Things That Inspire

Four Beautiful Homes–2012 edition

2012-01-26T07:23:00.004-05:00

This year, the 2012 Cathedral Tour of Homes is delighted to present four beautiful landmark Atlanta homes that exemplify the best of Atlanta’s architectural heritage, with 21^st century updates from some of the most talented architects and designers in practice today. The Tour of Homes presents a rare opportunity to get a glimpse into these fabulous houses and grounds that represent the enduring legacy of Atlanta architecture and design.

The Tour of Homes will take place on Sunday, January 29^th from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Tickets cost $30, and include entry to the Inspiration House (open on January 29, and February 2-5, and February 9-12). For more information and ticket sales, please visit www.cathedralantiques.org. For architecture and design fans within driving distance of Atlanta, this is an event you can’t miss! The Cathedral Antiques Show and Tour of Homes is one of the biggest fundraisers for the Cathedral of St. Philip, and this year’s beneficiary is All About Developmental Disabilities (AADD). For more than 50 years, AADD has been Atlanta’s foremost nonprofit provider of support services to children, adults, and families living with developmental disabilities.

Last fall, I interviewed the designers, architects, and homeowners involved with each home on the tour. When seeing the beautiful homes, and meeting the homeowners, it became clear that each house had its own story. It was fascinating to uncover the story and relay it in the descriptions that I wrote – I enjoyed every minute of my assignment! My write-ups were included in the special Cathedral Antique Show insert in the February Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, now on newsstands.

Photographer Emily Followill documented the homes with her camera; Emily’s work has appeared in numerous publications including Veranda, Southern Living, Traditional Home, Garden & Gun, and Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. Emily donated her time and talents to this wonderful fundraising event, and the pictures are breathtaking. She graciously allowed me to use some of her pictures for this post; please visit her website (click here) for wonderful examples in her interior, garden, and lifestyle photography portfolio.

And so, without further ado, a sneak peek into the homes that will be on the Cathedral Tour of Homes this Sunday!

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Northside Drive

This custom French Normandy style house was the result of a collaboration between architects Spitzmiller & Norris and interior designer Suzanne Kasler; the homeowner gave the renowned architecture and design teams carte blanche to create a highly livable and beautiful space that would work well for both family life and entertaining.

The architects characterize the house as having a whisper of French Normandy – they did not strictly adhere to the style, but rather took aspects of it. Of particular note are the chimneys, which find their precedent in the 17^th century architecture of western coastal France. The elegant pointed arch limestone door surround, the cedar shake roof, and the subtle color scheme of the bricks and shutters complete the soft European aesthetic of the house.

Inside the house, the light wood floors and open and connected feel of the floorplan work seamlessly with the French Normandy style of the exterior.

With this superb architectural backdrop, Kasler expertly sequenced color and texture throughout the rooms, and used a mix of the antique, the vintage, and the contemporary to achieve a timeless yet also fresh feel to the house. The interiors of the house were featured as the cover story of House Beautiful in 2008, as well as in Kasler’s book Inspired Interiors.

This house is a wonderful example of the new traditional aesthetic in Atlanta; the architecture, design, and landscape are all rooted in the classic foundation that Atlanta loves so much, but with a wonderful relaxed elegance.

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Nancy Creek Road

This majestic English-Manor style home, designed by William T. Baker, follows in the grand tradition of Buckhead estates and combines a high level of craftsmanship and design. The subtleties of English Manor style architecture are captured with the incredible attention to detail in the house.

The English clay tile roof and the limestone accents reflect Tudor architecture, as does the stone cladding, imported from Pennsylvania. Even the mortar was researched to match time honored traditions.

The amazing interior details include hand carved doors and wainscoting with Gothic inspired designs, and an intricately carved oak staircase. The library’s plaster ceiling incorporates an Elizabethan pattern, and is a particular highlight.

The formal dining room has beautiful details, including a minstrel gallery (not seen in this photo).

While the house presents a formal appearance, the floorplan represents the more casual way in which families live in the 21^st century. At its heart, this is a family house, and the flow and design of the house work beautifully for the homeowners and their children. The family spends much time in the kitchen-family room, a space that is simultaneously airy and open, with its soaring ceiling, as well as comfortable and relaxed.

The interior design of the house was largely orchestrated by Nancy Warren, who created both formal and casual areas with a wonderful livability. Nancy incorporated many fine furniture pieces and artwork that the homeowners already possessed, as well as new finds especially suited for the house. The result is a house that flows in both color and style in a seamless manner, and truly reflects the homeowners.

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Tuxedo Road

The setting for this 1930s Georgian Revival house is truly idyllic; positioned on one of Atlanta’s most prestigious streets, the entrance is lined by an allée of trees that beautifully frames the house and provides a fitting entrance to this one of a kind house.

The homeowners have lived here for over 30 years, and are only the third owners of the house. A strong passion for their home is seen in the extensive renovation projects that have taken place through the years; although they have taken great care to maintain the original integrity of the floor plan, every space has been updated or expanded in some way to create a more family friendly and light filled design.

In recent years, significant updates and renovations to the upstairs have taken place. A grown son’s bedroom was recently transformed into a luxurious guest suite, and a custom designed mural was hand painted by Ray Goins in the entry and stair hall. Designer Beth Webb was involved in the recent renovations and the new streamlined direction of the upstairs décor.

A recently renovated bathroom with a striking curved tile wall.

A detail shot of a treasured object also shows some of the beautiful architectural detail that abounds in this classic house.

The strength of the architecture provides an ideal backdrop for the owners’ collection of treasured items from their extensive travels throughout the world. Each item has a story and a memory, reflecting a lifetime of adventure and experiences. Walking through the rooms in the house is like going on a journey around the world, and makes the décor of the house a deeply personal reflection of the passions and interests of the homeowners.

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Nawench Drive

I could not put interior photos of this house on the blog, but it is absolutely magnificent - Jackye Lanham at her best! Those of you who get to see it in person on Sunday are in for a treat.

Nestled into a private wooded lot, this stone and white clapboard house imparts a sense of great age, and yet the house was completed only a year ago. Architect Stan Dixon looked to American architectural references as inspiration for the design, in particular the pre-revolutionary farm houses built of stone found in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County.

For the interiors, the goal was to create a modern house with an older feel, and an atmosphere of relaxed elegance that reflects the homeowners’ Southern heritage and love of family. The layout of the interior and the architectural details were carefully considered to support these goals. Several comfortable gathering spaces were created for the family, which are used for different purposes through the seasons.

Interior designer Jackye Lanham’s goal was to complement the integrity of the architecture, yet also reflect the personality and Southern roots of the homeowners. This was achieved by featuring the owners’ collection of antiques and family heirlooms, and using historical colors and natural fabrics with heavy weaves to work with the period of the architectural inspiration. Lanham’s signature touches and mastery at the art of the vignette add unique character to the décor.

Although great care was taken to reflect the beauty and aesthetic of 18^th century American design, the house is also thoroughly reflective of family life in the 21^st century. In recognition of the superb quality of the design of the house, D. Stanley Dixon Architects received the prestigious Shutze award for excellence in classical architecture for this house, establishing it in a unique place in the architectural legacy of Atlanta.

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Sisal stair runners

2012-01-12T08:17:00.000-05:00

January is here, and I am now tackling some of the open items that fell to the wayside after the push to finish the house build in the late summer/early fall.

One of the highest priority items is a runner for the main stairs, seen above. This grainy image was taken this morning with my iphone, sorry for the poor quality of the photo! Lack of a runner has not bothered me in the slightest from a visual perspective; the stairs were crafted with the mellow white oak that we used for the rest of the house, with the same lightly limewashed finish that gives them the appearance of the natural color of the oak (as with most things, we spent three months and created countless samples to get the exact tone that I had in mind). The stairs are 4 feet wide.

However, from a safety perspective, it is clear that we need a runner. So my next project is selecting a runner for the stairs, and given that I have always wanted a sisal runner, and this is what I have been investigating.

Pictures on the internet are not easy to find – perhaps because the tag on the picture is usually not about the stair runner. This picture, a still shot from a recent movie, shows a beautiful runner on the stairs. I am not sure if it is sisal or seagrass, but I love the neutral and textured look.

Another picture I was able to find shows stairs that also are sisal or seagrass, again with the dark tape for contrast.

This stair runner is clearly seagrass. I like the look of the contrasting tape, but for me I prefer a tape color that matches the color of the seagrass or sisal. Source.

Another dark binding. I love the look of this stair well, with the texture of the sisal, the paneling, the interesting variety of framed items on the walls.

Another sisal or seagrass runner, via House Beautiful. I initially interpreted the left side as a dark tape, but now I think it is the dark wood showing – the runner is quite wide with a very small reveal on the side.

This has the effect of a sisal rug, although I am not sure if it is sisal. Design by Barry Dixon, via Acanthus and Acorn in her wonderful post (click here) on stair runners.

This herringbone pattern sisal is really beautiful. It appears that the edges are serged rather than bound with tape, which gives a clean look. I considered using a sisal with this pattern, but given that I have a plain sisal upstairs, and a diamond sisal in the dining room downstairs, I wanted to use one of the patterns already established in the house rather than introducing another pattern.

Here is a great picture of a stair runner in a plain sisal – from a recent project by Suzanne Kasler, via Traditional Home. The tape is tone on tone with the sisal, and the installation is more of the upholstered style where the carpet conforms to the edge of the stairs. I love the relaxed elegance of a sisal stair runner. In fact, I could truly use sisal in every room in my house – my husband forbade me from doing this in the new house, but I was able to get sisal in at least two rooms!

Here is the picture, via Traditional Home, that got me motivated to go ahead and tackle the stair runner. This is the diamond pattern sisal that I have in my dining room – it is really striking. Note how the pattern is installed with the diamond on the vertical rather than the horizontal – from what I understand, this pattern is typically installed on the horizontal. I wonder if the vertical orientation was deemed to work better with the shape and curve of the stairs?

