Before & After: From Dining Room to Sunroom

I thought I would share a little "Before & After" today, since we just completed this photoshoot on Friday.  :)  And, because everyone loves a good "Before & After," here we go... This one is a good one!

Our clients wanted to transform their un-used and neglected dining space adjacent to their kitchen.  Since nearly every family meal was shared at the kitchen island (or the formal dining room), this room became a wasted space.  And, this modern family needed a comfortable spot to just sit and chill.  A place off of the busy kitchen to enjoy a cup of coffee and "watch the snow fall" (her words during our wintertime meeting, and such a lovely thought!).   Therefore, we set out to create a light and bright sunroom full of cozy upholstery, bleached wood finishes, and interesting texture.

 before

 after

To add architectural interest to this room, we had our contractor install 4" wood planks on the ceiling and we painted them a bright white.  The walls were painted Farrow & Ball "James White" (my favorite go-to cream paint), and we used an enormous flat weave wool rug to make the room feel bigger and brighter.  Our sofa is slipcovered in a beautiful flax cotton/linen which is washable and very family friendly.  We stayed away from the typical sunroom wicker furniture and brought in these modern woven side chairs.  The deep seats and bright white cushions make the room feel fresh and summer-y.  The coffee table has a simple shape and we LOVED the bleached wood herringbone top.  

We mixed in a variety of textures in monochromatic shades.  Cable knits live in harmony with bright white canvas (with tassels!).  It's a beautiful room that I think our clients will enjoy for many years to come.  :)  And, it proves that you can make a room anything you need it to be.  This dining room became a sunroom and it works. 

...

for product details and pricing, email hello@highstreetmarket.com

...

Current Inspiration: Mark Cunningham

Over the past year, we've been working hard on an exciting design project here in the Philadelphia area (and if you follow along on Snapchat, you've seen some of the progress! Find us at highstreetHome). It's an old stone Colonial house that is getting a head-to-toe makeover, including an addition and a newly configured floorplan.  A lot of exciting installations will be happening this summer, so stay tuned for loads of awesome before & after pictures.

Our clients have great taste.  So, when they showed us images from Brett Heyman's Connecticut home (featured in Architectural Digest and most recently on One King's Lane), we got really excited.  Designed by super talented interior designer, Mark Cunningham, this awesome house has it all.  Layers of texture and saturated color, modern art mixed with classic antiques-- these rooms are speaking our love language.  Take a look...

 This English-arm sofa + braided jute rug + modern art.  Such a fantastic combo.  Plus, the green walls are perfection. 

 

 This bedroom is so great.

 

 Another one of my favorite images-- again, that saturated green comes out of nowhere and adds so much depth to the room.  

 

Let's not stop there, because Mark Cunningham's portfolio is loaded with fabulously executed design and we cannot stop PINNING (and then, literally pinning... these print outs are all over our pin boards in the office).  Here are a few favorites...

Tailored and formal and perfectly done.  We love the enormous greenery in the blue & white pot (and that rug!).

 Classically simple...  but, check out the ceiling and open shelving.

 Love the paint color on the cabinetry, and that oversized lantern.

 Great built-in desks.

 (plaid carpet)

 Classically elegant and relaxed.

 Interesting art arrangement

So much green.  We love this.

For more from Mark Cunningham, look here.

Shop Edie Parker here.

...

Monday Inspiration: Nannette Brown

My friend, Amy Meier, recently posted this short video and I thought it was so completely inspiring, I felt compelled to share it on this blog.  If you love historic homes and BEAUTIFUL furnishings, you'll love this.  I can't think of a better way to start a Monday.  So, watch and enjoy:

I tried doing a little research on the history of the house but I came up empty handed.  If you know more about the house, I would love to hear it!  Please share in the comments section. :)

Since, I can't pass along any interesting histories about this project...  here are some gorgeous pictures from the designer, Nannette Brown.  Layered and worn, yet edited and clean, with the perfect amount of tailored elegance... 

 

 Happy Monday!


 PS:  Do you guys like the blog redesign?  In a previous post, I mentioned that we needed a face lift.  I like the new look-- hopefully, you do too!  


...

 

Before & After: Breakfast Room Banquette

Happy Monday!  We had a mini installation at a client's home last week.  So, I thought I would share a quick "before & after" post today.  Because, everyone loves a little "before & after"...

One of our longtime clients wanted to transform the breakfast room off their kitchen.  We envisioned a sleek space with LOADS of seating.  A place that felt comfortable enough for casual breakfasts, yet tailored enough for semi-formal dinners.  The style of the room had to coordinate with the vibe that was happening in the rest of the house.  So, we kept the colors simple: different shades of grey, cream and white, with a dark contrast of ebony wood. 

The breakfast room itself features windows on three sides and a vaulted ceiling.  So it's about the most cheerful place you can imagine.  In the winter, I can imagine sitting here and sipping coffee while the snow falls...  In the summer, it's the perfect place to sit with open windows and a warm breeze.  :)

(designing a 3-piece custom banquette with tight upholstered back, waterfall skirt, and a french seam)

We selected a heathered grey upholstery fabric that would wear well for this busy family.  The finish on the custom table would be a weathered ebony wood.  Double x-base pedestals would anchor the table and create visual interest.

(before)

(after)

Such a gorgeous space!  Even though this shot is virtually unstyled (and "professionally" taken with my iPhone), you can see that this breakfast room design is complete.  It suits this young hip family and feels right with the rest of the house.  That modern light fixture from RH Modern adds just the right amount of sparkle without taking anything away from the amazing view outdoors.  The heathered sisal rug hides EVERYTHING and it brings such beautiful texture and warmth to the room.  I love how this space turned out.  Our first installation of 2016-- not a bad way to start the year.  :)

...

Current Inspiration: Sun Faded Style

I've got a couple of new design projects on the horizon that are beachy and coastal-inspired.  And, THANK GOD for that because, outside my office, my car is covered in ice.  And, we're getting more snow tomorrow.  So, dreaming and scheming about summertime is just what the doctor ordered over here.

Here are the images that are covering my desktop this week.  And, to me, they scream WARM WEATHER.  I am so drawn to using mercury glass this year.  But, in tiny doses (think bud vases, a chic table lamp, and mercury glass candles).  Also, copper.  The rosey cousin to brass.  Are you guys liking this new trend?  Again, I love copper in small doses-- perhaps a tiny table lamp, a collection of bowls, or hit of copper hardware.  Both of these fresh metallics are coming to the store this month-- I've been really jazzed about it. :) 

Also on my radar: anything that feels like it's been faded in the sun.  Think heavy woven textures (like rope), sun faded colors (like misty blue, minty green, and washed out denim) and crisp whites.  Always crisp whites.

all images pulled from my Pinterest page.  :)

...