Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Patrick Martinez Photo

Designer Shaleesa Mize prioritized natural light in the design of her own home.

As a child, Shaleesa Mize liked to draw floorplans of her dream home. It had big windows and rolling hills beyond, with various features she'd mentally tack on as she grew up and pursued becoming an interior designer for real. As a young adult, Mize interned with Spokane-based Integrus Architecture PS and HDG Architecture and completed her interior design degree from Washington State University. In 2017, she opened her own firm: Pacific Design Co. (formerly Little Pacific Design Studio).

At that point, at least part of her dream had come true.

But designing her own home proved elusive until 2019. After years of renting, living with others friends, her husband's parents and even a fantasy about buying her childhood home and moving it onto a piece of property, Mize got to design her first home, start to finish. And as she did so, she learned that big dreams come with big challenges.

"It's given me a lot of empathy," Mize says, noting the process has spanned years.

Mize spent a long time perfecting the house's design while she and her husband, Connor, searched for the perfect lot. "The concept was there pretty early, of what we wanted, but there were lots of little tweaks over the years while we were waiting to find land," says Mize. Ideally they wanted 10 acres and if the stars aligned a stream. Over those years of tweaking, as Mize clicked away at her home computer, adding and subtracting from the design, "I was (working) night shift," says Connor, "so I bought her a silent mouse."

In fall 2019, they found the land they had been looking for: an 11-acre plot in the Wandermere neighborhood known as Dartford Creek. "We had actually been looking for probably five, six years before finding something close to town," Mize says. And yes, there was a creek.

Patrick Martinez Photo

The cabinet doors and drawer fronts feature single-slab front panels with aligned wood grain.

But they were too late; someone beat them to it. The Mizes experienced the roller coaster of disappointment followed by elation when the original buyers backed out and the couple's offer was accepted. "It's a blur," Mize says with a laugh.

With the land secured, and financing after a few hiccups lined up, it was time at last to finalize the house plans. Although Mize says the single-story home she designed looks nothing like what she remembers drawing as a kid, it does thoroughly reflect her concern with how people move through and use each space in a home, as well as how those spaces are connected.

"I remember daydreaming about how I would welcome people into the entry or gather in the kitchen and living room," Mize says of her childhood sketches. And indeed, the entry of the new home offers a gentle landing zone, before opening gradually to reveal an expansive great room with eight-foot windows. "A lot of natural light was important to us," Mize says, easing open the three-panel, 13-foot sliding doors that span the width of the living room and allow unfettered access to the back patio. "I love sitting here in the evenings," Mize says, noting the house is oriented to allow sunset views year round.

A fireplace anchors the room, flanked by large windows, with purposely low sill heights that Mize designed to allow their young children to peek out.

On the opposite side of the great room, the kitchen highlighted a classic challenge in home design: how to proceed when couples have different design aesthetics. Connor preferred a more modern "ultra stark" look, says Shaleesa, while "I'm personally more inspired by Scandinavian stuff, so I just wanted it to be all kind of uniform, a quiet modern feel."

"So we're like, 'OK, how can we blend it to feel like warm and cozy, but still have those modern lines?'" Mize says.

The couple settled on wood cabinets with inset, single-slab front panels set in matching boxes. "I was like, 'Oh, this is a really clean simple look. This should be easy!'" Mize says, but as she learned, "Nobody does this and it's for a reason." The veneer doors took stain differently from the solid wood boxes, leading to an unanticipated and, to Mize, unacceptable "two-tone" look. "I finally found a cabinet guy who understood what I was wanting to achieve, and basically we had to do veneers on everything so that the stain would read consistent," Mize says. "So they did a beautiful job grain-matching everywhere."

Patrick Martinez Photo

The cabinet doors and drawer fronts feature inset, single-slab front panels with aligned wood grain.

The counters are a subtly polished quartz, while the Fisher Paykel appliances include a smooth top induction range instead of gas. "I got to go down to the Fisher Paykel showroom in California, and the chef there talked a lot about it, and that's where I first kind of decided on that," says Mize. A trip to the Monogram Design Center in Chicago confirmed her choice, as the chef there told her, "Induction is where you need to be," she says, noting she appreciated its safety features. "It's good to hear their opinions when they're cooking on stuff every day, but for me it just came down to cleaning it. Like, I'm not cleaning out those grates every day, and I know he won't either! So it's really nice for that."

At the far end of the kitchen, somewhat tucked away, is a little pantry, one of Mize's favorite elements in the home. Rather than being closet-style, the pantry also opens on its far side into the large mudroom as well as the bedroom hallway. "I loved that on the floor plan, our house is a circle... It's great for Nerf gun fights," Mize says.

The hallway to the bedrooms features a windowed breezeway, with a carefully crafted surprise along the way: a small courtyard. "When we were laying out the angle of the house we factored in the view from here and what it was going to capture... It's going to feel like a separate, little more intimate courtyard here, that's right off of our primary suite, and then it will come out to a more public, outdoor seating area," says Mize, who's waiting for the final finishing touches on the courtyard areas.

Patrick Martinez Photo

The spacious primary bath and closet area provides separation from the bedroom to accommodate the couple's different sleep schedules.

The private zone of the home features three bedrooms, although one room was originally slated to be Mize's home office. "Right when I was like, 'Yay! I finally get an office,' then I found out I was pregnant, and I was like, 'OK, this will be an office for six months,'" she laughs. She quickly altered the original floor plan that had featured a guest bath in the private wing to include instead a Jack-and-Jill bathroom between the two kids' rooms, and then she added a powder room for guests near the front entry.

At the far end of the hallway is one of Mize's favorite spaces in the 3,250-square-foot house. "This is another example of what was important for us layout wise," Mize says. With Connor working the night shift, being able to close off the room during the day was important. "We can feel like we're out there living a normal life and not tiptoeing around while dad is sleeping but also...basically as he is coming home and going to bed, I am getting up and getting ready, so I wanted to have our bathroom and closet all in space that I could come in, get ready, close it off and then sneak out," she says. With sweeping views from the tub, and yes, even the toilet, Mize says, "I love starting my mornings here and ending my days here. It's probably my favorite room of the house."

