Oh the Places You'll Go....

The ladies of AsterHouse have always loved a good trip...big city; Kansas City, Dallas or small town; Sparks, Atchison...you name it, we're there!!  In travel you find it all...new sights, fabulous food, unique architecture, great bargains...amazing memories!  We know full well, that we are so privileged to be doing something that we love...and we don't take any chance at "on the job training" for granted!!

Annually, my (Eryn) husband attends a convention in a larger city and take me along...and this year was no exception.  But rather than Chicago (my favorite "little" big city) or San Diego (near the beach...need I say more??) we found ourselves destined for New Orleans!!  This was not our first trip to "NOLA"...so we were looking forward to further exploring some of the great finds from our last stopover in this city full of diversity and character!!  And we were not disappointed!! Let me take you on a "picture tour" beginning in the historic "French Quarter"...

 

The architecture is decidedly European...and renews my love for all things "aged and well-worn"...wouldn't you take some brick in this gorgeous pattern in your outdoor space??

 

Or how about bright green shutters??  Not to mention the precious balcony!!

 

Found!!  Perfect vintage lights for a friend...did you know Bevolo has a vintage line as well as reproduction line??  Now I do...and they are to. die. for. 

 

Must refuel...leisurely meal on the quaint patio at the Napoleon House...Shrimp Remoulade Stuffed Avocado, anyone??  Or stroll down to Stanley and this is what you will see...

 

 

Soft shell crab Eggs Benedict??  (This is an actual picture of my plate...could it be any prettier??)

 Seriously, people...we are soooooo not in Kansas anymore!!

 

 

All shopping and no rest makes Eryn a very tired researcher...Plan: The Hotel Monteleone...has a great spa on the second floor...go there!!

 

 

 

Once re-energized on to Magazine Street...for boutiques and more boutiques...this street stretches to Texas, I'm pretty sure...but we covered alot of it and found some pretty awesome treasures....

 

 

Tara Shaw.....ummmmm.....can you say AMAZING???  Think Veranda magazine spread...French antiques with layers of rich patina...creamy white fabrics...I actually got to meet Tara...and her right hand gal, Linda!!  And toured her private to-the-trade showroom...right there on Camp Street!!  Of course, I had to buy something...and, since I do not have a "antique" budget, I settled for this gorgeous repro mirror....can't wait for it to be delivered!! 

 

 

Then it was on to our next stop....

 

 

More jaw dropping antiques...but this shop had a crazy-fun mix...just daring you to forget any rules you ever knew...and surround yourself with what you love...

 

 

What speaks to you??  What inspires you??  Clean whites, creams, with a romantic finish??

 

 

 

Or geometric lines, loads of texture and happy, expressive color??

 

 

OH this tile...I might need a moment...could I buy the whole step please??? 

 

 

 

 

 

I wanted to take these guys home...for some reason, they were just calling my name???  Must be the influence of the "big easy"!!

 

 

 

Wait for it....

 

When you have awesome clients....

 

....fabulous materials...(what's not to love about 36" x 24" slate wall covering, granite, rich wood cabinetry...I mean seriously???)

 

....wonderful installers....

 

 

 

 

Just wait til you see it finished!!!!!!!

Urban Mountain Retreat

 

This gorgeous Manhattan home's design was inspired by the surroundings of a mountain retreat...only nestled in the Flint Hills rather than Breckenridge!

 

For those who don't understand how a modern look can meld beautifully with traditional features, take a look at this....

 

 

Stainless steel, glass tile and a fabulous range hood work perfectly with the dark stain on the cabinetry and the rough texture of the stone work.

 

 

 

 

By bringing the warmth of the brown tones together with the cool greys, we again merged the traditional elements with the sophistication of the more modern finishes.

 

 

The large mudroom, "drop" zone, complete with cubbies and killer charcoal color tile will carry you from the garage to the kitchen in pure functional style!!

 

 

In the large family room, the eye-catching views draw you out from the cozy fireplace to the covered deck...the dramatic railing speaks to the urban modern mountain retreat that inspired the space.

 

 

 

This gorgeous freestanding tub and floor mounted faucet, bring the relaxation factor up a couple of notches!!  Who wouldn't want to come home to this???

 

(Want to see how we took this spec home from concept to finish??  Read here!!)

