DESIGNER ROOM RECREATE: A MODERN COUNTRY DINING ROOM!

Photo by Eric Piasecki

This dining room design perfectly combines modern elements with classic elegant country charm. The room feels both urban modern and country rustic at the same time. The retro Saairnen table is the centerpiece of this room which brilliantly combines a color scheme of white, brown, yellow and light blue.
I've pulled together antiques, high end designer furniture and accessories and more economical pieces to make a version of this room. My favorite items are the clear glass chandelier and the antique early 20th century Spanish console table from Mecox Gardens.
Here is today's Cococozy DESIGNER ROOM RECREATE:



Ylighting - Ciatura 6 Light Chandelier from Eurofase - Reg. $1,472.50, Sale $1,060.20 (clear glass chandelier with chrome finishes)(above)

Wandrlust - Florence Broadhurst Flora Yellow Floral Tudor Wallpaper - $448 per roll (yellow floral print pattern on champagne mylar wallpaper. 27"x396" per roll) (above)



West Elm - Rustic Wood Wall Mirror - $229 (above)




Jonathan Adler - Capri Teardrop Table Lamp - $275 (colored glass with nickel accents and glossy parchment shade. Comes in light blue, orange and grey) (above)

Room & Board - L'Arsenale Vases - $99-179 (Porcelain glazed vases. Dark eggplant color) (above)


Mecox Gardens - Antique Spanish Rustic Wooden Table $3300 (Rustic Wooden Table with "X" Cross Stretcher, Spanish, Circa 1900) (above)




Crate & Barrel - Valrico Bowl - Reg. $129, Sale $64.95 (light blue art glass centerpiece bowl)(above)




Hive - Saarinen Table - $1946 for 60" diameter (Eero Saarinen design from 1956. Molded, cast aluminum polished white base. Tops are available in laminate, coated and natural marble and natural granite top finishes) (above)



Pottery Barn - Napolean Side Chair - $179 (Frame is made of solid beech. Seat is woven of rush straw) (above)

SHEDDING THE LIGHT ON A CRAFTY MAKEOVER OF A SHADOW BOX!

Shadow box made by Shannon Cockrell hung on a wall in her London flat (above)

Back to my trip to Europe...if you recall, I met Alyssa Taffet's childhood friend and now upstairs neighbor, Shannon Cockrell, during my brief visit to London. Shannon's wonderful kitchen is featured in an earlier post.

Besides having a fab decorating sense...it turns out Shannon is quite ingenious when it comes to great craft/art ideas as well. Case in point...this cool shadow box.

This shadow box is simple but smart decor...art with dimension and texture. A simple white or cream colored picture frame, with a bright blue interior, and silver letters propped in a corner that say NYC (New York City). That's it. Small concept...big design!

The best thing about this shadow box is that Shannon made it herself!!!

A simple shadow box from a discount store is gutted and painted to make a modern and stylish piece of art. (above)

Silver letters used for gift wrapping are propped up inside of the shadow box, off center, in a corner to create the shadow box design. (above)

Here's how Shannon says she made this modern shadow box:

"I found the shadow box on the sale shelf at TJ Maxx. It had 3 shells framed behind glass. I ripped all that out and mixed up that teal blue color and painted the interior. A friend had given me a gift when I moved from Dallas to NYC and the letters had been on the package. I held on to them and ended up having a perfect little home for them. It is a nice little reminder of NYC."

So, with a good eye in spotting a sale item, some paint, left over gift wrapping and some ingenuity, Shannon Cockrell shows us that good design doesn't have to be complicated or terribly expensive!

Thank you again Shannon for sharing your project! Look forward to more from you!

All photos in this post by Coco of Cococozy

WEST ELM LACQUERS IT UP WITH SOME GLOSSY BOXES!

West Elm - Studded Lacquer Boxes, Tonal Blue - $39 for set of three (above)

Studded wood lacquered nesting boxes above...perfect for storage in a bedroom or office. Again, another easy way to stylishly add some color into a space without committing to color forever! Comes in red tones too. I like storage options that also look good.

Also, these little lacquered jewelry boxes with polished silver metal hardware shown below are really cute too (they come in silver or white lacquer). Perfect in a bedroom atop a dresser or a vanity. The tassel on the key is a nice touch too.

Nothing wrong with a little gloss and gleam to brighten up a room.