Mize is the first to note that even after more than two years, there are a number of projects left to complete at the home. The basement is unfinished, and while a garage is planned, it's not even started. And that's OK. Mize says the couple prioritized finishing elements that would be hard to change out later, such as the windows, while recognizing their home could mature along with their family. It's a philosophy she also conveys to her clients. "You can have what you want that's really important to you ... And then the things that are easy to add later can be done ... It doesn't have to be a masterpiece right when the construction is completed."

Additional reporting by Carrie Scozzaro.

Patrick Martinez Photo

The powder room near the entry features a custom panel vanity.

Expert Advice

Designer Shaleesa Mize's tips for designing your dream home

Daydream! Designing a home can be overwhelming once you get into the logistics of things, so I think it's really important to spend time just being free with your wildest dreams before starting.

View your home as a work in progress. Not all of those amazing things you daydreamed about will fit within your budget. Oftentimes, there are many ideas that can be completed at a later time or easily added on.

Build a cushion into your budget.

Find the right team. Everyone gets to a saturation point where after that point hits, decision fatigue is REAL. Have an architect and/or designer do the heavy-lifting of sourcing and bring your visions to life!

Be realistic. Our current building climate is a whirlwind of many less-than-ideal factors, and those preparing to embark on a building journey during this time should be over prepared ... with extra funds, extra time and extra patience.

SHALEESA MIZE

Project Profile

Appliances: Ferguson (Fisher & Paykel brand)

Cabinets: Faber Built

Counters: Capaul Stoneworks

Fireplace: Falcos

Flooring: Duchateau

General Contractor: Timofey Solodyankin, Solo Homes Co.

Hardware: Spokane Hardware Supply, Inc.

Paint: Miller Paint

Tile installation: Design Tile & Flooring

Windows: Andersen Windows

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Designer Shaleesa Mize makes her childhood dream a reality in a home that's ready to grow with her family - Inlander

"It was the most beautiful house Id ever seen," says Paula Ayala, a photographer, film editor, and midcentury-design fanatic, of the first time she walked through the front door of Greg Ledesmas half-renovated Eichler in 2018.

Greg, an interior designer with more than two decades of experience, felt the same way. He had spent years ogling the midcentury homes in the Fairhills neighborhood of Orange, California, before a model by renowned architects and Eichler designers A. Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmons dropped into his price range in 2012. He pounced, his design antenna on high alert with a plan to modernize, knock down walls, and liberally apply his own perspective.

Built in 1964, the home is one of 80 developed by Eichler and designed by Jones & Emmons for Oranges Fairhills neighborhood. Like most Eichlers, it features a fairly closed facade with windows that are either clerestory or clouded glass.

With four bedrooms and two baths, the Eichler Plan 16-05 boasts a striking double-gable roof and a central atrium.

Whereas the facade is closed to the street, the interior opens to the central atrium, which is one of Paula and Gregs favorite places in the home. All the glass makes the design feel larger than its 1,986 square feet.

With a limited budget, Gregs renovation plans stalled. "It was lucky," he says, explaining that after living with the homes original layout, he came to appreciate the original vision and the harmony of the spaces. That visionto package high end architecture and indoor/outdoor living for middle-class consumptionmeant the homes distinctive dual-gable roof and central atrium were perfectly balanced with modestly proportioned bedrooms, a kitchen, and bath.

The original Jones & Emmons floor plan from 1964.

Gregs neighbors, many of whom were original owners, invited him into their unaltered Eichlers. "The homes felt completely timeless," says Greg. "You could see the deep green of the mature gardens from every room, and the mahogany walls just shone with richness, so warm and inviting." From that point, he was committed to restoring his home to its original glory.

With his background in interior design, Greg had the skills to complete most of the work himself, and hired contractors only where necessary.

Six years into renovating, Greg had completed structural fixes and repaired the leaky roof and defunct air conditioner. He was in the process of stripping away the white paint from the walls and ceiling when he and Paula met at the Long Beach Antique Market. When she moved in, the renovation "took off like a freight train," he says.

When the couple started dating, Greg and Paula would take his classic Buick for rides through nearby Santiago Canyon. "For us, theres just something about being in that car, nothing replicates it," says Greg. "The interior is cherry red and platinumtotally exquisite," says Paula. "It feels like a spaceship."

Paula: We love collaborating. Within two months of meeting, he suggested we start our shop, Paula y Gregorio. I said yes immediately!

Greg: We have both been collecting since the early 2000s. I had a vintage shop in Palm Springs, just before the real estate market skyrocketed there. Unsurprisingly, it was an incredible place to collect midcentury items.

Paula: We really got the shop going during the pandemic when I started photographing the pieces in our home.

Greg: It makes so much sense to use our house as a showroom. Its invaluable to display a midcentury piece in a midcentury home. It really captures the strength of the style and shows scale.

Greg sits in a vintage Sheriff chair with matching ottoman by Brazilian designer Sergio Rodriguez.

Paula: I work with a 35mm camera that I love. Its very, very special to me, and I know when to use it and what works. This house has so much beautiful life and warmth, and the light it gives us is just amazing. It tells me when to take photographs at the very warmest moments, which make you truly feel something. Often, its in the evening at golden hour. I like to keep things very natural, and even if the lighting isnt perfect, or shots come out a little dark, I feel its the best way to capture the moment.

The vintage hanging wall cabinet was designed by Florence Knoll for Knoll International, while the vintage sofa is by Mario Bellini Camaleond for B&B Italia.

Greg: Paulas ability to capture the house on film really blew my mind. Its just the right fit for the era and the perfect expression of my original vision. The warmth she captures is different than digitalit feels more real, not as photoshopped and ultra clear. With an iPhone you can take a trillion photos, but she is mindful and considerate with every shot and never takes more than one or two.

"The more grit and grain in the photo, the more real it feels," says Paula, who prefers to shoot with a 35mm camera.

What are some key elements of your renovation?

