Well, friends, the best laid plans go awry.  I intended to show you our newly finished man-cave in this post, but my son absconded with my memory card for my camera and so I wasn’t able to photograph it.  But, I am going to make it up to you, I hope, by showing you a completed project that I did for my fabulous client in Switzerland.  So, here’s my promise.  I am not going to tease you with showing the project a bit at a time over several posts.  Instead, I will show you the befores and afters, with some commentary thrown in and in a later post or posts I will take you behind the scenes.

First, I must introduce my lovely client.  She has traveled and lived all over the world.  She was born and raised in St. Petersburg, attended college here in the U.S., moved to various locales in China, lived for a bit in London, and found herself in Zurich with her fiancee.  She found me through the blog, and although we initially did all of our work via Skype, in the end we met over a pair of Hickory Chairs in Chicago and spent a frenetic but fruitful few days in Zurich for the installation of the project.  This lady is seriously chic, absolutely gorgeous, and possessed of very distinctive style.  Coco Chanel would be envious so for this story I am going to call her Coco.

Here is the way that the apartment looked when Coco first contacted me. 

This was the living room.  Coco loved the wall color, her sofa, her armchairs, her Ming cabinets and her rug.  She had just purchased some of her furniture and the Ming cabinets are antiques. We had some great things to work with already.

The wall color is consistent throughout the apartment, as you can see.  Coco wanted to keep her window treatments as they are brand new, and the antique Chinese chairs and table were also must keeps on both of our lists.  Loved those gorgeous vintage parquet floors.

Here is Coco’s bedroom.  She wanted to add some color and interest to get away from the “hotel” look of the room.

My original design brief was to create a glamorous yet inviting living room for Coco and her fiancee.  Once that was accomplished, we were going to move into the study.  But as these things tend to go, the project began to creep into Coco’s bedroom and even small parts of her hallway, kitchen and dining room.  This is always great fun for me, as it means that my client and I are finding ourselves much on the same page and that they value me enough to ask for my input in other ways. But then…

I had finished my moodboards and floorplans, submitted my purchase orders and was ready to move full speed ahead on the living room when I got an e-mail which said, basically, that Coco and co. had spent their Christmas swapping the living room and study!!!  My response was “okayyyy….but we sort of have to start over!”  We didn’t really have to scrap everything – the Hickory Chairs remained- but pretty much everything else changed.  So, here is the new living room/former study….

I love the way that the light fills this room, and Coco’s instincts in swapping the darker, cozier room to the study were spot on.  The sofa, bookcase, rug and window treatments and art all were existing furnishings.  We added the armchairs, upholstered in a truly wonderful Clarence House fabric, the twig table from Arteriors, the Jonathon Adler tables that we completely transformed, custom made throw pillows and the white cowhide thrown atop the rug.  We also added lots of color and pop with various accessories.

This antique apothecary chest was already a charming component of the room.  We added the vintage mirror, the Circa lamp and the fun moss balls for color and shape.

This is a closeup of the lovely vignette we created with one of a pair of antique Chinese chairs.  The fretwork fabric echoed the Clarence House fabric, but in richer and deeper tones.  A vintage Tibetan drum is perched under the chair.

Here are some of the accessories that we used to style the bookcase.  Coco loves orange in every shade and so we worked hard to incorporate it where we could, while also adding some touches of green.  We were really thrilled with the way the room turned out.

Remember Coco’s old living room?  It became her study and this is the same view as the one in befores.  You can see that we paired the antique Ming cabinets on the wall with a pair of Ralph Lauren sconces by Circa, some luminous white ginger jars, and her existing Chinese scholar’s chairs.  Her English armchairs and sisal round out the mix.  We added pop and pizzazz with the fretwork fabric on the ottoman, heated up with a bright persimmon trim.  We also added a bright coral throw, and detailed the fretwork on the chair cushions in bright orange piping.  A vintage map of Paris hangs on the left wall and to the right you can see the Chinese wine table.  Out of view is the desk and the two chairs that allow Coco and co. to work side by side.

