COTE DE TEXAS: Cote de Texas Readers Houses Series

Cote de Texas Readers Houses Series

 

 

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Windsor Smith is one of my favorite designers.  She is incredibly talented and she’s been influencing young designers around the country with her youthful and eclectic looks – part classic and part modern, dressy – yet casual at the same time.  Here she mixes velvet and silk with a linen slipped ottoman;  trendy zebra skins mix with traditional hand painted wallpaper.

 

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I love her slipcovers – here she dresses down another living room with hand painted wallpaper by using casual white linen slipcovered sofas.  

 

 

 

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She has her own fabric and furniture line.  Kravet sells her beautiful fabrics – which she recently updated – adding hot pink, green, black and brown to the colorways.  The new colorsways are luscious.  Here is a room I designed using Windsor’s fabrics – the stripe and the print.

 

 

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One of Windsor’s trademarks is the trim on her slipped sofas – she calls it a butter pat. See the bottom edge – a short pleat that resembles, well, a pat of butter.

 

 

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And here, again, the butter pat – on her back to back sofa, at her own house.  She also likes to do longer pleats.

 

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And here, on a chair from her own line – the butter pat trim again.

 

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In her own kitchen,  the longer pleats.

 

 

When choosing the houses to show today for the Readers Houses Series – I found two in the files that resembled each other and most interesting, both pay homage to Windsor Smith.   I’m not sure if the owners were trying to emulate Windsor, but they certainly did. 

And so, two new Reader’s Houses!!  Enjoy!

 

HOUSE #1

The first house is located in a suburban development outside of Philadelphia.   It is just 15 years old – but needed renovation, as it had been neglected when the owners bought it last year. It’s two stories with a basement, so the renovation was quite overwhelming to its new owners.   All the changes were done on a strict budget.  While some changes will have to wait until later,  some just couldn’t wait.  Like the floors.  All the carpet was replaced with hardwoods.  Tile went down in the kitchen and powder room floors.  New lighting came from Craigslist.  The kitchen was so dirty – it all had to go.  An Amish carpenter was hired to make all the new beautiful custom cabinets.   While the owner wanted a farm sink and white marble countertops – she went with a more cost effective granite hoping to save money for white marble later.  Curtains were made with cheesecloth.  She restained furniture herself and then began her own business offering her services to clients through her blog. 

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In the entry, white walls, dark hardwoods and contrasting white linen – inspired by Windsor Smith?   Love the horse painting and her black painted door! The homeowner redid this settee herself.  Here’s how it once looked:

 

 

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Much prettier with the new skirt.

 

 

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The living room looks over the entry hall. 

 

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The living room continues the black and white theme – with toile curtains and two antique settees.  This one, is slipped in white linens.

 

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While this high, wingback settee is upholstered in a cream color. 

 

 

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The dining room is right next to the living room. 

 

 

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Looking from the dining room into the living room.  The dark hardwoods are so pretty and rich looking!

 

 

 

 

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The toile curtains are continued into this area.  Love the botanicals.  The chair backs are so pretty.

 

 

 

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The family room is next to the breakfast room and kitchen.  Here, Windsor-inspired short pleats on the slipcovered chair.   Darling chandelier and pretty mantel!

 

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A large wooden beam separates the two areas. 

 

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Tile floors run from the breakfast room to the new kitchen.  Cute slips on the breakfast room chairs.  Another pretty chandelier.

 

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The new kitchen with cabinets custom made by an Amish carpenter – how lucky is that?  Living in Pennsylvania does have its advantages – where else can you hire an Amish carpenter??  Granite countertops and tumbled stone backsplash.

 

 

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All new stainless appliances. 

 

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The corners were angled instead of put in at a 90 degree angle.  This is a great way to access extra cabinet space that would otherwise go unused.  The upper corner cabinet is fronted with glass.

 

 

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To contact the homeowner about furniture refinishing, go HERE.   And a huge thank you for sharing your beautiful house with us!!

 

HOUSE #2

The next reader’s house is located nearer to me – in Dallas, Texas.  The owner writes that she and her husband built their house about 2 years ago and have been furnishing it with ideas she gets from the blogs.    As you will see, she also has gotten inspiration from Windsor Smith. 

 

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White walls and again, gorgeous dark, dark hardwoods which give a high contrast look to this house located in Dallas, Texas.   Using Windsor as inspiration, the chairs and sofa are trimmed in “butter pat” pleats.  To soften the wall of windows and shutters, the homeowner used curtain panels between each window – this is how a large window should usually be covered – rather than just using a panel at each end.    A large mirror reflects the beautiful fireplace.  Darling chandelier!!

