Re-discovering my Interior Design Roots...

Multiple experiences have sparked my design instincts over the past weeks and have spun me back into my interior design persona. I have missed it incredibly --- a great deal actually. For those of you that don't know, after working several years as a psychiatric assessment counselor and before finding my work at The Carter Center, I apprenticed over several months with a nationally acclaimed interior designer, Dan Carithers, who was working on the Virginia farmhouse of Mary B. Schwab (of Schwab investments) at the time, among other projects (Completed dining room of Mary B.'s house above). I learned a great deal from him, and as I go through this challenging time physically, I am seeking an outlet for the design energy that seems to be enveloping me. (At left, from the Dan Carithers collection at Sherrill Furniture - Model DC12 - bench/ottoman).

Last Sunday, in typical Palpant fashion, my sister and I along with a few friends invaded the real estate open house scene and stumbled across this $3.5 million estate that happened to be open for review. The Moroccan outdoor patio/fireplace intrigued me and drew me in, although admittedly I sniffed problems with the place from the beginning. Most likely, the would-be owner ran out of money (after importing all that Italian marble) and went into default on the construction loan, forcing the bank to try to sell the property as is, with their Lowe's red tag bathtubs installed in the would-be spa-like spaces. Ugh! Incredibly intriguing.

Always looking at properties, my sister and I are ever trying to sniff out a good deal and have been exploring the Atlanta high-rise condo market for rock-bottom pricing with desperate sellers.

Investigating a 1 bedroom/1 bath in an Atlanta high-end highrise got my design wheels turning -- really turning. How can one turn 790 square feet into pure luxury with maximum light (given one window) and limited appointments? Honestly, since I saw the space, my design wheels haven't stopped turning - with the additional challenge of making the space "pop" as a "magnetic" sell in an oversaturated highrise condo market.

A small bedroom without a window of its own but catching the light from the living space window (adjoined by an arch - no doorway) had my brain intrigued. I found the solution most recently in the home of the original story "Out of Africa" in Kenya, Africa. The granddaughter is now living in the home and the solution couldn't be better (see picture at left). A hand-gilded mirror acts as a headboard for the bed, wispy netting adds a dreamy feel to the canopy. The mirror floods the room with light.

When Christiane and I did the townhouse kitchen with black cabinets, everyone threw cold water on our idea. Knowing it was hot in Europe and making its way to the States, we stuck to our guns. Now, black is everywhere.

Always searching for the next new wave in design, I think I have stumbled on something pretty special but will need to try it in a tight, small space because the price is still bordering on extravagant. Shag carpet is on its way back in, slowly. Rarely seen here in the States, it isn't your grandmother's shag carpet. It is luxurious, and furry and incredibly earth-stopping in cream. A perfect solution for an intown high-rise space of less than 500 sq ft.

I'll let you know when I can give it a try. Candice Olson of "Divine Design" is the closest person coming to this new trend, in this master suite that she just did. (See photo at left).

Interior design is a welcome reprieve from the stark reality of medical testing. Any opportunity I can take to feel sexy, luxurious fabrics is welcome in my world. Now if I can just find an affordable U.S. distributor for cream new-weave shag carpet, everything will be in alignment!