Truce: When Flowers Say it All

 

It is no secret to faithful readers that this election season has been an exciting one in my household -  Fox News could have filmed one of Ben’s and my debates and aired it purely for comical enjoyment.   We were on opposite sides of the presidential election and most nights leading up to voting day were spent emotionally discussing the issues:  Obama’s tax plan, McCain’s choice of Palin, Obama’s inability to truly understand the Oil & Gas business, and McCain’s side on the “social issues” to name just a few juicy topics.   Some nights the noise level in my family room got quite loud.  Our debates became very personal to both of us, so I was truly ready for it all to be over so that my house could go back to its usual quietness.  Truthfully, I knew that the United States was going to be fine – no matter which candidate won.  To me, they were both honest, good and competent men.    But in my heart – I felt it was time - time for us to elect an Afro-American as President.    It just seemed to me that Obama was the “right” choice. 

The night America decided to agree with me, Ben went to bed early and didn’t watch the live television coverage from Chicago, which really disappointed me.  I believed that no matter how one felt about taxes, or abortion, or William Ayers – watching Obama give his victory speech was something that should have been mandatory in every home – it was history that we Americans made that night.   Instead, I watched it alone.

And so, even as I said I couldn’t wait for Tuesday to be over so that things could get back to normal in my house, nothing really changed.  Until, that is, when a few days later the doorbell rang and a huge arrangement of flowers was delivered.  The card read:  “Congratulations on the Election.  I love you, Ben.”

Aw, is he not the sweetest man in the world?  Nothing like a bouquet of flowers to wipe away a few months of “discussions.”  And wipe them away, the flowers surely did.  That night Ben came home all smiles, and I was all smiles and we both declared Truce - for the next four years.

 

The arrangement of flowers Ben sent me congratulating me on the election.  Actually, they were the equivalent of a peace pipe, a true symbol of a truce.

 

After the excitement of the flower delivery wore down, I kept circling around and looking at them.   Years and years ago, 20 to be exact, in the first apartment we lived together as newlyweds, our downstairs neighbors owned a popular and very chi-chi florist company.  Though we only lived there for a year, it was a very floral year.  One of the owners really took a liking to Ben (like everyone does) and used to bring him flowers almost weekly.  It was wonderful.  For twenty years, they have been our go-to florist whenever we’ve needed to send something special for a birthday or some other occasion.   For all those years, we’ve always been pleased with their work.  But last Friday, I kept thinking, gee – this arrangement is really not up to par.  It was just a mishmash of pink, purple, lavender and white flowers  thrown together – without any of the florists’ usual uniqueness.   I wondered what Ben had actually ordered over the phone.  Ben is a very humble man, not flashy by any stretch of the imagination.  He also is not a complainer - he’s not one to send his meal back to the kitchen for any reason, nor would he ever question a floral arrangement.   And, of course, neither would I ever complain to Ben about such a thoughtful gesture.   He’s sensitive about those things and thinks I am judgmental enough.   I knew to keep my mouth shut.   

 

So, imagine my surprise when later the evening I heard Ben say, “these flowers really aren’t that pretty.  They look like something you would get in the hospital.”  Exactly, my dear!    The floral varieties by themselves were pretty enough, but together, they were just a mess, certainly not something that Eddie Ross would ever create.  After some discussion, Ben admitted he never really knows what to order when the florist asks him what he wants to send out.   So, after 20 years, he got a lesson in flower ordering.   In all honesty, I had never really thought about it much either.  But, given the opportunity to really be honest with my husband, I told him  – it’s always better to just order one type of flower – a dozen or two roses is always great.  Especially nice is to order the roses without a vase.  Who needs another cheap florist vase any way?   Or instead of roses, order a dozen tulips.   Or instead of fresh flowers – order a potted orchid, or a hydrangea plant.  For something I hadn’t really thought about before – I certainly had a lot of ideas!   But really – what is best to order from a florist, or to pick out at the corner flower stand?  What makes up a fool-proof delivery of flowers?

