Life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan. Seven years ago I would never have imagined we’d sell our 19th century farmhouse and move away. But due to unforeseen circumstances my husband and I are leaving the southeast. What’s that old adage…when one door closes another one opens? So, we’re taking a deep breath and crossing the threshold of a new door.
(Instagram photos of our farmhouse- Martha Browne)
Forget the huge Christmas tree this year and go for a small tabletop one from Terrain instead. John Derian sells a similar version.
(Instagram photos- Martha Browne)
#34- Interior Design- ‘Every Room Should Sing’ by Beata Heuman, 2021.
“Working out your style is never straightforward. We are bombarded with images of how the ideal home should look. You are given the top ten interior trends to follow, only for them to change a few months later, leaving you sitting in your newly renovated Memphis-style kitchen…feeling not quite right. Interior design has long been an aspirational field, and it is easy to become preoccupied with trying to copy the perfect look. But the truth is that if you try to completely imitate another person’s style, you will always fall slightly short…
…There’s a lot of joy in expressing one’s individuality. It is freeing. It can be exhilarating. It can also be pretty irresistible when you see the unabashed, true character of another individual. It may be very different from yours, but it is all the more alluring for it. Therein lies the secret of any work of art that touches me, books that make me think, rooms that linger in my mind and people whose spirit intrigues me.”
Edward Collier’s letter rack trompe l’oeil painting c. 17th century (top), Ros Byam Shaw instagram of her mother’s three dimensional version of Collier’s rack (middle left), “Tea Set” letterpress tray by Rachel Bradley (middle right) and John Derian’s small box on his table (bottom).
Before working on our guest bathroom, we had to address some major issues. First the room’s basic layout was suitable enough. It had a vanity, toilet and walk-in shower. But the materials like the huge granite tiles encasing the entire shower and the Asian inspired chest with bowl sink felt completely out of keeping in our 1800s farmhouse. Secondly the lack of natural light was a problem. The bathroom and a closet were housed in a converted porch project done by the previous owner. This meant that the single bathroom exterior window now looked into the closet. To compensate for the loss of light the owner decided to squeeze a floor-to-ceiling sliver of window glass right by the toilet. Yikes! With all of these problems we had to rethink the whole bathroom and the closet in terms of a better floor plan. Plus underdesign both spaces to work with the age and character of the house.
Can you guess which is our finished bathroom- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6?
Having a painful illness made the winter extraordinarily long this year. But warm weather is just around the corner which always makes me feel good.
(Instagram photos- Martha Browne)
A mix of antique portraits framed and unframed casually surround a fireplace mantle.
Design Note– The rule of thumb for displaying is that there be an odd number of items. The four portraits here are joined by the surprise addition of a vase that pulls it all together.
(Photo- Tat-London)
Indoor garden or outdoor garden. So, which is it? A creative owner has made the garden both of these by using wood & screen mesh for walls (to keep deer at bay) and leaving the ceiling open.
(Photo- Sarah Elliott for the book ‘Upstate: Living Spaces with Space to Live‘)
NIBS 