This is the salon style art wall that we created to hang above the wine table.  The creation of that wall is worthy of its own post!  We found all of the art through Lost Arts Salon and had it framed here at the Frame House.  We were thrilled with the results.

This is a closer view of the art wall, with the chairs cleared out of the way.  It is so sad that there is so much reflection on the art in the photo, but I have shots of individual pieces to share with you later.

This is a closeup of the vignette that we did.  Coco and I thought it a bit cheeky and fun to have a container full of calligraphy brushes below the art wall.  We planned the placement of the artwork around the height of this vignette.

Many apologies for the bright lighting in this, but that was the only way to get the photo.  We added some beautiful chartreuse and chocolate fabric pillows from Quadrille to the bed, hung existing pressed botanicals over the headboard and paired them with Circa sconces.  We styled the bedside tables with some lovely accessories which really added interest and character to the room.

I have more photos of this project to share with you – both the finished product, as well as the in progress shots- but we will get to those in another behind-the-scenes post.

I am so proud of this project.  Can you imagine that we did this via Skype, e-mail, spreadsheets and five million photos sent back and forth?  Every single new purchase was packed and shipped from here to Zurich.  Most importantly, Coco and co. are happy with all of the changes and are planning new projects down the road!!  More on Coco and her stylish salon later….

Kristin

It has been months since I have written a word here and for that I must apologize.  When last we met, I had just braved a flood in the basement, broken my hand and was heading into the holidays dusty, musty and banged up.  Our basement renovation turned out just as I had imagined it would be and I will post lots of photos for you in my next post.  But for this post,  I needed to write a little homage and a new chapter in The Story of a House.  Because, you see, we are selling out house….

There are many reasons that go into such a big decision, but the most important one that I will share with you is this.  Sometimes the most lovely, most comfortable, most congenial place can be constricting – to your way of life or to your family.  And so it became with our home.  When we built this house, it was with the expectation that our daughter Darcy would eventually move into a group home.  With all that transpired with her and her health over the last few years, it has become clear to us that we will never feel comfortable letting her live apart from us.  It is simply too risky.  But what has become obvious to us is that we need a live-in caregiver for Darcy, as she can never be left alone at a time when our family’s schedule grows ever more hectic and demanding.  And this is where the mismatch, the constriction, if you will, occurs.  We don’t have “quarters” for a caregiver in our home. The only way to add them would be to add even more square footage to a house that is already getting to be far too large for our crew who will all be leaving save Darcy.  Add to that the small detail that to add quarters would be at a fairly whopping expense.  We have mulled over this for a long time, and in the end we concluded that this beautiful house no longer fits our lifestyle and that we were adapting ourselves to it, rather than the other way around.

While we reached the decision thoughtfully, and even prayerfully, I never expected that getting the house ready to put on the market would be such a enormous undertaking and an emotionally draining task.  First came the flood in the basement and all of the renovation that took place as a result.  Then came the re-arranging of various rooms to show them to their best effect for potential buyers rather than for how we love to live in them.  My beloved chairs and antique aquarium that sat in my hallway were dispatched so that the hall would feel more open.  The family room was purged of my favorite writing table and chair in the corner – where I usually wrote this blog-as it made the room feel less open.  And our bedroom was rearranged for the umpteenth time to make it seem more spacious.  Countless things that our hands used to touch daily have been tucked away, doors that always used to hang ajar in welcome are now formally closed, and the feel of our house is just a bit less a home, somehow.

It was difficult, and frankly, depressing.  I don’t like to share my thoughts when I am not in a happy place, hence the extended silence here on my blog.  That and the fact that I simply didn’t feel I had the perfect words to describe what we were doing and why.  That old saying about the perfect being the enemy of the good definitely holds true in this case.

So, where will we go?  What will we do? We considered buying another home, smaller, with quarters attached.  We talked of renovating and redecorating.   We swore we would never build another house.  And yet.

