Mirror Anyone?

It use to be that a person bought a mirror for its practical use. Today mirrors are more like pieces of art. You will see them set in some of the craziest of items yet look incredible hung in the right places. Some are very elaborate and others are extremely simple. But either way they can add a lot to a room.

Take a look at some mirrors used for both practical and decorative puposes.

Made out of seashells; both beautiful and practical

A simple, yet elegant mirror that helps add a lot of light to this room but definitely not used for its traditional purpose.

Now this mirror I think is so cute but strictly decorative. Just a small simple touch to this room.

I think these mirrors are perfect for this bathroom. They are slightly more decorative then a simple iron frame and look great with this floor and these sinks. I love this look!

Sunburst have been a trend for so long but are still a great decorative mirror to turn to when you want to  make a statement in the room.

Love the rustic look of these mirrors and they look great with this bathroom.

A tall narrow piece was need for over this fireplace. This mirror was the perfect idea.

Mirrors aren't just for inside. They are a great decorative touch on a covered porch.

I picked this mirror because I wanted to show you that mirrors can be made out of anything. This is a old mold that they probably painted and then set a mirror inside. Great idea.

I love mirrors and I love finding items to turn into mirrors.  I just finished painting some very elaborate frames. They definitely won't be for practical use.

Aren't they great! They will make beautiful mirrors and placed side by side will make quite a statement. They will be available in the studio soon.

Hope you like what you saw. I apologize for not sourcing some of the pictures. I search for images on my IPad and save them and there is no place to type the source. Some I can remember but most I can't. I love when their name is already on the picture.

Take Care,
Stacy

Do Your Walls Tell Your Story?

For me, decorating your home is the one place that should have NO RULES. It should reflect who you are as a family. It should make you smile ever time you look at it and should be a place where you feel warm, safe and comfortable.

(My girls definitely feeling comfortable in their home)

Having "art" on your walls helps enhance all of those feelings. To me, it should read like a wonderful book of short stories all of which are expressions of who you are or memories you have.

With all that said, it is sometimes hard to find the perfect piece to express a certain feeling or represent a wonderful memory. I have realized this in my many searches. Therefore I have decided to start creating pieces that I hope will touch all of you.

Below is my first SHM Designs pieces of art. I actually got the idea from Pinterest. Don't you just love that site. It is full of inspiration.

I love the simplicity of this piece. It was my first woodworking project and I am really happy with the results. The girls wanted me to keep it but I thought it would look perfect on the fireplace mantel in the studio.  (I guess that means I will be making one for our home). I sometimes having trouble finding that perfect stain color so I was super excited when I tried Cocoa from Sherwin Williams. Its color is very rich and warm and works perfect for this piece.

It was also the first time that I have made my own stencil. To help me with this, I purchased the Cameo Silhouette machine and I couldn't be happier. It is so easy to use and has the ability to do a wide range of projects. Get ready for a lot of new creations from SHM Designs.

Hope you like my first piece. Stop by the studio to take a look. I am also getting ready to upholster a few of the chairs that I have had in the studio. I found a great fabric outlet and picked up some beautiful fabric; perfect for a couple of chairs that I have.

Can't wait to show you pictures.

Take Care,

Stacy

Kitchen Design Comes To Life

Once everything had been delivered things really moved fast. Everyday something new was happening. It was amazing seeing my design come to life. Even more amazing when it all worked.

( Big sigh of relief!)

Cabinets, recessed lights and iron light all in. Getting so excited.

Look at the amazing stove with double ovens. My clients and their children are loving it. The dark hardwood floors look incredible against the cabinets and countertop. You can't tell by the picture but they actually have what they call a hand hammered look. Very Cool!

Paint samples going up on walls. The green is a great pop of color but warm enough to blend with the warmth of the room.

Look at this amazing brick hood. This was one of my favorite features in the remodel. It actually was the last item decided. I wanted to make a statement and my clients wanted to have a rustic fireplace look. I think its perfect. We used a old piece of barn wood for the mantel which helped add to that rustic feel.

Back splash completed and looks great. I love the design we created over the stove. Adds a little dimension without being over the top and to busy.

Moving day! Excited to start moving items in place.

I will definitely get better finished pictures but for now this is all I have. Take it from me, it looks beautiful.

Hope you love it!

Take Care,

Stacy

Kitchen Crazy!

