Swede

Easter Table Setting

With the house a mess with floor construction, I was only able to do a simple tablescape for Easter.  When we moved the china cabinets to fix the floor, I had to pack up all my china which is still in boxes.  I found a few things but didn't want to dig deeper. 

I am using these huge green bunnies for my centerpiece since we are not having a large crowd. They are about 24 inches wide and 23 inches tall.  They originally came from Pottery Barn years ago and I wish they would bring this type of product back. They are made out of a kind of twiggy material covered with the green moss looking stuff.  They look like they are whispering about something. 

I decided on Anna Weatherley Seascape Waterlily plates and Anna Weatherley Green Leaf bread and butter plates with the red Lady Bug.  Charger is Pillivuyt and some simple stemware. 

I have used these glass bunny boxes from Smith Glass for many years on the plates to be opened at the beginning of the meal.  I put gifts for guests inside not candy.  Women may get lipstick, nail polish, cooking spices, sewing notions, etc.  I try to find items each guest would enjoy. 

Another photo of how the bunny looks on the plate. 

 I did just a simple arrangement on the buffet as well.  

Big white vases with white Dogwood branches along with Mr. and Mrs.  She carries the eggs [of course].  I bought these huge eggs this year from Target.  There is a lot more space to hold bigger items.  I found my Easter wreath for the door but could not find what box my other Easter items were in. 

With the freeze, we were afraid this Dogwood would not bloom, but it surprised us with these glorious flowers. 

The white stem is French Portieux Vallerysthal and the other green ones are from a department store. 

Ours will be another low key holiday.  I am looking forward to working in my flowerbeds and planting annuals soon.  

Wishing all of you a lovely Easter day. 

Colleen 

 

 

 

 

Holiday Lookbook 2020 Decor From My Home

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

I am sharing my personal home lookbook of holiday decorating.  

You can see it on Issuu via this link:

holiday decorating

It may be slow to load since it is 194 pages.

Sometimes the link doesn't work. If so, cut and paste this in your browser:

https://issuu.com/swedecollection/docs/holiday_lookbook_2020-compressed__1_?fr=sZTdkYjY0MjU1OA

Colleen 

Happy Thanksgiving 2020!

Big metal turkey is from a catalog called At West End.  Purple English ironstone collection via eBay. Console table by Swede Collection.

This has been such a strange situation we find ourselves in this Thanksgiving.  Hope all of you are well. We, of course, don't have family or friends in or we would be arrested.  Cooked the bird anyway and keeping our Thanksgiving meal traditions as normal as possible.  

All the best,

Colleen

Swede Collection's Paris Pillow Project

I have some interesting news today.  I launched my pillow collection.  Remember all those thousands of photos I walked the streets of Paris to take 8 to 10 hours a day?  I did that with the intention that someday I would use them either in a book or product.  While making other pillows I came up with the idea of putting my photos on fabric to make my own very unique pillow line.  It is now reality. I looked through thousands of those photos and came up with some I thought would look good as a pillow.  I printed those photos on linen canvas and hired a lady in California to make the covers.  I can sew but my machine doesn't have an overlock feature since it was made around 1956 [bought for $60 in 1969 to take to college] and I do not want to buy another sewing machine, even though my husband offered and found one.  I would rather give her the business for her college tuition than spend those hours upstairs sewing.  Win-win for both of us, I think. She does excellent work and does 50 at a time. 

So let's take a look.  I made them in two sizes.  The larger is 22" x 27" and the square smaller ones are 22" x 22". All have luxury down inserts [overfilled].  Velvet or chenille backs. 

Here are the Paris architecture ones:  

If you have been to Versailles you will recognize this as one of the rear entryways in that back door courtyard. 

This is one of my favorite buildings in Paris. It was built as a private mansion [hotel particular] and is now an office building.  It is called Hotel de Sully. 

Love Paris doors as they almost always have beautiful overdoors.  Here is one with cupids holding hands carved in white marble. 

Here are some paintings I photoed at The Louvre. 

Do you recognize Juliette Recamier the socialite that gave the name to the chaise called a recamier. 

This painting I photoed one year and when I got home I realized I did not capture who the artist was nor the name of the painting.  So the next year I went to the Louvre information desk showed them my photo and they told me which wing and section it was in.  The Louvre is so huge I would never have found it again.  The title is "Femme Prenant des Fruits". Absolutely love her.  

That was a sampling of the bigger ones.  I will show you more later.  In the meantime, here are some of the 22x22 Paris architecture pillows. 

This one I climbed to the top of Notre Dame to get. It is the exterior roofline with a gargoyle water downspout. I hope it was not damaged in the fire and can't wait to go back to see Notre Dame after it opens to the public again. 

Next is a photo of a wall section at Musee Hotel de Soubise of a romantic couple done in plaster and gold leaf.  I was surprised at how well the gold leaf turned out in the photo.  As the mother this is one of my favorite children and I will keep one of these for my living room. 

This blue/gray and gold one is another plaster and gold leaf wall but it is at Versailles. 

And last for today is a photo of a white Tree Peony I took in the garden at the Rodin Museum.  I printed it on low nap velvet. You can actually hand wash this one.  Neutral white velvet back.

This is a fragment from a cathedral altar in France. 

After I took about 100 photos I noticed the sunburst mirror above the sofa did not line up on the center.  The sofa somehow got moved a couple of inches to the left from vacuuming or something.  Wish I had noticed that earlier but I can just crop the photo if need be. I promptly moved the sofa to the right 3" so that doesn't happen again. 

I wholesale the 22x27 pillows for $240 and the 22x22 size for $184.  Free shipping via Paypal invoice to your email if you would like any of these.  Just tell me you saw it on my blog to get that rate.  Remember they come with the luxury 10/90 down overfill insert. Designers are selling them to their clients for $380 - 420 for the big ones and $320 to 368 for the smaller 22x22 size.  

I will show you more designs in the next posts. 

This has been a very fun project.  I can't wait to see the rooms where they find their new homes. 

Gustavian sofa and oval-back chair from Swede Collection at swedefurniture.com. You can also see more of my furniture at Chairish.com. I will put some of these pillows on Chairish in a few weeks.  Also available at La Maison Antiques in Memphis. 

Colleen 

The Color Magenta For The Holidays

Magenta is not usually a color to decorate with for Christmas decor and most years ornaments in magenta are hard to find or just not sold.  I check the normal places like Target, Hobby Lobby and Michaels each year to see what they are selling. Purple can usually be found and shades of pink.  I've collected mine over the years from various sources. I do rotate what color I use each year for my Christmas decorating and for some reason I was drawn back to using magenta this year in the dining room.  My tree is white and crystal with no other colors.  

I'm sharing a few photos of what is on my Swede Collection buffet.  

The easiest way to decorate is just fill a glass bowl with ornaments.  Simple and done. Viewable through the glass. I also use a string of Philips Dewdrop mini battery lights in always on [not flashing] across the buffet. They are from Target. 

Some ornaments I place in votive candle cups or just lay them on a plate. 

I found some little clip birds a few years ago that are sweet. 

For my Christmas gift this year my husband got 8 more of these chargers so now I have a dozen. They have been discontinued so I was very happy to find them.  They are Haviland Laque de Chine in Amethyst with gold rim.  Not really magenta but they blend so well.  I also have Aubergene chargers but they are a bit too ruby so clash instead of blend. 

This is a larger view of the room.  I  have some reindeer with fur collars, galvanized cone trees from H-L and two small green trees on the dining table.  

Below is a magenta tablescape I did some years ago. 

Close up of how the ornaments look through the glass bowl.

If you are on Instagram, send me a note telling me what your IG name is so I can follow you.  Mine is Swede Collection.

And, last, here is a funny for you.

Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a fabulous 2020!!

Colleen

 

 

Swede Collection in Milieu Magazine Winter 2020 Issue

Just got the preview Winter 2020 issue of Milieu. Pam Pierce, the Editor-in-Chief of Milieu's home is on the cover showing her Swedish pieces. Particularly love her Rococo Swedish carved chair. Lovely article on her home inside. LOVE this issue. On the newsstands around December 1. So nice to see how many people love Swedish design and antiques. 

My ad is on page 157. The puppy in my ad is Milly. 

Colleen Martin

Founder, Swede Collection, LLC

Swede Collection Furniture Ad in Milieu Magazine Spring 2019

 

The Spring 2019 issue of Milieu has our ad on page 97.  It shows our hand-carved white barn doors as a backdrop and three of our chairs.  Will be on newsstands March 1. 

Let me know what you think.  Love Milieu and hope you do also.

Colleen 

Swede Collection Furniture in Milieu Magazine Winter Issue

 

I just received my Winter 2019 pre-issue for advertisers of Milieu magazine.  We get our preview copy about three weeks before they hit the newsstands.  

Cover view. 

My ad is on page 35.  This kitten is precious -- provided by my commercial photography studio.  Would love to be her pet mother.

There are four magazines per year and I believe the subscription cost is $29.95 for two years. In my area the single issue in bookstores and grocery stores is $7.99.  The owner, Pamela Pierce, does a fabulous job with interior content.  

On another topic, if you would like to see the Lookbook I produced for the shop La Maison in Memphis, here is the link.  This is the December issue as a gift guide.  The November issue was for holiday decor. 

https://issuu.com/swedecollection/docs/la_maison_lookbook_december_2018_en?e=0

Wishing all of you an early Happy Holidays. 

Colleen Martin

Founder, Swede Collection

 

 

Digital Lookbook for La Maison in Memphis, TN

 

For those of you who wish to see some of my photo graphics work, here is another lookbook I finished for La Maison Antiques shop in Memphis.  This is to show what is available in the shop for the month of October.  I use paintings that are for sale and convert them to backdrops to show other merchandise.  The cover is a painting by Vance Boyd. 

And the link:  

https://issuu.com/swedecollection/docs/lamaison_lookbook_october_2018_fina?e=4041138/65022243 

Now working on the November one.  Enjoy!

Colleen 

 

Using the Color Magenta for the Holidays

Magenta is a great color for holiday decorating. Not as edgy as bright red. Looking back over designs I used for past holidays, I found these images. 

 

Enjoy!

Colleen 

Swede Collection at La Maison Showroom Memphis

Here are some photos I took today of the space where I show my line in Memphis. La Maison at 4768 Poplar Avenue.  The only two pieces that are not my design are the Mongolian Sheep White Fur Bench and the Spa Blue Wing Chairs.  Please ignore the price tags hanging in view.  The floor constantly is rearranged so this is what it looked like this morning.  This is only a part of it -- not the whole thing.  Some parts were too messy to show you. These photos show the large scale silver and aqua damask wallpaper that I put up two years ago. I LOVE it.  From Seabrook now discontinued.  White/silver wallpaper is from Thibault. To save floor space the chairs are put inside the bed frame.

 

 

My webmaster is getting the website ready to start doing retail sales.  Should be ready next week.  This will give the public access to purchasing some of my furniture line that is not to the trade.  Will tell you when it is up and ready. 

