East Coast - Patina

Nova Scotia always overwhelms me with inspiration, the landscape, the architectural character, the food.  On my recent visit we spent our days road-tripping thru the Annapolis Valley as well as the South Shore travelling a total of 1500 km.   With my camera always on my lap, the days were filled with 'stop the car' moments from beginning to end.  I'm constantly 'gasping' to pullover or turn around or drive down there,,,,,BF's become so used to this that most times I don't have to do anything except flick my camera on and he's already looking for a place to pullover.   With the patience of a saint, he'll happily make a stop as often as I want, usually snapping away with his own camera while he waits for me - he's amassed a huge collection of pictures of me taking pictures at the side of the road!   I'm sure passers by often wonder what I could possibly be so interested in.......

The seaside landscape here truly calls my name -  vast open water, changing skies, long wispy grass, cedar shake buildings,  (especially barns!) and the sculptural rocky shoreline all reflecting that time-worn, weathered patina created by coastal winds, water and sun.  When it comes to architecture there are two distinct palletes you'll see along these coastal communities, distinctly bold colourful hues or,,,, a more natural palette that blends into the surroundings.  Below are a few of my favorite images from this trip, each capturing the characteristics of these elements, from rustic abandoned fishing shacks to modern day masterpieces, the simplicity speaks.  (the resolution sizes have been reduced for ease of posting.)

Somewhere near 

Near Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

Green Bay, Nova Scotia

Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia

Driving near LaHave, Nova Scotia, from far down the road I recognized this modern residence up high on a peak overlooking the ocean.  Its the work of local Architect Brian MacKay's firm.  I'm a big fan of their work and you'll spot their modern east coast structures all around this area.

Near Broad Cove,  Nova Scotia

Near East Port Medway Nova Scotia

Near Cherry Hill, Nova Scotia

All Photos by:  Carol Reed 

Upload - East Coast Character

Vintage Wallpaper, painted floor boards, gigantic fresh cut blooms

I've been in Nova Scotia for the past several days with my other half looking at properties and touring some really old houses.  Our search for an East Coast abode has us focused primarily on century houses, many we've seen are close to 200 years old and have been in various states of neglect or restoration.   What I love most about these old houses is seeing the original details still in tact whether they're in need of some love or have been lovingly maintained.  I know that in either case, I would never think of getting rid of these character details - I can only envision how interesting it would be to incorporate them with my own aesthetic.   My own personal taste for architectural details runs much more traditional than modern, but I prefer it in a minimal way, simple to a point that leans to utilitarian and paired with more modern furniture and art.   And then sometimes you can't predict what you'll be drawn to, the landing area shown in the top photo totally captivates me, from the sunlight streaming in, the wide painted floor boards to the huge yellow blooms.  But most of all, that vintage wallpaper!  I'm not a fan of flowery wallpaper in general, but I have to admit I'd have a hard time stripping this one down.  Add a great lamp, a comfy reading chaise and a stack of books - perfection.

The same elements that attract me to modern designs are the same elements that attract me to centuries old east coast details and decor.  Clean geometries, simple form, no over embellishments.  When things are so pared down, there's an unpretentious ease.  I love a space that is so simple it enhances your personal collections of books or artwork or collections.   I adore things with aged patina and I appreciate imperfections especially when juxtaposed with crisp and modern.

Here's a glimpse at few of the things that have caught my Iphone while viewing some of these houses, some architectural details, some decor.  Even though these images are from a number of different houses, the character is consistently charming.

Antique door hardware, antique doors painted black, antique brass bed,

wrought iron bed, hand made quilt, brass knob on antique door, painted furniture, collections of family heirlooms

hand made lace bedskirt, 180 year old floorboards with glossy white paint, antique brass cup pulls,

built-in storage with original hardware, original handrails and newel posts, brass faucets

Antique brass bed, original ceiling beams, simple block printed curtains, stacks of wood for fireplaces and furnaces, oversize wood burning fireplaces, antique chairs

The search continues for that perfect combination of location, views and character.  Stay tuned for some more photos from our travels around the coast.

