Queen of Vignettes, Advocate for Oppressed

From day to day, Anna, our daughter, spends her time negotiating and advocating for international justice. Working to combat grand-scale evil is intensely stressful. Consequently, on weekends Anna unwinds by arranging flowers from Whole Foods and their garden. When she is off duty, in every room, on every surface, she creates beautiful vignettes.

More than a few flower arrangements brighten the spaces.

Pillows soften sofas, chairs, and beds.

Wallhangings, paintings, and mirrors add interest to walls.

Artistic objects grouped or solo decorate flat surfaces.

This is the cutest cheese board, wedge-shaped marble with nibble holes. :)

The cumulative effect is a warm and welcoming home.

 When you consider the mayhem Anna battles the rest of the time, no wonder beauty and order, tranquility and peace are so important in her personal space. To survive, her home must be a haven.

Fashion is Fickle, So is Decor

Do you ever get tired of trying to stay in style? Whether it is shoes or sofas, styles change rapidly and often. I don't know about you, but I think trying to stay "with it" is expensive and elusive. By definition, to be fashion forward is to hit a constantly advancing target. The transitory nature of design has led me to follow three rules when making purchases.

First, choose things that are classic. Look at an item and ask yourself, "Will this seem weird or dated in a few years?"

I am sorry, if I offend, but gilded tree trunks may fall into this category.

DYI project from http://www.babble.com/crafts-activities/12-stylish-diy-tree-stump-ideas/#gilded-trunk.

 The same goes for colors. A few of us remember avocado appliances.

And thirty-somethings probably recall their parent's forest green den.

So, let those flashbacks be a caution sign. Green is the color of the year, but go slow before purchasing a green sofa, no matter how "cool" it seems.

photo from kzinteriors.com

Try, instead, a less costly venture. Try a green throw or green lamps.

Warn yourself not to fall for fads that have come and gone previously. I seem to remember a booth in my aunt's kitchen, when I was a tiny little girl, which leads me to wonder, "If I get a builder to put in stationary seating in my kitchen, will the next home owner just have it demolished?"

http://st.houzz.com/

Or I ask myself the question another way. "Will this trend date my space?" What would your answer be to that question, if you were considering this coffee-table-on-wheels?

http://st.houzz.com

My recommendation is: if there is a hesitancy that this will not stay a forever-favorite, don't buy it.

Which brings me to my second principle: choose personal perennial favorites. I have an all-time favorite color which always makes it a safe choice for a room. But, since purple, turquoise, and magenta aren't on my favorite list, I won't buy even a pint of paint that color.

Ok, maybe you don't think you are easily led into following the design leader, but Madison Avenue is sneaky. How often do think about buying something, because you have seen it "in the magazines"? It is easy to get tempted to make a purchase, when you know the item is all the rage.

For example, you see a grisaille mural at an antique mall. Truly, it is an unbelievable deal. And besides, there was a mural just like this on the cover of Veranda,

The Harvard Museum

but ask yourself, "Have I been dying for a picture of nymphs in my dining room?" If the answer is no, walk away. Chances are, you will be relieved you didn't buy on impulse.

Personally, I don't really like modern and mid-century styles. However, a few times I have been tempted to buy a lamp or a a painting, because I don't want my home to get dowdy.  It is important to  remember, "To thine own self, not to Madison Avenue, be true."  

This leads me to my third axiom: be sure purchases fit my worldview. What do I mean?

Well, think about what the piece says philosophically. I have seen variations on the Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe portrait in Architectural Digest and on Pintrest.

But, Marilyn was an unhappy woman in unhappy marriages; she was a sex symbol not a noble or accomplished woman, and she committed suicide. Would I want one of my daughters to emulate her? Of course not. So, I wouldn't be tempted to have her portrait in my house?


The same goes with Mao.

My word, he was king-of-human-rights-abusers, overseeing the deaths of 40 to 70 million people. I really would not have wanted to live in China in his day, so neither will you find his portrait in my house.

