Color Outside the Lines

Book Review: Dream Rooms For Children: Inspiring Spaces for Sleep, Study, and Play by Susanna Salk

2021-02-18T12:32:00.001-05:00

Dream Rooms for Children by Susanna Salk, Rizzoli New York, 2021

A decade after her first book on Rooms for Children, Susanna Salk has curated a natural successor in Dream Rooms for Children. All of the rooms in this book bring fresh high-style and creative design ideas for rooms dedicated to the youngest members of the household, and some interesting and clever options you can use in any room!

Dream Rooms for Children takes kid's spaces with creative seriousness. Whether the room is intended for a newborn, toddler, first grader, or teenager, the rooms shown throughout the 240 pages of the book show the endless possibilities of imaginative design.

The book showcases work by top-notch designers, including Fawn Galli, Katie Ridder, Jeffrey Bilhuber, Miles Redd, Amy Lau, and Celerie Kemble. The diversity of styles range from formal to modern to fairytale whimsy - each creating a vision of childhood at its best.

In addition to sleeping spaces, the book explores playrooms and study spaces, engaging the mind to think creatively when crafting spaces for children while keeping them stylish, functional, and fun.

Designer: Elizabeth Hay Design

Photo By: Alecia Neo

Designer: Alex Papachristidis Interiors

Photo By: Stacey Bewkes

Designer: Katie Ridder; Architect: Peter Pennoyer

Photo By: Pieter Estersohn

Designer: Griffith Blythe Interiors

Photo By: Griffith Blythe

Designer: Mark Cunningham Inc.

Photo By: Richard Powers

Check out the book, now available for pre-order on Amazon via the link below, along with some of my favorite of Susanna's other books, linked here as well.

Artie Vanderpool Fine Art Giveaway! $250 VALUE!

2020-08-28T11:40:00.002-04:00

Hey y'all!

I know I haven't been blogging much lately. I hope you're following along with the fun changes that are going on at our new place, including all of the art updates on instagram!
If you ARE, you may have already seen, but I'm offering an INSTAGRAM ONLY GIVEAWAY of a 10x10" canvas abstract! Learn more about it by heading over there now!

ARTIE VANDERPOOL FINE ART GIVEAWAY

Giveaway starts today and will end on August 31, 2020 at 4PM EST! So you have ALL weekend to enter! Winner announced on August 31, 2020 at 5PM EST, and the remaining 10x10 pieces will be available for sale beginning at 9AM EST on September 1, 2020.
Thanks for entering and your support!

Be back soon with some beautiful book reviews!

Mark D. Sikes' "More Beautiful" Sneak Peek!

2020-06-03T16:25:00.001-04:00

I've been a fan of Mark D. Sikes for a long time. I've blogged about him, his home, and his many published rooms crafted for his clients. Yesterday, Mark sent an email to his email list letting us all know that we can pre-order his newest book, MORE BEAUTIFUL, to see even more goodness!

His first book, BEAUTIFUL, has been the most widely sold interior design book ever published by Rizzoli.

And I'm sure that MORE BEAUTIFUL is going to be as popular, if not more. If you have a copy of BEAUTIFUL, you know that the book was separated into color stories. Chapters like "NEUTRAL TERRITORY" and "RED MY WAY" had photos from rooms in various projects that fit into these color categories.

His newest book separates his projects into distinct decorating styles, including "TRADITIONAL", "COUNTRY", "COASTAL", and "MEDITERRANEAN".

A special chapter, titled "BEAUTIFUL" provides a look at Mark's personal home in the Hollywood Hills, and his decor changes since it was seen in the pages of his book of the same title.

Tiny images of photos that are published in the book provided a little sneak peek at projects we know we will see in the 272-pages of MORE BEAUTIFUL.

For die-hard MDS fans, you are already familiar with some of these images. For those of you who aren't, I immediately identified 16 of the 24 photos:

Three images in the grid are from Mark's 2018 Kips Bay Decorator's Showhouse Room, "Sleeping Beauty":

via

Three images are from Mark's work on the 2017 Coastal Living Showhouse.

via

Four photos are of the newest decor in Mark's own home and garden, which was recently featured in Architectural Digest:

Three more are from a house he designed in Montecito that was featured on the cover of House Beautiful:

One photo from a house he did in Alabama made the grid, but I'm sure we'll find more of this beauty in the book:

One is from a project he completed long ago in Santa Monica that has yet to be published, but much was photographed of the renovation project for instagram. You can find those pictures here, and another is a project that he did in what might be the largest, most expensive property on Fernald Point in Montecito. That project was a very hushed, but you can see some photos of the spaces via the architect website here.

