Design Insights and Inspiration

Why This Works… Feeling the Blues

May 25, 2016 by Amber Filed Under: design, interior design, personal design style

Welcome back to another Why This Works post, a series where I show a designed space and talk about what I love. Today’s living room is from the home of Cassie Kelley andÂ the design was led by Alex Reid, from the design team at The Studio atÂ One King’s Lane. This living space showcases one of my favorite colors in design… blue! Take a look.

image via

Especially at this time of year, what’s not to love about this coastal inspired home? I love the various shades of blue in the room. You don’t have to stick to one shade… it’s in the mix that makes a space truly feel eclecticÂ and inviting. I am a huge fan of layering to add depth and interest and this is done so well with the striped rug over the natural woven rug. It gives you a chance to add the color and pattern you want, while also having a second rug underneath to help carry the appropriate dimensions. The ottoman and side tables can easily be moved around when needed, making this both a stylish and versatile space. The fiddle leaf fig tree and coral tulips bring the outdoors in and provide new colors to love. I actually love these three colors together in one room. It’s my favorite color combination. The mixing of metals with the brass and black/bronze pendants gives a collected over time style and adds character. The white walls, trim and cabinets provides a blank slate for all of the color to come in through the accessories and select furniture pieces. I also love the warm wood detail on the sofa legs and how that balances so well with the metals in the room. Overall, this space works!

What are your thoughts???

I choseÂ this room, because of my live TV segment on Bridge Street TV yesterday. I was on to talk about simple ways to add that laid back, coastal charm to your home. And the main color to use?!? Blue! Check out the video HERE!!

Before and After: Project Classic Living {The Bathroom}

May 12, 2016 by Amber Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, bathroom, before and after, design class, local clients

We are now at the final day of the before and after series from Project Classic Living. To catch up on all of the previous posts for this home design, visit HERE. I love this house and working with these clients. We have other future projects in the works, so this is not the end of this gorgeous home tour. My clients had already been working with a contractor for the bathroom and brought me in for the finishing touches and to bounce off ideas for the overall design aesthetic. I actually created a pinterest board for this design and you can view it HERE for comparison between inspiration and final result. We discussed a couple of different flooring options and patterns and they ultimately decided on the hexagon tiles, which work so well with the home’s traditional charm and character. There is a dramatic difference between the before and after, since plumbing was moved and the space was completely gutted. The after pictures are by the talented Sarah Heppell. Enjoy!

Before

A bathroom with a toilet, sink and mirror.

A bathroom with green and white tile, sink and tub.

After

A bathroom with white tile floors and walls.

A bathroom with a sink, mirror and flowers in the vase.

A bathroom with white cabinets and a sink.

A vase filled with pink flowers on top of a table.

A bathroom with white walls and a sink.

A bathroom with white tile and a sink.

After Photos by Sarah Heppell

I hope you enjoyed the home tour and the before and after series! It was so much fun for me to look back at where we began and then how we finished. And this bathroom, even with its deeper and longer vanity, looks bigger now than before! I love when that happens. We addedÂ function and the appearance of more square footage. Win, win!!

Why This Works

May 11, 2016 by Amber Filed Under: design, interior design, living room, personal design style, why works series

Welcome back to another installment of Why This Works… a series where I show a designed space and talk about why it works so well. Today’s living room is all about a mix of traditional, classic design with a dose of modern fun. This stunning space was seen on One Kings Lane and it was love at first sight. Take a look!

A living room with a couch and table

image via

I love this space! What first gets me is the balance of formal with casual. The formality is definitely shown in the symmetry of the roman shades and table lamps. The furniture reads more traditional and then you are met with the gorgeous modern accessories, that take this room to the next level. The antelope rug is a favorite of mine and it works so well in this space, against the light furnishings. I am also a huge fan of oversized accessories and believe that a few, well chosen larger pieces works better than several smaller options. The large wall art, pillows, lamps and even the fresh flowers, allows your eye to look around the room and gives the illusion of more space. While the space is dressy, the large coffee table brings a functional aspect to the room. There is plenty of room for drinks, snacks and to rest your feet. Overall, this space works!!

What are your thoughts??? I will be back tomorrow with the final before and after from Project Classic Living… the Bathroom!

Before and After: Project Classic Living {The Nursery}

May 10, 2016 by Amber Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, #projectdelicatenursery, amber b design, before and after, design, interior design, kids and design

Welcome back to another before and after. This is a favorite of mine from Project Classic Living, because today… it’s all about the nursery. I love designing kids rooms and withÂ two kids of my own,Â I know how important function can be! It’s also important to include the style in there as well, and there are so many great products out there now, so you can have both. I also love to design a nursery with future years in mind. Instead of picking a particular theme, I wanted the room to grow with their daughter and be a space that works even ten years from now. The only item in here that would need to be changed, is the crib! The changing pad can easily be moved off of the dresser and it will look like a regular furniture piece. This nursery was the first project my clients and I worked on together, about a year and a half ago. We have moved on throughout the house and it’s so fun to be able to bring that similar style and look to other areas of the home. Of course you can have more fun in kids rooms and divert from the plan a bit, but we also stayed true to the home’s charm, character and overall design aesthetic. All after pictures are by Sarah Heppell.

