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Bathroom: 3 Simple Facelifts

design@rivalee.com — 2012-01-18T14:57:19-08:00

It’s amazing how much of a difference new vanities, counter, flooring and lighting and paint can make! These three bathrooms were all given vanity facelifts with cabinet refacing, fresh flooring, fixtures, stone counters and lighting, making the whole home feel more up-to-date at a fraction of the cost of remodels that also take out and replace tubs and toilets. Sometimes all you need is a makeover.

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Living Room: Eliminate Builder's Beige

design@rivalee.com — 2012-01-20T14:48:00-08:00

This single man wanted his living room to have more interest and asked Rivalee to come and do a color consultation. We choose deep, leathery grays that set off the great architecture of the space, tied together his dramatic draperies and mushroom colored sofas, and showed of the white trim and carpets. As an added bonus the color embraced the TV so that the room can be appreciated as a whole and made the fireplace even more of a feature in the room.

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Bathroom: Spa Oasis

design@rivalee.com — 2012-01-25T14:31:15-08:00

This single lady had lived with her outdated bathroom long enough and she was ready for a beautiful change. Before, the bathroom was chopped into two spaces making it feel tiny and cramped, and while it had both a bath and detached shower, the shower was a small, scary little cell she hated to use. The sink was too small, and set in a vanity that was at an odd angle.

We knew that a layout change would make this space feel twice its original size, so we took out the door dividing the two spaces, put a glass-tiled, generous shower where the tub had been, and put a sexy soaking tub in the place of the tiny shower stall and detached vanity space.

Together we chose colors and materials that would feel airy and beautiful, and would compliment her mid-century house. Now this bathroom reflects the beauty of the homeowner herself, and is worthy of the care she takes of her home.

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Living Room: Lovely Rental

design@rivalee.com — 2011-10-27T22:27:50-07:00

This single gal was renting this queen anne condo and couldn’t paint, but still wanted to really make it feel like home. She’d already been there a couple years, knew it would be at least another couple, and decided she no longer wanted to live like she was still in college.

She already had two beautifully reupholstered pieces, a chair and sofa handed down through family. Unfortunately the rest of the room was a mish-mash of unmatched wood pieces, all too small for the room, and a much-too-little area rug with no personality. She asked for a beautiful room where her friends would love to gather, and to make the view and her books the focus of the room instead of the tv.

By bringing in a soft, oversized rug and a contemporary entertainment unit that was more about books than media, adding more seating and fresh accessories, we created the room she wanted without changing the paint color at all.

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Bathroom: A Little Burlesque

design@rivalee.com — 2011-01-17T22:01:00-08:00

After a while every bathroom needs a little facelift. The linoleum in this small bath was stained and never looked clean, and the vanity was terribly outdated. We ripped out the flooring and vanity, installed charming black and white tile and a bright white vanity, and painted the room a soft powder blue. A new shower curtain and some pinup-girl art and we managed a vintage-inspired easy update for just $1250.

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Bedroom: Teal and Chocolate

design@rivalee.com — 2011-01-17T21:55:00-08:00

This bachelor had bought bedroom furniture but had never decorated the room in a way that showed it off, and though it was kept neat and clean it felt crowded and messy. He wanted a space that felt ‘finished’ and would feel inviting sould he invite guests over.

We rearranged the furniture so nothing blocked the windows or closets - that took away the feeling of being crowded. Then we painted the walls chocolate and aqua, color pulled from the painting he had in the room, and hung coordinating curtains to soften the look. Aside from a new duvet and pillows, paint and drapes, we didn’t have to add anything new to make this transformation. Easy to maintain, easy on the eye.

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Living Room: Southwest Modern

design@rivalee.com — 2011-05-17T21:48:00-07:00

The owners of this home just purchased this beautiful contemporary sofa, but needed help complimenting it with the right accessories. We added a beautiful new area rug and laid it horizontally in the room to reduce the long skinny feeling of the space, then placed an accent chair, Naguchi-style table and colorful accessories to create a warm, cohesive, contemporary living room.

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Living Room: Rich and Inviting

design@rivalee.com — 2011-06-17T21:28:00-07:00

The living room had looked like this for years as the homeowner focussed on being a single mom. Once her daughter was grown she wanted to create a living room that would make her excited, not embarrassed, to invite people over. She wasn’t sure where to start, but had found a painting that she loved, so we keyed the colors off that inspiration piece.

