Mood Forever

November 27, 2023 Amber Guyton

As a first-time homebuyer and new homeowner, Lauren was excited to find a renovated cottage in the heart of Atlanta to plant roots. However, the house needed some color, personality, and a little buzz-worthy flavor, inspired by her favorite artist, Beyoncé.

When I met Lauren during our consultation, she was the sweetest soul. I loved her personality and sense of humor, and we connected on so much personally and professionally. She and her chow terrier mix, Luxe, had just moved in and had the bare minimum. Aside from her bed, sofa, a makeshift home office, and tons of boxes, the home was pretty empty with grey and white walls everywhere. I was excited to learn more about how I could meet Lauren’s needs and wants when it came to making this house a true sanctuary - one that she could grow into and fall in love with each day. Here’s where things started…

BEFORE:

First, Lauren wanted me to create a fun and colorful space in her open living, kitchen, and dining spaces. At the entrance, there wasn’t much of a foyer, so I wanted to give her a storage area/drop-off station for her and Luxe’s things next to the coat closet. I was also excited to update the walls with a bold new color, dress the windows with fun drapery, and add a bit more seating and furniture pieces to the living space.

The kitchen was pretty perfect, it just needed some updates to the lighting and fixtures to give Lauren the desired gold and brass accents throughout, and we add some funky new counter stools to the beautiful wide island. There wasn’t a separate dining room, just a narrow corner designated for it adjacent to the kitchen and the hallway that led to the laundry space, office, and third bedroom. We’d need to be strategic with the table and seating selected there, and update the chandelier to something eye-catching as well. Lastly, we’d add some colorful artwork in gold frames to the wall to inspire Lauren daily.

Next, Lauren wanted to create a boutique hotel getaway for her guests to enjoy. She purchased a romantic velvet bed and wanted my help with creating the perfect vibe in the space. I immediately thought, MAXIMALISM! With the neutral bed, we’d layer the room with different moody colors, patterns and textures that created a sense of coziness, glam, and whimsical energy all in one. A special thanks to my friends at Mitzi for gifting us the lighting in this sweet space.

Lastly, Lauren deserved a primary suite fit for the queen that she is. She loved the moodiness I created in the guest bedroom, but desired something a bit more Bohemian, neutral, and calming in her own room. Here, we’d put the wallpaper on the ceiling between the existing beautiful beams and layer textured neutral, brown, and blush tones throughout the room. The space would be feminine, soft, and soothing - a beautiful place for Lauren to retire and relax.

Once each mood board design was approved by Lauren, we got right to work. I brought in my favorite painter, Carlos, and wallpaper installer, Rafael of Atlantic Wallpapers to set the foundation of each space by painting and wallpapering the walls and ceilings. In the meantime, we began installing the new light fixtures, ordered all the new furniture, and I began positioning them in each room as they arrived. Of course, “the delays were delay-ing”, so there were several items like the king bed, dining table, chairs and chandelier that took longer to arrive than expected, but Lauren was patient and had a great attitude with every hiccup experienced. We made a few pivots with the guest bedroom chandelier, master bedroom nightstands, and foyer cabinet as well, but it all worked out in our favor. Once all of our furniture items arrived, I staged each room with new and existing artwork, mirrors, and accent accessories that would make the house feel more lived in and collected, despite most of the items being brand new. Once complete, I was excited to capture each space with LaJoy and Teko one day while Lauren was at the office and Luxe at daycare. Take a look…

Living Room AFTER:

Kitchen + Dining AFTER:

Guest Bedroom AFTER:

Master Bedroom AFTER:

And because photos just aren’t enough, here’s a fun video we filmed in the spring of me walking through each room of Lauren’s beautiful new home!

I’m so pleased with how each space individually and collectively turned out! Lauren’s home is the perfect example of how you can embrace maximalism, color, and pattern in different parts of your home without making things feel too matchy-matchy or overdone. I’m so grateful for her trust and full control creatively; it’s a tough task for many clients, but doing so is always well worth it.

Thank you, Lauren for trusting me with your beautiful home and allowing me to create a true Mood Forever vibe that even Beyoncé would approve of!

To see more of photos of the transformation, check out my Portfolio and #ProjectMoodForever on Instagram.

Be Blessed,

ACG

Design Deets:

Wall Paint: Cape Verde, Reddened Earth, and Carnelian by Sherwin-Williams

Wallpaper: Spoonflower, Spoonflower

Area Rugs: Wayfair, Lulu and Georgia, Jungalow x Loloi Rugs

Runner: Jungalow x Loloi Rugs

Sofa: Interior Define

Accent Chair: CB2

Ceiling Fan: Lamps Plus