Lately, Pt II

In addition to the day job, I've continued to write for houzz.com twice a week, which has made for a very busy life! As a result (and much to my disappointment), I haven't been blogging as much, but I'm diligently working on returning to a routine while maintaining a good work/life balance. That said, let me catch you up on some of my recent Houzz stories!

By Coburn Architecture and Interiors

A long-time supporter of mixing styles, I find the stark contrast between traditional and modern to be most striking, especially in the form of art. This was one of my favorite articles to write and research to date: Opposites Attract: Modern Art in Traditional Rooms

By Jon Lum Architecture

Pocket doors speak to me. They say things like, "Old-World glamour," "decadence," "grand soirees." Stuff like that. Not only are they lovely, they are also quite functional, saving space in tight rooms. I pulled together some favorites from houzz designers in Deep Pockets: Pocket Doors with Panache

By Faiella Design

I know dark bathrooms aren't for everyone, but I love them and had wanted an excuse to spend some time mulling through images of them for inspiration. Someday I intend to have a glamorously gloomy powder room in my house. In the meantime, I live vicariously through these bathrooms: Chic and Moody: Dark, Seductive Bathrooms

Many of you are familiar with my love of taking a small space (especially outside) and make it a precious escape. I've belabored this subject, so I think I'll just let you enjoy the pretty pictures. Balconies: Precious Rooms in the Sky 

This article garnered passionate commentary; people seem to hate tablecloths! I think they're great in some settings, unnecessary in others, but overall, I appreciate an additional dose of textile thrown over a table (especially when it's an ugly table!) to dress things up. Dressing Your Table: Cloth or No Cloth? 

By Dufner Hughes Inc. 

I had one friend growing up who had a canopy bed and I thought it was the most magical thing I'd ever seen. As I grew into a cynical adult, I thought canopy beds were for wussies (not really, but I wasn't as into them). Then I became the open-minded designer that I am today, and I know that everything has a place in the right application. Canopy beds don't just have to be for fancy little girls. They don't need to be swathed in 8,000 yards of fabric in order to add grace and elegance to a room. And, most importantly, they don't have to be feminine at all: Canopy Beds: All Grown Up and Still Magical

Barn doors are much like pocket doors in their function and grandness, but because they are a bit unexpected, I think they make even more of a statement. Doors with Character: Raised in a Barn

If you're in the U.S., I hope you have a great holiday weekend. If you're not in the U.S., tough luck, but I know you have some of your own great holidays! xoxo 

Lately

Hiya! Remember me?

Me, being wacky, 2.5 years ago

I suppose now is a good time to divulge what I've been up to lately. In moving to Austin, knowing very few people, I planned to find a job working under another designer, rather than continue as self-employed. Just before we moved, I was so busy wrapping up projects in New York, I really had no time for job hunting in Austin. So, against everything I stand for and am comfortable with, we hopped into a truck and drove to Texas without a well-mapped plan. Once here, I sent out some cold emails and attended a handful of horrifying networking events (where I met some terrific people, I might add...in the end, they weren't all that horrifying). In the first couple of months, I picked up some freelance and temporary work. Eventually, I landed the real deal: I recently accepted a full-time position with Cravotta Studios, owned by the illustrious and infinitely talented Mark Cravotta, who has an impeccable eye for high-end design and a thirst for finding the latest, greatest and most beautifully created furniture and accessories. A few favorites from his vast portfolio (note: I had nothing to do with these projects, although I wish I did!)




When Mark told me he'd been to the furniture fair in Paris and was thinking about going to Chicago's Merchandise Mart at some point, I made a passing recommendation that he someday check out New York's own International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). I made this comment about two weeks before ICFF was to begin, assuming my suggestion would perhaps be taken into consideration for next year. Much to my surprise and excitement, a few days later I received a text reading, "We're going to ICFF!" WE? Yes, we. Lucky me!

So, last Saturday, May 14, we boarded a non-stop flight to New York, spent Sunday at ICFF and Monday jetting from one designer showroom to the next, squeezing in a stint downtown to hit the less mainstream boutiques. There has already been a lot written about ICFF (mostly about its shortcomings), but Mark and I returned to Austin with new contacts and inspiration, so, as far as we are concerned, it was a success – I'll leave the constructive criticism about how the show failed the greater design community to other bloggers. I pulled together some of my favorites from the show on houzz.com: check out Killy's Top Picks from ICFF!

