Give The Man Some Space, Sheesh!

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I know, I've been holding this reveal hostage for longer than I'd like to admit and keeping you people waiting with baited breath, haven't I? {I'm so full of jokes today}

Remember Gwen Aucoin? The fab photographer? Well, she is a supadupa busy gal and so well worth the wait that we just got around to a lil' photoshoot just a few weeks ago. I am so pleased with her talent––she never disappoints!

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 the scene:

 Husband's Client Meeting Space

the project deets:

Create a nice and sophisticated meeting space with a budget of $3.67 and not a penny over 

{Okay, more like $5.00, but who's counting?}

{Okaaaayyyy, seriously––we had NOTHING to work with and the walls were painted  granny's muumuu-mulberry on some walls, and I-wear-highwaisted-pleated-chinos-and chacos-beige on others. Horrors. 

the concept:

 Warm, welcoming, pared down, light, airy, stupidly inexpensive yet nicely appointed. 

   design challenges:

WAY too many to list––remember this post when I urged every last one of you to take my heed and nevahevahEVAHHHH do your own upholstery? This was nearly the death of me––no lie. If I could have stapled my hand to my leg to get out of doing it I would have, but I was in too deep to turn back! 

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 a little about the actual space: 
 My husband is a real estate broker––for years he's worked out of the house alongside moi and it's been fab and his needs were very simple–– however, recently his business started to grow rapidly {great!} and he has expanded, which is incredible! It was time for a more professional space ya know? He nor his agents needed an 'officey-office' they just needed a meeting space to have clients over for an hour or two, have coffee, write contracts, etc. So, I set out to design a place for them to feel comfortable, sort of at home, and for clients to feel calm while they were signing their lives away........

Onyx eggs––I got them for a steal!!!!! I was veddy excited when I saw them+the insane price.  I purchased the grass-cloth on eBay, the lamp was nasty with a white body, brass base and dingy shade–– but a little bit of rust-o-leum and spray paint fixed that right up. 

Another accessory I got for a song, these wooden gourd-y, cactus-y deals were a smokin' $12.99.  I went slummin' and found several old beat up books that worked perfectly––all for under $30. 

And voila! The reception area––simple, understated and comfy. To save even more $$ I had to do the artwork myself! Oh, and of course make the arrangement myself too––what I thought would be a manageable task-list ended up being one of those lists that kept exploding––like bread with too much yeast––growingandgrowingandgrowing. I look back with fond memories now, but at the time I was totally about to rip my eyebrows off ;) 

I love how Gwen finds ordinary details and photographs them in such a beautiful way. 

Chairs: Ikea, $39.99 a piece. Remarkably comfortable even though they don't look it. 

Hey, hey is that a giclée? Sho nuff. I was ecstatic that it blended so well. When I ordered it, I became stricken with anxiety that it would come in purple, but it didn't and I let out a big sigh of relief when it was nice and grey like I thought it was :)

On another slummin' excursion I found that trophy for fah bux––snapped that baby right up. 

Yessssss, I know––cardinal sin––flauxrals, but if you can promise me you will go there 2x a week and replace China's best with fresh fleurs, then we can talk––otherwise they are staying ;)

Every time he comes home from the place he tells me no less than 3 times how much he LOVES it–– which makes me feel so good, so lucky and so happy to have done this for him. A satisfied client, no matter if he is your huzzben, is what makes everyday better than the one before it. 

  Çes't tout! 

xoxo,

andrea

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