10 Reasons to Love Grey Home Decor

Grey is my new favorite colour for home decor!

The endless options of how to use this colour 

in terms of decorating style, to create a mood, 

as a backdrop or a focal point,
are what make it so appealing for design aficionados

Here's 10 reasons that I love it.

GREY IS NEUTRAL

This soft grey paneled wall is a backdrop to showcase a fantastic staircase 

Gorgeous custom staircase

GREY IS CLASSIC

Brass cabinet hardware adds warmth to these dark grey cabinets

GREY IS WARM

luxurious texture makes this bedroom so inviting...

shag rug, velvet ottoman, mohair bedding, grass cloth wall paper

all add to the feeling of warmth calling you in.

Luxe Bedroom

GREY IS COOL

 This modern space works for a warm climate, 

but it would be sad in the winter in Canada!

A green plant or wooden side table would warm it up a lot.

GREY IS FORGIVING

The perfect colour for flooring in natural stone tile, wood or concrete

Grey plank wood floors

Copper inlay on concrete floors

GREY IS ARTISTIC

Grey is the second most recommended wall colour
(only behind white) for clients with a vast art collection

Walls appear to be drifting clouds

GREY IS MASCULINE

An almost black shade makes this tall space also dark and handsome,
the perfect backdrop for caramel leather and quirky accessories

Masculine chic den

GREY IS FEMININE

The opposite effect happens when a soft grey is used along with lovely trim and millwork, creating a pretty space that feels serene

Feminine living room

GREY IS GLAMOROUS

If there was any doubt that grey can be glam, this spectacular dining room demonstrates that the right sheen and texture makes all the difference.

Over the top glam and sparkle!

GREY IS RUSTIC 

Any other colour on the fireplace tile would not have blended so well and may have taken away from the real feature of the room, the massive beams above.

Fireplace tile looks like reclaimed wood

I could go on and on.....

but you get it.

If in doubt about how to get started with your design scheme,

get into a grey area and something wonderful is sure to happen!

Bedrooms to Dream About

The most intimate space of the home

where we retreat after a long day of work and busy lives
then later wake to the possibilities of a new day

Such an important room but it's often the last space in the home that is decorated

after the kitchen is done, the living room furnished and the kids' rooms taken care of,

we may then, finally submit to giving ourselves a space of our own to enjoy

I believe a bedroom should be one's sanctuary

a place of calm and respite

a beautiful space with luxurious textures -
great sheets,  fluffy pillows & duvet,  a soft rug at the edge of the bed
that pampers tired feet

But it doesn't have to be boring

and when it comes to furniture there is no reason to stick to the old-school

matching bedroom set!!!

Like most rooms, a good layout is important. 

Lighting requirements are very different and based on personal preference
to wake with the sun or with the alarm clock in darkness.

Since the bed is the focal point of any bedroom

it will often determine the style for the space.  

The headboard and frame can be made of wood, metal, upholstered 

or for the adventurous spirits, a re-purposed door, a vintage window or a screen 

pretty much any interesting object can be used to ground the space

 and define it as the main feature in the room.

Go big or go home with this headboard below. 

The scale works in this space because the ceilings are very tall - it helps to make the space 

more cozy.    Clearly this bold space exudes confidence
to also have padded fabric walls AND plaid wallpaper above .... just WOW!

Gorgeous wallpaper as accent wall is not new - but this one is stunning!
A mural can make a huge impact and now you can even create your own.

via Bloom Papers

This rustic bedroom loft gets a cool street-wise vibe
with the addition of mural behind the bed that depicts
torn advertisements.

Second Wind Interior Design

Blue and red is not a colour combination for the faint of heart - especially in a bedroom.

It really works here because the wall colour continues in a lighter shade on the ceiling, enveloping the space to make it cozy.  The red accents make the space feel regal - clearly the vibe this room is going for with that classic French antique carved headboard.

  

The charm of the wood beams and exposed brick walls sets the tone for this bedroom.
The lovely water colour painting softens
the harsher elements and gives this room an ethereal quality.
No room for side tables or lamps?  Wall sconces work perfectly in bedrooms placed just above shoulder height when sitting in bed to read.

I love bringing in vintage elements to a space to give it personality
and character.  These beautiful windows add charm while keeping the space light
and farmhouse chic.   All the other elements in the room take their cue from the
feeling and inspiration of the headboard.

If you lucky enough to have a large bedroom, then creating a cozy
reading nook is a great way to escape

If there's a fireplace...well!  you may never want to leave.
The trick is to treat it as another room and decorate with necessary elements to make it work - a great chair, lighting, side table, soft pillows and artwork.

