Loving the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach

Colony Hotel - Palm Beach - from their website - link

During our recent trip/vacation to the Palm Beach area of Florida (east coast), which happened to coincide with our 28th wedding anniversary,  my husband and I stopped by the Colony Hotel for their famous pool-side lunch. The hotel is located near Palm Beach's version of Rodeo Drive, Worth Avenue. Interestingly, the reason we stopped here was not because of any prolonged research and planning process but because my husband forgot his cell phone in the car and left me standing on Worth thinking about lunch options. I stopped several passers-by who looked like they might be "natives" (you can tell in this tony area) and asked for recommendations. Both suggested this spot without hesitation - even saying it was better than the famous Palm Beach Breaker's Hotel food and ambience - which is saying something!

Loved the interior of the hotel - soothing shades of greens! 

I was immediately intrigued by the lobby area of the hotel decorated in shades of green and teal - very soothing and a little wild.

I found a year-old article about the 2014 renovation of the hotel:

PALM BEACH, Fla. --  Facelifts are as common as blue skies in Palm Beach, so it was only a matter of time before the famed Colony Hotel had some work done.
Taking the 67-year-old hotel from worn to wonderful, from staid to stunning was renowned interior designer Carleton Varney. Known as “Mr. Color,” he used pinks and greens, sea blue and coral to bring out the Southern charm of the family-owned hotel that is steps away from the shopping mecca of Worth Avenue. Since 1947, the hotel has hosted the  Duke and Duchess of Windsor, President Bill Clinton, John Lennon, Frank Sinatra and many more famous names. link to article

WOW - I loved the space and how it had been transformed.

More details - Colony Hotel in Palm Beach

 From the article I discovered that there were many more beautiful areas to explore within the hotel but I was pleased to have seen what I could.

Lunch at the Colony's poolside restaurant was very nice!

The pool-side setting of their restaurant was very pleasant. I believe my husband particularly enjoyed the views including a bikini-clad guest who was perched practically at our table as she lounged cooly by the pool. Of course, I could be mistaken, maybe he was just looking at me!!

My Kind of Shopping in West Palm Beach

Northwood Neighborhood is a great shopping district - stopped here to admire their refurbishing work!

 My husband and I just returned from a nice trip to the Palm Beach area of Florida (east coast). While there, of course, we checked out the various options for buying "refurbish able" vintage and used furniture (and a fabric shop as well).  We found quite a few shops and almost filled our van on our first full day in the area.

We started out in the Northwood Historic District and found a charming shop called "My New Old Chair" - link. It is mainly a reupholstering business but also sells some charming refurbished pieces. Across the street, we checked out several antique shops and were given some advice about where we might look for the unique (reasonable) pieces I was seeking. He directed us to an area on Dixie Highway (old Interstate 1) near the downtown area of West Palm Beach. It contains many pricey antique shops but some more reasonable ones as well.

We proceeded to check out various shops and made some purchases at this next one - a charity shop dedicated to helping a local senior living initiative. It was amongst the most reasonable shops we visited that day and for a good cause as well.

I bought the three pieces shown and am about to start "chalk painting" each one. Total expenses for the three came to about $325 - not too bad - link to site including how donations can be made to this cause.

Nettie's consignment shop had some nice pieces but prices were a little high for my budget - I loved the great modified wing chair - link to location.

Another great Dixie Highway shop - again, a little pricey - link to Facebook page.

This shop is actually in Palm Beach near the tony Worth Avenue shopping area. It is also supporting a charity. Prices were not bad - I didn't find anything but can imagine finding things here if/when I return - link to Facebook page

I found this great fabric store on Dixie Highway as well. Every bold was reduced by 50% - prices ranged from $8 - $25. I did buy one English print at $12 per yard - pricey for me but a great value.  This store is a "discount house" for their primary store on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach - address is
2025 North Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL
(561) 655-9416

Since 1959, Mac Fabrics has been your best source in West Palm Beach for a tremendous selection of high-quality, low-priced fabrics, trims, and hardware. Our showroom is organized to make browsing for your selection easy! We have a fabric swatch library of over 500 thousand samples, and we have over 500,000 fabrics for you to explore!