Before

A room with boxes and other items in it.

A room with a door open and a white wall.

A bedroom with a dresser and a door open.

After

A book sitting on top of a table.

A couple of mirrors on the wall in a room.

A view of the baby 's room through a mirror.

A white chair and ottoman in a room.

A white couch and lamp in a room.

A hallway with stairs and a door way.

A white curtain with a string of beads hanging from it.

After Photos by Sarah Heppell

We went with a light, delicate wall color for this nursery… Halo by Benjamin Moore. It is the same color we used in the living room and dining room. That is the way that I tied this space to the rest of the home. It was fun adding more soft, delicate colors to the room. I framed two pretty floral fabrics in mirrored frames, beside the crib. My clients already had the crib, rug and dresser. We also used their existing ceiling light fixture, which we believe to be original to the home. I selected the art, seating, window treatments and accessories. It has been so much fun working with them! Their kitchen was featured on Ballard Designs Instagram page yesterday. Thank you, Ballard Designs!

A dining room with a table and chairs in it

Tomorrow, I’ll be back with a Why This Works post and then back with the final before and after on Thursday… the Bathroom!

Before and After: Project Classic Living {The Dining Room}

May 9, 2016 by Amber Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, before and after, design, dining room, local clients

Hope you all had a greatÂ weekend! My Mother’s Day was wonderful, being spoiled by my kids and husband. They are amazing! We had my mom over for dinner on the grill. It was absolute perfection! I am back today, with another before and after to show. Today, it’s all about the dining room. To catch up on all things Project Classic Living, visit HERE. For this space, we kept all of the existing furnishings. In time, we will replace the wood end chairs with light, upholstered pieces and also add a bar cart. The main change in this room was with the paint! We added a deep color to the back of the built ins, allowing the white kitchenware to shine. We also lightened up the walls, added art, accessories and new window treatments and lighting. And don’t miss that new pink ceiling! I just imagine my clients having a dinner party, with the lights dimmed. Everyone will have a glow to their face! As always, the amazing after photos are by Sarah Heppell. Enjoy!

Before

A dining room with a table and chairs, a chandelier and a cabinet.

A dining room with a table and chairs, and a door open.

A wooden table with two lamps and a mirror

After

A dining room table with chairs and flowers in the center.

A white cabinet with many different types of dishes on it.

A dining room with a table and chairs, a mirror and a corner cabinet.

A dining room table with two lamps on it

A mirror and some books on the table

A dining room table with chairs and flowers in the center.

A vase with white flowers on top of the table.

A dining room with a table and chairs, a mirror and a window.

A dining room with a table and chairs in it

After Photos by Sarah Heppell

Thanks for stopping by! I love the brass accents with the drapery fabric color and with that pink ceiling!! Up tomorrow, the before and after pictures of the nursery.

Before and After: Project Classic Living {The Kitchen}

May 6, 2016 by Amber Filed Under: #projectclassickitchen, #projectclassicliving, amber b design, ballarddesigns, before and after, design, kitchen

Welcome back to the before and after series from Project Classic Living. Up today… the Kitchen! As I have mentioned in previous posts, the kitchen was already beautifully renovated when I came into this space. The gorgeous white cabinetry, quartz counters, back splash and lighting was already chosen. I came in for the window treatments, dining area furniture and wall accessories. All of the after pictures taken by the wonderful Sarah Heppell. Here is the kitchen when I started…

Before

A room with a tv and a trash can

A room with a door open and a window.

A kitchen with a lot of counter space and boxes

{I had forgotten that the kitchen counters were not in yet, when I started with the design plan. But they had already picked out a gorgeous quartz counter that resembles marble. Perfect choice!!}

After

A dining room table with four chairs in it

A dining room with a table and chairs in it

A plant in a vase on the table

A clock hanging on the wall in a kitchen.

A kitchen with white cabinets and wooden floors

A kitchen with white cabinets and black and blue curtains

A kitchen counter with a cutting board and sink.

After photos by Sarah Heppell

And one more quick comparison…

Before

A room with a tv and a trash can

After

A dining room with a table and chairs, and pictures on the wall.

I love that this kitchen eating area has a relaxed vibe, to balance out the more formal feel in the dining room. Which, by the way, is the next room to show!

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms out there, especially to my wonderful, amazing mom! Thank you to my sweet, wonderfully awesome kids for giving me the amazing privilege of being their mom! 🙂 Have a great weekend!

