Crazy Daze of Summer

Chaos still reigns at my house, this first week of summer being perhaps the busiest since it all began. 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.

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.

I toddle out through the dining room in my jammies and bare feet—the better to fully enjoy that cool blue floor—

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.
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.
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 zzzzzzzzzzz

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!

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.

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.

Big Advice About Paint

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 plus 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." Woo hoo for me! Validation from none other than Stephen Drucker! (Why, oh why, is he leaving HB?! I'm so sad about that. Happy for him though. Read more about it.)

Let me tell you a story... 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.

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:

We live in a world of limitless paint color choices. 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 one sofa that you fall madly in love with. One hand-scraped, reclaimed hardwood that you must have as your kitchen floor. One, and only one area rug that makes your antique dining set sing.

Most new homeowners will rush to paint all the rooms before moving in. "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.

It takes some planning and thinking ahead, 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.

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, click here to visit Kris. Her love of color is contagious.

Color is fun! Choosing color can be too. 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.)

Wait. What Year is it Again?

Holy Seventies Flashback, Batman!

I just received the new spring catalog from Pier 1. It's full of all kinds of fun, affordable, colorful accents for your home, and these. . .


ICE CANDLES!
Who would have thought something as wonderfully weird as ice candles would make a comeback. But shag carpeting did, didn't it? And "avocado" re-packaged as "wasabi". And bold, graphic wallpaper. Do any of you other 70's kids remember making these candles in your kitchen? Using an empty milk carton as the form? With your mom standing nervously by so you didn't burn said kitchen to the ground? (or send yourself to the emergency room)


I cannot have these in my house. Certain home trends are like fashion—if you wore it (or, in this case, decorated with it) the first time around, it's probably best that you avoid it now. You won't see me sporting a pair of Candie's wedges or hanging macrame art on my walls no matter how much I loved them in my youth. But if, against my good advice, you are so inclined, or you are young enough that this idea is "new to you", toddle on over to

Pier 1 and pick up a few of these candles. Better yet, get the whole groovy experience and make your own. I found a great tutorial here.

Pier 1 calls these "coral candles" and lists their fragrances as "first rain" and "oceans".

But don't let them fool you.

They're ice candles. And they should smell

like patchouli and sandalwood.

Peace.

They've Got My Number

Big Brother is alive and well and apparently working at Horchow. You know, the online home decor company that in 1971 became the first luxury mail-order catalog without an actual “bricks and mortar” storefront. Currently partnered with The Neiman Marcus Group, it remains a reliable source for distinctive fine furniture, linens and decorative accents. All at a luxury-level price, as you might imagine.

Horchow has long been one of my "go to" sources for decorating inspiration. And they must be on to me because, yesterday, I received an email from the company telling me "our design team thought you might like these items". Curious, I had to look. Color? Check. Whimsy? Check. Transitional designs that work in both traditional and contemporary settings? Check. Pretty chairs with great lines and even better upholstery treatments? Check and check. (Will you just look at that peacock chair, below. It has a velvety bow buckled across its back!)

So how is it they happened to send images that were all just my style? Do you think they know about the chair I used in this post about purple? And again in this post about a plate? Do you think they know that I once used a lamp shade identical to the one you see here, below, to write about budget-friendly lighting? Do they know how much time I spend browsing around in their bedding ensembles and table settings? Somehow, I think they must.

"But wait", you say. "Tracy, don't you know they're just manipulating you?"— "Send her a bunch of pictures she'll like" the ever-watchful marketing execs growl. "If she bites and blogs about them, that's more free advertising for us!" Followed by barrel-chested, cigar-chomping, corporate bad guy laughter.

While I appreciate your (imagined) concern, my response to the above scenario is: so what. (And, no, I don't really think that's the way it went down.) If I can use Horchow's beautiful, colorful, sometimes over-the-top merchandise and design tips to advise clients and come up with my own easier-on-the-budget alternatives, then they are welcome to "use" my blog (to reach my vast readership of twelve) any time they want. In fact, I recommend you take a look at what they have to offer. Try to take away some ideas for your next creative decorating venture. Ideas don't cost a thing. But... if you are drawn to make a purchase (and they are, by the way, having a pretty decent sale right now), do tell them Tracy sent you. Maybe they'll send me some more pretty pictures. When they finish congratulating and slapping each other on the back.

If I Ruled the World. . .

. . . it might look a lot like Waverly's world.

Their current print ads make me smile every time I see one. So I thought I would share them with you... in case you don't stumble into the same kind of color and pattern, fabric fanatic craziness I often find myself in the middle of.

