BROOKLYN BOUND - A 1200 SQUARE FOOT DUMBO LOFT GETS A $100,000 UPDATE!

This Brooklyn loft belongs to Anne Maxwell Foster, a co-owner in the interior design firm Tilton Fenwick. It was featured on the New York Times website recently.

Maxwell Foster and her husband bought the 1200 square foot 1 bedroom apartment that is located in Dumbo section of Brooklyn for $885,000 last March and then spent almost 3 months updating the space.

The renovation included adding interior barn doors to, transforming a small office into the master bedroom, tearing out the kitchen counters and replacing with Caesarstone quartz counters and changing out cabinet doors...they even transformed a large walk in closet that had a window into a nursery.

After the bones of the space had been renovated...the decorating began.  The designers' goal was to create an inviting atmosphere.

Here's what the updated apartment looks like.

For the living room, they chose a Kravet Medley Sofa ($5,200), the armchairs were $800 for two on eBay (about $800 and the coffee table is a $6000 Oscar de la Renta piece.

An open floor plan allows light to flow through this Brooklyn loft. (above)

Kitchen cabinets were refaced with powder blue flat doors and new Caesarstone counters were installed.

Bedroom wallpaper is Lotus from Farrow & Ball at $295 a roll. The bedding is from D. Porthault ($1350 for the duvet)

A large walk in closet was transformed into a nursery into a nursery. (above)

What do you think of this cozy New York City loft?

Happy Wednesday!

xo
Coco

COCOCOZY COLLECTION 2013 CATALOG PREVIEW!

COCOCOZY Catalog cover page

So here are the first few pages of the COCOCOZY COLLECTION 2013 Catalog Vol. 1.

Am very excited.  The actual catalogs should be ready today for pick up.

We worked with a special ops team of consultants on this project! The team includes fantastic graphic designer EF and fab photographer Hugh Hamilton.  COCOCOZY assistant JW also helped me out on shoot day with styling and just last week with some last minute edits.

Also, here is the first glimpse of the COCOCOZY Light collection.  A new collection of pillows I am adding into the mix this year.  The designs are more playful than my classic luxury linen line of pillows; the pillows are made in the U.S. from imported cotton; very simple relaxed knife edge construction; down inserts included; and the price point is about half the price than our luxury linen line.  It will be in stores around the country starting this spring and will be available on our site soon.

I'll be debuting COCOCOZY Light, the COCOCOZY Rug Collection and so much more at the New York International Gift Fair starting this Sunday.  I leave for NYC on Thursday...booth set up Friday and Saturday and on Sunday the trade show begins.

CM who runs all things operations at COCOCOZY will be flying in to NYC with me to help show the collection to buyers.  NY based interior designer MK will round out the team.  It is a lot of hard work for about 6 days...but we'll get it done!

The COCOCOZY Collection has now been around for 2 years and this marks my 5th time at this home furnishings trade show.  Am so excited.  I am happy to report that I am still having a blast trying to navigate and learn about home textiles, furniture and design all while still enjoying what I do in my real life as a business executive in an unrelated field.  It has been a roller coaster of mishaps and mistakes and literal and figurative pratfalls....but I've tripped and tumbled my way here...with of course a wonderful support team and fantastic friends (like best of friends AM, FF, NS, AT, A.Ro. and more) and of course my wonderful family (mom, sis DS and supportive extended family SS, RM, MA, AJ, LB, MP, JG).

Will give you a bit of advice (not that you asked for it)...but if you have an idea, a dream, or passion...go for it.  Really.  It is scary and exciting and exhilarating and thrilling and terrifying all at the same time...but well worth it.

I will be announcing one more partnership tomorrow too by the way...  Another new line for COCOCOZY!  Spent much of 2012 working with partners on these new collections so it will be fun to finally chatter about all of them.

In the meantime, please take a look at these first few pages and COCOCOZY Light and tell me what you think.

Happy Tuesday!

xo
Coco

P.S.  Last Friday, I had a great lunch with my fantastic agents HM and SM.  They work for a posh Hollywood talent agency.  It was so nice catching up with them and hearing about their world.  They swung by the COCOCOZY HQ in Beverly Hills for a quick visit too.  I warned them several times over that our offices were SO small and in a shabby little building.  They were very gracious but I know in the back of their minds they were thinking "Wow, this really IS small!".  LOL!

P.P.S.  In the middle of the chaos of getting ready for the fair and working at my regular job, demolition  and construction continue at my little tiny cottage in the Hollywood Hills.  So many choices to make during this mini renovation...wood floors, new doors, heaters etc.  My contractor KM and his team are right on schedule but unfortunately I am not.  KM sends me regular texts reminding me about all of the decisions I have to make.  Slightly challenging...but doable. My dear mother also keeps calling me to check in on the progress of the remodel (by the way, what is the difference between remodeling and renovating...not sure). And of course my dear sweet sis DS who I've been staying with while I am without a home is most invested on the project's progress. Last night over a dinner of take out Mr. Chow, I informed her it could be another month or 6 weeks of me staying with her. Poor sis DS...she got two surprise roommates for Christmas (me and dog Mr. Boo)! I owe her a big present at the end of all of this!

