designer q&a

0 In Room Reveals

Glen Ellyn Kitchen Reveal

When we met with with this family in the summer of 2021, they were wanting to breathe new life into their home. And the biggest assignment was turning their very dark, builder-grade kitchen into a bright but sophisticated hub — with much more storage! — for their open-concept home. We’ll get into details below, but first…

Before & After

The Details

We started from scratch, with quality Amish cabinetry floor to ceiling, finished in Benjamin Moore’s Boothbay Gray, one of our favorite neutrals with personality. Incorporating panel-ready appliances gives the kitchen more of a seamless feel and helps it read as one cohesive space. A glass-paneled cabinet with walnut interior stain at the kitchen’s edge improves sightlines and allows light to filter through from the window and door beyond. Quartzite countertops are low-maintenance and easy on the eyes. If you like closely, you can see we gave the island an ogee edge to add a touch of sophistication. Teak and seagrass stools — with textured crypton performance fabric! — bring a natural element to the kitchen and help soften all the hard lines inevitably in any kitchen. Handmade aluminum, iron and brass pendants ground the space from above.

via Park & Oak

Across the kitchen we created a coffee bar with tons of cabinetry for storage, painted in Benjamin Moore Soot, because no matter the size of your kitchen, you’ll always need more storage! Here, the family also has a built-in wine chiller and beverage cooler with a custom stain designed to complement the existing floors and add additional tone and softness to this end of the kitchen. And, we still managed to keep that tv, now flanked by beautiful Visual Comfort Edie sconces!

We are so proud of this transformation!

via Park & Oak

May 24, 2023 By Park and Oak

0 In Updates

Glen Ellyn Housewalk

We are so fortunate to live and work in a community that places a high value on giving back. It is one of the things that really sets Glen Ellyn apart, and makes us so proud to live and work here. An example of this philanthropy that is near and dear to our hearts is the annual Glen Ellyn Housewalk, sponsored by the Glen Ellyn Infant Welfare Society.

The Infant Welfare Society was founded nearly 100 years ago as a means to improve the lives of those in need in Glen Ellyn and our surrounding communities through fundraising and community service. They partner with over a dozen area organizations to reach at-risk children, and 100% of the funds they raise through their various events go directly to these partners.

It is sometimes easy to get caught up in our own trials and tribulations, but with nearly 10% of DuPage county residents living at or below the poverty level, there are others who need our help. Our support of the Infant Welfare Society allows us to make a direct impact on our communities, and of course, the Housewalk is an event that intersects with our work, so it is all the more meaningful.

It was a gorgeous day for the 38th Annual Housewalk leading into Mother’s Day weekend, and an impressive turnout, with 750+ tickets sold. Park & Oak Collected was called in to provide styling services for one of the homes on the walk, and it is a stunner. The homeowner is responsible for the overall design of the home, and we all agree that perhaps she should pursue a second career as an interior designer!?

Enjoy a few photos of 706 Forest below…

📷: Park & Oak

May 23, 2023 By Park and Oak

0 In Research

Boxwoods

Oh, how we love a boxwood. Is there any more classic element to traditional landscape design? For gardening enthusiasts and fans of elegant landscapes, boxwoods are must-have. Evergreen, with dense foliage and a neat, compact appearance, boxwoods have been an integral part of formal gardens and landscapes for centuries, thought to have originated in north Africa in 4000 BC.

Like many plants originally designed for the outdoors, boxwoods can do double-duty as houseplants also. Of course, as with any live plant, boxwoods require maintenance: watering, pruning, sunlight. So, for many, boxwoods stay outdoors or may deck the halls only as the occasional holiday wreath. But, a nifty alternative has emerged for those wanting an option with less maintenance – preserved boxwoods.

Preserved boxwoods are boxwood plants that have undergone a careful preservation process, allowing them to retain their natural beauty and vibrant green color indefinitely. Through a specialized treatment, the living foliage is dipped in an eco-friendly solution and then dried to maintain the shape and texture of the leaves. This process results in real boxwood plants that require no maintenance, making them perfect for indoor use.

At Collected, we have partnered with topiary artisans to offer a large selection of these preserved boxwoods. They are the perfect touch in any space that would benefit from a little greenery, and are especially handy in the nooks and crannies that don’t get enough light for live plants.

Eyeing the topiaries in the cover photo? Those are faux, but we carry them as well!

May 17, 2023 By Park and Oak

0 In Inspiration

Waiting for Summer

Our friends in California and the southern East Coast are already deep into summer weather and the decorating that goes along with it, but here in the Midwest we are still wildly spinning — sometimes daily — between 40° and raining and 85° and sweltering.

While we patiently wait for the weather to catch up with our summer mindset, we’ve stocked Collected with all the rattan, linen and white we can find. Here are a few of our favorites.

Pretty new pillows are in! We cannot get enough of these block-printed pillows…

Let’s face it, we’re going to need this for awhile still. Plus, summer comes with storms, too.

Summer always makes us dream of the coasts. Whale-watching anyone?