We started by removing the old mirror tiles from around the fireplace, then we faux painted the brick to make it a richer espresso color to match the hearth. We painted the walls olive green and then accessorized the room with deep chocolate and vivid red furnishings, giving the once-bare room bold, intriguing and rich flavor that made the homeowner feel eager to be at home and share the space with her friends and family.

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Bathroom: Simple and Clean

design@rivalee.com — 2011-08-17T21:22:00-07:00

No matter how functional a bathroom might be, starting every day staring at a dingy, outdated room in poor lighting doesn’t make you feel your best.

This homeowner wanted a clean, simple, contemporary update, so we tile the bath and floor, brought in a new, elegant vanity and mirror that made the most of her limited space, updated the lighting, and installed under-floor heat and an efficient toilet. These simple changes added value to the house both for the homeowner and to the house itself should she ever decide to sell.

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Office: Feminine Den

design@rivalee.com — 2011-08-17T21:16:00-07:00

Officially this was the homeowner’s office space, but she rarely spent time in the room because it was just a cold, ugly, cluttered space. She wanted a room that looked beautiful and would be less of a clutter magnet.

We rearranged her office furniture so that nothing blocked the windows and so her back wouldn’t be to the door when she worked. We painted the room a yellow the color of deep summer sunshine, and brought in elegant, comfortable seating where she could linger over a book. That made the space a room of rest, not just work and bills.

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Bedroom: Natural Zen

design@rivalee.com — 2011-06-17T21:06:00-07:00

This woman had lived in this 80’ bedroom since her divorce years prior, but had focused her time and energy on single-handedly raising her daughter. Now her daughter was grown and it was time to create a sanctuary for herself. She asked for a space that was clean and contemporary but still soft, welcoming, and warm.

The room was plagued with popcorn ceilings, outdated and broken fixtures, buckling carpet and a bad wall texturing job left over from the previous homeowners. We started from scratch, re-sheet rocking the walls, eliminating the soffit over the bed, and getting rid of the flimsy doors, lighting and trim. We painted the room soft buttery yellow, installed shogi-style frosted glass doors, and laid ecofriendly cork flooring that would be soft underfoot but less allergen-friendly than carpet. Then we finished the room with beautiful new linens, furnishing and accessories, selling the old ones that were salvageable on Craigslist.

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Bedroom: Bland to Bold

design@rivalee.com — 2011-10-11T21:01:00-07:00

This woman had moved into this bedroom after her divorce. She didn’t have a large budget for new furnishings, but it was important to her to create a space that felt grounded, bold, and finished. She had some great pieces to work with and a furniture layout that made sense, so this was really a project about paint and accessories.

We painted the walls a dark, deep charcoal grey, painted the dressers, trim and doors fresh white, replaced the hardware on the dressers to suit the beautiful French Country mirror, and painted the desk to match the new curtains and bed pillows. After we added some new accessories and lighting we spent some time reorganizing the desk and closet for efficiency and created a sophisticated, calm room that makes the owner smile.

Total cost for this room, $200 in materials, 16 hours time.

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Living Room: Hiding a big TV

design@rivalee.com — 2011-10-01T20:38:00-07:00

A recent and significant job loss helped this couple take a critical look at their life in general and acknowledge that they were feeling really unsatisfied, especially with the state of their home. It was so cluttered that they felt too embarrassed to have friends come over. It was time for a change. They wanted a room they could be proud to share with guests and that also felt great when it was just the two of them.

They actually had great furniture, but just too much of it for the space. The light yellow walls didn’t do anything but show off all the clutter, and their giant flat screen tv dwarfed everything else. We found new homes for much of the furniture, then painted the walls a medium, warm grey that would help both the furniture and the tv recede. Lastly we added soft, colorful accessories like the rug, drapes, art, and new lighting to create an inviting, cohesive space.

The homeowners now feel proud of the space and never hesitate to invite friends over for a movie or glass of wine.

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Office: Work-From-Home Den

design@rivalee.com — 2011-04-17T20:27:00-07:00

As a loving gift to her recently-laid-off husband, this woman asked me to salvage their home office so that he could feel the possibility of success again and have a space where he could possibly build a new business from home.

