The Bayside Project

The Rolling Stones lyrics “You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need” too often become oh-so-accurate when it comes to designing interior projects.

And this was certainly true when it came to the Bayside Project.

We partnered with homeowner Molly to brighten, modernize, and open up the great room and kitchen of her 70s home. The house’s dark wood and thick beams—paired with a low ceiling—made the rooms feel enclosed, and she wanted a more open and energetic vibe.

Some of the considerations for opening up the room was removing the bar between the great room and kitchen, but fatefully (or luckily, depending on how you look at it), budgetary restrictions meant the bar ended up becoming the color-infused, gold tinged, grab-a-seat, cozy showstopper of the whole project.

Bayside Project Before Photos

Painted cabinetry and living room remodel project

A hint of color,
heavy dash of style

Like most projects of this scale, this one started with a Working Consultation to get to know the homeowner’s style and thought starters for the space. “The vision for this project was to bring to life the personality of the homeowner and her young, beautiful family,” said Emily of her inspiration. “Her bright outlook on life shines through her personality and clothing. I wanted her surroundings to mimic that beauty and colorfulness.”

“Bold, beautiful, and curated” was the mantra on repeat during this project. Quite often, we’ll build a space around unique, meaningful artifacts within the client’s home, and in this case, it was the stunning cow artwork that our client’s husband gave her as an anniversary gift. The cow became not only a talking piece but a talking piece that tied together the color theory of the floral wallpaper and Parisian-inspired stools.

“Emily was so skilled in bringing in color in a way that was tasteful. She helped me edit all of my ideas." 

Lightening it up

In its “before” glory, the great room was affectionately nicknamed the "Ron Burgundy Room" with its dark (not rich mahogany) beams. We wanted to breathe new life and love into the space to lighten and brighten, and to make this happen, the beams, stone fireplace, ceilings, and walls need many, many coats of white paint. In fact, we used a combination of five different shades of white to get the tone just right.

Above all, one thing was certain—we wanted the living area to exude happy, cozy vibes, with a bit of color and boho in the mix. Our client wanted to work in her existing sofa so we layered in textiles galore to add texture and whimsy. The same goes for the dining area, where we layered in bright and colorful touches, with a homey ambiance that was anchored by a built-in bench.

"From the beginning, we worked well together.”

“She had a vision for the space. We knew we both loved vintage. A shared love of weird pieces that we knew had to play a part in the design. I just had this trust for her right out of the gates. And that is my biggest piece of advice. Trust your designer! Trust each other. Really go for it and it will be beautiful in the end!" said Molly.

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