sneak peek: upcoming parade home

A tiny {tiny} sneak peek of what is going on.

Just under a month until the parade of homes begins.  I am really happy with how things are looking when we visited the site yesterday.  The floor plan is very open and has lots of natural light and the kinds of details we all love in a home.  

If you are in the area I hope you'll come see my first parade home.  

June 24th - July 10th

More info here with updates coming soon.

Turquoise Entrance

For this client I pulled together an entry way to show off her new turquoise chest.  Wallpaper by Schumacher to relate the natural tones in the mirror she is considering for placement next to the chest with a bench by Lee in front as a place to put on shoes. Lighting and accessories from Arteriors.

To complete the look I suggested adding a few personal items to the collection on the console.  Possibly some pretty books, staggered photo frames mixed with small art pieces and a tray to catch misc. items.  And of course, nothing gives a warmer welcome than a vase with fresh cuttings from the garden.

the perfect lamp

I have a client who is reupholstering her desk chair and she has taken a few different fabric options home for the weekend to see how it looks in her room. We also talked about some table lamps that would work with her selections.

Lamps are a great way to set the tone so I paired her selections with lamps I thought played up the pattern of the upholstery.

So many possibilities, what is your favorite?

{lamp source}

Parade of Homes this summer

Big news for us here at Noble House - we have teamed up with Haskell Homes to be in the Parade of Homes this summer!

I was thrilled when I saw the plans for the first time today because the craftsman style is one of my personal favorites and the floor plan will be a lot of fun to work with because of the reasonable size and layout. 

They brought us in at the beginning stages so we picked the exterior materials today: stucco color, stone, door style, roofing, fascia and garage color... et al.  Have I mentioned how much I enjoy making decisions?  I really love it.

Next up: Interior colors with a big focus on the kitchen.  I plan to keep you posted as we work on this home.  It will be a really fun project for us!

Sassy Wingback Completed

Awhile back I wrote about a custom chair project I was working on.  It is a chair that has been passed down in my clients family and until recently was taking up space in a dark basement corner, almost completely forgotten until she was out searching for the perfect chair. 

I was happy that she decided to go bold with the pattern over the safer choice of a pretty neutral.  When I checked the fabric source for yardage and found that there was limited stock available, I ordered it right away even though my client wanted to wait a couple of months before having it upholstered. Turns out this was a smart move since the fabric is now out of stock.  Better safe than sorry although I'm sure it will be back in stock at some point, better to avoid delays if possible.

It arrived back from the upholster a few days ago and has been receiving plenty of praise as it graced our entry way waiting to be taken home.

blending styles

This chair was a birthday gift for a client, given to her by her very smart husband.  I mean, how many guys do you know who could pick out such a fun chair?  {She and I have joked that when I find 'that guy' he will spend time with her husband making sure he knows how to be The Man.} And besides being a pretty chair, it is so her. 

Bright, cheery, relaxed and full of life.   

She called me to help select fabrics to recover the pillows in the window seat in the room since the existing color scheme is muted greens, some gold, and brown, mixed with great original art work that brings in some of the brighter colors found in the chair.

 

I selected brighter colors found in the chair that also have some of the neutrals that were already in the room so the blending of styles is a subtle thing so she won't have to then change out the cushions and window treatments to match her new pillows.  

The last thing anyone wants is the domino effect redecorating can have some times.  

Ever experience that?  Fall in love with something completely different from everything else in the room, bring it home, and by the end of your efforts to blend it in you've redone everything?  I have.  No bueno.

The fabrics are Trend and Fabricut and are a bit more vibrant than shown here.  The web images on their sites seem a little washed out.  The great thing about Trend is their prices are so reasonable.  These all range between $30 - $40 a yard.  A steal for upholstery grade designer fabrics.

fresh entry way

Earlier today I was talking with a client about art options to go above a console she is considering for her entry way.   I love the console for the shape, and the fun french phrases scrawled all over it so I thought something light and colorful would compliment it well.  

