New and Inspired Fresh Summer Garden Colors

 

A glimpse into Benjamin Moore’s refreshing colors will inspire you to repaint.  Their fresh pales awaken the senses.  The light muted tones of grays, lavenders, blues, yellows and greens invigorate us all.  Benjamin Moore’s 2015 color of the year is called Guilford Green which, has a hint of mint just in time to be inspired by the summer garden.

BM color of the year

Benjamin Moore’s color of the year 2015

 

dried flowers

Dried flowers from my garden mimic the colors of Benjamin Moore’s Guilford Green.

 

Benjamin Moore Colors

 

With all the rain this summer, my small gardens live large with an abundance of flowers dancing in the breeze.  Light colors of yellows, purples, whites, and a collage of greens intermix with  deeper tones while the grass and sky  seems to become their scenic backdrop.  

dogwood tree

My small front garden lives large this year with the abundance of rain.

 

front garden

The front garden flowers dance in the breeze while the grass and sky become it’s scenic backdrop.

 

front porch

My front porch invites people in with flowers cascading over a stone hedge hog meant to bring good luck within.

 Not only do textures add interest to the garden, but in furniture and on the walls as well.  Making a grand comeback are natural wallpapers such as: natural palms, bamboo, grasses and paper weaves.

Recently remodeled, our master bath, has a light colored textured paper weave by Thibaut Wallpaper. In contrast to that, I recently installed deep colored Java Grass on the walls in my client’s lower level media/bar room above the judges paneling.  The Java Grass boasts deep rich colors of blues, grays and browns adding a rich color and texture to the contrast of the white trim, Benjamin Moore’s Acadia White OC-38. Natural wallpapers not only look great on the walls but also installed into the sections of  coffered ceilings or on the walls behind a bookcase.

Brad lower level

In the process of being built, I installed java grass wallpaper in tones of blues, grays and browns against the backdrop of white trim in my clients lower level media/bar room.

Master Bath 2

Our recently remodeled master bath has a light colored textured paper weave by Thibaut Wallpaper.

Textured furniture, when mixed in with non-textured not only adds interest but invites the senses to be alive.  Lexington Home Brands, Ivory Key, is finished in a crisp white coloration with subtle parchment highlights.  Drawer fronts and a headboard of woven raffia create a natural look and also create a wonderful room for a backdrop in a bold color such as Benjamin Moore’s, Carter Plum CW-355 or a beautiful rich beige tone such as Pale Oak OC-70. 

BM HC

Featured as a back drop against a graceful fern, Benjamin Moore’s color Carter Plum CW-355 would create a wonderful contrast against white or cream furniture.

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Lexington Home Brands, Ivory Key adds texture to the nightstand and headboard.

If bold color is not to your liking, try an elegant airy gentle white color from Benjamin Moore such as powder sand OC-113.  Lexington Industries new line, Oyster Bay, captures the style and feel of the new whites in a light oyster shell coloration.  Lexington states in their catalog that, “Today’s casual transitional styling blends lighter wood tones, natural textures and relaxed shades of ivory, taupe and gray, with designs that embody a feeling of laid-back sophistication.”

BM Gentle Whites

Benjamin Moore’s gentle whites

 

Lexington Oyster Bay

Lexington Home Brands, Oyster Bay, ” Blends lighter wood tones with natural textures and relaxed shades of ivory, taupe and gray, with designs that embody a feeling of laid-back sophistication.”

Whether your desire is lighter walls with rich toned furniture, a more monochromatic feel or darker walls with a lighter natural feel in furniture, the combinations abound.  This summer and fall, get inspired by the backdrop of the earth and sky mixed with the colors of a beautiful garden with textures from grasses, ferns and plants and colors naturally created from the earth, sky and flowers.

