Victorian Revival and I Mean Revival Part II

As I have been browsing the photos of the Victorian, I am saddened that in 1991 camera and computer technology were not more advanced.  This is the master bedroom that is off the before mentioned master bath suite.  The walls in all are a sage green which looks a little minty in the photos.  All the walls were angled due to the placement of the fireplace flues which were in the center of the house out of necessity.    Across from the Eastlake bed was the fireplace with two mid-century chairs.  It was necessary to place the bed in front of one of the many windows as there were a set of double sliding doors to the dining room, a door to the entrance hall, a door to the master bath and three very large windows.  The doors and windows that were so necessary in the 1800's for light and ventilation,  presented quite a design challenge 100 years later.

The bed is made up with simple Indian coverlet as not to distract from the wood work and the drama of the high headboard.

This is a photo of the dining room china cabinet between two windows.  We opted to paint the trim in the living areas a darker shade to bring attention to it's beauty.  There are two sets of double sliding doors, a door to the outside porch, a door to the butler's pantry and kitchen  and a fireplace, so the wall space is limited.

I love the way we mixed antiques with flea market finds and new pieces in this house.  This elk added the needed drama the height of the ceilings demanded.  I later borrowed the elk for my Christmas decor.  Hope I can find a photo of that to share. 

This is the fireplace detail in the dining room.  Craftsmen of this era had a particular talent with fireplaces as they were necessary and provided one of the few opportunities for wall decor.  The angel above the mirror is a special piece imported from the South Sea Islands.

This photo of the dining room fireplace showcases the beautiful tile work.  None of the three fireplaces in the house were functional.  All were coal burners at one time.  The fireboxes  were much smaller than what one sees in houses built after coal was no longer used.  Unfortunately, I did not have the insight to make photos of the other two fireplaces.  The one in the living room had the most beautiful tortoise colored tile.

This is the area in front of the bay windows in the formal living room.  You can just see the edge of the antique wardrobe we used to house electronics.  With the advanced technology antique wardrobes have become virtually useless.  This is a good example of how we used the client's current furniture to create a personal and comfortable environment. 

Here is a photo of the sofa and lounge chair which completed the living room.  An antique tea table served as a coffee table.  Many hours were spent here watching the old VCR and playing games on an old Nintendo.  I am quite sure the grown children have flat screen tv's, DSI's and MAC computers to replace these relics from the 90's.

This house was one of my favorite projects.  Thank goodness this family had the forethought and energy to save this old beauty. They managed with the upstairs kitchen and basically no downstairs bathroom until those renovations were complete.   I loved that we were able to take a virtually useless house and bring it to a place where it was loved and used by this family. The family has moved on to more modern digs, but the friendship  we developed during this process remains.  I still cherish this project but I cherish more the lifetime relationship I develped with the whole family.

Victorian Revival and I Mean Revival

This project was completed in 1991 for a young couple with two young children.  The children are grown now and the old Victorian belongs to someone else.  When the couple bought the house, it had a make shift kitchen in the upstairs quarters.  At one point years ago the kitchen was outside the house to protect the rest of the house from fire.  The downstairs bath was also limited as an outhouse was used.  First task at hand was to install a completed bath downstairs and a completed kitchen.  There was a space at the back of the house, probably a service porch that would become their kitchen.

This is  a photo of the island we had custom built for the new kichen.  The wood counter top served as a place for eating meals and a prep area.  I love the exposed brick flu we left with the peeling paint.  Quite shabby chic before shabby was chic.

This cupboard was built between two existing windows.  Even though we desparately needed cabinet space we did not want to eliminate the natural light.  The glass fronts created a more open look mimicing the windows and allowing the client to display her colorful dinnerware.

This photo is of the sink area which was directly across from the glass cabinets.  The dish drainer was actually used on a daily basis even though we modernized the kitchen with a dishwasher.

This photo shows the exposed brick flu wall which gave us the opportunity to use the antique bamboo bookcase to add additional ambient light to the kitchen.

There existed a strange space between the kitchen and dining room.  We carved out a butler's pantry wet bar area out of half and a bathroom vanity out of the other half.  This photo is of the wet bar which provided much needed storage as well.

This is the half that became the master bedroom vanity area.  We used an antique sideboard to drop the sink into because it was exposed to the master bedroom and the mirror with the double wall sconces added much light to a dark corner.   As most Victorians are dark we spent much time and energy lightening up wherever possible.

This is a view of the second part of the master bathroom suite.   It contained the toliet and the original clawfooted tub.  Lamps were used wherever possible because the high ceilings distorted ceiling light.

Another view of the second part of the master bathroom suite.  The modern metal stand was used for a towel bar.  The walls in the entire house were old batten board.  To save expense we applied heavy paper over exposed batten board and then painted.  The only alternative would have been to tear out batten board and sheet rock or to replaster.  Replastering is a dying art in the south.  It is still done on the eastern seaboard and laborers are available there.  The process is time consuming and expensive so the heavy painted paper was a good alternative.  Because we chose this route hanging anything that required anything heavier than a nail was a problem.  Therefore the standing towel rack was necessary.

