I still love getting in a car and taking off on a long drive. Ben and I never fly to South Padre Island, we always opt for the six hour drive that takes us through the famous King Ranch and the rich, fertile valleys of South Texas. I think my love of car trips goes back to my childhood when each summer my dad would fix up the way-back of the station wagon with mats for us to sleep on and my mother would buy some new puzzles and toys for our amusement. Then, we would drive out for an extended vacation. In Texas, it can take easily take two days just to reach the border, so driving to another state can be a trip itself. My family drove all over the United States, even up to Canada one summer when we went to the Worlds Fair in Seattle. We used to visit all the Worlds Fairs. We never camped out though –instead, we always stayed in motels along the way, as long as there was a swimming pool.
I’ve always had a romantic vision of camping in a trailer, driving to some beautiful spot next to a mountain or a lake, stopping wherever the scenery calls out to you. Lately, it seems a lot of people share this vision, except they are actually doing it, not dreaming about it. But camping today is not like camping when we were growing up. It’s now called, Glamping - camping with all the luxuries of high thread sheets and plush towels, Ipods, Ipads, and flat screen TVs. Glamping sites are popping up all over the United States and the craze is popular in Europe and Africa too. There are two kinds of Glamping. You can stay at a camp site that provides romantic tents ala Out of Africa. Or you can provide your own shelter – a trailer. Glamping at a tent camp doesn’t give you the freedom to pick up and move to another site, something that a trailer does.
The trailers themselves are divided into two categories – vintage and new. You can buy the most luxurious brand new motor home, big enough to live in it permanently. Or you get a smaller, vintage trailer from the 50s and 60s - and restore it. Restoring vintage silver Airstreams and Shasta trailers is all the rage right now. Woman especially are attracted to vintage trailers which you can get for a song and then restore it yourself. Scores of blogs unite this group of women who proudly name their trailer and decorate it for the seasons: “Christmas in the Turquoise Tessie” ‘The Fourth of July in the Cherry Jean’s Shasta.” Many of these women belong to Glamping Clubs where they get together and show off their restored trailers at state parks. Perhaps the biggest of the Glamping groups is called “”Sisters on the Fly” – a group that caravans together and then fly fish, ride horses and sit around the camp fire in their cowboy boots. Of course, with most Glamping groups, there’s one day set aside when the doors of all the trailers are opened for touring.
Sisters on the Fly in caravan. It looks like they have so much fun! HERE
To be sure, you don’t have to join a group to Glamp. You can do it quietly, with just yourself and your family. Something tells me that if Ben and I ever did buy a vintage trailer, we would be on our own, as opposed to joining a club. But, we probably would be missing out, it does look like there’s a lot of fun to be had on the back roads of the U.S. these days.
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Hmm, exactly WHAT kind of fun was going on in those hotels on wheels?
Wow. There must really been something behind the saying ‘Trailer Trash!”
What a great way to escape from the city – in a vintage shiny silver Airstream.
Now, this is the way to go – with a gorgeous vintage car pulling a shiny vintage Airstream.
This is what I get to pull a vintage trailer – a restored Jeep Wagoneer.
As a country, we’ve had a long fascination with trailers. Even Hollywood joined in – this 1953 movie, The Long, Long Trailer starred Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
But, this 1985 movie, Lost in America is one of the funniest movies about trailers – the plot revolves around dropping out of society and living in a trailer – with a nice sized “nest egg” that is promptly lost.
If you’ve never seen Lost in America – rent it today! If you’ve seen it – watch this You-Tube video for some great memories.
Ralph Lauren even jumped on the Airstream craze. He redecorated 4 vintage trailers to sell in a charity auction. This Bambi Airstream had a classic red, white and blue theme.
This Ralph Lauren Airstream was decorated in a western theme. Over the years, these four trailers have sometimes come up on the resale market.
The inside of the Western themed Ralph Lauren Airstream. Of course, it was totally gutted and completely rebuilt.
This smaller Airstream is actually located on Ralph Lauren’s Double L ranch in Telluride, Colorado. I love the way the tree limb holds up the awning.
A glimpse inside Ralph Lauren’s trailer with its authentic rough wood floor.
Matthew McConaughey made a big splash when he showed his Airstream in Architectural Digest. He actually lived in his trailer for years. It is parked in Malibu, right on the beach at the Malibu RV park. Yes, Malibu does have a trailer park!
