Ask Devon - June Q&A

Welcome back to another roundup of our best Q&A submissions from the month of June! Devon hosts the series every weekend on our Instagram stories, so be sure to follow along. But if you missed out on our June Q&As, you’re in luck because we are recapping our top ten submissions in the blog today. It covers everything from selecting stone finishes, to styling throw pillows, to operating our design firm.

Thoughts on mixing stone in the same space?

There are three stones in the room below, and white quartz countertops right behind it in the kitchen. Mixing is fine, and to be honest, necessary. Otherwise, you have way too much of one stone in a room. The key is to make sure they are cohesive - similar tones, similar veining patterns, or balancing a solid tone with a veined stone. In this example, the shades of white match, the veining in the fireplace stone is similar to the veining pattern in the coffee table but they’re almost the inverse of each other. My advice is to get samples of all of your stones and look at them together to make sure they don’t clash.

Advice on art over the bed?

To be honest, in most cases we opt for an accent wall behind a bed instead of hanging art above it. This can be done with wallpaper, wood paneling, or a drapery wall. It just feels softer and more “hotel-like” to me which gives it a luxurious touch.

I am having trouble balancing decorative pillows on my l-shaped couch. Any tips?

Don’t overthink it. Layer pillows in two corners - all three can feel crowded. Choose at least two accent pillows and make sure they are different sizes. The biggest pillow goes in back, and the smaller pillow gets layered in front.

how does your firm manage so many projects at once? is there a pm software for designers?

We are currently a firm of 15 people, and we have two teams. The design team is made up of 6 designers and our lovely new intern, and is managed by myself and our new Director of Design, Chris! We have a separate project management team, managed by Mike. They are the muscle and brains that bring our beautiful designs to life! Can’t forget our finance manager, Katie, and our marketing manager, Rachel! We could never do everything we do today without the incredible talent of our team and I am so thankful every day that I get to work with each and every one of them.

How do you suggest converting a small bedroom into a super cool office for 2/guest room?

We installed an awesome Murphy bed that converts from a desk and shelves to a bed in a guest room once and I’m obsessed with it. You may want to consider something like that if it’s a small space and you need it to do that much.

what are your thoughts on artwork in bathrooms?

Always! We all need something to look at. I think bathrooms are a spot for fun, whimsical art. Do something unexpected.

polished or honed countertops and slab backsplash?

We typically recommend honed or satin in kitchens if there is under cabinet lighting. Otherwise, you see the reflection of the lights in the counter.

Please explain key factors of modern vs contemporary vs transitional design.

School is in session! Contemporary design is probably what a lot of people think of when they initially think of modern. It is super minimal, a little edgy and unexpected. When I think of contemporary design, I think of a really minimal space with a simple palette and really incredible pops of bold artwork and sculptural furniture.

Contemporary design is technically modern. However, often times when people describe their style as “modern”, they are referring to clean lines, square profiles, and a bit of a minimalistic feel. That said, modern design can be really warm and inviting. When I think of a modern design, I think of clean lines but warm wood tones and rich, natural textures.

Transitional design is a hybrid between traditional design and modern. You’ll still often see clean lines and maybe square profiles but there may be more intricacies in the trim work or more classic profiles in the furniture and decor.

what is the rule of thumb for hanging lights over island (how many)?

I don’t know that we have a specific rule of thumb for this. Typically what we do is balance the quantity of lights with the size of the lights. You obviously want some space between the pendants. So for a 6’ island, if you choose a bigger light fixture you should stick to only two, but if you choose something smaller you could get away with three.

do you think herringbone wood floors is a trend that might go out of style soon?

No way! Herringbone floors have been around literally since the 16th century… they’re classic.

That completes our recap of the top ten Q&A submissions from the month of June! Don’t forget to check out our Instagram so you never miss out on the weekly series.

-dgw