The Kitchen Sink

Most of my projects involve entire whole home renovations where I specify everything for the interior buildout from the bricks in, right down to the kitchen sink.  Most of my clients fall into two categories, they have their hearts set on a large single sink or they don't have an opinion about a kitchen sink at all, usually because they don't cook.  My own personal preference (from many years of experience) is a single wide deep sink.  I enjoy cooking and I cook a lot, typically 6 nights of the week you'll find me cooking in the kitchen.  Of all the dozens and dozens of kitchens I've designed over the past 6 or 7 years I've rarely specified anything other than a single bowl kitchen sink, either farmstyle or undermount, they've almost all been one large sink.

The kitchen shown above is in a client's house I designed in 2007, it features an apron front stainless steel sink, concrete counters and custom cabinetry made from reclaimed barnboards.  (This is a candid photo I took one day years ago while there for a meeting.  It seems like a lifetime ago, this was before Iphone's existed,,,,and before I blogged or tweeted.)

In many situations I find double bowl sinks impractical, overall they require a larger cabinet size, they eat up a lot of counter space, and the divider in the middle is permanent - you simply don't have the option of soaking large pans or oversize cookware.  With a single bowl sink,,,,they're typically not as wide as a standard double bowl sink but I love that you have the flexibility of soaking large items whenever you want.  You can still use it to wash small or delicate things as you normally would.   A lot of people struggle with this concept, how do you wash and rinse in one large sink?  Well, when it comes to washing, I typically take the largest bowl or pot that needs washing, rinse it out, fill it with hot soapy water and use it to wash everything else in.  I keep a small dish strainer inside one side of the sink for rinsing and drying.  Occassionally I use the counter for drying items, but usually I can contain it all in the sink.  The top photo is a perfect example,,,,when I arrived at my client's house that afternoon she was soaking some large baking pans in the sink, so you can see her dish rack on the counter while she was putting these things away - typically the rack sits inside her sink.  This isn't a dish rack specifically made for her sink, but they are available.

When I specify sinks I like to also order accessories specifically for that sink.  If I'm having the sink custom made, I'll find a series that is compatible with my custom size as close as possible.  The selections above are just a sampling of the variety of options to chose from.

Double bowl sinks or sink and a half, usually require a 36" wide sink cabinet.  Many times I'm working with limited space and a 36" sink cabinet just isn't practical, I'd rather go with a smaller sink cabinet and have that extra 6" or so for a bank of drawers beside the sink, ie; an 18"set of drawers vs a 12".  I'm not a fan or irregular shaped sinks with funky curves or angles, I like them clean lined and simple.   It can be challenging to find simple double sinks to fit a 27-30"cabinet which is another reason I often use a single.  You can easily find large single bowl sinks from 18" to 24"wide, and if you really search you may find a 27".  When I want the largest single sink I can possibly fit in my sink cabinet, I have them custom made.  I've had stainless steel sinks custom made for most kitchens I've designed, this allows me to maximize the sink to whatever size I want and ensure it works with the cabinet I've specified.  (I don't recommend this for DIY'ers.)

If you're shopping for or considering a single bowl sink for your own kitchen here are some great tips to keep in mind:

• know the exact inside dimensions of your cabinet not just the outside dimensions
• refer to the actual sink size not just the overall size which includes the mounting rim
• the lower the guage stainless steel the thicker and sturdier the steel, 16g is stronger than 18g.  18 is standard, 16 is even better, avoid 20g for a kitchen sink.
• keep drain location in mind if you're also using a garburator, anything other than centre may impede your garbutor/drain hookup inside your cabinet
• the tighter the radius the more of a 'pro' look you will get but the almost square corners can require more attention to cleaning
• the smallest radius for the corners of a stainless steel sink is called "Zero Radius"
• a 5/8" radius will still give you that rectangular look and ease of cleaning
• go for 9" or 10" deep sink for pro style function
• its key to utilize sink accessories to maximize the efficiency of a single sink, use bottom grids, dish drainers, dish racks and integrated cutting boards to optimize the sink interior
• a side spray or pulldown spray faucet is great for using the large sink to wash small dogs or large vases
• make sure when determining your sink's location for the countertop cutout that you leave adquate counter space behind the sink for your faucet and faucet handle clearance.

