Make room for Daddy!

Father’s Day is just around the corner and if you’re looking for the perfect way to appreciate the special man in your household, create a space just for him. Luckily there are great options to create the perfect retreat using manly options that fit the interior design of your home.

Creating an Island of Comfort within Shared Spaces
The chair is the most important element of a great space for most men. It has to be comfortable and durable, but it doesn’t need to be a stuffed recliner with fuzzy fabric. I know you care about aesthetics, so let’s look at more stylish options that fit within your family room or even a dedicated space just for him:

Leather is a great option, but if you have pets with claws, be aware that you may see scratches on the surface. Some people consider the inevitable marks part of the patina. Other durable fabric options include ultra suede or commercial fabrics because this chair will be used frequently.

           
Fabric protection is a great option to protect from stains, so you can still use lighter colored fabrics if it fits the interior design of the room. Nail head trim is a great decorative element that adds the “clubby” masculine feel to the piece and it blends nicely with more sophisticated pieces without the extra detail.

If he likes to read or just watch sports in the evening or on his days off, be sure to include appropriate lighting. Add a table or cabinet with storage for the remote and other miscellaneous gadgets he wants close to him that you don’t want to display.

Outdoor spaces:
This is the perfect time of year to create an outdoor space for entertaining, and it can include a built-in grill or even an outdoor kitchen for all types of entertaining. He’ll enjoy impressing his buddies with his grilling skills and you can relax while he takes charge.

If you’re really serious about creating an exterior family room for casual entertaining that looks as if it is an extension of your interior space.
Outdoor furniture options are endless with fabrics that look as if they could fit in your family room.

Summertime Projects:
Another great gift is a workshop that is organized and stylish. Who said the garage is just a utility area to store your cars and lawn tools?
Whether it is a space for tinkering, serious woodworking or storage, a functional space can be attractive, too. Yes, you can be the envy of every other garage on your block.

There is always the "Man Cave."  Don't leave him to his own designing~

Not Sure What He’d Like?
I design functional and stylish spaces whether it’s inside or outside. Call me to order your “Designed for Men” gift certificate for a personal consultation. He’ll like it much better than a tie and cologne, don’t you think?

Which One???? Print vs Digital

I love to read! I finally got a Kindle this year for Christmas and I really enjoy it when I travel and for going places where I have to wait ( Doctor's Offices) But I haven't given up on my hardback books. I am not very fond of paperbacks. The verdict remains out on magazines. There is something about being able to hold a magazine. Pick it up when I have time and flip through it. Mark pages with my colored post it flags. These are easier to find later than dog eared pages! I have a huge collection of torn out pages in my Interior Design swipe file. I just don't like reading magazines on my computer. I personally feel that print is not dead. I think there is a need for both types of magazines. I am going to share links to my top ten digital publications. Post a comment and let me know what you think!

http://www.lonnymag.com/issues/19-trad-home/pages/1#p1

                     http://www.lonnymag.com/issues/28-may-June-2011-issue/pages/1

http://anthologymag.com/blog3/2011/05/23/issue-no-3-spring-2011/

http://www.highglossmagazine.com/

http://www.houseoffifty.com/

http://www.nestingnewbies.com/magazine/issuethree.HTML

http://www.ruemag.com/

http://issuu.com/surroundings/docs/surroundings_may_june_2011

http://roomplanners.com/RP-Mag-April-2011/index.html

http://southernflourish.com/

These online magazines are best viewed with a full screen. You can zoom in and out as you need to get a better look. A feature that is necessary, but that I don't like.  Just to much "clicking." All of these are chocked full of great pictures and articles. It is best to look at them on your computer. If you try to download most of these magazines, they will take a very long time. You could run out and buy the print edition and be back home before your download is complete! Most are free, including their back issues. Southern Flourish

is by subscription. It does have a good article about Gena Knox. Gena will be the June Speaker for Women Source.

http://www.womensource.info/

Women Source is an organization in Gainesville, Georgia for Northeast Georgia Women. Gena will be the guest speaker on Thursday, June 2nd and I highly suggest you make a reservation and come find out more about this great organization and some amazing women!

Don't forget.....let me know what you think. Are print magazines on the way out? Also which one of my top ten magazines did you like the best. There are a number of new fashion and other lifestyle magazines out in a digital format. But that is a topic for another day!

A house is not a home until it has a DOG

I am writing this blog today for a very selfish reason. On Good Friday we took our Jack Russell, Miss Priss, for her final visit to the Vet. Prissy had been a member of our family for over sixten years. She had been a very health sixteen, until about the middle of March. Something happened to make her health start to rapidly decline. Johnny, my husband, and I had to make the most difficult decision that a "Pet Parent" can have to do. We had to take away her pain and let it become ours.

Our house is so quite now. I especially miss her when I am here in the office workng. She would lay on the sofa as long as I remained in the room. As she got older, she had to have a small ottoman to help her get up on the sofa and in the last few weeks she would lay on the floor next to my chair. I realize it is not her pictures that upset me, but the day to day routine in our house that she was such a part of that I miss the most. I found the above quote by Gerald Durrall and understand to well the meaning. "A house is not a home until it has a Dog."

