Monday, November 21, 2011

Whatever Happened With Miles Redd Green?

It all started with the ceiling falling in. The bedroom had not been painted in seven years. So why not change the color, along with the ceiling repair? The Veranda cover featuring Miles Redd with its green wall beckoned. The green bedroom of Sara Silverman done by FORM Interior Design inspired. Nick Olsen's love of emerald green tickled my fancy.

After all was said and done, and all the paint samples collected and put on the wall, the all green bedroom was not the way to go. With only one window in the room, the color wasn't so much the issue, as what the lack of light did to the color. It would have been like living in a terrarium.

This is how it turned out!

Onto Plan Z. I painted the walls greige. My Vamp Greige that I have used over and over again for myself and for design projects for others. BORING?! Yes and no.


Greige walls with green accents -  A peek inside the door of The Visual Vamp's "new" bedroom - This is how it looked in transition to the fianal look

Determined to use the gorgeous greens I collected, I switched gears and decided to use them as an accent. First up was the Nanjing Toile, with props to Tobi Fairley. I saw photos from a show house she did, and while show houses are usually the stuff of make believe, I thought the vibrant green on a new padded headboard would be the major green moment in the room.

The other side of the room - You can see the greige walls with the hand painted green diamonds done by Mitchell Settoon

Equally important was the idea to hand paint pattern on the walls, using green of course. I had the idea of doing a huge diamond pattern. Ring-ring, I called fellow blogger and my friend Mitchell Settoon, a crackerjack designer and inspired decorative painter. Both of us are not that great in the exact science of straight lines and the uber precise painting of them. I suggested a free hand approach, so the lines would look hand painted, perfect in their imperfection. Doors and bump-outs got the pattern too. I think Mitchell did an awesome job. The hint of green of the greige walls gave me the best of both worlds.


The chevron rug provides more color cues to play with - Cholo loves it!

I purchased two chevron pattern rugs, a real bargain I could not pass up HERE. There are two put together to look like one large rug. The colors in the rug gave lots of opportunity to play, and pull them into the rest of the room. The turquoise silk drapes I already had, came back into the room. They work really well with rug.

The nightstands were painted a vibrant green

I painted the nightstands the same color as the green lines on the walls. A TV armoire got repurposed elsewhere as a linen press, The two dressers remained and got rearranged. The larger flat screen from the living room got moved in on top of one of the dresses. The chaise lounge was purchased three years ago, and moved around the house first in the living room, and then in the guest bedroom. It is a tricky piece of furniture to make fit, and I think it finally found it's proper home. I also moved some huge mirrors out, replacing one with a smaller one over one dresser, and creating a gallery wall where the other one was.

The TV armoire is replaced by one of the dressers -   Now that the chaise is in here we use the room more - Note how the pattern continues on the doors

The flat screen is where the old armoire used to be

The chaise moved in

I found this green box in the closet and used it to elevate a basket of throws

The gallery wall over the chaise

The smaller mirror over the dresser

The Lucite tray Nicole Cohen made for Alberto

The guest room lamps with their bright shades came into the room, and the art work over the new headboard changed too. I hung three fabulous Philip Mayberry/Scott Walker platters over the bed. I have had these for twenty years, and never had a place to hang all three together.

Philip Maberry/Scott Walker platters over the Nanjing toile headboard - lamps with red shades moved in from guest room - Dwell Studio Hedgerow bedding - I over dyed the little Dwell Studio pillows and the Ikea duvet covers green

The guest room Dwell Studio bedding came into the room, and I over dyed two little Dwell Studio pillows and an Ikea Duvet in green. Later on I'll post the changes in the guest room. It is so great when you shop your house, and flip things around. It totally makes things new and fresh again.

Detail of over dyed throw and chevron rug - I spy some little kitty feet!

The bedroom now, is so much an expression of us - lots of unexpected color and patterns, and it's totally comfortable, even more than before. We really like the chaise and the bigger flat screen in the room. The room is much more useful as a bedroom and a sitting room.

Kitty Kitty Bang Bang loves the new room

Many of you think I change things all the time. It seems that way, but really the changes happen over the years. I use my home as my style lab, trying things out before I  do them for a paying customer. Also as repairs come up in this old house, opportunities present themselves for a change or two.

The Miles Redd Veranda cover that started me down the green slippery slope

I'm writing a decor book for Gliterrati; doing freelance writing assignments; doing local TV home decor spots; styling and doing some design projects; and still teaching tango. My time is flexible, and my own. It still takes effort and planning and energy to do the home projects, and  it is something Alberto and I enjoy doing.

Master Bedroom of Valorie Hart The Visual Vamp - November 2011
But it ended up like this!
This is the final finished  version of the room - I added a fabric wall and dust skirt in emerald green, a slipcover for the bench in  the Nanjing Jade, white lamp shades trimmed in black gross grain ribbon, four prints of Hermes Kelly bags done by Anne Harwell of Annechovie, and new white bedding with black trim and monograms
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To see what other bloggers are up to check out:  Mod Mix Mondays at Mod Vintage Life, and Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.


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9 comments:

  1. OK, I think that rug was the freaking STEAL of the century. I LOVE it... The headboard is to DIE for, and the makeover is awesome! SUCH a different direction! I CANNOT believe you have the energy for this. Im tired just looking at it.

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  2. AND Im so glad alberto is using his tray! YAY!

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  3. Nice meshing of the colours....in a zany, eclectic feel, to me. You've got game! Came via Metamorphosis Monday!

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  4. Beautiful! The room looks gorgeous. Amazing ! Thanks for sharing.
    Hope to see you on my blog:)

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  5. As always Val, you create rooms with ambiance and whimsy.
    Years ago, I painted a room with harlequin diamonds and it was not as easy as it looks. Bravo to you and your helpers.
    Happy Thanksgiving to you, Alberto and all the cats.
    pve

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  6. What a fun, interesting room! You have such a knack for the unusual and it always turns out looking great!

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  7. I'm loving the headboard and the pendant lamp in the room...Very cool new room!

    I love to change things around my home all the time too....the joke is: never visit my house in the dark or with a blindfold on, you never know what has moved around since the last time you sat down here!
    xo
    Katherine

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  8. Gosh, you have guts! I love it!
    Happy Thanksgiving to both of you!
    xoxo
    Victoria

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  9. Oh wow, I LOVE this room! So much, great job!

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