My Hallway Thoughts

I’ve posted about different ideas for my entryway in the past, here and here.  But one thing I haven’t posted about is my beloved console table.  I wanted to hold off until I knew it would fit into the budget.  After about one year of admiring this console table, I did the math, squeezed it into the budget and purchased away.  I present to you the Blu Dot Stut console table in watermelon:

Isn’t she purty?  Mine is currently in transit and it should be here very, very soon.  You may recall, seeing a similar item on my favorite breakfast room e-design.  I used the blu dot watermelon dining table for it.

One thing that kind of bummed me out was that my beloved console table in my fresh color of watermelon was featured in the latest Lonny Mag.

Why would something like this bumm me out?  Well, because I’m afraid it’ll start popping up everywhere.  However, this is foolish thinking; it’s not like the table was unknown before Lonny.  I need to feel flattered that my LOVE for this table has been validated by the one and only Lonny Mag editors.  And, it was featured in Philadelphia Home Magazine…

How much fun is this entryway?!  I actually own this exact vase and could recreate this look but I’ll try to do something different with it.  You’ll have to stay tuned…

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday, everyone!  This has been a fantastic week for me, thanks to my friend Reichel, over at Copy Cat Chic, my blog readership has skyrocketed.  So if you are new, welcome!  Thank you for reading my blog.  I promise I’ll be good to you. 🙂

Hug magnet available here.

What are you up to this weekend?  I’ll def. be enjoying the sunshine.  But apparently, it’s not going to be short sleeve weather this weekend.  What is this January?!  However, today, I think I can still get away with an outfit like this –

Via The Sartoralist

If you are looking for some reading material over the weekend, don’t forget to check out Matchbook Mag by Katie Armor and Jane Lily Warren; it has amazing interviews from some of my design icons: Rita Konig, Lela Rose and others.

It also includes some of the cutest styling tips, like “50 Classics For Your Closet”

I have met Katie Armor (the editor in chief) and she is incredibly sweet and stylish –  a true Matchbook girl.

Happy Friday y’all! May we all find a chance to giggle this weekend.

Trina Turk Divas

This past Friday, I went down to my mom’s house and I walked into this scene of two divas…

My mom and her good friend, Mary, had a fun day of shopping in Burlingame.  They stopped by the Trina Turk store and picked up matching fur capes.  How cute are they?!  My mom also picked up an adorable top from Trina Turk, which I had her model for me.

As the genius fashionista that she is, she replaced the Trina Turk sash that comes with the top for her J. Crew sequined belt.  And check out the back of her boots.

I proceeded to then put on all of the things that she bought; I became green with envy that I didn’t get to keep everything and so I present to you my pouty, “why don’t I get to keep everything?” face…

Inspired by my mom and her friend’s purchases, I wanted to share with you the new fabrics that are out for Trina Turks home line.  Trina Turk has fantastic, drool worthy indoor/outdoor fabrics.  Here’s what turned my frown upside down…

How can you not be happy with these colors?  She uses daring, bold colors and modern, geometric patterns that would be perfect for a Palm Springs retro pool cabana.  All fabrics are indoor/outdoor fabrics available at Schumacher and through the trade.  If you are interested in a certain fabric, e-mail me at katecollinsinteriors@gmail.com.

Vintage Settee: Before and After

As mentioned in this post, I’ve been working on decorating a cafe: Bumble.  The client wanted to bring a living room feel to the place and so we set out to find furniture that was more expected in a home then a restaurant.  One of the treasures we found was this fabulous high back settee…

Obviously, the tired upholstery needed to go.  However, the unique challenge in this situation was to find really durable fabric, due to the clientele.  While they may be the cutest most cuddly little things, they have been known to spill a juice box or two in their lifetimes. 

Bumble Cafe is a play cafe for families.  Keeping those youngsters in mind, we were on a mission to find upholstery that was soft and comfy but would stand up to the spills.  The answer: Crypton.  Doesn’t Crypton sound so futuristic?  It is virtually indestructible.  However, finding attractive Crypton is not as easy as you’d think.  I probably looked at 100 fabric books until I found a gem of a book  and I sent it over to my client and she picked this awesome fabric.

Beautiful!  I love how it updates the high back settee.  We lucked out and found the vintage Hickory settee at a resale shop.  Later that evening, I found the same one for sale at Jennifer DeLounge (reupholstered) for $3,000.   Ours didn’t have the hefty price tag but it sure has the same beautiful look!  Can’t wait until customers can be sitting in it fireside with a large glass of red wine.  No worries if you spill, the Crypton can handle it.

The Making of a Bedroom

Yesterday, I gave you an overall look at the bedroom I just finished working on:

Today, I thought I’d give you a play by play of how I went from this..

To this…

My client told me that she was inspired by her many travels so I had her share with me pictures and objects that inspired her.  The two places she loves to travel to the most are Africa and Mexico.  Here are two photos I was shown for inspiration…

Masai girls she met while on safari.

Yarn at a marketplace in Mexico.

She has a very adventurous spirit and a love for color and yet much of her home is neutral in color.  She felt that since this room is off of a laundry room she could take a chance and go bold in color.  That’s where she called in my help.

While inspiration was pulled from abroad, the color palate was chosen from her home.  There was an old chandelier sitting in her garage that she loved but didn’t know what to do with.  I agreed it was beautiful and so up went the light fixture and a color palate began – navy and white…

The green on the walls was inspired by her kitchen cabinets – the kitchen is a close distance to the guest room and so I suggested tying the rooms together through the color green.  We picked a brighter color green in the bedroom though, in compliance with her desire to go bold.  The kitchen inspiration…

The orange was a lovely, vibrant color that stood out to me in both travel photos that she gave to me.  And with that a palate was created and it was time to shop.