Colleen 

 

DIY Project - Restoration Hardware Candlesticks Redo

I purchased a pair of these candlesticks from Restoration Hardware maybe 8 to 10 years ago. Last week I decided to paint them. I had been putting off the project because one was wobbly in a joint and didn't stand up straight but I finally got my husband to fix it.

Above is the before and after.

The candlesticks originally had some kind of sealer on them but that is all. They had never been finished.

On the right you can see my first base coat of Annie Sloan chalk paint in beige. For the second coat, I used Annie Sloan chalk paint in Paris Grey dabbed on with a natural sea sponge moistened in water and then mixed in a darker grey by using Artisan water soluable oil paint in Payne's Grey. I applied it lightly so the base coat would show through.

And, here is what it looks like with the Payne's Grey.

On the right is the next step which is to sponge on with a water dampened natural sea foam sponge a little bit of Amy Howard brown stain.  The Payne's Grey paint looked blue so I wanted to knock that down a bit to look more aged and grey.

The last step is to add on French Gedeo gilding wax in King Gold.

Here is how the pair look on my Swede Collection buffet. They are 37.5" tall which is what I needed in height because the mirror reaches to the ten foot ceiling.

I am happy with the way they turned out. I can use them now instead of storing them away because they weren't presentable.

Colleen

Photos: Swede 

Fall Decor: Using Blue and Green Gourds

 

My favorite fall gourds are the blue/green aqua ones. When they are in the store, I have to surrender that summer is really gone. Here is a vignette in my family room with my all-time favorite one the bumpy one in a hand-carved dough bowl from Sweden. I brought back four bowls in May circa 1860. The canvas I threw some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint on in Chateau Grey [actually green] and a metallic gold stencil. I did this over top of an old coral canvas I was tired of. Of course, the paint didn't stick very well, but it is just to go with the color of the gourds. The paler aqua gourds look so great with Swedish furniture. The colors just blend so well. I have those on another table. 

Are you an orange pumpkin decorator, or do you like the aqua green ones like I do? 

Colleen

Photo: Swede 

Interiors: Designing With Three Objects

As you know, I switch out the display on my dining console every few days.  This one has been here two weeks, surprisingly, just because I've been too busy doing other things. Any display using odd numbers such as three or five draws the eye and is more interesting. Here I have used three mediums involving waves. Chairs and table are from Swede Collection. Big baskets from Pottery Barn are hiding the return air vent.

There are waves in the oil painting, the Limoges platter and Vitruvian scroll waves on the console table. They draw the eye forward and down.  I am also using three paintings stacked back to front.

The antique French JPL Limoges 24" platter is hand painted with waves and shells. On the back it is dated X-mas 1912 with the initials of the artist and who the gift was given to. It is in mint condition. 1912 was the year my maternal grandparents [Edward N. & Ethel M. Lawyer] got married in Dillon, MT and settled on Ed's homestead on Hayden Creek at Lemhi, Idaho. The date reminds me of them but certainly nothing they would have owned in their log cabin with sod roof.

The vintage California oil on board painting is dated on the back April 1966 and titled Big Sur Coast.  It is signed E. [Sam] Rogers. I almost sold this but changed my mind at the last moment. I purchased it on eBay about 10 years ago.

The wave theme will be replaced with something else that takes my fancy this weekend.

This week I am linking to:

Centerpiece Wednesdays: http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

Tablescape Thursday: http://betweennapsontheporch.net/.

Show and Tell Friday: http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Seasonal Sundays:  http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Summer

Photos: Swede 

Decor: Decorating with Natural Sea Coral

 

Do you decorate with natural coral as an accessory?  Do you think it is still in style?  How do you feel about using the fake resin coral pieces? 

While in Nashville this past weekend, we always make a stop in Franklin, TN at my favorite decor store, The Iron Gate. They import from a coral farm many varieties of white sea coral and some blue/grey pieces. Their selection was a little lower this time than it has been in years past.  Mr. Swede did purchase a nice blue piece and a huge specimen white cup coral. The price was outrageous so he told me it was for my birthday next August and future birthdays for the next 13 years. [maybe he will forget he said that]

This cup coral is the largest specimen I have ever seen at 27" wide and 17" tall. 

I still like decorating with white coral.  I like the fact that it is a natural product, the color white, has interesting shapes and classic.  I don't think I will tire of it anytime soon.

This cup coral is a showy piece so Mr. Swede wanted it on the foyer iron console table.  The coral pieces to the left and right are also former purchases Mr. Swede made at The Iron Gate.

The iron that the console is made of came from a music theatre in New York that was being demolished.  I believe it is an interior stair balcony railing because it is finished on both sides. You would have viewed it from the first floor as well as the second story as you ascended the stairs. I'm sure you have seen the exterior iron balcony railings that have been made into consoles.  Some are pretty rusty since they have been outside.  This one was in great condition since it was an interior building element. I would have loved to see this iron balcony insitu. 

There were three pieces taken from New York to Atlanta by a dealer.  Two of the pieces came to Memphis and one was purchased by a country music star in Nashville. That person took the creme marble out of the center circle and replaced it with black marble.  Guess you can figure out I would never have done that unless the marble was broken and unrepairable.

The mirror with the face is not one of my designs.  It came from the British West Indies and is made of raw mahogany. I did paint it gold, however. 

In the iron design, I love the large wings on the cherubs riding the nautilus shells, the torches, grapes and floral swirls.  This console is probably my favorite piece in the house, even over pieces I have designed.  Being solid iron, it takes four men to move it so it isn't going anyplace soon.

We did see fake coral at Scarlett Scales shop in Franklin. It is very inexpensive and the pieces she had looked so real, I had to examine them closely twice until I could tell they were not real.  I think they would look great on a high shelf in a grouping where you couldn't touch them or look close enough to see that they were resin. It would certainly be the way to cut the cost if you were doing a large grouping of real coral pieces or a total white look.

Summer

Photos: Swede

Daily Thing of Beauty: My Console Table

 

I switched up my dining room console table again.  Here is what it looked like today. Not too many days go by before I change the tabletop.

English mulberry and purple transferware from the 1850's on one of the latest console tables I designed for Swede Collection in Swedish grey finish.  Purple is the only color of transferware I collect. Candlesticks by Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn.

Over the weekend I painted this acrylic abstract to go with the purple theme.  This is a 24 x 48" heavy duty gallery wrap canvas from Michael's.  I really enjoy doing these.  I just throw the paint on the canvas any which way -- I don't care really -- then I put some structure to it with squares, rectangles and a gold leaf overlay of fleurs-de-lis. I put the base coat on one evening, let it dry overnight then the next day finish it out in a couple hours to make it a very quick project.  I do these in many colors so the paintings in the room match the tablescape of china I am using for the dinners.

Also, I like layering paintings on top of each other with the top ones off center. Quick and fun project.

I did two different tablescapes with the transferware.  One is mulberry/aubergene and one is orchid.  I'll show the rest of those tablescape photos with the china in a week or so.

Summer

Photo: Swede

Style: Repurposing Demitasse Cups

 

Sometimes when I purchase French dinner sets, included will be demitasse cups.  They are so tiny at 2" across and about 2.75" tall.  Only hold a couple ounces of liquid.  So -- what to do with them.  I'm not sure there is any beverage I would serve in them.  Men certainly could not pick up the cup and drink from it and be comfortable.  Most women couldn't either. I do know they were not made to be children's china.

I recently purchased a set of plates that included 10 demitasse cups and saucers intact.  It was once a larger royal service evidenced by many saucers with no cups.  I purchased the plates mainly because I loved the little crown motif. They have a turquoise border so I will show you them when I do a turquoise tablescape soon.

The crown has seven balls at the top which means it is not a French baron's symbol, but is continental European, such as Austrian or Bavarian/German.  I believe you need eight balls on top of the crown to indicate it was made for a French baron and less balls for other royal titles.  The cups and plates are not marked which would generally mean Old Paris porcelain, but perhaps not in this case.

The quality of the porcelain certainly indicates that the firm serviced royal families.  The monogram is also a sign of that quality.  As a china addict, I believe that porcelain "born together" should stay together. Perhaps another owner may have sold off the cups and separated them from the plates, but not me. 

So what to do with them.  I had them sitting on a console table while decorating for Christmas and just plopped a flameless tealight in one of them.  WAH LA, it fit.  I placed the lights in all of them to see what it would look like.

I have two different kinds of battery powered tealights and both styles fit inside.

The porcelain is thin enough that the light from the tealight comes through.  The only thing I don't like about these flameless candles is that they were designed to resemble candlight so are yellow.  I prefer the light to be warm white instead.  These were purchased a few years ago when they first came on the market.  You can now get them in warm white.

I also had a mini garland battery powered light set from Target that I wrapped around the cups for more light in the room.  So there is an idea for you.

Summer
Photos: Swede

Tablescape: Christmas Greens

 

I like to use all shades of green on the table during the holidays.  Lime, apple and yellow/greens add so much more character when offset with traditional green. This china is not just for the holidays, but used year round.  Look in your cupboards and get out anything green and mix it up.

 

The service plate above is English Spode Copeland. Finding a set of 12 of these in mint condition is what gives plate addicts like me a thrill.  This is the kind of neglect I like -- neglected in the back of someone's china cabinet for 100 years -- never used.  The white embossing around the edges is 2Die4.  I love the flow of it.  The scene in the center is of three musicians in a beautiful park overlooking a lake.  I do believe it is a decal and not hand painted. Very romantic -- and you know I'm a romantic through and through. To preserve their mint condition, I do not put food on them that requires a knife or fork to eat so they do not get scratched.  Their purpose is just to set the stage for the meal and then are removed for the first course.  I feel I am the protector of these lovely items while they are in my care until passed to the next collector.   It would be a real shame to damage them after they have remained pristine for so many years.

Another reason I believe the centers of the service plates are decals is that they are not signed. Most hand painted china of this era was signed because the artist was so proud of his/her work.

Sterling is Tiffany's Saratoga pattern from the 1870's. Sort of a tribute to Mr. Swede's Navy officer career in doing four of nine six-month cruises landing jets on the USS Saratoga (CV60) aircraft carrier, fondly known as Sinking Sara. This pattern is not rare but seldom seen.  It is another well-balanced pattern, neither masculine nor feminine, so I like to use it for dinners for couples.  Some sterling I have is very feminine and better suited for women's lunches.

White charger underneath is Anna Weatherley. It does great to bring out the white embossing of the plate. 

What the service plates look like on the table set for six. When I buy plates, I try to get at least 12 since my table easily seats 12. I am overjoyed if I find a set of 14 or 18.

The white embossed design is raised and texturized. From the dining table, you can see the lime green ornaments on the staircase garland since the dining room is open to the hallway by arches.

 

I decided to keep the centerpiece simple and easy and not do a custom creation.  These are two Lacecap Hydrangeas in a Napa Home grey cachepot with crystal ice garlands around the base.

Mini ornaments in two shades of lime are scattered around the garland and larger green ornaments are placed in silver mercury glass votive candle cups.

These appetizer plates in apple green are part of an antique English dessert service from around 1840 made by Coalport.  I do not know the name of this batwing pattern.

