Kristin Drohan Interior Design

Charity Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter

My friend, Paula Grace has asked my to get the word out regarding a big event she is chairing that will take place, Oct 16th.  It is the Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter Gala.    You can read about it here.  Paula, is a good friend of mine and fellow Interior Designer.  She has been passionately involved with LAWS for a couple years.  Prior to studying design, she was a therapist for many years.  A pretty good platform for interior design work.  Her way of giving back to her community was through the Loundoun Abused Women's Shelter.  In Oct, they are hosting a large Gala to raise money for this very worthy cause.  The event is going to be held at the gorgeous Lansdowne Resort in Historic Leesburg, VA.  If you don't live in the DC metro area this would be a great little trip. 

 
 For more information about the event and how you can help, go to the official Raise the Roof LAWS Gala website here. 

Reality Interior Design...What Really Happens not the HGTV version

I hope everyone had a great Father's Day.  We finally had a down day in our house.  The last couple weeks have been...unreal, but this Saturday was epic.  In the last two weeks I have had furniture that was to be delivered to a client in VA end up in MA.  Furniture that was supposed to be in MA end up in NC.  Fabric vendors out of stock in every sample I  specified, and my business credit card being compromised, forcing me to close the account.  As if those crap sandwiches weren't enough, Sat was a full buffet.  I was forced to get the martini IV out.  I was too tired to stay up for Design Star last night.   I've DVR'd it and will watch tonight.

Before I tell you the story, let me preface this by telling you how furniture is transported in our business.  Almost all the furniture fabricators I use are in MA, VA , and NC.  When you buy directly from a manufacturer, the item is shipped in a semi tractor trailer by a company that specializes in transporting furniture.  You don't just throw it on a UPS truck.  The semi's are too big to make residential deliveries so it comes to a local receiving depot. A smaller truck then makes the delivery to my client's home.  I have projects up and down the East coast, so I have a national account with a very reputable company.  If you have ever ordered furniture from a catalog, it is most likely this company that delivered to your home. 

Saturday, I had four installs and deliveries.  The first delivery, was for a project I am doing gratis at the Air Force Base.  I have helped them with the design and have donated furnishings for their Heritage room.  Prior to this delivery, we made arrangements to get the delivery company on base with my husband as a sponsor. At the gate, they inspect the truck and run their drivers' licenses.  My husband was in his car as escort.  The gate check was taking a long time, when the Military police rolled up.  They came over to my husband and told him they had a situation with one of the guys in the truck.  Apparently, the assistant had a warrant for his arrest and they were getting him out of his truck.  My husband called me, at this point we don't know if he is a felon, or what.  At a military base it always looks scary because the police are in camo and have weapons strapped to them.   I'm coming completely unhinged for many reasons.  I think my husband is in trouble, I have 40K in furniture on this truck, and holy crap (Okay, it wasn't crap but I'm trying to be family friendly) there is a mass murderer (at this point he was a mass murderer in my mind, grand larceny at best) trying to delivery my client's stuff.  Long story short.  The local police show up and haul the assistant off to the pokey. They did let my husband and the driver make the delivery, but we still didn't know what this guy had done.  At this point, I'm on the phone with someone in charge at the depot, trying hard not to speak in tongues, looking for some sort of solution.   I have three more installs, one guy to make deliveries, and at this point, a mass murderer in jail.  Long story short.  The guy had a false statement and a warrant was issued, unbeknownst to him.  The company did send another guy to help the driver finish the deliveries.  We did get everything installed and in between projects, the driver was able to spring the assistant from jail.  I'm pretty sure this will go down in Interior Design history.  I don't ever want another day like that.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a CEO to get on the phone.

Design Star Monday Morning Quarterback

It is baaaaacckkk!  Did you watch?   So, I stayed up late, taped Army Wives, and watched Design Star.  For those of who that don't watch, Design Star is HGTV's contest looking for the next design talent to be featured on their own HGTV show.  We can't confused this with Bravo TV's Top Design.  They are two different animals.  Top Design is a competition for the best design talent without the added TV personality part.  They get money as a prize, not a show. 

The good, bad, and ugly last night. 

Lets start with the good.  The first challenge was taking the White box bedroom and designing it for a previously assigned fellow contestant.  Here is what they were given.

They were also given a $500 to use at an Asian market in NYC for anything else they wanted to use in the room.  I'm glad they started off with an individual challenge.  In addition, they were each given a contractor.  Yeah!! for that.  Being able to use power tools does not necessarily mean you will get a good designer or TV personality. 

The bad: 

Okay, I know I'm playing MMQ, and heaven knows, there is no way in "h, e" double hockey sticks I'd even try out for a show like this.  However, I try to play along, as if I am on the show.  My first thought is only one, only ONE contestant changed the space plan.  No one thought to use the twin bed as a daybed or chaise.  Overall, I thought the results were a little dismal.  The freaking asian market did not help.  Yuck! Am I crazy, the winning room was not good.  I thought Tera's room was nice, I like that John changed the space plan, but Nina's room was not my fav.  I did not like the umbrellas on the wall as art.  I don't get the judges decision at all.  I do not think it was a unanimous decision.  I get the feeling that it wasn't Candace's first choice. 

