Mimi's fresh MASTER

As with many trips to Mimi's house, I was asked to offer my design services on the master bedroom.  Just a quick weekend job.  Nothing too labor intensive or crazy.  Mimi was craving some uplifting style to lighten things up.

I imagine it's the same for all my readers who are really great under the hood.  Every family get-together, you are summoned to check every member's engine, spark plugs, battery, wheel bearings, alternators, rotors, and niners.  Did I just say niner?  By the way, please email me if you are a mechanic and you enjoy my blog.  Cause that's just awesome.  And I may need car help, like, ALL the time.

I guess my point is, God just gives us all different gifts.  And people love those family connections.  My brother-in-law operates his own Chick-fil-a.  Be jealous. 

I have strayed from the topic at hand.  

If you only have a little cash and a weekend's worth of time to re-do a master, let me give you my fast tips to keep things simple and totally cozy.

BEFORE: Mimi and I had hung these window sheers 10 years ago (I used to be old school).  That was before we all knew the sneaky curtain-mounting tricks that helps make standard windows look big and beautiful!  She also wanted an option to change out the comforter.  The lamps were too tiny for the massive bed.  Mimi and Dee are obsessed with antiques.  Like OBSESSED.   Unfortunately, all these pieces don't seem to work together.  

BEFORE

So before I show y'all the AFTER photos, here is my recommend shopping list if you decide to "DIY" your master bedroom this upcoming weekend!

1.  Curtains and Rods.  New curtains always freshen up a space.  Don't go cheap.  Use extra long panels.  Mimi's bedroom ceiling is only 9 foot high but I still purchased 96 inch panels.  Also think extra wide.  These are both standard windows, but I bought double-window rods that expanded over 100 inches.  This allows way more light in the room and makes the ceiling feel higher.

2.  A fresh bedding set.  Again, I don't recommend going too cheap.  Bedding has to endure a lot of wear and tear (imagine if you wore the same outfit every single day).  So keep things durable and soft.  Mimi's room was so so dark.  I opted for all grey, cream, and white.  If you don't want to splurge on the comforter, at least splurge on throw pillows.  It's the master suite, make your marriage more romantic with a delicious-looking pillow pile!  Everyone wants their master to feel like a special hotel.

3.  Lighting.  If you want really big bang for your buck, buy new lamps.  It's never a dull idea to purchase fresh lighting.  Lamps are a big deal and boast serious design influence.  Always, ALWAYS purchase matching lamps for either side of the bed.  In small rooms especially, symmetry is so vital for the eye.

4.  Accessories.  This is last on the list because it's the least necessary.  So many people head to the store and the first thing they do is purchase accessories.  I find that more and more of my clients have loads of accessories and few vital pieces.  Accessories can add up quickly.  Bite the bullet and use your largest hunk of cash on the more needed items above.  If you do decide to drop some dough on accessories, purchase things that mean something to you and are all-season.  Accessories can take you much further if they aren't too season specific.

And now...The AFTER Tour!

AFTER:  Here you can see the fresh new curtain panels and the new rods.  Notice that we carry them to the ceiling and spread them out as far as they can go! 

AFTER: New bedding is bright and cheerful.  There are a million pillows.  How perfect.  I added baskets and a BIRCHWOOD sign to this wall to help the older TV seem less intrusive.  We switched out the existing chair.  

AFTER: New bookshelves were free.  You remember my Christmas blog about Mimi, her basement is like a curiosity shop.  I found the brackets in a dumpster and the wood scraps were from Dee's barn.  She had the antique books and vintage alarm clocks, and everything else in the shelves.  I put together the magnolia sprigs and placed them in antique milk jugs.  We added the bookshelves because Mimi's room is small.  Small rooms should feel cozy and shelves are my newest most favoritist thing on earth.  Period.

AFTER: I told y'all, throw pillows are delicious.

AFTER:

AFTER: I made Mimi this wreath.  Y'all all know how I feel about wreaths too.  And Mimi is a North Carolina girl.  

AFTER: We restructured some of Mimi's grandbaby photos atop the armoire. 

AFTER

AFTER

You know I love you mom.  I'll always re-design your bedroom for you.  Hopefully in 10 years we won't think I was as old-school!

XOXO

Ashley

A Cin(DR)ella story for my new favorite MD

I had the honor of being recommended, by my favorite State Senator's wife, to the very wonderfully adorable, Dr. A.

It's a Cinderella story, really. 

Dr. A just finished the long beautiful journey of medical school, residency, and finally the job search.  Now, she and her precious son and husband, have relocated back towards their roots. They'll be near extended family and she will start her career.  

They bought their dream home and are literally, just moving in.  Below are the before pictures just after home closing.

Dr. A lives with two boys.  She requested that the home decor be beautiful yet comfortable.  She wants easy-to-clean and easy-to-maintain spaces.  She wants things to feel cozy and effortless.  

The BEFORE photos are below:

BEFORE-master bedroom

BEFORE-dining room

BEFORE-living room

So.  After all was said and done, I had a wonderful time preparing this re-design.  Dr. A was amazing to work for.  She was so so open to all of my ideas for indestructible (kid-friendly) decor options.  At the end of the day, everything came together beautifully and I am so excited for this family and their new life!

Now, for the AFTER tour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

The master bedroom feels clean and tidy.  A navy blue tufted headboard hides wear and tear.  Comfortable bedding and multiple quilts add charm and the option of switching out the feel of the room.  A jute rug shows a hint of texture.

A reclaimed dresser adds storage for chunky sweaters and other apparel.  

The living room received an entire new color scheme.  Dr. A loves the color blue.  We didn't disappoint with these pale blue walls, blue pillows, blue accents, and even a recycled blue glass vase.  A custom Birchwood-made TV table houses the components.  A huge rug with blue accents frames the space.  New end tables, a tufted ottoman, soft linen curtains, and tons of special family pieces make this room unique and special.

A long lineage of firefighters, the A family has an original heirloom in this custom copper antique.  

