...Top 10 Favorite For 2013

The end of yet another year... and what a great year it has been!!  ESD is coming up on 3 years as an "official" business.  This journey has been above and beyond what I ever could have imagined.  I seriously love my clients and I mean seriously!  I have had the privilege to work with 63 clients in 2013.  These people invite me into their homes and trust in me to do something that I love to do.  What else could a girl ask for??!  The smiles and gracious words I receive just make it that much better!  I chose some of my favorite projects for the year. It was hard to pick only 10 but I did. 

I love the end result of this federal style chest.  It is not the "typical" nightstand but what a seriously awesome idea.  Done in fun colors to add some punch to the room and extra storage.

I was hired to design this bathroom renovation.  The mix of charcoal tiles laid herringbone style, lots of white subway tile, carrera marble, double pedestal sinks, shiny chrome and reclaimed wood makes this bathroom a place you don't ever want to leave!!!  

 

These pillows were 3 of the fabrics used for a living room design.  I love the mix of texture and color to give it a modern but eclectic feel.

Love the red when it is used on curvy pieces.  In this case for a pop of color in the space.

 

This dresser was done with a bed for a little girls room.  I love the soft pink with the dirty white and I never tire of crystal knobs.

This was a living room I decorated.  We started with an empty room.  Lots of texture, gray and neutral tones with fun pops of coral and blue.  A perfect mix of modern and rustic.

These chairs were done for the above living room.  They were originally from my clients parents house and she remembers them growing up.  They were dated and looked like they were still in 1974 but I loved the lines and knew they would look perfect!  The wood was painted a charcoal gray and a linen fabric was used.  LOVE!!!

 

This antique wardrobe, done in a royal/navy blue turned out amazing!!

 

This was a kitchen remodel in a 20ish year old house.  The space was fabulous and large but stuck in the 90's.  The cabinets, floors and counter tops stayed.  We changed hardware, all the lighting, new paint, furniture, accessorized but my favorite is the gray subway tile!

My client purchased this at a antique flea market with ESD in mind for the refinishing.  It was drab and now its totally, fabulously chic!

 

Thanks to all of my readers and clients for making 2013 even better than imagined! 

 

Happy New Year!!!

 

Best,

Keri

...Shabby Chic Makeover

These two lovely pieces were finished for a client.  They belonged to her husbands Grandmother.  She was given the pieces 12 years ago and never new exactly what to do with them ~ enters ESD.  This senerio is commen of my clients and I never get bored of it.  I LOVE transforming pieces to stay in the family!! 

 

These pieces have so much detail and character! They were painted using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Pure White.  The inside of the armoire was painted Paris Grey.  They were distressed and the existing hardware was replaced with crystal knobs.

  

Then they were perfectly ready for her little girls room!

...Scooter Media - In Time For The Holidays

 

 

The owner of Scooter Media, Shannan Boyer contacted me to help her decorate their new, larger office space.  Scooter Media is a Covington based - full service public relations and social media agency, www.scootermediaco.com .  Shannan was absolutely wonderful to work with!!  The new space is located on W. 6th Street in Covington, KY.  It is a really cool space with lots of charm and history.  Shannan wanted to be surrounded by the things she loved and have in reflect her business and her clientele.  I think we nailed it and just in time for the holiday open house...

 

 

We started off with a new wall color.  We used Benjamin Moore, Pewter.  The space was originally an old pharmacy and is long and narrow.  To create an entry when you walk in we used 3 antique doors that were attached by their hinges to define the space.  Shannan is a fan of East Street Design painted furniture so we found an antique sideboard and side table.  They were custom painted using Annie Sloan's, Pure White.    

 

 

Candle sconces were painted in Annie Sloan's, Provence for a pop of color on the walls. 

 

 

Most of the accessories were found at Homegoods.

 

 

Fresh greenery for the holidays found at Trader Joe's. 

 

 

The diamond print rug in the front entry and chevron rug in the conference room were purchased at Ballard Designs, www.ballarddesigns.com .

 

 

 

 

Custom subway art done by an artist on Etsy, www.etsy.com .

 

 

The scooter art was purchased by a friend of Shannan's in Italy.  The vintage maps of Southern Ohio, and Northern Kentucky were also purchased from Etsy to represent Scooter Media's client base.

 

 

In addition you will find many other pieces of framed art around the office that has been given to Scooter Media by clients and local artist. 

 

 

 

Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday Season!!

 

Keri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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...Summer Recovery

Hi All!! My kids started school 3 weeks ago and I have been in Summer recovery.  The beauty of being my own boss is that I was able to slow down on my work for the Summer.  I completely enjoyed the pool, vacations, baseball games, my kids and all that comes with it.  Being back into our school and work routine feels really good though and like a breath of fresh air after a few crazy months.  I usually book my custom furniture work 4-6 weeks in advance.  By the time I was into June I decided to wait until Summer was over to schedule for Fall.  I felt bad to make people wait for me.  I am a people pleaser and being able to say, "I can't right now" is a challenge for me.  I was amazed at the response of my clients!  The consensus was that I was worth the wait.  And that makes a girl feel good!!  Here are some of the pieces I worked on this Summer.

