COTE DE TEXAS

Two For Tuesday

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First, today,  I want to introduce you to a new Cote de Texas sponsor:

Maison & Co.

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Maison & Co. is an importer of fine French, Swedish and European antiques.  Besides antiques, they also have a selection of new merchandise like furniture, accessories and lighting.

 

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You can go directly to their web site to see all their merchandise – or you can go to their shop on 1st Dibs HERE.

I picked some of my favorite items from Maison & Co:

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Like these Swedish antiques.  That secretary is beautiful.  I am such a sucker for Swedish pieces.  The simple lines are great with both classic and contemporary designs.

 

I love this cherub.

 

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Alabaster grapes – you can never have too many!  A few in a large white bowl is an effective centerpiece.

 

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Both Swedish and French antiques.

 

Such a pretty Swedish clock – painted green – whoa!!!

 

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I asked Maison & Co. to show some photographs of clients with their pieces that they bought.  I thought it might give you an idea of how their furniture looks in a home.   They sold this Swedish desk and chair to a client.   I love how the inside is painted blue.  This would also look great in a more contemporary styled room painted dark navy!

 

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This owner mixed an antique desk painted blue – in a room with lilac walls.  OK – that sofa is to die for!  Beautiful tufting.

 

 

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A mix of antiques with a contemporary lamp.  I love the Swedish chair next to the modern lamp.  Really pretty.  It shows that you can mix the old and the new to create interest and contrast.

 

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To visit Maison & Co. go to their web site HERE.

Welcome aboard Maison & Co!!!!

 

AND:

I have a new book recommendation today.

                                                                             

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Atlanta based designer Barbara Westbrook’s book just came out.  Westbrook is one of those gracious designers – who creates pretty homes, classic rooms, and beautiful spaces.  In fact, her book is named:  Gracious Rooms – which is the perfect title.  Westbrook is the exact type of designer that I love  - her interiors are warm, comfortable and welcoming – my favorite three adjectives.  Her rooms are casual – but sophisticated at the same time.  She uses a mix of antiques and linens – textures and soothing colors.  There aren’t many contemporary looks here – instead there are timeless looks, elegant and feminine. 

 

Barbara Westbrook for Workbook 

Westbrook worked on her book for two years – it’s a compilation of her 20 years in the business.  It’s a beautiful book – just as pretty as all her rooms are. 

It’s big – a full sized coffee table book, not one of those shrunken books that are becoming more popular.  (Why?)  Instead, the book is luscious, with thick pages, and full sized glorious photographs. 

But, it’s not all pictures – there is a lot to learn here and read.  It’s a keeper – a book that will stay on your table for a long time.

 

 

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My first exposure to Westbrook was this cover story – I still love this house so much.  It’s just perfection!!!  I love the mix of the casual slips with the tapestry pillows and antiques.  I love the shutters – inside instead of outside.  Love this room!!!

 

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Another view of this beautiful room.  I love that antique wing chair!  Fabulous!!!!  And I love the tapestry on the wall.  I would never leave this room!!!!

 

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Another favorite is this bedroom – with its mix of new and old.  Lilac is really such a beautiful color.

 

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And another view from across the bed.  Beautiful silk curtains – they make the room.  So pretty!

 

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The book has page after page of beautiful interiors.   Love this breakfast room and that French sign which becomes the focal point. 

Besides working on her book, Westbrook has also created a new web site.  There is an exciting feature called Workbook with in depth stories.  It’s worth reading HERE.

To order Gracious Rooms by Barbara Westbrook – just click below:

 

 

Best Prices For Furniture AND Milieu Magazine

31 comments
I wanted to take a minute of your time to introduce a Sponsor – Best Prices For Furniture.
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 They have been a sponsor for a while – but after talking with them, I realized I had never explained to you what they actually do.  So, countrymen, lend me your ears & eyes for a moment! 

Today – decorating without a designer is common.  The internet, catalogues, stores like Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware, blogs, and magazines – have turned the design business completely around. No longer are homeowners forced to only shop at design centers with decorators. 
But, the problem with not hiring a designer remains getting discounts that only designers receive.
 And that’s where Best Prices For Furniture steps in.  While some people go to North Carolina to shop for those  discounts – it’s not exactly an easy way to buy furniture in this instant internet age.

 Best Prices For Furniture offers you an easy way to get quotes from different dealers – and then compare prices – all without leaving your chair.

