Swede

Swede Collection is Making Elegant Barn Doors

You have heard the saying "necessity is the mother of invention".   Have you ever wanted a beautiful sliding barn door and the only thing on the market is ho hum or your builder had to make one for $300 out of some pine boards on the jobsite?  Still not very pretty?  If you are like me, you searched the entire Internet and could not find any sliding barn door that had hand carving or was elegant.  

Search no more.  Swede Collection introduced at April High Point market its first three elegant barn doors.  Nobody but Swede is making these.  There are more designs in the works for October High Point market including a very interesting one you could call Bohemian with lots of details. 

Want an elegant sliding door between the master bedroom and bath?  How about one of these? Also incredible in a dining room.

This one is Silvermist blue with hand carving and Italian silver leaf.  

And it is finished on the back side as well.  Italian silver leaf on the trim.  Lovely from both sides.

Have a white room and need an elegant white sliding door?  Here she is.  Hand carved a couple feet from the top down. 

 

 

 

The back side is painted white also.  Due to the depth of the door the carving can only be on one side. 

How about the elegance of this one in Serious Gray with Italian gold leaf on both sides. 

Back is the same as the front on this one. 

Sizes???  These three are 8 foot 4 inches tall and 39 inches wide. They fit an 8 foot interior door that is either 32 or 36 inches wide. 

Can't wait to show you the new ones being developed now.  They also come in 88 inches high for either 7 foot interior doors or 6'-8" openings. 

Pass the word.  Pretty barn doors now exist.  Webmaster is putting them up on swedefurniture.com this week. 

 

Colleen 

 

 

 

Tablescape: Winter Silver and White

I primarily blog about two things:  tablescapes and Swedish furniture and flowers now and then.  For those who follow me for the tablescapes, here is my latest one. Simple silver and white for a winter dinner before the Christmas tablescapes. 

Since I just moved from storage into the dining room my painted Icy Grey dining table with black pepper finish, I had not done a grey tablescape on this table so was eager to see how silver, grey and white would look.  I did not want to overdo it -- just keep it low key.  Resource list at the end.  

For the centerpiece, I used three large silver reindeer standing in bead garland on a white linen runner.  I like the fur collars on the reindeer. These are very well made. I had others and they cracked and broke. 

Here is what one looks like close up. 

The beaded trees are about 50" tall so they go past the bottom of the chandelier. I like them because guests can see each other across the table but yet they add a touch of beauty. 

I looked through my china stash and decided to use these plates.  Top one is unmarked antique porcelain with the cute crown. I believe they are French due to the quality and the size of cups that came with them. 

Dinner plate is vintage Admiral by Coalport.

The grey French charger also has a little crown symbol with a hammered look edge.  On the right, the damask napkin made in Russia for Williams-Sonoma and Tiffany antique St. James pattern sterling. 

French white opaline stemware and crystal clear stem from William Yeoward. 

This table is set for a small dinner of six people. For the silver reflective value, I chose to use mercury glass votives and candlesticks.

Oval back chairs from Swede Collection. Antique Swedish cupboard. 

Resource list:

Beaded Trees: Pottery Barn

Beaded Garland: Target

Mercury Glass Votives and Candlesticks: Pottery Barn

Crystal Stemware: Pearl pattern from William Yeoward

French White Opaline Stemware: Portieux Vallerysthal

Sterling Flatware: Tiffany

Napkins and Linen Runner: Williams-Sonoma

Silver Reindeer:  Target

Enjoy!

Colleen

www.swedefurniture.com

 

 

 

 

Tablescape: Grey and White

For those of you who have been following me for a long time, you know how much I disliked my brown wood Henredon dining table that I have had since 1983. It has been a love/hate relationship for a long time.  What I loved about it was that it was 45" wide and 134" long.  If you have shopped for dining tables lately, you know that makers have reduced the width to 40" or 42" and it is hard to find wide ones. Likewise, long ones over 108".  When tables are 40" wide using a runner is difficult as it doesn't leave enough room for chargers at the place settings and using placemats doesn't look good either. So I loved the size and that it had two pedestals so chairs slipped under the edges nicely -- having no apron skirt that chair arms slammed into.  It also had casters so I could roll it around.  It certainly didn't look Swedish. But that BROWN wood just sucked up light and not much in the way of china or linens went well with it.  It has been with me for 34 years almost part of the family.  I have threatened to paint it many times but just didn't have the courage to "ruin" it.  

