Inspirazione - in preparation for This Old House photo-shoot

This Old House 

                                                                     photo-shoot is next week

The woman who has made all this happen signs her e-mails with her name and 

"Divine Style Editor at Large"

Now, how much fun do you think she will be......

ALOT  I would strongly wager                                   

                                                                                 Her first name is Sunday, by the way.

These photos inspire me.

Their meaning is likely apparent and all combined they cover the categories of everything that makes my life interesting.

 The combination of masculine & the feminine.

 The magic of natural light and a ladder to the open beams & loft, 

natural flooring surrounding jute pulleys 

supporting the 

raw beauty of naturally shed antlers.

 The poetic simplicity of nature atop nature.

 I am all about "The message".

 For those who know me...
it all began with two of these stunning creatures.

In honor of Bear and Paws
 1996 until 2008 (Coronado, CA) & 2010 (Saint Simons, GA)

From that point on, 

I could never turn my back 

  and pretend I did not see...

Natural simplicity.

 The combination of textures and age...

 One of my life's most simple pleasures... a good cappuccino.

 Red toes (and lipstick)....another very simple pleasure of mine.

 Travel -
A reminder of my last long sojourn in Italy.

I was living in Montelpulciano, Toscana
                                                                                          to attend Italian language classes. 

This was my idea of vacation.

Every morning I walked down a cobbled-stoned street and would stop in at a church prior to class to light candles.  

 I admire natural beauty & a woman who takes care of herself in a way that radiates the same. 

 You must admit, there is beauty in this photograph...

and this one.

The Italians & the French have this part right.

Scout and I on the steps of the former "The Pink House"

preparing for photo-shoot of our local Golden Isles Living magazine.

In celebration of women "of age" & my birthday month

I will be 50 on Easter Sunday this year.

It's lovely this birthday fell on this particular day...

Anniversaries of this sort are a natural cause for reflection and an opportunity to re-define the next chapters.

Don't you love that, opportunities to re-define...

As I think about what inspires me in very simple ways I am struck by the importance of a natural beauty, specific to each of us, and how that is defined in the collective.  I think we would all agree that, at our age, beauty without substance is, well, not interesting (to say the least).

Isn't it really about taking physical, spiritual & emotional care of ourselves,

being our word,

showing UP for people and life,

& staying the course...

with integrity.

It isn't always easy or pretty but if we don't learn and grown from our mistakes, we miss the lesson...

and it's all about what we are learning as we go. 

Here are a couple of simple images that inspire me.

I hope they inspire you to and that you'll tell me about it.

Audrey Hepburn 

1929 - 1993

British actress & humanitarian

Knows who she is...

Knows where she is going....

Confidence & mystery.

The classic leather mini with "sensible" heels. 

Simply sexy. 

The simplicity of elegance. 

Full turtleneck and longer skirt. 

It's about what is not shown. 

No need for commentary...

(Defined by image)

Polka dots and red lipstick - classic elegance.

White linen - simplistic elegance.

Bare feet.  The ultimate in natural elegance. 

Linen shirts and jeans.

Lucchese cowboy boots - Classic Collection

 Red lipstick. 

Love it. 

Me.

More to follow...

The Elegance of rustic series - This Old House photo-shoot (the masculine element of rustica)

Next month, This Old House magazine will be here for a photo-shoot of "Bella Cottage". 

(see link on the right for a step-by-step story of the re-model). 

 This Old House's audience is 75 percent male so the magazine is always looking for a feminine style to showcase what might also appeal to the male audience. 

Journey with me as I introduce you to a new "client's" file - an avid bow hunter and fisherman - but beware the disclaimer, 

                                   there will be antlers...                                                 

(Work with it girls, as antlers are shed annually)

I introduce "the compromise" here (more later in the post).

Our male counterparts love natural wood (not chippy paint) and if there is any paint to be had it will likely be black or gray.
Trust me when I say they only tolerate our pillows...

See the combination of the feminine and the masculine in both photographs to know...

it can be done. 

Wood +Textures + Antlers

The rustic flooring anchors the room but does not define it. The wood armoire, although lightly washed, maintains the integrity of the natural wood.  The painted side table is in gray tones and displays the clean lines of  a glass collection showcased in front of a heavy, dark wood-framed mirror.

The antlers on the wall tie it all together. 

Restoration Hardware attitude...

Here we have the lighter woods with the mottled natural wall texture with a focal point of...

antlers...

I could live with this, can you?

How about this....?

Bedrooms. "Just say No" to the log bed and camouflage comforter set and show him these designs.

I am not much for this comforter here either and the amount of pillows is pushing it but there are leather pillows and clean lines and color on the walls

... and antlers.

It works.

I like this. We've got stripes and plaid, black painted wood, 

(white walls & pillows) 

and antlers...

Makes you think about the possibilities, no?

A pallet as headboard, stripes, gray, and a simple wall adornment...

off-centered antlers 

used for hanging jewelry.

This room is rich with texture & color -

natural wood, navy stripes, lots of light, hearty potted plants,

& perfectly imperfect antler chandelier 

The Art of Compromise

If the photos before these did not do this trick,

 take a look at the next three and see what you think about the combination of washed natural linen and walls, weathered baskets, & shed antlers

                                    The simplicity defines elegance.

_____________

The next five photographs speak for themselves. 

This is my couch, Restoration Hardware (The Lancaster), and much coveted by all my male friends as it is the deepest couch you can purchase - perfect for dogs and doubles as a twin bed without the back cushions. 

This look is more traditionally male but elegant nevertheless and "rustica"

Perhaps my favorite photo.  I can never get enough of "menswear" - leather, plaids, contrasting solids - and then there is the brick wall and wide planked worn wood flooring.

Need I say more...?

The barn doors, brick wall, and heavy, natural hewn wood flanked by a single wine barrel for a side table leaves me speechless (a rarity..)

Both feminine and masculine in an earthy, retro sort of way...

Horizontal aged wood walls have a language all their own.

Combine that with a framed aged map or chart, jute rug, & stacked wine crates for storage and an interesting chair (tractor seat stool) and you are here...

Flooring from aged wine crates.  Incredible.

The environment that inspires me.

The image that reminds me of the simplicity and the power of the feminine and masculine together. 

___________

Happy birthday today to Jamie Hodge

&

thank you for the "push" to another level of inspirazione.