This photo came across my desk this morning.  A new collection of outdoor furniture by Gloster Furniture.  What a fresh new look for Spring!

And the chairs are in several colors

Can’t wait to get outside.  And this would be such a lovely place to dine on those grilled burgers.

Pretty silk draperies with pleated details

don’t know what made me think of this.  I’m sitting on my bed with my Saturday morning coffee.  (I love my Sturday mornings!)  and I looked up at my bedroom draperies.  No, this is not mine.  But I started thinking about drapery details.  Weird, huh.  anyway, God is in the details.  If you look closely, I have a pretty decorative “drop” sewn onto each pleat.  It just makes it a little special and a little more custom.  Of course, “passementerie” can be expensive.  You could skip every other pleat to use less  tassel drops.  And, it could be tassels, not the hand made “drops”.  Those could be found in the local fabric or craft store.

 
I also really like this finial.  The windows were very high and almost to the ceiling.  So I needed a large scale finial.  This one is fabulous.  —-black and gold neoclassical shape.  Yes, I do use a lot of neoclassical details.  It is my favorite period style.  I can’t help it.  But it isn’t always the right one.  Maybe we’ll talk about period details later. 
We made the back cover – inside back

My last word on the cookbook.  Our kitchen area was selected as the inside back “flap”.

That was nice to see.
 
I did so love designing this kitchen.  The pretty French print on the windows bring a sweet charm and a sophisticated feel to the breadfast area.  and after gutting the entire room and starting over, I think it feels like it has always been there.
 
Remember, the more attention to detail, the better the design project.  I don’t mean adding detail, I mean “attention to detail”.  That may mean removing something that you really like, but that just is too much.  Even in traditional design, simplicity is GOOD!

And here is the description in the book of this very custom kitchen that I designed for a client here in Mississippi.

Detailed Neoclassical Kitchen - designed for the 21st Century

—Ms Barrett’s attention to detail is evident in this traditional kitchen.  French Neoclassical elements

are shown in reed and ribbon borders, carved corbels, and lion’s head details.   A simple backspash 

over the Viking Range is reflected in the basket backsplash over the sink area. In the dining area, 

hand blown glass is used in the cabinet doors. The custom hand stained cabinets are designed to be 

symmetrical and very functional. For more views of this kitchen, visit the website listed.  —

Attention to detail is the name of the game.  They also used my project – the breakfast dining area – as the back cov

er.  I showed you that area in an earlier blog post.  But they used a different angle, I believe.  I’ll show it next.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The recipe that I gave for the “Designers of the South” Cookbook, is my mother’s potato salad.  I remember that they were after me to get my recipe in and that was the one I know off the top of my head.  But everybody loves it.  It is my “go to” for family celebrations.
Mama’s Potato Salad, dressed up.

Anyway, it is fun to have it out there.  The kitchen I designed is the next page.  I’ll send the kitchen design out tomorrow. 

 
 
 
 
They chose the kitchen design that I did.  And my recipe for my mom’s potato salad.
Guess what! I’m in a cook book!

I know, very quaint.  But I am thrilled.  There is one photo of the kitchen design on the layout with my recipe.  It has designers from around the South.  But I am the only one in Mississippi.  I can’t help liking that. 

AND – they chose my breakfast seating area for the inside back cover!  Very nice.
This is perfect for “Designer Diner” – now isn’t it.
I’ll post the pages next.

And so elegant!  Hubert Le Gall -

French artistand Sculptor has created these beautiful tables.

New table by French sculptor Hubert LeGall

Just how much charm can one table have?  This is just a hint to what is in store for us – “crazy design”- coming soon.

A quick correction.  “Small Stores”  will be on Amazon, and other “select bookstores” in about two weeks, as I understand it.

We recently were published in a book called “SMALL STORES”.  It is a coffee table type book of small retail stores from all over the world!  They are from New York, Paris, New Delhi, Chili, and on and on…..  and ours.  We submitted Lakeland Optical here in the Fondren area, Jackson, MS.  It was accepted and I am thrilled.  It goes in book stores this week. 
 This is the cover.  We are on page 72.  a two page spread.  So exciting!
PRETTY FRENCH LOOK

This is a pretty breakfast area that we recently finished.  So many special details….

Bronze finish chandelier with lions heads in the boxed details. 
A very pretty French cotton print on the windows… typical Pierre Deaux type look.
The simple round painted table is one of my favorites….fabulous Neoclassical detailing.
Bierdermeier classic chairs with a little “dusting” in the slat backs to show the carving.
We used a sisal rug and banded it in a colorful fabric banding to pick up on the Heriz runners used in other parts of this kitchen. 
-On the floor a travertine tile.
-Benjamin Moore red on the walls with just a little aging in the corners.
….more of this beautiful kitchen details later.
 
It is not on the webiste yet.
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