Throwback Thursday

This is a throwback Thursday project from several years ago! I don't think I ever showed you Champs this transformation of my friends' Jeff and Julie's warehouse- turned -office space. 

They purchased this building in Zeeland for Jeff's business called 'Diverse Dimensions'.  I'm too dumb to tell you exactly what he does, but he's an engineer of some kind and works with something called a "Faro Arm" to obtain precise measurements of things. It's all Greek to me, but I was excited that they hired me to help with design elements and colors for the space. 

I am too lazy (wow, lazy and dumb? I'm being hard on myself tonight). :) to dig through my photo folders to show you the before shots, but please picture an empty box. High ceilings and enormous rooms were all it had going for it at the time.
Jeff has a great sense of design and he knew what look he was after.  He wanted a space that had some warmer elements to it but also an industrial feel. 

 
The inspiration for the color scheme came from this laminate counter top below.

 
It's hard to see in this picture, but it's a uniform pattern of polka dots of brown, creams, blues and tans. Once we picked our color palate, we spent some time deciding which walls to accentuate. It made sense to set apart the kitchen area with color and define the lobby/entry and separate work areas with different colors.

Jeff wanted his work tables to be functional, yet funky so he had these custom tables/standing work stations made and we had the same laminate treatment applied to them as well as the perimeter desks in the room.

The slate (dark gray/blue) color we chose, we wrapped all the way around the room on the base of the mezzanine.  The dark brown wall defines the work stations. I loved Jeff's vision for the balcony railings. Industrial wire with rustic pine beams.

 We chose a medium toned commercial grade flecked berber carpet that also had the color palate we were working off of.

This whole space has been retro-fitted.  This stairwell never originally existed to the top level. 

 This pic was shot toward the front of the building.  Who doesn't need a ping-pong table to relieve workday stresses? Sweet!

 Here's the adjacent angle. Ping pong table would be to the right of the exit sign.

 View from the front of the building looking to the southwest corner kitchen.

I have done only 6 commercial projects in my design career.  I usually prefer residential but this one was an exception.  It was so much fun working with my friends on this.  They also had hired me to help with updates to their own home and I'll try to post those sometime soon. 

I also didn't want to leave you hanging from last blog post regarding my uncharacteristic yellow accents in my living.

If you remember from last time, I had repurposed some old Goodwill sweaters into pillows. I was waiting on drapes I ordered from West Elm to tie things together. 

Here's the glimpse to the opening of a big can of worms!

Here's what started the madness.

This too.

Now, let the fun begin....

I love these. The deep gold is actually raised velvet on a cream cotton. They're also luxury length (96") so I love that they make the room feel taller and wider. 

I know, I know. That's a lot of pattern for me. Maybe for anyone but I really like it. I would like it even better if I could justify buying a small scale urban looking gray sectional that wrapped the room. Maybe then we would actually use this space.

These, I also found at West Elm. I'm not as impressed with this pair. I thought the fabric would look more like linen and it's just a flat silk screened look on cotton. You can kinda tell in the pic.

They were cheap though so I can't complain too loudly. $35/each.

I hung them in my back living room to tie the gray into this room.

It's always something over here. Just wrapped up a Bible Study this week on spending. 

Yikes.

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Just Another Manic Monday

Last week I had a little bit of time to kill before I picked up my oldest daughter at school. Right across from the high school is a fairly new, clean Goodwill store. I was motivated to score some treasures to transform for the Spring Peddler's Market I referred to in my last post. 

I didn't end up finding any great furniture pieces or even any re-pupose-able accessories for that matter, but I did snag two mustard colored sweaters that I planned to make into throw pillows. 

Looking back at this pic, I almost wish I would've worn them a few times before I started slicing and dicing! :)

I have a bunch of unused pillow forms in various sizes that I had bartered with a client for back in the spring of last year.  They've been patiently waiting for this transformation for almost a year. 

