House 214 Design Recipe

I love to learn about design and look for information everywhere. This includes reading blog posts from past and present from some of my favorite designers. Lauren Liess from Pure Style Home is one of those designers and she never fails to inspire me.

Lauren spoke about her  design philosophy “pure style” and explained that it is based on keeping things simple, beautiful, and fun. Lauren wanted to dive a little deeper and discover what makes a “pure style” room. In other words what are the ingredients needed to create the look. Well, this got me thinking (thanks Lauren!) what is the recipe for a House 214 Design room? What ingredients are needed? The following is the list that I came up with for this design exercise. I know it is a list that I will continue to hone and refine over time, but this is it for today.

1. A grey, white and black color palette would definitely top the list. I remember being allowed to pick out my wallpaper for my new bedroom when I was ten years old. Among the hundreds of choices, I chose one with a grey background that had tiny purple flowers on it. I have always been drawn to these colors. They are classic and timeless in their simplicity.

2. A wood element to warm up the cooler color palette. I like the feeling of warmth that a wood piece can give a cool space. The contrast is something that I always notice and enjoy in a room. It almost adds that “pop” of color if you will.

3. Old/vintage objects are something I use a lot in a room. I love the story they tell and the interest they add to a space. I also enjoy the hunt for that special something needed to complete the room.

4. Adding something natural to a space. I really enjoy using food to add that something natural. Whether its  pears, walnuts, or shallots I find them to be beautiful in their simplicity. I also find shells, antlers and other like items wonderful to use in a space.

5. The subtle feeling of bringing the outdoors in. This is an ingredient on my list and one that you will find on Lauren’s list as well. Think about the container the greenery/flower is placed in as well. Whether  the vessel is a vintage bowl, silver wine chiller or an old urn it needs to feel special. On a side note, this cheese board was inspired by Eddie Ross. You can read all about it in my previous post.

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6. Meaningful elements are really important to me. I want items in my home to be ones that I cherish and love. Remember, these items can be placed in any room. There are no rules! In my kitchen I placed a large canvas of two of my three children (sorry #3!) that I have always loved. I am in this room a lot and I want to be surrounded with things I love.

7. A conversation piece that gets people talking. This doesn’t mean it has to be something crazy. It is just something a little special or different that you don’t see in everyone else’s home.  In my mudroom and laundry room below you see a vintage green chair that I bought for $18 at a garage sale, a sliding barn door and an old black scale. They are all just different enough to spark a conversation.

8. A collection can make a large impact when grouped all together. I love to collect copper, mirrors, ironstone, candlesticks, silver…just to name a few!

9. Classic, Simple, Timeless is always my bottom line when it comes to design. If it fits in with this last ingredient I know it is “House 214 Design” style!

I thought this was a fantastic design exercise that forced me to think about what I believe my signature style to be. If you want to learn more from Lauren, her first book  Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating is coming out this month. You can tell from the textured cover that a lot of thought and love went into the making of it. Be sure to check it out!