this old victorian

Apache is functioning normally

Isn’t it funny how so many things come full circle? When I started this little ole blog closing in on eight years ago!!, it was all to chronicle the renovation and design of the first home I ever called my very own – a teeny tiny condo in Seattle #34 of course!. But as life has a tendency to do, things took a sharp left turn shortly after I purchased #34 and I didn’t manage to do a dang thing to it. Well I did remove the watermelon pink striped wallpaper, but that’s as far as things ever got. We actually sold the condo last year as you may remember and while I was happy to see it go, I also felt disappointed that I never got to see the project come to fruition.

Well I’m thrilled to announce that I’m finally going to get my chance to design my dream home, but this time, in a very big way because WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!

Yup – we’re going to live there! I can still hardly believe it!!! Holy-begeezus you guys, this amazing, classic, historic Victorian is our house. It feels unbelievable for all kinds of reasons, but right now it’s still not quite real because we haven’t actually moved in. While it may look rather fabulous from the outside, we discovered a house that is a totally insane, over-the-top, and a major fixer-upper. To repair what’s broken or damaged, make needed improvements and update the space to make it conducive to modern life, we have to make a pretty dang extensive renovation. Needless to say, it’s going to be a little while before we officially call our new house, home. So what do we have to work with? Well, I’m so glad you asked!

The house has a lot of amazing things to love. Fabulous details like huge bay windows, dramatic high ceilings, period crown molding and fireplaces in nearly every room! However, it was a little hard to appreciate those details at first sight as they currently look like this…

Built in 1870, the house has only had three owners – well four now. But the last inhabitants took liberties with their design choices. Very questionable liberties. Every room in the house is painted in colors I don’t think I’ve ever seen anywhere. Certainly not in any home. The dining room above, for example, features pale peach walls and a ceiling painted in what you might describe as magenta. It’s almost impossible to actually give the color a name. The fireplaces have lovely features – like a 2×4 as a mantel! And those chandeliers are a beautiful form of some sort of 1970s plastic. Now that’s classy. You may say, but Erin, the floors look interesting at least. They would be, if they weren’t a laminate. At least those really spectacular pocket doors dividing the dining and living rooms make up for it because they still open and close – even after 140 years!

But of course, everyone says kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. Again, that wasn’t exactly true in this case. This is currently our “kitchen.”

The photos above don’t even do the kitchen situation justice. In case you can’t tell, there aren’t any permanent shelves in there. Nor counter tops. Nor any built-in appliances. Everything is just free standing or rigged up on the wall. The first time I stepped into the room was…a little mind boggling to say the least. And the bathrooms – well they’re just as special. This is the “master bath.” It can be described simply: as a formica museum!

As you can see, we have our work cut out for us and this is really only the half of it!! And I couldn’t be happier. I finally have the blank slate I’ve always dreamed of. I’m sure I’m more than a little naive about what we’re really in for – but I promise we’re going to share everything we learn with you! From the fun of creating mood boards and setting a design direction to the brass tacks of how to pick a contractor, shop for slab counter tops or select the perfect shade of white paint I’m on the hunt – anyone have a current fave?!, we’re planning on taking you all along for the ride – however long that might be. We hope you’re just as excited as we are!

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

Don’t worry – I almost did too! But after months and months! we finally have enough progress to offer you an update! You saw the original state of the house here. But if you need a little refresher – this sums up what we got ourselves into.

Gorgeous on the outside…

Super scary on the inside! To remind, the house is a 140 year old historic San Francisco Italianate that was updated by the previous owner circa 1970…and left that way since! But the bones – oh the bones. They’re what got us. WIth four bedrooms, a classic dining room, 14-foot ceilings and crown molding for days, we immediately saw the potential! But man oh man has it taken sweet time for the potential to be realized. Remember I told you about the house in SEPTEMBER! But I’m pleased to report that things are finally underway. I can start to see my dream slowly, slowly peeking through. It looks a little like this:

But we still have a looooooong way to go before we’re there of course. For now, walls are open, framing has gone up, there’s new wiring and plumbing everywhere and things a generally a big ole mess, but I can see our vision starting to take shape. It’s a pretty incredible feeling. Here’s a little sneak peek!

