Deco Delight

February 9, 2014 by ark_admin

I am behind…I’m way behind. At least, that’s how the people who have already spent over $133 million worldwide to see The Great Gatsby have made me feel.

I’m not sure if my love for this era began when my high school literary instructor assigned F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel to read and dissect – probably not. However, I find it entirely fascinating now. The people, the art, the music, the fashion and the interiors were evolving tremendously during that period and that evolution had a major impact on the world of today.

I was beside myself when I heard that Warner Bros. was taking Fitzgerald’s novel, an excellent 1920’s character study, to the big screen. I don’t care what the reviewer’s say – “too glitzy” “more sparkle than substance” – I am going purely for the eye candy. No, not for Mr. DiCaprio, but for the recreation of the design, art and fashion.

I couldn’t blog about the design of this era without including a pic of the Empire State Building lobby!

What do you think about these “inspired” rooms:

And the “inspired” fashions of today… *drool!*

Cheers!

Photos courtesy of Houzz and Net-A-Porter

friday favorites : weekend mischief

February 9, 2014 by ark_admin

From art director Mandy Keener: “Hello, Mr. Cool, I remember watching my first McQueen film “The Great Esacpe” and fell in love with his super “stud-ly-ness”. Check out this roundup of All Things Steve McQueen from Domaine.” {“Get a Life Steve McQueen” from Domaine}

From editor Rosemary Hallmark: “I have Brimfield envy! I dream of spending two days people watching and poking through the treasures at this famous antique show. Love these finds, particularly this woven chair.” {“Brimfield 2013” from Elements of Style}

From marketing coordinator Ellen Scruggs: “I’ve usually NOT been a fan of “yard art”, however, this gnome might just change my mind and especially so if it can help my flowers bloom…and cause mischief, which I am always in favor of!” {“Larry the Lawn Gnome” from Chive Inc}

From managing editor Tiffany Burgess: “Have you seen the new JC Penney collections? I’m particularly loving the mod, yet natural Terence Conran collection. Great design at a great price!” {“Totally Obsessed: Terence Conran Design for JCPenney” from Design Sponge}

friday favorites

February 9, 2014 by ark_admin

From editor Rosemary Hallmark: “I have serious Brimfield envy! It would be a dream to spend two days people watching and poking through the treasures at this famous antique show!” {“Brimfield” from Elements of Style}

room of the week : home with a view

February 9, 2014 by ark_admin

Another fabulous before-and-after from our May issue, this dining room belonging to Kathy & Steve Storey was so dark and small before designer Garry Mertins got his hands on it. On the other side of the glass doors that overlook Lake Hamilton, the deck was rebuilt without a cover, so that plenty of sunlight streams into the home. The ceiling went up, making room for a dramatic chandelier and walls separating the living, kitchen and dining area were removed for an open concept living space.

crafting 101 with jerusalem greer: “g” whiz

February 9, 2014 by ark_admin

Spending a Saturday morning driving around older neighborhoods garage sale-ing, fortified by coffee, pastry, and NPR, is one of my most favorite past-times in the whole world. Lately it seems however, that these luxurious, meandering, Saturday morning excursions have been harder and harder to come by. But this past weekend I decided to treat myself for Mother’s Day. I threw caution to the wind, shucked all my chores and responsibilities on Saturday morning, filled my coffee cup with rocket full, my pockets with one dollar bills and hit the neighborhood streets in search of used treasures.

Thankfully, I was not disappointed.

BEFORE

This grapevine G was just one of my favorite finds at the great price of $2. As soon as I saw it I knew I was going to wrap that puppy in yarn. {Note: I know that wrapping things in yarn has become the new “put a bird on it” of the crafting world, but I don’t care. Wrapping shapes in yarn is inexpensive, takes almost no skill, and satisfies the crafty itch within minutes. So there.} The only thing I did to prepare my “G” was to rip all the little plastic green leaves off of it, which was pretty easy as they were not glued down well.

Next I wrapped the whole letter in one layer of yellow acrylic yarn from a pile of crochet cast-offs that someone gave me months ago. I called this the “crumb layer” after the baking technique,because you can still see bits and pieces of the grapevine coming through the yarn. This step was by far the most time consuming, but instead of rushing mindlessly (and impatiently,) through to the end, I tried to enjoy the process, letting my Monday stresses unwind with my skein of yarn.

