Invest in Your Nest with Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams

This week marks the release of Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams' new book Comfortable Home How to Invest in your Nest and Live Well for Less. A timely book that is sure to add value to your home and decor with photos and step by step instructions to help you enhance your home.

Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams believe that, in any economy, your home is an incredibly smart investment. Its value goes well beyond what current real estate prices may say. A beautiful, serene, and organized house truly has the power to change your life. And investments can be made on any budget. The table of contents give you a good peek into what looks like an interesting mix of styles applicable to many different decors. Throughout the book, fabulous original photography provides stimulating tours of real homes, including Mitchell and Bob’s New York City apartment, a country cottage, a revitalized ranch, and a Federal-style home in the city.

Using Mitchell and Bob’s great ideas for working with color, you'll learn the art of furnishing small spaces, creating room to-room flow, and more. The book gives step by step instructions - wonderfully staged so anyone achieve their classic looks.
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Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams were kind enough to provide a copy of their new book to Willow Decor for a giveaway. If you are interested in winning this fabulous new design book just leave a comment. As always, followers and subscribers of Willow Decor are automatically entered. Special thanks to Mindy Drucker co writer of the book!

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You can purchase the Comfortable Home How to Invest in your Nest and Live Well for Less here and learn more about Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams here. Winner will be announced Friday, November 6th.

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Happy Halloween!!!

xx- Gina

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(BTW, Willow Decor is just a fan of Mitchell Gold, their products and design philosophy.

No services or compensation have been received in exchange for this post.)

Valorie's Room in the Semi Finals!

Remember my trip to New Orleans and my great blogging friend, Valorie from Visual Vamp ? She shares my love of antique oyster plates!

Well the very talented Valorie has made it into the semi final round of the Apartment Therapy Room for Color Contest.

Valorie's office is fabulous. We only have 24 hours to vote for her. Please give her room a look - I am sure you will agree it should get the top honors. To vote click here.

Inspired by Christopher Peacock!

Since my first post on Elements of Christopher Peacock Kitchen and the follow up posts, Lighting in a Peacock Kitchen and Hardware in a Peacock Kitchen; I get weekly emails from homeowners and decorators alike, asking more specific questions on how to achieve the look. My hat's off to Peacock and his wonderful classic design which resonates so strongly with people worldwide. Unfortunately, his kitchens are out the price range of many homeowners, so trying to create this look on a budget is more often the topic of the emails.

Last summer I received several emails from Interior Designer, Celeste Randolph of Los Altos, California. She was adding 1500 square feet to her 1950's ranch house and wanted the Peacock look with "chunky counters and flooded with natural light" We exchanged emails about sources, paint colors, hardware, marble, etc. She loved the Peacock look, but wanted to recreate it and stay with in her budget. Celeste recently sent on her finished renovation photos. As you can see, she is very talented and her kitchen renovation was a huge success.

Her attention to detail was outstanding. She left no stone unturned. Notice the moulding details, apron front sink, wood free standing island and gorgeous marble counters and backsplash. Celeste found some wonderful hardware. Also notice her interesting lighting over the windows flanking the stove. Neither are exact copies of Peacock, but they give her kitchen a more personal, chic style. Her kitchen, just like many of Peacock's, is classic and timeless, but also more personal, fresh and updated.

Of course Celeste's talent is not limited to kitchens. She also wanted a gorgeous Master bath too! Here Celeste's use of marble and light is breathtaking! I adore the herringbone marble floors, tub and wall tiles. And, isn't the chandelier fun?

Her choices of mirrors over the sinks and sconces are wonderful. And the window and the natural light really take my breath away. I also like how Celeste added the rather contemporary leaning mirror in the bath. It adds an interesting designer touch.

She also updated her living room with a warm, neutral palette.

Celeste did a fabulous job of recreating the classic Christopher Peacock style in both her kitchen and her master bath. To reach Celeste contact her at Ambiance Interiors in Palo Alto. Thanks Celeste, for sharing your fabulous renovation with us - we will be anxious to see more of your work in the future!

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(all photos property of Celeste Randolph)

HOME DECOR: New Curb Appeal - Hardscape Remodel

As our homes age, old landscaping and hardscapes need to be updated in keeping with the increased value of our homes and property.



Dave's house was built in the late 1970's and although remodeling and upgrades had been completed inside the home, the outside hadn't changed much in the last 30 years. The concrete on the driveway was cracked, brick borders were in need of repair and there was a large concrete patch on the front steps where a water line leak had been repaired. These were the structural items needing attention. The rest was all curb appeal, which is also very important to the value of our homes.

