As Seen In: Style at Home Magazine May issue
I'm considering that incredible floral decal for the Arianna Belle studio!
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Designer Spotlight: Stephanie Jean Design
Continuing our series in which we spotlight some of our favorite interior designers, today we are featuring Stephanie Giesbrecht of Stephanie Jean Design who is known for creating fresh, clean, bright interiors. Stephanie works with residential clients in Vancouver and surrounding cities, but also offers e-design services. Read on for a Q&A with her and a look at some of the beautiful inviting spaces she has created.
Q: How would you describe your design aesthetic?
A: Classic with a fresh take. My favourite spaces are clean, bright and inviting.
Q: How did you get into design?
A: I grew up with an appreciation for quality workmanship and good design. I was fortunate to get to work on the homes of family and friends as well as work with and learn from amazing local designers. My business has grown out of these opportunities.
Q: What’s your favorite part about being a designer?
A: Working with my clients to create a beautiful space they love to call home.
Q: What do you do when you have a creative block?
A: I know everyone says it but there really is no end to the inspiration you can find on Pinterest and Instagram. I also go through photos of things that have inspired me along the way whether it be from somewhere local or a previous trip.
Q: What keeps you sane?
A: Time with family and friends
Q: What helps you stay organized?
A: Lists, I write absolutely everything down. It's satisfying to cross off completed tasks throughout the day and helps to clear my mind before finishing up for the night.
grey pillow: Poetical Grey
Q: No home is complete without...
A: Textiles - adding decorative pillows and draperies really finish off a room and make it cozy and personal.
Q: What's a color you never tire of?
A: Blue
Q: What's your go-to pillow size?
A: 22x22
pillows on bed: Pyne Hollyhock Charcoal
Q: Are you a morning or night person?
A: I've always been a night person; as a mom it's been helpful to be able to get more accomplished once the house is quiet for the evening
1. No-regrets home splurge: Lighting - the right scale and design is worth the higher cost (shown: Jacqueline Two-Tier Chandelier)
2. Guilty pleasure: Miss Vickie's salt and vinegar chips
3. Travel destination: Right now I'm dreaming of sunshine, warmth and the beach so Hawaii sounds like the perfect getaway.
4. Flower: Lilacs - they not only look pretty but smell heavenly.
5. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: Pyne Hollyhock Indigo - one of my favourite patterns; Citysquare Mistymorn -soft, neutral tones; Navy Velvet - works with almost any pillow combination
6. Luxury candle: A local company, Vancouver Candle Co, has great scents - my favourite right now is "Atlantic"
7. Set Design: Nancy Meyers films - The Holiday, The Intern, It's Complicated...what's not to love!
4. Go-to paint color: White Dove - Benjamin Moore; the perfect warm white that isn't too cream or yellow
8. Design book: Nancy Braithwaite: Simplicity - I have this one on my own coffee table.
9. Everyday outfit: We get a lot of rain in Vancouver so jeans, boots and an oversized sweater
10. Design tip: Choose classic styles in neutral colours for your main furniture pieces and you will always be able to update them by switching out your accessories
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To learn more about Stephanie, visit her website and Instagram profile:
Website: http://stephaniejeandesign.com/
Instagram: @stephaniejeandesign
photography by: Tracey Ayton
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>>>In case you missed them, click here for previous installments of our Designer Spotlight Series.
---How to Mix and Match Pillows
How do you create a pillow combination that works? Below is a simple and easy-to-remember formula we like to use to effortlessly mix and match pillows plus some examples of it in action. Make it even easier by starting with a multi-color pillow to guide your color palette.
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Designer Spotlight: Shophouse Design
Continuing our series in which we spotlight some of our favorite interior designers, today we are featuring Betsy Helm and Kiley Baun. The talented ladies, with backgrounds in interior architecture and fashion, run the Philadelphia based boutique interior design firm Shophouse Design. Read on for a Q&A with them and inspiring photos of their work.
Q: How would you describe your design sense/style/aesthetic?
A: Classic Modern is a term we frequently use to describe our aesthetic. We loosely define that as traditional with modern elements and a little quirk thrown in for good measure.
Q: How did you get into design?
A: We went to high school together...and then design school together - it was always the plan to start this business, we just needed to make it happen.
Q: What’s your design philosophy?
A: We strive to respect the architecture of the spaces we are designing. Most times we are working with very classic old Philadelphia homes, so we love creating the juxtaposition of the formality and grandeur of the spaces, with the way modern way families actually live today. It creates a beautiful balance.
Q: What’s a typical day like for you?
