Charish Style Challenge: Balance is Key

Hi friends!  Ever heard of the company Chairish?  They are an online store that sells vintage furniture, decor, jewelry and other accessories.  I came across their website a while back and found myself sucked into the virtual vortex of beautiful objects.  So when they contacted me about participating in their "Style Challenge" I was absolutely up for the game!

I love mixing furnishings of different styles and time periods. And Chairish is the perfect source to create an eclectic curated look.  I put together a style board for a Cool Eclectic Blue Bedroom.  All the items I've selected are from the Chairish website except the Anthropology bedding, and West Elm curtains. The key to combining all the beautiful unique pieces you might find at Chairish is balance...

(1) Corbeille Cane Bed, (2) Labyrinth Embroidered Duvet, (3) Claude Medallion Flocked Curtains, (4) Spanish Revival Gothic Double Pendant, (5) Teal & Green Pottery Vase, (6) Danish Teak Nightstands, (6) Persian Overdyed Rug, (8) Rocking Chaise Lounge, (9) Vintage Blue & White Garden Stool, (10) Brass Giraffes, (11) Vintage French Glass Box, (12) Bamboo Campaign Chest, (13) Gilt Wood Mirror, (14) Regina Andrew Aqua Lamp

This design was inspired by the beautiful blue Persian Overdyed Rug. I just love the texture and intensity of it, while still feeling tranquil and calm.  To tone down and balance the intensity, I brought in some more traditional pieces in lighter colors, like the Corbeille Cane Bed and the Faux Bamboo Campaign Chest.  Next I mixed in a more contemporary mid-century modern Adrian Pearshall Rocking Chaise Lounge.  To balance that out, the Danish Teak Nightstands which would be located across the room are also a mid-century style and have similar wood tone to the rocker's legs. then I found a Spanish Revival Gothic Double Pendant that I absolutely love and had to use. Something about a draping chain pendant gets me every time.  Even though it is a completely different style from anything else, by balancing it with other gold items, like the Gilt Wood Mirror, it doesn't seem out of place. The curve of the top of the mirror even echos the line of the headboard! The remaining accessories carry the colors of the rug throughout the design.

So remember balance and don't be afraid to mix that awesome mid-century chair you found with an ornate table!

A Mid-century Remodel in Aqua

Hi ya'll!  Today I wanted to share with you a project we've been working on at my office.  This awesome mid-century house is currently under construction.  It's getting a brand new open kitchen, a reinvented master bath, and glistening new tile in beachy shades of aqua and white in every bathroom. Here are some of the samples we were considering as it all came together...

The tile, stone slabs, and wood flooring are almost completely installed, so hopefully I'll get to share finished photos with you soon.  But for now, here are some of the drawings I did as well as some photos of the project underway.

Kitchen Elevations and Inspiration Images

New Kitchen Cabinets!

One of the Guest Bathrooms

Tiled wall before grout in the Guest Bath

A Hall Closet gets new built-in cabinetry

Powder Bath gets some pretty aqua tile also!

More to come soon!

The Design Water's Warm

Long time no see blogland.  Lets just jump right back in the water here...

I've been busily working away at a local residential design firm and just a few weeks ago we made a trip to Las Vegas for a plethora of industry events: the Las Vegas Market #LVMKT, the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), the NAHB International Builders Show (IBS), and the International Surfaces Event (TISE).  Between all of those events and the rich interiors of Vegas hotels, I've been saturated like a sponge with design ideas and inspiration.  So I thought I'd share a little sprinkle of what I saw with ya'll!

Saw some cool buggie art...

Rad furniture...

And lots of amazing lighting...

LatinoMed Family Medical Clinic Design

Last semester I took Healthcare Design. The project for this class was to design a medical clinic in Columbus, Indiana for one of three cultural communities: Iraqi, Vietnamese, or Latino. My partner and I were assigned the Latino community and after researching the location and population, we decided to incorporate some mid-century design aesthetics inspired by Columbus, Indiana's Miller House, with much more vibrant and colorful design features that would appeal to the Latino community. Simply named, LatinoMed, incorporates linear skylights similar to those in the Miller House, designed by famous mid century designer Eero Saarinen.  And white walls create a neutral backdrop for an interesting mix of patterned textiles inspired by those used in the Miller House as well as an uplifting imagery of Latino families, and iconic Latino artwork to help the target community feel welcome and comfortable.

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A theme through out our design was the tree of life commonly featured in Mexican and Latino folk art. We repeated this symbol in the Chapel wall's stained glass windows, on a wall mural in the children's play area, and on a fountain as you enter the exam room area, as well as in unique suspended radial wood ceiling systems that resemble a canopy of trees.

