The Kitchen and Family Room: The Reveal

Back in January I mentioned that we were going to begin decorating the house we moved in a little over a year ago.  There is SO much to do so we decided to take it room by room.  The first stop? The kitchen and family room.  These are the two rooms that we spend the most amount of time in so it made sense to start there.  

When I met with my designers from Hovie Interiors, I told them that I wanted a space that people never wanted to leave.  I want my guests to feel like they can kick off their shoes, pour a glass of wine and sit for hours.  I have a thing for The Redbury in LA and love how they mix patterns and textures to create an unexpected yet cozy feel.  And of course, it had to be practical too with three little ones running around.

They went BEYOND all expectations with what they put together.  I think they may have gone into my mind and pulled everything I love out.  I already shared with you the chandelier, which was the first purchase and kicked off what was such a great experience.  Here is a look and what we did.

Yes, Minnie Mouse insisted on taking a nap on the new couch

Family Room: Sofa: Room & Board with custom fabric 'total' / Chairs: Room & Board / Coffee Table: Planks USA (custom) / Rug: Crate and Barrel / Pillows: Custom and Vintage / Throw Blanket: Restoration Hardware / Family Photo: Photo by Savvy in San Francisco, canvas by Costco / Harper's Bazaar Print: All Posters / San Francisco Print: Etsy

The kitchen: Chandelier: Vintage / Barstools: Planks USA (custom) / Table: Comforts of Home (custom) / Rug: Ballard Designs

We are still looking for the perfect light to hang in the family room and need to order the bench for behind the couch but it feels amazing to have two rooms done in the house!  What's next?  This lovely room.

Our living room as been sitting empty since we moved in and I cannot wait to fill it, though we will be taking a breather for a little bit (keeping the hubby happy is a must).  Our designers already have so many fun ideas though!  Slowly but surely, this house is becoming a home.  In the meantime, I am thinking I should take advantage of the open space and throw a party, this being the dance room.  DJ in the corner and a dance floor to protect the wood.  Wouldn't that be perfect?!

P.S. Taking photos of rooms is SO hard!  I have a lot of respect for all home magazines now.

Coffee Table with PLANKS USA

Back in October I mentioned in this post that PLANKS USA, a custom furniture store based here in Orange County, offered me a coffee table to experience their hands on design process.  I am so excited that right before Christmas the table has been delivered and I am obsessed!

The process was incredibly easy and so hands on.  Here is how simple and easy they made the entire design process.

Initially, the Head Designer came out to visit my home to help determine the right size and shape for the coffee table.  He listened to my taste, what I was looking for from a functionality standpoint, my plans for decorating and the shape of the room.  I loved that he immediately suggested a round table due to having children that could easily hit a corner and get hurt.  Through our discussion, we both agreed that an oval table would look amazing.  Not only would it fill the center of the room but who has an oval table?!  It was going to be so unique!

The next step was me visiting the showroom and picking out the legs that I wanted.  They had what felt like a million to pick from.  After looking at samples and magazine inspiration, this is the one I picked.

I also decided on the final design of the table and went with one that would have both a top and bottom similar to this table below.

After only a week I received a call that the table was built and to come in to ensure it looked how I was expecting it to.  This way, they could change anything I requested prior to staining and finishing.  I love this because a lot of time, what you order is what you get and it is not always what you expect.  I absolutely loved it and couldn't wait to see the final product.

The last step was selecting the final finish.  They put together some samples for me based on our discussions and I was able to see my options in person prior to creating the finish on the table.  I am a huge fan of samples because something can sound great but you never really know.  They had so many options it was nice to talk through the selection and what would look best.  In the end, I went with a worn black waxed look on the legs and a dark black finish on the top and bottom.

Yesterday the table was delivered and it completely surpassed all expectations.  It is absolutely gorgeous and the quality is impeccable.  The room was completely transformed (and I need a new rug...but that is a different story).

I could not have been happier with the final product and the people at PLANKS USA were such a pleasure to work with.  They are located in Lake Forest and I highly suggest visiting their website here if you are in the market for some new furniture.  The hubby and I are already creating our list of what we would like to have them build next.  I am definitely a returning customer.  Thank you so much PLANKS USA for everything! 

* Juggling in Heels was provided this coffee table free of charge from PLANKS USA but all opinions are 100% my own.

PLANKS USA

Last week I was invited into the PLANKS USA showroom to preview their collections and custom furniture orders.  PLANKS USA uses refurbished wood, steel and industrial products to create vintage, retro and trendy style interiors for restaurants, retail shops, hotels and homes.  Since I am constantly on the look out for great pieces for our new home and this style is right up my alley, I jumped at the chance to take a visit, even if it meant bringing Baby Girl along for the ride.  Thank goodness they had candy.

As soon as I walked into the showroom I knew exactly where my next piece of furniture was coming from.  It is like they went into my head and began pulling ideas prior to me even showing up.  The pieces were not only incredibly unique but gorgeous and would fit into a home with both modern and traditional pieces (a.k.a mine) perfectly.  

Some of my favorites were the oversized dining rooms tables, the cow hide stools, and the metal and wood coffee tables, just to name a few.  If I happened to own a restaurant or bar, I would want it to look just like their recent project, The Fat Cow at the Grove in LA.  It is pretty incredible.  As I was shown around the showroom I also learned about the company, how it came about and their desire to use only recycled materials.  It is a pretty great story but I will let you read it for yourself here.  I also asked them to send me some of photos of my favorite pieces so I could share with you just a small piece of what they create.  

 PLANKS USA is located in Lake Forest, Ca. and you can either shop from their website here or stop in their showroom to discuss creating a custom piece for your home.  If you are at all curious as to how the process of creating a custom furniture piece with them would go, the generous individuals at PLANKS USA have offered to create me a custom coffee table for our family room so I will be sharing the entire step by step process with you soon!  Keep an eye out!