June 2, 2016

I will really miss this house!

As professional designers, we often work very closely with our clients in building or renovating their homes.  We agonize over every  decision for wiring, plumbing, wood trim, flooring, and tile as well as the “pretty” ones with fabric, wallpaper, furniture, and paint,  as if they were our own. These houses become a part of us, and it is hard to tell them goodbye.

I recently had a beloved project in downtown Charleston be put on the market and sold. We had worked on the renovation for over a year. I knew every intimate detail of this house and was involved in almost all of the decisions for it. I frequently got to stay there and enjoy our work. So, the owners and I began the sad process of saying goodbye to the house. One last visit in April, and then my wonderful installers arrived to start the dismantling process.

We’ve packed it all up ready to go to the next house in another city. It will be a year or two as we start another renovation. We will find a place for all of the beloved furniture, artwork and fabrics. Some will change form or move to another place. Some won’t fit in the new house. Maybe it will go to a son or daughter’s house. Life does constantly change.

But I will really miss this house!

June 18, 2015

“Thank you, Dad”

Recently, I finished reading the book, “The Art Forger” by Barbara A. Shapiro, and the memories it stirred up have been both a surprise and a gift.  The story centers on the heist of millions of dollars of artwork, including an important Degas painting, from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum,  in Boston in March of 1990.

My father, who was an artist, took me to this fabulous museum when I was eight years old.  It is a gorgeous Italian-inspired villa with lush gardens and grand piazzas; it was the most beautiful place I had ever seen.  Little did I know that it would turn out to be an experience that influenced my future.  It inspired my yearning to travel and study abroad, and my life-long love of art and design.

May 23, 2013

An Eat-In Kitchen With Elegance

You often see built-in seating (known as a banquette) in a kitchen or breakfast area.  Typically they work well in a corner or tucked into a window surrounded by built-ins.  They can add warmth and character to a room, eliminate clutter,  as well as add architectural detail.  They can also be helpful when space is limited or in a high-traffic area when more clearance is needed.