Wednesday, September 28, 2011

LOTS OF PROGRESS TODAY. . . . .



I STARTED AT THIS ADDRESS OVER 9 WEEKS AGO.  FROM THE
INITIAL CONSULTATION TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, SO MUCH
HAS HAPPENED.

OUR CLIENT DISLIKED THE HOME THE WAY IT WAS.  SHE AND HER
HUSBAND HAD  MOVED INTO THEIR HOME IN MAY.  SHE WAS
DISCOURAGED AND JUST WANTED TO GET GOING AND GET IT
DONE!  I EXPLAINED THAT GOOD DESIGN TAKES TIME AND NOTHING
WOULD HAPPEN OVERNIGHT!  IT WOULD TAKE TIME TO CREATE
A PALETTE WITH WHICH SHE WOULD BE COMFORTABLE.



THEY (SHE) REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY PARAMETERS, NO COLOR CHOICES
NOT FUSSY, BUT JUST WANTED IT DONE SO IT WOULD BE THEIR
HOME AND NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S.  STYLE AND COMFORT WERE
IMPORTANT AND HER HUSBAND JUST WANTED HER
TO BE HAPPY.


AS THE WEEKS WENT BY AND APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE, DISCUSSIONS BEGAN
TO SHOW WHAT WAS LIKED AND WHAT WAS NOT.  (N0T MUCH WAS NOT!)
WE DEVELOPED A COLOR PALETTE AND BEGAN OUR SHOPPING. 

WE USED A PALETTE OF SOFT GRAYS, SOFT WHITES AND STRONG 
WHEAT TONES.  SHE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN WALLCOVERING, 
SOMETHING I REALLY HADN'T USED MUCH OF IN THE PAST 8-10
YEARS.  SHE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO USE SOME GRASSCLOTH.

LO AND BEHOLD WHILE ON ONE OUR SHOPPING TRIPS AT THE CHICAGO
MERCHANDISE MART, WE HAPPEN TO TO WALK INTO THE SHCUMACHER SHOWROOM. .  .   THE REST IS HISTORY. . . . . A NEW PAPER, OVERSIZED PRINT THAT HAD THE 'WOW FACTOR' ATTACHED TO IT.  IT FELL INTO OUR COLOR PALETTE.




THE MEASLY SAMPLE YOU ARE GIVEN WHICH WAS ABOUT
10"X8" DIDN'T BEGIN TO DO THE PAPER JUSTICE!  I ORDERED
A FULL REPEAT SO THE PAPER COULD BE APPRECIATED.
THE FULL REPEAT WAS 87"X54"  BECAUSE OF MY ENTHUSIASM, WHICH
I WAS TRYING TO DOWN-PLAY . . . . THEY WANTED TO THINK ABOUT
IT AND WOULD LET ME KNOW.



HERE IS THE BEFORE. . .






HERE IS THE AFTER. . .


AND TODAY THE DRAPES WERE HUNG AND THE HOST AND HOSTESS
CHAIRS DELIVERED.




I HAD THE SIDECHAIRS UPHOLSTERED IN A GREY AND CREAM
STRIPE WITH GOLD DOTS ON THE STRIPE.





THE NEW DRAPERY TREATMENT WITH HER OLD DRAPES REDONE.
WE REMOVED YARDS AND YARDS OF TASSELS AND CREATED A
DIFFERENT PLEAT. . . . . I LOVE A FRENCH PLEAT.






THIS MEDALION WAS PURE WHITE AND HAD NO PERSONALIY
THE FAUX ARTIST I WORK WITH FOLLOWED MY HEART BY
JUST TOUCHING IT WITH METALLIC GOLD WITH CREAM AS THE
BASE COLOR.  I WANTED IT TO BE SOFT.





LIVING ROOM CHANGES WERE EASY AS THE VAULTED
CEILINGS AND MOLDINGS,  WHICH WERE ALREADY IN PLACE
EASILY SPOKE A DIRECTION TO ME.  THE BEIGE WALLS CHANGED TO
A SOFT GREY, BENJAMIN MOORES, AFFINITY COLOR, THUNDER.
THE MOLDINGS CHANGED TO BENJAMIN MOORES'S, DOVE WHITE.









REALLY, HER ONLY REQUEST WAS FOR US TO TRY AND USE
THE CAMEL BACK SOFA AND REMAKE THE DINING ROOM DRAPES.
WE ARE WAITING FOR THE PILLOWS FOR THE SOFA AS WELL.



THERE WAS A MAHOGANY CURIO THAT WAS FILLED WITH IRISH CRYSTAL
AND LOTS OF IT, STERLING SILVER PILED HIGH AND VARIOUS OTHER
BITS AND PIECES!  WOULD THEY PAINT THE CURIO?




WE PAINTED THE CURIO IN A SWEDISH GREY WITH A GLAZE.
THIS WAS DONE BY MY FRIEND JOY FROM THE SAAVY CITY FARMER.
AMAZING THE CHANGE THAT OCCURED AS A RESULT.






THE EXISTING CHAIR WAS UPHOLSTERED IN AN IKAT
FABRIC FROM KRAVET.  ALL OF THE WOOD ON THIS
CHAIR WAS REFINISHED AS WELL.









DRAPES INSTALLED TODAY . . .






THE CORNER TO THE RIGHT OF THE SOFA.






AREA CARPET STILL NOT IN . . . . BUT LOVE IT JUST THE SAME


                                                                                    ~



GREAT ROOMS ARE CREATED FROM THE GROUND UP. . . . . WE PRETTY MUCH
HAD A CLEAN PALETTE TO WORK FROM, WHICH IS QUITE IDEAL.  UNFORTUNATELY,
WITH SO MUCH HAVING TO BE DONE. . . . . MONEY STARTS ADDING UP AND CAN BE
A BIG SURPRISE NO MATTER HOW READY YOU ARE FOR THE FACTS.  THE MORE THAT HAS TO BE DONE, USUALLY THE MORE THAT HAS TO BE SPENT.  FLOOR PLANS, COLORS SELECTED, CONTRACTORS HIRED, DRAPERY WORKROOM VISITS, FAUX ARTISTS MEETINGS, BOARDS PRESENTED AND THE LIST JUST NEVER STOPS. . . .

HOWEVER, WHEN I GOT HOME THIS AFTERNOON, THE PHONE RANG AND IT WAS MY
CLIENT..................OMG, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!  SHE LOVED IT ALL
 AND ALL OF HER PAST CONCERNS HAD JUST MELTED AWAY.  THIS IS ONE OF THE
BEST PHONE CALLS A DESIGNER CAN RECEIVE!

CARPETS AND LOTS OF ACCESSORIZING TO BE DONE, NEW CHANDELIER ARRIVING, ARTWORK TO COMPLETE AND MORE LIGHTING FOR THE LIVING ROOM.  I HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THE 'RIDE' SO FAR. . . .























5 comments:

The French Tangerine said...

Oh I love to see updates! Everything looks great... What a beautiful home!
Thanks for sharing!
Jan

Richard Cottrell said...

Looks like it is all coming together. Richard from My Old Historic House.

Beverly said...

It looks awesome. I could be in love with that wallpaper. Simply gorgeous!!!

Anonymous said...

Mary Anne, you are wonderful, wonderful! I, too, love the wallpaper and what a transformation. Thank you for sharing the progress.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

I used to use Schumacher years ago, always beautiful wallpaper and fabrics. I said I wouldn't wallpaper again ever, but I did do a powder room and a bathroom this year.

I love the pattern and color you chose for the dining room.

Eileen