Country House Door Baskets

 There is nothing prettier on a door than a basket of flowers!

It is the epitome of a Country Style welcome.

While I often put baskets on my doors, the one who does it

best is Nora Murphy, my friend who wrote her best seller 

"Nora Murphy's Country House Style".

Nora uses baskets with flat backs for charming door arrangements.

 A big basket of white petunias stands out against her black door.

One little story about my photo shoot for Nora's book is that when we

went outside to shoot the exterior of my house, I had a door basket with fake flowers.

Not a fan of faux, Nora asked how about switching it out with a potted flower

I had in my courtyard....so that is just what we did.

It probably could have used a bigger pot of flowers hah!

I love black doors on white houses and I love baskets brimming with fresh flowers

for elegant country style, like this scene from Nora's Connecticut farmhouse.

For the fourth of July Nora dressed up her white petunias with tiny flags.

I did the same with my front door basket.

Because we get full sun beating on the door I must use faux flowers in

the basket, but real geraniums in my garden planters and beds.

Look at this huge door basket made from willow branches.

Nora is stuffing it with all kinds of garden annuals

and it looks stunning.

  I was really taken with this oversized monster basket!

Lucky me!!

While checking out the offerings on Nora's online shop, 

I spotted this willow wall/door basket  and ordered it straight away.

 I can imagine it at the lake house

for a heavy dose of Country House Style a la Nora!!

I grabbed my bunch of faux hydrangeas and got to stuffing the basket.

For now the big willow basket will hang from one of  

our door's at our " Country House in the City", which is what Nora herself

 named our home in her book. I tried it out on one of the French doors

in the back, but I would need two and  thats a bit much.

 Its a tad large on the shed door but I have to say I really loved it here!

The perfect spot is the front door, the scale is just right!

Stuffed with the faux hydrangeas in green and purple it looked beautiful.

By the way, Nora sold her country house and bought a smaller country house

for her next chapter in life which is what I am about to do myself.

She shared a picture of the new old house recently and wouldn't you know...

it had a pretty door basket!

To visit Nora Murphy's online shop, click here

She's always restocking one of a kind vintage home and garden accessories

so be a frequent visitor and browse to your heart's content till you find 

what you love! 

To purchase an autographed copy

 of Nora Murphy Country House Style book, click here

Follow Nora Murphy on Instagram here

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My Country Home Magazine Feature

 Country Home magazine's April to July 2019 issue is featuring so many great 

country homes, and it is a big thrill to have mine included!  

The story is called "Aged to Perfection" and that is because my country house

is not an old country house, but a prefab that I "aged" with vintage decor accents.

 The photography was done by Duanne Simon, who shot all the homes

in Nora Murphy's best seller, Nora Murphy's Country House Style. 

The story in Country Home was written by Deb Engle who interviewed me 

over the phone for an hour.  She did a beautiful job capturing where my sense

of decorating comes from, and how together with my husband we did the various

DIY projects that changed our house into a "country home".

I have saved Country Home magazine issues from decades ago, as it

was one of my very favorite magazines when I was a young home maker 

and decorator.  I loved the way country decor could give my home 

personal style using older things, inherited things, and unique ways to present

decorating ideas using everyday items, like the cover above illustrates.

And here is a note of personal interest....

Covers from December 2005 and 2007                          
My pal Matthew Mead was a Style Editor for years at Country Home.

He was invited to work there by none other than country decorating icon 

Mary Emmerling!

Many of the magazines I saved had covers he created. 

So COOL!

  Its amazing to think of the points of connection I have with him,

and this is just one more, and it was before we had even met.

Little did I think he would take me to a party for Mary and I would close

out the night sitting on a couch with Mary and Matthew chatting away.

Another super cool thing is that Matthew Mead is working for Country Home

today for a Christmas feature for them.

Its like a freaky full circle moment over here!!

Looking at the list above of Country Home players in 2007,

 I noticed other recognizable names, including talented

Sandra Soria, who wrote my story when I landed the cover of

Romantic Country magazine in the Spring of 2017. 

 Sadly this magazine is no longer being published.  

Which brings me to suggest, if you like particular magazines, 

like Country Home, then please subscribe.

