As you’ll see from the before photos, we started with a blank slate at the Glen Ellyn study. While that may seem daunting, our client had some specific ideas for what they wanted in the finished space that helped light the path. Bright, but masculine. Zoom friendly. And lots of built-ins for storage. (Plus a desk that doesn’t fold up!) With these elements in mind, we set about designing a study that would be both functional and beautiful.
The mixed wood tones we chose for the built-ins fit a neutral color scheme while still lending interest and depth. The dark tone helps camouflage the television, now a common office fixture in the age of Zoom. We like the way the contrasting tones in the built-ins also complement the dark wood floors. Don’t they make a striking focal point for the room?
With plenty of cabinet and drawer storage below, there was room to get creative on the built-ins’ shelves, using a combination of the clients’ own books and art, plus some of Park & Oak’s favorites (we love a bust!).
A comfy chair for guests (or the occasional brain break) was a must. And lots of bright light means a plant will flourish here and help give life to the room. A light rug helps balance the dark wood floors, and a classic, unfussy roman shade finishes the room.
Check out the photo at the top of the post and see if you can spy the bar cart – the age of post-work cocktails needn’t end just because we work from home!
Thought you might enjoy seeing the progress at our Wheaton New Build! We are all enamored with so many details of this home, but can we just have a moment for these stone archways?? More details with the full reveal, coming spring/summer 2022!
We’ve been gradually making holiday decorations disappear back into their bins. Bye-bye tartan plaid pillows. See you later fair isle stockings. Till next year Christmas tablescapes. But, anyone else find the emptiness left in the wake of the un-decorating to be a little bleak? Here are a few tips for sprucing up your winter decorating after the last strand of garland has been tucked away.
1. Plants!
Just because the tree and garland are gone, doesn’t mean you have to forego the green again entirely. Visit your local plant shop (here in Chicago, we love our neighbors at Good Roots!), and bring home some green that lasts forever. A plant adds life to a room in a singular way. Even the teeny-tiniest plant can liven up a room that’s feeling a little naked after the holidays.
Refer to our blog post on Houseplants for tips on how to care for those beauties once you’ve got them home.
2. Accessorize
When we decorate for the holidays, we are basically accessorizing to the max. While you’d eventually grow accustomed to the pared-down version of your home after the holidays, there’s no reason you can’t still embrace the winter season through accessories. Light a candle with a winter scent. Bring some cozy texture to your throw pillows with boucle, velvet or chenille. Drape a fur or cashmere blanket over an armchair or sofa, or at the end of your bed. Change out your artwork or display books. This may also be a good time to switch up the patterns in your accessories; a change of pattern can make the whole room feel like new again. Bring in the outdoors by using the warm rusts, greens and browns found in nature. Little changes can make a big difference!
Use that fireplace to create ambience in your home reminiscent of the inherent warmth and coziness of the holiday season. Add a basket with blankets near the fireplace so you can really settle in. Change up your mantle styling to help things feel fresh. This is often the room where we spend our down time, so focus your attention here if you’re really wanting to amp up winter style after the holidays.
All renovation projects have unique and interesting details that keep us on our toes and make doing this work exciting and fun. But every so often, one comes along that stops us in our tracks. In this case, it only took three words: Frank Lloyd Wright.
Frank Lloyd Wright is, of course, famed for his prairie-style “organic architecture,” particularly in this suburb of Chicago where he once resided and which boasts the largest number of Wright-designed or remodeled buildings in the world. Many Frank Lloyd Wright buildings are restored only under the strict guidelines of historical preservationists. But these clients approached us with a unique situation. Their home is an 1873 Victorian, with living spaces remodeled in 1908 by Wright, early in his career when one could still snag the eventual world-renowned architect for a small remodel job. Those areas — living room, family room, dining room — come with strict rules for remodels. But a renovation of the home’s original kitchen and butler’s pantry — untouched by Wright — had no strings attached.
The marriage of old and new is our bread and butter. And this project came with not only the instruction to echo the work of a great, famed architect, but also honor the original lines and details of a 19th century Victorian home. Our extensive research on both styles, and the team’s collaboration, produced the ideal end result: a liveable, modern-day kitchen and butler’s pantry, with thoughtful, discernible nods to both Frank Lloyd Wright and Victorian styles.
Terracotta floors give an immediate sense of the organic elements Wright embraced. They will age and patina beautifully over time. Horizontal lines are employed throughout the room to echo trim in the rooms Wright renovated, as well as his known affinity for the horizontal. While the light fixtures are not vintage, they are a nod to the angles of the arts & crafts, mission-style fixtures popular during Wright’s time.
The unlacquered brass hardware and plumbing fixtures were intentionally selected to bring in the ornateness typical to a Victorian home, complete with Cremone bolts on the built-ins.
