A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

As an interior designer, it's my job to help my clients create a home that's an expression of their tastes and personal style which will be conducive to their lifestyle. So, when I meet with a client for the first time, I ask them to describe how they would like their home to look, their style and what "feeling" they'd like their home to have. While all my clients can clearly articulate what they don't like, some will struggle to describe what they do like and want.

In the days before the internet, I would encourage my clients to "read and rip" through magazines, collecting images to help them identify and communicate the design elements they liked best. Today, we have Houzz, Pinterest and countless websites with seemingly endless design ideas but inspiration can come from many places.

  

When you're looking for what to do next in your home, look on the internet and home magazines for room views of finishes, furnishings and accessories but then look in some less likely places too. Nature, food, art are all wonderful places to begin. They can present amazing color combinations and provide wonderful insight to personal preferences.       Think of the colors of the four seasons; the soft, fresh pastels of spring, the bold, bright summer hues, the deep, rich jewel colors of harvest and the cool neutrals of winter.   Food may sound like an odd place to look for home design inspiration but food is a great way to articulate the shade of your favorite colors.   Chocolate Brown Lemon Yellow Cherry Red         Vacations can be a great source of ideas.  You may be looking to bring home the feel of a luxurious hotel, the warm glow of the lighting in your favorite restaurant or the cozy feel of a bed and breakfast.

Art can be the launching point for design style and color palettes for one room or the entire house. It says a lot about your personal taste and makes you feel good about your room each time you enter. Goethe wrote, " A person should hear a little music, read a little poetry and see a fine picture every day in order that the worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful God has implanted in the human soul." Aside from a house of worship, there's rarely a more perfect place to restore oneself that at home. So, whether your artwork evokes a memory, a day dream or just makes you smile, don't under estimate its the role it plays in creating the end result of your home.      Cultivating Individuality in Your Unique Home! Celeste Jackson

Biltmore Estate: Built to Last

Have you ever seen something so breathtakingly beautiful you want to tell everyone you know what you've experienced yet you can hardly find the right words to describe what you've seen or encompass the full impact of its beauty? This was my experience as I, for the first time, approached the Biltmore Estate. What a testament to our American Heritage and architecture. The below photos merely highlight a few of my most favorite features of this magnificent home but perhaps they'll be just enough to tempt you to travel to the fairytale home atop the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

Biltmore: Built to Last "Biltmore is a testament to the uncompromising ideals of an exceptional man - George Washington Vanderbilt. What began as his vision of a country retreat became the largest private residence in America and stands to this day as a celebrated historic landmark. To visit Biltmore is to cross the threshold into a world of hospitality, beauty and luxury that has remained unchanged for more than a century and is being preserved for many generations yet to come." - Biltmore: An American Masterpiece.       While George Vanderbilt was the visionary, Biltmore house and its gardens are the result of a collaborative effort between Vanderbilt, architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead. Together they created a harmonious blend of finest architectural details, interior design and furnishing and landscaping from England, France, Italy and Asia. Added to this is the very best in American ingenuity of its day.      The house alone is 175,000 square feet or 4 acres of floor space, boasting 250 rooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces. The architect Hunt, incorporated many of the innovations being introduced at the 1893 World Exposition; electricity, electric lights, refrigeration and 2 Otis elevators still operating with the original motors.       It took 6 years and 1000 artisans  working 6 days a week to complete this architectural masterpiece. The limestone, brought in from Bedford Indiana, was set in place then carved to create the countless architectural details that cover the exterior and line the roof tops. Each of the many gargoyles that watch over the estate are unique and one of a kind.     The above pictures show the exterior of the Grand Staircase, which has 102 steps that lead from the ground floor to the fourth floor. Typically photos of the interiors are not allowed, however, our docent allowed our group to sneak a couple of the wrought iron chandelier suspended through the center of the staircase.     This incredible work of art is illuminated by 72 electric bulbs and is suspended by ONE bolt. Only recently has this bolt be replaced as a precautionary measure!     Because of the many influences, our docent remarked the house is "like a English woman wearing a French dress".                        There is so much beauty in this home, so much to be said about its many rooms and the treasures each room holds, I feel my little newsletter can hardly do it justice. So I'll conclude with my favorite room and hope you too will one day visit the America's Downton Abbey. Graceful and feminine, Edith Vanderbilt's bedroom is as fresh and lovely as the day in 1898 it was completed. Decorated in preparation for their wedding, it appears today the same as when Edith saw this room for the first time upon her return from their honeymoon. Decorated in the Louis XV style, circa 1725, this oval shaped room incorporates all things feminine; luxurious silk wallcoverings, gilded mirrors and velvet draperies and is furnished with French period pieces typified by carved floral motifs and curving profiles. What woman today wouldn't relish such elegance? As I said before, there is so much more to this cultural and historic feast for the eyes that it is my hope you will find your way to this magnificent American Landmark. But if you can't, I hope you'll at least visit the website to learn more about the history of this home. It's something you don't want to miss! http://www.biltmore.com/   Cultivating Individuality in Your Home Celeste Jackson

From Flappers to Furniture, Fringe is in!

Recently I received a manufacturer's email announcing "Fringe is Back!" I love fringe and never really considered it gone. To me, fringe is the jewelry of drapery and adds attitude to upholstery. Take a look at some of these inspiring pics and you'll know right away what I'm talking about!

From Flappers to Furniture, Fringe is In!                   

For the same reasons the flappers of the "Roaring Twenties" loved fringe, and lots of it, on their dresses, designers love to add fringe to interiors. Let's face it, Fringe is Fun! Just like on the dress of a flapper, fringe follows form and accentuates lines and curves. Lovely to look at fringe catches the eye. Luxurious textures, toooo tempting, must touch!