Those redwood beams are 140 years old! So crazy.

Now you can see all the way from the back of the house, straight through to the front window!

There were fascinating color decisions throughout the house, yet I’m still a little sad to see the raspberry red textured velvet wallpaper go!

Of course – a TON of work went into getting us to this point. Our best decision on the project thus far? Hiring an exceptional design-build architect. While we thought we had brilliant ideas on how to make the most of our new space, Seth Brookshire brought us a design I’m 100% confident we never would have thought on our own. It maximizes the space perfectly, gives us all the modern amenenities we were hoping for and is just generally gorgeous. We’re definitely doing a bit more than repainting. Here’s what we’re tackling in a nutshell:

> Opening walls between the kitchen and living area to modernize the space
> Adding a pantry and a laundry room
> Adding bathrooms (three in total) – the house originally only had one
> Creating a true master suite

And that’s just the sexy stuff. Then there’s much less glamorous details like electrical, plumbing, fixing the roof and the like. But as we’ve moved through the project to-date I’ve been taking notes on things I’ve learned, what I wish I’d known and what I’d highly recommend keeping in mind so that I could pass them along to you. Here’s what I’ve got so far: my Top Five Virtues of Renovation.

1. Expertise. Get a dream team together and get them fast. Having a very experienced architect on our project has provided more benefits than I could have imagined. Not only are we overjoyed with the creative design, but we also reaped the benefits of understanding the systems we have to deal with. Regulations, city and county rules – everything from how to handle documents to how to properly mark a energy efficient light fixture on our plans. We could have waited as long as six months or more to get construction permits on our project, but with our architect’s experience and know-how it only took six weeks the only thing that was actually fast!. There are so many elements that go into a large scale project and too often you don’t know what you don’t know. It’s a great feeling to be good hands.

2. Patience. Pretty much everything takes twice as long as you expect it to. Sometimes three or four times as long. Just go with the flow or your nerves will be shot in the first month. If something does go quickly do a little happy dance!

3. Detail-Obsession. There are SO many details to keep track of, use all the tools availalble to you to stay organized. Google Docs have become my best friend. Create spreadsheets to track all of your design decisions. Scan all your documents so you have electronic copies you can access anywhere. Use Pinterest like a boss. Anything you can do to help yourself stay ahead of the game – do it!

4. Curiosity. Unless you’re on your 10th renovation project, there is SO much to learn about design, construction and the building process. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your team may think you’re a pest – but this is your project – you should know any little detail you want! I’ve had a ball asking what seem like the stupidest questions on the planet.

5. Patience. Wait, did I already list patience? Well double up – you’re going to need way more than you ever could imagine.

If you keep these virtues in mind, you can keep yourself sane throughout a very daunting process. Well, at least I hope you can – we’ve only just begun! I’m planning monthly updates for you from here on out so I’ll let you know if this all still holds true next month.

By the way, I started a Tumblr – This Old Victorian San Francisco – to track both our contstruction progress and our design inspiration! I’ll likely be posting pictures there more frequently than here so be sure to follow along. I also have a Pinterset Board where I’m constantly banking design, decor and general renovation inspiration. You can check that out here!

But if there are certain things you’d like to know more about; our design process, inspirations, resources, please ask!

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

Today we’ve got our second installment of Designer’s Take, our latest series where our favorite designers and stylists share what they would do if they could ge their hands on our new/old house reminder: I’m calling it that since the house is 140 years old!. In this edition, our very own spring intern Ali Hartwell is offering her take on the perfect dining room. To jog your memory, here is what the dining room looked like! 

Definitely scary on the surface, but here’s what we’ll have to work with when construction is done!

We’re really not changing too much – everything we do in this room will be cosmetic. What? You think we should leave the raspberry pink ceiling?? The dining room is a pretty large space with a fireplace centered on the far left wall. There are also the original pocket doors that separate the dining room from the adjacent living room. A large set of bay windows sits on the opposite wall. You can see what they look like from the exterior here. It’s definitely going to be a fun space to play with! But here’s what Ali would do.

