designer’s take

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

Today we’ve got our second installment of Designer’s Take, our latest series where our favorite designers and stylists share what they would do if they could ge their hands on our new/old house reminder: I’m calling it that since the house is 140 years old!. In this edition, our very own spring intern Ali Hartwell is offering her take on the perfect dining room. To jog your memory, here is what the dining room looked like! 

Definitely scary on the surface, but here’s what we’ll have to work with when construction is done!

We’re really not changing too much – everything we do in this room will be cosmetic. What? You think we should leave the raspberry pink ceiling?? The dining room is a pretty large space with a fireplace centered on the far left wall. There are also the original pocket doors that separate the dining room from the adjacent living room. A large set of bay windows sits on the opposite wall. You can see what they look like from the exterior here. It’s definitely going to be a fun space to play with! But here’s what Ali would do.

Ali’s Designer Take: I think I’ve developed such a fondness for dining areas probably because a solid chunk of my life has been spent sitting within them. So many of my favorite memories are tied to laughing and connecting with family and friends over home-cooked meals and MANY a bottle of wine. That’s why when it comes to dining room decor, I always try to create a look that’s going to invite people to sit down and stay awhile.

If the space allows, I love defining a dining area with a piece of statement art to serve as the backdrop to the actual table setting. And what better way to compliment said artwork than with a completely badass lighting fixture?! Since there’s not really much to a dining area, I say go big or go home.

I imagine an Erin’s old San Franciscan Victorian to be the perfect setting for a killer dining room—high ceilings, crown molding, hardwood floors and plenty of natural light streaming in from oversized windows make for an already inviting space and the perfect blank canvas.

Here’s a look I think would play nicely in Erin’s dining room:

GET YOUR SHOP ON:

  1. > Table
  2. > Light
  3. > Chairs
  4. > Art
  5. > Pitcher
  6. > Dishware
  7. > Planter
  8. > Rug

I think Ali has the right idea when it comes to our dining room. I see a statement chandelier in my future and I’m very excited about that. And a eye-catching piece of art over the fireplace would be quite nice too. The search for the perfect dining table is likely to be the ultimate treasure hunt but only time will tell. Once our walls are closed up and we’re moving on to finish work I think it’ll be much easier for a design direction to take shape.

Where do you think it should head??

To see more of Ali’s design work, you can visit her website or follow her visual musings via Instagram @athartwell.

For our first Designer’s Take on what we should do in our kitchen, CLICK HERE! And for even more inspiration for our renovations you can check out my remodel Pinterest board and our Tumblr!

image 1 via The Design Files // image 2 via arper // image 3 via My Domaine

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

As you may have noticed, updates about the ongoing remodel of our San Francisco Victorian have been rather few and far between these days. I’ve come to learn remodels are like molasses – they move at a pace you cannot control! And while progress is in fact being made, there’s not a lot of excitement related to rough-in plumbing, insulation or rewiring. I am getting super excited to share our plans as the designs are coming together! But in the meantime I thought it’d be fun to play what-if with some of my favorite designers. What if they had their hands on this house and could do whatever they wanted! I knew they’d have as much fun dreaming  of what could be done with the space as I have. So for the next few weeks you’re going to be treated so some major design inspiration from a bevy of design studs! I’m thrilled my dear friend and interior stylist extraordinaire Kirsten Grove is kicking things off with some serious kitchen inspiration!

To jog your memory, when it comes to the kitchen we’re basically starting from scratch because this is the house’s current “kitchen”:

 

This is the floor plan for our new kitchen:

While not a terribly big space, we hope to maximize storage with a separate pantry woot!. I’ve toyed with the idea of a kitchen island too. And I’m still debating what the cabinets should look like. And lighting?? Oh the lighting dilemmas. I am excited the kitchen will be directly connected to our living room via a breakfast bar. Obviously, it’s a very blank slate at the moment as we’re still in our demolition phase, so I’m excited to see what Kirsten thinks we might do with this design!

Kirsten’s Designer Take: Hi everyone! My name is Kirsten Grove and I am an interior Stylist/Blogger from Boise Idaho. I am a huge fan of Apartment 34 and I think the world of Erin and the team! She definitely has her work cut out for her with this renovation. But it’s something that I know she will successfully complete.

We all know that the kitchen is the heart of the home. Whether we cook or not, we all want the perfect kitchen. Of course they are the biggest money takers, but it’s well worth it at the end.

