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Press
Simple. Sophisticated. Since 2004.
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The Roswell Current
August 2010 Issue
The Roswell Current
June 2010 Issue
To Do or REDO, Selecting the Right Direction
The Roswell Current April 1, 2010 Edition
By: Laura Green Thome
Recently Completed Design Build by: Laura Green Thome
located in Roswell, GA
Many times I am asked by a real estate agent or new homebuyer to look at an existing home that needs a little TLC or a lot depending on whose talking…wishful thinking at times! Recently we have been working on a substantial number of renovations and general ‘facelifts’ as we like to call them. When you are looking at a property’s value, it is often hard to make the call as to what it needs to improve its share of the market. From my perspective Beautiful always sells and fetches a higher price point. Generally speaking what designer’s do is an art, applied directly to another work of art, architecture. When layering art on top of art is integral that both artists respect one another and work together complimenting and mirroring one another during the process. We as designers are often times brought in after the home has been lived in and mistreated or not treated at all, needing drastic measures.
The market today has become a Renovation Haven for all you that love old and aging homes! Alec Williams, a noteworthy real estate agent in Atlanta, mentioned to me the other day, “Close in & preferred neighborhoods have not been as impacted by Atlanta’s recession, the intrinsic value of these neighborhoods, over-rides the general economic trends” Alec Williams, Beacham & Company. It is now less expensive to REDO than to ‘Do Over’~ completely tearing down or gutting a space. Making your home the best it can be is not only an investment in your lifestyle & enjoyment of everyday it is a great way to invest financially. Renovation’s require careful attention to detail, knowing where to leave things be and where to undertake a more massive effort. Here are a few tips when planning for your future or a newly acquired home’s future:
- Take notice of the bones of the structure, are they intact & strong or do they need tweaking?
- Look at the electrical wiring, HVAC, plumbing & railings do they meet code? Are they in good shape?
- Meet with 3 like contractors (same business model) or subcontractors for each project, asking for a bid for the defined scope of work, that way you can use the information to determine fair market value. General rule of thumb they should all be within a 10-20% range of one another. If not, something is not right. Set expectations from the start in writing.
- Take notice of the trim paint, has it yellowed over time as oil based paints do? Painting the trim & walls is the easiest way to give it a completely different feeling with out getting into construction work.
- Look at the the market will bear when you are looking at your budget and what amount you are willing to invest in your property.
- Determine if the actual floor plan and layout for the home works for you if not, there are so many great ways to increase the livability of the space with minimal construction work.
A few great contractors that I have worked with in the Atlanta area are:
1. Wright Marshall, Revival Construction www.revivalconstruction.com
2. Brian Schaltenbrand, All Square Construction 678.516.0793
3. David Shepherd, David Shepherd Homes 678.758.5000
Form vs. Function in Your Home, Where it matters…
The Roswell Current, March 2010 Edition
By: Laura Green Thome
Many times I am asked by clients if I had to choose form vs. function, which would I choose? The answers I wish were a simple one! Yet it has so many facets and is so much deeper than one might think. When it comes to your home there are many moving parts and many areas that significantly change annually or seasonally, this makes it completely impossible to always choose one over the other. Remember, when you were young, your grandmother told you never to use never or always. The same is true when it comes to this question! I have included different areas of your home where one matters over the other and my recommendations in each area. Enjoy!
