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Transformed: Haystacks boutique in Traverse City

Sep 02, 2010

Last spring I started working with Lizzi Lambert, owner of Haystacks, on some graphic design projects. (That's what I do in my other life.) With a polished new identity, Lizzi took on another improvement to her unique casual-clothing business by opening a new store in Traverse City, expanding upon her established spaces in Leland and Suttons Bay. She asked for my help creating a plan to transform the former dark/earthy tea bar into a light, bright space that would show off her colorful prints and original designs. And, ever-ambitious, she wanted to open in 30 days.

I had to come up with ideas that would make the most impact in the shortest amount of time, and on a pretty tight budget. Covering the former chocolate-olive–terra cotta-mustard color scheme was most important, and it needed to be done quickly and beautifully. Black Oaks Painting did an excellent job, and the whole place was finished in less than two weeks, including the very high ceiling.

I also developed a color scheme for the exterior to show off the crisp new logo, designed a plan for a fitting room space that required no carpentry, and did some secondhand shopping for vintage seating that could be turned into bright little jewels for each fitting room. The Dwelement concept worked for Lizzi because she wanted to do most of the work herself. She paid for a creative plan and a bit of footwork, but saved the expense of installation and product mark-ups. She took some liberties with the plan, too, and I think that's great! It's another advantage of my "relaxed" interior design services— as opposed to being at the mercy of a designer with an all-or-nothing approach. You keep some control, if you want it.

Click to enlarge the before and after photos below, then stop in and see it for yourself at 232 East Front Street, Traverse City, Michigan. Haystacks is filled with fun, ever-evolving clothing designed and fabricated in Leland, Michigan. You can also shop online: haystacks.net.

Before

Before: The former Serenity Tea Bar had a color scheme befitting its product, but the beautiful tin ceiling was downplayed, and the space was all wrong for the Haystacks brand.

Before: The service counter would become the checkout area. What to do with those laminate countertops? See the solution below. (Hint: We used a product I've written about before.)

Before: A seating area would become fitting rooms. Without building any walls.

Before: Color scheme aside, this paint had taken a beating after seeing the likes of so many cups of matcha and rooibos.

After

After: The space is a bright but neutral backdrop for Haystacks' colorful knit clothing. Walls and fixtures were painted with Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, my favorite shade of white. It's a softened white without yellow undertones.

After: The front of the store is welcoming and has a view of the renovated State Theatre. I specified a gorgeous Candice Olsen chandelier for the front (at an unbelievable price!). It's still awaiting its moment to shine— for now we'll let the original ceiling be the star.

After: The hardwood floors are the only thing recognizable from the previous design. The tin ceiling and lighting fixtures were sprayed with a coat of Sherwin-Williams Pool Blue. The effect is like shopping under a clear sky.

After: Lizzi Lambert's original designs are crafted in Leelanau County. Shown here, a rack of Bias Skirts in her summer fabrics. Coming soon: gorgeous knits from France for fall!

After: A former seating area was transformed into a fitting area with conduit piping and cotton duck drapes, which Lizzi made herself. A long drape also conceals the business area of the store in back. Flooring in the fitting area is peel-and-stick tile, covering the former brown linoleum.

After: Each fitting room has a piece of vintage furniture painted in a juicy shade and reupholstered with Haystacks fabric. I found the furniture at Riverside Resale and Reclectia for $20-30 apiece. Lizzi did a beautiful job refurbishing it herself.

After: Fitting room draperies are hung from the conduit pipe using ball chain looped through grommets. This solution was fast, inexpensive, and do-able thanks to Lizzi's DIY skills. It also lends the space an industrial feel that contrasts nicely with the girly prints in the shop.

After: Countertops, formerly a shiny faux-stone laminate in a mustardy shade, are now pearl gray after a coat of Rustoleum Specialty Countertop Coating in Light Ash, a product I discovered at Lowes. Lizzi said the process was easy (though smelly), and the finish is holding up well despite a somewhat slapdash job. She plans to replace the counters eventually.

After: Space under the former bar is maximized as a merchandising area that customers see while waiting to check out.