Interestingly, the price on this diamond sisal has come down significantly over the past year. I have heard it is because one mill used to have a lock on this design, and now several are making it. Note how this sisal has a serged edge, from what I understand something relatively new with sisal. Does anyone know how successful a serged edge has been with sisal?

This is not a professional picture, and the stairs are somewhat narrow, but another example of the diamond sisal on stairs. Note how the diamond pattern is installed differently than the picture above, with the diamond wide rather than tall.

So, this is where I would love your input! To refresh your memory, here are my stairs. Given the width of the stairs, I think the diamond pattern sisal would work well, and would tie in well with the diamond pattern that is in the dining room.

The question is, should I do the diamond on the vertical or the horizontal?

Here is on the horizontal (iphone snap taken from my dining room).

Or on the vertical?

Your thoughts would be appreciated!

Update: I have heard that one of the directions is the standard installation because it is much stronger and the runner wears better - I am trying to figure out which way, but this might be the deciding factor!

Favorite images of the year

2011-12-31T13:37:00.004-05:00

2011 was a great year - admittedly very stressful with the detailed part of the house build and the thousands of selections that had to be made, not to mention listing a house for sale in this atrocious real estate market, selling the house, and on top of that a big move after 14 years in the same house. But also wonderful - finally moving into the house that I had planned for and dreamed about for many years, moving to a different part of town (which has truly been life transforming - no longer do I spend 4+ hours in the car every day), getting used to a new routine (which is great for someone like me who thrives on change).

Thank you to all of my readers who continue to visit despite the fact that my post frequency has been unpredictable and sporadic this year. If you are not already an email subscriber (or google reader subscriber or a fan on facebook), I encourage you to connect in one of these ways since I often go many weeks between posts!

Last year, on January 1st, I posted all of my favorite images from my blog during the previous year. I thought it would be fun and visually inspiring to do so again. Here are my favorite TTI blog images from 2011, with a link to the post that they came from underneath.

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/12/wreath-debate.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/12/exterior-lanterns.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/11/moravian-stars.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/11/in-search-of-perfect-chandelier.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/11/beautiful-bedroom.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/10/story-of-light-basil-flush-mount-from.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/10/morning-view.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/08/hand-towels-where-do-you-put-them.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/08/more-sinks-on-walls.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/07/selecting-pool-color.html

http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/artist/melissa-payne-baker

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/08/inspiring-book.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/06/highgrove.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/12/my-book-list-christmas-2011.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/06/authors-house.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/06/beautiful-bedroom-and-inspirational.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/06/painted-wood-floors.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/05/house-that-keeps-on-inspiring-amazing.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/05/selecting-bed.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/05/laundry-rooms.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/05/peachtree-battle-house-and-garden-tour.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/04/childhood-homes-of-royal-brides.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/04/happy-easter.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/04/thoughts-on-patterns.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/04/from-blog-post-to-reality-groin-vault.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/04/amazing-high-point-market-century.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/04/amazing-high-point-market.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/03/inspirational-discovery.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/03/inspirational-discovery.html
http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/artist/lisa-olliff

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/03/staging-our-house.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/03/beautiful-guest-house.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/03/little-architecture-tourism.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/03/interesting-chair.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/02/interior-design-begins.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/02/beautiful-art.html
http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/artist/melissa-payne-baker

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/02/jackye-lanhams-beautiful-new-website.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/02/childhood-bedrooms.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/01/four-beautiful-homes.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/01/2011-cathedral-tour-of-homes.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/01/what-do-you-notice.html

http://www.thingsthatinspire.net/2011/01/selecting-kitchen-countertops-search.html

Best wishes for a wonderful 2012! I have some interesting things both house related and store related in the works, and I am looking forward to sharing them with you.

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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 (newly updated!).

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-23T12:21:00.002-05:00

This time last year, when our house was just framed, I dreamed about Christmas 2011. I planned to go all out with the decorations during our first Christmas in the new house. However, that did not really happen. Because the kids' Christmas vacation ended up being very long this year, we decided to spend a week in Colorado before Christmas. The holiday party we had planned for the Atlanta office of my husband's company fell through and was rescheduled to January, so I did not have the pressure of entertaining to get things in order. I did buy some wreaths and place them on the windows, as noted in my blog post from early December, but other than that our decor is decidedly low key this year.

People have told me that the first Christmas in a new house is a challenge in many ways. All of the ornaments and decorations were packed up for the move, and sometimes it is difficult to locate the favorite items. The chests and consoles where I typically displayed some of my favorite decorations have been sold or moved to different locations in the house, and no longer work. On top of that, I seem to have a lack of surfaces on the main floor of the house as we are still working on filling out the decor.

A glimpse of the mantel - I am a bit embarrassed that I have not done anything to spruce it up!

Even the new fireplace was a challenge - my old mantel was wood, and we discretely placed nails under the molding for the stockings to be hung. The living room fireplace in the new house has an antique limestone mantel, so I purchased some metal stocking hangers that have a weight that rests on the mantel. They really should be covered with greenery. Maybe next year! I am assuming that after Santa comes, the stockings will have to rest on the floor as a full stocking would be a risky proposition on those weighted hooks.

Tough to capture in the daylight (sorry for the glare) - but here is the tree! We bought it the day after Thanksgiving, so it is getting a bit droopy. It's nice to have a tree in the living room as it is quite bare - the Beauvais rug that we ordered is being custom made, and won't be ready until the spring. Furniture will be ordered later in the year.

One key element that I always insist upon, however, is the Christmas tree. Because we knew that we would be gone the week before Christmas, and wanted to enjoy the tree for as much of the month as possible, we purchased the tree the day after Thanksgiving - very early for us. It was nice to have the tree fully decorated by December 1st! We always knew that the tree would go in the living room, which right now only contains a grand piano and a Christmas tree - the living room decor will come together at a later point. The tall 11'6" ceilings called for a large tree this year, although disappointingly the tree we selected ended up having very little pine fragrance. We have had to supplement with a Thames frasier fir diffuser, which has an amazing scent and gives the house that fresh cut tree smell.

I am not one to have a color coordinated or theme oriented tree. Perhaps because the Christmas trees of my childhood were always colorful, our lights are always the multi-color type (we tried a white light tree one year and it just did not resonate with us). A brighly lit star is always placed at the top of the tree (a bit of an homage to the 1970s and 1980s trees that were part of my childhood).

My mother-in-law needlepoints an ornament for each member of the family every year; a wonderful holiday tradition, and our most cherished ornaments. This is the 2011 ornament for my youngest daugher Sarah. Her name and the year are stitched on the back.

The ornaments are varied - from the handmade school ornaments, which sadly are fewer now that my oldest is in junior high, to the cherished needlepoint ornaments that my mother-in-law hand crafts and sews for each member of the family every year.

The handpainted glass ornament on the upper right was a gift from my mother to my oldest daughter.

There are the favorite ornaments that have been collected through the years, and sentimental favorites, such as the beautiful hand painted ornament that my mother gave to my oldest daughter, her first grandchild, the year before my mother died. We have so many ornaments that I could not even fit all of them on a 10 foot plus tree, so we are planning on getting two trees next year! By then, we will be more settled in, and hopefully more of my traditional Christmas decor will be unpacked and ready to display.

While taking pictures this morning, I noticed that our elf 'Allie' had hidden in the tree overnight.

Ben the dog likes to nap near the tree. Doesn't he match the floors beautifully? During the shedding season, this is a good thing!

May the blessings of the season be with you and yours, and best wishes for a wonderful 2012!

P.S.: Brand new Melissa Payne Baker paintings just added to the Quatrefoil Design store - beautiful nests, landscapes, angels, and itty bitties galore! Click here or visit http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/artist/melissa-payne-baker.

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 (newly updated!).

My book list - Christmas 2011

2011-12-20T04:04:00.001-05:00

I have quite a few books on my Christmas wish list this year - despite the fact that I have been collecting design, architecture, and art books for years, I still have a lot of bookshelves to fill in the new house! Although the ideal is to have a book whose cover is beautiful, with both inspiring pictures and text on the inside, truthfully I find merit in just about any architecture, art, or design book and get great joy in receiving them for Christmas.

Here are some of the books that are on my 'wish list' this year - let me know if you have read them, or have any other suggestions.

Decorating in the French Style, by Jacques Garcia. This book looks intriguing. Click here to see on Amazon.

I absolutely love the cover of this book - has anyone read it? The Amazon reviews are not encouraging, but wouldn't this book look beautiful on a coffee table? Click here to purchase on Amazon.

The English House: Architecture and Interiors. This book has excellent reviews on Amazon, and the cover is charming. Has anyone read it? I might go ahead and order this as a gift for myself! Click here to see on Amazon.

English Hideaways has no reviews yet on Amazon, but the cover absolutely intrigues me - so beautiful! Has anyone read it? Click here to view on Amazon.

Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden has no reviews yet on Amazon, but is one of the first new books on this influential 20th century garden designer in over two decades. She worked with famed architect Edwin Lutyens on over 100 projects. Click here to view on Amazon.

This book is very high up on my wish list - The British Ambassador's Residence in Paris. Click here to see on Amazon.

Historic Houses of Paris: Residences of the Ambassadors. This book looks promising - the Amazon reviews are strong. Has anyone read it? Click here to see on Amazon.

This book looks intriguing - Versailles, a Private Introduction. I love the cover - a beautiful pattern of sunlight shining across the grand floor creates a whole new perspective on such a famous landmark. Has anyone read this book? Click here to see on Amazon.

Katie Ridder is the talent behind many of my favorite rooms from my inspiration files. I love her beautiful and sophisticated but playful use of color in her spaces. She has a new book out - Katie Ridder Rooms - and I am looking forward to reading it! Click here to see on Amazon.

At Home, by Suzanne Rheinstein. Click here to view on Amazon.

The new Charles Faudree book Details. Click here to view on Amazon.

