JIM WEINBERG AT THE ATLANTA SHOW HOUSE

I've always enjoyed reading biographies - learning the details of others' lives is interesting, educational, and, I often find, encouraging. But sometimes I come across a person who lives life so thoroughly, and creatively, that I'm reminded of Thoreau's wish: "I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life." Today I'm writing about Jim Weinberg, a man who certainly knows how to get the most out of his creative mind. Where do I start? He's a designer, but he's also the person who invented the Adopt-A-Highway concept, pioneered yellow tennis balls (not kidding), designed homewares with Giorgio Armani, and some of his furniture designs are in MOMA's collections. He ALSO makes his home in Atlanta, pioneering the Livable Lifestyles concept and designing for celebrity clients. He definitely puts the "multi" in "multi-talented.

Last week I had the incredible opportunity to tour the Atlanta Decorator's Show House and Gardens with Jim, and he graciously showed me around his marvelously inventive space in the house - a young gentlemen's bedroom with a tribute to the Beatles. Here's an exclusive peak at this wonderful room, and some of the ideas that inspired it. Hang on to your hats!

This room proves that a great design can appeal to everyone; I love how it caters to two generations, creating a playful yet practical room a mom and her son could both love. The Beatles artwork is a clever take on the traditional "posters-tacked-on-the-walls" necessary to adolescence, and the draped walls (designed to cover murals retained by the owners) give it a cozy, cocoon-like feel. Perfect for a growing teen and budding musician. Oh, and mom might like how all that fabric muffles the sound of drums...

A personal touch. This is Weinberg's own drumset - from his 17-year-old self! Note the coco brown shag - I was wearing six-inch platforms, and I sank deep into this floor - it gave the room an incredibly fun vintage vibe. The artwork is something parents could cheer:  it was commissioned especially for this space from Atlanta artist Nancy Ballew.

"We all live in a yellow submarine...
And our friends are all aboard,
Many more of them live next door."
(presumably in some sort of oxygen-providing apparatus)

Classic Beatles:  the Abbey Road sign sets the stage and the throw pillows are custom-designed to evoke  musical clefs and staff. The bed skirt is an amazing distressed leather; the teenage boy who would live here probably has a jacket in his closet to match! The glowing globe is vintage 1920s, sports gear hangs out in the corner waiting for its owner to gear up for some after-school practice, and just out of sight is a red lava lamp. Also not visible? A laser projecting abstract light patterns on the ceiling. Who wouldn't have wanted THAT in High School?!
Don't forget to look up! The tassel trim along the crown molding is a riff on Sgt. Pepper's epaulettes. Clever, what?

We'll end the tour with a detail of the adjoining bathroom that got a laugh from so many visitors to the Show House:  Ringo was here! And he left more than his drums - maybe he'll come back to Atlanta soon? We can only dream...

Special thanks to Jim Weinberg for a wonderful tour and the images above! 
All photographs are by Robert Thien Inc. of Atlanta

Images:  all room images, provided by Jim Weinberg. Photos by Robert Thien. Beatles/Sgt. Pepper. Yellow submarine image.

DON'T MISS IT: THE ATLANTA SHOW HOUSE

"Hotlanta" is warmer than most cities when it comes to concentrated amounts of design talent, and that's why visiting this year's Decorator's Show House and Gardens for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is an absolute must. Seeing so much talent in one place is a reminder that, yes, sometimes you CAN have it all. Aptly named "Giverny" (there are indeed water lillies and a pond), the house is one of the many gems along the famous Tuxedo Road.

The 2010 home features 28 designers, including the phenomenal Jim Weinberg (with a Beatles-inspired son's bedroom), Stan Topol (living room), Maria Nutt (young lady's bedroom), Raymond Goins (decorator, painter, and furniture designer all rolled into one), and a greenhouse by Boxwoods. I'll have so much more to share on these spaces and their designers in days to come, but I'll say right now that this year's house is a stand-out from many show houses of the past. It's remarkable in the sheer amount of  skill (there's not a bad room in the bunch) and in the marvelous continuity so many different designers managed to achieve throughout the house. I have to admit, while I love visiting show homes, it tends to make you feel like the imaginary residents have multiple personality disorder:  Venetian powder rooms! Contemporary libraries! Tuscan hallways! Art deco bedrooms! But the pretend people in this year's house have it all together. Nary a psychiatrist in sight.

Finally, while the house is an older build, with a lot of original features (from wallcoverings to floors) retained, for my money that's only made things better. Rather than stifling the designers, they did what true talent does best:  turn obstacles into triumphs. The result is a wonderfully inspiring space. You'll be begging to move in.