I have always been a fan of modern, minimal kitchens. Especially in older homes. The juxtaposition is always stunning! Right now cabinet slabs are on point. No molding, no panels. Just clean slabs. Paired with hardware or just kept plain, these doors are simple yet beautiful.

Here’s a kitchen with simple hardware that doesn’t take away from the doors. I also love the style of hood that mirrors the cabinets. It’s a nice, clean look. This same thing can be assigned with the refrigerator.

Another trend is two toned cabinets. Above we have a dark paint on the top and natural wood on the bottom. You could also do one color on top and another color on the bottom. It breaks the kitchen up and adds stylish personality!

Here’s another example of two-toned cabinets. This kitchen also has another favorite trend of mine. Square tiles! It’s a refreshing change from the classic subway tiles. White grout keeps it more traditional while dark grout keeps it modern.

Kitchens can be a lot of fun to design! Good luck, Erin! We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

I love that Kirsten named a few of my favorite kitchen trends – and a couple that just might make their way into my final kitchen design. But you’ll have to wait a little longer before I can reveal all of that. For now, follow more of Kirsten’s design savviness on her blog, Simply Grove!

Image 1 via Simply Grove  // 2 via 30 Collins // 3 via The D Pages // 4 via Emma’s Design Blog

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

We’re kicking off the week with a peek at our soon-to-be living room! I’m pleased to report construction on our house is picking up. Drywall is about to go in – which means our vision will finally start coming to life. The progress definitely has me dreaming of the final product and how I’m going to furnish it. This week I’m getting pointers on our living room from one of my all time faves – Justina Blakaney. I know this girl can stretch my aesthetic and convince me to consider some decor pieces that are outside my typical modernist comfort zone.

To refresh, here’s what the living room looked like when we found it. Stunning right?! Ha! Those floors are vinyl, the chandelier plastic, the fireplace faux and the ceiling raspberry pink! Good stuff.

But the bones of the room are spectacular. The crown molding, the high ceilings and all the natural light gave us a lot to work with. We decided to simply improve upon them by making the space conducive to modern living. This is our new layout:

I wanted the living room to feel open, warm and serve as the hub of the house, so we actually removed a couple of walls, connecting the space to both the kitchen and the den. The new layout creates a fantastic flow. Now it’s just a matter of creating a design that only builds upon that inviting feeling. I know Justina has the perfect pointers to do just that!

Justina’s Designer Take: For this room, I took what I know of Erin’s clean, modern and sophisticated aesthetic, sprinkled in a few pieces from the African continent and some elements that scream the 60’s. The color palette is controlled focusing on earth tones and whites–and of course I had to add in a bit of green because that’s my jungalow vibe :D. For Erin and her growing family, I see a home that is equal parts comfy and chic with a down-to-earth quality to it–because that’s how I see Erin!

GET YOUR SHOP ON:

  1. > Sofa
  2. > Chandelier
  3. > Coffee table
  4. > PomPom Blanket
  5. > Painting
  6. > Sideboard
  7. > Pillows
  8. > Vases
  9. > Rug
  10. > Plant

While I tend to beeline straight for the mid-century modern, Justina offers a great reminder to look out for those unique pieces that will inject some unexpected character into your room. I’m loving the idea of mixing and matching genres and time periods to create a truly collected comfortable space. It really does pay to hold out for that truly perfect piece. While it can be tough for me to be patient, when it comes to designing our house the treasure hunt is going to be half the fun!

Thanks Justina for giving us your Designer’s Take!

For previous Designers’ Takes on our 140 year old Victorian CLICK HERE

image 1 // image 2 // image 3

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

When it comes to making a house a home, an often overlooked design secret is house plants! They truly do enliven a space, pun intended! And if there’s anyone who knows a thing or two about plants it’s Urban Jungle blogger extraordinaire, Igor of Happy Interior Blog. Igor has been a breath of fresh air from the moment he came on the design blogging scene. His casual European aesthetic is so inviting. I want to just move right into every space he showcases. Igor has also proven to be quite the savant when it comes to plants. I’ve somehow managed to keep two fiddle leaf figs and now a bevy of snake plants alive for over year, but when we move into the house I’m really going to have to step up my plant-life game. Thankfully Igor is willing to share some of his plant-whispering secrets with us today!

From Igor: Moving into a new place is exciting but it can be a tad scary too. It is like the beginning of an art piece where the artist finds himself in front of a gaping void. The empty canvas – as much as it offers a chance to create something unique and remarkable, it also carries the threat of failure and discontent. However, for us interior design loving peeps, this empty canvas is more of a chance than a threat, right? One easy way to bring life into a room and succeed for sure is by adding plants.

