Christmas Installation Oakgrove 2009

Christmas Installation for one of my favorite clients, here we used a beautiful garland to wrap the mantle, adding a pear colored shantung silk wribbon & persimmon colored artichokes. The vintage bear is new made to look old and the soy candle is a fragrant orange spice.


Here we used classic winterberries in fresh form, surrounding one single white phalaenopsis orchid in this intensely chartreus ceramic pot. The view from above is so beautiful, make sure when arranging you look at every angle, the juxtaposition of the sparse branches layered over the organic lines of the rug & detail of the old gate table is fabulous!

The very red berries of the winterberry are in sharp contrast to the soft tertiary colors used in the

Great Room at Oakgrove...Very striking!  A simple yet elegant arrangment of topiaries for the holiday! Happy Holidays from L. Green Studios!

Fresh or Faux, Which Way To Go...Holidays 2009

Sneak Preview of this months editorial

for The Roswell Current...

The age old question I hear when I am getting ready to decorate homes for the Holidays, “Fresh or Faux, traditional colors or trendy colors, which would you suggest?”

My response, “Always use fresh where you can, although faux has its place when nothing else will suffice~on color, be daring and make a statement, while traditional colors need to be incorporated add depth and interest~go ahead and introduce a palette that has an underlying tribute to your personal sense of style.”

If you love to wear a mustard color sweater, find a few ornaments that celebrate your favorite color and mix them in with the décor. My favorite this season is Hermes Orange and a rich chocolate aubergine mixed with persimmon. (These very colors recently graced the November cover of Vogue) These colors will be dressing my tree this year along with gilded ornaments mixed with a personal collection given to me by my mother over a lifetime.

For a show stopping centerpiece on your dining table or entry foyer this year, try a large glass vase in a drum shape approximately 12 inches in diameter with 9 inch overall height in a jewel tone color for added drama. Fill it with 36 inch long silvery winter branches & mix with bright red winterberry branches, then hang silver plated & crystal ornaments delicately on several branches being careful not to overdo it. Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

"Decadent on a Dime" Holiday Decor 2009

"Decadent on a Dime" Holiday Decor 2009

By: Laura Green Thome

November 15, 2009

Making your Holidays sizzle this year is a stretch for most of us! As we celebrate the most important things in life we realize that they are not things at all. The way we celebrate the most important gift of all is to make meaningful time for one another as we celebrate ‘the reason for the season’. Using what you have and adding to or simplifying your décor can add a whole new appreciation for things passed down and things new.

Most of us have boxes of garland, old crèches, lights that do and a few that don’t work—even the boxes of unopened ornaments from years past. Well this is the year to do a little digging and find new ways to use your collection. Why not rummage around a little sooner this season and make time to have your children and grandchildren part of the process? Have them help you un-box old ornaments and collections group them according to type or color around the house. Then decide which rooms will be part of which ‘theme’. The preparation can be as meaningful as the season if you take the time to enjoy it!

For instance, if you have found a collection of gold ornaments in glass that are fragile and have a collection of ivory, white and crystal toned ornaments—group them together on a tree in your living room pairing them with white lights and adding curly willow branches interspersed throughout the branches to add a toned down twist. In the same room add a few old pieces of silver on the coffee table with unused ornaments or festive spice covered balls, cinnamon is one of my favorites. Fill an unused crystal server with mounds of wrapped peppermints on a side table—hopefully lying next to an old photo album to peruse as you crunch peppermint and remember good times with loved ones.

For a handmade touch string popcorn interspersed with cranberries or try your hand at making a paper-chain out of all white paper to add to the décor with out adding to the bottom line.

If you have a large box of multicolor lights in knots, take the time to unknot them—throwback to the eighties and fill your tree with lots of color everywhere! But then pair the colorful tree with a nubby burlap skirt and simple burlap table coverings with mounds of colored crystal serving pieces filled with multicolored chocolates, this will simplify an already full palette and allow it to grace your home with an understated elegance.

Another finishing touch is to shop early for your wrappings & trimmings and make sure that whatever theme or palette you have decided upon is carried throughout the season in the invitations, gift tags, wrappings, ribbons and bows. So start unpacking and making your holiday preparation take on a whole new meaning this year~!
A few of my favorite places to shop for the upcoming holidays are:

Erika Reade~Buckhead, Atlanta
BD Jeffries~Buckhead, Atlanta
Roswell ~ Antique District & Market on Canton Street

Laura Green Thome will be speaking on Holiday Decor at Cest Moi on November 23, 2009 7:30-9pm 1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, GA

Laura Green Thome, founder of L. Green Studios, LLC a Full and Limited Services Interior Design Studio located in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Current studio work includes projects throughout the Southeast including Atlanta, Athens, Birmingham and Houston. Laura brings a palette of classic style elements together emphasizing simple sophistication. She works closely with clients to pull together a well positioned home poignantly capturing their personality. For More Information Contact: info@lgreenstudios.com

From Carriage House to Guest Cottage~Moving In/Installation

Dining Room Oly Studio Table reflection~Photo Courtesy of L. Green Studios

http://www.olystudio.com/products/tables/frank.htm

Hardware Detail...

Guest Bath Detail~Photos Courtesy of L. Green Studios

Master Bath Detail~Photos Courtesy of L. Green Studios

Detail at Living Room~Coming together...

Windsor Oaks Details Coming Together

Defining your Home with Fresh Flowers & Plants

Defining your Home with Fresh Flowers is one of the easiest ways to make it stand out to guests and friends. You have the ability with your choice to change the entire atmosphere with color and texture that can be changed as often as you like. I prefer a simple backdrop in overall decor so that you can edit the space with organic choices. For example, above add a maidenhair fern to and already simple and sophisticated side table to add freshness. Below, you could choose a pale pink dozen or so roses and put them in a square glass vase as a tight full piece on your entry table.

From Carriage House to Cottage Continued

The transformation is taking shape, before long the interior construction will be complete and the countertops and floors will go in!! We used Benjamin Moore's Linen White on the Walls and Marscapone on the Ceiling and Trim...enjoy watching as things come together!!

Mountainbrook, Alabama Installation

Detail shots from installation in Mountainbrook (Birmingham) with one of my favorite clients yesterday, we are seeing the color palette and pieces taking shape, so rewarding!! We just finished the final drapery installations for the main living spaces--Beautiful Ivory Silk Panels throughout the Great Room with ball fringe in a dusty gray blue and bisque, Linen Bisque Panels in Breakfast Room with Cilantro & Linen White Striping on walls, Dark Taupe and Gray Green Stripe in the Dining with Putty on the walls--Exquisite!!

Printed Linen on a custom English Arm Chair combined with a Ralph Lauren Chenille, Sisal & Silk Panels--Does it get any better! Loving the combination so far...

Wedding silver, inherited silver, purchased silver--use it all for beautiful collections throughout your home, I love it slightly tarnished as it increases the depth of the reflections...

Love this Susie Pryor piece from Bennett Street as the focal point of the Great Room over the faux painted mantle with old brick... (http://www.bennettstgallery.com/susie_pryor2.html)

Detail of small albino pumpkin to ring in the season...

Really great gourd lamps in mustard with fresh & simple white orchids...

Brand Properties, Buford Village

Photographed by: Blayne Beacham

Fall Color Trends...

Combining Old with New, and combining tradition with simplicity, try your hand at adding found objects from your home with seasonal color creating a layered look. Here we layered antique Cobalt Blue Cloisonne dishes with a Deep Blood Orange Pumpkin and Ecuadorian Pink & Orange Roses. This particular combination is so striking and interestingly enough one of the reason's behind the beauty is that the tension of the colors is perfectly balanced--they are in exact opposition on the color wheel...Try pairing interesting objects this fall and create a unique decor that adds to your home.

The Roswell Current Vol. 1 Issue 4

Vol. 1 Issue 4

October 12, 2009

Photography By:

Laura Negri Photography

Making a Place UNFORGETTABLE

By: Laura Green Thome

We all have memories etched in our mind from life’s special moments. The impact of “the places” where our memories occurred is not often forgotten—the dusky dining room at the old hotel where you enjoyed dinner and then toasted an engagement or the way the room welcomed you at your post graduate celebration or the sparkling reception hall at your daughters wedding. The ambiance never left you and that place helped to create the memory and further instill it in your mind’s eye.

At home, it is possible to create a lasting impression whatever your budget may or may not be these days. For instance, if you have a small but engaging home with a central entry—dining room to the left & living room to the right, consider these Style Secrets:


Add some drama to the dining room by painting the walls, including the trim and millwork in a flat charcoal gray (try Farrow & Ball’s Down Pipe) Highlight the crown molding and ceiling (in Farrow & Ball’s Bone high gloss lacquer). For lighting, pair a unique chandelier found at a local antique shop with sconces. Add an old mirror to increase the reflection and depth of the space. By placing the mirror across the room from windows, you can increase the natural light during the daytime and increase illusion at dusk.


Now for furnishings, go ahead and reuse that furniture you have had for ages. Just paint it or strip it to give it a new look. If you absolutely can not stand it any longer have a full length dressmaker’s skirt made for the table. For a simple tailored look, choose a linen fabric and finish the skirt with a box pleated edge along the hemline.


In the living room keep it light and pair the muslin walls (in Farrow and Ball’s Bone with a flat finish) with a few latte or espresso colored upholstered pieces. Pair this neutral backdrop with a few dramatic 24” pillows on the sofa and a brightly colored throw in Hermes Orange one of my favorite colors for the upcoming season. Remember your art fills in the gaps that are otherwise lost in translation—making a simple space elegant.


Always--Always use fresh flowers in one large bunch of color to add a bold and simple punch to the space. Something fresh enlivens your space as well as adding to the overall attitude. Try Gerber Daisies for a retro throwback and chic look or a large bunch of hydrangeas for a classic southern style.


So go ahead and plan for that dinner party making memories and defining your personal sense of style. Your guests will leave with a lasting impression of your finesse as a hostess and the memories will continue to live on…


A few of my favorite places to shop for the upcoming season are:
Cest Moi East Cobb
Now & Again Buckhead
Sandy Springs Antiques & Interiors

Laura Green Thome, is the founder of L. Green Studios, LLC a Full and Limited Services Interior Design Studio located in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. Current studio work includes projects throughout the Southeast including Atlanta, Athens, Birmingham and Houston. Laura brings a palette of classic style elements together emphasizing simple sophistication. She works closely with clients to pull together a well positioned home poignantly capturing their personality.

New Ideas... Photographed by Blayne Beacham

Try pairing two sofas with a sculpted English Arm in a Living Room to add seating and symetry to the space. Many times you need the seating when entertaining and relaxing with friends or family. Here we used Hickory Chair Sofa's in Bone Linen Velvet with Handstitched Pillows out of Clarence House Fabric. The original Orchid Sketches in Sepia are by Claudia Campbell. The rug is a vintage Persian rug in indigo and shades of pink tourmaline. The marble surround is Bottoncino from Italy and the antique Walnut chairs are covered in a cut chenille.

In a Breakfast Room Try combining different woods and textures as we did here with an antique French Table with inlaid details and a Norweigan Buffet in Old Pine. The chandelier is a vintage French piece with silk shades by Atlanta favorite Sunlighting. The chairs by Hickory Chair in carved bamboo. The painting was juried at The High Museam of Art in the 1970's and won Best in Show by artist Julia Thompson. We used dried hydrangeas in a Fruit Basket by Smith & Hawkin to complete the look.

 

From Carriage House to Cottage

Project: The Homeowners wanted to expand their Historic Estate and make the Carriage House a fully operational Cottage to retire in, allowing their daughter's family of six to move into the primary residence.

Planning: The feel of the Cottage needed to reflect the same finish level but with cleaner and more contemporary feel the homeowners have grown to love from various spaces they have visited. We carefully planned out the template to work from maximizing the square footage. We kept the ceilings high and the space open by adding windows and french doors wherever we could. The homeowners are also master builders and have a sophisticated eye for detail. Combining our suggestions and planning out the space we added the stair to the living space opening up the core of the structure to the Main Living Room. We are in the process of finalizing the finishes as the construction is under way. Enjoy watching the construction progress with us!

Preliminary Shots of Crystal Hills Residence Athens, Georgia

Project: Beautiful Custom Home in Classic Style designed by southern regional architect. After raising three girls the upholstery and paint colors were worn out and needed a bit of pulling together. The classic architecture provided the perfect backdrop for a simple and elegant palette of russett, tawny taupe with a hint of cranberry in the Great Room. In the Dining we combined an existing persian rug with a creamy white on the walls and a silk linen blend panel with ivory tassel fringe resulting in a simple and sophistcated space. In the Living Room we used a sisal rug with antique chests and other inherited pieces. We also used Jim Thompson Chenille to cover the existing camel back sofa and a herringbone silk for drapery panels. This backdrop allowed us to highlight the owners collection of rare plate and vintage hand screened artwork. More to come...

Adding that Unexpected Piece of Art

Try layering the unexpected piece of art with an antique chest in a vestibule. Top the chest with a collection of books or old apothecary bottles-- Add an occasional side chair to make it a cozy nook for reading or enjoying a cup of coffee.

Design is in the Details

Design is in the Details: Every designer knows that details pull together each project. Plan carefully to execute your space beautifully. We combined a warm white palette with shades of pink tourmaline and indigo to create an enviting living room. Please join us in watching it all come together. Installation in progress

Avondale Estates

Project: Avondale Estates new homeowner recently downsized and wanted a tranquil, simple space that had a sparkeling personality. The goal was to re-use existing casepieces and mix with new custom pieces of upholstery, window treatments and art.

Planning: We infused the space with simplicity and a graceful fun-loving atmosphere. Throughout we used a calming neutral from Sherwin Williams with an apple green in the Dining Room. We used a large repeat in subtle dove gray and ivory as a backdrop for the Breakfast Room Panels, an oversize drum shade in shell white and nickel over a dark black table. The details in the Dining Room are centered around a Venetian Glass Bowl hand picked in Venice. We used a plate rack with Ironstone like pieces as an accent.

Buford Village a Brand Properties Development

Project: Buford Village located in Buford, Georgia (north of Atlanta) a stunning townhome community mixed with retail and restaurants. Brand Properties needed a model home that would showcase the style and sophistication of each home.


Planning: L. Green Studios provided architectural review, specification of finishes, procurement and installation as well as styling the individual selection programs. Each room was designed with graceful movement allowing easy entertaining and a calming atmosphere. The furniture and dressmaker draperies were custom made for the Great Room, Kitchen, Dining Room and Keeping Room. Claudia Campbell was commissioned to do original pieces completing the personality of the residence. The model home became a simple and subtle allusion to an easy and relaxing lifestyle afforded to residents. More to come...

Windsor Residence

Project: Classic Obie Award Winning Custom Home built in the eighties that is in the process of getting a facelift and needs tweaking to finish the final details. In process...

More to come...