Arranging Accessories & Books on Shelves: Before & After

Like most people, we have a TON of books. Since we moved into our new house last May, they've been in boxes in our downstairs hallway... NOT PRETTY. or organized. or easy. So, yesterday, we headed over to Ikea and purchased this bad boy for our living room: To go in this spot:

We'll still need some more bookshelves somewhere else in the house but I'm really happy with this start:

I mixed in lots of flea market/ thrift finds with the books:

I did a horizontal stack of books (these turquoise ones are some of my favorites- haha although I've only read one of them... it's just the color!!! but The Golden Fleece is on my 'to read" list) to make a little pedestal for my wedgewood bowl. The spot was looking really bare (and we need the space for books!) so I opened a pretty book behind the "pedestal."

I love this fun monkey "see no evil, hear no eveil, speak no evil" vase (and some more pretty blue books!) that I recently found in Volo, IL for $8.

I did a combination of junky paperbacks turned page-side out (I still have all of my Christopher Pike & LJ Smith books) and beautiful leatherbounds. My grandfather has been giving the grandkids a leatherbound classic every year for Thanksgiving since we were kids. (I think my English-teacher-husband was sealed on marrying me when he found this out! ;) ;) I also layered in a flea market painting & some prints to add some interest in the background...

And since I've got lots of green in my living room, I made this fun horizontal stack of green design books. I'm sure you recognize a few! ;) I topped it with tis crazy vintage peacock soap dish ($4) that I found in Volo this summer. Again, I opened up a book to go behind it because the space was feeling bare and I loved the etchings from The Aeneid. I also tucked in a few family photos:

The two bottom shelves are for (you guessed it!) toys!!! I'm using those old wooden wine boxes again & they're smashed in between more books. Even though it's the living room, I like to have toys in every area (as long as they look okay when put away) so that we can all enjoy all the rooms in the house.

And I know how weird & creepy this alligator head is, but we found it at one of my favorite shops at the beach & for some odd reason, we just loved it. (This is the first time my husband actually wanted an accessory MORE than me so I was really happy to get something he was so excited about.) We haven't named him yet...

Below is a bust that I got for around $2 at Unique Thrift Store in Merrifield (AMAZING if you havenm't been... He was made of black-reddish-bronzey glass. Really one of the scariest/ ugliest busts I'd ever seen but I painted him white & then tea stained him. He's been outside too & only gets better-looking with age ;) (Ignore the blue painter's tape!!) He's on top of one of my favorite series of books.

I was able to stack 3 columns of paperbacks in this space above the bookshelf. It will definitely be a pain when I am looking for something but this is the price of beauty ;) ;) I layered in a huge hurricane glass & candle because I needed items of large-scale up there:

And one last look at the new bookshelf. It practically looks built-in & I was so excited when the shelf was only 2.5" smaller than the wall.

If you didn't get the chance, check out this post because it explains a lot of the principles behind what I did here.

xoxo,

lauren

ps- did you notice that the baseboard is in around the floors too?!!! wahooooooooo (we have a little more to finish tonight ;)

Wallpapering Is Hard To DO-O...

(That's being sung to the tune of "Breaking up is hard to do!")

Dave installed the breakfast nook wallpaper last night... AFTER mowing the lawn, accompanying me & providing the man-power on a Home Depot trip to buy shrubs/ trees and 3 huge bails of hay and finally, digging holes for 2 tree-shrubs (don't know the name, just that they were tall & are helping it make as if people live inside our house!) and 5 rhododendron bushes. He really deserves a medal after the past few months.

I'm loving it!!!! (He said it was really hard to install and wants to hire a professional for the hallway... I'm okay with the few wrinkles you can barely see!) Next up: baseboards & bamboo roman shade installation & crystal sconce installation (and then of course some pretty things/ accessories) and I'll show more pics when it's all done next week. Anyway, have a great weekend & will be back Monday!!! :)
xoxo,

lauren

ps- Michele from My Notting Hill was at the Pear Tree Cottage Design Seminar & did a great (and very sweet!!!) post on it here Thanks so much for coming Michele!!

