tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51777922644312020802024-03-13T20:18:19.501-07:00COMFORT & LUXURYmy designs to bring both to my life and yoursTracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-58358013834116801112010-07-19T01:00:00.000-07:002010-07-29T09:08:35.016-07:00I START MY NEW JOB TODAY !<div align="center"><strong>Bright and early this Monday morning, my life will take a dramatic turn. For the first time in years, I will climb into my car and drive to work.</strong> (as opposed to walking across the hallway from my bedroom to my home office - you can read about what happened to that job <a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/2010/05/this-womans-day.html"><strong><span style="color:#339999;">here</span></strong></a>)</div><br /><div align="center"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 255px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492756397733378818" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDow14Sm-wI/AAAAAAAAERU/hD3yvKJFPt4/s400/cratefairoaks_picnik.jpg" /> <p align="center"><strong></strong></p><p align="center"><strong>I'll park my car near this corner and, while waiting to cross the street, I'll check out what's new in the windows of Pottery Barn </strong>(the competition)<strong> and J Crew </strong>(where I'll try not to spend my <em>whole</em> paycheck).<br /></p><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492751768432789714" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDosoazVyNI/AAAAAAAAERM/dWWNSZBaFv0/s400/cratefairoakscornerviaimageshack.jpg" /><br /><strong>On my way down the block, I'll pass more tempting shops and restaurants housed in fantastic, original <a href="http://www.oldpasadena.org/"><span style="color:#339999;">Old Town</span></a> architecture like this . . .</strong></p><br /><div align="center"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 264px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492748268695779314" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDopctRA9_I/AAAAAAAAERE/Ntp5AMMdLn4/s400/cratealex-aroundtheworld.com" /><br /><div align="center"><strong>. . . and this . . .</strong></div><div align="center"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492744754916290114" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDomQLas7kI/AAAAAAAAEQ8/iRJZbx2R4ZI/s400/cratevicsecret.jpg" /> <p align="center"><br /><strong>. . . before turning into one of the alleys that leads to the courtyard, the heart of </strong><a href="http://www.onecolorado.com/main.php"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>One Colorado</strong></span></a><strong>.</strong><br /></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492744748479866290" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDomPzcI5bI/AAAAAAAAEQ0/rrqRbxVR9dU/s400/crateonecolalley.jpg" /> <p align="center"><br /><strong>On any given day in the courtyard, I'm likely to encounter such surprises as a </strong><a href="http://www.insidesocal.com/rose/2009/08/24-hour-art-daniel-burens-a-rainbow-in-the-sky-at-one-colorado-in-pasadena.html"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>'Rainbow in the Sky'</strong></span></a><strong> . . .</strong><br /></p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 261px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492744741226052546" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDomPYase8I/AAAAAAAAEQs/OXu3-ZE4I7A/s400/cratecourtyardindiesocal.jpg" /> </p><br /><p align="center"><strong>. . . or a juried show and sale of works by </strong><a href="http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=223395"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>local emerging artists</strong></span></a> . . .</p><p align="center"></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492744723521950498" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDomOWdtUyI/AAAAAAAAEQc/XqqP5qlkyxE/s400/crateartopenmarket.jpg" /> <p align="center"><br /><strong>. . . or the largest free outdoor </strong><a href="http://www.oldpasadena.org/gc_calendar_detail.asp?cal_id=1499"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>film festival</strong></span></a><strong> in Southern California . . .</strong><br /></p><div align="center"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492742513628364834" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDokNt-BQCI/AAAAAAAAEQU/FfrpAXZH7xM/s400/cratefilmfestival.jpg" /> <p align="center"><br />. . . or <a href="http://www.makemusicpasadena.org/"><strong><span style="color:#339999;">live music</span></strong></a> . . .<br /></p><div align="center"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492742503198539618" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDokNHHWv2I/AAAAAAAAEQM/2GSCNgdalMM/s400/crateoldtownmusicfestivalbalaio.jpg" /> <p align="center"><br /><strong>. . . or a giant Christmas tree!</strong><br /></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492742497794376178" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDokMy-5wfI/AAAAAAAAEQE/E6COMn4romI/s400/cratetreelighting.jpg" /> <p align="center"><br /><strong>On New Year's Day, if I were to stand on this corner, just steps away from my new place of business . . .</strong></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 345px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492742494624563714" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDokMnLKQgI/AAAAAAAAEP8/cxd4ghvr7fc/s400/Crate%26Barrel_picnik.jpg" /> <p align="center"><br /><strong>. . . I would see <a href="http://www.tournamentofroses.com/"><span style="color:#339999;">this</span></a> in person instead of on tv.</strong><br /></p><div align="center"><strong></strong></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 275px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492742491782115970" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDokMcld8oI/AAAAAAAAEP0/vGNAvTHo4ok/s400/crateroseparade.jpg" /><br /><div align="center"><strong>Back in the courtyard now, have you guessed yet where I'm headed to work? That's right! It's my first day at Crate and Barrel's Pasadena store. Under one of those black awnings is the door that will take me. . .</strong><br /><br /></div><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 356px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 247px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492744730502730754" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDomOweDlAI/AAAAAAAAEQk/QyHKUq4EqR4/s400/cratecourtyard.jpg" /><br /><strong>. . . through the housewares department . . .</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492741547242892914" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDojVd5xLnI/AAAAAAAAEPk/YLVKYdCBwSk/s400/crateviavirtualtourist2.jpg" /><br /><strong>. . . and up those stairs . . .</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492741548098753138" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDojVhF0knI/AAAAAAAAEPs/3zl5oyOOusk/s400/crateviavirtualtourist.jpg" /><br /><strong>. . . to the furniture floor where I will be surrounded by and selling such beauties as this . . .</strong></p><p><br /></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TEJh7OD_NTI/AAAAAAAAET0/lAoDwE0tQrI/s1600/crateclara"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 379px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 335px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495062165360424242" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TEJh7OD_NTI/AAAAAAAAET0/lAoDwE0tQrI/s400/crateclara" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center"><strong>. . . and these . . .</strong></div><div align="center"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TECAiyRDvzI/AAAAAAAAETU/Rsn33TWY73E/s1600/crateterravida.jpg"><strong><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 314px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494532880489234226" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TECAiyRDvzI/AAAAAAAAETU/Rsn33TWY73E/s400/crateterravida.jpg" /></strong></a></div><div align="center"><br /><div align="center"><strong>. . . and these.<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 379px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 335px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493974810146025122" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TD6E-0OyrqI/AAAAAAAAETE/fSvK8znuj38/s400/JulesTablesS7.jpeg" /><br /></strong></div><div align="center"><br /><strong>After four weeks of training, by mid-August I'll be on my own, working to help <a href="http://www.crateandbarrel.com/"><span style="color:#339999;">Crate and Barrel</span></a> customers beautify, energize, design and create that place that's most important to all of us - home.</strong><br /><br /><br /><strong>Wrapping up my old job and preparing to start this new one are what's kept me from posting (and commenting) as much as I'd like to lately and I imagine this adventure might keep me away from the blogs altogether for a while. At least until I get used to my schedule and figure out if blogging still fits into it. I have a couple of half-written posts about a recent "field trip" that I hope to get up soon and, at some point, I'll update you on how the job's shaping up. In the meantime, have a great week and <em>wish me luck!</em></strong><br /><em></em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><strong>Oh, and if you find yourself shopping in Old Town—<em>great</em> shopping by the way, if you're unfamiliar with the area—please stop in and say hello!</strong></div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-46182461385940011822010-07-14T19:01:00.000-07:002010-07-14T20:28:45.227-07:00Artist in Residence<strong>Late one recent evening, my husband and I arrived home from a party to find an artist busily at work in our kitchen. Painting this as a gift for a friend:</strong><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 386px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493921774348411106" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TD5UvufSIOI/AAAAAAAAESU/16djJVgJyPw/s400/kateysverseartcropped.jpg" /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>She had been inspired by this vintage <a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/2009/09/speaking-of-tranquility.html"><span style="color:#339999;">motto print</span></a> I keep on a bookshelf:</strong><br /></p><p></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 338px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493932654860067634" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TD5epDjaYzI/AAAAAAAAESk/r0O0MSZ6KAw/s400/mottokindlycropped.jpg" /><strong></strong><br /><strong>She believed both the sentiment and the peacock motif would please her friend. Unable to get her hands on another—it's dated '1923' for heaven's sake—she set out to paint her own version. In a slightly different, more youthful colorway. A bit larger than the original too so that it would fit into the thrifted frame she intended to use. It has just the right amounts of age and patina.</strong><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 289px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493938176687566386" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TD5jqd9rbjI/AAAAAAAAES0/w1UXv5vCZuo/s400/kateysverseartcropped.jpg" /><strong></strong></p><p><strong>I think her friend is one lucky birthday girl, don't you?<br /></strong><br /><strong>At the same time and place she found the gold frame for her friend, she also found this carved wood one for herself. In which to</strong><strong> showcase a favorite greeting card.</strong><br /></p><p></p><p align="left"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 290px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493938160359198082" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TD5jphIsTYI/AAAAAAAAESs/AX2EOSfmQ_U/s400/kateyssuncardcropped.jpg" /><br /><strong>Talented, smart and industrious. Creative, thoughtful and thrifty. Respectful of the old yet intrigued by the new. Beautiful too, as you can see in the self-portrait she drew for me, below. That's my girl. The artist.<br /></strong><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TD5drWHH2dI/AAAAAAAAESc/ZNZ48huhLYU/s1600/kateyselfportrait.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493931594689796562" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TD5drWHH2dI/AAAAAAAAESc/ZNZ48huhLYU/s400/kateyselfportrait.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">[click to enlarge, if you like]</span> </p><p><strong>Oh, and that gorgeous frame I propped in front of her drawing? She thrifted that too. Add 'good eye' and 'excellent taste' to the above list.</strong></p><p></p>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-44291847209456418222010-07-07T19:24:00.000-07:002010-07-09T07:44:08.631-07:00New Art Arrangement Over My Sofa<strong>This vintage print has hung over my living room sofa for about a year now. I found it in an antiques and collectibles co-op in Bakersfield, CA that occupies an old Woolworth's department store—a great place worth visiting if you ever find yourself in that neck of the woods. You can spend hours shopping for treasures on multiple floors then replenish your energy with a burger and a milkshake at the original luncheonette counter!</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491322209777104274" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUYdJz6NZI/AAAAAAAAEPE/Jk51zW6RJCY/s400/sofawall+007centralprint.jpg" /><br /><strong>I actually passed on the print when I first spotted it because I already had so much set aside to buy. But it was one of those things I thought about for the next few days after I got back home. That's happened to you too, right? So, knowing my mom would be in the area again within the week, I asked her to pick it up for me—fingers crossed that it would still be there. Happily, it was and it's lived somewhere in my living room ever since. I really, really love it—the colors, the subject matter, that great frame— but at 34"x24" I've always known it was too small to hang over the sofa by itself. Because I wanted it there anyway, I hung two creamy decorative plates one above the other to the right of the print to create an arrangement with more weight. It looked forced and just not right. What to do? Ignore it of course! Until one day last week when I couldn't stand it any longer and decided to dig through my inspiration files.</strong><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491300263763273474" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUEfuieZwI/AAAAAAAAEOc/SIkmcdl0vsI/s400/salonwallsoliving.jpg" /></div><br /><div></div><div><strong>A gallery or salon style arrangement is what I really wanted. Something along the lines of the one above from southernliving.com or the one below from gaitaninteriors.com. See how much space they fill over these sofas? Linda Crisolo, Marketing Director of Art.com says we should "make sure artwork is at least two-thirds the size of the sofa. For example, a 9-foot-long sofa should have a 6-foot-wide expanse of art above it." My 34" wide print was barely filling one third of my almost eight-foot wide sectional.</strong></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 272px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491300255841117746" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUEfRBr5jI/AAAAAAAAEOU/8HpRHMC0VXI/s400/salonwallgaitainteriors.jpg" /></div><br /><div></div><div><strong>When it comes to salon style art, I am drawn to a looser arrangement of prints like those seen above. You may prefer a tighter, more controlled arrangement like the one below I found on Martha Stewart's website. I do have one small bone to pick with Martha, however, and I'll turn again to Linda Crisolo of Art.com to explain what that is: "People have a tendency to hang art too high," says Linda "The center of the image should be at eye level. In living rooms, people are usually sitting, so artwork should be lower. A good way to ensure you're placing artwork at the right height is to hang it one hand width above the sofa". Sorry, Martha. There are too many hands between your sofa and your art. It certainly is expertly aligned though.</strong></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 321px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491300239493317266" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUEeUIEQpI/AAAAAAAAEOE/dPU9kse6ylg/s400/salonartmartha.jpg" /></div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Speaking of alignment, here's a look I love, from Traditional Home magazine, that is absolutely wrong for my room. Black and white photos of trees hung on a tight grid fill the space over this sofa—side to side as well as from just above the sofa to very near the ceiling; fifteen individual pieces reading as one large work of art. Beautiful, quiet symmetry. Inspiration photos can sometimes show you what won't work in your space as much as what might and, as I mentioned, I like things a little more mixed-up and colorful than this.</strong></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 310px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491300556055797858" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUEwvacYGI/AAAAAAAAEOk/zuqjMgqp6H4/s400/salonphotos.jpg" /></div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Now, here's some great color! Gorgeous panels that, again, completely fill the available space, below. Love the furniture, love the tablescape, LOVE the art and color story, but there's still something here that's not quite "me". Maybe "me" in a different kind of house, but not in this cottagey little ranch-ette I'm living in.</strong></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491300247887839666" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUEezZegbI/AAAAAAAAEOM/THW75JJjSOY/s400/salonpanelsoversofa.jpg" /></div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Aha! Now this one, below, is definitely me! This page torn from one of last year's Better Homes and Gardens speaks to me, first, because I am a complete sucker for striped walls (never mind that there is not one striped wall in my home) and, second, because I love the mix of vintage-looking art and colors and the variety of frame shapes and sizes. I also like the use of dimensional objects such as the plates and vase. But I already have a wall-mounted lamp on my wall so I'll reject the idea of dimensional art while I embrace the use of multiple colors, a vintage feel and subjects found in nature.</strong></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 387px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491300230403604706" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUEdyQ6QOI/AAAAAAAAEN8/Wj9MwlERTvo/s400/salonstripe.jpg" /></div><br /><div></div><div><strong>Inspiration image in mind, I poked around in closets and under beds for art to buddy-up with my favorite print from Woolworth's. Here's what I came up with:</strong></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491322219408444578" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUYdtsMzKI/AAAAAAAAEPM/B9L6LbaMDvY/s400/sofawall+003+500woverview.jpg" /><br /><strong>The lighting is a little dim in this room even on the brightest day, and lately we've been having a lot of gloomy ones, so please bear with my amateur skills. Natural light photos without the lamps lit gave me the best results. And besides, my million-year-old sofa would rather be captured in low light and fuzzy focus anyway, thankyouverymuch. Looks good from back here, doesn't she? Especially with all her pretty mixed-up pillows acting as distractions.