Southgate Residential

Making the Most of Your Space--Look Under the Stairs!

2012-02-11T13:49:00.000-05:00

A while back, I asked those of you who follow me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/southgateresidential) for some ideas for my 100th post. Well, scatter brained as I am, the 100th post came and went over the holidays. But there were several requests for ideas about decorating and organizing smaller spaces--appropriate as many of us are seeking ways to better use the space we have, and a renewed interest in quality spaces versus the "quantity" spaces of the McMansion era.

One thing small space dwellers have to do is make use of every nook and cranny. One of the most under utilized areas is the space under stairs. That odd little triangle often becomes a burial ground for "stuff" that gets shoved into the back never to be seen again. But a little creativity can make that space some of the most useful in your house. Check out these ideas:

This great built in bench is perfect for putting on shoes as you head out the door.

This one has been a favorite on Pinterest, a fully functioning home office tucked in under the stairs!

How cute would this be in a back staircase? An adorable little playhouse for the kids.

Built in shelves beneath the stair can house books, a collection, or become a great "drop zone".

Or how about this? A series of pullouts makes the most of ever inch--use them for linen, games, or arts and crafts supplies.

Friends of mine converted the low space under a landing into a "house" for their beloved Golden Retriever, and the space under stairs can also be used in a pinch for a powder room. What other ideas have you seen for this overlooked area?

A Few Projects at my Own House

2012-01-23T13:34:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I shared the in progress redecoration of my foyer. (That post is HERE.) Well, after two and a half days of acrobatics high above the floor, the foyer is all done except for a few touch ups. I'm very pleased...it brings the high foyer down to a much more human and inviting scale. We painted the outside corners of the design in a color that is a shade or two darker than the wall color (we have also used that darker accent on a niche and our fireplace) The center area of the molding was papered with a tone on tone damask that repeats the two colors. (A hint of bronze metallic throws off the color a bit in photos.)

Forgive the quick cell phone pictures, will take some better ones soon.

Before, tall blank walls that begged for SOMETHING.

During the redecoration--trim was in place but unpainted. Was already an improvement!

After, with accent paint and paper all done!

This would have been a very easy DIY project if not for the height of the room. (Or if we'd had proper scaffolding to work on). We plan on doing something similar in our two story great room, and at least there we won't have to dangle out over the stairs!

My decorative New Year's resolution was to finally do something with our long neglected master bedroom. Other than painting it last summer, not a thought has been given to that space. So while the trim guys were doing the foyer, I had them install crown in the bedroom, and right after Christmas we found the perfect chandlier, which we put up this weekend. Still needs a lot (drapes, a few pieces of furniture, etc.) but it already feels much better:

Master Bedroom in progress. If anyone has some ideas for this room, I am all ears! Still haven't quite gotten my vision for what it should look like once it's finished.

I am linking to the wonderful Metamorphosis Monday party at Between Naps on the Porch!

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This Weeks Find--Pratesi at Homegoods!

2012-01-17T21:43:00.000-05:00

A Wall Street Journal article summed up Italian linen house Pratesi pretty well: "Pratesi is the Chanel of bedding. It's a label synonymous with everything posh: flawless fabric, a historic design archive and top-drawer clients. For three generations, the linens dynasty has had a lock on the high end of the market and its customers have included everyone from Liz Taylor to Stella McCartney. Even the notoriously picky Michael Jackson demanded only Pratesi sheets for his houses."

What makes a Pratesi sheet so special, aside from the ability to brag that one is slumbering on the same bedding as royalty? Simply put, they are exquisitely made to last a lifetime. Made only from the first spinning of a special Egyptian cotton that produces 4-6 inch long fibers, a Pratesi sheet (or any sheet made from similar fiber) is much smoother than a "regular" Egyptian cotton sheet made from shorter fibers. (Pratesi also offers linen sheeting, an acquired taste I won't attempt to address here.)

The Pratesi signature is embroidery--all of the simply outlined "hotel" sheets that have popped up on every shelf in the world are quite simply knock offs of what Pratesi has done for over a century.

Perhaps the best known Pratesi pattern is the oft-copied classic "3-line"

Another of their crisp embroidered patterns.

So what does a set of these luxurious sheets cost? Well, a king sized set of cotton 3-lines runs around $1500. No, I didn't put an extra zero in there. A linen set is even more, and the more elaborate embroidery patterns are also more expensive.

So imagine my shock and joy at finding a set of Pratesi sheets at Homegoods for just a little over $200. They unfortunately do not have the signature embroidered lines, mine have a simple "Pratesi" logo stitched discreetly in the corners, but they are nonetheless HEAVENLY. A quick search online reveals that others have found Pratesi duvets at TJ Maxx/Homegoods/Marshalls recently too--so you may want to RUN to your nearest location and see if you can score this unbelievable find!

The Woods Lake--A New Cottage Plan

2012-01-08T20:07:00.000-05:00

The latest design in our collection of small homes and cottages is The Woods Lake, which offers fine details and cottage charm in 1,000 square feet of living space.

A variety of materials, heavy timber bracket work, and a rooftop cupola lend charm to the exterior of The Woods Lake.

The floor plan features a host of "just-right" sized rooms, including a beamed ceiling great room, dining space encased in built ins, and a master bedroom with coffered tray ceiling. A convenient office nook and tons of carefully planned storage make the most of the small square footage. The oversized one car garage allows for even more storage and space for hobbies.

For more information or to purchase the Woods Lake plans, please CONTACT US

A Couple of Quick Ideas for Your Walls

2012-01-08T16:39:00.000-05:00

The builder of my neighborhood has recently put up a new model home. It's a welcome site, after a few "quiet" years of construction, a half dozen new homes have popped up over the past few months, and it's nice to feel like we might finally be shrugging off this horrible economy.

Overall the house doesn't do much for me--it's a traditional sort of house that they have forced some crafstman-type details onto, and while it is a large home (almost 4,000 square feet) it doesn't flow all that well so it feels smaller, there were a few ideas that I was able to get from a quick tour of it today.

In a bedroom that was clearly staged as a "little boy's room", there were two great ideas for art. The designer's had hung a collage of framed comic book covers over the bed for a striking focal point:

The same idea could be applied in a number of ways--imagine the same look but with vintage fashion magazines. Or perhaps even some beautifully colored calendar pages?

In the same room, they had given three more framed covers some added "oomph" by hanging the center cover over a larger mirror:

I thought this was a great and unusual way to add some visual weight to a grouping. I may have to steal this idea for one of my guest rooms! Or imagine doing something similar with a pair of undersized prints that you love but haven't been able to hang.

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What To Do With High Walls?

2012-01-02T01:47:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a fun and love filled holiday season this year, and that 2012 will be a fabulous year for all of us. The lack of posts the past month are testament to just how busy the season was for me. Between parties, decorating, travel, and shopping, the blog unfortunately had to take a back seat for a bit. But a new year is upon us, and I will do my best to return to our regularly scheduled blogging.

And first, a transformation is in the works at my house. Visitors enter into a two-story foyer with a bridge that overlooks the front door to one side and the great room to the other. While the volume gives the house a nice open feeling, the high walls have always been a challenge. What to do with them?

See what I mean? Acres of blank wall space!

The other side of the bridge.

Pieces of art were the first answer I came up with, but anything large enough was prohibitively expensive, and I hated to invest in something that would be too high up to be truly appreciated. I've seen high walls like these treated with hanging quilts or tapestries, and that's certainly a good solution in some homes, but neither seemed to suit our taste.

After touring a builder's model last fall, the answer was clear--molding and paint! The model we saw had a similar foyer, and they had created squares of molding and painted the inside of them a contrasting color.
So I took some measurements, laid out some ideas, and for my partner's Christmas present, had installed these striking panels:

The "L" shaped corners will be painted in the same darker accent color that we used on the great room fireplace and a niche in the foyer. The center squares will be wallpapered--we haven't found what we want yet, but it will likely be a tone on tone damask or geometric.

I was surprised just how big a difference these panels make, even before they are painted and papered. The whole scale of the space changed, it feels much more welcoming now. Even with professionals doing the work, the paneling was cheaper than buying art to fill these walls, and had I the patience and skill to install them myself, they would have been a real bargain!

This post is linking to the Metamorphosis Monday party at "Between Naps on the Porch" Visit them for many more inspiring before and afters!

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It's Time to Deck the Halls!

2011-11-20T11:27:00.002-05:00

I have to apologize for my lack of posts and reading the past few weeks. It seems that time of year is upon is when every waking moment is taken up with something. Last weekend, the few "free" hours we had were spent decorating the inside of the house for Christmas. Far earlier than I normally like to, but it was a "now or never" type of a thing, as plans this weekend and travel over Thanksgiving left no other time to do it.

Last year, we put up two trees--one in our formal living/music room, and a 12 footer in the great room. I LOVE decorating for the holidays, but HATE the take-down afterward. I vowed NOT to do two trees again. I should have been more specific, because we ended up with THREE.

The tree in the formal living room/music room is covered with nearly 1,000 lights, ornaments in black, silver, blue, and mirror. The topper is done out of white poinsettia and silver ting ting, and the ribbon has a sheet music pattern. Lighting a tree is the most important part, and I wind the strings from the trunk to the tip, working my way from the bottom to the top.

On top of the piano, and again on the sofa table in our great room, we took the limbs from an old artificial Christmas tree to make sprays. Sprinkled with lights, ribbon, and smaller ornaments, the sprays turned out beautifully considering they were made from "leftovers".

The small pencil tree in the dining room is done up with damask ribbon that picks up on the fabric of the host chairs, black and silver ornaments. An ornate mask and a few plumes of feathers top this one out.

We got the dining room table ready for the season by swapping out the usual salad plates with something a bit more festive, created a great centerpiece with mercury glass trees and a silver snow globe, and hung a few ornaments from the chandelier. A few red accents give the table a little life.

And finally, the great room 12-footer. This tree is predominantly done in reds and bright greens, but also has a good many brown and orange ornaments. The hearth becomes home to our Christmas village, and more branches of the old Christmas tree found their way to the mantel.

Click HERE for a panoramic shot of the great room (kindly excuse the mess!)

I'm linking to the Metamorphosis Monday party at one of my favorite blogs, Between Naps on the Porch! Each week, they serve up lots of before and afters that are sure to inspire!

This post is also linking to the Holiday House Tours Party at Hooked on Houses!

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Drive By Shootings: European Elegance

2011-10-16T21:01:00.000-04:00

This "Drive-By Shooting" is a house in the midst of a complete renovation. Once owned by a prominent and philanthropic family, the house was sold last year for an almost unheard of price in Greenville, South Carolina. I wish I'd had the foresight to download the photos from the listing, because it revealed an interior of gracious rooms, gorgeous moldings, and interiors in which cost had been no object--in 1969. The home was flawless but extremely dated. The house is on a double or triple lot on one of the most desired streets in town, and has over 7,000 square feet on three levels. The slate roof and cast stone entrance and window surrounds speak to the quality of the house. The new owners have removed the high hedge that previously blocked the house from the street, torn down an ill-conceived greenhouse that once sat on the left side, replacing it with the large pavilion that is visible hear, and added a carriage house that perfectly compliments the existing house.

The renovations are being completed by a top-notch builder and overseen by a respected architect, I can only hope the finished house is published or open on one of the charity tours in the coming years. I would love to see what they have done with the interior.

Another Kind of Interior

2011-10-02T11:47:00.000-04:00

Folks, I have an illness. It's chronic, despite my repeated attempts at curing it. I have had to come to terms with the fact that I will likely suffer from this my whole life. It's called "Car Fickles" and is characterized by sudden unsets of "New Car Fever" which can only be cured by trading automobiles. It's true that in my 16 years of driving, I have had 9 cars. The longest I've ever gone without a flair up is three and a half years, but the disease has progressed the past five years, and I have been afflicted on an almost yearly basis.

Whether it's the smell of a new car interior, the gloss of a factory-fresh paintjob, or just the lure of the deal, we may never know. But this week, as I sat in the dealership pouring over swatches of the available leathers, woods, and metal surfaces that could adorn the interior of one car I'm considering, I was as giddy as if I were designing myself a new room. And with the attention car manufacturers are paying to interiors, it's no wonder. With long commutes, business travel, and weekend getaways keeping us in our cars more than ever, it's only fitting that their interiors should be given as much consideration as any other space. Take a look at some of my favorites:

Jaguar has a history of creating beautiful autos, and the latest XJ is no exception. The contrasting piping, fine woods, and play of textures make it a stunner.

Mercedes Interiors are generally more sedate...handsome rather than dazzling. But select one of their "Designo" packages (the porcelain one pictured here) and you get more style. The piano black surfaces, boldly contrasting leather and carpets, and channeled seats make this one of my favorites.

Audi is another manufacturer who makes gorgeous interiors. This one is understated and elegant, with rich brown carpets, bone colored leather with an accent that pulls in the carpet color, and subtle wood graning to highlight the well thought out controls.

Maserati is one of a handful of companie that allows its owners to create something truly unique. Customers have an endless number of options...from choosing the color of the piping to the color of the seatbelts. Here, a monochromatic caramel scheme gets some visual interest from the button tufted seating.

Porsche likewise allows a great array of customization options. Here, a mostly black 911 interior gets some visual punch from ivory colored inserts and contrasting stitching.

Front seat passengers don't get all the fun. The rear seat of this Bentley shows that just as much detail is payed to the aft cabin. Deep, light colored leather bucket seats are highlighted with blue trim and dark burled wood accents.

Even Volvo, long known for safety, but rarely thought of as a design pioneer, has gotten in on the fun. The contrasting saddle orange seating makes the handsome interior of this S60 memorable.