Click & Lock Hardwood Floors Installation- phew!!!

So this past weekend was crazy (good crazy) for us: client install (Fri night/ Sat AM), Pear Tree Cottage Design Seminar (Sun) and last but not least hardwood floor install at our place!!! It started out with a day/ night of demo on Saturday: (NOT fun)


Here it is down to the plywood: The next day we (Ok, DAVE) finished the demo and layed down the sound barrier- the red stuff all over the floor. My parents were watching Christian for the weekend...

And then Dave began click & locking away!!!! I was off to the Pear Tree Cottage and when I came home with Christian he'd almost finished the whole living room & dining room!!!

The next day (Monday, our last day of the long weekend) entailed lots of walks and outside time for Chrstian (who was now home) & Ashby (our pup) and I while Dave installed away. He really is a workhorse and stayed up really late nto finish the floors the day before his first day back at school teaching (11 & 12th grade English). Below, Christian really wanted to help and made sure to cover his ears while Daddy hammered:



He liked his giant "puzzle" and got out his hammer & everything:


Ashby chilled while I took pictures. (Rough job for both of us! ;) ;) She seems to like the new floors. { This is really funny but at the Pear Tree Cottage Workshop, I did a TON of squats in heels without really realizing it, because all of my items for display were sitting on the ground and I had to squat to pick up each one (trying not to abuse the old back!)... hahahah so literally I was SO SORE that walking was difficult for a day or 2!!! It was like I'd had this awesome workout!!! (It's been a while for me, I'll be honest) But now I've decided that next time I do squats it will be in heels because it was one of the best workouts ever!!!}

And, like most projects, this one expanded. We had some extra and went into the bathroom with it. Not my first choice for a kids' bathroom, but we had the scrap and it's better than the linoleum that was in there. We'll try to be good to it, but if it doesn't last forever, I'm ok with that. Below, is our very GREEN bathroom which is now getting a makeover. The green toilet left (sorry I don't have a pic of the pretty litle thing!) and we're keeping the green shower for a good long while (yuck!) and I'm working on a shower curtain for it right now to hide its special beauty away. The sink (also green) is going now too. Will post some "afters" on this bathroom next week.

And, now for some pics of the installed floor!!!! Dave's putting in new baseboards this weekend & then we'll be TOTALLY FINISHED!!! But I'm so happy with how it looks:

Here it is in the kitchen:

And in the breakfast area. (You can see the wallpaper didm't go up yet. As we were prepping we found an outlet above the window that allowed us to install some sconces we had!!! So wallpaper is on the list for tonight...)

And as I was taking pictures of the hallyway about 20 minutes ago, Christian stumbled out of his room and curled up on the floor so I had to get a pic of that. He was there for 5 minutes or so just "hatching"/ waking up. I guess it's comfortable...

We have a bunch of items that are arriving & a few DIY projects left but I can't wait to show you some 'after' pics!!!! It's really all coming together & we're SO looking forward to relaxing & waiting for Baby 2!!!

xoxo,

lauren

**UPDATE: I forgot to mention that we got the floors from Home Depot for around $3.25 per square foot. They messed up on the label though & I think the actual price is around $3.75 or so per square foot but they honored the low price for us & quickly changed the label. They are engineered HWs--- and veneer is elm with a walnut finish. I'm really happy with them so far and we have a pup with long nails & so far she hasn't done ANY damage, even when she skates accross them (she's still getting used to the floors haha)... I chose them because they were the best -looking in our budget... there were others I would have chosen if the price could be doubled or tripled but alas, it's not!!! :) xoxo ***

Can of Worms!! :)

