vol 29: Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Curated Confessions. I where we drink wine and talk design. Woo! I'm still never gonna get it. I am Hillary Smith. And I am Brittany Pelche Como. And we are the lead designers and owners of Brit Hill Interiors in Brayville, Louisiana. Cheers! Even though today we are coming to you from Denham Springs. Yes. In this big beautiful home. Yes. We have been talking about this and posting little teasers of this house for many weeks now. So we wanted to give you a little bit more of insight before we really transform everything in the house. Yes. So we're gonna take you not room by room, but some rooms cause we would be here a while. I know. I'm like, I don't even know how we're gonna do this. We're gonna punch list this. We're gonna just say what we're doing in each room. I don't know. So I also know I don't have a table, so I'm just gonna hold this, which means I am going to probably be spicy at the end of this. Yes, she will be. Your usual mild self. Correct. She's gonna be hot spicy today instead of mild spicy. And I'm still in the sick, so I also am just a little Annoyed. I mean just let's be real with it. With mucus, not with like life in general. However you want to look at that. so we're in the dining room, in the formal dining room, and we have already transformed, as you can see behind us, this little nook. Mm-hmm. so we'll show you a before picture of what this looked like, but basically with those crazy sconces. my gosh, they get candlesticks. Yeah. We thought they were sconces. And we're like they don't turn on. Like it's a yeah, it's a candle. But they were these antique I don't think they were antique. They look antique. They were just they're mean in California. Like three or four feet projected out and they had a dangerous a credenza below. And we were like We say dangerous. This is awesome. however you want to look at that. Small children are not allowed. Yeah, grandkids, no, they'll be playing. But we're gonna have a console. when we do the show you the final reveal. We will have a console underneath them. We just wanted them to be dramatic and low. Mm-hmm. and we put this beautiful like gold leaf ombre wallpaper behind it to 'cause like why not be extra? And each one of these is like hand blown. Some of have LED lights within the hand blown fixtures and then they also have LED lights from above. So they are custom and beautiful and it took about what? six people. Yeah. Full day or so. Full day to un just unwrap them. Yeah. It it was it's insane. But homeowners love them. And that's exactly what we were going for. And other features in the dining room that we have already transformed, the main thing is the fireplace. Mm-hmm. So before, it was a double sided fireplace with like a limestone mantle, which was beautiful. But they wanted a little bit more of a focal point, in the room. So There's a few of those. Yeah. So we found this Awesome slab, black and dramatic and slab. We needed six of them. Six slabs. Six. and we were able to somewhat bookmatch the slabs, which came out really cool. Yeah. We still have to finish the inside, but it will be a really cool like lit LED with fire glass and just I can't wait to see that. fire in there. and then we're gonna put basically clear glass fire screens on each side so it will even reflect more. shoot. I'm spell down. Easy. I know. It's gonna be it's gonna be a long one. And who put me in a barstool with cocktails? I don't know, and it's very straight. And it's very shallow. Yeah. We stole these from the theater room. these were in the house already. They're beautiful, but not the most comfortable. They do keep your posture. Yeah, I was posturing. This is the best posture I've ever had in a podcast, I think. I feel like my ta's are out and about. But I think they're enclosed. Well, I mean, it's because I wear a turtleneck. Yeah. But Okay, dining room. So w there is this ginormous I don't know, what is this like seven foot mirror? that is antique and hand painted with floral cherubs. Cherubs and things. So this is gonna get moved upstairs eventually, but we need a whole we have yet to tell our ten man crew probably to get it up the stairs with once they take scaffolding down. Mm-hmm. So that's in the works, and then we have a whole new focal feature coming for this wall. And we actually did keep one thing and that was in this room. two things. We kept two things. The beautiful rock crystal chandelier. And that will go over the table that was here. So we we got new chairs and new rug coming, drapery, all the things. So Can't wait to show you the transformation of this room. Mm-hmm. That is ongoing. Mm-hmm. And then right now we have string in the living room, testing out lengths for these. I'm gonna call them a string of pearls. You called them anal beads. You didn't have to tell everybody that. I mean, I told you it was happening. Jeez Louise. There I was just curious how often you see those, but you just They're a string of pearls. look at you. That have lights in them. I told you class. Although the homeowner might like them more. I don't know. Could go either way. Right. Whatever peaks your fancy. Yeah. But anyway, there will be pearls. Dangling from the ceiling. Where's that dangling from the ceiling? So these pearls come in different lengths and they have LED lights in them. And so we had to experiment with how they should be hung, the lengths, and so that's gonna be like extra special or naughty. I don't know at this point. I mean it's kind of a theme. Like we have Cha Cha's butt cheeks in the wine room. Yeah. We have the lady on the paral and the master bedroom. Yes. We have some