Before…

Some of my favorite changes to this space are the fire place and rustic mantel.  I also like the half walls and how they help define the living room.  The wood on the top of these walls, along with the mantel, is made from repurposed wood that was found on the property.   Lastly, I love how the white washed ceiling lightens up the space while still showcasing the beams and wood grain.  Click on the after photo to get a better look at these details.

   After…

Because I love design and creating spaces I am always tweaking the space a little bit here and there.  My next addition will be a new coffee table and a couple of chairs.  I’m saving my pennies and keeping my eye out for the perfect pieces.  What is your favorite change?

Number 5 and 6 are DIY projects just in case you want one of your own.  Just click on the link below for the step-by-step guide.

1. Hanging Air Plant Pod by Mudpuppy  2. Grow Bag by Martino d’Esposito  3. Kelly Lamb Planters from The General Store   4. Hanging Circle Pots by Annette Goliti Gutierrez  5.  Brick Succulent Planter from Ready Made  6.   Modern Cement Planter from Apartment Therapy  7. Nature Planter from Design Night   8. Hanging Planter by Walter  9. Wall Planter by Walter

To keep it simple, try some new fabric on a throw pillow or some spray paint for an item that needs a fresh look and viola, spring has sprung! 

As the saying goes, a little goes a long way…

1. Hanging chair at INDECORA   2. Neon bowls by Maison Sauvage   3. Hot pink letters from the New York Times   4. Claw foot tub  from Design Sponge   5. Linen rabbit pillows by Lala Label  6.DIY painted  Yellow chair

No more indoor fake roof! Well….actually no walls to speak of either.

This used to be the bar. Look what we found behind the mirrors…

kitchen…

this is what happened to the lighting…

and the mural…

Out with the old and in with the new! Well…out with the old at least.  More updates to come.

Süda – 3910 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95062. Coming in April 2012.

A couple of existing design feature to take note of…ceramic tile roof (INDOORS!), interrogation lighting, blue popcorn ceiling, non-structural beams (EVERYWHERE!)…

…mural, rotted out wooden flooring in the center of a concrete floor, and yes, more beams…

….striped partition, mixed flooring (tile, concrete, and wood), AND what do you know….MORE BEAMS!

Some of you locals may recognize this spot and remember it fondly.  We are hard at work to create a beautiful new space where you are sure to make many new memories. Stay tuned!

Süda – 3910 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

OPENING IN APRIL!

Guess who is designing your new favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz???? That’s right, Michelle and I have been hard at work creating a beautiful new space in Pleasure Point.  Süda is opening in April at 3910 Portola Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95062.  Stay tuned for further details. We will be sharing the transformation in the weeks to come.

1.  Doily Lamp from More Design Please

2. Wall collage from Pottery Barn

3.  Buffalo China from William Sonoma

4.  Wood bowls by Marvin’s Obelisks at Morning Glory Hill Greenhouse

5.  Jo Malone candle and fragrances from Jo Malone

6.  Graphite Pouf from Cb2

7.  Found heart shaped rocks  Photo by Suzanne Duda

8.  Industrial pendant lighting from Barn Light Electric Co.

9.  Rope bins from Serena & Lily

10.  Succulent tables from Five Feet From the Moon

I came across this great post this morning on 9 important steps to hiring a subcontractor from Michelle at 4 Men 1 Lady.  If you are working with Wright Wagner Design fortunately we handle all the headaches of subcontractors for you. If you are managing your home improvement project on your own check out the 9 great tips below on how to not get burned.

I personally cannot stress the importance of 6. Put it in Writing ENOUGH!  If your subcontractor provides a contract READ IT CAREFULLY! Be sure you understand all the exclusions and don’t be afraid to ask for changes.  If your subcontractor’s contract does not include the information you desire or if he/she does not provide one, create your own.  No job is too small to put it in writing!  Don’t be scared if legalese is not your first language.  Just put all the pertinent information (scope of work, deliverables, deadlines, payment schedule, penalties, etc) on paper in plain English.

Here are Michelle’s great tips:

How to hire the right sub contractor.

