Client Entry Before and After - in Neutrals

Hello out there readers of design blogs!  Today I have a postlet to share with you of a recent foyer makeover.  This is one of the "afters" because I think it best to open things up with some pretty.

So now we'll back up to where it all began.

The thing is my clients' home is at the top of a mountain on the most gorgeous wooded lot, and we didn't think this particular arrangement honored the natural loveliness of its surroundings. Although the console table was a step in the right direction, the three shelves with the two mirrors and chairs felt busy.

My clients wanted something rustic and sophisticated.  And they did not want to repaint the walls.

Sorry for this horrifically blurry shot, but its the only one I have the shows the "before" of the feature art piece painted by my client's son.  I immediately knew we should make this painting the focal point of the long wall of the entry.  I had the painting reframed with a wider creamy white mat and a simple black frame for a cleaner, more updated look. (see below)

Here's what else.  We added some whitewashed planks to the aforementioned long wall, hung that pretty painting, put a long chunky console table under it and styled the whole thing up. With some nature-inspired stuff like those twigs I got out of their side yard. And, to keep the look from going all Cracker Barrel on us, we added some modern glam with that amazing Drexel Heritage glass prism lamp and crisp white accessories. 

We also painted the French Doors to the outside living area a rich charcoal gray, which we repeated in the family room on the book cases and exterior doors.  It gives them such presence, doesn't it?

Before

 In this slightly wider shot, you can see we also replaced the fussy wool rug with a black & white cowhide.  Oh how I love it!  And we replaced the generic chandelier with something a little more whimsical. A tall leaner mirror further simplifies the look and is perfect for checking out your head to toe look before heading out the door.

And that's the end!  Thanks for stopping by and having a look.  And did you know if you were following me on Instagram then you would have already seen it? Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and on Facebook!

A Few Updates at the Dollhouse

Hello there!  I hope you're having a great summer so far, even though it seems to be passing by so quickly!

Today I wanted to share a few little updates we've managed to get done at over here at The Dollhouse.

Let's start big.  Unbeknownst to you my foyer has been nothing more than a plywood sub floor for some time now.

  I'm elated to report that over the weekend my hubby changed that situation for the better.

Yay!  And I think there's an opportunity for some sort of fun albeit small piece for the wall to the left, so I'll keep you posted when I find my love match. 

Also, if you follow me on Instagram, then you already know that I recently purchased this sketch from a local artist.

and I've incorporated it into this vignette in my family room.  It's getting increasingly hard to find places to put things at my house.  I have no book cases or  mantels and my rooms are narrow so I don't even have side tables in most cases.  It's a struggle for this collector, so I'm layering art where I can.

So what's next you ask?  I've got my sights set on the hall bath.  When we moved in we tore out the old linoleum flooring and the tub surround  and replaced all of that with new white tile. 

Nothing extravagant, but I wanted white tile to brighten up this dark space and make it feel cleaner.  I don't want to spill too many details about my plan for this lackluster space but I'm very excited about moving forward and I think it will be one of my very favorite makeovers at The Dollhouse.  

In the meantime, this 1970's wallpaper is being stripped 

and will be replaced with a Brunschwig & Fils kind of gorgeous.

and that's just the beginning.  Stay tuned, and if you'd like to stay updated with all things The Green Room Interiors, the best place to find me is on Instagram, so please follow along!

The Green Room Interiors provides Interior Decorating and Design Services in Chattanooga, TN.  If  you'd like to discover the joy of living in a well designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

One Room Challenge Linking Event - It's Reveal Time!

Okay, okay.  I know you have many blogs to visit today so I will keep the written part short and sweet.  It's been a tough 6 weeks and I didn't accomplish everything I had hoped to get done for the reveal, but I think you'll get the picture - actually you're about to get lots of pictures.

First, the obligatory "before" shot.  (If you'd like to catch up on the posts leading up to today's reveal, you can do so here.)

Oozing with charm, right?   Sure it is!  See the "afters" below.

Please don't judge my photos too harshly - I took them myself because my room is not yet totally done (as if that will ever happen)  and I worked on it up until it was time to post the photos. Oh, and some of my DIY projects might be a little rough around the edges.  Still working on those finishing touches!

I'm still playing musical chairs around the dining room table.  Bench and chairs or just chairs?

Do you recall the Chinoiserie fabric that inspired this entire space?  

Sadly it's nowhere to be found in here - yet.  Due to unavoidable circumstances, my upholsterer was not able to get my host dining chairs done in time for today's reveal.  Sad face  :-( . As you read this, my chairs are getting upholstered with my Chinoiserie print fabric on the backs and they will flank the ends of my dining room table.   Kind of a bummer they're not here yet but I'll be sure and take photos when they arrive.

And lucky you!  This reveal is a 2-for-1 because I did my living room too!

Leopard pillows - I'm all in.

Most of the items I used in both rooms are vintage and "found" items. People always ask me about decorating with vintage finds, and I always give the same answer.  It takes time, people!  And patience too.

Just look at how excited Ellie is over this new space!

And that's where we are today!  I owe a giant "Thank you" to my Mom who spent a weekend with me placing  furniture and accessorizing. And a big thank you to everyone who's followed my progress along the way and taken the time to comment with such kind words. It's much appreciated!

