A New Bath...

As an interior designer I work on all spaces of a home or business but one of the most challenging is always a bathroom.  They are typically small spaces but need to fit a lot of items and serve many functions.

A few months ago I worked on a bathroom renovation for a wonderful family.  The design was to stay traditional and blend into their home but dramatically update their bathroom.  Materials were chosen that kept within those boundaries but still allowed them to have a little fun by adding glass and some detailed plumbing fixtures.  Another key element was a sitting area for getting ready in the morning.

Granite was selected as a countertop material and rich dark alder for the cabinetry.  Oil rubbed bronze & Venetian bronze were selected for all of the fixtures and bath accessories.

A procelain tile was used that resembled a natural stone which meant a rich look but low maintenace as it does not need to be sealed to keep water from penetrating it.  Glass was utilized as an accent in the shower and around the tub and frameless glass created a rich, open and crisp space.

A bench was put in the entry corner along with the shower controls so that the shower could be turned on immediately when entering the shower - no need to get sprayed with icy cold water while leaning all of the way in the turn it on like a standard shower.

A hand held shower is such a nice add-on to put into a shower because it provides a means of easy cleaning.  Instead of scrubbing down your shower walls you can spray them down easily to clean them. 

I am so thrilled with how this bath turned out.  It is a relaxing place for the family to get ready in the morning and met all of the needs that they came to me with.  See below for a list of materials used in this project.

Tile: DalTile

Countertops: Granite

Cabinetry: Alder

Hardware & Fixtures: Venetian Bronze

Shower Accessories: Corian

Contractor: Dan Savageau

Finishes & Installation: Floor to Ceiling

Fresh Color Trends for 2012

I always have clients, friends & family asking my advice on the hottest color trends and which direction they should go with color in their homes.  Here is one of my little secrets...the ColorMix 2012 color trends from Sherwin Williams.  Each year they come out with their vision for what the latest and greatest color trends will be for the year!

When color trends are released they are not a mumble jumble of random colors but typically selected by what is currently going on in the industry.  You should find items such as accessories, fabrics and much more in these color stories as you pay attention when shopping.

Enjoy!.....

Neutrals

I love this mix of warm & cool neutrals!  I like to use a neutral color as my base through a space and then select a coordinating "pop" or accent color on the wall that you would like to become the focal point of the room. One thing to notice...yellow...super HOT right now especially in fabrics & wall coverings.

Reds

These red color selections are so warm and cozy...especially for Fargo!

Blues

You can never go wrong with a blue!  It is nice to see a little brightness come back to this color story.  In the last year or so grey has been dominant that I'm excited to see the bright colors make their way back.  These are perfect for a bathroom, bedroom or any other space you want to feel cool, calm & collected.

Greens

As you can see teal seems to be dominating the green color story.  You will certainly notice this in accessories & furniture in stores right now.  A bit of the grey trend lingers in this color story as well.  I have a version of this pallet in my living room paired with a warm neutral and love it!

All color pallets were taken from www.sherwinwilliams.com.
Visit their website for more great color ideas!

Personal Style

Everyone has their own personal style & taste.  For this first post I want to give you an idea of my personal taste and introduce you to some of the (very few) areas in my home that are completed.  My husband and I moved into our home last February, nearly 1 year ago.  Since then we have been slowy renovating spaces to revitalize the home and add our own personal style in small doses to make this home our own. 

I would best describe my style as a blend of traditional & shabby chic.  I love antiques, neutral color pallettes, white trim, stone, warm woods & most of all - a worn look and a feeling that the space has history.

Below is our entry way.  Although it is tiny...it does the job!  When we moved in there were no closet doors, only a rod with a shower curtain!  That was the first thing I changed.  I think it is important to keep clutter under control.  Inside the closet we installed shoe shelves, rods, and a shelf with wicker baskets to keep all of our mittens, scarves & other outdoor apparel. On the other side is a book shelf with a beautiful satin nickel mirror - to make sure I don't look too goofy when heading out the door.

Another one of my loves is travertine!  The little squares bordering my entry way are travertine and they are poished - which means with the antique crystal light on - they sparkle!  Inside that border is a porcelain tile (made to look like a travertine but much easier to keep clean) on a diagonal for a traditional look.  Don't judge me by the smudged paint on the moldings...the living room is still a work in progress.

This furniture piece is the first that Thor and I ever purchased together!  Above hangs an Ansel Adams photograph given to us by Thor's parents for our wedding.  I love the high contrast and beauty of his photographs. This space combines Thor's love of nature with my love for design and accessories!  Phesant feathers in the vase with our wedding flowers and photos of nature along with my antiques and muted color tones combine both of our tastes and create a look unique to us!

In our office hangs a photo gallery that my husband and I put together not too long ago.  All of the photos have been taken by Thor and are from the jobs he has held throughout the midwest through the past couple of years.  They are amazing!  We varied the orientation of the frames and the colors of them to create a collage feel without getting too crazy and keeping some consistency. Paired with white furniture and a few accessories it creates a space that enables us to have functional storage space but to use it to display those items as well.  I adore pops of color - a great way to do that for example is the wrapping paper in my photo.  Take some of your favorite wrapping paper patterns and store them in a skinny vertical basket.  It provides storage while also adding a splash of color to your space!

Lastly...my favorite details (or little jewels) of my home!
The original antique door knobs.  And we didn't get 1 style left behind in the home..but 2!  Antique door knobs are one of the best ways to add a historical and worn look to a space.  Everyone has to notice them becuase they have to grab onto them to enter the room!  They are such a small item but I get more comments on them than most anything else in my home.

Inspire Design

Inspire Design.

My motivation as an interior designer is to Inspire Design.  I feel that it is important to not only design but to Inspire Design and also to inspire my clients, family, and even you with my designs & ideas!  I don't strive to have someone change their paint color, cabinet, flooring and settle for a new product or layout but want them to be inspired by the changes in their home and more importantly, excited about those changes!  My blog "Inspire Design" is here to inspire you!  You will see projects I have worked on through my career as an interior designer at Floor to Ceiling in Fargo, projects I have worked on for friends and family, my own designs at home, ideas from friends & of course....design trends!

EVERY day is a new adventure for me!  I  meet new clients, am introduced to new products, and especially with renovations the design process is always twisting, turning & shifting.  I am so excited to include you in this adventure and look forward to hearing your comments & ideas too!

-Sarah