8 shots have me wondering what I've missed on IG, and those 8 alone would make it worth buying the book. But Mark has said that this book includes nearly 1,000 photos! Can you imagine? So - if you don't have the first book:

And you can pre-order MORE BEAUTIFUL here:

Follow Me on Instagram

2020-05-20T14:50:00.001-04:00

Many of you know that I've been creating for years. First, interiors, then cross bottles, now paintings and drawings. Lately, I've gotten such joy from painting that I've essentially done nothing but paint.

I apologize for those of you who still read the blog, that I haven't had much in the way of new material here. But I do hope that you're following artie.vanderpool on instagram. There you can see all the new stuff that I'm doing, glimpses of the new apartment - which is still unfinished, btw - and keep in touch.

Talk soon!
Artie

Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent's NEW New York City Digs

2020-04-24T12:32:00.001-04:00

Architectural Digest just published the beautifully finished NYC home of designers Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent. A little more than a year ago, I started a story on the sale of their home in California, and found the listing of the new townhouse in NYC. I didn't have enough information at the time, but now with the new pictures from AD we can take a look at the before and after, ala Nate and Jeremiah!

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You can see some changes in the background behind this photo shared to instagram of their daughter, Poppy. Notably the cabinetry which looks to be white French oak, and the addition of custom white oak cabinetry to the right.

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Book Review: Alan I W Frank House: The Modernist Masterwork By Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer

2020-03-17T14:13:00.000-04:00

At the end of 2019, publishing powerhouse Rizzoli published an amazing book - a rare opportunity to explore the largest and most important house ever designed by Walter Gropius, founder of Bauhaus, and Marcel Breuer, a leading architect and furniture designer of the twentieth century - ALAN I W FRANK HOUSE: The Modernist Masterwork By Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer.

Built in 1939, and occupied in 1940 the house is a truly a masterpiece. Gropius and Breuer designed every aspect of the home built for Robert and Cecelia Frank, a third-generation of Pittsburgh industrialists, and their son, Alan.

Some quick house details: 12,000 square feet on four floors, nine bedrooms, thirteen bathrooms, five terraces, a rooftop dance floor, an indoor swimming pool, and a cantilevered staircase of independent slab risers that Breuer would go on to make a signature of his work. To call it a house is a supreme understatement. It is more akin to a palace, mid-century style.

© 2019 Alan I W Frank House Foundation. All Rights Reserved. No image may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written consent of the copyright owner.

Photo by Ezra Stoller, 1940

Robert Frank, an engineer, was very hands on in the process of the construction of the home he and his family would share. Together with his wife Cecelia, the collaboration of designer/architect/homeowner resulted in a beautiful home filled with extremely advanced systems. They incorporated an integral system for cleaning air, and an energy conservation system using the water from the indoor swimming pool as part of the heating and cooling system of the home.

Photo by Ezra Stoller, 1940

What is most fascinating though, is that the home remains essentially the same today as it was when it was first built, an unrivaled example of mid-century architecture and design. This is in large part due to Alan Frank, the son of the inspired creators of the home. Alan has preserved the house for more than 50-years, and is the current president of the Alan I W Frank House Foundation, whose mission is to preserve this unique asset in architectural and national history for the education and delight of future generations and to give them a place to connect directly with the work of the master designers who created the look and feel of modern life.

Photo by Ezra Stoller, 1940

If so inclined, you may purchase the book via the link below, or on the Alan I W Frank website where you can learn more about the foundation, the book, the house and the incredible visionaries who turned paper and plans into one of the world's most impressive examples of mid-century architecture.

Daniel Romualdez Before and After

2019-12-27T12:20:00.000-05:00

Architectural Digest just published a web exclusive tour of a Hollywood Hills home recently completed by Daniel Romualdez for a young entrepreneur, Will Bennett.

Will, a Harvard graduate, was born in the UK, but had become accustomed to the fast pace business life of Manhattan. Then, Bennett moved to the laid back west coast a few years ago to work in a new real estate investment firm there. Through his old employer, he had worked on a very tony project in Tribeca with Romualdez, and asked if he'd be interested in helping on his own project in LA.

You can read the rest in the AD article here, but I thought today it'd be fun to look at the before and after pictures, something you won't find anywhere else. (Yet.) So without further ado:

BEFORE, the house is a Spanish colonial, built in the 1920s. The large open entertaining spaces and plaster relief work existed prior to Romualdez. But with a little paint, and some calming neutrals:

AFTER, the living room sings as a fresh and beautiful modern space fit for a 33-year old executive living a LA lifestyle.

BEFORE, the prior owner had opted to accent the plaster work on the fireplace with a lacquered verdigris paint.

AFTER, all white and bright. Window treatments aren't needed for privacy here, and Romualdez opted not to have them for decor either. Keeping the lines very linear and masculine. Large format art hangs on the wall of this room, and a beautiful raw plaster table anchors the seating area.