This will help keep a magazine in business, and the price for issues is so 

much less than buying off the shelf.  

The current issue should be in stores where magazines are sold any day now.

Subscribers always get their issues ahead of the stores, and that is how 

I got mine yesterday.  After texting my sister Ellen, 

she went shopping for it and said she couldn't find it anywhere....

and that is why.  So give it another week sis, and you will see it

at Lowes or Home Depot, or at your local drugstore or bookstore.

Then fill out that subscription card and get future issues delivered to your door!

Read about the night we went to Mary Emmerling's party in NYC here.

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Nora Murphy Country House Style Book Giveaway

 Nora Murphy's Country House Style book features six country houses, 

all with their own distinct take on country style. Last summer Nora and her art director

and photographer made their way to my house to shoot it for her book.

This sweet scene with Piper is an outtake, but you will see the rooms in my home and

even Piper makes the book in one scene.  I am offering my readers a chance to win a 
complimentary copy of Nora's book, directly from Nora herself!  
All you need to do is to leave me a comment on the blog here, 
with your email address so I can get in touch with you for your mailing address.

One lucky winner will be chosen Sunday night!

 Nora will include this special gingham slipcover that will hold an autographed

 copy of her book for the giveaway.

This is the title page of the chapter on my home.  All the homes have 

their own designation by location.  Each home owner had a box

of small things Nora used to make a collage for the chapter photo,

and its really quite clever.

 This is also an outtake, but you will see a huge layout page featuring

my purple transfer ware collection.

And this snippet of my kitchen is just a hint of things you will see in the book.

My little green and white country kitchen!  There are so many amazing country kitchens in 

Nora's book, its worth getting the book just for kitchen inspiration!!

So if you don't already have a copy of this beautiful book, you 

can leave me a comment telling me why you would like one.

Its that simple! 

I will pick one winner Sunday night!!

If you can't leave a comment here, send me an email

at amymaisondecor@gmail.com and you can enter that way.

Comments on the blog will appear AFTER I moderate them, and

that is because I get spam, so your comment will appear.

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Country House Style

Making Your Home a Country House

It has been one year since Nora Murphy and her team came to shoot my "country house" for

her soon to be released book on Country House Style.  Here is a sneak peak at some

of the beautiful images that were taken last July, when Piper was still a little pup.

I loved this photo!

  My living room looked absolutely beautiful and Piper posed like a star.

The beautiful blue opaline chandelier gets the spotlight. 

I have received an advance copy of the book from Vendome Press,

the publisher of Nora Murphy's Country House Style.  Most of the images 

I am sharing today are outtakes, and didn't make it to the book.

Wait till you see what did make the cut!! 

OMG! So completely gorgeous!!

 The dining room table was set for a relaxed dinner with a mix and match

style of plates from my transfer ware collection and some pretty green majolica.

The big balloon wine glasses in amethyst glass were a wedding gift from my sister.

Big antique French monogrammed napkins dressed the table.

 This bedroom photo did make the book.  

During the shoot, the Swedish chair was 

put in the place where I have a dark wood French cane chair as it looked

 lighter and brighter.  For the most part, all was photographed

 as I had it for our every day living.

Nora brought these hydrangeas from her own Connecticut Country House garden!

 Nora and I posed for a few shots outside in the courtyard and in the house

in front of my transferware collection in the open cupboard.  But in the end

the photos of the homeowners with Nora did not make it into the book.

Interestingly she said the editor said that photos of people can date a book.

And I think she is absolutely right...think bouffant hair dos and bellbottom pants.

Hahah, Nora and I might feel we are dressed in a timeless style, but time will tell.

I have a lot of decorating books that are timeless, in the sense that the design is still

current to my liking.  Old copies of Country Home magazine still look fresh, and I 

believe the country homes Nora has chosen will stand the test of time and inspire for decades.

The book is loaded with big glossy photographs that speak to many different

country styles and the tag line of the book is "Making your home a Country House".

Nora talks about collections, and how they add that country style to a home.

The tips and stories of Nora's own journey and those of the other homeowners

will inspire you to refine your own Country House. 

 I Promise. 

