Loading summary
Transcript331 lines
- [00:02]
A
Welcome to how to Decorate from Ballard Designs, a weekly podcast all about the trials and triumphs of decorating and redecorating your home. I'm Caroline. I'm on the marketing team.
- [00:11]
B
And I'm Taryn and I'm a product designer.
- [00:13]
C
I'm Liz. I head of the creative team.
- [00:15]
D
We're your hosts.
- [00:16]
A
Join the expert team at Ballard Designs for tips, tricks and tales from interior designers, stylists and other talents in the design world.
- [00:22]
B
Plus, we'll answer your decorating dilemmas at the end of each episode.
- [00:25]
C
We love answering your questions, so don't forget to email us@podcastallardesigns.net now on with the show.
- [00:34]
A
We are thrilled to welcome Meredith Paige and Liz Livingston, the creative minds behind Page House Studio, an Atlanta based interior design firm with a combined 15 years of experience in the industry. Their studio focuses on interior design projects of all size, as well as their own bespoke collection of accessories that Linda polished touched any room. Meredith and Liz, welcome to the show.
- [00:54]
D
Thank you so much.
- [00:56]
E
Thank you for having us.
- [00:57]
D
Yeah, we're excited to be here.
- [00:58]
A
It's always fun to have a duo.
- [01:00]
D
Because we are a duo.
- [01:02]
A
Yes.
- [01:02]
D
We don't go anywhere without the others.
- [01:05]
A
Pretty much two brains or one mind and two. Two bodies.
- [01:09]
D
Exactly.
- [01:11]
A
Okay, y' all have a great origin story, so maybe we should start there. How you met and how you started your business. Hey, shelves.
- [01:17]
B
Sure.
- [01:18]
D
I guess it's kind of a multi part answer. We are both from Tuscaloosa, Alabama and we met, I guess probably in high school. And it didn't take long. We just became best friends. We went to college together, University of Alabama. Then I moved to Nashville and she moved out to la. And then I called her and said I was tired of Nashville. I'm coming out to la. And then years later I moved to Atlanta and she decided she was coming to Atlanta. So we don't, we don't leave each other's side.
- [01:54]
A
Yeah.
- [01:57]
D
The other day I was picking my kids up from school and I saw a teacher who was my daughter's old teacher and she was trying to tell someone else who I was and she said, oh, it's Liz's other half. And my husband was standing right there and he was like, exactly. So, yeah, that about sums it up. We are kind of inseparable and it's great.
- [02:21]
A
Yeah.
- [02:23]
E
So we lived in LA together and Meredith worked for some incredible firms in Nashville and Los Angeles. I worked previously in the entertainment industry and left to go work in textiles. And we always talked about starting a Business together. We wanted to do this in LA and the timing just wasn't right. Um, and once we moved to Atlanta and had our, our kiddos, we felt like it was time, time to do something together.
- [02:53]
D
Um, yeah, it was probably summer of 2020, my husband Chris and I moved here. Uh, he's originally from here. So I had been working since I was out of college for other designers and I was like, this is finally my time. Take all what I learned and all that experience and really go out on my own. And my in laws were instrumental in introducing me to all their neighbors and friends who needed design help. So I got busy really fast and then we were house hunting and kept striking out. So we decided to build a house. So that was my first really big project that I was thrilled about. And yeah, we've just stayed busy. Fast forward to a few years later is when we started the product line together and that's when Liz really came on the team. And yeah, we just made a brand out of the business I had already started. I feel like it was finally time to focus on products and really strengthen what our design aesthetic was and our perspective. And so together with all of her experience working for E commerce and retail and marketing, it was just kind of a no brainer. It kind of was just serendipitous and took off.
- [04:17]
A
So that's, I love your collection. It's really echoes your, your design style and what you do for your clients because you have such an edited eye. And then the, the product, I guess it's not just accessories, but it's more, you know, decorative accents, really emphasizes that and kind of embodies what the rooms kind of channel in, you know, in each item.
- [04:46]
D
Sure. So our foundational product is the pedestal. After working in Nashville in Los Angeles, so many different types of environments, there was always just this one design element that was in the equation for how we finished a room. And it was a pedestal. It was whatever we, whatever material it came in, whatever shape it was in, we always integrated one into the style and it finished a room so perfectly. And so then when all my friends were moving into their family houses and their forever homes, they would invite me over, of course. They would ask me what to paint their living room and all that. But they would always have like a dead corner, something a blank wall. And they were like, I just don't know what to put here, what goes here. I have too many tables, I have too much art on the wall. And I just started kind of thinking a pedestal. Do they not know about this? Item has this not crossed over into like more mainstream? And I would say it and sure enough, like they didn't. So I realized that there was a huge gap and people who had worked with a designer and those who hadn't really had that opportunity yet. And so when we were working on what the product line would be, I really wanted to center around the pedestal because it's such a product that's like a blank canvas. You can wrap it and you can have so much fun with it. Such an opportunity and a great way to finish a room and style it. And so yeah, that became our niche product and we've kind of expanded from there. But that was the. The aha moment of going into my friends houses after they had become adults and they really wanted it to look like they had styled it properly and it was elevated and polished and all of that. And there was just always a blank spot that they couldn't figure out.
- [06:45]
A
So an empty corner is.
- [06:47]
D
Is a.
- [06:47]
A
Is a challenge. Taryn made a great point when we were chatting.
- [06:52]
B
I don't know when.
- [06:53]
E
Let's find out.
- [06:53]
A
Well, just about. About Ballard.
- [06:56]
D
Like our.
- [06:58]
A
Yeah, you. I don't want to steal your thunder.
- [07:00]
B
Fine. I was saying it's so funny that, you know, you're, you know, you had this one thing that everyone kind of wanted and needed and you're like, great. And really, truly that's historically how we started as well is like Helen Ballard had this one table and then everyone wanted. And she's like, well, let me.
- [07:16]
A
And. And the column was like a huge.
- [07:18]
B
And the column was our. In our logo. Until when?
