Unique Unique Design

If you have never been to Warrenton/Round Top on the first full weekend in April and October of every year, then you need to figure out a way to drive, walk, fly, swim, or saddle your horse and get there. The myriad of shows in the area have some of the most fabulous, funkiest, crustiest, most unusual, trendiest, etc., etc., etc., merchandise you can image. You can shop the fields, the tents, the one air-conditioned building including Zapp, Xcess, Texas Rose, Blue Bonnet, Clutter, Marburger, Cole’s building and field, the original Round Top, and I’m not even beginning to name them all. Thousands and thousands of folks show up for this event. You never know about the crazy Texas weather, but that doesn’t seem to stop anyone from coming or setting up to sell their wares. Just come prepared.

We have loads of friends who set up down there…to numerous to name them all. Hopefully, we’ll get some decent photos and will post them when we return. If you can’t get there this time, start planning for the spring. You will love it!!

I’m including a couple photos that were posted on tripadvisor.com. They are taken in Round Top, which is a charming small town settled in the early to mid 1800’s. The area around Round Top and Warrenton (about 8 miles away) is gentle rolling hills and bucolic pastures. When all the people take their treasures and pack their leftovers and go home, it’s just the cows and horses and lucky folks who call that area home.

green field

porch view

Top photo: txtraveler99

Bottom photo: wendy/tex

Maybe we’ll see you down there!

The old man might be snoring, but if you have been caught outside lately, I hope you had an umbrella. Living in the Dallas area it’s not very often it rains and rains and rains for days on end. We usually get our rain with a little more violent weather…huge thunderheads rolling in, lightning that defies most firework displays, large hail (you know, the size of small Chihuahuas), and the kind of “swirling” wind that brings Dorothy and Toto in for a visit!! Now, I’m not complaining. We needed the rain badly and it’s dropped the temperatures enough to make it quite pleasant. We spent one whole day playing in huge rain puddles (more like small ponds) with our grandkids. Catching crawdads, running through the water, laughing, and I guess our moms were right…..not enough sense to come in out of the rain.

I was looking at Material Girls blog and saw this cute boot umbrella stand and decided I’d look for a few more I liked, since they would come in very handy in this weather to place all those soggy umbrellas.

The cute ceramic boots are from Z Gallerie. The “Nexus” oval 24″T stoneware container is from 18 karat. One more whimsical, one dressier.

The gray and white oval stoneware containers called Aperto  and the Elato square container would be quite stylish in a foyer to stick your wet umbrella. These are both from 18 Karat.

The one on the top is from Mothology. It’s from recycled pine and brings that natural element to the space. The Alesa “blow-up” stand is by designers Fernando and Humberto Campana from the Unica Homes website. Wouldn’t that be great in a space with a touch of industrial or as just a bit of fun in almost any room.

This glass and stainless “Thor” stand by Markus Borgens from Treehook website would definitely fit into that mid-century space. On the right, the glass column by Leonardo found on the Made in design website is very chic.

So if I would of had any of these before the recent rains, I would have been prepared. But instead my umbrella is sitting in the breezeway outside by back door. Oh well, maybe next time I’ll be ready.

Not sure why my pics flipped around. They were side by side when I posted them. But, I’m not going to try to fix them. I’ll probably just mess them up more.

My grandkids are coming in this weekend. Yea!! Can’t wait to see them. This is only 3 of Casey’s 4. Mason wasn’t there for the picture taking. They were camping somewhere in New Mexico. My son’s girls will be over too, so lots of activity. And I have no doubt you all want to see their pictures!

Madison, Jack, and Ellee

Riley…although, between the hat, sunglasses, and binky you can’t see much of her. Her sister Sierra wasn’t here that day.

Won’t be blogging much this weekend, but hope you all have a good one.

And may we never forget what happened 8yrs ago today.

God bless America!

Do you know someone who is always dramatic? Maybe their hands fly around when they are telling a story. Maybe the story itself is filled with superlatives…the coldest most miserable weather ever, the loudest most ill advised person on earth, those are the most fabulous “gotta have ‘em” shoes this season, that is the most scrumptious “to die for” chocolate truffle (well, maybe this one isn’t an overstatement!). You’ve probably encountered someone who seems to go over the top on things most consider every day occurrences. A.K.A. the “drama queen”. Well, drama isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The person whose hands fly around might help you understand the sense of action in their story. The superlatives help paint a more vivid picture of the subject The “drama queen” might cause you to take notice of something you otherwise wouldn’t have or help you engage emotionally with her. One of the definitions of dramatic is: highly effective; striking; sensational. This is the perfect definition in the world of design, also.  These photos all contain some element of that…the WOW  factor; punching it up a notch or two; the unexpected; causing us to engage our senses. Some will be more dramatic than others, but it is there.  Now I’m not saying there aren’t wonderful rooms done with beautifully done focal points. This is probably where most of us live, but every now and then you see something that just goes beyond that. It can be done with color, art, lighting, plant life (dead or alive), found objects, architecture. Whether or not you would want to live with something this dramatic, it is fun to see and realize how creative are the minds behind it.

I am adding several photos now, but I think I will do this once a week. I know there are many very dramatic rooms out there, so as I find more examples I will post them. Hope you enjoy these as much as I have. If you have something that is a WOW in your home send a pic and I will post it

ashington house: 1st option

Pretty dramatic, huh? Wouldn’t it be fun to sit in this room to watch a movie with friends?

photographer: peter vitale   veranda

The scale alone of this painting is striking, but, also, the mix of contemporary and antiques brings another element into the room.

photographer: ngoc minh ngo  house beautiful

The graphic design mixed with the contrast of black, white, and turquoise is very uplifting. It makes you smile.

photographer:eric piasecki   house beautiful

Okay, I realize the designer isn’t responsible for this spectacular view from this apartment 74 floors up in the Time Warner Center in NYC. BUT, you can bet he took it into consideration when he designed the space. Drama like that can’t be ignored.

photographer: peter vitale   veranda

Now here is a neutral palette, but the wonderful contemporary art, also, in a neutral palette makes this sensational.

unique unique design

Not as dramatic as the others, but using the 10 5ft long old brushes creates a graphic element. Since these are “found” objects, it brings in the unexpected.

Again, if you have any “dramatic” decor send me a photo and I’ll post it. If you have a blog, post it and let me know and I’ll link to the post.

smiles