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julie nolta design
Julie Nolta

Hi, I'm Julie, Chief Executive Empress

of my little apple green design studio.

Welcome to my blog!

When I'm not out visiting a client or searching for just the right  product for a project, I can probably be found in my happy little studio (painted the perfect shade of green), busy drawing up new ideas for a cool kitchen or a "spa-licious" bathroom. I like to share the fun stuff I find along the way!

RANDOM NOTES FROM MY LITTLE

apple green studio

My faves from the Street of Dreams


Street of Dreams

Did you get to the Street of Dreams this year? Maybe not if you don't live in the Portland area. :-)

I ended up going THREE times and I have to say, overall, I think it was the best home show I’ve been to in a while. All the houses were so well done, the vineyard setting was idyllic, plus because there were fewer houses, your feet didn't hurt quite as much when you reached the end. Bonus! Lots of great ideas, fun surprises (a master bathtub that filled with water out of the CEILING) and one fabulous cushy reading chair at the end - - so even though the show was waaaaay back in August and I haven't gotten around to it until now, I thought I’d share a few "slides of my summer vacation." :-D

a tub with a view

The master bath photo above has the classic freestanding tub, but the view was the icing on the top. Imagine looking out over a sunny vineyard from your bubble bath. However I didn't disagree with the folks who would prefer to draw the drapes during tub time.

unusual dining area

Part of what made this dining area so striking to me was the large square, counter-height table with all the bench settees. Sometimes I just like things because they're out of the ordinary, and someday I'm gonna have one of those tables! I'm not sure how easy it is to pull out a bench and sit down, but I sure wouldn't mind having dinner there, especially under THAT chandelier.

Street of Dreams

upturned backsplash

This unusual backsplash showed up in the guest quarters of one of the larger homes. They used a wood look tile plank that's all the rage and turned it on the diagonal which must have been a bear for the installer, but WOW.

PS It's always good to stay simple with the accessories when you're making a strong statement like this. Hence the clean white dishes.

Street of Dreams

just plain pretty

This darling little kitchen was in a guest suite accessed by a glassed-in breezeway. Maybe I liked it so much because they were making pie, but it all just said "homey" to me.

Street of Dreams

unexpected water feature

And here was a fun surprise in the Tuscan themed house: an outdoor shower off the master bath next to the pool. I could actually HEAR the eye-rolling about outdoor showers in Oregon, but on that really hot day it just seemed charming.

Street of Dreams

wood wall treatment

And look at this: instead of covering the entire wall with these interlocking wood panels, they used it as a frame for the bed and the large art piece. Rustic, earthy, and other adjectives!

Street of Dreams

accessorizing with books

This idea I'm going to steal. I love what some clever person did with these books. Inside out, outside in, and a sweet little quote.

Street of Dreams

to die for furniture

And finally, the Cushy, Comfy, Put Your Feet Up and Read All Afternoon chair. Oh my, do I want THAT. Of course, the "stay off the furniture" sign will have to go.

Street of Dreams

a sweet ending

Just one more photo: this nice little saying was printed on a white-washed block of wood placed on a shelf in one of the bedrooms, and I wanted to take it home with me. I thought taking a photo would be less risky.

Street of Dreams

The Street of Dreams runs throughout the month of August every year at a new development somewhere in the greater Portland area. No word yet about the 2017 location, but I'll be there gathering ideas and inspiration for client projects. Wanna come along?

 
INTERIOR DESIGN   |   KITCHEN & BATH REMODELING  
HOME FURNISHINGS   |   PAINT COLOR SELECTION
 
SERVING PORTLAND, VANCOUVER,
BEAVERTON, LAKE OSWEGO AND BEYOND!

971 322 7000   |   julienolta@gmail.com

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