Some favorites from the past year, which have a place of honor in my library:

The English Country House (From the Archives of Country Life). The house on the cover of this book is simply beautiful - and there are many equally beautiful examples of the finest in English Country architecture. Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Patina Style - a wonderful new book by Brooke and Steve Giannetti, authors of the blog Velvet & Linen - full of beauty and inspiration. Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Author Vicki Archer writes magnificent books on all that is French - see her blog French Essence here, and purchase her book on Amazon here.

Royal Jewels: From Charlemagne to the Romanovs The book is a unique addition to any book collection, and is both engaging and easy to flip through. Click here to purchase on Amazon.

I received this book for Christmas last year, and it is one of my current favorites. Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Style, by John Saladino. This is one of my designer's ‘go-to’ books for inspiration. Purchase on Amazon here.

Axel Vervoordt, Timeless Interiors – purchase on Amazon here.

Michael S. Smith – Elements of Style. One of the all time great books of interior design. Purchase on Amazon here.

The Private House, by Rose Tarlow. One of my favorites - a great read as well as an inspiration for design. Purchase on Amazon here.

Suzanne's book is definitely one that I actually reference again and again - I highly recommend. Purchase on Amazon here.

Blog readers often ask me about my favorite architecture and design books. I love books; in recent years, they have become my favorite Christmas gift to give and receive, and I enjoy spending the afternoon of Christmas day looking through and reading books. I have gathered together all of my favorite architecture, design, and art books in one place – the Things That Inspire Amazon store. Click here to visit it, or go to http://astore.amazon.com/thithains-20. I have also posted about my favorite architecture books here.

There are some wonderful new additions to the Penguin Classics series this year. I often give this book as a hostess gift during the holiday season. Available from Amazon here.

I have gathered all of the special Penguin Classics in my Amazon bookstore. They are little treasures! Click here to see the whole collection: http://astore.amazon.com/thithains-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=4

I have also recently discovered that Puffin Classic has come out with a line of classic books with decorative covers.

I am always looking for new suggestions - so please send me a message or leave a comment if you have any favorite architecture, art, or design books to recommend!

Also, I am now on Pinterest - a virtual inspiration board that has become an limitless source of inspiration - come visit me there: http://pinterest.com/ttiblog/

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 (newly updated!).

The wreath debate

2011-12-08T10:38:00.003-05:00

I have always dreamed of placing wreaths on the windows of my house, but I have never lived in a house that allowed for this – until now. I think wreaths on windows work best when the house is symmetrical, with evenly sized windows.

A few weeks ago, I went out and purchased 5 artificial wreaths (edit: got them at Heeney and Company - they are really beautiful, they look real. I prefer real greenery inside, but am ok with artificial outside), and the day after Thanksgiving hung them on the windows. The wreaths came unadorned, so I fastened a large red bow onto the bottom of the wreath, as I prefer the visual weight of the wreath to be on the bottom, and like the way that the ribbon trails down.

However, when my family came out to review my handiwork, there was quite a bit of discussion about the placement of the bow. My husband and oldest daughter felt that it was more traditional to place the bow at the top of the wreath. A big discussion ensued: should the bow be placed at the bottom or the top of the wreath?

After doing a bit of research, it is clear that there is no right or wrong answer – it is totally individual preference, and is sometimes dictated by the size of the wreath and items that are around the wreath. But, it has given me something new and different to look for this holiday season when examining how people decorate.

Perhaps my all time favorite holiday décor picture is this one, from Martha Stewart. The soft palette, the green and white color scheme, the beautiful architecture, the urns flanking the door – all are beautiful. In keeping with the soft style and color palette of this vignette, there is no large red bow, but rather a softly tied ribbon draped from the bottom of the wreath.

The cover of this month’s Family Circle features a picture perfect wreath with a vibrant red bow tied firmly onto the bottom of the wreath.

An old image in my inspiration files features a boxwood wreath at Mrs. Howard, with a green bow on the bottom. Image via AH&L and Phoebe Howard.

I definitely gravitate to the simple, clean, and traditional look of pure greenery and a crisp red bow. This bow is placed at the top, and I wonder if my preference is for placement at the bottom so the center circle of the wreath can be seen?

A beautiful traditional white clapboard house with black shutters and door, found via pinterest, features wreaths with bows placed on the bottom.

I have always wanted to display a magnolia wreath, and this one is beautiful with its large red bow placed at the bottom. Image source.

Something about this picture really speaks to me – I love the classic materials of the stone and limestone combined, and the large wreath on the arched door is perfection. Note that the bow is placed at the top of the wreath – a wise choice, as a bow on the bottom would block the mail slot. Source.

I thought it would be interesting to gather some wreath inspiration pictures from Atlanta – unfortunately, the weather has been dreadful this week so the pictures are from my errand and school carpool routes rather than my dog walks. This pretty wreath in the window of Jerry Pair caught my eye; the elegant simplicity of a fresh greenery and a large red bow is perfect. Note the placement of the bow at the top of the wreath – it crowns the wreath, and keeps the bow clear of the lettering on the window.

A large wreath on the Georgia Pacific building downtown wouldn’t really work if the bow were on the bottom – it would block the door, and the building is so tall the visual balance needed to be on top.

I saw this unusual wreath at a doctor’s office, and noted the bow placed at the top. I like how the ribbon is woven through the shape of the wreath.

Two wreath flank the gates at the base of the driveway – note the placement at the top of the wreath.

Two wreaths placed on the gates to the Adams Gate at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta (scenes from the movie The Blind Side were filmed here). Another check in the ‘bow on top’ column.

A quick drive by one of my favorite houses reveals that they too have a preference for bow on top.

Although decorated simply, with just a large wreath of the door, this house looks amazing at night because the tree is placed in front of the window. Note that the large red bow is placed on the bottom of the wreath.

Another house with the bows on the bottom of the wreaths. I really love the look of wreaths on windows, especially when a house has a crisp black and white color scheme.

The wreaths on this house have the bows placed jauntily on the lower side. It almost looks like the wind is blowing them.

Do you have a preference, or do you have any great wreath pictures to share? I have become somewhat fixated on wreaths this holiday season!

I am not sure if there is any grand conclusion to this post – placement of the bow on the wreath is not really one of those important philosophical topics in the holiday season – but if you have read this entire post, I predict that you will look at wreaths with a new eye this holiday season!

P.S. - the bows stayed at the bottom of our wreaths.

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Exterior Lanterns

2011-12-05T05:45:00.001-05:00

I have mentioned some of the interior lighting selections that we made, but just as important to the design of the house were the exterior lighting selections. Exterior lighting is an integral part of the look of the house; as with most design and architecture related items, scale and proportion are of utmost importance, as are materials and style.

We ended up using mostly copper lanterns, in various styles. The copper is already attaining the beautiful patina that comes from exposure to the elements. We used different styles of lanterns in various locations, and selected both electric and gas lanterns. It drives my husband a little bit crazy to have a gas lantern running 24/7, so we reserved the gas lanterns for the front of the house and the outdoor room, and the rest are electric.

One of my favorite exterior lanterns is by a company called Flambeaux Lighting. It is a New Orleans based company that makes all of their lanterns by hand, in their New Orleans shop. Their products are made by craftsmen who have years of experience crafting copper lanterns, and this is clearly seen in the product. I had never heard of them before building my house, but they came highly recommended. Their price point is excellent (lower than many of their competitors), the quality of their product is outstanding, and although they have a large catalog, they can also craft lanterns custom to the job. Their lead time is also very reasonable, which is always a good thing!

From the Flambeaux web site: “As native residents of New Orleans we understand the look and feel of the French Quarter. We use this experience to design and build the finest French Quarter style gas lanterns you will find anywhere. Our designs reflect the broad diversity of this region as well as the many influences of the people that live here. You see these styles in the many different types of lanterns from the colonial style Williamsburg, to the European style London Street to the authentic French Quarter style lanterns”.

“As a manufacturer we are continually adding new styles of lanterns as well as building custom lanterns for our clients and friends who have something special in mind. The style and type of lantern we can build is limited only by your imagination so please contact us if you have something unique in mind - we can build it.”

Here are the Flambeaux lanterns that we ordered for our house – this style is the Regency, and we custom ordered this pair on a gooseneck bracket in the large 35” size. We purposely chose to scale these on the large size; when the four trees near the lanterns have leaves, the effect is softened. (Note: I have an extra pair of these lanterns that we did not end up using. If you are in the Atlanta area, and are interested, please contact me: thingsthatinspire@gmail.com)

On the opposite side of the exterior of family room, where we have the grill, we used the same style – the Regency – in the 30” size, flush mount to the wall. One little tip that someone gave me – when using electric exterior lanterns, purchase silk wrapped bulbs – it makes the bulbs glow and look a bit like candles! I got my silk wrapped bulbs at a lighting store in Atlanta, Lamp Arts.

For more information on Flambeaux products, check out their web site. One note from their web site that I thought was interesting, they point out that their lanterns (when fitted as electric) can be used either inside and outside. The lantern on the left as a flush mount would look great as a sconce in a casual bathroom – and I love the idea of a lantern as a table lamp.

One of my favorite things

2011-11-27T09:23:00.002-05:00

Occasionally I post about some of my favorite things, and nine times out of ten they are design related. However, today I am going to tell you about one of my favorite cookbooks.

After spending much of my time in the kitchen over the past few days, with a big Thanksgiving feast to prepare plus many meals for a house full of family members, this book was a constant presence on my kitchen counter. It is simply the best cookbook I own, bar none. It is the first cookbook I turn to when I want to try a new recipe, or learn the best technique for preparing just about anything. Everything I cook from this cookbook simply works - and comes together as described.

Written by the experts at Cooks Illustrated, the New Best Recipe cookbook is the result of thousands of hours of work in the Cooks Illustrated test kitchen. Not only does this cookbook have wonderful recipes, for many of the fundamental topics it explains what makes a recipe work.