The old footed tub is pictured here.  A flokati rug softened the hardwood floors and made the master bath more inviting.  You will notice we hung metal mini blinds throughout this house.  There were numerous huge windows in this Victorian and the blinds were inexpensive and unobtrusive.

More later about this Victorian revival.  There were so many beautiful features in this house; moldings, fireplaces, etc.  Look for Victorian Revival and I Mean Revival Part II for more photos and information about this 1991 transformation.

Mad Hatter

One might think from the title that I have been to see Johnny Depp's new version of  "Alice in Wonderland".  Though it looks to be interesting I have yet to see it.  Today is a beautiful spring day and I am daydreaming of beautiful spring and summer hats.  This is a lifestyle blog afterall and I think hats have much to do with lifestyle.  Sadly, for most,  hats went out of fashion in the 1960's.  I love hats.  They make me feel more feminine and walk taller.  There are hats for the winter but they are all about comfort and safety.  Spring and summer hats are more about happiness.  One doesn't wear a summer hat to keep the cold out. 

In my wanderings to get a little retail therapy I have observed there are more hats available than in the last 10 years.  I hope this means we will be seeing them on ladies in church, on the beach, and just out and about.  I have a collection of hats because I wear them.  I love to watch film footage of the Kentucky Derby because not only do the ladies enjoy wearing hats it is required. 

Pictured here is my beloved Kaminski straw hat.  Richard gave this to me 15 years ago for some occasion.  It is tried and true and I still wear it often.  I had some lady tell me one day that the crown was too low for someone of my mature age.  Balogny.  This is my go to hat.

A beautiful little cocktail hat from the 1940's.  Yet to find the appropriate event for this one.  I purchased this at an antique shop because it called out to me.

This is a little Asian number that works great with black cigarette slacks and a tunic.  Perfect for a summer or fall afternoon.  This one makes me smile.

A friend purchased this hat for me 10 years ago.  It has been to church and the grocery store.  I remember how much fun we had trying hats on that day.  I will always cherish this hat and that day.

This is an Italian straw hat.  The Italians make great hats.  This one is great with linen or jeans.  Brim is a little dramatic to make the church cut.  Don't think the chalice bearer at church would find this amusing.

This is the perfect beach or poolside hat.  My swimsuits these days look more like short skirts and a hat just makes the whole swimsuit experience more tolerable.  This color just evokes sunshine and hot weather.

This white, floppy hat just speaks to me.  What does it say?  Easter Sunday or Kentucky Derby Day.  Colorful sheath and shoes complete this outfit.  White is so fresh.

This is another Italian beauty.  The flowers are woven into the straw.  It is sophisticated yet fun.  This will be perfect with a black sheath, pumps and pearls. 

This Italian cotton hat has an extra wide brim.  We are all concerned about taking too much sun and this solves the problem in a fun way.  Once again a hat to make the swimsuit blues go away.

This pink straw hat was afordable and has been worn with a vintage button up shift dress for Easter.  I have this one in cream and black as well.  A girl can never have too many hats.

So many hats and so few sunny days.  Make yourself and others smile.  Go out and find your perfect hat today.  Wear it to church, to the grocery store, to the beach or to the pool.  Make everyday an occasion.  I'll see you out there and I will be wearing mine.

Favorite Chairs

The chairs in this dining room are from Global View.  The cream leather chairs have nickel studs and a handle at the top for moving the chairs around. They are a reproduction of a casino chair from the rat pack days.   They compliment this Hickory White dining table and china cabinet so well.  The chandelier is from AF Lighting.  The host and hostess chairs are cream leather from Hickory White. This is a perfect example of mixing chair styles in a dining room.

This is Baker Furniture's modern take on the traditional wingback.  I love this bright, happy fabric.  I smile everytime I see this chair.  It has all the elements that will one day make it the piece of furniture the children argue over.

This Asian influenced chair sits in a client's office.  It is a stunning little chair with lots of architectual impact.  The ebony finish against the tan paint creates a masculine bold impact.  Timeless.

.

This chair is a 1960's modern chair.  It was covered in this Schumacher cotton velvet in the 1990's. The brown and yellow tones of the velvet compliment the maple exposed wood.   The ottoman was custom made.  The mink lumbar pillow is made from a vintage mink stole.  This chair is so inviting and comfortable.  A drink and a good book are all that is required to complete this picture.

This pair of Greek Key Klismos chairs from Global Views are modern, low leather chairs.  They are seen here with a mahogany side table also from Global Views and an Arteriors slver lamp.  These sit in a formal living room in a Florida home.  The living room is open to the rest of the living space.

A more refined photo of the Greek Key chair.

This arts and crafts 1920's era chair has intricate architectual detail.  It was bought at auction and appears to be handcrafted.  It resides in an office.  Although it appears as if it would be punishing to sit in, it is actually quite comfortable.

