One Room Challenge: Master Closet!

It’s time to finish our master closet design project, and what better motivation than signing up to participate in the Calling It Home One Room Challenge! Above is my dream closet mood board along with a photo of the carpet that we will put on the floor of this walk in space that runs the full length of our four square Colonial farmhouse.

As I always say, our house may look big, but really it’s just tall. The third floor attic that we transformed into our master bedroom is large enough to include a decent sized room, a modest sized full bath, and a walk in closet that spans the width of the house and has been on the back burner for far too long. Truth be told, I am looking forward to the day when I can move all of my party dresses upstairs from my second floor office closet (who am I kidding, I am starting a fresh wardrobe with all new clothes once this project is ever completed!)

Come back next week to see our layout plan for this time-to-get-it-done new and functional space. In the meantime, check out the other guest participants who are committing to accomplishing at least one of their home renovating dream projects over the next 6 weeks. Will you be one of them?

media sponsor ...

House Beautiful

items on mood board ...

pendant light via Arhaus

typography art via Minted 

velvet hangers via Amazon 

little black dress by Emporio Armani 

wedge shoes by Ugg via Zappos

ribbon stitch bag by Fendi

collage created in Polyvore

check out Arhaus on Instagram

for more design inspiration

A “slow home” gets a new room

2004: First winter in our New England “farmhouse”

We live in an old house. Built in 1904, it was at one time a dairy farm with a large barn and around 15 acres of land. All but two of these acres were sold to other parties, with some deeded to the town as conservation land, a large section was developed and is now a street with a handful of homes, and the last six acres belongs to a neighbor behind me. Those six acres were scheduled to be a development of homes, but many of the acres were determined to be conservation land so the project stopped at just one. Knowing that someone could not build behind us or next to us was one of the main reasons we felt this property would be a worthwhile investment. It can be quite unnerving to buy a home in a neighborhood that you fall in love with, only to look out your window one day and
see the landscape change before your eyes!

We bought our current house in spite of
room-after-room of dated wallpaper.
Today I wish we had saved more
of it then just this swatch.

There were other reasons that we fell
head-over-heels for this property:

1. It felt like a “town and country” home, located within walking distance to the center of town and most of the schools, yet the backyard felt like a rustic retreat from modern day.

2. Our house is situated in a way that it gets full sun
in the backyard with lots of great interior light throughout the day. Shaded farmer porches in front are a welcome place to sit. Tall evergreens stand at
the properties edges, adding both privacy and
natural beauty.

3. This home is bigger than our last house, but still manageable in size, with plenty of room to grow
(barn will one day be a family room, over garage will one day be office space ... )

4. The dining room probably sold us. We did not have a formal dining room in our last house that was big enough for our young family, let alone for entertaining guests. This dining room is plenty big and is centrally located in the perfect spot to enjoy it every day, not just on holidays.

5. While we realized some areas could use increased storage and energy-efficiency, we figured we redesigned our last home — how hard would it be
to do it again???

If only feathering our nest was this easy!

Well of course it has taken us much longer this time around to complete our home renovation projects. When we were working on our last home we raised the roof before we had any children, started our kitchen addition when we were expecting number two, finished new kitchen and bath by the time number three came around, and then finally got around to all the final details just in time to put it on the market and simultaneously find out number four was scheduled to arrive six months after closing on our new home. To say it has been a challenge to renovate with four little ones under foot is to put it mildly! And as our little ones have grown, our visions for our current home have changed at about the same pace. When we were surrounded with babies, we needed to be close at hand, but now we have a bit more breathing room ...

A sneak peek of our newly completed master bedroom.

