All posts by Beth and Carolina

Before and After: A Sophisticated Seattle Penthouse

May 19, 2021Entertaining + Home Livingapartment, before and after, color, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, pattern, penthouse, pied-a-terre, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, seattle, space, tips, trends, wallpaperBeth and Carolina

When our clients asked us to help them redesign their Seattle penthouse, we were excited to reimagine the high-rise space! It has incredible views of the cityscape, but the interiors were not as exciting. Since this is a second home for our clients we wanted them to have a gorgeous space with interiors inspired by the pied-a-terre interior architecture and the Pacific Coast setting.

Dining Room

Despite those fantastic windows, this Seattle penthouse was a little dark and the space needed much more personality. We brought in sophisticated furnishings and a great wallpaper that highlighted the coastal setting. It’s the perfect mix of Parisian pied-à-terre and Pacific Coast hideaway!

Living Room

In the living room, we lightened the look with a neutral rug and warm gold furnishings. A unique wallcovering on the ceiling brings the eye up and makes the space seem larger. Textures, animal prints, and fabulous art and accessories add personality and life to the living room, too.

Study

The paneling in the study was a bit dated, and it made the room seem dark. We lightened and brightened the wall color, which completely transformed the room, taking advantage of the incredible light coming through the bank of windows. A sleeper sofa adds function for our clients, giving them a place for guests to sleep over. And a mix of patterns, art, and unique accessories give a glimpse into our clients’ favorite items and collections.

Bedroom

The paneling behind the bed in the primary bedroom was more modern looking, so we kept that and updated the fixtures and furnishings. Using lighter bedding and lamps helps balance the darker paneling and adds a more layered look.

AFTER

We also took advantage of a small nook with shelving and created a sophisticated home office, giving our clients a lot of functionality.

Guest Bath

We knew we wanted to lighten the guest bath, so we added a great wallcovering that mimics the misty skies and water views right outside the window.

There’s even more to see in the full project – just click here to take a tour!
Want to know how we can transform YOUR home?
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Founders’ Five: 10 Items That We Are Loving This Month

May 12, 2021Shopping Guideaccessories, bags, color, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, pattern, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, seattle, shoes, shop, shopping, space, tips, trends, what we need, what's trendingBeth and Carolina

Here are some of our current favorite finds that we want or that are making our lives better and more stylish, right now…

BETH’S PICKS

How chic is this incense holder? I’ve really been loving lighting incense after these incredibly long workdays!

I love elevating something as little as my sock game! These socks are so cozy and I love that they are hand-dyed so each pair will not look exactly the same.

Okay, this tee is the perfect tee for summer! It is so flattering, so soft, and gives the perfect breeze during those hot summer days.

One of my all-time favorite retinol serums because it does it all! It helps with wrinkles, dark spots, blemishes and gives you the best glow!

I’ve been eyeing this brand for quite some time and we finally purchased some products for the office and upcoming projects and let’s just say it is so good! I love these marble candle (or oil diffuser) holders!

CAROLINA’S PICKS

I’ve had my eye on this ring for quite some time. I’m waiting for the perfect moment to treat myself!

I’m obsessed with this blend of oils. It’s the best for when I’m trying to have some peace and quiet. My favorite is to use these when I’m taking a bath.

These are my everyday summer sandals. They are comfy chic!

The hand-blown glass on this wall sconce is so gorgeous. I’m finding the perfect project to add these to the design!

Simone Bodmer Turner is such a talented artist. I’m in love with everything she creates but this vase is one of my favorites by far!

Project in Focus: Bringing the Outdoors In

May 5, 2021Entertaining + Home Livingcolor, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, natural look, nature in design, organic, pattern, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, seattle, space, tips, trends, Wall covering, wallcoverings, wallpaper, wallsBeth and Carolina

The Pulp team is always inspired by a home’s location, whether that’s the coast, the mountains, or a cityscape. We love to bring the outdoors into our interiors, to create a feeling of flow and cohesion. When the views out of the rooms look as if they are one with the interior design, it’s magical! In our Woodinville project, located in the Seattle-area wine country, we used the interior walls to project the gorgeous natural views just outside the doors of the home. Let’s take a look!

The Phillip Jeffries-designed wallpaper above has a dreamy quality. It can look like misty mountain vistas, moody clouds drifting in the sky, or maybe a watery landscape. All of which our clients could see right outside the walls of their home.

The Pulp team was thrilled to find this Kravet wallcovering for the media room. The design showcases the birch trees that can be found right outside the windows. And because this is an attic room, it also gives the space a feeling as if it’s part of a gorgeous tree house.

