Are you like me and just love it when you drive by a home at night and are thrilled that the drapes are left wide open for all
the
"peeping Toms" to see? I've been told by friends that I am going to get "arrested" some day for looking in windows. Well, I don't stop and look, but I sure do slow down the car.
I have had several requests from my readers to show my apartment. Here are some photos for all you peeping Toms to view. Some photos are old. The black bed with the bedding that I designed is no longer in that room, nor do I have that bedding - it sold!
That room was my master bedroom and after my divorce I moved into the guest room and made the master bedroom my photo studio (it gets wonderful light!).
The guest room (the gray/blue room with clocks) no longer exists either. That bedding and those clocks sold a long time ago...I have bolts of fabric in my apartment and trims ready for me to design some new bedding for myself, but I just haven't found the time.
The walls and murals in the living area done by my good friend, Sherrie Whitehead. I chose the colors of pale tan, cream, browns, grays, and slate blues. It is a Tuscan wall with plaster. All the furniture I painted and all upholstered furniture I redesigned. You can see some of the chandeliers - I have 11 chandeliers in my tiny apartment! I wanted my space to feel of "old and dusty" as strange as that may sound. Actually, I wanted what I call "livable elegance" in my home.
Livable Elegance is a term that I coined to describe a home that is filled with beauty in the eyes of the owner and filled with comfort for all its visitors. I like living with my things, my treasures, my finds, and I like to present them in what I feel is an elegant manner (to me at least) without feeling like I live in a museum. I absolutely use every single thing in my home - nothing is "for show" but for use - hence the "livable" part of "livable elegance."
A home has a soul. It is born through the eyes of the owner and it lives and grows with the spirit of its owners. Sort of like a very well-cared for garden.
And that is where designers, like me come in to help when needed. As the home lives and grows, sometimes the owner just needs someone to do a little "fertilizing" to bring forth what was there all along, but just buried beneath its owner's doubt and fear that's all. And as I "fertilize" a home for someone, I make sure that I plant what will "grow" best for the owner and the home's environment - whether that environment is filled with children, pets, single dad, or has lots of guests coming and going.
The posting either prior or just after this one (I don't know how this will load up on the site) contains more photos that would not, for some reason load onto this posting.
I hope you enjoyed the "tour" of my little apartment. I will, in the future post more photos. I really want you to see my bathroom (I need to take photos of it). I took an 1800's baptismal font and turned it into a sink...more on that later.
May your home have a soul that sings, laughs, and protects you. And may you fill your home with your treasures....and the best treasures are usually called "friends." A home isn't truly happy until it is filled with your loved ones. And you, my treasured readers, fill my home each day with your emails, comments and phone calls.
So the next time you go "soul searching" start with your home and breath new life into it. Fill your home with your treasures and fill it in a way that makes you happy and content. Sometimes, when we want to go find ourselves we think we need to get away from it all. When all we really need is to use what you love and love what you use. It's pretty simple, really.
from my house to your house,
Elizabeth
Details, details, details! It is the details that make all the difference in my opinion. Here are more shots of my work in Chicago. There is a shot of the headboard pillow that I designed for the French bed - it is ironic...that design is my most requested pillow. And to think I designed it years ago when I had neck surgery and I had to wear a neck brace for almost 5 months. I had to sleep in the brace and I had to sleep sitting up practically. So, I came up with this design to help me sleep actually. My friends saw it and it just sort of took off from there.
The French Toddler Bed is my favorite! This solid iron piece with all original paint, is just to die for! I have had a lot of beautiful French youth beds before, but this one takes the cake. I had a very sturdy platform made so a big adult would be able to really use it and sit on it. The seat cushion and pillows are of humble fabrics and my simple design. I designed it so that it may be used in the center of a room and sat on from either side. Or, it may go against a wall with pillows backed up against the wall on which to lean. If I had room in my apartment, it would be there right now.
A detail shot of my little French chair (set of four) that I painted and had covered in silk. The bulap and ticking pillow is sold separately, but I thought how fun to put the two textures together. Sort of like wearing socks with ballet slippers. Not really done, but still interesting, and makes one stop and think a moment.
Those little tiny bags are housing my business cards. It is funny how that all came about. Way back when, like in 1998, when I first started my little antique booth in San Antonio, Texas, I use to print up my own cards with my little home printer. The ink and quality weren't so great and I found that if you touched the card a lot, the ink would eventually smear. So, I found these little bags to put them in to leave in my booth. Well, one day I finally could afford to have them printed professionally and no longer needed the little bags. Well, good grief, you'd think the world was coming to an end when my customers expressed their disappointment that my cards were no longer in the little bags! Little did I know that the ladies who visited my booth (I never worked in the booth, so I never heard their comments) complained loudly to the mall owner "what happened to the little bags!!!" The next time I went in to stock my space, I was quickly told by the employees that I had better get those little bags back! So, now that I am "big time" in Chicago (as a friend likes to say), my business cards are still very humbly housed in little bags. A nice reminder, actually, of my very humble beginnings.