And yet, that is exactly what we are going to do! We intend to stay in our current neighborhood and build another house.  It won’t surprise you at all, I think, to know that it is sketched out, that notes have been taken, that a folder on my laptop grows daily with inspiration images, that I prowl my own home now taking detail shots of features that I want to re-create in some way, and that architect and builder await our purchase of a lot before we are off to the races.

So what does that mean for this blog?  Well, I will certainly write about the new house as it comes into shape, let you see the images that are inspiring me, and take you behind the design process for me. Such fun!! But I will also post about my projects, about designers that inspire me, about gardens that mesmerize me, about products and resources that I find irresistible.

At my sister’s persistent urging, I have started a Pinterest account and in my next post I will hopefully have that icon up so you can see what I have on my boards there.

Well, goodness, I don’t know how many of you are still checking on this blog, but I am back and here to stay.  And most profoundly relieved to have gotten my big news off of my chest, off of my desk, and onto yours.

Fondly,

Kristin

Hi,

My December turned out to be oh so exciting.  So, in my last post, I told you that my basement flooded.  Then, I broke my hand 4 days before we were expecting 70 people for a Christmas party.  Of course, I managed to break my hand in a way that only professional baseball players typically do.  Of course!! I love to be original. Hence the title of this post- I closed out the old year with a bang rather than a whimper!  Typing is a bit of a challenge, so I will be self-editing as my hand gets tired.

My basement flood has turned into a design opportunity.  At least that is how I am choosing to see the fact that my limestone floor was ruined, travertine fireplace hearth stained, walls, mouldings, furniture, all damaged or a total loss.  Even my wonderful clamshell that I had stored there temporarily for Christmas got stained – permanently.  Who knew that something that lived in water for so long could get water stained!   Any way, this is what my basement looks like now.  Sorry it’s so blurry – I took it with my phone on low res.  But you get the idea.

What a girl to do?  Create the ultimate man-cave, that’s what!  Starting from the entry, here is my plan.  I am placing this fabulous vintage sofa that I just had refinished at the base of the stairs.  John’s African prints will hang above it.  The flooring will be Champagne Peacock Pavers in a herringbone pattern.

In the main room, Champagne Peacock Pavers will be installed in a running bond pattern.  The walls will be painted a warm, deep grey-brown.  This is counterintuitive in a dark basement, I know, but since I cannot fake natural light and this IS a man-cave, I am going with it.

Our mantel will be replaced with this one, from American Masonry Supply.

I put together a mood board for the room so you can see what I am thinking.  Lots of Restoration Hardware pieces,  a Mitchell Gold sectional, Wisteria bookcase, a Timothy Oulton pillow or two – do you see a theme here?

These are all retail sources.  I am trying to get this room put together in a matter of weeks, rather than months, and so I am using what is readily available to me.  I really don’t feel I am making a compromise though – these are all great designs and in the colors that I want to use.  Plus, my teenage boys are not likely to appreciate, not to mention properly care for, custom upholstery!! I have a fabulous antique pool table, and I am accessorizing with some great vintage finds from Uncommon Market, one of my favorite stores in Dallas.  By the time that I am finished, I expect the room to have a unique feel, even though I am using lots of readily available pieces.  Here are a few of the one of a kind things I am considering to give the room a distinctive feel.

Vintage military flags.

I love the grey and honey tones of this one.

Apologies for the blur factor, but you get the idea….Would love to see the mannequin swathed in vintage rep ( striped )  ties – loads of them. I bet ebay would have a great selection.

I also am going to check out another favorite source, The White Elephant, to see what goodies they might have in store for me.  I am sorely tempted to use a London tube sign as it’s actually meaningful to the boys – witness the Union Jack and the pillow with the British stamp motif.  But it’s so trendy right now that I am not sure whether I will do it or not.

We are also remodeling the space a bit.  We are adding a powder bath and what I am calling a snack station.  Basically, I am specifying shelves and cubbies, with room for a built-in microwave and a mini-frig.  The snack station will not have a sink or ice maker, as I just don’t think they will get used often.  To save some money, I am going to use a remnant slab from my fabricator for the cabinetry and extend a section of about 18 inches to create an eating bar.  Add some industrial stools and vintage looking sconces and it should be really fun and functional, especially since it will wrap the pool table.