1. Ask around.

Inquire with your friends, family and co-workers if they have any contacts for a great plumber. They may say, “I know a great plumber, but…” The minute that “but” comes out of their mouth, move on. Any reservations are definite red flags and will come back to bite ya.

2. Interview several candidates in person.
I normally interview no less than three of each trade. Make sure all decision makers are present for the interview. Don’t go with someone just because they were highly recommended.  We did that and regret it.

3. Ask a lot of questions.
Ask about turn around time, money, how long they’ve been in the business, quiz them about the job itself. You will quickly get a sense for their skill level and knowledge. Also, make sure to ask if they are licensed, if not, you have no repercussion if they mess up.

4. Find out who will be doing the work.
Let’s say you’re interviewing a hardwood floor installer.  You may think they’re the ones who will be doing the job.  However, come Monday his crew shows up and starts working.  The person you interviewed is no where to be found.  You thought you hired him but instead he sent his crew (who are complete strangers in your house all day long).  Be clear about who will be doing the work.  Inquire about how experienced his crew is and what he will do if their work is not to your satisfaction.

5. Check their references and check their work.
No matter what kind of story they give you do not skip over this step. Ask if they can meet you at their past job sites to show you their work. Ask for before and after pictures. Make sure to get at least three references. When you call the references ask questions such as…
a. When did JOE PAINTER work for you?
b. Was he reliable…did he deliver on what he promised?
c. Were you pleased with his work?
d. Is there anything you didn’t like about the job he did?
e. Did he have a crew with him and how did they perform?
f. Did the project go over the budget originally quoted?
g. Did the job take longer than he said he would?

6. Put it in writing.
Once you agree on sub and the job, draw up a contract which includes all the terms. Put in a “no show” clause meaning if the sub doesn’t show up on the day they said then you will deduct $100.00 (for example) off their pay. You can also draw up the terms where if they don’t finish the job to your satisfaction on the date agreed upon then “X” amount will be deducted from their pay per day. 

7. Think hard before hiring family members.
So you have a family member who offers to be your painter. If you’ve ever done any type of remodeling you know that RARELY does it go according to plan. You, as the customer, are emotionally and financially invested in the project. If that family member messes it up or doesn’t perform to your standards, your relationship goes out the window, and you end up resenting them for a long time. It’s just not worth it. Just decide up front to make it your policy not to hire family so not to potentially jeopardize relationships.” (R.M., I’m not referring to you…:).

8. Follow your instincts.
Life is funny. We all have a built in sense about people. It’s that little feeling in your gut that tells you right from wrong. Don’t dismiss that feeling no matter how trivial your reasoning may be. I didn’t do this with a drywaller we hired and we ended up paying for it in time and money (and we’re still searching for the heat ducts he drywalled over).

9. Babysit.
Your standards are not their standards.  After one guy botched a job in our house along with giving us a long list of broken promises I first went Jeff Lewis on him.  Then, I stood over his shoulder and watched him do the entire job over and corrected him as he went.  Oh yes, I did.  Sometimes that’s what you’ve got to do to ensure the job gets done right.

Posted by Michelle (4 Men 1 Lady) at 11:33 AM

Well…..as luck would have it, last week Santa Cruz had an unprecedented wind storm that left my yard looking like this!

So, I rummaged through this pile and found a branch roughly the size of my wood stove and drug it into the house.

I got some Gardening Twine from Ace Hardware ($2.50 for 147 ft).

A couple of loops and knots and in about 15 minutes I had a brand new holiday mantle….

Stocking hung by the fire with care…..

Happy Holidays!

I used some heavy fabric liner I had left over from another project to make a pattern.  Any old cardboard would work just fine.

Trace the pattern onto the backside of your fabric and cut it out.  Don’t forget to flip the pattern over when you trace the second one or the foot part of the stocking will point in opposite directions.  And…YES…I learned this the hard way…DUH!

Pin down the top edge of both sides and stitch in a hem so that the raw edge is not exposed.

Create a loop for hanging and stitch it to one side.

Pin both side together (inside out) stitch all the around the edge.

Remove pins, turn the whole thing inside right, and presto, HOLIDAY STOCKING!

REPEAT!