Trays are the ultimate all-purpose decorating tool.

These charming little bowls are food safe, but can also be used throughout the house wherever you need to catch little what-nots.

Much more of summer to enjoy on Collected or in-store. Come see us!

May 10, 2023 By Park and Oak

0 In Color Story

Color Story: Soft Blues

Have you noticed more soft blues in your feeds lately? We have. Whether in a kitchen or a cocktail room or a bedroom, soft blue has been making its case as a go-to neutral, and this is one trend we wholeheartedly endorse.

We have turned to soft blues like those pictured above in many homes throughout the life of Park & Oak, and if you’ve been following for awhile, you probably recognize some of our frequently shared projects.

Here’s one from the early years, featuring Boothbay Gray, which our designers love for its balance of warm and cool undertones, and perfect saturation level.

This is another earlier project, also in Boothbay Gray.

More recently, we used Boothbay in this impossibly charming kitchen.

And in this sophisticated dining room.

But it can also be perfect in a kids’ bedroom.

Or a bath.

And even a laundry room.

Looking for something with just a little more warmth? Try Duxbury Gray.

Metropolitan is an even softer option, and contrast trim makes such an impact.

Van Courtland Blue is probably the purest blue in the soft blue lineup, and it really makes this kitchen shine.

And finally, Santorini Blue was just perfect in the boys’ bedroom.

April 28, 2023 By Park and Oak

0 In Updates

Welcome to The Parlour at Park & Oak

We’ve been a little busy these last few years at Park & Oak. Growth is inspiring and fun and exciting, but boy it requires a lot of hard work, late nights, and sometimes impossible to meet demands on time and energy. Today, it’s all worth it. Today, we open the doors to our expanded Collected showroom and retail space. Within the new space is The Parlour at Park & Oak, a cozy cocktail lounge where people can gather and feel welcomed, whether it’s a quick stop for a cocktail and conversation with an old friend, or a special event like a birthday celebration or graduation.

One of the great joys of our lives has been working with families to create timeless and classic homes that are a true reflection of themselves. And it occurred to us along the way that we wanted the opportunity to host friends, family and clients in a place that felt like one of our own homes, a curated experience that would bring our portfolio to life. To that end, almost a year ago, we opened phase one of Park & Oak Collected, a brick and mortar and e-commerce manifestation of our goal in designing homes: to create a warm and inviting atmosphere, where the details tell a story. The new expansion of the Collected showroom — over twice the size of the original — is broken up into different areas of the home, each specifically tailored to exhibit the design concepts we feel most passionate about. It includes furniture lines available to order and customize, a full textile library to help with selections for carpets, window treatments, tile and more, and a display kitchen so you can see and feel the quality of our cabinetry and finishes. There are stylists available by appointment, and of course, a wider selection of what you’ve already come to love about Collected: vintage art and rugs, home decor, barware, small furnishings and curated gifts for every occasion.

The Parlour at Park & Oak is the final piece of the Park & Oak puzzle. A place where we can welcome the community to enjoy cocktails, bites and conversation in a space that feels like being at home. Historically, the parlour is the room in a home dedicated to entertainment and festive gatherings, and to stay true to our interior design roots, the name was a natural choice for our new space.

This is a wild ride. Thanks so much for being on it with us. We can’t wait to see you at Collected and The Parlour!

Chris & Renee

Enjoy these photos from our preview party with our Glen Ellyn neighbors, family and friends.

April 19, 2023 By Park and Oak

0 In Q+A

We were so excited to be able to film this round of Designer Q&A in our new space, which opens tomorrow!! Learn more about it in the clip below, and to view the full Q&A, check out our YouTube channel!

April 18, 2023 By Park and Oak

0 In Q+A

Designer Q&A

We are excited (and a little nervous!) to be starting something new with the Designer Q&A. You’ve had so many excellent questions, and we thought it might be fun to to get together every so often to answer them in person. We’ve included a few here, but to see the full slate, check out our YouTube channel!

February 24, 2023 By Park and Oak

0 In Q+A

Designer Q&A

This new feature is such fun. As with last month, we picked out a few of your questions from IG stories to answer here on the blog, and we’ll add some to Instagram as well — stay tuned for more “Ask the Designer” next month!

Sure! Ceiling heights and scale of the light will come into play. It’s best to have any lighting that someone will walk underneath a minimum of 7’ above the floor (there are some additional rules for very height ceilings). Some of our favorites pictured below!

-Vanessa

You can definitely add darker pieces to an already airy space. We always like a pop of darkness in a room to offer contrast and a place for your eye to go. Creamy white walls, light drapery, and layering in texture and pattern through with colors will help balance the palette and create an inviting space.

-Erica

For narrow staircases, avoid artwork that could get bumped and fall. Play up the texture and subtle details and incorporate wall moulding details, like a chair rail with wainscoting and an integrated handrail. Add a wool stair runner to wood stairs. You can also add shallow depth sconces (4” to 6″ overall projection) at the base and the top of the staircase to create more interest and drama.