Ok, these are obvious examples, but you get the point. It helps me to think about what my accessories say about me, my lifestyle, and my worldview.

OK. Enough moralizing.

Now, time for true confessions. I must admit, I have enjoyed my "hot" orange shoes this season.

I bought them on a whim one winter day, because I was anxious for spring. And, actually, orange goes with an amazing number of things in my wardrobe. Besides, shoe soles wear out much more quickly than does upholstery...Ok, I admit it; I'm rationalizing. But, really, they aren't as bad as...

these pants which I bought a couple of weeks ago. Obviously, I didn't practice what I preach.  I'm already asking myself:

"What were you thinking?"  :)

A Welcoming Entry

When you open the front door to our home, this is your welcome.

I don't know about you, but I always like a foyer that allows the guest to see straight through the house to the outside. I also like a light, bright entries, because they are welcoming. We transformed our warm raspberry foyer to a bright neutral space, when our house was reconstructed after our flood.

When our house was waterlogged, the floors needed to be replaced. So Bill and I decided that as long as the home was being overhauled, we would go ahead and cover the cost of having the entry walls updated. The fifteen-year old, tonal striped wallpaper was stripped.

In its place, a lovely Ralph Lauren damask wallpaper was applied. Standing alone, the paper was elegant. Unfortunately, it clashed with the adjoining rooms, especially in the evening light when it took on a purple hue. Oops, that was a mistake! 

How do you explain to your spouse the brand new wallpaper is a disaster? Well, I first pointed out the clash. Then, our daughters, unprompted, repeated the sentiment when they walked in the door! After a bit, Bill agreed to let me have the foyer painted. I chose the new high gloss Benjamin Moore paint.  Can you see the shimmer?

The entry is on the north side of the house and tends to be dark, so I chose a color a shade or two lighter than the dining room on the right,

but a perfect match to the wallpaper on the living room walls to the left of the entry.

The high shine is a good foil for both rooms--the gloss contrasts with the grass cloth in the dining room and the fabric wallpaper in the living room. 

However, without the wallpaper pattern, the glossy walls seemed to be crying out for some artwork. Fortunately, about the time I was trying to find something for the space, I won a Wally Ames  painting from a blog give away sponsored by Loi Thai of Tone on Tone Antiques!

(By the way, if you don't follow Loi's blog, you should! It is my absolute favorite.  http://toneontoneantiques.blogspot.com/2013/02/american-oil-painting-giveaway.html.  His shop, Tone on Tone Antiques in Chevy Chase, MD has a wonderful collection of Swedish, Danish, Belgian, English, and French antiques--well worth the trip!)

I was thrilled to get the painting by the New England landscape artist! Furthermore, because I had been seeing gallery walls all over blog-land, I decided I could start one in my entry. 

With the Ames painting, I had two for a start, but I had two empty walls. So, I ventured up the road to Adamstown, Pennsylvania, "the antique capital of the USA." Weekly, hundreds of dealers open their booths at one of several antique malls. (Stoudt's Black Angus Antique Mall,  Renningers Mall, and Adamstown Antique Mall are three of the favorites.) 

First, I found a wonderful old frame for the Wally Ames painting. Sometimes an ornate frame can detract from a painting, but in my opinion, the landscape's bold colors do not allow it to be overshadowed. 

At Stoudt's, I found another landscape. Actually, I was attracted by the lovely, old gilded frame, but the Swiss scene pairs well with the Ames.

Those two paintings took care of one plain wall. 

Next came, the other empty wall just inside the front door. For this space, I already had a painting I purchased years ago from the Philip Bradley, Company in Exton, PA. It is another landscape in a worn, but beautifully-carved gilded frame.

(Bradley is one of the remaining very fine antique dealers in the area.) 

At Stoudt's Black Angus Antique Mall, I found a companion painting to hang below the Bradley landscape.