Soapstone counters will patina and age over time, and make the perfect topper for earthy, green cabinetry — all a nod to Wright’s desire to make interiors an extension of the outdoors. Honed Carrara subway tile wraps the hood and extends to the ceiling to balance the dark cabinetry and countertops with lightness and give the eye a place to rest.
While the homeowners clean up after dinner, they can admire the 400 year burr oak outside the kitchen sink window. Experts consulted believe the tree was once part of an important native American trail.
In the butler’s pantry, we continued the play between Frank Lloyd Wright’s masculine, organic influences, and the feminine ornateness of the Victorian period. The stain chosen for the baluster echoes the stain choices of Wright’s work, but we kept the deep, dark stain of the original 19th century arched door as contrast. The Morris & Co wallpaper is a classic, English floral, but the tight pattern has touches of the geometric, a mid-century staple. The waterspout may look like a pretty relic of the Victorian age, but is also fully functional, dispensing filtered water to fill pitchers for company. Copper countertops tie it all together.
There has been a fair share of heartache, worry and disappointment over the last two years. But as we head into a holiday season that feels a little more like what we remember, we are feeling grateful for so much.
As always, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the amount of trust you have continued to place in us to help make your homes a haven, a respite from the storm, a place to relax, and, hopefully, gather with those you love. We feel so lucky to enter into the most intimate spaces of your lives, and help make them a true reflection of you and your families. These relationships sustain us, and drive us forward.
As business owners and leaders of an incredible team, we are always moved by our team’s loyalty and faith in us, and the journey we are on together. Hellen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” We feel this deeply. Our team is family to us, and we are beyond grateful for them.
We asked the team what they were thankful for, and while we were touched to see Park & Oak appear on their lists, we were more struck by the other common themes: time spent with family and friends. Turns out we are all mostly the same at heart. (But an honorable mention should go to remote start and grocery delivery. Life is all about balance, after all.) Below, see what else made our lists.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Chris & Renee
A team that feels like a family.
A tribe of seven friends who have stood alongside each other, sometimes carrying one another, in good times and in bad. Never judging and always loving.
For the lessons and simple reminders taught to me daily by my children.
I’m thankful for working with a team who recognizes that life involves work, family and play; all equally important. All respected and encouraged.
I’m thankful to work for a company who supports a work-life balance for working moms.
The return of live music!
I’m thankful this year more than ever for the rare and invaluable friendships that I am lucky to have in my life. After being forced to spend time apart from the people I love the most over the last couple years, I have been reminded recently about how being with them again makes me whole.
I am grateful to work with a supportive and talented team of individuals.
Above all things, for my family. They are my rock, social circle, and most sacred confidant. So much love and gratitude for them.
Thankful I get to spend more time with my family this year.
I’m thankful for being able to travel and see friends and family.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to visit with people from all over the country, and help them explore options for designing their dream homes.
Grocery home delivery.
A design community that is amazingly supportive and fun.
I am thankful for my health. I think without our health and the ability to feel the best we can each day, we potentially miss out on all the things—large and small—that fill our life with joy and gratitude: kids, spouses, friends, family, work, travel and so much more. So each day I am thankful for the ability to get up be present and accomplish what I set out to do.
The return of holidays with friends and family.
I’m thankful for a healthy family and flexible design firm. I’m also thankful for remote start on my car, pasta, books, and Pinterest.
I am so grateful to have joined the Park & Oak team and to have found a work environment that is centered around home balance. I have been able to spend so much time with my family this year, which has been a blessing after much time away from them during the pandemic. It has really put our new world into perspective, and the value of being with loved ones is more prevalent than ever.
I’m thankful that my 3 year old still naps, and I hope I didn’t just jinx it.
The opportunity to pursue a passion, and for a company that truly understands the delicate dance between motherhood and work.
I’m grateful to be surrounded by insanely talented people everyday, for getting to do what I love, health, and friends/family.
The shipping delays that have been plaguing our industry for the last year are impacting Santa’s sleighs now, as well. So, we are taking the advice the elves whispered in our ears, and we’re shopping early for our friends and family. Here are some of the things making it into our holiday shopping carts.
The modern, floral scent is bewitching, but looking at the gorgeous bottle is almost as good.
Did you or someone you know devour The Queen’s Gambit last year, and then subsequently take up chess? There are many things to love about the show, including bringing an elegant game — that looks good on display in your moody cocktail room — out of the mid-century Russian zeitgeist.
Do you know someone who spends this time of year wandering around their yard — like we are — snipping branches off everything in sight in search of the perfect foraged fall arrangement? No bush is safe! Guard your maples!
