Showhouse Bedroom

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Color palette for the bedroom. Love the Brentano velvet in the center!


A few weeks ago I shared the bathroom design I was doing for the upcoming ASID Showhouse in Sienna Plantation, in the Houston area. I was still tweaking the bedroom, but everything is almost done now so I'd love to share some of the beautiful fabrics and interesting furnishings I'm using in the space.

This is my imaginary client, "Phoebe", an older teen girl, maybe a freshman or sophomore in college, visiting home on holidays and summer. She is a free spirit, artistic, creative, smart, and opinionated. She has an unpredictable sense of style, a bit bohemian but not dark and sloppy.....more happy and pretty.


The floor plan shows the queen bed pushed up in the near corner of the room so that Phoebe can have a nice lounge area to spend some private time with her home friends away from the family. Her bed is so puffy and inviting that she can lounge there with her laptop amongst all her colorful pillows while glancing out the French doors to the beautiful view beyond. She has a balcony and the best view of the house.....nothing but the best for our Phoebe!




Her eclectic spirit is evident here with Grandmother's old chair frame, upholstered in a new bright print fabric with legs painted in Phoebe's favorite turquoise.



Chair fabric, Thom Felicia for Kravet








The mix of a mid-century modern chrome lamp, an antique painted nightstand, and a velvet ottoman make for a unique combination.



The other corner has a tall leaning mirror (Phoebe can see herself from everywhere in the room) and a unique metal tree that serves as a jewelry holder and whimsical art project. Phoebe decorates it with various crystals and beads as her mood changes.


A ghost chair and mid-century modern dresser highlight the mix.

(My grandmother's dresser from the 1950's. Love the serpentine base.)


It will be painted SW Sassy Green.


with some lucite knobs.


If you are in the Houston area in April, please come and visit the Showhouse! Open April 1st through 17th, Tuesdays through Sundays, closed Mondays.




Discussion Continued...

So....Is Brass Coming Back?

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"So, is brass coming back?", the contractor on this recent bathroom remodel asked me this past week. We were in the midst of a photo session and homeowner, contractor, photographer, and I were discussing the project and the materials I used. My answer was not a succinct yes or no, it was one of those, "It depends."

First I want to say that this photo above is just my shot with my Iphone. The pro shots will make that brass sing! Frankly, I don't think anything really goes "out", it just becomes so badly and cheaply repeated that we tire of it and shun it for a while.


Cheap, shiny brass faucets, hardware, and lighting used in a lot of homes built in the 1990's should never have happened anyway. Something about when a cheap product is bright and polished, it catches the eye and just screams, "Hey, look how cheap I am!"

Faceted plastic knobs also do a little screaming.


Quality, however, is not a trend and will never go out of style. The faucets and fixtures we used in that brass bathroom remodel will last as long as the homeowners will live there and have a timeless look that fits with their personality and style of the home.



Bathrooms and kitchens are a different type of design challenge than other rooms in the home. They must serve their functional purpose first and are therefore less decorated and furnished than other spaces. A metal finish is a key design statement in a bath and kitchen. Fixtures and hardware are the jewelry and play a more substantial role in the design. The bathroom above needed the definition that a dark bronze finish gave to the curves of the sconces and faucets.


The dark bronze in this bathroom provided a masculine look the client wanted and relates to the dark mahogany used for trimwork and cabinetry.



Dark bronze here works well with the dark emperador marble tops and adds interest, especially in the chandelier, to an otherwise neutral space.




The copper sink and faucet used in this kitchen remodel added lovely color and a French look that the homeowner desired.



The black faucet, sink, and hardware repeat the black in the tile backsplash and relate it to the black kitchen island in this space.



When I toured this home at the beginning of the job, I noticed all the brass. There were beautiful, heavy, antique brass candlesticks, chandeliers, and door hardware throughout. None of it was cheap and it spoke to the traditional feel and the warm, cozy atmosphere created there. I didn't want this bathroom to feel out of place just because brass wasn't "in" now. I chose an antique brass look because I thought it caught up with the other metal finishes and had the same subtle, warm feel that was the look of this home. It also enhanced the other finishes used, especially the onyx mosaic tile, with its warm undertones. Can you imagine if I'd gone with chrome? It would've all gone flat.

So, is brass coming back? I really think it depends. It depends on the homeowner, the home, the other finishes to be used, the overall design statement. What do you think?

If you would like help deciding what metal finishes would work best for your home, contact Aston Design Studio today!

If you have a design related question or need some advice on any aspect of interior design, e-mail me HERE. I might feature your question in a special Q and A blog post!

