I wish I could do the proper Miss Gracious Living thing and send all of you a handwritten note (on pretty Smythson stationery, of course). Your letters, calls, emails, blog posts, and comments of support have lifted our spirits during the close of Southern Accents, and it has been comforting to know that the magazine has meant so much to so many over the years. 

The staff got together on the last day to share a few laughs, a few tears, and a lot of Champagne. And though the magazine comes to an end and most of the staff has now scattered (on to do great things, I know, as they are the best), our love of Southern style will most definitely endure. Thank you and we raise a virtual toast to all of you: May you always find life beautiful, entertaining, and gracious!

Whether you're a professional designer or architect or a do-it-yourselfer, something you should always have close at hand is a camera. It can help in quite a few situations.

Taking "before" pictures. When I'm redoing something at home, I'm usually so impatient to bring in the new that I forget to document what the old looked like. At Southern Accents, that's actually a problem we run into frequently with remodeling stories. We know readers like to see before-and-after comparisions, and so do we. Even an in-progress shot is helpful. But so often those photos just don't exist. And once the project is finished, there's no going back to get them later. Even if you don't have editorial concerns, before and after shots can give you a great sense of accomplishment (and help you remember why you spent all that money). Be sure to take the before and after shots from the same vantage point; it makes it easier to compare the two later.

Image courtesy of Life.com

As much as I like my job here at Southern Accents, I need a break sometimes—we all do. I love vacationing, but sometimes traveling (not to mention planning, booking flights and hotels, and packing) leaves me feeling like I need a real vacation when I return from the trip.

You’ve probably seen and heard the term “staycation” lately. Last week I took one, and it was a great week. I think we’re all realizing that we don’t have to spend a lot of money or do something grand to have an enjoyable time.

Don’t overdo it (you do want to relax), but I would suggest making plans for your staycation. If I hadn’t, I would have whittled my entire week away organizing and cleaning here and there. Even though I made time for some of that, I also took my one-year-old son to the pool. We went to our local library to see a magic show. I took long, leisurely trips to the grocery store (an indulgence for me), and made dinner for our family most nights, including one you should try: Bow Ties with Tomatoes, Feta, and Balsamic Dressing, from the latest issue of Cooking Light. 

I love the sun, even in July, so I spent of lot of time outside—weeding, planting basil, tending to my tomato plants, and sitting on our new patio reading The Disagreement. I even sipped ice water with cucumber and lemon as I read, something I’ve never done outside of the spa. But why not feel special at home? One morning, my son and I went for a long run with the jogging stroller, something that never seems to happen on weekends.

This week, I’m feeling caught up at home, relaxed, and refreshed. Is anyone else planning a staycation? Are there museums and summer events in your city that you’ve never gotten around to? Maybe you’d rather spend your time at home—in your kitchen or on your patio. What are your plans?

—Holly Goff

 

Matthew White, interior designer

A number of years ago, I had the pleasure of being seated next to designer Matthew White at a dinner party in Suzanne Rheinstein's home in Los Angeles (please forgive the name-dropping, but one of the genuine pleasures of my job is all the interesting people I have the opportunity to meet). He was an utterly charming dinner companion, and we talked of everything from our shared Southern roots to the fact that he was leaving the next weekend to join Sir Elton John at a house party in Venice.

Shortly thereafter, Matthew sent me an essay he had written about finding beauty in the modest environment he grew up in in Amarillo, Texas–seemingly worlds away from the glamorous life he now leads and the circles he often travels in. His words were so poignant, so real, that they brought tears to my eyes. Eventually I tucked the story away in a file, and every now and then during one of my cleaning purges, I would come across it and reread. I never quite knew what to do with it, but I couldn't bear to part with it, so back in the folder the story went.

A couple of years later, a perfect opportunity presented itself. We were putting together our 30th anniversary issue and decided to commission articles written by style setters on the elements of timeless design, including beauty, comfort, tradition, personality, and love of nature. I knew exactly where we should start and out came the folder again. Matthew graciously agreed to let us publish his essay, and afterward, we received a flood of letters and emails telling us how much the story had meant to our readers. One elementary school teacher even made it a project to read the article to her class and have the children write letters to Matthew sharing their stories and pictures of beauty.

