High Gloss Blue

Doors - Italy

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:15:00 +0000

With their aged knobs, oversize knockers, studded plates and craftsman marquetry - how fabulous is each and every one of these doors! In Italy, the itch to reach into my pocket for my camera seemed constant, like restless leg syndrome for the hands. The real culprit? Their doors. In every color, with insane hardware and swoon inducing detail, each and every one was perfection. Inspired, I grew determined to bring a little bit of this attention to my door back home. After all, replacing our front door is top on our long to-do list, as we've already removed the trim in order to measure the size. Not attractive. Instead of grabbing the typical (and much more convenient) souvenir, I asked around for local hardware shops where I could bring a little bit of Italy's doors home with me. This seemed to confuse our tour guides and taxi drivers. Then, completely randomly, we came across a little antique shop. Guess what almost hit me in the face! A beautiful door knocker. Needless to say, I snatched it up and can't wait to hang it on our front door - once we get a new one. Anyone have any good sources here in Atlanta? Preferably less than $500...

Italy

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:47:00 +0000

For the last two weeks, I have been in Italy with my mom and sister-in-law. After a few days in Florence, we headed down to the coastal town of Positano, where we spent a week in cooking school. Have you ever been to Positano? Until just a few months ago, I had not even heard of the vertical village set against the deep blue Mediterranean sea. Made up of colorful sandstone cottages stacked like building blocks into the rocky cliffs of the Italian coast, the beauty of Positano defies my imagination. I don't know about y'all, but there are some times in my life when I don't know how I got so lucky. As I write this post, we are wrapping up what could only be described as heaven with a few days in Rome. Two weeks, though, is a long time to be gone. As I organize my purple suitcase to hop a plane back to Atlanta tomorrow, I'm anxious to return to my two stinky dogs, an enormous pile of laundry and most of all the rest of a life that I have the pleasure of claiming as my own.

Inspired.

More later.

Creating A Gallery Wall: 5 Tips From My Design Wars Wall

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:54:00 +0000

Hello there!

A bunch of you have been asking about the gallery wall I created on Friday's episode of HGTV's Design Wars. I use gallery walls like this one in a bunch of projects because I love that the clients can easily add updated photos and childrens' artwork long after I leave. The similar and simple frames ground the look, so colorful artwork and photographs mix with black and white ones effortlessly. Here are some tips for creating a gallery wall of your own. Oh and the paint color - that's Benjamin Moore's Champion Cobalt.

1. Measure your wall's width and height in order to determine how many shelf ledges you need. You can see I drew up the space to scale and sketched in the frames.

2. Purchase frames from a big box store so you will be able to continue buying frames, as you fill up your wall. Non - glare glass or shatter proof glass (for wily and curious children) can be purchased after market from a glass or frame shop.

3. This is important! Keep your frame size proportional to the depth of your picture ledge. Top heavy taller frames will require more room to lean and thus, a deeper ledge. A 3" deep ledge (like the IKEA model above) will support a picture up to 14" high, but a better option is the 4" deep model from Room and Board.

4. Purchase frames in size to work for your space. Then, scale and crop your photographs to fit your frames. This is much easier than the other way around. Plus, cropping family photographs gives them a fine art feel. I cropped a photograph of this family's little girl and boy spinning and dancing to show just their movement and feet. It's my favorite photograph on the wall.

5. Send your edited photographs to a professional printer and request acid free paper for printing. For this project, Kyle at Image On This did a perfect job, even cutting the images to my exact specifications. You can contact Kyle at 770-380-5446.

Finally, many thanks to the lovely folks at Design Within Reach Atlanta for the Cherner side chair!

High Style High Rise Home Tour

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 01:06:00 +0000

Always game for a good tour of homes, I was happy to hear about Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles upcoming offering - a high rise home tour, benefiting the High Museum and fittingly called the High Style Tour. You know the designers responsible for these spaces.

There's Susan Ferrier (Susan's past work, as shown in House Beautiful above) for R. Hughes Showroom. Susan's spaces exhibit a trademark restraint that give her classic lines a timelessly modern feel. I can't wait to see what she does with the carefully curated collection Ryan Hughes presents in his showroom. Can you imagine?

There's Kerry Howard (Kerry's past work, as shown in Traditional Home above) for Redesigned Home. From Kerry's carefree use of color and bold artwork comes a joy that inhabits his spaces. I met Kerry last summer on the set of HGTV's new show Design Wars. The man is hilarious. And talented. And kind. Catch Kerry and I dueling it out on national television this Friday at 1:00 PM.

