Fall undoubtedly is one of my favorite times of the year which is why I love to use fall wall art decor to make my home feel warm and inviting.
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French influence in California. Tommy Chambers Interiors.
Spread the loveWelcome to “Rustic Charm,” a journey through the timeless allure of country farmhouse interior design. This beloved style, known for its warmth, simplicity, and connection to the past, continues to captivate homeowners and design enthusiasts alike. In this introduction, we’re setting the stage for a deeper exploration into the heart of country farmhouse …
The restoration and artful decoration of the St. Benedict house in England.
Discover ideas for luxury living room decor to elevate your space. Explore tips, trends, and inspiration for creating the perfect ambiance.
Dive into the quintessential beauty of English country bedrooms with our top 18 design ideas for 2024. Discover cozy cottages, modern twists, and timeless decor that brings the allure of the English countryside into your home. Perfect for fans of Ralph Lauren elegance and Georgian grace, our guide will inspire you to create a tranquil retreat that celebrates heritage with a fresh, contemporary touch. Whether you're revamping the master suite or a guest room, find unique ideas to make your space inviting and stylish.
Explore Barnsleyrailboy's 14039 photos on Flickr!
Spread the loveEnglish Country Farmhouse interior design is a timeless aesthetic that captivates with its unique blend of comfort, elegance, and rustic charm. This style of décor, deeply rooted in the picturesque landscapes and rich history of rural England, invites a sense of warmth and serenity into the home, making it an enduring favorite among …
Explore Bob Radlinski's 3722 photos on Flickr!
We have been ironing out details of our downstairs renovation over the past two weeks. Lowe’s jumped on board to sponsor a lot of the big construction components we have planned and one of their corporate partners, Stainmaster carpet, was eager to work with us, too after hearing about our plans to carpet the whole […]
Is this not the best time of year? Surrounded by color Encased in stylish warmth Snuggling indoors, blankets, fire, wine, a good book Natures abundance..... The best part? GOOD HAIR! In this cozy mindset I find that i need a nook, yes neeeeed. Visions of turtlenecks, wine, plaid blankets, pinterest, wine, my dog at my feet. Some of us are claustrophobic, myself......the smaller the space the more comfortable I am. Yes, weird..... A narrow room has a new purpose The end of a hallway, magical This will do nicely. Now if only my husband would cooperate and build this. My visions of taking one end of our guest room and building out to accommodate my fantasies Like this one I would have closet doors on each end; doors not curtains please This would do Our container gardens have begun and it is a mass of color and texture Enjoy! Debra
A celebration of the best trad interiors from stately homes & country houses
Dress: J.Crew Shirt: Kate Spade c/o (old, similar here) Shoes: J.Crew Bag: YSL Earrings: Tory Burch (also love these) Bracelets: Kate Spade c/0 One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2018 is to get better at planning ahead. Almost everything I do is last minute, including shopping.