This project coincided with my week of 'fasting' from excessive waste. I thought it was pretty 'green' of me to try to use every last scrap of sweater for something. :)

I cut off the sleeves to be used as boot socks/leg warmers. I covered the pillow form and have to sew up the bottom yet to complete it. I cut and tightened the leftover scraps in these small embroidery rings and will be adding crocheted (sp?) details to those. I thought it might even be cute to embroider black thread into smiley faces for gift tags to put on wine bottles or gift bags. I ended up with 9 completed rings.

 This is what I had left of the original sweater. shoot! I could've made a headband or decorative fabric flower with what's left. What was I thinking?

 The yellow pillow and the striped yellow/white pillow turned out so cute, I think I have to keep them! (sorry, i didn't want to post the 'after' pics yet-i have to stitch the bottoms closed yet). I was fully intending to sell them at the spring market but after this bleak and drab winter, but the cheery yellow accents perk up my living room so nicely! (and you know, I don't usually even care for yellow-I must be desperate for sunshine!).

I will show you the big reveal as soon as I hang the new patterned West Elm drapes that coordinate with new yellow accents. I totally got buyer's remorse as soon as I ordered them online but I might surprise myself and end up liking the bright punch of color. Stay tuned for that.

Another great find at Goodwill that day....a brand new pin- tuck charcoal grey duvet and shams from Target. With tags still on. Not that I'm above buying used bedding, but this was a bonus that it was brand new, a king size to fit my bed and only $20!  Don't worry, I still washed it just to be on the safe size. 

Please ignore the nasty waffle weave white bed skirt. I haven't had time to replace that with a tan linen yet. Back to Goodwill I go! :)

 I also wanted to give you a quick look at a client/friend's mini remodel that I've been working on lately.  This is Jackie's sun room that sits off her living room that we are taking from browns to grays. The walls in here used to be cream with lime green recliner chairs where the loveseat now sits.  She reported that this room never got used because it wasn't comfortable or enticing. 
We added the quatra-foil wallpaper, new sofa, pillows and rug and are now on the hunt for a great coffee table, 2 side end tables and matching lamps. I'll send pics soon to show you what we find. 

Sorry about the scattered thoughts today. Trying to get motivated for a productive week of projects and progress for clients but wanted to meet you here for a bit. 

Check back soon. 

Oh, and let me know if any of you champs would like to be involved in downtown Zeeland's Spring Peddler's Market (see previous post). 

I did get word that I will be part of it. More info. to come, but they are looking for more creative and crafty vendors.

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Spring Peddler's Market-An Artfully Curious Faire

Calling all you "Pinterest-lovin'-tree-huggin'-know-a-great-deal-when-you-see-one" kind of guys and gals! Our first annual downtown Zeeland Spring Peddler's Market is coming to Church Street this May 17!

If I can get my act in gear and crank out some product, I will be there hawking my wares!

We are looking for more vendors, so if you specialize in any of the above goodies, contact www.feelthezeel.com to apply.  It is a juried entry and for that matter, I don't even know if I'm in yet, but we'd love to have some classy booths representing.  Even if I dont' make the cut to sell, I will for sure be there to buy! :)

In honor of that event and because I finally found some of the motivation I lost this bleak winter, I have been putting some lost time in making these planked styled signs that seem to be a crowd favorite. 

Some, I brought to the booth last week. Some I'm saving for the market. 

 Any summer weddings coming up? Great shower or wedding gift. I can even personalize the bottom with their wedding date. (making the sign slightly taller).

 Once again, hubby does the hard work. I do the easy part. Here's how these bad boys look before a little TLC and paint.

 All of these I'm saving for the market. They're one of a kind. You can't tell in the pic, but these are smaller planks. These were made from the smaller scraps leftover from the larger signs.

Garage sale season can't start soon enough as far as I'm concerned and I'm determined to get back in the garage and work on some trash- to- treasure items for all you wonderful champs.
I still have an attic full of possibilities. Just need some nice spring-like weather to thaw out the old fingers, break out the dusty paintbrushes and get to work!

If you have any questions or would like to be involved with the Peddler's Market, let me know. You can email me at christyboeve@yahoo.com

More pictures and  info to come soon!

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