I have decided to divide the large space in front of the fireplace with a linen curtain which will hang from the ceiling behind the sectional.  Behind that curtain will be the ping pong table and the foosball table – if it can be repaired from the water damage.  I hate looking at the ping pong table and the room divider will make it less visible.  I am hoping to hang the linen curtain from industrial track lighting from Pottery Barn with small gauge chain.

I will be sure to update you as we make progress.  In the meantime, I have some finished projects to show you in the coming days.   Should be fun!

I wish all of you a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!!

Kristin

Hello!

I, like many of you, have been busy decorating my house for Christmas.  But all Christmas ops have been suspended due to a flooded basement.  Uggghhh.  The entire level got wet in the last 36 hours and I have been preoccupied with dealing with the aftermath.  I was intending to repost my photos from last Christmas for a little Christmas decorating inspiration for you, but my blogging software is getting the best of me just now.  So, I am going to give you the link to that post so that you can see if anything there inspires you.  I hope so!

http://covetabledesigns.com/blog/a-covetable-christmas-the-story-of-a-house-dressed-for-christmas-10-and-the-giveaway-winner

I hope you have as much decorating your house for Christmas as I always do!

Take care,

Kristin

Hi,

Do you remember sitting down at a Thanksgiving table in years past that boasted one of those wicker cornucopias?  The ones filled with gourds, leaves, and fall flowers?  Sometimes, they might boast a bunch of artificial grapes, or even occasionally real ones.  I love the concept of the “horn of plenty”, but as you know, I love to add my own twist to centerpieces, especially during the holidays.

I was inspired to create this centerpiece when I went to my local Whole Foods and saw the most lovely display of wild mushrooms. ( It reminded me of my shopping forays at the Food Hall at Harrod’s, where food display is an art that has to be seen to be believed. ) I decided to create my entirely edible centerpiece on the spot and began gathering the beautiful foods that would comprise my centerpiece.  Instead of a cornucopia, I decided to use the vintage drawer that usually anchors my center island in my kitchen. The wild mushrooms really shine against the texture of the vintage burlap feedsack remnant.

Here is my modern cornucopia:

On Friday, I am making either wild mushroom soup or sauteed wild mushrooms with a rustic pear tart.  I think we may very well roast some of those lovely chestnuts, too.

I have some hilarious Thanksgiving anecdotes to pass along and I will be back after tomorrow to tell you more.  Hopefully, you will have some to share, too!  Have a wonderful, blessed and gracious Thanksgiving tomorrow.  From my home to yours, I wish you all the best.

Fondly,

Kristin

Hi,

I have such a backlog of wonderful projects to show you – some of mine, the work of other incredible designers at Tablescapes, and some great inspiration.  But, those are going to be longish posts, and I have time to do only a short one today.  I realized that I haven’t shown photos of our “family” powder room.  This is the one near our back door, pool area, and mudroom.  It is much more kid friendly than our Asian inspired powder bath, but I still love it very  much.  I shamelessly stole the idea for the sink from a photo that I had kept for years.

This is an aged and crusty looking urn that is actually fiberglass!  I had a basin made for it from hammered nickel.  The floor is that fun and inexpensive checkerboard ceramic tile with fabulous terra cotta accents.  My linen towel and soap dispenser have found their perch on an antique prie deau ( a prayer bench ).  I found the eglomise framed mirror at a consignment store and the sconces formerly resided in our family room in London.

This is a closer view of the sink.  I used some of the left over granite from my bathroom to make the diamond backsplash for the tap.

This is the prie deau.  I found it at Roundtop and fell in love with it.  I had no real idea where it would live, just that it needed to find a home with me.  After flitting around the house with it, I finally settled on this for its home.  The linen towel covers the carved cross on the back.  I am so happy that I found an answer for the problem of where to put the soap and handtowel in this bathroom – and it’s such a pretty solution, too.