- [07:23]
C
Forever.
- [07:23]
A
Forever.
- [07:24]
C
I think up until maybe 15 years ago.
- [07:27]
A
Yeah, yeah, right.
- [07:30]
D
Yeah, I remember that now. I had never connected. It's like wherever we go it had.
- [07:34]
B
Like the pedestals follow I think about.
- [07:36]
A
Like the 80s, all the pedestal tables and stuff. That was sort of the Ballard origins. I didn't even think about that. Yeah.
- [07:42]
B
So I just loved how almost your brand and kind of where you began, you know, is the same kind of.
- [07:49]
C
Yeah, it's very similar.
- [07:50]
D
It really was. It. It came out of the realization that like it's something so easy and a go to item for us and others may not know about it and how much of an impact it has in a room and how easy it is. It feels like a very slender silhouette and very simple. But it really makes an impact if you put something grand on top of it or something like a statement and yeah. Feels like a perfect solution to any little dead area.
- [08:24]
A
It's a great focal point. Okay. Tell everybody, though, the fabrication and what you do with your pedestals, though. Okay, Right. Because you're talking about pedestal and you're making it seem so, like la de da. But yours are gorgeous and they're, you know, very special. They're very clean, but the details are very special.
- [08:44]
B
So you're calm.
- [08:44]
A
Walk everybody through that. Oh, yes.
- [08:48]
D
They weren't always that. It took some iterations of prototypes. I'll let you.
- [08:56]
E
Yeah, we kind of wanted the pedestal to also be its own piece of art. So we wanted it to also be, you know, jewelry in the jewel box. So it's.
- [09:07]
D
We started.
- [09:07]
E
Actually, Meredith's father retired and he helped us make our first prototypes. And he's still very much involved in our business, which is incredible to have such an amazing family member involved. And he's just makes me laugh so much. I love him, adore him.
- [09:26]
D
Shout out to dad. Shout out to Jerry.
- [09:30]
E
So he helped make our first frames essentially of the pedestal. And then Meredith and I felt really strongly that we wanted to touch and feel and make all the first prototypes ourselves by hand. It was really important for us because we know wallpaper can be so temperamental. And the thickness of vinyl versus a paper and how it's wrapping around, you know, 490 degree angles is different than just applying it to a blank wall. So we actually were in meredith's garage in 32 degree weather.
- [10:04]
D
No, freezing to death. 19 degrees.
- [10:06]
E
19 degrees.
- [10:07]
D
Stamped on the story. Our fingers were frozen with wallpaper glue.
- [10:13]
E
Like stuck together trying to wallpaper these pedestals. But so we have very funny photos from that. But we learned so much. We worked with some incredible wallpaper installers that helped teach us the craft so that we could do this on our own. And we got very technical pretty quickly because we care so much about the product. So like you said, we put a lot of care into our seams.
- [10:40]
D
How.
- [10:40]
E
How the wallpaper is applied probably shouldn't be giving away our secrets, but sometimes we use razor blades to make every single cut. So it's a very tedious process. And it looks so simple, like we wrapped a pedestal on wallpaper, but it's not. It actually takes some incredible labor to produce them. And we work with now work with really great artisans that help us pull them together.
- [11:09]
A
Right. So you have, you know, wrapped in grass cloth, some in wallpaper, they can send you a wallpaper. They're paper mache, maybe kind of just walk through, like, because, you know, Meredith, especially your. Your home is so edited, and I love how clean it looks. So I think from far away. Some of the pedestals, like, they blend so effortlessly, but they're, you know, they have really beautiful textures up close.
- [11:34]
D
So we've been accused of being neutralist. I don't think that we are. I think we celebrate color in a very intentional way. But all of our pedestals are typically a neutral. The grass cloth comes in an ecru and a saddle color, and then we have the paper mache, and we also have the lime wash painted and the plaster. Um, and it is meant to feel like a little tonal to a room and something where you can really play with if your room is. I just love the. A space that feels very layered with texture and materiality versus a ton of print and pattern. So we really wanted the pedestals to feel very natural within the backdrop.
- [12:33]
E
Yeah.
- [12:33]
D
But play along with the furnishings. So there is just this, like, fine art of feeling like it kind of comes out of the wall, and it's like a part of, like, the drapes and everything that is vertical and the hard surfaces, but also really a delicate piece that kind of speaks to your coffee tables and your other tables and your seating and upholstery. So that's where we just wanted to give options as well. So we feel very confident that the grass cloth and the plaster and the paper mache are all just great materials that feel like they elevate any space.
- [13:22]
E
Yeah, we kind of always play with this idea of, like, this nod to a classical form or a classical medium with this fresh and new eye to it. So something like paper mache was something that we just fell in love with of really celebrating that medium. It's an incredible process to see it being made. And so when we started playing with pedestals and understanding, like, all the different textures that we wanted incorporated, we loved that kind of imperfect nature of the paper mache. And so that has been a really incredible art form that we've had the opportunity to work with, and we've expanded that line throughout. So from the paper mache pedestal came our paper mache frames, which have been so well received, we're obsessed with them. We just launched three smaller scale frames to accompany our larger Elisabetta frame. And so we're just going to continue working with some of those art forms that, you know, haven't been celebrated recently and trying to kind of bring them back in a fresh, new way.
- [14:32]
A
Yeah, you know, it's. It seems like the. This art. We've been talking about this internally a lot more artisanal and artistic. Even handicrafts has been. I was I was pitching to Aaron on grandma crafts recently, but have really been coming back just because, you know, we have to.
- [14:50]
D
I mean, we have to offset all of the fast shopping that we do. I mean, all of that is a little necessary, and it's addictive and, you know, just way too convenient. And we have to slow down, especially when it comes to our houses and our homes and what these backdrops are that are making all of our memories and our kids memories. We want really timeless pieces. Those types of pieces take time to make. And, yeah, that's our intention behind the paper mache is to slow down and bring in just something that has really been. It is art and has been just carefully crafted, and it will stand the test of time. It will be there for your kids, who are our. Our kids who are toddlers now, to inherit one day and be that piece that mom was always putting something different on it. I never know what to expect. What was it? You know, we always knew it was spring because the dogwood branches came in and were on the pedestal. And so it just, like. Is that great a unicorn kind of piece for the interior? You can just use it however you want.
