Dallas/Fort Worth House and Home Magazine, October 2010 Issue

DALLAS/FORT WORTH

T TH HE E C CO OM MP PL LE ET TE E R RE ES SO OU UR RC CE E M MA AG GA AZ Z II N NE E F FO OR R Y YO OU UR R H HO OM ME E

O C T O B E R

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French Modern BLENDING MODERN DESIGN WITH TRADITIONAL ACCESSORIES

33 ROOM ROOM REDO REDO HOW HOW TO TO SPRUCE SPRUCE UP UP YOUR YOUR DRIVEWAYS DRIVEWAYS AND AND SIDEWALKS SIDEWALKS WHITE WHITE ROCK ROCK CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY

BEFORE

AFTER

972.535.6921

D A L L A S/F O R T W O R T H

contents

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features

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11 departments

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In This Issue

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Remodeling Solutions:

PUBLISHED BY

French Modern

Author/Designer blends modern style with traditional fabrics, antiques and timeless accessories.

Move to Modern

A White Rock Lake couple incorporates contemporary flair into their home.

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3 Room Redo

Interior Designer adds style and flair to a young family’s home.

A preview of our September 2010 edition.

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Team Expansion Remodeling a cook’s kitchen for a growing family.

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Handbook: On the Surface

Punch up sidewalks and driveways to improve the look of your property.

on the cover A scene from the book, Carolyn Westbrook: The FrenchInspired Home. CICO Books, $29.95, 2010; www.cicobooks.com Photography by Keith Scott Morton.

MBH PUBLISHING, LLC

PUBLISHER . . . . . . . .Nitzan Mendelbaum ART DIRECTOR . . . . . . . . . .Robert Coplin CONTRIBUTING WRITERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Leigh Bell, Debi Bryant, Amanda Flatten . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carolyn Westbrook CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Terri Glanger, Janet Lenzen,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Keith Scott Morton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tammi Greene PRINTING . . . . . . . . . DROR International MBH Inc., dba Dallas/For t Wor th House & Home ("DFWH&H"), is a news magazine with emphasis on interior design and remodeling.

House & Home does not knowingly accept false or misleading adver tising or editorial content, nor does H&H or its staff assume responsibility should such adver tising or editorial content appear in any publication.

House & Home has not independently tested any services or products advertised herein and has not verified claims made by its advertisers regarding those services or products.

House & Home makes no warranties or representations and assumes no liability for any claims regarding those services or products or claims made by adver tisers. Readers are advised to consult with the advertiser and/or other home repair and renovation professionals regarding the suitability of an advertiser's products.

No reproduction is permitted without the written consent of the Publisher. Copyright 2010, all rights reserved. Subscriptions available for home delivery at a cost of $25 per year.

P.O. Box 2396 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 214.532.3290

around town October 2010 The Greater Dallas Chapter of The National Association of The Remodeling Industry (NARI) will hold its FOURTH ANNUAL REMODELED HOMES TOUR on October 23 and October 24, 2010, benefiting the North Texas Food Bank.

This year there will be nine homes on the tour at locations throughout the metroplex. These private residences will be open between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. and visitors to each home will have the opportunity to see firsthand the outstanding skills and craftsmanship of NARI Professional Contractors. The Remodeled Homes Tour showcases whole house renovations and additions, as well as specific areas such as gourmet kitchens, luxurious bathrooms and even a “mother-in-law” apartment. Industry specialists and participating NARI Remodelers will be available to answer questions at each home. If you’re looking to remodel your home or just looking for ideas, don’t miss this tour.

Ticket costs are $12 per person. Children under 12 are FREE. Visit www.naridallas.org for more information or to purchase advance tickets.

Sunday, Oct 10, 2010, Dallas celebrates the 200th anniversary of Latin America's independence with the 4TH ANNUAL FIESTA LATINOAMERICANA! Enjoy music, dance, workshops, food, and family fun from 15 nations.

