Mobile Bay Magazine :: The Website

recently, several of my posts have been featured on the Mobile Bay Magazine website. {click HERE to see the most recent: an interview about the kitchen renovation featured in the previous post}

it is such an honor to be featured, and even though it may not be an actual publication in the "hold-it-in-your-hands" sense, it counts as being pretty darn close in my simple mind :)

i debated on whether or not to post about this, but i am happy about it, and i do want to bring some publicity to this great local publication. also, i wasnt aware until recently what a wonderful resource their website is. it is packed full of great information for locals, as well as for those who just wish they were locals - ha!

i love where i live!

photo: Mobile Press Register

go mobile!

{and thank you Mobile Bay Magazine}

i've heard it has been said...

that it is kinda hard to be an interior designer, have a website {for work}, and not have any of your work on it. hmmmmm....i think "they" are right.

so, without further adieu, i give you a nearly completed recent project. {minus light fixtures and draperies}. {you can see other "progress" pictures here}

the project consisted of an existing kitchen, breakfast room, and a small "playroom" and full bath attached to the kitchen. the kitchen layout was not working for the client and was in need of updating.

we demolished, well, everything back to the studs and created a brand new space. the small breakfast room was replaced with a sitting area, or "wine room" for the clients. we opened up the wall between the kitchen and playroom, removed closets that were blocking the view of the gorgeous backyard, and replaced with a bank of windows. the attached full bath was replaced with a half bath, and a walk-in pantry was added.

the existing kitchen did not have much usable counter space, and had an odd corner pantry where the freezer was kept. we removed the pantry and added a cased opening between the kitchen and existing playroom, making the kitchen feel more open and have better flow to the new breakfast room. the appliance placement in the existing kitchen was also not cooking-friendly {as the client was always "running laps" around the island to get something out of the refrigerator and back to the sink and/or cooktop}

the island actually got larger in the new plan, but the new kitchen has appliances placed in "zones" {with the "cooking triangle" not interrupted by the island} and actually "makes cooking fun" {as quoted by client :)}.

im really excited about the results and cant wait to add the final touches {some of the more fun touches if i do say so myself!!}

ill give you some before and afters, just because i enjoy them so much:

before:

after:

before:

after:

before:

after:

before:

after:

before:

after:

and some more afters:

wine cabinet i designed - the center part is actually a large wine refrigerator; the cabinets are built around it

closet under the stairs {that used to house client's wine} was turned into a powder room

new half bath in breakfast room {wallpaper we planned on had to be nixed, so space needs to be painted...it will not be left primed as shown!}

{and i promise to be better about photographing my other past and future work...i need to get out more with my camera!!...if that is even possible!}

credits:

contractor: BW Construction

cabinets: Tucker Cabinetry

floor plan, cabinet design, interior design: Natalie Roe Interior Design

to be charleston...

is to be nearly perfect i think

as many who have come before me have said, its one of those places you visit and can easily see yourself living.

southern {check}

clean {check}

beach {check}

great restaurants {check}

things to do {check}

shopping {check}

inspiring architecture {check - well at least its the icing on the top of my cake}

you can go HERE to see other aspects of our four day charleston vacation

i would highly recommend the following

we stayed at the Francis Marion Hotel, circa 1924. {as in the hotel was built then, that is not the year we transplanted ourselves into. duh, but English is a funny language and you have to watch your transition placement. uck, ok no more grammar....}

as usual, my camera was either a)around my neck or b)close by my side in my purse

at all times. resulting in a myriad of pictures.

what was amazing to me was how safe, clean, and populated downtown Charleston is. it reminded me a lot of my hometown, Mobile AL, to an extent: Mobile is working its tail off to return the streets of our downtown to this state, and they really are doing a wonderful job. we just have a little ways to go and Charleston showed me the potential of the beautiful southern city i call home.

Charleston was founded in the marshes of South Carolina by English settlers in 1670. the settlers built their houses and managed the city planning in the way with which they were familiar: narrow lots close together. businesses on the first floor and residences above. if i remember correctly, the reason for this was because the homeowners were taxed on the area of the street front their homes occupied. {please correct me if im wrong}

most of the houses had one or two story piazzas, or porches, to catch the sea breezes.

hate that this picture is blurry, bc it sure was purdy, and resembled many of the historic homes in downtown Mobile

after the devastating earthquake of 1886, earthquake bolts were used to stabilize the houses that survived. cables were placed between floors and tightened with bolts on the outside of the house to help pull the weakened walls back together.

this house is an example of legit earthquake bolts

this house is not.

much of the new construction in the historic districts of charleston still implements these earthquake bolts, however theirs are more for aesthetics and not function.

you see this everywhere in architecture and design - new construction made to look old, or weathered, or {in other words} full of character. personally, im all for the old charm. but if you cant get the real thing, fake it!

• use reclaimed wood from abandoned or condemned buildings for wood flooring
• reuse old wooden doors
• antiques
• revisit classical styles of construction, proportions, symmetry
• raised ceilings
• tall windows
• lotsa fireplaces
• stick with classical hardware finishes, like polished nickel or brass or even cast iron
• picture molding
• and if you are really ambitious, try some detailed trim work, as shown below

• and if you have photoshop and a lot of time on your hands {or just some time spent poorly}, just edit the heck out of a picture and it will look like it was taken way back in the 19th century :)

i think i could have walked around with my camera for a week and not fallen tired of taking pictures. how can so much inspiration exist in one small-ish city? the details had my mind spinning

this is a terrible picture, but i loved this side entrance stairwell detail at the wickliffe house {the location of the wedding that made this entire vacation possible}

palmettos {the state's official tree} lined nearly every street

appreciation of the city's rich heritage was found everywhere...

love this lantern

and there were plenty of gorgeous front doors

i think this house was my favorite

there were some larger lots and houses located in south battery, presenting breathtaking porches and construction

i made a quick stop by this store

but only stayed for a couple brief minutes, just long enough to wipe the drool off my chin, as one certain chillin' of mine was seriously needing him a nap

rickshaws are the preferred mode of transportation, if you are a tourist, as they can get you places twice as fast as a cab {but they also happen to be twice as expensive!}. {i still would highly recommend it!}

for the locals, however, bicycles seemed to be the vehicle of choice. every single post or meter or bench had a bicycle locked to it.

{picture by Summer Spooner of Summer Photography - thanks Sum!}

i think i could have spent another four days in charleston and still not see enough. we had a blast visiting with immediate and extended family {as always!} and i personally enjoyed four days of my husband all to myself.

some of my favorite times were the little moments we spent as our family of three

so, moral of the story:

• take the time to spend "all to yourself" moments with your immediate family - its rejuvenating
• visit charleston, sc
• take the time to discover/learn about/appreciate your country/state/city's rich heritage - it can really open your eyes and inspire ...

temporarily contemporary?

im not usually one for the contemporary flavor.

i admire contemporary interiors, appreciate them, but never see the

a) comfort

b) livability or

c) practicality

in them. {in the extreme ones}

for me.

however i do love looking at lovely contemporary space and, heck, i would love to design one.

buuuuut i just dont ever see myself living in one.

buuuuut i just saw this house featured on Design*Sponge and my thoughts changed.

i really do love this space. i hit me the second i saw the pictures: i could live here.

{i love the framed wallpaper samples shown above...

what a creative, cost-friendly alternative to traditional art}

its enough contemporary but enough...not.

just enough sleek, just enough warmth.

with a touch of edge.

but not too much.

i like it.

you?