Greg: The mahogany walls and redwood ceilings really help anchor the living spaces. As is true with so many Eichlers, ours had been painted over during the 70s or 80s. To restore them, I have been removing each entire wood panel one by one and bringing them outside, and then using a chemical paint stripper before sanding them.

Paula: The atrium at the core of our home and its maturing plants really balance out the colors of our interior design.Every day we appreciate the planting we did early on.The essence of an Eichler is the indoor/outdoor balance and without that greenery, it would feel hollow.

This vintage carved wooden panel is by ERA Industries.

In the atrium, a weeping blue atlas cedar grows gracefully over the juniper ground cover.

"I still have a ways to go," Greg says of his plan to strip every wall of its aftermarket paint job.

The stripped ceilings reveal the original dark-stained redwood beams.

Greg: Since the original floors had serious water damage, I ripped them out and replaced them with VCT (vinyl composition tile), which is great for high traffic areas and offers a wide selection of tones. Plus, its budget-friendly and similar to original Eichler materials. The wood-look tile has a nice, warm tone, but since VCT can be a little bland, we added a midcentury Persian carpet for character and color.

Greg and Paula have a terrific collection of vintage planters and decorative vessels. "Ive always had a passion for ceramics," says Greg, "especially pieces with unique glazes."

The collection reflects the couples style, background, and culture: Gregs parents immigrated from Mexico while Paulas family moved to California from Argentina.

The wood and brass head sculpture with earrings, designed by Taller Tinta, references Pre-Columbian culture.

"We also really enjoy California craft design for its great mixture of earthy and organic components," says Paula.

Greg is particularly proud of the hand and foot sculptures, made of gold leaf and wood, by the celebrated German-Mexican surrealist Pedro Friedeberg.

The office features a vintage black and walnut Chieftain chair by Finn Juhl. "All of these pieces have a great patina," notes Greg. "Vintage is often not pristine, and we think a few dings make it better. They show that a piece has been loved and used."

Paula: Most people want something big and fancy, but we love our little kitchen. I cook all the time and make complicated dishes, and Ive got plenty of space. I appreciate that everything is so accessible, simple, and easy to clean. Its a beautiful kitchen.

Greg: The smaller scale means weve really learned to pare back and declutter, to live more simply, and enjoy the house with a longer-term view rather than date stamp our renovation. And, the original sliding cabinets, for example, are really elegant. They just glide on their tracks. We also have all the original appliances, including the original electric oven.

"I love to laugh, and I love silly things," says Paula. "I was delighted when I found this 6-foot-long old-school pencil."

"Each of these rugs is unique," Greg points out. "This one has become a key component of the space and the colors work great with the original brick fireplace."

Just inside the glass, the stone floor serves as a natural and seamless transition from the atrium to the interior living area.

Greg: Access to materials. Many of the original components of Eichler construction are no longer available. Some glass elementssuch as the frosted glass by the front doorjust arent made anymore. Weve found comparable equivalents, but its not the same. Some of us Eichler nerds patrol the neighborhood, watching out for new owners renovating original homes. Then we either ask kindly to salvage pieces or just dumpster dive!

Paula: Some of my happiest moments are spent with our kids out in the atrium. I put a little blanket out for baby Lucia while six-year-old Nina plays with the fairy garden. Weve got a hummingbird feeder and there are always birdsweve even named some of them. We also love the backyard. We live in a cul-de-sac on a larger lot and the backyard space is huge. Theres a lawn and a play area and a pool. We have friends over all the time.

Greg: We thrived during the pandemic. Paula would fill up the pool with water balloons, and wed have yard games and Argentinian barbecue, and basically turn the backyard into a resort. Were total kids.

"Its an extension of our living room," says Greg of the atrium.

Greg and Paula splurged on some full-grown plants for the atrium, planting them alongside younger plants that have grown in over time.

"I'll never get tired of all the glass," says Paula. "We love our indoor/outdoor lifestyle, and feeling so in tune with nature and our garden."

"There are little touches throughout the home that are unique and special to us, like the little stones and shells in the atrium," says Paula. "We've picked them up over the years on camping vacations or on trips to the beach."

"Greg is a master at balancing rocks," says Paula.

The home opens onto a generous back garden, where the couple likes to host parties and barbecues. "The back is the next step of our renovation," says Greg.

The garden is easily accessible through the sliding glass doors in the living area and bedrooms.

Greg: The first owner built it in the late 60s to use as a workshop, and then his son moved into it for a while. By the time I bought the house, it was just a shack, a total eyesore, and I figured I would tear it down. But once I started using it as a workshop I realized it was totally perfect.

"Its a fantastic space," says Paula of the studio Greg created out of a shed a previous owner had built. "He installed sliding barn doors, and when he works he leaves them open so we can see him from the house."

"I also installed a mini fridge," says Greg. "I leave the doors open when were entertaining, and we turn on the lights and turn up the music."

Paula: I was first amazed by all of the glass and how the space is so in tune with nature and sunlight. We really live an indoor/outdoor life, with trees visible from every room. Its so peaceful.

Greg: And really conducive to family life.

Paula: We like the feeling of being together, even when were each busy with our own activities. Here, everything is transparent, and we can all see each other and feel like were together.

The vintage leather Cab dining chairs by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia surround the vintage mosaic dining table embedded with Italian glass tiles.

Greg: One painting that is really special to me is of a woman and child that I bought 17 years ago and then put it into storage for years. In the back of my mind, I always hoped that I would gift it to the mother of my child if ever I was fortunate enough to have a family. I gave it to Paula last year on Mother's Day not knowing we would soon find out she was expecting a second child. It now hangs in our bedroom over Lucias bassinet.

Paula: It truly means a lot to both of us.

This painting was done in the early '60s by Jesus Leuus, a Mexican modernist.

