Happy Halloween!

Could we have asked for better weather for this fine holiday weekend?!  What plans have you for this leaf-falling, soup-making, owl's nest-making day?  Festivities are in full swing at our house and on our Pickwick street, where the Rountree Owl mascot awaits his moonlight call!

Today, we are costume sewing for a toddler Indian girl, and prop stylizing for a teen-age Martha Stewart.  

Looking so forward to the classic annual neighborhood costume parade tonight, here in Rountree.  Easily, my most favorite event of the year!  {Thanks to Weller mom's, Robbin and Amy, who started this kid-friendly, neighborly tradition a few years back...now it's grown to over 400 kid/family paraders}.  Anyone is welcome and it starts at five, just one block south of Grand on Weller.  I look forward to seeing old and young alike in their quirkiest and most outlandish moods.

I love these masked guests of Truman Capote's infamous Black and White Ball at the Plaza hotel in 1966.   What a party that would have been!

If you're in the 'hood, stop by 910 S. Pickwick and join us as we count over 500 plus trick or treaters this year!  One of the reasons I say, "Rountree = Quintessential Halloween" 

 Have a wonderful day and night!

xo
sharon


{Photos via Habitially Chic}

Pretty Little Things + Behind The Scenes at ST. Designs

HELLO AND HAPPY FRIDAY!  

I am finally figuring out how to enlarge photos on the blog. All by accident, of course.  My kids shutter at how much I don't know.  "Seriously, mom!"

Here are a few noteworthy inspirations below....Three to be exact, from my trip to NY.  I seriously stood and studied the seductive Ralph Lauren vignette, pictured below, for a good half an hour.  I loved everything about it... The rich, deep jeweled tones in the oil painting and how it pared so well with the vibrant red velvet upholstered headboard/side rail.  I also couldn't get over the funky, split personality chair {as my friend Meg called it}. It's two opposite fabrics give it such a fresh take on a wonderfully sculpted Old World chair design!  

 

I have so many little truffles in my little camera box...just like these, so I think it only appropriate to hand them to you in small doses. Because they are so rich, no?!  

 

Ralph Lauren's Showroom @ ABC Carpet and Home!  {INCREDS!!}

Well, what do you think?

AND...CAN I have you, you STUNNINGly beautiful original upholsteried Settee?  PLEASE, come to me!

Cutest shop I have ever seen.  Called "The Best Chocolate Cake in the World"...in SOHO. 

Beautiful Foyer of a house I've been consulting on. I decorated for Halloween on the credenza with the homeowner's things. The home is being renovated and is GORGEOUS!

Giving it a go on oxidizing mirrors.  I am going to attempt to make a wall of oxidized mirrors.

Vases for a dinner party.  The tablescape theme was "Mysterious".  I collaborated on with Kendra of Lonie Mae...{should have pictures soon of the end result.}

Contemplating the purchase of a quite seductive gypsy painting.  She stands seven feet tall and appears to have a gun in her holster? ..very Darrell Carter-ish style.

 Taylor Made pillows are made to order.  These just came in and  I sold four out of five to the first customer I showed them to today!

My sister Rosie, threw a shower for a Mom to be of Twins!

Niece Goldie siting on Pinkie Velvet Chair

Rosie had the cutest decor... Miniature babies in bunkbeds on the cake!!  INCREDS!

Wish my camera could show you that the stork brought two darling dears.

Hope you all have a fantastic Friday and MUCHO fun festivities to you all on this weekend before the weekend of Halloween!

xo
sharon

Mr. Revolutionary is Cleaning House

HI All and Happy Fall!  The weather is grand, no?  Golly-gee, it's been so pretty outside these last few weeks.

Here on the home front, we've cleaned out a lot of stuff {furniture, junk, and undone projects that are haunting and taunting us}.  All in an effort to cleanse.  Also, to gear up for a hefty yard sale.  Mr. Revolutionary {Will} has us running a tighter ship of "purging what we don't use".  It's a good thing!