Today I am happy to report that as of last night we have officially finished one of the major renovations that has been on our construction “to-do” list ... the master bedroom that we built from scratch is a reality! What was once an inaccessible attic space is now a brand new room with a new set of stairs, new carpet, freshly painted new walls and it even has the newest type of insulation. We slept in it last night for the first time (our twelve-year-old actually helped us move the bed upstairs ... we have come along way!) and it felt like we had traded in “this old house” for a new and improved version. I always knew this house had room to grow, I had just imagined it would be laterally not vertically! Some day we may do that addition we dreamed about, but for now, we are happy with this new arrangement which is actually more energy/cost efficient in the long run than a large-scale addition would have been.

Find out how your home rates by taking this
test available online at Slow Home Studio.

While we could tell our home had inherent value, we mainly bought it based on a gut feeling. It felt like the home I had grown up in and it seemed like it could be improved upon without too much effort (okay, we were off just a little bit with that part!) What sold you on your home? Are you comfortable living in it or are there areas that could use improvement? There is a great test available that evaluates the quality of a home’s design. It is called The Slow Home Test and it is great if you are looking to solve design issues in your current home or if you are looking to buy a dream-home of your own. I recently mentioned this test in a post on the Slow Home movement that I wrote for Alluminare.com (which BTW sells some really great custom designed lighting and home decor pieces). The Slow Home movement is all about creating homes that feel as good as they look. Learn more about it by checking out the following links:

• Slow Home 101
• The Language of Slow Home
• Slow Home and Going Green

Later I will post some true “after” pics of our new space. I really should be decorating for the holidays about now, but I’d much rather be accessorizing our new room than pulling out boxes of ornaments and wrestling with strings of lights! How long do you think I can put it off without the kids noticing that we don’t have a tree, yet? ; )

Refreshing a Master Bedroom

AFTER: soft spring green combines with plum, yellow, white
and gray to create a fresh color palette for a master bedroom.

Recently I made it back to check on the end result of a
decorating project that I planned for one of my clients.

Her decorating goal was to freshen up her master
bedroom by painting the walls, adding fabrics in cheerful colors, and at the same time improve the layout while reusing the existing furniture.
I was happy to help!

Here is the before shot of the room: lots of traditional fabrics in neutral colors – black and white toile combined with a tan plaid and medium sized check – nice enough, but she was tired of the look. Accessories seemed to be all in the same color resulting in little to no contrast. The gray walls seemed drab next to the warm color of the furnishings, and the decorative painting over the arched window and doorways did not help to create a sense of calm in this area of rest.

First we addressed the layout. By rotating the bed to the left-hand wall in front of the smallest window, we were able to open up the room considerably. The pair of chairs with ottomans were moved over to the corner making a more intimate seating area positioned by the window for natural light. We moved the television onto a corner unit stand that could now be viewed both from the chairs or from the bed. Two dressers and a favorite curio cabinet also were repositioned along walls more suited to their sizes.



BEFORE: This corner was under-utilized
and the view outside the window was not
as good as the blocked view outside the
palladian window behind the bed.

AFTER: Switching the bed to this side opens
up the space while being much cozier.

In the end, only a handful of new pieces were added to the room including a shapely pair of lamps with the perfect colored shade that I found at HomeGoods, a white ceramic garden stool was brought in to add shine and contrast to the warm woods, and the TV stand is also new (sorry, I did not get a shot of it). Items that were taken out included a basket collection, a small painted table, and the candlestick lamps with toile shades. We also incorporated some larger more graphic works of art on the walls to replace the many small framed prints that we edited out.

During the process, I gave my client a few different options on fabric choices and I was glad she chose this modern twist on traditional. By using a confident mix of bold patterns with predominantly solid fabric choices the end result still has personality, but in a more subdued way. I was also happy to see her “go green” by re-dressing her existing furnishings instead of completely starting over, creating a new look
while honoring pieces collected over time.