For the final layer, I went around the G two more times with the yarn, working to cover up the places where the vines were poking through still. Some pieces were so small and poky that I just broke them off all together. In the end there are still a few places where you can see the dark bits of the grapevine, but I don’t mind. I like a little nod to imperfection in my crafting. The first go round with the yarn took about twenty minutes, but the second two took half that time combined.

AFTER

To add one more colorful bit of fun, I added three fuzzy pom poms that I made using the medium size Clover Pom Pom Maker, in bottom left hand curve of the G. This little bit of color and weight was the perfect addition and helped to set off the bright yellow just right. I adore how the G turned out, and the combination of sunny cheer and homespun charm make me smile every time I catch a glimpse of it. Because I used so many items that I already had on hand -yarn, pom poms, pom pom maker, – the whole project cost me $2 in cash and about 45 minutes in time.

So tell me, do you enjoy garage sale-ing as much as me? Do you have to fight the urge to wrap your whole house in yarn or put a bird on it? What is the best make-over craft project you have ever done? I would love to know!

giveaway: furniture makeovers book

February 9, 2014 by ark_admin

In our May issue we told you about Furniture Makeovers, a new book from Barb Blair featuring simple techniques and tips to transform ANY piece of furniture. Now, we’re giving you the chance to WIN A COPY!

All you have to do to win a free copy of this practical and pretty DIY guide is tell us what piece of furniture in your home you would most like to transform. It can be anything from a chair to a headboard or even accessories. Leave a comment below and you’ll automatically be entered to win your own copy of Furniture Makeovers. Good Luck!

P.S. To learn more about Barb and her furniture adventures visit knackstudios.com.

UPDATE: Congrats to Melissa Reves, the winner of Furniture Makeovers. Please message us on Facebook or send an email to [email protected] to claim your prize.

Mother’s Day: Set it, Make it, Gift it

February 9, 2014 by ark_admin

Need some last minute Mother’s Day inspiration? In our recent issues, designers such as Tanarah Haynie, Andrea Brooks and the ladies at Providence Design have created some fabulous tabletops. Using those as our inspiration, we’ve found gift and recipe ideas to help you create the perfect day for your mom!

set it: botanical bash

make it: black raspberry and vanilla bean ice cream

gift it: 1. happ & stahns 1842 eau de parfum 2. botanical no 5510 art print 3. the drunken botanist 4. aerin jacaranda wood candle

set it: masterful mix

make it: lemon fritter-sticks with nutmeg pudding

gift it: 1. parrot necklace 2. salud pitcher and glass 3. latte bowls 4. gold feather tray

set it: the collected table

make it: french almond macarons

gift it: 1. lollia handcreme 2. tokyo milk gin & rosewater parfum 3. 31 bits necklace 4. lilly pulitzer scarf

room of the week : historically modern

February 9, 2014 by ark_admin

It’s “Before and After” month at At Home in Arkansas – one of the At Home staff’s favorite issues! We just love to see a fabulous renovation, and the May issue is full of them. This week’s Room of the Week is the kitchen of a historic Quapaw Quarter home in Little Rock. Homeowner Cassie Toro wanted to keep the character of the 1922 home, but update it for how we live today. The kichen was small and dated when Cassie moved in. By knocking down the wall separating it from the dining room and sunroom, she was able to create an open space ideal for entertaining. Cassie also added a kitchen island for extra prep and seating space and expanded a wall of cabinets, adding glass-front doors. The kitchen now feels both modern and classic. You can read more about Cassie’s adventures updating a historic home in the May issue and online by clicking here.

Would you ever consider renovating a historic home? It seems like quite an undertaking, but the end result is so amazing!

the collected table : mother’s day tabletop

February 9, 2014 by ark_admin

Mother’s Day is just around the corner…As two designing sisters, we’re planning a brunch after church to celebrate our mother. We planned our tablescape early, so it could be featured in the May Issue of At Home in Arkansas. We chose a mix of old and new…just the way we like to decorate. To see the full article click here.