The Coalport dessert service has 12 plates, four dessert servers and two pedestal cake plates.

Above, a wider view of the table showing the appetizer plates with their fabulous gold gadrooned edges on top of the dinner plates.  

A good place to get assorted greens onto the table is with a choice of stemware.  Here, left to right, is Varga's "Imperial" pattern in a highball, a traditional green goblet with a sculpted stem that I've had about 15 years but never knew the maker or pattern name, Varga's "Sharon" pattern wine glass, and far right is Waterford's "Colleen" pattern.

The dinner plates are French maker Raynaud's Festivites pattern.

I'm sure the "festivity" they are referring to is Christmas, but they dont shout Christmas in the pattern style, so you could use them at other times of the year.

Close up view of the dinner plate.

And, last but not least, I'm using these antique French Limoges fish plates for dessert because of the nice traditional green border.  Love these plates.  Twelve of these are in mint condition as well.

Quad of the setting changes.
 

This week I am linking to:

Centerpiece Wednesdays by the Style Sisters:

http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

Tablescape Thursday at http://betweennapsontheporch.net/.

and Show and Tell Friday by My Romantic Home:

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Summer

Photos: Swede

Holiday Decor: The Staircase

 

I switched up the decoration for the staircase this year. I am using color.  Yes, shocking, I know.  It has always been white beaded garland with white LED lights for a great glow at night. I did not incorporate lights into this garland. Doing the white also took several hours to get it installed.

Mr. Swede who is in Paris this week [without me] will be in shock right now reading this post wondering what happened to his wife -- did she totally lose her mind?  And, what happened to his house?  Does he still live there?  Well, that is what he gets for going to Paris and leaving me home unattended.  Historically, though he should be used to it as many times he has opened the front door and not recognized his house!  This is a man who hates change. And he married me -- the constant changer! 

Lime, turquoise and silver with two kinds of greenery.  Like anything else, it looks better in person than in photos.  This took 72 feet of garland.  The ornaments are not glass, they are shatterproof plastic.  This garland actually goes up pretty fast.  My secret is that I use electrical zip ties around the handrails to hold it in place. 

I would love to work warm white LED lights into the garland, but not a project for this year.  Staircase done. Check.  On to the next project.

It isn't easy to see the garland on the second floor as I can't get it all in one photo extending left and right along the balcony.  But you get the idea.

I can always go back to white next year.

Summer

Photos: Swede 

Holiday Decor: Using The Color Fuchsia

 

Not the typical holiday color, fuchsia can provide some dynamic color punch. I particularly like it mixed with crystal, silver or clear glass.

This grouping on a console table consists of ornaments placed in glass candle containers of fuchsia colored glass.

Love using clear beaded garlands that look like ice.  Throw pillows for the white sofa in fuchsia with gold embroidery and a little tree with some ornaments.  

Here are some crowns and ornaments that I have mixed into a console table display.

Holiday decorating is now in full swing. I am anxious to see what other bloggers are using this year for color and style.

Summer

Photos: Swede

Decor: Decorating For The Holidays

 

I began decorating for the holidays with my first console table. Many more areas of the house left to do including the staircase. I did get one small tree in the living room done on Sunday. So hard to believe it is that time of year again.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE mercury glass and have been collecting it for a number of years now.  Mercury glass candleholders and trees from Pottery Barn.  Mercury urns from Dillards.  Ice garlands from Hobby Lobby. Console from Swede Collection.

Here is a close up view. Love these ice garlands -- very fun.

Yes, I know I need sconces on the wall.  My electrician is willing to put the wiring in but he won't fix the drywall when he is done.  Still need to find a drywall guy.  You can see here the painting I mentioned that I just finished.  It is 60" tall by 48" wide.  Silver metallic background with damask design done in gold leaf so I get a lot of reflective shine. French chairs by Amy Howard Collection.

I don't anticipate changing this table before Christmas, so check -- one done.

I am linking up to:

Centerpiece Wednesdays by the Style Sisters:

http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

and Show and Tell Friday by My Romantic Home:

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Summer

Photos: Swede

Creating Works on Canvas

 

Showing "Y'all" my project.  I missed my first gold metallic canvas that I sold.  Had this 48" x 48" canvas that I has purchased last year so decided to throw some paint on it and do one similar to the damask one I sold.  Ignore the strange light reflection at the top.

It is silver metallic with gold metallic in damask.  I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey as the primer.  As I expected, it worked like a champ.

I put it here temporarily in the living room above the sofa on the milk chocolate wall for now, but it will be moved over the gray Swedish console after Thanksgiving as I think it will go much better with a display of mercury glass on the console table.  Milk chocolate does nothing for it.

Then it will go to the shop to be sold.  I like the bigger size of 60" x 48" canvas so will make a bigger one for myself to keep when I have time.  I will do it in silver and gold metallic as well.

Summer

Photo: Swede 

GREAT NEWS!! Swede is in Coty's April Issue of Styling Magazine

 

 

I'm so thrilled to announce that fabulous Australian publisher, Coty Farquhar, included a story on Swede in her April issue released today.

See pages 11, Swede's furniture style on pages 12-13 and a story about us on 96-100.

The April issue is 148 pages of beautiful things not to miss.  So many lovely stories about other women as well.

If you know someone who would enjoy Coty's work, please pass this along.

Summer

Photo: Coty Farquhar

Excellence in Styling: Coty Farquhar

 

To everyone who follows me, I want to introduce you to the most excellent blogger and publisher of digital magazines on the planet, if you have not already found her, meet Coty Farquhar of New South Wales, Australia.

http://www.cotyfarquhar.com/

If you've ever wanted to be a photo stylist when you grow up, this is the ultimate place for inspiration.

I don't want you to miss the third issue of her digital magazine, due out Tuesday, February 12.  Sign up on her blog to receive this magazine Tuesday. 

Her blog also has links to the December and January issues of the digital magazine.  And, don't miss looking at her Pinterest boards.

January digital magazine.

December issue.

I cannot put in words appropriately how talented Coty is.  I have been following her blog for several years and when I see she has posted something new, I have to look at it immediately.  Her photography skills are out of this world -- the styling of the photos -- the subject matter -- the commentary -- beyond incredible.

Photo by Coty Farquhar.

Photo: Coty Farquhar

Remember that Australia's seasons are reverse of ours here in the US. It is Summer there now, so lots of fabulous flowers are in bloom.

Photo: Coty Farquhar

Photo: Coty Farquhar

Don't waste a minute.  Go look at her site.

Summer

Photos: All Coty Farquhar 

Decor Style: Love of Winter Whites

 

Now that Thanksgiving is in the past, I have been changing out the vignettes on the console and center tables.  The Christmas tree is now up and I have been decorating with my Santos dolls. Here is a look at one console table showing my love of winter white.

White coral and Cyclamen made by Mother Nature who loves white like I do. Candlesticks by Pottery Barn and embellished with gold leaf. Cachepots from Home Depot. Cyclamen from Lowe's.  I like how the canvas I painted is a great backdrop for these items. 

Summer

Photo: Swede

 

Dining Room Changes: My DIY Gallery Wrap Canvas Project

 

I am in the process of changing the dining room. Tired of the old look -- want something different. More posts to come as I make changes. I am changing the chandelier, rug, wall paint and chairs.  I am aiming for a total neutral look so that any tablescape I put together in orchid, aqua, purple, etc. will not clash with the room.  I want colors to only be accents in the design, not a major part of it. That allows me to switch the accent colors with the seasons.

Anything that I can do myself at home, I enjoy doing.  Particularly if I can get a good look and save money. 

Some people hate to paint.  I enjoy it. Love to see the color change. First, I had to paint this accent wall from peach [Martha Stewart Nasturtium] to beige [Lowe's Soft Camel].

Today, I am sharing a gallery wrap canvas painting that I did for the dining room. I am sorry but I forgot to photo the canvas with the base coat on.

I purchased a 60" x 48" large gallery wrap canvas at Michael's. I only get them when I can use a 40% off coupon as they are a bit pricey - about $100. To put the base coat on, I used various beiges in acrylic craft paint.

I just wiped the various colors on dabbing a little here and there in small sections until the entire white canvas was covered.  You will be able to see the variations of the beiges in the finished canvas.  I also taped off the side edges with blue painter's tape and painted the four outside edges a medium brown.  Sometimes I use black or bright gold, but did brown this time. After the base coat dried, I stenciled it.

PLEASE keep in mind this is NOT how I would do it if I was going to sell it or do it for someone else.  I wanted this for something quick to put on the wall that I could do in two days. You will DIE when you see what I stenciled it with.

I already owned a large damask stencil from Royal Design Studio, No. 724L which is 24.5 tall and 21 wide.  I love damasks and the bigger the better.  I was going to paint the wall beige and then stencil this damask on with irridescent pearl paint.  Then I decided to not do the dining room wall but to do the canvas and then I could move the canvas anywhere I wanted in the house when I was ready for a change.  Look on Royal Design Studio's website to see how fabulous this looks on a wall.  Loved it!

Since I was in a big hurry to have it on the wall for Thanksgiving Day, I didn't have time to use actual stencil paints -- would have taken many hours.  You will die -- I used spray paint.  I am the disgrace of the faux paint industry!!

There it is.  Brilliant gold spray paint from Michael's. Notice the size of the stencil compared to the paint can. That will give you some idea of scale.  If you get the crazy idea to do what I did, here are some tips for you.

1.  Put blue masking tape over the dashed and open registration marks. If you don't you will spray paint over them and then cannot align your repeat designs. 

2. I also put 2" blue painter's tape around the outside edges to keep spray off the brown paint.

3. If you are right handed, use a disposable glove on your left hand or you will paint your fingers.  Since the canvas "gives" you will need to hold the stencil down tight with your left hand or spray will go underneath the tiny parts to mess up your design. 

4. Do NOT use stencil adhesive.  All it did was deposit the glue onto the canvas and keep the paint from sticking.  Wish I had not done that.  Also, spray the paint down directly from above, not at an angle, or paint will spray underneath the stencil. 

5. I also used 2" wide blue tape along the edges of the stencil and put newspaper over the remaining canvas so it wouldn't get spray residue. 

6. I also recommend putting the eye hooks for the back wire into the frame interior itself so the canvas will lie flat against the wall with no gaps. I place my hooks 11" down from the top for better balance.

On this 60" x 48" canvas, the hardest part was finding the center of the stencil to line up with the center of the canvas.  Not hard to find the center of the canvas, but finding the center of the unusual shape of the stencil was a pain.  Of course, they are never marked with grid lines. I think I came pretty close and see where I am off by 1/8" horizontally on one repeat, but only a professional could tell [don't look].  This size canvas will take five full designs and then you fill in top and bottom with partial repeats.  I put the first stencil in the center and then worked out top to bottom.

Keep in mind, I am doing this on the dining room table covered with a dropcloth with the front door open to get the fumes out before Mr. Swede sees me using spray paint in the house.  Thankfully, he was upstairs on the computer for the 30 minutes it took me to do this.

So here is what my crazy project looks like.

