Interview with Marie Flanigan

In the past couple months we've shared interviews with CC and Mike Creative and Bria Hammel Interiors. It's been such a treat to rub elbows (aka exchange emails) with such talented, influential designers. Today we're more than a little excited to share an interview with Marie Flanigan. 

Marie is at the helm of an amazing interior design studio based out of Houston, Texas - Marie Flanigan Interiors. Her work has such an incredible range. There are minimalist, modern spaces like the stunner below.

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And rustic, masculine havens like this.

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Her portfolio is major eye candy. We highly recommend you check it out. 

Ok, let's get to it. We were so grateful when Marie agreed to answer of few, fun questions for us. And, now, so delighted to share her wisdom with you. 

Gray Oak - First of all, we love your clean, warm and timeless style. We are constantly scrolling through your IG
account for inspiration! Just wondering how do you tap into your client's style when it differs from your
own?

Marie - Homes should be a reflection of the unique individuals living within and I always design with an open
mind and open ears. I’ve discovered that every client brings a fresh perspective to the way we work,
allowing us to try new things and explore new avenues. So much magic exists in the moments when
everyone is stretching and growing!

Gray Oak - Staying on top of the latest design trend is such a fun part of the job (how great is all the green!?).
What are the best design trends you’re seeing in Texas?

Marie - You’re so right – it’s a blast seeing what’s haute on the horizon each year! I prefer a timeless palette
and tend to stick with the classics, but I enjoy accenting that palette with trendier selections that can be
rotated out with ease. This isn’t really considered a trend but my favorite design elements are those
crafted from authentic materials, including deconstructed, raw, and minimalist products. I also love the
element of surprise and feel drawn to the drama of oversized light fixtures, heavy textures, and
statement drapery that layer a space with interest without being dependent upon the use of bold color!

Gray Oak - What is your favorite type of room (bathroom, kitchen, etc.) to design and why?  

Marie - One of my greatest joys is designing intimate gathering spaces where families can build lasting
memories. So much of our lives are centered around the joy of sharing a hearty meal or tender
conversation, and that makes kitchens and dining spaces a few of the most powerful rooms in the
home.

Gray Oak - Last, and best, what is your dream design project?! 

Marie - I feel like I’m living out my dream every day! Our clients place a great deal of trust in our team and we
cherish that opportunity to experiment and play. I would love to work on more vacation properties,
including a home overseas, because who isn’t having fun when you’re designing for leisure?! Another
dream is adding to the Marie Flanigan Collection by partnering with one of our luxury vendors on the
design of furnishings or lighting – here’s hoping 2018 is the year when all of our dreams come true!

One more incredible design from Marie before we sign off. 

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Do you not just want to LIVE in this bathroom? Who needs a refrigerator if that's your vanity?! The millwork, the floors, the elegant decor. Sigh...so gorgeous.

We are so thankful to Marie for sharing her interior design knowledge and hope to continue bringing you interviews with such MAJOR leaders in the field. We'll be back with a new post next Monday. Have a great week!

- Leah, Michele & Sonia

Homestead Entryway Reveal

Today we have a fun, little reveal for you. You may remember the living room and office transformation from Homestead? Today, we're revealing the Homestead entryway. Our design focused on one wall within the entryway - you could say it was more of a refresh. Speaking of refresh, head to our Instagram or Facebook accounts later today to learn who won the Spring Refresh Giveaway!!!

Okay, back to the reveal. If you follow us on social media, you may have see this video way back in December (eek, can't believe that was 3 months ago!). 

This is from the Homestead entryway and it's our favorite method for creating a gallery wall. We cut pieces of paper in the size of each frame/mirror/decor and hang everything in place with painter's tape before we starting nailing. It's one thing to look at your gallery on the floor and another to look at it on the wall. This method also helps when it comes to hanging everything up. We mark where the nail should go on the paper. We've found this method to be easier and more accurate than measuring. 

Here is what the space...really the wall...looked like before. 

 
 

And here's what it looks like now.

 
Entryway Transformation - Gallery wall and Console Table
 

Our tried and true entryway formula is texture + mirror + storage = success. And, yes, of course we applied it here. We painted the walls, changed the light fixture, created a gallery wall and replaced the bench with a console table (you may recognize this console table from our Pilgrim Project), making sure to incorporate texture, a mirror (in this case 3) and storage.

Painting the walls had a huge impact. This color is November Rain by Benjamin Moore. It's a really soft, subtle gray that works well with beige tones. 

Gray Oak Studio Homestead Entryway - Gallery Wall

The gallery wall was a fun puzzle, as all gallery walls are. The gorgeous oil paintings in their vintage gold frames are owned by our client. She let us go through her collection and pick the few we wanted to include. We love how the set of round brass mirrors contrast the shape of the frames and their style - the frames are ornate and vintage, the mirrors are simple and modern.

{Design Tip}: We love using Command Velcro Strips to hang unusual wall decor. These round mirrors don't have hardware on the back to hang them. No prob. We slapped on some velcro strips and problem solved. Be sure to check the weight of the item you're hanging and the weight limit of the strip you're using. 

Like the gallery wall, the color palette is also both vintage and modern. Nothing like black, white and gold. 

 
Gray Oak Studio Homestead Entryway - Gallery Wall closeup
 

We added texture with faux flowers, which can be replaced with fresh flowers or different seasonal stems.

Gray Oak Studio Homestead Entryway - White vases and flowers

The baskets on the bottom shelf of the console table add more texture and more hidden storage. Double whammy. 

Gray Oak Studio Homestead Entryway - Gallery Wall and Console Storage

And here's a side-by-side Before and After shot.

BEFORE

AFter

Little space, big transformation.

Next week we have another interview with a BIG TIME designer. Happy Monday and have a great week.

- Leah, Sonia & Michele

 

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Brass Mirror Roundup

Like most finishes, "brass" encompasses many shades and tones. Everything from shiny gold to vintage-y bronze. We prefer the latter, but we've been known to embrace some shiny too.

Our Homestead Project featured two brass mirrors on either end of this wide spectrum. There's this beauty, which is on the shiny end. 

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And this lovely round mirror has a muted, matte tone.

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Finding the perfect mirror for a project takes quite a bit of hunting. Finding two is twice the hunt. Hence, following our Homestead Project, we were very well versed in variety of brass mirrors out there. A new project has us researching brass mirrors again - all shapes, sizes and shades. So, at the moment we feel like serious experts in this tiny, but very important decor niche.

Today we're sharing some of our favorites. Enjoy!

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Clockwise from top left: Curved Rectangle (Bellacor) / Brass and White Acrylic (Lulu and Georgia) / Curvy Round (Anthropologie) / Moroccan (Build.com) / Chained Mirror (Anthropologie) / Round with Loop (World Market) / Inset Rectangle (One King's Lane) / Round Prism Frame (Hayneedle)

 

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