BEFORE, the formal dining room was immediately adjacent to the breakfast room, with a 10-light modern panel door into the kitchen.

AFTER, the room functions as part office, part library, part formal dining room if needed. The adjacent breakfast room was given more seating with the addition of a wall length banquette.

From a piece written by themanual.com, the homeowner, Will Bennett. Bennett bought the house in 2016, and the renovation of this room was complete by the time of the article, just 1-year later. Romualdez, even working on a tight budget, was able to move pretty quickly to get this LA beauty pulled together for him.

BEFORE, the breakfast nook. Small, with french doors leading to a patio. Here you can look into the kitchen, which I believe wasn't part of the Romualdez renovation.

AFTER, clever photography shows only the breakfast room here, which is why I believe the kitchen stayed as is.

BEFORE, the best photo available looking out to the outside dining space from the breakfast room.

AFTER, a sweet little spot to take your morning coffee.

BEFORE, a bedroom used as a home office.

AFTER, also used as a home office for Will. A bit more eclectic and modern, this room is an homage to his youth, filled with family photos and mementos.

BEFORE, the master bedroom painted a dark charcoal with a sheen.

AFTER, Romualdez had everything pianted out in a bright white, making the fireplace less of a beast in the room. A custom designed canopy bed floats in the room now, with a seating area at the foot of the bed, looking out onto another set of french doors that lead to a balcony.

BEFORE, the master bathroom had a large soaking tub and corner shower with sinks at a window immediately across.

AFTER, fully renovated in limestone with a Japanese soaking tub and steam shower, this space is far more in keeping with the rest of the house.

BEFORE, the backyard. Not unlike most homes in the Hollywood Hills, the house has a terraced lawn. Landscape designer, Sarita Jaccard was hired to make the spaces a bit more functional for the lifestyle of a hip 30-something.

AFTER, a pool with cascading water wall for privacy was added, along with lush gardens and multiple seating areas on all of the different terraces.

Again, you can read the full article from AD here. I'm off to see if I can figure out how to make myself one of those plaster coffee tables!

My Christmas List: Part Two

2019-12-13T11:19:00.000-05:00

If you missed Part One, it's good! Check it out, here - or just keep scrolling down. There's some really good stuff!

So we all have that guy (or girl) in our life that we never know what to buy. Birthday, Christmas they all are sort of lost on us because they're just entirely too hard to buy for. For me, it's those guy's guys that I just can't ever relate to. My brother-in-law, primarily. He's a big beer guy, brews his own, (and it's very good incidentally) but I always just find myself bringing him beer as a gift. Practical because I know he's going to drink it, but boring because it's something he's already bought himself. I found myself lost again this year wondering what to buy him, when I stumbled across this Yeti COOZIE! I didn't even know they made these things!?!?!? He will love it, and it comes in assorted colors you can choose, all for $25 which is our "family threshold". I had to start off Part Two of my Christmas list with this, because I feel like we all have that person in our lives that we know would LOVE one of these, and it makes for a great gift that they'll use and appreciate.

The Fire TV Stick turns any regular television into a smart television. If you don't already have a smart TV, I definitely suggest one of these little units, which plugs into an HDMI port in your television and allows you access to HULU, Netflix, Amazon TV and more.

For the person who has EVERYTHING! They definitely don't have a fresh box of French macarons!

We could all use a little more humor in our lives.

Ever have that moment where you wonder if you cut the iron off? Not sure that you turned on the crock pot? Smart plugs are the solution for these little nuisances that usually require a special trip home to check. You can turn the power on or off to the appliance plugged into these adapters with your smartphone.

I ordered this for myself this Christmas! LOL! Tis' the Season, right? But seriously, I've had an immersion blender for a long time and I love it. When I saw this package, which is essentially an immersion blender with attachments that allow you to have a power whisk, food processor, bullet, and blender all in one? For $40?!?! YES! I'm all about space saving in a tiny kitchen, and I think this is going to be so fantastic! Thought you might love it, too!

Nest Candles have the sweetest packaging, I love them! The 2oz votives are relatively inexpensive, and very fragrant. Holiday is my fave.

I got these last year for Christmas, and I will NEVER have another set of wired headphones again.

Mark is working on two new books right now, but his first book "Beautiful" is still a top seller, and is filled with great decorating ideas and advice. I highly recommend it.

Splurge on your cuddle time with this gorgeous cashmere throw!

Love a large tote for grocery shopping, farmers markets, bringing things to parties I'm not hosting. This one is great! Love the stripes!

Alright, this combined with Part One (keep scrolling) are my offerings to the endless lists on the internet this year for good gift ideas! I hope you find at least one thing you'll love for you or someone else, and above all - that you'll have a wonderful holiday season with the people you love!

