A Beautiful Life

Heather and Jonathans House

2010-07-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Heather and Jonathan have been clients of mine for a few years, this is the second house we have worked on together. This house is an unbelievable Spanish style on the outside located right off Byrd Park in Richmond. The house was designed by Otis Asbury who designed 3 other houses on the same street. H&J do remodeling professionally and they have done a great job with this one. Unfortunately they are thinking of moving out of state so they have put this gem on the market, if you are looking for a house in Richmond I can promise that you will not see another one like this. Send me a message if you are interested and I will forward the information. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we have enjoyed creating this beautiful environment.

This is the eat in kitchen. The french doors go to the logia in the back of the house that you will see a bit later. The large round wooden painted art is a great piece we found from VanThiel and Company. The wine bottle chandelier is from Pottery Barn...I think it works great.

This is a shot of the newly remodeled kitchen. We are debating whether to put a glaze on the cabinets. The color works great for Heather and her vibrant personality but we're not sure if its good for "the masses". The window treatment above the sink has recently become one of my favorites, it has good movement and looks interesting on a longer window without being too fussy.

A close-up of the window above the sink. I love that sassy little ball trim.

This is the main foyer of the house. Because of the size it was pretty much impossible for me to get a good shot of the space. The arched entry goes to the logia in the back yard that you will see in another picture. You really have to see the hand work that was done on the main staircase to appreciate it.

A shot of the other wall in the foyer. I didnt realize it until I looked at this picture but the scale of the room is so large you dont really see how massive the front door is...lol. The french doors on either side of the front doors are functioning and open up to a beautiful front porch. This house has great flow for a party! and this foyer is a great place for the kids to ride their bikes when it rains!

A picture through the archway of the door that leads to the logia in the back. It is great to walk in the front door and have the natural light and see straight through to the back of the house.

The dining room. I wish you could see this room in person, the blue just doesnt translate as well to pictures. The moulding in this room is incredible and there are built in corner cabinets that hold Heathers collection of Mackenzie Childs. We decided to do a custom painted ball and claw dining table (so you can get the scale of the room when all of the leaves are in the dining room table it seats 14 people) and white painted french upholstered dining chairs. The mirrored sideboard catches the light and really stands up to the strong detail in the room. There are no windows in the room, all functioning french doors...beautiful!

Another shot of the dining room. We did the small roman shades on the doors to add a bit of softness...just enough color.

The living room. The outside of the house is Spanish bit we wanted the living room to feel a little bit Italian. Again all of the openings are functioning french doors, The doors flanking the sofa go out to a covered side porch. Because of the size of the room and all of the light we werent afraid to go heavy and dark on the upholstery.

Another picture of the living room. I love that chandelier from Asia Minor.

A view looking the other way in the living room. The large armoir is the bar. The doors straight ahead go to the sunroom and the doors on the right go to the foyer...look at the box pleating on the silk club chairs...beautiful!

The sunroom. This room has 4 sets of french doors that go to the backyard and a pair of the arched windows. We recovered existing furniture for this room. The fabulous croc leather ottoman is new...if you dont have an ottoman coctail table you need to get one tomorrow, it will be the best purchase you ever make.

Love that lattice fabric on the club chairs. This is where the family hangs out and watches tv so the fabrics had to be pretty and durable...mission accomplished!

This is Sadies room...she is the other lady of the house. Sadie had a wallpaper in her bathroom in the last house that had fun scenes of paris on it, we had an artist paint one of the scenes on the wall in her new bedroom to make her transition a little easier...tres chic!

Another mural the artist painted in Sadies room. My friend Christy designed the valances in the bedroom and we added the cute fabric covered roller shades with a black-out lining for privacy.

This is the logia on the back of the house that you see through the arched doors in the foyer. Its a peaceful place to relax and enjoy the day.

The fountain sounds beautiful when you open up all of the doors on the back of the house, it is lighted so it has beautiful drama at night too.

I hope you enjoyed the tour. Remember, if you're looking for a fabulous house in Richmond this one could be yours! Email me for info wskevinm@cavtel.net

Princess Lauren's Bedroom

2010-01-24T14:50:00.000-08:00

I am in the midst of finishing a project that has been great fun. My client is a 9 year old adorable little fashion plate and diva named Lauren. I've been working on projects with Laurens mom for a few years and she decided she wanted to redo Laurens room as a Christmas present. Lauren loves pink and her mom has a really great sense of style. It was huge fun designing this over-the-top French bedroom fit for a princess ...apprecier les photos.

Pretty in pink
Lauren already had this great upholstered headboad so we did the room around it. We started with the pink coverlet from Belle Notte, its velvet on one side and reverses to pink satin, the best part is it's washable! The duvet and euroshams are custom done with a sophisticated yet fun small grey zebra print trimmed in the same pink velvet. The white with pink ruching standard shams are from Pine Cone Hill. We wanted the room to look very put together without looking too matchy....success.

cornices, mirror and chandelier- lucky finds

A friend of my client found these cornices at Impulse, a great consignment store in Richmond...the size was perfect. The same friend found the floor mirror at a local furniture store. The cute French chandelier came from Shades Of Light. The pink and grey silk worked beautifully with the colors we were using.

Perk up a wall with a stencil.

A local painter stenciled the damask pattern on the wall you see when you walk in the room. The stencil came from Sunny's Good Time Paints which is based in Richmond . We decided to stencil instead of wallpaper because it was less permanent. Since our princess is still young if the wall gets damaged...she is still young after all...it would be easy to repair.

