Family day-trip + design fix

A great way in Atlanta to combine a design-fix trip and a family day is to attend the Georgia Aquarium. It is one of my favorite spots in Atlanta, because my family LOVES it and the design is ultra-fabulous. I used to work for the tres-chic firm (tvsdesign) that was responsible for the interior design when it was built several years ago. I was not one of the designers on the project, but nonetheless it is a gorgeous design.

This last week was a crazy one. It was my husband's birthday, and he is big lover of scuba-diving. I can assure you that there aren't many places in Atlanta to scuba-dive---SO, I arranged a scuba-diving adventure for him in the large tank at the Georgia Aquarium. By the way, it was a great day for everyone...my 9 month old pretty much thought it was the best day ever.

Recently Completed Project

I thought I would send a few images of a recently completed project! I worked on this project with a good friend and fellow designer-Melissa Morgan. It took about a year, with a lot of stops and starts in between. Check out the initial proposed floorplan and some final photography (taken by my dear friend Carrie Gantt who actually specializes in Infant/Child Photography Carrie Gantt--I am sure you will be seeing a lot of her work on my site, she is ultra-talented).

For my fellow designers out there, the drawing was produced in Microstation and the rendering was done in Photoshop



Before....

This was how it looked when it was completed. The only thing that we are missing are the gorgeous custom drapes that weren't installed quite yet when this image was taken.



Before...

We took their existing dining table and chairs and had them painted and sealed. We placed a rug underneath and added a centerpiece...Ta-da! Much improved, for not a lot of cost!



I absolutely LOVE their dining room. This dining table and 4 chairs belonged to the clients' grandmother. It was a stunning collection of furniture! We knew that it had to be used in the space. We dressed it up with some fabulous Restoration Hardware Chairs and recovered the old chairs with a blue/grey paisley fabric. Everything else is completely new from the Ballard Mirror and Rug to the centerpiece from ZGallery. I will tell you a secret...6 items in this room came from Walmart! I am typically not a design on a dime kind of gal, but I am all about adding some value with some inexpensive pieces!



Note the drawing above! The library/piano room was a completely blank canvas. Our client had a ton of books and really wanted a reading room that was feminine and felt cozy. I drew up this custom millwork and our contractor built it out for us. We had it lightly faux finished with an antique glaze by our painter http://www.mdcinteriors.com/. I think we achieved the "cozy" look that we were going for.

That's all for today!!
XX Chelsea

One of my favorite spaces in Atlanta...

I attended SCAD so any chance that I get to plug the best design school in the country (sorry, that's all of the gloating that I will do today!), I do it! The school has an incredible knack for Historic Preservation projects. A favorite spot of mine in ATL is the Savannah College of Art and Designs' Ivy Hall (Ivy Hall). I was fortunate enough to be invited to the opening and got to see all of the amazing renovations before anyone else.

I should mention that I typically only talk about the interior of buildings, but I included the brick image to showcase the fact that every single brick was labeled individually before they were disassembled and put back together in the exact original location. Seriously, incredible.

Take a look at a few of the images that I pulled off their site...

The home was built in 1883. The 4,399 square-foot, two-and-one-half story residence is one of the finest examples of Queen Anne-style architecture in the state of Georgia and the South.

SCAD students enrolled in the Historic Preservation program volunteered on this project which took nearly 2 years to completely restore.

Starting Over...

I have been a commercial interior designer for over 5 years. All of my experience has focused on hotel projects, retail, and corporate design. I have wanted to become an interior designer since as long as I can remember. This led me to attend SCAD (http://www.scad.edu/) where I graduated with a degree in Interior Design and later received my NCIDQ certification (after a painful amount of studying!). This year, I decided to quit my job at a top architecture firm and begin working on my true passion of designing for people, not corporations, while spending time with my husband (Reese) and raising my little boy (Baby G). Out of this, I have created Chelsea Dunbar Interiors. We are a full-service interior design company creating new looks for single-family residences, high rise condos, and small commercial projects. My goal over time is to document what I learn and how I grow as a business owner. I feel the need to exchange my knowledge and passion for design with other designers and design lovers.

There are a few things that make me, who I am. Over the next few days I will try to give you a better sense of my style by creating some design poetry boards that are the definition of the people/places/things that I absoloutely love...but first I will show you some of my recent inspiration boards created for clients.



Master Bedroom Re-vamp in a 1920's Bungalow. This house was on the verge of falling over when we got to it. My favorite design item in the bedroom is the Barbara Barry Bedding Barbara Barry Bedding Poetical. Very pretty, but not too feminine for the husband! The drapes are Restoration Hardware...which I still say is the best quality drapes for the money. I highly recommend the Restoration Hardware Outlet just outside of Atlanta. Their drapes are about 70% off the original price and in perfect condition. Who doesn't love that!?

 

Mid-Century Modern Inspiration Board for a Buckhead High-Rise...super cool (she chose option 2). Mid-Century takes a bit of a unique client. I think she was looking for something a bit more feminine. I love the look nonetheless....



Option 2 for the Buckhead High-Rise....A bit of a French theme, which can get a bit cliche but the client loved Paris-who wouldn't? She especially LOVED this kitchen image. I love the Paris prints from Ethan Allen! Very affordable compared to some other options that I have seen at $299 per print Ethan Allen Paris Grid.

Happy 4th to all....hearing fireworks as I type!
XX,
Chelsea