So I was looking in the clearance section of a local furniture store one day last summer and found this table for $713 plus $75 delivery that was a HOT mess.  It had shipping damage on the leaves and top.  It would only sell to someone who wanted to fix it up.  And, it was BROWN, of course.  Doesn't anybody make a white table????

 

What I liked about it was that it was 46" wide, an inch wider than mine, but shorter at 116 inches.  But it would blend with Swedish decor if painted.  In my next house, I want a large kitchen where I can put a kitchen table in place of an island.  So I thought this would work if I could use wood filler in the holes and nicks and paint it.  They are still selling that style table for $2,000 + tax and delivery. I was happy with my bargain. 

You should have seen the delivery man's face when I wouldn't let him take it in the front door and told him to go around back and put it upside down on the patio.  I primed it and enameled it icy grey with a black pepper top.  I used it as a display table at the shop for a while then it went to storage.  Last week I had the movers put it in my dining room at the house and put the Henredon one in storage. 

I do love the light color.  Oval back chairs are Swede Collection in pale grey.

I decided to do a simple tablescape in grey and white before I have to do Thanksgiving decor. 

I bought a large oriental bowl on stand at the Stock Exchange charity consignment store in August and filled it with shells and coral.  Spray painted the brown stand with grey paint for $7.  

A couple years ago I found a graduated set of platters. This is the smallest one. Transferware made in England in 1849 according to the mark on the back side.  This one is called "morning".  Loved the ladies.  It is hard to find antique transferware in grey. 

I love to mix china, new, vintage and old.  This is a new Anna Weatherley charger, Richard Ginori Italian "Torino" pattern dinner plate, which I think is discontinued, and on top an antique French monogrammed plate.  I LOVE gold monogrammed china.  The grey/white runner is from Williams-Sonoma.  French opaline goblet and Simon-Pearce twist stem in "Stratton" pattern.  Ricci gold flatware.

When I find gold monogrammed china it is almost always in mint condition.  Always "saved for good company" and never used. 

This little man I absolutely LOVE who adopted us is dressed in his tuxedo ready for a formal dinner. 

Now that I have photoed the table it is time to set it with turkey plates.

All the best,

Colleen 

 

 

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

Tablescapes: Winter Dinner

 

I see many of you suffer from the same disorder that I do: too-much-stuff-on-the-tabletop disorder.  I have been trying to scale back on my tablescapes.

After taking down some of the Christmas decor, I did a tablescape with my disorder and had to remove half of it.  I took photos first and when editing them, said to myself - this is just too much stuff. 

I am always amazed when I see Nordic, Swedish or Danish interiors and they are beautifully done with very few decor items.  I am trying to get there. So here is my scale-back table:

The items on the console table fight for attention with what is on the dining table, so I have been removing more and more of it. I have since removed two of the gold finials on the console.

For placesettings, I am using my favorite French maker Jaune de Chrome's Big Bang Bronze pattern chargers, Rici gold plated flatware, antique monogrammed white linen lapkins, Coalport's Admiral dinner plates, Royal Worcester's Contrast pattern salads, Flavia water goblets by William Yeoward and Waterford's Colleen pattern waters used as wines.

The centerpiece, after removing most of the first items, consists now of a brass plateau with a mirror top surrounded by clear ice garland from Hobby Lobby and mercury glass votives from Pottery Barn holding flameless candles.  The plateau is the base for an etched glass cloche with a gold metal crown inside.

Below is a close up of the console table. This is one of the consoles I designed for Swede Collection at www.swedefurniture.com.

The design is basically gold leaf and creme.  After removing my Santos dolls, I added two iron tall flowers in pots, another central candlestick and the finials. The pots of white coral have always been there.

