FarmHouseUrban

Guy Spaces

About to start updating my 15 year-old son's bedroom for the first time since he was a toddler.  Have been collecting inspiring images of rooms that evoke a masculine vibe...

Erin Martin

Erin Martin

I'm loving the cinder blocks. A great way to add a touch of urban industrial chic.

Domino

Don't know where this photo is from, but I sure do love it!   What a cozy spot.

Above the 3 photos of the Ace Hotel in Portland via Remodelista.  These three were the inspiration for my son's bedroom. In progress so stay tuned!

Happy Monday everyone!

Beautiful chairs for sale and the urban farmhouse store

This past October I tested the retail waters and opened a one-month-only store (aka pop-up).  It was a great experience in every way, most of all I realized that in some way, shape or form, having a retail component is something that I really want to do and a great fit as a designer.  As I work out the details, I am gradually building my inventory of refurbished antiques and home decor pieces.

One of the first things to go at the store was a pair of vintage chairs.  They are so pretty! Here they are at the store before they were sold.

The two I bought were from a set of four. At the time I could only splurge on two, but hoped the other two would be available when/if the opportunity came. I am so happy that I just got my hands on them!!!

I thought that before I upholster them, I would offer the option of customizing to my readers.  With the first pair I went with a Belgian linen in flax with a charcoal gray Belgian linen wide stripe. Double welting and the chair back are also charcoal. The price for the pair (in above fabric) is $3,400 or individually at $1,800. The options for customizing are endless, although I think the stripe really compliments the chair. Was toying with oyster linen with an orange stripe for a splash of color!  

If you are interested in the chairs either as a set or separately, please let me know!  Happy to send fabric swatches and discuss options!

Have a great weekend!

 

new york state of mind

I just got back from the most magical week back East.  First I visited my grandparents in Northern Virginia for a couple of days (it snowed :-), then I took the train to nyc - my birthplace and the best city in the entire universe - to meet one of my bff's who flew in from Seattle.  We walked, it snowed, we ate, walked some more, did a little shopping, ate, met more friends, ate.  Repeat next day x 4. Nothing compares to traveling with your best girlfriend/s - am I right?  Oh the silliness!

Some highlights...

1. Eataly.  The new 50,000 square foot mega food emporium slash food court created by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich.  Any and all Italian foods and food products are available to eat and purchase.  For lunch we shared an arugula topped pizza and lasagna at one of the sit-down places, then walked over to the coffee bar for an espresso machiato.  Good all around.

2.  Ralph Lauren Store. The guy can do no wrong. Four floors of the most beautiful clothes ever created housed in an architectural masterpiece of loveliness.  And if that isn't enough, the top floor is all home furnishings! 

architectural digest 

 

I had to take a photo of this quintessential Ralph Lauren table. The textural affect of the wool tartan, embossed leather chargers and placemats, sparkly crystal glassware and silver pieces plus the linen table runners crisscrossing the table was awe inspiring.

3.  Snow and the city.  Did I mention it snowed?  I haven't seen snow in snooow sooo long.  At one point it started blizzarding for about five minutes and I got so excited I did a little snow jig at the Jonathan Adler store. Normally I'm quite shy, but this being nyc, no one seemed to notice.

Taken from the 33rd floor balcony of our apartment rental on the upper west side (found on vrbo).

4. William Greenberg Desserts.  I grew up on E 81st St and Madison Ave, and my grandparent's apartment was 7 blocks up Madison at E 88th.  In between, is the William Greenberg bakery.  Needless to say, their delicacies were a huge part of my childhood - the little pecan sticky buns (which my grandmother called schnecken), the seven-layer cake and best of all... the mini chocolate chip cookies.  The size of a quarter, crispy edges that get paper thin and golden brown and just the right amount of mini chocolate chips, these are quite possibly the best chocolate chip cookies ever.

Photo taken post mini snow jig.  I'm wearing everything in my suitcase it was that cold.

5.  The Mark.  I've mentioned before that I love checking out great hotel lobbies, and The Mark is at the top of the list.  The lobby and bar were recently redone and designed by Jacques Grange. French Deco, tres chic.

urban farmhouse photos

"Some folks like to get away, take a holiday from the neighborhood, hop a flight to miami beach or hollywood.I’m taking a greyhound on the hudson river line-I’m in a new york state of mind."

Billy Joel

Just a little something to listen to just because no one represents ny better, which is why he was asked to be the final performer at Shea Stadium before it was torn down and why he sold out 2 concerts in a record breaking 45 minutes, and why this video has over 3 million views on Youtube and also because it's the song that I danced my first slow dance to ;-)

 


 

Teen Bathrooms Revealed!

