Yves Saint Laurent-VIP Lounge

ok, lovelies! here are the Before/After photos you've been waiting for!

|the space was a mezzanine level overlooking both the main entrance to the Denver Art Museum as well as the entrance to the Yves Exhibit. Prime real estate!|

Before Shot 1: Notice all the cool architectural angles and lighting in the space.

Some furniture that was removed before we began the install. Isn't the wall mural really stark and graphic. Love it in this space!

|The museum closed at 2pm which allowed us to move freely through the space {amidst a million other people doing their own prep work!}. Four of our delivery associates were so generous to give their time towards this. I am so grateful because it was seamless; they are amazing!|

 

Laying down the cowhides...

This is Brooke! She is our Room & Board liaison extraordinaire. :) She got us this opportunity and was an invaluable part of the coordination and planning!

Here comes the furniture!

Large sofas stacked on each other.

Our amazing team! I owe them big time: Kirke, Brian, Jeff and Ted.

|While we were working on our installation, the atrium installation was taking place. This is the longest, most amazing balloon garland I've ever seen! It wound up the staircase to the top! I was able to talk to the artist to hear his inspiration; he was inspired by Yves' ground breaking decision to introduce black models to the runway. So he used black balloons to emulate a draped string of pearls through the space. Pretty amazing, right?!|

There were only a few pops of exploding balloons. Pretty impressive given the level of risk for this art installation!

See the draping effect?

|The event is showcased around one of Yves' famous gowns that has a giant pink bow on the back. They asked that we do all black and white in this VIP area because there are pink lights, pink walls, pink carpet, etc...everywhere else. So we did a black, white, grey design.|

 

Cowhide rugs at some nice contrast on the slate floor. White leather chairs with grey-smoked glass side tables. Sheepskin and mohair pillows. Natural wood shapes to soften the blunt ends of the sofas.

I decided to break this long space up with back to back sectionals. This maximizes the seating and we chose a tight-back, tight-seat piece so it would feel very modern and clean. I really like the visual statement it makes with the strong architecture all around.

A small seating area to fill a corner with great lighting. Black leather, stainless steel and white marble.

Our discreetly placed GIANT sign. :) The wall you see actually has a pitch to it that causes it to "lean into" the room; in other words, it doesn't go straight up...so I picked a bench to snug up to the lower part of the wall. I am also quite in love with this cocktail table-so sleek!

The whole space.

See the big pink bow in the background?! That is the main entrance to the exhibit. Pretty spectacular.

The two sets of tower lights on either side of the sofas really anchor the space. If only we had access to some plugs...

|This is the pink carpet entrance! This will be swarming with paparazzi tonight as dignitaries, celebrities, etc...descend on the party. How dreamy to walk the "pink carpet"!

Lovely light post banners announcing the event.

Spotlights with colored films on them...I'm sure this will be stunning at night!

The Big Picture! Gorgeous architecture down here. Truly, this is a one-of-a-kind event!

This was such a great experience! I am hoping some of the professional photos of the space come floating in soon too...I'll share if they do!

eats.

the kitchen photos are where i always linger when i scroll through a blog spread of a home. it is the most utilitarian space in a home; the 'epicenter' of daily activity. kitchen design also happens to be one of the most difficult and technical aspects of the home, requiring extremely detailed measurements and complete functionality. the ultimate space planning challenge!

yet they are incredibly inviting when they are designed well. take a peek at some spaces that have recently caught my eye!

this is the boldest space i have seen in a long time...and I LOVE IT! just the right amount of color; fresh! the natural light makes this possible without being overwhelming.

the wood floors alleviate this space from feeling stark. clean black and white with the warmth of the wood floor. love the pendants!

clean, classic, killer light fixture.

the tile walls and the window define the space. stunning appliances, barstools and pendants. did you notice the built-in espresso bar on the right side?? *swoon*

marble tiles on the wall add a subtle visual layer. cool tones (minus the espresso machine!) and the clear pendants were a PERFECT choice for the space.

all the way from sunny Australia, this space has delicious floors. the half-height wall is genius and the appliances are all white (unusual in America with the stainless craze). another example of how impactful windows are to a space!

oh i swoon over this one. i love the glass frame around the doorway; it separates the space but allows you to visually absorb the two room together. this whole thing feels very....*perfect*. :) unassuming and charming!

now this is a space for SERIOUS espresso lovers! notice the wine refrigerator down below (convenient!) and the butcher-block top on the island; nice visual texture.

CLASS. classic space with amazing peek-a-boo windows. architecturally striking!

this is such a playful space! great color palette. i think that tile wall above the oven with the exposed vent is ideal for the aesthetic and orientation towards that wall of windows. great space for entertaining!