fun art. There's a vibe. It's a vibe. I love it. I know. This is right this podcast might turn into rated R. I mean I'm producer, don't click, not viewable for children's husband. Sheesh. I'm just saying. Yeah. they keep talking about these dinner parties they're gonna host, and I keep thinking I don't know why they wear those, but do you ever like I think about those masks that they wear that I think they wore during the plague or whatever that like with the big nose or whatever? I don't know why that but yeah, that's all I see. Great idea for the first dinner party. my god. No, I mean I think. That's like That's a different kind of party. G y Yes. It's fun though. I mean you you spend a lot of time in New Orleans. I feel like you should know about these parties. Do you know about these parties? Yeah. I was just trying to be ready to P D a little I don't think it's I d is that our vibe? Maybe. Okay. I'm saying you you saying PG or the masquery? I don't know what I'm saying at this point. This is taking a turn for the worst. Moving on to the foyer. The foyer, that's unsafe. Yeah, it's not right now. It they have no it's not safe. It's not safe. you mean like OSHA safe? Right. I meant like I don't think there's anything vulgar or there's another lady. But no, she's she's beautiful. Mm. you're talking about a staircase. Yeah. I was I have divided up in my head as it's a two part foyer. Two part foyer. Stairway. Yeah. So it's a it's an entry where you walk in and Hillary's doing awesome like pearl Venetian plaster on this pearl. It's like a pearl colour. Like It's not white, it's like pearl. Got it. on the what do you call the ceiling? groin. On the groin ceiling. Nothing. Continue. I know. Just everything just keeps today. Stop it. So I didn't. and then as you walk through the foyer, you come to the beautiful curved staircase. and it has like a landing will have a cool seating area below. But we I think we posted a video last week or the week before of giving you a sneak peek of the current status. So it is stair railing that was here before is taken down and the exist the previous sconces were taken down and we kind of preliminarily put up the sconces that will live there because we will be putting molding around the sconces and around this ginormous mosaic art and she will be backlit. So when we say mosaic, I don't know if like people know what that is. Correct. Like this art is made out of glass tile. Thousands of pieces. Like little bitty pieces. The company actually has a video of how it's made and it's just phenomenal. And it's just like two people just working on it for months. And so yeah they make art out of just Kinda like stained glass, but there's no lead in it. So it's just I mean it's tiled slash stained glass, however you wanna. Yeah. But I just I don't think I honestly before I saw this company I didn't know. I've never yeah, I've never seen anything like it. So this was a piece that was in their previous home we did, so you may have seen it before. I don't know if we've ever given it. It's like true glory. We just put a picture in it. I mean kinda just looks like a picture whenever you don't see it in person. You've seen the light hit it and it reflects so pretty. And so we might end up having to put some type of like directional lighting. We are gonna backlight her. But we'll see once we put new bulbs in the chandelier if she gets enough light to reflect. But this is definitely where she belongs. It's like the perfect place for her. We actually thought she was gonna be kind of small for this base, but she is not. She Because before they had like a that piece of art is the biggest piece of art I've ever seen ever in my life. Yeah. Like I don't even know how they got that. Like sh the person who painted that had to have painted it like I mean it was on like you could tell that I it was obviously painted. But it was beautiful. but just again, not their vibe, you know? So it was a landscape. Yeah. I thought it was pretty. I mean it the colours are pretty and And then so I mean, whenever you talk about like this and you just think about it like a landscape. That's just like a flat. Yeah. It's just not the same. No. and the stairway. So what made us think to put this in here and everything, it what started it is because they have had in the house before this carpet that is from some custom designer in California. Which wish I knew the name, but I don't I know. we didn't do our research. But it ombres from like a light green all the way to a darker green, which also in this mosaic ladies dress also kind of ombres in the same color. So it's like I mean, it's meant to be. Yeah. And then Hillary is going to dangle on some scaffolding and do some beautiful like this might be my last podcast. I might die actually. Kelly Green Venetian plaster behind those brass gaunces. So I can't wait to see that. And I bet you can't. She lives through it. Yeah, they set up scaffolding and it's still like because the staircase is curved, No sorry, this is not adequate. I went to tape out the molding on the wall and I'm like, I got like that far up Like they get the idea. Mm-hmm. But so yeah, that's the staircase. Mm-hmm. Now, unfortunately, we're not gonna be able to show a finished picture of that till like next year because we are going that's where the Christmas tree's gonna go. So by the time we actually get ready to move stuff in, we're gonna start decorating for Christmas. And so we won't have a finished probably picture of that till January. That's okay. We could have a finished festive holiday picture. You're taking half the furniture out. yeah. And that's furniture's not coming in for that until And