That Sort Of Thing

{floors}

A striped mosaic tile floor is simple & classic yet makes a graphic statement - perfect for smaller spaces like a powder room.

xx,

Chelsea

Diamond In The Rough

One of my passions is enjoying the art of antiquing.  I LOVE ANTIQUES.  And there is nothing more satisfying than finding a diamond in the rough!  Usually, I frequent Scott Antique Market in Atlanta to do my searching, but it's the random hole in the wall antique stores that keeps this little treasure hunt exciting and honestly thrilling.    

So this chair . . . you may look at it and go "Ehhh, negative" but I say "Totally, LOVE it". Stop staring at the tattered red leather and look at the frame & bones of the chair.  It's beautiful & the hand carvings are fabulous!  Bonus - the frame is sturdy, so really the only thing it needs is a quick outfit change (red isn't for everyone).  

 

 The best part?  90 bucks.  No brainer, I'll take it.  

 

With a just a little love & attention, this diamond in the rough really shines now!

 

I chose to reupholster it in a rich neutral Mohair & Silk blend.  Yummy.   

Remember, it's all about the details - so I opted for a medium sized nailhead and allowed for a space in between each tac so the trim/tape could show through.

 

You can tell it is hand carved because it doesn't completely match (you have to look really close) - this makes it special. 

 


You might ask, what would I do with one random chair?  This would make for a great hall chair or occasional chair.  Its uniqueness makes for the perfect addition if you need to add a little character and interest to a room.  I love mixing antiques with new pieces.  Each room should have at least one antique piece in my opinion.  It brings warmth and diversity.

When Antiquing, don't just limit yourself to the city you live in.  Stop in random antique stores when you're traveling, you never know what you might find.  This beaut was discovered in Destin, Florida. Destin has some great places that I like to stop by every time I'm visting the beaches of South Walton.  So when you make that beach trip this summer, make sure to grab your SUV & and head to Antiques On Holiday, Smith's Antique Mall, & Bienvenue Antiques & Interiors to name a few.  

Also, this chair could easily be worth 3x what I found it for, so it is defintiely worth the hunt!  

Happy Antiquing.

xx,

Chelsea

{resources:  iPhone photos}

 

A Working Kitchen

I have the pleasure of working on a historic home in Anchorage, KY - right outside of Louisville, the Springhill Estate.  The first task was to tackle the kitchen and restore it to what it was and should be.  This gorgeous stone home is over 100 years old.  My goal was to take this dated, totally & completely wrong re-do of a kitchen and bring it back to its original calling - A "working kitchen" fit for the time period that this home was built around.

Here is the BEFORE . . . 

ANOTHER BEFORE

Note:  the kitchen countertops & island were completely left alone, along with the sink & appliances.  We didn't replace the kitchen cabinetry to save on costs (paint is your best friend).

 &

 

 AFTER

So here are the things I did change . . .

1.  Paint:  is seriously your best friend - it is the quickest, easiest, and most economical way to dramatically change something.  In this case all cabintery, walls, ceiling, & even the kitchen island were given a couple new fresh coats of paint.  

2.  Ceiling:  One of the most important decisions was to add a coffered ceiling, an investment but totally the smartest place for my client to put her money.  It took this plain, boring kitchen to another level.  The coffered ceiling brought this stately historic estate the kitchen it deserves and needs.

3.  Floors:  while in the process of the re-do we had a nice little discovery . . . original hardwoods were covered up under the exisiting cheap, horrible tile also known as music to a designer's ears!  In this case we immediately ripped out the tile and let what was meant to be breathe!

4.  Lighting:  I replaced the existing pendants with fabulous iron chandeliers.  Lighting is often overlooked but one of the most important elements when designing a space.  If you don't have the right jewelry, don't even bother worrying about your outfit.  Invest in good lighting.  Always.

5.  Details:  New hardware is definitely a major player in this game.  It is amazing what paint & new cabinet pulls/handles will do!  I also replaced the glass panes with antiqued mirror panels to conceal all of the not so pretty things.  All of these minor additions have tremendous impact on this kitchen makeover.  Don't over look the small things you can do!