Dr A's grandmother hand-painted all the artwork we displayed in the home.  All pieces were specifically arranged to show-case the amazing craft of this family's beloved grandmother.

Dr A's grandfather was also a physician.  His vintage blood pressure cuff Baumanometer is displayed proudly.

The dining room holds lots of special features.  We replaced the chandelier.  It's much brighter then a ceiling fan.  We brought in a reclaimed wood painted buffet, new chairs, and a new table.  The metal farmhouse chairs are perfectly indestructible for kids and don't have any fabric to keep spotless clean.  The Pottery Barn table is expandable so 10 plus guests can enjoy a fabulous dinner party. We gave Dr. A a custom Birchwood 8 foot chalkboard with one of her favorite Bible verses in white typography.  The linen curtains continue into the dining room seamlessly.  

Vibrant hand-made centerpieces brighten the table.  

The buffet is a tall piece of furniture, allowing pretty, decorative items to be safely tucked out of a small child's reach.  Anyone craving adult decor in a bustling full-quivered home should consider a buffet.   Another one of grandmother's art pieces is displayed, along with teacups and florals.

Thank you for stopping in to visit today!  I hope you loved Dr A's BEFORE and AFTER as much as I did while crafting it for her! 

I pray many years of happiness and joy to Dr. A and her family.  Y'alls home is beautiful and oh so lovely!  Make precious memories and cherish one another.  Continue to honor the Lord in all you do!

Love Y'all!

Ashley

A loft-y SURPRISE!

Long ago we made some EPIC friends.  Those friends that feel like they're from a movie you once saw.  They love fiercely, they do community, they make the best, most exotic grilled-cheese sandwiches you've ever tasted.  They're competitive and feisty and you drink coffee and play board games til 4am.  They're adventurous and wild, so they tell you stories of far off places and people groups.  They stop at nothing, to love God and love people.  They're both beautiful, inside and out.  She's gorgeous and can rock an early native american head-dress.  He can rock a man-bun.  Only gorgeous people do these things.

Yes.  

My loves.  We have these epic friends.  And yes, they're not just in the movies (though I'm pretty sure he starred in a film once).  They're real life and they do real life.  They're actually both really good at doing life, and doing life together for the kingdom.

So when HE called me to schedule a surprise re-design for SHE, I was thrilled.  A sneaky birthday present, how perfect!!

You see, they're both artists.  They both share a love of playing and writing and singing music.  They also both dabble in other forms of artistry.  They're both severely creative.  So to design this space, I needed to get inside their heads.  

They have lots of artifacts from their travels.  They both love history.  SHE had many unique pieces from her Dad and Grandpa.  HE had furniture he had made himself.

So after some careful note-taking, and a few Pinterest board studies, I felt we pulled off an Old-World California Modernist Loft.

Take a look!!!

BEFORE: This was, like, the day after they moved in.  I'd like to see your house the day after you moved in.  My first words to HIM upon entering the loft : "THANK YOU".  Who WOULDN'T want to decorate this AHHHHHMAZING space?????

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

AND ....

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AFTER

AFTER: HE said that SHE dreamed of white floor-to-ceiling curtains.  16 eleven foot curtain panels later....But aren't they gorgeous?

AFTER: SHE dreamed of a massive vase on the island to fill with flowers year-round.

AFTER:  I used the tiny kitchen nook as a perfect place for HER to sit while he cooks her dinner.  Or whoever wants to claim the spot for an early morning cup of coffee and quiet time.

AFTER: The massive loft allows a corner that faces the busy main street.  A perfect spot to journal or paint.

AFTER: HE hand-made this table.  Antique chairs and vintage dishes invite any dinner party guest.  

AFTER: HE requested that SHE receive some beautiful shelves with antique brackets.  The main street antique store scored us the brackets.  I filled the shelves with many of the couples' treasures, along with plenty of succulents from HER collection.

AFTER: this old metal cabinet was also found in the HIS work shop.  It belonged to HER grandpa.  Sentimental and lofty? Inside it goes!

AFTER: HE mentioned that she may like a coffee bar one day.  Well, today was the day. We also needed an entry table that could do double duty during dinner parties.  I insisted we use things the couple already owned.  We found these vintage metal cupboards and an antique barn board in HIS workshop.  We created this beauty on design day.  This fun world map will be sure to be covered in thumb tacks, highlighting the couples many missions trips and travels.

AFTER: We simplified the kitchen with soft touches and attractive items that are highly functional.

AFTER: HE Scored the coffee table at an estate sale earlier this year.  It was perfect for the old-world feel.  I found this epic glass bottle and HAD to put it in the room.  SHE had mentioned over and over how she loved the look of overlapping rugs.  I have to agree.  It's cozy beyond compare.

AFTER: Nothing makes a designer's job easier then exposed brick walls.

AFTER

AFTER: A table behind the couch was obviously necessary for lighting.  And a place to set coffee cups during a highly competitive round of charades.   SHE already had the lamps.  I just spray painted them gold and added new grey-linen shades.

AFTER: HE said over and over that this couldn't be a 'bachelor' loft.  Well.  Every Old-World California Modernist Loft STILL needs a deer skull.  I decided to get in touch with my "feminine-even-on-a-dead-animal-side", by giving this gorgeous buck a flower crown made of peacock feathers.  

AFTER

AFTER: I found this old industrial cart in HIS workshop.  It was rapidly moved into the loft.  SHE now has room to use it as a serving piece or buffet while hosting family dinners or Thanksgiving turkey.  Vintage crates on the bottom seem perfect for additional storage.

AFTER

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Well.  I quickly vanished after the design so that HE could show his bride HER birthday present in privacy.  But I received a precious phone call, not even an hour later.  Her voice filled with tears as she whispered: "It's perfect, I can't even breathe!"

Let's just say, they lived...

HAPPILY

EVER

AFTER.

Love you J and A.  My prayer for you both, is that God continues to use all of your amazing gifts and talents to grow the kingdom and share HIS name.  A cord of THREE strands is not quickly broken.

