Discover a Clearwater, Florida condo transformed by Lisa Gilmore Design and featured in The Wall Street Journal.
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FEATURE
Custom Rugs, Pillows and More: Creating Exclusive Interior Designs
in INSPIRATION
Tampa Custom Rugs and Other Custom Pieces from Lisa Gilmore Design
Ever felt like your space needs that special touch? Well, that's our jam! While some designers stick to a signature, tried-and-tested style, we're all about making each project uniquely enchanting. From custom rugs to ottomans with personality, we're here to sprinkle a little magic and exclusivity into every home.
Luxury Interior Design Begins with Pieces Like Custom Rugs
What sets our designs apart? It's the unique pieces we weave into each space. Think custom rugs, built-ins straight out of your dreams, and banquettes that redefine cozy.
Custom Rugs
Who says art belongs only on walls? Our custom rugs beg to differ! Take a peek at these beauties from our collection:
Dive into the lush greens and blues of our leopard rug, perfectly paired with striking drapery.
Feel the vibrant energy of this stripes-and-dots rug above, dancing harmoniously with bold terrazzo floors.
And oh, that leopard rug next to the fiery orange chair? It's the epitome of fierce style! We also spy custom drapery designed by Lisa as well.
Custom Ottomans
Small but mighty, ottomans are our secret weapons for adding flair to any room. Here are three stunners we've conjured up:
Dive into the serene blue hues of our smoky ottomans, echoing the color block art above the sofa.
Let the vibrant ottomans in this entry welcome you into a world of elegance and charm.
And behold the rust-colored wonder with a special surprise of antique claw feet holding crystal balls, which adds a touch of warmth to a Dorothy Draper-inspired space.
Custom Built-Ins
When it comes to wowing guests, custom built-ins steal the show:
Feast your eyes on this gorgeous vanity– handmade, hand-scraped, and stained by our carpenter. He made that weathered look using a burning technique.
Admire the adobe-style fireplace, the perfect blend of form and function.
Marvel at the TV cabinet, designed by Lisa and made by a local carpenter, which hides the TV when not in use.
And don't miss this bold bookcase, adding pops of teal to this stylish home office.
Custom Banquettes
What's the secret to creating dining spaces that dazzle? Banquettes, of course!
Join us in the breakfast nook, where a built-in banquette frames the perfect view.
Marvel at the seamless blend of banquette and cabinetry, creating a space that feels like a warm hug.
How smart is this kitchen nook and curved banquette that makes the best use of the available space?!
Behold the navy-tufted beauty, the crowning jewel of a coastal vacation home.
It’s hard to choose what we love most about this space– the teal banquette paired with the soft happy blue wood base, the basket-weave pendant light, or the handmade cement tile floors.
Custom Pillows
We don't do boring pillows here. Each one is a work of art:
Splash some color with our vibrant accent pillows, adding life to any corner.
Let our sofa pillows tie the sofa, drapery, and ottomans together with effortless grace.
And in the primary bedroom, let these striking pillows perfectly complement the geometric wallpaper.
Bonus! Custom Drapery and Lighting
And why stop at rugs and pillows? Our custom drapery and lighting are the cherry on top:
Feast your eyes on the whimsical banana leaf chandelier above, casting a magical glow over any space.
And our custom drapery selections like these add a touch of elegance to your windows.
FAQs: Answers to Your Burning Custom Rug and Drapery Questions
1. Can you get rugs cut to size?
Absolutely! We totally get it – sometimes your space is just too unique for standard rug sizes. No worries though, getting your rug customized to fit like a glove is totally doable. Just head to a rug or carpet binder, and they can work their magic to bind the edges and make it fit your space perfectly. Whether you're decking out a cozy nook or a sprawling living room, customizing your rug ensures it's as unique as your style!
2. What type of custom rug holds up best?
When it comes to durability, wool rugs are like the superheroes of the rug world. They're naturally tough cookies, standing up to all sorts of wear and tear with ease. Plus, they're practically stain-resistant, making them perfect for those high-traffic areas where spills are bound to happen. And let's not forget – wool rugs are the epitome of luxury and timelessness, guaranteeing your custom creation stays stylish for years to come.
3. How much does it cost to have custom drapes made?
Ah, the million-dollar question – or maybe just a few hundred, depending on your fabric choice! The cost of custom drapes can vary based on factors like fabric, size, and design intricacy. While they might be a tad pricier than your off-the-shelf options, custom drapes are like the haute couture of window treatments – impeccably crafted to fit your space like a glove and elevate your style game. Trust us, the investment is totally worth it for that personalized touch and superior quality that's uniquely you.
With made-to-order pieces, artisan craftsmanship, and a sprinkle of fairy dust, Lisa Gilmore Design turns houses into homes straight out of a storybook.
To get more tips, see our projects, and find ideas for adding liveable glamour to your home, follow me on Instagram or sign up for our newsletter.
Based in Tampa Bay, Florida, Lisa Gilmore Design is a full-service interior design firm that provides luxury design services to busy professionals. We create one-of-a-kind spaces for homeowners in Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Hyde Park, South Tampa, and worldwide.
My Unforgettable Trip to Morocco
in INSPIRATION
Travel hasn’t always been a part of my life.
My family didn’t travel much. We visited family in different states, but we never “destination traveled.”
I loved our trips to see family, but I didn’t know what destination travel was until I was in the third or fourth grade.
We drove to visit family in Pennsylvania and I met a cousin who is about 15 years older than me. She had just gotten out of college, and she showed me her photo albums. She had admired the brilliant green landscape of Ireland, stood in front of the pyramids in Egypt, and floated in the Dead Sea.
I was amazed. That trip literally opened the world to me.
photo Lisa Gilmore in Morocco
So, when I got older and became an adult myself, I never forgot that the world is a grand and beautiful place that I want to experience.
As a young interior designer, I would travel to markets, conferences, or tradeshows in different U.S. cities and stay a couple of extra days to explore a new place. And for a long time, that seemed like enough.
Then after my first marriage ended, I spent some time evaluating my life, and I realized that I hadn’t visited any of the places that I had dreamed of as a little girl.
So, I got my passport and decided that traveling was going to be part of my new life.
My New Well-Traveled Life
In the first two years after the divorce was finalized, I went to Canada, then to Paris for a large tradeshow, then to South Africa, and back to Paris again. Then Covid happened.
But I had learned so much about myself in that short time. I discovered that if I’m in a rut or feeling stagnant or have had multiple bad days, getting away– even if it’s just to a beach three hours away– helps me reset. It rejuvenates me and is my internal medicine.
photo Lisa Gilmore in Paris 2020
As a business owner, we carry our work with us 24/7. It’s at home. It’s at the office. It’s in conversations. When you go out to dinner with friends, people want to know what you’re up to, which is great. I love that friends are interested in what I do, but whenever I travel, I go to places where people don’t know me. It’s a way to truly turn it off and leave that whole identity behind and just be a person who soaks in a new culture, gets inspired, and then returns even better as Lisa Gilmore the designer.
Why a trip to Morocco?
I have known of Morocco for a long time. Diana Vreeland was the editor of Vogue in the 1960s and she would do photo shoots all over the world. There were a couple of locations that always stood out to me, and Morocco was one of them. I watched a documentary that talked about the majesty of Morocco, and then I saw model Ashley Graham post on Instagram when she visited Morocco. And I’ve always had this fascination with Moroccan rugs– the texture and vibrancy that they’re known for.
Morocco has been in the back of my mind but I hadn’t given a lot of thought to planning a trip there right now.
photo Royal Mansuer, Marrakech Lisa Gilmore
Then, one of my designer friends sent a group email asking if any of us would be interested in going to Morocco. She said, “There’s this retreat that I discovered from goop, and I’ve been dying to go. It’s super limited, they only take about nine people at a time, and they just opened one up for the end of the year.”
Without hesitation, I told her to count me in.
The agenda was very elusive and top secret. But we knew we’d be shopping, seeing their beautiful rugs, and learning about the history and culture of Morocco, so it sounded like the perfect retreat to me.
I was so right.
Highlights of the Trip
We stayed at Peacock Pavillions a boutique hotel, located in an olive orchard, that was designed by an American couple. Chris is an architect, and his wife, Maryam, is a human rights activist and designer who’s been featured in Elle Decor and dozens of other publications and has written a book called Marrakesh by Design.
They planned everything for us from transportation to every meal. I’m usually not a person who likes planned vacations or guided tours, but this was a great experience. It was such a brain break and it allowed inspiration to come in and me to relax and just enjoy my friends. It completely refilled my cup.
Moroccan Design
The design in general and the architecture in Morocco were something I’d never seen before, and I pride myself on creating unique and beautiful designs. I thought I had seen beautiful tile work before, but Morocco was over the top. It was real craftsmanship– every little piece was hand cut and hand placed– everything had such intention and purpose which I thought was lovely.
Yves Saint Laurent Museum
Going to the YSL Museum and Memorial Gardens was wonderful. I’m so inspired by iconic people from the past and the stories of their lives– how they became successful and how they built their careers. Saint Laurent started his career as a fashion designer in Paris but later in his career, he fell in love with Marrakesh and moved there. The museum has an amazing curated collection of his fashion on display, but my favorite part was his sketches and seeing how his brain worked.
Moroccan Culture
I loved learning about the culture of Morocco and the people– how they think and the interesting magic they have. Some people believe in ghosts here, but the Moroccans believe in genies and they don’t want genies in their homes. They believe that keyhole arches are barriers between them and the other world of genies and that keyhole arches protect them. So that is a prominent feature in their architecture.
There is extreme wealth and extreme poverty in Morocco. However, they’re not a culture that is flashy or showy. So you don’t see wealthy people driving a Mercedes wagon, walking around with expensive bags, or huge houses. In fact, the windows of houses are very small so people can’t see the wealth inside. I thought that was really interesting because here in the States it’s so opposite of that.
Intentional Beauty
I liked how intentional they are about beauty. Everything there is desert– so bland and boring– but they bring beauty in other ways. Even their tools are beautiful and hand-carved and have such pride and intention. To me that says a lot about them as humans and how they carry themselves and present themselves.
That is something I want to incorporate more into my life– intentional beauty– and I think I’m very conscious of that already. But this trip just brought it to the forefront even more. I’m not a designer who fills people’s homes with things just for the sake of them being filled. I like them to have stories. I like to reuse their antiques or restore something that just needs a little love– to give them a new life. It validated that I am doing a good job of preserving people’s stories.
Project Soar
I mentioned that Maryam, the owner of the hotel, is also a human rights activist. She has a nonprofit for underprivileged teen girls in Morocco, Syria, and Uganda called Project Soar.
While Morocco is very beautiful, there are some horrible things within the culture and how they treat women– specifically young girls. Childhood marriage is a real thing there. I wasn’t aware of how prevalent it is there. There is also a lot of shame around menstruation. A lot of the girls hide it when they come of age because then they can be married off shortly after.
Project Soar teaches these girls different skillsets than what they are taught at home or school like how to negotiate or speak up for themselves and how to be more empowered. In fact, 99% of their girls are able to negotiate themselves out of childhood marriage, which I think is absolutely amazing.
When we toured the site and met the girls, I was so emotional. Being pregnant with my own daughter now, I see things from a different perspective. How lucky we are that we don’t have to worry about those things. But it also makes me sad, because though we’re ahead, there are so many girls that deal with bullying, eating disorders, and mental illness. There is still work to be done here and in countries like Morocco.
A portion of the proceeds from our trip went to Project Soar, and it’s an organization that I plan to support for years to come. Even though it’s not in our own country, it’s important to spread hope and education and help girls around the world. They aren’t as privileged as we are but with our help, they could be.
Design Takeaways
There was so much beautiful color in Morocco. Though building exteriors are in desert colors, the interiors are the exact opposite of bland or beige. It inspired me to be more unapologetic with color and think a little bit more about the legacy I am creating. There’s an opportunity to design a home in such a way that 50 years from now someone could say, “Oh my gosh, this is an insane tile installation. We have to preserve this,” rather than “This is dated. Let’s rip it out.”
We recently did a mid-century renovation that we completely gutted because it was dated and there were some pretty horrible renovations in between. But we let the architecture and legacy of the home guide our collection to create something current that flows well and isn’t jarring to the house.
Where to Next?
We have a baby coming in the spring, so I don’t honestly know where I will go next. I’m excited to create a lifestyle of travel for my daughter that I didn’t have. I want to be one of those families walking around Paris with their four-year-old eating a croissant or in Venice strolling down the Grand Canal.
When I was in Morocco, I bought her a beautiful camel sculpture with encrusted tiles on the back of it to remind her that she rode a camel with me.
I’m inspired to think of different ways to travel with a family. I don’t know where that will be. Right now, everything feels open-handed because I know this next chapter will be something I can’t comprehend. Which is a little challenging for my brain. I’m just in the process of letting it go and letting things come to me– navigating being a business owner and a new mom and wondering how that will look.
But visiting Morocco reminded me why travel will always be a part of my life and my family’s life.
I hope the same is true for you.
To get more tips, see our projects, and find ideas for adding liveable glamour to your home, follow me on Instagram or sign up for our newsletter.
Lisa Gilmore Design is a full-service interior designer based in St. Petersburg, Florida that provides custom design services to busy professionals. We create exclusive spaces through the use of artisan-crafted pieces, antique elements, and custom designs. Lisa Gilmore Design serves homeowners in Clearwater, Tampa Bay, Naples, Srasota and worldwide.
Do You Know Your Holiday Decor Style?
in INSPIRATION
A Style Guide for Your Holiday Entertaining
Can you believe the holidays are just a few weeks away?! Our calendars are certainly packed with holiday activities, and we bet yours are too.