- [16:08]
A
Okay. That is actually one thing I love that y' all do is you. You do supply these gorgeous pedestals, but you also give us something to put on it, because I think, you know, you can see where maybe a pedestal might live in your house, but where do you acquire just that perfect item to display? That also is sort of a piece of the puzzle that feels intimidating, but you've solved that.
- [16:32]
D
Yeah. It feels like when we are designing and when we're building and we're. We're packaging them and sending them off, we're hoping for that person that opens it up and says, oh, I want to do so many things with it. This is how I keep my interior fresh. I'm gonna. This is my item in the house that keeps me accountable to kind of keeping things moving and seasonal and celebrating all the different pieces of nature that come around all year long. But, you know, if they're not. If you want to put your favorite thing on it and stick it in a corner and never touch it for a few years, that's fine, too. As long as it's doing its job, is taking up space and drawing your eye to what you want it to. But, yeah, I think the vessels play a huge part in that. And we think about it constantly. How, like, round is the. Or how large is the diameter for this one and this one, and how well people can't stick Branches in that they're just gonna, you know, fall to the sides. Like, we really want to. Yeah. Consider all of that and then offer just such a. An array of them. Our favorites are the ones we make in house and. And the other ones, we want to feel like they are such good partners to the pedestal. Like, we really try to keep it edited. So, yeah, we have some more like Moroccan compost that have the large mouth and you can fill with whatever, you know, dried artichokes or ornaments or, you know, just. That's such a fun way to do it. We have taller vessels with narrower diameters that are great for the branches. So we. We do. We like to think, hopefully someone wants to buy a lot of these and change it up and offer just such a different outfit for the pedestal, given the mood, given the season, given the occasion. So.
- [18:40]
A
Yeah.
- [18:41]
E
And we have some really amazing new pedestals launching in January and February of next year. So just a fun little teaser. Teaser.
- [18:51]
B
All right.
- [18:51]
D
Yeah.
- [18:51]
B
Help us through this whole, like, what am I putting on a pedestal?
- [18:55]
D
Cause that's the other.
- [18:56]
B
Like, here I am. I know I have. I can use a vessel. I get it. But, like, give me the step by step.
- [19:03]
D
Well, it is going to be your favorite thing that you've ever bought. When you finally film, you will love it.
- [19:14]
A
You love it.
- [19:15]
D
When you do.
- [19:17]
B
I'm gonna be like, falling pedestals in.
- [19:19]
E
Yes. You need this.
- [19:20]
D
Exactly. You can have like, three and different heights and tier it in the same room.
- [19:25]
B
Okay.
- [19:26]
A
Would you put next to one another or spread them out?
- [19:29]
D
We have in our studio a great little vignette with varied heights, and it just all has one big, beautiful. Or each have a sculpture that's similar, and it just tells a great story. Everyone that comes in the studio comments on it. Um, we should photograph it.
- [19:47]
A
Oh, yeah.
- [19:47]
D
I'm like, put it on the table. Put it on the list. Yeah, It. It will become your favorite theme because it does solve such a dilemma when you're walking around your house and you're like, I've always just like, I don't know what to do with that one. With that one little spot that just.
- [20:04]
A
What are some examples of this? The empty spot? Like, is it a corner? Is it in a window?
- [20:08]
D
Is it a hallway? It's where, like, I always think of a living room. If you. My living room, we have these big sliding doors, and our sectional takes up a lot of space. And then we have a side table, but there's still space behind it that just craved to be, like a moment. And the Drapes, you know, it wants to just have some verticality to what you're looking at when you're entering the living room. You have the art, you have the seating area, you have the coffee table. It wanted just one extra dimension to. To feel like, okay, this is such a layered room and.
- [20:55]
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [20:57]
E
And the idea of layering a room also was just such a important part of our ethos and what we wanted to do with our products. So the pedestal we felt like, was that kind of designer secret weapon that we're trying to bring back to life and, like, educate the customer on. And then we just felt like, okay, every time we walk into our friends homes, it's like they have the empty corner, but they know how to buy the sofa and the coffee table and maybe a rug, but they don't know how to, like, layer a space. And so from there, we started really expanding on, okay, what is. How are we. How do we layer a space when we're designing for our clients? And we wanted to create products that kind of touched every surface of the room was the intentionality behind that. So that's why we expanded into stools and with an incredible fringe that has that movement so that you kind of have that natural ease that you feel in a room, as opposed to just so structured and then obviously with softer goods, like pillows. And we have candles for your tabletop. So we've just really been expanding on, like, what is that essential layer and how do we bring that to life and make sure that everything coordinates together? So we also sell sets for someone who's really struggling with that. It's like at the click of the button, you can buy the entire page house set to elevate and lay your room effortlessly. Like a designer.
- [22:26]
D
Yeah, yeah.
- [22:27]
C
You know, while we're talking about this, I'm like, thinking about my own home, and I'm like, I need a pedestal. I apparently need a pedestal. But how do you, like, you know, I think for most of us, we know that something's missing from a room. Like, it just feels like something's missing. But yeah, I think to your point, Caroline, how do you know where that corner is? Like, can you just, like, tell somebody? Like, just go stand in that corner.
- [22:53]
D
And like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Test it out. I want everyone listening right now to bring in a partner and just have them go stand somewhere with, like, something cool on their head and see if it brings you joy and makes you feel like, okay, that's it. That's what I've been missing. It's Just when the spaces feel like you've got art over here. I don't want anything to compete with this art.
- [23:26]
C
Right.
- [23:27]
D
I've got drapes over here. I've got. There's just this wall I don't know what to do with. I. So I have a blank wall in between our pantry and our bar. And it's like kind of in a corridor and. And it just felt like. I don't want it to be flat. I really want it to feel more of a vignette. And I. So I put one there as well. They're all over my house.
