still grateful & Jill Brinson

So Happy Thanksgiving!  This is me, thankful for a clean and quiet home.  There is really no other way to scrub and clean and organize for a shoot than kicking out my husband and the boys.  We are having Thanksgiving today at my in-law's place at Lake Lanier....so I just pleaded for them to head out early.  I was so happy to walk around in a clean and ready house that I had to pull out the camera at 9 pm.  It is like spotting the Lochness Monster.  When you have little boys, no one would ever believe your home was clean.  You try to catch a shot for proof.

Sherry came over and spent about all day with me.  I wish I had before pictures of my office.  (Just insert "Hoarders" here and you can imagine.  When they came to scout our home this was where I threw everything without a home.  You couldn't walk in it.)

She took everything out, organized and put it back in (beautiful) order.  I am so thankful for her help!

She really is like a mentor, too.  She's been designing for fifteen years, and been published often, so she has so much information to share and I am like a little sponge when I'm with her.  She gives me tips on what she does with clients, shows me hidden resources in Atlanta and spends hours with me in ADAC.  Why?  She is just that kind of a person.  While she was working I was trying to organize, but mostly I was pulling out old tear-sheets and saying, "Look, Sherry!  Couldn't you eat this room?"  She would oblige and then continue cleaning up my crap.

I am not a real fan of color-coded books in libraries, but LOVE them in an office!  So calming on the eye.

Why didn't I think of putting lamp shades with lamp shades?

And Elle Decor with Elle Decor and Country Home with Country Home?  This decorator is so happy.

She even pulled out a roll of burlap from her trunk and cut me a runner for my desk on the spot.  (I'll get a  pic next time.)

It is weird (and good) being in the house alone.  I won't lie.  

I pulled out my heavy, velvet blanket...

Found Julia on demand...(little tidbit here.  I used to teach at Campbell High School where she went.  I even taught English with her former teacher, Mrs. Romanchuk.  Some good stories there.)

Found another friend....

And one of my best friends.

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And about Jill Brinson--I am such a dork.  How did I not know that the photographer, Rob Brinson, is married to her and lives in this home?  I just didn't put two and two together.

Sherry told me this.  I hope I can act a little normal around him.  His wife has perfect taste--there are not many homes where I love everything about it.  

You know this home....forget football and pie, here is your after turkey snack:

Can you pick a favorite from this kitchen?  I think the lights and the windows.  And this table/island?!  What do you love?

(All from Housebeautiful.com)

And next time I'll be posting it will be from milkandhoneyhome.com (almost done)

Enjoy your families today...I'm off to the lake to kiss my boys.   

Julie

this kitchen inspired me.

Do you remember this kitchen from House Beautiful?

It is small and quaint, but chock full of yumminess.  Two images from Cottage Living sparked my use of the Walker Zanger tile and the see-through over the stove, but this kitchen ignited my love of limestone countertops.

(Let's do analyze above, shall we?:  the mirror, the shelving without brackets (that rebar ain't cheap), and I do love the small TV...it is just a cozy space.  A chef's kitchen.

I love the art on the shelves and the mix of materials.  This helps to make the kitchen warm.

But I really loved this shot--the softness (and neutralness) of limestone counters.

No, they are not perfect (and many designers will tell you to "never" recommend these to a client).  And I get that.  If you love super-clean spaces...it is not for you.

After almost a year of being here you will find a few red wine stains we forgot to clean before we crashed into bed.  But it is worth the price of beauty.

(There is a price, people.  Can we say Jimmy Choo.)

Loved that HB kitchen so much we got another slab for the boys' bath.

(Again, behind on my crockpot recipes.  I have learned I am definitely not a food blogger, thank goodness.)

Go & tell someone they are beautiful today.....Julie

images via Brad Crosby

housekeeping, etc.

So I have mentioned before that my friend, Jillian, told me that it takes a year to actually move into a house.  I didn't believe it....but now I think it is true.  

In December, we will have been here for a year.  I have been on a decorating rampage since then, but am just now getting around to really setting up "systems".  Does your home have order and places for all the tons and tons of paperwork and crap that comes your way...or are you still struggling like myself?

These little folders from Target are helping.  I love the natural fabric and the little bit of teal in the label.  They help getting all the piles off the counter--you know--bills that must be paid tomorrow, grocery lists, preschool permission slips and mail.

I had a great chalkboard organizer here (from IKEA), but it broke.

I'm pleased with this new system!

(sweet Kate, pictured here, did the labels for me.  BH & G wouldn't be coming to shoot here without her!  She worked her hiney off helping me get this house ready.  Chris was in Virginia about the entire month prior to them coming.  I have never worked so hard in my life!)