Wahhhh-laaaa!  Since the height of the canvas is 60", it goes to within 4" of the crown molding in this room with 10 foot ceilings.

The console table is 37" high and 50" wide.  It is hard to get a good photo without getting the chandelier. Have to take the photo at an angle and it distorts how big the canvas really is.

Need to have Mr. Swede mount the sconces for each side.  I have an antique pair that has been in a box for 20 years. 

I like the reflected sheen off the metallic gold from the light of the chandelier. I made the deadline of Thanksgiving morning, and I actually like how it turned out. Although there is pattern in the damask design, I don't think it will conflict with my tablescapes.  

I wanted the metallic paint to pick up on the gold leaf on this Marsta console table I designed for Swede Furniture HERE. 

For accessories, I am using beige with gold leaf candlesticks, white coral in cachepots and my wire shell sculpture from the Phillippines that I found at Round Top.

I like how all the cremes, beiges and whites go together.  I added more gold leaf to the candlestands after I purchased them.

So what do you think?  You will keep my secret, right??

Summer

Photos: Swede

Interior Sliding Barn Doors

 

Interior sliding barn doors look fun. I've seen many of them on decor blogs. Here is a set that I saw last week in our local annual showcase of homes.

Finding good looking hardware to hang them seems to be a problem. I don't like the exposed track or supports.  This one is better than most at hiding the apparatus but more improvement is needed. If you Google barn door hardware, you will see a lot of different styles, but most are exposed tracks. These were custom made by a local door company. I like the finish, though.  For me, it would be a debate about whether to have this style or pocket doors.  I do like being able to close off rooms.

Summer

Photo: Swede

 

Tablescapes: Masins Seattle Hosts DIFFA Tabletalk Seminar

 

While in Seattle Saturday, September 8, I attended the tablescape event at Masins Furniture store in Bellevue HERE.  If you have been a long-time blog reader, you know my love for creating tablescapes.  I could not miss this.  Check my archives under the category tablescapes. I moved from the Seattle area in 1998 before the store opened in Bellevue so I had not been in the store before.  At the end of this post, I will show some vignettes in the store.  Thanks to the Masin family for making this seminar open to the public to enjoy. Friday evening was the fundraiser at the store for DIFFA [Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS].

The event panel consisted of three women. First, Tobi Fairley, an interior designer from Little Rock [remember that I blogged about attending one of her first design camps in Arkansas]. I have been a long-time subscriber to her blog HERE. Second, Kathryn Greeley, interior designer and author from North Carolina - I have her book and follow her blog too HERE. Third, Mindy Lockard who I did not know about - blog HERE, who talked about table etiquette.

Tobi Fairley [who was as stunning, lovely and friendly as I remembered her] in addition to doing a tablescape also designed the entrance vignette to Masins store using the young David Masin family as her pseudo design client. I want to show you those photos first before discussing the other 12 tablescapes of the designers.  

Tobi spoke about the design elements she used in this red, blue and white room.

Just ignore the price tags hanging off the furnishings. I apologize for the light reflections and quality of my indoor photos. I spy Tobi's design on the red lantern Rothesay sconce HERE.

I recognize the Hickory Chair Furniture Co. center table HERE.  The framed labels attract close examination and conversation.  The tabletop items on this table have great proportion and tie the blues and whites together.

Here is a close-up view of the accessories.

Aren't those red Tulips dashing? They bring the entire room together. This striped rug is by Dash and Albert HERE.  I am considering the purchase one of their rugs for under my dining table because it is in their indoor/outdoor collection which is easily cleanable. I thought it would be the perfect solution to food spills under a table.  I'm a bit tired of my flat-weave Aubusson and looking for a change.  I need a 9x12 rug which size they don't sell and Tobi gave the audience the perfect answer to my problem - sew two 6x9 rugs together.  Thank you, Tobi for solving my design dilemma. The stripes are too casual for me, but I am thinking of the solid white one. Should look great with Swedish interiors.

Above you can see the red lantern and stripe fabric of the table runner from Tobi Fairley Home.  The wall stripe paint is the same blue from the living room. I like the nine white plates on the wall.  When I've hung plates, I paint the tips of the wires the color of the plates so they don't show.  The white plates are simple but striking. I am also a fan of white dining chairs.  Of course, I have a secret fabric that I use that is extremely durable and cleanable that I have used throughout our home. It is No Fear White. Discussing the centerpieces, Tobi inserted a glass cylinder into a larger one to create space to place red ribbon.  I am going to steal that idea too, only use other items not ribbon -- just think of the possibilities.  Tobi used the David Masin family's blue and white china.  It looks like it could be the Blue Fluted Mega pattern by Royal Copenhagen. I see dark blue Kim Seybert capiz shell placemats [I have the aqua ones] underneath of some red spray-painted acrylic chargers.  I liked Tobi's idea of spray painting inexpensive chargers different colors for various tablescapes you do.  I sprayed some brass ones and the paint peeled off. I believe she said the napkins had an iron-on embroidered transfer -- I will have to look into doing that.  Hopefully less expensive than having my monogram lady do my napkins if they stay on after being washed.  Inside the napkin folds are Recipies For Life messages. 

I struggle with getting my centerpieces low so people can see over them. I'm always looking for ideas to accomplish this.  I will further discuss this later in the post in my thoughts on the other table designs.

I have mentioned before in my tablescape blogs my top five requirements for a successful tablescape.  The first one is relevance.  Tobi's table is a perfect example of my rule.  The most successful design relates the elements of the table to the guest of honor or event of the dinner. Here you see Tobi used red ribbons and chargers for AIDS to salute the DIFFA fundraiser event and each placecard has the name of Me, Sister, Brother, Mom, i.e., people in a family who are affected when a family member has AIDS.  The cards in the napkins also bring this message home.

Up next is this pink orange and black soft orientalist theme table with orange stools by designer Beth Dotolo.

I LOVE that wallcovering of large damask.  I just bought an extra large stencil to do that on one wall of my dining room which I hope to execute in the next few weeks.

The orientalist style on this table is delivered with the abundant white Orchids and Dahlias, metallic gold noodle bowls, chopsticks and black lacquer table. The stools which are probably drinks tables or garden-type stools rather than dining stools are an attractive color, but would be difficult to sit on through a three-hour dinner.  Comfortable seating is rule number two on my tablescaping requirements.

The Dahlias are so pretty and I love Cockscomb.

The moss in the tall vases appeared to be dry, so I surmised the white orchids were in floral water tubes.

It appears that the runner coordinates with the creme underplates to the bowls. The height of the vases was discussed at the seminar and it was agreed that they would need to be removed during the dinner.  I think they would be perfect on the buffet or console table against the wall.  I personally struggle with centerpiece heights in my tablescapes as it seems hard for me to be creative on low arrangements.  You want the impact that these stunning arrangements have yet they are not practical.  I feel bad when a guest gets up and removes my creation. I also struggle occasionally with just too much stuff in the center of the table. But I'm working on it.

On to the next exhibit.

I was very impressed by this purple table by designers Diane Summers and Deanna Dayment.  I loved the shape of the leopard placemats for round tables.  Nice mirrored chargers. Loved the tumbler and stemware.  What was successful about this table was that it had a "real" factor that invited you to sit down by having the red and white wine already poured into the stems and water present in the tumbler.

Congratulations ladies on knocking that out of the ballpark.

Notice the metal screen with stars in front of the purple painted wall. Its see-through effect added just enough visual interest. I also give these designers points for my rule of tieing the table elements to the theme. Here they were designing for a restaurant named Purple. They also conquered the urge to overdo the center of the table with stuff. 

The purple vases of orchids could easily be moved to the sideboard leaving the vase of white Roses in the center to be stunning in and of itself.  Nice job.

Moving to the next tablescape by designers Sue Trudell and Kim Beauregard.

This tablescape had a pink and lime green garden theme. I don't know for sure, but I would guess that the pink and lime votive candleholders are Glassybaby products since that company is headquartered in Seattle HERE.  People outside Seattle might not be familiar with their products and charitable mission.

The centerpiece was a child's chair with white Roses on the seat. Ivy vines ran on the tabletop.

And this moss purse with flowers in it.

Here is a place setting. Loved the pink napkins and silver napkin rings.

Another look at the table.

Next is this table designed by Rich Holliday for The Hunt Club in an animal theme. The blue and white ceramic elephant centerpiece is an attention getter. Note the texture of the three runners that criss-cross the table for the six placesettings.

I believe this china charger is Jaguar Jungle by Lynn Chase. Rich hit the target dead center with my rule number one of relevance to the theme for the Hunt Club.

The opalescence of this platter is stunning.  Maybe not something to eat off of but it is eye candy.  You could serve some types of appetizer on it but its impact is really for a serivce plate before guests sit down. This table design was done by Christie Long for the restaurant Seastar.

I just LOVE the sea colors of blues and greens which hits the theme for Seastar right on target. Love the clear sparkley flatware and the color of the charger.  I would have loved to see this on a much bigger table so there was room for the glass balls, seaglass and tealights.  The centerpiece is a very tall glass sculptural vase that was too tall to get it in the photo.

The rattan table and chairs are fitting for this theme. Notice that the tabletop is covered with irridescent cellophane.  I might use that idea sometime.  About my tablescape rule number five to leave blank space on the tabletop, I want to mention here that the most memorable table I have ever seen was nothing more than a white plate with an old sterling fork on a white tablecloth with an orchid color napkin and clear crystal goblet in an all-white Swedish room that had a crystal chandelier. It was so simple but heavenly I have never forgotten it. No layering of chargers and a multitude of plates -- no stuff. 

One more look at this stunner.

 
This table using green reindeer moss was designed by the team of Meredith Mallott and Lori Broznowski for the restaurant Crush.

Store owner Bob Masin did this sportsman's table for Steelhead Diner. The mission style of the chairs and table are very fitting.  Table elements include the fish theme plates with flies, runner and napkins, fly rods and reels across the tabletop and a fish net.

The centerpiece was a divided tray from a tacklebox holding flies, spinners and sinkers with white Chrysanthemum heads in the squares.

Diane Akana of Neiman-Marcus did this table with McKenzie-Childs ceramics.  I believe that is wild long-grain rice in the bowl.

This autumn design with the velvet pumpkins was for the restaurant Mariposa.

Next, this table for one is the entry of Renee Manier and Page Campau for the restaurant Pearl.

On to the next one, artist Kathe Fraga for the restaurant Rovers. The framed photo is of the chef in the straw hat, Chef Thierry Rautureau. Kathe also displayed a grouping of men's hats on a halltree. 

Kathe used all vintage and flea market finds for this table.  There are three tablecloths layered here with silverplate trays and flatware as well as many whimsical and decorative objects.

Above is a wider view of the area around her table filled with vintage items.  The bird dinner plates coordinate with the birds on her paintings and pillows.

Kathe was at the event and I had the pleasure of meeting her and talking to her about her art.  Her miniature paintings were at the placesettings and a large canvas was behind the table. Her custom pillows were there as well as her greeting cards.

This table is by Tim DeClue for the restaurant Spinasse.

Tim used vintage silverplate trays as chargers.  The metal mushrooms are interesting. You can also see the black stones in the center.

