Category Archives: Decorating

Canada love…Tommy Smythe

10 Wednesday Nov 2010

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It may have started with my first and only visit to Canada.  I was 8 years old, equipped with my very own Kodak Brownie camera (for those too young to have heard of such a camera it would be like saying “Canon EOS SLR digital camera”…at least for me).  My parents took me on vacation to Niagara Falls, the Canadian side, during the spring; I can remember swaths of tulips in full bloom near the falls.

My interest in Canada must have waned because when asked if I’d like to join my mom and step-father on a vacation to Victoria in June, the year I graduated from high school, I passed on the all-expenses paid trip (my loss).

So…many years later (please don’t do the math, I’m not really that old)…I was referred to a mystery series of novels written by Louise Penny titled Inspector Gamache series.  The murders often take place in a village called Three Pines (Quebec) not to far from Montreal.  I don’t know whether the village truly exists or is imaginary but it sounds so charming!  The descriptions of the village and its characters, many speaking French, what’s not to love?

The latest intrigue with Canada came in the form of an HGTV program called “Sarah’s House”.  This show is new to me and it follows the renovation of houses owned by Canadian designer,  Sarah Richardson.  Her partner in all things design related is Tommy Smythe.  I love what Tommy does with rooms large and small.  He’s funny and talented and I enjoy watching him.  His current apartment in Toronto is amazing (pictures below) and only 700 square feet!

The landlord lives above Tommy in this beautiful apartment. I love the iron gates.

I wonder if this was once a single family home?

I love the gallery of pictures and the Union Jack pillow! The living room feels big.

The hardwood floors are rich and with his use of white paint, stand out.

I imagine this is a dual purpose desk/kitchen table. When you only have 700 square feet of living space a lot of things have to do double-duty.

I love the chest, I believe it's an antique.

The chandelier is a nice touch in the bedroom, don't you think?

The arbor leads to the back yard---very beautiful.

Click HERE if you’d like to see Tommy’s apartment prior to this beauty.

Tommy Smythe contributes to Canadian House & Home magazine and this kitchen came up during my search

I love the lantern and the black French doors.

Isn't this pretty? I wish I had the issue so that I could see the rest of the article.

{sigh, kitchen love}

It’s so much fun to find a new (to me) designer who’s style and flair you admire and can strive towards borrowing for your own home!

Identifying your style

08 Monday Nov 2010

Posted by in Decorating, Misc

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Do you know what your ‘style’ of decorating would be called if your home was featured in a magazine?  I don’t.  I know what I like and I’ve tried to be objective about the rooms in my house but labels seem to elude me.  Sometimes words get in the way.

This was the image of the house Peter Dunham (House Beautiful, November 2010) had recently decorated...they identified the house as a 1920 "Classic American" house. I love it.

I have a vague idea that my ‘style’ is “eased-up traditional” a term I found in an interview of Peter Dunham in the latest House Beautiful magazine.   {love that term}  The house had touches of French and British Colonial among others.  I love French  ‘Country’ (I believe that just means a little less formality) and I love English (again, more ‘country’ than the highly polished/preserved furniture).  Our home is small (relatively speaking) so I often refer to it as cottage.  I occasionally pick up magazines that declare themselves “cottage” or “romantic” living publications and often only see one or two rooms I like…what’s that about?

This was the young girl's bedroom in the Dunham house---French bed with bamboo accents, isn't it pretty?

I really like the stone table and fireplace. (Dunham house)

My natural affinity for furniture and accessories that are MUCH less than perfect, even slightly beat-up or tarnished, makes me wonder what style that might be.  Words can conjure up an image based on experience or exposure that sometimes is unfavorable as a descriptive.

This Cabbages & Roses room would be French, I believe. I've really grown to love the gray paint they are showing.

Industrial style is really popular now...where does that fit in the grand list of styles---modern, traditional with a twist?

{Above image was recently shown on the blog site Greige}

An example of this whole “words creating an image” backfired when,  some years ago, hubby and I talked to someone about landscaping our back yard, including some changes we wanted to make to the patio area.  Some of you may know, I used to have a landscape business but I wanted an outside perspective.  So we were going to pay an “expert” for plans and then implement them ourselves. After a detailed walk through the yard and showing him some of the pictures I’d saved from magazines (which I believe reflected an English cottage-garden look with a formal knot garden) he looked at me and said, “So, what you want is a “funky” look, right?”  Hubby said I visibly blanched and needless to say I never called him back.  For some reason “funky” for me equates to a disorganized, mismatched, even cluttered or junky look, which I don’t believe is anywhere near the look I was going for.  Is it me?  It’s him right?