You probably missed the compelling post about my Edith Wharton hinges unless you were one of the three followers I had at the time. I received a comment from Trina of A Country Farmhouse offering some advice about stripping paint off old hardware so I recently put Trina's advice to the test and thought I'd share my experience for anyone else who might be facing this task. *AFTER DOING THIS SEVERAL TIMES, I'VE POSTED AN UPDATE AT THE END OF THE POST* I've also gotten several e-mails asking where to buy the washing soda. I found some at my local small organic grocery store as well as the drug store that sells laundry detergents. It's also available on amazon.com here. Supplies needed: 1. Old pot or container in which you'll soak your hardware 2. Pot of boiling water 3. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 4. Your old painted hardware 5. Toothbrush, preferably one no longer being used 6. Small bucket for doing a final washing/rinsing of the stripped hardware. 7. Paper towel or rags I found some sources on the internet that recommended boiling the hardware in an old pot and others that proposed using a Crock Pot, I guess for the "low and slow" method. It seems that washing soda is sodium carbonate (not baking soda which is sodium bicarbonate) is a water softener but is also used in foods as an anti-caking agent so it's not necessarily toxic but there's something I don't like about the idea of boiling hardware and releasing lead paint fumes. And don't get me started about the Crock Pot. I was the victim of a Crock Pot childhood. Six nights a week we were subjected to every possible combination of meat and Campbell's Cream of Something soup. To this day, I can't go near a Crock Pot, not even to strip my hinges. I would have found something larger to hold more hardware but for this test I'm only doing two. So I put about 1/4 cup of washing soda in a coffee can, filled it up with boiling water, stirred until it all seemed dissolved and dropped in the two sets of hinges I need for the dining room study closet door. I tested a hinge after an hour and the paint seemed to be softening its grip but it was still very much intact. After a few hours, the paint was softer but still holding on. To make a long story short, I got distracted refining the diagram for my shelving units and the hinges ended up sitting in the coffee can for a week. This is what they looked like (above) at that time. Look how the several layers of paint are all coming off together. This portion comes off all in one piece. (I know, I should have worn gloves. I still have paint under my fingernails.) On the detailed side, the layers also come off easily. Here's the paint off one side of a hinge...front and back all in one single piece! All the hinge needs is a quick scrubbing with a toothbrush in some warm soapy water. Here's the paint that came off one hinge. Once they're washed up, I dried them with a paper towel and put them outside to bake in the sun. This dries them quickly so they don't rust. One internet source recommended putting them in a low oven if the sun's not available but that just seems unnecessary. Some of the original paint surface has come off so I cleaned them up a bit with some steel wool and gave them a coat of spray paint. Here's one of the hinges "before." And here's the "after." I've used Rustoleum's Metallic "Dark Bronze" as my finish coat. Cost: I paid $10 apiece for my hinges. It seemed steep at the time, especially since it was a lot of 50 hinges but I loved the connection to Edith Wharton and thought I would use most of them. But when I actually compared it to a similar hinge like this one found on a popular antique hardware website, this reproduction hinge ranges from $12.49 to $13.49 depending on the finish. And it doesn't come with a story. Here are my two hinges all ready to be installed. In the end, this method was easy and highly successful and (lead paint aside) it doesn't use any toxic chemical paint strippers. I wouldn't hesitate in buying old painted hardware, or anything or for that matter, that can be submerged. And, thank you, Trina, for your recommendation! **UPDATE** I've used this same method several different times to strip various hardware and have found it's best just to use the hot water to dissolve the washing soda but leaving the hardward in the solution for several days works best. The paint will come off sooner but it seems the longer it soaks, the easier it gets to peel the paint off. Why work any harder than you have to? Take it easy and let it soak. If you try it, please leave a comment and let me know how it worked out or if you discovered anything new.
