Saunders Bradford

What is a proud mother to do? Especially when it's just the day after Mother's Day?

 Well…I thought I just might share a beautiful project that Birmingham Home and Garden magazine has featured this month! Yes, my angel baby…my son…is the 'Bradford' in Saunders Bradford. Mitch and his business parter David have been building this company for at least 10 years! 

I remember when they used to just dream about it! Now…it is definitely a reality!

This feature in Birmingham Home and Garden is the perfect example of why clients love to work with Mitch and David. Cathy Still McGowin and Jean Allsopp captured every detail perfectly! Cathy is such a gifted writer and editor and Jean is truly an icon in Birmingham with her gorgeous photos! Not a magazine article happens without her expertise in the photos! I'm so glad they both captured this so well!

The homeowner in this project definitely had been keeping great notes on what she wanted! 

That certainly helps the builder when trying to incorporate every aspect that the homeowner desires. 

It also is very helpful in creating dreams that come true!

As you can see from these beautiful pictures she obviously likes to mix the old with the knew! 

Send her my way! That is exactly what I want the name of Mulberry Heights Antiques to evoke in the minds of the people that are working on their dream homes.

What a treat for a mother to see her son's name mentioned in making this dream kitchen happen! I have to admit…I have collected pictures of Pamela Pierce's designs as well so I recognized it from the get go! In fact, you can see an earlier blog post on her right HERE!

But to see that your son truly had such a hand in making this possible…well…this time I just couldn't help but be a proud mama! 

I will stop here for fear of embarrassing him!

But really…check it our for yourself! This is amazing work…my son or not!

 He is amazing…his company is amazing and Saunders Bradford is headed for great things!

They recently were awarded 2nd place in the state for the Space Renovation category for the Alabama Remodeling Excellence Awards 2014! Again….a proud mama here! What can I say?

 I wouldn't choose anyone but Saunders Bradford for my next remodeling job or a total re-build! 

If only I could start tomorrow!

Hope you are all doing well! I sure do miss blogging as much as I used to and I would love to catch up with you! I hope you all had a very special Mother's Day in one way or another! You can click on any of the links I suggested above and spend many hours pouring over glorious homes and photos! Enjoy!

A Fresh Start Sounds Good!

While quickly flipping through the latest issue of Veranda and killing time on a Saturday at the shop I was quickly enthralled by the title of this article as well as the decor! I often think about re-doing my home as well as the look of the shop for a more "fresh" feel….but then I often get overwhelmed at what I would have to change and "get rid of"! Is it practical? No…Is it worth it? Probably!

Take at look at what a transformation Pamela Pierce's house took on when she decided to do all of those things that I've dreamed of doing! It's quite remarkable!

I have no idea if the outside of her phenomenal home underwent any changes but I often dream of changing our shingle style home into a painted brick home whenever we decide to take on the project of adding a front porch, etc. I love this look!

Although some of the furnishings in her newly re-decorated home are a little bit too contemporary for my taste, I can still appreciate it. It is truly beautiful and mixed remarkably well with antiques and natural materials such as the beautiful hardwoods as well as the stone floors. I do think that helps to blend some of the spaces shown.

I think this chair is fabulous…and while I wouldn't have it in my own home, it sure does look stunning here!

I love that everything is comfortable and relaxed. It's so hard for me to decide what I truly love! I love it all…I love formal and I love laid back! How do you mix the two? I think I've tried to over the years…and I think my shop reflects that as well. But sometimes I feel as if it is just a jumbled mess!

All the more reason for a "Fresh Start!"

This rooms truly looks serene!

And I love her Texas touches!

I think this may be the most feasible of all my wants and wishes! Our four poster bed is heavily clad with country french fabrics which I have loved over the years! But I'm truly wanting to take it all down and just see the wall behind the bed again…maybe with a pair of swing arm lamps…and fresh linens! That would change the entire feel of our bedroom and I think I might just give it a go! As well as taking down the heavy window treatments in my bathroom…just have the plantation shutters and a clean, fresh feel!

If I had my druthers I would totally re-do my bathroom! And I would hire my precious, wonderful son and his company to do it! I've seen what they did with his own personal bathroom as well as his grandparents bathroom! It's remarkable! I wish you would take a look at his website HERE!