Together we emptied the room. It took two full days of sorting to figure out what would need to go back in... by the time we were done we discarded three garbage bags of trash, filled the recycling container twice, and taken two full carloads to Goodwill. They were troopers and we were all worn out by the end!

Then came the fun part. We painted the walls pear green, replaced the old overhead fixture, brought in the storage towers that were unused elsewhere in the house, uncovered his grandfather’s old desk, and arranged the room to feel like a cozy, warm library. We brought in a leather reading chair from the living room, and added a new chocolate shag rug, oversized clock, and two woven framed mirrors.

We didn’t have to buy a single piece of furniture for this room - it was all about purging and then making the most of what they already had on hand. Total cost for makeover (including the sorting and organizing time) $2100. Since this project he had built a successful business and has in fact hired others to work with him! That’s success!

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Bedroom: Eliminating Clutter

design@rivalee.com — 2011-08-01T20:18:00-07:00

This couple’s bedroom was overrun with laundry and clutter, leaving no room for rest, relaxation or romance!

We spent a day sorting and clearing, going through every piece of clothing and through every drawer. We painted the walls a lovely island-waters blue and had our contractor flip the door so it would open out of the room instead of in. As a result we could rearrange the existing furniture so the headboard no longer blocked the window. Then we accessorized with gauzy white curtains, recycled mirrors, the homeowners’ art and knickknacks and some new throw pillows.

We created an island-inspired retreat in less than three days and for $1150. Two years later, they’ve still maintained their new, clutter-less lifestyle! To quote the delightful words of the homeowner, they’ve gone “from Piglet to Peace.”

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Dining Room: Simple Softening

design@rivalee.com — 2011-05-17T20:14:00-07:00

This couple owned a beautiful home and already had great furnishings, but the dining room felt cold and unfinished.

We warmed up the whole room by painting the walls and ceiling a deep camel color, and softened and grounded the space with a generous, luxurious area rug. We eliminated the glass chandelier with its hard square edges and replaced it with a round fixture with a linen covered drum shade, and updated the chairs with new fabric to compliment the new paint and carpet.

There was no need to overhaul this room - we just took what they had and helped to complete the look.

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Bathroom: Ready to Sell

design@rivalee.com — 2011-04-17T20:12:00-07:00

This bathroom was tired and tattered and was not going to help sell the owner’s home, especially with water damage coming from a leak in the upstairs plumbing! We gutted the bathroom, repaired the leak, and made a fresh start with neutral porcelain floor tile and latte colored wall tile accented with a touch of sparkly glass. We furnished the room with elegant espresso finishes on the vanity, mirror and storage cabinet, and warmed the room with creamy white walls, satin nickel fixtures and a silk shower curtain. This is now a bathroom any potential buyer can see themselves in, adding value to the home!

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Bathroom: Marble and Glass

design@rivalee.com — 2011-11-03T20:09:00-07:00

The owners of this out-dated bathroom wanted a new look that would make their guests say ‘wow’. We wanted to create a ‘wow’ that would also be long-lasting, so we designed a room that felt both up to date and timeless, with a nod to vintage styling.

First we stripped it down to bare studs and installed an extra deep soaking tub and redid the plumbing to allow for two sinks. We laid marble flooring, installed ebony-colored cabinetry topped with a marble counter, and wrapped the room in fresh white subway tile capped with a chair rail. An impressive wall of glass adds sparkle, as do the bright, shiny chrome fixtures including three sconces and his and her mirrors.

What was once an off-the-shelf standard bath is now a breath-taking beauty, and the timeless, vintage inspired look is one that they and their guests will enjoy for years to come.

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Dining Room: Paint and Accessories

design@rivalee.com — 2011-03-17T20:03:00-07:00

This bachelor owned beautiful mid-century furniture but hadn’t been able to make the space feel warm or personal. Simply painting the walls in several shades of warm grey, reupholstering the chairs from office tweed to navy leather, and adding some modern, masculine accessories, and the room went from cold and impersonal to warm and inviting, without every feeling ‘fussy’.

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Media Room: Man Cave

design@rivalee.com — 2011-07-17T19:56:00-07:00

This client hired me to makeover the tv room as a gift to her husband. They wanted the space to feel fun and easy-going, but updated and much cozier.