A blog just wouldn’t be the same without a picture of one of my abyssinians…..My star photogenic Aby, Sami, recently posed for me.   In the heat of a 90 degree day, she was looking for relief on a cool glass top in our summer screen room……Loving my new camera….(visit my blog prior to this)sami on table

“I’VE COME TO REALIZE…”

Birds at feeder

My bird feeders overlooking the lake, before it froze, full of migrating geese covered in snow.

I’ve come to realize that no matter how long you’ve lived where there’s snow, you never quite get used to it.  Every time you spoke with someone this winter, the topic of conversation was how cold and bad the winter was…..But now, we’re gearing up for everyone to hopefully start complaining about how hot and humid it is!!!

Cardinals at feeder

I had an abundance of male and female cardinals at the feeder this year. Every morning I feed them shelled peanuts, which all the birds and squirrels enjoyed.

I decided it was time to retire my beloved Nikon semi-automatic camera that I’ve had for many years.   So, in the fall, I purchased a new digital camera.  One thing I wanted to do was to hike into Green Lakes on a sunny, (good luck with that one) snowy day and take a picture of the snow against the forest of tree trunks for my dear friend, Lenora to paint.  Then in December, as fate would have it, I broke my toe really bad.  I missed a couple of steps into our garage while racing around getting ready to go to New York City for a little Christmas sight seeing trip.  Laid up with an open toed shoe for months, I spent some time photographing the birds that visited my feeder daily.  Out of this arose my New Year’s Resolution…..Mindfulness.  I do things slower now and realize that things CAN wait.

Master Bath

My new master bath with heated floors, new vanities, tile and wallpaper from Thibaut.

staircase

Wall to wall carpet replaced with hardwood steps and a wall to wall carpet cut and bound into a runner from Masland Carpets.

Over the winter, I worked on a lot of exciting decorating projects.  One project was remodeling my master bath and staircase. Another one was for a client which, should be completed by mid to late summer.  I hope to get them both professionally photographed and into my profile at Houzz.com along with other projects I’ve been working on.  My master bath project included heated floors, new vanities, tile, wallpaper and a walk-in shower with frameless doors. The staircase that leads to my office was originally wall to wall carpet.  I had the carpet ripped up and new hardwood floors installed.  The finishing touch, a beautiful wall to wall carpet cut and bound into a runner.

In January, I was voted by the Houzz.com  professional staff as “Best of Houzz 2015 for Service.”  If you visit their website and view my profile, you will see the emblem.

I had a “moment” of sheer excitement in January as well, when I received notification from the publisher of a National Kitchen Magazine called, The Art of Kitchen & Bath Design/Kitchens by Professional Designers, that a kitchen remodeling project I had submitted, was accepted and would be published in their March edition.  I was awaiting a proof when I received an email from the publisher notifying me that “After 25 years of publication, the internet information age and its rapid expansion, has had a major effect on all print media retail sales making it prohibitive to continue printing.”  My “moment” of sheer excitement flashed before my eyes…..I had been featured in the magazine in 2009 when a kitchen designer submitted photographs of a kitchen he designed and I had assisted the client with the kitchen selections and I had also created the custom window treatments.  I’d been meaning to submit photographs since then and I finally did……and so it goes.  I will keep trying with other magazines and will keep you posted.

West Palm Beach

The beach on Singer Island in the early morning light awaiting beach goers.

My husband and I, along with my sister and her husband, were able to get away for 10 days to Florida where we had 80 degrees and sunshine.  After wearing an open toed shoe for three months,  I could finally wear sneakers on my foot with the broken toe.  I felt like a new woman but I also felt like I had to teach myself how to walk again!  The doctor’s orders were to not walk without my sneakers on the sand.  There’s nothing like the feel of that warm sand massaging your bare feet.  Not wanting to regress,  I begrudgingly heeded the doctor’s orders.

Sami on bed

Freezing, Sami poses with blankets around her on the new Master Bedroom bed by Somerset Bay.

Lake Path

Finally able to walk again, I recently meandered along our lake path with just a trace of snow left. It’s almost metaphoric as I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel!

Sami on sofa

Sami poses again on the living room sofa for me as I try out my new digital camera.