My Christmas List: PART ONE

2019-12-09T10:37:00.004-05:00

So it seems like everyone is doing a Christmas list of goodies from around the internet. I often find them helpful, but know what sort of work goes into one of these things, particularly when you're trying to find links to send someone to the right place instead of on a wild goose chase. But, cause I love ya, I've made sure they all work and you're all set. So, without further ado - let's take a look at the 2019 Christmas List I think you and THEY will love!

The perfect candle. This is something I burn year round, and actually have going right now! Capri Blue Volcano is the quintessential scent of Anthropologie. If you've ever been in a store, walked by a store, or probably thought of a store - it's the scent that accompanies those experiences. It's sweet, and citrus-y, but has enough of an earthy balance to be a favorite scent all year long! It's my favorite candle, and has been for years! Definitely a must buy for the person on your list who loves home.

If you're a seasonal scent person, and are looking for the perfect Christmas or winter fragrance, look no further. The luxury scents of Votivo brand candles are beyond enticing. They burn clean, and are wonderfully fragrant. This ICY WHITE PINE scent is my favorite. It's a hint of balsam without feeling like you're smelling a Christmas tree into February, you know? Sometimes you want that clean forest winter smell without feeling like you should be unboxing decorations!

I finally have a patio/outdoor space that's all ours in 2020, and I couldn't be more excited. It's made me begin to think of all the pretty planters and pots that I'll need come Spring. Of course, you could use these beautiful footed vessels for anything year-round. A fruit bowl, a place to put your keys, you could plant succulents or an orchid in them, top with moss ...

They're just really interesting and that's not easy to find at that price point! So if you know someone who loves to garden, or just loves to have pretty and interesting things - these are worth a go!

Who doesn't need a good looking tote bag? I mean, I'm sure there are some manly-men types who are going to rail against this, but for most of us, having a sizable grocery bag or tote in the car is a great idea. Sure, you can keep your reusable grocery bags in there, but what about when you have a party you're going to, or you just need a bag on the fly. Look sharp and put together all the time by keeping one of these lovelies in your car! Makes a great gift, too.

Another thing that's great to have on hand, but that also makes a great gift - linen napkins. I love these hemstitch options in various shades of linen, white, even dark wintergreen. Trust me, it's something people love and want they never think to get themselves. So if you're looking for a gift idea, make these a part of it, and if you're just wishing you had some - 'tis the Season to TREAT YO SELF!

Another relatively inexpensive idea that everyone wants, the YETI. I have to admit, I thought that this was a crazy thing, but then I got this little guy:

And I fell in love. They've got some great sophisticated color options too, that don't feel too youthful.

We all spend too much time on our phones, right? I mean, we don't want to admit it - and like any good addict we look around and point the finger at someone who uses it more than we do - BUT it's true. WE SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON OUR PHONES, me included. I used to feel tethered to it literally with the cords jumbled everywhere, but then I found this little guy that we now have by the bed. Lightning fast charging, and no more messy cords. Plus, having my phone charging by the bed means that I can be hands free, phone free, stress free somewhere else in the house ... that it until I can't handle being without it. LOL!

Back to candles, I know. But I thought that these were a great gift idea and the others I thought were a great idea for you! Know someone you went to College with, or who moved away? Still keep in touch and looking for the right thing to buy them? Maybe it's a sister or a brother who got a job out of state and has raised their family in North Carolina while you and yours are still in New York? Well, these Homesick candles are practically for any place you can think of, and are a sweet and thoughtful gift for the person you love. Even if they're not homesick, maybe you're wishing they were home. A great gift for the Mom and Dad's out there who have kids away at college!

Truth here, this is something I want for Christmas. The new place has granite counters, and I don't have a large cutting board like this anymore. So I'm putting it here in the hopes that my Santa will see it, BUT also because it's a great price and I can tell you I'm not the only one hoping for one of these babies this year!

These are great stocking stuffers. I want to buy the NAG NOTE for myself! LOL! Little post-it like sticky notes that are pre-printed with a fun header. Yes, definitely buying the nag notes for you-know-who.

There you go - part one! I'll have part two up on Friday.

OH!!!! And, before I forget.

I have a very limited number of Cross Bottles available on sale over at Cross Bottle Guy if you're looking for handmade gifts this year! And you can always peruse my instagram for art!

A Mark D. Sikes' Designed House For Sale!

2019-12-05T14:44:00.004-05:00

One of my most favorite designs ever shared by Mark was a home he finished about 9 years ago in Pacific Palisades.

