Window Treatment of the Week

via BH&G

I've always loved this room, I've had this picture for ages and I always come back to it. It's a great example of how to treat windows differently in the same room while still maintaining balance and harmony in the design.

Sears - You Suck

Tuesday evening as I was about to start planning my pie baking schedule for the following day I heard a very loud popping and snapping sound coming from my top oven. I glanced over it to see it looking something like this. Fire shooting out of the ventilation slits at the top and smoke pouring out of it. ( A definite electrical incident - not a grease fire or other cause)



Pretty soon I had a group of these guys over for a visit. They were very nice, said my house would not burn down but couldn't do anything to revive my ovens.




So I put in a call to these guys who made my super duper Kenmore double wall ovens.





I think I talked to this guy. He told me that my oven was no longer under warranty. I said " I know it's not under freaking warranty but don't you guys have some kind of guarantee that my oven won't blow a freaking gasket and catch on fire and burn my house down? He said, " No we don't". He also said, " I can send a technician out to look at it for $96.00 but I can't get one there until Friday". To this I said "What about my freaking turkey dinner?". He said" We are very busy, everyone is making turkey". I wondered, "Do they eat turkey in freaking India?". I hung up.

Thankfully we cooked our turkey dinner at my sisters house. I still have no oven and I am so pissed that I won't call Sears so they can come out and tell me what I already know. My oven is fried and I need to spend $2500 on a new one. There goes the face lift fund! Crap!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Alessandra Branca Live !!!!

Just got a peak at the all new www.branca.com, the newly revamped website from the awesomely talented designer Alessandra Branca.


The site shows new images of her gorgeous interiors as well as lots of products available through her store. Get on over there and check it out you must just find something to put on your list for Santa!

The Beautiful Art of Ingrid Dee Magidson

Ingrid Dee Magidson

During my usual morning browse of my favorite blogs I ran across something really amazing at the fabulous Things That Inspire. The post is about the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Christmas House ( see her post here - those Atlanta girls have all the fun) and two paintings that the brilliant blogger recognized as being the work of artist Ingrid Dee Magidson that where used in a room designed by one of my favorite designers Suzanne Kasler.

Intrigued I went to the website of the artist and was blown away. I am in love! Her work is just fantastic. But don't take my word for it - judge for yourself.....









Now all I have to do is win the lottery to afford the five figure price tag! One can always dream............. Thanks, Things That Inspire for making my day.

It's Personal

pottery barn

Nothing makes a statement like a personal signature on your soft treatments. Monograms, flourishes, and symbols create a uniquely individual space. Now more than ever these elements are being used in fun and innovative ways by designers and homeowners who want to leave their mark.



Monogrammed draperies have been popping up lately and I love the look.

Here is a bed drapery treatment that is embellished with a flourish. It gives the look of a monogram but without the specific letter reference.

via la dolce vita

A monogrammed bed cover with an embroidered flying friend as a companion.

via cottage living

Hand printed monograms with elaborate borders are just as effective as the traditional embroidered style.

via pink wallpaper

Appliqued monograms allow the design to be beefed up for a very bold statement.

via cottage living

I love this treatment with the monogram on the back of the chair.

via cottage living

Here's another version numbering each chair - brilliantly different!!!


Even a small flourish or emblem can make a big impact.



Love this flourish at the back of this slipper chair.

via cozy cottage

The bold initial on the back of this parsons chair fits in well with the wide border and contrasting welt.

via better homes & gardens

Slipcovers are a perfect place to show off your family crest or monogram.


Headboards emblazoned with your moniker are becoming commonplace.


This bed corona shows a supersized intial as the focal point.

This fun bed is from JC Penney. I'd love to see it used in a bunk room lined up in rows with the kids names embroidered in different colors.
Another jumbo sized monogram serves as the focus of design on this upholstered bed.

I'm gonna get out my embroidery thread and go to work.

Home for the Holidays

Grand Prize

The Grand Prize Winner of the Grove Park Inn, National Gingerbread House Design Competition is: Mrs. Billlie Mochow

1st Place - Suzanne M. Kanaly

2nd Place - Gail Ketchum

3rd Place - Ashley Howard

Every year there are always fantastic creations made entirely of gingerbread on display at this fabulous show. Check out their website to see all of the winners.

photos Peak Definition

Bedroom of the Week

Isn't this bedroom by Celerie Kemble delicious. I love that it is celery green & white! Those floors are to die for......

&

Happy Birthday to Joni, blogging Queen of the Cote de Texas

Don't you just adore this paper crown? I found this image ages ago and I am so sorry that I don't have the source for you. If it belongs to you please forgive me for posting it without permission but I love it and it was perfect for our Queen for the day!

Creating Covers

I've been working day & night on two new book covers. First, my new book, The Design Directory of Bedding. Above is the fabric that won the cover contest featured here. I think it will be a good backdrop to my illustrations.

Designing book covers is much harder than it looks especially for someone like me who has no clue what they are doing. I have a book designer that I work with that is provided for me by my publisher. She does all of the fine tuning and interior layout etc. But I still have to draw the color illustration and find the cover fabric. So here is the process.

First, I decide what design I think would be appropriate for the cover. I try to find one that is not too traditional but also not too modern. It needs to appeal to the most common denominator. Enter the design shown above..


Then I add fabric and texture and color the illustration.



Then I decide I don't like it and that it needs brighter color and a table with a lamp...so I redraw it.



Then I try it out on a mock up of the cover.


Then I decide that I hate it and I start over.

I redraw it again with more traditional fabrics and more texture so I can use more color.



Then I find color inspiration from Designers Guild - gorgeous!

Then I do a messy color test to see which colors will go where and if I like it.


Then I color the final drawing.



I think I like it, so I try it out on another mock up of the cover.

Now it goes off to my editor for approval or another re-do.



Cover number two is for the new book I am writing with Minutes Matter. It's a marketing book for the interior design industry which will be released early next year ( more to come on this later) . Luckily one of my partners at MM, Casey Green is a super talented graphic artist and an extraordinary business women. She is doing all of the designing I just give her my input.


Cover # 1 fit their current branded image.




Cover #2 Added more color



Cover #7 is the winner.

You'd never know how much work goes into creative efforts that is never seen. I have hundreds of drawings and mock covers that will never see the light of day (probably for the best). It makes me wonder how many really great artists threw away masterpieces because they didn't like the finished product. I'd love to see go dumpster diving over at Picaso's or Monet's place.