Discussion Continued...

Loving the Color Emerald

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A noted and experienced designer once told me that if I wanted to see the next trend in home design, look to the red carpet. I do watch with that in mind and this year at the Golden Globes, the color emerald to me was the most eye catching moment of all. Most critics loved these three looks, with their outstanding color. Angelina Jolie looked wonderful in this color.

Mila Kunis's dress was beautiful on her.



I love Catherine Zeta-Jones in this gown, a little darker emerald, but definitely not "forest".



What woman wouldn't just love to have Kyle Richards' emerald earrings.


Blenko glass defines the exact color of emerald above. Emerald has a bit of a blue in it.
Love Blenko glass!



Love the emerald green sofas and pillows here, image from House Beautiful.




Fabulous headboard! I think emerald goes really well with white. Image from Decorpad.



Another great headboard in emerald with white bedding from Sarah Richardson.
Decorpad image.



One of my favorite spaces by Steven Gambrel as featured in Elle Decor. Wouldn't this space have been boring without the emerald!

I love tape trim. Here is a nice emerald one above from Kravet.





Kravet wallpaper......wouldn't this be rich in a powder bath?






Silk velvet by Thomas O'Brien for Lee Jofa. I could see some stunning dining chairs upholstered in this luxurious fabric.



Last but definitely not least, Schumacher's Nanjing. The color here is just brilliant. Perfect for pillows, a bedskirt, headboard, and on and on.


I've moved! Come and visit me at my new blog, Designed w/Carla Aston!















Discussion Continued...

Limed Oak Tables and Custom Furniture

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This beautiful hood above was made by a Houston area carpenter. It has gorgeous wood carved details and is the featured focal point of this kitchen remodel project I worked on last spring. Beautiful carpentry is a real art and it is one of my favorite things to design and detail. I love working with carpenters on a project and see my designs come to life at the hands of these skilled artisans. This area is full of talented carpenters seeking projects to work on due to the downturn in the construction business. I would like to encourage everyone to seek out local people to build tables and other furniture for your homes to get real value for your money and to keep our talented craftsmen busy during this tough economic time. The big advantage to having your furniture custom built locally is that you can tailor your furnishings to fit your needs, get unique finishes and sizes, and add or delete details as you wish. Another bonus...you don't have to wait 3-4 months for delivery and no expensive shipping charges!

Another beautiful carpentry project, a custom entertainment center, using wood grillwork for panel inserts to allow for air and sound to pass through for equipment and speakers. This piece is not finished yet, but will be a gorgeous, functional addition to this family room.

Don't you think that a carpenter that can build these beautiful built-ins can build furniture and tables as well?

A console table from Restoration Hardware.


A kitchen island made for a kitchen remodel by one of my local carpenters, similar in style to the console from RH.



This gorgeous trestle table seen in Elle Decor last month has everyone wanting one just like it for their homes.


This Avignon table from RH is sadly not available anymore.



Here is a custom table I had made for a client, similarly styled and sized to fit their small space. They wanted a black finish with a stained wood top to fit in with their decor. (Sorry for the fuzzy pic!) It is very similar to the Avignon.


Here it is unfinished, you can imagine what a lime wash finish on it would look like? Beautiful! This base design could easily be adapted to a side table, a larger round table, or a long trestle table. When the trends change, just have it refinished! This is quality that will last.



Here is a Restoration Hardware zinc mirror that I wanted to use on a project, but it was too big! I looked high and low for a smaller version of this quatrefoil shape in a mirror but could not find one. So I had one custom made.



My carpenter did a great job, can't wait till it's finished. Now, this is the perfect size and proportion for what I wanted.



Here is another balustrade look console he made for my building lobby.



With a beautiful finish, it looks spectacular in the space!

I want to keep these wonderful craftsmen in business and available for use. We all know most of our furniture these days is made overseas, so how nice to keep the work at home. Lead times are great now for custom work, literally a few weeks. Many furniture manufacturers are quoting 3-4 months for some items. They aren't keeping stock in the U.S. because of the slow economy. When you buy local you also have no shipping, just a delivery charge.

My carpenters are eager to start new projects and they love building furniture. I have great finishers that can do any type of stain, lime wash, or faux finish you can dream up. Having something like a dining table custom made for you is such a treasure. It can be an heirloom piece that you will enjoy and share with your family and friends for years to come, a wonderful investment that will stand the test of time.


If you want to get pricing on a custom furniture piece for your home, contact Aston Design Studio today!




Discussion Continued...