Turquoise Drapes

This room was once a very small dining room. It didn't work, it's one of those rooms that is kind of a pass through room. I have squeezed ten people around a sixty inch round table for a dinner party, but the people on the inside edge, were kind of trapped in their places.

For most folks, the dining room is a very under utilized space. We have a huge eat in kitchen. So I decided to claim the space as my office. It can still be easily converted for a dinner party.
Because this room has limited light even during the daytime, and I photograph with the existing natural light, the pictures are a bit dark. Click on images for larger views of an unstyled room for your eyes only.

View into the office from the side entry hall

The arch is original to the house

I always wanted a red room, and this is it. I enjoyed dining it, but I really love working in it. The color is both soothing and energizing. Everything I love is in this room: Plate collection, botanicals, art work, my design books, photographs, and a major Gris Gris altar tucked into a corner.
You can see more of that HERE and HERE and HERE, along with the glazed chintz fabric I hand sewed for the old curtains for the one window.


Since this is an interior room with just window, the light coming in is subdued. I added another pair of Big Girl Drapes here. These are silk, heavily lined, so much so that they look like fabric columns, very sculptural. A small child could easily hide within the luscious folds.



I love this deep saturated turquoise Dupioni silk used for the drapes. They have a seven inch French pleat at the top. They're hung on the return rod I wrote about HERE.


I edited the art behind my work table, and hung one large painting instead of the jumble of things. I redyed the green linen slipcover on the wing chair and ottoman. I did two of these chairs ten years ago for our French Quarter apartment. After many washings and years of use, the lime green linen faded. Re-dyeing them has added a few more years of use. Alberto made me the little side table from cast off legs from a damaged Florentine table, and a new enamel tray from Wal Mart that I loved for its color.


I adore a color story! Saturated or pale, it's all great to me. I love how the light changes color at different times of the day and night. I love how the opposite colors on the old color wheel always magically work. What's your color story?

Coming soon: Guest room Big Girl Drapes, and small changes in the kitchen.