Friday Interior Style Files ~ August

Another month comes to a close and with this one, also comes the end of Summer here in California. I hope it’s been a wonderful time of year for you!  For me, it’s brought a lot of travel and new business opportunities coast to coast, as well as time with family and friends, enjoying some of our peaceful outdoor spaces here along the coast.

{ via Coastal Living }

{ Me and my Mom after lunch at Gladstones in Malibu. She is a retired
teacher who could not be happier than if she is wearing something floral and a hat! }

If you haven’t browsed our Facebook page lately, Cavanaugh Design Group will be working with Rooms That Rock 4 Chemo beginning this Fall, to revamp and design chemo rooms across the nation in hospitals and treatment centers.  I am SO excited to have the opportunity to create peaceful, nurturing spaces for patients to use for years to come and am honored that RTR4C has entrusted Cavanaugh Design Group with the task.

So for this edition of Style Files, I’ve found a few fabulous, stylish things to brighten your coastal homes and small spaces along the way, two of which are these amazing tufted ottomans. There’s a nice play between the luxurious feel of the ottoman and the coastal-inspired rug here, not to mention the play between light and dark.   Going into Fall here, we will continue to see greys play a part in interior fashion and design, which is a trend that’s been with us for a few years now.  I can see these alongside a fabulous chair or tucked under a console table, ready to do duty as extra seating.

{ via Traditional Home }

I featured this Elton chair from West Elm in one of our Facebook posts recently because I love the simple, old glamour elegance (as one reader put it) and the color just makes me happy!  Tufting is another trend that’s appeared recently and will continue to be with us for awhile.  This chair is an excellent find for coastal homes or small spaces, as it’s less than 3 feet wide and deep, perfect for a corner, cozy nook or by the bed.

{ via West Elm }

As we go into Fall here in California, lighting will take center stage in many homes as the nights become longer.  Jamie Young Company is one of my favorites for lighting. Her casual yet elegant take on fabrics and use of scale lends a fun, colorful element to lighting for coastal homes.

{ via Jamie Young }

And while at the LA Design Mart recently, I had the opportunity to browse some of her floor lamps, which are relatively large in scale and add a little bit of the unexpected.

{ via Jamie Young }

I’m often asked by clients and friends if we can achieve a high-end look with pieces that aren’t high-end.  Absolutely! However, the best results come with knowing how to mix them with pieces of higher quality.  If you decorate your home completely with pieces from Pier One Imports, then it will look just like one of their catalogs.  And there’s nothing wrong with that. However, if you are looking to elevate the look, we need to incorporate higher quality pieces – usually major pieces like sofas – in with some from retail sources.  It just shows that design doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to look and work correctly to achieve what you want.

For instance, would you ever guess that the dining table in this small, high-end luxury kitchen is from Crate and Barrel?

{ via Traditional Home }

I love the overall look of this kitchen and as a designer for small spaces and coastal homes, I think this is an excellent use of space in this small kitchen.  The finishes absolutely elevate the design to the next level.  I’m particularly enamored with the cabinets (something only a designer would say!), not only because the color is rich and full of dimension, but because the lacquered finish helps move the light around the room, making it seem larger to the eye.

{ via Traditional Home }

These tabletop candle holders are also from Crate and Barrel and lend themselves to an elegant, luxurious look. With Fall on the way here, we’ll need these soon enough to light those longer evenings!

{ via Crate and Barrel }

What would life at the coast be like without a comfortable place to rest and reflect? Palacek offers a great line of coastal-inspired furniture and accessories to the design trade, like this Glenwood chair.  Their pieces are always so easy to mix into a coastal interior, even in more formal settings.

{ via Palacek }

{ via Palacek }

Wishing you a wonderful remainder of Summer…let me know how your Summer has been and look for updates on our Rooms That Rock 4 Chemo projects to come!