In Memoriam Week: Domino

This week I'm taking a little blogging break of sorts....I'm just too slammed, to be honest.  Here's my week-at-a-glance:  (by the way, have you ever seen Martha's month-at-a-glance at the beginning of her magazine?  Are you kidding me?  And the crazy thing is--I bet she actually completes that list.)


+ get the house clean.  I mean really clean (dust under chairs, wipe baseboards, touch-up paint that matchbox cars have scratched in the kitchen, etc.) because the shoot is the 29th and 30th!!  I can't wait, but if you saw this home at the moment you would laugh at me if I told you BH & G was coming in two weeks.  (Anyone live in Atlanta and want to help me out?  Come on over.  I have wine....and strong coffee...and popsicles.)

+ get the Rue article finished.  One down, one to go.

+ work on design boards with Anisa for a client  (for kitchen, mudroom, dining room, hallway, master bedroom, master bathroom, living room, outdoor terrace living area, basement/ downstairs living room, front exterior.  Of course I am thrilled to be working on this!!!  but this is a lot of work.

+ cook for Thanksgiving feast for the boys' mothers morning out party this Thursday.

+ cook for our own Thanksgiving--we will be going to my mother-in-law's lake house at Lake Lanier next week.

+ work on finalizing the paperwork & architect plans for our Airstream barn/ cottage in our backyard.


I guess like Cher says, "I'll sleep when I'm dead."

So here is my segue to honoring those magazines who have passed away.  I want to share some of my favorite images from the magazine holy trinity--Domino, Cottage Living, and Country Home.

        
                                            Let's begin the week with Domino......

Definitely ahead of its time.  The simple subway tiles laid in a herringbone pattern, the pops of robins' egg blue in the pendants, shelf brackets and plates.  The wall-mounted oil-rubbed bronze faucet, the long & modern cabinet pulls and the eco-friendly dishwasher (wash 1/2 a load or a full load if you wish to conserve water and energy).  And how Julia Child of them to install a utilitarian and beautiful pot rack and coffee cups hooks under the bottom shelf?!  Love it in all its fantastic glory.

Have a great Monday!  Julie

reader request: what design books inspire you?

Abby, this one's for you....

Basically, as a former English teacher, the question is what do I not read.  I am a reader.  My mema is a reader and I guess I get that from her...really no one else in my family is a "reader".  

I define a "reader" as one who has a kindle, books by the bed, book in stacks in every place imaginable, books in the basement, books in boxes and books loaned out to people you can't remember.  A reader takes a separate bag on trips for reading material.  Your favorite Christmas or birthday gift is a B & N gift card, and there are times you have chosen to eat on the cheap so you can afford lunch and a magazine.  

You either are or your aren't.  It is a blessing and a curse.

So here is just a sampling of design material that inspires me.  I have more where this came from...but I really learn a lot from design blogs.  I read many that are my aesthetic, but I really learn more when I read those that stretch me....push me beyond my style.  No one I decorate for will have my exact style, so I need to learn about all types of furniture, lighting, room arrangements, you name it.

Liam is modeling above the new Coastal Living "bookazine"  ($11 people, not a magazine!  Be careful when you pick up one of those for they are not $5)  This is a no-brainer for me.  Many Cottage Living folk moved their offices' location to this publication, so I easily love almost every page.  It inspires me, but because it is my style I don't learn too much.  I already live in white rooms with vertical boards!!

Okay, long post, but let's go in order, shall we?

If you are a design-lover and you don't own this, then you may be telling a little white lie when you say you love design.  Yes, it is the ubiquitous book you see on every coffee table and styled vignette, but it is popular for a reason.  It kicks butt!  

(above you see I got mine from Anthropologie years ago when it promised a Domino subscription upon purchase.  So sad that I received Lucky instead when it folded.  But of course I already has a Domino subscription, anyway!)

I love its illustrations and wallpapered pages....

I love the design schemes with paint colors and fabric included

I love this kitchen!

There is not a better one!  Do you see that CHUNK of marble and the glossy subway tile with white grout everywhere!!!  And those stools and the wood chairs.  Just perfection.

I guarantee you Gwyneth used this picture as inspiration here.  I just know it.

See her chunky countertop and subway tiles everywhere (but, yeah, because she is loaded why not make the subway tiles marble, too...who needs ceramic?)

