Berkshire Estate: Exterior + Pool

This week I'll be revealing the 

BERKSHIRE ESTATE.

The client wanted a home that reflected her personal taste and lifestyle.

When she couldn't find a home on the market that fit her needs, she decided it was time to build. 

And build she did!  The client is an amazing interior designer on her own but 

with a job on this scale, she called me in for reinforcements. 

Both of our personal aesthetics are clean, clean, clean, 

so it working with her was a natural fit!

We decided the term for her style of home was 

MODERN CRAFTSMAN,

 as we couldn't go too contemporary in a neighborhood surrounded by ginormous 

Tuscan villas. We received our inspiration from East coast style homes: Cape Cod, Shaker, etc.

We then mixed it all up with natural materials, like stone and wood, to make it more 

fitting for the Rocky Mountains, and here's what we got! Take a gander at the

BERKSHIRE EXTERIOR + POOL.

Out of every detail in this home, the exterior lanterns just may be my favorite element. Did you know white exterior lights are impossible to find?? Which makes no sense to me, considering how popular white trim is for exteriors... Anyway, we looked into manufacturing our own lights but when the quotes came back ($$ CHA-CHING!!$$), we decided a little DIY was in order. We found lanterns where we liked the shape, spray painted the oil rubbed bronze out white, replaced the dated yellow seeded glass with clear panels and topped it off with a round clear light bulb. We did this for every. lantern. on. the exterior. 

Good thing they turned out so gosh darn beautiful! 

(P.S. Exterior lighting manufacturers: 

HIRE ME TO DESIGN NEW STYLES FOR YOU! I'll make you rich, I tell ya.)

Now on to Paradise, a.k.a.

THE BERKSHIRE BACKYARD:

It's hard to show scale from these shots but the striped lounge chairs are kid-size.

How fun is that?

Stay tuned... we'll be heading inside tomorrow!

{Exterior material selection + poolside design by Brooke Jones Design, 

Photography by Jylare Smith}

Ohio Instagram Dump

Hello lovelies!  After a week of packing and cleaning and 

driving through corn field after corn field, I am 

FINALLY RELOCATED IN OHIO. 

Whew!  Remind me how awful moving is next time I get the itch for a change of scenery, will you?  

That was rough but I made it through. 

Here's an Instagram dump from my travels:

(This pic pretty much sums up I-80 between Utah and Ohio. Nothing but crop fields BOTH ways.)

Moving across country kicked my butt into gear a bit and I actually had my 

UTAH DESIGN PROJECTS PHOTOGRAPHED.

I jumping out of my skin with excitement!  I will be posting sneak peaks through this week, so stay tuned.

Also, I'm going to working on a little blog design remodel and I'd love your help! 

I will be asking your opinions throughout the week, so get those creative juices geared up.

This should be a good week!

The Copper Onion

As I'm preparing to leave my home state, I am looking around and 

realizing all the things and places I'm going to miss 

(don't even mention the mountains to me... I don't want to think about leaving those yet).  

One of my favorite places I have only recently discovered is 

THE COPPER ONION

in Salt Lake.  I'd describe it as an American take on a Parisian Bistro. 

If you have multiple food allergies like I do, they are more than accommodating, too.

 I took what may have been my last brunch there this weekend, 

which was great timing as they just wrapped up a little interior face lift. 

(please excuse the Instagram pics. I'm NOT a photographer...)

The lighting was PHENOMENAL. 

I mean, I didn't shut up about it the entire time we were there. 

It was CRAZY good lighting.

Next time you're in SLC, I highly recommend dropping by and ordering yourself some Huevos Rancheros.

They are life changing. Literally.

Here are some sources to get the Copper Onion look in your home:

(sources listed clockwise from left)

1. Thonet Era Chair via DWR

2. 1890's La Mere Germaine French Menu Sign via 1st Dibs

3. Jean Pelle Bubble Chandelier via PELLEshop

3. Barn Light Radial Wave Flute Pendant via Barn Lighting Electric

4. Orbit Wall Sconce Clear via Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co.

5. Franklin Wall Sconce via Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co.

6. Solomon Dining Table via Pottery Barn

Hotel Monaco, Salt Lake City

My husband is whisking me away for a Valentine's weekend.

We'll be staying at

HOTEL MONACO IN SALT LAKE CITY,

and I am SOOOO excited.
 

My husband told me he choose this hotel because he knew I'd appreciate the headboard design.

He was right.
This girl adores some good HOLLYWOOD REGENCY style.

Call me crazy but I LOVE staying in hotels, even if they are only 40 minutes away from home. 

 Who would complain about staying in a GORGEOUSLY CHIC SPACE like this?

What are your plans for Valentine's?
{images via Monaco SLC}

Park City Anniversary Weekend

I am off to spend the weekend in 

PARK CITY 

to celebrate my 4th Anniversary with my sweetheart. 

We're going to go to dinner, see Odyssey Dance Theatre's "Thriller,"

do a little shopping and hang out in our hotel.

The leaves are peaking and it may get a little stormy.

Best. Weekend. Ever.

I hope you enjoy yours!