White dishes stacked.  A clean & inexpensive look.

Just this hint of gilded glam on the iron chandeliers gives this kitchen a little bit of oomph!

I wanted a few opprotunities for open shelving for the purpose of creating interest and also expanding the space.  It provides the sense of a working kitchen having dishes, glassware, etc on display that were strictly for function but here it is aesthetically pleasing, as well as consistent with a working kitchen.

I had a custom pot rack installed beneath the windows that runs the length of the counter to go along with the look & feel of a working kitchen.  Beadboard was added to create a nice backdrop for the open shelves & pot rack.  Totally fit for the time period that the home was built.  It gives it that Downton Abbey look don't you think? (which by the way, I'm obsessed with that show - if you aren't, start watching this weekend!)

My client is very pleased with her kitchen re-do & I am too!

xx,

Chelsea

{All photos taken on iPhone... professional photos coming soon!}

Love Red

  I love Love and I love the color red.  

One of my favorite holidays besides Christmas is February 14th and one of my favorite colors is red, so I find this post very fitting.  

I love this Moroccan inspired Ann Sacks tile.

I love a red sea fan.

 

I love this Wing Sofa by Grange NY.

 

I love vintage books, especially Pride and Prejudice.  I love Pride and Prejudice.

I love Benjamin Moore's Ruby Red paint.

 "Red is a neutral for me. Like red nail polish, it's classic. It goes with everything. I actually had that Coco Chanel red lacquer nail polish matched, and I painted the floors of my living and dining rooms with it. They're the most fun floors I've ever had." -Alison Spear 

 

I love this photo.

 I love how Mary McDonald uses pops of this vibrant color in her interiors like in this graphic black & white living room.

 

 

I love Chanel red lipstick.

I love this Ming Dragon Silk by Schumacher Fabrics.

 

I love how Mary McDonald poses in one of her interiors splashed with red.  I really love the black patent leather chair.

 

I love this painting washed with shades of red. 

I love this red hot dressing room, very dramatic. 

 

I love Nashville.  

Pick up a print at The Hood Shop and show my friend, Hunter Mize, some love for these cool Nashville prints he designed.   

 

Celebrate love & celebrate the color red.  Happy Valentine's Day!  

xx

Chelsea

Doors of Morocco

There is something very intriguing & mysterious about a door or passageway that I absolutely love.  Usually, it sets the tone for that which one is about to enter and experience.  This necessary and basic architectural element can be simplistically understated to over the top dramatic.  Throughout my travels in Morocco, I kept seeing a common pattern of understated simplicity yet dramatically beautiful passages & doors. Here are some photographs that I took on my travels from the Sahara Desert region to the souks of Marrakech - check out my favorite intriguing Moroccan moments:

An alley in Marrakech. 

A windowed set of doors inside the Hassan II Mosque (one of the only Mosques open to non-Muslims) that over looks the waters of the Atlantic in Casablanca.

I love the repetition of pattern.

My hotel door at Hotel Le Riad in Errachidia.

Found this door tucked away while roaming the souks of Marrakech. 

 It is rare to find square doors in Morocco.  I like the geometric paneling on this set of wooden doors at an ancient Palace ruins.

One of my favorite photographs I captured at the Hassan II Mosque.

The craftsmanship in Morocco is truly phenomenal, you can see here the attention to detail in tile work, stone carvings, and wood paintings.  

 

 Outside by the hotel pool in Errachidia.  

 

 Merzouga Hotel Yasmina - where I embarked on a camel trek into the Sahara Desert. 

I slept inside these humble gates, under the stars in The Dunes of Erg Chebbi.

In Marrakech I stayed in this room off the riad, which is a Moroccan interior garden or courtyard - most hotels are riads. 

 Underground.

 Ruins of an ancient Palace.

 Obsessed with the fresh white simple plaster against ornate wooden architectural elements, like the ceiling & doors here.

 I like the mix of warm painted doors with the stark white surround - and the door frame is incredible.

 Love the paneling on these wooden doors.

Check out the carvings above these doors, insanely amazing. 

Gold hardware.