Gah! this space slays me. i can't get over it! so many juxtapositions of style and the result is SWAG. i have no words.

seaside palette. so soothing and the pendants are my favorite element.

if you could pick 3 things to put in a custom kitchen, what would they be??

Yves Saint Laurent

 

i am so excited to be a part of this event! Yves Saint Laurent is doing ONE U.S. show. a couple other small towns are part of the tour: Paris and Madrid-ha! it is a retrospective of the legendary fashion mogul's career; 40 years worth. pretty incredible. the Denver Art Museum is hosting and i get to design the VIP Lounge!!!! Room & Board is incredibly lucky to get the exposure we'll have through this and the city of Denver scored a huge one landing this event!

 everyone who is anyone will be there; the French Ambassador, Pierre Berge (Yves' longtime partner), E-News, celebrities, etc... Ballgowns and Penguin Suits are a must! one of the best things is that the event is entirely centered around pink! the stair carpet, wall paint, accents...all pink!

the space for the VIP Lounge is a mezzanine level with very angular, modern architecture; grey slate floors, white walls. they asked us to only use black & white in the furnishings. i will certainly do a before/after post with pics but just imagine white marble, stainless steel, black leather, cream leather, mohair, etc...LUXURY!

the event is March 23rd, so i won't have pics until that day. HERE is the link for the event if you want to know more! 

Paris. Madrid. Denver.

A sweeping retrospective of the designer’s 40 years of creativity, Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective features a stunning selection of 200 haute couture garments along with numerous photographs, drawings, and films that illustrate the development of Saint Laurent’s style and the historical foundations of his work. Organized thematically, the presentation melds design and art to explore the full arc of Saint Laurent’s career, from his first days at Dior in 1958 through the splendor of his evening dresses from 2002. The DAM will be the only United States venue for the exhibition.

succulents.

yesterday i spent the entire day shopping for flowers! it was really fun (and slightly overwhelming) to find just the right flower for each room in the showroom. in addition to being responsible for all the furniture, paint, lighting and accessorizing, i also have to refresh all the cut flowers, some of the plants, and the fruit on a weekly basis. this week was my first week, as another gal has been filling in for a while. she took me to all the wholesalers, nurseries, etc and we filled up the car twice with plants, fruit, flowers and soil of all kinds.
we have a big visit (company bigwigs!) happening on tuesday and freshening up the flowers was an absolute must!
just last wednesday, we set out our first glimpse of outdoor furniture. i am so ready for summer, so i was excited! this is also the first "set" that i've done on my own. (i'll let you know after tuesday how they liked it!) :) one of the perks in this job is that i have a lot of freedom with propping, so i decided that we would have 3 planters full of succulents! :) they are such cute little plants, chubby with water and a unique color palette all their own. here are some shots of succulents that i loved!

routine vs spontanaeity.

i have always been one to buck routine. i hate it, i think its monotonous, i dislike the predictability of it. i prefer to not have constraints on my time and to be spontaneous. well, reality is a mix.

at my last job, my schedule was never the same. there was a slight level of consistency but the hours were grueling and the schedule changed each week because of some special circumstance that i had absolutely no sense of routine or ability to construct a consistent investment in any sort of activity.

working at this new job has certainly changed my life already (5 weeks in). i always have two days off in a row, i have the same hours no matter what on the days i work, and i only work one evening! i am naturally a night owl...so mornings and i? we're not friends. now that i commute, however, i am having to go to bed around 10pm (which is absolutely preposterous to me!) and getting up between 5-6am everyday. it is a complete shift. (although, i have witnessed some of the most striking sunrises!)

i have also had to really establish some sort of routine to make sure that i'm packing my lunch each day (the night before, because it won't happen in the morning!), making it to the gym (still figuring this out..), and keeping up personal communication with those i love despite losing 3 hrs of my day in the car.

i really don't know when i'll move to denver. i get asked that question all the time. i have days when i'm ready now and others when i'm still so thankful for this time close to my family. i know it will be clear but in the meantime, i didn't want to waste that time in the car that i drive. so i have started listening to sermons, worship music and praying during that time. it has done wonders for relationship with the Lord. i am so grateful for that 'built-in' time to collect my thoughts, get prepared for the day and stay focused on the eternal.

i suppose routine isn't as awful as i have made it out to be; it's saving me money and keeping me in shape, both physically and spiritually. yet no matter when i move, i suspect that my life will be a balance of the two! i am thankful for what i am learning and i am loving my new job!

is it summer yet?!

hello lovelies! i finally got caught up on my blog reading this weekend-our wintery snowstorm provided a great excuse to stay inside spending lazy time dreaming of summer and bright colors! i came across some gorgeous and inspiring photos. :) i have been craving bright, fresh colors in my life lately and these did the trick!