You both are precious to Drew and I.

XOXO

Ashley

My girl gets a LOFT!

My longtime friend (We'll call her P) decided to take the big leap.  Yep.  This was serious.  Anddddddd, she moved into an EPIC loft.  

A LOFT!!!!!!!!!  How exciting?  

Oh loft life.   We all can dream, right?  She asked me to put together a design for her to live happily ever after amongst vintage brick walls and industrial style beams.  Why of course!  I'm only a teensy bit jealous.

Now.  We all dream of loft life.  It's for those beautiful people on HGTV who have lives that are super cool.  Well.  P sorta fits the bill.  She's beautiful.  She leads a busy life as a loving mom.  She's a prayer warrior, an awesome Realtor, a steady friend, an active athlete... did I say she's beautiful?!

So naturally, I'll just have to show you how her Birchwood-styled Loft turned out!

BEFORE

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AND THE AFTER TOUR!!!

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Thats a wrap!  We love you P!  ENJOY loft living and invite me over for coffee soon!

XOXO

Ashley

BEFORE AND AFTER Staging at L's!

My newest lovely client (we'll call her L) contacted me a few short weeks ago about staging her luxurious home for a quick sale!  I was very excited, as staging can be some of the most rewarding work, like, ever!  L has a fabulous home on the north side of Atlanta.  If you're in the market for a new home with room to spare, you should take a look!

Below are her BEFORE photos.  

BEFORE

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Small budgets are no biggie when it comes to staging.  Some fresh paint and accessories and a little "Birchwood elbow grease" can be the ticket to a quick sale!  

Check out our small changes that made a BIG impact!

AFTER -- Make formal rooms feel less formal!  We switched out the formal coffee table for this big cushy ottoman.  Fresh paint too.  We added fun accessories, and new big squishy pillows.  L's collection of vintage prints were so cute, we had to display them!

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER--- Again, de-formalize.  Our 6 foot custom chalk board seems to be a fav with buyers.  We set the table for a fun dinner party, and added some color and texture.

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER---- We neutralized the book cases with paint and less-personal accessories.  We opted for a more neutral rug that L already owned.  We added a sofa table with additional lighting and added in fun accessories.  We pushed the furniture closer together to encourage conversation, and highlight the massive size of this true family room.  Ummm, look at those windows!!!  I'm ready to make an offer!

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER--- The kitchen.  We de-cluttered and added-in soft touches.  We removed curtains and added Birchwood Magnolia wreaths instead.  We about died over L's vintage scale (y'all know my obsession), which of course, went right in the middle of the island.

AFTER

AFTER

AFTER--- the breakfast nook got a coffee bar.  L's high-end espresso machine screamed fancy schmancy.  Buyers like fancy ideas and possibilities.  Don't mind the subliminal messaging with the butcher paper Birchwood sign (It's all for the cause L)!

AFTER--- We reduced the size of the table and did a cute little centerpiece.  Eucalyptus, cause I'm just so obsessed.

AFTER

AFTER... Who doesn't want hot espresso in this fabulous kitchen?

AFTER--- The bed got some new pillows.  We switched out some lighting and add accessories.

AFTER--- We used lots of fresh white towels and some new greenery in the bathroom.  

Happy selling L!  I can't wait to see all your offers!

XOXOXO

Ashley

Everyday Design (C's BEFORE & AFTER)

Who doesn't want some exciting everyday design that makes them feel happy every morning?

When you wake up, what do you see?  Maybe you pad to the kitchen and fix your family breakfast.   Heating up the baby's milk, warming your own hands by the stove as you stir the quaker goodness in with the milk.  Or maybe you run to the kitchen and quickly blend a banana and kale shake, before you race to the office. 

You sit on the floor of your living room and read gently worn books to your kids, wrapping yourselves together in textured quilts and placing another log on the fire.  Or maybe you lay on the floor of your living room and perform your daily yoga, the cool crisp mat between you and the hardwoods.  The sunlight streaming through the window on your skin.

You host your girlfriends for a Friday night poker party at the dining room table.  You laugh til you cry and sip coffee and serve tasty appetizers.  Or maybe you just hosted your grandmother for dinner and used the dishes she gave you, just to make her smile.

Whatever your life story, whatever your days become, why not enjoy everyday design?  We all live every day lives in every day rooms.  But they should be memorable.

C and her husband A contacted me to perform some everyday design in their family living room.  So, after a fun-filled weekend of paint and decor, I bring you a HAPPY MONDAY 'before and after' to make you smile!

Thanks C and A for allowing us to showcase your ADORABLE room!

BEFORE

BEFORE

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Andddd.....the AFTER tour!

AFTER

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My favorite element?  Well I'm glad you asked!  The EPIC surprise grey fireplace!  Oh it's to DIE FOR!

Love you C!

Ashley

Marmie's BEFORE & AFTER part 2

So as I had mentioned in part 1, Marmie and Pop Pop flew me up to the Great White North for a main floor re-design.  It was a fabulous weekend filled with food, decor, and coffee.  

Marmie's mountain house was once filled with small rooms and choppy walls.  Years ago, her and Pop had made the formal dining room and formal living room one large open-concept space.  Aside from some structural pillars, the room is really one big entertaining area.  One side has the stair case and fireplace, and the other side enters the kitchen, and has a formal dining area.  The family room and foyer, branch off of this main space.

For all my southerners reading this, welcome to the North.  Where ceilings are low to save on extravagant heating bills.  Where carpet is almost always your flooring of choice, lest your feet be turned into ice cubes.  Unless, of course, you have neuropathy, then you don't care what the floor is made of, because you can't feel it anyway. 

Southerners prefer high lofty ceilings that trap heat, way above their noggins.  And hard wood floors, where tanned bare toes can feel something cool in the heat of a Georgia July.  The architectural differences are extremely contrasting.