 

A dozen peach roses is always welcome in my house – especially when they are wrapped in paper and tied with raffia.   Enough of cheap floral vases!   Isn’t this a much prettier presentation?

 

There is nothing more romantic than roses arriving in a beautiful long, white box, tied with a ribbon.

 

 

Imagine opening the door to a few dozen of these old garden roses in varying shades of pink?   Many florists in California sells these varieties over the internet.  Rose Story Farm is one such company that sells fabulous, old fashioned roses like these.

 

 

– better yet, plan a trip Carpinteria to tour Rose Story Farm’s acres of blooms!

 

Or, you can always bribe a friend with rose bushes to let you cut a few of the blooms to surprise a spouse. 

 

Simple and elegant:   one color, one dozen roses:  order orange colored ones for fall. 

 

Another good color for fall is a mixture of orange and yellow roses. 

 

Pale lavender roses are gorgeous no matter what season – and a personal favorite of mine.

 

Or try a mixture of light and dark pinks and lilacs with white roses.  So beautiful!

 

A sure bet to order from is Martha Stewart.  There are a plethora of choices on her web site – some come in wonderful vases like this one made of mercury glass.   Stewart  has a “one arrangement a month” program – a gift that lasts for  year.  I’ve always wanted to give that to someone.  Maybe this Christmas………?!!

 

Instead of fresh flowers that will die within a week, order a rose plant – these are from Martha Stewart. 

 

Lately one of my favorite bouquets of roses is one of each color – something my best friend Lisa has given me on my birthday.

 

Californian designer Lynn Von Kersting puts arrangements of old garden variety roses throughout her house.  These romantic blooms match the feel of her decor. 

 

 

Roses are a staging staple for design magazines.  Here in a Gerrie Bremermann room, dozens of white roses fill a baptism font.

 

Again, Gerrie Bremermann uses yellow roses to blend with the colors in this room.

 

Veranda used light pink roses in Pam Pierce’s all white living room. 

 

Suzanne Kasler uses a small arrangement of pink roses in her pink and khaki dining room.

 

 

Besides roses – a great flower to send is tulips.  Either French or Parrot tulips – both are beautiful.

 

 

Parrot tulips are ruffled like these.   Tulips are a great choice – a few or many.  This is a large bouquet – a smaller number of tulips can be just a pretty.

 

But then again, a large box of mixed French tulips would be most welcome!!!  If you are having a party, consider ordering a large box of flowers online such as this.    It’s a great savings. 

 

A dozen parrot tulips- tulips are most beautiful when they start to fall over like this.

 

 

Many interior designers use tulips in their presentation.  Here Dan Carithers, an interior designer from Atlanta uses peach tulips in a yellow and blue room.  I love this shade – it almost is the color of skin.

 

 

Interior Designer Diane Burn uses an antique tuliper to hold her dozen tulips which are perfectly bent over.

 

Jeffrey Bilhuber’s French tulips match the decor exactly.    This room without the bouquet of tulips would not seem quite as finished.

 

 

Gerrie Bremermann used peach colored tulips in this antique silver bowl.

 

Babs Watkins, from Houston, mixed white parrots with hydrangeas in this dining room in River Oaks.

 

As always, when sending out flowers, order them wrapped in paper – this is beautiful enough.

 

Sometimes, instead of sending fresh flowers, I like to order potted orchids.  They last up to two or three months and look wonderful in any decor – traditional or contemporary.  Here a white phalaenopsis orchid is potted in a red oriental wood bucket.

 

An orange cymbidium orchid is perfect for the fall season and is available in stores now.

 

White orchids look particularly pretty in a blue and white pot.

 

A great gift is fresh orchid stems – though they don’t last as long as the plant, they do last much longer than fresh cut flowers.

 

 

Californian designer Michael S. Smith used yellow orchids in his famous Portuguese styled home.  The  yellow plays perfectly off the blue and white tiles.

