Pulling a room together

RECLAIMED ROOMS

We are hired for our vision, ability to pull rooms together from differing styles and uniqueness of items. We rely heavily on our “eye,” instincts and, specifically, what we refer to as the “Gasp Factor.” This is exactly what it sounds like. It is us actually making a small, or in rarer cases, a loud, audible gasp. When this happens, it means we have stumbled across an item so unique or cool that it actually takes our breath. This is precisely what happened when on a recent shopping excursion in Houston, Texas. We were in a super-cool store called High Fashion Home, which is filled with four floors of gorgeous items. For hours, we had been “oohing and aahing” over their vast inventory. We rounded a corner and were gobsmacked by one of the most beautiful beds we have ever seen (insert loud, audible gasp here)!

It had all the makings of the perfect bed; it was massive, sexy, sleek, kinda retro and just plain ol’ pretty! But it came with a hefty price tag. With that, we knew our clients, the Taylors, had to love it just as much as we did. This is one of those pieces you build an entire room around, but it almost didn’t happen. Our clients were equally impressed with this “big, brass bed,” but were taken aback by its cost. We understood completely and began searching for less expensive alternatives. After showing her a few others similar in style, but far less cool (and less expensive), we waited to hear which one they chose. I received a phone call the next day, and to my great surprise, they had changed their minds and decided to go with the original. After a short Snoopy-like dance, I assured her we would find less expensive items to fill the room to help offset the bed’s price. And so the search began.

When pulling a room together with complementary items vs. matching sets, there are a few rules you need to adhere to. First, you’ve gotta “love” the items. If you love something, it will most probably work in your space. This visceral response should act as your guide; trust your gut. Secondly, it helps if there is a unifying element to the pieces. In our case, we needed or wanted brass, gold or bronze items. Next, we found a pair of awesomely distressed metal bedside dressers, which we topped with concrete lamps. A luxurious custom rug from House of Carpets & Lighting welcomes your tootsies when you exit the bed. The new room layout required us to remove some built-in bookshelves, which were rather clumsily blocking an entire wall. We wanted our bed to be placed on this wall to create a “suite-like” vibe for the room.

The bed had previously been placed in the center of the room, dividing it into two smaller and less usable spaces. By moving the bed to the far end of the room, we created space for a seating area. I had found a Gus Modern sofa at Nader’s Gallery, which I knew was the perfect color/scale, and picked up on the grey of the bedside lamps. A pair of of mid-century brass floor lamps flank the sofa and help frame the gorgeous paintings from Briggs & Co. A minimalist antiqued brass coffee table, purchased online, was placed in front and sits atop a beautiful rug from Haverty’s. Across from the seating area (where the bed was originally), we found a gorgeous acidwashed mirrored console from Swann’s Furniture in Tyler, Texas. This was topped with a couple of vintage brass lamps and centered with a great mirror found at Tuesday Morning. Beautifully simple Roman shades were created, in lieu of drapery, by Virginia Harris McKinnon.

We love our ceilings here at Space: interiors, and this space exemplifies that. A gorgeous Anna French bronze/gold metallic wallpaper from Caddo Paint was installed, and it absolutely takes this room to another level. Most people don’t think about ceilings, but they are actually the largest unencumbered “wall” in most rooms. Throw in an unique Sputnik-like chandelier from Henson’s in Bossier and, voila, you’ve got a room Midas himself would covet.

Our clients are absolutely thrilled with the results, as are we! Shortly after finishing, we were informed they were putting their Fairfield Home on the market. So, if you love this room, you can now buy it, and the rest of this gorgeous home is included in the price.

Myron Griffing is the owner of Space: interiors. Contact him at 780-0504.