I'm sure you remember it from his book, Beautiful. It's also been shared a zillion times on blogs, instagram, and more. The book shows more photos of the house than Mark's online portfolio, but it did leave lots of rooms unaccounted for. I always wondered, did they do the whole house or only these few rooms?

Well, now we know because the house is on the market for just under $10,000,000.00. I also got to feel a bit better about not being able to find the house for this long! You see, the owner is a builder/designer and bought a ranch on the lot where this house now sits, and had this one built. I've been lucky enough to pull a few before pics from her website.

The new house built on the foundation of this:

When Mark was hired to come in and decorate the house, the house already had somewhat of a neutral identity:

White slipcovered furniture, sisal area rugs, and neutral colors throughout. Peeking into the dining room, the table has two hanging fixtures and you can see the arch into the kitchen.

From Mark's book. New upholstered sofa and chairs made it all a bit more sophisticated. A larger abaca rug, heavier curtains and the addition of some gorgeous banquettes and warm leather made this room my favorite to date. Mark reused the clients existing glass coffee table.

The banquettes had great little cigar tables scattered about for varied use. Swing arm wall sconces flanked antique mirrors above them. There were two, one on each side of the main opening into this room.

Mark reused the commode that the owner had there, but most everything else is new and more refined.

This sofa was actually the sofa that pushed me into doing white upholstered when I had that big tufted beauty in my apartment a couple years ago. I always wondered how this faired, and it appears it did pretty well!

In fact, it appears almost untouched, even the pillows and cashmere throw are in the same place as when Mark left the house. It's almost eerie how similar the house is to when it was photographed 8-years ago for Mark's book. The most notable difference is the absence of the antique area rug that Mark used to weight the main seating group. It definitely added something to this room, but I don't think it looks bad without it.

An unseen room in the book, this foyer. The client had a blue and white collection that predated Mark, so I assume that this room is a collection of those, and the palladian chairs that had been in the living room prior to the redo.

This room was featured in the book, and on Mark's website. But I never understood it. What was this room? A reading room? Seemed awfully small for such a large house. But the real estate pictures resolved those questions:

This small room is an office. And again, nearly identical to when Mark was originally finished with the room, down to the Queen Anne's lace in the vase in front of the mirror.

From the book, and the website, the dining room. The table and chairs belonged to the owner, as did the bar that is being used in front of that Gracie wallpaper.

Again, nothing changes, and the styling stays the same!

There's no before of the kitchen, but my assumption is that it was not something that Mark worked on.

Off of the kitchen is this family room. This one may have been Mark? The mirror is one he's used before, and we know he loves a slipper chair. It could have been a simple reworking of the client's pieces.

A library area on the first floor.

Hall Bath.

We probably all remember this little library moment outside of the master bedroom, right? Well, when Mark first took on the project, the house had been styled with a center table in this room:

Again, Mark just came along and elevated all of this, beautifully.

The real estate photo shows this looking nearly exactly the way that Mark left it, except for the framed family photos.

And the bedroom, which had a very large sitting area adjoining:

Wouldn't you love to have Mark come in and decorate and then have it be perfectly the same ever after? Part of the reason that this one is so "perfect" is because it's no longer the family's primary residence, and that's always why it's on the market.

And that's it. No additional rooms. The house has 6 bedrooms, but this is the only one photographed. You'd think with a $10,000,000 listing, they'd spent a little more time and money on photos. But ... this is where I leave ya. While the last big sale of a house Mark designed resulted in the old client re-hiring him for the new place, I don't think that the same will happen with this one. The homeowner has started her own design business, and the new place seems fully decorated!

Wonder what she'll do with this furniture?

Moving on Up ...

2019-11-26T10:20:00.000-05:00

I think many of you probably follow along on instagram, and you probably already know that about 19-months ago I met a wonderful man whom I've fallen madly in love with. We've each been maintaining private residences even though there's only been a handful of nights we've not spent together. About a month ago, we realized that it was silly - and that taking the leap into living together wasn't really that much of a leap when it came to trust, and love, and commitment. The leap, was in where?

His apartment was too small. Mine was too, well, mine. And frankly, when I thought I was going to be moving to Florida and sold all of my things, I lost a lot of love for the place. I spent thousands of dollars reinventing it, desperately trying to make it new, stretching my design muscles and trying to bring food to the blog.

But it never was quite right. I never fully loved any of it, and it was primarily because of the space. So, since we were moving in together, we decided to just start a new. In a beautiful little townhouse just for us.

Cute little row house style townhouses in a quad each with a different entry or roof line. Ours has a bay window, like you see here in this unit, a brick walled private patio, and a sweet little front door with diamond shaped panes.