UPDATE:  At the 11th hour, the upholsterer that was redoing my chairs emailed me to tell me he got one finished up.  Hurray!  Here's a look at that

Finally, a Super Sized thank you to Linda for providing the motivation and for hosting the One Room Challenge and The One Room Challenge Linking Event.  Make sure you head over to Linda's blog where you'll find the links for everyone who participated in this round's event! 

The Green Room Interiors provides Interior Decorating and Design Services in  Chattanooga, TN.  If you'd like to discover the joy of living in well designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

Still Here

In case you were wondering, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.  The truth is I've been blessed with an abundance of work and between that and keeping my booth stocked and still being a wife and Mommy and enjoying our sweet new grandbaby its been a little tough to find the time to blog.  I'm also feeling a little spent after the One Room Challenge .  Oh, it was all good and I'm beyond excited to have my kitchen all zhushed up but it kind of zapped my energy.  Speaking of the One Room Challenge, thank you so much for all of your kind comments and emails.  Those last few weeks were tough and your encouragement meant the world to me.

So, how about I give you a quick round up on what's new in my world.

First of all, this little guy is such a bright spot in my life.  At almost 4 months, he's in that sweet spot where the smiles come easily and he's happy most of the time.  What a blessing!!

And there have been (more than) a few purchases.

I'm currently having an inner debate about whether to paint these or not.  On one hand, they're in great shape.  On the other hand, well, red lacquer. These will most likely make an appearance in my living room at The Dollhouse.

I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of this beauty from My Darling House.  I used to be into horses in a big way, and I've never seen a fox hunting themed painting in colors like these.  

Also, there has been some work-related progress a la this:

and

and decisions have been made regarding my living room and dining room makeovers here at the Dollhouse.  I'm excited to share that business soon.  I think it's going to be good!

So I leave you with my most sincere wishes for a wonderful upcoming Holiday season. Posting may be a little sporadic over the next few weeks, so I hope you'll check in on me now and again.

If you'd like more frequent updates, I'd love to have you follow me on Instagram!  Posting is quick and much more regular.  If you're not on Instagram, follow me on Facebook and/or Pinterest.

Who's ready for the holidays?

The Green Room Interiors provides Interior Decorating and Design Services to happy homeowners in Chattanooga, TN.  If you'd like to experience the joy of living in a well-designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

Art in the Kitchen

As I make my way through my kitchen makeover as part of One Room Challenge,  I'm giving some thought to how I can bring some personality and interest into my small, featureless kitchen.  One thing I'd like to explore is bringing some art in my kitchen.  If you recall, I have a rather large, blank wall at one end of my kitchen where the dining table and chairs are placed.

My wall is crying out for help.

But what do you think is the best scenario in this situation?  

I love the idea of a large, single piece of art, maybe even a big portrait.

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I love everything in this kitchen.

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I think the portraits lend an air of sophistication to these kitchens.  

But how about something whimsical?  

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or dramatic, like below

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Botanical prints are also something I would consider

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Or even a colorful abstract..

So I 'd love to hear what you think .  Do you like to use art in the kitchen, and what do you think the best option is for my blank wall???

The Green Room Interiors provides Interior Decorating and Design Services to happy homeowners in Chattanooga, TN.  If you'd like to discover the joy of living in a well designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com

Project Dollhouse Family Room Styling and Sources

I have a few more photos I wanted to share with you of my family room makeover that was part of Linda at Calling it Home's One Room Challenge. I also got lots of emails inquiring about sources for some of the items in my room, so I've supplied links wherever I could. 

I got more emails about the Lemon Tree fabric than anything else.  Sadly, I can't share a source with you for this.  The fabric was a lucky find from a small fabric store in Atlanta near my mother's house.  I bought what was left on the roll and haven't seen it or been able to find it since.  If you want to have a go at locating it yourself, the fabric is by Greeff for Schumacher.  The name on the selvage is "Lemon Tree".  The store I where I found it is Budget Upholstery.  Information about them here. (They also made the slipcovers for my Mid-Century barrel chairs years ago and have reupholstered sofas and chairs for me. If you're in the area, I highly recommend them)

 Metal stool/ Leopard print fabric/ Cowhide rug/Yellow velvet fabric.  The rattan armchairs were an estate sale find.

My huntboard was styled mainly with things I already had.  The bird picture was given to me by my mother.  The chinoiserie lamp and mirror were thrifted, and the "Kimberly" brick was a happy find that was uncovered during a historic home restoration a few years back.  My husband found it in the basement and presented it to me as a gift. The bust/planter was a new purchase.  I altered the color by pouncing on small amounts of leftover gray, cream and beige paint.  When that was dry I rubbed on a thin layer of Minwax wood stain to give it some age.  

The needlepoint leopard and the pottery planter were both estate sale finds - not at the same time.  

Sofa/ Chinese garden stools/ Black geometric pillow/  Cream embroidered lattice pillows/ rug

All estate sale/thrift finds

Striped curtains/abstract painting/iron sconce (discontinued)/green chandelier crystals

Wall paint is Benjamin Moore's Moonlight White.  This room is blessed with a southern exposure that is unobstructed by trees or shade of any kind, so the light is wonderful all day long.

I have one more post planned for this room, and it addresses my heavy use of vintage and "found items".  If there's anything else you're curious about, shoot me an email!

The Green Room Interiors provides Interior Decorating and Design Services to happy homeowners in Chattanooga, TN.  If you'd like to experience the joy of living in a well-designed home, contact Kim Lemmon at 423.653.3186 or email thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com