This table appears to be made of metal with log benches.  I like the clear stemware but don't know the maker - will have to ask.

Last of the 13 tables, but not least, is this tablescape by J. David Welch for the restaurant Volterra.

Here is a wider view.

Close up of the place setting.

I promised to show you some vignettes around the store, so here they are:

Vignette One. 

View from a different angle.

Close up of the chair.

Vignette two.  Seeing the black oriental lacquer screens tempted me to consider getting mine out of the attic.

Vignette three.

Vignette four.

Vignette five showing the black buffet.

Masins Furniture is located in the Bellevue area of Seattle at 10708 Main Street, Bellevue, WA 98004 or call 425-450-9999.

Hope you enjoyed viewing the tables with me.

Summer

Photos: Swede 

Paris: Grand Trianon at Versailles

 

Continuing along with more photos of our trip to Paris, I am showing below some of the furniture at the Grand Trianon on the Versailles estate property. This is where the king and queens went [across the property several hundred yards, maybe] to get away from the goings on at the palace.  I am only showing furnishings in this post as the gardens were not planted yet so no flowers in bloom to speak of for vast colorful sweeping views.

I thought the chairs in the first photo above were totally unusual with the pierced seats and backs.  I've never seen anything like them.  Very intricate carving.  They also had small benches in the same design.  I like the ormolu trim on the table's rim but not the urn and pheonixes on the stretcher. There was a time in my past that I would have liked the savonnerie rug, but not now -- just too much color and too much pattern.  This estate is a good place for it to be together with those rose damask chairs.

This is one very large sitting room.  You could probably entertain 100 guests here for cocktails. Notice the lavender paint trim on the chairs.  Very unusual don't you think paired with the turquoise damask?

Of course, you have to see the queen's bedroom.  I don't think I could do the gold room either.  Just tooooooo much.

Nice console table but I probably would get tired of the swags. Some more unusual chairs.  They said that during the revolution most of the furnishings were looted and they have slowly gotten some of them back by donation or acquisition.  Some pieces were brought here from other palaces that they owned in the kingdom.

I enjoy looking at the interiors even though much of it is not my taste.  What I did love, though, were the doors, interior shutters and door hardware --  oh! much to love there.  Look for a later post of those objects.

I did also want to mention that it was difficult to get great photos inside the palaces because of the light.  It was either too dark with the drapes pulled, or too bright with so much light flooding in.

Summer

Photos: www.swedefurniture.com 

 

Books: What do they say about you?

 

Well, if what you read says something about you, then I've got a one-track mind about Swedish decor and Swedish antiques.

Mr. Swede is building a new bookcase for all my design books in the master bedroom.  I've been begging for the bookcase for a long time.  Like two years!  He cut some boards last week. 

Summer

Photo: Swede

 

Tabletop: Rushing Spring with Green Decor

 

The Daffodils are pushing through the ground and stand about five inches high now.  Inside the house, though, I am trying to rush spring by using bright greens.

This tabletop grouping is in the living room on a 1902 marble top center table.

I brought out my apple green English Coalport porcelain dessert tray and yellow green Varga wine stems.

The green peapod porcelain sculpture is by Pamela Tidwell of Vieuxtemps. HERE .  I always loved Pamela's work but couldn't afford it. I found the peapod this summer at a charity consignment shop.  I would love to have her tall porcelain flower arrangements like the Foxgloves someday and I like her cantelope as well.  I always have my eye out for them and who knows maybe a piece will show up at the consignment shop again. I also gathered up an Anna Weatherley small dish and creamer that have greens in the designs.

On the Varga wines, the stems are all the same but the yellow green crystal bowls are all of different designs. The names of the patterns are all girl's names, Madison, Amelia, Sharon, Aspen, Gemma and Hattie. None of these are my family names.

 
The arrangement is placed on an old silverplate huge tray with Greek key design that I purchased on eBay.

The bright spring green is so refreshing during the winter.

The Annabelle Hydrangeas I dried when they bloomed this past summer. I have mixed them with Curly Willow, Green Orchids, Amaranth and Bells of Ireland.

The orientalist vase I also found at the same charity consignment shop. Actually there are a pair.

This week I am linking up to Tabletop Tuesday here:

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

and linking up to Tablescape Thursday here:

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Summer

Photos: Swede

 

Tabletop: Console Table Decor

 

I have switched up the decor on my hallway console table. This is the one that had my Santos Angels during the holidays.

I decided to put metal pieces here to tie in with the metal balcony in the photo on the wall.  This is a photo of a building taken by Mr. Swede in Paris this summer that I had enlarged and put on 30x40 gallary wrap canvas.

With this wider view you can see that it is a canvas.  Looks like I captured a creative cobweb as well.  This Franco-Swedish console table with brown marble top I designed for Swede Collection. The shadow box being a gray/blue goes very well with the color of the console. This hallway is narrow and has columns for the dining room which block being able to take a photo straight on.

The two metal candlestands on the ends are from Tuesday Morning. The shadow box is from Wisteria and other pieces are from Hobby Lobby.

This week I am linking up to Tabletop Tuesday viewable after 6:00PM Eastern on Monday evenings here:

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

Summer
Photos: Swede

 

Daily Dose of Beauty: Things Around The House

 

As you know, I'm an original content blogger, well about 99.99%, so I look for things around the house or yard to photo. 

Here is a warm-toned winter collage of a crown on a peach marble-top table in my living room, some big shells, and an Amaryllis plant in the dining room.  Love the peachy-ness of it all.

Summer

Photos: Swede

Tablescape: Holiday Dinner in Magenta

 

Continuing with the magenta theme for the holidays, this week's tablescape is also in magenta paired with silver.

Magenta napkins set the theme along with the ornaments placed at each setting. Ornaments from Target last year. Napkins by Le Jacquard Francais, primrose bordier, in their colorway Cassis Black Current in the Graphic pattern.

I think magenta is such a great color for the holidays as a change up for brighter red and it looks so good with silver and grays.

The above photo shows the line up of the plates.  On the bottom is French maker Jaune de Chrome's English Rose on Song which has a dark edge and a multi-gray floral. Next is the dinner plate by Haviland in the Malmaison pattern showing magenta around the border and the central scene of the young couple fishing. I am using JL Coquet's Hemisphere Matte Platinum soup bowls for appetizers since they have such a small central cavity and to me are too small for soup. The silver grooved borders also stain very easily so I find it best to use them just for an appetizer. Even touching the Hemisphere with your finger will leave a fingerprint stain.

In the above collage, on the left side is the Jaune de Chrome charger and on the right is the Haviland dinner plate.

Here is how the dinner plates look on the table. The bread and butter plates are French maker Niderviller which is a pale gray in the Boston pattern. Sterling is Tiffany St. James.

Above is the JL Coquet soup with the small cavity and the dessert plate below.

I actually started this tablescape with the intention of doing it all in silver and then added the magenta after I got into it. 

The above collage shows the antique English dessert plates by Cauldon holding raspberry cheesecake. On the right is a tablecloth I made of acetate satin in a color called New Silver.  I take 7.5 yards of fabric and sew it together lengthwise so it will fit my table with one leaf in it to seat 8 people at the table.  Lower right is a photo of individual flower arrangements I made for each place setting in magenta-toned fresh flowers placed in antique sterling baby presentation cups.

Above you can see a larger view of the silver tablecloth.

Above are the six sterling cups.  The oldest one in the group is inscribed 1854 and the newest is dated 1891.  Inside them I placed wet Oasis to hold the stems.

I used red Roses, magenta Chrysanthemums and cherry Alstroemeria in the cups. Greenery is from my yard.

These are various table shots.

The above collage shows details from the center of the table. 

I am using my collection of mercury glass including mercury glass trees with garlands of clear beads and a few magenta colored holiday ornaments.

The silver hurricanes contain flameless candles.

The above photo shows a wider view of the table. You can barely see that I placed a silver damask flocked runner down the center on the tablecloth seam as the centerpiece items nearly cover it up. I always have good intentions on limiting what goes in the center of the table but have trouble sticking to that idea.

This collage shows more detail views.

The bubble glass set of goblets with ruby stems was a Christmas gift from Mr. Swede several years ago. They are from Pottery Barn.

Plating up the dessert.

As you know, I like to use my tablescapes more than once by switching the plates out which works great when guests stay for the weekend.  Next week I will show what elements I kept and which I swapped out to make tablescapes for a lunch and dinner the same weekend.

What color themes are you using this year?   

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday this week on the blog Between Naps on the Porch.

To see all the entries, after 9:00PM Eastern on Wednesday, go here:

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Summer

Photos: Swede 

New Online Magazine 2die4 - A Must See

 

This new online magazine was just released by Irene Valdirose. You must take a look!

http://issuu.com/valdirose/docs/misscaffe/66

Miss Coffee's photograpic skills are just fabulous.

Summer

 

Holiday Decorating in Magenta

 

As I continue to decorate the console and center tables in the house, I change the colors.  I am not a red and green scheme holiday decorator.  I do like natural greens and branches from the garden, however, mixed into the settings. In my last post, you saw turquoise. Today I worked on a magenta and clear sparkle theme.

The console table in my dining room is up against the window. It is hard to style it to look good because of the plantation shutters on the window. I started with a huge antique silverplated tray and placed clear decanters on it. Then I encircled it with a garland of clear beads that has a lot of sparkle. As much as I can, I like to incorporate items in the house that I already have in creating holiday decor, such as this tray of crystal decanters, jugs and stoppered bottles.

It started out like this. But I keep adding and subtracting trying to find the right balance.

Then I changed it to this.  I still have more boxes in the attic to go through to find items to add more variety. I'm still not happy with it, so will keep working various elements.  I think this needs some subtracting and something added of a different scale.

Console table is by Swede Collection. 

In a few days, I will post the final tablescape. Now back to reworking it.

I am linking up to  Tabletop Tuesday

Summer

Photos: Swede  

 

Starting to Decorate for the Holidays

 

Now that it is the first week of December, I've started getting some ideas together for decorating my console and center tables.  I begin by gathering some items up from storage in the attic and other places and group them by color.

I made this grouping in the living room using an old English silverplate tray, mercury glass trees, turquoise mercury glass finials and turquoise glassware.

As I continue to work on the displays, I keep changing them so every few days they look different as I add and delete items. Next, I will probably add some turquoise ornaments to this mix. All the tables in the house are different -- different colors and different themes. This is the only place I will use turquoise.

Summer

Photos: Swede

 

Fall Color - Today's Dose of Beauty

 

 

Wishing that . . . .

all your pathways are colorful.

Summer

Photo: Swede

Tablescape: Welcome Autumn

 

I finally have accepted that it really is fall now. The summer has gone for another year.  When I think about styling autumn tables, game birds always come to mind. I guess it is due to getting hunting licenses for pheasant, quail and turkey in the fall if you are a hunter. If you have an occasion to honor a man for his birthday, promotion, or other event, setting a table with game plates is a good fit for a masculine theme.

Fall harvested fruits and vegetables such as pears, persimmons, pumpkins, kumquats, quince and apples that have colors we deem to be fall colors - oranges, golds, peaches and reds are a perfect selection for a table using game plates. I have placed Apple Annie faux pears made of resin and nut shells in a leaf-shaped dish by Vietri.

The above collage is a sampling of elements for this table. Flowers are an easy selection of an array of Chrysanthemums, berries, seed pods and Roses in peachy-orange tones.

These Mums are in my bricked flowerbed. They were in a hanging basket last year and in the spring they started to leaf out. I didn't want them in the hanging basket anymore so I tossed them into a nearby flowerbed where they amazingly made their new home.

On the left the glassware I selected is a white wine by Rick Strini Artglass of Hawaii in Flame Bella Gold and a vintage iced beverage in the Mt. Vernon amber pattern by Indiana Glass.  I love using amber colored glass with this style of tablescape.  And, I love giving vintage pieces new life by incorporating them with new stemware. This is my kind of recycling. I made the floral centerpiece for this table from three packages of florist Mums from the grocery store, one package of spray Roses and greenery and berries from my yard. I took a three-week class at a florist shop about 25 years ago just to give me confidence that I knew what to do. The class taught us to do all kinds of structured arrangements for weddings, funerals, etc. so I have a good foundation of skills under my belt that allows me to now do my own thing.

I am using a very simple bread baking pan as my container since it will be hidden underneath of foliage. Notice that I have placed the Oasis up high over the lip of the pan. Make sure it is in the pan very tight. Extending the Oasis is so I can get the flowers to drape over the edge. If you are trying this for the first time, make sure you purchase "wet foam" not the kind for making silk flower arrangements and soak it in water for 30 minutes. I chose the bread pan because I need a long and narrow arrangement for this table not a round one. It was just the quickest thing I found, I could have chosen a porcelain or glass container if I wanted to search through the cupboards.

I am constructing this on my kitchen counter. When I place it on the table, I will put it on top of two old leather bound books as a lift for a little bit of height but not enough that guests can't see over it. Make sure you put paper towels and Saran wrap on top of the books to absorb any moisture. In the above photo, you can see I have started the green up with cut greenery from my shrubs and Nandina berries which are still green at this time of year. From here, I will add the Mums and Roses just by "eye" until I am pleased with how the flowers hang over the edges and drape outward.

Here's how it turned out.

I think this Schumacher fabric for a tablecloth with its rich peaches, melons, golds and raspberry plaid is perfect for a fall table. You can also see the moire shine in the light.

Chargers are by French maker Niderviller in the color vanilla. When I ordered them the photo showed the color to be more beige but they are a good match to the pale yellow stripe in the tablecloth. I am using my gold plated stainless steel flatware again by Ricci.

Dinner plates are vintage English from Johnson Brothers in their Game Birds pattern. There are several birds in the series. This is the Quail. The plates come in ovals and rounds.  I have the 11" ovals.

Here is the Ruffled Grouse.

The Pheasants.

This is a wider view of the table with the Game Birds plates set for six. I am using a red/orange hemstitched napkin from Pottery Barn.  With the floral centerpiece, I didn't want alot of accessories, so I chose to only use the faux pears scattered around and the chalkware bird statues which belonged to my MIL.

Here is a larger view of the glassware. I like the chunkyness of the amber Mt. Vernon as well as the shape and the square-footed base. Their molded sturdiness is a counterbalance to the mouth-blown hand-made Strini art goblets.

Here is a closer look at the chalkware birds. Note that the spray Roses and Nandina berries drape down to touch the tablecloth.

Close up of the peach colored spray roses.

I am using my orange fish plates to serve dessert.  When I first got these I didn't think I would use them very much because of the orange color, but I find I use them frequently.  In the Spring they look great with a vase full of orange Parrot Tulips.

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday this week on the blog Between Naps on the Porch.

To see all the entries, after 9:00PM Eastern on Wednesday, go here:

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Summer

Photos: Swede

 

Decor Style: Shopping Marburger Farm at Round Top

 

I attended the fall antique show at Round Top, Texas last week in the 96 degree heat.  I came home a day early. Yes, unheard of for me to be a quitter at an antique show. I got to the point where I was drained of energy and just couldn't focus on another booth of fabulous stuff. I guess I shopped until I dropped. Just too hot to shop after about 10:00 in the morning. On the second day of shopping it rained for all of five minutes and didn't even get the ground wet. Texas has a big struggle with livestock survival this year as the long-term intense heat dried up all the grazing land and ponds. Driving across Texas the land looked desolate. Even the Red Oak trees couldn't survive and the Live Oaks were struggling. Everything was brown. On the highways we noticed truck after truck hauling hay bales into Texas.  

 
To see past posts I've done on the spring antique show at Marburger Farm, go HERE and HERE. Marburger Farm is just one venue at this event. There are more venues all up and down Hwy. 237 and in the small surrounding towns near Round Top.  Mile after mile of antiques. I did notice that the former sign that said the population of Roundtop was 77 had been changed to 90.  Now imagine 20,000 people showing up for a week of antique shopping. We certainly helped the local economy. 

First, if you have never attended, I want to show you how big the tents are at Marburger Farm. They must be the length of a football field.  There are three this big [below], another one this long but only half as wide and then another two that are almost this long and wide and three a little bit shorter and then two small tents.  To get through the eight major tents and 11 wooden buildings on the promenade takes a full day if you move fast.  I try to move through them at a moderate pace and take two days.  Then I go down the road to The Red Barn [air conditioned!!!] for a half day. Sometimes I hit Bahia or go to Warrenton.  You really can't see it all even if you stay a week.

 
Do you think this tent is 100 yards long? These tents are not air conditioned. See how brown the ground is - grass has all died. If I go back again, I think I'll only go to the spring show in April.  I saw Leslie Sinclair outside one of the buildings under an awning selling her new book, Segreto. That's a dedicated but brutal way to sell your book. Also signs were along the road pointing to Rachel Ashwell's place but I decided not to go to her book signing party at her new ranch Tuesday evening.

Walk through the tents with me and I will point out the things I liked and the best booths. They claim to have 350 dealers on 43 acres, so I only photoed a few. My camera got very heavy in the heat so I didn't take as many pictures as I have in the past. I must say that they do have fabulous items - so many incredible things your head spins.  I have never found a bargain here either. Mr. Swede calls it "high retail".  The most I hope for is just a fair price. Much of it is out of my price range, such as a set of 8 Swedish small kitchen chairs for $16,000. Looking at the eye candy is inspiring and I find it uplifting and joyful.

 
This is the General Store. Inside are six dealers with fabulous china, glassware and other decorative treasures. On the porch is Maison de France of Leeds, AL. I never miss stopping by the porch for antiques brought over from France by Ginny. I purchased a metal floor candlestand here.

 
I like how the antiques are displayed. Mirrors stacked in front of mirrors, architectural salvage and big French chairs.

 
Designing with alter candlesticks is still going strong. Nice country fruitwood chest.

 
Sconces, neutral pale pottery, and big meat domes are plentiful. Gilt and silver leaf finishes always get my attention. I am seeing severly distressed objects being considered "perfect" condition. I like aged finishes but not distressing on purpose to create age.

 
Sunburst mirrors of all styles going strong. I loved the pattern on the frame of this silver mirror. I still see many lamp bases made of iron salvage. Those looks don't seem to have faded in popularity.

 
I don't think French chairs will ever go out of style. These Louis XIV chairs have been recovered in linen. Beige linen upholstery or white upholstery is still a great neutral choice.

 
Small tables and French mirrors of any size are always in demand. I always get my fill of eye candy at Ginny's booth.

Next building - Legler House on the promenade.

 
There are two wonderful dealers in this building, Designs by Grace and Kelley Zeleskey of Houston.

 
These dealers show repainted furniture in lovely shades of gray and white. Here you see some 1960's blue dining room chairs waiting for reupholstery. Do you remember this style? There were thousands of this style French chairs made in the 60's and 70's.

 
They do a great job of merchandising and display. They always have nice mirrors. I enjoy this very pleasing booth since I am a lover of white and neutral interiors.

 
Here are two cute white painted chairs and another look at the French cupboard which was probably brown wood before. Now it is sporting wire door panels.

Next, in big tent A, we have Willow Nest Farm from almost local Burton, Texas. It is a booth not to miss.

 
If you love white, romantic interiors or feminine style, don't miss this booth. Above you can see the beautiful white children's clothing.

 
The Aubusson flat weave rug and coverlet is in a soft shell pink color. Just beautiful!

 
Linda and Ludmil put together a stunning booth.

 
Linda's attention to detail of small objects is just total eye candy.

 
In Tent A, this is California dealer Machtolff's Mercantile. Linen and hemp fabrics are still going strong along with Belgian decor.

 
This is a wider shot of their booth.

 
A couple dealers had these zinc baskets. None of them could nail down what they actually were used for. Machtolff's said they were to dip olives into a brine during harvest and were from France, others said they were from Turkey and others said they were to dip flowers into water during field harvest [don't think so]. I first saw them online at Atelier de Campagne HERE in California. I also got the popular zinc wire baskets from Machtolff's that dealers weren't sure what they were originally designed for.  They reminded me of baskets to pick potatoes [but too tall] and one dealer said they were for harvesting mussels. Lifting those filled with mussels would ruin your back! I would guess they are from the 1960's.  I think it is best to buy them only if you like them and not count on dealer information to be accurate. HERE are the wire baskets at Atelier de Campagne in California. It would not surprise me if some dealers purchased them there at the recent container sale to sell at Marburger Farm.  Mine has a maker's mark on the handles that does look Belgian.

I bought two zinc baskets from Machtolff's to use for burgundy colored fall Mums for my front porch.

 
I saw prices all over the place on these -- from $65 with a lot of rust to $295 - that's crazy! You could use them like I am as cachepots for plants with internal pots such as ferns or any seasonal plant or for rolled bath towels at a beach house. Pretty much as versitile as a woven wicker basket. Mr. Swede loved buying wayyyyyy too many gourds and pumpkins in Burton at a roadside stand.

 
Louis Vuitton trunks are for sale outside the Gulf building.

Also in Tent A, I always stop at Antiques on Holiday's booth.

 
I'm always anxious to see what Ann and her husband brought back from France and Belgium.  They have the best prices on glass demijohns.  Ann always has things like bird cages, antique books, china, tables, chairs and this time a taxidermed blue peacock.

 
Here you can see the peacock.

 
Ann's shop is in Destin, Florida. She has a good eye for selecting merchandise.

 
Sconces, paintings and architectural elements like shutters and doors are still going strong. People are still faux painting in light paint these brown wood French buffets, chests and armoires. The two big books above are French dictionaries.  

Another dealer not to miss in Tent D is Mitra of Houston's Art & Antique Hunter booth.

 
Mitra has fabulous trumeaus, chandeliers, tables, mirrors and chairs.

 
I believe she said she is a fourth generation importer of Italian and European antiques. My eye caught the coronas on the table.  A wide variety of lovely things to choose from in this booth.

