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...