I'm not usually big on writing on controversial posts, but an a post I did earlier today did spur on some thoughts... This morning I did a post on a client of mine who had a very different design aesthetic from my own. (I since removed the post so it isn't as personal, but I can email it to anyone who is interested.) To quickly sum up the "missing post," when I first took the job, the client told me she loved my work, and told me what she wanted and I went ahead & created a design plan from her. When it wasn't to her liking, she then gave me photos of more rooms she liked and they were very very at odds with my design beliefs. At this point, I was really into the job, really liked her, and I did feel that I owed it to her to make the room something she would love, even if I didn't. So that's what I tried to do. She saw the entire design plan before it went into action & approved each and every purchase, but now that it's completeed, she wants "more"- more tassles, more ruffles, etc. We can very easily add some more pillows & accessories to the room & she will be thrilled with the ends results (She has already told me she really likes the room, I just know she doesn't love it the way I want her to.) but this post did bring around another really interesting issue in the comments from an Anon.

Anyway, I got some really great comments- some thought it was very wrong of me to continue on with the client, others thought that as a designer it's your job to take into account your client's tastes & styles & to create a well-done room for them based upon knowing what is good design & trying to make it work with their vision. I've decided that if this becomes apparent in a future project I will bring it to the client's attention and either let us come to an understanding or help him/ her find someone else.

But this comment in particular brought me into another line of thought:

From Anon: "I am not a designer, but I agree with Anon 9:23. When I look at designers I admire and who have traction over time, they take their ego out of the picture and make the client the star. I am concerned about designers who only have a set design, a go to personal aesthetic without ever wanting to design for the client's wishes, wants, and the particular issues the client's home creates. In the end, this kind of one-note design mandated by the designer never grows, never changes and becomes a time capsule. "




I have to disagree with Anon. (above) I think he/ she might be mixing up aesthetic with design style. (I'm not talking different styles such as "shabby chic" or "art deco" or "rustic" but design aesthetics.) They are two very different things & I think it's important to distinguish between the two.


According to wikipedia ,"Aesthetics is commonly known as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste.[1] More broadly, scholars in the field define aesthetics as "critical reflection on art, culture and nature."[2][3] Aesthetics is a subdiscipline of axiology, a branch of philosophy, and is closely associated with the philosophy of art.[4] Aesthetics studies new ways of seeing and of perceiving the world




I believe what makes each designer unique & different is his or her aesthetic. It's WHY people hire a particular designer in the first place... Because they appreciate the designer's aesthetic. Designers who develop signature looks can and DO do a wide range of design styles - contemporary, traditional, transitional, etc- but their aesthetics are apparent in each room they do.



I do not think it's an ego thing at all... I think it's being good at what you do. I believe it's a designer's job to make each design deeply personal for a client but to also make it work & make it a good design & to do your job as a designer. When I think of some of the "greats" and of some of my favorite interior designers: Darryl Carter(image below), Bunny Williams, Brooke Gianetti, Steven Gambrel(image above), Nate Berkus, Albert Hadley ... they have very strong design aesthetics that can be seen in each & every space they do but no one would say they only did one style of design. They design beautiful spaces that thrill their clients & withstand the test of time, not "time capsules" as Anon says designers who impart their own personal aesthetics create.




I also don't think there really should be a "star" in design either... the design should be all about the client & very personal, but I also think the designer owes it to the client to put his/ her best design forward, to make sure the design is well-done & of a certain caliber... the caliber for which the designer was hired for in the first place. I really think of it as a collaboration...


So, what are your thoughts? (I told you this was a can of worms!! :) Do you think a designer should not let his/her personal aesthetic come into the picture when designing for a client? Or should he/ she create a personal design for a client guided by his/her own design aesthetic? Do you think designers with "signature looks" are egotistical? Are they creating rooms that won't stand the test of time?


ps- Also thought this Albert Hadley article was really interesting: http://nymag.com/nymetro/shopping/homedesign/features/n_10144/



xoxo,



lauren

*** UPDATE-- so my computer's being weird & won't let me leave a comment so I cut & pasted it. This would be comment #20: (sorry I'm so long-winded!!!)

hahaha oh my gosh I just wrote the longest comment back and it erased!!!!
I don't know if I can do it again!! (but of course I'm going to try!! :)
mave,First, thanks for putting your name because I think a lot of people who disagree with posts, don't, so I appreciate that.