 

 

In the spring, the prettiest flower you can order is the peony.   Here is a bouquet in a vase that is decorated with peonies.  Is there anything more beautiful than this?

          

A smaller bouquet is every bit as pretty.

 

 

Or, bring home one stem on a special occasion  – beautiful!

 

A bouquet with deep pink peonies pops in a monochromatic room.  Notice how the stylist added the hot pink throw in the atrium.

 

In a California guest cottage, Michael Smith used a pale pink peony bouquet that blends with the decor.  Another bouquet of roses sits on the side table.  This room gets better with each viewing.  The lighting choices are impeccable – the oversized lantern, the black reading  fixture and the creamy porcelain table lamp.    Most amazingly, the fabric is actually bedspreads purchased from Urban Outfitters and upholstered to the walls and used for the curtains and upholstery.

 

Suzanne Kasler’s famous pink dining room features a deep pink peony bouquet that picks up the colors in the painting.

 

 

The hydrangea plant is a favorite with just about everyone.  Ordering a single plant in a pretty clay pot is a gift that keeps on giving.  The plant can be transplanted outdoors after the blooms are finished – thus this one flower delivery can actually last a lifetime.  My favorite colors are the blues and purples first – but I also love the “antique” hydrangea colors.

 

  An inexpensive straw basket is a great thing to include with an hydrangea order.

 

Make a grand statement with mass of plants in large, matching pot.

 

Once the blooms have faded, plant the hydrangeas outside to enjoy for years to come.   Luscious!

 

White hydrangeas in  gorgeous patinaed urn.

 

  Veranda magazine likes to feature hydrangeas on it’s covers.  Here – a home in California designed by Houstonian Renea Abbott.  A cover like this makes it hard to resist buying the magazine.

 

    

  And again, in a home in Galveston designed by Babs Watkins.

 

 

And, here mixed with snaps, in a Dallas home designed by Houstonian Jane Moore for her daughter and son in law.

 

In the same living room as the above Veranda cover, Jane Moore used hydrangeas as the only color in the room beside seafoam green.

 

I love to dry the antique hued hydrangeas – here in a home designed by Shannon Bowers in Dallas – a large metal bucket holds a mass of dried hydrangeas.

 

In my own home, when in season, I try to keep blue hydrangeas in two different places – first, on my wine tasting table in the entry area.

 

And second, another plant in my breakfast room inside a white ironstone vase.  I love the blues against all the white. 

 

In fact, I love hydrangeas so much that for my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah invitation, I decided to go against the glitzy trend and instead chose an invitation which featured hydrangea blooms with a ribbon in antique hydrangea colors.

 

 

 

OK – so I’ll really play the proud parent now!  At Elisabeth’s Bat Mitzvah luncheon, my mom Betty Rae and I ordered this huge arrangement for the center table.  It was all pink (the colors are really off in this picture) – roses, peonies, stocks, and who knows what else.  That’s my large iron urn that we used for the vase.  Actually Lizzy is standing on a chair here – the flowers towered over her!  And of course as soon as Betty Rae arrived, she removed those pink bows the florist had used for decoration.   I’ve always wondered what the photographer said to Lizzy to make her pose like this – she looks like one of the girls on The Price is Right showcasing the grand prize!

 

 

 

My daughter was born in spring, in late March, and for her birth I received two beautiful flower arrangements that remain my all time favorites.  The first is what my parents sent me in the hospital -  an large arrangement of French tulips – that perfect peach hue which is almost flesh colored.  At my wedding reception the flowers were roses and tulips – so ever since then, those two flowers have had a special meaning for us!   