“I’ve always loved driving. Driving is, number one, where I get some time with myself. Number two, it’s the main place I catch up on music. And number three, it’s the best way to see the country.”
McConaughey’s trailer, named Canoe, is new, a 2004 Airstream that he completely customized. He added a satellite dish, a BBQ pit, and a custom built banquette to fit his lanky physique.
Matthew’s Airstream, complete with a surfboard and U.S. flag.
Orchids and Malibu – this is a trailer?
The kitchen is fully stocked.
A sitting/sleeping area at the front of the trailer.
His bedroom – he calls it the Honeycomb.
Dusk at Malibu – with the satellite dish visible.
Yes, there really is an RV park in Malibu.
The Malibu park takes reservations for the night, week, or longer. If I had a trailer – I would be staying right here.
This trailer park provides the Airstreams – you don’t have to bring your own. But, you miss all the fun of driving out to your final destination.
A newly issued Airstream. Some people prefer to buy vintage Airstream and renovate them, but others like the mod cons that come with the brand new models.
Inside the new Airstream. Very streamlined, an almost contemporary interior.
Vintage trailers have an appeal that the new ones lack. This is an early woodie trailer. Precious!
The vintage trailers come in bright and pastel colors.
A great vintage trailer blog is Nancy’s Vintage Trailers. To read all about her red and white shasta and other trailers for sell, go HERE.
If you own a vintage trailer, you have to get a striped awning to go with it.
This red vintage Shasta is a popular model. Everything should be color coordinated when restoring a vintage trailer.
Here the old station wagon matches the trailer with its yellow and white striped awning. Stylizing the camp site is very important when Glamping.
This red and white Shasta has 50s style stools. A great web site to visit is Vintage Trailer Crazy HERE.
Black and white and pastel blue. The awnings really “make” the vintage trailers. Cute vintage trailer blog HERE.
This one is black and white and yellow.
This trailer is really coordinated – blue and white stripes on the awning and the chairs. They have a blue picnic table and a blue bicycle built for two.
Cute campsite with a coir rug and vintage chairs.
This camp site is really decorated, it even has a fountain! The Hawaiian theme is a popular one for the vintage Airstreams. Love the huge bottle of tequila.
Some people like to keep the vintage interiors as-is. This pink 1959 trailer had minimal restoration work done. Pink is another popular color, as is turquoise blue.
Turquoise décor in a restored trailer that kept all the original elements. Many of the vintage trailers have a 50s vibe. Visit this Amy’s Vintage Trailers for more restored vintage trailers HERE.
Cowgirls is big theme in retro trailers. It’s popular to dress in cowboy boots and huge petticoat skirts while Glamping, southern style.
Western themed trailers are popular. Love the turquoise refrigerator and black and white checked floors.
Looking the opposite way at the western themed trailer. Got to have that flatscreen even though it’s done in an authentic 1950s décor.
The vintage trailers almost always have wood walls. Purists wont’ paint them, but I probably would! Here, pink and white with black and white floors. Even the toilet is pink!
Another western themed vintage trailer. Bring on the 50s!!!
And the bedroom – all done in western kitsch.
This trailer is western, without the 50s kitsch. It has terracotta floors.
Zen style Airstream – reminds me of the Hotel San Jose in Austin HERE.
This 1959 pink and white trailer was completely restored and it’s totally adorable.
Her name is Audree. Naming your vintage trailer is a must.
Audree is all white, turquoise, blue, and pink. Many vintage trailers are restored by women and their interiors reflect this.
Audree’s dining room with its turquoise and white striped curtains. Read the story about this renovation HERE.
Shabby Chic is another popular look in retro trailers. This trailer went all white. Love their camp site with the white table, plates, and lantern.
Inside, everything has been painted white – it’s hard to tell it’s a vintage trailer - just darling!
The bedroom has a cute black and white bedspread. Cute lamps and headboard.
At night, a curtain with a batik print hides the bedroom from the living area. I really like the décor of this trailer and it would be close to what I would do with mine. Read about it HERE.
This darling Shabby Chic styled trailer is based in Europe. You should read everywhere she has traveled. I think this one is really cute too. I like them when they are painted all white. Read all about this one HERE.
This is Nora Pearl, a 1972 Timberline trailer that’s been completely restored in a Shabby Chic style. Her color is turquoise with hints of pink.
