Client Project + I Love Persians (rugs that is!)

I’m working with a lovely client to pull together her family room. The room has great bones – high coffered ceilings and great natural light.  She says everything can go except, of course, the wide leather sofa from Restoration Hardware which was a splurge.  The clients had already purchased it before I started working with them. As you know, I am not a fan of leather but this sofa with its modern styling, 2 seat cushions and depth is both stylish and super comfortable.

You can probably spot what’s not working in this room. The area rug is too small, the ottoman is too small and not the right shape and the overhead lighting is a bit too small as well. There is too much leather and too much brown – the chair in the corner is definitely going. 

So what are we doing? We have already ordered a custom ottoman with more generous proportions in a durable indoor/outdoor fabric in a charcoal colour (not the leather showing in the moodboard.)

A modern wing back chair upholstered in a linen look outdoor fabric will replace the leather one.  (The client has two young, active boys and wanted the fabrics to be almost childproof – outdoor fabrics fit the bill.) A media unit from West Elm is being painted a lovely grey (it will go on the right side of the room underneath a wall mounted TV which is out of view.)  I have always loved the clean lines of the unit and the shelf that you can style with books, etc. Brass/gold round end tables like these which have been discontinued will add additional warmth and glam to the room.

We debated what style of area rug to purchase and I kept coming back to the idea of a Persian rug as I thought it would be a good counterpoint to the modern, leather sofa. As you can see from the rug that was there before, this wasn’t difficult for my client to buy into. It would have been too predictable to do a more modern rug with say, a graphic print.

So we paid a visit to one of my favourite rug vendors and after looking at a number of rugs, we  brought this baby home.

It’s what’s referred to as a semi-antique Persian meaning it is around 50 years old, not 100 (according to my “rug guy.”)  My client loved that it was a lot thinner than some of the “Persian style” rugs we had seen via other suppliers and retailers.  It is hand-knotted wool with a large number of knots per square inch. (The higher the number of knots, the more work was involved in weaving it and hence a higher price tag.)  This red is more vibrant than say a burgundy or rust colour which had appeal to my client. We had looked at some in more muted beige tones but with the large brown leather sofa, the room just looked blah. This rug really adds personality and much needed colour.

PS The rug above is a 17th century Persian which recently sold for $33.8 million at Sotheby’s – can you believe that? I think I like my client’s much better! :)  

Stay tuned for the reveal once the new furniture etc. arrives in a few weeks.

In the meantime, here are a few rooms I pinned with Persian rugs (they may actually be from India, Turkey or elsewhere but the style is similar.)  You can see how they add charm, colour and interest to the spaces.

 

 

 

  

  

All images via Pinterest.

So, Persian rugs – yay or nay? Would love to hear your thoughts.

If you require decorating advice, please contact me at vanessa(at)vanessafrancis.com.

Monday Meandering

Hey there! Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend. We had an outdoor movie night at my daughter’s school, hosted my daughter’s birthday and Father’s Day and I did some running around to style a bathroom I am shooting tomorrow.  Fun!

1) The winner of the Yangyang Pan art print chosen by random.org  is entry # 33: Kati.  I will email you with details on how to order your print. Congrats! Thanks to everyone who entered!  Remember to “Like” Yangyang on Facebook to see her recent original works of art and browse her Etsy store as she is always adding new prints.

2) Just had to include some pretty on this Monday morning. I pinned this living room awhile ago as I just loved its simplicity and neutral hues.  Although I do love colour, something about this room speaks to me. The slipcovered sectional is perfect and you know how I love an ottoman.  See more of Alabama based designer Lindsey Meadows’ work here.  I could pin just about every image!

I always love discovering designers whose work I am unfamiliar with. Have you discovered anyone recently whose aesthetic you are drawn to?

That’s it for now. Have a happy week!

If you require decorating advice, contact me at vanessa(at)vanessafrancis.com

Monday Meandering

Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend! The weather was a bit dodgy here in the GTA – sunny one minute and raining the next. I went for a bike ride with a friend and her daughter yesterday and all of a sudden we were hit with rain, not just a sun shower but a torrential downpour – we were soaking wet but  laughing all the way home.  Talk about feeling like you’re 10 again!

Anyway, here’s what I loved and what I have been up to this past week.  Although I have been in absentia on the blog lately, I do post updates/photos on Instagram and Facebook, so make sure you follow me there.

1) Last week, I was invited to a Blogger DIY 101 event at Home Depot Canada and co-hosted with Jen.  We created our own herb container, learned about and tried power tools and spray painting. Learning while having fun – my kind of morning!

