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........
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........
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfL3C9Dl-XmMrXqGIjLeMZN32Fp01Jfj-Pp9E8qpkglShkrh4hkAFK-FiiBafdIioBT_BNWeey1Bucb8vbYhyphenhyphenBhCymEmmKtBV9MUtk5Pw1oUj56ku23kMSqMZbgpnfpyBYs-APLXfYZY4/s640/Ken's+Office+2.png)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3w7LzWnGQDKd0lwylbV0EGEl-NF2SyLjytJiuQznEh1BeSIzIkHBRv8e6kPrzpOLuVNfclt5rioWRXE3sijbERYPl8gehbcY9hGOIiwU26mSm8up3VADmwvZQ6iyF72dHjUICRzmhnCh/s640/Ken's+Office+3.png)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OvxVp4km22pzjZBhaiOMFPFqbmob0eqC-q57K3UWRSGzJUd7mnzQIbwT_ONCQ-FvA1bV0w8jUaD_bib-guzdGX6cyhTzFre6HoN5uy45AwTxTpTeX4xgHr_oHkXUMZQ9j7r1FsRIpogx/s640/Picture+11.png)
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 ;)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Cxg54R6WmXptx32FjseA3XI7iPICu6czmayqJqVEWzs02Gnla5A02RsmbXvuWnWIeKSUDcM3QIfjXXeeti47Z7hK8DDwcaybfxknA3648Q4G0qXg9wC0rpr1JaNV9m-GZvF16Rq4OKPR/s640/Picture+7.png)
I love how Gwen finds ordinary details and photographs them in such a beautiful way.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vSHp1ZEXeRBnbRauWrOomT_-jy-qkb-6Yfqc4Rc2DqVvzXzMPctvr7Ebf0Rgy_usdc3qDeFGrIc-5SRnzNq6jPoeUL3KM3UXg-Yhu7sSI38ef7n3RG0M20UFKKCSXBXPFhP80ftbiObK/s640/Picture+6.png)
Chairs: Ikea, $39.99 a piece. Remarkably comfortable even though they don't look it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKEiJZrM3PwHllOIogKWL2egtcWchrn8Fgz_d3_WgAKAfxwIkdB-yslxohSEv0XYvB6sUN6TytTY1wnamfXvKejgYmvZ6Oyr73MFtH08I4vw0Fy2Wo6DlWXOOg2u9GYvt-1A-2uqVYLlo/s640/Picture+18.png)
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 :)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpip0yGVgtHhI7GtvG8W_ME20Qr58Z__Xq4FcrTe08geqfsqKBgAMaEgqFZJ1kI5tv2K62566Xlm0JoB4nIGQ61qprfslVTgis1vtkuuZKiL7SZETfUCd9sPTHzSCbBIQP9L3M7fW2hEn/s640/Picture+3.png)
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 ;)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYC4uqTRlmeusH79ULPYOVjGO0-frR5TzR3gO2j7BTHwy4TqTKbdN8QIYLL29eKxZB_vh_XP-EFx8TEqu_kc2sTd_gJEtQokFwqFdr45yQVoiW_cXL0jHJR9tLfQjQB5YfV2wxRi6XtVr/s640/Picture+5.png)
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
8 comments:
omg, this looks fabulous. absolutely fabulous. i really love it. good job girl.
Wow! That room is amazing and has such an inviting, yet professional, feel to it! Congratulations.
Karen@Garden, Home and Party
I love, love that wall treatment. And I can't believe you got those chairs at Ikea! You are so creative. Sigh. Come do my house!
Thank you so much ladies!!!!
Celeste, I did!! I searched high and low for them! Does anyone know how nerve-wracking it is to have to order things sight unseen and just hope for the best? I didn't know if the chairs were going to be a walnut stain (like they looked online) or lighter (as they came in). In the end it all worked out well, but I was a ball of stress for at least a week!
xoxo,
Andrea
Great job but the laughs you provided this morning were a welcome relief! I am still laughing...wish you had the upholstery scenes on Youtube. LOL
Jane-
I was totally cracking myself up writing it too ;)
Oh, let's see: Me+project clothes+hair slicked back and a general look of 'I haven't left the house today' would neverrrrrrrr make it to youtube, my darling. Or, at least I pray to the lawd it never does ;)
Just found your blog through Pamela Beattie and I love it!! I love how you do awesome work and seem super friendly and funny! Your blog is going right onto my blog roll!!
I love that space Andrea, Great work!!
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