Dunrobin Castle is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland, and the family seat of the Earl of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located 1 mile north of Golspie, and approximately 5 miles south of Brora, overlooking the Dornoch Firth. Dunrobin's origins lie in the Middle Ages, but most of the present building and the gardens were added by Sir Charles Barry between 1835 and 1850. Some of the original building is visible in the interior courtyard, despite a number of expansions and alterations that made it the largest house in the north of Scotland. After being used as a boarding school for seven years, it is now open to the public. The castle may have been built on the site of an early medieval fort, but the oldest surviving portion, with an iron yett, is first mentioned in 1401. The earliest castle was a square keep with walls over 6 feet thick. Unusually, the ceilings of each floor were formed by stone vaults rather than being timber. The castle is thought to be named after Robert, the 6th Earl of Sutherland Between 1835 and 1850, Sir Charles Barry remodelled the castle in the Scottish Baronial style for the 2nd Duke of Sutherland. Barry had been the architect for the Palace of Westminster, home to the House of Commons, and was much in demand. The 14th-century tower, and the 17th-century and 18th-century extensions, were retained, and survive within Barry's 19th-century work In 1915, the building was in use as a naval hospital when fire damaged the roof and much of the interior, but was confined to the newer additions by Barry. Scottish architect Sir Robert Lorimer was engaged to renovate the house following the First World War. When the 5th Duke died in 1963, the Earldom and the house went to his niece, the current Countess of Sutherland, while the Dukedom had to pass to a male heir and went to John Egerton, Earl of Ellesmere. Between 1965 and 1972, the house became a boarding school for boys, taking on forty boys and five teachers in its first year. Since 1973, the house and grounds have been open to the public, with private accommodation retained for the use of the Sutherland family The portion built by Barry uses freestone in broadly the same style as the turreted parts from the 16th and 17th centuries, but borrows significant elements from the château style. A large quadrangular pile of four stories, with towers at each corner, connects to the older castle by a building of three stories and containing the stately apartments. The tallest tower, containing the entrance, is 135 feet high, the round towers being 115 feet high and the clock tower 125 feet In the entrance hall is a frieze of the armorials used by past earls of Sutherland. The main stairway, decorated with portraits of the Leveson-Gower family, is around 30 feet (9.1 m) wide and 50 feet high.The panelled dining room, 40 feet long and 22 feet wide, has a wall-top Italian Grisaille frieze and a Khorassan carpet, as well as chairs containing the needlework of the 5th Duke's wife. The drawing room, made from two previous rooms by Lorimer during his restoration of the castle, looks out over the gardens and sea, and contains large Canalettos and 18th-century tapestries, as well as portraits by Hoppner and Reynolds. Housing over 10,000 books, the library features a painting by Philip de László of Duchess Eileen, as well as a mahogany Chippendale table en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunrobin_Castle There was also a fantastic display of birds of prey
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If any one designer epitomizes the look of Cote de Texas, it would be Ginny Magher from Atlanta, Georgia. Ginny became well known when her two houses, one in Provence and one in Atlanta, were both featured in Veranda, Southern Accents and numerous other magazines starting in the late 1990s. Her Provence house was so popular is was recently included in The Houses of Veranda by Lisa Newsom. Remember this cover – showing a guest bedroom at Ginny’s gorgeous Provence farmhouse?? It had the oversized Manuel Canovas toile in black and white, mixed with blue! How many bedrooms did this cover inspire? And notice the station clock, years and years before it became so trendy. A few years after the Provence house was published – this cover story featured Ginny’s Atlanta house – designed to resemble a “Hotel Particulier” one might see in Paris. Just look at those Versailles patterned parquet floors and the French boiserie painted a soft celadon green. Magher’s two houses are all over pinterest, but still, I tried to find the prettiest and biggest pictures in my magazines and on the internet to show here – in one place – to celebrate the designer who epitomizes Country French décor. PROVENCE – Mas de Baraquet: BEFORE: How to you turn a ruin like this into a spectacular country vacation house? You hire the best in the restoration business in France, for one thing: Bruno LaFourcade, a self-taught architect, who, along with his wife and son, can transform the most rundown pile of stones into a magical place. Here you can see two dovecotes on each side of the property, along with 4 plane trees that stand in front of the old farmhouse. (a special thank you to blogger Trouvais for some of these scans!) And After: Named Mas de Baraquet, the house looks out onto the front terrace shaded by four centuries-old plane trees. I love the gate at the end of the graveled terrace. And on the far right – notice the stone fountain? A close up of the stone fountain. The restored dovecote is seen at the right. How many people today use stone trough’s for fountains inspired by Ginny’s? The terrace with its box and gravel – so French. And another view of the front façade. How many people were influenced with this house since it was first published 13 years ago? The