design indulgence: Black and White

Aren't I lucky to have all these blogger friends who occasionally trust me to put out a specific post!

Cause y'all know lately around here it's been slim pickings other than pictures of half built homes.....:)

I think I have pulled it off..... although not my best work you might get a tip or 2.

These girls don't play.....they are serious about their brand and I'm over here like "brand".....what's that? I hate my brain sometimes.....even at 68 I am trying to train it to be more efficient...I will let you know how that is coming along:)

Here are my weak tips and then when you want the real meat of console styling I will give you the links to Mary Ann, Cindy, Annie, Melanine and Ana.

This is the best picture I have of my entry console as it was taken by a photographer for a local magazine Atlanta Home years ago. I had only hung this gallery wall a couple of weeks before this was taken!

By the way it took me years to collect all this art....

This is a picture I took right before I dismantled the whole thing:) I am just like all of you.....there was way too much stuff on this sucker! I had just been adding objects like it was my job not paying attention to what a hot mess it had become....ugh.

Let's start from the beginning....I have had this console for 20 years....

You can see it hides that old vent nicely!

But....It is just too leggy and I have had it covered for ages.....

Here is proof....

Leg city!

Plus.....without the cover there is still that issue of the old grate showing and that bugs me!

So let's put it back on.....but change it up without putting the piece of old linen on it....

Taking out all the white books and just going for black accessories.....

Doesn't feel right.....but hey styling takes time....it's like shopping at TJ Maxx. Hit and miss right?

I have had those magnolia leaves drying in the black vase for a while now.....I love the dark spice color the leaves turn underneath.

So let's change up a few things......I mean I don't hate this but it's looking a little lazy to me. You know all black.....

I added a little bling cause a girl needs something "shiney" in her life right!

And.....put the concrete sewer balls back on there. Hey.....nothing says design like "sewer balls"....hahaha

Adding a little height with my gold statues.....

It's not my best work I know and I had a few other ideas I was going to try out but yesterday turned into such a "shitshow" [more about that later]

that I had to give up that dream of presenting you with the "muther" of all consoles!

One little change.....I was walking Cami and saw this magnolia branch on the ground so I grabbed it!

You have to be aware of your surroundings right....haha!

And there you have it....so take your time....let it marinate. I started this on Monday morning but I was tweaking it during the day. Taking stuff away and adding other things.

I am going to just let those magnolia leaves dry out....

Should have pulled that chair forward....here is a tip....let your furniture breath. Don't pack it too tight against other furniture or walls.

My little $9.00 frame:)

I'll tell you what....this will be part one and I will try to give you a few more looks.

You can use anything to make a console table....case in point here is our old family dining table that my sister has....I styled it up for the One Room Challenge last year!

And below....here is my same console table with a flax covered top....totally different look!

Below is a console table in my bedroom....

And another One Room Challenge console I did for my other sister. This one is pretty simple with just lighting and a large basket.

I should stop now before it is 2021....although I think we would all welcome fast forward to better times!

OK....do not forget to go see what my more professional friends did....I have full confidence they will knock it out of the park!

Cindy Hattersley

Classic Casual Home

My Sweet Savannah

Most Lovely Things

Modern House Vibes

You can let me know your thoughts.....I can take it!

Today is a new day and I have the ability to make it a better day than yesterday so I am going to move forward with much determination.

Shayfab

Man....I have no words about what is happening in the world right now. I am not even sure I should post about something as frivolous as design....while this country is in mourning. I apologize if I am being disrespectful to anyone.

I know that I...being white.... can not fully understand..... I have not walked their path but I have so much empathy when I hear their cries for justice. And.... I have learned something everyday as I have read and listened to what they are saying.

You will never stop learning when you open your heart.

I did go to Madison on Saturday afternoon and y'all it was a much needed break....even if only for 24 hours. It's so unbelievably peaceful there.

I had received the faux olive tree I ordered from Crate and Barrel. I had looked everywhere for a container that I thought would be perfect. Finally I was at Pikes [a local nursery here in Atlanta] and found the perfect one!

I might thin it out a little when I go back.....but over all it's a pretty good faux. The rocks came from Michaels.

I thought I would start with the very beginning....this is how it looked when they bought it!

I suggested to paint it dark....

Look at the right and you will see the porch. The porch became a dining room and family room after the renovation. Another porch was built to connect it to a new quest suite.

The doors on the left were added to the master bedroom.

You can see the new porch on the far right.

The new guest suite.

Off to the far left where the barn is..... was converted to another guest suite.

On the other side of the barn is a whole field of wildflowers....

I don't really want to share this but we went for a trail walk and of course I was talking about ticks the whole time! I am such a weenie.....well wouldn't you know......about an hour after the walk I felt something bite me and I looked down to see 3 ticks on my ankle.

I was able to brush the 2 smaller ones away but one had already sunk it's teeth in me and I started screaming and hopping around like a 12 year old. Anne went straight into "mom mode" "saying give me your leg Sherry".....with clenched teeth. She grabbed that sucker and ripped it off my ankle and y'all....I was shaking. I told her when I got home that night I had PTSD....and she told me "to get over it"....haha.

She also called me a "city slicker"....sometime she can be annoying.

The back of the house....that is the screen porch connecting the guest area.

The furniture used in the barn.

It is almost finished....but I do love how it is coming together. I went with the olive tree instead of the fig because I thought the green of the fig would be too bright for the space.