I love English pewter and dark oak furniture.

Not sure what "style" this is but I thought it was interesting...the walls are lined with birch bark. Rustic but really effective.

If you Google “design style” you will find plenty of entries that address the styles that are considered ‘standards’ but as one design blogger stated, there are as many combination’s of styles as there are designers and they (styles) are as individual as the person doing the room.

I thought this John Jacob designed kitchen area was a great mix of traditional and classic. The black pieces and classic black and white floors are striking.

The neutral palate of A Country Farmhouse makes me re-think the meaning of "country" design...her rooms are so fresh and welcoming.

{If you’ve never visited A Country Farmhouse blog site I think you might be surprised}

I guess that’s what makes this hobby in decorating so much fun for me;  to see how individuals communicate their style and the “rules” are often not applied.  That’s the way I like it!  What about you, do you have a definitive style?

Cote de Texas featured this room at an estate called Balderbrae...the room is beautiful and it hasn't changed too much in 10+ years.

{Visit Cote de Texas for this post HERE}

Sleep, per chance to dream…Shakespere

01 Monday Nov 2010

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I’ve read a lot of different theories on how to ensure yourself 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.   I’ve practiced reading before lights out, warm milk, a relaxing bath and mind calming exercise with some success.

This bedroom looks inviting.

Overall, I have discovered that for me ‘order in my surrounding environment’ seems to be critical.  I know that must seem ridiculous to some but I can relax when everything is tidy, not so much when it’s not.

What do you do to go to sleep and stay asleep? Excedrin PM anyone?

I try to remember this quote, “Every twenty-four hours we are given  a fresh canvas to prime, to make ready for the vision.” Sarah Ban Breathnach, A Day of Comfort and Joy. I always hope that I’m ready to face a new day with optimism and energy.

Below are some bedrooms that I believe could aid with this whole sleep and dream goal.

This bedroom looks so fresh and inviting---maybe it's a guest room?

I like the French head and foot board and I think upholstered headboards would be comfortable. Would it be a dirt magnet?

I've seen suitcases stacked to create a nightstand before, just never using Louis Vuitton cases.

This streamlined look is relaxing to me; I like the windows above the bed.

Another padded headboard---the lamps are great with the prints and neutral duvet.

Can you guess? This is a Ralph Lauren room---it reminds me of a sharp men's suit---in fact I think one of the fabrics is called "suit ticking"

Red and white toile, need I say more?!

In case you weren't aware---I'm going to be a Grandma very soon!

{all images, except the 1st bedroom are courtesy of House Beautiful}

Mom Cave

25 Monday Oct 2010

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*Censational Girl is hosting a contest on behalf of Home Goods—Describe your ‘Mom Cave’—okay, that’s easy.  My “Mom Cave” (which is really a misnomer since while I’ll always be a mom, my kids are adults) is a room in our house that used to be our dining room…the room is fairly small and several years ago we decided to flip the living room / dining room.  The living room was getting used so seldom and we generally entertain friends and family a lot.  So—I moved one of the love seats into the former dining room and gave the second away to Son #1.  I moved the ladder back chair and declared it my reading room or library.

*A) Describe your ‘Mom Cave’ and get creative! It can be your home office, your craft corner or closet, your reading nook, your vanity, or your favorite getaway spot.  Wherever it is that YOU take time to recharge, create, get organized, or just relax.  Why is it special to you?   How does your existing ‘Mom Cave’ help you stay organized, unwind, or simply be a better Mom?

I have a wish list for this room---it may become my blue and white room somewhere down the line.

One of the reason’s I love this room is its south-facing sun exposure.  This exposure makes the room cheerful and full of light for reading.  The ladder back chair has an ottoman and I find this to be one of the most comfortable chairs in the house—great for reading or relaxing.

The picture above the sofa was given to me by my grandma.

I’ve surrounded myself with art that I love (the picture over the sofa my grandma gave me) and lots of books.  I usually take my stack of magazines or catalogs that need to be sorted and passed on, or using a clipboard I’ll take a stack of notes in for catching up on correspondence.

I don't sit in this bay window to read, but Madison, my little dog, does! (Well, not to read---she's not that clever---but she watches me read)

However, there is a “wish list” for this room.  I’d like to remove the wallpaper and paint the walls, upholster the sofa (which is in a faded state) and have the ladder back refinished to take care of the damage from the sun exposure.  We may have to tint the windows or put up a shade…not sure which, to avoid the sun damage from reoccurring.

