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Sunday, November 30, 2014

One of my favorite things: Hipsi belts (makes a wonderful gift)

Last year, I posted about one of my favorite discoveries, Hipsi belts. I received dozens of emails from readers who purchased the belts and agreed with me: these are the best (and most versatile) belts we have ever worn! Since the holiday season is upon us, and many of us are looking for that perfect gift to give or receive, I thought I would post once again about Hipsi belts. And, as a special bonus, Hipsi is offering a special holiday incentive to Things That Inspire readers – 15% using promo code Inspire15!

 
Since my post last year, Hipsi has come out with even more styles and colors, and I must admit I own a belt in every color. These are the only belts I wear now.

hipsi colors
From left to right – the best selling Back in Black; Brown-Eyed Girl; Bubbly; Blue Jean; White Walls. Plus, there are dozens of buckles that can easily be swapped on and off the belts, to change the look.

What do I like about my Hipsi belts? They are totally flexible in so many different ways. They are completely flat – no bulky buckle, which means that they do not create those annoying holes in t-shirts that so many regular belts make. They shield shirts from the zipper and the flap of pants and jeans, which also protects the shirt from getting holes and creates a flat and smooth profile. They are fully adjustable, so they can be worn with every type of jeans or pants however low or high they may be (and because they are adjustable, they can be worn over sweaters and dresses too).  Hipsi belts are cute enough to be worn so that they can be seen, and have many great buckles that can be swapped in and out of the belt strap. But, they are also sleek and flat enough to be completely hidden when your shirt is over your jeans or pants.

I started with the basic black belt and buckle set, then soon after purchased the brown belt and buckle set (seen here, holiday set here, and the equestrian belt sets seen here). I purchased the Blue Jeans and Bubbly sets this summer.

Hipsi holiday gift set_thumb
There is a holiday gift set that is being offered this year – a basic belt set (brown, black, or bubbly (champagne) that comes with two interchangeable buckles. The “brown eyed girl” belt set and tigerlily buckle (love this buckle) is pictured above.

I have also bought some of their cute buckles to expand the look (seen here; I have some of the animal prints,snake print, and the chic Greek key designs).

The latch mechanism is different than regular belts , and takes a few times latching the belt to get the swing of it (there are detailed instructions included with the belt, and on the website), but once you get the hang of it you are set!

Hipsi belts can be found in stores around the US (and if you are a store owner, I highly recommend carrying these great belts), and they can be purchased online at http://www.hipsiworld.com.

As a special promotion for Things That Inspire readers, Hipsi is offering 15% off all orders made through their web site! For a limited time, you can use code Inspire15 when checking out.  I hope you like these belts as much as I do!  I have given Hipsi belts to many of my friends and family as Christmas presents, and everyone loves them as much as I do.

For more information, please visit the Hipsi website - http://www.hipsiworld.comHere is a video that the inventors of Hipsi belts put on youtube, it helps give a feel for the versatility of the Hipsi belt.  Click here to see video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNGkr5P_BMs

This post was sponsored by Hipsi



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Friday, November 21, 2014

The 2014 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays



It’s that time of year again!  The much anticipated Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays opened its doors on November 19, and is open through December 7th.  I was able to see the house on Monday, and it is full of beauty and inspiration. Here are some highlights of the spaces, although this barely scratches the surface – you will have to visit yourself to see all of the magnificent rooms!

I visited the house at night, and because of the rich colors used in the interiors, and the soft lighting, good photos were very difficult. In fact, most of my pictures did not turn out well at all.  I ended up switching from my nice camera to my iphone, which seemed to do a bit better. The bottom line is that the pictures do not do justice to the décor, so please visit to appreciate the design in person!

Harrison Design Associates were the architects of the house, which is described as a 7,200 square foot, English style home. It is actually on a lot that I looked at when I first started thinking about building a house back in 2009, so it was wonderful to see how this house was designed and sited to fit onto the lot, which hilly (as is very typical in Atlanta).

A vignette from the entry, which was designed by Liz Williams Interiors.

I always enjoy seeing Liz Williams’ designs, and the entry was one of my favorite spaces in the house.

A bit washed out from my flash, but this gives a sense for the design of the stair garland, which is such a nice touch during the holidays.

A peek into the living room designed by Susan Ferrier.

The dining room was designed by Beth Webb, and it looked beautiful at night. Note the intricate design of the ceiling. A close up picture of the ceiling can be seen on my instagram page.

Bill Ingram and Danielle Rollins in the study that they decorated. Again, my camera just could not handle the lighting conditions, so I switched to my iphone, which could not take a wider shot – but the room is quite beautiful and this is just one side of it.

I always like to see the architectural details and design decisions that are made, and I think this is a clever way to incorporate a place for coats and “locker” type items, without making a full structural commitment to the concept. This could be easily removed in future years if there is not a need for it. However, the design is not totally kid centric, which I appreciate too – it can be used for any kind of side entry storage. Design by Flynnsideout.

The powder room, one of two on the main floor, was designed by Brian Patrick Flynn. The resources list the fabric lined walls as Tilton Fenwick “Paboreal” in coral, by Duralee.
Although this picture is dark, it captures a nice perspective on the architecture and décor of the kitchen, which was designed by Mark Williams and Niki Papadopolous, with cabinetry by Bell Kitchen & Bath Studios.

A view of the kitchen from the side. I love the darker finish of the cabinet that houses the the refrigerator and freezer – it looks very much like a piece of furniture. To the left of the fridge is the pantry, and to the right is the bar. It’s a very well thought out design and I think this will work very well for the future home owners.