Ali’s Designer Take: I think I’ve developed such a fondness for dining areas probably because a solid chunk of my life has been spent sitting within them. So many of my favorite memories are tied to laughing and connecting with family and friends over home-cooked meals and MANY a bottle of wine. That’s why when it comes to dining room decor, I always try to create a look that’s going to invite people to sit down and stay awhile.

If the space allows, I love defining a dining area with a piece of statement art to serve as the backdrop to the actual table setting. And what better way to compliment said artwork than with a completely badass lighting fixture?! Since there’s not really much to a dining area, I say go big or go home.

I imagine an Erin’s old San Franciscan Victorian to be the perfect setting for a killer dining room—high ceilings, crown molding, hardwood floors and plenty of natural light streaming in from oversized windows make for an already inviting space and the perfect blank canvas.

Here’s a look I think would play nicely in Erin’s dining room:

GET YOUR SHOP ON:

  1. > Table
  2. > Light
  3. > Chairs
  4. > Art
  5. > Pitcher
  6. > Dishware
  7. > Planter
  8. > Rug

I think Ali has the right idea when it comes to our dining room. I see a statement chandelier in my future and I’m very excited about that. And a eye-catching piece of art over the fireplace would be quite nice too. The search for the perfect dining table is likely to be the ultimate treasure hunt but only time will tell. Once our walls are closed up and we’re moving on to finish work I think it’ll be much easier for a design direction to take shape.

Where do you think it should head??

To see more of Ali’s design work, you can visit her website or follow her visual musings via Instagram @athartwell.

For our first Designer’s Take on what we should do in our kitchen, CLICK HERE! And for even more inspiration for our renovations you can check out my remodel Pinterest board and our Tumblr!

image 1 via The Design Files // image 2 via arper // image 3 via My Domaine

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

As you may have noticed, updates about the ongoing remodel of our San Francisco Victorian have been rather few and far between these days. I’ve come to learn remodels are like molasses – they move at a pace you cannot control! And while progress is in fact being made, there’s not a lot of excitement related to rough-in plumbing, insulation or rewiring. I am getting super excited to share our plans as the designs are coming together! But in the meantime I thought it’d be fun to play what-if with some of my favorite designers. What if they had their hands on this house and could do whatever they wanted! I knew they’d have as much fun dreaming  of what could be done with the space as I have. So for the next few weeks you’re going to be treated so some major design inspiration from a bevy of design studs! I’m thrilled my dear friend and interior stylist extraordinaire Kirsten Grove is kicking things off with some serious kitchen inspiration!

To jog your memory, when it comes to the kitchen we’re basically starting from scratch because this is the house’s current “kitchen”:

 

This is the floor plan for our new kitchen:

While not a terribly big space, we hope to maximize storage with a separate pantry woot!. I’ve toyed with the idea of a kitchen island too. And I’m still debating what the cabinets should look like. And lighting?? Oh the lighting dilemmas. I am excited the kitchen will be directly connected to our living room via a breakfast bar. Obviously, it’s a very blank slate at the moment as we’re still in our demolition phase, so I’m excited to see what Kirsten thinks we might do with this design!

Kirsten’s Designer Take: Hi everyone! My name is Kirsten Grove and I am an interior Stylist/Blogger from Boise Idaho. I am a huge fan of Apartment 34 and I think the world of Erin and the team! She definitely has her work cut out for her with this renovation. But it’s something that I know she will successfully complete.

We all know that the kitchen is the heart of the home. Whether we cook or not, we all want the perfect kitchen. Of course they are the biggest money takers, but it’s well worth it at the end.

I have always been a fan of modern, minimal kitchens. Especially in older homes. The juxtaposition is always stunning! Right now cabinet slabs are on point. No molding, no panels. Just clean slabs. Paired with hardware or just kept plain, these doors are simple yet beautiful.

Here’s a kitchen with simple hardware that doesn’t take away from the doors. I also love the style of hood that mirrors the cabinets. It’s a nice, clean look. This same thing can be assigned with the refrigerator.