Greg: Joseph Eichlers vision was amazing. Paula and I feel particularly proud to live in a neighborhood that was one of first to incorporate fair housing practices. We are committed to using our shop and our Instagram to promote the original Eichler aesthetic. There is a real demand for this type of midcentury home, and I think the relative abundance of available Eichlers make their original features seem more fungible and more open to renovation than, say, a Schindler. I hope that Paulas beautiful photos of our family having fun and thriving in this house inspire people to try living in these terrific spaces and enjoying this lifestyle.

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My House: A Designing Couple Treat Their Eichler to a Refresh With Funky, Vintage Style - Dwell

Looking for design inspiration? This 1930s home in Highland Park was originally designed by Charles Dilbeck and recently renovated. Located at 4545 Belfort Ave., the home has four bedrooms and four bathrooms in its 2,558 square feet.

Jessica Koltun, the interior designer and listing agent for the property, worked alongside R + D Residential to update the home. The Charles Dilbeck home was built in 1937, according to property records. This home bears a notable design element consistent with Dilbecks style: the turret visible from the front. According to information from Preservation Dallas, the home is considered a French Eclectic design.

Knowing that the home has architectural significance, Koltun said she worked to honor the original elements and preserve them in the update such as the curved stair rail. Many of the updates were meant to cater to modern needs: spaces were opened up and storage was added. The kitchen is more of a shared space for modern homeowners than it was many decades ago.

The kitchen is always the heart of the home, Koltun said. Everyone gathers around there and you do want it to be open, which is why we did add additional openings.

1/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

2/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

3/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

4/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

5/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

6/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

7/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

8/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

9/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

10/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

11/11Take a look at the home at 4545 Belfort Ave. in Highland Park.(Costa Christ Media)

The first floor of the home includes light-filled living spaces like the study, living room and the open-concept kitchen and dining space. The kitchen has white cabinets, an island with space for seating, a dry bar with storage and easy access to the adjacent dining space. In order to create division between the otherwise open spaces, Koltun said she used the direction of the wood flooring to indicate a change. In the kitchen, a wine display wall is located in an arched nook and adds both a storage element and an artful, eye-catching detail. A butlers pantry and a utility room are located near the kitchen.

A guest bedroom is located on the first floor, but it could also be used as a sunroom. A nearby bathroom serves the guest room (or sunroom) and acts as a pool bath.

Upstairs, three bedrooms have en suite bathrooms. The primary suite offers two walk-in closets, dual vanities in the bathroom, and a separate shower and bathtub.

One of the challenges of updating an older home for modern life is the lack of closet spaces. Most older homes werent built with the walk-in closets many people have come to expect. With this in mind, all of the bedrooms in the home were given larger closets during the renovation.

The home was completed in May 2022. It was listed for $2,295,000 and sold for $2,565,000 in May.

This is part of our Posh Properties series, providing a glimpse inside nice homes in North Texas for those who love to look at houses. It is not paid for or presented by area real estate agents or companies.

Looking for more Posh Properties stories? Follow Mary Grace Granados on Instagram, go to our luxury real estate page or subscribe to our free weekly newsletter.

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Take a look at this updated 1930s Charles Dilbeck home in Highland Park - The Dallas Morning News

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) The most expensive home in Arizona is selling for $28 million.

Point2Homes.com looked at the priciest options in each state.

This real estate website found a seven bedroom, eight bathroom, 13,617 square feet house standing on a 1.87 acre lot.

Called "the Aerie," Erik Peterson of PHX Architecture designed the home, collaborating with Paragon Custom Homes building it.

"From the open great room which leads to the designer kitchen and hidden catering kitchen to the thoughtfully designed entertainment zone, and the palatial master wing this home has it all," Point2Homes.com described. "Embodying a true indoor outdoor lifestyle, entertaining spaces flow to the beautiful outdoors all with amazing views of the valley below."

The home sits in the McDowell Mountains in Scottdale's most exclusive community of Silverleaf.

This community has a renowned club offering a "par 72 Tom Weiskopf designed golf course, dramatic clubhouse, spa and countless other options for experiencing the desert resort lifestyle."

However, if the new owner doesn't feel like traveling, the home also includes a virtual golf course.

Point2Homes.com also found the most expensive home belonging to California at $225 million, while a $3 million house in Nebraska was the Midwest state's priciest option.

-Caleb Fernndez is a digital content producer for KGUN 9. After earning his bachelor's degree from Penn State in Advertising/Public Relations, Caleb went to New York where he learned production assistance, photography and art direction. Share your story ideas and important issues with Caleb by emailing caleb.fernandez@kgun9.com or by connecting on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Arizona's most expensive home is on the market for $28 million - KGUN 9 Tucson News

Seeing inside someone's home is a glimpse into so much more than just their visual preferences and sense of style. Perhaps that's one of the reasons people love peeking into celebrity homes so much (guilty!). So when we interviewed Jerry Wanek, the production designer of Supernatural, for season one of Dark House, our podcast about beautiful homes with dark histories, our ears perked up extra high when he divulged some bonus content about the state of Elvis Presley's 1975 Los Angeles apartment. You've likely heard all about Gracelandand maybe even virtually toured his Bel Air mansion or Palm Springs escape but we're guessing you haven't heard about his Hollywood pid--terre yet. Here's the scoop:

Back in the 1980s, Wanek was dating an old friend of Linda Thompson, the 22-year-old Miss Tenessee pageant queen who dated 37-year-old Elvis from 1972 until 1976, the year before he passed away (she's also mother to Brody Jenner). While the couple spent most of their time together at Graceland in Tennessee, according to Goerge Klein's book Elvis: My Best Man, he introduced the pair, and eventually Thompson "began to spend more time developing her acting career in Los Angeles, where Elvis leased an apartment for her." Though she spent more time in the pid--terre, he helped decorate it and also lived there on occasion.

Jim James - PA ImagesGetty Images

Thompson continued to use it for a while after Elvis passed away up until moving in with Caitlin Jenner, at which point she rented it out to friends. And that's where Wanek comes back into the picture. Thompson was subletting the space to her friend dating Wanek, which meant that he was spending a lot of time there, too. And he disclosed that the apartment was like a time capsule, with most of Elvis's belongings still intact. "Talk about haunting apartments. All of Elvis's furniture was still in the apartment," Wanek confirms. "And it had the most over-the-top, incongruous groupings of furniture. There were big canopied wicker chairs in the dining room and this big urn in the middle of the room by the sectional with all these ostrich plumes sticking out of it, but the kicker was that every window was tin-foiled over," he continues, making it difficult to know what time of day it was and contributing further to the haunting nature.