There's Bill Peace for Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams (Bill's past work, as show in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles above). Bill's plethora of projects between rural Montana and metropolitan Atlanta infuse his spaces with an aesthetic both rustic and refined. I can't wait to see what Bill and his team do with pieces from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Did you catch Mitchell and Bob on this week's episode of Sunday Morning on CBS? Good stuff.

These are just a few of the designers whose spaces I'm looking forward to seeing on this year's The High Style Tour. Check out the other exciting designers listed below and tell me - whose space are YOU most looking forward to seeing? Tickets are available, get them online HERE.

Atlanta Artist Michelle Armas And Anthropologie

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 23:21:00 +0000

Do you all read Armas Design, the blog by Atlanta artist Michelle Armas? Michelle is a talented artist with loads of witty style and her blog, Armas Design shares a little look into her world. I got hooked last year around the time Michelle revealed her kitchen renovation and check in every week or so to admire her colorful, abstract paintings. Late this afternoon, I was flipping through the wallpaper on Anthropologie's website torturing myself with this -

and this -

when I somehow ended in the wall decor section and saw this -

and this -

And in a move completely unlike H&M's decision to rip the work of East Atlanta artist Tori LaConsay without so much as a credit, Anthropologie credits Michelle by name on their site. Nice!

So a huge congratulations to a talented Atlanta lady! Do go here to see all Michelle's lovely pieces on sale at Anthropologie and here to read her delightful blog.

Happy Weekend, Glossies!

From The New House: Naked Studs!

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:28:00 +0000

Last week, via text, I got a picture of some naked studs hanging out in my house.

Cause for alarm? I'll say. After all, those are my naked studs.

When I went to check em out, the party was over. No more naked studs.

Early one morning last week before I left to meet clients, I took this picture to share the progress of the house with you. I don't have a good before shot from this angle, but the walls previously had some version of fake beadboard up to their poor midsection. To me, the beadboard was completely chopping the room in half and right away, I knew it had to go. Change is a coming, Folks.

Next up on HighGlossBlue, we'll be banishing that beige.

Sometimes I feel completely overwhelmed by all the work to be done on this house. I am a person who likes to put my head down until all my work is finished, come up for air and then start anew. I have a hard time with this inch by inch bit. On the other hand, the opportunity to realize my vision is one that, as an interior designer, I live for - inch by inch - one naked stud at a time.

Hope you're having a good week, Glossies!

Painting The Ceiling: A Before and After

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:50:00 +0000

The timing could not have been more perfect when Olivia at 3M asked me if I would like to try out 3M's ScotchBlue Painter's Tape with Edgelock and write a sponsored post on my experience. Renovating the new house, I knew one of the very first items on my to-do list was painting the ceilings, walls and interior doors. In the 1940's house we bought, the project list gets a little daunting. What better way to get a feeling of accomplishment than the near instant gratification of fresh paint! Plus, the more work I can do myself, the more money I have to spend on things like marble slabs and light fixtures. For marble slabs and light fixtures, I'll happily roll up my sleeves.

When relying on painting tape before, I always get that feathered edge.

Not any more.

I am happy to report that The ScotchBlue Painter's Tape with Edgelock left me with perfectly clean, sharp edges, despite my best efforts to slather on the paint. We used the 1.5" tape and that was wide enough to protect the moulding. The tape was easy to apply, going up in about 10 minutes. Less than 30 minutes after we finished painting the ceiling, Adam pealed back the ScotchBlue Painter's Tape with Edgelock as I captured the results on my iphone.

VOILA - instant sharp lined gratification. Thanks Olivia - I have an entire house of ceilings that will benefit from your product!

Valentines Day Wishes + Big News

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

On this Valentine's Day, I want to thank all of you for reading this blog, for each and every one of your comments, and most of all - for your continued kind support.

Next month, on Friday March 9th at 1:00 PM, catch me on HGTV's Design Wars. Please tune in. It would mean the world.

Enjoy this Heart Day, Glossies! You deserve it!

