Friday, May 16, 2008

RYAN'S HOPE

"RYAN'S HOPE" is my way of raising money to support some old college friends of mine as they endure the financial & emotional toll caring for one of their ill children. Learn more about this special fund raiser by going to the following web address:

http://ryanshashaty.chipin.com/tri-for-ryan

You can donate directly by clicking on the "CHIPin" logo located on the right menu of this page or you may go to my ETSY SHOP & purchase jewelry in Ryan's name. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Ryan's Family.

Thank you in advance for your support!

xoxo Rena

Saturday, March 15, 2008

PLEASANTVILLE RESIDENCE: WINDOWS" BEFORE"

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So I met this client as a referral from another (love those!) and right away she told me that she likes to find her own fabric. She is a bit of a stickler for the perfect one & knows it when she sees it. I explained that I was the same way, but would take a stab at it just in case she couldn't find what she was looking for. So of course the challenge was on. Bring it on baby...bring...it...on!

We were working around an exquisite rug with some serious color, so I brought her a pile of swatches...eh, nothing earth shattering. I went through all of my books. Determined not to give up, I thought, let me step away from the fabrics for a day & refocus. "Step awaaaay from the fabrics".

So a new day came & I thought I am going to go through all of my books again..there has got to be one that works. And so it happened...was it wishful thinking that for some crazy reason the absolute perfect fabric jumped out at me? I'll never know, but I brought a few other hopefuls, including this new one. When we laid them out on the rug, wouldn't you know, we had found it! My client, who happens to be very animated, gasped..I got my usual chills (which is my inner measure when I love something) & we spent a minute or two hitting eachother in the shoulder...we were both excited!

PLEASANTVILLE RESIDENCE: WINDOWS "AFTER"

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And here we have it...as per her request...a working London Shade...the incorporated paisley she wanted...and in the perfect color. A slightly masculine, yet feminine solution for this room. Exactly what she wanted! You can't really tell by these photographs, but trust me when I say that this fabric looks like it was made for this rug.
We are both very happy with the result.
YaY!!! :)

CROTON~ON~HUDSON LIVING ROOM WINDOWS "BEFORE"

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This was the 3rd room I was doing for this client. It is a very awkwardly designed space so we first started with a floor plan. This client knows what she likes & only needed me for final approval of her choices & ultimately the window treatments. I give credit where credit is due, & she is responsible for how awesome the room looks...below.

CROTON~ON~HUDSON LIVING ROOM WINDOWS "AFTER"

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Okay, not for nothin', but how flippin' cool is this room? I LOVE IT! I think it should be in a magazine, but hey, who am I? My favorite thing is the faux pony pelted cow print ottomans. FAB-U-LOUS! (sung in my overly flamboyant sing-songy voice). And again, I'll have to toot her horn, as she chose everything from the paint color, to the rug, & everything in between. but enough about her...heehee...

Originally my client thought about doing Restoration Hardware drapes, in their silk chocolate & aqua grey but it was way too over-exposed in my opinion & trust me, for the price, their quality is not anything to brag about. At any rate, despite the chocolate color in the room's accents, the rug's brown was not chocolate at all, but rather a bronze color with a khaki under-tone. Choclate would have been too strong. After spreading a bunch of swatches over the rug, there was one that stood out to both of us. Hooray!!! Consider it done I said!

The awesome part about this fabric is that it has a beautiful stitching design that runs throught the fabric that actually mimics the design in some of the pillows she had already chosen. Fate?? I think YES! And voila! Mission accomplished. Love it, Love it, Love it. :)

Saturday, March 01, 2008

OSSINING RESIDENCE "BEFORE"

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This is the home of one of my long time client's Mom. She has lived in Ossining for generations & my goodness the stories she can tell you of Ossining's yester-year. She is just adorable & a pip to boot.

What we needed here was an update. New window treatments and some paint color. With a Navy sofa & loveseat with peach dots..and a fuschia wing chair, this may have been one of my bigger challenges to date. The window treatments were dated & I really did not want to shroud the room in Navy. For this senior gal who lives alone, I thought she could use some prettiness, but how the heck do I bridge Navy, Peach & Fuschia??

See the brainstorming below.

