Do you have a place that inspires your design esthetics?  I have several. I find that design inspiration comes from so many different aspects in our lives. We might be inspired from a place we visit, a show we watch, a book we read, a painting we admire. 

Some places peak your interest and inspire you. Serenbe is a place that has inspired me. I have never been to Serenbe, Georgia; but, from what I have seen in pictures and videos I am longing to visit. 

I find the concept and the architecture to be intriguing. I dream of visiting and delight in the thought of living in a farm-to-table community like Serenbe one day.

http://www.serenbe.com states:                       The vision for the community of Serenbe was born in an effort to protect the beautiful rural land just outside of Atlanta known as Chattahoochee Hill Country. The first house at Serenbe was built in 2004 and today the community is home to 400 residents.                                   

The community at Serenbe feeds our residents in more ways than one. We’ve created a place where people are drawn together over gardening, cooking, books, art, ideas, and even over back fences.

The Inn at Serenbe 

The Farmhouse at Serenbe, one of Atlanta’s original farm-to-table Restaurants

The Hil on-the-hill is another restaurant at Serenbe

Check out the sources below for more info on Serenbe.

InJOY-Trisha 

Sources:               http://www.southernliving.com, http://www.homesteadatlanta.com, http://www.tripadvisor.com, http://www.venuereport.com/innatserenbe, http://www.southernhospitality.com, http://www.terrain.org, 

Interior designer, Charlotte Moss was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. The rich history of her birthplace had a profound effect on her. In an article, HGTV.com said that she exudes great warmth, humor and Southern charm.

Informed, gracious, authentic design is evidence of a life lived that way.

The New York City based designer opened her design company in 1985. Her design style is Traditional, Eclectic with a nod to both the historical elegance of the past and modern necessities like comfort and livability of today.

In her July 2016 House Beautiful column, Charlotte Moss on Living History she encourages the reader to: “Go, see, do…. three simple ideas I implore you to embrace.” 

Charlotte Moss has written nine interior design books.

In reviews of her book it is said:

“The queen of ‘why not’ approach to decorating spills her trade secrets and methodology.” ~Life in a Venti Cup

“Moss creates atmosphere, charm, and character like no one else.” ~LoftLife Magazine

In a Feb 2012 House Beautiful article, Master Class: Meet Designer Charlotte Moss she states: “Photography is a discipline that makes you focus. It can be very spiritual — it puts you in the moment.” 

Charlotte Moss has partnered with design companies to create licensed collections: Brunschwig & Fils, Fabricut, Pickard China, Century Furniture, Stark, Agraria, and  Soicher-Marin.

Check out her website: charlottemoss.com 

Her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels: Oscar and Daisy

Her Favorite Paint Color: Vert de Terre from Farrow & Ball

A link to an interesting article on C.M.:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2007-01-14/features/0701140466_1_hotel-rooms-decorators-flea-markets
Or checkout Charlotte Moss on Pinterest for gobs of pins showing her gardens and interiors:

I hope you find some inspiration from the rooms and gardens of this amazing interior designer.

InJOY-Trisha 

Sources:           https://phillystylemag.com, https://houseandhome.com, https://housebeautiful.com, https://amazon.com,   https://Wikipedia, https://onekingslane/Rosie D’Argenzio

“I have been looking at the world all my life and what I see is rather beautiful.”                                                                                                                                  -David Hockney

David Hockney is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer. Part of the Pop Art Movement of the 1960’s, he is considered one of the most influential British Artists of the 20th Century.

“Teaching drawing is the teaching of looking. Most people don’t look hard at all. They just scan the road in front of them.”                                                             -David Hockney

Untitled, 468 an iPad drawing printed on paper, 2010

 

“Color is a very subjective thing. We all see it a little bit differently.”                -David Hockney

Garden, a view of the artists Los Angeles home

“The moment you cheat for the sake of beauty, you know you are an artist.”  -David Hockney

His new book: A History of Pictures (Abrams) Co-written with Martin Gayford

And his book by Taschen Titled Hockney 

His website: http://www.hockneypictures.com is a brilliant resource. Check out his many works of art by decade. 