11 am to 7 pm, FREE 2301 Flora St, Dallas, TX 75201 in the Dallas Arts District from the Guadalupe Cathedral and the Meyerson to the AT&T Plaza www.dfwinternational.org/FiestaLatinoamericana

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House & Home Delivers A monthly circulation of 50,000 copies is distributed throughout the Dallas/ Fort Worth area: HIGH-TRAFFIC LOCATIONS such as select Calloway’s Nursery, Tom Thumb, Central Market, New Flower Market, Market Street, Borders and Sam’s Club MORE THAN 1,000 OTHER LOCATIONS including restaurants, book stores and hardware stores VIRTUAL MAGAZINE e-mailed to members of professional organizations such as ASID, NARI and Custom Home Builders and virtual magazine subscribers.

To learm more about how to reach our targeted audience, call 214.532.3290 5

in this issue:

A

h, October, that month when the mornings whisper “fall” while the afternoons are still talking summer. With the milder weather sneaking in, it’s no surprise that the October calendar is jam-packed with festivals and events.

Our cover is graced by the work of designer and author Carolyn Westbrook. Her new book, Carolyn Westbrook: The French Inspired Home, features stunnning interior and exterior photography. We excerpt our main feature story this month from the book’s French Modern section. Turn to page 11, and you’ll quickly fall for Carolyn’s French-inspired designs.

In “Move to Modern” on Page 22, discover how a White Rock Lake couple gave their 1960s home a modern makeover, inside and out. Over a period of 13 years, Jeff and Susan Good made changes to their home to suit their modern style. They started by redefining the kitchen space and opening up the dining and living areas.

The biggest transformation took place when the couple expanded their master bedroom, which now features a stone fireplace, a bed alcove with floating steel nightstands and a wall of windows with a view of the pool. The modern style is carried outdoors with a sleek pool featuring a stone wall and sheer descent fountain.

On page 30, you’ll discover how dressing up your sidewalks and driveways offers some stunning results for those standard surfaces we often take for granted.

Then, Interior Designer Elaine Williamson reveals her tips and tricks that helped to tranform a young family’s home. See our story,“3 Room Redo,” on page 32.

Enjoy the issue!

House & Home

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FRENCH MODERN EDITOR'S NOTE: This month's cover story is an excerpt from author Carolyn Westbrook's latest book, The French-Inspired Home. We are highlighting the French Modern chapter, which Westbrook describes as French urban living. “This concept,” she explains, is all about a more contemporary, clean style, but not void of interesting objects or the softness that I consider necessary for this look."

Carolyn has spent years combing through French flea markets for special collections to create beautiful French interiors. All of the homes featured in The French-Inspired Home have their own distinctive style but are "French" in their inspiration. By dividing the book into different themed sections, Westbrook presents various design possibilities that are classic and timeless, but never stuffy.

Carolyn Westbrook is a prominent lifestyle designer, known for her brand The Carolyn Westbrook Home. Her love for French style finds its way into her home décor line which includes bedding pillows, slipcovers, lamps and other accessories. Her previously published design books include The Carolyn Westbrook Home and Where Women Create. She has been featured in Country Living, Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, Better Homes and Gardens and Somerset Life. Carolyn was most recently featured in the book Vintage Vavoom, released by the editors of Romantic Homes magazine.

Carolyn Westbrook: The French-Inspired Home. CICO Books, $29.95, 2010; www.cicobooks.com ISBN: 9781907030697 Photography by Keith Scott Morton

Reprinted with permission.

AUTHOR/DESIGNER BLENDS MODERN STYLE WITH TRADITIONAL FABRICS, ANTIQUES AND TIMELESS ACCESSORIES 11

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hat I would call French urban living is all about a more contemporary, clean style, but not void of interesting objects or the softness

that I consider necessary for this look. I grew up with modern. My mother was a genius at being able to mix it with just the right things to make it warm and comfortable, not cold and austere. We would have a mirrored cube as a coffee table layered with glass prisms and acrylic candleholders, but this would be sitting atop a white fur rug, which seemed to soften the cold, hard edges. Lots of texture in low-slung velvet couches and miles of fabric in luxurious drapes helped balance the room. Similarly, these French modern interiors are lush with mohair couches and Venetian mirrors, which come across as chic and urban. Stairs appear to float on air, while banks of windows seem as if you are in the out-of-doors and really make for a breathtaking home.

Even though the look is modern, it is still very comfortable and also beautiful.

