A "Beautiful Window Seat" by Lauren Liess For The DC Design House

Remember my post that mentioned the progress of Lauren Liess's room in the DC Design House? Here's the finished room! What an amazing difference!

{"The Hideaway" at the DC Design House, photo:Helen Norman}

Now, how did I ever find Lauren's wonderful blog Pure Style Home in the first place? 

It was back in Spring of 2010 when I was using Google Images to search the words "Beautiful Window Seat" as I was doing research to design my own window seat. I came upon an image of a  window seat in an old April 2009 post by Lauren called "Icons of Home" describing how she had just bought a home, and was using photographs to illustrate what would be in her dream home. 

Of course, her home was so similar to the one I had just bought, ( a '70s home with a walk-out basement, creek in the back and a so-similar first floor plan) that I had to keep reading a year's worth of past Pure Style Home posts to catch up.

{so charming! photo: Helen Norman}

So I have to sigh with happiness when I see this room in the DC Design House. Let's just focus on this new "beautiful window seat," shall we? There's the Peter Dunham Fig Leaf fabric on the pillows. Luscious! As well as two pillows with fabric from Lauren's new collection Lauren Liess Textiles - Wild Chicory in black, and Magnolia in true. Don't you want to curl up and spend the day?

{photo: Helen Norman}

With a Princess and the Pea fairy tale twist, Lauren has three real mattresses stacked up. Heavenly! Such an innovative and creative space. Even though the room is dismantled as the showhouse is over, I know the photographs of this room will live on and be referenced time and time and time again, happily ever after.  Congratulations, Lauren!

{my sketch - construction has been delayed yet again - will start late this month}

Here's the latest drawings of my windowseat project...

{interior - pillows will be added, promise. This is a "working" drawing!}

...and did you know that I always invisioned a cozy "real mattress" in it, not just a thin piece of covered foam? A real mattress in a window seat is something I rarely see, so I was SO excited to see it in Lauren's project!

{from Pure Style Home, image from Cottage Living}

...let's go back to that image I pulled out of Google Images so long ago, and you can read Lauren's April 2009 post "Icons of Home" here. One of my favorites!

Loretta

p.s. For an update on my own "beautiful windowseat" click here!

Showhouses and Succulents - inspiration from Brooke Giannetti and Lauren Liess

{soon I'll find some new pretty pots for them}

I'm trying something new in houseplants. Meet my two new little charmers - succulents! When I saw them for sale I was smitten, because there are two amazing designer showhouses, one finished and one in the works, where I've seen beautiful examples of succulents in the home.

The first is the "studio" room in the Gilt Home Showhouse by Steve and Brooke Giannetti (Brooke writes Velvet and Linen), and the second is the in-the-works DC Design House, with a guest room by Lauren Liess of Pure Style Home.

{in Laurel Canyon, not far from Mulholland Drive}

Here's the before of the bedroom-turned studio in the Los Angeles Gilt Home Ashton Kutcher Showhouse. A portion of the proceeds from the showhouse will be donated to DNA, a charity started by Ashton Kutcher and his wife Demi Moore to combat human trafficking.

...and here is the after! See the beautiful succulents nested in the soaring space? They are as just as sculptural and fascinating as the other wonderful objects carefully placed in the room. Steve Giannetti's glowing original paintings and giclee prints were the starting point for the vibrant palette used.

{I could move right in}

Many pieces of furniture in the space are Giannetti Home Designs, including this breathtaking tufted "Lulu" Side Chair, the "Clive" Wing Chair and the "Nick" Sofa. Antiques and objects from their Los Angeles shop filled out the space. Brooke and Steve had a Facebook chat this month where they fielded questions on the room, including way too many questions from me! 

{blues and greens}

 One last look at a beautiful succulent in the Gilt Home Showhouse. The layering of objects in the space is just perfection!

{glowing! photo:Lauren Liess}

Here's the other succulent that's caught my fancy. What a giant, fleshy, delightfully hued plant! This beauty is in the garden room of the now under-construction DC Design House, and provided inspiration to Lauren Liess as she was planning her submission.

{will be rescued soon...}

Under construction right now, The DC Design House in Washington, D.C. benefits the Children's National Medical Center. Here's the "before" of the guest room Lauren will be transforming. 

{in progress}

Lauren has been updating us on the progress of the space on her blog Pure Style Home. In her last post, she told how she had to rework her original concept for a whole new room. So, here's her design board ripped apart to make changes. 

She's told us not to fall in love with anything on the board except for the Peter Dunham "Fig Leaf" fabric in the upper left corner.

{dreamy}

Lauren's been working on her new line of furniture, to debut this Spring. Could we dream of her Mad Hatter Chair covered in "Fig Leaf" as seen in the sketch on the design board?  Or has she changed it up since?

{source: www.thepursuitofstyle.com, Elle Decor}

Here's some examples of "Fig Leaf" in other spaces. Doesn't the fabric capture the freshness and colors of the succulent shown earlier? This guest room was designed by Peter Dunham himself.

{source: www.stylecourt.blogspot.com}

Here's another Peter Dunham project with the walls done up as well. Beautiful!

{design by Ruthie Sommers, photo by Victoria Pearson, House Beautiful March 2011}

...and yet another example of "Fig Leaf" on the upholstered chair from the latest issue of House Beautiful magazine.

{the first fabric strike-off of the dynamic "Happikat" in linen}

Lauren will be including some of the first runs from her new fabric line, Lauren Liess Fabrics, in her space. New line of fabrics, new line of furniture! I just can't wait to see the "after" of this room!

Saturday February 26, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm the DC Design House will have a special "Bare Bones" tour where you can see the rooms in progress, and Lauren has promised her new design board will be up and ready for viewing. If you are in the Washington D.C. area, stop by and see what she is up to!

Loretta

p.s. I'll find some time to be at the similar "Sneak Peak" of the Vanguard Designer Showhouse in Loudonville, New York this weekend, February 19 & 20. Hours are 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.