Houston Design Blog | Material Girls | Houston Interior Design

I had the honor of appearing on the Live Well Network discussing what to do with all those blank walls in your home. To view the segment check it out here.

Blank walls really are a very pesky decorating dilemma.  Being the art hoarder that I am, my place is a little overrun with “gallery” or “salon” style walls.

My current obsession is extra large pieces of art.  In the Live Well segment, I show off a huge vacation photograph my client blew up to hang on her wall.  I love when the photography and art isn’t matchy-matchy AND when it’s personal.  I know it takes a bit more effort to buy or create “real” art but I truly believe it gives a home its soul.  Nothing sucks the life out of a perfectly decorated space than  mass produced art.  Sorry, that’s one of my soap boxes!

 

 

The above to images of Aerin Lauder’s new offices are EVERYTHING.  I absolutely love the artwork she has selected.

 

Love the large photograph in the apartment of Pierre Frey’s (of the famed fabric house – he is the Grandson of its namesake) Parisian apartment.

 

Love Ruthie Sommers’ combo of gallery wall AND large scale photograph.

 

One of my all time examples of a huge photograph over a sofa.  Blow up those vacation photos and enjoy living with what you put on your walls!

 

I wanted to share a few furniture “before and after’s” from one of my projects.  It’s always a plus when a client has a few pieces you can reupholster that are the right scale.  Sometimes they just need to be totally re-imagined.  The pair of chairs above used to look like this…    I had the channel tufting removed and slipcovered them in Java Java by China Seas.   They were the perfect size for this nook in their Master Bedroom.

 

 

 

The client’s existing chaise lounge totally transformed in my FAVORITE pattern by Galbraith & Paul.

 

 

 

In their Living Room, I added a clean waterfall skirt and slipped the chair in a tan and white small stripe.

(Please excuse my un-staged iPhone pics)

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed a fun twist on Furniture Friday!  Have a great Holiday weekend!

 

{The “Before” Photo of the Living Room -hello, cute pooch!}

Today’s Furniture Friday is courtesy of Marie Flanigan Interiors.  They sent over this great multi-room “before and after,” I just had to share.

 

The home is located in the great Memorial area in Houston.  The homeowners asked Marie and her team to transform their Kitchen and Sitting Room.   Instead of starting from scratch, the team opted to reinvent many of their existing furnishings.  Radiating a mix of French style and contemporary features, the updated rooms impress with clean, neutral color palettes and a hint of the dramatic.

What a stunning after shot!

 

The client’s elegant sofa and club chairs were re-purposed in the Sitting Room transformation.  Accent pillows with geometric shapes and traditional ikat patterns were incorporated to add a bit of frisky to the soothing, classic furnishings, while a lucite coffee table and coordinating lamps add a bit of glamour to the room’s antique French design.

 

I especially love what they did with the existing built-ins.  By removing the shelves on either side of the armoire, and adding antique mirror on the back walls, they were able to completely re-invent this piece without a lot of construction or remodeling.  Such a clever solution!  Getting the “bones” or architecture correct in your space can truly make all the difference!

 

The finishing touches – an inlaid bone tray (love, love, love this) with books and rock crystal candle holders, hold court next to an antique brass magnifying mirror on a stand, and a bold pop of purple.

{Kitchen – Before}

{Kitchen – After}

Nearly all the existing Kitchen cabinetry was saved and painted in a soft gray hue.  This was handsomely accented by a fresh new beveled-edged, white ceramic backsplash (a personal favorite of mine).

 

Custom grey and white drapery, reupholstered dining chairs, and a French antique chandelier unite the look for a space that can functionally feed ravenous teenagers while also appealing to Mom and Dad’s distinctive sense of style.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this special Furniture Friday.  I’m a sucker for a great B & A!  Thanks again to Marie Flanigan Interiors for submitting this project!

Vendors used: Area, Design House, Hien Lam, Joyce Horn Antiques, Memorial Antiques & Interiors, and Vieux.

I’m so honored to be included in Rue Magazine’s first ever, “Texas Edition.”  Friend Paloma of La Dolce Vita fame and I are featured on pages 52 & 53 in the, “Blogger Side by Side.”  Check out this awesome issue here.

Rick Janecek’s amazing North Dallas home graces the cover of this month’s D Home.  It is a pretty incredible renovation (would love to see the before photos).  As the Creative Director of Global Views, he has the opportunity to try out prototypes of new products in his own home (dream).