Let’s start with the heart of the home the kitchen: In your kitchen whether you have an eat-in or a galley you spend a great deal of time there as do your guests and family. Kitchens are definitely about function first and foremost, form being the secondary consideration when designing. That being said the form with which you enhance the function can make all the difference in your home evoking that feeling you are aiming for. I recommend the ‘cooking triangle’ when setting up your sink, refrigerator & cook top/stove. This simple geometric configuration minimizes steps involved in preparation and eases the wear and tear on your body over a lifetime. Larger kitchens are not always better, although they make for great entertaining! Many times when designing a large kitchen the triangle is still used for the preparation area to promote ease for whomever may be cooking. Bar areas and other islands are then used predominately for entertaining, serving and aesthetics. One of the best ways to achieve both a highly functional and sophisticated kitchen is to design the function first, getting the lineal feet of storage you require, drawers, shelves, overhead storage, vent hoods & appliances. Once this configuration exercise is complete; then focus on either incorporating the finishes to be consistent with the rest of your home or making it stand out by selecting bolder & more substantial finishes making it the focal point. I have included a photograph of my own kitchen above which is a highly functional 10’ X 10’ prep kitchen finished in Calcutta Gold Marble, Hand-glazed cabinets, blown-glass panels in the overheads & Venetian Gold Fixtures.
Secondly the Great Room or Family Room becomes the next most significant area for Function vs. Form. I say Function first in this space also, it is the area you and those closest to you unwind from the busy day, relax, watch shows that entertain and inform, sporting events and play with your pets or play games. This area needs to have enough seating for your immediate family plus guests comfortably and with in a certain amount of feet from nose to nose, 8’0” is the general measurement for a conversation grouping of furniture and will allow for a comfortable conversation (a study in proximetrics). Your TV of choice also should be easily viewed from all areas trying not to compete with the architectural focal point of the room, standard is the fireplace or built-in bookcases. I prefer the TV to be concealed or blended in by sitting it on an otherwise beautiful piece of furniture that is part of the functional space plan.
Thirdly, the Living Room, despite how informal or formal you may be is the place to show off your great taste and make it decadent. This area Form reigns! You should pay careful attention to the fabrics and form of the furniture you select in this room as well as displaying objects of interest, collected during your lifetime. The form of the artwork you display and the perfect place for a baby grand or grand piano allows for a window into the soul of your home, where dreams come first and practicality is secondary. This room purposes show & tell entertaining guests inspiring them, while you enjoy their company. I have included the above photograph of my living room in Atlanta.
February’s Perfect Antidote: Bookshelves
The Roswell Current, February 15, 2010 Issue
Editorial By: Laura Green Thome
The perfect way to spend time indoors combined with a ‘do it yourself project’ and well weather that is too cold to do anything other than drink hot tea and plan~Bookshelves!!!
I can’t tell you how often I spent hours arranging and rearranging bookshelves while working on projects, thinking… ‘I spent all those studios hours for this?’ Well, it has paid off and I now understand fully how great of an impact bookshelves and the arrangement of such has on a home or space. The simplistic nature of them provides ample backdrop to be a near perfect canvas to set the tone of your home. With the right built in you can seasonally or weekly, depending on your compulsion change the attitude of your space. I was recently in Houston working on an installation and we were able to completely change the visual impact of the home by reconfiguring the built-in bookcases.
We used a well poised collection of artifacts, objects of art, journals, studies & books to pull together a simple and sophisticated space. Starting with grouping the collected objects according to color palette and size, we then grouped them in an asymmetrical arrangement to balance the room. Each artifact must be balanced by each sub sequential artifact, and book further balanced by another set of books or journals. I love introducing unusual pieces layered on top of a stack of horizontal books. The intrigue and forms made by layering the objects causes a certain amount of illusion causing your eye to be drawn to the niches created. It is almost as if each grouping becomes a vignette itself. While total time spent was almost five hours grouping and arranging bookshelves, the result was breathtaking. The client could not have been more pleased, saying that they would actually enjoy sitting & entertaining in the room now that things seemed so much more inviting and pleasant.
