A Room for Keeps

Mary Engelbreit said it best.

The keeping room can be that spot.

Traditionally, the keeping room is a small, cozy space off the kitchen.  It's a place where you can host an intimate gathering with a great friend, enjoy the fireplace and a glass of wine with your significant other, or sit and read a book in the peaceful quiet. 

Margaret Chambers

Sometimes the keeping 'room' is really a keeping 'space'.  It functions as a place to invite guests into the kitchen without being IN the kitchen. 

Timber Home Living

Historically, the keeping room was in the center of the home, had a fireplace, and served as a place for the family to sleep during the cold winter time.  They were close to the fire, and close to each other.

Southern Accents Riverhills Show house

Through the years, the keeping room became the forerunner to the open concept space plan.  We've always loved having friends and family close by while cooking in the kitchen.

House Beautiful

Veranda

The concept of a keeping room can work in a traditional space,

Or a more modern one.

Coastal Living

Regardless of style and shape, it's a great additon to any home.

I love the idea of a keeping room. 

Do you need a spot of your own too??

Love, Hate, Luke warm

Stained?

As seen on Surroundings blog

Or painted?

Don Freeman photo for Country Living

It's all about the island

In the open planned kitchens that have become so popular these days, the kitchen island has taken on new importance.

It's a room divider with function!

It's prep space.

It's extra storage.

It's a breakfast table.

It's a place for cooking.

It's a place for cleaning.

It's where you put the spread for the party.

It's ALL that.....and a bag of chips!

All images from Kitchenandbath.com

Contact the team at Sally J. Designs for all your design and decorating needs. 

We make your dreams a reality.

It's Kitchen Week !

We have 3 kitchen remodel projects in the works, and I'm spending this week getting plans drawn and materials finalized. 

Here's the first one.

In this project we're keeping the footprint, painting, installing new countertops and beefing up an island.  We're going to add a pub table for seating and new light fixtures over the island and table.  We'll move into the attached living area with new furniture and drapes. 

The homeowner loves copper and warm tones, but is interested in something besides tile for the backspash area, so we're looking at copper tiles or beadboard.

We're going to finalize material selections this week.  I'll keep you posted.

Monday Morning Motivator

We've got a busy week of seeing new clients and starting new projects at Sally J. Designs.  So this morning, I wanted to spend some time soaking up some inspiration.  We'll be doing a bedroom project, some draperies, a traditional home with some mid-century leanings and a kitchen remodel to boot !

I'll be looking at an aqua color palette for the bedroom...

...Dramatic design and detailing for drapes in a tall entry...

....a little retro inspiration.....

...and homey, functional kitchen space.

Can't wait to get started!

Have a great week, everyone!

Recycle the Sally J. Way

Today is Earth Day.  I'd love to say that my love for redoing and reusing things stems from my deep desire to save the planet, but I'd be lying.

I just love to see something blossom from  a state of disarry and abuse.
I believe the expression here in Texas is  "Make a silk purse from a sow's ear"

We've rescued several wonderful pieces over the years, so I thought I'd share a few before and afters on this Earth Day.

This little antique chair had been upholstered in silk that the client had brought back from China years ago.  It was so fragile and had deteriorated over the years (maybe with a little help from the dogs!)

We still have beautiful silk (Highland Court), but we upholstered the frame in veveteen for it's feel and texture, and also because of the durability.

The cushion and pillow are filled with a down blend to continue that decadence that we began with the lovely silks. 

How's that for dressing up!

I don't have the before of this little chair, but the after was just too much fun not to share.   My client had this needlepoint rug and antique trim and wanted to use it on this chair.  We covered the frame in a coordinating velvet because the rug wouldn't stretch that far. 

 How sweet is this??

My favorite Befores and Afters are in the kitchens that we remodel.

This is one of the most dramatic remodels we have completed.

It was trash time for this poor, outdated kitchen.

Can you say Transformation!!

Paint has the greatest potential for change than anything I can think of.

Look what paint did for this built in cabinet.

Here's the before.

Ta Da !!

We found the center doors at an antique store, added filigree on the base cabinets to repeat the design from the new doors, painted and glazed, and

Voila!  a totally new look.

What are you looking at in your home that could be recyled or reused in a new and different way? 

Now that's the kind of recycling I can get behind!

All images are taken by Sally Hammond for Sally J. Designs.

I'm happy for them to be shared, just please give credit if you use them.

Thanks, Sally

What a girl wants

I have a bad habit of going to sleep with the TV on, and the other night, I woke up and the movie "What a Girl Wants" with Mel Gibson was on. 


 I began to think about what I want....I'm still a girl after all. 

I like to visualize my ideal house and what I would want it to look like, so for now (because you know it might change later!), these are some must haves for me in my dream home.

Space!.....I want space...inside and out. 

This would do. 

Hey!  I'm dreaming here!

I need trees.  I want to look out my kitchen window and see a rolling hill or two.

or a canopy of beautiful trees.

After all.......

 Henry-Big Dog needs a great yard to run in.

I want a glorious lanai for spending time outdoors with friends and family.  It will have all the amenities of indoors...ceiling fans for the Texas summers and a fireplace for chilly fall evenings. 

Of course, it will be stylish and chic!

Design by Garden Structure

An outdoor kitchen is a must complete with a pizza oven for the grands....

...and the privacy of this saltwater pool and hot tub for me!

Where's my glass of wine??

Are you dreaming with me??

Let's go inside.

I want a great room.....and I mean a GREAT room!

Interior designer, Cathy KIncaid for House Beautiful

I love this room.  The stone work brings the feeling of history to the space...so warm and inviting.  I'm not usually a "blue" person, so I might choose a different decor...like this...

Riverhills showhouse for Southen Accents - Library

or this......

Anchor woman, Jayne McGarry's great room, photographed for D-Magazine.

Ken Blasingame, Interior Designer.

Or even this.

I find this room inviting too.

Image courtesy of Elle Decor

I think this is very eclectic...modern, yet elements of traditional styling.

I like that the sofas are dark because of this....

Like most of the clients I design kitchens for, I want an open concept greatroom/kitchen combination.

The Southern Accents Riverhills Showhouse had the most wonderful kitchen and keeping room.

I might prefer something a little more open to the  family room.

private client, Sally J. Designs

private client, Sally J. Designs

Stay tuned for more dreaming in my next post.  I think I'll dream about dinner parties and dining rooms.  Won't you be my guest?