RELAXING RETREAT

Being in this room makes you feel as if you are almost in the garden. The magnificent bank of floor-to-ceiling windows allows an unobstructed view of the backyard, with its amazing landscape just beyond the door. The garden is absolutely breathtaking, and you would think that it is set in the middle of a clearing in the woods. In fact, it is off a side street in a busy city, and you would never know. This contemporary look is not short on style, and the neutral palette, along with the soothing sights from outside, make this place an inspiring sanctuary.

RIGHT : A large expanse of windows allows nature from outdoors to become par t of the beauty of the dĂŠcor.

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TRADITIONAL TWIST

In this home, one room flows seamlessly into the next, so that you can see into any room from almost anywhere. The magnificent daybed was custom-designed and looks wonderful below the Venetian mirror. The gold tones in the mirror are picked up in the throw tossed about on the daybed, and also hinted at in the rug. They’re also found in the antique French, leather-bound books displayed next to the antique shell art boxes.

The wall colors seem to flow from beige to golden tones to aqua—all very neutral and natural. The front room is bathed in a gentle aqua shade. This makes a great contrast with the dark casings around the doors and windows, which allow magnificent views onto the pool and surrounding woods. The non-descript fireplace seems to fade quietly into the background until it is needed on cold nights. The lamps, works of art in themselves, are fashioned from old architectural fragments. With no handrail or balusters, the remarkable staircase looks as if it is floating on air. In this space, just off the kitchen, is a little sitting area. Another custom-made lamp is found here. I love the chair, with its tufts and marvelously modern shape—surprisingly, very comfy. The modern couch, covered in a more traditional print, with a linen pillow to soften the whole thing up, fits so well here. Although the look is one of casual, urban elegance, where everything seems to flow effortlessly, it was made possible only with thoughtful planning.

RIGHT : An antique Scotch dispenser, a cr ystal rose bowl, and a contemporar y chair and couch, covered with a more traditional fabric, give this room a modern look with a traditional twist.

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ABOVE: The French shell boxes bring out the gold tones in the antique leather-bound books.

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OPPOSITE: The den opens up to overlook the living area, so that the home seems to go on forever. The Venetian mirror is a fine backdrop for the daybed.

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FARMHOUSE CHIC

ABOVE: A wine room, with purpose-built storage including display shelves and shuttered cabinets, makes a beautiful addition to this home

In this urban French farmhouse, the focal point is the graceful, winding, galvanized staircase, which leads to the galvanized bridge railing up above. This fabulous piece of design allows you to walk on the bridge from one side of the house to the other and look down at all of the goings-on below.

An antique zebra rug layering the floor and French antique upholstered chairs create an intimate sitting area. The mercury glass compotes, which make for beautiful planters, and the white French sofas bring a delicate balance to other more masculine elements in the space.

OPPOSITE: The all-white interior is accentuated by the sunny natural landscape beyond the massive doors and windows.

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A wine room is conveniently located just off this room, making it easy for guests to replenish their glasses without losing sight of the view.

remodeling solutions KEY MATERIALS:

• CAESARSTONE COUNTERTOPS in Absolute Noir quartz and Key West Gold granite • VISION CABINETRY BY ULTRACRAFT in Honey Maple

BEFORE

• SLATE STACKSTONE BACKSPLASH BY ARIZONA TILE • BOSCH APPLIANCES, including an induction cooktop and microwave drawer • FRANKEY COMPOST BIN DESIGN AND INSTALLATION BY:

KITCHEN DESIGN CONCEPTS www.kitchendesignconcepts.com 214.390.8300

Team Expansion

BEFORE

Remodeling a cook’s kitchen for a growing family THE PROBLEM

When Kitchen Design Concepts asked these Far North Dallas homeowners what they wanted their new kitchen to accommodate, they answered: “a basketball team.” The recently married couple has plans to have at least a starting line-up’s worth of children, and they knew their existing kitchen would not meet the needs of their future family – or their design aesthetic. The duo also lives a healthy vegan lifestyle that emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables and wanted a kitchen that worked with their style of cooking.

THE SOLUTION

The first thing to go from the old kitchen was a wall separating the room from the living spaces. Immediately this let more light into the room from the home’s wooded backyard and created more space for the kitchen’s new centerpiece: an enormous island. Today the island accommodates the two of them, but someday they look forward to using it as a place where they can gather with a growing family.