Before and After: Project Classic Living {The Foyer}

May 5, 2016 by Amber Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, before and after, design, foyer, interior design, local clients

Welcome back to another fun before and after! Today, we are focusing on the foyer. This is the first impression upon entering through the front door, so weÂ really wanted this space to set the tone for the house and connect the other designs. We added a meaningful gallery wall going up the stairs, added function with an entry rug and vintage coat rack and also updated the foyer furniture with a new demilune, lamp and accessories. Let’s first take a look back at where we began. And of course, the gorgeous after photos are by the talented Sarah Heppell. Enjoy!

Before

A staircase with wood treads and white railings.

A white door and wooden floor in the hallway of a house.

After

A foyer with a mirror and a table in it

A staircase with many pictures on the wall

A staircase with wood treads and white risers.

A coat rack with a scarf hanging on it.

A white door with two framed pictures hanging on the wall.

After photos by Sarah Heppell

We kept the wall color and sconces, but the rest is new. And we are not finished! We are currently in the works to install a stair runner. Wait until you see which optionÂ they chose!! Thanks for stopping by. Up tomorrow… the before and after of the kitchen. The eating area was a clean, blank slate, which was fun to design!

Before and After: Project Classic Living {The Living Room}

May 3, 2016 by Amber Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, before and after, design, interior design, living room, local clients

As promised from last week’s posts, I am now ready to show the before pictures of the living roomÂ from Project Classic Living, as well as some new after photos! It’s always fun to show how a space began, so we can appreciate how far we have come. The before pictures are taken by myself and the really pretty after photos are all from the very talented Sarah Heppell. For the living room, they wanted a light, neutral space that was a blend of traditional and modern, while also working with the character of the home. Here we go!

Before

A living room with brown leather furniture and fireplace.

A living room with two couches and a baby seat

A living room with hard wood floors and furniture.

We really wanted to try out a sectional in this room. We were so thrilled when we found one that was a perfect fit! We lightened the walls, added new furniture and accessories and were able to keep some existing key pieces. We kept the beautiful media cabinet, mirror and wall frames.

After

A living room with a couch and fireplace

A table with two blue and white stools in front of a mirror.

{This is the mirror, above, that we kept. It was on their mantel. We just changed the orientation and hung it vertically.}

A living room with two windows and a large cabinet

A living room with white walls and furniture.

And one more time, for comparison…

Before

A living room with brown leather furniture and fireplace.

After

A living room with a couch and fireplace

All after photos by Sarah Heppell Photography

I hope you enjoyed the before and after! Next up… the foyer!

Project Classic Living Reveal {The Nursery and Bathroom}

April 22, 2016 by Amber Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, #projectdelicatenursery, amber b design, bathroom, design, interior design, kids and design

Showing the reveals from Project Classic Living has been such a blast for me this week! I want to give a huge thank you to my clients for allowing Sarah and I to come into the home and photograph the spaces. It means the world to me to have this project shown in its best light. The nursery was where it all began! My clients found me through aÂ Houzz search and the rest is history! We first met about a year and a half ago and I am so happy to have met such a wonderful family! Thank you to Sarah Heppell again, for making this home shine into a light, bright space on such a cloudy day. Of course, the rest of the week had beautiful blue skies! But it didn’t matter- Sarah made it appear as if it was the sunniest of days. 🙂 Have fun viewing the nursery, followed by the hallway bathroom!

A hallway with stairs and a door way.

A view of the baby 's room through a mirror.

A book sitting on top of a table.

A white chair and ottoman in a room.

A white chair and a lamp in a room.

A white couch and lamp in a room.

A couple of mirrors on the wall in a room.

And now the hallway bathroom…

A bathroom with white tile floors and walls.

A vase filled with pink flowers on top of a table.

A bathroom with white cabinets and a sink.

A bathroom with a sink, mirror and flowers in the vase.

So there you have it… Project Classic Living! We will be working together in some more spaces in their home, so stay tuned. I will definitely show more of these rooms in the future, including the before images. The contractor did an amazing job with this bathroom. Plumbing was relocated and it is a completely different space. I hope you enjoyed the reveals this week. This is the most I have posted in one week, in a long time. 😉

Project Classic Living Reveal {The Dining Room}

April 21, 2016 by Amber Filed Under: #projectclassicliving, amber b design, design, dining room, interior design, local clients

Today is another reveal day! To catch up on all things Project Classic Living, visit HERE. We are now moving on to the dining room! I planned to have this space flow with the rest of the home, but it is a bit of a diversion. It doesn’t have any of my signature blue in it, but the drapes are the same fabric seen in the living room. I went soft and neutral in this room and layered on the textures. Don’t forget to look at that pink ceiling! It’s a subtle pink, but one that brings a soft glow to the room. We kept all of my client’sÂ existing dining furniture and buffet. The rest is new! In the future, we plan to add upholstered end chairs to the table and a sleek brass bar cart. Enjoy the abundant pictures, by the super talented Sarah Heppell Photography.

A dining room table with chairs and lamps on it.