Some of the shopping was actually completed around the house, like white wooden giraffes, she brought home on a recent trip from South Africa –

And this painting was hanging in the hallway of her home but I asked if we could move it to the bedroom because the colors are spot on…

The Camaroon headdress above the headboard is from South Africa.  I bought one when I was there, so I brought mine down for a test drive.  My client fell in love with it so off to e-bay we went to get her one of her very own.

Now, to bring in some Mexico influences.  Every picture she sent my way of her vacations there were so colorful.  One way we brought in the influence of Mexico was by choosing a bold fabric for a slipper chair that was in her garage, waiting for a makeover…

The green and white stripe was not going to go and so we were daring and chose an orangey red subrella fabric with navy and white hounds tooth for the welt.

The other item that had the feel of Mexico was this duvet cover from Serena and Lily…

And the fish pillow from Thomas Paul brought back the memories of beautiful Mexico beaches.

Lastly, one of my favorite changes was creating a seating area at both windows.  She had amazing window seats that were just waiting to be utilized.  As seen in this before shot…

We chose a classic navy sunbrella fabric for the seat cushions and a pretty white with navy border for the custom romans.

There you have it – how a room was born.  I hope you like it.

Bedroom Makeover: Before and After

I’m pleased to present to you my latest finished project.  I have been working on a guest room for a client.  This guest room also doubles as a spot for my client’s grandkids to play.  The room was looking like this….

The closet was filled with toys, which is always inviting for kids, but the guest room portion needed some work.  My client felt inspired by all of her travels where she fell in love with the bright colors and she requested a bold room that would reflect the energy of all the kids playing in it.  But she wanted the room to look more like a bedroom then a kid’s playroom.  Did I hear color?  Well, let me give you some color…

The new bedroom –

Now she has a colorful guest bedroom and play area all wrapped up into one.  What do you think of it?  If you would like help in decorating a room, I would love to be of assistance.  You can e-mail me at katecollinsinteriors@gmail.com.

Happy Friday

What’s up, peeps?!  Happy Friday, huh?  I love me some Friday!  This weekend I’m going to indulge in some R&R with my mamacita and brother’s family.  Graham will be shredding it up in Tahoe.  Sweet.  I thought I’d share some pics that have been inspiring me from other blogs…

Via The Zhush – designer Brett Beldock

I am crazy for this bed, rug and table lamps, not so crazy for the fluffy throw.

Via – Caitlin Wilson Design

Oh for the love – this headboard is reading my mind right now – exactly what I want!

Via Delight by Design

Okay, okay – I could take this bedroom as well.  Fully exposed  chevron floors – yes, please! 

And let us not forget this master bedroom featured in the recent Lonny Mag.  Check out the Manuel Canovas fabric for the Romans and drapes – Lurve it!

I hope you enjoyed some shots that peaked my interest this week.  Which of these bedrooms do you like?  Happy Friday!  Let me know what you’re up to!

A Work in Progress

A peak into a project I’ve been working on…

I’ve been honored to be working on the most amazing project – a cafe in downtown Los Altos – Bumble.  But this isn’t just any cafe, it’s a play cafe for families.  It is a spot to “gather, meet other parents, enjoy a meal with your children, or relax with friends while the little ones play”.    So families, parents, grandparents, nanny’s, aunts and uncles get ready for the greatest dining experience ever with your special little ones.  Not to mention, the decor will be a real stunner, if I do say so myself. 🙂  

I’ve been working closely with the proprietor, Mary Heffernan, the superstar behind Academic Trainers and Brilliant Babies.  We have found some one of a kind pieces to bring a cozy atmosphere to the cafe, so everyone will feel right at home.

But, before you come on in and kick up your feet, we’ve got some work ahead of us…

Timothy Komo Construction has done a fantastic job working away on transforming the place.  The cottage was most recently an antique shop but the structure has been around for almost 100 years.

All of the walls will be whitewashed and the rafters were painted a cement gray.  It is going to look fabulous.  I’m eager to bring in the decor.   I will keep you posted as the work progresses.  For more information, check out Bumble’s website here.  If you would like help with decorating your home or office, please e-mail me at katecollinsinteriors@gmail.com for rates and various packages.

DIY Slipcovered Headboard

I found a project yesterday over on Martha Stewart that seems like a very easy DIY to update an old headboard and footboard:

One of the keys is to use thick fabric.  You simply hem the entire slipcover fabric so that it fits over the headboard and footboard then make small strips and attach to slipcover as tabs to tie onto headboard and footboard.  For more detailed directions, click here.

To make the look a bit more modern than the picture shown above, you could paint the headboard and footboard a fun color and use a more modern fabric, like this:

Bengal fabric from LS Fabrics

For another animal print – I love this one…

Sudan available at LS Fabrics.

Or how cute would a glossy white headboard with this fabric for a little girl’s room be?

Fretwork from LS Fabrics

Or one for a little boy’s room, you could paint the headboard blue and use this fabric:

Stacks fabric available here.

The possibilities really are endless.  I find this to be an easy way to spruce up an old headboard and footboard you may have grown tired of.  What do you think?

Keep it or Sell it?

A while ago, I bought this chair –

Now you must envision some TLC.  Spray paint it white, get a seat cushion made in some chinoiserie fabric and call it a day.  However, projects piled on top of days and this poor chair has been sitting idle in my work shop mom’s garage.  Recently, I’ve felt that I’ll sell it and let someone else do the dirty work.  But then I happened on to this photo…

Via Domino

The end chairs in this dining room shot have a very similar feel to my chair (once fixed up) and I find them gorgeous.

So what to do…keep it or sell it?