Velvet & Linen

a beautiful neutral christmas...

Since we don't celebrate Christmas, I have no decorations to share, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the gorgeous Christmas posts created by my bloggy friends. 

Here are some of my favorites...

Slim Paley did a magnificent job (of course!) creating many gorgeous holiday posts. Her White Christmas post was dreamy... 

Image via Slim Paley

This morning I enjoyed my breakfast while visiting Glenda's beautifully decorated English cottage in silvers and natural greenery at the Paper Mulberry.

Image via The Paper Mulberry

 

 A collection of aged pewter chargers create some vintage holiday cheer.

Image via The Paper Mulberry

 

Glenda's potted tree is so simple yet beautiful.

Image via The Paper Mulberry

 

Kelley created a divine mantelscape using vintage breadboards and lavendar. I'm sure it smells as wonderful as it looks!

 

Image via The Polished Pebble.

 

My friend Monika's decorations always reflect her Swedish roots. 

Image via Splendid Willow

 

A lovely diminutive wreath hanging from a sconce adds the perfect amount of color and cheer in Monika's house.

 Image via Splendid Willow

 

Greet shared illuminating images of decorations with glass. I see Menorah inspiration!

 

Image via Belgian Pearls

 

Image via Belgian Pearls

 

Cecilia's posts never disappoint.  An olive leaf star goes a long way!

Image via Desde Mi Ventana

I'm so proud of my friend Ness. I've been following her blog for 3 years and have watched her grow as an artist. Her ornaments feel so authentic and handcrafted. You can see the care that goes into the creation of each one.

Image via Marley and Lockyer

 

My friend Kymberley Fraser always inspires me. This is an image of a bowl filled with crown ornaments in her store, A Beautiful Mess. I would place them on a potted tree, similar to Glenda's.

Image via Willow Decor

 

Kymberley brillantly creates Christmas decor from the antique textiles that are her passion.

Image via Willow Decor

 

I've been an adoring stalker of Lisa Luby Ryan for quite a while. Her shop is decorated with  shimmery mercury glass trees and candle sticks.

Image via Lisa Luby Ryan

 

Silver candy canes... so good!

Image via Lisa Luby Ryan

 

Some of my favorite decorations are inspired by nature. Minna's blog is in bloom all year long. Chistmas time at Blomsterverkstad is verdant and textural.

 Image via Blomsterverkstad

 

Image via Blomsterverkstad

 

Image via Blomsterverkstad

 

Lillian appreciates the beauty of paper whites and industrial lighting. It's that yin/yang male/female thing.

 

Image via Twelve Chairs 

This will be my last post for 2011. I'm off to spend time hugging my children (and playing Wii sports), planting in my garden, and reading all of the books piled around our house.

Steve and I want to thank all of you for joining us on our design and life journey. You have become an important part of our life, offering your support and love. We wish you a Happy, Healthy, Prospersous, and Inspired 2012. We look forward to sharing the next year with you as we design Patina Farm and share a new and exciting project with you!

xo xo

Brooke 

If you would like help creating the home of your dreams, email me about our design services. You can also purchase many items found here on Velvet and Linen as well as "to the trade" furnishings through Giannetti Home. Email Kelly about the details.

To Subscribe to Velvet & Linen via email click here.

To follow Velvet & Linen on Facebook click here.

Please visit the Patina Style Barnes and Noble page or Amazon page  to order our new book.

Signed Copies of Patina Style are available through Giannetti Home.

 

 

thank you to amy and gene howard and a giannetti home project: a modern east coast traditional house...

Thank you to Amy and Gene Howard for hosting a wonderful Patina Style book event at their shop in Memphis. Steve and I loved meeting all of Amy and Gene's friends and clients as well as all of you Velvet and Linen readers! We were thrilled to stay at the Howard's gorgeous home, beautifully decorated for Christmas...

 

and tour their inspiring studio! 

 

The templates used to create Amy Howard's furniture pieces are works of art.

 

The craftsmen that work at Amy Howard are true artisans. 

 

A reflection of Gene Howard in one of the gorgeous gilt mirrors created at the Amy Howard studio. Can you believe that mirror is new?  

 

We flew home on Saturday, with the rest of the weekend to recover from all of the fun we had in Memphis...

and to celebrate Charlie's acceptance to the Gallatin School and New York University! Yay Charlie!!!

On Monday, it was back to work.

A couple of weeks ago, I did a post about a Modern Mediterranean house that Steve designed. I explained that many of our clients are requesting different traditional house styles that incorporate modern elements to their design. This post is about an East Coast Style house with a modern twist...

Here is one Steve's first sketches, working out the multiple levels in the backyard and the porches off the back of the family room.

 

As the design developed, Steve refined the elevations and introduced the round window into the master bath and the sliding pocket doors on the back of the family room in the lower left of the top image. The lower image is the front of the house.The garage on the left will be covered in a stone veneer in later versions, but the first idea of a house that has been added onto over time will remain.

 This image shows the round window in the master bath.

The inside of the master bath will look like this... The Interior designer, Adam Hunter, and the owners have pushed the inside design more modern and glamorous. Some walls are paneled and some have a stone mosaic.

The round window will remind you of this image from the Cliffwood house...

 

 Steve creates these sample walls for his projects whenever he can. They help  busy clients by allowing them to see all of the details of the house on a small mock up. All of the refinements are worked out here early in the process rather than on the house later on when changes are more expensive or impossible.

 

Here Is the actual version, showing both the inside trim...

 

and the outside trim. You can see where Adam Hunter is trying out some colors on the exterior siding.