Moving back into the exam room area, we again utilized the tree of life theme to create a wayfinding feature along the floor where branch like paths guide the patients to exam rooms.  Nursing stations incorporate interesting reclaimed wood succulent planter boxes for interest and chairs are upholstered in a green material to promote ideas of growth, health, and a sense of calm.

Overall I think we developed a very sucessful design that is warm and inviting for the Latino Community, but still clean and modern and Miller House-inspired.

What do you think?

Back! and time for an Update

Hi blogland! Have you missed me? I've missed you. Life has been in full swing and blogging had to take a backseat for a bit. But I'm back! and have design projects to share and hopefully some DIY projects coming up.  And I do enjoy indulging in and contributing to the inspiration I get from blogland and all over really. So lets get back into it!

First, I wanna share a little life update.  Here's what's been going on in my life since I've been absent:

• My now ex-boyfriend moved out on December 1st. I still love him dearly and we are still friends, but we're at different places in our lives.
• I gained a new awesome roommate! A strong, powerful and fun woman who just went through a double mastectomy and is kicking butt in recovery from it!

• We got a second kitty, Scully, for my roommate.  Between trying to assert their dominance and position as head cat of the household, Duchess and him on are cordial and sometimes even act like they like one another!

• I got a second job as an interior design assistant. I haven't had the opportunity to work for this other firm a whole lot yet because of both their busy schedule as well as my jam packed school schedule, but we'll see how it goes.
• Took two studio classes this past semester, which was TONS of work.  In Healthcare Design class me and a partner designed a medical clinic for the Latino community in Columbus, Indiana. And in Commercial 2, I designed the first two floors of a hotel in Singapore called S Factor, which was chosen for the Hall of Fame.  (More about those projects soon!)

• I've recently been working more for the designer I've been working with for the past 6 months which is great! The firm is Dwellings Design Group.  We only have one project up on Houzz right now, but lots of idea books.
• I'm taking a break from school next semester because the last class that I need for the Associate's Degree isn't offered. That will give me time to determine whether I'm going to fork out more money for the Bachelors Degree, or if its not necessary given my previous degree and portfolio.  It also will give me more time for blogging! Yay!

So those are the big things.  The switch from engineering to interior design has been great, but its still in the works.  I've got to update my portfolio again, talk to more design firms, and hustle up some work. So I'll keep ya'll filled and share my school projects with you as well.

Taking the Plunge Gets Real

I wanna get real with you guys about this whole career switch. I don't know how others have felt going through a transition like this, but for me, its exciting, empowering, and absolutely terrifying all at the same time...

I want to share my real feelings about it all in the hopes that someone else who's terrified to follow their dreams might feel like they can despite the fear... and to remind myself of that fact as well! Hopefully I'll look back on this post one day when I'm all settled into a career and and be able to proudly say, "I made it!"

Why is this on my mind right now, you ask?  Last week, I finally gave notice at my engineering job to pursue design full time.  I have one more week, only ONE MORE WEEK! Yay!  That's just thrilling.  From then on I will no longer be "part-time engineering/part-time design assistant," I'll just be an interior designer! Technically, a freelance interior design assistant, but I have some prospects on the horizon, so there's a possibility that I'll have some work of my own.

This is all such great news! And sometimes I think... "I can do this! I'm going to be awesome!" and then I start thinking of all the little things I'll have to do to get a professional business up and running, and my lack of experience in real-life design, and the fact that I've just started school again  which is also a lot of work and, and, and... and I totally get down on myself and feel incompetent. I'm guessing I'm not the only one with feelings like this. So I'm giving myself positive reminders to keep me going.  Here's a great one my mom told me about recently...

My mom saw Sara Blakely, inventor of Spanx, speak a while back and told me that she largely attributed her success to a philosophy of failure that her father instilled in her at a young age. She said her father would often ask her each what she failed at that day, which changed her perspective to view failure as a positive thing because that meant you'd tried.

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I'm usually so afraid of failure so this is a new and amazing concept for me.  What a great thing to keep in mind when trying something new. So if I fail, I'll buy myself an ice cream cone, pat myself of the back and say "good for trying, Genevieve! No get up and try again, so we can have more celebratory ice cream!"

Source: Dear Lizzy

Taking the Plunge: Ever-Evolving Portfolio Additions

I hope all you readers had a lovely Christmas! I certainly did.  And now its back to work!  I'm still on the job hunt and as you know, still in school. So with my most recent residential design project complete, I've added a few more pages to my ever-evolving portfolio.  Using the same format that I showed you before, I dismantled the boards I put together for school and re-created them on these lovely (11x17) pages...