Reader's Design Dilemma {Creating an entryway mudroom}

Happy Hump Day All! It has been a weird week here in NC with freezing temps, ice and snow. So we have been huddled under blankets relaxing with no where to go. If you live in the South you know that everything just shuts down. Even though it seems silly, it is a nice break from the Norm. Hope that wherever you are that you are staying safe and warm!

I am back today with another Reader's Design Dilemma. I absolutely love helping others create a space that will work for them and their family. This sweet reader is starting with a new home and needed some advice on paint, tile, entryway, built-ins and kid's room. Today I am talking about her one need for a mudroom or landing spot of sorts.
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I'm a long time reader of your blog and big fan also. 

We recently purchased one under construction home and it's still in very much initial phase. It is not totally custom house but builder is quite flexible for changes not related to structure.
Before I put my question ahead, I want to clear few things. I am not at all DIY person neither is my husband. I always wanted to hire someone who could help me visualize and guide me around the whole house.
We would like someone who can give us few basic ideas and guidance.....sort of like just make a few different mood boards and organization ideas. 

Let's start with the first need:

1) I really need some kind of landing sport/mudroom, when we enter from garage. I'm thinking to move the laundry room door down the hallway and use that narrow space as mudroom. Please pour your idea/suggestions on that.

Thanks,

Gopi

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So we started in that little entryway off of the garage since the builder needed to know where to move the door and some other structural issues. Here is the first floor plan: 

After entering from the garage, if you make your immediate left there was a door that led to the laundry room. We decided the best option would be for the door to be moved down the hall closer to the room to make space in that hallway for a small mudroom/landing spot. 

My first initial response to her question was to create a mini mudroom of sorts under the stairway like the images below:

This would free up space in her hallway and make use of that awkward storage space under the stairs. 

Gopi decided that she would rather have the mudroom space on the left hand wall and leave the storage space as is. So back to square one with finding her some ideas that would work. 

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The only problem was that the hallway was only 3ft wide. The average bench or built in is usually wider than a foot and on average 18.5", leaving less than 2 ft to walk down that hallway. Gopi was also concerned that if they ever needed to remove the washer or dryer for any reason, that it wouldn't fit down the hallway with the built ins.

So to the design board once again. This time I came up with a removable idea that could be modified to best fit their family.

Sources: Storage Ottomans, Shoe Storage, Large Wicker Basket, Blue Heron Art Print, Wall Hooks, Mail Organizer/key hooks, Shelves, Runner & this option

This was her response to the moodboard:

"I totally love this idea...movable ottomans and high storage shelves. Can you please send the links for those things. Do you think that wainscoting is needed if we go this route?"

I was please to know that she approved. We talked a little bit about adding the wainscoting to the hallway for character and practicality. It would be easy to wipe down from sticky fingers and mud that the kids would track in. So we will see what Gopi decides to do.

Now...on to making some decisions in her kitchen. Stay tuned next week!

What do you all think? How do you corral all of your kids outside "stuff"?

Do you have a minor design dilemma? Send it over my way at eatsleepdecorate(at)gmail(dot)com.

New Artist Crush {+Giveaway}

A couple of weeks ago I shared my plans for the twin's nursery. I wanted a space that was not so babyish and something that they could grow into. I love finding artists that really influence the design of a specific space. Well...Ricardo Solis is one of those artists. He helped me capture what I wanted in the design of our nursery. Below are the two prints that have arrived for the nursery! The flamingo will go above baby girl's crib and the zebra above baby boy's crib.

I absolutely love the playfulness of these paintings. There is something to be said for a child's imagination and I feel that these evoke that image so well. They all tell a certain story.

Here are a few more of my favorites:

the big monument

Creating the Corocoro

creation of the giraffe

poisonous color

I love that these don't necessarily have to be for kids spaces. They would be neat in a den or family room where the pictures would be fabulous story starters for your guests!

