Velvet & Linen

rooms with a purpose

During a recent project, Steve and I were faced with an interesting dilema. The home that our clients purchased had a tiny little room off of the living room. We gave our clients several suggestions of what it could be:

A bar? Our clients informed us that they don't drink. An office? There was a nice office on the second story in the library. A kids' craft room? Too messy by the living room. A music room? No, they already had the piano in the living room. A garden room? It was too dark.....

BEFORE: What to do with this little room?

 

BEFORE: When our clients bought their home this room was a dark bar. Since our clients didn't drink, we would have to find a different purpose for this cozy space. 

 

 
 After all of these suggestions, we decided to wait and give the solution some time. As we spent more time with our clients grew, we were given many opportunities to see their relationship with their children. In a while the use for the little room started to come together. Our clients were very interested in creating spaces in their home that would support their children's natural curiosity: a library filled with classic books and American historical documents, a children's planting garden, an entry with a center table stacked with books of the works of great inventors and artists. 

Then one day our clients started talking about their family vacations and how much fun it was to see the world through their children's eyes. Steve got this funny look on his face. That's it! The Map Room : a place for our clients to explore the world with their children. 

We hung a series of  aged USGS maps on the wall. All of the maps are of significant places to our clients' lives....

 

Several maps show the hiking trails that surround our clients' home. There is no glass on the maps so that the children can put pins in the locations that they have already explored. 

 

An etagere (the Nina Etagere by the Furnishing Company) is filled with a magnifying glass, globes, compasses, and stacks of travel books. 
 
  

We hung an antique brass "Armillary Sphere Chandelier" by Circa Lighting in the center of the room. 
  

The set of luggage that we found at Foxglove Antiques in Atlanta found a new home in the map room. (Check out the new Foxglove Blog here! They actually mention my trip when we bought these beauties).

 

Two Houser Leather Wing Chairs by Dessin Fournir and a beautiful Windsor Smith "St. Andrews Ottoman" covered in Travers "Pompadour Velvet" create a cozy space to research their next family adventure. 
  

We covered the walls in  Hinson Burlap in Khaki. The drapery fabric is  Lee Jofa "Isley Stripe" in Olive #2008148-30. The antique brass drapery hardware is by Christopher Hyland. We also used my favorite picture lights by Circa lighting. 

 

On a recent visit to our clients' home, I was so excited to see one of the map books open on the ottoman. The kids were enjoying this room as we had hoped!

 

BEFORE:

AFTER: 
 
  

As our clients live in their home, we look forward to seeing how the Map Room gets filled with the mementos of our clients' adventures with their children.

xo

Brooke

foxglove antiques

I want to thank Holly from Things That Inspire for introducing me to Foxglove Antiques in Atlanta! The store is 12,000 square feet of gorgeous.

 

A pair of aged gilded candle stick holders, ruffled books and a sunburst mirror sit atop a painted chest.

 

What a perfect way to display these ironstone molds. They really are pieces of art. 

 

There were several wonderful displays of ironstone. I would love to have some of these pieces in my kitchen...

I could use these in my pantry for storage.

 
  

Steve fell in love with this set of parchment luggage. They found a place in our home. I'll show you where they are soon!
 

This French desk has the most charming curved legs. I'm hoping my client will buy it.

 

Some intaglios and mirrors filled one of the walls.
   

They had several great mirrors.

 

The chalky paint finishes on these pieces are just my style. 

  

 

We saw several  fantastic architectural pieces.

   It's always a challenge to find pretty ceiling lights. I thought this gilded fixture was very elegant.

   

A simple chandelier caught my eye.

 

There was something so clean and lovely about this glass cloche light...

 I bought this mini French crystal chandelier for my powder room. I sold my old fixture to my client. I do that a lot.

 
 Foxglove is also filled with "man-tiques", like these old wisky bottles and surfing trophy...

 

a collection of wood veneer boxes that would look great in a man's study...

 

old leather books for the library...

 

Steve and I both liked these wood and metal stools.
 
   
 

The handblown shape and the translucent green color of these glass jugs caught my eye.
 

Some of the simpler pieces at Foxglove were the most charming, like this wooden package. It looked like it had a wonderful story to tell.
   

I thought this "snowshoe" chair was quite an original design!

 The green glass canisters picked up the hull color of this wonderful pond yacht.

  

A couple more pond yachts and fishing baskets. I also loved those English bamboo pieces. They had so much character.

 

Isn't this crusty bird cage just wonderful?

 

These bowling pins are now in my living room. 
 
 

Steve and I spent over an hour at Foxglove. I highly recommend going there just to look at all of the eye candy.

We really had a fantastic trip to Atlanta! I hope you enjoyed coming along with us.

I also want to thank Tara King from Americasmart for asking me to be a guest blogger. To read my post click here.

 

Oh, and one last Very Important thing:

Thursday is the last day to vote for your favorite window in Bloomingdale's Big Window Challenge. You can vote twice a day. I have a favorite (see big hint below). Do you? To vote click here. 

 

xo

Brooke