Layla at The Lettered Cottage, created this reading nook for herself when they remodeled their home. I love the cozy inviting feel of this space.

The Lettered Cottage

This reading nook was created from a closet space---very nice.

Do you have a room of your own?  Or a space where you can relax, read, unwind, write, blog, reboot?

What says Country French design to you?

13 Wednesday Oct 2010

Posted by in Antiques, Decorating

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I have only been to France once.  I visited Paris 20 years ago and haven’t had the opportunity to return!  Even though my visit was brief it began a long-standing crush on all things French and peaked my interest in Country French interiors.  Up until then I was headed towards the English Country style.  {Our home is a combination of French and British influences, two of my favorite places to visit}

Image via Sandra Malters

I believe I got a sense of what a visit to the French countryside would be like after reading Peter Mayle’s first two books on the subject, “A Year in Provence” and “Encore Provence”.  Note:  When I visited Amazon to borrow their image of the book jacket I realized Peter Mayle has a few more books about life in the south of France that I may want read.

I’ve oohed and ahhhed over Charles Faudree, Betty Lou Phillips and Linda Dannenberg images (to name but a few of the experts on the subject with books that will inspire you).  Still, I believe I’ve come to the conclusion that the French style is less a “look” but more a “feeling” one senses when you see it.  You just know it when you walk into a room that feels Country French.

There are plenty of talented souls in blog land that nail the look; Jermaine at French Kissed provides images of rooms she has styled that speak the language, and Cote de Texas often features rooms you’d swear were on location in a country house in the south of France.

A recent post on French Kissed---love the candlesticks.

I love the French screen and settee.

Cote de Texas recently posted this picture from Cabbages and Roses new book; I love the subtle gray tones in the room.

I believe this room could go either way, the buffalo-check and transfer ware plates could be English or French.  Its an inviting style that makes me want to take a break and read for awhile.

Image via BHG

The stone fireplace looks very Country French, doesn't it?

I love the symmetry of this vignette.   The French chalk ware figure add interest, as well as the basket under the side board.

I love the Trumeau mirror above the fireplace, so classic.

The above image could be comfortable and inviting  in a variety of home styles, English, Italian, or French!  I do love the stone floors and pan rack.

Even a little French bistro chair can add just the right amount of Country French to any space!  What says French style to you?

Avoir une belle journée, profitez de votre maison [have a lovely day, enjoy your home]

Trends in upholstery fabric

11 Monday Oct 2010

Posted by in Decorating, DIY (do it yourself), Trends

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Trends [current style; the popular taste at a given time] tend to come and go so I typically don’t try to keep up with every little thing in vogue.   In part because I’m a person that likes change in my surroundings but I keep the bulk of my changes to seasonal accessories and re-purposing items I already own.  I change out upholstery and wall coverings when the room or item is old enough to warrant it.

This sofa may not be drop cloth upholstered but the canvas slip covers share the look.

Image via Country Living

I would say my design model is Traditional with a cottage/country leaning.  I prefer European influenced furnishings and accessories, but because our home is relatively small the cottage look is very appealing.  The traditional style leans towards furnishings that supposedly never really go out of style.  Maybe?

A trend I’ve noted in blog land and shelter magazines is the use of fabrics that aren’t manufactured to be ‘upholstery fabric’ in the strictest definition of the word.  I’m talking about Home Depot/Lowe’s canvas drop clothes.  There are even tutorials out there for the ambitious and talented do-it-yourself person.  I love the simplicity of white drop cloth upholstered chairs and benches.

Mustard Seed Creation covered this little bench and gave it a grain sack look with paint, including her initials...so cute.

Miss Mustard Seed's dining room chairs look amazing---bet you wouldn't guess that this is made with drop cloth!

Marian over at Mustard Seed Creations has covered several pieces of furniture with these drop clothes and they look amazing.  Visit HERE to read her instructions for making slipcovers for chairs using drop cloth.

This is another chair that the talented Miss Mustard upholstered. (I don't believe I could tackle this project but I have an upholstery guy that could do it if I provide the drop cloth.

Another favorite design-site is Brooke’s Velvet & Linen. Brooke recently wrote about a beautiful chair her husband designed called the Clive.  The first chair was covered in drop cloth fabric—it looks so amazing.

The Clive chair is so pretty, especially in this particular room.

Osnaberg fabric is another fabric not originally meant to grace a lovely wing back or cover an ottoman.  Osnaberg got it’s humble start as a loosely woven fabric designed to transport dry food…essentially the fabric originated in Osnabruck, Germany and it’s coarse but strong thread count was used for feedsacks, among other things.

