Crude Style

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I posted a blog post years ago about this great shop I discovered called Bailey's Home and Garden outside London in Bridstow, England. The Bailey's have published a few books and they have become my new favorites for simple, unfussy living. Buy them here.

How easy to collect little chairs and hang them on the wall as sculpture (or a shelf).

This chair above is a perfect example: Great lines, fabulous style but made functional with throw pillows. Forget the new upholstery!

After styling my home and shop for various magazines this year, I have a new desire to make things less perfect. I am calling this new look Crude Style. I love to see interiors when things don't match, objects are used as-found, tables and chairs less than perfect and an overall ease and simplicity to everything- but somehow a great style still appears. Some may look at it and think it is not finished enough, but that is what I love about it because I believe every object has been carefully picked to appear unstyled.

I love the mix of sizes and stripes for these pillows. They match, but they don't.

A few raw boards screwed together for a make-shift desk. Perfect!

As a shop owner I am forever concerned how things look: What is hung on the front door, the furniture placement in the store, the objects on the tables, how pictures are hung, how bottles are faced... it's never ending. With so much product there has to be an order to things to look good to the customer and be easier to shop. But when it comes to my home, I am forever trying to find that balance of style and simplicity while being undecorated but still fabulous! It is in the eyes of the beholder as many may think it's just a pile of junk!

Who doesn't want to plop down here for a couple hours? The apple crates as shelves and the shoes!!! on the bottom shelf- in the living room! Why not?

Perfect crude style: a slab of distressed wood for a quick headboard and no-fuss bedding. Who needs more?

As I antique for the shop, I buy what is appropriate for the majority of our customers but for myself I am looking for objects that have been left out in the rain for years, the chair with simple rust or a box that has been wired shut to make the perfect little table.

Why bother replastering that wall? It works so well with the ease of the kitchen.

This idea stopped me! Patches of old tapestry rugs used as a runner up the stairs. Tack away.

The September issue of Romantic Homes magazine will feature my home and the store. For the first time a national magazine is showing my store the way I have always wanted: a complete spread of both interiors with great images. Lucky for me I was able to style each and every picture. This has been six months in the making as I have been waiting and waiting on what issue it would appear and finally got the word two weeks ago. Since then, I have been answering the email interview so I hope all of it ends up a great read for you.

Again, the mix of found wood creates so much texture and interest and I love the old palette hung on the wall for display.

Throwing a variety of textiles over the sofa is easier than a new slipcover and I love how they hung the light on the spare outlet on the wall rather than ignore the strange placement.

As a store owner (especially in this economy) I am forever preparing for store press. Whether it is my home or the store being featured, I have to keep the buzz going so customers can see what we are doing and keep business flowing. Yes, it is a lot of work but it is all part of shop-owning. Now that Romantic Homes is in the can I need to move on to the next thing so Crude Style is my new direction for my home! Maybe not completed this year, but stay tuned for the next.
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Botanically Challenged

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My second article for the Kansas City Star, published 5/3/09


Botanically Challenged
Maybe your imagination should do all the growing.

Awe, it’s Spring! Lawns are turning green, tiny buds are blooming and the nurseries are buzzing with weekend gardeners ready to get their hands in the dirt. Not me, I am scrambling for the sunscreen.

Allergies aside, if you do not like the look of lovely flowers and fresh plants something might be wrong with you. If however, you cannot decorate with them for fear of the inevitable, then come join my club for the Botanically Challenged. Each time I think I’ll buy a little planted something for the interior of my home, it lasts about seven days. Where did I go wrong? Too much water or not enough? Should it have been morning light or afternoon? I give up. I’ll nail a seed packet to the wall and dream.

As a retailer it is nearly impossible to keep things alive in my semi-lit store. And as much as faux flowers are so, well, not cool- I admit there are a lot of great brands out there than can argue the point. Lately I have discovered ways to negotiate decorating with nature and I have to say, my way has much less maintenance.

Pressed botanicals
The Europeans had this figured out a long time ago. Explorers would travel the world, collect plant clippings and flatten these specimens under glass and store for research in Herbarium houses. Little did they know they would become great works of art. Today many affordable reproductions are available as well as antique originals.

Tree and shrub branches
Roam your own back yard or the local park for fallen branches or clip a few sprigs from your favorite flowering shrub. When used in a giant glass bottle they make the perfect centerpiece.

Natural accessories
Adding a touch of nature can be accomplished in almost any room by adding a tiny nest or feathery bird. A large bowl of hedge apples make a colorful display as well.

Statuary
Although there is nothing botanical about it, adding an object indoors that is normally found outdoors helps give the illusion to garden living. A concrete pot, fence piece or birdhouse can be used throughout your home tucked in the most unlikely of places for stronger impact.

Bringing the outdoors in is not a new concept and can also be achieved with illustrated fabric, beautiful floral prints and preserved boxwood. I believe keeping it maintenance free is just what Mother Nature had in mind all along. Let her do all the work, after all, she’s better equipped!

