Caldwell Flake: 6 Steps to Lovely

Mother-daughter design firm

Caldwell Flake

are known for

balancing the classical

with an unexpected edge.

Introduced to the work of designers

Mary Ruth Caldwell

and Lisa Flake

by House of Turquoise last summer,

I became enamored with Caldwell Flake's portfolio

and their philosophy which encompasses (among others)

what I might term 6 guiding principles

for creating lovely in a client's home.

1.

Give the home a voice.

2.

Unearth the home's hidden talents.

3.

Compose visual anecdotes

(that are classic, curious, and charming).

4.

Seek out the home's true character.

The symmetry here just grabs me,

and the vibe reminds me of my sweet

friend Monika of Splendid Willow

who generously mentioned me and

hello lovely's giveaway right here.

Spoiled by lovely blogmates, I am!

5.

Capture the essence of the

people who live there.

6.

Set the stage for daily acts of life to unfold.

The work of Caldwell Flake

truly reflects the power of

such guiding principles

when they join forces

with experience

and

endless creativity.

Do you have a favorite image

from CF's portfolio shots here?

p.s.

Oh the bittersweetness that

the creative process can never be

simplified to just 6 steps!

peek inside my windows (2)

Feel like peeking?

Ok, but I've got a burrrrnnnnnrning question for you to answer:

HOW DO YOU GET MOTIVATED

TO SPRING CLEAN?

Cuz it is HIGH TIME i kick the booty into high gear

and get down and dirty like a bad mambajamba.

(even i am shocked at how lame i am.)

I got a wee start over the weekend

but my list of chores keeps getting lonnnnnggger.

AND.

Isn't it surprising how quickly things around the house

start to feel outdated  and passe even when you thought

you were achieving a timeless look 5 years ago?

Today's post is a sort of to-do list.

all images mine

1.

Extract granny from the dining room.

despite my modern canvases, it is still too precious and unsexy.

not that grannys can't be sexy...just striving for milfy not gilfy.

2.

Inject more texture and personality into the kitchen.

i need rugs and probably some contemporary and oganic strokes.

there's a phrase painted above the window over the sink you can't see that

reads LOVE LIVES HERE.

and it does.

3.

Figure out those *%#$ shelves.

they were a friggin mess when this was snapped.

honestly they are different every week because

i am never satisfied.

4.

Hello? The screen porch needs therapy!

a rug, new pillows, and maybe some curtains will lift her mood, yes?

5.

Figure out how to replace bulbs 18 feet in the air.

when you're not a masochist.

6.

Keep the calm, but puhhhhleeease lose the boring factor.

functionally, the room works great.

7.

Sew a laundry bag to go in the antique hamper.

my sewing skillz? this should be interesting.

8.

Find an alternate location for the dress form.

this is our closet, and my man says she creeps him out and must go byebye.

9.

Find properly scaled accessories.

these are a SCALE FAIL.

10.

Replace the dried hydrangea.

and i'm sick of the teal.

wanted to show off the antique stained glass we

put in the WC to steal natural light from the downstairs hall.

11.

Lose the dollar store silver chargers.

it's only the laundry room, but they've over stayed their welcome.

original landscape by aimless olive

12.

Find storage for a teeny powder room.

need to hide the Febreeze and extra rolls.

btw, yes. that is COLOR on the walls: Nurture by Glidden.

do i sound edgy?

i'm just exhausted and keepin it real.

and sadly out of chocolate.

The appointment book is full this week:

scrubbing and organizing

while my man works magic on the basement.

If your week promises something different...

YAY! LIVE IT UP FOR ME!

Hope you'll follow this lovely journey.

Hugs.

linking with romantic home and common ground