The Functional Home

These custom shelves are an example of elegant yet functional solutions we are providing through Finery (Shelf designed in conjunction with artisan Kyle Nutter, photo by Annie Bacon).

When working with clients I ask a lot of questions. Questions not only about what colors and textures make them feel good, but also about their lifestyle and the needs of their family. While there are basic requirements that are common to most modern day families, each is unique and has a more specific layer of needs. For example, do you frequently entertain? Do your kids play sports or musical instruments? Do they manage their own laundry and therefore need a “kids’ laundry room”? (you can only hope, right?). All of these considerations come into play. Tapping into your list of functional desires is a passion of mine. To learn more about my new Finery product line and how it evolved from this passion, check out the update at the bottom.

Whether you are remodeling or building a new home, think about special areas of functional importance. I have had clients fully deck out their mudrooms, making sure to have chargers for kids’ phones, cabinets for tennis racquets, and vented drawers for stinky shoes. Recently I designed a laundry room where the client planned a special area for an LG Styler – a built-in steam cabinet where you hang your clothes inside and they come out perfect (wow – who knew?). For me, I have a list of things I’d like for my next house. It includes: 

1. An actual laundry ROOM rather than a laundry CLOSET. I love the idea of having a sink, an area to fold, and some cute canvas rolling hampers. Yes, I have specific ones in mind from a company called Steele (http://www.steelecanvas.com).

2. A mud area. It doesn’t have to be a specific room per se, but at least a counter or designated area where I can drop things. A place that isn’t my kitchen counter.

3. A kitchen that flows. I remodeled ours a few years ago to remove what was once a dead-end corner, and it made all the difference in the world for comfortable entertaining.

4. An organized closet. One that is well planned and has ‘a place for everything and everything in its place’. I often work with a local company called More Space Place (https://www.morespaceplaceaustin.com/). They offer all kinds of great accessories such as tie caddies, jewelry inserts, hampers – you name it! Plus they’ll work hand-in-hand with you to custom design your closet.

Lastly, I am hoping for a lap pool, but this doesn’t really count in my list of functional needs.

So my suggestion is, before you remodel or build, make a list of the things that are important to you and research what’s available to help you optimize function. There are new offerings on the market daily!

Regarding our Finery product line – We launched in October, and I hope you’ll check it out! The website is www.finerystudio.com and our tagline is “Beautiful Tools for a Finer Life”. We are currently in production with some luxury cabinet hardware (I designed it to solve some common hardware challenges, and most of it is made in the USA of 94% recycled materials), and I am also in development with some beautiful shelving units and hook wall systems for mudrooms, entryways, or anywhere else you desire lovely function. All products were designed by me, developed in conjunction with local artisans, and many are on display at the local Alexander Marchant showroom (1617 W. Koenig Lane). Come along on our journey toward beautiful functionality. If you’re on Instagram, follow us at finerystudio.

All About Rugs (Part Three of Three)

Photo taken by Casey on a visit to Morocco - what heaven for a rug-obsessed interior designer!

Thank you for joining us for our last installment of All About Rugs. Below is one more guest post written for our blog by Casey Cunningham, a rug enthusiast and Laura Burton Interiors designer.

All individual rugs pictured are available at Black Sheep Unique, our favorite rug showroom. All photos of spaces are rights of Laura Burton Interiors. ENJOY!

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Written by Casey Cunningham in collaboration with Laura Burton.

Welcome back to the third and final installment of “Blah blah blah …… RUGS!”. For those of you who have stuck this out with me you are in for a treat. It’s time for the juicy stuff – Styles and Trends!

PART THREE – STYLES AND TRENDS

When you hear the word “rug” what do you picture?

Grandma’s antique Oriental rug under the dining table at Thanksgiving? I feel like that’s what a lot of people picture when they hear the word “rug” (even if their Grandma didn’t have that rug). But the word can mean a lot of things and there are even subcategories within categories. The following are a few different types of rugs you might consider for your space. Think of these as more general “looks” than technical categories. This is not an exhaustive list, but a mere sampling.

FLATWEAVES

One of my personal favs for a cost effective, somewhat rustic, casual but still classy vibe. They come from all over the world and each region has a different style.

Generally speaking, they can be southwest (American Indian – commonly known as Navajo rugs), Oaxacan (Zapotec), Turkish (Kilim) and Moroccan (Berber) – to name a few. They can be brightly colored to more neutral depending on the natural dyes in the region. These days, with companies like West Elm and CB2 creating their own designs, they can have a contemporary or retro vibe.

