Meet Meridith: a super-mom who’s as busy as she is badass  — and easily my favorite overachiever. She slays her office job and comes home to an equally high-octane family life. We share a love for city living with farmhouse aspirations. There’s a vegetable garden in the backyard, a black cat, and a floppy eared rabbit named Rocky. There has been a mobile chicken coop and a colony of bees in the backyard. At one point they even had a pregnant hedgehog on their hands! Between gardening, entertaining, and helping with homework, Meridith has zero time for interior design. Spending several days a week in New York for work, she has limited amount of time at home with her family. My goal was to let her make the most of it by taking her design projects off her to do list and let her get back to her family (and rabbit). I wanted her to spend her weekends at her son's baseball games, not shopping for sofas. That’s my cue! Meridith is wonderful. She is one of the kindest people I know. We had so much fun, it doesn’t seem fair to call this “work”. She is loving, and smart, and funny. She’s one of those girlfriends everyone wants to call their own best friend. I wanted her house to reflect that: to feel cozy and inviting, and encourage guests to stay a while. Meridith is not your average beige person, and she has excellent taste. Plus, she was totally hands-on with design choices. It was a true collaboration. We played up her quirky side and built usable, inspiring spaces one lightbulb moment at a time. I took her love for color (sacré blue!) and immediately started creating a plan for her space and thinking about her design wish list. I set out hunting for vibrant hues and intriguing patterns that spoke to her color palette and taste for pattern. I focused on creating the right vibe in each space: a bit of drama in the dining room, a bit more refined and quiet atmosphere for the living room, and a neutral zen tone in their master bedroom. Her stuff. My eye. Meridith’s impeccable taste comes through in her art collection. The perfect placement of her beautiful paintings served as the design model for color and mood. We had a bit of a chair graveyard on our hands, but we worked with some key pieces of her existing furniture and incorporated other traditional pieces, which struck a pleasant balance. French chairs, Asian-influenced footstools, turned legs, gilded finishes, glass hurricanes – a wonderful mash-up of traditional and contemporary. Some special touches were custom-made (the marble backsplash in the powder room, the kitchen banquette) and others were happy accidents (a wallpaper we spotted via Pinterest). They all came together in a design aesthetic that feels warm, inviting, and vibrant — just like Meridith! We built her space based on function. We asked ourselves, “how will her family use each room on any given day?” Meridith throws legendary dinner parties, so we needed curated seating arrangements that could easily switch from family meals to elegant entertaining. We sought a cozy eat-in kitchen and decongested entryways that still made a statement. Above all, we wanted Meredith’s style and panache to shine through every detail. From the pendant in the entryway, to a wild use of pattern in her dining room drapery, Meredith’s space was a total win. See more of our work at www.safferstone.com. Connect with us on Facebook, get inspired on Pinterest, and share modern musings on life & design on Instagram. Or, share what's on your plate with us at hello@safferstone.com. Photo: Angie Seckinger

Kate Nelle Photography
Entry hall - small contemporary light wood floor and beige floor entry hall idea in Phoenix with beige walls

Iron Entry Doors from First Impression Ironworks are crafted uniquely for your home. Our steel entry doors are an investment that will truly add value to your home, since each door is custom built to your home’s specifications and made from the highest quality materials. Each wrought iron door, whether solid steel, iron and glass, or wrought iron and wood, is expertly made in Arizona by our talented iron artisans. Our wrought iron is sourced here in the U.S.A., using only 100% American steel. Every iron entry door is crafted from the strongest, most robust steel in the door, frame, iron pull handles, and even the standard 10" steel latch and lock guard. Name brand Kwikset or Schlage hardware is always included, so your new front door can be upgraded with the latest technology and integrated with alarm and monitoring systems. We’re here to bring your dreams to life with customization available for whatever needs fit your home best, whether it’s removable sunscreens, sidelights, transoms, or elegant iron hardware. Create the first impression you’ve always wanted for your home today with your vision and our expertise!

Example of a small classic brown one-story exterior home design in Austin

Learn more about expandable hurricane protection for your home or business: Permanently affixed and do not require any extra storage space. Can easily be secured and storm-ready in minutes. Some models can be locked with a key and may be used as a theft deterrent. Hurricane-rated. Great for wide spans and curved areas, such as storefronts, lanais and balconies. The Nautilus Rolling Shutter System is manufactured and fabricated from the highest quality aluminum alloy.

Tucker English, 2013
Mountain style living room photo in Seattle

This mixed media art is a combination of oil paint and hand made paper that is formed into patterns on stretched canvas. Original art, this piece is called Lattice of the Sun and is a study in balance. Bright, yet subdued, this could easily adorn an entry hall, a living room or dining room. Photo by Michael Garig

Inspiration for a large modern l-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Austin with a drop-in sink, open cabinets, light wood cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Iron Faux Window Inserts The customer for this project ordered and was shipped 5 Iron Doors and 4 window inserts for the construction of his new home. The units all arrived in perfect condition, installed easily and were an exact fit. The customer and his contractor were extremely happy with the quality of the product and service.

