When talking with homeowners about their new design projects, we find that their needs are as unique as that person. In this instance, our client had recently closed on a second home in Palm Valley, Texas. Originally from South Carolina, he frequently travels back and forth for work and wanted the home to be furnished quickly because he desperately needed “somewhere to sit and sleep.”

Not only is the house empty part of the time, the homeowner was thinking about renting it out when he isn’t in residence. This meant that it would serve a dual purpose. He wanted it to look and feel like “home” not only for himself, but for others who might spend time there.

We spoke about which rooms he wanted to focus on most and it was decided that the living/dining area and master bedroom were the most important areas for comfort and respite from traveling. He is a small business owner and his focus was mainly on his clients. Shopping for furniture felt like a distraction and a second job. Finding someone he could trust to pull it all together was important to him and lifted a weight off his shoulders.

We decided to keep the design simple yet homey. To furnish a second home that will be used as a rental it is best to keep accessories and furnishings to a minimum for investment. Yet you also want it to feel welcoming and stylish. You want to love being there and to draw people in and make it a place where they would like to spend time. It’s a balance between the needs of the person living there and those who will use it for short periods.

Before we began, the homeowner had ordered basic furniture for the master bedroom, dining room, and living area. Our goal was to fill in with the finishing touches and make it feel like an oasis. To that end we chose furnishings and accessories in a mix of modern and traditional styles.

The previous owners had left the house in excellent condition and the walls did not need paint. For the master bedroom, we based the color palette on the persimmon colored walls left by the previous owners and suggested solid colored bedding in tones of gray and matching persimmon.

Keeping the bedding in solid colors instead of prints is classic and the homeowner would not have to worry that it would go out of style quickly. We also added taupe table lamps on the bedside table that would blend in but not match. For interest, and to fill a corner near the window, we placed a traditional moth gray wing chair with an ikat pattern embroidered throw pillow, a modern copper and glass floor lamp, and a small hand-carved teak wood table to create an inviting reading area.

The living area had only a neutral oatmeal colored sofa and a rustic style dining table. The open space had the basics for sitting down to eat (or in our client’s case…working) and TV watching. All that was lacking were the finishing touches to make it feel more like home.

The first thing we chose for the space was a multi-colored area rug in grays, pinks, oranges, and yellows. The area rug was neutral enough in style to feel timeless, yet had modern touches of color on which to base the rest of the palette.

A matching side table and large black-stained wood coffee table finished out the seating area. We also placed an oversized table lamp, and multiple accessories to fill in the spaces. Colorful wall art, new covers for the sofa pillows, and soft throw blankets add warmth and color.

For function and personality, we brought in a circular wine rack that fit perfectly over the rustic but traditional style demilune table in the dining area. This holds our client’s collection of Hill Country wines that he had purchased on a recent trip.

When you don’t have the time to do it all yourself, consider hiring an interior designer or decorator to take care of the details for you. It’s what we do every day and we have the resources to find things quickly. Finding someone who will take the time to listen to your needs and plan a design that’s perfect for you is priceless.

Our client felt relieved that he had someone who could take care of all the little details so he could focus on running his business. All he had to do was approve the list of furnishings and accessories that we provided. Install day was a quick transformation from an essentially empty room to one that has color, personality, and warmth.

The homeowner ran errands while we moved everything in. When he arrived back home, he was completely taken by surprise at how different his home looked and felt. His exact words were, “Wow! What a difference!” To see more photos of this project CLICK HERE.

Without the finishing touches that area rugs and accessories bring to a space, our client would have been left with an echo walking through from the hard floors. The color and comfort that new pillow covers and throw blankets provide made a utilitarian sofa feel like an inviting place to relax at the end of the day. The homeowner would have had to spend hours shopping on weekends and instead can spend that time relaxing with family.

Many people want a beautifully furnished home, but don’t have time to figure out every small detail. Christina Rodriguez of Diva by Design guides you through the process of creating a perfectly planned, personalized, and pulled together space. This way you can relax stress-free in your fully finished home or office. Let us take care of the details so you don’t have to!

CLICK HERE to contact Diva by Design to talk about your new interior design or decorating project.