Reading Idea For Today: Antique Shops & Designers

My own photograph of Donna Gray’s living room.

A few months ago, I took photographs of The Gray Door’s Donna Brown’s townhouse above her shop HERE. Now, I’m not a great photographer.  Everything I know about cameras I learned from tutorials on the internet and that is not saying a lot.  For a while I thought that the better, more expensive the camera – the better, more professional my photographs would look.  But – that isn’t the case.  There’s a reason why magazines and interior designers hire professional photographers to take pictures of houses...their images just look better!

When I took the pictures of Donna’s townhouse, I knew that the magazine Antique Shops & Designers had already taken their own photographs – hiring the wonderful Jack Thompson for the story.  And though I do love taking my own pictures – I couldn’t wait for you to see Thompson’s photographs of Donna’s rooms when the magazine went online, which it just very recently did.  His photographs show off her beautiful space so much better.

The cover of the new issue of Antique Shops & Designers.  The cover shows a new house designed by the editors of the magazine - Dot & Dana Design (713-254-3458).  I can’t wait until they show more of the house – maybe the next issue?!!  It looks gorgeous!!!

Here is the magazine’s view of Donna Brown’s living room.    OK.  It might not look that much different to you than my photograph – but all I can see is the flaws in mine!  I love how you can see both chandeliers in this view.  And the fireplace is lit – something we didn’t do, but then again, it was summer.  Still – it looks so much better lit.  My favorite part of the room is the gallery wall of paintings.  I love how she included the oil in the round, gilt frame and the antique mirror and it makes me want to copy this in my house.

Donna’s bedroom – great symmetry with the four frames surrounding the four poster bed.

Another story in this issue shows the townhouse of Renea Abbott and Greg Manteris.   While, we’ve seen the living room before – the pictorial shows rooms in the townhouse never seen before.  I loved finally seeing more rooms.

Leslie Sinclair of Segreto Finishes wrote this wonderful story about the color gray, probably THE color of this decade.  Look for really exciting news about Leslie coming here soon!!

And my other favorite story in this issue –  is this one about Tim Corrigan’s French estate – Chateau du Grand-Luce.  This is the back view of the mansion which overlooks acres and acres of parkland.  The interesting thing is that the front of the estate is located right in the middle of town.  Seeing this, you would think the house is in the countryside, but – the front gates are right off the main street.   The story of this large estate’s renovation is incredible and Corrigan wrote a book about it last year. 

Here’s a photograph from the magazine showing the main living room in the mansion. 

As usual, there are many more stories on art and design in this issue. 

To read the current issue of Antique Shops & Designers – go HERE. 

Enjoy!!!

If you are interested in reading Tim Corrigan’s book about the Chateau du Grand-Luce – just press the photograph below !