And great interiors are not reserved just for high-priced cars. Here, Chevrolet has given the interior of the Malibu the designer treatment with a sweeping two tone dash and seats beautifully upholstered in chocolate brown and charcoal.

MINI's standard cars have a pretty high level of personalization possible, and every few years they launch an even more special limited edition. Here, the limited Mayfair MINI uses contrasting textures and colors to create the sort of interior normally seen only in much more expensive autos.

So, what do you think? Which is your favorite? Have you ever paid much mind to your car's interior?

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Drive By Shootings: A Picture Perfect Traditional

2011-09-26T09:30:00.000-04:00

Forgive the poor quality, I had to go the wrong way around a cul-de-sac to snap a picture of this gorgeous traditional house. The first floor is stone, and the second floor is covered in gold clapboard. I just adore the broken pediment entrance and the dormers popping through the fascia. Looks like something from a movie set, doesn't it?

A Conversation with Tina from "The Enchanted Home"

2011-09-23T22:48:00.000-04:00

"The Enchanted Home" is one of my favorite design blogs, and I was very excited when the author, Tina, agreed to a little question and answer with me. Tina and I love many of the same things, and I have throroughly enjoyed watching the progress as she and her family have built their dream home. Tina's readers not only get to see the gorgeous details of her house unfold, but are treated to Tina's take on wonderful travel locations, products, and design. She serves up some of the very best "eye candy" there is on the web, and does it with grace and charm. If you haven't already, click over to The Enchanted Home...you'll be glad you did.

I believe our blogs started around the same time. I wanted a way to organize my inspiration photos and share my thoughts and projects. What prompted you to start "The Enchanted Home?"
I started my blog Jan.1st of this year...hard to believe its been eight fun, entertaining and educational months! In building our home, I started looking for lots of various house related things both in pictures and articles online. After going to a few blogs for months without honestly realizing they were even blogs (had no idea what one was) I started thinking "hey I can do this too". I enjoy writing and thought this would be a fun way to share my interests as well as the entire home building experience with other like minded people. Sure enough I soon discovered there are lots of them out there! So I started one wintry morning, writing my very first post that maybe generated a single comment. But boy was that comment coveted and celebrated!!

I just love your blog, and judging by the number of comments others leave, I am far from alone. What is it about The Enchanted Home that you think gets people hooked? What advice would you give a new blogger on how to reach and keep an audience?

Thank you Brandon! I think a lot of people like my take on design, and decor and I think a lot of people enjoy watching the progress of our home building. I follow a few blogs myself on people who are either building or renovating and I so anticipate their new posts on updates so I see it from the perspective of how fun it is to watch someone else's project in the works (I get a lot of emails telling me this so this is not an assumption). I think I do have a certain style which while not for everyone, appeals to a fairly broad group. As far as keeping an audience, it is a mantra you hear often but its just so true...write about what you really love and what excites you. The rest will flow. I think the key is to keep it authentic, not to feel like you must play to your audience, as that will become a chore and novelty which will wear off because you will undoubtedly lose interest if you lack the passion and conviction to write about what you love and believe in. I always say you cannot be all things to all people, just be yourself and the audience you gain will be a loyal one.

You and your family are nearing the end of a long building process. Is there a part of you that will be sad to have the house finished? What are you going to miss most about the building process?

NO NO AND NO, there is no size font on this computer that could spell out a big enough "no" to get my point across...lol. Its been over three and half years and I just "want off this ride". Frankly I really won't miss anything about the building process other than at this point it IS fun to go to the house and get excited over something that has changed from one day to the next. But my patience is thin, and I am ready to move in, and not look back!

What is your favorite thing about your new house? Is there anything you would have done differently?

Oh boy, I really have so many. I love the style, French...its always been a dream of mine to have a home like this. I love my kitchen and breakfast room and family room. Love having my own bathroom FINALLY! I love the materials we used, there are too many to single out just one. Honestly at this point I am very very happy to say there is not a single thing I would have done differently!

A few months ago, a house I designed was featured in an article on a national news site. It was around 4,000 square feet, and I was very surprised when several anonymous commenter's took the position that a house that size was wasteful...one went so far as to claim it was morally irresponsible. Have you faced anything similar, online or off, as you've chronicled building your house? What do you say (if you bother saying anything) to people with that attitude?

This is interesting. Once again you cannot be all things to all people and most certainly there are going to be those who just don't want to see the good in anything, and unfortunately even some "haters" out there. If anything, I feel sorry for anyone who cannot be happy for someone else fulfilling their dream. I on the other hand, am very inspired when I see something beautiful, it excites and inspires me, makes me want to aspire to do and be better. So that kind of attitude is very foreign to me, and I always think that person is likely a very unhappy individual or very dissatisfied with his/her life to have to tear someone else down. I live my life for me, and feel very blessed and just know in this world there will always be those naysayers, but I will not allow them to bring me down. I try to focus on all the many positives and the goodness in 99.9% of the people I have met through blogging.

Designing and building a house is a sometimes overwhelming process that is filled with surprises. Do you have a particular method for staying organized and attacking all the decisions? What would you tell someone about to start the homebuilding process to be ready for?

Well I have a very large online photo album full of very inspirational pictures, when I didn't have so many it was well organized into categories and by rooms. Now that I have literally hundreds, the organizational system has fallen to the wayside but it is still a valuable resource that I use daily. I also have a very thick file folder a friend gave me many years ago (when we were building our old house ironically) that has different compartments and that's a great way to keep track of invoices and paperwork though somehow they don't always find their way there. Be prepared to spend 20-30% more than you think you will and add at least a few extra months to the time frame, that is given. I have yet to hear of a project be done on time or earlier, it is nearly almost always much later...sort of the the nature of the beast unfortunately. Be ready to spend A LOT of your waking hours (and many non waking too) mulling over decision after decision, it can be incredibly overwhelming so I think its important that both husband and wife be fully on board and committed to the building of a home.

Tell us about your family! How much have they been involved in creating your home? Does your husband share your passion for the details, or is he one of those guys who only cares about the garage?

I have a wonderful husband who I have been married to for 26 years. And he is VERY involved. In fact, our builder is so impressed with his knowledge and business savvy, they may go in on a project together! He is a huge asset to have in this process. This has been a project that we embarked on truly together, in every sense. I would never have been able to get through it if he wasn't as involved as he has been. We have had many twists and turns, highs and lows in this process but its been nice to have someone to share it with! We got married very young and started a family when I was 22 and he 27. We have been blessed with 3 wonderful sons, and a great dog, the infamous Teddy. (lots of people got to know Teddy when when I poured my heart out in a post when we thought we had lost him on Mothers day)!

You've written about some fabulous travel destinations. Practical concerns aside, tell us about your dream vacation.

THANK YOU! Its no secret I love to travel ….. I think my dream vacation would in terms of a place I have already been, lounging on a beach (preferably a private beach so the beach wrap could come off, lol) in Hawaii with a IV drip of Maitai's and Pina coladas with my biggest worry being what book to indulge in that day and what time our dinner reservation is (yea I know keep dreaming right?) In terms of a place I have yet to travel to, but high on my wish list, I would love to visit Fiji and take an archaeological tour through Egypt and Turkey.

How would you describe your style?

Assuming you mean with regard to decorating/dressing….definitely classic traditional with a slight twist. I find my taste is evolving and especially since I became an official member of blogland, there is so much beauty and inspiration, it has really opened my eyes. I love all European influences, particularly French.

If you could go back in time and offer a younger you some advice, what would it be?

Learn everything you can, knowledge is power. You can never know enough, read read read, absorb it all like a sponge, commit yourself to continuously keep learning and evolving. Never stand still and think you have it covered. Open your mind to always being the best you can be. And I have always loved "shoot for the moon and you will land on one of the stars". In other words think big, dream big and wish big, we are only limited by our imaginations.

A sneak peak at Tina's house...visit her blog The Enchanted Home to see more!

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Drive By Shootings: Picture Perfect Southern Elegance

2011-09-12T13:50:00.000-04:00

The graceful columns, beautifully detailed wings, and copper conductor heads caught my eye on this house, which not only exudes Southern charm, but appears to be for sale...any takers?

Formal Living Room Unveiled

2011-09-11T20:13:00.000-04:00

The formal living room at our house has been a long time in the making. I've previously written about my finds for this space--a mirrored chest scored for $200 at Homegoods, a pair of mirrored tables snatched off of clearance at Pier One. But not until a few weeks ago did I finally feel like the room was finished. (A relative term, of course, since I would love to have hardwood floors in there, a different piano, and maybe even taller crown molding, but it is finished enough for now.)

Here's what the space looked like shortly after I moved in. We'd already painted the walls Sherwin Williams Pearl Gray. The sofa had recently been recovered--breathing new life into a piece I bought for my first college apartment. I originally thought my scheme would be brown, white, and blingy. But I kept finding better things in black, so the brown rug moved to the study, the brown pillows moved to the great room, and the antique side chair, covered in brown and blue tapestry, made its way to one of the guest rooms, and the walnut end tables got a makeover in black and silver.

And here is the after. The painting is one of my favorite pieces. Since the piano is in this room, I wanted an abstract with a subtly musical motif. I scored this one at a furniture consignment store in town. The coffee table is the old end tables--a weekend project that turned out beautifully. The pillows are custom made, and the lamps are another Homegoods find. (I just love black lampshades!)

The window treatments are off the rack from JC Penny. I took their roman shades and added the ribbon detail with a little stitch witch. I'll eventually add some sort of embellishment to the drapes--a Greek Key tape on the leading edge or some fringe. The scroll arm chair was a find on a trip to High Point, and the architectural prints over the mirrored chest once hung in my high school bedroom.

The view coming down the front stairs. The upright piano isn't as out of place as this picture would indicate, but when it was last tuned, the technician told us that it couldn't be tuned again--so it will be replaced in the not-to-distant future. The mirror-framed mirror is flanked by two mirrored sconces (another Homegoods steal) that are still waiting for the perfect objects to grace them.

As always, I am linking to the Metamorphosis Monday part at Between Naps on the Porch. Every week, BNOTP brings together some of the best before-and-afters on the web. Click over there to check out more!

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Let's Roll

2011-09-11T11:56:00.000-04:00

There are few of us who can't remember exactly where we were this morning ten years ago. I was working at my first job out of college when a coworker sent me a message that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Even as another airliner slammed into the second tower, we struggled to find a more reasonable explanation as to what was happening. After what seemed an eternity, several of us broke for an early lunch and watched the news unfold on the TV screens of a nearby Applebee's. There was a collective numbness that day, and for weeks that followed.

A friend summed up her feelings on the anniversary of the 9-11 tragedy beautifully this morning:

"For all of the hurt & pain this day brought to us 10 yrs ago, it also brought perspective. For a short while, we lived in Unity, simply, as Americans. We flew our flags & were patriotic. We valued each other more & hugged loved ones a bit tighter. Our churches were packed with people praying for our country. We contacted long, lost friends & let them know we think of them often. We worried less about the small stuff & were thankful for our own tiniest blessings. Perspective...a gift out of tragedy!"

Never Forget!

Two of a Kind: A Look at Twin Beds

2011-09-09T14:36:00.000-04:00

When I was growing up, my grandmother's guest bedroom had two twin sized beds in it. I suppose that early connotation left a mark on me, because anytime I hear "guest room" my mind instantly conjures up an image of matching twin beds. Now, for the most part, I would say that offering your adult guests a twin bed is a sure way to guarantee they won't overstay their welcome, but if your guests often include children, couples who live as though they are in a 1950's sitcom, or several single folks, a guest room with twin beds might just make some sense. And if you're lucky enough to have more than one guest room, setting one of them up with twins will give you a lot of versatility.

While a child's room is where many people would put a twin bed, the following images show the more mature side of them. Which is your favorite?

A subtle color scheme, and restrained use of pattern makes this a very soothing room.

An absolute favorite of mine...the large bed canopy over both beds gives this room a unified look. And the Greek key motif is perfectly done.

Here again, the two twins are unified by the use of upholstered panels above them. Great slightly overscaled chest in the center serves as a nightstand.

I love red with Tiffany-box blue, and the bold rug here really makes for a beautiful space.

A decidedly masculine room by Ashley Goforth. Not so sure about that deer, but I love the wall color and the overall simplicity here.

Matching bed canopies with suspended light fixtures make for a breathtaking room.

House Beautiful featured this guest room which has a wonderful patina about it.

Twin metal canopy beds turned heads at this year's Oakville showhouse.

Phoebe Howard put together this grown-up nautical bedroom. Wouldn't this be perfect at a beach house?

Southern Living featured this guest room several years ago, but it still looks fresh. Those upholstered headboards could be easily recreated by even novice DIY'ers.

So what do you think about twin beds, are they just for kids? Or do they still have a use outside of a child's room?

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Expandable Round Dining Tables

2011-09-08T17:46:00.000-04:00

I spent much of this week tracking down an expandable round dining room table for a client. Round dining tables have grown in popularity the past few years, but there is certainly nothing new about them. A square, round, or octagonal dining room almost demands a round table, and in any space they are great for easy conversation among everyone enjoying the meal.

The space I was shopping for this week is ideally scaled for a six person dining room table, but gracious enough to handle 8-10. An expandable table was really what we needed for those special occasions when larger groups were getting together. And because the space was an octagon, we needed one that would expand in the round--a round table that turns into an oval with the addition of a leaf was not going to cut it. Luckily, there are a host of tables that do just that, and most of them are absolute marvels of furniture engineering.

My client had her eye on the expanding round table from Theodore Alexander's "Althorp: Living History" collection. I love that collection of furniture--all reproductions of pieces found at Althorp House, the seat of Princess Diana's family. One store I was at this week had a console table from that collection at a tremendous price. If my client doesn't take it, I may. At any rate: here are some pictures of expanding round tables to drool over:

Theodore Alexander's Althorp table retails for around $15,000. Beautiful piece with flame mahogany, rosewood, and burl inlays.

