Tea Time

It absolutely poured rain in Boston today and the wind was whipping my umbrella around like a wayward balloon, resulting in a very bad hair day. I was soaked through by the time I got home from work so I opted to make some tea, catch up on blog reading (plus a little posting) and experiment with mixing my own paint color. However, based on the results of my experiment, paint color formulation may be best left to Benjamin Moore and the like after all.

P.S. I ate the other cookies before I took the photo (and I'm not saying how many).......

European Style Kitchens (and a Blogger's Give Away!)

Photo by Claude Smekens/Chilli Media

With the closing of so many interior design magazines, I've started to turn to British Homes & Gardens magazine for beautiful photos and inspiration. The January 2010 issue did not disappoint with the feature about Belgian interior designer Valerie Daene and her husband Peter Vandebergh. This kitchen in their home is pure Belgian style. I would find it hard to leave the house for work every morning to spend the day in a cold, sterile office after sipping my coffee and cooking up a bit of oatmeal for breakfast. It is something, isn't it, with not one, but two elegant chandeliers and an enormous black AGA cook stove. I feel warmer just looking at it!

Photo via www.neptune.co.uk

Here's another European kitchen (please excuse the smallish photo) from the same magazine by Neptune, a British kitchen company. It's a streamlined kitchen that also includes a smaller AGA cook stove plus lots of white marble on a huge island. Oh, to have that much storage space in a kitchen! The light fixtures over the island really caught my attention as did the two small sconces flanking the stove. I've not seen anything like these fixtures in most American kitchens.

Photo by Tria Giovan

This kitchen takes standard white cabinets to a new level. It has a European look, but it's actually in the Houston, Texas home of antiques dealer Kay O'Toole featured in the March 2010 issue of Veranda magazine. Expanses of cool white marble (from an old post office) top cabinets made from reclaimed pine, which appear to be stained white or gray. The hood over the stove is made from a French architectural remnant. A pretty French table (the apron detail reminds me of a crimped pie shell) topped with more white marble stands in for an island.

And lastly, here's the beautiful kitchen of my blog friend Debra Phillips of 5th and State. It looks like it's straight from the Cotswolds with the black AGA cook stove (one can't call a GE oven a "cook stove" can she?). Debra had an artist hand paint the charming rural scene with sheep on the wall behind the stove and her husband fashioned the wood surround from a fireplace mantel. These are creative folks!

Debra is featuring a wonderful make over give away on her blog until February 24th, so be sure to stop by and have a look. It's not a give away for a new kitchen (maybe next time, Debra?), but a give away to have this talented interior designer, landscaper and exterior stylist design a new facade for your home including drawings and suggestions for plantings and colors. Here is a special example of Debra's lovely work:

1970s Ranch, Before......

1970s Ranch, After

It's a beautiful transformation! I wish my home could be submitted for consideration, but instead Debra has asked me and two other bloggers to help her choose a home from all entries submitted for the give away of her services. Thank you, Debra. I'm honored to be included as a panelist!

So, be sure to visit Debra's blog to learn more about her wonderful give away.

Bedroom Decorating Inspiration

Just a quick post as I was thinking of ideas for decorating bedrooms and came up with this version inspired by the antique tapestry pillow from bviz.com. The bed is the popular Italian Campaign bed from Anthropologie. The bedding is Sferra's Alice matelasse. Fabrics are from Calico Corners. The celadon checked fabric would be used for a tailored bedskirt and also to cover the headboard area. I especially like the gold "Napoleonic bee" fabric, which could be used for drapes or other pillows in the room. The urn lamp is from Circa Lighting. The beautiful blue chest is a pricey antique from 1stdibs, however, an inexpensive chest could be used and painted Benjamin Moore's Wythe Blue for a similar look. The french style mirror was discovered at Pierre Deux and the sunburst mirror (which would be hung on the wall above the headboard) is another antique from 1stdibs as is the wood spool side table. The rug would be sea grass or wool that looks like sea grass for more softness.

