If you’re here for the first time, welcome! I’m Jana Bek, an Ann Arbor, Michigan based interior designer with a lifestyle line of home décor, textiles, & lighting. I have a love for bright colors, bold prints, and designing spaces & home décor that help transport you to your dream destination.

I’m so excited to share our refreshed living room reveal with you today! My motivation to update the space was our need for additional seating, especially since COVID has had the family mostly at home this year. In the photos below, you can see how much area between the living room and kitchen went unused.

In updating the room, I wanted to go bold with colors and patterns, and I “shopped our home” for all of the fun art and decor to pull the things together. I also had curtains made to replace the odd roman shade. For more insights behind the planning process, head to last week’s post here.  

Two pieces from two of my go-to art sources (Artfully Walls and Bridgette Thorton), perk up the lead-in wall to the living room. Our cornflower twist lamp “talks” to the  graphic Schumacher wallpaper in such a happy way.

Twist Lamp / Floral Art / Abstract Art

The two key pieces that were integral to transforming the space were the stunning Panthera rug, and elegant Milly sectional. The rug increased the width of the living space by 6’, enabling us to add both a small sofa that borders the kitchen, and the new larger, curved sectional sofa. Now we can comfortably seat seven people, whereas before, even four felt pretty tight. For everyone out there with an open floor plan, from big to small, it’s really the rug that builds the foundation for the space!

Sectional / Rug / Artwork / Lamp / Coffee Table (similar) / Fabric / Olive Pillow / Tibet Pillow

How sensational is this Panthera rug? It’s even more gorgeous in person! I’ve always wanted to incorporate an animal print rug into our home, but they can tend to overwhelm a space. The subtle chocolate on cream pairing is such an elegant take on a panther pattern, and it’s available with a built-in rug pad to boot! 

The Milly sectional is just as comfortable as it is beautiful, and cleaning up the occasional spill is a dream! After ordering five white performance swatches from Frontgate, my husband and I landed on the Sunbrella Linville linen. We love our last sofa (it’s headed to our lower-level media room), but the sectional is almost 2’ wider so it’s much more spacious for family lounging and entertaining.

Artwork / Lamp / Coffee Table (similar) / Side Table / Fabric

Speaking of new, I’m so excited to share our Jana Bek New Moon lamp! I was inspired by earrings I spotted on the host of the Spanish version of “Nailed It” for the shape (isn’t it amazing where you can find inspiration?). It took almost sixth months for us to get it right, and I’m so happy with its sculptural design!

New Moon Lamp / Olive Pillow / Tibet Pillow

More of my favorite art really amps of the space. The graphic Arte Maison circle series, and a little square nugget from Gina Julian, replace the television that we rarely used. Our champion lamp rounds out the vignette and adds necessary illumination in these dark fall evenings.

Art Series / Lamp / Mini Art / Brushstroke Jar

The space feels so happy and vibrant now, and our family is delighted with result. I’m so looking forward to finally hosting some small family holiday celebrations in this happy room!

A special thanks to Marta Perez for her beautiful photography, and University Flower Shop for their stunning floral arrangements! The paint color is Cornforth White by Farrow and Ball.

For additional inspiration, follow me on INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST!

If you’re here for the first time, welcome! I’m Jana Bek, an Ann Arbor, Michigan based interior designer with a lifestyle line of home décor, textiles, & lighting. I have a love for bright colors, bold prints, and designing spaces & home décor that help transport you to your dream destination.

This fall I decided to refresh our living room. I’ve always loved the design, but it lacked seating; especially since COVID has had the family mostly at home this year.

The constraint was our rug. When I first designed the space I was sure that any rug would prevent the adjacent French doors from opening. I also feared that extending the rug in front of the doors would look awkward. After years of living with a smaller rug, I finally realized how much it was impacting the space. In the photos below, you can see how much space between the living area and kitchen was not being utilized. After triple checking the measurements, I was confident that a larger rug would enable us to increase our living space by 6’ in width, plenty of room for additional seating that would border the kitchen. So, the hunt for lower profile rug options commenced!

Annie Selke is one of my favorite sources for beautiful and durable rugs (this will be our third from them), so when I discovered their new Panthera rug, a natural-hued take on a panther print, I crossed my fingers that it would work as the foundation for the room refresh. After ordering a sample, I was thrilled to see that it was just thin enough (even with its built-in rug pad!) to fit under the doors upon opening. Always order a rug sample, or the smallest size available, to review before purchasing the larger size you need. Then, if it doesn’t work out, you aren’t tasked with returning a massive, bulky package.

With the rug solution at hand, I delved into finding a larger sofa that would more comfortably fit three.

Another item on my design “wish-list” has been a curved sofa, I love how they soften up any space. There are many options out there these days, but I always opt for performance fabrics (that’s why our other white sofa has stayed white for 10+ years)! Low and behold, Frontgate recently launched two curved sofa options and they have one of the best selections of performance fabrics in the game! Usually the Milly sofa would have been my pick, but I decided to go with the sectional option, because I knew it would serve for family lounging better. Great design needs to be functional and beautiful.

My design approach is to start with beautiful, neutral hero pieces, then to layer on the color and pattern with exciting art and accents. I’ll be “shopping” our home for the remaining pieces to punch up the space, here’s a round-up of a few items that I know will be making the cut!

Artwork / Lamp / Coffee Table (similar) / Side Table / Fabric / Pillow

The space coming together beautifully, and I can’t wait to share the reveal with you next week!

For interim inspiration, follow me on INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST!