Nora Pearl’s owner writes a great vintage trailer blog HERE.
Not all trailers are kitsch. This one designed by a man is very contemporary.
This is his bathroom. Incredible for a trailer.
Another view of the bathroom. Love the shower.
New Airstreams look like this. They come in different colors and styles, but the new ones don’t have the charm of the renovated ones.
But, you do have all the mod cons, plus they are clean and fresh.
Ben would probably love the new ones, while I think I might like an older trailer. I think most couples would be the same – the man would want a new trailer and the woman would like a romantic vintage one.
This new one is nice with the dark cabinetry and striped seats – I live this version.
The bedroom, again with the dark cabinetry.
From the outside, this trailer looks like it will be vintage inside.
But inside, it is totally contemporary – and fun.
Looking from the bedroom out.
I love these smaller, silver Airstreams. This one is so pretty with a cute stripe canopy, with a matching red rimmed wheel.
The Bambi Airstreams are adorable. Love this!
A new Airstream that looks like a Bambi.
Sunset magazine writes about trailers and parks. The articles are online and are a good reference. HERE.
If you are in Cape Town, South Africa, visit Grand Daddy’s hotel. On the roof, there are a group of airstreams that you can rent, instead of an inside hotel room. For information on the hotel, go HERE.
A look at the top of Grand Daddy’s hotel – the Airstream park. Each trailer was decorated by a different artists and they are highly unique.
One of the trailers is pink, everywhere. The pink living room.
The pink bedroom.
This trailer is powder blue and white polka dots.
The polka dot bedroom.
This one is green and red – love the painted floor, ala Mary McDonald.
The kitchen and bedroom. What a cute idea for a hotel - your choice of a room or an Airstream. Which would you pick??
Big Daddy has another property in Cape Town. This one has houses connected to Airstreams.
The living room is in the new building and the bedroom is in the Airstream. Each one is different, again designed by artists.
One of the Big Daddy Airstream bedroom and bathroom. I love this one!!!
A lot of businesses restore Airstream. In Austin, Texas, there are several of these. Here is the Cornucopia in Austin.
Again in Austin, cupcakes in an Airstream. Must be good, look at that line.
The store Adelante in Austin has an Airstream named Curb Service that is a traveling store. HERE.
Inside the Adelante Curb Service Airstream – seagrass and wallpaper. Too cute!
Another business in an Airstream: Paris Montana from Arizona shown parked at Round Top. HERE.
“Constance” is rented out for advertising shoots in England.
Bliss Lounge travels to Round Top and back, several times a year. HERE.
The famous Magnolia Pearl with their painted Airstream and vintage car that pulls it. They sell their clothes out of the Airstream at places like Round Top.
The inside of the Magnolia Pearl Airstream.
It even has this vintage bathtub! HERE.
This bright yellow trailer is totally color coordinated with its matching truck.
Inside the yellow Boler, it looks like a 50s diner.
The owners of the Boler must really love yellow!
This trailer and Mini are darling pink. I love the matching cars and trailers.
Matching 1960 Pontiac station wagon with Tee Pee trailer – in bright turquoise.
Perfect trailer for UT fans - burnt orange and white .
Gorgeous!!!!!!!
Some people use Airstream in their gardens as extra rooms. This landscaper uses this as an office/studio.
Another garden Airstream.
This airstream stays put and doesn’t drive out – it is used as an office.
This Airstream is used as an extra part of a house. It reminds me of Out of Africa.
And looking the other way. Dreamy.
This beautiful trailer is from California. The owner is an interior designer. Look at their camp site! Zebra rugs lanterns – mirrors. SOOOOO cool!
Their living area. This is a really upscale Airstream. Love the fabrics and the rug. Beautiful.
Curtains close off the bedroom. Ebony wood in the kitchen and on the walls.
The bedroom. Love the curtains at the back instead of a door.
The kitchen has a Corian countertop – marble was too heavy for the airstream. This looks like a house. This is such a beautiful, beautiful trailer. I could be very happy here!!! It shows you – even with a brand new Airstream, it can still be sophisticated and chic – the Airstream designers should look at this for direction. HERE.
