Dining Room: Before & After

I believe changing a light fixture is one of the easiest things that can most transform a room. Good and beautiful lighting is necessary to all the activities in your home, especially in the dining room. If you are considering a change in the light about your dining table taking the extra step and center the fixture over your dining room table. More often than not an electrician you never knew (and long before you even moved into your home) hung the current fixture in the center most spot of the ceiling. This makes sense to an electrician but certainly not an interior designer. Now you are stuck with a table and a light that don’t get along. A handy person can do a quick internet search and find a how-to on moving the junction box yourself or, as a fan of out-sourcing, you can hire an electrician for the job. It will seem like an inconvenience and cost some extra money, but this simple change will make you’ll fall in love with your dining room again and every time you sit down for a family meal or just walk by you’ll appreciate the harmony you created. That is priceless.


That’s exactly what we did in this Bryant dining room. The smoked and etched glass fixture had to go. We swapped it out with the more elegant Round Pendant Shade from Restoration Hardware. It was centered over a consignment shop dining table and pulled together with oval back dining chairs from West Elm. Now the modern lines of the seating compliment the classic shape of the fixture and the expandable table fits the period of the mid-century home.

Ballard Bungalow: Before + After

The Ballard Bungalow project is complete and turned out picture perfect. We tried a few new (even risky?) things and the results paid off.

Before: This rectangle room was cramped with no flow to the furnishings, lack luster paint and a drab floor.

The clients have two dogs, so we needed to pick colors and materials that would be paw and fur friendly. They also wanted a semi-formal room to curl up with a book as well as entertain. We chose Benjamin Moore Light Khaki in an egg shell finish for the walls. One of the true stars of the room is the vintage ceiling light fixture that’s original to the house. In order to highlight the light and give some sizzle to the room, the ceiling was painted with Benjamin Moore’s Newburyport Blue in a flat finish (why flat?).

It was important to the clients that we avoid purchasing from big box retailers and repurpose as much furniture and finishes as possible. The vintage camel back sofa came from The House in Magnolia and other furnishings were found online. With the dogs in mind, Flor tiles in a celery color were laid in the living room. Should anything happen, be it dog or drink, the tiles can easily be replaced and afforded a perfect fit for this unusually sized room.

Pick a paint for the 5th wall

Next time you're deciding on a color for a room try this: look up. It could be your ceiling that needs a new look. Think of it as the 5th wall and make it the room's accent wall. We recently painted a client’s living room ceiling Newburyport Blue from Benjamin Moore, and the results are stunning. We used a matte finish on the ceiling. A Semi-gloss or glossier paint may reflect more light, creating a the a visual "stop" that can be distracting. The painted ceiling in the bungalow/craftsman home works beautifully with the color palette we picked for the home. More on what we did with the rest of the house coming soon; until then, get a ladder and start painting up.


A few more examples of painted ceilings. How lovely!

Coffee Table Quest

I’ve spent the last few weeks searching for the perfect coffee table for one of my clients. The challenge is to find one that suits their great room, works with a white leather sectional, is kid friendly and, most importantly, is under a thousand dollars. Because of the children, glass is out - but there is another important reason to consider that materials this piece is made of: what kind of sound does the table make when you place cup on it?. Is it a cold “clink” or a warm “confident” sound? The sound a table makes also rules out metal. Also, this client lives in a new construction house with fairly modern furnishings and would like to incorporate some more natural elements. While the perfect table hasn’t been found just yet, here are some of my favorites so far:

I love this Mongo Cocktail table from Area 51 on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. Retail price is $825, but they are having a good sale right now. There is a better picture on the store’s home page.

I didn’t expect to find a table I liked for this project at Miller Pollard in Seattle’s University Village, but I really appreciate the mix of modern and rustic elements.

Pictures don’t do this table justice. Roost's Recycled Wood furniture at Velocity Art and Design is made from reclaimed railroad ties and the metal frames have been given a waxed finish. Coffee Table Duo includes two tables, the smaller of which can be stored under the larger. The sales person tells me assembly can be tricky but with a little patience you can do it on your own.

I’ve always been a fan of the Parsons table and love West Elm’s version. It is simple, substantial and contemporary.

If price and glass didn’t matter I would pick The Noguchi Coffee Table by Herman Miller. This table works in just about any room in any decade, the sign of a classic.