OSSINING RESIDENCE "The Plan"

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Behold, the power of not giving up. So, the picture on the left represents the 2 fabrics I needed to work around. While not easy to detect in this photograph, the little dots on the navy were peach & golden beige. My first plan of attack?? Peach is no longer called "peach", I am calling it Apricot to update the concept in my mind. I found a gorgeous embroidered silk fabric, that had an "Apricot" & Golden striped backround, with embroidered vines & raised velvet embroidered buds in a deeper Apricot & soft Fuschia. For the windows, I felt this was a perfect fabric to get away from all the navy & give my client something really pretty to look at. The golden tone in the stripe set the plan for the perfect paint color: Benjamin Moore's Consentino Chardonnay. It added just the right amount of warmth without darkening the room.

Next was the plan to work in some new throw pillows. I found a beautiful silk fabric in Apricot, but depending on which direction you were looking, the fabric also had a Fuschia undertone. Ahhhh, the beauty of silk. Then I found a silk plaid that had every color I was working with in it. From Navy, to Fuschia to Apricot. So I decided to use that as a little accent. And although we have not moved forward yet with the wall decor, I was able to find some beautiful hydrangea prints that featured this "new found" color scheme.

Soooo, long story short, that was my way of bridging the colors together for a bit of an updated look.

OSSINING RESIDENCE "AFTER"

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And here we have it...just a pretty-ing up by adding in some new fabrics & some paint color. This window treatment is called a London Valance. I didn't want to get all dramatic with panels & certainly wanted to give her something that was different than her previous treatments. It is dressy without going over the top. These treatments is just right.
:)

Thursday, February 28, 2008

MARCH BOUTIQUE Briarcliff Manor, NY

"a bit of SoHo in Westchester"
If you have not experienced March Boutique located right in the heart of Briarcliff Manor, you are missing out on quite a gem. Owner Lynn Puro has the most incredible taste, the warmest of personalities & the unique ability to make everyone who walks into her shop look absolutely stunning! The boutique features an eclectic array of fashion forward clothing, jewelry & accessories and each piece is truly unique. Just walking into her boutique is an education on style.

To learn more about Lynn Puro & March Boutique, check out the website by clicking on the following link:


Having said all that, I am incredibly happy to announce that I am working on an exclusive line of jewelry for Lynn. I will let you all know when the pieces will be available to purchase in her shop. I hope you all are as excited as I am!
:)

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

CORTLANDT MANOR BEDROOM "BEFORE"

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We see this happen often..with 2 children and all of their needs, how does one make make time for themselves? They don't. Often, parents are the last ones on the list. So with a master bedroom whose main function had been a catch all of temporary furnishings & inherited pieces, these clients finally turned the focus on themselves.

And while the whole room has not been transformed, we have made some major strides in the right direction. See after photos below.

CORTLANDT MANOR BEDROOM "AFTER"

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Of all the items that my client inherited, we decided to work the room around a plethora of custom pillows. And by plethora, I mean close to twenty. Okay, maybe not, but there was a LOT. Pictured top left are 2 of the pillows that guided us into a very French direction. With a myriad of colors including Mint, Celadon, Apricot, & Pink, our first task was to find a coordinating rug. And might I add, this was no easy task. Most of the rugs that worked were traditional French Aubusson style (delicate needlepoint) which were not practical.

Just when I thought my search was coming to an unfruitful end, upon catching just a small corner of one particular rug peeking out from a rather large pile at a local showroom, I caught my breath. Not even waiting for help to flip pounds of rugs, I muscled through, hoping that the unveiling of the entire rug would be my salvation. (Oh the drama)

And just as I had hoped, this was IT!!! (And the angels began to sing...ahh AHHH!) I pounced on it as if there were herds of onlookers just waiting to grab the rug out from underneathe me. Meanwhile, no one was around. (Just the sound of crickets) Laying on top of it like a face down version of DaVinci's "Vitruvian Man", I heard a salesman approach, "Was there something I could help you with Ma'am"?

And so we purchased the rug. Next was the window treatment design & the purchase of a wrought iron & fabric king sized bed. A minty-celadon silk was chosen for the drapes & a creamy velvet for the bed...a warmer paint color on the walls & a chandelier in place of the ceiling fan. And we're still not done. For now, we have positioned a desk in the room that was given to my client by her sister, but it is not known if that will stay. We need sizeable night tables, a flat screen console & a comfortable chair..so that is what I am working on now.
:)

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Introducing "PINK LEMONADE BAGS"

Okay ladies!!! Get ready to get your freak on! I'm in love with this seller! One bag is prettier than the next. You too will have trouble figuring out which one to buy.