Marmie's wish list for this ginormous space?  Something beautiful and cohesive.  Where the rooms feel effortlessly together, yet separate all at once.  She had picked up many things she liked over the years, the difficult part for her, was putting it all together.

I find that soooo many of my clients have lots of beautiful pieces.  The problem is making it all 'work'.  That can be the tricky part.  

Well needless to say, Marmie's space more then 'works'.  I think it turned out quite elegant, wouldn't you agree?

But first.  Many of my readers asked for a picture of the mountain get-away I spoke of days ago.  So here's Marmie and Pop's back deck covered in snow:

And here is baby J playing in the snow.  Poor Georgia baby had never seen so much snow before!!!

And here are the BEFORE photos!

BEFORE-formal dining room

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

AND now I present, the AFTER tour!!!  ENJOY!  Thank you to Marmie and Pop Pop for allowing me to come up and decorate all weekend.  It was a wonderful weekend!

AFTER--The dining room got curtains!  They make everything feel so much more dreamy!

AFTER--The Dining room also got additional lighting with these mercury glass buffet lamps.  Marmie loves mercury glass!

AFTER--Pretty platters on the wall remind us that this is a fully functioning dining area.  Marmie's mid-century serving piece was quirky and fun, and she wanted it to stay in the room for extra dish storage.  We added a fun mirror over top to dress the space up a bit.

AFTER--A new centerpiece feels happy and  bright.

AFTER--Cheeseboards on the wall break up the formality.

AFTER

AFTER--Marmie had two extra dining chairs.  We pulled these to the open area behind the sectional to fake a southern style keeping room.  This room is directly off of the kitchen and is the space where everyone loves to sit, drink coffee, and watch Marmie bake.   

AFTER

AFTER--More mercury glass on the mid-century server keeps the glitz going in the dining area.

AFTER--The formal living room got a fresh new rug!  It anchors the space and helps define it.

AFTER--We used a special clock of Marmie's to re-do the fireplace mantle.  Her father's chair has a place as well.

AFTER--The old chest that used to be in the family room came to the living area.  It was smaller and works better in front of the smaller sectional.

AFTER--The keeping area deserved a fun sofa table and accessories.  A new custom photo wall shows off the family initial and enlarged photos of the grand babies.

AFTER

AFTER--Custom Birchwood Blog art in the form of a verse went over the credenza.  Along with some of Marmie's favorite accessories.

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Love y'all!  Thanks for enjoying!

Ashley

Marmie's BEFORE AND AFTER part 1

My husband's childhood home is situated in the mountains of upstate Pennsylvania.  The farmhouse and 80+ acres were sold to his father, by his grandfather.  For Drew's mom and dad, it was quite the quintessential place to raise 4 children.  Though I'm told, it didn't always look the way it does now.  The farmhouse is ancient, complete with secret hideaways and a fresh water stream flowing right through the old cellar.  Dead serious.  To this day, ice cold spring water flows right under the home.  It's that old.  

The rustic home is just that, situated in the mountains, hours from the shopping mall, or Target, or anything else this world deems necessary.  But the views are amazing, and you'll never see a prettier place.  You literally can't get cell service, but you also don't really care.  

Century-old mountain homes take a lifetime to revitalize, and that's exactly what Marmie and Pop have been up to.  For the entirety of their marriage.  Construction, bedroom additions, decks,  a detached garage, and 2 ponds later, the homeplace is nothing short of a Mountain Retreat.

So when Marmie booked me and baby J a ticket for an extended weekend to re-design her main floor, I was ecstatic.  A short 2 hour drive from the New York Airport, we arrived to white snow on the ground, a neighbors wood stove smoke-smell  in the air, and Marmie's famous cinnamon buns covered in gooey caramel sauce and pecans.  You see, Marmie is the best Italian cook I've ever met.  Praise the Lord for marrying up!  Her home is one of those homes, no matter what, you feel like a queen.  

In the north, you take your boots off at the back door, every time.  They're covered in snow and road salt, silly!  Two sock-covered-steps into the house, you smell black coffee, dessert of some sort, and whatever the heck is in the oven that is making you drool.  Her eggplant Parmesan has a 2 inch layer of mozzarella cheese on top, fresh basil sprigs are sunning themselves  in the window, and the inside of the fridge looks like an Italian New York deli on steroids.  There's never a shortage of food, Italian leather sofas, or silky sheets.  

Yep.  I married a keeper.  I married a whole family of keepers.  

So with Pop Pop's blessing, and two days of prep,  I set to work bringing y'all one of our largest square footage 'BEFORE and AFTER tours' of all time!  

And here it is.  Part 1.  The FAMILY ROOM BEFORE AND AFTER tour.

BEFORE-- The room lacks lighting.  Only one lonely table lamp sits too low at the end of the sofa.  The antique wooden chest is fabulous, but not large enough to accommodate all the family feet during football games.  Marmie verbalized that she wanted a new color scheme as well.

BEFORE--The bookshelves seemed too full.  The room again, feels too dark with no additional lighting.  

Marmie and Pop decided to replace the massive sectional before I arrived.  The 20+ year old burgundy leather was quite literally, shot.  Years of family movie nights and Super Bowl parties  had taken their toll.

Below, my loves, enjoy the 'AFTER' tour!

AFTER--we added 4 additional table lamps to bring the maximum amount of light into the room.  A tall sofa table allows the lamps to cast even more light into the room.

AFTER--the new color scheme included grey, silver, and blue.  Though the room seemed too dark for grey, and the couches too brown, grey was actually the perfect color selection.  The room is already masculine, there was no sense in hiding it.  Grey makes the brown leather feel more luxurious.  Silky grey and bright silver was a great contrast against all the dark rustic wood tones.  Making everything feel a bit more jazzy.

AFTER

AFTER-- three new mirrors are hung on the never-ending back wall to serve as a focal point.  They also reflect more light from the windows, helping the room feel less gloomy.