Case in point: roasting a turkey. I have only been in charge of the turkey a few times in my life, and this year it was all me. So, I pulled out my New Best Recipe to read about how to pick a turkey, how to brine a turkey, how to stuff and truss and roast a turkey. New Best Recipes also had an excellent section on mashed potato recipes, with the best techniques for creating the perfect mashed potatoes.

Experienced cooks will probably find that their cooking improves, and enjoy reading about what actually makes a recipe work, and how certain techniques and ingredients can make all the difference. Beginner cooks will learn how to make recipes work with the clear step by step directions in each recipe.

Click here to purchase this book on Amazon. This cookbook rates 5 stars with over 300 ratings - read some of the reviews - they are excellent. This cookbook would make a fantastic holiday gift for any cook, experienced or novice. I can't recommend it highly enough!

While gathering information for this post, I noticed that there are several books by Cooks Illustrated that are companions to my favorite cookbook. I am going to order them and see what I think!

Click here to order on Amazon

Click here to order on Amazon.

I have gathered together some of my favorite cookbooks in my Amazon store. These are truly my favorites, the cookbooks I go to again and again for inspiration and ideas. Click here to see the full list. Many of these were Christmas gifts through the years; new cookbooks are one of my favorite presents. Please let me know in the comments if you have any cookbooks that you recommend - I am always looking for new cookbooks!

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Twitter: @TTIBlog
To see design, architecture, art, and decorative books that I recommend, please visit the Things That Inspire Amazon store (newly updated!).

To subscribe to my blog by email, click here.
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Twitter: @TTIBlog
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Visit my online store, Quatrefoil Design: www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com

One last look....

2011-11-27T06:31:00.002-05:00

A Melissa Payne Baker painting seen in a recent showhouse, interior design by Allison Womack; photography by Emily Followill (via AH&L)

We will be refreshing things in the Quatrefoil Design store soon, but wanted to give everyone one last chance to purchase a Melissa Payne Baker painting. These paintings will be cycling out of inventory within the next few days, and would make wonderful holiday gifts! I find them to be particularly beautiful hung in small groupings, or placed on bookshelves or on table tops.

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Robin's Nest II - 10"x10" - $300

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-robin-s-nest-ii-10-x10

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Angel in Blue I 8"x8" - $285

http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-angel-in-blue-i-8-x8

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Angel in Blue II - 8"x8" - $285

http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-angel-in-blue-ii-8-x8

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Quatrefoil I - 10"x10" - $300

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-quatrefoil-i-10-x10

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - The Cross I - 10"x10" - $300

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-the-cross-i-10-x10

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - The Cross III - 10"x10" - $300

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-the-cross-iii-10-x10

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Splendid I - 10"x10" - $300

Click here

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Splendid II - 10"x10" - $300

Click here

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel in Blue I - 6"x6" - $200

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/melissa-payne-baker-petite-angel-in-blue

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel in Blue II - 6"x6" - $200

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-petite-angel-in-blue-ii-6-x6

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel III - 6"x6" - $200

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-petite-angel-iii-6-x6

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel IV - 6"x6" - $200

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-petite-angel-iv-6-x6

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Dragonfly I, II, III – each one measures 10"x10" - $300 each

I: http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-dragonfly-i-10-x10

II: http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-dragonfly-ii-10-x10

III: http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-dragonfly-iii-10-x10

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nesting II - 18"x18" - $445

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-nesting-ii

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Tides 8"x16" - $325

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-tides-8-x16

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Angel and quatrefoil ‘Itty Bitty’ paintings, measuring 2”x2”- $40 each – perfect for special little places, or for hanging on knobs, windows, bulletin boards – the possibilities are endless! http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/products?search=itty+bitty&search-submit=

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Click here to see the full selection of Melissa Payne Baker paintings. They will be available for a few more days, then they will be gone!
http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/artist/melissa-payne-baker

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

Moravian stars

2011-11-08T08:05:00.004-05:00

In the kids’ playroom/study, there is a built in desk with an arched opening above it. We put our old desktop computer there (and a kitchen chair from the early 90s), and made the space wide enough so that another chair can be pulled up to the desk. I have done nothing with this space so far, and it is time to start making it feel more like home. I have plans for a fabric covered homasote bulletin board so the kids can hang their artwork and creations, and I would also like to hang a light from the top of the arch, as it is wired and we have a switch hidden in the shelves to the right of the arch.

I think that a small hanging light fixture would be charming in this space . What came to mind immediately is a Moravian star fixture; the arch looks a bit like a window, and Moravian stars are traditionally hung in windows or on porches during the Advent season. A star pendant would add a lovely element of whimsy and beauty that would be perfect for a space where children spend a lot of time.

Legend has it that the Moravian star originated in Germany at a Moravian school in the 1850s; they were originally made of paper and tradition holds that they were the basis of a geometry lesson. The stars can have any number of points, as long as they are based on polyhedrons. According to Moravian lore, the Moravian star became a representation of the Star of Bethlehem, and was displayed on the first Sunday of Advent. The star is an outward symbol of the period of waiting and preparation for the celebration of Christmas. Image source.

Pottery Barn used to sell variations on the Moravian star light, but they don’t seem to have them in their line up right now. This is the Olivia star pendant (left, image source).

A more recent offering from Pottery Barn was the Reed star pendant, but it does not appear to be available anymore either.

However, with a bit of digging, I was able to find some good sources for Moravian star lights online. Mermaid Hut in particular had a large selection of Moravian star lights available (click here for their selection).

This colorful star from Mermaid Hut caught my eye, although if I go with a Moravian star I will either do the clear glass or the opaque glass.

Circa Lighting sells an opaque moravian star fixture in either 10” or 18” size. http://www.circalighting.com/details.aspx?pid=798

This Moravian star light seems particularly detailed, because of the number of points. I love the look of the seedy glass. http://shop.moravianbookshop.com/browse.cfm/moravian-star-26-point/4,447.html

I came across quite a few inspirational pictures while searching Moravian star lights; this one is my favorite. The Moravian star usually has more points, and stars with fewer points are often called Stars of Bethlehem. Either way, this is a light fixture that always catches my eye when I see it. Normally I associate a star fixture with a whimsical or casual décor, but this hall is elegant and somewhat formal, with its groin vault ceiling, stone floor, and symmetrical furniture arrangement at the end. Yet, the star fixtures look beautiful in the area, relaxing the formality yet still providing a special touch.

The star fixture adds a bit of brightness to the kitchen. Image source.

A star fixture works beautifully with the curve of the walls in this small nook. Image via Pinterest.

Image via Pinterest.

I love the idea of this light fixture in a kids bedroom. Image via Pinterest.

I am particularly fond of the star shaped canopy where the chain meets the ceiling. Source unknown.

The star provides a dramatic contrast to the dark tones of this room. Source unknown.

A whimsical light fixture works beautifully in this casual room.

This light fixture works particularly well in pairs. Source unknown.

A seller on etsy makes pretty moravian stars out of recycled cardboard – wouldn’t this make a pretty painting? http://www.etsy.com/shop/ParkrosePretties

I am heading to Scott’s Antique Market this weekend to see what I can find for the space in the playroom – Moravian star inspired or otherwise!

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In search of the perfect chandelier

2011-11-04T08:49:00.009-04:00

Found on pinterest

The decor of our new house will be a work in process for several years; we focused on the architecture during the build, and although we furnished most of the rooms to a certain level, for the most part we are taking a phased approach to decor and finishing off one room at a time. I prefer to have fewer furnishings and fabrics that I love and are just the right thing, and add to the decor over time.

However, we did purchase most of the fixed lighting as I consider it to be one of the 'architectural' aspects of a house. Each light fixture was carefully considered for style, scale and proportion, and I love each and every light fixture that my designer selected. The only major light fixture that we did not find was the chandelier for the dining room. My designer felt that an antique would be best in the space, and we never really came across 'the one'.

So, until that happens, I will happily collect images and continue to dream about the perfect fixture for the space. My ideal is to have a crystal chandelier in the dining room - the more crystal, the better. We don't have any other crystal fixtures in the house, and the tall ceilings (11'6") and architectural features of the dining room would make a nice large 'crystally' chandelier right at home. Image via Cote de Texas.

Interestingly, many of my favorite chandelier pictures come from Belgian homes, where the juxtaposition between the simple and the ornate seems to be a style of choice. The contrast of the farmhouse table and the crystal chandelier is just as appealing as the chandelier itself. Image via Cococozy (see the full post here).

A massive crystal chandelier in a somewhat spare dining room in Belgium. This is the crystally, somewhat over the top look that I love in a dining room chandelier. Via Cote de Texas.

An antique chandelier seen out and about in Atlanta.

Maurice Chandelier in Atlanta is a wonderful source for antique lighting. They have several French antique crystal chandeliers, such as the one seen in this picture. This picture hardly does the chandelier justice, but it is lovely in real life.

If we go the new chandelier route, I have long admired the Daphne chandelier by Paul Ferrante (I wrote a post devoted to this chandelier in 2008). The Ainsworth-Noah showroom in Atlanta had this chandelier on display, but it sold; I used to go visit it every so often, and actually miss seeing it.

The Dennis & Leen chandelier that was showcased on the cover of Veranda in September of 2010 makes my heart skip a beat. The Jerry Pair showroom in Atlanta has one on display, and I often swing through just to gaze upon this pretty fixture. Image: Interior design by Melanie Turner.

After examining the pictures in this post, I realize that I like a combination of small strings of crystals combined with larger pieces (which is probably why the Dennis & Leen and the Paul Ferrante chandeliers are so appealing to me). Blog posts are often the best way for me to crystallize (pun intended!) what I really like about something.

Although it would be nice to have a chandelier in time for Thanksgiving, when we plan on hosting friends and family for the inaugural use of the formal dining room, time and budget will prevent this from happening. I must admit, however, that I often have just as much satisfaction in the search as the acquisition!