Swirls of natural tones on the bathroom’s wallpaper from Thibaut have the look of river beds or rock walls. We were inspired to select this design by seeing the vineyards in the fall and winter with the bare vines and ground.

The striations of color in the study’s wallpaper give the appearance of stone stacks, or even of bird feathers. We loved the natural, organic look of this wallpaper’s design, and it fits perfectly with the modern rustic look of the rest of the home.

Use these ideas to create a cohesive look in your home, bringing the outdoors into your own home with wallcoverings!

2021 Mother’s Day Gift Guide: A Gift for Every Mom

April 28, 2021Shopping Guidecook, cooking, cozy, fashion, gift ideas, gifts, mother's day, shopping, small gifts, style, tips, travelBeth and Carolina

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and we’ve got you covered with a gift for every type of mom out there!

SHOP THE GIFT GUIDE:

Home Tour: A Spectacular Pacific Pied-à-Terre

April 21, 2021Entertaining + Home Livingapartment, bold design, color, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, pattern, penthouse, pied-a-terre, pulp, pulp design studios, red walls, rooms, seattle, space, tips, trends, unexpected design, wallpaperBeth and Carolina

When these Pulp clients had to leave their Seattle home for their careers, they knew they still would need a small place in their favorite city to come back to. So they purchased a high-rise penthouse with views of the Puget Sound, downtown Seattle, and the Seattle Art Museum. While the views were spectacular, the interiors were dated and didn’t fit our clients’ personalities. Although it’s a second home, the Pulp team wanted it to feel special and bring a jewel box quality to it. Let’s take a tour of the chic results!

Q: What was the overall look you were going for in this home’s design?

For this pied-à-terre, we wanted to give our clients the look of a chic Parisian getaway, but with a Pacific Coast vibe. The dining room has the look of those gorgeous and iconic apartments in Paris with ceilings made of glass, so we added chic details that would be at home in France. We also combined that with fantastic Kravet wallpaper that adds a little cheekiness and pays tribute to the coastal location. Finally, a bold red lacquered wall and cabinetry elevates the look with an unexpected pop. That’s a signature Pulp design detail!

Q: How do you give a small space like this one the feeling of a larger home?

The rooms flow from one to the other in an open way, which makes the entire space seem larger. It helps to have those banks of windows, but we also kept the overall palette light and airy on the walls, which also creates the illusion of space.

Q: What’s the most important tip you can give someone who lives in a smaller space?

It’s all about storage! We used every nook and niche for extra shelves and drawers, and we built a custom cabinet in the dining room to hide away china and serving items. You need to take advantage of every square inch in a smaller home.

Q: Is this just a one bedroom penthouse, or is there any room for guests?

We designed the study, located beyond the living room and kitchen, to play double duty. It houses the clients’ books as a library by day and it transforms into a guest room as needed at night. We included a sleeper sofa that’s super-comfortable, so our clients can host guests in their gorgeous apartment.

Q: Which space would your clients say is their favorite in the home?

Definitely the bedroom! It’s tucked behind that gorgeous lacquered pocket door in the dining room, but it offers a lot of function in that small space. We included a desk area so our clients can use it as a home office. And we gave them an fabulously comfortable bed, with an upholstered headboard and lighting designed for reading in bed. It’s a sophisticated and multifunctional room.

Q: And what is your favorite space in the penthouse?

The guest bath is so lovely! It has a wallcovering from Schumacher that offers a moody homage to the Seattle skyline. And a mirror from Arteriors gives an organic touch to this pretty space.

Read about this space in our latest issue of ICON magazine!

Founders’ Five: 10 Items That We Are Loving This Month

April 14, 2021Shopping Guideaccessories, bags, color, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, pattern, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, seattle, shoes, shop, shopping, space, tips, trends, what we need, what's trendingBeth and Carolina

Here are some of our current favorite finds that we want or that are making our lives better and more stylish, right now…

BETH’S PICKS

This lamp is right up my alley. I love the texture it has throughout. It feels modern while also feeling like I picked it up at a vintage market.

I’m hooked on this oil, it is the best multi-purpose oil. It does it all for my skin including hydrates, restores, and balances my skin.

Saying that I’m obsessed with these bookends is a little bit of an understatement. We just received these in the office and I’m snagging them up for myself.

I’ve been into a major workout routine and workout almost every day (Thanks Peloton!), so this soak is the best way to unwind after a long day and to reduce muscle soreness.