The monogram

I am a big fan of monograms. I recently read a post on Easy and Elegant Life about monogramming for men s clothing and it is amazing how different the rules are for monogramming for your home. I hope to do a post soon with our friends at Atlantic Embroidery Works who designed this beautiful monogram.

Our inspiration...the sparkley pillow

It always amazes me where we find our inspiration. When I was showing design elements to Lauren to find our inspiration for her bedroom the one thing she loved consistently was this sparkley little pillow from Pine Cone Hill. So a sparkley little pillow from Pine Cone Hill is where we started and we ended up with a very happy ending...and a bedroom fit for a princess.

Robin's House

2010-01-21T11:25:00.000-08:00

My friend Robin is about 4'9" of energy and fun. I stopped by her house yesterday for a Happy Hour beverage and a visit and thought I would show you some of the work we have done in her house. One of my favorite things about Robin is that her comfort zone for color and style is very broad which means we have alot of fun when we are redoing something in her house. Robin loves her family, friends, little dogs and making a comfortable environment to nest and entertain. I hope you enjoy the tour.

Family Room
Many people say you should limit the amount of family pictures you use in your home...I think just the opposite. The vignette above the Carol Bolton sofa is a mix of pictures of siblings, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. The pictures create a family history and a beautiful way to fill up a large wall. (Robins husband Gary is a Saint for rehanging it every time she paints).

Family Room windows

A great thing about Robins house is that all of the rooms have huge windows. The windows are beautiful but also create a design challenge. We wanted to warm the space with fabric but also design an interesting treatment. This one is based on an old stagecoach valance. The aqua woven toile adds a great punch of color. Robin found that great little french chair at an antique shop already upholstered in that fabric and it worked beautifully!

Family Room other window

The other side of the family room...with a couple Carol Bolton chairs.

The little ottoman

Robin and I had a great time designing this little ottoman. She bought the legs at a home improvement store and painted them herself and Eddie from Dover Interiors made it for us....very Mackenzie-Childs at half the price.

Living Room

We decided to go monochromatic in Robins living room. I love the way the window treatments turned out...the hardware makes all the difference in the world. You cant tell from the picture but when you are in the room you feel a really great warmth, its just a really pleasant place to have a visit. MaryAnne Caminiti did a nice mottled faux on the walls for softness. Check out those lamps Robin found at another antique store.

Living Room window hardware

With such a huge window we felt like we needed to add something to the pole that spans the whole wall. We found these cuffs {almost like bracelets} that add a nice subtle elegance.

Pillows

Since our color was very monochromatic we decided to use alot of texture in pillows and trim. The pillow on the left is the silk from the window treatment that we overlayed with a sheer that had the geometric pattern already applied to it. The pillow on the left is a ready made that Robin found...it matched perfectly.

The chair

This chair that Dover Interiors just reupholstered for us fits Robin and her personality to a T. Vibrant, fun and beautiful. Robin found the green leaf fabric at another fabric store and we got to work finding fabrics to coordinate with it. The result really is a work of art...every room needs a statement piece. (Excuse the lamp on the floor...the room is being painted but I couldnt wait to share this pic with you).

close up of The Chair

This is a close up, its hard to tell from the picture but the front rail (the red fabric) is ruched to give it a little dimension. The cording is actually a cut velvet stripe that we cut on the straight instead of the bias...I love the result!

Bench

This is a bench that could have been very ordinary... but this great trim took care of that. We loved the black and gold fabric but it wasnt quite enough for Robin so we found this extremely formal tassel trim and had it applied to the top of the bench...love it!

closeup- the bench

Its all in the details.

Hope you enjoyed the tour.

Schumacher- Januray 2010

2010-01-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

Our F. Schumacher rep Julie stopped by yesterday to show us a new "glamour collection" for January frolm Schumacher. They will be coming out with a large new collection in April but they wanted to introduce some fresh new fabrics for the new year. The collection was inspired by Art Deco design and I have to tell you that they are some great looking, extremely usable fabrics. This is not your mothers traditional Schumacher.

Ripple Effect

100% silk woven fabric, has a nice heavy hand and a clean contemporary pattern.

Scallop Embroidery

75% cotton, 25% viscose. We are seeing alot of lattice patterns lately and this one is one of the better ones. It has a nice large scale and the embroidery gives it nice depth. I would use this for upholstery, pillows or window treatments.

Wavelength

What a fun and sassy pattern for upholstery. The darker ouline is actually a small fringe. Great texture and depth on this one.

Silk Fret

This is another new lattice pattern that has been updated. The lattice is woven so it has a really nice texture and looks like it is popping right off the ground color.

Waterfall

This was my favorite fabric in the collection. I hope you can appreciate the work that has gone into producing this fabric. The fabric is 2 layers, both layers are the same fabric but the top layer has been cut in the wave pattern and each wave has been individually sewn to the ground fabric. It wouldnt be appropriate for upholstery but would make killer pillows or panels.

Close-up of Waterfall

Hope these fabrics give a bit of inspiration for spring. Thank you Julie for bringing them by!

New Years with Candace and Fred

2010-01-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

We spent New Year's Eve at our friends Candace and Fred's house. I always joke with Candace that I want to be her when I grow up because she has such a beautiful sense of style and impeccable taste. She was nice enough to let me share her beautiful home with you.

