My Desk is Decked

Do you decorate your workspace for the holidays?  I never have.  Until yesterday.  Now I'm hooked.

It started because I've been a bit housebound from knee surgery.  What to do?  I took out a pitcher I'd bought this fall at an antique shop in Connecticut.   (Love. At. First. Sight.)  It's Spode "Fox Hunt" from the 50's.

Ridiculously me, this pitcher.  Anyway,  I hobbled out to the yard for the greenery (okay, not really, my knee is doing surprisingly great).  I love the smell of fresh pine (with some some fake winterberry for color).

When my perfectly imperfect arrangement was done, it dawned on me that it was the perfect color combination for my desk.  Why not?  I sit there so much it would be nice to be surrounded by some holiday.  So, off I limped (exaggeration, but are you getting the effect?) up the stairs and found her a perfect spot.

Zoom out?  Okay...

Zoom in...

I'm delighted by how much joy decorating this new spot is giving me.  It is where I am sitting, typing at the computer, as I write this post.  I am totally holidayed by it!

Do you decorate your workspace?

Talk to you soon,
Carol

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A Classic Christmas Wreath, Online

I went online today in search of Christmas wreath inspiration.  Something fresh and classic.  I've done glittery, white, natural, artificial, ornament-donned, one for every window of the house, and just a single one for the front door.  You could say I've done them all over the years.  This year, I want to make something traditional.  No fuss.  Elegant.

I went looking online for inspiration, and this what I loved... 

 Plow & Hearth

At heart I am a traditional girl, and plaid always steals my heart.  My front door is black, and I'm thinking this is my look for 2011.   Back to basics this year.  Feels comfortable.

What's inspiring your front door decor this year?

Talk to you soon,
Carol

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The World's Best Barstool by Theodore Alexander

In my opinion, anyway. It can go with most any decor.  Best of all, it is one very comfortable spot to park your tush.




The Norfolk Cottage Stool

  I used it in this project, and let me tell you I searched for a while for the perfect seat.  I found it while in High Point at the furniture market in October.  Theodore Alexander says it is "A rustic Byron finish bar stool, the shaped saddle seat above turned legs and stretchers. The original French Provincial."  I love this baby, and I'll be using it again.  Simple, perfectly finished, comfortable.

Have yourself a great weekend!

Talk to you soon,
Carol

 Let's work together to define your home.  Contact me by clicking here.



High Point Highlight: Lavender Love

Could you fall in love with lavender?  I never really had a thing for it, until I went to High Point and saw it in a whole new light.  On trend but always classic, lavender is one of the new "it" colors.  Check out these inspiration images, and maybe you will swoon, too.

My favorite interpretations were in the brilliantly done Lillian August showroom (the next several shots).  This sofa is heaven to me...

I. want. these. pillows.  And, the sofa too.

The velvet and the orchid.  Mmm Mm.

Could this be any more me?  Uh, no...

This one was more modern and just gorgeous...

Lillian August was my favorite showroom for color inspiration and style.  Just breathtaking.

Duralee put on a great lavender love story, too.  The next to are from the Duralee showroom...

Okay, I couldn't resist this guy on the street.  Never really figured out why he was there.

So what do you think -- is lavender for you?

Talk to you soon,
Carol

 

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Before and After: The Bones are In

So I got out of bed at 3 am on Sunday to get to the office for something I forgot, pick up a friend, and drive out to the Berkshires for a furniture install.  Man, it was one long day.  Movers who were coming up from North Carolina showed up at 2 instead of the 9am I was rushing for.  Ugh!!  Can you say intravenous coffee?

Anyway,  this past summer I posted here about a carriage house I would be doing for a past client -- a girl's getaway (really, a place to stay when this career woman is working nearby).  This original painting was the inspiration for the color pallet. (I'm sorry I don't recall the artist.  This is a favorite artist of my client, and this work was purchased at her favorite gallery in San Fransisco.)

Before my client bought this charming, cozy house, some college guys were renting it.  (Wish I had those before shots!  Quite something.)   After we chose fabrics, we decided on colors and every room was painted.  Here are pictures of how it looked when I got there Sunday morning, and what it looked like when I left.  So much more to do with window treatments and accessories, but the bones are now in place!

The great room...

I absolutely love the lines of these nesting tables.  I want to use them in every project I do (of course, I won't!)

It's killing me to show this room without window treatments.  The artwork will go over the sofa, and fabric is desperately needed on the windows behind the chairs, but...let's move on...

The sleep sofa in the den has great modern lines.  The room is so empty I'm only showing a peak, but hopefully you're getting the feel of the color flow on the first floor. The wall color in here is a pale gray with a purple undertone.

Upstairs there are two bedrooms.  One for the lady of the house...

(I'm not a great bed maker!!)  The bedding is from Pine Cone Hill (the duvet is missing from the insert and shams are back ordered.  Oh well!).

The second bedroom, is for any one of her three children...

The headboard and bedding are from Ballard Designs.  (The entire first floor is custom, except for the Dash & Albert rug.)

My client loved this fabric from Serena & Lilly below, and it was the one thing she really wanted to include.  The fabric on the sofa pillows was Serena & Lilly as well.  Have to love a client with great taste!

So this is what I've been up to lately.  Between this install and the one last Friday, I'm kind of tired!!

Who's ready for Thanksgiving next week?  Aaahhh!  So not!!

Talk to you soon,

Carol

 Let's work together to define your home.  Contact me by clicking here.