She has lots of red in her home and while her taste leans more towards the traditional, I couldn't help pulling a few fun options I liked for the space knowing her personality and love of color.  

 So the ones I chose to pair with it would be a little too bold for her, but she did love the floral that I did show her.  Pair it with a great lamp and a few accessories and she will be on her way to having a great entry way.

natural beauty

 I've been working with this client for over a year now and I like the way she gets things done.  One project at a time, and she focuses on getting the details right.  There's no rush and it's the right approach for her.  

Our next project: window treatments for her living room.

One of my favorites things is blending neutral colors with natural textures and pleasantly surprising colors.  Lucky for me, this is very much what she wants.  She just called with her four favorite fabric selections and as I've been putting together the bid for her I've been dreaming of how the room could look when it's done.. light, airy, very pretty.

Not all of these options will end up as window treatments, but we do have a window seat that is up next on the project list.

My personal choice: bottom left for roman shades, bottom right for panels but in a lighter colorway.

project: attorney at play

I've been working with a client who has just finished installing wood floors in his home office and is ready to 'fill it with stuff' as he put it.  He came in looking for a drafting table. The surprise for me is that he is an attorney, but likes the idea of being able to tilt his work towards him.  Very cool.  I'm completely on board.  I love my drafting table, although I use mine as a raised flat work surface.

We got to talking about what else I would put in his room.  I love when a walk in customer becomes a design client by surprise.  This is just a quick round up of a few things I thought would go with what he described as his personal style.  Next time he comes in, I'll show him.  I especially like the bold rug from the Kathyrn Doherty Collection by Chandra.

{products from my sources along the sidebar with the exception of the art: zgallery}

chunky and cozy

 In my client's own words, her style is "Chunky, cozy, like a Park City lodge."

Her new home has the bones to back this style up with lots of river rock and natural color schemes throughout.  It would be easy to load the place with over sized chairs, weathered leather, thick wool blankets and oil landscapes... but she wants to take a feminine approach to the look with lots of pretty details.

 So with the usual furniture styles you might find in a cabin, I chose a chesterfield sofa and wing back chairs for her living room but stayed with a lighter color pallet with lush velvets and leathers to allow the chunky furniture to give her the look without over powering the space with their large scale. 

 She loves red and black and bold patterns.  I'm balancing that love with lighter tones and glass so the place doesn't turn into a cave.

 Her dining room is pretty small so when she told me she'd like a table that could seat nine, a round table was the best option with a slender chair to allow for more elbow room.

More to come after we get underway!

Quick Shuffle

I met with a new client this morning and we dove right in by pushing furniture around and coming up with a great plan to pull it all together. 

In the works: Dark window panels in a chocolate or rust, a large area rug, and a new chair to finish off the conversation area.

Moving into her kitchen we talked about bringing in more of the colors from the art she was thinking about for one of the walls {shown at the top of the post}  I love the apple green rug {below}and the framed tile pattern.  The pinwheels are a lot of fun too.

Feminine Country Blend

I really like not knowing what to expect when I go out to a client's home for the first time.
I knew I'd like this one because I've been working with her for the last couple of months and I've liked everything we've done so far. So it wasn't a surprise that I started falling in love with the place as I drove up the secluded driveway.  Nestled up against the mountains in Farmington, I received a warm welcome from their farm dog Clancey before I even got out of the car, and then was greeted at the door by a yawning, chubby orange cat nestled into a cozy rocking chair.  So far, so good.

And it just kept getting better.  Her home matches her sweet, sophisticated, but approachable demeanor while blending in a very natural, soothing feeling that I felt all wrapped up in while we visited.
I take note of homes that give me this feeling because a house falls flat for me without it.

After working with this client and having her describe what she wanted to achieve with by reupholstering this chair I think she came as close to perfection as you can get.  Light, airy, natural.  Completely beautiful.  She asked if I would add or change anything about the room.  Not a thing.

