Hi Friends!!  Before we start I wanted to show you the amazing showroom Vivaldi which I am going to speak at this Wed.!

The first time I walked into this place I felt like I was in an art gallery!!  Although they also have a warehouse, they have a large showroom where the slab are mounted and back-lit!!!

I know this one will be a really fun event!!!  Come with firends for lunch and walk with me though the gallery where I will show how different colors and finishes complement your stone.  Gal Pal, Chas with Acero Bella, will be there with their hardware to show how knobs and handles finish off a doors and cabinetry like jewelry does with a fine outfit!  And of course the Vivaldi crew will be there to speak to the durability and care for different stones.

And now the story!

Well, if you have followed my blog a while, you know that husband, John, is so picky about his couches!  Especially the one in the den!!! Remember below, when we redid this room in 2011!  please click on this post! It shows the room 30 years ago and all the revisions since!!!

I really loved the room as is but I have finally given in to John’s constant requests to recline!! See my last couch shopping excursion with him here!  UGHHHH!!!!

Although this is the type he really had in mind from La-z-boy, I didn’t think this would mix well with some of my French finds–haha! He said his friend had one with a cooler in the center panel–that was the way he wanted to go!!!

Well, after searching, I remembered that when I helped my son Matthew furnish his apartment in Dallas we saw some super cool things at Cantoni!  It’s a cute story. If you haven’t seen, click on the link above! I was wanting to incorporate some contemporary elements so I thought this would be the perfect place to shop! I took hubby John there after a scouting trip and he loved it! Coming from Italy; it took 4 months to make.

Well when it arrived, hubby was so excited, he took pictures and sent them to me! I honestly was a bit horrified! Not only did I not think about the cords needing to plug it in–the scale was all wrong!!! The top of the couch literally came up to the arms on my French chairs!!!

OMGoodness!!! And the coffee table was much higher than the couch!

There was no getting him off this puppy so I had to figure out a way for my new Barbie reclining sofa to work in the room; cords and all.

I tried putting tall pillows on the couch to make it appear taller, which helped, but the rest of the furniture still looked too large!!!

Gal pal designer, Kara Childress, suggested a line of chairs from John Brooks!  They swivel, are super comfortable and have a transitional feel! I loved these, but since the couch was leather I…

…opted for a linen slipcovered pair that I felt had a Belgium aesthetic. As you can see, I moved them to the other side of the room, purchased these small petrified nesting tables from the Segreto Boutique and found the perfect pillows from Boxwood Interiors!!!  I also took down the darker linen drapes–I am reusing them in other rooms– and replaced them with an off white linen and trim I found at Interior fabrics!!  They have super prices if you can find what you like there!!! I can’t tell you how much brighter the room feels!!!

The cabinets had doors on them before with metal grates (see above) and were stained in the back. We took the doors off and painted a gray behind. The before had coral in every shelf. I added some art and crystal frames we carry at the boutique to add a contemporary feel. Using art in shelving is a great way to accessorize. Sweet Kirby had some black and whites made of the family for the frames! One day I need to lighten the finish on the fronts of the cabinetry, but I absolutely need to change the hardware to something more contemporary.

And you know how one thing leads to another…now the rug!!! I went by Madison Lily and pulled three that I liked–all of their rugs are beautiful! It was interesting to see how a rug makes such a big change to a room! Although I like some of the lighter rugs and ones mixed with linen or silk–my dogs are not well trained and ruin everything!! We looked at bold graphics and subtle-cut rugs, but felt we needed a darker rug! This is the one we chose. If you look in the bottom left corner you can see the other two.

Cutting the legs of the settee down 2 inches and moving it to the other side of the room, opened up the space and made it work better height wise with the couch. Off to interior fabrics again–that fabric looks as tired as pup Charlie!

Adding some lighter, oversized pillows from Boxwood on the couch and these cool Lucite benches from AREA, finished the room enough for a wedding shower we were co-hosting for 70 people!! Grand dog, Stella, seems to love it!

But, I wasn’t finished yet! This coffee table with tucked in ottomans, is going to Colorado. I wanted a sleeker, more contemporary table for this space, and what better option was our new plaster tabletop line!!!

Here is the completed room! Now the scale is much better. I still have my eclectic mix. I still can’t figure out my style!!

Look at my two pups in the window!!! I wanted them in the pics but Stella, my grand dog, just wouldn’t quit barking!

Here is the room from the opposite side.

How do you feel about our new table top line? With 30 signature colors to choose from, it is made from plaster and is more durable than marble or concrete. We have set them atop metal, Lucite, wood, or in my case, plaster bases. We’ve made desks, conference tables, water fall consoles, dining tables, and more. I love how they bridge the gap between contemporary and traditional, maintaining a natural, organic feel while being sleek and polished.

Hubby John loves his reclining couch and although I liked the way it was before, I really love the changes in this room!! Please let me know your thoughts on the transformation!! We have some exciting events coming up with Segreto in November!! I hope to see you at one of them! I so hope each of you has a great week!!

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS!! Two exciting ones !!!

Talbot’s interior is the front cover of Segreto Vignettes!!!  She is such a talent!!!–Till next week!!!!

If you are interested in hosting an event or carrying the book  please don’t hesitate to reach out! Email Karly@segretofinishes.com for all inquiries! We love to visit new cities!!!