Now the fun part.....
Ricardo is giving away one 11x14 print of choice to ONE lucky winner!! All you have to do is follow the Rafflecopter below. Visit Ricardo Solis's site and let me know which print you would like to win. There are extra entries if you follow on Facebook & Twitter.

Winner will be announced next Monday, February 9th. Good Luck!
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reader's Design Dilemma {Exterior Paint Choices}

Last week I was contacted by one of my reader's. I love getting an email that has some sort of design question or dilemma. In this case Denise was having difficulty choosing an exterior paint color for her home:

Amy, I think your so talented. I was hoping you might give me a minute or two of your valuable time. I have re-sided my home and the painters are standing by while I stand dumbfounded at the chip wall, I have no idea!

I need to co-ordinate my roofs green and blue grays and I'd like the new shake to stand out a bit but have no idea about the trim, body door and shutters. I saw the colors on your latest flip and thought they were so gorgeous I'd take a chance to see if you had an idea about the direction I so go.

Thanks in advance, and thanks even if your too busy to write back. I love your blog and all the inspiration we get from it.

Denise

photos - 1) house, 2) roof, 3) shake, and 4) new window trim

I've added staggered shake to the gable and will be adding this window detail and beefier posts

What an adorable home! I was pleased to hear that she is going to be adding some larger posts to the front porch as well as beefing up the trim around the windows and doors. This will make a huge difference for the curb appeal of this home. 

I sent Denise three options (although I could have sent her like 10!). I am anxious to see what she decides and hope that she will send all of us some updates along the way. 

Option 1:

Since the roof has a fleck of green to it, I thought Crownsville Gray would be a great compliment. It also has hints of green, brown and gray. The posts and trim would really stand out with Simply White and be such a fabulous contrast to the darker siding. And I just thought she needed a Navy blue door. You know my love for the dark regal blues. 

Here is a little idea of where this color scheme is headed:

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Option 2:

We have actually used this color combination in a couple of our flip homes. These colors feel a bit fresh and cottage like to me. The door color would really stand out from the street and adding Chelsea gray to the shakes would create another element to the curb appeal.

Here is an example minus the front door color. This was a flip we did a couple of years ago and used Sandy Hook as the main color, Chelsea Gray on the shutters and Glass of Milk as the trim. 

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Option 3: 

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This color palette was pulled from one of the blogs that I currently follow. The color combination is a bit lighter than the previous two, but still plays on the green shingles making it feel cohesive. I also love the idea of adding a little color to the porch ceiling. Very cottage like indeed!

Here is the example of Dixie Delight's home painted in this color palette:

Thanks Denise for sharing your home with us today! In my opinion, Denise can't go wrong with any of these paint choices. 

Tell me....What option is your favorite?

If you have a design question or are stumped on how to organize a certain space...email me at: eatsleepdecorate(at)gmail(dot)com. I would love to help you with your design dilemma's!

A Plan {Our Twin Nursery}

I will be 25 weeks pregnant tomorrow! Yahoo! Getting closer to meeting my babies. While counting down the days gets me excited, I am also a bit anxious when I think about getting everything done before their arrival. Especially because twins are known to come early. Yikes!
So we have been in the works cleaning, purging, organizing...you know, full nesting mode! I think I am wearing John down already and little does he know we still have so much left to do. Buckle up Hubs!

A while back I shared with you the previous floor plan of our tiny nursery. It was used for an extra guest room. Well at only 11'x10' we have had to be very creative when trying to fit TWO cribs, a dresser, glider and storage into this precious space.

Here is the layout we are hoping for:

It will be a bit cramped, but the sweet babies aren't going to care! We have really tried to create as much storage as possible with slide out drawers under the cribs, a six drawer dresser and two hanging bars for clothes in the closet. We are also re-doing one of our downstairs utility closets to create more storage for the big stuff that babies need like bouncers, bumbos, playmats, etc.

I want this room to feel calming with just little touches of color here and there. The walls are painted Shoji White by Sherwin Williams and the ceiling is Amazing Gray by Sherwin Williams. I really love the color palette that is going on so far!

