#ForestEstate Reveal Part II

Welcome to part II of the #ForestEstate project. We have a few more rooms to show you!

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In addition to the interior remodel we consulted on some exterior upgrades. We added a new wood front door, eliminated the painted wood pediment and columns in favor of new brick work, replaced the light fixtures, and removed the fake shutters by each window (which is what everyone should do in my opinion).

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Back inside, we styled the foyer and added new paint to freshen up the space.

From part I of the reveal, you saw the back half of the house really opened up into one open floor plan. Open floor plans are great for entertaining and utilizing every inch of living space. However, they can be tricky with placement of furniture. Adjacent to the kitchen (also seen in reveal part I), is the family room followed by an all purpose sitting room.

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We designed a built-in bench in walnut, same finish as the kitchen island, to span the family room. The piece has a stone top under the fireplace for fire safety, and opens up to storage under the TV. This bench grounds this space, defining it, where walls used to.

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We re-faced the existing brick fireplace with a sculptural tile inset around the firebox and a larger format field tile everywhere else. We added a small mantel with minimalist styling. We placed original art by a local artists and a hand blown glass vase. We support local artists and makers whenever possible!

The furniture was selected in neutral tones with pops of color in the accessories and art. An oversized sectional by Wesley Hall with a beautiful art piece by Wool + Timber balance out the fireplace details on the wall opposite.

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Next door to this comfy furniture arrangement is a bar/ game center. Custom iron and glass shelves float above a one-of-a-kind natural wood console. The windows, with new textured drapery, and this console help give this sitting room definition from the adjoining space.

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What I love about this room is its versatility. After dinner cocktail? Family game night? Conversation with friends? Have a seat! We chose two different chair options, both with bold texture. These dining stools from Verellen might be the most comfortable backless chair I’ve ever sat on! And the blackened oak table adds the element of natural material without taking away from the wood details in the console. This console looks like a piece of art, we did not want to distract from that.

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We conclude our tour with my favorite shot of the day (above). So many good elements in one moody, inviting, beautiful photo. This project was such a joy to work on. But truly, hearing from our clients how much they love using and living in their new space is the best feeling of all. We are lucky to have such a rewarding job.

#ForestEstate Reveal Part I

We had the privilege of transforming this client’s first floor over a year ago… and now I get to share the results with you. I am so excited to share every amazing detail of this project as it is definitely one of my faves!

Can we start with the layout? We did a major overhaul to the way this home flowed and improved use of every space for this family. Here is a simplified before and after floor plan:

Many changes were made, including opening the back of the house up completely. These rooms are no longer defined by walls, but focal points, furnishings and other design elements. Let’s get into the details of each room!

I love this kitchen.

We moved the door to the laundry room, re-routing the traffic pattern and allowing space for an island. Larger windows were installed to bring in more natural light and widen views of their scenic backyard. This family enjoyed a Scandinavian aesthetic of simply utility as well as the warm touches of a vintage inspired home. An AGA range brought old-world charm to the cooking area, with juxtaposition of the clean modern plaster hood.

A clear finish was applied to the walnut island so the grain matched veneer could be an organic focal point. We repeated the walnut finish on a textural/ architectural panel on top of the open shelving creating balance between Earth tones and crisp white throughout. Seating around two sides of the island allows this family to gather in conversation during meal prep, with room to invite friends and neighbors to enjoy in this inviting space with them.

I think you can appreciate the new kitchen so much more after seeing the before pictures.

Above you will see a glimpse of the dining room before we worked our magic. We opened up both entrances, connecting this room to the rest of the home with more ease. We went bold with our design choices here. Clay colored paint and an oversized custom painting define this room from all others. This client trusted us with all aspects of this remodel, including window treatments and furniture. You can see below how all the elements from kitchen to dining tie together, while still remaining two very unique spaces.

I think we will save the other rooms for another time. This was a lot of eye candy for one blog post! Part II of the reveal coming soon.