So make a list, look at your bookshelves and built in millwork and get to work this weekend! You will need to first take everything down off the shelves, then dust while you are at it of course! Then group all books and journals according to size and color, after grouping them you will want to start arranging the books in blocks, starting at the centerline first. Once you have established your symmetry or asymmetry, you may start introducing art or objects of art into the mix. You will soon start to get into a pattern resulting in a wonderful, well balanced and pleasing mix of your personal articles that seems to beg others and guests to get to know you better!~Enjoy the process and take your time! ~Laura
Dear Designer
The Roswell Current, January 23, 2010
By: Laura Green Thome
Dear Designer, I have recently renovated a small space with light walls and am having window treatments made for the pair of French doors. I plan on having full length panels made floor to ceiling but am curious if I should have grommets or pleats at the top to complete the look? Marge, Roswell, GA
Dear Marge, I would definitely go for the classic pleats in the type space you are describing. While the grommet look is very on trend right now it really is not a classic treatment for an interior space. My favorite two pleats are a Goblet pleat or a French pleat, both allow the material to move naturally and give a full body to the drapery panel. I also recommend doing at minimum a width and a half for each panel, as the pleating takes up several inches of width per pleat. You want each panel to look nice and full not ‘skimpy’. The only application that I really recommend grommets is in an outdoor room such as a lanai or screened room with an outdoor entertaining area. The grommets allow for easy sliding along the rod and keep there from being too many folds in the material, retaining moisture. Let us know how they turn out and send in a picture! ~Laura
Dear Designer,
I enjoyed your article "Fresh Start for 2010" and really liked the green paint on the walls in the picture featured in the article and on the front page. Would you happen to know the name of it? Would enjoy hearing from you. Eileen, Roswell, GA
Dear Eileen, I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed the article and like the green we used on the cover shot. The color is Parakeet SW6711, it was used it in a flat finish in the room we designed for a beautiful home in Mobile, Alabama. The intense green really stands out and is best used in a room that has a good bit of natural light; it provides a really fresh and cheerful ambiance! Let us now how you like it! ~Laura
Dear Designer,
I enjoyed reading your approach to art a few issues back before the holidays and would like to know what type of frame you recommend for black & white photography. I have a collection from different family members and traveling and desperately need to pull it all together… Patricia, Roswell, GA
Dear Patricia,
There are various ways to pull together a collection of black and whites; one of my favorites is to use a linen mat or liner with a thin gilded or gold frame. The juxtaposition of the cool tones in the photographs and the warm tones of the frame is stunning and really makes the photograph stand out on a large wall. I would hang them asymmetrically in a gallery type style on a stair hall or hallway space. Thanks for writing in!~Laura
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Delwood Residence
Mobile, Alabama
A Fresh Start for 2010
Editorial for The Roswell Current January 15, 2010
By: Laura Green Thome
One of the most important things as we start the New Year is planning for our schedules, vacation days, family trips, budgets and of course~home improvements. At L. Green Studios we are busy forecasting new color trends and techniques and planning for a new launch of our Dear Designer Column with The Roswell Current, thanks to all of your support and our reader feedback! As you begin planning for the New Year keep in mind that being ahead of trend on color will last you far longer than being on trend or in many cases behind the times. So as you look at what you have collected and what you hope to collect let’s start with the basic first step: COLOR…
A few of my favorite colors for this season are from a variety of sources…
Look for unusual color combinations to start popping out early in 2010~combinations such as a beautiful fuchsia or tourmaline pink combined with a rich sable brown leading into a classic vanilla shell of a room. I would use these colors sparingly with a pared down version of the same sable brown in a large over scale settee with brilliant fuchsia pillows mixed with an antique Aubusson rug pillow form. Find a few occasional slipper chairs from the late 30s or early 40s and have them upholstered in a fuchsia mohair or cashmere. Then add balance to the room by using a classic old knotty English pine table stripped of paint or stain as the center piece. Layer the piece with lots of classic books in a large format to tip the scale into the artistic direction. To turn the table into a more classic approach add a few hand thrown pieces of pottery in the raku technique mixed with a few simple phalaenopsis orchids in paper white tones.
Another combination you can plan to see a bit is the comeback of green in interiors this year, green comes and goes as does every other trend in the industry. But this season, it will be used with lots of attitude. Sometimes green gets a bad rap as only being a melancholy color to be substituted for blue when nothing else will do. I however am a firm believer in green’s staying power. I have recently seen a stunning room done in a Kelly green and shell white that added a great deal of sizzle and sass to a teenage girl meets shop girl type space, the effect was incredible. Another green that can be really powerful is emerald hues; these intense tones can add a very fresh and lasting quality to an otherwise stuffy or stoic space.
I am planning the use of an deep emerald green wall in a high gloss lacquer, brushed with a darker indigo horsehair brush to add a strie effect in a study this year, we are planning on combining it with a caramel toned linen plush English arm sofa and dark turquoise velvet on the custom benches, the green will really offset and create a shocking punch of color in an otherwise simple scheme throughout the rest of the residence.
Enjoy the return of color to the rather diffused color palette of the recent year for those of you who did not simplify your palette’s, you may be in luck as you seek inspiration this year!
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"Fresh or Faux: Which Way to Go?
December 15, 2009
Monthly Editorial By: Laura Green Thome
The age old question I hear when I am getting ready to decorate homes for the Holidays, “Fresh or Faux, traditional colors or trendy colors, which would you suggest?”
My response, “Always use fresh where you can, although faux has its place when nothing else will suffice~on color, be daring and make a statement, while traditional colors need to be incorporated add depth and interest~go ahead and introduce a palette that has an underlying tribute to your personal sense of style.”
If you love to wear a mustard color sweater, find a few ornaments that celebrate your favorite color and mix them in with the décor. My favorite this season is Hermes Orange and a rich chocolate aubergine mixed with persimmon. (These very colors recently graced the November cover of Vogue) These colors will be dressing my tree this year along with gilded ornaments mixed with a personal collection given to me by my mother over a lifetime.
For instance, if you have a large great room with a large window looking out over your lawn, frame the tree by moving your furniture around for the holiday and placing it centered on the window. Then add a simple linen burlap skirt with fantastic box pleated grosgrain trim on the outer edge around the base of the tree. Dressing your mantle in a similar fashion, adding fresh trimmings from your tree or a faux garland mixed with fresh twigs and berries.
Frasier fir, Douglas fir, Balsam Fir & Colorado Blue Spruce are a few of the top trees for this year~my personal favorite this year is the Colorado Blue Spruce. The needles are generally dull bluish-gray to silvery blue and emit a resinous odor when crushed. Some trees have a more distinct bluish-white or silvery-white foliage.
View our blog for latest design advice: http://lgreenstudiosblog.blogspot.com/
Make the color of your tree resonate with charm and patina by adding several strands of lights in white, surrounding the pure white light with lots of muted ornaments gathered over your lifetime. Do select each ornament carefully making sure you don’t alter the overall look you are going for. I love to intersperse the branches with natural materials such as curly willow, cinnamon sticks, gilded brush or twigs with berries, even holly is beautiful interspersed among the branches.
For a show stopping centerpiece on your dining table or entry foyer this year, try a large glass vase in a drum shape approximately 12 inches in diameter with 9 inch overall height in a jewel tone color for added drama. Fill it with 36 inch long silvery winter branches & mix with bright red winterberry branches, then hang silver plated & crystal ornaments delicately on several branches being careful not to overdo it. Happy Holidays from our family to yours!
Laura Green Thome, founder of L. Green Studios, LLC Interior Design has been featured by HGTV, The Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, The Atlanta Business Chronicle & Metropolitan Décor.. Current studio work includes projects throughout the Southeast including Atlanta, Athens, Birmingham and Houston. Laura brings a palette of classic style elements together emphasizing simple sophistication. She works closely with clients to pull together a well positioned home poignantly capturing their personality.
 November 15, 2009
"Decadent on a Dime: Holidays 2009"
Monthly Editorial By: Laura Green Thome
Making your Holidays sizzle this year is a stretch for most of us! As we celebrate the most important things in life we realize that they are not things at all. The way we celebrate the most important gift of all is to make meaningful time for one another as we celebrate ‘the reason for the season’. Using what you have and adding to or simplifying your décor can add a whole new appreciation for things passed down and things new.
