Starting an interior design job with a clean slate offers a lot of possibilities—and some exciting challenges. We are thrilled to be working in a stately home in University Park, Texas, an opportunity to take a blank slate to a classically chic space with flow, functionality, and elegance.University Park is a coveted inner northern suburb of Dallas, one of the most affluent cities in the U.S. with around 23,000 residents.
This is a lovely home, built in 2015 with 6,753 square feet, five bedrooms, six full bathrooms, and two half bathrooms. The house had beautiful “bones” when we arrived, well appointed with Carrera Marble adorning the kitchen countertops and backsplash, as well as the master bathroom. The details throughout the space gave us timeless features to work with as we created a design plan.
There are two living areas downstairs, as well as a study. A laundry room is conveniently located on the second floor, where most of the clothing accumulates. The third story houses a large media room.To start, we took photos and measurements where needed, and had our client create a Houzz ideabook so we could see visual representations of her inspirations. This, coupled with lots of conversations, gave us the information we needed so we could begin conceptualizing the look and feel of the interior.
The house is transitional in style, although our client prefers a more traditional look. We are working diligently to source furnishings that will be to her liking, while respecting the architecture of the home. Creating that balance takes careful consideration and deliberation.
Our client loves color, so we are giving her a colorful palette of blues, greens, oranges, and grays, with each room showing a different personality within that palette. For example, the study is a lighter, almost pastel color palette, and then down the hall, the formal living has slightly darker shades of the blue with contrasting orange.
One room over, the dining room has seafoam greens and soft orange hues to flow from the previous space. The family room focuses on teal and chartreuse green for a bolder look, and flows into the breakfast area and kitchen. The entryway has delicate glass plates hanging on the wall that bring together all of the colors used in the house.Using AutoCAD, we put together a space plan with furniture for a perfect fit. We are sourcing furniture for the rooms based on our conversations, her Houzz ideabook, the AutoCAD plan, and our color palette.
We like to find at least one fabric for each space that is inspirational—rugs are a wonderful place for that (we’re using fine rugs coupled with several custom-designed), and even a throw pillow can work. Working from an inspiration piece, we build the room, looking for casegoods that complement the upholstered pieces, in statures that work well with arm heights on sofas and chairs. The eye should move effortlessly around the room, without getting “stuck” on in any one place.In this home, natural light is one of the best accessories and the moldings around the windows are quite stunning themselves. To accentuate these, we’re fabricating and installing flat Roman shades, using colorful printed fabrics.
Artwork is another important design aspect of this home’s interior. All of the art is being custom made through a local gallery to enhance the hues we’ve selected for each room.
Everything in this home is being custom made, so the timeframe is about 12 weeks from start to finish. We’re right in the middle of of our work now, and this is a first glimpse of our work. More furniture is arriving this week and we look forward to sharing our progress as we go. Be sure to check out the Barbara Gilbert Interiors Facebook page for updates over the coming weeks.
From pumpkins to autumn leaves, orange is all around us this time of year. But why is a color that brings fall foliage tours and smiles to so many faces seldom used in interior design?
Simply put, while most people love color, they’re afraid of choosing the wrong color. So they choose colors they think are “safe.” And while understandable, they’re missing out on the power of color!
Orange is a powerful color, and orange decor can be dazzling. Orange is considered the color of joy, adventure and creativity. It combines the warmth and happiness of yellow with the energy and stimulation of red, and it’s also thought to invoke feelings of optimism.
Here are some of our favorite rooms with orange décor that embrace the power of color.
Home Office
Via Barbara Gilbert Interiors
Home offices don’t have to be all work and no play! Liven up the space with fun patterns and vibrant hues. Orange and fuchsia make for one fun, festive color combination in this family-friendly home office we designed for a busy family that loved cheerful rooms.
Nursery
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Forget pink or blue! An orange and white color palette mixed with cheerful yellow and blue accents creates the perfect nursery for a boy or a girl. In this room, it would be hard not to smile evening during those late night feedings!
Guest Room
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As complementary colors, orange and blue always bring out the best in one another. Add a bold detail like these large-scale suzani headboards, and you’ve got one showstopper of a room.
Kitchen
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Yellow isn’t the only happy color to paint a kitchen. Break with tradition and wow with orange! The color alone sets the mood regardless of the decorating style you choose.
Dining Room
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There’s a reason people flock to see fall foliage. The warm, dusky hues naturally soothe the soul. So what better shade to choose than a deep earthy orange for the dining room – a frequent gathering place for friends and family?
Can you blend rustic charm with contemporary design? Absolutely! And reflecting this unique union was the guiding principle in our latest project – a rustic contemporary design home built in Celina, Texas.
Our design was inspired by Celina’s own duality. The small city sits at the intersection of a State highway and a farm to market road. Corn-lined roads usher you into town, and high school football is still king. In fact, Celina High School has one of the most successful football programs in the all of Texas, and that’s saying something!
But Celina also sits just north of the bustling Dallas Metroplex and the Dallas North Tollway, adding modern convenience to its rural appeal. The area is known as the “Golden Corridor,” and Celina’s housing market is booming. It was important for our design to reflect this balance, and a rustic contemporary design was the perfect fit!