Once again, I’m realizing that the winters don’t last forever although when you’re in the midst of it it certainly seems like it does.  I am out enjoying my stress relieving walks again and taking photos with my new camera.  The snow scene will have to wait until next year.  Soon we will all be out enjoying the warmer weather.  I will change the timers on my lights, clean the fireplace out and my husband, Rick and I will put up the much anticipated screen room for the cats and us…but mostly for the cats who will then realize as well that winters don’t last forever……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Chance for Celebration

Flowers reflected

Reflected in an antique mirror a beautiful flower arrangement made by Whistlestop Florist sits atop a table on the back deck.

I love any excuse to entertain and my husband’s 60th birthday was no exception.   I planned a full day of celebration for Rick, who hates surprises, without ever spilling the beans.  Hard to do as I always love sharing my excitement with him.

As I gathered my thoughts for a theme.  Rick’s love for golf made my choice an easy one!  I planned a surprise golf outing with Rick’s college buddies.  Checking his phone contacts when he wasn’t looking, I found all their emails and phone numbers.  The fun began……..

Fish Tank #3

A miniature golf Cart, 18th hole flag, imaginary wind blowing a tree, sand trap and water hazard all inside a fish tank.

River Lobster

A river lobster in the right corner of the fish tank sits atop the blue stones that mimicked a water hazard on a golf course.

I called upon my “old faithful’s” and some new ones to add to my creativity.  I started with an idea of a goldfish in a glass vase with a golf ball in the bottom and ended up with the most unique and creative fish tank which included a miniature golf cart, 18th hole flag, imaginary wind blowing a tree, fish, sand trap and a water hazard.  Stopping into a new fish store that opened up called Fish FINatics, I had the pleasure of speaking with one of the owners, Tom O’Conner.  He was intriqued with my idea and said, “let me think on it.”  You could see his creative wheels turning.  Two months later,  Voila!!  I had the most unique fish tank to use as my centerpiece on the buffet table.  There was even a live river lobster in the tank.  At one point, he crawled into the golf cart to check it out.  By the time I grabbed my camera, he had moved on to inspect the wind blown artificial tree.

Zinnias

Wheat grass grown in an antique bread baker plays on my golf theme.

Outside Flowers

Playing on the theme of golf balls, round berries and more are gathered into a centerpiece.

As I’ve mentioned before, I love meeting with Nanette Haynor at Whistlestop Florist.  The final outcome is always more than expected.  I gave her an antique bread baker which she filled with wheat grass.  I made flags and added one of the adorable “flower” golf balls she made me.  Along with the antique bread baker, Nanette grew wheat grass in my clay flower pot containers.  Placing them around added whimsy to the occasion.  The amazing flower arrangement she made for the back deck table filled with sunflowers, mums and round accents played upon the roundness of the golf ball.

The fact that my husband’s party was a surprise obviously made it difficult to do any decorating to the house in advance.  So, when we left in the early morning to go play golf, so he thought, he was so surprised see his friend, Len, pull into the parking lot.  Not dawning on him yet he said, “what the heck is Len doing here?”  As the rest of his friends pulled in I looked at him and said, “surprise!” I left him to play 18 holes and drove home to begin my transformation of the house.

party favors

The personalized golf tee favors displayed in a tray were ready for the taking by the guests as they were leaving.

I ordered personalized golf tees that said, Ricks 60th birthday and placed them in bags with shredded green paper for the party favors.  Gathered them into a tray for friends to grab a bag or two as they left.Grass from above

Water

“Grass,” ball and tee sit under a dispenser filled with cucumber/thyme water.

Thinking the surprise was over when his friend, Len, dropped him off back at the house, he came in with a big smile on his face until he saw the transformation.  “What’s going on, he said, why is the dining room chair over here?”  My turn….With a big smile on MY face I said, “surprise again!”  “Dinner here tonight with all your friends to celebrate.”  I love to cook as you know from my previous blogs but, since it was a surprise,  I enlisted Karen’s Catering who arrived with fresh roasted turkey and pork for sandwiches along with wonderful salads.

donut holes

Powdered Sugar donut holes in a bucket with wheat grass in the background continues playing on my golf theme.

