Rooms that Thrill !!!

Why is it when trolling through my inspiration photos,  I always seem to stop in my tracks when certain photos pop up?  Instinctually, I am drawn to a look, a color, a feel.  The room above is a perfect example of this.  Every time I stop, I stare, I absorb.   What is it about certain rooms that have such an effect on me?  What style room makes you stop…take a breath…ahhhh!    I want to live here!

I think the room above has that layered look I love.  Multiple rugs on the floor.  Double  pairs  {love me a pair of anything!} of lamps flanking the fireplace. Slipcovered sofas with a casually tossed throw on the arm.  Lantern light fixture…love..love!  But my favorite is the sofa table with apothecary jars and classical bust resting on a stack of books layered over rustic baskets nestled under the table.  Such a great look!

So, that is one of my favorite rooms….now it is your turn.  Below are a few different styles of décor.  As you scroll down, just take a look and see which room speaks to you.  Don’t over think it…just absorb and react.  Go for the feel of the space, not just the look.   Leave a comment at the bottom of this post and let me know your favorite.

{all images via vt interiors here  http://www.vtinteriors.blogspot.com/}

So what style do you gravitate to?  What thrills you?  Leave me a comment to let me know…just curious.

Reesa

Technorati Tags: perfect home of rome,eye candy

Christmas House at The Mansion

A real Christmas treat unexpectedly came my way yesterday.  While in Atlanta for the weekend, I decided to make a quick visit to this year’s Alliance Theatre Christmas House held at The Mansion on Peachtree.  This beautiful boutique hotel/residence has a 127 hotel rooms and permanent residences on 42 floors in the heart of Buckhead.  It also boasts a 15,000 square foot destination spa.  This beautiful classic building sits right on Peachtree just a couple of blocks north of Lenox Square. 

Even though photographs were not allowed, I managed to snap a few, hence the so-so quality.  Better than no photos, right.

This was my favorite bedroom and I wish the picture showed how luscious the color was on this bedding.   A rich champagne with white accents.  The two pillows in front were a stunning white cutwork fabric to die for.  This bedroom was very small with only the bed and a couple of night stands, possibly a small chest.  It proved a tiny room can be filled with elegance.  Just beautiful!

The adjoining bath… so pretty.  Love the mirror.

Another bedroom…. love the fabric hanging behind the bed and the lantern over the table.  Most of the beds were dressed more simply like this one.  One of the beds I didn’t photograph was so simple, it was plain!  As in, let’s just throw an old fashioned bedspread on the bed, but not a lush beautiful spread.  No, this was a plain sage green fabric with tucked in pillows a la’ 70’s hotel room.   Not my favorite look, can you tell? 

This room was so sophisticated!  I wish I was able to photograph it better, but it was rather small.  You are looking at an oversized silverleaf mirror leaning against the wall with orange Hermes boxes stacked in front.  So elegant.

A sofa nestled up to the window with a great view of Buckhead. 

Here you have a better view of the mirror…. how about that chair!  This is where I want to sit, read and sip a glass of wine.  Oh, and open all those yummy boxes filled with presents for me…me…me!

This lovely room was designed by Phoebe Howard, my “design crush”.  It was difficult to capture the elegant essence of this room while trying to take a quick photo before the showhouse police caught me.  There were actually two sets of bookcases on each side of the mantle with antique leather bound books, white pottery and Albert Hadley room rendering displayed very simply.  Her look is so refined.  Soon I will dedicate an entire post to this fabulous designer.  Check back for my Phoebe Howard post.  {Love her!}.

Also in the room were these beauties.  A luscious tone on tone fabric covered these classic chairs.

 

Beautiful vignette in another room.  This is a Jim Thompson silk that is to die for.  I recently design a living room using a very similar silk in blue, champagne and taupe.  I’m sure this was five times {at least} the price, but the look is almost identical. These were actually portieres.  Remember those from Scarlett’s green velvet dress on Gone With The Wind?  Portieres are  curtains that are used in doorways instead of windows.

OK, this was the craziest/interesting thing in the show home.  A black lacquered mirror with tiny LED lights inside that were reflected and appeared as if you were looking into a tunnel or cylinder in the wall.  You felt as if you could climb right in!  It was wild!  This room was designed by Hutton Wilkinson and was the most high end room in a high end condo. Also, the most unusual.  I wish I could have made pictures of the rest of the room, but couldn’t sneak any more shots.  BTW, if you are interested in the lamps, $18,000+ each!!!! 

No wait,  THIS  is really the craziest thing I saw.  A lovely lighted SNAIL under the table pictured above.  What can I say… a lighted snail…. really?

This was the decoration in the elevator lobby.  As you can see, even though this was a Christmas show house, very little Christmas décor was actually shown.  Understated and elegant was the look, which was really nice as it showcased the beautifully executed design of the three condos I toured.  The Christmas Show House runs thru Dec. 12 and is well worth the trip.  It will be featured in a future issue of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles magazine, hopefully the December issue.  I’m not sure they could produce it that soon, so it could possibly not be shown until next season. 