For smaller spaces - create a cozy nook with drapery fabric
or frame out a window seat with a seat cushion and lots of pillows.
It's really about pulling together soft textures and soothing hues to create warmth and serenity.






If you're dreaming about a cozy bedroom sanctuary
that you would love to retreat to, there's even more
inspiration on HERE

or just call me...

All image sources via Bedrooms 

Cozy Chic Family Room

When you get to start with a blank canvas like THIS 

you know it's going to be a great room!

My client's are a young couple with two dogs who want a casual but sophisticated space

to entertain and hang out with friends.  This family room spans the back half of the house with the kitchen being adjacent.  

We want to keep the space light and airy but also cozy.  

The inspiration photos (client provided) below demonstrate the feeling they were going for.

Transitional, elegant, calming, comfortable.

I started with this floor plan to allow maximum seating and a very big screen TV 

as my client is a huge cinema buff.

The room is a great size for entertaining and TV watching.

I gave them lots of seating with a large sofa, 2 swivel chairs, 1 chaise in front of the fireplace

to curl up with a book or a bevy.

TV is on the right side and two consoles flank the sides of the fireplace wall.  

They didn't want large built-in cabinetry and don't have lots of storage needs (yet).

Round end tables keep the space from feeling too boxy.

Here's some of the pieces that will go in the space.

Deep sofa with feather-filled back and seat cushions for maximum chillaxin'.

The low, square arms have just enough room to rest your head and take a nap.

This chair will have a swivel base that rotates 360 degrees

which is great to keep an eye on the happenings in the adjacent kitchen.

   

A chaise like this one is being made to fit perfectly in front of the fireplace. 

It's a great lounger for one person, or a place to perch for two when extra space is needed.

This coffee table ottoman will be custom made to fit the large space - 

a whopping 48"x 54"  allows for table top access from all seats in the room.

It will be covered in a fabulous cobalt blue weave fabric to add a punch of colour 

(and hide the dirt, really).

I love doing a soft top coffee table because it encourages people to put their feet up and relax when watching TV.  A large tray on top will enable a glass to put down with ease. 

The lower shelf is a great place to store books, games or just display some pretty storage boxes.

For the console tables, I wanted something sculptural with a light wood 

that would complement the dark floors but also work well with the stone.

I found this marble topped beauty and it fits perfectly.

All the upholstered pieces will be done in various coordinating, neutral fabrics 

with the exception of the blue ottoman.

so we're bringing in some colour and pattern on the window coverings, accessories and area rug.

Drapery panels and roman blinds will be made from this lovely printed linen.

Joanne Fabrics

For the rug, I want to introduce a muted blue tone 

that will also be picked up in the pillows and artwork & accessories.

Some of the options being considered:

 

  

The design concept overview

A light wood media cabinet (lower right), painted wood accent tables (round table shown above),

artwork and other little goodies to make the space come to life will be added in the 

finishing round.

Looking forward to getting this one all pulled together.

Glam Living Room

via Traditional Home, Gerri Wiley Design Group 

Whenever a client asks me what to do with their "designated" living rooms 

I always ask them "what would you like it to be?"

It's often a decent size space at the front of the house with good natural light

It could be an office

it could be a den

it could be a tea room

it could be a lounge

The last one is my favourite and often the direction the client takes

A space to serve drinks & apps before a dinner party

or for those that don't entertain formally

it can become a lounge for hanging out with a bevy and some friends
before going out or relaxing at the end of a busy day with a stiff drink!

My clients just bought a newly built custom home
and we are furnishing their front room as a lounge for drinks or tea

We start with this chic boxy tufted loveseat with chrome nailhead trim
in a luxe cream coloured velvet

Then we will add in a couple of stream-lined, sloped arm chairs

in a textured cream chenille fabric

I like to mix up the shape of the seating to create interest, 

the clean lines of the chairs is a nice contrast to the "busyness" of the tufted sofa

A patterned rug in muted blue and cream tones

these two are being debated

A glass coffee table with lucite & chrome legs feels light

in the room but still sculptural

anything that goes on this table looks amazing

For our bar cabinet

a mirrored piece with patterned doors to store bottles and barware

while lovely glassware is displayed on top

A large mirror on top and maybe some sconces

Cap off the space with a contemporary crystal pendant

this one is definitely a statement piece

One wall behind the bar cabinet will have wallpaper

we are considering something like this with a soft grey background

and a metallic pattern

We are looking at various artwork options

we may keep ethereal with muted blues, creams & grays

or bump it up a notch with some deeper indigo and cobalt pops

Drapery fabric is going to be a luxurious silver damask I'm still sourcing

The overall plan looks luxurious and inviting

Drinks anyone?