Nests & Nature, Oh the wonder of it all...

I am a huge fan of the natural world. I fell in love with the outdoors as a child. My passion and devotion has deepened with the years. I love to walk on the beach and pick up shells, big clamshells, mussels and sand dollars. I also love to collect rolled stones that are perfect and beautiful from being tumbled by the tides and the sand. There is another treasure I find on the shore, heart rocks. Yes, you can find rocks that are in perfect shapes of hearts. I know this because I have quite a collection gathered from many different walks on various seashores around the country. They grace my front walkway, sharing space with large clamshells. Every time I walk to my front door I am
reminded of those warm languid summertime walks on the beach.
I am a gardener and observer of nature. Being involved with the seasons so intimately is the key to keeping in tune with the natural world around us. Out in my garden I find many types of feathers and once in a while an abandoned little bird’s nest. I like to display these perfectly woven treasures on silver platters, pedestals and even under glass cloches. They delight me. Often times I will put stones that are shaped like eggs in the nest, or a miniature white pumpkin, an inscribed stone with a message and once in a while faux eggs may even find themselves part of one of my homage to the birds and to nature. When friends come to my home they are enchanted with a close-up look of a piece of nature. It is displayed artfully with a sense of reverence and most of the time with an edge of humor.

I rarely come back from a walk without some little treasure to pull out of my pocket. In the Spring and Autumn like to explore in the forest. I often find beautiful pinecones, colorful and/or fragrant leaves, acorns and the random feather or interesting little rock. Sometimes it is enough to photograph, other times I will carefully and responsibly take a bit of this or that, for my various displays, homage’s and odes to the seasons.













Nature is all around us. Understanding the seasons, the tides and the cycles of life is a magic part of living here on this earth. I like to enjoy each moment. I think I am happiest looking at my funny, odd and interesting collection of found nature objects. So get out, take a walk and really observe what is around you. The magic of nature is just outside your door.

So You Want to Hire a Designer...

Have you been contemplating hiring a professional to lend a hand with your Home and Garden? I have just completed this cool little Q&A piece for my website and thought I would post it. This knowledge will empower you when you have your meeting with a Design Professional. You will learn what you need to tell them about you, your family, your wants and desires. You will also understand why it is important to be clear about your budget and how a Designer can actually save you money.Lastly I have shared what inspires me as a Designer.
Hiring a Designer can be the best decision you will make … Your Designer will guide you through the process. Making it easier for you to navigate and make the right choice the first time. Most Designers can do a whole house, a specific room or a simple consultation. Many Designers also offer color consultations and can be hired by the hour to shop with you. I offer all of these services.(Visit www.teamkdb.com) A simple example of why you would want to hire a designer could be as follows. When you visit a tile store, you see thousands of choices. When a designer meets you at a tile store they will show you the choices that are pertinent to your project. Probably no more than 5 to 10, making it more manageable to make that very important decision. A designer can also keep you on track and on budget.


Designing your space is all about you…
How do you live? Do you have children and/or pets?
Do you entertain frequently? Are you the kind of family who
has lots of stuff? Do you lean towards clutter or tidy and spare?
What are the most important rooms to you and your family? The Kitchen, Great Room, Media Room or Bedrooms and Bathrooms? Do you want to utilize the outside spaces? Create Outdoor Rooms, Pools, Vegetable & Flower Gardens or a meditation area? Do you want to incorporate Green/Eco-Style into your project or just some of the Green sensibilities? The answers to these questions will determine what style, materials and furnishings you will need for your project.

What is your budget? This is a very important piece of the puzzle. This determines what we as a team are capable of achieving. It is important to prioritize which spaces are most important, look at what you have, what you love, and what you do not and what you want to keep and incorporate into your new look. All of this goes on during our first consultation. If we decide we would like to work together, we start the Client/Designer Relationship.

For someone who wants a big look on a small budget today…
I have done many projects utilizing terrific Internet sources. Lighting, Furniture and Hardware.
I always recommend fresh paint; it is the most bang for your buck! I also believe you should not scrimp on good solid well-designed pieces of furniture. You can always add art and accent pieces later.

