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All posts by hilairepickett

Designer Inspiration: Orange County’s Fairmount

July 9, 2010 hilairepickett

FairmountSideElevation

I attended a friend’s wedding reception a few weekends ago and fell in love with Orange County’s Fairmount- the place of the party. Upon parking on the property, I couldn’t stop drooling over the gorgeous views in every direction. I had the pleasure of meeting the home’s owner, owner of Durham’s Somerhill Gallery & visionary Joe Rowand . Joe told me the brief history of the home. His inspirations include the work of William Wilson Wurster’s Gregory Farmhouse & the clean, yet warm austerity of Hugh Newell Jacobson.

Everything was my favorite, though I can’t decide if my favorite thing about the home was the gorgeous pool & adjoining cabana, the outdoor shower just outside the Master Bath, or the interior floorplan-so liveable & clean feeling. The warm oushak rugs brought life to the cool Vermont slate flooring and natural light poured into the house through the perfectly placed windows- the walls seemed to disappear. I also spotted plenty of contemporary classic pieces of furniture, including an outdoor favorite- the sling chaise by Richard Schultz-gorgeous! Enjoy these images, and for a link to the floorplan, click here:

Images & Credits go to: http://somerhill.com/em/about.html. If you’re dreaming of the space too, you may be happy to know it’s for sale here:

-Brittany

Design Lines Communications

Get Hooked: July Forecast

June 30, 2010 hilairepickett

eat-drink-summer-floral-tags

Summertime is here and we have plenty of blog posts for you to enjoy. Grab some refreshing lemonade and take a break from those rays, as I share with you what’s in store this month.

Ready for some more NBC 17- My Carolina Today tapings? We are! We will have two days planned of behind-the-scenes shooting to share with you. Stay tuned for more details too on when those segments will actually air. By the way, we are always looking for new segment ideas, so if you have any please let us know. Do you want more of a DIY spin or do you want us to stay with more of an interior design expert feel?

Brittany and I are working on a couple guest blogger series that are sure to bring you knowledge on that summer furniture of yours and also discover local artisans who are brilliant in their own way.

Hilaire will be the last highlighted staff member for the designer profiles this month. While she may not have an interior design degree, she has a relentless passion for the interior design industry as the Director of Communications.

Also, there will be three BIG press announcements, that I cannot wait to share!! Until then my lips are sealed. I promise they are worth the wait.

And finally, we have several before and after projects to share with you. Ashley, just finished up an amazing living room and dining room transformation. We will also share a kitchen, a nursery, several living spaces and our most talked about project, North Carolina State University Chancellor’s House on Centennial Campus in Raleigh.

It is a busy month and we want you to join us so come along for the ride!

image from Papercrave blog.

Designer Inspiration/Trends

Inspiration: Red Eye Candy

June 25, 2010 hilairepickett

from a creative mint 2

From a creative mint

Design Lines Red Color Inspiration

The cupcake bar

I couldn’t help myself. I follow A Creative Mint’s photostream and fell in love with her recent pictures from Copenhagen. The splashes of red throughout remind me of the fabrics that arrived this week from Villa Romo and Boussac. Don’t be afraid to use a splash of color, it can transform any room.

1.&2. A Creative Mint 3. DLL 4. Cupcakes

Design Lines Communications

Living the Mission Award for June Goes to Brittany Ruch

June 23, 2010 hilairepickett

Design Lines Living the Mission Graphic copy

Back in February of 2010 Design Lines established the “Living the Mission” award, which is awarded each month to the employee who embodies our company principles and values. The award is passed on from one employee to another employee and is accompanied with a $100 bonus.

This past Monday, Hilaire passed the award on to Brittany for her continuing efforts in furthering the company brand and client experience by introducing a new method for presenting during our design presentations.

So far our team has recognized Lauren, Hilaire and Ashley.

Holidays

Father’s Day Series: Top 4 Grills of the Summer

June 20, 2010 hilairepickett

I hope you enjoyed some meat cooked by dear old dad this past weekend. There’s been a lot of buzz about grills and with the heat of the summer arriving, we couldn’t pass up this opportunity to share with you what we think are the best grills.

TOP 4 GRILLS OF THE SUMMER!

1. The Mac Daddy of All – Viking. Made for the grill master of the house. Each grill has plenty of storage and all the necessary gadgets to turn you into “America’s Top Chef.” Viking Outdoor

m3200004_outdoor

2. Country Time – This steel fire bowl grill from Toast in the UK is for those men who loath the outdoors and enjoy making smores. Great for a camping trip or an early evening country cookout. grill 3 from Toast

3. The Renaissance Man– This classic dome grill is suitable for cooking vegetables and roasting corn on the grill. The circular shape creates a continuous flow of heat so the juices stay inside the food.

Grill

4. Fashionista – A list wouldn’t be the same, if we didn’t have an option for the ladies. For all the women who like to grill, here is Ms. Piggy decked out in her pink ensemble, and ready for any outdoor party.

grill 2

If you think your grill is the best let us know! In fact reply via twitter with a picture.

Holidays, Paint

Father’s Day Series: Colors Men Love

June 18, 2010 hilairepickett

In preparation for this series, this edition inspired by House Beautiful’s feature, I polled a few of my male friends; “what are your favorite colors? What interior colors do you feel most comfortable in?” I asked.