 

My first sketches show the addition of a stone facade on prominent architectural features of the home, as well as new concrete and pavers in the driveway, patio, steps and walkways.   I wanted to widen the walkway and do away with the different levels of patio and walkway.

The staggered steps were dated and I wanted a clean look and opted for a mix of concrete and pavers.  We also needed a retaining wall to separate the planting area from the sidewalk and prevent runoff.

We selected Belgard pavers - a very high quality concrete paver with many color and shape selections. (www.belgard.biz)  We liked 'Bella' color and the Dublin Cobble shape, giving it an old world look which blended well with the rustic stone for the building.

The stone facade product was 'Cultured Stone', a man-made but beautiful stone.

  Dublin Cobble pavers and example of use above.

We chose MGI Construction to do the job.  Project underway.  Demolition and grading complete.  Stone going up on the columns.

I deviated from the original drawings in not adding the brick borders, going instead for a clean lined look in the patio and driveway.

 

Stone being installed on the garage columns and the two patio columns.  Walkway of pavers being completed.  I love the pattern and the soft edges of these tumbled cobbles.

We decided to cap the steps with a bull nose edged tinted concrete.  All of the concrete for this project was lightly tinted beige/tan to go with the stone and pavers and washed for a fine finish.

I love the rustic look of the rock on the wall completed, below.  The client opted for a 'no grout' look instead of a visible grout.   Here is a close up of the steps with bull nose and concrete combination.

Completed project!  A beautiful new look.  A little landscaping still needs to be done, but I think the transformation is kind of amazing, and the look is clean lined and updated.  What do you think?

Happy Deepavali !

Wishing you all lovely blogger friends a very happy and bright Deepavali! A festival which brought me back many shiny memories. Deepavali is the time to celebrate new beginnings.

Today let me take you around the festivities at home. I always look forward to let my creativity flow as I set about decorating the house with rangoli, flowers and diyas.

Welcome to our sweet little home, where we lit 108 Diyas. Those were the lights of faith and worship lit towards welcoming the Goddess.

The day is very special as the entrance gets adorned with colourful rangoli.

All Urulis and small brass vessels get filled with floating flowers and floating fragrant candles.

Tea light candles in small glasses on the steps.

Dining table with a big lotus candle

Diyas and Diyas ,a house full of diyas and prayers....

I wish you all a very happy Deepavali and I hope it brings all of you joy ,laughter and wonderful memories.

Hope you all liked the series from my house to yours.Thanks for the love and affection showered on me and encouraging me.I thank you all once more and hope you will be on my side in further endeavours.

(Images and Ideas by Lakshmi Arvind.Please do not copy them .Please dont use them without prior permission.)

Shubh Deepavali:16.10.09

With just a day to go,I wish you a joyous Deepavali and add sheen to your celebrations with all ideas.Let the Deepavali season be all about" prayers diyas, candles, mithais and pathakas".Dress your idols in red,adorn the entrance of your home and worship room to welcome Goddess Lakshmi.

A simple arrangement with candles and rose petals in a wooden tray.This can be the centre piece of your dining table.

Enjoy the season.Enjoy Deepavali .See you all in a while after Deepavali ,while I accumulate the festivities from my home.Thanks for the lovely comments and wishes.

(Images and Ideas By Lakshmi Arvind.Images are subject to copyright.Dont use them withour prior permission)

Shubh Deepavali:15.10.09

Its festive mood.Festivities start with "Dhanteras" today.An auspicious day when you buy something,need not necessarily be gold or silver or ornaments.We are already in the mood for Deepavali just round the corner.

An arrangement with Lakshmi Vilakku(Lakshmi Brass lamp),supposed to be lit everyday in the house ,that itself will bring prosperity and gold coins and some ornaments in the thali.May this bring prosperity to all homes..May all be blessed..

Hope you are all getting ready for the festival.

(Images and Ideas by Lakshmi Arvind.Please do not use the images without permission and images are subject to copyright)

Shubh Deepavali-14.10.09

Air is thick with the joyous preparations for the festival.Aroma of the ghee and savouries wake your senses up.Love and laughter is in the air.Flowers and diyas make their way into houses.Prayers fill the house.All good wishes for a prosperous New year.

Deepavali pooja starts with Ganesh Pujan.Floating flowers and candles and the ghee lit peacock brass lamp add to the decor of the pooja.Let that add to the occasion of offerings of prayers to The God.

(Images and Ideas by Lakshmi Arvind.Please do not use the images without permission and images are subject to copyright)