One of my favorite Kevin Dotolo photographs. I love it so much that I have this one hung up in my home office as well as the Seattle studio space too!

CAROLINA’S PICKS

This commercial-quality toaster is so chic and it’s not often that you find a stylish toaster that also works extremely well. I love this modern update of an iconic classic toaster.

These pillar sculptures are the perfect accessory to any space. They add visual height and beautiful texture. Adding these into my cart now!

Is there a Founder’s Five that goes by and I’m not selecting a piece of art? I love this Texas Road Hog print so much and it’s meaningful to me being a Texan resident.

This rug is so gorgeous. I love how unique the shape is and the colors are perfect.

These are my go-to sunglasses for the summertime. They are classic, comfortable, and chic.

Celebrating Midcentury Design

April 7, 2021Entertaining + Home Livingarchitecture, chair, color, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, design style, furniture, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, midcentury, midcentury modern style, modernism celebration, modernism week, Palm Springs, pattern, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, seattle, space, tips, trendsBeth and Carolina

One of our favorite design events, Modernism Week, gets underway this week in Palm Springs. It’s a celebration of midcentury architecture and design and includes lectures, films, and (our favorite part!) tours of incredible modern homes. But why is midcentury modern such an enduring design style? And how can you make it a part of your home? We’ll tell you how it became such an enduring look and how you can use it in your home.

Midcentury Style

Midcentury modern style covered a large part of the 20th century, from about 1933 to 1965, but the important years were 1947 to 1957. The biggest influences and ideas behind the movement were the new materials and ways to use them that came from WWII, and the idea that everyone should have access to good design. These pieces were meant to be for everyone, no matter how rich or poor you were. The biggest signature of this democratic design movement was that the furnishings – and the architecture – needed to have clean, modern lines.

Modern Materials

WWII and the invention of plastics had a huge impact on design. The war had helped develop new ways to bend wood and steel, thanks to airplane manufacturing, and furniture designers embraced these new ideas. Chairs with steel frames, bent and curved wood, and lots of lucite became key looks in midcentury modern design. Those materials and techniques aren’t new anymore, but the fact that midcentury design was sleek and modern meant that it would always look fresh, even decades later.

Midcentury in Your Home

Midcentury-inspired furnishings really will fit into any room. The lack of ornamentation and the uncluttered look means these pieces are perfect for complementing most design styles. In the room above, we used a bent lucite table in a more boho space. It works because it allows the rest of the layered space to stand out.

The iconic tulip table design by Saarinen is another sleek piece that can be paired with modern chairs, traditional upholstered seats, or rustic stools. It really goes with any design style you may have in your home.

The hairpin leg chair is another piece we love. In the Dallas breakfast room above, we paired a few of them with a very traditional wood dining table. These are great chairs if you have children at home because they look chic but wipe clean easily.

Because midcentury design was experimental, there are fun designs that are perfect for kids rooms, too, like the iconic egg chair above.

Experiment with your style by using midcentury pieces in your home. You’ll add on-trend design that will look great for years (and years)!

The Pulp Edit: Art for a Modern Age

April 6, 2021The Pulp Editart, Dallas, decor, decorating, design, elle decor, fabric, fashion, fearless, glass, home, house, house beautiful, ideas, interior design, interior designer, jewelry, living, Los Angeles, magazine, modern, neutral, outdoor, pattern, plaid, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, sculpture, seattle, space, tile, tips, trends, wallpaperBeth and Carolina

Art for a Modern Age

Art for a modern age is full of pattern and promise, with designs that are both complex and comforting. We’re seeing those artistic themes in fabrics, lighting, and accessories, allowing us to create artful moments in interior design.

Mighty Jungle is The Vale London’s modern take on Mesoamerican cave paintings, with influences from Cubism and folk art traditions.

Art-driven lighting from Gabriel Scott Lighting comes in colorful glass designs, with samples shown in these smoky spheres.

Dusty mauves and pinks aren’t going anywhere, but they have taken a complex turn, like in this lovely mohair from Kerry Joyce.

Carvings in geometric shapes highlight a textural art movement. It’s both tactile and appealing to the eye, like this vintage box.

Diagonal patterns are entering the spotlight, like this architectural design by India Mahdavi for Pierre Frey. We love the movement and new slant for these stripes.

A traditional pattern offers a painterly twist that makes it both modern and comforting. Marcel Boussac designed this look in dreamy wool, mohair, and alpaca.

These figures are rough and symbolic rather than realistic, and they continue the textural story we’re seeing. We love this raw bust by artist Kevin J McLean.