This is the formal living room in Candace and Fred's house. It has an incredible warmth that just envelops you and like every good southern hostess makes you feel comfortable. The walls are lacquered in an oxblood red, the trim is painted in a dark grey and the ceiling is gold leafed...beautifully dramatic.

Sideboards are not just for dining rooms as you can tell from this photo. This French beauty came from another one of our friends house and adds nice weight and a focal point to a large wall.

The asymetrical panels on the windows are a silk with a painted velvet wide band on the leading edge (think Fortuny) that have a dramatic drape. Check out the gold leafed cornice...amazing!

Candace needed another long piece in the living room and instead of doing another sideboard she did this draped table. In a room as rich as this the more fabric the merrier so she did a table square on top of the silk skirt to the floor.

Detail, detail, detail. This is the living room sofa done in a shiny silk velvet. Check out the ruching on the arms, the nailhead, and the handsome tufting. The burgundy pillow is embroidered with real copper metal thread.

The chairs in the living room have beautiful detail as well. The body of the chair is a silk tafetta and the cushion is done in a matching wool velvet...not the nailheads.

The backs of the chairs are done in a ruched silk....this is the view you get when you walk into the room.

This shows the amazing gold leafed ceiling. Our very talented friend Beth Scherer did this back-breakingly beautiful work.

This is a shot of the welcoming foyer. The front door and surround were salvaged from a horse farm in Kentucky.

This shows the comfortable family room. You would think the small scale leopard carpet done wall to wall would be too much small pattern but it works beautifully.

The family room mantle.

Another one of Candaces beautiful chairs. This one is a silk crewel. Check out that table lamp, I've never seen another one like it.

The doors between the family room and kitchen were also rescued from an old house...old found pieces add great charachter to a new house.

The dining room window treatments. Candace layered a few different treatments to give richness and depth. She started with an embroidered sheer and added an embroidered velvet flat valance, embroidered solk panels are next and its all topped off with a mirrored cornice.

Candace has these beautiful cabinets built in to her dining room for china storage. She also had the wall mirrored which really makes the room look larger and adds alot of great light.

The sitting room in the kitchen. Candace collects McKenzie Childs and this is the room where she displays alot of it. Its a great place to sit and chat with a glass of wine and watch her cook.

The painted sideboard in the kitchen. Also a great picture of her Shih Tzu Nailen.

The doors go out to the back deck. Dont be afraid to mix window treatment styles in a room. They provide great interest.

The breakfast room. I love that the panels are hung on knobs instead of a traditional rod. The cafe curtains provide light but still give privacy...I like that they are hung higher than most cafe's.

This is the powder room that has just been redone. The walls are in a grasscloth that has a black ground and gold grass...it absolutely glows. (Note: grasscloth is not recommended for bathrooms or any room where it might get wet.) Candace bought the icons hanging on the wall on a trip to Mexico.

The beautiful pedestal sink in the powder room. Just enough storage.

Candace also bought the sink and bathroom hardware in Mexico. A work of art.

The master bedroom is a work in progress but it is progressing very nicely. The new headboard arrived right before Christmas. It is made out of a metallic faux leather. Custom headboards are a great, and relatively inexpensive, way to add some style to a bedroom.

A close up of the headboard...love the shape and the nailheads.

I dont know how she finds the fabulous accessories she has but I love this clock.

The new master bedroom window treatments. The flat roman shade looks beautiful done in the large geometric. The flat roman shows the pattern really well. The silk panels have great but not too fussy detail. The next picture is a close up of them.

The panels are cream silk with a band of greay silk and a gold taping...she added a glass ball trim to the edge for some shimmer.

Groupings of beautiful antique frames make a great impact.

Another beautiful mantle clock.

A beautiful mantle set in pink marble.

Spring Spruce-Up

2009-12-29T18:02:00.000-08:00

I know its not quite time for sprucing up your house for spring yet but I really dont like how empty my house feels after I take down all of my holiday decorations. Here are some ideas to help bring life back to your tired living spaces. All it takes is a new table, rug or piece of art.

Look how these lemons and white pottery bring life and energy to this picture...you can almost smell the clean spring air.

Add some glass candle sticks and colored glass floats to a table to give it new life. Since they are clear, the more the merrier in a small space!

Love the color and style of this blue pottery.

Great new demilune table from Drexel Heritage...love the pattern on the inlay. Check out the antique mirrored pendants- I'll talk more about those later

Awesome chrome bamboo coffee table with a glass top. Great if you want to show off a beautiful rug.

More pottery, this time in grey.

Love, love, love this new end table. Great style, size, finish...makes a great addition to any room.

Fun new piece of art and I have always loved the arched mirror behind it. The mirror is great for a room without alot of light or without interesting windows.

Cool new industrial end table...great to added a little contemporary to a room.

Love this fabric. Its actually vintage fabric pieces that have been patchworked together.

Nice different take on a starburst mirror. Very nice black and gold antiqued finish.

You need to see the color of this beauty in person. Such elegant lines...really graceful.

These are some of my favorite new lighting. The are about 36" in diameter and are a rusted metal finish. Great for a foyer or any space with a tall ceiling.

Close up of the sphere chandelier.

This table looks a little S&M but it is fabulous...lol

New wool area rug. Kind of reminds me of a cricket sweater but not as refined.

Another shot of the "cricket sweater" rug.

We've seen these rugs for a couple seasons now but I still really like them. They are patchworks pieced together with antique oriental rugs. Really a great look if you dont want a traditional oriental but still need a serious rug with some pattern.

Another shot of the patchwork oriental.