From Top: The Althorp table closed. The expansion pieces fold out of the way under the table top when not in use. Opening the table to full size reveals the artistry and craftsmanship in the piece. Considering that it's a reproduction of a table originally made in the 1800's, is even more remarkable. At full size, the table will seat 8 to 10 guests.

Century Furniture carries a couple of expanding round tables by Oscar De LaRenta. The extension pieces do not appear to be stored within...but just take a look at the works inside!

The De LaRenta table, which retails for over $20,000, is a thing of beauty...gorgeous details.

And finally, you have to check out this one from Western Heritage furniture (which operates much like the Althorp table that's going to my client's new house)

Pretty impresive, isn't it?

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Drive By Shootings: Graceful Details and Proportions

2011-09-05T12:09:00.000-04:00

Introducing a new recurring category here at Southgate: Drive-By Shootings. What house lover hasn't driven past a gorgeous home and been tempted to whip out their camera or cell phone and capture it for their idea file?

First up, a gracefully proportioned and perfectly detailed house that I pass every day on my way to work:

The cast stone entry of this house is to die for! The subtle banding that dileniates the first and second floors, and the gracious dormers clad in the same slate as the roof make this house drool-worthy.

Ivy Covered Houses

2011-09-04T13:04:00.000-04:00

I love the look of a house covered, at least partially, in ivy. It's a look of permanence and solidity and a house covered in ivy seems as though it has always been there and always will be. There is a school of thought that says allowing ivy to grow on a house is an invitation for trouble, and lots of it. Certain types of ivy can invade mortar, pry loose siding, and become so invasive that they can literally eat a house. Others say that if that were the case, the centuries old University buildings and homes dotting Europe would have long ago been reduced to piles of rubble.

From what I have learned, that charming look of ivy growing over a house can be safely done if certain care is taken. Using a type of ivy that climbs using "suckers" (little suction cups that allow it to cling to a surface) is relatively safe, whereas ivy that climbs with tendrils (little roots that dig in and wrap around whatever they can) can quickly turn into a sort of cancer.

In any case, care must be taken, and pruning must be done. I would not recommend any type of ivy for a house clad in siding. The ivy can too easily get behind the clapboards and cause real problems--water intrusion, loosening of the cladding, etc. Masonry is a much safer material to train ivy up. But it should always be pruned away from window and door openings, and stopped before it gets to any wood cornice work, downspouts, or chimney flues, where it can easily work it's way into places it should not be and result in expensive damage.

English Ivy, for these reasons, is best avoided, but a Boston Ivy that is properly cared for, can give the house that charming appearance. So weigh the issue of ivy carefully before you plant it, most ivys propegate very easily and can be quite difficult to get rid of.

At any rate, here are some wonderful ivy covered houses to inspire:

Notice how the ivy has been kept away from the windows and shutters here.

The facade of this house in Savannah is nearly completely covered in ivy, and feels as if it has been there for centuries.

A gorgeous ivy-covered Georgian.

A classically detailed cottage with ivy covered walls--is that wysteria or bouganville climbing over the portico?

Ivy lends a feeling of permanence to this Tudor, and has been carefully pruned to stay on masonry walls.

The first floor of this Dutch Colonial is anchored to the site with climbing ivy.

The stone walls of this house are softened with ivy. Love how the oval windows "pop" in the greenery. (via The Enchanted Home)

So, what is your take? Is ivy worth the risk?

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Here's The Story

2011-09-04T12:35:00.001-04:00

Last week I showed the floorplans and elevation of a large Georgian style house and hinted that I would be writing more about it. Well, I wish the story behind it were more engaging, I would love to tell you that we were about to break ground on our dream house, or even that a wonderful client was planning to call it home, but the truth is much less exciting.

I imagine anyone who works in design can relate to what I am about to say, particularly those who, like me, work in relatively small towns. My work comes in waves of "sameness"...a particular style takes hold of the collective public conscience, or the architectural guidelines of a new neighborhood dictate a certain "look." My career has seen waves of "Craftsman-ish" houses, "European-ish" houses, and what I like to call "High Mountain" style houses. These might be sprinkled with some unusual variants here and there--an infill lot in an established neighborhood, a large scale renovation of an older home, or just a client with a very unique vision, but at times I have found myself screaming for something to design other than a stone and stucco house with a walkout basement and heavy timber accents (in the upstate of South Carolina and Western North Carolina, where many of the custom homes I've worked on are--this is the expected look and palette for so many of the newer homes in resort communities.)

And so, every year or so, I force myself out of the box and do something different. A couple of years ago, I grew fascinated with Tudor style homes (a style I have never had a custom commission to do), then with the beautifully detailed but smaller homes of the 1920's-1940's. These studies are my way of doing some self-directed continuing education, and sometimes make it to my portfolio of pre-designed houses.

I recently re-read the book "Get Your House Right", I am working with a client on the design of a classically detailed low-country style house, and he had recently finished that book, along with several others on Federal, Greek Revival, and Georgian design elements. I have always loved a classic "Five Over Four and a Door" type house--to me, a properly designed one never loses it's appeal, and there is just a definite sense of "home" from them. So that was the defining idea for this house. I did NOT set out to design a house this large. In fact, I decided that my partner and I would be the fictional client for these plans, and we decided that the layout of our current house suits us just fine, but our wish list would add a few things...a music room for a grand piano, "wouldn't it be nice if all the guest rooms had their own bath?", "I've always wanted a huge library with those rolling ladders.", and "I would love a dedicated home theatre in the basement.", and after seeing dual staircases in a house online, someone just had to have them.

So, 14,000 square feet later, there it is. A little something to stretch my design muscles, and a springboard for exploring various topics in design. (Check here for a growing list of topics that have spun off from this plan.)

Ivy Covered Houses

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A Small Bathroom Update

2011-08-28T21:08:00.000-04:00

One of the first projects I designed out of school was an addition for a dear friend of mine. She had inherited a two-bedroom, one bath home that her grandparents had built in the 1970's. What had been a perfectly efficient home for retirees was way too small for a young family. We designed a new master suite and family room to expand the house, and those rooms served them well for eight or nine years, but it was time for an upgrade.

The original addition had been completed on a tight budget. Vinyl flooring, out-of-the box prefab shower, and inexpensive cabinetry kept the original bath costs low. But it was time for a major upgrade. The original shower was a neo-angle fiberglass affair that provided no elbow room. It was so tight, even the water was looking for an escape--a slow leak around the shower had caused some serious rot in the floor system.

The original bathroom was in need of an all-out update.

Expanding the footprint of the bathroom was out of the question for a number of reasons, so we had to work within the existing 7 foot by 8 foot footprint. The top of the homeowner's wish list was "the biggest shower you can give us."

The new floor plan called for a much larger custom built shower with half walls and glass. The existing fixture layout still seemed to make the most sense, and it helped the budget to leave everything in it's original location.

But the locations were all we kept. Here, you can see the exterior wall of the original house after the bathroom was demolished.

Drawing from other renovations they had completed, my friends wanted to see a lot of sparkle in the new bathroom. They had installed glass tiles in their other bathroom the year previous, and loved them. So generous use of glass tile was definitely part of the palette for the new master bath.

After. Gone is the claustrophobic angled shower. Replaced by a sumptous custom glass and tile one. High end finishes and fixtures are a 180 from the previous. The floors in both the shower and the main bathroom are an absolutely gorgeous natural green slate that perfectly compliments the glass tile accents.

The custom espresso stained vanity gives them more storage than the old unit. We struggled with what to do the countertops in. Every natural stone we tried seemed either too white or too yellow to work with the Kohler Memoirs sink. In the end, the glass countertop was the perfect solution. This picture shows a hint of the slate floor.

A closer look at the glass countertop.

One more look. The nickel framed mirror and contemporary lighting are the perfect final touches.

As always, I am linking to the Metamorphosis Monday party at "Between Naps on the Porch"--they bring together the most amazing transformations on the web every week. Click over there to check out more. And be sure to join us on Facebook!

A Little Something in the Works

2011-08-23T21:16:00.001-04:00

Front Elevation

The Main Level Floor Plan

The Upper Level Floor Plan

And the Lower Level Floor Plan

I'll be writing more about this house, but for now just enjoy a little floor plan porn--14,000 square feet of it to be exact.

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Going Up

2011-08-22T20:30:00.000-04:00

There may be no architectural element on the interior of a house more important than the staircase. It's often positioned such that it's the first thing guests see when they enter. Mothers daydream of their daughters sweeping down a dramatic stair on prom night. Family photos are staged along their risers. Even the most humble staircase is more than a means of traveling between floors. So here's a look at some of my favorites.

Love how the balusters connect on this stair.

Gorgeous limestone and iron stair (via The Enchanted Home)

I adore a classic black and white floor! Great ironwork here. (via The Enchanted Home)

Crisp paneling and a simple railing make a beautiful first impression. (via Traditional Home)

What is not to love about this space?

Dramatic stair by Norman Askins. Beautiful inlaid floor.

Another Norman Askins stair, love the detail along the stringer.

Stunning front door and paneling in this home by Gabriel Builders.

A "haint" blue ceiling and stunning skylight crown this stair.

The seagrass runner keeps these double stairs from feeling too formal.

Great double split stair provides interesting views through the house.

A flawless curving stair by Robert A. M. Stern

Another by Stern...does this one remind anyone else of Auntie Mame?

A sweeping stair, a rotunda, and black and white floors? I have died and gone up the Stairway to Heaven. (via Whitehaven)

So which is your favorite? Do you have any special stairway memories or traditions?

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Remaking the Ranch House

2011-08-14T14:35:00.000-04:00

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to be involved in the renovation of a number of classic ranch houses. The ranch house enjoyed it's heyday from the late 1950's through the late 1970's. Today, they are often located in established neighborhoods, and are attractive for the convenience of one-level living. But that's often as far as their attractiveness goes. Small, outdated kitchens and baths are common, closet space is lacking, and time has often taken a toll on wooden trim, siding, and decks.

Most ranches were built at a time when formal living rooms and dining rooms were still expected, a master suite was little more than a larger bedroom, and while there were no rooms above to keep ceilings low, it's rare to see anything higher than the standard eight foot ceiling anywhere in a ranch. So over the next few weeks, I will be sharing several ranch house renovations I have worked on.

The first is a house I actually worked on twice. The first time, the house had recently been bought by a young professional. I helped him clear away acres of carpeting, 96 rolls of metallic 1980's wallpaper, and assisted in selecting the "staple" furnishings. A few years later, the homeowner was married with a young son, and a daughter on the way, and they contacted me again (shortly after I had joined the architecture firm of Design Elite) to discuss some additions. Their initial wish list was short--a better master suite and a family room they could see the pool from.

The house had already been added to over the years. The original garage had been converted to a family room, and the master suite had been expanded. But these original additions were poorly executed and were already dated. Like many projects, the wish list grew. With renovations, it's often like pulling a loose string on a sweater...before you know it, all you're left with is a pile of yarn. And that was certainly the case here. Let's take a look at the house prior to the renovations:

The house was a pleasant but dowdy ranch, with no particular style. The lady of the house wasn't far off of her description of the house as "a giant double-wide."

A close look a this wider shot shows the break in the roofing at right where one of the original additions was made.

The owners had put in a gorgeous salt water lagoon pool and extensive landscaping that our renovation would have to respect. The weathered screened porch was the only place they had to enjoy the backyard from...something our renovation would need to solve.

This view of the original kitchen was taken when the owner first bought the house. This was among the most attractive wallpaper in the house if you can imagine.

This is the original floor plan. Large rooms, but not enough of them for the growing family. A general lack of detail and poor connection to the outdoors needed to be addressed.

Because it was also time to replace the roof, and the original siding was deteriorating, the builder commented at one of our first meetings that he would be "plucking the house like a chicken." And he wasn't lying. The planned demolition was extensive enough, but discovered rot, termite damage, and water intrusion, meant there ended up being very little but the studs left of the original house.

After a year of planning and construction, the owners had the house they wanted:

A new front porch gave the house a sense of arrival. Stone foundation work and variety of materials and roof forms meant the "big double wide" look was long gone.

Out back, the new family room and master suite overlook the pool, and two porches (one is just out of the camera's view) allow the family to enjoy their backyard.

The kitchen was widened, raised, and opened to the new family room. Some of the most important space added in this renovation was the vertical space. The low ceilings of the original house are gone--replaced with coffers and vaults.

The new master suite has a multi-tiered tray ceiling, a wall of windows overlooking the back yard, and an alcove that featured a window seat, morning kitchen, and access to the study (the husband had requested easy access to his home office from the bedroom)

The new master bathroom features tons of built-ins, a huge shower, airjet tub, and a tray ceiling.

Throughout the house we added thickened cased openings, wainscoting, and deep crown moldings.

The "after" floor plan highlights the large master suite, a more conveniently located laundry room, and the expanded living space. The irregular footprint was dicated by the existing pool and a desire to preserve existing mature trees on the site.

To keep the hallways from seeming like a maze of narrow passages, we created a small rotunda with a high tray ceiling to act as a hub and to provide visual relief.

The additions added only 1200 square feet, but the house feels much larger owing to the higher ceilings and site lines that were created.

I'm linking to the Metamorphosis Monday party at Between Naps on the Porch! Click over there for more before and afters. And check back here for more ranch house redo's.

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Poolhouse Plans

2011-08-13T16:41:00.000-04:00

I was recently hired to design a poolhouse structure as part of a family's backyard makeover, and posted some serious poolhouse eye-candy here on the blog a while back. Since then, I've noticed a lot of search engine traffic for people searching for poolhouse ideas and plans.