Another trend is two toned cabinets. Above we have a dark paint on the top and natural wood on the bottom. You could also do one color on top and another color on the bottom. It breaks the kitchen up and adds stylish personality!

Here’s another example of two-toned cabinets. This kitchen also has another favorite trend of mine. Square tiles! It’s a refreshing change from the classic subway tiles. White grout keeps it more traditional while dark grout keeps it modern.

Kitchens can be a lot of fun to design! Good luck, Erin! We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

I love that Kirsten named a few of my favorite kitchen trends – and a couple that just might make their way into my final kitchen design. But you’ll have to wait a little longer before I can reveal all of that. For now, follow more of Kirsten’s design savviness on her blog, Simply Grove!

Image 1 via Simply Grove  // 2 via 30 Collins // 3 via The D Pages // 4 via Emma’s Design Blog

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

We’re kicking off the week with a peek at our soon-to-be living room! I’m pleased to report construction on our house is picking up. Drywall is about to go in – which means our vision will finally start coming to life. The progress definitely has me dreaming of the final product and how I’m going to furnish it. This week I’m getting pointers on our living room from one of my all time faves – Justina Blakaney. I know this girl can stretch my aesthetic and convince me to consider some decor pieces that are outside my typical modernist comfort zone.

To refresh, here’s what the living room looked like when we found it. Stunning right?! Ha! Those floors are vinyl, the chandelier plastic, the fireplace faux and the ceiling raspberry pink! Good stuff.

But the bones of the room are spectacular. The crown molding, the high ceilings and all the natural light gave us a lot to work with. We decided to simply improve upon them by making the space conducive to modern living. This is our new layout:

I wanted the living room to feel open, warm and serve as the hub of the house, so we actually removed a couple of walls, connecting the space to both the kitchen and the den. The new layout creates a fantastic flow. Now it’s just a matter of creating a design that only builds upon that inviting feeling. I know Justina has the perfect pointers to do just that!

Justina’s Designer Take: For this room, I took what I know of Erin’s clean, modern and sophisticated aesthetic, sprinkled in a few pieces from the African continent and some elements that scream the 60’s. The color palette is controlled focusing on earth tones and whites–and of course I had to add in a bit of green because that’s my jungalow vibe :D. For Erin and her growing family, I see a home that is equal parts comfy and chic with a down-to-earth quality to it–because that’s how I see Erin!

GET YOUR SHOP ON:

  1. > Sofa
  2. > Chandelier
  3. > Coffee table
  4. > PomPom Blanket
  5. > Painting
  6. > Sideboard
  7. > Pillows
  8. > Vases
  9. > Rug
  10. > Plant

While I tend to beeline straight for the mid-century modern, Justina offers a great reminder to look out for those unique pieces that will inject some unexpected character into your room. I’m loving the idea of mixing and matching genres and time periods to create a truly collected comfortable space. It really does pay to hold out for that truly perfect piece. While it can be tough for me to be patient, when it comes to designing our house the treasure hunt is going to be half the fun!

Thanks Justina for giving us your Designer’s Take!

For previous Designers’ Takes on our 140 year old Victorian CLICK HERE

image 1 // image 2 // image 3

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

When it comes to making a house a home, an often overlooked design secret is house plants! They truly do enliven a space, pun intended! And if there’s anyone who knows a thing or two about plants it’s Urban Jungle blogger extraordinaire, Igor of Happy Interior Blog. Igor has been a breath of fresh air from the moment he came on the design blogging scene. His casual European aesthetic is so inviting. I want to just move right into every space he showcases. Igor has also proven to be quite the savant when it comes to plants. I’ve somehow managed to keep two fiddle leaf figs and now a bevy of snake plants alive for over year, but when we move into the house I’m really going to have to step up my plant-life game. Thankfully Igor is willing to share some of his plant-whispering secrets with us today!

