Blog - MJN and Associates Interiors

Update Your Outdoor Spaces to Get the Most Out of Your Home

March 13, 2017 by Michelle

Spring has finally arrived, and we can feel the lightness of it in our bones. In our homes? Not so much. It’s time to transition from the heavy, cozy decor of the cooler seasons and restore summer vitality to our living spaces. There’s no better time to restyle your Virginia Beach home.

Classic Elegance Right Outside Your Door

Prepare your home for warmer weather with a touch of custom style. Outdoor furnishings make the home more attractive, as well as more liveable. Do you have a wicker sofa, painted metal dining set, or porch swing that’s past its prime? Our designer Michelle Nettles can procure high end outdoor furniture to add elegance to your outdoor living spaces. If your outdoor furnishings simply need updating, talk with our design team about our custom upholstery and durable outdoor fabrics.

Comfort and Style, Inside and Out

Do something unexpected with your outdoor spaces. Rugs and draperies can soften porches and patios, making them feel as homey and welcoming as the rooms inside. We can help you find outdoor accents that are durable enough to withstand the elements, but will complement the unique style of your Virginia Beach home.

Natural Beauty

Take advantage of the beauty outside. Gardening containers come in any shape, size, or style. Contrast the antique gold finish of a metal container with the verdant vibrancy of ferns. Allow a simple stone pot to emphasize bright seasonal flowers. Play with heights and styles to create an eye-catching display.

Whether you’re looking for a few summery touches or are considering a more extensive remodeling project, MJN Associates & Interiors will help you transform your home for summer.

Rich Elegance: Navy and Magenta

March 6, 2017 by Michelle

When many people consider neutrals, they veer toward softer, lighter colors. Beiges, creams, and sandy tones are easy to accent, giving the room a peaceful quality with just the right touch of visual interest. Navies and “dress blues” may be overlooked because of their darker hues, but in the hands of a skilled designer, these neutrals add depth to rich jewel tones and shimmering metallics without wearying the eye.

MJN & Associates recently transformed a client’s home, pairing a calming, dark blue neutral with the client’s favorite color, magenta, to result in a warm, elegant look for her home.

Light neutrals drape the bedroom floor to ceiling, creating a peaceful atmosphere and keeping the attention on the bed. A subtle pop of magenta catches the eye, blending texture and pure color to create a graceful vivacity, which is offset by the stately navy headboard, finished with nailhead trim for a touch of metallic interest.

Our principal designer Michelle Nettles used dress blues to anchor the sitting room without the harshness that can result from darker neutrals like dark brown or black. The cabinets anchor the room, allowing for pops of color and soft gold accents without overwhelming the space. The sandy stone fireplace and navy display shelves create a dynamic focus wall without drawing the eye from the rich pops of magenta in the chair, pillows, and draperies.

Working together with decorative artist Kass Wilson, Michelle gave these architectural cabinets the “jewelry box treatment,” using a dark, neutral to give items on the shelf more visual impact. Kass softened the rich navy paint with a glaze, adding warmth and texture to the backsplash to create a look that’s as cozy and elegant as the rest of the space.

navy magenta sitting room

The subtle shimmer of gold in the magenta draperies echoes the warm softness of natural light catching the sheer cream window treatments. Translucent glass lamps in dress blues anchor the eye, reflecting the same buoyancy while tying together the colorful throw pillows with the deeper navy of the couch.

Call MJN & Associates Interiors and let us help unveil your home’s true style.

Take Home a Piece from Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest

February 27, 2017 by Michelle

At MJN & Associates Interiors, we loved the challenge of working on Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest, the 2016 Homarama home showcase. This year’s design displayed the simple, casual elegance that epitomizes the region inland of Virginia Beach. We aren’t the only ones who enjoy calming colors, elegant details, and a homey, welcoming atmosphere; the Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest home sold the week of the home show. Many of the furnishings were sold with the home, but we hung onto a few treasures that you can bring home for a steal!

Homarama Accent Pieces

Were you enticed by the furnishings on display at the 2016 Homarama? Each piece was chosen with care to accentuate the understated grandeur of the home. Each room was roped off, so all rugs and furnishings are in new condition. But because we purchased them for the Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest, we’re able to offer them at an attractive discount. Take a virtual tour of the home to see each piece as we arranged it for the home show.

Floral Vine Chest

This hand-painted floral and vine artwork mahogany chest is offset by antiqued hardware and stain finish accents in Heritage Dark Grey. The piece retails for as much as $2400, but we can offer it exclusively at $1495.

floral vine chest

Silver Ring Pull Chest

This brand new, mahogany construction chest has a waterfront gray stain with white hang up. Its 6 drawers feature antique silver ring pulls. Online, this chest retails for as much as $2700. Contact designer Michelle Nettles and take it home for just $1250.

Were you drawn in by the casual elegance of the Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest home? Our design team can help you put your own spin on this classic style. Contact MJN & Associates Interiors in Virginia Beach. We’ll assist you with furniture selection, color planning, art selection, and a range of other interior design services.

Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest: A Peek Inside the Custom Pantry

February 20, 2017 by Michelle

When it comes to interior design, the details make all the difference. A polished, stylish home is an organized home. At MJN & Associates Interiors, we don’t simply focus on the aesthetics of your house; we take care to design a home that’s as functional as it is beautiful.

Custom Pantry Design for the Chesapeake Treasure Chest

Custom organizational systems are an excellent way to achieve daily efficiency without sacrificing style. We were recently given the opportunity to marry form and function in a way that highlighted the local flavor of the Chesapeake region. Take a peek inside our pantry at the 2016 Homearama Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest show home.

The custom cabinetry in the pantry adds both function and style to a room most homeowners frequent daily. The shelves, drawers, and custom wine racks improve the use of the pantry, which can all too easily dissolve into a cluttered mess of cabinets and spoiled food items. The light colored cabinets and countertops illuminate the contents of each shelf, reflecting the soft, bright overhead lighting. Beauty, meet brunch!

What’s In Our Pantry?

The Chesapeake Treasure Chest celebrates the unique, warm elegance that characterizes the Chesapeake region. And what would a local home be without our favorite pantry items? We worked with renowned Virginia Beach companies to give a tasty glimpse into local, home cooked flavor.

Experience Olives and Grapes offers over 50 varieties of the finest extra virgin olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars, carefully stored to preserve freshness and flavor. Located in Chesapeake on Kempsville Road.
Rodger’s Puddings like the banana pudding filling are local favorites, made with grass-fed milk, kosher ingredients, and no GMOs. Available at Whole Foods market.

Keep an eye out for more details from MJN & Associates Interiors’ work from the 2016 Homearama show home.

Homearama 2016: It’s All in the Details

February 13, 2017 by Michelle

MJN & Associates Interiors has worked with talented artists and craftsmen to design a luxury home interior that captures the essence of Chesapeake’s Edinburgh community. The Homearama showcase is all about comfort, classic touches, and the details that make all the difference. Step inside “Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest” in a room-by-room virtual tour of the custom details envisioned by our own Virginia Beach interior designer Michelle Nettles.

The bordered cabinetry, Swan Cotton Quartz, and light tones of the kitchen make it feel open and elegant, while the painted island cabinets and patterned blue draperies reflect the flavor of the Chesapeake region. Small details like the scalloped, unfinished wooden serving tray, the metallic rose planter, and the texture of a decorative bird add interest to the kitchen. Sam Cohen of Joey Corp, Closet Factory of Hampton Roads, and Rock Solid helped Michelle execute the design concept for the kitchen. The tile was selected at Mosaic Tile.

Rich navies and soft neutrals create a bold statement in the dining room, which marries classic elegance with modern elements, like the geometric, metallic chandelier. Idyllic details such as artwork by Barbara Gernat and the simple framing provided by Frame N Art complete the room.

Sherwin Williams Quietude (visible in the kitchen) was used throughout the home to create a sense of warm tranquility, gently flowing from one room to the next. Sherwin Williams Backdrop was used in the sitting room for contrast and to create a cozy, intimate atmosphere. The floors and carpeting, which were selected at The Floor Trader, add subtle interest with their soft tones and patterns.

Stay tuned for our next blog for another peek inside Homearama 2016.

Artist Profile: Barbara Gernat

February 6, 2017 by Michelle

The best art evokes emotion, whether it’s nostalgia, a sense of peace, or a thrill encouraging you to try something new. Art selection is one of the many interior design services we offer at MJN & Associates Interiors, and we’re always searching for local artists that capture our attention. But in the end, choosing art for your home is an intimate choice. We can steer you towards harmonious color schemes, bold designs, and evocative subject matter, but what matters is the way the artwork makes you feel.

For Homarama’s “Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest” we used the work of painter Barbara Gernat to channel the beauty and calm of Virginia’s Tidewater region.

The combination of cool hue, warm accents, and compelling texture make the classic subject-matter of a local Great Blue Heron a lovely accent, welcoming guests into the foyer and drawing them further into the home. The frame evokes details from the door trim, and the unique paint texture catches the eye, compelling visitors to give the painting a second (and third, and fourth) look.

The soft, idyllic pathway portrayed in this painting accentuates the textured wood of the media room. Masculine cabinets and heavy candlesticks contrast with the hazy lightness of the painting, drawing the eye to a work that’s harmonious and peaceful.

The painting that graces the bedroom blends seamlessly into the soft, warm neutrals of the room. It plays a shade bolder and brighter, subtly drawing the eye to an artfully textured scene that ultimately evokes feelings of peace and contemplation. It’s calming and perfectly understated—ideal for artwork hanging in a personal space.

To see more of Barbara Gernat’s richly textured paintings, visit her online gallery, and be sure to give us a call if you need assistance finding the perfect pieces of artwork to complete your home.

Best of Houzz 2017

January 30, 2017 by Michelle

At MJN & Associates Interiors, we believe that homeowners are the key to gorgeous designs. Your home should reflect your personal style in a way that’s chic, welcoming, and accommodating to your lifestyle. That’s why customer service is a cornerstone of our business. Before we design the first drapery, we want to get a sense of who you are, what you love, and which unique elements of your home deserve to stand out.

Best of Houzz 2017

We’re honored to have received the Best of Houzz award for the second year running. What makes this award so special isn’t that we received it from a respected remodeling authority, but that it was awarded based on the relationships we build with our clients. MJN & Associates has received the Client Satisfaction award in 2016 and 2017 for the highest level of client satisfaction, both in the online community and in our real world community in Virginia Beach.

Houzz Testimonials for MJN & Associates Interiors

Michelle’s help not only was professional, but was a comfort to me. She is so down-to-earth with her approach to decorating. I highly recommend her as your decorator. — Anne Agnew, December 2016

Michelle designed multiple rooms in my home back in 2008 when we first moved into our home. I enlisted her assistance again this year when I wanted to update 4 additional rooms. I am beyond thrilled with the results. Michelle listened to my ideas and was able to interpret them into beautiful furnishings, custom rugs and window treatments. She also stayed within the budget that I had set for each room. Michelle is a joy to work with and I had a great time collaborating with her on my new spaces. — Rebecca Brown, October 2016

We’re honored to have received the Best of Houzz 2017 Service award. Thank you to each of you who helped make it happen!

Inside Homearama 2016: Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest

January 23, 2017 by Michelle

Each year the Tidewater Builders Association hosts Homearama, a showcase of custom built homes in the Hampton Roads area, and we could not have been more delighted to participate in the 2016 edition of this annual event! If you missed it (or just want to revisit your favorite rooms for inspiration), don’t worry. We’ve got you covered with a virtual tour and the inside scoop from principal interior designer Michelle Nettles.

The 2016 Homearama tour featured five custom homes in Chesapeake’s Edinburgh community fully decorated for the holidays and showing off the latest luxury home design trends. Our Virginia Beach interior design company provided the interior design for the Thanksgiving Home, “Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest.” Check out the virtual tour here for a room-by-room exploration of the home.

The inspiration for this home was the city of Chesapeake, with a theme of casual elegance. We even included a blue heron (the symbol of Chesapeake) in the decor; a painting by Barbara Gernat that can be seen in the foyer (above). A gourmet kitchen, keeping room, custom butler’s pantry, and organized mud room entry were designed to appeal to today’s more casual lifestyle and the needs of modern families, while a downstairs master suite provides accessibility for aging in place and sophisticated features to create a relaxing retreat.