This trailer is owned by a blogger and interior designer. Again, it’s another super chic new Airstream that shows you that Glamping can be sophisticated and trailers can be beautiful, not just kitschy. When this blogger took a trip through the Mojave Desert and back down to Marfa, Texas, she wrote about the trip on her blog. Her campsite is always set up with two pink flamencos and beautiful trendy green directors chairs. The rug is a checkered racing mat. Finally, a white cloth covers the table. Beautiful!
Another view of their campsite – love the quilted material on the chairs.
They pack dirt bikes to go exploring around the camp site. This is what I call Glamping!!
A collage of pictures of their trailer.
Inside the trailer has black walls and stainless appliances. Orchids and new pillows make it custom.
Another look at their trailer. The green color really pops against the black.
While driving to Marfa, they stopped at this art exhibit – A faux Prada store, stocked with just one of each shoe – not two. Isn’t this a great picture? It really shows the vastness of Texas, with the mountains in the background on the right.
Here’s what Judith has to say about Glamping: ‘It's great being in such a vast expanse of wilderness, but I wouldn't want you to be suffering from a lack of small luxuries. Your refrigerator is stocked with all your personal favorites ( fresh organic free range everything) and the flat screen TV / sound system are stocked with Mozart, Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers and Abba. In addition to the aforementioned music and movies, know that there are Pratesi sheets on your bed, dupioni silk pillows to cradle your head and a french press for your freshly ground coffee. Your shower is stocked with hand milled soap from Provence and there are a stack of crisp ironed linen napkins for your breakfast tray.’
To read more about this Airstream, go to Studio Judith HERE.
My absolute favorite trailer I found on the internet is this one from the Peacock Alley family. Peacock Alley is based out of Dallas, Texas and a few years ago they customized this Airstream and took it on the road to showcase their gorgeous linens. I love Peacock Alley – they have the best of the best and this trailer is just an extension of their wonderful taste.
Here they are all set up outside a store, somewhere in the great U.S. The 1979 Airstream “Steel Magnolia” was completely renovated by the Peacock Alley family – and it shows. It’s adorable.
Gosh. I love this. I would do an Airstream just like this – seagrass and white linens and bamboo blinds. I absolutely love this!!!!
All the fabrics are Peacock Alley.
Here’s a change of pillows – blue.
The kitchen. Stainless appliances.
The other side of the kitchen – cute fish prints.
Cute vintage fan. Drapes divide the living space from the bedroom.
The bedroom, looking towards the living area.
The bedroom with different Peacock Alley linens – ready to sell.
Stocked with white towels and white sheets and white bedspreads. This is such a cute Airstream!
At night.
Even the bathroom is cute.
Read all about the Peacock Alley Airstream HERE.
Glamping in Spain.
Two books from Amazon. This on custom interiors: HERE.
And this on Airstreams, in general. HERE.
Read more about Glamping HERE.
I hope you have enjoyed this tour of vintage and new trailers.
Now, I have to go convince Ben that he wants one!!!!
Glamping–Trailer Style
Restoration Hardware
Is that a sofa or a centipede?
Did you get the new Restoration Hardware catalogue? Over 600 pages and weighing 3 lbs, it’s been the talk of the business world and the internet: Is it green or not? How can they afford to put out something like this in our bad economy? Are they making money or losing money?
I can’t remember another catalogue generating this much buzz, much of which is negative. Is it just jealous rumblings from other companies who aren’t doing as well? Restoration Hardware certainly gives the impression that all is well. Newly remodeled stores are going up around the nation. The new shops are dark and atmospheric, more resembling a gentleman’s club than a furniture store.
People either love the new RH or hate it. There’s not much middle ground.
We tackle all this and more on this week’s Skirted Roundtable. And yes, no, we three don’t agree on the topic at hand!!
Whoa. Gorgeous!
This is a furniture store????
Listen to The Skirted Roundtable HERE.
FRENCH GARDEN HOUSE–BIG GIVEAWAY!!!
“Antiques and Shabby French Chic Decor to Romance your Home & Garden”
One of Cote de Texas sponsors, French Garden House, is offering a BIG giveaway today! When choosing sponsors for the blog, I’ve tried to provide those that I think tie in with the blog and French Garden House certainly does. They offer almost everything you could want in designing and furnishing a house and garden, especially if you are a lover of great French design.
They sell beautiful antique and reproduction French furniture and accessories.
They sell new and vintage jewelry, including these rhinestone beauties.