This Eames Style lounge chair and ottoman from Alphaville Design is a very good copy of the famous 1960's chair.  It is the only recliner I find acceptable in most environments.  It is as comfortable as it is attractive and is suitable  with almost any design style.  I have used this chair in both traditional and contemporary interior design projects.

This photo was taken during the process of an installation of a project (more photos of this project later).  This is a pair of Baker Furniture Barbara Barry X Back Chairs.  The back is shown here because the detail is so dramatic.  This is one of the most sensual chairs ever.  Timeless design.  My imagination wanders to Cole Porter but yet this pair is so modern.  Billy Baldwin would have loved this pair.

This is Hickory Chair's Continental Club Chair.  There is a pair of these chairs in a client's keeping or sitting room off their kitchen.  The chair is low enough so that those sitting in the opposite pair of chairs can view the flat screen television.  So attractive, so practical, and oh, so comfortable.

This Bernhardt Martha Stewart chair is used as a vanity chair in a client's master bath.  It is a feminine, graceful chair.

People come in all sizes and shapes and so chairs are also made in all sizes and shapes.  Chairs come in all price ranges according to quality.  The really good ones stay with us for years and are worth the time and expense to freshen them up with new coverings.  I own two chairs that were my husband's grandmother's.  I had them covered with brown ticking 20 years ago.  They have been around for almost 85 years because she had the forethought to purchase a couple of quality chairs all those years ago.  We still love and enjoy these chairs and I hope my daughter and her husband will some day.This photo of that chair shows how inviting and comfy it is and how we love to sit in it and entertain friends, read a book or just sit and contemplate the next blog topic.

Condo Living I

This is the first in a series of blogs about living in a condominium.  People move into condos for lots of reasons, most of which revolve around downsizing.  Perhaps they are newly widowed, divorced, remarried, children have left the nest or they have vacation homes and don't need a large primary home.  For this client the cause was a fire.  I had worked with the couple in their 1920's home for years.  We had gotten the interior just right.  The wife had gotten the garden just right.  Then a tragic fire struck.  The shell of the house remained but the emotional energy to rebuild did not.  The couple also had an empty nest and were soon to buy their beloved home on a river. 

Some of the items you will see here were salvaged and redone to use in the condo and some are brand new.  I believe the project and process of making their condo a home helped in the healing process.  Fortunately,  the couple found a condo that with some remodeling could be ready in a short amount of time.  The condo was painted in dark colors but we had the opportunity to change the colors and some of the other finishes.

The living area of the condo, once dark chocolate brown is now a soft butter color.  As there is no natural light in this large room, the soft yellow gave the room a  reflective  ambient  dayglow quality.  The butter color also provides a good canvas for the beautiful art work displayed.  (More about the art in a later blog)

This is one of mine and the client's favorite cozy nooks for reading or contemplating.  A loveseat from the fire was refurbished and covered with a lovely black cotton with wool crewel fabric.  The crewel flowers are in cream and soft sage.  Placement of the love seat between two book cases and the addition of the wall sconces makes this an inviting area to visit.  The butler's tray cocktail table, prefire, is set with a lovely heirloom tea service which provides another reflective surface.

Another area of the living room is furnished with a Baker console table that survived the fire.  It is completed with a Thumprints lamp, Rowe chair and oil painting and oriental footbath.

This is the view from the living room to the breakfast room area.  The clients recently replaced the white tile floors with hardwood.  The hardwood softened the look and sound features in the condo.  This dining area replaced a large formal dining room, seated up to 12, and a breakfast room in the 1920's house.  Some sacrifices are always necessary when switching to condo living.

These are photos of the master bedroom.  The walls are done in a soft shade of blue green, almost the shade of the sky on some days.  The two bedside chests provide surfaces but are also necessary for storage of dainty clothing items.  The bay window is furnished with two comfortable tub chairs that were refurbished and covered with a cozy beige fabric.  The custom ottomans are on either side of a highboy used for storing clothing and a flat screen television.  The ottomans were custom monogrammed and serve for sitting to put on shoes, etc..

This is a photo of master bedroom bay window area with tub chairs and custom roman blinds.

These are photos of the master bathroom.  We found it necessary to work with the existing white tile with black accents.  The metallic wallcovering has shades of gold, silver and bronze.  The lamp survived the fire.  The antique french porchoirs gave the owner hours of pleasure finding and selecting which to frame in the glass floating frames.  These porchoirs were done at the turn of the century by french fashion designers.  They were presented to clients in portfolio form.  All of the designer's sketches were hand retouched with color.  These pieces are highly collectible.

This is the guest bath. We once again used a metallic wallcovering to tone down the existing white tile and fixtures.  Black custom shower curtain and custom ottoman. A flokati rug from Greece softens the whole look.

I think the clients will tell you as they have told me that they love their condo.  The process of downsizing and making it theirs was enjoyable and healing.

More condo projects later.  Blogs on the horizon:  my favorite chairs, art work I love, lamps I love.