This is a great new company that makes tables from reclaimed wood...nice and green too. The pieces have a great patina and look like they have genuine "gentle" age to them.
Nice turning, hinged top and gaitleg on this one.

Another piece from them made with reclaimed wood. This one has a little extra storage with drawers on the end which is a little unusual.

A close up of the natural distressing on the reclaimed wood.

Great sexy lines on this "X" leg sofa table....has a nice natural waxed finish too. Great for a beach house...look at it with the white sofa and white pottery.

This antique mirrored lamp is from our friend Dawn who owns and designs Notre Monde. She does the most amazing antiqued mirror pieces.

A pendant from Dawn...this one comes in a few sizes...great for a kitchen island or in a powder room.

I'm loving these decoupaged trays. They can be hung on a wall, grouped on a table, or used individually. They make great gifts too.

One of the trays.

Love this one.

Dont we all...

Out and About @ West End Antique Mall

2009-12-29T16:21:00.000-08:00

The West End Antique Mall on Staples Mill Road in Richmond is one of my favorite places to spend an hour or two just browsing and enjoying the great and interesting finds. With 250 dealers and 53,000 square feet of space there is always something new and unique...and the prices are great too!!! I stopped by today and wanted to share some of the new treasures I spotted.

I really liked the color that was used on this needlepoint covered stool. You could tell it had some age to it but the needlepoint had a beautiful vibrant color. I love the purple and blue together.

Art is such a personal thing and for some reason this painting really spoke to me (not literally spoke you understand but...) Its not done in a style I particularly enjoy and I normally like more color in art, but I actually went back to it 3 times just to check it out again. I figured out it was the way the artist painted the faces that I liked so much. Its so easy for an artist to not get the face quite right but I thought this couple was done just beautifully.

This vignette was just rich and beautiful. I loved the different textures and color. The bust is of one of the Popes (not sure which one).

Some beautiful inlay on a cabinet.

This is one big sconce! It had great presence in person, Im sure it would be beautiful in the right setting.

Loved these old cigar boxes...would make great storage for small items or just a great grouping on some library shelves.

This guy was fabulous! He stands about 4.5' to 5' tall and has some really nice age to him. Im guessing he was guarding the top of a building somewhere. I would love to have him in my garden.

They had a pair of these beautiful marble urns.

Some really great Tramp Art. If you are not familiar with Tramp Art just Google it and read about its origins. You'll have a great new appreciation for this kind of art and it can be the new thing you learned today!

Why didnt I think of that? There was a whole shelf full of great finds in this booth and my eye was immediately drawn by these old Royal Air Force patches in the simple gold frames. What a simple way to create something so unique!

I dont know if this was from a set of dining chairs or just a side chair but I haven't seen one with this design and carving before. Very pretty.

Loved, loved, loved these old table legs. They had great carving and were nice and big and beefy. Would like to make some shelves out of them.

Nice little box-on-stand. It had really nice proportions and the size was perfect.

Great leather trunk. It was really substantial in size, I dont think it was antique but it was very handsome.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-21T18:53:00.000-08:00

I am heading to Pennsylvania tomorrow to spend the holiday with my family that I dont get to see nearly enough. Here is wishing you the happiest of holidays...cheers!!!

Pillow Talk

2009-12-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has seen my own home or interiors I have designed know that I am a big fan of pillows. I like to create pillows with matching or coordinating fabrics from a room but I also like to add premade pillows that look like they were "found" or like you picked them up somewhere and they just happen to work in the room. I wanted to show you some of the pillow that are available now so you can see how beautiful and intricate a ready made pillow can be.

These are from a company called Ankasa. They do some of the most amazing detail work I have ever seen. You might be familiar with them from their womens apparel. The next time you are in NY you should check out their store on East 65th Street.

A close up of the Ankasa pillow detail.

I like this pillow because the pattern is casual but they have added crystals to it to give it dimension and a little bit of style.

This is that new greyish-purple that is very popular now. A friend of mine was in europe this summer and said this color is everywhere...Im sure it will be coming soon to a store near you. The pillow in the back is a beautiful burn out velvet. The pillow in the front is another beautiful Ankasa pillow.

These are some chic casual options for pillows. The pillow with the number is made from old tarp canvas that has been painted. The woven stripe behind it is from Dash and Albert...they also do this pattern in a throw and rugs.

The aqua chain embroidered pattern pillow is surprisingly inexpensive...it would add a great soft little pop of color to a neutral room. The yellow pillow with it is another beauty from...surprise...Ankasa.

Being a big fan of traditional "clubby" design I love this pillow, it is a screen print on burlap. Burlap is coming in alot of different colors now and we are using it in alot of different applications including window treatments.

I love the bold color in these embroidered pillows from Ankasa.

Guess who the rectangular pillow in the front is from? Thats right another beauty from Ankasa. The pillow in the back has a large damask printed in a metallic ink...a nice bit of drama when the light hits it right.

I dont think a bed could get much more romantic than all white bed linens and this snow white beauty from Ankasa...doesnt it remind you of a beautiful wedding?

Love the color...or lack of...from Ankasa.

Look at that detail...a work of art!

CUSTOM PILLOWS

Here are some samples of custom pillows...they can make the difference between a good room and a beautifully thought out complete room.

I told you how much I am enjoying Suzani patterns right now. This fabric was begging to be made into a round pillow.

This is a "boxed" pillow with a beautiful complimenting brush fringe.

A close up of the boxing with...surprise...a complimenting fabric on the boxing.

