Sweet Sixteen Valentine

I realize you're probably wondering when I'm going to retire the paper disc and ruffly party posts....but this one is just too cute to resist. I have to tell you, It is ALWAYS a treat to be able to do a little stylization/collaboration with the talented Sesha Shannon of Convey Studio Photography.

For this Sweet Sixteen Valentine Shoot, Sesha found this beautiful vintage dress about a year ago. We started brainstorming this shoot about a year ago, too. Now I'm wondering WHY it took us a year to make confetti strands and paper discs???!! Crafting with Sesha, Katie, and Lisa Cat was real fun, but when I saw the images that Sesha had captured...I was pleased as California punch. What do you all think of the shoot? Which one is your favorite?

Lynsey, one of my daughter's best friends, fit into the size 0 dress, no prob. She is super sweet and did, in fact, just turn sixteen and looked at her first car just before we drove to the studio for the shoot.

Now, it's almost Eleanor's sweet sixteen. *Sigh. I can't believe it!

Hope you all have a lovely Valentines Day weekend. Plans, do you have plans? Do tell.

I'm hoping something lovely falls from the sky. NOT snow.

xo

sharon

Holiday Tables by Sharon Taylor Designs

Tomorrow, I'll be a guest on KY3 t.v.'s early morning show sharing some Holiday Entertaining Tips.

I will be setting the table + showcasing some super simple gift wrapping ideas.

I like table tops to be fast + easy to assemble so I'll start with a few things I have on hand... Inspiration color: Scarlett Red. {I'm sure it will be a twist on the traditional.} I hope you like it!

This scarlett red dining room is a recent project of mine that was recently photographed by Sesha Shannon.

Happy Holidays!

Photography by Sesha Shannon of Convey Studio Photography

A Mod-Traditional Dining Room by Sharon Taylor Designs

Most American families don't use their dining rooms, but the couple who own this beautiful English home DO... and here's why:

Freshly painted walls, and 'Taylor-Made' touches.

What do you think? My clients are quite pleased with it, and so am I!

This dining room was opened up to a small kitchen. Basically, the door leading into the dining room was small and squatty. It was widened and raised, with all trim and molding made to match all of the original 1920's styled woodwork.

While the widened doorway was a really grand and needed update..the two conjoined rooms were still feeling disjointed and not cohesive at all. The kitchen was already painted this beautiful color of blue {the Brit husband's fave oceanic color}, and the dining room had butter yellow walls and yellowish curtains. I convinced them that they needed to "be-Out-with" the yellow and bring on the same vibrant blue as the kitchen. I knew that this would happily marry the two rooms together and give the space one large, sweeping-room effect. {Unfortunately, I have no photos of the kitchen to share yet...but will soon.}

This mod-traditional project is pretty much right in line w/the way this middle aged couple live. They are madly in love after 15 years of marriage and whenever I visit them for their bedroom makeover, the husband is usually cooking dinner on their viking range, the table is set w/lit candles, fresh flowers...and then she arrives home from work with a "Hi, honey I'm home." and a smooch. They have their long dinner chat together and then they take their fast paced nightly walk...arm in arm. {Mod, yet traditional living and very sweet}

The drapes and chandelier are from West Elm. Flowers by Janet Pearson, The Orchid Lady. Black Chair Slipcovers designed by me. We used the chairs they already owned...but they were needing some serious style makeovers since being purchased in the 80's. I had them re-dressed in some classy custom made slipcovers using wholesale heavy duty black denim. The dining table is an antique and the wings on the sides fold down. It seats six comfortably, but could also be used as a credenza or sofa table as well. The rug was found at Tuesday Morning.

Photography by Sesha Shannon of Convey Studio Photography

An Argentinian Dining Set to Cry For by Sharon Taylor Designs

A real quick post today...I'm off to pick up some emerald green rail-roaded drapes today from the work room. So excited to use them for an interior shoot today in a cobalt blue dining room.

Here at the end of the busiest year I've had in the business...I'm setting aside time to try to have ten interior rooms professionally photographed. These are all my projects that have not been shared yet. So, yes, all my 'talk' will now be a for real thing . My good friend, Sesha Shannon of Convey Studio Photography is going to be giving them life by capturing them at their best. I am nervous, anxious and excited all at the same time. I hope it all delivers.

