Jessica: I’m so glad we get to discuss another project! This one is such a fun project and I’ve been waiting to do an interview about this!
Terra: This definitely was a fun project since we got to work on all of her spaces. The client was building for the first time and had no intentions to take her current belongings with her so we started with her inspiration, the fabric that ultimately went on two Sunroom chairs. She wanted to have a modern but livable space where she could entertain.
Jessica: There’s some great architectural features in her home and a lot of fun display niches—was this something you designed?
Terra: The client loved the niches and modern architecture when she saw them in the model homes by the builder. She felt that these were the modern but fun look she was going for. She brought us in to help her select the permanent finishes and ultimately many final touches.
Jessica: What are your tips for working successfully with all of these niches?
Terra: Whether its niches or shelves, what’s really important is to have a good balance. With niches they create their own positive and negative spaces so finding the right accessories that don’t fill it to the brim but also vary in height and width is important. With bathrooms, its all about practicality and making spare items easily accessible. I would say when working with niches the three things to focus on are practicality, beauty and making them feel filled but not cluttered.
Jessica: Niches are definitely one of those things that designers make look easy. You were really able to bring the modern oasis feel to every space with those blues and greens!
Terra: This is another time when having a designer really benefits the homeowner—we were able to make the spaces cohesive. By finding that appropriate balance of the blues and greens and bold patterns she loved with the neutrals, textures and the dark wood we made the spaces feel individual but all stemming from the same inspiration.
Jessica: There were some really unique finishes in this space stemming back to the oasis feel—can you tell me more about those?
Terra: Everything was very organic from the torn paper feature in the Den to the wallpaper patterns in the Master and Guest bathrooms. Another really great texture was the woven marble tile from floor to ceiling on the fireplace wall.
Jessica: So those describe the “Oasis” mentality perfectly—what were the “Modern” features?
Terra: She wanted dark wood on the cabinets so we balanced that with light countertops. In the Kitchen the backsplash tied in her modern appliances with a stainless steel accent in the pattern. Most of the main spaces had tile floors to maintain that modern look as well as provide easy cleaning. Since the floorplan was so open we chose dark oil rubbed bronze fixtures to provide some visual weight, specifically in the Dinette, Living Room and Entry.
Jessica: Was there anything done to address the interesting vaulted ceilings and various ceiling heights?
Terra: Yes! In fact we did a custom art installation in the Den to play on the taller ceiling, interesting wall finish and the fact that it’s viewed from the front entry. It was inspired by the flower chandelier at Stella’s in downtown Perrysburg. There also were a lot of custom window treatments. We used a lot of the Hunter Douglas “Pirouettes” in the main areas since they provide the versatility and privacy of blinds but offer a softer texture and a beautiful light filtering option.
Jessica: Alright Terra, so to wrap up, if you had to choose one feature that was your favorite about this project, what would it be?
Terra: Definitely the fireplace tile wall. When we saw the product I knew I wanted to see it floor to ceiling. It’s a marble tile with such a great shine and dimension, it truly was art in and of itself.
