I spied this wonderful white laundry room over at Style at Home this week and was reminded of the fact that laundry rooms are just the perfect little spot to decorate with wallpaper.
I love a beautiful grasscloth in a living room, office, or dining room, and a punchy paper with panache in a bathroom, but how fun are these wallpapers in laundry rooms too!
I’m seriously considering adding a wall or two of bold wallpaper to my own laundry room with these as inspiration!
** I’m in the middle of a full website makeover with a lot of housekeeping that requires my attention before making the big change so forgive my slow blogging this week and next. :) Thanks so much for your patience!
Sometimes it’s the small changes that can make the biggest differences. It’s the little things like a piece of art you love, a memento from your travels or it can even be as simple as adding an unexpected splash of colour that can make your space come alive. We often make fairly safe design choices,...
This project started out small...and then it GREW.
I love projects like this: projects where my clients enjoy the design and the process; projects where they take their home to the exact level where it feels finished and ready to love for years to come.
The project started out like this:
We were going to do a partial master bath remodel, some accessorizing in the living room (and perhaps a bit in the other rooms, too), then some remodeling in the laundry room. Not much more than that.
But then we discovered all of the additional possibilities that would allow us to obtain a more complete look, as well as a more desireable effect. That’s when these homeowners decided to go bigger. And I’m so glad they did.
This client has good taste; I could sense she did when I first visited the home and met with her.
She was knowledgeable about design and art/photography. The home had a transitional look — although with a more traditional style (architecturally), with a palette of browns and blues with citrine and gold accents. What she was looking for was a little more edge, a little more luxury, and a little more of a lasting, comfortable yet transitional look.
Overall, the color scheme was a little too dark brown, and the blue was reminiscent of what was happening in retail home decor 5-10 years ago. It looked a tad bit trendy, almost a little dated, and maybe even a bit generic. Personally, I didn’t think it really reflected the homeowner’s personality like it should.
the living room:
Btw: The amazing "after" photos you will see throughout this article were done by my photographer daughter, Tori Aston. :-)
We introduced some lighter furniture pieces to help get rid of so much of the dark brown; pieces such as gray leather sofas, a lighter weight coffee table, etc. We also wanted color to make this space look interesting and rich looking. The citrine brings such a freshness to the space, along with touches of teal color in the pillows and drapery. That gorgeous striped custom rug from Stark added that masculine, tailored vibe I was looking for.
After we suggested the style, the homeowner found that beautiful pecky cypress table from a supplier located out of state. She had it custom made for the look we wanted and it turned out great. She loved the color and richness of the wood, as it really speaks to her style and gives the room some personality.
Now the only thing that’s dark brown in the room is that gorgeous chocolate lab! :-)
The Afters:
the kitchen / breakfast room area:
One of the issues I saw with the kitchen was that the wood floors were one shade of brown (a reddish tone), and the kitchen cabinets were more gray brown. It’s not that it looked bad, it just looked a little off and unplanned. I thought it would help to make a bigger distinction and create more contrast between these two dominant finishes so the design of the space would look purposeful and have a more contemporary feel that my client wanted. So I proposed an ebonized look for the wood cabinetry, and the wood floors (obviously more of a pain to redo since they were all over the house) would be the color we’d keep.
To break up all the dark finishes and make for a distinct color direction, we made a bold color choice of teal for the island. It works so well, and I’m so glad they trusted me here. It ties in the color we introduced in the living room and other spaces of the house, perfectly. I love repeating design elements throughout an interior to create balance, as well as a more thoughtful and harmonious look.
We did new countertops of Macabus White quartzite with gorgeous, subtle veining; and we lightened and brightened the kitchen by using a lighter color than their previous countertop. The linear quality of the stone adds to the contemporary look, and the veins have a tiny bit of that teal color that works so well with our palette. Cabinets added to the top of the existing upper cabinetry added height to the space, and the new stainless hood mounted on our glass subway tile added a sleekness to the kitchen’s design.
The “citrine” color was repeated here in the brass bowl lighting that’s hung over the island. I wanted this space to look really different than it did before, and those slightly oversized fixtures make a big statement. The contemporary and colorful theme was repeated with the cabinet pulls, providing a touch of warm, rustic brass on the freshly ebonized cabinetry. Reeded glass panels help establish a more contemporary look to the otherwise traditional cabinet details.
The Afters:
the fireplace wall:
I also had an issue with the fireplace wall in the living room — it sort of looked a bit jumbled to me, and the fireplace surround spoke to a more “old world” look. We did a slate stacked stone to the ceiling for a rustic yet clean-lined vibe, and then a custom entertainment center in a warm stained wood tone with brassy accents. These elements add a richness to the room with their finishes, and also created an interesting elevation on that wall that was missing before.
Before:
After:
the sitting room:
In an adjacent sitting room that houses the dog door, we used the same slate in tile form — that flooring material is perfect for hiding any dirt or mud a dog might bring in, and it also marries well with the outdoors.
In this room we added in the seagrass round rug, some colorful pillows and accessories, a great table (made by the same supplier as the coffee table), and that fab floor lamp that proved to be perfect in our attempt to design a more contemporary space.
