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Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!
Dear Reader,
Wow, what a month of chaos and craziness! Living amongst boxes and empty walls is simply not my forte. My chi (energy) has been way off and working on finding ways to see peace and light in all the commotion.
Remodel in full swing, with just a few glitches! Well, I had high hopes that somehow being so very prepared and well versed in what to expect, how to plan it and who to call would save me some of the usual aggravations. No such luck! Seems I needed a clone to run my project, while I am still busy working with my clients on their projects and have little time to supervise what should be a full time renovation. So I faced the incredible, but inevitable, lack of completion, quotes soaring, false promises, and delays, delays, delays. Haarrruummph!
Thanks to amazing and generous friends, Lorilee, Doug, Greg, and Deborah. All appeared ready and willing Sunday afternoon to take a large load each to the new place. You see, I do all my own packing, (can you say retentive!) not trusting movers. And when it comes to my art collections and breakables, I trust only my friends. With some dozen trips over this weekend alone, I have made a significant dent, but still more to come. I am seriously considering a more monastic existence (yeah right!). I have also visited my chiropractor regularly, oh goody.
Design Destinations has a new look! I am merging Linea Interior Design into Melissa Galt, Inc. So it is time for a fresh look and a few well-designed changes. The new website will launch shortly. We'll get it into the next postcard, so let me know what you think!
And check out my blog, lots of random thoughts, entertaining ramblings, and life comments.
Live well and beautifully,
MG
Room By Room Makeovers
Outdoor Living, Naturescaping
Summer is in full bloom, but are you able to really enjoy the great outdoors? Have you created a haven amidst nature's bounty to stop and smell the roses? Are you afraid of gardening and sure whatever you try will die? Well take heart, this former black thumb knows a green thing or two!
Decide what you want! Are you wanting to host dinner parties for 6-16? Do you prefer an intimate affair for just two? Or do you want the option of both and have the space to use? The living is up to you; it doesn't matter what anyone else has or does, but what will suit you. I have a friend who throws cookouts for a handful of us at the complete spur of the moment. I, on the other hand, have about 4-6 parties a year, with a fair amount of planning and usually 20-30 guests. But I also want a place in a garden just for me or me and a friend to sit and talk, watch the sunset, and be.
Figure out your furniture! Do you want wrought iron, all- weather wicker, extruded aluminum, plastic, what appeals? Be sure to get cushions in all- weather fabric; it is a real chore to bring them in and out of the elements. There is a wealth of product on the market today to suit every style and fashion, have some fun with this. Do make it comfortable. I recently sat in an incredible chair at market (I almost didn't get out of it!) and plan to order four for my patio with an umbrella. The umbrella is a stop gap until I can break loose the investment for a proper wood trellis work with grape vines and jasmine. I don't want a table out there as I don't plan to have sit- down dinners.
Ask the pros! I always go to Pikes because I know the folks there are really experts and give me terrific advice. The theory that they are more expensive is generally, I have found, untrue. The fact is you often get healthier plants that will fare better than a rescue from a bargain source. Of course, I can spend days wandering around a nursery, asking questions and finding out how I can incorporate some new beauty into my landscaping. And, if you don't want to do it yourself, there is a lot of cash- hungry help easily available, from college students on vacation to day laborers waiting for an opportunity. Just ask.
Get creative! While I did have a professional plan done recently, very nominal fee, I am finding that I am only using it as a launch pad, and enjoy making my decisions spur of the moment, incorporating some rare and interesting blooms just seen instead of tried and true. If it dies, then it wasn't happy and I'll get something else. No, I don't do this with investment plants, like Japanese maples! And I do prune and trim dead things out and away, they are not inviting. I find gardening generally relaxing, even weeding (uh oh this may strike some as really whacky.) The idea that I, a former black thumb and killer of even cactus, can actually plant something and be rewarded by its growth is phenomenal.
Be daring! News flash, roses aren't hard. I swear it. If you go with nearly wild, knockouts, or carpet roses, feed quarterly, spray about the same, and just deadhead (that's clipping the dead blooms off), you can have brilliant profusions all summer. It is very cool! Don't be daunted by a plant's reputation, instead give it a try. Many are easier than you'd ever imagine, requiring a minimum of water and sun and blooming wildly.
