I have had a wonderful year working on some great homes. Thought I would share this week a great home I did in Katy. I like to call it New Traditional. I had so much fun working with them.  Here are some of the pictures to give you an idea of what we did…

I wanted to start with this picture it is a full view of the window treatment we did to create a softer look for their windows. Their son managed to get into the picture and I love that he did. I think it shows how important it was to them that this design was family friendly.

Family Room – the view from the Entry 

Family Room – the view from the Kitchen 

Krista wanted a special area just for her so we found a few special pieces locally to incorporate her favorite colors blue, orange and green. The treatments were custom made and designed just for her.
 

In their bedroom she wanted to paint it with this color blue, so I worked in some fun bold pillows to break up the blue and again added a custom treatment.
 

To see more of this portfolio please go to
http://karendavisdesign.com/index2.php#/rgallery/2/

Thanks to my husband Richard who did most of the photography…
http://www.richarddavisphotography.com/?p=212

Happy Decorating! Karen

This past year I had the chance to work with wonderful clients Rhonda and Brad Kerby. They hired Artisan Brothers  a custom residential builder in the Houston area to completely renovate their home and asked me to help with selections and decoration of several rooms. I loved every minute of it. They made the decision to stay at their current home because of the lake views.

This subdivision has a lake running through it. All of the back yards face the lake. It was my inspiration on creating the overall design look for the home. They gave some color preferences. Most important to them was to not distract from the views out of their windows. I made the decision not to go with too much color. I just looked outside and found my palette.

My favorite room and fun challenge was their pool room or as they like to call it their party room. You see Brad’s restored an old Pepsi machine and wanted it in the room. My whole concept was to create an organic look to their home and work with more natural colors. So how did I tie in the bold blue and red machine with a room that was going to have a natural palette? Rhonda found some vintage Pepsi crates at Pottery Barn and thought it would be a great way to tie in the Pepsi machine. I chose the red color from the Pepsi logo and let blue stand alone. We added pillows with soft olive greens and bright red accents with a lot of tans and dark browns for contrast with the travertine floor.

We asked a local faux painter, Karen Sabrsula, to create panels for the large wall that was opposite the pool area to coordinate with the room. We took the motif from the pillows for inspiration with designing the panels and made sure to add the red to tie it all in.

The whole room is really an outdoor room that is built inside the home. So we were able to create a real reflection of both Rhonda and Brad and tie in the great views you see outside.

Here are some photos to give you an idea of what we did…

This is the area pre-construction where the pool room would be added

Here is the room after it was built

The Pepsi Machine

After we decorated it

Close up of panels and crates

Other side view

To see the entire portfolio check it out on my website!

Happy Decorating!
Karen

Creativity is everything to me. I recently caught part of a great interview with Herbie Hancock who was collaborating with Sting on a remake of the song “Sister Moon”. They decided to work with an artist from South Africa. They really loved what he was coming up with and when they started trying to join with his guitar part they struggled a little at first.  Herbie Hancock said, “we really needed to own it not just work with it.” I so connected with that. They really went there with the music and ended up with a great version of the song.

 I just love doing that myself. If I am stuck I walk away from the computer or whatever it is that I am using to create my vision. I put on some music and sit back close my eyes and let the music guide me through my thoughts and visions. I love that moment when it all comes together!

 For those of you who are stuck on coming up with a vision for your room, do your favorite relaxing thing and you won’t believe how your clear your visions can become. You will see the piece in the room that really matters. You start to work with that for inspiration or maybe see a new piece to include in the room.

 Here is the link to the interview – Herbie Hancock with Sting

Here are a few of  my favorite designer rooms that I love to use for inspiration

Barbara Barry – Baker Furniture

Love her style – elegant and beautiful, in this photo it is even shown through the artwork!

Thom Filica – House Beautiful

I just recently read a great description of who he is a Style Compass, I think that states it right on. He knows how to mix it up well and with such style!

Tobi Fairley – House Beautiful

My latest favorite designer. I find her use of color very original and done with such elegance!

Happy Decorating!

Karen

We took our annual trip to the UK this summer to visit my husbands parents. This year I re-lived my childhood for a few days, at Alton Towers in England. It is a theme park that is designed a bit different than others. Owned by Merlin Entertainment who owns Madame Tussauds, it is built on the grounds of a semi-ruined gothic revival country castle and beautiful gardens. How Alton Towers became a theme park is that the Earl of Shrewsbury its owner had summer fetes on the grounds. Many years and owners later it was open to the public with one rollercoaster and now has became the biggest theme park in England.

 I wanted to take the kids to a place that they could have a real kids adventure for a few days. We saw the suites they offered all themed oriented. I was lucky enough to book the splish-splash suite. Trust me it lived up to the expectation. I was very inspired by the design and started thinking it may be time to redo the game room.

It all starts when you walk in the room and the ocean sound effects turn on for about 30 seconds and then you see the rubber duckie seat on the floor and the carpet is a faux version of a bath water!

The kids sleep in a bunk bed that is a yellow submarine. It comes with complete sounds, gadgets and lights.

Mirrored wall and tied up trunks, great details!

The parents are not forgotten with a bathtub bed, fittings and all!

Everytime you enter the bathroom it has sound effects, the twinkle lights above blink. Great murals all over!

They even had a great liquid mat on the floor of the bathroom!

What a great vacation. I felt like a kid again and really needed it!

Happy Decorating!

Karen