After: The exterior stands out from its neighbors in a deep navy blue with white column accents. Stop and shop at 232 E. Front St., Traverse City. Also visit Haystacks in Leland or Suttons Bay, or shop online: haystacks.net.

ALL PHOTOS: Diane Kolak, Dwelement Home Design, LLC

Do you have a small business that could use a little design help? No matter where you're located, I can create a design plan for your space that you can manage and/or execute on your own schedule. Sometimes a commercial project is best handled by a full-service on-site designer, but if you're on a limited budget and you just need a creative nudge or a few ideas to improve the look of your space, Dwelement eDecor Plans are perfect! Email me for more details. —Diane

TAGS: traverse city michigan interior decorator designer commercial space cosmetic update haystacks clothing boutique store shop leland suttons bay design color consultation quick fast turnaround budget renovation rustoleum specialty countertop coating paint review sherwin williams pool blue alabaster painted tin ceiling diane kolak

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Painting Wood Paneling: It's okay.

Aug 29, 2010

Whitewashing is a big trend right now. In fact, according to the latest House Beautiful lying rumpled and tea-stained on my favorite porch chair, it's one of the top five current trends in home decorating. In all the shelter mags and blogs, we're seeing pale paint looking really good. But there's always a certain chunk of the population who hold fast to the tenet that wood (or even its ersatz equivalent) should never be painted. Here I offer visual evidence to the contrary.

Got paneling? Paint it. Hate your knotty pine? Get out the brush. The time is now, the look is classic. You won't be sorry.

I saw this amazing transformation on the blog of Kansas City designer Jill Tran. She modernized this staid living room while keeping some of the major furnishings. Even in a room like this with rich-looking wood, paint can make all the difference. Read all of the details and see more photos on Jill's blog here.

BEFORE: Dark paneling makes the room look dated.

AFTER: Jill Tran's off-white-and-gray color scheme modernizes the space without losing the traditional look. Drapes are used effectively to visually expand small windows, and symmetry lends focus to the space. Notice how the same sofa looks more expensive in the new space.

BEFORE: An adjacent sitting room looks a little lonely, and the yellow paint is too bright and contrasty to work with this paneling.

AFTER: The softened color scheme and consistent window treatments tie the space to the living room. Check out the refurbished bench and armchairs. You don't always need to start over for a completely different look.

This before-and-after comes from the blog of home stager Judy Heinrich. Look how her recommendations made this knotty pine living room come to life.

BEFORE: Uninviting and monotone.

AFTER: Sunny, fresh, and up to date with a coat of Sherwin-Williams Softer Tan (SW-6141). Less wood on the walls makes the flooring stand out as an asset.

Still hesitant to paint wood paneling or trim in your home? My eDecor Plans contain multiple three-dimensional views of your finished space, so you don't have to wonder if you'll like the result— it's all in front of your eyes before you spend a dime on renovations. Very few online decorators or e-decorating services offer this feature, and those that do come in at a higher price point than Dwelement. Check out some samples to see the level of detail in Dwelement's eDecor Plans. Then email me to get started! eDecor Plans are $50 off for two more days, through August 31, 2010. —Diane

TAGS: painting wood paneling trim white whitewashing pale paint color trends knotty pine oak mahogany fake faux wood panels before and after photos inspiration rooms edecor edecorating e-decorating

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Transformed: Woodsy Accent Table

Jul 12, 2010

What kind of home decorating project requires the following supply list?

1 can satin black spray paint
1 can metallic bronze spray paint
Painter's tape
Several paper grocery bags
~~6 glass jars from recycling bin~~
About a dozen small rocks
Garden clippings, your choice
More garden clippings, but flatter
One large, heavy book
Cast-iron Dutch oven with lid

The answer: this accent-table transformation! Let's just say I had plans, and they didn't quite go as expected, so a few extraneous items worked their way into the solution.

We've had this cheap little side table on our screened porch for several years. I bought it on clearance at Target for $10 because it had a slightly chipped edge. It's nothing special, but I liked its modern simplicity and it holds a couple of drinks and a lamp nicely. It started to look even shabbier from use, so I decided to give it a spiffy paint job.