Its always a major milestone for me when the kitchen sink finally gets installed on a project, its the moment the space becomes a *functioning* kitchen and indicates final completion is just days away, not months!  Currently on my project board, I have an upcoming single kitchen sink install in the NYC project, and we were measuring down to the 1/8" of an inch for that one!  For another out of town project I've just drawn up the details for a stainless custom sink and a half configuration,,,,,ready to be sent off to the fabricators.   The anticipation of both these installs has me excited to see these sinks in their newly finished homes very soon!!

All photos and room design:   Carol Reed

Its Reveal Time: A Home Office

Style at Home March 2012,  Photo: Donna Griffith

This home office was part of a whole home renovation project I designed and project managed back in 2008-09 for my sister-in-law Kara.  It seems like an eternity ago since the construction was completed and she moved in, but its taken a couple of years to turn it into a 'home' with furnishings and artwork. While the entire home, including a gorgeous rooftop deck, were photographed by Style at Home Magazine last year for upcoming issues, I was so thrilled to open up the current issue and see her home office featured in the Organizing Workspaces story "Hard at Work". 

The office occupies one of the 3 bedrooms in a multi-level, mid-town condo and was chosen as the office over the other spare bedroom for its eastern exposure with bright  morning sunlight - she's an early bird! I added a new frosted glass panel door to the room so when she has out of town guests (frequent occurance) she can close the office door for privacy and sunlight can still filter into the hallway.

Style at Home March 2012, Photo: Donna Griffith

The antique ash barnboard floors and hide carpet are a nod to Kara's past, having grown-up on a farm she has a strong affection for all things country - a photo of her childhood prize winning pig has a special place on her desktop, complete with ribbon!  I prefer modern furniture or contemporary spaces when paired with a little bit of rustic or 'country' element, and this room does just that.  The random width floor boards were finished on site and received a low sheen clear coat to showcase the wood's natural character with all its knots, nail holes and bug tracks.  With a wall of shelving fitted with woven storage boxes, a full height filing cabinet and double closet with essential organizers (not seen in photos) so the office provides loads of storage and an expansive work surface for the high volume of paper work that's handled here. 

Its no co-incidence the office is filled with lots of orange accents, its one of the corporate colours of the company Kara works for so she's has been using orange for work related accessories for over 10 years.  Its a colour I've always associated with her  - she always has something on her or in her bag that's orange.

Thank you Margot, Jessica, Donna and the rest of the Style at Home team for your beautiful work on this feature!  I am a devoted fan of the magazine and I'm honoured that you chose to include this space on your pages.

: )

A few more After Photos..

Below are a few more after photos not from the magazine shoot but from my portfolio files that give you a glimpses of some other details in the office.

On the wall opposite the desk, a row of modern wall clocks have their orange hands set to the various time zones of family and friends around the world, including one for Kara's Muskoka cottage, permanently set to 'bar's open'.   She's a whiz at board games, this metal ledge holds letters from a vintage family scrabble set which spell out the city name for each clock.

One of my favorite items in the room is Kara's very first childhood desk - it occupies a special place in the corner beside her 'adult desk' and I've used it to stack magazines and hold book bags.   I love the visual tale of these two desks side by side,,,its a testament to the power of learning and dreaming big.  They truly represent the past and present of this successful woman's journey of accomplishments.

Artwork by:  Alanna Cavanagh

I have admired the whimsical illustrations of Toronto artist Alanna Cavanagh for some time, so I was really excited when one day Kara sent me photos of several pieces she had brought home from a gallery to try and decide which to buy and where it could go.  I thought their vintage inspired take on typography and fashion were a perfect fit for her office.  I loved each one of them, and so did Kara which made the decision easy - she kept them all.  That was a couple of years ago, and today I can tell you she loves these pieces as much now (if not more) as the day she brought them home.   

I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of this home on the pages of Style at Home coming up soon!!

NYC Reno: The Family Plan

I started working on this renovation project in New York City last June, the scope of work was extensive as it involved converting 3 adjoining apartments into one single family residence. (Check out some of the before photos and my introduction of this project here.)  At the very onset of a project I usually formulate a vision for the bones of the space very quickly.  In this case, my clients who are parents to three young kids were in synch with this vision, represented in the collage above.   Timeless elements like natural wood and marble, fresh white walls with panel molding for classic character, fixtures with clean simple lines and vintage patina - would become the backdrop for this family's busy city life in the Upper East Side for the next 20 years or more.  It reflects their affection for tradition but will exude a young and modern edge, just like them!