Here are my design plans for the Twin's Neutral Nursery:

1. Round Mirror- I love this one, but have found a much cheaper version at Ikea that I think I am going to go with. There is so much white in the room that I wanted to add touches of gold to make the room feel a bit more sophisticated and put together.
2. Yellow Lamp- I needed a little pop of color and found a similar lamp at HomeGoods a while back. Its quite adorable.
3. Etsy Artwork- I love the balloons over the city as well as the merry-go round in Paris for a bit of whimsy.
4. Mid Century Dresser- I found an almost identical dresser to the West Elm one at a local antique/consignment shop. It is perfect and I can't wait to get it into the space!
5.Naps Fix Everything- Again I love supporting small business and Etsy is a great place to find artwork.
6. Floor Lamp- I am thinking that since I don't have a lot of room for a side table next to the glider, that I am in need of a floor lamp to give me the space I need.
7. Side Table- this Nate Berkus table just took to our local Target stores and I am thinking this is just what I need next to the glider.
8. Glider/Rocker- this glider is almost identical to one I found for around $200 at HomeGoods a couple of months ago. Such a steal and so so comfortable.
9. Pouf- I am in need of a pouf or ottoman to place my feet while rocking and feeding. I liked the pattern and colors in the one above. Target to save the day again!
10. Striped Fabric- this striped fabric will be used on the roman shade as well as the crib skirts. You can't go wrong with stripes in any room!

1. Pendant Light Fixture- This light has already been hung and is currently at an amazing price! You can see the lighting details in the nursery here.
2. Floating Shelves- I am so excited about my Lucite shelves that are going to be hung on the wall near the glider to organize books.
3. Color Scheme- These pillows that use to be on the guest bed have become my color inspiration. Yellow, Gray, Navy, Turquoise & a Flamingo Pink!
4. Bright Lab Lights- I love the looks of these string of lights. I think they would add a bit of fun to the room and come in such a variety of colors. This strand has white, gold, pink, coral, indigo and turquoise. I think the colors would be perfect!
5 & 6. Unexpected Artwork- I have been in love with Ricardo Solis art for quite sometime. I am so so excited that these prints should be here sometime later this week. I ordered 11x14 prints for above each crib. Can't wait to share a bit more about this artist in a couple of weeks.
7. Throw Rug- Even though the room has wall to wall carpeting, I am thinking a small rug would add another element to the room. Maybe even a possible sheep hide for near the dresser/changing table.
8. Baby Mod Crib {x2}- I absolutely love these cribs! We have just started setting them up and I dig the low profile and space that they save in our small room. They also have a drawer that pulls out underneath for storage. Perfection! And...can you believe they are from Walmart!?



So what do you think? Even though the room has to be fairly gender neutral since a boy and girl will be sharing the space, I have added some feminine and some masculine touches that I think will be perfect!

If you want to follow along with bits and pieces of the nursery as I add furniture and accessories to the space, head on over to Instagram! I am hoping to be able to share a tour of the room in just a few weeks. Wish me luck!

Gorgeous Bedrooms with Dark Walls

I am thrilled to have a Guest Designer on Eat.Sleep.Decorate. today! Jane is here to talk about the new trend of going dark with our walls. She gives us some great tips and tricks on how create that dramatic room without having to go over the top dark. Personally I am a big fan of this trend. It seems to create something dramatic yet cozy. Enjoy!

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Gorgeous Bedrooms with Dark Walls

By Jane Blanchard

Nothing transforms a room faster than changing the paint color. Try something new this season and add some drama to your bedroom with a dark, bold color. Dark colors add spirit, personality, and character to a room and there's nothing more dramatic than dark walls.

Most people think dark walls make a space dreary and depressing and, well, dark, but the truth is that a dark color is just as versatile as a light color. It's all about choosing the right color to define and highlight your room. Forget what you've heard about small spaces needing light colors. Using dark colors can actually make a small room look larger. These following examples show how to use dark colors on your walls to create your perfect bedroom.