Michael Ochs ArchivesGetty Images

There are a few theories as to why the windows were covered, but the wildest part is that the tinfoil window treatments were still exactly as Elvis had left them. Another disconcerting remnant of the King's lifestyle in the apartment was "a gunshot hole in the wall from a time when he shot through his T.V." Wanek also remembers a few other tchotchkes and knick-knacks, and, in particular, "the original photo of Richard Nixon and Elvis in the oval office," which was hanging on the hallway leading to the bathroom. The hallway ended up being the backdrop of Wanek's one and only brush with the paranormal, oddly enough, and perhaps influenced his days on the set of Supernatural.

"One night, I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. As I walked down the hallway, I just felt this really weird sensation," Wanek recalls. "And it was right in front of that picture of Nixon with ElvisI'm not sure if you remember, but at one point Richard Nixon, then president, hired Elvis to spy on John Lennon and other rock and rollers that were doing drugs because it was the big war on drugs, which is ironic, of course. But it was a really creepy little chill that stopped me right there in my tracks. I just shuddered and thought, whoa, what was that? I don't know what it was, but it was definitely something I'll never forget."

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So, did Wanek interact with Elvis's ghost, or was he just groggy? Regardless of which narrative shakes out to be true, we'd definitely like to explore the apartment steeped in so much history, even if it only has a fraction of Elvis the Pelvis's energy lingering in the hallways. Wanek doesn't know who lives in the unit now or if they know that it was a place Elvis used to hang out in, but to protect their privacy, he didn't tell us the exact locationso we'll have to live with the mystery for now...

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Is Elvis Presley's Old Apartment Haunted or Just Creepy? - House Beautiful

Finding double bed ideas for small rooms can be a tricky balance between comfort and a crowded-looking space. Here, we help you to create a stylish, organized and well-thought out design around this essential, but dominant, bedroom furniture.

When planning your bed ideas, thinking cleverly about the area that surrounds your double bed will ensure you make the most out of the space available in a smaller room.

From beautiful tall headboards to innovative storage solutions, you do not have to compromise on style or personality for small bedroom ideas.

Beds for small rooms need to strike the perfect balance between style and practicality.

Carefully considering a double bed's placement in a room and how you can enhance your sleep space to feel spacious, welcoming and cozy is key.

To help you choose the right double bed ideas for small rooms in your space, we have gathered our favorite bedroom ideas for some beautiful inspiration.

Andrew Martin, Rita Custom Headboard in Wessex Charcoal with Chrome Studs

(Image credit: Andrew Martin)

Headboard ideas can establish an eye-catching focal point and design feature in a bedroom.

Playing with scale in interior design can be highly effective in smaller spaces. For double bed ideas for small rooms, choosing a tall headboard can gently draw the eye upwards, creating the illusion of more space.

Choosing colorful, patterned headboard designs is also a great way to inject texture and character into your smaller bedroom space, as Martin Waller, Founder of Andrew Martin (opens in new tab) explains, 'headboards are an inexpensive way of transforming a small bedroom. They are essentially alternative forms of artwork. A statement headboard will introduce personality to a space. Our bedroom interiors should be as individual as the people that inhabit them. Dont be afraid to choose a more outlandish style as this only adds more character'.

Explore our collection of statement headboards for some stand-out inspiration.

(Image credit: KJM Interiors)

A simple way to make a small bedroom feel more spacious and calming, making sure the area around you double bed feels light and bright will only make for a more welcoming space.

As shown in this bedroom by KJM Interiors (opens in new tab), which was 'designed as a mellow retreat from a stressful job' the designer 'combined woven textiles, linen bedding, and textured ceramic lamps.' The darker colors used on the bedding, headboard, furniture and lighting create a cozy environment, with the fresh white walls making the space feel open and inviting.

The overall neutral color palette works well in this small bedroom space, with lighter, calming color choices a great option to make a room feel bigger.

(Image credit: James Merrell)

Embracing symmetry in interior design is a great way to help with small bedroom layout ideas, creating a harmonious environment that feels well-considered and elegantly styled.

In this bedroom, the beautiful red patterned headboard is surrounded by the symmetrical placement of framed drawings and matching bed-side tables and lamps.

Simple design details that can truly make a difference, planning symmetrical designs around a double bed in a small room can create a feeling of enhanced space and achieve a smart, balanced look.

(Image credit: Alicia Taylor)

Bedroom wallpaper ideas not only bring color, character and texture to a room, they can also be used in certain sections of a room to mark distinct zones.

For double bed ideas for small rooms, using wallpaper around the bed can beautifully define the area with color and pattern, creating a room within a room effect in a small space.

Choosing a tonal color palette and picking a wallpaper that coordinates with the other colors used in your bedroom will ensure the overall look does not feel too overwhelming. In this beautiful blue bedroom, the wallpaper perfectly complements the headboard, bedding and blinds, creating a zoned sleep space that still remains cohesive and stylish.

(Image credit: Interior Fox)

A multipurpose design detail, decorating with art in the bedroom can add visual interest to the room as well enhance the feeling of space, so get creative with above the bed decor ideas and decorate with some eye-catching pieces of art.

Jen & Mar, Co-Founders of Interior Fox (opens in new tab) state that, 'the bed is the focal point of any bedroom, and the area above is the perfect spot for artwork. For maximum impact in a smaller room, opt for larger pieces of art over the bed to bring the scheme together. If youre stuck for what color or design to opt for, take this opportunity to pull in an accent color. Whether thats black used in the furniture or a color from the soft furnishings, sticking to this rule will make the room flow and feel cohesive.'

