Inspiration For A Few Projects

Living Well

Inspiration For A Few Projects

I am working on three projects right now where I was pulled in during the schematic phase. One is an addition/renovation, and the other two are new construction. I am excited about each of them and the teams involved.

I love being hired for a project early on, as there is a synergistic effect that takes place among creative minds that results in a more beautiful home. It’s important to hire all members of your team early on, as this makes changes occur sooner rather than once ground has been broken (which saves you $$$).

Working on a home from ground up is like birthing a baby- I become vested more and more each day and I grow to love each of them for different reasons.
As I am discussing interior details on each of these projects, I have been looking to Pinterest for inspiration. Here are a few I have pinned for certain reasons…..

I love this hardware. We have spent some time picking out hardware for #ProjectExpansion, and this is very similar to what we selected for their home.

unlacquered brass — Image from vingettedesign.net

#ProjectExpansion has a door at the end of a hallway, and we are going to create something like this for uniqueness and detail. I love how a simple wall here has become a beautiful focal point. We are creating a jib door to a linen closet that will be hidden by nails and leather. With it being a focal point, leaving it as an ordinary door just wouldn’t cut it.

Love this nailhead detail in the entry...clean and sophisticated — Image from lucyandcompanyblog.blogspot.com

This bathroom is beautiful. The waterfall countertops and cabinets create a more modern and clean look, and you will see something similar in style for the master.

These floors remind me we are going to create a pattern out of wood on one of the floors in our #LakeTuscaloosa project. While the pattern will be different than this one and the color of the wood tweaked (we haven’t even broken ground), it’s going to be just-if not more-beautiful.

bleached chevron flooring — Image from blog.ethnicchic.com

As mentioned in a previous post, your bedroom should be a place to retreat, and this window seat screams that to me. The #LakeTuscaloosa home is home to girls and we are working on incorporating a cozy niche/window seat in at least one of the bedrooms.

Don’t you want to curl up with a good book?! I do!

Nick Olsen children's bedroom in AD, photo by Pieter Estersohn — Image from Architectural Digest

The placement of this powder room under the stairs is exactly what we are creating in #ProjectVestavia. I love how it is tucked away, not only by being under the stairs, but by being hidden within the woodwork.

As you can see, Pinterest is one of my “go-to’s” when I am looking to be inspired. There is nothing better than crawling in bed with my Ipad at the end of a long day and pinning a few images to make my creative juices flow.

If you’d like to see more pretty pins I have found, come follow me. I’d love to hear from you.

Take care,

dana

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Living Well

Catbird Collection– The Best Seat In The House

As I mentioned in an Instagram post a few weeks ago, I am thrilled to add a new upholstery line option to my library. Cindy Smith, of Circa Interiors, has pulled together a talented team of architects and designers to create the Catbird Collection. The pieces were created with the notion that a piece of furniture can inspire a room, and I completely agree.

I have often said every room needs something to catch your eye, and why can’t it be an upholstered piece? The line is sophisticated, well made and most importantly, comfortable.

Cindy Smith has said that developing the Catbird Collection presented a welcome challenge and a privilege.

“As a lover of antiques, I treasure the one-of-a-kind piece and hope to translate this individuality into a range of upholstery. My aim was to create a collection of pieces that has a life of its own, holds your attention, gives spirit to a space, and perhaps even inspires a room’s design.”

Are you excited yet?! I certainly am.

While all of the pieces are unique and beautiful, there are a few that I am particularly drawn towards.

Look at Cindy’s sofa, “Whitlow”. I love how it deep it is, making it feel more like a daybed. I can picture myself curled up on it with a blanket and a good book (or maybe even taking a nap).

Because of its versatility, one of my favorite pieces from the collection is Jeremy Corkern’s, Rebecca sofa. It’s classic enough to stand the test of time, but has enough edge to draw you in.

Paul Bates, another Birmingham talent, designed a beautiful sofa that perfectly bridges modern and traditional styles. I love the weight and the clean lines of his Sullivan sofa.

Sullivan — Image from Catbird Collection

Emily Bourgeois designed several beautiful counter/bar stools. The lines in each stool are unique, yet they complement each other in a wonderful way.

I also love the Charlie chair that Bobby McAlpine designed. Bobby designed his pieces based off “a source for mature, quiet furnishings who accept their presence alongside antiquity”. A great piece to mix in with antiques for sure.