These rich walls highlight the chandelier and make this narrow space feel spacious.

via Zillow Digs

Dark colors also make a room feel intimate and cozy, which is a great effect for a bedroom. To keep the room from being too dark, it's important to spread lighting around the room and use accessories that reflect light.

via Zillow Digs

With dark walls, you don't need a lot of other colors or patterns. Dark walls provide the perfect backdrop for incorporating different textures. Add even more dimension using mirrors. This simple room uses a variety of fabric textures on the bedding and window treatments, but a very simple color palette to create an intimate space.

via Zillow Digs

When using a dark color, it's important to create contrast. Using light fabric on furniture and for window treatments will make the room pop. Dark walls can also help tie together different styles of furniture. Choose furniture that is noticeably lighter than the wall to make the room appear brighter.

via Zillow Digs

Dark tones can highlight architectural features and unusual wall shapes. Here the dark walls highlight the moulding and the unusual wall shape. The shape of this room would have been lost with light colored walls. Incorporating the wall color into the bedding creates a balance in the room.

via Zillow Digs

If you are hesitant to paint your walls dark, using a deep neutral tone can be a good compromise. A deep neutral tone can highlight bright colors, which makes your whole space look brighter. If using a saturated color, choose one contrasting accent hue so the room is not overwhelming.

via Zillow Digs

Another solution is to use a dark color on only one wall. One dark wall can make a room seem larger and is a great way to bring some bold color to a space without too much commitment.

via Houzz

For more home inspiration visit Modernize.

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Wow! So much great inspiration. I am personally loving the last picture with the darker blue walls against the beige/linen color. I really do like more of a high contrast rather than having the whole room dark like a cave.

Which one is your favorite? Could you dig creating a dramatic space with dark walls?

Dining room {Before} & A New Plan

Do you ever sit in one room of your home and then gaze over to the other side of the house and realize it needs a little something? The Hubs always knows when my mind is whirling with ideas because he says my eyeballs move from place to place! I am sure he is thinking "uh oh, there goes more money"! HA!

Well a few weeks ago I was sipping some coffee in the living room and looking into our dining room. I absolutely love our coffered ceiling, the gallery wall and vintage settee, but I knew it needed a little punch and a definite update.

View from entryway

My mother-in law helped me make the red silk drapes when we first moved in 6 years ago. I have really loved the punch of color, but I feel that my design for this space is going a little more on the relaxed side. Besides, the intense NC sun has also created little tears in the fabric. It is time for a change!

View from living room

The walls in this room have never been painted. They are still the original builder beige/yellow that I detest. It has worked for now, but it is time for something without yellow undertones. 

The dining room table was built by my grandfather. I love the history behind it. It has three more leaves that create quite a large table for entertaining. It will stay for now, but I want to add two wing-backed chairs to the ends. The side chairs are from target long ago and still serve their purpose. So they will stay as well. 

Oh how I wish I could recover the settee with an updated fabric, but for now I am just going to add a fun pillow that will give it a pop. The color of the settee fabric blends into the wall color, so want to lighten the walls and really show off her curves.

Here is a little plan that will incorporate items I already have and add just a few touches that won't break the bank!

I want to add these West Elm curtains for more of a relaxed playful feel to the space. The settee will get a fun pillow in this fabric. My fiddle leaf fig will get a new decorative basket. And if you read about my Home Decor Wish List last week, you know that I am crushing on these affordable winged-back chairs from World Market. I want to also give them a playful twist by adding a fabric to the back. I am thinking this fabric would be fun.
I am still debating on the rug. I may just leave the hardwoods without a rug for now. The floor is much easier to clean without a rug underneath the table. But I do love this one.
I am also thinking about changing out some of the Paris pictures with photographs I have taken when traveling to Italy & Greece. It would give a bit more color to the walls.

