Blue and White Dining...

I love to set the Dining Room for entertaining... not to mention I just love blue and white.  So i've combined two of my favorite things and provided some pretty ideas for a lovely evening... 

1st Dibs

water glasses, William Sonoma

Cocktail napkins, Anthropologie

Serving bowl, Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta

Placemat, Barneys

Plates

bamboo flatware,bed,bath,beyond

john robshaw

Meredith

Serenity Now...

Last week I spent a few days in bed with the stomach flu and finally got to catch up on all of my design magazines.  One of my favorites', World of Interiors, covered a home in Central Mexico, set in the Altiplano, not far outside of the city of San Miguel de Allende.  

I found the home particularly calming and beautiful.   I appreciate the architecture which really merges the Mexican arid landscape to the minimal interiors.  I love the blend of Moroccan, Middle Eastern and European decorative elements. 

According to the article the owners had an admiration for the Mexican Architect, Luis Barragan. 

Barragan always used natural materials of stone and wood, and he claimed that,  "Any work of architecture that does not express "serenity" is a mistake. 

I think if I could spend an afternoon in that pool... I would feel very serene. 

All Photos from World of Interiors, Photography: Ricardo Labougle

Want the look for your home? 

cb2

Red Thread Souk

Room and Board

Kathryn Ireland Shop

restoration hardware

cb2

dwr

Meredith's Mercantile

Meredith's Mercantile

I hope you now feel very calm and recharged for the start to a new week! 

Meredith

Spotlight on...Interior Designer, Barbara Thomas

We were down in the Texas Hill Country this past weekend, visiting my parents, and I felt inspired to take a few photos of their home.  My mother is a retired Interior Designer, and her latest and last project was her own home.  They moved from their ranch house of 26 years, and were able to re-use just about everything they had.  However, what was created was something entirely different.  

The ranch house she had decorated so long ago was beautiful...with stained paneled wood walls, limestone fireplaces  and Saltillo tile floors.   A natural environment, with no wallpaper and no curtains.   Dark and heavier texture fabrics were used to hide the wear and tear that comes from raising kids, animals, and life in the country.  

Now that my parents are right in town, and the kids are raised, she wanted a"lighter, brighter, cooler"  environment for their new home.  One that was comfortable, but "fresh".  They were able to use most of their existing furniture, however she did re-upholster some of the pieces so they would be updated.    She used a lot of cotton,  linen, lots of little prints, and tons of blue and white.  The walls are  all painted White Dove,  with the exception of the Master Bedroom which is "Grey Owl".  The  powder rooms are all wallpapered.  The floors are stained in a deep walnut brown, and the second floor is entirely seagrass with throw rugs. 

The Master Bedroom now

Master Bedroom at the Ranch, Photo from Southern Living, 1999

Here is the Living room now... Roman shades & pillows are Martyn Lawrence Bullard's Sultan's Garden...Michael Smith's Jasper Dutch Stripe on the Jenny Lind settee with pillows in Celerie Kemble's Betwixt

Living Room at the Ranch

The following photos are the house now... 

Kitchen 

Entry 

Dining Room

Guest Powder, Sister Parish, Burmese paper...

Her Master Powder, Sister Parish, Clara B

Upstairs Guest Bath, Quadrille Paper

Upstairs Landing

Grandchildren Playroom

Playroom 2

Guest Bedroom

Mudroom, Framed Art by Grandchildren

Peter Dunham's Kashmir Paisley

Some pictures of the Guest House, Barn

Sitting Area, polished concrete floors

Grand Kids sleeping Hall

Kitchen

My Dad's Office, with Sleeper sofa

Guest Bedroom

Hope you Enjoyed the photos, have a great day! 

Meredith