See my new website: GREYWOOD Home & Garden

Opening a new studio in the Central Coast of California........

Grain Sack Bedroom



My simple sketch for the design concept of the reclaimed wood poster bed.

The black linen print is for the headboard for pop and anchoring.  Matelesse for the duvet with ticking, linen and cottons.  All natural fibers- love them!

The project in Sonoma is developing!  We found this beautiful grain sack with four black stripes and we are complimenting it with the fabrics above.  My client's husband will be building a four poster bed which I designed with reclaimed wood from their property in Montana.  We're having so much fun and will be working on a second guest bedroom soon.  More to come.....

My New Project

I haven't written in a while,  I needed a break, to be very honest. 

But nothing else can get me charged up and back on track but having a great interiors project to work on.  As has happened when a client who brought this antique, grain sack and several more like it to use to upholster a chair in one of her guest rooms.  My grandmother, Amalia, used to say to me, in Spanish and as she and I were working in her garden,  "work keeps one focused on the important things in life it is what keeps one sane."  It's what keeps me sane and more than that it elevates my spirit.  My grandmother, like my mother is, was a true lady.  I spent alot of time with her and she influenced me more than anyone else with regard to French style.

More to come on this house in Sonoma. 

Dreamy

My hardhat is off to this hunky, hunky man!  Thank you for this, Gary Russo!

via fish31171......and you too fish

Ruby Rose

Ruby Rose, SLO, CA

While in the Central Coast this summer one of my favorite days was a day I took with my friends to shop and have lunch in San Luis Obispo.  We met Cookie at one of the best shopping finds ever,  Ruby Rose!  Its an eclectic mix of used, "as found", vintage home goods, clothing, hand bags and boots.  I love Stephanie's philosophy about life and living ones passion.  (see her blah blah blog at rubyroseslo.com.)  Ruby Rose made my heart sing and it'll make yours sing too! 

Ruby Rose

1335 Walker Street

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

805.545.7964

Hours:

Thursdays 10-5

Saturdays 10-2

or by appointment or chance!

A Peek into a Guest Room

The patina on this garage sale find is gorgeous.  It's just enough gold.
This mirror was the catalyst to the transformation of Lynn's guest room where I spent a third of my summer,  she was kind to have me for that long.  So in return I left it better than how I found it.  Thank you, Lynn!

I painted this desk with a warm grey and then distressed it by sanding the edges a little.

I made lamp shade slipcovers from ecru burlap and a bit of elastic banding.  Lamps with skirts!

Washed burlap pillows set the tone and give this formal chaise a relaxed sensibility.  Notice the layered slipcover and wire lamp shade.

Cookie and I found this set of nesting tables which had a big chunk taken out of the edge.  Spackle offered a simple fix.  I added a glaze tinted with my warm grey acrylic paint to just wash the top of the table.  The base was left alone leaving the warm gold patina of these aged pieces.  Lynn and I painted the existing nightstands that had a wood finish with the warm french grey to soften the look of the space.

The Process

Sleep well.

interior decorating

A great deal of my work is in design involving drawing floor plans and elevations for interior architecture, kitchen and bath design and finish selections but one of my favorite areas is the decorating.  My preference in decorating is comfortable relaxed use of natural fiber textiles and re-purposing discarded pieces.

This summer's project is this one shown in the following photographs.  It was a delight to work on and   energizing for me and my dear friend Lynn as we fed off of each other's energy and passion for this casual French style. The space went from heavy and masculine in burgundy and blue English style to this....awe...light and airy.

No need to press your linens instead hang them after being tossed in  the  dryer  with  a  lavender sachet.

Matlesse bedding can be used as a table cloth it make sitting at the table incredibly comfortable.








  





   



  



 



Peony




One of my favorite flowers, the peony!  This shot was taken at the Boise Farmer's Market.

 


A couple ideas to arrange them is to use several containers and remember to always use odd numbers.

 


A simple and inexpensive way to arrange them is to use branches to fill in the height.

 


My design studio.



Lynn and Cookie's Homes

Lynn's Home



In the Breezeway

  







 




  




Lynn and I found this flour sifter in an antique shop in Paso Robles and I turned it into a bed crown.

 



Objects!

  



  
Lynn and I make the pilgrimage to Cookie’s. It’s always an event.

Cookie’s Beach House




At the Entry

  


Fun!





Star fish, the simplest of objects speak to the heart and soul… days on the beach...

 


Some things old, some things new…I just want to sit here all day.  Can I have a cup of coffee?

 


Lynn and I have decided that our favorite space is Cookie’s dining room. The scale of the furniture pieces is very good. The table under the shutters is from my studio in California.

 



Objects!









  Describing Cookie’s house is almost impossible. Every time I walk in I am recharged with her creativity. People like us, with the same obsession for this French style thing, get a rush, and the visual stimulation makes a girl want to stomp her feet. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about.

Pied-a-Terre in a Micropolitan



It is pure comfort.




On the balcony.

 

Lynn's Painting

Lynn is one of the best artists that I've known.  She manipulates the oil medium incredibly well.  This is one of my favorites.  My husband gave it to me as a gift for our wedding anniversary.
..........more to come from her studio............................................................................................................

Our Style, Our Travels...........

Cookie is a flea market expert, Lynn is an en plein air painter, I introduced the two of them and soon Cookie and I were on our way to France to meet Lynn in Paris.  May the trips never end!