{image via kiwi collection}

Jones Living Room Design Board

Remember this post after I sold my living room chairs to make room for a desk? Well, like most of my projects, as soon as I changed one thing, the project snowballed into changing 2... 3... 7...  items and now it's almost a complete redo.  Whoops! I'm absolutely loving it, though.  Here's my game plan:

I already own half of these pieces, thank goodness.  The sofa in the board is not an exact match, but is close to my black velvet sofa I designed when I worked at Bassett Furniture.  I've had a love/hate relationship with the fabric but as it's nylon and black it wears like nailes and cleans like a dream!  The mirrored end tables I bought at Target years ago, I think for $40 a piece-- such a steal!  The nickel and glass coffee table is another memento from my Bassett days (originally it was $1200+, but add in my employee discount on top of the clearance price and I walked out with it for less than $200.  Awesome.).   The lead crystal floor lamp is from Restoration Hardware and retails at about $600+.  I found mine at a scratch-and-dent store (anyone else in UT love DownEast Home?) and it was mis-tagged for only $25.  I asked the sale associate about it and she said she's honor the price. CHA-CHING!!! $575 savings for me! And believe me, it's a quality lamp, 'cause that thing is heav-VY.

Here's where the new stuff comes in.  I had dove grey velvet curtains in my head for my large picture window but in Texas I visited a Restoration Hardware OUTLET.  They accepted my designer discount on top of their prices. I picked up a pair of charcoal grey Belgium twill grommet panels for less than $100 (they were more than that a piece originally). DONE! If you live anywhere near San Marcos, Texas you must visit the outlets-- Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn/West Elm/William-Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, etc. etc.  It was a shopping paradise. 

Last week I stopped by a different location of the same scratch-and-dent store where I got my lamp.  In all honesty, I went shopping for a client but ended up buying something for me.  Surprisingly, that doesn't happen as often as you would think.  Anyway, I came across a desk that looked a LOT like this:

Be still my heart...

...except the top portion of the DownEast desk is french blue.  

Upon a little inquiring, I found out that the polished nickel trestle bases are the real deal from William-Sonoma but the top, though it looks the exact same as the WS original besides for the hardware and ...ahem... blue finish, use to have wooden legs that were freight damaged.  With a savings of about $1575, I took the soon-to-be-gorgeous 'Frankenstein-ed' desk (I'm currently in the process of researching who could paint the top white.  The blue has got to go.).  

Next on my shopping list is this little beauty, as seen from Pieces Inc:

I didn't spend $1850 on the William-Sonoma desk, so there's no way I'm going to spend that on a chair.   The chair is from the late 1960's-70's designed by Anton Lorenz.  I have found a few vintage ones on etsy and eBay in pretty good shape but all are in need of some hair-on-hide re-upholstery.  Since hair-on-hide can get spendy, I'm holding out until I can find this chair for less than $100.  If you see one in your local Craigslist, LET ME KNOW!!!

After my pocket book recovers from there, I will invest in a custom-made credenza for my television (have I ever written about how much I HATE media credenzas these days? I don't mind seeing the TV, but do we have to see the cable box and X Box too?).  I'm thinking something that completely closes off the components, in white lacquer, inspired by the 1920's or maybe the 1970's.  

As far as the rest of the accessories, well, I think I'm going to save that for tomorrow.  I think I may need your help on that part...

Not too bad for a savings of $3850+ and counting!

{images via WS Home & Pieces Inc}

Design Legend: Milo Baughman

While trying to research the history of my last post's vintage chrome chair I stumbled across the work of Milo Baughman.  Who is Milo Baughman you ask? As it turns out, he was one of the fathers of modern design during the second half of the twentieth century.  He designed furniture for companies including Mode Furniture, Calif-Asia, Design Institute America, Henredon and Drexel, and most famously for Thayer Coggin, Inc.  His style was 'distincly American' and became a staple for the 'California modern' movement.

Baughman's furniture used simple materials typical of the movement namely, walnut, iron, and formica. The 'X' base was a staple in his desks and stools while the 'Z' shape was introduced to chairs for a style that is purely Baughman.  His styles have been reinvented and recreated and continue to be reproduced to this day.

Mr. Baughman practiced design in California throughout the 50's and 60's. Get this-  in 1969 he was invited by Brigham Young University to start the Department of Environmental Design and taught there on and off until his death in 2003.  Who said Mormons where all traditional and had no style!!!  He could quite possibly be the coolest thing to come out of BYU (well, him and the fact my parents met there and spawned your truly, but he still might take the cake).

Have you seen this GORGEOUS desk before?  I can't remember if I've used it in a post before but it has been in my design file under 'lust list' for a few years now.  You know anything with an 'X' base gets me going, but pair it with orange lacquer and chrome??? Be still my heart!

"Good Modern has already proven to be the most enduring, timeless and classic of all design movements." 

Amen Brother Baughman. Amen.

{all items are vintage via 1st Dibs}

Elle Accessory Photo Shoot

As much as I complain about being stuck in Utah, I sure do love Southern Utah.  Wish it would warm up a wee bit more so I could plan a day trip to Moab or Zions with the hubbie...

...and of course we'd drive a vintage Mercedes loaded with Gucci and Louis V luggage.  Is there any other way to take a road trip?

{images via Elle}