She helped me move all the papers and fabric samples and such downstairs.

As much as I would love to actually "work" in our pretty office upstairs, this isn't possible with two little ones who see everything as a toy.  We had to store stuff in a area that can be baby-gated off.

Chris (and Kate) thought I was silly to use our old dining table as a desk--but it works and is free!

It may be silly again to show you all of the little details, but I love this ceramic key hook from Anthropologie with brass hooks.  God's in the details, right?

And I finally have a working system in the laundry room now that the paisley stencil is done.  Being organized really frees up your mind for creativity, don't you think?

We added hooks that are cute & functional.

And I love our sink skirt made from a TJ Maxx toile shower curtain & velcro.

Hides a multitude of sins!

And another housekeeping note:  I'm sharing some news about a art show & giveaway from Whitehaven Interiors:

Helen Durant and Corrina Sephora Mensoff are having a show Oct 16 and 17 at  

Murray Mill (the Goat Farm). Whitehaven is also having a giveaway to promote the art show - the giveaway include a small goat painting from Helen and 
earrings from Corrina (who is a sculpter and metal smith). 


links here:
http://whitehaveninteriors.blogspot.com/2010/10/giveaway.html

http://whitehaveninteriors.blogspot.com/2010/10/helen-durantcorrina-sephora-mensoff-art.html 

wallpaper wednesday

check out this ceiling...

I love our wallpaper from Lowe's in our bedroom...

this toile in "Summer's" bedroom

from a wonderful Swedish blog whose name left my brain...

Farrow & Ball has amazing new papers...

Must repost my fave from Country Living...

Oh, and one day I need to devote one post to this room and its wallpaper.  The picture is entitled "Novelists' Rooms Woolf"  

I can see her living here...a writer's space indeed.  Does anyone know the story on this room?  Was there a designer house dedicated to writers?  If not, what a novel idea if I do say so myself.  We should do one.  

I would like to see T.S. Eliot's room and Faulkner's.  I see Emily Dickinson's all neat-and-tidy.  Shakespeare's would be a mess.  

Oh, and to see contemporary writers' homes!  Toni Morrison and Phillip Roth and Joan Didion.  Whose writer's room would you love to see....alive or, well, not alive?

"use what you have" decorating

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments about the upcoming shoot with Better Homes & Gardens.  Still can't believe it...we are beyond excited.  I promise to fill you in on what I can....I do know a few people who will be here:  the editor locally is Lisa Mowry, the Senior Editor for BH & G is Oma Blaise Ford (who will also be in Atlanta for the Lavish! Conference ) and the stylist will be Annette Joseph.  


I am tired today because I went to see a friend's band (East Ponce Soul Faction) play at a bar Saturday night.  I really don't feel like I've been to a bar in ten years.  And we stayed to hear them play their last song--I'm so proud of myself.

I had a blast.  I like doing it once or twice a year--how did I ever do it every weekend?

Do you know who they opened up for?  A band called "Dumpstafunk"  (Aaron Neville's son).  There is nothing more I can say about that name.

Okay...on to decorating.

We're about 75% completed with the home.  They wanted "Restoration Hardware meets Veranda meets Modern meets Worldly".  Tall order.

via designcliq

via Restoration Hardware

I am calling this "decorate with what you have" because, let's face it, most of us are on a budget.  I have never known anyone who hires someone to decorate carte blanche (but how fun would that be?!).  Most of us create our rooms over time...

So here we are keeping the older sofa.  We restuffed the pillows and added some new ones.

When they moved into their home six years ago she was pregnant, so when her aunt offered to give the walls a faux treatment like Tuscany, they happily accepted.

So the wall color(s) is staying, and we are working with it (it was very expensive)  

We have added a modern floor lamp, a tolix-ish stool, and a few accessories to give her that Veranda feel.  (wall decor is in the works as well)  The leather club chairs are new, along with the rustic coffee table, but the rug and armoire are what they have had for a while.

One must-have for her (and large-ticket item) is this driftwood mirror from Arteriors.

She really wanted it on the mantle, but I wanted to stress to her how beautiful this mirror would be in her formal dining room.  She couldn't see it, so I thought I would just show her.  I loaded up my own lamps from my entry room to try to get the point across.

I ended up selling my chrome lamps!

She felt so bad she went out to try to replicate them for me...

She didn't do too bad!  (This is full service decorating, people :)

I know we're not done, but I do feel it coming together.  I think with even a budget of $500 you can get someone to help rearrange what you have, "shop" and repurpose from your own home, and EDIT!  I think editing is key...and everything.

So I'm going to get some much-needed sleep.  I'm not going to apologize anymore from my rambling posts...if you have read this blog before you're used to it!

Have a good one........Julie