Those Clever French!

Wanna see something cool? Check out this window treatment we just installed in a client's home. Can't take credit for any of it, except the cool rod, getting it hemmed and installing it just right.
My client bought these panels while vacationing in Paris. She was mostly attracted to the cool style, but also thought the price was excellent. Turns out the price was so good because you have to hem them yourself, and they are unlined. They came with a separate piece of neutral fabric that you would attach to the back of the front piece. A free floating liner, if you will. We decided not to use the liner. The really interesting design element is the tabs at the top, which were purchased separately. Basically, we pulled some strings on the back of the panel to form the pencil pleats. Then we placed the tabs where we wanted them and secured them with some little brads (the part that looks like a small metal ball) through the curtain. The tabs came complete with the grommets for the brad to fit through and the small white tassel at the pointed end.
Though these panels are ready-mades, the fabric was so much chic-er than what we have available for ready-mades in this country. It had both gold and silver threads running throught it and even a piece of wire running through some of the threads. Because of the wire, we couldn't machine stitch the hem, so it is done by hand. But the wire also gave the fabric body. We were lucky enough to get a custom made curtain rod that came in a combination gold AND silver finish!

A little summer inspiration

"Look at that sea, girls-all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen. We couldn't enjoy its loveliness any more than if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds."
--Lucy Maud Montgomery

A little help with chairs...

In my previous post on chairs, it would help if I could have edited it the way I wanted, but I am still on a huge learning curve. So the pictures are shown in reverse order. Start at the bottom and work your way up.
As soon as I learn how to insert the pictures WHERE I want them, all will be right with my world!

Chairs, chairs & more chairs

This has been the summer of chairs....reupholstery and new upholstery. It's always interesting to see how behaves when it is covering a 3-dimensional object. The first photo is not technically a chair; it's a loveseat. It is a custom made piece to go into a room with a somewhat nautical theme. Love the contrasting paisley pillows!

In the same room, we reupholstered 2 chairs in a medium blue. These have an English arm and were on a swivel base.

In an adjoining room, we used the same window treatments for continuity. We had a custom made chair to copy the existing blue chairs - same English arm (although they are covered up by the arm protectors), same swivel base, but this time in a yellow fabric, with a contrast band at the hem in navy blue.

On to another beautiful home! In this case the homeowner REALLY disliked her sofa. She said she didn't know why she had spent so much money on something that now she found so boring. I said I didn't think the sofa was so boring, but the other chairs in the room were equally as unassuming. I thought we could jazz up the chairs and let the sofa take a supporting role and everyone would be happier. One chair got the star treatment in a blue & green velvet damask. It was crazy cool fabric & one that I have been dying to use on something.

The other chair is exactly the same chair but it doesn't look it, dressed in this mini print with it's matching ottoman.

We eventually decided to add window treatments (coming soon!) and make brand new cushions (the insides, not the covers) for the sofa for a little more structure.

Hoboken - Who Knew?

My son recently moved to Hoboken, NJ. He has the greatest apartment on the main drag several blocks down from Carlo's Bakery....you know,The Cake Boss? There is always a line in front of that place. I mean they have signs that say "the line starts here", walkie-talkies, the works. It is likely that I will never make it in there to buy anything, which is really, really sad considering my fondness for all bakeries.
Hoboken appears to be the hip place to live and much less expensive than Manhattan, which is a stone's throw away. We walked three blocks and there was the Hudson River. We ate dinner looking at this great view. I can't wait to explore all the shops and parks. I have been up there 3 times in the last 6 weeks, but it is always a working visit, either to help move in or to decorate.

A Little Exploring in VA

What a great day. Lunch at my favorite restaurant, Can Can, in Richmond. Then we arrived early in Suffolk, VA, too early to head out for dinner so we did a little exploring. We came upon a sign that said "Southern Living Idea House", and of course you have to follow a sign like that. We found the house, but it was closed, and had a For Sale sign out front. But we could tell it was still decorated so we got out to take a look. A detached garage out front formed a courtyard on the front of the house that opened to the driveway on one side and to the covered entryway and the foyer on the other. What a great idea! (It was an Idea House after all!)There were so many things to look at out there. An outdoor fireplace. A copper rainchain. Candeliers - if that is how you spell it. Lots of seating. The only thing missing was a little color, but if you lived there you could put lots of flowers in planters or add some decorative outdoor cushions.
Tomorrow - it's off to be a judge for the Tidewater Builders Assoc. Spring Homearama Critics Choice Awards. Sure to be pictures to share.

I Can Have My Cake

I am a little sad about the demise of so many of my beloved shelter magazines. But I recently ordered a new subscription that has become a bit of an obsession. It is a magazine called "Celebrate" that offers ideas for parties, decorations, themes and recipes based on real and imagined holidays during particular seasons of the year. It is published by the same people who brought back Victoria magazine. (love that one, too.) Anyway, a particular cake appeared in the Spring issue that I could not get out of my mind so I made it the other day. For no particular occasion. Now the rest of the family is obsessed. We are not cake people. On birthdays I will make a cake but after one slice each, it sits around for days. I have never figured out why. But not this glorious cake. We ooohhed and aaahhed over the sheer awesomeness of it's size but I have to tell you, it tastes about a million times better than it looks. Three layers of heaven. It is call Almond Strawberry Cake (strawberry filling between the almond flavored layers). Go to www.hoffmanmedia.com to check out the magazine. It's a party girl's dream.