Details:  open through May 9, 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. weekdays (open late Thursdays). 12 - 4:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets and details, HERE.

This picture really doesn't do it justice - the house is located in its own private park, complete with pond, waterfalls, sculptures (by Ed Castro), pool, multiple outdoor entertaining areas - and a family of ducks. No extra charge for the ducks.

STAY TUNED! I'll be posting more pictures of the rooms and info on their designers soon! My VERY special thanks to Jim Weinberg and to Patsi Brantley of the ASO for the generous and well-informed tour. The Atlanta Symphony Associates outdid themselves this year!

All images, Decorator's Show House.

VUITTON HOME DECOR

Park Avenue princesses, rap stars, and fashion-friendly teens all aspire to own Louis Vuittons, and by extension, a stamp of taste and expense. Those gold quatrefoils are the pattern seen round the world. But that's the new, recent Vuitton - the original began in 1854 as a trunk making company in Paris (luckily, the most glamorous of glamor cities; imagine if they'd had the misfortune to be founded in Guernsey or Quimper). Curiously, what set Vuitton's first trunks apart was not their attractive design or sturdy construction, though they had that too. It was the fact that they were flat. Most trunks were made with round tops to repel water, but Vuitton cleverly waterproofed his trunks, making them imminently stackable and easier to transport. Voilà! Other manufacturers followed suit, and a legend was born.

Today, in our world of 3 oz liquid limits, roller-bags, and hefty weight fees, LV trunks rarely do much traveling. But we can be grateful for those flat tops yet again, because nothing is easier to decorate than a smooth surface. Lucky enough to have one? Haul it out of your closet/attic/cellar and put it to work. Your stylish rooms will thank you.

P.S. Interested in purchasing vintage LV? Make sure you learn how to identify authentic LVs.

Credits:  Hilfiger library, Hotel images, Side table, Coffee table.

PRINCESS DIANA COMES TO ATLANTA

Last week I visited an exhibit in Atlanta, GA, where 28 of Princess Diana's outfits were on display. The wardrobe ranged from her first official public appearance - that wedding dress - to her last official event, where she donned a Jacques Azagury black beaded floor-length sheath. There were a number of surprises in the collection. Aside from the nukes, the 80s suffered from massive polka-dot proliferation. And the gargantuan size of the puffed sleeves! It brought to mind the song "Beautiful Girl" from Singing in the Rain -

"You'll never guess what loud applause this cunning hat receives, 

And you'll never dream the things that you could hide within these sleeves." 

But the most surprising element was Diana herself. Being in a room with so much couture (Versace, Lacroix, Catherine Walker, Chanel) is normally rather thrilling, but many of the pieces in person were rather underwhelming - unlike most other wardrobe displays I've visited. Yet, surrounding the clothes were screens running clips of Diana in various outfits, and photos of her in the pieces in the exhibit. And in every one, both she - and the clothes - looked stunning. This was, I thought, the truest compliment to Diana's style. She wore the dress; the dress never wore her. Her personality was truly her best accessory.

Here's a little mini-exhibition for you:  a sampling of images of the gowns on display, and Diana's appearances in them.

  The collection will return to England after June 13. Visit here for more details and to get tickets!

Credits:  VF Cover, VF Cover Dress, The Wedding, The Wedding Dress, The Cathedral, The Train, Wedding Shoes, Spencer Tiara, Navy Blue Suit with Pavarotti, Navy Suit Image, Kameez Outfit, Blue Dress Image One, Blue Dress Image Two, Black Dress, Pink Skirt Suit, Blue Skirt Suit.

And Now, We Fantasy Shop for Real Estate

One of the most exciting websites in the world for an historian-turned-house-shopper is Historic Properties. They feature homes from across the country, some older than the country. The cut-off year is 1957, so don't bother with visiting if you're one of those people who adores their maintenance-free condo. The finds are amazing (and the prices can be too). I once discovered an entire Founding-Fathers era Virginia PLANTATION for sale (we're talking redcoats wandering the pastures here). With several thousand acres, a horse barn, and an elegantly rotted main house with woodwork dating back to the 1700s, the price to renovate would have been ruinious, but I still dream about it.

Anyway, it's not all hard work. Most of the homes are in fabulous condition,

like this 1820 lemon-yellow colonial, off Long Island Sound, with all the trimmings...

...including a private dock and this fabulous view. $995,000.

Here's a Georgian Federal, in Milledgeville, GA, circa 1822. It's so special it even has a (unpronouncable) name: The Williams-Orme-Crawford-Sallee House.

The entry hall - look at the stair and woodwork. So much could be done with this place!

The house has been in the same family since 1836, and it is in stunning condition. And - STEAL ALERT! - it's only $365,000! (To see more of the gorgeous homes in historic Milledgeville, click here.)

