Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Photography Studio Design Completion

We're so excited to finally reveal the completed project pics of a fabulous photography studio we worked on over the winter months.  This was a particularly fun job beings that it's a creative commercial space, so we were able to get a little over-the-top glam in some of the details!









Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Design Boards

One of my favorite parts of being an interior designer is putting together complete design plans for my clients.  I love letting my imagination and creativity run wild as I brainstorm ideas for the feel of the space and general style.  Taking into consideration the purpose, flow, functionality of the space, and pairing it together with the style of the client(s), their favorirte hues, and a flair specific to them, I begin organizing the difrerent elements to the room, into one cohesive plan that can be put into action without spending the mortgage money to make it all happen!  Not only is it inspiring/motivational to see it all come together on the screen, but I feel it truly give the client a sense of what I have in mind (at least the first option) for their space(s). 
We often share the boards on our Facebook fan and biz pages (click on 'fan' and 'biz' to be instantly directed to each of those FB pages..be sure to follow us too once you get there if you havn't already)!  This makes it easy for you to show some potential ideas with your friends and family, they often get excited about it for you as well! 
A lot of our followers really enjoy seeing what's coming down the pipeline for fellow clients, so we've decided to keep all the boards in one neat and tidy space both here on the La Dolce Villa Design blog and on our Facebook pages!  You can find this dedicated area above at the tab titled 'Client Design Boards', with the same as the title for the albums on each of our FB pages. 

So go ahead, take a looksie, share them with others, and come back often to see what new additions have been made!

Friday, March 30, 2012

Mapped out for Great Design


LonnyMag.com
Implementing nostalgia, vintage relics, and/or random finds, is always part of each of my design plans in at least a subtle way.  It brings heart, humor, and aesthetic interest to a space, even if in just the smallest of touches.  One of my favorite forms of this are maps, globes, or the like.  Maps of all kinds are fab to me.. heat  maps, a trail guide, topographical, blue prints, even pages pulled from my grandma's AAA road map book she keeps in her car's glove box (and still uses...clearly she really needs mapped out directions on how to use Google Maps)!

 anipals.tumblr.com
centsationalgirl.com

 interi0r-design.net
Why such a interest in direction type materials?  Who knows!  I wish I could provide a deep and clever answer for my curiosity of them.  Like most things for me....I just like the way they look, the colors the come in, and all that kind of surface stuff :)  I guess it could be something about all the intricacy of the lines, compass rose's, grids, being able to pinpoint exactly where you are and thinking about yourself in the grand scheme of a much larger space around you...  I also like the colors commonly used on world maps and globes...  The pictured globes below are some of my favorite takes on these age-old geographical tools.  These are by ImagineNations (http://www.artonglobes.com/) .  Such endless possibilities, especially if you go with the kit version they provide!  Adorn the Antartic or massive country of Africa with any sticker you want! 


There is a 'world' full of ideas out there of creative was to use globes as decor.  Here are some bright new ways i've seen that really deserve to be on display...(talk about global warming! :) )



That gold/coppery globe above is a fave of mine and would be a very easy and cheap DIY!  Spray paint the globe, then use silver thumb tacks (from the Dollar Store) to cover the land portions.  Love!
Although maps as art are typically seen in the home in rooms like the den, maybe a boys bedroom, etc...I think it has added impact and looks more interesting when used outside their standard element.  That's not say using them in 'male' rooms is out..there is ALWAYS room for a map!  I know that these next ideas aren't going to be for everyone's taste, but since I clearly have a map obsession...i'm really loving the thought of using them as wallpaper!
HouseBeautiful.com

ElementsofStyleBlog.com


 kikis-list.blogspot.com

BudgetWiseHome.com



Maps are a great direction for design any way you use them, even if just for creating a color palette for a space, and not actually using a map as art, decor, or a wall covering.  Since the world has been around for centuries, I feel like using it as a form of art or decor will be a trend that will be around just as long.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Design Inspiration: Serving Up Style!


If you’ve only seen a bar cart while lounging poolside sipping an umbrella-donned mai tai, it’s about time to take another look! Bar carts, or beverage carts, can be a chic (and useful!) addition to your home’s interior.
Here are some ideas on how to bring this versatile look into your home.



At Your Service

Those who entertain might want to consider allowing their carts to stay mobile in the social spaces of their home. Your guests can help themselves to their favorite drink while you mingle and do your part as the host/hostess. And, an added bonus, a classic beverage cart is definitely a conversation piece!