 

Fringe reflects light, adds movement, texture and an unexpected twist to draperies or any piece of upholstery.

 

 

 

Today, fringe come in a huge assortment of  colors, textures, beads, metal, brushes and boullions.

If your style is traditional, substituting the skirt of a sofa with fringe can add a playful and unexpected touch of whimsy.

If your style is contemporary, fringe trim will bring movement to the lines and curves of everything from furniture to lighting. 

Fringes and trims add life and interest to toss pillow, table runners, afghans and bedding accelerating them from functional to fabulous.

And now they can go outside! These boldly colored creations take luxury to the outdoors. Give your patio a bit of bedazzle!

Jazz up your home, add sass to your sofa, shimmer to your drapes and adorn your home with the jewelry of trims!

  

Cultivate Individuality in your Unique Home! Celeste Jackson

Understanding Your True Furniture Needs!

Do you know the best way to go about furnishing your home? Will your home look and feel the way you hoped? How much should you spend to know the pieces you've selected will stand the test of time? There's more to furnishing you home than you might think. Below are a few ideas to consider before you begin.

Understanding Your True Furniture Needs  Have you ever bought a sofa or chair that looked like "just your style" only to be disappointed a year or two later when the cushions have flattened or the seams are coming apart? Or, have you had a dresser drawer bottom out because it had more than it could hold?   In today's era of environmentalism, we're constantly receiving messages encouraging us to choose reusable water bottles, unbleached paper products made from post consumer materials and toilet paper without the cardboard tube, all in an effort to reduce our impact on the environment.  While these are all simple steps we can all take, here's another area to consider, furniture. It's most obvious around holidays, such as President's Day, July Fourth, Labor and Memorial Days, there's a lot of furniture deals to be had. Online and discount retailers promise highly recognizable brand name furniture at HUGE, HUGE, SAVINGS and DEALS THAT CAN'T BE BEAT! Great photography in catalogs and online make reasonably priced furniture look amazing; a lot of look for little money. But to get prices so low, what are you sacrificing? The answer, quality; quality in the construction and quality in the finish. Now two thoughts may be crossing your mind. The first, what does this have to do with the saving the environment? Well, we know the better something is made, the longer it will last. Well constructed furniture will stand up to heavy use rather than braking down only to find its way to the landfill. With care, quality furniture will provide years of service and can be refinished or reupholstered for continued use by you, new use in a new space, sold or passed along to others. The second thought, how then do I choose furniture? Here are a few tips to help. Prioritize Your Furniture - The furniture that's used daily, such as, the family room sofa and chairs, kitchen dining table and chairs, beds, mattress sets and bedroom dressers should be your most well constructed pieces and top budgetary priorities. This is the essential furniture in your home.   Keep It Simple - Because buying new furniture with each new trend can be costly and your essential pieces will last a long time, the fabrics and finishes you select should be classic in style and neutral in color, so they're versatile and can be easily updated with fresh accessories as color trends change.   Have a Plan - Have a well designed floor plan and color palette. Just as a road map makes for a good road trip, a strong plan will help you to know exactly which pieces you'll need and the colors to select with each phase of your homes development. You'll know which pieces to purchase first and where best to allocate your funds. You can still strategically use some of those inexpensive, fun and sometimes trendy pieces in areas for low use and high impact. Furniture for halls and foyers, powder rooms, guest rooms and rooms that aren't frequently used don't have to provide a lot of support or endure repeated opening and closing are the places to preserve the budget.   Cultivate Individuality! Celeste Jackson

Kitchen Rejuvenation!

There's the familiar saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words" so this month I've selected some pictures from this exciting kitchen make over to speak for me. Look at these before and after pictures then think about your home. Which room are you ready to transform into an "after" picture?

Kitchen Rejuvenation!  Because we do so much more than cook in our kitchens, the kitchen has become one of the most important rooms in our homes; it's the heart of the home, a gathering place for all. Take a look at the before photos of this kitchen to see how it was transformed into a space to be enjoyed by all. Dining Area - Before Kitchen and Island - Before The extensive use of busy patterns can make even large rooms feel small.   Kitchen Sink and Island - Before Corner Cabinets and Counters - Before. After: It's All in the Details Dining Area - After A colleague of mine likes to say, "The ceiling is the fifth wall of a room," and I couldn't agree more. By adding crown molding and decorative painting to the ceiling, the eye is drawn up, the ceiling appears higher and spaces are clearly defined; the dining area takes on a more intimate air. The tromp l'oeil over the island and the decorative painting over the dining area add to the old world style.    Under cabinet lighting highlights the beautiful tile backsplash and makes a better work area. Detail of Crown Molding and Window Treatment      Just as a clear and uncluttered desk makes for a pleasant work environment, so it is with the counters in the kitchen.  Having ample storage off surfaces means there will be plenty of open space for cooking prep, hot pots and serving dishes.   By contrasting the finish on the kitchen island to the other cabinets, it sets the island apart as an architectural element of its own yet is in keeping with the feel of the old world style. Note how the weathered old world finish with it's layering of colors enhances the detail of the cabinets.    Functional to Fabulous: Freshen Up the Laundry Room    In today's home, the laundry or mud room is our entry way into our home. Instead of treating this space as an oversized closet or storage room, a catch all for the unsightly, make this space fresh and friendly. A cheery space to welcomes you home!   Laundry Room - Before                          Because frequently it's adjacent to the kitchen, continuity and uniformity are created between the laundry room and kitchen through the use of similar colors, textures, hardware and finishes. Custom shelves provide strong stable storage space to keep clear the counters and hanging rod for laundry day. This custom bench means there's an easy, comfortable place to put shoes on and there are an ample number of hooks, baskets and drawers for hats, mittens, umbrellas and totes all in one compact and neatly organized space.