 

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Looking the other direction at the pretty fireplace mantel, all in white. The homeowner says she saved money by not custom cutting the seagrass – instead she bought it in a standard size.   Good choice because this size does fit the room quite nicely.   The kitchen is to the right of this room.

 

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Love the painting with its oval top.  Love the way the homeowner accessorized the mantel.  Very pretty!

 

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Great chair from Wisteria.  Pretty lamp and coffee table.  The blue of the pillows is a pretty accent color.   This room reminds me of the Windsor Smith living room – shown before – with white slips and blue pillows. 

 

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A closeup look at the Windsor inspired butter pat pleats.

 

 

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In the entry, a beautiful antique Swedish Mora clock stands next to the dining room.

 

 

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The dining room has beautiful silk curtains in gray, and a gorgeous chandelier!  I love her light fixtures.  Notice the high wainscot.  It adds so much to the room and is a great idea.

 

 

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Past the dining room and stairs, looking towards the kitchen – great industrial style stools and nail heads accented desk chair.  I love the dark floors that both these homeowners have.  They are so rich looking.  And – I don’t see any dust or footprints on them, either!!  ha!

 

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The kitchen and breakfast room, located off the living area.  Instead of white marble, the homeowner chose a white and gray granite – it’s a really pretty one.  Hopefully, she’ll share the name with us.   Stainless appliances – and white subway tiles, all classic choices.   White slips cover the French styled chairs. 

 

 

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Look at the beadboard island with its darling feet.  So cute!

 

 

 

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The master bedroom is white with pops of earth toned colors.  The trendy lamp’s orange shades pick up the colors found in the suzani.  Beautiful tufted headboard and ruffled bedding.   Darling.

 

 

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And another thank you to this homeowner for sharing her beautiful house with us.

 

 

I really enjoyed seeing how two women - from opposite sides of the country, both found inspiration from the same source – Windsor Smith’s Butter Pat trim -  and claimed it for their own.  You can find inspiration from so many places today – books, magazines, blogs, Pinterest (especially!) and designers’ web sites.   I love how both homeowners used light walls and  dark hardwoods with white slipcovers.  While their houses should look alike because of these same elements – they don’t.   House #1 seems more traditional, while House #2 seems a bit more contemporary and slightly more dressy.  Do you have a designer who inspired you in such a way that you can point to that inspiration in your house?

 

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I’ve written before how 20 years ago,  I was inspired by Dan Carither’s room – and bought an entire room full of furniture upholstered in this exact same linen stripe – which I still love today. 

 

Who has inspired you in your own home?

 

 

NOTE:  If you have sent in pictures of your house or kitchen and it hasn’t been shown yet, please have patience.  I try to weave an interesting (hopefully!!) story around your pictures so I can’t promise exactly when yours will be shown.  Hopefully, I’ll get to them soon.  If you haven’t sent in your pictures, but would like to – please do!!  I hope to run this series for a long time, so it’s never too late. 

91 comments :

  1. Aren't women so talented today. Even without professional training , they still make houses look beautiful!

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    1. YOU!!! You are my inspiration! All of these decorators and designers are super talented. Kurt Aichler, Amy Howard, Pamela Pierce, Cindy Hattersley, Dan Carither, Windsor Smith, Mary Douglas Drysdale, all of them are just amazing. I can't even name them all. But you are the go-to blog. You are also a fantastic decorator and YOU are the ONLY one that is willing to spend so much of your personal time WITH us and FOR us to disseminate all of this valuable information ... your wealth of knowledge of the industry ... where to go ... where to shop ... what would we do without you? You are an amazing person. You are so wonderful! You also possess such an extraordinary sense of humor, I've come to find out. I'm so glad I met you.

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  2. These images are really inspiring and Windsor Smith is behind them. I loved the hallway with the new white settee, brilliant. I am constantly inspired by all the creativity in the design world.

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  3. Oh, my goodness! My favorite post ever!!!

    I love Windsor! Not only her design but her, as a person. She's such a down-to-earth, kind and polite. I remember making a post about her and she was so adorable. It's soooo hard to find designer of her caliber being so nice like that.