His new exhibition at the Tate Gallery now thru May 29th showing an extensive collection of work across six decades. http://www.tate.org.uk

What an amazing career he has had. He will soon be celebrating his 80th Birthday. His colorful landscapes and interiors just make me smile. I hope you found some inspiration in his works.

inJOY-Trisha

Sources: ELLE DÉCOR (December 2016 Issue), http://www.tate.org.uk, http://www.wikipedia.com, http://www.hockneypictures.com 

When picking furniture and accessories for your home it is good to keep this information in mind. We all want to have a beautiful and healthy home. 

Here is a link to Mother Earth Living Article: 

3 Most Toxic Chemicals in Your Home

1. Flame Retardants

2. Formaldehyde

3. Triclosan

http://www.motherearthliving.com/healthy-home/toxic-chemicals-in-your-home-zmhz12ndzmel

inJOY-Trisha

Who inspires you and your design? I have always found inspiration from the classic style of interior designer, Bunny Williams. 
“Your home should be the most comfortable place you can imagine.”                                   -Bunny Wiliams 

Here is an article on her:

You might recognize her name from the Ballard Designs Catalog. http://www.ballarddesigns.com 

Check out Bunny Williams| How to Decorate Ideas and Inspiration from Ballard Design. http://www.howtodecorate.com

You can also check out her website http://www.bunnywilliams.com or purchase one of her many books.

“It’s important not to paint your house with a confusing riot of colors. I like to use a lot of soft warm beiges to keep rooms coherent while giving them character.”                          -Bunny Williams Southern Living August 2015

In that article she recommended Sherwin Williams Steamed Milk (Walls) 

and Ibis White (Trim)

Winter is the perfect time to sit by the fire and find design inspiration in magazines, books and online. I hope this inspires you.

inJOY-Trisha

I came across this and thought I would share it.

Keys to Success by Martha Stewart 

1. Build your success on something you love.

2. Focus your attention on the basic things that people need and want.

3. Create a business plan that allows you to stay true to your big idea and focus on the details. Then be flexible to change as it grows.

4. Teach so you can learn.

5. Use smart, cost effective promotional techniques.

6. Strive for quality in every decision, every day.

7. Build an A-team.

8. So the pie isn’t perfect? Cut it in wedges.

9. Take risks, not chances.

10. Make it beautiful.

Source: The Martha Rules
Martha Stewart has so many resources available for ideas and inspiration in gardening, diy, recipes and home decor.

Her BOOKS: 77 publish beginning with the 1982 classic Entertaining

Her MAGAZINE:

Her BLOG:

Her WEBSITE:

As an 80’s bride Martha Stewart has guided me through the years in the kitchen and in the garden. I hope you find inspiration from her as well.

inJOY-Trisha

If you are reading this blog; then, you love design. You are the most important part of any design. So, what is better than designing a healthy you? 

Here are my TOP 10 TIPS for a Healthy Start to the day.

TIP#1| KICK START YOUR METABOLISM:   #1: What a great way to begin your day and kick start your metabolism. Grab your favorite mug, heat up the tea kettle, (no microwave, please). Part of the process is slowly waking up, doing a ritual, and it really takes no time at all to heat up water. (You can do Tip#2 while you wait for the water to boil.) Gather the spices: cinnamon, nutmeg and turmeric root, put a splash of lemon juice and a slice of lemon. Sip, relax and wake up to greet your new day.

Check out http://www.rawforbeauty for more healthy tips.

TIP#2| PREP YOUR MID-MORNING SNACK:

#2: An apple a day…. cut up an apple and pop it in a baggie with splash of lemon juice and cinnamon. It’s a healthy fiber snack to put in your gym bag (or purse) for mid-morning. I also like to cut up an orange and pop it in a baggie for when I need a boost, plus it provides Vitamin C !

TIP#3| PREP YOUR MID-DAY SNACK:

#3: Wash that fruit, cut it up and pack it. You’ll make a better choice later in the mid-day IF it’s ready to grab. A little greek yogurt on top adds some calcium too. Look at that, 5 servings of fruit -done.

TIP#4| PACK A HEALTHY LUNCH:

#4: Whether you work outside or inside the home; prep your lunch so it’s ready to go.  Here is a great pick: organic spinach topped with chicken breast, a side of quinoa with eggplant, zucchini, carrots, onions, peppers, and brussel sprouts. 

