Home & Garden

How Hunt Slonem Celebrates

When all else fails, looking at something beautiful can put things right again. Or if not to put right, to remind. To remind us that there is beauty in abundance in this sometimes-ugly world, and that it is often created by people who are talented, disciplined, and devoted to using and celebrating their God-given gifts.… Continue reading How Hunt Slonem Celebrates

Eden is that old-fashioned House

A poem by Emily Dickinson with a lovely thought of home found its way to me recently: Eden is that old-fashioned House We dwell in every day Without suspecting our abode Until we drive away I daresay there are many unsuspected “Edens” in our lives. Our children, the little devils. Our husbands, the rascals. Our… Continue reading Eden is that old-fashioned House

Just Back From Lost Angeles

Have to admit it is exciting to be in Los Angeles for Oscar weekend and friend Alex Hitz’s super fun party which ended at around 2 with the diehards gathered around the kitchen island singing at the tops of their lungs to every song, using whisks as microphones. Umhmm. I’m not saying I was one… Continue reading Just Back From Lost Angeles

Doing Up for Valentine’s Day

Life at Rancho La Zaca was so hectic around the holidays that I never got around to posting about our New Year’s Eve party,* but when I was doing up the table–with friend Nina Griscom and sister Duvall’s help–I kept thinking it would be pretty that way for Valentine’s Day, too. We’re not having quite… Continue reading Doing Up for Valentine’s Day

Did Not Make it to Church This Morning

Did not make it to church this morning but did make it to the Cathedral Antiques Show in Atlanta this weekend, a whirlwind week of parties, tours, an “Inspiration House” of Atlanta’s up and coming design talent, and lectures lectures by Richard Keith Langham, Jeffrey Bilhuber, and Veranda’s Deborah Sanders. They all three couldn’t have… Continue reading Did Not Make it to Church This Morning

What do Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Anna Wintour Have in Common?

I thought that might get your attention. The answer is they will both be topics of discussion by their respective, and almost as famous decorators, Richard Keith Langham and Jeffrey Bilhuber, respectively. Where and when, you ask? Atlanta, Thursday, February 2, at 1 pm for Keith Langham, whose other famous clients include Pat Buckley and… Continue reading What do Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Anna Wintour Have in Common?

If I Were a Book…

If I were a book I’d be The Perfectly Imperfect Home – How to Decorate & Live Well, by Deborah Needleman, published late last year by Clarkson Potter. And if I were a portfolio of drawings I’d be one by the book’s illustrator, Virginia Johnson. It is simply the most charming, practical, accessible, inspiring book… Continue reading If I Were a Book…

Nina Griscom’s Chic Manhattan Townhouse

Note: When I first posted this with photos I received a stern email from Conde Nast requesting removal of all photos, the head of my first born child, etc etc. I thought it was weird since I had carefully credited all photos, and, uh, photos from magazines are all over the place and then some,… Continue reading Nina Griscom’s Chic Manhattan Townhouse

Light as a Butterfly

Is this the coolest? This Butterfly Lamp flew out at me from a Facebook post the other day by EcoFirstArt. Hand crafted of steamed, bent wood by British craftsman Tom Raffield, its playful, graceful shape is inspired by the movement of a butterfly in flight and, says the artist, “intercepts the light making intricate shadows… Continue reading Light as a Butterfly

Veranda’s New Look

Veranda magazine’s new look is comfortingly like its old look. Gratifyingly the new table of contents for the features actually gives you an idea of what the feature contains. In the old iteration this was always a peeve of mine, and don’t think in the 10+ years I wrote for them I didn’t say so.… Continue reading Veranda’s New Look