Right Now I'm Loving...Black Windows


Last month we headed out to Santa Barbara for my youngest sister's wedding.  The outdoor wedding was held in beautiful gardens at a private residence, a casual California bungalow. The home's interior walls were all painted white, while the windows were framed with black trim.  What a graphic statement...I love it!  Here's the dining area, which flows into the living room.  I love how the black was repeated on the mantle and fireplace surround.





Here's a peek of the garden set up for the ceremony.


The black windows (and door) frame the view outside and draws your eye outdoors.
In light and airy rooms it also helps anchor the room and adds a dramatic focal point. Here are some exterior shots of black windows done right!
The house color is Benjamin Moore Graystone, the trim is Silver Chain. The door is plain Black which seemed to best match the Marvin windows which are aluminum clad.

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Fieldstone veneer for foundation. Black window sashes. Gray shingle siding.

Back of small Toronto kitchen...Love the black trim on the windows.
And here are some interior views...
would love to have large windows like this on the outside kitchen walls and all the cabinets on the interior walls
Kathleen Kellett Interiors, Atlanta | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

My Dream Home Plans... - danielle oakey interiors
Black Window Mullions | Black Windows | Kitchen Design | Marble Countertop | Detail. Black Window Panes and White Kitchen Cabinets.

For the solarium - like the dark window frames and am quite fond of the chair, too.

The English Room

Here are a few more I've seen while out and about in Gloucester and Concord, Ma.








What do you think? Do you like black windows and trim?

As always, feel free to leave a comment or ask questions in the comments section below.



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Newport Flower Show

The last weekend in June we headed down to Newport, Rhode Island for the 19th Annual Flower Show.  It was a beautiful summer day, a perfect backdrop for the gorgeous flower displays at the Rosecliff Mansion.



The theme for this year's show was "Journey- Grand Vistas", and focused on luxury travel at the turn of the century. It included divisions in botanical arts, floral design, horticulture and photography.  Ribbons and prizes were awarded in each division. On the front lawn, six gardens represented the range of European garden design.





They also had mailboxes featuring different places around the world (Cape Town shown here), with flower displays representing that particular location.


 Unique urns with amazing flower arrangements were seen throughout the property. 



Pergola + climbing roses + boxwood = heaven!



In the container garden category, many of the contestants planted their
arrangements in vintage suitcases to go along with this year's theme.




Spectacular shades of pink...




Inside the mansion, the ballroom was full of more arrangements...it was eye-candy overload!









The flower show also includes the Opening Night Party, lectures and demonstrations (P. Allen Smith was the special guest lecturer this year), special luncheons and workshops.  You can make a whole weekend of it!  Out on the back lawn were specialty vendors selling art, antiques, coastal décor, clothing and accessories. 



One of the vendors was Three Islands, "a casual American clothing company that combines the clean tailoring of New England's classic good looks with vibrant and whimsical hand-screened batiks from Bali, Indonesia."  Their women's dresses, cover ups and tunics are perfect for summer days. I came home with these two...
 Image 1

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(My seahorse top has orange trim around the neckline, cuffs and bottom...love it!)
They also carry men's and children's clothing...how cute is this summer top?

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Another vendor was Liza Byrd , and I had to get this fun embroidered top...
The Sandra Tunic in Periwinkle and White
Needham Lane is a Massachusetts based company and their colorful collection of prints are used for dresses, sleepwear, slippers and tote bags.
I met the owners of each of these companies and chatted with them for quite a while.  I love hearing their stories of how and why they started their family based business.
The Newport Flower Show is held annually in June, so mark your calendar for next year's show...I highly recommend it! 


As always, feel free to leave a comment or ask questions in the comments section below.
Need help creating a home you love? Contact me about our design services.