Punkins'

Inspiration aftermath.

What got my creative juices flowing.

CEO Corner Office

This gentleman favored fine leathers and a rustic feel. I incorporated copper, hide, top grain leather and Southwest-inspired fabrics to transform this standard corporate headquarters into a warm, inviting space that evokes an Aspen lodge feel.

Before - Waste Space

After - A handsome seating area for morning coffee.

Before - The console is too small.

After - This piece allows for more storage and display -- and its a better scale.

Before - This is an unacceptable office chair for a corporate chief.

After - The Rolls Royce of office chairs -- much better. Replaced the visitor seating as well.

Before - The stark, cream colored, microfiber suede chairs were not working...

After - Chairs on casters with a touch oh hide - perfect!

Before and After by Robin

This is the straightforward before and after of my most recent install. The house was beautiful and the furniture was the icing on the cake.

There is much more that needs to be added and if I get the opportunity to further furnish this residence I will post again!

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After

Male Room

Alright… so, a guys pad – they usually aren’t the most well pulled together spaces. I have never been to a guys place and been bowled over by how good looking it is. Well, once I was, but his mom was an interior designer, so that does not count.

In my day to day trade I have so many men of all ages walk in looking to purchase a sofa or a media console and they can NEVER describe their style. I hear eclectic a lot… I am so over that word by the way. Everyone these days calls their style eclectic! Eclectic is the new traditional in my opinion – it’s an established style. There is nothing unusual about it anymore. I’d like to hear someone describe their style as meaningful or spontaneous – be imaginative people. That would be the day.

I strayed…

I feel as though guys think it’s a wasted effort to put time and energy into making their living quarters dignified. A well built man should have a desire to live in a well built room. It’s not like its hard… and if it is daunting – I will lend a hand!

Come on boys. Let’s see some enthusiasm over making your mannish accommodations more dapper than they are bearable. And when the gusto hits… I will sell you that chesterfield style sofa in full aniline distressed leather.

Please use real antler mounts and/or taxidermy. Real men DO NOT put plaster deer heads on their wall.

Tickled Pink

Most of the people who know me know I am not a “I heart pink” kind of girl.
I like pink… in a small dose… in the right shade, but never would I decorate with pink nor have it be my main color palate. Even if I was decorating a little girl’s room, I would probably use just a touch. However this interior and exterior shot… they make me rethink my stink on pink.

They aren’t the same house by the way.

This is utterly gorgeous.

I think a woman who lived here probably lived here for several years and always noticed this tree bloom in the spring. And then one afternoon in the late winter she thought about how she wished it were warmer and the thought of spring made her think of the tree at her front door and how beautiful it is when it blooms every year. She then decides to paint her front door that shocking shade of pink just because she wants to do something different and fabulous.

Then one day when the season has changed, she walks out and the flowers have blossomed and there she has it… the most spectacular exterior!

This is just out of control… totally outrageous and completely OUT OF THIS WORLD. I want a friend with a kitchen like this!!! Best house party backdrop EVER!

Mom's Entry

My aunt loved the alabaster grapes pic so much that it inspired her to want to use the faux grapes that were hers and my Mom's grandmothers (my great grandma, Nani) in some way.

These grapes were attached to tacky plastic leaves and had what seemed to be 50 years worth of grime on them. After we cut them down to just the clusters and cleaned them really well, they took on a new life!

I placed them casually in what is also Nani’s antique hors d’oeuvre server. The chest is Nanis as well… in fact, the only new item in this cozy entry is the charming little light fixture from Pottery Barn.

My Mom purchased the chinoiserie art when she was my age.

Inspirational Exercise

During my runs, not only am I entertained by my iPod, I am visually absorbed in all the perfectly manicured River Oaks homes. It is the best scenery for my trots at twilight! During the evening, the dwellers of these attractive addresses light the eyes of their home with the most brilliant lamps that cast the prettiest glow within their richly decorated homes. They leave their custom drapes pulled back and plantation shutters open so the passers by can be in awe… and in my case, snap photos! I captured a few on my past couple of runs that I fancied the most. They are the more unpretentious homes of this ritzy Houston area. Perhaps tomorrow I will run the gamut and post some of the homes with prices tags in the tens of millions… oh ya.

The original home on this lot was torn down to build this contemporary casa. I appreciate modern, but it’s not my cup of tea. I love when homeowners maintain the integrity of their classically styled homes. They embrace the old architecture and update it by doing things like washing the bricks in gray and painting the shutters black.

Then there are homes like this… what are they thinking? Big fans of pastel primary colors are we? Just throw in a red door why don’t you? No matter how classic the colonial yellow and portsmouth blue color scheme is – it is still busted in my opinion. It reminds me of an Easter basket or a dated, nautical-costal-country look.

Love gray – but is this a home or Restoration Hardware?

I love the overgrown, English garden look. Running past this house was intoxicating… The sent of the ginger was so sweet-smelling.

Tastefully patriotic, presidential, classic American style… This home just oozes a hospitable charm.

No, this home is not abandoned. Yikes!

Dreaming on...

I have this irksome desire to completely re-do my bedroom. I have my great grandma’s furniture that I want to have refinished (for the second time). $$$$$
I really want a new bed – a Tempur-ergo would be nice!!! Then I would like to push this bed against a new plush-ly upholstered headboard. New linens, new bedside lamp…
For now I’ll dream about it.

Eclectic Electric

This is just too cool for school...
Where can I find electrified word/saying wall art?!?

Before and After by Robin

This week I had another staging job -- love this aspect of my job.

I had sold my client the sofa, rug, barley twist end table, and copper top end table.

I still have two chairs to place (that are going where I placed the to-scale templates on the floor), a 36" round coffee table, and art above the fire place.

All the furniture was already installed by the movers but I was called out to rearrange the room. It just wasn't working.

I staged the shelves with what she had around the house and placed the conversation style (curved) sofa at an angle on the far side of the room. This is why I love convo-sofas (and suggested she get one) -- they give one the freedom to play with angles; unlike the straight lines of a typical straight-back sofa which looks awkward on an angle. This placement made it more conducive to an inviting entry into the room and allowed for the the perfect placement of two (future) chairs.

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Bookshelves by Robin | Before and After

I don’t take credit for the paint job, but after the fresh blue facelift I was called in to make over the bookshelves. The shells, coral, and baskets are perfect for a tres chic bay house.

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