And the wallpaper and colors.  Just phenomenal! 

intermission of cuteness

This book is not French country like your neighbor's rooster sitting above her cherry-stained counters.  This is real country homes in France full of rustic goodness and industrical chic.  But not trying to be chic--just utilitarian-like greatness.

And if you have read this blog at all, you know I love stylist/designer Atlanta Bartlett.

If you love neutral, white, and a relaxed sensibility, you will love her, too.

Along this same, no-brainer theme is Thrifty Chic.  If you like repurposing Good Will finds and using "junk" in a beautiful new context....this book is for you.

(man, I wish I got a little kick back for these positive reviews I'm giving)

These are not "catalog" rooms.  If you like not looking like your neighbor's home--you will dig these images.

more big brother cuteness.  We're all happy on this pretty October morning.

This next book inspires me as much for the text as for the images.  I don't think I can say that for any other book.

The Novogratz' Downtown Chic is chock full of inspiring quotes and stories.  They make me think, "Yeah, I can do it, too.  And I don't have 7 kids!!!"

And I know I have said this before, but I am particularly fond of Cortney because she is from Columbus, GA and has kept her southern drawl.

How great is this quote from John Lennon?  The best.  And those caned-back white chairs with blue leather, vinyl or oil-cloth just knocks me sideways.  They continue to be imaginative.

Okay, I think I'll leave you with the above quote from Ms. Joplin.  I'll do a Part II with my remaining favorite books...I gotta go pay some bills and play outside!

Julie

this is why I like being a decorator & giveaway winner & hodge podge

(another long one--thought it was going 

to be short but I was wrong)

....because our environments do affect us.

I am too tired to dig up a before...but we are just in the middle stage so this

isn't worthy of a before and after yet.  The paintings will be picked up today

(black industrial gallery above the banquette), we need to get two new chairs

and move these iron babies outside 

We need a new switchplate, too!

I love Thonet.

(Vienna side chair  Crate & Barrel--we

wouldn't do white, though)

 (Tolix, my fave, bentwoods, 2 cafe chairs...we're not

there yet.  We're also doing a window treatment here. 

I really do think purple Tolix will be the best--a risk, yes, but

her pops of color throughout are violet.  I think it would be killer!

Before, their kitchen was a dark red and they rarely used the area where

there is now the banquette.  They trusted me with Navajo White walls, this 

indoor/outdoor zebra slipcover for the benches (there are three...if you 

call Ballard's Backroom after the truck arrives you can find one...or 

three...for a great deal!)  This fabric, although light, just wipes clean.  

And if kids really rub-in some peanut butter and jelly, you can throw it in 

the wash.  The table is my knock-off Saarenin tulip table (from IKEA) that

I sold them.  I think the real one with a marble top is worth the investment, though.

Yes, it is the ubiquitous chalkboard paint.  She was so eager she

went ahead and ordered the Hudson brand I posted about

(by the way...you know you can find less expensive

brands now.  But they were really impressed with this

paint.  She got to painting last night after dinner and the 

kids went to town immediately.  

It couldn't make me happier that life is now going on in 

a previously-unused area!

We also ordered some cool organizational things from Aidan Gray (again,

the industrial look...but they love it and it sooo fits their home).  We also

have a funnel-shape capiz pendant on the way.  Can't wait!  (I think

she wanted my help specifically because of our capiz in the kitchen.  We had

to find a home for one in her home!)

(Her capiz is quite similar to this--BH & G image)

Anyway, isn't this what it is all about?  Practical beauty.

Speaking of beauty:  the winner of the Milk and Cookies

beautiful pillow is A House and Home!

Milk and Cookies

(more ADD writing for you this morning...)

The online client in Mobile, AL, Katie...has a mom with

serious style.  Check out her mom's sunroom!  

She said her lucite table is fifteen years old!

Katie has serious style, too.

She really loved this:

Domino

So we have a diagonal version going on here...

Okay, sorry if I said this before, but don't you think people

who hire decorators usually have great style already.  Just

like my therapist says..."Usually the healthiest people hire

therapists."  

More hodge podge...

My copy of this arrived yesterday.  Can't wait to read it...

an excerpt found in Country Living

Oh, and a movie I saw a few weeks ago with

great interiors:

If you haven't seen The Switch, go see it.  Total thumbs up

from me.  I couldn't find any good stills, but the decor is so

good, too.  (Look at this dreamy blue moulding!)  Disclosure:  my friend

just thought it was okay, though.  I think it was directed by

Juno's director.  So good!

Yes, that is what you think it is.

Don't you love Juliette Lewis?  Big fan.

I was so looking forward to The Backup Plan.  I

couldn't even finish it On Demand.  So bad.  (Still 

love you, though, J Lo)  Decor was good! :)

more news...

Chairs are sold.  Thank you!

(Amanda, who bought four, is the sweetest ever.)

Yesterday I got to go and shop (well, look, anyway) at

South of Market It is an experience, not a store.

I went here because I need a few more items for the home (hint)

because someone important is coming to look at it (another hint)

on the 24th...

When you have (possibly) exciting news...do you share?  Like

when you would meet a great guy..and you thought he was

the ONE...did you tell or just keep it to yourself?

I want to say something but I can't count my chickens until

they hatch.

Other news...

I am writing an interview for Rue Magazine this week.

I haven't been this busy since I had a newborn!  So 

grateful for it....business that is a dream come true.

I won't be around much, but I know I have one post for ya this week:

I do have an interview with the beautiful and talented

artist, Kate Dukes (with her husband, Adam).  You know she

has to be good:

1.  Because she is friends with Anisa Darnell

2.  She got her BFA at UGA (where my sis 

went to art school!)

Don't you think she needs to show us more of her home, too?

thanks for hanging in if you're still here....Julie

Before and After: The Master Bathroom

This room might be my most favorite transformation.  We did

the most structural work in this room.  Basically, we gutted it.

I love looking at these pictures.  Look at the picture of their

seven kids in that picture...(and I complain about space!)

This is a typical '70s ranch that you find in Atlanta.  In this picture, you see the closet

the former owners shared.  Now, this is just mama's closet and papa uses

an armoire.  (This prompts a question good for another post...

why do we think we need so much more stuff than we had in the '70s?....)

The first thing we did was get rid of the light box, the wall that separates the vanity

area from the bathroom, and the cabinet and countertop.

You know...I wonder if these will come back in "vogue" one day?  My mom

had one of these vanities with a cute stool and it was nicely carpeted

underfoot.  Did your mom have this, too?  I have so many memories of her

sitting there with tweezers and staring into one of those microscopic mirrors.  Okay,

that memory is a little scary.

We also discarded the mirror and lights (actually, our contractor

owns many rental properies, so he saved as much as possible

to reuse there.  We attempted to be green!)

I found this open cabinet at the Restoration Hardware outlet

north of Atlanta.  You gotta love outlets.  It is sturdy white

painted wood and came with great undermount sinks for a 

song.  Chris and I thought it worked perfectly in this room.

We also got this at RH.  You can't mess with a man and

his toilet paper holder.

Chris is a hardware snob.  I ordered budget-friendly hardware

for the sink, and Chris surprised me with the lovelies...

We found this marble (a remnant) at a stone place

in Atlanta our contractor uses.  One benefit of hiring help....

if you hire someone good they will have relationships 

built with vendors.  If we came off the street to buy this we

would have paid much more.  He got it at his builder's cost which

helped a ton (and also enabled us to get nice counters for the rest

of the house)

We kept the window as-is.  We wanted to bump this out...but it just wasn't

happening.  

We did steal a little of Wyatt's closet to make room for the tub.

But we gave him our old armoire...so we're not entirely cruel.

We also replaced the potty with one that uses

less water.  I hate it, though.  Do you have one of these?

One of my favorite parts of this renovation was

our addition of two french doors and the glass

knobs

I also love our additional of the vertical boards

This adds a lot, in our opinion, and was not a huge cost.

The guys just made the boards flush with the moulding.

I know I have posted about this light a lot, but it is so great

(and a fun find at a local antiques' store...$39!)

We did buy two curtains and three liners for showering purposes.  So

far (and we have been here a year in December), so good.  We

haven't missed a traditional shower.

I painted one of our old stools and it works as a razor and coffee holder.

Well, usually just coffee.

We used penny round tiles here with oyster grout.  It was special

order...but worth the wait.

I am cleaning and packing today to get ready for my 

(solo!) beach trip tomorrow to Rosemary Beach.  I can't believe it.

I don't think I have ever driven to the beach by myself.

Any good pics here are from Crosby Twiss Photography

The not-so-good (and you know which ones those are) are mine

Also, remember Rita Konig of Domino glory?  You can find an

amazing interview with her here at a beautiful and inspiring blog

A Lovely Being  (just scroll a little to find it...I couldn't

link the specific post)

Julie