Monday Inspiration via Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Inspiration House

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:23:00 +0000

design by Lindsey C. Harper

design by Laura Walker

by Hammersmith / Mimi Williams


by Jason Todd Bailey Hope you all had a great weekend! Mine was spent finally hanging the first of our refinished doors, painting a ceiling and sanding yet another door. So...today I'm bringing you beautiful pictures of other people's work. If you didn't make it to tour this year's Cathedral Antiques Show Inspiration House presented by Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles and Hammersmith, then mark your calendar to go next year. I toured the house 2 weekends ago with my mom and was absolutely smitten with the abundance of color. The impactful rooms designed by a plethora of Atlanta talent illustrate the magic possible with creative freedom. Particularly alluring to me was the lighting system in the kitchen designed by Hammersmith. The subtle uplighting made the room feel full of sunshine and only when I looked up did I notice the scheme. If you've checked out my Facebook page, you know that I have a big announcement to make. The details will be here tomorrow, if you can wait that long! Have a fabulous Monday, Glossies - make your dreams come true!

From The New House: Painting Interior Doors

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:31:00 +0000

Happy Tuesday! I love the look of painted interior doors, the block of color should be an easy punctuation to any space. Unless you buy a house built in 1942. My love for painted doors is being tested by the antique doors in our house that have been painted about 7 times - each. For the last week, I have spent every single extra hour of my time stripping and sanding the interiors doors in the new house and I am no kind of avid (or especially competent) DIY-er. I'm on the bathroom door now - so that helps speed the process along. So far, I have one door completely stripped, sanded, primed, sanded again and painted. I have another door almost stripped. I believe that counts for a completion of about 1.25 doors. I am so happy with how the finished painted door looks, I could sit in the work shed and stare at it all day!

Any guesses on the color?

Oh So Easy Dinner Party Decorating

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:18:00 +0000

Have you had a chance to visit Inman Park's One Eared Stag (top image) for dinner or lunch yet? Tucked away in the fabulous historic neighborhood that I am lucky enough to claim as my own, The One Eared Stag offers a stylish and cozy atmosphere without any pretense in addition to super yummy food. When I visited a few weeks ago, the table had a simple line of pears down the center. Nothing more, nothing less. What a stylish, cozy, unpretentious way to adorn a table, not to mention inexpensive and effortless! Hey this idea has my name all over it.

Fast forward about a week to my next dinner party when I smartly did what any gal searching for table decor ideas would do. I borrowed theirs and made it my own by adding in a few votive candles. (center image) (bottom image)

Being me, I like to tie everything from the decor, to the menu to the invite together when I entertain. Because I was serving a low country boil (high brow, I know) I decided to go with lemons. Really, you could use anything colorful. Last summer, I saw the One Eared Stag use tomatoes of various heirloom varieties down their tables. I'm kind of itching to try artichokes or eggplants myself. Be sure to check out a few of my tips for decorating with produce below!

P.S. Thanks for all your sweet comments and emails about my return to blogging!

A few tips for decorating with produce:

Pick one seasonal vegetable or fruit that relates to your menu.
Over buy - if you think you need 5 eggplants to go end to end on your table, you need 25. The goal is to make a statement.
Use a coordinating runner to set the produce off from your table.
Use your produce the next day - lemonade anyone?

From The New House : Next Time I'll Wear Safety Glasses

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:53:00 +0000

I decided to paint another ceiling blue. I had a small accident.

From The New House: Updating The Bath

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Check out that lime green in the before picture! Would you believe that in college I actually painted my bathroom that color on purpose. Yep. I wanted it to feel like Key West. Hmmmm. In the new house, there are 2 bathrooms. Both are in need of varying levels of renovation, so we started with the one we do not have to immediately re-tile. Before I could tackle those neon green walls with some fresh white paint, we had to replace that tiny vanity and tiny toilet. Because the space is fairly petit (typical 5', 8' bath) and will eventually serve as a guest/hall bath, I elected to use a pedestal instead of a new vanity. Storage is not a priority here and I like the small footprint a pedestal offers. Plus, pedestal sinks can be a great place to save some dough, as there are not any moving parts. The pedestal I chose is by Aquasource (available at Lowe's) and with its clean lines resembles Kohler's slightly pricier Memoirs model. We did go with a Kohler toilet. Because the faucet is not a place to skimp - all moving parts, we selected this one by Delta. Next up, the walls received a few fresh coats of BM's White Dove. Then we switched out the old exposed bulb fixture above the mirror (how did such ugly fixtures get so popular?) with a new 3 - light fixture from The Home Depot. I hung a shower curtain in lieu of the old shower door with some Thomas O'Brien for Target hooks. So while the walls are still naked and I have a few punches left up my sleeve, it is amazing what a difference new fixtures and paint make in updating an old bath!

