Maren Baker Design, llc

Big thank you to and for including our powder room with this toile from . I will keep saying it - put wallpaper up in your powder room (and I prefer at least one other room so it doesn't feel totally random). You will not regret it - and let's be honest, the powder room gets way more use than you might think so mind as well have some fun stuff to view! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Photo:

Gotta love 90s architecture with all its fun angles and turns that make it difficult to put in window treatments and find a good wall for a bed... but thats when a designer becomes super important! We worked some magic and made it work here, and luckily had some really beautiful furniture, fabrics and that rug (15' Diameter! The cream is wool and the dark teal leaf-pattern is 100% silk... stunning in person), which made it all about those and not the angles. ​​​​​​​​
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The reading spot from yesterday's primary sitting area. Printed grasscloth wallpaper and a subtle pallet of grays, creams and light blues. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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A sitting room off a primary bedroom that was sort of "what do we do with this space" kind of rooms. The primary bedroom had a lot of openings to hallway/bathroom/sitting room, so this space actually gave us some good extra square footage for a reading area (around the door), and a nice visual from the bed in the adjacent room. Those bookshelves sucked up accessories like you wouldn't believe - always buy more than you think! I imagine their kids lounging on that ottoman and maybe even rolling it around, probably driving their parents nuts but also keeping them busy. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Summer days in Chicago - these are the times I think having a condo in a high rise that looks out to Lake Michigan might just be worth those winters (which is actually also beautiful from these places). ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Thanks and .smallman for spreading my words of wisdom. But seriously, this is sort of the rules/not rules about any small room - especially a small bathroom. If you are nervous about certain elements it is a great place to go a little out of your comfort zone!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

This bathroom turned out so lovely. We included motorized shades because those windows are pretty high. The chandelier took some deep breaths during installation, and that chair is simply stunning with the moon detail on the back. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Today is my kids' last day of school. I am feeling the feels because my youngest is finishing kindergarten, my 2nd is going into 3rd grade which I remember vividly as a kid (in a good way - I still remember my report on Cockatoos), and my oldest is going into 6th grade which for me was junior high and braces. I just can't get over how they are growing. I am excited for them for all the fun stuff this summer. I will try to continue to stay somewhat regular here, but my regular posting recently is already nothing short of a miracle. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Here is a study area we designed with a custom desk, which I imagine might gather a little dust for the next few months. Happy Summer everyone!



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Some close-ups of a beautiful kitchen we designed. Hidden appliances, pretty hardware, no upper cabinets, sconces with custom shades and a stone that is sooo cool.

Tile detail in a windowless lower level boys' bathroom that was small and needed something super fun but could also grow with them a bit. Eyes went a little cross-eyed to make sure this tile got installed properly but client (and boys) were very happy. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

As the heart of many people's homes, the kitchen is a real place to make a statement (understated or not). With pendant lighting serving both function and design, its an important decision. This article from Good Housekeeping shared one of our Chicago loft projects with some cool pendants that helped balance out the harder lines. Visit goodhousekeeping.com to read the full story!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Not sure I will be doing any cooking or meal prep today because I am too tired, but if I did it would be great to be doing it here. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

It's Memorial Day weekend but I am still loving a fire. This cozy sitting area (with a TV that can be viewed from the adjacent bedroom), has the most luxe finishes... leather, silk, velvet, marble, wood and linen. A lovely walk-out to the back yard but when those drapes are closed it is completely cocooning, making it such a cool spot regardless of the time of year. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

This shower is fairly insane in a good way... Ombre glass tile and some brushed gold plumbing fixtures. This was in a 1990s-era house, which as you can imagine had some angles and an odd layout so we opened up the shower to bring more natural light into the entire space and did a statement shower. Our tiler was gracious to deal with this tile, but it turned out really great. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Love a bar, love this color, and we put it in a high gloss finish so it felt a little luxe. We love some exposed hinges, and this case those and the latch hardware is similar to the adjacent dining room's original built-ins. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

An unusually quiet area of a nursery - lavender/gray on the walls and a simple graphic on the window that will grow with her as she gets older. And don't forget the black-out lining (especially in Boise although this project is in Chicago). ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I am really gravitating to these projects where the sun streams in - I FEEL the temps warming up even though its gotten a little cooler again. This corner in an office is a great spot to read, sit with a laptop or just take a break. We made it so the chair could easily be moved out of the way and that fuzzy rug would be a spot for the client to do his meditations. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

A little power room drenched in a beautiful wallpaper, trim to compliment and a mix of materials and textures at the sink. One of my favorites we have done. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Welp, missed this one. If anyone else is like me though and can't believe it is already May and still has some ideas about what to do in their house for this year, this article still resonates! Check it out - https://www.sunset.com/home-garden/design/design-trends-2024 -mudroom-maren-baker-pc-sen-creative ​​​​​​​​​A big thank you to and for including me! ​​​​​​​​​

For those who missed the previous announcement, are overwhelmed by social media so took a break, or just plain forgot, Maren partnered with 2 other interior designers to open a furniture & home goods store in downtown Boise (right next to the office!). Scenic, at the corner of 15th & Grove, has everything you need for you or your clients home... furniture that is sooo comfortable (and looks good), endless customization options on upholstery and other casegoods, lamps, books, accessories, tableware, and even vintage items. We are open all the time (OK well Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m. - 6 pm but definitely lots of hours). We love working with other designers at Scenic, and welcome anyone (even kids!) to come in and test out our furniture or find a gift for themselves or loved ones. Your home is all about telling your story, and we are here for it! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

This is somewhat of a throwback Thursday image of a condo completed in Chicago. This was a window-less entry with narrow double doors that opened directly into the galley kitchen. This client loved all those 70s colors so we went with here and painted everything a kind of muddy green and added a little wallpaper to those doors. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

AFTER/BEFORE! Ah.... the beauty of an after when you are graced with images of the before is something that never really gets old. This kitchen didn't function, was very dated, dark and had a bunch of ick-finishes. Now it functions well with large walk in pantry (behind the range wall), an island to fit everyone and lots of natural light. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Finally feeling like spring here, so sharing a bright guest room & bath here for your Monday enjoyment. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

This project still brings me joy. A year ago Rue, helmed by Boise's own Kelli Lamb, featured our Boise project on its pages. I didn't post then because I was overwhelmed by social media at the time (still am?), but I can't let its anniversary go by without sharing this project. Please check out the article and all the lovely photos by , and also check out other fun stuff at Rue.com! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Would love to hear in the comments about some of your favorite parts of the house!

Sumptuous fabrics and materials in a primary bedroom. Even the back of this bed and nightstand looked good! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Just a soothing pretty dining room for your midweek enjoyment - I don't know about you but I like wine, and its Wednesday... and I don't think Wine Wednesday would be so bad spent here with family and friends. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I LOVE a pretty, patterned, or colorful laundry room (maybe it is because mine is in the unfinished part of our basement). This one has a cool wallpaper, green penny tiles and a couple of vintage ceiling fixtures (out of site is a taller storage cabinet). ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Raise your hand if you love a niche! Can make for a tricky layout but this one creates a perfect long vanity in a primary bathroom and an opportunity to change up wall materials. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Thank you and for showing off a couple kitchens we have designed in the past - the first one being for some great clients living in a Chicago loft who cook a ton (while also somehow keeping their kitchen super organized), but their former kitchen was on the other (i.e. dark) side of the condo. Also if you look closely you can see their very narrow European fridge in the corner! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Happy May Day to Mae! ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​