Archive for Design

May
15

Swing into Summer…

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Love the fabrics and the ropes! Photo from This Old House

Just imagine. It’s a quiet, lazy afternoon at Lake Gaston. You are worn out from a busy work week and it’s time to relax. Grab your book and head to the porch or covered deck, climb into your porch swing bed and your week’s demands just fade away. Get the picture?

Remembering my grandmother’s front porch swing makes this new swing version so appealing to me. There are many different varieties and styles. I love the idea of mixing outdoor fabrics, colors and patterns to create your own outdoor look. Here are a few of my favorites.

Show your patriotic colors. Photo by PB

Double Swing Bed Duty Photo from Coastal Living

Modern Porch Swing

Porch bed swings are one of my favorite new trends. I am “dreaming” of where I may use one of these!
If you do not have the space or budget for the swing bed there are other options to help you relax in motion. The “front porch” swing styles have evolved with many choices of wood, wicker, metal or poly-wood. Add your cushions for comfort and color and you have created your own outdoor oasis.

Comfy swing chair for the garden by Magnolia Casuals

A smaller and comfortable swing option is the fabric swing chair.  It is available in a wide variety of colorful outdoor fabrics.

Once you have selected your way of “swinging into summer” here are a few tips to get a longer life out of your outdoor swing cushions or any outdoor fabric products:

  1. Use outdoor fabrics made of 100% acrylic or 100% spun polyester fiber. There are several types of outdoor fabrics with Sunbrella solution dyed acrylic being the industry leader. Please note that outdoor fabrics are water repellant not water proof.
  2. Never leave your outdoor cushions out when expecting excessive rain. Although outdoor fabrics are meant to stand up to all weather conditions, saturating the fabric with water will make the cushions harder to dry.
  3. Outdoor cushions can be made with fast-draining marine foam if they will remain outside for long periods to decrease drying time and help prolong their life.
  4. Most outdoor fabrics are mildew resistant; however, mildew will grow on dirt and oil. Keep your fabrics clean by using a solution of liquid dish detergent and warm water to clean away dirt and dust.
  5. For stubborn stains on Sunbrella fabrics, add bleach to the soap and water solution, or use a fabric spot remover. Sunbrella acrylic fabrics are not damaged by bleach.
  6. Stains on printed acrylic fabric can usually be removed with a mild soap-and-water solution. Do not use bleach on printed acrylic fabrics, as it will fade the printed pattern.
  7. Keep suntan oil off the fabric. Suntan oil can stain outdoor fabrics. If stained with suntan oil, remove by using a commercial spot remover for grease stains. Follow the instructions on the bottle.
  8. Try to put your patio cushion away when not in use. Storing your outdoor cushions will increase the time your fabric stays new and vibrant. Take your cushions in for winter, then let them back out again for summer.

Here are some helpful links for more different swing bed style and a DIY video about constructing your own outdoor bed!

http://www.livinglocurto.com/2009/07/hanging-porch-beds/

http://www.houzz.com/Porch-Swing-Bed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIbrgLQY48g

 

Happy swinging and outdoor “Lake Living”!

 

Ever long for an amazing closet like Carrie’s from Sex and the City?  Although it is meticulously designed and organized, a “Big” part of the appeal is the use of lighting.

Carrie's Closet from "Sex and the City"

In the world of lighting, under cabinet lighting in kitchens have come a long way, baby!  Many different options have been introduced over the last 30 years. It started with cool, “grayish” fluorescent lighting which provided illumination but did not enhance the color of food.  Halogen and Zenon lighting became the next lighting of choice. These bright “white” lights make colors pop and culinary creations sparkle. One detriment to their use is the heat gain and the replacement cost of the bulbs.  Both problems have been solved with the innovation of LEDs, but why limit its use to the kitchen?  Here are some unique applications we found at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) this past week in Chicago.

Lighted Drawers turn on/off when opened/closed - Great to see all the way in the back

Lights behind doors turn on/off when opened/closed - Pick black, navy, or dark brown right the first time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lighting focused on each shelf highlights your fabulous shoe collection

Or LED lights within glass shelves illuminate your handbag collection from all angles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to shed some light on your own wardrobe?

We’d love to hear about it.

Categories : Design
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Apr
18

Now you see it, now you don’t!

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Summer at Lake Gaston is quickly approaching. With summer come visits from lots of family and friends.  That’s what lake living is all about.

 Where, oh where do you bed down all these visitors?

 With the use of a Murphy convertible bed you can create a multifunctional space that helps to ease the sleeping predicament.  

Murphy bed, convertible sleep, extra sleeping space

Now you see it...instant guest sleeping space!

Murphy bed, extra sleeping space, multifunctional room, conversion rooms

Now you don't...sleeping space hidden behind closed doors!

