Celebrating Fall With Mom of a German Shorthair

Known as Mom of a German Shorthair on Rate My Space, Linda is a beloved member of the design community. Whether you are an RMS "newbie" or a veteran, you can always count on your spaces receiving a warm welcome by Linda. If things ever get rocky at RMS, you can count on Linda for support. And whenever she posts one of her signature vignettes or tablescapes--or photographs of her stunning desert home--it is a cause for celebration.

I invited Linda to take us on a Fall Tour of her home, so let's take a peek. It's the kind of tour that requires no narration on my part--the beautiful images speak for themselves. Not only do they celebrate the changing season, they are masterful in detail.









And here is a gorgeous tablescape that Linda created for me while I was sickly. I absolutely adored it and wanted to share it with you all. Okay--time for the narration to end, and for the tour of Linda's home to resume:

A New, Old Table

I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to leave the mountain and go shopping--and not for food. I found a darling dresser that would be cute in Annabel's room. However, it was $250. I decided that I didn't love it that much.

And then I saw this low chest. $75. I paid for it and I was out the door.

Because the football games were on, Mr. Gollum said he would bring it into the foyer and I could tinker with the placement later. I did rather like it here--and thought about buying black paint and somehow restoring the lovely knobs. I love the storage, too.

Yes, it looked nice from this angle, too.


But then I remembered the bath in the upstairs guest room. It's one of those totally ignored spaces--haven't gotten around to doing more than setting out towels and soap.
And I am determined to make it lovely before Christmas!

There's a nice long wall in that bathroom. The Gold Curio is there now--but can't stay, of course. Never meant for it to stay. I could put the white chest here. Just huffing and puffing, no painting.

However, I am not sure it I want another boxy shape in here. (That said, the taller curio didn't do anything for this space). But there's no way to decide that without AUDITIONING the table.

With a lamp, or lamps, and a map of Venice (in sections) over it, or some sort of grouping, hmmm, it might be lovely.

Mantel-scaping: A Glossary

Decorating a mantel can be a challenge. So I developed a helpful glossary to explain the various ins and outs of "mantel-scaping."

MANTEL PAUSE -- A mantel in a middle-aged house; the mantle can experience mood changes and hot flashes.

DOCUMANTEL -- Decorating a mantel with books.

ADJUSTMANTEL--An adjustment to a mantelscape. It can be tiny--moving an accessory one eighth of an inch--or it can involve major tinkering.

ALIMANTEL -- Decorating a mantel with food.

DETRI-MANTEL -- A mantelscape that is so horrid, so detrimental to your overall design scheme that you want to cry, brick up the fireplace, or move.
DETRI-MANTEL can also be used as a condition to describe plasma TVs over a fireplace.


ENVIRONMANTEL -- Decorating a mantel with "green" or recycled items.

EXPERIMANTEL -- The act of adding and subtracting various accessories. This can also describe the use of unusual or outlandish objects on a mantel.

FRAGIMANTEL -- Decorating a mantel with breakable knicknacks.

FUNDAMANTEL -- the "411 Basics" of mantelscaping, which include visual balance and an uneven number of accessories.

FRAGMANTEL - A mantel that's decorated on one end.

INSTRUMANTEL -- Decorating a mantel with musical instruments.

INSURMANTEL-ABLE -- A mantel that cannot--and will not--be decorated.

MANTEL ABUSE -- Rearranging accessories on a mantel more than 500 times a day.

MANTEL BREAKDOWN -- a condition that arises after many hours of rearranging accessories (see MANTEL ABUSE)to no avail. Nothing looks right. Shopping trips end in failure. Extreme frustration results. The mantel is stripped bare.


MANTEL CONCEPT-- See MANTEL IMAGERY.

MANTEL ILLNESS -- Occurs when mantelscapes are not touched for years. The accumulation of dust results in a condition that can cause sneezing and hives. It can be reversed by tearing down the old mantelscape and replacing it with a new one. By using MANTEL-IMAGERY, one can save time and money before going shopping.

MANTEL IMAGERY -- Imagining how your mantel will look with objects that are not sold in stores. These accessories might not exist--but if they did, your mantel would be perfect.

MICROMANTEL-ING -- When ADJUSTMANTELING is taken to an extreme. It can also refer to a mantel that features minature accessories.

MON-U-MANTEL -- A mantel that is so hard-to-decorate, it turns into a monumental task. Also, this can refer to an over-sized mantel.

NON-JUDGMANTEL -- The wisest approach for family members when the decorator of the mantel (spouse, friend, mother) asks for opinions on the latest mantelscape. (Similar to a situation involving Itty Bitty Lies--this occurs when you ask your spouse if an outfit makes you look fat.)

ORNAMANTEL-- A highly decorated mantel.

PREDICT-A-MANTEL -- A Predictable way to decorate a mantel. Associated with an extreme case of NOAH'S ARK SYNDROME.

REGIMANTEL -- The process of putting the mantel into order. Organizing a mantel. Also, the type of decor preferred by Generals.

RUDIMANTEL-- This word has two mantel-meanings. It can refer to basic mantelscaping. It can also refer to an incompletely decorated mantel.