Celebrate! Whether it is Mint Juleps in June, or Margaritas in May, or A Wine Tasting in August, the point is to create occasions to share your newfound outdoor paradise with friends, associates, even neighbors. If you provide a theme drink, let everyone else bring a dish to contribute and enjoy.
Retro Rave: Do We Really Have to Do It Again?
I made it to Atlanta Market a couple of weeks ago and have to say I didn't see much new. That isn't unusual for the July market; it is usually the fall and spring that really create the buzz. But I did see an overabundance of 1960's mod and groovy prints in electric brights, paisley swirls, and furred tidbits. Lamp shapes veritably swayed with curve, and you almost could envision Ann Margaret bopping up in capris and a scarf. What is going on?? I was never big on this when I was growing up (maybe you need drugs to really appreciate it!). And I cannot imagine living with it for any length of time right now. But I also get the impression it is not me they want, but instead the younger market of groovy hipsters that see it as all new and all good.
Of course, there is also the old adage that every 20 years the same theme comes about, so I guess since it is over forty years, that makes sense. YIKES! You would think we could be more original and creative than reopening an old year or decade. But the funny thing is that we were at war in Vietnam then and there was endlessness to that as well. Colors and patterns often spring forth in direct response to the mood of the country, the state of politics, and the feel of the economy... so where are we?
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In this issue...
Related Links
Life Philosophy
"Comfort never produced greatness"
- Scott Friedman, CSP
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."
- John Wooden, Coach
"The harder you work, the luckier you get."
- Gary Player, Professional Golfer
Book Reviews
Dating Dead Men, Harley Jane Kozak
How can you lose when the author is an accomplished and quirky actress known for her eclectic roles such as the Mom in Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and her lead character is named for Mary Shelley of Frankenstein fame, (actually Mary Wollaston Shelley)? Not to mention the outrageous scenario of a date a night for three months as part of a research project. Being part of the dating scene I really appreciated this. No she doesn't date dead men, don't go there, but she is in the midst of high crime, murder, mayhem and all while owning her own business and dating. This was a scream a minute: laugh out loud. Wollie will surely have a follow up due out any day, and I can't wait!
Chris Madden's Guide to Personalizing Your Home
An oldie but a goodie. Chris is a personal friend and mentor. She has over fifteen books to her credit and was one of the very first to appear on HGTV. Her timeless advice is always on target, though I find the recent books have fewer words and more photos as our lives have become busier and more visual in inspiration. The photos in this edition are of her own house, surely a work in progress and evolving as quickly as her boys to men. She has a great line of furniture out now with JC Penney.
Movie Reviews
Rating system of one to five stars
 "March of the Penguins" - Narrated by Morgan Freeman
Well, I am not usually an animal picture lover, but this was amazing, and yes, I do have a new and profound respect for penguins. If we humans had half their fortitude and persistence, our lives would be quite different. The starkness of the elements and landscape is intense, and seeing the social skills and life habits of the penguin remarkable and relatable. Talk about survival of the fittest and yet all try so very, very hard, it is joyous and sad all at once.
 "The Interpreter" - Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn
I caught this on the hotel video when I was at the National Speaker's Association Conference here in Atlanta. Glad I didn't bother with the big screen. This was tough to follow as a story but very predictable in all its necessary elements, especially the newly estranged cop with the beautiful but mysterious international interpreter with a highly suspect background. Da, Da, Da, Duh. The most interesting was seeing the inside of the UN, and it was the first movie allowed to show that. Otherwise missable.
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Featured Project
I am excited! My upstairs has been finished, the paint colors are delicious, the light fixtures and fans good selections and the carpet divine. I can't wait to really start living there, even if my downstairs is still very much in progress as is my exterior. Here are some updated photos. Those of you just now catching this may want to see a previous issue to really get the progress!
Photos coming soon!
Melissa is stuck in the middle of the move that won't end!
Client Quips
"Melissa's input is practical. Design for everyday living!"
- D. Von Kutzlebaun
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Copyright Linea Interior Design, Inc. 2005
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