Setting the stage for a design show

Mary Donovan and Luis Munoz
of First Oriental Rugs

Things are moving right along as I head toward the final stages of preparation for my participation in the North Shore Design Show: Favorite Spaces at the Wenham Museum. Next week I will be setting up my 8 x 8 foot space ... the show opens on Friday (big gala event to look forward that I need to find an outfit for!) I will also need a small moving van for all my pieces and props that I have collected for the show! Fortunately, some of the larger pieces will be delivered like the carpet I chose at First Oriental Rugs in Danvers. Gallery Manager Mary Donovan (who has graciously assisted me with carpet inquiries in the past) and Luis Munoz, Head Showroom Assistant (who FYI is “the general miracle worker on staff”) were extremely helpful this week as we pulled many samples from their extensive collection of fine rugs. After looking at some gorgeous selections, I made my decision. Below are a few that I loved, but the
final choice will be a surprise!

Thank you Mary and Luis for your
professional assistance and advice!

If you have been wondering what ever happened to my master bedroom renovation ... I have completely taken over the trimmed, prepped and primed space to use as my workroom for the show (the broken mirror above and lots of furniture pieces are currently being transformed in there). It is so nice to work in a white space with no visual distractions! After the show, we will finish painting this room, add carpet, etc.
But first things first, right?

Here is a sneak peek of a bit of wallpaper
that arrived safely from overseas.

Some of my favorite items were delivered yesterday from cb2. In this box are some pretty cool items!
Stay tuned for final previews next week!

Please visit sponsor Threads Couture ...

Master bedroom ... window area

This week is going to be all about completing design projects! My darling husband has finished installing the new doors and trim work in our freshly plastered new master bedroom. We are ready to paint! My only hesitation is in this window area. I have illustrated above what the window treatment will look like: lined Roman shade on top, with cafe sheers below. I am contemplating adding an extremely pale pink to the ceiling in this area or maybe to the window wall. The rest of the room is going to be a creamy white. What I am not liking right now is the awkward planes of the raised dormer ceiling. We had to bump the height up since hubby is over 6 feet tall, but I am not crazy about looking at these angles. They are unsettling to me ...


Perhaps covering them with a creamy linen drapery panel on each side that is tied back to the wall might do the trick? I am thinking that would allow me to close off this section of the room when I am working late at night on my blog and husband is trying to sleep! Maybe there is another way to handle this? Or maybe once I fill the space, it will be less of a visual issue. Some of our friends have commented that they like the unusual look of the structure, meanwhile, I am still on the fence! How would you treat this type of ceiling? Please post comments or links if you have any ideas that you would like to share! Thanks!

Master bedroom preview, part 2

Our current master bedroom is used in this photo
as a backdrop to showcase a pillow collection
that I designed for a seaside home.

I spent last week researching final choices for our new bedroom. I still love this color wall – Benjamin Moore Crown Point Sand which is kind of tan, kind of greenish – but I plan to go with something a tad whiter since there is less natural light in the new space. Although now that the room is completely plastered, it actually looks pretty bright up there. Even so, I have been seeing so many great all-white rooms in both design magazines and on the web that I would love to have one in our home as well.

My top color choice right now is Benjamin Moore Marscarpone. It is a bright creamy white with a touch of yellow that will help to give the room a sunny disposition even with just one window. I am planning on keeping many of the same fabrics that we currently have (reduce, reuse, recycle!) This tea-stained stripe was used to create our custom bedskirt – which I love – and would not feel right about replacing.



Here is the skirt with a sample of carpet. If we decide to go with wall-to-wall (less $ and/or labor) this medium taupe will ground the space well.



This lighter version looks kind of blah to me. Plus with the light walls there will not be enough contrast. Also, our headboard is tan linen and I would rather go with a darker color on the ground. Our top choice would be pre-finished hardwood which my husband could actually install, so the price without having to pay for installation just might work out for us.



This dark stained oak is our top choice right now. It would look appropriate in a 100-year old home.



On top of the hardwood, I would use our existing wool carpet. Here is just a peek of the border (the carpet is all rolled up after coming home from the cleaners, so I could only grab this little shot). It alternates squares of creamy white with greens and golds.