For more of a look inside the pages of the book and to preorder

the book, due out in September, visit Nora Murphy's site here.

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A Stunning Photo Shoot with Nora Murphy

 A quick recap from where I left off~ Nora Murphy asked to shoot my house for her

new book, Nora Murphy Country House Style (not exactly the title) which is featuring

her amazing house and four others thrown in for a dose of varying country styles.

(Read more here)

Weeks followed of preparing, editing, tossing, editing some more, painting, gardening, 

fretting, daydreaming of the end result.... the time had finally come!

The photo shoot was a two day affair over the weekend, and I prayed for good weather,

and I was happily rewarded with perhaps the nicest days in the summer thus far.

The last thing I had to do was to buy flowers for the shoot.  Flowers are the jewelry of a

photo shoot, and these had to be above and beyond the basics.  So I headed to Mahoney's Garden Center and visited their florist department to select whatever struck my fancy.  

Giant pink hydrangeas, pink and white Cantebury bells, purple Pincushions and one amazing

heirloom rose that resembled a peony came home with me for their big moment.

 A large clear glass cylinder vase showed off the pink hydrangeas to perfection.

The other blooms were mixed with some white hydrangeas I picked up at a supermarket.

Their effect was glorious.  

A last minute vacuum and a goodnight's sleep was all that remained.

 Oh, and one more thing...move the darn grill and add some more pretty pillows outside.

 Nora arrived bright and early and as I was fixing the curtains I heard a knock at my front door.

NORA!!!! (I yelled through the closed front door)

I ran to open it and give her a big hug.  

She and her crew came inside and I gave them the tour 

so they could figure out where they wanted to being.  Nora came with an art director, 

a photographer and her charming son, Conor, who helped do the needful.

Just like that, we were underway.  They started in the bedroom and went on from there. 

 I can't share many photos, but I snuck in a few.  Nora gifted me one of her beautiful candles, 

in Pink Peony, as she said that seemed right for me.  

The first day of shooting, there were no dogs or fancy clothes to distract from the business of getting the shots.  The second day was another story.  Nora and I had to have our portraits done, and I kept Piper at home, while my husband took Colby off on a road trip, just the two of them.  Turned out, Piper was so good at posing, she had many "star turns" as she stole everyone's hearts.  Apparently she is a natural as a dog model.  Who knew?  Still, its not easy to catch her in a still position, and with the fancy camera settings, you have to be like a statue.  Piper handled herself as professionally just as Nora did, with amazing poses and an overall likability factor of 10.0!

 Look at how cute Piper is posing in the hallway in her dog bed.  

I am standing out of view holding her kong filled with peanut butter. 

 The tricks we had to pull to get her to do her thing were silly 

and made for light hearted moments, especially when the photographer made her "kooky" noises. 

We learned that if you called Piper to look at you, she would just run to you. Which was bad. 

But if you made a noise, she would often look at you without moving, 

wondering what the heck you were doing.  

Lots of "noises" were made, and we got the pics we needed. 

Here is the camera set up to capture the dining table.  

And this is the result.  Pretty amazing, right?  

I snapped a few screen shots off of the computer monitor

so I could share with you on my blog, which is why it looks grainy,

but you get the general idea. 

The monitor is set up tethered to the camera and is always close by, but out of the shot.

This was a closeup of the place settings.  So many beautiful shots were taken, I can't

imagine how Nora will pare it down to just a fraction of those taken.

After two full days, it was all over.  I could relax and let the dogs play with their toys,

and let Mr. Maison Decor take his boots off by the door and throw his stuff on 

the table.  No more worries for keeping things perfect, it was finally a WRAP!!

A big hug goodbye to Nora and her amazing crew, and it was time to celebrate

being part of the Nora Murphy Country House Book.

No better place than our courtyard.  Hubs had his wife back, so he was smiling ear to ear. 

 I was smiling because I had pulled it off, and Nora and her team brought out the best in my personal decorating style that would be forever saved in a beautiful book.  

So many times Nora would say to me when she wanted something a little bit more from the shot:

 "We need something to Amy-ize this " or 

"It needs some Amy added to this shot, what do you have that we could add?"

I had become a NOUN!!! 

Now that truly is something, isn't it?

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