Most of us have boxes of garland, old crèches, lights that do and a few that don’t work—even the boxes of unopened ornaments from years past. Well this is the year to do a little digging and find new ways to use your collection. Why not rummage around a little sooner this season and make time to have your children and grandchildren part of the process? Have them help you un-box old ornaments and collections group them according to type or color around the house. Then decide which rooms will be part of which ‘theme’. The preparation can be as meaningful as the season if you take the time to enjoy it!
For instance, if you have found a collection of gold ornaments in glass that are fragile and have a collection of ivory, white and crystal toned ornaments—group them together on a tree in your living room pairing them with white lights and adding curly willow branches interspersed throughout the branches to add a toned down twist. In the same room add a few old pieces of silver on the coffee table with unused ornaments or festive spice covered balls, cinnamon is one of my favorites. Fill an unused crystal server with mounds of wrapped peppermints on a side table—hopefully lying next to an old photo album to peruse as you crunch peppermint and remember good times with loved ones.
For a handmade touch string popcorn interspersed with cranberries or try your hand at making a paper-chain out of all white paper to add to the décor with out adding to the bottom line.
If you have a large box of multicolor lights in knots, take the time to unknot them—throwback to the eighties and fill your tree with lots of color everywhere! But then pair the colorful tree with a nubby burlap skirt and simple burlap table coverings with mounds of colored crystal serving pieces filled with multicolored chocolates, this will simplify an already full palette and allow it to grace your home with an understated elegance.
Another finishing touch is to shop early for your wrappings & trimmings and make sure that whatever theme or palette you have decided upon is carried throughout the season in the invitations, gift tags, wrappings, ribbons and bows. So start unpacking and making your holiday preparation take on a whole new meaning this year~!
A few of my favorite places to shop for the upcoming holidays are:
Erika Reade~Buckhead, Atlanta
BD Jeffries~Buckhead, Atlanta
Roswell ~ Antique District & Market on Canton Street
Laura Green Thome will be speaking on Holiday Decor at Cest Moi on November 23, 2009 7:30-9pm 1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, GA
Laura Green Thome, founder of L. Green Studios, LLC a Full and Limited Services Interior Design Studio located in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Current studio work includes projects throughout the Southeast including Atlanta, Athens, Birmingham and Houston. Laura brings a palette of classic style elements together emphasizing simple sophistication. She works closely with clients to pull together a well positioned home poignantly capturing their personality. For More Information Contact: info@lgreenstudios.com
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November 1, 2009
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"Selecting the Perfect Style and Finish to Compliment Your Space" |
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It seems so hard to pull it all together is the most common line I hear when we get started on a new project—so if you have thought that, you are not alone! Most furniture retailers are in the business of selling and moving their merchandise so they will neatly package up 'rooms' or entire spaces to create a fully developed look or 'sale'.
What designers know, is that to create a perfectly positioned space you must mix different types of objects and pieces including mixing woods at times to create the perfect framework for the space, although that is always dictated by the design intent. |
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For example if you are going for an eclectic office look you will want to stay away from using all the same wood finish in the same space, mix ebony and zebrawood for a striking combination. Pair the woods with a classic shell white finish on the walls and a few brightly colored pieces of original art with a classic contemporary chair. (Try the Samson Chairor Spain Chairin white finish.)