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Beautiful bedroom

2011-11-01T07:02:00.002-04:00

I came across this lovely image of a bedroom when doing some research – an image I had never seen, but one that caught my eye right away. It is somewhat cloud like, with its soft furnishings and shades of gray color scheme, with a hint of yellow that reminds me of the early morning light. I like the little touches of black that provide a bit of definition and clean edge.

My eye is also drawn to the two small pieces of art to the left of the bed. When there is wall space next to a bed, and no window, I always like seeing art over the bedside table.

Source unknown – if you know who designed this space, please let me know!

Halloween Houses

2011-10-30T07:35:00.000-04:00

This past month has been really beautiful in Atlanta, so I have been walking my dog quite a bit. Of course, to keep me inspired I pick my favorite areas of Atlanta for the walking routes, and particularly enjoyed the Halloween decorations along the way. Here are a few ‘Halloween houses’ that caught my eye.

If you look closely at this picture, you will see so many interesting decorations. I particularly like the skeletal bride and groom on the door.

The white picket fence is looking spooky at this house!

I love the bat that is perched over the front door. I just noticed the witch flying into the utility pole!

It’s a bit hard to see in the picture, but that figure in the window is a pirate who will undoubtedly be watching the trick or treaters as they approach the door.

This property lent itself beautifully to ghostly creatures hanging from trees (it must have taken some effort to hang these guys!). When I saw them, the wind was blowing, and they truly looked like they were floating through the trees.

Another eerie apparition on the same property.

Spiders and spiderweb on mailboxes was a popular theme this year.

I thought this mailbox décor was clever.

Taken from a distance, as the house is set back quite far from the street. I doubt that there are many trick or treaters who venture onto this property, but it looks like the owners get into the Halloween spirit with an inflatable bat on the roof to the right, a spider to the left, and another spider crawling down the house in the middle.

I love the look of black spiders climbing up a white house.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!

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Morning view

2011-10-21T08:56:00.003-04:00

Although it is hard to capture a good picture when facing the sun, the view that greeted me this morning inspired me to snap a quick iphone picture. It is quite cold today, and there is steam rising out of the pool water.

The back of our house faces east, so we are greeted by the morning light when looking out the master bedroom window (this exposure made good black out lining in the curtains a must!). This picture captures one of my favorite views; Alec Michaelides from LandPlus Associates created a truly beautiful landscape plan that is a pleasure to look at from every angle.

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One of my favorites: the Basil Flush Mount from Circa Lighting

2011-10-06T08:33:00.003-04:00

We ordered most of the interior light fixtures for the house back in December and January, which seemed early but actually turned out to be a smart thing to do; some of the fixtures were available right away, but others took many months to come in.

It’s amazing how many light fixtures have to be ordered when building a new house. Thankfully, the process was very smooth given the experience of my designer, who selected a great balance of lighting styles (from lanterns to sconces to flush mounts to chandeliers) and price points. Every day I walk through the house and appreciate the lighting; it was a very important design element for me, and I am absolutely thrilled with everything we selected.

Given the sheer number of light fixtures that had to be selected, it is amazing that everything worked out so well. We only had one small issue, in a vestibule leading to the outdoor room. Although the ceiling in the adjacent space is 10 feet, the vestibule ceiling drops to 9 feet, so the lantern that was selected for the space (the Honore Lantern, which is a beauty) did not work both because of the lower ceiling height, and because the door would swing into the lantern. So, we went in a different direction and selected the large Basil flush mount fixture from Visual Comfort, available through Circa Lighting. I am absolutely thrilled with this light fixture – it has a beautiful finish (we selected the natural brass, but it also comes in gun metal and polished nickel), and it is the perfect touch for this pretty space. Plus, I am happy to have a quatrefoil somewhere in the house, given my affinity for this shape!

We ordered much of our lighting from Circa Lighting, and I will feature different lighting fixtures that we selected in future posts. A big thank you to the wonderful associates at Circa Lighting in Atlanta for helping us get the Basil flush mount fixtures to the house in time for the photo shoot with photographer Emily Followill!

Lighting information:

Large Basil Flush Mount by Alexa Hampton for Visual Comfort
Available through Circa Lighting - http://www.circalighting.com/details.aspx?pid=2764

Circa has some of the most beautiful flush mount light fixtures – I think that flush mounts are such an appealing alternative to can lights in a space, as they project light so much better (and are far more beautiful!). Click here to see some of the flush mount options from Circa Lighting:
http://www.circalighting.com/search_results.aspx?q=flush+mount

Photo credit: Emily Followill

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An update

2011-09-16T07:32:00.009-04:00

Lest you think I have fallen off the face of the earth, I wanted to write a brief update. Thank you for the emails and inquiries - I am still here, just trying to regain some semblance of control over my life!

The past month has been incredibly exciting, stressful, and busy - we sold our old house, packed up the old house, and moved into the new house. On top of this, add all of the back to school activities at two different schools, and I have barely had a moment to even sit down.

After 14 years in our old house, it was a monumental effort to sort through and pack all of our belongings. When I did the final walk through of the house before leaving the keys for the new owners, I was amazed that we were able to pack up our lives (and our attic, which had been stuffed to the brim) and move on.

It still doesn't feel as if the new house is really ours. It is strange being in this familiar but also different environment. I am learning new routines, finding new places to put familiar furniture and accessories, adapting to new furniture and appliances and fixtures. Figuring out all of the light switches has been a learning effort in and of itself (we are wired for a sophisticated lighting system, but chose to do simple flip switches initially).

I am working all day, every day to get us settled - unpacking boxes, figuring out where to place things, making Bed, Bath, & Beyond runs to get all of the little items needed to stock up a house. It is driving me crazy not being able to find many of my familiar day to day items, which is spurring me on to get everything unpacked. I still have a long way to go, but my kitchen designer (the amazing Cynthia Ziegler) and I completely unpacked the kitchen this week, which was a big psychological milestone.

My designers, Suzanne and Keith, came to the house late last week to place the furniture and rugs that we bought. They brought along their expert hanging guy, who hung all of my favorite artwork and mirrors, which immediately helped make the new house feel more like home! Some of the window treatments are up, more are being installed today. Although we still need more furniture (that will come in time), we purchased most of the foundational items - rugs and window treatments - to warm up the house and make it feel cozier. We also have all of the lighting fixtures with the exception of the dining room chandelier (we are looking for an antique, and have not found the right one yet) and one small fixture for the groin vault hall, which needs to be special but also functional.

Over the past two years, I have worked through many decisions on this blog, and truly appreciate the input and insight of my blog readers! I will be showing many of the end results over the next few months. I also have a stockpile of posts that I began, but never finished, and I am looking forward to reworking the posts with the result in mind.

I am thrilled with the house - the architecture, landscape, and design are all very reflective of my husband and me, and we are looking forward to living here for many, many years.

More to come, so stay tuned!

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Front doors

2011-09-05T07:40:00.008-04:00

I love the idea of a prominent front door, carefully considered as a key element of the design of a house. One of my favorite architectural design books, A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, has some interesting notes on the front door or main entrance:

Place the main entrance of the building at a point where it can be seen immediately from the main avenues of approach and give it a bold, visible shape which stands out in front of the building.

I like giving a front door a bold, visible color. Some of the most memorable doors to me are the ones where the homeowner has made a statement. The perfect example – the door of Miles Redd, which is a custom color that took many color combinations to derive:

This door is so highly custom – it looks like the hardware was selected first, then the door was designed to frame the hardware. Image source.

There is something so endearing about this image (Miles Redd’s door again) with the iconic front door seen in the context of the entire building. The door is placed to the side – characteristic of the brownstone style – with 8 windows and the door as the ninth opening, it’s interesting to note that the third floor windows are not quite as wide as the first and second floor windows, making the shutters a bit more narrow. Also interesting to note how the shutters on different windows seem to have a latch that connects them. Image source.

House Beautiful has a great feature on picking the right color for your front door, with thoughts and advice from a dozen designers. House Beautiful deems changing the color of your front door “the easiest of makeovers” and encourages readers to go bold in order to make a great first impression. (Image above is folly green by Farrow & Ball, selected by Kathryn Ireland).

We have spent months testing out colors for our new front door; as soon as the front door went in back in March, we had samples up there (initially we had Farrow & Ball vert de terre and French gray as our two samples). We all feel that green would be a great choice for the door, but green is a tricky shade. An additional challenge is that the door gets no sun until mid afternoon, so it looks entirely different in the morning and the afternoon. Most shades of green we have tested look good either in the morning or the afternoon, but not both.

The upper right is SW Privilege green, which is a great shade but looks very dark and dull unless it has light shining on it. The upper part of the left is a Benjamin Moore color that I can’t recall, and the lower part of the upper section is Farrow & Ball Chappell green, a vibrant green-blue. The middle of the left is Farrow & Ball blue gray, which actually translates as a green blue. There are four F&B colors across the bottom – pigeon, lichen, blue gray, and vert de terre.

We are going to try a full coat of Chappell green, simply because we think that the door needs the deeper value of the upper right sample, but a color that will pop a bit. Although we had previously rejected F&B vert de terre, now I am wondering whether it might be a shade to try if Chappell green ends up being too much. Vert de terre is more subtle. As far as colors go, F&Bl blue gray is perhaps my favorite color, but it might be too soft and subdued in this application and look too similar to the trim. My builder finds it amusing that out of all of the thousands of decisions that have gone into this house, it is the front door color that has stumped me – but the good news is that it is only paint, so we can try something and change it if the color doesn’t work.

While writing this post, I came across a wonderful blog post on ‘The Language of Doors, Part I’, by the blog Heirloom Philosophy. The post is full of inspiring images and quotes on doors and their place in interior and exterior design . (Part II is a great read too, all about interior doors).

Hand towels: where do you put them?

