TASSELS, TASSELS, EVERYWHERE!

THE BEST WAYS TO INCORPORATE TASSELS IN YOUR INTERIOR AND FASHION!

Tis the season for parties, presents, and TASSELS!  As the resident prepster, tassels have been in my life since birth but in design, they did take a backseat for a bit when the minimalistic style was on the rage.  Don’t get me wrong, there is such thing as too much tassel but hopefully with my help you will be able to incorporate tassels into your decor, wardrobe, and life.  

When adding tassels into your home, an understated tassel used as a trim to a pillow is the way to go.  One of our favorite trim companies, Samuel & Son’s makes a leather tassel from their Toscana Collection that is TO DIE FOR.  I would put it simply on a single corner of a pillow.  

I found Maynest on Etsy.com that makes these gorgeous leather pillows with tassel accents.  

Shop Maynest here!

Shop Maynest here!

A perfectly placed tassel can be cherry on top of a beautiful piece like the Ro Sham Beaux Malibu 30 chandelier.

Tassels do not have to be design accents, they can be the goal.  This Kelly Wearstler Strada Small Chandelier for Circa Lighting.  Looks like a gold tassel.  I would used multiples of these lights over a large kitchen island.

Let’s move onto an important place that tassels need to be… YOUR CLOSET!  I found this simple faux suede & metal tassel necklace from J.Crew Factory on Black Friday and it is perfect for almost any outfit.

And let’s not forget where I wear my tassels most, on my shoes!!  The classic loafer is coming in every color and finish this season.  And throw a tassel on top and this girl is going to rock it!

One last place to always put a tassel on it, is your holiday gift wrapping!  Yarn tassels are an easy, inexpensive way to top your gifts. Check out this fabulous blog for DIY tassels to jazz up your gift wrapping!

At LG Design, we really do love a good tassel... and every once in a while our fashion will be so in sync we end up matching...

 

 Give tassels a shot, you will thank me later! 

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TILE ENVY:: MONOCHROMATIC SERIES

MONOCHROMATIC TILE CHAT

Hey there,  Nicole here… resident tile guru! 

This week we are diving into monochromatic spaces. A look at the simplistic yet stunning impact a bit of  tone on tone action can achieve.  Hold on to your seats, because things are about to get beautiful!

Have you ever seen a kitchen and your eyes went straight to the backsplash,  walked into a small powder room and awed at the patterned floor, or stepped into a shower that was immersed in natural stone. That my friends is what I like to call tile heaven.

Lisa Gilmore Design | Native House Photography

Lisa Gilmore Design | Native House Photography

In our recent outdoor kitchen project, we used this glass mosaic backsplash which has plenty of unique characteristics. The shade and surface texture of the backsplash helps each piece to  truly stand out and offers plenty of visual interest with its color variation and pattern play.

http://tabarkastudio.com/

http://tabarkastudio.com/

Handpainted terra-cotta tile will aways hold a special place in my heart. Dressing up stair risers with these ornate details  in an array of blues is a great way to pull color and fun  throughout the space. 

http://www.studio-lifestyle.com/las-palmas/

http://www.studio-lifestyle.com/las-palmas/

The mixture of elements in these space makes it nothing less than magical. Incorporating cement tile, ceramic, and metals. Yes Please!

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/emily-henderson-small-space-solutions-for-kitchen?mbid=social_pinterest

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/emily-henderson-small-space-solutions-for-kitchen?mbid=social_pinterest

https://www.decoist.com/gray-kitchens-ideas/simplicity-of-lighting-and-pattern-of-the-backsplash-hold-your-attention-in-this-scandinavian-kitchen/

https://www.decoist.com/gray-kitchens-ideas/simplicity-of-lighting-and-pattern-of-the-backsplash-hold-your-attention-in-this-scandinavian-kitchen/

This installation of  large format tile and using  the natural edge to finish off the design gives an organic feel to the space and high visual impact. 

Quality tile is a true investment in your home and allows a curated space to come together. Its all in the details and these monochromatic gems will remain classic, and are versatile enough to incorporate pops of color when the time is right! 

Till next time,

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ART CHAT:: SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT ARTISTS

Hey guys, Crystina here! Today I want to chat with you about art and artists worth investing in!            

When it comes to designing the interior of your home, one of the first and probably most important things that comes to mind for me is the art you choose. It’s such a personal and intimate thing - to choose pieces that draw you in, bring a sense of nostalgia into your home, or that simply make you feel good when you walk by it. One piece of artwork can bring the entire design of a room together. While websites like Minted and Etsy are great for quick and inexpensive prints, they typically don’t have the quality of an original piece of work, and they don’t usually support the artist directly. As an artist myself, any chance I have to support a working artist and receive a truly handcrafted, original, quality piece of art is an opportunity I am more than happy to take. It’s so important to keep the maker’s movement movin’, because you simply can’t replace something that is made by someone’s own two hands - their hearts and souls are poured into those pieces and it really creates a more meaningful artistic experience for your home.

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When choosing artwork I always encourage people to invest in original pieces that will have longevity and gain value over time. Think of buying art as more than just something hanging on your wall, but also as an investment - something that you can pass down in your family that will garner more than just visual interest over decades. In fact, art is one of the few things that is considered a “smart” investment - and knowing which artists to invest will help you choose “smart” art. A few of my current favorite artists that have gained national attention are painter Brynn Casey of Roswell, Georgia, wood craftswoman Aleksandra Zee of Oakland, California and painter Teil Duncan Henley of Charleston, South Carolina. I was first drawn to these particular artists through my favorite place to discover art - Instagram. But once I learned more about them and the traction they were building across the country I decided to learn a little more.