It’s a sign of the times that we crave comfort and calm, so spring colors are definitely in our future, like this quietly warm fabric from S. Harris.

Layers of neutrals and textures define a tweed-inspired pattern on the Navigli fabric, part of our collection for S. Harris.

Why hang art on your walls when the walls themselves can be the art? New wallpaper designs, like this one from Porter Teleo, give a gallery look to interiors.

Be sure to check out our latest ICON Issue, The New Perspectives!

Our Top Accessories to Personalize Your Outdoor Space

March 31, 2021Entertaining + Home Living, Shopping Guideart, bowls, candles, color, Dallas, deck, decor, decorating, design, furniture, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, outdoor entertaining, outdoor furniture, Outdoor Living, outdoor rooms, outdoor rugs, outdoors, patio, pattern, pillows, porch, pulp, pulp design studios, rooms, rugs, seattle, space, terrace, tips, trendsBeth and Carolina

After a long (long!) winter, it’s time to head back into our outdoor spaces thanks to the warmer spring weather. That also means we can begin to entertain again, too, since we’ll be in the open fresh air! As you set up your outdoor rooms, remember to add accessories that will reflect your personality, just as you would with your indoor rooms. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite items to personalize an outdoor space that will inspire you to think outside the box for your space!

Remember to showcase who you are and what you love – indoors and out! If you need help designing your outdoor oasis, you can contact us here!

Project in Process: Dallas Micro-Renovation

March 24, 2021Entertaining + Home Livingbehind the scenes, color, Dallas, dallas designer, decor, decorating, design, home, house, ideas, interior design, interior designer, living, Los Angeles, micro-renovation, pattern, process, pulp, pulp design studios, redesign, renovation, rooms, seattle, sneak peek, space, tips, trendsBeth and Carolina

People often think of interior design as either a full new home build or just placing new furnishings. But it’s actually that and everything in between! One of our favorite services is a micro-renovation. Those are smart home refreshes and furnishings packages that offer a nip-and-tuck approach to updating a home. In a micro-renovation, we work with fantastic contractors and trades to make small improvements that pay off big time. We wanted to pull back the curtain on a micro-renovation that we have in process right now in Dallas so you can see how it works. Let’s take a look!

Our clients are a young and dynamic working couple that travel a lot for work. Their primary home is in Missouri and Dallas has become an important city for their jobs, so they needed another home in Texas. They bought a 4,300-square-foot French Provincial home in Highland Park, and while they loved the architecture they wanted it to have a more modern update. They felt that Pulp’s micro-renovation process was the perfect fit for them, so we got to work!

The room that required the most work – and the space that the Pulp team is most excited about – is the media room above. We designed paneled walls to add visual interest and to help with acoustics. We also made sure that there are plenty of speakers installed so the surround sound will be amazing. And how gorgeous is the vaulted ceiling? It’s going to be a fabulous place to binge movies. This is one way to make a big difference with just a small bit of renovation.

Another key to a good micro-renovation is to create a gorgeous space, but to also make it work for our clients. So we’re adding a lot of custom cabinetry and storage in the home, including dividers in kitchen drawers as you can see above, and specialty storage in the master closet, below.

Another great way that we customize a new look in a micro-renovation is with paint and wallpaper – that can completely transform a space!

The Phillip Jeffries design above looks fantastic now that it’s installed. You can see a full view of the pattern below, along with a gorgeous glass sconce.

Speaking of sconces, we fell in love with the ones we selected for the bathroom below. The crackled glass and brass details are so gorgeous against that wallpaper. New lighting can make a huge difference when updating a home’s interiors and the Pulp team is known for finding unique and special pieces that pop.

The lighting throughout the house has been updated, including some spectacular pendants and chandeliers. We don’t want to give too much away, but we have definitely brought the wow-factor with these fabulous designs.

In one room, we added a new fireplace and then we painted the interior of all the fireplaces in the home a deep black. This is a cool trick that adds another layer to the room – we love the visual interest it creates!

Our clients have two dogs that are important members of the family, so we also plan to design a space for their dog beds and storage for their toys. And wait until you see the furnishings and accessories we’ve selected for this home! We’ve worked closely with our clients to source special pieces of original art and unique accents for each room that will showcase their personalities.

We hope you enjoyed this peek behind the scenes of our micro-renovation project. Stay tuned for a tour of the final reveal – it’s going to be stunning! And if you’re interested in our exclusive micro-renovation service, give us a call!

Wherever You Are

We work all across the country, designing primary residences, pied-à-terres, and vacation homes, for our clients near and far.

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