2011-08-15T08:18:00.001-04:00

This week I am selecting some of the small but important elements that go into finishing a house – the bath hardware, including the towel bars. Given that we are nearing the end of a project that has involved hundreds (probably more like thousands!) of decisions, I am grateful for Restoration Hardware – their lines of stylish bath hardware in both chrome and polished nickel finishes have made the selections quite easy.

My favorite design at Restoration Hardware is Chatham. It is simple and timeless, with a nice elegant scale that works well in the new house.

Bath hardware is fairly straightforward, but I have found that the approach to the placement of hand towels is quite personal and is often dictated by the architecture and design of the space. In general, I have observed that my designer likes to place hand towels on the counter, both in half bathrooms and the main bathrooms. If there is a strong client preference to hang them on a wall (and the layout and design allows for this), as a general rule she prefers 18” towel bars over towel rings. I have never really given much thought to this topic, but it has emerged that my husband has a preference for hanging hand towels whenever possible.

I looked through my inspiration files, and saw many examples of hand towels placed on counters, similar to the way it is shown in this picture. This is a good solution for this space - a towel bar or ring could not be mounted on the wall to the left of the sink because of the plugs and light switches.

This powder room has hand towels on a tray. There is room for a towel ring or bar on the wall, but the walls remain clear and uncluttered by placing the hand towels on the counter.

I am not crazy about where the hand towels are hanging in this bathroom – draping them over the bar in the front of the vanity breaks up its pretty lines.

Many of my pictures are from magazine features, where some of the necessities of daily life are whisked away or airbrushed out. This bathroom doesn’t seem to have a hand towel in sight, although to be fair one side of the wall can’t be seen.

I love this picture of a sink under a window, via Belgian Pearls. There is something so appealing about being able to look out of a window when at a sink. Note the hand towels neatly folded on the counter. My only issue with this is that in every day use, I suspect that the hand towels might start to look a bit messy draped on the counter.

Personally, I am a fan of a simple small towel bar if the space and style of the vanity allow for it.

Powder rooms often have different requirements than bathrooms attached to bedrooms. In this bathroom, a towel bar on the wall near each sink makes sense to me. Small towel bars, usually 18”, provide room for a hand towel and a washcloth. Although harder to find, 12” towel bars are also sold in some lines. We are cutting down 18” towel bars for a couple of the bathrooms where there is not much wall space – an advantage of having a variety of tools at the construction site.

In my inspiration file pictures, there are quite a few master bathroom spaces that don’t seem to have a designated place for the hand towel. Designer and blogger Brooke Giannetti designed this space – I must ask her whether the intent is for the hand towel to rest on the counter or be hidden away.

Another example of the ‘hand towel bar free look’ is seen in this bathroom. I assume it was staged for a real estate photo or a magazine shoot, but there are no hand towels to be seen.

This bathroom is another one of my favorites, and looking at it with new eyes, I spot an towel bar mounted on the side of the cabinet. If a hand towel bar is used, there are many who prefer to use an 18” bar rather than a ring. Architecture by Brooks & Falotico, interior design by Boxwood Interiors.

This is a beautiful bathroom (architecture by Brooks & Falotico), but what strikes me the most is the abundance of towels in the space. There are towels underneath the sink, on the counter, and on a towel ring. Interestingly, this is one of the few pictures in my files that shows a bathroom with a towel ring for the hand towel. This bathroom has paneling, so the more compact design of a towel ring makes sense.

So, where do you prefer to place a hand towel? Do you prefer placing it on the counter, hiding it away, or on the wall? If you like the hand towel on the wall, what is your preference - towel bar or ring?

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More sinks on walls

2011-08-08T07:28:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I write a post on a topic, and after that point I stop collecting pictures; other times I simply like the topic and continue to collect pictures when I run across them. Such is the case with sinks on walls. In Atlanta homes, it does not seem to be the most common thing to have a sink on a wall. It is much more common to have a sink under a window or on an island. However, I have a sink on one wall in the new house – it will be the clean up sink, and the main sink is on the island. It seemed to work best for our long kitchen space.

The design of the clean up sink was quite a challenge – what kind of faucet should be placed there, what kind of cabinets (if any), what kind of sink. It took many iterations to come up with the design, but it all seems to have worked out with the exception of the faucet that we ordered.

When a sink is on the wall, the clearance between the backsplash and the faucet handle becomes a critical design element, so that the handle can have a full range of motion if it is designed to work that way. When the faucet that we ordered arrived, a Perrin & Rowe single lever design, it became apparent that the handle did not have the clearance to go back all the way (we haves since learned it needs 2.5”). My kitchen designer and I mulled it over this for a few days. We like this traditional design of the faucet we ordered, as it is easy to operate for a sink that will be used primarily for dish clean up (a similar bridge faucet is on the main island). We considered a few other complementary options. But, in the end, we decided to keep this model and turn the faucet so that the handle faces the front. The gooseneck spout can be rotated fully, so it will be easy to keep out of the way when turning the faucet on, and it actually works similarly to how the faucet in my current house works. It is all a matter of getting used to it, and it will be nice for my left handed family members not to have a faucet geared towards the right handed world!

Given that my mind was on sinks on walls, here are some new images I have found over the past year for my kitchen inspiration files.

After solving our own faucet on the wall issue, I saw this picture – this is one of the alternative models we were considering, but ultimately decided to keep the one handle function. Note how the area over the sink is recessed so that there is no issue with someone using the sink and bumping their head against cabinetry. Source unknown.

Another interesting sink on wall design – note how the fabric ties onto a large brass bar. There is a sink there, but it is not visible from this angle – it appears to be integrated with the countertop. Also note the use of open shelves above the sink, a design concept that was suggested several times for my ‘sink on the wall’. For me, I know that that open shelving would not work, so we did not go this route. Source unknown.

Via Haute Design/ (source - http://www.sarahklassen.com/2010/07/sweet-welcome.html)

Interesting how this sink area is tucked behind the stairs! Again, shelving above the sink makes the area more open. The function of the levers on a bridge faucet work well when a sink is on a wall, as they move forward, not backward. Source unknown.

A European style kitchen, seen on Belgian Pearls, has a wall mounted faucet. We talked about this at one point, and we have a wall mounted faucet in the laundry room, but in the kitchen we wanted the one handle design for ease of use.

Another great wall mounted design – I love how the faucet mounted on a piece of marble that is sized to match the framed items on the wall. Art in a kitchen is so appealing to me – but I am not sure it would work near a sink in a house with kids! Source unknown.

Another great sink on a wall design, architecture by Ruard Veltman via House Beautiful. I would love to see what is going on in the sinks – is it one big trough or is it separate sink bowls? The large artwork is striking, and the sprayer handles almost translate like sconces, the way they frame the art.

Art seems to be a favored choice with a sink on a wall – I love the design and scale of the art on the wall, it transforms the kitchen and makes it a much more unique space. Source unknown, via Cote de Texas.

I should have studied the faucet designs of my inspiration pictures (or measured more closely) before selecting my faucet – it appears that the double handle, single hole design is very common in a faucet placed on a wall.

Another single hole, double handle faucet on a wall. This kitchen is interesting to me – I would love to see the whole thing. I don’t think I have seen too many ovens placed next to sinks – it seems more common to have a pot filler if you need a water source near the oven.

The thing that strikes me about this image is that the sink could have easily been placed under the window, but the decision was made to place it on the wall. Perhaps this was done because it would have crowded the sink against the corner, or because the work flow works better in this kitchen to have the dishwasher to the left of the faucet. Via Martha Stewart.

One of my all time favorite sink on a wall design – it’s clean and simple, unobtrusive, and the combination of the perfectly hung framed series with the asymmetrical design of the wall with the cabinet on the left, and the sconce on the right, has great visual appeal. Architecture by Bates Corkern.

We are still waiting on the backsplash for the area where the sink is on the wall – it is going to be solid slab to match the kitchen counters. I am enjoying the process of seeing everything coming together in this kitchen that I have been thinking about for almost 2 years!

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

Inspiring book

2011-08-03T19:39:00.005-04:00

Although early August is usually the slowest time of year for me, this year is an exception…things are extremely busy with both my current house and my new house.

The new house is starting to take its final form, and it is now apparent that I have over ten built-in book shelves to fill. Some I will fill with a mix of small pieces of art, interesting objects, as well as books…but there are also a few shelves that will be filled exclusively with books.

Royal Jewels: From Charlemagne to the Romanovs arrived from Amazon this week, and is is literally (and figuratively) a jewel…the topic is over 800 years of history of European royal jewels, and the book carefully documents the history of royal jewels through the ages, with stories and images of the royal jewel owners woven throughout. The book contains many beautiful images of the jewels themselves (over 300 pictures) and paintings that depict the royal jewels (with the accompanying history of the jewels) adorned by their owners. The book is a unique addition to any book collection, and is both engaging and easy to flip through.

Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Selecting the pool color

2011-07-25T12:01:00.003-04:00

After making hundreds and hundreds of decisions over the past two years, one of the last big decisions I have to make is what the pool color will be. I never really thought about the fact that the color of the lining of a pool is something that needs to be selected, although of course I observed that some pools are light, some are dark, some are greenish, some blue, some gray, some black.

There are many factors that determine how a pool appears after it is finished – some are from the environment (the amount of sun or shade a pool receives, whether it is a sunny or cloudy day, the reflections from the structures and the sky above the pool, the amount of debris that might end up in the pool because of leaves and such); some are from the design of the pool (decking, coping, the material itself and the color of the material used on the bottom of the pool). Regional preferences also come into play. For example, my landscape architect told me that most of his Atlanta clients are currently liking darker pools - Pebbletec seems to be the surface of preference (a pebble surface that both protects the pool and determines its color), and Tahoe Blue or Black Pearl are the most popular colors among his clientele. In other areas of the country, light pools with white bottoms (giving the pool a very light blue look) are more the norm.

Given that pools are on my mind, the August 2011 issue of Architectural Digest was a great read. The theme of the magazine was summer getaways, so there were quite a few pools to look at and think about. Many of the pools were simple in shape and style, which is my preference. We are doing a very simple rectangular pool.