Anyway, I don't think it's splitting hairs because I do think there's a big difference in an aesthetic vs. a style. I think you & I will just have to agree to disagree on our definition because I'm the exact opposite: I believe that design styles are derived from aesthetics, not the other way around.

This really is getting into philosophy (but that's exactly what aesthetic is- "Aesthetics is the study of beauty and taste... The word derives from the Greek aisthetikos, meaning "of sense perception." Aesthetics has traditionally been part of philosophical pursuits like epistemology or ethics)

But, Someone with a strong particular aesthetic can do a variety of design styles and their aesthetic comes accross in all of them. This is why we love some designer's work and dislike others... I agree with you that if we don't like a person's aesthetic, it's unlikely that we'll like most of their work, no matter what "design style" they're doing. I can see two "traditional" rooms, for example, and love one and hate the other because of how it was done by the designer... because of their aesthetic and how they approached the design style... Anyway, hope that makes sense but I'm feeling lazy the second time around! :) people define their aesthetic & hone it but can use it to produce any style they want.

I'm not sure if you read the originial post or not, but I did say that there was no budget for new furniture, and the only purchases we were allowed were: bedding, lamps, mirrors and window treatment. I also never said that she was unhappy with the design, only that she wanted "more." We're spoken since the post and she wants me to purchase some pillows and accessories & artwork, which previously was not part of the budget/ plan & is very excited about it. The modern lamps in the room were chosen by her from a selection of lamps and she wanted the room to have a modern vibe, not "old world." Modern but oppulent & gaudy... I actually myself love what I think you're calling "old world" and have done it several times to clients' satisfaction.
The things my client are naturally drawn to, are not in good taste (according to me, because taste is relative) but it's also my job as a designer to steer a client towards what I think of as items in good taste that are within the same style. Hence, the super-satiny bedspread of higher quality than the ones in the inspiration rooms. A blend of shiny & matte throught the room vs. all shiny which is what she originally wanted and would have created a bad design, in my opinion.

There are things we learn as designers and it is our job to create designs based upon our knowledge/ experience. I wouldn't be doing my job if I told a client- "yes, everything you want is perfect for this room," because that's not giving them your expertise or creativity, which is what they're paying you for. Most clients who hire you "tell" you what they like and then it is up to you to create that space for them based upon a lot of questioning, digging, sample-showing, etc. They don't want you to do what they could do themselves.

It's not an ego thing or a matter of pushing yourself on them, but it's where you're coming from. And again, it boils down to, if your design aesthetics are at odds very deep down from the beginning, then I don't think it's a good client-designer match. (Which is really what I've learned through the first post & everyone's comments.)

Also, to the original Anon who I quoted in the above post. I hope you're not upset that I quoted you but I wanted to use your comment to start a new thread/ conversation all-together becasue you did bring up another issue, which I thoguht would spur some great debates.

(I have to admit that on a personal level, I was shocked/ a little hurt by the comment implying that I would put my own ego above the client's or that I only had 1 type of design up my sleeve, but you're entitled to your opinion, just as I am mine, and I do disagree with you.) But I don't take it personally and realize that this is a place to give your opinion & do appreciate your giving yours, which is why I continued the conversation.

Hope you'll be back & thanks so all who joined in!! (And of course keep talking!! :)
xoxo,lauren

ps- there'a probably a word limit on comments and i SO went over it!!! eeeeeek hahaha

How To Arrange Your Accessories @ Pear Tree Cottage!