I like to add a neckroll to a bench or with bedding. This one is done in a tonal crewel fabric with complimenting decorative cord and a fun brush fringe.

just wanted to show the detail on the neckroll. I also like to gather the ends of the pillow and add a pretty decorative button.

This is a simple but beautiful square pillow with a minigram. We added a pleated ruffle made from a heavier upholstery fabric to give it some weight.

I love the upholstery weight fabric on the pleated ruffle...great texture, and the solid cord really defines the lines of the pillow.

This pillow shows how fun it is to mix fabrics and trims on a pillow. The size is great if dont like alot of pillows on your bed or its great by itself on a long sofa.

Team Rosie

2009-12-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

I have a new client named Rosie. Rosie has one of the most positive outlooks on life I have ever seen in a person. The first time Rosie and I met she was with a man named Cookie and his wife Diane picking out fabrics for a sofa and chairs she was having recovered. As we were talking, Rosie was telling me about the remarkable work Cookie has done and is doing in her new house. (I should tell you cookie is neither an artist nor a contractor). Being a cynical decorator I smiled, rolled my eyes and continued with fabric selection. Cut to Kevin eating a great big slice of humble pie. hahahah. Last Saturday I went by Rosie's new house to measure for some window treatments and see the progress they were making on the house. Keep in mind that they have only been working on the re-do for about a week. Im posting some pictures so you can see the remarkable work that Cookie has done so far. With Rosie's permission I will keep you informed of the progress.

Pictures of Rosie's new dining room.

This is the start of the dining room remodel. The ceiling medallion is about 6' wide and looks amazing in person.

Cookie is doing all of the faux work himself too (I told you it was amazing!) The crown will have another member or 2 to make it even more spectacular.

The stencil and faux work give the room a great warmth...and love the painted trim.

I still can not get over this medallion!

This is the start of the family room. I will keep you posted with more of Cookies miracles.

A really cool thing about Rosie is that she calls everyone who does work for her part of her "team" and she has this heartwarming enthusiasm whenever part of her team does something and she sees the beautiful results. Its a real priveledge to do work for someone who has such passion for her project...Im proud to be a part of Team Rosie.

Will update with more photos soon!

alternatives to regular art

2009-12-10T16:51:00.000-08:00

Art doesnt have to be a big print hanging on the wall all by its lonesome. Here some examples of some alternatives to basic art that I have used in my own home.

These are antique postcards of Richmond and my hometown of Sunbury, PA that I bought on Ebay. I bought some inexpensive frames from a craft store and framed them with simple black mats. Since they are small I hung them in a group for more impact.

Here is a close-up of one of the framed postcards. This is Market Street in Sunbury, PA.

This is a guest room in my house. I didnt know what to do with this large wall and then I remembered this vintage piece of moulding that had pegs for hanging things from it. I hung some old hats and purses and now it fills the wall beautifully...and has some great interest.

I bought this old piece of stained glass at an estate sale a few months ago. The frame was not very sturdy so I took it to craft store and had them frame it with this great industrial gunmetal frame. I hung it in this window on the stairs...this window gets alot of sun and the stained glass makes a great filter and the sun looks beautiful shining through it.

I bought this old porch railing at an architectural salvage store. I use it as a backdrop for seasonal arrangements I do in an old olive jar.

A few years ago I went to an artist reception for a really great artist named Chris Palmer. I bought this little painted block, its hard to tell from the picture but it only measures about 2" x 3". When I got it home I thought...what am I going to do with this little block? I took it to a craft store and bought a premade shadow box and removed the glass. The man working in the frame shop was nice enough to cut a chocolate brown mat for me, I attached the block with velcro so I can take it out to clean it. I love the result and it has great dimension and impact.

Close up of the block by Chris Palmer

This is a series of bird prints I bought about 15 years ago. My foyer is really open and I dont have much wall space so I covered about every empty space on the walls with the prints...its busy in a good way, very cohesive. Check out my ceramic Christmas tree. My Mother made it for me about 15 years ago, I've carried it around to 6 different houses and it is still in one piece!!!! It is now kitsch and almost vintage...I love it!

These are some small oil paintings I have been buying whenever I see them. I like the way they look in a group.

I removed one of those useless kitchen desks from my kitchen and replaced it with these shelves I made from 100 year old barn wood I got at an architectural salvage store (I put a tinted wax on them to prevent splinters). I had these grat Italian platters that I hung behind my every day dishes to give some interest.

What do you have around your house that is art worthy?

December trip to the Design Center

2009-12-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

We saw some great stuff at the Washington Design Center yesterday. Just wanted to share it.

There are some great new Missoni fabrics from Stark.

Another fun fabric from Stark.

Loved the finish on this chinoisserie wall cabinet from Niermann Weeks.

Dont you love the lines of this chair from Niermann Weeks?

These fabircs from Nomi were the find of the day for me. The are hand printed designs on velvet...they also do the designs on silk and linen. Incredible in person!!!!

Another Nomi fabric.

I absolutely loved this button treatment on the back of a slipcovered chair at Niermann Weeks.

Fun fabric in great color at Robert Allen.

How fun is this cut out fabric from Robert Allen...would be great as an alternative to a sheer.

Told you I love Suzani fabrics right now...this one is from Donghia

Cut chenille from Bergamo...very traditional but extremely lush.

A great vignette from Osborne and Little.

Another suzani from Travers.

This vignette from Hines was beautiful, especially with the fall color through the window.