Who or what has influenced my style?
I love to travel. I have been influenced by the great homes and gardens of England and France.
The European sensibility of utilizing every square inch of their properties, inside and out is inspiring to me. In every room of these great homes the outdoor spaces are truly part of the interior.
I adore the natural world, and turn to it for color inspiration. I love the colors of an autumn day, a summer afternoon at the Sea or a quiet walk in a mysterious forest. The colors and romance of Impressionist art never cease to amaze me, it is like a whole world of light! The talented designers of the past have always inspired me. William Morris, Elsie DeWolfe, Tony Duquette, Gertrude Jekyl, Frederick Law Olmsted and Julia Morgan.
FMI; www.teamkdb.com

Color; Be Brave, Be Bold and Have Some Fun!

I love color. Paint is a really fun component to decorate with. Jewel tones of bold reds, bright greens and beautiful blues can really make a room sing. Color can set a tone and a mood. I think one of the best tricks in my designer toolkit is color. Some folks certainly are more comfortable with a muted palette and I agree taupes, paler mossier shades of green and gray can be lovely. However you can then use bright accents of color on a wall and totally change the look, feel and mood of your home. I think often times a room that is painted a bold shade is not only memorable but inspiring. I am a fan of paint because if it is too overpowering (is that possible?Yes.) or has too much personality it is easy to paint over. With a flick of a brush a room can change its tone, its mood and the message it gives to the person or people who live in the space. Did you know some colors can make you hungry others can make you calm and relaxed. The color palettes offered by Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore are absolutely wonderful. Both companies also have line of Eco-Friendly paint check that out when you are choosing your colors and types of paint. Also did you know there are different types of sheens to paint? I like a satin finish because it is slick and reflects the light just enough to make it interesting. It also has a higher resistance to fingerprints and showing every bit of wear so it looks fresher longer. If you want to see some bright colors in action go to the Pottery Barn web site. You will be inspired by example and can actually see how to use these colors to your advantage and in a style you are comfortable with. Go ahead color up your world, after all life is short, the brighter the better.

A Room of One's Own...

Virginia Wolfe wrote a famous essay with this title. It was her feeling that if a woman had a room of her own she could be a successful writer of fiction. Her essay was a reaction to a story written by William Shakespeare. I do believe that if you carve out a special place in your home that is specifically for you, you will be giving yourself the gift of place and the space you need to grow into who you are. Ah, imagine a room just for you, your thoughts and musings. Maybe you can finally get to writing that great American novel or just read a book in a special place that reflects the colors and furnishings that speak to the inner you, your passions, your hopes and dreams. It could be a room for relaxing, re-grouping or even just thinking about what could be or what once was. Yes I believe Virgina makes a good case for a Room of One's Own.
I adore my own special room, I can set my laptop on a small desk, look upon my favorite art and gaze out the window to the gardens below. I love the colors in my private haven. The color palette I chose is the golden light at the end of the day. Not only are these colors relaxing, at the end of the day the light pitches into this west facing room intensifying the golds and making the space sing with such rich color at the end of each sunny day. I cherish this special space I have carved out for myself in such a harried world.

Bling on the counter...

We spend so much time collecting fabulous jewelry. Funny antique strings of pearls, rhinestone bracelets, wonderful garnet encrusted pieces to wear on our arms and to adorn our necklines. Not to mention the many amazing watches, shiny earrings and cool odd pieces that look perfect with a black jacket and jeans. So what do we do with these bling-y sparkly wonderment's? Most of us put them in a jewelry case and open it too infrequently to really enjoy the kind of sparkle that delights a Crow!
I decided enough was enough. I had a Victorian silver dish and thought it would look terrific on my dressing counter filled to full with some of my favorite bling pieces. I added a jewel encrusted frame with a photo of my son when he was young. Perfection.
Every time I look at my counter top I fall in love with my jewelry all over again.