For the floor try a natural white oak finished in place with wax or a stained concrete layered with a few contemporary wool rugs. |
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If you are going for a more continental mix in a bedroom at home or boutique hotel here are a few tips to try:
Use a simple upholstered bed with a high headboard as the focal point mixing it up by pairing asymmetrical nightstands and lamps. (Try the Ludlow Bedwith a Revel Side Table, mix with an existing or antique chest and a pair of Mercer Table Lamps). Find a great pair of 24" X 24" Square Original Pieces of Art to flank each side of the bed over each side table/chest. These pieces will dictate the overall mood depending on the subject matter and colors used. |
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| The bottom line when trying to pull your space together is if you group the great existing pieces you have and look at them objectively, you may find that by reusing them or adding to them the end goal may not be as overwhelming. If you want to clean up a cluttered look go with painting a few of your existing pieces a good putty or bone white color. Mix with a few new pieces creating a more simple palette is always a fresh approach. |
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura Green Thome, Principal L Green Studios, LLC
I always knew the world had a place for simple pleasures
With a desire to create simple, elegant and timeliness environments, award-winning designer Laura Green Thome founded L. Green Studios, LLC to serve clients in Atlanta and throughout the southeast. A graduate of the University of Georgia's Lamar Dodd School of Art, Laura brings more than ten years of residential and commercial interior design experience to her clients from her own studio, The University Architects, Heery International and Suzanne Kasler Interiors. A native Atlantan, Laura resides in Buckhead with her husband, daughter and Boykin spaniel.
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 Vol. 1 Issue 4
October 15, 2009
Making a Place UNFORGETTABLE
Monthly Editorial By: Laura Green Thome
We all have memories etched in our mind from life’s special moments. The impact of “the places” where our memories occurred is not often forgotten—the dusky dining room at the old hotel where you enjoyed dinner and then toasted an engagement or the way the room welcomed you at your post graduate celebration or the sparkling reception hall at your daughters wedding. The ambiance never left you and that place helped to create the memory and further instill it in your mind’s eye.
At home, it is possible to create a lasting impression whatever your budget may or may not be these days. For instance, if you have a small but engaging home with a central entry—dining room to the left & living room to the right, consider these Style Secrets:
Add some drama to the dining room by painting the walls, including the trim and millwork in a flat charcoal gray (try Farrow & Ball’s Down Pipe) Highlight the crown molding and ceiling (in Farrow & Ball’s Bone high gloss lacquer). For lighting, pair a unique chandelier found at a local antique shop with sconces. Add an old mirror to increase the reflection and depth of the space. By placing the mirror across the room from windows, you can increase the natural light during the daytime and increase illusion at dusk.
Now for furnishings, go ahead and reuse that furniture you have had for ages. Just paint it or strip it to give it a new look. If you absolutely can not stand it any longer have a full length dressmaker’s skirt made for the table. For a simple tailored look, choose a linen fabric and finish the skirt with a box pleated edge along the hemline.
In the living room keep it light and pair the muslin walls (in Farrow and Ball’s Bone with a flat finish) with a few latte or espresso colored upholstered pieces. Pair this neutral backdrop with a few dramatic 24” pillows on the sofa and a brightly colored throw in Hermes Orange one of my favorite colors for the upcoming season. Remember your art fills in the gaps that are otherwise lost in translation—making a simple space elegant.
Always--Always use fresh flowers in one large bunch of color to add a bold and simple punch to the space. Something fresh enlivens your space as well as adding to the overall attitude. Try Gerber Daisies for a retro throwback and chic look or a large bunch of hydrangeas for a classic southern style.
So go ahead and plan for that dinner party making memories and defining your personal sense of style. Your guests will leave with a lasting impression of your finesse as a hostess and the memories will continue to live on…
A few of my favorite places to shop for the upcoming season are:
Cest Moi East Cobb
Now & Again Buckhead
Sandy Springs Antiques & Interiors
Laura Green Thome, is the founder of L. Green Studios, LLC a Full and Limited Services Interior Design Studio located in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Current studio work includes projects throughout the Southeast including Atlanta, Athens, Birmingham and Houston. Laura brings a palette of classic style elements together emphasizing simple sophistication. She works closely with clients to pull together a well positioned home poignantly capturing their personality.
September 13, 2009
Vol. 1 Issue 2
Art and its impact on your home
Editorial By: Laura G. Thome
The time for ‘decorator art’ has come and gone. The most classic way to treat the collecting of art and its place in your home is to start with pieces you love and add to them allowing them to inspire the spaces surrounding them. The place for ‘The Arts’ in our culture has long been downplayed with the innovation and invasive qualities of the technology age—the art of living and the beauty that goes along with it provide joy in life. A painting, drawing or sculpture provides insight into culture and politics drawing out conversations and philosophies during a quiet dinner, or party whatever the occasion great art magnifies our life.