Well, that's it from me today! Have a Happy Weekend!

Artist Victoria Adams via John Saladino

John Saladino Dining Room. Veranda Magazine. Photo by Antoine Bootz

Most fans of interior designer John Saladino have probably seen by now the January/February 2010 issue of Veranda Magazine featuring his recent work for Veranda's Designer Visions Show House. The article highlights Saladino's interior design for a townhouse in "cinema style" at the Soho Mews in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan. According to the magazine, Saladino was inspired by the film Girl With a Pearl Earring based on the painting with the same name by 17th Century Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer.

The rich fabrics, jewel toned colors and textures of this Saladino dining room immediately caught my attention. The painting above the sofa, however, stopped me from turning the page. The colors, depth and play of light in the painting are as dramatic as the room itself.

High Vista 2007

The credits in the article mentioned that the painting was by Victoria Adams. There was no other mention of the artist, so I searched the web (as usual!) and learned that Victoria Adams is a contemporary landscape painter working in oil and wax on linen, living and working on an island in Puget Sound near Seattle, Washington. The painting in the Saladino dining room is High Vista, shown more closely above.

Beacon 2009

According to her website Victoria Adams "finds inspiration for her primary subject matter—the sky, the land, and deep atmospheric space—in the weather and views of the Pacific Northwest."

Vantage 2009

There are so many of beautiful paintings on Victoria Adams' website. I click through all the images, appreciating the dedication and talent it takes to create such work.

Flume 2008

The paintings are large and bold. Flume measures 30 x 52 and High Vista from the Veranda article measures 72 x 54.

Here is another favorite.

Ocean Airs 2007

And a few more......

Lowlands Place #2 2007

Erbium 2004

Garden of Sky 2009

Approach 2009

These paintings are just a small sample of the artist's work. If you are interested in seeing more and learning about Victoria Adams, you can visit her website here. I also recommend reading the Artist's Statement on the website for insight on her approach to creating these magnificent paintings.

All images (except the first) www.victoriaadamsart.com

Best Wishes for the New Year

The Mall on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston

Image via Flickr

The end of a year always comes as a surprise to me. One minute there are lobster rolls, sandy feet and fourth of July fireworks and the next we are choosing a Christmas tree and shoveling the first snow fall. It's been a challenging year at times with the economy in such flux (to put it mildly), but I am grateful for the wonderful times and joys I've shared with loved ones and friends.

This blog was a new venture for me during the spring of 2009 and it's been a creative opportunity that I never thought possible. It's been a pleasure to connect with like-minded bloggers who share the same passionate interest in interior design and decorating. I've also been able to do some interior decorating work (but it certainly didn't seem like work), which was a delightful experience.

Thank you to all who have followed my blog here and there and left such kind, positive comments. It means so much to me to have an outlet for expressing ideas and inspiration.

I wish everyone a Happy, Peaceful, Prosperous New Year for 2010!

Less is More

This image is one of my favorite rooms decorated for Christmas. It's the home of Danish interior designer Tine Kjeldsen and was featured in the December 2002 issue of Homes & Gardens magazine (photography is by Case Study). Obviously, this issue of the magazine is one of my favorites---there are other images from this issue in one of my earlier December posts.

I like the simplicity of the whole room; the white linen window shades, natural linen chaise (behind the tree), white tiled Swedish stove and the blue gray table with peeling paint. The tree is decorated with silver ornaments and a garland of Danish flags. You'll notice there are also small lighted candles clipped all over the tree (eek!). The fine print next to the picture says "never leave lit candles unattended". Brave souls they were to try this. It looks beautiful, but I hope they had at least half a dozen fire extinguishers nearby for this shot.

Here is a better view of the table. The oil painting in the background is by artist Christina Lindell. The beautiful candelabrum is French and features porcelain and silver flowers. A rectangular white dish holds round mercury glass Christmas tree decorations.

So pretty and festive and no red or green in sight.