 

 

 

 

Casual English Manor

It's not every day that we start from scratch on a home, but in this client's situation, they had recently moved into a new home...and due to busy schedules and a lack of design direction, this house had yet to be turned into a home!  Now this family is a dynamic group...full of energy, loads of hobbies and interests...and they desired their home to reflect who they are...after our first meeting, we knew exactly what direction we wanted to go to transform this home from empty and echo-y, to warm and inviting...

"Before"

 

 

We took the family's love for all things outdoors and blended it with their overall classic aesthetic to create a "casual english manor"...

 

 

 

 

Our first order of business was to strengthen the focal point of the room, the fireplace.  We also needed to work out a furniture plan that was both functional and welcoming and took advantage of an irregular space.  Then the crowning touch was the addition of the ceiling beams to add warmth, architectual interest and a little wow!!

 

 

We were able to include seating for 6-8 without crowding the space!  The woven shades in the windows repeat the darker wood tones of the rich beams, which pull out the chocolate undertones in the lighter oak flooring.  The "beam" mantel was created by our contractor. 

 

 

 

In the eat-in kitchen, an updated light fixture, new table, window shades, a few personal pieces and a smartly-tailored valance pull the space from lonely to welcoming!

 

 

Around the corner in the new dining room, the stage has been set for grand dinner parties, or cozy family gatherings...

 

 

 

 

 

According to these clients, AsterHouse "nailed it"...their home perfectly reflects

them and the way they live and function there...what greater compliment could you ask for??!!! 

Thanks to all of our clients for the amazing priviledge of working in your most precious, sacred, private spaces...your homes!!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

A spec sneak...

This summer has been a whirlwind of activity around here!!  We have had multiple large projects in production…which simply means a lot of details to keep up with and lots of car time…driving from project to project to check in on progress, double check stain colors and answer questions from contractors!!  It is a little similar to a pregnancy…waiting, anticipating, preparing, waiting, wondering, excited, and finally, with little say on the timing...(haha...the nature of constructions!!) the thrilling reveal!!!

Not unlike a pregnancy, there is a lot happening before any noticeable changes take place…take our current spec home, for instance…the contractor hired us to bring a fresh look to his project…our challenge was to bring some updated finishes to a home that needed to appeal to the majority of buyers, since this was not a custom build.

So we started here…way back at the beginning...

Original floorplan

with a floorplan…reviewing the layout, the traffic flow, the storage options…we tweaked it…(no mudroom?? must have!!)…and then we moved on to visualizing and presenting a design concept…

"...inspired by a modern mountain retreat. A comfortable mix of traditional designs with contemporary clean lines and updated finishes, along with a fresh color palette that is inviting and compatible with any design style, truly sets this home apart." -listing details per AHD

...and then added the details that would take our inspiration and make it the home of someone's dreams!!!!

And here is a sneak at the spec house progress….

We are thrilled with the outcome!!  It looks awesome!!! 

And the builder is pleased to say this one is now sold!! 

Final pictures to come!!

What a picture is worth...

I love wall art hung in a gallery style arrangement!!  It is a fabulous way to combine the pieces that make people happy into a display that reflects those who live/work in the space!! 

Sometimes these walls are symmetrical, neat, tidy and soothing because of the similarity of content and the layout of the pieces in an even grid-like pattern.


Houzz.com

Other wall galleries are a selection of various pieces, but create the same symmetrical quality thanks to matching frames that pull the look together.



Houzz.com

  In other settings, the display is set apart by the rich colors but the cohesion of the subject and framing keep the look very tailored.


Tobi Fairly

  For those who prefer a more eclectic aesthetic, the trick to pulling it all together is in the arrangement. The obvious forthought that went into this gallery wall, make it a purposeful arrangement and not just a "hodgepodge" collection!



Houzz.com

 We have all seen the wall gallery that was just a bit too eclectic...and sometimes we wonder what makes the difference??  How do you take a seemingly disimilar group of objects and create a vignette that makes you smile??  It is all in the planning, layout and execution...



AsterHouse Design

 Whether you are going for a symmetrical look...or you want the thrown together eclectic style, you will need to plan it well for it to be successful!!  (And yes, this will require a tape measure and quite possibly a level!!)

Check out this adorable video tutorial put together by my fabulous sister-in-law, Ashleigh Graber with Design Aglow...then get out your hammer and nails and make your walls talk!!!!