Meet Caroline from Texas & her incredibly adorable bags. With her fine attention to detail and wonderful sense of color, Caroline is sure to have just the right bag for you. What started out as her desire for her own designer diaper bag, has now blossomed into an amazing business, chock full of functional eye candy.

Click on the following link to check out Pink Lemonade Bags, but be forewarned, you will fall in love, don't blame me.


Affordably priced at $34.50, why not get yourself a few? Trust me, it would be very difficult to settle on just one as they are all gorgeous!

Da da da Dit dah, I'm Lovin it!
:)

Introducing "SEWPHISTICATE"

Who wants to whip out their business card with this fanciful holder?? I know I do. How funky is this?

Meet Genevieve from Atlanta, who has bridged the art of Origami with her incredible talent as a seamstress. She is a passionate perfectionist with incredible attention to detail. Take this time to check out her shop by clicking on the following link:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5318640

At an awesome price point of $8.00, you can afford to get one for yourself & one as a gift...heck, a few gifts! It is perfectly adorable!

BUY HANDMADE!!! Support this mother of 3 & her passion. Additionally, please read her Shop Announcement to see how she is supporting another mother on Etsy by donating 100% of the proceeds of this item to her in a time of need.

Etsy is more than just a place to shop...it is a global community of peers offering support to one another...a truly magical place. :)

Monday, February 11, 2008

Introducing "J D WOLFE POTTERY"

Simply GAW-JUS!!! And my favorite color to boot. Meet Jennifer of JD Wolfe Pottery who divides her time between her two studios in Wyoming & Wisconsin. "There's nothing like a good bowl", as my husband would say being a soup fanatic...and these are just scrumptuous! Jennifer's work is inspired by nature, probably why I love it & her work is nothing short of brilliant. I mean look at these!

I hope you will find her items as beautiful as I do. Check out her boutique on Etsy:


Now I have a hankering for cereal...that or sweet & sour soup.
:)

Old Fashioned Silhouettes

Although Silhouettes have been popping up all over magazines & stationary, they are hardly a new concept. Being an old fashioned gal at heart, however, I have always been attracted to these works of sissor art. When I proposed making these silhouettes for my client, she was ecstatic about the idea. I had so much fun going to her home & having the kids "model" for me. "Look straight ahead, chin up, chin down, no laughing!" Each silhouette completely captures the essence of each child. This project was most rewarding to both myself & my client.

If you are interested in having your little ones silhouette portrait created, please let me know.
:)

Introducing "HADLEY HUTTON"

Holy Goodness! Is this print stunning or what? It was difficult for me to decide which of her prints to feature since ALL of them are insanely stunning. Alas, I do in fact always go back to the bird's nest. Meet Hadley, from Oregon, who like myself, has been drawing since she was a wee little girl. Her work reflects the beauty of nature with an Asian flair. For those of you looking to adorn your walls with something different than what's run of the mill, you have GOT TO click on Hadley's link below:


If you are like me, you'll want them all! And of course, after you receive your picture, go on over to the Art Barn here in Ossining & see Edie, who is sure to frame your new piece with the utmost care & vision!

Introducing "MH LINEN"

I'm in LOVE! Did someone combine 2 of my favorite things? Monograms & something French? Is it any accident that these little guest towels feature MY monogram? Meet Nellie, from Oregon, who is not only a master of embroidery, but she has exquisite taste. These towels are first sewn by Nellie & then embroidered. They are a true treasure, as are all of the items Nellie has to offer.

Please take a moment to check out her boutique on Etsy by clicking the following link. Today's purchase is tomorrow's heirloom!


I almost think she should tagline her boutique with "I have to have it"!

BUY HANDMADE! You too can take the pledge to buy handmade by clicking on the "Buy Handmade" logo to the right of this page.
:)

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Introducing "4TH AVE SOAP CO."

I have always been a fan of soaps & as many of you know, I used to carry an assortment at the shop. I stumbled upon "4th Ave Soap Co" while browsing on Etsy & was immediately hooked. These soaps are so beautiful! Everytime I look at ones of them, I almost want to take a bite out of one.

Meet Sarah, from Iowa, who started this company as a creative outlet to relieve the stresses of law school. Now, 4th Ave. Soap Co. , is her full time career! I think it is the infusion of Classical details such as this European rosette pictured above, or some of her Fleur de Lis soaps that I was initially attracted to...whatever it was, I am glad to have found her. And we share the same birthday!!

