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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A peek inside the 2013 Atlanta Symphony Show House: the Melanie Turner designed master bedroom

One of my favorite spaces in the 2013 Atlanta Symphony Show House was the master bedroom.  The Bill Baker designed house is large in size, at over 18,000 square feet, so the relatively small size (relatively being the key term!) came as a very happy surprise. Personally, I like intimately scaled master bedrooms, so the architecture of this space had great appeal to me. 

To get a perspective on where the master bedroom is located in the house, here is a picture of the back of the house, taken by photographer Jeff Roffman.  The space on the right where the house extends into the back yard is the master bedroom. It is located on the main floor of the house and the majority of the space appears to be single story with no second floor space above it.

The interior design of the master bedroom is by Melanie Turner, who was the 2012 ADAC Southeast Designer of the Year.  Photo credit: Jeff Roffman.

The color palette is neutral and soothing, and the room has a peaceful and soft look and feel.  The beautiful Chinoiserie inspired curtains are made with Mary McDonald’s new fabric line for Schumacher (in the blush conch color) and the material was ordered with an 18’ drop.  The crane sculptures are a playful nod to the crane in the fabric pattern.  (I took the rest of the pictures in the post, including this one)

The settee also features fabric from Mary McDonald’s new designs for Schumacher.  One of my favorite design elements in the room was the artfully arranged grouping of Todd Murphy drawings, which are in designer Melanie Turner’s personal collection.

Another special feature in the room was the antique chandelier, fitted with rock crystal pendants.  This is also part of Melanie’s personal collection – I remember seeing it in the great room of her Bobby McAlpine designed house, featured in a recent blog post.

A fresh delivery of flowers arrived while I was in the room, and I couldn’t resist taking a quick picture!  The alabaster lamps were beautiful and perfect for the room; several people commented on them while I was there.

Although hard to see in the pictures, the delicate hand painted design on the walls echoed some of the elements of the fabric and the room and were a lovely touch.  The custom wall painting is by Brian Carter, who was featured in my post about the new Scout Guide.

So, what do you think? This room was one of my favorites in the house, both because of its architecture and design.  The room itself faces east (which reminds me of pattern 138 from A Pattern Language - one of my favorite books on architecture) – in which the authors argue that the best orientation for a bedroom is facing the east, so that people can wake with the sun.  I also like how the windows are designed; instead of windows on either side of the master bed, there is a distinct area at the end of the room where there is a large window, and two facing windows on either side (another favorite pattern from A Pattern Language – pattern 159, light on two sides)  - this room actually has light on three sides. It is a pretty design that distinctly defines that area of the room, provides beautiful natural light from the south, the east, and the north, and provides an expansive view of the back yard.

The Atlanta Symphony Show House and Gardens is open through May 12. Tickets are $25, and can be purchased at the door. The house is located at 3495 Old Plantation Road, Atlanta.  There is a shuttle service to and from the house, with parking at 3284 Northside Parkway. For more information, please visit www.decoratorshowhouse.org.
Hours:
Tuesday and Wednesday: 10 a.m.-3:30 pm
Thursday: 10 a.m. - 7:30 p.m
Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m
Sunday: noon-4:30pm 
Closed Mondays.


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Twitter: @TTIBlog
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Visit my online store, Quatrefoil Design: www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com
To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store.


Friday, April 26, 2013

2013 Atlanta Symphony Show House and Gardens



Photo credit: Jeff Roffman

I had the opportunity to get a sneak preview of the Atlanta Symphony Decorators’ Show House and Gardens last week, and once again it is a marvel to behold!  This year’s house an 18,000 square foot house called ‘Tuffeau’, and is a chateau inspired design by residential designer Bill Baker. I always love the Symphony Show House, as it is by far the most ambitious show house of the year, and is a great way to get a feel for what is inspiring the top designers in Atlanta. This year over 40 designers created their vision for the 30 plus spaces in the house and on the grounds, and there is something to appeal to every design enthusiast – the traditional, the transitional, and the contemporary are all represented, with some common themes - bold use of color, amazing art, and well edited collections. 

I have been working on a post for days, but finally decided to break it down into a couple of posts – it was getting too long!  So, for those of you who subscribe to my blog by email, don’t be surprised to see more frequent posts over the next few days.

Photo credit: Jeff Roffman
Today’s post will be about the house.  I have been aware of this house for years, as construction started in 2008, and continued during the timeframe when I was building my house.   Over the past few years, I have often driven past this house to check out the progress.