At long last, our kid's bathroom renovation is complete!   

Just to refresh your memory (since it's been 4 months, but I'm not going there...) or if you're a new visitor, here are a couple of before's.

before

A small, shared bathroom with a lot of wasted space off of the hallway.

before

 

floor plan designed  by architect Max Crome

sketch by me

And the afters!

One change during construction was the medicine cabinet.  Our contractor assumed we only wanted a mirror based on my sketch. He told us he has seen a drop in medicine cabinets and hasn't installed a built-in for years.  I suppose the availability of the store bought, wall mount variety is to blame.  He also said more people are opting for just a mirror.  I can't imagine not having a medicine cabinet!  Where do all the little bottles and tubes go?

A built-in medicine cabinet is behind the middle mirrored panel.  This was a change to my original sketch (see below), but when the cabinets went in, I thought the space would feel bigger if the mirror went the whole width of the vanity.  

In our previous house we put pedestal sinks in the kids' bathroom.  Not a good idea! I found them to be very impractical for kids. The sides are often not big enough for them to set things on, and inevitably spills occur and toothpaste caps would fall on the floor or down the drain.  Also, in a small bathroom (these are about 5 1/2' x 8''), under the sink is prime real estate.  I also prefer to hide the waste basket, cleaning supplies, etc.  

The tall cabinet serves as a linen closet (and extra storage).  Since our house is only about 2,800 sq. ft, and we lost a large linen closet in the renovation, we needed to make the most of every inch.

Instead of tile or a plain wall, we went with wood paneling. Painted in Atrium White by Benjamin Moore.  The cabinets are Wickham Gray by Benjamin Moore.

For my son's bathroom I used oil rubbed bronze knobs and pulls on the cabinetry.  They're the Asbury from Restoration Hardware.

The faucets in both bathrooms are Kohler Purist in polished chrome.  

The 3" x 6" white subway tile is Rittenhouse Square by Daltile.  I confess it's all I have ever used, because I just love it. Great price, great product. In these bathrooms, we used a bull nosed trim rather than the bull nose edged tile and we also went all the way to the ceiling for a clean look.

A 1" x 1" sq carrera marble tile was used on the shower floor.  

Another handy teen feature - no towel bars!  I wish I could say I have trained my kids to neatly hang their wet towels on a bar, but sadly I cannot.  In fact, my son, who has been using our guest room during this project has broken the towel bar off of the wall several times due to trying to stuff in a wadded up towel.  The solution - hooks!  The one above is from Restoration Hardware and is part of the Spritz collection which is the same as the lighting in both bathrooms.  I thought they added a little modern touch to the mostly traditional look and also went with the faucets.

My daughter's bathroom is almost a mirror image, except that she has a bathtub and I used different knobs and pulls. 

Lily and I had fun going shopping at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  She picked out the white towels with hot pink and gray accents and the vanity accessories.  All by DKNY.  I was thinking pale pink and gray, but she fell in love with these and once I saw them in the bathroom, I agree they are perfect for a pre-teen girl.

The knobs and pulls are from Restoration Hardware.  The look changes dramatically from the oil rubbed bronze in my son's room! 

Another 'anti-clutter' feature - a hidden drawer behind a big drawer front.  I thought the shallow top drawer would be perfect for her to store her hair bands, brushes, etc.  The bottom part of the drawer has an electrical outlet in the back, so that she doesn't have to rest a hair dryer near the sink. It's not only safer, but it keeps all those things out of sight.  

So happy to have them done!   I'm really happy with the way they turned out and made the most of unused space.  

Here is a quick -look list of all the sources:

Paint on walls and panelling - Benjamin Moore Atrium White

Paint on cabinetry - Benjamin Moore Wickham Gray

Faucets/Fixtures - Kohler Purist in polished crome (there are MANY styles under the same category as we found out the hard way, so make sure to spec out on the website EXACTLY which Kohler Purist you want).

Tile - 3"x6" Rittenhouse Square by Daltile

Knobs/pulls - Boy - Asbury by Restoration Hardware in oil-rubbed bronze, Girl- Traditional Glass by Restoration Hardware.

Light Fixture - Three light Spritz by Restoration Hardware

Marble - Carrera used throughout.  

I might be forgetting something, but I'm typing as fast as I can at a coffee shop in Northern VA - the Sweetleaf in McLean to be exact and they are about to close!  I'm here visiting my grandparents then head to nyc on tues for 4 days with girlfriends from Seattle. yippee!  I took the photos about 5 mins before I left home :0  

Happy week to you!