I had such a great time doing the Pear Tree Cottage Design Seminar this weekend! Above is me with an arrangement I did for one of the demonstrations using sedum & some unknown bush cutting from my yard in a vintage milk glass urn. Here are the lovely ladies of Pear Tree Cottage:


It started off perfectly with some champagne and boy did I wish I could have a glass! (I was definitely a bit nervous before it started but everyone was so sweet & there were lots of smiling faces as I began.) One reader even came with a broken foot!!!! (see below) Thank you so much for making it!!!! :)

I really can't tell you how much it meant to see so many of you who show up & it was SO GREAT to actually get to meet you in person!!! I really felt like it was an audience full of friends... (I wish you all could have been there, so I'll try & recreate it ;)

Below on the left is Michele from My Notting Hill and I was so happy to finally meet her too!! Michele was one of the first people to take an interest in my blog & included me in her "DC Designer Series" and I was so excited when I read her post...

Ok, some of you asked me to videotape it, but I was nervous enough and also am technologically-challenged & unsure of how to get a video online (maybe future??) so I'm going to give you a serious breakdown of what I said & how it went. (I apologize to anyone there because this really is justy a play-by-play and might bore you to hear it a second time!!) I went around the store and arranged accessories on an antique vanity used as a console table, a bookshelf and finally a mantle. I started out telling a story about how my friends & family used to come to my house & every time it looked different. It was rearranged & the living room that used to be blues & greens was now beiges & golds. They'd always come in, say 'hi' to me and then start looking around to see what was new. They'd say things like, "You have WAY too much time on your hands," and "How can you afford to redecorate all the time?"

And the truth was, I wasn't really redecorating all the time... I was simply reaccessorizing. (Although I probably do have too much time on my hands! ;) I wasn't buying a tons of new things - of course I shopped a little- but I was rearranging my rooms, moving artwork, pillows & other accessories from room to room. The furniture was still the same, the paint was still the same, they just didn't realize it. This is the power that accessories have to transform a space.

When accessories are done well, a room can be thoughtful, personal & beautiful, but if done poorly, it can feel cluttered, oudated or contrived. The talk I gave was all about breaking down the process of arranging accessories step-by-step so that people could go home & try to get their accessories right in their own homes.

I started out with a quick explanation of visual weight, which is how much space an object takes up, not how heavy it is or how much it actually weighs. For example, a rock and a bouncy ball of the same size & shape are totally different weights, but they visually, they weigh about the same, meaning they have the same visual weight. This comes into play when we’re trying to create balance... Obviously two identical objects placed on a table can create a balanced arrangement, but you can also create a balanced arrangement if you use two objects of equal visual weight. (This is called “informal balance” vs “formal balance.”)

Then I moved around the shop and went to a vanity that was empty & began arranging it as an entryway console table. The look IO was going for was a mix of antique & modern so I chose the antique vanity & paired it with the modern lamps... I layered it with these amazing silver antler candle holders and piled up a bunch of my own decorating magazines for some height & because I wanted to use "real" objects people have lying around their home. I tucked in a really interesting magnifying glass & letter opener (bottom left) for some a nice, low horizontal addition to the arrangament and I used a vintage drink mixer of ours with a branch from a bush outside my house for some freshness.

Finally, I loaded a pretty little tray atop the magazines with "not-so-pretty" things like my keys & cell phone & sunglasses so the audience could see how when you put everyday, functional objects with beautiful ones, the arrangement feels "real" and beautiful & the everday things look great. :

Here's a good step-by-step breakdown...
How to Arrange Tabletops:

1. Create a focal point- (The mirror)
2. Create balance with a pair of objects - (the lamps)
3. Add a “spontaneous” item to overlap the focal point a bit to one side - (the candle holders)
4. Add layers of interest for a personal feeling, using items of varying height & sizes (magazines)
5. Include a tray or low horizontal item such as a book or plate - (the magnifying glass/ opener)
6. Finish with fresh flowers or greenery (my branch in the drink mixer)
...... And then I added a tray of "stuff" for some reality ;)

Next I arranged an empty bookshelf. (Above, Baby #2 is almost 6 months along & you can really tell from the side!!)

I explained how starting out with your favorite objects in the most prominent spaces is a good way to start. I brought in a bunch of paperbacks & showed how if you flip them around so the page sides are showing, you can really get a beatiful look & pair them with other pretty books.

