GET JIBBY WITH IT

July 7, 2015 erin williamson

Among other projects, I'm currently working on the overhaul of a fantastic historic house in a beautiful tree lined neighborhood. This lady must have been quite the charmer in her day, but over the years previous tenants stripped and ripped and closed up and added on, and along with all the original finishes something got lost in translation.

Something like this door to nowhere, found boarded up behind a wall.

And this false wall built to conceal a canted ceiling and dormers.

100+ years ago builders of middle class homes weren't as constrained by the economics of simple roof lines and square rooms as we are, and complexity and charm were more apparent than in today's standardized floorplans and assembly line design. Refreshing as that may be, the task of modernizing and restoring this beauty is a bit daunting. Despite heroic measures by the architect it is still filled with many an odd nook and cranny, and it isn't easy to make those cutouts and angles feel sensical, immutable. It requires ingenuity, camouflage, subterfuge.

I think it's going to require a secret room.

Moving a staircase and annexing some nearby space has created an opportunity to completely conceal this library from the rest of the house by way of a jib door, AKA a secret door that is paneled or papered or otherwise finished to seamlessly transition into the wall.

No casing, minimal hardware, and a super tight reveal are necessary for maximum mystery effect. Luckily my clients have a very skilled contractor, because this is not a weekend DIY project (unless you are way handier than me, in which case let's talk).

When my brilliant client first suggested this idea, I almost cried because I wanted it so bad. Who has never dreamed they found an extra magical room, hidden behind a door no one knew existed? I think I might be crying now.

My brilliant client's brilliant husband joked we should add some ridiculous Goonies style code to open the door, and I said YES and I wasn't joking at all. Not sure that part is going to happen, but I'm not giving up yet.

And then my client suggested that the secret room behind the secret door should have an Alice in Wonderland effect, like so:

And I started crying again... I cry a lot on this job. It's just going to be that good. These people are going to make for excellent caretakers of this house.

So that's what's happening with #projecthistorichouse, which you can follow on my instagram account. It's a long term project, so there should be tons to see along the way and I am super excited to watch it unfold (crying again).

Meanwhile #projectmidmod is 95% complete and almost ready for a shoot, and multiple other projects are at various stages of awesomeness. Summer is slowing me down a bit, but I am hoping to share some reveals with you very soon.

It's great to be back!

I'm a Working Girl (Not that Kind)

October 2, 2014 erin

I've been told that Beyonce has the same hours in a day as me, but I think she must have a secret twin. Or more likely a farm of mini Beyonce clones waiting in incubators for the next concert/video/diaper change. Check her dance moves for deja vu glitches in the matrix. In the meantime, I've decided to stop apologizing for my light posts and just pretend that no time has elapsed. Because we are good friends and that's how our relationship works -- smooth and easy as Beyonce's cheeks (both sets). Here's what's happening in the elaborately choreographed video of my life.

If you are following me on instagram (and why wouldn't you be???) you know that I recently completed this super sexy conference room for a client in California:

BAM! It is glamazing. Art is by the fabulous and very talented Meredith Pardue, the inlaid brass credenza is by Emporium Home, and the chairs are classic Saarinen numbers in black iris wool that my client insisted on... she was so right. She's an artist herself so she has great eyeballs. I'm hoping to see this in person and tour the rest of the office that we worked on. Many thanks to my sweet client for providing this lovely photograph.

Meanwhile, project Mid Mod is moving right along with its bad self. We finally decided on this huge enormous gargantuan Berber rug for their living room:

It even comes with a tiny human! Prepare your eyes for a whole lotta psychedelic upholstery up in here. I want to move into this house so very badly.

We stalled out a hair while choosing fabric for the Milo Baughman sectional I found at a consignment store:

To keep the pink Moroccan party front and center we're painting the wall Galapagos Turquoise and going with 40 (million) yards of WHITE fabric on the sofa. In a house with red wine, a dog, and an adorable eight year old. Suffice it to say I am being very very picky about the fabric quality and cleanability factor.

Speaking of said eight year old, how cute is it that she bid on and won this six foot tall bronze giraffe at auction all by herself? I mean... that kid is going to own Christie's by the time she turns 18. She's a star.

And speaking of fabulous auction items, a new client scored this incredible Mazzega chandelier the very same day:

This particular client is quite the character. When I walked into her house, every single thing was beige. Every. Single. Thing. Initially I wasn't sure why she wanted to hire me, but she is so funny and charming and down for everything and I seriously love her to pieces. My vision for this home is neo traditional and sophisticated, but with some signature weirdo items and fantastic paint colors sprinkled throughout. High hopes.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, crazy wallpaper law office got put on hold because a new baby got in the way. Those babies! Always putting a wrench in the works with their cute little faces and stinky baby feet. Is it wrong that a (very small) part of me wants another one? Don't tell Ben. Anyway, the office is close to completion but we had to get started pronto on the nursery, because BABY!!!

It's going to be good. I love people who love wallpaper.

Oh hey, here's a quickie pic of a completed bathroom I did for a client with a sweet vintage bungalow in a lovely hood:

The task was to gut the room but put it back in such a way that it felt classic and period appropriate. We're slowly working our way through the house, so hopefully I'll be able to shoot the whole shebang early next year.

And I finally got around to shooting this living room I finished last year for a young couple who are also having a baby... I'm working on their baby boho nursery right now. Because BABY!

And that is the end of my recent client project updates. I have several more soon to be completed projects but I'm holding out for finished shots to share. I can share that this happened:

Why yes, I did participate in Diffa's Picnic by Design event benefiting AIDS services of Austin. I was so flattered to be invited to design a table alongside some of Austin's best and brightest designers... not really sure how I ended up there, but I don't think I embarrassed myself too terribly. Many thanks to Jake and Kasey Holt for the photography, and to Gillian Bryce Fine Art for donating the most insane geometric objects that took my table from 18th century painting to David Bowie in Labyrinth. Dance magic dance!