- [23:56]
C
How many.
- [23:57]
A
Yeah.
- [23:58]
B
How many dishes?
- [23:59]
D
I know it depends on the day. We're constantly flapping them out.
- [24:05]
E
Created a less heavy.
- [24:07]
D
Exactly. Product that we're carrying around. We both have standing appointments at our chiropractor because the kids. And pedestals. So yeah, there's just this one short wall that felt like if I put a piece of art there, it would just. Just okay. Hi. It just not be quite enough. Um, it wanted to feel like more depth there. Like it was more considered because it is a very high traffic pass through and pedestal is just not that, you know, that you could put a console table and a lamp. It felt a more interesting choice because. Yeah, we have console tables and other places with lamps on them. It felt like just. Oh, this is the perfect thing to just make it a more interesting walk. And it is so close to the kitchen as well. And it feels like it's more of the like casual. I, you know, play around with it with more pretty china. And you know, we. I sometimes have like a little plate stand for it if you. You know, it's a. Yeah.
- [25:23]
B
What's your favorite height one?
- [25:25]
D
Oh.
- [25:26]
A
Oh.
- [25:27]
B
Or do they all.
- [25:27]
D
How so for the trade we do offer and for anyone who really does inquire.
- [25:34]
E
We're.
- [25:35]
D
We want to accommodate everyone. We. But for the trade specifically, we always let them know we will do custom dimensions and sizing. And so we've gotten some pretty interesting.
- [25:49]
E
Large in width, not necessarily in height.
- [25:54]
B
What's the width? 30. 40.
- [25:56]
A
They would.
- [25:56]
B
They want a table.
- [25:57]
D
Yeah, they. They want a table big. They went big.
- [26:01]
E
But they sent us photos after and it was gorgeous. I mean they.
- [26:04]
D
It really took up this space that.
- [26:05]
E
They needed with this very large room. And the scale didn't look oversized in that room. You know. And so it was really awesome to create that and see how it looked in the finished space. We love when people share their spaces.
- [26:21]
D
I think ours are 40 and 42. That's the perfect Height for then putting like a nice size vessel on it. And then I keep referencing branches. That's my favorite thing to go pick in the backyard and bring inside. It feels like it's hard to get a great tree in your house. You know, this kind of is the placeholder for a tree. When you have something at that height and you have these big sprawling branches out of it, it feels really grand and nice and you don't have to.
- [26:52]
E
Worry about killing your tree and replacing.
- [26:55]
C
You don't need a grain though.
- [26:56]
E
I have several times.
- [26:57]
A
Yeah.
- [26:57]
B
Or an arrangement for a certain holiday.
- [27:00]
D
Exactly. It's.
- [27:01]
B
So now I'm wondering though, like. Okay, so heights of ceilings come in so many different. I'm sure that also changes the scale of which you are bringing. You're buying your height of yours. So if you have eight foot ceilings, would you maybe go for a shorter one versus like if you're ten foot.
- [27:16]
E
Have eight foot ceilings.
- [27:17]
A
Okay.
- [27:18]
B
And what's. Yeah, what's your favorite?
- [27:20]
E
I love the 42 inch, especially in my dining room. I actually have a very large piece of art that my father in law gave us.
- [27:26]
D
But I.
- [27:29]
E
It's not like my exact style. And I put two pedestals on either. In either corner kind of in front of it with vessels and it just kind of made it feel a little bit more hidden residential.
- [27:42]
A
Yeah.
- [27:43]
E
It made it feel like just more lived in. And I have some of our vessels on top and love selling it for the holidays and bringing in.
- [27:52]
D
It's a very graphic piece of art. So I think softening softened it with. Yeah, yeah. Some nature was really.
- [27:59]
B
Yeah.
- [28:01]
A
Okay.
- [28:01]
B
Sorry.
- [28:02]
A
I know you all have. Y' all both have kids, so obviously maybe this is not an issue. But I just picture like child running into it.
- [28:08]
D
Oh, that's the first thing my dad. Yes. Because he's protective of his grandkids. Yes.
- [28:16]
E
We.
- [28:16]
D
We've made them pretty sturdy, which again is why we. Our backs are hurting. And yeah, shipping them out is.
- [28:27]
E
Yeah, we've played around with the weight being in all different areas of the pedestal, like the middle, the top, the bottom. And so we've really tested that out in so many different ways and we're still continuing to improve upon our process like every day. But we've definitely. My children are very rambunctious.
- [28:49]
D
Mine know not to either.
- [28:51]
B
Yeah.
- [28:51]
E
So do mine.
- [28:53]
A
Don't go near the pedestal.
- [28:54]
D
Just with the like baby stroller like.
- [28:57]
E
Ramming into it, you know. So we've. We've tested them in our own homes.
- [29:03]
D
With our crazy children.
- [29:04]
A
I mean, I Figure, you know, if you've got several, then there probably.
- [29:08]
D
Yeah. Yes, we did consider that for sure. They are pretty. Pretty sturdy and. Yeah. Not unlike any other precious item in the house.
- [29:22]
A
Sure. Things get broken. I just. Yeah.
- [29:24]
D
I don't know. It's more of the big lampshades in my house that. That always seem to be a magnet for any ball that's being thrown. Mine is the.
- [29:36]
E
The marble, like, table top on, like an antique piece of furniture that slides. You know, that's been my biggest scare with my children.
- [29:44]
A
Yeah. That's. Purple's heavy.
- [29:46]
C
Yes.
- [29:46]
E
And when they not. I don't know.
- [29:48]
B
Yeah.
- [29:48]
E
We're trying to figure out how to secure this better.
- [29:51]
A
Yeah. Yeah. Well, I. I like. I like that you mentioned that height is so important. I remember when I moved into my very first apartment, my mom gave me that piece of advice. She. She told me, you need to have something at every level. And I always found that a really hard piece of advice to put into practice because you've got drapes. Okay. I guess you have. Yeah. You have wall art. At the time, I didn't really have that great of wall art, but maybe a. Maybe a tall bookcase, but you can't have more than one in a room. And so there was always sort of this. Everything's low to the ground, and how do you bring more stuff up and to. The pedestal is really kind of a perfect.
