Archive for March, 2013

Next up on our handsome bath: finishes and plumbing. First we started working with a taupe limestone tile and built the palette from there, leading to a nicely coordinating cermaic tile from Ann Sacks. Next  was a bit of waffling on finishes – I remembered a killer bronze patina round mirror I saw on a shopping trip to High Point Furniture Market last year – so I pitched bronze plumbing fittings, and that mirror of course! Nice and masculine. If the walnut custom vanity is a go I’ll be pretty happy.  Stay tuned for more …..

Kristina Crestin Design_Project Progress

Limestone tile: Discover Tile @ the Boston Design Center, Faucet: Designer Bath in Beverly, MA and the ceramic tile from Ann Sacks.

 

It’s always like Christmas around here, boxes showing up left and right! One of Stacey’s clients had a large piece of art shipped here and of course it didn’t fit in her car. The glamourous life of an interior designer! We’re getting it  strapped in and delivered this morning. With Cooper ‘helping’ of course. Stay tuned for pics as Stacey get’s the room put together!

Blog Post 24_art delivery

 

While being in town for the Flower Market I grabbed a breakfast at one of my fav south end stops, the Buttery. Though good eats, great conversation and lively atmosphere; I couldn’t help but keep getting distracted from conversation (sorry Wendy!) by this tiny little dog that kept trying to dart into the place each time the door opened. Then when that failed he was bouncing up and down trying to garner some attention. What a cutie,  certainly made me chuckle.

Kristina Crestin Design_ Buttery South Boston dog

There is nothing I love more at the beginning of spring than the idea of getting my hands in the dirt and working with plants. Since we’re not quite there yet indoor plantings are the next best thing. Though I don’t relish planting up pots myself – there’s just no space at home. This is where Berry’s comes in. Though only to the trade (sorry all you homeowners) they are a wealth of information and have loads of drool worthy options to scour through. I got up yesterday quite early armed with an empty truck (so I wouldn’t be limiting my purchasing due to space!) and a list of plantings that clients wanted and went to town picking pots and appropriate plants. Check out the stunner of a succulent planting Krista did for me, its just gorgeous! I have no idea why I didn’t get one made for myself.

Kristina Crestin Design_Succulent plantings for client

Photos: Taken by me while I was waiting for all my creations to be made!  Berry’s Greenhouses can be found right next to the Boston Flower Market @ 500 Albany Street.

- Kristina

George’s Upper Guest Bath isn’t the biggest layout challenge, we already decided we weren’t moving plumbing locations from a cost point of view.  Here we just start delving into visuals of each elevation as we review imagery with the client to talk about design directions for the vanity elevation as well as talk over initial materials ideas.  We settled on a neutral ‘handsome’ bath that will be great for him now but be good for resale. Next up – my favorite part – pulling together the materials, lighting and plumbing!

Kristina Crestin Design_ Project Sketches

There’s nothing like the beginning of a job – the possibilities are endless, so many directions you can explore. For us the more outdated the space – the better! This bathroom job we’ve determined the layout won’t change all that much to keep the cost under control, but we’re going for a whole new facelift. Stay tuned …

Kristina Crestin Design_George's renovation before

I’ve been eyeing Plumen light bulbs for a while now; appreciating the clever design, making something so simple and useful creative and beautiful. After seeing some used in a Rejuvenation pendant the other day in LA I’ve ordered one to play around with and check out what type of light it really gives off. Here’s hoping it’s fabulous! Stay tuned ….

Kristina Crestin Design_Plumen

Photo sourcing from top left: Pendant image and double Plumen via Plumen’s own Pinterest page. Multiple light pendant from Tech Lighting. Multiple pendant ‘drop cap’ from PlumenNiche Modern pendant with a Plumen bulb. Multiple Plumen’s at work at via Plumen’s Pinterest page, photo of London’s Foxhall. Lastly, at the bottom, Samuel Wilkinson’s Vessel Chandelier for the Decode 5th Birthday, photo via Plumen’s site.

