LOOK FAMILIAR????????????????

If you’ve EVER worked on your home, moved a wall, redone the walls, moved a doorway or added one, then you will feel right at home in this picture!  The is the work underway ————————–  We have spent about 14 work days so far, and about 10 of them have been dedicated to preparation of the walls for the final finishing. 

Two walls were exterior stucco, beigey/ivory, and very bumpy.  12″ thick walls had a high-gloss painted finish, but simply needed to be smoothed out and dulled down when finish painted.  The two other walls, deep brown 3/8″ thick sheet panelling, of course had random grooves all over it, all 130″ high of it.  So, our prep work consisted of spackling each and every groove to smooth it all out together.  This required 4-5 coats of spackle and eventually caulk, and now most of it looks pretty smooth and congruent.  The idea is to bring all four walls together and unify them with one finish and one undercoat color.  Then, our marvellous artist, Gale Ray (www.galeray.com) will come in starting tomorrow and add the glazed patina overall, by hand.  This glaze coat will be lighter than the wall color – but will highlight and make the walls interesting to see; the patina will add depth and interest in the otherwise solid colored wall.   

The wall color is Sherwin-Williams #6660 “Honey Blush”.  www.sherwin-williams.com – a rich, golden tone with orangey undercolor.  Bright, encouraging and high energy – that’s what we are looking for in this kitchen’s face lift for the Showhouse.  See more…

 and finally.. .. .. ..

Comin’ right along, the owner is fast vacating the premises so the Interior Designers can begin their work.  These were taken last week, and work actually begins today, January 31st, 2012.   We have until March 1, 2012 to fully transform the space.   A challenge!!  Take a peek .. .. .. .. .. ..

…. and this….

.. and this..  .. .. ..

Stay tuned – I’ll keep posting new photos as we make progress.  It is a joy and a pleasure to work in a home with the dignity, handsomeness and original detail throughout.  This incredible residence has been loved by only a few families since it was built, and it shows.

Good news – there will be a 2012 ASID/Charleston Symphony Designer Showhouse after all — just a bit later getting started than usual, that’s all.  Take a look at this remarkable Victorian with Italianate influnce masonry home, built in 1893.  I cannot wait to get going…..Dionne H. Gadsden, Allied Member ASID, (my partner) and I are very excited to havean opportunity to give new life to the 1960′s  kitchen, installed in a small part of the first floor piazza.  “Before” photos of that to come when the room is ready!

This will not be a new kitchen – there isn’t time for that! – but will be a complete “face lift”, with an entirely new look.  We will keep you up to date as we progress, though this blog.  Our deadline for the Presentation Board is next Wednesday, January 25th – so we’ll post that here with details on the products we’ll be using. 

Stay tuned!  Symphony House 2012 ASID Carolinas flyer with 3 photos

ASID Professional Interior Designers Cook!

Brand new – hot off the press!  A handsome, 93 page cookbook by ASID member Interior Designers from the deep South.  You will treasure this beautifully photographed edition, with lovingly designed interior photography as well as a fresh, new recipe created by the featured Interior Designers. 

These are ASID-member Interior Designers from all over the South.  Variety, beautiful presentations and more.

Savor the interiors – get to know the designers a bit, and try each and every one of these delectable receipts. 

My friends and I are always looking for original, interesting recipes (or, as we say in Charleston, “receipts”), and this collection is fresh and different.   $29.95 each  Add $3.00 to ship to your door.

Presented in a luxe red gift box, the books are wrapped in white tissue inside ~ so all you need is a bow and a card and they are ready to give as special gifts!  See my pages here.. .. .. .. Cooking in the South, Acker.

Enjoy~

I just came across an article about the “Wounded Warrior Home Project” being built in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.  It was brought into being by a clever land developer,  Clark Realty Capital, the very famous and mightily talented architect, Michael Graves, and the US Army in a very unique collaboration.