- [30:31]
D
Yeah. I just feel like it's a very. And this ties back to designers really understanding its impact and. And it not being something that was quite as accessible to others outside the industry. But I feel like it's just a very sophisticated way to highlight a space that may otherwise just feel like just not supported and kind of blank and like, you didn't care to, you know, acknowledge it was there.
- [31:04]
B
I feel like everyone has that in their house. Everyone has a place they have, like, surveyed friends and family be like, this is a weird spot. What do I do here? So it's a great answer.
- [31:14]
D
That really was the aha moment of just being like, okay, I thought I came to meet the baby, but you should paint that. You know, sparkly or. And yeah, it was always the same sort of just, like, space that felt it just deserved a little moment, little more like a second look. And like, have you tried a pedestal? And I would get kind of a blank stare. I'm like, okay, remember that for when you have time to develop something in that space.
- [31:46]
B
And we often talk about how every room needs something living. Like, so many people come through here and been like every room just craves that, whether or not it's cut, fresh florals, fresh branches, or if it is house plants, but any of those being brought up onto a surface where you can visually again see green, connect with nature, I think really it gives again that safe space that people are really craving in their homes and creating that whole like.
- [32:12]
D
Yeah, that is something we definitely were influenced by when we both lived in SoCal and, um, I got married in Santa Barbara. I love that, that spot so much. Um, so in la, when we were living there and I was working in the industry there, that was just the no brainer. It just you always had the sliding doors open. You always felt like the exterior was part of the interior. There was no, you know, differentiation. It just was. They worked in tandem together. And so that, that's huge for us to make every room feel like it has that same respect towards nature. And.
- [32:55]
A
Yeah. Yeah. We just shared on our YouTube a house tour with James Farmer. And he talks, he has a pair of, of columns on either side of a tabletop with just ferns. And I was so surprised by that because they literally were just ferns, but the, the act of elevating it up high and it's just on a white ionic column. Antique.
- [33:22]
D
It's beautiful. Yeah. Ferns are, you know, they are basic and loved. Beloved for a reason. They're so quirky with their shape and so, so dense and like such great texture. I.
- [33:39]
A
The color green is so vibrant.
- [33:41]
D
Yeah.
- [33:42]
A
And apparently the, the ferns also like being elevated up. I. It's good for their air circulation.
- [33:47]
D
Yeah. I guess that's why people hang them so much.
- [33:51]
B
That makes too much sense.
- [33:53]
A
So anyway, where I was going with this is that, you know, even if you don't quite know what to display on it yet.
- [34:00]
D
Sure.
- [34:00]
A
Maybe you haven't found just the right piece. Just start with a fern or a house plan.
- [34:03]
D
Oh.
- [34:04]
C
Oh, so easy.
- [34:05]
D
Absolutely. Yeah. If you, I mean, it's just one extra surface for your holiday decorating too. A little beautiful sparkly tree or just, you know, it's just a great, a great. It's dealer's choice. However you want to work with it that day, you know.
- [34:26]
A
So what are you going to do for the holidays? Did you do anything Halloweeny on it?
- [34:31]
D
Oh, yes. We put a pumpkin on it.
- [34:33]
A
Okay, okay. Okay.
- [34:34]
D
Just, just a little promo to say happy Halloween.
- [34:38]
A
And so then what, what, what would you do for, for Christmas?
- [34:41]
C
Gosh.
- [34:42]
D
What all have we done?
- [34:43]
E
We've tied like big velvet ribbons around the pedestal or the vessel and then done huge like branches with, like, some sparkly faux branches or berries.
- [34:58]
D
Yeah, it just fits right in with. We've done a lot of good promotions for it. Some of them were just to grab the attention. Maybe not quite so practical, but. Yeah. We mentioned earlier a big, beautiful compote with ornaments, if you're more subtle, and then just string some lights around it. Light her up.
- [35:27]
A
I love that. That's fun.
- [35:29]
C
What a wonderful way to just mark time in your family, too.
- [35:33]
D
I think so. I really was a little nostalgic the other day. My kids say the word pedestal all the time, and so they were just kind of. I think they were watching us ship some out. And anyway, they were just kind of playing around them. And I was like, it is. It is such a. Like, a piece that, of course, it's so sacred to us. But I think if you give it that spot in your home and you do constantly have a different version of it that excites them, that's a really special thing. And I hope that it sparks kind of a few memories. A new tradition with your family. Yeah, exactly. So it is. It's much more than just a. A box, as my dad lovingly called it in the beginning.
- [36:27]
A
You said it's just a box.
- [36:29]
D
Yeah. We were sitting on the beach, and I was working with a friend back in la, helping her kind of finish out her breakfast area. And I was like, oh, this corner feels a little blank. And are you wanting to add anything there? And so I was helping convince her that that's what it needed, a pedestal. And so I sent her a couple links. She was like, ah, these are so expensive. Are you kidding? And, like, actually, I have some, like, wallpaper left over. Maybe I can make one and ship it to you and that would be more affordable. And so my dad was sitting next to me and we were having cocktails and was like, would you be able to build this for me? And he was like, you're. I'm not following. A pedestal. Like, what are we talking about here? And so I really actually drew it out in, like, some, like, harder sand. And he was like, why are you complicating this? It's just a box. Like, what are you. What? Of course I can build a box if you just need, like, something like. Yeah. And I was like, okay, done. I'll figure out how to wallpaper it later. Um, so that was kind of the origin story of how. I mean, that was probably a year before we really started developing what it would eventually be. But, yeah, he calls it a bot, which.
- [37:55]
A
Yeah, I mean, he's not wrong and. But yeah, it. I love how you've turned that whole concept into sort of the concept for the brand and all of the other pieces in the line. It's very cool.