(Image credit: Jon Day Photography)

Nook bed ideas can be as simple as positioning a double bed up against a wall, to as theatrical as incorporating bespoke false walls, curtains and canopies. A true embodiment of comfort, relaxation and warmth, a nook bed can work wonderfully in a small bedroom space.

For double bed ideas for small rooms, a cozy nook bed can make the most out of awkward alcoves and the space available, as well as creating a truly inviting and cozy bedroom environment.

Inspired by the Bloomsbury Set and the Arts & Crafts movement, this stand-out nook bed unites color, pattern and texture to create a stunning design feature and artistic statement in a small bedroom.

(Image credit: Margaret Ash Design)

Decorating with mirrors is renowned to make a room feel more spacious and bright, so why not position mirrors above or around a double bed for an enhanced feeling of space.

Helen Pratt, Designer Ambassador at Arteriors (opens in new tab) states, 'where possible throughout the home, utilizing mirrors to reflect light will make rooms seem larger than they are - particular when occupying a full wall'.

In this sophisticated master bedroom designed by Margaret Ash Design (opens in new tab), she states of the overall home design, 'this classic Victorian home in San Francisco's Pacific Heights was given a fresh update with clean, soft neutrals taking advantage of the abundance of natural light which fills the space'.

The bedroom mirror ideas shown in this room enhance the beautiful light that floods in through the large windows, with the matching mirrors positioned either side of the double bed to create a feeling of openness, symmetry and space.

(Image credit: Jody Stewart)

Small bedroom storage ideas are one of the most important factors to plan in when organizing a design for a small bedroom.

If you are looking for a bed that has hidden storage compartments, Patricia Gibbons on the Design Team at Sofa.com (opens in new tab) states, 'for everyday access, divan styles are best as the drawers are accessible for daily needs, but for a seasonal change-over of clothing, duvets and blankets, then an ottoman bed is the one for you.'

For storage ideas around the bed, this bedroom highlights how a double bed can fit neatly into the space between two alcove shelving units. The alcoves work as both a storage and display space as well as providing a practical surface area either side of the bed - like that of a bed-side table.

Whether you choose an innovative double bed design with hidden storage, or build custom storage units around the bed, there are many options to choose from that can provide innovative storage solutions in smaller spaces.

(Image credit: Paul Raeside)

We have discussed the effect of a tall headboard, so why not go the other way (literally) and choose an oversized design to create a stylish, elongated effect.

Adding beautiful texture and visual interest to a small bedroom, an oversized headboard can also make your double bed feel bigger than it actual is, creating a unique, stretched effect.

In this colorful yet refined bedroom, the blue headboard has been crafted to fit into the space exactly. The design effortlessly anchors the bed into this cozy corner of the room, as well as establishing an elegant focal point and splash of color in the space.

(Image credit: Jonathan Gooch)

Jen & Mar from Interior Fox state when planning the lighting around the double bed in a small room, 'wall lights make a great alternative to table lamps as they free up the space while creating symmetry.'

A decorative and functional addition to the area around you bed for bedroom wall lighting ideas, using wall lights in this space can create an inviting, boutique hotel effect.

Whether you choose a design that focuses on providing practical, direct light, ideal for reading, or calming designs that provide a warming, relaxing glow - or a light that does both - wall lights can save space as well as add a decorative finishing touch, making your double bed feel stylish and sophisticated.

As we have explored, the bed is the main feature in a bedroom - especially in a small room as it will take up the majority of the space.

Designing the area around your double bed to be fun, practical and inviting will create a design that looks good and can stand the test of time.

From being creative with artwork, to thinking about clever storage solutions, your bed area can work hard to cater to the exact needs of your room.

If the only option for you bed is up against a wall, style this space so it becomes a cozy nook. If your bedroom is lacking in natural light, use mirrors to enhance on the light available.

You can still be adventurous with color, pattern and sizing in a small bedroom, and centering your design around your double bed will only make your small bedroom space feel more welcoming, stylish and functional.

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Double bed ideas for small rooms 10 clever ways with compact spaces - Homes & Gardens

JUPITER, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Capture and PhotoRepairPro have partnered to create The Memory Makeover Project, an initiative to give back to military and veteran families while helping others preserve photo, film and video memories.

Our two companies have worked together for over a decade supporting major photo retailers, including Walmart, Costco, CVS and others. Today we have joined forces to start a new mission: To help families preserve their fading photo, film and video memories, said Lisa McCabe, CEO of Capture.

We are most excited about our initiative to give back to military and veteran families, adds Paul Good, Founder/CEO of PhotoRepairPro. Until May 23, 2023, 5% of sales revenue will be donated to Fisher House Foundation, a charity that builds comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay free of charge, while a loved one is in the hospital.

The initiative launched on the 30th Season of Military Makeover with Montel, hosted by Montel Williams, airing on Lifetime and the American Forces Network.

TheMemoryMakeoverProject.com was enlisted and entrusted alongside expert designers, contractors, landscapers, and other professionals to rebuild the home of an extraordinarily heroic and deserving military family, the Zieglers.

The shows production staff organized the familys old photos in need of repair, then handed them off to TheMemoryMakeoverProject.com for restoration. Longtime partner Walmart Photo kindly donated the wall mounted prints for the gallery wall.

I loved that we were able to take memories of our veteran family and have them fixed to use as wall art. Its fun to work with companies that care about our veteran families, said show designer, Jennifer Bertrand.

The team from Capture gifted the Zieglers a Time Capsule, the companys simplified media shipping kit, to fill up with any video, film, photo and digital content. Were thrilled to offer professional digitization services so that the Zieglers may preserve their memories and share them online, said McCabe.

About:

TheMemoryMakeoverProject.com: Photo, film and video preservation services donating 5% to military and veterans.

Capture: Film and Video Transfer Services

PhotoRepairPro: Photo Restoration Services

Military Makeover with Montel, A BrandStar Original, is Americas leading branded reality TV show offering hope and a helping hand to members of our military and their loved ones.

Justin and Kristie Ziegler: Featured family

Fisher House Foundation: Serving military and veteran families.