Murphy bed, guest bed,

Now you see it! Hidden bed all ready for guests!

Murphy bed, decorative shelving, hidden bed

Now you don't...no one would ever know that behind these decorative shelves lies a bed in waiting!

Do you have a need for extra sleeping space?  Where would you like to incorporate a Murphy bed?

Let’ hear your comments!

 

Categories : Design, Mary's Raves
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formica countertop

Before photo of original countertop

Lake Gaston is a great place to live!  Living on the lake attracts lots of family and friends which provide lots of reasons to entertain.

In this project, to help our client entertain in style, we updated this wet bar.

We replaced the standard Formica countertop with this gorgeous piece of glass, then backlit the countertop with warm LED lighting.  We added a ceramic and glass mosaic tile backsplash to complete the look.  The results are stunning!

glass counter top installed with backlighting

Glass countertop with LED lighting

Whether you’re looking for a conversation starter or it’s just time to update your wet bar, man cave, or even your counter down at the dock, this is a great way to transform a countertop into a unique component in your design.

How would you incorporate a backlit countertop into a  project?

Let’s hear your ideas!

Happy lake living!

glass countertop, LED lighting, wet bar, renovation

Close up view of this gorgeous countertop

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Mar
27

Loving Tile Dots!

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In our new demonstration kitchen we found a wonderful new accent tile to incorporate in our design. Tile Dots are created by ceramic artist Kim McGinnis of Rocky Mount, NC. This is a truly custom product. There are over 30 colors to choose from. Mix and match the size and colors of the dots. Add an accent shape for a coastal or nature look. We can help you create the perfect tile accent design for your kitchen or bath project. But don’t stop with the kitchen or bath…how about a table top of tile dots or a small accent wall in a niche? Let’s explore the possibilities!

Watch this video as Autumn tells us all about Tile Dots!

How creative can you be?  How would you like to use Tile Dots?

We love your comments!

 

 

Mar
14

Does Pot Man need clothes???

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pots, garden, pot man, party, kit

Mini Pot Man

As we collect all our parts for the “build your own” mini pot man party I have been contemplating  whether  to “dress” my pot man with some type of attire.  Perhaps he needs some color with painted stripes or a collage of glued on fabric scraps.

What do you think?

Join us Saturday March 24 at 10 AM to create your own pot man, clothed or naked!!!

E-mail or call to register:

autumn@marysherwood.com

252-586-2437

 

 

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Dec
22

OH! Christmas Trees!!!

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Yes, friends there will be a Christmas tree at the Sherwood’s Lake Gaston home this Christmas!  Some of our friends were beginning to worry there would not be any sign of holiday cheer at our house by the time our family arrives.  Have no fear, we once again have a “live” Christmas tree.  Here is the story…

Being in the retail and design business we are often very busy at this time of year.  As our business and children were growing up and time was at a premium, Aaron and Jake began to question “if” and what kind of tree we would have.  Traditionally it was always a live tree, sometimes collected from a local tree farm or the local Jaycee’s lot.  In 2002, having waited until the last minute, I rushed to Wildwood Nursery in search of a live tree.  They were too large, too tall or too expensive, so I had to re-group.  Wondering through the nursery I spotted a Pom Pom Topiary Juniper.   It was not very big but had a very interesting shape.  Could I make this work as a Christmas tree?  I am always up for a challenge!  My youngest son, Jake, at that time, always arrived home for Christmas late in the night from NJ.  I had promised him a real tree!  So, he first laid eyes on this tree while everyone else was sleeping.  In the morning he said, “Mom, what have you done?  You decorated a “broccoli” tree for Christmas! Thus the saga of the potted Christmas trees began.  Here is the pictorial version of the saga from 2002 to today, http://bit.ly/vFOmDz.

 

Broccoli tree, Christmas tree, holiday decorations

2002 "Broccoli" Tree

So this past weekend once again we set out on the quest for a tree.  Again Wildwood Nursery was able to oblige.    We found a beautiful potted ‘Carolina Sapphire’ Cypress tree about 5’ tall.  This type of Cypress is a very airy looking tree with aromatic, pale blue-grey foliage.  Because the foliage is so wispy, developing a decorating scheme took some thought.

 

Carolina Cypress, Mary Sherwood, Christmas tree,

The beginnings of the 2011 Sherwood Christmas tree, a 'Carolina Sapphire' Cypress

I began with the lights placed close to the trunk.  Tulle mesh ribbon in three colors, white, red and turquoise, and lime stretchy ribbon was added for the garland.  Last but certainly not least, an assortment of light weight glass ornaments created the finishing touch!

 

glass ornaments, saxophone Christmas ornament

Added sparkle and shine with light weight glass ornaments to the 2011 tree.