My Daddy’s favorite has always been a deep green- hunter green. However, Neutral colors were the resounding answer, browns, & warm greys especially. Think the colors you may find in an old map or portrait- like Picasso’s Portrait of Dora Maar

pablo-picasso-portrait-of-dora-maar

We have found that men feel comfortable in interiors with schemes featuring the following hues:

Charcoal mixed with Classic Black (even better with stripes)

Camel

Cowboy Boot Brown

Design Lines Game Room

Burnt Orange- this also translates into Copper tones & marries well with medium to dark green tones

CML-Orange & Green

Slate Blue

The other colors men love could happen to do with their local sports team loyalties, as we’ve seen our fair share of requests for NC State/Carolina Hurricanes Red (shown in the “man cave” below)

Design Lines, Ltd. Men Media Room

or Carolina Blue

Design Lines Raleigh interior design Boys Bedroom

What colors do the men in your life, love?

-Brittany

Designer Inspiration/Trends

It’s Summertime!

June 18, 2010 hilairepickett

bonnieforkner back porch

Summer is officially here…have a great weekend and talk to everyone on Monday! Whatever you do this weekend make sure you grab a cup of sweet tea and gather with friends or family.

Brittany has some great father’s day posts that you don’t want to miss!

Image from: Going Home to Roost

Designer Profiles

Designer Profiles: An Interview with Lauren McKay

June 16, 2010 hilairepickett

Lauren McKay, Allied Member ASID

How would you describe your professional style?

I think each space should perfectly fit the person living in it by bringing in unique or personalized items. People should fill their homes with things that make them smile!

What are your inspirations?

Blogs, magazines, and the other talented designers at Design Lines! If I am doing a specific room, I will start by finding inspiration from a textile or rug.

What is the essential element of any room?

Comfort.

What is your design philosophy?

Design is powerful and life changing. I also believe that everyone deserves good design which has been reinforced by Judy.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned about business?

Keep track of details and staying on top of everything is key.

What are your three must-haves?

1. The color green 2. Orbit chewing gum 3. Great artwork in every space

What piece of advice would you give to someone starting out in the design industry?

Get as much real-world experience as possible while in school. Even working retail or in a showroom can be very beneficial.

What is the last place you saw that made you think, I wish I’d done that?

21 C Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky – the hotel is a museum and every space is amazing!

How has the economy affected design?

People want to be sure their space is lasting and also a good investment.

What has been your smartest business decision?

Applying to be an intern at Design Lines.

What does value mean for you?

Getting more than you expected.

What’s on your DVR? What shows do you keep up with?

Sarah’s House on HGTV, Modern Family & Lost

What are you reading right now?

“The House That Cleans Itself” by Mindy Starns Clark and the Bible.

If you weren’t in interior design, what would you be doing?

Photography.

How did you get started in this field?

When I was in high school I took art classes and really enjoyed them. I did a lot of research on the interior design field and felt this is exactly where I should be. I thought it was a good fit. My feelings were confirmed when I found out my great-grandmother was an interior designer.

Where’s one place that you love to have the opportunity to work on a project?

In California, because they seem to have a different perspective on design.

In your eyes, what are the biggest trends for 2010?

Clean lines, classic forms, and bolder color than we saw in 2009.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

Seeing a client smile after their space is finished.

To see more designer profiles of the staff click here.

Designer Inspiration/Trends

World Cup Fancy: Interior Design from Around the World

June 15, 2010 hilairepickett

With the 2010 World Cup underway we wanted to share with you four interior design styles from four different countries, who also happen to be playing in the World Cup.

SWITZERLAND

An underground mountain house literally built inside of a mountain in Vals, Switzerland. The architects on this one-of-a-kind project are seARCH and Christian Muller Architects. This house definitely has a ton of character and provokes a warming and cottage like feel.

I love this kitchen!! Especially the sink.

Need some gas? Below are two pictures of a gas station in Grisons, Switzerland by the famous architect Iseppi Kurath. Neat huh?!

The exterior facade is made of metal.

GERMANY

This minimalist style home is nestled in Leipzig, Germany and is designed by Atelier St. The house also has sustainable elements such as solar panels on the roof, a water use chimney and many large windows to let natural light into the house.

CHILE

Hotel Indigo is located in Puerto Natales, Chile. Chilean architect Sebastián Irarrázaval designed this hotel and created all the distinct modern characteristics. There are 29 guest rooms and spectacular views of Fjord of “Last Hope” and Glacier Balmaceda.

This guest room looks so peaceful. The natural wood on the walls and floors is stunning.

Guests receive dinner promptly at 7pm and can do a variety of different activities including: horseback riding and glacier tours.

BRAZIL

Brazil’s own Arthur de Mattos Casas creates KAA, a modern resturant in SaoPaulo, Brazil. The most unique feature is a green wall on one side of the restaurant. It has more than 7,000 living plants. The natural color scheme and wooden accents allow guests to enjoy their evening with friends or family in a very relaxing environment.

The two pictures below are from a house situated right inside the heart of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The homeowner worked with the architect Marcio Kogan to create a harmonious space between the indoor and outdoor entertaining areas.

The final environmental friendly house is designed by designer Affonso Risi. I love the splashes of color throughout the house. The red chair makes a wonderful statement in the living room.

We hope you enjoyed our own mini tour of interior design from around the world. I must say, there were a lot of design similarities among the four countries while still creating totally different design concepts. Which one was your favorite?

Images: 1. Switzerland-Mountain Home Freshome.com 2. Switzerland-Gas Station Arch Daily3. Germany-Bertram Bölkow & HomeDug.com 4. Chile- Hotel Indigo & Cool Hunter.com 5. Brazil – Chictip.com 6. Homedug.com 7. Homeholic.com

Award Winning Interior Design | Raleigh, NC