Dream Home: Belle Maison

Today’s “Dream Home” comes to us from Julie at Belle Maison. Julie is an interior designer with a fabulous online shop, Modern Chic Home. Her passion for beautiful design is not only reflected in her work and in her blog, but also in her gorgeous dream home. Enjoy!

Hello there! This is Julie Thigpen from Belle Maison and I'm thrilled to be sharing my dream home with you today on La Dolce Vita! I had so much fun pulling together this post and thank Paloma for including me in this exciting series. Enjoy! 

Let's start with the exterior, shall we? I have always been in love with big, beautiful historical homes and when I came across this one, I fell in love immediately. The house is located on on the beach with an incredible view of the ocean. It has a huge front porch, which is perfect for relaxing with a cold glass of iced tea on hot summer days. [IMAGE CREDIT]

The foyer is painted a shade of hot pink, which is shocking and unexpected! I think the entrance of a home is a great opportunity to make a huge statement - it's the first impression guests experience upon entering your home. Why not make it memorable? [IMAGE CREDIT]

The kitchen is bright and spacious with plenty of cabinet and counter space. I love cooking big meals for family and friends so the layout of this space is perfect. I also like the contrast of the warm wood floors against the crisp white cabinets. To warm things up a bit, I'm going to add a gorgeous chevron patterned back splash from Ann Saks, which you see in a moment. [IMAGE CREDIT]

The kitchen nook is cozy and inviting with plenty of seating. The green geometric wallpaper adds a nice touch of pattern and contrasts nicely against the upholstered love seat. This is the perfect spot for my husband and I to enjoy our morning coffee and read the newspaper. [IMAGE CREDIT]

A chic china cabinet with wallpapered backs is a great way to display the dishes I enjoy collecting from flea markets and vintage shops while traveling. The top right photo is a chevron patterned tile from the Ann Saks Elements collection, which I used for the kitchen back splash - it really adds a touch of warmth and texture to the space. The bottom right photo is of colorful stacked coffee cups and fresh flowers, which are a must for every kitchen! [IMAGE CREDIT LEFT | IMAGE CREDIT BOTTOM RIGHT]

A snapshot of my flower and vegetable garden. It's wonderful to be able to pick fresh herbs and vegetables everyday to cook with. [IMAGE CREDIT]

The Living Room is fresh and modern with a twist of glamour. The bold area rug helps to anchor the crisp white sofa and brightly colored lamps and accent pillows. The soft gold metallic finish of the cocktail table and sunburst mirror add elegance. [IMAGE CREDIT]

I have tons of chunky coffee table books on fashion, architecture and design, which I have stacked on the cocktail table and surrounding surfaces and bookcases . Books are great to have around for inspiration. [IMAGE CREDIT]

The formal dining room has glamour written all over it! Like many of the spaces throughout the house, this room is light and airy. My husband and I enjoy throwing dinner parties for friends and family and use our dining room quite often. [IMAGE CREDIT]

We always make sure to have a fully stocked bar cart for impromptu cocktails. [IMAGE CREDIT]

Our library is a place I enjoy relaxing with a good book and hot cup of tea (or big glass of wine!) in the evenings or on weekends. I organized the books by color and love the way it turned out! [IMAGE CREDIT]

This is our Master Bedroom. I chose this color blue for the walls because it's fresh, serene and relaxing. We love the tufted headboard - it adds just the right amount of sophistication. [IMAGE CREDIT]

My dream closet! It's almost as big as our master bedroom and has plenty of space to house my wardrobe, shoes and handbags. Oh, and I made sure to leave a little bit of space for my husband's things ;) [IMAGE CREDIT]

I can now find jewelry and accessories quickly with this cleverly designed jewelry dresser.[IMAGE CREDIT]

The Master Bath...I've always dreamed of having a big soaking tub to take long bubble baths. The decor is simple and elegant, with a sparkly chandelier to create ambiance. [IMAGE CREDIT]

The guest bedroom is warm and inviting; I always want our guests to feel welcome and at home. The large floor mirror makes the room look larger and more spacious. [IMAGE CREDIT]

This is my home design studio. I own a busy design firm and online retail boutique, so having a large studio that's clean and organized, helps me stay creative and focused. There's also plenty of natural light, which is great when selecting paint colors and fabrics for clients. [IMAGE CREDIT]

My desk is placed near the large inspiration board I use daily to pin my drawings, concept photos and fabric swatches. [IMAGE CREDIT]

We don't have kids yet, but I'm saving this inspiration photo for the day we have a little girl. The pink and yellow color combo is adorable! [IMAGE CREDIT]

The laundry room has plenty of cabinet space to store linens and towels, which is always a plus. The Carrara marble countertops are just gorgeous and were a total splurge. [IMAGE CREDIT]

Living on the beach is amazing. I enjoy spending the evenings with my husband, watching the sunset. [IMAGE CREDIT]

We created a cozy outdoor living room on our back porch, which has plenty of space for guests to sit and relax. The large dining table is wonderful for enjoying Sunday brunch and dinners in the evening during the summer months. [IMAGE CREDIT]

*****

xoxo,

Julie 

belle maison