This is me trying out Rustoleum’s spray paint on a thrift shop find.  You can read Jen’s post about the event here.

As you know, I am a huge Home Depot fan and they have been so supportive of me and my little ole blog. They are always looking to partner with bloggers on projects.  And if you are a blogger you will want to purchase your ticket ASAP for BlogPodium where you can meet brands like Home Depot who is the main sponsor.  They just announced (sort of!) who the main speaker is and I promise you, it will be good. Follow Jen on Instagram to find out (I’m sure she will be making an official announcement on her blog soon!)

2) I adore San-Francisco based designer Amy Meier’s work and this kitchen reno she recently blogged about is no exception.  I love the x corbels and how she styled the kitchen. Simple pretty!

3) You know I am a big fan of Lauren’s work – just love her young trad take on things. She posted this sweet dining room last week.

4) I missed seeing Lea Michele’s home when it first came out (a testatment to my recent lack of keeping up with the blogosphere.)  But thanks to this post, I was directed to the feature on her beautiful home. I absolutely love everything about it including the pink, of course. 

5) Oh, and one of my dreams as a designer is about to happen tomorrow. I’ll share more when I can! (There’s a hint in this post. We bloggers are such teases!)

6) And don’t forget to enter the YangYang Pan art giveaway here.

That’s it for now! Have a happy week! (I do want to share a few projects I have been working on so stay tuned.)

If you need design advice, please contact me at vanessa(at)vanessafrancis.com

Yangyang Pan Art Print Giveaway

Hey there!  Because today is my wedding anniversary (15 years) and I just had a blogging anniversary (4 years), it’s time to celebrate with another giveaway.  I was thinking about what I mostly talk about on the blog and what I am so passionate about and one of the things that came to mind was art.

 

I know how art in my home makes me happy when I see it.  I also know that I see many clients with nothing on their walls and they have been in their home for years.  Art doesn’t have to be expensive (it can be a photograph of a special vacation you took or a print purchased on Etsy) but it has to be something you love and/or something that is personal.

I fell in love with YangYang Pan’s colourful works while sourcing art for a client years ago. It wasn’t until late last year that one of my clients purchased an original piece.  I hope to own an original one day but in the meantime, I do own one of her prints and would love for you to have one too!  (The images above are of her recent original paintings. Aren’t they gorgeous?)

You can choose any print from her Etsy site (like the one below) up to a value of $75.

* All you have to do is leave a comment here and tell me which print you would like to have. Remember to include your email if you don’t have a blog, ie) no way to reach you.

*For an additional entry, “Like” Yangyang on Facebook and leave a comment here telling me you did.

This giveaway is open to everyone in North America and will close on June 13, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Good luck!

If you require design services, please contact me at vanessa(at)vanessafrancis.com.

Elte Giveaway Winner

Happy Tuesday! I hope you enjoyed this beautiful long weekend.

I’m happy to announce that the winner of the Elte $100 giftcard giveaway is Pam.  Thanks to the entrants for snapping a photo of themselves with their favourite item in the store.  I loved seeing your tweets.

Pam said she would love to change her bedroom carpet to this herringbone one. I agree – it’s stunning! I’ll email you Pam with deets on how you will be receiving your gift card.

The giveaways in store and here are over, but do pop by the Elte store to find that special piece you have been searching for or for inspiration in general. See images of Elte here and so you don’t miss out on any upcoming sales or events, sign up for their emails and/or like them on Facebook.

Have a happy week everyone!

Elte Revamp + Giveaway

Hello there!  Happy Friday!

This weekend (May 11 and 12th), Elte is celebrating their new look after a two-year renovation.  New departments like children and baby have been added as well as expansions to existing departments including rugs, furniture, accessories and lighting.  Elte is a family-owned, 94 year-old retailer of all things pretty for the home. Want to see?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now if that doesn’t make you want to visit, I don’t know what will! So join the celebration this weekend (80 Ronald Ave, Toronto) and while there, you can enter a contest for a chance to win one of five $1,000 Elte gift cards.  They will draw the winner on May 19th. There will be complimentary coffee and treats from the revamped Elte Café this weekend. (Whenever I visit, I always stop by the cafe for a vegetarian panini – so yummy!)

Elte is also providing one Decor Happy reader with a $100 gift card. Visit the store over the weekend (or by May 19th) and tweet a photo of yourself with your favourite item.  Make sure you mention @Elte, @vanessajfrancis and #ElteRevamp in your tweet and then leave a comment here as well.  I’ll select the winner the morning of May 20th.  Good luck!