Plants have that unmistakable power to infuse life to any room. The dash of fresh green, the thriving power, the benefits for a healthy environment as well as their decorative abilities make them a popular choice for decorators and people who want to live healthy and stylish.

Choosing plants for a room can be challenging but it can be made much easier by simply considering a few points:

> Is your room well lit or rather shady? Choose your plants accordingly by picking either plants who love full sunlight or plants that thrive in shade or semi-shade like a rubber plant or a calathea.

> Is your room spacious or rather small? Choose either large statement plants or opt for small greens that you can group together. If your space is very limited think of a hanging plant instead.

> Are you easy going with plant care or does it scare you a bit? Here again, choose plants according to your preferences and lifestyle. Opt for low-maintenance plants like cacti, succulents or a philodendron if you do not want to turn into a plant mama. If you like to care for your plants and see them thrive happily ever after, go for any kind of plant that will make you happy.

Find the perfect plant friends for the new/old house is going to be quite fun. I see a ginormous fiddle leaf in my future, but who knows? Maybe I’ll throw a curve ball and do a banana leaf palm instead!

Curious how to care for your fiddle leaf fig tree? CLICK HERE! And the rest of our favorite plant tips are HERE and HERE.

Image 1 via Line Klein // 2 via Cotton and Flax // 3 via Lobster & Swan

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

It may seem a little silly to talk about living room inspiration so soon after revealing my latest and last! loft makeover, but as soon as I finish one project I’m already off to the next – at least in my head! And the living room in our new/old house is probably one of the projects I’m most excited about. It will be the heart of the home. That’s why I was particularly tickled that Jacquelyn Clark of Lark & Linen fame agreed to throw in her two cents. I love everything about this girl’s style – she has impeccable taste after all!

For a little construction update, here’s what our living room currently looks like!


Yes, it’s certainly a hot mess at the moment, but once dry wall is finished, it’s painted and we put in the historically accurate fireplace, I cannot wait to start working on our final design scheme and floor plan. Connected to our kitchen, dining room and media room, this space will be the hub of the home – where we relax, where we hang out, where we entertain. It’s really where we’ll spend the majority of our time as a family, so the layout and final design choices will be key. I strongly suspect influence from Jacquelyn’s inspiration is going to show up in my final design!

As you may know, Miss Erin Hiemstra has gone and landed herself a gorgeous old Victorian home in the heart of San Francisco. While the exterior is picture perfect in every sense of the word, the interior is in need of a little TLC. And while Erin and her husband are busy tackling this massive project in real life, I’m going to be over here pretending this beauty is mine! My focus: that living room!

Since launching my own interior design business in October, I’ve been lucky enough to land quite a few pretty amazing projects. But in truth: this home right here is the one my designer dreams are made of. So when Erin and her team asked me to take part in this guest series, showcasing how I’d design one room if given the opportunity, my head began swimming with ideas. 

When it came down to it, there were two things I knew for certain: this living room was begging for the slightest hint of glamor, and those Victorian bones needed to take centre stage. So with that in mind, I’m channeling my inner Catherine Giudici and calling this round-up “grown sexy.” It’s understated and elegant, all while remaining functional. The best part: the clean lines and modern elements add interest and contrast, which really allows those Victorian mouldings to shine.

GET YOUR SHOP ON:

  1. > Sofa
  2. > Chandelier 
  3. > Wall Art
  4. > Accent Chair
  5. > Coffee Table
  6. > Gold Mirror
  7. > Rug
  8. > Walnut Buffet

Grown sexy? Jacquelyn, you had me at hello! I’m all about striking that balance between warm and elegant, sophisticated and livable. It is all about creating the perfect mix of statement making pieces and the work horses of your room. I particularly love Jacquelyn’s white linen sofa selection yes, I would scotch guard the hell out of it! and that geometric coffee table. Now that is a show stopper! So many ideas are dancing around in my head right now…I’m curious – if you had this living room, what would you do?!

For the rest of our Designers’ Takes on our 140 year old Victorian CLICK HERE

Image 1 vai Lark & Linen // 2 via Studio Karin // 3 via Dust Jacket Attic 

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

As the clock continues to tick on the renovation of our San Francisco Victorian we picked paint colors over the weekend!, it’s all beginning to feel real. Really really real. That’s why I’m loving our Designer’s Take series even more. Now that the progress has come this far, I can really envision what some of our rooms could look like in the end. This week we’ve got another gorgeous concept for our living room. Here’s an update on what it’s looking like right now!