Another fabric that is receiving exposure is burlap—A Country Farmhouse used a runner on their newly remodeled dining room that looks like it could be washed burlap.  The effect is so pretty…less really is more!

Isn't this a pretty room? I love it's light and simplicity.

Most of us have seen and loved the French grain-sack pillows/cushions that are so popular right now—they are earthy and appealing in homes around the globe.  Isn’t the whole global market amazing?  You can find sites that offer tutorials on how to apply words and pictures to fabric that provide the same look as some of the more costly grain sack cushions…this, in the words of MS, is a good thing!  A recent post by the charming site:  Ticking and Toile offered a tutorial HERE.

This is one of the many grain sack pillows sold by Ticking & Toile.

I love these pillows, not sure where I can use them but still...{dream}

Are you using/or have you used any of the above mentioned fabrics on any projects in your home?  I want to use the drop clothes for something, not sure what just yet.

Red rooms vs. white rooms

24 Friday Sep 2010

Posted by in Decorating, DIY (do it yourself)

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I don’t think I’ve ever thought of myself as a “follower”; in fact I’ve usually thought that if anything, I had the ability to be a “leader”—although I don’t especially like to be in charge so maybe that whole “leader” thing is something I imagined about myself, or my mom told me I was a leader when she wanted me to do something…(Moms can be clever that way).

Hold that thought—so about 1 ½ years ago, when I seriously discovered the wide world of blog sites that featured interior design (a self-admitted passion (interiors) since I was a pre-teen) I have found myself torn between what I like and what I think I might like due to the influence of others.

I’ve never been afraid of color in rooms…my family room exhibits this fact.

White is my accent color in my family room.

Red anyone?

But—I love this look.  I keep thinking of rooms that I could change to create this look.  What do you think?  Can a girl who is usually thrilled with the drama of a red family room ever find true love in a white room?

There is something so fresh about white wood and white dishes.

Image via a Better Homes and Gardens piece on French rooms...so pretty, love the symetry.

I first saw this image on Melissa Michael's site, The Inspired Room. Image via Country Living

My friend, Alison, over at paper{whites} once posted that white was her favorite color, I can see why.

I love the white table and chairs and the white salt/pepper grinder.

Layla Palmer at The Lettered Cottage redid their dining room wall—how great is this, white never looked so good.

Layla & her talented husband created this dining room in white. Visit the link to see how they did this...amazing talent!

Things that Inspire did a post about choosing a fireplace mantle for her home and most of the rooms were shades of white {ohhh, sigh}.

I realize the walls aren't white-white but the overall effect is soothing with white chairs and white fireplace.

A Country Farmhouse just redid her dining room.  I love the clean lines and brightness of this room.  Her whole house is so fresh.

A Country Farmhouse has an incredible house---most of her rooms are white. This reminds me of the "less is more" philosophy.

Then I stumble across these images and I think, I must have some red in my house.  Don’t get me wrong, I only have a red family room/kitchen.  I haven’t gone completely overboard.  But I do love red.

Image via Better Homes and Gardens---too much for a small space? Maybe.

I'm not sure I'm bold enough to put red on the wood (mostly because I'd be afraid I'd tire of it and it would cost a lot of money to re-do, right?

Faithful friends/readers will already know that I love toile and red is just fine, thank you.

Ditto.

See, I’m really attracted to white, but I love other colors (red, blue & white, black, taupe, gray) too.  Wait, am I whining?  Maybe just a little—I just love so many beautiful rooms and I’d have to have a 30-room house to accommodate all of them!  What do you do when you see something you love but aren’t sure is really YOU?

Winter house vs. summer house

22 Wednesday Sep 2010

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I’ve come to realize our home is truly more of a winter house than a summer house.  Don’t get me wrong, I change the accessories to reflect the seasons and I pack the wool throws in the closet once spring arrives but I still believe the overall feel of our home screams winter.  Part of the reason is that the family room is painted red.

Our family room mantle

My husband and I love cool weather.  We are both native Southern Californians but we often joke that we could live in the Pacific Northwest, rain and all, without a problem.

Our family room sofa and red walls.

My question is…do you think that since we prefer cool weather that I have subconsciously decorated for fall/winter?  What season does your home reflect?  Does it correlate with your preference for a certain season?

Side table in our red family room.

Does this room scream winter to you?

I’d love to live in a stone cottage

13 Monday Sep 2010

Posted by in Antiques, Decorating

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What is it about stone walls in a room that conjures up coziness?  I love the ‘look’ and have often wished I could live in a stone cottage or at the very least, have a stone wall in my home.