Beautiful appliqued velvet on silk from Fadini Borghi

Great lines on this leather chair at Hines...and look at the legs on that table.

Sutherland chairs that can be used outdoors...now those are some beautiful clean lines.

Barbara Barry chair covered in Barbara Barry fabric from Henredon...awesome.

Look at the lines on this Barbara Barry chest. Ms Barry really knows what she is doing.

Beautiful little slipper chairs from Henredon.

Pillow fabric from Lee Jofa...pure luxury.

Love this fabric combination from Kravet.

Fall Design House at Washington Design Center

2009-12-09T16:45:00.001-08:00

The girls from the office and I took a road trip to The Washington Design Center to check out the Fall Design House and take a look at what is new. I took some pictures of some of what I thought were the highlights from the different rooms.

This room is by Beverly Claiborne- I loved the nailhead detail on the chair (we keep saying design right now is all about the detail). I also love the fabric that is framed as art. I think it is JAB and its hard to tell but it has beautiful Swaroski crystals applied to the fabric.

This room is by Lori Ludwick- Its an artist studio... the console is very cool and I like the light fixture that is a tad industrial but still has nice shape.

The dining room was by Christine Hecht Payne. It felt very comfortable. Loved the Brunschwig wallpaper.

The bedroom by Karen Mitrano Snyder. This was probably my favorite room. The wallpaper from Farrow & Ball gave the room a really great warm serenity. Im also loving suzani fabrics right now and I like the cleanliness of the pillows on the bed.

The living room by Brooke Steuart. I have always wanted to see something made up in this leather treatment, the chairs are by Lee Industries...if you have a local Lee dealer take a look at the sample of this, it is a metallic sueded leather that is directional...almost looks like a velvet.

The library by William and Katherine Tarleton. This room also had a great wallpaper from Farrow & Ball (Im so glad people are using wallpaper again!). I loved how they used this mirrored screen as a backdrop for the desk. Very nice drama.

The parlor by Dana Tydings. The wallpaper had a really great warmth and sheen. The fabric on the chairs had a great almost sparkley finish, and the mirror was upholstered...very warm.

The vestibule was also done by Dana Tydings. Cool birch tree wallpaper and the floor was painted with koi fish.

Sports Lounge by Debbie Wiener. The moulding treatment on the ceiling could be used in alot of different applications. Very cool.

Window treatments 101

2009-12-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

I thought it might be interesting to talk a little bit about window treatment style, detail and terminology. When I start to talk about window treatments with clients they sometimes get that deer in the headlights look when we start talking about detail. Sometimes we forget that clients dont know all the terms we use in design and there really is no reason you should...this is something we do constantly but most of you can count on 2 hands the amount of times you have had to design a valance. We can talk about style and detail using these examples from Williams and Sherrill. Keep in mind that different people use different names for the styles so ask your designer for a picture before committing to a style to make sure you are on the same page.

This is a box pleated valance with a scalloped bottom. It is mounted with finials instead of on a board- make sure you have enough room between the top of your window moulding and bottom of your crown moulding to accommodate this treatment. it has a contrast welt on all 4 sides and is lined with the same contrast fabric.

This is a flat shaped valance with pelmets that are contrast lined. It is embellished with medallions mounted to the face board. It has a 1/2" fabric banding around the bottom of the treatment. This is a pretty heavy and powerful treatment you need some room to use it.

We call this the Candace valance. It has great little detail and does not use alot of fabric. We have hung it with gathered tabs on a decorative rod. Again with this treatment make sure you have enough room between the top of your window moulding and bottom of your crown moulding to accommodate it. The treatment has contrast cord on the top and bottom and a small pleated fabric ruffle on the bottom. Dont forget to line bells and sides with the same or as we have done with a contrasting fabric.

This is a casual Kinston valance (I know it looks pretty formal). It is a very stately top treatment that we have mounted by sewing on decorative rings and using a decorative rod. Again check the space above your window moulding to make sure you can accommodate it. On any of this kind of treatment you should not see the window moulding in the gap between rod and fabric. This treatment is done fairly straightforward using a decorative tassel trim that was sewn to the face of the fabric, we also contrast lined the bells and jabots.

This is a great little simple valance called the Winston. It looks great with a large repeat and is good to use in a little more transitional room. We did it with a decorative tape trim an inch from the bottom...dont forget a contrast lining, you'll see it when you look up into the pleats.

This is a relaxed roman shade also called a butterfly shade. It is shown here under a cornice but can also be done on a board without the cornice. We added a 2" band to the bottom and a fabric band with a decorative taping on top for the cornice. This treatment can be done stationery (if you dont need to raise and lower it for privacy) or functioning...be aware it takes awhile to train the pleats to lay right if you do it functioning.

This is a Carlisle valance with gathered fan top pelmets and we added a great contrasting button and cording to the bottom of the treatment. Dont forget to contrast line it. This treatment can also be done a little cleaner by eliminating the fans on the pelmets.

This is a Kinston valance, a variation of one of the valances I showed you earlier but this one is mounted on a board. This treatment has a decorative taping on the bottom of the treatment as well as a decorative tassel trim sewn into the seam and again...dont forget the contrast lining.

Lets talk a bit about panels. This picture shows a hand gathered pinch pleat on the left. The left panel also has a decorative tassel trim sewn on the face 2" from the leading edge. The panel on the right is a regular pinch pleat with an attached valance. The decorative tassel trim is sewn on the face at the bottom of the valance.

