Thursday, August 4, 2011

Guest Post: Jax Does Design!!!

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I have major house envy. As soon as I set eyes on Kelly's office, I knew I was looking at a fierce talent in the design world! (c: She runs a fantastic blog named Jax does Design where you can find some amazing daily inspiration and eye candy.  Not to mention glimpses of her own fabulous abode that she is dishing on today...I can feel my heart racing already...




Thank you Aubrey for asking me to be part of your “How to make your home your own” series. When we moved into our house in 2001, it was most definitely NOT our own. With the exception of the kitchen and the family room, every room was painted either Pleistocene green or pink. Eeek! It took a while, but the house has finally been de-pink-and-green-ified and it’s much more “me” now. Come on through our turquoise front door and see what makes my home my own...


COLOUR

I love colour. I mean, I REALLY love colour. Mario Buatta says that every room in your house should be a different colour, and that’s pretty much what I’ve done in our house. There are so many awesome colours out there, why limit myself?! :-)

Purple is my favourite colour, but it was a while before I actually decorated a purple room in our house. This is the guest bedroom – I kinda wish it was the master bedroom, because I’d love to sleep here every night!



That being said, I really like our master bedroom. I’m a huge fan of grey – it’s a great neutral that looks good with pretty much any colour. It really gives our bedroom a soothing and relaxing feel, and the wallpaper behind the bed adds some character.

After living with a very ‘80s kitchen for eight years, I finally managed to convince my hubby to do a complete makeover. The layout and appliances stayed the same, but we painted the pinky oak cabinets and replaced the laminate countertop, backsplash, sink, and faucet. I love how the red adds some pizzazz to the kitchen.


The family room is a work in progress, but here it is in all its bright green glory after I finished painting it this past spring. Still waiting for the area rug to arrive, and we’re going to be putting in a brown leather sectional.


ARTWORK

A while back, I decided that I want to have meaningful artwork in our house – original paintings, my photographs, etc. This is a wall in our hallway with photos of our pets, both past and present.



I printed out and framed pictures from our trip to Luxembourg & Belgium and hung them in the living room.

Matt LeBlanc (no, not THAT Matt LeBlanc!) is an amazing abstract artist from New Brunswick. We became friends a few years ago, and I’ve lost track of how many of his paintings I have! I think it’s five. Here are some of them, starting with #27, one of 200 paintings Matt created to raise money for cancer research.




I found a tutorial on how to make bubbles in Adobe Illustrator and made these two bubble pictures for the laundry room. I had them printed out at Costco for a couple of dollars each and put them in Ikea frames that I already had. Easy & cheap custom-made art :-)



A little vignette on my office desk. The picture in the frame is my favourite building in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, the Amos Pewter Shop.


Speaking of my office, here it is – the letter mural was inspired by a nursery I saw on Rate My Space. It’s all hand-painted, except for the silver words, which are vinyl. This is truly a room that’s totally my own. It reflects my love for words & writing and my favourite colours, and I find it so inspiring.




MY OWN TWIST

Another way I like to make my home my own is by reinventing pieces and putting my own twist on them. I bought a country-style oak table and four run-down chairs from Kijiji, and re-worked them to give them a more modern look.



I love the look of layered mirrors, and decided to create my own version in the dining room.

I already had both mirrors – I just spray painted the frame of the big mirror glossy black, and my hubby figured out a way to suspend the smaller mirror in front of it. I love how it came out :-)

Who says stripes on curtains have to be vertical? :-)

How about a chocolate brown ceiling?



This is our perpetually-in-progress dining room after I painted the ceiling & walls.

 For the longest time I kept thinking about painting the doors in our house dark brown.
I finally did it a few years ago – my only regret is that I didn’t paint them sooner!

So those are some of the ways that I’ve made my house my own. I hope you enjoyed the tour, and maybe saw something that you’re inspired to try in your own home. And thanks again to Aubrey for including me in her fun blog series :-)



*insert whiny voice here*
I want a turquoise front door!!!
I mean seriously, how amazing is that door...and I'm pretty sure that my creativity would flow *so* much better in an office like that (c: And wallpaper that makes me weak in the knees...*sigh*  I feel like I just got done drooling over a home in a magazine, but she actually gets to *live* there!

Every room is just so amazing, thanks so much Kelly for sharing your amazing home! Good grande finale, right?

Thanks to my guests this week, they were *ALL* incredible!!!

And so sweet to play along this week (c: I think I have the most fun out of everyone during this series!

43 comments:

Suzy www.savedbysuzy.blogspot.com said...

Thanks for sharing Jax with us. Here home is awesome!

Unknown said...

Loved seeing this peek into Jax's home- I love the living room and the office is so fun- oh and adore the colours of the dining room- I love a girl who isn't afraid of colour!!

{The Perfect Palette} said...

oh my gosh, i love that kitchen.

xoxo, chrissy
The Perfect Palette

Unknown said...

Great peek inside! Her lighting choices where stellar!

Anna @ IHOD said...

Yes pretty much each and every room had me sighing. I adore the easel room! And that is my dream kitchen countertop! :D

Unknown said...

What????????? I am blown away. Don't even know where to begin. Might have to stalk her. The office, the living room, the doors. It's all so inspiring. I think what I love most is that they are not huge spaces and yet so well done and stunning.

natasha {schue love} said...

I'm with Courtney...I'll definitely stalking her! LOVE her house and all the whimsical details....so much to take in here! Off to her blog now! :)

amy b.s. said...

oh my gosh! that blue door is amazing!

Karena said...