The Owners of a home that had been consumed by the moving dunes of Lake Michigan wanted a home that would not only stand the test of aesthetic time, but survive the vicissitudes of the environment. With the assistance of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality as well as the consulting civil engineer and the City of Grand Haven Zoning Department, a soil stabilization site plan was developed based on raising the new home’s main floor elevation by almost three feet, implementing erosion studies, screen walls and planting indigenous, drought tolerant xeriscaping. The screen walls, as well as the low profile of the home and the use of sand trapping marrum beachgrass all help to create a wind shadow buffer around the home and reduce blowing sand erosion and accretion. The Owners wanted to minimize the stylistic baggage which consumes most “cottage” residences, and with the Architect created a home with simple lines focused on the view and the natural environment. Sustainable energy requirements on a budget directed the design decisions regarding the SIPs panel insulation, energy systems, roof shading, other insulation systems, lighting and detailing. Easily constructed and linear, the home harkens back to mid century modern pavilions with present day environmental sensitivities and harmony with the site. John Allegretti

The Owners of a home that had been consumed by the moving dunes of Lake Michigan wanted a home that would not only stand the test of aesthetic time, but survive the vicissitudes of the environment. With the assistance of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality as well as the consulting civil engineer and the City of Grand Haven Zoning Department, a soil stabilization site plan was developed based on raising the new home’s main floor elevation by almost three feet, implementing erosion studies, screen walls and planting indigenous, drought tolerant xeriscaping. The screen walls, as well as the low profile of the home and the use of sand trapping marrum beachgrass all help to create a wind shadow buffer around the home and reduce blowing sand erosion and accretion. The Owners wanted to minimize the stylistic baggage which consumes most “cottage” residences, and with the Architect created a home with simple lines focused on the view and the natural environment. Sustainable energy requirements on a budget directed the design decisions regarding the SIPs panel insulation, energy systems, roof shading, other insulation systems, lighting and detailing. Easily constructed and linear, the home harkens back to mid century modern pavilions with present day environmental sensitivities and harmony with the site. John Allegretti

The Owners of a home that had been consumed by the moving dunes of Lake Michigan wanted a home that would not only stand the test of aesthetic time, but survive the vicissitudes of the environment. With the assistance of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality as well as the consulting civil engineer and the City of Grand Haven Zoning Department, a soil stabilization site plan was developed based on raising the new home’s main floor elevation by almost three feet, implementing erosion studies, screen walls and planting indigenous, drought tolerant xeriscaping. The screen walls, as well as the low profile of the home and the use of sand trapping marrum beachgrass all help to create a wind shadow buffer around the home and reduce blowing sand erosion and accretion. The Owners wanted to minimize the stylistic baggage which consumes most “cottage” residences, and with the Architect created a home with simple lines focused on the view and the natural environment. Sustainable energy requirements on a budget directed the design decisions regarding the SIPs panel insulation, energy systems, roof shading, other insulation systems, lighting and detailing. Easily constructed and linear, the home harkens back to mid century modern pavilions with present day environmental sensitivities and harmony with the site. John Allegretti

The Owners of a home that had been consumed by the moving dunes of Lake Michigan wanted a home that would not only stand the test of aesthetic time, but survive the vicissitudes of the environment. With the assistance of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality as well as the consulting civil engineer and the City of Grand Haven Zoning Department, a soil stabilization site plan was developed based on raising the new home’s main floor elevation by almost three feet, implementing erosion studies, screen walls and planting indigenous, drought tolerant xeriscaping. The screen walls, as well as the low profile of the home and the use of sand trapping marrum beachgrass all help to create a wind shadow buffer around the home and reduce blowing sand erosion and accretion. The Owners wanted to minimize the stylistic baggage which consumes most “cottage” residences, and with the Architect created a home with simple lines focused on the view and the natural environment. Sustainable energy requirements on a budget directed the design decisions regarding the SIPs panel insulation, energy systems, roof shading, other insulation systems, lighting and detailing. Easily constructed and linear, the home harkens back to mid century modern pavilions with present day environmental sensitivities and harmony with the site. John Allegretti

This main floor bathroom had to function not only as a Powder Room for guests but also be easily accessible to the backyard pool for the family to change and wash up. Combining the weathered wood vanity and shower wall tiles with the crisp shell-inspired mirror and sand-like floor tile we’ve achieved a space reminiscent of the beach just down the road.

Design ideas for a large mediterranean full sun hillside gravel landscaping in Other for summer.

A tight kitchen is cause for sparse styling. Just a few countertop trinkets help add hue and industrial style barstools add depth of character.
Trendy u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen photo in Vancouver with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

Black ceramic planters containing privet standards and festive annuals flank the stone patio stairs leading from a wrought iron railed outdoor eating area to a formal gravel path. Colorful garden beds are bordered by English boxwood in classic Arts and Crafts style.

This main floor bathroom had to function not only as a Powder Room for guests but also be easily accessible to the backyard pool for the family to change and wash up. Combining the weathered wood vanity and shower wall tiles with the crisp shell-inspired mirror and sand-like floor tile we’ve achieved a space reminiscent of the beach just down the road.

Example of a trendy home design design in Melbourne