These are rugs woven on a loom. They aren’t knotted so there’s no pile. They are lightweight and easily foldable. Pros: They are more cost effective, don’t really shed, and look great in a lot of different environments, especially if you love a more casual look.  Cons: Not particularly soft or cushy, can be a little scratchy on bare feet

ANTIQUE / VINTAGE / TRADITIONAL

I kind of hate lumping all of this together, but I also understand that you are grown adults with lives to live and know how Google works if you want to further your rug education.

So think of this (traditional) as more of a general “look” in a space. From a faded Oushak to a geometric Heriz (Grandma’s Oriental rug could also fall into this category.) These types of rugs will often have some kind of center medallion, be generally symmetrical and have some kind of border framing the rug.

Depending on the color scheme, these can be very versatile. They can blend with traditional furniture or compliment more contemporary furniture. These are fun when you enjoy layering patterns. When you get bored with one accent color, you can always just play up a different color in the rug. Pros: Transitional look / style versatility, many colors to choose from to accent. Cons: Pricier, can shed more than flatweaves.

 NEUTRAL/NATURAL RUG LOOK

This look can come from an undyed, chunky knotted wool or natural fiber rug (like sisal / jute) or more transitional, patterned wool rug with a neutral palette. Maybe you want a calming vibe. Maybe you want your wall art to take centerstage. Maybe you’re working with a primarily neutral palette for the room and would rather focus on texture to create visual interest. Maybe you like to change things up with every season and this allows you to go wild with red heart streamers, orange cornucopia baskets AND pastel Easter Bunnies all in the same space throughout the year.  Pros: Can be more cost effective, design flexibility. Cons: You risk being *too* vanilla if you don’t accessorize properly and you wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweats after the reoccurring nightmare of your child smearing green Jello in one hand a creating a marker masterpiece in the other. (aka: colorful stains)

CONTEMPORARY LOOK

This is where abstract and geometric shapes can cohabitate with asymmetry and all over pattern (sans border). It can be literally solid color nothingness, a color block pattern, a small, repeating geometric or an organic, all-over Rorschach test. But it will likely be paired with its fair share of clean lines in the furniture and maybe a little metal in the accents. You might see more silk or viscose in these styles (if you’re looking for something a bit fancier). This is where you’ll see cut pile options (varying heights of pile to create a 2-D look). Pros: They are a great way to incorporate color or drama via the rug. Cons: Less versatile when a color or style change is desired down the road.

LONG PILE

Again, it’s not exactly fair to lump Moroccan rugs in with shags, but they all feel good to sit on. These will be plush, comfy and often pretty affordable. Balance that with how comfortable you are with crumbs getting buried in the fibers.

Moroccans will often be associated with a more ‘Boho chic’ look where as a shag is definitely more retro or occasionally ‘glamy’, depending on the materials. Shags had a moment a few years back, and also in the 60/70’s. Moroccan rugs have a bit of a rep as a “starter rug” as they have been so widely adopted by vendors who court 20-30 something shoppers with a nice apartment and their first “real” job. However there are some really cool things happening with Moroccan rug design that I got to experience first hand on my recent work abroad trip. Pros: Cost effective and super cozy and soft on the feet. Cons: Cleaning and crumbs can be a challenge.

THE WILD CARDS

These are those rugs on the fringe (no pun intended!) of the industry. They are niche products. You have hot pink hair on hide, woven leather, organically shaped, glow in the dark… If you want to get weird with it – there is a rug for that! 

TRENDS:

·       Color and bold pattern.

·       Recent technology has made it easier to replicate more organic designs. You’re seeing more stuff that looks almost like an actual painting than a hand drawn geometric pattern. 

·       Layering rugs.

·       Traditional patterns with updated color palettes.

·       More decorative shapes than just rectangles and circles.

Prediction: Oriental rugs will make a comeback

EXTRA TIDBIT - RUG DESIGNERS I STALK ON IG:

·       Wool and Silk Rugs

·       Rug Star Official

·       Soufiane Zarib

All are available at Black Sheep Unique through your friendly neighborhood interior designer (they are a trade only showroom). Special thanks to Black Sheep for letting me consult on a couple of questions, and generally hang out in your showroom while lovingly caressing all of your beautiful rugs.

Speaking of getting weird….thank you for coming along with me on this rug journey!

All About Rugs (Part Two of Three)

Heriz Persian rug provided by Black Sheep Unique. Photo by An Indoor Lady.

Hello fellow design enthusiasts! Below is a continuation of our three part series All About Rugs, this time focusing on Purchasing Considerations. Enjoy!

