Thursday, March 29, 2012

This Is How an Insane Person Thinks

I have been walking religiously ever day for 45 minutes with these 2


Big Beau

 Sweet Baby Breesus



And on these walks random thoughts go through my head and today was no exception. Here was the following dialogue that I had with myself:

1. Thinking about Liz, my crazy lunatic bff from high school.

2. Remember when we saw "Terms of Endearment" in 1983 and we were crying so hard that we needed to be hosed down from the amount of snot that was pouring from our noses.

3. I should watch that movie today and call her.

4. God I loved the front of that house with the ivy all over it.

5. We should do that on ours...and add a black and white awning over the front door.

6. I don't know what I would do if Liz got sick like Debra Winger...I couldn't take it.

7. I wonder when is the last time she went to the doctor? I'm calling her when I get home.

There you go. I'm insane.
Here is the picture form of that dialogue:


Queen Liz








Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Coffee Table Conundrum

I find styling coffee tables can be a bit of a challenge. You don't want it to bare but you also don't want it to cluttered. You want items to be interesting and meaningful but you also need a place to put your drink down and your feet up. In our house we have an immense love for books and literally every room has some stack or filled bookcase with a variety of reading material so I chose books as a starting point for my coffee table. Different levels add interest so I placed a brass Moroccan bowl to sit on top of one book and a lime green ceramic tray with a sculpture created by my grandmother on the other side. I am no expert by any means but I think between my purple Prince book and my grandmother's girl, I achieved a table that is not only a reflection of me, but a pretty interesting coffee table.








Here are some other styled coffee tables that I think hit the mark:
















Monday, March 26, 2012

I Had To Go Back

Sunday was such a beautiful day so after Mom and I went to church I drug her up the hill to the flea market for one last look around. It's interesting how each day of the flea is a little different and I saw things that were definitely not there Friday such as:


steel case 2 seater sofa



This guy would be perfect in some cabin that has a sleek mid century modern vibe like this beautiful dark cozy love shack:








Because you know the people that owned this bad boy many moons ago had that lamp




and where doing this every night




and they were sitting on this that happened to be there Sunday



Friday, March 23, 2012

Friday Flea and OMG

It's that time of the month and you know what that means...Flea Market Weekend! Brandy, her mom, Melanie, and me arrived at 9am armed with cash and bags ready to be filled. Here are some finds that were pic worthy:


Medieval brass candlesticks




pink flamingo...that light up


over the top frame


she would be fab painted




wooden fish with brass fins


groovy chevron cushioned bench


chrome chair with perfect white vinyl


white fiberglass outdoor set that Brandy should have bought


The flea was a bust for me so we headed across the bridge to East Nashville for lunch at Mad Donna's , a walk through Wonders on Woodland, then over to OMG where I found this:


super cool cuff bracelet with my hubs initials on it
I couldn't pass this up. Good girl day...might have to make another run through tomorrow...you never know...

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Beyond The Curtain

It was 1977, I was 12 yrs. old and I was going to visit my favorite cousin at college. She went to a school that was 45 minutes away from Baton Rouge and I thought she was the coolest thing ever. Patrice is 9 year older than me, a musician, and at that time a total hippie. Her apartment was like nothing I had ever seen and I loved it. Her collection of vinyl was massive and every doorway had beaded curtains. We sat on the floor and listened to Carly Simon, Janis Joplin, Carole King, and James Taylor and the bohemian in me was born.

Some people may think beaded curtains are cheezy but when I see them, I think of my cousin and smile. Today there are modern versions out there that can be super chic, but I still love a good wooden one. Hears to you my cousin, my friend, my heart.






















Monday, March 19, 2012

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

Apparently my body gave up sleep for Lent and didn't discuss this with me. I just can't sleep anymore so when the alarm goes off at 6, I feel like I want to punch somebody square in the face. So I need a ton of this







so I can walk those crazy dogs of mine since Brandy brought up the subject of swimsuit season approaching...that's who I'll punch!


For now I will just stare at beautiful bedrooms and hope sleep returns after Easter.













Thursday, March 15, 2012

Senior Living

A few days ago Emily Henderson posted about a senior community called Sunrise Senior Living. She gave tips about how to design a space in a senior community. I know all to well how this works and wanted to give you a peak inside my mom's apartment in her senior community. My mother is not your typical 82 year old. She was born into an artistic family and after graduating from LSU in 1951 with a degree in Interior Design, she headed to Miami. With the exposure of such diverse cultures, she developed a style that to this day is impeccable and magazine worthy. This is a woman that does not leave her apartment until she is totally put together and her space is perfect as well. She has a fine eye for detail and is head strong about the contents of her home.

The community where she lives is in a hip part of Nashville called "The Village", steps from Vanderbilt University. It is government subsidized living which to some would conjure up all kinds of negative visions, but trust me...it has views that are enviable!

this is the outside

As you walk in to her apartment, we made a gallery wall of black and white photo's.




This oriental chest was her mother's and serves as her foyer, a place to put keys and extra storage.



Off the hallway to the right is the small kitchen with her dining area straight ahead. We painted a feature wall in her favorite color to give the room some definition and a punch of color.




Here is Pat with her cat Lucy in her living room. Her sofa was purchased from IKEA along with the ottoman which is also used for extra storage.



This view is from the sofa. The mid century credenza was purchased here and provides much needed storage.



Her bath is off the living room and she has hung art and pictures that are meaningful to her.


 

This is her bedroom where she has a twin bed, chaise lounge, the all important walk in closet, and her cat Lucy.


In closing I wanted to say how proud I am of my mother. She is truly a style icon in many ways and maybe a glimpse into her senior living will inspire others to always surround yourself with what you love, embrace color, and be true to your esthetic, because in the end, that's all that matters.