French Garden House has several lines of linen, new….
and old – like these pillows made of vintage fabrics.
They have goods for the kitchen – like this beautiful line of Frenchware. Love this!
And, of course, there are all kinds of things for the garden and the terrace. I love the table!
There are tons and tons of French antique accessories available, and….
They carry gorgeous reproductions of French antiques, such as Tara Shaw’s Maison line.
Now, you are probably wondering, what’s the giveaway?
The winner will receive a $250 GIFT CERTIFICATE from French Garden House.
With the certificate, you can pick out anything you like!!! No more winning something you really don’t want. This time you can win EXACTLY what you desire!!
HOW TO ENTER:
Simply go French Garden House’s web site HERE and pick out what you want to win with your $250 gift certificate. Then, come back to the blog’s comment section and tell me what you want.
That’s it!
Now, don’t give yourself a heart attack. I won’t hold you to what you pick out. If you win and decide you want something different than what you originally picked out, don’t worry – you can change your mind when you win! No problem!!
AND if you want something that costs more than $250, you could always use the gift certificate for a price reduction. Just something to think about….
The contest runs until Saturday night at 11:59 p.m.
NOW, GO TO THE WEB SITE HERE AND PICK OUT WHAT YOU WANT!!!!
And finally, a huge thank you to French Garden House for this wonderful giveaway!!
READERS KITCHEN SERIES #5
Continuing with the series Readers Kitchen, today we have a newly remodeled one to show. Enjoy!
BEFORE: This kitchen had lots going on creating a busy looking design. Elements that added to the business include: dark wallpaper, ivory countertops mixed with the dark stone topped island, and a collection of brightly colored roosters. More business comes from the angled wall – with three arched windows. While the wallpaper seems dated, I do like the painted beadboard island and the tumbled tile backsplash. But, the homeowner wanted something totally different – something quieter and more sophisticated.
AFTER: Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s the same space. It looks so sophisticated now. The different countertops were replaced with granite. I love this light colored granite. It’s a great substitute for those who desire the white marble look but want the ease of granite. Granite is one of nature’s hardest stones, so it really takes a beating in a hard working kitchen. The backsplash was replaced with a cream colored subway tile, simplified from all the different sized tumbled tile of before.
In this view, you can see the angled wall with the three arched windows. All the appliances were stainless before, so those didn’t need to be changed. Nor did the cabinetry. Not changing out these two things was a huge savings in the overall cost of the remodeling. The biggest change after the countertops is the dark painted walls, replacing the even darker wallpaper.
Looking from the breakfast room, another change is the wine rack above the refrigerator was removed and a flatscreen was placed there instead. Over the island, a wooden Italian styled chandelier was added. This one looks like it might have come from Aidan Gray – they make a number of these in several different styles. With all the roosters gone, the kitchen is sleeker looking and less country.
Another big change was the addition of the farm sink with a new plumbing fixture. New pulls – a combination of round and bin pulls were added. In this picture, you can see the granite up close.
Along the back wall, the butlers panty was updated with the granite and subway tile.
This view shows the adjoining breakfast room.
A few last changes are the counter was extended in between the kitchen and breakfast room, allowing for bar stools and the row of small shelves next to the counter was removed – further streamlining the look.
This kitchen was certainly usable and not that dated in the before picture. The main problem was the dark wallpaper which made it seem like it was designed in another decade. The homeowners probably could have just replaced the wallpaper and called it a day, but they went a step further and replaced the Corian with granite and the tumbled tiles were replaced with subway ones. These changes made a huge difference in the design. Luckily, the appliances and the cabinetry didn’t need replacing, which kept costs down. The only changes to the cabinetry were the removal of the wine rack and the small shelves that ran up the wall in between the breakfast room and kitchen. The sink was a costly change, but again it really updated the kitchen and ties it in with the beadboard island. Finally a trendy light fixture is an unexpected touch, yet it adds to the new look of sophistication in this once busy, but now much quieter kitchen!
A huge thank you to the homeowner who graciously agreed to share her new, beautiful kitchen with us!
More Readers Kooboo Chairs:
I still get pictures from homeowners showing off their Kooboo wicker chairs. Not that I blame them! I like to show mine off too. Below, are two homeowners with their newly purchased Cost Plus World Market Kooboo chairs:
This homeowner used four Kooboo chairs around a gray painted table. I love the lantern mixed with it and the soft linen curtains. It’s such a mixture of textures, which creates the interest.