Before:
After:
That’s all for now. ;-)
I’m going to save the master bath, the dining room, powder room, and the amazing laundry room for another couple of “before/after” articles. There was a lot to cover here, and I want to make sure to point out all the fab features this home now has so you don’t miss a thing!
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Dear Bob and Betsy,
I’m installing laminate flooring on my stairs. One thing that has me unsure is the underlayment. Do you need underlayment with laminate flooring on stairs?
– Elaine K.
Dear Elaine,
Great question! Underlayment is usually such a crucial part of laminate flooring installations, but when it comes to your staircase, you can leave your underlayment behind.
When you install laminate flooring on your stairs, you must glue the planks to the thread and riser. You cannot use the click and lock installation method for this type of install. If your flooring has underlayment attached, you will need to remove it before installing on stairs.
What About Moisture?
One common concern is moisture. Underlayment is used to prevent moisture damage, such as warping or buckling. On stairs, this usually does not pose a big risk.
Stairs are most often wood based. That means that moisture has already proven to not be a threat. If for any reason you’re concerned about moisture, such as stairs above a crawl space, you might want to reconsider using laminate flooring all together for the stairs. Choose another type of flooring that is more moisture resistant.
What About Temperature?
Temperature fluctuations are another important considerations. Since laminate flooring is made of wood, it expands and contrasts depending on the temperature. When using a stair nose, the laminate is able to expand on stairs.
If your staircase is located in a spot where temperature changes are pronounced, you might want to consider using a different flooring material. This will prevent them from damage during expanding and contracting
Most laminate flooring installations are simple because of the modern click to lock method. However, when it comes to stairs, you need to use a different approach to accommodate the unique installation style.
If you have any other questions while installing the flooring on your staircase, we’re here to help. Contact one of our flooring experts with your question and get help fast.
New York City has such a fantastic vibe, so much to see and do, I love the energy, the sights and sounds, so it’s always exciting to return. My most recent trip was for two purposes, to attend the Better Homes and Gardens Stylemaker event and to meet up with my little sister for a long weekend of fun!
First up, a quick recap of the Stylemaker event, I had never attended before but was delighted to be on the list this year, they are a welcoming bunch of people and very kind to host this event each year for design and food bloggers.
I’m reminded when I attend an event of creative bloggers like this that behind each design or decorating or food blog is a real person, and it’s so nice to see their faces, hear their voices, and connect in person! It started out with breakfast at the hotel so we could all meet and greet.
I got a chance to chat with Cassie and Megan and Gwen and Emily, such fabulous ladies!
I spent time with Jen from Rambling Renovators, she must have said something funny (can’t remember what) – it was delightful to hug her and see her again!
We had workshops to attend all day on building your brand, also flower arranging and tablescaping, all the things we love about BHG. That is Stephen Orr on the far right, the new Editor in Chief of BHG, and full of energy and humor, it will be exciting to watch where he takes the magazine.
The event ended with rooftop cocktails and everyone’s flower arrangements on display.
Here is Emily Clark and my fabulous roomie Melissa from The Inspired Room – this is our third event in NYC together in the past six years, it’s always nice to spend time with her! We enjoyed beautiful weather and an amazing view of the sunset over Manhattan.
Thank you thank you BHG for including me among the attendees, it was a wonderful time! Above images – photography credit: Avi Gerver.
The next few days I spent frolicking around Manhattan and Brooklyn with my sister, we stayed at the Warwick Hotel in midtown where we always stay for our sister trips.
The hotel is elegant on the inside decorated in an Old Hollywood style and close to everything which is why we keep coming back. Great bar, restaurant, and service!
I’ve been to NYC many times but had a few more favorite moments on this most recent trip – these are all cell phone pics I left my fancy camera at home!
I try to take an early morning run in Central Park on each visit, this time I took a turn around Strawberry Fields and was charmed to find someone had arranged fresh strawberries in a peace sign on the iconic John Lennon memorial.
Eataly is one of my favorite stops, the marketplace of gourmet food is not to be missed! We enjoyed a plate of roasted vegetables, pasta, and white wine at Le Verdure, divine!
We always go to a show, this year it was Something Rotten at the St. James, very funny! We loved every minute, I’ve also heard that Hamilton is another one to see right now, so I look forward to that when I return!
Each day we walked 8-10 miles in various neighborhoods, I found myself photographing artwork and patterns that inspired me, you never know what sights will delight around every corner. When asked what inspires me, my answer is “travel, being outdoors, museums, artists” and NYC has all of it in one spot, the City is such a visual treat.
We spent a full day in Brooklyn (Ms. Limestone has a great tourist guide). We walked Prospect Park and ate at Smorgasburg which is this huge food scene, it was crowded but worth it, wow amazing food venders! We sampled Lobster Rolls and Pork Tacos, so much food with flair, a great event for foodies!
We kept walking all the way down to the waterfront, along brownstone lined streets, sipping in cafes, admiring the suspension bridges, doing a little shopping, savoring chocolates, it was the perfect last day!
Sometimes it’s the small changes that can make the biggest differences. It’s the little things like a piece of art you love, a memento from your travels or it can even be as simple as adding an unexpected splash of colour that can make your space come alive. We often make fairly safe design choices,...