I was in the mood for a lot of neutrals.

This antique Swedish chair is in the Late Gustavian/Early Empire style. Note the heads near the back of the arms.   You can also see in this photo our new diamond pattern jute area rug which I am NOT thrilled with so I won't talk about it.

Are you ready for a little less color in your house after the holidays?

I am participating in:

Centerpiece Wednesday on The Style Sisters. http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

Tablescape Thursday on Between Naps On The Porch.

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Summer

Photos: Swede 

Decor: Love of Winter White

 

As you know, I'm crazy about white interiors in the winter.

This is an aging thing.  I wasn't in love with white when I was young.

Above is our antique iron console table with limestone top and central marble disk in the foyer.

Potted white Cyclamen to go with the white of the coral pieces.

Mercury glass compote holding white coral. Mother Nature did a marvelous job designing white coral.

Close up of the coral in the mercury glass bowl.

And I made a collage for you adding on the right side a stack of Coalport Admiral dinner plates and a Limoges vegetable bowl.

Summer

Photos: Swede

Paris: Versaille's Petite Trianon

 

Love this staircase -- honey can we have one like it in our next house?

For love of white and iron, this was eye candy.  Do you ever think about who the craftsmen were who made things like this?  In the 1700's no less.

Summer

Photo: www.swedefurniture.com

 

Tablescape: Tortoise But No Hare

 

You all know how I like to take one table design and change it slightly to get another one out of it.  Today I am showing how I changed my last all white anniversary table by adding brown. Here is the quick link to the all white one: http://swede.typepad.com/swede/2012/01/tablescape-winter-white.html

I am using all the tortoise tabletop items I have. Hare is not on the menu.

All the china is Jaune de Chrome except the Anna Weatherley butter plates.

I have a weakness for French porcelain and maker Jaune de Chrome is one of my favorite for modern non-antique porcelain. This is their pattern called Tortoise Encrusted.

I chose to limit purchasing this pattern to only the charger and the rim soup. I use the rim soups for appetizers, desserts and salads.

Above is the Tortoise charger and rim soup to start the meal with the appetizer served in the rim soup bowl. I like having the sides on the bowl instead of a flat plate.

The glaze on the rims is fabulous and unique. Sometimes in the light it has a lavendar cast.

Dinner plates are Jaune de Chrome's Gypsies pattern.

Tortoise flatware is from Vietri and tortoise napkin ring is from Kim Seybert.  Mocha chocolate colored Primrose Bordier monogrammed napkin is Le Jacquard Francais.

Close up of the Seybert napkin ring made of tortoise colored discs on a square gold beaded ring.

Jungle animal print tumblers are by Slant from Dillard's. Water goblet is William Yeoward's pattern Flavia.

Table view.

I switched out the big white coral pieces for smaller ones in the centerpiece.

I moved the seashell sculpture from the foyer console table to use at the center of this table.

I also kept from the last tablescape the white quilted tablecloth from Macy's as well as the clear candlesticks from Pottery Barn.

End view of the table.

Dessert plates are also Jaune de Chrome in their pattern Jungle Ambre.

I couldn't resist using white and chocolate colors in the dessert.

 

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

 

Tablescape: Winter White

 

Still in love with white in all its various shades. Whether winter or summer.

Mr. Swede and I just celebrated our 20 year anniversary. This would be great for a bridal dinner anytime of year as well.

White coral is so easy to decorate with.  Put a few pieces in the center of the table and you're done.

Stemware is Simon Pearce's Stratton pattern on the left and William Yeoward's Flavia on the right.

All the china is Anna Weatherley.  I just got the chargers and love them. Undulating edge in gold and totally plain in a great size. Dinner plates are Anna's Simply Anna pattern in white on white. Bread and butter is very simple with a cute shape.  Butter knives are French made by Jean Dubost.

This is really a simple table. No flowers, no placecards, no service plates, no fuss.

