Check this out~

My living room is featured on the GREIGE blog, November 7 2012~

Country Living magazine, photo: Roger Davies

The room has changed since then (March 2010), but the brick, furniture and rough/refined style remain in full glory.  It's an awesome space for me~

Thanks to everyone who let me know about the post, TERESA

March 2010 COUNTRY LIVING

Honor and privilege - my 'Country Living' experience~Now that it's off the stands, I'm happy to show you the feature, almost in it's entirety, just in case you didn't get the issue.
The apartment furniture has changed somewhat - when they were caption writing, and asked about the cabinet featured in the entry, I didn't know what they were talking about. It's now in the master bedroom, holding bed linens~

The living room design and furniture has not changed. They actually photographed the room as it was that day, no changes to the setup. The stylists and photographers were professional, friendly, and hardworking - quick with the eye, for sure~

I was pleased when I saw they found my Mother's cookbooks and pottery, displaying them on the kitchen center island. The sink has gotten alot of reaction from people I've talked to since published; I love it, too~
The office, where my computer is normally on the desk, where I post from~

I've appreciated everyone's interest and comments - thank you! The entire experience, from their first contact to finally holding the magazine in my hand has been wonderful. The word 'imagine' makes me pause. ~TERESA

'Country Living' and The PORCH & Atelier

One year ago..., I received a very exciting email from an editor at Country Living magazine~

Excerpt: "...I love your store and how you put everything together-- it's gorgeous! After looking at photos of your store, I started to wonder what your house must look like. Would you be willing to send some photos so we can consider it (and your shop) as a story for Country Living? If so, send some photos along! Thanks..."

What wonderful experiences in this past year! From that initial email, to now: emails, calls, photos, narratives, lots of questions asked and answered~ A photo shoot here in May; a writer here, in October. Wondering, what story angle will they take? Last week: a flurry of emails and calls: fact-checking, more questions and answers. Is it possible we have a publish date? Yes! March 2010.

It's been a fantastic experience, from beginning to -almost end. I've kept apartment photos mostly under wraps, and look forward to being able to share more of this great old apartment's renovation details with you after they publish.

For more about the Country Living magazine experience here, use the search feature in this blogspot - below, and enter 'Country Living'.

Merci beaucoup, Country Living!

It was a great experience.....

You may have sensed my 'stage fright' on Saturday morning.
Wondering what to expect; there were alot of 'unknowns'~
No worries~ Diana was wonderful!
She witnessed the Atelier 'in action' - clients, smiles, and a huge cupboard delivered and placed in the center of the mix, too - a typical shop day. We spent time in the apartment, and she was very interested in the renovation and its architectural and decorative 'nods' to this great old building.
Thank you, Diana! Another great 'Country Living' experience!

I'm excited about today...

~My office, where I am right now, anticipating the day's events.

Diana, a writer from Country Living, is coming here today.

What I know: when she's arriving, and that she sounds incredibly nice on the phone - I'm excited to meet her, and share the shops and apartment with her! Each of the new opportunities I've had this year have been memorable, wonderful experiences, and I know that today will be just that, too.

I admit it....

....I don't go all out for Halloween. I do love the trick-or-treaters and the carved pumpkins, but the extent of my seasonal decorating is very botanical autumn. You won't see a ghost or a goblin here - unless - you see these plaster blanks, dancing it up and having a great time in my apartment entry! The unintentional blur in the photo (taken via cell phone in May) implies motion, and when I first saw it, it made me wonder if there was ghostly partying going on here all hours of the night~!
The plaster blanks were first posted in May 09: http://theporchatelier.blogspot.com/2009/05/great-things-are-happening-here.html If you've been wondering, the last word is that we're in the 2010 magazine lineup, and we're looking forward to this Saturday, when we meet with one of their writers~

