Apartment Therapy - Upholstery Case Studies

When people find out I work in the interior design industry they immediately ask for my advice on anything and everything related to their home. 

The number one question usually starts off with: "I have this {fill in the blank} that I want to have reupholstered....Is it worth it??" Unfortunately I never have a definite answer! 

It depends on quite a few factors - Was the item valuable to begin with? How much is the labor going to cost you? How much is the fabric? Does it need re-finishing? etc..

Apartment Therapy just covered this topic - check it out for real-life examples on what people paid for their re-upholstery projects.

Two is Better than One

As a kid I grew up with a bunk bed all to myself and I absolutely loved having the extra space for friends to sleep over. I thought it was SO cool.

If I were to design a children's room today I would seriously consider having two twin beds - even if there is only one child. Not only can it look great, but it's super functional. Check out these stylish bedrooms:

Love the bright headboards with the bold striped rug.

The right way to do a canopy. 

I love the soft colors and whimsical wood antlers.

This art hanging is genius!

Bohemian Chic.

Not so mellow yellow - love it.

Can you imagine having a sleepover in this space?! Love the built-in.

Images via Pinterest

Restoration Hardware - The Gallery

Did any of you LA peeps notice that the Restoration Hardware in Santa Monica and the Beverly Center recently closed their doors? Well last week I discovered why! They created "The Gallery" on Beverly Blvd (near Robertson - where the old William Sonoma was). We visited this amazing new showroom with a client last week and we were all blown away!! Even the client that has a gagillion dollars was super impressed. I must go back when I'm not working. If you are a local, I highly recommend taking a peek inside.

* These flowers are real and they are gorgeous. The talented Eddie Zaratsian design beautiful arrangements in the stores very own floral boutique!

Room Redo

I'm always finding images of rooms I want to recreate for future clients but....unfortunately my day job makes it near impossible to have any client's of my own (sigh).  Regardless of my situation I still feel the need to develop possible room scenarios from current products on the market.  Here is my first attempt at a room redo based off of a living space designed by the infamous Nate Berkus.  Imitation is the best form of flattery right?

1. Monroe Sofa by Room & Board

2. PS Maskros Pendant Light by Ikea

3. Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

4. Tete a Teta by Edward Wormley

5. Box Line Stools via Farnsworth

6. Montauk Nest Chair by West Elm

7. Lina Leather Folding Chair by DWR

8. Mid Century Moroccan Rug via Nazmiyal

BLOG DESIGN NOTE: completely unrelated to this post BUT something that's been driving me crazy! I am aware that my blog has a few kinks in it design-wise. The size of images, etc... I have found a graphic design Co. to re-design the whole darn thing and I am too excited for words! It will be cleaner, brighter, and more my style. Be on the lookout for big changes in the future......

Poufs!

Poufs, Ottomans, Floor Pillows....It doesn't matter what you call them, these are a great addition to any room. They provide easy additional seating while adding a pop of color & style.

The Moroccan pouf is the quintessential accent to any room and has been on my wish list for far too long! It comes in an array of colors and the leather exterior holds up beautifully.

Decor Pad

Lonny

Decor Pad

Serena & Lily

Tazi Designs

If you want to stray away from the Moroccan pouf and it's ever growing popularity, there are lots of other options out there. Check these out...

Ferm Living

Viva Terra

West Elm - no longer available, but something you could easily re-create!

via Lonny

A Little Piece of Nani

I just returned home after spending two days up in Northern California celebrating the life of my grandmother a.k.a. "Nani."  She was such a beautiful woman and lived an incredible life.  She was born in Gracias, Honduras where she grew up, attended college, and taught school before moving to San Francisco in 1948.  Soon after the move she met my grandpa, a.k.a. "Poppy" and they eventually moved into a classic Eichler home. I grew up loving her home so much that I did this post on the architect a while back.  The inside of her home still holds some classic 1950s pieces that I can't get enough of. I always told her how much I loved this particular chair in her living room and she apparently made it clear to everyone that once she died it was all mine (I honestly never tried to claim it as mine! Nor did I count her furniture before she passed). Unfortunately that time has come too soon and we find ourselves without this amazing woman in our lives. I miss her terribly.....

It may sound horrible or too soon, but I can't wait to have this little piece of Nani in my home. I will look at it everyday and be reminded of her. Her detailed stories of her childhood, making us all laugh, getting lost in her thick Spanish accent...I can hear her now....."¡Ay Dios Mio!" or "Un Besito." I wish I could give her a lil kiss right now!

Nesting

Nesting tables have been around for a long time but I've recently been seeing them popping up everywhere! What's not to love? Its a table within a table, within a table. They are perfect when you're short on space but super stylish in any room. Here is a snippet of what's out there...

Clayton Gray

JF Chen via 1stDibs

Ironies

Bush Antiques via 1stDibs

CB2

Top or Bottom?

I was one of those kids that had a bunk bed all the way up until high school. I thought it was the coolest thing eveeeeer. I had one with a queen bed on the bottom and a twin on the top (which made it even cooler).  My sister and I used the bed to play numerous games of fish.  We would tie a string around a stick and put a hair clip on the end.  The person on the top bunk would use the pole to "fish" for toys while the person on the bottom would put a stuffed animal on the clip and yank on the string as if it were taking a bite.  Now if that's not a good time, I don't know what is! 

Buuutttt.....now that I'm in the design world I'm not sure I would want my kid to have one.  Is that mean?! They just seem to take over the entire room and it's inevitable that the child will grow out of it at some point. 

If I had to design around a bunk bed I would follow the lead of these designers....

Elle Decor

Traditional Home

source unknown

Twist on a Classic

I love when a classic design gets a fun update. Check out this iron draftsman stool that is being re-created by Wisteria.  These bright colors will add excitement to any space.  Not so bold? Go for the original iron finish.

Cooper's Small Draftsman Stool by Wisteria

Rainy Days

With this rainy SoCal weather I find myself just wanting to snuggle up on the couch all day.....or how about on one of these?

Molly Luetkemeyer

 Rue Mag

 Lonny Mag

 Cote France

 

 

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