Moving into a new apartment & starting from scratch can be fun & exciting, but also very overwhelming, especially with a small budget and almost no time. 

The feel she was hoping to achieve was formal & elegant while still being bohemian, playful, and clean, and sent me a few inspiration pictures that captured this:

She already had a sofa & rug from Restoration Hardware, but unfortunately purchased them separately, not realizing how muted they looked together. We needed to break up all that gray so I created a design, anchored by those tones, but that also featured organic fibers & metallic accents for a cozy & eclectic setting.

By introducing woods, leathers, and other natural materials, we would make the space feel pulled together & inviting, while still maintaining a modern appeal with clean silhouettes.

Framing the room would be ripple drapes, for a casual & soft appeal; while a curated bookshelf would flank the opposite wall -- functional yet also the perfect bar setting for entertaining.

Decorative wall mirrors would not only be great statement pieces, but also add the illusion of a more lit & airy space, in addition to some layered lamp options, since the living room received very little natural lighting.

As we worked through this design & brought this mood board to life, we were ultimately able to create the perfect setting for relaxing, working, and entertaining. 

We would really lean on accessories to soften the space up, for a more feminine feel, while still maintaining the overall aesthetic of the mood board. 

After approving the concept, she noted that the the living room really needed to have a designated work area, storage for electronics, and a place for guests to put drinks, etc. Then she said the magic words that every designer LOVES to hear:

As we neared the end of the design and sourcing, I made some revisions to the space plan, while still planning around the original budget (where possible of course). Inspired by her lifestyle & vision for the space, I made a point to source easy to find you unique "functional art" pieces -- obviously serving a purpose, from the cocktail table to the accent chairs, but also just really gorgeous designs & aesthetic appeal. 

To incorporate something unique in her design, I asked about hobbies & interests, and her thoughts on DIY project...

AMAZE BALLS!

I had the perfect idea that would save money without costing too much time -- working as a great alternative or addition to the artwork -- framing her stone collection! I found the perfect inspiration picture to really help her visual the idea, so she was on board. I also provided her with the instructions to really make this happen as she would start purchasing her pieces.

After a first round of immediate approvals, we had a few final details to refine and nail down.

I sent her a round of revisions to choose from for some particularly tricky items, as well as conceptual elevation plans to really understand how things would layer in before pulling the final design and space plan together. 

Final Design

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DIY Framed Stone Collection

Supplies: 12 x 16 Black Picture Frame | Loctite Mounting Tape | Patterned Paper