From Home Office to Homey Office Off-Site

When a local attorney recently needed to move from his home office to another space off-site, the interior design couldn't be anything less than, well, homey. The attorney and his wife, two friends of mine, called me about this challenge earlier this summer. Their new baby was due (and arrived!) in September but Dad's home-based attorney's office downtown had to move off-site to be up and running by mid-August. Luckily, my client had an office space near Wrightsville Beach already but he needed all of the furnishings to make the room not only functional but also feel more like it did at home. The room itself had loads of potential with built-in shelving and nice wood paneling but the stain on the wood had yellowed over time. We also wanted less of a hunting lodge look and more of a cool, clean vibe. Usually when you're visiting an attorney, it's not for the best of reasons so, overall, we wanted to be especially certain that all of the clients felt welcomed and at ease in this commercial office space.

Before:

A gorgeous desk and painting of the gardens nearby served as the perfect starting point for the office design. But the wood paneling gave the space a rustic feel and had to be refreshed. And, of course, we had to fill those shelves with some coastal-inspired accessories. The bare window needed a little interest and softening with custom treatments. We decided to match the existing paint color and keep our color palette inspired by the nearby beach with sandy beiges and soft blues and greens. A few wooden touches would tie in the existing wood finishes and keep the office from feeling too cutesy.

 After:

 We painted the paneling Benjamin Moore's Yarmouth Blue to match the wall that had already been painted. My client had tons of great artwork already so we didn't have to worry about finding any- just hanging it in its proper place. A comfortable desk chair was at the top of the list and we found the perfect combination of comfortable and corporate with this Staples desk chair. We also wanted a nicely curved settee with tufting and linen upholstery and this one was the perfect size, shape and color. But the fun part was bringing in the beach vibes- we mixed an antique distressed demilune table and brass sand fiddler figure with new seaglass colored bottles, a rustic wooden oar and hand painted sign to give the room all its personality. And since we wanted this attorney's office to feel particularly welcoming, we added ivory London shades with tonal taping, which softened the room and added extra interest. 

 

 

 

 

Both my client and I were so pleased with the end result! Even though this is a corporate space, nothing about this office feels too stuffy or serious. It's a clean, comfortable room that my client can be productive in and his family members and clients can enjoy spending time in as well. Sometimes we all feel like we live at work- and there are times when we really might- so, when that's the case, I want to be sure the offices I have a hand in live up to that need, whether it's because a family is growing or a case must be argued. 

Congratulations to this sweet family on their new bundle of joy as well!! I can't wait to meet their precious baby girl tomorrow!!

Thanks for stopping by today and stay tuned for more updates and inspiration next week!

Artist Intro: EML Art

Today, I have the distinct pleasure and delightful thrill of introducing you to artist Emily Lackey of EML Art! 

 Based in Raleigh, Emily invokes a joyful spirit into everything she creates. While she works in a variety of mediums, including acrylic paint, watercolors, pastels and pencil, the pure happiness she feels when she's working can't help but translate onto the canvas and then into your home. Undoubtedly others agree with this sentiment as her abstract pieces recently hung in posh children's store Progeny Shoppe and sold within three hours...TWICE. They literally cannot keep her work on the shelves! Emily has now shared her artistic talents with some of the Carolinas' chicest and most stylish women (and children!).

Emily has always dabbled in art but she accidentally got more serious about it after having her three children. With one child in kindergarten, one in preschool and now just one at home, Emily found that she needed a creative outlet during those very small windows of downtime. Emily began posting her doodles and drawings on Instagram and immediately received rave reviews. As her pieces quickly got snatched up, more requests began pouring in and the rest is social media history. Now instead of dabbling with paint and pencils for fun, Emily juggles commission requests from people around the Southeast, becoming a fixture in the Raleigh art community.

As someone who works with interiors for a living, I also appreciate how she happens to fearlessly and fantastically tackle drywall...

 

If you're like me, you can't wait to hang one of her pieces in your home!! Contact Emily to get your one-of-a-kind piece today at emlackey@icloud.com and be sure to follow her on Instagram @emlart.

Photos by Emily Lackey and Emily Ballard. 

Cheers to One Year!