From Igor: Moving into a new place is exciting but it can be a tad scary too. It is like the beginning of an art piece where the artist finds himself in front of a gaping void. The empty canvas – as much as it offers a chance to create something unique and remarkable, it also carries the threat of failure and discontent. However, for us interior design loving peeps, this empty canvas is more of a chance than a threat, right? One easy way to bring life into a room and succeed for sure is by adding plants.

Plants have that unmistakable power to infuse life to any room. The dash of fresh green, the thriving power, the benefits for a healthy environment as well as their decorative abilities make them a popular choice for decorators and people who want to live healthy and stylish.

Choosing plants for a room can be challenging but it can be made much easier by simply considering a few points:

> Is your room well lit or rather shady? Choose your plants accordingly by picking either plants who love full sunlight or plants that thrive in shade or semi-shade like a rubber plant or a calathea.

> Is your room spacious or rather small? Choose either large statement plants or opt for small greens that you can group together. If your space is very limited think of a hanging plant instead.

> Are you easy going with plant care or does it scare you a bit? Here again, choose plants according to your preferences and lifestyle. Opt for low-maintenance plants like cacti, succulents or a philodendron if you do not want to turn into a plant mama. If you like to care for your plants and see them thrive happily ever after, go for any kind of plant that will make you happy.

Find the perfect plant friends for the new/old house is going to be quite fun. I see a ginormous fiddle leaf in my future, but who knows? Maybe I’ll throw a curve ball and do a banana leaf palm instead!

Curious how to care for your fiddle leaf fig tree? CLICK HERE! And the rest of our favorite plant tips are HERE and HERE.

Image 1 via Line Klein // 2 via Cotton and Flax // 3 via Lobster & Swan

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

It may seem a little silly to talk about living room inspiration so soon after revealing my latest and last! loft makeover, but as soon as I finish one project I’m already off to the next – at least in my head! And the living room in our new/old house is probably one of the projects I’m most excited about. It will be the heart of the home. That’s why I was particularly tickled that Jacquelyn Clark of Lark & Linen fame agreed to throw in her two cents. I love everything about this girl’s style – she has impeccable taste after all!

For a little construction update, here’s what our living room currently looks like!


Yes, it’s certainly a hot mess at the moment, but once dry wall is finished, it’s painted and we put in the historically accurate fireplace, I cannot wait to start working on our final design scheme and floor plan. Connected to our kitchen, dining room and media room, this space will be the hub of the home – where we relax, where we hang out, where we entertain. It’s really where we’ll spend the majority of our time as a family, so the layout and final design choices will be key. I strongly suspect influence from Jacquelyn’s inspiration is going to show up in my final design!

As you may know, Miss Erin Hiemstra has gone and landed herself a gorgeous old Victorian home in the heart of San Francisco. While the exterior is picture perfect in every sense of the word, the interior is in need of a little TLC. And while Erin and her husband are busy tackling this massive project in real life, I’m going to be over here pretending this beauty is mine! My focus: that living room!

Since launching my own interior design business in October, I’ve been lucky enough to land quite a few pretty amazing projects. But in truth: this home right here is the one my designer dreams are made of. So when Erin and her team asked me to take part in this guest series, showcasing how I’d design one room if given the opportunity, my head began swimming with ideas. 

When it came down to it, there were two things I knew for certain: this living room was begging for the slightest hint of glamor, and those Victorian bones needed to take centre stage. So with that in mind, I’m channeling my inner Catherine Giudici and calling this round-up “grown sexy.” It’s understated and elegant, all while remaining functional. The best part: the clean lines and modern elements add interest and contrast, which really allows those Victorian mouldings to shine.

GET YOUR SHOP ON:

  1. > Sofa
  2. > Chandelier 
  3. > Wall Art
  4. > Accent Chair
  5. > Coffee Table
  6. > Gold Mirror
  7. > Rug
  8. > Walnut Buffet

Grown sexy? Jacquelyn, you had me at hello! I’m all about striking that balance between warm and elegant, sophisticated and livable. It is all about creating the perfect mix of statement making pieces and the work horses of your room. I particularly love Jacquelyn’s white linen sofa selection yes, I would scotch guard the hell out of it! and that geometric coffee table. Now that is a show stopper! So many ideas are dancing around in my head right now…I’m curious – if you had this living room, what would you do?!