I hope you enjoyed this little tour.  Be sure to watch for the magazine to see the rooms I didn’t photograph. 

Reesa

A Touch of {over the top} Christmas Inspiration

I just ran across a post on the Pigtown Design blog   {check it out here http://http://www.pigtown-design.blogspot.com/ and saw some amazing Christmas decorations.  I thought Danny, my Perfect Home Christmas elf, was over the top until I saw this home.  If you want to check out Danny’s last year Christmas party you can go to my blog here:http://perfecthomeofrome.blogspot.com/2010/01/tour-of-dannys-home-at-christmas.html.  Below are a few photos that will inspire/amaze you as you start thinking about fluffing your home for the holidays.

Beautiful hydrangeas.  Not always considered for Christmas, but why not?

OK, really beautiful, but where the heck do you put the food.

Love this ribbon tree with arrangement at the base.

Oh so opulent!

Luscious…just luscious!

I’m sure more and more blogs will be posting photos of holiday décor and I will be sure to share with you.

Go forth and decorate your home for Christmas.

Reesa

Technorati Tags: Perfect Home,christmas

We’re Celebrating!!!

This was an exciting week on our “perfect” corner of Shorter Ave.  On Monday, my niece Alison Smith held the ribbon cutting for her new {and my old} business Perfect Dress of Rome.  As most of you know, I opened the store in 1978 as The Wedding Belle.   Alison was only six months old.  She has dreamed of owning the store since she was five!  I wrote about it in a previous post here http://perfecthomeofrome.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html  if you want to take a look.

The store looks great.  New gowns coming in everyday and many more on order.

Alison is definitely a “people person” and a natural for the sometimes {always!} stressful bridal business. 

She had a terrific turnout for her ribbon cutting with many Rome business leaders and her former colleagues from the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce attending.  Above is Al Hodge, president of the Chamber talking with Alison’s husband Adam Smith who has been the go-to guy for all things construction and landscaping during the store’s renovation.  It never would have happened without Adam!

My mom chatting with a guest… ever the charming hostess.

And now for the ribbon cutting…

READY…

SET….

GO!!!

 

After the ribbon cutting I hosted a reception in Perfect Home for Alison’s guests.

Fun was had by all!!!

Best of luck to Alison as she starts this new chapter in her life.  She loves the business and the customers love her!!  Thanks to Stan Foxworthy of Foxworthy Studios for the photos. 

If you find yourself in need of a wedding gown, cocktail attire, social occasion dress, or tuxedo, I hope you will visit Perfect Dress of Rome. 

Reesa

Technorati Tags: Perfect Dress of Rome,Perfect Home of Rome

Customize your own photo album

Sneak Peek…Christmas 2010

I’m still shaking the glitter from my hair and cleaning the spray paint from my fingernails, but it’s almost finished…. Perfect Home’s Christmas Reveal!  This has been quite a year, especially with the renovation of my original  bridal shop, The Wedding Belle, as it has been reborn as Perfect Dress of Rome.  Christmas was put on the back burner for a while, but when it finally happened, it happened!  That’s how Christmas usually works, doesn’t it? 

As always, I was assisted by my #1 Christmas elf Danny.  Couldn’t do it without him.

 

He fluffed, he trimmed, he tied bows, and it all came together {well almost}, a little more tweaking and twirling and we will be ready for this weekend’s Holiday Open House.

Here are a few photos to give you just a sneak peek.  Hope this will inspire you to decorate your own “perfect home” for the holidays!  Even though our annual Holiday Open House is this weekend and there will be soooo much more to come.  Stay tuned and enjoy today’s  tour.

Here are a couple of overall shots so you can see what’s “in store” for you this year.

This photo doesn’t do our beautiful chandelier justice.  So elegant and probably my favorite decoration this year.  As always, remember that ALL our decor is for sale so don’t hesitate to ask.  We have most everything used to decorate with and are happy to pull anything for you.

Our traditional red and green area.

Beautiful carved wooden angels.

Love these painted ornaments in the copper and gold area.

One of my favorites this year is our silver shimmer area.

I do love a bit of glitter!  Can you tell?

This was fun, lots of color and pop for something different.

As  always, there are lots of elegant home decor items… that is what we are known for, don’t ya  know!

The garden room is home to our woodland wonderland. 

Lots of creatures and critters, and our delightful Mark Roberts Christmas fairies live there.

I’m really excited to be offering Wood Wick candles and diffusers for the first time this year.  They smell so yummy.  Just like a Christmas tree!

 

It is always so much work, but so worth it when the decorating is done!  This year it went almost too smoothly.  Maybe after nine years I’ve learned a little something!  I do hope you will join us this weekend, Friday November 5th, Saturday and Sunday.  Our traditional cranberry oatmeal cookies, spiced cider and other goodies will be waiting!  AND you can register to win one of our fabulous fairies.   Hope to see you there.

Reesa

Technorati Tags: Perfect Home Holiday Open House