The colors of the pools in the magazine covered the full spectrum, from a light blue pool from a house in Florida, to a dark pool in Belgium. There was an infinity edge pool in St. Barts whose color was clearly selected to match the deeper colors of the Caribbean waters as closely as possible (image above). Source.

Although I appreciate the sophistication and moodiness of this pool in its environment, it is not a look that I want for my own pool. Source.

Instead, I tend to like the happier, bluer colors – like the color of the pool that belongs to Hank Azaria. I wonder if this is a plaster bottom pool, and if it is white or light gray? This might be a bit lighter than what I am going for, but the color is really beautiful. Source.

This pool, with landscape design by LandPlus, has a pretty light color to it. Alec from LandPlus told me that the pool bottom it is a white Pebblesheen, a material similar to Pebbletec but made with smaller pebbles (with the result being a smoother pool bottom). Alas, Pebblesheen is more expensive than Pebbletec.

When I initially saved this picture, via Martha Stewart Living, I saved it for the beautiful environment, but now I am appreciating the picture anew because of the pretty blue color of the water. It was probably photoshopped, though!

My sister’s pool, photographed in the shade of the morning, has a medium gray plaster bottom. We are seriously thinking about doing a simple gray plaster surface to the pool, because of the smoothness and because we like the old world mottled look that is often characteristic of a gray plaster pool.

This pool, with landscape architecture by Howard Design Studio, looks like a great balance between blue and green. Source.

When looking through the pictures in my files, I come back to this picture again and again – perhaps it is because it is so similar to our general design, with the outdoor room sharing a wall with the garage, and the simple rectangular pool is aligned with the centerpoint of the fireplace. I also love the look of the bluestone combined with the crisp blue of the water. The designer involved in the project, Carter Kay, told me that the bottom of the pool is gray, so I am assuming it is a simple medium gray plaster. It is almost impossible to judge a pool color from an image, especially one that has been in a magazine (as the colors have probably been tweaked), but I like what I see in this image!

Another pool that captures my eye is this pool from Atlanta landscape architect Richard Anderson’s portolio (http://www.richardandersonla.com). I wonder what material and color the bottom of this pool is – it’s a beautiful, natural looking blue, not too dark, not too light . Given that this does not appear to be a magazine photo, the color is probably fairly true to real life. Source.

I must make the decision this week. Readers, if you have any pictures you could send me that look like the colors in these pools – and you know the color and/or materials – I would love to see them! You can email me at thingsthatinspire@gmail.com. Of course, seeing a pool in person is probably the best way to get the feel for a color and surface material, but none of the pools I have seen have really struck a chord with me. Any recommendations, lessons learned, or tips would be wonderful.

Summer beauty

2011-07-01T07:23:00.004-04:00

Presenting a selection of beautiful paintings by Melissa Payne Baker, available in the Quatrefoil Design store. Small paintings are so versatile – they can be used like accessories on side tables or bookshelves, or hung as part of larger groupings or in that perfect small space.

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Robin's Nest I - 10"x10" - $285

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-robin-s-nest-i-10-x10

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Robin's Nest II - 10"x10" - $285

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-robin-s-nest-ii-10-x10

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Robin's Nest III - 10"x10" - $285

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-robin-s-nest-iii-10-x10

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Robin's Nest IV - 10"x10" - $285

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-robin-s-nest-iv-10-x10

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nest II (6"X6") - $185

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-nest-ii

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nest III (6"X6") - $185

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-nest-iii

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nest IV (6"x6") - $185

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-nest-iv

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - The Cross I - 10"x10" - $285

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-the-cross-i-10-x10

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - The Cross III - 10"x10" - $285

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-the-cross-iii-10-x10

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Quatrefoil I - 10"x10" - $285

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-quatrefoil-i-10-x10

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Angel in Blue I 8"x8" - $245

http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-angel-in-blue-i-8-x8

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Angel in Blue II - 8"x8" - $245

http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-angel-in-blue-ii-8-x8

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Colorful I - 8"x8" - $245

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-colorful-i-8-x8

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Faith I - 10"x10" - $285.00

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-faith-i-10-x10

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Faith II - 10"x10"

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-faith-ii-10-x10

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel in Blue I - 6"x6"

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/melissa-payne-baker-petite-angel-in-blue

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel in Blue II - 6"x6"

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-petite-angel-in-blue-ii-6-x6

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel III - 6"x6"

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-petite-angel-iii-6-x6

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel IV - 6"x6"

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-petite-angel-iv-6-x6

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Dragonfly I, II, III – each one measures 10"x10"

I: http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-dragonfly-i-10-x10

II: http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-dragonfly-ii-10-x10

III: http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-dragonfly-iii-10-x10

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nesting II - 18"x18" - $445

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-nesting-ii

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Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Tides 8"x16" - $325

http://quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/product/original-art-by-melissa-payne-baker-tides-8-x16

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To see the full selection of Melissa Payne Baker paintings in the Quatrefoil Design store, please click here:

http://www.quatrefoildesign.bigcartel.com/artist/melissa-payne-baker

If you would like additional pictures, or if you have questions, please email quatrefoildesign@gmail.com.

Highgrove

2011-06-30T07:57:00.003-04:00

It has been several years since I visited England (I try to go every other year, but this year has been too busy), so instead of a real life visit, I am contenting myself with virtual visits through books and the internet.

One place that has always intrigued me is Highgrove House, the family home of the Prince of Wales since 1980. The house was built in 1798, and over the years passed through ownership of various families.

This is the earliest picture of Highgrove that I could find from the 'Prince Charles era'. When Prince Charles purchased the house in 1980, it increased speculation that he was preparing to settle down (and indeed, his marriage to Diana took place in February of 1981). Based on the aerial photograph of Highgrove, it appears that only one side has a driveway entrance - note the design of the facade of the house, with its limestone portico. (image source)

According to Wikipedia, Prince Charles embellished the plain exterior of the building in the late 1980s by adding a new balustrade, pediment, and classical pilasters of Prince Charles' own design. I am guessing that this image (showing Prince William and Prince Harry at least a decade older) was after the front of the house was transformed. The new pediment makes the three levels of the house relate to one another, and the front door seems more approachable and friendly. The addition of the greenery also softens the look of the house. (image source)

Another view from the same vantage point. I really like the design of the double front doors and the overlight with an interesting pattern. I wonder why the one window above the front door has shutters, when the other windows do not?

Prince Charles is an avid gardener, and the grounds of Highgrove have provided endless inspiration for him (it is reputed that he has spent more than £500,000 on the gardens). Several books have been written on the gardens of Highgrove (which include a wild garden, a formal garden, and a kitchen garden), including the Gardens of Highgrove (click here) and Organic Gardening (click here). There is also a book on the Highgrove Estate.

The wild garden area changes appearance all year long. Image source

Oak pavilion in the gardens. Note the chimney pots and urns on the balustrade. (image source)

The flickr account for the British Monarchy has some beautiful informal pictures from Highgrove.

An allee of trees leads to the side view of the house. Image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishmonarchy

A better view of the gate at the end of the vista. Image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishmonarchy

An interesting dovecote or gardening shed. Image via http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishmonarchy

When researching this post, I came across an intricate chocolate replica of Highgrove. Click here to read article.

For more English country house inspiration, I highly recommend the book The English Country House, by Mary Miers. The book is my favorite coffee table book at the moment (taking a place of honor in the living room), but it is also a wonderful read full of the stories of quite a few remarkable houses in England. Click here to view or order on Amazon.

An author’s house

2011-06-19T07:51:00.000-04:00

In May of 2010, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles featured a small article on Atlanta based author Emily Giffin, timed to promote her latest novel, Heart of the Matter. I am a fan of Emily’s books (including two of my favorites, Something Borrowed and Something Blue), and have met her on a few occasions as our children attend the same school. When reading the article, I remember being quite intrigued with a glimpse of what appeared to be Emily's house.

The article was primarily about Emily and her new novel, not about Emily’s house, so there was only one picture to study. One of my favorite designers, Beth Webb, was responsible for the interiors, and the image provided a tantalizing peek into one of her projects. The art on the window is quite avant-garde, and the small glimpse of the decor looked intriguing. It left me wishing I could see more of the house (as well is piquing my interest in Emily’s book!).

A few months ago, I heard some real estate buzz that Emily and her family had purchased a house in Buckhead, so I checked on the real estate listings to see whether her old house was listed – and it was. For a house aficionado like me, it is incredibly gratifying to be able to see inside a house that I have been curious about, and seeing the interiors of Emily’s house on the MLS was like hitting the jackpot of real estate listings. It is a beautiful and gracious house, and the decor is casually elegant and quite inspirational. I wasn’t planning a post about the house (respecting Emily’s privacy), however, given that the Wall Street Journal featured her house last week, and Emily is discussing the selling process on her Facebook page, I thought it would make an interesting tour!

The house is located in Brookhaven, one of the most charming residential areas in Atlanta. The style is traditional and beautifully symmetrical, and has one of my favorite features on a home, a porte cochere (a porch like structure on the side entrance of a house). My new house has a porte cochere, and I anticipate parking there most of the time!

A view from the front door through to the back of the house – the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles picture was taken in the room that can be seen in the distance. I always like having an axial view from the front of the house through to the back, so this floorplan is quite pleasing to me.

A closer view of the living room. Perhaps the art was taken off the window for the real estate photos, but I must admit that I prefer the window unobstructed (I also appreciate the urn that can be seen in the garden at the end of the view). I love the new orange lampshades, which beautifully reflect the colors in the paintings on the wall. The painting on the right appears to be by Jean Glenn, one of my favorite artists. I have been keeping my eye on her work, waiting for the perfect piece for the new house.

A clean lined white kitchen, with great looking light fixtures, is a defined space yet also connected to the family room.

