Painted Italian ceiling panel above a headboard
made from a salvaged cherubic boiserie…
Designers Babs Watkins, Julie Watkins Baker, Eleanor Cummings
More at House Beautiful website here
When all moves to modern….here’s where
you’ll find me…stuck on texture and aged patinas…
and a touch of color gracing the soft neutrals…
From the same incredible Houston home…
a sense of treasure found along the way…
I’m so cued in to blue tones these days that a huge, chippy, blue side of a building
I found at a salvage yard keeps whispering to me….”make me into plank shutters…
a garage door…add those rusty hinges on Ebay…”. Certainly it couldn’t come near
this prettiness…this perfect composite of all the most beautiful shades of blue
on this antique Swedish hutch from the home above…
Wendy Lewis of The Textile Trunk has been running with a slew of beautiful blues
lately…in the midst of her over 1000 listings of antique and vintage European
textiles on Ebay. Love the above vintage hessian grain sack! She’s in the process of
unloading ninety enormous new boxes of gorgeous textiles direct from Europe…
so be sure to keep an eye on her Ebay site here
An article just came out about Wendy in the New York Times here
Congratulations Wendy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On the slim chance you haven’t heard of Wendy, here’s
an earlier post I did of The Textile Trunk here
Since I’ve recently been spending all my time
outdoors…I bought the requisite weatherproof Sunbrella fabric
pillows …these from Restoration Hardware…
But wanted a softer looking cushion for a set of their Klismos armchairs off the master bedroom.
They arrived looking a bit too new…so I rubbed a little paint on them to give the some age…
I’m imagining a French mattress like seat cushion…would rather not cover the back…
perhaps a lumbar style smaller pillow. Its been over three months since the neighbor’s
oak crashed through the fence…a slow process of re-imagining this corner of the yard.
I asked Wendy about using natural fabrics outside and she replied:
Actually hemp is ideal for outdoor furniture!!~ It is naturally mold and mildew resistant ~
The sun, over time…will degrade any fabric but because these textiles wear like nails,
it wouldn’t be a problem in our lifetimes!! J ~ the stripes have been exposed to sunlight
for many many many years, and they only get better with time…the natural dyes used
in the 19th century were very hearty ~
A search for “hemp” on Wendy’s Ebay site here yields almost 400 options.
Small glimpse of my new lavender….sigh…I’ve forgotten how long a new garden
takes to really take hold. Eventually each plant will be two feet wide and tall
and virtually carefree. So while I’m waiting for some color in the new garden…
I’ll be working on those cushions and a few dozen more ideas.
And in the meantime I’m gravitating
to all shades of blue…
Interior Design Barbara Westbrook
House Beautiful here
Hope you’re off to a wonderful weekend…
Peeling paint, great shutters, a beautiful painted panel and lavender.
I’ll take those over modern any day!
-Ann
The room designed by Barbara Westbrook is one of my all-time favorites–thanks for reminding me. And I am patiently waiting for the modern/lacquer craze to subside here in LA. Love the antique hemp and linen fabrics. Thanks for all of your super posts.
Hello,
Thank you for your lovely post. It’s always a pleasure.
I just purchased the blue grain sack from the textile trunk. I mentioned I was referred through your blog.
Planning on framing it for my “blue” living room. Will show pictures when it’s done.
Thanks so much.
XO
Hi Anabelle…wonderful! My favorite grain sacks have that touch of blue…just perfect offset to the rustic fabric. LOVE the design on that one. Would love to see pictures!
Hello Trish,
Go for it!..those blue shutters Ala Trish – def. love all you have shared – now is there ever anything you post I don’t lik
..NO!
Next year this time..you will be posting about your HUGE lavender field, love the stone wall. have a good weekend Love Colette x
Hi Colette! I’ll have to look at the salvage yard again…now that these blues are fresh in my mind! I’m trying to be less impulsive!
Hello Trish:
Another dreamy post, sigh.
I love the Painted Italian ceiling panel above the headboard but I must confess I do not like the headboard, maybe if I see the details up close, but I much prefer something more simple. However, the linens on the bed were really nice, as all the lines you shown here today. Suntrella is a good choice for outside and for those who have hairy pets. My side yard looked like your lavender planted area three years ago — I was shocked after this rainy yucky spring how overgrown yes overgrown everything is now. I almost preferred the opposite now.
Your garden is fabulous and love all the hardscape ,and planters.
Joanny
Trish, as always, you find the best representation of just about anything!
My favorite color is green in all its shades, but I must say these blues run a second best…especially that French blue on the shutter doors.
I read your blog first thing every day just to make sure it starts off with beauty. And it always does! Thanks for showing so many lovely things each and every day.
April
What a beautiful post Trish, thank you! I’m not normally a blue person but this post makes me love it. Funny but we have the same taste, I just received my Klismos chairs from Restoration Hardware too, thank goodness we live on opposite coasts. Your new lavender garden looks like it’s going to be fabulous, I can’t wait to see it all grown in. Thank you again for a lovely post and enjoy your weekend as well!
your blogs are beautiful. Love the idea of hemp for outdoors – where can you find hemp fabric?