Around the Houzz: House Plants

Numerous people (clients, prospective clients, friends, etc) have asked me what I think is the easiest, quickest way to transform a home (or room) on a budget, especially on a renter's budget. My answer has always been paint, which obscures all signs of the people who occupied the place before you, memories of ex's, filth or simply breathes new life into a space without breaking the bank. But I recently added plants to my answer. Plants have an uncanny ability to make everything look and feel clean, fresh and alive while simultaneously scrubbing grossness out of the air we breathe. That shot of green (or many shots) does wonders for any space, and in my opinion, you cannot have too many. For high-end projects, I recommend choosing sculptural, statement plants that add texture and interest to a room, and almost act as a piece of art. But big plants don't come cheap. For the rest of us, I think just about any healthy plant will do. We used them liberally in our last apartment: plants became "curtains" over our bathroom window, they softened sharp edges and brought your eye up to the ceiling when placed high on a top shelf. But more than anything, they made our small apartment feel airy, breezy and a little more connected to nature. We only have one right now (sadly, our plants did not survive the freezing cold drive from New York to Texas) but we have big plans to get more soon.

With that, check out my most recent article for houzz.com was all about our leafy green friends: Bring In The Outside With House Plants!

Heritage Homes Tour

I cannot believe more than a week has already passed since I started to write this! Saturday, April 9th, the Heritage Society of Austin hosted it's nineteenth Heritage Homes Tour, cleverly named "The Bold and the Beautiful," featuring grand estates that rarely allow access to the unwashed masses. We were washed, FYI. I was even wearing a sun dress because it was 90-something degrees!

Me, outside Woodlawn/Pease Mansion


It was unclear as to whether or not photos were allowed, but we brought the camera, just in case. As it turned out, photos were generally not allowed, but some volunteers weren't aware of the rule, so Oliver got a handful of good shots before being kind of berated.

Insallah

The first house we visited was a bit of a let down. "Insahallah" (602 E. 43rd St) was built in 1920, but, sadly, has been remodeled so many times by people who clearly weren't interested in retaining any of the historical elements of the home, as it has been almost completely stripped of all original detail.

Nothing historic-looking about that! (Real estate listing photo)

Redeeming features included an awesome inlaid wood star, and Texas star theme in general that was repeated throughout the house, in addition to some lovely tile flooring.



Photos snapped covertly by Oliver

The library was the most historic room in the house, with it's original wood paneled shelves still in place:


The rambling home had a floorplan that made no sense (one room lead to another; some rooms had three doors for entering and exiting) and poor, "builder-grade" finished (faux wood treatments, cheap flooring, faux beams made to look old and "ranchy,") which made the whole place feel cheap. The home, which is for sale, is situated on beautifully landscaped grounds, so hopefully the right person will purchase it and restore it back to the condition in which it is meant to exist. Obviously, it wasn't all bad – if I had an extra $2,950,000 burning a hole in my pocket, I might buy the place for the pool alone!



Fun wagon artifact near the front of the house


Commodore Perry Estate

The disappointment of the first house set our expectations quite low, so we were a bit wary of the next place. We were simultaneously pleasantly surprised and blown away at house number two, the Commodore Perry Estate (710 E. 41st), which was chock-full of original details and sprawling estate-y charm. Since its completion in 1928, the home has not changed hands many times over the years, so most of the original elements remain. Dallas architect Hal Thomson designed the 23-room Renaissance-style house, which features a central mass flanked by two pavilions, a terracotta roof, a triumphal arched entry with Corinthian columns, a grand staircase and entry hall, oval walnut-paneled library, dark oak floors, Mexican tile and wrought iron details. A decorator show house was hosted in the home in the 1980s and a few remnants of the wild (and completely not historic) choices made remain, such as pseudo-trompe l'oeil wallpaper, over-the-top drapes and a pleated upholstered ceiling treatment, although none of that managed to detract from the beauty of the home.

Arched portico overlooking gardens – tile flooring from Mexico



Original marble flooring in entry with original iron door



Oval library paneled in walnut, which was cheaper and more widely available than mahogany at the time (not at all the case today)



Walnut paneled dining room (featuring heinous 1980s window treatments)



Gorgeous staircase leading from entry to upstairs bedrooms



All the bedrooms also had sleeping porches for toasty summer nights



Built-in vanity for the lady of the house. Don't overlook the lovely mouldings and intricate door details with inset mirrors!



Intercom in the servant's hall

Thankfully, a local investor has purchased the property and is working to restore and preserve the buildings and landscape further.