This picture is looking from our kitchen-to-be into the living room and the dining room beyond. We took out a wall to create an open concept living space. The room is connected to the entry hall, the dining room, a TV room and kitchen. The final living room will feature a seating area around a fireplace as our focal point. But I’m also loving the original arches and the 145 year old pocket doors!

The latest updates include the dry wall going up and the walls being primed. We also chose oak hardwood for the floors – they’ve been going in over the last few weeks. The smell in there is SO good right now. I wish that picture was scratch and sniff! The floors’ natural color is so pretty I’m going to be hard pressed to stain them in the end. Needless to say, I’m VERY excited to begin to see actual rooms take shape. The living room concept from Casework below has me envisioning quiet evenings in our living room cuddled up with a glass of wine and a good book home decor magazine!

Over here at Casework we’re super excited to see Erin’s new Victorian fixer upper in San Francisco transition to Apartment 34 standards. We know how daunting an entire home remodel can be, especially living through the process but know the Apartment 34 team and Erin will create a unique and thoughtful space and track the progress all the way!

When we were asked, “how would Casework redo a room?”, we jumped at the chance. Victorian bones with modern sensibilities are right up our alley. We love a mix of traditional details like crown molding and wood floors with more modern pieces like bright white walls, brass light fixtures and mid century tables. That blend of old and new is the perfect balance. And to make it all work, it’s really all about keeping things neutral and focusing on textures, materials and playing with scale. We also like to layer tones of gray with the classic black and white to soften the starkness and create warmth without needing warm colors.

  1. > Sofa
  2. > Chandelier 
  3. > Planet Light Fixture
  4. > Marble Coffee Table
  5. > Kartel Gold Componibili
  6. > “Brazil Cliffs” Art
  7. > Mid-Century Planter
  8. > Chairs
  9. > Brass Mirror
  10. > Tabriz Rug

I’m definitely crushing on this chic, sophisticated take on the living room. Catching up on our epic remodel project? You can check out kitchen ideas HERE, living room ideas HERE and bedroom ideas HERE. More updates on our progress will be coming to the blog again soon but I’m also sharing more improptu tours on Snapchat and on Periscope! You can find me @apartment34!!

Room by Casey Keasler for Casework

Image 1 via Daniellla Witte // 2 via Space Copenhagen // 3 via Lark & Linen // 4 via Citizen Atelier // 5 via Nordic Design

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

As the house renovation slowly but surely keeps chugging along, I’ll be talking paint colors with you later this week!, I find myself constantly furnishing rooms in my head. That’s why I was thrilled when one of my favorite San Francisco-based design firms, Niche Interiors, took us up on our request for a Designer’s Take. Founder Jennifer Jones has such a great eye. Here’s a couple of the gorgeous dining rooms they’ve designed:

As a reminder, below is the architect’s drawing of what our dining room looks like. The space enjoys some pretty special features including the original 140 year old pocket doors, a fireplace that I still have to design – oy!, the original crown molding, a bay window and 12-foot ceilings. Jennifer turned her sights on our dining room and I am loving her thoughts.

We took inspiration from the classic Victorian architectural details of Erin’s new home, along with her obvious love of black and white. Clearly, the bones of this space are the real star — we would create a restrained, contemporary dining space with subtle nods to traditional design.

First, we would paint the walls and moldings a warm white and add a larger ceiling medallion that is more appropriately scaled for the room. Matte black paint on the ceiling would make the gorgeous moldings pop and accentuate the tall ceilings. Graphic geode wallpaper peeks out behind tall metal bookcases flanking the fireplace, and kelly green drapery panels frame the bay window. The dramatic brass chandelier has a traditional shape with modern styling — a perfect focal point for this space!

GET THE LOOK:

  1. > Chandelier 
  2. > Table
  3. > Curtains (custom)
  4. > Minotti Aston chair
  5. > Vase
  6. > Zak & Fox with Apparatus Wallpaper
  7. > Brass Dish
  8. > Bookcase

Curious how other designers have suggested we design our Victorian? From the kitchen to the nursery, living room and bedrooms – you can find all the amazing inspiration right HERE.

Images 1 & 2 via Niche Interiors // Image 3 via Kay Douglass Interiors

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Source: apartment34.com