What a year it's been! L. Suggs Interior Decorating officially became a business one year ago. Thank you so much to everyone for all of your wonderful support! This big change was a major leap of faith with a future that was by no means certain. I'm so grateful for the wonderful opportunities that have come my way since making this decision. I certainly could not have gotten to this point without your help so 

THANK YOU!!

 via Elements of Style

It's been a great, interesting, challenging, fun and scary transition into the interior design realm from the film industry. So far, there have been enough similarities to give me confidence but also enough challenges to keep me humble. It's really easy to want to get too big too fast. Being grounded, honest and realistic isn't always the most fun or glamorous but it is essential in long-term planning. Anna Wintour recently spoke about success and her words of wisdom are sound advice... 

 via Who What Wear

If this philosophy got Anna Wintour to the head of Vogue, then I think it can get me through another year! So what's next? While I'm sure that the future is never certain, I can say I know a few things. Coming up next week, I'll be revealing another space while several other projects are either underway or just getting started. There's also my new website, which I'll continue to update and strive to improve, and some outside opportunities to learn about the best products and services for each of you. The other thing we can all be sure of is we're going to have a good time along the way! 

Cheers to the first year and cheers to all of you who helped me get this far! Stay tuned for more projects, excitement and hopefully inspiration. Looking forward to the next anniversary...

The Flamingo's Retreat

Earlier this summer, a friend called me in need of some serious design help. She and her husband have two girls, ages 7 and 3, AND a baby on the way. With little brother due in October, the girls' rooms needed to be shuffled around by August so that her daughters could adjust to their new surroundings before school started. 

Her younger daughter's room was to be the main focus, as the Little Sis was inheriting her older sister's old room as well as its furniture. (Big Sis moved to the FROG.) My sweet friend and her husband wanted their little one to feel like she was in an entirely new space that was all her own. And the only other request that came directly from my littlest client was that the room had to feel like the beach! Enter the Flamingo's Retreat...

BEFORE:

Older sister's furniture was a combination of new pieces and hand-me-downs. Luckily, the pieces' styles matched but Big Sis had made her mark with a few special stickers on the bedside table and nightstand. My clients and I decided that the furniture was going to need a fresh coat of paint...and while we're at it, let's just make it turquoise! The room also showcased a few wall decals and special murals. They were sweet but the walls were going to require a fresh coat of paint to transport us to the Flamingo's beach. I also was tasked with finding new bedding, which needed to be completely machine washable; a new rug and updated blackout curtains. We also discussed a new furniture arrangement...

 

THE DESIGN SCHEME:

I gave the Little Flamingo's retreat some beachy vibes without getting too literal. The walls were painted Dolphin's Cove and furniture lacquered in Mexicali Turquoise. I chose several different patterns from Serena & Lily to create the bedding and tied all of these candy colors together with the most perfect and durable Dash & Albert rug. The icing on the cake was the vintage map of Wilmington I found on Etsy and the adorable pom pom curtains! We also created a little reading nook so that the Flamingo can check out her favorite books and do her best learning in the comfort of her own room. 

THE RESULT:

The Little Flamingo absolutely loves her new room and her parents are thrilled to see her so excited! I had no idea how much a three-year-old could understand design but this little one sure does! She and her stuffed animals love their cozy new bedding and she has made great use of the reading nook. I'm so thrilled I got to be involved with such a fun and special project. It's a room that invokes cheer and fun while speaking to the vivacious personality of the sweet Little Flamingo.

 

And as for Big Sis, she got a few new bits and pieces too. She had picked out lots of pillows and her bedding before I met with them but we were able to zhush up her room with a pair of new lamps, a gorgeous Matouk bed skirt and a great built in bench. I had the bench cushion sewn and piped with indoor/outdoor fabric to make sure it could withstand the sunlight through the windows. It will look new for years to come and be durable enough to withstand the wear and tear that comes with pre-teens. Then I created a pair of bolster pillows to tie in the various colors Big Sis had already settled on. Mom had the cool surfboard and it looks perfect in its new space. Now Big Sis has a comfortable and functional little space to create her artful masterpieces or do homework once school starts...

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by today! As always, please feel free to email me with any questions at lsuggsinteriors@gmail.com. See you next time!