<br /></strong><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 335px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491322195083487474" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUYcTEraPI/AAAAAAAAEO8/r-7-jRxGcmg/s400/sofawall+010fromseated.jpg" /></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong><br />I found a nice mix of frames to complement my centerpiece: a green one, a black one, a little gold one and two distressed white ones. The subjects too complement the central landscape: one vintage botanical greeting card, a floral watercolor, two bird prints and one seaside painting on a postcard. The mix of colors and styles feels just right.<br /><br /></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 346px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491322191587703586" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUYcGDN-yI/AAAAAAAAEO0/2LD4w3I-K4M/s400/sofawall+008frames.jpg" /></div><div></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong><br />I purposefully placed the arrangement slightly off-center above the sofa and closer to the table lamp than to the wall lamp because I didn't want the wall fixture to appear as part of the group. Placed this way, the grouping also hangs more toward the center of the room which is most pleasing when this wall is viewed from adjacent rooms. Long explanation shortened: it just looks better that way!<br /><br /></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491322177708736114" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUYbSWNvnI/AAAAAAAAEOs/dfH5Q0tncKw/s400/sofawall+011fromstanding.jpg" /></div><div><br /><strong>See that light fixture on the wall up there? That's my solution to lighting over the corner of the sectional. I didn't want to place a table or a floor lamp behind/beside the sofa, so we mounted an old yard sale find on the wall. Its twin lives on the same wall at the other end of the room. Lit at the same time, they help fill the room with light when we have a crowd. This one lit by itself provides just the right light for reading (and blogging) when I'm tucked up into the corner of the sofa.</strong><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491322219408444578" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TDUYdtsMzKI/AAAAAAAAEPM/B9L6LbaMDvY/s400/sofawall+003+500woverview.jpg" /><br /><strong>Gallery and salon style arrangements are not new to my house. I've always enjoyed massing art and objects together—sometimes a little too much. Sometimes to the point that I tire right away of the visual "clutter" and have to take everything down and start over. More than once on the same day I put it all up! This wall though seems quieter to me than other arrangements I've put together. That it's been up for almost a week and not one thing about it "bothers" me when I pass through this room tells me that it might be here to stay a while. At least I hope so. I have too many other unfinished projects to attend to. . .</strong></div></div></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-17787951805774311612010-06-28T01:50:00.000-07:002010-06-27T14:45:05.853-07:00The Softer Side of Outdoor Decor<strong>"Mom. Look at this picture."</strong><br /><div></div><br /><div><em><strong>"Oh! Look how cute you all are! Where is this? Santa Cruz?"</strong></em><br /></div><div></div><br /><div><strong>"Yeah. We were walking down to the beach."</strong></div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 384px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487482896222979234" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd0nsRnBKI/AAAAAAAAEK4/VZQLGHcL3y0/s400/knittedtreecropped.jpg" /> <div></div><br /><div><em><strong>"You have such a beautiful smile. I wish you'd stand up straight though."</strong></em></div><div></div><br /><div><strong>"Mom. Stop it. Didn't you notice the tree?"</strong></div><div></div><br /><div><em><strong>"What? Oh! Why is that there?"</strong></em></div><div></div><br /><div><strong>"Somebody just did it. Isn't it cool? It's called 'urban knitting'. Here, look at these..."</strong></div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd7Fm0sxfI/AAAAAAAAELg/0DeR3QRwOmQ/s1600/knittree.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 312px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487490007225386482" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd7Fm0sxfI/AAAAAAAAELg/0DeR3QRwOmQ/s400/knittree.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd7E77H4NI/AAAAAAAAELY/QY5tDeVxfl4/s1600/knitpole.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 324px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487489995709604050" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd7E77H4NI/AAAAAAAAELY/QY5tDeVxfl4/s400/knitpole.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd7Etk8toI/AAAAAAAAELQ/o6qprtQlLB4/s1600/knitlink.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 368px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 302px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487489991858501250" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd7Etk8toI/AAAAAAAAELQ/o6qprtQlLB4/s400/knitlink.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd7EQv55KI/AAAAAAAAELI/SRcQeZ4BjVQ/s1600/knitphone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 278px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487489984119825570" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd7EQv55KI/AAAAAAAAELI/SRcQeZ4BjVQ/s400/knitphone.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd7ECO939I/AAAAAAAAELA/R9ianbXvnqs/s1600/knitstation.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487489980223578066" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCd7ECO939I/AAAAAAAAELA/R9ianbXvnqs/s400/knitstation.jpg" /></a><br /><em><strong>"Wow. That's, um, very interesting. They do that without permission? Like tagging? I guess it's better than spray-painted graffitti. Will it hurt the trees?"</strong></em></div><div><strong><em></em></strong></div><br /><div><strong>"Oh my god, Mom. No, I don't think so. It's just supposed to be pretty."</strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div><strong><em>"Well, it is that. Where did you find these?"</em></strong></div><em><strong></strong></em></div><em><strong></strong></em></div><div><em><strong></strong></em></div><br /><div><strong>"<a href="http://deputy-dog.com/2008/11/urban-knitting-worlds-most-inoffensive.html"><span style="color:#339999;">Here</span></a>. And <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/12/04/knitting.irpt/index.html"><span style="color:#999900;">here</span></a>."</strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div><strong><em>"Can I blog this? Can I use your picture?"</em></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div><strong>"Sure."</div></strong><br /><div><strong></div></strong>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-24837470030421824622010-06-24T23:20:00.000-07:002010-06-25T12:40:28.508-07:00Crazy Daze of SummerChaos still reigns at my house, this first week of summer being perhaps the busiest <a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/2010/05/this-womans-day.html"><span style="color:#339999;">since it all began</span></a>. I am working crazy long hours at a job that is ending. Ironic, no? College Girl is still here and has extended her stay by as many weeks as it takes for her future roommates to find them all a decent place to live. We've had a house guest. I've been on two job interviews. Met with a client to consult on her kitchen/family room remodel. Had lunch with a friend I hadn't seen in ages. And there's still one more day to go! And one too many cats in my house. I'm pretty sure he's on my dining room table as I type this. He'll head up the coast when College Girl goes. Her I'll miss; him, not so much. If it weren't for my husband keeping us fed and the kitchen clean, things would be much, much worse.<br /><br />So it was with great delight and a long sigh of relief that I happened upon these photos of a beach house that took me away for a much-needed imagination vacation..... My faux-cation begins with a stretch and a yawn as I wake in this quietly serene bedroom. A bit of vintage makes me feel right at home.<br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQ0_-aB-qI/AAAAAAAAEJk/MJu55Pbdveo/s1600/bates7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486568519732689570" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQ0_-aB-qI/AAAAAAAAEJk/MJu55Pbdveo/s400/bates7.jpg" /></a>I toddle out through the dining room in my jammies and bare feet—the better to fully enjoy that cool blue floor— <p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486590490402534818" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCRI-1h6taI/AAAAAAAAEJs/cIVFjm8LxA0/s400/bates.jpg" /> and into the kitchen to pour myself a giant cup of whatever the staff has prepared for me today. Vanilla latte and carrot spice muffins? It must be Thursday.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQzFhuBg-I/AAAAAAAAEJc/Mw7lEaZsec4/s1600/bates2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486566416087876578" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQzFhuBg-I/AAAAAAAAEJc/Mw7lEaZsec4/s400/bates2.jpg" /></a> I take my breakfast into the sun-filled living room. Love that glossy ceiling and the way it bounces the morning light all around. Makes reading my requisite trashy novels so much easier.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQzFaD5lNI/AAAAAAAAEJU/Gc8ykYrP0i8/s1600/bates3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 313px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486566414032147666" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQzFaD5lNI/AAAAAAAAEJU/Gc8ykYrP0i8/s400/bates3.jpg" /></a>My plans for the day include alternating walks on the beach with naps on this lovely private patio. While I have no intentions to play chess—a vacation is for resting my brain, not hurting it— I'll be quite happy to simply contemplate this unique "board". The quiet colors and lush greenery have such a calming effect on me that <em>zzzzzzzzzzz</em> <div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQzExs1mpI/AAAAAAAAEJM/5ltH6gWGY-U/s1600/bates4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486566403197999762" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQzExs1mpI/AAAAAAAAEJM/5ltH6gWGY-U/s400/bates4.jpg" /></a> </div><div>Sorry, I dozed off! Excuse me while I duck into the bath to splash some cool water on my tanned, relaxed face. I'll only be a few minutes and then we can stroll into town for drinks and dinner. Thanks so much for driving out to join me!</div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQzErtqmJI/AAAAAAAAEJE/SPmuUFbVygc/s1600/bates5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486566401590859922" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQzErtqmJI/AAAAAAAAEJE/SPmuUFbVygc/s400/bates5.jpg" /></a>When we return to the cottage and it's time to tuck in for the night, I'm sure you'll enjoy the cozy guest room. Don't you love those twin headboards? I myself am inspired to bring this idea to College Girl's room re-do. After she leaves of course. No bad cats allowed on those beautiful beds.</div><div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQzEB9FUPI/AAAAAAAAEI8/WA4ISynyK2E/s1600/bates6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486566390381236466" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCQzEB9FUPI/AAAAAAAAEI8/WA4ISynyK2E/s400/bates6.jpg" /></a><br />As much as I love my home full of color and pattern, a house full of white and quiet looks like heaven to me right now. Unfortunately, this is not a beach rental but the Fire Island getaway of one Alex Bates, creative director at West Elm. As seen in the June issue of Country Living magazine. And in my dream vacation dreams.<br /><div></div><p align="center"><a href="http://theinspiredroom.net/2010/06/24/sunshine-inside-and-out/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wordpress%2FwoWq+%28The+Inspired+Room%29"><img border="0" alt="Inspired By Fridays at The Inspired Room" src="http://theinspiredroom.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/InsByFributton.png" width="125" height="125" /></a></p></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-38158044898951893492010-06-22T01:29:00.000-07:002010-06-22T07:55:21.505-07:00Pretty Things from the Sea<div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCA5vGWM89I/AAAAAAAAEHM/-93-kzid8B8/s1600/awemermaidvase.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 261px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485447827457635282" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCA5vGWM89I/AAAAAAAAEHM/-93-kzid8B8/s400/awemermaidvase.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>I spied these unique, sea-inspired accessories in a catalog that I had never seen before and was intrigued enough to share them with you.</strong></div><div align="center"><strong></strong><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCA5tfVPUeI/AAAAAAAAEGs/_azVjiKCW30/s1600/awesurfoilpainting.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 353px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485447799804744162" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCA5tfVPUeI/AAAAAAAAEGs/_azVjiKCW30/s400/awesurfoilpainting.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCA5uqXE1_I/AAAAAAAAEG8/f8B7hKQYK1Q/s1600/awesittingmermaid.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485447819945105394" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCA5uqXE1_I/AAAAAAAAEG8/f8B7hKQYK1Q/s400/awesittingmermaid.jpg" /></a><strong> </strong><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCA5u-hh0MI/AAAAAAAAEHE/Wwj2f_SSM5c/s1600/aweseahorses.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485447825357656258" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCA5u-hh0MI/AAAAAAAAEHE/Wwj2f_SSM5c/s400/aweseahorses.jpg" /></a><strong> </strong><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCA5t4ukpmI/AAAAAAAAEG0/EZoUBvOEm0E/s1600/awepaperfish.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485447806621886050" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TCA5t4ukpmI/AAAAAAAAEG0/EZoUBvOEm0E/s400/awepaperfish.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>What do you think? Sea anything you like?</strong><br /><br /><div align="center"><strong><a href="http://atwestend.com/atthebeach.aspx"><span style="color:#339999;">atwestend.com</span></a></strong> </div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-80124498083452577992010-06-18T01:57:00.000-07:002010-06-17T22:55:30.912-07:00Summer-Fresh Fish Shacks<strong>Last year, on the Friday before Father's Day, I wrote <a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/2009/06/comfort-food-friday.html"><span style="color:#339999;">this post</span></a> about my husband's Father's Day tradition: he treats himself and his dad to a big ol' pile of the fresh New England seafoods they love—as good Massachusetts boys do—and miss so much now that they are both left coasters. This pic is from that post about a favorite comfort food</strong>:<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 246px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483932662295892082" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrXs4RPEHI/AAAAAAAAEFM/XG_gP0O3uGE/s400/swan+river+fish+market.jpg" /> <div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">[SWAN RIVER FISH MARKET, DENNISPORT, MA]</span></div><p><strong>Because it's "clams on a plane" time again—they may well be flying over the middle of America right now actually—I thought I might write another post featuring the charming seafood shacks that dot the east coast. Luckily, someone else had the same idea way ahead of me. Only, instead of writing about such establishments on a little bitty blog that hardly anyone reads, smart seafood lover Elizabeth Bougerol went and published an entire book that everyone can read, keep on their bookshelves and carry along when they travel (that's what I plan to do anyway).</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p align="center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/35049737@N00/sets/72057594125744437/"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 398px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483933120050340802" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrYHhiZo8I/AAAAAAAAEFU/JQHRMIAN3ls/s400/seafoodshacks.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">[CLICK THE PIC TO SEE MORE IMAGES FROM THE BOOK]</span></p><strong>Now, I am not a fan of the clam or the lobster<em>,</em> but I do love a basket of fresh fish and chips. And, I swear, the best fish and chips I have ever eaten were at Moby Dick's.</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483935117992498946" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrZ70c7lwI/AAAAAAAAEFc/mHsBw3jL_NA/s400/seafoodshacksmobydicks.jpg" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">[MOBY DICK'S, WELLFLEET, MA]</span><br /></p><p align="left"><strong>One day, I'll go back and prove to myself that I am correct about their crispy, battered fish being the very best ever and that I didn't just imagine it because we were having such a great time stuffing ourselves with all the seafood we could find on that particular trip. To be certain that I'm right, I think I should visit all of these other places in the book and sample their fish and chips too. In the name of scientific research, of course.</strong><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrbAFm4isI/AAAAAAAAEGk/uOQn3UyFOzU/s1600/seafoodshacksprovincetown.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 354px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483936290828749506" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrbAFm4isI/AAAAAAAAEGk/uOQn3UyFOzU/s400/seafoodshacksprovincetown.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">[LOBSTER POT, PROVINCETOWN, MA]</span> </p><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBra_ypcURI/AAAAAAAAEGc/_nJzyWA_nLk/s1600/seafoodshacks11.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483936285739208978" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBra_ypcURI/AAAAAAAAEGc/_nJzyWA_nLk/s400/seafoodshacks11.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">[WESTFAIR FISH & CHIPS, WESTPORT, CT]</span><br /></p><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBra_Iz7N_I/AAAAAAAAEGM/-mvy6p2vWcQ/s1600/seafoodshacks9.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483936274508888050" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBra_Iz7N_I/AAAAAAAAEGM/-mvy6p2vWcQ/s400/seafoodshacks9.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> [LENA'S SEAFOOD, SALISBURY, MA]<br /></span><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBra-ri1zNI/AAAAAAAAEGE/PT8Sz4uBRcI/s1600/seafoodshacks7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483936266652601554" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBra-ri1zNI/AAAAAAAAEGE/PT8Sz4uBRcI/s400/seafoodshacks7.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">[CAP'T CASS ROCK HARBOR SEAFOOD, ORLEANS, MA]</span><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrZ9DfNm7I/AAAAAAAAEF8/Nlcr4E-5TDA/s1600/seafoodshacks6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483935139208469426" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrZ9DfNm7I/AAAAAAAAEF8/Nlcr4E-5TDA/s400/seafoodshacks6.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">[CINDY'S, FREEPORT, ME]</span><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrZ8zNW4xI/AAAAAAAAEF0/JLJOgQ0xpEE/s1600/seafoodshacks5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 358px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483935134838612754" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrZ8zNW4xI/AAAAAAAAEF0/JLJOgQ0xpEE/s400/seafoodshacks5.