Napkins were purchased from a very sweet American lady living in France who loves the brocantes and flea markets like I do. This is Mr. Swede's monogram, so I had to buy them. Also came with a tablecloth. Napkins are actually lapkins as they are 30" wide. It took me a while to learn how the French fold such a huge lapkin to get it this size.

Flatware is mostly antique mother of pearl sets I have found at places like Roundtop and from various antique dealers.  The forks and fish knives came as a set.  The ice tea spoon is new from Vietri. I'm not sure regular spoons were ever made in MOP as I have never found any.  You see mostly knife sets.

Heavy quilted cotton cloth with scalloped edge.

When guests know this can be thrown in the washing machine they relax. I have found many people have a fear of white. Pillow on the sofa in the back of the room is from Callisto Home.

View of the placesetting.

Clear glass candleholders and four inch chunky candles are from Pottery Barn.

Most of the large coral pieces were a gift from Mr. Swede over a period of years and are from the Iron Gate shop in Franklin, TN, which we love visiting.

There is more white coral in the mercury glass on this console table I designed for Swede Collection. This is the mercury glass I showed in my New Year's table last week.

Also in the dining room is this Swedish buffet cabinet I designed for Swede Collection with the leaf tip trim and stepped base. Of course, it is full of plates!

I love the natural beauty of white coral so much I can't imagine getting tired of decorating with it and storing it away.

I'm going to keep this one on the table for a few weeks as I never tire of white.

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: Love of White

 

 

For lovers of white interiors, sometimes you have to feed your inner gray.

 
Pillow by Callisto Home HERE.  Chair faux painted by Swede in Paris Gray Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Best wishes,

Summer

Photo: Swede

Tablescape: An Ocean Theme In The Simple Elegance of White

 

There is something eloquent in the simplicity of an all white table. If I was advising a new bride about selecting china, I would tell her to start with white. It seems like a non-choice but doing so has many advantages.

 

I remember when I was younger looking at all white rooms in design magazines, I thought the reason the homeowners chose white was because they were incapable of choosing a color they liked from too many colors available.  Now, in my old age, I know different.  To me, there is something relaxing about an all white room, especially if the fabrics are washable and there is a lot of textural detail in various shades of white. I find an all white room is so much easier to decorate when you layer all shades of creme and white. Then when you add just one color, the room becomes that color, and more importantly, you can then change that one color to a million different colors instantly. As I change out furnishings, I am moving toward an all white interior.  And, I love Swedish furnishings with their whites, pale grays and pale aqua blue/greens. I keep saying, "in my next house I will accomplish that".  But I do like a lot of colored china, so the room may be neutral, but the table will often show colors.

 

The white coral that I have collected for several years is the centerpiece. No candlesticks, tealights, or other elements. Just very simple.

 

I could have used a vase of white flowers instead - maybe for another table later.  The coral is short enough for guests to see over for conversation.  Have you ever had a guest reach over and take the centerpiece off the table and put it on the buffet because it interferred with their chatting across the table? Well, I have and it is maddening. So I look at that aspect each time I build a tablescape.

 

I am using this French boutis tablecloth from Williams-Sonoma. It is not as wide or long as my other white quilted cloth, so it doesn't touch the floor. I like the fact that it is washable and will fit in my washer.

 

I am using three crystal stems as they are colorless. I could also have used white custard glass or white opaline goblets to keep with the all white theme. Left to right: Tall Colleen by Waterford white wine, Flavia by William Yeoward water goblet, and the shorter first version of Colleen by Waterford red wine.

 

The 12" charger is from Pottery Barn's Great White series. It has depth to it so it doesn't lie flat thus a lot of dinner plates do not fit with it. Next for the dinner plate, I am using a 10" Grande bowl from Williams-Sonoma's Apilco line of French porcelain.  The lion-head soup bowl is also Apilco and has a thin gold edge around the top. Williams-Sonoma came out with the gold edge on Apilco one year for Christmas/New Years holidays. The 27" square lapkin with my maiden name initial is probably from 1915-1930.  For flatware, I am using mother of pearl-handled knives with Tiffany's 1870 pattern Saratoga. I only have mother of pearl knives. I am looking for forks and spoons as well. I am using the Saratoga pattern as a salute to my husband who did 4 [total of 9 cruises on various aircraft carriers] six-month deployments on the Navy's aircraft carrier Saratoga during his career as a Navy pilot in the Mediterranean Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Red Sea.

