In the past few months I’ve started taking on some e-design clients and a few local, in-home clients, too. It’s a big reason why I’ve recently closed my Etsy shop and stopped freelancing for Houzz. I’ve really wanted to pursue helping others with their homes and it has been so fun connecting with other people and spaces. If you are interested in an e-design consult, here’s a peek into a real life example I recently finished and what you can expect.
Ashley wanted my help with three spaces in their home. Ashley and her husband built their home a couple years ago and while it is beautiful, she needed help finishing those beautiful spaces off, including her music room which I’ll be sharing today.
First, I’ll collect photos, dimensions and your needs/wants. Ashley wanted to add in personality but wanted to keep the wall color, the piano, her newly reupholstered buffalo check chairs (love those!) and the big armoire that holds their music. Here’s what I came up with for this particular space:
Every design comes with a thorough explanation with links and suggestions that correlate to each number on the mood board. Here’s what I sent over:
Our wood grain Shaker cabinet fronts were designed for busy, high-traffic homes like ours. Clad with durable textured thermofoils, this line is compatible with Sektion, Akurum, Godmorgon, and Besta cabinets from IKEA. It's the perfect, practical way to add the warmth of wood to all the rooms of your home.
We have teamed up with Loloi to create a line of rugs that are as affordable as they are beautiful. This collection houses a great mix of traditional and modern rugs, in cottage-y colorways, as well as vintage-inspired beauties that you’ll want to roll out in every room.
We partnered with Stuga on a line of hardwood floors — The Ingrid is really livable, and the color is very neutral. It doesn’t lean warm or cool, it’s that just right in-between. We have really loved putting it everywhere in our house. It’s the best jumping-off point for design, no matter your interior style. In addition to being beautiful, Ingrid is really durable — we have three kids, and we always have a home construction project going on. Ingrid stands up to it all.
SHop all
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Get Around
Make yourself right at home
Portfolio
Design
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Projects
Lifestyle
Gift Guides
All Posts
Shop
RivrLinks
Are you still taking e design clients?
I am! Although there is a bit of a waiting list. Feel free to shoot me an email.
Can you write another post about Ashley’s other spaces? I found this entry so useful!
The mood board looks so pulled together! Love the different blues!
http://danielleandco.com/blog/2016/design-around-bold-sheets
So, Ashley…tell us about those beautiful floors…where did they come from?
Love this board especially since I have no idea how to decorate around my piano.
I am also looking for another piano bench because the current one isn’t very comfortable for sitting for long practice sessions but all the benches I come across aren’t the right height . The one you listed is slightly above 16 inches but most standard height piano benches are higher at 18 inches. Perhaps this isn’t an issue for your clients and these are more problems of petite people or children playing the piano. :)
It’s totally something to consider and my client is aware of. :) We don’t have a piano bench with our piano, but luckily we’re tall enough a standard bench isn’t a huge issue. Haha
That rug! I’m obsessing!
The whole board is a gorgeous mix of modern, minimal, and cozy.
I want it all!
I was actually recently thinking I wish you would start doing this again! :)
This looks great! I would love to see it put together.
Also, the link for the faux cowhide is not working.
Thanks, Megan. Should be fixed.
Love what they’ve already got and most of the suggestions! A couple of thoughts from a musician: Those lamps are gorgeous, but I’m wondering if the brass one is really the right choice for a hardworking piano in a designated music room. Task lighting for playing a piano is a different animal than task lighting for other activities, as good lighting is essential for sight-reading and learning music, especially more complex pieces. The room appears to get a lot of natural light in the day, but I play at all hours…maybe they do, too. I have a grand piano, so I have an articulating floor lamp with a three-way bulb so that I can choose the intensity and direction of light. Perhaps their needs are different. I also wonder about putting a plant on top: Styled pianos look cute, but I would be concerned about damage to an expensive instrument, even with careful watering, the right planter, etc. I would go faux over live plant to be on the safe side, or perhaps a succulent that needs very little watering. :)
Sounds like you’re amazing at piano, Amy! In my consult with Ashley, she didn’t mention wanting or needing lighting for the piano and I can’t speak to how actively played the piano is in their home.
I’ve been looking for a brass task lamp off and on for a couple months and haven’t settled on anything. Does the one you link to move or is the lamp head fixed? I need something I can move a bit.
It looks like it moves, but maybe see if it says in the description?
We own the Target brass task lamp that isn’t rounded and the head moves. We love them.
I have the same lamp in the floor size and the shades moves a bit, I’m pretty sure the smaller size is the same :-)
Thanks!
That’s a beautiful mood board, their space is amazing to begin with (the moldings on the walls, those floors, the door), I hope we get to see the pictures of it put together! I’m glad you decided to take this step towards doing something you truly love and helping others create beautiful spaces! Congrats! Can’t wait to see more!