Remaining to-do list for the bath:

Paint the ceiling light blue and door a dark navy
Select pictures for frames
Hang artwork
Purchase bath mat and towels
Replace existing towel bars

From The New House: Pictures Finally!

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:26:00 +0000

Welcome!


Annabelle making herself at home in the freshly painted living room.


BEFORE: The formerly -aqua- living room and mantle (with nasty tile) before my sister-in-law painstakingly stripped it.


FOR CONSIDERATION: paint colors for the walls, trim, ceilings and interior doors.

The old HVAC system before getting hauled off by R.S Andrews.

Attacking the aqua with the warmth of Benjamin Moore's White Dove. This shade will go on all the walls and trim. So far, I have 4 rooms down and am really happy the hue.

It's been quite a while, Glossies! Between work, the holidays, and all the projects over at the new house, I've neglected the blog quite a bit. Starting now, I'm committing to posting pictures throughout our renovation as often as I can. Feel free to pipe in with any questions and I'll respond as soon as I can. As you can tell, the house is a huge work in progress and there is still much work to be done despite our massive progress. We've had a great deal of help from family, friends and Thomas down at the Benjamin Moore across from The Wren's Nest. Since moving in on News Years Day, we've already replaced the entire HVAC and electric system, painted rooms and trim, rewired light fixtures, patched drywall, pulled out and even re-plumbed a vanity, toilet, disposal and (you guessed it) the kitchen sink. I'm enjoying every day of changes (though extremely grateful to be able to return to my still very in tact apartment during the progress). I have big plans, y'all and I look forward to sharing their fruition with you. In fact, stay tuned for progress pictures of the bathroom renovation coming tomorrow!

McAlpine: "American is a dream sewn up in cotton..."

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:27:00 +0000


McAlpine via Pinterest


Darryl Carter via Pinterest


Ina Garten's House via House Beautiful

unknown via Decor Pad


Robert Stilin, LLC

"American is a dream sewn up in cotton, it's not silk or wool or stone or anything else. It's sewn in a common material that is provincial and it's lovely because it's so pure of heart. Maybe a little lacking of resource, maybe a little lacking of background, or credential, or bloodline or whatever. But there is something lovely about it ... it's loveliest architecture shows up through the naivety of it's natives." architect Bobby McAlpine via Architecture Tourist

Flipping through blogs today, I started thinking about mantles. After falling head over heals for the scale and subtle beauty of the fireplace in the first image, I googled its well-known architect, Bobby McAlpine, hoping to find more. Instead, I came across a quote by Bobby over at my friend Terry's blog. I stopped looking for more images. Bobby's words defining American style are too good not to share.

Oprah Abandoned Us, My Other Favorite Holiday Gift Guide

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:26:00 +0000

This holiday season there will be no crazy screaming during the 4 pm time slot. No nutso tears of joy streaming from the eyeballs of do good women hand picked to sit in an audience in a Chicago studio. No televised coverage of such immense happiness I'm driven to dvr the stuff just to re-watch on a down day.

For this gaping hole in my holiday season, I blame Oprah. Did you, like me, pick up the December issue of O Magazine, headline blaring "The Favorite Things Issue" only to feel jipped, as in this is all we get?

Though I always enjoyed seeing the gifts Oprah and her staff selected, that wasn't really it. It was the joy she, along with her very lucky sponsors, supplied to the season during her annual reveal. So, today as a small consolation of knowing my very favorite place to look for gifts of any kind, NY Mag's Shop-A-Matic.

With items ranging in price from $3.00 on up, I always find something truly unique for everyone on my list. Need enticing? Here are just a few I'm eying, but be sure to check out the whole list at NYMAG.com.

Mrs. John L. Strong Stationary Holiday Stationary Set, $45.00; Uncommon Goods Whiskey Stones, $19; Ettika Custom Glitter Bracelet, $45; Apt 48 Hobnail Bowl, $98; Laduree Holiday Box, $25.

The Voice of The Designer in Social Media : Digital Atlanta Presentation Notes

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:01:00 +0000

Digital Atlanta is a huge week long event celebration of Atlanta's social media community consisting of panels and seminars off over town with every industry represented. The event, sponsored by social media giant Vitrue, attracts over 5, 000 attendees. When Susan Barry of Hive Marketing asked me to speak at ADAC alongside my friends Kyle of She Told Two Friends Communications and Ally of From The Right Bank, needless to say I was completely honored and all in. Also on the panel were Russell Sauve who does social media for the famed Fox Theater and Kimberly Ward of Pink Eggshell.