Above is the scratched, faded, and chipped table before…

The plan was to paint it satin black with the insides of the base in bronze, and a bronze top over which I'd use ferns as a natural stencil and then paint it black. So it would be black with a nice bronzey fern design on top and crisp bronze inside edges. And as you can see, the final result is a big improvement.

The completed project, back in its home on the porch and topped with a $3 lamp from Goodwill. Metallic spray paint has actual metal particles in it. It will have a texture, whether you like it or not. The table surface would have been smoother if I hadn't needed a double coat of bronze.

Here's how it should have gone:

Paint top and insides of base bronze, let dry.
While paint dries, find perfect fern fronds in garden and clip for later use.
Mask off bronze parts with grocery bag for top and painter's tape inside the base. Paint satin black, let dry.
Remove masking from table top only. Arrange ferns on top and spray black over them. Let dry.
Remove all masking, place table on porch and make a mojito.

Here's how it actually went:

Paint top and insides of base bronze. Let dry.
Go for walk and get caught in rain, realize table is getting wet. Let dry.
While paint dries, search garden in vain for fern fronds that have not been grossly malformed by the May onslaught of tent caterpillars. Find a few to call good enough. Test out pattern on scrap grocery bags. Ferns too fuzzy-looking, find something else.
Search garden and woods for pine branches, hemlock branches, beech leaves, columbine foliage… Test them all. Pine looks pretty cool after a quick spray on the paper bag. Go with it. Below: Ferns too fuzzy, columbine too clumpy, hemlock too heavy, pine pretty good.
Mask off bronze parts with grocery bag for top and painter's tape inside the base. Realize that paper bag is going to need to be secured at the edges. Tape will get in the way. Search recycling bin for glass jars to hold down edges. Of course, husband just dropped off recycling… only one jar. Use rocks instead. Pick through landscaping stones for heavy, flat rocks that also are not too pretty, since they're going to get painted black. Arrange around outside of paper-bag mask.
Paint satin black. Let dry.
Remove masking from table top only. Arrange pine clippings on top and spray black over them. Realize that it's going to take a lot of paint to cover the negative spaces; spray more.
Remove pine branches and see that the result is not good. Let dry.
Mask edges of table top. Repaint table top bronze to cover crummy pine design. Let dry.
Find something flatter to use as a stencil. Bugbane foliage looks cool, stays flat, but I still don't think it will work without some help. Place bugbane fronds in big recipe binder and top with huge cast-iron Dutch oven. Cover and simmer one hour.
Remove flattened fronds from binder and place on table. Pray for wind to die down. Spray satin black again. Let dry.
Remove all masking, place table on porch.
Make a mojito. Spill mojito on self. Let dry.

Well worth an extra 6 Bucks: paint trigger

I bought a spray-paint trigger, and even after a lot of spraying today, my fingers don't feel like they're going to snap off at the first knuckle. I'd recommend the well designed Rustoleum Comfort Grip. It cinches around the rim of the paint can and allows paint to spray through a wide opening. No cleaning between colors! I got mine at Lowe's for $6.28.

Do you have a fun project to share with other home dec enthusiasts? Send me before and after photos and I'll feature it here on Room for Inspiration! Just email me. —Diane

TAGS: before and after photos side table accent table end table transformation spray paint rustoleum satin black bronze metallic using natural elements plants as stencils

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Transformed: Thrift-Store Side Table

May 11, 2010

Things are pretty busy here at Dwelement! No time for a blog post today, so I'm going to share a nifty before-and-after post from a brilliant French blogger-acquaintance of mine. Marianne has a great eye for finding thrifted furniture and turning it into beautiful, affordable pieces for her home. She's expecting her first baby soon, and this table transformation for her nursery caught my eye. Read the full post for details on how she did it here on her baby blog. Also check out her home-decor blog for creative decor ideas and some amazing cut-paper craft inspiration: Noces de Coton. Enjoy! —Diane

BEFORE

AFTER

TAGS: thrifted furniture thrift store transformation before and after pictures chalkboard paint nursery ideas

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Before & After: Tiny Bathroom Gets the Dwelement Treatment!

