Decorating - How to Stretch the Budget

Decorating or redecorating your home is a sizeable investment. If you haven’t shopped home furnishings or done any type of renovation work over the past few years, you might be a little bit surprised at what things cost these days.

But, there are things you can do to make each of your decorating dollars go a little further, so you can splurge on that fabulous velvet sofa with the 8-way hand tied construction or the mahogany dining table of your dreams.

Chattanooga dining room - a project we completed in late 2019, just before Covid reared it’s ugly head.

1. Try to reuse as much as you can. Not exactly ground breaking information, but it really works! These clients already owned the antique French dining set. It’s been in the family for several generations. We had the the caning repaired where needed on the chairs and added new fabric to the seats. The glorious crystal chandelier was existing, and the antique mirror over the console was part of my client’s collection.
   

Here is the dining room “before”. Same dining set, same chandelier, but the space got a whole new attitude!

Same dining room with the French antique chairs and antique table from client’s collection.

A new rug, contemporary console table with gilt accents and simple beefy lamps take this dining room from old fashioned to fresh and chic!

So take a good luck at the pieces you have and see if you can imagine them in a new location or with a new role. You can still get a whole new look if you make smart choices!

2. Shop vintage. This is quite possibly my most favorite tip. I love vintage. Lamps, art, accessories, furniture, mirrors. There is honestly so much goodness to be found out there and in most cases the prices you pay for the quality you receive makes the whole thing a win/win.

We created this gallery wall in a Chattanooga living room with a mix of vintage finds and newly acquired art pieces. What a unique and fabulous statement it makes. And the brass candleholders on the coffee table. Also vintage.

Entryway of same house in the photo above. This is a 2-for because the little wooden bench is antique AND it was part of the client’s collection. It was made by her grandfather and was the most perfect counterpoint to the modern art!

Same house, same entryway. Vintage bust, vase and candlesticks finish off the modern entryway table.

3. Natural Fiber Rugs Seagrass, jute, sisal - all provide a casual element to a room’s design that is also very easy on the checkbook!

Chattanooga lake house interiors project - master bedroom. A seagrass rugs anchors furnishings of a higher pedigree. (Lots of vintage here as well). I practice what I preach!

Same lake house. Here’s an indoor-outdoor seagrass rug we used in the loft area. Love the casual feel of a natural fiber rug!

4. Dress your windows simply. Ok it’s no secret that I love a luxe drapery at the windows, but there are ways to create chic windows on a budget.

One of my favorite way to create stylish and chic windows is with a simple bamboo shade. You can order them cordless and with liners if you need privacy and light control. It’s the seagrass rug of windows!

From the Southern Living Idea house in Louisville, KY 2021.

Cafe curtains are back and a great way to stretch the window treatment budget. Very little fabric is required and they’re just so charming. Perfect in kitchen, powder room, laundry room, mud room - you name it!

I hope these tips help you get the most out of your next decorating project. Will you try any of them?

Dreaming of creating a special place to come home to at the end of a busy day? We can help! Contact Kim at thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com and tell us how we can help!

Favorite Vendors and Why

Did you know that as designers we have tons of resources at our disposal that may not be well known but are of the highest quality? Yup, there are literally hundreds (thousands?) makers of quality furnishings that you may not have ever heard of.

When we source furnishings for our clients, here are the priorities:

1. First and foremost, the piece has to be appropriate for it’s intended use. No brainer, but it’s a box we need to check.

2. The piece needs to be made from good quality materials and with attention to detail during fabrication. Selecting good-looking furniture is a given, but we also want to be sure it was made to last. (I’m currently working with clients who have a wonderful quality 20 year-old sofa that we’re reinventing with new upholstery and fresh cushions.) This not only helps keep costs down, but keeps these great pieces out of the landfill.

   AND… This is where I insert my blurb about using classic and timeless furniture styles. Traditional is never wrong and will never be out of style. It just needs a few tweaks and updates from time to time. The aforementioned 20-year old sofa is still relevant to today’s design styles, and that’s why investing in simple and timeless pieces that are made with quality materials and great craftsmanship will serve you well throughout your life.

3. Is it made in the USA? We want to support our American makers and manufacturers! I’m proud to source American made products that put our citizens to work and provide job security. Extra points if it’s a family owned business.

4. It needs to be a fair price for the quality of the piece. So while we’re not looking for the “best price” to furnish your home, we want to be sure the quality is in line with the price tag.

