Happy February and Happy Valentine’s Day!
I wanted to send some love your way by talking about some of the things I love the most in design. There are so many things – it is hard to pick just a few - but I am trying to keep the blog short. You can incorporate many of these design ideas into your own home, in your
own way.
We recently just got back from a belated anniversary trip to The Omni Homestead Suites hotel in Hot Springs, VA. Some of the things I love SO much are embodied in this amazing resort. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us see a place such as this! We originally went for our 10th anniversary before it became corporate. Now, many years later, we had to wait for a black Friday sale to be able to go, but as always, the architecture, the history, and the beauty were phenomenal. Many of the presidents of the United States (just over half) have visited here, and it originally was founded because of the healing properties of the warm springs. Below are some of the design features I loved that I noticed on this visit, along with photos from the Homestead and other clients.
Photo of the Homestead, Hot Springs, VA (below)
One of the great things about good design and architecture – it elevates a space so much when done well.
Dark Accents: Accents of black, navy, or a dark wood tone can give a timeless quality to a home, and it grounds a space so well. Whether it is a stair baluster, a picture frame, a curtain rod or even tiling, I just think accents of black can elevate a room!
Here is a photo of the bathroom off of our guest suite. See the dark cherry mirror along with the jeweled green mini tiles up around the molding? Also, notice the pattern of the floor tiles lends visual interest along with the dark smaller tiles inset between tiles.
Below is a pic of a dear client's banister with the wood being painted a glossy black. Other accents in my client's home were some gorgeous black leather chairs in the great room, black decor accents, and in her office, some lovely family photos all in black square frames arranged in a wall collage.
Great Art: Instead of boxed store art, I love creative art, or art that tells a story, or reflects something the homeowner loves. When we were at the Homestead, they had SO much amazing art – oil paintings, framed bird art (many featuring Virginia birds), floral and pastoral scenes. Some of my clients have showcased art in their homes from their world travels, family portraits, and prints from famous artists. Believe it or not, you can look for prints on Etsy, or in museums. You can even shop online from museum art/prints shops, among other places.
Here is the large Commonwealth Room in the Homestead that originally had dark mahogany walls, but it these walls later were painted in a Williamsburg blue. It is said they may return the wood to it's original look in the future, but either way the painted murals in this room are beautiful. Each depicts many of the historical places of Virginia such as Thomas Jefferson's Monticello (a must to visit!), George Washington's Mount Vernon, The Homestead, and the Williamsburg Inn.
Texture and textiles: Below you can see the absolutely gorgeous custom rug made for the grand hallway. It isn't just a rug to fill a space - this rug was created to embody the beauty of the state of Virginia, featuring the flowers, birds, and butterflies of the beautiful state. That grand hallway had so many gorgeous features, it was like a piece of heaven. Notice the teak wood in a Greek key pattern. This border runs along each side of the rug, adding more visual interest and it further defines the rug.
Architectural interest: Wainscoting, Crown Molding, Hardware, Flooring create visual interest with the architectural features.
Even the simplest things can be timeless. Features such as subway tile in a bathroom combined with a gorgeous flooring and interesting accessories and paint color can bring added value to your home.
Layers of Texture, Lighting, and Color.
The pics below may not be my most memorable as far as quality, but this is a picture of the ballroom. You cannot capture the magnitude of the beauty of this space unless you are in it. If you look at the two pictures below, there are many layers of lighting here - multiple chandeliers, backlighting, sconces, outdoor lighting, etc.
In this seating area just off the ballroom, you can see the mirrors reflecting the light. You can see the sconces as well.
So, in your own home, you can think of layers of lighting such as backlighting on shelving, extra lamps placed strategically around the room, and so on.
The picture below from the Grand Hallway of the hotel is another GREAT example of layering lighting. The irreplaceable alabaster stained glass windows had backlighting added in later years to draw the eye upward as do the hanging lanterns. You also see the layering of different types of wood molding. It's a beauty to behold.
Adding molding or wainscoting in a home can really elevate it by adding more visual interest.
Repeating color throughout a home in fabric, glass, rugs can really make a space come together and create it's own story.
I am right here for you - my favorite thing is helping people just like you love their homes. Reach out via phone 336-422-6775 or fill out the contact form so I can hear about your design needs.
I hope you enjoyed reading this. If you have a moment, shoot me a short one liner email at Patriciajdesigns@gmail.com and tell me what you liked most about this blog!
Happy Valentine's Day!
(((Hugs!)))
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