March- Spring Fever Arrives

March is the  time in Chicago where many of us start wishing, hoping, planning, thinking, and dreaming of warmer weather.  Mother Nature teases us with a few warm days and then suddenly snow blankets our homes. But we still find a need and an urge to bring Spring into our homes.  So out come the nests, the moss, the rabbits, and the Costco planters of tulips and hyacinths this time of year.  We eagerly scour the grocery store section of flowers for pots of spring bulbs, a bunch of tulips- anything to make us feel like Spring!    But as I said earlier- it is still winter in Chicago. A couple of days ago this is what my front porch looked like.............

 

A wintery storm blew snow into every crevice on the porch.

 

It looked like Mother Nature created lace made of snow on the wicker.

 

The wind pushed the snow through the wicker in these amazing patterns.

The iron gates were perfectly coated with fluffy snow.

Every branch was painted with white shimmery snow.

 

No swinging on the porch this time of year.

 

But of course- this only drove me crazy.  I really want my gardens back!

So I decided to take the winter arrangement of icy branches and frosted cabbages  out of the urns in the dining room and create some large springy arrangements..........add a little color to the gray March days.  I had some large lilac branches but I wanted to add something else.  So I googled silk kale and found these amazing silk kale plants from www.qualitysilks.com . They arrived 2 days ago and I am so impressed with the quality. Large- 14 inches wide, they really look like the real deal.  There are so many possibilities  for these silk beauties, but for now they are the base of my dining room urns. 

 

 They are available in white and purple, so I mixed the two together.

 

The leaves are very realistic and have a leathery texture to them. I can visualize a basket of these  with blue eggs and violets on a tablescape. 

 

While the snow is still on the ground outside, I can only create touches of spring inside.  So now- where did I store those nests and eggs last year?????? I really do have Spring Fever.



Remembering the Past 16 Years

Tomorrow is the final day of business for Romancing the Home as a traditional retail store. We have rented showroom  space, where we will conduct 4 to 6 sales per year.  The concept is exciting and gives us the flexibility to do more traveling to gather more unique merchandise for our customers.  Our first sale is going to be "Parisian Hide-Aways", a gathering of new and antique merchandise that one might find in a Paris apartment, inside a walled Paris  courtyard or in an neighborhood bistro. We are so excited and already beginning to gather, create and display the first show.  But much more on our new direction in later blogs..............  Today I am reflecting on the past 16 years of business and remembering the fabulous customers that have supported us.  They have allowed us to come into their homes and create something for them.  The following pictures are a snapshot of some of those moments that  we were lucky enough to share with our customers along the way. 

 

Remodeling Projects

 

Bathroom in a Chicago Brownstone

 

Feature  piece in a new kitchen we designed.

 

Powder room in the city

 

 

Interior Design

 

Entrance to a ladies studio in an attic

Dining room with a mixture of traditional and modern

Sitting room. We fabricated the sofas by coping an antique and made the window treatments to mimic the iron garden shelves. Wallpaper on the ceiling and a low hung iron chandelier make the room cozier.

 

A lady's study ready for Christmas

 

Our Book Launch - Romancing the Home Entertains

 

Launch Party in Tennessee

 

 

 

 

 

 Picture from the book- fruit sushi on shell plate. Staged a local fundraiser by RTH

                                                            Book launch party in Atlanta

 Antipasti tray in book

 Centerpiece with rhinestone pins as centers of flowers

Boxed lunches for another fundraiser using old silver plate vegetable dishes popular in the 60's and 70's.

Installation of  Christmas Décor in Many Homes every year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Birthday Luncheons and Weddings and many Dinner Parties

Birthday Luncheon for Girlfriends

 

Place Assignment Card table for a wedding in a library using old books to organize.

Summer Dinner Party Bash

 

House Walks and  Home Tours for Charity Fundraisers

Sunroom breakfast setting for Woodland's Christmas Walk 

 

Store Displays

 

 

 

It has been a busy sixteen years with lots of different experiences.  I have had the pleasure of working in some of the most beautiful homes in our community and wouldn't trade the experience for anything.  But I am looking forward to more freedom in my daily life, yet  still staying connected with my favorite customers. Many of my most loyal customers have become close friends and I am so lucky to have them in my life.   Tuesday morning I start the re-design of another city apartment  for a customer whose home we designed in Lake Forest last year.  And we will be participating in the Spirit of 67 Home Tour in May and looking forward to it. In a couple of weeks, I travel to Atlanta to purchase Christmas décor for our November sale in our showroom  and to fill in  existing Christmas customer's  decorations. Late May is a trip to France. So the year is beginning to fill up quickly and promises to be fulfilling and fun.  The past sixteen years have given us a foundation to build our future business. So from the bottom of my heart- to my dear customers and friends- I thank you.

 To my dear staff, none of this would have been as much fun without each of  you at my side.  Your support has been unbelievable. Who would have guessed that 7 women could become such close friends.. much less last together in a small business for 16 years! Through the good and bad, you stood by me. You girls are one of my life's greatest blessings.  But our real fun is just starting!! And to Lynda Sue, Jill , Marlene and Mariterese- thank you  for your  endless support. The buying trips, the "hotel accommodations in Atlanta", helping me with the publication of the book, the advise and wisdom over many glasses of wine  and generally just sharing life with me.  I love you all!
 

From the Romancing the Home team- we plan to exceed our customer's wildest shopping dreams with our first sale in May. So  stay tuned! 

Tulip Magnolia Branches

This is our last couple of days in the store and it is looking very sad!  So it was quite delightful to get these beautiful flowers delivered on Thursday!  Jeannie from Twigs comes walking in the store with this huge vase of Tulip Magnolia branches and "Coffee" roses.  My heart did a back flip!  The color of these roses was the most perfect color of pink that I have ever seen.   Of course, I couldn't wait to get them home to enjoy them.  Covering them with a huge plastic bag, I took them home and put them in some fresh water.  I hope they last forever.  The branch is a gnarly organic texture with these pink tulip shaped flowers.  And the roses- well I am in heaven.  If I could only have one color- this would be it.

I just could not resist placing this little pin in the beautiful rose for a picture.  How romantic this little  guy looks!   Thanks Twigs for adding so much pleasure to my weekend!