Moving from colonial to antebellum, here's a gorgeous 1837 home that was featured in the magazines Antiques and Southern Living, and also on HGTV! (Not hard to see why.)

The interiors are stunning. Located in Columbus, MS, it's on the block for $1,125,000.

Finally, a darling gingerbread Victorian (Victorians are like cakes: the more icing the better) in New Haven, CT. Built in 1869, this home also comes with it's own title: the Herbert Barnes House (feel free to tack your own name on the end!). $525,000.

All images, Historic Properties.

Milledgeville and the Architecture of the South

One of my favorite reads, Style Court, had a wonderful post recently about the little town of Milledgeville, GA, and upcoming exhibits at Georgia College. I visited Milledgeville earlier this summer, and the town itself is a carefully staged exhibition: row upon row of columned homes, framed in brick walks and languid trees. Just about an hour South of metro Atlanta, it's worth a day trip when you're next in the South's megalopolis. Be sure to take your camera.

Map, here. Visit my post on Milledgeville for more pictures and history.

P.S. While in Milledgeville be sure to visit Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia. Read about the history of her farm and home here.

All images, my own. Do not copy without permission.

Asian Inspiration, Atlanta Style

What happened to Atlanta? It's turned into such a star-studded, glitter-intense town. No complaints here. I'm often delighted by the intersection of metropolis lifestyle with DO IT BIG Southern style (it happens in Dallas too). Designer and "lifestyle-er" Jim Weinberg does this look best - a mix of local, international, and glamor for a very high-drama effect. You couldn't lead a boring life in his rooms. As you know, I love chinoiserie, so I was really excited to see Weinberg's take on this classic style. He doesn't disappoint:

Isn't this a movie set waiting to happen? Not surprising, since Weinberg has designed for major movie and music personalities. 

All images, Jim Weinberg.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia

I had the wonderful experience of visiting Flannery O'Connor's home, Andalusia, not too long ago. Through a friend, I was able to take a private tour of the house and grounds, and it was a wonderful experience. The house has only very recently begun restoration, thanks to the Andalusia Foundation (which could use a donation or two, if you're feeling generous). Visiting the farm is a rare opportunity to experience a gifted writer's home environment. 

The Farmhouse. Andalusia was a former plantation, situated on 544 acres. It wasn't the O'Connor's plantation however - they didn't acquire it until many years later. Flannery lived and wrote here, with her mother, and they ran the farm as a dairy operation. This is the original plantation house - not very grand, but then most weren't, in spite of Gone With The Wind's depictions.

A view of the porch - doesn't it look inviting?

Flannery loved the farm and animals, most especially her peacocks and peahens. She wrote essays about them, as a matter of fact. She special ordered her first peacocks from Florida after reading an ad in a newspaper. The first little family of peacocks eventually grew into a hundred - and they could be heard all hours of the day or night, crying in their rather unpleasant, rasping voices. 

Flannery's bedroom. Flannery left the South for the prestigious Iowa Writer's Program at the University of Iowa, where she excelled. She later moved to New York, but after contracting Lupus was forced to return home. Flannery's bedroom is the former parlor, on the main level of the house. She moved here when it became too difficult for her to use the stairs. Note the crutches - Flannery's - leaning against the bookcase. While the typewriter is a prop, the desk is where she wrote each day. I thought it was interesting how structured the room was. There are only three colors: blue, white, and the dark wood furniture.

The dining room. This room was directly across from Flannery's bedroom, on the main floor of the house. She and her mother sewed the curtains themselves. I loved the feel of this room. It's just very natural, very Southern. 

Flannery's church, in Milledgeville. She attended Mass here almost every day. Her faith is a prevalent and sometimes unusual theme in her writing. Flannery finally succumbed to Lupus, dying at age 39.

A childhood note - Flannery's sense of humor was apparent at an early age. Flannery augmented the title of this book to read:  "The Adventure of a Brownie ...is not very good."

All images, my own. Please email me to request permission for use!

Simple Palette and Subtle Pattern

The May issue of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles had so many beautiful interiors, I just can't help coming back to it.  One of my favorite spreads was on designer Margaret Bosbyshell. Her decor for one of Buckhead's old homes is full of color and pattern, but the use of pattern is very subtle and muted. Despite being in virtually every room, the intricate looks she uses are not the first thing you notice. For those who are afraid of too much texture in a room (or for even the fearless!) this home is a great guide.

Pattern on the mantel and curtains...

Pattern in the carpet. 

Patterned wallpaper. 

Pattern, pattern, everywhere - can you spot all its uses in this room?

Patterned walls and chairs! 

All images, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.