terravilla - Tumblr blog

[terravilla]

As someone who grew up in the design world but didn’t go to school for it, I’m always look for new and cheap ways to keep up to date on new approaches to design. 

Design television networks are great for the novice or weekend warriors but for my design clients looking for more elevated design, I never stop learning my craft acedamically! 

What looks great on camera sometimes doesn't look so good in person and vice versa. Staging a home for pictures helps create a robust portfolio for those searching the web for your skills but the most important thing is making the client happy. Give them exactly what they want regardless of how it looks online.

Most of my clients are from referrals. They actual stood in a space I designed or they received a rave review of my work by an existing client.  For most designers, this is how you build your career. 

I also suggests getting an AutoCAD ceritfication if you didn’t go to design school. The program, yearly, is expensive. The certification will legitimize your understanding on following building codes, geometry, and dimensions. It creates a 2D or 3D representation of your clients room or home. This skill will also come in handy when you you have no design work forecasted for yourself. You can become or maintain employment as a virtual design assistant for many designers or architects who don't want to spend endless hours working on the cad renderings. TO be honest, it is grueling and tedious but again, will set you apart from many decorators who lack to expertise to legitimize themselves as designers. A designer is certified whereas a decorator is self taught.

[terravilla]

New Home Owners- Mini Renos

When I first divulged to my boyfriend that I was painting the kitchen black, he gave a very distinctive look like he smelled something fowl or was chewing on a lemon. It is a bold statement to pick dark/deep colors for walls and if done wrong, can make a space look cheap and dirty. If done correctly, can make a space look classy and striking. It can also be very difficult to repaint so using a matte finish makes it much easier to redo the walls if down the road, you decide to lighten them.

As you can see from the above photo, the kitchen was redone by the previous owners with very busy black, grey, white, and dark blue granite countertop. It draws so much attention to the eye that it washes out the rest of the room and almost seems like it isn’t properly integrated into the space. 

The backsplash is a solid grey that has a slightly olive tone which severely clashes with the countertops much to my dismay. My boyfriend wants to keep the backsplash so with the constraints of the existing tile and countertops, the next step would be the cabinets, walls and window treatments.

The hardware is silver which matches the stainless steel appliances and the light fixtures installed by the prior owners. To save money we are leaving those as is. The white cabinets are a nice contemporary style so I decided to leave those white which will also save us some money.

Since black is such a striking color, I plan on doing a flat black paint to give it a cozy and natural feel. The peninsula wall and waterfall counters are a defining piece in the kitchen so I will be installing wood shelving with leather straps to compliment to silver and leather bar stools we purchase for the counter.  (Bar stools and concept color photos below)

The inlay detailed backing on the counter facing the dining area is currently white but for posterity, I will be painting that black. Since the peninsula wall is a standalone wall, to create drama, I will follow the black paint into the dining space on the small half wall. This will compliment and create flow from the counter which waterfalls in the opposite direction. 

The switch plates will be subbed out with silver or nickel plats to match the rest of the fixtures.

The window treatment is going to be the next big item in the kitchen in order to define the space. We had blinds custom made to our old apartment which were wooden slat blinds. The brown tones of the blinds will incorporate well with the bar stools and shelving. I think they would be a perfect addition if they should actually fit! We will know more when we get situated in the house.

The prior owner seemed to have slopped together a bunch of remnant items to make this house sellable. The walls were painting a light robins egg blue and the trim a darker robins egg blue which it looks intuitional. The doors and door handles are industrial grade like a hospital and the floors are a lower grade vinyl wood which can warp and scratch easily with furniture and liquids. Not a very pet friendly service but it will do in the interim until we decide to either replace them or at least get area rugs to protect them to some extent. 

If you are going to install a floor in your house, make sure that it is installed by a well known professional flooring company and to purchase midrange to upper range quality because over time, you will get the best bang for your buck! Otherwise you’ll end up paying double within 5 to 10 years just to have decent looking floors again.

There are a lot of things that need to be redone soon with the home to make it a more valued asset than the basic renovation that was done to get the house sold. Our purchase of the home was not based on the quality of its’ interior but more on how clean it was, its’ location, and the potential return on investment 5 years down the line. This is not our forever home but I intend of bringing this bilevel mid-century home back to its’ former glory!

