Dining Rooms and Fire Ants

What can the two possibly have in common, you might ask? Well, yesterday, I planted some herbs (dill), and Bee Balm - we already have basil, chives, sage, parsley, rosemary, and thyme(there's a song in there somewhere). Deer don't eat herbs, so herbs it is....I was "suited up", which meant, my Wellies - even though it was 92 degrees, my goatskin gloves, a can of Deep Woods Off sprayed all over me....and I went about my merry way...planting away....not realizing there was a sneak attack of the fire ants going on. They figured they couldn't attack me en masse without me noticing, so they sent in a few of their very best stealthy commandos....It wasn't until about 3 am, when I was awakened by the pain, that I realized I had been had...in places and crevices on my body that I cannot mention....This is Texas, and I am still learning that, no matter what you do, if you live in Texas, and you go outdoors, you WILL be bitten.

So, since I cannot sleep, I might as well write about Dining Rooms...there, I've gotten to the point.I loved doing this house...It was a post-1930's style, and after designing the oval tray, I had to paint it the color of the inside of a sea shell...it just had to happen....It's serene, and at night, with that fabulous shell pink chandelier, the glow was enchanting...also, wonderful for one's complexion....I decided that rather than artwork, a wall of mirrors would reflect more of the lovely light. As I age, I am considering painting every room in pinks and peaches...and perhaps, only light candles.
Dining rooms should be used...not just on holidays, and maybe a Sunday dinner here and there...or for entertaining guests...but, just because...eating in the kitchen isn't bad...especially, if there are small children flinging peas at one another; and not just as a landing place for your keys, mail, etc. Many a business has been launched on a dining room table (mine)...But, often, it's nice some mornings, just to pour some coffee, boil and egg or two, get out the good china egg cups, the silver toast caddy, and sit down with the newspaper....Not with "Good Morning America" blasting in the background...But, rather, a civilized, slow morning (right, like we have time for that, but try to make time every now and again)...please!

The clients for whom I did this house wanted a red dining room, but with plummy undertones...It's dramatic, and yet, not jarring....

For their first dinner party, they asked me to do the flowers and set the table for them (I do floral design and photostyling, so I have quite a collection of vases, china, and candlesticks)... To add an extra sense of "Place", I designed the doorway arch, with the columns to set the space off from the foyer...My clients didn't want heavy window treatments, so we went with white, wooden blinds...

I loved working with these clients, designing their home from the ground up...however, I had to incorporate furniture from two previous homes...one which was in Arizona, and the other a traditional Tudor...he's oriental, and she loves "whimsey"...so, the entire house turned out to be quite eclectic...but fun...They have a large family, with lots of pea-lobbing grandchildren, so most of their meals are taken at the huge trestle table in the kitchen...But she and I loved to sit at the dining room table, and eat our lunch, while discussing how to spend more of his money...He initally had said, "Just make it pretty, Jessica"...But, she had expensive tastes, so he called us onto the very expensive carpet, and said, "I have given the two of you an unlimited budget, which you have managed to exceed"....

So, that's why this is entitled Dining Rooms and Fire Ants...

The pain meds are starting to kick in and I'm going back to bed...