Why We Always End Projects with a Celebration

Let me tell you something about interior design projects: they're marathons, not sprints. And, okay, sometimes they’re ultra-marathons with a few unexpected detours along the way. 

We've been through it all with our clients, from the excited first meetings to unavoidable delays when that perfect custom sofa takes three months longer than we wanted and the moments of doubt when you're living in a construction zone.

There are definitely highs and lows throughout the design process, which is why we’ve created a light at the end of the tunnel that includes champagne, balloons, and a celebratory toast. Read on for why these celebrations are important to us and see inside some of our real-life final toasts. 

Why We Do It

Our client celebration parties are a way for us to cross the finish line together, something to look forward to from day one, and to keep us going through the entire process. 

When you're in month six of a major project, having that celebration on the horizon surely matters. For you and me both, it serves as a reminder that yes, this will be finished. Yes, it will be beautiful. And yes, someday we're going to pop some champagne and enjoy what we've created together.

We pride ourselves on building great relationships with our clients. You’re trusting our team with a big investment that’s deeply personal, and that takes some getting to know each other. So our celebrations don’t feel like a “whew, this project is over,” but instead, gratitude for our clients’ trust and satisfaction for a job well done. 

Party Meets Photoshoot

We love to time our client celebrations with professional photography shoots. Of course, capturing design details is necessary, but there's something extra special about marking a special moment with all the people who made it happen.

We’ll remenisce on when this was just a Pinterest board and some sketches, we can finally laugh about those stressful moments, and we’ll cap a great partnership in a beautiful space that took patience, flexibility, and trust to come together beautifully. 

So if you're considering working with us, just know that there's a party with your name on it waiting at the end. Let's talk about bringing your vision to life.

Designing For the Senses

Don't get us wrong, we love a good mood board. The perfectly curated color palettes, the flow from room to room, the pizazz of a statement light fixture – these are the building blocks of great design. But despite what social media may tell you, your home doesn’t exist solely for an aesthetic photo.

That’s why we talk so much about functionality, but there’s another important consideration in design we haven’t *touched* on – good home design should engage all five senses. 

Here's how we layered sensory design into two recent projects, and some ideas to bring the senses into your own home.

Bourbon and Books

This Franklin home had a large dining room at the front of the house, but it wasn't connected to the heart of the home and felt too far from the kitchen to be functional. As a result, the space went unused, so we reimagined it into something functional and sensory-driven.

Knowing they had an impressive book collection, we began with built-in bookcases and added a custom banquette and two oversized swivel chairs centered around a low coffee table. Equal parts bibliophiles and music lovers, our clients also needed space to display their album collection, so we designed a custom record player shelf with built-in speakers, seamlessly integrated into the bookcase. We transformed their former butler’s pantry into a built-in bourbon bar. 

While all of this looks beautiful, the details you don't always see are just as important: the scent of aged paper and leather bindings. The contrast between soft upholstery on the banquette and smooth wood shelving. The warm, analog sound of vinyl. The spicy taste of quality bourbon plucked from the top shelf.

Modern Entertainment

This stunning mid-century modern masterpiece by Broken Compass Woodworking helped convert an existing space in our client's home into the ultimate entertainment center, complete with built-in seating and custom storage. The project's focal point is the custom bar that beautifully displays our client's collection of barware, heirlooms, and pieces purchased while traveling.

The open shelving creates visual intrigue while mid-century lines keep things nice and clean. Run your hand along the custom woodwork and you'll feel the difference that master craftsmanship makes – plenty of texture and perfectly smooth finishes. We designed the space with acoustics in mind, ensuring conversations and music flow nicely. Add in the scent of a cocktail or a curated candle and the sound of ice clinking in a glass, and you have an evening to remember.

Your home should be a feast for the senses, and we’re here to help you curate it from mood board to real life. Let's connect.

Interior Designers Don’t Skip the Small Stuff

We get it – if you’re facing down a major renovation where walls are coming down and pipes are getting rerouted, it’s tough to prioritize things like electrical outlets and curtain trim. And on the flip side, simpler home refresh projects where paint and fixture updates are priority can result in neglecting things like design flow through the whole home. 

Working with a designer is a sure-fire way to make sure no stone goes unturned. We take pride in our planning, analyzing everything from the depth of your drawers to the curtain fabric in the living room that perfectly complements the kitchen chairs. 

Here’s how we dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s in a recent home refresh. 

Big Picture Plan 

When tackling a whole-home refresh or renovation, we start with the big picture. What are your functionality goals? What’s the vibe? What’s most important to you? From there, we start focusing on the detail funnel – layout, paint color, flooring and tile… the list goes on until we arrive at things like knobs and lightbulbs. For this project, we landed on soft fabrics, light hues of blues and green, gold accents, and pops of personality that reflected her journey from California to Tennessee.

When looking at each room individually, we kept these goals in mind to ensure all details work together in a layered approach that flows seamlessly, while also allowing each room to take on a personality of its own. 

The Foyer 

Our client’s home had lovely trim work already in place, but a coat of green paint brought that pastel personality into the space. We added a soft patterned fabric to frame the windows, then brought the space to life with a bold light fixture that felt like a perfect fit for our client’s personality. We rounded out the look with functional hooks for coats and bags, added storage space with a console table.