The other arrangement I received in the hospital was from Ben, the proud but exhausted new father (yes!  HE was exhausted!)  Ben, of course,  ordered the flowers from the same florists that botched his Election Day Truce bouquet.  For Elisabeth’s birth – his florist friend informed him that they had flowering branches of dogwood.  Now, being from Texas, we don’t have dogwood here.  In fact, before that day, I had never seen it before.   The dogwood branches that were delivered to the hospital were the most gorgeous flowers I have ever received before or since.  The pale pink flowering branches were huge and took up so much space in the small room  – everything else was dwarfed by their size, including my tiny 5 lb baby girl.   I was amazed and overwhelmed by their beauty and by the fact that Ben had sent something so extravagant – not in cost, but in sheer lavishness.  Generally, Ben is a very understated person, but I suppose the grandness of his gesture matched his emotions.    Being as Elisabeth is an only child, it seems fitting that the dogwoods were a one-time occurrence, never matched again.  If he ever did send me dogwoods again, it would somehow take away from the specialness of that occasion.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Suzanne Rheinstein used a small, flowering potted dogwood in this Virginian house.   I wonder if the owners later planted it on their property?

 

 

A southern bedroom with an arrangement of dogwood branches.

 

 

And finally – sometimes flowers aren’t the only way to say what you want to.  I wasn’t the only one who received a surprise last week.  Lizzy’s boyfriend sent her a balloon bouquet!   What a festive way to say – I’m sorry, I love you, Happy Birthday, or Congratulations on the Election – whichever applies.

 

What’s you favorite flower or arrangement to get from your significant other?  Did I list it here?  Do you have one memorable arrangement that you will never forget – like my dogwood branches? 

Don’t tell anyone but Artie Colors Outside the Lines!

 

 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – the best part of blogging is the friends you meet along the way.  Artie, an ex-pat Texan, is one such new friend.  He writes the charming blog Color Outside the Lines, a daily diary of his decorating issues with his house in upstate New York.  He also writes about gardening, entertaining, designing jobs he takes on, and recipes thrown in for good measure.  He describes himself as a “jack of all trades” and for sure he fits that bill.  He is young, very young, and talented, very talented, with a long life and career ahead of himself.  He’s funny and self deprecating and very sweet at that!   He loves HGTV’s Rate My Space and writes clever stories about his misadventures there.  He also launched a successful contest which was quite a hit with the winner receiving a very generous gift certificate to Calico Corners.  

Recently Artie asked if he could interview moi, thinking that I might know something about decorating worth hearing.  Too funny!!   To read Artie’s interview with me, go here. 

In the meantime – below are some of my favorite pictures Artie has posted of his work:

 

 

Artie recently made this charming lamp himself – he even posted his how-to instructions.  Using driftwood in design is all the rage today.  This natural material with it’s silvery tones fits right into the gray interiors everyone seems to love right now.   Readers of Cote de Texas will remember that Sally Wheat also makes objects out of driftwood. 

 

Artie and his partner Scott recently hosted a guest from out of town.   Naturally Artie fretted about getting his guest room in order.  Here is the room as it looked awaiting the out of towner.  Instead of a typical headboard Artie used a mural he had purchased before.  White sheets, khaki duvet and kilim pillows finished up the tailored look.  So nice Artie!

 

Across from the bed in the guest room are these bookcases that Artie recently refinished.  He arranged his books by color which is a very hip thing to do right now.  He stained the exterior of the bookcases and painted the interiors a shade of rust to go with the other colors in the guest room.  You need to see how these bookcases looked before they were refurbished to appreciate how the talented Artie fixed them up:

 

Hard to believe, but this is how the book cases originally looked before Artie remade them.  He also posted step by step instructions to copy.  Most everyone I know either owns bookshelves like this or did at one time and they could benefit with a makeover too.   They look great now Artie !!!

 

 

This summer Artie set up this tent in his backyard in anticipation of a dinner party he was having.

 

Here is a peek inside the tent right before the party.

 

Here’s how the table was set for the party - notice how he laid bands of burlap over a black tablecloth creating the striped effect.  Artie reported the party was a success and that eating inside the tent was magical!

 

Thanks Artie for everything!    To read my interview by Artie,  please go here. 

The Urban Market – Sunday, November 2!!

