Project Reveal

We always love sharing project reveals. When we have spent so much time on a home creating a space perfectly tailored for our clients, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing the beautiful photographs that capture the space. This project reveal is even more special for me, as I share my mother’s new home with you all.

My mother lived in many homes as I grew up. We were constantly buying fixer uppers; she would make them beautiful and then move onto the next one. Never trying to flip the homes to make money, she just always needed a project! {I guess I know why I do what I do now!}

She moved into her previous home almost 15 years ago; the longest she had ever lived in one house. Although it was beautiful, it wasn’t the most practical. Detached garage, slippery staircase to get to the main door, and {in my opinion} too far away from us! She loved that house though. She was married in that home with the love of her life, whom she lost too soon. When you share a home with someone you love, and then you lose them it’s hard to let go of the space you shared, as it feels like you are letting go of them once again. Time has passed, and although my mom still talks of my Stepdad every day, she was finally ready for a change this year.

My mother decided to move closer to us {we are now only a 5 minute drive apart!} She found a place she could make her own once again, that had full main floor living, with space downstairs for my brother and her grandchildren to play. Less square footage for her to maintain, but yet plenty of room for her to do her hobbies {she is a master seamstress, no surprise being a surgeon!} I couldn’t be happier to have her close now, and this project was a labor of love for me.

I’ve always said my most difficult clients are family. There is a different sense of responsibility, and knowing them so well it can make decisions a little harder to finalize. After almost a year in the making, I would like to share with you all my mother’s feminine, sophisticated townhome.

The Living Room

I think you can tell by the pictures, my mother’s favorite color is blue. {It just so happens to be mine as well!} She has always loved a blue that has a little more turquoise in it- and we had to work with her to not put it on every single piece of furniture. We talked a lot about balance and adding layers of color and texture. There is definitely truth to the saying “too much of a good thing”. We worked hard to not go over board on her favorite color.

She wanted a space that felt formal enough to entertain in, but would still hold up to the grandkids and not worry too much about where they were sitting. We used a light fabric on the sofa to keep the room from feeling heavy, and accented with different tones of her favorite color. The warm wood cocktail table was the perfect addition to make the room feel more cozy. My favorite part? The Visual Comfort scalloped pendant hanging in the center of the space. Dramatic lighting always makes a room feel more special!

The Sewing Room

As I mentioned, my mother LOVES to sew. She has made wedding dresses, prom dresses, first communion dresses, baptismal gowns… her favorite is making children’s clothing. In her last home, she had a room in the basement where she would spend her weekends sewing away. Although it was a cheerful room, she didn’t love having to be down in the back corner of her house all day.

When we were building this home she decided quickly that she would make the den area her sewing room. I thought she was crazy {I’ve seen how messy her sewing room gets!} but she was determined to make this room organized and beautiful. I must say we pulled it off! The wall tucked behind the corner holds a built in wall to wall desk where she keeps her primary sewing machine. Cabinetry to the ceiling above and plenty of storage below, she has managed to keep this space tidy with all the places to hide her crafts. We picked a comfortable chair for her to sit in when she is doing her hand sewing. We also added an additional small desk for her secondary machine when she is doing detailed work. The room actually works perfectly for her and I love how it feels like a defined space off the living room.

Powder Bathroom

This was the first house my mom has designed knowing that it would be only her living in it. She wanted to embrace her feminine taste and welcomed the soft pink and blue palette we so love. She knew right away that she wanted a pretty wallpaper in the powder bathroom that would make a statement. We came across this wallpaper quickly and knew right away it was the perfect one.

Master Bedroom

Soft, more of her favorite color, a little bit of a french influence… these were the things that mattered to my mother for her master bedroom. Nothing too fussy, but still beautiful and romantic. Different layers of bedding, the right scale of nightstands, and of course a chandelier. We anchored artwork on either side of the bed to add width to the arrangement. We mixed the wood finishes in order to not get too formal. The result was a cozy and beautiful bedroom for her to relax after a long day at the hospital.

Dining Room

The dining room is really an extension of the kitchen. My mother wanted a collected feel, and of course gave herself a project by refinishing her previously heavy wood buffet from her last home turning it into a fresh, yet vintage painted gray cabinet. We wanted to do something dramatic on the wall behind the table as it was rather large and left an opportunity to bring in some fun artwork. We decided on a gallery wall so she would be able to change out the artwork when she wanted. A simple way to offer change without spending a lot of money!

The Kitchen

White cabinets, pretty island lights, and the show stopper stainless hood. My mother is a collector of dishes {again another trait I inherited from her} and wanted to make sure she could display some of her collecting in the kitchen. She wanted fun barstools, but couldn’t find exactly what she was looking for. We ordered these stools and she had them lacquered locally in a color she wanted. We re-upholstered the seats in a vintage feeling fabric and I’m so happy with how they turned out! The kitchen is definitely one of the prettiest rooms of the house! {and notice the beautiful hygge and west wallpaper peaking out from the mudroom!}

Thanks for taking the time to read about a project so near and dear to my heart. A beautiful home for my mother, close now to my children, their school and our home… this girl’s heart is happy.