How did you end up in the design industry?
Interior design is what I always wanted to do as a child! I spent 10 years in the corporate world handling digital marketing for different footwear brands, and after getting laid off, I decided to pursue my true passion. I attended the Psychologie of Home design school, a short-form bootcamp that taught me the basics of starting my own design business. From there, I gathered a bunch of textbooks and spent tons of time learning SketchUp. I’m proud of how far I’ve come and amped to see where the future takes me!
What does your team look like?
Just me and my bookkeeper! I’m looking to hire additional help in January (from Dalia Soles, whom I know you’ve featured!)
Tell us about the project you're sharing.
This project is one of my favorites. It’s a townhome that was in serious need of a color correction. The cabinetry and large-format tiles weren’t speaking the same language as the flooring and backsplash. My sweet clients had a vision for something cuter and quirkier, and enlisted me to dial up the personality of their home to 100.
What was involved in this project?
I’d call this a “light remodel,” which impacted the kitchen, living room, powder bath, bar, and primary bathroom. We didn’t hire a GC, so I did a lot of communication across our various trades to make sure we had the correct project schedule.
On the functionality end, we added a few cabinets in the kitchen to increase storage and adjusted the bar shelving to better fit the space and accommodate more items. We also worked with a carpenter to add a built-in kitty litter storage solution in the powder bath, as well as bookshelves around the fireplace, complete with a removable bench.
To freshen up the look, I selected complementary wallpaper for the bar and adjacent powder bath, found just the right laminate color combination to re-skin the kitchen and bar cabinetry, and played with fun tile combinations for the kitchen backsplash, fireplace surround, and primary bathroom.
I swapped out all the light fixtures and worked with the carpenter to incorporate linear lighting in the bar to illuminate the clients’ liquor collection and in the kitchen to ensure the 3D relief of the backsplash tile was visible. Lastly, I added styling touches throughout to create a perfectly colorful dream home.
What's something you were really excited about creating for this project?
I loved putting together potential tile combos for the fireplace surround. We used WOW Unexpected Surfaces tiles, and I presented six to eight different layout options to find the right energy, with just the right amount of pops of color.
Is there anything you changed about your business or processes as a result of this project?
These clients were some of the first who wanted to visit tile showrooms with me, so I had to create a semi-curated experience to make sure they weren’t overwhelmed by all the options.
What was your biggest learning from this project?
I didn’t realize re-skinning was even an option for flat-panel cabinetry, and it gave us much better options, including a wood-look laminate for some of the upper cabinets, than we would have had if we had simply painted them.
Thank you, Hilary Gabso, for sharing more about your business and sharing this beautiful home with us! You can visit Hilary Gabso Interior Design on their website or Instagram.
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Photography: Eye of Mel, @eyeofmel
Kitta Bodmer, @kittabodmerphotography