If you've got a pool, you already know why a poolhouse is a great idea. Providing swimmers with a bath and kitchenette outside means less wet feet trampling through the main house. I've seen some poolhouses that were little more than sheds for housing pool toys and chemicals, and some that were big enough for a family of six to live in full-time. This design lies somewhere in between.

The exterior is a combination of brick, stone and timber. The central open-air living space is framed with gorgeous timber truss work. An outdoor fireplace features an inlay of herringbone brick, and the entire structure is skirted with a stone foundation.

The plan shows a large central outdoor living space. A cathedral ceiling framed with timber makes this a dramatic addition to your home and provides shade for when the sun gets too hot. To one side, a small, fully equipped kitchen means poolside snacks are just a step away from the action. And a large bath and changing room is conveniently located. With built-ins for storage and a walk-in shower for cleaning up after a swim, this bath is a perfect pit stop for pool parties.

Interested in the plans for this poolhouse? Then please contact us at southgateresidential@gmail.com

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Our First Giveaway--Win a Subscription to Traditional Home Magazine!

2011-08-13T14:40:00.000-04:00

Traditional Home has always been one of my favorite shelter magazines, and it is one that has luckily weathered the recent storm that has shuttered some of the oldest names in the industry. Now, as our first giveaway, we will be giving two lucky winners a one year subscription to the magazine. Entering is easy!

1. One entry--go LIKE Southgate on Facebook! (Those of you who already LIKED us will be entered automatically.)

2. Another entry--Follow our blog on Google, or add us to your blogroll. (Leave a comment on this post letting us know you have!)

3. Another entry--mention us on your own blog, Facebook wall, Google + profile, or Twitter. (Leave a comment here letting us know)

Blogger has had some commenting issues lately, sometimes it takes two or three tries before the comment "sticks". They promise they are working on the problem, but if you find yourself unable to leave a comment here, just let us know on Facebook.

Each person may have up to three entries, and on Monday, August 22, 2011, I will use random.org to choose two winners.

Good luck!

Time to Decorate the Master Bedroom

2011-08-07T22:26:00.000-04:00

The one room in this house that has gotten very little attention has been the master bedroom. We only sleep in it, and no one ever sees it, so it has been low on the list of decorating priorities. Other than a coat of paint, it has been completely neglected.

It's an overwhelming space--it's about a 20 foot square with 10 foot tray ceilings, and four individual windows. We currently have a king sized bed, two nightstands, an armoire, and a dresser in the space, but it's not nearly enough furniture to fill the space. My thought is to add bookshelves, a chaise, and a media piece, but I am not sure what finish to get the additional cased goods in. The current furniture is a blonde color that isn't available anymore. While this furniture wouldn't be my first choice now, it's the right scale for the room, good quality, and I just can't justify replacing it. At the same time, I'm certainly not going to buy any more pieces in that finish. But I'm scratching my head as to what finish the bookcases and media console should be so that the room flows together.

Have a look:

The head and footboard have a fabric inset, and I think if I reupholster that it will give the furniture a whole new look. The walls are painted Sherwin Williams "Svelte Sage" the lowest portion of the ceiling is Sherwin Williams "Ancient Marble" and the highest portion of the ceiling is Sherwin Williams "Connected Gray."

Here's a panoramic view of the other side of the space:

That blank wall will, according to my current plan, be home to some nice bookcases. We'll get a bigger TV and place some sort of piece under it there on the left. My dilemma, if the new pieces don't match the old, is that the sensible arrangement will result in the furniture on one side being one finish and the other side being another--rather than two finished mixed through the room as I would prefer.

So, here's the furniture plan I've come up with so far. (Still leaves one of the corners looking awfully blank, but I think draperies will take care of that.) Like I said, the bookcases and media console will be a different finish than the rest most likely, so it bothers me that they are lumped together and everything in the blonde wood is on the other side of the room.

With the green-gray walls being as much color as I generally want in my own bedroom, I am leaning toward doing all of the drapery, bedding, etc. in creme and brown only. I fell in love with the following fabrics:

The center fabric would be the draperies. The toile on the right would be the duvet cover. The fabric on the left would be for accents and possibly the insets on the head and footboard. Shams and throw pillows for the whole space made of all three fabrics. We'll also be putting in a chandelier, but I have yet to find the perfect one for this room. I need a wide but not terribly tall one, preferably in a nickle finish.

Would love to hear some suggestions--am I wrong to go so monochromatic with the fabrics? What finish for the new pieces might compliment the current furniture? The rest of the house fell together (at least in my mind) very easily, and I'm struggling a bit with this room. Help!

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TV/Movie Houses: Bill Compton's Mansion on "True Blood"

2011-08-02T22:31:00.000-04:00

Are you a fan of "True Blood?" I have to confess that it's one of my guilty pleasures. The books are the sort of mindless easy reading I love to have on the nightstand, and the TV show carries on HBO's legacy of beautifully produced television.

This season, one of the main characters, Bill Compton, a vampire who has been on the earth since the time of the Civil War, has become the Vampire King of Louisiana. So that he has a home befitting his new status, Bill remodels the antebellum house that has been in his family for generations. The set decorators gave us a video tour over on HBO (check it out HERE) and explained Bill's new digs.

When the series started, Bill's house is timeworn, having been abandoned for many years. In the books, Sookie (the main character for those of you who aren't True Blood fans) helps Bill with construction arrangements (since he can't very well be out and about during the day). Here are a few shots of what Bill's house looked like originally:

Notice the peeling paint and the general feeling of neglect.

Someone had their work cut out for them!

But check out the afters...absolutely delicious:

The master bedroom is very masculine. Dark colors, geometric patterns, and drapery made from men's suiting material. The red rug provides a dash of color, and I can't help but wonder if it's an allusion to the show's title.

Another shot of Bill's bedroom. Throughout this set, the designers have done something that I absolutely love--mixed traditional pieces and architecture with more modern ones. Makes for a very sophisticated look.

Very traditional paneling pays homage to the house's antebellum roots. The light fixture here feels like an abstracted version of an antique chandlier.

Bill's office is to die for (no vampire pun intended.) The muted, masculine color palette, the built in bookshelves, the blingy light fixtures...swoon!

Now I know quite a few people are looking at this photo and thinking "what office?" But look past the handsome vampires and dig the art he has. The tone one tone wallpaper. The chrome bits. All mixed in with a traditional globe and chest. If "Frasier" had premiered in 2011, I can't help think the set would look a lot like this.

The foyer continues the theme. Very traditional architecture paired with fine items from a variety of eras. I just love it!

That living room from the first photo looks quite a bit different here! The neutral colors let the lines and texture of the furniture make the statement. The black mantel, detail on the drapes, and framework on the wingback chairs give the room some punch.

The set designers accomplished something that is somewhat difficult. It's quite hard to design a space as polished as this one and have it come off so distinctly masculine. Too often, cliched themes (hunt club, anyone?) creep into the design of men's spaces...but they have created an urbane and sophisticated house that I, for one, could move right into.

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I Just Don't Get It...

2011-08-02T19:36:00.001-04:00

Last week in High Point, the showrooms seemed to have an awfully large number of these:

Low coffee tables. Actually, "low" is generous, as most of them were literally blocks of wood laid smack on the ground. Very minimalistic, which is fine, but I have to wonder how functional they are? What purpose do they serve (other than tripping guests?) Can you imagine bending over to that height everytime you wanted to take a sip of your drink? The height is all wrong for throwing one's feet up on it. I suspect they are even too low to eat at if you're sitting on the floor.

This one from West Elm at least had a companion table at normal height.

Yet another example...the small reveal around the bottom keeps this one from being completely clunky.

I really wrestled with the purpose of these tables, and the only thing I could come up with is that they would be great for holding drinks, popcorn, and remote controls if you were lying on the floor right next to it. What do you think of this trend? Does anyone out there have one? If so, am I missing something?

Cote de Texas is talking coffee tables too--high coffee tables. (Which make a lot more sense to me.) Click on over there and compare the difference.

On The Boards: A Courtyard Cottage

2011-07-31T22:16:00.000-04:00

It has been a whirlwind and very busy few weeks, and I've barely had a moment to catch my breath, let alone put any thoughts together for a blog post. First, I traveled to the coast to take a look at a client's new oceanfront condo. Later that same week, I hopped a plane to West Virginia to oversee some final trim details on her almost-finished house there. The next week, I was off to High Point for a buying blitz to furnish two corporate condos. In between, I've been working on the design of a traditional southern house that will be built out of insulated concrete forms, designing a poolhouse, working on an ongoing collaboration on a 13,000 square foot beast of a mansion, making a few revisions to a house I designed for my aunt and uncle, and finalizing a set of plans for a courtyard cottage. Whew! I'm tired just listing it all.

But here's one of the projects that has been keeping me busy, a formalized lowcountry cottage that will be built in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. I started this project more than a year ago. The clients had purchased a ramshackle house on a prime downtown street, with plans to raze it. We got to work on the design, and the project was put on hold while the clients sold their previous home. The old home sold, and so it was full steam ahead to wrap up the plans. And here's what we ended up with:

A modest face is presented to the street--it looks much smaller than it's nearly 3,000 square feet.

The true size is more apparent from the side, as a series of masses unfold along the deep, narrow lot. Still, the house retains a comfortable, cottage like scale, due in part to some of the space being tucked into the roof.

The floor plan is organized around a central courtyard that the primary living spaces open to. A gallery style foyer opens to two bedrooms--one which the owners will use as their study. A large great room with a coffered ceiling opens to the courtyard and the kitchen and dining rooms. The master suite is located on the main floor, and has dual walk-in closets, and a luxury bath that shares a double fireplace with the bedroom. On the second floor, two more bedrooms share a bath, and a large bonus room will be finished later as a media space.

The clients had this kitchen photo in their inspiration file. They loved (and I do too) the L-shaped island that formed around a built in banquette. We incorporated this same element into the design of their house.

Not shown is an oversized garage that will be located at one corner of the property. It has a large storage loft above so there will be plenty of space for stowing "junk". We plan to pave much of the driveway with grass pavers so that the drive doubles as an extension of the courtyard and also as a patio for the master suite.

Grass pavers are a great solution in a situation like this, where large amounts of pavement are necessary but not really desirable. They are also a great "green" solution, as they permit rainwater to soak into the ground rather than runoff.

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Two Million Dollars--for a Trailer??

2011-07-23T00:19:00.000-04:00

For better or worse, mobile homes carry a certain stigma. They are where the "people of Wal Mart" live, they are tornado magnets, and a sure sign to the world that the owners have definitely NOT "arrived." At the polar extreme of what one might imagine when thinking of a trailer park is Malibu, California--a star studded stretch of beach where homes routinely sell for several thousand dollars per square foot. Ironically, these two extremes exist together in the Paradise Cove and Point Dume mobile home parks overlooking the rarefied sands of Malibu.

That's right--ocean front trailer parks rubbing elbows with the beach houses of some of the best known names in the entertainment industry and the wealthiest businessmen in America. The two parks have (by Malibu standards) very low entry prices--homes can still be had for around $300,000. But current listings show dozens of trailers cresting the million dollar mark and a few over two million! Owners in Paradise Cove and Point Dume pay lot rents of up to $2,500 a month and have renovated and rebuilt their trailers so that hardly a trace of their metal sided and wood paneled beginnings remain. (photos taken from current listings)

$2.5 million will get you this renovated doublewide with an added two car garage.

The interior of a $2 million trailer. It's safe to say this mobile home didn't leave the factory looking like this.

Have an extra $700,000 lying around? Then this 1970's era doublewide could be yours!

And for a cool million, this doublewide enjoys great views.

A typical renovated trailer in Paradise Cove

One of the lower priced homes, this vintage single wide is still over $300,000.

The interior of this Point Dume home hardly looks like a trailer.

This older unit has been given even more seaside appeal with shingle siding. The two million dollar plus price tag keeps out the riff raff.

It really does come down to location, location, location. Not the view you expect from a trailer park, is it?

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Dive In!

2011-07-20T23:46:00.001-04:00

I've recently taken on a small job of designing a poolhouse as part of a backyard makeover, and anytime I get a new project I start digging through my files and trolling the internet for inspiration. Of course, poolhouses run the gamut from small sheds that might contain a spot to stow rafts and pool toys, to large and complex structures that outsize the average family residence.

If money were no object, my dream poolhouse would include two large bathrooms with plenty of space for dressing, an outdoor kitchen, and perhaps a gathering space where people could seek refuge from the heat and sun while others played in the water. It would need to have plenty of storage space to stow toys, tools, and perhaps some of the outdoor furniture. And it would, naturally, need to be beautiful...perhaps like one of these:

A very formal poolhouse. Gorgeous cast stone work and arched french doors.

Aerin Lauder's poolhouse is an open air pavilion with simple and graceful lines and proportions.

This charming little poolhouse has beautiful details that I imagine echo the ones on the house it accompanies.

I just love heavy timberwork, and this dramatic poolhouse would be a real showpiece at the right sort of home.

Gleason Architects designed this Greek Revival poolhouse. The detailing looks deceptively simple, but getting it right is a real art.

David Neff, a young architect that I adore, designed this incredible shingle style poolhouse for a Hamptons estate.

Tobi Fairley created this poolhouse with a wonderful outdoor living room. Love how the building reflects in the water.

Architectural Digest featured this Thomas Pheasant poolhouse. Like the Greek Revival one above, this one's beauty lies in the perfectly executed and appropriately edited details.

For a look at poolhouse plans available from Southgate Residential, CLICK HERE.