As you can see, I have a penchant for outdoor scenes. In my opinion, they never look dated. Here is how this pair look together:

Now, I know, "two paintings do not a gallery wall make", but it is a beginning.

Actually, the entry is still a work in progress. All over our house, I have been trying to put our antiques in a more contemporary setting. So, I like the glossy walls juxtaposed to the antique furniture and frames, but I think some contemporary lamps would add to the mix. I have my eye on two Barbara Barry lamps.

However, that's another story, maybe for Christmas... :)

Over all, I am pleased with my entry. I feel badly my first choice of wallpaper did not work out, but the new bright entry presents a pleasant welcome and leads guests into the rest of our home.

Chasing Away the Blues

I don't know about you, but the evil events of last week in Boston have saddened my spirits. Yet, rather than give way to melancholy, I am trying to focus on the good. 

Floating around the blogosphere is the quote from Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping'."

Such advice is helpful. It follows one of my favorite verses in the New Testament: "Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about...and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8,9 The Living Bible).

Following this advice. I listen to the birds singing their "cheer-up" song, and notice the flowers nodding their hello to spring. I look for lovely things like the palest of pink tulips around the lamp post in our backyard. 

These pink and white double-petal tulips are so pretty, lifting their faces heavenward, attesting to beauty on earth, gifts from above.

How can I stay sad when from our front yard, we look across the road to the greening grass, then across the river to trees in their hint-of-green lace negligees?

Furthermore, I can see good within the human spirit. Rather than destroy, mankind has been cultivating beauty since Eden. Two weeks ago the Amish farmer across the road spread organic fertilizer on the dark soil. And already the field beyond the hedgerow is greening. Can you see his house and barn at the crest of the hill? There it is on the horizon; I only need to look up.

Indeed, all around are evidences of God's sustaining goodness, proofs of new life, and examples of human helpers who work to restore order where there is chaos.

As doctors and nurses in Boston work to heal the wounded, Penn DOT workers here in Lancaster work to replace the huge wooden, road-surface planks on our covered bridge. They also substitute fresh wood siding on the bridge after vandals busted holes and sprayed graffiti on the walls.

Another helper, a gardener, placed bulbs in the earth last fall, so daffodils and jonquils would bloom in the spring.

Good neighbors planted a redbud tree, just so everyone could revel in the dainty purple beauty.  

Still other neighbors offer a quiet place of contemplation to passers-by.  Their rock garden has an arbor entrance next to a flowering cherry tree beaconing friends and strangers to come inside and escape from the harsh realities of life.

Won't you join me in dispelling the lingering shadows left from last week's terrorism. Take note of the sunlight igniting the forsythia bushes near you, and let the beauty of springtime chase away the lingering shadows in your heart.

A Walk on the Modern Side

Back in the fall, we were invited to dinner and got a tour of a young couple's new home. Our hostess has her own marketing firm and an eye for modern design. The home is contemporary and livable.  Come walk through this dynamic space with me.

The entry adjoins a warm carmel-colored sitting room decorated in brown suede but with a striking zebra print bench and black tables.

Those touches of black are repeated in the the open living room, dining room and kitchen. This fantastic entertaining space is dominated by a cherry red, wrap-around sofa with black pillows and two comfortable black leather chairs. 

 The red is repeated in the dining area draperies.

Upstairs a calmer palette prevails.  The guest room has white walls, a soft yellow print drapery, and gray silk duvet.

The master bedroom pairs soft grey with brown and seafoam for a restful mood.

But the lower level ramps up the volume again with a bold turquoise-and-orange color scheme.

I could just see teenagers squeezed into this wrap-around booth drinking cokes and eating pizza. 

One of my favorite parts of this lower level was the placement of hanging guitars.

Our enjoyable evening in this modern decor left me flabbergasted by the diversity of creativity. The variety of tastes and talents is as impressive as the distinctiveness of snowflakes and finger prints.  Wouldn't you agree?