Meet and Greet - The Study

Come with us as we tour Mari Johnson's study. As you enter Mari's home this is the view from the entry way. The glass desk is perfectly centered in front of the amazing backyard view.

Oh, I'm a fool for this zebra rug!

Check out this thick framed mirror!

The silver lamp shade adds the bling needed for this room and flatters the silver legs holding the glass desk.

Placed in a corner is a bookshelf filled with yet more interesting objects. Centered over the top shelf is a fun black and white photo instead of placing traditional pieces. I recently purchased a green vase like this one photographed on the mantle.... I am inspired to fill mine with a similar branch.

(I picture Mari cutting the flowered branch from her backyard just before we arrived!)

If you don't like the way the your fireplace looks in the summer, cover it up!

Capital L for LOVE the simplistic clean but sophiticated mantle display.

Hello!  What a fun way to display painfully successful metals of completed marathons!

It's Austin, Texas we hook em on horns of course!

Please come back as we will feature more rooms!

Meet and Greet - The Master Bedroom and Bath

Join me as we tour Mari's beautiful master bedroom!

Isn't the bedding gorgeous layered with the iron bed frame? I do adore the mirrored night stands!

Here's a closure look.

Across the room placed in front of the bay window is the sitting area which overlooks the perfectly landscaped yard.  In view is a elegant swimming pool.  Can't you imagine yourself sitting here relaxing after a long day!

Hung above are window coverings that compliment the rooms color scheme nicely and  the chandelier adds another touch of sparkle to the room.

This photo does not capture the beauty of this amazing cabinet.  It sits exactly within the space allowed.  We all wondered how on earth Mari knew this piece would fit. 

 

 

Let's continue the tour to the master bathroom. 

Look at these new polished cement counter tops they are fresh and indestructible. Note, the cabinet doors have been removed to the point the pumbling is exposed.This room feels like a stroll through a Paris apartment! 

All their belongings are tucked away in baskets.

A new sleek contempary fixture adds to the industrial cement.

The built-in across the room is painted black with an abundance of drawers all finished with silver hardware.  The sink sits high in the room, the his and her areas are unique and custom for both Mari and her husband.

Oh la la look at this mirror!

Have you ever seen soap and toilet paper look so good!

... and just when you think everything is silver and new she introduces a gold, vintage vignette.

This might be my favorite photo of the entire photo shoot.

The glass bricks surround the bath tub with yet another fabulous chandelier.  These walls are painted in an outstanding warm gray shade. Heaven!

Please come back and complete our tour!

Meet and Greet - The Kitchen

I recently had the privilege of viewing the beautiful home of Mari Johnson. Mari is the owner of  two amazing home furnishing stores in Austin. Her original store the Back Home Furniture, which is Mari's dream of a country farmhouse in the south of France and the Twist, which is her vision of a stroll through a sophisticated Paris apartment. This post features Mari's kitchen.

Mari had all her original kitchen cabinets removed and replaced with simple black open shelves.  The walls are exposed throughout the shelving. She hung a black massive light over the butcher block.  The contrast of the white bead board ceiling provides a cozy touch to the room.

The cabinets are filled with just the "right" accessories. I love the unexpected black wicker purse combined with the pop of yellow. 

The kitchen counters are black granite with the white tile back splash laid on the diagonal.

Next we will tour the beautiful master bedroom and bath where Mari recently updated her bathroom counter tops in polished cement!

Vintage Fusion

The March/April 2011 issue of Lonny Magazine has been published.  The article featuring Jennifer Dyer of Jeneration Interiors caught my eye.  This room holds a range of styles in a small space. The focal point brings sparkle to the room, from the Hollywood Regency era, the chandelier hangs over the glam finished table, however she painted the walls, floor and interior door a contemporary gray, white and black.  Jennifer placed a rug from the global family at the entry to balance the black flooring, and for a pop of unexpected color she painted the front door in a traditional melon color. 



 While this room holds many different styles they intertwine and flow seamlessly. This photo is a great source of inspiration, "how to marry style combinations".  Gary and Cynthia's style diagnostics's core is Traditional (with a twist of contemporary) combined with Hollywood Regency (a touch of sparkle), layered with  FDR (structure from the 1920's and 1930's). What does your style diagnostics look like?

If you haven't had a chance to view this month's issue of Lonny Magazine do so and enjoy!



A Taste of Tuscany

I am reading Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes and Bringing Tuscany Home a beautiful photographed book of Ed and Frances's experiences while remodeling their dream home, Bramasole, in the Tuscan countryside.  I recommend both these books. Along with their passion for renovating their home they equally enjoy cooking.  I share with you just one of the many recipes you must try from these books.

Oven Toasted Tomatoes

Three 28 ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes, drained, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons each minced fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil
5 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and pepper

• Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees
• Arrange the tomatoes cut side up on a jellyroll pan.  Drizzle the oil and scatter herbs and garlic over them.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Bake for 2 hours

 You make this with fresh tomatoes, even cherry tomatoes.  They use Muir Glen Organic.

Chicken with Olives and Tomatoes

5 Tablespoon olive oil
1 whole chicken, cut in 8 pieces, lightly dredged in flour
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup pitted mixed black and green olives
6 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup chopped oven-roasted tomatoes (above)

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken pieces, 3to 5 minutes per side.  Add the wine and transfer to a baking dish.  Mix the remaining ingredients, pour over the chicken, and bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, turning the chicken once.

On the side we had strawberries and cubed cheese with butternut wheat bread.

Eat this tasty treat while sipping a nice glass of red wine.  Enjoy!

Our Dining Room

Here photographed is a picture of my parents cherry wood dining room furniture that we inherited.  At the time our dining room was painted a Ralph Lauren dark brown. The floors were covered with wall to wall builders grade carpet topped with a way too small rug. 

We pulled the carpet up and had dark walnut hardwoods laid. I then painted the walls with a flax color from  Restoration Hardware and reupholstered the chairs with a flocked tapestry fabric. We hung white lines drapes from Pottery Barn.  This is when I realized it was time to tackle the project that I had been procrastinating for sometime.  To refinish the furniture which is why several of the chairs are missing from the photo.  The long painful process begins.  

I removed all the items from the hutch and completed staining two of the chairs with Bartley gel stain.  Each chair has been applied with 10 coats of espresso colored stain.  I painted the light fixture with Metallic Master silver paint.

 I've completed staining all 6 chairs and reupholstered each with an apple green microfiber fabric.  I was thrilled when I realized I could detach the hutch piece from the cabinet with little to no effort.  The country style continues to disappear from the room. 

I repainted the walls in pale silver by Restoration Hardware and finished the table.

I experimented more with Metallic Master silver paint.  I was unable to find hardware that matched in another finish. So I brave the art of refinishing the originals.

I painted the ceiling medallion with the silver paint to finish the look.

The cabinet and hardware are complete.  Also I refurbished an old mirror we purchased some thirty years ago by painting it silver for a cohesive style throughout the room.

This room has been a true labor of love and has created a spring board to finding my true design style.

                            Before                                                   After

I'm currently searching for the perfect rug but until then we have a fresh new room to entertain family and friends.