (it's a soft yellow, like butter, close to the color in the sofa...with a small square pattern). Could you help with furniture placement, I can't update your furniture very well. You can get a slip cover for the sofa- but the wing back chair won't slip cover very well... Let's just get new :) My plan for you includes new furniture- :) I tried to keep the cost low since it maybe wasn't in your plans. The plaid is just too strong a print. I suggest that you use the long wall with the windows on it for your desk. Have a Formica or wood counter made that goes wall to wall. put your lateral file under it for support on one side and the two banks of drawers on the other. (cut the desk up- take out the center leaving just the two banks of drawers. See my drawing and feel free to ask questions. This vision is a little hard to explain. Paint your files and drawers linen white. draperies and shades/blinds, I am recommending Roman Shades- I show them below. lighting, below art belowand accessories? below Most small furniture, lighting,art, etc. has already been removed from the room. Keep your secretary just where you have it. Remove everything else.- Except your end table- put it next to the daybed with a lamp on it. I was wondering about a flush mount ceiling light, The room needs more light than that. I added eight can lights- on a dinmmer and two sconces and two pendants a lamp and two uplights. (put the uplights on a timer) What can I say- you did as a designer... upholstered desk chair (with or without a skirt), area rug, the rug is from homedecorator.com I'd get the 5'3" x 8' 3" for under your chair to protect the carpet- but I do worry a little that it might be hard to roll on.- but office chairs destroy carpet- and this adds great color and pattern. ($359)upholstered narrow ottoman with casters....I loved it when you told Kate (2nd home kitchen renovation) to "follow my instructions exactly...and then send in pictures"!! I am great at following instructions and using a camera!!! BTW, I work from home and will use this room everyday.

Thanks! BethFor the art on the wall with the front door- this painting from Ballard Designs with a sconce on either side would be great. Use hardwired if you can fit it in the budget- but otherwise- candle sconces would also be great.

The office chair is from Ballard Designs.

The daybed is from Pottery Barn. I like the colors- red yellow and blue- they are timeless.I would use the gold shade to re-paint your green mouldings. Paint the walls a linen color- and add a band of these Wallies vinyl appliques around the entire room. (have the strip at about five feet.) Go ahead and hang the art right over top where it meets up. Use this gold color to match your mouldings. You have some bold color in your furnishings and accessories- keep your walls light and neutral- but not boring.

Hang two pendant lights over your work space. The ottoman is from overstock.com- only $299.

The Roman Shade is from Country Curtains- about $50/ each.

. On the wall space in between your windows- put organizer stuff that looks nice- Pottery Barn is good for this type of thing. Check out the two examples...

OK- so follow my instructions exactly and take a picture :) It will be fabulous! You will never want to leave the room!

Cool Off

It is hot. Today will be the fourth day in a row that we were in the triple digits. UGGHHH. I wanted to cool things off with some cool shades of blue. Today's blue is going to be found in the gray section instead of with the "blues" in your paint deck. Combine it with mirrored surfaces to Glam it up. Use it with a gold or yellow to make it have a French flair. Bring it out with greens and browns for a trendy or retro feel. Use it with a crisp white trim, dark wood furniture and soft taupes for a comfortable opulence. Cool gray blue- the color of the day.

Mistique Blue by Martin Senour

Soft Chinchilla by Benjamin Moore

Photo from Southern Accents July/ August 2007