Shout Out: I have been so very fortunate to have some of the best people, friends, family and photographers that have been willing to take a chance on me. Thank you!!

It's been a wild ride since I stepped foot into this thing called a design career three years ago, but I am officially hooked on it! Ups and downs along the way have made me stronger, and I have truly enjoyed the lessons learned on each project I've taken on. Many, many lessons learned that I hope to pass on to readers and viewers.

So here is a set of chairs that I found a flea market for my sister's dining room. They gave me ugly eyes when I first found them. {Think yucky Glossified dark wood finish from the seventies with a 1980's rosette styled fabric}...wish I had the 'befores'!

I gave them a lacquered high gloss black finish and white leather upholstery + nickel tacks and VOila, I WANT! Do you like? Also, I found the amazing Czechoslovakian chandelier for her as well.

Gotta run and get my stylizing game on for the shoots!

xo

Sharon

The Mona Lisa Table is Set!

Here is my Mona Lisa inspired table I have been dying to post. Sesha Shannon of Convey Studio photography nails it every single time...I cannot get over it. Stunningly painterly + Golden light!

I'll be posting again a bit later today with the full, knock-out menu created by local chef, Rob Corliss, founder of ATE {All Things Epicurean}.

Inspired by This is featuring this story a bit later today, so pop on over there this afternoon.

I'm also setting the table and hanging the fresh greens over at "Mam-Maw's" house today for our own family Thanksgiving. With a twenty foot long dining room fitted with a roaring fire in the fireplace, a twelve foot long harvest table, a large cascading waterfall chandelier, and a brand new set of crate & barrel dishes...I think I'll be rollin' around in heaven. If you can picture all of that...now, just imagine how good Mam-Maws food is gonna be! She's the best.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

xo

shar

10 Step Mason Jar Candles for the Holidays: Get Cozy!

I apologize for the lack of posting...please be sure and stay tuned this week for some fun barnyard posts! Got some goodies.

Will decided to gather up all of our old mason jars we have collected and stored in the cellar. We use them all the time for my event planning/parties that I host. But this time, instead of using tiny tea-lights that have to constantly be lit and re-lit, then cleaned out, he decided to make long-lasting candles to last us thru all of our own holiday celebrations.

The candles were a lot of fun to make, super cheap, and just a really sweet and simple cozy touch that goes right along with the "homegrown" philosophy that I heart. The large blocks of wax and candle making supplies were purchased at our local craft store.

Materials needed: A large pot, a steel "melting" pot/pitcher, jars, wick string, scissors, masking tape, candle anchors, thermometer, a stove, water, and a hammer.

Directions:

1. Place all of the jars and materials out on a table.

2. Unravel the wick spool and cut the wick thread a little longer than the height of the candle jar.

3. Feed the wick anchor thru and not it at the end.

4. Lower the anchor into the jar until the anchor is at the bottom of the jar...take the excess wick thread at the top and wind it around the pencil and tape it. {the wick needs to be completely vertical and centered with the pencil holding it in the right place.

5. Break a large block of wax with a hammer while still in the package.

6. Place the chunks of wax into the "melting" pot/pitcher.

7. Fill another large pot with 1/3 of water.

8. Place the "melting" pot/pitcher into the large pot of water.

9. Heat the two on Medium heat until reaching a temperature of 150 degrees or melted. Watch closely while wax melts.

10. Slowly take the "melting" pot/pitcher out of the boiling water and pour the melted wax into the prepped jars. Let cool. Cut wicks to 1/2 inch above solidified wax.

So far, they have burned beautifully for Halloween, and the sustainability dinner party {shown at top}, and will definitely be used for the rest of the winter season.

Also, on a side note...The wine pictured at top is a Missouri wine that is surprisingly good! It's called Mount Pleasant Claret {The International Wine Center}, and was chef-selected by local, Rob Corliss. I recently had the pleasure of working with him on a wonderfully delightful harvest dinner party that was hosted in a 10x12 greenhouse.

Happy Thanksgiving Week! Stay tuned for some delish posts this week.

{Images via Sesha of ConveyStudios, and sivan lewis photography. How-to images...by me.}