5. Style. The styling and overall vibe of each piece should work well with our preferred design style - which is “fresh traditional”. This is not your grandmom’s traditional, it’s a cleaner, simpler aesthetic with less ornamentation.

6. Can I customize? 99% of the time we order upholstered pieces in specific fabrics to get the exact look we want. We also like the ability to specify the seat depth, back height, arm style, and cushion fill.

7. Is there a real person I can call to address any problems that may have occurred somewhere along the line? And I’m not talking about a random person who answers an 800 number halfway across the world that will most likely not even be working there 30 days from now. We actually know the person we’re dealing with and that they stand behind their products.

Here’s a lovely classicly styled and clean lined sofa. The bench cushion and tight back keep the look clean and current.

More beautiful and classic styling. This chair has a lovely waterfall skirt which is super chic. This one brings the beauty but leaves the frills in the past.

You can never go wrong with and English arm sofa with turned legs on casters. It’s a classic that will look good decades into the future.

Here are some custom pieces we’ve used in recent projects:

Here are a pair of custom swivel chairs we had made in our client preferred print by a small furniture maker in North Carolina that works with design professionals. Construction includes 8-way hand tied suspension for comfort and longevity.

Same custom furniture maker made this classic love seat for us in a performance fabric we selected for durability and easy cleanability.

The sofa? Custom. We were able to select our own fabric and trim and specify how we wanted it applied. Rug is also custom from a trade resource in Nashville. It’s 100% wool, can be made to whatever size we need, and is reversible for twice the wear. That’s what I call good value. The art over the sofa is wallpaper we ordered from a trade source. We had the panels custom framed locally - they are spectacular!

To recap, this is why working with a designer who is loyal to her preferred vendors nets the best results. We have the resources that we have personally vetted, have the ability to customize so your home is uniquely “you”, and have confidence in leaving with you pieces we know will stand the test of time.

Ready to take your home to a whole new level of fabulous? We’d love be your design advocate to help make your home the very best it can be! Tell us about your project by filling out our contact form, or email Kim at thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com.

Interiors - Mixing warm and cool colors

Is it just me or are we all ready to bid a fond farewell to the all gray everything we’ve been seeing over the (at least) past decade? Don’t misunderstand me - I don’t dislike the color gray and have used it in projects over the years, but I love the warmth and coziness of color, antiques and pretty patterns!

This dining room we designed and completed in this Chattanooga home a few short years ago illustrates my point perfectly! The warm colors found in the mural and and the dining chairs create a welcoming, comfortable feel in this not-so-formal dining room.

Here’s another recently completed project just north of Chattanooga that utilizes warm colors and textures. To me, this is aesthetic implies comfort and evokes an overall welcoming vibe to the home’s interiors.

We discussed perhaps whitewashing the stone on the fireplace, but in the end decided to retain the natural look of the unaltered flagstones. Note also the gold trim in the ivory drapes, and the muddy sage walls. This living room feels warm and welcoming and yet fresh and current!

Here’s another view of the same room. Buff colored performance fabric on the sofa blends beautifully with the stone and adds a layer of warmth to the room. Blue (a cool color) accents provide color balance and a bit of contrast to the design.

A common misconception I hear from time to time is that grays and beiges cannot be used in the same space. Let me set the record straight. It’s not an either / or situation. You absolutely can combine grays and camels in the same room. In fact, I would argue that this mix of warm and cool is what creates a balanced room temperature. Using all warm tones can feel stifling and oppressive, while all cool tones can feel sterile and cold. And nobody wants that!

Enjoy a few more photos that illustrate how effective a balance of warm and cool colors is in creating comfortable and inviting interior spaces.

Here is a Chattanooga living room in a new construction project we designed during the pandemic. Light gray walls are the backdrop and we layered in golds, buffs and natural wood tones to create a space that is sophisticated but welcoming. Not too warm. Not too cool. Just right!

Gray paint and blue upholstery are accented with orange for a good warm/cool palette in our Magnolia Vale project. Cute pup provides more warm fuzzies.

So have I convinced you that warm and cool colors can coexist peacefully in the same room? If you’re in the all gray era and wish to nudge your space into a warmer, more welcoming version, start with a few warm accents - brass, wood tones, or a natural fiber rug would be a great start to creating a perfectly balanced room!

Chattanooga area homeowners - are you looking to upgrade your interiors and fall in love with your home? Fill out our contact form or email Kim at thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com. We’d love to help create your perfect design!

