Design Work...A Family Room for #projectbistrochic...and Another Little Speech...and I'm an Expert!

First things first...thank you to everyone who weighed in on what I was dishing out yesterday.

I received quite a few emails checking in to make sure I wasn't the recipient of some nasty interweb negativity.

In fact, the post wasn't about me or any one person at all...it had more to do with how I see this little SM universe we are all connected with shaping up at times.

Though most often a source of such great support and encouragement, it can also be one that seems not unlike a high school cafeteria, with those that feel they are somehow better than everyone else, thinking it OK to take aim and demean others seemingly just for sport, or under the guise of good intention.

From now on, I sincerely hope all of us can take a step back and really, truly work to support each other in a way that makes us all better.

I'm pretty convinced that we all feel success so much more sweetly when its created from a place of kindness and positivity.

I'm going to quote my very inspirational friend Lisa Ferguson, who said this to me on FB this morning...

 "Magic happens when we marry our talents/strengths with those that complement. My wish is that peeps move away from comparing, embrace and grow in their unique power pack of strengths and change the world by collaborating with others in their GENIUS!"

YES. YES and HELL YES.

So, with that off my chest, I'm ready to return to pretty stuff.

As I mentioned as part of my 'trends report' yesterday, I'm so in love with dark paneled walls these days.

I've been working on a local project for the past month or so and am thrilled that my client has agreed to take her living room and fancy it up with some fabulous moulding detail and a few coats of this goodness...

...aka, Farrow and Ball Hague Blue.

It's the stuff that makes walls look like this..

via

via

via

It's the most deeply rich, chameleon like colour...hard to believe that all these spaces are done with the same paint!

The last shot is in fact, not dissimilar from what we'll be doing in this space.

Dark, paneled walls...hits of brass...Persian rug...long sofa...built ins...great art.

The room we're working with is so suited to this sort of vibe because it's separated from the rest of the house with a few steps down...it's a cozy space that can so handle get even cozier...

The wall of paneling on the right actually conceals duct work and pipes that can't be removed so

we've taken down the panels and are applying drywall so that my fabulous carpenter Allen can work his moulding magic.

Once that's all squared away, we'll take the original design board as inspiration...

...and the pieces actually sourced/purchased:

1. These vintage Bergere's with some new upholstery.

2. A pair of incredible art pieces that my client's mother is very generously passing along...

3. A long tufted rolled-arm sofa...

4. Some gold-leaf sconce fabulosity...

5. A JA coffee table...

6. A pair of some very fabulous velvet chairs (or similar)...

...and make some moody/dark walled magic happen.

All is in motion and will be revealed the moment it's complete.

In other VERY EXCITING news...

I've officially made it on to the Steven and Chris 'Experts Page'....

[photo by Ashley Capp]

Imagine that...me an expert;)))

You can read my little bio blurb HERE...to say I'm exciting/honoured/thrilled would be insufficient...delighted beyond measure.

PS...if you are in the US and want to see the tour of #projectgetroomsreadyforkids aka, the basement reno, you can watch that episdode HERE.

Happy Friday friends.

xo