The island also takes center stage during food prep. After a trip to the market, the homeowners bring home fresh produce to create their favorite vegan dishes, wash them all at once and lay them out to dry on the spacious island, saving them extra work later in the week. Another element added out of respect for the environment was an in-kitchen compost bin where peelings and cuttings could be stored until time to take them outdoors to a larger composting station.

Lighting was tricky in this kitchen, which is shaded by the backyard’s many trees. The vaulted ceiling could not accommodate wiring, plus was too far away to adequately light the countertops, so Kitchen Design Concepts designed a custom light track system. The result is a contemporary look that not only provides task lighting, but also enhances the kitchen’s overall design.

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BEFORE

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Move to Modern This modern living room reflects the homeowners’ love of mid-century modern design. The Ligne Roset “Annaba” sofa and “Barcelona” chairs by Knoll Studio provide seating with an outdoor view of the pool, while the bookshelves with accent lighting house treasured contemporary art pieces.

A WHITE ROCK LAKE COUPLE INCORPORATES CONTEMPORARY FLAIR INTO THEIR HOME century modern style they both like. “Even though the Before purchasing the home, interior of the house wasn’t a lean lines, uncluttered interiors and a connection to the outdoors the Goods lived in a nearby contemporary design because — these are the mid-century modern attributes Jeff and Susan neighborhood for eight [previous owners] had years. “We were attracted to Good wanted to incorporate into their 1960s three-bedroom, 2,400changed it dramatically, we this east Dallas location near could tell the bones of the square-foot home. The recent empty nesters have owned their White Rock Lake and the house were such that it could home near White Rock Lake since 1993, and they have slowly made changes, greenbelts that many of the be transformed,” Susan says. including redesigning the kitchen, rearranging the living and dining spaces houses front onto,” says Jeff, The couple wanted to and creating an open floor plan. The most dramatic changes took place withan architect and principal of work within the basic strucin the past three years, with the expansion and redesign of the master suite.

Good Fulton & Farrell ture of the house but change located in Uptown. “We like it to embrace a much more the large trees and park-like setting.” contemporary feel. “Our vision for the house was to try to reinvent it to The family drove by the home almost every day on the way to their really mimic more of the true modernist homes, having a lot of glass and two sons’ elementary school. “We liked and admired the house just from openness,” Susan says. driving past it,” Jeff says. “We saw the for-sale sign the first day it went up Capturing that contemporary feel meant creating open spaces with and called immediately. We were ready for a bigger house for our family.” rooms that flowed together. “We also wanted to change and improve the The couple realized the home, which sits on a corner lot and has a large type of finishes throughout the house — the type of cabinetry, countertops live oak tree in the courtyard, had great potential to incorporate the midand flooring,” Jeff says.

A VISION FOR

TRANSFORMATION

BY AMANDA FLATTEN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT CALLAHAN F L O W E R S B Y H O L LY W O O D F L O R A L

C

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The sleek formal dining room is a showplace, from the Louis Poulsen PH Artichoke pendant light (1958) and the Michael Leroux painting, to the custom-designed wine rack by Craig Beneke.

Below: The high-performance, standing seam metal roof with a 20-year paint finish can withstand hail storms and volatile weather, and also provides the modern look the Goods wanted for their 1960s home.

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Just off the kitchen, which features figured maple cabinets and granite countertops, the breakfast room offers a view of a large live oak tree in the courtyard as well as creative furnishings, including a custom table by Craig Beneke, a painting by homeowner Jeff Good and a Louis Poulsen PH 5 light fixture (1958).

MASTER CHANGES

A stone wall and a sheer descent water feature create a dramatic focal point for the pool. Materials used on the stone wall mimic materials used on the indoor fireplaces.

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The transformation of the home didn’t take place overnight. In fact, the biggest changes to the couple’s home took place just a few years ago after their sons left home.

“We are recent empty nesters, so it gave us a chance to reinvent how we live in the house,” Jeff says. “We decided we liked the neighborhood, and the size of the house was suited to us. We didn’t need more room, so we decided to stay and invest more money into the house.”