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The Fifth Wall

2011-07-09T18:03:00.000-04:00

Today, in a few rare hours of downtime, we decided to take a tour of a model home that the builder of our house has on the other side of town. (In fairness, it wasn't REALLY downtime, as we were in that area to take a look at another house that I'm designing a poolhouse for.) The model, a 6,000 square foot beast of a house, used all of the usual model home tricks--most of the interior doors were removed, several rooms were clearly furnished for show and not function, a few pieces of furniture seemed just slightly under scaled. Overall, though, it was a beautifully decorated model, with window treatments to envy and a slew of trim details that I'm adding to my "wish list" for our house.

Most remarkable, at least to me, were the ceiling treatments in the house. Too often, a room's "fifth wall" is overlooked...painted white and forgotten. Now, I'm certainly not a fan of painting every ceiling a different color or throwing paint overhead just for the sake of doing it, but this model home had some very striking ceilings. Take a look:

In the dining room, simple flat moldings had been applied about a foot in from the crown to form a frame on the ceiling. They had then papered the ceiling with a shimmery geometric. (It didn't look as dark as the photo makes it appear, was more of a tone on tone) Wonderful, simple idea. Even doing the frame and then painting the center a slightly different tone would be a great idea.

In one of the guest rooms, they had created another frame around the space and then divided it with a large "X" of the same flat molding and painted the ceiling a contrasting color. (I would have loved to see a semi-flush light instead!) This could be done easily by most do-it-yourselfers in a day!

In another bedroom, they had used that same flat molding to create a "headboard" that ran up onto the ceiling. Painted this deep green, it really felt like a traditional bed canopy.

I really liked what they had done in the master bedroom. There was very little pattern, just varying golden hues. The three levels of picture frame molding on the walls was a great idea (and one I may very well be copying!) the only real pattern in the space was this great trellis paper at the top of the tray ceiling.

Nothing new about painting the insets of a coffer, but it worked particularly well to bring this soaring great room "down". Also love their answer to that age old question of how to decorate those big two story walls. Again, they just did some simple framing with stock moldings and paint to create a pretty striking graphic statement. I would think this is another project that could easily be done in a weekend.

So what do you think? Can you see yourself getting crazy with your ceilings? Or maybe tackling one of these molding projects? I think I see a miter saw in my future...

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On The Market--A Trove of Tudor Treasures

2011-07-06T10:35:00.000-04:00

While browsing real estate listings in Charleston, West Virginia today, I came across these delicious pieces of eye candy. I have an insatiable lust for Tudor style houses, so seeing these really made my heart skip a beat. Unfortunately, their interiors were unremarkable, but the curb appeal (and the relatively low asking prices) more than make up for it.

This estate, complete with indoor pool, is available for under $700,000. Love the timberwork and the massing of the rooflines.

Is this one not perfection?? The details are spot-on. Check out the chimney, the leaded diamond paned windows, and the patterned brick and timber gable. Swoon!

The parapet walls, the diamond paned windows, and the cast stone accents make for a restrained but very handsome facade.

The symmetrical arrangement here is somewhat unusual for a Tudor, but the massing, swooping rooflines on the one story wings, and beautiful entrance canopy make this one remarkable. The light colored paint doesn't do much for me, but that's an easy fix.

Multiple roof layers, nicely articulated chimney, and restrained use of materials make this one a classic. Would have loved to see it up close!

So which one is your favorite? Are you a fan of Tudor style houses, or did the bad examples that littered suburbia during the 1970's leave a bad taste in your mouth?

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Southgate's McAllister Plan Featured on CNBC

2011-06-28T20:12:00.000-04:00

We are flattered and honored that our McAllister plan, based on the famous and much loved house from the "Home Alone" movies was featured in an article at CNBC. Colleen Kane has written the article about homes built to replicate, or inspired by, other famous structures. In addition to our McAllister, Kane showcases a White House replica, a house based on Monticello, and even a home inspired by Snow White's cottage!

Colleen's article on CNBC can be found HERE.

And if you'd like another peek at our McAllister (or want to order plans for building your very own version) click HERE.

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"I'll Take the Stairs, Thanks"

2011-06-22T21:56:00.001-04:00

I came across this deliciously fun New York City apartment today over at Architectural Record. Turrett Collaborative Architects combined two 1,200 square foot apartments into one duplex and connected the units in, let's just say, a rather unusual way:

Yep, the lucky owners can harness their inner child and slide right down into the living room via a custom built, beautifully detailed, stainless steel slide. I have to wonder how quickly the novelty of this slide wears off--or if the apartments owners giddily slide down to their morning coffee each day.

A view of the slide from the rooftop terrace.

The sleek open stairs mean make for a memorable ascent as well.

The details on this unusual feature are really quite beautiful.

A look at the floorplans show the slide takes up a pretty good chunk of the living space.

(photos from Architectural Record)

So what do you think? Could you embrace your inner youngster enough to add something like this to your house? What whimsical features would you indulge in?

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Outdoor Living

2011-06-19T14:21:00.002-04:00

I recently finished designing a wonderful outdoor living space. It's one that I hope to enjoy someday because it's an addition to my own house! Our house has a wonderful farmhouse style front porch that stretches across the entire main block of the house. It's a great spot for having that morning cup of coffee. But the backyard is somewhat lacking in outdoor living space. We have a large patio at grade, but no covered outdoor space.

The rear of the house before.

The final design has evolved from a simple deck addition to an all-out outdoor room. The wish list included a screened porch, an elevated surface from which to access the hottub, and an outdoor kitchen. The landscaping plan gives us a great view from our morning room (the room on the left of the above picture) and also eliminates a big chunk of the grass. (Which anyone who knows me will tell you that I HATE mowing!)

So here's the plan. A large screened porch will be added off of the study and accessed from a new french door in the corner of our great room. The screened porch will be vaulted with a painted (haint blue, of course) beadboard ceiling. It will have a stone-faced double fireplace that will also be enjoyed by the hot tub. Tying the screened porch to the morning room will be a large patio (above grade, just a few inches below the house floor) with an L-shaped outdoor kitchen that has room for a mini-fridge, sink, and grille.

The existing view from the morning room.

Outside the morning room, there is a natural knoll to one side of the property. We plan to capitalize on that by doing a two-level pond with a waterfall feature between them. Behind the pond will be a planting area with myrtle trees, azaleas, and other colorful perrenials. The existing bed, seen here, will be enlarged and remain a spot for birds, roses, bulbs, and annuals.

Filling in between the pond and the annual bed will be a crab orchard stone patio on grade with a built-in firepit that hugs one side of the pond. (Perfect for smores!)

Here's a look at how the outside will look. The entire foundation will be brick to match what we already have. At the outdoor kitchen area, the brick will continue up to counter height and be capped off with the countertop material (which I would love to be honed granite!). On the other side of the patio, simple wrought iron railing will be supported by brick piers at the corners. Because I want ZERO maintenance, the screened porch structure will all be clad in vinyl and wood composite materials.

I would have liked to have a higher ceiling in the porch, but without moving the windows in the guest room above, that just wasn't possible.

The addition has been approved by the neighborhood's architectural committee, and we have a builder friend pricing it out right now. I am prepared for sticker shock, but we are open to doing the project in phases--perhaps the floor gets done first, the porch roof at another time, and the kitchen and landscaping added at another time. Unless, of course, I win the lottery.

I am linking to the Metamorphosis Monday party at "Between Naps on the Porch" Not only does Susan host a wonderful link party each week, but she also has a list of "Porch Must-Haves" that I found invaluable as we were designing our new outdoor space.

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Folk Artist Mary Paulsen

2011-06-14T18:26:00.000-04:00

Five miles from the shores of Holden Beach, NC sits an interesting and fascinating place--"Mary's Gone Wild", the home, gallery, and studio of folk artist Mary Paulsen. Since 1996, Paulsen has been creating various vignettes for housing her doll collection, colorful and fun paintings done on the glass of old windows, and sculptures and structures of various types. (You can learn more about Mary at her website-- Mary's Gone Wild)

The property looks like a scene from one of the hoarding television shows, and I would imagine that Paulsen could easily be diagnosed as a hoarder. But the property has drawn attention and visitors for years, a stop in any day will find tourists exploring the grounds with cameras in hand. And today, I was one of those tourists. Please enjoy this look at the fascinating work of Mary Paulsen:

A typical scene at Mary's. The property is littered with child-sized playhouses filled with vignettes.

Inside one of the structures, this one outfitted as a church, with various religious iconography at all sorts of different scales.

One of the playhouses. All of them are constructed of what appears to be leftover materials.

One of the treehouses on the property.

Kitschy donation boxes like this one are located throughout the display. Procedes go to feed hungry children.

The front porch of Mary's house. Most of the property is likewise cluttered with "stuff"--no apparent rhyme or reason to it.

There is "stuff" everywhere. It's beyond overwhelming.

A typical Mary Paulsen window painting. Bright colors and cartoonish figures.

There are hundreds of these window paintings on the property. All for sale.

Inside another of the playhouses. This one was fully setup for housekeeping.

A suit of armor stands guard over some of Mary's treasures.

One of the newer structures was setup as a light filled gallery, full of Mary's window paintings.

Even the ceilings of the gallery building have gotten the Mary treatment.

Mary herself at work on another piece. Throughout the property is evidence of works in progress.

Some of the newest creations at Mary's are these structures built of bottles. Inside this one, there was an interesting play of light through the bottles, which framed a classic Mary painting of a mermaid.

The exterior of one of the bottle structures.

If you're ever near Holden Beach, you have to stop at Mary's. It's an experience you won't soon forget. Take your camera!

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Blue and White Interiors

2011-06-10T16:21:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow, I'll be joining my family for a week of relaxation by the beach. This will mark the fourth or fifth time that we have spent our family vacation at the same beach house. The house is small by current standards, mostly wood paneled (outdated by most opinions), and lacks the sort of spa bathrooms and gourmet kitchen that one might expect to find in an oceanfront house. But it sits right on the dune, is immaculately clean and well kept, and has been a favorite spot for us to just sit back and enjoy life! As is usually the case when I travel, my mind turns to the architecture and decor of my destination. I seek out local real estate listings, read up on the local "style", and get a feel for local neighborhoods. And I dare you to think "beach cottage" and NOT envision a lot of blue and white. Certainly, blue and white rooms have found places far from the shore, but the classic blue and white room is forever engrained with a certain coastal feel. Enjoy these inspirational photos of some of my favorite blue and white spaces:

My idea of a perfect beach house living room! Sherrill Canet designed this crisp space.

Coral seems to be EVERYWHERE lately, but what better place for a gallery of coral prints than a beach cottage?

Soft blue and white. A sleek take on the classic color scheme.

A beautiful stone fireplace anchors this living space. The beamed ceilings and slipcovered furnishings are stunning! (House Beautiful)

Mary McDonald is responsible for this sumptous blue and white bedroom. Perhaps a bit luxurious for the beach!

This little cottage is picture perfect in pale blues and white.

Sarah Richardson worked blue and white accents into the comfortable living room of her cottage.

Bubble bath anyone? A soothing and crisp cottage bathroom.

The wood paneled walls, denim sofa, and graphic rug are perfect for a carefree space by the sea.

To-die-for subway tile is the focal point of this blue and white dream kitchen.

So, what does YOUR dream beach cottage look like? Does blue and white play into your design?

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Once You Go Black...

2011-06-08T20:25:00.000-04:00

You can go back, but it will likely take several coats of primer. There has been a trend lately for black painted rooms, and it's one that I LOVE. I have always wanted a black powder room, but just never had the right house to make it work in. I buck "conventional" wisdom that light colors make spaces appear larger and that dark ones do the opposite. Dark colors can make the boundaries of a room visually recede off into the horizon. They can form a stunning backdrop for art, provide stark contrast to light colored furnishings or window treatments, and generally provide a point of drama in a space.

Are you brave enough to try dark walls, even black ones? Take a look at these inspirational rooms before you answer:

In this dining room, the black walls are a stark contrast to the otherwise all-white scheme.

Another black dining room. Elegant and dramatic!

A black accent wall anchors this monochromatic living room.

Black chinoiserie wallpaper in a transitional dining room.

I covet this black powder room! The uber-trendy garden stool and towels provide pops of color.

A black foyer makes quite the first impression.

The large frieze in this bedroom keeps the black walls from being overbearing.

Really a dark charcoal rather than a true black, the persimmon colored chairs are a striking contrast. And check out the light fixtures!

Black seems to be quite popular in dining rooms! Here, the floors, ceiling and walls are black, allowing the trimwork to trace the room. The turquiose upholster pieces are startlingly elegant.

The classic black and white checkerboard floor proivides a graphic statement in this chic dining room. The scallop of the cased opening is an unusual detail.

Black walls showcase a collection of white objet. Gorgeous graphic rug!

What do you think of this book-lined bedroom? The black walls here are enveloping, making this a perfect spot for sleep and relaxation.

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Color Inspiration: Blue and Orange

2011-06-04T12:40:00.000-04:00

Blue and orange are two colors that I have never pictured together, at least not in a room. Might make for a perfect pair for a high school sports team, but it's never crossed my mind to use them as the foundation for a room.

Until now. This first image, Mary McDonald's own dining room (she of Million Dollar Decorators), was the first I saw that made me say "oooo". With the formal rooms at my own house painted a pale gray blue very similar to the shade she chose here, and my kitchen and morning room painted orange, a scheme like McDonald used here would be the perfect thing to tie together all the rooms on my first floor:

The orange just gives this space life! (Mary McDonald in Traditional Home)

An orange print on the windows, pared with the palest of blue walls, and a few pops of aqua make for a beautiful space.

A closeup of the drapery in the room above. That ribbon detail is absolutely drool worthy!

Aren't the print over the bed and this quilt perfect together?

Another orange and white window treatment, this time on more dramatic blue walls.

