Curb Appeal - Before and After

Back in the summer, I had a client contact me who was getting ready to paint the exterior of her house.  She saw the post I did on another exterior paint project (click here for those details) and wanted my thoughts for her house.  It's been several months and my client has been busy implementing the plan.  She has also been so sweet to continue to send me pictures of the progress.  I thought it was time to share them with you.   

My clients have a lovely saltbox which is a Colonial style of architecture originating in New England.  In all honestly, they were not unhappy with the look of the home - just curious of how it could look if painted differently.  So, I came up with a new paint schedule and recommended a few edits and additions.  

Here's where we started. . .  the before.   

And here's where are we now . . .  the after. 

Since many traditional saltbox style homes do not include shutters, I recommended we edit these.  By removing the shutters, you actually see more of the base paint color giving the home a stately feel.  In addition to the removal of the shutters, I recommended adding some interest to the area above the front door.  Many saltbox homes have an additional window above the front door which adds interest.  Since we did not have this, adding a pediment over the doorway was really essential.  This not only draws your eye up to accent the height of the home, it also helps to provide depth to the facade of the home which was very flat.  One benefit I really did not appreciate when we created the plan was how the dark gray paint plays next to the brick foundation and chimney.  Just love how rich the brick looks now! 

There are still a few items on the list, but we are very close to completion.  The new railing which is more mission in style still needs to be painted the trim color.  Also, the plan is to add more trim work to the bottom of the upper windows to give them more weight and presence.  But just had to show you the progress!  Happy Wednesday. M.

Thank You for Your Service

For as long as I can remember, I have always approached men and women in uniform and said, "Thank you for your service."  I try to always make a point of doing this.  Several years ago, my son asked me, "Mom, why do you always do that?" I told him, "Because thanks to them and the sacrifices they make by protecting our country and being away from their families,  I'm able to be here with you and my family in a country that is free."  I have no idea if the gravity of that statement really meant anything to him.  Honestly, I can't say I truly understand the sacrifice our military are willing to make - but I CAN say, I'm grateful.  

When I look at the picture below, I see husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, and sons and daughters.  For every single face there are people who love them and miss them and would love to have them near rather than away.   

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So, this is why I say thank you. 

So, today, in honor of the freedom we get to enjoy day in and day out in this wonderful place we call home, thank a vet for their service.  I am proud to say Birmingham, Alabama has the nation's oldest Veterans Day parade which began in 1947.  If you live in the Birmingham area, it is truly something to see! M.  

Friday Five

For the past month, I've been super busy with clients ordering/fluffing/preparing for the holidays.  It may sound crazy but with a lead time of 8-12 weeks, you have to start early to have any custom upholstered pieces by the holidays.  So, in an effort to get us all excited and in the mood for the holidays that will be upon us in just a few short weeks, I've decided to start a new series on Fridays called the "Friday Five."  This series will focus on all things holiday.  First starting with Thanksgiving and moving into Christmas.  

So, here are my five picks this week.

Pumpkin Apple Crisp

This looks so yummy.  When the weather gets crisp and cool, I begin to crave these kinds of desserts.  

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I did indulge in a Pumpkin Spice Latte this week from Starbucks - truly pumpkin pie in a cup!

Perfect Weekend Wear

I took a very fun girl's shopping weekend a few weeks ago and was on a mission to find the perfect trench coat.  It never materialized, but I've not given up yet.  Look how fabulous it would be paired with jeans and a navy sweater.  Love.

Cashmere and Gingham by bluehydrangea featuring post earrings

Relaxing Walks
The leaves here in Birmingham are turning the most gorgeous colors at the moment, and weather is so crisp.  My plan is to take a long walk on all the newly finished sidewalks in our neighborhood.   I may even find some natural materials along the way to use on my tabletops for the holidays.

Place Settings

This past week, I worked with a client on some fresh table setting ideas using her china along with a few new pieces to make everything feel new.  We worked on some ideas for Thanksgiving, Christmas and even New Years's Eve.  Now's the time to get your ducks in a row for your table - before the rush begins. 

Look at this stunning table from Sharla Eck - I love the mix of green glass, gold charger, chocolate linens and natural centerpiece.  It makes for a casual, yet sophisticated table.  Love using a mix of patterns and styles on a table.

