The gathering spot

I stumbled upon this image from pinterest today and was captivated. Love that this kitchen is all windows and no uppers with the most incredible windows. But, I really love the long gathering table instead of the traditional island. After being in a cabin for a week with 14 people (7 adults and 7 kids) who all like to cook and eat incredible meals - kitchen layout is very important. The sink isn't right next to the stove or fridge allowing for many cooks to work together without bumping into each other. There was more bumping this last week than one could imagine. I love that this kitchen breaks with the convention of a close work triangle and the island while at the same time creating a feeling of coziness.

My large family and I could be very happy in this kitchen.

Happy Monday.

Favorite casual entryways

It's raining today in Seattle and I was reminded of the importance of a great entryway. Not only for the water and dirt you track in (and those pesky kids shoes and backpacks) but also for setting the tone of your house. Entryways are probably the most used room in the house and the most overlooked. And remember, they are the first impression of your house.

Here are some of my favorite casual entryways.

This is one of my all time favorites. The mitered striped rugs, gold light fixtures, grass cloth walls and mouldings. Heaven for me. Not to mention the adorable dog.

I love the attention to detail in this entryway and the use of the space. The benches flanking a mirror on one side, and the dresser (to dump/hide your stuff) and zebra chair on the other. Don't get me stared on the mouldings and lighting. Lovely.

I love everything about this entry. It feels so welcoming and really tells a story about the people who live there. I'd like an invitation to dinner at this house.

This is also one of my favorites. A little more polished and sophisticated but still very casual. And that orange door.

A great classic craftsman style entry, but with casual ship lap and antlers.

This entry exudes warmth with the pine pieces, sunburst and oriental rug. The ceiling detail really adds to the causal feel.

Those beams and doors. Gorgeous. Love the white sofa as the contrast to the case goods and floor.

The leopard stair runner (love) and oriental rug, mixed with the collected art, tall armoire and blue and white ginger jars make this space visually interesting and welcoming at the same time. Styled differently, this entry could have made it into my more formal entry category. But as it is, it's eclectic casual.

Industrial french. So beautiful and ethereal.

The mix of the brick floor, ship lap, built-ins, antique bench dutch door, and iron railing makes this entry the ultimate in casual. Perfect for a climate that gets a lot of rain and snow. This entry reminds me of my mom - I think she'd love it.

This is my dream entry for a second house in the mountains. I love the large slate floor combined with the traditional french doors, built in bench and traditional mouldings. Then to give the room a little more texture and make it more casual, the use of the bead board on the ceiling. The finishing touch is the oil rubbed bronze hardware. This is how you use slate correctly in my mind.

So those are some of my favorite casual entryways. I hope you enjoyed them.

All images are from my pinterest.

Project Update - Lake Sammamish House

Over the past two years I've had the pleasure of working on an amazing coastal inspired Lake Sammamish waterfront home. While we are still working on furnishing the interiors, a few of the rooms of the house were published this month in 425 Magazine so I thought I'd share it with you.

Entry. We are still looking for the perfect piece of furniture for this room. We used shiplap through out the entire house to give the house some character and make the spaces feel more comfortable as the ceilings are extremely high.

In the kitchen we did a custom metal hood, a combination of mirrored and glass front cabinets and a dark grey island to designate it as the focal point of the room. The bar stools in this room will be the statement piece when they are done as they are vintage french louis bar stools with cowhide seats. They take my breath away and I can't wait as they change the feel of the entire room.

Ceiling and crown moulding detail

View of the dining room and family room from the kitchen. We are looking for vintage french chairs for the dining table.

The family room. Since this picture was taken there is a larger seagrass rug, a larger custom zebra ottoman (this one is actually mine that they homeowner was using until theirs arrived), a metal and wood custom console and some fabulous white lamps. The room feels warm and cozy now as it is their main gathering spot.

There are so many fabulous rooms in this house that I'll post more pictures as they are finished.