Before & After: Southwest Meets Traditional Finished

Remember this post about my challenge doing a living room for a couple who wanted to mix traditional with a Southwest feel?  Well, yesterday we hung the artwork and we are just about done.  The only things remaining  are the chandelier, a lamp, additional custom pillows and a bit more styling.

This is where we started.  The brilliant rug was the only thing I was working with. (Horrible phone picture)...

Now onto the transformation.  This is a highly eclectic space.  The first round of furniture was delivered...

Kind of boring, yes?  Big room, vast wall, no window treatments.  Now, here it is today...

There is a lamp coming to the round table to the left of the sofa. The metal artwork is copper with a dark patina. Here is a closed up of the roman shades.  The diamond pattern on the fabric is actually twine, and the beads are wooden. (The colors don't look great.  Pro photographer I am not!!)

When you enter the home, this is the foyer design I did, and you can see the rug peeking out in the corner picture after it.

Corner before...

Now...

My clients had some great pieces to start the styling for the coffee table.  I want to add some books and a candle or two.  Isn't this rug the most gorgeous thing??  I wish I could take credit for it.  The wife told me yesterday that she was actually disappointed with it after it had arrived.  Just goes to show, not only can a rug provide great inspiration, but when a room is properly built around it, it can really be art on the floor.

I mentioned that we still need to hang a chandelier.  This is what I am suggesting for the space.  It is very large -- 42" diameter.  Just what the room needs for a finishing touch and to provide this very open floor plan with some much needed lighting.  This isn't the greatest image, but it's all I've got.  It will fill the two-story cathedral ceiling beautifully.

I'm thinking it's just the thing to complete the space.

I have to say that the most gratifying part of my job is seeing my clients happy, and let me tell you, these clients are so fun to work with that making them smile is what I look forward to.  After this, I believe we are moving on to a new bed for the master bedroom.  Can't wait.  This has been one of my most favorite projects.

Hope you all have a great weekend.  In the next day or so, I'm going to be posting some pictures of furniture and lighting that we are clearancing off of our showroom floor.  Great buys.  Stay tuned.

Talk to you soon,
Carol

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Celebrity Magnet or What?

Yes, I'm talking about me.  It really is a laugh.  And it's actually related to my work as a designer.  Well, sort of.  Okay, so here's the story of my two encounters of late, and because I believe things happen in three's, I'm just wondering who I'll meet next...

Have you ever had a moment when the filter in your brain froze and you said something that you couldn't believe came out of your mouth?  This is what happened to me back in September.  My friend Steve (from An Urban Cottage) and I were antiquing in Maine,  where we were visiting some of his favorite haunts -- he was shopping, I was seeking out new sources for clients.

As we're coming out of one of the shops, walking out the door right in front of us, about as close as you get to someone in front of you in line at the market,  is...I didn't know!  I instantly knew this guy was famous, and Steve and I exchanged a quick "is that who I think it is?" glance, and then.  Out.of.my.mouth.flies "You're someone famous, aren't you?"  Can you believe I actually said that to someone?  Loser.  But then this guy turned around with a big grin...

And I so charmingly said "How do I know who you are?"  Pa.Lease.  Thank heavens Steve came to the rescue and said, "You're Steve Santagati, right, the relationship guy?"

And that started  a 20 minute conversation with Famous Steve, me, and my friend Steve.  Of course, I still couldn't place him (hello?), so as we all walk out into the parking lot having a laugh, I said "Relationship guy?  No, I know you from  tv or something."  (Or could it be his Armani modeling images?)  And then to add to my eloquence, I added, "I've seen you on Extra, with, ummm...what's his name, oh, Mario..."  "Yeah, Mario Lopez," says Famous Steve.  "That's it!" I said.  And then the three of us had a great chat like we had known each other forever.  Very fun.  I won't bore you with the rest, but Steve summed it up pretty well in his post here.  When all was said and done, and we were on our way to the next shop, all we could talk about was how we didn't get a picture for the blog!!

So, on to celebrity sighting Number 2.  At High Point two weeks ago, I was standing in the Althorp showroom of Theodore Alexander, talking with my colleague Robin, when a tall guy in a navy blazer comes over to us and puts his hand out to me to introduce himself.  I turned to face him as he says in his lovely British accent, "Hello, I'm Charles Spencer."  O.M.G.  Princess Diana's brother!  Are you kidding me?

 

For those of you who don't know, Theodore Alexander is a manufacturer of beautiful traditional furniture, and a few years back, Charles Spencer helped develop a line of reproduction pieces based on the antiques from Althorp, the Spencer family home.  So there he was in High Point, mingling with the common  folk(he was so gracious and real).  I now know the true definition of "my jaw dropped."  Anyway, it was a thrill to talk to him, as I am a total Anglophile.  But, it gets better...

The next day, when we were heading back home through the Charlotte airport looking for a place to have lunch,  there at a sushi bar with open seats next to him, was, you guessed it, Earl Charles Spencer!  So, I asked him if the seats were taken and would he mind if we took them.  Okay.  The guy couldn't have been nicer.

We chatted, my colleagues and me, and at the end, when his bill came, I asked for a picture with him.  I wasn't going to let this go without proof like the last one!

I was talking with a friend today who is going to assist me with an install next week, and she said she'd make the trip with me (it's three hours away) if I guaranteed a celebrity meeting.  Hmm.   I do believe in the power of positive thinking...  I'll keep you posted.

Who's the most famous person you've met?

Talk to you soon,
Carol

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