Atlanta's Antiquing Hot Spots

Kind of strange having "Atlanta" and "Hot" in the same phrase this week.  As a native Minnesotan, who learned to drive in the worst conditions, I assure you I have never experienced anything like this before. All in all, we fared pretty well this week, with just a little adventure in the ice and snow department...

 As the sun set, my son appeared to be spending the night at school along with his best friend, who's mother was stranded downtown. I decided to brave the roads skating rinks despite my husband's warnings (he was on another continent during all of this, btw). But I knew my son was hungry, and I felt so badly for relying on the bus to bring him home (after all, they were stuck in gridlock too). I finally arrived at school to learn that their bus had just left! I was three cars behind the bus on an icy hill, where a good samaritan was pushing each and every car over the hump, when the bus slipped off the road and got stuck. Thank goodness I was there! Mr. Bus Driver was relieved to say the least, and said, "Ma'am, just take 'em all!" They piled in, one on top of the other, and after Mr. Good Samaritan pushed us back up the hill, away we went. The kids were delivered to their families safe and sound, thankful to have a story to tell.

The boys spent the better part of the night sledding to their heart's content. But in all of that action, I forgot to ask the bus driver, if HE needed help. Our educators, administrators, bus drivers were handed a huge load of responsibility and frustration taking care of our children that day. Keeping them safe, making sure they went home with the right parents, keeping them calm and entertained... meanwhile, many of them were not able to connect with their OWN children. Thank you to all of you, for your loving dedication and care.

On to antiques....

If you are reading my blog, chances are you love antiquing as much as I do. Atlanta Magazine has just published a list of the best spots for treasure hunting. Join my friend, Sherry Hart, as she shares some of her favorite spots (and mine, too) in our city. We are so thrilled to have made the list! A big thank you goes to Lisa Mowry for the mention.

Click here to read the article.


Stay warm, and once the snow melts, don't forget to go antiquing!
XO,
Lisa


Pillow Talk

Let's face it, girls love pillows!  I cherish a comfy, cozy home, and fewer things can render that better than fluffy down cushions in great fabric. I learned this from my mom. One of the easiest, quickest ways to revive a space is to change out the throw pillows.

Now I know some men have an aversion to them, but the men in my life have either:

a) been forced to love them, or risk divorce;)
OR
b) grown up around them so they could hardly imagine life otherwise.

Yes, I've trained my son right (the ladies will thank me later). His kamakaze karate chops leave a perfect crease at the day's end. Warms my heart and makes me want to give him a kiss when I see him in action:) My husband? Well let's just say it was little late for karate chops by the time I came around...

Here is a sampling of pillow combos around the house and at the shop...

I like to mix patterns and textures, like the above assortment in our guest room.  There will always be a stripe in the mix (in fact, my daughter has labeled me a stripe-aholic), and some yummy texture. A little bit of bling is always fun too. I also like to mix high end with low end price points. The above check pillows are vintage, the passion flower and stripes are custom, the Mongolian lamb is from Home Goods, and the gold circle pillow is from Target.

 The above custom pillows in Sarah Richardson fabrics and ikat can be found in my booth at the Queen of Hearts, Alpharetta.


Above, custom floral linen pillows and a grass green ticking cushion for an antique deacon's bench in a client's kitchen.


I used these to style a photo shoot, but they ended up coming home with me...can't resist this blue!


How fabulous is this pieced chevron in blue and white linen?

This velvet and linen beauty by Lacefield is still a favorite.

There are so many enticing trims out there these days. The above pillows were made for the shop, but have since sold. (I can make more!)

The flame stitch in flame red and coral, combined with the crisp white basket weave linen and lattice trim is a showstopper! Here they are again, below, in a client's bedroom.


If modern and masculine is more your style, blanket plaid, window pane fabrics and leather work well together...
The above pillows are a combo of custom and Target. The grey plaid in the foreground was a Peacock Alley blanket from Tuesday Morning. We added the leather trim to give some masculinity to the space that functioned as an office and guest room.

My daughter's room, below, has an antique French monogrammed pillow with polka dots and silver sequins from TJ Maxx for a clean, but cozy look.
lauren rubinstein photography

Window pane, ethnic print, and solids for the library below.
jennifer kesler photography

 I covet these soft beach colors with a touch of animal found at Beau Interiors in Grayton Beach, FL.

Look how the branches are animal print here...a subtle way to incorporate the print if you are not ready to commit to a lot of leapord.

This was a Thanksgiving vignette that I did at the store....tapestry pheasants combined with modern navy tear drop.

Texture...
 The above knit pillows were from Pottery Barn. The below beauties are hand knit in Lithuania by a little old lady, and available on Etsy.
Here is another one in charcoal alpaca wool.

More texture in our master...

Color and texture for the very traditional living room, below. he same print goes transitional in chocolate and white in following photo. (Lauren Rubinstein photography)

 Sometimes, less is more. Just one or two pretty ones, and that's all you need...
jennifer kesler photography

image via pinterest

Feel free to contact me if you are in need of a pillow makeover for your home, or if you would like quotes on anything you have seen here. Have a great week despite the snow from North to South!

xo,
Lisa


Bright Lights...etc.

Design genres of most kinds excite me. As you know, I have been working on a modern Italian beachside villa in Florida. The clients requested lots of color, which has clearly been influencing my eye these days.  Take a look at some of the fun new products I have come across lately... I hope you enjoy!



 These pendant lights are designed by Alvaro Catalán de Ocón.

They are woven by Colombian artisans out of plastic bottles.  


Wouldn't they be great with this new rug from CB2?
You need lots of white and a touch of black to balance all this color.

Rustic meets modern in these dipped stools from Serena and Lily.

Glicee' parchment shade for the Florida dining room.

 Along with the Grey Watkins Jamboree fabric as an accent.

In need of some funky bunks?  Room and Board makes these in a dozen colors.

I have been seeing a lot of cool task lighting with contrast cording...LOVE!

Crate and Barrel makes this combo of white, teal and wood...

Good ole Target does it for less at $22.99.
 

The above storage bins are $12.99 at Land of Nod, and come in many festive colors.

 Serena and Lily also have some cute ones, and I love the simple white tassel drapes too.

 This CB2 woven chair would be so fresh and fun in a navy and white room.

...just a little taste to brighten your day. 

Have a good one,
Lisa


A Master Bedroom Makeover

Hi Friends-

Nothing like a little drama to get you guys all fired up! Thank you for your overwhelming support last weekend. If you missed the scoop, read here. In the future I will try and spice up my posts a bit more...I think you guys like a good story:)

What a gorgeous day here today! And, I am sticking to the 30 day yoga challenge, so things are going pretty well.

Today, I finally photographed a master bedroom renovation in Roswell that I did last fall. This was one of my favorite projects to work on because the colors were out of my wheelhouse, and the transformation was dramatic.  Plus, the clients are fabulous.


Here is the BEFORE.....

My first instincts were to lighten everything way up, and put the bed on the opposite wall, so you see it when you walk in.  The walls just had to be white, with splashes of bright red and aqua.

We wanted the room to match the fresh cottage flavor of the two bathrooms I helped them renovate before...




The couple wanted new hardwood floors to match downstairs, and are drawn to deep reds and light blues.  They also wanted to incorporate a stained glass window that they picked up years ago, but never really found a home for, and a special vintage vanity that belonged to her mother.  All of the mahogany furniture was staying.

The AFTER...

Let me explain:

The headboard wall was paneled in in 1x6 tongue and groove boards for freshness and texture. We whitewashed the entire space in Benjamin Moore White Dove, and painted the ceiling Topsail by Sherwin Williams.


 Her mother's vanity went from varnished oak to a deep red...
The pewter pulls are original. The vintage mirror came from my booth at the Queen, and as luck would have it, Cherilyn had the adorable vanity stool in her booth in the exact red as the vanity! The lamps are all from Home Goods, and the rug is Birmingham Red from Dash and Albert.

 Above,  you see the inspirational stained glass window front and center. The collection of vintage mirrors came from various dealers at the Queen of Hearts. The bedding is a mix of Pottery Barn, Home Goods, and custom pillows available at my booth, or by request.

I was feeling like there was too much heaviness in all of the brown furniture, so they graciously agreed to let me paint the bow front dresser in Duck Egg (sorry about the goofy lighting).

Custom canvas pinstripe drapes were installed, and her vintage chair got a new life in a punchy Suzani print. The lanterns flanking the fireplace are from Pottery Barn.

We kept the tall dresser in its original finish, but added a blue gourd lamp to tie things together...

 Closeup of my striped and lattice trim pillows, above. I also have these in blue and teal.


If you would like help designing a master bedroom renovation in your home, I would love to hear from you! Please contact me via email at lisagabrielson@att.net.

P.S. I also work remotely, for those of you not in Atlanta:)

Have a wonderful week,
Lisa