    I adore this post! Thank you so much, Joni!


    xo


    Luciane at HomeBunch.com


    PS: Please, drop by to enter my giveaway if you have a minute! Thank you! :-)

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  4. This post was so much fun. I'm so impressed with the amount of time and effort you put into your blog. We readers certainly appreciate it. Keep up the great work.

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  5. I love color, though these homes are mostly white , i do appreciate and like them. Love the ruffled bedskirt on second home.

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  6. Oh Joni, I've had the immense pleasure of staying in that first home, of Maryanne, in PA. It's even more lovely in person - and Maryanne is one of the most generous and kind hearted people I've ever met. Her home is such a reflection of her, and her furniture creations are AMAZING! She also makes one heck of a good potato leak soup - I'm just sayin'!
    Love this readers house series, not only do they look to be inspired by designers, you can tell that your blog has motivated and inspired them, too! Great work homeowners, (and you too, Joni!)
    xoxo,
    A

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  7. I LOVE Windsor and your blog. These two houses are awesome. Amazing that I have something in common with these owners: I have the horse print in the first house and the mirror above the headboard in the second house. My mirror is also above my headboard.

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  8. Joni, It is interesting how so many of our choices are really timeless!

    Your striped linen would look good in so many designs.

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  9. Great post. I always come away with something. Love the "butterpat" pleats, soon to be repeaeted at my house!

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  10. really awsum post! great suggestions!

    15 hARVEY PRINCE AGELESS 50Ml PERFUMES GIVEAWAY - http://fashionistaera.blogspot.se/2012/04/15-harvey-prince-ageless-perfumes-for.html

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  11. Joni, You do put a lot of work into your blog and thanks so much that you do. Love visiting people's homes and getting inspiration. What beautiful homes with such lovely furnishings. I especially enjoy your comments as I enjoy seeing the rooms through your eyes. Anne Boykin

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  12. Indian Real Estate agents have carved out their niche quite prolifically in the last few decades. The hospitality industry in India has grown with leaps and bounds of late. Thanks to trustworthy real estate agents like ansalapi who have done their best to leave a healthy impression on their end users.

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  13. I love these reader's home post! Both houses are great! Thanks

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  14. Beautiful homes! Loved getting a peek inside at the interiors of these two homes. Thanks for such another great post, Joni!
    Kat

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  15. Thanks to these home owners for sharing their lovely homes! You do put alot of time into your posts and thank you for that, I am always learning and getting inspiration.

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  16. Beautiful post, as always. I love both homes featured, especially the dark hardwood floors. I look forward to seeing more of the homes in this series.

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  17. Hi,
    I love both the homes. I am going to try and sew linen slipcovers for my sofa and loveseat. I think I will need to try the butterpat pleats on the chairs.
    Both homes have the look I am trying to achieve. I love the mora clock what a beautiful color. I would love to own one someday, it is definatley on the top of my list for must haves

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  18. Have a new habit, with you posting more. Your site takes soooooo long to load I go scoop both litter boxes.

    Voila, you're up when I'm done.

    XO T

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    1. Do you throw the contents over your vanishing thresholds or down your round downspouts?

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  19. Another informative and interesting post. Joni, what happened to your post about the Pam Pierce house? It was up and people were commenting and then it just evaporated/ Did you take it down?

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    1. Most probably the homeowner was less than happy to find his home on a design blog being critiqued by design wannabees when he has an asking price of $5million. HAR probably wasn't pleased either.

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    2. Hadn't thought of that - but it would have had to have been JONI that took it down off her blog-right? Joni what happened?

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    3. She was probably forced to take it down. I think it does deserve some explanation.

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  20. Joni,
    Love this post and these homes. These are definitely going into my inspiration files. My poor husband is going to just cry when he realizes I want to redo our homes in this style! Thanks for bringing these homes to light and I love this series. I like seeing what readers are doing out there.
    Dawn

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  21. I also have been influenced by Dan Carithers but a Veranda 1995 issue with the home of Furlow Gatewood has been my design mantra. I was so inspired that I have asked myself" what would Furlow do "before every major purchase. I was fortunate to have been in my mid 30"s in 1995 which kept me making costly mistakes. I still refer to the issue when I am in a design rut and need to refocus on true design and not on trends!
    Of course you are a daily source of information. I especially love your historical posts.
    Thank you ,
    Eve

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    1. I DON'T know that home - but did you see the new home of Furlow? plus - the photographer has 100s more than they showed in Veranda. google his name - i can'ta remember it off hand.

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    2. what month was that 1995 issue - do you remember?

