Sun Porch Turned Man Cave

Hey everyone,

I hope your 2015 has started off a little better than mine.  We have had the flu around here for about a week.  It is the worst.  Paul came home with fever and chills and a few days later I was down for the count!  So while I am cooped up nursing this fever and cold, I thought I would share with you an amazing room transformation that I did last fall.

This client is one that I have worked with on many occasions.  I really love working with her.  She has become my good friend through all of her projects. She contacted me earlier in the summer and said her husband had bought a freestanding bar. He had an idea that they could turn their sun porch into a "man cave" and he felt that this would be the perfect place for his bar.  If you can imagine the late 1980's early 90's decor....hunter green paint on the walls and green and white checkerboard tile on the floor, with floral chintz fabric on wicker chairs, then you would have a pretty good idea of what this room looked like before. There was also a shelf that extended around the entire room that housed several small decorative items.  This is probably the only room in the house that had not been renovated.  I only have a couple of before pictures and these were during the renovation stage but I think you can get a picture in your mind of what it might have looked like.

We first met with the contractor to make sure that all of our ideas would actually be doable and for the most part they were.  We began by ripping up all the old tile and removing the shelf that went around the room.  The back side of their den fireplace is in this room.  It was brick that had been painted white that extended up to the ceiling. We knew we wanted to cover the white brick with faux stacked rock and built a hearth for extra seating.   And what "man cave" would be complete without a big screen TV?  Right? We mounted a big screen TV on the backside of the fireplace.  We came up with a great idea on how to store all the components.  On the front of the fireplace, below the hearth that we had built, we made a removable door that has the rock attached to it.  We put the components inside the hearth and then set the door in place.  It worked great and you cannot tell that there is a door there at all. It blends in with the rest of the rock on the fireplace!  Love it when an idea that's in your mind actually works.:)

 

We added wide stained plank boards to the ceiling.  (The ceiling in this room is a cathedral, which makes the room feel larger than it actually is.)  This added so much depth and richness to the room. We added porcelain tile that actually looks like a rustic weathered floor. Absolutely LOVE it!  Painted all the walls and trim, added new gooseneck lighting on either side of the fireplace, installed the coolest ceiling fan and then we began the really fun part furniture and accessories!!

We found great leather recliners that are perfect for relaxing and watching a game!  The curved sofa gives extra seating and the pillows on the hearth add comfort for anyone that chooses to sit for a moment. We splurged on the coffee table!  It is an Uttermost piece and I love it. The wood is so unique and so beautiful. The cowhide rug just might be my favorite thing in the room or maybe the pottery barn floor lamp, or maybe the coffee table!:)  I really love it all!! We bookended the sofa with floor lamps that make it an ideal spot to curl up and read a book.  All the glass windows make you feel like you are sitting in the middle of nature.  This room has become one of their favorites to lounge in. So much so that they are now adding a screened porch off this room.  (I will post pictures when that is complete.) (We also have custom iron double doors on order that will be installed a little later.)



 

This is not a large space at all, but with all the windows, high ceilings and the right placement of furniture it lives large and comfortable.  I love how this room looks manly but yet classy. It flows with the rest of their home so well. Truly one of my favorite redesigns.

One other thing I might note in this room is the beautiful custom art that my client had commissioned for her husband as a gift.  He is an avid bike rider and this art is absolutely amazing!  It was the perfect touch for his "man cave"!

Hope you enjoy! What is your favorite thing in the room?

Glancing back to 2014

Happy New Year!

I love the first few days of a new year.  So refreshing to get to start over.  It doesn't matter what happened the year before, you have a new chapter in your life book that you get to start writing when the calendar turns to January 1.  I think it is always good to reflect just a moment on the year that you are closing the book on before you start writing the new one.  You will learn something from the year that you leave behind that hopefully helps you move into the next one with a better perspective on how God wants to use you in the upcoming year.

2014 was a year of extreme busyness in both my personal life and business life.  (It's a crazy life but I kinda love it!) I thought it would be fun to recap some of the design highlights of the year.

I feel blessed to work with each and everyone of you.  Getting to work in your homes is an honor for me.  I strive to make each home I work in a place that the homeowners look forward to coming home to each day and a place where wonderful memories will be made.  So thank you to all my friends and clients for making 2014 a wonderful, memorable year!

c