- [38:10]
D
We are so excited about creating more, turning, converting like the business into a brand that's just so important to us. We have what's called the column on our site, and it's a sartorial where we go inside of the homes of all of our friends and people we find inspiring and, you know, just do a little interview, take some beautiful pictures of their homes and, you know, kind of expand upon our creative needs. We just want to not be in a box. We really want to love what we do, and we love interior design, we love product design, but we just want to keep expanding our creative selves. And so that's so great. We want to collab with chefs and florists and just have a lot of crossover and be more multi hyphenate. And so that's. It's just been. It's so fun. I feel like it's work that comes from our hearts and not our heads. And it's just, it's great.
- [39:20]
C
I fell down the rabbit hole of that, that part of your website because it was. It was really fun and inspiring to see where these, these pieces and these accents can fit within so many different styles of homes. And. And then you end each interview with, okay, what are your favorite things to put on a pedestal?
- [39:41]
D
Yeah.
- [39:41]
C
And it was really, it was really.
- [39:43]
D
It feels like there's a lot of little nuggets that we can always kind of circle back to Castle. And it's just, we love supporting other creatives and, and really collaborating and building. We're not from Atlanta and really felt like we have to put ourselves out there and do the effort of really building this community. And so it's been a great way to do that. And I love to write as well. And I love seeing the real. The real homes of people who have kids. We don't want to make it look too perfect. We really want to make it look real and, like, beautifully messy and. Yeah. And you can still have these elevated moments. We want the kids to feel like they're. It's their home too. And this is not, you know, your grandmother's house where everything's so precious and you can't play and all of that. We want them to have the childhood they need to have, but then we want the house to have moments where are extra styled and elevated for us. You know, that kind of balance.
- [41:00]
A
All right, I think it's time for a design dilemma. Are y' all on board?
- [41:03]
D
Yes.
- [41:04]
A
Okay, great. I'll read it and then we can discuss.
- [41:08]
D
Hello.
- [41:08]
A
I'm a faithful listener. Thank you for your podcast. I've learned so much from your show. Thanks, Christina. I'm hoping you can share some wisdom on the. On this area of my home, my loft has become a bit of a decorating dilemma. I want to make it cozier and add some drama, especially since our home is tucked into the Minnesota woods. It definitely leans toward cabin lodge vibe. I originally went with blue tones, but the space feels kind of bland. The layout is also tricky because of the two intersecting doorways, which makes furniture placement a challenge. It's our main TV watching spot, but it's just me and my husband, so we don't need a ton of seating, just something that works well for us. What can I do to make the space feel cozier? Do you have any ideas for different furnishings that might work better in the space? Thank you for sharing your insights. I've included photos in a floor plan. Christina. Okay, she's got sort of this plaid rug, a comfy looking blue velvet corduroy, maybe sofa. The walls are sort of painted like a yellow. There's an exposed wood trim. And it is, yeah, it is definitely quite small, but, you know, enough room for a little love seat and a recliner.
- [42:17]
C
And it's a loft that's between the primary bedroom and the bathroom across the loft so that it does kind of intersect a whole bunch of.
- [42:29]
E
Sure.
- [42:30]
C
You have to keep a walkway small, but.
- [42:33]
D
But mighty. And I think being that it is right outside the primary, I immediately just feel like maybe this is an adult space. And I do think that I hear you on wanting to be comfy and having the cozy seating, but maybe the. The lounge chair becomes a little bit more of a sleeker. More. More.
- [43:04]
B
Maybe more structured. Okay.
- [43:06]
D
I don't want to sound.
- [43:07]
C
Yeah. Structured or tailored.
- [43:11]
D
A little bit more structured or tailored. You mentioned also adding some drama. So maybe this is an opportunity to do something antique. And maybe it's a beautiful chaise lounge with a gorgeous silhouette. Or maybe it's a beautiful chair that's skirted. I would say that it probably could go lighter being that the room is on the smaller side. I see your really cute doggy, and I'm sure he has a favorite spot. So I do think maybe if you are going lighter on the upholstery for both seating, air seating, then maybe you choose a nubbier fabric. I love. I love The. That you have a coordinated ottoman. I think that the ottoman could be switched out to something with legs and have a little bit extra. Curve to it.
- [44:18]
A
Maybe bigger, smaller. What. What size would you think?
- [44:21]
D
I wouldn't go too much bigger. I just would say that doing it feels like all of the upholstery is a little bulky and chunky. So like adding in some areas where the upholstery is attached to maybe just some pretty dainty iron legs or some legs that. Wood legs that flare out, that would really help make it feel like the space was more.
- [44:54]
E
Like more breathable. Less.
- [44:56]
D
Yeah, exactly.
- [44:58]
E
A little more movement and so that your eye can kind of see through and it's not hitting such big kind of like blocks of furniture.
- [45:05]
D
Yeah.
- [45:06]
C
What about wall color or wallpaper or.
- [45:09]
D
It'S way to kind of like it kind of runs into the downstairs that this wall. There's no break in it. So it feels like maybe the walls are white, but the lamp shades are casting a yellow hue. I don't know that it's an opportunity to wallpaper just because there are no breaks in the wall before the downstairs. So that maybe a huge wallpaper. The ceiling investment. But wallpapering the ceiling's a great. Yeah, that's. That's always a. A really good solution. Um, yeah, I think mostly it would be considering that the. All the upholstery and the seating area, the pieces feel like they're all from one kind of family. And making it feel like giving a little variation to like, maybe add a pretty print on the secondary chair skirting it. Like, even just a wide stripe or just, you know, doing something that speaks to the plaid on the rug would be great if it were a stripe version of that. And then I just think maybe Nancy Meyers it up and add some creams and really play off the tones of the. The rug and where you can add some ivory and ecru would make it feel a little bit lighter and more inviting. So if that's through the throw pillows or just a throw, that would. That would make a huge difference, I think.