History lessons about this old building~

I have a great appreciation for this old building~

and think of it's history in terms of real people

~This is a wonderful place to be! Every day I feel privileged to have my shop and home here. I've been interested in learning more about this building, and researched what I could find when preparing narratives for Country Living (we're in the 2010 magazine lineup) and the April 2009 Star Trib feature. What I was able to find made the history of this 1902 building even more real to me. When I see an old photo from that first decade of 1900, I can't help but think about what it looked like inside the building then, and ---the people - imagine what life was like then, what they wore, and that horses and buggies were on the streets here.
Originally the Buffalo Post Office (see 1911 photo postcard above), locals know it as ‘The Purity Dairy’ (1940’s through the early 1970’s?-not sure). All three floors were commercial space until that time, the third floor being home to the phone company, dental office, and other business. I believe the third floor was converted to a living space for the dairy store owners. You had to climb an open, outside staircase to get to the apartment/third floor-until the 1970's-?

I was happy to get some personal narrative about the building in 2004, when an elderly gentleman came by the shop with his daughter. He had grown up in downtown Buffalo, and told me that as a young child, he and his friends played outside the building. There was a spring in the corner outside, in the back, and his mother sent him for fresh drinking water here each day. He also remembered overhearing the ‘adults’ talking about the building -that it was the ‘Swedish men who did the stonecutting’ (in the lower level you can see those original stone walls, photo #2).
When renovating the apartment living room in January 09, ceiling plaster was removed, and sitting high on a rafter was a complete Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. Left as a time capsule? I like to think so. ~TERESA

Thankful, Honored, Inspired, Happy.......

The photo shoot wrapped up on Friday at about 5:30 - as the last of the equipment was packed and loaded into their cars and we said good-bye, I was sorry to see them go. It was exciting to meet them and experience their energy, professionalism, talent and hard work -- it was fun to observe them in action for two full days.

I've never experienced a photo shoot of this kind - and I feel incredibly lucky to have met the four professionals who were here: Roger (photographer, click his name to link to samples of his magazine cover work!!) and his assistant, Monica, flew in from LA; Heather (stylist) and her assistant, Harry, were here from New York. Heather's 10 mo. old daughter, Zana, was here, also. They were all friendly, incredibly polite and considerate, and were great to have here. We admired Roger and Harry's British accents, and my grandson, Henry, now says 'Cheers!'.

Seeing how they chose to style my collections and decorative items was interesting for me. They made each room feel very much like 'home' - towels and mats in the bath, a coffee cup 1/2 full on the kitchen island, and dozens of roses in white, pale pink (living room), and dark pink (bedroom). Herbs, ivies, boxwood and fresh green pears in the kitchen. They borrowed various items from the shops, and it will be fun for those who sell here with me to maybe find some of their items in the photos. They even took the time to show me a few photo previews - astounding! Of interest: Roger photographed the outside/front of the building at the exact same angle as an early 1900's postcard photograph of the building - I can't wait to see that comparison shown in print.

I'll keep you informed about which magazine, and when it will be published. For now I'll offer you some photos: one of the pair of newly upholstered chairs; shots of roses in the apartment today; and 'green' in the kitchen. Each time I see the roses, they're a touching remembrance of a great-great experience!

Great Things are Happening Here

It's a big week at The Porch & Atelier - a national magazine is coming this week for a photo shoot of the apartment and shops! Finishing touches are happening everywhere, with alot of help, and we're so excited! There'll be alot more to tell in a few days.

New decorating details happen everyday in the apartment. ~Curtains, made from a bead embroidered panel (and sewn by my sister, Mary) were hung in the bath last night. ~A pair of chairs, in the upholstery shop now, will be delivered this afternoon. The black cotton fabric with rattan-style pattern is shown on the chaise pillow. ~White, airy lobelia are waiting to welcome the photography team in an old iron planter, at the top of the apartment stairwell. ~Various decorative items, some collected from France, are gathered for the stylist. ~30's-40's (?) plaster statuette blanks, found in the attic at an estate sale two weeks ago are grouped on an entry table for now - where will they be styled and displayed? ~An old decorative oval mirror, brought by a friend today, may remain on the living room table, holding fresh lilacs.

A lot of fun!