Here are 2 more variations of a panel. The panel on the right has goblet pleats and a fabric cording going all the way around the panel. The buttons are covered in a contrasting fabric. The panel is tied back with a fabric tie back from the same fabric. The panel on the left has what we call a ball gown top It makes a beautiful and formal treatment.

This is a close up of the goblet pleat panel. It really shows the contrast cording and fabric covered button.

Here are some examples of some cleaner and a little more contemporary panels. The panel on the left is a grommeted panel with a 3 inch contrast fabric band on the leading edge. The panel on the right is a flat panel that we've added a pleated fabric band to the top. The rings are sewn to the treatment. Under the panels is an Austrian shade that we've done in a gauzy crewel fabric. Its great for privacy but still lets in light.

Close up of the grommetted panel.

Close up of the pleated contrast band at the top of the panelon the left

This is a good (but a little over the top) example of a top treatment with panels. The top is actually a lambrequin (done on a board form with batting) that we added a great greek key tape trim and decorative buttons to. The panels have 2 rows of the same trim at the bottom to pull the 2 pieces together.

This is another example of an over the top combo. The top is a pagoda valance that was monogrammed and we added a wide contrast banding to the bottom shape. The banding is seperated from the main fabric with a fabric cording. The decorative objects on the top of the treatment are actually curtain rod finials.

If you dont want to be so adventuresome you can always opt for a gathered panel with a rod pocket. Just make sure you make your pocket large enough.

I purposefully used some terminology while describing these treatments that you might not know, but when you look at the treatments you will understand what the words mean. If you dont just email me and I will explain for you.

Dress your windows

2009-12-06T15:48:00.000-08:00

Window treatments are a big passion of mine. I love to see the transformation and the "lightbulb moment" when the client realizes the huge difference a well designed and professionally dressed window treatment makes. Here are some examples of treatments I have done...I'll post more of them later.

This is an inverted pleat balloon shade done in a buttery gold silk check. Click on the photo to see the pleated ruffle at the top of the treatment.

I love the simplicity of panels. We did a white silk for these arched doors and for a little detail we added a fun ball trim and covered buttons in a green silk at the pleats. Click the photo to see the detail.

This photo is a work in progress. I was really happy with the way these zebra print roman shades came out. They are actually done in a cut velvet fabric...the texture is great in person.

This is an example of mixing fabrics to create some interest when doing panels. The panels are done in 3 different textured linens, we papered one of the walls in a neutral grasscloth to add more organic texture. The room has a sophisticated yet quiet elegance that makes it really comfortable to be in.

I wish you could see this room better in this photo. The wallpaper is a painted anaglypta that we had a faux painter add gold leafing to. The chairs are inexpensive parsons chairs that we slipcovered in a really romantic linen floral and the window treatments are silk with a silk embroidered gold sheer overlay that is the icing on the cake to this romantic dining room. My client found the painting between the windows on a trip to Paris and it couldnt be more perfect.

This is the living room across the hall from the dining room in the last picture. Im hoping to photograph the entire house so you can see it...its gorgeous. The panels in here are a gathered silk that has the most incredible dimension in person. Its hard to see but my client already had the fabulous black shutter we put behind the sofa and added a beautiful mirror instead of using a big piece of art on that wall. The vintage looking fabric on the wingbacks was a great find from the bolts at Williams and Sherrill.

This photo was from a work in progress but I had to show you how beautiful this embroidered Osborne and Little fabric looks when used on a flat roman shade.

This photo illustrates beautifully how a really good workroom can manipulate the pattern on a fabric to make a great looking window treatment. I love the way the pattern of this Thibaut fabric flows on this box pleated top treatment.

These top treatments add such warmth to this living room. I love the way the stripe falls on the treatment...its a warm and comfortable room to be in.

It is an absolute pleasure to work in a house such as this. The owners have taken great care to preserve and be stewards for this beautiful old plantation. They love the original mouldings and didnt want to cover them up so we inside mounted all of the window treatments. Love that bold boullion trim.

This is the library, the client liked the style of the treatments in the living room so much we did variations of it in a few of the other rooms. After this photo was taken we found some beautiful aubusson pillows for the sofa.

This is one of the clients daughters bedroom. We wanted to make her treatment a little more fun but still not take away from the integrity of the house.

This is a small treatment in the clients dressing room. I love the finials she found to hang the valance on...fit for a queen wouldnt you say?

This is a breezeway that leads from the foyer to a newly constructed master bedroom. Because of the angle from which you view the treatment from the foyer I didnt want to mount it on a board. I think the finials were just the right hardware.

This is the grand family room in the plantation house. It is surrounded on 3 walls by windows. Because of the ceining height and grandness of the room the treatments had to be substantial. We added a functioning roman shade under the valances for privacy. I think the stripe of the shade makes a great compliment to the valance.

This is the eat in kitchen which was added to the plantation house. I would like to take credit for the style of the treatment but my client found it in a magazine and knew it would be perfect for the space. The view of the rivier through the kitchen window is beautiful. The simple black and white color scheme is a great frame for the fabulous view.

This is a wider view of the elegant dining room.

This is a shot from the dining room looking into the living room. This photo was taken before we recovered the living room furniture. Since the rooms are so open to each other we decided to use the same fabric and window treatment style in both rooms. Click on the photo to see the amazing original moulding on the arched pocket doors.

I hope you've enjoyed these window ideas...I'll post more of them soon.