stucco, the blue shutters, the French pots filled with simple box balls, the lanterns, the iron balconies – so many elements that are found in upscale neighborhoods today. Dining on the front terrace. Notice the tall steel window/door – at what was once probably an entrance to the animal stalls and is now the orangery. The terrace set up for an afternoon meal under the large plane trees. Ginny has her studio in the dovecote. And looking the other direction – out towards the dovecote on the right. The front terrace, overlooking the farm land and mountain range. And later, the same field with lavender. Other times the field is ablaze with sunflowers. One of the dovecotes as it looks today. BEFORE: To the side of the mas is the beginnings of the pergola and the swimming pool. AFTER: The pergola covered in vines and roses. Off the side of the pergola is the swimming pool. Larger view. The landscaping around the mas is so beautiful with all the clipped box and stone steps. A birthday party thrown for Ginny’s husband included dinner on the terrace. So pretty! Close up of the candles in limes and pink roses. Ginny’s husband Craig’s placesetting – with the specialized place card. Ginny says: "In the summer at our home, Mas de Baraquet, in Provence, we love to entertain on the terrace under our beautiful plantain trees. It is magic to be there looking out on the fields of wheat and sunflowers. When I dream of Provence, I dream of this setting. This particular evening, we were having a dinner party for my husband's 70th birthday. Friends came from all over the world to celebrate with us. With the help of my friend and florist, Sebastien from Celia Flor in Arles, our chef who prepares the most wonderful Provencal dishes, a local Jazz band from St. Remy and great wines from the region, it was a very magical evening indeed!!!" Inside the mas, the entry hall with the stone staircase. Notice the painting above the desk and the sconces flanking it!! Soooo beautiful. A close up of the French desk and sconces. It looks like a cartoon – a drawing made before a tapestry is created - above the desk. The house is an enfilade – all rooms flow off each other in a row. Here in the entry hall is the front door, then the study and further, the main salon with the red curtains and barometer. And, off the foyer is the powder room, behind arched glass French doors. The sink is marble from the 18th century. The lantern and trumeau are sooo pretty!! The dining room with a crystal chandelier. I love the fancy chandelier next to the rough beams on the ceiling. Notice the bar through the arched door. Ginny framed pieces of wallpaper to hang on the walls. The former barn, with its steel doors, was transformed into an orangery. Fabric by Le Manach. The orangery is where breakfast is served, overlooking the front terrace. In the orangery – a set of framed dried herbs line the wall. The kitchen with the eat in breakfast room has ceiling beams painted white. And another picture of the kitchen with its blue and white tiles and French antique tables and chairs. The styling is Veranda 12 years ago. Today, stylists are much less heavy handed. In another photoshoot, the table is covered with a white cloth. Paintings and accessories are changed in this photo. At the opposite end of the kitchen is a sitting area with wicker chairs around a large fireplace. In the study is a marble fireplace with a beautiful antique French chair. c At the end of the enfilade is the salon filled with French chairs and benches. I love the way she painted the trim a dark gray. Beautiful mirror. And at the other side of the room is the large stone fireplace with an antique barometer and a corner cabinet. This sitting room on the first floor is filled with traditional red checked fabrics and a French bench. Upstairs is a bright yellow and red tiled bathroom. This bedroom has a beautiful blue and white toile draped iron bed and antique screen. Blue and white tiles in this bathroom and an antique chaise. This gorgeous bedroom has twin beds set in an alcove. Notice the darling urns on the wall. Another antique screen sits above a French bench. Just gorgeous!!! The charming bathroom is decorated in matching fabrics. Notice the monogrammed towel: Mas de Baraquet. Ginny says this antique French bed is too short for an adult! Draped in Le Manach fabric, its window overlooks the terrace. And the famous Manuel Canovas toile draped bed. Love the chairs and ottoman in the stripe. So many cute bedrooms! ATLANTA: Ginny’s former Atlanta house was featured in a cover story in Veranda. While the house is French inspired, it was built to resemble a Parisian townhouse instead of a Provence farmhouse. Why copy a French farmhouse when you have the real thing? The Magher’s sold the house to another couple, who then also sold it a few years later. This picture was taken from that real estate brochure. Here, a stone staircase, just like at Mas de Baraquet. The stairs wrap around the front door. Unfortunately, I only have a few pictures of the living room – as furnished by Ginny. Note: In the corner is her antique sedan chair. It is beyond fabulous!!! Above the paintings is a French barometer. And across the room is this picture of the French sofa. Here’s