rugs rugs rugs!!!

i receive lots of questions relating to the many rugs we have in chalet.

1. how did i choose my rugs?

2. pattern matching or mismatching?

3. what do i look for?

let's start with # 1. i definitely know what i like! and from the cacophony of styles in the chalet you know i am a fan of many design aesthetics, but, i've never purhased a rug on a whim - all were sought specific spaces and designs in mind.

a few have moved around the chalet and they work or i make them work - because i refuse to think it won't work but, maybe i'm nuts... ha!

i love the pattern of this round cotton rug from Home Decorators Collection. i think it's perfect in our little entryway.

these wool rugs are Pottery Barn purchased 10 years ago on sale. we have three rugs that make up the Livingroom and Den area - two 8 x 5's, and one 10 x 8.

in this image you can see the Den seating area - at the time i wanted one large rug and we couldn't afford it, so building the room this way made sense. to the eye the pattern continues so the multiple rugs don't jump out at you. i tell friends all the time you can make anything work if you love it.

#2. well, i would never say i set out to mismatch - to my eye it all goes together. the designs and color-stories may vary a bit but, since the floor plan is open and the majority of the furnishings are balanced with black - it all works.

the wool Moroccan Tribal rug - which was gifted to us by my husband's father is a favorite. i love the colors and the uniqueness of the pattern. we were so lucky with the size. nothing is worse than a too small rug especially under a dining area.

#3. i look for color, pattern and natural materials.

sometimes the decisions is color driven - i originally was going for navy but, when i stumbled across this rug on Wayfair i fell in love with the subtle pale grey pattern. here we again have three of the same patterned rugs spread over one space.

upstairs in the hall we have three rugs - this time of different designs encircling the center chimney. the first heading toward Liam's bedroom is from The Home Depot it's beige with a taupe and light blue pattern.

this black runner was the first rug that i installed upstairs. i wanted to not only warm up the space but, i needed to deaden some of the sound as well.

a few years ago we realized our son wanted to hang out in the hall and play on the floor - especially if my husband was in his office. i got out my computer and found this 4x4 number from Home Decorators Collection. 

the master bedroom rug is the Henley from Pottery Barn -  a two tone beige hand tufted wool.  although, not my usual M.O. i decided to forgo a pattern on the floor in this space. it felt right to let the draperies and art take center stage in the rooms design.

i love the squares in my son's Home Depot nylon carpeting. we lucked out - it's almost wall to wall. in my piece Liam's Lair I shared the original design - it started with a square motif bedding pattern chosen while i was pregnant.

for his recent room redo i picked up this shaggy polyester navy number at Target. he loves to pretend it's an ocean and it helps pull a bit more blue around the room.

there are a few designs currently in our basement. you'll notice there is a larger matching blue wool oriental in my husbands office - they are the most fetching vintage Drexel Heritage rugs from the 1970's that my Mother in Law gifted us. they were originally in the Livingroom at our old house and here too.  the maroon is a Home Goods find. it is wool and is hands down the softest rug in the chalet. it was originally in our master bedroom. i am very pleased my son and his friends have a soft rug to play on. i did try and use it upstairs in the hall but, unfortunately it was too large.

so there you have it - a study of the chalet floor coverings. i have a type of pattern my eye is drawn to but, there is a bit of diversity as well.  i tend to like natural fibers for feel and color.

are your rugs and carpets different in different areas of your home?

or do you gravitate toward the same designs?

I'd love to know!

til next time.

liam's lair

my son's room got an overhaul. this change was precipitated by the removal of french doors. now, if you are new to the chalet here are some details - we have 8 doors and until this remodel we had 5 sets of french doors. built in 1924  the chalet was a summer get away - tons of doors and windows for breezes and nary a bit of insulation. (hand hitting head emoji)  anyway after the galerie to porch switcheroo the door removal was the next big item on my husband's never ending #ToDoList for this 94 year old gem!

project morning: Steven snapped this of Liam and I as we headed out to a friends birthday party - leaving him on the balcony 3 stories up - happily working in solitude.

this is the view from the bedroom. it was always nerve-racking having an old set of glass doors in a childs room. 

here it is -  a nutshell from the day. Steven's first hurdle the storm doors he caulked shut so well it took him 2 hours to get them open. after that the process was a repeat of the porch - build the wall and install the windows.

he actually finished the outside this past weekend.

we looked for a while for paint - we considered a bunch of dark and light blues and greys, but with how dark our bedrooms are in the chalet due to the wide eaves we decided white was really the best option.

i wasn't prepared for how much i would love the crispness. i quickly realized i wanted to go more navy with some pops of green in the design. hey - my designs are never set in stone. there were plenty of items that were returned to stores; a lamp, rug and other accessories. i washed and put his orange quilt away. i think i will get a navy one when the weather changes but, for now, Liam loves his blue blanket.

moving his bed to the other side of the room has made it feel larger. we always had an extra plug in radiator in that outside corner - when the weather changes in October i'm not sure where it will go but, we'll figure it out.

all the art we took down did not go back up. i moved a few pieces to the basement - some into storage and we hung one in the play area.

for the first time in my life i am going to let this space and these walls evolve!

i rehung the skeleton over the storage cubbies. i love these units they hold toys, books and display Legos on top!

i was thrilled he let me frame his Star Wars poster! there was talk of scotch tape on his walls.

i am in love love love with the navy leather tray with cross stitching details i found at Home Sense.

how stylish is his lamp? this is one of a set of vintage gold tone lamps that were in my Aunt's living room. some spray paint and voila! 

here's a few images of the painting process.

above is the fresh updated corner and here the same space last winter.

this image at left is from 2014. his bed in it's original place.

and finally i thought i'd share my original design of Liam's room from when i was pregnant. i never wanted anything cutesy. i found the bedding - i still think the modern square design is timeless. the rug is from Home Depot. we received gifted furnishings, my old dresser was converted into a changing table and the crib was bought sight unseen from Target.com. my biggest splurge was the art from Art.com and framing.

i'm hoping this redo will carry our son through a couple of years. we know he could use a larger bed - he's tall and he's only getting bigger! he's 4 ft 5-1/2 inches tall and 70 lbs. i do already have a scheme in my head complete with a loveseat and trunk coffee table - because he must have the most comfortable place to hang.

til next time.