That being said, the house was built in the early 1960′s and it structurally appeals to a mid-century vibe so instead of fighting that to keep up with current trends in the design market, I am going to appeal to its natural lines and use accent pieces that are removable to define the personality of the interior spaces. I will be changing the front of the house to reflect this as well. The garage doors will be exchanged with horizontal wood doors with windows, the shutter will be changed to match the garage doors, and the front door will be removed and replaced to reflect a sleeker less traditional look.

Since Mid-Century Danish style architecture and design seems to have a timeless appeal, its not much of an effort to move forward with it. The real struggle is going to be staging the house to appeal to a wide range of home buyers.

We have a moving target of budget to do these renovations and more. Having priced out most of them so far, we suspect total cost in renovations will be around $6,000.

The house was valued at 315K and we purchased at $309K. Total break even if sold at 315K. We are hoping that we will be able to list the house at 350k 5 yrs from now. Profit is important when doing a long time flip on a house. For me, creating a space and making it better than I found it is also important. Sometimes those things go hand and hand and sometimes they don't. Once the project is up and running, I will do a play by play on cost and time it took to complete. The kitchen redesign will take the least amount of time. The front elevation will likely take the longest and in-between many other smaller project will hopefully be completed to make the house really what it needs to be.

With a little help, I know my boyfriend and I can do most of the work ourselves cutting down substantial labor costs. For me, it will be worth it. I love projects. For him, he’ll gripe at first but eventually see the fruits if his labor and feel pretty good about it. A good test to a strong relationship is renovating a house together. If you can live through that, you got something special!

[terravilla]

Life in Flux

If you have ever stopped and looked around at your house, your street, your town, your state, you will notice the only constant is change. Our visual environments shift like sand dunes in the wind. They are familiar and, at the same time, different. 

Growing up, my house on Orchard Lane changed often at the every evolving style of my mother. At first, I was trepidatious but eventually came to love the esthetic evolutions. They became identity markers in my memory of changes in us as people. She stained our shingled house green, red, and brown, she added a den, and island to the kitchen, a finished basement with a bar, new furniture, curtains, wall paper.. the list goes on. We moved from that house when I was 11 years old. In my mind that house was huge but having revisited it a few years back, it was a very small house on a tight winding road nestled into a crook of a hill surrounded by impressively huge trees. That is where it all started for me.

I, like my mother, enjoy decorating. She went to school for it and created a very successful design business that has been going strong for the last 42 years. My mom has an extraordinary ability to design spaces specific to your clients needs and desires regardless of her personal style. I have seen how she has decorated some homes having spent a large portion of my youth as her assistant. I had first hand experience with contractors, dusty back alleyway furniture repair shops or seamstress shops, large wholesale carpet and wallpaper stores, and all the other little holes in the wall where we would collect these beautiful things to create spaces. It was such an awesome experience that I didn't realize was grooming me for my obsession with design.

This insight helped me see the world as it evolved. As buildings came down, how houses were built, and how structures and spaces are renovated and remade new to reflect new personalities and needs.

In the 80′s and 90′s, when I was a wee human, design didn't have the appeal as it does now. It was a luxury of the upper class and business owners. It was a niche market that was still getting its sea legs underneath it. The study of design bloomed in the 80′s. Learning of the evolution of design since the dawn of civilization. Design within the United States gained traction when single family homes in suburban neighborhoods took flight. The most famous architect being Frank Lloyd Wright who changed it from a utility to a spectacle and an art form. 

As a country, I believe the united stated is struggling to have universal identity, a unifying theme, and a common thread that helps the flow of activity and pleasure and culture. That has been my personal experience in the last 5 or so years. This is reflected in our towns, and more importantly on our TV’s. Reality TV being the most common watched programming, channels like HGTV and DIY Network has brought the study of design to the public in a way that has never happened before. But it's not in depth or “real” by any means. It's a watered down middle school version of a very respectable area of study that has cultural roots across the globe and a deep as the dawn of man. Dont get me wrong, I like that the internet and television has open the horizons of knowledge to so many people but it is just that, an opening. Its is not a doctoral degree or an in depth peer review area of study. Its for entertainment and for viewership which dulls the quality and variety of it. And as the waves of copy cat shows and Youtube channels and blogs amass, the value of the information you are receiving recedes into the horizon like a ship going out to sea. Dont mistake a taste for a feast. Map below from thedailynews.com shows a data graph of what the most common personality traits are by region.