When we started this basement room was painted white. While white paint might feel like a ‘safe’ choice, it can’t create a cozy a room, combat the chill of a daylight basement, or help hide clutter and big tvs, all of which this man-room needed! We covered all that white paint with warm grey on the walls and ceilings and updated the room with golden oak flooring. It was important to showcase the sports collections and to keep the room masculine, so we tied all the colors together with a bold rug, suede pillows (just a few) and hefty wood lamps, and reorganized the collection of Seahawks and Mariners items to show them off more fully.

The result is a masculine, comfortable media room that pays homage to the homeowner’s favorite sports teams without resorting to cliche and expected sports-team colors for the walls and accessories.

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Guestroom: Fun and Fresh

design@rivalee.com — 2011-09-17T19:53:00-07:00

Guest rooms are the perfect place to have a little fun in your home. In this one we wanted to create a space that would be inviting to both adults and young kids, so we brought in both lively lime green and grounded coffee brown, and accessorized with oversized leafy art and some clever frog and dragonfly treasures. We also were able to pull in a number of photographs the homeowner had purchased years ago and, of course, make it all work with the furniture they already had on hand. A great guest room for grown ups and kids alike.

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Guestroom: Beautiful Makeover

design@rivalee.com — 2011-04-17T19:47:00-07:00

This guestroom suffered an identity crisis - the elegant artwork didn’t go with the youthful bedding and stuffed animals, and the ironing and holiday decor was turning it into a storage room. We painted the walls a buttery yellow and replaced the mat on the artwork to a softer, more elegant color. We kept all the same furniture but rearranged it so that the bed could be approached from either side, making the room feel more spacious. We hung long violet colored silk drapes and gauzy sheers to camouflage the flat skinny window, then dressed the bed in soft eggplant colored linens with playful throw pillows in poppy reds. Simple de-cluttering, new paint and accessories, and the room got a whole new life!

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Kitchen: Granite counters, mosaic backsplash

design@rivalee.com — 2011-06-17T19:40:00-07:00

Nothing dates a kitchen quite as much as worn formica with oak trim and faded, stained wallpaper. We replaced the counters with gorgeous bianco antico granite and tiled the backsplash in a long, sleek stone mosaic, creating a soft, sophisticated, high-end kitchen to match their new appliances.

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Living Room: Urban and Amazing

design@rivalee.com — 2011-11-07T19:31:00-08:00

This woman was newly divorced and had just moved into her own condo. When she brought me in she was still figuring out her new life and said that the space felt empty and lonely. She wasn’t inclined to have people come over.

She said she wanted to feel excited, alive, and happy. Still, was she surprised when we ended up going for brilliant pumpkin-orange paint and a bold zebra print rug! Rivalee custom-painted art for the space and added a few accessories. The space almost instantly transformed from impersonal builder-boring to alive and incredibly personal!

The change in color and fantastic accessories add the drama to the room, but equally important was rearranging the furniture to create a more comfortable seating space and take the emphasis off the tv (which was also switched out for a slimmer wall-mounted flat screen, freeing up precious floor space).

Total cost for this room? Less than $1000, plus the cost of the new rug and tv.

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Guestroom: Handsome Retreat

design@rivalee.com — 2011-07-17T19:25:00-07:00

This urban bachelor used this tiny loft space as a ‘guest room’, and wanted to create a space that would make his guests feel more at home - a little more privacy, a place to put their glass and a book next to the bed.

We started by warming up the space with a coat of paint (Benjamin Moore’s Pashmina) and installed a smoked and tinted glass wall to provide some privacy and a sturdy headboard. We hung pendant lights from the ceiling so that there would be adequate light but it wouldn’t eat up precious table space, and installed triangular corner shelves as night stands. Then we dressed the bed in deep grey sheets and fresh white linens, and tossed in a couple throw pillows, natural art, fresh flowers, and a spare blanket for richness and texture.

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Bathroom: Zen remodel

design@rivalee.com — 2011-05-17T19:16:00-07:00

This guest bath suffered from insufficient lighting and a poor layout that made showering feel like being in a dungeon. We removed the half wall that separated the shower from the rest of the bathroom, opening up the room and bringing much needed light into the shower space. Natural pebble flooring and a linen-weave texture in the tile, along with serene aqua blue paint created a spa-like atmosphere, enhanced by the built in bench and dual shower head. Additionally we moved the shower head to the left wall so it could be installed at a normal height so the user needn’t squat to be under the water!