- [46:59]
B
I think adding a pattern is great, because right now all she has is a bunch of mismatching blue upholstery. We're not seeing any wood in it. We're not seeing any metal. There's not a lot of mixed materials. It's either brown or it's these different shades of blue. So I'm with you. I think the either, like, sofa wise, I think you could do definitely an L. Like, if she can fit a small, like I know this might be too small, but she can find one with the longer one side, so she could extend a little because she looks like she has a sofa. But, I mean, behind the sofa, she has a little table. But if it's not. If she's not utilizing it for anything but, like, tchotchkes, like, get that space back and give it to more of your sofa space. And I definitely think some drapes and some, like, woven shades over this, like, one window. Cause I'm sure that's her only light up there.
- [47:49]
D
Sure.
- [47:49]
B
So she probably wants that. But, um, I think she needs some more colors in the furniture because.
- [47:55]
C
And texture.
- [47:56]
B
Yeah. Like, add. Like, your side table is adorable, but it's brown. Your other side table does look antique and. And rough, but it's brown. The other side table's blue, so all we have is blue and brown. So, like, maybe vary it up a little bit with something that's oak or a light oak or some metal finishes could potentially help.
- [48:16]
C
Yeah.
- [48:17]
D
Yeah. And I think if you could find a perfect antique sort of daybed that is still just as comfy as the lounge chair, it would.
- [48:29]
E
That's funny.
- [48:31]
D
Yeah. Just a beautiful, like, chaise lounge that's maybe, like, a little curved. Yeah. Would feel really nice and like a great companion to a more comfy, cozy sofa that they would kind of juxtapose one another instead of kind of feeling like the exact same thing, but in different sizes.
- [48:57]
A
I'm. I'm sort of thinking about this wall with the tv, and it seems like she. Because it's a small space, she's picked lots of small items. Um, you know, she's got sort of a media cabinet and then a little table next to it, and then a little table next to the sofa, and then a skinny table behind the sofa and a little table. I feel like she needs to do fewer things, but maybe bigger, just because in a small space, adding lots of little things kind of sometimes has the opposite effect.
- [49:29]
D
Exactly. And in a small space, people tend to kind of shove the furniture onto the perimeter. And I feel like maybe this is a case like that. And once you pull the furniture out and kind of re examine it, you're like, oh, the space is a lot bigger. I can do things that are floating a little bit more. And, yeah, I would say edit it down maybe where that wood table with the table lamp on it, you could do a pretty sculptural floor lamp instead if you have the other wood table. So, yeah. Kind of take everything out and reexamine the space and what fits?
- [50:13]
C
And then do you think instead of that little table next to the television, she needs a pedestal?
- [50:18]
A
Yes.
- [50:19]
D
I was hoping I wasn't going to be the one.
- [50:23]
B
Well, she has a plant sitting here.
- [50:25]
D
She has a wonderful plant.
- [50:26]
B
So she probably. She could just put that on a pedestal and like, Canada.
- [50:30]
D
Yeah.
- [50:30]
A
Well, it's. It's almost like if you're gonna. If you're gonna do less items, each item needs to be really special. So pick, like, one long console that's, like, really great to put under the tv. And, you know, if she's gonna upgrade her. Her sofa or do something there, like make that a moment and then a really great chair, and then she can kind of take away some of the other little stuff.
- [50:54]
D
Exactly.
- [50:55]
A
The other thing I was thinking about is she has all of these little pieces of art. Maybe Christina putting all of the little pieces of art together on one wall to make them.
- [51:05]
C
1. Feel like one bigger collection. Exactly.
- [51:09]
A
Suzanne Kasar always does this where you've got these little.
- [51:12]
C
And it always looks so good.
- [51:13]
A
It always looks so good. You've got all of these little pendants. So you obviously collect these little pendants. Put them all together. Don't split them up.
- [51:20]
C
Her accessories for, like, the cabin vibe are spot on.
- [51:24]
B
She's got skis on the wall. Like, she's got a Ralph Lauren mountain house vibe she can definitely pull off here.
- [51:31]
A
Yeah, yeah.
- [51:32]
B
The other thing I kind of thought about, because it looks like it's about 11ft, she has for the window wall, she could. If she could get, like, if all they're doing is watching TV up here, girl, get yourself the biggest sofa you can fit. Put it up there and shove the TV over by the stairs. Like, can you make it work for you so that you could have this big, like, loungey sofa for you and your husband so you can both get horizontal and get yourself a big coffee table so you can have dinner up there, too, when you want to watch your own tv, however you live.
- [52:03]
A
And maybe I don't scream while you're in. Okay. If she were to. If she were to put the sofa underneath the window. That's what you're proposing, right?
- [52:12]
D
Yes.
- [52:13]
A
So then the TV would need to go where the railing is. Correct. So what does that. Do you put that on the wall with a. Like, do you put it on a.
- [52:24]
B
Yeah, it could be that based on the TV size. But I was even thinking you just put it on a console, but it totally depends. Or on an easel. Yeah, they have this cool easel, and I don't know again how much you can see from downstairs, it might end up.
- [52:36]
E
That's not an option.
- [52:37]
B
She probably like, no, I'll be looking at the back of the tele. But I do feel like if I was trying to maximize this little space and this is our hangout and all we do is.
- [52:46]
A
But she only needs two seating spots.
- [52:50]
B
I hear you, but I also want to get horizontal on this.
- [52:52]
A
Yeah, yeah, that's fair.
- [52:53]
B
I don't want to sit.
- [52:54]
A
I don't sit. I lay.
- [52:57]
B
And right now, they can't lay on the same. Like, one of them is on this little sofa, and then one's in this chair.
- [53:01]
A
At least they like it that way.
- [53:03]
B
Maybe they like it, but if they just got a big sofa, I can relate to that.
- [53:07]
A
Sometimes you can go there and let me have my. Yeah.
- [53:10]
B
Christina's actually being like, absolutely not. We like our separate sitting spots. Don't even pretend.
- [53:16]
A
Yeah.
- [53:17]
B
So maybe that's the case. That was just another thing I had thought of. Like, if. If she really wanted to, like, max out, make that whole window side just like, put your big sofa, put your art all around.