Most of our bedroom furniture is Swedish Home from Ethan Allen. The creamy white wood finish will blend in with the wall color, which will make the space appear larger than it is.



This chandelier from our current room will move with us. I love it even though it does not give off a super amount of light (we will add additional layers of light next to the bed, and in the corners of the room).



This piece of white washed furniture has been with me since my first apartment at twenty-one.
Wherever I go, it follows!

Our current coverlet is neutral in color. It has always been a little small for our king-size bed (even though it is king size, go figure!) so it might end up on the foot of the bed and I will look for something in the same color family but more generous in scale.



I have a pair of zebra striped down-filled pillows from my design inventory that I will add to the mix.


Plantation shutters from Smith & Noble

At the window, I am thinking that a shutter would be a nice choice, allowing us light and privacy control.



My second choice would combine drapery panels (made out of tan linen, perhaps?) with a semi-sheer panel created out of this vintage hand-printed fabric. We often have deer in our backyard so I liked the reference to the world outside our window. I have been saving this fabric for something special, and I am thinking our new room would be a good place for it!

Master bedroom preview, part 1

As I pulled in to my driveway early this week, I came upon this mesmerizing sight. There is nothing like a huge boom truck delivering a bunch of blue board to bring a smile to this decorator’s face! I will now show you a series of before and after pics from this project ...



Master phase 1: new floor boards are put down over newly insulated and framed floors. What I don’t have a picture of is the true before, when there was a chimney surrounding this black vent pipe and the access to this space was a pull-down ladder that was situated in a 2nd floor bedroom closet! My I’ll-never-forget-memories from the day the chimney came down is a story for another post!



Master phase 2: framing of the new room has begun! What happened next was Thanksgiving and Christmas, so we did not get back to this project till the new year (and the day I created our at-home-projects timeline calendar!)

Master phase 3: insulation! We are now fully insulated. Doesn’t this space just look warmer?? A crew showed up last week and created this sci-fi like scene. Spray foam insulation is the latest energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly technique used to achieve a completely air-tight insulation application. Here is a close up of under the eaves (which will be a great area for long-term storage) ...



The difference in the overall temperature in our house was noticeable right away. Before, heat was going through the slate roof which would cause landslides of snow to come crashing off the roof during the winter months. When my kids would go out to play, I used to fear that they would be caught in a mini-avalanche if they walked too close to the sides of the house! Now, the snow stays on the roof like a blanket. With the added insulation, it is also a lot quieter in the space. Bonus: we are expecting to cut our heating bill almost in half which is something to look forward to!




Master phase 4: the walls are up! Yesterday the boarders did their magic. A dream is starting to look like a reality! This dormer will soon be my mini-office. There is actually room for a good-sized desk and file cabinet in this little nook (see my sketch below). Now all we need is an energy-efficient double pane window to replace the ancient single-pane ... the only window in the main house that was never changed by the previous owner (we will replace this in the spring).

I used a neat online tool, icovia to sketch out the plan for our new room. I first discovered this resource while reading the blog of Linda Merrill. I asked her about it, and she walked me through a couple of her projects (virtually). The software offers a lot of options, although the monthly fee certainly will add up. The offset value to the monthly fee is that program updates are received automatically (without having to purchase a new version). Plus, if I were to sign up I could cancel at any time. I have already tried it out for a couple of spaces, however I cannot save my project work until I become a member.



What you can’t see in the above drawing is the future master bath (just framed for now) and the walk-in closet. Both of these will be just outside of the room and to the right. I will be very happy to finally have space to hang all of my clothes in the same spot instead of stashing them in various closets like I am doing now (old homes like this one are notorious for their lack of closet space!) I also like the idea of having our clothing storage located outside of our room – it will be much more serene. To check out some inspiring walk-in closets, visit Heather Clawson at Habitually Chic who recently posted some enviable spaces!



Come back next week to see the completely plastered room along with my color and fabric choices. I am off now to make some final decisions on the flooring ...