Sunny and 70 Degrees

It looks like we are in store for another beautiful weekend.  We’ve had at least one great day, if not both for the last couple of weekends.  One would think this is a good thing, but basically there are two problems with the great weather. 

First of all, I’m over the cold weather and the unusual amount of snow we’ve had this year so I’m more than ready for warm weather.  I get nervous when it’s colder than 70 degrees – so this is great.  However, as much as I love this weather it’s too early.  I know its going to get cold again.  I walked around the farm this morning and things are starting to bud out.  It’s supposed to be warm all next week, but undoubtedly we’ll get another hard freeze or a stupid March snow.  Which means all the spring blooms will get zapped. 

Secondly, the great weather makes me feel bad about myself.  I need to get off my ass and get some things done.  Last weekend I was really productive, well for at least one day.  I worked in the vegetable garden and cleaned up the greenhouse, repaired the window vents and scrubbed the outside.  The weekend before I managed to cut back any left over winter plantings and started mulching the planting beds.    

So, this beautiful weather means I should really spend one day this weekend outside - or maybe both days. 

But, I want to be lazy and opt for an interior weekend.  I have some really high brow programming to catch up on.  I now have the entire first season of the Tudors recorded on the DVR.   But as I hit enter on this post, I'm sliding into the farm boots and out to spread pine straw!   It’s all about prioritizing.

Sexy House

I believe a house must be sexy. And by sexy, I do not mean sexual. To me a sexy house is casually glamorous and a little unexpected - like me! It's like lounging in a tuxedo, tie removed and the shoes kicked aside. Having a pool helps, especially like the one pictured here.

And, since I'm all about sexy today, this house in Cartagena, Colombia which was featured in a 2008 edition of Veranda fits the bill nicely.

photo credit Carlos Domenech

Scott Antique Market - Part Two

I told you so!  Last fall I did a posting showing some things I liked from the Highpoint Furniture Market.  One thing I mentioned was that the whole Vintage Industrial and Euro Vintage Chic trend had creeped from the upper end manufacturers into the trend vendors and widely distributed suppliers.  And of course we're seeing it in every shop and store.  I said buyer beware - the market's becoming saturated.  I also said I like it as much as the next person, but use it sparingly.  So, I was not surprised to see this at Scott's this past weekend.  However, I was very surprised to see so much of it!  There were containers of reproduction European upholstery frames covered in burlap.  The biggest 'make it stop' trend was the vendors showing 40's and 50's reproduction furniture repainted in Swedish blue grays.  Here are a few pics of what I saw and will now avoid.  The other pics are some fun things that I did think are interesting.  I group these together for obvious reasons - think metal.

Stop.  Please.

This should be on the porch of my garden shed.

I'm intrigued by mesh and metal patterns used as wall hangings.

There's nothing new about gears and gizmos on sticks, but I still find them interesting.

These are devices used to balance weight on boats.  The handles have been added
and they would make great shelves on my dining porch.

More metal wall hangings, metal and stone table and intersting mesh lamp.

Everyone needs some balls made of barbed wire.  One of my favorites.

Iron rings made into a sphere.  Would have been great sitting by my pool.

I love this old metal spring just to sit in the middle of the fields.  It was about 5 feet tall.

I'm not even sure if these wire mesh panels would make a great fence.

I need this finial for the garden shed.

Toy molds would be a great conversational sculture.

Scott Antique Market - Part One

I have not been to the Scott Antique Market in years.  Between the years of commuting weekly for work and the fact that the last thing I need to do is bring another thing in my house, I stopped attending this huge Atlanta monthly shopping destination.  For some reason unknown to me, I realized last weekend was the monthly opening of Scott's.  So, on Friday we headed there to take look.  I was really going just to see what was happening and how it had changed.  Also, I'm always looking for design inspiration.  Honestly I wasn't expecting to bring anything home with me.  The new general rule is if something comes in the house, something has to leave the house.  So I'm proud to say, I bought nothing.  However, there were a few things (actually a lot of them) that I would have love to haul home with me.  But, C was guarding the check book and he has a little more restraint than I do. 

I don't really believe there is a next big trend point of view on the horizon.  I think we've passed that point.  There are now too many options when it comes to decorating and things come and go too fast.  I also believe that if you buy things you like and they find the proper permanent place in your home, all things eventually go there.  If you are regular reader of this blog, you know I'm all about the 'mix'.  But, it does help if you have good taste.  Some of the things I've posted here don't seem to necessarily gel, but if they were in my house, I'm convinced all would work just fine! 

I'm grouping things in two separate posts.  The second post will publish this weekend. 

I'm all about anything with a Greek or Rome figure.

These pea green tufted leather chairs were quite smart.

It's a little old school, but anything with regency arrows is always a good find.

Of course it's now everywhere, but vintage inspired fabrics and grain sacks still work in moderation.

Yes...I know.  It's tacky, but...a little Vegas never hurt anyone.

Love the washed gray finish.

This was my favorite find.  I wake up thinking about them everyday!

These next 3 photos are from a source called Stewart-Parkman/Tribal Links.
http://www.triballinks.com/ & http://www.stewartparkman.com/
They had the most sophisticated curiosity accessories.

I hate it when someone steals my ideas.  I've been doing the trimmed boxwood thing for years.
I even have the formal boxwood garden to prove it!