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    3. I still have the issue and it was Veranda Fall 1995. It also included a home by Carol Glasser which I think you have written about before. In this issue it also covered the pilgramage in Natchez which I just returned from. It just shows that good design is timeless.
      Eve

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  22. Your blog has introduced me to several new designers. But I have loved the homes of Lynn von Kersting for a long time. Her ability to put together color and pattern really appeals to me. I also enjoy Sarah Richardson on Canada, for her fresh takes on color in the home.

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  23. Two beautifully done homes. Thanks for sharing them....the Amish made kitchen cabinets are too die for!
    -linda,by

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  24. Very classy. I absolutely love just looking over all these pictures. You do such a good job on description of items and where the rooms are that I can actually picture the floor plan. I dig that!!

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  25. I love this series. I would love to see what the paint color is for each of the houses.

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  26. I love your reader's house series. It is my very favorite. I would love to know the name of the granite also. My favorite designer is Lisa Luby Ryan. I always go in her store in Dallas when I make it that way. Thanks again for your beautiful and informative post.

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  27. Love the butter pats pleats! That settee is wonderful...what a transformation. Both homes are beautiful AND livable. So much inspiration to draw from. Thank you!
    Monica

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  28. Lovely post as always!!!!! The butter pat pleats, I love, love, love. I always wondered why I felt her slips were so special, duh, LOL. I love this series. Thanks so much for the post. I would love to know the white paint as well, we are about to repaint the public areas upstairs in our house and I love the softness of that white.

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    1. I will be interested to know if the homeowner weighs in with the color. As a color expert, I will say it looks like "Lancaster Whitewash" Benjamin Moore Historic Collection (HC-174)--there are definite green undertones, which you can clearly see when comparing to the whiter-white of the wainscot. (in the Photo with antlers above the door entry, and the dining room photo adjacent to it).

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    2. I will be interested to know if the homeowner weighs in with the color. As a color expert, I will say it looks like "Lancaster Whitewash" Benjamin Moore Historic Collection (HC-174)--there are definite green undertones, which you can clearly see when comparing to the whiter-white of the wainscot. (in the Photo with antlers above the door entry, and the dining room photo adjacent to it).

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  29. Grand series! congratulations to homeowners + Joni. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  30. Great houses...I am looking for the pictures of the wedding in the wine country that you had. I can not find them and would like to duplicate it. Thanks Barbara

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  31. Joni, I just had to let you know how much I enjoy your blog. The time and care you put into each post is evident and I thoroughly enjoy every one of them. Since I've started reading about 6 months ago, there have been so many that are my favorites, too many to list! As a stay at home mom of 3, it's just a nice break from my day to sit and hear your thoughts and view all of the beautiful images. I've also learned a lot from you. So thank you, Vicki O from CT

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    1. Thank you soo much!!! I appreciate all your kind words!

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  32. Joni,
    Great post. I consistently admire and emulate a combination of Dan Carithers and Charles Faudree. Both have a style I can instantly recognize and while CF may over accessorize occasionally I love his mix of French and English. My greatest challenge is that I admire the work of many varied designers and have to force myself to stay focused on the goal (decor wise).
    Karen

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  33. I love being a design copycat, and I have gotten so much inspiration from blogs, especially this one. I have to tell you: since I found your blog a couple years ago, I have looked to it for advice on so many things from seagrass carpet to draperies. There have been several times when I had a question about something design-wise, so I would google: "Cote de Texas (fill in whatever my question was)". So many times, I came up with the perfect answer from your blog. So thank you for all the tremendous inspiration!

    Now, on being a design copycat: I have this obsession that plagues me when I'm inspired by a fantastic room. I search and search for at least one EXACT thing from the inspiration room. One of my latest-- a bathroom designed by Charles Faudree-- I had to have the exact wallpaper. So I called his office; they were more than generous and gave me the pattern name, and it's now hanging in my bathroom. (Brunschwig & Fils' Frog Treillage) It brings a smile to my face, and when my friends come over I love to pull out one of Faudree's books and say, "See! Look what I copied!"