The 'Before' Plan

The existing three apartments had tiny enclosed kitchens and equally small bathrooms.  The biggest challenge in redesigning this space, aside from ALL the structural elements that couldnt' be moved, were the rules of the building.  It seemed the more layouts we came up with, the more the rules changed.  No problem.  I can design around anything - I was coming up with new layouts as fast as they were coming up with more rules.  : ) After weeks of marathon space planning the conclusion was -  NO kitchen or bathroom could extend beyond their existing footprint, NO plumbing drains or appliance locations could be moved, AND no additional bathrooms could be added.  Uh huh.  Did you look at the existing plan?  Soooo, Carol, good luck getting that dream kitchen into a closet, scrap the luxurious Master ensuite with double vanity, and forget about the convenient new powder room off the foyer.  : /  Discouraged yet?  My clients were.

I"m not gonna lie,,,the decisions from the Board were crushing to the homeowners.  As more and more restrictions were placed on them, they doubted whether this space could ever come close to suiting their needs no matter how extensively it was renovated.  Thoughts of scrapping the entire reno entered their minds,,,,,, until they found this plan in their inbox. 

The Proposed Plan

At first glance this plan may not look super impressive, but this really was a triumphant success. We have a 'spacious' open concept kitchen!!! A decision was made early on that the kitchen in the middle Apt. B would be the new kitchen, and the main entry would be thru Apt. C, this allowed for a split bedroom plan.  All good, except the kitchen in Apt. B had a column in the middle of it and no where to put a fridge if we took down the walls.  (It was so space challenged the existing kitchen only had an 18"wide dishwasher.)  

Two key elements allowed this plan to happen,,,,,,,#1 we were permitted to move the washer/dryer out of the kitchen to a closet within the footprint of the main bathroom, and #2, even more crucial - under counter refrigeration!!! I've been using under counter refrigeration for about 10 years and it's been the 'hidden' key to many successful kitchen redesigns.  I was able to place 3 fridge drawers and 1 freezer drawer in the peninsula, equivelant to a standard fridge.  All plumbing and appliances remained within the footprint of the original kitchen = Board approved!  The compromise as you can see, the column is still there and it falls right in the middle of the peninsula - but that's one small compromise in exchange for this expanded family style kitchen.

When my clients received this plan the single sentence response I received by email was "you are my hero"!  An exaggeration, a wee bit ; ) yes, but I was thrilled they liked it.  They loved it.  For me it was so satisfying to know I was able to help turn this space into everything they had hoped it could be instead of it becoming their biggest disappointment.  That's the value of design.    

Custom Details & Elevations

This plan indicates where all the custom built-ins and custom details will be located and identifies all the new interior doors.  Well planned built-ins and well appointed doors will take advantage of every square inch and integrate awkwardly placed obstacles into useable space. 

What I love most about this new layout;  the open concept kitchen lets mom interact with the kids and benefits from the natural daylight, the dining table can extend into the living room when needed, the master gets a luxuriously large dressing room and the kids have a separate lounge area, in fact the entire kids 'wing' can be closed off from the main living areas whenever the parents chose.  To make the most of a tiny master ensuite I created a spacious vanity area outside of the bathroom which will be finished in the same materials as the bathroom so it all reads as one larger space.  There's a lot of great features packed into this 2200 sf home.  A 4+ bdrm, 3 bath plan - in manhattan,,pretty sweet.

Preliminary Furniture Plan

This is how this new family apartment will be used.  To help clients visualize if the proposed layout will meet their particular requirements I draw up a general furniture plan so they can see if that king size bed will fit or how many dinner guests they'll be able to seat.  The furniture is generic and except for sizes, the pieces are not specific unless the homeowners have existing items that must be used.  Otherise I create a generic layout like this which then becomes the basis for the electrical and lighting location plans.

Each of the kids rooms will have built-in desks with storage and the Den will do double duty as a home office and guest bedroom, we'll be creating some open niches and shelves into the dividing wall in the Den but unfortunately it can't be moved. 

 All of the Interior Design plans were completed last September and construction started on site about 4 weeks ago.  Currently I'm finalizing the paint and wallpaper specs (yes there will be some colour and pattern!) and dealing with the daily issues and changes that come up.  That's the nature of a renovation,,,,expect the design plans to go thru a round of changes after demolition is completed.