We've really pared down on all holiday decor too. For the last few years, we've been going towards a more minimal "Organic Grey/Charcoal" look that can easily be dressed up with a glam touch/twist. I'm loving this less is more approach... but still can't resist a little razzle-dazzle, shiny, and just one pop of color! 

Here are some inspirations I am falling hard for:

Mirrored Walls or Mirrored Anything!

Pinatas for Any Old Occasion!

Dolled up Place Settings

Being Nice is Easy...being KIND is much more!

What I wear when I watch Will clean the house.

Amazingly Royal Bedroom

Images from Bliss, Full House, and Confetti System

I hope you are all having a great week!

That's it for now...  I will try to share some projects that we have going in our kettle.  Soon, and very soon, I hope!

xo
sharon

The Scarlett O'Hara of the Design World: Mary McDonald

Who is your favorite female designer?  I'd love to know!!!

I'd have to say my all time favorite is Mary McDonald.  To me, she is The Scarlet O'Hara of Design.  AND...She has finally published a book!!  Mary McDonald Interiors:  The Allure of Style.  I ordered my copy over the weekend and cannot wait for it to arrive.

The book is supposed to be filled with wonderful imagery of her Beverly Hills estate as well as many favorites we all know from Domino.

I'll never forget when I first saw her work in Domino about ten years ago. It was so refreshing then and still makes my heart skip a beat every time I open up those well-worn pages.  Not to mention every time I see her latest work introduced in the latest magazines.  In addition to doing interiors, she also throws some dynamite-ly designed soiree's too!  {My favorite Gala of her's was featured in Veranda '08...the green and white gala...does anyone remember that party or have those images???, let me know!} 

Mary is as beautiful as her own rooms as well.  She even resembles Vivian Leigh...If you haven't seen the latest Town & Country, you should see her beautiful feature there. She lets us in on her love affair with ball gowns {how glamorous is that?} and her latest addiction to grey flannel {a current day clothing trend, down to the shoes and all}.  I love how her fashion sense imitates her design aesthetic..."old world glamour" in a contemporary world.

She grew up in Brentwood, California and then attended Parsons School of Design.  After attending school there, she practiced as a milliner...{which, is a little known fun fact, huh?}.

Mary is here to stay...She's been solidly entrenched as one of the top 100 elite designers for a while now.  And, for that I'm grateful, aren't you?

Mary in her leopard print study

Mary McDonald Interiors: The Allure of Style by Rizzoli Publishing

Mary's New Dining Room Makeover:  Inspired by a Chocolate Shop in Paris

Mary's dressing room:  {Osborne & Little flame stitch wallpaper is one of her favorites}

 Happy Tuesday, and Have a great week!

NY, I love you.

Hi everybody!  I retired my hillbilly wagon {Honda Odyssey, '01} for a week...and went to New York City.  I'll be uploading some fun and inspiring ideas that I collected on our {sister and cousin} and "work" trip. 

The BIG Highlights: 

1.  Celebrating with the RUE girls for the toast to their new, hip on-line magazine.
2.  Sister Julie's jam-packed opening exhibition 
3.  Matisse Show at the MOMA
4.  London Terrace Street Market
5.  Curious shopping in my fave design show rooms, boutiques, and WINDOWS too!

1.  Celebrating with the RUE girls for the toast to the launch of their new on-line magazine.  I love these girls!

                       2.  Attending Julie's opening exhibition with my sisters and cousin Laura. Missing a few special people that we would've loved to have had along with us.  Mom and Dad, of course...but Philip, Andrew, Jeanie, Lizzie, and Frank. You guys, too, are a part of the "charming chaos" in Julie's work. 

 3.  Matisse' show.  Really was a high...and so many sighs.

4.  We were told by a wonderful New Yorker not to miss The London Terrace Street Market that this street fair is a must-go-to for thrifters.  It is a once a year deal and boy, did us sisters and Laura load up.  We loaded up some killer antiques {pictured below}..they almost all fit perfectly in our luggage.  All for Millie's stylish dollhouse back home, that is.