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">[CLAM CASTLE, MADISON, CT]</span><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 338px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483935127328130050" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrZ8XOuBAI/AAAAAAAAEFk/FjMFCx8H830/s400/seafoodshacks2.jpg" /></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">[THE PLACE, GUILFORD, CT]</span></div><div><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrZ8vRJb8I/AAAAAAAAEFs/ISuOJQEosE8/s1600/seafoodshacks3.jpg"></a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 357px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483935133780766658" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBrZ8vRJb8I/AAAAAAAAEFs/ISuOJQEosE8/s400/seafoodshacks3.jpg" /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">[ROY MOORE LOBSTER, ROCKPORT, MA]<br /></span></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left"><strong>Summer is upon us. Time to get out for some fresh air and even fresher seafood. Have a lovely weekend and say Happy Father's Day to your dad for me! Mine was just here and is on his way back to New Mexico tonight. No fish shacks there, though I'm sure he wishes there were.</strong><br /></div><div align="center"><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-72062426362457319572010-06-14T01:23:00.000-07:002010-07-01T15:09:44.882-07:00How the Navy Introduced Me to Designer Lee Ann Thornton<strong>While researching my last post, looking for images of <a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-navy.html"><span style="color:#339999;">Navy chairs</span></a>, I discovered this kitchen nook designed by Greenwich Connecticut-based designer Lee Ann Thornton.<br /></strong><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482403869929518130" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVpRc5gNDI/AAAAAAAAEDU/kjoTfrI1J8Y/s400/latbrkfstnook.jpg" /></div><br /><strong>I also discovered that I love her aesthetic and affinity for mixing patterns, textures and styles. Check out the disparate pairings in this small corner alone: distressed table surrounded by mid-century chairs and a vintage-inspired bench dressed with a tailored, contrast piping cushion topped by crisp pillows in contemporary patterns and colors. Add one gorgeous pendant light, a modern botanical and the warm textures of a woven blind and wood flooring and yes, please, I'll move in right now.</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482414458482282946" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVy5yVNUcI/AAAAAAAAEE8/96iX4K-aU_U/s400/latkitchenbench.jpg" /><br /><strong>And—<em>what luck!—</em>look at the kitchen that comes</strong> <strong>with the nook. The perfect mix of vintage and contemporary (pressed ceiling + modern stools), cool and warm (fresh green walls + deep brown floors), clean lines and textural details (crisp white cabinets and expanses of marble + woven blinds and baskets). And is that a mud room I spy through the door? If there is also a walk-in pantry somewhere nearby (there has to be, right?), then this is most definitely my idea of kitchen heaven.</strong><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVpT56hldI/AAAAAAAAEDs/Ut_dCqvXl_E/s1600/latkitchen.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482403912078169554" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVpT56hldI/AAAAAAAAEDs/Ut_dCqvXl_E/s400/latkitchen.jpg" /></a><br /></div><strong>More of the same heavenly mix in this seating area. Can you find all of the elements I've already mentioned in this single shot? They're all there.<br /></strong><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482405049570809842" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVqWHZ51_I/AAAAAAAAEEM/t--V3aJrnO4/s400/latzebrastool.jpg" /></div><br /><strong>In fact, it seems that every one of Lee Ann Thornton's designs incorporates the same elements even when the look is decidedly different. Here, a living room in soft blues, neutrals and bits of the sea and chinoiserie.</strong><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482403878683701314" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVpR9gqcEI/AAAAAAAAEDc/VFyRQh_k8C0/s400/latendtable.jpg" /> </div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482405021921966050" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVqUgZ59-I/AAAAAAAAED0/c25xJVyLPus/s400/latlivingrm.jpg" /><br /><strong>Another living space in periwinkle and white with hits of chocolate, a tropical touch of seagrass and bamboo, and an unexpected zebra or three.<br /></strong><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 318px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482414449191356706" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVy5PuFCSI/AAAAAAAAEEs/ON39Fh2ZJFA/s400/latzebrachairs.jpg" /><br /><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482405036075243026" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVqVVIT1hI/AAAAAAAAED8/naimDURKj84/s400/latwhitesofa.jpg" /><br /><strong>And here, the boldest, brightest pattern-mixing-est room of them all: a casual family space in summery, sea-worthy blues and whites.</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482414457824492546" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVy5v4YPAI/AAAAAAAAEE0/zTak99sR4gI/s400/latcoffeetable.jpg" /><br /><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482403863758088610" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVpRF6HqaI/AAAAAAAAEDM/6DILJy7lbg0/s400/latbluesofa.jpg" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482403879650969938" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVpSBHRyVI/AAAAAAAAEDk/bnkh7Y5nhBY/s400/latgametable.jpg" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 319px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482414463800504322" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TBVy6GJK8AI/AAAAAAAAEFE/DMWX9xjHNxY/s400/latpatternedrug.jpg" /><br /><strong>To see a bit more (honestly, I've stolen—um, <em>borrowed—</em>more of her images than I probably should have), visit <a href="http://leeannthornton.com/about.html"><span style="color:#339999;">Thornton Designs here</span></a>. There is also a lovely interview with the designer <a href="http://www.fairfieldcountylook.com/design.php"><span style="color:#339999;">here</span></a>. I am so impressed with and inspired by the designs of Lee Ann Thornton... and so happy that the Navy sent me her way.</strong></div><div><strong><br /></strong><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-76941755049101475862010-06-02T23:00:00.000-07:002010-06-03T07:39:16.505-07:00The New Navy<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 354px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478270885874492882" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAa6WHfp5dI/AAAAAAAAECs/RpyGNZZNPIs/s400/navychairdwrad.jpg" /> <strong>In 1944, the Electric Machinery and Equipment Company (Emeco) and the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) collaborated with US Navy engineers to design a seaworthy chair for military use.</strong><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478214592418706450" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAaHJaB6dBI/AAAAAAAAEAs/crpxqcFlp8A/s400/navychairbrkfstnookctryliving.jpg" /> <div><strong>The resulting 1006 chair—pronounced "ten oh six"— became a staple on Navy destroyers and submarines. Its seamless construction of corrosion-resistant, lightweight aluminum made it uniquely durable, easily portable and virtually maintenance-free.<br /></strong><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 337px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478238448459553986" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAac2AtRnMI/AAAAAAAAECU/pLdKpfyD5Ag/s400/navychairsaarinentable.jpg" /> <strong>The originals were produced in Emeco’s Hanover, PA workshops and they are still made there today—offspring of the perfect marriage between American ingenuity and craftsmanship.<br /></strong><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478214586692296386" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAaHJEsoXsI/AAAAAAAAEAk/1d6ksV2lFHY/s400/navychairbrkfstleeannthornton.jpg" /><strong>The sturdy little chairs soon found themselves on land as well as at sea. First, they moved onto military bases and then into civilian offices.</strong><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478215251631056834" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAaHvxyYp8I/AAAAAAAAEA8/qPmufEEkgjs/s400/navychairmismatcheddining.jpg" /><strong>Over the years, as Navy chairs were retired from military use, they began to appear in surplus and resale stores and flea markets across the country.<br /></strong><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478238444856312418" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAac1zSMgmI/AAAAAAAAECM/AQVzXmzy4ss/s400/navychairmodernkitchen.jpg" /><strong>Perhaps they were, at first, an inexpensive alternative to chairs found in traditional furniture stores, or a way to get a deliberately funky look, but their timeless charm won out. 1006 and similar Navy-inspired chairs can now be seen in even the most stylish, upscale homes.</strong></div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 293px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478214577224589442" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAaHIhbWoII/AAAAAAAAEAc/bseI07JEll4/s400/navychairbarstools.jpg" /> <div></div><div><strong>Their clean lines and casual style allow them to fit into country, modern, eclectic and contemporary spaces. They are most often seen in kitchens and dining areas where their durability and ease of maintenance make them an excellent choice for busy families.</strong></div><div></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 335px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478238437027865554" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAac1WHv49I/AAAAAAAAECE/0OoAub5kusc/s400/navychairkfcflagship.jpg" /><strong>Occasionally, you will spot a 1006—or a few dozen—out in public. The chairs above were photographed in Louisville, KY at a fancy flagship KFC. Below, you see a testament to their ability to span styles and cultures: American-designed and manufactured Navy chairs in a Vietnamese restaurant in London.</strong><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478215257322134978" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAaHwG_PncI/AAAAAAAAEBE/v3SJi_tAAk0/s400/navychairvietnamesecafeinlondon.jpg" /> </div><div></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong>If you can't find the real thing, like this vintage 1006 I found on <a href="http://www.annesage.com/blog/2008/12/photographer-lust-jason-loucas.html"><span style="color:#339999;">The City Sage blog</span></a>,</strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 315px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478238459415301170" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAac2phVDDI/AAAAAAAAECc/m9nfM-O3EDM/s400/navychairvintagethecitysage.bmp" /><strong>affordable alternatives are out there. Target sells their <a href="http://www.target.com/Cafe-Aluminum-Side-Chair-Set/dp/B0002VISEC"><span style="color:#339999;">Cafe Aluminum Side Chairs</span></a> in pairs for $246.99.</strong><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 234px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478272982825509122" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAa8QLPvIQI/AAAAAAAAEDE/JYZllXcClMc/s400/navychairtarget.jpg" /></div><div></div><div><strong>At Stack Chair Depot, the </strong><a href="http://stackchairdepot.com/merchant2/mv_oceanicSide.html"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Oceanic Side Chair</strong></span></a><strong> is only $95.00. Counter- and bar-height stools are also available at $115 and $125 respectively. While the styling of these two versions are similar to the original, I wouldn't expect their construction to be of the same quality. Proceed with "buyer beware" caution.</strong></div><div></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 258px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478270894460303122" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAa6Wneq9xI/AAAAAAAAEC0/8_qWQnALP3M/s400/navychairstackchairdepot.jpg" /></div><div></div><div><strong>A faithful reproduction of the original, the </strong><a href="http://www.allmodern.com/Emeco-1104-EMO1074.html?cv=3"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Emeco Navy Chair</strong></span></a><strong> with wood seats in two finishes can be found at allmodern.com.</strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 269px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478217038663933010" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAaJXzAOXFI/AAAAAAAAEBc/OJSJuaDgsgs/s400/navychairwoodseatsemeco.jpg" /><strong>For hard-core design aficionados who want only the best and most authentic, Design Within Reach offers the Emeco Classic reinvented by Phillipe Starck (top of this post). The </strong><a href="http://www.dwr.com/product/1006-navy-side-chair-brushed.do"><strong><span style="color:#339999;">1006 Navy Side Chair</span></strong></a><strong> is the real deal, made to the same exacting standards as the originals.<br /></strong><br /><div><strong>Featured in the current DWR catalog is the newest member of the Navy Chair family which made its debut only a few weeks ago.</strong><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 252px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478270883070055938" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAa6V9DBlgI/AAAAAAAAECk/YzbjF4M2Se8/s400/navychaircokebottle.bmp" /></div><div><div><div><div><div><strong>The <a href="http://www.dwr.com/category/new/111-navy-chair.do"><span style="color:#339999;">111 Navy Chair</span></a> is made from recycled plastic coke bottles—111 of them—and is available in six fun colors. A collaboration between Emeco and Coca-Cola, this little chair, if sales progress as DWR believes they will, is expected to keep three million plastic Coke bottles out of landfills each year.<br /></strong><div><div><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 345px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478215250869458674" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAaHvu8zlvI/AAAAAAAAEA0/4A1_DuyRV-E/s400/navychairdwr111.jpg" /><strong>What brought on my sudden interest in Navy chairs? Well, I've always been aware of them, but when I received the new DWR catalog, I was really taken with what a great idea the 111 chair is. To the point that I walked around my house trying to picture one somewhere (the jury's still out on that decision). And then, on Saturday, I saw <em>South Pacific</em> on stage at The Ahmanson. Navy guys and gals dancing and singing up a tropical storm - if this current tour comes to a theater near you, <em>go! -</em> and whenever the set changed to The Island Commander's Office, there they were: aluminum Navy chairs at each desk. Ok, so I'm aware that this tiny detail may have totally escaped most people and really has nothing at all to do with the greatness that is this show, but it appears that I simply had Navy chairs on the brain. Or maybe it was one of those moments when, instead of watching the characters in a play or a movie, I'm busy studying the wallpaper behind them. Don't judge me, I can't help myself.<em><br /></em></strong><div><a href="http://www.centertheatregroup.org/tickets/productiondetail.aspx?id=9696"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 457px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478214568410448802" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TAaHIAl5g6I/AAAAAAAAEAU/kGZpUOJIHK0/s400/south-pacific-703996.jpg" /></em></a><em><br /></em><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Click on the image above and you'll be treated to musical highlights, interesting commentary, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of a Navy chair on stage<em> plus,</em> for all you Gleeks out there, glimpses of a sometimes shirtless Matthew Morrison/Mr. Schuester who starred as Lieutenant Cable in the 2008 Lincoln Center production of the show.<em> You're welcome!</em></span><em><br /></em></strong><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-8192924182212891542010-05-28T18:18:00.000-07:002010-05-29T16:10:53.625-07:00May Flowers, Green Weekend<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473801840594862706" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S_bZxceJQnI/AAAAAAAAD-U/Ar0pmFpNe-A/s400/lilywildlifearchives.com" /><br /><strong>The delicate, sweetly-fragranced lily of the valley is the traditional birthday flower for those of us born in the month of May. Its botanical name, <em>majalis</em>, even means "that which belongs to May". A symbol of spring and rebirth, bunches of these tiny flowers are sold in the streets of France on May Day (May 1st). In the language of flowers used by florists and wedding planners, common meanings for this lily include "return to happiness", "purity of heart", "sweetness" and "you've made my life complete". I have a card hanging in my office that my husband gave me years ago. On the cover is a beautiful bouquet of lilies of the valley. I think he was telling me—however unwittingly—that I make his life complete! (<em>Right, Honey?)</em></strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 370px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476476971563960946" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TABayj6tSnI/AAAAAAAAEAM/ViWQRaJhL2w/s400/lilybouquet.jpg" /><br /><strong>The legend of the lily of the valley's origins is that it sprang from Eve's tears when she was sent out of</strong> <strong>the Garden of Eden. It is in some places believed that this flower protects gardens from evil spirits, and in Ireland, the plant is known as "fairy ladders" because</strong> <strong>of the way the bell-shaped flowers hang down from the stem like stair steps. I also think the flowers would make excellent fairy hats. This particular lily is a woodland plant native throughout the cool temperature regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe and the Eastern US. They would never survive here in the arid foothills of Southern California. I wouldn't be surprised though if some intrepid botanist has designed a hybrid I don't know about. If so, even I could have my very own fairy garden. Do you have these little pretties in your garden?</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 283px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473801825268101874" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S_bZwjX9cvI/AAAAAAAAD-E/BhffkceFOHY/s400/lilyausgardener.com" /><br /><strong>While writing this post, the white flowers and green foliage in the pics above reminded me of the following scenes from the latest <a href="http://www.dwr.com/"><span style="color:#339999;">Design Within Reach</span></a> catalog. . .</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 325px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476474237420216882" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TABYTacCojI/AAAAAAAAD_0/8YzMSbyYdTI/s400/dwrdesertlounge.jpg" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 321px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476474228314316466" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TABYS4hBnrI/AAAAAAAAD_s/9VjsvR8nGlk/s400/dwradirondackdock.jpg" /> <div><div><div><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 288px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476466516074197810" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TABRR-LsczI/AAAAAAAAD_c/nHZ5ojafl6U/s400/dwraldenoutdoor.jpg" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 315px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476475073881718002" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/TABZEGgAPPI/AAAAAAAAEAE/j0Hc7EjjNL0/s400/dwrdesertpatio.jpg" /><br /><strong>. . .white lawn chairs on cool green grass, dockside Adirondacks, crisp green upholstery on a patio overlooking the ocean, grassy green tableware under a wide white umbrella. . . all images of terrific ways to spend any part of this long holiday weekend—a "return to happiness" for those who've waited patiently for summer to officially begin.