Once safely back indoors, your favorite accidental landscape architect will love having this beautiful kit on hand to make sense of their treasures.
Can’t you just picture curling up in this robe, in your favorite jammies, glass of wine in hand, and watching Love Actually for the 42nd time? Wait, this is a gift guide. Maybe this one should go on *your* wishlist.
You may have noticed … we like a moody room at Park & Oak.
Now, we have no beef with light and airy (see some of our favorite whites as proof), but some rooms call for drama. We like to walk into a home, spy a jewel box room, and think … oooo, what’s back there?
Below, we’ve shared some of our favorite dark and moody rooms. You’ll see that a large number of them are cocktail rooms, and with good reason. For us, a cocktail room is the ultimate place to inject a little mood. To settle in, let the room envelop you, and breathe easy after a long day. Oftentimes, in older homes, these cocktail rooms were once formal living spaces. Today’s families live a little differently, so instead of entertaining in a room you only use for guests, why not make it an inviting space for everyday? For reading, having your morning coffee, planning a vacation, or, of course, cocktails.
But, dark and brooding doesn’t have to be the domain only of the cocktail room. Teenager’s bedroom, perhaps? Or as the enviable real-life zoom backdrop of an at-home office? Touches of dark, rich hues in a kitchen are a bold departure from all-white. And in a pantry or mudroom, they can help disguise all manner of messes.
Park & Oak is fortunate to work on projects ranging from new build to century-old historical homes, and everything in between. One of the features we love most about the older homes we renovate is the existing millwork, whether in the form of molding, paneling, trim or casings. We often bring these elements into new build homes to echo the character and elegance of a historic or older home.
We could fill pages on the various styles of millwork, so this time around we’ll focus on five common types of wall molding and show some ways we have used it.
Applied Molding
Wall molding and paneling was common in home construction long ago in part because it helped protect plaster walls from moisture build-up when easy temperature control was not available. So, in addition to providing visual interest, wall moldings served a functional purpose. Often today, millwork is used for primarily aesthetic reasons, and because of this, applied molding has become very popular. Applied molding, like that featured in the two photos below, allows us to give a home the visual effect of molding, without the necessity of full panel millwork to protect walls. When used in a new build home, these applied moldings offer a subtle way to make a big impact, and bring a layer of tradition to a new space.
A type of vertical panel molding, original beadboard were narrow wood tongue-and-groove pieces with a beaded detail milled into the space where the pieces joined together. Historically, beadboard was used to provide additional insulation, and appeared often in kitchens, on porch ceilings and in hallways. Changes in the weather meant the boards would expand and contract with the seasons–the beads bridged the gaps with a pretty detail when the boards were expanded. Beadboard’s frequent appearance in New England cottages eventually made it ubiquitous in cottage-style designs, but we believe with the right treatment it can be at home in any fresh, classic interior. Beadboard is often used in wainscoting, which is a general term for panels or moldings covering the lower part of a wall.
This is a clean, slightly more modern take on wall moldings. It consists of a regular pattern of wide molding (“battens”) used to cover the seams of the panels (“boards”) beneath. In an interesting juxtaposition, board and batten was historically most common as an exterior siding style for country homes and churches. However, when designers began adapting it for interiors, it took on a new life, and is now a welcome way to bringing freshness to interior millwork.
With panel molding, we create layers using a series of panels, stiles and rails in different sizes and configurations. Used commonly in formal, historic homes for wainscoting, panel molding provides true protection to a wall, so we like it in spaces that see a lot of traffic, like a powder room, or in areas of the home where furniture may frequently bump up against the wall, like a dining room, or cocktail room. Raised panel molding is also a striking way to accentuate architectural details like a fireplace, doors, or windows.
V-Groove molding is a style of tongue-and-groove molding, generally seen used with wider planks. As with any molding, other choices throughout the space can dial up or down the drama, so while V-Groove molding is sometimes associated with more informal interiors, it can still be elegant or striking. We like it in full wall applications for smaller spaces like a bedroom, or bath.
Below, see some additional ways we’ve used wall moldings to elevate new spaces, or highlighted the molding in an older home to resurrect its wow factor. It’s a minimal effort, maximum effect method to make a big impact in a home.
Phew. We spent two jam-packed days at High Point Market last week, and our feet still hurt! We’re excited to give you a recap of what we saw, but first, a little background on the market.
In spite of the fact that High Point is not necessarily a household name outside of the design industry, the twice yearly show is a massive event, occupying over 12 million square feet of showspace with 2000 exhibitors. The market has been taking place in and around High Point, North Carolina, in some capacity for over 100 years. It began in 1909 as the Southern Furniture Market, and while it has evolved over a century into the largest home furnishings trade show in the world, the primary purpose remains the same: provide an opportunity for those in the interior design trade to see the tools of the trade live and up close in beautifully styled vignettes.