 

Here is the first sketch of the entry, with the pocket doors along the back. It changed a lot from this original sketch, but the basic idea remains.

 

A few months ago it looked like this..

A few weeks ago the beams were going in, and you could see the big opening for the pocket doors..

 

 

Here is the view towards the main stairway. It has a loft feeling. The wall near the stairs will be painted paneling.

 

Here is another view of the stairs, looking up towards the landing,with the opening to the basement below.

Here is a sketch of the kitchen . The cabinets are going in now (pictures to come soon!).

 

Next to the kitchen is the octagonal breakfast room. Adam has some cool ideas for furniture in here (stay tuned!)..

 

Here you can see the breakfast room from the outside.. The porch will have motorized roll down screens for a real indoor/outdoor ( bug free) experience ... 

 

 Down in the basement, a wine cellar and game room will open to a home theatre.

 

 

You will be able to slide open a wall in the back of the theatre and watch movies from the game room. The rear projection system will make it easy to see the screen even with the lights on...

 

Adam has some exciting ideas for materials, and we will see more images soon of furniture selections. It's much more modern than you would expect. It will give the house a very fresh feel... Its great to work with new designers. There is always a new take on things....Check out the aluminum subway tile on the right.. It looks even better in real life.. 

That's it for now. We are looking forward to sharing this project with you as it progresses. 

Thank you to our clients, Interior Designer Adam Hunter and RT Abbot Construction for letting us share this project with you.

xo

Brooke

If you would like help creating the home of your dreams, email me about our design services. You can also purchase many items found here on Velvet and Linen as well as "to the trade" furnishings through Giannetti Home. Email Kelly about the details.

To Subscribe to Velvet & Linen via email click here.

To follow Velvet & Linen on Facebook click here.

Please visit the Patina Style Barnes and Noble page or Amazon page  to order our new book.

Signed Copies of Patina Style are available through Giannetti Home.

 

 

 

patina holiday inspiration and a thank you to elle decor...

I have to admit that this holiday season has been a bit overwhelming. Maybe it's the fact that we are waiting for college emails (times, they are changing!) letting us know Charlie's college future, or our plans to build Patina Farm and sell our home here in Santa Monica in the Spring.

Whatever the reasons, I have given up thoughts of family holiday cards, ginger bread home building and traditional holiday blog posts.

All of my blog friends have done an amazing job spreading Holiday cheer. In the spirit of Patina Style, I thought I would share a little Holiday Patina from our visit to the Pasadena Flea Market last Sunday...

I have fond memories of  these same Christmas carolers on the lawns in my  neighborhood during my childhood.

 

We saw a crowd of Santas bright and early this Sunday morning. I never knew that so many Santas were early risers! 

 

 

 Looks like this Santa is heading off to a new home with a warmer climate.

 

Even the mannequins were getting into the Holiday Season.

Yes, the Holiday spirit loomed large over the aisles. 

 

 

Vintage aqua bottles shimmered in the sun like holiday lights.

Collections of assorted chandelier drops added even more sparkle to this sunny December morning.

 

The ornaments of my childhood.

A pair of ethereal wings were ready to take flight...

under decorations whispering  words of joyous celebrations. 

 

A miniature steam punk city, built from assorted metal industrial parts, shimmers in the early morning sunlight.

 

This whimsical city, created by a dreamer, reminds us to dream and create.

As I head off to Memphis tomorrow for our Patina Style book event at Amy Howard's store, I want to wish all of you a very Happy Holiday filled with love, hope and dreams.

 

I also want to thank Lauren DeCarlo at ElleDecor.com for including me, with Peter Dunham and Nathan Turner, in her article about The Pros and Cons of Opening a Storefront. Click here to read our advise.

xo 

Brooke

 

If you would like help creating the home of your dreams, email me about our design services. You can also purchase many items found here on Velvet and Linen as well as "to the trade" furnishings through Giannetti Home. Email Kelly about the details.

To Subscribe to Velvet & Linen via email click here.

To follow Velvet & Linen on Facebook click here.

Please visit the Patina Style Barnes and Noble page or Amazon page  to order our new book.

Signed Copies of Patina Style are available through Giannetti Home.

 

 

a patina style book signing at amy howard's shop in memphis!

Steve and I want to thank Amy Howard for hosting a Patina Style book signing at her store in Memphis this Friday, December 16th!

We will be signing copies of Patina Style from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Amy Howard Store located at 420 South Perkins.

If you live in or near Memphis, please pop by. We'd love to meet you!

Before then... I will be taking the boys to the Kanye West and Jay-Z "Watch the Throne Concert" here in Los Angeles tomorrow night. What, you didn't know I was a big Kanye/Jay-Z fan?  Hey, if they're good enough for Beyonce...

Actually, all it took was my 18 year old son, Charlie asking me if I wanted to go to the concert with him.

Really? You want to go with me? You still think I'm cool? Next thing I knew, I was buying tickets. I know all of you parents understand. I just hope I can stay awake! It doesn't even start until after my bed time.

I will be Tweeting and attempting to post pictures on Facebook from the Staples Center. Drop by, if you want to start your week or end your weekend with a giggle.

xo 

Brooke

If you would like help creating the home of your dreams, email me about our design services. You can also purchase many items found here on Velvet and Linen as well as "to the trade" furnishings through Giannetti Home. Email Kelly about the details.

To Subscribe to Velvet & Linen via email click here.

To follow Velvet & Linen on Facebook click here.

Please visit the Patina Style Barnes and Noble page or Amazon page  to order our new book.

Signed Copies of Patina Style are available through Giannetti Home.