THE CASE OF THE AWKWARD FIREPLACE

David Easton told me that the one piece of furniture every living room needs is a fireplace! LOL. And, he's right! The fireplace is the natural focal point. But what if it's ugly? Oh, not at first glance--after all, it's centered on the wall, is imposingly tall, and has a classic Georgian mantel finished in high gloss paint. What's not to like? Let me count the ways in which I see this "builder's special" design as an eyesore.
     1. The architectural style of the two-story home in an upscale gated community is commercial Old World, replete with (a) doric columns between the living room cum great room and entry hall, (b) stone-look tile flooring, and (c) an arched-top niche above a fireplace. Problem: The all-too-classic Georgian mantel. Eeek!  Why, in heaven's name, did not the builder simply create an Old World mantel/fireplace surround? If I knew who the builder was, I'd ask him! I really cannot tolerate this incompatibility.
     2. The fireplace surround and hearth are the same stone-look tile as the floor! What? The builder couldn't afford to use any other material?  Oh, I know--he got a huge discount on the tile by buying quantity!
     3. The trim on either side of the tile surround is a thin strip of decorative quarter-round! What? Yes! Painted white, to match the mantel. Of course, the walls are a lovely beige textured surface--suitably Old World. So the white too-thin trim stands out like 2 sore thumbs! Does this bug me? YOU BET!

What to do about this eyesore that won't cost me an arm-and-a-leg? (Yes, it's MY fireplace.) After all, I'm hell-bent on investing in gold, not pouring into a house dollars that I may not get back.  (You may or may not know that I was Public Relations Counsel to The Nelson Rockefeller Collection. Nelson Rockefeller--not a poor man--commended me on my practicality  when I specified foam cups for a Press Party at his NYC store.) 

Okay--at least for the short term, here's what I did.  I stuccoed over the stone-look ceramic tile and painted tile surround, trim, and mantel the same beige as the wall. SHERWIN WILLIAMS mixed the color perfectly! Now, this eyesore is less blatantly w r o n g.  I'll live with it until I'm convinced the economy is moving in the right direction and I'm willing to tear out mantel, trim, and tile and re-design/re-build the fireplace in an architecturally appropriate design! But, for the time-being, looking at it no longer makes me nauseous.  Instead, I'm eyeing the back porch.....


 HAPPY DECORATING EVERYONE.

Fixing an Awkward Layout

A couple of weeks ago, I took my first look at a client's new condo. The much-loved overstuffed sofa and loveseat were too large-scaled for the space. What to do? After considering all the possibilities, we decided to move the loveseat into the bay windowed area in the master bedroom where it looks and works great. Next, we moved the big sofa away from the sliding door that leads to an outdoor sitting area. Doing this aligned the sofa with the window behind it in an awkward, un-centered way. Now what? We called on an oldie-but-goodie trick--we hung curtain panels beyond the windows--to make the window look wider and the sofa seems to be in front of the window (not just in front of a part of the window). Chairs replace the loveseat, and open up the space, too!  Awkward layout problem solved.  Any dummy can do it!!!

WASH-AND-WEAR SHEETS--just the thing for porch hangings

Years ago, as a young mom with a low-to-no decorating budget, I needed to shield a much-used porch from summer sun. There were no stock-sized matchstick blinds to fit. What to do?  Aha--expandable shower rods between porch posts, with shirred-on-the-rod wash-and-wear sheets. The sheet were already hemmed, so all I needed do was open the hem at either end and slip on the rods. Cotton tiebacks are held by cuphooks. When rains came, I simply let the sheets hang loose until dry--a matter of minutes.  This quick, easy, inexpensive solution to a decorating problem appeared in 1,001 DECORATING IDEAS.  A year or so later, a friend, Barbara Brooks, then an editor at HOUSE BEAUTIFUL, asked whether she could "borrow" the porch for a photo shoot. Alas, we had moved away.  

PILLOW POWER

PILLOWS make an amazing contribution to room design. Today, I added new pillows from Marshall to the sofa in my home office. They're beige linen with black patterns--striking but not strident. One has a Napoleonic design featuring a large black bee surrounded by a graceful laurel-wreath. Another features a kingly-looking crown with graceful script below, encircled by a laurel wreath. The third is lines of script in French! Why did I not get a 4th pillow? What was I thinking? Must stop by and pick up another for symmetry's sake!
     What did you decorate today? Love to hear from you. 

Reclaiming my home office

After our recent long-term houseguest, Brad, departed for his own apartment, I could re-claim my 2d floor home office.
In order to give Brad a sitting room, I moved my PC to the first floor dining room. There, I finished work on 4 new books. Two "coffee-table "Christmas" books are due in-store this Fall. "Contemporary Villas,".with co-authors David Strahan and Katharine McMillan, is also due out this Fall.  The fourth, also with David and Katharine, "Historic San Antonio Homes" is due in-store in 2012..So, work progressed but not as conveniently as when I was in my office.
Now, my desk, a long, sleek wooden slab atop chrome sawhorses (purchased at Conrans in NYC 20 years ago) is in place. Behind it is a wall of bookcases with my favorite books. I face a sofa, large square coffee table pilled high with magazines, and a TV in the corner. The black leather easy chair is a recliner--which I've discovered is very comfortable seating. This space--a room that is an expanded 2d floor landing--is blessed with 3 large windows and overlooks the staircase which is lit by a large window. The light is invigorating and the views of treetops and clouds restful. It's quiet--ideal for thinking, writing, and designing. It's good to be back!