This is a fun assemblage of garden and nature inspired pieces.  The antique print is a find from Treillage, Bunny Williams store in NYC, from a million years ago.  The other pieces are just bits and bobs from over time, and the type tray I have had since high school.  It’s now very sparingly filled, but I like the geometry of it.  The two drawings tucked behind the type tray are so sweet.

These are actually promotional pieces that were sent out by a local landscaping company.  I loved the look of them so much that I used them in the vignette.  That little matchbox is from my first anniversary dinner at The Box Tree in New York – over 28 years ago.  Goodness, how time flies….

I am a frustrated photo stylist.  I should have different colored soap in the dispenser, my towel looks very white against the creamy ivory of my walls, although it truly just caught the sunlight in this shot.  My Roman shade needed to go up a bit or down a bit so it didn’t have that funky little bulge in it….And this is the reason I don’t post more!! I make myself crazed and spend SO much time getting my photos to look just so.  I know I have to stop being such a perfectionist, so today I just shot, uploaded and posted.  I am closing my eyes and pressing the “publish” button right now.  OK, now.  Umm, now, seriously, now….

Kristin

….these beautiful handpainted drapery panels from African Sketchbook.  Some of you may remember Cote De Texas‘s post on the Cape House Hotel, with the fantastical fabrics custom made by this wonderful company in Capetown.  They can customize their work in any way that one can imagine, and I can imagine several!  These panels were made for a residence and they are called The Forest on the website – so appropos.  I have been looking for a very special window treatment for a room with some very fine art pieces, and I am hoping that my client will consider using this resource.  I must have murals on my brain, as I stopped in to Joseph Minton‘s wonderful and eponymous antique store.

These are handpainted cotton or canvas panels that envelope the walls of his wonderful store.  Aren’t they lovely?  Of course, the antiques are wonderful, too….

I found this image, too.  I have no idea who the muralist is, but I really would love to find out.  I know that murals are not “on trend”, but I think that’s why I am finding it so attractive right now.  I am feeling “trended” out just now.  What about you?  It feels to me as though we are on trend warp-speed and that no sooner do we see something new and different than we find it in every store and read about it on every blog.  Or really, it’s the other way around….

And you may think that Joseph Minton jogs your memory a bit.  He is the designer who was responsible for the last Southern Accents showhome in Ft. Worth.  The poor man worked himself tirelessly to get the showhouse finished – and to perfection- only to find in the end that the magazine would be folding in the very near future.  And I have long been a fan – do take a look at his website, here.  This image was one of my inspiration images when I was planning our house….

Not one thing in this photo ended up directly relating to our home, except that the light was stunning, the colors soft and welcoming, and the feeling is one of comfort and unfussiness.  That needlepoint rug looks so lovely rumpled ever so slightly on the sisal!

Do take a moment to look at the African Sketchbook website – you will be enchanted, I promise.  Wish me luck in getting my client to agree to use them for her draperies.  Now wouldn’t that be a workroom visit to cherish?!

Bye for now,

Kristin

Hello there,

No, I am not Porter Cooper, Kristin Mullen is not my nom de plume, but it’s been so long since I wrote a thing that you would be forgiven for thinking that someone named Porter Cooper had kidnapped me!  I am showing this darling calling card from Iomoi, which is one of my favorite websites for a chinoiserie fix.  I love the freshness of their colors and design and their things are SO affordable.

You can have anything you like added to their fabulous plate designs, your monogram, name, address, etc.  Darling and inexpensive, as they are melamine.

Their lucite trays are pretty wonderful, too.

And these pillows are so fun.  Guess which one I covet…

I do love the persimmon and fuschia monkey!  Another fun place to get a chinoiserie fix is Oomph!  Here are a couple of their delightful pieces.

Sorry for the weentsy size, but it’s so fun I had to show it.  This is the Newport coffee table.  It’s definitely not for the light of pocketbook, but it’s wonderful, isn’t it?

This is one of their Tini tables.  I didn’t show you the more traditional white, black and coral lacquered pieces because I think part of what makes this line so fun are the candy colors that they offer.