Major changes began with a plan to reorganize and expand the master bedroom. Jeff drew up the architectural plans for the space. The couple interviewed three contractors and then chose Russell Labhart of Labhart & Company to build their dream space. “Russell was extremely organized,” Susan says. “He was knowledgeable and personable, and we threw a lot of challenges at him. He was gracious about it all.”

Labhart, who has been in business for 23 years, appreciated that Jeff and Susan had a definite idea of what they wanted their master suite to look like. “They wanted their master bedroom and bath to be what they had always dreamed of,” he says.

The biggest challenge of the master suite renovation was the lack of room to expand. They were able to add five feet onto the side of the home, adding about 250 square feet to the room. The new master suite features an alcove for the bed with a figured maple headboard and two floating steel nightstands. The wood-burning fireplace made of Tennessee Crab Orchard Ledge stone adds a natural touch. A sloped ceiling was added to create a spacious feeling.

Perhaps the most dramatic element is the floor-to-ceiling windows with amazing views of the pool and outdoor areas. “We realized with that much glass, it would be difficult to sleep with the amount of light coming in, and it would be a hassle to deal with manual blinds,” Jeff says. The solution was motorized shades with remotecontrol access from the bed. “That was a real swanky decision on our part,”

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This custom room divider made of Makore veneer was created by Furniture Crafters owner Stephen Jenkins. One side offers media storage, and the other provides a floating black granite buffet for the dining room.

A showplace at night, the pool casts a beautiful glow that can be enjoyed inside or outdoors. Photo by Tom Jenkins.

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The most spectacular view in the house is from the master bedroom. Floor-to-ceiling Pella architect series windows tie the room to the outdoors. Remote-controlled motorized shades keep the early morning sunlight at bay.

Susan says. “When you wake up, you can press a button to open the blinds as much as you want. The blinds are pretty much blackout shades, so you feel like you are in a cocoon.”

The master bathroom, which opens to the bedroom but is defined by high walls, also has that sleek, contemporary essence. Two floating vanities, with color concrete vessel sinks and wall-mounted faucets, stand out against smooth, white tile made in Holland. Ann Sacks marble tile on the counter surfaces makes the most dramatic statement, whereas the steam shower offers the most relaxation. “We stayed in a place in New Mexico years prior that had a residential steam shower, and we decided we needed one of those one day,” Jeff says.

CHANGES OVER TIME

When the Goods moved into their home almost 14 years ago, they started making changes immediately. “The first room we attacked was the kitchen,” Susan says. They changed the layout, increased the amount of counter space and upgraded the cabinets to figured maple.

They also added a tile backsplash, granite countertops and replaced the canned and track lighting with recessed lights and new fixtures.

At the time of purchase, the home had formal living and dining rooms. The Goods didn’t have a need for the formal rooms, but they did want to create large, open rooms. What is now the couple’s dining room formerly was the living room. Walls separating the living room, dining room and foyer were removed. A custom room divider with Makore veneer created by Furniture Crafters owner Stephen Jenkins separates the media room and dining room. The media room side incorporates an entertainment center, and the dining room side has a floating granite buffet. In the living room, the couple transformed the static bookshelves by creating art niches with accent lighting.

The pool also received a sleek, modern makeover. The diving board 26

was removed and replaced with a stone wall with a sheer descent fountain, which creates a dramatic focal point in the back yard. A deck that extends about a foot over the side of the pool was added to create room for lounge chairs. The couple also added plants in front of their bedroom windows. In the courtyard, deck material that surrounded the large live oak tree was replaced with flagstone.

The metal roof on the exterior of the home has received a lot of neighborhood attention. “People have stopped and knocked on our door to ask about it,” Jeff says. When the couple purchased the home, it had a standard composition shingle roof, but it wasn’t performing well due to the low slope line. Replacing it with a standing seam metal roof was the answer, and it also created the modern curb appeal the couple desired.

CONTINUITY

The use of similar materials can be found repeatedly throughout the home. “We have a lot of continuity of materials,” Susan says.

For example, solid hardwood oak floors with a Sedona red stain run throughout the home. “Previously, the home had four different floor materials,” Jeff says. “It really makes a difference that the flooring material runs from one room to the next, uninterrupted.”

Steel shelves are seen in the living room and the entryway. Steel also was used on the nightstands and fireplace hearth in the master suite.