The Loft 

It’s always exciting to tackle spaces unique to individual homes, and our client’s loft space was the perfect opportunity for us to get creative with a smaller space. We carried the green paint through the primary walls, then gave the room its own personality with a patterned wallpaper along a back accent wall. The room is grounded with a textured rug and modern blue chairs surrounding a classic wooden chess table. 

The Kitchen 

Blues and greens remained at the forefront of the kitchen, showing up in things like paint, light fixtures, and fabrics on dining chairs. We incorporated a complementary soft fabric for the valance and window curtains, and created a focal point above the buffet with a three-dimensional art piece pulling gold into the space. 

Primary + Guest Bedrooms

Our wild side came out when planning the primary bedroom – we continued the freshness of blues and greens, but opted for more bold pops of color. A willow wallpaper from Thibaut frames the bed, and matching curtains carry the pattern throughout the space (matching curtains with wallpaper is a trend to watch). We added a beautiful gold chandelier at its center, then grounded the entire space with neutral curtains and bedding. 

Our client expects droves of guests when her family comes to visit, so a striking guestroom was important. We continued our bold approach in the guest room with a floral-patterned wallpaper, textured green headboard, and modern furniture in complementary colors. 

If you’re considering a refresh or renovation, let us help you make sure no detail is forgotten. Get in touch. 

Sculleries Are Making a Comeback… And We Have Thoughts

This just in: according to Martha Stewart, sculleries are on their way back in style. What used to be a sign of wealth, sculleries are basically overflow kitchens used for food prep and storage so that the primary kitchen stays mess-free for entertaining. In the days of open concept everything, sculleries phased out of style in favor of wide open space and minimalist design. But today, increased storage, prep space, and functionality are back in the forefront. 

We’ve worked on our fair share of butlers' pantries and mudrooms, and recently completed a scullery build-out that sparked joy for our functionality-loving team. Here’s everything you need to know.

Why Build a Scullery?

In this client project, the family was eager to entertain in their refreshed home. But any frequent entertainer knows the challenges associated with balancing bites on the table and keeping a tidy kitchen. We decided to transform an unused portion of our client’s laundry room into a stunning and functional scullery. 

If your home has the space for a tucked-away nook near the kitchen, a scullery offers an excellent opportunity to handle all of the chopping, dirty dishes, and food storage so the kitchen and common spaces remain mess-free.  

What to Include

In this client project, counter space and storage were equally important considerations. We added plenty of concealed storage through upper and lower cabinets, and covered them with pretty quartz countertops perfect for prep work. 

To maximize the functionality of a scullery, consider adding kitchen essentials like a sink and dishwasher, or go for the full effect like we did here with a second fridge, microwave, and oven to store extra bottles of bubbly and ensure appetizers are always ready to be restocked. 

The Design 

Despite the scullery being out of the home’s primary focal point, we still took care to design the spaces beautifully. We kept elements like flooring and backsplash neutral and seamless with the rest of the home, while adding a pop of green to cabinetry. Gold hardware and fixtures also added intrigue and elegance throughout the space. Lastly, we sought to display our client’s servingware and collectables on floating shelves and exposed cabinets. 

Ready to turn an unused space in your home into a party-ready scullery? Let’s do it.

How to Design Around Kids and Pets

Don’t get us wrong, we’re big fans of the beautiful custom furniture, delicate details, and splurge-worthy pieces that often accompany luxury home design. While it may look beautiful in a photograph, is it really practical? That antique vase is just waiting for a toddler to tumble into it, and that custom wallpaper is no match for Fido after a mud puddle. 

But fear not, there is a way to strike a balance between functional and beautiful, and working with a designer is a sure-fire way to anticipate all of life’s little messes and ensure your investment remains. 
Here are three ways we ensured our clients’ homes are perpetually kid- and pet-proof.

Cleanable Wallpaper

Dogs need baths. Cats track litter. It’s a fact of life and a reality for any pet parent, but it doesn’t have to be an ongoing battle between a clean furbaby and a clean home. We recently renovated a laundry room to pull double duty as a pet wash station – complete with easy-to-clean tile and wallpaper for rogue shakes and splashes. 

The function doesn’t stop there, though, we also incorporated steps for pups to get in and out of their wash station with ease, a detachable showerhead to rinse all the furry nooks and crannies, and plenty of storage to house cleaning products and treats for the goodest boys. 

Thoughtful Storage Space

Daydreams about a house full of kids can sometimes be overshadowed by that little voice whining, “But the design!” Your interior dreams DO NOT have to be put on hold while you grow your family. In fact, working with a designer to make thoughtful choices can help your home evolve right alongside it. 

In a family living room, we added built-ins with shelving high enough to deter little hands, with lower cabinets perfect for storing toys, diapers, and everyday essentials for easy access. The best part? The facade of the cabinet doors is beautiful and seamless, perfectly hiding whatever chaos may be going on behind them. 

Seamless Essentials

Kids and pets require a lot of stuff. Often bulky stuff. And while strollers and pack-and-plays may just have to clutter up living spaces on occasion, there is a way to integrate these essentials into your home design. Case in point: a chic playpen. 

Keep your little tike entertained and safe in their own dedicated play area – in this redesign, we selected a neutral playpen that blended in with the home’s decor, and added a perfectly-sized rug to make it even more comfortable and attractive. As baby grows, it’s an easy temporary space to take down, store, and pop back up for the next one. When you’re all done? Give us a call and we’ll spruce up the space.

 We love planning around kids and pets and would be honored to be part of your home design in any phase of life. Let’s connect.