Like the change to this small hall closet that apparantly will be even smaller due to the unexpected size of the column. yikes.  That's the contractor, with a set of my drawings, explaining to the homeowner why this framing is not jiving with my plans...  

I'll take you thru the design plans for the kitchen and the individual bathrooms in future posts. 

All images, drawings and photos are the property of Carol Reed Interior Design Inc. and may not be reproduced.

Upload: Update 2012

A crucial part of my job involves documenting spaces or items on a daily basis, everything from constuction site progress to a great vintage find, I'm rarely without camera phone in hand.  I take hundreds of photos on my Iphone every week, some project related and some are just details or objects or settings that catch my eye.... or just make me happy - like a classic black & white graphic print...on a dress.  Collectively these photos are a snapshot of where I've been, what I'm working on and what's inspiring me.  Initially I started posting a selection of these daily images in an "Upload" post every month then..... it became every other month.  Then the backload of images became so enormous, it was too overwhelming to tackle.  So what better time than the start of a brand new year to get back on track and keep these posts going thru the entire 2012 calendar.

In early November I spent a week in Naples Florida with 5 girlfriends.  It was our first time to see my friends new vacation home there.  She had spent the past few months getting the house furnished and outfitted, while there I helped her decide on some placement of wall art.  I'm pleased to report that 2 months later these glass wall vases I installed are still hanging (it required power tools and gerry-rigging some plugs).  Girl power. : )  My favorite shopping spot in Naples was the Sally Ann - it was a thrifters paradise and set up as well as any furniture showroom would be.  The huge pedestal table in the pic above was from there.  I scooped up a bunch of silver serving pieces and carried them home on my lap.  I don't think the customs officer believed me when the only thing I had to declare was some used silver from the Sally Ann wrapped up in newspaper. : )   But my travel partner had a set of gorgeous blue & white bowls in her Sally Ann bag ($25!!) so we made an odd but convincing pair of shoppers.  Designers!

I loved these modern orange planters outside of the Tommy Bahama store in downtown Naples.

While in Naples I had a meeting with Toronto clients who also needed some help with their Florida home.  But first, this winter I'm working on on a huge gut-reno for their newly purchased summer home a couple hours north of Toronto.  Its a character bungalow that's lost all of its charm, their architect and I will be giving it a complete modern overhaul inside and out, adding on a new master suite and an art studio.  She's a painter and her Florida home is literally a gallery of her work as well as their own collection of other fantastic artists.  

I loved these wooden sculptures she had flanking her garden doors.  An important element of their home in north Toronto will be its modern simplicity so that it can showcase art and antiques.  This is going to be a project that truly resonates with my design philosophy in many ways.  Stay tuned for more details about this project - I've been immersed in the design plans for the past month and I'm excited and challenged at how much this one is pushing me to refine and edit and explore new ideas.

And no worries, I havn't forgotten about Li'l bro's reno.  It moved along at such a fast pace I couldn't keep up with it.  But yes, they are moved in and our entire family was thrilled to celebrate Christmas in their newly completed home (pic above).  Between my recent travels and my brothers travels and the holidays, I just havn't had any time to get over there for some 'after photos' (literally the paint was drying as we were on our way for Christmas dinner  - but I promise an update post is coming soon).

The 70's bungalow is officially complete except for the landscaping (summer 2012).  I'm assisting them with some artwork selections for a couple of key areas and then I'm planning to schedule a photo shoot for March - can't wait to share some afters with you!!!

I had the opportunity to tour the most incredible architect designed modern home in Toronto which was completely furnished with original mid-century modern furniture and art.  This place made my heart race, it truly did,  and I got a little snap happy with my DSLR.  Of course I'll give you a tour right here in the coming weeks.

A fabric swatch that I had carried around in my totebag for almost a year, was the perfect fit as roman shades in a new home office that was recently installed at a clients.  

And when I spotted this tourquoise Ralph Lauren crackle glaze lamp at HomeSense, I knew instantly where it was going... The office has both his and her desks, her's is a large table desk I had custom made to sit in front of the window, the base is painted in a peacock blue and the tourquoise lamp is, well, i think its just perfect for it!  Score.  The rest of the room was outfitted with custom built-ins.  I'm hoping to return soon and help with some office accessories and storage containers - there's lots of shelves to organize.

