Saving my 1980's Powder Room!

Through this blog I will be sharing my own personal home renovations.  I have assisted clients for years with the same type of projects, but when it comes to doing it for myself it's a whole different story.  Should be easy, right?  People often ask me what my personal design style is and the assumption is always that my home is formal and completely done.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

Upon moving to the burbs of Atlanta 5 years ago I certainly never imagined we would purchase a 30 year old traditional brick home.  We had lived in San Diego so long and always owned stucco homes with Spanish tile roofs.  Open concept rooms with cathedral ceilings were the norm.  We rented for a year to truly get a feel of the area and although buying a complete fixer upper was not my original intent, the saga began.  Beware of the term, "It has good bones."  Translation, "Major work!"

Being an Interior Designer, one would think that I just snap my fingers and everything in my own home gets done.  You know that old saying, "The Cobbler's children have no shoes?"  I believe it is a pretty common saying regardless of what field you're in.  If it doesn't sound familiar it's the idea that someone with a specific skill is often too busy assisting others that their own affairs go unattended.

Maybe it's a designer’s attention to detail/quest for perfection or the ever changing nature of options, styles, colors and trends, but it’s always seemed particularly apt for Interior Designers.  We regularly complete (hopefully) amazing client work while our own homes become outdated and neglected.  In my own case, my home already was outdated in every aspect of the word.  We purchased it from the original owners who were perfectly content living in the 1980 world of polished brass, vinyl wallpaper, and all the glory that era produced.  I know I’ve spent weeks redesigning specific spaces, only to get bored or tired of what I’ve done before I even get around to implementing it. 

Project Number One: Powder Room

I am certain that upon first view of the before photos, your question will be, "What were they thinking?"  Gold fixtures, gold mirror, molded faux marble counter with inset scalloped sink, oak and more oak, shell motif wallpaper border, and the pièce de résistance, cultured marble toilet surround.

Since we do most of the renovations ourselves, you will see that my husband got the worst part of this deal.  He ends up doing most of the demo, construction and installation, where I handle the painting, finishing touches, and of course the most important job, Project Manager. :-)

Classic black and white tile floors, bead board, and an old dresser painted and transformed into a vanity were the most time consuming parts of the renovation.  My husband made the custom mirror, installed new vessel sink and fixtures, and a fresh coat of paint finished the look I was after.  I had black and white note cards of famous Atlanta Landmarks that I framed to add a little local flare.

Stayed tuned!  This house is becoming a home one room at a time!

Thanks for visiting!

Jack's Firefighter Bedroom

I have to admit that although I truly do enjoy designing all kinds of spaces, I hold a special love for nurseries and kids rooms.  I suppose it's because it often begins with a special dream; a vision.  A few years ago while working on a whole house project, I was asked to design a bedroom for my clients' 6 year old boy, Jack.  This is a boy that after wearing a uniform all day at his private school, would swiftly change into another "uniform" of sorts, that being the closest thing his Mother could recreate to resemble that of a Firefighter/Paramedic uniform. She even had special badges made for him.  Jack and I have become forever friends, and due to his passion for Firefighters, I was given the privilege and the challenge of creating a room that could fulfill his dream, but also be respectful of this incredible profession.

I was adamant that this room would not be "childlike." I wanted to pay respect and hopefully give Jack the room he could love and enjoy for many years.  I hoped to create something that would not be too cute. My first thought was to try and find authentic pieces to incorporate into the design. I always knew I would add color, lockers, signs, etc...What could I add that was unique? I decided to start searching on Craigslist.  I was looking for any type of old Firefighter items. Within a day or so, I found a post about some old Firefighter boots.  I was intrigued.  I got a response from a man that became the most integral part of this project.  The boots belonged to his departed Father, and after he and his siblings had gone through all of his personal belongings from his years of service, they decided to share a few special items to someone that might really appreciate them.  He loved my story of the boy that was enamored with anything and all Firefighter related, and thought this would be the perfect fit.  We met, and as they say, the rest is history. He was so impressed by Jack's passion that he donated the boots, turn out gear, old brass fire extinguishers, a lamp that sat on his father's desk for years, badges, tie clips, patches, tools, and a most treasured helmet. I really wanted to find a fire hose to incorporate into the room, and a local firehouse came to the rescue.  My handyman created the ultimate holder for it.  I had window treatments made, and bedding with a custom logo including Jack's name.  One of the favorite additions was the fire pole that Jack quickly learned made for a better way to get out of bed.  Words can never express how grateful we all are at the generosity of this man and his family.  This room is loved and cherished by a wonderful young boy, but most importantly, the special items have been given a new life.

Never underestimate dreams...Sometimes with a little help and God's will, special things can happen.

Thanks for visiting!

The more I know people, the more I love my dogs.

When I decided to start this blog, I vowed that I would share more than just design posts.  I hope to give you an insight of how life truly is "At Home With Veronique."  I simply want to share things that bring me and my family joy, in turn sharing bits of my life that have enhanced my journey, one of those being my dogs.