After a panel discussion on social media in interior design, we broke into groups to share our unique areas of expertise and experience with the attendees. I really enjoy talking to other designers about social media, as well as hearing about their businesses and I also feel like whenever I present on these panels, we always seem to overwhelm audience members with information - so I've recapped my presentation here. Thanks again to Susan for having me, Vitrue for the sponsorship and Terry for always showing up. Ok, off to a new client meeting. Wish me luck.

10 Things I Believe

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:46:00 +0000

Today, I'm sharing 10 Things I Believe over at A Curated Lifestyle! Please do go check out my list and a big thanks to Capella for having me!

In Stitches : Jimmy Kimmel Halloween Candy Video

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:18:00 +0000

Watch the whole thing - you'll feel guilty at first, but the kids at the end are hilarious. Happy Friday.

Halloween Here, Houses and Some Photo Styling Pics

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:32:00 +0000

Halloween Flowers!

Between styling photo-shoots every day last week (a few pics from behind the scenes below), catching up with my own clients in the evenings and mindlessly backing into a concrete pole on my way into my parking garage Monday evening, I some how did not find the time to land here with you all.

Now, I'm back and better than ever on this Halloween day.

View On Set: A Cottage Bath In Progress - Photo Styling By Claire Watkins Interior Design

Funniest part of all the chaos?

My insurance agent asked if the post was stationary. After I shattered the entire back window of my hatch back, I had tears streaming down my face while on the phone with her frustratingly describing the "incident". Her question - meant in all seriousness- got me back to smiling as a imagined the pole shaking around taunting me to ram my Honda into it - which I did rather solidly, stationary or not.

View On Set: Living Room + Equipment - Photo Styling by Claire Watkins Interior Design

Luckily, I was just coming home from dropping some rugs off at a client's in Candler Park (Hi Ashley!) after my shoot that day, which really beats the scenario of delivering the rugs with the load of shattered glass that could have come with them had my timing been reversed.

View On Set: Living Room Close Up, No Equipment Showing - Photo Styling by Claire Watkins Interior Design

So, now I'm back to the subject you perhaps really want to read about- the status of the houses we were considering putting offers on last time I posted. In favor of the location, the architectural details and frankly the possibility of a major renovation, we put an offer on the bungalow. It had been on the market 6 days by the time our offer was in and we lost it to another buyer.

View On Set: Styling Bookshelves by Instagram Photo Styling By Claire Watkins Interior Design

This house buying stuff is not for wimps. It is a cut throat game in in-town Atlanta right now marked by rapidly moving properties and full price offers. We're learning the ropes though and it seems every house we lose is bettered by the next one we put an offer on. Improvement is good and we put yet another offer in this morning. I told my friend Capella I wasn't writing about this house stuff anymore on this blog because it gets my hopes so high, but I can't help it. If you know me, you know that I secretly love this kind of stuff - the search, the find, the negotiation, the reflection on what could be done better and getting back at it just to do it all again.

A Little Halloween Around Here

And on my next post when I'm not telling you all about house stuff , I'm going to tell you about the rugs I was dropping at my clients.

They were custom, made not only to fit the exact specifications of her living room and bedroom, but also made in the exact colors.

The best part? We took our inspiration from a lust worthy $6500 silk and wool rug and translated that look into 2 rugs for about half the price, for both. Pretty rad, right.

And with that - Happy, Happy Halloween, Glossies! Be safe tonight and take lots of pictures of your little ones!

Cottage or Bungalow: Which Is Better?

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:31:00 +0000

Dear Glossies, I need your help. Last night I found myself marking up a sheet of graph paper with a pro con list. With the lesson we learned last time, our house hunt is continuing around here. Today, we're finding ourselves stuck deciding between two very different houses, a cottage and a bungalow. To make matters more interesting, they're exactly the same price. Of course.

Built in 1940 and completely updated, the cottage is move in ready. There's a huge, flat, green and SUNNY back yard for the dogs to run in and my vegetables to grow.

The floor plan has a good flow with the kitchen, living and dining areas adjacent to one another and the private spaces out of the way. I know good flow when I don't get the urge to start knocking down walls- and in the cottage I don't.