And this bedroom that she says is used by her granddaughter is just fabulous! I'm dying over these twin beds! I've never seen anything quite like them!

Take a look at some of the pictures of her home as it was featured in 2006 in Veranda. Although she says in this issue of Veranda that she was tired of gathered skirts and gray paint…I still find the old version of the home truly remarkable as well! 

This truly makes my heart happy when I see it…and yet, I'm wanting to change and evolve with the times…I have a strong feeling that Pamela Pierce can set the tone for anything her heart desires and I for one intend to take some great notes from her! Her taste is stunning!

So, whether it be the sleek and more relaxed feel of her newly redecorated home...

Or the gathered skirts and gray paint of her home of the past…

Or the "Country French" feel of the kitchen above...

To the sleek and updated kitchen of today…

( at least the steer is still hanging!)

My vote is on Pamela Pierce for one to follow and take instructions from! Her taste has never failed and I have a sneaky suspicion that she is on to something here! I know I would love to have a more relaxed and a "Not so proper" feel in my own home as she stated in Veranda! 

Take a look at this month's issue and see for yourself! It was really, really good!

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful weekend whatever it is that you are doing! 

Wednesday's What If's! With Beth Webb!

I realize that there have been numerous posts on Beth Webb recently…I also know that I love her taste and her style so much I just wanted to share a few of my own favorites with  you on this Wednesday's What If post! I can't imagine if I could say, "What if I met Beth Webb? Or, what if I could hire Beth Webb just for a day to pick her brain and finish all of the projects I've put off in my own home!"

You see….I love her philosophy and her style! I've always said and you can document this…"That every room should have a touch of black in it!" And Beth says the same thing!

And that statement is evidenced in just about every room that I've seen so far!

I'm loving the black panes on the windows as well as the fabulous "pop"of red in this particular room!

While studying her portfolio I discovered she has a love for creamware, pewter, and SHOES!!! What's not to love about Beth Webb?

I am truly in love with this kitchen! I mean everything about it! Look at those pewter chargers and those creamware pitchers!

(and just look at this gorgeous pic I found on Pinterest! Taken from John Saladino and Veranda)

And I love Beth's impeccable style in clothing! Even the touch of black carries over in her wardrobe! 

Don't we all have a touch of black in there somewhere? Most of my most favorite outfits involve the color black in some form or fashion!

When I first saw the pictures of this beautiful bathroom I could only think of the wonderful addition my son just did to his own own…My sweet daughter in law helped in many ways and together they created a master bathroom that rivals even this one!

I know Beth would love it just as much as I do! 

Shameless Plug, I know!! And I wish you could see their entire bedroom and bath…
( sometimes you just have to be a proud mother!)

Saunders Bradford Remodeling

It's the elegantly understated details that draw me in to Beth's work most of all!

It's the impact of these windows,

The striking exteriors that take my breath away at times….

The way they blend effortlessly in with the "grounds" surrounding the homes...

It's all that and so much more!

It's gorgeous, workable, livable kitchens!

It's family rooms and living rooms that invite memories to be made!

It's beautiful bedrooms and bathrooms!

It's even a few "dressing rooms" or closets that make us swoon!

In the end, though….it's all of the beautiful elements and efforts that Beth puts into designing her rooms and the homes for her clients that tell the real story. 

 It's all of those elements wrapped into one lady that embody the qualities of a designer that we all know and love! I for one am looking very forward to seeing a lot more of her work as well as going back and reviewing some of those in past publications! I'm loving seeing this in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles and I'm hoping to get a few tips on decorating for the holidays as well!

I feel quite certain that I won't be sorry! I know in my heart that I will always love Beth Webb's impeccable taste and her definitive style!

And as only Beth can say…

"IN THE END, IT'S ALL ABOUT...Loving what you do!"

Happy Wednesday! I'm off to the beach with my family for a long weekend…one that I will treasure as it's the last weekend before our youngest heads off to college for the first time and our daughter and her husband will make a permanent move to New Orleans….EXPECT some really good blogs in the near future! 

Much love,