 

Urban Farmhouse Kitchen Classic: Lemony Grilled Chicken

This is a weekly (or darn close) staple at our house, and as I was making it yesterday it occurred to me - anything this SUPER EASY and SO GOOD should be shared. It can hardly be called a recipe, because it only has 3 ingredients. Instead, think of it as your quick fix solution to what to make for dinner/lunch at least 3 times a week!

Ingredients

Boneless Chicken Breasts with the skin on

Lemons

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Step 1.  Prepare chicken breasts.  {You can buy them boned, but it's easy once you get the hang of it. The difference in price between boned and boneless is substantial and plus you can save the bones for soup.}

Take one boned chicken breast with skin still on and put it between two pieces of wax paper and pound it to a half inch thickness.  **Most important part of whole recipe **

{If you don't have wax paper, you can use plastic wrap or even parchment paper.  It doesn't matter what you pound it with as long as you end up with the entire piece being the same thickness}. 

This is essential because the chicken will cook evenly, instead of drying out on the thinner parts as is often the case when cooking boneless chicken breasts. Also, pounding tenderizes, making the meat denser and more flavorful.

Step 2.  Make marinade.  I like to use one lemon per breast or less, for a light and not overpowering lemony flavor.  Sometimes I mix in a lime or two or you could even try a citrus combo of lemon, lime and orange.  

Today I used 2 regular lemons and 2 meyer lemons from my little tree.

Squeeze lemons into a receptacle like a ziplock bag, non-reactive bowl or what I use - a lasagna pan. Add some olive oil - the ratio I like is about half the volume of citrus juice.  Just eye ball it. A little more or less won't make a difference.  Add an herb of choice (optional - I used thyme), a big pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Tilt pan back and forth to swirl it all together.

 

 Step 3.  Marinate.  Chicken can marinate in the fridge for up to 4 hours, or on the counter for an hour.

Step 4. Grill (or broil) chicken skin side down for 5 mins or so, then flip and repeat.  Check for doneness and if needed, put back on grill.

I use a cast iron grill pan that goes over 2 burners.  It weighs a ton, but it's one of the most used items in our kitchen.  The reverse side is a griddle - perfect for making pancakes for a crowd.

And that's it!

The 20 minutes of prep/cooking time it takes, will save you hours during the rest of the week when you're frazzled, tired and tempted by high calorie take-out.  

This post could easily have been called 'Chicken a Bazillion Ways'.  Make a large batch on Sunday afternoon to use throughout the week. Here are some of our favorites:

*Fajitas - Serve with sauteed red and green peppers and red onion. Rice, beans and avocado wedges on the side.

*Chopped into a green salad. My daily lunch.

*In a Caesar Salad.

*Quesadillas - kids can make them themselves.  So much more satisfying than with just cheese!

*Sandwich with pesto mayo and arugula. Or with caramelized onions and brie. Or with barbecue sauce on a soft roll. Or warmed and open faced with marinara sauce and provolone.

*In pasta tossed with broccoli and lemon oil.

*Pot-luck showstopper - sliced with spicy peanut sauce for dipping.  

 

This is my go-to party dish. I make it ALL the time. It will win rave reviews for taste, but even better, it will more than likely be the only protein among a sea of carbs.  The best peanut sauce recipe I've found is Ina Garten's. I think it's in her first book.. but email me if you want it.

I hope you try this and I'd love to hear about your variations!

Have a great week!

 

 

I want to know you...

So many inspirations...  Just one house... 

Just because I may not have the guts or creativity or simply because I put my stake in the ground and it's rustic and barn-like with a touch of industrial chic and a few european antiques, doesn't mean my heart doesn't skip a beat when I see you...

A new series I'm starting... for all the inspiring rooms out there and their creators...

I want to know you...

via swedish interiors

Fresh Starts, Recent Projects and Giveaway Winners!

Before the holidays and after my pop-up store was over, I worked on a few small projects.  The clients wanted to refresh a few things here and there in their homes, and to do it in phases.  A new paint color or new fabric on a worn chair is sometimes all that's needed to breathe life to a room.  It can really lift spirits too!

Project #1

For this client, the first phase was a small dining room makeover in time for the holidays.  The chairs were the most in need...

The budget was not huge, but since the rest of the furnishings were all higher end, I wanted to choose something that would stay consistent with that level.  The Design Center has so many fabric showrooms - most of them pricier than we wanted to go.  But some have GREAT close-out fabrics that are under $50/yd (down from hundreds)! 

