It is officially week two of the One Room Challenge! For this week, I wanted to dive in a little behind the “why” of my design. I shared this mood board last week, but the truth is that a lot goes into compiling the items on the board (this is version 7 of it!) and I thought I’d let you in on my thinking process.
mood board
inspiration image / gold circle bar / white planter box / white outdoor table / flamingos / palm leaf plate /pagoda lantern / tile / outdoor chair / pink cushion
For the design, everything started with that gorgeous white faux bamboo Chippendale chairs! It just feels like it embodies the exact Palm Beach Chic vibe I’m going for- refined, airy, and striking. Plus you’ve got to love that pink cushion! With both the chairs and the pagoda lantern, I brought some Chinese influence to the patio.
I love how the flamingos bring a whimsical touch to the space! And those palm plates bring in the tropical flair that I love and can’t resist while living in Florida! I’ll talk more about the floor selection with a whole post about the tiling process, so stay tuned!
I think one of the main reasons why I am drawn to those chairs is that they remind me of my first internship in college. I lived in Los Angeles and interned for an amazing designer, Ruthie Sommers in her shop Chapman Radcliff Home. From her, I learned so much and was exposed to a whole new design style. Here’s a peak from the shop:
That Chinoiserie cabinet against the pink wall! Source
what I wouldn’t give for that vintage palm tree- swoon!!! Source
Isn’t that pagoda magical?! And how great are the mullions in the window?! Source
It was inspiring and I still consider myself lucky to get that opportunity. This patio is my ode to her, and I didn’t even realize it before I wrote this post! Here’s her pool house in her Los Angelos home and my jaw is still on the floor:
I just found it today, but isn’t it somewhat similar to what I’m thinking?! With the white furniture, pink cushion, pagoda lantern, and whimsical animal! The tile on my patio already has a lot going on or I’d totally paint the walls in stripes! Source
the floor plan
Here’s a confession, sometimes I dive into a project without thinking through all of the logistics. Honestly, most of the time I get lucky and it works out, but that method can end up being a ton of work. As an example, in our bathroom remodel I choose floor tile based on the look I wanted, but they were a pain to install and weren’t perfect in the end.
So for this project, I decided to cross my t’s and dot my i’s. For the first time on one of my own projects, I created a floor plan. I used Homestyler for this (a free online site) and really liked it. I used it to draw a to-scale floor plan of the patio:
Having the plan ended up being very helpful. First of all, I was initially was thinking of a much bigger table that wouldn’t have fit as nicely. I ended up selecting a new table. Also, in my head, I wanted the bar (the curved piece of furniture on the back wall) on the side wall. However, to give the Dining room table enough room to walk around, it got moved.
The recommended amount of space needed between the end of the table and a wall is 36″. That gives people enough space to walk around and socialize- which is definitely the goal here! I ended up having 36″ almost exactly once I switched to a smaller table and moved the bar.
Lastly, here is my main inspiration photo that really brings everything together! I love the bamboo chairs with the pink table cloth and flowers. The palm trees against the trees are stunning! Most of all, I want to create a beautiful place where our family and friends can gather. Check back next week for some progress on the patio! Either the walls or the floor will be going in!!!