In fact, many of you may be hosting holiday parties and events and you want your decor to be on point. So, let’s take a look at some of the most popular holiday decorating styles.
photo Lisa Gilmore Design - Whimsical Decor
The 6 Most Popular Holiday Decorating Styles
Though farmhouse, glam, and coastal Christmas themes are also popular, the six most common holiday styles are whimsical, traditional, monochromatic, minimal, rustic, and vintage.
Whimsical Holiday Decor
If you’ve seen our design projects, it will come as no surprise that the Lisa Gilmore Design team prefers colorful holiday decor.
Whimsical holiday decor embraces your playful side. Think bright colors, bold patterns, and unexpected elements like oversized ornaments. Consider incorporating fun touches like a garland made of colorful pom-poms or festive bottle brush trees. For a playful twist, try incorporating unconventional colors like pink or turquoise and striking prints like stripes or animal prints.
photo Lisa Gilmore Design
Traditional Holiday Decor
If the holidays bring to mind Bing Crosby songs and sipping egg nog around the fire, then traditional holiday decor may be the right choice for you.
photo Stock Photography
Traditional holiday decor is all about embracing classic elements like red and green color schemes, plaid patterns, and evergreen boughs. Classic holiday decor includes wreaths made of holly or trees decorated with handmade ornaments. For a cozy touch, consider adding a plaid throw blanket or festive throw pillows to your entertaining space.
photo Stock Photography
Monochromatic Holiday Decor
If you prefer an understated, yet luxurious holiday tone, then monochromatic holiday decor may be perfect for your holiday events.
photo Stock Photography
Choose shades of white or silver for an elegant look, or shades of blue for a cool and calming vibe. Consider using white lights and white ornaments to create an ethereal feel. And for a modern twist on monochromatic decor, add metallic accents like silver candlesticks or gold garlands.
photo Stock Photography
Minimal Holiday Decor
After minimalism became mainstream in the 2000s, minimal holiday decor also became a popular style. And, we must admit, minimal holiday decor certainly makes setup and storage much simpler.
photo Stock Photography
If you’re a minimalist who wants to keep your holiday environment simple and chic, think neutral colors, clean lines, and natural materials like wood or greenery. Consider using simple white lights instead of multicolored strands to create a serene atmosphere. For a minimalist take on the classic Christmas tree, use a sparse tree with only a few carefully chosen ornaments.
photo Stock Photography
Rustic Holiday Decor
For those who plan on spending the holidays in the mountains, a rustic motif could be the icing on your holiday cake.
photo Stock Photography
Embrace the great outdoors and create a cozy, cabin feel with lots of texture and warmth. Use
natural elements like pinecones or birch logs to create a cozy atmosphere. For a rustic Christmas tree, swap traditional garland for burlap ribbon.
photo Stock Photography
Vintage Holiday Decor
If you love antiques and vintage pieces as much as Lisa, then vintage holiday decor may appeal to you.
photo Stock Photography
When shopping, look for antique items that can double as ornaments, select vintage-inspired wrapping paper, and choose old-fashioned string lights rather than modern ones. An antique sled or some vintage-inspired glass ornaments make the perfect addition.
And for a throwback vibe that will work all winter long, add vintage-inspired throw pillows and blankets to your living spaces.
photo Stock Photography
FAQs
1. How do I choose my Christmas decor style?
An easy way to identify your perfect Christmas decor style is to look at your non-seasonal decor. If your style is eclectic, contemporary, or traditional, then it’s likely that your Christmas decor style will be the same. If you need more help, consider your personal taste, the color scheme of your home, and the size of your space. The answers to these questions will help you identify what kind and how much decor you need.
2. What are the different styles of Christmas decorating?
Christmas decorating styles are as diverse and creative as the people who celebrate them, but the most popular styles are traditional, monochromatic, minimal, whimsical, rustic, and vintage. And don’t forget that you don’t have to follow any one style; you can mix and match different styles and elements to create your own unique look.
3. How can I make my house look more Christmassy?
First, start with the centerpiece of Christmas decor– a Christmas tree. Choose a theme for your tree– whether it’s a decor style like whimsical, traditional, or rustic– or a color scheme like blue, white, and gold. Then comes the fun part– decorating.
Other festive Christmas decorations include wreaths and garlands, a holiday-themed mantle with stockings, and special table decor.
One of our favorite parts of the holiday season is being able to give our spaces new and exciting looks. We hope these ideas inspire you to get creative with your holiday decorating this year! Most of all, we wish you a wonderful holiday season.
To get more tips, see our projects, and find ideas for adding liveable glamour to your home, follow me on Instagram or sign up for our newsletter.