Chaise Lounges at the End of the Bed - The Flagler Museum Example

Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida - link to website

My husband and I just returned from a relaxing week in Florida - staying near Palm Beach. The weather was cool for the natives (low to mid 60's) but great for us escaping a rather cold, wet winter in the Atlanta area. We had never visited this particular area before and enjoyed taking advantage of many local sights. One of our favorite areas was Palm Beach itself (an island - who knew). It is, of course, famous for its rich residents and its palatial homes (think Donald Trump, Jimmy Buffet).

View from back of Flagler Museum 

One of the earliest settlers was Henry Flagler who appears to be a major founder of all strategic water-front cities on the east coast of Florida. A Standard Oil baron and contemporary of John D. Rockefeller, he fell in love with the beautiful weather and sought to tame the less than stellar natural environment (water-logged, scrubby vegetation, alligators). He built a railroad that initially traveled all the way to Key West and built hotels and homes along the way. One of his lovely homes,  a wedding gift to his third wife, was this beauty on the Intercoastal Waterway. His estranged son's daughter bought it and turned it into the museum we see today. 

When it was completed in 1902, the New York Herald proclaimed that Whitehall, Henry Flagler's Gilded Age estate in Palm Beach, was "more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world." Today, Whitehall is a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public as the Flagler Museum, featuring guided tours, changing exhibits, and special programs - from website above.

We had a wonderful docent-led tour of the home and opportunities to take photos of the interior which has maintained much of the original decor and furnishings. I, of course, checked out the upholstered pieces - many of which I would have loved to cart away. One of the decorating trends I noticed was the placement of chaise lounges in most of the bedrooms and often at the end of the beds. This is a design element I particularly like and I think chaise lounges are a great addition to any bedroom - space permitting.

Here are some of the examples - I wish I could get my hands on some of these great styles:

I have a number of settees underway. They do take up a lot of space so I can't overdo them in my inventory. I just sold a custom chaise lounge to a client in Maryland and she has asked me to be on the lookout for another one - she loves a skirt-less look with interesting woodwork and down cushions - so comfortable.

Here are some chaise lounges from my archives as well as my pinterest board on the subject - enjoy - link to pinterest board

Cold Day Delivery to Cornelia, GA

Main Square in Cornelia, GA

It was 11 degrees in our Georgia neighborhood this morning and VERY COLD! Of course, not as cold as many other parts of the country (I am thinking of family and friends in Falls Church, VA, Staten Island, NY, Chicago, IL and Cable, WI - ouch). But cold is cold. We delivered a lovely set of refurbished chairs to Cornelia, GA - about an hour north of the city.

I don't think I've been to Cornelia before (I am sure my sister Ellie's ears are burning - she is a "Cornelia" named after our Dutch paternal grandmother).  I checked out the Cornelia website and found the following - love the reference to the moonshine still downtown:

At the close of the Civil War in 1865, the area where Cornelia is located was a typical mountain forest. The spot was so well secluded that a moonshine still was operated without interference at the site of what is now the center of downtown. Cornelia was first a settlement around 1860.  It was situated near the old boundary line between the Cherokee and Creek Indian tribes. In 1872, workers of the Charlotte-Airline Railroad (later Southern Railway) invaded the virgin forest. link to website

 We enjoyed our "tour" of the area which did not take long. Despite the cold, it was a beautiful day to drive around and check out the local sites.

My client's home (graceful Southern two-story home with extensive acreage and a nice pool area in the back) was located a few miles outside of the city. I always like meeting new clients and hope I can make this little trip again soon! She did buy one of my recent favorites - a chalk pain project using chairs bought during a recent trip to Destin, Florida. I love how they turned out and they will enjoy their new keeping room setting!

A Visit to the Swan House in Atlanta - Upholstered Furniture Stars!

Swan House in Atlanta

On Friday, I had an opportunity to visit the Atlanta History Center's Swan House link located in the tony area called "Buckhead" and not far from the Governor's Mansion.  The house was built in 1924 by Edward and Emily Inman, the heir to a cotton fortune. The architect was Philip Trammel Schutze who adapted Italian and English classical styles to a 20th century home. The Schutze collection of fine furniture, silver, porcelain and paintings is housed in the lower level of the house. The house was also a film location in the Hunger Games - a more recent claim to fame!

