Closing Out 2010: Eye Candy & Room Envy

I was happy to find this home to close out 2010 as there's a great mix of classic pieces with some antiques and a bit of fresh trends thrown into the mix. I also love this home because I find it's inspirational as it represents an attainable look; either with furniture you might already own or with the addition of a few Craigslist/flea market pieces. Love the leopard print rug and the gilt mirror over the modern fireplace surround. Deer appear as prints on the wall and as a focal piece on the mantel.
A smartly laid out kitchen with a terrific view into the adjoining sitting room.
Another view of this room. Love the parsons style bench as a side table.
What a difference adding a throw makes to the slipcovered ottoman.
A nice mix of pieces in this first floor library. I also spy two more deer as bookends. Can't tell if there are deer in the print above the fireplace.
A gallery hall runs the length of the home - makes me wonder why more homes aren't designed with this feature.
A bit of velvet goes a long way in the master bedroom.
Here the upholstered bench has interesting curves and the pumpkin colored shades add a nice contrast. All images from Carriage House Properties here.

In my next post I'll be celebrating the 3rd anniversary of this blog (still find that hard to believe) and will have a giveaway too. Best wishes for a very Happy New Year!!

Year-End Blog Tour - Rambling Renovators

A big thank you to Jennifer of Rambling Renovators for including me in her year-end blog tour of favourite posts. I've been following her blog for a long time - she and her husband have completely transformed their two story semi-detached house in Toronto and along the way welcomed Chloe to the family. If for some reason you haven't visited her blog - be sure to as she's rounded up some great favourite posts from other blogs and her own before & afters are terrific. She also has the cutest banner ever - little Chloe, all smiles, with a hammer in her hand!
Here's Jennifer with Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe at the offices of Sarah Richardson Design. I told her she was living my dream!!
And, one more thank you as I was the lucky giveaway winner of the November issues of Canadian House and Home and Style at Home. Now I have every holiday issue since 2000. If you're looking for extensive, high quality coverage of holiday decor these two Canadian magazine outshine all the other shelter magazines. Note to self - post about this topic in October 2011.

Back tomorrow with some final eye candy of 2010.

Curious - Do You Recognize This Fabric?

Back at the beginning of 2010, I had a chance to tag along with Meg of Pigtown*Design to Debois Textiles - the amazing Baltimore store that carries prestigious fabric remnants at unbelievable prices. I purchased 6 1/2 yards of this silk and wool damask for only $4.59 a yard and now I'm finally getting around to asking if anyone knows the name &/or maker of this fabric?
Interestingly enough this same fabric appears on page 129 of Sills and Huniford's book, Dwellings.
I'm planning to use this fabric for one side of a duvet cover for my bed. Not sure why I'm so curious about the name - maybe it's just a compulsion to tie up loose ends in 2010.

Merry Christmas!

I hope this Christmas & Holiday season finds you surrounded by love, goodness and joy. Thank you so much for sharing 2010 with me here at My Notting Hill.

Peace be with you. Michele

(photo credit: NASA/ESA)

Thomas Hamel Residence: Genius Cover to Cover

American born, Australian based designer Thomas Hamel is sure to become a household design-name in the US when his first book, Thomas Hamel Residence, is released here April 1, 2011. I was fortunate to buy a copy from the bookseller at the Kips Bay Showhouse and have enjoyed countless hours pouring over it. In the image above, a French First ormolu clock is paired with a vibrant painting, Women's Story, by artist Naata Nungurrayi.

The photography in the book is by Matt Lowden and it's stunning. My apologies for these quickly taken pics but I hope they give a sense of what is in store if you put this book on your must-have list.

Did I Make a Mistake?

Sunday at the Georgetown Flea Market I bought this modern brass light fixture for $130. The dealer told me it came from an estate sale of a couple that lived in a contemporary home full of art. It will need to be rewired and sleeves replaced but I was enamored with the scale and the circles and thought it would look wonderful lit.

Here it is against the bare wall. I envision a large scale mirror behind it. This metal console table is a favorite of mine but I don't think it works against the dark brown walls or with the fixture. I think this light fixture would look better sitting atop of a raw or worn wood console that is just a bit taller.
Here's my dining room a month ago. The $40 flea market tremeau mirror has found a better home in my living room and I never really cared for the sconces here. I did love the contrast of the concrete french planter against the walls though.
Here's the room this past summer. Love this mirror but it didn't seem tall enough and it has also found a better place in my house. (other pics of my dining room here)

So, your honest opinions of my light fixture? Oh, did I mention that my kids and husband think it's weird.

(p.s. if anybody has any ideas on the maker of this light, I'd love to hear about that too. Was it custom or mass produced?)

A Wreath as Big as a House

We're always commenting about how important scale is in design. Isn't this Georgetown house grand & fun & memorable? I'm even loving the cord coming out of the mail slot.