</strong></div><strong></strong></div><strong></strong></div><strong></strong></div><strong></strong></div><div align="center"><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Happy Birthday </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">to all of you May babies out there!</span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">And </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Happy Weekend </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">to us all!!</span></strong></div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="left">This post marks the last in my "flower of the month" series—which means I've been writing this blog for an entire year now! They've been fun for me and I hope you've enjoyed them too. To review the entire year in flowers, <a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/search/label/flower%20of%20the%20month"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>click here</strong></span></a>.</div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-23623817918516160722010-05-19T01:15:00.000-07:002010-05-18T21:18:24.767-07:00This Woman's Day<strong>I wish I was having this woman's day. Warmed by the sun, cooled by the ocean breeze. Deeply engrossed in a compelling story. Free to put the book down and simply sit and watch the sailboats dance by. Secure in the knowledge that my ample thighs have been given a makeover of such artful, glowing brushstrokes that I am beautiful to behold. These thoughts confirmed by my companion as he returns from the cabana bar with tall drinks for two and a wink just for me.</strong><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-woh3tK6TI/AAAAAAAAD5s/S-qtr1NXH3A/s1600/womanmariefoxdailypainters.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 298px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470792209702512946" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-woh3tK6TI/AAAAAAAAD5s/S-qtr1NXH3A/s400/womanmariefoxdailypainters.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>I wish I was having this woman's day. While strolling down this lakeside path, having all the time I could possibly need to enjoy the beauty all around me, I decide to take a nap on the cool, lush grass. Wouldn't you? I shade my porcelain skin with my parasol and listen to the leaves rustle, the birds sing. I think deep thoughts like "hey, that cloud looks like an adorable baby bunny" until I drift off to sleep the sleep of a carefree child. Blissfully unaware that there is anything wrong in my world.</strong><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-wohu3q5hI/AAAAAAAAD5k/7JI5H-WLMCc/s1600/womanedwardcucuel.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 342px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470792207330633234" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-wohu3q5hI/AAAAAAAAD5k/7JI5H-WLMCc/s400/womanedwardcucuel.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>I wish I was having this woman's day. Or, perhaps, the day she has already had. For hours, she busied herself with creative pursuits and was satisfyingly rewarded for her efforts. Now, it is evening and she is simply waiting. For her love. For her children. For whomever it is that pleases her most to come into her beautiful room and share with her the stories of their own productive day. With nothing pressing weighing on her mind, she will give them her full attention and thoroughly enjoy their company.</strong><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-wohXSUIqI/AAAAAAAAD5c/sBCoKAIhlTY/s1600/womanjohnmalercollier.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470792200999936674" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-wohXSUIqI/AAAAAAAAD5c/sBCoKAIhlTY/s400/womanjohnmalercollier.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>Instead, I am having this woman's day. A very long string of them actually. Fragmented. Disjointed. Pulled in several directions, not sure which way to turn first. Trying to get too many unpleasant things done from a very uncomfortable chair. I really wish I had paid more attention to my hair and wardrobe just in case someone sees me here, shoulder-deep in paperwork and unexpected complications. It wouldn't have made any difference though because, look, someone has made me wear a hat. I hate hats.</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 263px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470847732813310802" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-xbBvaWq1I/AAAAAAAAD58/8WX0NbXhB8k/s400/womanpicassocropped.jpg" /><br />Lots going on right now, Friends. Some of it pleasant and welcome, much of it disconcerting and chaotic. <a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/2010/01/luxuries-large-and-small.html"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Daughter</strong></span></a> is home for a few months til she heads up north to a new college, a household's-worth of stuff and one <a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-decorate-with-cats.html"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>naughty cat</strong></span></a> in tow. New projects in various stages of incomplete, both for our own home and <a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/2010/05/behind-your-books-looks.html"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>a client's</strong></span></a>. The middle of a project—the part where everything's undone and messy—always makes me feel unsettled. And yet, I have no time to finish what I've started in my own house because of client work (good) and changes in my "day job" (not so good). The day job is more demanding than usual right now because the contract I've worked under for fifteen years has come to an end. Much longer work hours are required from me each week until all accounts have been audited and closed. How long will that take? 30 days? Sixty? More? And then what? <strong><em>Tracy needs a new job, that's what.</em></strong> I'd love to leave the world of claims and codes and insurance companies behind and move forward into something creative again. That's been the plan all along—work at home til daughter grows up and out then find a home and design related job that allows for part-time decorating work. Great plan, bad timing. Our current economy might make this process more difficult than I imagined but still, I'm looking forward to seeing what's out there for me. Stepping into the unknown is scary for sure, but exhilarating at the same time, right? That's what I keep telling myself anyway—<em>"This is so exciting, isn't it?!"—</em>a<em> </em>big hopeful grin masking my inner terror.</div><div></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong>To my readers who are bloggers, if I've been absent from your comments box recently, this is why. I've been visiting you, but my brain is simply too overloaded to form thoughtful, witty remarks. To everyone reading, at the risk of seeming selfish, I'd like to instead ask for <em>your</em> comments. Thoughts. Advice. Direction. <em>Help!</em> Where, in Southern California, on the eastern edge of LA County, can a 40-something woman with loads of professionalism, design acumen and an obsession with furnishings, fabrics and finishing touches earn a regular paycheck helping people turn their houses into homes during a shaky-but-slowly-recovering economy? Any suggestions? All are welcome.</strong></div><strong></strong></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Three lovely ladies by <a href="http://www.dailypainters.com/artists/artist_gallery/1319/Marie-Fox"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Marie Fox</strong></span></a>, <a href="http://gandalfsgallery.blogspot.com/2009/01/edward-cucuel-woman-reclining-by-lake.html"><span style="color:#cc6600;"><strong>Edward Cucuel</strong></span></a>, <a href="http://www.john-collier.org/Reclining-Woman.html"><span style="color:#009900;">John Maler Collier</span></a>, and one amazingly accurate portrait of me by Pablo Picassso.</span></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-31993688486557216462010-05-16T13:15:00.000-07:002010-05-16T15:31:57.851-07:00Books and Chairs : Two Great Things that Look Great Together<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-2m0DJwBLI/AAAAAAAAD7s/S5miX_X_Pvc/s1600/chairbookscntrylvng.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471212535454631090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-2m0DJwBLI/AAAAAAAAD7s/S5miX_X_Pvc/s400/chairbookscntrylvng.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><strong>Chairs. Love them.</strong><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471227138043186162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 244px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-20GCCKi_I/AAAAAAAAD8U/WiRD31javgc/s400/chairgustavianresized.jpg" border="0" /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><strong>Books. Can't live without them.</strong></div><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471211960750358210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-2mSmNkvsI/AAAAAAAAD7k/nBalO3eRBhU/s400/chairbooksphoneselinalakeflickr.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><strong>Put the two together in a beautifully styled photograph in your glossy book or magazine and you'll stop me in my tracks.</strong><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471226525078035986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 265px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-2ziWj4nhI/AAAAAAAAD8M/BZMKQeiJ0II/s400/chairgustavianwbooks.jpg" border="0" /></div></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><strong>I know. It's weird that I should have such an affinity for these images that I've torn more than a few from magazines and saved so many others to my photo files. I've also made note of several artists, kindred spirits perhaps, who have actually taken the time to <em>paint</em> books on chairs.</strong></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471211948823582642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-2mR5yAl7I/AAAAAAAAD7U/8yt1-E36iIQ/s400/chairwbooksgauguin.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><strong>Vincent Van Gogh painted his friend Paul </strong><a href="http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?page=3733&collection=1297&lang=en"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Gauguin's chair</strong></span></a><strong> in 1888 while they stayed together in the yellow house in Arles.</strong></p><p align="center"></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471211951778093282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 342px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 350px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-2mSEya2OI/AAAAAAAAD7c/5iOwDXB_Ibc/s400/chairbooksmairakalmansaulgallery.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><strong>Contemporary artist Maira Kalman painted a <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.saulgallery.com/chronicle/images/kalman/pursuit/kalman_chair%2520with%2520books.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.saulgallery.com/chronicle/kalman_further_illuminations.html&usg=__SOLf5z5N5uNXJnd0Izyy5gFn74w=&h=350&w=342&sz=59&hl=en&start=2&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=GrM9ni_k4UnogM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=117&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchair%2Bpainting%2Bkalman%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26rlz%3D1T4HPIA_enUS329US329%26tbs%3Disch:1"><span style="color:#339999;">chair with books</span></a> in her uniquely charming fashion. Perhaps this one is in <a href="http://www.mairakalman.com/elements.html"><span style="color:#339999;">her own book</span></a>. I would love to get my hands on a copy and find out for sure.</strong><br /></div><br /><div align="center"></div><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471216023569837106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 316px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-2p_FZOLDI/AAAAAAAAD78/d8JMcDOY0PQ/s400/chairbookscomfortbywordweaverartonetsy.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p align="center"><strong>WordWeaverArt, an etsy artist, titled this work <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/37605719/comfort-oil-painting-on-11-x-14-canvas"><span style="color:#339999;">"Comfort"</span></a> because it recalls the feeling aroused by the image on a cherished greeting card. Comfort. I imagine that's exactly what books and chairs are all about for me too.</strong><br /><br /><strong>My freakish obsession led to my own photographic efforts...</strong></p><p align="center"><strong></strong> </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471294189562104578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 359px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-3xE8aCCwI/AAAAAAAAD8s/TDA4TjnlhJM/s400/chairbooksflowerscropped.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><strong>What do you think?</strong><br /></div><div align="center"><strong>Should I see someone about this?</strong></div><p align="center"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Chair photos culled from unrecorded magazine sources except for the white chair draped in pretty scarves and equally pretty pink phone. That one I found on Flickr, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/selinalake/3793817377/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>here</strong></span></a>.</span><br /></p>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-80486559988620243152010-05-14T09:40:00.000-07:002010-05-15T13:17:27.930-07:00Other Ways to Decorate with Books<div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471159936289355570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-12-X_gNzI/AAAAAAAAD60/1-xBYXrFYz8/s400/eclecticentry.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><p align="center">In my last post about <a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/2010/05/behind-your-books-looks.html"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>backing your bookcase</strong></span></a>, you saw books in their natural environment. Lined up, stacked, contained and confined. That doesn't sound so great though, does it? If you love your books as much as I love mine, spread some of them around. Let them have some fun! These books, above and below, get to welcome your guests and roll around on a tea cart.<br /></p><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-juMf1N0rI/AAAAAAAAD4c/V2QIFnvklJY/s1600/booksonteacartbhg.com"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469883645912011442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-juMf1N0rI/AAAAAAAAD4c/V2QIFnvklJY/s400/booksonteacartbhg.com" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> [Better Homes & Gardens]<br /></span></div><br /><div align="center">These get to stack up with a bunch of their buddies on a pretty purple table. Notice how some are acting as risers to show off accessories and lend dimension to the tabletop display. Books, like dogs, are happiest when they have a job to do.<br /></div><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469883646713590642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 296px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-juMi0U83I/AAAAAAAAD4k/ie3ddqQzvkU/s400/booksunderconsole.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;">[Elle Decor]</span><br /></p><br /><p align="center">Here, a few carefully-coordinated volumes support a beautiful arrangement of flowers so that it's not overshadowed by the drama of the shell-framed mirror.</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471159919445245698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 225px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-129ZPjfwI/AAAAAAAAD6k/cLwrfUNJhiI/s400/lvk6.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">[Lynn Von Kersting via BH&G]</span></p><div align="center">Also in an important supporting role, the books on the left-hand bedside table lift the lamp to the same height as the one to the right. Think about this next time you use mismatched tables—or mismatched lamps—beside your bed or sofa. Keep your lampshades lined up. Books love to help.<br /></div><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470903850952611458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-yOEPxY1oI/AAAAAAAAD6M/G_gG2ttitq4/s400/bookselevatinglampsoliving.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;">[Southern Living]<br /></span><br />When you've run out of conventional storage space, as Joni did, pile your books on a table, stack them in baskets, add a collection of objects and your overflow becomes artful arrangement. No one needs to know that you've simply bought way too many books! </div><div align="center"></div><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471159909397719218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 301px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-128z0CaLI/AAAAAAAAD6c/AkVamQW5I2U/s400/bookscotedetexas.bmp" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;">[Cote de Texas]</span><br /><br />A single, beautiful book becomes art itself. Albertus Seba's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities, below, has been the center of attention on countless coffee tables. No doubt the other books are jealous, but some are just born to be stars.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471159927012820658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-1291bzhrI/AAAAAAAAD6s/hw2zL_cjDb4/s400/kwilkinsonviaokl.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">[Kendall Wilkinson via OKL]<br /></span><br />Other books enjoy being members of the ensemble. In this display, below, colorful books arranged facing forward on ledges take the place of artwork above the sofa.</p><p align="center"></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470423821178830770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 353px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 395px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-rZe1gy_7I/AAAAAAAAD5E/Uh3mw_tiwL8/s400/bookledgespb.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">[Pottery Barn]<br /></span></p><div align="center"><br />High above the sofa—and everything else!—these brave books line up on shelves built over the windows just for them. How will they ever get down? Your guess is as good as mine.<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470394019059854498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 279px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-q-YH977KI/AAAAAAAAD4s/IRSi197-oDM/s400/booksonhighshelvesviaapttherdavidandim.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">[Apartment Therapy]</span><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><span style="font-size:78%;"></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></p><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"></span>At the opposite end of the wall, way down at kid level, the books below are displayed on an old-fashioned plate rack, making them easy for little hands to grab at story time. Plus, their attractive covers make great art in your child's room.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470423826366331122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-rZfI1l-PI/AAAAAAAAD5M/Lj8cnbuLQLo/s400/booksonplaterack.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;">[Martha Stewart Living]</span></p><p align="center">All the way down on the floor now, a graduated stack of books becomes a table. This is the perfect job for those over-sized volumes that don't easily fit into bookcases. A tip: don't put much on top of that stack in the way of accessories. It's not the most stable surface after all. Do leave room for your cup of tea and a small plate so you can have a snack while curled up in the adjacent chair. Reading, of course, yet another book.