Looking the other way – I love the set of framed leaves.
Delores Arabian who writes the wonderful blog Vignette Design recently bought her Kooboo chairs for her breakfast room. I love the way she styled her table with the linen runner. Sooo pretty!!!!
Her house is so beautiful. She’s lucky to own two – this, her main home and her vineyard home in Sonoma. Delores is really talented and her houses show this. Her blog is very interesting – highlighting her two different lifestyles – one in the city and one in the country. If you don’t read it, you should HERE.
EVOLUTION OF A ROOM–Part Three
If you read this blog, you know the story well. A few years ago, after replacing my kitchen’s tile countertop with white marble, my yellow walls looked horrible. Since all the rooms downstairs open up to each other, I was forced to paint them all a new color - Feathered Gray by Pratt and Lambert – which is a warm gray shade that looks taupe in certain light. But after the walls were repainted, nothing went together anymore. My yellow silk curtains looked terrible against the new paint color, as did all my other fabrics.
For the past two years, I’ve been slowly changing out the curtains and the fabrics so it looks more like a decorator with some sense of color lives here. The last room that finally got its new fabrics was the dining room. Thinking back on all the dining rooms I’ve ever had – starting with my first single girl apartment - I realized that I’ve always had a skirted dining table. This actually surprised me, I hadn’t been aware that I’ve been using the same design element over and over and over again. Was there a lesson in this? I suppose if you really love something, you should go for it, regardless of what the current trend is. If I listened to trends, I would have replaced my skirted table with a Rough Luxe unstained wood table that so many of the young are buying these days.
So, today, I thought I would bore you to death by looking at the evolution of my dining rooms through the years. Actually, I probably should say the non-evolution of my dining room skirted table. Enjoy!!
The Rough Luxe table by Restoration Hardware that everyone under 40 wants to buy.
Twenty two years ago, right after we were married, Ben and I rented this cute, tiny cottage. For the dining room, I brought my skirted table that had been in my pre marriage apartment. I updated it with a new, cream faux silk poly-something fabric with a huge puddle that I spent hours arranging “just right.” I added the set of French chairs that my aunt gave me and a painted secretary from my parents house. We happily lived here for two years - Elisabeth was born while we rented this house. We loved the two bedroom, one bathroom house, but mostly we were thrilled to be living in West University – our dream location. I had gone to look at this house after seeing an ad in the paper and when the landlord answered the door, I said “I’ll take it” without even stepping inside. Not that there was much to tour, you could see everything from the front door. The rent was $600. We were so excited to live in our doll house. My father though, was less so. He took one look at it and said “I worked my whole life to get you out of a house on concrete blocks.” He didn’t see the charm of living in a house without a solid foundation like we did. We left this house to move to Ft. Worth – which was supposed to be for a lifetime. Instead, we only lasted 1 1/2 years away from friends and family before we moved back to Houston.
In Ft. Worth, we bought our first house – a brand new patio style home. While I copied Dan Carithers taupe and white linen living room, I used my old dining room set up. I did add an antique chandelier from my parents house and two woodcuts also borrowed from them. I don’t think we ate one meal in this room, instead we always used the breakfast room where we had a French wood farm table.
And finally, we ended up in our present house in West University. I don’t have a picture of the round skirted table with the draping cream cloth, but I know I used that same set up when we first moved into this house. I do have an early picture of a party tablescape. I had Shabby Slips make up a table skirt out of taupe and white plaid linen to fit over a conference table for when we entertained. I topped that with a white tablecloth. Those French chairs were actually from my breakfast room. Overhead we used the same chandelier. And here, you can see there used to be a window in this room instead of the French door that we installed a few months after we moved in. It looks so strange to see the old window there!
A few years later and I’m still using the conference table for entertaining. The French door is now in place instead of the window and by then, I had bought that antique hutch to hold my newly acquired collection of blue and white transferware. Of course I stole that idea from design great Carol Glasser. I bought those vintage cane chairs from Lewis and Maese. Still no curtains and no rugs. Elisabeth is modeling her outfit of the hour – my bathing suit sarong which she turned into a long skirt. NOTE: After this party, everyone went home with red knees from the cotton table cloths! Be sure to wash those cottons that come from India first.