Behind the Design: Lakehouse Whole Home Renovation and Furnishings Project

I have so much good to share with you over the next several posts! The Green Room Interiors was selected to design and implement a 4000 sf lake house renovation and furnishings project. The home is located on the lake just a bit north of the city of Chattanooga. Whew! And to make things even more interesting, the project was done mostly remotely. You see, the owners purchased the property as a second home they would share with grown children and their families who live in different cities in the southeast. The homeowners/clients live in the southwestern United States, so communication was done through mainly via email and text messages.

I knew this would be a good fit for us because we share a similar design aesthetic (we like color, antiques, and classic furnishings with a touch of modern to keep things fresh and “now”). They were also incredibly trusting, quick to respond to communications, and willing to take design risks from time to time.

Since we would be implementing and renovating the first spaces while designing remaining spaces, it made the most sense to start on the upper level. This approach means we wouldn’t be tracking through new completed spaces on the main level while renovating the upper level, and would allow us to run the Design Planning and Implementation concurrently.

We started with designing the upper level (there are 2 guest bedrooms and a guest bathroom. There is also a big upper level loft area with a fabulous waterfront view through tall windows. Dreamy!

Shall we start with the bathroom? Here’s the obligatory before photo:

This upper level bathroom is located in the hallway that separates the 2 guest bedrooms. In order to keep costs down, we kept all plumbing elements in their original locations and worked with the existing footprint of the bathroom, as there was no available space to capture in order to enlarge it.

Obviously, we wanted a space that felt fresher - and is there anything fresher than a crisp blue and white color scheme? Here’s the direction and selections I presented. Once the plan was approved Lindsay led our team through the renovation with the most amazing results!

We started with the fun mosaic floor in a mix of hexagonal tiles in blues and whites. We would keep the original vanity but reface with it with new doors and hardware in a wonderful shade of blue. White subway tile in the shower always feels clean, and we selected whimsical mirrors and light fixtures to keep the mood light.

Here are a few iphone photos of the finished bathroom. I did not have this area professionally photographed because in a space of this size and layout, it’s hard to get good shots!

Feels so much cleaner!

We went with a simple white quartz for the countertops - I like simplicity in a bathroom to create a clean look. Rectangular sinks further update the vanity.

On to the bedrooms! Both upstairs bedrooms were painted the same shade of bubble gum. The carpets were tired and didn’t offer the casual, lake house lifestyle feel we were going for. Here are the before photos of the upstairs bedrooms (actually both bedrooms had the same paint and carpet, so a single shot tells the story for both rooms:

Time for a glow up!

The client requested queen beds for both rooms. I suggested doing one room with a masculine feel and one room with a feminine feel. Something for everyone!

Here’s the design board for each room followed by finished images for each room.

Can you imagine coming into this room after a hot day on the lake? The dark walls feel shady and cool, and the natural fiber rug adds casual contrast to the more traditional furnishings.

Here’s the finished space. As you can see, some of the individual elements changed as we worked our way through the process, and this is typical . Overall we captured the spirit of the inspiration room and were able to repurpose some of our clients’ family pieces. Here are the after photos:

What a beautiful retreat to enjoy at the end of a fun day on the water!

Is there anywhere an English mahogany chest doesn’t look good? I think not. That wonderful old wing chair was part of our clients’ collection and we updated it with this classic blue windowpane plaid fabric. A smattering of vintage finds finishes off the room.

Want to see the other guest bedroom? This one is brighter and more feminine. We did not shy away from joyful colors - after all, the spirit of the house is meant to be a fun getaway from life’s daily grind.

Here’s the direction. That orange Chinese Chippendale headboard was the jumping off point of this room. Whimsical Chinoiserie fabric provided the rest of the color scheme. A vintage dresser would be reinvented to fit our color scheme and a leopard carpet is just fun!

I adore this fresh and fabulous room. Color? Absolutely - but it doesn’t overwhelm the space or shout at you. Side note: Orange is not a color I normally gravitate to, but every time I use it I love it and wonder why I don’t use it more!

And there is our amazing vintage dresser we had custom lacquered in that just right shade of green! I love it so… The Chinoiserie lamps were a lucky find as was the fabulous vintage gilt mirror. A touch of glam at the lake? Yes please.

The last space left on the upper level is the amazing open loft space. The clients envisioned this area as a space to hang out apart from the main living area downstairs. A mid century settee belonging to the wife’s mother was reinvented with a fresh textured performance fabric while swivel chairs in their original green stripe upholstery were called in to provide the seating pieces. We finished off the space with new pillows, end tables, lighting and accessories.