TIP#5| PREP PREP PREP ahead of time:

#5: I hate grocery shopping; but, I find when I come home if I wash, cut, prep, cook and store it all in handy dandy containers I will eat it. It’s already to go for the week. 

GROCERY LIST of my favorite on-hand items:  GREENS: spinach, butter lettuce, romaine hearts. VEGGIES: peppers, onions, chives, carrots, asparagus, brussel sprouts, eggplant, corn, peas, zucchini FRUIT: lemon, lime, tomatoes, apples, oranges, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, pineapple DAIRY: almond milk, greek yogurt, organic cage free eggs (hard boil a few of your eggs), cheese.  POULTRY: chicken breast MEAT: steak FISH: mahi mahi, salmon   BREAD: ezekiel bread, sundried-tomato wraps. CHOCOLATE: Dark (It’s a food group, isn’t it?)

TIP#6| EAT BREAKFAST:

#6: By having all your veggies prepped, it’s easy to start the day right with breakfast. In minutes, you can whip up a nice dish: egg, cheese, with peppers, onion, zucchini, asparagus, carrot and a dash of bacon bits, fresh ground pepper, cilantro to top it off. Look at all those nice veggies to start your day. 

TIP#7| COFFEE/ESPRESSO:

#7: The hot water might kick-start my metabolism; but, coffee kick-starts me. The best purchases I ever made are by Nespresso. I love my Nespresso VertuoLine and Pixie machines. They provide an amazing cup of coffee or espresso at the touch of a button. 

TIP#8| GET OUTSIDE:

#8: If you have dogs, you begin your day outside. Don’t just let them out. Go out too. Feel the fresh air on your face, breathe in, embrace the new day. Take the time to see the sunrise. It’s a miracle, free for you to enjoy, daily. 

TIP#9: PRACTICE YOGA

#9: My son, Austin introduced me to Yoga recently. On YouTube you can check out Yoga with Adrienne. I am currently enjoying her #YOGAREVOLUTION. It’s just @ :35 minutes of your day. Trust me you will feel the difference in your mind, body and soul. Namaste.

TIP#10: EXERCISE

#10: Do whatever kind of exercise makes you happy: walk, hike, run, bicycle, weight train, swim…..Just Do It.!. You and your body needs it. You will find you feel better, sleep better and have much more energy when you work out. TIP: Don’t forget to drink plenty of water while you work out. 

I hope you find some useful tips to a happier and healthier you.

InJOY-Trisha 

P.S. Rain, sleet or snow. These two help me greet each day with a smile.

Maxi’s (age 13) best advice is to get plenty of exercise and take naps. 

Madi’s (15 weeks) best advice is to go outside often, eat, sleep and play. 

Every Project begins with some Divine Inspiration. In our newest Project @609, the 1st Official Project of 2017, we wanted to redo our uninspiring Powderroom. 

We wanted an updated version of the traditional toile wallpaper. I have always loved a classic black and white Toile wallpaper; but, Michael has always been less enthusiastic about the idea of it. 

So, my goal was to find a wallpaper that felt both contemporary and traditional that incorporated nature we both would love.

I found my Divine Inspiration while on Pinterest. I just love Pinterest, don’t you? The wallpaper in this bathroom designed by Heidi Piron. Now, I am not a blue fan, as we all know I have been removing gobs of blue countertops, paint, wallpaper from 609 since the beginning.  But, I loved the movement in the wallpaper and I figured it must be offered in different colorways.

It was noted in the comments that the wallpaper was available from a Company called St. Jude’s fabrics and Wallpaper in the U.K. Here is a link: www.http://www.stjudesfabrics.co.uk/collections/mark-hearld.

So, I quickly googled them to find that the Artist, Mark Hearld, a painter and printmaker designed the Harvest Hare wallpaper and several other styles for St. Judes. I must say his work is quite amazing. IF you’d like to learn more about the artist there are several videos on YouTube about him.

Link to: Mark Hearld: An Introduction.

https://youtube/byG6w2qaWnw

I was thrilled that the wallpaper was also available in Chalk White. I also loved that the bunny was light rather than dark. In the inspiration picture above, the blue bunny seems to pop out too much for my liking. I am hoping in the color hue I selected the lighter bunny doesn’t upstage the other animals and fauna depicted.

I also liked the wallpaper he designed called: Squirrel and Sunflower.

But, the more I debated between the two I became aware that the Squirrel and Sunflower pattern has more of an overall stripe to it. Do you see what I mean in the picture below?

Trust me, I do not want stripes as you might recall the powderroom has them on all 4 walls!

I also liked that in the Harvest Hare Wallpaper the grasses deplicted seemed to be reminiscent of those that surround our property. So those were the deciding factors that lead me to select the Harvest Hare pattern as the wallpaper for the accent wall.

Do you recall the vanity? And the brilliant idea to use Chalk Paint. Perhaps the idea from my friend Lauri was brilliant; but, I determined after starting the project that I do not like the chalky finish. So, it was left undone like this:

Neither of us liked the vanity from the start. Unfortunately, those who did were not so thrilled that I painted it. Sorry Debi and Chris.

I had not liked any of the vanities I saw locally. I decided to gamble and buy one online. I chose this 49″wide Vanity from the Newport Collection on the http://www.homedecorators.com website.

We went to Newport, R.I. on our honeymoon in 1987; so it was destined to be the right style. I am always looking for little signs like that; call me sentimental.

I loved the timeless details: recessed panel doors and sides, teardrop and round door pulls in oil-rubbed bronze, crown and foot molding. I selected the color in Black rather than Pewter because to me black is always timeless and White, well it’s white. The house has cream doors, trim, and molding so that wouldn’t do. It comes with a granite countertop as well. 

Michael had spotted a gorgeous Kohler Oil-Rubbed Bronze Linwood faucet shortly after we moved in that has been patiently waiting for the redo.

So, that is as far as we got. The vanity is expected in one week. The wallpaper is on Backorder for 3 weeks. In the meantime we have some work to do. We need to remove the vanity and the wallpaper. We also need to decide on the light fixtures, mirror and paint color for the other 3 walls. We also need to determine what wall should be the accent wall. It should be the wall behind the sink and toilet; but, what do we do on the opposite wall? We are thinking art work; but, we are open to your suggestions. Just don’t suggest wallpaper on all 4 walls because after removing all that wallpaper I doubt we’ll want to do that again. 

Well, that’s all for now. I’ll hopefully be posting a completed Powderroom picture in February. 

InJOY-Trisha

A new year begins with much hope and promise, a new beginning.

Each month I am giving myself a goal to achieve before the month’s end. I have dedicated January to getting organized. So every cupboard, closet, storage area and room is at the ready to be purged and straightened. 

What a wonderful way to start the new year clean and tidy by February 1st. I wish you much JOY in the new year.

InJOY-Trisha

Meet our newest addition, sweet Madeline or as we call her Madi. Her big sister, Maxi has a snuggle buddy. They are both Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. 

There is a new project in the works Project 1817. Austin bought the sweetest little 1950’s ranch in October 2014. Now, he has plans to ‘Flip it’.

1817 really is an adorable 2 bedroom/2 bathroom home. It is just perfect for the empty nester who wants to downsize, newlyweds starting out, a single owner or a roommate situation. 

When we discovered 1817 we knew it was a happy home; you could just feel it. A couple built the house, raised their children and grew old together in the house. Austin is only the 2nd owner. 

The house is in a wonderful suburb with highly rated schools. It is situated on a lovely .67 acres lot with mature trees giving it a park-like setting. There is a charming woodpaneled 4 season sunroom facing south and looking out on the backyard. 

We are busy in the renovation stage; but I’ll give you a sneak peak.

The Livingroom BEFORE: cream walls and cream carpeting 

The Livingroom A WORK IN PROGRESS: Dark hardwood flooring, gray walls and crisp white trim.

The Diningroom BEFORE: cream walls, wallpaper and a border and cream carpeting.

The Diningroom A WORK IN PROGRESS: gray walls, white trim and hardwood flooring.

The boys are working hard laying tile, painting and making everything beautiful……more updates soon to follow.

InJOY-Trisha