1123: moodboards!

my husband and i are convinced that any day now our friends are going to confront us about the fact that they have not yet been invited to our new home. i have to admit, we've been "hunkering down" a bit because we are so in process---it's tempting to not want people to see everything until it's done. finished. perfect. but it's not yet.

this, however, is not very realistic...nor is it very neighborly. i'm learning that home renovations and furnishing takes time if you a) have a busy life, b) have any semblance of fiscal responsibility and c) are not a handy do-it-yourself-er. all of which are true for us. SO, i heretofore solemnly swear that the door to our work-in-progress home will now be left ever so slightly ajar for our loved ones.

in the meantime, i wanted to share my moodboards for our home---so that you can at least dream with me. i find that the longer a renovation or decorating project takes, the easier it can be to really stray from your original vision for the space. this can result in impulse buys and knee-jerk reactions that leave you with a home that feels kind of scattered and muddled---and i don't mean in the chic "eclectic parisian flea market" way.

so--i use moodboards as a kind of test ground for my home design purchases. if i am in a store and i think, "oooo, that nightstand could work"--it helps for me to be able to place it on my moodboard and see if it will, in fact, work. half the time it prevents me from purchasing things that i don't actually want or need. i know there are all kinds of fun programs and websites that offer you the ability to gather everything in one place---mine are a bit rudimentary by comparison, but they get the job done.

SO, have a look-see. some of the items we own, some of them we don't. some of them are placeholders for the "perfect dining table" i'm hoping will exist when it comes time to purchase. click on the photos---they get bigger.

...happy sophisticating...

guest room

master bedroom

dining room

kitchen + breakfast nook

living room

1123: kitchen sneak peek

because so many of you have been asking...YES, of course we painted the cabinets. the kitchen is far from done, but here is a sneak peek to hold you over.

the kitchen before. ah, the stonewashed denim splendor.

coming along! oh what a coat of white paint will do. the new appliances don't hurt either...a surprise from my saintly sweetheart. you can see just a smidge of the new floors---wide plank, hand-scraped maple.

more to come!

1123: bathroom before & after

it's been quite some time since i've posted. quite some time. i have been waiting to post photos until things are DONE. however, i'm learning that homeowners (especially owners of homes built in 1934) are in a constant state of changing and upgrading. while our "dream to do" list still feels a bit overwhelming, i can finally say that this place is really starting to feel like *home*. finally.

the one room that is mostly done is our bathroom. here are some before & after photos--nothing fancy, but you'll get the idea. it's definitely the room in which we've done the most work---just shy of a complete gutting and remodel. it was quite an adventure---learning about contractors, subcontractors, lighting fixtures, lath and plaster, tiling techniques, and the ever fascinating world of toilets [quite frankly more than i cared to know]. we wanted a space that was functional, updated, and sophisticated--while still referencing the original character and spirit of the home. we are just delighted with the finished product. i hope you enjoy!

...happy sophisticating...


the bathroom before...


mid-way through the renovation process. frightening.
BUT you'll notice the floors. linoleum no more.


after! new vanity, faucets, medicine cabinets, baseboards, paint...


a view above the sinks. and notice the artwork above the toilet. a Picasso sketch.
who says you can't have decent artwork in the bathroom?

view of the shower before. you'll also notice the "nook" to the left of the shower.
Apparently the original home of the water heater? definitely a challenge.


the shower after. white seersucker shower curtain. new towel hooks.


and our solution to the awkward "nook."


another view of the shower.


you can't see it, but there is a new rainwater shower head behind that curtain.


mid-way through the renovation process.


Picasso #2. the lighting is funny, but you get the idea.

new ceiling fixture.

the final details tie it all together.

feel free to leave comments with any sourcing questions.

1123: glimmers of progress

stopped by the house yesterday after a LONG day at work (that's right...on a saturday) and was delighted to see some major progress in our bathroom. here are some pics of our new vanity (from restoration hardware) upon delivery, then installation.

the vanity bottom. sitting in our master bedroom. that's a whole 'nother story.
ignore the ripped out floors. and the toilet in the corner.


the vanity topped. again, in the master. yowza.


sweet installation! you'll note the fresh paint and baseboards.
we're getting there!

1123: keeping our eye on the prize!

so i'm learning that home renovations are a little scary. and require lots of trust. and a complete shutting off of emotion, and...vision. it has to get worse before it gets better, right?

like, imagine discovering this under the old washer.nasty.

but there are little rays of light along the way. like these lovely new floors in our bathroom.white matte hexagon with gray gloss dot. classic, yet so modern and fresh that i can look past the lack of baseboards...and paint...and toilet. :)

we'll get there!
...happily sophisticating...

aaaaaand we're homeowners.

so apparently the last time i wrote was june. shameful. i have lots to catch up on, including pics from a few unbelievable weddings i had the privilege of coordinating this summer...but in the meantime, i have to share the reason for my disappearance. we bought a home. a cute one :)

i give you the "BEFORE" pictures of 1123 north lowell street. we have lots of plans for this little 1934 2&1 charmer. but we think what we're starting with is pretty spectacular as well :) LOTS more to come as we renovate, reinvent and restore our new home!

...happy sophisticating...

so, over the coming months, this blog will become renovation central ;) looking forward to sharing with you how we sophisticate our home, little by little!

design obsession: bookcases + crown molding!

i have been so blessed to be working with a fabulous interior design client for the past few months. we will be working on her living room, dining room and bedroom through the end of the year. one of our first projects was a huge risk and ended up being a huge reward.


we wanted to accomplish this look:
ballard designs


but all we could afford was this:
ikea


so after a trip to home depot, a few long evenings with a miter saw and some wood glue, we ended up with this:


just goes to show that with a little creativity and some hard work, you can sophisticate anything!
...happy sophisticating...