West Elm - Lux Jewelry Box - $89 (above)

GLASSWARE TRANSCENDS - AN ECO FRIENDLY LINE THAT IS CLEAR ON BEING GREEN!

Zwello - tranSglass Glasses - $40 set of 4 (drinking glasses come in polished or satin finish. Colors vary but all come in shades of clear, brown or green)(above)

Love this tranSglass line from Artecnica! Made of recycled glass and hand crafted by Guatemalan artisans, this line features a variety of items including glasses, tumblers, carafes, vases, jugs, candle holder and now mirrors. Designed by Emma Woffenden and Tord Boontje, transGlass is now part of MoMA New York's permanent collection.

Because of the recycled nature of the glass and the handcrafting by artisans, each item is slightly different in color and shape.


Zwello - tranSglass Beak - $48 (above)



Zwello - tranSglass Carafe - $43 (handle-less carafe features an asymmetrical spout. Polished or satin finish. Pre-sorted shades of clear, green and brown colors)(above)


Zwello - tranSglass Lidded Carafe - $57 (Inverted tumbler acts as carafe lid. Polished or satin finishes. Pre-sorted colors of shades brown, clear or green)(above)

LEATHER-PALOOZA! A FESTIVAL OF ALL THINGS LEATHER FOR EVERY ROOM!

Fall is almost here...and leather furniture reminds of the fall season. Nowadays, just about anything comes in leather...from chairs, sofas, tables, desks, lamps and even rugs. I think well chosen leather can provide a great accent to any room...warming it up for the fall and winter months ahead.

LIVING ROOM

Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams - Brooke Chair - $1680 for mid-range leather grade ( (tan leather chair with nailhead trim)(above)


William Sonoma Home - Chelsea Wing Settee - $4250 (twist on the classic wing chair, this settee comes choice of Polished Nickel or Antiqued Brass nail heads) (above)

HOME OFFICE

HW Home - Dupree Desk - $2985 (leather desk by Eric Brand. All surfaces are covered in leather. Shown in "Whiskey", burnt orange, leather) (above)



Croft & Little - Todd Leather Desk Lamp - Reg. $318, Sale $233 (parchment white lamp shade sits on top of leather sleeved lamp base. Available in black or chocolate brown leather) (above)

DINING ROOM

West Elm - Garvey Leather Dining Chairs - side chair $229, armchair $329 (white or chocolate leather chairs with birch legs stained in a dark chocolate)

MASTER BEDROOM

Baker Furniture - Dane Upholstered Bed - $8960, queen (wood bed frame with winged green leather headboard from the Laura Kirar collection) (above)

GUEST ROOM

Pottery Barn - Arlington Leather Armchair - $1299-$1399 (parsley green leather armchair...comes in berry red, orange and walnut brown) (above)

IN FRONT OF THE FIREPLACE

Crate & Barrel - Odeon Leather Chair - $999 (club style leather chair in oxblood red with cognac brown stained wood legs) (above)

CHEAP TO CHIC: CLEARLY LOOPING IN ON PRICING FOR A MODERN CHANDELIER STYLE!

Hundreds of loops, links or hooks made of clear crystal or glass hung on a metal frame to create a chandelier shape of your choice. Based on a famed design from 1967, this look has become a modern classic in lighting. Here's today's CHEAP TO CHIC:


Z Gallerie - Glass Links Chandelier - $299 (230 clear glass links can be placed in a variety of patterns and configurations. Each link is 3.5" long) (above)




MisoMod - Cristallo Chandelier - $499 (234 individual crystal hooks hang on 3 tier metal structure. 3 individual sockets with a max 60W each for a total of 180W. 72" of clear cord to hang the fixture at your desired height) (above)

DWR - Giogali Chandelier - $2100 (With 150 handblown Murano glass rings, the Giogali Chandelier, designed by Italian Architect Italian architect Angelo Mangiarotti in 1967, allows owner to customize look because each ring can be arranged on the three-ring chromed steel armature to create different configurations of varying lengths) (above)

SEE THIS HOUSE: A DESIGN DREAM TEAM CREATES A MODERN SPANISH STYLE DREAM HOME!

Photo copyright The Sunset Team/La Kaza Design 2008. ,
Custom designed iron stair rail and banister line the grand staircase in the entry hall of a new Los Angeles, California home. (above)

This is a beautiful 4100 square foot Spanish style home newly built in the heart of Los Angeles - keenly designed by The Sunset Team's La Kaza Design.

