Category: Design Diary

Design Diary: Bedroom Makeover with Serena & Lily

Serena & Lily is one of my favorite design partners. So, when I needed to kickstart my bedroom makeover, Serena & Lily was an obvious source. New Englanders embrace the coastal Cali look, Serena & Lily even opened a  shop in Chestnut Hill, just outside Boston, a couple of years ago.

I love how Serena & Lily’s pieces blend seamlessly with the decor in our more traditional Back Bay condo as well as in our more contemporary Cape Cod house. As you’ll see below in the photographs, it also works well in a midcentury modern setting.

About a year-and-a-half ago, I ordered a green Granada quilt for our preliminary Boston bedroom makeover. I suppose it was more of a refresh at that point. As soon as I spread the quilt on the bed, the room felt brighter and more vibrant. This was exactly the effect I was going for with the bedroom makeover, given our bedroom is located in the basement and lacks abundant natural sunlight.

As much as I love all-white simplicity, the bedroom really benefited from the rich color, rhythmic pattern, and jaunty details of the quilt. The overscale, Indian-inspired botanical pattern is a nice juxtaposition to the geometric wallpaper on the wall behind the bed. The emerald green pops against the upholstered white headboard and plays off the pale green walls. Finally, the quilting, embroidered details, and tassels are fun touches.

The Granada quilt is made from cotton and linen. There’s enough linen that there’s a textural quality to the fabric, but enough cotton to give it some weight and ensure it doesn’t feel scratchy. It’s gone through the washer and dryer a number of times and looks great. It will hold its own through another makeover.

I brought the quilt out to Cape Cod this summer to dress up the sofa bed in my yoga studio / workspace. I may even cozy up with it on our outdoor patio in the evening. I’ll be posting these variations in my Instagram stories soon.

In the meantime, I thought I’d experiment with the Granada quilt by doing an impromptu bedroom makeover in a midcentury modern home in the Cape Cod National Seashore. I thought, if this quilt can transform an urban bedroom and fit perfectly into a contemporary space, how would it work in a midcentury one? Turns out, really well!

Instant midcentury modern bedroom makeover compliments of the Serena & Lily Granada quilt

S&L Bedroom Makeover Green Granada Quilt

A family member kindly let do a bedroom makeover in her midcentury modern home. The house was designed by architect Charlie Zehnder in the 1960s. Have a look at this post on my @StyleCarrot Instagram feed to see the clerestory window and beams above the bed. The furniture has a southwestern flavor that works well with the botanical print.

Serena & Lily Bedroom Makeover With Granada Quilt

I haven’t read this book, have you? I picked it up off the homeowner’s stack of books because the cover looks perfect against the quilt. Always judge a book by its cover. A bed too. Turkey feather found in the wild.

Serena & Lily Bedroom Makeover With Granada Quilt

The pattern is printed on both sides of the cotton/linen quilt which has a clean, knife edge. The pairs of triangles in taupe embroidery thread add to the hand-crafted feel, as do the trio of tassels at each of the four corners. Not only do these details elevate the look, they add texture, and help the palette meld with natural decor elements elsewhere in a room.

Serena & Lily Bedroom Makeover With Granada Quilt

The original wide-plank floor has so much character. I love how the edges of the old, tattered book look against it. The embroidery and tassels accentuate the effect.

Serena & Lily Bedroom Makeover With Granada Quilt

Meet Bella, a new rescue puss. She’s fluffy, sweet, and a little bit shy. She looks grumpy here, but she is even tempered. The shoot had to pause for a few minutes because Ms. Bella takes her meals bedside.

S&L Bedroom Makeover Green Granada QuiltPhotos by Marni Elyse Katz/StyleCarrot

S C H E M I N G 

Create a chic, neutral bedroom makeover with 16 pieces from Serena & Lily.

Our bedroom in Boston has a feature wall with white wallpaper that has a silvery geometric pattern , pale green walls that read as light and bright, neutral wool carpet with pattern and texture, and a glossy white lacquer dresser with polished chrome studs. (You can see a photo of the dresser in my bedroom here.) Yes, it’s about time for a bedroom makeover.

I’d love to do a full bedroom makeover around the Granada quilt. I devised a neutral bedroom makeover scheme using 16 Serena & Lily pieces, including a rattan-wrapped dresser that I adore. What do you think?