Strong hues of orange and light turquoise combine for a fresh looking living room.

Beautiful symmetry!

This crisp, summery color scheme is perfect for a beach cottage.

A colorful gallery wall in a pale turquoise and orange accented space.

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Every Room Should Have a Touch of Black

2011-06-03T12:57:00.000-04:00

I was having dinner at the home of an old friend recently, and when I admired a new piece she recently bought, she remarked that she thought of me when she saw it because I had once told her that "every room needs at least a touch of black." I don't remember the circumstances surrounding our original conversation, and I've never made any conscious effort to insure a touch of black in my rooms, but there is a certain wisdom to it. Black has the power to anchor a space, unify disparate pieces, and is so dynamic that it can be used to recede into the background or to dramatically command attention. It can give an edge to a sleek, modern space, or add depth to a traditional one. And while I may have overreached in saying that EVERY room needs a touch of black, these images of rooms that use black show that most rooms certainly benefit from it:

In this space, black cabinetry draws the eye from the living room into the gorgeous kitchen beyond.

Nothing beats the elegance of a black grand piano! It, along with the chair and etageres, keep this soothing space grounded.

This gorgeous monochromatic space would feel lost without the black chairs and table giving it a visual anchor.

The simple Greek key motif in this guest room is elegant and timeless. The black floor gives the space weight, and the unifying treatment over the beds is a genius idea!

Once again, black serves as punctuation in a monochomatic space.

Perfection! The black frames of the Klismos chairs, the weight of the black lamp shades, and the simple black detailing on the roman shades give this room stunning definition. (When can I move in?)

The black console and frame command attention in this beautifully composed vignette.

Black flooring and handrails make a statement in this transitional stair.

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The McAllister--a New Pre-Designed Plan

2011-05-30T15:54:00.002-04:00

For all you movie buffs out there, the newest plan in our portfolio of pre-designed houses might look familiar.
When the real house from the movie "Home Alone" hit the market recently, the internet and blogs were abuzz with photos and information on the house in Winnetka, Illinois. It seems the classicly styled house had captured the hearts of many. And, it's easy to see why. The curb appeal is just amazing!

The real "Home Alone" house.

The interior, as recent listing information revealed, was very nice as well, but had a somewhat convoluted floor plan and was predictably lacking in closet and bathroom space demanded by modern families. (The original house was built in 1920, afterall.)

So we have created the modern version of the house, keeping the curb appeal that makes it so timeless, and incorporating a floor plan that's more satisfying to the way we live now:

The Front of our "McAllister"

The Main Floor of our McAllister Plan. Incorporates formal living and dining rooms, but the wonderful open floor plan, with circular traffic flow, is an entertainer's dream! the gourmet kitchen opens to the principal living areas, and the inclusion of an attached garage is a welcome convenience.

Upstairs, four bedrooms provide plenty of room for family and guests. All of the bedrooms are generously sized. One of the secondary bedrooms has a private bath, while the other two share a generous hall bath. The master suite is pure luxury. An arched and paneled bed alcove, a sun-filled sitting room, and dual walk-in closets join a spa-like bathroom for a true owner's retreat.

At just under 4,000 square feet, the McAllister is a reasonably sized house, and it's simple form and graceful hipped roof make it economical to build. (Additional space could be captured in the attic if desired.) If you've always dreamed of having the "Home Alone" house for your own, now you can! Please contact us at southgateresidential@gmail.com for information on ordering these plans.

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Small Changes Make a Big Impact

2011-05-29T21:19:00.000-04:00

As I've said before, sometimes small changes to a room can have a much larger impact than the effort and money put into them. Such was the case with my kitchen. Our house was built by one of the large national builders. As anyone who has ever built a home with one of that sort of builder knows, the "options" really rack up, and the price they charge for some items is just ridiculous, particularly kitchen upgrades. ($700 just to add crown to the cabinets? Puh-leeze!) So while our kitchen was large and bright, the cabinets lacked any detail and just looked like cheap boxes hung on the wall. (A shame, because they were actually nice, real wood cabinets.)

When the house was brand new. The cabinets looked short and cheap.

Painting the kitchen a warm orangey/terra cotta color helped warm it up, but the cabinets just weren't "popping."

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After paint. (The color is not quite so saturated as the picture indicates.)

So I decided to do something about it. I tracked down the maker of the cabinetry, and a few phone calls later, had ordered matching crown molding, a taller cabinet for over the range, and had one of their installers on the way to the house. Once he had installed the new cabinet and trim, $80 bucks worth of oil-rubbed bronze hardware and a half hour with the drill finished the space off. And the results were dramatic:

The trim really gave the cabinets a level of detail they needed. And the taller cabinet over the range made the kitchen look much higher-end.

The new cabinet and trim cost less than $500--a fraction of what the builder wanted just to add the crown!

As always, I am linking up to the Metamorphosis Monday party at "Between Naps on the Porch" click on over there to see more great Before-and-Afters!

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On The Market--A Shope Reno Wharton Masterpiece on Kiawah Island

2011-05-28T23:42:00.000-04:00

In a few weeks, I will be joining my family for a week at the beach. This will be the fourth or fifth summer that we've spent our vacation at a modest four-bedroom ocean front beach house on a small North Carolina island that has been spared over-development. It promises to be a week of relaxation, and one I am very much looking forward to. Naturally, this upcoming vacation has me thinking about beach houses, and one of the places that has some of the best is Kiawah Island, SC. We've spent many vacations there over the years, and I love to take a leisurely bike ride through the far end of the island and just admire the incredible architecture. The island is chock full of exquisite homes whose details and craftsmanship clearly indicate that cost was no factor in their construction. Some of the giants of architecture and interior design have worked on Kiawah homes, including Shope Reno Wharton, who designed this $29 million estate that is currently on the market:

An aerial view. Many of Kiawah's homes are nestled into the lush landscape, not slapped right on the beach.

*Swoons* There are many homes on the island that feature naturally weathered cedar shakes with black or very dark green trim. It's a gorgeous look.

Another look outside. Love that black pergola!

A look up at one of the house's stairways. Beautiful gray green on a chippendale style railing.

I love how the design team tempered elements that could be very formal with more casual ones for a perfectly elegant beach retreat. Jackye Lanham of Atlanta was responsible for the interiors.

The dark hand planed walnut floors really anchor the rooms.

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Check out the light fixtures in the hallway--a modified version of old fisherman's lamps!

I love a rotunda! And check out the woodwork--stunning.

What a wonderful sunroom!

Wow! Bright and open kitchen space. I'm drawn to the ceiling-height cabinetry.

We always like to have a few bottles of wine on hand at the beach. With this gorgeous wine cellar, that shouldn't be a problem.

A groin vaulted master bedroom with a stunning arch and clerestory dormer.

A copper tub looks out on the marsh. The octagonal tiles are a timeless choice.

"His" bath is decidedly masculine, and appears to have a sauna.

While this masterpiece isn't what I would want for a beach house, it's certainly a beautifully designed space with a one-of-a-kind location. For those who have almost 30 million dollars to spend on a retreat, this one would definitely be a tranquil and calming place to get away from it all.

(all photos taken from current listings)

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A Little Vocabulary Lesson

2011-05-26T12:50:00.000-04:00

I think that realtors ought to have to take a brief history of architecture class. Granted, most of them are well versed in the pieces and parts that go into a house, and having been through untold numbers of homes over the years, I know a good majority have a great eye and appreciation for design. But, almost without fail, if I have settled into my chair to spend a few minutes looking through the latest listings, I come across a description written by a realtor whose architectural ignorance makes my jaw drop.

The most prolific mistake I see touts a home's "Palladium Windows". There is simply no such thing.

Palladium is a a rare metallic element of the platinum group, silver-white, ductile and malleable, harder and fusing more readily than platinum: used chiefly as a catalyst and in dental and other alloys. Symbol: Pd; atomic weight: 106.4; atomic number: 46; specific gravity: 12 at 20°C.

So unless the previous owners chiseled out all of their old fillings to make windows, chances are that the poor misinformed realtor really wants us all to know that the house has a PALLADIAN window. Which looks like this:

Palladian Window

And ONLY like that. The entire composition of three parts is a Palladian Window. This nuance is lost on some who will describe any window with an arch top on it as Palladian. So, a brief recap:

Palladium

Palladian Window

Cheap, builder-grade half round transom. NOT Palladian or Palladium.

The Air of Decay

2011-05-15T19:29:00.002-04:00

Rodin once said, “More beautiful than a beautiful thing is the ruin of a beautiful thing.” While I'm not sure I agree with him, I've always had, for lack of a better term, a fascination with houses that have been allowed to fall into ruin. Literature and pop culture are full of examples: Satis House, the home of Miss Haversham in Dickens "Great Expectations", lies in ruin, the clocks stopped at the moment the owner learns of her would-be husband's betrayal. Scarlet's Tara is in shambles during the time of the Civil War in "Gone With the Wind." In Anne Rice's Mayfair witches series, some of the main characters call Fontevrault, a decaying plantation house half submerged in the Louisiana swamp, home. More recently, we've been made aware of a real life ruin in the Hamptons--Grey Gardens, a once (and once again) grand seaside house that fell into complete ruin as the eccentric Edith and Edie Beale lived there.

There are some incredible decaying estates worth noting right now. Tied up in divorces, allowed to fall into neglect because of their owner's falls from glory, or simply too large and expensive to find new owners, each of these houses have a story to tell:

Land's End, The Hamptons, NY

It's a bit unfair to include this house, because it was recently razed. Thought to be the inspiration for Daisy Buchanan's house in The Great Gatsby, Land's End was a 25,000 square foot mansion that was most recently owned by a family that paid over $17 million for it. Daunted by the renovations needed to bring the house up to date, the last owner's heirs had the house on the market for years with no takers. It fell into shambles, and in the spring of 2011, was torn down, it's grounds will be the location for what some are calling "McMansions."

In this photo from a 1970's real estate listing, the original grandeur is evident.

This photo of the dining room, from the same 1970's listing, shows the gracious size of Lands End's rooms, and the sort of detail it once had. Gorgeous parquet work!

But time was unkind. Here, the rear of the house has fallen into ruin. Looks like half the windows are gone.

The last owner was quoted as saying Land's End cost $4,500 A DAY to maintain. Might explain why they obviously were NOT maintaining it.

The interior was even worse.

And finally, she was gone. There's something beautiful about the ghosts of her massive chimneys.

Sunninghill Park--the former home of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson

When Britain's Prince Andrew married Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, the couple made their home in a newly built mansion that the popular press dubbed "SouthYork"--a play on "Southfork" of the then-popular nighttime soap "Dallas", a nickname it earned by looking like any American mansion from the 1980's. It's an architecturally uninspiring home, large but with no particular style.

An aerial shot of Sunninghill Park as construction neared completion.

After Andrew and Fergie divorced, the house remained the official residence of the Duke of York until 2004. The house was sold, for substantially more than the asking price, in 2007 to new owners with ties to the president of Kazakhstan. The transaction has been seen as money laundering, bribery, and worse. Whatever the case is, the new owners clearly did not purchase Sunningill Park to use as a home, because it has fallen into a state of decay. (For more photos, visit the Facebook page created by some architectural trespassers!)

Recent photo of the overgrown gardens and neglected mansion.

The front of the house doesn't look any better. The prescence of the dumpster makes me wonder if someone is cleaning the place up.

More "deferred maintenance" is evident on this corner of the mansion. I wonder what that strange enclosd space that looks like a better living patio room is?

Former Estate of Mike Tyson, Southington, Ohio

And now, the former estate of boxer, biter, and alleged wife-beater Mike Tyson. His personal and professional lives have played out in the national spotlight, so hardly bear repeating here. It's little wonder that there have been no takers for the enormous house he used to call home in Southington, Ohio. The house is a favorite of "urban explorers", and there are a ton more photos of this monstrosity out there. Check out this Flickr stream for more. Those with delicate decorative sensibilities may want to take a nerve pill before laying eyes on the following photos:

Subtle and elegant entrance, no?

It's like the inside of a DEB shop from 1982!

Looks like the poolboy quit.

Acres of bleached oak, and zebra carpet. This house is Klassy with a K, friends.

White wall-to-wall, curly-q railing, and off in the distance a lava rock veneered wall. I just can't fathom why this house can't find an owner.

Khalil Bin-Laden Estate near Orlando, Florida

Despite having been owned by the brother of the notorius, now-dead terrorist, this 9,700 square foot mansion, on 17 acres outside of Orlando, has a lot of potential. It has sat vacant since 2001 (when, shock of shocks, the previous owners left the United States) and ten years of neglect have made the house a bit of a diamond in the rough:

Traditional Florida Meditteranean architecture. The house is now full of bullet holes, and the boarded up windows reveal years of vandalism.

The large grounds are evident at left. At right, could that great room not be drop-dead gorgeous? That ceiling is dee-lish. And the arched windows? Yes, please!

Another disgusting pool, but a little imagination, and a lot of bleach could turn that into a backyard oasis. Gorgeous covered lanai on the right.

Which of these neglected ruins would you most like to bring back to glory? My money is on the Bin Laden estate. I'm not sure Iron Mike's manse ever had a heyday, and Fergie's old pile is awfully boring.

I'm linking this backward metamporphosis to the Met Monday party at Between Naps on the Porch! Click over there to see some more impressive before-and-afters.

That's the one Marv...That's The Silver Tuna!

2011-05-08T23:29:00.004-04:00

By now, the listing of the "Home Alone" house has been covered in dozens of places. (Had I been able to drop what I was doing and blog about it a few days ago when a friend called to whisper that it was for sale, I would have been one of the first to do so...so a special thank you to that friend for thinking of me and my lil ole house blog.)

