As promised, I am finally able to share these photos of my home from the winter issue of Romantic Country 2015, now that their next issue is out. 
I love this view of my living room, and I loved how Fifi styled it with the blankets in the basket and the flowers on each side of the fireplace. This fireplace and adjacent cabinets are a signature feature of our builder; Kyle Hunt Homes. The fireplace was designed by my husband Bob. I embellished the robin's egg blue lamp shade (an Anthropologie favorite), perfectly perched on an antique marble lamp, and sewed the sofa cushions and silk drapes.
A closeup view of my vintage etched crystal collection arranged on the mantle in front of an adored Vintage LaBarge Chinoiserie Mirror.
This is the view when you walk into the room. Since this photo was taken in mid-April, the trees were only just then budding. By the time this article came out you couldn't see the houses across the lake because the leaves were so dense. The whimsical coffee table was found at a salvage furniture warehouse in Berkley California, on my very first pick in 1998. It was in my shop then, and the striped wing back chair was also in my shop before landing in my living room. The two non-matching putty colored drapery panels I purchased in France and altered to fit
I love how Fifi O'Neill staged this tea grouping. Of course you will find a copy of Jeanne d'Arc Living magazine on the table in addition to the March edition of my Chachette du mois ephemera millinery collections.
Funny thing, That antique blue vase does not hold water any longer, Fifi found that out the hard way.
In this shot you will see my sloppy wallpapering job. It was shot lower than eye level, where the torn paper does not show. The photographer, Mark fixed it in photo shop so the picture looked pretty in the magazine. It still looks like this though.
But lets not get distracted with the wallpapering job. This corner cabinet came from a shop, that is now closed, on Lincoln Avenue in San Jose CA. Down the street from the original Rose Mille. It now looks built in to my custom home.
Teal blue Swedish Blonde Rose chairs with a Swedish Blonde Gustavian sideboard against the wall. We used a piece of net lace fabric as a table cloth. What a festive party we are having. Only moments before Mark was set up here on his laptop making decisions about the last shot.
An interesting picture with artichokes, which I love. Unbeknownst to Fifi, in our California home we had a large artichoke plant. They don't fare that well here in the northern mid-west.
She also pulled out my hand blown ice tea glasses, actually I believe they are wine glasses but we use them mostly for iced tea, Bob and I purchased these in Napa on our honeymoon in 1990!
The table cloth sitting on the carrera marble island is a twin of the one I made curtains out of in the kitchen window.
My favorite picture in the article. It makes my kitchen look cozy. Well it is, but it does not show the whole kitchen. After 14 years, I still love the farmhouse sink, butcher block counters and creamy white cabinets.
Lets go upstairs, and take the wool blankets with us. The day before the shoot, I decided to de-construct the antique bench. The fabric that was on it was dated 1980's and had to go. I just didn't have time, or the skills, to re-upholster it with something more timely.
The window seat finally got a cushion for the shoot, I made it out of some French General cotton fabric with a birds and bamboo print. Believe it or not, those curtains on the sides of the window seat once was a matelasse bedspread. And the sheer curtain inside the window seat came from a shop in Albi France when I was there with my sisters. Yes, you do recognize the gorgeous blue velvet Bella Notte pillow cases and pillows.
The credit for this little vignette goes to Fifi. I knew I was in trouble when she asked me for some pretty little hi-heeled shoes for the shoot. Ummm I wear a size 10, so no little pumps in my closet.
There are so many other stories that go with this picture, including the little velvet chair. I purchased this chair in a brocante in a small town in France. Actually the town's name is Realville. Yup Realville. I so want to live in Realville. Anyway, as small as this chair is, it did not fit in my suitcase. Go figure. Sooooo I spent the next few days, annoying everyone around me trying to take the chair apart, which I did, completely. I wasn't too worried, because I knew that Bob would be able to put it all back together perfectly, which he did 4 years later.
Finally, the piece de resistance. My Kohler pedestal tub. When were were building the house, Bob and I each decided to choose an over the top element. He choose the Viking stove and I chose this tub. Hmmmmm, I think I lucked out with both, even though I think he chose the stove since he is 100% Norwegian, uffda.
That's it for my fancy home in the magazine. I can check that off the list of things that I never thought would ever happen, but did. Thank you, thank you Fifi, Mark, and Shari.
And now for the really exciting news; Come early spring this 5 bedroom home will be available to purchase for your own. Watch this space.
xo
mi
Want to go behind the scenes for this shoot? Just go to the previous post.