The Sunset Team is a full service real estate company with agents who help home owners buy and sell properties (a division of Keller Williams)...sounds simple and normal...but for the Sunset Team selling and buying isn't enough.

As an added service, this one-stop shop, led by Roberto Seixas, also can help clients remodel, restore, build, design and decorate homes (P.S. the company's website asks the provocative question "flip or fix?"...it is a substantive question I often ask myself as my tiny Hollywood Hills home seems to get smaller and smaller...as far as significance, this question could rival the famed "to be or not to be?" query! Kidding of course. Maybe. No kidding. Right?). This creative decor and design division is called La Kaza Design.

This multi-million dollar two story 4 bedroom/5 bath home features many design details which give it chic character. With a gourmet chef's kitchen, modern bathrooms, recessed lighting and more, the house boasts so many amenities which make it the ultimate in California living. Did I mention there is a pool too?!?

That's why I chose this La Kaza design for a house tour in today's SEE THIS HOUSE.


Photo copyright The Sunset Team/La Kaza Design 2008.
The living room features custom designed beams which decorate the ceiling in a very symmetrical grid pattern (above)

The devil is in the amazing details in this home...particularly stand out is the wood and iron trim throughout.

Johanna Hiort, Director of Marketing & PR for The Sunset Team, describes how Roberto Seixas artfully designed all of the banisters, stair railings and beam work himself:

"The beam work was Roberto¹s decision as an architectural feature to blend traditional Spanish architecture and contemporary interiors. Some of the exposed beams are structural beams that he left exposed and some were added for design purposes to keep the look consistent throughout.

Roberto designed the stair railings and banisters. He drew out a clean yetdecorative pattern that he liked and one of his crew members produced them."

Photo copyright The Sunset Team/La Kaza Design 2008
A simple white sofa with two large comfy white armchairs provide stylish and usable seating. (above)


The color scheme throughout the house is primarily white (wall paint color, major furniture pieces etc.) with dark chocolate brown as the secondary color (beams, railings, floors, cabinetry, door casings, door and window trim). Lastly, greys, polished silver/chrome, clear, tan and black accessories and accents are added to complete the design and decor. Neutral colors that create a suprisingly lively scene.



Photo copyright The Sunset Team/La Kaza Design 2008
Kitchen with view of dining room and three picture windows above kitchen sink. (above)

The large kitchen features white marble counters (with grey veins), dark stained wood cabinets, high end stainless steel appliances, simple but stylish pendant lighting and dark wood floors. Simple, elegant, classic, modern and most importantly extremely inviting.



Photo copyright The Sunset Team/La Kaza Design 2008

A huge kitchen island provides a bar area for eating/dining and lots of additional counter top space for food preparation. The gas cook top is also on the island allowing chefs to talk to their guests while cooking.



Photo copyright The Sunset Team/La Kaza Design 2008
Master bedroom (above)
The master bedroom features double french doors which open onto a large balcony. A moroccan patterned rug and a large wood block four poster bed add the perfect amount of visual interest to the room.



Photo copyright The Sunset Team/La Kaza Design 2008Bedroom (above)

This is one of my favorite rooms in the house. It is serene and tasteful...a wonderful place of rest. An upholstered platform white bed is flanked by two simple glass and metal night stands. A Philippe Starck designed Louis Ghost chair (available at DWR) provides invisible seating for the clean lines of a metal desk - a perfect place for writing letters, thank you notes and gathering thoughts.


Photo copyright The Sunset Team/La Kaza Design 2008Spa-like master bathroom features features Walker Zanger white venatino honed marble.(above)


Thank you Roberto and Johanna for allowing me to feature La Kaza Design's work on Cococozy.

For readers, please stay tuned for some AMAZING remodel before and afters from La Kaza!

DESIGNER ROOM RECREATE: ONE CHAIR SAYS IT ALL AS SUMMER ENDS AND FALL BEGINS!

Photo by Grey Crawford

For some reason this image from photographer Grey Crawford makes me think of the end of summer. As summer winds down and we head into fall, this photo sums it up for me...the sunlight seems to be shifting into the auburns of fall and this iconic Saarinen Womb chair is placed by itself...wistfully but comfortably it seems...contemplating the ocean, blue sky and sun and all things summer as it all comes to an end...while also hoping for more and the beginning of a much awaited fall!

