How 1 Blogger Turned Her Husband's Childhood Home Into a Chic Oasis
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When blogger Chriselle Lim, creator of the popular site The Chriselle Factor, wanted to give her home a luxe makeover, she turned to the pros. Designer Lucinda Pace of Laurel & Wolf was the perfect resource for helping Chriselle and her husband, Allen, renovate their Los Angeles home. Along with their young daughter, Chloé, Chriselle and Allen currently reside in the same house where he grew up!
Needless to say, Chriselle was ready to put her mark on the place with a bold redesign. One room that needed a great deal of attention was the dining room, with its out-of-date built-in cabinets. The space had become a general repository of all manner of clutter, and Chriselle was dreaming of something polished, modern, and mature.
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Chriselle Lim's Dining Room — Before and After
Lucinda was up to the challenge. "We started with the chandelier and the table, and everything else came into play after that," she explained.
Chriselle and Lucinda worked together to create a glamorous space outfitted with high-end fabrics and metallic touches, as well as a mix of store-bought and custom-designed pieces. The cabinets were transformed into a sophisticated bar area thanks to a coat of black lacquer paint, an antique mirror, and new brass hardware.
The results are "modern and fresh," as Lucinda describes. Together, Chriselle and Lucinda created a perfect place for a young mother and businesswoman to proudly welcome friends and family to her very chic table.
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To achieve the glamorous look, the perfect chandelier was essential. Chriselle and Lucinda used Jonathan Adler's Meurice Chandelier ($1,125), but Laurel & Wolf also recommends a less expensive option, West Elm's Mobile Chandelier ($249). Jonathan Adler was also the ladies' go-to spot for a dining table, selecting his Bond Dining Table ($3,200).
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Lucinda chose a wool rug from Loloi Rug Company. She actually custom-designed the chairs for Chriselle's dining room, selecting a model that would be appropriate for her young family as well as the two sets of in-laws who regularly visit.
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A number of the bar-top accessories came from Z Gallerie, including the gold Decanter Set ($50).
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Chriselle herself admits that she has expensive but practical taste. Therefore, she balanced chic accent pieces like Kelly Wearstler's Liason Ice Bucket ($1,350) with more budget-friendly items like Z Gallerie's Filigree Jar ($100, originally $130) and Agate Tealight ($30).
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The tabletop was decorated in a similar fashion to the bar, using a selection of gold items, including Z Gallerie's Miami Vase ($40).
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Chriselle is pleased with the results. As she wrote on her blog, "I'm incredibly proud of how the house looks like now because it's a blend of my personal style — elegant, glamorous, yet cozy and rustic at the same time."