PROJECT: WELLS RESIDENCE

IR: We're always proud of our budget projects, for a number of reasons. Being able to do a lot with less is an accomplishment on its own, but being able to all sorts of help people love their homes without hurting their pocketbooks is retribution of the best kind. For the Wells interior design project, Johnelle used her design expertise in revamping this living room, and the best part is, the clients had a big hand in making it happen. Upon Johnelle's advice, they took it upon themselves to do painting, installations, and buying, while Mignonne handled the design vision, including some of the expert tasks we do best, like scouting, furniture revamping, and staging. By working with the client along the way, they were able to do a DIY home makeover, with a professional lead.

With designer Johnelle Mancha's advice and expertise, the clients were able to do a lot of the work on their interior themselves. The Wells' had a color consult with Johnelle, for paint work they were able to execute, as well as direction in window treatments, and styling accents, which they were able to purchase and install. While they were putting in the time at home, the shop was busy revamping clients own coffee table, scouting for hard to find decor features, like the stunning kilim rug. With direction and assistance by Mignonne, the clients were able to accomplish a professional level finished product, with more self satisfaction, not to mention a lesser budget.

If you're interested in our help getting the ball rolling on your next interior project including our services from custom upholstery to large scale installations and nearly everything in between, shoot us an email! 

quotes@mignonnedecor.com 

xoxo mignonne

Trickster Gallery & Shop Buildout

   When Anita from Trickster Inc, came to Mignonne to inquire about the possibility of collaborating 

on her new retail space for Trickster, we were ecstatic!  Not only do we love what the company does-  they specialize in creator-owned art, limited edition books, and wares amongst much more..., but we also loved Anita's make up story that kept her new retail space much in mind.  She created a fake 'history' of her store front, rifting off the real phases the last decades have had- prohibition, berkeley in the sixties...and shared it with me.  Let me tell you, Anita is one of the best story tellers there is!  Throughout the phase of our project she shared many, that always kept me on the tip of my toes.  Her story on the shop really captured a mood, and vibe that I wanted to deliver in the buildout.  I left that meeting, and collaborated with my other half / lead carpenter Brian Hill so we could manifest her dream space!  Next step...see the shop!

I'll be honest, I walked in and thought...wow, this is really a blank canvas!  And had to just push my confidence that we could def make it happen...

And so the transformation began!  Anita is amazing in that she knows exactly what she likes and doesn't.  From a designers point of view, I think this cuts out a lot of wasted going back and forth, and choices get made quicker.  We shoed her our sketches/designs/visuals etc..yes we have a very Bohemian approach to design, which works for us :)!

Walls went up, and our favorite color!  I really wanted to go dark to make the space more dramatic in a modern way, and this gray is so sharp.

Mignonne's design consisted of large bookcases to really bring your eye up to bring out the grandeur of the space, while playing with that old library vibe.  We were set to build custom ones, when Anita spotted these at Omega Salvage- could we revamp them?  You better believe it, so we snagged them cutting cost here and they turned out amazing...thanks to Brian's carpentry and skills!

before pic:

As the space continued to progress with Brian focusing on building custom display pieces, I continued to work on decor- like these custom velvet curtains I designed and our upholsterer sewed to make such a crazy cool entrance!

Here are some of the custom pieces Brian built:

custom french inspired moulding

 which we then modified to allow for better art hanging for Anita!

custom island display pieces:

and the decorating continued...

I found the perfect rug, reupholstered chairs, scored on an antique National cash reg, refinished a desk for Anita's office, and designed top hat light fixtures...

My dear friend Hannah Stouffer was hired to do an amazing installation of the Trickster logo:

With lots of handwork, the space has grown into something beautiful and inviting...

So go check them out in Elmwood, Berkeley!

trickstertrickster.com

Mignonne is available for hire for interior & commercial projects.

email us to start a dialogue :)

quotes@mignonnedecor.com

xxx

johnelle

Salvaged Chic Of The Week: Mad Men Desk

This week's Salvaged Chic of the Week is the sophisticated Mad Men Desk.  Johnelle revamped this vintage beauty for a client. One of the many great things about this desk is that is can also be used as a vanity.  In a shared room, this stunner let's a masculine vibe play with your girly goodies that us ladies love to use. I love the shape of this desk.. it's sleek lines, tapered legs and capped feet all make it so sharp.

Johnelle also added vintage pulls that play off that mid-century love affair this piece has going for it! 

Because of the sleek lines that these mid-century pieces have they're perfect for personalizing. Here you can see how styling a desk like this can create quite a punch!

Or how you can style a desk like this with eclectic selections of your favorite books, a collection of potted plants with bright colors and art for a more eclectic vibe.