    Keri

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  34. What happened to the last blog is this.
    The real estate agent asked me do write a story on it, knowing how much I love PP and MNaeve. She sent me the extra pix from the photoshoot. When the owner, a very, very private businessman saw the article, which I'm sure someone in his family alerted him to it, he must have sh*T a can of bricks - pardon my french!!!! Seriously, he must have gone insane with all my commentary and your comments. It's almost funny to visualize, but poor man. He had no idea what bloggers will do. He very kindly asked that I remove it and of course I did. This isn't the first time this has happened. It's happened about 4 or 5 times in five years. So...not bad! But it's always such a huge disappointment, to tell you the truth. AT least I didn't get the message until later that day and I'm sure everyone saw it. What gets me though, is the pics are on the internet for anyone. And not just on HAR, but on all the real estate web sites like zillow and blockshopper. PLUS it had been on a home tour that week before. I guess he just HATED my commentary. oh well. the whole thing was embarrassing to tell you the truth. I don't like people being aggravated by me. It's much better when the homeowner is happy to be on the blog - like these two today.

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    1. Did it ever occur to you to "ask first"? Why would anyone in their right mind want a home that is on the market for $5million to be featured on this blog when you are going "gaga" over the current post? Are you serious? There is no comparison. While I appreciate what your two homeowners have tried to achieve in their homes in this post, one must be honest and say this does not rise to the level of good design. It is (as the saying goes) what it is and it is the achievement of the goals of the particular owner, but seriously, this is not design blog worthy and you know it, Joni.

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    2. Really "anonymous" - if you are going to post such a nasty comment - use your name.
      Didn't you READ Joni's first comment "the real estate agent asked me to do a story on it"....it should have been the real estate agent to think to "ask first", not Joni.
      Clearly this blog doesn't appeal to you - as many of us think this feature IS "design blog worthy". You now can climb off your high horse - you obviously have better things to do than hang with us.
      Ann Marie - Austin

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    3. Speaking of an oxymoron, UNKNOWN, that you believe this particular feature is design worthy is your good right. I believe the limited amount of comments would indicate more of an attitude of "move along, nothing to see here". Many of the Reader Series post get a higher bump than this one has, some others do not. I suppose whatever a homeowner wants to do could technically be called design, but the question is whether or not it is worthy of publication. This one is not. I am sure Joni is reluctant to say no to anyone of her readers who desires to be featured here. She basically set herself up for the good, bad and the in between. As to "hang with us", I didn't realize this was ladies night out at the neighborhood watering hole.

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    4. @Anonymous 7:19 - The difference is UNKNOWN did not post a nasty, obnoxious comment like YOU did! And she DID use her name--can't you read? She posted "Ann-Marie - Austin." Use your name if you are going to be obnoxious!

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    5. anon - you have a point here. not all readers houses are million dollar houses. some are done with a very small budget. so, if those kind of houses don't appeal to you - just skip that day reading. not sure what to say. and yes, it is tricky to ask for houses and then get some that don't show anything really worth putting on the blog. that said - I do happen to really like both these houses. I put them together because they reminded me of each other the way they both used the cute butter pat. so actually this was a story about using a particular trim when slipcovering or even upholstering. Not all houses are going to be like Angie's country house that everyone went nuts over but I do try to at least make the story interesting and/or entertaining. I think both these houses raise to that level. truthfully - i even got ideas from both these houses - the dark floors, the light walls, the slipcovers.

      truly anon - i will never understand why you read the blog. it makes you so unhappy! There are so many other blogs out there that woul fulfil your needs better. I wonder if you really just like the comment section. I have a suspicious that that is what draws you back each time? I don't mind that, just try not to insult people who are kind enough to show their houses of which they are very proud.

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    6. A home need not be on a charity's tour of homes, nor does it need to have a specific address in Houston, or any other city for that matter to be interesting and inspiring. That you got ideas from these houses is truly laughable as it appears that they are in total lock step with your favorite design trends - the dark floors, the light walls, the slipcovers. We have seen this a million times on this blog. The pathetic thing is that instead of showing some originality, these houses are mere copycats of yours (the master bedroom of one of the homes) and homes like yours which you so frequently show. The look is past trend at this point. Nothing unkind or ugly was specifically said about either house. Not a single element, room, window treatment or fabric was criticized by me. I said it was not blog worthy. If either house would not be published in a magazine, why feature it on your blog. The second house shows a bit more sophistication if that makes you happy. Perhaps in instances like this, the readers should show the before photographs so one can have a deeper appreciation for the effort of the owners to attain their vision.

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    7. Shell, you are simply brilliant. I did notice that UNKNOWN posted a name. However, you have no clue whether or not that is her real name. So if you have a name which you cannot verify, what difference does it make that someone posts their name? Start thinking for once.