The "Home Alone" house is in Winnetka, Illinois--a tony northern suburb of Chicago. If you ever travel to Chicago, and are the sort of person who loves a little architectural tourism, you owe it to yourself to head north out of the city on Sheridan Avenue and just give yourself a few hours to get lost in the northern suburbs that lie just outside the city along the lakefront. (Winnetka and Glencoe standout in my mind as must-sees) These towns are chock full of exquisite residential architecture--including the "Home Alone House."

The classic red brick Georgian house was built in the 1920's, and looking at photos from the current listing and comparing it to photos from nearly 100 years ago, not much has changed outside:

But why would anyone WANT to change the exterior of this house? Georgian houses like these are my absolute favorite. There is something so solid, timeless, and undeniably "homey" about the traditional "five over four and a door" style. John Hughes probably agreed when he chose this house as home to the McAllister family in the string of Home Alone movies. If you'd like to see photos of the house from the movie, Julia at Hooked on Houses has a wonderful collection of those images showing the house in all it's red and green wallpapered bliss, HERE. Julia also features a floorplan of the house that someone had worked up based on the movie. Compare it to this floor plan from current listing information, and you can see that the movie set very closely follows the floorplan of the real house:

Not a bad floorplan for a house that's nearing it's 100th birthday, but I think it could be better. (Maybe a new pre-designed plan from Southgate? Hmmm...) First, I hate that the laundry room is on axis with the front door. I realize that it's very unlikely that was always the laundry, but who wants company to see their dirty unmentionables lying on the floor waiting to be washed when they open the front door? Not me. It also seems to be a waste of space that the basement stair and the main stair aren't stacked on top of each other. But, overall, the plan is great. The rooms are a comfortable size, and I rather like how each room opens up to the next. if the formal living room only had an opening into the back hall where that half bath is, this home would have no "dead ends" at all, making it perfect for entertaining, and (if you ask anyone under the age of 12) even more perfect for a game of chase or hide and seek.

Something strange is going on with the second floor plan included with the listing information. Notice those closets between the master bedroom and the sunroom? They seem to show a window that would be slap-up on the corner of the house, a SIXTH window in the main block. Clearly (and thankfully) such a window does not exist. Obvious inaccuracies aside, the second floor plan reveals the master suite to be most in need of some reworking. A bedroom, a sitting room, AND a sunroom? All while the owner's of the house cram their Chicago-necessary four season wardrobe into 4 foot wide closets and attend to nature's call and groom themselves in a bathroom that looks more suited to a starter home? (A bathroom so covered in brass I can't even bear to repost the photos here.) Uh, no, ma'am. The square footage is there to make this a proper master suite, and I'd bet the ink isn't dry on the closing documents before the new owners do just that. Hopefully, while the new owners are making over the master, they'll also do something about that wonky half bath of questionable purpose that the floor plans indicate near the secondary bedrooms.

The Master Sitting Room

Master Bedroom

The most remarkable thing about the interior of the house is, well, how unremarkable it is. While the cove moldings in the foyer and the dentil molding and pilasters in the formal living room are deeee-lish-us, I honestly would have expected to see more woodwork in a house like this. The rest of the rooms are rather modestly trimmed, and frankly, a little boring. I can only assume that the current owners (who have lived in the house over 20 years, and owned it at the time it was used in the filming of Home Alone) have stripped away many of their belongings in preparation for selling the house. It just looks a bit empty, doesn't it?

That kitchen is fine as it is, but the glossy white cabinets seem a little low-buck, and while I can appreciate a hanging pot rack in SOME kitchens, the one hanging here looks more like some sort of torture device. I think finer cabinetry and detailing (like that gorgeous bordered wood floor!) would make the kitchen much better. So while I think the interior could use some updating, I imagine that any new owner who has $2.4 million to spend on it can surely afford a few hundred grand more to build on the incredible, timeless, and perfectly proportioned bones of this famous house.

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Remaking a Craigslist Find

2011-05-08T02:26:00.000-04:00

One thing that has come from doing this design blog is inspiration from other bloggers. The DIY movement is alive and well...and there are folks out there creating fabulous things with a lot of effort and a little money. After seeing dozens of examples of courageous bloggers transforming thrift store/yard sale/Craigslist finds into gorgeous showpieces, I figured it was high time I gave it a shot. I have to confess that I have become a major Craigslist shopper. Granted, I've only bought two things there, but I look every single day, hoping to find some amazing item that might just need a little spit and polish. And such was the case with this shield-back chair I scored a few months ago.

I paid $40 for it...and if I'd had the wherewithall to negotiate, probably could have gotten it for even less. It was not pretty. The dark stained wood frame bore the scars of years of use. The plaid teal upholstery was from another time. When I unloaded it from my car, my better half gave me that look that said, "And THAT is going in our house?"

Was probably gorgeous in 1988..but I loved the shape.

"Don't worry!" I said, "It will be fabulous!" This was right around the same time I'd scored an amazing buy on some Imperial Trellis-ish drapery panels for the study. I figured with a little elbow grease, the ugly teal chair could be gorgeous. And so I dragged my drapery panels down to the fabric shop and picked two inexpensize fabrics that matched the colors in the panels. Then, armed with an exacto knife and a few cans of spray paint, I got to work. Now, I'm no upholsterer. If it's anything more complex than a simple slip seat, I've got a few good workrooms on speed dial. So, after removing the fabric, making a few repair to loose joints, and painting the frame, this old girl went off to the upholstery shop.

And she came back looking like this:

Much better, no? I chose a light beige fabric and piping in a deep espresso to match the drapes.

And an Imperial Trellis pillow (scored on etsy) finishes it off. Fabric, paint, and labor, I'm in it for about $200--still a bargain in my mind!

I'm linking to the Met Monday party at Between Naps on the Porch.

And the weekly party at Addicted to Decorating!

The Life of a Sofa

2011-05-01T15:45:00.002-04:00

The very first piece of furniture I ever bought for myself was a khaki colored, traditional three-cushion roll-arm sofa that I had custom made at La-Z-Boy. I ordered it the summer between my freshman and sophomore years in college, in preparation for moving into my first apartment (a newly renovated studio that had previously been a law office.) The sofa, which I ordered with a sleeper since it would have to do double-duty, was just over $1,000, a princely sum at the time. I vaguely recall looking at a few other options, none of which would have stood the test of time nearly as well.

My general rule is that large pieces of furniture (such as sofas) should be fairly neutral. It's easy to change throw pillows to give them a different look, but keeping them neutral increases the life of the piece and the number of different looks that it will work with. So let's take a look at my poor old sofa over the past 15 years:

Here it is in one of my college apartments. (Though not the first one, where it wore cranberry throw pillows and an impossibly fuzzy throw). Here, oversized denim pillows and a bolster join the factory original throws pillows. In another college-days iteration the sofa stood on a needlepoint floral rug with floral and plaid pillows.

After college, the poor thing suffered through another round of moves and looks. It got a rest in the corner of a bedroom, decked out with green and white toile pillows at one point. Was decked out in floral from April Cornell at another apartment, before finally toning down with black and tan stripes at this apartment.

In my first house, the tan sofa was in my study. (And a great place for afternoon naps!) Here, it's got oversized Ralph Lauren throw pillows, but eventually it would leave this room with a pillows in a plaid silk.

By this point the sofa was more than a little well-worn, and the back was totally sunbleached from it's years in front of the big triple window of my lakeside apartment. I looked for a replacement, but realized I was looking at sofas that looked an awful lot like the one I already had. So I sent it off to be recovered, in a winter white knit that I hoped will give it another 15 years of versatility.

Here it is fresh from the upholsterer in the living room of the townhouse I lived in for a bit. You can see I also recovered a chair to match. In this space, I did a monochromatic white and dark brown scheme--popped off with a perfect geometric rug.

And here it is now, in our formal living room. In this space, everything is black, white, silver, or mirrored.

So which look is your favorite? My answer will always be "the current one" but every one of these looks happily reminds me of a different period of life. If you look closely through these pictures, and have seen any of the other spaces from my own home that I've had on the blog, you'll no doubt notice many reused items.

Do any of you have a piece of furniture or other household item that has traveled with you from place to place?

As always, I am linking to the wonderful party at Between Naps on the Porch.

Also linking this week to the party at Addicted to Decorating!

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On the Market--A Southern Castle

2011-04-28T15:41:00.000-04:00

Though I am loathe to play any part in it, for better or worse, the collective attention of the world seems to be focused this week on the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton. I thought it was a perfect time to take a little tour of a castle in the unlikeliest of places--Greenville, SC.

According to listing information, the over-100-year-old castle was built for a German baroness and was modeled after a castle on the Rhine. The $2.75 million asking price not only gets one lucky buyer their very own schloss, but 30 acres on Paris Mountain with incredible views of Greenville and the mountains.

From what little information I could gather on the internet, the castle has been lived in for years by an elderly couple (the listing confirms that it has been held by one family since the 1920's). Teenage lore of the 1980's pegged the estate as "Devil's Castle" and it was a longstanding rumor that it was used by Satan worshippers who, every Halloween, would abduct a child to sacrifice on the castle's grounds. (Naturally, there was no basis in fact to those rumors.)

While the castle is in need of some updating, it's an undeniably beautiful structure. Take a look:

The exterior, love the ivy growing over the building!

Not sure what this space is, but it seems to be just a large hall.

View of the castle from the 1/3 mile driveway.

Beautiful lush landscaping.

The kitchen could use an update, but that shouldn't be a problem for new owners who have almost three million to spend.

Beautiful beamed ceiling in this great room.

Stone arches frame the view from this porch.

This face of the castle peeks through the trees to the town below.

Great stone trim inside at the stairway.

Another view of the exterior.

(all photos taken from current listing information)

Luxury On The Rails

2011-04-25T08:33:00.000-04:00

On my recent vacation I read the best selling book, "Water for Elephants", the film version of which stars Robert Pattinson and Reece Witherspoon. It's a wonderful book that I'd recommend for anyone searching for a few summer reads. The main characters of the book are part of a traveling circus. They move from town to town by train, setting up their big top and marching out their menagerie of animals for curious townspeople. The stars of the circus live in comfortable train cars, while the lesser workers often sleep on hay with the animals. Naturally, this living aboard a train got the designer part of my brain churning. Turns out, luxury travel by rail is still alive and well. Take a look:

Posh train car living room. I wonder if that fireplace works?

Traincar bedroom suite. Such beautiful doors! Has the air of an old luxury ocean liner!

Luxurious bedroom on rails. Check out the gorgeous stenciled ceiling.

Bentley, the luxury carmaker, chartered this train to carry owners to an event at their factory. The colors and details remind me of an old gentlemen's club.

The dark walls and striped ceiling of this club car make quite a statement.

Beautiful attention to detail. Notice the art hung over the mirrored wall in the back left corner.

A light filled "observation car"--like a sunroom on rails.

Outfitted like a fine hotel, this Palace on Rails would be quite an interesting way to see the world.

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Transforming the Study

2011-04-24T18:50:00.003-04:00

The biggest do-it-yourself project that we've embarked on at my house is the transformation of the study. It was originally set up for one person, and had a hodge-podge of furniture that functioned fine, but the room overall did not make an impression. And it needed to, as it is on the main floor of our house and guests walk right past it if they use the powder room.

We have more guest rooms than we will ever need, and had tossed around the idea of a home office for each of us. But as both myself and my other half work from home a lot, often right up til bedtime, we decided to create one office for ourselves otherwise we knew there would be days at a time where we only saw each other passing in the hall. This new office for two had to serve a few functions. First and foremost, it had to work for our needs. We took stock of all the things we needed to store and have within easy reach, all of our computer equipment, etc. We also wanted the room to have a spot for reading, and room for a television and space for all of the game system equipment. And it had to look nice.

It was a tall order. Here's a look at what we started with:

Builder white walls and unsubstantial furniture.

And only enough room for one to work!

I got to my drawing board and came up with a few solutions. Once we had settled on one, I had a cabinetmaker price the job for us. It was much higher than I expected, and more than we thought it was worth. So we got the bright idea to do a slightly simplified version ourselves. Using unfinished store-bought kitchen cabinets (which are a bit higher than a standard desk, but perfect for me because I tend to recline and sit cross-legged while I work, so my knees smash the bottom of a regular height desk) and a bevvy of unfinished trim pieces, we spent the weekend building a custom desk for two.

The number of trips to the home improvement store it took to do this project was almost comical!

We pre-painted the walls around the new desk area Sherwin Williams "Silver Strand"--a perfect soft blue-gray. Here, the base cabinets are in place. We stained them a dark mahogany to match bookshelves we already had.

We needed some overhead shelves for storage. I found some wonderful chunky "floating" shelves at the local home improvement store, and because we loaded them up beyond capacity, decided to install soem sleek brushed nickel brackets for extra support. To give us a surface to tack reminders and notes to, I found a great framed corkboard at TJ Maxx that softens the whole composition up with it's curvy form.

Not bad for a couple of amateurs! Since this picture was taken, I've put a matching pair of lamps on the desk--repurposed from the living room.

The other side of the room.

I'm not a fan of rugs over wall-to-wall carpet, but I had this wonderful graphic rug ("Argonne" from Home Decorators Collection) that I just had to use. The drapes are Imperial Trellis-knock offs from Z Gallerie ($25!). I'm currently having an old shield-back chair reupholstered for this room. The one in here now is an antique from my great-grandparents farmhouse, and it's upholstered to match one of the guest rooms. Can't wait for the new chair to arrive--will be "unveiling" it in the next couple of weeks. The little silver tray table is a Target find ($30!) Having a lightweight arm chair here allows us to sit and read and also to easily spin the chair around to play Wii games on the television. The framed animal prints are from my college apartment--I bought them probably 15 years ago on clearance at Pier 1. The wooden tribal mask atop the bookshelves is a gift from a dear friend and quite a conversation piece. People either love it or find it completely creepy.