Wouldn't you love to live in a neighborhood where the mailboxes look like this:

Having been a fan of Waverly's fabrics and products for many years, I'm so glad to see them freshening up their image. Yet reassured that many of my favorite traditional looks are still their mainstay. Like these from the Romantic Overtures Collection:

Ballad Bouquet in Robins Egg

Damask Duet in Mushroom

One of my favorite new-ish patterns is Chantel. I can see it on traditional upholstered armchairs as well as more contemporary slipper chairs. First though I'd have to decide which of these colorways is my favorite:

Brique

Vapeur

Chocolate

Dore


I purchased a remnant of Saison de Printemps in Creme some time ago, having no idea what I might do with it. I'll most likely use it somewhere in my kitchen.

Here's the same pattern in Saffron. Oh so French country.

If I weren't so determined to get rid of all the wallpaper in my house, I might be tempted to use one of these:

Essence in Spa

Damask in Cinnabar


Waverly is a terrific, affordable source for traditional styles in fabrics, wallpapers, paints and other home decor goods, many of which are available at chain retailers like JoAnn and Lowes. Check out their website to get a look at their product line.

And don't be fooled into thinking that traditional means stuffy or stodgy. There's a freshness to many of their current styles and, depending upon the end use, even the most traditional colors and patterns can look new and chic.

Headboards by Eugenia Erskine Jesberg via katiedid upholstered in Waverly fabric.

She Has Plans for You

Alexa Hampton, president of Mark Hampton LLC and designer of rooms like this (above and below)

furniture like this

lamps like this


and rugs like this


can currently be seen, and read, on the website of Williams-Sonoma Home. Their Designer Series, under the Design Center heading, features interviews with interior designers and style experts who offer practical tips and guidance to home decorators. In her piece, Ms. Hampton gives us tried and true, smart and sensible advice about planning and furnishing a room. Read it here—wshome.com


Once you've absorbed all that Ms. Hampton has to say, you might also want to see what others in the series have contributed. Tastemaker Carolyne Roehm talks about fabrics and color (of course color!) and design blogger extraordinaire Heather Clawson of Habitually Chic chats about the details and key elements that make a room work. And as long as you're already in the Design Center, take a look at the glossary of decor terms and play around with the upholstery design tools.


In her feature, Alexa Hampton says her favorite Williams-Sonoma piece is the Mark Desk (above). Chosen, she says, for its classic styling and the architectural feel of its stretcher base and column legs, this beautiful desk was actually designed by Alexa, manufactured by Hickory Chair, and named for her design legend father, the late Mark Hampton.

And because this is my blog, here's my favorite: the very feminine Carlyle Chair looking chic in ivory leather.



One more time, CLICK HERE to read Alexa Hampton on Creating a Furniture Plan at Williams-Sonoma Home.

Interior photos and Alexa Hampton portrait via Architectural Digest
Alexa Hampton furniture via Hickory Chair
Alexa Hampton lighting via Visual Comfort
Alexa Hampton rug via Stark Carpet
Williams-Sonoma furniture via wshome.com

Fall Into Pier 1

New for Fall... lots of affordable pretty from Pier 1 Imports...

The warm colors of the Round Leaves Rug (above) would welcome the season in a small entry or powder room

The Ikat Wing Chair makes a bold, but not outspoken, statement

Redbuds Tassle Pillow (personally, I would cut those tassles right off and have myself a Redbuds "Applique" Pillow)

Where wouldn't a Sunflower Mirror look great?

Peacock Tufted Dining Chairs would be lovely as host and hostess at the dinner table

Bubbles Green Glass Vases are right on trend

Wouldn't your holiday guests feel extra welcome with a Josette Chair in their very own room?

Antiqued Oval Clock for your wall (16"x16")

A pair of Chryssie Chairs would look so warm and cozy in front of the fireplace

At $2.95 each, you can fill a basket or bowl with Seagrass Balls and get a lot of texture for only a little cash

Stoneware Canisters are filled with character and charm

Vintage Inspired Trays will brighten your day and your decor

I think the whimsical jacquard upholstery on this Ashlyn Dining Chair is so pretty and might be nice at a girly vanity

The Suzani Fringe Pillow is bold and bright and warm

Sanctuary Serving Pieces look great even when they're not working

These Curved Back Dining Chairs in Ivory could help you pull off the hot new Belgian look without breaking your budget

______

Pier 1 has recently become a surprisingly great source for affordable accents and cost-effective seasonal updates. If you haven't already, give them a look.

I'm partial to the vintage trays and the oval wall clock and the redbuds pillow (without the tassles, of course!).

Which one of these pretties has caught your eye?