Designer Tobi Fairley joins us today on my blog to spread some holiday cheer with a special giveaway – a pillow from her Saint Nick collection.

Hello, friends and fans of Allen!

Over at my blog, I’m giving thanks for all sorts of wonderful things in my life: people, places, opportunities, experiences, transformations, and more. I am so grateful for wonderful friends like Allen, with whom I can share big ideas about design, entertaining, food, and the outdoors! Another HUGE part of my gratitude is for the pleasure of giving, so I want to give something special to one of you this week to kick-off your holiday season!

If you leave a comment on this post telling Allen and me what you’re giving thanks for this week, you’ll be entered to win one of my Tobi Fairley Home pillows from the Saint Nick collection! The winner will be selected by random draw on Wednesday 12/05/12.

Sometimes an accent pillow is ALL it takes to make a sofa or chair festive and fun for the holiday season!

Find more inspiration from my Pinterest board: Holiday Treats & Decor

(like this sweet pic…)

Best of luck!

Xo,

Don’t worry if you can’t find a one-horse open sleigh, just be sure to get out of the house and into the spirit of Christmas! Whether you’re heading south like a snowbird or traveling to be with family for the holidays, Christmas travel is certainly more than just a destination. I spend more time than usual perusing antiques during the holidays, and Round Top, Texas, is one of my favorite places to do so.

Round Top is known for its antique fairs, held each January, April, June, and October, but the small town has a plethora of arts-and-crafts and antiquing activity throughout the year. One woman who has made her mark on Round Top is Rachel Ashwell, international designer and creator of Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture.

Ashwell’s style gained popularity through her London, New York, and Los Angeles stores, where she sells her designs—pieces that evoke a sense of the past with a fresh, clean look. She had been traveling to the treasure trove of Round Top for seven years when a familiar bed-and-breakfast property became available. Ashwell jumped at the opportunity, refinished the house in her own style, and dubbed it “The Prairie.” It’s a space that she fondly calls “a magical bubble” and now rents out to fellow antique hunters in Round Top. She loves it so much that she stays there when in town, all the while managing her international Shabby Chic Couture business.

I reached Ashwell (RA) in London, and she took the time to answer a few of my design questions about what she calls the flea market capital of the world … and this is coming from a woman who has shopped in many parts of the globe.
P. Allen Smith (PAS)

PAS: Round Top is quite a departure from your other locations. How is your style enhanced or altered by location, especially a place as unique as Round Top?

RA: Even though I am a London girl who has lived in Malibu, I have always had an attraction for the country western aesthetic and culture. Jeans, cowboy boots, and country music have been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

PAS: The Prairie sounds like the perfect canvas for you!

RA: Many people have a preconceived idea that Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture aesthetics is all about white, pink flowers, and chandeliers, which of course is my signature. The Prairie allows me to demonstrate the versatility of my aesthetics:

PAS: You’ve created so much in Round Top; what are you most proud of?

RA: Making The Prairie home for myself and all those I love brings me great pride. When I bought the property (formerly The Outpost Inn), I inherited the owner’s labor of love, and this legacy continues through The Prairie by the love and labor of all involved.

PAS: With that much going on at The Prairie, what does a typical day in Round Top look like for you?

RA: Up at 6:30, then 10,000 steps around the fields with Pearl the dog. At 8 a.m. I get my chef Danny’s  yummy yummy breakfast, where I meet and greet guests. By 9 a.m. I jump in the timeworn, open-topped Jeep with my associates and shop and shop and shop, stopping for food and drinks and chats on the way.

PAS: What are some of your favorite places to eat, drink, and relax in Round Top?

RA: My favorite place to eat is in our own backyard with Danny cooking barbecue, listening to music, taking in the wide open prairie … but Royer’s Cafe, Pie Haven, Stone Cellar, and the little stands on the side of the road are pretty great too.

PAS: After a full day of shopping and food, drinks and chats, I bet The Prairie is a welcome reprieve.

RA: Absolutely. I’ll relax with a hot cup of tea (others prefer a cold beer), reflect on the day, and ride a horse!!

photos of The Prairie provided by Rachel Ashwell

Hello again, friends and fans of Allen!

What a relief that the weather here in Arkansas is cooling down; it’s really getting me in the Fall spirit!

Because I share Allen’s passion for entertaining, I thought I would offer some ideas for creating a Fall tablescape that is still bold and bright. No muted tones for us this Fall, we’re going festive!

This month, you can find me on the pages of Traditional Home, inviting you into MY home for a dinner fit for Fall. There are also fun tidbits–including reicpes!–over at their website recap.