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Capture and PhotoRepairPro Join Forces to Give Back to Military and Veteran Families - Business Wire

Each week in Screen Icons we take you behind the doors of the homes made famous by some of our favourite TV shows and movies.

When Cindy and Kieran Killian bought their 19th-century mansion they had no idea they were the difference between the historic home being saved from demolition.

The property at 105 Aberdeen Avenue, Hamilton, in Ontario, Canada was scheduled to be knocked down the day after the couple closed the deal.

The family-of-six bought the home in the mid-90s after spending two years searching for a home to buy.

When we walked in my husband said: No negotiating, give them what they are asking. This is the house, Cindy told Our Homes magazine in 2015.

Today, the large seven-bedroom home is known by millions from the hit US television dystopian series, The Handmaids Tale.

READ MORE: Historic 'Top Gun' cottage given new address

Set in the fictional Republic of Gilead, the property is home to central characters Commander Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) and his wife Serena Joy Yvonne Strahovski).

The series, starring Elisabeth Moss as heroine June Osborne/Offred, is an adaptation of the Margaret Atwood novel of the same name.

The creators of The Handmaids Tale reportedly chose the property for its Victorian-style architecture.

Exterior shots of the home were used in the series, as well as the sitting room.

The property has seven bedrooms on the top two floors and 12-foot ceilings.

Its kitchen was renovated in the 1990s and was originally four small rooms. High cupboards were installed after 2014 after the home experienced a burst pipe.

A number of additional buildings, including a greenhouse and a garage with an apartment, were added to the property specifically for the TV series.

Other rooms in the show, including the bedrooms, the kitchen, library and dining room, were filmed on a soundstage in Toronto.

READ MORE: The Hollywood mansion where the front gates must remain closed

Just as you can get a sense of someones personality by the way they decorate their house or by the clothes they wear, set design is supposed to tell the story of the characters that inhabit the sets, Houzz quoted the shows production designer Elisabeth Williams in 2018.

Each element is carefully chosen to give the audience a sense of what that characters life is like beyond the dialogue and immediate action you see on-screen.

The Killians reportedly stay in a hotel when their home is being used for filming.

The mansion was built in 1893 on land carved from what was known as the Inglewood estate.

Originally posted here:
How 'The Handmaid's Tale' mansion was saved from the wrecking ball - Nine

WHEN it comes to decorating and choosing accessories, its often hard to know exactly where to put them.

Luckily, an interior designer has come to the rescue, offering her foolproof triangle technique that works perfectly when arranging your home.

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TikTok user Katie Pellegrino, aka @katiepellegrinodecor, shared a video to her social media account, titled: Easy and free interior design trick part two.

As the camera panned in on a vase sitting on top of a pile of books, she went on to explain her method.

She said: Style your accessories in a triangle shape. The easiest way to do this is one tall object, one short.

The triangle tip simply means that a triangle could easily be drawn around the objects and they would fit inside of it.

Katie added another part to the video, showing how it also applies to two vases with one taller and one shorter sitting side by side on top of the same books.

The homes expert also added that it doesnt have to cost a penny to transform your home in this way.

Instead, you can use the accessories you already have, but just laid out in a different way.

She wrote alongside the video: Super basic and you can use things you already have - just placing them intentionally to create rhythm.

Katie also explained that the same method could be used when choosing how to decorate larger areas, like around the fireplace.

You dont need a stack of books, either. They just add to it. Works on a larger scale too (mantle, sideboard etc).

As fans thanked her for the trusty tip, others said they have already been following it subconsciously as they knew it looked more aesthetically pleasing.

Katie has also posted other similarly helpful hacks on her account, which has amassed 15,500 followers since it first launched.

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Im an interior designer, this free and easy triangle tip will transform your home & should ALWAYS be fol... - The US Sun

Thanks to Instagram accounts like Zillow Gone Wild, eclectic haunts from every corner of the worldincluding one 1920s-era blue-roofed abode in Michigan that internet admirers have dubbed The Smurf Houseare stealing hearts near and far. Whatever comes next, stay in the know with our weekly roundup of headlines, launches and events, recommended reading and more.

Business News

Pinterest has entered into an agreement to acquire The Yes, an AI-powered shopping platform for fashion that provides users with a personalized feed based on their brand, style and size preferences. The Yes currently hosts hundreds of brands, whose offerings are curated by an algorithm that Pinterest wants to apply to categories such as home, beauty and food. Pinterest expects to finalize the acquisition this quarter, after which it plans to sunset The Yes app and website and merge the companys team with its own.

Franchise Groupthe parent company of American Freight, Badcock Home Furniture & More and Buddys Home Furnishingshas entered into an exclusive three-week negotiation period to acquire Kohls Corp for nearly $8 billion in cash, Reuters reports. The transactionwhich values the department store chains stock at $60 per share, $15 above where it trades todayis subject to Kohls board approval. Kohls faced pressure to sell itself earlier this year after activist investors Macellum Advisors GP LLC and Engine Capital LP called upon the company to do so. More recently, bidders such as Brookfield Asset Management Inc. and J.C. Penney investors Simon Property Group Inc. submitted competing offers for the retail chain.

Target has announced plans to cut prices and cancel orders to get rid of unwanted inventory. According to The New York Times, the move comes in response to a recent shift in consumer behavior away from home goods, tech and athleisure and toward travel and out-of-home experiences. The change has left retailers like Target with an overload of inventory, which the company stocked up on during the recent period of skyrocketing pandemic demand. The new plans will cut profit in the current quarter, the company saida blow that comes just three weeks after Targets stock fell nearly 25 percent following a dismal earnings report.

Horticulture lifestyle brand Lively Root has closed a $4 million seed funding round, with participation from former Jack in the Box CEO Jake Goodall, original Vuori investor CJ Stos and McKenzie Farms founder Ken Cook, among others. Founded in July 2020, the company aims to encourage the creation of more green spaces by connecting people with curated plant selections from local nurseries. Armed with the new funding, Lively Root has set its sights on expanding beyond its current markets in California, Oregon and Florida; moving into additional categories such as outdoor plants, holiday items and plant care accessories; and preparing to kick off a Series A fundraising round later this year.

