And so Happy Christmas

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." ~ Norman Vincent Peale

To me this time of year is full of excitement, tradition and love. This post will be short and sweet and full of a few of the things that bring me joy this time of year!

Some of my Favorite Things...

Photo from MacKenzie-Child's website.
I've been a fan of MacKenzie-Childs for awhile now but I've recently discovered their ornament collections and..... I'm obsessed!

I saw these at Saks!

This photo is from St. Jude's website.
Each year St. Jude  sells ornaments inspired by St. Jude  patients artwork. 100% of the proceeds benefit St. Jude . Not only am I a huge fan of St. Jude  but I love children's artwork and think these are some of the happiest ornaments!

Also, some years I can find St. Jude  wrapping paper! I couldn't find any this year but the wrapping paper also shows off the art work of the patients with the proceeds going to St. Jude

John Lennon's, So This is Christmas and Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas Cannon are my favorite Christmas tunes!

Photo my own.
Christmas tree shots have such depth! All trees are different but the varying shapes, colors and textures add such warmth and cheerfulness to the room.

Happy Holidays everyone!!

Hardware - cabinet jewelry

If a face lift for your kitchen or bath is among the items on your wish list this holiday season, consider new hardware....

Photo from Top Knob's website.
Can we say BLINGGGG?!

Hardware is a quick and effective way to liven up your kitchen or bath. Whether you are replacing existing hardware or adding hardware to cabinets that had none, pulls and knobs can really set the stage for the style of your space.

For example, take the two kitchens shown below. Both feature white cabinetry but notice how the hardware choices made each space undeniably different.

Photo from google search.
The long sleek handles add an industrial contemporary feel to the space.

Photo from google search.
While this kitchen is still sleek the cup pulls and simple knobs add a shaker vibe to the space.

When it comes to hardware there are tons of choices in all different shapes, sizes and colors plus you don't have to spend a fortune on it! Visit your local kitchen and bath showroom to see the latest trends in hardware or visit stores such as Restoration Hardware, Target and Home Depot for more affordable options.

Things to consider:

• If you are updating cabinets that already had hardware it is important to be aware of your existing hole placement. A knob is typically an easy fit but pulls can get tricky. Pulls come in a lot of different sizes; the size you are most concerned with is the CC or center to center dimension. You CAN fill existing holes with putty and drill new holes but this is not advisable; it's time consuming and more times that not the hole can be disguised but is not completely gone. 

• Like jewelry to any outfit it's important the hardware compliments the other elements in the room and does not fight them.  Consider the style and finish of the surrounding fixtures particularly the faucets, lighting and sink. 

Styles I'm digging right now:

Photo from Top Knobs website.
Latch pulls are cool because they add interest to a cabinet while complimenting a lot of different styles.

Photo from Richelieu's website.
These are just so fun, funky and fabulous!

 





Photo from Hardware Resources website.
This pull has great lines and is pretty transitional in style.





Tis the season for giving so why not give your space some bling!

Heat up your space with personal warmth

If it's happened to me once it's happened to me 100 times - I walk into a house or a room and really love the space but can't put my finger on the exact reason. The space speaks to me but I don't know why.

Recently I read a quote from Vogue's Book of Etiquette which states, "Personal warmth is the most appealing element in any room and nothing--elegance, drama,enormous expenditure--can take its place...it is the sum total of many things, all of which indicate that people really live in a room, and do not merely pass through it."

This really made sense to me. Personal warmth IS the ingredient that sets a space apart. Whether the room or home is your personal style or not doesn't matter, personal warmth enables a room to evoke feelings of happiness, contentment and appreciation.

So, I started thinking....if personal warmth is the goal, what better time to get started on this approach in your own home than right now. The holidays are the perfect time to add and experience personal warmth.  This time of year homes are filled with warmth and personal touches almost without even meaning to be.

Here are some examples:

This is the living room at my parents house.
Please notice the SEVEN stockings on the mantle, one for every human family member and one for the two dogs and a bird!

 It is the personal and sentimental elements that contribute heavily to a rooms personal warmth. In the photograph above it's hard to see but the coolest elements in this room comes from what's ON the tree....

Homemade ornaments. Some of which date back over 20 years!

This tree is at my Grandma's house.
My cousins and I made almost every ornament and decoration on the tree by hand. It's the most cheerful thing in the entire room bursting with thoughtfulness and love.

A closer look at some of the homemade ornaments.

....

They say love is in the details and I believe this is true. It's not about how much money you spend, sometimes the most beautiful, warm and intriguing spaces are full of those things that can't be bought.

All photographs are by Lori Foster

Spotted - Atlanta Home Improvement Magazine

Check out this month's issue of Atlanta home improvement magazine , I'm featured along with the other 2011 Calla Award winners on page 15. Too cool!

Also on page 15 is a write up about Mariel Hemingway's appearance at the Cambria Color Launch Party. Great event - Models walked the "runway" between the new slabs of Cambria wearing dresses inspired by the new colors.

Photo from my phone.

Me and fellow designer Holly Hill Floyd with Mariel Hemingway.

Scrub a dub dub in the TUB

With temperatures dropping and snow in the forecast what better way to warm your bones then taking a nice bath.

People have different opinions when it comes to baths. From my experience you're either a "bath person" or you're not. You may fit into the group of people that takes a bath as often as daily, you may be the person that uses their tub as storage or you may be somewhere in between. Regardless of your bathing preference like it or not tubs are a definite staple in a bathrooms aesthetic. Many of you may not know we have a great tub resource right here in Georgia, allow me to introduce:

MTI is located right near Atlanta in Sugar Hill, Georgia. MTI offers an incredible selection of over 140 tubs, all handcrafted in the USA, in four product lines giving them the ability to offer tubs in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, styles and price points.

Photo from MTI's website
This is the Parisian Tub which is free standing and made out of acrylic.

Photo from MTI's website
This is the Caribe tub which is a drop in or under mount tub made of acrylic.
It's hard to see from this picture but this tub has a channel completely surrounding the tub for the water to overflow into, creating a very cool look and luxurious bathing experience.

Photo from MTI's website
For all of you romantics out there this is the Eros tub which is an acrylic tub in the shape of heart (awwww :) )Maybe it's not your style but it's proof that they really do offer tubs in just about any shape you could ever want!

Photo from MTI's website
This is the Savoy solid surface free standing tub. All of the other elements in the room can step back because this tub makes a huge statement on its own!

 MTI tubs are built to order so any custom requests regarding packages, color and placement can be made before you order, offering you a more customized product. Plus they offer a lifetime warranty on their designer and classic series tubs.

Anyone with a jetted tub knows that if you don't use the tub for an extended amount of time when you do all kinds of "gunk" comes out of the jets. This is due to the build-up of soap residue and deposits of varying types left behind in the whirlpool plumbing lines.  Well, MTI came up with a solution to this problem and introduced the worlds first self-cleaning whirlpool and to this day the Fill-Flush® whirlpool cleaning system is still the best, most thorough and most efficient whirlpool cleaning system on the market. And finally, the biggest selling point to me (and maybe this is because I'm so visual) they will allow you to visit their plant and watch tubs being made, from the acrylic being poured to the plumbing being installed. It's very fascinating and really gives you a first hand glimpse at how particular and professional they are.

You may be thinking a tub's a tub and you may be right but in my opinion MTI is where the bees knees go to get clean! :)

For more information visit MTI's website http://mtibaths.com/

White on Trend

White cabinetry. Some would argue white cabinets have been a timeless constant in the kitchen & bath industry, transcending every trend. While I personally agree they are timeless, I’m not sure the masses would concur. In my experience, to say people are initially turned off by white cabinetry is an understatement. Their mindset: been there, done that, was bored to death.

The white trend got its bad rap because years ago builders would install kitchens and bathrooms with white…EVERYTHING. In some cases everything including the cabinets, countertops, appliances, sinks, faucets and tile would be white. Throw in white walls and trim and this look was a serious white OVERLOAD. To add insult to injury, for most their only relief from the white was the brass, brass hardware, shower enclosure, light fixtures, etc... Put quality of said items aside and let’s focus on how boring this is!