Our current dog, Jack.

And of course little Maddie.

Napoleon, Bonaparte, and Sarge, all childhood dogs. A beautiful buff Cocker Spaniel and two amazing German Shepherds.  "The more I know people, the more I love my dogs."  A quote directly from my Father.  Funny how after over 20 years of his passing, I can still hear him utter those words.  I suppose he just felt such comfort from his dogs; no conflict, no challenge.  Pure love, respect and dedication.  Why can't it always be the case with humans?  The love of a dog is of the purest kind; unconditional.  Think of all the incredible stories we hear of Veterans being reunited with their military service dogs months and years after their completed service.  The bond is forever, the memories set in stone, and the love and connection eternally embedded in the hearts of both.  I never tire of those stories.  Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

With the exception of only a couple of dogs, we have always turned to "rescues."  The others were special situations that although not through rescue groups, there was a reason they entered our lives.  More recent gifts from rescue groups were Reggie and Allie.  Reggie, 115 lbs of beautiful English black lab, age 4-5 when he joined our family, was listed as needing a strong male figure.  That certainly was fulfilled with my husband.  We saved him, but in the end, he saved us.  We lost him recently at the estimated age of 12.  Allie, a beautiful female Airedale. What a joy and gift she was.  Having lost her elderly owner, she was in need of love and a family.  In the short 1 1/2 years she was a part of our lives, she gave us more love and laughs than I could ever express.

Allie. Gone way too soon.

Reggie

Reggie's last days...

Jack and Allie

I simply cannot imagine my life without dogs in it.  I now have grandchildren, and it is my hope and desire that they learn the value and respect having these creatures share their lives.  Fear not the crazy jumping due to you carrying in a new stuffed toy or colorful cup.  Let alone bring in a new ball into the mix.  Or the intense and incessant need of that last singular puff left in the highchair.  He/she will protect you to a fault.  I promise you that.  Don't lose your marbles because they bark at pretty much anything, including all those crazy commercials on tv that insist on using doorbells in their advertisements.  Or that pesky little squirrel that they are certain they could catch if only the window was not keeping them from the attack.  Or those people that drive in big brown trucks and deliver boxes to our front doors.  Let it go!

Sadly, they don't usually live as long as we need them to.  Oh, the pain of dealing with the loss of our dogs.  It simply never gets easier.  When you lose a dog, you lose a certain constant in your life that you never quite realized was holding you up.  You realize how important it is to love everything the way a dog loves you, but you learn it just a few minutes too late.  Whether the loss is of natural causes, a tragic accident, or an unexplainable illness, the pain is always crippling.  It eases with time, but the memories never waver.  As a matter of fact, those memories often are accompanied by smiles and wonderful stories, eventually.

As I remember the many dogs that have given me the privilege to share their lives with me, I have visions that they are all up there romping around to their hearts content.  Napoleon, Bonaparte, Sarge, Spencer, Lester, Bailey, Emily, Molly, Sarah, Reggie and Allie, thanks for the memories.  I think I'll go take my dogs for a walk...

Thanks for visiting.

Veronique

What's for dinner?

As I continue sharing blogs about me, my work, family and food, you will learn that food is such a significant part of my life.  More specifically, cooking.  I have already mentioned that I am the daughter of a French Chef, and although not a chef, I gained such vast knowledge from him and most importantly he cultivated the fulfillment I get from sharing my love of cooking.

Although I believe my ship has sailed regarding ever doing a TV show for the Food Channel or HGTV, this blog is proving to be the next best thing.  I dreamed of that for years, and for my cooking show I would have focused on the basic comfort foods I was raised on, always adding personal touches about my heritage.  The reality about food, in my opinion, is that most people truly do enjoy the family favorites of their youth.  For me the first meal that always comes to mind, whether that was in my own childhood home, or dinner around my Grandmother's table in Belgium, is Roast Chicken, French fries (actually Belgian), homemade mayonnaise, and for dessert, cream puffs.

I do believe that if my children were asked, this would be one of the first meals requested after an extended period away from our dinner table.  I suppose there are a few little secrets to preparing the perfect roast chicken, but it honestly is one of the easiest things to make.  I will be sharing my recipes on my Pinterest page in the near future.

T

There is nothing better than French Fries (frites) with the accompaniment of homemade mayonnaise; a staple in the Belgian household.  I believe a Belgian woman cannot marry unless she knows how to make frites and mayonnaise!  I have reversed the minds of many at my table who believed that ketchup was the only condiment for fries.  In Belgium you will still find small food vending stands that serve frites with a dollop of mayonnaise on top.  A nice cold Stella also works well with this meal. :-)

Cream puffs (choux a la creme) are probably my favorite dessert.  I have literally made thousands in my lifetime!  So simple and light, and of course topped off with melted Belgian chocolate. 
  
Remember that food is not just a means to fill our bellies, but a way to share and create lifetime memories.

Thanks for visiting!

Veronique