New work

I have three new paintings today.

I must be feeling flowery and girly lately because all three are just that.

"In the laughing twilight" 24 x 36 oil on canvas by Kerry Steele -- SOLD

"Arriving late..." 18 x 24 oil on canvas by Kerry Steele -- SOLD

These are obviously floral and they make me happy. Sometimes I have a hard time parting with canvases that I really like. These might fall into that category.

I also did an abstract figural nude. I have not done one in a long time. This is mixed media, oil, acrylic, charcoal and oil pastel and it is a painting I started but put aside when the creativity wasn't flowing and I had no idea where to take it. I am glad I waited.

"Figure 4 " Mixed media on 16 x 20 canvas by Kerry Steele

I hope to show you my new fabric and the pillows from my Spoonflower fabric next week.

Design house favorites

Nestor Santa -Cruz  photo by Angie Seckinger

The dining room at the D.C. design house was spectacular to say the least. Nestor Santa -Cruz knocked it out of the park. It is not what I would call a practical space, more conceptual, but that is what show houses are for.

David Mitchell

I should mention that most of the designers were present to answer questions about their rooms. They were all so friendly and eager to share their passion and vision.

David Mitchell was no exception. His library was warm and cozy with tons of sunlight which made it hard for me to get good photos.

David Mitchell

The artwork was wonderful. There were two fine art photos of a Belgian landscape (above) and a very glossy, and thus hard to photograph, painting over the mantle.

Regan Billingsley   photo by Angie Seckinger

The teen boy's room did not disappoint. It was full cool vintage finds like the New York city public school locker and French industrial tables from the 1930s.

Regan Billingsley gets extra points in my book for sourcing vintage goodies.

Show Houses tend to have everything new and shiny and its wonderful to see and touch all of those high-end goods. In my opinion, it can leave you feeling a little cold and its as though no one really lives there and they don't but I still love an interesting choice.

That leads me to my favorite room of the D.C. Design house, the morning room designed by Iantha Carley.

photo by Angie Seckinger

First of all, the gray and yellow color scheme was right up my alley and the mid-century vibe really worked for me too. I have a crush on that table.

fixture by Fine Art Lamps

It was filled with the coolest stuff like the Lucite table and this awesome lighting Fine Art Lamps.

Art by Sydney Edmonds Merritt Gallery

The room is super cute and it feels "real". This is the chair put it over the top for me. It has a story.

check out the cute doggie bed on the left

This vintage chair is not just any vintage chair it belonged to Iantha's parents. She remembers playing on its orange, groovy Naugahide and she told me it was actually broken. She had it repaired and recovered but it still has a few lovely nicks and wear on the arm from from being lived with...really.

Get ready to laugh!

Apparently some of the press at press day for the D.C. Design house got yelled at just like me. Including someone at The Washington Post. There is irony in this..

D.C. Design house and more

This should be titled, D.C. design house, my new skirt and David Gregory's hissy fit but let's talk design first.

Andrea Houck

This vignette in the side hall was favorite and the artwork was stunning. The designer Andrea Houck also designed the "French modern bar" in an adjacent space.

I focused on how each designer used art in their spaces and while stunning, many were high gloss or under glass. I did my best.

Art in the bar

Near the bar, was the powder room designed by Charles C. Almonte. The Farrow and Ball wallpaper was the real star but he also used this mounted piece of recycled glass that was a magenta color.

It really had me craving a bit of sculpture in the Steele house.

The master bedroom had some incredible details. Susan Jamieson of Bridget Beari Designs was on hand to fill us in.

Master bedroom

Did you notice the vintage light fixture that Susan used? It was fabulous but there were two other things that topped it.

There were two of these built in bookcases facing each other. They are certainly on my favorites list.

All of the art in the master bedroom is by M.J. Staton.

OK, more design house goodies tomorrow. I don't want this to be a never ending post.

I mentioned a skirt. I took this Instagram pic when I got home because the group shot washed it out. It came to be at 10:30 the night before the Design house. I was unhappy with what I had to wear and panicking a bit. I don't often freak out about my clothes but this was the end of a long and stressful day. I was positive that I would simply ruin it.

In the morning I asked Mr. Design du Monde how stupid it looked and was surprised when he said "Its very pretty. It looks like one of your paintings." I said, "It is."  So I wore it. It made me happy.

He told me to write this... Its the first piece of my art that he ever wanted to hike up. Seriously, he made me say that, LOL!