Stone is used on the column in the entryway, the fireplace in the living room and the bedroom, as well as the stone wall facing the pool, which further ties together the indoor and outdoor spaces.

The couple now is putting to good use the modern space they always envisioned. “We use almost every room every day,” Jeff says.

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handbook

On the Surface Patterned concrete can dramatically enhance a large driveway. Photo by Advanced Concrete Designs.

PUNCH UP SIDEWALKS AND DRIVEWAYS TO IMPROVE THE LOOK OF YOUR PROPERTY B y D E B I B R YA N T

As humans we habituate, that is we become accustomed to things after prolonged exposure. We become indifferent to our surroundings, even places we love, such as our homes.

This trait is particularly true for the inanimate objects in our landscape, such as sidewalks and driveways. We get used to the purpose they serve, overlooking the opportunity they provide to use them as design elements in the home’s exterior.

MATERIAL MATTERS

Your choice of surface material is one way to add panache. “The hottest thing in sidewalks and driveways are pavers,” says Joe Rodriguez, owner of Backyards Plus Lawn Care and Landscaping. Pavers are concrete blocks made into interesting shapes and colors that create a sophisticated look.

Rodriguez points out that the cost for pavers has steadily decreased during the past five years. He estimates that you can have them installed for about $10-$20 per square foot, which compares to plain concrete that runs about $4.50-$7 per square foot or decorative concrete that comes in at about $8-$12 per square foot.

Pavers have an additional advantage over the long term, according to Rodriguez. Tree roots or ground shifting cause concrete to buckle and crack.

“Pavers make it easy to maintain because, in these situations, all you have to do is pull up the pavers in the affected area and reset them,” he says.

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As another material choice, Rodriguez likes flagstone, which works well in walkways and patios. “They come in a variety of natural colors, shapes and sizes,” he says. “Their cost runs about $15-$22 per square foot.”

At Innovative Surfaces of Texas, partner Robert Barajas suggests dressing up your driveways and sidewalks with decorative concrete.

Suitable for new or old concrete, the overlay he uses is made of Portland cement mixed with a powder epoxy and bonding agent that easily takes textures and patterns. “It’s a way to make concrete beautiful,” he says.

His four-step process takes about four days to complete, depending on weather. Barajas highly recommends that the sealant, the last step in the initial installation, be re-applied every three years or so.

Otherwise, the color tends to fade.

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NEW AND IMPROVED

Sidewalks and driveways are often a blank canvas— but that means you can really get creative! Ricardo Escobar, president of Escobar Company, recently customized a client’s hardscape by pressing leaves, taken from trees on the property, into the concrete while it was still wet. After the patterns were firmly imprinted, he removed the leaves and finished the concrete by staining it to highlight the design.

He also has used a special salt in the finishing layer. Initially the concrete looks like pea gravel, but the salt eventually pops, achieving a Swiss cheese effect. “It changes the man-made concrete to a softer, more natural look,” he says.

Escobar has also applied his ingenuity to help clients who own older homes. The sidewalks for newer homes tend to be 4-feet wide whereas with older homes they run about 3-feet wide. By adding a border on either side of the sidewalk, using media such as pavers or flagstone, he updates the width and the look.

ADD - ONS ADD STYLE

Another way to break the habit of plain concrete is to layer on additional design elements. Rodriguez likes water features on expansive hardscape areas, especially in front yards where the water movement really catches the eye. Moving water also adds an auditory element to your overall landscape scheme.

If your budget allows for a real knock-out punch, consider Escobar’s water feature with a bridge. For one backyard project, he created a small stream—whose water is pushed along and circulated by a small motor—to run beside a pathway. The water crosses beneath a bridge that is lit from below.

LEFT: Pavers in various shades can add rich color for a durable, decorative hardscape. Photo by Windswept Landscape Studio.

Light It Up Adorning sidewalks and driveways with landscape lighting can turn your yard into a 24/7 pleasure. At night, the lights accentuate the lines created by your hardscapes, plus they make an attractive safety feature.

“You can get intricate with the designs, which cost more, but it doesn’t have to be expensive,” says Ricardo Escobar with Escobar Company. His suggestions: • For a less expensive idea, install accent lights made of solar panels along a walkway that leads to the front door, around the back patio, or to line the path to a pond or prayer garden.