San Franciscobased startup Pulley has announced the completion of a $4.4 million seed funding round led by Susa Ventures, TechCrunch reports. Co-founders Andreas Rotenberg and Charlie Jacobson started the company to streamline the construction permit processan often frustrating experience, they say, due to the nations 19,000 different permitting jurisdictions, which each have their own system for interpreting and enforcing building codesthrough the implementation of its workflow software. With the new injection of capital, the company plans to build out its core product, grow its team and expand into additional markets.

According to a survey from financial services company Bankrate, 74 percent of respondents view owning a home as the highest possible achievement, above that of a successful career, raising a family or earning a college degree, The New York Times reports. Among respondents who did not own homes, roughly the same share cited affordability factors like income level and record-high housing prices as preventing them from making a down payment. To reach the goal of homeownership, 58 percent noted that they would be willing to make compromises such as relocating to another state, buying a fixer-upper or moving into a less desirable area.

Nate Berkus teamed up with Beautyrest to create a new sleep-centric collectionCourtesy of Beautyrest

Launches and Collaborations

Design icon Nate Berkus has partnered with Beautyrest for a limited edition sleep collection. The new line includes mattresses, mattress protectors and down pillows, with each item incorporating upcycled plastics recovered from the ocean.

Showhouses

The Kaleidoscope Project, a nonprofit dedicated to providing opportunities to designers in BIPOC communities, has announced the location and date of this years designer showhouse: the 1906 Tyler Street Firehouse in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on August 5. The organization has selected four design teamsEverick and Lisa Walker Brown of Everick Brown Design; Denise Gordon, Tanya Lewis and Marilyn Lavergne of the Austin Gray Design Group; Virginia Toledo, a partner in Toledo Geller; and Rasheeda Gray of Gray Space Interiorsto reimagine four residential units within the converted firehouse with a focus on sustainability.

Recommended Reading

Practicality and minimalism may have been the dominating design influences of the past decade, but the pandemic awoke in many the taste for something much more opulent at home. For Eater, Jaya Saxena dives into one manifestation of the present trend toward maximalismthe current online craze and growing community surrounding the collection of vintage china.

When it comes to residential suburban development, homeowner-activists on the local level enjoy an inordinate amount of control over new buildsa set of circumstances that led to the rise of NIMBY, an acronym that stands for not in my backyard and describes neighbors who fight nearby construction, especially multi-unit properties. For The New York Times, Conor Dougherty offers a thorough look at the roots of NIMBYism, the policies that have both enabled and counteracted the phenomenon and the groups that have emerged in opposition as the nations housing crisis worsens.

Call for Entries

Jamie Stern Furniture, Carpet & Leather has opened submissions for its third annual Rug Design Contest. The competition encourages members of the architecture and design community to submit an original design for the chance to win a custom wool rug produced by Jamie Stern, with winners to be selected from each of the four regionsNortheast, Southeast, Midwest and Western. To submit an entry before the July 1 deadline, click here.

The International Furnishings and Design Association is now accepting applications for six professional grants available through its Educational Foundation. The awards include the Irma Dobkin Universal Design Grant, a $3,000 prize open to an individual involved in a Universal Design project; the Ina Mae Kaplan Historic Preservation Grant, $2,000 open to those involved in the restoration or preservation of design/furnishings; the Elizabeth Brown Grant, $2,500 open to an accredited U.S. interior design program; the Tony Torrice Professional Development Grant, $1,500 open to design professionals seeking advanced study; the Valerie Moran Memorial Grant, a prize of up to $3,000 for an IFDA professional member; and the Barbara Brock Memorial Grant, a $1,500 prize for two IFDA experts to travel to speak at various industry venues. For more information, click here.

In Memoriam

Susan BecherCourtesy of Julia Duke

Susan Becher, an industry leader and pioneer of design public relations, passed away on June 3. For more than 35 years, Becher served at the helm of her eponymous New Yorkbased boutique public relations and marketing firm, which specializes in representing home decor and lifestyle brands and personalities (the firm is currently run by principals Julia Duke and Molly Bates). Becher rose to prominence working alongside brands such as Marimekko, Flos, Cassina, Boffi, Pottery Barn and Waterworks, as well as with design greats such as Victoria Hagan, Thomas Jayne and Orlando Diaz-Azcuy. She was much lauded for her contributions in design, but she is often most remembered by her peers for mentoring women in the fields of design and public relations. She started her own firm in an era when women could hardly get their own credit cards, says Duke. She consciously committed to an all-women firm for the entirety of her career and nurtured her employees by empowering them to have leadership roles in her business and with her clients. Becher is survived by her husband, Bruce; sons David and Marc; and Marcs fiancee Danielle. They will be holding a public memorial at 2:30 p.m. on June 12 at the New York Society for Ethical Culture at 2 West 64th St., where Bruce and Susan were married in 1978.

Photographer Patrick Cline passed away late last month, leaving behind a legacy in the interior design industry for high-standard imagery featured in titles such as InStyle, Redbook, V Magazine and Vanity Fair, with a lauded subject list that includes the work of Albert Hadley, Celerie Kemble, Kelly Wearstler, Mark D. Sikes and more. Cline fell in love with photography as an 18-year-old apprentice processing film in a studio under Spitalfields Market and went on to build a name for himself photographing interiors. In 2009, Cline co-founded Lonny magazine alongside Michelle Adams and went on to serve as the titles director of photography for three years. Pats sharp eye, innate talent and genuine love for photography brought our magazine to life. He was a natural, easily able to capture dozens of outstanding photos in just a couple of hours, says Adams. His charming personality and dry sense of humor ensured laughter at every shoot and made him a favorite in the design community. He will be sorely missed.

Homepage image: A room designed by Virginia Toledo for last years designer showhouse for The Kaleidoscope Project | The Kaleidoscope Project

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Pinterest makes an acquisition, Nate Berkus gets into the sleep game and more - Business of Home