Time Flies...

I cannot believe it's been nearly two years since I last posted something.  A whole heck of a lot has been going on during this time. Loss, love, hurting, healing, growth. So thankful to be on the other side. So thankful for my whole family, all of my amazing friends, and--so thankful for my sweet understanding clients. I am really happy to show you a new and improving website. A new logo. New photos AND introducing you to the new faces of ARI. Stay tuned for more...

Dorm Rooms

     I was going through previous blog posts and found some that I had never posted!  I worked on this one back in the fall when we dropped our daughter CiCi off at Ole Miss.  She is now home for the summer!  Oh well--better late than never!!!

     We dropped our second child off at college.  I really can't believe how the time has flown by!  She is attending the University of Mississippi-- our alma mater.  While we are so excited for her, it is very sad for us--the ones left behind.  I think we felt the break-up of our family unit last year when our oldest left for school.  It was really hard for all of us.  This go-around, we were better prepared emotionally.  She has an amazing roommate and we are SO thankful!
     Over the years I have been hearing little snippets about the girls' dorm rooms at Ole Miss.  As soon as CiCi figured out where she was going to school, I started googling Ole Miss Dorm Rooms.  Oh. My. Word.  The images that appeared before me made me break out into a cold sweat.  How in the world were we going to make this happen without spending thousands of dollars??  (Insert precious roommate's mom, Julie.)  She was incredible--called us "Dorm-In-Laws."  She has more energy than anyone I know and has the most amazing taste.  The room turned out so well because of her.  Most importantly, the girls just love it!

Before...

After!

Hutches were made for the dorm desks to provide extra storage.

Ready for company!

ALL FINISHED!!!!

A Little Switcharoo...

    Well, I did it again.  Really, how in the world does my husband put up with me?  I guess when it comes to decorating I am a restless soul.   I am a tweaker.  There is always something newer and better out there.  He is a tweaker, too.  Only, he does it with music.  He tried to do it with me, but that did not work out very well!  (Just kidding)  I think I have finally done it, though.  I have finished my foyer.  The new console table fits the long narrow space so much better.  I found it at Southeastern Salvage here in Nashville for next to nothing.  The antique chest that was in the foyer before was moved into the next room.  I love that chest and I think it loves its new space.

One of my favorite things!

     When I got married, twenty-one years ago, Rivers and I loaded up on furniture from our parents' and grandparents' attics.  Because we are both first born and the first ones to marry in our families, we hit the jackpot!  (I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to all of our siblings for raiding the roost and not leaving much for you.  I'm so sorry!  Call me later and we can work through any bitter feelings you might still have.)  We were able to furnish a two bedroom apartment without having to buy one thing.  Pretty amazing? Yes!  Was it cute? Not really.  We had zero money in the decorating budget.  But, it was our first home and I loved it!  I was so thankful for Great Aunt Helen's quilted sofa, Papa and Gan's first dining set with the Hinkley chairs, and my parents' oak washstand that served as our bedside chest.  As the years passed, so did a lot of that furniture.  Eventually, I found myself trying to decide what to do about a chair that had belonged to Granny.  I wasn't ready to let it go, but it did not seem to fit anywhere.  It was headed for the attic, when a need arose.  My daughter CiCi needed a chair in her room, but there was no way this one would work in its current state.  My wheels started to turn.  What if…What if we reupholstered it with a really cute girly fabric.  What if we PAINTED it???  Oh my goodness--I was so excited!!  My plan became a reality and I tell you---I think it is my favorite thing in the whole house!  

This is exactly what the chair looked like before. 

This is CiCi's chair now.  

 Here is a close up of the chair detail.

     So, what's the moral of the story?  1. Don't be greedy and take everything from your parents' and grandparents' attics.  2.  Don't pass on an ugly duckling.  If you like the lines and overall design of something, it can be made new and fresh with a little paint and fabric.

I just can't help myself!