• A more expensive project is when he replaces a series of pavers with light boxes, which are the same size as the pavers. The light boxes can be arranged in a variety of patterns, such as staggered or in straight lines.

Easy Does It Don’t neglect simpler solutions for sidewalks and driveways. For instance, power washing your hardscapes adds vibrancy to the landscape design. “A high pressure washer does wonders,” says Vincent Montalbano, salesman with Montalbano Lumber. He recommends Jomax, a bleach activator and non-sudsy soap, made to clean concrete, brick and patio pavers. Speaking from experience, Montalbano advises the DIY crowd to star t away from expansion joints until you get the hang of it since the pressure washer can damage the mor tar and joints.

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3 Room Re-Do

A G IRL’ S D REAM R OOM R EALIZED

Eight-year old Rachel Nguyen didn’t know exactly what she wanted her new room to look like, but she did know how she wanted it to feel…..grown up yet girly mixed with a little sass! The designer for the Nguyen family, Elaine Williamson of Elaine Williamson Designs (www.ElaineWilliamsonDesigns.com), made it her mission to create a room that would exactly match Rachel’s personality and vision for the space!

First in line were practical matters. Because Rachel suffers from severe allergies, the carpeting was removed and replaced with white oak hardwood floors stained a deep espresso color. To brighten the room, Elaine next chose a soft lavender color for the walls. The wall behind the cream colored tufted headboard was also accented by a deeper lavender damask stencil that added depth and visual interest. In a framed out area placed behind the headboard, a harlequin pattern was formed with cream colored cording set off at each intersection with square crystals. Around an antique crystal chandelier, striking patterns of the deeper colored damask were applied once again.

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STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELAINE WILLIAMSON DESIGNS

Now the stage was set for the furnishings. To keep the room from getting too serious, light green paint was chosen to overhaul the existing bedside tables that, before, were a light pickled wood finish. A “washed out” shabby chic style bedding was added along with white sheers adorned with bright green and zebra ribbons as tiebacks. Bringing all of these great color elements together and adding a “tweenager” feel to the room was a boldly patterned 8x10 rug.

Always thrilled by surprises, Rachel did not want to see the room until it was complete, but did have one request…she wanted the design board created to strategize her new room styling to be placed somewhere in the room as art – a request designer Elaine Williamson was thrilled to accommodate for the whimsical appeal it would add to the space. The mom also had only one request, but of Rachel: to keep the room clean!

To this day, Rachel is said to have so much pride in her new space that she hasn’t had to be asked once to clean her room.

Success!

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A F IT- TING S PACE

At the same time Elaine Williamson’s design team was working on Rachel’s dream room, they also worked on a dream space for mom and dad - a home gym. Their oldest daughter had just left home for college and they wanted a room where they could work out and stay fit. Again, the carpet was removed and replaced with gym style flooring that would withstand the pounding of each machine to be used in the space. A built-in desk was removed and replaced with a custom cabinet which now houses a plasma television, built-in iPod, slanted shelves for dumbbell storage, yoga mat storage and under cabinet refrigerator for hydration after a solid workout. A vintage green wall color was chosen accented by a burnt red strip starting at the baseboard and running across the ceiling. This feature adds an instant height to the room and increased the overall gym-like feel.

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L AVISH L IVING R OOM

The next room tackled by the design team was the formal living room. Although the clients are not formal in their everyday lifestyle, the husband tasked Elaine and her group with establishing a design that would suit the style of the home, which had previously been appointed with luxurious and intricate mouldings throughout. Elaine’s inspiration piece for the room was the elegant secretary she had purchased and eventually placed front and center on the main wall. The design flowed from there. A flared arm sofa was selected and covered in a golden-neutral textured fabric. Custom

vintage red velvet pillows were added for additional depth of color.

The coffee table is appointed with a leather stamped top for durability, as this would be the tabletop the family puzzles would be work on. European chairs were purchased for their grand design and reupholstered in vintage red velvet and textured raised silk. The rug, a hand cut scroll design, added the finishing touch to the overall design. The Ngyuens never thought they could feel at home in such a formal room, but have discovered a new place to read, visit with friends, puzzle and indeed live together as a family.

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