Such was the case with this beautiful Pindler and Pindler vine pattern.  We backed the chairs with a beautiful lapis blue velvet.

Here they are leaving the upholsterer.  He did such an amazing job making sure the vines all went the same way on each chair.  We had the wood refinished and wobbly legs fixed.

 

Project #2

This client has a space on her lower level that her four teenage kids and their friends use heavily.  She is the most easy-going mother ever as evidenced by the holes in the wall due to various sports being played indoors.  

before

The kids didn't seem to use the sofa as much since video games are better played closer to the tv. 

before

This room is also where sleepovers take place, so the goal was to find pieces that could be rearranged depending on the activity and that are INDUSTRIAL strength!

    after

We tried to keep the budget as low as possible and we succeeded!  Target slipper chairs were around $150 ea (she had two already) recovered in chocolate ultrasuede - an extremely forgiving and durable fabric. And yes, new fabric and reupholstering was still less than new chairs from a big box retailer!

The ottoman was hers, but needed new upholstery.  I used a Sunbrella fabric - almost indestructible. These outdoor fabrics are perfect for kids spaces since they're made of acrylic, but feel like cloth and now come in gorgeous patterns and colorways.  There were a few more things added to the room, but I wanted to get a quick photo before kids got to it!

after

New beadboard painted in Benjamin Moore Navajo White covers the damaged walls and (hopefully) protects them from future run-ins with lacrosse balls!  And walls were painted in BM Dorset Gold.

Just getting started on Phase II now...  

If you are thinking about giving your home (and yourself!) a fresh start for the new year and need some help, send me an email and we'll take it from from there!

Last but not least...The American Pickers dvd and pillow winners drawn from the random.org selection widget that I unsuccessfully installed but was able to use, are numbers 1 - Tricia Z and 11 - Gina!  Thank you to all who entered!!!  I loved hearing from you and wish I had dvds for all  - hint hint History Channel :)

 

Hotel Inspiration

Hello and cheers to a brand new year!  I hope your holiday season was filled with great times as well as ample time to recharge!

For the past few days we've been in Seattle (were blessed with gorgeous, crisp cold sunshine) and stayed in a hotel since we were only in town for a short time.  I always look forward to checking out the decor details in hotels, don't you?  They can provide a wealth of design inspiration or be lessons in what not to do.  This hotel, while it's contemporary style is not something I naturally gravitate to, provided some great take aways.  

Starting in the lobby, the first thing that catches your eye is this long fireplace...

I love the rough hewn wood slab ledge in front of the fireplace!  The right angles of the stone paneling on the wall and tiles on the floor are warmed by incorporating an element with soft edges and warm textures. It keeps the space from feeling austere.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but the fire is coming out of a bed of crystals that look like chunks of ice. The fire/ice, wood/stone, warm/cold contrast was used throughout the hotel. 

Hotel floral arrangements are another thing I always get inspiration from, and even if I'm just walking past a hotel that looks interesting, I often go in just to see what the flowers arrangements look like.  

It being the holidays, everything was pretty traditionally themed, but I did notice this pretty little arrangement off to the side.

What I got from this (and will attempt next time I see orchids at Trader Joe's) is using branches as support posts for the droopy orchids. I can picture a larger arrangement with many orchid stems tied to branches for a dramatic look. Again, another example of warm/cold with the tropical flowers paired with the wintry birch.

I took this photo more for the inspiration it sparked than the actual execution done here.  I'm about to start on a couple of design projects - one contemporary and one modern, so I've had to switch gears design wise and pay attention to things I typically don't.  My idea (and maybe it won't work, but ...) is to inset an area rug (like an Odegard) into the flooring (could work with anything - concrete, wood, stone, etc).  I even got thinking that it would be cool to break up a long hallway with pieces of carpet the way pavers are set into grass or ground cover.  What do you think?  Anyone tried it?

And then this fantastic concept below.  Looks pretty blah in the photo, but in real life the lighting framing the bathroom mirror is fantastic.  I love the light it casts from all around. This is the lobby bathroom so it was dim, but in a home setting could be made much brighter.  This is a great idea for a more modern/minimalist bath, since there is no need for sconces.  Would be perfect for surrounding a medicine cabinet.

More lighting is typically needed in bathrooms, so I included a photo of the small cans that could make a home bathroom as bright as desired.

Last but not least, there is still time to enter my giveaway here.  The dvd's are perfect for these rainy cold afternoons! It ends tomorrow (Tues) at midnight!