There is no better way to fill a space with personality than the collection of pieces you have acquired and will love over a lifetime. The first place to start when you are designing your home is to look at the pieces of furniture, art, objects of art and collections you own and then decide the predominate attitude you want your home to convey— Are you seeking Tranquility, Cheerfulness, Whimsy, Formality, Sophistication, Simplicity or Elegance? Allow your attitude to dictate the palette you choose whether it is formal or relaxed.
If you have pieces passed down through the generations, find a fresh way to use them by re-upholstering or having a dressmaker’s slipcover made. For example, a slipcover with French Ties on a farm chair will add a relaxing and sophisticated air. Try combining bold and intricate patterns with simple linens to clean up an otherwise fussy space.
Try combining a collection of Ironstone or Cream ware with cool tones in pale blues and platinum to highlight a tranquil space. Try throwing a plum color as an accent on the sofa in the Living area or adding a Murano Glass piece in a dark ocher. Different shades of pristine whites add to the simplicity of the bones of your home allowing art and collections to highlight the space. I love Benjamin Moore’s Linen White with Bone White Trim throughout an interior combined with a well positioned art collection.
If you can’t afford originals, which most people can not—splurge on some good quality reproductions or visit local galleries and art exhibits to purchase pieces by local artists. Some are quite good and since the artists are not known the pieces have great price points. You may find yourself a collector of a future well respected artist. Recently a few of my favorite galleries around Atlanta are:
Gregg Irby Fine Art Atlanta, Georgia http://www.greggirbyfineart.com
Huff Harrington Atlanta, Georgia http://www.huffharrington.com
Blue Tin Studio Athens, Georgia http://www.bluetinstudio.com
Buying online is another great resource for less expensive ways to fill in your collection:
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May 1, 2009
L. Green Studios wins Silver 2009 NAHB
50+ Housing Awardsfor Jim Chapman Communities Best Active Adult Community up to 500 Homes
Brookhaven at East Cobb Oxford Model, Westminster Model & Clubhouse
Article Links:
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September 2008
Atlanta Home Improvement Magazine
“From Toddler to Teen Room Designs for All Ages”
By: Cindy Klingler
“Storage is something everyone, regardless of age, needs. Look for creative storage solutions that will grow with your child. Plastic or wooden cubes with practical baskets for everything from stuffed animals to old papers are ideal and can be painted easily for a quick change. “All nightstands and desks should have drawers,” says Laura Green Thome of L. Green Studios in Atlanta.
“You can purchase bed risers at a local bath and linen store that will raise the bed 4 to 6 inches. This will allow you to slide plastic storage bins easily under the bed.” She also suggests thinking vertically, using your walls for hooks, bookshelves and magazine racks. “Not all storage pieces have to sit on the floor,” she says. “When you are decorating a toddler’s room, it’s helpful to keep in mind that they are constantly learning and engaging, Thome says.
Think shaggy carpet, bold colors and tactile wall surfaces. Once your little one enters kindergarten, she suggests introducing elements to help reinforce what they’re learning in school. For instance, decorating with letters from the alphabet, book stations or a colorful reading rug can help encourage a tot to read and continue to be stimulated by learning.” says Laura Green Thome of L. Green Studios, LLC Atlanta, Georgia
July 5, 2008
Atlanta Journal & Constitution
“Brookhaven of East Cobb offers appeal of easy living”
By: Pamala A. Keene for Real Estate Saturday
“Rich detail, antiques, open spaces mark Westminster plan, Jim Chapman Communities designed Brookhaven of East Cobb especially for active adults who want to age in place. With 36-inc, zero-threshold interior doors, plus comfort-height vanities and counters, the homes are built to accommodate empty nesters, plus their family heirlooms and visiting grandchildren.