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Living Room: From Suburban to Urban

design@rivalee.com — 2011-07-27T19:06:00-07:00

This couple wanted to turn their bland, outdated family room into a cozy, interesting lounge for hanging out and watching tv. The challenge was making a long, shoe-box shaped room feel cozy and inviting while keeping it functional as the ‘hallway’ from the garage to the rest of the house. The additional challenge was to have a big bed for their great dane without a traditional, stuffed dog pillow. After the walls were freshly sheet-rocked and the carpet updated to a neutral and easy-to-clean frieze, we painted the walls a combination of dark charcoal and wasabi green. This made the room cozier and more textural, although it made the homeowners nervous to have such dark and ‘weird’ colors on the walls. Then we centered a large chocolate brown sofa in the room, put an oversize vintage chair in the corner for the great dane, anchored the sofa and the coffee table with a sisal rug, and accessorized using the treasures the homeowners had on hand. While the homeowners weren’t so sure about the colors when we first suggested them, or even once they were painted, they absolutely loved the results once the whole room came together!

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Bathroom: Subway and Slate

design@rivalee.com — 2011-09-17T18:54:00-07:00

This was one of those gut-it-and-start-over remodels. We completely remodeled the space creating a larger bathroom area and separate toilet closet opposite the sink area. Though larger than it had been, it was still a modestly-sized bathroom so we opted for a light color palette of sea greens and white painted cabinets and topped the half-wall in the shower with glass. Then to anchor the space we finished the floors and lower half of the shower in slate tile.

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Dining Room: Beautiful Built-ins

design@rivalee.com — 2011-10-17T18:48:57-07:00

This family had a gorgeous craftsman style dining set and a Restoration Hardware ceiling light that they brought with them to their new home. We installed built-in white-painted cabinets to serve as a display and buffet next to the table area, and stained cabinets for the bar area off the patio door area leading to the barbeque out back. Opting for painted cabinets for the built-in hutch area set off the lovely cherry dining set they already owned, while the stained wood let the bar area recede.

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Living Room: Craftsman Classic

design@rivalee.com — 2011-09-27T18:41:00-07:00

Like many families these homeowners already owned a number of nice pieces of furniture, and also like many families who take on a big remodel, there wasn’t much money left in the budget afterwards to buy new furnishings, regardless.

We chose colors that would both compliment the new remodel and also perfectly incorporate all their old furnishings into their new home, creating a wonderful space to raise their kids for years to come. The deep pine-forest green on the far wall not only tied in their large area rug, it also grounded the large armoire and made it fit snugly into the room. The rich burgundy in the far room (dining) also tied into the rug in the living room, making the whole space feel thoughtfully planned, warm, and inviting.

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Kitchen Remodel: Bungalow Classic

design@rivalee.com — 2011-09-20T18:35:00-07:00

This energetic family of four had outgrown their home and bought a vintage Ballard bungalow that needed a serious kitchen remodel. The color palette was inspired by the handmade-in-Seattle tile the homeowner found at Restoration Tile, and the overall style was designed to compliment the architecture of the home. Architect Tom Kayser developed the layout, then Rivalee worked with the homeowners to choose all the finishes, combining painted cabinets, stained cabinets, stone and butcher block counters, antique inspired hardware and lighting to create a vintage feeling in this new, updated room.

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Living room: Robin's Egg Redesign

design@rivalee.com — 2011-02-17T18:30:00-08:00

This busy mother of two wanted a feeling of openness and calm in her living room. We added a soft, breezy blue to the walls to lighten and open the room and show off the color in the homeowner’s artwork, and rearranged the furniture and removed pieces that weren’t useful so that the room felt less cluttered and more welcoming. A fresh coat of paint and a little reorganizing can go a long way to making a room feel fresh and new again.

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Bedroom: Cohesive color

design@rivalee.com — 2011-04-17T18:25:00-07:00

This homeowner didn’t need to change anything about her house - she had great furniture, art, and accessories. All it needed was to be brought to life with color. This bedroom is a great example of how changing the walls from white to a color, in this case, a warm powdery blue, can make everything look richer and more expensive, from bedding to artwork.