</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470423812755391026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 357px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-rZeWIfgjI/AAAAAAAAD48/Lk7iQ_C7Pew/s400/booksastablerealsimple.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">[Real Simple]<br /></span><br />The ultimate in "books as decor"—a dedicated library. This one was created from an under-used dining room. A terrific idea, I think. On most days this room serves as reading, research and storage space. Then, imagine how cozy it would be to dine by candlelight among the textures and colors and countless stories contained within your collection of books.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470903845038733794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-yOD5vaOeI/AAAAAAAAD6E/VFJ5WDHki1I/s400/booksdiningrmcotlvng.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">[Cottage Living]</span><br /><br />If you're interested in learning more about decorating with books, here's a book named just that. I don't have this one myself, surprising considering how much I love both decorating <em>and</em> books. I have peeked into it at the bookstore, however, and it probably will come home with me sometime soon. Because you really can never have too many books. Even books <em>about</em> books.</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470423806789861938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-rZd_6MwjI/AAAAAAAAD40/_czusQazEVA/s400/booksbook.jpg" border="0" />Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-13841897572670719112010-05-12T01:50:00.000-07:002010-05-12T07:13:36.309-07:00Behind Your Books Looks<div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462331586432983026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S84Zox673_I/AAAAAAAADo0/bFLLTHYiCUU/s400/bookcaseblueinside.jpg" border="0" /><strong>I'm currently working with a client whose built-in, family room bookcases need a makeover. Her exisiting situation is something like the pic you see above. Warm golden wood, closed cabinets on the bottom, open shelves up top. She wishes to play down the large expanse of wood—the floor-to-ceiling bookcases fill more than 20 linear feet of wall space,</strong> <strong>wrapping from one wall around the corner and onto another. One of the options I suggested is to add color or pattern in the form of paint, fabric or paper to the backs of the cases.</strong><br /><br /><p align="center"><strong>As I began collecting images, I found most examples of this treatment used on white or painted cabinets, far fewer on stained wood cases. Still, there seems to be an endless array of choices, for both contemporary and traditional spaces. From every color of the rainbow in paint...</strong><br /></p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467507752818425202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 358px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-B9VUVvvXI/AAAAAAAAD2E/EN9QOZPzcew/s400/bookcaserealsimple.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467059967814813506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S97mEzNcR0I/AAAAAAAADzs/Kr5WnrMNiiU/s400/bookcasebluemsl.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467503900778620818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-B51GX455I/AAAAAAAAD1s/9wlytdCZn10/s400/bookcasegrey.bmp" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467503910413103730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 310px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-B51qQ7cnI/AAAAAAAAD10/RmyLp4qz36g/s400/bookcasegreen.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467500600427015618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-B20_mv7cI/AAAAAAAAD1k/8Y9UYJF1Zj0/s400/bookcaseyellowpaint.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467059994852779074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 302px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S97mGX7y5EI/AAAAAAAAD0E/chCX3uUjRaQ/s400/bookcasepaintyellow.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466780124396355458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S93njxPPf4I/AAAAAAAADys/pt94gu6JUsA/s400/bookcaseorangemsl.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467523906031427698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-CMBjv1oHI/AAAAAAAAD2M/OLS2Op1LBa4/s400/bookcaseorangesoliving.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467819112049619010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 313px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-GYgz3PMEI/AAAAAAAAD2U/Whf7tf1bscs/s400/bookcasebackjasonbellviahb.jpg" border="0" /> <strong>...including chalkboard paint behind shelves in a kitchen...</strong></div><br /><div align="center"><strong></strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467059972809346626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 395px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S97mFF0OzkI/AAAAAAAADz0/Lrlh2QWzz0I/s400/bookcasechalkboard.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><strong>...to fabrics and papers ranging from subtle and softspoken...</strong></div><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462331599293606754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S84Zph1Ja2I/AAAAAAAADpE/3iqAo15wNb4/s400/bookcasemrslimestonepapered.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462331615052871778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 313px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S84ZqcicuGI/AAAAAAAADpU/xHIqvixsGfk/s400/bookcasepinkpaper.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467488040128454130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 315px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-BrZ42NnfI/AAAAAAAAD00/iUaLyYe7uDc/s400/bookcasebar.bmp" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466780135730519922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 381px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S93nkbdhH3I/AAAAAAAADy0/b3CM9yB1vDY/s400/bookcasesoaccents.jpg" border="0" /> <strong>...to bold and bright.</strong><br /><div align="center"><strong></strong></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466780117632331330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 307px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S93njYCkrkI/AAAAAAAADyk/OOA5TTpmSCM/s400/bookcasekitchencabscanhse%26hm.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467488908697407794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 370px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-BsMchMETI/AAAAAAAAD08/tJbuEIGikSI/s400/bookcasemultifloral.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466780115412917810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 271px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S93njPxbHjI/AAAAAAAADyc/zn9smgLucxQ/s400/bookcaseboldpaper.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><strong>Some were clad in multiple fabric and paper patterns...</strong><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462332541600558882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 306px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S84agYMobyI/AAAAAAAADp0/mDBadc95Vhw/s400/egatfieldbdrm.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467506917646534034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-B8ktFQBZI/AAAAAAAAD18/dBbZDZacTIw/s400/bookcaseexpedit.jpg" border="0" /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S84afkP5mKI/AAAAAAAADpk/nQqQBjfj6LM/s1600/bookcaserhoda.jpg"></a><strong>...while others used textural materials like beadboard...</strong><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467500593076931218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 282px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-B20kOWipI/AAAAAAAAD1c/5LKqfw6WPuc/s400/bookcaseyellowbeadboard.jpg" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467500575909521826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 325px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 359px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-B2zkRUqaI/AAAAAAAAD1E/kqHSUKHpcDo/s400/bookcasebeadboard.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467500583281127858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 301px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-B2z_u2cbI/AAAAAAAAD1M/ypPzyx9LOEQ/s400/bookcasemultibeadboardrhoda.jpg" border="0" /><br /><strong>...and</strong> <strong>brick. I can't say for sure, but what we see here could be that brick-patterned wall paneling that was so popular (but not so attractive) in the 60's and 70's. I think this application is very good-looking, however the designer pulled it off.<br /></strong><div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S84ZpF5To5I/AAAAAAAADo8/M-4yIdv5am4/s1600/bookcasebrickfireplacedecorpad.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462331591794860946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S84ZpF5To5I/AAAAAAAADo8/M-4yIdv5am4/s400/bookcasebrickfireplacedecorpad.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><strong>Not one of these looks exactly fits the needs of my client, but, as it turns out, we've shifted our thoughts anyway—from simply adding a decorative backing to completely painting the bookcases a color that coordinates with the room's new wall color. A "camouflage" effect if you will.<br /></strong><div></div><div></div><div><br /><div><strong>Have you tried—or would you try—a behind-the-books treatment like this?</strong></div><br /><div><strong>Which of these looks is your favorite?<br /></strong></div><br /><div><span style="color:#c0c0c0;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">• • •</span><br /></div></span><br /><div>For a super-sensible tutorial on adding painted panels to the backs of your boodcases, <a href="http://www.ronhazelton.com/archives/howto/painted_bookcase_panels.shtm"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>click here.</strong></span></a> The same technique easily translates to fabric- or paper-wrapped panels too.</div></div></div><br /></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-53625795374688571662010-05-10T06:44:00.000-07:002010-05-09T22:55:00.959-07:00Stop That Jumping and Get to Work !<div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469388202428698818" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-crl5B5kMI/AAAAAAAAD38/vVBlPzvD2fc/s400/bdrmkidswhite.jpg" /> <strong>Hope you moms out there enjoyed your day yesterday, because all too soon it's back to business as usual. Today is<br /></strong><div align="center"><a href="http://www.mypunchbowl.com/holidays/clean-up-your-room-day"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;color:#339999;">Clean Up Your Room Day!</span></strong></a></div><div align="center"><strong></strong></div><div align="center"><strong>Those naughty kids of yours should be <em>making</em> their beds, not jumping on them. Channel that energy into spring cleaning! </strong><strong>Martha's here to help too. Click on her pic to get the Spring Cleaning Checklist from her Homekeeping Handbook. She'll help you turn your little ones into junior cleaning machines.</strong></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/article/spring-cleaning-checklist"></a></div><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469500137093256338" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-eRZWJk1JI/AAAAAAAAD4M/06WFaWHN5D0/s400/martha.jpg" /></div><div align="center"><strong>Click on the photo below and the folks at Real Simple will help you get your cleaning done faster. Make it a game!</strong></div><p><a href="http://browse.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/index.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 365px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469374669279563634" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-cfSKHtj3I/AAAAAAAAD3U/pO6PaoFlq_w/s400/homekeepingrealsimple.jpg" /></a> </p><p align="center">Seriously... "clean up your room day"? Who came up with that one? Not surprisingly, its origins are a mystery. Would you admit to creating a "special" day to "celebrate" mopping floors and folding laundry? No, me neither. But housekeeping is necessary and important work so you may as well do it right. Teach your kids to do it right too and you just might get to relax on more than your one designated day a year.</p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Top photo by Jean Allsop for Coastal Living</span></p></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-79851058547682163302010-05-09T01:00:00.000-07:002010-05-08T22:03:42.975-07:00Happy Mother's Day<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-YvO0lJGfI/AAAAAAAAD3E/9WyOFAFANsU/s1600/brkfstinbed.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 318px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469110729167149554" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-YvO0lJGfI/AAAAAAAAD3E/9WyOFAFANsU/s400/brkfstinbed.jpg" /></a><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:180%;">to my mom, </span></em><em><span style="font-size:180%;">to your mom,</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:180%;">to you and </span></em><em><span style="font-size:180%;">to me.</span></em><br /></div><br /><strong>I know you have seen this painting in a variety of forms, probably hundreds of times. Reproduced not only as a print, but on mugs and postcards and magnets. It is one of those images that is so ubiquitous it runs the risk of being looked upon as trite or cliché. To see it in person though, as I have recently, is to have an entirely different experience with it. To see it in person is to understand why it would become one of our most enduring images of mother and child. It is gorgeous and glowing, simple yet profound; quietly speaking volumes about a perfect moment in an ordinary day. I wish you all such an ordinary moment on this perfectly beautiful spring day.</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://huntington.org/thehuntington_full.aspx?id=5042"><span style="color:#339999;">"Breakfast in Bed", 1897, by Mary Cassatt is on permanent display in the Virginia Steele Scott Galleries at The Huntington Library</span></a><span style="color:#339999;">.</span></span></strong>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-84756259291595909052010-05-06T14:45:00.000-07:002010-05-06T14:45:00.070-07:00Another Layered Art Idea<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-JYQPpbFzI/AAAAAAAAD28/L45Lcmq86yQ/s1600/layeredframes.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468029933682628402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 315px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-JYQPpbFzI/AAAAAAAAD28/L45Lcmq86yQ/s400/layeredframes.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong>While writing my last post, I searched high and low for other examples of layered framed art so that I could better illustrate the concept for you. Interestingly, the only images I found were these few, all from the same source. First, the one you see above, is from a Pottery Barn catalog. The frames are hung using wires or string, but neither the pic nor the catalog description are clear about what they're hung from. Could be a rod or a picture moulding high on the wall. I like that the casual looseness of the arrangement is brought back together by the use of similar black and white subjects all identically framed. </strong></div><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-JYPkfjgbI/AAAAAAAAD20/TT_S_kzIHw4/s1600/layeredart.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468029922098512306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 360px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-JYPkfjgbI/AAAAAAAAD20/TT_S_kzIHw4/s400/layeredart.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong></strong></div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><strong>Next, this salon-style installation in a mix of Pottery Barn frames lit by one of their rail lights. As casual as the first image was, this one is made even more so by the variety of frame styles and their contents. See the curiously "popped out" numbers 5 and 9 in the middle? They led to the discovery of a nifty new-to-me gizmo, also from, well, </strong><a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/products/frame-riser/?cm_src=OLDLINK&pkey=cwall-organization"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>you know where</strong></span></a><strong>. Called a "frame riser", it allows you to layer photos, art and mirrors <em>over</em> each other without them having to touch or attach to each other. And, surprisingly, it holds up to 25 lbs, so you can layer pretty much whatever you want...<br /></strong><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-JYPYRq5KI/AAAAAAAAD2s/sHIi_l6ZiWA/s1600/frameriser.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468029918819050658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 383px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 344px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-JYPYRq5KI/AAAAAAAAD2s/sHIi_l6ZiWA/s400/frameriser.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>...and create your</strong> <strong>own free-form scrapbook wall of memories and inspiration. This image is also from our friends at PB and I find it quite charming; especially for a family room or home office. Follow their lead if you wish, but, please, use your own uniquely special mementos, not the store-bought kind.<br /></strong><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-JYO9d7AsI/AAAAAAAAD2k/-2QUlp-6228/s1600/layeredframespb.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468029911622681282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 383px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 344px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S-JYO9d7AsI/AAAAAAAAD2k/-2QUlp-6228/s400/layeredframespb.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-10682657516277121322010-05-04T09:09:00.000-07:002010-05-04T13:16:06.981-07:00Creative Art Idea from the Show House<div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S97s38cKmuI/AAAAAAAAD0U/Op1beH_CIIk/s1600/framesvialifeinaventicup.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467067443535583970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S97s38cKmuI/AAAAAAAAD0U/Op1beH_CIIk/s400/framesvialifeinaventicup.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><em>In this post, the last one about the Pasadena Showcase House (I promise!), I attempt to illustrate a creative DIY art idea I saw on my recent tour... </em></strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><p><strong>STEP ONE: Get your hands on a great big oil painting. Three feet wide, at least. This may require a visit to your local flea or antique market. This project works best with a landscape or cityscape, something with a lot going on and multiple small subjects rather than one central subject. Lots of lumpy bumpy paint texture is good too.</strong><br /></p><p><strong></strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464671041875792658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 322px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9ZpXAle0xI/AAAAAAAADtk/t0a1-LhEr4E/s400/placeduhavrepissarro.jpg" border="0" /><br /><strong>STEP TWO: Gather a bunch of random-sized picture frames. 8x10's to 16x20's and anything in between. A variety of sizes and frame styles is most ideal. If you're crafty enough, feel free to cut them up and reassemble your own custom sizes. Carved frames make the biggest impact but toss in a few plain ones to mix it up.</strong></p><p><strong></strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467135685432799714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 314px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S98q8JUVceI/AAAAAAAAD0k/VJ9RTYDMkdI/s400/frames.jpg" border="0" /><strong>STEP 3: Take that big painting out of its frame. Your plan is to cut it up into several smaller pieces. Your objective is to create something like this popular treatment...