Hampton's Designer Show House 2016 ~ part 1

I always make sure when I am planning my weekend in the Hamptons that it coincides with the Traditional Home Hampton's Show house.
Every show house has its own overriding vibe.  This one was predominately neutral, natural, and with touches of ethnicity.  In other words ~ It was right up my alley!

The house on the hill is new construction, set on 3 acres, is 10,000 sq. ft plus, and can be yours for a cool $5,300,000.00.

The entry by mother/daughter design duo McGrath II said nautical with its rift cut oak trim wood with blue and white color theme, but as you assend the stairs (above), it became clear natural elements ruled the roost.

Melanie Turner's living room was one of my favorites ~ and there were several.  The cool, tonal, textural space is a classic, sophisticated beach look I like.  A touch of subtle color comes from the pair of Sally King Benedict paintings.  The ceiling and fixture are outstanding!

Kate Singer had many "moments" in her more traditional great room in conjunction with Ballard Designs.  A relaxed, collected look was achieved with the help of de Gourney wallpaper as screen, soft white accessories, a gorgeous Gustavian bench, antiques, and a selection of subtle fabrics.

A kitchen by Bakes and Kropp never disappoints!  They uniquely coordinate stunning kitchens with a range of materials.

Gideon Mendelson gave us the most color in his Mad Men inspired dining room with a lot of built in architecture, which makes sense because Gideon has a degree in architecture.  The leather insert ceiling was especially captivating.

Upstairs, this room by Elle Cole also struck my fancy.  I loved the soft color combination and a touch of tiger is always right.

The master bedroom done by Mabley Hadler seemed like a slight departure from what I am used to seeing from them.  Instead of turquoises and bright blues mixed with white, they used a softer palette closer to periwinkle mixed with gray.

The guest room, or very regal kids room was a standout done by Dodson Interiors.  Julie is known for her "casual glamour" aesthetic.  Not only is it sophisticated in the nature of the decor, with its upscale bedding, adorable bunnies by Hunt Slonem, leather beds with brass trim, full bed crowns, and the antiques that were incorporated, every level of detail was done to perfection.

We'll touch on more beautiful bedrooms in the follow up post.

Till next time ~

10 Tips to Create A Peaceful, Calming Environment

I sit here in my home once again with a heavy heart, listening to the news reports of bloodshed and violence yet again.  Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this would be the world I live in, am bringing up children in, and have a grandchild on the way (you heard me right) in.  I am scared ~ very scared!

Pictures on social media of the latest images of violence, the Eiffel tower, rainbows in all forms, flags, altered profile pictures, prayer hands, peace signs, hashtags and the like help us feel like we are doing something, however small, to show unity against a common cause.  Pictures of faces I have never seen make me cry for we are all victims.  All lives matter, and the helplessness feels overwhelming.

One thing we can do right now, this minute, is really take stock of our environment.  Our home is our safe haven, our sanctuary.  While we may not and cannot be insulated from world events, we can make our homes feel like a retreat, a place of refuge, a warm hug, a harbor against the storm.

Try This ~

1. Reduce noise.  If you live in an area where noise is a problem and insulated windows are out of the question or out of your control, try a white noise machine.  Being bombarded with noise pollution really takes its toll!

2. Make your bed and bedding matter!  Kick an old mattress to the curb, buy the best bedding you can afford, envelope yourself in the bliss of clean sheets and a nice blanket!

3. There's a reason the expression "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" exists.  Keeping a clean, clutter   free home cuts down on confusion and chaos in the mind.  God knows we don't need any more chaos!

4. Appeal to your senses.  Light a candle, spray an enticing room atomizer, draw a bath, listen to music, display fresh flowers.  Do anything that makes you feel good! Isn't that what Living Beauti-FULLY is all about.

5. Power down.  This is so important, especially after  a traumatic event.  I am not suggesting we should bury our heads in the sand, but before bed, turn off the electronics.  We don't want to wind ourselves up when we are trying to wind down for the night, because getting a good night's sleep helps keep our bodies in healthy alignment.

6. A room with a view makes for a pleasant place to rest our eyes.  Having order among furniture, accessories and knick knacks, a nice painting or gallery wall, greenery outside the window all seem to have a healing effect on our soul.

7. Good light helps enhance good energy.  I love nothing more than floor to ceiling windows that allow me to look out over a city or garden, but more is needed.  There should be an assortment of different lighting for different needs.  Overhead, task, and ambient lighting help move you through tasks.  Conversely, window treatments and blackout shades help soften a room and keep the early morning rays at bay.

8. Energy elements like a fire in the fireplace, a water feature, or a houseplant give a space life and vibrancy.

9. Carve out a little meditative space.  It can be as formal or as informal as you like, and just  BREATHE!

10. Rest and repeat.  Having a fairly regular routine is another way to help keep chaos away!

 A calm, soothing home will shelter us from the storm, even if it's for a short while.  I wish us all always PEACE and LOVE!



Namaste

I Miss You

Well Hello~

I  have missed you!  This is the longest break I have ever taken in the 5 years I have been blogging.  It felt stressful to think about writing blog posts while I was trying to create a new website, write copy, take photos, as well as do all the work I do in day.  Being true to myself and this new path I am on is all about feeling a sense of freedom, avoiding unnecessary stress, operating from a place of joy and peace.  I knew it was better for my well being to take a break than give you less than 100%.

I'm Back~

but on a limited schedule for a bit longer.  Setting intentions and figuring out a new path requires stillness.  Sometimes when you step away from something you realize what it truly means.  This blog is a part of me, and I get a great deal of pleasure sharing it with you.  My blog, like myself is fluid.  I (we) change, we grow, we stop, we start ~ and it's all OK.  We can be so hard on ourselves!  I have vowed to lighten up, give myself permission to do what feels right to me.

I am excited for the new website and my message of mindfulness in and out of the home.  In the meantime, until I am up and running at full speed, I will keep you abreast of what is going on "in my neck of the woods"


Stay Tuned....