I learned a few months ago that this would be the location for the 2013 Symphony Show House, and have been looking forward to getting a close look at the architecture of the house, both inside and out.  Apparently the owner is a gentleman who sourced architectural components for the house from around the world, and used materials for some of the spaces (the kitchen counters, one made out of a beautiful quartz and another made out of a sprayed metal come to mind) that are incredibly rare or very new to the market.

According to the ASO website, this  “Buckhead estate…is a grand chateau inspired by the great architecture of France. The house is considered to be one of William T. Baker’s finest works and is a testament to the fine craftsmanship and tasteful detailing characteristic of Baker’s architecture. The house is entirely clad in French limestone and, with its slate roof and zinc dormers, is a faithful interpretation of the great houses found outside Paris. The exciting interiors incorporate architectural antiques such as leaded windows, French paneling, and marble mantles. The wood parquet floors and casement windows with their decorative cremone bolts complete the effect.”

A close up of one of the windows on the front. The final landscaping was still going in when we were waiting to enter the house, which explains the mulch on the path.

A peek at the leaded glass windows in the front of the house. Leaded glass with intricate designs are a feature seen throughout the house. A glimpse of some of the décor inside can be seen.

A view of the stonework on the wings that flank the house. I always love quoins – one of my early blog posts (back in 2007) was about quoins as an architectural element.
A peek of the inside in my next post, featuring the master bedroom by Melanie Turner Interiors.

The Atlanta Symphony Show House and Gardens is open through May 12. Tickets are $25, and can be purchased at the door. The house is located at 3495 Old Plantation Road, Atlanta.  There is a shuttle service to and from the house. For more information, please visit www.decoratorshowhouse.org.

Hours:
Tuesday and Wednesday: 10 a.m.-3:30 pm 
Thursday: 10 a.m. - 7:30 p.m 
Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m 
Sunday: noon-4:30pm  
Closed Mondays.


To subscribe to my blog by email, click here.
To follow my blog on Facebook, click here.
Twitter: @TTIBlog
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ttiblog/
Visit my online store, Quatrefoil Design: www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com
To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

The Scout Guide Atlanta

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2013/04/the-scout-guide-atlanta.html

A few weeks ago, when visiting one of my favorite art galleries in Atlanta (Pryor Fine Art), one of the employees of the gallery told me that they had just received early release copies of the premiere issue of the Scout Guide Atlanta, and they let me take one home with me.  Pryor Fine Art is featured prominently in the new guide – no surprise as it is one of the best galleries in town.

I had not heard about the Scout Guides (there are Scout Guides for over 25 cities around the US) but my experience with the Atlanta guide has been an excellent introduction.  It is full of thick, superb quality, beautifully photographed pages that feature a highly curated group of many of the best shops, artists, and artisans in Atlanta.    In a world in which so much is online, it is nice to see so much thought put into a tangible guide that can be used as a reference time and time again.

Page after page of my favorite businesses and design firms in Atlanta are featured, and there are many names that are new to me. 

A few days after my introduction to the Scout Guide Atlanta, Christy Ford (one of the founders of the Scout Guide) contacted me to ask if I would be write a guest post on the Scout Guide blog about some of my favorites from the Scout Guide Atlanta.  Click here to see my guest post on the Scout Guide blog, or visit http://thescoutguide.com/guest-blogger-things-that-inspire/.  I would love it if you come over and read my guest post!

The Scout Guides are available at select venues throughout the cities that are featured; they can also be purchased online through the Scout Guide store.


To subscribe to my blog by email, click here.
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Twitter: @TTIBlog
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ttiblog/
Visit my online store, Quatrefoil Design: www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com
To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store.


Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Finding great art and artists on Pinterest


I am really into art these days.  My art board on Pinterest is one of my favorite places right now – I am always inspired by art and color and how art is selected for and placed in a room. 

I credit Pinterest for providing such an amazing source of inspiration for new (to me) artists.  Pinterest is a visual feast and it is truly amazing to be exposed to so many images I never would have seen.  Although I love looking at design, architecture, and food pins – it is the art pins that cause me to spend so much time on Pinterest.  I particularly like it when I find an artist, then find their Pinterest page, then get a peek into what inspires them – whether it be other artists, colors, landscapes, fashion…

The very nature of Pinterest sometimes makes it a challenge to determine an artist’s name when I see a painting in the context of a room.  When an image is featured in a magazine and even in a blog, the sources are usually identified (magazine, blog, designer, photographer, products). Much of the time, the trail is cold in Pinterest, when the image is completely separated from its source. However, for someone like me who likes to research and connect the dots, it is often a fun challenge to find something that has caught my eye on Pinterest.

