E – Design Complete

As you may know from previous posts here and here, I recently completed some design boards for a reader looking to spruce up some spaces on her first floor. So far, I have shown you the entry and living room designs. Now, on to the den! This space is directly off of the living room, with double doors leading into the space. So when thinking about this design, I knew I had to carry the colors in from the living room, since the rooms almost act as one. Not only did I want to use similar colors as the living room, but also allow the furniture pieces and art to be interchangeable, in case she wants to move things around in the future. (I love to go “shopping” in my own home, moving things around from room to room. It almost makes you feel as if you really did go out and buy new pieces!) For the den, she was looking for a kid friendly space with added storage. She wanted this room to be a gathering place where they could spend most of their time together. The den is also off of the kitchen, so this room would be a great play area for her toddler. Here are a couple pictures of the den now:

I love that the gorgeous wood floors are carried into this space as well, and the molding details are great! For this room, she was looking for new furniture and accessories and also wanted to carry in light beach colors with pops of color in the furniture and accessories. And here is what I came up with:

• The loveseat is the PB Comfort Square by Pottery Barn. The material is easy to keep clean and a great choice for an active room. I propose this loveseat be placed where the other loveseat is now. (I would suggest she move the 3 square art pieces she has above the loveseat and move them on the wall as you are going up the stairs by the entry.)

For this room, I tried to make it more kid friendly, by incorporating open storage systems, child sized table and chairs, colorful accessories, playful art and a fun chalkboard wall! I wanted to keep the furniture and area rug darker, for easy care. I wanted this room to be playful and a fun place to interact with her growing toddler! For this room, I am suggesting the walls, chair rail molding and baseboards be painted Paper White, by benjamin moore, in an eggshell finish. Here is a breakdown of the room’s design ideas and sources:

• The orange area rug is from Ballard Designs and would work in a 5×8 size. (It is a soft material too!)

• The faux leather storage ottoman has safety hinges and is from www.kirklands.com

• The tray on the ottoman is the same as the living room and is from west elm.

• The white cube end table is from ikea and would look great with one on each side of the loveseat. (Toy baskets would look great in this little space!)

• The 4 sea inspired art pictures can be placed above the loveseat and are from Ballard Designs.

• The orange and green pillows by the rug are from a great etsy source and would look pretty placed on the loveseat.

• The set of 4 pillows on the left of the design board are also from the same etsy source.

• The patterned wing chair is from Pier 1 Imports and could either accompany her leather chair or replace it.

• The espresso stained end table next to the chair is from IKEA.

• The floor lamp is the same as in the living room design and can go next to the loveseat (Pier 1).

• The grommet drapery is from Pottery Barn and can also accompany dark woven shades from www.blinds.com (same shades as in the living room design). Please keep in mind the long cords these shades can have and tie them up high out of reach.

• The kid’s farmhouse table and chairs are from www.potterybarnkids.com. I would suggest 2 of these chairs. The set would be placed under the window.

• The long wall where she has the large art piece can now have one of these two large open storage units from the design board. The large white cube shelf system is from ikea. I would suggest using some of these baskets from Pier 1, as well as other toys and books. The metal inspired basket system is from www.rhbabyandchild.com and is great for storing toys and books as well. (For either storage system, I would suggest a way to secure the unit to the wall, to prevent tipping!)

• On this wall only, I propose applying chalkboard paint below the chair rail. She could use Onyx by Benjamin Moore and purchase the chalkboard finish. Her toddler can spend many hours of fun with the chalkboard area, while it also being a space saving solution! Above the chair rail and on either side of the storage unit, I propose the tree decal stickers from www.landofnod.com. She can purchase them in a set of 2 45 inch trees. It’s a fun way to add some color and playfullness to the space.

And there is the den design! I had so much fun working on these projects! The client also asked for ways to include her kitchen into the look of the design. She was looking for flooring and paint ideas. Right now, she has tile floors in her kitchen. I suggest she carry the gorgeous wood floors from the rest of her first floor, into this space as well. I also suggest the kitchen’s walls painted either Paper White or Sterling, to tie into the rest of the design!

If you are looking for some design ideas for your home, please e-mail me at simpledwellings1@gmail.com. I would love to work with you!