 

 

What has become an antique shopping tradition in Houston  -  The Urban Market – is scheduled to be held this Sunday, November 2, 2008.   Doors will open at 9am until 5 pm.  For early birds – the parking area, only, will open at 8:15 am.  The location is new this year.

 

 

Be sure to make note of the new address for The Urban Market:

The Knights of Columbus Hall & Fields  -  in the Heights.

607 E. Witney Drive  -

Directions:    I-45 North, Exit Airline, Left on Airline, Right on Whitney

 

 

Recently, Jackie Sharbrough purchased The Urban Market and this Sunday will be her first market day as the new owner!   Good luck Jackie, it’s going to be great, as usual.   The only thing that has changed under Jackie’s direction is the location.  Jackie has worked hard to get all the same dealers and even some new ones for the market.  There are always lots of bargains to be had, so be sure to get there early.  Jackie also wants to remind everyone that Saturday night is when we change our clocks back from Daylight Savings Time, so don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour before you go to bed!!!   Jackie also wants everyone to know that the Knights of Columbus will be serving BBQ Sunday.  Tickets are $5 at the gate and $3 after 1:oo pm.  Children are free.  My favorite delivery company, Crowded House, will be on site!

 

 

 

 

The list of antique dealers confirmed to be at the Urban Market this Sunday is long and Cote de Texas readers will recognize a few names that will be selling their wares:    Sally Wheat, The Fabulous Flea, Vieux Interiors,  Carolyn Westbrook Home, and Found For The Home are just some of the dealers that should sound familiar.  For the entire list of dealers and more information, go to www.theurbanmarkethouston.com.

 

 

 

The weather is supposed to be wonderful this weekend – s0 if you love antiques you should definitely stop by and check it out!  And be sure to
“HI” to Jackie, Sally Wheat, The Fab Flea and Vieux Interiors for me!!!

 

 

All photos are from past Urban Markets.   The map to Knights of Columbus – Heights:

 

Michael S. Smith’s Houses – A Winner!

 

Michael S. Smith, interior designer from California, has been profiled here a few times before:   as the designer of the fabulous hotel Shutters and more recently, The Canary, and as Cote de Texas’ Top Ten Designers - #9  (obviously he is a HUGE favorite of mine!!!)    Smith’s aesthetic is one that has broad appeal – his interiors are both accessible and sophisticated at the same time.  He prefers to use the finest of surfaces, the rarest of antiques, the most exclusive of fabrics, yet his rooms are always friendly and warm.  Nothing about a Michael Smith interior says – don’t touch - nothing is ever off limits.   How he manages to combine the two – priceless and comfortable - is the mark of his genius.   It’s not easy to make the most rarefied seem so cozy, yet he does, perfectly.    Smith’s first book, Elements of Style, was a runaway hit and his second, Houses,  has been eagerly awaited.  It does not disappoint.    With the dizzying array of design books published these days, it is difficult for an author to have his book noticed.   Even though the competition this holiday season is intense, Smith’s Houses is clearly the standout – a must buy for anyone who is serious about interior design.    With the economy on everyone’s minds,  many people have become  discriminating  while choosing a pricey design book, but Smith’s newest should definitely make the cut.     A well known secret about many design books is they truly are not an interesting read.  The pictures drive the book, not the words.  There are, of course, exceptions.  Rose Tarlow’s The Private House comes to mind immediately.  Tarlow’s pictures are secondary to her fascinating story, though the images are certainly worthwhile.  Another design book great, John Saladino’s Style by Saladino, is a bible.  So educational and enlightening, Saladino’s book should be taught in design schools – “Saladino  101.”   Villa, Saladino’s newest is  due out this spring.  Smith’s newest book competes with Tarlow’s and Saladino’s on every level.  He explains his thought processes on design, breaks it down, and justifies his choices.  Written in simple prose, one is able to take away concrete ideas to utilize in one’s own home or a client’s.  Interesting to note that Smith cites Saladino as a major influence of his, along with Niall Smith, Gep Durenberger, Michael Trapp, and a host of other notables, most of whom he either has worked for or  with. 

