When I am getting ready to start a design project I am always thinking how I am going to start layering the different materials within my project. I want to make sure that I am creating something unique and interesting within the space. Dark colors, mixed metals, stone, and reclaimed wood are some of my favorite materials and I knew that this home was going to have an element of each.

The first design element that kicked off the entire process was the color Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore. I saw this color last year and fell in love with it! It is bold and when you see it in person it is a real statement piece. I immediately knew that I wanted to paint the doors, trim, and have the island in the kitchen all in this color. I like that I could carry it throughout the home and have a piece of it everywhere. This color is made up of black, brown, and a gray mixture that gives it a very unique bold look. We are so accustomed to seeing white trim and doors in homes, so when you see a color like this it makes you stop. Doors and trim that are normally forgotten or not noticed now stand out. If you want your home to really pop look into dark trim, it is something that I have seen more and more of and I have fallen in love with it.

Next I wanted to find hardware options for the doors and light fixtures that were like nothing many people have seen before. I knew the one company to turn to was Buster and Punch. I discovered them 9 years ago and have been following their growth for years now. They originated in London and have recently come to the US just a few years ago. I knew this was going to be my mixed metal that I was going to add to the home. I wanted to have brass and matte black metal throughout the home for the doors, cabinet hardware, and lighting. Buster and Punch is a designer line that will make small elements inside the home become focal points.

Now that I had my metal finishes chosen I was ready to find my reclaimed wood option. For years I have been using Stikwood products and I knew this would be a great reclaimed product to use throughout the home. I wanted it to be a prominent design element in the home. I have always had the idea of doing an entire hallway out of the product. Since our living room wall flows right into our hallway this would be a great place to try my idea.. I have never seen this done before and I was willing to take the risk. With the dark trim I also knew this would be an opportunity to layer these materials and have them really stand out. Stikwood gave us a new style that has not been released yet. When I received the material I was blown away by the movement and uniqueness the product has. When you run your hand over the product you can feel that is not perfectly flat and gives it dimension that flows into your home. It is like a quarter sawn wood floor where you get much more character in the wood for a unique finished product.

I want you to pay attention to the the difference the black trim makes compared to the white you see above here. This is just a primed pine currently and when it is painted black you will see how much more bold the trim becomes and how it stands out against the wood.

The trim is painted black now and it is a game changer when you see the contrast with the Stikwood. The black enhances the wood and it gives it more of a punch!

One of the last elements of layering in our design is the tile flooring that has been chosen. Walker Zanger has very unique tile designs that really allow your home to stand out. Since I knew that I had reclaimed wood, black trim, and brass fixtures I wanted to find a stone that created another element of uniqueness. I went with a hexagon tile that comes in 3 different styles. A gray, black, and white Carrara with inlayed steel were the options I chose for the entrance. As soon as you walk into the home you have a very unique pattern with the tile being laid in a haphazard style and inlayed into wood floors. The color pallet of earth tones is carried throughout the home and you will see it every design element that is scattered throughout the home.