08Dec / 2011

GALA Award Winners

Movie – Wedderburn PhotosGALA (Great American Living Awards) is the most prestigious residential design, sales, and marketing competition in the metropolitan Washington market. Builders, developers, architects, sales, marketing, merchandising, and advertising professionals have judged these awards for more than 50 years and to win a GALA is considered the “Best of the Best.”

Dream House Studios walked away with two awards; including Design & Architecture and the Grand Award, Home of the Year. In addition we received an Award of Merit for Interior Merchandising at Wedderburn Estates in Vienna, Virginia. Our client, Courtland Homes builds an amazing house and we always enjoy our collaboration as well as the final product.

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01Oct / 2010

Silver Swan Bayside Re-Design

We were so excited to be awarded the re-design project for the Silver Swan Bayside. This beautiful facility sits directly on the Chesapeake Bay and is part of the Queen Anne Marina in Stevensville, Maryland. The dining room needed a “make over” to match the breathtaking water views from inside.

We wanted the dining room to feel elegant and relaxed at the same time but not take away from the beauty of the outdoor scenery. The colors are soft blues with crisp white paneling on the ceiling and walls. The fireplace was originally brick and was updated with a beautiful stone that is the focal point of the room. It really makes it a perfect spot for any special occasion year round. We wanted it to have a flavor of the Chesapeake without being too literal. Bayside is one of the best spots for a wedding ceremonies and receptions, corporate events or private parties. Not to mention that the food is amazing! Check out their website to see some of the beautiful photos and services they offer.

See more of our design work.

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20May / 2010

Client Update: Lilly Project

A while back, we let you know about the Lilly family, who asked us to redesign their dining room. We also redesigned their laundry room, and we wanted to show you the amazing transformation that took place. What do you think?

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15Feb / 2010

She Only Needed to Bring Her Toothbrush…

When we first met this client, who was a guest at our Halloween party last year, she was living in a temporary place while her new town home was being built. Our ears perked up when she mentioned she would be interviewing designers to help with her new home; she wanted to use a designer to furnish her entire home so she and her daughter “would only have to bring a toothbrush”.

After interviewing a few designers, she selected Dream House Studios, mostly because she really connected with one of our designers, Wesley. After connecting so well, Wesley designed the home for this young single Mom and her daughter, both whom are sophisticated and girly in their personal taste and style. And although girly can sometimes mean an all over pink house, we sufficed with just a pink bathroom, while the overall style remained a neutral palette: creams, greys, & browns.

Wesley approached the layout differently, treating it the townhouse more like a home than a designed model. The kitchen was designed with comfort and more seating areas for better function, considering that it would be the hub of the house. We used some interesting fabrics, like Sunbrella fabric which is stain and fade resistant, and some vintage pieces from an antique store in Charlottesville, Virginia (check out the amazing table!). Wesley also helped with all the other selections for house (lighting, furniture, drapery, etc.), with the exception of two toothbrushes, of course.

The entire project took about six months. On “move-in day” we installed EVERYTHING. We made the beds, washed the new dishes and stemware, filled the picture frames with their photographs, lit candles and waited for our client to “come home”. It was such a rewarding experience for all of us. Our client was overwhelmed by her new, beautiful house. We opened a bottle of champagne and walked from room to room watching her take it all in.

These are the moments that we designers relish. It is a lot of work to design and install an entire house, but it’s moments like this that make it all worth while.

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27Jan / 2010

Check Out Pictures of Our Work – All in One Place!

Have you checked out our work yet? We’ve posted some amazing home transformations here on our blog, but we’ve got a lot more to show you. Check out our Flickr photo stream; there you can see a photo gallery of our work. Pictures include designs we’ve done for model homes or work we’ve done transforming clients’ spaces.

After checking out the gallery of our work, you can let us know what you think. For example, nathy_0308 let us know how much she loved the color palette in one of our model home designs. Our photos have even been added to the Fine Design and Home & Décor groups on Flickr. It is always great to share our work, and even better to get feedback from you!

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23Dec / 2009

From Mudroom to Thanksgiving Dinner

The Lilly family came to us for help designing and creating their mudroom. They loved the result so much they asked us to create something spectacular for their dining room. With an open mind, the Lilly’s were willing to go with the flow. Wesley Thompson, one of our designers, had ideas that were unique and fit the family’s style, making the Lilly’s feel right at home. Check out the beautiful new room.

Kristie Lilly said, “Wesley was so great to work with. She came up with a plan that suited our tastes and needs perfectly and created a room that is functional, unique and beautiful. She somehow managed to come up with exactly what we wanted when we didn’t even really know ourselves!”

Transforming the old room to a new one with personality, Wesley’s designs hit the nail on the head. Note the grass cloth on the walls and the antique table, which is actually a European parquet floor transformed into a table. The room includes a fully upholstered and skirted host and hostess, Hickory chairs that are finished with Sunbrella indoor/outdoor fabric, and Hickory White side chairs. Together with a unique chandelier, the room provides visual comfort, a perfect blend of modern and traditional, fitting the Lilly family perfectly.