TAKE A SEAT!

We moved into a new house last Summer and, before the ink was dry on the contract, I had big plans for the seating situation in our Kitchen.  I have always loved banquettes.  They're pretty, practical and an efficient use of space.  This year I put my plan into action...our new Kitchen seating is completed and we love using it each day!

To start, I gathered inspiration from Pinterest:

 

Desire to Inspire

 

South Shore Decorating Blog

 

Lonny Magazine

 

 Darcy Miller Nussbaum's Home in Elle Decor 

Better Homes & Gardens

The corner in our Breakfast Room is dead space so I had a carpenter build benches with storage underneath the hinged seats and added a plywood wall panel finished off with simple trim.  This gives the banquette some height and defines the space well.  The back panels and seating were painted to match my trim color in a easily wipeable gloss finish and I moved my collection of blue and white pieces higher up on the wall.

 

  

For the zippered cushions, I chose a handsome pewter vinyl that can stand up to toddler shoes, yogurt spills and pets.  To finish off the space, I added pillows in fabrics from my Den and Kitchen: black and white stripe, linen floral, sea foam blue and charcoal grey.  The new seating works perfectly with my "Saarinen" Ikea table and two old chairs that I sprayed white years ago.  

If you're interested in adding built-in seating to your home, please contact us at parrishwatsondesign@gmail.com to discuss your project!

(Stay tuned for a peek of the other half of the space, a built-in desk...)

SATH

 

at the home of Mallory Rushing
 

I graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Interior Design and a Business minor.  For thirteen years, I worked as the design assistant to Mary Evelyn McKee Interiors.  I currently stay at home molding the lives of my two little ones and trying to keep my feet wet in design when I can. Being at home most of the time, I have definitely realized how important it is to surround myself with beauty!

1.  I love mixing modern and traditional.  The cuckoo clock was a present from  my mom and reminds me of one we had as a child (from Anthropologie) and the landscape oil painting was sitting in my sister-in-laws garage and I asked if I could "borrow" it. 

2.  Greek key is so classic; it can be dressed up or down. I chose to dress it down by using it as a banding on a pillow made out of a more casual raffia fabric. (materials available through Mary Evelyn McKee Interiors)

3.  I stay at home with my 4 and 2 year olds, and plan on homeschooling the next couple of years. Our house is small and I try to maximize the spaces we have. We spend ALOT of time in the kitchen, so I decided to paint one whole wall with chalkboard paint.  It gives my kids a creative outlet and me a medium to teach on.  And I actually like the look of the constant scribbles and eraser dust, it  makes the room feel more lived in.(paint from Home Depot)

4.  I found an old 70's orange wing chair at a thrift store and then had it recovered in a raffia fabric with a contrast print on the seat cushion, added nailheads and painted the legs black.  (fabrics available through Mary Evelyn McKee Interiors)

5.  My husband and I traveled quite a bit before we had our two kiddos and I decided to order antique maps, of where we had been, in similar color palettes off of eBay. I then bought a lot of old frames for around $5 and gold leafed them for a cohesive look.  

6.  In this simple tablescape, I used books, which always create an inviting atmosphere, and the coral handmade pottery, made by a local artist, was a gift.  The architectural lamp makes a great statement (purchased through Mary Evelyn McKee Interiors)

7.  I LOVE this antique rug (probably my favorite thing in my house). It is a bold pop of color in my fairly neutral living room. It is a 5' x 7' rug layered on top of a room size sisal rug.  (available through Mary Evelyn McKee Interiors)

SATH

at the home of  Jessica Donald of Parrish Watson Design

1.      I created a gallery wall in my Living Room, using an old wooden Chinese screen as the focal point.  I bought the screen at an auction and it’s one of my favorite pieces that makes a big statement.  I have hung random pieces of art around it, including a painting from my parents by New Orleans artist Jean Geraci, a landscape by an Alabama artist, a tiny vintage portrait found on ebay and a cactus print picked up at the Georgetown Flea Market in Washington, DC.

2.      Years ago at a friend’s wedding, an artist was cutting silhouettes at the reception as favors.  My husband and I both got ours done and I had a calligrapher write our names on them before they were framed.  Last year, I had my son’s silhouette cut and framed it the same way.  The silhouette of our cat was a gift and the Scottie is vintage.  Our whole family is represented in the hallway!

3.      I have a thing for black and white stripes.  In addition to my Living Room table skirt, I have black and white striped bamboo chairs and a black and white striped chaise lounge in the Den.  I view stripes as a neutral!

4.      The rug in my Guest Room is one of my favorite pieces since my husband and I bought it on our honeymoon in Turkey.  It’s been in my Entry, Master Bedroom and Kitchen since the shades of pink, blue and green work well all over the house.  The ikat chair was picked up at a garage sale in DC and adds a fun punch of color to the room.

5.      I bought this pair of chrome x stools at an estate sale when I was eight months pregnant.  I couldn’t even lift them but I was not leaving without them! I had the ugly 1980’s blue chenille taken off and added a favorite animal print that compliments the sleek bases.

6.      My mother has collected blue and white for thirty years and I was lucky enough to have some of her pieces passed along to me.  In the Breakfast Room I hung plates, platters and bowls and while some are old and some are not, I love the mix on our blue walls.

7.      A trio of ladies resides in our Den.  I found these vintage portraits on ebay, etsy and at estate sales and had them put in similar frames at Hobby Lobby.  People always ask if I know them…I don’t, but it’s fun to imagine who they were.

SATH

at the home of  Catherine Tucker of Parrish Watson Design

1.      I wanted art in my son’s nursery that made a grand statement.  I searched for vintage airplane sketches to no avail, and ended up plotting some online prints onto large scale drafting paper.  Framed with inexpensive Ikea frames, they add a colorful and bold visual above his dresser.

2.      I found a pair of vintage Henredon, floral, skirted chairs on Craigslist.  I knew they were well made and could be updated to fit our home.  I had my upholsterer square off the arms, take off the skirt, add stem casters to the legs and re-upholster with a neutral stripe.  They will be a staple in my house for many years to come which I can update with fresh, new pillows from time to time.

3.      I love big art.  I think everyone should have one (or two) pieces of large art in their home.  Art fairs and Etsy.com are a great place to search for something that speaks to you. 

4.      Drawer pulls can make or break a piece of furniture.  These antique brass pulls, from Lee Valley, update this basic Ikea Rast chest.  Props to my husband who also added the decorative toe kick.

5.      I adore large scaled lighting fixtures.  The bigger the better to make a bold statement.  I found this lantern at an antique store, had it rewired and it currently resides above my breakfast table.  

6.      Throughout the years I have collected Café Au Lait bowls, found during my travels and occasionally at local antique stores.  I have fond memories growing up drinking hot chocolate out of my mom’s French Café bowls and will one day pass on the tradition to my own children.

7.      I love a collection of art and photographs that have a special meaning.  The silhouettes are of my husband and my daughter when they were young.  Most of the art is from Italy or France; items I either inherited or picked up at a brocante while traveling.  The photograph is of my daughter when she was two; such a sweet age and such a wonderful memory captured in print.   The frames are vintage finds all in the same color palette giving a cohesive look.