Good news = This week is our Spring Break!!! Bad news= we missed our flight to Florida on Friday!!! (My husband got the flight time wrong & when we arrived at the airport via taxi, our flight had already left!!!!) Because this week is Spring Break around here, we couldn't get another flight out & will just have to use our flights for another trip (that's the beauty of frequent flyer miles- they're letting us keep our tickets!!) phew
We'd been a bit worried about going anyway, since we've all been so sick, and we've got inspections with the new house, papers to sign, appraisals, etc. We had the inspection & there were a few issues that if they fix, should be fine & we're getting SO excited!!! I spoke with the other realtor & she said that the letter I wrote it what changed their minds. (Thanks to those of you who suggested writing a letter!!! :)
Anyway, since I can't be at the beach this week, I thought I'd show you some pictures of Tom Scheerer's work on beach houses. (He is in my TOP 5, by the way--- there were so many images I'd saved from before not realizing who the designer was!! so, another "love" warning for this post!!) These first photos are from the De Givenchy residence:
I love all of the washed wood in the dining room above. The director's chairs are awesome solutions for a beach house dining area. (Just remove the seats & wash!!) The sea of neautrals is just gorgeous to me & would be so fun to inject color into. The round mirrors are so simple & have such a modern elegance. And the ceilings = perfection.
Below, I'm LOVING the tiled walls in the kitchen. (You'll see more of these in the rest of the pics) They've got such a fun vintage flair. Also, check out how thick the countertop on this island is--- gorgeous!!! This kitchen is such a great combination of industrial (check out the cabinet hardware) and vintage homeyness. Loving the color scheme (or lack of one! ;)
Below is another kitchen in the same residence. (??) They're so similar but this one feels a bit more 'cottage.' The tiles are incredibly similar but the floors & cabinet hardware change the whole feel of the room. The Saarinen table seems to be one of Sheerer's trademarks & I must admit, the way he uses them with more traditional chairs is making me want one. badly. Also, what's your opinion on lamps on kitchen countertops?? I see it done all the time & love the look but am not sure of how practical it is for messy cooks... I'm also loving the lack of upper cabinets in this kitchen. (I want this in our new place but don't think we have enough storage to get away with it!! arg)
How great is this entry below?? Love the mass of hats on the wall & it feels like they're just hanging there for anyone to use on his or her way out the door. Such a relaxed & fun generous-feeling space. Cool little chair too!!
Below is a pretty little sitting area. Love the brown walls here against all the white and naturals. Such a realxing spot. The mirror adds just the sparkle needed here.
The bathroom below is AMAZING. The mable walls & floating washed-wood vanity create such a seamless look. You know I'm all about accessories & just can't even get over that massive piece of coral in the nook above the tub. The pale blue towels are so pretty against all the neutrals & I love that you could switch it up with so many other colors.
The residence featured below is in Hobe Sound and I love all the neutrals used & at times its Bohemian feel. The fabrics he found for this home are just incredible & if you're a paisley-lover like me you're going ot be very happy :) Check out this beautiful little corner seat, below. The sculpture on the wall echoes the paisley fabric perfectly. Also, do you see the embroidered detail on the white curtains, bottom left? He just uses so many textures here: the rug, the chair seat, the walls (hotizontal stripe), the wood block table... And the screened shutters?!!! love. What a perfect space for chilling (haha can you say "chilling??" I felt funny writing "chillin") with a book or a mojito.
Below is a view of the whole living area. How beautiful is the chandelier?? Love all the white mixed with natural elements. He's also mixed in some exotic elements.
The dining room (below) is to-die-for. I really can't get over the table. Putting it in a room full of white showcases is perfectly. I also LOVE how it was styled for this photo: all the natural objects are just so beautiful.
Below is the living room. The coffee table reminds me of an upholstered bench from Oly Studio I've been stalking for the new house. The furnishings are all really low in this room which draws more attention to the height of the space, which I think he was definitely trying to play up. (See how the artwork goes all the way up too?)
Below, what a gorgous sink!!! (At first I missed that it was even a sink!!) It definitely reminds me to keep my eyes peeled at junk markets for possible vanities. Even a desk can work!! awesome
Below is the master bedroom where we see more pretty paisley. I'm loving the grasscloth walls too!! And, just on a sidenote, I love how simple & elegant his window treatments are. When you have beautiful views, the focus should be on the outdoors, not the draperies.
Here's a really beautiful blue-cocoon-of-a-bedroom below. It honestly took me a few years to learn to appreciate these type of rooms, but now I have to say I love them... in the right context. When you have a small space, wallpapering can work beautifully & is often the perfect solution. (now I'm STILL not one for covering everything possible in toile or the wallpaper used..) Again, we're also getting a little more of that Bohemian vibe:
Awesome blue bathroom, below. I love how he decided to use the color on the floors & tub surround and nowhere else. It's really striking.
The next images are all from two houses in the Bahamas. I like a lot of the elements in the room below but as a whole, it's just not doing it for me the way the others have. If it's possible, this room might just be too neutral for me. (?!!)
I always find hallway spaces & little nooks to be so beautiful even though we often pass through them so quickly in real-life.
I'm loving the study below. The raw walls are gorgeous and the floating bookshelves are perfect with the tulip table. (See how he uses them in such unexpected places?!!)
Here is more of that same tile in the kitchen, this time in blue. The white shelf is great & may be a possibility for our kitchen?? ps- how cool is this floating stove?!!!
The combination of style in this dining room is genius: The shelter sofa pulled up to the tulip table for seating combined with the Chippendale-like chairs... it's just so much fun & so unexpected. And it actually works! (I think sometimes designers are going for this & it's easy to fall short because it's such a thin line to walk.)
Below are two bedrooms with similar looks. Very island, all-white with hits of black and/or wood.
I love his use of the pair of chairs flanking furniture in both of these rooms. Check out the pretty french linen bedskirts below:
And I absolutely LOVE the feeling in this bathroom below. The bamboo is probably what does it for me but doesn't this feel like the perfect island getaway?!!
And here's our final house, again in the Bahamas.
I also have a thing for glass fishing bobbers (my grandparents used to live in Hawaii & collected them) and love how they're displayed here. (This is also the final tulip table & I think the Bohemian house was the only house featured that didn't have one!! The last house even had 2!!) But it's the juxtaposition of the modern table against the rough wooden walls that appeals so much to me...
And finally, check out the use of the super-tall mirror above the console. (Might have to steal this idea too!! ;) I love the airy feeling of this room & would love to be there now.
So anyway, I AM going on Spring Break this week even if we aren't actually going anywhere. I've promised my husband that this means no work & no blogging so I'm going to miss you!!! But I'll be back on Monday, hopefully with some good stuff & some good news!!!
xoxo,
lauren
As a decorator & a textile designer, this is my place to muse... perfection doesn't interest me; Reality and charm do. Fresh floppy flowers from the garden over long-stemmed roses any day, I love it when things are slightly off and tell a story. 