Design Projects In The Works

I’m sharing a few design projects in the works and a local consultation that I did recently with you today. It sort of lets you see how the process works and how things come together.

Design Project Almost Complete

First of all, this fabulous commissioned piece of art was just delivered to one of my projects and I’m so thrilled with how it turned out!

Commissioned art by Scott Kerr for one of my projects. carlaaston.com

Commissioned art, by Scott Kerr, on fireplace wall in great room. It’s just the perfect piece to finish off this room! carlaaston.com

I have followed Scott Kerr’s work for a few years now, first seeing it in person at Round Top. I met with him at this spring’s show and he had sold out of almost all his paintings on the first day! So, I worked with him on a commissioned piece that would be the perfect size for my project.

Here were a few of the pieces he had at Round Top that I liked for the color and style of the commissioned piece. The wall hung pieces are really large, the lower one, pictured below, is a 48” x 48”. We went with a 3’x 5’ for the fireplace wall.

Art by Scott Kerr, seen at Round Top Antique Fair, The Commons. carlaaston.com

Art by Scott Kerr, seen at Round Top Antique Fair, The Commons. carlaaston.com

Art by Scott Kerr, seen at Round Top Antique Fair, The Commons. carlaaston.com

We are still waiting for some key pieces of furniture that will hopefully be in soon and then pro photos will happen. :-) I can’t wait to get those!

Here is more about the project with some installation pics and the storyboards I created here.

Kitchen Remodel In Design

Next, this is a kitchen design project I’m currently working on that I was eager to do since it will be quite a different look from the recent, more white kitchens I’ve done recently.

This homeowner loves antiques, art nouveau, and the home has warm finishes throughout. We’re going to be removing that column, taking the bar down to the countertop level and changing the wall color overall.

I really like the banquette, Windsor chairs, the whimsical light fixture and art.

Kitchen to be remodeled, with removal of the column and lowering the bar. All new kitchen cabinetry, appliances, countertops, etc. will update this kitchen and fit nicely into this traditional home.

The kitchen is a rather unusual L-shape. By opening up the sink/cooking area of the kitchen more to the living room and creating a new cooking wall that is more of a focal point, I think this space will feel like the main part of the kitchen. Then the other space will feel more like a butler’s pantry type area with some interesting storage. The microwave and toaster oven will go in a new “armoire” section of the cabinetry.

They will be doing a 48” range instead of a cooktop and wall ovens, with a fab new hood. The angled pantry will be reworked so that the fridge fits better in the new cabinetry that will go to the ceiling.

This area will receive new cabinetry and resemble more a butler’s pantry when complete. The pantry and fridge cabinetry will be redone to fit much better. Cabinets to the ceiling will help with storage. carlaaston.com

Slipcovered sofa in coral linen fabric adds some warm color in the adjacent living room.

Beautiful details in some the antique furniture.

We’ll be capturing that warmth in a fresh and updated way, with a mix of painted and stained wood cabinetry with some special details.

Here are some of the sketches I’ve done, below. We’ll likely not go so green on the counters or splash, I’ve found a fabulous quartzite I’d love to see with some interesting tiles that go more warm gray, but you can see how the painted and wood cabinetry will be combined.

Design sketches for kitchen elevations showing mix of cabinetry. carlaaston.com

Just take a look at my top choice for the countertop material. Really a statement slab, no?

This dramatic, dark gray veined quartzite is the front runner for one of my current kitchen projects. carlaaston.com

And here are possible backsplash tile choices. My first choice is that brick look, the color is just oh-so-perfect and very hand crafted looking. The crackle one might be too busy with the stone. The colors in person are so much richer than shown here under the fluorescent light of the showroom.

Dramatic veined quartzite with glazed brick look tile option. carlaaston.com

Dramatic veined quartzite with crackle tile option. carlaaston.com

In Person, Local Consultation

I did an in-person consultation with a design colleague I have worked with on projects in the past. She’s a painter and does exceptional quality specialty finishes. She’s taken a step back from her day to day business and is focusing on painting smaller art pieces now and is about to tackle her own kitchen remodel.

I was there last week to consult with her and her husband about it and I can’t wait to see her finished kitchen! She had some great ideas and we talked them through and I gave her some recommendations. She let me take a few pics of her lovely home to share with you and how she has decorated it.

I love the light neutrals and the touches of deep indigo blue. It’s all so tasteful and reflects her style and personality so well.

Living / Dining Room in white with blue accents with view straight out to garden.

The flat files that used to house all her painting samples now hold her new art pieces and things like placemats, napkins, and papers. She said it makes a fabulous buffet for when they have large family gatherings.

Refinished wood flat files hold all kinds of items for storage and provide a fab surface for a buffet.

Flat files make the perfect storage for placemats and napkins.

Antique console with blue and white dishes and cakestands.

Here’s the kitchen she will be remodeling. That back wall cabinetry will be expanded down the wall with a new range and hood centered. The bar will be lowered to counter height with new countertops and a new, lighter weight looking island will be used. This one is actually a bit too big for the space.

We also talked about new flooring, a charcoal gray and white marble, checkerboard look. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

Kitchen to be remodeled with smaller, more lightweight island, new cabinetry, hood and range on back wall and a lower bar. carlaaston.com

Kitchen to be remodeled with a new, lower bar counter, new flooring and cabinetry that will extend down the wall. carlaaston.com

Design Service offerings

I offer full service design and two types of design consultations, in-person consultations for local projects and then email consults for remote projects.

The three situations above are examples of two types of those services.

The first project, with the commissioned art, and the second project, with the kitchen, are both full service. I am involved in these projects for the entire period of the design and construction / installation.

I describe more about that full service design process right here.

The last consultation featured above was done as a one time consultation. That homeowner is very resourceful and having worked in our industry for many years, knows lots of people to help her get things done. ;-)

I featured a few of my Designed in a Click, email consultations recently here on my blog. You can check those out below. :-)