 

   

This house, inspired by Portugal with walls made of gorgeous tiles, is featured in the new book.  Smith reveals in Houses that these clients actually wanted a Tuscan inspired house.  Smith, characteristically bored with the plethora of Tuscany houses in Southern California, suggested the clients look to Portugal for inspiration.  The result is one of the prettiest Portuguese styled homes in the United States.  Not that there are that many of those!

 

 

In his new book, Smith confirms his first love and the inspiration for his own house is the English Country Manor style, with its look of faded beauty.  He especially adores Georgian style architecture and furniture.  No aspect of an English country home is off limits to his critical eye:  he earnestly studies the massive servant kitchens for ideas.   It is no surprise that Smith’s interiors are typically filled with English, not French, furniture.   In Houses, Smith presents several interior projects recently undertaken.  He has many rules for himself which are listed and are intriguing to study:  wood floors should be stained and waxed, always leave off the polyurethane sealant.  Of course it is much more work to rewax your floors once a year or so, but the effect is worth it.  I must agree with Smith on this point .  I have clients with wood floors that are waxed and they are far superior looking to the sealed hardwoods that turn dull and lifeless looking within a few short years.   Another gem:  his hardware was all replated in silver.  How gorgeous!   He describes the plated finish as being “alive.”  Of course, again, the upkeep of the silver plated finish is something that most people would rather not want, yet this exquisite finish should be considered when choosing hardware.  If the upkeep scares one off, try limiting the silver plate to the powder room and master bath, where it can be enjoyed with daily use.   Most fascinating, Smith’s house was not not painted, instead he used venetian plasters in each room, along with lime washed ceilings.   One can only imagine the cost, and the beauty, of his walls.   The doors are especially refined:  are all paneled of solid mahogany – a luxury few of us will ever experience.   Page after page is filled with these musings on design choices and, for that alone, the book is a must have.   

 

 

This beautiful house is featured in the new Michael Smith book.  A new home, built in the Italianate style, Smith and the architect worked hard to have the  house appear to have a patina that is acquired only after a century or two.  I find this room stunningly beautiful!

 

It is fair to note that many of the projects in the book have been published before.  There are some new houses to be sure, but there are many that have already been seen in magazines.    Yet, this does not detract from the value of the book as it is worth having these beautiful images in one place for further research and enjoyment.  And, of course,  Smith’s running commentary that accompanies the houses shown is priceless.    For each house, Smith takes the reader through the process of his initial inspiration up through the purchasing of the furniture, art, and accessories.  Smith is “obsessed” with design and uses that word frequently:  “Right now I am obsessed with……..”” he says over and over again.  His enthusiasm for interior design and great furniture is infectious.   He also confesses a tendency to get bored with certain fabrics or styles.  He is constantly on the lookout for the next thing that excites him.    Trends have little value to Smith and as soon as something does become mainstream, he leaves it in a cloud of dust – off  seeking out a new inspiration.   This passion comes through the book loud and clear.      He feels great furniture is vastly undervalued when compared to works of art on canvas.  To Smith, a beautiful dining room table IS a work of art.    Lovers of interior design will certainly relate with this sentiment.   While it is true his clients are among the wealthiest, and he is certainly making a nice living, he still retains a air of humbleness.   He seems like one of us when he describes his favorite past time  - perusing real estate listings, dreaming of a different life to be lived in a new place.    One never gets the feeling that his work is a business for Smith.  That seems secondary to him.  It is impossible to imagine Smith being willing or even able to be anything other than an interior designer.  He is that passionate about his art. 

In anticipation of the book’s release, there has been a rash of published works by Smith.  Below, are the two projects just published that are from the new book.  