Ok, now that I have recounted my entire summer of projects (not really) and everyone is asleep I think I can stop. Tomorrow I am off for Round Top Part Deux with the fabulous and sassy Sarah Stacey. Stay tuned for tales of our hijinx, including mimosa popsicles, denuded wallets, and oodles of purchases that will amaze you. No, really. I bought this last week:

Milo Baughman? Sonneman? Lightolier? Whatever it is, it's even bigger than my "baby." Wait til I show you the giant Memphis teapot I nabbed. Apparently I have scale issues.

Now I'm going to make like Beyonce and do 20 things at once while wearing fishnets and six inch heels.

Life is good.

One Room Challenge: Week Six -- Reveal!

May 7, 2014 erin

Hi everyone, welcome back for the final week of the One Room Challenge! For the past six weeks a host of bloggers have worked tirelessly to take one room from a zero to a hero. [Catch up on past weeks HERE.] Let me tell you something: this challenge ain't for wimps or wussies. Six weeks ago my husband loved me, my children recognized me, and I weighed five pounds less. Apparently the threat of utter public humiliation makes me hungry. Was it worth it? I don't know, donuts are pretty delicious. Imagine this bathroom is a giant frosted donut. Nom nom.

I really hope you like it, because I kind of love it. It's magic mushroom mystery submarine crazy. I so very much wish you could come visit in person because this is the hardest room in the universe to photograph EVER. And unlike most photoshoots where I am piling laundry into corners out of the camera's view, I think this space looks so much better in person.

Also it is tiny so there are really only two angles, but somehow I managed to take 300 pictures. I hope you like to look at pictures of my bathroom on the internet. Let's hit the rundown.

You may recall that I scored this handsome Altman's faucet on ebay. Some days I wake up filled with worry... will the brass trend die a horrible chevronesque death due to ubiquity and overuse? It might. But if you like it, do it. I think someone famous said that once.

Cb2 Torked it out of the park with this mirror. It really goes everywhere, and it especially works when you have a lot of things happening in a small space. Pare. It. Down. It's awesome, except after we (Ben) hung it I decided it was about two inches too high and now there is a big hole in the wallpaper, but don't worry you can't see it because I am a wizard with concealer.

My pare it down principle somehow does not extend to lighting, because when faced with electrified shiny things I can't seem not to take it to the maxxx. I am in sweet love with this Mazzega chandelier I picked up off ebay for pennies on the dollar. I swear this thing is 20x more impressive in real life. It's spun from Charlotte's webs and angel tears.

After we (Ben) hung it, I decided it was two inches too high so I made him lengthen the chain, which required disassembling and reassembling with held breath and eyes wide shut. The fear of possible breakage will continue to give me ptsd for weeks.

Ike was sooooo excited about this soap dish -- this glass soap dish that I didn't want him to use. He actually started crying when I tried to take it out of HIS bathroom. Because he thinks the bathroom belongs to him. Don't say I never spoil you, kid. You can have the soap dish too.

When it came time to hang last week's proposed lucite towel ring, I balked. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me until I scrolled through my ginormous collection of bathrooms on pinterest and realized that none of my favorites had a towel ring. Zero. A few had petite towel bars, which at least keep things nice and flat instead of scrunched up and germy. I decided I didn't want anything hanging on that wall... it just felt cluttered. Then I decided I hate regular hand towels so I "made" these from a vintage linen tablecloth with metallic embroidery, and by made I mean "tore artfully."

All is not lost, lucite lovers. I did end up using the paper holder with fancy BLACK toilet paper, courtesy of my sweet friend Rebecca who knows my heart's desires so well.

How have I lived so long without black toilet paper that my children aren't allowed to use? It's amazing. Thank you, Rebecca! When I opened the box I almost wept with delight and maybe a little bit of first world self loathing. The fact that it's a gift makes it ok. SCORE.

Speaking of great friends, let's talk about my amazing art courtesy of Gillian Bryce Fine Art. I have 800 million paintings, but this wallpaper is tricky. Nothing I had worked and I was slightly EXTREMELY panicked, but I stalked the 214 Modern Vintage booth at High Point via facebook like it's my job (it is). And then I spied this beauty amongst a host of angelic creations including many beatific William Fredericksen paintings and collages (also obsessed). Gillian overnighted this hero to me... I'm kind of speechless in love with her and the art. That is service, y'all. I highly recommend checking out her giant art collection. It's excellent.

Did you notice the spray painted blinds? Thanks to all my instagram buds who encouraged me to paint my fingers and toes black. I'm happy to report that it worked pretty well (on the blinds). We'll see how they hold up to a baby who likes to eat the wooden bobs. Please don't call CPS. I know the heimlich.

So I think that's it for my sources. Want to see a little freestyle action? These are the moments (cue teary montage):

And what would a makeover challenge be without a proper before and after? Put on your sunglasses, because the before pictures might blind the old and infirm. That's not you, right?

BEFORE:

AFTER:

And that, my friends, brings us to the end of our soap operatic journey through shame and into redemption. It's been a long, dusty, expensive road, and I think I've earned a bottle of something cheap and strong to celebrate.

Thank you ever so much to Linda of Calling it Home for organizing and hosting such a lovely and talented group of designers and bloggers! This challenge gets better every round, and I'm honored to have been included. If you haven't already, please do go visit the other participants to see their epic finales.

I myself plan to bust out a donut, drink some ripple, and try not to make Ben hang anything two inches away from perfection for at least the rest of the day. Until next time!