Case in point: I saw this lovely room featured in a pin. I have also discovered that I have a major lavender obsession going on, and this painting, with its bright colors and splash of lavender, really caught my eye.  Through the source of the pin, I learned that the room is the work of designer and blogger Jamie Meares, who writes I Suwanee. The rest of the house is just as fresh and youthful as this room; click here to see the blog post.

After emailing Jamie, I found that the painting was done by Atlanta blogger, Jenny Andrews Anderson of My Favorite and My Best. I have read her blog for years now, and was aware that she was painting, but was truly impressed and inspired with the beauty of her work and the development of her technique.

I contacted Jenny and asked her more about her work, when she started painting, and what her inspirations are.  Her words (in italics) are interspersed with some of my favorite images of her art, both from her tumblr page and from client installations. 

The first painting Jenny sold to a client
i have been drawing most of my life, but painting was never something i got into beyond high school because the idea of paints and buying paints and brushes intimidated me.  i didn't know where to begin.  i really enjoyed all of my art classes in school and was pretty good, but i found that being literal or figurative wasn't something i connected with.  i guess i hadn't found my medium.  once i started painting abstract i connected with it right away.

having the blog helped in that i had an instant audience and clientele.  most of my readers are into interiors and art and just pretty things in general.

i paint in my dining room. mostly on the dining room table, but for bigger pieces i lean them against the wall and paint sitting down. i would love a studio. and a whole lot more paints and brushes! but for now, the dining room it is. ideally i'd love an out building to paint in, nothing away from home.

in terms of inspiration i sort of draw on that everywhere. i am inspired by what's in front of my eyes. i am inspired by how i feel, what i watch, what the weather is like...basically i draw inspiration from all around. also, pinterest is my best friend. i have a board titled 'color' that i refer to all the time for inspiration.

a lot of people ask what type of medium i use...that answer is varied. i experiment all the time- brushes and my fingers are the most used tools. but i also use scissors and serrated knives. for paints i use acrylic, gouache, oils, oil stick, charcoal...and i use them all together, usually. i love painting on paper. i recently painted a piece called "nectar head" on cardboard and found it to be a very easy surface to paint on.

my process is pretty simple...

i get some color ideas in my head, colors i want to see together...and i just start applying, wiping, smearing them and shapes take hold...i don't have a composition in mind or a story. those come pretty organically.

once i see the story unfold i just keep going where it takes me. that sounds totally hokey but it's so so true.

my goal is to move the story forward. i like to push the boundaries of weirdness and craziness. i don't take myself seriously at. all. like at all, at all. i don't take my paintings too seriously either. they are meant to bring a sense of wit and nostalgia, in some way, hopefully. i'd like to think that my paintings are like wes anderson movies. i think that his shot selections are the stars of his films. they are used to such great effect in such a singular, small moment. i'd like to think my paintings do something similar”.

Here are some more images of her art that caught my eye….

Jenny’s art (the large painting)  is featured over the mantel.  How gratifying it must be to have her art already in a published magazine spread! Style at Home Magazine


This bedroom is so pretty – and Jenny’s art is certainly the perfect touch for the space.

One of Jenny’s paintings at a client’s house.

This work on paper caught my eye – I am really into works on paper these days. I think they add an interesting and sophisticated element to a mix of art in a house, and often have a lighter touch than works on canvas.

This is a great nursery- it will easily make the transition from baby to child to teen, and I think that Jenny’s art will be a feature of the room for many years to come.

I have been admiring this painting in Jenny’s etsy shop – it’s really beautiful, so soft and luminous.

I hope you enjoyed this feature on the art of Jenny Andrews Anderson.  Here is where you can find her:

Jenny’s etsy shop:

Portfolio of her work:

Jenny’s blog:


What about you – are there any artists whose work you love, or whose work you have discovered on pinterest or on blogs? Please post names or links – I am always interested in learning about new artists.  Are you an artist who uses social media to expand your client base?  I would love to hear about it!  It seems like a very good time to be an emerging artist with talent and vision – there are so many ways to reach an audience in this day and age. (Email subscribers, comments can be made on the blog by clicking here).



To subscribe to my blog by email, click here.
To follow my blog on Facebook, click here.
Twitter: @TTIBlog
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ttiblog/
Visit my online store, Quatrefoil Design: www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com
To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store.


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