 

Below are shots of the table on an angle.

 

 

 

For dessert, to stay with the ocean theme, I am keeping all white and using Apilco's shell-shaped plate from their Ocean line.

 

I'm serving this white cake on an antique pedestal glass cake plate that I purchased in an antique mall probably 20 years ago.

 

 

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 Wednesday evening, go here:

 http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

All the best to you,

Summer

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  

Tablescape: Chocolate and White -- Diner's Delight

 

 

 

White coral still delights me. Decor magazines may not be showing it as much as they did the past two years, but for me it is here to stay. Today I have used many of my natural coral pieces as the centerpiece. I do like using objects in the center of the table versus flowers especially when I can find something that fits the scheme.

 

I purchased two cachepots from the garden section of Home Depot. These are just the perfect size for potted floral plants that you buy. They slip down inside to hide the pot.  I believe these are a fiberglass type material made to look aged. I filled them with bubblewrap and put the coral piece on top.

 

 

 

The goblet is the Stratton pattern of Simon Pearce. The tumbler is by Slant.  

 

 

 

 

I wasn't a fan of the color brown, even though my husband loves it [don't most men?] until I walked into a china store and was smitten by this chocolate glazed Jaune de Chrome Paris encrusted charger.  It just glowed and stood out on the shelf amongst all the other plates. It was the most incredible china I had ever seen, and as a china addict, I've seen a few.  I guess it called to me from across the room and said "trust me, you will love me".  This is the Tortoise pattern in the encrusted version.  They make it in two versions.  Tortoise has now won a place in my heart and I could almost say it is my favorite of all my china. I say almost because each  pattern is wonderful in its own right. But, this was a looker. Jaune de Chrome makes very unusual glazes. When held in the light other colors come out such as a shimmer of lilac.  In the past, I have not liked using black dinnerware or even dark browns. I made an exception to the rule with Tortoise.

 

For the service and appetizer plate, I am using William-Sonoma's Ocean shell plate. It is also made in France.

 

 

 

My husband asked for chocolate kisses with strawberries.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

This is Tiffany's English King pattern first introduced in 1885 and still in production today.  I am using it because of the shells on the ends of the handles which I think goes well with a coral theme. I would love to have acrylic handled tortoise flatware but have not found any I loved in my price range.

 

The bread and butter plate is from Williams-Sonoma. I believe they called it a biscotti plate.  I can't afford the b/b plates in Tortoise at $203 each, so this is an example of hi-low as they were on sale for $1.25 each. Butter spreaders with mother of pearl handles are Jean Dubost France.

 

 

 

 

The tablecloth is quilted white with a scallop hem. Napkins are Le Jacquard Francais 100% linen damask in their Primrose Bordier Tivoli pattern in Moka color that I had monogrammed in metallic gold thread.

For salad, I am using rim soups in the Jaune de Chrome Tortoise pattern.  I have mentioned before how I like to get triple duty out of rim soup bowls -- soup, salad and dessert. Due to the cost, I only purchased chargers and rim soups in this pattern.  It is also my general rule not to buy all pieces of one pattern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For dinner plates, I am using Richard Ginori's Coquille pattern.

 

There are some browns on the plate in the fish's fins and body that pull out when placed with the charger.  

 

 

 

 

The dessert plates are Jaune de Chrome's Jungle Amber pattern in a rimless coupe shape. They, too have a unique glaze.  I am using these for their color instead of a patterned plate.

 

 

 

I'm sure it won't come as a surprise to know I am serving a chocolate dessert.  And, grilled Halibut on the fish plates.

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/

All the best to you,

Summer

Photos: Swede

 

Love of White: Today's Pretty Picture

 

For those of you who love white, here is my wonderful find yesterday.

