before & After: A Client's Home Featured In Small Rooms Decorating Magazine

A while back, I shared some before & midstage photos of a client's DC rowhouse.  When I was just about to have our third son (this past Spring) I did a photoshoot with my good friend & photographer Helen Norman & her assistant, F.J. Hughes.  I was so happy with how my clients' home turned out & the house ended up getting shot again for Small Room Decorating Magazine right after.  My clients actually fell for a new home in another area of DC & moved a couple of weeks after the shoot and so we're now onto the next project!  It was pretty much a whirlwind for my clients & I'm so appreciative of them for letting us invade their home for photoshoots multiple times. 

Here are a couple of 'before' pics of the home:

{My clients' dining room: They already had a GORGEOUS chandelier by Oly and really beautifully done window treatments.  The dining room functions as both a dining room and a sitting room and the dropleaf dining table itself moves under the window and becomes a console when the room transitions into a sitting room.  My clients purchased the settee so it could function for both spaces.}

Here's what their living room looked like before:

{As you can see, they already had some amazing pieces to work with & I love their style.  My goal was to warm up the space & to get it just right for them.}

One of the first things we did was repaint the main areas of the home in ivory & to repaint the doors black for some contrast & interest & to bounce the black accents throughout the room:


We used many of their own pieces & added new pieces to create a sort of modern mix of old & new.  To see all of my plans for the spaces, click here. 

Here's the before:



And here's the 'after':


We rearranged the furniture & floated the daybed so that it coule be accessed from both sides.  We added a pair of clean-lined linen wing chairs for a cozy spot to hang. 

We added a mix of textured, patterned and hand block-printed fabrics for some energy & interest:

{Dark brown & white pillow fabric & ottoman fabric by Raoul Textiles, and center paisley pillow is one of mine, "live paisley."}

We flanked the existing sofa with two large iron & cement tables to hold loads of books & magazines. 

Below, the lamp is a custom creation by my friend, lighting designer, Rick Singleton.  The photographs are taken from the oversized German Magazine, The Manipulator, and I found them at Avery Studios.  The frames were beautifully hand painted by another friend, artist, John Matthew Moore.  I wanted them hung so that they intersected slightly with the wing chairs for a more layered, relaxed look.  I love how the little kitty is peeking out from between the two chairs.  We went with a clear glass cocktail table because even though the room looks open & expansive, it's really fairly small & we wanted to keep it feeling open & airy.



A little workspace is carved out of the living room:


Here's the view from their loft bedroom above, which I really love. The wood floors transition to the deck floors just outside:


Here's the dining room below:



Here's the dining room "after"--


The vintage BRNO chairs we found were covered in hairy cream cowhide.  The painting is from one of my favorite Natural Curiosities collections by Paule Marrot, the French painter, engraver & textile designer who did most of her work between the 1920s and 1950s.  As a decorator, there's nothing more exciting than when you find clients who are willing to go outside the box and who are open to atypical things.   

Here's another view of the dining room:


The leaves on the table were honeysuckle branches from my yard and I really love how they looked & smelled.  I don't have any at our new house & think I need to get some.

To see the rest of the photos of other areas of the home (including a little sprucing up we did in the master bedroom) and the dining room set up as both a sitting room and a dining room, check out the current issue of Small Room Decorating Magazine.  The article was produced by Charlotte Safavi & shot by Helen Norman.  I haven't been able to pick up my copy yet & it doesn't seem like the magazine is sold everywhere but I have seen it at my grocery store & in bookstores.  Thanks so much to everyone who put the article together & especially to my clients for being so open to the design process & for letting it all happen!!

Hope you enjoyed!!


If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.
 
ps- All of the pretty photos in this post were taken by Helen too ;)

52 comments:

Jessica said...

Dude, you are GOOD!!! Love love love your style!! :)

sam said...

I love the dining room curtains! Where are they from?

Becky Cowen said...

love, love, love this!

Barbie said...

Lauren, I LOVE this space! It's perfect. Refined with personality. Well done!

HDH. said...

That living room is my favorite of all your rooms, ever. Absolutely gorgeous, and real-life livable, too.

Rachael said...

Beautiful! I love seeing you work your magic!

LindaSonia said...

Fabulosity!!!

Megan said...

I know it wouldnt be fair to give up all of your sources but can you at least tell us the paint color?

Ashley said...

'Wow' is pretty much all I can say. Simply perfect.

Tiffany Leigh said...

What!? No. This much goodness is simply not possible is it? The living room looks so much larger and more luxurious with just a few simple changes. I adore it. You are so so so talented and I always love looking at your work. Kudos!

Unknown said...

Wow those rooms are gorgeous!

AntiqueChase said...

Gorgeous, capital G.
My favorite is the way you hung the pictures over the wing chairs!

Carolyn said...

This is so beautiful, Lauren. I love that ottoman and those framed pictures. And the art in the dining room. And those floor lamps. All of it. You are so talented!

Janna McCalley said...

Wow! Simple and beautiful-incredible work!

Lavender said...

Holy Moly...what a terrific transformation from blah to sensational. What a brilliant little ottoman can do!!!! Fabric choices in both rooms were perfect and no wonder this home was picked up for a mag shoot. LOVE small space updos!!!

Wonderful girl!

