If you are planning a small bathroom which lacks natural light, embrace the masculine and employ dark, rich tones rather than try and fool the eye with all white on white. The truth is, you can’t fool the eye. Small is small and dark is dark but neither has to be a negative. Small can feel sheltered and dark can feel tranquil and quiet. Sounds like a great place for a long, hot bubble bath after a long work day.

In this bathroom, I created an arched niche under the stairs and wrapped an undermount tub in marble tiles. The tiles were less expensive than a solid stone top and side. Gold grass wallpaper was hung and reflects what little light is available and plays off the camel tones with the drapery, artwork and accessories. The gold branch sconce lights were used throughout the home for continuity and add an organic element to the room.

Seeing as I was limited in space for the sink (a pedestal would have been the usual choice but I don’t think along those lines), I scoured every antique shop I knew from here to Chicago and discovered an antique marble top with the most beautiful scalloped edging that just needed a good cleaning. I also procured a large Italian gold leaf wall sconce which serves as the base of the sink (once we drilled holes in it and found a way to mount it securely), a gold leaf mirror altered to accommodate the wall faucet and an old gold sink bowl. Certainly not your Home Depot bathroom.

This one is pure French Country – Kirsten style.

In my last blog, I teased you with the textiles of this sunroom.  Here is another peek as we move a step closer towards it’s completion.  We are awaiting the arrival of the milkweed sisal carpet and my iron worker is busy welding the custom sofa table and side table that will hold new pieces of carrara marble to blend in with the old.

This is such a lovely example of two things:  patience and the pairing of new and old.  I suppose both are interlinked on many levels.  I have never believed good design truly can be bought in a day.  You can buy a look, certainly but depth demands time and patience.  The balanced evolution of a room must be pondered and discovered. The perfect side table may not be a mouse click away but require a physical search.  In this case, after an extensive search for antique marble topped garden tables that only produced overpriced and wrongly sized options, we chose to have them made for a fraction of the cost.  While we gave up the history of the pieces, we made up for it in savings and exact measurements and, of course, we employed a delightful local craftsman who put his own talented energy into our pieces.  It was a win, win.

In regard to pairing the new with the old, you cannot go wrong with that thinking — ever.  Each brings to the other a different strength. What captivates me the most, especially in this project, is the whispered memoir of the Normandy armoire and the side tables.  These cherished pieces are survivors which now grace us with an example of stateliness.  They encourage us to cherish ourselves and our living as we grow old with both poise and distinction.

Patience – Unhurried Intentions – Pieces with a presence

For those of you that are lucky enough to call Wisconsin home sweet home, it seems we have been blessed with an early spring this year and this has many of us craving all things summer.  One of my favorite clients who’s English library you may have seen on the website last year  now seeks a peaceful sunroom extension off of the open kitchen.  The room is already filled with light from the oversized floor to ceiling windows and overlooks a serene backdrop of fresh green from spring to late fall.

The glory of having a sunroom with windows like this is that it allows the view to become the art and therefore requires very little by way  of interior drama.  I have started with my favorite wool crewel tone on tone on the upper cushions of the settee to bring elegance to the room. A  a cream and navy stripe for both the piping and backsides introduces our blue again from the kitchen and offers such a crisp look. And finally, the softest taupe velvet on all of the seat bottoms beckons bare legs curled up with a summer novel at the ready.

Don’t  think you have to use a wild combination of color to bring some visual enthusiasm to a room. Sometimes a blend of textures and pattern is enough… especially if the view is what you want to emphasize.

p.s. I will send you all an eblast of the finished room. Did you sign up yet?