Open House Sunday

 built 1930

Last Sunday Mom and I went to look at Open Houses in 

the historic neighborhoods of OKC. As we like to do. 

This house was my favorite of the day.

 

I knew it was special as soon as we walked up the path.

The a giant tulip tree takes center stage in the yard.

The beds were planted with shade loving plants that thrive in the

shadow of this huge tree.

 Lots of red touches outside. That door is so Hansel and Gretel!

Notice the red furniture on the side porch and red flower pots throughout.

 
A step inside reveals a precious entry complete with new floor tile.

 The living area is large and bright.

Decorated in a modern feminine mix.

 The focal point is this fireplace. I was amazed by it. 
I've never seen one like it.

The plaster work is exquisite.

 Isn't it lovely?

a shelf with baskets is an odd thing to put inside.

I'd have candles or perhaps a large fern for the summer.

 I love how light and airy this room feels.

 
cute little built in

 through the door way - the dining room

 

the dining room definitely has a modern feel

 the kitchen is traditional.

I'd prefer it white but the gray makes a statement. 

Mom loved the butcher block counter tops.

 up the stairs takes you to finished attic space

 I'd paint this all white and turn it into an art studio.

 what a dream of a space to create in

 Back down stairs a bath.

 guest bedroom

 another bedroom

 at the back of the house - a hallway with storage

 

that steps down to this back master bedroom

 

with large master bathroom

but the best is yet to come....

 
this outdoor patio just off the master

I could have spent all Sunday evening out here.

As it was, we stayed till the very last minute of 4pm.

I did not want to leave this oasis.

 It just goes on and on.

 
The whole backyard is a mini vacation. 
Filled with luscious growing things.

 

a spot to read a book

complete with hammock.

See listing here

So Mom and I hit 4 open houses last Sunday.

We were going to go again this Sunday but I have 

a new project I'm working on.

A client of mine bought a store and she wants my help revamping it.

So I'll be working tomorrow on an inspiration board

and ideas to spruce up an existing store.

I have lots of ideas.

I'll share when done.

Have a Super Sunday!

Carol's House

This is the house of a client of mine, Carol.

I designed several rooms in her home.

On my first trip to the house to measure the rooms

she said to me. "I hate my house.

It's not my style at all."

She had only been in the house a few years and 

I laughed and asked - "Well,

why did you buy it if you didn't like it?"

 Well turns out this little newish craftsman house 

sat right next to her parent's house.

That's why she bought it.

But she likes things very modern and more sleek.

She had added the large rectangular concrete planters

in front of the home. Which I wondered that first day why the 

landscaping planters were so modern when her house was so not!

I asked if she was open to painting the brick and she said

yes that is what she had been considering but didn't know what

color.

I suggested white or black. 

I took photos of the house and told her I'd present photoshopped

photos of how it would look in either color.

 

This was the first one I showed her imagining it in white.

At this point I was trying to keep costs down and only suggested painting all existing.

 Or it could be painted black. 

The garage door would be a wood tone.

She loved the white. 

She wanted a modern garage door and front door.

I photoshopped that in. 

At this point I realized she was prepared 

to spend some money on making it the house of her dreams.

So I suggested enhancing her porch with additional beams.

She found online a porch swing she fell in love with.

 I made suggestions in September/October and by Christmas 

she already the house painted and new posts and beams up.

Here is the new swing in place.

 The house as it appeared last December. 

She was going to replace the mailbox but in the end kept it

and just painted it white.

I recently called her and asked it she'd take a current photo for me

and she did. Now she has the modern front door in place too.

The only thing she didn't do that I would have liked to see was

little black vents added into the gables.

  I'd really like to see that small detail added.

 Carol was just the ideal client. 

I'd make suggestions and she'd jump right on it.

Afterwards she thanked me for giving her the ideas that

made her love her home. 

She actually said, "I love my house, now!"

I adored working with her!

Her Mom did the plantings in the yard.

The pink flowers are such a nice compliment to the white and black.

Notice the black and white cushion on the porch swing.

She now has the most stunning house in the neighborhood.

Open House Sunday

 built 1934

This charming Tudor sits catty corner from my house 

just across the street.

It was for sale at the same time that I bought my house back in 2004.

It had been neglected for a very long time so 

I didn't even consider buying it. I didn't even take a tour of it!

I did go in it about 10 years ago and realized it was a 

fantastic house. The person that bought sunk tons 

of money into it. Since then it has sold a couple

of times. And I won't be linking to the specifics on it,

because it already sold this time after being on the market just a week. 

Check out the mother in law tongue plant filling the front urns. 

I was shocked that these lived through the winter here! 

But they did!  

  The present owners have filled it with lots of mid century style.

I like mid century but in a 1930's Tudor...I like just a little mixed in.

The whole house full of mid century is just not warm enough for a Tudor.

 

The mid century styling begins on the front porch.

I will say this home owner goes with a style and carries it through the 

entire house.

 I often advise my interior design clients to break their living room

up into several seating areas. (oh yeah that's what I have been doing while I was gone from blogging. I was doing interior design connected with several furniture stores) More about that later.

So although I tell my clients who struggle with a long room to break it up into several seating areas -

This is not what I would do in this room. 

My own living room is long and I have furniture placed around the focal point of the fireplace. Then at one end I have a desk and the other a console in front of the window.

I wouldn't mind the arrangement above but both of the seating areas are ignoring the fireplace which should be the focal point.

This room feels like a hotel lobby to me because of the way it's arranged.

 mid century dining at it's finest

 The kitchen was totally redone at one point during the last 15 years. I can't remember if it looked exactly like this when I was 

in the house before. I think it didn't. I don't remember the marble subway tile.

 I like the size of this kitchen. Seems everyone is doing a rug like this in their kitchen now.

 I love original tile bathrooms but I'm not loving this one.

That tile is flesh colored. And I very much dislike the sink.

I hope the new owners do something great to this bath.

Nice that it has the original arch over the tub and some storage too.

 I remembered I loved this built in shelf in the bedroom.

 Another bedroom

 Another built in

Small bath off the master bedroom. I love that the sink and mirror 

set back into a little nook.

 

Here an Asian screen is used as a headboard. 

Love that there is a 

door going out to the backyard off this room. 

Very nice backyard for entertaining. None of this was here back

when I bought my house.

I like their choice of outdoor furniture.

 a lovely manicured space

 This is where I always say see the full listing here, but it's already sold

so I can't. 

Have a fabulous Sunday!

Mom and I are going to actual real life Open Houses today.

Not that we are buying a house but we love to look. 

It's cheap entertainment.