Showing posts with label HOUSES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HOUSES. Show all posts

Tuesday, 7 May 2013

By Invitation Only....Camelot!


Hi there, its our monthly By Invitation Only post and this is it until the fall! (We are taking a break during the summer months since everyone will be scattered about during the summer). Marsha of Splenderosa  came up with the concept of each of us posting on Camelot. Open to interpretation.....it will be fun  to see what all the girls in the group come up with!




For me first and foremost the first image that comes to mind is of JFK and Jackie....but of course! How could it not! They signified an American Camelot, don't you agree? So I have to start this post off with a picture of the iconic couple........



Then I started thinking about a modern day Camelot. What does it mean? What would it look like?  Camelot, the mythical magical castle supposedly that belonged to King Arthur is still a mystery, its true location never really known. Yet the term Camelot stays so alive in our imaginations, talked about from generation to generation....a testament to how important it is for us to dream and to aspire, old and young alike.

So just roll with me here! I came up with an inside and outside look at what my own modern day Camelot might look like (in my overactive imagination)! This is what I came up with, just think a timeless classic gem, one that will stand the test of time.............where everything is beautiful and the simple pleasures are enjoyed and cherished in the most elegant way possible!

 Where the long shady driveway might look like this.......

 Passing the horses grazing along the way up to the house.......

The "greeting committee" at Camelot.....

Camelot...a home that befits such a name

 With an elegant front porch that looks something like this....perfect for early morning coffee and watching the sun come up.....

Where canines rule, no room is off limits!

 Where the rear foyer might open onto a beautiful manicured field like this.......
 Where pristine and perfect gardens are everywhere you look.......

And secret gardens wait for your discovery!

A home where every room, though grand and gorgeous, has a feeling of "worn in elegance" that beckons you in.....

 Where the guest rooms rival that of the finest hotels you have ever stayed in

With a bathroom and tub to match......


And where slippers like these are waiting for you to slip into..... (you're not surprised are you)?

 And where the sitting rooms, a rhapsody of blue and white invite you to linger for hours.....


And monogrammed everything is de rigeur ....


Where all the foods for the daily meals are centered around what's picked from the garden that morning..rest assured it's delicious!

 Breathtaking views can be expected from every window over at Camelot!

Even that of the porte cochere which houses a collection of fabulous vintage roadsters....

Camelot, a place where time really does stand still, long enough to sit down and write an old fashioned thank you note (no texting or emailing a thank you allowed)!

A grand drawing room where everyone gathers after dinner for a little nightcap

And smaller intimate spaces that beg you to get cozy in with a great book.....

A ballroom sized kitchen that can accommodate prepping for parties for hundreds and hundreds.....

A dining room that can handle heads  of state, heated family debates and lengthy formal dinners of all kinds.......

Camelot...a place with more than one reading room....for all those books you have nothing but time to devour!

Where closets are the stuff girly girl dreams are made of!

 Meals are always a white tablecloth, silver charger, and fancy linens affair.......
 Where daily crisp white linens are changed on the bed and finished with a spritz of lavender spray


And where urns of beautiful flowers and plants are changed weekly.......

A place where picnics are  commonplace
 
And when you aren't going on a picnic you might ride for acres and acres on your own mare or stallion

And when you come back, look what might be waiting for you...a chilled mint julep in a monogrammed cup!


Camelot, a home where legendary Christmas's are right  out of a storybook.......

And where the drawing room can be converted to a beautiful ballroom for a family wedding

 Where a gorgeous little gazebo at the waters edge holds your personal small boat for when you want to jaunt"across the lake" to catch a drink or late day coffee with a friend.......
 Holding your chinoiserie umbrella of course! (and yes this includes the glass of Bordeaux you see there)!!



Well as they say if you are going to dream you  might as well dream B I G, right? One can dream! I always say I was born in the wrong era, society moves too fast for me today, I want it to slow dooooooown. WAY down. This modern day Camelot certainly would be quite a fantasy as life is so fast paced today, I find it is harder to take the time to really enjoy the simple pleasures in life. I think Camelot is a vision and a concept of magical perfection more than anything else, very much alive  in our imaginations that has been revered and celebrated for centuries.

True, this doesn't apply to 99.9% of us, but I think we can all have our own little Camelots.....by making our own homes places we love to live in, share with others and fill with love. We can all buy fresh flowers, light beautiful candles, play beautiful music.....all the pretty little touches that can bring a little "Camelot" into our lives, what do you think? How do you see your personal Camelot?

If you want to see more interpretations of Camelot and I can assure you there will be many worth seeing, click here to visit the very talented, fearless leader of BIO, Marsha of Splenderosa...where there are links to all the other bloggers who have participated.


Thanks for stopping in and don't forget to visit here to be eligible for one of four fabulous giveaways all in honor of Mothers Day!
(You must leave a comment on that post to be eligible to win the goodies)!


Thursday, 21 March 2013

Architect spotlight: Andrew Skurman Architects


Hi everyone! You are in for a mega treat today, so grab another cup of coffee, get those Pinterest fingers ready for some a serious workout and sit back and enjoy! When I discovered this architectural firm, Andrew Skurman Architects,  a few years ago I  was admittedly,  totally smitten. Their body of work is just amaizng with a capital A. So much so that we briefly thought of hiring them for our own house but decided to go with a NY based architect whose work we also were a huge fan of and just logistically having a local architect made sense on many levels. 
 
Andrew Skurman Associates however is a pretty "rock my world'" kind of a firm and I think you would be hard pressed to find someone who is not totally in love with their work. They specialize in all the classical architectural traditions of French, Georgian, Neoclassical, Mediterranean, and country homes. There work is widespread and has graced countless magazine covers and pages.  Andrew Skurman opened his namesake firm in 1992 and is based in San Francisco. They are full service, meaning they start a project from the ground up all the way to the finishing of the interiors.  So today, no narrative, I will allow the pictures to do all the talking...enjoy the show!! I know Pinterest is going to be a busy place today! 
 
 
 









 






























 
Now pick your jaw up off the floor and tell me what you think about this uber talented architect! Pretty mind blowing wouldn't you say. I am amazed at how well versed they are in all disciplines, from the most formal French manor house to the lakeside Italian villa to a country clapboard home.....they are all done so well. I love the fact that you can see the details are their signature, and we all know its the details that "make it". So tell me, have a favorite? Wishing you a fabulous Thursday!
 
 
 
 
Also if you have not entered the Judith August giveaway (will announce a winner on Sat) by all means, don't miss out!! Here are the details....
 
 
 One lucky winner is going to get this fabulous set of makeup to the stars, The Killer Cover kit (with a name like that you know it delivers)!. All you need to do is leave a comment on the post where I first announced it, after visiting her site and telling us a product you would love to have. Click here to visit her site and here to leave the comment.
 
Want a second chance..... leave a message on her Facebook page. Click here to visit her at Facebook. I will announce a winner on Saturday morning!


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