Client's Living Room Before & After

A couple of years ago around Christmastime, I was contacted by a husband looking to give his wife a design consultation for Christmas.  He bought her a gift certificate & surprised her with it.  We met a month or two later & had a two hour consultation in their home.   I've always thought this was one of the sweetest things ever & thought about the clients from time to time.  She & I had sort stayed in "cyber" touch, and I was thrilled when they contacted me this Fall to redo the living room in their new home.   I would describe their style as very cozy, warm & a bit English.  (Which makes sense as the husband actually is English!)They started with a white box: popcorn ceilings and wall to wall white carpet. They were SO ready to get the house feeling like them and were thrilled to ditch their existing pieces for new ones that reflected their taste.

Here's the room before:

(That's Bailey on the floor :)

And here it is now:

A natural woven rug & shades are on their way but I think the change is already incredible.  CarrMichael Construction ditched the popcorn ceilings and replaced the carpet with hardwood.  The walls were painted  in Benjamin Moore's "gentle cream" to warm up the room.  We kept their existing Victorian wing chair (which is SO similar to my Madhatter chair!!) in its original fabric and added a super-comfortable English arm sofa, storage ottoman for toys & puzzles for their little cutie pie, and skirted wing chair.  My client found everything for the walls at flea markets, antique shops & thrift stores.  (Go Emily!! :)

Here's the other side of the room where there was an awkward opening to the stairs that prevented them from having a balanced seating area and the cozy feeling they were after:

And here it is now, all closed up:

I love the little rush seat bench between the windows:

Here's a close-up of Emily's 'found' artwork above the sofa:

{Sofa pillow fabric: Ralph Lauren floral, Michael Smith's Indian Flower & a discontinued olive green paisley}

I think my favorite little spot is this skirted wing chair with the "goddess" floor lamp:

And finally, here's one more shot of the whole room:

Anyway, I'm off for the day but hope you enjoyed!!  We have another one tomorrrow so I'll be sure to post pics when I can.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Also, I just wanted to add, that due to time contraints & our project schedule, we are only able to take on full-service projects like this one (vs. design consultations like the one I mentioned at the beginning of this post).  I'm looking into the possibility of adding staff & making design consultations available again in the future, but for now, it's full projects only.  I will be sure to let you know if / when this changes!! :) 

Black, White, and Yellow

Spring inspiration doesn't have to come in pastel colors.   I'm most inspired by the crisp clean contrast of black and white and I'm mixing it up for a spring combo.  

 

This china is of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

Eddie Ross is just announcing the launch of Celerie Kemble's new book Black & White (and a bit in between).  He posted some great images from the book.  Some pics are even Eddie and Jaithan's own home.

source: Eddie Ross via Sherry on Pinterest

source: Eddie Ross via Sherry on Pinterest

source: Eddie Ross via Sherry on Pinterest

source: Eddie Ross via Sherry on Pinterest

Are these images some beautiful black & white eye candy?

  Sherry

I will link with:

Pinning and Singing Party with Natasha at 5 Minutes Just For Me  

Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper  

Show off Your Cottage Monday  at The House in the Roses   
Tabletop Tuesday  at A Stroll Thru Life   

I Would Rather Be Here.....

 source: Crush Cul de Sac via Sherry on Pinterest

With the changes going on over at Google.  I found myself needing to make changes in this blog.  So I have spent the better part of the day on this computer doing housekeeping...not my favorite way to be blogging...but necessary.  I am sure everyone is aware of the rumors going around about GFC.  It seems other blogging platforms will not be following us Blogger blogs after March 1st with Google Friend Connect.  I also have become aware that Picnik Photo editing will end on April 19th.  That; also run by Google, but should be available through Google + if you sign up for it.  So all of this is a bit confusing, a bit overwhelming, but I have continued to read every post I see on it to make an informed decision about how to reach the non-blogger blogs and to continue to edit photos.  

The changes here on The Charm of Home are:

• I will continue to use Google Friend Connect (as long as it is available)
• I have added Networked Blogs
• I am adding Google + 
• The biggest thing for me..I am going to start tweeting......ha

  source: Sunsurfer via Sherry on Pinterest

Now...after 7 hours reorganizing this blog and all of my following options I am going to go tweet about my headache.   I am a picture person....so maybe short tweets will suit me.

   Sherry

I will link with:

Pinning and Singing Party with Natasha at 5 Minutes Just For Me
 

Remember Our Old Bathroom Sink?