Here’ s the direction:

Another natural fiber rug anchors the space in a casual, outdoors-y way. We also incorporated a desk for the husband as requested and added a sleek brass and glass etagere to hold a tv and family photos. I love the modern lines of the etagere in this space.

And here is the finished loft area! What an amazing view!

Again, a few of the design elements morphed into slightly different variations of the original plan but this is part of the process. Although we create a big picture plan to follow, we are open to varying the path along the way if it feels right.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our tour so far. It was an amazing project and we’re incredibly grateful that our entire team got to work our magic together. This is how we like to do it and the results you can expect for your own project if we decide to work together!

If you’d like to improve your day to day living, we have the ability to create and implement a design project that is life changing! Fill out our contact form or email Kim at thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com and tell us about your project. We’d love to help!

Chattanoooga 90's Master Bath Gets a Glow-Up!

Today I’m going to share a master bathroom makeover we completed in a 1990’s home.

First, let me share why I adore a renovation project :

1. It requires a little more creativity because of the limitations that are already in place. It’s a little different when designing a brand new space from scratch because in those instances the sky’s the limit. You can put pen to paper to create exactly what you want! With a renovation project, there are usually obstacles to work around as well as spatial constraints.

2. It’s very exciting to see what has been created from what was already there. Especially for homeowners who have looked at and lived in their less than ideal spaces for years. In most cases, clients are only able to see the space for what it is rather than what it could be. So the payoff is big and dramatic upon completion!

3. We get to re-use and repurpose existing items where it makes sense and that always helps the budget and makes homeowners happy! I also love the process of highlighting the best a room has to offer while downplaying the less than ideal characteristics.

Okay, here come the “Before” photos:

As you can see, we had plenty of square footage to work with in this bathroom, but the navy tile was feeling tired and the steps up to the raised tub felt outdated and awkward.

However, that big gorgeous window is a feature we definitely wanted to highlight!

Other finishes were definitely due for a fresh new look!

For reference, I’m adding a few shots of the completed master bedroom renovation that was part of this project. It will give you some context of how the bathroom fits within the entire master suite (we always keep the big picture in mind to ensure that all spaces within a home “Speak” the same language.)

Our clients requested a quiet and neutral space with classic and textural elements doing the heavy lifting.

So after weeks of renovation by Lindsay and our team, we turned this new and much improved bathroom over to our wonderful clients!

Hello amazing white marble, gorgeous window and timeless finishes! With a thoughtfully curated mix of textural, traditional and modern elements, we created a fresh new look for this bathroom that is completely timeless.

The softest shade of sage green found on the shower wall tiles adds a reference to the wooded surroundings of the home while feeling right at home among the neutrals.

I believe with all my heart that where there is contrast there is interest! Don’t we love the juxtaposition of the simple bleached jute rug with the gilt and marble antique bench? This is a family piece that adds a bit of luxe to this comfortable bathroom.

We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to transform the master suite for such wonderful people!

If you would like to utilize our creativity, attention to detail and experience for your home project, we’d love to hear from you! Fill our contact form or email Kim at thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com and tell us about your project!

angled walls? Add wallpaper!

It’s no secret that I love to use color and pattern when designing a space, but there’s one prospect makes me completely giddy, and that’s installing wallpaper on sloped walls!

Angled walls can be challenging to work with, because in many cases the ceiling starts to angle just a few feet above the floor, making it feel short and awkward.

Wallpaper to the rescue! Applying wallpaper to the entire wall - angle and all - creates an illusion of space and a feeling of intimacy at the same time. A design high-five for sure!

I love a cozy space, especially a cozy bedroom! Love the layers of pattern in this room - and the headboard is absolutely dreamy!

Toile is timeless, and is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. As seen in this photo, layering on the toile creates maximal impact.

How absolutely charming is this attic bathroom? The block printed wallpaper is beautiful - but that’s just the beginning! Love the penny tile striped floor and the beautiful shape of the marble backsplash behind the sink.

Stripes are an easy choice for a sloped ceiling. They lift your eye upward creating a feeling of height and openness.

This wallpaper is by Schumacher and it’s called “a-twitter”. It’such a great choice for an attic bedroom - feels like you’re in a treehouse!

The toile! So pretty on the walls, the ceiling, and at the windows. Wallpaper covers every wall and ceiling surface in this charming attic bedroom and I love it!

Life is short and at times difficult. The right wallpaper in the right place can bring joy and contentment to the daily grind, especially in unexpected places!

Usung Color Heroes - Chartreuse

“It is an explosive green, that if one could watch it moment by moment throughout the day, would grow in every dimension.” - Amy Seidl

Chartreuse is one of those colors that most people have a strong opinion about. And the majority of those opinions are not favorable.

Chartreuse straddles the fence between green and yellow. It’s an acid-y color - and yes, it can be a little bossy.

Chartreuse is the color of the freshest spring bud, sprigs of baby grass, and in our neck of the woods, the pollen that wreaks havoc with our sinuses and coats every surface during March and April.

No other color enlivens a space like chartreuse can - even a small dose of chartreuse will energize a calm space!

A few accents of chartreuse freshen up this mostly blue bedroom.

Just look how stunning those silk chartreuse drapes are against the navy velvet settee in this room by Paloma Contreras Design.

Accents of chartreuse are like little punctuation points in the layered and colorful room by Richard Keith Langham.

For those of you willing to throw caution to the wind and “go big”, you can take inspiration from this incredible room from Matthew Carter. It’s one of my favorite rooms of all time and the chartreuse walls are just brilliant.

Modern chartreuse. It’s an unexpected color selection for this bedroom but it works so well!

Bravo fans will have no trouble recognizing this breathtaking chartreuse room that was done by Mario Buatta for Pat Altschul. If I’m not mistaken, the wall color is Benjamin Moore Chic Lime.

AND, if you’re looking for a more toned down Chartreuse paint color, give Benjamin Moore’s Castleton Mist a look.

Photo by Emily Folowill for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine.

Would you add chartreuse to your list of unexpected and chic colors?

Are you ready to live more joyfully at home? The Green Room Interiors is adding new projects to our schedule for late spring of 2023. Contact us at thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com and tell us about your project!

Project Reveal - Chattanooga Master Suite - The Sunroom

First of all, happy 2023!

As usual, the holidays were a flurry of preparation and celebration! We’re grateful for the time we spent with family , the great food we indulged in, and our amazing team and clients who make us excited to get up in the morning to get to work!

Now that we’re in the throes of 2023, I want to share more of this favorite project from 2022. In this post, we’ll look at the sunroom makeover. The sunroom is attached to the master bedroom, and it’s a cozy room where the family unwinds at the end of the day.

From a functionality standpoint, the clients needed a desk for work-from-home evenings, a sofa/seating for relaxing, and a whole new look. Here’s why:

The blue tile floors aren’t what you would call cozy and restful.

But oh, the views out of those big, beautiful windows!

The bones of the sunroom are wonderful - it’s always a plus when you have classic architectural elements as a backdrop!

The plan we came up with was to lose the tile flooring and replace it with wood that matched the the master bedroom hardwoods. With a twist. It’s hard to tell from the photos but the sunroom is octagonal, and we decided to create an octagon on the floor with the placement of the wood flooring.

Other needs: A new desk that offered some storage and was properly scaled for the room, a comfy sofa for relaxing after long and stressful days, and of course, a “wow” factor (my personal favorite).

I can’t imagine a lovelier workspace, but I have to admit - it might be hard to get any work done with those beautiful mountain views!

We used the same charcoal brown on the walls that we used in the master bedroom. Dark colors feel so calming and enveloping - I particularly love them in a bedroom, den, or dining room.

And the floors! You can’t see the full octagon in this image, but you can see how the planks follow the angles of each wall. So rich and warm!

The gold and glass lantern has a masculine feel to it and was at the top of my client’s wish list. I was happy to accommodate becauseiIt works perfectly in here and I love that it doesn’t obstruct the view of the wallpaper - or the view outside the windows.

The colors of nature will never fail you!

Crypton fabric on the new loveseat will resist the inevitable spots and mishaps along the way. I adore the Louis child’s chair - it’s a family piece. The leather ottoman was pulled in from another room - it’s durable and can be used for additional seating if needed.

The wool rug is textural and casual - which supports the whole relaxed/cozy vibe of the space.

Sigh… the end of a wonderful project leaves me with the happy/sad feels. Super happy to have had the opportunity to work on this project with some wonderful people, but a little sad that it’s over too!

Oh, and thank you for visiting today and reading about this project. I’ll be sharing the master bath next!

Are you ready to live more joyfully in your home? We’re currently accepting new work for late spring of 2023. We’d love to hear about your project!