The ugly:

Lot to choose from here, but I do think they appropriately dismissed the worst design.  There is a lesson here people.  Leave the faux finishes to those who have studied this art and are experts.  Faux takes much longer to properly execute than a contestant is given on this show.  Furthermore, using only paint for the technique spells disaster.  If you are at all versed in faux, it takes proper product, sometimes very laborious application, and skill. 

Need I say more?  I will give her credit, she was gracious in defeat and walked away in some fabulous boots with her head held high.  What did you think?  I'm joining Paula Grace today, hop over to see some more great posts.

Free Advice Friday-Paint Colors for a Master Bed and Bath

A reader writes:

 

Hi Kristin,

I'm redoing my bedroom & bath. Both Bedroom & bath have high ceilings. I wanted to know should I paint the rooms the same color or use two different colors. I'm not sure what the popular colors are now.

I did have wallpaper and paint together but am tired of that.

Can you help me?

 

Here are the pictures of her space.

 

 

 

I get asked this question a lot.  People make paint so difficult and it is always the place they want to start.  I think it is very hard to choose a paint color first.  Instead, pick art, fabric, or a rug first.  My suggestion is to start with the bedding.  Find something you really like, and pull a color from it.  I have a couple paint tips based on these pics. Notice that she has slanted walls and a dormer.  Make sure you paint the slants, the wall color.  It is a pet peeve when those are left the ceiling color, especially if the ceiling is White.  Speaking of the ceilings, take 10 to 25 percent of the wall color and have it mixed into a flat White for the ceiling color.  Don't leave it White.  A little while ago I did a post on my favorite paint colors.  You can read that here.   You can paint the bathroom the same color or pick a coordinating color from the bedding.   I usually change the paint in the bath from the bedroom.  For example, if your bedding was Carmel, Butter, and Kiwi ( colors the reader said she liked).  You could do the bedroom walls Carmel and the maybe the bath Kiwi or Butter.  I personally like soothing colors in spaces you sleep,  but bathrooms can be more intense unless you are going for a spa feel.  In that case, I'd  keep the color muted.  Couple tidbits, instead of valances, do nice pleat ( invert, goblet, pinch, or parisian) curtain panels hung with pin hooks ( no clips)  and rings in your bedroom redo.  You have some beautiful furniture but it looks like an entire suite.  Repurpose your nightstands in another room, and get some larger scale chests.  They need to be taller and more substantial next to that four poster bed.  They could be mirrored, silver leafed, or even painted pieces.  Using different materials will make the room more interesting.  Lastly, that dormer nook is screaming for a beautiful writing desk.  Good luck with the redo and send pics when you are finished.

 

 

Margaret Russell at the Boston Design Center

I have just returned from the BDC where I attended a seminar by Margaret Russell.  For those of you who don't know who that is, Margaret, is the editor of Elle Decor mag and one of the judges on Bravo TV's Top Design (not to be confused with HGTV's Design Star).    She is one of most influential individuals in the design world today.  As usual, I have a not so flattering pic of myself with her.  Seriously, do they have classes on how to pose?  Why does my neck look like it is the size of a freaking linebacker?  Notice she is sticking hers out.  She clearly knows what she is doing... I do not.  I know Margaret is tiny, but I look hulking.  She is itty bitty.  I'm 5' 4" (okay 5'3 5/8") and had on 5 inch heels.  Yes, people, 5 inches.  Yes, I can work in them all day,  and yes, they have a platform (long live the platform).  I dread the day those go out of style.  Look, it is the fastest way to lose ten pounds.  

 

I digress.  I also met of couple local designer/bloggers, Linda Merrill with Surroundings and The Skirted Roundtable and Erin Gates from Elements of Style.  Erin and I shared a little scandal last fall.  A "design company" on the west coast took pics of our work and put it in their portfolio. They even added their watermark to the photos.  A blog reader of mine alerted me, and when I saw Erin's work, I notified her.  Gutsy huh? The situation was quickly rectified with some strongly worded correspondence.  Erin and I had never met before today.  It is funny to recognize people from their pics. 

Margaret also signed books.  I already had her newest Style and Substance and had it signed at market last fall.  This time I purchased So Chic.  Here are two of my favorite spaces from the books.

This one is Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick's Bridgehampton, NY home.

This one is James Mischka and Mark Badgley's Manhattan pad.

 
  I love all of JM and MB's homes that have been featured in Elle Decor.  They are some of my absolute favorite interiors ever.  The Kentucky home is beyond beyond.  Could it be the Black and White?  I just bought some Badgley Mischka shoes that I haven't even had a chance to wear.  Okay, the BM love fest is over.   Someone please tell me how to take a picture.  Enough already.