Jessie Davidson Interiors

Thicket by Jessie Davidson Interiors

In The Garden

Growing Season

Given the harsh winter we have had in so many parts of the country, it is difficult to think about what is happening in the garden except hibernation!  So it was quite the gift this week to be able to see inside the growing greenhouses at the Chicago Botanic Garden. There are horticulturalists (botanic curators) for every garden and, by plan, they have plants growing throughout the year in preparation for filling display gardens. In these images you’ll see thousands of orchids, pansies, little geraniums, and hundreds of tiny vegetable starts that will soon be transplanted into the fruit and vegetable garden outside. 

This was inspiration for my eyes, yet the smell of damp earth may have been the best treat of all!  If winter has you down, find a greenhouse or conservatory and spend some time there.  Inhale!  And have faith that Spring IS coming sooner or later.

If you are in the Chicago area, don't miss the upcoming Antiques & Garden Fair at the Chicago Botanic Garden from April 11th - 13th, 10 am - 5 pm, daily. It is such a lovely and important show!

March 14, 2014 by Jessie Davidson

What We're Loving

March 2014

1.) Churlish Green No. 251 (paint) by Farrow & Ball - Use this color as an accent or paint the entire room.  It will make you smile every time you see it! 

2.) French Vintage Washtub (new) by Pennoyer Newman - If you are creating a new garden or just adding pots and containers, look at the historically inclined designs of Pennoyer Newman. They will be with you for decades, looking classic and stylish throughout all four seasons. 

3.) Leather Clad Parson’s Tables by Edelman - A Parson’s table is such a simple and classic design….taken to a higher level when clad in Edelman leather. 

4.) David Sutherland’s Louis Soleil Chair - You just have to love this elegant chair.  It is equally comfortable out on the terrace as it is on a screen porch or in a conservatory. Very roomy with a well-sprung seat.

5.) Cynthia Bag in Orange/Melon by Michael Kors - Well, I cannot resist Persimmon, or Melon, or Orange….. and these colors are certainly de rigueur this season. This smaller Cynthia bag is a nice size too. 

6.) Bizet in Chocolate (embroidered linen) by Colefax & Fowler - Chocolate and red have always been wonderful compliments.  This embroidered fabric – new from Colefax & Fowler – employs warm and cool reds which makes it all the more delicious. 

7.) No Life Without Water – CMCA’s ArtLab collaboration with the children of Poland and South Sudan - The Center for Maine Contemporary Art  has created a collaboration between the children of Maine, Poland, and South Sudan.  This short video focuses on the importance of water in our lives and it serves to remind us to save energy and reduce pollution.  

If you are interested in any of the featured ideas or products to help create a home you love, contact me - I am happy to help! Jessie, Jessie Davidson Interiors 

All images from linked sites; Cecil Beaton photograph from here.



March 14, 2014 by Jessie Davidson

Musings of a Design Maven

It Will Be a Good Year

Bonne Annee!

Directly translated “good year”…..an ambitious salutation….as if to say, “It will be a good year!”  And, so, I pass that thought on to you in January, 2014. 

I always look forward to the beginning of a new year because it represents an open book, ripe with fresh ideas, inspired projects; and, of course, resolutions.  Last year at this time I took up the challenge of enrolling in the Master Gardener Course at Chicago’s Botanic Garden.  Yes, I passed and I now know just how little I know and how much there is to continue learning about gardening!  The course also lead me to the Green Youth Farm in Waukegan where I spent Spring through Fall working and playing with a very inspired group of high school students.  Through that process I learned a little bit about farming and a lot about group motivation.  I stepped outside of my workaholic-book-every-minute self and cleared space for education and volunteerism.  And, yes, I plan to be back at the farm this summer!

As always, I hope you enjoy wandering through Thicket, our journal of ideas that inspire.

Just one of the thoughts that follow, Ubuntu, is explained in a spirited Ted Talk by the charming Boyd Varty.  He, like I, is a great fan of Nelson Mandela.  In fact, Boyd knew and was a friend of Mr. Mandela…..wow!

Many thanks to you, my treasured clients, for your confidence and support over the more than two decades that I have been creating interiors for you.  And, special thanks to all the people in design showrooms and workrooms, and those on-the-job in client’s homes.  I certainly could not do what I do without your amazing and special talents.

May 2014 be overflowing with inspiration, love, great work, and abundance!  May it be a good year.

All the best,

Jessie

January 09, 2014 by Jessie Davidson

Around The House

Light Animates

Have you ever noticed how happy a space becomes when the sun is streaming though the windows and the sky above is a shockingly vivid blue?  Have you noticed how warm and inviting a room becomes at night with appropriately placed, varying levels of artificial light?  Or, have you ever experienced a home or garden by candlelight alone?


Lighting, when placed properly, creates texture and animates interiors in such a wonderful way.  The days of the six inch can-light, reducing an average ceiling to rows of unsightly holes, are (thankfully) gone.  In a small living area, say 14 feet square, eight sources of light are needed to create texture, ambiance, and animation.  Table and floor lamps provide task lighting.  Wall sconces provide soft illumination in the periphery areas.  A wall-washer to two – small low voltage halogen cans - spotlight artwork.  And, a chandelier may provide general illumination.  Within this room the areas of light and low light make the space more interesting and eminently approachable. I pulled a few images from my portfolio, above and below, as a taste of these lighting concepts.

When summer arrives, try lighting your garden or terrace areas with candles alone.  I realized, after joining an evening candlelight garden walk in Charleston, that the light of candles provides the most beautiful and compelling way to experience an evening outdoors.

I can’t resist the opportunity to feature some of my favorite companies that create superb light fixtures…Enjoy!

1.) Charles Edwards – Peter Pan Lantern

2.) Charles Edwards – Montpellier Lantern

3.) Soane – Owl Lantern 

4.) Collier Webb – Scallop Light Sconce 

5.) Richard Scofield Lighting – English Box Sconce 

6.) Urban Electric Co. – Lucien Ceiling Light 

7.) Soane - Reading Wall Light with Swivel 

*Images from Jessie Davidson Interiors and the above listed lighting craftsmen.

January 09, 2014 by Jessie Davidson

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