      Marie Pavie'

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    8. wow I think we just found the 2 most obnoxious messages ever left here on the blog of our dear Joni. thank you

      Anonymous 7:19 & 12:26! you win !

      You sound so annoying. Your parents must hate you. But its okay. Your cats still love you...all 22 of them. ;)

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    9. Rather 22 cats than 14 children Octomom. I'm so glad you didn't take that gig at the Shady Pines Lodge. Even stray cats need a break once in a while.

      Marie

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    10. I'm totally childless by choice Marie--!
      Marie Pavie' ok that's fine call yourself that. Hey i do not care who the hell you are. Giving yourself a name is not
      so we can verify who YOU are - it's so we can distinguish the non-obnoxious posters from you--so they
      don't get put in YOUR category. that's all. hey it's really not all about you you know. grow up
      and get over your silly old dried out self. you old crone you.
      like Joni says i don't understand why you read the blog since it makes you so unhappy-!
      and like ann-marie from austin says --get off your high horse...or no --better yet-- stay ON it and ride off
      into the sunset. you're a totally pathetic & obnoxious bore. you stink.

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    11. LOL,nothing is more hilarious to read than the posts when little Shellie completely looses it. I bet you were hell on wheels on the playground girl. Please go back and read your posts. Something tells me you are growing more in that back yard of yours than tulips. I can see the steam rising now. You should take this act on the road Shellie. It's truly so original. Words like "ride off into the sunset", "your silly dried out self", "old crone", "high horse" show such personal empowerment. Wow such a tome of tried and true insults all coming from that itsy bitsy intellect of yours.

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    12. anon - you really think these aren't 'blog worthy' - ? that makes NO sense. A blog can be anything, there ARE no rules of what is worthy or not. I don't judge whether something would be publishable or not for it to be on the blog. like it - ok. don't like it - ok, wait for the next story. it's not life or death. just pass on by that day. i stand by what i wrote. i think there are people who would appreciate looking at this post and even getting ideas. i did! sorry if you find that hard to believe. I liked the light fixture esp. in house #1 in the living room. i haven't really seen too many of those used and it was refreshing to me. I liked it. a lot. i loved her entry hall with that big black an white horse head and i loved the living room with the two settee. i think those were really pretty. why do i have to defend my choices? it's my choice of what to show or not.

      whatever. you never like anything. like i said, i have NO idea why you come here, except to troll. you are the definition of a troll.

      Delete
  35. Charlotte Des FleursApril 5, 2012 at 8:08 PM

    Well, if his house doesn't sell quickly enough for him, perhaps he can use some of our "constructive" criticism to make it more appealing. After all, 90% of the time women are the ones who make the final decision about what house to buy. We had a very beautiful, Country French house in our neighborhood that was on the market for over a year. The male, bachelor doctor had it furnished in a very stark, modern, business-like style. Most potential buyers walked in and walked right out again. Just sayin...

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  36. Love these posts! Keep'em coming. I think my fave of the two is the 2nd reader's house. I love all the white against the dark floors, but the living room with that gorgeous fireplace and wonderful serene feeling to it is what won me over!

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  37. Love this post, and thank the home owners for sharing with us! It is much appreciated.
    Like many of your readers I adore marble in kitchens. For a few different reasons (budget being one) we've decided to go with granite. I would LOVE to know the name of the granite in the second kitchen.
    And if you haven't written about that already, Joni, it would make a good blog post - - how to get the look and feel of marble, for less.
    I'm inspired by the Sister Parrish and Bunny Williams . . . in particular, their design philosophies and how they want (wanted) rooms to feel and function.

    Jennifer

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  38. Charlotte Des FleursApril 5, 2012 at 9:46 PM

    Just spent part of a day at Round Top, Texas, for the semi-annual Antique Orgy. There is no other way to describe it! Miles and miles of tents and barns FULL of everything from junque to heart-stoppingly gorgeous antiques. No wonder Joni and the Houston area gals are able to find such wonderful things for their homes. If we have moved into our new home by the fall show, I am going to bring hubby, a fistful of dollars and a very large U-haul.

    Last weekend we went antiquing in Newport Beach, Calfornia. Oh, "la de dah"! Prices were 3 to 4 times higher and the stuff was just ok. In California, the serious antiques were $18K to $20K while the "Shabby Chic" items were much more shabby than chic.