Finally, yes, those are very old (1868) pages that I gleefully ripped out of an old book and shoved in places around the space. Why? Oh, I don't know, I just felt like it. Besides, I do freak out quite a few people when I will take something "so old!" and rip it to shreds. I like the texture. I like paper. Actually, I love old paper. And I like the color. I have paper all over the space. Glued on walls, in the glass cabinet, hung from the rafters, and shoved in little cracks in the brick wall - look carefully, you can see it in other photos.
So, even though not apparent, there is a method to my madness. I can't explain the method, but I can demonstrate my madness quite well. I do love what I do and I hope what I do inspires you to do what you love as well.
Thank you so much for your interest.
from my house to your house,
Elizabeth
www.elizabethhouse.us
Chicago Space is no longer just a space - it is Elizabeth House!
As you can see, the space has transformed into what I saw all along in this crazy head of mine. I am always excited when what I "see" in my head becomes a reality. Now, if only the success and fortune I "see" in my head would become a reality....but I must say, my life in my head is pretty fun. This Chicago space houses all of my custom work, higher end European pieces and a vision that is hard to express in my store, located in St. Louis.
I painted everything you see painted, except the wonderful antique French bed...that is all original. The bedding I custom designed as well as the chairs and love seat. While working for 3 long, long days and nights on this, one can lose perspective and appreciation. I just wanted to get it done and back to my store. After much needed sleep and rest, I downloaded my photos and it wasn't until that very moment, looking at my computer screen did I really see what I accomplished. I get tired all over again just looking at the photo! But, I am happy. I am fulfilled. I am content. What more could I ask for? I am blessed - my gift to create was given to me...it doesn't belong to me. I am suppose to share it. I only get to borrow for now until I am called to do something different. My biggest blessing? Having friends like you who cheer me on.
Thank you so much for your encouragement, support, and well wishes. I will post more photos after this posting, as again, this dang site wouldn't let me do it on this posting.
Okay, I will answer some questions that people have been asking me:
Why expand to Chicago?
Well, I wanted to try another market. Now, I have no idea if my style or vision will take in Chicago, and if it doesn't then I will just move my inventory back to my St. Louis store. I also wanted to try a higher end market. As much as I love St. Louis, it is pretty dang hard to make a living here. The cost of me producing my custom bedding, furniture and so on is not cheap. I must price accordingly to cover my costs and to make a living. That is hard to do here.
Are you going to move to Chicago?
To be honest, I just don't know. At the moment, I have no plans. But, there is one single philosophy that I truly live by: I am open to any and all opportunities that may come my way. Now, I always do my best to weigh the effects of such opportunities, but I have finally decided that it is really okay not to have all the answers before moving forward.
Where do you get your stuff?
Ha! Wouldn't you like to know??? :-) Actually, I get it through hunting, contacts, and just plain ole work. I lived in Europe for 6 years, know the markets pretty well, and I have contacts to help ship my furniture.
Are you going to open a store in Chicago?
That is something I've thought about, but again, I have no plans at this time. For now, I just need to see if this even takes off. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. I will just adjust accordingly. I know absolutely no one in the Chicago area and it would be hard to start all over in a new place. But then again, I didn't know a single person here in St. Louis either.
How are you going to manage both St. Louis and Chicago?
Good question. Actually, the store in St. Louis is up and going. The space is in Chicago is located in an existing store, Vintage Pine, which is ran by the owners. They will handle my sales. I will need to keep it stocked. Now that would be a great problem to have: having to make numerous trips to Chicago to restock!
You design, consult, own a store, have a space in Chicago, do professional photography, and now you are a contributor to Romantic Homes magazine...shouldn't you just pick one avenue and just concentrate on that?
A good friend, whom I respect highly asked me this question. Believe me, I think about that very thing every single day. But you know what? I always come to the same conclusion: I just don't want to choose. I want to do it all. I really do. Now, actually doing it all is a whole different story. That I haven't figured out yet. But my interests and passions are sprinkled in many different areas: design, writing, photography, selling.....I have always, always been this way. I do wish I could change it. In fact, I actually envy those individuals who just knew in high school that they wanted to be a lawyer or a banker, or an engineer. I really had so, so many interests, so many passions, that I just could never, ever just pinpoint my interests down into a single profession. I always joked that I will have to live to be 150 to do all that I want to do.