With Nancy and Bethany of Powell-Brower Home

What does any of this have to do with NBC's David Gregory? Well, as I was leaving, a very, very tall familiar looking man asked me if I had been working at "the residence"? I replied that I had been at the design house and he said you all can't park here, gesturing to the dozens of cars parked on the street. A public street, mind you. "You are blocking things" he said.
Mr. Gregory, I realize that Washington is its own special bubble of weirdness, but I am pretty sure that parking on the street is legal even if it annoys you.
 I explained that the PR people told us told to park on side streets. "I'll bet they did" was his annoyed reply. He went on to say that that was not going to happen anymore! and took off running up the street towards the design house. That is when I realized who he was and chuckled. I just got to "Meet the press" and he was pissed.

Feelin' Chintz-y

Thibaut- St. Antoine

Well folks, I am off to the D.C. Design House today but I wanted to spend a little time on something that I think about often. Chintz. Floral chintz to be exact. Chintz is actually any glazed cotton but its name has become synonymous with these classic florals.

I almost used a floral chintz in my living room but it would not look right in my house. It would read "silly in suburbia" instead of "eclectic, classic estate."

Nicky Haslam

I have several ideas for when I win the lottery and buy a grand estate in horse country.

Colefax and Fowler fabric

Home of Tory Burch

Honestly, I had an inspiration board all planned out in my head but try to find a chintz chair for sale. Seriously, try and tell me where you found it. I looked but if you read yesterday's post you know I looked when I should have been doing something else.

Would you risk looking "Granny" with a floral print?

Stop by tomorrow for Design House pictures.

A typical chaotic day around here...

I did not intend to take my own Spring break but life kind of led me that way and I was in no mood for fighting with the forces of a 10 day school vacation.

As I get back into normalcy today I thought I would tell you what my average day consists of... not that its particularly interesting but you might be amused by my complete time management ADD.

5:45- alarm goes off and I head down the hall to ensure that oldest gets up and into shower. I head downstairs to wake up with my first cup of coffee and semi-conscious news watching.

6:15- skip happily (not) to the basement to turn off hot water because 18 year-old boys can't manage their time. Grumble. Wake up 17 year-old.

6:45 - 7:45 Shower, dress, wake up littlest, dress her, slap together breakfast and start my blog reading until my neighbor's little girl comes over.

8:05- Take neighbor's daughter out to bus. Two things I hate most...morning and outside.

Shoes on and rush off to preschool

9:00- Home. You'd think this is when I could get some painting done but no not really.

9:05- Realize I should have gone to at least three grocery stores and make a list.

9:07-Realize that the kitchen still has dishes from last night's teen midnight feast and breakfast.

9:08- say some very unlady-like words when I find a full but unwashed dishwasher.

Handwash everything.

9:45- Remember I have no makeup on  and head upstairs to remedy the problem. Sit down at my computer instead.

10:45- Remember I still have no makeup on and actually walk up stairs passing the laundry room with overflowing hampers. I'll get that in a minute.

11:00- Pass laundry room again.

11:03- Remember I have a painting that is ready to be shipped. Rush out the door

12:00- Home for lunch.  Assist with princess dress-up and urgent block building. Sleeping Beauty still takes naps. 

Nope that's not when I paint either.

This time is filled with more blog reading, walking past the laundry room with ever better excuses, and oh crap, what's for dinner?

2:00- Vacuum or otherwise clean something all while pretending to be a mermaid.

2:30- teens arrive home and ask me why they have no clean shirts. Start a load of laundry and promise it in three days or less! Remember to make my bed.

3:40- neighbor's daughter comes back and I have to get serious about this stupid dinner thing except I never went to any of those grocery stores. I am made aware that I am no longer a mermaid but Cinderella's mom anything but Dumbo's mom...please.

5:30- eat something resembling dinner that only three out of six like. Make kids do dishes.

6:30- Pour a glass of wine and get out paint.

8:00-stop everything for bath time and folding of three day old clean laundry.

9:00- I either go to bed or stay up until midnight painting. The latter involves a rather unpleasant 5:45 wake up the next morning.

Vow to hit the grocery tomorrow.

Lather, rinse, repeat

Happy weekend!

It figures. Spring is finally getting here on the last two days of Spring break.

Hope you have some delicious weather for the weekend too.

I hope to get some more painting done and be back on Monday.

"Antigone's corsage" 24 x 36 acrylic and oil on canvas by Kerry Steele