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Houzz Tour: Splashy Colors Spark a Contemporary Guesthouse
Bright orange and peacock prints energize a 600-square-foot space made for playing and entertaining
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This play- and guesthouse in Arizona works hard for the entire family. It's a space where kids run around at full throttle, where their parents frequently entertain and where guests sleep over on weekends. "The entire family wanted a space that felt fuss free, fun and completely accessible to people of all ages," says designer Valerie Borden. But before she could move forward with the final design, she needed the family to trust her instincts when it came to her color choices for the 600-square-foot space.
"Many people think that they'll soon tire of strong colors or that strong hues affect the resale value of a home. Based on my experience, this couldn't be further from the truth. After seeing how the strong colors made the home feel more inviting as well as helping it stand out from the rest of the pack, my clients embraced the strong colors of the space and couldn't be happier with our choices," says Borden.
Houzz at a Glance
Who plays here: A couple, their 3 kids and sleepover guests
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Size: 600 square feet
"Many people think that they'll soon tire of strong colors or that strong hues affect the resale value of a home. Based on my experience, this couldn't be further from the truth. After seeing how the strong colors made the home feel more inviting as well as helping it stand out from the rest of the pack, my clients embraced the strong colors of the space and couldn't be happier with our choices," says Borden.
Houzz at a Glance
Who plays here: A couple, their 3 kids and sleepover guests
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Size: 600 square feet
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| The play- and guesthouse has a TV area, kitchenette, dining space, bathroom and sleeping loft. Walls, cabinetry and furnishings in white and light gray provide a neutral foundation for bright, colorful splashes and patterns. "We went with a palette of teal, orange and lime green, which the clients feel really uplifted the space. You feel this jolt of energy when you enter," says Borden. Dining table: custom, Chimera Interior Design; chairs: Overstock.com |
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| Borden maximized the space by placing the sleeping loft directly above the bathroom and closet (marked by the orange barn doors). "This was a new construction, so we designed the space to suit their needs entirely," she says. The loft is 5 feet wide by 24 feet long. Three sleeping mats fill it, along with a shaggy carpet, plenty of pillows and reading lights. "It was actually the client who had the idea to create the loft, as well as the fire pole," says Borden. Wall paint: Cool December, Dunn Edwards; cabinets: Ikea; sectional: client's own |
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A Kaiser Tile backsplash and a light fixture that casts geometric shadows on the ceiling add visual interest to the kitchen. A concrete counter and Ikea cabinets stand up to the wear and tear of both kids and guests. The upper cabinet on the left conceals a microwave.
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Giant-goldfish wallpaper inspired the design of the bathroom. "We knew we wanted a psychedelic effect for this small space," says Borden, who spent hours upon hours sourcing the perfect treatment for the walls. "We originally discussed a tiled wall, but it would've killed our budget. This wallpaper adds so much drama to the space without crippling our budget."
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An Ikea vanity and mirror, and wall sconces found in the clearance aisle of Lamps Plus, play a supporting role to the high drama of the wallpaper while lending the space a clean, contemporary feel.
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Semifrosted glass connects the shower to the outdoor area. Orange and white tiles from Sicis give this pool shower a beautiful sheen.
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The designer cut down on costs and gave the kids ownership of the space by having them paint the artwork in the niches using the teal, green and orange color palette. "They took a couple of classes at a local art studio and voilà — our Pollock-inspired masterpieces came to life," says Borden.
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| A peacock feather pattern plays up a rug and pillows from Global Views. "My client absolutely loves peacocks and literally jumped for joy when I found these," the designer says. The orange doors behind the sofa and dining table open into an adjoining garage workshop, where the clients work on creative projects. |
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Borden used diamond plate on the door's workshop side, making cleanup easier when the clients get messy in their creative space.
"We're working on the rest of this Southwest contemporary home's redesign. We're transitioning out the Southwest and leaning more contemporary," says Borden.
"We're working on the rest of this Southwest contemporary home's redesign. We're transitioning out the Southwest and leaning more contemporary," says Borden.
Comments
ellie48 What pretty spaces. The orange fish wall paper is beautiful. The splashes of orange thru out the house are so with it. Love the house. Thanks for the post. Ellie
7 months ago · Like
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kennedytarheel Fun and vibrant! Wonderful jolt of energy from the front door and throughout the play/guest house! Thanks for sharing!
7 months ago · Like
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Leqaa Marie Extremely smart space management , well done.
5 months ago · Like
olldroo Love the fire pole and the arrow. Cheeky and fun. The childrens' art is a clever twist too.
5 months ago · Like
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Nicola Ryan Can someone tell me where I could buy the grey corner sofa. I loveeeee it...thanks.
5 months ago · Like
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vee22 Orange? You can't be serious.
5 months ago · Like
sandykvilven Can anyone tell me where the rug is from?
5 months ago · Like
Casart Coverings Sandy, the rug is from Global Views. What a fun place to visit. Can just see trying to slide down that pole!
5 months ago · Like
Stone & Land, LLC I'm surprized @orangecamera hasn't commented yet. Should be going nuts about this cool space. I love the colors. So fun.
5 months ago · Like
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Iyare I I love this!!!
5 months ago · Like
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Karen Pittenger Wow! So inspiring, so smart. Thanks for sharing.
5 months ago · Like
Nicole Watermolen Where is this sectional from? Price?
5 months ago · Like
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kgsaran it so exotic,i like
5 months ago · Like
grizzly This guest house is the antithesis of my conservative country decor home. I love it! It would be a wonderful place to enjoy as a guest. Therefore I would declare it a great success to its purpose.
5 months ago · Like
golriz Wow!orange,I like it,So smart.Thanks for the post.
5 months ago · Like
K.O.H. Construction Corporation Absolutely fantastic . A very fun and vibrant home. The goldfish wallpaper is crazy good and the shower tile are really cool. Valerie, buy yourself a good bottle of wine and thanks for sharing.
5 months ago · Like
Laura Kulick LOVE IT!!!!! Where can I buy the wallpaper?
5 months ago · Like
Mackenzie Austin Design LOVE LOVE LOVE! So inspirational! ...and so fun!
5 months ago · Like
clarksmithdesign I love the use of colour - big hits bring this space to life.
4 months ago · Like
Lani The colors make me feel so happy! Gotta get some orange in my life!
4 months ago · Like
Ideabook updated on Dec. 22, 2012.
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