 

 

 

 

Cheers to Fall my friends!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...Perfection Found In The Form Of Duck Egg Blue

I have found that Duck Egg Blue is one of the most popular colors with my clients.  Its the perfect soothing mix of blue and green.  It can be used on almost any style of furniture and looks great in any room in your house.

This antique cabinet below was done in duck egg blue.  I used lots of dark wax and distressed it.  This picture is taken in my clients home.  The final resting place for this beautiful piece!

These gorgeous pair of french nightstands were painted in Old White and trimmed in Duck Egg Blue.  They are simply stunning.  Part of an entire bedroom set that I did.

...All White Is White Hot

When it comes to decorating my own home I tend to get bored just as often as the season's change.  My philosophy has always been to stay neutral with the big items that can't be changed as easily(unless your bank account is bottomless).  I use this same philosophy when helping my clients decorate too.  Some may say this is playing it safe but I say its playing it smart!!  I love using white... white duvet covers, white couches, white cabinets and if it means anything - I have owned at least 5 white cars in my lifetime.  Yes, I have 3 kids but if you think about it - white is much easier to get clean than most everything else.  White is graceful, simple, crisp and gives us a little bit of calm in our crazy lives.  It also allows me to do whatever I want with my accessories.  I can change the entire look of the room just by getting new pillows.  And sometimes that can cure my boredom just long enough.    

 

 

White kitchens...

via pinterest

 

 

White living rooms...

via pinterest

 

 

White bathrooms...

via pinterest

 

 

And lots of white East Street Design custom pieces...

 

 

This for a nursery.

 

 

 

This for a bedroom.

 

 

 

This for a dining room.

 

 

 

Thanks and Happy Day Friends!!

 

Keri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...2 Story Entry ~ First Impression

The design projects I do don't always make their way on my blog.  I could use some help in the "picture taking" department.  I actually forgot my camera with this one and used my phone.  That should pretty much sum it up... haha!

 

 Your entry is a really good place to start if you are wondering where to begin to decorate your home.  No, you don't hang out there a ton(or ever), you most likely don't use it when entertaining.  However, its the first impression for anyone that enters.  It truly sets the tone.  How do you want your guest to feel when they come in your house.  What kind of first impression do you want to give?

This home is "newer" than most I am used to working with.  It was built about 20 years ago.  Homes like these don't need walls knocked down to make more space or additions to make the kitchen larger.  Homes like these need new light fixtures, updated floors and new paint.  Mostly its just cosmetic decor.  The biggest challenge with a space like this is that it opens up to at least 4 different rooms.  Making sure the rooms all flow is much more difficult than with an older home that is not so open.

 

 

The color on the wall stayed the same.  It is a pale yellow that adds some color to the space.  I decided to use texture in the space and keep most everything neutral to help it flow with the rest of the house.

 

 

 Lets look up!  The previous fixture was not pretty.  Lots of shiny brass and that is all I will say.  The new fixture needed to be a statement and large enough to fill the 2 story space.  I am lucky to live in Cincinnati where Ballard Designs is headquartered.  I found this one at the outlet in West Chester, Ohio.  It was outlet price plus another 30% off.  We purchased the bronze color in the large size.  Here is the link if you are interested Ballard Designs Orb Chandelier 

 

 

To add more interest to the fixture - we added a very large ceiling medallion.  It was purchased from www.architecturaldepot.com .  I painted it and antiqued it so it would stand out and not blend into the ceiling.

 

 

Looking down!  This rug was purchased from Shades Of Light. The bold, geometric pattern adds some modern to the space.  I love using indoor/outdoor rugs.  There are so many really pretty options now.  They are less expensive and are great for high traffic areas.  Take them outside and hose them off when they need cleaned.  Here is the link Indoor/Outdoor rug in Graphite

 

 

This is one of my favorite parts of the space.  These are watercolor paintings of the 2 homes that my client and her husband have lived in since they have been married.  I loved the idea but wasn't sure how we could make it happen without it being way over budget.  Well, Etsy pulled thru again!!  Found this semi-retired artist on Esty Artworm .  You send him a photograph of your home or past home.  He does these amazing watercolor painting and sends it back to you matted and ready for an 11x14 frame.  His price per painting was $99.

 

 

The table is antique and was in another part of the house.  Lots of texture was used in this space.  I found this really cool, gray hammered lamp with a burlap shade, a basket to put some throw pillows in, a wooden tray layered under a book, some moss balls in a wire cage and the leather trunk underneath.  All of these accessories were found at Homegoods. 

 

 

To fill a empty corner we found a old chair at a consignment shop for $20.  Filled a large urn with preserved eucalyptus and a wire basket with some colorful books.  All these accessories were purchased at Homegood too.

 

 

Be creative and don't be afraid to fill your space with the things you love!

 

Keri