Carolina Cypress, Christmas Tree, potted evergreen tree,

Carolina Cypress 2011 Christmas Tree

glass baubles, art glass, Christmas lights, color for Christmas

Glass baubles and lights for the mantel!

Christmas decorations, Handrail Christmas decorations, turquoise, lime green

Added a touch of turquoise this year.

art glass, lamp, Christmas ornament, dragonfly

An art glass lamp even gets some Christmas adornment

Yes, we do have a tree and a few other Christmas baubles and bangles.

Thank you for reading this story!  It helped me remember how precious these holiday memories will always be in our lives with the people we love.

Enjoy your holidays wherever you may be.  Make some memories!

 

Sherwood family, memories, Los Angeles, Museum of Modern Art

The Sherwoods visiting the LA Museum of Modern Art, Christmas, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Categories : Christmas, Design, Mary Raves
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In the process of using this recipe for the wedding cake I calculated how many cups of cheesecake batter there are in one recipe.

cheesecake, wedding cake, perfect cheesecake, strawberry sauce

Strawberry Wedding Cheesecake

Each recipe make 2 1/2 cups.  In a 9″ springform pan this makes a 2″ high cake including crust.

To adjust height of cake add more batter and increase cooking time.

You can calculate the different amount of batter needed for various size pans by using a ratio.

9″ pan -2 1/2 cups

8″ pan-2 1/4 cups

6″pan-1 3/4 cups

These amounts are rounded up to make it easy to measure.

There are three key elements to making a perfect cheesecake:

1.  Spray the springform pan very well with Baker’s Joy so cake slides easily off of bottom of pan

2.  Use low heat, 300 degrees, to prevent the top from browning.

3.  Cool gradually as suggested in recipe

 

Good luck with this!

 

 

Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberry Sauce

Adapted from Cooking Light, May, 2006

Approximately 16 serving with sauce

 

CRUST:

1/4 cup sugar

8 graham cracker rectangles

Dash of salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons of butter or canola oil

Cooking spray w/flour (such as Baker’s Joy)

 

CHEESECAKE:

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (4 ounces) regular cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash of salt

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon of grated lemon jest

4 large eggs

2 egg whites

 

SAUCE:

4 cups sliced strawberries (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 cup strawberries, cut in half

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

 

Preheat oven to 350°.

 

To prepare cheesecake crust, place 1/4 cup sugar, graham crackers, cinnamon and dash salt in a food

processor; process until mixture resembles sand.  With the processor on, add 2

tablespoons melted butter through food chute, processing until blended. Generously coat pan with cooking spray with flour.   Firmly press mixture into bottom and slightly up sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes until just golden brown; cool completely on a wire rack.

 

Reduce oven to 300°.

 

To prepare cheesecake, combine 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, and a dash of

salt in a large bowl. Add softened cheeses; beat with a mixer at medium-high speed

until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add vanilla, 1 teaspoon juice and lemon zest;

beat just until combined. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating after each addition

just until incorporated.

 

Bake at 300° for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until center of cheesecake barely moves when pan is touched. (Oven temperatures vary.  Cooking time may need to be adjusted).  Turn oven off. Cool cheesecake in closed oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven. Run a knife around outside edge. Cool on a wire rack. Gradual cooling is important to prevent cracks in the cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate.  Can be frozen up to 3 months in tightly sealed aluminum foil and a zip lock bag.

 

To prepare strawberry sauce, reserve 1 cup strawberries, cut in half.  Combine 4 cups sliced strawberries, 1/2 cup water, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl, pressing lightly with a spatula; discard solids. Return mixture to pan. Combine 1 tablespoon water and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Transfer mixture to a bowl; cool to room temperature. Stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice.  Embellish top of cheesecake with strawberries, cut in half.  Spoon 1/2 of strawberry sauce on top.  When serving, drizzle each slice with a little of reserved sauce.

 

 

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Jan
25

Slipping and sliding into the New Year!

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Time flies when you are having such a good time!   Just a little over a week ago we were slipping and sliding into Atlanta to attend the January market.

ice, Atlanta market, Atlanta

Slip, sliding away!

We started our first day at market with a “man on the street” interview with Susan Dickenson, retail editor for Home Accents Today magazine.

Home Accent Today magazine, man on the street at Atlanta market, Lake Gaston girls

Autumn, Lu, Traci and Mary at Atlanta market

She grabbed several retailers to get a sense of the retail climate and their market plans. Thanks Susan for including us in your daily market issue. Read our comments and those of other retailers:  http://bit.ly/gbW9Kq

At this market we plan our showroom strategy for the New Year.  Color is an important element in our showroom so we always reference the Pantone Color of the Year.  The color for 2011 is Honeysuckle, a bright, saturated pink.

pantone, color for 2011, pantone color of the year, honeysuckle

Love the Pantone Color of the Year for 2011

As we purchase for spring and summer we select items that coordinate with this year’s new color.  This really helps us focus on accessories and gifts that are color forward.  If you are interested in learning more about Pantone’s2011 color forecast check out this link:   http://bit.ly/eu2SLd

color, decorative tabletop, turquoise, pink, red, festive, floral, ceramics

Festival of table top color!