Designer Jennifer Connell, in House Beautiful, I think, has a fresh and young take on Chinoiserie.  The fabric is Quadrille.  Love the pagodas and chair.  Wouldn’t one of those Iomoi trays look right at home here?

And here is Mary McDonal’s guest room.  I love the chinoiserie stencils, the fun headboard and the moon rising over the “pagoda”.  So fresh, fun, and yummy…

Kristin

PS  I am not going to bore you with where I’ve been, what’s been going on, or why I haven’t posted.  Suffice it to say that life has been VERY FULL!!  I love what I do, which is a good thing as I am doing it seemingly every hour that God sends me!!! Or, for you secular types, I have been as busy as a one-armed paper-hanger.  I am going to do my best do post more often – not a very high bar for me these days – but simply do fewer photos and less fulsome commentary and perhaps show photos of a project or story over several days rather than trying to sit down and do very long posts as I had been doing, as all that results from that approach is NO story at all.  I hope you will bear with me as I get my bearings in trying out a more edited version of me!

Hi,

I have been fortunate enough to find myself extremely busy during these tough months for the economy.  My client list is robust and growing, and I am privileged to be working on a great variety of projects, from construction details to finishing touches, and from contemporary to unabashedly traditional.  It’s a whirlwind, but one that I am enjoying tremendously.  The downside is that I am not able to blog as often as I would like! (The fact that I have to write my blog against the backdrop of “Family Guy” and my 15 year old LHBO* does nothing for my creativity! Don’t ask….)

* Yes, I am aware that this is not the proper acronym, however, this is a G rated blog!

One of my projects that I am working on right now is a fabulous game room for a family with two girls, in elementary school and high school.  The family wants a game room that is functional but stylish, hardworking but whimsical.  No typical “bonus room” decor for them, they wanted a place where they can feel like they are getting away.  As my client described a home that she loved on Lake Austin, she said it was “Tommy Bahama meets Ralph Lauren”.  So, I started to think that building a room around Quadrille/China Seas fabrics might be the perfect choice.  The colors are candy store varied, and the patterns shout “getaway”.  Here is a preliminary look at that palette.

The stripe is called Cabana, the fretwork pattern in turquoise and navy is Edo, and the lime fabric is Java Grande.  We are doing a navy sectional from Crate and Barrel, and using the China Seas fabrics for throw pillows and possibly for a cluster of ottomans that will serve as a coffee table, too.  The navy is a practical and durable fabric that is easy to clean. The carpet is still up in the air, although we are thinking something that looks sisal-is, but with lots of stain protection is a good option.  The ceilings in the room are going to be clad in beadboard, and the dated entertainment built-ins will get some new mouldings and a bit of a “facelift”.  When all is said and done, I will be sure to take some pictures – hopefully I will be allowed to show them to you!  I love the colors and can’t wait for the project to be finished.

This project led me to think about “stay-cations” in design.  So many of my clients come home from a vacation or a trip inspired with a particular design idea, or several.  Some of these ideas are the basis for a room, a detail, or even a whole home, and for them those ideas are evocative of a memorable time in their lives.  I am really inspired by the notion of including a touch of vacation into a room that will be used every day, a design stay-cation, if you will.  There are a lot of different approaches to this idea, and I thought I would start with fabric.

I thought that I would show you some more China Seas fabrics, used in some really fun and eye-popping rooms, as I think this fabric line has some designs and colors that evoke vacation 365 days a year.  All images from Quadrille/China Seas website, here www.quadrillefabrics.com

I love this!  Navy and orange are a classic Asian color combination, but here the navy has such a strong purple component to it, that it really holds its own against that orange.  The fabrics are a great play against the very straight-laced dresser, blue and white porcelains, and nautical art.  Of course, I think the daybed is divine, too.  Very Indonesian meets New England, and both of those places are so picturesque.