Barn Delight

Joni at Cote de Texas always finds amazing houses to blog about. Her latest post, Lynnstone in Mississippi, is no exception. The main house is a whopping 27,000 square feet and is truly amazing. But I especially loved the barn and guest quarters. No details were left to chance and the space is so welcoming and comfortable.

The exterior and a close-up of the walk way into the stables.

Those are some lucky horses. The stonework, beam detailing and lighting directly ties into the exterior.

The guest house above the stables is a great blend of the rustic and elegant. I think I could be happy here.

Gorgeous Space. Thanks Joni!

Architect - Kevin Harris

Interior Design - Annelee Primos

Swoon

As I was watching the BCS Championship game tonight with my boys, I found myself flipping through this months issue of Veranda (the score was 15-0 so you have to give me a break). Tonight a Windsor Smith great room stopped me in my tracks. The grass cloth walls, black windows, mirror, and the white Moroccan coffee table. BUT, that camel back sofa had me swooning. The turquoise antique textile is so fun and vibrant yet so soothing at the same time. And on a camel back sofa no less. The sofa that's usually associated with an old stale room or your grandparents house. The print and color draws me in and makes me want to retire to this room on any given night. Even to watch a football game.

Then I remembered seeing the sofa and coffee table in a previous room of her house that was featured in House Beautiful. The infamous pink room in fact where they were secondary elements to the pink walls and yellow chairs. It was not my favorite as there were too many elements for my eye to absorb.

Just goes to show you that even with the same elements two rooms can be so drastically different- even from the same designer. But, it also confirms my belief that great furniture can be versatile and can move from room to room depending on your needs and your vision for the time. If you love it, you will have it forever and it's worth the investment. So go pick up that camel back sofa you've seen at the neighborhood antique store and reinvent it with a fun vibrant fabric (or if you are less daring a timeless white denim) a la Windsor Smith.

Barbara Westbrook's Office

I've always dreamed of having my office space in a cottage. Barbara Westbrook's office in Atlanta makes me wish there were more spaces like this in Seattle. It represents her aesthetic

and would make going to work a dream.

The exterior is so charming yet polished.

And the entry so welcoming.

The lovely communal workspace for the four employees. All white and seagrass are the perfect background to soothe the designers daily visual overdose.

The work area with all the memos and samples. This is my idea of heaven. Throw in a baguette and some wine and I'd never want to leave.

Barbara at her workspace. I love that she's still in the middle of the action but that she has her own worktable. I like stuff and I like action - this would be the perfect setup for me. Check out the antique French window that separates the main workspace with the conference room. Gorgeous.

The conference room with the amazing window into the workspace. It's such a relaxing setting for a client meeting.

The office kitchen and powder room. Simple and classic. I bet no ones allowed to cook fish in this microwave (if you've worked in a corporate office you know what I'm talking about)

I hope they love working there as much as I would. Thanks Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles for featuring the space.

Outside the box

As we rang in 2012 and the usual question of New Year's Resolutions was posed, I found myself thinking of the normal response: get organized, exercise, appreciate the little things in life, enjoy friends and family, eat less pizza and fast food ( okay, so maybe this just applies to me), etc. The list is too long to post about.

However, what I really want to do this year is to think outside the box. Challenge myself to see everyday items or rooms in a new light. Keep growing, keep reinventing as the images below demonstrate.

A sliding barn door as a shower door

A pop of color in an unexpected place like moulding while leaving the walls white.

Taking an everyday item like the Ikea Expedit bookcases and making them look extraordinary (and expensive)

Using a garage door instead of a door (if only I lived in a climate where I could do this more than 2 months a year)

Bringing an outside planter and boxwood inside

Hanging a mirror the last place I would want one, but so wonderful.

Using lighting as the art, brilliant Mrs. Howard.

And rethinking an ordinary attic space into an incredible, sophisticated 4 person guest room. So outside the box.

Hope your New Years is off to a great start.

All images via my pinterest

Holiday Cheer

A couple thought starters for your holiday decorations. That is, if you aren't already done like some people I know.