UN-ORNAMANTEL -- a Zen mantel.

SENTIMANTEL -- a type of mantel decor that appeals to the heart, if not always the "eye."

TEMPERMANTLE -- A moody mantle, prone to outbursts.

Contributed by Carol Edwards:
MICKEY MANTEL -- A type of mantelscaping that is associated with a Disney obsession and features Mickey Mouse whatnots. It can also refer to a baseball themed mantel.

Contributed by Susan/Moonlight and Magnolias:
GOVERNMANTELING - Furnishing a mantel with priceless artifacts, causing the IRS to freeze your bank account, conduct an audit, and/or visit your house in person.

Example of DETRI-MANTEL, DOCUMANTEL, and MANTEL BREAKDOWN:

Country French Interiors: The Books of Charles Faudree

I've been asked by Charles Faudree's publisher to review his stunning new book, "Charles Faudree Interiors," along with his "Florals and Interiors." Also, I've been granted an interview with Mr. Faudree, and I wondered if anyone had any questions for him. If you do, please leave a comment.

I will be reviewing "Florals and Interiors" later this week, along with a drawing--and the winner will receive a copy of this fabulous book.


If you'd like to read more about Mr. Faudree, or see examples of his work, please click HERE or look at the sidebar on the blog, and just click on his name. It's under my "favorite designers."

The Powder Room

When we were building the house, the very first thing I had to select was plumbing. And, according to my builder and the lady at the plumbing store, there was no going back. No wishy-washyness. I settled on a Kohler sink. It didn't work with my color scheme, but I was mad about the little animals etched into the basin.


Time passed. I picked out slate for the floor and walls (1/2 slate, 1/2 paint).

A faux finisher silver-leafed the ceiling.


The space was really tight, but my cabinet maker created a cute, little cabinet, which was painted about 4 colors, starting with the slate blue of the sink, then getting progressively lighter, with touch of silver. The granite was a remnant that I dug out of a stack.


The faucet is Kohler--very simple. I love watching the water flow down. Several people at RMS had worried that the water splashed out, but it's just my bad photography that made it look this way.


Since the room was already full of drama, it didn't need "decorating." I only hung a picture, added a hand towel, and placed 2 topiaries on the counter. But first, I had to rescue the topiaries, because my husband had put them in his truck and was headed to the dump.

Mister The Decorating Dog: Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You (Or How To Turn Photos Into Art)

I've been playing with Big Huge Labs and Flickr. First, I made a movie poster, starring Mister, the decorating dog.

Then I made a Chair Addict badge


And an attack donkey sticker--if your blog needs a guard donkey, feel free to right-click the badge. :-)


...and a fall collage...


A September Calendar...


A terracotta mosaic...


a tribute to white and cream...



and a blue collage...



It can also be used as a design "board" to put together fabrics and colors


and for paint selection/inspiration...

The splotched wall and vase are from my basement.
The inspiration paint colors were found on RMS. The spaces belong to Jeffery Kemp--his dining room (the wall color is Laura Ashley Taupe 6) and his living room (the walls are Laura Ashley Taupe 4...the paint is available at Lowe's).



If you want to play with your photos, or make a design board, just go to Flickr and open a free account. After you upload photos, go to Big Huge Labs and choose from the menu. You can make mosaics, puzzles, badges, and other projects.

Have fun!

Afternoon on the Porch

We spent the day doing a bit of labor--sweeping the patio and dealing with all of the plants I'd killed during the summer. Mr. Gollum shook his finger, forbidding me to ever, ever buy another fern or ficus. (Although the ones inside seem to be keeping their leaves--but that's a botanical mystery, considering my lurid past.)
We both agreed that the outdoor rug needed to be moved, as it was a debris magnet.Then I made a big pitcher of limeade.


If only we could keep it this tidy.




Last year, we painted the wicker. And this year I had pillows made out of a bedspread and dust ruffle.



When you step out of the house, through the wet bar, you can see a little statue at the far end.


I moved the baby tears and maidenhair fern down here; but after I took pictures, Mr. Gollum brought them back inside the house. **wink**


Next spring, if I can carve out some time, I'd like to paint a rug.


I'm trying to talk Mr. Gollum into planting three crepe myrtles to the right of the chimney.


The windows act like mirrors, reflecting the pool and the sky.



Now that it's September, the flowers are starting to look a little careworn.They've probably looked that way for a while. :-)After all, this IS Gollum's yard. :-)


P.S. This was how the porch looked in 2007. It's "more of the same," as the colors are still drabbish. A friend who works at a furniture store gave me the pillows (someone bought a sofa set, hated the pillows). I took big, sectioned cushions and cut them in half for the base cushions. Not a great fit, but it worked. However, they didn't hold up. Moving right along...I had plants galore! They add so much beauty to a patio, but I killed them dead. That said, this year I earned a few points for recycling the old bedspread/dust ruffle.


It won't be long before I have to pull out the plastic furniture covers and put this room to bed for the winter; but for now, it's a nice place to relax with the dogs and watch them redecorate.
Hope you all had a peaceful Labor Day.