Aubrey thank you for featuring Kelly!! I love her and her home is beyond stunning! I love all of the color she uses and her art of course!!

Great job Kelly!!

xoxo
Karena

Come and enter my Giveaway from Dr Perricone!

Art by Karena

Baby Shopaholic said...

I am super jello she lives here! Love that office.

A said...

That gray living room speaks to me. How sweet to hang pictures of pets!

K&B by the Sea said...

Wow, I'm floored to see all the positive reaction to my home! Thanks everyone, and thanks again Aubrey for giving me the opportunity to share my home with your blog readers.

I'll be by to visit everyone's blog soon - still catching up on my blogging duties after being away at the cottage :-)

Anonymous said...

Kelly, it is all coming along beautifully. P.S. I love Matt Leblancs work, and upon reading about him was very impressed with him as a person, and specifically his outlook on things. I was introduced (via blogs) a couple of months back. Just recently I watched his youtube video (from his blog), and was laughing. The guy is talented and has a sense of humor. I'm hoping to add one of his paintings to my collection some time in the future.

Aubrey, thanks for having Kelly over!

Katie said...

Great guest posts this week, Aubrey! I esp love all the panelling in this house... been thinking of asking the hubs to do some for me!

about your front door... I think you should go for it! If you're frugal like me, wait until Sherwin Williams has a 40% off sale (prob around Labor Day?). :)

Holly Gruszka said...

That kitchen and the moulding in the dining room??!! I'm drooling...

Tamra {ever swoon} said...

The wall of pets, past and present!!! Warmed my heart. So beautiful. That home is amazingly beautifully and wonderfully designed. Her office, can I work there?

ALR said...

I will have to check out Jax! Thanks and I hope you are having a great week!

Mrs. C said...

Wow! What an amazing home!! So much color and I love all the decor!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!!


www.MrsCapretta.com
Recipes Fashion Marriage

OR DESIGN glassworks. Distinctive Custom Architectural glasswork said...

Soooo lovely, Kelly! So nice of you to share your home with us. Love the little vignette of special items and your delicious use of colour - and artwork throughout your home, and the pop of colour with glass pendant lights in your kitchen. Your front door is just gorgeous, reminds of European and Middle Eastern doorways; and love your distinctive and rich brown interior doors. A loving home that embraces you.

tina / half of what I say said...

Aubrey, I've missed reading your blog all week, I must have been really unwell. You bring amazing inspiration everyday.

Kelly gorgeous home, every room. Loving your office in particular!

Julip Made said...

What a beautiful home Jax! I adored the pet wall and your warm, friendly kitchen. Thanks for sharing!

Natalie {Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers} said...

Ok now I just feel really sad about my house, sniff, sniff. This house is amazing. The turquoise door and purple room make me swoon. Gorgeous home!

Unknown said...

Aubrey,

Great guest blogger in Kelly I've followed her for a couple of years now and she Rocks! Talented, dedicated, generous and serious about designing.

Love her home she has worked so hard and with a great teammate...her hubby!

Bette

Bud and Leo said...

Nothing short of amazing! Loving that turquoise door!

Designwali said...

such a beautiful home!

Libby said...

Kelly: So glad you kept those original wood cabinets in the kitchen. such great color everywhere; and yes, your studio is fabulous!

Michaela said...

Wow! What a stunning home. So creative and has such great personality!! (:

K&B by the Sea said...

Oh my gosh, I'm going have to kick my blog rounds into overdrive! Thank you again to everyone who took the time to read my guest post and leave such lovely comments :-) I appreciate every one of them, and I'll be by to visit all your blogs soon.

Thanks again!

Drew {Coral Cafe} said...

Impressive!! Love the guest room and the office! So inspiring!!

Jessie said...

Love that living room. It's very beautiful and elegant!

Jessie
www.mixandchic.com

emily said...

What a beautiful home! That guest room is fabulous!

Megan {Splendid Design} said...

I am in love with the guest room and the living room.

Aubrey, great choices for guest bloggers again. Such a great series!

Rachel {little bits of lovely} said...

Wow, such a stunning home! I'm in love with the kitchen and I love, love the bright blue front door! Have enjoyed this fab series Aubrey! xx

Lisa said...

Beautiful Kelly! I love your personal art walls and all the fabulous colour in your home. It really showcases you personality and talent!
<3 Lisa

Carrie @ Hazardous Design said...

Beautiful home! Such creative touches. I love the wallpapered wall in the master, and the panelling in the living room, and all the artwork, and, and, and...

Sarah MacMillan {Prairie Perch} said...

What a gorgeous home! The living room is my favourite.

Two Minute Takes said...

Beautiful home Kelly and so rewarding every time you walk into it knowing that you and your husband did the work and put your own signature on it. If my office looked like yours I don't think I'd ever see any other part of the house.

Hyphen Interiors said...

Wow, okay... LOVE that office! And, LOVE the start to the dining room. It's going to be fabulous. Awesome creativity happening here!

Things To Do said...

That purple guest room screams 1940's Hollywood to me and I love love love it!

Annie said...

Okay Aubrey. Holy cow I had no idea you were that talented. You style is exactly my style although I don't have the house to make it like that yet. I love white cabinets! I am crazy about grey, white, black. I love having shine in the house through silver. Oh I am soooo envious! Love it.

Jessica Heffner said...

Is it possible to find out where that purple wallpaper is from? I would love to put it in my own home. So inspiring!

K&B by the Sea said...

Jessica, the purple wallpaper is called Darcy and it's from Graham & Brown.

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