Houzz Tour: A Modern Home for Newlyweds
Designer Abbe Fenimore Shows How to Mix Wish Lists for Beautiful Results
Hello there! I'm Erika Ward, Owner and Principal Designer of Erika Ward Interiors. It's my greatest pleasure to inspire you to live well, to live in style, and to extinguish the myth that style and budget are mutually exclusive. Read more about my design philosophy and my work at http://www.blulabelbungalow.com
Hello there! I'm Erika Ward, Owner and Principal Designer of Erika Ward... More »
Decorating a home for a new couple can truly be one of the greatest design challenges. Fortunately there are people like Dallas-based Interior Designer Abbe Fenimore who have a knack for marrying the design styles of nesting newlyweds. In this ideabook, she gives us a tour of a modern home she decorated for a Texas couple and shares advice on achieving domestic design bliss. Her ability to mix patterns, textures, and color makes this place fascinating and serves as great example of how compromise yields beautiful results.
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How would you describe the style of this home?
"Modern Eclectic Chic! I wanted each piece to look and feel as rich as possible and yet everything is still livable and inviting. I wanted people to come in, sit down and enjoy the conversation as much as the gorgeous pieces in each room. The home feels simple and sophisticated, elegant and hip."
"Modern Eclectic Chic! I wanted each piece to look and feel as rich as possible and yet everything is still livable and inviting. I wanted people to come in, sit down and enjoy the conversation as much as the gorgeous pieces in each room. The home feels simple and sophisticated, elegant and hip."
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"A black and ivory color scheme was our starting point, I kept the fabrics simple but used texture to keep things from being flat. From there, the masculine and feminine touches made their way into the design."
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| You managed to perfectly maintain the balance of masculine and feminine design in this home. What is your secret?
"Communication was the key. My clients were open to each other's ideas, so we took line items from each of their wish lists and made them work. We started with classic shapes in the main pieces like the sofa, chaise, headboard and nightstands." |
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| Abbe used a mix of graphic patterns, chrome nail head details and dark woods to satisfy elements on the couples' wish list. |
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"When combining households, it is very important to compromise on what pieces really need to go and what can stay. Most of the time, purchasing all new furniture is not an option so don't overlook those worn out pieces. Having that old chair recovered is a great way to update the piece and stay within your budget."
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Did you draw upon your experience as a newlywed when decorating for this couple? How?
"Absolutely! My husband and I are on opposite ends of the style spectrum. He leans toward the dark woods, natural elements and rustic touches. I love girly pieces like mirrored furniture, luxurious fabrics and graphic patterns. The key is to take a few things from each person's style and mix them together. I know this works because our Rustic Glam style is a reflection of us and not just me or my husband."
"Absolutely! My husband and I are on opposite ends of the style spectrum. He leans toward the dark woods, natural elements and rustic touches. I love girly pieces like mirrored furniture, luxurious fabrics and graphic patterns. The key is to take a few things from each person's style and mix them together. I know this works because our Rustic Glam style is a reflection of us and not just me or my husband."
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"Both husband and wife were drawn to crisp modern rooms. She wanted bold graphic patterns and glamorous touches while he asked for simple comfortable pieces that he could actually sit on."
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I noticed that you chose fabrics with geometric patterns as opposed to floral patterns. How did you manage to sneak in the scroll printed wallpaper?
"For the master bedroom wallpaper, we knew that we wanted something special on the wall behind the bed but paint was not going to be bold enough. The room needed something simple and chic that would complement the bold drapery fabric and tie in with the mirrored accent pieces."
"For the master bedroom wallpaper, we knew that we wanted something special on the wall behind the bed but paint was not going to be bold enough. The room needed something simple and chic that would complement the bold drapery fabric and tie in with the mirrored accent pieces."
| "The key to creating a bedroom that is soft, chic, and romantic is to select fabrics that have simple patterns, but interesting textures." |
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"The nightstands have a square masculine shape and dark lacquer finish. This balances the mirrored drawer fronts and keeps the pieces from feeling too girly. The nightstands work with the style of the home and because we have mirrored pieces in every room, the house flows as you move through it."
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Please tell me about the dresser. Is that a "glammed version" of a mass production?
"This dresser is one of my favorite pieces. We didn't want to use the dresser that matched the night stands, it would have been overkill. This piece was the perfect size and the price was great, it's the Malm Dresser from Ikea! We had a mirror cut to fit the top so the piece would tie in with the nightstands. The acrylic drawer pulls are from Anthropologie and really finish off the entire piece. I used this same dresser in my master bedroom."
"This dresser is one of my favorite pieces. We didn't want to use the dresser that matched the night stands, it would have been overkill. This piece was the perfect size and the price was great, it's the Malm Dresser from Ikea! We had a mirror cut to fit the top so the piece would tie in with the nightstands. The acrylic drawer pulls are from Anthropologie and really finish off the entire piece. I used this same dresser in my master bedroom."
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"The home office is more on the masculine side with clean lines, warm tones and classic pieces. The white lacquer storage cabinet, Greek key trims on the roman shades and that stunning rug complement the other rooms in the house."
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Beautifully scattered throughout the room are orange accent pieces that create warmth and energize the space.
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Accessories that have an element of fun show the personality of the homeowner.
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| Design Details
Greek key trim makes an appearance twice in this home. Here on the roman shade in the home office and again in the living room below. |
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The cornice, accented in black and white trim, gives the window a tailored, classic look.
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| Each room contains a piece of mirrored furniture. Is this per the couple’s request or by design?
"I have to say that all of the mirrored accent pieces are 100% Abbe. The clients loved them but I think the husband was getting a little maxed out on them. There is at least one mirrored piece in every one of my projects." |
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"From my bachelors to newlyweds, it's the one staple that I feel is important to add. Mirrors open up the space and reflect the natural light from the windows. There is something glamorous about them and if used in the right way, can even be masculine." — Abbe Fenimore
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| Abbe's tips to help couples make final decisions about décor:
1. Start by making an individual "wish list" with the must haves for your home. Take the common factors and use those as your jumping off point. 2. Move through the house one room at a time. This makes the process more manageable, affordable and less stressful on your relationship! 3. Once you have your basics in place, compromise on the accessories. 4. Find a color palette that you both like and begin to shop for rugs, pillows and art that work with both of your styles. The most important thing is to make sure that each of you feels represented in the style of your home. How have you blended different design styles at home? |
Ideabook updated on Dec. 22, 2010.
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People found the photos in this ideabook after searching for:
The living room paint color is Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue HC-144
Congratulations to the designer!
Here are few more of the details you were asking about.
The orange and ivory rug is from Shop Ten 25. You can find it here: http://shopten25.com/products/Arabesque_Rug_Coral-591-30.html
The turquoise lamp shades are actually from Lowes. They are a turquoise poly/silk with a dark brown medallion print. The lamp bases that you see were a purchase by the client. The are a clear acrylic with chrome accents. Very simple and easy to find.
The fireplace is tile. We applied the tile directly to the wall and had the installer add a matching caulk on the edges to prevent chipping and rough edges. The liner tile can be found here:
http://www.cooltiles.com/ubc444089.html