The house has beautiful furnishings and I concentrated on the fine upholstered pieces - many of which are not dissimilar to those I have loved, acquired and sold over the past ten years. Here are some of those notable pieces and the lovely settings.

Library 

Library

Library - Cypress Paneling 

Morning Room

Morning Room 

Furniture in Schutze Collection - Love that Chaise!

I loved this visit - sponsored by a good friend and her son's soon-to-be fiancee. The Swan House and the Atlanta History Center are a "must visit" for anyone first visiting the area and provide great insights into Atlanta history and genteel southern living.

Vintage and Resale Shopping in Destin, FL

The wonderful beach in Destin, Florida - white and sparkling - the BEST beach in the world!

We just returned from a short trip to Destin, Florida, and spent quite a bit of time shopping its many resale, thrift, antique and consignment shops. Most are arrayed along the main east-west "drag" - Highway 98. We enjoyed the shops and I ended up buying three great chairs to refurbish and restore to better than their former glory.

A word about Destin and this whole area of Florida. It is located along the "panhandle" part of the state and has world-renowned white sand beaches as far as the eye can see. We have seen the beaches of Hawaii, Mexico, Cancun, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Greece, Southern California, Oregon, etc. etc. etc. - and have NEVER seen nicer beaches than those in this area. When we first arrived in the area for a visit about 25 years ago, our first impression was that of snow - they are that blindingly white and clean.

In tackling our shopping venture, we stopped by several shops along highway 98 and asked for other recommendations. Over the next two days, we stopped at least a dozen. Here are some of the highlights.

Last day in Destin - such a wonderful location!

Shout Out to Lou's Antiques - Danville, VA

My husband and I traveled to Wintergreen, VA, to join my brother and his family for the July 4th holiday last week. We traveled in our new Honda Odyssey to do some "shopping" to and from the destination in central Virginia. I am ALWAYS on the look-out for refurbish-able good quality upholstered furniture and thought this trip would allow me to expand my geographic boundaries.

On the way up to VA from the Atlanta area, I had researched some craigslist ads and made appointments in Charlotte and High Point, NC, to see and possibly buy some furniture. At the latter home, we bought two French style chairs which I have already started refurbishing.

On the way back to Atlanta on Monday, we stopped at various antique and consignment shops along the highway and picked up brochures identifying other likely shopping opportunities. This brought us to Lou's Antique Mall in Danville, VA. link to information including location.

Lou's Antique Mall is located in downtown Danville - an old city center that the city residents are clearly trying to keep lively and productive. The Mall itself is large (30,000 square feet) on three floors. I found a lot to look at and the prices were often in the "negotiable range" - a range that I define as what I am willing to pay for a piece and spent money on to sell. If I do not believe I can make any money, I do not waste time on even the loveliest choices. I ended up buying three French style chairs (made in Italy) - well constructed and just waiting for my special treatment.

I was able to negotiate a price I was willing to pay and will definitely be stopping again if I am in this area of the country!

Buying Day Lilies at Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground, GA

Tim at the entrance to gardens

On Sunday, my husband, Tim, and I got out of the house early to travel to Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground, GA link to website and visit the gardens there before the day became too hot. We have four season memberships to these great gardens and had not yet visited the summer gardens.

Upon entry, we noticed that they were selling day lilies from their garden and were instantly interested. Many years ago, we had bought several "bucket loads" of newly separated day lilies from a nearby neighborhood seller. He had basically turned his entire back yard into a habitat for day lilies and had huge, beautiful blooms that are just not available in nurseries. The colors and sizes were phenomenal. We planted them at our last home and enjoyed them immensely. Our big mistake was not taking some cuttings along to our new house. This particular seller went out of business long ago and our current day lily stock is prolific but fairly pedestrian. SO ... these lilies looked pretty good to us.

We bought a dozen and had a very hard time trying to decide which ones to go with - too many great choices. We have now carted them home and will be trying to find that perfect spot (sunny and observable). Who knows, we may be back for more!

Cart with dozen plants