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Plethora of Before and Afters

If you love a good before and after, you are going to go nuts when you see these final reveals from the "One Room Challenge."  This amazing event is the brain child of the very talented Linda of Calling It Home.  Linda gathered a group of bloggers together to give one room a total makeover in six weeks.  The bloggers in the challenge have been posting once a week on their progress and this week they had their final reveal (which is of course, my favorite part!)

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One of my favorites is this stunning room by Mary Ann of Classic Casual Home.

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But every single one of these bloggers has included some clever ideas in their redesigns.  Go check them out (here's a link to all the rooms you will have to scroll to the bottom to see all the links - the ORC).  Enjoy your weekend! M.

Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas

For the past three years, my family has attended the Steeplechase for the Arts at Callaway Gardens which benefits lots of great organizations in the city of Columbus, Georgia.  The first year we attended this amazing event I talked about it here.  Each year, we take our feast on the road and join lots of others for a relaxing day at the races.  I snapped a picture of our table for the day.

For the event this year, we had marvelous weather, the races were filled with excitement, the hats were mesmerizing, and the flower arrangements were completely stunning!  For starters, there were a pair of these jumping horses flanking the entrance to the main tent overlooking the finish line.  

In fact, the flowers arrangements were so incredible, many of them could easily be recreated for a Thanksgiving table.  Here are just a few of my favorites.

I love the gerber daisy included in the vase for additional color an interest.  I've never thought to try this.

This simple idea of lavender in burlap bags could be repeated down the center of a Thanksgiving table for an understated, casual dinner.

While you may not want to include a horse in your Thanksgiving arrangement, the pheasant feathers and pewter footed bowl would be fantastic.

Just adore the rustic container with the winter cabbage, hydrangeas, magnolia leaves and pears.  I also love the table linens and plates!  This entire tables would make an amazing Thanksgiving table.

I thought this was a fun take on carved pumpkin container.  Notice the pumpkin still has the stem intacted, and the arrangement is placed in the side of the pumpkin.  

I love this arrangement in the galvanized bucket! The bucket feels casual while the height of the arrangement gives it some formality. 

I snapped a picture of this arrangement before they could even get their table set up!  It's in a silver pitcher.  Love the winter grasses and berries.

Even just a simple basket filled with potted mums adds lots of texture and interest.

And last, my favorite.  This gorgeous silver trumpet vase is filled with okra!  So unusual, and lovely.

So, will you be hosting Thanksgiving this year?  M.

All Hallow's Eve

Here's wishing you a wondering holiday!  We are celebrating in our neighborhood with a very fun block party, and I'm looking forward to relaxing and seeing all the cute kiddos and their costumes.

To make the party fun, our neighbors all bring appetizers down to the street for the block party.  I'm constantly trying to come up with something yummy but a bit unusual.  I'm trying to decide what to whip up for the party.  True confessions here - my appetite is directly tied to how a food looks.  So, if the food is too creepy and gross my appetite goes straight out the window.  Things like brains, guts, eye balls and road kill - no, no, no and no.  I know this is not the case for everybody, but for me there is a fine line.  I want it to be fun, but not gross.  

So, here are some fun ideas that still seem yummy to me.

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But what every floats your boat!  Enjoy your evening - be safe. M.

Trend Spotting - Rorschach Ink Blots

I recently saw this metallic version of an ink blot, and I can't seem to get it out of my mind.  It was created by Andy Warhol in the 1980's known as his Rorschach paintings, and it still feels super current and fresh today.  Wonder what came to mind when Mr. Warhol looked at his own inkblots?

Andy Warhol, Rorschach 1984

In case you're wondering, the Rorschach test is a psychological test in which subjects' perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretations.  Some psychologists use this test to examine a person's personality characteristics and emotional functioning.  So, if I get a psychologist for a client, you know I'm going straight to these for some unique artwork for their home.

During his later years, Andy Warhol produced some stunning examples of these.  I love this one with black ink on canvas - it would look amazing with a metallic background.

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These have inspired lots of homeowners.  I just love how they look - notice the ghost chair layered in front of the lowest piece and paired with another favorite for me - the silhouette.  clever.

The traditional black ink versions have really been popular as artwork since this image was featured in House Beautiful.   Completely stunning!  Every room (even one with lots of color) needs a touch of black.

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So, I think you know where I'm going with this . . . Even the most artistically challenged should be able to pull off some version of this, right?!  Could be a fun DIY to try with my daughter on a raining Sunday afternoon.  I'll have to pull together some supplies in case we have a moment to try this! M.

