Happy Friday Everyone!

About the client:

A young family of 4 relocating from New York City to San Diego contacted Robeson Design requesting we work our magic to transform their ordinary tract home and make it something special. A home that would reflect their personal style.

What they wanted:

A modern/transitional style home that would cause anyone walking through the front doors to go…WOW! The home needed to be sophisticated, modern and California esque, but at the same time, be practical for a growing family with 2 young children.

Challenges:

As usual, the budget is always a challenge. I was given a fixed dollar amount and asked to take it as far as I could without sacrificing the quality and overall design esthetic the clients were after.

Changes I made:

I used as much of what the clients already had and spent my budget wisely focusing on the areas with the biggest impact. In this Dining Room, I chose to go big on the fireplace façade as well as the light fixture over the dining table. The things I had to keep were modified or embellished to update them without breaking the bank… things like, reupholstering the existing dining chairs and reworking the silk valences over the windows.
A fabulous new chandelier, 2 inexpensive chests… pushed together to look like one large buffet. I also added window treatment panels to draw attention to the 9’ high ceilings and add color to the room. The fireplace was completely overhauled and given a more open modern look by removing the glass doors and replacing the outdated tile with Absolute Black granite all the way around. This gave our clients the biggest bang for their buck as the fireplace could be viewed and enjoyed from 3 sides… virtually seen from every room on the first floor! Now that’s spending your budget wisely!
The most spectacular Bubble Chandelier was hung over the table, creating a fabulous first impression as well as canned lights at the window treatment panel locations. In addition, I installed LED strips all the way around the perimeter of the new fireplace wall, adding a functional AND ambient light source to 3 rooms at once!
We worked with the neutral carpeting already in the home.
The clients existing dining table and chairs were kept and updated by using geometric fabric on the chairs. 2 inexpensive chests were pushed together to look like one large buffet below the windows… That’s it! We kept it simple, clean and uncluttered!
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the design was the addition of Modular Arts panels in a wave pattern adding incredible movement and texture to the once average fireplace. I chose one orange vase to set on the fireplace hearth and orange diamond glass to burn in the newly revamped fireplace. On the buffet area, I included a few family photos, candlesticks, green and white botanicals. Just before the completion of the home, I checked the budget and YAY! I had enough to purchase new china, glassware and centerpiece for the table. All in all, it looked pulled together and fabulous for the reveal!