Sweetbrush (Swisher-Scott House)

Photo courtesy Heritage Society of Austin

Next we visited Sweetbrush (2408 Sweetbrush Ave), a Greek Revival built by celebrated and accomplished master builder Abner Cook in 1853. While the property has had a handful of different owners over the last 158 years, original details have not only been preserved, but celebrated, earning it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. The structure was relocated in the early 1900s to a plot of land overlooking the future Lake Austin. Measured drawings had previously been created by Samuel E. Gideon,an avid admirer of the home, and her was able to accurately reconstruct it. The home originally had three-foot-thick brick walls but such insulation was no longer necessary, so the extra bricks were used to create two additional wings flanking the center structure, in keeping with Greek Revival's adherence to symmetry. The current owner has been painstakingly restoring various parts of the home. Operable exterior shutters have been restored or replicated, as needed. Original floors, mantels and woodwork remain. Ionic columns at the front entrance have been sanded down to remove 16 layers of paint and reveal the wood grain, once again. Abner Cook's signature is an x-motif used on railings. An example remains on a second floor balcony.


While the owner has some amazing furnishings, rugs and accessories, which add to the richness and historic elegance of the home, the she would benefit from the expertise of an interior designer who specializes in historic preservation to help with things like rugs and window coverings. Greek Revival architecture looks quite ornate and detailed by our current building standards and often inspires designers to bring in fussy decor and textiles. In reality, the style is actually quite understated and pared down. Floofy window valances and crazy drapes are not historically accurate, and tend to compete with the architecture.

Lovely furniture, but the drapery is just too much for the time period. (Photo courtesy Heritage Society of Austin).

Woodlawn (Pease Mansion)

Photo courtesy Heritage Society of Austin

Woodlawn (1606 Niles Road) was our next stop. Also designed and built by Abner Cook in 1853, the home's exterior features six fluted columns and Mr. Cook's signature openwork diamond-pattern balustrade. In 1957 the owners at the time added rooms on the northside of the property. It passed through the hands of the University of Texas before being purchased by Jeff and Laura Sandefer in 2003. While upgrading the foundation, mechanical systems and adding 21st century standards to the home, the couple removed the additions to reflect the home's original (and intended) symmetrical configuration revered by the Greek Revival style. The home, a national, state and city landmark, is considered one of the finest examples of Green Revival architecture in Texas.

Entry

Photo courtesy Traditional Home

Mark Ashby, one of Austin's finest decorators, worked his magic on the interior, which looks fresh and contemporary, but is respectful of the home's historic elements. Ashby nailed it with the window covering (clearly my obsession here); they are stately and refined without being gaudy. He brought in a variety of textiles and textures that work beautifully with the case goods and flooring to create a modern yet classic style throughout the home.

Formal living room: Ashby created two seating arrangements using different furniture in each setting, yet it doesn't look cluttered or busy. The chandelier in the center ground the room without blocking views while the gently lacquered ceiling reflects light throughout the grand room.

Photo courtesy Mark Ashby Design

Parlor: I would be honored to wait for my hosts to greet me in this lovely room!


Photo courtesy Mark Ashby Design

Family room looking toward kitchen: A variety of textures result in a visually compelling room without being overwhelming

Photo courtesy Traditional Home

Neill-Cochran House

Photo courtesy Heritage Society of Austin

The final home on the tour was the Neill-Cochran House, yet another Abner Cook design. Built in 1855, the 18-inch thick walls are clad in local rubble-cut limestone with contrasting painted wood trim. After completion, the owners couldn't afford to live in the house, so from the beginning, the grand manor house was a rental. It changed hands twice (owned first by the Neills, the the Cochrans) before being purchased by The National Society of the Colonial Dames, who furnished it with 19th-century antiques and later turned it into a the Neill-Cochran House Museum. The Dames are still restoring the house, but it is open for tours and events. They are also in the process of acquiring more furniture and accessories from the Cochran family, as one of the Cochrans is still alive and visits frequently! Photographs were not permitted and there aren't any good interior shots floating around the interwebs. You'll just have to take my word for it; the house is beautiful and worth a visit on your next trip to Austin!

This was a wonderful collection of homes that we would never have had access to otherwise! I'm already looking forward to what we'll see next year! Of course, the tour left me inspired to come up with a snappy but stately name for our own (mini) estate. I'll have to run some ideas by you guys.

The Well-Concealed Kitchen on Houzz!

Another ideabook by yours truly just went live on Houzz.com – ideas for cozying up your kitchen with furniture from other parts of the house! Hope on over to Houzz.com to read it:
The Well-Concealed Kitchen.