Happy weekend and happy shopping!

If you require design services, please contact me at vanessa(at)vanessafrancis(dot)com.

Bathroom Reno Tips

I trust you all had a happy weekend! It was a bit gloomy and cold here but the sun is shining bright today!

I think 2013 is the “Year of the Bathroom!”  If I’m not working on a full blown reno, then it’s working with clients to design floor plan options, or helping clients to choose finishes so they don’t make costly mistakes choosing something dated. Here are some things to keep in mind if a bathroom reno is in your future.

1) You can’t go wrong with an all white space:

It’s funny how a few years ago, beige tiles were everywhere and were considered OK. Now, I do one of those “my eyes, my eyes!” when I see them in tile stores.  My Pinterest Bathroom board has over 300 pins and I would say 80% of them (not including the powder room ones) are white or mostly white bathrooms with a touch of grey or black thrown in. Simple, clean, classic.

A recent client I worked with mentioned during our first meeting that she didn’t like subway tiles or marble.  Oh boy  - now what am I going to do? :)  Subway tiles always look classic in a shower and marble mosaics on the floor are my go-to tile. (I don’t have a photo to share yet but we ended up going with a large format blue-grey tile on the floor and a large format plain white tile in the shower. Lots of white with blue-grey!)

P.S. I may be convinced that beige is not boring after I spied this tile (above) awhile back. It’s labelled “Bianco Wood – honed marble” and is suitable for floors and walls. I can see it as a bathroom floor with a whitewashed/light wood vanity for a Scandi sort of look. When I spied it in a different tile store, the salesperson said it was actually limestone even though it’s labelled marble.  Hmmm..anyway, whatever it is I love it!

2) Less is more:

Although I love accent tiles on bathroom floors, I have never been one to do an accent tile on shower walls. A row or two of a different tile just seemed random and like the bathroom was trying too hard to make a statement. However, black bands of tile (like the image below) which creates a pattern looks beautiful and purposeful.  I could totally buy into this and I think it reads as not busy.

3) Every bathroom needs “a moment:”

And by that I mean something special whether it’s wallpaper (you know I have to say that, right?), wainscoting, the faucet, gorgeous tile or even a colourful or graphic shower curtain.  

This is a kid’s bath I worked on and right from my initial meeting with the client I mentioned wallpaper. I thought it would be perfect in a kid’s bath especially seeing as this bathroom was long and narrow.  The clients just loved the tree wallpaper especially once it was up. The bathroom is not 100% complete yet (waiting for art to go up, that’s always the last thing but really finishes off any space. That should be a tip on it’s own!)

The brushed brass fixtures (Kohler) up the cool factor in this bathroom. I haven’t been able to convince any of my current clients that brass is beautiful! You can see House and Home’s Art Director Mandy Milks’ two bathroom renos here.

4) Have everything ready and on hand when the reno starts:

If your contractor says he can start a few weeks earlier than you had anticipated and you don’t have all the necessary items on site, then just stick with your original date.

Most items (tile, tubs, toilets etc) can be shipped within a week max but vanities can take 4-8 weeks if you are doing custom.  And you want to make sure that it’s ready or within a week of completion when you start.  Also keep in mind that if you are doing a stone or quartz top on the vanity, there is usually a 2 week wait from template to install. More waiting until you can fully use your bathroom.

(all photos via my Pinterest bathroom board.)

5) Sometimes custom is the only option:

I’m referring to vanities specifically.  There aren’t a lot of well-made, attractive vanities out there (believe me, I know!), especially when you are looking for a specific size and colour (like the pink vanity above – how fun for a girl’s bathroom!)  Custom may cost more than a ready made but the quality is usually better and you can get exactly what you want – size, style and colour.

I know you may have seen this bathroom before but I designed this vanity to fit the space. I will share the other custom vanities I designed recently once photos are taken!

6) You get what you pay for:

This is true of most things and no exception with bathrooms.  You may be tempted by the floor tile that is $3/sq ft but trust me – stay away. What I have learned (from the tile store I deal with) is that these tiles are mass produced offshore and because they aren’t given enough time to dry out, they usually warp. So, spend a little more and you won’t have this disaster happen to you after you have ordered, or worse - installed!

And last but not least, a consultation with a designer for only a few hours will put your bathroom reno on the right track – whether it’s the layout or the look. You don’t want to be doing another reno in a few years!

So, are you doing a bathrooom reno this year? Do you have any tips to share?

Have a happy week!

I’m linking up here.

Contact me at vanessa(at)vanessafrancis.com if you require assistance with your bathroom or any other design project!