</strong><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464875839057245090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 205px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9cjnxifM6I/AAAAAAAADt0/21xTLvN5Kuc/s400/multiframemaparttipjunkie.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p><strong>...where a large map is cut into sections, each section framed separately and hung in a tight grid... </strong></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464875832998855426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 313px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9cjna-DgwI/AAAAAAAADts/LrQWghQHoCk/s400/multiframemapartaftertipjunkie.jpg" border="0" /> <strong>...or, like the treatment below which requires a large poster or photo enlargement and those square album cover frames. </strong><strong>The only difference is that our disassembled and reassembled oil painting is more random.<br /></strong><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464875846313758962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 247px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9cjoMkk0PI/AAAAAAAADt8/N9DiBJGaz78/s400/multiframephoto.jpg" border="0" /> <strong>STEP 4: After you've cut your painting into pieces based on your frame sizes—or cut and resized your frames to match your painting sections, you decide which approach works best for you—paint all those frames the same color. A single frame color is important. It unifies the many pieces of your installation so that they read as one work of art. In the treatment I saw, the frames were painted a dark grey, a color pulled from the painting's moody streetscape. This is key to the look—that the frame color blends, does not contrast, with the colors in the painting.</strong><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467088565102838594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S98AFYaOA0I/AAAAAAAAD0c/DnxsIkWmSYA/s400/framesmartha.jpg" border="0" /><strong>STEP 5: Now, get your cut-up painting pieces into those frames. I don't care how you do it—staples, tape, glue, whatever works best for the situation you have. Nobody's going to see the backs anyway so just make it work. Remember, this is a DIY project so I expect you to be a little bit handy before you even attempt it.</strong><br /></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="left"><strong><em>Note: If I'd been more stealthy, or less hurried by the surge of lookiloos coming up behind me, I would have thought to snap a forbidden cell phone pic. But I didn't. Instead, I've created this "virtual" version of the finished product...</em></strong></div><div align="left"><br /></div><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467061990331166210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S97n6hq6rgI/AAAAAAAAD0M/nREBWUNfheE/s400/placecollage.jpg" border="0" /> <strong>STEP 6: Hang your new art! As you see in my virtual example above, the designer chose to overlap some of the frames onto the others. He actually used nine separately framed sections for his treatment so I'm sure it took some trial and error to get the layout just right. Please use you imagination to see </strong><strong>the frames as all slightly different types and widths. At the show house, the wall behind the art was painted almost the same shade as the frames making the look all about texture and color and mood. The overall size of the arrangement was about 40"x30". If you don't like the overlapped look, try a tightly arranged collage or salon style like this...<br /></strong><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464671033588695122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9ZpWhtrwFI/AAAAAAAADtc/O2rlqbRs8io/s400/place+collage1.jpg" border="0" /> <strong>This is a pretty ambitious project, but really not so difficult, and I'd never seen anything quite like it before so I thought it worth sharing. If you're looking for a unique way to fill a large space, I think it's a great idea to file away for when the right situation and materials present themselves.</strong><br /><br /><strong>What do you think? Would you try it?</strong></p>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-91361742819034308802010-05-01T20:02:00.000-07:002010-05-01T23:15:44.561-07:00One Show House, Two Kitchens : Part 2<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466447228195057570" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9y4yqP8L6I/AAAAAAAADx8/UbhdnNHnYm4/s400/thebackyardgetawaykitchen2.jpg" /><br /><strong>Here's where my last post left us... inside the renovated kitchen of <a href="http://www.pasadenashowcase.org/"><span style="color:#339999;">The Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts</span></a>. I found two new photos to show you. Above is the view looking over the island toward the sink area as if the photographer's back is to the refrigerator. Here you also get a closer look at the copper-colored Metalcrete countertop on the island and the original cabinets, against the walls, some refinished in a dark brown stain, others painted white.</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466447234551465250" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9y4zB7bRSI/AAAAAAAADyE/GlwBz32oQ6s/s400/thebackyardgetawayoutdoor1.jpg" /><br /><strong>This view, above, takes in the sink area too, as if the photographer has pivoted to the left, and shows the opposite end of the kitchen. See the light coming in from between the cabinets on the right wall? Let's go out that door...</strong><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466435231896164642" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yt4YjZ2SI/AAAAAAAADxE/1lx5ju1AiK4/s400/thebackyardgetaway.com2.jpg" /><br /><strong>...cross the terrace and turn around. There's the door we just came through. The window to the left of the door and the first one around the corner to the right are the kitchen's only two windows. Don't they look tiny against that imposing brick facade? Now, let's walk forward and to the right a bit, turn around and look back again.<br /></strong><div><div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yt4uhPDLI/AAAAAAAADxM/J-v-LobElxc/s1600/thebackyardgetaway.com3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466435237792648370" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yt4uhPDLI/AAAAAAAADxM/J-v-LobElxc/s400/thebackyardgetaway.com3.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>You can see the iron cage of the house's main entry portico in the upper left corner of the photo above. Directly behind us is the area now occupied by the new outdoor kitchen. Before receiving its show house makeover, it looked like this...</strong></div><div></div><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466443433198150738" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9y1VwyK5FI/AAAAAAAADxc/dQlFcWedDHs/s400/cravensoutdoorkitchenbefore.jpg" /><br /><strong>...and it appears as if there wasn't really any way to get to it because of the retaining wall and short iron fencing you see in the photo above. That fencing was removed or modified to allow for a set of steps and a handrail leading down onto a new deck. You can just see the handrail at the bottom of the photo below. You also get your first glimpse of the estate's second kitchen.</strong></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 215px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466428876083697810" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yoGbToGJI/AAAAAAAADwk/1S8mjhXk3t0/s400/cravenskitchenoutdoorview.jpg" /></div><div></div><br /><div><strong>The outdoor kitchen is tucked into a corner of the house. The brick makes a great backdrop and undoubtedly played a key role in the designer's decision-making process. The cedar-look deck, made of recycled plastic and wood products, has been cut out to accommodate the existing liquidambar tree. In one view here, you'll see the soil area was eventually covered in tumbled aqua glass. The tree provides excellent shade for this area—when the 3-story house itself isn't doing that job.<br /></strong><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 317px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466443441605753762" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9y1WQGsu6I/AAAAAAAADxk/Ro0qpUZLnfs/s400/cravensoutdoorkitchenseating" /><br /><strong>Some photos show a wrought iron table and chairs set near the kitchen area, another shows a high-top bar type table. Both were present at the time of my visit, pushed into opposite corners to allow for lookiloo traffic.<br /></strong><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yt4CM5XQI/AAAAAAAADw8/d5uYEQZA9_k/s1600/thebackyardgetaway.com1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 304px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466435225896180994" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yt4CM5XQI/AAAAAAAADw8/d5uYEQZA9_k/s400/thebackyardgetaway.com1.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>Inside the kitchen work area, a Wolf grill is positioned beneath a stainless range hood. Guests who wish to interact with the cook can relax at the bar topped with architectural glass made using renewable resources. The designer chose all materials for this kitchen just as carefully claiming everything she used is either recycled, sustainable or</strong> <strong>recyclable. The cabinetry and countertops are, of course, built to withstand the elements all year round.</strong><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yoHMu2p9I/AAAAAAAADw0/GBVH5wlEWtw/s1600/cravensoutdoorkitchenindiesocal.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 279px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466428889351235538" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yoHMu2p9I/AAAAAAAADw0/GBVH5wlEWtw/s400/cravensoutdoorkitchenindiesocal.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>In the photo above, you'll notice that the pergola is fitted with canvas shades that extend and retract manually as the cook needs them to further shade the prep area. A good idea that also adds softness and an opportunity for additional color.</strong><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yoG6QmJ1I/AAAAAAAADws/oWbqadVYTs8/s1600/cravensoutdoorkitchencolumnsfromstauffer_com.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466428884392486738" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yoG6QmJ1I/AAAAAAAADws/oWbqadVYTs8/s400/cravensoutdoorkitchencolumnsfromstauffer_com.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>I've included the photo above to show you how much space and storage there is between the bar cabinet and grill area. Plenty of room for a cook <em>and</em> a bartender so the steaks won't burn when the grillmaster stops to refresh a guest's drink! The last photo, below, gives an idea of the overall size of the area. It is spacious enough for two or three tables yet feels intimate because of the walls of the house and the enclosing perimeter wall .<br /></strong><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 254px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466441015891881122" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9yzJDncbKI/AAAAAAAADxU/IfA_MVs4n_E/s400/cravensestateoutdoorkitchen.jpg" /><br /><strong>Along the wall to the right, you see a small vegetable garden. Behind that is a water feature made using a tall panel of textured glass. It adds visual interest as well as the soothing sound of trickling water. Beyond the fountain, which is set into a circular garden bed of its own, is another small garden that was packed full of edibles such as mint and rosemary and the gorgeous blooms of tall foxgloves in full flower. Behind that garden is a staircase that is considered the home's side entrance and is said to give additional access</strong> <strong>to the interior kitchen.<br /><br />Unlike my mixed emotions over the indoor kitchen, I really loved this one. It was so pretty to look at with all that warm red brick and freshly-painted white wood. And I'm sure it would be as comfortable to work in as it would be to hang out in on a weekend afternoon. The size and ideas were not so grand that they couldn't be incorporated into almost any home, my own included. Excuse me while I go have a conversation with my husband...</strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">For more information about the designer and builder of this and other outdoor kitchens, <a href="http://www.yorkshirekitchens.net/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>click here.</strong></span></a><br /></span><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-80728593348029018432010-04-29T21:55:00.000-07:002010-05-01T08:22:18.681-07:00One Show House, Two Kitchens : Part 1<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 372px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465386118246351058" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9jzt7pswNI/AAAAAAAADu8/CqXyaGtCJR4/s400/cravenskitchenwindow.jpg" /> Two small photos of the kitchen, in the official Showcase program, were the only ones I was allowed to take away from my tour of the estate and grounds. No photography permitted. As two simply weren't adequate to tell the story, I wasn't even going to try. Until I snooped around online and found lots of "unofficial" photos of the Cravens Estate including plenty of the kitchen. You'll remember that the Cravens Estate is the home used for this year's <a href="http://www.pasadenashowcase.org/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts</strong></span></a> in Pasadena, CA.<br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 224px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465750433429564274" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9o_D3eBq3I/AAAAAAAADwM/DWLg1jC3pEA/s400/cravensestateexterior.jpg" />And let me remind you too that the house itself is an imposing 50-room mansion built in 1930 to resemble the baroque Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte, the 17th century French chateau that was also an inspiration for the palace at Versailles. Since 1962, the estate has been headquarters for a local chapter of the American Red Cross—that's why you see a cross pattern laid into the brick drive in front of the house. The home's original owners, John and Mildred Cravens, never had children so they lived in this nearly 20,000 square foot home all alone. With their 32 servants. (Do you realize that at a total of 34, that still isn't enough people to fill the house at one person per room?)<br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465752452825335250" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9pA5aTfxdI/AAAAAAAADwU/_aM60Av8J0o/s400/cravenskitchenbeforecindydole.com" />I would imagine a good number of those servants worked here, in the expansive kitchen. Cooking away for the Cravens, fellow staff members and guests. The Cravens were very active in local charities and business and used their lovely home to host many meetings and special events. This room would have been central to their success. The photo above shows the kitchen as the Showcase House designers found it. Everything I've read seems to indicate that what you see in these before photos is original to the house.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465591919629818610" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9mu5JjH2vI/AAAAAAAADvc/rC0P_P2myV4/s400/cravenskitchenoriginalcabs.jpg" />The clean-lined, glass-front cabinets wore their original crystal knobs and a coat of lifeless white paint that had seen better days. The same can be said for the slim wood counter tops and simple white tile backsplash. Both seem almost painfully plain compared to the grandeur found in other parts of the home, but in the 1920's and 30's, kitchens were for work, used by staff, not the homeowners, and certainly not on display for guests as our kitchens are today.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465591909957396226" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9mu4lhCZwI/AAAAAAAADvU/-m2EeuME3tY/s400/cravenskitchenorigcountertop.jpg" />Clearly, the Red Cross staff and volunteers who have worked in the house for the past 48 years have been using the kitchen as a strictly utilitarian area much like the original estate staff would have. Not one thing in the space is purely decorative. The only splashes of color are found in the bulletins taped to the walls and fridge and on that lovely blue bag of paper plates. In the photo above, you can see the original cut-out drawers that were preserved in the makeover. The designer calls her approach to the kitchen renovation "not just a face-lift, but an actual restoration".<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465745970961984402" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9o7AHe2K5I/AAAAAAAADwE/FZydddOHso4/s400/cravensestatesafe.jpg" />The Pasadena-based company responsible for this space spent three months on the job, working hard to preserve as much of the original kitchen cabinetry, floor tile and other materials as possible—including the silver safe, above. In the finished kitchen, the "safe" became a small supplemental pantry. According to what I've read, there are two other, original pantries somewhere nearby that weren't part of the show house makeover.<br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465228191741413506" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9hkFZkyiII/AAAAAAAADuc/2bj6u97BQ6w/s400/cravenskitchenbeforecindydole.com" />Here's another look at the full kitchen "before". The doorway you see at the back under the clock leads to an interior hall that in turn leads to a family/media room to the right and the main dining room to the left. To the immediate left of the photographer's position is a door leading to an outdoor terrace. Another indication that this is an old-fashioned working kitchen are the few and rather small windows. You can see one over the sink on the left wall in this view. The "after" of that window is the top pic on this post. Behind the photographer is a pair of similar small windows, and the door to the terrace holds its original leaded glass. That's it for natural light. Very different from the way a kitchen would be designed today. Now, here's the "after", from the same angle:<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9hkEeYG_fI/AAAAAAAADuU/kkbOxT_8f1o/s1600/cravenskitchen2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 315px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465228175850536434" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9hkEeYG_fI/AAAAAAAADuU/kkbOxT_8f1o/s400/cravenskitchen2.jpg" /></a>Quite a dramatic difference, wouldn't you say? Let's start our tour at the bottom and work our way up. The original tile floor in a classic brick basketweave pattern is spectacular. The most perfectly variegated shades of turquoise. On the Showcase website, it is said that the designer was thrilled to find such a bright surprise hidden under layers of grime and built-up cleaning products. From this vibrant shade was born the room's copper, teal, white, turquoise and brown color scheme. Most of the lower cabinets were stripped and stained a warm dark brown to match the restored wood counter tops. All of the glass-front upper cabinets were restored. Most are painted white. One set, near the door to the hall is finished to match the lowers beneath it, creating the look of a tall hutch.