 

Happy Birthday Mom!  What does one do when it’s the Birthday of the most important woman in your life? You reflect on how amazing they are and how they impacted your life. Mom is the most thoughtful, loving, selfless person I have ever met. Thank you for:

  1. Being the most amazing support system on earth.
  2. Putting up with endless hours of listening to me sift through bins of lego’s in endless pursuit of the perfect ‘house’ design.
  3. For buying me all those lego’s. (Even though I never got the tram, really .. I’m ok with it …. )
  4. For letting me fill the driveway with every tool imaginable from the garage to layout ‘paths’ with a blanket fort in the middle …. those orange cones really came in handy!
  5. Fostering my interest in art.
  6. Keeping everything, even though I said I didn’t want it … but knowing maybe someday I would change my mind.
  7. Being my wingman on meandering road trips in search of God-knows-what.
  8. Listening … and listening .. and then more listening.
  9. Being a good sport driving (really .. those are cows out there, not a giant cliff … really mom! …. )
  10. Welcoming Kirby into the family and treating him like a son.

Love you so very much – Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Mom

I think I hit furnishings overload while in LA. Too many sources for my brain to take in. The Rejuvenation store was across from HD Buttercup. I’ve ordered for years from them but have never set foot in a store. Some women have shoe problems, I have a lighting problem! It was hard for Stacey and I to move onto the next stop; but we managed to tear ourselves away, but not before photographing every light we loved in ever finish imaginable. Check out the cool Plumen compact fluorescent lightbulb. Neat to see it in a fixture you would never expect to see it in. This is the one CFL out there that doesn’t make me twitch!

Kristina Crestin Desgin_ Rejuvenation stop

Photos: All taken by Stacey or I in the LA Rejuvenation Store.

Wow!  What a trip Kristina and I had to LA – difficult to leave all that sunshine and happiness behind and return to a snowstorm.  We hope everyone fared well!  In reflecting on the massive amount of information from the conference, we want to share a few of our top take-away quotes from three iconic American designers that we had the pleasure of listening to.Kristina Crestin Design_Bloggers Conference

Who doesn’t love Windsor Smith??  I know I absolutely adore her and to top it off Windsor was lovely to listen to – she was so down to earth and a bit on the quirky side…in a good way!

1.  “When you’re a designer you’re like an anthropologist.  You’re always watching people.”
2.  “Black is the queen of all colors…it IS a color.”
3.  “Modern multi-tasking is changing design.”  So true, multi-tasking has changed how we interact with each other and therefore everything from seating arrangements to the inter-connectedness of our rooms have had to change as well!  Good point, Windsor!

Photo Credits: Windsor Smith  //  The Peak of Chic

Kristina Crestin Design_Bloggers Conference

Charlotte Moss was amazing!  Incredibly intimidating and humbling to listen to a top American design icon.  The room was silent and we all sat there like sponges, soaking up whatever thoughts and advice she had to throw our way!

1.  “I didn’t go to church one Sunday morning…I went to see the antiques dealer!” – I think many of us can relate to this, designers and non-designers alike!
2.  “Facebook – we all know about that.  Move On.”
3.  “Be Inspiring.  Be provocative.”  She said this in the context of blogging, specifically, but I also want to take this out of context and make sure to apply it to life in general!

Photo Credits: Facebook // Charlotte MossKristina Crestin Design_Bloggers ConferenceOn our last day of the conference, our first speaker was the ever-engaging and inspiring Barbara Barry.  Listening to Barbara speak is like listening to a humming bird at sunrise – it’s a mesmerizing experience.

1.  “Our emotions don’t need an education.”
2.  “Even a cursory glance at beauty can give you energy for the day!”
3.  “Design is not what you do for others, it’s what you do for yourself.”

Photo Credits: Barbara Barry

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