For various reasons, projects have different timelines and completion dates. This one took a bit longer than most. But, like so many things in life, the wait was so worth it.

The quick rundown. This adorable family of three has lived in their Brooklyn loft for several years. The loft was already in great shape - no outdated fixtures, bad flooring, wrong paint colors, etc. - but it needed an injection of something! The clients hired me to help with a light redesign, to bring some liveliness and whimsy into the space. Of course, I was happy to help!

Below is the before of the foyer.

The loft is new construction, so the walls were in impeccable condition, if a bit bare. This wall was begging for something fun to greet guests, so we gave in by adding the most beautiful wallpaper. See below.

This might be my favorite foyer ever. Wallpaper and installation can get expensive, but it makes such a big impact, and can really be worth the cost in the right space. We put most of the budget towards the wallpaper, and saved money by being more budget conscious with the furniture and accessories. Another photo below, because just showing you one would be unfair.

The real challenge for this space was that there are only 2 windows in the entire loft. The foyer received almost no natural light and we needed to supplement the existing overhead lighting. I knew this area really needed a table lamp, but there was no outlet! I have no idea what the developer was thinking. My clients came to the rescue, they found these table lamps that are charged by a reusable battery. One full charge will last for about 18 hours. Definitely keeping this lamp on my short list for future problem areas. Since the foyer only requires sporadic lighting, this battery powered lamp was the perfect solution.

Why pay for all this wallpaper and then hide it?! That's why I decided on this acrylic console table, giving the feeling that everything on it is floating. It's difficult to tell in the photo, but the stool is a walnut wood which brings in a different texture and color to the space. The marble key box and the white mail letter dish completes this ideal drop zone.

How can it get better than this foyer? Trust me, follow me into the living/dining area. See below for the before of the living space in this loft.

I know some of you are thinking, what would you possibly want to change? It's great as is! Perhaps. But, after living in a space for a while, many of us can appreciate a new perspective and new surroundings. The clients had already picked out a sectional prior to hiring me and just asked for my opinion. After seeing it, I was happy to approve. I brought in the accessories and rugs, adhering to the clients' more minimalistic aesthetics.

I know I convinced the client, but have I convinced you that this is a welcome upgrade? I hope so. The steel gray sectional will be a keeper for years to come. The silhouette is clean and the color is timeless. The dark green throw pillows add some color, but the palette of the entire room is still very light and sophisticated. The rug with the geometric pattern is great, adding subtle pattern. Yes, no coffee table. The clients have a young son and he likes to play with his toys on the floor. A coffee table can easily be added later when he gets a little older.

To give adults a place to put down their beverages, we purchased a console table to place behind the sectional. Double bonus? Looking at a wall of gray fabric from the kitchen is not so fun. The console table helps break up the long wall of gray, providing a more attractive view.

Another perspective of the living room below.

You saw a glimpse of the dining room above, but it deserves a closer inspection. Below is the before.

And here is the after.

What a difference art and plants can make in any room! We kept all the dining room furniture. We installed the pendant light which gives the most amazing halo at night. I know similar lights are on the market, but what sets this one apart is that the bulbs are made of crackled glass, diffusing the light into a soft glow.

And the art? Just like the wallpaper, a testament to the idea that investing in just a very few pieces can change a room. As for plants, I added a collection to the sill, including the Staghorn Fern which is a living sculpture in my opinion. Plants should be in all your rooms in your house if possible, they clean the air, and every room should have something living in it.

And of course I couldn't help myself, I had to style the bookcases in the hallway while I was there!

One of my favorite pieces is a discovery I made while sourcing for accessories in Brooklyn. A ceramic artist in upstate New York makes these breathtakingly beautiful vessels, and then imprints each and every one with his thumb. See below.

I often like to group things by type or collection, such as books or even the plants on the sill. This is a great way to display things since it enables you to keep everything out without making things look cluttered. But once in a while, just one thing can be very beautiful in its simplicity all by itself, just like this vessel with its shamrocks.

The loft now feels like a gust of wind swept through, and it's still there, swirling around, keeping things breezy, calm and beautiful.

As I prepare for another NYC work trip, I thought now would be a good time to give a quick update. Although it's been a little quiet on the blog for before and afters that doesn't mean I haven't been busily working! Right now, I'm in the middle of three different projects in New York, and I thought it would be fun to give you a little peek into these projects.

Riverdale Project

These clients recently purchased their first home in Riverdale, NY. I'm really excited for them. Purchasing a home is such a milestone, especially in a market like New York! Their flat is located inside a building that was built in the early 20th century and has all the classic features you'd expect in a turn of the century building: high ceilings, original wood floors, arched entryways, etc. At the same time, this flat still needs a little love and updating. Below are some before photos.

It was clear that the plaster walls and molding had been neglected and needed some replastering as well as repainting. Due to some unusual circumstances, I had to confer with the clients and we had to choose all the paint colors for the entire apartment in a span of a couple of hours. So I went to my list of never fail paint colors and, throwing caution to the wind, we just handed our color choices to the contractor and went from there! The colors turned out beautifully. Adhering to the clients' desire to update the flat and affinity for cool colors, we mostly chose a palette of grays. See below for some afters with the new paint colors.

The paint has already made such a huge difference in updating the spaces. We've started the design phase of the process, beginning with the dining room. See below for the mood board.

Sophisticated and modern. We painted the dining room Nocturnal Gray by Benjamin Moore. The clients were somewhat skeptical of the notion of a darker wall color, but ended up being blown away when all the walls were painted and done. The dark wall colors will provide the perfect canvas for this dining room, allowing everything else to simply pop. Stay tuned for more updates!

Brooklyn heights project

This client is one of my first official e-design clients. She also purchased her first home, New homeowners are one of my favorite type of clients, since their enthusiasm and passion for their newfound space is often infectious.

The major challenge for this space was fitting everything the client wanted into a common area with a smaller footprint - around an 11' x 18' room, which also includes the kitchen. Since she loves entertaining,a full sized dining table with the appropriate seating was a must have. We also wanted to integrate some of her existing furniture, inherited from her grandmother, with the mid-century furniture we planned on purchasing. Below is a photo of the space right after moving in.

I created a mood board and that was the starting point for the collaboration.

The first item (the couch) has already arrived! A life changing development for my client, because after a long day at work, nothing feels better than plopping down on the couch and putting your feet up. In the midst of our collaboration, there have been a couple of edits to the above mood board after some measuring and other considerations. I strongly believe that creating the perfect room is always a joint effort between the designer and the clients, but that's even more true when the design process is done entirely through e-mail and images. I'm really excited to see how this is all going to turn out. We are eagerly anticipating future furniture deliveries including a Saarinen Tulip table!

Brooklyn Project

This is a project I've been working on for several months now and will be traveling next week to New York to finally install it. I've blogged about it before here and here. Wallpaper will be going up next week, a reminder of that lovely wallpaper below.

To be quite honest, this home is lovely as is, but could benefit from just a dose of some color and fun. And hopefully that's what I will bring. Here is a before of the living room.

Installation days/weeks are like sprints. They are usually very long days of shopping, editing and installing, but they are usually the best part of my job, and I can't wait to visit New York (again!) and install this project.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for future updates on all of these projects.