More of the Maine Beach Cottage

I wanted to share with you more of the photos Jamie Salomon of Salomon Photography, sent to me of Interior Designer, Francine O'Donnell's wonderful Beach House in Maine. Of course the blue ceilings in some of the rooms really caught my eye, but it's the whimsical, vintage decor that kept me wanting to see more.

From dining room above you can see the kitchen (and the beautiful blue ceiling) through the doorway. Notice the fabulous door moulding.

I like the use of the garden table with marble top and a mix of two different chairs. The addition of old chippy garden urns and the crystal chandelier adds to the warm, relaxed feeling.

Here you see a better photo of the table. Adding a thin stone piece on the radiator creates an instant shelf and display area for the owner's garden urns. Painted antique desk continues to enhance the cottage feel.
What an incredible eye O'Donnell has! She truly has a gift for combining vintage objects into beautiful vignettes.

Here is a closer look. Urns, statues, marble, painted tables, iron furniture, distressed mirror!! Fabulous!!

An old stove becomes a table for two antique garden chairs!! So many great ideas!!

Here is a great shot of the dining room looking in from the living room and beyond into the kitchen.

Gray walls continue from the dining room into the living room and provide a great backdrop for the interesting artwork. Clever mix of florals and painted antiques continue the cottage vibe.

Another view shows more vintage mirrors and books.

Another stone piece creates a radiator shelf.
Garden statue brings additional whimsy to this room.

The bedroom has a gorgeous antique iron bed.

Again we see a garden table base topped with stone - I love the artwork.

One of my favorites is this whimsical ampersand "framed" with two vintage frames. So creative!!

Finally the bath with industrial cart holding bath products and towels. Above vintage hand mirror becomes an art piece on the wall!

Francine O'Donnell's Maine Beach cottage is filled with great ideas for bringing a more whimsical flair to your decor!! Thank you Francine and Jamie for sharing this great home with us!

Blue Ceiling Beach Cottage

My friend and wonderful photographer, Jamie Salomon of Salomon Photography, recently sent me photos of this beautiful beach cottage in Maine. The home is the spectacular retreat of designer, Francine O'Donnell

The home has a traditional beach house decor with a bit of whimsy. I love the stools and the center island. What is most striking to me is the color palette. Take a look at this kitchen - taupe/beige cabinets and trim with creamy walls, but the most interesting is the soft blue ceiling. An area often overlooked - so let's have a closer look ceilings in this beach cottage.

Here is the kitchen from another angle. The ceiling color is much paler in this shot. This is a common occurrence when you use pale colors, in some lights the color actually washes out. With ceilings my preference is always to go on the paler side. I like to feel the color with out getting overwhelmed by it.

Here is a closer shot of the same space and you can see the blue ceiling more strongly. I love the whimsical signs - this particular sign adds such personality to the kitchen. Vintage style light fixtures and pale floors also add to the ambiance.

Moving to the family room we again see the use of blue on the ceilings. Notice how the color does not make the ceiling seem lower, but actually makes the ceiling almost disappear.

The same room from a different angle. You can see the patch of blue (like the sky) in the top left side of the photo. Again the SEA letters, life ring and assorted wood signs add a happy lightness to the room. I adore the beadboard walls. Also notice the slanted wall area - often times it is painted to match the ceiling - in this case it would have been a mistake. Keeping it white allows your eye to travel up and adds a feeling of openness to the space.

Here is the Family Room again from another angle. I love the slouchy softness of the big throw covering the chair. This a room where you can really kick back and relax.

The upstairs hallway continues with blue ceilings. Also notice the gray/blue painted floors. I love the doors - clearly they are original to the house.

A peek into the bath - which seems to have white ceilings but wonderful sea glass green walls. More of this beautiful home to come next time!!

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But for now just a quick tour of a great beach cottage which was enhanced by painting a space often overlooked - the ceiling. Have any of you taken on the ceiling??

(all photos Salomon Photography not to be copied with out permission)

Chappaquiddick Boat House

Some of my most favorite spaces are smaller ones. And this recent renovation by Hutker Architects in Martha's Vineyard is no exception.

Formerly a boat house, the 1,100 square foot renovation opened up the space and provided a wonderful ocean escape for the family. Built right over the water, it's almost as if you are on a boat.
Upon entering the neutral decor lets the water views take center stage. You will notice that the trim, walls and ceiling are all painted the same color. This is an old decorating trick. If the trim was a painted a whiter shade than the walls your eye would stop (even for the briefest second) at each opening. By keeping the color uniform your eye stops only when it sees the view or into the next room. I find this trick really opens up a room.
The family room has plenty of seating and the ottoman coffee table is a wonderful addition which adds a nice textural element and a few extra seats. Again a neutral sofa is key and the pillows add the dash of color. Notice the beamed ceiling and beadboard above.
This kitchen is perfect! It has all the amenities you need in a carefully designed space. Green soapstone and rattan stools compliment the family room decor. I really like the different rugs. Not matching the rugs, but choosing complimentary colors adds another layer of interest.
Who would guess that this small area could seat 8 adults? A good trick in a limited area is to add a banquette. I am sure you can even fit more if they were children! Pale blue dominates this area, but notice it compliments the ocean and because it is so subtle it does not compete with the view. Every ocean retreat needs a hideaway spot and this one is lovely. Built in drawers provide much needed extra storage. I like the addition of arched opening - it is a wonderful way to frame the spectacular view.
Finally the porch - what a beautiful spot to relax. For more photos click here.