Funny Faces for Summer

Ah, Spring!

Ah, Spring!

Another big purchase category on our list is Holiday.  The January market introduces the new looks for 2011.  We develop a plan for how many trees, what themes and what colors we will use.  Purchasing in January guarantees we will be able to receive our selections by late summer and avoid sold out items. The use of large ornaments and objects on trees with a focus on one prominent color is one new emerging trend.

holiday color 2011, pink, turquoise, large ornaments

Color forward thinking for Holiday 2011!

holiday 2011, whimsy, Christmas accents, new for 2011, large ornaments

Whimsical elves and large ornaments are big for Holiday 2011

This market also is our source for our summer fashion accessories, apparel and shoes.  Here is a sneak peak of some of the new looks!

clutch,purse, rose floral accents, bright colors.

Rose wristlet clutch in bright colors. The "new" accessories for spring 2011.

coverup, flip flops, beach bags

Outfits for fun in the sun!

To cap off our shopping frenzy we taste and select new gourmet food items.  This is good and bad.  Great to find new product but hard to go through the many food displays and be selective with what you sample.

vegetables, canned vegetables. pretty vegetables, gourmet foods, tasty

Yummy, colorful, healthy and pretty...could these veggies be good for you too?

Market is an exhilarating experience!  New products, new colors, new styles always start the design juices flowing.  Tired bodies, tired minds and achy feet must be worth it because we keep going back.

travel, baggage, Atlanta

Glad we didn't have to push this load through market. Four women just don't know how to travel "light"!

You can experience a little of our market experience through our blogs and Facebook posts without the physical and mental strain.

Did you see the “Honeysuckle” color keep poping up in these pictures?

Tell us your favorites of our new products to arrive over the next few months!

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Moving on to Install Day 2 we concentrated on the guest bedroom/home office in the MBR wing of the house.  Our previous post told you a little about our client and the house.  If you missed the first day’s events check out our blog:  ”This is What the Lake Gaston Girls Do in Dallas.”   With the master bedroom basically complete  we focused on to the guest bedroom/home office. This space is to function both as the small, comfortable private retreat/computer space for the owners and transform into a well- appointed guest room when needed.

GUEST BEDROOM/HOME OFFICE BEFORE

In this space we dealt with the window that grew (mentioned in our last post)! Autumn, very skillfully, stretched the window treatment by adding a panel to the rear to make it 5″ wider. The treatment is a “faux” (or fixed) roman shade. We embellished the bottom with trim and hand-made buttons by  NC potter, Courtney Tomchik.

GUEST BEDROOM/HOME OFFICE ALTERED WINDOW TREATMENT WITH POTTERY BUTTONS AND TRIM

WINDOW TREATMENT DETAILS

With the use of a Murphy bed this space can switch easily into a place for guests. This was the room I stayed in during our visit.   I actually slept with Mr. Murphy…the bed that is! :) It is amazing how easily it converts!  What a great solution for a multi-use space.  Below are pictures in this order: the closed Murphy bed with four sets of bookcases, the Murphy bed frame behind the two center bookcases, and the Murphy bed ready to bed down guests. The bookshelves in this Murphy unit are crying for accessories.  That will have to happen on our next visit!

MURPHY BED IS CONCEALED BY THE TWO CENTER BOOKCASES. THE TWO CENTER SECTIONS SWING OPEN TO EACH SIDE TO REVEAL THE BED FRAME. DRAWERS IN THE OUTSIDE SECTIONS STORE BED LINENS AND GUEST SUPPLIES.

MURPHY BED FRAME BEHIND THE CENTER BOOKCASES

MURPHY BED OPEN AND READY FOR GUESTS WITH "SURPRISE" ART EXPOSED WHEN BED IS OPENED!

To complete the space we added two very comfy Four Season swivel-glider slipcovered chairs!  The slipcovers make the seating very pet friendly for the two dogs, Q-ee and Lew-ee!  A small, mobile laptop desk, flat screen TV and small shelf for the receiver complete the owner’s retreat.

Guest Bedroom/ Home Office-Owner's Retreat

PORTABLE LAPTOP DESK, WALL MOUNTED TV AND RECEIVER SHELF

The owner’s comment:  ”I love this space!  I’m not sure I want to share it with guests!

Hope you like this space!  Tell us what you think!

More areas of the Dallas project to be revealed in our next post.

Mary

“Working with you to create your lifestyle at Lake Gaston and beyond.”

Categories : Design, Mary Raves
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