Prop styling for Yankee Cookbook

One of my first styling jobs was for Yankee magazine (I'm not sure they knew that at the time) but how serendipitous it was to be asked to PROP style (I put that in capitals because anyone who knows me knows that I can't cook) for their new Yankee cookbook magazine (out now)...It's all about Ironstone and great recipes that have endured the test of time.  The amazingly talented ,funny and kind Catrine Kelty was the food stylist and creator of all of these dishes (of which I gained about 5-8 pounds at the end of the week (thank you Catrine).  Heath Robbins was the creative photographer  who made everything look as good on paper as it did in person. 
Prop Styling is so much like design.  Food, plates, "table scapes" (I can't believe I just used that term) look so much better with contrast.  I love  white ironstone against an old blanket as a tablecloth.  I love to layer; wood trivets  and marble pieces  bring any surface to life.  Dark with light, old with new, shiny and dull, it always works...

Repeat after me...

Repetition is such a good thing in the design world. I've been doing this for so long that I never even realized that I was doing it.  Repeating the same or similar things in a grouping creates the most amazing impact.  My husband brought this to my attention years ago after I purchased a bird cage from a flea market and before he knew it there were 5 of them in our house( I'm  certain he wasn't thinking "great design element", in fact I think he thought I was crazy).
My tastes have changed a bit over the years and I find myself repeating so many things.  Ironstone pitchers, frames, candlesticks , pumpkins and orchids  just to name a few.  Repeating a wall of black frames gives a gallery effect that makes a space come to life. Adding a row of ironstone pitchers to the top of a surface gives a simple graphic effect . This is so simple and gives back so much. Check out these images, some from my home and some from my favorite tear sheets.  Start repeating things that you love ,stand back and see if you need more or less.  I bet soon you’ll be repeating yourself.
Thank you Steve, from Urban cottage for putting a bee in my bonnet and getting me back to blogging.  I missed everyone. anurbancottage.blogspot.com

Stickers and Therapy

It has been so long since I've posted that I can barely remember how to do this.  I  was interviewed recently for a story about design and white walls.  The writer was wonderful but had many questions about using white with boys, teen-agers, dogs, etc.  I sometimes feel like I need to explain to people that I did let my kids be kids and was very casual about my house.  I just found this picture in my son Ryan's room (he's now a sophmore in College).  The image from a photo album that he created said: "Our old playroom that Mom took over.".. I was trying to figure out when I did take it over, I think the boys were 8 and 10...Another thing added to the therapy list...  BUT, I did let them do the sticker wall and it took me weeks to take those buggers off.  The room is now a pantry with open shelves and the boys, I mean young men still tell me that they liked it better before..               

A view into the sticker room....