(event photographer: Emily Followill)

For a special party, consider transforming your dining chairs with slipcovers that work well with your chosen decor. And this faux bois wingchair, upholstered with fabric from my upcoming Tobi Fairley Home line, strikes a rustic note without taking away from the glamour of this event design.

On this table, I drew out the green accents from my living room design and then punched it up with a gorgeous sapphire blue. Monograms are a detail I love; it gives linens a very tailored, sophisticated, Southern touch.

The place setting and invitations (from Molly’s Paperie) extend the antler motif, which also appears as a grouping of wall-hangings (see photo above).

These lovely acorns really enhance the seasonal feel!

Hello Allen’s Readers! It’s great to be back here to share with you again today.

In my design work, color is often one of the notable or distinguishing factors. I am a fan of using color in a big way to create interiors that are bold, yet still tailored. It’s like putting a fresh spin on a classic. In my Design Camp A to Z, I also teach a section devoted entirely to color and the process of selecting and working with a room’s palette. Today I thought it would be fun to share three of my favorite tips with you. Hopefully they give you inspiration for your own interiors.

1. Use bold color in one area.

If you go bold with a wall color, tone down the accessories in the room to create a nice complement. Likewise if you have a more neutral wall color, adding bright accessories can help to give the room personality. Adding intense color in just one of these areas and allowing the other to be more neutral will keep a balance that’s pleasing to the eye.

2. Consider creating a pattern with color.

Whether it’s stripes as shown in this teen’s bedroom, a lattice motif or a simple grid, using paint to create a pattern is a classic way to bring a fresh look to any room. While stripes are certainly a trend of the times, they have a timeless appeal and can be executed in a variety of different ways (think horizontal, large-scale, even pinstripe!). Blending a painted color pattern with other fabrics in the same palette can create an inviting and timeless look.

3. Add a pop of color in an unexpected place.

The ceiling is often one of the most overlooked surfaces in a room. Yet, adding a splash of color here can enliven a room and give it a one-of-a-kind touch. Swap beige, cream and stark “ceiling white” for a color that complements the rest of your decor such as the green shown on this kitchen ceiling.

Color can add so much life to a space. I hope these tips will inspire you to use color throughout your home.

Happy Decorating!
xo, Tobi

P.S. Want to learn more about working with color? Join me for Design Camp A to Z where I teach an entire section called ‘C is for Color.’ You can learn more and register at designcamp.tobifairley.com. Can’t join us for a full camp session? Purchase my ‘C is for Color’ telecall and you’ll receive an hour of tips!

I started the day with a lazy meander through all the different booths. What will I find today!

I like to bring a notebook with me to write down things that I find, their price, and what booth they’re in-
otherwise it gets kind of confusing.

It may be a little pink for my taste, but it’s a good price… and look at this hand stitching! I think quilt tops can make great wall hangings.

You can haggle almost anything, you just have to be willing to ask. Depending on the booth, you can get a lot off of the original price!

I got a little distracted from my original task when I found the china. I’ve got to get some more Old Paris Porcelain… but the old stuff or the new stuff?

I’ve been looking to fill out my Old Paris collection. I like the older, simpler stuff… but maybe I should consider the later, more elaborate designs? It was made from the 1770s to the 1870s and was actually named after a factory in the oldest part of Paris- the Vieux Paris- and shipped to the US through New Orleans.

Ok back on task- I found this quilt at a second hand store and plan on using it in a kids bedroom at the new house… but what can I pair this with?

How about these mulberry transferware plates for $30? I think they’ll look great on a wall, and I can draw other colors from the quilt for my paint choices.

We had quite the successful day- four short clips filmed and lots of fun things haggled and purchased. Hope you stop in next time to hear about our next adventure.

Congratulations to Alice McMillan and Christine Czarnecki! Your comments are my picks for the book giveaway. Alice I loved all the ways your grandmother used yellow in the garden, especially the traces of yellow on the river rock. Christine, your blue and yellow toile dining rooms sounds so lovely. Hope your search for forsythia was a success!

There were so many amazing comments! Thank you to everyone for participating and for all the fab ideas for using yellow.

A recent visit with The Collected Tabletop author Kathryn Greeley inspired me to get reacquainted with my tableware collection. I’m hopelessly addicted to collecting cream ware, porcelain and transferware. An ardent collector herself, Kathryn showed me some clever ways to set a table with my pieces. With spring’s official arrival tomorrow I’m eager to use some of her tips to create a new tablescape to celebrate the season.