P.P.P.S. I went to my house this weekend to see how things were going with the construction. I also had to move the last bits of furniture and my paintings to my storage unit early Saturday morning.  Here are some shots of my bedroom with the walls completely removed.  Noticed there seemed to be some sort of window framed out behind the walls.  Interesting!

My bedroom and house under construction. (above and below)

P.P.P.P.S.  Engineered wood v. solid wood debate - So have been bopping back and forth from one wood place to another...trying to figure out what kind of floors to use.  My contractor KM says that because my house is right up against a hillside and there is potential for moisture, I should do engineered wood.  I brought home at least 20 samples over the weekend.  Am not sure about the whole idea.  Just heard from my good friend JLF's wood floor installer guy yesterday and he says he can install 6" wide white oak solid wood floors and stain to any color.  Help...what should I do?

P.P.P.P.P.S.  So excited to see best of friend AM in New York.  I'll stay with her and her sweet hubby JE and their two adorable kids.  TE is also coming to NY so that he can see the COCOCOZY gift show booth.  We'll stay at the Bowery Hotel while he's in town for a few days.

P.P.P.P.P.P.S.  NYC Saturday Night Dinner - Also looking forward to dinner on Saturday night with the Capel Rugs executive team.  Will be fun to celebrate the launch of the COCOCOZY Rug Collection with fab VP/Creative Director Tami Watras and the oh so wonderful Capel Rugs President John Magee!   Made a reservation at Gemma which is next door to the Bowery.  Anyone else have any must go to NYC restaurant suggestions?

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S.  Hope you had a great Martin Luther King holiday and Inauguration Day yesterday!  Hope you have a great week ahead!

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. One last thing...please remember to come see me at the New York International Gift Fair. I'd love to say hi. COCOCOZY is booth #7919 on the lower floor of the Javits Center starting this upcoming Sunday! It is always so much fun for me to meet you all. So please please please come by and say hi!

ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE - CONTRASTING THE VERY OLD WITH THE BRAND NEW!

I like this living room in Barcelona. It is in a modern home that incorporates as part of the living room, the architecture of 500 year old cloisters - an ancient covered walkway with barrel vaulted ceilings and and arches.

Love the juxtaposition between the very modern style and the very old structure.  The light colored wide plank wood floors, the minimalist modern decor all work because of the bold but romantic architecture.

I like.  I would live here.  Would you?

Love the tall arched front door with the porthole window.  Very stately.  Also I am very intrigued by that screen that divides the home office from the rest of the room.  Hmmm...wonder where that comes from?  I will have to do a search to find this screen.  I like!

Anyhoooo, Happy Tuesday!

xo
Coco

Photos: Minim

BEFORE & AFTER: A D.C. TOWNHOUSE TRANSFORMATION!

Before and after views of the living room in aWashington D.C. townhouse that was recently totally remodeled and redesigned! (above)

Here's a never before seen BEFORE & AFTER look at a home featured in the May issue of House Beautiful magazine!

The "after" was created by Los Angeles designer Hillary Thomas of Hillary Thomas Designs, New York designer Jeff Lincoln and architectural firm Franck & Lohsen Architects in a bi coastal collaboration on a multi million dollar 1960's townhouse in Washington D.C.

House Beautiful did a lovely story on the completed project after the designers took to it.  But, here on COCOCOZY, for the first time, you can see what the home looked like before it was remodeled, re-designed and re-imagined by the design and architecture team.

The newly envisioned home now features design touches that makes each room stand out - including golden wallpaper, painted ceilings, Murano glass pendant lights, colorful tile and so much more.

It has been ages and ages since I've done a post showing pre-remodel vs. post. So today, I'm happy to bring you this BEFORE & AFTER!

DINING ROOM

KITCHEN

SOLARIUM

MASTER BEDROOM

Thank you to Hillary Thomas Designs partner and Co-Founder Clara Hendon for sending me the before photos.  So appreciate it...thank you for thinking of COCOCOZY!

Readers, what do you think of this Before & After transformation?  What is your favorite new element? Do tell!

Happy Wednesday!

xo
Coco

P.S. COCOCOZY GIVEAWAY REMINDER - So far over 200 of you have entered and if you haven't there's still time. You still have a few hours to go to enter the COCOCOZY Giveaway - see yesterday's blog post for details. Remember to enter by noon PST/3pm EST today!  Am giving away a cute luxe COCOCOZY throws to two lucky readers!  So don't miss out on a try!  Will announce winners on Friday!

P.P.S.  Design Non Sequitur - Was chatting with my neighbor JH when I got from home from work last night.  Someone drove by us and JH waved and yelled "Hi Beverly".  I said, "Who's that?".  Our tiny street is a dead end and there are just a few dozen houses on our street so I wanted to know who was driving down our little trail.  JH said, "Don't you know?  That's Beverly.  Beverly Hill.  She's lived on the street forever."  Apparently I have a neighbor named Beverly Hill!  Couldn't Google her because only thing that came up was information on the city Beverly Hills.  Then JH went onto say, "I used to know a woman named Holly Wood too.".  Hmmm...


Photos: House Beautiful; Home Visit