 

Show Off Your ‘Poisons’

A bar cart can take the place another table in your living space. Instead of a normal end table, consider adding some character to your room and putting a bar cart in its place. A cart can make an otherwise cluttered-looking collection of bottles appear neat, organized, and (most importantly) ready when you need it!

 

Think Outside The Bottle!

Bar carts can be used for storing or displaying other items around your home. Whether it is your laptop and important work papers or a favorite collection of bottles or books - bar carts can put a new spin on any space!  One of my favorite ways to create interest in a room is to use anything. big or small, (furniture, small decor item, lighting, etc), in a way that it wasn't originally intended.  Bar carts make a stylish stide table that 'serve' as a multifunctional piece, consoles, entry tables, or even a portable desk..





Monday, February 20, 2012


Whoa! Such a steal of a deal on rugs! I've seen these in multiple places for sale, but NEVER THIS CHEAP!
For a limited time (and limited quantities), Joss & Main...a super savvy shopping mecca for all stuff home fabulous... is running a sale on the 'Focus on Floral'
rugs...ps. These are NOT your grandma's floral floor coverings ;)!!



$69.95
$64.95




**Click Here

... And Get Hooked up at Joss & Main with an unbelievable rug at a crazy price!
 


 Also, if you have not had a chance to read up on our recent post regarding rugs, head on over to that post *Here* and read up! You'll see why so jazzed up about this incredible sale :)


 

Thursday, February 16, 2012

the Cure for the Common Door!

We're on a 'roll' with the sliding barn style doors!  There are limitless styles we can create and multiple ways to use them in your home. Add a stylish architectural statement to your home by installing a statement door!  

La Dolce Villa.. Designs, Builds, and Installs, sliding doors with style, for the lowest rate available.  These doors are all made of solid wood, constructed by our skilled carpenter Phil, painted or stained to perfection, and we will even add an incredible salvaged door knob or pull to it for you!  Most Full Size doors (typically 8'x5') are $650, which includes fast and professional installation!!  Installation is not to be taken lightly since these doors generally weigh 150-200lbs+!  Our guys do it right by installing  it safely and securely.


Take 2 for the Director's Chair

Recently a new seating obsession hit..i'm not sure why or exactly when, but it happened.  Right now, for me, it's all about the director's chair.  I'm not thinking of the Pier 1 staple made overly popular in the 90's.  However, what I love is a new take on the director's chair that I love!  Here are the details i'm diggn' at the moment:

  • -Leather and/or other hyde-type materials on the seat and back strap
  • -Thicker wood framing with metal details ..or..
  • -Mostly Metal framing instead of some Wood (or with some wood details)
  • -These chairs for use at a dining table, desk, or accent seating in a family room or living room

Also, it should be noted that the new versions of the director's chair are not in the ultra affordable category like they once were...which means, their days of being synonymous in a bachelor pad or college dorm are over.  This seating has moved up in the world and are dressed for design success!
PorterAndPlunk.com --  This Pair will set you back $4,800 big ones!!

 
ElegantePolo.com  - - $800..for 1..

 
Ralph Lauren Home





They are as comfortable as they are casual, and extremely versatile.  I love a piece(s) that allows me to change the interior style of my home as often as I do, and works again and again in new ways!  I like to refer to these kind of pieces as 'Madonnas'..you know, since they reinvent themselves with the change of each new trend..much like the mega music star is known for....  Okay, so maybe it's only clever and makes sense to me! 
Using these chairs at a dining table, gives the set a very chic and effortless appeal, while still keeping it a bit formal if you want it to be.  Or go eclectic by mixing directors chairs with other styles into the table seating.  I rarely put all matching chairs around one table..the contrast of a different (more substantial) seat at each short end seems more 'designed' and balanced to me.  However, the exception could possible be made with the use of all director style chairs, as show here:



The classic club chair has reigned long enough in den, family room, lounges, etc around the world...I would like to declare the restyled director's chair as the new accent seating of choice, for such settings!


A lot of these new versions have cushy padding, so the comfort excuse can not be made!  Where there is not plushness however, there is beautifully worn leather which in my opinion is just as comfortable.  Something about well worn leather feels warm, soft, and familiar.  All you need it a good book and/or glass of wine, paired with a chair like that, and you have yourself a great little evening!