The Exterior
Natural lighting and elements are prominently featured in the design. Expansive windows make the most of the home’s beautiful surroundings, and create a continuous flow from the outside in. A stone facade, clean lines and light-dark contrast set the tone for interior finishes.
The Kitchen
The heart of the home opens to the living room, creating a spacious area for friends and family to gather. Dekton countertops offer a seamless surface, and beauty that matches function. The sophisticated blend of raw materials is fireproof and non-porous, with virtually zero water absorption.
X-mullion white cabinetry and opulent Duraglass accent tiles bring visual interest and light to the space. A custom-designed, two-part island system offers the ultimate in function and flexibility. The system includes one stationary section and one mobile section mounted on casters, which can serve as a serving or prep area, breakfast bar or craft table.
The Living Room
A floating hearth with dark porcelain tile surround serves as the focal point of the living room which is bathed in natural light. Dark faux ceiling beams and casings match the tone of the porcelain tile, and are in stark contrast to room’s light finishes.
The Staircase
A modern staircase with metal and glass railing greets visitors to the home and can be viewed from the majority of the house. At its pinnacle, a contemporary chandelier descends from a double vaulted ceiling through faux beams illuminated with LED uplighting.
The Master Bathroom
In the master bedroom, an ensuite spa-inspired bathroom features a freestanding tub, frameless glass shower and porcelain flooring in a herringbone pattern. Dekton countertops, polished chrome hardware and glass accent tile complete the look.
Thaddeus Drew Signature Homes builds amazing homes, and we loved working with everyone involved. Great collaboration!
Source of Images: Barbara Gilbert Interiors
We had an amazing night recently at the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Awards Celebration. Industry designers and professionals from throughout the Texas Chapter gathered to recognize the best of the best, and we were thrilled to receive five of the prestigious awards!
From contemporary to traditional design, Legacy of Design Awards were given from a variety categories and the projects were simply stunning. We were inspired by all the designs, and extremely honored to be recognized. In fact, the only thing more exciting than the celebration was calling our clients to tell them they had award-winning homes!
2015 ASID Legacy of Design Awards
FIRST PLACE – Transitional Living Areas
FIRST PLACE – Transitional Residential Singular Space
SECOND PLACE – Transitional Master Bedroom
SECOND PLACE – Transitional Master Bathroom
HONORABLE MENTION – Transitional Kitchen
We couldn’t be happier, and want to thank ALL our clients for making our designs possible!
Source of Images: Barbara Gilbert Interiors
Do you want to know how to arrange your furniture to optimize socializing with friends and family?
Or how to give old furniture new life, and add texture to a room to boost visual interest?
Interior Design Tips & Tricks
Professional interior designers use tried-and-true tips and tricks every day, and you can, too! Our free 10 Interior Design Tips & Tricks Guide offers simple and practical ways to add more style to your home, and make the most of your existing furniture and decor!
Just provide us your email address by subscribing to our monthly Barbara Gilbert Interiors Newsletter, and you can download our Ebook with 10 professional interior design tips for FREE!
You can also sign up through the Barbara Gilbert Interiors Facebook page, where we routinely post updates on our projects and showcase the latest in design news!
We understand your home is the backdrop of your life! And we want to help you make your home as beautiful and comfortable as possible.
Subscribe today, because life is better when we’re inspired by our surroundings!
Source of Images: Barbara Gilbert Interiors
A quiet revolution is underway, but this often overlooked revolution is producing big results. In fact, some people are calling it the most exciting change in lighting since Thomas Edison introduced the light bulb over 130 years ago!
LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are transforming the lighting industry, and are expected to change the way we light our world. LEDs use at least 85% less energy than incandescent bulbs, last more than 25 times longer than traditional bulbs, contain no mercury and produce very little heat. They also emit virtually no UV or infrared radiation, and they gradually fade out over a long period of time rather than burning out all at once.
Recent advances in technology have also greatly altered LEDs. The diodes’ once cold, bluish light has been replaced by any color and temperature of light desired. A soft yellow light similar to incandescent lighting is achieved with a low Kelvin color temperature. Manufacturing costs are steadily decreasing, and LEDs are now available in countless forms, from bulbs and light tubes to light strings and strips.
Flexible and easy to install, new applications for LEDs are constantly emerging. The end result is safer, more energy efficient and more dramatic designs and interiors. Here are just a few ways we’ve recently used LED lighting and some ideas for your home. Join the revolution!
LED Lighting Projects
LEDs highlight reclaimed timber beams on the ceiling in this family room, and cast a soft light from above. The modern and rustic elements blend beautifully, adding warmth and visual depth to the space.
A built-in bookcase becomes anything but ordinary with the installation of a metallic grasscloth wallcovering and LED accent lighting. The LED lighting gleams off the grasscloth and showcases a variety of personal treasures.
LED lighting, placed under the cabinets at the toe kick, provides a nightlight effect in this serene master bath. An additional LED at the height of the architectural arch adds impact and further task lighting.
A dark cork wallcovering is illuminated by LED accent lights, creating the perfect backdrop for white accessories and built-in shelves.
