Evolving Spaces

Rooms, homes, and people should evolve, don't you agree? I have always encouraged my clients to never consider a room "finished", even if,at the time, they love it. There is something too "static" about a room that is installed, and then, never changes. I'm not saying one needs to repaint every two years, or change the room out entirely; but rather, add, edit, embellish, or rearrange the space. Perhaps treating it differently seasonally, which is what I've been doing with this corner of my living room. Our living room doesn't have the lighting I wish it had. My builder did a wonderful job on this house (it was a spec, but with custom upgrades). It was already too far gone when I discovered it to make the changes in lighting that I would have liked; as in floor outlets, more outlets, no pot lights, but rather, halogen, and a front door with some glass in it to let in more light. But, with time, I am making changes - I will not change my front door, as it is beautiful wood, and I know I would regret it afterwood. I lived in the house for an entire season without making any major changes. It's important to watch the lighting in the space over the seasons...For example, these two windows face our back porch, which is recessed, and there are Live Oaks shading the porch. This is Texas, darlin, and after a summer in this house, I was grateful for the shade from the relentless (we get 300 days of blistering sunshine a year) sun and heat. I was also grateful for the stained concrete floors, that feel so cool on bare feet (except I wear slippers, as there are also scorpions).
As you know from a previous post, I finally made window treatments. These windows flank our fireplace, and on the other side are French doors. I wanted to be able to drawn the curtains, light a fire, and feel cozy. Yes, we actually do have some cold, rainy days, and once, it SNOWED!
That got alot of Texan's really excited (being from Wisconsin, me, not so much).
I found the lamp at Hobby Lobby, added the elephant finial, bought a little chest (only piece of furniture I've bought since buying the house three years ago), and I had found these fabulous, Chinese silk pillows, still in the packaging at Goodwill, for $3.00 each - I added the fiberfill.
The fern needed to winter over, so I placed it on a plant stand (okay, I lied, I bought the plant stand at Hobby Lobb y -$60.00), and viola', my winter corner was established.

There's a wonderful, small town not far from me called Salado...it is small, but chock-full of historical buildings, housing shops, antique stores, and galleries. I love it. I found these silk sunflowers (I know, I once said no silk flowers, but these actually move in the breeze..not stiff and tortured like so many...I have changed my stance...if you can't tell if they are real or not, why not?). I put them in this blue-glass vase, but didn't like seeing the stems.

When I was in Madison, my friend, Cam, and I went shopping (alot)..we had such fun. There is, or rather, was, a wonderful shop owned by a friend, who had shared a space with me when I had my gallery. He was moving on to NYC, and had a wonderful clearance sale going on. I bought these striped candles (they are usually quite expensive). In fact, Cam commented that she just knew I would buy these candles. At the time, I wasn't sure where I would use them, but when I returned home, I realized they were perfect with the color-blocked window treatments, and the pillow. By the way, even if you have candles that you would rather not burn, please, light them once, and then, blow them out.....they look so much better than the pristine, white wick..just a Designer's Tip.

I won't go on-and-on with each angle...just wanted to show how wonderful (at least, I love them) they are...and how changing the vase to something more organic highlights the flowers better.

The small, enamel box on the table is hand-painted from Russia. One of Aunt Lily's acquisitions on her many travels...I cherish it.

I put three mirrors in the living room, (you can see the corner of one)..two of which are hammered tin and tile from Mexico...they do help reflect the views and lighten the room. I also love seeing the table through the window, where the plants are thriving (out of reach of the deer).So, this is my "Summer Look"...it may continue to be my "Winter Look" , as well, until Christmas, when the tree takes it's place....

I started to glaze the foyer two years ago, but hurt my wrist..had to wear a brace for six weeks...well, it's happened again - it's called, DeQuervian's Syndrome, or "Washer Woman's Syndrome"...tendon injury...I call it "Fall Down in Fort Worth on Your Anniversary While Wearing Stilleto Heels on Cobblestones Syndrome"......back in the brace again..just in time for hot weather.

They say "When life hands you lemons, make lemonaide"...I say "When life hands you lemons, put them in a lovely dish and enjoy them on a table

Is it Cheating???

First, let me fill you in on my life (if anyone is interested)...After my trip, I've been thinking about priorities...and although this blog is important to me, other things are taking priority...but before I go there, I wanted to share this photograph with you, along with it's story. Short story...we have wild peacocks in the neighborhood - one male (I call him, "Gigilo George), and three females - no names, just "The girls". I had some strawberries that had become mushy, so I tossed them off the back porch, assuming "Blossem" the opossem, or our new friend, the racoon, would find them. Instead, I opened the door to check on the grill, and there were "the girls"...They took off, but I managed to get the photograph. Our Raisenette Funicello Buttafuco (he headbutts) was in the chair on the porch, eyes bulging, calling to them to not go....I love our little piece of the country. Now, to the issue at hand...since the "recession/depression/economic downturn/whatever, I have pretty much come to a designing for builders standstill. That said, as many have had to do, I am assessing my talents and my possibilities. I am a fairly decent artist, good seamstress, and an artisan. Again, with the economy the way it is, not much happening there...So, I have the opportunity to take this time to do what so many people threaten to do....I am writing a book. Actually, I am working on two novels and a children's book. Writing is easy, you just sit down and open a vein..(not my quote)...I slave and sweat and ponder and write and toss away and save and hope that I am not writing something that will be considered dreck. I cannot write to please others...I have to write from my heart, and so I will. Will I get published? It's unlikely, as there are "slush piles" of wonderful books out there, with overworked editors, who are pretty much struggling with the publishing industry (as in Kindle, etc). But, again, it is a luxury provided by my husband to get the "green light" to just go for it...and so I am. So, after writing every day (at least I am attempting to do that), the blog suffers.