Presents & Thank You to Party Resources

Recently I was the lucky winner of a giveaway of entertaining books co-sponsored by Kate of Party Resources and Elizabeth of Pretty Pink Tulips. So glad I remembered to snap a picture of these books, beautifully wrapped by Kate, before ripping them open!
Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations has inspired me to throw a Kentucky Derby party this coming May. Did I ever mention I come from a horse-gambling family? Well, at least on my Dad's side. I've never cared much for betting on horses but I did have a huge thrill when I bet on 50-1 long-shot, upset Derby winner Giacomo a few years ago!
Wonderful recipes & a reminder that the presentation of a drink is so important.
Fun and inventive approaches to classic desserts.

Here's a modern holiday tablescape created by Kate for a party she hosts each year. Love the fresh, fun feel - to see more go here.
Here's a peek of holiday decor created by Elizabeth for her dining table. I want to find topiary reindeers like this! To see more go here.

Short on Time

Too much to do, not enough time. Is it just me? Back tomorrow with a post that's not a repeat. (image from Canadian House & Home, photography by Ted Yarwood)

Designer Timothy Mather, Canadian House & Home, photography by Ted Yarwood

Let It Snow . . .

. . . just not anymore right now. Here in the Nashville/Franklin area we got about 2 inches of snow yesterday which was, of course, enough for schools to be cancelled. I usually don't mind snow days . . . our kids love the snow, and it's kind of fun to sit around in our pajamas until the urge to go play outside kicks in. However, this is the week before Christmas break. This is go-time. The show. Mama has got to finish up her shopping. 

So, please Mother Nature or Father Winter or whoever is listening, please hold off on anymore frozen precipitation until at least December 18 (after which my kids are out anyway). Thank you. 

Sincerely,

Scrooge

Jewel Spaces

These beautiful, jewel-like spaces are by designer Matthew White of White Webb LLC. Can't get over this shade of blue. Love the curved headboard and its perfect scale for the canopy treatment. (photo by Loyal Sewall)
The tin can installation is by artist Clare Graham for the 2008 Kips Bay Showhouse. I happened to see this room in person back then but couldn't find a way to sneak a photo. (photo by Matthew White)
An lady's office for the 2005 Kips Bay Showhouse. (photo by Phillip Ennis)
(Photo by Phillip Ennis)Matthew is also the author of Italy of My Dreams, which I came across in the bookstore this weekend. It really pained me to put it back on the bookshelf and add it to my Christmas list instead...I know, patience is a virtue.

Freedom of Choice

I knew it would happen sooner rather than later as my daughter has always had strong opinions. The time has come . . . she has outgrown her pink room. I wouldn't go so far as to say she hates pink, but it's not a color she would EVER pick out now as a mature 8-and-a-half-year-old. I always thought pink and green was timeless. Guess I was wrong.

I realize this looks like a lot of pink, but it's very subtle really. The walls are a very pale shade called Confection by Martha Stewart (when she had paint at Sherwin Williams years ago). It's just too "girly-girl" according to Meg who has her finger on the pulse of all things cool and tween (although I hate that word).

Her duvets are white linen with ruffles down the center that I got on sale at Pottery Barn about 7 years ago. I still love the bedding - so simple. Meg said it's not "comfy" enough (it's not as soft as cotton) and it lacks pizazz. That random green ball looking-thing on the wall is garland she used to literally deck her wall. She also hung lollipop ornaments from her chandelier, and that's a little Santa with bottle brush trees on her bedside table.

Since Meg's favorite color is green (and not paired with pink), we decided we'll go with a green and aqua/pale turquoise color scheme. Our guest room down the hall is green, so she decided a very pale aqua blue for the walls would work for her.

I was inspired by the color palette of this living room by Ashley Whittaker in House Beautiful.

And while the blue in this bedroom from House Beautiful is not the shade we're going for, I love the overall blue/green theme and feel of the room. Of course, we're keeping her iron twin beds and just changing bedding, fabric, paint and accessories. I love upholstered headboards, but I have neither the budget nor the patience for changing her beds right now.

I was playing around on Olioboard last night and pulled some inspiration pieces. Since Meg doesn't like anything too "frou frou," I had a hard time finding simple bedding that would appeal to both of us. I think the Pottery Barn Teen Suite Organic duvet in Mint will work quite nicely. I haven't looked for a paint color yet, but that's next on my list. I pulled some pillows from Hable Construction, fabric from Premier, the Maskros pendant light from IKEA and some posters I found through Haven and Home on Etsy that add some whimsy.

Of course, this is just a jumping off point, but I think Meg is on board with these choices which is half the battle . . . okay, the total battle. Her new bedding is a big part of her Christmas present this year, so I've got to get it ordered ASAP.

So what do you think? Is this look "big girl" enough?

Sneak Peeks from a Holiday House Tour

I'm a huge fan of designers Betsy Berner and Tara Sutphin of Berner Sutphin Designs and was so pleased when they sent me photos of their decorations from a recent holiday house tour. Hope you find these images as inspiring as I do. Don't know about you, but I'm not quite done decorating for Christmas yet...
Love the branch adorned with ornaments.
I'm noticing varying height on this tablescape and an abundance of accessories that share common elements. Note to self - more is more during this time of year.



Some images from last year's holiday house tour. Love the the pineapple!!
To see a past post about a beautiful yellow and gray bedroom they designed, go here.

Hope you have a great weekend.