The nice touch about this line is that you can customize the length and the fabric to truly make it your own.

If you live in Birmingham or Charlotte, make sure to stop by Circa and take a look at the collection. Or better yet, schedule a road trip to look at these pieces if you live out of town. I promise they will not disappoint. The entire line is gorgeous and you are sure to find the best seat in the house.

Have a great day,

dana

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Living Well

Five Things To Avoid When Working On Your Home

There are a few things when building, renovating, or just plain working on your home that, in my book, you want to avoid.

Here is my top five list of things NOT to do to your home:

1. Do not plant landscaping that is too small.

There is nothing worse than driving by a beautiful home where it’s obvious they have invested wisely in the materials chosen, only to see a bunch of dinky plants surrounding the beautiful structure. Yes, plants grow, but by the time some plants are finally a decent size, five years have passed. Buy larger when it comes to plants that are slow growing. I promise, this makes such a difference. See below how landscaping that is invested in can add to your home’s aesthetic.

Newman & Cebulak — Image from Architectural Digest via Pinterest

2. Never buy a piece only because it is on sale.

Do you love the piece or did you buy it because it is a good deal? If it is the latter, you bought the sofa, bookcase, bed, or whatever it is for the wrong reason. Never, I repeat, never, buy a piece just because the price is good or because you need something to fill a space. If it is for one of these two reasons, you will eventually tire of it and you won’t enjoy it in your home for very long.

3. Don’t buy an entire room off of a showroom floor and never match all your furniture.

Regardless of your taste- modern, traditional, or transitional- you always want your home to look like it has been collected over time, even if it was installed in the same day. This leads me to the next point of making sure you don’t match your furniture. There can be an overlap of the same material for continuity, but make sure you have a mixture of elements in the room to cause a little tension in the space. Use a mix of upholstery, stained wood, painted wood, glass, iron , etc….

foyer by mcalpine booth & ferrier — Image from McAlpine Tankersley

4. Do not have a room that doesn’t serve a purpose.

Do you walk through a room, only to have it be a “catch all” or a place to host guests once a year? If so, you are missing out on a room you could be enjoying, and you need to rework this space. Gone are the days where rooms sit unused or are “saved” for special occasions. Repurpose a room and ENJOY it.

5. Don’t wait for tomorrow to pull your home together and make it a place for you and your family to make memories.

Money does not necessarily guarantee good design, so don’t wait until tomorrow to make your home something you can be proud of and enjoy. Stop comparing your house to your neighbors’. Instead, focus on making your home a cohesive safe haven to build memories for you and your family.

Are there others you would add to the list? If so, let me know. We love hearing from you.

Have a great day, everyone-

Dana

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Living Well

2014, Thanks For The Memories

Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015! Do you have plans for the new year? http://mydoubleliving.blogspot.com/2015/01/goodbye-2014-hello-2015.html — Image via mydoubleliving.blogspot.com

It’s hard to believe that 2014 has come and gone. As I reflect on the past 12 months, there are so many moments to celebrate.

First and foremost, THANK YOU for being a part of such an amazing year. Thank you for sharing my work, encouraging my work, keeping up with my work, and more importantly, trusting me to come into your homes and change how your home functions for your family. I love what I do, and am blessed by your encouragement.

At the start of the 2014, my goal was to simplify. For me, that meant eliminating distractions for the essential, trading chaos for peace, and spending time doing what’s important. My favorite moments this year were spent with my family. I simplified best during our vacations together to Mexico, to the beach, and to New York. There is nothing that makes me feel better than when we are all together and away from everyday distractions.

One of my biggest accomplishments this year was being named one of Traditional Home’s Designer’s to Watch in 2014. It was a huge honor and one I am very proud to be included.

NewTradgroupshot — New Trad’s Designers To Watch in 2014

That honor led to me being a part of the Hunter Douglas/ Trad Home contest to vote for the New Trad Designer that best matched their reader’s style.

By creating “real homes for real life”, my goal has always been to blend comfort and elegance through layering textures, making the most of light, and combining modern, antique, and classic elements.

Thank you for choosing my style as the one you liked the best.

Dana_Joelle_04 — The project that won me this incredible honor- Dana Wolter Interiors

Dana_Joelle_06 — Another glimpse into it- Dana Wolter Interiors

In August, I updated my website and that was a huge feat, to say the least. We took my old one, added to it, changed it around, and uploaded a lot of new projects. It was quite a process and if you’ll remember, I compared it to birthing a baby.

Another exciting opportunity I had this fall was serving on a panel at Traditional Home’s “What’s New, What’s Now” event at the New York Design Center. Over 70 showrooms participated in the event that featured product introductions, informative lectures, and book signings. I had the privilege of joining Traditional Home Senior Design and Market Editor Tori Mellot in a panel on mixing traditional and modern design.

panel

There is a lot of talent in the city I call home, and I was honored to be featured in Birmingham Home And Garden’s, Birmingham Style, that was published in October. If you haven’t already purchased this book, do yourself a favor and buy it.

blog pic — Dana Wolter Interiors Photography by Jean Allsopp

The year ended in a wonderful way by me winning the “New Trads at Home” Pinterest Sweepstakes. Inspired by The Vulcan, I used pieces from Alabama artists and Ethan Allen to recreate a recent install.

DanaW_Monica_Oct2014_06-M — Dana Wolter Interiors

As I say goodbye to 2014 and hello to 2015, I am grateful for all the memories, and I am looking forward to what’s to come.

designer bags and dirty diapers: Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015 — Image via Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers

Please let us know if there is anything in particular you would like for us feature on the blog. After all, you are who we write for, and who we hope to inspire.

Have a great day,

Dana

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Living Well

A Balancing Act

I just came back from the sixth annual “What’s New, What’s Next” event at the New York Design Center. What a great time I had!

Louisa and Allyson joined me for a fun night in the city!

The energy in the building was amazing….. Over 70 showrooms participated in the event that featured product introductions, informative lectures, and book signings all day long.

As mentioned before, I had the privilege of joining Traditional Home Senior Design and Market Editor Tori Mellot in a panel on mixing traditional and modern design.

Chad Graci of Graci Interiors and Katie Lydon of Katie Lydon Interiors discussed with us how incorporating modern touches into spaces can push- but not overstep- the boundaries of traditional design.

panelphoto — All of us before the panel.

We were given ten items ahead of time that were a mix of modern and traditional, and we were asked to distinguish how we would balance the modern with more traditional pieces and the traditional pieces with more modern ones.

Below are a few of the images given to us and my interpretations for each.

I could see placing this modern chandelier into a similar breakfast area. The scale of the piece would obviously need to be smaller and I would balance the hard lines of it with some sort of upholstery and wooden dining table like below.

Another image I was given was this Mr. Brown console.

I love this piece and would not hesitate to place it in one of my interiors. I would soften the piece by placing something upholstered under it, such as the style of the two stools in the picture below.

As for the top of the console, I would create a layered vignette, with a piece of artwork or a mirror as my starting point, such as below.

A final image I would like to share are these Bolier nesting tables.

I love these tables as they are very versatile and could be used in many different interiors. I could have easily replaced the Baker tables in the picture below with one set of these.

I would also have used the tables near upholstery that is skirted, as shown in the image below.

“What’s New, What’s Next” continues to unite the industry and become a benchmark for introducing new products and celebrating the very best in design. Thank you, Traditional Home, for including me in the discussion. I was extremely honored.

Here’s to finding the perfect balance in your home,

Dana

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Living Well

If You Are In New York, Join Me!

I was thrilled to be asked by Traditional Home to take part in the “What’s New, What’s Now” interior design event in New York on September 18th at the New York Design Center.

Are you familiar with it? It’s going to be a fun day filled with events with over 36 presentations from designers, architects, and people in the design industry from across the country.

I will be a part of the panel discussion about incorporating modern touches into spaces to push–but not overstep–the boundaries of traditional design. The panel will feature Chad + Christina Graci from Graci Interiors, Katie Lydon, and myself. The fabulous Tori Mellot, of Traditional Home, will moderate the discussion.

I am honored to be a part of the event and I look forward to sharing more when I return. If you are in New York, please join me and say hello!

If you have any recommendations of “must dos” while I am in New York, please comment below. I am there pretty often, but always love to hear of the latest restaurant, show, etc….

Have a great day, everyone!

dana

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