Layering Artwork on Drapery Wall

Happy Monday!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  We are finally feeling the crisp weather here in Birmingham and just in time for Halloween.  I love it!  Saw this cute picture on Pinterest and had to share it.  Halloween is such a fun holiday that I have an entire Pinterest board just for clever ideas for the occasion.  If you need some inspiration check it out here.

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My daughter asked me last week "If you had to pick a season and it would be that season for the entire year, which one would it be?" (she's 11 years old, so we do a lot of this)  After some thought, I realized I don't have a favorite but look forward to the change of season the most.  I'm a girl who likes change. So, I'm looking forward to everything the cooler months bring to the table - like a cup of hot tea in the afternoon, cozying up with a blanket and a family night of board games.  Now that I'm feeling inspired, I plan to post on a few cool weather thoughts for interiors.  Look for those in the next few weeks.

For today,  I wanted to follow up my post last week on When To Consider a Drapery Wall with "How to Layer Artwork on a Drapery Wall."  As an aside, this post took some time to pull together, and I'm hoping it will make sense to you!

The process of layering artwork on a drapery wall has a few of basic challenges which are not unique to any room:
1. Challenge One: light coming through the drapery panel so you see the outline of the window/door you're trying to hide
2. Challenge Two: A heavy painting/artwork resting on the drapery panel crushing it against the wall.

Neither of these are a good look!

In addition to these basic challenges, I had a couple that were unique to my project:
3. Challenge Three: The ceilings were a double story high in this room (so the technique of hanging the artwork from the ceiling was not an option for me),
4. Challenge Four: The opening we covered was so large the majority of our painting did not have a wall to "rest" on behind the drapery panel.  So, it was a bit of a challenge to pull off.

I often hear people say "Oh yea, I've seen that!  It would be easy to do."  But when you actually try to pull off a similar look, it never turns out the same.  I think this can be said for many attempts of a drapery wall.   The key is to really think about what you want the end product to look like and consider all the practical issue related to that process.   The result will be a fantastic,  polished look.  

For starters, always use a drapery panel with blackout liner when creating one of these.  We even used interlining to give our panels even more weight.  If not, you will be able to see the window/doorway through the fabric on a bright sunny day, and all your work will be for nothing!  There are a few ready made versions of panels with blackout liner or you can have a seamtress make you a custom set.  This is a very important layer not to be skimped on when creating a drapery wall.

Easiest Method for Drapery Wall
When you have actual wall (not a window/doorway) in the spot where you are going to place your nail for hanging your artwork, you can simply hang the artwork on the wall.

I like to use two panels in these situations so you have an opening in the center for your nail to come through and allow you to hang the painting. Then you can adjust the two panels to appear as one.  Also, if the painting you are hanging is light weight (like a wrapped canvas) you are not going to have issues with the weight of the artwork crushing your draperies.

Jay Jeffers Office

Let's say there is a window or doorway in the exact spot where your nail needs to be to placed for the artwork.  In these cases, you would still use a pair of panels (so you have a split opening for your nail).  But this time you will place the nail (or cup hook) higher on the wall above the window/door where there is some wall space.  Then you can suspend the painting from monofilament (aka fishing line) and adjust how low the painting will hang using the monofilament.

 Alternatively, you could suspend the painting from monofilament which is wrapped around the drapery rod and down to the painting.  Again, adjusting the two drapery panels to hide the monofilament.  These techniques work great when the painting is not too heavy.

  However, when your painting is heavy and large, you have to step it up a bit!  Specifically, you must provide something for the lower corners of the painting to rest on that will "lift" the painting off the drapery wall.  I used a 3" profile drapery bracket for this.  If you will notice in the diagram below, I had my carpenter build a support across the doorway opening (since there was nothing there to secure my right lower bracket).  This gave the painting balance and prevented the "crushing effect."

Also, I decided to go with one large panel rather than two since we were using a solid linen and it would have been difficult to hide the opening.  I then punched a grommet through the panel at the precise place where the top bracket would fall on the drapery panel.  I had to do this on site during installation, and I don't mind telling you it gave me sweaty palms to cut that gorgeous linen for the grommet! We threaded the bracket through the opening which allowed our painting to hang freely from the existing picture wire.

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The result - a major focal point well worth all the effort.  Enjoy your week - very excited for this sweater weather! M.