Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Country House Style Book Shoot and Pretty Purple Placemats


Big news to share over here....
I have been asked to have my home included in 
a gorgeous coffee table book about Country House Style. 
 Yup.  
 One of those heavy beautiful books you have sitting on the coffee table 
that is about lovely homes that you drool over.  
But this time, my home will be inside the glossy pages!!
And how did this come to be?
 Nora Murphy, of the award winning Nora Murphy Connecticut Country House blog,
got a book deal with the creme de la creme publishing house, Vendome Press, to
write a book about her amazing country house.  She also selected four other homes
to include in the book, one of which is mine!  Essentially the book will be
about Country House Style, and how to create a country house for yourself.
That is EXACTLY what I have done with my own home, starting about ten years ago.
Elements of country homes all include a certain esthetic of relaxed living areas.
Mixing of the fine and fancy, the rustic and elegant, and a general overall purpose
that invites one to enjoy their life in the most simple of ways, but not sacrificing style.  
I couldn't be more honored than to be included in Nora's book.

Visit Nora's blog to see more of her incredible country home, with a link at the end of this post.
See how she recreated her entire home with a refresh project that is sure to inspire everyone!
From the very beginning, Nora had big ideas. Big unique ideas.
Her own master bedroom suite was created when she
 had a large chicken coop moved to her
site and added it onto her antique farmhouse!! 
OMG, can you imagine?  I certainly think it sounds like a normal project!! 
So I guess she and I are kindred spirits.  My ramshackle shed 
project was a triumph for me, I can only imagine how satisfying 
it was to turn a chicken coop into an amazing bedroom suite!
This is the chicken coop addition above, isn't it stunning?
And her cupola is not overlooked by me....as I am just about to install my
own cupola on the ramshackle garden shed.  
Seen here in Matthew Mead's current
 UPSTYLED HOME OUTDOORS mag,
it is no longer ramshackle~its the most adorable shed now.
And its going to look so great with its own cupola!
Nora will be shooting here very soon, and so I have been trying to squeeze in a few
last minute decorating projects, none of which I have shown on the blog.
Some are incredibly beautiful, and I am thrilled with the result.
Yesterday I worked in my dining room, after getting a set of pretty quilted placemats
from April Cornell's website in Vermont.  She is known for her clothing and home
decor accessories that are happy pretty florals.  I bought a set of placemats as 
that is what we use every night when we dine at home.  However these caught my
eye because they had the color purple, a very hard color to find in home textiles.
But let me tell you my secret to using them...I flipped them over to use the backside.
The front side has a patchwork quilt of pretty florals in pink, purple, 
aqua and celery green.  I will use both sides, but the plain purple felt a bit
more restful to my eye.  It is nice to have the option for turning them however.
Sometimes I catch her items at HomeGoods or Marshalls, but I couldn't resist getting
this set, which also happened to be on sale, through her website. No this is not a 
sponsored post (which means you get things for free if you write about them). 
I just happen to love April's stuff.  
Oh, one more thing about Nora....
She is the creative director of Ethan Allen, Global corporation.
Pretty impressive, right?  
And she won best blog a year or so ago....
And currently her home is in the current issue of Country Home magazine!  
So Nora is one to watch, and I am glad I am on her radar.

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18 comments:

  1. This is so exciting--it is getting so when I go to a magazine section I can find you in several different publications. Now you will be in a beautiful coffee table book too--yay!

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  2. This is just great for you! Love your style, as well as hers!

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  3. Congrats!! This sounds like a wonderful book. Heading over to check out her blog.

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  4. Amy, this is so exciting! Congratulations! No one deserves it more than you, your home is gorgeous and will be a perfect fit for this book! Can't wait to get my copy when it's published.....maybe you'll autograph it for me? :)
    Cindy
    edith&evelyn

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  5. Ha! Amy! What a coincidence, because just yesterday, I complimented Nora's cupola on her FB page! Do you have an old one, or are you buying new? (I'm the one who wants to paint my motels chairs yellow with white stripes, as seen in you-know-where!) Congrats on getting into the book, BTW!

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    1. I found mine on a Facebook Yardsale page by searching for "cupola". Turns out it was a new one but was never used by the seller. It was raw pine, so I painted it and added the weathervane.

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  6. And it's because of you Amy that I now collect Mulberry colored transferware! Thank you. I have met and spoken with Nora several times, she gives me such inspiration and she is such a nice person. I can't wait for her book.

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    1. Pam she is a very nice person, and it was a pleasure working with her. You will see most of my collection in the new book, Nora loved it!

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  7. Again, congrats Amy!!!! I cannot wait to see your up-shackled shed with the cupola! Oh of course you are on Nora's radar...your home is stunning. I love how you are featuring your beautiful purple/lavender transferware. The April Cornell's placemats are perfect...and yes, Nora is one talented lady...I love, love her home and have to check out that new issue of Country Home....and I was always so in awe of her rescuing a chicken coop and making it her bedroom...Have fun at the photo shoot....I will be stalking your Instagram!!!

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    1. I love the word "up-shackled"!! You are so funny!! Well thank you as always for your lovely comments Shirley!

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  8. Great news!! Congratulations!!!
    Your home is gorgeous❤

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  9. WOW Amy! I've seen your home in magazines but A BOOK! That's even better. We all dream of being in a publication some day. Well done. Hugs, Pat

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    1. Truly! That is how I felt, I was amazed to be asked, and I can't wait to see it!

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