I asked him to pose for me.  Kidding, but really how perfect.  The call to prayer was blasting through the town at this moment.  It took a while getting used to this but after hearing it 5 times a day for a few days you get accustomed.  Although I never liked the one before sunrise, without fail I would wake startled as if a bomb were going off. 

Hope you enjoyed a little glimpse of Morocco . . . are you intrigued? Doors & passage ways seem to do that.  Morocco is definitely one of the most unique travel experiences I've ever had and I'm fortunate to have experienced this culture in all of its exotic beauty.

More Moroccan moments to come!

xxChelsea

{resources: all photos taken by me}

Happy Christmas

May you have a blessed Christmas with family & friends!

xx,
Chelsea

The Carlyle

Visiting hotels is a constant source of inspiration for me, whether staying as a guest, stopping in for a drink just to get a glance of the hotel's restaurant/bar interior, or simply just peeking my head into the lobby - from boutique chic to timeless luxury, hotel interiors do it for me.  They often are snapshots of a particular point in time of interior design.

Hitting the scene in 1930, The Carlyle stands brilliantly positioned on Madison Avenue in the Upper East Side with views overlooking Central Park.  But that isn't what draws Manhattan's elite to this hotel- it's what happens inside.  

I swoon over this lobby.  The contrast of black and white is truly timeless & the dramatic pop of golden orange is perfection. Seriously, how fetching is this interior?  So Art Deco, so glam, so sexy.

For seekers of period elegance, The Carlyle is definitely at the top of anyone's list.

I love this mix of classic traditional elements, with retro modern furniture.  The symmetry is completely balanced and I'm so into this golden yellow/orange color right now.  And as always the black and white contrast is killer.

A look that doesn't go out of style.

Cafe Carlyle

One of my Dad's favorite things to do in the City is to plan to be in NYC on a Monday night to enjoy the jazzy tunes of Woody Allen and his band at Cafe Carlyle.  Hold your breath, book far far in advance, be a guest of the hotel, or stay at a hotel where the concierge has serious yank, and you can experience it for yourself.  (This is on my "things to do in life" list)

*Note:  I love how the walls are washed with light- very dramatic and effective, especially to show off the painted scenes.

Recently my parents sent me this pic from having a dinner front and center in front of Mr. Allen.  I wasn't jealous at all . . .

Bemelmans Bar is named in honor of the legendary artist, Ludwig Bemelmans, creator of the classic Madeline books for children. Socialites, politicians, & celebrities have enjoyed these muraled walls for more than five decades.  The beautifully painted murals aren't the only things to revel in - there is literally gold on the ceiling, 24-karat gold leaf to be exact.

Designer Thierry Despont restored the bar while maintaining its Art Deco legacy with chocolate-brown leather banquettes, nickel-trimmed black glass tabletops, and a dramatic black granite bar.  My favorite detail is, obviously, the gold leaf ceiling.

One of my current projects comes to mind when I look at these photos.  My client loves Art Deco interiors and The Carlyle exudes an elegant Art Deco influence, meticulously maintained through the decades.  Timeless & glamourous.  And I'm totally inspired.

xx,

Chelsea 

{The Carlyle} 

The Golden Rule

Trendsetters are forecasting gold to be all the "new" rage but I disagree.   Gold is a classicist.  It has been in decor and fashion for years - even in ancient times.  And there is nothing more glamorous and warm than a touch of gold.  Here are a few of my favorite shimmering things.

Edelman Leather

 

 A collection of gold frames shine against this dark wall.  I love the contrast.

 

 

 

 

Spotted this fixture in one of my favorite restaurants in Lexington, Dudley's.  A series of them line the bar.

My go-to accessory - a stack of gold bangles.

 

Kelly Wearstler.  I adore everything about this interior.

 

 

 A little holiday cheer.

 

Schumacher Wallpaper - Love a herringbone pattern.

 

Gilded.

 

 All I want for Christmas is a sequen gold blazer.  Practical in every way, right?

 

Gold mosaic ceiling inside St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy - one of my favorites!

 

Speaking of Gold on the Ceiling.