 When you log onto Best Prices for Furniture’s web site – you choose which furniture store you want to peruse.  From there – you can request a price quote and a tear sheet.   If you have questions – their staff are there to help you with measurements, colors, fabrics or whatever question you might have.

Once you make your decision on what you are interested in buying – the individual dealer then passes on their discount to you and provides white-glove, in-home delivery.  No more needing to have furniture first shipped to a receiver, making you pay double delivery charges. 
And Best Prices for Furniture has partnered with wonderful companies.  So many are my favorites – and I suppose yours too.
 The discounts are steep – from 30 to over 60 percent.  And time is money – factor in the time saved by shopping at home – it’s a win win.

There are over 100 dealers that have partnered with Best Prices.  I picked out a few companies to show you the range of choices you get when you work with Best Prices.

Here are my favorites:
Artistica
imageArtistica has a wide range of merchandise – but I really love their young look – the tufted sofa, the white and gold tables!

 Bassett Furniture:
 Bassett is an old company – known for price friendly furniture.  I was really excited to see how hip their web site was!
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For instance -  I love this look of the high contrast of black and white – with the soothing pink.  Too cute!
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 I adore the chevron upholstery in this dining room – and the black wicker host chairs.
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 What a darling guest room – this is Bassett???  Seriously?
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 Sophisticated in trendy gray – with even trendier green.

Bausman Furniture:
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 Bausman hired famous designers to decorate interiors with their furniture. 

Decorative Crafts:image
 Decorative Crafts has wonderful handpainted, accent pieces – like screens.
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Four Hands:
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 Four Hands – Straight off the pages of Elle Décor. 
Oly Studio:
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 Oly Studio?!  Wow!  A personal favorite for years.  Love this sofa and coffee table.
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 Oly Studio has set the trends for years now.

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 These French beds with black leather – to die for!  Love those faux zebra benches too.   They would be so great in a family room – in front of the fireplace.

 Palecek
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 Palecek is another favorite.  I love their accessories and chairs – which always add great texture.  The great Jeffrey Alan Marks designed a line for them, above.

Ralph Lauren:
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Ralph Lauren – what can I say?   The best!

Visual Comfort:
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 Visual Comfort is THE lighting source for all designers.  Here’s your chance to get merchandise at a discounted priced.


Thomas and Gray
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Love this zebra bench!

Universal:
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 I would buy this today for a client – if I had one who needed it! 

To go to Best Prices for Furniture – go HERE.

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 The new spring issue of Milieu Magazine is now out on the stands - gorgeous cover, as usual.  But this bedroom really is particularly beautiful.
 The cover story shown above – a house in Istanbul – is the highlight of this issue.  The house is fabulous!!!
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 Another beautiful story – is this house in Australia.

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 And my personal favorite is this house – in Austin, designed by Ann Dupuy.  It’s a beauty as one would only expect from Dupuy.

As always, Milieu continues to be a first class magazine.   Each issue has been a jewel.
To order – go HERE!

A Great Renovation!!

59 comments

 

Recently I was sent pictures from an interior designer, Stacy Jacobi, who specializes in flipping houses.   Stacy has moved 12 times in 12 years – each time updating the new house for her family.  She also renovates and decorates for clients.   

The pictures today are from a house her family lived in after she totally renovated it.  It was purchased for $550,000 and a year later, it sold for over $1,100,000!  Wow!

The renovation was not a total redo – she reused cabinets in the kitchens and bathrooms, but she installed a new striking, custom iron banister that became the focal point of the redo.   The house was a dated, soft contemporary with cream tiled floors and soaring ceilings.   Stacy installed hardwood floors and marble countertops and subway tiles and fabulous light fixtures to turn the house into an updated warm and friendly family house.  It’s an amazing transformation – from modern to cozy.

Describing the style of this house – Stacy calls it:  “New England modern with a hint of Hollywood went to the farm!”

 

 

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Here is the house – clapboard with lots of windows on a small hill.

 

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BEFORE:  The front door and entry hall.  To the right is the original staircase with its solid rail.   Cream tile floor throughout.

 

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AFTER:  Stacy installed new front doors with a more modern look than the previous French doors.  New sconces from Aidan Gray.  To the right – you can see the new iron railing that was built by an artisan.   One of the biggest changes is the dark hardwood floor that replaced the stone tiles.  The hardwood makes a huge difference throughout the house, turning the house from modern to warm.