Enjoy!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

From Town and Country Magazine:   This opulent home located in London was created out of three apartments put together all one floor.  The owners are American, long term clients, who requested Smith furnish the apartment in a few months time.  Looking at this space, it is hard to believe it was put together so quickly, yet this is the claim.  The space is spectacular.  In this room, notice the glorious rug and the matching bookcases that flank the marble fireplace.  Blue and white porcelain, a favorite of Smith’s, finds a home in almost every Smith interior.   The curtain fabric is a blue and cream stripe.  For expediency, Smith had all the curtains made in New York and shipped over.

 

 

The entry hall.  Smith loves the large entrance halls of country houses in England.  In his own home, he put a fireplace in his entry room.  Here, an oversized painting becomes the focal point in a room without much architectural interest.  The leather sofa is quite stunning itself.

 

 

The beautiful library shares space with the dining room.  The peacock blue colored velvet of these dining room chairs is a particular favorite of Smith’s – he used this same fabric in his own dining room.  

 

A surprise, the master bedroom has a Hollywood glamour feel to it.  Smith designed the rug and the Art Deco styled bed and chairs.

 

The guest room – where Smith stays when he visits his clients who have become close personal friends.  The walls are covered in a Zuber grisaille paper.  Smith uses de Gournay and Zuber hand painted wall coverings repeatedly. A miniscule room, the paper elevates it tremendously.

 

Elle Decor:   This weekend and summer horse farm was built in Millbrook, New York for a Hollywood major player.  Gil Schaefer III was the architect in charge of the three year project.  The house appears old due to the use of original parts taken from an nearby older house that was bought and dismantled for the project:  the beams, floors, moldings, and hardware hinges were all taken from the older house.   Looking at the design of the facade, it truly does look like an older house added on to over the generations.   There is a realism to the architecture that is usually lacking when a lesser architect tries to “age” a new house.

 

Michael Smith at his best – cozy, warm and inviting.  J’adore the curtains – made of his own fabric Bentley Rose by Jaspar.  Smith’s fabric line is a favorite of mine – the color ways available are never bold, but instead are muted and “off.”    The prints are reminiscent of Robert Kime’s line and his Tree of Life fabric is particularly satisfying. 

 

 

 

The entry hall with authentic paneling and aged floorboards taken from the other house.

 

The dining room has a spectacular mural painted to resemble an old paper.  Tufted red leather chairs further the English feel of the room.   The table is an antique with a patina that Smith says is impossible to duplicate from scratch. 

 

This is actually the mudroom!  The paper, bought at auction,  is a crumbling antique from the early part of the 19th century. 

 

 

In the library – notice the wonderful wood ceiling and beams, taken from the old house.  The sofa is covered in Smith’s cotton linen fabric.  The shelves are lighted by charming brass fixtures.   My favorite piece in this room - the wonderful library ladder! 

 

 

 

In the kitchen, the countertops are a flamed granite – giving them a matte and dulled, rather than shiny, finish.  The chairs and pot rack were custom made for the house. 

 

The sunroom features an elegant Windsor chair and  rustic rattan sofa.  The coffee table is actually an antique French game box.  Fabrics by Smith for Jaspar.   I love the lanterns used as sconces.   The picture in the book of this room is larger and in it you can see the ceiling fan – not just any ceiling fan, but an antique, original ceiling fan!

 

 

 

In the master bedroom – you can really see the beauty of the aged floor boards taken from  the old house – they are so gorgeous!  And the arch – separating the bed and sitting rooms - was also taken from the other house.    The wallpaper is hand painted de  Gournay. 

 

The bathroom features the hardwood floors again – making it just so cozy.  In the book, Smith states he likes to add a table with a lamp in bathrooms which immediately warms up the room.  What a great idea to use in your own home!  All fittings are from Kallista by Michael Smith.

 

The guest room features an ebony four poster bed.  The chest at the end of the bed is the standout piece here.  Smith states it is a very rare piece from the Bahamas. 

 

To read Cote de Texas Top Ten Designers  #9  - Michael Smith, go here.    To order Houses by Michael Smith, go here.