For dessert the wonderful to look at and taste was made by Connie Decker. I added another “flower” golf ball and a flag to the top of the cake.   I also offered powdered sugar donut holes in a bucket.

Ricks cake

A delicious “on the green” cake made by Connie Decker.

Couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day.  The sun was out all day and there was a gentle breeze blowing.  What better way to spend a beautiful summer day than with good friends laughing and sharing stories.  I can’t forget to thank Lydia from Johnson Camera for taking these beautiful pictures.  Nothing like professional photographs to bring the party back to life!

Remi at the party

Always in the center of things. Remi checks out the party favors.

 

 

Design Inspiration

Need some design inspiration?  I know I could use some right about now…..we’ve all had a very long winter.  What better way to start than by visiting Lexington Home Brands Facebook Page to dream and awaken your sensesWhile you’re there, you’ll see they picked up and posted my last blog…https://www.facebook.com/lexington

We recently travelled to the Turks and Caicos where the water is picture perfect and so surreal.  Longing to open my windows and allow a beautiful breeze to come passing through as it did where we stayed, I’ve been inspired to recreate some of my spaces.

Caicos 2

View from our room.

Whether you’re looking to surround yourself with inviting comfort, longing to spend time in a cozy outdoor space or transforming a room into a timeless living space, Lexington Home Brands furnishings will inspire you.  Call me so we can get started!

turks 1

I felt like I was standing in a photograph the water was so surreal.

Fighting technology and Loving it at the same time – Visit me on Houzz.com

It’s been a very busy first part of the year but, an exciting and creative one….

Remi on my shoulder

Remi hamming it up!

I had the pleasure of spending half a day with the ever so talented photographer, Laure Lillie, at my home recently.  She was there photographing me (and the cats) for my up coming application to be accepted on Houzz.com.

For those of you not familiar with Houzz, it’s a wonderful place to gather decorating ideas and I wanted to be a part of it!

I also enlisted photographer, Jonathan Beach to photograph some recently completed decorating projects at my clients’ homes.  You can see the beautiful photography on my Houzz profile.

Laure emailed me last week and asked if she could do a blog on our photo shoot….”Absolutely, I said, that will be a great introduction to letting everyone know I WAS accepted on Houzz.com”

So, when you have a moment or two, here’s the link to Laure Lillie’s blog  for the photo shoot: http://laurelillie.com/blog/ and  here’s the link to Houzz to see my profile: http://www.houzz.com/pro/marphi66/interiors-by-marcia-philipp

Den1

It all started with a beautiful paint color.

As much as I fight technology, I love it just the same for the excitement it can create.  Please share in my excitement and click on “follow me” so you’ll get updates when I post new pictures of my clients’ photographed homes.  And, if  you feel so inspired, write me a review.

Enjoy, Marcia

 

 

MY WISH FOR YOU………

PackageMackenzie SantaMackenzie OrnamentBoxwood Mantle

   Cupid

“LEAVE ROOM IN YOUR HEART FOR ANGELS TO DANCE”

SledeversonfULL sLED

 2013 EVERSON TREE FESTIVAL DONATION

FEATHERED FLIGHT”

MY WISH FOR YOU………………….

MAY THE COMING YEAR BRING YOU QUIET MOMENTS SHARED WITH SOMEONE,

MOMENTS THAT TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY,

 MEMORABLE TIMES, LOTS OF LAUGHTER, GOOD HEALTH AND PEACE

AND HAPPINESS IN YOUR HEART.