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9hkENvgsYI/AAAAAAAADuM/4OtdCn4qvck/s1600/cravenskitchen1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 273px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465228171385287042" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9hkENvgsYI/AAAAAAAADuM/4OtdCn4qvck/s400/cravenskitchen1.jpg" /></a>Other counters and the new island are topped with copper-colored Metalcrete, fabricated to look like hammered copper, and pale, stain-resistant Nucrete, a concrete-based material made from 50% recycled products. In fact, all of the products used in this kitchen restoration are considered in some way "green". Anything new in the kitchen is made from sustainable and eco-friendly materials. And, of course, recycling the existing flooring and cabinetry is as green as green gets. In the photo above, you can see all the shades of the color scheme. I especially like the brick-colored upholstery on the fat counter stools that tuck under the island. They contrast beautifully with the turquoise floor and relate to the home's brick facade that can be glimpsed through the window over the sink. Notice too that the window valances are that same brick color. </p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465574385607355650" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9me8iOZrQI/AAAAAAAADvE/lfpXcmsPTSk/s400/cravenskitchenrangeviacdole.jpg" />All of the new appliances are energy-efficient. The refrigerator and dishwasher are disguised behind dark cabinetry or in the island, respectively. You can see the tall fridge enclosure in the two photos above. It serves to visually divide the long room into work area and storage/display area. The range wall was made a focal point with the addition of a top to bottom tile backsplash and extra-large copper hood. Copper pots and canisters continue that part of the color scheme and serve to obscure some of the expanse of wall tile. Standing in the room, looking at this view, I was torn trying to decide whether the green retro tile pattern was a good fit with the turquoise floor tile. My first impression was "wow, that's a lot of pattern!", but the longer I look at these pics, the less it bothers me. The wall tile lends a dose of light and softness, even a bit of "sparkle", with its starburst pattern, to the hard surfaces in this end of the room. And the more-green-than-blue color, rather than competing with the turquoise floor actually complements it. What do you think? It's a strong look that's definitely not for everyone.</div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465591901354760962" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9mu4FeAmwI/AAAAAAAADvM/tftRlbut7o8/s400/cravenskitchencolumnsfromstauffer.com" /> </div><div></div><div>Here's a fuzzy photo, above, that looks like a sneaky cell-phone pic. Thanks to this angle, we get a different view of the opposite end of the room. There on the far wall is the other of the two windows in the room. On the right wall, where you see the break between the two sets of white upper cabinets, is the door that leads outside. You can also see that there is a second sink on the island. And, in this photo you can see three of the four pairs of schoolhouse lights that hang from the ceiling and the decorative painted diamonds that join them. Standing in the space, that seemed like too many pendants and too much visual clutter overhead. Without the painted diamonds, the pendants may have been less intrusive. On a ceiling so large though, something has to break it up. With no room for beams and in the absence of texture, a paint treatment seems like a good idea, but I would have preferred something less "distracting" than what was done here. Try this with the photo below: hold your hand near your monitor in the "thumbs down" position. Now place your thumb so that it covers the painted diamonds but still allows you to see the pendants. Doesn't that look better?<br /><p></p><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9hkEeYG_fI/AAAAAAAADuU/kkbOxT_8f1o/s1600/cravenskitchen2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 315px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465228175850536434" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9hkEeYG_fI/AAAAAAAADuU/kkbOxT_8f1o/s400/cravenskitchen2.jpg" /></a></p></div><div>Here's another look from the dining end so I can talk about the seating. Where the center area of the room was formerly filled by three sets of tables and chairs, there is now only one. All of the room's colors come together in the striped fabric on the chairs and in the charming tablescape. The small seating area is cozy and warm and makes this very large kitchen feel more homey and welcoming. With the trend in contemporary kitchens being to open them up to the activity of the household, it's nice that the designers found a way to bring visitors and other activities into this essentially closed-off room. The glass-front cabinets bring light in the form of reflection and through interior illumination. Their colorful contents—vintage pottery in greens and terra cottas—add more interest at eye level, bridging the bright floor and art on the ceiling.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 283px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465745957890543218" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9o6_WyXznI/AAAAAAAADv0/lNu-nl_wR3w/s400/cravensestateterracegarden.jpg" /><br />So that's the first kitchen. What do you think? Good? Bad? Your style? Not? Next post, I'll show you the second kitchen. The photo above gives you a look at what we'll see on the way...<br /><br /><div><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Photos found at artsbeatla.com, cindydole.com, dailynews.com, insidesocal.com and pasadenastarnews.com</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-83012540722079530322010-04-27T01:20:00.000-07:002010-04-27T07:50:32.477-07:00Notes From A Show House<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9ZnacF7bsI/AAAAAAAADtM/MmL89KKqwAQ/s1600/pasadenarendering.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464668901775994562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 248px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9ZnacF7bsI/AAAAAAAADtM/MmL89KKqwAQ/s400/pasadenarendering.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Fresh from my visit to the 2010 Pasadena Showcase House of Design, here is what I learned...</strong></span><br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464668363529546370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 303px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9Zm7G9-aoI/AAAAAAAADsk/3lAyQGZRiBk/s400/pasadenadrawing.jpg" border="0" /><br /><strong>1. I can love a really large space and a really small space for exactly the same reasons.</strong> The Drawing Room, above, and Retreat, below, shared the following: honey-toned panelled woods, decorative ceilings (one painted, one panelled), beautiful overhead lighting (a pair of antique reproduction chandeliers in one room, a single <a href="http://www.toccofinal.com/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Fortuny pendant</strong></span></a> in the other), furniture that actually looked comfortable and not just set out for show, and direct access to the outdoors. That I could be equally happy and at ease in each space says something about my personal preferences but is also a credit to the designers who made them both so approachable, functional and warm despite the challenge of size.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464668909388577346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 210px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9Zna4c6OkI/AAAAAAAADtU/17Y41DRCy1w/s400/pasadenaretreat.jpg" border="0" /><br /><strong>2. It really is the details that make the difference when it comes to good design.</strong> All through the house, the things I took note of had less to do with the overall look of a room than with a specific detail that could be reproduced in a room of any size and at nearly all price points. For example, the double ruffle on the top edge of a sheer, fixed, shirred curtain panel hung for privacy at the lower half of a very tall window. The narrow ribbon edging each of those ruffles was a slightly darker tone that added a dressed-up crispness to an otherwise nondescript window treatment.<br /><br /><strong>3. It is very frustrating trying to recount such details about the show house when no photography is allowed.</strong> Can anyone explain to me why that is?<strong><br /><br /></strong><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9Zm8KpokII/AAAAAAAADs8/WqqAhEz-5cY/s1600/pasadenamud.jpg"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464668381697839234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 312px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9Zm8KpokII/AAAAAAAADs8/WqqAhEz-5cY/s400/pasadenamud.jpg" border="0" /></strong></a><strong><br />4. Good design repeats itself and repetition brings order.</strong></div></div>Like multiple dog prints on the mudroom walls, above. A row of potted succulents lined up down the center of a table or winding through a rose garden. Books with similar colored bindings massed into a bookcase of nearly the same hue can unite and "neutralize" a large wall of built-ins; what could have been chaotic visual noise became a calm but still interesting background.<br /><br /><strong>5. In a residence of 50 rooms, there are a lot of redundant spaces.</strong> Morning Room, Breakfast Room plus a table and chairs within the kitchen itself. Three Sitting Rooms and a Drawing Room, also for sitting. Solarium on the first floor, Sun Room on the second. You must be very clear about which bedroom you say you'll take your breakfast in when there are eleven of them. I have decided that I am very happy not to have this particular problem. But, for the record, as I don't have one now, I wouldn't mind a private Sun Room next to my bedroom. Or an upstairs Retreat with connected balcony. Or both. <div><br /><strong>6. I am too traditional to enjoy juxtaposition simply for the sake of it.</strong> The Cravens Estate is a beautiful house built in 1930 with elements borrowed from a classic French chateau. Original details still present include a series of large murals in the entry. For the Showcase, the murals were preserved and restored. Then the designer of the space added these:</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="color:#ffffff;"><></span></div><div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9Zm7sYK_QI/AAAAAAAADs0/m58A0VyYNzg/s1600/pasadenagallery.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464668373571534082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 308px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9Zm7sYK_QI/AAAAAAAADs0/m58A0VyYNzg/s400/pasadenagallery.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />An ultra-modern, glossy black totem, a space-dominating black console down the center of the room, lime-colored accents and upholstery, and a black <a href="http://aestheteslament.blogspot.com/2008/12/requiescat-in-pace-franois-xavier.html"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Lalanne-esque sheep</strong></span></a> the docent called "Tommy". It was all a bit too much for me. What do you think?</div><div><span style="color:#ffffff;">....</span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><div><strong>7. I may be traditional, but I do love an eclectic mix of styles and colors.</strong> The large, formal dining room with its original murals and painted ceiling was furnished with two round tables rather than the more expected long rectangle. It appeared as if the guests had momentarily stepped away from a lavish birthday party in progress. Seating was a mish-mash of brightly upholstered chairs and an ottoman or two. Even the mix of lighting styles is appealing in this photo, below, but I swear those <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90147465"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Ikea Maskros pendants</strong></span></a> were not in the room when I was. Could I have been so distracted by the party that I missed them? If they were removed, I wonder why?</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="color:#ffffff;"><></span> <div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464668350579685186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 312px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9Zm6WufN0I/AAAAAAAADsc/8gSblGf7LRI/s400/pasadenadining.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div></div><div><br /><strong>8. There really is such a thing as too many crystal chandeliers.</strong> A narrow, lady's closet contained five. The connected dressing room, a few more in sconce form. The adjacent hallway, yet another. Too much, too many.</div><div><br /></div><div><strong>9. I hope no client of mine ever wants to outfit her office with a desk chair straight out of an Austin Powers movie.</strong> The room below displayed a very creative mix of colors and textures, but I am not the person to call if this is your style. I know my limitations and exactly <a href="http://maison21.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>to whom</strong></span></a> I will refer you.</div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464668896993438418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 308px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9ZnaKRratI/AAAAAAAADtE/8vtFi1q2eNo/s400/pasadenaoffice.jpg" border="0" /><br /><strong>10. When dining out of doors, there should be plants to admire near the table as well as a mature garden in the distance</strong> (even if that distance is only twenty feet further away at the edge of your small yard). The outdoor dining area my friend and I enjoyed was bordered by a row of <a href="http://www.vintagegardengal.com/2009/01/23/the-art-of-espalier-fruit-trees/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>espaliered apple trees</strong></span></a> under-planted with colorful, textural ground covers and small border plants. Plants near the table add a closed-in coziness that alters your perspective of the surrounding garden; having something to look beyond makes the "beyond" appear further away than it is.<br /><br /></div><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9Zm7UEfJQI/AAAAAAAADss/8d2OlsMmxv4/s1600/pasadenaespalier.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464668367046518018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 319px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9Zm7UEfJQI/AAAAAAAADss/8d2OlsMmxv4/s400/pasadenaespalier.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>11. I discovered an interesting new-to-me way to achieve a unique display of art in your home.</strong> This bit of fun needs its own post. Stay tuned...</div><div></div><div><br /><div><div><div><div><div><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></div><div><strong>That's all I have to say for now about the Showcase House. Should you go? I can't really say. There was a lot to see, but I didn't like being herded through like cattle. The shops offered unique and beautiful things but were expensive for someone who doesn't drop two hundred bucks on jewelry and table linens without more than a few minutes' (or a few days') thought. The Wolfgang Puck dining experience was lovely but my quiche was under-cooked. The house itself with all of its original elements is gorgeous, some of the decorating decisions too "showhousey" (but that's to be expected). If you have a good friend to share the day and the drive with, as I did, you'll have a wonderful time <em>even if you don't agree about the kitchen</em>.</strong></div><div><strong><span style="color:#ffffff;">...</span></strong></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Cravens Estate rendering by Eva Margueriette.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">All photos by Alexander Vertikoff from the official program.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">No, I didn't talk about the kitchen in this post. There were simply too many contradictory ideas and treatments and I still can't make heads or tails of it. The nicest thing I can say is that my friend and I agreed that the restored, original turquoise tile floor was fantastic and the best element in the room.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Thanks for the day, Leslie!</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">If you want to get a look at the house yourself, <a href="http://www.pasadenashowcase.org/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>go here</strong></span></a>.</span></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-8817136746959131072010-04-22T18:38:00.000-07:002010-04-23T00:23:11.609-07:00Daisy Fresh<div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462051896286560098" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S80bQq7ov2I/AAAAAAAADm8/GulRKAX0q6M/s400/daisybasleetroutman.jpg" /> <strong>The daisy, birth flower for the month of April, has long been celebrated in art and poetry for its simple beauty.</strong> Poets like Chaucer, Phoebe Cary and James Montgomery used the flower to symbolically express devotion. Hairpins decorated with daisies have been found in ancient ruins dating back 4,000 years. A European native, the daisy is widely naturalized in North and South America. While its most recognizable form—white petals and a golden yellow center with grassy-green stem and leaves—belongs to the family "Bellis perennis", its common name comes from the term "day's eye," a reference to the fact that daisy blooms are only open during the day and close up at night. <div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 325px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462054133517175634" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S80dS5Q-y1I/AAAAAAAADnM/qQAyqj59CpM/s400/daisypatch.jpg" /> There is a myth that tells of the daisy's creation when a nymph transformed herself into a charming but unassuming wildflower to escape unwanted attention. Through the centuries, daisies came to be associated with innocence, childlike joy and playfulness. No other flower captures the essence of spring’s happy-go-lucky, forever-young attitude like the daisy. Daisies have long been associated with love. The "she loves me, she loves me not" method of pulling petals from a flower was first used with the daisy to tell love's fortune. Daisies are customarily given in bouquets to new mothers as a way to celebrate the birth of their baby. Did you, as a child, make "daisy chains" to wear on your wrists and in your hair?<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462053356570351682" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S80clq6bGEI/AAAAAAAADnE/0g0Rl0nHIRw/s400/daisysky.JPG" /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Happy birthday, April babies!</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Inspired by a meadow filled with flowers on a blue-sky day, here is a daisy chain of ten fresh-as-a-daisy spaces just for you:</strong></span> <p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">1.</span></strong></p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462051656623723154" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S80bCuHkEpI/AAAAAAAADms/v0QCkV5PJ3c/s400/daisyrm4msl.jpg" /> </p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">2.</span></strong><br /></p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></strong><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462065368169823810" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S80ng1m5vkI/AAAAAAAADoE/b-_QajejRnk/s400/daisyrm12msl.jpg" /> <strong><span style="font-size:180%;">3.</span></strong><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462757346363990530" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8-c3RQuYgI/AAAAAAAADqE/3RAlyIl6uFM/s400/daisychestmsl.jpg" /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">4.</span></strong></p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></strong><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462051642150819506" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S80bB4M9FrI/AAAAAAAADmc/LnvH3iyGgJM/s400/daisyrm2msl.jpg" /></p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">5.</span></strong></p><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462058687442812882" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S80hb99df9I/AAAAAAAADnk/u3n2vyLju-8/s400/daisyrm8msl.jpg" /> <strong><span style="font-size:180%;">6.