Que the gasps! I know, wall-to-wall carpet. This will stay. I ripped out the carpet in my current apartment and put down the laminate (like you see in the dining room here) but I'm not going to do that here. Firstly and most importantly because they no longer make the laminate that is in the dining room and kitchen, so they either wouldn't match OR they'd have to be replaced throughout. Secondly, it's expensive - and unnecessary. I have to treat this like I would any client who would come to me and say, "Artie, I'm in a rental and I need it to look beautiful but not disrupt the apartment or violate my Lease Agreement." So carpet stays. And look - it doesn't always have to be a terrible thing:

Ellen Degeneres

I've somewhat figured out a furniture plan based on the floorplan we saw in the model. Ours is flipped, has a bay window, and I think the dining room is a more defined space. But I won't know for sure until after the New Year. There's a full basement, which I'll use as studio space, and a half bath downstairs.

Kitchens have nice upgrades: granite counters and stainless appliances. The kitchen in the unit we are moving into has a double galley kitchen I believe, so it may be a bit different from this one. Same finishes though, with a window that looks out to the patio area. Upstairs there are two bedrooms, one full bath.

It's a sweet place, very much like a home - and I'm VERY excited to move in! Most of my current furniture will make the move, but the dining room will be completely new. Both of the tables I have currently are too big. They're actually WAY too big for the dining room I have now, but c'est la vie.

I found the PERFECT dining room table, an antique Scandinavian pine farmhouse table with the sweetest hand turned cabriole style legs. It's by far one of the most beautiful pieces of furniture I've ever owned.

Tyler hasn't seen it yet, and I'm trying to keep the whole dining room a surprise as my little "wow" moment for him. That being said though, I do need dining room chairs!

Ellen Degeneres

The dining room table is this color, smaller, but rectangular with legs that are a bit darker and more decorative. I haven't decided yet if I want to keep the legs as is, scrub them down like the top, or paint them in a gray wash like most Gustavian pieces. Still, this gives you an visual on one idea I've got, pairing the scrubbed pine table with beautiful dark wood french cane chairs.

I love this pairing. I might style the top with these:

Wouldn't lose little footed terracotta planters look great with just some simple moss in them? And at that price, you could afford to do several.

I also like the modern route:

Unknown

Certainly a bit more comfortable I'm sure, and I'm always worried about the longevity of cane seats in a household like mine.

Amazon has this set of 4 which is very similar. Also in velvet, for less than $50/chair!

mydomaine

I've also thought of mixing chairs, but not quite sure of a good mix. I like this this leather and scrubbed primitive table mix a lot! I also love it with the black chairs.

mydomaine

I love these metal and burlap chairs. Talk about heart going pitter pat. Even mixed in with white slipcovered parson chairs, they look great! Oh if only I had a bigger budget! These may be a cost effective compromise:

I'll keep my eye out - and would love to hear what you think! Drop me a note in the comments! Excited about this new stage, and hoping y'all will follow along!

Cowboy Capital Pet Assistance League

2019-11-14T10:12:00.001-05:00

Arlo and Louna

I was so excited to work on a pop up with Joan from fortheloveofahouse blog. Joan and I have known each other for a long time, have a mutual love of interior design, dogs, and all things antique, and are native Texans!

When I asked about donating a portion of the sales from the pop up to a charity, she suggested Cowboy Capital Pet Assistance League, and I gladly agreed. As you already know, I've got my sweet Frenchies, Arlo and Louna - and while they were not adopted from CCPAL, I have a special place in my heart for agencies and leagues like CCPAL who save dogs from kill shelters.

I made the donation from the art sales today, and realized that CCPAL has a really AWESOME donation option!

You can donate exactly what they need directly through Amazon! How cool is that?

Obviously a shelter needs cash donations to operate, paying vet bills and supplying vaccinations and necessary healthcare to all of the animals in need. Donating this way allows you to give big and spend small, literally feeding all these animals before they find their forever home!

Click Here and you can look at the full wishlist for CCPAL!

It is SO easy. Just make sure when you choose where it's being shipped, that you ship to CCPAL. Otherwise, it'll end up at your door!

For those of you who purchased art, it will ship out by Friday. I thank you so much for supporting me in this artistic journey. For those of you who came, but didn't see anything you had to call yours, feel free to shop my instagram for other pieces! And if my art isn't for you, that's ok! You can still donate to CCPAL either by donating to their Amazon wishlist or directly to the website.

I'll be back soon with some news on our upcoming move, and some interesting interior design options for the new space! Til then, spread a little holiday cheer CCPAL's way!

Reese Witherspoon's House in Nashville

2019-10-31T15:58:00.004-04:00

So, I may be the only person who remembers this - quite possibly the only person who cares - but I found all sorts of information that was entirely too good to be true and I had to share with someone! Reese Witherspoon (one of my favorite people ever) grew up in Nashville, TN and most of her family still lives there. In 2014, E! News dropped the story that Reese had purchased a fixer upper in the tony Oak Hill section of Nashville (photo above). The house was large, was far from the road, and had a large parcel of land. It was a wise choice for a celebrity, as there are in fact, several other celebrities with homes in the same neighborhood.

