Atlanta Symphony Showhouse

These last few weeks, I have spent time volunteering at the Atlanta Symphony Showhouse. It proved to be a great one this year. While, you cannot photograph the interiors of the home, you can the exterior. This home had previously been on the Atlanta Botanical Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour. Below are some phots from my phone of these beautiful gardens and greenhouse. I love my IPhone

White Bedrooms

Those who know me, know I love a white bedroom and have since I had my first apartment. For me, white is my retreat....my bathroom and bedroom. I am surrounded by color so coming home to a calming room detoxes me from my day. So how do you add that element of surprise to an all white room? Below are some great ideas.

IKAT in Interiors and Fashion

Most times, interiors fabrics and colors follow fashion. But on this occasion fashion has followed a timeless interior fabric. Ikat is a production that was found in India and South-East Asia. Patola cloth, a double ikat from Gujarat, western India, used to be exported to Indonesia for the use of the royal families. As early as the fifteenth century Gujarati merchants brought patola to Indonesian rulers, an activity taken over by the Dutch at the beginning of the seventeenth century to gain concessions in the spice trade.

Since then this type of fabric has been used in interior fabrics. I personally have used it in various hospitality and some residential applications. It is a fabric has offers a very relaxed feel to a space while introducing color and sophiscation.

fabric by P Kaufman

Lee Jofa

^{Dries van Noten}

Gucci

Schumacher

Madeline Weinrib

Friendship

Most of us are blessed with many friends and a few “best” friends. I am very blessed. I have a handful of the latter. All but one I went to high school. Three live near me here in Atlanta, one in Nashville and in Meridian, MS (my hometown). These friends have been with me through marriage, childbirth, my husband’s death, my son’s wedding and my life now as an empty nester. We speak via email, text, facebook, phone and in person.

One my recent visit to Meridian, I had the pleasure of staying with one of my best friends. She, too, is now an empty nester and has been able to transform a prior child’s bedroom into a guest room…(my guest room). Really, the room was designed with me in mind. I was able to select the room color and she created her interpretation of what I like. It is fun room filled with photos of us, photos of our travels, fresh flowers (which I love) when I visit. The theme is my signature black and white with greens and oranges. She added to it her signature color, hot pink.

I love the 60′s. Too young to have lived it, but I love the patterns, the colors, the clothes. So with all this in mind, along with the traditional side of me, the decor idea was born. Mod furniture with damask bedspread and photos as the artwork, my friend is a photographer. On my last visit, a surprise was waiting. She could barely contain herself, so off to my room we went upon my arrival. To my shock, my friend had found a Jonathan Alder Barbie, equipped with black and white mod clothes, and furnishings. One would have thought we were 6 years old opening up our Christmas presents. She was elated and I was laughing and smiling just as she was hoping.

As we finally sat down to reflect, I looked at her and said “you have had so much fun redoing this room”. I was worrying what she would start doing with her spare time. Not for long, we are now working on her husband’s outdoor kitchen and living space. Next, I hope comes the kitchen I have been dying to do for her…:-) Keep on designing like you mean it, I say…haha!