Friday Favorites-Built In Storage

Clever Storage and Shelving for Every Room

I'm currently working on a large family room makeover for a client.

The room is large and has a vaulted ceiling, a fireplace, four windows and a sliding patio door. There are no skylights, however  light floods in from three sides of the room.  The fireplace is the only architectural element of the room as is rather plain with a nice oak mantel.

Entering the room the first thing you see is a massive wall that creates a triangle affect because of the valued ceiling. The client wanted more storage for books and photos so I wanted to design a  focal point on that large wall that would meet her needs as well as be an architectural feature.  A large built in shelf unit, wall to wall would be the answer.  I had a beginning vision, shown in the drawing below, however, as many designers do, I started researching photos and built in designs for more inspiration. 

I found so many interesting and clever designs for every room and want to share them with you!

The first set of photos are solutions for those nooks and crannies of wasted space that every home has, like under the roof line and crawl spaces, under the stairs and at the top of stairs.

 Dining Rooms

Around The Doorway

The Bathroom

Around The Bed

Around the Windows

So whatever your storage need is, think about those unused, wasted spaces in your room that could become a custom built in design!

I will be posting more about this current family room project and the progress of the built in wall unit, so stay tuned!

I hope you received some design inspiration here. Photo sources can be found on my Pinterest boards, Stylewise and Built in Designs 

Thanks for visiting, Until next time,

Tina

Transformation Tuesday-Cabinet Stencil Reveal

Stenciling-The Ultimate Solution

A few weeks ago we worked on refacing our kitchen cabinets with the leftover bead board from the ceiling project.  Although there is still more work to be done on the lower cabinets, the uppers are done!  After giving the cabinets a fresh coat of Benjamin Moore Simply White OC 117 inside and out, I decided that that the interior of the glass front cabinets needed a little something to enhance the white dishes I collect.  After considering many different options like wall paper, fabric and paint, all of which didn't give me the color selection I needed, I decided that to get the right color, I needed to paint my own pattern. Stencils are a perfect solution because you can select the paint color you want. 

I was looking for a soft pattern and color that would not be too busy with all the other elements in the room.   I selected a small arabesque pattern that has a fresh contemporary look. After trying an earthy green color that I have in the tile backsplash, I decided it was a little too much color and too much contrast.

the wall color, Carrington Beige, seamed to be the right choice. 

The great part about stencils and paint is that if you don't like the result simply paint over it and try something else!

I am happy with the result, and as my hubby says

" if you're happy, I'm happy!"

The soft paint color highlights the dished nicely without overpowering the dish displays.

Now it's on the next phase of this, "kitchen makeover on a budget, the countertops and flooring...stay tuned!

Do you have a transformation you'd like to share?  If so e-mail me photos for a feature on "Transformation Tuesday"

Until next time!

Tina!

Friday Faves-What is a Mud Room Anyway?

In the newer home plans of today the "mud room" is an essential part of the overall layout of the house.

Especially here in the New England states where the snow flies and the rain comes down in buckets at  a moments notice!  In home plans of years ago it was often times called the utility room or back hall, a place where the family could remove dirty shoes, hang coats and hats after coming in from chores.  It was simply a dumping ground for stuff you didn't want to track into the house and usually not seen by visitors to the house! Todays mud rooms however are designed to be a functional, well appointed and beautiful to be in.  

The rooms are often combined to incorporate the laundry and pet grooming stations as well as a powder room.  Some even include office and play areas. This a perfect space to try out some bold color schemes or fabric patterns that you would otherwise not use in the main parts of the home.

Some key elements to a well planned space are:

• Durable flooring materials
• Ample lighting
• functional storage
• windows
• comfortable seating
• proper electrical and plumbing fixtures, if needed

  So weather it's a back entry, front hall or entire room, devoted to handle it all, I believe that function can and must be stylish too, so a well planned space, including all the necessary elements of your lifestyle, is a must if planning one for your new or existing home.  

Here are a few of my favorite spaces that are functional and beautifully designed.

This area has a built-in window seat for extra storage and serves as a comfy place to sit!

I hope you've gotten some great inspiration for your next project here!  If you want to see more and sources for all photos check out my Pinterest board for information.

Until next time!

Tina