LOADED!

Announcement:  I'm no longer accepting wedding planning or event planning clients at this time.

I'm now focusing on interior design clients and our own homes and projects.  By the way, we've added one more home to the renovation list.  In addition to the American Colonial we just purchased to renovate, another hoarder's home across the street from new home was presented to us at an offer we couldn't refuse.  Hoarders are landing in our lap like there is no tomorrow.  We plan on flipping this house and hopefully more.  The condition of this house is bad, bad, bad to the bone!  By bad, I mean REALLY bad.  Will is overseeing the two house's wall demolitions, and renovations on one street while I maintain the house and biz on Pickwick street.  It has been getting a bit confusing when we talk about where or what house we are working on during our daily project convos.  So, we need to come up with names for the houses.  Pickwick 1, 2.  U0, U1

Are we crazy?  Yes.  Are we excited?  Yes!  Will and I have a passion for saving and updating new homes. 

Here's a glimpse.  In a two week period, four of these have left the new house full of disgusting stuff.  I'll have to upload a pic of the exterior of the new house once I have more time.  Needless to say, between all the recent weddings, houses, and guttings...we've been doing a lot of loading and unloading!!  

Wish us luck. We NEED it!

xx

sharon 

Kitchen Trend: Classic Lines + Modern Features

In restoring our 1930's American Colonial house, the words that keep echoing in my mind are "Appropriateness" and "Quality".


In designing our new 'old' kitchen, I have been stalling on decisions for the appliances.  Until I found these.

  

One of the speakers at Design Camp was a sub zero wolf rep and one trend she mentioned was that stainless steel is seeing a digression in the design world.   Surprising, huh?  Not really.  She shared some newer subzero models that are going back to the 'classic look' we remember from Grandma's house.  Classic with modern features.  While I'd love to go with sub zero, my heart keeps taking me back to these pictured above by AGA. 

We're about to push the 'go' button on these three AGA appliances  in 'vintage white'.  And, lucky for us, they just so happen to be hosting a promotion until December 31st!

I've spoken with several designer friends who use this brand who say that it is not only a beautiful and 'green conscious' brand, but that the cooking capabilities are amazing and super long lasting.  I'm curious though, because we are buying this product blindly.  {There aren't any on the showroom floor here in the Midwest!} Any of you out there using the AGA brand or do you have a brand of appliances that you would swear by?

xx
sharon

Today is trash talk: "Our American Colonial House Progress"

House progress:  Here's a snapshot of one corner of the kitchen before we got possession.  I've contemplated sharing it with you because it's a grossly descriptive glimpse into some of the living conditions of the home.  I'm not here to make judgements about it or the homeowner, but really just showing you for the sake of letting you get a grasp for what Will and his friend Creighton have gone through to get the house to where it is today.  It's still a long way from being done.

Will brought this chandelier over from the kitchen at the old house.  Which reminds me, a lot of locals have been asking me where we are living right now and if we are selling our current house.  We are still living in the old house while  renovations are going on and haven't decided whether we want to let go of the old house yet.  Between two houses, a storefront, kids, and business as usual, COMMUNICATION about the house renovations{between Will and I} can be very challenging, let alone agreeing on design decisions and things.  We've agreed for the most part though.  I will say that balancing our normal life before this, was challenging enough, but this is a whole new world I had no idea about until now!  I am grateful that we are not living in the house thru the process.  I think that would be really difficult.  I DO so look forward to the day we can simplify our lives.

Will has been manning the renovations full time and wants my design input, but it's really hard for me to find the time to focus on it outside of work.  It's definitely in my head and all I want to do is dream up plans about it.  I just need to get it down on paper and, Oh, find the time to source materials!   I hope to go check out marble this weekend, and choose a picket for the front yard.  Of course, the picket I want is not milled anymore.

This week, we had the lower cabinets gutted.  I wanted to keep them, but they were just beyond trying to keep. They had been infested with mice for a long, long time.  So you can imagine the smell that would waft out of them, when you opened the doors.

A wonderful mudroom and pantry right off the kitchen.   I'm in love with this part of the house.  We will have a really nice kitchen for the first time in our lives.

Will and Creighton and his mom finished painting the house.  I think it turned out great.  For now, we've chosen to leave the shutters off. The spindly hedges are now gone and we want to add a picket fence around the perimeter of the house for safety and for added curb appeal.  My pinterest board titled 'Our American Colonial Home Inspirations' has been blowing up with ideas I love.  Also, watch for uploads on 'Our American Colonial House Progress' board as well.
Here's a direct link to that page...Sharon Taylor Designs.

This is a shot of the boys  {Creighton, Will and bubs-ers} on the cherry picker that we rented for 24 hours to get the paint on all the up-high spots.  They took advantage of every minute of daylight in those 24 hours.  {Obviously, the light is waning in the pic.}

Hope I haven't bored you here.  I've been trying to figure out what you'd like to see more of here on the blog.. If it's more house updates on the blog, please let me know.  As always, I LOVE hearing from you.

Happy Friday!

xx
sharon