Designer Laura Green Thome of L. Green Studios decorated the Westminster model home using a neutral palette of chocolate, taupe and camel with accents of rust and eggplant tones. “The English countryside palette complements the mix of Old World antiques and upholstered furniture,” Thome said. “We’ve decorated with the types of pieces that active adults would have collected, plus there’s plenty of extra wall space for family photos and generous storage in many of the pieces.”
The vaulted family room has built-in bookcases that flank the fireplace, providing space to showcase collectibles ands tore games and photo albums. The breakfast niche adjacent to the kitchen has a pedestal table, two chairs and a walnut inlaid wood chest of drawers for storing table linens and serving pieces. “The ranch home ahs a generous bonus room with a bathroom above the garage that could be used as a home office, the way we decorated it, or as a playroom or extra bedroom for the grandchildren,” Thome said. “This house is bright, spacious and open. It just feels like home.” Laura Green Thome, L. Green Studios, LLC
June 2008
Atlanta Business Chronicle
Living in Atlanta “Ten Things…you can do to make a kid’s room
stand out from the pack, according to local interior designers”
By: Wendy Bowman-Littler
Ten Things You Can Do...
“Remember the castles and forts you built with pillows and sheets? It is important to remember seeing things through the eyes of a child when you are designing for one. Bright colors and large imagery mixed with delicate and special objects allow the room to grow from stage to stage rather than requiring redecorating every four to seven years. This nursery was designed to grow with the young couple’s baby girl as she explores and grows into different phases. They wanted it sophisticated and yet playful, so we mixed various artists including Claudia Campbell and KB Bailey’s “Blooming Petals” with vintage paintings from Paris found at an old flea market.
The couple also asked that floor space be saved for playing as their daughter begins crawling and learning to walk in the bedroom, which doubles as a playroom. For maximum space, we opted for a daybed with a pull-out trundle, for future slumber parties and fort-building; in the future they plan to incorporate a queen bed into the space. Using subtle colors such as canvas enabled us to change the composition and styling of the room easily. For instance, we kept the drapes simple with a timeless design, and allowed the artwork and toys to be the bright splashes of color and personality that keeps the room from feeling dated.” Laura Green Thome of L. Green Studios, LLC
May 20, 2008
L. Green Studios wins NAHB Gold Award
Jim Chapman Communities Best Clubhouse in Nation under 6,000 sq. ft.
Brookhaven at East Cobb Clubhouse for Active Adult Community.
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May 20, 2008
L. Green Studios wins NAHB Silver Award
for Jim Chapman Communities Best Attached Design between
1,701-2,400 sq. ft. for Westminster Model Home Brookhaven at East Cobb.
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Summer 2006 Designer Bio from The Paces Trading Company
a Home Depot Company
WOW! What an honor to be able to express my thoughts with no one to interrupt! Design is a process that is often interrupted by the nature of the job and the most important thing is to stay focused on your goal and to come up with a plan of attack.
When most people move into the home of their dreams they have grand ideas of what to make of each specific space. As the pressures of daily life fill in the cracks and often overflow those very ideas tend to fade into the background. As an alternative approach if each homeowner were to focus their new found energy during the closing phase into making a plan for each space the reward can be great! Then as you shop and are out and about it is easy to fit the pieces into the plan you created keeping you focused on the original vision.
I love to find things at antique markets and estate sales on the weekends and as long as I know my vision and original plan then I am certain when I buy something of where it will go and how it will fit into the space. On the other hand if you deviate from your original vision you may find yourself recreating your plan to try to make something work that maybe just was not a good purchase. You then find yourself ten years later with a hodge-podge result that may leave you wanting a new house! Why not keep it simple and stick to the plan?
Laura Green Thome, L. Green Studios, LLC
October 2005 - L. Green Studios featured on HGTV's Designers Challenge. Laura Green Thome presented a plan and design concept for the McGrath's Residence in Atlanta, Georgia. Click here for the article
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© 2010 L. Green Studios, LLC
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