• A mid-century desk similar to our Mad Men one is also perfect for a very practical modern day office.  Mounting your computer on the wall is a perfect way to off set the more shallow    desk,using a laptop would also work well.

While this desk may not have been redesigned for this purpose, I love the idea of a vintage desk being the vanity in a bathroom. Not only does a desk give you ample space, but it also makes it possible for someone special to keep you company while you're in the bath...ha!

                 

           If you're not sure if a neutral vintage desk is right for you, these images clearly demonstrate how using a bright, or very modern, chair can change the look of your 

desk to match your style accordingly.

Vintage desks are also perfect to double as vanities in your bedroom. Books or writing materials can quickly be moved aside for your favorite baubles and that perfect shade of red lipstick. 

Television, magazines, or art are all great places to gather inspiration. Whether you find a color you're in love with, a style, or even just a feeling, they're all perfect jumping off points for the redesign of your new piece.  Feel free to email us at quotes@mignonnedecor.com to begin a dialogue.

xoxo

Mad Men Desk photos by Johnelle Mancha. Other images; Image One: midcenturymodernfinds.com Image Two: decorology.blogspot.com Image Three:designsponge.com Image Four:coastalliving.com Image Five: decorpad.com Image Six: furnish.co.uk Image Seven: marieclairemaison.com Image Eight: bhg.com

Rebekah is a member of the Mignonne family and former Mignonne assistant. She now freelances and owns the company A & B Creative, read her blog.

Curio Love

This piece I just finished is one of those ... could I keep?  Find a space in the house somewhere?  Certainly there could be a place!  And honestly, I am sure I could make it work, but that would mean parting with another gem that I love so dear.  So this works out to your advantage, because she is now up for grabs!  

'Portlight', takes me into an old world I don't want to leave, where precious keepsakes were cherished and treasured, and kept in curio cabinets like this to share with our loved ones.  A pop of color instantly transforms a room and adds for conversation.  When I picked up this piece, I went back and forth on painting it.  It wasn't so far gone that it couldn't have stayed wooden, however it wasn't as magical to me as it is now!  And that is something I try to work with clients on...if you are going to love something so much more once it's been transformed then let's go with the so much more!  A furniture piece is just a furniture piece, and our time here is valuable so I say make your home what you want, and don't get so hooked on what should be, take a risk!

'Portlight" also duals as a desk...I know it gets better!

Such an easy way to put out of sight, out of mind!

Other details I love...

Wooden window trim, and

this cool curved front and claw feet!

for example it could transform your space like:

or..

shoot us an email for a quote on how to transform a piece of your own, or swing by and pick this beaut up!

xxx

johnelle

quotes@mignonnedecor.com

pics 1-4: mignonne decor, pic 5 abeautifulmess.typepad.com, pic 6 pinterest

Salvaged Chic Of The Week: Kilim Chair

This week's SCOTW is an amazing custom client project Johnelle recently completed. Our client wanted to reupholster a standard chair and make it into a piece of art, something that no one else would exactly have.  The client had a Kilim rug (of which we are huge, huge fans!) that wasn't in perfect condition, which means it's an excellent piece for upholstery!

Kilim rugs, or remnants...perfect for upholstery, are so special!!  The fact that they began as one of the oldest styles of rugs is amazing and because of their lack of pile there aren't many today that are older than a few centuries...which isn't half bad! They're produced from the Balkans to Pakistan.  Newer weavers are now incorporating brighter colors (like purples and turquoise) over the more traditional colors of red, pink, ivory, blue and green.  Unlike other Persian rugs, Kilims were deemed "inferior" in the past because of their low pile, and were under foreign market pressures that have changed their designs. Now that they've become so popular, many are designed to be exported.

The effect is a piece rich with history that fits wonderfully into an eclectic home.  Whether this chair will be in a room with layered rugs, or surrounded by pieces and trinkets that have been collected around the world, it is sure to create a rich style.

Or, if you have a clean and modern space that you wanted to add piece of distinction to, that would break apart the white, this chair would be perfect. It's a chair that can change the entire look of a room. Not to mention pique the interest of inquiring friends who will want to know the story of how you came to have such an amazing piece!

Not only is this chair now a piece of art, but those that look upon it are instantly given wanderlust imagining the places the Kilim could have seen!

I love that this is another one of our great upholstery transformations that so clearly shows you that anything that is special to you can be incorporated into the re-design of your piece! Email us at quotes@mignonnedecor.com for information on your project.

All Kilim Chair photos by Johnelle Mancha. Other images; One: potterybarn.com; Two: countryliving.com; Three: bo-laget.se; Four: nowfly.co.uk; Five: flickr.com; Six: beautifulplacestovisit.com; Seven: trekearth.com

Rebekah is a member of the Mignonne family and former Mignonne assistant. She now freelances and owns the company A & B Creative, read her blog.