 

Two large rectangular French Haviland platters with gold trim. The best part -- they are in mint condition. A joy to find.  The white embellished pillow in the back of the chair is by Waterford.

Best wishes to you.

Summer

Photo: Swede

Today's Pretty Picture: Love of White

 

 

 

White with gold -- a wonderful combination.

All the best to you today,

Summer

Photos: Swede

White Roses in the Winter

 

Tonight's pretty picture for you are these miniature white fully opened spray roses.

Enjoy!

 

All the best,

Summer

Photo: Swede

 

 

Holiday Tablescape in White and Gold

 

 

 

This tablescape of dinner for six in white and gold incorporates seashells and clear glass. I like to mix various patterns of china, crystal and silver in the place settings as I think it is more interesting than all one pattern.  I particularly like mixing antique, vintage and new pieces together.  In this setting, I am using Raynaud Horizon Granite Gold chargers, Chas. Field Haviland Arizona dinner plates and Richard Ginori Torino rim soups. I very seldom buy salad plates, soups and dessert plates, but purchase a rim soup plate to do all three tasks.  Here I have used a mix of antique silver from Tiffany and Durgin.

 

I love white and gold anytime of the year.

 

The tablecloth is a white scalloped-edge quilt. A white orchid is under a huge glass dome which sits atop a white pedestal cake plate.

 

I am usually not a tablecloth person and prefer placemats, but in this case, I wanted to cover the entire table in white. The quilt has a very French boutis look.

 

The stemware is also a mix of Simon Pierce's air twist Stratton pattern, Waterford's Colleen pattern and an unknown pattern stem with a swag pattern that I found on eBay.

 

The glass canisters are placed in the center of the table and hold various types of seashells.  Some of these would be removed to the side when dinner is served due to their size.

 

 

 

Williams-Sonoma footed dessert dishes hold mercury glass ball ornaments.  

 

This huge glass cloche sits on a mirrored brass plateau.  

 

 

 

 

 

The antique linen monogramed napkins from France unfold to 27" square so are officially "lapkins".  I love how the French are able to fold them up into such a small size.  

 

 

 

The dining room is currently under "restructure". The dining room and living room recently were switched. There is much still to be done.  

 

 

 

Would anyone like a serving of seashell casserole?

Hope you are all having fun decorating your tables.

 

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday this week on the blog Between Naps on the Porch. Go here to see all the entries.

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

All the best,

Summer

Photo Credits: Swede  

 

 

Another Day of Holiday Decorating

 

 

I love natural white sea coral and mercury glass together any time of the year, but for the holiday season it looks even better, particularly mixed with clear glass beads.

 

 

All the mercury glass pieces are new. I have not found any antique ones. 

 

 One thing I don't like about mercury glass is that it doesn't photo well as it takes on the reflections of items around it. You don't get the correct silver look in the photos.

 

Hope all of you are having a wonderful holiday season so far.

Summer

Photo credit: Swede

 

Starting to Decorate for the Holidays

 

 

I'm running late decorating for the holidays. Here is a little display in my home office. I love to mix real coral into my holiday decorating. Metal painted shadow box is from Wisteria catalog. Cross in shadow box is from Hobby Lobby. Cabinet doors are the ones I painted in a class at The Southern Institute of Faux Finishing in Mississippi this summer. Turquoise painting is a 4'x6' gallary wrap canvas I finger painted a few years ago and then added some gold leaf.  Are you through with your holiday decorating?

Summer

 

Design Bliss: Going Camping With Designer Tobi Fairley

 

Who would have ever thought I would go to camp for the first time at my age?  When I was a youngster, there was no such thing as going away to summer camp. Nobody left town. We lived where all the campers wanted to come, the Rocky Mountains.  "Real" camping was available 365 [have you heard of snow camping?] in the most scenic mountains, rivers and valleys [think bighorn sheep, cougars, elk, rattlesnakes]. Although my Mother did real outdoor tent camping often as a child with her family and loved it, including Yellowstone Park in the 1920's, I never spent one night in a tent as a kid. 

So for my first camping adventure, how much better could it get than having Tobi Fairley for camp counselor?  She is the hottest name in interior design right now - at the peak of it all.  I'm still pinching myself that I got to spend a day with her.  And what better topic than color in interior design.  Okay, I'm in heaven.

When I was pulling out of my driveway to head to Little Rock, the postman delivered the October issue of Traditional Home magazine.  Guess who has a four-page spread [starting on page 66] -- Tobi Fairley!  And she is wearing the cutest red floral dress.  The article showcases two rooms she did on green space for the charity Energy Showhouse in her home state at Hot Springs, Arkansas. Tobi has become known for her unusual color combinations such as aqua and orange shown here. She also uses bright hues with full saturation.

Photo Credit:  Traditional Home. Photography by Nancy Nolan.

Here is Tobi's blog:  http://tobifairley.com/blog/topic/tobi-fairley-interior-design/ and website:  http://tobifairley.com/ and her art gallery: http://www.tobifairleygallery.com/. Be sure to click on her web portfolio to see projects she has done. You can also hear the podcast on The Skirted Roundtable where Tobi talks about her business and design work [blue living room] on the March 2010 cover of House Beautiful. Her office lobby is painted this same color which looks nothing like the magazine cover [see photo below]. http://skirtedroundtable.blogspot.com/2010/03/guest-designer-tobi-fairley.html

So let's take a look at our tent.  It is 140 years old and recently refurbished.

We "roughed" it at the Capital Hotel in downtown Little Rock. Having running water is great! http://www.capitalhotel.com/site/index.php

The inside of my tent is done in an English floral.

I could see the Convention Center out my window which is across the street from the hotel.

Camp Tobi Fairley's agenda covered topics such as Tobi's Tips on fabric pairings, furniture finishes and accessories. We studied forming color palettes by selecting and pairing paints, creating inspiration boards, getting the best bang for your decor buck, and where to splurge on furnishings, as well as viewing slides of her work. She shared her top 10 paint colors. We also got to preview her latest fabric designs.

Here is a collage of campers hard at work. Campers came from Tennessee, Texas, Arkansas and North Carolina.

Tobi is assisting each camper with building their own unique color palette. I went to Sherwin-Williams when I got home and picked up the paint chips I worked with at camp. Okay, so I hated them when I got them home in my light. I started over with new chips from Sherwin-Williams latest 7000 series paints. I am now liking:  SW7659 Gris, SW7570 Egret White, SW7616 Breezy, and SW7601 Dockside Blue.

Ask S-W for their free chip fan called Concepts in Color that contains all the latest colors [7501-7750]. Their previous fan is available for purchase. You can also use their Interactive feature on their website to try out colors.

Tobi is so good with color, she can look at a chip and tell you if it has an undertone of pink, yellow, green or blue. I am debating whether a person is born with that ability or whether it can be learned.  I am hoping I can improve this skill with my new lessons from Tobi. 

 

Here is my inspiration board featuring the things I love.  Swedish furniture, of course, and light and warm white interiors.  I've added some aqua fabrics to this one.  I coined the phrase "Soft Grandeur" to describe my style.  I'm sure you have heard of styles such as Rough Luxe, Soft Elegance, Shabby Chic, etc. This is luxe without the rough. Calming, easy comfort with some eye candy to delight the visual senses.  I selected items that I never tire of looking at which are very versatile. White fabrics are all washable. Soft Grandeur has a northern Euro look of gilded objects juxtaposed with simple lines.

I like keeping a room neutral so I can throw a dash of any color in it with pillows, art, china or flowers and the whole room immediately becomes that color. Then I can change my mind and do a different color the next day.  I need to be able to bring in a bouquet of flowers from my garden that are coral Daylilies one day and purple Iris another time and have the room always look good with no colors fighting each other. I can also use every color in my china collection on the dining table without a problem. I am a nester. I am always trying to improve the look of my nest. I also need constantly changing visual stimulation. After all these years of decorating trial and error, I finally figured myself out. Whew! My sweet husband hasn't had any issues with the white sofas and chairs.

