We are hosting an intimate dinner at our house this evening and I've been thinking about the tablescape for days. I've had visions of greenery, soft candlelight, Spring blooms and anything outdoors on the brain. I've curated a collection of inspiration above to help me design our tablescape. Now I have to get working on the playlist and chill the rosé...
Images via here & here.
The Calling
We enjoyed some phenomenal weather this past weekend in San Francisco and if you didn't spend the majority of it outside, well, you missed out. The above farm-house is one of Ken Fulk's wine country projects that accurately evokes the type of ease that comes with living in Napa Valley. It's a funny feeling when you experience beautiful weather like we did, as I find myself craving more. I wish I could teleport to this farm-house for the day to enjoy laps in the salt water pool, lawn games with iced tea in hand and wine on the patio with a crackling fire before a candlelit al fresco dinner. Off to work I go...
Evolving Appeal
Photographed by William Waldron for Elle Decor, the feature on the Edwardian home in San Francisco's Presidio Heights neighborhood found me while thumbing through the magazine in the park. (I also realized the home is one I admire frequently on my running route in the neighborhood). Although I personally think the dining room resembles more of a boardroom I'd picture in Aerin Lauder's office for example, I keep examining the space. While I appreciate photography as an art form, I have historically preferred seeing paintings, sculpture and the like in what I believe should be kept as a formal room. This photograph however has me thinking differently. The design elements are modern and fresh but because it's juxtaposed by dark wainscoting and beautiful moldings, it works for me. The home was done by San Francisco designer Palmer Weiss.
View more images of the home below.
Mind Your Methods
When I spent more time working on my creative writing hobby and dreaming up characters, I would paste a collection of photographs torn out of magazines into my notebook as a method of creating and developing the character. If the protagonist was a chic city Mother/renowned architect for example, I'd imagine what kind of perfume she would wear, how she met her husband, her favorite experience abroad, or perhaps think about her most remarkable achievements, and sketch them out on paper. The visuals helped me to connect the dots and bring the character to life.
It seems every time I turn around someone is moving, redecorating, or renovating. I find the same method as described above particularly helpful in creating a new space. (Clearly, a little thing called Pinterest figured this out, too). The above images are from Ashley Whittaker's portfolio, one of my favorite interior designers. I find her projects to successfully blend light, texture and tradition into a harmonious balance of sophisticated ease. I have always kept the above photographs in my arsenal for when I needed inspiration to bring interior spaces to life.
The Renaissance
Wallpaper is most certainly having a renaissance. I love Pierre Frey's "Toiles de Nantes" collection featured in Author Alex Hitz's powder room above. I was very pleased to read Mark D. Sikes' post on the editorial featuring the ravishing Hilary Rhoda accompanied by a collection of wall papered homes. Mark and I certainly share the same sentiment about wallpaper and most other subjects. Be sure to follow his blog too!
(Image via).