We moved into our 70s fixer upper 2 and a half years ago and had to make a few quick & easy fixes...  One of them entailed painting our boys' GREEEEEN bathroom sink white with a porcelain painting kit about 2 years ago.  It's also the guest bath on our main level so everyone sees it.

Before:

After:

{To read about that process 2 years ago, click here}

 It worked okay for about a year or so but then it started peeling.  (And we lived with it peeling for a bit too long- sorry guests!!)  

I would still recommend the product we used for temporary fixes...  It honestly made things better without much effort or money spent, but it's not a permanent solution, as you can see here:

I've been a little embarrassed everytime guests use the bathroom & have been meaning to replace it for a while now.  A couple of months ago we bought the Ann Sink from Ikea which I love.  I still didn't really want to spend much in the kids' bathroom & I went for another rather quick fix with this baby:

I bought a beautiful chrome fixture from somewhere else with standard specs to go with it but when we tried to install it, of course it didn't fit Ikea's specs on the sink.  SO...  back to Ikea we went (a month of so later I might add) to get the fixture they'd made for the sink, which I wasn't very happy about.

...BUT...

..I actually think it looks great!  I don't mind it as much as I thought I would (or really at all to be honest) and I am so excited about this thing!!!  (Is it sad that that's all it takes for me??) My husband's been a little busy with work/ home lastely so we actually had it installed by our contractors.

No more water splashes on the wall behind the sink and NO MORE GREEN!!! wahoooo    There's even a little ledge for soap and a little pretty something.

Next up:  Adding a #3 towel rod in there for the little one on the way!!  (see reflection in mirror ;)

I'm off for the day but have a beautiful weekend!!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

And thank you to the guys at CarrMichael Construction for the great work!!

Home Sweet Home #54

Hello and Welcome to Home Sweet Home!  I found this vintage pair of baby shoes at the thrift store a few weeks ago and I knew I would like to try making a vignette with them.  My idea was to copycat Rene from Miss Gracie's House.

I reminisce every time I visit Rene at her blog because of her house and style.  It takes me back to a farmhouse I grew up playing in.  This is me around by the back porch.  This was a gracious Victorian farmhouse  that was my playhouse!  Yes, it sat right beside our home and we used this house for storage and I played in it.  It wasn't restored like Rene's though, it was torn down, but it made a great playhouse! 

Anyway, Rene has a style that is all her own.  It is vintage farmhouse, shabby chic, and Victorian all mingled together.  I love to see the vignettes she comes up with and today I thought I would give a go at copying her style.

Thanks for indulging me in this trip down memory lane.  It is funny all the things that go together to create a style to someone's work.  I found these little baby shoes for only a $1. 

Now, I would like to feature some posts that got my attention from last week's Home Sweet Home!  

 Kathy at A Delightsome Life  created some adorable guest bags for her bedroom out of a child's dress.

Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict created this cute vignette with some French ticking and toile hearts.

 Becca at From Gardners 2 Bergers had a tutorial on how to recreate these framed maps as art.  Her post includes several printable maps to use also!

A Toile Tale  showed off her gorgeous master bathroom makeover with imported French cupboards.

Thank you to all who join me at Home Sweet Home!   It is wonderful to have you here!

Sherry

I will join these ladies today:
 Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Thrifty Things Friday at The Thrifty Groove

Thriftin' On a Thursday  at Savvycityfarmer

 Farmhouse Friday at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home

Guidelines for Home Sweet Home Party:

Attention: To link up with inlinkz you must have a permalink back to this party in your post or they will not allow you to link.  

Link up anything in your home or garden.  I love seeing neat shops too!

My button is on my sidebar for the party, if you want to use it.   If you are new here I hope you will become a follower. Please don't link up more than two posts.  No Etsy link ups or direct advertising, please.  Please visit some of the other blogs and get some great inspiration.  Thanks.:)

Now let's see your beautiful homes!

9 Years ago today...

I was a college junior at JMU.

{Yeah National VB Champs!}

9 years ago today ...  a bouquet of thistle & roses was delivered to my apartment door with a note from the cute boy I liked in my Creative Writing Class.

{Image from seaofblossoms.blogspot.com}

9 years ago today..  The cute boy took me out on a "Surprise" Valentine's Day date to see Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

{image via wikipedia}

9 years ago today...  The cute boy cooked me one of the worst steaks of my life & smoked out his kitchen:

9 years ago today...  my husband asked me to be his girlfriend. 

{The very dirty & wet garage where beer pong typically ensued}

And for the past 9 years, we've grown up together.

He's my best friend in the whole world & I love the family & the life we've made together.   

Happy Valentine's Day to you & yours. 

.



If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.