After she opened up her stores, Draper James, in Nashville and then in Dallas - each being designed by Mark D. Sikes, I think we all sorta knew that she'd lean on him for decor in the new house. But when install pictures recently surfaced of the house online, investigative decor bloggers began scratching their heads. And by the way, it's me, I'm investigative decor bloggers.

It all started with Reese and pictures she posted to Instagram this past Christmas.

Anyone with half a brain knew that there was no way it was the same house. It didn't mean that it was HER house, but it definitely wasn't the same house the E! (and about a zillion other places) dropped the pin on. For one thing, the staircase was on the opposite side of the foyer. So, it had investigative decor bloggers wondering - what happened to the fixer upper?

A little digging (ok, A LOT of digging) revealed that Reese sold the fixer in June of this year, and it seems without making many improvements. A quiet, off-market deal between Reese and former pro-football player Jared Scot Allen. Since retiring from the game, Jared has been working really hard with the worthwhile Homes for Wounded Warriors charity he created in 2009.

I'm not sure whether they intend on renovating the house as Reese did, or if they'll be using the property for something else. Either way - Reese parted ways, but where was this Christmas photoshoot house? AND was it decorated yet?

Well - what sort of investigative decor blogger would I be if I didn't have these answers for you? Not a very good one. So here we go with some progress pictures as I found them online. Obviously, I'm not the one who took these photos, so I'm just putting them out there as I found them - scattered across instagram and the web!

So here's a close up of Reese with her sweet French Bulldog with the Draper James blue and white check bags that are SO cute dotting the staircase.

And if you back out of that shot a bit, the full foyer. Eagle eye viewers obviously don't need ME to point any of this out, but you can see the glass door on the left of the staircase in Reese's photo, too.

And boop-edy-boop-boop-boop! Where the prior owner had a console table, there is now a high-arm serpentine back settee with yellow upholstery and navy blue legs on the patchwork rush rug that Jeffrey Bilhuber made so popular. A screenshot from decorator Mark D. Sikes' instagram, you can see the dining room and formal living room in this picture, too!

The formal living room before. Lots of great light, big windows, and fireplace. Small, but who needs a huge formal living room?

Even Mark liked the light! This is unfortunately the only photo of the room, but from the reflection in the mirror over the settee in the foyer, you can see that the room is painted a bright but not at all offensive sunshine yellow. The color reminds me a lot of this room he did for a client in Birminham, Alabama not too long ago!

The sofa is one he's used before, too.

Remember that beautiful house in Montecito he did for clothier Karen Kane? It's a good frame, I'd use it again, too!

Again, from the foyer we got to see into the dining room a bit.

Check out the detail on those curtains! Europleated with a tape detail at the top, the folds have tassel trim to the floor!

The house is really broken into a formal area, with a big open foyer and large winding staircase, and then into family space that's much less formal - more open concept, complete with a private family stair to the second floor. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that this is a sneak peek at this space:

Blue and white, of course! The rest of the house was kept a secret, I mean so much of it was! Even these little snips don't give you much.

The master bedroom. Note that window to the left of the bed. Got it?

You betcha behind, same window! Beautiful drapes and a very detailed paint treatment in this room around all of the existing moldings.

And the fireplace mantel. Which was switched out, because the old one:

Not nearly as pretty. I just have to take a minute here. Can you imagine having a bedroom THIS BIG!? I think this is larger than my apartment. And that trumeau mirror and sconces are very pretty. Somebody send those to Joni Webb. Just saying.

The entry hall in that massive bedroom suite. This arch was added. You can see the original entry was square from the reflection in that pretty mirror! Through that door at the end of the hall you get out into that beautiful stairwell with the formal staircase up front.

Yep! The entire foyer, first and second floor, covered in this beautiful paper by Quadrille. There are a lot of pretty moments in the house, and I am very excited to see this beauty either in his new book, online portfolio, or a magazine. The moment I'm dying to see?

This is the kitchen BEFORE! I know, I know. I'm thinking it TOO! This doesn't feel like that house at all. Nor does it feel like sweet little ole' Reese-y-Peace-y. It sure as heck doesn't look like Mark. But to date, nada has been shared. Absolutely NADA!

I'll keep my eye on it for ya, 'cause good investigative decor bloggers do these things. Oh and we paint. YES! I know you're not here for my paintings. You're here for the free chips and salsa. BUT let me clue you in a little something-something cause I really like you, and so I do that sorta thing. I will have fewer paper pieces in 2020, and they'll be more expensive. So now is PRIME time to get yourself an original piece of my art for 2019 prices - and help me pay off my student loan debt. Anyone got a direct line to Fanny Mae? Have her buy a few!