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Being from the coast of New England myself and growing up on the ocean I was particularly intrigued by Brynn Casey’s up close ocean oil paintings because of the way they so beautifully captured a place so important to me. Her brush strokes truly encapsulate the movement of the ocean in a way I’ve never seen an artist paint it before. She’s able to capture light and texture through the use of value and color in such a subtle way. I could envision two of these side by side above a bed for a calming and peaceful atmosphere that truly transports you to the sea side, as if you’re looking out over the ocean from your own bedroom. Not to mention, her prices for an original commission or already available painting are extremely affordable, ranging from $100-$1,000. She’s even garnered attention from Anthropologie, collaborating on a collection with them - which means this artist is only going up in the art world. I’m already scheming up ways to make room for one of these gorgeous pieces in my own home! For more of Brynn’s work, visit her website: www.brynncasey.com .

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The next artist whose work I am completely obsessing over, is Aleksandra Zee. Aside from the fact that her perfectly curated Instagram account, @aleksandrazee, makes me want to immediately move to the desert and start living in a California dream, she is one incredible woodworker, and a female one at that - not something you hear of a lady artist doing very often, and I’m so glad she is. Her work evokes the colors and atmosphere of the desert life. She states on her website, “The colors and textiles of the desert truly inspire my soul. I find myself gravitating to natural color hues and designs that I have brought back with me,” (Aleksandra Zee, 2017). I can’t help but be completely mesmerized by the natural grains and stains of the woods she works with and the patterns she creates. Also at an affordable price range for hand crafted work, large scale work, her beautiful wood mosaic wall hangings range anywhere from $400 - $3,000. See more of her work at www.aleksandrazee.com, you won’t regret it.

Aleksandra Zee, 6 x 3 Rectangle, wood wall hanging, 2017. (http://www.aleksandrazee.com/store/        )

Teil Duncan, “Turquiose Hut,”  36” x 48” original acrylic painting on birch wood panel. (https://www.teilduncan.com/collections/beaches/products/copy-of-south-beach-sorbet-36x48)

Teil Duncan, “Turquiose Hut,”  36” x 48” original acrylic painting on birch wood panel. (https://www.teilduncan.com/collections/beaches/products/copy-of-south-beach-sorbet-36x48)

Finally, an artist who I greatly admire for her grit and passion to make it in the fine art world without being represented by a gallery and who has more than succeeded in doing so - Teil Duncan. Her oil paintings are iconic at this point, and her style of painting with bold, vibrant colors in deep layers, scraped away on canvas to reveal even more depth underneath unearths a whole new level of visual composition. Her subjects and landscapes, while fairly simple, are given a fresh, new perspective with her style of oil painting. Known originally for her bright and summery beaches, she has since broadened her subject matter to include figurative nudes, portraits, animals and most recently still life’s and non objective subject matter. She states on her website, “Inspired by light, movement, surprising color combinations, social interaction, and patterns, I try to collaborate these elements and form abstracted, pixilated compositions,” (Teil Duncan, 2017). She’s collaborated with well known retailers such as One King’s Lane and Crate & Barrel, and has been featured in major magazines such as Vogue, Coastal Living, Southern Living, In Style and Art Mag…just to name drop a few. While at a slightly steeper price point, ranging from $1,000-$5,000  she sells out pretty quickly and in my opinion, you should nab one while you still can! Can’t afford an original? She also releases prints from time to time - which also sell like hot cakes, but art still just as beautiful.  Check more of her out at www.teilduncan.com.

At Lisa Gilmore Design, we believe in supporting independent artists and really try to incorporate their works into our designs as much as possible. Here are a few projects where we had the pleasure of doing just that!

I hope this post has inspired you to find artists that you connect with, art that moves your soul is truly an irreplaceable feeling! 

 

xo,

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DESIGN PROJECT:: HOTEL CABANA CLEARWATER BEACH

Earlier in the year, we wrapped up this boutique hotel on Clearwater Beach. This project is a special one, as I have always hoped to be able to cross a hotel project off of my interior design bucket list, so with lots of excitement, I am eager to reveal the before and after of this lovely property! 

Hotel Cabana Clearwater Beach, formally known as North Sunrise Motel, really undertook some major facelifts to get to where she is today. This 1950's gem was really in need of some streamlining and polishing. Quite a bit of elbow grease went into this beauty. 

When we were called on the scene the property was adorned with trinkets, overgrown landscaping, dated color palettes and and less than inspiring rooms. 

The new owners wanted to create a casual coastal laid back vibe, without being overly coastal and keeping it modern and up to date with clean lines and simplicity. 

So we got to work, planning out the schematics and getting our design juices flowing! 

The existing conditions of the property... 

The existing conditions of the property... 

Our inspiration hand rendering of how we invisioned the property to transform...

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The updated facade of the property...

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The interiors of the spaces were teeny tiny. We had to work a lot with every square inch we could find to maximize the space as much as possible. Because this 1950's gem had some limitations we had to compromise in some areas like you do with many renovations, but overall we achieved the goal the new owners hoped for. 

Here are some images of the existing interiors when we were called onto the project:

We updated the spaces with new flooring, tile and gave the kitchenettes a facelift. The furniture was a bit more minimal and streamlined. We kept the color palette pretty neutral and airy with pops of color and vintage photography. 

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Here are a few images of the exterior before:

With the exterior we simplified the property, took out a lot of overgrown landscaping, changed the color palette to white, pale aqua and pink and added some eye catching outdoor furniture in different areas. Creating a relaxing environment with a little pizzaz. 

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All-in-all, we are pretty excited about how this transformation turned out and hope you agree! We hope that you find all of our hard work paid off and you enjoy a lovely stay at Hotel Cabana Clearwater Beach!