LED lighting in all the right places gives this contemporary kitchen a light and airy atmosphere. The lights illuminate the glass uppers and accent tile over the cooktop for a dramatic effect. The cabinets and toe kick are also lighted, but from beneath, to add safety and task lighting to improve function.
Source of Images: Barbara Gilbert Interiors
We usually wait to unveil our projects after they’re complete, but sometimes we just can’t wait to share the details! Our design for a chic colorful media & gameroom is underway, and we love how it’s progressing.
We recently installed the backsplash and wall art for the room’s kitchenette – a complete wall of custom linear glass tiles. The bold colors and scale of the design create a unique statement piece that adds excitement to this fun room. Neutral furnishings and eye-catching accessories will balance the tiles’ vibrant hues, and there’s so much more to come!
Here’s a sneak peak at more of the room’s design, from the color palette to the furnishings.
A neutral gray and rich navy blue will serve as the room’s primary colors, while accent hues will include teal, denim, orange and kiwi green. These colors will create a modern, sophisticated palette with pops of exuberance.
A large gray-upholstered sectional, with separate components allowing different configurations, will provide comfortable, stylish seating. A navy faux leather ottoman trimmed in nickel nail head and a steel-based sofa table are just two of the room’s unique accent pieces.
Accessories in shades of orange, white and silver will continue the room’s color scheme, and provide a variety of textures and shapes to attract the eye.
Dark espresso shelves, a fabulous built-in circular bench for use on game night, custom rug and blackout window shades will complete the space.
We can’t wait to see the room completed, and will share more details soon!
Source of Images: Barbara Gilbert Interiors
What’s the difference between good design and great design? Details! From trims and finishes, to accents and accessories, it’s the details that bring designs to life and make interiors unique. And thanks to custom design options, the only limit to design details is your imagination.
We love thinking outside the box and putting our own unique spin on projects – that little something extra that takes a design from good, to great! Here are a few of our favorite projects and the details that bring the wow factor.
Painted Ottoman Legs
A custom upholstered ottoman gets a pop of color with red-painted legs, and unifies the room’s color scheme. Complementary shades of red are repeated in the art work and client’s existing armchairs to create a warm and family-friendly library.
Concealed Outlet
An electrical outlet goes undercover to prevent any interruption in the pattern of this beautiful wallcovering. All eyes remain on the coral trellis pattern, adding chic energy to a sophisticated home study.
Grasscloth & LED Lighting
A built-in bookcase becomes a showpiece when painted an elegant shade of blue-grey and backed with a metallic grasscloth wallcovering. LED accent lighting gleams off the grasscloth, adding to the effect, and showcases personal treasures acquired from our client’s travels.
Wood Projection Tiles
Wood projection tiles transform a fireplace mantle into anything but typical. Sitting center stage, the family room television offers optimal views from all directions, but virtually disappears against the tile backdrop due to shared dark hues.
Swarovski Crystal Knobs
Swarovski crystal knobs adorn glazed cabinetry in a master bathroom to reflect our client’s personal style. The glamorous accents match the room’s chandelier (not pictured), adding further feminine panache.
Source of Images: Barbara Gilbert Interiors
Color – we love it! From the way it makes you feel, to the way it brightens a room, color has the power to transform. And one of our favorite things to do is create color schemes for our clients.
We always feel like kids in a candy store when we enter our in-house resource room.
With countless samples of fabric, wallpaper, tile, rugs and furniture finishes, the design options are endless. Each project is as unique as the beautiful fabrics we use to create one-of-a-kind color schemes and designs.
Here’s a sneak peek of what we’ve been up to lately. We can’t wait to see the designs come to life!
Chic Family Room
Sophisticated Master Bedroom
Multiple Room Color Schemes
Intrigued? There’s much more to come, and we’ll reveal more soon!
Source of Images: Barbara Gilbert Interiors
The Interior Design Society (IDS) recently celebrated their fifth annual Designer of the Year Award winners, and awarded Barbara Gilbert Interiors (BGI) first place honors in both the Kitchens and Sustainable Design categories.
BGI received both awards for the Village Park Eco Home project – a contemporary hill country style home built to answer the question, “What’s next in high-performance home construction?” The net zero energy ready home was built with sustainable and recycled materials resulting in high style with minimal impact to the environment.
The 3,752 square foot home features advanced framing and insulation techniques, LED lighting, a rainwater collection system, custom formaldahyde-free cabinets, “standing dead” Red Oak floors, numerous sustainable and recycled materials such as glass, bamboo and cork, and over 23 paint colors.
Award winners were selected by a panel of notable judges that included Deb Barrett, Mitzi Beach, Leslie Carothers, Patti Carpenter, Tobi Fairley, Susan Inglis, Joe Ruggiero, Barbara Viteri, Jackie Von Tobel, and Amy Wax.
“IDS is proud to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Designer of the Year Awards, which received a record number of entries this year,” said Snoa Garrigan, IDS Executive Director. IDS is one of the country’s largest design organizations in the residential interior design industry.
A complete listing of all winners and award-winning projects can be viewed on the IDS website.
Source of Images: Barbara Gilbert Interiors