Artist Spotlight: Teil Duncan

A young talent from Charleston, Teil Duncan is the artist behind these beautiful abstracts and gestural figure paintings. Her paintings consist of lovely color palettes and contain a feminine quality to them. My favorites are from her beach series.

Teil's art can be purchased on her website but be warned she sells out fast. Many of her paintings sell for around $1950-$1400. However, she offers a couple affordable prints for $110 such as, the ones below.

All Images Via

Gorgeous, no? If there is an artist you think we should know about, share with us. We are always looking for great art.

Nursery/Toddler Room Update

A very short 6 weeks (give or take) sits between our one-kid house and the arrival of our second baby.

We are starting to prep tiny baby laundry, finalize our baby needs list, and most importantly, we had to turn the crib back into a crib—my daughter has been sleeping in it as a toddler bed. You may remember our plans to incorporate a twin bed into the room, which we have now done—finally!

As most things go, I’ve changed some things since the original room plan, but it’s coming together. Here’s a peek at the toddler corner of the room:

The room ended up in a layout similar to this one (only mirrored, so the bed and crib are on opposite sides from where I have them drawn--the bed against the window wall and the crib immediately in front as you enter the room): 

Even though I didn’t think I’d get much done as far as decorating the new space, I did order some new sheets for the bed and fabrics to be made into something functional and cute. The when and how that will happen I’ll worry about later ;) For now here’s a look at what I have left to incorporate into the space:

garland // window fabric // eyeball sconce // rocker // footstool // rug // bolster fabric // coral fabric // aqua fabric

The windows already have some linen curtains up, but they only serve as dressings, and unfortunately the window receives Eastern light—meaning my daughter is up with the sun. Every. Day.  So I’m thinking of making either blackouts with the window fabric, or even some roman shades.

What do you think?

If this baby ends up being a boy I’ll probably bring more of the reds into that side of the room. But that will be tacked on to the other tasks for the room, I’m sure. (For example, I'd also like to paint the room a cooler, lighter color, but that's definitely not happening anytime soon!)

For now I’m just worried about making sure we have all the essentials for bringing home a baby. It’s surprising how much you forget about needing in those early days—but it’s also helpful to have done it once before so I know exactly how much we don’t need. Sometimes I think it’s just as important to decide what you don’t need when creating a functional design for a space. The phrase “less is more” didn’t come about for nothing!

Until next time…

Turks Review and Backyard Inspiration

My husband and I got back home from beautiful Turks and Caicos late last night.  We had a wonderful trip and had a lot of sun and relaxation.  I also used this trip to make a little announcement...

That's right.  Baby number 2 is on the way!  We'll be adding another little human to our brood in early October/late September, and we're so excited!

Knowing that our lives are about to get more hectic (and more wonderful), it was great having this time to simply enjoy each other without any interruptions or early wakeup calls.

The Gansevoort Turks + Caicos was the perfect spot to do just that.  The beach was something you can only dream of and the pool was a little slice of heaven.

It's easy to see why we didn't want to leave, isn't it?  

The pool area was a favorite of mine.  The mix of white, aqua and wood was done so well and the palm tree and flower backdrops just made it perfect.  But if you can't get to paradise yourself, you can create your own backyard oasis with these items.

pillow // chaise with cushion // curtain panels // orchids // umbrella // fire pit // wooden deck tiles // acrylic glasses // bar cart

Until next time...

Backyard Update II

As I mentioned a few posts back, we are re-doing our backyard. We have a good size yard but it was very shady and the mosquitoes would eat us a live within a minute of being out there so, we hardly went out.  We also had a water drainage issue from the yard being so un-leveled, no grass, and the fence was falling apart. Here is what is looked like before.

The yard really opened up by cutting down a tree, moving a couple trees back near the fence , and removing the small side fence that the previous owners installed. A newly installed patio also made a big difference.

And here is what it looks like today.

A good pressure washing to the fence did wonders.

My golf loving hubby and my brother installed a small putting green where the playground used to be. If you are interested in creating one, these are the instructions we followed.

