Saturday Cinema

My Girl

Loved this film, reminded me of the way the world was when I was growing up, simple and uncomplicated.

The Stanford Inn in Bartow, Florida now on the market. The home used in the film, My Girl.

Anna Chlumsky & Macaulay Culkin, those cute little kids in the film.

Thomas J & Vada on the covered porch; notice the flower box to the upper left? I have seen many pics of these in blog land.

Do wah Diddy diddy dumm diddy do...........

Do you remember these types of grocery stores, before the birth of the Super store?????

Quaint little mom & pop stores with the lino checked floor and the freshly pressed white aprons on the cashiers?

Love those bikes, the streamers and the handlebars. I remember the bannana seat and paint with metallic flecks? Great pic of these kiddos ........

The bikes, the striped shirt and overalls.......notice the facade of the house in the background, a color similar to the dark taupes of today with the cream ballisters.

Anna then, to the right Anna now

Aaaahh; young love Thomas J and Veda

This was playing on ABC Family this morning......

What a great flick, just a bit of nostalgia for the weekend.

See everyone on Monday

French Quartiers

Artistic Endeavours

Montparnasse, loosely translated as Mouse Mountain in French is home to Victor Koulbak, French artist.

Born in Moscow, this artist now resides in this three room structure in France. The three main rooms consisting of a sitting room, bedroom, and studio.

In the sitting room, Koulbak has some of the great masters work displayed on the walls. The artist would never display his own work, stating that the masters have so much to learn from.

On this writing table is a Michaelangelo reproduction piece of sculpture. To the right is a small bird cage where ortolans ( buntings ) would be kept to fatten for the gourmet's menu. The detail of the fresco tromp l' oeil swag as well as the mouldings at ceiling height add depth.

In the studio, the feature is the three arches inspired by Fra Angelico's famous Annunciation painting.

For Koulbak, the goal is to create beauty. Throughout the home, I love the stucco inspired walls and layers upon layers of color and a worn feel.

A better view of the loft area in the studio.

Open to sunlight as well as gauzy fabric and plantings.

The artwork is very light and almost sketchy in composition. The main features in the painting have the muted color and detail as the focal point.

This particular finish is a favorite of mine. Actually it came to be quite by accident as layers of wallpaper and paste was removed and color added to the wall. The end result was a worn, uneven look of aged stucco and color. The objects were flea market finds and collections added to for years and years.

A small but well stocked bed room also has a neutral aged wall look as well as hand painted lines and shapes. Religious icons as well as decorative onjects mix into the decor of the room. The painting over the bed is Koulbaks copy of Leonardo's drawing.

A pine armoire at another corner of the room stands with a Florentine bust perched on the top of the cabinet. More religious icons add to the collection as well as the artefacts around the bust and crosses.The diving wall between bed room and studio are a pair of Hungarian eighteenth - century spiral mahogany columns. The chair is another find from a local charity gift shop.

The night stand to the left of the bed. A trunk as a night stand topped with antique clock and older religious icon paintings.

A different bedside table and topped with cross and religious items. In the mix are pieces of pine from Spain and Swedish descent. A worn warm tone is the result of a little wax, topping the worn pine floors are Persian old rugs, scratched and battered leather chairs are not only comfy but fit into this rustic yet elegant retreat.

Studio of Victor Koulbak in Monparnasse France

The Great Recession?

Or is the recession what made us great?

I could not help but listen to these words faintly in the background while I broke from the Olympic coverage.

A new focus from the materialistic to what is important to our future?

The foundation for our next generation of leaders and decision makers?

Oceanside or seaside West to East

Midland or Southland from the plains to the rolling Southern acres of big sky & big mountains

From the North to the South and every home town in between

From Soho to small town USA

I think there is something great about our nation right now, how priorities are changing and people are taking stock in one another. I look forward to the future and the new found attitude of the American dream.

And to think, all this from a commercial?

Oh yeah, by the way are you are in good hands?

La Maison Fou has no connection with Allstate, just touched heart.

Daniel Farmer,Tim Evan - Cook, Chris Everard

The Wall

RENOVATE

Who knew that eight little tiny letters could cause such a mess? Without job related work to do, there is the looming wall in my livingroom / hallway that never seems to move.

Oh let me rephrase that, it did take a nasty turn last December when I declared war on it, seized the opportunity ( while the man of the house was away on a hunting trip ). Perhaps you may remember the process of taking down the wall, though my family loves the result it has taken a bit longer to get the remaining wall down.

Nothing like taking your frustrations out on a wall? Actually, he had a lot of fun doing this and it was a much needed break from lots of the white stuff!