dreamy view...

summer evening dinner party! what lovely flowers!

i miss the ocean and seaside towns like this. this captures so many things about life by the sea: surfboards, the constant use of outdoor decks, vintage simplicity removed from the bustle of the city and SUNSHINE!

rinsing the sand and salt out of your hair.

little alleys like this one always transport me to summer in Europe. i can just imagine walking home from the market with my arms full of fresh goodies! (i really love that there are motorcycles instead of the quintessential Vespas in this picture!)

first week observations.

i'm on overload. the last month has been overwhelming, to say the least: holiday at the store, putting my notice in, preparing to leave and a day later starting my new job. whew!

the last week of work at Pottery Barn, especially the last day, was much more difficult than i thought it would be: lots of goodbyes with amazing women who have basically been family to me,
fear to let go of something i have poured my life into and cultivated over the last year and half and some abrupt conversations about my departure that should have happened earlier in the process.

it was tough. i always joke about how much i love quitting jobs...ha....which truly stems from my love of change and excitement to try new things. yet this was entirely different and not easy...at all.

despite all that, i was confident that God opened the door at Room & Board and knowledge of His hand in it all brought a sliver of hope that i clung to in that process of saying goodbye.

its friday and i have already been at my new job for a week! i am excited about this opportunity and still have a lot to figure out. my brain is overflowing with all kinds of furniture construction information, company culture principles and computer account codes. the company is proving to be as thorough with the training process as they were with my two-month interview process; for this, i am grateful.

we had a saying at Pottery Barn that you always have to "slow down to go fast." at first thought, it seems counter-intuitive yet it is essential. in any category of life we always strive to move faster, do better and be more productive but it doesn't work like that. you have to invest up front to get the results you want later.

you hear all the time with new companies about start-up costs. they can be overwhelming and when you are trying to launch something from scratch, you feel like you're bleeding time and money in an effort to simply position resources in support the long term goal. Room & Board is embracing this process of slowing down...they are halting the train to make sure i can jump on; not just run quickly beside hoping to catch the boxcar handle at some point. they are truly making sure i am safely situated inside the speeding bullet.

this is equal parts fantastic and frustrating. i am finding that everyday i have to throw expectations out the window. i went into this prepared to jump right into leadership training and floorset preparation (seeing as the only floorset they do all year is happening next week-ha!). the reality is that they are far less concerned about my preparation for floorset than i am-ha! it has been quite frustrating and doubt-inducing at moments; yet they are keeping their eyes steadily fixed on slowing that train down so they can speed up with me later. i suppose in the end i will be thankful!

after this first week, i am humbled by the reminder that my expectations need to be fluid. i am reminded with all the unexpected that has occurred over the last week, that my ONLY foundation should be in Christ; not in my previous experience, not in my excitement and passion for this new job, not in anything but Christ. confidence and experience is bound to fail, excitement and passion are bound to fade but Christ is steady. He is unchanging.

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Isa 26:3

i am thankful for the weekend ahead to recuperate and work towards loosening my grip on those pesky expectations that can truly pull our focus askew. :)

some things i've realized over the last week through all this change:

• slowing down is hard to do. really hard.
• commuting is not as 'simple' as i remember it to be. and i am using an entire tank of gas every two days. ugh.
• i'm sitting on my butt at least 3 hours a day in the car (1.5 hrs each way). i need to alter what i put into my body to stay healthy with less physical activity.
• i need to use that 3 hours wisely: prayer, sermons, etc...i need to keep my heart and mind healthy.
• i miss getting to go home for lunch.
• finding a place to just be by myself for a few minutes during the day is virtually impossible. the introvert in me is freaking out!
• knowing that i will move up there eventually, i am fearful about starting over in denver and being lonely again.
• communication continues to prove itself to be the foundation for everything: closure and new beginnings.

ice time: changing on the fly

 

over the past year, my family has gotten really into ice hockey! we've become huge fans of a local college team, the Colorado College Tigers. they are national title holders and really fun to watch.

one thing i love about hockey is that the season is really long. that means that i have lots of time to continue learning more about hockey. this Christmas i asked for Hockey for Dummies-ha!

i'll be posting some answers to questions i've had about hockey along the way starting with: why do the skaters switch out so often and how do they know when to switch?

the official term is "changing on the fly" and the substituted skater can leave the bench when the other skater is within 5' of it. if they leave too early, they get penalized for having too many skaters on the ice. this switch out happens every 45 seconds in order to keep up a high level of intensity throughout the game.

the visiting team always has the chance, when play stops, to switch out their team first but the home team has the final substitution slots before play resumes allowing them to create good match ups for offense and defense.