Wilshire Modern Renovation
Consultation Notes Heidi and Scott recently bought and renovating a home in East Grand Rapids, MI. They live there (post renovations) with their daughter and black lab. They are open to starting fresh and buying many new pieces for their home as they are coming from a space they never truly invested in. This new home is an opportunity to do everything to their specifications. Heidi and Scott would like a space that is natural, comfortable, cozy, and bright with a touch of Scandinavian design. Although style is important to them, it must also be functional. They like to entertain, spend time with friends and family, travel, and experience good food/nature. Heidi is more drawn to neutral colors such as black, white, and gray. Blues and green are appealing; however, purple/red hues are out of the question. She also likes comfortable textiles such as sheepskins, throw blankets, etc. For this initial round of recommendations, we are focusing on the living room, kitchen, fireplace room, and dining space. Paint and flooring has already been determined, but this presentation will help to further hone the vision. Our goal is to create a clean, modern, and comfortable space that can be completely lived in/enjoyed and at the same time stylish, timeless, and with a nod to the mid-century history of the house.
Per our initial meetings, we recommend painting the entire house (with the exception of the office) Snowfall White by Benjamin Moore (or something similar). This will make the space feel bright/modern and will be a classic backdrop (especially for midcentury and Scandinavian design).
It is up to you whether or not you’d like to paint the window trim. We think it will make the space feel more consistent, but either leaving the natural wood or painting will look great with the white trim, walls, and ceiling. It’s just a matter of preference. We also recommend painting the door by the dining area white.
Again, per our initial conversations and decision-making, new 5� white oak floors will be installed on the main floor with a 50/50 white and neutral stain. The upstairs 2.25� planks will be sanded/refinished to best match the main level.
This light floor, along with the paint, will create a modern, neutral, pallet that is comfortable and timeless. The perfect backdrop for additional features and furnishings.
In the entry and stairwell, the stair treads should be cut clean and create a tight shape. we think you should install a black, metal railing for contrast; however, you could also use white oak posts that match the floor to add interest. Consider adding a console (or bench)/mirror by the door for storage/function as you have guests.
Another concept to add drama and a focal point (with a nod to mid-century design) would be to create a slatted wall that extends and also acts as the posts. The posts upstairs would then match the lighter slats but against the metal railing. Depending on the railing/stair concept you like best, we can coordinate quotes/ specifics with our contractor. Â The runner should be be grey or black depending on preference. Variation in color (or a blend) is fine, but no pattern as a pattern will date itself very quickly. Â
The living space right off the entry should be a little more sophisticated & formal, but still very comfortable/flow with the house. This will be a place to entertain & will house your baby grand piano. The fireplace should be painted white to create a nice, clean backdrop and a modern, simple brass or black (but large size) mirror hung above to reflect light and draw out the horizontal lines of the wall. A cozy shag rug should be included to soften & anchor the room. Opposing leather sofas should be added with a coffee table on either side of the fireplace. This will add a level of sophistication and ample seating. Using leather will make the entire first floor feel more balanced since a lot of soft textures/seating are recommended elsewhere.
Additional accessories include a large fiddle fig or houseplant for the left corner of the fireplace wall, a modern black bench along the window wall (will balance some of the black from the piano), black accessories (coffee table tray), and a sheepskin to drape across the arm of one of the sofas. Lamps should be added as needed, but to keep it as clean as possible, consider adding recessed lighting in the ceiling.
For the dining area, we recommend painting the lower built-in cabinet to match the gray cabinets we are recommending for the lowers in the kitchen. This will keep the same/line and flow since the spaces are next to each other. Additionally, a small counter can be added to match the counter recommendations for the kitchen counters (see recommendations on next page). The wall section above the built-in, though, should be done with a black marble subway tile or slabs. This will connect the black marble from the fireplace to this side of the room and make it feel more formal. Open shelves in wood or glass should also be added for some serving glassware, alcohol, etc. for entertaining. A rendering/full concept can be provided for you to see upon discussion of plan.
We recommend having a custom, simple, table built to match the specifications of the space AND to match the stain of the floor. This is actually very cost effective and can be done in Grand Rapids. Having a neutral table will allow for your focal wall to stand out more. Above the table, we recommend adding a sculptural black light fixture (but with white bulbs instead of clear). This will create interesting lines, but won’t also compete with the focal wall. Gray upholstered mid-century style chairs should be added around the table (preferably with a black leg). They should be upholstered to balance all of the hard surfaces in this area. Finally, add a large-scale black and white (or very neutral) framed print or photo to the wall behind the dining table. The scale should be large to anchor the dining space visually.
In the kitchen, we recommend long-term having the lower cabinets be painted a gray color (to be determined upon ordering/planning) and the uppers to be white. We also recommend removing the single set of cabinets between the two windows and replacing them with open shelving. The backsplash can mimic the black marble slab or subway tile from the dining room. For the countertops, though, we recommend more of a soapstone or concrete- to feel very natural/organic. This will also contrast well with the white walls. Customizing so much will show the thoughtfulness in materials and design (as opposed to going with something more standard). Stools should be leather (since we aren’t adding any leather in the main living room to contrast the soft seating). We don’t recommend doing anything too fancy with the lightingsimple black pendants or recessed lighting to keep it light/open.
Our goal with the main living space is to be as comfortable, cozy, and functional as possible. First, to add a p o p o f c o l o r, w e recommend getting an over-dyed blue rug to lay the foundation for the space. This thin, blue rug can be layered with a neutral cream-white shag. Add an extra-large, deep, gray sectional with a coffee table, side table, and two chairs. Accessories and task lighting as needed.
We also recommend a custom built console (sofa table) that would run the entire span of the sectional. Underneath the console would be space for large baskets or wooden boxes on casters that can be rolled out for toy storage. It could even be reminiscent of the dining table since we recommend both be custom made (or black to match coffee table).
We recommend adding your television and fireplace in the section between the windows as a dry walled bump out. The additional elements of the built-in wall should just include lower cabinets (the same depth as the bump out for the fireplace/television section so they feel as one). The cabinets provide needed storage, and the tops of the cabinets can be used for art, photos, sculptures, books, etc. We recommend using a contrast of gray (similar to the kitchen cabinet lowers) to create more of a contrast/visual interest on the built-in wall. It will also make the television less of an eye sore. A better rendering/exact styling options to be determined as we know if we are on the right track.
So, what’s next?
Whew! That was a lot of information. Now that you have seen the inspiration/recommendations, soak it all in. Let us know if you have any questions. After processing the information, you have a couple of options. ü Call or e-mail to set up an appointment to discuss your likes/dislikes of the design and how we can move forward together with Hunt & Gather managing the project (we would discuss what items you would like to purchase yourself, what we should be hunting for, budget, and timeline). ü Start working on the room on your own (purchasing items, hunting for things, etc.) and only call us when you need clarification, recommendations, or final styling. Remember, the WHY is more important than the WHAT, so if you don’t like a pillow/lamp/etc. that we recommended, find something with similar lines or a similar purpose (or a cheaper price) and consider purchasing that instead! ü Nothing. This wasn’t what you were looking for, and you would like to discontinue working together. Additional pricing for services would be given at the follow-up meeting that fit your specific needs. Hope you love the design concept! Can’t wait to hear from you!
THANK YOU Kelley Howley & Fernando Ramirez Hunt & Gather 740 Curve St. SW design@huntandgatherGR.com