Antique silver pieces are mixed with department store white plates,vintage glassware and china. An antique terracotta confit pot holds pale pink roses and a unique wood trough is filled with fresh green apples.

Tulips in antique silver vases are mixed with silver candelabras and wood candlesticks. Birds rather than candles are an unexpected touch…

We’ll serve mimosas…here’s a recipe with a little twist…

3 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice

1 ounce triple sec

4 ounces dry champagne

Combine in a champagne flute and garnish with an orange wedge or strawberries. Cheers!

It’s always nice to have an appetizer to serve while waiting to get things out of the oven and on to the table…

Doesn’t this look yummy? Crostini with peaches, blue cheese and honey. Recipe from Bev Cooks.

Mother just loves french toast, and this is a great recipe from Cook Eat Share. One of the best things about this recipe is you can prepare it the night before…and then just pop it in the oven.

Ingredients:

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup half and half

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons Karo light corn syrup

1 loaf French bread, sliced

Slice bread into 1 inch thick slices and arrange in a greased 13×9 inch baking dish. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, half and half, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour half of the egg mixture evenly over bread slices, soaking well. Repeat with second layer.

For praline topping, mix together butter, light brown sugar, chopped pecans and light corn syrup. Spread on top of each slice of bread on top layer. Cover with foil and place dish in refrigerator overnight. The next morning, remove foil and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

A side of fresh bacon and fruit is all we need to complete this beautiful meal.

We’ve had enough sweets…we’ll box the cup cakes up for everyone to take home…

Along with a small pot of mint…we just love party favors…

Our Mother passed on to us a great sense of style…she never does anything halfway…and every time you sit at her table it is not only delicious, but a real event…We can’t wait to celebrate her and her awesome contributions to our family.

We hope that we’ve inspired you to do the same. What are your plans?

It’s your turn. Let’s talk!

outside the box with daniel keeley : renovation progress

February 9, 2014 by ark_admin

Oh, my goodness! Is it spring outside? I can hardly believe my eyes. Only a week or so ago, it was snowing in Northwest Arkansas where I live! I can’t tell you how happy I am that, hopefully, we have put the long, rainy, cold winter behind us. I am more than ready for the rejuvenation and transformation of the spring season…both in the landscape around us and in my home remodel!

So, on that note…some good news and good timing: we have finally started painting the new brick exterior. As you know, the color is Sherwin Williams ‘Black Fox’, and I just love it. It is a muddy, dark gray/brown, and it really gives the house the character I was looking for.

We are also making good progress on the back entry porch. The new columns and trim work are mostly finished, and thanks to my indefatigable painter, Mike James, soon it too will be coated in the same color.

Eventually, all the windows and trim will also receive the ‘Black Fox’ paint treatment, which will really settle the house visually into the landscape and give it a slight contemporary edge.

And speaking of landscape, we have finally been able to start on the garden. The rains have really been holding us back, but at least we have begun trenching for irrigation and lighting.

In the process of thinking about the garden, I decided to perform a simple and affordable face-lift on the front entry walk. The walk is just old concrete, so to update it and to make it a bit more interesting I decided to cut out 6″ strips in regular intervals. When we lay the sod for the front lawn, the grass will pass right through these new joints, giving the look of individual concrete pads. This will give a fresh look to the front of the house and a more engaging experience to visitors.

I am saving the concrete pieces that were cut out and am hoping to think of something cool to do with them. Please send me a message on Facebook if you have any creative ideas!

Also outside, my copper gas lanterns (something I was dead-set on from the beginning!) are up and on.

Around back, the carport/cabana is coming along nicely, as well. New, glass french doors and a small casement window have been installed, and additional trim is helping the structure relate a bit more to the architecture of the main house.

The inside of the old workshop/new ‘Garden Room’ has also been gutted to receive new electrical work and casual pine board walls. Be sure to check back next month for updates on the interior!

Deco Delight

friday favorites : weekend mischief

friday favorites

room of the week : home with a view

crafting 101 with jerusalem greer: “g” whiz

giveaway: furniture makeovers book

Mother’s Day: Set it, Make it, Gift it

room of the week : historically modern

the collected table : mother’s day tabletop

outside the box with daniel keeley : renovation progress

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