AFTER--These adorable matching antique dressers are the new end-tables.  They are taller then the original end-tables, which aids in casting soft lamp light into the room.  I found them in a spare bedroom, so they were a $0 addition! The room is big.  I layered a massive blanket-basket in front of the large dresser, and pulled a new arm chair and ottoman in close for a cozy conversational-feel.  Big rooms desire big pieces.  But remember, if you forget the small touches, you'll completely miss the homey-cozy feel.

AFTER--the bookshelves were too full.  I cleaned them up a bit and added touches of silver, our new color scheme.  What a pretty contrast!  Pop-pop's antique binocular case enjoys a view of the living room as well.

AFTER--I brought in the ottoman from the formal living room.  It seemed much happier in the family room space.

AFTER--Using a tray to house smaller accessories, helps the end-tables feel clean, and petite pieces don't seem lost.

AFTER

Stay tuned for part 2 of Marmie's main floor make over!  Love you Pop and Marmie!

Ashley

D's BEFORE AND AFTER

Once upon a time there was a sweet queen.  Her and her family decided to sell their spot of land and dwelling.  She sent word to myself asking I come hither.  She was pitchkettled at the thought of having to sell off her homestead.  Though her home was beauteous, she wanted everything to feel modern and fresh for the prospective buyers and agents.

Whewww.  Never mind.  Perchance thought I could write a whole post in Medieval jargon but it just isn't quite possible.  Sorry guys.  Back to English-bloggy writing.

My sweet client, we will call her 'D', is selling her home.  Y'all know, BEFORE and AFTER tours are my favorite, even if I do have to write down all the exciting details in normal old english.  Queen D has a gorgeous home.  It's spacious and kid friendly and cozy.  Their family leads an exciting life and they wanted some fun staging to "drama it up" a bit for the sale.

I present you with her BEFORE AND AFTER tour for your viewing pleasure. What a fun job.  Thank you sweet Queen D, we loved staging your home!

BEFORE:

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ANNNNNDDDDDDD....

The AFTER TOUR.  Thanks Lady D for letting us re-design your space!  Bring on the offers!!

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Y'all know our thoughts on the increasingly popular staging... It Really Works!  Staged homes statistically sell faster!  Drop us a line.  And you may love your home so much, you decide NOT to list it!  And even if you aren't selling your home, it's never too early (or too late) to spruce things up.  Invest in your biggest investment!  And love the space you're in.

Love Y'all!

Ashley

The Lovely Lady L and her BEFORE AND AFTER

My wonderful client, we will call her Lady L, contacted me a few weeks back and was wanting some help with a re-design of her lovely home.  She had painted her main floor and was wanting a fresh set of eyes to put everything back together.  So fun!

L is very special to me, and she's a repeat customer.  So I was eager to get to her place and see the dilemma.  You see, L has the most gorgeous collection of family heirlooms you have EVER SEEN.  Not to mention, L is a wonderful historian.  She knows the precious stories behind each special unique piece.  She can date some of her heirlooms back over 500 years!

The sheer thrill of searching L's basement for pieces to tie into her rooms, gets me every time.  As we uncover each collectable, L tells me in detail, the story behind her treasures.  

One gorgeous silver pitcher catches my eye.  L explains.  Her Grandfather was a physician during the great depression.  A family brought a sick loved one to him, needing the doctor's care.  Having no money, families often paid with valuable items.  The silver pitcher was this family's only way to purchase his services.  The pitcher is inscribed with an 1800's date.  Oh the story!  Can you imagine? My inner history buff was squealing!  How amazing.  To have history like this in one's own home!   I truly appreciate all of these amazing stories.  

L brings me an old pharmaceutical scale that belonged to another loved one.  It's marbled top shows it's unique age.  One of her relatives was a pharmacist long long ago.  The scale measured delicate tablets and tinctures.  Aren't you just dying?  I'm in the coffin over all these epic stories!  And y'all know my love affair with antique scales.

Well.  Enough talky talky.  I'll let you all enjoy her before and after photos.  Keep in mind, my consult was after the paint job.

BEFORE 

BEFORE

Below is the after tour.  Thank you to Lady L for allowing us to post your beautiful home on the blog!  What a wonderful day I had.  Decorating with your treasures is such a joy for me!

AFTER

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Love Y'all!  Ashley

The B house: BEFORE AND AFTER TOUR

I was blessed and honored when The Birchwood Blog was asked to re-style the "B" house!  I couldn't wait to get started on this beauty.  Feast your eyes below at their GORGEOUS home!

The B family needed me to use what they currently had to update their home.  You see, they're moving to Texas and want the home to sell quickly.  

Raising 5 kids in a house for decades can be pretty hard on any family's decor style.  And relocating quickly can make it difficult to get a home 'open-house-ready'.  I was excited to get started!  The B family wanted me to use what they had and showcase the home's amazing 5 star features.

So after 5 days, a few gallons of paint, and some fresh accessories, the job was complete!

Ladies and Gentleman: Bring on the offers!

BEFORE: Kitchen

BEFORE: kitchen

BEFORE: Kitchen 

BEFORE: Breakfast

BEFORE: Living room

BEFORE: Dining Room  

BEFORE: Entry Way

BEFORE: Master Bedroom 

BEFORE: Master Bathroom 

BEFORE: Master Bathroom 

So after some exciting days in the home, we were able to re-do their house just in time for the housing market!  

A Staging budget doesn't have to be expensive.  We used what the B family ALREADY had.  We bought no new furniture.  And we de-cluttered.  

After: The Kitchen

AFTER: The Kitchen

AFTER: The Breakfast Room

AFTER: The family Room 

AFTER: The Living Room 

AFTER: The Dining Room 

AFTER: The Entry Way

AFTER: The Master Bedroom 

AFTER: The Master Bathroom

A huge 'Thank you' to the "B Family" for allowing us to showcase your home and style it!  It was such a fun job!  

Are you having trouble selling your home? Staging works!  Contact us through the tab, let us know, we can help!

XOXO

Ashley

Mama's House

My childhood home since I was 5 years old, is still the dwelling place of my dear wonderful parents.  