Serena & Lily Green Neutral Bedroom Scheme With Granada Quilt

S H O P P I N G
1 Bone Inlay Mirror / 2 Table Lamp / 3 Raffia Wrapped Dresser / 4 Rattan Bed / 5 Textural Rug / 6 Striped Pillow / 7 Granada Quilt / 8 Granada Shams / 9 Concrete Pendant Light / 10 Hurricanes / 11 Tree Stump Table / 12 Botanical Print Pillow  / 13 White Sheets  /  14 Bobbin Chair / 15 X-Base Table /  16 Natural Wallpaper

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Create your own bedroom makeover
Click here to shop Serena & Lily >

 

Design Diary: Bookshelf Styling Tips from Designer Valerie Darden

Designer Valerie Darden of Brexton Cole Interiors solved two issues in her Northern Virginia home with one bank of bookshelves. She and her husband  loved every feature in their new home, save for a diagonal wall near the entry, just around the corner from the stairs. Not only was it dead space, the wall had an ugly air vent, a thermostat, and outlet, and light switches. (Scroll down for the before photo.) An investment in custom cabinetry and masterful shelf styling hid the jumble and created a functional and beautiful feature wall. 

How To Style Bookshelves

Darden balanced old and new to create an chic mix of art and objects among her collection of design books. “As much as I enjoy new and shiny items, I love to venture to Loudoun County to search for vintage art, books, and decorative objects,” she says. One of her favorite sources is Lucketts Market and Antique Center. 

 As for new books, Darden tends toward  fashion, travel, photography, history, and architecture titles by Assouline. For contrast she adds older books from her thrifting adventures. Here’s a fun pairing: “I’ll place a Chanel book next to a 1950s book about ladies etiquette,” she says.

Here’s a pulled back view for context:

And a before photo from the same perspective:

Careful configuration allowed them to hide the ugly grate behind a cabinet door.

Cabinets That Hide An Air Vent

Then the fun part: Styling the bookshelves.

How to Style Bookshelves

Valerie Darden’s Tips for Perfectly Styled Bookshelves

• For a not-trying-too-hard-to-be-perfect vibe, arrange some books vertically and others horizontally. Also, place larger books with smaller ones.  

• Incorporate your favorite candle. Dardens’s favorite candle is Diptyque BAIES. “I love to burn the candle wax to the end, then use the glass as a vase for roses,” she says.

•  Pair high and low.  Along with that pricey Diptych candle, Darden’s shelves hold a H&M vase and a  gold-framed vintage painting scored at a local yard sale for $10.

• Pay attention to scale. A small sculpture in front of a large book draws the eye in. And use mostly odd numbers  of things.

• Metallics are a must. “When I began decorating my shelves, they looked bland,” Darden says. “Then I placed a  decorative brass paper weight on top of three books and it immediately came  to life! “

• Plants too. “Small succulents have done wonders by adding color and a peaceful feeling,” Darden says.

Photos by Valerie Darden

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Get Succulents By Mail

Design Diary: Desk Refresh for Zooming

Are you still Zoom-ing? Did you re-adjust your workspace to make it easier?I know you spruced up your backgrounds (I hope so anyway), but what about the nuts and bolts of the computer and iPhone situations?

When StyleCarrot partner (and Boston-based company) Wayfair suggested we collaborate on a sponsored office envy post for a desk refresh this fall, I  realized it was time to ditch my yoga blocks and other precarious props for more stable desk accessories

I found a couple of desk accessories on Wayfair that allow me to work remotely with ease (and beauty). As you’ll see from the images, I did not need a desk or desk chair, but I discovered some tech accoutrements in the school furniture and business furniture sections. And I certainly took up the opportunity to prettify the decor.

Here’s the setup in my workspace. When I’m recording a webinar, which I prefer to do in my dining room, I can easily bring my new laptop lift and collapsible phone stand downstairs. (And, I use it by my bedstand at night.) The faceted vase makes the trip too, looking gorgeous in my art and floral-filled background.

Desk Setup For Zoom Meetings

Collapsible Iphone Stand

Collapsible Iphone Stand

Collapsible Iphone Stand

Desk Setup With Iphone Stand For Zoom Meetings

Desk Setup For Zoom Meetings

Photos by Marni Elyse Katz/StyleCarrot, LLC

I’ve done two webinars for Boston Globe Magazine—one with Boston designer Holly Gagne detailing how to create a calm space in your chaotic home and the other with New England designers Jodi Schwartz, Tyler Karu, and Heather Alton on kitchen redesign tip. These would have come in handy. Well, I’m prepared for the next one.

Desk Tech Accessories From Wayfair

1 Origami-Inspired Ceramic Vase
2 Multipurpose Monitor Stand
3 Foldable Universal Phone Holder

Design Diary: A Fire Pit For My Patio

Wayfair Sponsored Post Firepit Patio

I’ve been sheltering with my family on Cape Cod. After isolating in our condo in Boston for two weeks, we decided to pack our cars with food and supplies, and head to our house in the woods. We have plenty of space here, which we appreciate given we have two teenagers, along with fresh air, and no communal doorknobs. We are very lucky. I hope you are also healthy at home.

