Archive for February, 2013

It’s exciting and daunting as a designer to work with trendy colors. On one hand we worry it won’t be timeless and later the client might regret the choice; on the other we get so excited to work on a scheme that a client gets so jazzed about. This inspiration image balanced the earthy with the sexy. It’s for a small breakfast area, and I figure smaller areas are always the spaces I take the biggest risk and get the biggest wow! Still ruminating on pulling the pieces together ….

Kristina Crestin Design_Blog Post_Breakfast Room

Inspiration shot via Pinterest via Tumbler celebinspire. Lantern ”Cosy”, Michael Amato for Urban Electric Co. and the fabulously fun lamp from Dunes & Duchess which you can get from Hudson.

We’re getting pretty excited here in our little office overlooking the snowy, cold lake. Next week this time Stacey and I will be in LA for the Design Bloggers Conference! We booked it when we thought we would be blogging months and months ago, but hey; at least we have a few weeks under our belt. Pretty thrilled to not only get out of the cold but to learn a ton. Now just to figure out what to wear …..

Blog Post 10_  LA via Thedollarlessdiva Tumbler

Photo Via Tumbler, The Dollarless Diva

 

Project in Process: Lilac Bedroom

February 21st, 2013

It’s amazing how just about anything can inspire a room. This room design started with a single image of some sparkly Ippolita bracelets, of which was followed by another image with the most glorious lilac wall color. We happened to love the chair and ottoman and it turned out the whole image worked for us! The design scheme was meant to be when I found these vintage murano glass lamps – wow. Still working through the rest of the scheme … building blocks ….

Kristina Crestin Design_Blog Post_BedroomProduct & Image Sourcing, starting from the top: Ippolita bracelets, Chairs we think are Oly, but we’ve had the image so long we have no idea where it came from! Holly Hunt Sorraia bed from our friends at Webster & Co, Oly Sabina Light from FDO Group and finally vintage Murano Glass lamps.

 

We’re having fun working on a masculine Dressing Area scheme – think suits all lined up, a place for every tie and belt and neat, crisp decorating lines. We had this men’s suiting image that provided inspiration, amazing how helpful the right inspiration shot can be!

Kristina Crestin Design_Blog Post_ Masculine Dressing Area

 

Men’s Suiting inspiration image found on Cooper Fredrickson’s Tumbler.

Apparently it starts young …

February 18th, 2013

My Mom shared this pic with me this weekend. She used to schedule construction and bring home the blueprints, which I apparently colored in the blocks. Here I thought I had only Lego’s to thank for my career!

Kristina Crestin Design_young Kristina at work

We’re working through some initial ideas for a soft master bedroom that is clean but has a slight nod to the idea of vintage or handmade elements. We gathered this loose materials palette that feels colorful yet soft; layering in some textural pieces and a little glitter. The recycled glass bubble door knobs are a favorite of mine!

Kristina Crestin Design_Blog Post_Master BedroomSourcing and photo credit from top: Materials palette image shot in our studio, Anthropologie Woodland Slumber Bed, Ro Sham Beaux coke bottle glass pendant, Anthropologie Bubble glass door knob and Merida’s Bora Bora rug from our friends at Landry & Arcari .

 

Project In Process: Entry Hall

February 12th, 2013

We’re working with this fun inspiration image showing great earthy textures along with pops of seafoam and hot orange – combined with this piece of art we’ve been pining for from Erin Ashley the space almost just falls together on it’s own! Add in some reclaimed terra cotta flooring for texture and to create a not-so-new vibe, glowing lovely lighting cascading from the ceiling and a cool modern take on an Asian console – done! Let’s hope they go for it – I’d take it! Especially on a week like this one with all the chilly weather.

Kristina Crestin Design_Blog PostSourcing /photo credit: Terra cotta reclaimed tiles from Francois & Co, console ‘Double Happiness’ from Red Egg, painting from Erin Ashley and stunning hand blown glass lighting from Jamie Oliver’s Union Jack restaurant.

 

What else for a girl to do during a snow storm? Design bathrooms of course! I think we’ve worked on over 30 bathrooms this year and I always find them some of the most fascinating rooms to design. So many options, so much potential. I am working on a boys shared bath now that is going a mix of classic and industrial. I especially love Schoolhouse Electric‘s Rensselaer sconce – made out of parts like bunsen burners – think 8th grade chem lab! Put some grey striped shades on that and hello fun! Stay tuned to see how decisions evolve ….

Kristina Crestin Design_Blog Post _Boys shared bath

 

Photo credits & sourcing from top: Top right: Indigo threads Another Africa , 1930′s Lab Stainless Double Vanity from Restoration Hardware, Schoolhouse Electric‘s Rensselaer double sconce (photo from another current job of mine!), Schoolhouse Electric’s #HP-2274-04-2.25SH shade with Shadow Grey hand painted stripes, herringbone floor image via Brian Gluckstein’s Tumbler, blue vintage lockers from Unearthed on 1stdibs. Finally the last image is my quickie sketch studying the scale of the vanity on the wall.

OK, so you remember when you were a kid and playing with crayons and coloring was so much fun? All the options, so many colors (and if you were oh-so-special making sure all those colors were lined up perfectly .. .just sayin’, I might know someone like that). Well recently I have found the adult translation of that for designers – working with custom colors and local vendor Jill Rosenwald!

To start her products are eye candy. When I first found her website I couldn’t settle on which pieces and patterns I liked most – so many options – so many colors! In the real world so many functional uses too (fruit bowl; pencil cup anyone?)  Recently I’ve worked with her to create some custom colored versions of some of her pieces. Just this week a client and I had too much fun playing with her colored glazes and dreaming up a large fruit bowl with a pop of salmon on the inside and a fun chevron pencil cup to finish off her desk area. Stay tuned as they come to completion and we share those pics!

Kristina Crestin Design _Jill Rosenwald Studio visit

Check out Jill’s stuff @ http://www.jillrosenwald.com and her fun blog @ http://blog.jillrosenwald.com.

Photo’s by Sandra Kimball.

A tough part of our job is when you narrow selections down to 2 great options and then you can’t decide! We’ve gathered the right materials direction and pulled the following 2 lighting directions – yikes! Which is better! Thoughts?

Kristina Crestin Design_Lighting debateTop fixture: Oly’s Serena Drum chandelier; which you can now get with gold or silver. From our good friends @ FDO Group in the Boston Design Center

Bottom fixture: Made Goods Henry chandelier, also has options for silver or gold.

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