If you happen to have a few extra minutes this weekend, click read more to find the entire essay. I hope the story will touch you as it continues to touch me. I believe, as Matthew does, that no matter where life's road takes you, it's important to always remember the people and experiences that brought you there.

photo by Pieter Estersohn; for more on Matthew White, visit whitewebb.com

Belle Alliance, 2001

Belle Alliance, 2003

You may remember our old friend Robert E. Smith of Au Vieux Paris Antiques in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. He just got back from a month in Uzès, a medieval village in southern France, where he also has a home. Thought you might enjoy a few of his recent photos. I always find them inspiring, uplifting, and downright gorgeous. 

One day, I would love the view from my deck to look like this. But for now, I'm covering all of the atrocities in pine straw until I can figure out exactly what to do back there. Well, I'm here to tell you, it takes a lot of pine straw. Last weekend I took the truck to Lowe's and figured that about 20 bales would fit. They almost did, but one rogue bail tumbled out of the truck at the top of the hill. The light was turning green, and I was stressing out about how to circle around and retrieve it without losing the rest of the load in the process. The fellow beside me put his car in park and ran 100 yards up the hill in traffic (not to mention 90-degree heat) and loaded the bail securely for me. I was so astonished by his kindness, it made me feel good for the rest of the weekend. To my knight in shining armor and his lovely wife: Thanks from the bottom of my heart. Photograph: Roger Foley

The topic of family photos comes up periodically in the pages of Southern Accents. You may have noticed that you rarely see family photos in the houses we feature—most often it's a single photo or two on an end table or nightstand. Many designers advise not having family photos in public rooms, such as the living room. ("Family on Display" is actually one of our "Seven Deadly Design Sins," but this point is referring more to painted portraits, which can come off as imposting and elitist.) As for photographs, the sin, so to speak, is that if they are not skillfully displayed, they tend to add clutter and detract from the design of the room.

I personally like to see pictures of the family when I visit people's houses--and who doesn't like to show off their children and grandchildren? For me, as a guest, photos help me get to know the family better and are often a conversation starter. Pictures can say a lot and are part of the fun of seeing someone else's home. 

I'm sure there are devotees of each opinion, as well as a happy medium.

Though they're not ubiquitious in our pages, if you flip through past issues, you will find examples of personal photos displayed in both private and public spaces. Here are some examples, along with some helpful designer advice should you decide to display yours.

Bedroom designed by Jackye Lanham; photo by Tria Giovan

• Lars Bolander says that a grouping of photographs in the same type of frame can help create a collected look even if you only have a few things. 

Room designed by Fiona Newell Weeks; photographed by Antoine Bootz

Room designed by Mimi Williams; photo by Lauren Rubinstein

• Jane Smith says, "Pieces maintain their collective impact when grouped in a dedicated space rather than spread over several rooms or tucked behind closed cabinet doors." 

Designed by Betsy Brown; photographed by Robbie Caponetto

• Josie McCarthy says, "Groups of family photos work well in a hallway, back stair hall, or dressing room. I prefer black-and-white photos, matted in white and framed in black or muted gold. In framing color prints, I use gold." She also recommends hanging them only on one side of the hallway: "It is impossible to look at both sides of the hall." Read more of Josie's advice on framing and hanging art here.

Today is 05-07-09. That makes it an "Odd Day"—a date that, when written in American numerical format, consists of consecutive odd numbers. It happens only six times a century, all within the first 15 years. What does this have to do with gracious living? Well, as it turns out, odd numbers show up quite frequently in fields such as interior design, architecture, and history. So in honor of this Odd Day, here are just a few examples of oddness.

Houses built in the classical styles, such as Georgian and Federal, often feature odd numbers of windows for symmetry. Notice the three dormers up top and the five bays of windows on the second floor. Other examples might have seven or more windows, but a true Georgian will always have a central door and window flanked by an equal number of windows.

Photo: Pieter Estersohn

Interior Design: Art, Accessories, Collections

Theories vary as to why, but groupings of odd number of objects are particularly pleasing to the eye. One theory is that having an odd number forces you to view the objects as a single group, rather than visually dividing them into two separate sets. Another is that odd numbers look less regimented than even numbers. This grouping of nine Vietnamese fishing hats works perfectly in this space. Notice the five pillows on the sofa and three objects on the coffee table as well. 

Room designed by Ginny Terry. Photo: Tria Giovan 

Photography: The Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is a guideline for composition in photography and other visual arts. Use imaginary lines to divide your image into three rows and three columns. According to the rule, placing the focal points of your image at the intersections of the lines makes for a more dynamic photo. Notice how the person in the photo below has been placed at an intersection. The horizon line has also been placed in the lower third of the photo. 

