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After 4 months I can finally tell you about the TV show I am participating in! I was contacted a few months ago by a casting company in New York to see if I would be interested in participating in a new home show for TLC. The series would be filmed in several cities and each episode would feature one city and four homeowners.
The show is called ‘Four Houses’ and it begins airing with the New Jersey episode on July 2nd at 10pm EST. The Austin episode (which I am in) is scheduled to air on August 6th at 10pm EST.
This is the only photo I’ve found for the show and I assure you it is not from the Austin episode! It was mid- May when we filmed and it was already in the mid- 90’s. Was it hot!
The premise of the show is similar to the popular “Four Weddings” show, where 4 brides compare their wedding plans to see whose plans are ‘best’. We had 4 distinct home styles and believe me, it was a very interesting experience.
I can appreciate a wide range of design styles (from traditional to contemporary), even though I don’t decorate that way at home. So, going into the show I expected that even though our styles were different, I would still be ‘wowed’ and appreciate what each home owner had done with their space.
That was not the case. After this experience, I am so thankful for my home and my style. I have absolutely no doubt that my design choices were the right choices for me and my lifestyle. It is interesting that it would take a TV show to really teach me how much people’s lifestyle and personality are reflected in the style of their home.
I can’t wait to see the episode on air. While filming the show, I have never been so personally offended, nor laughed so hard in my life. It was a great experience and I don’t regret a moment of it! I’ll remind you when it is on and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Ok, can I just say I’m in love? Occasionally, when you are buying for a store, you order a product you just love, even if you don’t know that it will sell. You tell yourself you don’t even care if it doesn’t sell, you just have to have it. It puts a smile on my face to walk into the store and see those special products.
This week’s “What’s New Wednesday” is one of those products. I am in love with these chairs. The lines, the texture, the comfort.
The fabric is a textured beige with a linen look (a slight weave). There is a 2 inch contrast band at the hem in a taupe velvet.
The back has what is known as a waterfall skirt, skimming straight down with no stops or seams.
Here you can see the detail in the fabric a little better. These magnificent chairs are only $1899 each. The dimensions are: 34H 28.5W 33D.
Shhh, don’t tell Scott, but these chairs may just find their way into my home before too long!
Considering the business I am in, I am terrible about taking pictures of my own home for record keeping, so I don’t have much of a ‘before’ selection to share with you.
Scott and I moved into our home in June of 2009. Boy does time go quickly. This is what the room looked like during construction:
Builder beige anyone?
We upgraded to install hardwood floors before we moved in (you NEVER want to do this after you move in, if you can avoid it). I also had my eye on a specific new bed frame and some drapery panels, which I installed at the move:
That was about all I could afford at that point in time. But, I had a plan- starting with decorating the main living areas in the first year, then the second year I moved to decorating our master bedroom and some of the more private spaces.
That gave me time to think about the look that I wanted to have in my space. I wanted my bedroom to be light and airy. Very fresh and comfortable. I did not want anything dark and heavy (it is hard enough for me to get out of bed in the morning!).
These are the ‘after’ photos Kimberly Davis took of our bedroom for the Austin HOME magazine feature we were in.
The room didn’t have a lot going for it architecturally, so I added paneling, crown molding and window casing. I painted the top strip a fresh blue color. My white Peacock Alley bedding has been with me for years, I just added new accent pillows.
The bench I recovered myself in a fabric remnant of one of my favorite Schumacher patterns, but I plan on having it professionally reupholstered in a (faux) zebra hide this fall. I really like the contrast of black and white with just a hit of fresh blue.
Scott and I have different nightstands (but both are the same size/height). Mine has open shelves because I hate clutter and his has closed drawers because he likes to save things! It is a good idea to recognize these living situations upfront so you can furnish accordingly to achieve the look you like.
I hope you enjoyed seeing our master bedroom. If you need help creating a beautiful space, we would love to help. Just contact us @ info@heatherscotthome.com
Starburst mirrors are always a nice decorating solution. They’ve been around for centuries. The mirrors have seen a resurgence of popularity over the past 2-3 years.
We have several styles currently in stock. They range from about 12” up to over 36”. The prices start just under $98. Have a look at these styles and see if you have a good place in your home to tuck one of these mirrors. They look great centered over a bed or between 2 windows and their curtain panels. The mirror have a timeless and classic look that never goes out of style.
