Before And After: Painted Ceiling

For a recent Cocoon Home Design project we painted the ceiling and walls in Benjamin Moore's Dove White.   We decided to leave the beams stained dark to ground the space and blend it with the stone fireplace.  Painting is the first phase for this home's transformation.  Area rugs, lighting, botanicals and carefully selected accessories will complete our clients' desired aesthetic.   Take a look the ceiling 'before and after' and the Pinboard that inspired it all.

Moving Mode: Here And There

It's been nearly 8 months since our  move and things are gradually falling into place.  Items that once fit so nicely in our  Cambridge house have found a perfect placement in our California home.  Take a look at how it looked there and how it now looks here:

I think that a favorite part about decorating a space, whether it's for clients or for myself is utilizing what already exists and making it feel new again.

Last year, Cocoon Home Design was among Apartment Therapy's  top 20 design blogs!  Let's make it to the top 10 this year!

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Quick Fix: Guest Bathroom Facelift

With gray cabinets, antiquated sinks, outdated tile and bland hardware our guest bathroom was in need of a quick fix.  After whitewashing the green bathroom walls and grey cabinetry, I found inspiration in this colorful runner .  It prompted me to do something a bit different and fun with the hardware.  I decided not to coordinate the knobs but rather to replace them with different colors and patterns.   Thanks to Anthropologie's amazing collection of hardware  (and our helpful twins) the 18+ drawers and cabinets now sport a brand new look.  The bathroom has gone from drab and outdated to bright and somewhat "current".

My parents arrive this Thursday for a visit.  It will be the first time they'll see our new home, and our welcoming and updated guest bath.  I think I'm becoming a convert to more colorful spaces...

Moving Mode: Exterior Paint Reveal

The exterior painting of our home is finally completed, including the entrance gate that became a dilemma.   After a little deliberation I decided to forgo an accent shade altogether and paint the entire house in the same color.  In the future I may try to go bold again, but for now keeping it simple is best.  Take a look at a few before and after (in our home's new color) photos:

Many thanks to those who offered their opinion of my accent color dilemma.  I particularly liked MT's comment on Cocoon's Facebook page.

On The Fence: Exterior Accent Color

The exterior painting of the house began and I just love the color we chose, but  I'm NOT loving our accent color selection.   I thought a bold shade would add a bit of fun to the house and accentuate its entrance like it did in Cambridge .  After trying out a least 5 different shade samples (none of which worked),  I decided to just to buy a gallon of yet another color and go for it without sampling it.   This is what I got.  Take a look:

It's been suggested that I mix this color with all the samples I now own.  What do you think?  Do you like the color?  Do you agree that the entrance should be highlighted?   OR  Should I just keep it simple and paint the whole house in the same color?

Seriously on the fence on this one,

Debra