I wasn't involved in the kitchen remodel, but asked if I could take pictures because of how well it worked with the adjacent area.  I really like the look of a chopping block used as an island, but have been told it isn't very practical.  I asked her about this and she said she bakes a lot so it works for her.
{mental note: if I want one, must learn to bake..}

Another lovely detail is the use of lamp shades for the pendant lighting over the island.  So feminine.  And what makes this become an even more fabulous detail is the contrasts between her feminine details and his love of natural colors and horses {she says he is half horse.  Blending their two styles has made this house a home.

She had some really great paintings and when I asked about them she told me they were done by Jeff Hepworth, a local artist who paints Utah landscapes.  Check out his site.

Auuuh, I love my job.

Monocromatic Eclectic Living Room

 I think one of the greatest things about design right now is that the rules are being broken and no one seems to be trying to fit their personal style into something easily defined. 

This client is the perfect example.  She has slate gray walls, gorgeous glossy over sized trim, a black baby grand and this gorgeous custom sofa so you'd think she'd want to finish it off with lots of shimmer and silk.

Well, yeah, she wants some of that too.  

But she also has a white hutch next to the baby grand with chicken wire cupboards.  It has a classic line to it so it doesn't scream country lyrics at you when you walk in.  It is one of those things you might not thing to add to the space, but because it is there it really adds to the appeal.

The fabrics she is falling in love with are bold and even a little French {a couple examples above}.

Maybe it says something about my design tastes, maybe I'm a 'yard sale' through and through, but I love a good blend of anything goes.

Some of the chairs we are narrowing down for the space.  The actual sitting area is about 10' square so we have to choose the right ones to give her comfort and style without eating up the limited space.

Dining Room: Mix it up

 I met a new client last week and she had me at 'Tolix chairs' when she started describing how she'd like to mix a chevron run in with a more traditional table, flank it with a pair of wing back captain chairs and line up some Tolix chairs along the side.

I'm all for it!  

Anyone know a good source for Chevron rugs?  Everything I've found so far is way overpriced.

Sassy Bergere Chair

My client I met with this morning has a really great antique Bergere chair she wants to reupholster.  It's a beauty and in really great shape.  It's been handed down in the family and has been hiding out in the basement until she thought of it recently for a spot in her bedroom. 

True, it'll end up costing a bit more to reupholster her old chair than buying one of the chairs she has been pricing around town, but when it comes down to it I would happily spend the extra to give an old classic new life any day.

Now the decision comes down to whether or not to go bold.  {You know I'd go for it!} But this is her call. Of course she asked 'if it were your chair' what would you do?  Isn't it the best way to gauge an honest opinion?

Gloves off now: I love the idea of putting a more contemporary fabric on a classic chair so my choice would be to do option two {which has a really great texture to it}with a lumbar pillow made out of option one.  Or if it were really mine, I'd go even bolder in color or pattern on the pillow}.

What would you do if it were you?

Project: MK's Living Room

As you may have figured out by now, I go crazy for natural tones, great texture and fresh, colorful patterns. Combine them and I'm in heaven. This living room we are putting together has it all.  But it can't just be about the line of the furniture or the lovely things in the room - it all comes down to the client's coolness whether or not the room is a success for me.  It truly is the people in the house that make it a home.  It is their personalities that make the room come to life.

Design for me is expressing the wonderful things about my clients on the canvas that is their casa.

M.K.'s cool rating is through the roof.  She loves pattern and color and has a sweet, easy going personality.  Not afraid to say she doesn't like something, very open to possibilities, and falls for great fabric just like I do.

Sofa by Lee.  Subtle color in the pillow picking up a bit of the aqua in the floral print used to upholster the wing back chair by Sam Moore.  Lumbar pillow in the polka dot.

versatility

 A fun client of mine has asked me to have some pillows made for her bedroom.  The trick was to find something that will work for her winter duvet and her summer coverlet so she can easily switch between the two without having a truckload of pillows to go along with the two looks.