Bianca

Lavender said...

Yes, and forgot to say how I appreciate you left the brown brick unpainted for a change from most designers and then cleverly picked up on it from across the room with the four large brown framed prints.

B

Emily A. Clark said...

Just beautiful! (Amazing what a difference painting those doors made, too.)

Amy @ Five Kinds of Happy said...

HOLY SHMOLY. I love your work so much! The layering and elegant palettes, along with the textures... sooo good!!!

Windlost said...

Holy crap Lauren, you can decorate sister (cousin). This looks phenomenal, like a spread in Elle Decor. I can see "you" in this room - your style is really unique - you have your own clean warm organic modern, don't know what to call it style...! The black doors really set up everything but the rest of the room is so unique - each element. Well done Lauren. When is your book coming out? hehe.
:)

xo Terri

Pam said...

Yay!! I've been waiting to see this room every since you teased us with those black doors. Love it just love it!

Chrissy said...

You did a beautiful job! The photos are gorgeous. How fun that the house ended up in a magazine too. (Btw - any chance they decided to get rid of the cork ottoman? Ha. I've been looking for that forever. I may resort to getting my own cork fabric and recreating it!)

LindsB said...

You are seriously amazing- what a crazy before and after- I just LOVE this space and want to live there!

Shelly said...

This is a little more modern than what you usually do and you did it so well Lauren! Really organic and clean looking. great job!

lonemor said...

Looks amazing and I love the black doors

My Little Bungalow said...

Gorgeous! You do good work indeed.
Claudia

Anonymous said...

Absolutely stunning! I Love every detail.

Karena said...

Lauren your new design work for this family is simply stunning! I love the crisp, precise yet relaxing atmosphere of the Living Room! Bravo!

xoxo
Karena
2012 Artists Series & Giveaway

Laurie said...

Brilliant! I am crazy about black or dark doors - well done.

Laura Lynn said...

Lauren,

You are the real deal.

Laura

Mommabelle said...

Very nice!!
Love how it is all inviting now!

Naomi@DesignManifest said...

Looks fantastic! I love seeing your style evolve. The art, the brno chairs, the greenery... I love all of the touches.

Dallin and Janelle Lewis said...

WOW! I don't usually comment, but I keep coming back to this post to look at that lovely space. So so so good. Thank you for the eye candy!

Unknown said...

Wow! it looks fantastic!! Congratulations. Really really great job. LOVE IT.

perfumehk said...

So beautiful and lovely place. amazing pics.
Parfum pas cher

Greet Lefèvre said...

Perfection!! Congratulations Lauren!!!
xx
Greet

The Buzz Blog @ Diane James Home said...

What fun to see the transformation of these rooms - they are perfection! Thanks for sharing yoru talent with us, Cynthia

Carla Aston said...

Amazing, Amazing, Amazing work! The living area is so much brighter, warmer, and more inviting but still sophisticated with tons of style. I'm loving those two chairs! Well-done on the dining space also. I love mixing banquettes and chairs like that. And the bold draperies along with the chandelier really give it the "wow" factor.

cotedetexas said...

i love this! i esp. love the painted doors - great idea!!! just beautiful.

Tawna said...

Yes, it's all about those doors. (Well, it's ALL so good) but the way they anchored the room. Fabulous! I shall be pinning to my "inspiration" board on Pinterst. And Helen...in my dreams, she takes pictures of all my work. One day?

Unknown said...

OMGoodness what a stunning transformation. Excellent work, well done

SK
simplylinen.blogspot.com

traci zeller designs said...

Soooooo gorgeous!!!!

Vel Criste said...

This room truly deserves to be featured. Great job once again Lauren!

Unknown said...

Im so in love! How did they ever leave? By chance are your clients from Michigan? I noticed the mitten map ;-))))

Admin said...

Wow, love the images on this post. I am now following!

for the love of a house said...

Such a fabulously designed room- you did a great job! Congrats on the magazine spread- very well deserved.
all my best,
joan

Loretta Fontaine (EcoHappy Blog) said...

Lauren- More black doors!

Gorgeous place - and the shot from above is my favorite - how nice to be able to view the space like that!

Loretta

Lavender said...

Hi again...visiting this post for the hundredth time and just noticed that crazy light fixture you used in the Designer Showhouse last year....it was the talk of the town!

I get a giggle everytime I look at it because it reminds of a stand up hairdryer where my mother used to go get her hair done 50 years ago!!!

Brittany Simmons said...

Wow! it looks great! They had great bones and you really brought the wow factor!

izzy said...

Beautiful as usual, what is the wall color? I'm having so much trouble finding the perfect vanilla for our space.

alison giese Interiors said...

I can't say enough how in love I am with this room! You did an amazing job!
Beautiful work, Lauren!

Lane McNab said...

These are jaw-droppingly gorgeous!

-Lane
www.urbanorchardinteriors.com

Dawn @ Inspired Living said...

I JUST read your post about not having time to answer all questions, so I get that you might not get to this and no hard feelings! Anyway, I've admired this room for awhile. I'm looking for the right paint color for my room and I'm struggling. I want a cream or white, and then noticed the curtains in this room. Are those the Pottery Barn VElvet in Ivory? Those are the curtains I have in my room, and so now I'm wondering of BM Seashell might be the right color.