Back in 2018, I had the pleasure of assisting a client with one of my favorite feminine spaces to date, #ProjectRaspberryBeret! After relocating with her soon-to-be husband, we reconnected last year to design and decorate their new home.
Zaria and Ciapha Dennis tied the knot in August 2020. Like most pandemic couples, the year was a complete whirlwind of stress and unpredictable challenges, but they were able to push through successfully together! They also became first-time homebuyers with a new construction home in Goose Creek, South Carolina just in time for Christmas.
Nearly a year has passed since we started designing their home, and with all the furniture delays, unexpected hiccups, and home warranty fixes, Zaria and Ciapha were faithful, patient, and waded through the turbulent waters like champs. I’m so grateful to them for trusting me with designing and executing several spaces in their home. Let’s see where it all started, shall we?
BEFORE:
First, the living room. The space was very large and open to the dining area and kitchen in the rear of the home. Once it was decided where they’d mount their TV, we immediately added a pop of color creating an accent wall with a warm deep purple hue. Zaria and Ciapha repurposed their previous media cabinet and added a new neutral sofa sectional that would comfortably host several guests and give them enough space to stretch out for lazy Netflix nights. We added more color with an abstract rug that gave the hardwoods some warmth in the seating area. We also added a statement piece from Art by Monday to balance with the window on the opposite side of the TV. After mounting the curtains and other artwork, and placing their growing collection of house plants in each corner, the space was complete, but we left plenty of room for them to add additional furnishings as they grew into their home.
Now that they had a nice place to hang out, they needed an even better place to sleep. Newlyweds deserve a great place to relax and um, do newlywed things. LOL So I was excited to give the Zaria and Ciapha a beautiful, bold master suite that would ooze in Afrocentricity and Black culture. We selected a teal and gold wallpaper designed by the Black, female-owned design firm, Forbes & Masters. The Zaire pattern would be the perfect backdrop for their velvet channel headboard and the black and natural cane nightstands and dresser selected from TOV Furniture. We’d adorn the entire room with black and gold accents, create a seating area with a new black chaise lounge and display the couples’ engagement, wedding and newest anniversary photos on one of the walls. We also left space for a large floor mirror to add some functionality when getting dressed daily.
DURING:
Next, the powder room on the main floor is usually a boring, windowless forgotten space when decorating a new home. However, Zaria and Ciapha wanted the complete opposite! After seeing the freehand painted wall I did in #ProjectCarnegieCastle, they asked that I do something crazy in theirs as well that was black, white, gold and Instagram selfie worthy! I was happy to oblige and had such a fun time creating an original and abstract work of art for them and their guests to enjoy. Once complete, they couple would update the builder fixtures with brass elements to really make the gold metallic paint pop!
Lastly, Zaria’s Glam Room shrunk slightly in size from that in her Charlotte, North Carolina apartment, but we were able to recreate the space with all the original paint selections and previously purchased furnishings. We also added a few new pieces including a new desk for Zaria’s vanity and a gold bookcase for her growing collection of colorful books. The space would be the perfect place for Zaria to shoot content for her blog and social platforms, and wind down on her chaise lounge with a good book and glass of wine that complemented the new paint color of her room. #Project RaspberryBeret lives on!
Creating #ProjectADoseofDennis was such a labor of love for a lovely, loving couple that means so much to me as repeat clients. Although personalizing their gorgeous home will continue to take time throughout the years, I’m very proud of what we were able to accomplish in 2021 during their first year of marriage! Take a look….
AFTER:
THANK YOU, Zaria and Ciapha for trusting me with your home. I’m wishing you two the very best and all the blessings you deserve in your new residence and next chapter of your lives as the Dennises!
For more photos of their home, check out #ProjectADoseofDennis in my Portfolio and on Instagram.
Be Blessed,
ACG
Design Deets:
Paint – Mature Grape by Sherwin Williams
Area Rug – Perigold
Coffee Table – Overstock
Artwork – Art by Monday, Home Goods
Tray – Home Goods
Dining Table – Wayfair
Dining Chairs – Amazon
Curtains – West Elm, Overstock
Throw Pillows – Home Goods
Wallpaper – Mitchell Black
Upholstered Bed – Overstock
Nightstands – TOV Furniture
Table Lamps – Home Depot
Dresser – TOV Furniture
Mirrors – Urban Outfitters, Home Goods
Bedding – Macy’s
Throws – Home Goods
Chaise Lounge – Wayfair
Decorative Objects – Home Goods
Planters – Home Goods
Picture Frames – Target, Home Goods
Professional Photography – Brandon Grate Photography