I recently ordered two of these metal étagères. I could picture them flanking a fireplace, or even a sofa.
The étagère is made of bronze metal and is approximately 19.5″(w) x 67.5″(h) and each one sells for $432.
You may also note the étagère is loaded with new accessories. We’ve received some beautiful glass vases and decorative objects over the last week, as well.
See you soon!
At Heather Scott Home & Design, we’ve been big fans of Merida Meridian for several years. While for many clients, it can be hard for us to articulate why one of their natural fiber rugs cost significantly more than the mass produced ones, those in design regularly turn to Merida for the quality of product and the flexibility of production (any size, any color binding, any cut). Their focus on renewable resources and developing their American based business are just added bonuses.
All these factors place them at the head of their competitors when a designer starts looking for a specialty rug or carpet. However, traditionally their colors have been very muted and well, ‘natural’. I have a new project I am working on for a client that wants a ‘fun, happy’ space and I am using coral and lavender. Finding a sophisticated rug with those colors has been a challenge.
Imagine my excitement when Natalie, our representative from Merida, visited us last week with samples from the new Celerie Kemble rug collection they are producing.
Hello Coral and Lavender!
Not only coral and lavender, but also ‘fun and happy’! Here is the link to the collection if you haven’t seen it yet:
Here is a photo of the production which was on their website.
You can see all the color ways. Mine is called “Pink Grapefruit” and I can’t wait to present it to my client. I hope she likes it as much as I do! I love it when I find the perfect inspiration piece for a project.
You should peruse the collection, you may find the perfect inspiration piece, as well!
Here is another great before and after. My fantastic client has fabulous taste, but struggled to get this room to look the way he wanted.
This breakfast room is attached to a kitchen with lovely white cabinets and carrara marble counters. Black, white and a cheery yellow had been the original approach.
BEFORE:
The rest of the home was predominately soft green, cream and hints of yellow, so we carried those softer colors into this breakfast room to improve the flow and consistency.
AFTER:
The walls are a lovely soft green/gray. The aged hutch is a very practical storage solution. The table is natural wood which is beautiful, but note to file: it shows every stain, drop, and spill. We discussed sealing it, but didn’t want to change the color of the wood.
And for anyone who doesn’t believe me when I tell them curtains will complete your room, here is the case in point! What a night and day difference. We had these curtains custom made with Vervain fabric.
If you would like help creating a beautiful home in your space, check out our website (Heather Scott Home & Design) or email us at: info@heatherscotthome.com for more information.
Hope you have a fantastic weekend!
Recently, we have received several really unique ‘casegood’ pieces (wood, not upholstery, furniture). This casegood piece has fabulous glass front doors with iron accents in a wood frame.
The width is 40”, depth 16” and height about 38”. the cabinet is a very stylish accent piece and sells for $1097.50. If you are looking for a piece with specific dimensions and need help finding something, just let us know!
I read an article in the Wall Street Journal the other weekend that proclaimed the end of the reign of carrara marble kitchen counters. It was a well written article but after I finished reading it, it didn’t convince me.
White Carrara Kitchen Countertops, 1988-2012, RIP
The argument was that other materials, such as stainless steel (“dulls and scratches, in a pretty way”), zinc, cement and soapstone (hello, who wants to oil their countertop every day?) were newer, better options than the infamous carrara.
Stainless Steel Kitchen Countertop
Soapstone Kitchen Counter, Sink and Backsplash
I remember reading an article in House Beautiful about a fabulous kitchen. The owner had installed soapstone countertops and within a year had them ripped out and replaced because of the maintenance. It may be unfair, but I’ve never had the courage to recommend them to a client after that, despite how amazing they look. Your counters are a huge investment!
This is the kitchen. I can’t recall for certain, but I believe the homeowners installed black granite after they took out the soapstone. If anyone has soapstone and loves it, let me know! I’d love to get over my fear.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that carrara comes with some major drawbacks and mothers will small children (or messy partners) are smart to be cautious about installing this material.
However, nothing beats real marble for a classic kitchen. All you have to do is troll through the kitchen photos in the major magazines and sites like Pinterest to see which kitchen looks rate the highest.
Here are just a few photos of kitchens, all from Pinterest, which have been trending recently:
Do you see a theme? I sure do. What do you think, is it the end for the classic marble kitchen countertop? I’d love to know what your opinion is!
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