- [53:28]
A
Play. I would get up there and play with the layout and just move stuff around until you feel like it's.
- [53:33]
D
Yeah. Throw it all in your primary bath or bedroom and just look at it empty and see what ideas pop up.
- [53:45]
A
I will say I always. I love to think about what is the focal point. And when I'm walking up the stairs, I want something on the back wall.
- [53:53]
D
To be kind of your. You know what?
- [53:55]
C
That's a great point.
- [53:56]
A
Wow. So is it like a valent? Is this a great fabric on a Roman shade? Is it something pendant?
- [54:02]
B
Some. Two pedestals.
- [54:05]
D
I initially went to that exact thought and thought that TV should be where the sofa is and the sofa be and just flip that. If that were an easy, quick solution. Just because.
- [54:20]
B
Side of a sofa.
- [54:21]
D
If you recover that in a beautiful, nubby, beige, grayish situation and, you know, style it a little bit more thoughtfully, then that could be just something really pretty view as you're coming up the stairs. Coming up the stairs. And then I think that also gives you a little bit more room on the other side where the chair is that back wall, you could have a bigger, prettier, like I mentioned, a day bed or something more sculptural, more shapely over there. If you kind of flipped the TV to be on the wall that's sharing with the primary bath.
- [55:06]
A
Okay.
- [55:07]
D
Instead of having the back of the chair right as you come up the.
- [55:12]
E
Stairs.
- [55:16]
B
I she did say like she does ask specifically. Like again, small space. And the good thing about a daybed is you might be able to get some great storage under there as well as if you did an ottoman. That was a storage ottoman.
- [55:29]
D
Yeah.
- [55:29]
B
That's a great. Another way if you put your tele. A console that you could even fit some little stools under like the French ones you guys sell. Or we have some to some cute little stools. That way you could have a few more seating options if that's something you're looking for. And then I definitely feel like drapes would really help. She did say she wanted it cozier. She said, what can I do to make this cozy? And this to me feels pretty cozy.
- [55:54]
D
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [55:55]
B
So I'm like, I feel like if anything it's more fabric.
- [56:00]
D
Yeah. I think less items give a little more space to the items. Don't just push em right up against the wall. And some reupholstery could go a really long way.
- [56:16]
A
Yeah.
- [56:16]
D
Adding a few more materials like metal or wood, I guess she has plenty of wood on the trim. But you know, adding a few more mixed materials. Mixed materials would be. Have a lot of impact, so. But the dog is very, very cute. I know.
- [56:40]
C
I'm sure this is a really cozy spot. And.
- [56:46]
B
That one chair is hit.
- [56:48]
D
He's not getting that.
- [56:49]
B
Yeah.
- [56:49]
D
I am thinking of the chaise lounge just for him and seeing him really perched.
- [56:54]
B
Yeah, he's king. He's king of this.
- [56:57]
D
People.
- [56:57]
A
You know, guys don't want to get rid of their recliner. I will say we have some good looking recliners. I mean, there's nothing wrong with this recliner. Right. But people look at.
- [57:07]
B
It's like a fan.
- [57:08]
A
It looks like a recliner. We have some like sneaky recliners.
- [57:11]
D
Look like chairs, but if they're maybe skirted or a little bit tighter of a upholstery. Upholstery.
- [57:22]
A
But we do sympathize, Christina, because some sometimes they just. They're not going to get rid of their chair. Yeah. You know, you know, what is that chair? Wait, wasn't there a Friends episode about the chair?
- [57:31]
D
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [57:33]
B
So, you know, we've had quite a few dilemmas. If Chris, if Christina. There's been a lot that I've been like, my husband will get rid of this chair.
- [57:40]
D
Yeah.
- [57:41]
B
And you're like, yeah, we know.
- [57:44]
E
Yeah.
- [57:45]
B
That's why we made this pretty well.
- [57:48]
D
Exactly.
- [57:50]
A
All right, good luck, Christina. Thank you. Thank you so much for listening to the show, truly. And stay warm up there in Minnesota.
- [57:57]
B
I know.
- [57:58]
D
Yeah.
- [57:59]
A
Well, thank you for chatting with us. Yes.
- [58:02]
E
Thank you for having us.
- [58:04]
A
So fun to get to, you know, dive into your website.
- [58:07]
E
And.
- [58:08]
A
And I know we're all thinking of where in our house we're gonna put our pedestal.
- [58:14]
B
Yeah.
- [58:14]
E
Well, we also recently signed up. We were just blown away by the founder of Tald T A L D. So we've started offering kind of like an online book, an hour or 30 minutes with us to help, like, show you how we would style your space even with our product. So it's just a nice kind of like, entry point where someone could access us on a more personal level of how we think that they should use the pedestal in the space. So that's also like another opportunity that we're offering customers and love getting to know people and meeting new people and helping them elevate their homes.
- [58:54]
A
Yeah, yeah. Amazing. Well, can you tell everyone where they can find and follow you and see your work? Me.
- [59:03]
D
She'S.
- [59:07]
E
So our website is pagehousestudio.com that is where all of our products can be purchased. We also have a trade program. We have just been blown away by the support from the trade and just have been so embraced by them and are so grateful. And so we offered really great trade program for them with custom sizes, sampling, and then on Instagram, it's Page House Studio and Pinterest and Facebook, all the things.
- [59:38]
A
So, yeah, well, thanks for coming by. Thanks. Yes.
- [59:43]
D
This was great.
- [59:44]
A
Lovely.
- [59:44]
D
Thank you, guys.
- [59:47]
A
And that's our show. You can find all of the show notes on our blog howtodecorate.com podcast to.
- [59:52]
B
Send in a decorating dilemma, email your questions to podcastallarddesigns.net so we can help.
- [59:57]
A
You with your space. And of course, be sure to follow us on social media at Ballard Designs.
- [60:01]
C
Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. And please leave us a review. We'd love to hear your feedback.
- [60:08]
A
Until next time, Happy decorating.