Marcia

Making Memories To Treasure

tday tableI hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

ThanksgivingMy favorite part of the holidays is the decorating and entertaining.  Because I love to entertain, I start the decorating early.  In that way, you can take your time and be creative in the process.  So, as Thanksgiving arrives, the Christmas season has already begun in our home. While the Christmas tree glistened with its white lights twinkling the Thanksgiving table was aglow with various squashes carved out to hold oil candles and flowers.squash with flowersMiniature pumpkins from Pottery Barn added holiday joy to the center of the table.

On one of my many walks along the Erie Canal I gathered the most beautiful colored fallen leaves of purple, green, gold and orange.  Some of my most favorite colors.  I brought them home and put them into pages of books to dry.  Weight the books down with something and voila a month or so later you have dried preserved leaves.  I reuse them year after year. tday berriesThe art of napkin folding has always intrigued me.  The napkins add a special finishing touch to a festive table.  This year I used silk berries and leaves with burlap ribbon cut in half to make a fringed edge.  I folded the napkins into a cornucopia shape and placed them on the plates. holiday napkin

Special touches abound all around…..For me, holiday decorations are also the glasses, plates, and flatware.  These are the fine details of decorative interior design.  Each place setting usually has placecards, and a small wrapped gift.  This year I made the most wonderful pumpkin bread.breadEach small loaf was put into a pint size rectangle wood berry box I purchased online from Garnish Inc.  I wrapped them with burlap ribbon and silk berries I used on the napkins.  Water infused with pomegranate seeds and sliced apples in my infusion pitcher from Crate and Barrel provided a nutritional thirst quencher and added a special touch of color.  I let the mixture cold steep overnight in the refrigerator.water and glasseswater

Finally the most important special touch was my ten and a half month old grand niece joining us for her first Thanksgiving.

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Tday KaleighThere’s something magical to me about the holidays.  Whether I’m entertaining neighbors or family and friends, people who attend our parties love it, because they don’t usually decorate to the extent that I do.  There’s something truly magical about their joyous attitudes and sparkle.

 

DELIGHTING THE SENSES

I frequently receive calls from new clients to help them combine two households.  Marrying at a later stage in your life can be a real challenge especially for an Interior Designer.  In the summer of 2005 I married for the first time in my late forties.  I was lucky though, the moving van pulled into my new husband’s driveway and they loaded a grandfather clock, an antique Stickley bookcase and his television.

Ellen Griffin, a New York based Interior Designer married later in life as well and her husband was moving from a 400-square-foot bachelor pad with no furniture.  “The perfect husband for a decorator,” she jokes.  My thoughts exactly!

 

My husband Rick, will tell you, it’s an everyday adventure being married to me.  I replaced an antique table in a room located off, what I call, the heart of the house.  The room has a beautiful bay window with a view of the lake.  This room,  I have deemed my husband’s man cave.  It has his favorite worn leather chair and ottoman and his television.  A quote by Mary Sarton states, “A house that does not have one worn, comfy chair in it is soulless.”

Somerset Bay

A table that added storage for my husband’s books and paperwork in the den also worked in my clients kitchen giving her additional storage and a place to place a lamp.

Needing a place to store his paperwork and books,  I replaced the antique table with a piece from one of my companies, Somerset Bay.  It has a small drawer for pens and chargers and two doors for storage.  It made him very happy.

Ok…so here’s the downfall to being married to an Interior Designer.  I was at a client’s home and saw a glass plant stand against one of her kitchen walls.  I thought wow, wouldn’t that piece from Somerset Bay look fantastic there!

Yes, you guessed it… The next day, I said to my husband, “Can you help me load your new table in my car?”  I got the “look” from him.  “Don’t worry honey,” I said, “I’ll order you another one.” The piece worked beautifully in my client’s kitchen and she loved it.  A table that added storage for my husband’s books and paperwork in the den also worked in my client’s kitchen giving her additional storage and a place to place a lamp.

I’ve always felt that rooms should be welcoming spaces that delight the eye and put you at ease.  Whether they are a blend of neutrals or vibrant colors, minimalistic or organized clutter, you want rooms that invite you in revealing their beauty slowly.

Dina Kitchen

A refreshing space soothes, surprises and delights.

Jonathan Pond

My garden pond soothes and delight’s your senses.

The most refreshing spaces, whether a bright kitchen or a classic garden, soothe, surprise and delight.

Properly placed furniture leads you into a room without creating walls.   Properly placed, it should invite conversation.  A beautiful home that’s loved and cared for immediately puts you in a good mood.

Lexington Ivory Key

Lexington Home Brands Ivory Key invites conversation.

One of my favorite things to do is helping clients rearrange their furnishings.  I love visualizing where pieces could be moved to create this feeling of surprise and delight.  With my vision,  I see moving an extra table with two chairs away from the dining room table and chairs to a location in front of a window that’s across the room and has a beautiful view of your garden.  The table now has its own space and in the winter on Sunday’s you could enjoy your newspaper and coffee at the table.  Yes, we will have to move your baby grand piano but, I have a great spot for that too!

Lexington Twilight Bay

Lexington Home Brands/Twilight Bay table and chairs invites your senses to sit and enjoy the view.

Delight your senses.  Have me come and take a look at your room.  I’ll leave you with a quote by Samuel Johnson.  “To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition.”  I second that emotion.

 

 

Baseball and Beer Bridal Shower

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Color themed polka-dot straws to mimic baseballs for the ice tea from Shop Sweet Lulu.

Well it’s been quite a busy summer – One fun “project” I worked on was a beer and baseball themed shower held at my home for my niece, Tracy.   I always love a challenge and this was a good one.

 

Coming up with new ideas for her theme of beer and baseball was the challenging part.  To enhance my senses, my husband and I took a day trip to the town that has every souvenir you can think of for baseball…..Cooperstown.  I had never been there and what a lovely place it was.  So amazing we have such beautiful towns so close to us.  We enjoyed a scenic lunch on the veranda of the Otesaga Resort Hotel.  If you’ve never been, it’s worth a trip to have lunch and enjoy a glass of wine by the lake.

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Ice cold sangria ready to serve in a beverage dispenser.

My husband, who’s such a good sport, followed me around as I meandered in and out of shops.  In one shop,  I found a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle of the United States with all the baseball stadiums.  My mother-in-law, husband and brother-in-law, Len worked diligently putting the puzzle together before the shower as I was using it as part of my centerpiece.

Nestled behind a building and downstairs, we came upon the Chocolate STUDIO.  One of the owners, Heather made the most adorable chocolate half back, peanut butter filled baseball candies for my favors.  So very cute and so very delicious!!

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Creamy peanut butter filled chocolate baseball shaped favors.

As we were walking past a shop I wasn’t going to stop in, the owner spoke to us as she sat outside with her dog.  I explained I was looking for things for my beer and baseball themed shower.  “Please go in she said, you might see something.”  Well I’m glad I did. Most of their products are made in the State of New York.  I found an 8″ round baseball cutting board made in the Catskills from New York hardwood.  The artists laser engrave the distinctive baseball stitching and “Cooperstown” in a vintage baseball font.  It was a perfect raffle drawing prize.

So many creative people out there….

  I can’t thank Katrin Naumann enough for her artistic talent.  She painted an entrance ticket booth for my front storm door.  On the backside, which faced into the house, she put; “Had a ball/Catch you later”  How fun is that!FPT_0094FPT_0056

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The mantle with Miller High Life bottles and packages wrapped in beer bottle wrapping paper for the raffle gifts.

I love collaborating with the ever so talented, Nanette Haynor from Whistlestop Florist who created the flowers for me.  When we get together there’s electric sparks as our creative juices flow. I just loved the mums formed into a baseball that I nestled inside a baseball glove.  The flowers in the pot for the centerpiece carried the bride-to-be’s color theme.  Nanette used dried pincushion flower pods in the arrangement as we kept the round baseball theme going.  I bought Pottery Barns wooden caddy holder for part of my nieces shower gift.  Inside each cubby was a beer bottle filled with flowers.

