Barry Dixon's Garden and Grounds

Mom always said if she were ever to give another designer the key to her house and let them do whatever they wanted, it would be Barry Dixon. Traditional Home recently featured Mr. Dixon's home Elway Hall in Virginia, which we had the privilege of visiting a few years ago on a House and Garden tour. Every aspect of his home is breathtaking, every square inch is decorated but it doesn't feel like one of those off limits homes, although during the tour I was holding my purse as close to me as possible so I didn't knock anything over! Mr. Dixon takes elements in nature and brings them indoors, not in a predictable rustic lodge-y sort of way, but through unique textures, colors, and prints. I have always loved the fabrics he has designed for Vervain, and knowing where his inspiration comes from makes them even more special. 

This striking fabric for Vervain, "Cacao Vine," is taken from the design of a 

beautiful 19th- century cocoa tin that belonged to his Grandmother! 

A Cook's Kitchen

Back in May I did a post here which featured the most fabulous kitchen with a greenhouse, metal and frosted glass, atrium style ceiling. In an attempt to find more pictures and the source, I googled every word under the sun that could possibly relate to the picture. I never found anything, but then when I least expected it, I saw the kitchen on the Traditional Home Facebook page! I know what some of you are thinking, of course you can design a kitchen like that if you have a bazillion dollars. Excellent point, but I have seen $200,000 kitchens that make me never want to eat again they are so fugly. This is a brilliant kitchen; the attention to detail in the ceiling, the island, the back splash, the custom appliance door handles, every aspect of this room is so unique. 

They used Baldwin exterior door handles as hardware for the refrigerator and
freezer doors, how resourceful is that!?

To read more about the kitchen and how the architects Mckee Patterson and Kathleen Poirier worked with the designer and homeowner Joan Nemirow to create her dream kitchen, check out the article at Traditional Home here.