This is where it all happens!

In the Curl!

Here is the lobby we finished about a year ago, you can see Sean’s Sea Turtle image in the distance!

]]> http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/2012/02/artfully-done/feed/ 0 http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/2012/01/a-new-year/ http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/2012/01/a-new-year/#comments Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:46:02 +0000 admin http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/?p=526 As we begin a new year, we would like to thank our clients for a great 2011!  It was full of diverse and fun projects!  Interior design in Wilmington North Carolina has enabled us the opportunity to work on all types of projects.

We are pleased to continue to develop relationships with our residential clients, beginning projects and concluding others.  Each project is so unique and requires us to use and find new resources all of the time!  The locations of all of the projects make them interesting too; Lumberton, Wilmington, Figure Eight Island, Kure Beach, Hampstead, Shallotte and Bald Head Island.  What a wonderful location Wilmington is, at the end of I-40 extending along the coast and inland!

Our commercial interior design projects have been exciting too.  Working on hospitality projects like the Pilot House restaurant downtown and a renovation to the Holiday Inn Express continues to be a great way to serve old clients and begin working with new clients.  We are thrilled to be working with Wilmington Health Associates providing design services for several facilities.  The Davis Community renovation to their skilled nursing facility has been very interesting, planning how to make that environment feel more like home while still meeting the functional needs of an institutional setting.  And of course the other projects for Duplin General Hospital, private medical and dental practices, a law firm and other offices here in Wilmington.

Here are just a few fun pictures!

Looking forward to a great 2012!

The design team, consisting of Joe and Yumie Britt (homeowners), Big Sky Design (interior designer Leslie Stachowicz), Mark Saulnier (thoughtful and wise architect), and Dave Thomas (DPT Construction specializing in historic restoration and renovations), worked together to bring this once grand old beauty back to life.  Aside from the structural, water, and aging issues, the interiors demanded lightening and brightening. My only direction from the Britt’s was to keep it simple, “do what you think” and be thoughtful about the cost impact. This was not a home they were going to live in, this was a home that, we at Big Sky realized, they were restoring out of love, and this is how we approached the project.  The Britt family set the tone of this project by the way they completely trusted us as interior designer, builder, and architect, to do what we do and I believe we all took this trust as a gift and worked in that spirit.

Our approach to the interior design was to “keep it simple” but keep in mind the “grandness” of the home. We removed all the wall to wall carpet to expose the hardwood floor beneath it which we had refinished and stained a dark tone.  We salvaged, at the owner’s request, a portion of Granny’s carpet to bind into a rug to be reused in the Music Room.  The Entry foyer flows up to the grand upstairs hall so we had a faux finisher come in and add a beautiful pattern to the walls, based on a wallcovering design, that would help manage the scale of the space while adding subtle color and pattern.  The first floor ceilings were 11’6″ so we wanted to emphasize the height of the rooms by bringing the custom window treatments above the windows to direct the eye upward. As self-described “tile junkies” we were in heaven selecting the tiles and stone for the nine fireplaces as well as the for the renovated bathrooms. I could go on and on…..

When interior finishes started to go up, Dave Thomas emailed the Britts that the “Grand old lady is getting her lipstick on!”  I thought that was great!  Well, after 14 months of renovation we completed the interiors and are so proud of our work! We lightened and brightened, we updated, we refinished and faux finished, we reupholstered and even did some dusting and washing, and “Granny Alma’s house” came together beautifully.  Everyone was thrilled with the results!  It was truly a “labor of love.”

Recently we have had the opportunity to work with two artists, Michael Brown who is an amazing chairmaker from Greensboro and Ralph Berger a wonderful metal sculptor from Asheville otherwise known as “The Alchemist”.

Allow us to introduce you to these artists by supporting their work!  We would love to show you what other pieces they have to offer.

]]> http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/2011/03/artistic-additions/feed/ 0 http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/2010/12/2010-brunswick-county-parade-of-homes-project/ http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/2010/12/2010-brunswick-county-parade-of-homes-project/#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2010 01:01:32 +0000 admin http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/?p=378 We recently finished a new home that was part of the Brunswick County Parade of Homes.  The house was designed for a couple moving to North Carolina from Maryland who wanted something contemporary and warm.  Big Sky Design worked on the project with our clients and  Blue Sky Building Company (Big Sky-Blue Sky…not too confusing!   – a terrific partnership) for 10 months.  It was a great project for all involved and the house had the added honor of winning best in it’s category and best in Interior Design.  It was a team effort and we are all really proud.  Photos courtesy of Campbell Photography and Blue Sky Building Company.

We raised over a thousand dollars for The Good Shepherd and The Domestic Violence Shelter & Services.  We had a lot of fun and gave away three custom designer skirts!  Not tree skirts…, but skirts to wear!  Big Sky Couture was a hit and we all had a great time.   Our silent auction items were a success too, a special thanks goes out to Olivers, Beanie & Cecil, The Sterling House, Wilmington Wine, Ki Spa, Beyond the Basics, Sea Dawgs, Crabby Chic and to our fabulous floral designer!!

We had six lines of fabrics and leathers represented at our showcase.  Our representatives were all so helpful, thank you everyone.

We appreciated our clients, friends and collaborators who were so generous in their support.

Happy holidays!

viagra

Looking Outward!

All proceeds to benefit The Good Sherpherd viagra and the Domestic Violence Shelter and Service.

Win a custom holiday skirt in the designer fabric of your choice!  See our earlier blog too…

This could be you!

Big Sky Couture!

Please join us Nov 4th 6-8 pm.  Give us a call for tickets, 793-3992!

We are selling raffle tickets so that three lucky winners can have a “Big Sky Couture” custom holiday skirt made in the designer fabric of their choice!  It is a great way to look forward to the holidays and give to our community.  So buy raffle tickets and help us raise money for the Good Shepherd Center and for Domestic Violence Shelter and Services.  Celebrate the raffle drawing and come November 4th to our office for a special showcase of exquisite fabrics, silent auction and raffle drawing.  Happy Holidays!

Banquet Hall Left Side

Last week I went up to Nags Head NC to see one of our projects under construction.  This is a pier house built and! – looking away from the ocean.  Imagine…being in this room when complete… looking out over the ocean!  This facility houses a pier store, exhibit and education facilities and a large banquet hall.  It is a LEED project that includes wind turbine, geothermal and water reuse technologies as well as environmentally friendly interior finishes.

]]> http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/2010/09/leed-pier-project/feed/ 0 http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/2010/08/welcome-home-angel-project/ http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/2010/08/welcome-home-angel-project/#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:25:21 +0000 admin http://www.bigskythinkbigblog.com/?p=266 We had the opportunity to work with Welcome Home Angel recently and want everyone to know about this organization and project.  We would also like to thank everyone who supported and contributed to this project and Welcome Home Angel, helping to give Gage a renovated handicapped bedroom and bathroom!

Thank you to our special friends who made monetary contributions and also our professional friends who gave time and product; Archer Read Woodworking, American Olean, Butlers Electric, Computer Medics, Fast Signs, Fergusons, Sapona Green Building Center, Shaw Carpet, Matkins Glass and Walmart.  Thank you all for supporting with project!

We would also like to give special thanks to Frank Lewis with Commercial Upfit Specialists and his team for completing these renovations.

Gage wanted a Harley Davidson theme to his room and we had a great time putting it together for him.  The local Harley club even gave Gage a special ride in a side car!  Complete with new electronics, Gage’s new room met his needs and will be lots of fun for years to come.  We also got to turn his little brother’s room into a Carolina Panthers haven!

New Bathroom

New Bedroom