Here is a collage of boards created by some of the other campers. I was not able to get photos of all the boards.

Inspiration boards are where you place pictures, fabrics, paint samples, objects or anything from which you derive inspiration.  This creates the basis of assembled ideas to edit and then move forward in creating an interior space.

While at Tobi's offices, she gave us a tour of where she and her staff work.

I just love her personal office done with pink paint and white furnishings. It immediately reminded me of John Coote's home in Ireland, Bellamont.  
 

Photo credit: Knight-Frank real estate listing.  

We also were given a tour of her art gallery next door.

If you are interested in further information about any of these works, call Amy at their gallery. Link provided above.

Here is another example of her use of dramatic color.

This is in Tobi's art gallery.

Ten things I liked about Camp Tobi Fairley:

1)  Tobi is willing to share her resources. She will tell you the exact paint color used in a room. None of that "its a custom mix only my painter knows".

2) You can ask her design questions and you get real answers, not "its a trade secret" pretentious replies. 

3) Tobi as a business woman knows that education is a great marketing tool to both your clients and admirers.  Sharing knowledge is good business.

4)  Her understanding of color is phenomenal.  Even though she likes bright intense colors, I feel she could be equally successful with neutrals and would love to see work in that area. She understands all colors.

5) She encouraged questions during the session and dialog between campers. Sharing ideas with other campers helped both the experienced professional designers and the enthusiasts. Everyone was able to take away knowledge from the event.

6) I liked that she was willing to up-cycle used furnishings to give them a new life.  [See Traditional Home article on the Energy House]. When a top designer does this it gives validity to saving resources and others follow suit.

7) The before and after photos of her projects were just great. You were also able to learn in her Tips segment how and why to apply the design theory.

8) I will definitely look at colors in a new way with a different understanding.

9) My curiosity keeps me constantly wanting to know more about design and it is a privilege to learn from someone as successful as Tobi.

10) We got lunch [smile].

One of the most enjoyable parts of camp was the evening "campfire" where design war stories were told at the Capital Bar and Lounge.   

What a great time.

I hope you have enjoyed going on my first camping adventure.

All the best,

Summer

Photo Credits:  All Swede except Bellamont and Traditional Home.  

Love of White

 

Here is more to the love of white story.  White with metallics is special eye candy.  White with gold or white with mercury glass work so well together.  White natural sea coral never goes out of style - always beautiful. Mother Nature gives us a wide variety of white flowers.  One of the plants that is always magnificent is the Annabelle Hydrangea.  Some of the flower heads are about 11 inches across.  They grow in cold and warm climates.  Every yard needs a few of these.

  

One of my first purchases of coral.  This one is actually fragile and requires care.

Richard Ginori Fiesole cup and saucer and other Haviland vintage pieces.

Love the gold metallic edges on these large platters, mostly vintage Haviland.

White coral placed in a pedestal vase of silver mercury glass.

Shells and coral on a marble topped antique 1880 French hutch.

The lovely Miss Annabelle.

Enjoy!

Summer

Photo credits:  Swede

Original content: Swede

 

Loving and Living with White

 

Do you love living with white? 

I am sharing today a collage of some of the white things around my house that I love. Hope you enjoy.

 

 
Love of White

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Photo Credits: Swede

Original Content: Swede

1)    Vintage china – eBay

2)   Orchid with sea coral – Orchid from Target Stores

3)   Coral in mercury glass vase – Vase from Pottery Barn

4)   Waterford linen pillow – Dillard’s

5)   Mandevilla vine in my yard

6)   Antique linen sheet from France – eBay

7)   Mercury glass and white sea coral [love this combination]

8)   White Hydrangeas from grocery store in wire basket from Hobby Lobby on foyer console

9)   Haviland and Coalport vintage china - eBay

10) Amy Howard Collection chair

11)   Vintage china lady plate with Richard Ginori cup - eBay

12)   White Iris plant in yard

All the best to you this Sunday afternoon.

Summer