"Mimi and Dee" are proud grandparents now, and their tiny ranch is still the coziest place on earth.  Every so-many-months, and especially during the holiday season, we climb aboard a craft and fly away into the Great White North.  Upon landing in the Philadelphia airport, we hail down "Santa's sleigh".  This is what we sisters affectionately call my parent's Volvo.  Shout out to all y'all out there in your 20's, 30's, and 40's who still get a full sized gift pile on Christmas morning.  The gleaming heap has a big tag on top that says 'Love, Santa'.  You trample your toddlers as you run out screaming with glee!

Amen.  Amen to my parents.  And Amen to Drew's parents too.  Shout out to Drew's Mom, Marmie, who is also quite the embodiment of St. Nick. 

Anyways, the Volvo nickname comes from her many travels 'to and fro' on the east coast, heavily laden with packages, gifts and surprises.  She's quite the sleigh y'all.  When I see her I get a nervous shiver just thinking about Christmas Morning.

We then drive the sleigh to Lancaster County.  We enter Mama's house, shut the door, and stand at the threshold and inhale.  The smell is a mingling of pinesol, leather animal hides and stove simmerings.  The floors are waxed, the sheets are the softest flannel plaid, and the food is abundant.  

"Head strait to the fridge like a boss YO.  Heck yea, Mama went to Costco".  Back home Ballers.  Our sister anthem.  Thank you SNL.  Even though you say bad words.

Anyway.  Mom and dad's home place.  She's a small little ranch cottage.  With the tiniest living room you've ever seen.  But cozy.  Cozy, cozy, cozy.

My sweet mama wanted some help making 'The Upper Valley' a little festive this year for our Thanksgiving family party.  So I came up with a Birchwood game plan before the plane wheels hit the tarmac.  It wasn't too tricky though.

You see.   My dear mom and dad's basement is like your very favoritist-bestest antique store.  On crack.  Not kidding.  The best stuff on earth can be uncovered in that musty cellar.  Family heirlooms, braided rugs, blue mason jars by the antique wooden crate!  Every type of amazing home-canned food you can think of.  A chest freezer full of deer jerky.  Every toy I've ever played with, every school-boy novel my dad ever read.  And everything else under the sun.  It's a dream.  So at first I was sort of overwhelmed.  But then I was like, "pull it together girl-we can make this stuff perfect."  And we started to cozy-up the cottage.

If you're ever overwhelmed, just clear the space out.  Put your items, piece by piece, in a separate room, and think.  Think: "What is this piece really great at doing?  What is this space really great at being?  What can I do with this piece that I haven't been doing with it before?"

Below is the BEFORE AND AFTER tour for y'alls enjoyment of how we changed it up at Mama's house.

BEFORE:

BEFORE

BEFORE

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AFTER

We picked out a new couch with a washable slip cover.  Perfect for grandkids.  The lighting went behind the sofa on an antique table.  The space already feels brighter and more inviting.  A fat ottoman serves as extra seating and a squishy place for tired feet.

AFTER

Mom's antique North Carolina Tobacco basket is used as a large focal point on the wall.  

AFTER

Dad's antique sleigh bells fill a wooden dough bowl.

AFTER

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care.  I gifted mom with this antique fire screen many-a-Christmas ago.

AFTER

Mom's love of vintage busts comes through with this handsome hunk, nestled in the bookshelf.  Great Grandma Mary's wooden sugar bin peaks out from the greenery.  

AFTER

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Under the tree we placed lots of grandbaby play toys.  They're adorable and it's a great place to stow treasured toys from years gone by.

Below are some additional rooms I helped decorate for Christmas at Mama's house.  She's got quite the talent (Where the heck do you think I learned everything from?)  Enjoy the rest of her spaces as a fun Christmas tour. 

AFTER

In the spare room, a wreath welcomes Christmas guests.  The Hudson Bay blanket is never forgotten on cold Pennsylvania Christmas Eves.  The bird-study was found at this year's "Country Living Fair" in Stone Mountain Georgia.

AFTER

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The Kitchen is filled with Christmas cheer.

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Mom's home-made Christmas ball wreaths always sparkle under indirect lighting.  

AFTER

Pair together pewter and mercury glass.  It's gorgeous and festive!  Dad's pheasant feathers are happy memories of good hunting with the son-in-laws last January.

AFTER

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An old green seltzer bottle (also a Country Living Fair find I wouldn't let her leave without!) is the perfect hue of Yule Tide.

AFTER

Mama always wanted a kitchen tree.  This year we helped her reach that goal.  An old wooden potato crate makes this evergreen even taller!

AFTER

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The very antique table Mama changed our diapers on, is now a side table for an evergreen.  We moved it to the living room because it's scale was good in contrast to the new sectional.

Love you Dad and Mama.  Thank you for instilling in all of us girls, your love of history and all things antique.

Ashley

CiCi's Basement BEFORE AND AFTER

Oh Cici, how I love you!

This special Birchwood Blog Renovation was for my dear sweet Georgia-Mom.  We call her Cici.  She really is like another mom to Drew and I.  And she is definitely a bonus Grandma to our daughter.  Cici has the biggest heart on planet earth.  Literally.  Anyone who knows her, knows this is true. 

Cici only thinks of others.  Her gift is serving and her home is always open to anyone who needs anything.  Her first impulse is to give, in every situation.  She gives of herself and her talents and her home.   We all should aspire to be more like her. 

In April, Cici's mom became very ill with the hideous malady of end-stage cancer.  Cici and her husband moved in to her mom's home immediately.  They set to work on making her mom comfortable at all times.  They never left the house, never stopped cooking, cleaning, and caring.  Her mom's nails and toenails were always painted, the house always smelled amazing and was full of food, flowers and fresh air.  Hundreds of friends and family came through the house over the course of the summer, enjoying time with the entire family.  Cici's parents, are, after 60+ years, still in love.  They insisted on sleeping together in their master suite.  So Cici bought a baby monitor to be sure her mom was safe every moment she slept.  I've never seen such love and selfless care.  Cici's own home, during that time, was completely neglected.  And Cici didn't care.  She didn't waste one moment with her mama still on this earth.  

Not one month after her mama went to be with Jesus, Cici contacted me.  Cici's son-in-law is returning home from his second tour in Afghanistan.  He will be joining Cici's daughter in welcoming his first child, Cici's first (blood-related) grand-baby into the world.

In typical Cici fashion, she promptly moved out of her gorgeous master bedroom suite (again) and into her own basement with her sweet hubby.  Giving her son-in-law soldier and precious daughter, the master bedroom in their own lovely home.

Cici's basement is... quite a place.  The family has lived in the home for years, and the basement is exhausted.  When the girls were in high school, the family hosted Bible Study in the basement.   Along with soccer slumber parties, get-togethers, church events, and housing for others.  I say housing because Cici has allowed several families to live temporarily in her basement.  The basement overlooks the beautiful in-ground pool, boasts a wet bar, a large seating area and many large windows.  In addition to all of this is the very famous "Signature Wall".  From students to celebrities, there are hundreds of signatures on the wall.  People that are very special to Cici and her family have signed the wall.  Included in the "Signature Hall of Fame" are pro-atheletes like Josh Bynes of the Detroit Lions (a dear family friend) and the governor's wife.  Cici's only request for the basement?  Don't you dare paint over that beloved wall.  She cares more for people then anything else in this world.

The dilemma in the room?  The room has been used HARD by teenagers and the neighborhood for years.  The walls are covered in nail holes, wires, water marks, old sports memorabilia, and spit balls.  The floors are stained and filthy.  The wet bar is covered in old boxes and hasn't been used in decades.  All the decor is out-dated and completely exhausted.

Cici contacted me because she wants to give her son and daughter some much-needed quiet time upstairs.  She wants them to bond as a family and have serene evenings together.  Yet SHE needs a cozy place to crash in the evenings with her darling hubby.  Cici is still living almost full-time at her dad's house since the passing of her mama.  She runs all day for him and others.  She takes him to doctor appointments and gives him his medicines.  Even when she is gone, she has the go-pro-camera monitoring him at all times so he is safe.  My heart breaks for Cici.  I want, no, I NEED this to be a very special "soft place to land".  

Below are the BEFORE photos of the Basement:

So as you can see, the basement is pretty pooped.  Cici's budget is tight, but she has a lot of heirlooms from her mama that need to go into the space.  

Enjoy my "AFTER" photo tour below, my loves!

AFTER

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We were able to accomplish:

Refinishing Cici's mom's heirloom breakfast table as a place to sit and enjoy a meal 

Recovering Cici's mom's heirloom chairs for the breakfast nook

Adding in a comfortable sectional and tufted ottoman that fits the relaxed atmosphere of the basement and provides maximum seating 

Giving Cici a custom @thebirchwoodblog island, 2 bar stools for seating and expanding the wet bar/kitchen area 

Giving Cici a custom @thebirchwoodblog TV table 

Using new rugs to create warmth

Highlighting a functional kitchen wall with antique cutting boards and a custom @thebirchwoodblog mug rack and incorporating her mom's antique working refridgerator 

Incorporating Cici's love of rustic flare through found treasures, vintage pieces, and original antiques from her mom and dad

M's Breakfast/Keeping room BEFORE AND AFTER photo tour

My loves, I have saved the best for last!  M's final BEFORE AND AFTER pictures: The Breakfast/Keeping room!  

It's perfect! 

Who doesn't want to wake up in the cool of the morning and mosey out to their kitchen in warm slippers?  The coffee pot is making its usual morning grumbling noises as you reach for your favorite mug.  You peek over the bar top and see your beautiful breakfast table and keeping room smiling at you.  A keeping room and a breakfast room combined, with massive vaulted ceilings and walls of windows.  Warm sun splashes all over the worn hardwoods.  Double love seats in the adjacent corners beg you to snuggle down and wait for your babies to creep out of their beds and join you under a thick quilt, wiping the dream dust from their blue eyes.  Or maybe your sleepy husband joins you with his cup of coffee.  The two of you sit and reflect and enjoy the Saturday morning quietness together.  

I've just described M's Breakfast/Keeping Room.  And you can believe that M's family is doing everything I just described on their Saturday mornings.  They're the sweetest family!

I have digressed.  Rewind back to BEFORE the re-design.

This Breakfast/Keeping room is a multi-purpose space for M's family.  For starters,  this is the family's usual meal space.  M wanted the Keeping area to have a cozy feel.  M explained that a lot of their football parties start in this room with snacks at the table.  The room is attached to the kitchen and needed a flow into the formal living room as well.

 There were some dilemmas in this space.  

The room is very long and thin.  The eating area and keeping area need to feel separate, yet married at the same time.  The breakfast table was too small for football parties yet awkwardly wide so that there was no traffic flow around the table and into the adjoining living room.  There is no attractive storage for her two toddler's toys. The existing red stripped sofa is quite tired and only seats two or three people.  The architecture of the room is bright and airy, but the furniture is too dark and large and does not reflect that style.

Here are the BEFORE photos of the room:

Before

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Before

Here are the AFTER PHOTOS OF THE ROOM:

After

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We were able to accomplish:

2 new love-seats boast more seating without feeling bulky or heavy

A custom 6 foot farmhouse table is long yet thin, aiding in traffic flow around the table

A custom farmhouse bench tucks easily under the table, yet almost doubles the seating at the table

An antique wooden box mounted on the wall keeps toys off the floor 

A chalkboard allows for quirky quotes, inspirational scripture, or dinner party menus

An ottoman is more kid-safe yet feels so grown-up and relaxed.  It also doubles as seating

A thin custom red bookcase allows for grown-up decor, yet all is safely locked behind the double glass doors

A vintage grocer's scale reflects M's love of rustic antiques and is virtually an indestructible center piece

A family photo gallery wall anchors the keeping room 

Well my loves, that's a wrap!  Thank you so So SO much to M for allowing all our hard work in her home to go up on the blog and to be shared with our readers!  Your home and family is such an inspiration to all of us!  

Love Y'all!

Ashley

Coming up next!  Fall home tour!  Inspirational decor ideas!  Fall recipes and more BEFORE AND AFTER tours!  Can't wait to share it all with y'all!

M's Living Room BEFORE AND AFTER, part 2!

Alright my loves.  

We are continuing right along with M's epic re-design.  Part 2 is the beautiful BEFORE AND AFTER photo tour of her formal living room.  

As I had previously mentioned, M's budget was quite tight.  However she knew what she wanted in the living room.  M and her spouse host a lot of family get-togethers and football parties in this room.  She told me that this room was truly where the family 'lived'.  She wanted the room to be kid-friendly, comfortable and stylish.  M also loves the ocean and wanted something soothing that reminded her of her love-affair with the beach.

The room boasts a generous 'window wall' that overlooks the family's yard and custom screened porch.  The room has the lovely warm hardwoods that are throughout the house.  The room has a cozy fireplace and M already owns a very comfortable and stylish sofa.  Some dilemmas in this room include: the fireplace, the bookcase, and the need for a focal point.

M's fireplace seems off-centered in the space because the room only offers one built-in bookcase.  The other side of the fireplace is not anchored with any structural element.  The room has large peeked ceilings which makes the lack of a focal point more obvious.  

Most of M's budget was needed for the other 2 rooms that were being re-designed.  Therefore, I was pretty nervous about the final reveal. But this room was already beautiful, she didn't need more money, she needed a touch of flair.  I think y'all will love it!

Here are some of her BEFORE PICTURES of the space:

BEFORE

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BEFORE

What a joy it was to bring this room to life.  Please enjoy the picture tour below!

AFTER The Birchwood Blog RE-DESIGN:

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In this room we were able to accomplish:

Creating a focal point with vintage windows and two custom @thebirchwoodblog magnolia wreaths

Anchoring the fireplace with a custom @thebirchwoodblog Orchard Ladder for blankets

Re-styling the bookcase

Adding decorative touches to the Mantle

Re-arranging the furniture for better flow

Introducing a different rug

Re-styling the end tables

Re-styling the antique buffet table

Staying within the proposed budget

Can't wait to see y'all Friday as we do M's BEFORE AND AFTER photo shoot of the Breakfast/Keeping room!

Love Y'all!

Ashley

M's Dining Room BEFORE AND AFTER (eeek!) photo tour part 1

Oh Y'all.

I've been dying to go LIVE with these epic before and after photos!  And this is just PART 1: Formal Dining, of  M's multi-room make over photo tour!  Feast your EYES!  But first.  The story of M.

My beloved friend and nurse (We'll call her M), contacted me about 6 weeks ago and asked for a consultation.  She wanted her home to be cozy and family friendly and perfect.  She had family heirlooms, antiques, and lots of beloved trinkets in her home.  The problem?  Everything desired unity and cohesion.  M struggled to find that blend and so she hired me.

As soon as I did the initial walk-thru, I was blown away. M and her family have a gorgeous home.  Nestled amongst southern stately mansions, her home is cozy and seeps charm.  It's July and her quiet private street is practically plucked from a Nicolas Spark's novel.  A small boy roller skates while his tiny dog runs behind him.  Gorgeous limelight hydrangeas drowsily spill into the street in the humidity of the afternoon.  Perfect green tidy lawns stand at attention by crisp white walks.  Ancient magnolia trees provide huge shadows of calming shade.  A white cat sleeps on M's brick walk.  The chatter of Brown Thrashers is music in the trees.  I think that M's house couldn't be more perfect.  It's so pretty I want to cry.

Once inside, I'm still quite speechless.  A sea of perfectly worn hardwoods beckons me inside.  Stately rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and plantation blinds seem to blush as I walk in.  A cozy kitchen looks on to the most beautiful southern 'keeping room' I've ever seen.  I know in my heart, that without a doubt, this house is going to only become more breathtaking, as I piece together her wardrobe.

We start with the formal dining room.  The dilemma.  M has multiple family heirlooms, passed down from generations, that need to come together as one symphony.  Some tired antique chairs with horse-hair cushions are discovered in the basement and need to be refinished and brought upstairs.  Her scratched and worn table is quite ornate, only it needs restored.  A vintage glass-front cupboard seems to droop in the corner.  Massive curtains confiscate the floor-to-ceiling windows. A brass chandelier begs for retirement.  

The final dilemma is that M's budget is very, very tight.  She has a wonderful husband and two small boys.  Their lives are busy and family is very important.  Not much money can be thrown into the home.  She wants beauty and function and memories.  And all of these things need to be within the scope of the family budget.

M asks me to include in the finished design:

the formal dining room

the formal living room (photo tour reveal on Wednesday September 9th)

the breakfast/keeping room (photo tour reveal on Friday September 11th)

Here are her BEFORE pictures of the formal dining room:

BEFORE

BEFORE

Well, there will be many more blogs on details featured in this room.  But for now, how about a tour of M's Formal dining room?

AFTER:

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Isn't it fabulous?

Accomplished in this re-design:

Painting the room 

Refinishing/Restoring the vintage table and 4 leaves

Refinishing and recovering 6 antique chairs

Replacing the chandelier

Repurposing the Corner cupboard

Repurposing an antique dining hutch

Fashioning a centerpiece

Re-designing the contents of the Corner Cupboard

Re-designing the elements on top of the family dining hutch

Incorporating wall art and a mirror

Setting the table with the family's antique china

We stayed within the planned budget

Stay tuned!  Wednesday we reveal M's BEFORE AND AFTER photo tour of the Living room!  And it's just as breathtaking!  Friday we reveal M's BEFORE AND AFTER  photo tour of the Breakfast/Keeping room! 

Love Y'all!

Ashley