Nail Head Project Revealed

 I have been obsessing over nail heads for quite some time now. 
Latest Obsession: Nail Head Trim
Still Obsessing: Nail Head Trim
Latest Obsession: Nail Head Trim, part 3
Now I'd like to incorporate them into my own DIY project - the reupholster of a bench for the master bedroom.



This is the bench. I agree that it is in perfectly suitable condition as is. However, I want to add some personality to the bench and the bedroom.

Not to mention that the fabric and tufting look a little tired...

For that personality, I'm adding more interesting materials to this bench. Those include a very cool pearly ivory vinyl and, of course, nail heads. Vinyl can be a very fun material - it is extremely durable and cleanable for homes with pets and children. It also comes in endless patterns textures and colors.

 To work out the nail head design, I have created a few templates out of cardboard in 5 inch strips. Five inches is the height of the upholstered edge of the bench, which will receive the nail head treatment.

I have created a few possible designs, while looking back to previous posts for inspiration..

I am attempting to work with some curved designs as well, but I'll tell you now that those are very hard for the novice upholsterer! I have tremendous appreciation for the skill and work used to create the pieces I've shown in previous blog posts!
I'll keep you posted on the progress in working out these designs. Perhaps a vote for the final design...

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Love it or Leave it - Exposed Furniture?

Dan Marty,Designer and owner of the West Hollywood showroom Maison au Naturel, has taken natural to a new level. Many pieces featured in the showroom, and his home, are left uniquely exposed or, as some may say, "unfinished".
In Marty's dining room, featured in House Beautiful Magazine, May 2010, we see dining chairs missing their back panels, while exposing the construction of the tufted fronts. According to Marty, "They hand-tying is so beautiful, I thought: Why cover it? It makes me happy just to look at it.  And it creates more texture in the room."

The same chairs in the Maison au Naturel Shop.

Marty's living room, also from the May 2010 House Beautiful,  shows another exposed piece with a burlap backing and upholstery nails.

And again in his shop we see both the tufted dining chairs and a wing chair with just it's burlap lining.

Love it or leave it? Do you agree with Dan Marty on the beauty of theses textural, exposed pieces? Or will you take your chairs full upholstered, thank you very much?

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Latest Obsession: Nail head Trim, part 3

I am still keeping my eyes open for fun inspiration with nail head trim and the May-June issue of Veranda Magazine led me right to Interior Designer turned Furniture Designer, Barry Dixon. Dixon's very liberal and creative use of nail heads had me captivated immediately. Much of his use involves creating very unique furniture shapes that are reinforced by the use of nail heads along the same lines.

Then I stumbled upon the ottomans and my heart skipped a beat! You can't help but appreciate the art of nail heads in these beauties.

 Later this week I will reveal my own DIY project and the plan to spruce up a boring bench with  sassy pearl vinyl and custom nail head accents. Stay tuned!

Previous Nail Head posts:
Latest Obsession: Nail Head Trim
Still Obsessing: Nail Head Trim

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Un-Set Your Dining Room

One for those "rules" of Interior Design is that a dining room should be purchased as a "set". Or at least the chairs should be a set of the same matching chairs. This is one rule that I love to break. As the Designer Vincente Wolf said in the May 2010 issue of House Beautiful Magazine, "Mix up the seating at your dining table. You wouldn't have eight identical chairs in your living room." I couldn't agree more.Mix it up. Have some fun!

Below are two rooms by Vincent Wolf to beautifully illustrate this point. Both were featured in House Beautiful.

And, because I also like to add variety to any room, here are two Dining Rooms completed by Beautiful Habitat. In the first room , we mixed up the client's existing black and cherry dining set by mixing in two woven chairs.

In this dining room we opted for benches to suit the casual lifestyle and fun personality of a young family. The pedestal table is a bit more traditional, while the benches and chairs are more streamlined and modern, contributing to our eclectic, collected-over-time feel.

For additional inspiration, here are a few photos of mixed up Dining Rooms, all from House Beautiful.

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

French Antiques, Anyone?

As I mentioned in a previous post, Shopping the French Riviera , I was very blessed to start my summer with a trip to France. One of my favorite adventures of the trip was stumbling upon an Antique sale in Nice. Now, I know nothing about Antiques - NOTHING. I do know French design periods (as well as British and US styles and periods). However, I could not spot an original from a reproduction to an all out fake. The whole thing intimidates me. Now, if you do have any expertise with Antiques in any capacity, let's chat. I'd love to invite you to be a guest blogger and share this wonderful knowledge with us, laymen.
Despite my lack of antiquing knowledge, the sights at this market were wonderful. I have a special place in my heart for both Art Deco and Art Nouveau, both periods in which the French absolutely excelled. There were beautiful finds in both periods, as well as many others. Enjoy!

