New Website is Up!

My new website,  Charlotte Skinner Interiors  is up and running! I'll be adding more projects soon and ironing out some kinks but if I waited to do all that before I launched, it would never happen! Sometimes you just have to jump, ya know!

Charlotte Skinner Interiors

Concealing the TV with a Folding Screen

It's the age old design dilemma. The TV. 

Well maybe not "age old." But certainly a design consideration since the 50's when TV's were encased in a wood surround to make them appear more like a piece of furniture.

Even with the sleek, wall mounted flat screens today, it's still a big black box on your wall. I've seen some beautiful gallery walls that take the focus off of the TV. 

A console below also provides a spot to accessorize and make it more of a "design vignette."

In my Living Room, it's just a big 'ol TV on an otherwise blank wall.

(And let's not overlook those 2 fabulous speakers.)

We've been trying to watch less TV and listen to more music instead. I guess part of my theory is that if you have to go to the trouble of opening doors to get to the TV, maybe we'll just leave it off! How's that for lazy!!

We tend to watch our favorite shows via DVR in bed anyway. Or, we're all staring at our IPads at Fabric trim, Motorcycles and Minecraft. (Hers, His, and Daughter selections respectively!)

I stumbled across this folding screen the other day at a local antique shop. I love the gilded leaf detail on the trees and the matte black background which is a nice contrast to all the white in my Living Room.

The dimensions were close enough that I knew we could make it work to hide the TV, so I loaded her up!

The plan is to separate the screen down the middle, making it a pair of bifold doors that will be mounted to a frame on the wall. When the doors are open, you will see one panel on either side of the TV. 

The plan has been set, hopefully the execution will be as perfect as it is in my mind!

Look for an update next week!

Who hasn't drooled over Brooke Giannetti's custom made Gracie panels to conceal their TV?!

The left 2 panels are bifold doors and the right panel is hinged on the right. Absolutely beautiful.

Although  I'm dissecting my folding screen, I adore them when they're used as they are intended. Either to conceal a private area, to soften a corner, or to be purely decorative, folding screens are pretty fabulous! 

Here are some of my favorite spaces that use folding screens.

Roger Higgins

Charlotte Moss

Frank Babb Randolph

Rose Tarlow

Richard Hellberg

Bunny Williams

Todd Alexander Romano

Peter Dunham

Fiona Weeks

John Saladino

Darryl Carter

Richard Mishaan

Richard Mishaan

Darryl Carter

Darryl Carter

Darryl Carter

Tara Shaw

Melissa Haynes

If you live in the Austin area and would like help creating a home you will absolutely love, contact me for design services!

It's Time to Think About your Dining Room!

If you're the lucky winner this holiday season to host Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, its time to start thinking about your Dining Room!

Do you have enough chairs for everyone? How about adding some dramatic artwork or new lighting to spruce up your space?

Here are some of my all time favorite dining spaces for a little inspiration.

Steven Gambrel

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi

Katrin Cargill

Julia Leach. Photo by Brittany Ambridge

Katie Rosenfeld

Nate Berkus

Grant K Gibson 

Kelpie Grosso

Windsor Smith

Lee Ann Thornton

If you live in the Austin area and would like help creating a space you will absolutely love, contact me for design services.

Kitchen of the Week

What's better than a chic kitchen with subway tile to the ceiling, patterned tile floors, rich green cabinetry topped with a beautiful Walnut countertop? 

One that leads out to this fabulous outdoor space!

Home of Ramin Shamshiri of Commune Design.

Images via Design Sponge here.

If you live in the Austin area and would like help creating a home you will absolutely love, contact me  about design services.

Interior Design Crush: William McLure

Are you guys familiar with William McLure? If you're not following him on Instagram, head on over Here and click the Follow button now!

He is the Interior Designer for Architect Bill Ingram. What a fabulous pairing of talented individuals. Bill Ingram's Portfolio is definitely something to spend some time perusing.

Heather Clawson of Habitually Chic posted about him here and he was recently featured on Lonny  as one of 5 young designers who are mastering traditional "old school style."


His style is a rooted in Traditional, with the perfect interjection of pattern, color and collected curiosities.

Not only is he a talented designer, he's a triple threat.  His amazing abstract paintings and portraits were recently showcased at Circa Interiors & Antiques in Birmingham.

What I love about him most is his energy for design. Starting with a stencil that was just too time consuming, he created a stamp to achieve these amazing walls in his own apartment.

 He shared this sneak peak on Instagram for a Southern Living photo shoot.

And most recently, he changed the wall color in his Living Room to this glorious red. Gorgeous!

How about white painted wood flooring with a navy border? Can't wait to see this finished too!

Really looking forward to seeing more from William, aren't you?!!

Loving: Bed Canopies

I adore bed canopies!

With the weather turning cooler, spending a few more minutes in a cozy bed surrounded by luxurious fabric sounds pretty good to me!

Anyone else hitting the snooze button an extra time or two?

The bed canopy bagan in Medieval Europe for privacy and warmth.  Originally very simple and utilitarian in design, it soon became more ornate and decorative.

They are the first thing I suggest to a client to create a beautiful focal point.

Current view of my bedroom.

Just a simple linen canopy. It's pretty warm most of the year here, so the sheer linen is perfect.

This was the Master Bedroom in my previous home. Wheat colored linen canopy matched the drapery panels.

The trendy chevron skirted table is gone.

Don't you hate when a classic you love is killed by Pinterest, Houzz, etc, etc, etc??!!!

Via Instagram

Heather Chadduck's fabulous room for the Birmingham Botanical Garden's Antiques At The Gardens Showhouse.

Heather debuted her new textile line here with the bed canopies and coordinating antique chairs.

I adore this room!

Here is some more inspiration!

Celerie Kemble

Alexa Hampton

Mark D Sikes

Mary McDonald

Michael S Smith

J Randall Powers

Phoebe Howard

Mary Evelyn McKee

Eddie Ross

J Randall Powers

Vicente Wolf

Alessandra Branca

Tom Scheerer

Amelia Handegan

Oscar de la Renta

Rose Uniacke

Michael S Smith

Michael S Smith

Peter Copping's Normandy Home

Nancy Braithwaite

Nicky Haslam

Alessandra Branca

J Randall Powers

James Michael Howard

If you live in the Austin area and would like help creating a home you will absolutely love, contact me  about design services.