     I'll tell you what, my sweet husband has the patience of Job when it comes to decorating our house.  I am fortunate that he has a creative brain and appreciates a beautiful home.  I asked him a year ago if I could redo our foyer.  He stared at me with a blank look on his face and said, "Haven't you already redone the foyer three times now?"  I nodded and said yes I had.  1. One coat of paint.  2. One treatment of Venetian plaster in an orange.  3. One treatment of Venetian plaster in cream.  Three times.  He asked me to table it for one year.  As I was patiently waiting for my time period to expire, I thought back over my decisions to do what I had in that room.  Paint was an inexpensive and easy way to freshen the foyer--but it was just too dull, so I chose the Venetian plaster.  It was very popular a few years ago, but my house is very traditional and the plaster was really out of place,  especially the orange.  It also competed with the wall paper in the bathroom and the paint treatment in the music room.  So, I lightened it.  It still competed and was out of place.  I had made a mistake.  I finally came to the realization that adding to the wainscoting that was already there would my best and final option--A paneled foyer.  After the year was up, I broached the subject again.  I explained my reasoning and he understood.  He gave me the green light.  I contacted Shaun Rawlings of Heritage Custom Woodworking,  a very talented guy who can do just about anything out of wood or metal.  He did a marvelous job and even matched the existing trim.  It melds beautifully with the rest of our house and looks as if it has always been there.   Most people won't even notice I have done anything--but I know.  I love it and truly will never change it.

I love how this chest just jumps out at you now!

You can see a bit of the powder room paper.  With nothing to fight it, it is highlighted.

Shaun matched all of the trim perfectly!

Yes, that is a Christmas wreath still hanging in the window above my sink!

Here's a Challenge for You...

     I have a wonderful client that moved into a new house.  They have been making it their own since the first of September.  As the budget for the decorating neared an end, she realized the guest bedroom was really lacking and they had guests arriving soon.  I told her that I would be happy to help and challenged myself to try to keep it under $500.  She already had the furniture and had ordered a duvet and shams from Anthropologie.  I needed to find the rest of the bedding, a rug, and accessories for under $500.  (All of the photos were taken with my iPhone--I'm sorry about the poor quality!)

This is what we started with:

The bed, night stand, and dresser were leftovers from redecorating her daughter's room.  

I found a little inspiration with this:

The homeowner picked up this fabulous print in Charleston, South Carolina at the Spoleto Festival in 1990.  

And now…they are guest ready!

I love a layered bed with pillows for propping up or snuggling in.  Guests have options for the amount of covers they are most comfortable with.  I would like to find a long bench to place under the festival print for suitcases. 

I love this vignette!  The homeowner had this chair and found these framed needlepoints online.  It is a perfect spot to place a purse or a toiletries bag.  

I was able to find everything for right around $500.  It helped that we could shop around her house for artwork and accessories.  One great piece of advice I have heard, that makes so much sense, is to spend a night in your guest room to make sure that it is comfortable and has everything needed for a great stay.

Here is one of my favorite guest room makeovers done by Anne Turner Carroll.  This article was in Southern Living a few years ago.

What a dreamy room!  

Just gorgeous!

A little more on antlers...

     Yesterday, after my husband read what I had posted, he was inspired!  

Look and see what he created!

 

     Isn't that just fabulous!!!  He killed this deer in Texas last year.  It was mounted on a piece of drift wood, which was nice looking, but a little too masculine.  Over a year ago, I bought two of these copper "shields" at a great store in town called Preservation Station.   I had no idea what in the world I was going to do with them, but I knew that I loved the way they looked.  I had thought about turning them into sconces--but I love this so much more!  Rivers spied them yesterday and had the brilliant idea of using them as a base for his mount.  We put it in our breakfast room, which is covered in pecky cypress paneling.  We will enjoy looking at it everyday! 

Here is the Black Forest Deer I mentioned yesterday located in the kitchen.

     Above the mantel in the dining room I have four small mounts.  Three were picked up in an antique store and one is resin.  It's hard to tell the difference---I had to look closely to see which was one was not real.