The Tiffany Room

My inspiration for this year's Showhouse room is the iconic Tiffany Box. Most of us know the famous color as Tiffany Blue. It actually turns out to be a very saturated and bright Aqua, though somehow "Tiffany Aqua" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

It is a stunning color for packaging, but for a room color it can be awfully loud. I wanted a fun, spring color, not radioactive South Beach teal. I matched the color as closely as possible, then dialed it back slightly to a lighter shade. Here's the room in progress:

Here are a few inspiration pictures I've held on to since starting the project (thanks to the blog Rain City Style, the Greystone Mansion Showhouse and Make Room for Living).

Showhouse Before & After

Before:

    

After:

Thank you Crate & Barrel!

I couldn't have done this year's Showhouse without the help of the Milwaukee Crate & Barrel. They generously loaned two beautiful pieces - their classic upholstered Colette bed and the Avery Bombe Chest in black. I also borrowed their super plush Jenna wool rug in Ivory.

The black & white patterned lining inside the drawer, which comes with the Avery chest, couldn't be more perfect! By the way, those are original Tiffany & Co. boxes on the dresser. They were lent by friends who had been the lucky recipients of Tiffany & Co. gifts.

Interview with Aaron Carman, Showhouse Support Staff (and dedicated husband)

How did you first become involved in this year’s Showhouse?

You made me…..I mean, graciously invited me to participate.

What was your favorite part of working on the project?

Going to Zaffiro’s afterward for a thin crust pizza and a beer.

Hmmm, sounds like we drew our inspiration from different sources….I really love how the paint color turned out, how about you? 

You know, I don’t have your vision for these sorts of things. It was definitely a brighter color than you normally work with, so I was a little unsure. But it really does look nice. The black ribbon made a big impact.

Yes, the black ribbon, that really clinched the room….

That was another idea that I didn’t totally get until it was up, but it looks really sharp. I appreciate it more now that I am no longer installing it.

Does the room inspire you to buy me some Tiffany Jewelry?

Umm, no. But I’ll buy you a Mocha at Starbucks.

That will work for me. Thanks again for supporting such a worthy cause….

I’ll always support you. 

And raising money for cancer research?

That’s a good cause too.

Fabulous Photos

While they aren't easy to capture in a snapshot, the framed photographs that hang along the west wall are essential to the room design. Although it is a Tiffany inspired room, the last thing I wanted to do was fill the space with cliche photos of Audrey Hepburn. I spent a lot of time combing the web looking for artwork that would be the right fit, and ended up settling on a group of original photographs that perfectly capture the elegance and fun spirit of the space.

Here are a couple of examples of the pictures I chose. I hope you'll have a chance to visit the Showhouse to appreciate the beauty of the framed photos in person.

Please be sure to contact me if you are interested in purchasing one of the framed prints at the Show!

Assistant Designer...

  

(apparently she got the Tiffany Blue memo...)

Finished Pics...

Visit the Showhouse!

I hope you'll come out to tour this truly spectacular home and help raise money for Breast Cancer Research. There are three floors of professionally designed spaces and an amazing lower level. It's not to be missed!

Click the link below to purchase tickets at the official Wisconsin Breast Cancer Showhouse Website. The Showhouse opens on June 4th - hope to see you there!

 2011 Showhouse: 3026 Marietta Avenue, Milwaukee

Wind Point - Before

We started with a great space that has tall ceilings, wood beams and beautiful windows. The walls are finished in a Venetian plaster. The large fireplace is trimmed in gray & slate blue tile, and the ceilings feature large walnut-stained wooden beams. 

Wind Point - Color Inspiration

With the beige walls and light Maple floors the space needed some richness and color. We settled on a palette of deep browns and turquoise.

Wind Point - Area Rugs

These two amazing area rugs laid the foundation for our Living Room and Dining Room. They added softness, depth, and rich color to both spaces.

This Tibetan rug is hand knotted in wool and silk. The deep chocolate brown is accented by abstract, asian-inspired Jellyfish shapes. It's a great counterpoint to the more densely patterned and colorful Living Room rug.

Turquoise Rooms

A few inspiring uses of Turquoise from Drake Design and the blog House of Turquoise:

Wind Point - Upholstery

The clients enjoy entertaining, so it was important to provide plenty of seating for guests. But the furniture also had to be kid friendly for their two young girls. We settled on two of these cozy ultra-suede sofas and the companion chair. They are large scale, perfect for curling up to watch a movie, but still crisp and stylish with square tuxedo arms and nailhead trim.

Rather than using a coffee table, we selected an oversized leather ottoman (60" diameter - as big as a dining table). It's great for young kids, but can also provide extra seating during a party.

Wind Point - Favorite Pieces

Here are a few of the unique furniture and accessory pieces that went into the project:

Round Pedestal Table with Shell Top

Wind Point - Before & After

Wind Point - The Finished Space

Matt & Kim's Place

This summer our next-door neighbors and good friends, Matt and Kim, traded their 20’s era Milwaukee Bungalow for a spacious new home in Franklin. Besides leaving behind their fabulous neighbors across the fence, they also left the charm and character that can only be found in an old, Craftsman built home.

Their new place in Franklin came with a spectacular view, lots of space, and a big backyard. But it lacked some of the features they loved so much about their old home – built-in bookcases, leaded glass, a cozy fireplace (…there was a fireplace, but we’ll get to that later).

So Matt and Kim hired me to create a design plan for their new home that would draw upon the spirit of their old place. 

Window Seats

Kim always dreamed of having a built-in window seat somewhere in her home (here's an image she's held onto for many years...).

Because of the generous size of her family room, we had plenty of space to work with. But most window seats are tucked into little cozy nooks between walls, or at the end of the hallway. We had to find a way to create a space that was conducive to a window seat, so it felt like it was meant to be there. A few inspiring examples:

The solution was to construct bookcases between the two large family room windows. Besides creating a home for two window seats, they would provide great storage and display space for the Stickel’s pictures, books and collectibles. 

And perhaps one of the best features provided by the window seats was storage space for stashing the kid's toys - perfect for a quick 5-minute clean up before guests stop by.

The Fireplace

The focal point of the room was the fireplace, but it wasn’t living up to its potential. It felt more like an afterthought tacked onto the wall.

So we set out to create a surround that did the fireplace justice....

First, the unit itself had to be pulled into the room 15”, with a false chimney chase constructed up to the ceiling. This would position the fireplace in front of the bookcases, giving it the prominence it deserved.

The venting was rerouted and reconnected. Then our talented finish carpenter & cabinetmaker, Mark Marescalco, constructed the beautiful new wood mantel and surround.

After two coats of off-white paint and some new slate tile, the fireplace had an indisputable wow factor!

Q&A with the Homeowner

You came from an old bungalow – how did that factor into your goals for the space? 

We missed the charm and the ‘coziness’ of our bungalow – the first floor was filled with beautiful oak wood that had so much character, and we had converted the unfinished attic into a breezy, airy and lighter space. We wanted to combine aspects of both spaces into one room in our new house.  

And we missed bookshelves. We are big readers and to move into a house without them…well, we knew we needed a change. Our goals were to blend the things we loved about our old house and enhance the qualities we loved about the new house.

How did the design process work for you? 

Amy asked a lot of questions about what we wanted the room to feel like, what inspired us, what colors and styles were we drawn to. She was able to render, on first try, EXACTLY what we were envisioning, and managed to take it even further with simple details that added so much. 

The professionals she recommended to do the work have been great to work with and overall this collaborative process has been very satisfying. We love this space!

The Finished Room - Before & After