Sorry all these pictures are no bad! I had no idea I would have a design blog when I took these photographs all those years ago. Here, I had finally started to get somewhat serious about my dining room. I had an oval table custom made to fit the room and seat 8 – so, now I could finally quit dragging out the conference table whenever I entertained. For the skirt I splurged on a Bennison fabric which cost more than a dining room table would have. But, as you can see, I’ve always just preferred a skirted table in the dining room over a wood one. There something so romantic and soft about a beautiful skirted table – and I’ll probably never have a proper wood table. Over the years, the puddling hem was drastically shortened, and the glass top was eliminated. When this picture was taken, I was still using those old German woodcuts which I later replaced with more plates. And, I had put up sconces – that today are in my office.
About six or seven years ago, I decided to change the Bennison cloth out for this silk plaid in yellow. At this time, I also painted all the walls a soft golden yellow with gray trim. Along with the paint, we finally got silk ticking curtains in the living room and dining room and custom cut seagrass throughout. The curtains and the seagrass made a huge difference (as did a new camera.) My parent’s antique chandelier went to the breakfast room and I bought this fixture from a friend who was redecorating her house from English country manor to Swedish. New sconces from Tara Shaw were added.
Finally, I changed out my blue and white transferware for some creamware – trying for a quieter look. I honestly thought I would keep this dining room setup forever. I still love the way it looks, but the yellow just didn’t go with the gray walls or the new ivory linen slipcovers in the living room or the white marble in the kitchen. So, new curtain and tableskirt fabrics were ordered to tie it all together. Here’s how the dining room looks today:
The biggest change to the room were the new fabrics – gray taffeta for the curtains and a white matte taffeta for the table. The only expensive fabric was for the table – from Rogers and Goffigon - but the draping and the matte look were important to me and I couldn’t get that look with a cheaper fabric. The silk taffeta at the windows is Schumacher and that fabric was very reasonable.
The chair slips are actually two pieces, one piece covers the back and one covers the seat. There is a down cushion inserted into the bottom slip to make the chairs look and feel softer. Ties run down the back of the slips. The skirts are double pleated for extra frill. The checked linen is Chelsea Editions and is very, very reasonable.
The view of the hutch with the creamware collection. I wonder if I should trade this out for a gray painted Swedish hutch. Maybe in a few years!
A closeup of the back of the slip with the ties.
Here you can see how pretty the seat crowns with the attached down cushion.
We left the wood arms exposed on the host chairs. I like that small touch of wood showing through.
On the table, I added some creamware plates to make it look casually styled. Where is Eddie Ross when you need him????
Two of my favorite things in the room – the sconces from Tara Shaw and the antique barometer I got for a steal on 1st Dibs.
While all the changes made a big difference, the slipcovers made a huge, huge difference. I am really happy with the way they turned out. They make the room look dreamy and feminine and so soft. Right now, I am in love with them!!!
So, that’s it. It took a while to update all the fabrics downstairs. They always say, when you change one thing in your house, it all dominoes and that was true with me. The white marble countertops dictated the way my entire downstairs looked – something I hadn’t really thought about when we made that initial change, but truthfully, I probably was just in denial. Changing out the fabrics room by room made is easier on the pocketbook. Plus, Ben wasn’t really aware of what it all cost in the end since it was such a drawn out process. He loves the way it all looks now, but if I would have come to him and said – I’m redoing every room next month, he would have had a heart attack and had me committed. It was more subtle this way. He likes my decorating style, he just doesn’t like what it costs. AND, he is under the misguided impression for some unknown reason that slipcovers are cheap! SSSSHHH – let’s keep it a secret, ok? Thanks!
I’m wondering if I’m alone out here, using the same design element over and over and over again – like the skirted table? That’s really the only thing I can think that I’ve used since I had my first apartment up until my current house – over 30 years of using skirted dining room tables. Do you have an element or style you use over and over again? Something you have loved since you left college, married and had children? Let me know what it is – I would love to hear what you are addicted to!!!
FINALLY:
If you are a Rachel Ashwell fan, you will love her new book. It’s really beautiful – filled with flowers everywhere and gorgeous shabby chic styling. It features the home of many European friends this time – a switch for the Californian Rachel. It also shows her new Texas property, The Prairie. It’s totally heavenly. So, if you are a Shabby Chic lover, I highly recommend it HERE.