5 Design Elements Caitlin Wilson Is Putting in Her New Home
When designing a space, layering colors and textures and patterns takes training. That’s why having a designer is really helpful. Being my own designer, I have to push myself to pull the trigger—the concepts come easy but commitment is hard.
My solution: Plan ahead. Waaaaaaay ahead. It’s crazy that with supply issues and current lead times, we have to order furniture even before we make paint choices. One tool that makes it easy to plan is a mood board. I use them all the time to collect my ideas and organize things like paint, wallpaper, fabric, and hardware.
Whether your mood board is electronic or an actual bulletin board where you pin up samples of the elements you like, it helps you see how all the pieces come together. One of the best things about a mood board is that it gives you the space to waffle. Pin things up, look at them for a while, and modify as needed.
Here are a few of my mood board highlights that I can’t wait to see in reality.
Green
I love the calming effects of blue, a color that is quintessentially “me.” While this home still features plenty of blue, I’ve also been drawn to shades of green. Recently we visited the Palace of Versailles, which incorporates shades of greens that add sophistication and warmth. When used in the right way, green can be elevated and charming.
Colored Trim
We’re used to seeing pictures of colorful walls paired with a crisp, white trim. Especially in kids’ rooms, I think it can be really fun to turn that notion on its head by painting the trim a color that ties in with the surrounding wallpaper. It’s a nice complement—the trim enhances the wallpaper, and vice versa.
European-Inspired Lights
On a recent trip to the iconic Ritz in Paris, I was immediately inspired. Every detail at the Ritz is ornate—it’s so over the top, in a good way! While I wouldn’t want to live in a house like that, I wouldn’t mind some of the details, which have a very decadent, feminine feel. I’m hoping to bring that in through some of the lights I’ve chosen for our home, especially in the foyer.
Natural Oak
In an earlier post, I shared our home’s “ballroom,” a wonderful space we ultimately had to lose because of a structural issue. The room’s paneled walls, doors, and windows were a beautiful, natural oak, a look I loved because it feels warm and refined. Even though we no longer have that room, I plan to incorporate natural oak in other areas.
For example, in addition to using it in our closet and in the hidden kitchen, we’re having some natural oak furniture made to double as built-ins in some of the rooms.
Antiques
My dad has always loved and collected antiques, so living in what I call a “collected home” feels comforting and familiar.
When everything in a home arrives new from one manufacturer, the result looks like a catalog. It may be beautiful, but it lacks character and depth. If you incorporate antiques that you love, you bring balance to a space that lets even your new pieces shine.
This is part nine in our Along for the Revival series with Caitlin Wilson. Get caught up with the rest of the series here.
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