DEBBIE DUSENBERRY
is the owner and creative director of Curious Sofa in Prairie Village. When not in her shop she travels, antiques, and blogs- all with her beloved pet Bichon, Pearl by her side.





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Curious Goes Modern

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As promised, the after pictures of the Florida condo I just staged for selling, 98% completed. A few items arrived the day after we left but the idea is still there.

555 on 5TH AVE SOUTH
NAPLES, FLORIDA

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ENTRANCE
(Big seashells to come to sit here)

STUDY

KITCHEN DINING
(Candles are sitting in a pool of sand)

KITCHEN/LIVING ROOM BAR
(A series of b/w vintage photographs of scenic Naples are coming to hang behind this wall)

LIVING ROOM

LIVING ROOM

LIVING ROOM
(The piece de la resistance- a Curious Sofa linen slipcovered sectional sleeper)

LIVING ROOM
(An amazing seven foot distressed mirror is coming to hang over the sectional)

LIVING ROOM SKYLIGHT
(I chose the brushed metal fan at the last minute from Home Depot)

MASTER BEDROOM
(Lush bedding not shown, still waiting on the bed frame)

MASTER BATH

GUEST BEDROOM
(Duvet covers and more pillows to come)

GUEST BATH

BALCONY

What you are seeing above is my first real design job where I met with a client (Angie), listened to what she needed and gathered what I thought was appropriate for her project. This is an eight unit condo in downtown Naples that my client has owned for many years. After a hurricane, she bulldozed the lower level retail shops and decided to build two additional floors of luxury condos above. Cache and White & Black Market are her tenants. These are pictures of the model unit the realtor will show potential buyers. This unit had no decorative touches to start with except the tile, appliances, cabinets and floors. All else was bare.

My assignment was to keep it clean and cool, simple and modern so it would appeal to a hip, second-home buyer. She didn't want it cluttered with paraphernalia but shown in a way others could see that it was big enough for a large screen TV, sectional sofa and a Queen bed. This is not the usual model condo decor you'd find in Florida.

I spent approximately six weeks and over 75 hours shopping for this job online, talking with the property manager and architect for specific details and arranging deliveries and pick-ups 1,400 miles away. I tried to time all shipments to get there a week before we arrived so all would be ready. We flew down last Saturday and began. Angie and I unpacked boxes and arranged and kept shopping for what we still needed, then schlepping and hauling each and every item to the third floor. She would unpack and clean as I was was building, hanging, drilling and steaming for four days and five nights. Many items were ordered and shipped through my store while other items were ordered through Target, West Elm, Sears, World Market, HSN or found in Naples (Pottery Barn, Home Goods, Pier One). Keep in mind this was a little more than a staging job as Angie and her family will come here to work and vacation until this unit is sold. So everything from mattresses to dishes, flatware, trash cans, a vacuum, alarm clock, TV, dish soap, towels, etc. had to be ordered to make it livable for them. Some things came broken, some were returned and some never arrived at all. We delayed our flight one extra day to fine tune, add more details and clean, clean, clean.

There were also many problems to fix that come with a new development and long distance living: the hot water heater didn't work, the cable wasn't connected to the building, the electricity wasn't working in one room, locks weren't locking and the first realtor was fired as I watched the business of real estate unfold. There was also some comedy relief when Angie put dish soap in the new dishwasher (screaming, "It's leaking!"), cooked the plastic manual pack in the new oven, tried to wash the clothes with detergent and bleach in the dryer saying, "The washer is not working either!" and left the rental car idling for 5 hours in the garage because of a new off button they have now.

We were so tired most nights we didn't have the energy to go to many of the good restaurants in Naples but opted for ice cream or grocery store take out instead -and- I only saw about 1" of beach peaking over a park bench at 30 miles an hour!

In the end, I learned I was not half bad at this interior design stuff even though it was not hard core Curious Sofa style. But good design is good design. It was nice to buy things and put them out without cleaning, fixing, rewiring like you usually do with antique goods. We left proud of our efforts and talking of the next unit we would love to do in tan and blue with sisal rugs and painted furniture. The real test will come when buyers walk through and give their two cents (because everyone has their two cents!). If it sells within the next 3 months, despite the off season in Naples and the soft real estate market, I know I will have done my job!

Enjoy.

Divine Design

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A quick post:
I am currently in Naples, FL helping a friend (and client) stage a new condo for selling. As I was searching online for some last minute extras I found this bedding on Linens 'n Things and thought it was fabulous. The design caught my eye but when I enlarged the image, the shot was styled just right. Great odd leather chair 'side tables', botanical sketch poster and the small round bulbs used in the perfect-shade-of-gold chandelier. buy it here.

And the (before) Florida condo I'm decorating:
Florida Condo for sale in Naples, FL 34102 $999,999.00
Serious inquiries call Angie 913-381-8972.