Ah yes, the opening, ..... "Let there be light". The hall used to be very dark and dismal. The moving of the electric was also a good thing, I relocated it to the left wall where I needed it.

The remaining wall to the right will be made solid with drywall and closed off. This opening used to be the entrance into the kitchen. Not very big, and closed off the entry. The new entry will be from the living room. New tile will also lead you into the kitchen that is next on the list.

These two studs are whats left standing in the way of the new look. Is that Ms. Meyers on the counter? Well, yes it is, in the lovely lavender scent to clean up and freshen the floors after all that dust.

The far stud'(s) will stay and the opening to the right of that will be closed off. I will hopefully get some good things accomplished this weekend. For now the sun is shining and the hallway is not as dim as it has been in the past.

The opening, minus removing the two standing studs. A lighter brighter living area is emerging. Bare with me as I hope to keep you posted on the progress.

 ( Disclaimer, don't worry about the stability of the opening as it is non load bearing ). The exposed wall will be a newer feature wall for what? Well, my mind is a flutter with ideas for that as well.

I did this fireplace for a client last Fall, I am thinking of a similar look to a fireplace mantle for my own living space. The wall is a concrete mix and was inspiration for the wall I had done in my son's room. Here is is so edgy and sleek against the urban lofty feel, I love the look. I am thinking of maybe the concrete look on a surround on the wall in the living room. I also like the look of built in's on either side too.
There used to be a fireplace where the wall is blank now, an unpainted canvas.

This is also nice. I must start looking into this for a spring project.

Stay tuned, .........

L Atelier du peintre

The Artist's Studio

Home to Gilles Sacksick artist in residence, Quercy France.

A small hamlet called La Roche, near Souillac. The entrance with its weathered stone steps which lead to the terrace in front of the house. Pots of geraniums and a lavish display of vine shield the entrance from the summer sun.

The interior of the artists studio with pots and containers of brushes and tools lined a top the mantle piece.Below the mantle is a woodburning stove with rush seat chair and weathered plank wood floors.

A closer view of the pottery used and filled with the brushes and rows of letters sandwiched between the pots. A open shelf above the mantle in front of a sun washed light ochre washed wall.

The view from the front of the studio looking toward the main living quarters. Another open shelf for holding tools and brushes, the copper palate is used for mixing colour with hot wax.

The exterior of the house with the pitched roof, shingles and pale stone cut exterior.

La Roche of Quercy

Screen test

Good Monday

Another fun filled weekend with a full calendar. Too much to do and not enough time to compute!

Cold weather, many activities and a full house have led to a non computer weekend. I have to say, was a pretty good weekend. What is your favorite non computer thing to do on a weekend?

For me it was to catch up on a couple of British films,

1. Bright Young Things (fantastic)

2. Gosford Park, ( I know an oldie, but can you believe I had never......) also great!

pic by Daniel Farmer

To Haiti with LOVE .....

Fashion for Haiti

The American fashion industry's answer to the January 12th earthquake in Haiti.

February 16th the $25 t-shirt will go on sale at retailers across the country benefitting the Clinton - Bush Haiti fund.The net proceeds will be donated by the Council of Fashion Designers of America ( CFDA ).

The t-shirt can be purchased online at: http://www.ralphlauren.com/

Chalet Targay

Aspen French Chateau

Nestled at the top of Buttermilk superpipe in Aspen Colorado sits the once referred to "Target Chalet".

The 14,000 square foot home sitting on 8.6 acres in Aspen was built as a spec home and has had one tennant to date, The Target Corp; AKA (Targay), who rented out the chateau for Winter X Game athletes and their entourages.

 An extremely great place to park it and perform on and off the slopes.

In April of 2009, the palatial residence sold for a mere $12 million an actual real estate bargain as it's original asking price was $26 million. Not a bad price for the buyer of the one time pad to some of the now infamous Olympic medal winners.

The entire interior is very Aspen in theme and the only views that I could find are from a video listed below.A totally different location than the current Olympic competition, but a once home base camp for snow boarders in 2008.

 So let's go inside for a tour of the Targay Chalet.

The interior of the Chalet is seen in the new video game from Shaun White, sold exclusively thru Target stores. The interiors of the Chalet are where the snowboarders come back to recoop after competing. The basement has a dungeon themed wine cellar, Fender & Guitar Hero jam room as well as a private chef for evening meals and party planning. The home was considered home base for all things Target at the 2008 Winter X-Games in Aspen Colorado.

_______________________________________________________________________

Some pics of the interiors of the Chalet

A still from the Chalet furnished with Aspen design and decor.

Another still of the entertainment room, pool table, high vaulted ceilings and ski lodge decor.