Photo: www.webdesign.org

Floral Design

Many floral designers, such as Paula Pryke, suggest selecting odd numbers of stems and grouping each type of flower in groups of threes, fives, sevens, etc., when arranging flowers, for a more natural look. 

Photo: Polly Wreford

Just sharing a few photos from a favorite house that ran many years ago--located in Pass Christian, Mississippi. It was badly damaged if not destroyed by Hurrican Katrina. But I still love the photos that capture a sense of place and calmness and peace. I also just re-read the story, written by the owners' daughter Margaret McMullan , a novelist and professor, which is lovely. So I share the photos with you--the house ran in our March-April 1997 issue. If you still have your back issues, re-visit the story and be inspired again.

Here you're always coming and going from one porch to another. Open the French doors, slide out the built-in screens, and spend a whole afternoon having tea and waiting for a storm to roll in. Photography by Dominique Vorillon.

A honey-hued Louis XVI dining table contrasts with the French farm table in the kitchen. Design by Patrick Dunne.

In a bedroom, a convent washstand makes a convenient washstand.

It's generally assumed (rightly) that the color navy blue got its name from the color of the uniforms worn by Navy sailors. But have you ever wondered why the Navy chose this dark blue in the first place? The answer hit me last week, when I was vacationing in Puerto Rico, with plenty of time to gaze out onto the ocean and wonder about such things. 

On a catamaran trip to the island of Culebra, I was mesmerized by the dark color of the water and thought that this had to be what prompted sailors as far back as the 1700s to adopt this as their signature color. 

 

Navy is often combined with red and white in fashion and nautical decor. While you can find all shades of blue used in this combination, I'm partial to a dark, almost black, navy. Suzanne Kasler created my favorite interpretation of nautical style in our 2004 beachside showhouse. With stripes, warm woods, propeller fans, lacquered red cabinets, and a porthole-like mirror, she evokes the feeling of being on a ship without making you feel like you've stepped into a July Fourth parade. 

  

 

When I was younger, cross stitch was one of my favorite pastimes. But now many of the patterns are too old-fashioned and kitschy for my taste. Wanting to take it up again (and wanting to get some use out of the rainbow of colored thread I still have), I set out to find some examples more suited to my style. It took some searching, but I found a few to inspire me. (I'm still searching for a great web site or book of designs to recommend, so stay tuned for that in a future post.)

Martha Stewart came through with a salmon-colored botanical design for a linen chair slipcover, a silhouette and a bird-on-a-branch stitched onto burlap tote bags, and the idea of stitching the date onto the spine of a cloth-covered photo album. 

There are a lot of video game-related designs, most of which I don't care for, but this "retro-fabulous" guitar strap inspired me to make something similar for my husband.

You can even make your own patterns by hand or by using pixelating software, like this blogger did from a picture of a chandelier. 

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Minipop sample photo (top): www.flickr.com/photos/rubykhan    (Unfortunately, rubykhan's minipop designs aren't for sale.)

When I think April, I immediately think Earth Day. I'm proud to say I was bringing my own bags to the grocery long before it became trendy. And I'm even prouder that environmentalism has finally caught on in the mainstream. However, some resistance remains when it comes to actually changing one's established lifestyle. That's understandable. Here are few simple choices you can make that will put you on your way to an earth-friendly life—without putting a damper on your style. 

 

 

 

6. Recycling. In this case, once you start, it's difficult to stop. I can't with a clear conscience just throw a recyclable in with the regular trash. I don't have neighborhood pickup, so I store my plastic, aluminum, and paper in a large Umbra Crunch Can until it's full enough to make a trip to the recycling center. It has a vinyl lining that can be wiped clean and collapses for storage. Mine is natural-colored, but I love this pink-and-brown design.

I don't get in to Valentine's Day. I'm not anti-Valentine's; I don't wear black like some people I've known. But I usually forget to wear pink, and as a rule, I don't give Valentine's cards or gifts. However, something about St. Patrick's Day appeals to me. Perhaps it's the color. It wasn't hard to remember to wear my Kelly green cardigan. And it wasn't difficult to remember several rooms from our recent history that celebrate spring green. These are my favorites:

The March-April issue just landed on our desks. For those who haven't gotten their copies yet, I'll share the photo that makes me long for the arrival of spring: