Shelter Loves...

Good Day! My mini-vaca was relaxing but playing catch up at work, is not! No complaints here, I have been catching up on my projects and scheduling meetings for new ventures. This is an exciting time of year...Summer is winding down and there is so much to look forward to during the Fall. Including lots of birthdays! This is also the time of year when I begin to brainstorm for upcoming projects. I loved this summer but I am looking forward to my kids being back to their regular schedule! Here's what I am thinking about today!!

1. I've been drawn to cleaner interiors. I have even been adjusting some aspects of my own home. Moving art, rugs and switching lighting out can instantly give a room a fresh look! Try it, sometimes less is more. I like to give my brain (eyes) a place to rest before moving onto the next beautiful moment in a room. This design is by Amber Interiors (gf is on fire lately)
2. I'm liking the layered, charm necklaces for Fall. Here's a new favorite by Wouters and Hendrix.
3. Yup! Working on this! We all can....
4. My son turned 8 on 8/6, this got me thinking about cake design. Ruffle cakes are a current favorite of mine.
5. One of the things I appreciate most about Vermont is the open land. You can literally see across the beautiful farms for miles. This puts me at ease. The landscape design in this image is stunning. I love how the planner created a perspective view by allowing you to see only a portion of what stretches out beyond the hedge.
6. Sculptural, well made furniture is definitely on my radar. Bar Stool source. 
7. I'm excited to see this stunning couple's wedding photos and her dress!!


P.S. I am also loving this comfy look for FALL. My PS layout was out of room but I wanted to share these too!!! This clog would pair beautifully with flare pants and a comfy fitted chunky knit sweater.

Love the look

Hello Wednesday! I'm heading to Vermont for a few days with my daughter. (My son is already there) It's another much needed mini-vaca before the craziness of September starts. (Did I just say that word??) I plan to read, run, visit the lake, drink my Mom's famous martinis, play with the kids, shop the farmer's market but mostly just chill! Here's a peek of what is waiting to be packed up in my LL Bean tote. I won't glamorize, I keep it super casual in Vermont. You can purchase most of these items in my links below!! xx

Clockwise from top right
1. Distressed Rag and Bone jeans.
2. Cut off denim shorts - these are on sale and I don't wear my rolled...
3. Pearly white Birkenstocks.
4. My new Camp Brand Goods t - this is super comfy and cute.
5. Watch - similar one
6. Paradise T - similar sleeveless t shirts here. 
7. Striped navy sweater - similar to Petite Bateau

In the kitch...

I've been immersed in a kitchen design this morning! I've been wrapping up the final details and emailing with the client and contractor. I've mentioned in the past that one of my favorite parts of being a designer is transforming something dated and non-functional into something efficient and gorgeous! Here's a peek at two kitchens I'm loving! Clean, bright and airy spaces with unique details are on my radar. 


KITCHEN ONE:

The stove, graphic floor tiles (I have a client using these on a project), built in cabinetry and clean white walls are what I'm drawn to in this space.
The built in quality and unexpected mix of finishes make this kitchen inviting and unique. The design is by Jessica Helgerson.

KITCHEN TWO:

Kitchen two is very California cool. I'm due for a trip out West. My personal and favorite style is one that mixes classic details (think elements of chippendale/chinoiserie + vintage + emerald velvet) with modern influences (think brass, clean lined furniture and white paint). It is sort of an East coast meets West coast approach.

 I am loving how fresh and bright this space looks. The bar stools, light fixture, marble counter tops and black steel windows are right up my alley...;) Images via My Domaine.

Be sure to hop over to Marcia Maizel-Clarke's jewerly site Dogeared. (I think I need one of these gold dipped necklaces) Marcia collaborated with her friend Maggie Pierson on this killer design.

small style

There is no question that smaller scale living and being mindful of our carbon footprint is something most of us are considering these days. I still don't know how a family of more than two live in a house smaller than 300 square feet (see HGTV's Little House Big Ideas Show) but to each his/her own! 

I dream about living in a house larger than 1500 sq. feet daily! Although, I am loving my heat bill in the winter and how cozy my new home feels. I do believe that small spaces can be functional and beautifully designed. Check out Chris Burch's business venture. He has left fashion behind (Tory seems to have that covered) and is now designing and selling small, beautifully designed pre-fab homes. True, most of these homes will likely end up as pool or guest abodes in The Hamptons but I am loving the concept.

The company is called Cocoon9. The lofts and cabins begin at around 160 sq feet and are sustainably built. Read more about his venture here. There is no doubt small can still be chic!!

Chris recently held a party in one of these tiny beauties. Here's a peek at tiny but luxurious living. I'd love to plop a Cocoon down in Nantucket or maybe Vermont! All images via

Happenings at Shelter

 Happy Friday! 

I've been working on client projects this am but I wanted to squeeze in a blog post before my day is over! I feel very lucky to be working with a number of fabulous clients on an array of projects. Stylistically I am LOVING every one. (which isn't always the case with design :P). It just happens that a number of my clients and I are on the same page stylistically right now!!  The design process for me is a collaboration with my clients...who then often become friends! Here is a peek at a job. (West Newton Project). It is in a 
Brownstone in Boston and we are gutting the kitchen and bathroom. I stopped by yesterday for a site visit! Here's the skinny......

My contractor has gutted the space and everything is on order. With kitchens and bathrooms their is often a sense of urgency to finish up. It seems clients are either waiting to move in or are temporarily displaced! The client and I both agreed to open up the space. Below are my design inspiration photos! The bathroom is much smaller than this but we will be including brass, beautiful tiles and a refined but casual approach. 

The kitchen layout will be pretty much identical to this. I went with open shelving on either side of a beautiful hood!

Have a great weekend!! I'm off to see Zac Brown tonight at Fenway..Woot woot.
Leaving you with this! One of my favorite songs ever..

Insta peek

Happy Wednesday! I promise when school starts I will be back to posting regularly. August is always kind of a shit show. (pardon my french) I'm busy with my biz, birthdays and a bunch of other "stuff". I know you all understand how life can be insane, throw a couple kids in the mix and it is crazy! The new office space hunt is also underway and I am wrapping up my house!! Here's what is happening in pictures from top to bottom.

1. I needed a mental healthy day. So my friends and I packed up and hit the beach for the day. The sky and water were so beautiful. I feel very thankful to live so close to the ocean. I swear it grounds me.

2. I spent another day at the design center. Here's a little peek at the start of a design scheme for a client. (this house is going to be off the charts amazing)

3. My new bedside tables came in. I had them custom sprayed in a beautiful blue color. Poppy liked them too!

4. I had this ottoman delivered to another client. She owned the zebra ottoman, I had more depth to the piece by having large brass nail heads added!! This is for another project that is close to completion!!

Thoughts on decorating the top of an armoire

So you have an armoire and you are eying that space between the top of it and the ceiling.  Do you or don't you put anything on top of it?   You might want to consider the following:

How much space do you have to work with?
If you have less than 24 inches  I suggest forgetting about adding something above it. Here's why:

This is a lovely  armoire, but the flowers are squished in, and they would be so much 

prettier in a different spot. The arrangement looks awkward.  The scale of the flowers and pan are perfect if only the armoire were a little shorter. If you choose to put something smaller in scale on top it would be difficult to see and you would have to stand back quite a bit to see it. 

BUT sometimes you can make it work.  There's always an exception to every  rule.

 Bosworth Hoedemaker

Even though these baskets touch the ceiling in places, their colour, scale and random/exciting arrangement  make them appear as if they are an extension of the armoire. The armoire is also at the end of a hall and will always be viewed from a distance allowing  you to see what's on top of it.

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And you can usually get away with one large low object with a tall armoire

Hingham Kitchen & Bath Designers 

especially when the object is the same colour as the armoire. 

Do you want your eye to go to the top of the armoire?
If your armoire is a centre of interest in your space you may want to add other elements to enhance that position and make it even more commanding.   You might also want to add something if you have other tall elements in the space or you want to create some height variations among the various verticals in the space.

If you have enough space and you want to draw attention to the armoire here are some tips to consider:

Think in odd numbers. 

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If the armoire has glass doors, consider using the same type of objects stored within it on the top.

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This arrangement of bottles and bedding is a natural addition to what is already stored inside the armoire.  The light colours make the whole unit look very cohesive.

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  In this child's room the top of the armoire seems to be the perfect place to store these large toys.  Because they are the same colour as the room and the armoire, they don't seem too big.  That leads me to the next tip:



If you don't want to draw too much attention to the objects, but you want to fill in the space consider using objects that are the same or similar colour of the armoire or the wall or use clear glass. 

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If you are going to add a piece of art that high make sure it is a bold image that it can be read from a distance and lean it against the wall , if you are considering using a photograph the same guidelines apply.

Think about groupings of the same object in different sizes. e.g., vases, glass bottles, boxes, baskets, birdcages, wire sculptures, spheres,  ginger jars, etc.

If you scroll back through the photos in this post you will see this tip used in a number of ways.

How about you?  Do you have any thoughts on decorating the top of an armoire?