 

"My little dog: a heartbeat at my feet."
--Edith Wharton

"Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of our country as Wall Street and the railroads."
--Harry S Truman

"When you leave a dog in the morning, it will stick its nose in the door crack and stand there like a portrait until you turn the key eight hours later."
--Erma Bombeck

"The ideal age for a boy to own a dog is between forty-five and fifty."
--Robert Benchley

Sir, this is a unique dog. He does not live by tooth or fang. He respects the right of cats to be cats although he doesn't admire them. He turns his steps rather than disturb an earnest caterpillar. His greatest fear is that someone will point out a rabbit and suggest that he chase it. This is a dog of peace and tranquility."
--John Steinbeck

"Being patted is what it is all about."
--Roger Caras.

"The dog was created specially for children. He is the god of frolic."
--Henry Ward Beecher

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive."
--Gilda Radner

"We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made."

--M. Facklam

"No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as a dog does."
--Christopher Morley

"A dog is the greatest gift a parent can give a child. OK, a good education, then a dog."
--John Grogan

To err his human, to forgive canine."

My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am."
--Eileen Green

"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really."
--Agnes Sligh Turnbull
(Prissy and Jake after a day at the beach)

Rest in Peace Miss Priss!

Here comes Peter Cottontail!

I think Easter is one of my favorite holidays! From the beautiful story of Christ to all the fun of the Easter bunny and his basket, I just enjoy all the decorations and it seems so much more relaxed than the other holidays. A special time for family starting with the arrival of the bunny with his basket of treats and then on to the beautiful church services. Our church holds our Easter sunrise service down by the lake and there is nothing more peaceful and spiritual.

I always enjoy finding new decorative items to add to my Easter collection. We started having an Easter Tree when I was a very little girl. One of the ladies magazines at that time had the instructions on how to make one. I have talked with friends my age and they remember their Mothers fixing one. This has continued as a tradition in our family. It has always been decorated with bunnies, eggs, chicks and all the Easter goodies. I now have a permanent tree that I use for holidays, but when the timing is right there is nothing I love more than to use a pink dogwood branch that will burst into bloom as Easter approaches.

Jake with the Easter Tree

I also love to see ideas for Easter tablescapes. We might be having brunch or lunch around our house, but there is nothing more fun than to come up with ideas for a spectacular table! Here are some recent tablescapes that are full of inspiration!



Centsational Girl Blog

Here is a tree used as a table centerpiece. I love the tiny white butterflies and the all white with blue accents.

Martha Stewart

Leave it to Martha to come up with a creative centerpiece. Don't you know

 children would enjoy this one!

 But watch out for the bunnies' ears!

HGTV

Easter is not all pastel colors. This one takes its theme from the bunnies favorite snack. Love the orange and green color scheme.



Sheri Martin



I can hear "In Your Easter Bonnet" playing in the background. Don't you just love Mrs. Bunny in all of her finery~



More is More Mom Blog



Have you ever heard that saying "White Rabbit White Rabbit" the very first thing  Easter morning, brings you Good Luck?



Martha Stewart

Wouldn't you love to have these cute egg pots as your favor to take home!

Sheri Martin

What could be easier than putting a small vase of water, inside of a bigger vase full of jelly beans! Then you just add  your favorite flower, in your favorite color that  looks best on your table!

Sheri Martin

Another variation would be to do a mix of flowers and instead of jelly beans use dyed or candy eggs!



Casa Sugar Blog



Old fashion milk glass pieces will mix with a varitey of linens and dinneware. They also make a wonderful

holder for Easter treats!



Martha Stewart

You could do so many things with egg cups and an Easter table. These are wonderful using the lavander and green flowers and the egg cups as vases!

Another family tradition that I want to share with you is a very special Easter book. "The Country Bunny and the Little Golden Shoes" is a book you will treasure and read over and over for years to come.

http://www.amazon.com/Country-Shoes-COUNTRY-Library-Binding/dp/B002VLIIFA/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303417080&sr=1-3


For I remember it is Easter morn,
And life and love and peace are all new born.
~Alice Freeman Palmer~

May you and your family have a wonderful Easter!

I do my little turn on the Catwalk....

Fashion has often created inspiration for Interior Design. What comes down the runway will follow into the interior design showrooms very soon. The textiles, fabrics and accessories that you see in your home got their start on the catwalk!

What will the styles be for Spring of 2011?

COLOR on the runway:

COLOR in the home:

MENSWEAR on the runway:

MENSWEAR in the home:

THE SEVENTIES on the runway:

THE SEVENTIES in the home:

WHITE on the runway:

WHITE in the home:

SPORTY on the runway:

SPORTY in the home:

METALLIC on the runway:

METALLIC in the home:

FLORAL on the runway:

FLORAL in the home:

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."-Coco Chanel





source: InStyle and House Beautiful