The family room has a lot of architectural character, with its detailed fireplace surround and coffered ceiling. Note how the opening of the built-in to the right of the fireplace reflects the shape of the door to the left of the fireplace. The family room opens up to the covered patio through double doors, creating a pleasing indoor-outdoor feel to the space.

A different view of the same space. I really like those chairs flanking the fireplace – the curve of the arms is beautiful.

I always love a blue bedroom (my own bedroom has been various shades of blue for 15 years), and I find this bedroom to be particularly attractive. The bedside tables are pretty – anyone recognize them? I also love how the triple window was handled, with the roman shades that are outlined with a contrasting color – this is exactly what I have in mind for the triple windows that are in my oldest daughter’s new bedroom.

I first saw this picture soon after I wrote my post on childhood bedrooms, and thought that it was the perfect balance of the sweetness and simplicity that are ideal in a child’s room, with elements that will carry through as the child grows. The bedding appears to be Serena & Lily, and the art above the bed is by another favorite artist of mine, Christy Kinard. I love that Emily has incorporated such wonderful art into her daughter’s bedroom.

This charming bedroom belongs to Emily’s twin sons.

The property features a guest house, and I suspect that this might be a bedroom in the guest house, although I am not certain. It is a soothing and tranquil space for a guest wherever it is located!

The yard is largely hardscape, and is quite striking. It reminds me of the yards that are often found in Georgetown, and as Emily notes on her FB page, it really reduces the amount of mowing that must be done!

This perspective of the house emphasizes the courtyard feel of the back, and the ‘L’ shape of the house.

I hope you enjoyed this tour – I certainly loved getting a view into this great house, and often find real estate listings to be more gratifying to study than magazine features; a more complete inside and outside perspective of a house can be gained.

Interested? The realtor representing the house is Sam Bayne, and can be reached through his web site http://www.baynegroup.com/.

Visit author Emily Giffin’s website at http://www.emilygiffin.com/.

Beth Webb Interiors can be found here: http://www.bethwebb.com/

One of my favorite things

2011-06-15T09:06:00.002-04:00

There are certain furniture pieces that really resonate with me. When I saw the Tribeca chair by Jean De Merry (represented by the R. Hughes Showroom in Atlanta) on the Ragland Hill Social blog, I was smitten. It is sculptural and sophisticated, and the low slung style makes it very versatile.

With the busyness of the past year, I had somewhat forgotten about this chair until Ryan Hughes posted this link on Facebook - a feature in Apartment Therapy on Jean De Merry's ten years in furniture design. (Click here to see article).

Ten tastemakers were invited to put their own spin on a piece from Jean De Merry's line, and artist Joel Morrison selected my favorite chair as his source for inspiration.

Tribeca chair

Tribeca medium tufted

Tribeca deep tufted

When looking through the Jean De Merry website, I noticed that the Tribeca chair comes in three different looks - no tufting, medium tufting, and deep tufting. Which look do you prefer?

For more information on Jean De Merry, please visit the website: http://www.jeandemerry.com/

To see Jean De Merry in Atlanta, visit the R. Hughes showroom: http://r-hughes.com/

Cork floors

2011-06-09T07:45:00.002-04:00

When I visited a magnificent James Means designed home last fall, in preparation for writing up the home profiles for the Cathedral Tour of Homes, I was quite taken with the cork floors that were in the laundry room. I had never seen cork floors, and I thought they were unique and beautiful. The owners of the home selected them for their antibacterial quality, their ‘green’ character, and the softness and sound dampening quality that they provide.

When looking into a floor for the craft room, I kept thinking about cork. It is a flooring surface that has been used for over 100 years, and is considered very green because it does not require the cork tree to be cut; cork is the outer material of the tree. The quiet and soft feel of the cork, with its sound dampening qualities, is perfect for the space. Cork has a consistent and springy texture, a great middle ground for a space that will partially be used for crafts, partially for playing. The cork has a natural shock absorbing quality, which means that vibrations and noise will be absorbed effectively. Cork is naturally moisture, mold, and insect repellant, and does not off gas.

Although cork is more expensive than other flooring options, I found a reasonable source at a local flooring retailer, and a full color spectrum including a lighter option that will work perfectly in the space. According to the sales rep, cork has a very good ‘memory’ and wears very well – as well as hardwood floors.

One cork floor supplier that I found online has a wide variety of colors, and the cork tiles come in a variety of shapes and sizes, allowing for many design possibilities. Source: www.corkfloor.com. Alas, I am on a strict budget (and this is a simple space), so I am looking at standard 12”x36” planks.

Given that cork can be cut in an infinite variety of shapes, there are many interesting patterns seen on the internet.

Cork tiles in a diamond pattern.

It seems that the pattern options are unlimited! Another cork floor using contrasting colors and shapes.

Cork planks in a casual dining area – the size and shape of these planks resemble a wood floor.

A cork floor pictured in a loft like art studio. Many cork plank or tile products already have a protective sealer on them, but additional layers of a sealer can be added to protect the cork or give the floor different levels of sheen.

Light colored cork used in an exercise room. A designer friend of mine said that he recently installed cork as the flooring in the basement of a beautiful home he just worked on, and said it looks and feels wonderful.

There are quite a few pictures of cork floors in kitchens, interestingly enough. The shock absorbing quality of cork apparently makes it a very comfortable surface to stand on for long stretches of time.

I am leaning towards getting a light bleached looking cork for the space (I prefer it over the standard honey brown). Details are being worked on today – no final decisions have been made. Cork definitely has a more contemporary look than other floor options, but since this room is on its own, I am intrigued with the thought of using it – it won’t define the decor of the home, after all, like the floors in the public areas of the house. I would be very interested to hear any comments or feedback on those of you who have ever installed or experienced a cork floor.

Beautiful bedroom, and an inspirational design firm

2011-06-04T08:19:00.004-04:00

Now that many of the big decisions on the house are behind me (although not all…still working on cabinet hardware), I am once again turning to the beautiful and inspirational interiors that originally inspired me to begin this blog. When looking through my flickr files of bedroom pictures for headboard ideas for one of my daughters, I came across this lovely bedroom. There is something about this room that really speaks to me. It reminds me of a painting, with the splashes of chartreuse expertly woven through the room. It makes me wonder which element was chosen first – which item inspired the color scheme of the room? My guess is the rug. The color is repeated in the curtains, the pillows on the bed, the monogram on the headboard, the art on the wall, and even in the stems of the lilies that are placed on the bedside table. Clearly there is a trained, experienced, and artistic eye behind the design.

My notes indicated that Birmingham based Caldwell Flake Interiors created this room, so I decided to check out their website. What I found was a visual treat – dozens of beautifully photographed, incredible interiors that embody the ‘new traditional’ look that I have come to love so much – traditional elements, mixed with transitional elements, carefully thought out details, clean lines and a neutral palette occasionally punctuated with bursts of color and pattern.

Here is a small sampling of my favorite pictures from the Caldwell Flake portfolio:

I love that round table, and the mercury glass balls on the table are fantastic. What keeps those balls from rolling off the table, I wonder?

The composition of this room is amazing – again, it reminds me of a piece of art, with the perfect balance of scale and proportion, lights and darks.

Although I don’t tend to be a color and pattern person, this bedroom scene caught my eye. I love how the headboard appears to use picture frame molding to border the fabric.

One of my favorite furniture arrangements in a living room – two sofas facing each other, centered on a fireplace. This is an elegant space, yet the furniture pieces have a relaxed element to them.

To see more of this incredible design firm’s work, please visit the Caldwell Flake website: http://www.caldwellflake.com/

Things That Inspire

Four Beautiful Homes–2012 edition

Sisal stair runners

Favorite images of the year

O Christmas Tree

My book list - Christmas 2011

The wreath debate

Exterior Lanterns

One of my favorite things

One last look....

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Robin's Nest II - 10"x10" - $300

◊

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Angel in Blue I 8"x8" - $285

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Angel in Blue II - 8"x8" - $285

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Quatrefoil I - 10"x10" - $300

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nest II (6"X6") - $200

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nest III (6"X6") - $200

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nest IV (6"x6") - $200

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Colorful I - 8"x8" - $285

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - The Cross I - 10"x10" - $300

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - The Cross III - 10"x10" - $300

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Splendid I - 10"x10" - $300

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Splendid II - 10"x10" - $300

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel in Blue I - 6"x6" - $200

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel in Blue II - 6"x6" - $200

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel III - 6"x6" - $200

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel IV - 6"x6" - $200

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Dragonfly I, II, III – each one measures 10"x10" - $300 each

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nesting II - 18"x18" - $445

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Tides 8"x16" - $325

Moravian stars

In search of the perfect chandelier

Beautiful bedroom

Halloween Houses

Morning view

One of my favorites: the Basil Flush Mount from Circa Lighting

An update

Front doors

Hand towels: where do you put them?

More sinks on walls

Inspiring book

Selecting the pool color

Summer beauty

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Robin's Nest I - 10"x10" - $285

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Robin's Nest II - 10"x10" - $285

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Robin's Nest III - 10"x10" - $285

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Robin's Nest IV - 10"x10" - $285

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nest II (6"X6") - $185

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nest III (6"X6") - $185

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nest IV (6"x6") - $185

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - The Cross I - 10"x10" - $285

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - The Cross III - 10"x10" - $285

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Quatrefoil I - 10"x10" - $285

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Angel in Blue I 8"x8" - $245

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Angel in Blue II - 8"x8" - $245

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Colorful I - 8"x8" - $245

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Faith I - 10"x10" - $285.00

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Faith II - 10"x10"

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel in Blue I - 6"x6"

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel in Blue II - 6"x6"

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel III - 6"x6"

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Petite Angel IV - 6"x6"

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Dragonfly I, II, III – each one measures 10"x10"

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Nesting II - 18"x18" - $445

Original art by Melissa Payne Baker - Tides 8"x16" - $325

Highgrove

An author’s house

One of my favorite things

Cork floors

Beautiful bedroom, and an inspirational design firm