Please take ths time out to check out her boutique on Etsy!:


One look at her shop & you'll see why I love it so much! I hope you will too!
BUY HANDMADE!!! Support artists & crafts-people who are trying to make a living from their passions! It's a win-win for everyone!

Saturday, February 09, 2008

BRONXVILLE RESIDENCE: LIVING ROOM BEFORE

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When I was first referred to this client, it was to help her design the interior of this charming town house in Bronxville. We went for a French garden inspired theme with a lot of uplifting colors. The window treatments were installed, pictures hung & accessories placed...
Then I received a call from her a couple of years later..."We're moving & I need help!!!". They were still staying in Bronxville, but instead of a charming townhouse, they moved into a grand, unbelievably gorgeous tudor home. The new living room was about twice the size of the previous one. Can I help?? You bet!

BRONXVILLE RESIDENCE: WINDOW SEAT BEFORE & AFTER

Click Image to Enlarge! The first step was to make a new window seat cushion. You can see from the initial before pictures, 2 posts above, that we took down the old window treatment & designed a new seat. We then hung temporary sheers in anticipation for a perfectly designed window treatment. My client was anxious to get some pillows on the new cushion & bought some yellow ones. Tsk Tsk Tsk! She gets an A for effort however. (just kiddin', Ei) The only color that made sense for the window treatment, based on the new layout & the new cushion was our creamy, buttery yellow. As I stated in the previous post, thankfully the plaid was available since it would be key in linking the valance to this new design. The new window treatment for the window seat is purely theatrical, much like drapes that pull away to expose a large movie screen. It is one of those spaces that isn't really functional, but required attention since it is a prominent aspect of the room.

BRONXVILLE RESIDENCE: LIVING ROOM "AFTER"

Click Image to Enlarge! And here we go... Thankfully we were able to salvage one valance from the townhouse for the main window & the only thing we really needed to add to this room was more seating. As per the husband's request, we added a large, comfy-cozy, television watchin', take a nap, 44" deep sofa. I chose a very soft chenille in the perfect grassy green shade & piped it with the same plaid we had used for the window treatments. All I can say is thank goodness that plaid wasn't discontinued, as it played an important role in the newly decorated space. Everything else from the townhouse living room was used & repurposed for the new layout. We were able to keep the French garden, Spring inspired, sherbert-y colored theme for her new home. Hooray! The only area that was in need of an overhaul, was the window seat. Check out the photos in the next post.

BRONXVILLE RESIDENCE: SUNROOM BEFORE

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This sunroom is located directly off the living room as featured in the few posts above. This room has a very dark slate floor with a myriad of colors. My client took down the old window treatments & put up some temporary sheers. THEN, she went out & purchased 2 floral chairs WITHOUT ME for which she got scolded! (HaHa..not really).
While beautiful, the fabric on the chairs have a periwinkle-ish floral pattern & remember that I said this room was directly linked to the living room...which already had an array of sherbert colors? Oh boy...now my work was cut out for me.

BRONXVILLE RESIDENCE: SUNROOM AFTER

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The solution? Let's keep this room light & bright, continue the sunny, garden room theme, but position the periwinkle floral chairs out of the direct view from the living room. I already knew that my client wanted a game table in this room as well...so this is what we did...

First, we had to lay down a sisal-type rug both for warmth & to cover up all those slate colors...which included a slatey-plum by the way. I then picked out a wrought iron outdoor style table & had it custom finished to a slate tone that worked perfectly to pick up the little bit of flooring that peeked out from the rug. I teamed the table up with 2 parson chairs with pale sage slipcovers so that they could either play games or have breakfast & tea in this room.

Then I designed a very large custom round ottoman from scratch & outfitted it with a slipcover in creamy white with a pale sage banding on the bottom edge. This is perfect for when my client's are sitting in those cute chairs, reading the paper & need something for their feet. It is also nice & large so if they wanted to set a tray with goodies on it, they could do that as well.

I chose wall decor to further the garden theme with some simple fern studies. Again the idea was to have a simple room that did not compete with the living room. And my favorite last touch, is the etched Hundi Lantern that has a fern pattern. I LOVE this little accent as it furthers the indoor/outdoor feel for this room. While probably the smallest room in this house, it is also my absolute favorite!