So..that is the plan people! The curtains came in the mail this past week and I just need to raise the curtain rod so I can hang them. I have painted two walls in Shoji White by Sherwin Williams. The paint isn't really white white. It has a bit of a gray undertone to it. It really has a cozy feel when paired with the dark coffered ceiling.

I hope to be able to share a little progress with you all very soon!

What projects are you all working on at home? Do share!

Reader's Redesign {The Living room}

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. It was beautiful weather here and I actually got outside to clean out my garden beds. I am so ready for Spring, but I guess mother nature is not! We are having some cold weather here today with a chance of a wintry mix. So everyone stay warm!

A couple of months ago a dear reader emailed me asking for help with her living room. Natalie had just painted the living room a light green/blue/gray and that was it. She needed some inspiration and ideas to help finish her space. Natalie told me that they needed to keep the tan couches, the wood molding was staying as is and that she had bought a cute little white lamp for her side table, but other than that it was a clean slate!

Here are a few before pictures so you can get an idea of Natalie's living room space:

When entering from the front door there is a small wooden console and a blank wall to the right. To the left are a large set of windows and then you see the love seat between two smaller windows:

And the couch sits against a larger blank wall:

I am excited to add some personality to this space. It already has amazing features like hardwood floors, trim around the windows and arched doorways! If you scroll back up to the second picture you will notice a little accent chair sitting in front of the large windows. Natalie actually has two of these and would like to upholster them in some sort of yellow fabric. She also has an 18 month old son who is busy busy, so we had to design this space with him in mind. 

After talking with Natalie about her likes, dislikes and ultimate design I think we have a bit of a plan for her space!

I am thinking that she is in need of a great art piece above the love seat and between those two smaller windows shown in picture two. She is also going to change out those wooden blinds in the small windows. I am pushing for roman shades like these:

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They would really soften the space and contrast well with the darker wood trim.

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I also recommended a great big gallery wall to fill up the space above the couch in picture three. I think a mix of art and photographs would be perfect. 

As for that entryway right next to the door in picture one. I would recommend either a higher console with drawers, a mirror above and artwork down the sides to fill that space...

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OR..if they are going to keep their existing lower console I would place a large mirror vertically above and sconces on either side or tall lamps of some sort.

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This space also needs to be filled with baskets to hide toys and I recommended a large ottoman with storage for the middle of the room. It would be kid friendly and a great piece to add storage for her son's toys. 

She recently sent me a "progress" picture from her phone. (sorry for the dark pic) She has added the white curtains across her large front windows and picked up the large Moroccan trellis rug from Target. The room already looks better and is forming a personality! 

I hope to be able to share some final pictures with you all very soon! Do you all have any ideas or recommendations for Natalie as she finishes her living room design?

Fabulous Feature Friday {Jeffrey Allan Marks}

I am a HUGE Million Dollar Decorators fan. If you don't have any idea what I'm talking about, it was a design show on Bravo where four prestigious decorators from California design and decorate some amazing spaces. It comes on usually during the summer, but I haven't seen any new episodes lately. Some of the designs are quite fabulous and it is amazing to see what people will spend on a lamp, rug or chair! A totally different world than I am use to.

Anyway, I am in love with Jeffrey Allan Marks Designs. He has such a unique personality when designing his spaces.  He makes each space feel like home and not "stuffy". I am in love with all the natural elements he brings in his spaces. I could move into them all! Not to mention he is quite gorgeous himself!

I thought it would be fun to feature a few of his designs today so you can get on the JAM bandwagon. So sit back with a cup of coffee and enjoy these beautiful spaces!
 {If you want to pin these images, please go to JAM's Gallery and pin from the original source!}

Austin Ranch

Malibu

Nantucket Beach

Malibu

Nantucket Beach

Malibu

Santa Monica

Pacific Palisades

Santa Monica

Coronado

Pacific Palisades

So did I convert you to the JAM fan club? Absolutely fabulous spaces designed by a fabulous guy. For more inspiration and photographs of his designs go HERE.

Have a wonderful weekend!