GARDEN TOUR 2013 NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

LOCATED IN NORFOLK'S HISTORIC GHENT NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS YEAR'S GARDEN TOUR WAS A HUGE TREAT FOR THOSE WHO LOVE BIG OLE SOUTHERN MANSIONS!

FOR THE FIRST TIME, I HAD A VERY UNIQUE SOURCE FOR A DECORATING INSPIRATION....MY CUSTOMERS ARE DEDICATED COLLECTORS OF VINTAGE POSTERS! NOT ONLY ARE THEY BEAUTIFUL MUSEUM QUALITY PIECES OF ART, BUT LUCKY ME HAD EVERY COLOR UNDER THE RAINBOW TO WORK FROM!

...AND BECAUSE THE HOMEOWNERS HAVE AN ECLECTIC MIX OF MID-CENTURY MODERN, MISSION, AND VICTORIAN STYLE FURNISHINGS, THE BONES OF THIS NEARLY 100 YEAR OLD HOUSE SHOWS OFF BEAUTIFULLY IN CONTRAST.

....AND THANKS TO THE WORK OF THE TALENTED WOMEN WHO CREATED THESE AMAZING FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TOUR!!

TOP 10 INTERIOR DESIGN BLOG?

it started a couple of months ago when i started getting lots of blog traffic from http://designsndeal.blogspot.ca/2013/01/top-25-interior-blogs-in-world.html

and then i read it.

THANKS DESIGNS N DEAL!!

CHARLESTON SHOPPING

SUCH A FUN STORE TO VISIT....
SOUTH OF MARKET
http://southofmarket.biz
you cant not go in...its conveniently located in the heart of charleston's best shopping on king street. i cant help but imagine how awesome this stuff would be in a beach house-LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

CHARLESTON WEEKEND!!

I LOVE MY OLD STOMPING GROUND OF CHARLESTON, SC........AND THRILLED THAT MY SUPER FUN COUSIN IS NOW A RESIDENT.......AND PSYCHED THAT MY SISTER CAME TO JOIN US FOR A FANTASTIC WEEKEND......
AND  DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN CRUSING THRU THE CITY IN A GOLF CART???

SISTER AND COUSIN

YES, I THINK MY COUSIN WAS ABOUT TO KILL ME BECAUSE I MADE HIM STOP A MILLION TIMES TO SNAP PICS...HERE ARE SOME FANTASTIC LOOKS THAT MAKES CHARLESTON SO BEAUTIFUL.....

 AND ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS??? DINNER AT OAK......
http://www.oaksteakhouserestaurant.com/
WITH OUR NEW BEST FRIEND AND HEAD CHEF JEREMIAH...YOU GOTTA GO TO OAK.

 STAY TUNED FOR PICS OF MY FAVORITE CHARLESTON FURNITURE STORE!

NEW ART AND NEW FRAMES!

I RECENTLY FINISHED A FEW MORE PAINTINGS. AND WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT TRUELY MAKES TO FRAME THEM! FROM NOW ON A MUST! LOVE THEM IN MY HOUSE BUT NOW SURE HOW LONG THEY WILL BE HERE.

HAPPY EARLY WEEKEND! I'M TAKING TOMORROW OFF TO HAVE FUN WITH MY SISTER AND CRAZY FUN COUSIN WHO LIVES IN CHARLESTON. LOVE CHARLESTON....FUTURE CHARLESTON BLOG ON THE HORIZON!

design dilemma-HELP!!!

it's always way more fun designing for my customers than designing for myself. i get a stale eye on my own house-i hate this!!
i need to replace my pair of club chairs in my family room...and i'm kinda dying for this rug layered on top of a seagrass......saw it at market and instantly fell in love.

the room its going in.......

got this rug a long time ago-have loved it but kinda sick of all the red. can easlily sell on craigs list which justifies my new rug purchase :)
 

hubby hates these chairs....and he still hasn't forgiven me for throwing out his ugly old leather chair!
great excuse to replace with a pair of these......(without the skirt!)

here's where i'm REALLY stuck......i cant decide if i should do the lighter brown on the chair or the darker....and want to incorporate the animal somehow-pillows or ottoman

HELP!!! AM I ON THE RIGHT TRACK??? I NEED YOUR OPINION!!!!!

confused!!!

but psyched its friday-almost cocktail hour-wahoo!! happy weekend yall!!

 ps-new painting may look good in here?

 

PORCH WEATHER!

ITS BEEN A VERY LONG WINTER AND I AM READY FOR SOME PORCH WEATHER! FINALLY WARM ENOUGH FOR POTTED FLOWERS! SO READY TO HANG OUT ON MY BACK PORCH!!

 FOUND THIS ENORMOUS POT LAST WEEK FOR MY BELOVED PALM.....ALL MY TARACOTTA POTS BLEW OVER AND BROKE.

 OH THE GRASS IS SO UGLY UNTIL IT TURNS GREEN...NOT MUCH LONGER?

 CHECK OUT THE NEW LANDSCAPING IN THE BACKGROUND!!!! NORFOLK'S VERY TALENTED JOHN PRINCE http://prince-landscapes.com/ CAME TO MY RESCUE BY PERFECTING MY SIDE GARDEN...LOVING ME NEW BRICK BORDER..AND CHECK OUT THE SAGO PALM-LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! IGNORE THE UGLY DEAD GRASS :)

 LOVE MY SAGO! THANKS TO JOHN PRINCE MY GARDEN WILL FLOURISH THIS SUMMER WITH SOCIETY GARLIC, CAST IRON, CRINUM, GARDENIA, CRAPE MYRTLE, ENGLISH BOXWOOD, ETC!!

 IM NOT THE ONLY HAPPY ONE!

STAY TUNED FOR BEFORE AND AFTERS OF THE YARD ONCE I GET JOHN BACK OVER HERE TO FIX THE REST OF MY YARD!!!