I found this stone cottage on the wonderful Brabourne Farm site.

I love the plate rack and pewter with stone as a backdrop. Image via Country Living

Stone can add to any decor, French, Italian or Western. Image via Country Living

A few years ago hubby and I added some stack stone to the front of our house.  You may have noticed that I’ve never included pictures of the front of my house.  The reason is that the 1968 architectural style (or lack thereof) is not my idea of what a cottage should look like.  I guess I fancy our smallish home to be a cottage and the exterior architectural lines of our house doesn’t comply.

A stone wall creates such a cozy ambiance, don't you think?

Just imagine how great blue/gray painted furniture would look up against a stone wall! Image via Country Living

I used to dream that one day I’d add a pitch to the roof on the left side (we have a flat roof on one side of the house) and dormers to the steep pitch that extends over the garage on the right side of the house.  That never happened so when I see photographs of stone rooms I immediately slip into ‘dream land’ and imagine a stone cottage in the Cotswold’s or Irvine, I’m not that particular!

Talk about "visualization tactics" ...I can see myself reading a book by the fire in this stone walled room! Image via Country Living

Do you dream of a cottage in the Cotswold’s?

Images via Brabourne Farm

A wedding shower and beautiful antiques, what more could a girl want?

30 Monday Aug 2010

Posted by in Antiques, Decorating, Entertaining

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I recently attended a wedding shower at a good friend’s home.  We started with a choice of raspberry blini, Champagne and/or iced tea.  (Who can pass up raspberry-anything?).  The two hostesses did such a beautiful job with lunch (Mandarin chicken salad, fresh popovers and strawberry butter; killer cupcakes from a specialty bakery in Newport Beach called Susie Cakes).  Due to my love of antiques and wonderful décor I failed to take pictures of the table with the fabulous meal, sorry.

An overview of Anne's living room

This print and wall sconce is in Anne's dining room.


The bride-to-be was in attendance with her mom and her maternal grandmother and all three women are delightful.  It was also fun to see a few friends I haven’t seen in some time.

…but the best part for me was getting to visit my friend’s beautiful home.  Anne has always had a way of creating a warm and welcoming ambiance while featuring amazing antique pieces and accessories.  She graciously allowed me to shoot a few pictures and while this is but a sampling of her home, there are a couple of antique secretaries with an interesting story (that’s part of the fun in having antiques, right?).

Anne's antique Dutch secretary---this photo doesn't do it justice. I love the blue and white ginger jars on top.

Anne explained, “The Dutch secretary (below) is late eighteenth century (and should probably be in a museum some where) and was given to us by Marr’s grandmother whose father was an antique dealer in Los Angeles.  It has beautiful inlaid marquetry of fruit woods into a walnut veneer.  It is all original except for the brass hardware which was replaced many, many years ago.  One of the fun things about it are the little wooden trays that pull out that would have been used to set candle holders on – simple eighteenth century lighting!  When the doors on the upper portion are closed over the shelves you are able to see the fine marquetry work in all its glory”.

The finish on this English secretary is amazing. Antiques give any room a sense of history and provide a warm and welcoming look, don't you think?

The English secretary (above) is as beautiful as the Dutch piece and stands out in Anne’s living room.  It has such a wonderful story as Anne shares, “The English secretary is, I believe, from the Sheraton period and is all in original condition including the glass.  The only change made to this piece was also the hardware – also done many years prior to our ownership.  We bought this piece from an estate sale when we were first married.  The woman who had the sale owned an enormous, beautiful old home in the Hollywood Hills.  Her husband had been in the film industry in Hollywood and had passed on. She was, at that time, quite advanced in years and was selling the contents of her home and moving to Paris to spend her remaining years.  She had a companion secretary that was just like the one we bought but a bit larger, and that was the only piece she was moving with her to France.  I wish now that I had taken time to know her story more thoroughly, I think there was quite an interesting life history there”.

This little painting (left) catches your eye when you pass it and I had to ask Anne if the artist was famous, she explained, “The little seaside painting is one I gave ML (Anne’s hubby) for his birthday some years ago.  It is by a local artist but I don’t know anything about the person.  I liked it because you could almost feel the windy day and smell the salty air from the way the artist painted it.  I also liked the people in their nineteenth century dress standing on the shore and looking out to sea”.

The painting above the mantle has a story as well---if I remember correctly, Anne's grandma purchased this little painting at Harrod's when she was young. I love the art in Anne's house---she has such an artistic flair.

Her kitchen looks very European---quite an accomplishment when you think about the tract look all of these houses originally featured.

Dining room.