So...our feet walked and walked through the West Village and Soho to all the spots but two...more to share on this.

Rosie, Millie, and me pictured below at ABC carpet and home's sixth floor.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biggest highlight was probably though, at the end of the hard working day of curious minding and winding, our rewinding with good wine and Rosie's foot rubs in our tiny room at The Jane Hotel.  Four nights of bunking with four fun girls!  {If only Jeanie and Lizzie...}

Came back to our sweet little hillbilly junction at 910 Pickwick...feeling really inspired and refreshed and lucky! I'll be uploading some other inspirations soon too...Oh, and I didn't even mention Bergdorfs yet!

Also, I hope to share some exciting news soon.  {Fingers crossed!}

Hope you all had a wonderful week, and I have to say, it's so good to be back home! I DO love home, sweet home. 

xo
sharon

Wedding WEEKEND!! Euro Cirque Style

It all started with a sweet surprise internet exchange...down the rabbit hole was the way I fell into this upcoming European cirque wedding that I've been so fortunate to be a part of.  Tonight is the rehearsal.  It alone, will be so beautiful. The setting and theatricals for this wedding are like a fully loaded french pastry shelf of my favorite movie sets... Lemony Snicket, Chocolat, Bright Star, and Harry Potter.

Last spring when my table scape was featured on Coco + Kelley, I received the loveliest comment from Carissa of JLDesigns of Orange County, CA.  I followed her link to her web-site and was jaw-dropped to my knees by her gorgeous work!  Since then I've been a huge follower. and. fan. of THE Carissa.  That was over a year and a half ago that we first exchanged complements thru the internet.  Since then we've had months of excited e-mails back and forth in anticipation for her sister-in-law's wedding {the darling Erin, of the super cute blog... erinpotpie}.  This wedding will be on her family's wooded property just along the James River.  It is heavenly-beautiful. 

On another note: I seriously don't even know where to begin on telling you how much work and detail Erin has put into her wedding.  To top it off, the father of the bride has blown me away with his creative genius.  The whole family, I tell you!   I'm not a big twitterer...so if you'd like to see some snapshots of the amazing props for this wedding, you can facebook friend me and see some updates of behind the scenes.  {sharon taylordesigns} 

Okay to getcha a little more up to speed, here are their beautiful engagement photos that they flew out to Orange County for.  Husband and wife photography team, Gabriel Ryan and Carlie Davis captured a series of Erin and Brent's story. {shoot stylized by Carissa too!}

Much, much more to come, but for now...Enjoy!

Thanks all! And love me not rain!!
xo
sharon

Countdown to Rue Magazine Premier Issue!

I'm ready to dive into Rue Magazine's premier issue tomorrow!  I know you'll be just as excited as I am after seeing this sneak peak of their cover. On the cover, W& R.  Are they not just the epitome of style?!  LOVE it!

Rue is the next magazine to replace the Domino, which we were all so fond of and miss dearly.  

So with Rue...there has been an amazing ramping up to their launch in the last few weeks that has had me super giddy with excitement.  For those of you who read the blogs I like, you will recognize some of the editors behind this amazing "Rue crew".  They are the authors of some really great blogs.  First off, Crystal Gentilello, of Plush Palate, {who is so sweet and has been supportive of my work on her blog}...she is the Co-Founder and Editor in Chief.  Anne Sage, of the City Sage...Co-Founder, and Executive Editor.  Alaina Kaczmarski, of Live Creating Yourself...Managing Editor.  And lastly, Caitlin Flemming, of Sacramento Street...Market Editor.

Wanna know something else?  I was invited to Rue magazine's launch celebration in NYC next week.  Among other things, a toast to their launch will be part of a full day of events at the New York Design Center for the What's New, What's Next event.  Some really great things are lined up on the program that you can count on me filling you in on.  Oh, I can't wait.  Oh, my goodness. What do I wear??!