A little blue and white... and gold.... and green....

Around the house

I was thinking the other day that I really haven't posted many pictures of the places I've lived. I've moved around several times since I started this blog, but, this past summer, I made my biggest move so far. I'm a Southerner, born and raised, and had never truly lived outside of Alabama. Well, I fell in love and followed my heart.... and ended up in Detroit, Michigan.

Antique pier table and dictionary, urn lamp from an estate sale

I'm not gonna lie; it's been a bit of a culture shock. But one thing I love about moving is getting to settle in and nest in a new place. I love the design challenges that a new space brings.

Living room wall with a large map of my home town - still working on sofa pillows

Yes, there were the challenges of combining two people's belongings. But we've got that pretty much sorted now (aka, my stuff wins) and now I'm getting to focus on the details and the palette.

Painting by my Dad, driftwood found at my great-Grandad's lake

Chaise from the house where I grew up

Can you guess what colors I'm favoring these days?

Vases from my aunt, bottles I collected in high school, my ridiculous shelter magazine hoard

I usually tend to have about ten colors to a room, but I'm trying to reign that in a bit to make a more calm atmosphere. I will always tend towards a "more is more" way of decorating, but I try to keep things looking pretty classic and a thread of blue and white throughout a house is one great way to do that.

Bedroom gallery wall - yes, I need two dressers

Can you tell I love collecting? I love this wall in our bedroom because each piece represents a memory or someone I love.... the photograph of Alys Beach at sunset by my very talented sister, a miniature oil painting that my Mom bought me when we were at an auction together, another painting by my Dad, mementos from my travels. That, to me, is what home is all about: representing you and the life you've lived and the ones you love.

Invaluable - New Traditional

Bedroom by Graci Interiors

Hello there! So we're back again for the second edition in my series featuring the artwork of Invaluable!

Painting by Frank Henry Shapleigh

I often think how nice it would be to have paintings like you would see in a museum, hanging around the house like it's no big deal. But the idea of going to an auction house and bidding seems very intimidating. Well, Invaluable takes the formality right out of the picture and connects people directly to original art that can turn regular Joes (like me) into "collectors"!

Bedroom for Kips Bay Showhouse by Alexa Hampton

I was raised in a proper 1980s Southern home, with lots of chintz and Victorian antiques around. Some might think it stuffy, but I loved it. It didn't hurt that my Mom is a rockstar when it comes to putting rooms together. And, although she's ventured away from the rich red chenilles and vibrant Lee Jofa prints of my youth, in her heart, she is still a traditionalist. This apple fell a bit farther from that tree, but I will admit that my roots are still firmly planted there. I like to think of my style as "new traditional", like the hip young(ish) version of that old Victorian style. Ha!

Painting by David Johnson

I think people tend to see landscape paintings as sort of stuffy or imposing as well, but they SO aren't! They are all about the beauty of nature... and color... and light. Plus, they're typically housed in equally fabulous gilded frames, which brings glamour to a space.

Atlanta Symphony Showhouse bedroom by Melanie Turner

I would play up that sense of glamour and drama, while melding it with more modern elements. Imagine a bedroom with walls in a deep, elusive color like Benjamin Moore's "Sharkskin"  below...

Hung with precisely placed paintings like the Invaluable ones...

Bedroom by Phoebe Howard

Then I would use pastel hues and nubby fabrics to soften the space....

Screen - Lamp - Chandelier - Tables - Fabric

I love the proper English side tables and linen screen combined with the more modern lighting and chinoiserie fabric.

Shelving display by Phoebe Howard

Dark/light, soft/nubby, wood/gold... All those juxtapositions keep things from feeling too stale. Then each element shines!

Painting by Henry Hunt

I hope this helps illustrate what you can do with just a few key pieces in a room, including beautiful artwork. It really just comes down to bringing together the things that speak to you, and making a space truly yours.

Good luck and I hope you have a great day!

Admiring the view

Foyer vignette by Perch Interior Design

Growing up in a classically traditional Southern home (decorated by my very talented Mother), I was surrounded by landscapes: some dark and moody, almost all oil paintings. Back then (when I was a super-cool pre-teen, listening to Mariah Carey's "Dreamlover" and thinking that all color schemes should be based around a totally '90s pastel floral palette), I thought that they were so drab and boring. "Why even have a painting like that?", I would think.


Entryway staircase in Veranda showhouse by Tim Clarke


Ahh, but isn't that the way of things? You are young and have it all figured out and, then, you get older and you realize you didn't (and still don't) know anything at all! Ha!

My opinion of landscape paintings, for certain, has come full circle. Now, because of their moodiness and depth, they are something I crave for my own home.

Living room by Barry Dixon

This room is so great. I love how he grounds the neutral upholstery, neutral rug, and neutral (and totally fabulous) curtained bookshelves with dark accents on the furniture, on lamps, and accessories. A beautiful balancing act! (Oh, yeah, and doesn't that landscape instantly add class to the whole room, giving it this sort of sophisticated sense of significance?)

Foyer by Yvonne O'Brien

Here, Miss O'Brien breaks from tradition, using a plein air style landscape with a parsons-style console, kuba cloth pillows, and weathered old trunks, all of which makes for an engaging yet clean presentation.

Grand stairwell by Joe Minton

It seems like many designers prefer a neutral backdrop for the artwork they choose, but, here, Minton lives into the grandeur of the ornate woodwork and architecture of this house choosing, instead, a warm damask wallpaper for the space.

Living room by Patrik Lonn

I love the scale of the painting in this room by Patrik Lonn. The whole space has a geometric characteristic to it, I think, due to the clean lines of all the pieces: the painting and the coffee table, angular sofa and stools. It has a modern look to it, but not at the expense of softness and comfort.

Dining room by Phoebe Howard

The inimitable Miss Howard seems to be a fan of landscapes, using them in most of her projects in incarnations both large and small. (Love the combined drama and warmth of this room!)


Living room by Paolo Moschino


I love this space, mainly that facing wall. There is symmetry (for instance, on and above the mantel), but then there are also some individual groupings, like the pair of landscapes and lamps on the marble-top console table. So classic.

Dining area by Country Living editor Randy Florke

Here, again, I am loving the scale. The painting runs almost the length of the table itself, and Florke makes sure not to block the view, using a diminutive (yet quite sparkly) chandelier. (And what an apropos choice for a cozy country house: pairing the painting with gingham and amber-toned dinnerware!)

Dining room by Mary McDonald

And here, last, but certainly not least, is a gracious and elegant dining room by the fabulously fun Miss McDonald. (I mean, have you seen her on "Million Dollar Decorators"? What a hoot!) I love the luxe, aubergine-hued chocolate velvet (or, perhaps, mohair) on the dining chairs, those taupe/gold silk curtains, and glimmering silver accents, all punctuated with the cloudy, moody, and totally entrancing landscape.

What type artwork do you all prefer? Do you think these traditional pieces could work in your own home?

Have a happy Wednesday, everyone!