Rest your weary head

2009-12-06T14:49:00.001-08:00

Its odd to me that when I am consulting with a client and we get to the master bedroom it is almost always the room they decide to scale back or be extremely conservative with their budget. Your bedroom is the one place in your home that is a refuge for you, not your children, not your childrens friends, not your neighbors... it is for you. You should be able to close the door and decompress. I have posted some pictures of some beds I have enjoyed creating for clients, I will post some more later. I hope you enjoy them and who knows they might inspire you to create your own dream bed...to rest your weary head.

These clients have a really great transitional sensibility when it comes to their own personal style. Everything we have done is clean with a little twist of contemporary. The bedroom has a beautiful sitting room with a fireplace and the ceiling has a tray which we have wallpapered in a beautiful faux painted anaglypta paper...extremely warm and relaxing without being too "done".

I love this bedroom. The walls are finished with a paint that almost resembles a glaze. The homeowner doesnt like alot of pillows so we made the bedspread with a pillow tuck which looks beatiful and finished. The fabric on the top of the bed is a beautiful silk with velvet appliqued flowers and embroidered vines we outline quilted the velvet for texture. The attached bedskirt is a silk stripe that we gathered and the canopy is the coordinating plaid to that stripe. We decided to do silk embroidered relaxed roman shades on the windows so as not to take away from the beautiful bed.

This bedroom is a work in progress but I had to show it to you anyway because I was so pleased with the way the linens came out. This is a great example of mixing ready made with custom bedding. Our inpiration for this bed was when my client fell in love with the silk embroided european shams from Pine Cone Hill. Next we found the quilted floral shams also from Pine Cone Hill. The top of the bedspread is fabric we found on a bolt at Williams and Sherrill that matched the shams beautifully. We diamond quilted the fabric to give it a very luxurious loft. The attached skirt is a silk with velvet stripes and the cording between the top of the bed and skirt is a decorative cord that matched perfectly. The boudoir pillow is grey velvet with a fun tassel trim and the monogram is to die for. We are thinking of a high scrolly French bed...what do you think?

Tis the season

2009-12-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

There really is nothing like the glow of Christmas lights. I get such satisfaction from decorating for The Holidays and sitting back and relaxing in the warm glow of the lights. I just got finished doing my inside decorations and I wanted to share some of them with you, give you a few tips and hopefully make your own decorating experience a little less stressful. Remember as the song says "Tis the season to be jolly"...have fun with it.

This is the tree I do for my living room...and yes it is artificial. I tend to be very controlling in my decorating (I have issues...lol) so there is no way a real tree would hold all of my heavy ornaments and display them the way I want it to. When I assemble the tree I string colored lights on the inside and it is amazing the color that you get from those lights. I like alot of white lights so I outline each branch with lights.

I have been collecting ornaments for a long time. I love mixing different sizes and styles of ornaments on my tree. Dont forget to tuck some ornaments a little further into your tree for added dimension.

This is an inexpensive wreath I found at a department store. I attach it to the mirror with a suction cup and tuck the wired ribbon behind the wreath to hide the hanger and make it look like it is hanging from the ribbon.

This is my dining room table. I filled the blue bowl that I always keep on the table with some vintage ornaments and draped the same ribbon I used on the mirror through the vignette.

To add a bit of glamour I used a jeweled picture frame with my nieces wedding picture in it and a Jay Strongwater box.

During the holidays I remove the china from my china cabinet and display some insexpensive nutcrackers with some Waterford Crystal. Its good to have the crystal handy for drinks during the holidays and the nutcrackers give color to the cabinet when the glasses are in use...cheers!

I use this more casual pencil tree in my family room during the holidays. I usually put this tree up before thanksgiving since the palate is a bit more autumnal and it makes Thanksgiving a bit more festive.

The top of my kitchen tree is a great example of how sometimes more is better. I use 4 or 5 different kind of picks to create a lush and outdoorsy tree topper.

Remember...different sizes shapes and styles of ornaments in the same color palate make for a beautiful tree.

This is the mantle in my family room. I grew up in Pennsylvania so the updated Americana decorations make me feel a little less homesick during the holidays. I wire the same picks, ornaments and ribbon into this garland as I use on the tree to make the room cohesive.

I hope this helps you freshen up your holiday decor this year. Happy decorating!!!!

RSOL Designer Showhouse 2008

2009-12-05T19:38:00.000-08:00

My colleagues and I at Williams and Sherrill designed the living room for the 2008 Richmond Symphony Designer Showhouse. We were extremely pleased with the outcome. We also loved the Trompe L'oeil ceiling that decorative painter Erika Vaden custom painted for us

This is the fireplace in the grand living room. We custom designed the fireplace screen in a faric to match the other upholstery. It hard to tell in the phot but in the vases we glued glass flowers and leaves...the juxtoposition of the formal vases and glass flowers with the unconstructed branches was amazing.

For the main seating area we flanked the fireplace with matching tufted velvet sofas. We had a great time picking fabrics for the custom pillows. For a coffee table we used 3 antique mirrored end tables together.

We really had to be creative with the window treatments. We didnt want to cover up the beautiful arches but because of the size of the room the windows had to have some strength. The homeowner had already done the gold leafing on the moulding so we chose formal hardware that really complimented the beautiful moulding detail.

My Style

2009-12-05T18:57:00.000-08:00

RHome, a publication of Richmond Magazine recently did a feature on my personal style. I think of my home as a warm and comfortable refuge to relax and recharge my batteries. It is also important for all of us to remember to think green and reuse and recycle as much as we can in our homes...Mother Nature will thank us all.