Phinney Staging: Fruit + Flower Refresh

When your house is on the market, there are lots of simple tricks to make your home as welcoming as possible to a potential buyer. A quick trip to the grocery store can provide you with some inexpensive accents that will make your home feel a bit more polished:

Fruit: A big bowl of green apples are a great accent to any room. They are bright, fresh and welcoming. We used a bowl of apples on a small table next too the front door. Depending on the season you could also use lemons and limes, pomegranates or clementines.


Flowers: I prefer arrangements of one flower in one color epically in a staging project. The flowers should blend in with the room, complimenting another color in the space. You don’t need a huge arrangement to stand out as the only thing a possible buyer might remember. Always keep the flowers tidy and fresh – dried out or dying flowers will send the wrong message to a future home owner.

Here I used green hydrangeas in the dining room (in this case we went for a tall arrangement to help hide a poorly placed outlet). A small tight arrangement of white roses in the bedroom complements the color palette.



White Pottery: My collection of white pottery came in handing as another accent piece throughout the home, offering a unified feel without taking anything away from the architectural details of the house.

Illuminating Style

Over the past few months I've spent a lot of time looking for a dining room light fixture. There are so many to choose from, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But I know what I like and I like these:



From West Elm comes this Capiz Pendant that fits the bill perfectly for a client’s need for a bit of femininity in a house full of men. Her 10 year old son collects rocks and shells and she wanted to feature that somehow in the décor. Not only is this a great tie in, it’s super chic.



Who knew Jonathan Adler had a lighting line at Lamps Plus? He's so cleaver when it comes to adding an extra flourish to classic designs. The chain-link detail makes this drum fixture even more sleek and urban. I'll admit it - the client for this light is me!



This fixture from Restoration Hardware takes the drum shade to a very stylish new level. The two-tiers, though unadorned, add drama to any dining room. You can get great deals at Restoration Hardware during their lighting sales…which happens to be on right now.

Staging: Phinney Ridge

When it comes to staging your home before it goes on the market, there’s no need to rent an entire house full of new furniture. The key is to edit and work with what’s already there, maximizing the existing space with fewer knick knacks and perhaps opting for a smaller dining table or sofa.

That’s exactly what we did with this 1927 Phinney Ridge bungalow. The original Mahogany trim, hardwood floors, leaded glass windows and coved ceilings are the real star of the house. In the dining room we moved out a buffet and replaced the large square table with a smaller round one to improve flow and make the room appear larger. Two foot stools and several end tables were removed from the living room and the fireplace mantel was reworked with vintage pottery. For the rest of the house it was a matter of de-cluttering and de-personalizing spaces so a potential buyer could picture themselves living in this beautiful home.

After: Bryant Living Room

See Bryant living room before.

After: Magnolia Condo

Amazing how a little color can completely transform a space. For several months this Magnolia condo sat empty and my client was eager to get it rented. The plan was divided into two phases: new paint and carpet first, followed by a kitchen update. To capitalize on the views and make the space feel bigger, we chose a Benjamin More Beachside Green as the primary color. We worked from the same color strip for the fireplace wall, picking Sage two colors down and continued down for the trim choosing the lightest color on the strip as the primary. The dining room light fixture went from a dated glass and gold number to modern stainless steel. To tie everything together all the white plastic switch plates were replaced in matching stainless. Immediately the condo felt more elegant with its modern color pallet and a bit of dressing up.

The makeover worked some magic --- before we could get the tile guy in to start on the kitchen, the condo rented. Phase two will just have to wait until next time.

Before: Magnolia Condo

The territorial view is the first thing that struck me about this 1 bedroom Seattle condo. Now that it’s between renters, the owner is looking to make this investment property work a little harder for her. With new paint, carpet and light fixtures, we are looking on bring the outside color scheme in which will make the condo feel bigger. The kitchen is also in need of a facelift with new flooring, countertop and a cupboard face lift. Look for the final results soon.

Before: Bryant Living Room

This Seattle couple is looking to transform their living room, form a catch-all dumping space for their 10-year-old son and three cats into a space where they can entertain. The room is just off the front door of the small craftsman home, so we are working on a solution for coats, backpacks and mail, while trying to keep the living room clutter free and chic without breaking the bank. Pictures of the transformation.