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Exterior color: Dressed for a Party

design@rivalee.com — 2011-08-17T18:21:00-07:00

Repainting the outside of this house was the homeowners final step in making really feel like her own place, and she’d always hated the outdated turquoise trim. We took a bold move and painted the body of the house deep charcoal gray and changed all the trim to bright white. The front gate, front door and plant posts were painted vivid red and now the house looks more substantial, grown up, and dressed like it’s always ready for a party!

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Bathroom: Color Fix

design@rivalee.com — 2011-07-15T18:28:23-07:00

This family had a flood in their basement and used it as an opportunity to update the paint color in this basement bathroom. The vibrant blue they had initially used overpowered the gorgeous slate tile on their bathroom floor. We picked up on the wonderful eggplant hues in the stone and paint the walls a dark lilac-grey. It made the homeowners nervous because it seemed like such a dark color on the swatch, but it turned out to enhance the color of the floor and make all the white fixtures and trim seem even brighter. Success!

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Living Room: Soft Sophistication

design@rivalee.com — 2011-09-17T18:25:52-07:00

The rich burgundy wine colored accent wall was quite pretty, but this family wanted a change to something more updated and sophisticated. While they were not yet in a position to update the larger furniture pieces, we swapped out the old and too-small rug for a new, larger rug, and exchanged the very traditional coffee and end tables for a more contemporary look. We added a new floor lamp with more substance and a shade that was a better compliment to their existing table lamp, and refreshed the items on display on the mantle to showcase their treasures instead of being spaced evenly in a line-up. Of course, we also changed the burgundy paint to a soft, rich sparrow grey. The result is a room that is more sophisticated and yet less formal, a grown-up, elegantly relaxed room.

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Exterior color: Natural Fit

design@rivalee.com — 2011-07-15T18:19:00-07:00

As you can see from all the test swatches on the before picture, this family was having some trouble deciding what colors to paint the house. They wanted something that would compliment and show off the house without making it stand out unnaturally. Inspired by the grasses growing in the front yard I suggested a pale yellow with just a hint of green to it for the body of the house, and then grounded the home by suggesting a clay brown for the brickwork. They wanted a red front door so we choose a color that was bright and cheerful yet still a compliment to the house colors. It went from pale and dreary to defined and inviting, just like the weather in the before and after pictures!

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Bedroom: Masculine Cocoon

design@rivalee.com — 2011-11-15T17:52:15-08:00

This bachelor was ready to make this space his own. Newly single, he wanted a space that would be sexy and masculine and, most importantly, let him sleep soundly in complete darkness. He also, very specifically wanted ‘layers’. First we chucked out the limp sofa and desk, and made this a dedicated bedroom. Then we completely sheathed the room in fabric - slate grey velvet curtains cover the windows, and the bed itself is surrounded by two layers that can be completely pulled shut, linen on the inside, silk on the outside. This bedroom gives this bachelor uninterrupted sleep and much needed rest so he’s ready to take on the world again.

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Living Room: Urban Awesomeness

design@rivalee.com — 2011-11-15T14:34:34-08:00

This home owner really wanted to feel at home in thier urban house, but rarely spent time in this room because at night it was a corner-lot fishbowl, on view to the world. The first decision we made, after determining that this would be the ‘living room’ area instead of dining, was to add floor to ceiling turquoise velvet drapes. In addition to giving privacy they added gorgeous color and, along with the white shag rug, eliminated the echo in the room. The fantastic sputnik lighting created a focal point and also illuminated the whole room where before it felt dark even with all the lights on. Now the owner has furnishings to match the great architecture of their home, it feels fun and personal, and the drapes can be closed with ease to create a snug urban cocoon.

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Bathroom: Awesome Accessories

design@rivalee.com — 2011-11-08T14:26:00-08:00

It doesn’t much to make a room feel interesting and personal. This bathroom was already stylish, with contemporary bath tile, concrete floors and a floating bamboo vanity. It just needed some personality and color. We simply added a statement Makimoto shower curtain and sassy red and grey towels with a brilliant red rug and voila! and bath to be proud to show off to guests!

