Den Design Project

I'm working on a den redesign project for a client.  

Before - Dark and Drab.

And we want to bring in some colors from this beautiful painting that hangs above the mantle.

 

We have ordered a new sofa and it is en route. It will be in the perennials fabric shown in the bottom right corner - A chenille beige. The two club chairs are in the olive and brown chenille shown on the left. I'm wanting to use that Fabricut cream trim on the curtains to dress them up. Right now, they are white and I want to flange them and top it with this trim.

The Den club chairs. 

 And now for the pop of color: throw pillows for the new sofa. We looked at these two fabrics.

I'd personally prefer the on the right with the more subtle colors. I think they are both great choices. My client chose the one on the left - she loves red! Its the New Sevilla fabric by Lee Jofa.

After pictures to come in a few weeks!

Thursday Night Delivery - Birthday Dinner Party

Centerpiece for a birthday dinner party. 

The client's husband made a very big outdoor table to seat 14 people and she had a big cloth made in a mushroom color and we did burlap placemats with Mottahedah's Tobacco Leaf pattern and Herend's Blue Chinese Bouquet...beautiful green striped napkins and lots of tealights and this beautiful Fortunata clover leaf bowl filled with orchids and foliage...I'm hoping the client will send me some photos soon!

Curb Appeal - Front Door Love

So I've been wanting to fix/change my front door and shutter color for a while now. My door really need to be taken down and totally stripped. At one point a few years ago, I thought I could do it by myself. After a few bottles of chemical stripper, I found myself with only one week before a friend's baby shower(and burns on my arms)...I gave up and just had a random handyman re-paint it the same color. Here she is most recently (we had some friends over to celebrate their engagement!)











So Here is phase one, striped down and primed( by a professional - Mike Barton). And you can see the new color, Benjamin Moore's Caldwell Green, on the shutters. I'm also going to change out the door hardware, house numbers and get a door knocker ( I never put one back up after the 1st painting expedition.) And I always had a wreath of some sort on the door since my door was SO UGLY!!! (see above picture!)

And here it is!! All done..well almost. I'm loving the new look - lighter and brighter! Still need to put the house numbers up and new knocker from Sam's Welding. And I'm going to grow creeping fig on the rise of my concrete stairs. We're working on these projects this weekend!

Here is the knocker..it arrived Friday from Washington State. The knocker is hand forged; it is a twisted railroad spike (which Rogers and John Paul should like) which has it's own unique sound when struck against the back plate.

And the finished product........we're loving the change!! Can't wait for the creeping fig to get growing and creeping up my stairs so I can manicure it. Picture to come in a few months!

Baby Carriage Flower Arrangement

One of my friends gave birth recently to a precious baby boy. When I worked at Boxwoods in Atlanta..I often made these for clients. The beginning construction is very similar to the wire shoe that I did for Gus Mayer. So basically, you line the carriage with sheet moss and then cut a garbage bag to fit it, as a liner. Then you put packing peanuts in for drainage and then soil.

I love using hydrangeas for these carriage as the provide a big pop of color. You'll want the type found in a greenhouse (hothouse grown).

The 4"-6" pot usually does the trick. And if you have room add some ferns, foliage and ivy.

Then you'll want to secure the wheels with ribbon or raffia. It dresses it up a bit, while providing more stability.

Then a pretty bow on the handle!

The wire carriages can be found locally at Leaf and Petal in Mountain Brook or in Atlanta at Boxwoods.

Let me know if you are interested in me making one if you are here locally. I've also put it on a grapevine wreath before and it is super cute. Great baby shower table arrangements too!

September Sunday Flower Guild

Summer Anniversary Party

 

I never posted photos from this Surprise Anniversary Party that I did back in May. I blogged on the prep, but failed to post any photos when I finished. So here are some photos for your enjoyment.

This was in the master bathroom. This is a great vase from Roost - easy to arrange, even if you aren't a professional. You just prop flowers between the silver twigs.

These were on the table in the Entrance Hall.

I redid these 'everlasting' arrangements to make them taller and seasonless. Previously there were  some short topiaries with pine cones and red berries. HUGE improvement.

And this potted orchid on the coffee table in the living room.

The client has a collection of goblets that we used on the table.

Close-up of dining table centerpiece.

On sideboard.

An orchid in the power room staked with a cast iron leaf.

 

And the two HUGE orchid arrangements in the Fortunata clover leaf bowl. These were going on two tables outside...so once again..I don't have a photo with the total effect.