– Joanna

YES!!! Velvet—love. Brown—love!

-Vanessa

Some quick fixes to warm up the cool tones of a home would be to swap out light fixtures to a warm brass metal. Incorporate some warm wood furniture pieces and create softness by layering accessories such as vintage rugs, textured and warm toned pillows, throws and artwork. Bring in more ambient lighting with table and floor lamps and change bulbs to 2700k for a warmer glow. (Learn more about color temps in our recent post on the topic.)

-Joanna

We love the use of frame TVs! This allows for the space to become very versatile. It looks beautiful when not in use and becomes a finished piece. If space allows, we will also add a picture light to give the look of real artwork. Frame TVs also offer the ability to display your own family photos, which is such a treat!

-Emma

We think it makes such an impact to do so.

-Vanessa

Mix! Representing a variety of eras can work beautifully as long as you consider the overall effect as you add color, texture and pattern.

-Joanna

There are many combinations to consider from a variety of patterns, scale, color and texture. If all the rugs are patterned, it can be overwhelming. Try incorporating a vintage patterned rug with a coordinating textural/solid rug, like a sisal or a wool loop pile with a subtle pattern. A traditional rug can balance nicely with something abstract. A rug with a large scale pattern can work well with a small scale, or subtle pattern. It’s all about finding the right mix to create interest and balance!

-Joanna

We love to combine a mixture of patterns when it comes to pillows, bedding, and other aspects of the home.

Try to offer a variety in the space. You can start with a small pattern, a large scale pattern, and a solid texture in between to break it up. Keep a color theme in mind.

Here is an example of a navy theme pillow scheme. A small scale patterened lumbar pillow, a dark solid euro pillow behind, and large scale stripe bedding.

-Susie

November 8, 2022 By Park and Oak

0 In Q+A

Designer Q&A

You asked…we answered! We loved seeing all your questions come in through Instagram stories last week. We picked out a few to answer here on the blog, plus some on Instagram — stay tuned for more “Ask the Designer” next month!

Embrace the cozy element that an 8’ ceiling brings to a home but at the same time use some tricks to make the ceilings feel taller: bring your drapery and drapery hardware from the ceiling to just kissing the floor; bring cabinetry and built-ins to the ceiling; choose one color for the room (base, wall and crown), choose furniture that scales nicely in the space and isn’t too big and overpowering.

-Vanessa

There are certain tricks and careful consideration with scale of furniture. Mount your drapery rods close to the ceiling or crown so your panels are as long as possible, it helps create the illusion of greater height. Also opting for taller baseboards, like 7” is a subtle change that gives the sense of more height. Remove any soffits and anything built in should extend up to the ceiling, such as kitchen cabinets. In a small room, furniture should not be oversized, consider a sofa that is 34-36” deep, rather than 40-42”, and always be mindful that your flush mount light fixtures don’t drop too low.

–Joanna

The key to mixing light fixtures is focusing on different types of lights and making intentional changes.

Mixing metals is great, but keep them in the same warm tone. For instance, polished nickel with brass are two different metals, but both have a warm undertone.

Another tip is to mix fixture types. One can be shaded, while the other has an exposed bulb or globe. One can be a linear light, while the other is a pendant.

Mix dimensions and width for added layers of interest and your space will look timeless and collected.

PS: Stick to the same color temperature! Around Just under 4000 lumen will give you a natural and neutral warmth.

-Susie

It is best to approach this type of room by playing into the asymmetry. Designers like Darryl Carter aim for this style by keeping layout eclectic and creating separate, smaller vignettes of seating areas throughout the room. This design style is great at tricking the eye. You can also level out some of the asymmetry and achieve a balance by adding a tall bookcase beside an off center window and matching that height on the other side of the window with a taller floor lamp and wall art.

-Erica

It’s helpful to lay out a palette in front of you, in this case paint samples! We recommend seeing the paint color in different light throughout the day to help make a decision. A few of my favorites are Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore, Dead Salmon by Farrow & Ball, and Pewter Green by Sherwin Williams.

-Giselle

It depends on the space. Generally, start by looking where your cans would be placed in a room. In most cases, you can reference this and this is where you could place the mini flush mounts. Consider symmetry, and creating a leading line when placing these. Features in the room like windows, fireplaces can be another aspect you would plan their placement around.

-Emma

Absolutely not! With the way homes are designed and/or reconstructed today, clients oftentimes omit a formal dining room in leu of a Great Rooms, which are a combination of kitchen/dining/family rooms.

With this design change, people are often left with a kitchen size that is conducive to two islands.

Rather than incorporating two visually heavy islands within a space, we will typically designate the island closer to the perimeter wall as the ‘work horse’ island, which houses the main sink, dishwasher, trash roll out etc. while maximizing the storage capabilities.

This offers us the opportunity to design a second island to read more like a furniture piece while still complimenting the kitchen built-in design. This also provides our clients the ultimate counterspace for more casual gatherings as well as a sizeable dining table for more formal celebrations.

-Patricia

October 3, 2022 By Park and Oak