Nicole Salceda, perhaps better known as Eye for Pretty, has made a name for herself in the interior design community for her stunning organic modern aesthetic that suits her California clients to a tee. So when we saw the opportunity to work with her on a room of her own home, we were thrilled to help her custom design the perfect pieces.
Her finished living space is the perfect embodiment of her style. From the nubby, relaxed texture of our Khaki Performance Washed Linen on The Warren sofa to the luxurious hair-on-hide slings on a pair of Hayes chairs, each piece in the space perfectly balances modern, graphic shapes with subtle materiality.
We sat down with Nicole to hear more about her home, her interior design practice, and how she approached designing her space.
How did you initially get into interior design?
I’ve always been creative from a young age. In college I decided to become a teacher and worked with elementary age children for a long time. As time went on and especially after my husband and I purchased our first home, my creativity with projects around our little house ignited a new passion in interior design. I started to help friends with their homes and slowly word got out and people liked what I was doing. I made the decision to stop teaching and pursue interior design full time. In many ways, it feeds both my passion for teaching and design. I’m always educating my clients on what decisions they are making and how those will affect the outcome of their project. I have an awesome team of women that I work with, my clients put their complete trust in me and I love seeing the finished project.
When you were designing this space, were there any challenges that you we overcoming?
We moved into our current home three years ago. It was a complete fixer upper and people thought we were crazy for buying it but I had stalked the neighborhood and knew it would be the perfect place to raise our kids. We have a narrow living room that makes furniture placement hard, there are very few layouts that would work. I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect couch and two chairs to make the room work. When I found the Warren Sofa and Hayes Chairs the search was over!
Tell us about how you approached designing your space.
Warm, organic, neutral and cozy are some words I use to describe my style, and my home reflects that. My goal with any project is to create a warm, layered environment, so for my own living room, I wanted to use subtle textures, neutral tones, and great accessories to make it feel seamless with the existing scheme of our home.
When it came to selecting the right materials, it was so helpful to see a variety of swatches in person so I could make an informed decision. I was able to compare them by holding them up in different lights as well as put them side by side on my hardwood floors. In the end, the Khaki Performance Washed Linen won out but there were so many others I could have chosen!
The pieces you chose compliment each other so well, how did you select them?
I really love creating spaces that feel rich and layered, but still very relaxed and neutral. One of my favorite ways to do that is to create contrast in shapes and texture. I loved the organic, minimal form of The Hayes Chair with its hair-on-hide sling, but to balance its more natural shape, I chose a sofa that was more structured, with very modern details.
What has it been like living with your furniture so far?
We all love to pile on the couch and snuggle when watching a movie so comfort was definitely a priority in the sofa. The two oversized cushions leave plenty of room so people are not falling through the cracks and the cushions also have the perfect firmness: They are structured but cozy. Another plus is that they hold their shape so I don’t have to constantly fluff them. I also love that The Hayes chair is lightweight so that I can move them around when we entertain - perfect for our more narrow living space.
What sets Maiden Home apart from other furniture companies that you’ve worked with as an interior designer?
I am used to ordering pieces online based off of tear sheets. With Maiden Home, the process was simple and clear. There were so many great reviews and I felt confident after receiving my swatches and doing my research that I was going to receive quality furniture. Even after all that, when the furniture arrived I was surprised to see in person the attention to detail on each piece. From the mitered upholstered corners on the Warren to the nailhead and suede details on the Hayes, I was blown away.
It isn’t always easy to offer my clients the best in quality at an affordable price, but Maiden Home makes it possible and not only that, they make the process simple and efficient. To have a handcrafted, artisan piece so quickly is really remarkable in the design world. I look forward to using their pieces again and again in future projects!
Nicole chose The Warren sofa in Khaki Performance Washed Linen and The Hayes Chairs in Snow Hair-on-Hide and Beech.
Ready to design your custom living room? Order your free swatches today to get started or connect with your personal Design Advisor to talk through layouts, materials, and more!