BUY PAINTINGS HERE

Or my INSTAGRAM HERE

Or catch me at the roadside stand

Just kidding, I'm not doing that, YET

Oh and one last thing! Bought this candle for FALL and I'm obsessed. I think you'll love it, too!

Fresh Persimmon. Haven't ever smelled fresh persimmon and have no clue what you'd be buying. Yeah, I hadn't either. I was like persimmon? Didn't he do exercise videos in the 90s?

Anyone?

Please someone laugh at that!

Richard SIMMONS

PER - SIMMON

Ok, now it's not funny.

You know when I'm not painting or doing my investigative decor blogging, I'm really good at describing all sorts of smells, good - bad - indifferent. But this one is good. DREAMY sorta good. It's citrus, but not like lemon citrus. More like a really ripe basket of citrus fruits. All the citrus fruits. Like a crisp fall day in Italy with a basket of fresh picked lemons and limes and persimmons. It's clean and sweet smelling, but not candy sweet or perfume sweet. Like love it all day long I want to buy a Bentley sweet.

Also, to buy a Bentley, I'd need to sell 7,143 paintings. Just saying!

Becky Boyle

2019-10-11T11:21:00.002-04:00

Interior Design by Becky Boyle

I couldn't be more happy to write this post! A dear friend of mine with talent that consistently wows me each and every time I see something she creates, has quite possibly created THE most gorgeous dining room ever!

A little background, Becky (a North Carolina native) and I met on Instagram and I had the great joy of meeting her and her husband when Tyler and I had a long layover in Los Angeles this past April. Becky is as beautiful as she is talented, just being around her you pick up the pep of the massive amounts of positive energy she exudes. It wasn't a shock to me when she told me that she was going to be a part of the Southern Living Magazine showhouse outside of Nashville this year.

When she first sent the plans over the room, I had no idea how she'd work with such an odd space. I mean, a fireplace in the crook of a room? But she did it, and in her quintessentially elegant feminine way.

The house is open as part of the Grove Parade of Homes starting today until October 27th, so if you're near Nashville, head over and take a look at the house, get tickets here. If you're not (like me) I'm just as sad as you are! But you can follow along with Becky and her beautiful projects on her instagram page, here.

Congrats Becky, it's beautiful!

Sarah Bartholomew Design in Connecticut

2019-10-01T16:48:00.000-04:00

Interior Design by Sara Bartholomew, Photo by Melanie Acevedo

A few days ago, this photo of a recent project interior designer Sarah Bartholomew completed in Connecticut was published on instagram. It is one photo featured in the newest book by Carl Dellatore, titled "On Style" by Rizzoli.

I loved this, and dug around a little more to see if I could find any other pictures of the space, and while not currently available on her website, there are a few photos (both finished and in progress) available on her instagram:

Interior Design by Sara Bartholomew, Photo by Melanie Acevedo

An avid real estate junky, I actually know this house.

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

This photo shows that the walls are covered in beautiful Iksel Decorative Arts paper.

AFTER

Showing the cabinetry adorned with hand-painted plates from Milan, the Iksel paper, and Les Indiennes curtains.

BEFORE

AFTER

A small vignette that was shared from the photo shoot, Soane Britain slipper chairs in a Mark D. Sikes for Schumacher fabric. Unfortunately, the rest of the photos of the house seem to be held pretty close to the belt, probably being shopped to magazines for publishing. Here's what we do know though.

The estate was purchased in 2017, and the family who purchased it quickly had Sarah hop on board. They're prior home was not far away, and they've opted to rent the house rather than sell. The didn't work with a decorator on that home, or any other that they've had it seems.

I wonder what you all think of the transformation thus far? Personally, I find the custom plates on the recess of those pantry doors in the formal dining room to be a GENIUS way to deal with that expanse of paneling. More of the house, including this living room is featured in the book, and available in the preview on amazon, here:

Sean Anderson Design Before and After

2019-09-09T11:02:00.001-04:00

On the surface, this large home on more than four acres in East Memphis doesn't look like it'd have a large spread in a national magazine like Elle Decor, does it? That's because this ... is the before.

The after. Well, if I'm reading the article correctly, this is more of a during. When Sean and his then partner moved into the home, they formulated a tiered plan to turn the house into their forever home, a dream they called a modern farmhouse.

When they bought the house, this was the entry. Built in the late 1980's, the house had all the hallmarks of the era. Engineered hardwood with a bowling ball polish, oak, oak, and more oak, plush carpet and some pretty interesting faux paint finishes.