 

 

Recently used this tripod floor lamp in one of my projects - it looks just as fabulous in person as seen here.

 Who doesn't love buying a new planner - especially when it shines!

 

Oly Martini Table

Ann Sacks Tile 

 

Kelly Wearstler.

Nugget of a door knob.

 

Touch of gold.

 

 

A Moroccan golden sunrise.  Photo I took while riding a camel in the Dunes of Merzoga.  Take. Me. Back. 

 

 

 17th century Spanish fragment decorated with natural forming organic pearls on an Iceland spar base.  Amazing.

 

 

Brown + Gold

 

 

One can dream . . .

 

 

Hall of Mirrors, photo I took inside the Palace of Versailles.

 

Let them eat cake.

 

The Golden Rule . . . classic and timeless.

xx,

Chelsea

 

{resources: 1-elle decor, 2-pinterest, 3-visual comfort, 4-pinterest, 5-kelly wearstler, 6-style me pretty, 7-pinterest, 8-1stDibbs, 9-pinterest, 10-habitually chic, 11-black keys, 12-visual comfort, 13-pinterest, 14-oly, 15-ann sacks, 16-kelly wearstler, 17-chelsea frazer, 18- , 19-interi, 20-houzz, 21-bergdorf goodman, 22-chelsea frazer, 22-24 pinterest}

 

 

A Natural Curiosity

Coral has always fascinated me with its sculptural appearance & beautiful organic structure.  I like to decorate with these treasures from the sea - it's a nice way of bringing nature inside. Display pieces on your book shelves, tables, in a bowl, on a stand, anywhere!  

Check out these photos I took of different species of coral:

Elkhorn Pacific Coral (up close!)

Cauliflower Coral (peeking out of a bowl near a window)

Branch Coral (set against pecky cypress)

Elkhorn Pacific Coral (resting on a book shelf)

Brownstem Coral (exquisitely alone)

Birdnest Coral (nesting in a stand in front of two wood urns)

 Lettuce Coral (looking alive in down-lighting)

Giant Clam Shell  (OK, not coral, but what an unusual serving piece for your kitchen)

Branch Coral & Sea Urchin (the perfect dining table centerpiece)

My Thanksgiving break has been spent at one of the most beautiful & restful places in the World, Rosemary Beach, and for this I am thankful & inspired.

Sitting here working on plans for a carriage house at RB and inspired by the natural beauty of the surroundings - I could get used to working down here!

Though from the sea, coral isn't just for coastal houses; it is a timeless accessory to add that perfect touch to any interior.  And it also makes for a great collector's item - I've started collecting some pieces for myself.  You should too! Each piece is one of Nature's most unique sculptures.

Oh and please don't buy fake coral.  It's like fake flowers, just don't do it.  

If you live in Nashville, stop by Iron Gate to pick up a piece or two or click here! 

xx,

Chelsea

{all photos were taken on my iPhone;  I use Instagram to play with the coloring, check it out - Instagram}

Drab to Fab

Don't be so quick to get rid of that drab chair that sits sulking in the corner of your living room.  If you aren't happy with the outdated fabric or finish, first decide if it has good bones.  If it does, then you should rescue it from its misery and give it a makeover.  If it doesn't, then please consider donating and starting anew.  

My client had a pair of these wooden red cane occasional chairs and they were begging for attention . . . and by attention I mean the right kind of attention.  She didn't mind if we got rid of them - but why start over when you can create the perfect remedy?  It was time for this pair to opt for a facelift!

Before

(the sofa, side tables, lamps, art, etc all needed a makeover too, which they all received, but for now, let's focus on the chairs)

&

. . . . .

After

 

I chose to have the chairs refinished to a rich espresso and selected a fun & unique neutral print for the seat cushions. 

 

The chairs are small enough that a bold print like this is perfect!  Just a little hint of oomph.  I selected a different fabric for the pillows to add interest and variety - a soft silk in oyster with a velvet chartreuse band.  It is that sort of (good) thing when you mix different textures to add dimension and diversity.

I find this makeover quite a success and so did my client - she loves them!  What do you think?

xx,

Chelsea

{photos taken on my iPhone}