In the United States, Labor Day and the first weekend in September marks the unofficial end of Summer. While we’re distracted with parties, cookouts and all things outdoors this weekend, we sometimes forget that Labor Day was established to honor the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the country.
AFTER
They say if you love what you do (for work), then you’ll never work a day in your life. Without a doubt, I’m lucky enough to say I make a living doing just that. Like any other job, it has its share of frustrations and challenges. But at the end of the day, not only do I get to step back and see what I have created; I get to see how it changes lives and makes my clients happy.
We just finished another project for a couple in South Elgin. Moving into their first house together, the goal was to create a more “finished” look with the feeling of home.
As a decorator, one of the unexpected benefits of working with a young couple is they aren’t burdened by a lifetime of accumulations. Beginning with a clean slate and building a foundation of good design sets them on the right path from the start.
Working on a budget, we started with the easiest way to get a huge bang for the buck. A fresh coat of paint in the ever-popular grays (in this case SW Agreeable Gray and SW Mega Greige) added warmth and unified the living room with the dining room and kitchen.
With a leather sofa, matching loveseat, occasional and dining tables in place, we only needed to add secondary seating, artwork, accessories and window treatments to complete the basic layers of design. After a few weeks of shopping and sourcing, we were ready to put it all together.
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With neutral carpet and walls, we pulled color cues from our client’s existing art medallion in the living room adding teal and chartreuse with a hint of olive green as our punch colors.
To fully furnish the long rectangular living room, we created two separate seating areas. To the sofa and love seat, we added a contemporary wingback chair and ottoman on casters to serve as a rollaway coffee table.
By the bar, we added two club chairs in a green geometric print coupled with a round metal table for an intimate conversation area. Adding a few more tables to complement the existing ones finished the furnishings. Ultra-long smoke colored faux silk panels in the living room softened the blinds and added drama.
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To the dining room, we added geometric panels carrying through the teal and pattern in the living room. A soft sisal rug anchors the room and adds texture and softness to the hardwood floors. Large paneled artwork and a simple tabletop centerpiece with lanterns and ferns completed the space.
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A labor of love is the best way to describe what we do. Creating a space that feels like home for a young couple and starting them off on the right foot was as rewarding as the paycheck. So I guess it is true, when you labor at what you love, you never truly work a day in your life.
Happy Labor Day from Decor Designs, Inc. www.decordesignsinc.com
From Decor Designs Owner & Chief Creative,