This photo is from a Google search.

Bland City!

This photo is from a Google search.

This may look familiar to some of you. I've seen this look several different times during home consultations. This picture screams WHITE OVERLOAD! Oh, and please notice the brass...

 Interestingly if you look at any magazine today most feature white cabinetry, but HOW WEIRD these spaces are anything but boring. But why? It's simple - A well done white kitchen or bath is not really white. It is the other colors and textures that are used that  ultimately set the tone and determine the feel of the space.

This kitchen was part of the Atlanta Symphony's Decorator Show House 2010.

The way the various textures and colors come together in this space is breathtaking. You can say a lot about this kitchen but you would never call it boring and white is probably the farthest color from your mind.

This photo is from Southern Livings "All Time Favorite White Kitchens" collection.

There's a lot to take in while looking at this cheerful kitchen. The electric blue island with the copper countertop looks more like a piece of furniture in the space as opposed to just an island. And the detailed backsplash behind the cooktop really brings all the blues and whites together. The very formal crystal chandelier was an interesting choice but I think it brings a bit of formality to an otherwise semi-informal space. 

This space is so elegant and warm. Notice how the black countertops and tile really pop against the white. Lastly, while the walls are light in color they are not white which adds a final layer of depth to the space.

As you can see with the mixture of different colors, textures and depths these once potentially sterile spaces can be warm, inviting and interesting.

Check out Southern Livings "All Time Favorite White Kitchens" collections for more photos - http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/decorating/white-kitchens-00400000057076/page12.html

I Heart Cambria

When it comes to Kitchens and Baths there are certain products the masses consider indicative of luxury and two of those luxury heavy hitters are granite and marble .Flip through any design magazine and you will see photo after photo of kitchens and baths utilizing these natural stones.

However, with these natural stones comes a level of up keep. Natural stones are well, natural. They come from the earth and are porous, meaning they can absorb liquids deep into their core causing stains, therefore natural stones require sealing. The process of sealing ones countertops is not THAT big of a deal but the daunting realization that one red wine spill can forever tarnish that once beautiful piece of stone is a hard possibility for some to swallow. But, to be honest for most it’s just ONE MORE THING they don’t want to worry about. As Coco Chanel said, “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” But what are they to do? What else is available? I have two words for you: engineered stone.

Engineered stone is man-made but actually contains around 93% quartz which is the hardest part of granite. Typically granites are only 40% to 60% quartz making engineered stone stronger than granite.  Engineered stones will not stain because they are not porous therefore requiring no sealing and no additional up keep.

So, I know you’re thinking if all of this is true why would anyone use natural stones? Well, for years the downside to engineered stone was that it looked fake, and lacked the depth and movement that so many people loved in granites and marbles. But times are changing, one brand of engineered stones has far surpassed the rest with the options they have available. Let me introduce you to the Crème de la crème of quartz products...CAMBRIA.

Braemar
I MEAN...How beautiful is this!? Look at the movement....

Buckingham
This could almost look like a piece of Honey Onyx.

Parys
Dying over this one, look at the "blue eyes"

 

Shirebrook
Oh the warmth....................sigh......

Praa Sands
Move over White Marbles! This has the white background but with blues, grays and black colors mixed in creating such interesting depth . LOVE!

Cambria is the only engineered stone made in the USA and with over 100 designer colors available it’s easy to see why this is such an attractive option. In my opinion Cambria has been the leader in quartz surfaces for sometime and every time you turn around their coming out with new colors even better than the last. Price wise you’re going to be in the neighborhood of what you’d pay for mid-line granite and the best part is every color of Cambria is the same price. Now, granted that price will depend on where you buy it but unlike their competitors who have different price levels for their stones, every stone available through Cambria be in new or old, modern or more traditional is the same price.

As granite and marble have become increasingly accessible and affordable people are asking…what’s next? Well, I’m here to tell you one of the hottest trends I’m seeing in design today is achieving the desired look of luxury with lower maintenance. SO….if you could get a similar look at a lower or equal price AND less maintenance….why not?

All images in this post are from Cambria's website, www.cambriausa.com