Raise the Bar!

When I bought my current home six years ago, there were already features present that I couldn't change. Like this:

I mean the wood work is beautiful and all but the

 open arch portion mystified me until I happened upon those brown urns in a store in Connecticut.  For 90% off.  I'm kind of lucky like that. The bronze statue is one my son inherited, but he doesn't have room for yet.  Darn.

The cabinet below the arch was actually made to hold a TV, back when TV's were really deep.

That's a pretty cavernous hole!

And not attractive either!

As you can see, it not only had a pull out ledge for the TV, but also a shelf built into the top for the cable box or a DVD player - the house was built in 2003, after all. But you may have already noticed that this shelf is right next to the window in the corner of the room.  It is a terrible location for a TV!

Hmmmmm.  What to do........

First I added a little hanging chandelier to the back.

This light fixture came from my old house and used to hang behind my bed.

But it was kind of glaring when the lights were on.

So I added these little shades that I had for my chandelier at Christmas. Don't worry, it gets better looking.

Then I added the only thing that I purchased for this project.

These hanging wine glass racks from the Container Store fit perfectly on the DVD shelf.

By now you have guessed that I turned this eyesore into a BAR!!

I added a few wine glasses, some beverages and some accessories and VOILA!

That's an old desk mat that was in the cabinet underneath this one for some reason.  I thought it would be good to put the bottles on.  The tiny flowers were both gifts and I will always try to fit a flower in wherever I can! I used the bigger liquor bottles to hide the electrical outlets.

It's pretty cute with my pumpkin for Autumn.

And of course, he lights up!

And here is the view when you are sitting across the room. Ahhh, much better than a TV!

And Clarence the doggie really appreciates it.

One Girl's Trash

....is another girl's treasure!

 While sitting in our library last night, sipping wine and waiting for dinner to be ready, I was struck by the beauty of this floral arrangement in the semi-dark room.
The container was sitting on my friend's garage floor. "I'm throwing that out," she said. "You can have it if you want it". I drove seven hours with it between my feet.
So glad it has a new life!

Floral by CPK Floral Designs

Stone Tower

Friday night was full of nice surprises.
Stone Tower Winery, here in Loudoun County, Virginia, had it's wine pick up night for Tower Cru Club Members.  They promised a couple of food trucks and music by Gary Smallwood, but they WAY over-delivered in terms of ambience and fun!  Every room of the large facility was full of people enjoying wine and having a good time.  It was a really cold night, so it was surprising to see so many people willing to drive to Leesburg.

We met some really friendly people while we listened to Gary Smallwood!

 

How to Set a Festive Table

I was recently asked to decorate some holiday tables for an Open House at Picket Fence Homes in Leesburg, Virginia.

The first was a snowman-themed table for four starring a jolly fellow perched atop a bed of marshmallow snowballs.  Completing the scene were snowman mugs and whimsical paper placemats.

The "tablecloth" was actually a chalkboard paper runner with a message on the front written in chalkboard marker.

The second table was a romantic setting for two, decorated with an intimate New Years Eve in mind.

Gold chargers, glittery silver ferns, beaded gift boxes and martini glasses full of treats created a festive, sophisticated mood.
Inspirations, instead of names, were in the placecard holders.

And a little Picket Fence wine doesn't hurt, either!

Our last table had a natural, woodland theme and featured a tree branch suspended from the ceiling, resplendent with old fashioned tinsel. (Use your imagination - it IS a conference room, after all!)

A carved wood stag sits as centerpiece among white pine table runners and glittered pine cones and leaves.

Cranberry colored chargers and plates featuring birds complete the picture.

Here are my guidelines for Setting a Festive Table:

Theme - choose one, however subtle it may be
Layer - texture, color or pattern
Shine - add metallic accents for some shimmer
Surprise! - use an accessory in an unusual way (like the marshmallows)
Glow - soften the light with candles or a dimmer switch
Remember my mantra:  Pleasing, not Perfect!!

Many thanks to all the fun people at Picket Fence Homes - 212 S. King St., Leesburg VA 20175
They were expert hot chocolate makers and also provided the holiday recipe cards that we gave away.
 

Really Beautiful Homes - #3 & #4

Hot as it was this past Sunday, I toured a few homes before heading to the pool.

This first home was in my own neighborhood of Raspberry Falls in Leesburg.  I had always admired this house on my walks, as it has amazing curb appeal.  This inside didn't disappoint either!  Currently listed at $1,029,900, this home has an amazing amount of upgrades;  a butler's pantry off the kitchen , numerous fireplaces, a wet bar in the lower level with a beer/wine fridge, a sauna and a private wine cellar.  All the rooms are large and spacious and the large yard is about .78 acres.  But the feature you simply have to see is the 3rd floor loft that has been modeled after a Chanel boutique with custom shelves and racks.  Click here to go to the extensive virtual tour.