it's December no. It hits America in December. Yeah. It's custom hand carved wood and upholstered. It's coming on a a real slow boat, I guess. From Indonesia. Is that how they make it? Jordan. Jordan? Mm-hmm. So yeah, we'll we'll maybe give a sneak peek of that and then show you a final reveal next year. That's crazy. it's really not. That's really a It's kind of close, yeah. shall we talk about the kitchen next? Sure. So the kitchen and the keeping and the breakfast room are all kinda open to one another. And they also have a large scullery behind the kitchen. And so so far we have upgraded the lighting and we have done some painting and installed a beautiful book match quartzite. Quartzite, thank you. behind the range and we have upgraded the mantle. So that is still kind of in the works. They're finishing up the mantle and fireplace wall. It's it's looking good though. Like it it's when that room's done, I'm gonna As crazy as it sounds, I was gonna say there wasn't a lot of huge changes in that room, but it looks different. Like it is it is a huge change. We did one big thing. Like you walk in that room and it's just the ceilings are so tall. We did stain the beams like almost black really. So I found that made a huge difference. It kind of brought your eye up more because they were just like a light wood before. so and then the hood wall is beautiful like architecture. It's curved. We still have the hood where a brass hood is coming surround. So that'll look good against the slab. And then Simplified the island. It was a little farmhouse. Yeah, real rustic to begin with. And so just cleaned up some lines, changed some paint. Mm-hmm. we're gonna have some fun hardware go in on the refrigerator and freezer door and new fireplace mantle. New chandelier over the breakfast table. There before it was just like can lights were like that changed the whole look. And the lights over the island, I think. Lighting is just my favorite. Me too. Like, honestly, you can like splurge on your lighting people. Like it triple the lighting budget that they give you. Just go ahead and triple that. I mean it really does make changes the entire room. The biggest difference in a in a room. Like it's crazy. Mm-hmm. so I feel like the next big space we should talk about is the master. Okay. Hillary has spent so much time in this master bedroom. Surprised you didn't bring like a blow up mattress to put in there. If it was like five years prior, I probably would have. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. But Tell us about your plaster stage. There's Venetian plaster going on in the walls. What stage though? well I have ADHD, so it's an all-each wall just kinda different. Mm. Mm-hmm. I couldn't stand it the other day, so I went ahead and did the final sand and burnishing and waxed it, which is not out. But I have made it to where all the other adjoining walls are finished too. So I just need to and it hurts my arm. So like I like to plaster one day and then And it's just so monotonous, so I switch it up. Yeah. But like waxing anyone could do, so I keep waiting for someone to show up and finish that. I did it for like a half day. It's exhausting. Mm-hmm. It was a workout. Mm-hmm. That's why Hillary's arms look so toned. Just one of them. I try to do it with my left arm. Switch it. I was with I can't. I would take I took chunks out of the wall. I was like, this is not for me. We're gonna do have a change of clothes and work on that after this. Mm-hmm. I'm getting drunk. I'm gonna sit there and watch her. I'm gonna demonstrate and then let her have at it. But it really is looking good. Like I could tell the area you did do. It's like it turned just this deep, rich, like aubergine color. So pretty. It's just I was like, yep, that's that was it. Yeah. That's what it needed. So they wanted their existing master bedroom just brought into this room, which Hillary did black Venetian plaster in that room and we're like, Mm. They had like this beautiful stone on the double sided fireplace in the master that had tones from like blues to pinks to purple, white. You know, it's really pretty. So we're like, it just it looks too soft to go with black Venetian plaster. Also they wanted to plaster every wall where I only did the headboard wall and they and so black just seemed too in the house. Yeah. So Which they w they wanted to go again with black but then do white on all of the walls and I was like that's just I don't know, I see purple. Mm-hmm. And then we found some art that we loved. And then the draperies came after the face. So it was just a very luxurious. And it's still gonna be dark and moody, but just not Yeah, they'll have like bronze. It goes from like bronze to black to purple, which they did have a little bit of purple accent, like in some of the bedding at the old house. But we're just like enhancing that here. And their bedroom also has a living room on the other side of the fireplace. So we'll be doing Some different, you know, like drapes and fun pillows on the sofa and there's this cool window treatment kind of going into the bathroom into a door opening. So it's just very lovely. It's gonna look fantastic. It has been a pain in my yes. huh. to do the plaster and to get it organized. But yeah, I'm gonna love it. Yes. And about celebrate big big when you're done. I'm gonna be so drunk. I can't wait for move in day. I hate to sound like that's what I do to celebrate, but that yes. Yes, after this. That's been fun though. This has been like it was like Except I hate to talk about that pre film. you know, walking in, it was like a bit overwhelming because of the magnitude of the project and the scale. See that doesn't scare me. My problem was it was a beautiful home. Yeah. And so they're taking someone's home and deconstructing it and turning it into something completely different. And I mean, I respect art regardless if it's not my style. So and they know the homeown the previous homeowner. So that was also like you could tell the our client was hesitant on changing a lot of things. So they're like, just let us know. But then as soon as we wanted to change one thing, it it just was like We know their style and we were like this just isn't it. So They literally just said, like, I would love to have vacationed at this house for a couple weeks. Like a little But that's European getaway. Yeah, exactly. At their house, what they see every day they want it to be like what they truly like as far as the style. Teamwork makes a dream work. Makes a dream work. table tip mm. We had to make we have no furniture in here yet, so we had to makeshift a few little things to do the podcast here today. Yeah, I mean I've spilled I've made it full full. Full full. I spill it is fine. I'm also used to that too. Yes. making you nervous. You good. so we're just focusing on no, I don't have it. I thought I no, I got it. Yeah. Don't mind me, just ignore me. We're focusing on the downstairs first. one being there's like scaffolding blocking the sk stairs to go upstairs right now. But That will be a later phase, so that'll be a whole nother podcast season. Next season. but the other space is downstairs. There's a theater that's super fun. Are we supposed have seasons? Is that how podcasts work? Sorry. I'm squirrel. Season one. Curated confessions. We're not really touching anything in the theater 'cause it was already beautiful. Yeah, that was my favorite room. So, I mean, I might throw a couple of throw pillows on there. But it's very pretty. Very pretty. there's a bar that has an enclosed glass wine room that came fully stopped. Yes. just how all bars are making like some minor tweaks in the bar. It has a beautiful onic agate countertop. But the cabinets were very rustic. Rustic. So it just wasn't like vibing. So we're refacing cabinets and adding some tile. adding a new backsplash and adding cha cha's butt cheeks. Cha cha's butt. So they got this piece of art, like a bronze piece of art from Vegas that was in their main cave before. Mm-hmm. And it is like a horizontal lady all out of bronze and it's like three dimensional. It's just her back side. It's her back. But the green kids say it's cha cha's buttons. I love that. So cute. I know. So that's gone in the wine room. And if mine looked like that, I would also have a bronze made. Yes. It's not really her, but I would do it. I would do it. I'd be like, Yes, that is me. That is me. It's like when you get pregnant and they make the little cast of your bellet. I would be like, No, watch this. Did you do do that? I didn't understand I was the size of a cow. Girl, I could have paper machete that belly. I went got my nails done the other day. They were like, You look almost like back to normal. I love that for me. Yeah. Julie said that. No. Mm-hmm. so yeah, I think that's like covers not all of the downstairs, but the main thing boy. Oof. The main things we are focusing on in this first phase. And then we have outside is a whole nother right now there's like a there's also a mudroom slash hallway. yeah. That's gonna be fun. I love the colors in that too. It's pretty simple, but it's something to be excited about. Yep. outside right now it's kind of like a dust storm out of the windows 'cause there's a lot of things happening. Things happening and bulldozers and dump drinker of turf. Turf. Remodeling. A pickleball court, a golf course of such put. It's probably a golf course. I think it's at a per three. Yeah, I don't know what that's Just one hole. wow. Okay. Just one hole in that all that space? Do you know how big a golf course is? Well yeah, but I'm like that's like that's a lot of turf to just have one hole to put to. Anywho, just let you know. Cutting green and then a par three. Most people don't have like an actual hold in their yard. So it's more than one hole. No. No, it's one hole. okay. Okay. We'll circle back on that. Let you know. I'll teach you about some golf here in a minute. I'm good. I don't think that's not bad. I'm great. I'm gonna be playing pickleball. Got it. Yeah. or kayaking in that pond. Kids be ruined. Kayaking. Kayaking. That's fantastic. Yes. So there's like a whole cinder block wall over there. That changed. Yes. The they're gonna be putting fire pits on each side. No, I meant around the like that's not a bulkhead. They put a hole wall. yeah. That was intense. They're adding a z a gazebo over the water. I don't think he's okay. That's a I didn't know if that was support. I don't I didn't see what you're talking about. I'll show you that too. Okay. I've been in there plastering going there's some things happening out there. Every time man that was cussing the other day while he was moving something. I really thought someone died because there was a lot of screaming. And then nobody was running though. So I think they all survived. Clip. Mm-hmm. I was doing the same, but I was inside by myself. So I felt I felt it to my core. so Yep, that's all for today. Next time we'll hopefully be podcasting here. We'll be able to show you some furnishings and things. that's the best. We should take a tour through the garage. That's where. Yeah. Lots of boxes. Lots of boxes. Forgot to show you the garage, Bailey. so till next time, catch us on YouTube and Spotify and Apple Podcast. And cheers. Cheers. I didn't even get that spicy. But you did. I did not. Right.