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Enjoy the the weekend!!

What's This About French Ticking?!

My friend Wendy Lewis and I were chatting the other day. Wendy is the owner of Textile Trunk, one of the largest importers of Antique European Fabrics in the US. We got to talking about Antique French Ticking (isn't it fun to have friends you can have long conversations with about French ticking!). Anyway, I said "So I guess French Ticking is really coming back into style, eh?" (trying to sound so cool and 'in the know') Wendy gently replied "Oh, Gina, French ticking has NEVER gone OUT of style. Why just about everyone wants French Ticking fabric - especially in the Spring!" "Yes", I said quickly (and with a slight English accent, so I would still sound hip and stylish) "It's simply a classic, Darling!" We both had a good laugh!

And of course when I really thought about it - French Ticking IS a classic. Perhaps that's why we see it everywhere, year after year! So, I decided to look back in my inspiration files. Both photos above are from an older Country Living issue. Blue and white is the most classic ticking. I love the straight lines of this slipcover - no ruffles - good choice. I suppose Ticking is so popular in the warmer climates (and in Spring) because it has a certain crispness and lends itself well to beach decor. In this photo from Coastal Living, we see blue ticking slipcovers again on the dining chairs.

The photo above from Cote de Texas, we see yellow ticking on the banquette. Even in this more rustic setting it adds a certain freshness.

French ticking originated as a utilitarian fabric used to cover mattresses, pillows, and daybeds. An extremely durable fabric it was originally woven to withstand heavy use and had a traditional heavy weave and straight line pattern. According to Wendy, antique pieces can still be found as early as the 18th century. In this room above from Country Living we see the ticking on the pillows and on the box spring. I really like how this looks - subtle but a very nice touch.

(cote de texas)

Here you see more contemporary ticking used as a duvet cover. In both examples you see that the fabric looks as wonderful mixed with beadboard and painted furniture as it is does mixed with denim and sisal.

French ticking is the perfect compliment to sisal and sea grass and lends itself wonderfully to classic coastal decor. I adore this room from Coastal Living! Notice the wood stump table, rattan coffee table, hanging lanterns and mirror. What a beautiful room for a beach house.
(cote de texas)
The classic ticking colors are red and blue - These pillows are a great addition to this sofa!

Faded blue ticking looks simply perfect in the Swedish style home. Here in a popular shot from Veranda, Shannon Bowers sits them on her gorgeous Gustavian bench.

(living etc)
Antique French ticking also looks divine on antique french furniture. I just adore the look and feel of this piece.
(cote de texas)
A French sofa with antique French ticking. It looks so soft and pretty.
(mary makarie)
The ticking on this chair looks new - but the floral fabric looks antique - An interesting mix
(haunt)
This iron daybed looks so sweet covered in ticking. Notice how perfect the stripes run on the sides of the cushion. Very well done.
(things caught in Michael's eye)
Here small antique pieces of French ticking are used in a patchwork design to cover this settee. It looks marvelous in this loft like setting.
(Country Living)
French Ticking in a child's room looks sweet and inviting. (peak of chic)
But, it is not just used just in coastal, beach and informal settings. Here designer Carolyn Roehm, drapes a bedroom and French ticking takes on a much more luxurious feel.
(cote de texas)
A bit more serious and formal,you can see that this table draped in French ticking, becomes more sophisticated. Used as a wall treatment and drapery fabric, this room from Peak of Chic, shows how French ticking can stand up to the most elegant architecture.

(Veranda)

But, for most of us, just a few pretty pillows mixed in with what we have will do.

(nskwood)
Here antique pieces are patch-worked into beautiful works of art. Note the ticking bench cushion as well. (eurolinens)
Here is another antique ticking pillow. This one is so pretty - the patching technique allows you to hide any stains and use as much of the remnant piece as possible.
I had to include this wonderful design from Freckles and Bird in the UK! What a fun pillow!
If only I could sew! You can find ticking in any fabric store, but for something really unique and beautiful check out Wendy's antique French pieces - They are so gorgeous. This is just one of many she has listed on her website, Textile Trunk- click here

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I guess its pretty obvious that French Ticking is as popular as ever and here to stay. It works in almost every decor and setting. So next time someone asks you what you think about French Ticking you can say, "Oh Darling, it's a CLASSIC" (just try to use your best English accent!)