Next in Tent A is this eye candy booth which I think is East of LA. One thing I don't like about Marburger Farms is that the booths do not have the seller's logo prominently displayed so you know whose booth it is.

 
I love this gal's style. She does a great job of merchandising her wares. Gold leafed chairs and metal objects, white/light fabrics, great display pieces.

Maybe because I am attracted to white and light interiors, I found many booths at Marburger in this style. I don't think it is going away anytime soon.

 
Cute little French desk in the front. Lots of white pillows, slipcovers, etc.

 
White chest, white marble sculpture, white iron planter, etc.

 
Light wood chest and mirror with iron lamp bases.

 
Another light wood chest, metal lamp bases and painted metal box for flowers.

 
Every shade of gray is still going strong. Notice the salvaged wood used to back the sconces.

 
This painted white antique chair is ready for reupholsery and a better faux finish on the frame. Very unique and a true antique. If there were do-overs, I would have purchased this.

 
There was an unlimited supply of brown wood furniture painted light colors -- gray, white, beige and pale greens or blues.

 
Chairs reupholstered in white.

 
Chests and nightstands ready for a new life.

 
I am so glad the recycling of these pieces is popular. I can't imagine how much furniture went to the landfill before this style became chic. Sorry I don't know the name of this dealer.

 
Here is another dealer with a fabulous booth. Wonderful canape/settee.

 
Needlework pillows and a framed piece on the wall.

 
We do see some brown wood tables that were not repainted.

 
Old beds are always popular especially with white bedding. Lots of ruffles. I think this dealer is J. Hill Designs.

 
Very attractive look of the lace top on the dress form. Nice French cabinet also.

 
Clock faces in decor hasn't faded. This dealer was also selling Leslie Sinclair's new book, Segreto.

 
Silverplated meat and food domes are in the height of popularity.  Very beautiful display.

 
Crackle painted old kitchen cabinet.

 
And, here is the latest style --typography used in interiors.

 
What do you think? Do you like subway style?

 
And the industrial look. 

 
Another building not to miss is the Silver Dollar Saloon. The dealers in here sell excellent transferware, majolica and estate jewelry.

You can also find an English transferware dealer at Zieger House.

 
Christopher English and Dennis & Dad are the dealers here.

 
They have an extensive collection of transferware, earthenware and pottery. I have a platter very much like this one.

 
Some nice painted chairs here on the porch.

Note to Dealers:  If I could not find you or your business card in your booth to identify you in my photos, I want to give you credit. Please send me an email and I will add your name. I don't want to leave you out but I couldn't be certain from the Howdy map who the owners of the booths were.

We came home to a cool 70 degree temperature.  My flower garden is loving it -- and so are we!!

Hope you enjoyed your tour of Marburger Farm.

Summer

Photos: Swede

Fourth of July Exterior Decorating

 

Happy Birthday to America the Beautiful!

Do you decorate the exterior of your home for the Fourth of July? I see a lot of exterior theme decorating for Halloween and Christmas, a little at Easter but not much for the Fourth of July. 

I love the show of patriotism of homeowners who fly the flag year round. I remember in January of 1990 when the Desert Storm Gulf War started patriotism was nearly dead -- you couldn't find a flag in a store to buy as they stopped carrying them.  But when the first American plane was shot down in the Gulf, and the photos flooded TV screens, American homeowners stormed the stores demanding flags.  I never saw so many yellow ribbons and flags flying in my life. Patriotism certainly got off the back burner. My husband and I met following the first Gulf War where he flew jets for the Navy off an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf.  

If you ever get the chance to see a collection of historic flags in a museum, don't miss it. Amazing. And, so much you never knew.

What do you think of patriotic bunting? I think it is very fun but it is hard to find in stores or maybe I just get there too late and it is all gone. Here are a few photos of homes near me using bunting.

 

Here's another nice one.

 

And this one is very nicely done.

 

White picket fences and bunting just seem to go together like America and apple pie.

 

There are flags in all the front entry flowerpots.

 

This red front door and red Crepe Myrtle bush get in on the celebration.

 

Oops, the plants died, but these homeowners still show the patriotic spirit in the empty planters.

 

One of my flowerbeds with red Begonias on the left and white ones on the right.

On a hot July day, who wouldn't love to sit on this front porch in the rocker under the fan with the flag flying?  Note the Haint blue ceiling on the porch.

 

I also want to show you some of Mother Nature's celebration in red, white and blue in my yard.

 

Red and white Dragon Wing Begonias and blue Evolvulus called Hawaiian Blue Eyes.  Iron Crane was a Target purchase in 2007. He was originally black and I painted it white.

 

Here is a close up of the Hawaiian Blue Eyes.  There are not many true blue flowers and even fewer that work well in patio pots. These close up at night and open back the next morning.

 

I just love Dragon Wing Begonias.  They bloom heavy and the blooms stay on all summer.

 

Each spring I buy 12 flats of Dragon Wings and put them in all the beds.  In October when it cools down, they are at their premium.  There are three red plants in this front planter. In October, the plants will be six feet wide and four feet tall. Another look at the white ones below.

 

I also plant Rainbow Swiss Chard in my flower beds. It is great to steam as a vegetable. We just love it. Love the red stems.

 

I have other white and red flowers in my yard, but many bloom early in April so are long gone.

Hope you have a fun celebration and fly some flags! I'm going to keep my eye out early next year for that bunting!

Summer Day for Swede

Photos: Swede  

 

Getting the Look: Marburger Farm Continued

 

Continuing my prior post about antique shopping at Marburger Farm in Round Top, Texas.

 
 

I want to show you some of my favorite booths. I am going to just post the photo with no comments about each one so you can enjoy the details in your own way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you who have never been to Marburger Farm, or attended the Round Top antique show [there are hundreds of venues], just at Marburger Farm alone, the brochure says there are 350 dealers on 43 acres.  There are old buildings which look like they were brought onto the site as well as HUGE white tents.  Four or five of the white tents are each the size of a football field. Below is a photo of one of the smaller tents. There are probably 3 of these.  There are also venues in Carmine and Warrenton. I don't think it is possible to see every vendor in the county in a week's visit.

 

Below are some of the old structures where vendors set up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we are traveling down the two-lane back roads to get to Round Top, we go through this one-lane arch.

 

If you love antiques, and have not been to this antique show, I hope you are able to attend soon.  They are held twice a year. Check out their website.

Summer

Photos: Swede  

Today's Pretty Photo: Barnacles & Beauties

 

 

German plates and figurines with sea barnacles and Roses from Ecuador. Figurines belonged to my MIL.

Roses are Mysteri [lilac] and Double Party [two-toned deep pink].

Hope you are having a fun weekend.

Summer

Photos: Swede

Shops With Beautiful Things: Iron Gate, Nashville

 

For Valentine's Day my husband treated me to a trip to Nashville, Tennessee to attend the annual Antique and Garden Show at the downtown Convention Center. While we are in Nashville, we never miss driving down to Franklin, the cutest little historic town about 30 miles south.  My first stop in Franklin is always Iron Gate. I believe I discovered this shop about 13 years ago.

Have you seen the first issue of Canadian virtual decor magazine Dabble?  They did an extensive story on Nashville and mentioned Iron Gate in Franklin. The gals who put virtual magazines together really amaze me. See it here: Dabble  

Come with me to check out this cute interiors shop.

 

Iron Gate is at 338 Main Street in the old section of downtown Franklin. You can't miss it. Here is their website: Iron Gate

 

This mirror-topped table is the first thing you see when you walk in.  I love mercury glass anytime of year, not just at Christmas.  These items were beautiful.

 
They had a few pieces of the currently popular industrial look. This cabinet was very large.  You can see the mirror better in the photo below.

 

I loved this mirror behind the light fixtures. Those are Jan Barboglio iron pieces in front of it.  I like the way they make iron flowers. These are glass pillar candleabras on iron stands. You can see them better in the last photo.

 

Readers of my blog know how much I love white natural coral.  My  husband has gifted me many pieces over the years from this display cabinet.

 

A decor trend that has been strong the past few years is taking metal casement windows and replacing the glass with antiqued mirror. I think they are wonderful.  Iron Gate had two of them.

 

And the romance of a white sofa with a gold frame!

 

Just dreamy. They also had pieces of Tara Shaw's Maison line. A dining table, corner cabinet and chairs.

 

This large mirror is wonderful also. This credenza was exceptionally large.

 

This iron bed is in the front window.

 

The lamps on this French buffet look like they are made of squares of Capiz shells.

 

The linen room has nationally known bedding lines such as Shabby Chic.

 

Note the mirror behind the headboard. Lots of beautiful white linens to choose from.  Cute light fixture.

 

The day I was there they had a large selection of Jan Barboglio's iron pieces. They are so unusual.

Another cute little shop to check out while you are in Franklin is Scarlett Scales.  She recently got a nice mention when Country Living magazine featured a table she and her Dad covered in zinc.

 

If you have a couple hours, be sure to stop at the Franklin Antique Mall on the same street as Scarlett's shop.

 

There are many wonderful shops in Franklin. Another favorite that I don't miss is The Registry a wonderful tabletop and bridal china shop. The Registry

 

Main Street in Franklin is typical of other older historic downtown areas as it has wonderful old buildings.

I hope you have seen something that has delighted your eye in this shopping trip with me to Iron Gate.

Summer

Photos: Swede  

 

 

 

Shops With Beautiful Things: Annelle Primos, Jackson, MS

 

Whenever I am near Jackson, Mississippi, I must stop in at Annelle Primos. I am always looking for beautiful items for the tabletop, and, of course, I love light painted antiques.

 

Annelle Primos's interior design shop is in Highland Village right off I-55.

 

Have you been to a shop that is so "you" that you want to ask for the key so you can just move in and never leave because everything is to your liking?

 

Annelle Primos provides interior design services as well as a bridal registry. Visit the website here:  Annelle Primos

 

My favorite item in the shop is this French mirror. The chest is wonderful also.

 

Here is a closer view of the fabulous top. Notice the birds.

 

How gorgeous is that? The gold bowl is 2die4.

 

I love light-toned neutral furnishings and painted wood finishes as they are so soothing as well as flexible when switching out accessories.

 

This mirrored pair of white painted doors makes a great backdrop for the Swedish sofa.

 

These light woods make decorating so easy. 

 

I liked the shape of this piece by Bliss Studios in California.

 

So pretty.

 

Another light toned cabinet.

 

Nice console, trumeau and framed intaglios.

 

Antique altersticks. Notice the little bird under the glass cloche.  And, the table below has a bird cage.  Birds are a favorite accessory for spring.

The shop always has several dining tables. I like the way they display the tabletop items on each table in place settings.

 

This makes it so easy to see how these items will look on your own table.

 

Here is a close up of the place setting.

 

The Kim Seybert fringe beaded placemat with the antique china plate. Charger is clear glass with a gold rim. Totally elegant. I do like that this shop carries antique plates and mixes them with new ones just like I do.  It gives the table so much character.

 

Here is another dining room. Note the painted green cane chairs.

 

The tablescapes are designed for Easter.

 

Cute rabbits and eggs.

 

Below is the place setting.

 

Neutral tones with lots of varying textures.