Friday, February 08, 2008

NEW ROCHELLE RESIDENCE BEFORE

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This was one of the last rooms in this New Rochelle residence that didn't have my hands in it. This project started with a renovation of both this petite family room & a massive kitchen blow out. The one family room wall that was adjacent to the kitchen was widened & the built ins around the double window were ripped out. While the little built in seating was cute, it didn't really provide adequate seating. It served more as a catch-all for a whole lotta pillows. :)

The client really wanted to maximize the seating for this room as well as introduce a flat screen television which would eliminate the need for the armoire. While most of the rooms I have done for this client are very traditional, we decided to go for a bit of a casual contemporary look.

Check out the after pictures featured in the next post.

NEW ROCHELLE RESIDENCE AFTER

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The best solution for this space once the built-ins were removed was to outfit the room with a sectional. It was the best way to maximize the seating while balancing out a double & triple window. A palette of warm colors was chosen to to present this petite media room as a cozy, "kick your shoes off", cocoon of sorts. Black accents & a geometric rug were chosen to add a bit of a contemporary twist to the overall feel of the room. Window treatments were kept very simple & accented with a simple banding of the paisley fabric we used for some of the throw pillows.

The other dressier silk terracotta fabric was used as just one toss pillow & served as the main inspiration for the adjacent kitchen windows. Who knew that this fabric would be an absolutely perfect coordinate to the cinnamon accents in the new granite counter top. See how things just have a way of working out!

Check out the before & after photos of the kitchen window treatments further down the page!

Introducing "Crescent Moon Papers"

Personalized stationary! Can you stand it??! Are these not the sweetest little bits of paper you have ever seen? Meet Sara, from California, and her handmade stationary, note cards & invitations. Can you just imagine the person receiving this little lovely? I know it would make me smile.

Please take the time to check out Sara's shop on Etsy by clicking the following link:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=24431

Her work is exquisite & you'll soon see why she is a favorite of mine. BUY HANDMADE! It's a movement you should be a part of!

:)

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Introducing "GRACE ANTIQUES & ART"

Who wants one of these gorgeous organically designed nests?? Yeah, I know..me too, me too! Sculpted from her own handmade paper, native field grass & moss, Kim makes these little ditties as the perfect little gift and more impressively as wedding favors! Hello!!..I'm lovin' that! The little stones are gathered from the shore of Lake Michigan..cute cute cute.

Have a peek at Kim's shop by clicking the following link:


She has also crafted this incredible bird's nest with more of her handmade paper & grape vines. It is beyond a treasure for anyone who purchases it.
BUY HANDMADE my friends..you'll never see anything else like it.
:)

Introducing "L.J. BRINKLEY"

By now many of you who know me personally are aware that not only do I love birds & garden inspired pieces, but I am all about positive energy and inspiration. I have fallen in love with every item this artist has created. Her name is Leesa, from North Carolina & has a very unique take on ceramics. Like me, Leesa is inspired by nature & loves to create...and you can tell!

Please take this moment to see her boutique on Etsy:


I think you will see right away why I am a big fan of her work!
BUY HANDMADE! For you or a loved one, buy something that is filled with someone's heart & soul. Now that's something worth owning!
:)

Introducing "PRECIOUS MESHES"

"A little swallows nest".
A gal after my own heart!! Could this be any cuter? The artist, Emily, is from Philadelphia, but you can purchase this little beauty easily by clicking the following link to her shop:


Remember by supporting artists & crafts people, you are continuing the Etsy pledge to "BUY HANDMADE". Wouldn't you rather own or give something that was made with such heart & passion? I know I would!
Cheers!
:)
Rena

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

WELCOME TO ETSY

Welcome to the wonderful world of handmade! Welcome to Etsy!


An amazing site only 3 years young devoted to the art of selling all things artistic, crafty, & creative. People from all over the world under one umbrella site, with their own unique online shops & boutiques. There are some amazing talents represented here & I am so glad to have found a place that reaches an international audience of buyers & sellers alike.


Since I have decided to close up my brick & mortar store and devote my crafts to this online forum, you will be able to purchase my jewelry & other crafties easily by clicking on the direct link to my Etsy shop featured in the right column of this blog. Many of you have really enjoyed the "wares" that I featured in my store & I am happy to report that I have found some amazingly talented artisans whose items I would have easily purchased for my own store. I am happy to introduce those artisans to you as a way to bring back the feel my shop & give back to the Etsy community.


I hope you will be pleased with my selections!