A glimpse inside the pantry – it’s always good for those who are designing a house or renovating to see the architectural ideas from a showhouse. Note how the microwave is in the pantry (I did not notice if there is another one in the kitchen itself), and how there is open shelving, shelving behind doors, as well as drawer storage.

As I mentioned, very few of my upstairs pictures turned out, but I thought this picture of a shower from one of the bedrooms was a good example of how it is totally fine to keep the tile very simple in the secondary bedrooms. Note how the wall tile is just a clean, simple white subway tile, and the hexagon tile on the floor is also very simple. Perhaps the warmer color for the floor was selected because it shows less dirt?

This answers my question – the same tile used in the adjoining sink area is carried through to the shower floor.

The bonus room over the garage was all but impossible for an amateur to photograph, but it was one of my favorite rooms in the house. It was designed in such a creative way – it was sophisticated, yet also interesting and comfortable. The seating, the art, the lighting, and the accessories were all amazing – it had that hard to describe layered quality that makes a room really successful from a design perspective. Design by Krista Nye Schwartz and Tami Ramsay of Cloth & Kind.

There was no way to photograph the room without a flash, because of the time of day and the lighting conditions, but hopefully this picture gives a sense of what I was describing. The lighting fixture was amazing, and it was the first thing I noticed when I walked up the driveway towards the house – it can be seen through the windows from the front of the house.

Here are a few of the professional pictures that were in the marketing kit.  This is a vignette from the sitting room designed by Amy Morris.

A lovely traditional bedroom designed by Margaret Kirkland Interiors.



The Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays is open now, and I highly recommend a visit!

HOURS
Wednesdays - Saturdays, 11am-5pm
Sundays - 1pm-5pm
DATES
November 19 - December 7
Wednesdays through Sundays.
Closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Thanksgiving Day.
ADDRESS
2865 Habersham Road NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30305
PARKING
Please park at ADAC (Atlanta Decorative Arts Center)
351 Peachtree Hills Avenue NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30305
Parking has been generously donated by ADAC and complimentary Santa’s Shuttles will run continuously from the main entrance of ADAC during showhouse hours. On many days, Santa’s Shuttles will be staffed with volunteer elves, who will be on hand to give guests an overview of the house and ensure that check-in is as smooth as possible.
Tickets are $25 and may be purchased online or at the door.

Featuring  the following designers:
Liz Williams Interiors; McAlpine Booth & Ferrier; Amy Morris Interiors; Parker Kennedy Living; Mark Williams Design Associates; Flynnsideout; Beth Webb Interiors; Bill Ingram and Danielle Rollins; SmithBoyd Interiors; B.D. Jeffries; Carter Kay Interiors; Margaret Kirkland Interiors; Barbara Heath; Cloth & Kind; Boxwoods Garden & Gifts;




Take a trip down memory lane and visit my posts from the 2013 AH&L Home for the Holidays, the 2012 AH&L Christmas house here; the 2009 Christmas House here.


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To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store.




Tuesday, November 11, 2014

A classic: White house, black shutters


I have been reading about a trend for shutter-free houses in both new houses and renovations – perhaps a way to make a house look more streamlined and modern.  However, I have a love for shutters. I have a fondness for black shutters in particular, combined with a white house. There is something so classic and American about it – no matter what the architectural style (although a classic white Georgian with black shutters always appeals).

When walking my dog last summer, I passed by this house, which was on the market. The interiors were in need of an update so I did not post the listing, but the exterior has always been one of my favorites in Atlanta.

White houses with black shutters are found all over Atlanta, and all over the web. So, here is an ode to the classic style, with images pulled from a variety of sources, including my own personal collection of pictures snapped on dog walks, pictures I put on Instagram, as well as images found on Pinterest. Enjoy!

An interesting black and white house that I took on my iphone in the spring.


A classic Stan Dixon designed house that I featured on my blog last year. (Click here to see full post).

A beautiful 1921 Neel Reid house that was on a tour of homes last year. I felt so lucky to get to see the interior!

I snapped this picture and posted it on Instagram last year, and now I see it all over Pinterest too.

This house was on the Cathedral Tour of Homes a few years ago, and has been pinned countless times because of its classic beauty and the appeal of the black and white color scheme. Image by Emily Followill.

Another classic Atlanta estate, it was one of the most expensive real estate listings on the market for years.  It is best known as the former home of Robert Woodruff, the legendary past president and chairman of the Coca-Cola Company, and the man who built the company into one of the world’s biggest business empires.

A renovated Colonial, the setting is as magnificent as the house.

A favorite found on Pinterest last year, it was re-pinned hundreds of times.

When using black shutters, the crisper the white the better, in my humble opinion. I love the rounded windows on the main floor, and the shutters that match the shape of the windows.

A beautiful fall scene with a classic New England white house and black shutters.

Another Pinterest find, this appears to be a newer house but the classic proportions and style make it a classic.

A pretty New England scene. This gets me in the mood for the holidays! It’s interesting that the chimney is in the middle of the house. Found on Pinterest.

One of the favorite holiday images that gets pinned every year.  I have a fondness for houses with the door on the side, and it makes the architecture so efficient for a smaller house.

A classic Dallas house found on Pinterest, with the black and white color scheme.

 
Another one of my favorite Atlanta houses, this too was on the Cathedral Tour of Homes several years ago. Photo by Emily Followill.

This is one of my favorite house images, found on Pinterest – the proportions for this house are beautiful, as are the materials used. The peacock blue door adds the perfect modern twist to classic.

Do you see many classic white houses with black shutters in your area?  There were many in Connecticut, where I lived as a teenager. And, as you can see in this post, this classic color scheme is very popular in Atlanta too.

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