Maine Winter Splendor

Every season has its virtue. Winter can be magical. Some mornings it looks beyond Jack Frost or can have a fairy tale like quality. I like to photograph each season. It has been an interesting project I have been working on here in the state of Maine. As every season starts the one before it has been fading. I never know when the last shot of autumn will happen or the first shot of winter. This year winter came early to the Tundra. There were three major storms in the month of December alone. The old timers say this winter is like the winters of yore. What happened to global warming? This movie is a low resolution feature, due to this blogs capabilities, however grab a cup of hot coffee or cocoa and enjoy the picture show!

Sunflowers.. Easy, Breezy and Fun!

I woke up this morning and looked out the window at falling snow. The interesting thing was I had visions of Sunflowers in my mind. I stood at the upstairs window looking down into the garden seeing the Sunflowers of last season, now tall dark brown sentinels and totally covered with snow.

The flowers have been long gone for months and the birdies ate the last of the seeds in early November.




I started thinking of the many varieties I love to grow each year. They are the easiest of all flowers and command such attention.



Planting Sunflowers is simple. First go to your favorite garden center. They will have more choices of Sunflower seeds than you can imagine. Look on the back of the package, not all Sunflowers are 8 ft. giants. I always plant the tallest varieties in the back of the garden and the shorter bushier types near the front.

Soil is the most important step, make sure you do not skimp or do in a half hearted manner. Prepare the soil with compost, bone meal and blood meal and make sure you mix together well getting all of the clumps or clods of soil out. Now the fun part, the planting. I always try to borrow a neighbor child or niece or nephew to help with this task, because they are so amazed at how quickly and how very large Sunflowers become. We make holes with the tip of my trusty Smith and Hawkins "Poacher Spade". We make these holes shallow and about 10" apart. We then put three seeds into each hole. The saying is "one for the earth, one for the crow and one is left just to grow" The chosen child and I then cover the holes, and put 3" of small bark mulch on top of the newly planted area. We then water with a gentle stream of water from the hose. Within one week the Sunflowers are waking up and poking their heads out of the soil. It is magic and the process of their journey from flowering to their fruition of large droopy seed heads for all of our birdie friends, is a wonderment of nature that I repeat year after year.

Cloches... Objects Under Glass.

I am totally smitten with Cloches. They can make an everyday object, special and give a museum style to displaying your favorite things. Goldfish live under glass on a pedestal in my kitchen it is an arrangement that always makes me smile. Some of my guests think it is odd but friends who are young and young at heart delight in the absurdity.



I especially like to display nests with an unexpected object where the eggs should be. A nest with a small white pumpkin makes it not only seasonal, but high style in its own natural way.


Cloches have a magic way of telling a story, an apple under glass can evoke images of Snow White.




Something as spare as a single rose in a simple vase seems extra special under a cloche.


You can start your collection at TJ Maxx, HomeGoods and quite a few specialty shops. They can cost anywhere from $15 for a smaller size to $40-50 for a larger to largest size.

Cool Hat & Scarf Rack...

In the Northeast hats are worn just to stay warm. I have always been a fan of hats after all they can look dashing and mysterious all at the same time. In my home I needed a place to hang all of those hats as well as scarves and coats. I utilized a small hallway near the front door and conviently near the coat closet. I cut a length of pine, and attached to the wall. I then used some antique door knobs I bought just for this project. In less than 30 minutes, a functional and interesting looking wall rack had been created to hold many cool and chic hats of all shapes and sizes.

Roses... Heaven Scent!

"What's in a name? That which we call a Rose by any other name would smell as sweet."



These words appeared in Romeo and Juliet. Roses have been inspiring Poets, Writers, Painters and Lovers for centuries.

Roses originally came from China. In the Silk Road days of Marco Polo they were brought to Europe and became instantly popular. Can you believe an entire society never having experienced the simple pleasure of smelling a Rose? Let alone gardens, vases and armloads of these beauties readily available.