Many of our beloved Veterans return home with problems, physical, emotional and psychological — while we care deeply about them, little has been done in a coordinated manner to relieve problems Veterans encounter in day-to-day living in today’s homes and apartments.  There was a deep need to provide sensitively-planned homes that allow those with limitations to function fully just as the rest of us do.  Two different homes were developed, the “Freedom” and the “Patriot”.  Each has it’s distinctive features, and both are very attractive both inside and out.  Architect Michael Graves brings his rich talent and innovative experiences to the planning of these environments – and they are stunning in their simplicity.

Read the entire story and enjoy the interactive map of the Patriot home to really understand this worthy project.  I congratulate all  the partners who played a part in making these homes worthy and welcoming to our Veterans when they come home!

Go here to look at the main site: www.woundedwarriorhome.org.

See photos from the project here http://www.woundedwarriorhome.org/look.aspx.

I want to share with you the best and most joyous wishes for a wonderful, remarkable, memorable Merry Christmas this year!  This annual celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world and our hope for tomorrow, causes us believers to bend to our knees in thankfulness for this His great favor to us, His own.  Please join us ~ and share with your friends and loved ones this mighty Good News!

The true meaning of Christmas

Old fashioned Thanksgiving with family, making memories.

 These are images of Thanksgiving, which gives us the opportunity to REALLY count our blessings every year.. .. .. which of these resonate with you?

The Norman Rockwell painting to our left is my favorite, perfectly showing the anticipation, happiness and provision given to this multi-generational family.  Makes my heart warm just to look at it! 

Here, all are gathered together, small children, teenagers, parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents – all to focus on the plenty they have in their midst. 

 At our house, this would be a time of prayer, thanking our Lord for all of these many gifts.  This would be my ideal Thanksgiving!

 As we ponder these thoughts, and review in our minds the really meaningful things and people in our lives, remember their deep and lasting value over and over again.  I love to “re-appreciate” my blessings, counting them and thanking our Lord.  Finally, This artistic Thanksgiving rendition features a charming little girl in the center, right where our children reside in our hearts, no matter how old or young they are.  Truly, let this image be your reminder of this special American tradition of Thanksgiving in the fall -  a reminder of all the joys in our lives, most especially our families.

The blessings of Thanksgiving

London Map, from Thibaut Design

http://www.thibautdesign.com/collection/high_res.php?productID=7361&patternID=1183

Look around — what do you think?

Actually, it is QUITE possible to have the coveted glass tile in your kitchen backsplash — even if you have a stringent budget!  American Olean, not known for tile, but for plumbing fixtures themselves, introduced this series, and the options are smart-looking, indeed.

Take a look:  It would be hard not to love this mosaic, called “Meadow Breeze”, with the striations and varying background colors.  I could easily see this great-looking tile in a “natural” kitchen environment, since the greens complement natural woods so beautifully.  These would also sparkle with such tones are rich browny-reds, golden tones and all manner of beiges.  I like to do unusual things with tile, so could see these laid vertically (up and down) with borders top and bottom.  Another cool way to use them is in small sections mixed with plainer glass tiles.

 These inspire me!!!!  How I love the blues and greens combined .. .. have them in my own kitchen in a different type of glass mosaic, and after 11 years with them, love them as much as the day they were installed.  To me, these show the rich colors of the constantly moving seas, just a short distance away from my own home in Mt. Pleasant.  Ranging throughout the spectrum of blues and greens, one can choose any of the colors therein to use as wall and ceiling colors, pulling out any others for countertops, artwork, accents and much more. This is known as “Peaceful Seas.”

The broad variety of fully colored tile all the way down to a nearly-clear tile make all of these collections exciting!

How about these others?  “Whispering Stream” to the left.. .. ..

and “Serenity Blue” to the right.. ..

How would you use these?

We met some amazing and wonderful people last weekend at the Mt. Pleasant Home & Garden Show, held just three blocks from our studio in Mt. Pleasant, SC.  People were just delightful – sharing with all three of us (Dionne, Tom and I) their hopes and ideas for upgrading their homes.  We made some terrific new friends, and have a number of appointments booked for the coming weeks with many of them.  It’s exciting to see things moving again, with people encouraged, looking forward and making positive changes in their homes.

How do you like our booth?