A view of the downstairs where meals are shared and entertaining from the long wooden table begins!

A view to the upstairs, the French chalet style is carried throughout the house.

Large flatscreen televisions are present thru the house to view sporting and other competitions.

You can see the chalet here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSyZCzoQE4Y

Shaun White video game, Mike Thomas video, Simon Dumont video,Freeskier magazine,You Tube photo credits,Aspen daily news, Target Corp.

Jack Wills

University Outfitters

So innocently enough when I was looking for a gas fireplace insert I stumbled upon this site. Really has nothing to do with a gas insert but I suppose given the crazy winter we have had it could raise your temps a few degrees with some of their home and not home items. There are some cozy items & great winter wares for your bod. Not that I am on a theme but this so happens to be a British company. I thought it might be befitting for fashion week.

http://www.jackwills.com/

One of their home wares Sillington cushion pillow at Jack Wills.

Noted for Ladies and Gentlemens clothing as well, a true Brit nod to fashion week.

Enjoy the site, it is much like turning back the hand of time and stepping into college life. If you like the sport, there is some great polo footage there too!

Enjoy!

To the manor worn....

Tally Ho, Juicy Couture

In keeping with fashion week, I wanted to highlight the English manor of Juicy Couture co-creative director Gela Nash-Taylor. Wiltshire England is the place for eight weeks of the year for this California transplant fashion icon. An L.A. career girl transforming into a lady of the manor in jolly ol' England.

Gela has a sick day in in Hollywood Hills to thanks for thumbing through the latest Country Life magazine when she saw the estate listed for sale.A quick phone call to the broker yielded a trip to Wiltshire and by the time she was on a jet plane her head was filled of thoughts and ideas of how to transform the 16th century estate.

A peacock roosting in the branches of an Acaia tree, one of a pair that resides in the garden. Below is the well maintained croquet lawn.

The drawing room with magnificent Jacobean plasterwork and chimney piece. The worn dark floors play off the plaster worked chimney. The side chairs are Queen Anne from a suite commissioned by the duke of Leeds, and an original Chippendale sofa with vintage embroidery. The curtain panels are from Chelsea house textiles.

A closer view of the magnifiscent fireplace hearth and it's unique one of a kind carvings.

Another close up of the intricate carved plaster ceiling.

The view from the seating arrangement, the Chippendale chair with it's ornate style.

The bedroom of Gela's daughter, Zoe. The detail to the mantle is also seen in the ceiling of this room. English antiques, bennison fabic on the bed and antique rugs bring the English feel to this bedroom. The floral vintage panels, toile slipper chair and bed linens are feminine but English in style. The mirror above the mantle is 18th - century in style and period.

The couple with their steeds;

 Sid, John's big old chestnut hunter & Ettiquette, Gela's dark bay dressage horse.

The dining area under the covered exterior. A 19th-century Sicilian chandelier and harlequin berge'res in the loggia. Light and dark, blue and white bring an English feel to this outdoor retreat.

The master bathroom with Venetian mirror and curtain panels made from the queen of Italy's court train.

The metal based soaking tub is reflected in the vintage Venetian glass and regal gold sconces on either side of the sunken tub. Notice the warm feel of the furniture quality in the furnishings and vintage wool rug in the bath.

A closer view of the tub and the cut behing marble piece backsplash.

The view from the exterior courtyard, the view is the Jacobean drawing room.

Rough cut stone, drystacked walls and pebble pathways, all elements of English design.

A beautiful English boquet of fleurs from English florist, Robert Kime.

The Chinoiserie Suite, featuring de Gournay wallpaper. The vintage bed panels in the crotched design coordinate with the custon window panels. Antique English furniture dresses this room and features the antique Victorian four poster bed.

A closer look at the furniture, custom made mandolin and antique rug.

These darling beds in the guest room, are a pair of Louis XVI in their original Toile de Jouy.

The gorgeous wallpaper is upholstered in Braquenie's " Tree of Life" fabric.

The tree lined tunnel leading towards the summerhouse in the gardens.

To put the Juicy Couture empire into perspective, the 1.5 million bottles of Juicy Couture fragrances have been sold in the USA since 2006. This fashionista is as organized and obsessed with her home as she is with her design label. As for their English manor home, from the headrest of their Range Rover,cocktail napkins, notecards to menu's of their manor are covered with the recreated crest of the Longs of Wraxall - a prancing lion. Gela has put it on everything, a lot like the Juicy crest, which is two Scottie dogs. Gela says she does not take it seriously, but it is the perfect adornment. She is crest - obsessed!

Photography and pictures from Vogue Sept 09 Francois Halard