a closeup of the wall behind the sofa, filled with gilt framed paintings, dishes, gorgeous sconces, intaglios, and a carving. Each piece is so beautiful! The dining room with the gorgeous Versailles patterned parquet floors. The paneling is to die for!!! So beautiful!!! So is her chandelier. And her curtains are like ball gowns. Another view shows the marble fireplace with a trumeau above it. The trumeau was built into the paneling – it came with the house and the new owner has it now! Lucky!! Here is the library under Ginny – warm and masculine, perfection! It’s interesting to see the library under the new owners – it looks like they bought some of the furniture – so the room should look just as good, right? The tole chandelier remained, as did the sofas and chairs, but without the pillows – the sofa looks flat. And the shelves, again, notice how fabulous Ginny’s shelves look. These don’t have near the pizzazz. Notice the vignette in the hallway – Ginny’s is eye catching with the portrait and the bright white dishes, the new owner’s vignette seems dull by comparison. The rug too makes a big difference – as does the coffee table. Mostly though, it’s the shelves, the portrait and the pillows that are missing and missed. Study Ginny’s shelves – the white gives it all a pop and draws the eye there. Same with the vignette and the pillows. This is the new owner’s décor, but I wanted you to see the family room, how lovely the room and its fireplace is. Love the armoire doors made into a built in cabinet. Great idea! Bad scan – but this is how Ginny decorated the room. Lavender walls mix with mustard fabrics and lavender checks and toiles. And the opposite side of the family room, the kitchen. Notice Ginny used the same terracotta tiles she has in Provence. I love how Ginny separated the two refrigerators and notice the stained door leading to the butler’s pantry. Ginny didn’t use chandeliers, these were added by the new owners. I had to show you the bar that Ginny designed with armoire styled doors and paneling. I wish I had all the pictures from the Veranda spread, but I saved the tearsheets and now I can’t find them!!! Urrrggh. Ginny’s bedroom is beyond dreamy. One fabric covers everything! Beautiful trumeau and French chairs. And the Leontine linens are gorgeous, as always. The Lit Polonaise bed is certainly a show stopper. It makes the room more cozy and filled out. A close up of the bed. Stunning! The new owners were left with half a bedroom. The curtains remained and it looks like the bench and settee was sold with the house, along with the trumeau. But the rug is really not right at all, and the bed, well – I so miss Ginny’s Lit Polonaise. I do love the nude above the bed. I have to say, the bedroom under Ginny was so fabulous!! Isn’t the architecture of the room stunning? The door leads out to the backyard. And look how Ginny decorated her master bathroom. Gorgeous chandelier, mixed with a checked settee – blue painted trumeau and blue shades mixed with blue and white porcelains. Beautiful vanity. So pretty!!! The basement is so large – look at this wine cellar that leads off the staircase. This really does look like Provence with the tiled floors! The back of the house – is interesting in there is no pool, just a pond. On the wing at the right is the master bedroom. Even without a pool, there is a pool house with a stone fireplace. Beautiful fireplace and notice the doors and the trumeaus over them. I love how it’s painted gray with blue on the ceilings. There is even a pergola, just like the one in Provence! To see more of Ginny’s designs, check out her facebook page HERE. AND BE SURE TO VISIT ONE KING’S LANE starting on November 4: On November 4th at 8am, the Ginny Magher Interiors Tastemaker Sale will begin on One Kings Lane. The sale will feature an exquisite personal collection of French Antiques, including one of a kind items such as a Toiletries Case belonging to the 20th century art collector and decorator Charlie de Beistegui and an 18th century restored carriage that belonged to the Duchesse d'Orleans. Here is the carriage being photographed for the One King’s Lane sale!!! Wow!!! How cool is that? It would make a cute place for a telephone, like an old fashioned booth. Remember this carriage was in the corner of her living room at her former house! And here is Ginny Magher herself – sitting in her restored carriage. I love the fabric she used inside it! To purchase The Houses of Veranda which features Ginny’s Provence farmhouse, just click below: I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at Ginny Magher’s designs as much as I did! Until next time….
Explore collections of luxury handmade furniture and signature home accessories with Ebanista’s curated lookbooks.
Explore collections of luxury handmade furniture and signature home accessories with Ebanista’s curated lookbooks.
With its Robert Adam interiors and Capability Brown landscape, Bowood is the epitome of an eighteenth-century English country house, formed by the taste and vision of previous inhabitants and now adapting gently to the needs of the twenty-first century
Friendship is sharing a sweet cupcake. Join us to celebrate the colorful sprinkles of spring at the Cupcake Cafe.