I have seen a great change in blogging; especially, design blogs...I have seen many drop out of the game..for me, it's not been about how many followers I have, and how many "hits", etc., but it's been about reaching out and sharing. I will continue to do so, even though I don't have 10,987 hits...just do what I can when I can.

As to the "Is it Cheating?", here's my question (rather, two questions)...is it cheating to repost some of my past work that I've had on here before (but with a bit of a twist), especially, some of the very early stuff? Also, I see so many blogs, where the "blogger/designer/whatever" scans photos from books and magazines, and then comments on them..as in "what inspires". I ask this question - is it interesting? I have over the years, compiled entired loose-leaf notebooks, jammed with photos from the seven million design magazines I have accumulated over the years. Since they would otherwise be piled to the rafters, I cut out what I wanted to save, and I catagorized them, as in: Kitchens, bedrooms, window treatments, etc...Problem with that is I do not know who's work it is, and to whom to attribute this great talent (I don't save boring stuff).

All this said, here's a bit of an experiment: Here are several powder rooms and bathrooms that I have created in the past. Every single on of these were from the ground up. I wanted to repost them, and talk about the client's personality, and why these rooms work. So, for what it's worth....

This was my favorite "over the top" powder room. My clients were world travelers (he is Phillippino -sp?), and she's not. They both love color and drama. I gold-leafed and aged the ceiling, trim, and the inside of the pocket door. I also used outdoor lanterns for lighting (with auxillary lighting up top. I usually recommend side lighting to put on make up, but for a powder room - as in "powder one's nose" (do women actually do that anymore", and a bit of lipstick, one can cheat a bit....
This was a Parade of Homes powder room, but sold before building (people who buy Parade homes before they are built get all kinds of discounts and perks...it's a smart thing to do, but they do end up having 28,000 (literally) people go through their homes. Good builders make sure you cannot tell anyone has been there. It is in Wisconsin, where saturated color is uplifting during the long, grey winters. I glued "gimp" trim between the color sections to better define the borders. This was a young, vibrant family, a contemporary, couple, who entertain alot.
My clients for this bathroom were two men (it happens, deal with it), who were busy professionals, with an adopted child...a wonderful couple, but wanted to have some "masculine influence" in the bath...I used Ralph Lauren Navy Blue paint, floated the cabinets, and designed a giant shower (reflected in the mirror). I am not a "design Nazi"...a good designer takes the wishes of their clients seriously, and does the best one can to make thier wishes come to fruition.

This bathroom was designed for a gorgeous blonde...beautiful in every way..she and her husband (a pro-hockey player), were in Switzerland eight months out of the year (he played for a Swiss team), so there was alot of back-and-forth decision making.....

This was the blonde's powder room. Small but dramatic...My regret is that I didn't get a good shot of the obsidion and onyx tile floor.

This was another Parade powder room, but wasn't presold, so I got to do as I wanted...using a vanity that is more like furniture, and wallcover, covered with what feels and looks like glass beads...Everyone who passed through just had to touch that wallcovering...the glass stayed on!

Last, there is the cool, contemporary "Barbara Barry" influenced bathroom. I painted an opalescent strip through the room, and a carried it into the bedroom, as well.

So, that's it folks....I will be interested in seeing if there is any response at all..If not, I will continue to come here when I can...I do care about those people, who do come here for some news and inspiration..

Happy Mother's Day..

I don't know of too many (especially, female bloggers) who aren't writing about Mother's Day in some form or another....Remember, this started out as a "Design Blog", but has also been about life...mine, and those who are sharing this world with me.
This is an especially difficult weekend for me; my Mama's birthday would have been yesterday (she passed at 58, 25 years ago), and today is Mother's Day...A day doesn't go by that I don't think about her. She was beautiful in every way....as you can see...and I thank her for inheriting those legs.... We were poor...really "dirt poor"...literally, dirt floors (which were swept, sprinkled with water, and hand-made rag rugs covered most of them)...a "RC Cola" sign for a roof...we lived on Indian Land in Oklahoma...We never went hungry, were always clean..and we didn't have much, but as I got older, things improved..for awhile.
I don't want to bring out the violins, and play, "I've been traged", but merely paying tribute to a woman, who always worked..and after my father, a police officer, was shot in the line of duty, she went to work at the police station...later, the sheriff's office...
We always had books in the house, and paper in pencils.. both my sister and I loved to draw, and she encouraged and praised us- she was my best friend, my rock..my muse.

Babies are babies.....

And kids will be kids (this time, literally)..getting themselves into all kinds of situations...whereupon, the mama has to rescue them..I know mine did, many, many times..After which, they often need to rest....Thanks to all the Mamas..and rest in peace, dear Mama..I will always love you.