This is the room we spend most of our waking hours at home in, and overall, I'm thrilled with how it turned out, particularly given how much we saved by doing it ourselves and finishing it off with bargain finds and repurposed items.

I am linking to the Metamorphosis Monday Party at Between Naps on the Front Porch.

And to the DIY Showoff Party:

And to the party at Addicted to Decorating:

And, one more at Passionately Artistic!

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The Ubiquitous Red Dining Room

2011-04-24T08:29:00.004-04:00

Particularly here in the south, red is the default color for formal dining rooms. As surely as a little girl's room is pink and a little boy is saddled with blue, when all else fails, the dining room is red. So prolific is the red dining room, that it isn't unusual to walk into a spec-built house and find that the only room that the builder hasn't painted Navajo white is the dining room. Because it is so common (and, because I once tried to paint the fireplace wall of my former townhouse red, and after five coats, it still looked like a bad faux-finish) I've never considered doing a red dining room. But taking a look at these red dining rooms has me reconsidering:

Red trim and doors play off the chinoiserie wallpaper in this dramatic dining room. Love the chairs!

Definitely not your grandmother's red dining room, a crisp modern take.

Deep red paint over traditional paneling is a handsome backdrop for this gorgeous Baker furniture.

Love the contemporary chandelier in this red dining room.

(Metropolitan Home)

Glossy red walls and dark trim make for a dramatic space. Love the mix of art here.

Bright red and crisp white combine for a fresh dining space.

Very traditional red dining room, but the upholstery on the chairs provides an updated and unexpected touch.

Who says you can only use chairs to seat guests? In this glossy red space, the table is pulled up to a comfortable sofa.

Great mix of patterns on the upholstery and wallpaper keep this red dining space from looking too heavy.

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Decisions, Decisions

2011-04-23T11:27:00.000-04:00

My push to finish my own formal living and dining rooms is in full swing. The rooms take the usual positions on either side of the foyer, and both are painted one of my favorite colors--Sherwin Williams Pearl Gray. I've previously blogged about some of the great finds that I've landed for these rooms--the $200 mirrored chest, the $75 end tables, the $300 table, and the $150 chandelier. And I've shared my transformation of some inherited tables.

The biggest thing I've struggled to find for these two rooms is art. The formal living room has our piano in it, so I really hoped to find an abstract piece that had some sort of musical theme. I played with doing a gallery wall of framed sheet music, or a grouping of beautifully matted labels from old player-piano rolls. I tossed around the idea of a gorgeous mirror flanked by sconces. Some of these ideas may still come to fruition on a smaller scale, but after purchasing two pieces at an auction for the dining room, and finding an absolutely perfect abstract for the living room, I am feeling much better about the art situation for these rooms.

The perfect abstract for the living room!

Similarly, I struggled with what to do on the windows. Initially, I wanted imperial trellis drapes, but the cost was really outside of what I wanted to spend. And after finding a close facsimile for my study, I scratched them off the list altogether. I thought of a black and white stripe, considered a black and white damask, and even thought of doing a textured linen in a color to match the walls. Ultimately, I've decided to do an almost-white roman shade with black ribbon trim (I did a trial run of this technique in my guest bathroom--the how to can be seen HERE) and black silk panels with either a plain almost-white ribbon detail on the edge, or I may dress it up and do a Greek key border. Very simple and elegant solution, and since I'm just adding embellishments to off-the-rack drapes, very cost-effective.

But the drapery decision means that neither of the rooms have ANY pattern. I'm not opposed to this, as some of my favorite spaces right now are very simple and devoid of pattern, but these rooms needed a little life. And, so, I had to decide on some fabrics to use as accents. We need host chairs, and having had no luck in finding any, I've resigned myself to the fact that they'll probably just have to be custom made. Luckily, the upholsterer I use has a great source for chair frames, so "custom" doesn't mean "outrageous." I also want to get an arm chair for the living room--something along the lines of a Martha Washington chair but with straighter lines.

So these three as-yet-unbought chairs will provide some much-needed life to these rooms. And the throw pillows. Let's not forget the ever-important throw pillows. I pulled various sized pillows from all around the house (I have a bit of a pillow fetish, so chances are there is a pillow of every possible size lying on a guest bed or sitting in the corner of a sofa somewhere here.) Ultimately, I decided on two 22 inch pillows for the sofa, and a total of 4 14" x 18" "kidney" pillows--two for the sofa, and one for each of the living room chairs (including the as-yet-bought accent chair.)

Off to the fabric shop I went. I came home with samples no less than five times. Crisp geometrics, fun suzanis, traditional damasks, an ikat or two, stripes, flamestitches, houndstooths, and there was even a polka-dot that caught my eye.

In the end, I narrowed it down to these choices:

But even once I'd narrowed that pool down, there were decisions on the trim. There are, of course, 7.8 million possible fringes, cordings, braids, and tassels to choose from. (Number is approximate). I wrung my hands, looked to the guidance of my seamstress, and did my "fabric dance" (laying the possibilities out, studying them carefully, then walking away for a few minutes.) But, the decision is made. The fabric is bought, and the seamstress is happily spending her Easter weekend putting them together. These six pillows, with their carefully thought out trim, cost more than any of the other "steals" for these two rooms. That's right--the pillows cost more than the dining room table, more than the cocktail tables, and more than the substantial mirrored chest. But, that's ok. I saved on those things so I could splurge on these, and, really, when I divide the cost out among six pillows, it seems quite reasonable. It occurred to me that most folks probably have a similar philosophy--there are certain things they simply MUST splurge on.

So next week the new art will be hung, the new pillows in place, and I'll provide a sneak-peak at the living room. I'm three chairs and eight panels of drapery away from a full unveiling.

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Celebrating the Bunk Room

2011-04-22T12:08:00.000-04:00

When I was around five years old, I got new furniture for my childhood room. I remember being so excited that I was getting bunk beds. Kids just naturally love them, don't they? A few well-placed props and an active imagination could turn the lower bunk into a train car, a motorhome, or the cockpit of a plane. Stretching the imagination a bit further, and both bunks turned into a cozy townhouse.

As I got older, the bunks became less practical. An adult-height person can't comfortably take the top bunk in a room with eight foot ceilings, and can likewise expect to smash their head against the top one if they take the lower bed. So the bunks went away once I hit my teen years, but I've always had a warm spot for them, and incorporated built-in bunks in many of my designs.

Bunks aren't only great for kid's rooms, but dedicated bunk rooms are a wonderful solution for homes that expect a large number of overnight guests. Lake houses, beach cottages, and mountain getaways where whole families and extended families gather are all great candidates. They are a great use of square footage--why waste money on a half dozen guest rooms that will only be used a few times a year when the grandkids will love sharing a great bunk room? Here are some wonderful examples:

Love the panel detail and the repeating arch and the great plaid rug in this one.

The beadboard details and built in bookcase make these bunks wonderful little retreats.

This trio of bunks goes all the way to the rafters!

Love the little "windows" with the hanging fisherman's lights.

(from Coastal Living)

A white and aqua bunkroom from Coastal Living. Great built-in drawers!

This rustic set of built-in bunks is gorgeous! Love the log ladder.

A single built-in bunk can allow a study to serve double-duty as a guest room, or make the most of a wide hallway. (via The Enchanted Home)

This crisp blue and white bunkroom is by Sherill Canet (via The Enchanted Home)

A nautical bunk room by Steven Gambrell.

Keith Summerour designed this bunkroom by Morgan-Keefe builders. Love the paneling in this space!

What little girl wouldn't love the built-in vanity here?

Another nautical theme in this bunkroom.

Willow Decor

Do you have a favorite? Where would you use a bunkroom?

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TV And Movie Houses: Beetlejuice

2011-04-21T23:37:00.002-04:00

One of the most iconic movie houses (at least in my opinion) is the Maitland-Deetz residence from Tim Burton's 1988 dark comedy, Beetlejuice. The film stars Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin as Barbara and Adam Maitland, a couple who have lovingly renovated and decorated their old Victorian home. They own the local hardware store, but in the opening scene of the film, we learn they are taking the week off to do a few projects around the house. Their love of the old Victorian is evident--their vacation gifts to one another are "Manchurian Tung Oil" and wallpaper for the guest room.

The house as it looked when the Maitlands owned it.

The local realtor, Jane Butterfield, is intent on convincing the Maitlands to sell their idyllic house. In the first minutes of the movie, she brings an unsolicited offer of $350,000 that has come from a New Yorker desperate to get away from the city. But Adam and Barbara aren't interested, of course. But it turns out that the New Yorker gets his chance after all. Adam and Barbara die in a car accident a few moments later as they head to the hardware store to get a good brush for applying the Tung Oil.

Their ghosts live on though, trapped in the house as a sort of purgatory. Their graves are still fresh when Jane sells the house to Charles and Delia Deetz, who move in with their daughter Lydia. Charles is a businessman who has suffered some sort of mental breakdown, Delia is an aspiring sculptor and artist, and Lydia is a brooding "goth" teenager.

Delia, played by the wonderful Catherine O'Hara, is a snobby fashionista who finds the house utterly unlivable. Her decorator, Otho, is an overweight and pretentious man, and he consents to leave the city to assist with the redesign she feels the house needs. The contemp they hold for the house is obvious as they walk through it on move-in day.

"Well deliver me from L.L. Bean." Otho quips with a roll of the eyes. The house's lack of "organic flow through" doesn't sit well with him, and he warns Charles that the renovations are going to cost him big.

The rest of the movie is a hilarious romp as the Maitland's ghosts attempt to get the Deetz family OUT of their house. The ensemble cast plays their parts perfectly, but the real star of course is the house. Had the Maitlands not loved the house so much, and if the two families taste had been more in line, there wouldn't have been a story! And their tastes could not have been more different! Take a look:

I have to assume the Maitlands hadn't gotten around to doing a lot to the exterior before they died. It's perfectly charming, but more than a little timeworn.

An army of workers arrive with the Deetz, transforming the house into a Post Modern monstrosity.

The house as the Deetz (with Otho's help of course) redesigned it. I've always thought the exterior was rather interesting this way. The style is pure 80's, but looking at it now, it really doesn't seem that dated. I like how the "bones" of the original house are still there and visible and the modern elements have been applied almost like an exoskeleton. The striped bands at the base of the house are a Tim Burton signature!

The Deetz' new porch wouldn't pass any building codes I'm aware of! Up close, it appears the stripes are bands of shingles. While I can appreciate what they did outside, the interior is a different story...

Here, we catch a glimpse of the kitchen as the Maitlands had it. Painted cupboards, a soft green on paneled walls, and a checkerboard backsplash--pure country house!

The Deetz' kitchen is a nerve-wracking combination of glass block and acid blue. I'd need a big glass of merlot to calm my nerves if I were in this room.

The Maitland's ghosts see their remodeled house for the first time. Otho and Delia have painted every surface in dark faux-finishes, and stripped much of the original details in favor of post modern pieces like this mantel with a lighted hearth.

Otho stands inside of his creation with Lydia. I actually like the abstract painting, but the fleck-painted walls and moldings, not so much.

The Deetz' dining room, with horrible faux-marble paintjob, is severe to say the least. A glass atrium at the rear of the room showcases Delia's sculptures--which are wrapped in glass block and sitting on a floor of white sand. The jagged stone slab that makes up the table is very cold looking, and those strange chairs couldn't possibly be comfortable!

In the foyer, Delia and Otho have once again painted everything in a monochromatic gray faux finish. This room looks like it has heavy smoke damage to me! In one scene, the snakeskin covered handrail turns into a real snake that attacks Delia.

At the end of the movie, Adam and Barbara come to an agreement that allows them to live peacefully with the Deetz family. They begin renovating the house BACK to the way they had it. Here, we can see they've got a bit more to do to restore the foyer.

There is no "real" Beetlejuice house. The exterior was just a shell built for filming on a hill overlooking East Corinth, Vermont. The interiors were built on a soundstage and were designed by set decorator Catherine Mann, who did a handful of late 1980's movies. As an interesting aside, the actor who played Otho (Glenn Shadix) moved back to his hometown of Bessemer, Alabama in 2007 and purchased a white Victorian built in 1886 that bore some similarity to the Maitland house. Unfortunately, his Victorian was destroyed by fire in 2008, and Shadix himself passed away in 2010.

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A New Color Fixation

2011-04-17T16:14:00.003-04:00

My body is back on land, but my mind is still at sea. The number one thing I've always heard from people returning from a Caribbean vacation comment on is the sea. Hearing about it, even seeing photos and video, is hardly preparation for seeing it in person. Near the shore, the sea is crystal clear, in beautiful shades of blue and blue-green, really something to behold for those of us used to the murky gray waters off the east coast of the United States.

But it was the color of the deeper waters that really impressed me. A dark, luxurious blue-green color. I hesitate to call it teal, because that brings to mind some bad design from the early 1990's, but I suppose teal would be the most accurate description. More than once I remarked that the color begged to be on a wall somewhere. It won't be appearing on my own walls anytime soon, because after painting every room in this house, if I so much as suggest painting anything I cringe and my better half starts looking into mental health facilities for me. Even so, these images are going in my inspiration file:

Forgive the hatch marks, but I love the punch of the white furniture against these dark walls.

Some sort of faux finish has been used here, and I actually like the depth that it gives the sea-colored walls.

Gorgeous! So calming and glamorous.

Candice Olsen used the deep teal color in this dining room.

Great vignette on walls the color of the Caribbean.

Again, the light colored furniture and accessories really pop off the deep walls.

Another faux finish in deep teal. This very nicely echoes the deep nature of the color of the sea.

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