    For those of you have a mind to have an adventure, the Round Top show will still be open on Friday and Saturday. While I suspect that the premium items went to antique dealers on the Pre-Show Days, there are still a lot of very worthwhile items left. Be sure to wear comfy shoes. Silly me, I wore heels!

    Everything is bigger and better in Texas!

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  39. Joni, you know YOU are the designer who inspired me in our new home. You and Brooke Giannetti. So there! :) Our home is being featured in the May issue of Beach Life Magazine (we live in Delaware) and I'll send you a copy. You'll see a lot of Joni influence in the rooms.

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    1. Can't wait to see the article. Is Beach Life a regional magazine in the Delaware area.

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    2. me neither! i can't wait!!!! please do send it to me. i would love to see it. and thanks for your kind words. i feel very very honored to be mentioned in the same sentence with brooke!!!!

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  40. Joni just picked up the HB style 101: 400 designer secrets to a beautiful home to keep in my desk at work and was excited to see you listed as one of the "go to" blogs! I was wondering just what a blog was after one of the commentors said these houses were not "blog worthy" and I just don't get his/her nastiness because I thought it was a wonderful post...I loved the way you tied it to Windsor Smith's butter pat trim and that these delightful homes seem like they are owned by everyday people and incorporate ideas someone on a limited budget (me) can take away and I took away lots of ideas other than dark floors and white slips....I hope you or the home owners share paint colors and the granite. Sarah

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    1. what is hb style 101? i was listed? that's so nice!!!
      just ignore the anon. he only wants to see homes decorated within an inch of their life. i love to see houses decorated on a budget. or decorated by the homeowner.

      thanks for your kind words.
      Joni

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    2. Its a little book published by house beautiful along the lines of their colors 101 and fabric 101, easy to tuck in a desk drawer and sneak a peek when your internet access is severely limited. you are considered a new ruralist. Please do post the zebra rug source, I almost hauled one back from Africa but was too rushed (and broke) and not enough room.

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  41. Hi Everyone, I am the owner of the 2nd home in Dallas. Thank you all for your kind comments and feedback. They are much appreciated!

    I wanted to give the name of our paint color. It is White Diamond by Pittsburgh paint in a flat finish. It was the line that our builder uses. It's actually a very nice and liveable color..not yellow, not too cream, no weird undertone. We are very pleased with it. Also, I have searched high and low for the name of the granite but alas I can't find it anywhere. So sorry! I'll keep looking. Of course, marble was the first choice but upgrades can be endless and you have to stop somewhere. I'll save it for the next house.

    Thanks again, Joni! I appreciate all you do for us.

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    1. thanks!!! love the granite. it's really a pretty alternative to the white marble. love your house - your dark hardwoods are making me drool. seriously drool. they are sooooo gorgeous!!!

      thanks for letting us snoop around.

      Joni

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    2. I found the name of our granite!! It is Blanco Delicatus. I honestly have never been a fan of granite but this was a great alternative and we've been very happy with it. It really is beautiful and blends in very nicely with our mostly white and cream decor.

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    3. Thanks so much for finding and sharing the name of your granite, Angie! And again, thank you for opening your home to us!

      Jennifer

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  42. Thank you for this post. The houses are lovely and I enjoyed seeing homes designed by people who don't have unlimited funds (like me) to use for decorating.

    The home of Dan Carrithers in Veranda inspired some of the decor in my current home. I had some French chairs upholstered in a similiar stripe. Love them.

    Joni, could you give me the source for the zebra rug in your family room? I also see one in the picture of your client's home. I'm looking for a zebra rug for my living room.

    Cindy

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  43. I LOVE your blog and have been reading it for almost a year now. I believe the granite is Bianco Antico. I have just installed it in my kitchen. I really wanted marble, but I loved the beautiful bronze, silver and gold tones to this granite, and I am actually grateful that I couldn't afford the marble! While some of the slabs are much darker than the one in the kitchen you have pictured, it is easy to find slabs that have more white to them and really let the metallic colors shine through.

    I have really delighted in learning so many design elements from your blog- thank you so much for all your hard work!

    Kerry Wooten

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  44. These are lovely homes - the owners have done a great job with each house. I think Windsor Smith is my second favourite designer after the great Pamela Pierce.

    Regarding your question about being influenced by decorators. There are parts of my apartment that I notice a few years after the fact were influenced by certain decorators - it must be subconscious at the time I'm making changes and then it hits me a few years later what influenced my thoughts when I look over a design book or magazine that I haven't looked at for a few years and realise that I have subconsciously copied someone.