April Greetings Y'all

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I'm back from Texas, the Miss Frenchie show is coming and another May Day event is on it's way to the Sofa. Whew! We've been busy.

Views from Texas (Leftovers)

My friend Carol and I set off at the last minute to shop the famous Round Top Antique Show via Austin. Four days of shopping and 13 hours of straight-through driving, we we're battered, bruised and wind blown but (un)loaded with lots of goodies. Some are out and some are hidden waiting for the Frenchie show next weekend.

The following are some of the items I brought back from Texas: a wonderful 10' painted farm table, vintage dressers and tables, ruffled kitchen chair slipcovers, patio tables, English sideboard (my favorite!), iron urns, lawn chairs, French towels and table linens. Much more not shown.


While I was gone other items arrived at the store to brighten the shop for Spring. Check out these new kitchen goodies, cookbooks and Spring paper products.


Don't forget, we still have some cute Easter items at 50% off.

Also, CALL FOR ENTRIES
Send me pics of your original artwork to be sold inside the store during the Prairie Village Art Fair. We have room for four more vendors.
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All Is Bright

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This Tuesday, Christmas took place in my house and I wanted to share a few of the pictures with you without giving it all away. What I thought would be a piece of cake turned into quite an ordeal! But then isn't that what Christmas decorating is usually about? Beads and baubles, ornaments and wire, paper and ribbon, festive food and greens. I am stilling piling up the debris after all was said and done.


Better Homes & Gardens does a special issue each September titled Christmas Ideas and this year I will be included. The editor, Ann Blevin found my blog, saw my style and thought I would be a good fit. (or diversion!). After twirling my mantle in five different ways I suddenly thought, 'Has anyone ever done a Goth Xmas?!' -because it looked like I was about to! I had an idea to use this fabulous black tree I bought for a friend last December. After helping her decorate it I was in love with the contrast of the black tree against the bright turquoise ornaments we used. With her modern decor it looked like something for Domino magazine. So I thought I would buy one for me. After adding some appropriate ornaments, hurricane candles and gold frames on the mantle, I was very happy but couldn't help but wonder how it would fit with all the other green and red the issue will indoubtably have. It did look a bit Gothic because of the black but as I said to the editor, "If I saw this in the magazine it would make me stop!" So on I went doing the black tree.
Here are some other shots:

A hodge podge of silver (most on the table that you cannot see)

A great shot on the porch with champagne cooling in a giant urn of snow...

A shot with my friend Julie Reed's folded paper sculptures and Wendy Addison's new line coming this Christmas...

My vanilla vignette using every ivory prop I could find (many off camera here)...

Not shown, a sofa set-up with a giant lamb painting, stone angel and French sconce. Only six months until you can see more!

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Debut Column

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My new column for the Kansas City Star, premiered Sunday, March 15

TEXTURE IS A COLOR TOO.
A neutral palette doesn't have to be boring.

You either love it or hate it. Some people walk into an all white room and sink into the sofa, put their feet up and say, "Ahh.. I'm in Heaven!" Others look around and wonder why everything seems so bland and colorless. I happen to fall into the former group.

For me, I love shades of stone, sand and concrete. Although lately, it has become more about texture than color. I can live with 'boring beige' as long as I can add dark galvanized metal, white linen and a favorite driftwood table. The marriage of dull metal mixed with soft white linen and adding a coarse, grainy table is right up my alley. Why? Because texture can keep your eyes moving and make a one-note room come to light. Entering a room with a specific color palette is nice, but when a variety of textures have been added- now you're designing!

Stop right now and look around. Don't look at color but start looking at texture. What is the sofa fabric? Is the chair the same? Is the table the same material as the other table and the other and the cabinet and so on?

WHAT IF...
-Your leather chair has a thick cable throw over the back?
-Your sofa has a few pillows; one shaggy, one pleated, one with graphics?
-Your picture frames were heavily carved or maybe glossy white.
-Your curtains has a pattern where your walls were a solid color (or vice-versa!)
-What if you added a crooked fallen branch in a giant glass bottle on a thick burlap tablecloth? Get the picture?

Adding texture can be easier than trying to decide if that green tray is right for your blue table. If you start with three complimentary colors you love, find the shades of those colors that are the most soothing and then add accessories that are primarily from natural materials- you're home free. Suddenly a no-color room takes on a different life as you start to add some nature (plants, stems, seashells), paper (books, sketches, magazines), metal (lamps, tables, frames), fabric (throws, curtains, pillows) wood (unfinished, varnished, painted) and objects (glass, stone, porcelain)... the list is endless.

Paying attention to these interior details will make others notice something is different about your home. This could be the one time touchy-feely is not such a bad thing!
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Hurry Spring

Take a look at the March issue of KC SPACES magazine and the 10 page spread on my home. We have 45 copies for sale in the store if you cannot find it on our local newsstand.

March SPACES with a spread of my home.