There were great lights from all periods. Here is a collection of Art Deco Lights. If only getting them home were easier, some of these would now be in my possession.

Provincial Pottery - yum!

Beautiful Sconces

I love this light. I would love to have this in my dining room. Granted, that would require a whole dining room makeover, but that's another blog post.

Old street lanterns - would look beautiful restored or as is and indoors or out. 

Art Nouveau Ceramics

And the shop dog - he's adorable.

I mean it, if you have some knowledge about Antiquing that you'd like to share, please email me. I'd love to learn from you and share with my readers.

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Favorite Things - Ulu Table.

Beautiful things keep appearing in my inbox.  I met the Ulu Table through my email today. She's such a pretty little thing that I wanted to introduce her to my wonderful blog friends.The Ulu is one of the many beautiful creations by Jiun Ho. He is a truly talented interior and furniture designer. If you haven't seen his work before, please take a little time to browse through his website. You're sure to find some inspiration.



Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

This Week I Said Goodbye to "Home"

My grandmother passed away last year.This week we sold her home of 52 years and I said goodbye to the house that has been the most stable notion of "home" in my life. My childhood home was sold many years ago and I seem to be a restless nomad, moving house every 2-3 years. Yet grandma's house has always been there as the stable, comfortable "home" for the whole family. Family members gathered there every holiday, and on occasional Sundays. It was a hub.It was full of food and laughter.

My grandmother's home wasn't a "beautiful" home by the typical musings that I write here or that you might see in magazines and on HGTV. It was a fairly typical post-war track home. My uncles and grandpa dug  the basement themselves (yes, you did read that correctly - they dug the basement). It had one tiny bathroom and one very tired kitchen.
Yet, despite any physical flaws, it was the most comfortable and loving home that I have ever experienced. This is the feeling I would love to create for every one of my clients in their home. If I could, I would ensure that everyone in the world had such a haven of their own - a place of perfect love and comfort, with a few cosmetic blemishes, too. I haven't totally mastered this process, but I'm working on it. How did Grandma do it? I think just a whole lot of love. That's exactly what you get when you have a house that has played host and home to 8 children, 15 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and even 1 great-great-grandchild.
I miss my grandma and I will so miss her home.

Moving in with the 8 kids.

The Living Room addition in the 1960's. (love the draperies)

Christmas with the grandkids in the early 1980's

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

If a Sofa Can be Sexy

If a sofa can be sexy, then this one would certainly qualify for it's high sex appeal - the Clint sofa from Bradley Hughes.  I love it when beautiful piece just pop into my inbox. This morning I found this little jewel and had to share. The shape is classic with a masculine appeal. The blue velvet takes it to the next level (aka sexy). Bradley Hughes provides an exclusive product line of furnishings fashioned from exceptional materials such as acid mirror, colored glass, hand-forged iron, exotic wood and stones and hand-finished concrete. All products are proudly manufactured in the USA. 





Bradley Hughes also has fabulous lighting. See more here: http://beautifulhabitat.blogspot.com/2010/03/metal-lighting-that-says-wow.html

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Inspiring Images - Shopping the French Riviera

In May I had the wonderful pleasure of traveling the the Cote d'Azur for a sunny getaway. I found loads of inspiration and beauty to share with you. Today I'd like to focus on the beautiful images and vibrant colors I found while shopping. The French are truly gifted at window dressing, even in the smallest shops and sans windows. I found myself pulled into so many boutiques simultaneously wanting to buy the gorgeous items, yet not wanting to disrupt the artfully arranged display. If only photos could really do it justice... Enjoy!

This is my Cote d-Azur teaser. Look for more Inspiring Images coming your way very soon - including Cannes Film Festival, beaches, yachts, antique markets, and Art Deco.
Happy Weekend!

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com

Still Obsessing: Nail Head Trim

I still in love with all the creative uses for nail head trim, and still planning my own DIY project. Here are more out-of-the-box applications for nail head trim that are inspiring me. I hope you'll find inspiration, too. Enjoy!

Leather wall tiles are certainly a way to make an impact in any room. Now, combine leather wall tiles with double rows of pyramid-shaped nail heads - WOW. This room was designed by Kirsten Fitzgibbons and Kelli Ford of Kristen Kelli, LLC  and featured in the May issue of House Beautiful.

If that look feels too edgy for you, try waves of traditional round nail heads on grass cloth wallpaper.

This room was part of the Denver Parade of Homes, 2007. Sadly I do not have the Designer information to give credit, but I loved it so much that I snapped these photos. If anyone knows the Designer, please share and I will be happy to credit them for this beautiful room.

Still working on my own nail head creations....stay tuned.

Beautiful Habitat: Interior Design & Decoration www.beautifulhabitat.com