Hi Everyone,
We are at the halfway point of the One Room Challenge, and things are really coming together! This is not to say it’s been without challenges, which I’ll get into today as well as more in next week’s post. But first, let’s revisit last week,where I talked about the overall size of the space.Contrary to how it may appear in the before images, this space is actually quite substantial, so I knew I wanted to fill it with ample furniture.
Via One Room Challenge, I discovered the outdoor furniture brand, Stori Modernand quickly honed in on the Script Collection.What I liked about it was that it's a sectional lounge set, which meant I could be a flexible with the arrangement. As for the coffee tables, I opted to go with two in order to create a lower to the ground version of a communal table, where everyone can gather around with their snacks and drinks. Also, I know Los Angeles isn’t exactly known for bad weather, but the roof deck is certainly the spot in the house that will encounter the brunt of rain, sun and extra windy days. The teak stylealuminum will hold up to whatever LA's weather throws at it, and theSunbrella® Spectrum Sand fabric cushions are definitely up to the task of baking in the sun whilst resisting mold and mildew. After much deliberation and rough sketches of the space, I landed on the following Stori Modern selections:
THE ARRIVAL
From previous experience with furniture deliveries, I anticipated a delay or two with the arrival.Much to my delight, though my entire Stori Modern order arrived within less than two weeks! Needless to say, it took a few extra hands to open up all the boxes and get the furniture (safely) to the roof deck.
I was thrilled, as this put me ahead of schedule, which is a rare yet a very appreciate turn of events! Much to my surprise,though I had underestimated the amount of space that I would have left, once the furniture was in place. Since I was so happy with the furniture itself, this ultimately didn’t cause any distress. It did, however, require me to rethink the original concept.
CHALLENGE I
So, the plan was always to get rid of the (gross) cushioning that came with the house, and replacethem with custom sized and designed cushions. Then, I was going to add as many throw pillows in various sizes and colors that could fit! The final result was to be a chic yet comfortable place to hang out and bronze in the sun.With the aforementioned furniture arrival, though this idea was quickly scratched,as my new Stori Modern pieces would more than suffice any and all lounging needs.
Know what I decided to do? That's right, I already hinted at it in my first post. It was timeto bring east coast roof top terrace vibes to my west coast roof deck. I wanted to create an"organic" moment along this large raised part of the deck. The reason for thequotes around the word, organic, is because I actually decided to go with flawlessy faux plants. The reason behind this choice is multi-dimensional: water conservation, longevity and the very real fact that I simply travel too often to ensure the proper amount of watering will happen for living plants.
It turns out, though that it's not as easy to find well made and believablyfaux outdoor plants. I was surfing the internet quite a bit, until I remembered one of my Mom's favorites - Frontgate. As visualized in my mood boards, I found infinite options at Frontgate. I truly went to town on their site and ended up filling this vapid space with stunning greenery, colorful as well as muted in color pots and multi-sized lanterns (that I'm really excited about). I look forward to sharing more on this next week! In the meantime, here is more unpacking pictures! I include this simply to drive home how many things were coming in....all at once.
Also, in store for next week, I reveal how I channeled that orginal customized cushion idea into something far better. (Hint...Fabricut)
CHALLENGE II
Once having the furniture layout in place and one challenge on it's way to being resolved, I realized that I had another one just waiting for my attention - the need to create a sense of privacy. I do not live on acres and acres of land. The is not a complaint, of course. It's simply the reality of having neighbors....somewhat close by. So, I got to thinking about how to create an aethestically pleasing divider between us. The solution was simple, I would continue the greeney along this particular wall. This time, though I'd add a little more height to my selections. You can get a peek at that and more on my Instagram post today.
AND, ONE MORE THING
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PAINT! Although not technically outside, the stairwell leading up to the roof deck is very much part of the overall design of the space. I bounced around A LOTof ideas for what to do along the wall leading up the stairs (gallery wall??). After consulting with Farrow and Ball's paint specialist, though I landed on something I'm really pleased with. Yet another thing that you'll need to wait for, but I will say this - the transformation is subtle yet substantial....and very very chic!
Until next week...
Cheers,
xx
GM
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