For the rest of our Designers’ Takes on our 140 year old Victorian CLICK HERE

Image 1 vai Lark & Linen // 2 via Studio Karin // 3 via Dust Jacket Attic 

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

I realize it’s been a hot second since we provided an update on the remodel of our San Francisco Victorian. That’s because there really hasn’t been much to show or tell for quite a few months now – unless you’re fascinated by plumbing, electrical work or the art of insultation. It’s riveting stuff, let me tell you. If you’ve ever gone through an extensive remodel, I’m sure you can relate. There’s an extended amount of time where it really looks like nothing has happened. But, I’m pleased to report we finally have real progress! There are walls. Rooms are starting to look like actual rooms. Flooring is about to go in. These are major milestones for us. Here are a few sneak peeks!

this taken from our living room looking into what will be our kitchen! We removed two walls to create an open concept space.

 I love the curviture of our staircase. Now I just have to design a banister…

 We’re keeping all the original molding and those killer archways throughout the house.

Looking from the dining room into living room/kitchen. I’m just dreaming of those oak floors being laid. 

Now that all the ugly stuff is done, we’re moving onto the fun – finish work! Think light fixutres, counter tops, cabinet design. I’ve been obsessing about our master bathroom lately. It’s a bit of a holy grail of homeownership after all. We actually took an extra bedroom to create the master suite of my dreams. Here’s what it is going to look like!

All the dream bath ingredients are here. His & Hers vanities. A little room for the toilet to call home. We’ll enjoy the modern revelation called a linen closet. No more shoving towels and sheets where ever the heck I can find space. We’re also creating a dual-headed shower, with a rain showerhead – what I hope will be my tiny oasis from the rest of the world! My goal is to create a spa-like atmosphere. These are a few of the inspiration images I pulled onto my moodboard.

As with most other things in my day-to-day, I’m drawn to a neautral color palette. Natural materials like stones and wood will have a soothing feel. One of the bathroom’s biggest features is going to be the shower. It will be the first thing you see as you walk from the bedroom into the space. At 12″ tall, it’s got to be eye catching!

To create something modern, but also timeless I headed to Fireclay Tile – an amazing San Francisco-based tile maker. Working with their in-house design team, we decided to do a play on the classic subway tile look. To take a modern approach, the shower will feature an oversized version their Edge tile line. The tile is crisp and clean with sharp edges. I love the color Feldspar – it’s just a touch warmer than white and looks gorgeous in a matte finish. You can see the sketch of the final tile design below.

I am so excited to see that oversized subway pattern stretching 12″ tall! We’re also tucking in a teak bench and a hidden products storage cubbie behind the wall. I know California is in a drought but it’s going to be really hard to not spend hours in that shower!

links: white towels, fouta towels, waffle towels, jute basket, petrified wood stool

link: toilet paper holder, towel hanger, toothbrush, candle, container, toilet brush

When it comes to accessories this is where I want to warm up the space with super cozy towels, woven baskets and a natural stump stool. Modern towel racks in black will add a touch of trendiness.

There’s still quite a bit I’m debating. I haven’t nailed down a paint color. I’m also hunting for great bathroom mirrors (any hot tips?!) and have yet to fall in love with a wall sconce. But all in all, it’s coming together! I can actually envision getting ready in this room everyday.

The countdown is on!

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

As the clock continues to tick on the renovation of our San Francisco Victorian we picked paint colors over the weekend!, it’s all beginning to feel real. Really really real. That’s why I’m loving our Designer’s Take series even more. Now that the progress has come this far, I can really envision what some of our rooms could look like in the end. This week we’ve got another gorgeous concept for our living room. Here’s an update on what it’s looking like right now!


This picture is looking from our kitchen-to-be into the living room and the dining room beyond. We took out a wall to create an open concept living space. The room is connected to the entry hall, the dining room, a TV room and kitchen. The final living room will feature a seating area around a fireplace as our focal point. But I’m also loving the original arches and the 145 year old pocket doors!

The latest updates include the dry wall going up and the walls being primed. We also chose oak hardwood for the floors – they’ve been going in over the last few weeks. The smell in there is SO good right now. I wish that picture was scratch and sniff! The floors’ natural color is so pretty I’m going to be hard pressed to stain them in the end. Needless to say, I’m VERY excited to begin to see actual rooms take shape. The living room concept from Casework below has me envisioning quiet evenings in our living room cuddled up with a glass of wine and a good book home decor magazine!

Over here at Casework we’re super excited to see Erin’s new Victorian fixer upper in San Francisco transition to Apartment 34 standards. We know how daunting an entire home remodel can be, especially living through the process but know the Apartment 34 team and Erin will create a unique and thoughtful space and track the progress all the way!

When we were asked, “how would Casework redo a room?”, we jumped at the chance. Victorian bones with modern sensibilities are right up our alley. We love a mix of traditional details like crown molding and wood floors with more modern pieces like bright white walls, brass light fixtures and mid century tables. That blend of old and new is the perfect balance. And to make it all work, it’s really all about keeping things neutral and focusing on textures, materials and playing with scale. We also like to layer tones of gray with the classic black and white to soften the starkness and create warmth without needing warm colors.

  1. > Sofa
  2. > Chandelier 
  3. > Planet Light Fixture
  4. > Marble Coffee Table
  5. > Kartel Gold Componibili
  6. > “Brazil Cliffs” Art
  7. > Mid-Century Planter
  8. > Chairs
  9. > Brass Mirror
  10. > Tabriz Rug

I’m definitely crushing on this chic, sophisticated take on the living room. Catching up on our epic remodel project? You can check out kitchen ideas HERE, living room ideas HERE and bedroom ideas HERE. More updates on our progress will be coming to the blog again soon but I’m also sharing more improptu tours on Snapchat and on Periscope! You can find me @apartment34!!

Room by Casey Keasler for Casework

Image 1 via Daniellla Witte // 2 via Space Copenhagen // 3 via Lark & Linen // 4 via Citizen Atelier // 5 via Nordic Design

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Source: apartment34.com

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I’m a big proponent of having a show-stopping design feature in every space. It could be a cool accent wall, an amazing light fixture or a killer piece of art. Think of it like a room’s signature, if you will. The thing that everyone will remember once the walk out. Yes, painting our entire media room a rich dark hue will certainly make a statement, but that not actually what I’m considering this room’s showstopper.

Care to venture a guess what is? If I pull back and show you a bit more context about this room do you think you know?

Ok, ok, I won’t hold you in suspense. What you’re looking at is the entrance to our media room. We’ve taken was once a standard doorway you can see the before here and expanded it – dramatically. When you’re fortunate enough to have 12-foot ceilings to play with you have to take advantage of it right??

We went ahead and both broadened and heightened the media room-to-be’s doorway to jumbo-french door proportions because I have this vision in mind…

The media room doorway will feature oversized glass french doors with steel frames! I have always loved the juxtaposition of that dark framing against crisp white walls. Adding that touch of a modern industrial twist in a classic Victorian space just feels so right. And I love the excuse to hang thick velvet curtains in the room to cover the doors when it’s movie night! I’m hoping the final effect is as lovely as it is in my head right now, but I’m feeling pretty good about this decision.

What do you think? Are you on board with my door choice? I’d love to know. And be sure to check everyone else’s Week 4 update. These rooms are coming along swimmingly. It’s so fun to see everyone’s progress! If you’re playing check up, check out Week One, Week Two and Week Three.

Apartment 34 | Arianna Belle | Because It’s Awesome | Coco+Kelley | Design Darling | Design Indulgence |Design Manifest | Christine Dovey | The English Room | Vanessa Francis | Hi Sugarplum | Honey We’re Home | Jojotastic | The Pink Clutch | The Pink Pagoda | Simplified Bee | Style Your Senses | A Thoughtful Place | Kimberly Whitman | The Zhush |

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Source: apartment34.com