Winter - warm silky gray with some gold undertones and a touch of red

Summer - fun red pattern shown below {3}

 What I've done is chosen a neutral pillow with a fantastic soft pattern and a bit more of formal look as the center pillow {1} and it will be flanked on either side with a lighter, floral patterned fabric with a thick 3" red border around the edge for some summer spunk {2}.  The backside will be made in the red fabric shown above so she can flip them over in the winter for a solid red pillow.

For both seasons she'll have two king size shams {21" x 37"} in the silver fabric set in front of the 3 Euro Shams behind {27" x27"}.  Total of 5 pillows which makes her husband happy since the idea of more pillows has him squeamish. {Think Ben Stiller going manic on his excessive pillows in that one movie.}

Fabricut all the way {except existing coverlet from Pottery Barn}

Artwork ideas from here.

project: naturally inspired wingback

Setting the mood: natural fabrics, light, comfortable and not at all formal.

The focal point in the room: a commissioned painting of Cache Valley {not pictured}

The bump in the road: a few months ago we had this chair ready to go to production to be upholstered in a cream tone on tone, not too fancy, just perfect natural pattern when the worst thing that could happen happened: discontinued!

A month to regroup after trying unsuccessfully to find a substitute.. {hard to do when your trying to out do perfection.}

...then today, with a completely new approach to the chair we found almost immediately the perfect solution to creating the naturally inspired look she is after in this room.

She doesn't need more furniture, the chair will be the finishing touch to this room, but I've included a few things I love from the new Melange line offered by hooker furniture since I've been up to my eyebrows in orders for these fabulous new products. 

project: approachable elegance

With 5 young children at home, the dream of having the kind of home my new client wants has kept me on my toes.  "Rich, elegant, dark wood, lots of silky fabrics everywhere..."

As we discussed her dreams I couldn't keep track of all fast paced scrambling going on around us.  Fresh from a birthday party down the street, the kids were all armed with suckers and baggies of sticky, sugary treats.  She told me not to worry, the new room would be off limits.  We discussed this plan and I mentioned my concerns.  Her home is full of energy and the reality of making the family room 'off limits' to the kids didn't seem to be the best option.

I don't have kids of my own so I'm not sure that 'off limit rooms' really exist without some serious strain to the enforcer of the rule, and in my opinion don't think they should exist.  Sure, there should be rules and children should be taught about the importance of treating items in the home with respect.... {Am I being ignorant right now? Like one of those people who say things like, 'When I have kids they will always behave'?}  Maybe so, but I believe a home should be livable and approachable.  I remember those dusty off limit rooms in my friends homes growing up...totally wasted possibilities!!

So, taking into consideration all of these things I have given her some great options for durable upholstery and ways to incorporate the elegant fabrics she would love to have in the room that could be functional and beautiful, but out of reach.

Great Room Surprise: out of the bag

I don't think the secret was ever even in the bag.  For all the super secret planning we should have known our client was onto us almost from the beginning!  A few weeks ago she had run into a neighbor she'd barely spoken to before and of course the first thing this woman asked her was, "Why was Noble House Interiors at your house the other day?" 

Then, the clients didn't end up going out of town as originally planned, she went fishing with her kids instead.  So when the fish weren't biting and the kids were losing interest she came home and busted us just as we were putting the finishing touches on her new room.

The highlight was seeing how much the whole family loved their new room.  The only existing thing left in the room is their entertainment center, something the husband really loves but the wife felt was too fancy and dark.  She had fallen in love with the custom red chair from an earlier visit to our showroom so of course that was the first thing we decided had to go in the room.  He wanted a leather sofa, they both wanted more light, the rest came together to create the traditional style they both love so much. 

What I should have gotten a picture of was their two sweet children calling out in true kid fashion "This is mine, that is yours."