Monday, January 30, 2012

For the Love of a Rug

It's no secret that I am all about art in a space.  I like to sneak it in wherever I can, especially if it's in a less obvious way.  In designing any space, whether it be for a commercial or residential client, or my own ever-evolving home, a little dab of an artistc element here and there will certainly do 'ya :) 
Much like my obsession with painted flooring (several posts back), this month's art element obsession is with rugs.  I'm sure this is due in part to freezing temps we have been having here in Colorado, since a rug can really warm up a space.  They not only make a room cozy, but they really complete the design in an area that looks wonderful, but is just missing something.  In just about every instance, a design plan is not complete until there is a rug in the room.  With that being said, consider making this necessary object a statement piece, either subtly or boldly.


Because rugs are such art pieces in and of themselves, why not treat them as such?  You wouldn't put a beautiful Pacaso painting on the floor and walk all over, right?  I know, not quite the same thing....  However, consider taking a well loved rug and put it on the wall!  I love that it brings a whole new textural element to wall art.  A unique and unexpected impact in the room, that looks as much at home on the wall as it does on the floor.

Can't decide if you like a certain rug on the wall or floor better?  Problem solved with this option.....

 Okay, so a bit much in  my book, but the construction of this piece is amazing!

If you are decorating from scratch in a room with a completely clean slate, you have the opportunity start with the rug, and then build the decor around it.  As a designer, I don't think this is going about a room the wrong way at all.  If there is a rug you have found that you absolutely adore and are totally inspired by it, using it as the first piece to the room design puzzle, is the best way to do it justice.  Starting a design plan with the rug first, is a great way to begin with a bold color, such as orange, yellow, or red and then add in pops of color with accessories around the room. Consider using neutrals on the walls in whites, beiges, grays, or coffee tans to make the dominant color shine throughout your space. The wonderful point about starting with the floor is it gives you a chance to build a room piece by piece, rather than getting overwhelmed with the rug, furniture, walls, and window treatments all at once!




Persian rug is always going to be in style and adds a classic and comfortable feel to a space  instantly.  Just like with wine and cheese, these rugs get better with age, although that an opinion based statement.  I also feel that not only do they get better with age, they do with wear as well.  A well loved and worn Persian rug has an appeal to it like your favorite torn and tattered t-shirt or old baby blanket. Having one in a room fills it with a sense of comfort and familiarity. 
A fresh take on the classic Persian has been created by rug designer Jan Kath, with his "Erased Classic" collection.  I'm a HUUUGE fan!  Kath incorporated motifs from Italian wall coverings and Indian saris when creating the pattern for these beauties.  The ornamental elements of the carpet are broken up so much so that  in some places, the patterns, which in their original form were repeated perfectly, seem to have been obliterated, soaked with acid and corroded.  Who would have thought that such a thing of beauty could come from the look of acid corrosion!?!  It's official, decay is now decadent!
I may be biased...but I think that Kath's  "Erased Classic" collection coordinates incredibly with La Dolce Villa furniture pieces, in that they share the same destroyed ornamental elegance.


These types of rugs take the typical carpeting characteristics of "plushness", "pile", etc. to all new amazing extremes!  Starting with the standard fibers that make up a rug like silk or  wool, tactile textiles may be made in wool also, but of the felt variety.  Felt rugs in flooring is far more sophisticated than the acrylic version of this fiber that is commonly used in crafts.  Felt rugs are typically made from an industrial felt that is not only offered in various thicknesses (which you wouldn't think was possible for felt), but is extremely durable.  The strength of it makes it a perfect fit as a flooring option, pair with that the color options, and best yet.. the precision way it can be cut to create immaculate designs, and you have a contemporary work of art right under foot.  This style is also a great option for using in a way of wall art.  Felt is for sure fabulous!
 

  When tactile textiles goes visual you get a 3D rug! The visual appeal of these are so incredible that they speak for themselves and beg for one to reach out and touch it!
Where there are injenuitive ideas in soft surfaces, there are sleek options too.  Some spaces are better served with a look that is less plush and more luxe.  Enter leather into the sphere of sophisticated flooring options...

 Kyle Bunting has been working with cow hides to create interesting rugs, wall coverings, furniture and art, with his team out of Spicewood, Texas.  They are recognized foremost for their collection of luxury hidecarpets and wall coverings, but also supply hides for architectural and upholstery applications. These floor coverings are a perfect pairing of rustic organic meets modern materialism.

When it comes to floors, the sky is the limit.  Think outside the box and use the floor space as art space.  You will be surprised how much in enhances the overall feel of the room and brings the style up to heights you never thought possible!