Located within walking distance to bars and restaurants, I feel like this could be a really fun location. Now for the negative, the master bedroom is in the finished attic. Forget to walk through the center of the room and SMACK, your head could hit the ceiling. At 5'9" this isn't really an issue for me, but for Adam at 6'6", he's concerned and I understand. Now for the the bungalow...

Like the cottage I'm contemplating, the bungalow is in a good location with a big backyard and a full basement to boot. We can't walk to restaurants from this house, but the neighborhood feels a bit more established. Built in 1930, she's well maintained, though not at all updated. While I'm happy to have the opportunity to install the finishes and appliances I want, it's the "when" that worries me a bit. After a few years and lots of saved pennies, she'll need a gut job in addition to finishes to add in closet space and another bath. Now, all that said, man does she have charm...original doors, floors and windows- the type of things that make you and I squeal.

So that's it. Tell me your thoughts. I'll get back to blogging more soon, but I've been working on photo shoots almost every day lately and every other moment is spent scouring my favorite real estate app, REDFIN, for prospects that I cross reference on my Pinterest boards. Ok, go.

Oh and thank you so very much for all your kind words about HGTV and Design Wars!

all images from Pinterest

Look who's coming to HGTV...

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:23:00 +0000

Me! I just got the official press release that Design Wars, HGTV's new series featuring yours truly is set to premier on Monday, November 21st, 2011 at 8pm! Stay tuned for my air date and details about a viewing party in the works. I couldn't be more excited... (or nervous... or excited) and grateful. I look forward to sharing my excitement with so many of you!

The Old Sears Building: A Look Inside An Atlanta Time Capsule

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:19:00 +0000

So before the wonderful folks at Jamestown Properties undertake the enormous transformation of the building that began as Sears' first retail store in August of 1926 into the planned Ponce City Market, they opened up the old brick fortress to Atlanta revelers on this past Saturday night. Living right around the corner from this deserted city landmark, I could not pass up the chance to look inside. You see, Sears closed the building in 1989 and it really looks as though on that day, they just flat shut the doors and left. Name placards are still in place, as are schedules (handwritten, of course), time punch cards (eerily littering the floor) and even an old Pepsi can. Walking through the place, I got a tremendous sense of the history there and wonder if the mice I encountered felt the same way. In the patina of the old concrete floors, to the revetted iron work on the ceiling -I really couldn't be happier that we, as a city, get the pleasure of keeping this piece of our visual fabric alive. Enjoy!

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 13:51:00 +0000

October 1, 2011. Mark your calendars. City Hall East is getting a makeover and local chefs and musicians are throwing a party to send the old gal off in style.

Tickets are a little pricey at $90 each, available here, but it's going to be a great evening.

The number one reason I'm not that upset about our house deal falling through? Historic City Hall East, right around the corner from where I currently live, is about to get a huge makeover courtesy of the same folks behind New York's Chelsea Market and Atlanta's White Provisions development. I really cannot wait to watch this transformation occur!

Visit Party on Ponce for more information or check them out on Facebook.

Sunsets on Folly Beach Weekend With Friends, Irene Not Invited

noreply@blogger.com (CLAIRE WATKINS, ASID ALLIED) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 22:31:00 +0000

Sunsets. Folly Beach, SC. Last weekend, as the wake of Hurricane Irene passed through Folly Beach, SC - I snapped a few pictures of the intensely, colorful summer sky.

Earlier that day, ignoring warnings of well intentioned weathermen, my girlfriends and I packed into my Honda FIT and headed straight for the low country island just of the coast of Charleston. We, dear friends, had a bachelorette party to attend and Ms. Irene was not invited.

Around midday, as we drove east past Augusta, our guest of honor called to say the bridge to the island was already out, not to mention the island's power, so maybe we should take our time at lunch to postpone our arrival.

Well the bridge did get fixed, but just on the other side of that freshly refurbished two lane concrete structure were the biggest waves I have ever seen in my life.

News crews and countless cars lined the road and crowds formed on every pier just to watch the waves. Frothy crests framed the narrow strip of asphalt leading down the center of the island. I began to seriously question the intelligence of my decision.

Oops there's a surfer switching his drawers...

Surfing the waves and the wind...

And just as one storm passed...

another came right on through.

Ironically, I'm writing this in my bathroom as the Atlanta area is getting pounded by tornados. Craziness. Thoughts to those affected last week by Irene and my Atlanta neighbors right now. Hoping it's not as bad as the news is making it out to be!