A simple design with lots of impact for today's DESIGNER ROOM RECREATE:

Hive Modern - Womb Chair & Ottoman - $3424 ( Design by Eero Saarinen, 1948. Polished chrome base and a frame upholstered in fabric over a fiberglass shell) (above)

Hive Modern - Risom Round Side Table - $469 (designed by Jens Risom in 1941. Clear maple, light walnut or black laminate wood side table with round top. Made in USA by Knoll.) (above)

SMART DESIGN: PAPER CHASE - HUNTING DOWN MODERN PAPER FURNITURE!

Twentieth - Paper Table - $3188 (by studio job. Paper and cardboard. 94.5"w x 39.5"d x 29.5"h. Ships flat-packed) (above)

At Milan Design Week 2008 earlier this year, designers Studio Job introduced a Paper Floor Lamp for Moooi. This is the latest in from Studio Job for Moooi in the Paper line of home furnishings.

New is better...I don't necessarily know. I happen to like these older pieces from the Paper collection that were introduced back in 2005. These furniture pieces are made of cardboard, paper and paper-mache and decorated with a honeycomb design. They are traditional in form but nontraditional in substance.

Not cheap but fab design. Worth it I think if you want to make a statement with a paper dining table, cabinet, buffet, cupboard, table lamp, floor lamp or even a chandelier!

Twentieth - Paper Cabinet - $4075 (an armoire cabinet made out of paper) (above)


Twentieth - Paper Buffet - $3220 (above)

A TASTE FOR SPACE SAVING STYLE IN A SMALL BUT FAB LONDON KITCHEN!

Glossy white Ikea cabinets and butcher block wood counters in a London kitchen (above)

Upstairs from AT and her wonderful London flat (apartment) lives Shannon Cockrell, another expat living in London. Shannon is AT's longtime and dear friend from Texas...they've known each other since the 4th grade. She has only been in London for a few months (she moved for a job) but her flat was ready for her on arrival. When AT had made her move to Hampstead Heath from Notting Hill, a wonderful coincidence happened...her old friend Shannon and her new landlord both had a need. AT connected the two and now Shannon is AT's upstairs neighbor.

On my first morning in London, Shannon dropped by AT's to say hi. She was off to work...perfectly dressed and cheerful as she made her way to work. My impression of her was only that of someone quite wonderful. Her impression of me?...here's what I looked like...I had just rolled out of bed...eyes were puffy with potential gunk in them...no make up of course except the remnants of the smeared off YSL mascara I had been wearing the night before...hair was in a nest on top of my head but then I had a small portion of it shoved into a ponytail holder half way between the back of my head and the side of my head. When she said "hello", I could only croak out "her ho" with a raspy morning voice. Oy va voy...not the way I would want to greet anyone. I felt just as cheery as she was inside....however, my outward appearance was indeed no match!

Somehow in the middle of my ogre morning moment, Shannon was kind enough to say that AT could let me into her flat to take photos for Cococozy.

When I went into Shannon's flat, I was awed by her very stylish flat (again translation: apartment) and zeroed in on her absolutely lovely kitchen and eating space. Hence this post for one of the best designed and decorated small kitchens I have ever seen.

This small kitchen includes an island that seats four at the counter. White upholstered barstools keep consistent with the color scheme of the room.(above)

A decorative ceiling medallion centers a black chandelier above the in kitchen eating area - a chic form of kitchen island lighting (above)



Dark brown wood butcher block counters top the white cabinets. (above)


White cabinets, counters handles all come from Ikea. Cabinets are Abstrakt White door style. (above)


Every inch of space is used in this kitchen as a row of brocade print storage boxes line the cabinet tops ...adding storage and style. (above)


A white tile backsplash and stainless appliances make this kitchen feel upscale and contemporary. (above)

The living room and sitting area are right off the kitchen ... making both rooms communal and inviting. White washed hardwood floors help make the room bigger and brighter. (above)

Thank you Shannon Cockrell for letting us into your London flat. Your kitchen is truly delightful.
If any readers happen to have photos of a small kitchen or any small kitchen solutions, please send them my way and I'll include in a post!
All photos in this post by Coco of Cococozy