Though we are not quite done, it has been so nice to finally enjoy our backyard. My daughter and her friends have played soccer in the grass a few times. Our nephews have had fun on the putting green. The baby and I have been able to sit out on the back and get some morning sun. We have even had dinner on the patio and surprisingly the mosquitoes haven't been bad. I am not sure if its just because it is early in the season or if having less shade in the backyard has helped cut down on the mosquitoes. We shall see.

The next steps are putting up a hammock I bought a few years back, installing plants, and building a fireplace.  I will continue to update you as we progress. If interested, below are links to the cushions and dining set I bought, along with a few other items I plan to purchase to finish off the look.

hammock // cushions // table & benches // white stool // umbrella // aqua pillows // floral pillow // tray

Until next time, lovelies.

Design SOS: Selecting the Right Upholstery for Your New Furniture

We were emailed the following question recently regarding furniture selection. I thought it would be good to address on the blog because furniture is a big purchase! It’s important to know these kinds of things before shelling out big money:

...We have started shopping for a new sofa. The one we have now we bought second-hand just to get us by after we moved—then I blinked and 5 years went by! It’s terribly uncomfortable and an embarrassment when we have guests over.  No one sits on it! I am so excited to finally make this purchase, but I’m so overwhelmed! The salesmen seem to throw dozens of different terms at me and I don’t really know what they mean. Especially when it comes to fabric! How do I know what is going to be the best for us?? We have teenagers, two dogs, and a cat (the animals are not allowed on the sofa, but they are sneaky).  My husband wants leather, but I'm not sure. What kinds of fabrics should I be looking at? How will I even know what I’m sitting on when I try one out??...

Lauren, Virginia Beach

Before I go into specifics—let me just say that I highly advise above anything else that you shop in place that has knowledgeable staff that aren’t just pushing for a hefty commission. They should not only be able to help you with an appropriate selection, but they should know everything I am about to get into. And they certainly ought to know how to tell what a certain upholstered piece is made of! If they can’t do any of those things, it’s probably best you shop elswhere.

But in the event you have limited choices (due to budget or lack of local retailers) I’ll break it down into the three major categories to make it easy:

1.     Cotton/Linen – These are your natural, down to earth basics. They can be casual or elegant, depending on how upholstered.  Most slipcovers will be linen or a cotton/linen blend. They may also occasionally be blended with synthetics (like polyester or rayon) for a little more durability. Light colored linens are very popular right now, especially in slipcovered options. They are beautiful and conveniently washable—but keep in mind if you go too light, some stains may not come out all the way.

Pros: breathable, comfortable, washable, upholstery easily, age well

Cons: may stain and wrinkle easily; may pill, shrink, or lose brightness if laundered too frequently; can get pricey, especially linens

Good to know: ask if covers are pre-washed/pre-shrunk; can be treated with stain-repellant; if it’s a bright color always test a spot on the back or in a discreet place (like the underside of a cushion) before spot cleaning

2.     Synthetics and Microfibers – Microfibers are exactly what they sound like: tons of tiny little microscopic fibers woven together. Synthetics and microfibers envelop tons of different titles and fabrics such as chenille, microsuede, polyester, rayon, nylon, etc. Unless it’s silk or wool (not likely), if it doesn’t say cotton or linen on the label, then it’s most likely a polyester/synthetic. They are very popular today because of their durability and inexpensive production (i.e. good value for durability). I had a microsuede sofa once and managed to get red wine out of the powder blue upholstery on more than one occasion.

Pros: inexpensive, durable, easily cleanable, usually washable if covers can be removed

Cons: heavier, don’t breathe well, sometimes have noticeable “handing” (this is the term for when you swipe your hand across a fabric and can see visible marks—you’d likely see pawprints if your animal pranced across it); don’t age gracefully— can stretch and pull in areas that get a lot of use

Good to know: Retailers are constantly renaming synthetics to have more appealing names (like the “microsuede” movement), especially with the popularity growth for more natural fibers. It’s important to ask to see the fabric card for the upholstery so you know exactly what’s in it.