Hi Debra…thank you! I did a search on Wendy’s Ebay site for hemp…the link is here.
This post was so lovely first thing in the morning. I am so with you on loving the old and warm richness you have shown us verses the modern metallic and shine. Thanks
Beautiful post as always. The shutters in the room designed by Barbara Westbrook has been a favorite of mine as well. I’m loving the idea of the hemp fabric and am curious where to find it? Can’t wait to see your lavender garden. I keep trying but just haven’t had much luck with it in Arkansas. I did plant a lovely bed with a stone wall around it with Purple Angelona and blue Russian sage and as it has matured it looks similar to a lavender field. I’ll take a picture of it and send it to you. Your gardens always inspire me . Have a great weekend. Mona
Loved the rough texture of the linens. Nice to know that hemp fabric comes with a life-time warranty for me (at 60!). Who knew? Love the new chairs and the bold hand that made them hers. The hill is shaping up beautifully. The downing of the oak tree may become your favorite ah ha moment.
The RH sunbrella fabric pillows did not come with zippers “(sponge clean”). There will be zippers (“There will be blood”) with the hemp fabric. At our age we don’t take life time guarantees lightly! I am going to have to vine-up that fence. I think I have to admit a vendetta against unpainted wood!
I needed motivation and inspiration today…and this did the trick!!! And, thanks for listing all the great sources. Have a great weekend!
I love the chippy painted cupboard and your lavender, even if it is in it’s earliest stage!
Trish, your hillside garden is looking lovely, even it its infancy…are the shutters for the house or carriage house?…you have so many exciting projects in the works and to think it’s all because of two old fallen trees…seems you have gotten the making lemonade from lemons thing down just perfectly.
~jermaine~
I love all these blue . The clue of the cupboard is fantatic
Thanks for this lovely post Trish! The colors and patinas are so delicious. I am inspired to paint a huge sky scape incorporating these shades!
It’s the blue variations you show that intrigue me……Those shutter doors are wonderful… I would like to see that blue piece you are itching to transform……..Your lavender makes me homesick for CA, mine was huge…….As usual this is inspiring….I’m having the same thing with purple…..I have eight stripes on my bedroom wall as we speak trying to get the right grey with a hint of a true lavender color…….Robes looks at it and winces…….xo Maryanne
So what is it about blue that makes it so very soothing and comfortable? Love the klismos armchair Trish, and thank you for the tips about Wendy’s Textile Trunk.
Sharon
Ahh, both soothing and nourishing for the eyes and soul. I will be thinking of those blue shutter doors
all weekend.
Enjoy a lovely weekend in your garden.
I am new to this “blog scene” and feel so very blessed that I happened upon your site. I love, love, love all of your beautiful pictures, and your lovely writing. I have always loved and had the old, the vintage. Thank you so very much! It is a touch of beauty and calm in this all too hectic world!
The linens, the textures, the old worn paint and faded colors…there is nothing like it. Your lavender will be wonderful. It smells so good when you’re watering it!
marcie
Hi Trish you have been busy! The blues are so beautiful, your post lovely! Thanks for all the beautiful images..
Kit
What a study in color! The blue corner cupboard with the silver and pomegranates is a color lesson in itself. Another beautiful post, Trish. I love coming here.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Love that Italian ceiling panel…and the linens and got a kick out of you distressing new with paint!
I think I NEED that Barbara Westbrook book!
xx
Oh, I have just fallen in love with that Italian ceiling panel. How cute is that!!?! I’d love to hang it above Isabella’s bed – she’d be protected by the little angels.
Love at first sight for me!
Hoping you are well.
x Charlotta
Hi Trish, I have always loved old faded things, kinda like me now!! You just reminded me of some lovely old greeny,blue shutters I have squirreled away I bought years ago. Must do something with them. Your lavender hillside looks lovely even now, and will be heavenly soon. I just used lavender in a wedding we did, so I planted all the plants after we cut them. I hope I have as much success here as you do in California. They are the Munstead variety and smelled and looked lovely in the bouquets we used it in.I love the cherub boiserie, and that whole dreamy scene. Reminds me of Maryanne’s Arte Pura line she is carrying.Thank you again for great visuals, Nella
Congratulations to Wendy — how lucky!
These photos are just incredible… I really cannot get over the bathroom — the details throughout
are just stunning — floor to ceiling.
And the lavender is coming along quite well — there’s nothing like rows and rows of that beautiful
purple — not to mention the smell. It’s so calming and lovely…
Visiting your blog is such a treat at the end of the day — it has me dreaming of many possibilities,
so thank you, Trish 🙂
xo
I found your beautiful blog quite randomly, and I have to say I’m impressed and inspired! You have beautiful gems on display here – I look forward to following 🙂