A: We wear a lot of hats.... no day is the same. Some days we are in the office on the floor surrounded with fabrics and carpets, some spent with headphones and Autocad, drawing for projects. Others we are doing site visits, client meetings and climbing around construction sites.
Q: What’s your favorite part about being a designer?
A: Coming up with the perfect design schematic. When it comes together, and 'clicks' it is such a rewarding feeling. That and final install, of course.
Q: What do you do when you have a creative block?
A: Move on, there is always another task that may not require as much brain power
Q: What keeps you sane?
A: Each other. The beauty of this partnership is that one of us brings a different mindset towards projects, and running the business in general. It's a wonderful balance and keeps us relatively sane.
Q: What helps you stay organized?
A: We use spreadsheets and Ivy, but nothing beats our paper list of our clients and our checklist. We keep it in front of us at all times, and reference it all day long to keep projects moving.
Q: No home is complete without...
A: A roll arm sofa
Q: What's a color you never tire of?
A: This may or may not be considered a color, but we always need a little black and white in our designs, it always seems to add that extra layer we are looking for.
Q: What's your go-to pillow size?
A: 20 x 20
Q: What are some of your dream home must-haves?
A: The perfect flow for entertaining, high ceilings and all of the light!
Grey geometric pillows: La Fiorentina Light Grey & Ivory
Q: Are you a morning or night person?
A: Morning 100%
Q: What's on your nightstand?
A: We both use a gratitude journal every morning and evening before we start and end our days
1. Restaurant: Trattoria Carina, which we just so happened to design!
2. Luxury candle: Diptyque Fig
3. No-regrets home splurge: Custom window treatments
4. Flower: peony
5. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: from one of our favorite design projects - La Fiorentina Light Grey & Ivory, Solid White with Grosgrain Ribbon Border, Orangerie Rose
6. Go-to paint color: Benjamin Moore Paperwhite
7. Gratitude Journal: The Five Minute Journal
8. Travel destination: Nantucket and Tulum, MX
9. Artist: Jean-Michel Basquiat
10. Style Icon: Giovanna Battaglia
11. Everyday outfit: Jeans or joggers, a cozy sweatshirt and flats - heels are impossible with how unexpected our days are.
12. Guilty pleasure: post lunch dark chocolate
13. App Can't Live Without: Pinterest
14. Design tip: Stay away from trends!
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To learn more about Shophouse Design, visit their website and social media profiles:
Website: www.shophousedesign.com
Social Media: instagram.com/shophousedesign
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In case you missed it, the 1st and 2nd installment of the Designer Spotlight series
---Designer Spotlight: Meredith McBrearty
Today we continue our new series in which we spotlight some of our favorite interior designers (click here for the first installment). Our second featured designer is Meredith McBrearty who is based out of Atlanta and offers full-service residential interior design around the country. She currently has projects in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Birmingham, San Diego, and Nashville. Read on for a Q&A with her and inspiring photos of the gorgeous interiors she has created.
Q: How would you describe your design sense/style/aesthetic?
A: My home is much like my personal style - it is casual, a great mix of old (antiques) with new (contemporary). My goal as a designer is for the end result to reflect my clients' personalities, not mine!
Q: How did you get into design?
A: I always took art lessons as a young girl and loved it. My parents gave me a "new room" for a Christmas gift one year and the designer did a color rendering of my new space and I loved it so much I put it by my bedside for years.
Q: What’s your design philosophy?
A: Buy things you love and stay true to a design that feels like home to you. If you are comfortable in your home and feel that it reflects you, you will be happy!
Q: What’s a typical day like for you?
A: I've already lived a full day by the time I get my three kiddos out the door for school - then, I begin the work day which is, of course different every single day. I always have an agenda and then my phone rings and a client or builder needs this or that, and voila - my to-do list is de-railed just like that.
Q: What’s your favorite part about being a designer?
A: The best part of this job, other than the great fun of experiencing the creative process from start to finish and watching your vision come to life, is by far the great honor of helping families create a lasting home environment for years to come. It's very personal, and a true honor when you're chosen to enter someone's life in this way.
Q: What do you do when you have a creative block?
A: Go back to the drawing board of simple inspiration - I read a LOT of design books and magazines.
Q: What keeps you sane?
A: I'm not exactly sure I'm sane. :)
Q: No home is complete without...
A: Things that are meaningful to you
Q: What's a color you never tire of?
A: celadon blue or purple
Q: What are some of your dream home must-haves?
A: I would love a larger closet, a wonderful library that I have already designed in my head, and a butler's pantry!
Q: Are you a morning or night person?
A: Night
1. No-regrets home splurge: Probably the Urban Electric Co "Cosy Lantern" that I had custom done in eggplant purple - it's so fun and makes me happy.
2. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: Glimmer Peacock, Golden Yellow Velvet, and Heat Wave Palm
3. Restaurant: Le Bilboquet
4. Go-to paint color: Benjamin Moore Ballet White
5. Design books: Haute Bohemians by Miguel Flores Vianna, Atelier AM, Piet Boon
6. Travel destination: I recently went to the Hamptons for the first time and fell in love...
7. Style Icon: Lauren Santo Domingo, Gwenyth Paltrow
8. Flower: peonies
9. Guilty pleasure: Chips and queso!! I lived in Texas for seven years!! :)
10. Design tip: A clean, uncluttered house and fresh flowers go a LONG way - so if you don't have the budget, get-to-cleanin'!!!
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To learn more about Meredith, visit her website and social media profiles:
Website: www.meredithmcbrearty.com
Social Media: Instagram
Pillow Combos That Work
2 - Dotted Beige / Navy Linen with Greek Key Border
3 - St. Tropez Greek Key Navy / Sapphire Chinoiserie / Olive Green Velvet
4 - Townline Road Taupe / Blue & Taupe Chinoiserie / Marine Blue Velvet
5 - Red Velvet / Leopardali
Designer Spotlight: Alex Kaehler
Today we are kicking-off a fun new series in which we spotlight some of our favorite interior designers. Our first featured designer is Alex Kaehler of Alexandra Kaehler Design. Alex is based out of Chicago and offers full-service residential interior design as well as e-design. Read on for a Q&A with her and inspiring photos of the beautiful interiors she has created.
Q: How would you describe your design sense/style/aesthetic?
A: Eclectic, how boring is that? There's nothing I love more than combining things that don't naturally match.
Q: How did you get into design?
A: I worked in marketing out of college hoping it would be a great fit of creative and business, but it turns out it didn't fill that need at all. So while I was there I started a blog and ended up writing about design 99% of the time (this was back in 2010 before Pinterest popularity). So I left my job and went back to design school!
Q: What do you do when you have a creative block?
A: Scroll through Pinterest and Instagram, there is so much to see!
Q: What keeps you sane?
A: Attempting to have some sort of balance - time at work, time at home with my daughter and husband, time alone. It all recharges me.
Q: What helps you stay organized?
A: Lists, lists and more lists. Also I love electronic sticky notes, they store my entire life.
Q: Are you a morning or night person?
A: I joke that I'm a mid-day person. I'm happy first thing in the morning, but not if it's before 7am.
Q: What's on your nightstand?
A: One book I'm currently reading and a pile of books that are up next!
Q: No home is complete without...
A: A dog
Q: What's a color you never tire of?
A: Green
Q: What is your go-to pillow size?
A: 24" square
1. No-regrets home splurge: Art, if you buy things you love, it will always tell a story in your home. Also, a super comfortable sofa!
2. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows:
- Olive Green Velvet - these are such a beautiful backdrop for just about any pattern - a floral, an animal print, a geometric.
- Betwixt Water - I love the texture of this one, there's something so cozy about it.
- Anshun Paprika and Blue - I'm such a sucker for a floral, especially this one. It gives you so many beautiful colors to work with - would be so good paired with an animal print too.
3. Luxury candle: Baies from Diptyque
4. Flower: Peonies, so basic but they're so good
5. Travel destination: Nantucket
6. Go-to paint color: White Dove, it's the perfect blank canvas for amazing art and textiles.
7. Guilty pleasure: Pizza...at least once a week
8. Everyday outfit: Jeans, boots and a great sweater. It's my Chicago uniform.
9. Design tip: Buy things you truly love.
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To learn more about Alex, visit her website and social media profiles:
Website: AlexandraKaehler.com
Social Media: Instagram I Facebook I Pinterest
Before & After: As Seen in Good Housekeeping Magazine
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How to Easily Jump-Start Your Room's Color Palette
Doing this makes it so much simpler to sort through all the options and easily decide what will and won't work. Of course, it doesn't have to be an exact color match and you can bring in as many neutral pieces as you'd like, but by using the pillow palette as an overall guide, you'll ensure you are creating a cohesive look.
You can also do this with a piece of art or a rug, however what I love about pillows is that they're small enough to take along with you when you go out shopping for other pieces (tip: remove the insert and take only the cover).
Interior design by Shay Geyer of IBB Design
Product sources: pillow - Arianna Belle Sinhala Linen Jewel, rug - Nourison, sofa - Article Sven in Grass Green, art- Wendover Art, fabric on wall- Genesis Shay Blue by Shay Geyer
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This post is part of our Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing Pillows.
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Mood Board: Black, White and Green for the Holidays
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