Brushing up on my illustration skills…
Back to school, I’m taking a class. Hand rendering has not gone the way of the dinosaur! It’s still very relevant as a design tool and allows us free rein as we are imagining interior possibilities and options, or even just casually documenting a space.
I am a huge fan of ink. There is just something about line drawing that truly cuts with ink and watercolor. You have to very carefully think about tone and weight, and how to best use the two together to express whatever it is you’re trying to convey. More-so than with pencil. It’s permanent. It’s layered. It’s complex and it hits deep.
Very excited to share more highlights with y’all as I journey through for the next few weeks. A well-designed life is truly one of lifelong learning, and it’s probably my favorite thing about being a creative. [Evanston, IL]
Sweet moments from Saturday’s Keck & Keck home tour…
Never in million years did I expect to step back into this home so triumphantly post renovation. The passion and dedication poured into reviving this incredible space gave goosebumps. What was slipping into neglect in 2017 has made a comeback worthy of a rock star!
What a joy-filled weekend. Huge thanks to the new owners and the designer for opening their doors to us. They poured themselves into this place with meticulous detail, honoring its history and heritage, and tastefully mapping new life onto the space along the way.
And a big hug to my partner in crime Meg O’Sullivan for her vision in spearheading this event, and dedication to the safe-keeping of this home. [Highland Park, IL]
Powder rooms delight…
I LOVE a powder room. It’s a space where design can play, pop, whimsy, and astound. These little rest stops can truly be show stoppers!
And, that’s what our clients were seeking in their home. This powder room serves both as a front line for guests, and as an attached bath for their in-laws. It needed to be a best foot forward.
They were struggling with a palette that was oversaturated with neutrals. So, we brought in a wallpaper with just a hint of brushed metallic and soft moments of color to evoke a playful fairy tale feel. Equal parts amuse and charm.
We paired champagne gold fixtures with brushed and patinated brass accessories to create textured, decadent character. And painted the adjacent walls (surrounding the shower) a metallic faux finish to match the wallpaper’s ground.
Tile on floor and in shower bear specks of blue veining that correspond with the cobalt accents of the wallcovering. This was a true pleasure to dream, design, and produce. [Naperville, IL]
Join me this Saturday as we tour a dreamy 1962 Keck & Keck…
Enjoy an afternoon of mingling and Modernist-minded community as we tour this architecturally significant home in Highland Park.
Privately owned and rarely seen by the public, this home is famed for its oval design, built around an indoor swimming pool with working retractable roof. A sunken bar area, terrazzo floors, and built-in cabinets add touches of mid-century elegance. The home has recently undergone extensive renovation and has never been seen with its new design elements, which mindfully honor modernist aesthetic and tradition.
The Chicago Modernist Collective is a reimagined community inspired by the group formerly known as Chicago Bauhaus and Beyond. (If you know, you know!) The CMC celebrates all things 20th century design and architecture through community, connection and conversation. We host home and institutional tours as well as talks and casual gatherings across the Chicagoland area.
Facilitated by yours truly and Meg O’Sullivan. Hope to see you there! [Highland Park, IL]
Back from summer break…
All the bolder, the wiser. 😉
Fall is here! It has already been a very full year, and we still have a quarter to go. I’m so excited to share what we have cooking with you all.
For those who don’t know me… I’m Alexa Glade DeTogne. Call me Lex (she/they). I’m your local interior designer, specializing in the colorful, curious, eclectic, and bespoke. I’m also a semi-retired birth worker (or doula). And, I help folk feel empowered in their homes.
My team has grown - We’re no longer one, but three! And, we are fully booked through end of year. That being said, if you are hoping to start this next year fresh - new home, streamlined space, re-imagined digs, new you - Now is 100% time to start building your team and making a plan. We design, we build, we decorate. And, we’d be happy to lend our carefully trained hands and eyes and creative minds.
Slow design is success. Don’t wait until the 11th hour! No good decisions are ever made standing at the edge of a cliff… Schedule a discovery call with me or send us a note! I’m always happy to chat through your needs, desires, and project goals. Let’s light the way together. [Chicago, IL]
Curated, clean, crisp, and cozy…
These were the code words that guided the interior design as we tackled this basement rec room, featuring a home theater and wet bar.
My clients wanted a statement space and they got it! Monochromatic and moody, their basement is complete with rich leathers, warm woods, and plush fabrics. We layered bright whites and navy blues on medium greys and charcoals. Maroon, brass, and gold make accents.
A striking wool shag carpet and custom wine-toned bar stools were two of my favorite selections. We accessorized with an eclectic array of vintage objects - hand sourced locally by yours truly. Custom pillows and drapery were the cherries. Design lives in the documentation. Completion images coming later this fall...[Naperville, IL]
Having a little (too much) fun with florals...
I’ve been waist deep in a whole home accessory and style project in Naperville, and this was just a small part of my dried floral haul. I crafted each of these arrangements by hand, using their destined locations and their vases as inspiration for each palette.
I absolutely love integrating florals and botanicals in the home. Scents and colors are very powerful feels, and it’s wild how they can ground us, beckon us in to nostalgic places, or take us away to realms of fantasy. They are incredible tools to affect a mood. [Naperville, IL]
New acquisition...
These casters are ready to roll, babies…
I picked up this Victorian slipper chair at auction and am totally smitten. It’s not for sale *yet* as I’m keeping my eyes peeled for an interior project that might be a happy fit… ( feel free to convince me otherwise though! )
Original caster feet and striped silk upholstery. This little shorty was lovingly crafted from fruitwood over 120 years ago! Still very much fit for use - Ease onto its low profile and slip on your shoes in maximum comfort and style. Like royalty.
In other news: Sneak peek of my new studio space! I’m slowing cleaning out my grandmother’s midcentury ranch house in Libertyville, IL to convert into a studio / material library, and a place to store more furnishings like this one. I’ll still be living and working in my home studio in Chicago, as well, but it will be nice to have a little extra space to spread my wings. More updates as I continue to build. [Libertyville, IL]
Making moods material IS magic...
Welcome to our first edition! I hope to continue this series for every project tackled. I always share a preliminary version of this board with my clients prior to production.
This final take was a really fun way to reflect on process and document all the finishing touches cohesively.This particular board was lovingly crafted for my Naperville clients. They wanted to evoke an earthy, organic feel across their upstairs living spaces. Their interior was already blanketed with neutral colors, fabrics, and natural woods. So, we took it to the next level with pops of green marble, amethyst velvet, and warm oak. Aged brass metallics for accent, mixed with silver and brushed nickel. Woven caning for texture. All to complement their very jamming abstract art collection.
Items represented on this board: Paint schemes, dining table and chairs, lighting, living room sofa, side tables, coffee table, kitchen stools, cabinetry.
Completion images coming this summer! This was a whole home design, and we could not be happier with the results. [Naperville, IL]
Rebranding never looked so easy on the eyes...
But it has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done as a small business owner!!
A year and a half in the making, and it’s almost here folks. New business cards, new website, new focus, same Lex.
A few big announcements coming soon, but I wanted to share some of the new look meantime. It’s cleaner, calmer, and better balanced. Gold foil edge always and forever.
Interior design will continue to be my main jam this year (and beyond). My role as a doula / community worker is taking a thoughtfully re-invented back seat for now. [Chicago, IL]
Making magic in this mudroom...
*SNEAK PEEK*
I’m starting to place the final touches on a whole home / new build project in Naperville. We’re moving into the styling phase, and I had maybe too much fun with this little vignette.
These clients wanted to evoke an earthy, organic, calming feel in their main living areas. So we chose a dark blue-green finish for the custom cabinetry in their mudroom, with natural oak details.
More completion images to come in the next few months! This project was quite the pleasure. [Naperville, IL]
Cold January days are for color matching...
I’ve been studio-bound largely for the last month. Can’t complain, as it’s been a cozy affair and allowed for a lot of needed creativity. I’ve been sketching, writing, and of course fine tuning designs for clients.
Color palette creation and material matching is a huge part of my design process. We bring imagined colorways and textures to life with paint, stain, fabric, metal, stone, wood, glass and a myriad of other materials. And, it all starts with a swatch or sample.
More soon on various step-by-steps! Many roads lead to Rome. [Chicago, IL]
In tribute to George Nelson’s iconic Coconut chair (c. 1956)...
I designed these cards as a little post-holiday greeting for friends and colleagues. A little bit whimsy, a little bit design nerd…. I’m back, babies - Happy New Year! [Chicago, IL]
