Thank You Shoshana and Houzz for Featuring Me

How to Choose the Right Dining Table

This is a great post! Check it out.

Groovy Orange

I went to 1st Dibs looking for some groovy orange dining chairs. 1st Dibs did not disappoint. The problem... I can't decide :) I love them both and either would work well. I am leaning toward the first set as I think they are more timeless. The second set is quirky, which I also love. Hmmm??? Thoughts?

I Love This Time of the Year...

I grew up in up.. up... upstate New York. By this time of the year, we were all inside feeling the cold. Now I'm in northern Virginia where the warm weather lasts a bit longer. I adore the foliage, the crisp, clean air, frizzy hair a thing of the past (the past year that is ~ it will sadly return). But this time of the year is the best for outdoors lunches. While perusing one of my favorite magazines, Architectural Digest, I came across places to enjoy a wonderful lunch...

Bon appetit ~ enjoy your weekend!

Project Love...

Have you ever worked on a project that you simply adore? This is one of those projects. My clients listen intently and soak in the information. They have stretched themselves to incorporate new ideas. Trust is firmly established and they understand I have their best interest in my heart. Bliss!

Here are some before pictures...

Yes, this is where the home with the foyer window issue...
All in all, not to shabby. They worked with a designer previously but it just didn't hit a home run for them. He wants "Wow!" But as I walked through the home I couldn't help but notice the demur aspects that were clearly hers and needed to be respected. I few things were clear ~ the palette included hues of orange, green, and neutrals. They love orange, green, and neutrals ~ just not some of the ones currently in their home. There are a couple of surprises though. When I opened the powder room door ~ it revealed purple walls and I thought 'Ahhhh passion is hidden beneath the surface here.' So my job is to give them demur, secretly passionate Wow. I can do that ;)

Stay tuned...

Thursday's Room ~ The Art of Conversation

Andy Skurman

Today I am not going to focus on one specific well-designed room. I'm going to focus more on an art ~ the art of conversation at a lovely dinner party. This is where radial balance makes such a statement. I have written about radial balance before. There is no better place to realize it than in one's dining room. Take a look.....

Andy Skurman

Everyone is able to see each other equally well...

Craig Wright published in Architectural Digest

There is a feeling of togetherness...

Andy Skurman

Of belonging...

F. Pierpont Davis published in Architectural Digest

It is much cozier and welcoming with the round table.

I am craving to do a dining room with a big, beautiful round table. The tweens rooms I am doing right now are for clients that I will likely be doing their dining room shortly. It was supposed to be next on their list but the tweens spoke up and you know how that goes. So, the tweens first; then the dining room.

We already discussed the design a bit. She wants a big round table to seat her family for holidays. Alrighty ~ I can do that. I already found the table I would like to use...The Sheraton by Hickory Chair. I love that it is large but without great mass. I want to surround it with upholstered chairs for extreme comfort, which will add more mass and nicely balance the table.

That's my 'room' for today ~ designed with radial balance ~ rooms primed for the art of conversation.

What would we be talking about at dinner?