I set up the books first and then filled in with larger objects. (Small objects don't usually work very well in b ookshelves because they end up looking cluttered & knick-knacky)... I used some books on the horizontal and others vertically to add interest. I layered a print in the background for interest & filled in all the holes with pretty things. (Below is the arrangment missing some things, (bottom right) because they SOLD before I could get a picture afterwards!! haha)

And here's another breakdown...
How to Arrange Bookshelves:
1. Decide how you want your shelves to feel: formal, perfectly placed or casual & “undesigned.”
2. Start at the most prominent spot and work your way up and down or out, keeping things balanced as you go
3. Take a digital photo and review the finished shelf, then go back and fix any trouble areas
4. Switch it up & have fun whenever the mood strikes you!!! This is what keeps our homes fresh & beautiful.

And finally, I showed how to arrange a mantle. I started out with an empty one (above)-- do you recognize it? It's ours from our house! (Dave was installing the hardwood floors & it was off the wall so we brought it in for the demonstration) I first showed how just adding a focal point (the mirror- oh the silverleaf driftwood mirror! WOW) and 2 objects for balance (the sconces) and a beautiful centerpiece, you could be finished and have a beautiful, simple arrangement (try to ignore the cords).. it would be created using "formal" balance because everything used has an identical pair except for the central items.

Then I created a layered, collected look and explained how by adding in "spontaneous" objects, you could get a more casual, relaxewd, "off" arrangement. (I used a mix of metal, wood, green & white & made sure it was carried throughout the display.) Here's the finished mantle, below:

Here's the breakdown again:
How to Arrange a Mantel

1. Create a focal point (mirror)
2. Create balance with objects (sconces)
3. Decide how much you want going on… if more- add layers of interest (print, wooden mushrooms, white urn)and a tray or low horizontal item (little row of white -figs- (I think??)
4. Finish with fresh flowers or greenery (the urn with flowers)

It was such a great time & I had so much fun meeting everyone!! I would love to think of a way to meet more readers, so I'll be brainstorming. Here's Michele & I:

And here I am with the lovely (so sweet & happy) Frances, owner of The Pear Tree Cottage:

Thank you SO much to Frances & everyone who attended. I had the best time and you all made me feel so comfortable!!!!

xoxo,

lauren

ps- I have some more details on ideas for accessory display so I'll be posting them later this week.

My Chinoiserie Mirror & Entry

I found this crazy vintage chipped Chinoiserie Mirror at Lucketts yesterday & just went for it. My entryway is dull and uninviting to use the nicest of terms. It's really bad. (below) yummy linoleum (before.)






And you can see it from the Living room and the main wall is actually a focal point of sorts when in the living room (which is where the pic above is taken from. ) I'm putting it high on the main wall so it reflects all of the windows in the living room, not a person's face, when you're in the entry (I'm doing a smaller one across from the door for that.) Here's the mirror below (not hung yet- sorry!) in the repainted entry (white white) which now has wall-to-wall seagrass.



Red is NOWHERE in my house. I'm not usually a red fan but something about this mirror just made me grab it. I just love its patina & chips & cracks. It matches nothing I have but the love was there so I'm sure it'll work.



This 4 foot tall caged lantern (below from Bellacor.com for around $200- what a deal!!) arrived yesterday and I can't wait to install it to replace the sickly-light-producing-globe one that's there now!!!


And one last pic of the chips & cracks!! (I know I go overboard taking pics of the same thing sometimes but just can't help myself)

Have a great weekend everyone. We're hoping our floors have arrived on time so we'll be installing those along with all of the installs for a client's SURPRISE master bedroom. (She is surprising her fiance and they will be gone for the weekend & will come home to a completely new room!!! She's seen nothing in person - only the design plan- and I'm so excited to make a nice romantic space for the newlyweds!! I was thinking how cute it would be to have champagne & rosepetals or something waiting for them but then I also realized how weird that might be.. hahaha maybe just some pretty flowers!) wish me luck!!

xoxo,

lauren