Living in a home that is being renovated is quite a challenge. Add to that a very active family of five with two very large dogs and it makes it crazy. Therefore, the timing of everything is sooo important. I counted on everything to go like clockwork.

Does that really happen in the design world???

In this case it did. Beside having a drama queen of a plumber and a small issue with the counter top being back order but then found by another dealer, everything went as scheduled. I know, can you believe it.....

Before I start showing you finished pictures, I thought I would tease you with some of the products we decided to use.

My client wanted a somewhat rustic look. Not over the top mind you, but just enough that it didn't feel brand new.

Take a look at what we chose:

I found this great iron light in a consignment store and knew right away it would be perfect over their circular kitchen table. I was so excited and even more excited about the price.

Next up cabinets and counter tops.

We had already decided on a refinished dark oak floor . ( I will do a whole post on hardwood floors later). My client loved the floors and wanted them to be dark but was concerned with it making the kitchen space to dark. Therefore, we went with this wonderful distressed creamy white cabinet that had a coca glaze over it. Really beautiful. The counter tops pulled in the colors of the floors and cabinets perfectly. 

The back splash was the next item to pick. That was a little tricky because with the counter top being pretty busy, we needed something to just complement everything and not make its own statement. 

Here were some of the choices:

 To Dark

To Busy

To White

Just Right!!!!

The glossy subway tile in a biscuit color was perfect. The gloss of the tile added a nice contrast to the rustic feel of the cabinets and floor but yet the color didn't overpower anything. It was perfect.

Well there you have it. Next up some finished pictures.

Take Care,

Stacy

Kitchen Renovation #1

Along time ago I gave you a sneak peek of a kitchen renovation that I was beginning. Well I finished it over the summer and would like, over the next couple of post, to share the renovation. It actually turned into a laundry/ mud room and kitchen renovation with a full update of the whole first floor. It was great!
Take a look.

Before pictures of the kitchen and family room areas.

I forgot to take pictures of the pantry and the laundry room which were divided originally by a wall. Now, these two rooms are one nice size laundry/mud room.; a much needed space for a active family of five.

Now a look at the beginning stages:

 Kitchen Demo

 New Laundry/ Mud Room and New Window!!!

A built-in surrounds the window and creates a window bench area for putting on shoes.

We placed bead-board 3/4 the way up the wall with a very wide top molding to allow for a lot of hooks for coats and book bags.

Changed ceiling lights from the standard wall mounted lights to these hanging lanterns. Aren't they beautiful!

Here we took two of the old large kitchen cabinets and placed them over the washer and dryer for storage. We will be painting them white. Mark also built this"garage" ( as he likes to call it ) for the washer and dryer to have that built-in look. It also gives my client a great folding area.

Kitchen Cabinets Arriving. 

 It really turned out amazing!  Stay tuned for the next phase.

Take Care,
Stacy

Custom Tables and Frames at SHM Designs

I absolutely love designing furniture and home decor. It is so satisfying to see my visions come to life and I am so lucky to have Mark to make them happen. What I have discovered as an added bonus to Marks many talents is his ability to design beautiful pieces on his on.

This summer I asked Mark to build a custom pedestal table for a client. I showed him a couple of inspirational pictures, but really hadn't finalized anything. In just a few days he had built an amazing table.

I love it! 

Here is a picture of a built-in bench and trestle table that I designed and had Mark build. This kitchen had very little room for a table and chairs.  I decided a built-in would look great nestled beneath the window and would give my client ample seating for her family of four. The table will be stained and the bench will be painted a creamy white.  Custom cushions for the top of the benches and two bolster pillows will be placed in each window for back support.  

Frames are another one of my favorite things to design.  All of that intricate work in the first frame, Mark did completely by hand.  My plan is to turn it into a mirror.  Now, if I could just decide on a color. Any suggestions? All of these frames are available for purchase. So if you see one you like or want to have one custom made, just let me know.

This picture doesn't do this frame justice. The molding is just beautiful! Right now it is just primed but once painted it will look incredible. What do you think; mirror or a cork board?

This frame has already been sold.  I made it into a jewelry board for a client who sells antique and vintage jewelry. 

I painted the board in Annie Sloan Paris Gray and Pure White and covered it in a soft grey velvet. It is a perfect background for her silver, rhinestone jewelry.

Sorry for the messy background. Another frame just begging for paint.

Hope you saw something you like.

Take Care,

Stacy