I once had a collection of over 200 Antique, Heritage and Modern Roses, that brought me much joy. Walking through the garden smelling the heady fragrance on a warm summer day. Oh it is with me now, and that was almost a decade ago! I had Roses growing on Fences, Trellis's, Arbors, Pergolas, sometimes mixed with Honeysuckle, Solanum, Grapes and Jasmine. I grew them organically with an elixir of bone meal, blood meal, sea kelp and a dash of epsom salts. Regular watering and plenty of bark mulch equaled a recipe for success. Often times at sunset I would release lady bugs, they loved to snack on aphids.


January is the month to start thinking about your Rose collection. If you do not have one, it may be time to start! David Austin was truly instrumental in bringing back the old Roses. Some of my favorites for fragrance are Gertrude Jekyl, Golden Celebration, Faust, Evelyn, Sharifra Asma, and Ambridge. These are all very easy to grow, and readily available at finer nurseries. My all time favorite rose, is a heritage rose, hard to find or even come by, it is called Souvenir de la Ma Maison. The story of this Rose is an interesting one. An Englishman was a guest at Empress Josephine's home in France. He was so taken with this Rose that he pinched a cutting, put it in his pocket and brought it back to England. He bred this rose, and then shared with his other Rosarian friends. Once in a while I see this rose at a specialty nursery, and think of this story. This rose has petals that feel like the richest satin, and smell like the sweetest corner of heaven.



A few books on Rose gardening will help you to understand the many varieties and their growth habits. What I did find, in most of the books is that most descriptions are created from studies done in the Northeast and in England. In the Southeast or on the West coast these Rose bushes can be double the size the book says they will be, so keep that in mind.

My Roses have brought me much pleasure. I used to cut the blossom heads and put them on the dashboard of my car in the morning and all day long as I would get in and out of the car I was greeted by the sweet, spicy and fruity fragrance of these divine beauties. At the end of the day I would scoop them up, and bring them indoors to a long porcelain dish on the library table, and there they would finish drying. I would do this everyday, until Rose season was over and at the start of the holiday season my friends would receive Rose potpourri from my garden.





One last tip, when you are smelling a Rose take a moment and check for bees then lightly blow into the Rose this heats up the petals and releases a much more intense fragrance.

I am dreaming of those warm days and the Rose garden I will create this spring.

Cool Store... in Savannah

Paris Flea Market is my favorite store in Savannah. They have scoured Paris and other Antique Markets in France to stock their shop. The owner has a unique mix of Antique and New. I love the mercury glass items.



They are terrific grouped in a collection on a mantle, table or shelf. There is something divine about the reflected light that happens with the surface of these items. The huge mirrors, over-sized cabinets and shelving, is truly inspirational. Great art, natural world display items, piles of soap, lamps, picture frames,



furniture, books, herbs & spices and fab items for the outdoor rooms in the garden. I always leave Paris Flea Market feeling as if I have visited those out of the way stores on the left bank in Paris. Cool I didn't even have to show my passport! You can visit the Paris Flea Market online at www.parismarket.com

The New Year... Designing your Life!

It is 9am on the first day of the New Year. I like to think it is just like any other day. A fresh start. When I get up in the morning, any morning it is a choice. I choose what colors I will wear, usually Black, accented with a splash of Green Blue or Teal, once in a while, possibly Red. When I go to the market and buy Produce, Meats and Grains, I am making a choice to feed myself and those I care about in a healthy way. When I care for my plants, I choose to care for them organically and ecologically. Watering only when needed, and preparing their soil so they have nutrients that are coming to them through their roots, on a daily basis. When I have a dinner party I invite people who normally wouldn't know each other. It makes for interesting conversation and we all learn much about each other.Often times new friendships are forged over dinner! In this New Year 2008, I will continue to spend time with people who are interesting, interested and open minded. I love life, it is a vibrant gift to be shared with those we love. I believe it is most important to treat every living thing as if it matters. Lastly in the words of William Morris "Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." I live with this creedo in mind, at all times, try it. My wish for you in 2008 is that you may achieve all that you vision for yourself.