In recent years I’ve fallen in love with creating flower arrangements. Whether it’s to add an extra layer of love for house guests, or simply because I spy the most beautiful peonies at Trader Joes, I find it so relaxing to try my hand at making an artful arrangement. 

I’ve learned a few things over the years, but I know I’m no expert! So when I need the help of professionals, my go-to local source is the University Flower Shop. Their team of talented women craft unique and truly inspired arrangements!

I recently worked with them on the florals for my One Room Challenge. My plans, coupled with their creativity and thoughtful insights, resulted in arrangements I would have never dreamed up! They were the perfect finishing touches for my dining room. 

I learned so much in collaborating with them, and I’m excited to share my tips on how to work with your local florist to ensure you get the right look while staying on budget and on time for your event. 

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one

First, reach out to your florist a few weeks in advance to ensure they can accommodate your timing, especially in light of COVID. Giving extra time is also important during the busy holiday and event seasons.

two

Email photos of the space along with dimensions of the vessel(s) you’re planning on using, and dimensions of the furniture your arrangement(s) will be placed on.

three

Send any additional information or inspirational imagery you may have. The more specific you are, the more they can understand your vision. For me, this also included a description of the feel I wanted to achieve in my dining room. My descriptors were romantic, ethereal, and with a nod to nature. 

four

Send a budget (or range) if you have one. 

five

If you able to, give your vessel(s) to your florist as soon as you can. After I provided my floral shop with the above details, I dropped off my gorgeous new vert vases so they could work with them as needed.

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This little bit of prep work led to the best floral experience I’ve ever had!

Here is what I sent them (what a sensational dining room by Suzanne Kasler, right?):

Dani, the owner, and Clare, another expert floral designer, pulled inspiration that was so much more exciting than what I had sourced.

Here’s what they dreamed up:

Their options were exactly in-tune with the aesthetic I was hoping to achieve. After consulting with Clare, it was like a light bulb went off. My initial ideas for the peonies could read as heavy and would take away from the ease of the space, whereas their arrangements had had an effortless lightness that was beautifully airy and romantic. After we settled on the cost, they were off a-running.

Their service blew me away. I was set to pick up the flowers the day before our shoot, and Clare texted me photos of the first arrangement that morning for my feedback. We then had a quick face-time and I suggested some tweaks, we finalized the budget, and they wrapped up the arrangements. Even better, the exchanges actually resulted in me paying a third less than the initial budget I gave them!

The first photo that Clare messaged me was stunning, but we realized (given the face-time check-in), that pared-down arrangements would be a better fit in size, so these were what we moved forward with:

And here is the end result from the shoot, I could not have been happier!

The process may sound tedious, but the extra effort is so worth it! A little planning will help you maximize your budget, get the exact right look for the occasion, and in my experience, it turned what could have been a stressful last detail, into incredible fun!

I hope you find these tips helpful, and stay tuned as we are going to craft a follow-up this post on how to best source flowers from your local grocer, and how to make them last!

Located in Ann Arbor?

If you’re located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I highly recommend checking out University Flower Shop. Their florists create truly one-of-a-kind arrangements that are tailored to your vision and event.

VISIT THE SHOP

If you’re here for the first time, welcome! I’m Jana Bek, an Ann Arbor, Michigan based interior designer with a lifestyle line of home DÉCOR, TEXTILES, & LIGHTING. I have a love for bright colors, bold prints, and designing spaces & home décor that help transport you to your dream destination.

I’m so excited to be included in my tenth season of ONE ROOM CHALLENGE (ORC)! If you are new to ORC, this “competition” is merely against yourself to transform a room in your home at top speed. Everyone ends up a winner, and if you’re participating this season, I wish you the best of luck in working towards your reveal!

As a refresher, this season I’m designing our dining room for my ORC, you can catch up on all the reasons why in WEEK’S 1 POST.

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Our family is delighted with the transformation, and it really makes my heart happy, because they all played a big part in it coming together! My oldest son, Zeb, lead the effort with hanging our stunning Serenity chandelier, and my hubs and I hung the grasscloth together. The boys were away for the final stretch of us pulling everything together so, when they arrived home and exclaimed how much it was transformed, it made me so happy!

Is there anything better than design compliments from 19 and 21 year old young men? I’ve decided there is not. 

We cannot wait to have company over! It finally feels like a warm, inviting space that you want to stay and linger in. I also wanted room to feel romantic, and by playing up the green accents, I feel like I struck a balance of romance without it feeling too feminine. 

The chandelier was integral in adding drama to the room, and the alabaster petals add the fresh elegance I was looking for.

One of my biggest challenges was figuring out how to bring warmth into this space while highlighting the natural light that comes in from our windows. I chose to pair a beautifully textured grasscloth wallpaper with a screened mirror in the darkest corner of the room to capture the light the large round mirror brings in. I’m thrilled with how much light this brings to the dining room, and throughout our home!

The table setting is what brings everything to life! The strawberry pattern on our china pops against the sage and blush linens and emerald vases. And to complete the ambiance, I brought in gorgeous floral arrangements by the talented team at University Flower shop, and I am excited to feature them here, in the coming weeks! Their designs are so inspiring, and the ladies behind the arrangements are so knowledgeable and creative, it’s always a delight to partner with them!    

Thank you for following along on my ORC! We’re really looking forward to when we can comfortably invite over friends and family to enjoy the space together. Spending so much time at home has me rethinking other rooms, and some subtle updates have my wheels turning. So, stay tuned for other updates, and for interim inspiration, follow me on INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST!