When Erin Lima of Winsome Home Interiors first stepped into this 1940's ranch-style in Portland, Oregon her inner designer got excited. The house, which her client calls "the Ranchalow", was blessed with a great layout and her client had amassed a collection of eclectic furnishings, heirlooms and artwork that were not being used to their full potential. Erin knew that with some considered changes and tweaks she could fulfill her client's wish to turn her starter house into a forever home.
"The colors were very bold and bright before," says Lima. "I like walking into a client’s house and seeing bold colors--even if that’s not the ultimate direction the design takes--because it shows me the client is willing to take a chance and I can step in and help make make everything work together by making more deliberate choices."
Erin started by painting the living and dining area a bright white. "We wanted the space to feel sharp and striking," says Lima. "Paring back the color on the walls allowed us to give some of the beautiful things she had collected more prominence."
Erin credits her client for doing a deep edit of her belongings before they dove into the design process. "She got rid of things that she didn’t want any more and I think that editing was a very important first step." What remained included a very cool camel harness that her grandmother rode through the desert and a pair of antique wood chairs that Lima enlisted ADF Upholstery to recover in a vintage kilim sourced from Nomadic Vintage.
"Because of space constraints, this is THE living room where they watch TV and host parties, but also where my client holds classes. Versatility was really essential with this space. We wanted the sectional specifically to feel hip, kind of lounge-y and very durable." says Lima. "At the very beginning of the design process my client highlighted the she wanted to bring in elements of Cubism. She had gone to an exhibition on women in Cubism in Bilbao and it was very influential to her," says Lima.
When it came to the sectional, Lima took Perch's Lowe sectional but transformed it with a curved arm that calls to mind the lines in Cubist paintings. "I am over the moon that we were able to bring that element through with the custom arch on the arm. It’s just super original. I was excited to work with Perch on the design!"
Sources:
Sectional: Custom Lowe sectional by Perch Furniture
Living Room Paint: Benjamin Moore
Hallway Paint: Pale Terra by Miller Paint
Plants: The Plant Doctors
Vintage Chair Upholstery: ADF Upholstery
Vintage Rugs: Nomadic Vintage