Teenager's room makeover!

Cleanliness is not top priority when it comes to my teenage son's room! The dust bunnies and dirty clothes aside... this room was in great need of a makeover. I took down his dust collecting blinds (allergies) and repainted the builder grade beige in a "suedey" gray called Summit Gray. I found some drapes with black out lining at Lowes that work beautifully. I also painted the bed in a black satin and removed the bed skirt. I then covered the box spring with a fitted sheet... this discourages shoes, clothes, and junk from hiding under the bed. He loves the results and hopefully he will keep it clean and tidy!

Sad to say but this is actually clean... aside from the paint supplies.

Ahhh, much better.

We now refer to it as the " Guest room."

Fall is upon us...

Fall is finally creeping in to my neck of the woods. Thank goodness because we have had one of the hottest Summers on record. Every Spring and Fall, I change much of my decor in and outside of my home. I especially love creating a seasonal room on my front porch.
This is an image of a beautiful porch (not mine) through an inviting cottage gate.

Fun and festive.

Fall wreath for you front door.

This is a beautiful front porch. Mums in urns are simple and gracious.

Collections

I think that collections are about expressing your passions. When I was a kid, people collected stamps, thimbles, baseball cards, coins, etc. I really did not collect anything until recently.

I love my Jack Russell Terrier, Lulu! This love sparked my passion for collecting antique and vintage dog prints. Many of these prints are acquired without frames. Therefore, I am always on the lookout for antique frames. If I can find one with the original bubble glass... that makes my week!

Whatever you collect, most things can be found at auctions, flea markets, garage sales, and eBay. Some of my prints are reprints of old pieces like the one above of a terrier. This is a beautiful print that my dear friend, Lesley gave to me. It has center stage in my collection.

This image is part of a sketch done of Lulu and my kids when Lulu was a puppy.

"Five O'clock Tea"

This is one of my favorite pictures as it depicts dogs, cats, ducks and chickens. It is a lithograph from 1893, by W.H. Trood.

This is an original 1930's print by Lucy (Mac) Dawson.

This is a photo of my collection of antique dog prints. I enter my house and I love the "Ahhh" moment that I get just looking at this art!

North Carolina Museum of Art

I recently went to the museum with a friend and saw some wonderful things that I wanted to share.

This sculpture is huge! It is a grape vine sculpture that is about 6-7 feet high and spans the depth of the museum cafe. It is so cool!

This sculpture of a winged angel is my favorite piece from the museum. She is about 3.5 feet tall and just amazing to view! Love her!

This is another Madonna and Child. Notice all the faces peeking out from her cloak.

I always loved Art History in college... especially the Italian Renaissance Art. This is a lovely sculpture on the Madonna and Child.

This is a gorgeous painting of a woman trying to avoid Cupid's arrow. It is so lifelike and beautiful.

"Spinach in the door"

Yesterday, I went to stage a house and was surprised to find that the front door handle was completely encapsulated in spider webs! Now this is not a good thing to find if you are a potential buyer and want to view your new home! I think, that often, people enter their homes through the garage and only see the front door when they open it for the package that UPS just delivered.
The front door is the focal point of your home... at least it should be. Look at it this way, the front door is to the home as a smile is to the face! So, go check out the front porch, stoop, landing... and clean out all the "spinach!" It should make everyone feel welcome and give you that "aaahhh" feeling when you enter your home.


Image from Smith + Hawken + Traditional

Awesome Find!

I was out and about at my favorite vintage and antique haunt, Sweet Peas Antiques and Garden, and found a treasure!! It is an antique English cast iron garden urn... and it is just beautiful. Jalenn found it at an estate sale! Woohoo!!

Mantle

I think these Mariposa Collection canisters are fun and funky for a mantle or table. They also come in canary yellow and you can find them at Z Gallery.

Foyer Table

I have a new foyer table! I am so excited to have found a table that so perfectly fits this space. The space is limited by the depth of the molding on the doorway leading into the hall. The table is only 9" deep so it is less obtrusive to those passing into the hall. It anchors the wall and allows for vignettes. From time to time, I will post photos of these vignettes!

Staged Master

I staged a master bedroom where the furnishings were true 1970's style. I wanted to lighten the weight of the furniture, as well as, the heaviness of the green walls. The room was painted out in Egret white and the headboard and side tables were removed. I chose 2 vertical pictures for the wall over the bed in lieu of a headboard and used a table from another room for the bedside. Throw in a new lamp, nice crisp bedding and several decorative pillows and you have a lovely room!

Staging a bath

I recently staged a house that really needed work from top to bottom. It was so great to get in there, move things around, remove, replace, and shop with my client. I was in Heaven! We ended up purchasing many items that she has now taken with her to her new home. Above is a " before" picture of the guest bath.

Here is an image of the finished bath... simple but classic.

I love lamps. Lamps add a warmth and style to a room that overhead lighting often lacks. Of course there are beautiful chandeliers and other ceiling mounted fixtures. However, lamps can be very versatile in any space. I like to put them on timer so that walking into any room can be warm and inviting. I even have a lamp on timer on my front porch. The lamp pictured above is from The Virginia Gale Collection, by The Natural Light. I love the bamboo look.. elegant and casual.

This lamp is also from The Virginia Gale Collection, by Barbara Cosgrove. It is lovely and stands 36.5 inches tall.

Lighting... specifically lamps!

The lamp pictured above is from The Virginia Gale Collection, by Curry & Company. It is contemporary and beautiful. This is a very versatile lamp for any space... I would even use this in a room with many antiques.

The Virginia Gale Collection
home furnishing for the new south
201 Estes Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
www.virginiagale.com
919-929-2070

Amanda's nest

I have a dear friend, Amanda, who found this nest in her yard. It was blown out of a tree and, amazingly, it remained in tact! It is a beauty.

Potted gardens

One of the first things that I try to create, whether if it is for staging or for decorating, is to "build" a nice potted arrangement. Lately, I have been using tall urns as I really like the height. However, it really depends on the style of the house and what you feel looks best. I tend to think it is better to go larger than small with potted plants.
I recommend getting some perennials (even small shrubs) and then filling in with your annuals in the Spring and Fall. I like to add a lot of texture and plants that have different shades of green in the foliage. It tends to make the arrangement "pop." The more plants that can fit... the better. It is better to have it looking full right away!
I think having a beautiful pot at the entrance dresses up the entrance and makes it more inviting.

Lulu!

I want my blog to be about the things that inspire me and things that I love. My little dog, Lulu, is one of the most precious things in my life. We got Lulu when we were traveling in Western North Carolina. We had left our older dog at home and wanted to pick up a little toy for him.... We came across this little place called "Fish and Pets" on the side of the highway in Hendersonville. In this little country pet store was a litter of tiny Jack Russell mix pups. I picked up Lulu and it was all over. She was about the size of a baby guinea pig! This is by far the best spontaneous action that I have ever taken. We proceeded home to Atlanta with our tiny prize and named her after one of my beloved Aunts. They are, both, very spunky and cool! Lulu will be 7 on August 28th, and, of course, we will be celebrating.
This picture is of Lulu dressed as Tinkerbell for Halloween.