Southern Studio Interior Design

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.

- John Muir

The Inside Scoop introduces another feature for 2010: Beautiful Spaces and Places! I’m starting the series in one of my favorite spaces of the home…the kitchen. I love to design kitchens because they require great planning and skill to make them functional, but also allow for creative flexibility to reflect a personal style. It’s the combination of technical and creative challenges that I relish!

Now, a few beautiful kitchens to enjoy and savor that recently caught my attention in a few of my favorite publications (and I had to add some commentary too)!

I’m a fan of open shelving in a kitchen. It obviously has pros and cons, but I find that it makes storage accessible and visible. It’s especially convenient in a kitchen with multiple chefs.

As with most interior spaces, lighting plays a huge role. Layering light with multiple sources offers the greatest flexibility to create a variety of moods.

Another kitchen with open shelving for display. Notice the mixture of countertop materials…love the wood island top.

I am always a fan of maximizing space and stacking cabinets to the ceiling. It definitely adds to the cost, but the visual impact is worth it. Do you agree?

This kitchen has so much visual interest….the beautiful texture in the backsplash, the clean lines of the farm sink, the mixture of countertop surfaces, and the mixture of wood finishes. Beautiful details that make a difference.

This is a kitchen I designed which was featured last year on the cover of Impressions magazine, the national publication for Delta Faucet Co. I lost count of how many requests I received from across the country inquiring about these pendant lights. For the record, they are from Murray Feiss but unfortunately have been discontinued.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, so please take the time to design for function and aesthetics. You’ll be glad you did!

Images via Traditional Home, Southern Living, Coastal Living

Last week, an article in the New York Times titled Interior Designers Help Homeowners Discover Styles, focused on the benefit of hiring an interior designer. It made me realize how confusing our industry can be. No wonder people have a hard time figuring it out! This article had some great tips for working with a designer.

The American Society of Interior Designers requires its members to meet strict education and work experience requirements. There is a great section on the website that explains the benefits of working with an interior designer.  It says, “When you hire an interior designer, you get the benefit of an experienced professional who can solve problems, help you avoid costly mistakes and, most importantly, create an attractive, affordable space designed specifically to meet your lifestyle needs.”

Last year, I documented the interior design process when I participated in the ASID Carolinas Showhouse.  When I started the project, it was an empty space with rough-ins for plumbing and electrical.

There were so many decisions to be made very quickly, including cabinetry layout and design, appliances, countertops, lighting, plumbing fixtures, tile design, wall finishes, furnishings, accessories….oh, and did I mention the budget? Great design is all in the details, so I began putting together the plan.

After a few months of diligent effort, here’s the end result (which hopefully demonstrates how a professional interior designer can contribute expertise and experience to a project).

I absolutely love what I do every day. How many people are so fortunate? But, I’m constantly challenging myself to push the limits of design, manage budgets creatively, and help clients meet their unique lifestyle needs. I create beautiful homes every day, but I always try to remember that my clients only have one chance to get their project right!

For the past 18 months, I’ve been working with the most fantastic clients (and now wonderful friends) to bring their dream of a second home on Lake Gaston to life. I had the pleasure of working closely with Sid Cutts with Corbitt Hills Construction on the project.  I cannot say enough about Sid’s attention to detail and craftsmanship. Several weeks ago, we spent the day photographing the project and I wanted to share the results. I’ll do my best to give you a virtual tour…..here we go….

The exterior facade is gorgeous with handcrafted detailing in the columns, shutters, and gables.

The foyer of the home is open to the adjacent lodge room and dining room.  Notice the stunning front door and beautiful light fixtures by Currey & Company.

The lodge room has a beautiful view of the lake and includes more quality detailing in the built-in cabinetry and ceiling detailing. Check out the curved leather sofa…the perfect conversation space!

This kitchen is a dream! The large center island is the perfect gathering spot. We decided to stack the cabinets to the 10′ ceiling height to maximize storage and make a grand statement. Mixing the finishes on the cabinets gave added visual interest. We worked closely with Lake Country Kitchens to create the perfect design. The kitchen backsplash is a combination of tiles, including natural stone and handcrafted decorative tiles and mosaics. What do you think?

The keeping room is open to the kitchen and breakfast nook. Notice the beautiful floors throughout this home! They are fabricated from reclaimed wood and custom finished specifically for this home.

I could live in this master bath.  The barrel vault welcomes you to the walk-thru shower. It’s the perfect master shower combination…two personal showers on each end so there’s no need to adjust settings.  The walk-thru center space (which, unfortunately, you can’t see) includes an arched window, a rain can shower head and body sprays. It’s the ultimate shower experience!

Here’s a detail of the beautiful tile work. Laura Olmstead with Triangle Tile and Stone helped us create the perfect combination of materials and design. Notice the pebble shower floor in the photo above.

The lower level is the perfect spot for entertaining. The wine storage cellar has a gorgeous door accented with wrought iron. The rustic furnishings (and a pool table not shown in the photo) are made from antique wagon wheels and reclaimed teakwood. Sid did a fabulous job crafting the “awning” over the bar. We used engineered cork plank flooring for it’s aesthetics and durability.

The girls have the perfect sleepover hangout in this bunk room! We made sure their every need was met, right down to the reading lights in their personal cubbies. Oh, to be a kid again!

Although the home is a beautiful creation, I always try to remember that nothing man-made can ever top the beauty of nature. Check out the peaceful morning on the lake.

As with any quality custom home, it takes a lot of talented craftspeople and vendors working together to make it happen!  Thank you to all the friends I met along the way….

As I was making my way through High Point Market, I was able to document some of my favorite finds. Here’s few trends that grabbed my attention (and I can’t wait to incorporate these ideas into new projects)….

One of my absolute favorite showrooms was Hickory Chair. It was one of those showrooms that had something special around every corner.  One piece was more beautiful than the next. They have done a fabulous job partnering with wonderful designers such as Alexa Hampton, Suzanne Kasler and Thomas O’Brien.

Pearson featured some bold geometric prints throughout their upholstery collection and I especially liked this one.

A beautiful display in the Barclay Butera Home showroom….elegant, simple and comfortable.

Without a doubt, the trend in lighting is pendants. These linen beauties are a new introduction by Jamie Young.

And these pendants with great texture by Regina Andrew.

So, what was the best part of walking miles of showrooms while absorbing way too much information? Without a doubt, it’s the contagious energy that stays with you for many weeks afterwards, bringing new design inspiration.