Design Inspiration

It is very common to paint the woodwork in a home a crisp white color. White moulding recedes in the space creating an open and airy feel. If you have beautiful mouldings in your home why not accentuate them? Try painting details a contrasting color such as an ebony or a dark charcoal gray. This is guaranteed to make mouldings pop off of the walls and give a completely different look to your home. If you have beautiful wood mouldings use a stain rather than paint to show off the gorgeous wood grain, this gives a depth to the wood that is difficult to achieve with paint. The effect that dark moulding can have on your home is outstanding. The high contrast that can be achieved by painting the walls white and the mouldings dark adds glamour, elegance and contrast to any home...



Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

  This Glam Four Square home was designed by Jessica Helgerson. The project was honored with the 2010 Pacific Northwest Design Award for Best Residential Project Under $400,000.

Have a lovely weekend!

Dream Home: Lake House Cabin in Rural Alabama

Today I wanted to share with you the exquisite design of an Alabama Lake House Cabin. Designed by Susan Ferrier of McAlpine Booth & Ferrier Interiors as a primary residence for a family of three.

The cabin exterior was designed by architect Bobby McAlpine and he describes the aesthetic as "Alabama rural camp vernacular". The dark rough cut pine plank siding makes this four story home blend into the landscape in just the perfect way, the dark exterior contrasts beautifully with the cool, light colors of the soft interior decor. The views out those huge windows must be extraordinary!

 Light and dark wood make a beautiful pairing on a staircase that links the main floor of a four-story Alabama lake house to the bedrooms. Designer Susan Ferrier used the same finishes throughout the house. Walls are whitewashed, rough-cut pine planks. Steps are in a dark Jacobean stain.

The dining room's pie-wedge table sits atop a Custom Wave silk and wool rug. The grid of tree prints gives balance to the wall of windows on the opposing wall.

An off kilter solid wood chandelier suspends just over the round dining table.

The painted wood panel cabinets blend well with this cottage aesthetic.

Appliances are hidden behind painted paneled doors blending them into the woodwork.

Extra long upholstered bar stool benches are so wonderful in this cabin style home, what great design!

Back to back sofas and heavy drapes separate the living room from the dining room creating flexibility to unite the spaces of divide them for more intimate entertaining.

The drapes span all of the way up to the wood paneled ceiling. This not only provides privacy form the outside elements it draws eyes up to the ceiling making the space feel even more expansive.

Lower floor sitting area; the angles are non-rectilinear creating intrigue amongst the primarily neutral color palette in the space. The floor lamps have a tripod metal base and the windows are shaped as pentagons which contrasts against the linear wood panels on the walls and ceiling.

Dining alcove; the live edge wood slab table is contrasts well with the cream

colored walls and linen slip-covered chairs. What a great design for a door.

Master suite, Beautiful free standing Kohler tub and his and hers vanities opposite each other in the space. I think the use of the textural wood on floor, ceiling and walls is outstanding.

What a wonderful use of drapery in the space.

Master suite; The drapes surrounding the bed create a focal point in the room.

While the color palette is neutral the materials in the space are highly textural: luxurious velvets, rough linens, cozy wool and silk rugs and rich wood grains. All of these elements layer upon each other and create balanced design.

 All photos and information are courtesy of House Beautiful.

This home makes me want to pick up and move to Alabama! I think the best way to get inspired when creating your dream home is to collect images of homes that inspire you. A great tool to use for this is Pinterest, join today and check out all of my pin boards! I am always excited to hear about what inspires you about design, feel free to leave comments or send a quick email anytime, I look forward to hearing from you!

Have an excellent Monday,