Also, because microfibers are easily manufactured and inexpensive, they often (but not always) come standard on easily manufactured and inexpensive frames. Make sure you investigate the construction integrity and warranty of the piece as well. You wouldn’t want to trade cleanability for cushions that sag after 2 years.

3.     Leather – pretty self-explanatory….or is it?? Because leather is probably the most durable of all upholstery choices, many companies are trying to offer this feature at a more affordable price point, sometimes defeating the purpose of choosing leather. There are now “recycled,” "blended," "bonded," and “renewed” leathers that aren’t really leather at all (by now I'm sure there's more than that). They are typically polyester backings with a very thin layer of ground up leather scraps that have been remolded and dyed back into a thin piece of upholstery. Any honest and salesperson will tell you this. While they perform well, the colorfastness is weak, the surface is easily scratched, and it doesn’t breath like real leather. You want to look for the words “top grain” or “genuine” leather. Real leathers are worth the price.

Pros: breathable (when top grain—that is, the top most layer of cow skin—a true leather will not make you sweaty), extremely durable, can be repaired and refinished by a leather professional giving you years and years of use, ages and patinas beautifully

Cons: the most expensive option

Good to know: for optimal color-fastness and longevity, make sure the leather is not surface-dyed—ask for a sample of the leather and turn it over. If the color on the back matches the front, it will be easiest for a leather specialist to work with in repairing it, should you tear, burn, or scratch it.

One of the biggest fears with leather and pets is that cat or dog nails will “puncture” the leather. This is simply untrue, and only brought about because there are so many cheap and imitation leathers out there leading consumers to believe that leather is not as durable as it seems. If you have a leather purse, or shoe, or belt, imagine trying to “puncture” that thing. It would take a nail and lot of hammering before you did any damage!

And here’s a tip: unsure of what you’re looking at in a retail location? Look for seams. A real leather hide will not be able to stretch the entire span of a chair or sofa without seams. Sometimes the back and sides of a piece may be synthetic while the arms, seat, and back are genuine leather. This is totally fine, but my only warning is that you keep the back concealed against a wall or out of direct sunlight. Because the synthetic will fade over time and your sofa will be two-toned after a few years.

***

I hope this helps break down options for any of you making a big furniture purchase anytime in the near future. The worst feeling is dropping hundreds or thousands of dollars on something and having it last only a few years.  Just remember, you get what you pay for. Furniture should really be an investment, in my own opinion. Consider what gets the most use in your home and buy accordingly.

And if you can’t afford a great piece brand new, shop wisely second-hand! Under every chair or sofa should be a tag with the manufacturer and model number. Use the internet to your advantage! Google that sucker! And there’s always floor models! My own sofa was a returned custom order for a client who returned it when it arrived damaged. The manufacturer repaired it and because custom items are hard to sell, it was sold as a floor model and marked down to near cost. I got a $1300 sofa for $500.  A steal.

And if you’re still unsure, there’s always the chance we are able to help! Drop us a line and maybe we can guide you through a smart choice!

Happy Shopping! 

Lets Take a Trip

Five years ago my husband and I got married on the sandy shores of Inlet Beach, FL.  Even with 40+mph winds and impending rain, it was the most beautiful day.  

The reception was held at Anna's Veranda, a Victorian home just steps away from the beach.

Five years.  So much has changed since then.  Life is funny that way, I suppose.  To celebrate our anniversary, we're taking a trip and heading back to the Caribbean (we honeymooned in St. Thomas).  It's our first time out of the country since our honeymoon and our first vacation together in 2.5 years.  

This time we're headed to Turks and Caicos and will be staying at the Gansevoort Turks + Caicos on beautiful Grace Bay.  It looks so magical!  Sunday can't get here soon enough!

We've been told of a few restaurants we need to check out.  

Coco Bistro

Mango Reef

Beach House

And the renowned Da Conch Shack.

I'll be back with a full report and lots of inspiration I'm sure!  Until next time...