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Media Room: Play Time

design@rivalee.com — 2011-10-15T14:04:00-07:00

Oh this was fun! This guy had lived in his new home for over a year but had never fully ‘moved in’. He wanted this room to be fun and playful, a space where he could screen movies from his projector system and have a dozen people all lounging around for a night of hanging out. We started by getting rid of all that college ‘decor’ - sheets over the windows, mattress on the floor, and sagging, legless sofa. We brought in his leather corner sofa and draped the windows in velvet blackout roman shades for movie-watching at all hours. Then we layered in a shaggy flokati rug, lots of floor pillows and fluffy bean bags, and added a coffee table that would be easy to use whether laying on the floor or the couch. At the last minute ‘Waffles’ the bear came in - and he turns out to be a great pillow, too! This room went from creepy to cool and he and his friends love it!

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Office: Luxurious Library

design@rivalee.com — 2011-09-25T14:23:00-07:00

This bachelor wanted a cozy, rich library and reading room where he could escape, his own intellectual cocoon. The problem was that the room was not only bare (concrete floors, plain walls, uncovered windows) but it also had an unsightly electrical panel showing, an unnecessary second door to the bathroom and a door to a rarely used closet. We softened the room with a fun black and white shaggy rug and added dramatic bright-coral full-length drapes to conceal the doors and panel. We made the room inviting with generous, comfy chairs complete with a shaggy pillow and cozy tweed throw, and finished it with a graphic piece of art and a great arc light for reading. Now he has a room that can be the perfect retreat for cozying up with a favorite book, and a great place to settle in with a colleague debating their latest discoveries.

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Exterior color: Natural Classic

design@rivalee.com — 2011-06-08T00:08:00-07:00

The family that lived in this house was anything but boring, but the house, shutters, and garage doors on this house were all the same shade of muted pale off white. The house had no definition and felt very bland. We changed the house color to a soft, buttery yellow which will feel soft and warm even on our grayest Seattle days, then set off the shutters and garage doors in a deep espresso brown, another warm, rich color perfect for our rainy weather. Lastly we painted the front door in a bright, cheerful red (Benjamin Moore Heritage Red), a way to invite friends and neighbors to come on over and visit!

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Living Room: A Sunny Personality

design@rivalee.com — 2011-07-23T23:57:00-07:00

This delightful woman hired me to help make her place feel more personal and warm. She had a very good sense of what she liked and knew she wanted to paint the room yellow, but also knew that choosing the ‘right’ yellow could be an impossible challenge. It too often turns out too bright and garish or too sweet and pale.

Within an hour of starting our color consultation we had picked out new paint colors for each of here rooms and she was set to go. Now, what I love best about these before and after pictures is that there is almost nothing new - only paint and the dining light fixture. Just the change from pale beige walls to rich sunflower yellow gave every item in the room new life! It made the space feel happier and friendlier and, most importantly, it made the place feel more like the homeowner herself!

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Living room: Going Global

design@rivalee.com — 2011-09-02T10:07:00-07:00

This client was a fabulous woman embracing her new single life. She decided to buy a wonderful house with box beam ceilings, warm wood floors and picture windows, but wasn’t quite sure how to make the most of it and make it really feel like her home. We painted the ceiling and walls in a warm Citrine yellow, enhancing the warmth of the room and showing off those fantastic ceilings! We worked together to select a new L-shaped sofa to create a cozy seating area, then filled the room with accessories she’d collected during her world travels. This project was a wonderful example of client and designer working hand in hand to transform a space and make it really personal!

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Kitchen remodel: Craftsman Classic

design@rivalee.com — 2011-11-13T21:39:00-08:00

This family had outgrown their home and bought a wonderful new bungalow with a kitchen way overdue for a remodel. Not only were the cabinets falling apart, there was very little counter space, no place for a modern fridge, and it was cut off from the rest of the home. Their goals was to create an open, family-friendly kitchen that would still suit the bungalow style of the rest of the vintage home.

We overhauled the functionality of the space by eliminating the triple window that stared right into the neighbor’s home and replaced it with two generous windows on the wall facing the trees and view. We also opened up the wall to the dining room to connect the kitchen to the rest of the house, and installed radiant heat under the kitchen tile so we could get rid of the big radiator taking up valuable kitchen floor space.

Then, to keep to the bungalow feel we installed mahogany cabinets, craftsman style subway tile backsplashes, and tile flooring in happy pale ocean blue and sea-foam green. We knew that granite counters would work against the historical feel so we chose quartz counters that felt very organic and complimented the other finishes, and then finally finished the space with recessed lighting and stainless steel appliances, creating a warm and friendly kitchen with modern conveniences.

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