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  45. Joni - thanks again for a wonderful post. You do tie a thought through your posts, and I appreciate it! I like both of these houses - amazing what homeowners can do with inspiration!

    Libby

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  46. Hello All,

    I am the owner of the first home and appreciate all the kind comments (especially the ones made in my defense- ha!) And thank you, Joni, for my 15 minutes of blog fame!

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    1. thanks mimi!! hope you are happy with the way the pictures look. I tried to edit them a little - make the lighting better! hehe. not sure it made a difference, but i like the pic with the breakfast light ON and i had to grab that once off your blog. the others, the light was off. for some reason the room looked prettier with the chand. on. do you keep it on during the day?

      I keep my chands and sconces on all day and at night, i turn most lights off. weird. i know.

      thanks again!
      J

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    2. Its a lovely home and I immediately pinned and copied your idea of tucking a painting under a table! As for those kitchen cabinets, settee and black and white horse art....its easy to be green (with envy) Thanks for sharing!!

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  47. I would LOVE to know the name of that granite. I have 3 kids and the idea of marble scares me, yet it is hard to find a replacement granite if that is what you are attracted to. Thanks for looking!

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    1. It is Blanco Delicatus. We have been very happy with it and nothing seems to stain it. A great alternative to the white marble. I highly recommend it.

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  48. Joni that's too bad about the South Blvd post. I'm just glad I caught it before he called! I really love that you post high end as well as more attainable designs in real homes. That's what makes this blog so interesting. My favorite room in this post was the Dallas bedroom - fabulous way to accessorize an all white bed. Well done!

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  49. I applaud both the homeowners as they have chosen what obviously reflects their personal taste. As individuals, IMO that is what decorating should be all about. No different from one's wardrobe choice.
    Regarding the Windsor Smith Butter Pat Pleats, if one wishes to be introduced to a 'master of pleating'; web search www.muchtodowithnothing.com She (Kelly) is a Blogger and is one very talented lady! (Tell her mrsben (Brenda) sent you.))
    Wishing you a beautiful weekend Joni. -Brenda-

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  50. Hello! I emailed last year....and we spoke of slipcovers...guess what? I am finally getting my white slipcovers next week! :) Got my seagrass rugs all downstairs, and in our master..loving my neutral easy decor. Thank you for posting so many inspiring pictures.

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  51. Joni, I adore seeing what talented non-professionals do. I always get ideas that I feel I can emulate on a budget from these posts, rather than something totally out of my price range. And it's all blog-worthy, needless to say. Somehow anon has the idea that your blog should only be about high dollar design that is magazine worthy. Well, I have magazines for that; I want variety like you offer, as well as truly accessible design. I've learned a lot from reading your posts, thank you.

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  52. Hi Joni, I haven't even broused the comments here but I have a feeling that I will disagree!
    Although there are some creative endeavors going on in these two homes...I see absolutely NO
    Windsor Smith at all. The only likeness is the similar pleated edging on the slips. That is all.
    And while I admire the home owners' efforts, no matter that the budget may be smaller, the homes
    lack thought, charisma and style. Sorry!

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    1. Anonymous..why don't you try putting pictures of your house on here and than have someone tell you that you have put no thought into it and that you have no style. Get a life...these women obviously love their homes very much. If you don't like it than move on but don't bash other women's efforts. Why?

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  53. Thanks for sharing these reader's homes. It is so neat to see home owners who have defined a style for themselves and then been consistent with implementing that style throughout their homes!

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  54. It looks NOTHING like Windsor Smith!! These are pretty homes, yes, but where is the "Windsor Smith" look????

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  55. Wow! I have looked at the pictures on this beautiful blog many times, but never read the comments. I'm sorry I did. How can people be so rude? I would be crying and regretting sharing my home if I were these nice homeownwers.
    These homes are beautiful, and definitly design worthy! I love them! I want to see homes like mine, not just unreachable design for the extreamely rich, most of us are not in this boat.
    I am trying to find furniture from a small town, so online shooping will be a must. I love the sofa and chairs with the butter pat pleats in the second home. Can anyone tell me where to find them? I would be so grateful.
    I'm in love with the first homes living room/dining room with the toile drapes, just gorgeous! Love the vintage touches!
    I've never heard of Windsor Smith until reading this, but I'm loving her design now too! I have parson chair slipcovers in my dining room from Ballard Designs with this pleat detail. Very reasonably priced to boot.

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