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Written by Casey Cunningham in collaboration with Laura Burton.

Welcome back to Part 2 of my series: “I Love Rugs and Somebody Finally Gave Me a Platform to Talk About Them so I’m Going to Milk that with a Three Part Soapbox Rant” (Or whatever Laura named it).

Now that you understand why rugs are important and I’ve got you riled up to get your hands on your own fancy-pants rug, let’s talk about purchasing considerations. What are your needs when it comes to lifestyle, budget, maintenance, size, functionality and design style? 

PART TWO - PURCHASING CONSIDERATIONS

LIFESTYLE

Do you eat on the furniture? Do you have pets? Kids? Do you love to host GoT watch parties where people drink wine and yell at the TV when their favorite characters meet their untimely demise? 

Sometimes people say they don’t want to spend a lot on a rug because they have kids or entertain a lot and have a high probability of spills that will surely ruin the rug. FALSE: (To be read in Dwight Schrute’s voice). A good quality wool can often hold up to spills better than a budget wool. Because, science.

How often do you like to change up your environment? There are two types of buyers when it comes to design: 1) the “buy the best you can afford once” crowd, and 2) the “fast home decor” buyer who likes to switch things up often, spend less up front, and keep things “fresh”. Which one are you?

(Side note: Keeping things “fresh” is still no excuse to make impulse purchases or compromise on quality. Even if you’re working with a budget, good design is curated and intentional. Be prepared to be patient and plan in advance rather than scrambling to decorate before a party).

Then there’s the “Barefoot Test”. How do you want the rug to feel? Does it matter if it’s a little scratchy on bare feet? Do you want it to be extra cushy? Will the kids be laying on the rug?

How often do you like to vacuum? Will your Golden Retriever’s fur blend in with it? Does that matter? 

BUDGET

Only you truly know your budget, and everyone has one. Maybe your budget doesn’t allow for a $20k, hand knotted antique rug. But you can still purchase a natural fiber rug such as wool, jute, sisal, etc.. If your home style allows, you can get a quality flatweave style for considerably less than something hand knotted, and still have an upscale look.

SIZE

Make sure it fits your room. Don’t go smaller to save money – you’ll regret it. Know what your furniture layout is going to be, and as a general rule at least the front two legs of each piece of furniture should be on the rug. If you’re dealing with a dining space, plan on allowing roughly three feet all the way around the table. This way your guest’s chairs are never half on / half off the rug. In a living room, pay close attention to the side tables. As always, careful and thorough planning helps avoid unfortunate surprises.

When determining size, pay attention not only to the relationship of the rug with the furniture feet, but side tables can also be a factor. In our project above the rug was sized to ensure the side table could sit cleanly on the rug. Rug provided by Black Sheep Unique. Photo credit: An Indoor Lady.

STYLE

How much color are you comfortable with in a space? What is the architecture of your home? Are you looking for a statement piece, something to blend in, or something to provide more textural impact? Is your style trendy, timeless, modern, boho, global or traditional? There are different rug types suited for each of these styles, and the rug will either contribute toward (or detract from) the overall affect.

BONUS: BUYING TIPS

• Quality rugs are pricey. Period. If you see an 8x10 patterned rug, with a bunch of detail for $300 do not be tempted! (especially if you’re buying online). It is likely a machine made of polypropylene. This has a very different look than a wool rug and may affect the overall quality of your design.  

• Avoid buying online without a sample or seeing it in person first. Rugs are hard to photograph, and colors are difficult to capture. They often look VERY different in person. Always try to see a sample first. If you are buying from one of the online vintage rug shops that have popped up lately, have some wiggle room in your color scheme. (Back to the rug first argument).

• Make sure you are buying from a knowledgeable, reputable vendor. There can be a huge mark-up in this industry and some vendors will initially quote a price that’s several times the actual value of the rug. Sometimes they come from countries where haggling is the norm. Buying a rug from a reputable showroom with clearly marked, fair prices makes for a more enjoyable buying experience.

• Hand tufted rugs are a cost-effective way to still have a wool rug, but know that they will shed. Sometimes a lot. This can be frustrating if you are a neat freak.

• Ethical practices. Many vendors and weavers have programs benefiting the people who weave the rugs and their families. If this is something that interests you, ask your showroom contact or spend a little time doing some research online to get more info on companies that offer these programs.

Thanks for playing along, friends! I hope this piece presented you with some thought-provoking questions. In our third and final installment, we’ll be looking at basic styles and current trends in the rug world.