The listing agent is Chris Antonelli of the Antonelli Team at Long & Foster.  Chris was very friendly and quite helpful in pointing out features on our tour.  Find Chris here.

If you are looking for a home smaller than the first one, I found a charming one about a mile away. This "farmette" sits on 6 fully fenced acres, with AMAZING views out the back.  Even though this is an older home, the kitchen has been completely remodeled and is really lovely.  The lower level is large too, with so many built in bookshelves. There is a screened in porch that I would absolutely live in if this was my home. It overlooked the private pool! There are 4 bedrooms and the house is listed for $749,000.  This is country living with all the conveniences of nearby Leesburg and only 20 minutes from Frederick, MD. Here's the listing .
For more information, contact the lovely and knowledgeable, Tamara Harrison of Sotheby's.

Wine Shelf

We don't know what to call it, so it has become the Wine Shelf by default.

German made by a former Brit (he Brexited??) out of wine crates from the Bordeaux region of France.  It has a rustic wood top and whisper quiet slide out drawers. 
We started calling it the Wine Storage but we are not storing wine it it - although you could.

Here in the studio we are storing fabric samples. The top is perfect for laying out design schemes.
These wine shelves are available for order in all shapes and sizes. Some are double sided and make a great kitchen island. Some even have wheels. Let me know if you need me.  I assure you, you do!

Pairing Wine with Furniture (huh?)

Last week I took a whirlwind 30-hour trip to New York City to attend an event where wine was to be paired with furniture.  Imagine!  I couldn't. So I had to see it for myself.
The event was held at the Flatiron Design Collective on West 21st St. (There was a minor snafu when I received 2 separate email confirmations with 2 separate addresses, but I am not easily beaten by that sort of thing.)  The Flatiron Design Collective is comprised of 3 different businesses that share a showroom.
The first is JLCreate, which is John Lyle's company.  I had to pleasure of meeting and talking with John and learning just a little bit about his design process.  He designs luxury furnishings and accessories and approaches design with a sculptor's eye.

 John Lyle and Cleo the dog.  Fromental wallcovering behind us and in the small office.

It was fascinating to learn the different mediums (media?) he works in:  metal (all kinds of finishes), wood, shagreen, glazed linen in all kinds of colors, tobacco leaves and cow bone.  COW BONE, you say?  Yes, it sounds so strange but John mostly uses it as an inlay.  It looked a bit like ivory.  And tobacco leaves?  I asked him if he was from Virginia, and he said no, Mississippi. The tobacco had the look of veneered wood on table tops.  It was all gorgeous. You've heard of a bed of nails? Well here is a table made of nails:

 JL Create table made of nails.  CL Curated rug.

Underneath the table is a rug from CL Curated, which designs and creates site specific rugs.  I wish I had learned more about CL Curated while I was there.  The samples were beautiful, in rich graphics and saturated colors.
The third collection in the Collective was Fromental, maker of swoonworthy handmade wallpapers and fabrics.  The pictures do not do this collection justice.  Think about silk, which is hand painted and then hand embroidered. After paper backing it, it is applied to the wall.   Some of the embroideries included beads, making a unique 3-D wallcovering that is truly a work of art!

On to the wine pairing!  Adam Japko of Esteem Media led this unique presentation.  Adam writes the blog Wine Zag (click here) He's a super friendly guy whom I've met several times before.  Adam has a open minded approach to wine tasting, with an easy going curiosity.

 Adam Japko discussing a slide.  Fromental wallcovering in the background.  All furniture and accessories by JL Create.

He was sent several pictures of John Lyle's furniture to which he had to assign a wine. So, unlike pairing wine with food, he tried to assign wines that spoke the same language or had a similar quality to a piece of furniture.  His insights were engaging and dynamic. For instance he paired a wine with a specific table because they both "make you think".  (I think he meant they were complex.)  In any case, the whole event "made me think".  So many elements of any art form, be it furniture making, painting, wine making, sculpture, music or food, are similarly described. They conjure emotion.
Elizabeth Ralls, Editor in Chief of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyle magazine was also on hand to show examples from the pages of the magazine for the various styles of furniture.
Here are the wines we tasted:

I wish that I had the slides to show you what was paired with what.  But I wouldn't remember anyway! I was a little preoccupied drinking the wine!
Click on the links to see some truly inspirational people and products.
CL Curated
JL Create
Fromental