There is a pause in style and design. An argument whether external or internal about orgionality and appeal. Style becomes a very intimate experience. It elicits emotion and helps people define their inward selves with their outer worlds. Arguably, each era of time has cornerstones to the styles being represented. For some of us, since the turn of the 21st century, we don't feel that design kinship or sense of agreement of what styles defines the decades that recede into history. 

The pursuit of knowledge has always been a life goal of mine since I can remember. I was a curious and inquisitive child much to the dismay of many adults. I never stopped asking why. Design is no different than any other area of study or work. Those who master it, learn to appreciate its deep roots and future possibilities. They understand the mechanics of it and understand that its evolution is a direct effect of the cause of so many things like war, trade, technology, the interaction of cultures and countries and centuries over time. Design it the stage on which conflicts and resolution perform.

Even if nothing should change in your house or your town, if you look around at the objects and buildings that define the spaces you occupy, they have a rich history and meaning. A good reference and wonderful book to read on the history of design is below. I encourage anyone to dive deep into something that sparks your interests. It could create a lifelong passion or at the very least broaden your understanding of the world. 

[terravilla]

Photos by Danny Wootton

© danny wootton

[terravilla]

I don't like farmhouse style. I thinks its played out and washed out. Its like the skeleton of of a body. Its a good first layer but its nothing without all the other stuff.

This blog nailed it as far as creating a colonial style home with a modern flair. The rich textures and the dark tones look very classy and timeless to me.

[terravilla]

Forest Cabin

© jacob witzling

[terravilla]

[terravilla]

[terravilla]

[terravilla]

The Mancave

[terravilla]

[terravilla]

[terravilla]

We did a consultation on a bohemian style bedroom the other night. Staged our clients existing decor and furniture to best maximize space and flow. We hung the shelving and artwork and even came up with some creative ways to showcase her things. Here are some potato quality snapshots the nearly finished product. @jeybritton #terravilla #homedecor #interior #bohodecor #jungalow #jungalowstyle #bohointerior #bohemiandecor #bohemianinterior #eclecticdecor #vintageandmadefair #currentdesignsituation #staginghomes #ihavethisthingwithplants #finditstyleit #mycozycorner #bedroomdesign #interiordesignconsultant

[terravilla]

I know this picture is obscure but I wanted to show this awesome chandelier and stained glass window and a beautifully renovated house that was turned into a salon and spa in Fulton NY called Hair We Are. We love seeing spaces reimagined and given new live! #terravilla #renovation #stainedglass #cny #homedecor #vintageandmadefair #currentdesignsituation #modernandclassic #interiordecor #interiordesign

[terravilla]

Had a chance to get brunch with East Coast Designs at this great local spot. They had wonderful locally handmade merchandise and very chill vibes. #terravilla #theunionmarket #thenewbohemians #jungalow #boho #bohemian #vintageandmadefair #currentdesignsituation #shoplocal #smallbusinesslove #handmade #coffeetime #ihavethisthingwithplants (at The Union Market & Gallery)

[terravilla]

A well intentioned hunt through discarded things is like the Velveteen Rabbit. When you love something it’s brought to life!🐇 #terravilla #vintageandmadefair #currentdesignsituation #interiordecor #vintagedecor #finditstyleit #jungalow #jungalowstyle #bohodecor #bohointerior #bohemianvibes #bohemiandecor #smallbusiness

[terravilla]

I had the pleasure of meeting Sarah, the owner of @occasionette in Collingswood NJ today. Such a wonderful store for gifts, cards, candles, kitchenware, and more! If you need a gift for any “occasion”, start at this local shop. 😉 #terravilla #shoplocal #smallbusinesslove #smallbusiness #buylocal #collingswood #hello #homedecor #stationary #candleobsession #riflepaperco (at Collingswood, New Jersey)