 

This dining table's cloth has a burlap look to the fabric's weave which goes great with the seagrass rug. It is tied so cute at the corners.

 

A really smart way to update a dark wood table that you are tiring of.

  

I love how they have mixed the antique plates here with new chargers and placemats. Note the unusual shape of the goblets.

 

A small table in Easter decor with a "feather" tree. Love the stemware here and the napkin with the aqua colored plates.

 

And here is another one.

 

A cute Easter rabbit with her baby. I like the planted carrots.

 

Another room at Annelle Primos has decor for more casual, rustic interiors and lake cabins.

 

Look how big and sturdy this dining table is. The antique French bench provides interesting seating instead of chairs.

These deer plates were a nice look for a hunting cabin theme.

 

I loved the amber stemware with the glass buttons. They were very reasonably priced. I will show these in my tablescape in a few weeks.

 

The deer napkin rings are unusual. The green placemat and octagonal plates make a great look.

 

This paneled screen is very pretty. Bird cages are very popular.

The registry section of the store carries exquisite china and stemware.

 

The cabinetry was painted by Virginia Weathersby of The Southern Institute of Faux Finishing.  I came to Jackson to take my third class at her shop. I will do a post next on that topic. Virginia is the one who told me about Annelle Primos and I am so glad she did.

 

I see they carry my favorite French china, Jaune de Chrome. The cabinet above is displaying Juliska.

 

You won't want to miss the chandeliers.

Here are a few of my purchases on my dining room table.

 

Maybe I should say this is the "before" shot.  Being a painter, you didn't think I would leave them this way, did you? 

 

These three Bliss Studio pieces didn't make it 24 hours in my house before getting some gold "make up".  They needed some added character so they didn't look like they all came out of the same Chinese factory [which they did]. 

 

Love the shape but it needs some help.  First step is to add French gilding wax.  This took me less than one minute on each piece.  I just put the gold on the pad of my index finger and rub it on. You could use an artist's brush, but I like to feel how it is spreading.

 

I am using two different colors of gold wax for variation in the finish. This is the first step on the finial below. Next it will get a darker gold wax and then some paint.  

 

Here's how all three of them looked after three minutes.

 

Ah, you say they all look the same again.  Yes, they do. But wait until you see what I do to them next in another post.  They each need their own individual character.

I hope you have enjoyed shopping with me at Annelle Primos.

All the best,

Summer

Photos: Swede 

Pink Tablescapes Continued

 

 

Last week for Tablescape Thursday, I showed a pink theme tablescape as a nod to the 2011 Pantone color of the year, Honeysuckle.  In looking through my cupboards, I found more china with pink colorways.

With the flowers from that posting, I have substituted French Alberto Pinto service plates for variety should you do two dinners back to back with the same flowers. If I have guests staying at the house for several days, I like to mix up the china but keep the same flower arrangements. In the six styles of these service plates or chargers, three of them have bright pink in the design as shown below.

 

Here are a few photos of the individual plates.

 

 You just gotta dig those fancy tailfeathers!

 

 

 

 

 

Also in my stash, below, are these pink luster W.T.Copeland plates from the 1860's. They are a lighter color pink and I haven't used them since I found them in 1992 in San Diego when I went to a thrift shop with a friend. I will work them in as a dinner plate.

 

 

I also have some pale pink Limoges shell shaped plates which I have used to serve appetizers or sometimes cake for dessert. I found a dozen of these at an antique show in San Franciso around 1994.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have china that you have lost your passion for?  Perhaps some that is now discontinued and seems outdated?  I bought this Wedgwood Cuckoo bird pattern in 1977, and it falls into that category. Do you look for a way to update your lost love?  Perhaps that plate will fit into this pink scheme.

 

 

 

I think remixing the china with newer pieces creates a new look for these plates or casts them in a new role.

 

I didn't realize how many plates I had with pink in them. Here is a Limoges  dessert plate with pink Carnations. I bought this set of a dozen from a seller on eBay who raved about them. Of course, when I got them, I discovered that was all sales pitch. But I kept them to use "someday".

 

I found a small number of these pink lunch plates, below, in Missouri around 1985. That was when I was very much into the Victoria magazine look.  They are unmarked but I think they are English Coalport or Copeland. They now live in an English pine plate rack in one of the guest rooms.

 

To get more variety, I could also choose green dinner plates to tone down so much pink. Also, for those who asked, the color of the wall in my dining room is a peachy color that goes with the silk plaid drapes and is not really pink. It is Martha Stewart's Nasturtium.

 

Are you willing to give Pantone's Honeysuckle or any bright pink a spot in your decor for 2011?

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday this week on the blog Between Naps on the Porch.

 

You can view the other entries here:

 http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

All the best,

Summer

Photos: Swede  

Creating Beauty: Pink Tablescape

 

When Pantone announced in December the color of the year for 2011 was Honeysuckle, I started thinking about what I already owned in pink. Not exactly Honeysuckle in hue, but bright pink which is similar.  Being a self-confessed plate addict who cannot pass by a beautiful stack of plates for sale, I do have some pink plates in my stash.  Truthfully, doing a table in all pink is not really something I have a passion for but due to the selection of Honeysuckle, we will all be seeing a lot more pink in 2011.  So I decided to let the pink plates have their day. I started to build the tablescape around my garden statue Lucy who you have seen in several past posts. 

 

 

 

I am not a fan of totally cluttered table tops where some object occupies every square inch. Some of these plants, especially the scented Hyacinths, would be removed prior to the meal. I think this tablescape would look just fine with just the statue and the Primroses at each place setting.  I only want just enough objects to make it intriguing to my guests and interesting enough to start light conversation.

For the flowers, I already had the pink English Primroses, so I went to the grocery store and purchased two pink Hydrangeas and two pink Hyacinths. The Primroses are inside lion-head soup bowls from Williams-Sonoma and the other potted plants are placed on top of pedestal cake plates. The pink china in this tablescape is: 1) an antique Royal Worcester dessert service from around 1877 which has five cake stands and 14 plates; 2) hand-painted service plates by artist A. Rhodes, date unknown, set of 12 all with different painted scenes; and 3) a set of 10 dinner plates by English maker Cauldon and sold in Tiffany's New York store sometime between 1920 and 1930. 

First let me show you the overall tablescape with each of the three services and then I will show more detailed photos.

 

Starting the meal with the service plates, each of these has a garden scene painted in exquisite detail.  I don't know who A. Rhodes was, of course, but she was extremely talented. I always wonder who had the china before me and what they were like.  These would be wonderful for a small bridal shower in a garden or a lunch for a group of garden club members.

 

Here we have the Cauldon for Tiffany dinner plates with cartouches and leaves around the edge in a very bright pink border.

 

And the last service is the dessert plate by Royal Worcester.

 

Now for the details of the build-out. I first started with a bright pink linen tablecloth from Williams-Sonoma but it looked awful.  Too much pink. So I went to white and put on a cutwork tablecloth I purchased from Canada in a crosswise position over top of a white quilt.  I am not really a tablecloth fan because it seems they never are made the right size and I don't like just 9" hanging down the sides. But I am okay with layering different cloths on an angle.

 

 

I started with my largest gold charger Hemisphere by Jl Coquet below.

 

The flatware is antique 1898 St.James by Tiffany. I used two sizes of stemware, a water and a wine, with a pink flash stem and bubble clear top from Pottery Barn.  My husband inherited from his mother two wine stems  in cranberry glass which I believe are Moser Cabochon and then I added more glasses to his set. 

 

Here is a close up of the dinner plate. You can see the lion-head soup bowls as well. They have a gold rim around the top.

 

Below is a close up of the Royal Worcester dessert plate with a hand-painted floral grouping in the center.

 

And with some cookies.  Honey if you are reading this they will be all gone by the time you get home.

 

I also want to show you a few of the hand painted service plates.

 

All are outdoor garden scenes. This one is of a garden staircase.

 

Roses on an arbor.

 

A pathway through two columns. 

 

This one has a sundial on a pedestal.

 

This one has an archway.

Here is the backside of the tablesetting showing how the cake pedestals give height to the flowers. I always like vertical height in my tablescapes.

 

 

The remainder of photos in this post are miscellaneous ones you might enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next week I will show the remainder of pink plates in my collection.

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday this week on the blog Between Naps on the Porch.

 

You can view the other entries here:

 http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

I hope this inspires you to put a little pink in your life during 2011.

All the best,

Summer

Photo credits: Swede

 

What's Under Your Glass Cloche?

 

 

I'm sure you've seen these a million times in decor magazines over the past few years.  They are a decorative take off from the original glass cloches used in England to keep frost in the spring from nipping plants. Today they are used for a variety of different things.  Recently I decided to place some antique French documents in mine.  These are letters and official documents from the 1810's to 1860's.  Some have royal stamps on them. I wish I could read French to know what they are all about.  I can read a few words which are the same in English as in French.  One I can tell is a prenup as it uses the words marriage and discusses what property the bride brings to the marriage.  I think they are just pure fun.

 

I had some thin purple ribbon from a gift that I cut up and tied around the documents.

 

I love the beautiful script of the handwriting on the parchment paper. This cloche is sitting on a mirrored brass plateau.

 

Since this cloche is quite tall, I used a photocopy machine's enlargement feature to print some of the letters on 11x17 paper. All the documents are loosely rolled so as to not destroy them with creases.  I think this is just a fun way to display these papers and protect them under glass.

All the best,

Summer

Photos: Swede

 

 

 

Belgian Design Going Strong in Atlanta

 

 

At Scott Market in Atlanta I found Belgian design still going strong. Here is the booth of Luz and Hernando Punto, owners of La Casita Home Decor of Tampa, Florida.

 

These vintage chairs are reupholstered in linen. They displayed a table of many styles of grain sacks with the printed dates and logos that have been so popular this past year.

 

Here's a cute chair.

 

 

Cute chairs in chocolate.

 

 

Pillows with embroidery or stamped designs.

 

Here is a large bench. I think you could also pad a large coffee table and convert it to a bench.

 

 

La Casita's business card does not have a web address, only an email address. If you would like to contact them, send me an email and I will pass it along.

All the best,

Summer

Photos: Swede

Women Who Make Beautiful Things: Shell Chic

When I went to the December show at Scott Market in Atlanta, I met Mary Robertson of Shell Art & Design. I wanted to show you some of her work.

She said she is showing pieces of jewelry and shell decorative accessories at the Jacksonville Beach Museum, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida until January 6th if you are close by and want to see her work there.

 

This is a lidded box with the shells afixed.

 

She attaches the shells to sconces, statues, picture frames, lamps and mirrors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm sure you have seen books published the past few years on Shell Chic interiors.  I still love decorating with white natural coral and some large shells.  In the past couple of years shelter magazines have overdone the look and some say it is a trend that has gone.  To me my coral pieces are everlasting and a room can still be beautifully done with shells as accessories if not done to extremes, as with any trend.

Mary's business card does not have an email or website, so I can't give it to you.  I do have her phone number if you just email me.

All the best on this early Janaury Sunday.

Summer

Photos: Swede