Sorry for the small photo, but this was so memorable for me when it came out in House Beautiful.  The Lyford pagoda pattern on the chairs and pillows dictated the wild and playful palette in this room. The intensity of these colors is just so unexpected, and their use in a family room/sitting room is very, very brave.  I am guessing that this is not a household of boys, who would surely rise up in rebellion over a pink room.  I adore it, and I am sure many of you do, too.  I am thinking very Caribbean, with a British Colonial vibe.

The window treatment sport the Paradise fabric in a vibrant coral, and the designer popped that pattern onto the walls behind the bed.  I date myself in saying that this combination of turquoise and orange should remind me of Howard Johnsons, but it really doesn’t.  I haven’t met the client yet that would let me get this funky with color, but I await the day, I await the day!  Again, you can see how the designer took some very traditional and staid furnishings and  kicked things up with vibrant color and knock-out pattern.  I would wake up every day in this bedroom certain that I was on a private island somewhere, courtesy of a well-heeled host.

Not as vibrant as the above photos, the Henriot pattern on the sofa still commands center stage.  Not your grandmother’s sofa!  I also really like it with the ikat pattern on the opposing sofa.  Goodness, this room is no shrinking violet, even if its color palette is more traditional. The image is cropped so that the artwork above the sofa cannot be seen, and that may be why it hasn’t pushed me over the edge of just too, too much.  But it’s teetering…But, doesn’t it feel like a vacation in a room?  It’s sort of West Indies, sort of Hamptons, but it definitely doesn’t feel like a traditional American living room.

Fabric is a great way to set a mood, and depending upon how much of it you use, it can be a lot less expensive than any vacation!

Wow, looking at the rooms above makes me hanker for a real vacation, but my kids are getting geared up to go back to school.  Where did the summer go?? Oh yes, now I remember.  It went to Palo Alto, Napa, Vail, Philadelphia, New York, Rhode Island, Orlando and Amarillo! Back to reality now, and not a minute too soon….

Kristin

PS.I am really enamored with the China Seas fabric house right now, I must admit.  I just finished using the Java print in chocolate and another called Batik in chocolate and pistachio for a European client’s bedroom.  She is the lucky owner of those Adler tables that we re-imagined.  That is another project that I am excited to show you at completion, if she will allow it!

So, of course, I haven’t had a moment to do another post for you and now I am off to Orlando and everything Magical.  Now, please understand that for years our family made an annual pilgrimage to Disneyworld.  Darcy loved it, the boys loved it, and John and I loved that they loved it.  But after a while, Darcy stopped liking to travel and the boys could practically narrate every ride in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and MGM/Hollywood Studios.  And if you ever need practical tips on Disney, I am your gal.

This trip is different.  For one, we NEVER do Disney in the summer.  Never, never, never, never.  Did I mention that we don’t do Disney in the summer?  Anyhoo, this trip is different because it’s for – wait for it- lacrosse!  Yes, I know, my entire summer has revolved around lacrosse and if my #2 son weren’t so passionate about it, as well as pretty good, then I wouldn’t dream of altering our lives to suit the sport. But Connor’s team has qualified to play in the National Championships for under 15 year olds and the tourney is in Orlando at the Disney Wide World of Sports.  So back we go, heigh ho, cheerio… Except that we are going to the dark side and will only be spending some time in Universal Studios and one of Disney’s water parks before and after the tournament. No Magic Kingdom, Mickey, nada.  Can you feel the enthusiasm bursting between the lines??? NO?  Really??

Here is where I would love to be:

This image is from House Beautiful from a few years ago.  It’s not at a resort or an exotic island, but doesn’t it look inviting?  I would be so happy to plunk down a glass of wine, fire up my Kindle, and read to my heart’s content, curled up on this wonderful bed.  A nice fan to billow the bedcurtains works for me.  No cell phone, no internet, no obligations….Ahh, well, that is NOT my upcoming getaway.

We will love seeing Connor play.  John and I love watching the grace and skill on display on a lacrosse field more than I can say.  And we know, all too well, how quickly it all goes by.  But while we are there, we will both be hankering for just an hour or two of a place where our heads can rest, our bodies relax and our spirits rejuvenate….Hope you can find that place for yourselves this long, hot summer.

Kristin