Friday, November 30, 2007

OSSINING RESIDENCE: GREAT ROOM BEFORE & AFTER

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The main focus for this client was to design the window treatments, however we started by going over the basic floor plan for a selection of new furnishings as well. My role was more of a hand holder & the "thumbs up - thumbs down" person for her selections. She wanted this room to be warmer & slightly more rustic than the other rooms in her home, but still remained a die-hard fan of toile fabric. She fell in love with a particular toile fabric & it was a must for the chair & 1/2 we were putting in the corner. After much searching for a coordinating fabric for the window treatments (as I am not one to match everything), she really wanted the toile fabric on the windows too. So I sat on it a bit & said, "Okay, let's do this".

OSSINING RESIDENCE: GREAT ROOM BEFORE & AFTER

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The trickiest part of the design was how to address the windows that flanked the fireplace (which were arched) and the standard single windows & sliding glass door.
There was no way to avoid a differentiation in the window treatment heights. Thankfully, the 2 arched windows were symetrically placed in the room flanking the fireplace & the single windows we directly opposite the slider. This allowed us to do 2 different types of treatments ... "London" valances on the arched windows & goblet topped drapery panels on the straight windows.

OSSINING RESIDENCE: GREAT ROOM BEFORE & AFTER

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While initially I was concerned with the whole room being shrouded in Toile fabric, in the end, I was quite pleased. The combination of the "feminine" toile against the more "masculine" leather, with the warmth of the new wood pieces provided that rustic feel my client wanted while not giving up on her favorite fabric. Again, it's all about balance...and making my client happy! ... which she is. (Hooray)

Monday, November 26, 2007

CROTON~ON~HUDSON RESIDENCE: DINING ROOM "BEFORE"

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This dining room bay window was already oufitted with ivory wood blinds, but we needed to frame out the bay & add some softness to the straight lines. The floor covering is a gorgeous French Aubusson needlepoint rug with a black backround & smokey grey/blue/sage accents. The center hallway was painted in Restoration Hardware's "Silver Sage", so a fabric was chosen to highlight the accent colors in the rug as well as the adjoining hallway's paint color.

CROTON~ON~HUDSON RESIDENCE: DINING ROOM "AFTER"

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A smokey sagey-blue silk was chosen as the main fabric, but to add a little "country cottage" flair that my client loves so much, a silk gingham check fabric was added as an accent. Not only does the needlepoint rug have black accents, but so does some of the furniture pieces like the shaker bench featured within the bay.

For the holdbacks, I chose a "maple leaf" since the home owner's address is Red Maple Leaf. I thought it was more personal. Not only does it work beautifully with the slight shimmer in both silk fabrics, it was the perfect compliment to the soft wood tones of the dining table & chairs.

CROTON~ON~HUDSON RESIDENCE: KITCHEN "BEFORE"

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The "before" picture left feaured the previous home owners flat roman shades. While very sweet, my client was taking the adjoining great room in another direction. My client brought me the fabric swatches (pictured right) for the new great room upholstery so that I could choose a coordinating fabric. She expressed that she wanted a big check pattern. "Rena to the rescue"! I found the fabric almost immediately & it was perfect! Normally I am a stickler for pouring over hundreds of fabrics, but when you find .."IT".. your gut tells you, or in my case, I get the chills. heehee

CROTON~ON~HUDSON RESIDENCE: KITCHEN "AFTER

Voila!
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Saturday, October 20, 2007

NEW ROCHELLE RESIDENCE: KITCHEN WINDOWS "BEFORE"

NEW ROCHELLE RESIDENCE: KITCHEN WINDOWS "AFTER"

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

LOUIES ON THE AVENUE: BEFORE & AFTER

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Louie's on the Avenue is a charming restaurant in Rockland County's Pearl River. Set inside a Historic Victorian House, Louie's not only features a delicious American Cuisine, but an impressive collection of antique instruments. Thematically, Louie's is a Victorian, Jazzy, Bar & Grill type restaurant.


A few years back, an old colleaugue of mine introduced me to the restaurant owners & asked if I could create the window treatments & focus on some wall decor for 3 of the dining rooms. "Well of course I can", I said. These pictures are from the last dining room that I just completed. The wallpaper was picked out by my colleague & we struggled a bit trying to find the perfect shade of "Wine" for the window treatments, since we were working around a pre-existing carpet. Do you know how many shades of Wine fabric there are? Probably as many shades of actual Red Wine. Oh Boy. Too plum, too red, too burgundy...blah blah blah. We finally decided on a gorgeous silk with an embroidered vine accent. The vine's leaves are raised pieces of velvet...really really rich.