When do you sleep?
Yes, I actually get this question more often than any other question. I do sleep, really. But, I live on less sleep than most. I always have. As I age though, I find that my energy level is dropping some, which bums me out. And about every other month, I have a "recharge" day. I can flop on the sofa, watch TV, nap, and snack with the best of them. I will do that for about 24 hours, no phone, no socializing. And then I am recharged and ready to go again!
So for now, I will try to post more photos of my Chicago space. Please share my blogsite with your friends. Out of all the goals that I may have, I have always had one goal that is at the top of the list: To inspire women to live their passion through my designs and my adventures. Nothing, and I mean nothing, makes me happier than when I get an email, phone call or letter from a total stranger telling me that my website, newsletter, blog, or magazine article inspired her. What an absolute honor to be in that position.
And what an honor to have you take time out of your day to see what else is going on with this little store owner.
from my house to your house,
Elizabeth
www.elizabethhouse.us
The "newness" of an infant, the innocence and purity, usually conjures images of crisp white sterile-looking furnishings in the nursery. But there is something about bringing home the next generation of a family that naturally compels us to reflect on our heritage-our ancestors. Because of this, I find comfort in surrounding not only the infant, but also the new mother (and dad) with mementos of yesteryear. Vintage photos, antiques, and family keepsakes becalm the spirit with the promise of continuity and the soothing balm of familiarity.
I am finding a shift in nursery design is taking place: This is in part because many women are waiting longer to have children. These older, more established moms-to-be want the nursery to be sophisticated and flow seamlessly with the style of the rest of the home. Also, chances are good that today's new mom is employed outside of the home. She wants to feel relaxed and at peace in her surroundings when caring for her infant. In these very tiring first few months, the nursery is as much for the mother as it is for the baby, if not more.
This all changes in due time of course. But it's a good six months before the child begins to crawl. Once the baby is crawling, the nursery can be adjusted to keep curious fingers out of harm's way. Once the toddler begins walking, the nursery is again adjusted. A successful nursery evolves, grows and adapts according to the baby's development and changing needs. But in those first few exciting months, the nursery should bring comfort to the new parents as well as to the new baby.
This particular nursery I designed for a show house and was later bought by a wonderful client and friend who has, in my opinion, wonderful taste! This nursery appeared in the national publication, Country Almanac's 2005 Winter's issue. I designed the bedding using humble ticking, and simple cottons. The vintage rocker, dresser and buffet are painted in a distressed black and the walls painted in a puddy gray. The alphabet, painted in faded black paint adorns the door ways and windows. Sound drab? Not the least! Very sophisticated and very sweet. Vintage wire baskets hanging on the wall near the changing dresser, holds essentials such as diapers, powder and lotions. The iron crib converts into a daybed and certainly becomes a family heirloom. As baby grows and commands a more playful room filled with fairies, super heros or unicorns, the rocker is easily transferred to another room along with the dresser and buffet. The furniture is not traditional "baby" furniture, thus, may be used anywhere in the home....and not to be stored in the attic only to be sold at the fraction of its cost in a future garage sale.
I enjoy designing nurseries simply because the challenge is to step outside the traditional box and create a room that soothes a tired mom (or dad) while they soothe our future generation....and that is what it is all about isn't it? Developing a future full of promise, hope, and most of all...peace.
from my house to your house,
Elizabeth
www.elizabethhouse.us
the
"peeping Toms" to see? I've been told by friends that I am going to get "arrested" some day for looking in windows. Well, I don't stop and look, but I sure do slow down the car.
Livable Elegance is a term that I coined to describe a home that is filled with beauty in the eyes of the owner and filled with comfort for all its visitors. I like living with my things, my treasures, my finds, and I like to present them in what I feel is an elegant manner (to me at least) without feeling like I live in a museum. I absolutely use every single thing in my home - nothing is "for show" but for use - hence the "livable" part of "livable elegance."
The posting either prior or just after this one (I don't know how this will load up on the site) contains more photos that would not, for some reason load onto this posting.
I hope you enjoyed the "tour" of my little apartment. I will, in the future post more photos. I really want you to see my bathroom (I need to take photos of it). I took an 1800's baptismal font and turned it into a sink...more on that later.
The front table is a whimsical wonderland of pale dishes, snow, paper, and cheese cloth. This setting greets you as you enter the store. The paper cones are made from very old book end pages - yes that I tore out of books that dated about 1900.