 

 

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A look at the gorgeous staircase with its new iron railing.  Fabulous!  An iron chandelier hangs over the stair – tying them together aesthetically.

 

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Another view of the staircase, updated with new railing.

 

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Past the entry hall is the large family room.  The stone fireplace reaches to the ceiling.  At the end of the family room is a smaller TV room, through French doors.   The kitchen and dining room and entry hall are on the other side of the fireplace.

 

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Looking the other direction of the family room – towards the outside.  Stacy loves to layer cowhides over seagrass.

 

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Between the family room and the TV room – Stacy added a burlap covered skirted table which acts as a hall table room divider.

 

 

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In the TV room – Stacy painted the shiplap walls and ceiling the same color.  Love the Carlton V fabric on the slipper chairs.  Because the TV room has a porch-like feel, Stacy installed limestone floors instead of hardwoods here.

 

 

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Stacy found the sunburst mirror at Home Depot of all places.  Designed by Martha Stewart it cost $39, the kind of a steal of a deal that Stacy loves.

 

 

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BEFORE:  The dining room.  Painted red, Stacy says that she doesn’t care for red, never has had a red room and doesn’t wear red clothes or red lipstick!  

 

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Since Stacy doesn’t like red,  the dining room had to be repainted.   It is now Benjamin Moore Natural Crème, flat, on the walls and White Dove high gloss on the wood ceilings.  The chandelier is from Low Country Originals and is made with hand strung oyster shells!

 

 

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BEFORE:  The kitchen had dark cabinets that were in good condition – so Stacy just painted them.   But the island bi-level top had to go!

 

 

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Wow!  What a difference cream paint makes.  Stacy replaced the backsplash with cost friendly subway tile with a dark grout.  Notice the new island countertop – one level with white marble.  Again, the hardwoods make a huge difference. 

 

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BEFORE:  The island with the high low top.  The stone wall is the opposite side of the family room’s fireplace.  The pantry behind the island was removed – and the area was opened up to the dining room.

 

 

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Another view of the island and the stone wall – with a beautiful console table and lamps that look great against the stone.   I love vignettes like that – with pairs of lamps.  I have quite a few of those myself!  haha!!   Here you can see how the wall was opened up to the dining room when the pantry was removed.    On the right, past the family room behind the stone wall is the master bedroom.

 

 

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In this view you can see the adjacent dining room, off the foyer where the pantry was removed.  So much better being opened like that.  At the top is the new iron railing, along with the iron chandelier that ties in with it.

 

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Stacy used shiny hardware with the creamy cabinets and installed a trendy farmsink.  Love the dark gray grout used with the subway tile.  That small amount of contrast adds so much!  And notice the light installed above the sink.  Love that!

 

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The butler’s pantry/coffee bar was installed in what was once a half bath!  Love this space painted in black with white countertops and open shelving!!!

 

 

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The wet bar has new hardware and countertops.  Love the wood ceiling!

 

 

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BEFORE:  Music room with tile floor.

 

 

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Today, with hardwoods, the room looks so different – configured as a library/reading room with two comfy wing chairs and chic brass standing lamps.

 

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The master bedroom has high ceilings and is painted Benjamin Moore’s London Fog, one of Stacy’s favorite colors.  The bed is distressed metal.  

 

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And looking the other direction – at the fireplace. 

 

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BEFORE:  dark countertops and bowl sinks (I really don’t like to use these!) are two elements that Stacy changed.

 

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New marble countertops with inset sinks, new mirrors, sconces, and marble floors updated the bathroom.   The dark cabinet was distressed.

 

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New bath and subway tile.  The window of glass blocks was replaced with plate glass. 

 

 

 

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Stacy has three teenage daughters who each have their own style of decorating. 

 

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Updated baths with glass showers and white subway tiles with gray group.  New marble countertops make the baths look so fresh.

 

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Cute room in grays.

 

 

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Another bathroom with marble and tiled floors.

 

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Darling bunkroom!  Love this!!

 

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The daughters’ library -  with updated doors and stone floors.

 

 

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I love this house – the way Stacy took a dated, soft contemporary with soaring ceilings and high porthole windows – and by adding warm hardwoods, using creamy paint, designing custom iron railings and installing light fixtures – she turned her house into a cozy, welcoming home!  Amazing!!!!

Stacy has a blog with lots more pictures of her work.  Go HERE to read it.

For many more pictures of renovations – go HERE.

To contact Stacy Jacobi – go HERE!


And finally, a huge thank you to Stacy!