The glass french doors on the office were original to the cape cod style house but the crystal door knobs aren't working, I sent her to The Door Store to find replace knobs....can't wait to see what she found!

And in the family room/kitchen nook, I'm having some banquet cushions and pillows made for them that will be family friendly for crafts, school projects, game nights, and messy meals.

A kitchen reno in a rustic log cabin north of the city had me on a search for green barn light pendants.  And I lucked out in finding both vintage and new options.  The Door Store had quite a great selection, I absolutely love this historic green, and thinking I need to find a match for this in a paint colour!

For a non vintage option, Home Depot has this slightly darker green version (also available in white and bronze and black).  A steal - great for really tight budgets and tight timelines.   Ultimately the client found some vintage wire cage pendants instead, they do look great but don't bring the impact of colour to the kitchen these would have.

Probably one of my favorite coffee tables of all time, I have a similar style in my own living room, this vintage barcelona table was scooped up for a clients living room just in time for Christmas.  I was crazy for this the moment I saw it, actually several months ago and couldn't believe it was still available.  An authentive vintage piece in 'nearly perfect' condition is my choice over a knock-off any day. It arrived right after my clients new marble slab fireplace surround was installed and right before the Mitchell Gold Hunter sofa was delivered.  A pair of modern lounge chairs on order from Style Garage will complete the grouping.  I think this coffee table deserves some 'after' photos.

It really pained me to leave the store without these vintage cane beauties.  I'll dream about these ones for years to come.

Just days before Christmas I visited the Moncer wood flooring showroom in Jordan, Ontario (wine country!).  I was incredibly impressed by the quality and craftsmanship of the product and the company's philosophy and dedication to great design in every aspect of their business.  I love my wood natural and with loads of character - these products deliver!!  For wide planks and long boards, I've never seen anything as gorgeous as the Moncer line.

Every single detail in their gallery like showroom was thoughtfully and beautifully planned.  Located outside of the city next to a winery, the visit to the showroom truly makes the experience out of the ordinary, just like their wood.  I'm ecstatic to be using these stunning floors in my newest project!!!  I'm sure it won't be the last...

And lastly on my iphone, a project that's now taking up every spare minute of my personal time is our own hunt for a house - its been pretty discouraging thus far.  Nothing but lots of photos of country houses we're quickly crossing off the list, like this one above.  It had some great outbuildings but the house was so teeny tiny it was no bigger than a 1 bedroom condo in the city and ideally, I'm really looking for something that's not brick.  So the search continues.....but the good news is -  I already have the new floors picked out (see above) : )

All Photos:  Carol Reed

Comfort & Joy

My bedroom 'dressed up' for the Holidays.

As the holidays drew closer I was craving the comforts of my own bed more than ever before.  Having been away for a few weeks on an extended road trip, we arrived home to a house in the midst of construction - it looked like one of my job sites, not my house...and they were clearly behind schedule.  Another two weeks of living thru and around the mess had me counting down the minutes until all the trades would be out the door and I could put the house back together again.  

The sight of our living room upon our return from the East Coast.  Not the welcome home I was expecting!  : /  It took another two weeks for all the work to be finished while we stayed at a brother's house.  When they were finally done, it was just six days until Christmas and pretty much the entire contents of our house were still packed away.

The first room I needed to put back in order was our bedroom.  A little touch of holiday greenery was enough to instantly put me in the spirit of the season and make the house look festive.  Ahhh the comforts of my own bed with all my own things around me once again.....

I plan on spending lots of down time here over the next few days,,,setting goals, making plans and dreaming big dreams for 2012.

To be able to enjoy the comforts of a crack'lin fire with family on Christmas day was truly joyful.

And sipping delicious hot teas from my new Iwachu iron tea set will bring me comfort & joy for many years to come.  I'm absolutely in LOVE with the sculputural lines of this tea pot,  I plan to leave it out where I can see it all the time.  Thank you Santa!

From my home to yours,

 I wish you Comfort & Joy

 this Holiday season and

 in the New Year ahead.

Peace,

Carol

All Photos:   Carol Reed