It was a pleasure to work with Sam Cohen of Joey Corp. (builder) as well as the Closet Factory of Hampton Roads (custom organization) and the other talented folks who made this project a success!

Stay tuned for our next post because we’ll be dishing up the details, from paint colors to fine art and accessories.

Clever Design Ideas to Help You Get Organized in 2017

January 16, 2017 by Michelle

With a new year on the calendar comes a fresh start, the chance to make changes from the previous year and improve any aspects of our lives that we wish were different. When it comes to our homes, there’s one area where almost everyone feels they could use some improvement–organization!

At MJN & Associates Interiors, we believe that your home should not only look beautiful, but should also function beautifully, making your day-to-day routine easier. One way we can help you achieve that balance between form and function is with custom organizational systems from Closet Factory.

We recently had the opportunity to work with Closet Factory on Chesapeake’s Treasure Chest, a show home in the Tidewater Builders Association’s Homearama 2016. As you can see in the master bedroom closet above, these custom organizational systems can help you maximize storage while also adding a polished look to your “workhorse” spaces like closets. But don’t let the Closet Factory name fool you; their solutions for storage and organization in your home are by no means limited to the closet!

Below are three more examples from the same home showing how you can add storage and get organized without sacrificing style.

This masculine office gives a nod to tradition but with an updated edge, combining a stylish neutral color palette with rich wood tones. The entire back wall is dedicated to storage and display, creating a built-in look. A library-style rolling ladder adds character and function.

Designer organization from the Closet Factory can also be used to create a focal point or define a space, as we did above in the upstairs landing. Landings can be challenging from an interior design standpoint; people just don’t know what to do with these often-awkward spaces. We chose to surround a small sectional sofa with shelving and cabinetry to provide display and storage options while also unifying the seating area into a distinct, cohesive space.

Creating a more organized, efficient home isn’t just about adding storage; there are a myriad of possibilities when you get creative and start to really think about how you need and want your home to function. One excellent example of this approach to design is the wall bed, which has come a long way from the “Murphy beds” you may remember from bygone days. With countless options in finish and style, you don’t have to compromise on appearance in order to maximize the use of your spare bedroom/home office/yoga studio/etc.

Ready to make your home work for you this year? Contact MJN & Associates Interiors today for interior design and custom organization in Hampton Roads!

3 Ways to Use Pantone’s 2017 Color of the Year

December 16, 2016 by Michelle

Each year Pantone Color Institute predicts which color will be popular for the coming year. For 2017, the company has chosen Greenery – Pantone 15-0343. Its fresh yellow-green shade brings visions of spring when nature awakens and begins anew. Greenery is a life-affirming shade that works to remind you to take time to take a deep breath, reconnect and appreciate the beauty of nature. Here are three ways your Virginia Beach interior designer can help you incorporate this trending and versatile color into your home.

Accessorize, Accessorize

You don’t need to paint your walls to add Greenery to a room. Instead, bring the color into your room with a tray, vase or a small piece of art in that color. An interior designer can help you choose interesting accessories to complement your space.

Custom Throw Pillows

A great way to brighten up a space is to add a pop of color with throw pillows. Because Greenery goes so well with so many different color palettes, it’s easy to introduce it as an accent color with your existing decor. Throw pillows will make your space cozier during the cold winter months. MJN & Associates can create custom throw pillows for you.

Add Some Real Greenery

You can add visual interest to both your indoor and outdoor spaces by incorporating Greenery via actual greenery. Choose plants that are within the Greenery color family such as:

Chartreuse sweet potato vine
Ogon sedum
Pineapple or Electric Lime varieties of coleus
Asparagus fern
Bird’s Nest fern
Moss
Baby’s Tears
Spider Plant
Pothos
Succulents

Contact MJN & Associates to speak with a Virginia Beach interior designer who can assist you with any interior design projects that have for the upcoming year. Whether you are seeking custom throw pillows, draperies, art procurement, or choosing a color scheme, we are ready to help.