This year, our two senior designers, Joanna and Vanessa, spearheaded our High Point trip. We are excited to have this opportunity to introduce them on the blog, and get their key takeaways from our trip!
Joanna
Background: In addition to her experience in residential interiors, Joanna’s extensive background designing for large hospitality groups gives her a unique perspective on creating a home environment that is welcoming for guests and built for entertaining. Originally an art major before turning to interior design, Joanna has an artist’s eye and loves to draw on her creative background when working with P&O clients.
Signature Style: Historical. Elegant. Give her all the vintage.
Thoughts on High Point: “Wear sensible shoes! We walked over 6 miles each day. The scope of High Point is hard to grasp until you are there…it literally spans several city blocks. But, the ability to see and touch so many different pieces is invaluable. There is just no substitute for sitting on a sofa or other furniture piece in real life; feeling the weight of the fabric, the quality of the seat, seeing the scale in person…this all contributes to a more positive experience for clients later, when we can choose a piece confidently to fit their overall design.”
Favorite Showrooms: Gabby, Ralph Lauren, Chaddock
Vanessa
Background: Vanessa is one of our most tenured team members. Her previous background working with commercial architects and contractors has been priceless to our clients undergoing large scale renovations and new build projects, alike. Before making a career change to interiors and subsequently earning her interior design degree, Vanessa’s specialty was marketing and communications. She has an easy rapport with clients, and her diversified experience makes her input valuable in many areas of our growing firm.
Signature Style: Classic. Preppy. Give her all the plaid.
Thoughts on High Point: “I love re-visting a showroom we’ve seen before at High Point. You can easily get a sense for which design houses are really putting some thought into their product designs. The best makers will always have something new and fresh: an unusual fabric, a new sofa configuration, maybe a subtle trim detail. In the Wesley Hall showroom, they were using the hide side of leather as the trim on a leather sofa. It’s such a simple, but brilliant, change from what is typical. I always come away from High Point newly inspired to create unique spaces for our clients.”
Favorite Showrooms: Gabby, Mr. & Mrs. Howard
Some of our Favorites…
📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak📷: Park & Oak
From L to R: Christina, Joanna, Renee, and Vanessa, resting up for Day Two
When we squeezed our eyes shut, linked arms, and dived headfirst into this partnership six years ago, we were just two working moms, with a passion, some ambition, and a yin-yang of skills that we hoped could equal success. We had dreams. Wouldn’t it be great to build new homes that had the character and warmth of historic ones? To design a home that felt different than the neighbors? We hoped people would enjoy our work enough to follow along on the blog and social media. We daydreamed of designing and selling the furnishings we love. And of someday starting a foundation to reach beyond our usual clientele, because everyone deserves a well-designed respite. Some of these dreams became reality at a speed that both delighted and stunned us. The day we hit 1000 Instagram followers was our first pinch me moment, and they just kept on coming.
Of course, as with any new, growing business, the past six years have not been without challenges. But each challenge has motivated us to be better, sharpen our pencils, and work towards creating a framework for success in the future. A global pandemic, with major implications for the timing and availability of our tools of the trade, as well as the strain on the simple logistics of meeting with clients and physically touring homes, was certainly not in our business plan. But as with so many others, we found creative ways to change, grow and adapt, and we are better for it.
As we look ahead to year seven, Park & Oak is reaching for the unmet goals on our wish list. And we have some pretty exciting news to share on that front. In 2022, we’ll be launching an e-commerce platform, full of the furnishings and accessories that are signatures of our designs. We are so excited to be able to offer a one-stop-shop to help you create a space with texture and warmth, that feels collected and layered. We’ll announce the launch here and on social, so keep your eyes out.
We are no longer a two-woman show. As we embark on our seventh year, it feels critical to point out that the beautiful spaces we put into the world are now made possible by an extraordinary team of people–from designers to business managers; studio assistants to purchasers; client managers to website builders. In Park & Oak’s very first blog post, we said our magic is in the give and take between the two of us. Well, now, we are incredibly fortunate to have assembled a top-notch team, and together they are making some serious magic.
We’ll be highlighting our team more in year seven. Watch this space for visits from the talented men and women who sit side-by-side with us every day. You’ll love them. We certainly do.
Finally, but most importantly, we are exceptionally grateful to you, our clients, for allowing us to do what we love by trusting us with the most intimate spaces of your lives. It’s an honor and a privilege to work with you to make your homes a true reflection of you, and a peaceful retreat from what can be a chaotic world. It’s so important, now more than ever.
Take a look back at some of your homes from year six.
