“make it work”

Tim Gunn’s genius words “make it work” hold true is so many applications – and especially in interior design. Sometimes we just can’t control things…like curve balls from clients (being forced to use something hideous because they invested money in it before they met you and won’t dare to part with it), existing structural conditions (that ceiling beam that can’t move or ridiculously placed HVAC units)…but learning to live with it, and either enhancing or ignoring it, is just part of the job.

So today we share with you a project where our clients had tremendous ceiling height and lots of wall space, but didn’t want to invest in wallpaper since it’s a rental.

The game plan: fill the walls with art. But, knowing that their next home may not have the same ceiling height or set up, they were hesitant to invest in something so oversized that they wouldn’t be able to find another spot for it in the future.

Our solution was to get an image printed in wallcovering, and apply it to plywood, and mount that to the wall, so that when they move, the wallpaper art comes with them. It fills up the space pretty perfectly and we love the clean, crisp look. (BTW, remember this wallpaper art installation we shared with you awhile back?)

We also had to work with lots of wood tones and colors from the existing furniture that this family has inherited and purchased over the years…so to tie it all together we got pretty literal and mounted these wood squares as pop art, and had them stained.

And you’re getting a peak at the family’s gallery wall through the doorway over there…another more obvious way to fill the walls, but one we still adore (and when the family is as gorgeous as this one, with photos to match, why not go to town?!?).

And we are mad for this plaid pillow we made, so we had to share since it’s in the space. Nothing beats a crisp, modern plaid, especially in this get cozy and snuggle up season that is somehow upon us once again.