Gorgeous Grisaille!

(down east dilettante)
Grisaille painting and wall papers have always been a love of mine. Grisaille (pronounced "griz eye") is the french word for shades of grey. This monochromatic technique was done both because artists could travel and do the work with out supplies, and the Grisaille painting could be a sample and/or under painting over which pigments could be applied.
Linda Coulter, a wonderful painter explains in her website: This concept was developed many centuries ago when pigments were very scarce. The Old Masters had only a handful of pigments to accomplish their beautiful results so they had to push each individual pigment to its fullest capacity to be able to achieve the luminosity in their art work that made them famous. In those days when pigments were extremely expensive, and it was also a way to save money. A sister to Grisaille is the less known Brunaille - which is in shades of brown. Below are some of my favorite examples.

The first is Martha Stewart's entry hall in her Turkey Hill House. This large mural stopped me in my tracks the first time I saw it . Lovely!

(Degage)

Here a common suburban two story entry turns extraordinary with this hand painted design.(down east dilettante)

This historic house turned museum is in Portsmouth, NH. The Moffat-Ladd house mural is likely Dufour wall paper from early 1900's, which depicts the Bay of Naples. To learn more about this wonderful house click here.

(architect design)

Here antique wall paper panels found at the Louvre are stunning. Read more about them on Architect Design here.

(Cote de Texas via Edie van Breems)

One of my favorite images is from Cote de Texas via Edie van Breems of Libby Holsten's home click here. The curves of Mora clock wonderfully compliment the mural behind it.

(decorative imaging)

I love the room above, though not traditionally Grisaille or Brunaille, the addition of the shades of green and the side panel painting make for a gorgeous wall.

I adore this 18 century hand blocked Grisaille wall paper from Wendy Lewis at the Textile Trunk. You may not be aware of this, but Wendy also has a gorgeous selection of rare antique wallpapers.

This particular piece took my breath away! It is just stunning in shades of cream and gray. I envision it framed in my Living room or Dining room like a rare work of art, or perhaps I could cover a screen with it. Oh the possibilities!

(photos above Textile Trunk)

Though Wendy does not always list every gorgeous paper she has (her wallpapers move fast and are in great demand by her interior designer buyers) send her an email and she will let you know what treasures she has recently found. Click here to contact Wendy.

If you do decide to buy this let me know how you use it. But if its sold by the time you read this, you may end up seeing it in one of my clients homes or even in my own house because I just can't stop thinking about it!!

GARDENING: ROSES - GARDEN TOUR 7

HOME SWEET HOME

ITS ALL ABOUT THE ROSES

Sometimes just the right touch can make a beautiful project spectacular

Last Summer I finished up this hardscape remodel in Mission Viejo.  The homeowner put in new landscaping to compliment the new look of the home, but the patio was still a little bare.

A quick trip to a local nursery and we found these great pots (lightweight as well)

We planted them with spiraled spruce and bacopa - and the result was stunning!

You can view the project blog here to see the before and after photos.

Before we begin our garden tour (I'm stalling because it is my garden we are visiting) I wanted to express how important I think water is in a garden.   Not only for its reflective quality. . .

for it also attracts wildlife (I have never been so delighted as when a hummingbird stops to take a little bath in my garden fountain, or takes a sip mid flight)

While ponds are beautiful and tranquil

I prefer the sound of water in my garden.  Nothing compares to the music created by water, whether large or small.

Claudine's Garden

..

I'm actually relieved we are doing a virtual tour this year, as my garden has been suffering from blatant neglect

Flowers have gone unfertilized, untended, untrimmed and the beds are full of leaves, twigs and the occasional weed

Thankfully, my sweet husband took up the slack and planted beautiful color pots (also now untrimmed and untended) to brighten the garden for me

..

Sometimes my life gets a little ...

busy...

Tending a garden takes time

Despite the neglect, spring has been coming along nicely

I would have to say that although I have a garden, and I love gardens -

I am not a gardener.  I don't cultivate, I don't take clippings and coax them into growing roots, I don't wax poetic about which fertilizer to use,

or grow vegetables in containers and make my own salsa from it.

I simply don't have the time to be that involved.

But I so appreciate those who do, and who seem to do it so effortlessly. 

 I admire my friends that have organized and tidy gardens, 

with plants trimmed of spent blooms, 

with lettuces and herbs and other edibles; 

roses that are properly pruned

and glass topped tables that don't bear the words 'wash me' in the dust. 

You are the true gardeners. 

Despite my lack of time and skill, Mother Nature has been kind to our garden

(probably also due to a nice wet winter)

and there are spots that are camera worthy

like the plump blooms on the double geraniums

the penstemon

the color pots my husband put together

and this supertunia specimen we picked up at the garden show this spring

Also coming along nicely are the succulents -

our first attempt at growing them

in fact they are growing more rapidly than we anticipated

The fountain bubbles happily and is visited by sweet little birds that add to its music with their song

the apple tree is busily producing fruit, almost as quickly as the raccoons and possums

(and horrified here - rats)

are nibbling away at them

and it looks like we will have plums this year -

only the second time the tree has produced in 10 years

there are tangerines, grapefruit and lemon trees that produce every year

and a pineapple guava and a mango tree that are a little fussy and may or may not

..

But when all is said and done, my garden is really all about the roses

They seem to thrive on neglect

especially the Edens, which sprawl in great abundance over the front of the house

As far as roses go, I prefer ones with a very high petal count

as they last much longer

and remind me of  Peonies, which we can't grow here in So. California

and I like the English or Romantica styles for their form and fragrance

This rose was close to the fountain and caught its spray, like a sprinkling of diamonds

Another reason I have roses . . . big beautiful bouquets!

thank you for visiting my garden!

TOMATO LOVE

In Washington, Utah - near St. George, my brother-in-law Gene has taken on a bountiful hobby

His tomato passion has been growing for a few years now - last year he harvested over 400 plants and of nearly every variety imaginable

At his main residence in Salt Lake area, he built a greenhouse - climate controlled and efficient - to house his hobby.  It's a perfect compliment to his 'other' hobby - cooking!

but the milder climate in Southern Utah is producing beautiful results as well

for all the tomato plants, and one eggplant . . . which may develop into a new passion?

I'm so impressed!

You are amazing, Gene! 

thanks to everyone who has visited or participated in our Garden Tour!

SEE YOU NEXT TIME!