design: paneling

I thought I'd keep going with wall treatments this week. Yesterday, you saw how grass cloth can add warmth and texture to any space. Now let's look at paneling. Architectural details like paneling add character and a sense of history. It can make a house that is built in 2013 look like is was built in 1913. It's instant age, and it feels like there was an evolution with the space. It is also indicative of craftsmanship, and an overall well built and thoughtfully designed home. Take a look at these examples. The paneling in the room is simple and modern. Although black might seem like a scary color, I think its warm, dramatic, edgy and classic.

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This entire Cashiers, NC house is absolutely gorgeous! The architect and designer mixed a number of different types of paneling throughout. I think it evokes a luxury mountain retreat, perfectly. 

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The Washington Schoolhouse Hotel in Park City, Utah deftly mixes simple board and batten paneling with ornate European antiques. What an elegant and eclectic pairing. There is real energy in mashing up two totally different styles in one cohesive design. Board and Batten is easy to fake... check out Young House Love's hallway upgrade.

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Thom Filicia's lake house is the epitome of rustic cool. I think, the natural paneling keeps the whole space looking very casual and down to earth.

Isn't his tiny kitchen a great use of space? And I love his bar, you know he throws a great party! You can check out the whole house here.

Maybe you already have or prefer more traditional paneling, I think painting everything out the same color makes it look really fresh and current. Nina Garcia's Living and Dining rooms are tres chic, and au courant.

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I also love it when traditional paneling is gilded. I remember my grandparents house, Oakton, having gold trim in all of the formal entertaining rooms, and I just loved it...
This room just exudes decadence, but it still feels relevant in today's interiors. So super glam glam, eh Martyn?

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Ok so this post already pretty long, I think I'll split it up and post more tomorrow. Horizontal and painted paneling coming up next! Are you guys inspired? I am!
xo Lea Hart

design: grasscloth

I love Love LOVE grasscloth wallcoverings. They add such texture and warmth to a space. Here are a few of my favorites from my Pinterest.

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Phillip Jefferies, a company known for its unique and fabulous wallcoverings has a grass cloth calculator, to help you figure out how much you'd need. Grass cloth is generally a different size than a standard wallpaper roll...

Well, kids, what's the verdict? Do you love it like I do, or what???
xo Lea Hart

love: me

Yes! Yes! Yes! That is so right.

xo Lea Hart

entertain: Breakaway

Art Garfunkel's Breakaway was my "gateway" album. You know the one you heard and as soon as you did, it opened your world to how awesome music could be? One day, when I was 12 or so, I found an old dusty box of cassette tapes in the garage. Thankfully these musical treasures were discovered after I my NKOTB stage (we all had that right?!), and I was able to really appreciate them. There were some really awesome tapes in that box; The Beach Boys, Yes, The Doors, and Art Garfunkel's Breakaway. I listened to and LOVED all of them.  But there was one that I played over and over... Breakaway.

My Dad told me that he gave it to my Mom in college before he left to go to school in Paris, France. So she would listen to it and think of him. It made such and impact on my musical tastes. For many years after that I wouldn't listen to any album recorded after the 70's. I fell in love with Simon & Garfunkel, Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, America, the Beatles, The Who and so so many more.

Anyway, I though I'd share because I heard a great cover of the Boxer by Mumford & Sons today




and I wondered if kids today are exploring this great era in music? Or are they going "old school" with stuff from the 90's? Hmm...

I'm really digging Munford & Sons right now. They have soul. Maybe I'll start sharing more music regularly here, since its such a part of my life. I shared this one last year, and it still makes me dance as soon as I hear it!

What do y'all think?

xo Lea Hart

design: High Style Low Budget Living Room

The title of this post could also be "How to Make that Ikea Couch Look...well, not like an Ikea Couch" 

Earlier this week, I showed y'all where to find some fun high style housewares that won't break the budget.  And, while I think the big retailers are great for making good design accessible for all, I mentioned that there are generally a few things I stay way from. Here is a living room I whipped up to illustrate my point.  

The slipcovered couch and chair are both from Ikea. They are pretty basic, but they have nice clean lines and are easy to work with.  The rug is a woven jute rug, which can be found all over for super cheap (Ikea has a really nice thick one). The coffee table is the biggest splurge,  but I think it's really important to have a few special, unique pieces in each room. A number of different styles would work as well, if that one was just too pricey. The side table and the lamp are pretty simple. There are a number of retailers that sell similar looking pieces, so you could probably find one in your price range. For the table, maybe something like this glass topped piece or this one from CB2 would work.

   

Crate & Barrel has some pretty inexpensive table lamps too. This one would be a good fit for our Living room. 

The floor lamp in the "room" is actually on the higher end, and its pretty fantastic. Its the Spun Light by Flos, but I honestly think the Kulla floor lamp from Ikea would look just as great too. 

             

The chest on the left could be perhaps a piece you already own or a funky piece that could be bought at a used furniture store,  yard sale or outdoor market like Brooklyn Flea or Chartreuse &Co. We just refinished a high boy dresser for our bedroom, I'll share all about that project soon! It has great brass hardware just like this Mid Century Modern piece above.  I love that use of warm metals but with different finishes. 

So now, we've identified all the basic major players. Whats left is the art and the pillows. I picked these art pieces to be representative of art that you could buy inexpensively or art that you could make. The piece over the chest is by Sugarboo Designs. I really love all of their pieces! I would rather see an original piece done by you than something mass produced. My friend and I painted these, it was fun to make and they are totally original. How fun would it be to have an art night and create something like the piece over the sofa? 

I say look for pieces you love or that make you smile, check out emerging artists, or just make your own. Original art is so much better! Now about the pillows, I really think these are the little details that really make a room. Generally, store bought mass produced throw pillows are not the best quality. They are usually too small, don't have a down fill, under stuffed, with a big zipper or no opening at all... and well... they just look cheap. Thats why I think custom made pillows and draperies  (more on those... later) really take a room to the next level. In the room above I selected all different patterns and sizes, none are matchy-matchy.  Sometimes they can be quite expensive especially if they have a lot of detail and embroidery. But just look at what a difference taking out the personality pieces makes!  

This room is fine, there is nothing wrong with it... but there isn't anything really special, either. It looks like random pieces that don't all quite work together...  The art is ok, but haven't we all seen something like that already? It just seems sort of flat an "undone". 

Anyway, I think you can save a lot of money on buying reasonably priced basic pieces. And by adding a few carefully selected pieces that really speak to you,  you can create a great looking room that is uniquely yours!

What do y'all think? 

xo Lea Hart