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“Live flower baseball”

FPT_0128

Wooden caddy with beer bottles filled with fresh flowers I used as part of the centerpiece on the kitchen table with the desserts. The caddy was part of my niece’s shower present that could later be used for napkins and silverware for a buffet.

I have so much fun with the decorating part of the event…..The dessert was predetermined after I found baseball cupcake liners and banners.  My sister, Barb, who is an excellent cook and baker made the wonderful assortment of cupcakes with decadant frostings.

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Cupcakes with decadent frosting topped with banners.

I love surprises and what a great surprise it was…Grace, My friend Dina’s daughter, came decked out in a Yankee uniform to do the traditional call out of “POPCORN, PEANUTS and of course, CRACKER JACKS…..

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“Peanuts, Popcorn and of course Cracker Jacks.”

 

 

 

 

outside4

Back deck ready for the gathering of guests and lunch.

With all the rain we had I was hoping it would be a beautiful day so the guests would be able to gather for conversation and lunch on the deck.   As you can tell by the picture above and below it was a glorious day indeed.

outside3The marvelous photographs were taken by Jonathan Beach of Beach Photography.

Do you have an event coming up?  Make it extra special for the recipient by not only holding the event with food but also by setting the stage for the theme.  It enlightens the guests senses and really enhances the party.

Would you like me to help you with an event?  Give me a call…

 

Doors/Gracious Formality

When we moved into our condominium eight years ago, the hallway along the staircase was a real eyesore.  It was dark, long and narrow.  There was a French door that opened into the hallway from the vestibule and covered most of the sliding doors to the closet.  Every time we had guests it made it very awkward to access the closet doors.

I contacted my contractor and shortly thereafter he installed two 18″ French doors.  He reworked the door frame so it allowed us to open the doors into the vestibule rather than into the hallway.  What a relief to be able to get into the closet freely as guests are arriving.

On the other side of the vestibule there is another French door that opens into the kitchen.   It’s nice having the ability to close off the vestibule.  By keeping the French door closed to the kitchen and leaving the small French doors open it leads the guests through them and down the hallway into the living space rather than into the  kitchen.

Fr_entrance

My vestibule French door looking from the kitchen adds charm and invites lingering.

After we had been in our condo for about a year I added two more French doors to the opening of the the kitchen from the dining room area.  In doing so, it created a gracious formality to the look of the dining room.

I’ve always had an affection for Dutch doors.  Maybe it’s because of the fond memories of the Dutch door that enhanced the conversation between Wilber and Mr. Ed on the television show, Mr. Ed.  Even producers of television shows used doors to appeal to their viewer.  Remember the six-paneled swinging door of the 50’s that Lucy Ricardo chose to separate her kitchen from her Living Room?  Whatever happened to swinging doors?

Recently I worked on a contemporary remodeling project of a clients kitchen.  I had seen these wonderful glass doors in my Interior Design Magazine.  After investigating them, my client fell madly in love with them.  We installed them in her kitchen down a very short hallway on three door openings;  One door straight ahead (half bath), two doors on the right (washer, dryer bump out), and directly across from the washer/dryer we installed two doors (on the closet).  The impact they made was astounding.  What could have been a very dead area demanded attention and added light and reflection.  Even when the doors are closed they open up the space.

Home Swing Doors 005

Even when these doors are closed they open up a room.

Where can you add a door? Whether it’s changing a door or adding a door it can really enhance a space.

At a client’s home in the historical section of Syracuse, I couldn’t help but notice the doors leading to their music room.  The doors were a beautiful combination of lead crystal panes on cherry, but unusual because they were pocket doors.  There were two doors split in the middle.  One went to the left and one to the right. Pocket doors are great for areas where you don’t have the space for the door to open.

The doors used in the market today have been redefined from their style to their hardware.  Look around your home.  Is there someplace that you could add a door or two?

 

I’ll leave you with a wonderful quote…

“Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open”  John Barrymore