GOING CUSTOM
When designing a space with specific goals in mind, going custom is often the go to solution. There are so many beautiful, functional options in the retail market, but sometimes its difficult to hit the mark when searching for the right piece. You might find the look, but the size is wrong. Or the function is there, but the color is just not right. Textiles are one of the most commonly made custom items. From draperies to pillows and beyond, going custom for your textile needs just opens up a whole world of possibilities. For some this can seem stressful, but its easier than you think. One of my favorite online companies that offers custom textiles is Tonic Living. They have a curated collection of gorgeous fabrics and are always updating their inventory with the newest pattern or weave. Unlike ordering ready made textiles online, where you won't see the true color until it arrives, Tonic Living has a sample program that allows you to order squares of your favorite fabrics to check the color, weight and feel of the fabric. Tonic Living creates custom pillows, draperies, roman blinds, and bench seat cushions. They also do custom shower curtains, like the one I had
SPA BATHROOM
For those of you who have been following me on the old Love Nest Design blog, you know that we had been working on a new family bathroom. It wasn't a planned renovation perse, but became necessary when we discovered that the drywall behind the shower tiles had disintegrated. Of course the main bathroom was on the list to get a facelift as some point, so I wasn't too upset by having to jump on this project. Ready for a good before and after? Here is the before: And the after: We do take on a lot of projects ourselves in our own home but this project was our most detailed by far. We might have left the realm of the average D.I.Y folks. Matt, my husband, has an above average amount of experience in construction and is also a plumber by trade. This project put those skills to the test with the custom wood ceiling. The space could have been called complete but I just kept thinking about how I wanted to incorporate a more spa like feel. Matt and I escape at least once a year to Niagara on the Lake and stay a few days at the Pillar and Post. They