</span></strong><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462051634504996738" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S80bBbuDF4I/AAAAAAAADmU/KmBKiRx0C2Q/s400/daisyrm1msl.jpg" /> </p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">7.</span></strong><br /></p><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463006429799676258" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9B_Z1XieWI/AAAAAAAADqM/7VfQ5TFN1o0/s400/daisyrm13msl.jpg" /></p><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">8.</span></strong></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></strong><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462051644757326146" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S80bCB6ZOUI/AAAAAAAADmk/ir1urFEMzag/s400/daisyrm3msl.jpg" /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">9.</span></strong></div><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></strong><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463007879102596114" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S9CAuMcSBBI/AAAAAAAADqU/K__ggkS-56s/s400/daisyrm5msl.jpg" /></p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">10.</span></strong></p><p align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462058694345691378" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S80hcXrPEPI/AAAAAAAADns/Kkua6e2wEjk/s400/daisyrm9msl.jpg" /><br /><strong>If I had a little blond dachshund, I would name her Daisy and buy her a soft blue settee. We would sit side by side. I would sip tea and read poetry aloud. She would nap quietly, dreaming of sunshine and endless green meadows. </strong></p><p align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">See, the grass is full of stars,<br />Fallen in their brightness;<br />Hearts they have of shining gold,<br />Rays of shining whiteness.</span></em></strong></p><p align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Buttercups have honeyed hearts,<br />Bees they love the clover,<br />But I love the daisies' dance<br />All the meadow over.</span></em></strong></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">FROM "DAISY TIME" BY MARJORIE PICKTHALL</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Top photo by Baslee Troutman (isn't it gorgeous?). Other daisies via stock photo sources, photographers unknown. All interior photos via marthastewart.com. Daisy facts via teleflora.com, birthfloersguide.com and life123.com</span></p></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-48717979805569558822010-04-20T09:42:00.000-07:002010-04-20T10:18:26.793-07:00Green House<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462246602637685266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 330px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S83MWEnNshI/AAAAAAAADoU/giB8EJhdcWg/s400/greenhouse2500w.jpg" border="0" /> <strong>For Earth Day, a little green house that seems to grow right out of the ground. A vine-covered metal framework in the classic shape of every child's first drawing of home, this small structure is in the <a href="http://www.huntington.org/huntingtonlibrary.aspx?id=486"><span style="color:#339999;">Children's Garden at The Huntington</span></a>.</strong><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S83MWfpD7MI/AAAAAAAADoc/IE98QBtN92U/s1600/greenhouse500w.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462246609893190850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 313px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S83MWfpD7MI/AAAAAAAADoc/IE98QBtN92U/s400/greenhouse500w.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>Flower-filled boxes adorn the little windows. Under the gable is a tiny doorway. I'm sure that's how the topiary bears get in too. See their green heads in the photo above? Don't they look like they're headed home?</strong><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462246622374808354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S83MXOI6SyI/AAAAAAAADos/pL7PNUconr8/s400/greenhousechandelier.jpg" border="0" /><strong>Inside the green house is a table and benches scaled just right for children (or small leafy bears) where they can relax in the cool shade created by the creeping fig vines covering the walls and roof. High up in the rafters is a succulent ball chandelier. See how it echoes the shape of the round windows at the roof's peak? Good design is important, even in a house of wire and vines.</strong></div><p><strong>The Children's Garden is a magical place. </strong>There are child-size tunnels, arbors and a maze. Water features, musical rocks, magnetic sand and a volcano. Plants with whimsical shapes and fantastic fragrance. And, as my daughter discovered, blue-bellied lizards that stand still and let you touch them. In every corner, senses are stimulated, imaginations activated and a greater appreciation for the wonders of our Earth is born. If you have young children or grandchildren, this area of the Huntington's vast gardens is a must-visit. But don't think you have to be in elementary school to thoroughly enjoy yourself. Even a nineteen-year-old kid and an old mom like me can have a splendid time.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">Earth Day is this Thursday. Take action, have fun, enjoy a garden, <a href="http://holidays.kaboose.com/earth-day/"><span style="color:#339999;">learn more.</span></a></span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:78%;">[ Thanks for the pics and the wonderful day, Katey! ]</span></strong></p>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-61644517207164928922010-04-18T19:00:00.000-07:002010-04-18T22:43:02.868-07:00Local Color : Garden Events<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8uGm_RT6lI/AAAAAAAADmE/gfx3xqPUf9Y/s1600/springgardenshow.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 323px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461606977494051410" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8uGm_RT6lI/AAAAAAAADmE/gfx3xqPUf9Y/s400/springgardenshow.jpg" /></a> <div><div><div><strong>I spent a day this weekend at The Huntington again.</strong> With my daughter this time. She has a paper on 19th Century art due this week so we took our time with the exhibits before making the rounds through the gardens. They are so beautiful this time of year. The roses are spectacular and I have never seen so much color in a desert garden. (<a href="http://comfortandluxury.blogspot.com/2010/03/field-trip-huntington-part-3-gardens.html"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>read more about my last visit here</strong></span></a>)</div><div></div><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461605814109978290" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8uFjRU7vrI/AAAAAAAADl0/RxGmCsa4hHg/s400/sharonsgarden2010.jpg" /><strong></strong></div><div><strong>While we were in San Marino, I realized I was missing a local garden viewing that is my long-time favorite.</strong> Sharon is my gardening guru. The plant whisperer of our inland foothills. I have followed her advice via her email newsletters and open garden days to much success in my own garden. She advocates planting for your own specific conditions, being water-wise even with roses, and using perennials almost exclusively, all without forcing or babying anything into growing that doesn't really want to. Knowing what grows best in our corner of the world is her secret—here it's hot and dry in the summer, sometimes excessively windy, and can go below freezing in the winter. That bit of wisdom alone takes a lot of the headache out of the process. The pics above and below show Sharon's garden as it looks right now. Her garden (and one or two others) will be open again in May. If you're interested in details, please leave a comment or send an email.<br /><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 383px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461605866480649298" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8uFmUbExFI/AAAAAAAADl8/CgT_MJ_RZ4I/s400/sharonsrosegarden2010.jpg" /> There are so many home and garden events happening in this area over the next month or so, it will be nearly impossible to take them all in. Besides the small, neighborhood events like the one I just mentioned, there are larger more elaborate goings-on, some of which are <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2010/04/looking-ahead-a-list-of-spring-garden-tours-.html"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>listed here in the LA Times</strong></span></a>. Here are a few I'm most interested in:<br /><div></div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461527911207769394" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8s-suZrlTI/AAAAAAAADls/ibT_AlHZXF4/s400/cravensestate.jpg" /> I already have my tickets for the annual <strong>Pasadena Showcase House</strong> which opened today and runs through May 16. This is the 46th Showcase to benefit arts programs in and around Los Angeles. The historic, chateau-inspired Cravens Estate, built in 1929, has been given a makeover inside and out by 25+ local interior designers and landscapers. You can view their progress and get ticket information <a href="http://www.pasadenashowcase.org/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>here</strong></span></a>. <div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461337360844063618" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8qRZO-uA4I/AAAAAAAADlk/hLsdRqt7bYE/s400/calorchid.com" /></div><div>After attending the Showcase House this coming Friday, I hope to make time on the weekend to head down to the O.C. for the <strong>20th Annual Spring Garden Show</strong> held April 22-25 at South Coast Plaza. More than 75 specialty vendors will be on hand as well as display gardens full of great ideas for our own yards and patios. A big bonus: shopping at Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, NapaStyle, Restoration Hardware, Sur la Table and the Macy's Home Store all in the same wing.(<a href="http://www.springgardenshow.com/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>learn more here</strong></span></a>) From South Coast Plaza it's just a short drive to one of Orange County's most beautiful garden centers: <a href="http://www.rogersgardens.com/default.asp"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar</strong></span></a>. It would be a shame to be so close and not stop by.</div><div></div><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460945669804041730" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8ktJ0JgpgI/AAAAAAAADlE/elnskZxPSeM/s400/arboretum.jpg" /> Closer to home, from April 30-May 2, the <strong>Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden</strong> will hold its annual LA Garden Show. This show focuses on green living in Southern California offering workshops, lectures and demonstrations on such things as edible gardens and water-wise plant choices. (<a href="http://www.arboretum.org/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>learn more here</strong></span></a>)<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 271px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460945677483144786" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8ktKQwWdlI/AAAAAAAADlM/Fl2vAZut3sc/s400/lagunagardentour.jpg" /></div>Back down the coast again, on May 7th, the <strong>Laguna Beach Garden Club</strong> will host a tour featuring seven private gardens in Woods Cove, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. (<a href="http://www.lagunabeachgardenclub.org/"><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>learn more here</strong></span></a>) The 7th is a Friday so it will take some rescheduling in order to attend. Perhaps I'll just drive down on Saturday the 8th and take a stroll through the neighborhood on my own. Any day spent in Laguna Beach is a good one.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 347px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461621872114860738" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8uUJ-DpAsI/AAAAAAAADmM/R7xKiagtFE4/s400/lagunacliffs.jpg" /> <div><div><div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5177792264431202080.post-90059888695329306852010-04-15T01:01:00.000-07:002010-04-15T08:53:40.172-07:00Big Advice About Paint<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8Y10rAaZRI/AAAAAAAADhU/9E8t2z9e69Y/s1600/paintswatches.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460110777247229202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 258px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8Y10rAaZRI/AAAAAAAADhU/9E8t2z9e69Y/s400/paintswatches.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div></div><div><strong>My May House Beautiful is here. "The Big Advice Issue". Though I've paged through it only briefly, I've seen enough to know that it delivers what it promises. All the inspiration we've come to expect <em>plus</em> nuts and bolts, real-world decorating advice backed up by examples and reasoning. The stand-out tip for me so far? This from the editor's page: "Pick your paint colors last.<em>" Woo hoo for me!</em> Validation from none other than Stephen Drucker!</strong> (Why, oh why, is he leaving HB?! I'm so sad about that. Happy for him though. <strong><a href="http://jackiebluehome.blogspot.com/2010/04/giant-shake-up-at-hearst-publishing.html"><span style="color:#339999;">Read more about it.</span></a></strong><span style="color:#339999;">)</span></div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460110719030382722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 325px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8Y1xSIb0II/AAAAAAAADg8/rBtiWv5zIPY/s400/paintchipsbenmooreddraper.jpg" border="0" /><strong>Let me tell you a story...</strong> A few years ago I attended a series of classes at a local college, refresher courses if you will, as I prepared to re-enter this field. One of them was a basic overview of interior design principles and techniques that I used as an opportunity to pick up the tools and get the juices flowing again. For one assignment, our instructor divided us into groups of three. Each team was given a program—the objectives and goals of a specific space and client—and was asked to use the resources in the classroom to design a concept board.<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460112086529482626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 260px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8Y3A4doH4I/AAAAAAAADhc/6Gyw4bFRxrY/s400/paintpots.jpg" border="0" /></div><div></div><div>My partners insisted that we select paint colors first. I said "Let's choose upholstery first", "Let's look at flooring" and things like that. Repeatedly. They ignored me and, I sensed, considered me quite annoying. They successfully overruled me, chose a couple of paint colors, and we set about searching for fabrics, carpet, tile and wood finishes. A process which took far longer than it should have and here's why:</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460112090936540610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8Y3BI4WfcI/AAAAAAAADhk/zEPP9HNU_ks/s400/paintsralphlaurenwhites.bmp" border="0" /> <strong>We live in a world of limitless paint color choices.</strong> Every conceivable hue, tint, shade and tone is out there somewhere. And if you haven't the time to search for just what you think you want, custom color mixing is as close as your nearest home-improvement store. There will, however be only <strong><em>one</em></strong> sofa that you fall madly in love with. <em><strong>One</strong></em> hand-scraped, reclaimed hardwood that you must have as your kitchen floor. <em><strong>One</strong></em>, and only one area rug that makes your antique dining set sing.<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460110726730724962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 275px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 322px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8Y1xu0VtmI/AAAAAAAADhE/vflWo0uFCkw/s400/paintchipsfanned.bmp" border="0" /> <strong>Most new homeowners will rush to paint all the rooms before moving in.</strong> "Toasty Taupe in the living room!". "Cloudless Sky in the bedroom!". It seems to make sense. Painting while the rooms are empty. But choosing paint colors without first knowing what you'll put into those rooms could be a big mistake. Adding other elements after paint could cause a clash of undertones. Now the paint looks too pink, too yellow, too gray. What seemed like the perfect fresh green for your living room walls might look dirty or dull after you bring in your new sofa. Even if you don't plan to buy a whole room full of new furnishings right away, know what you will buy when you can buy and base your paint choices on that. Or base your paint color on an element in the room you know won't change: your heirloom chair or a cherished piece of art.</div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460110739717842466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 341px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8Y1yfMtZiI/AAAAAAAADhM/eywD8-IAg8c/s400/paintsampleashousepaintinginfo.com" border="0" /> </div><div></div><div><strong>It takes some planning and thinking ahead,</strong> but in the end, it will always be easier to find a paint color that complements your new chairs and carpeting than it will be to find an upholstery fabric you love that goes with a hastily chosen paint color. One more tip about paint from House Beautiful via Stephen Drucker: "Never, ever paint an entire room until you've lived with big sample boards of three possible paint colors for 24 hours". Or, as in the above photo, samples painted directly onto your walls. However you go about it, give yourself time to see the paint colors you're considering at all hours of the day. In both natural and artificial light.</div><div></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.choosing-paint-colors-made-easy.com/choosing-paint-colors-step-by-step-guide.html"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460132897965146850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 334px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8ZJ8RGjAuI/AAAAAAAADic/EIhPEmI_FhU/s400/paintbenmooreguide.jpg" border="0" /></a> To read a step-by-step guide for choosing paint colors, click on the photo above. The solid, basic advice is easy to follow. If you still don't trust your own judgement, hiring a professional who's done this countless times before will be worth the cost—in both time and money. For a fun way to explore your favorite color combinations, click the image below. Seriously. Click on that cabbage. And to see how one amazing artist interprets the color schemes she sees in everyday objects and nature, <a href="http://color-stripes.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="color:#339999;">click here to visit Kris</span></strong></a>. Her love of color is contagious.<br /><br /><a href="http://stylestruggler.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-translate-images-to-color.html"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460138988197199282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 299px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FS5LxiBrzpE/S8ZPew_BPbI/AAAAAAAADik/VdU5AtTLEeI/s400/cabbagebybromeliad.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>Color is fun! Choosing color can be too.</strong> But, whenever possible, do it last to get it right. Oh, and my classmates who chose wall color first? They also dismissed my suggestion to paint our imaginary room's ceiling a soft, complementary color. Never heard of such a thing, they said. I hope they've learned more about choosing and using paint colors by now. (Or have chosen different careers.)<br /><br /><div></div>Tracy Watierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173203339834757559noreply@blogger.com16