While the magnolias bloom in Boston, the Outer Cape landscape is quite a bit starker. Normally, we arrive here in early June, always surprised to see that the plantings around our patio are still sparse. Sometimes it’s much colder and rainier than one expects in June, even in New England.

April has gifted a few gorgeous, crisp and sunny days, along with many stormy ones. There are some daffodils (which seem out of place for the environs; much too manicured for the wilds of the National Seashore) and some forsythia. I’ve even seen a spot or two of dark purple. The only true moments of color, other than the sky and ocean, are  the pine trees and  lawns. As you can see from these pictures, my yard is no exception.

I added a firepit to my patio on Cape Cod

When StyleCarrot partner (and Boston-based company)Wayfair suggested we collaborate on a patio refresh post this season (last year’s patio post is here), I  immediately started browsing for the outdoor living section for propane fire pits.

Sure, we could use some sofa-like seating for entertaining, since we only have two loungers and a bistro table, but even more, we need warmth. Since we’re out here in what feels a bit like winter, I figured, let’s try to make the most of it. So a fire pit it would be.

I love the concrete fire pits you see at boutique hotels, but good ones can be pricey. I wanted something that would last. I settled on a large square propane fire pit. It’s a bit bulky, but it’s sturdy and gets the job done.

Firepit with cheese platter

Yesterday was our nicest yet. I assembled a plate of snacks and wine from our local winery. (I shot this during the day, prompting my son to ask if I was day drinking.) The platter made for a nice lunch; I actually set the wine aside for later. I’m always on deadline. The fire threw enough heat that I could work outdoors, actually.

Backyard Ideas with A Fire Pit

Polyresin + stainless steel propane fire pit by Orren Ellis, Wayfair.

MORE:  See StyleCarrot’s patio refresh post from last July
for flowers in bloom + ombre summer sky.

Photos by Marni Elyse Katz/StyleCarrot, LLC

Design Diary: Scandinavian Style Kitchen Renovation by Helios Design Group

I write a lot of one page design columns for Boston Globe Magazine. This one, published last fall with photos by Jared Kuzia, is one of my favorites. A restaurant industry couple hired Ariel Roth of Boston-based architecture and interior design firm, Helios Design Group, to renovate their kitchen in Jamaica Plain in a simple Scandinavian style, with an eye on the budget.

Roth started by moving the exterior door to the patio (and swapping it out for a full glass version that lets in light) in order to fit cabinetry and a new Wolf range with red knobs on a previously blank wall. Speckled penny tiles from Discover Tile are a fun touch that add a bit of color and interest. Love the inky blue walls? It’s Farrow & Ball Stiffkey Blue. The color allows the cabinets to stand out.

Speaking of kitchen cabinetry, Roth collaborated with local eco-friendly business Boston Building Resources on the cabinetry design, and donated the old cabinets to them for repurposing. The surface of the cabinets are done in simple white laminate, moments of exposed plywood edges, as well as the modern cut-outs in place of hardware, make them interesting. Roth says, “The plywood accents developed as we went along. The homeowners were into it, so at one point had exposed all the edges. Ultimately we pulled back and use plywood edge accents.”

Scandinavian Style Kitchen Renovation Helios Boston

Photo by Jared Kuzia

The homeowners initially fell in love with a $2,000 light fixture, but it just didn’t fit into the budget, so they decided on this acrylic orb. It’s the Bel Occhio 16 pendant lamp by Pablo Designs.

The Compass dining table from CB2 designed by Ceci Thompson  has an engineered wood high-gloss lacquered top and a glossy powder-coated, radial-shaped steel base. The red molded plastic chairs with wood legs are less expensive versions of the Eames fiberglass shell chair by Herman Miller.

While you’re down there, check out the floors. Roth used Avenue 12-by-12 cork tiles from APC Cork. This makes a lot of sense since it’s low maintenance and easy on the feet (they spend a lot of time in here). It also brings in an element of warmth.

Scandinavian Style Kitchen Renovation Helios Boston

Photo by Jared Kuzia

The above photo shows the rest of the sink wall. Roth enlarged the window to let in lots more light. You’ll notice that some of the kitchen cabinets are door-less, specifically in spots that are harder to access. These cubby-style cabinets are lined in charcoal Formica. The countertop is a quartz composite. “It’s a plane of solid grey that looks pretty with the cabinets,” Roth says.

Scandinavian Style Kitchen Renovation Helios Boston

Photo by Jared Kuzia

The photo above shows the other side of the range, and the adjacent wall. The bookcase makes use of a shallow space—an existing chimney is right behind it. They reused their fridge, which is right next to the bookshelf, in case you’re wondering.

Scandinavian Style Kitchen Renovation Helios Boston

Photo by Jared Kuzia

The shallow shelf is perfect for cookbooks, and a makeshift bar.