The home is absolutely eye candy and a study in just how much you can customize.  I particularly can appreciate the details of the kitchen and bathrooms, and his bedroom only affirms how great a pop of bright orange can look in a white space.

Read the full story here or pick up your copy if you are in Dallas!

 

 

 

 

 

{Interior Design by Ellen Hamilton via Quadrille}

Matching your upholstered piece(s) to wallpapered or upholstered walls is an old-school designer trick that honestly takes a designer with some guts now-a-days to pull off.  I always say you’re going to tire of a “safe” room a lot faster than putting in pieces, colors, and patterns that you LOVE.

 

 

 

Heather Hilliard

This does not have to be a stuffy look – I love the way Heather Hilliard took a “traditional” idea and make it clean and contemporary.

 

 

Aerin Lauder is the perfect example of a “fresh” traditionalist.

 

 

Greg Mendelson via Chic Coles – old school with an edge

 

 

Philip Gorrivan via Quadrille

Match your walls to your pillows!

 

 

Tory Burch via Quadrille

 

 

via Thibaut Design

 

 

 

My little girl is 17 months now – pretty hard to believe!  I can’t say that I really want to think about a “big girl bed,” but I absolutely love the look of an upholstered headboard/daybed combination.  I especially love it between bookshelves.

{Courtney Hill Interiors}

I’ve been obsessing over doing an entirely gingham room for someone after spotting some cheap/chic fabric at Interior Fabrics.  Found this image via Pinterest and would love to know the designer!

Love this almost “granny-chic-meets-Palm-Beach” room in Ruthie Sommers’ home as seen in Lonny Mag}

Christine Lemieux of Dwell fame’s daugther’s bed girl bed as seen on one of my favorite blogs, Modern 24/7.

A petite little big boy bed 🙂

A good crib conversion toddler bed.

{Interior Design by Brad Ford as seen in Lonny Mag}

{Lulu DeKwiakowski as seen in Lonny Mag}

An oldie but a goodie!  One of K-Dub’s sons’ rooms.

{Windsor Smith – one of my all time favorite designers}

If you’ve read MG for a while, you know I’m all about “comfortable glamour.”  Lately I’ve been really drawn the style that made me fall in love with Interior Design years ago – “California Casual.”  It’s the anti-furniture store look I embraced eagerly as a young designer/student.  Color, a mix of textures, and a general relaxed feel perfected by Peter Dunham, Schulyer Samperton, and Estee Stanley to name a few.

{Peter Dunham}

{Mark Sikes – obsessed with his blog}

{Peter Dunham}

{Jordana Brewster’s house as seen in In Style}

And then there’s this…just love.  Sparkle, monochromatic textures, and modern elements:

{Finn Jewelry Showroom as seen on So Haute}

{My favorite version of Sally Wheat’s Living Room}

{I’m guessing Ryan Korban?}

Faux fur throws and touches of black? YES!

 

{Tara Shaw}

Mix of antiques with sparkly/shining things

Clean-lined perfection…realistically I could not live with all the white and zero clutter but I do love to look at it.

 

 

I know my favorite styles aren’t exactly polar opposites, but it’s fun to analyze.  Ultimately I’m somewhere in the middle and just buy things I love!

{Miles Redd as seen in House Beautiful}

Many times clients are hesitant to add a crazy pattern into the mix because they are scared they will tire of it quickly.  My theory is the opposite, I think we tire much quicker of a sea of beige than one a punchy piece.  If you love the fabric, then chances are that’s the piece you’ll love the most.  I love solid color upholstery as much as the next person because it is timeless and versatile, but I’d love to find a place for a colorful settee.



The much blogged about Living Room of Ivanka Trump (which I still love).  Settee upholstered in a LuluDK fabric.

 

Above three images found on the Quadrille website. 

{Kristen Buckingham} 

{Cottage Living}

Patterned pieces don’t have to be all crazy-pants either as the above two images prove.

 Have a great weekend everyone!  I think now I’ll spend mine looking for a great vintage piece to recover in one of my favorite prints!

 

Interesting!  “Crossover” stylist Estee Stanley (interiors and fashion – I’m a little jealous) and Justin Timberlake have teamed up with the Mint franchise to create a home collection.  I’m very curious as to what this will entail!  Funiture?  Just accessories?  For those of you not familiar, the, “Mint Family” includes JewelMint, StyleMint, and ShoeMint.  Each website teams a designer or stylist with a celebrity to create a small collection with a few designs released each month.  I can’t wait to see what ol’ JT has up his sleeve!