And since it is spring what better color to work with than yellow! Now I’ll admit, yellow isn’t the easiest color for me to work with so I went to designer Tobi Fairley for advice. She sent along this post with a few ideas for incorporating it into a tabletop.

Thanks so much to my good friend Allen for inviting me to be his guest today! Allen is always so kind to share his wisdom on my blog, and it’s such a treat to be here to share with you today!

Speaking of treats, this early summer weather has certainly brought us a few — like lush green landscapes and early blooms. Allen’s beautiful daffodils are always one of the highlights of an Arkansas spring and this year is no different.

The rolling hills of yellow have inspired me to share a few ideas for bringing this vibrant hue to a table setting indoors.
Here are a few of my favorite finds inspired by the daffodils at Moss Mountain Farm.

Aegean Dinner Plate /Yellow and White “Firenze” Fabric for a Tablecloth / White & Yellow Cake Stand /Lacquered Box / Linen Cocktail Napkins / Glass Decanter Set

Choose one of these or mix a few together to create a look that’s fresh as a daffodil!

Happy Decorating!

–Tobi

Hello again readers of Allen’s Blog! It’s great to be back and today I thought we’d take a look at a little Greek Revival Style.

For centuries, architects and designers have been reinterpreting the wonderful architecture left to us by the ancient Greeks. Take a look around and you’ll see that so much of what surrounds us today was inspired by them.

Allen’s house at Moss Mountain Farm is a wonderful example. Although new, it typifies many of the Greek Revival design elements that swept the country in the 19th century.

Farmhouses across America had picturesque porches supported by columns. Don’t you just love this house?!?!?

Step inside Allen’s home and we find even more Greek Revival inspiration. The gorgeous trimwork inside the parlor around the doors and windows are hallmarks of the style.

Have I mentioned I love the Greek Key pattern? So much so I used it in my new line of fabrics.
Seen here in one of the octagon outbuildings at Moss Mountain Farm, my Athens fabric is a modern interpretation of the classis Greek Key motif.

My new Acropolis Collection of pillows from Tobi Fairley Home are a modern spin on classic Greek design elements.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick glimpse at Greek Revival Style. I’ll be back next month with more design inspiration!

xo,

Hello readers of Allen’s Blog! I’m so thrilled to be here with my first ever guest post. Allen has been guest blogging on my blog, Tobi’s Blog, for a while now and it’s great to return the favor.

Allen has been teaching all of us about creating the “Garden Home” for many years and today I’d love to share my insights on bringing it all indoors. There are so many ways to do this when decorating your home. From fabric to floral arrangements to art, nature provides so much inspiration! Today, I thought I would focus on collections of framed prints. The photo above shows the dining room in my own home. The crewel upholstery on the dining chairs and the framed botanical prints on the wall help to establish a room filled with the beauty of nature. Let’s take a look at some of my favorite collections from a company called Soicher Marin.

Ghost Herberia in Celadon Collection

Black and White Malabar

Malaberica Details

Botanical prints are a great way to infuse a little nature into your home. A collection of prints definitely has more impact than a stand alone. Fill up a wall to bring the beauty of the outdoors into your “Garden Home”!

Happy Decorating,

The hunt for good pieces is certainly part of the lure of antiquing, but I don’t have to own, looking is just as good. The patina of age gives old furniture a soulfulness that I appreciate. I suppose it appeals to the history buff in me.

Aside from the unique aesthetics and beautiful craftsmanship I like to imagine the journey the piece has taken. Who sat in the Windsor chair or slept in the tester bed? How did a corner cabinet make it from France to a small store in Texas? Imagine the stories a 300 year old dining table could tell?

When it comes to using antiques in my home I select a few stand out pieces to combine with contemporary furniture. Sort of like functional art. The juxtaposition of color, texture and form creates a compelling composition.

I also like to bring antique garden ornaments indoors to use as focal points or as an element of surprise. They are often over scaled, which creates drama.

Speaking of dramatic antiques, I recently attended what I’d call the grandest antique show I’ve seen in some time. The Masterpiece London Antique Fair was held on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea this past June and boy what display. Most of what was offered was English and Continental furniture, art and decorative arts. Not the best place for me to make many purchases because most of what I collect is American, but it was joy to look around!

I was immediately impressed with the tent that housed the event. It was enormous and disguised to match the surrounding buildings. I wish I could do that for some of the events at the farm.

I also enjoyed browsing through book dealers’ booths. The collections of gardening books were amazing.

I was most taken with the edgy floral displays, which were quite the contrast to the traditional piece of furniture and art. It was interesting to see contemporary accenting antique, which is the reverse of what I do in my home.