Mar 08, 2010

Dwelement is different from many interior design businesses. I present plans and then give homeowners the ability to put it all together on their own schedule, as their budgets allow and without paying high prices and product mark-ups. The concept has been well received by DIY fans and regular people who want professional ideas but don't want the expense or commitment of working with a conventional interior designer. And working from photos, it allows me to work with clients anywhere in the world, or right down the road.

So I drove down the road to Bellaire when Bev and Terry asked for my help with their small bathroom renovation. The bathroom is primarily Terry's domain, but with its central location is also used by guests. The couple wanted a masculine look that was up to date but blended with the rest of their rustic riverside home.

The existing 3/4 bathroom functioned pretty well but needed a style update. So the plan was to keep the existing layout and redo the flooring and fixtures. Here's a look at the "before":

We talked about function and style preferences, and I put a plan together for a bathroom with a crisp but natural feel. I started by choosing the tile and the rest of the look followed from there. American Olean Porte Leona porcelain tile in Noce with Universal Brick accent strip has a clean and earthy look that's classic enough to have a long life. The upper walls pick up the brick color in the tile with Sherwin-Williams' Reddened Earth (SW6053). I also specified a neutral paint (Versatile Gray, SW6072) as a more conservative option, but Bev and Terry liked the bold reddish brown, and I'm happy they chose it!

I gave Bev and Terry another option by specifying both a pedestal sink and an enclosed vanity cabinet. We discussed the pros and cons of each, and they opted for more storage with a vanity. (Most of the renderings here show the pedestal sink option with a cabinet on the facing wall for storage.) Once the major decisions were made, work began and everything came together to create a simple but bold bathroom that fits the couple's style and functional needs.

Here's a peek at some of the 3D Views I prepared to help my clients visualize the results. There's no guesswork when you can see the space before you spend a dime.

Plan view

Section planes, or cut-away views, make visualizing a small space easier. It's like removing a wall.

Even small details, like the stone shelving with bronze brackets, are shown in the 3D views.

I did a rough rendering of the alternative vanity option, which the clients ultimately chose.

Here's the bold "after":

A grey granite top settles just beneath the row of accent tiles, and a handsome rubbed bronze faucet is a focal point. I chose square lines for many of the fixtures to create a masculine feel. The undermounted sink is as low-maintenance as it gets.

The vanity is a simple stock unit from Lowes. Its Shaker lines blend with the cabinetry in the adjacent kitchen.

The shower is shown to full effect with a frameless glass door. (Beautiful tile installation by Wayne Strang Tile& Stone, Traverse City.)

This is one of my favorite features: granite shelving above the toilet replaced a dated oak cabinet. Kudos to carpenter Steve Poel for developing a sturdy hanging solution for these heavy but statement-making shelves.

This example illustrates a couple of key points that distinguish my working style from that of conventional interior designers.

You don't have to give your space over to a professional's preferences.

My approach to design is often collaborative. I enjoy giving homeowners choices and helping them understand the merits of each option. The result is a room that fits the homeowner's style, but perhaps with solutions they couldn't have imagined on their own. They feel more invested in the design when it's clear that they have played a part in its development. When a client understands the reasoning and artistry behind a design, they're more confident making future choices for the space.

You don't have to pay for anything but my design advice.

Once I handed over the plan, Bev and Terry were happy to manage the contractors and do the shopping themselves. The plan included live links to all of the products I chose, and I recommended a local tile installer and gave them a local source for the tile I'd specified. They paid no mark-ups on the products, and saved a lot of money by taking on the nuts-and-bolts aspects of the job themselves.

Download the Inspiration Board for this bathroom with live links to all the products here:

Bev & Terry's Handsome Simplicity

Do you need a "second set of eyes" on your room remodel? Maybe you only need help with a few small decisions. No design dilemma is too small for me. I can help you understand your options and lead you to the best decision, saving time and money down the road. Just email me, and I'll figure out the best, most affordable way I can help you solve your design problems. —Diane

TAGS: bathroom renovation remodel before and after pictures photos tile edecorating e-decorating edecor interior designer decorator traverse city bellaire michigan

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