Chez Sois {take six}

My client is in!  The remodeling phase of Chez Sois finished up last month and my client has officially moved into her new place.  I received this email from her after her first night..."It's just amazingly gorgeous to wake up to, and I do appreciate all of the talent and knowledge you have put into making it an incredible place to live." How great is that?  It's just a wonderful reminder of how blessed I am to be doing a job I love.  

I wasn't able to get in to do any formal "after" photos as she started moving in before everything was 100% done.  But, I was able to get a few shots with my phone that I'll share today.  I plan to have professional ones done as soon as all the furniture is installed.  I promise, it will be worth the wait!

The fireplace wall turned out better than I imagined.  We added some beautiful trim details.

The kitchen is a perfect mix of design and function!

The powder bath is definitely a jewel with it's cobalt wallpaper.

The new master bath is a delight in travertine!

The staircase sets a tone for the rest of the house and you get a peak at the new wood floors.

This isn't the best picture of the balcony railing, but it's all I have at the moment.

Here is a little BEFORE shot of the above window looked before we created the balcony.

Chez Sois {take one}

I'm starting a new job and I'm hoping to bring you all along on the design journey with me as I help my client transform her townhouse from a seventies gem into a true reflection of herself -  "a totally feminine home".  It's a top to bottom renovation - flooring, walls, cabinets, lighting, etc.  We're even tackling new furnishings.  Every surface (inside and out) will be changed and I couldn't be more excited about the possibilities.

The first phase in doing a project like this is creating an overall design plan.  I go room by room, making a list of what the client wants done, what needs to be done and what I think would make the space amazing.  I review my initial notes and the photos I take at the initial consultation.  It's crazy how much you see in photographs that you miss during the first walk-through.

Here's a little taste of what the place looks like today and you can see lots of inspiration photos here on my Chez Sois Pinterest board.  The client put together some great idea books on Houzz and I pulled from that to create the Pinterest board as we move through this project.  I'll continue to add to it, so please follow.  It's going to be a fun ride!

Family Room - The dining room is on the other side of that railing.

Family Room - look up and this is what you see.  A window into a bedroom.

Kitchen - I can't wait to get my hands on this.

Kitchen - Need I say more??

Front Exterior - Paint colors are in desperate need of a change.

I hope you will continue to follow me on this project and see the transformation that will take place over the coming months.  Oh, did I mention we have a September deadline?!?

Thanks for reading,
Jennifer

Let's Get Cozy

With the cooler weather finally making it to Tallahassee, I'm loving that I can light a fire and get all cozy in the evenings and watch mindless television shows that I'm too embarassed to name here.

So, with "cozy" on the brain, I'm always amazed at what designers can do in small spaces.  I love little desk areas tucked away or reading nooks in places you would never think to use.  Here are some great ideas of how designers made great use of a small space.  Hopefully this will inspire you to look around your own home and see if you might find just the right place for a little hide-a-way of your own.
 

What a great wet bar tucked under these stairs.  Functional and beautiful.  Photo via In the Studio.

Now this is a small space!  Photo via Tumbleweed Houses.

What child wouldn't love to be able to call this cozy space their playroom?  Photo via Bamkapowxo.

 I know this is a bad photo, but I can't believe how tiny this bathroom is!  Photo via Relaxshacks.

Great use of space at the front door using floating shelves and storage boxes.  Photo via Decor Pad.

A reading nook is one of many ideas you can do under the stairs.  Photo via Southern Living.

This coat closet has been turned into a reading nook with great attention to detail.  Photo via Mashable.

 

Great desk space tucked into a standard size bedroom closet.  Very simple to recreate especially in a guest bedroom that doesn't get used very often.  Photo from Blisstree.

 
If you need help designing your own small space, or any size space.  Give me a call!  I'd love to help you.

Thanks for reading,
Jennifer 

Introducing...JT Design Online

I finished up my first e-Design Room Makeover winner and it's off in the mail to her today!  I'm so excited and wish I could be a fly on the wall when she opens it.  My client is a recent college graduate who currently lives in a small studio apartment - she lives, sleeps and entertains all in the same large room (16' x 20')!  She wanted me to give her a more "grown up" look and only asked me to keep two things; her bed and sofa.  Everything else was up for grabs.  Here's a little taste of what she has coming...

The "Living Room" side of the room - these two chairs, paired with this small round table not only provide a great place to entertain, but will double as a small dining table.  Finding pieces that serve more than one purpose is key to a very small space.

The "Bedroom" side of the room - instead of traditional night stands, I went with a desk and chest.  Both the desk chair and bench can be easily brought over to the other side of the room for additional seating when she entertains.  The bench also opens up for extra storage!

I've given her two options for the wall behind her bed - vinyl decals or a stencil.

The wall decor is simple and brings in much needed interest around the room.

One of my favorite things is this bedding with this punch of yellow accent pillow.

I couldn't forget the finishing touches...

Now, onto my next winner.  If you are interested in having an e-Design done for your space, please contact me today.  This is a great way to get a high quality design plan for a fraction of the price of traditional interior design and in a lot less time!

This project took about 3 weeks to finish and with the client providing all the labor, her total room was just a little over $4,000!