Contributing to Houzz – Mixing Metals in the Home

I first wrote about Houzz about a month an a half ago, because their contributors were showing us a lot of love by including our work in their inspirational and informative ideabooks. Shortly after that, they featured our Harlem apartment in a wonderfully written, in-depth houzz tour. I'm so proud to announce that I recently joined the Houzz team as a contributor! My first ideabook, about mixing metals in the home, went live yesterday – please hop on over to Houzz to check it out! Metal Mixology: Multiple Metallics Give A Room Layers of Interest

Red, White and Quilted All Over

I know I moved to Austin and all, but that doesn't mean I've stopped caring about happenings in New York, I just don't report on them as much – there are gobs of stellar New York-based bloggers, afterall. Well, this exhibit is one I felt deserved a little attention because it's not one you might not stop into on your usual museum rounds. The American Folk Art Museum is sponsoring a satellite exhibit,  Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts, featuring 651 red and white quilts, on display at the Park Avenue Armory. Running from March 25 -30, the exhibit is short-lived, but free and open to the public. I'm sad I'm missing this one. Quilting has been catapulted from a crafty "women's work" kind of reputation to treatment as a fine art. The designs in this exhibition, assisted by the outstanding presentation, proves that quilting is, indeed, high art.

Photo courtesy American Folk Art Museum

Aside from the fact that this is the largest exhibition of quilts ever presented in New York City, the most interesting part is that the collection belongs to (and is on loan from) a single person. Joanna S. Rose actually owns more than 1,300 quilts amassed since the 1950s, but selected only the red and white ones for the show. The limited color palette surely allows for a much more in-depth exploration of the varieties and complexities of the textile designs.

Designed by Thinc Design, the exhibit consists of six 30-foot high cylinders, created from quilts, that surround a 50-foot quilt spiral. The curator requested that the quilts not be displayed by pattern, time period or geographic region, but rather in a manner that is visually exciting. I'v been to quilt exhibits before, and they always look the same: quilts hung on walls. This, however, looks phenomenal.


In an interview with the NY Times, Ms. Rose, who was heavily involved in the curation of the show, said she found inspiration in a line from Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra" when searching for an exhibition title:

Age cannot wither her, not custom stale
Her infinite variety…

As stated in the Times, the quilts have retained their "infinite variety" and have not turned "stale" with age.

For Ms. Rose, this show is a dream come true, and a birthday gift from her husband, both for her and for New York.

Exhibit images courtesy Thinc Design

My mom, who happens to be taking a quilting class right now (go mom!) went to the show and said it was spectacular, therefore, you should go see it. Still not convinced? Check out this video by Mary Kay Davis shpwing photos by the American Folk Art Museum. It's set to Chopin's Three Nocturnes, Op. 9, No. 3 in B Major (aka it's lovely), but if you're at the office and classical music streaming out of your computer will blow your cover, turn down the volume.


The Park Avenue Armory is located at 643 Park Avenue, between 66th and 67th streets). Remember: free and open to the public through Wednesday (tomorrow)! The museum is open until 7pm on Tuesdays, and 5pm on Wednesdays.

Neglect, a Birthday, and Austin Hot-Spots

Oh, dear readers, I'm the WORST! I've really been neglecting you. Its with good reason, though, I promise. The fun news is that I turn a whopping 32 today! TIME FLIES. I swear, just the other day I was a toddler wearing a birthday hat, stuffing my face with cake without a care in the world.

Ok, you got me; I've never lived without a care in the world

Check out the rad birth announcement my dad wrote up when I was born (note: he is an accomplished tennis player and all-around funny guy):

Favorite line: "Balls…..None." Get it? I'm a girl. 

It's been quite a ride, and I have high hopes for my thirty-second year on this earth. Good things are already happening. For one, Oliver and I got a grill and some deck chairs, so we can dine alfresco and enjoy this amazing Austin weather. Tonight, we are going to try out a new-ish (less than a year old) restaurant in our neighborhood that's said to be pushing the boundaries of Austin's emerging foodie scene, Foreign and Domestic. I hope I can remember to bring the camera and snap some shots to share with you. I've been a Forgetful Franny lately!

Work-wise, things are getting busy busy busy, which is wonderful, but I miss my little slice o'the blogosphere! I have a few posts in the works right now, but none are quite complete, so I thought I'd whet your appetite (and hopefully keep you coming back to me), by giving you a sneak peek into a very special tour we took recently (thanks to the Architecture Enthusiasts of Austin) of a few projects completed by the office of one of Austin's most outstanding architects, Michael Hsu. I have a personal connection with Mr. Hsu's office, about which I will expound when I write full review of these spaces, but here's a little quickie introduction to the work his office does….

We visited Haddington's, a new rustic American tavern on East 6th with outstanding finishes, not to mention yummy food and cocktails):




La Condesa, a hip, contemporary-modern interior Mexican restaurant in the 2nd street district"


Love that custom light fixture, created from off-the-shelf lighting parts!

Malverde, a chic bar located adjacent to and upstairs from La Condesa, Malverde should be bumpin'!


The mossy, "living" wall is a great touch to this space the blurs the barrier between inside and out – a perfect Austin design element!

I have a busy week ahead, but I will do my best keep up with you. Happy Monday, and happy birthday to ME! xoxo