"You can go your own way, go your own way"

Editors Note: This post will be a lot more fun to read if you can play this YouTube Fleetwood Mac video at the same time.

Fleetwood Macs' Lindsey Buckingham and his wife Kristen remodeled their LA house from the ground-up in 1999. The exterior of their newly rebuilt home was a mix of  Spanish/Mediterranean revival style. For the interior, they hired decorator Madeline Stuart.  

Elle Decor, Simon Upton

The outside architecture was influenced by Wallace Neff, the famous California architecture who built large houses that overlooked the Pacific ocean.

Elle Decor, Simon Upton

He became collectively known for his use of tiled roofs, wood front double doors, barrel-vaulted ceilings, wrought-iron railing stairways. His style was secured in the 50s.

Wallace Neff Designed Home, Source

Simon Upton Photgraphy

(And I love this photo because there's a black doodle in there too:)

Simon Upton

The Buckinghams house is easy on my eyes...to say the least! It's a great mix between fresh, ecclectic, balanced and rustic.

Simon Upton Photography, Madeline Stuart 

Pinterest

It isn’t one of those interiors that looks amazing in a magazine, but that’d be really hard to maintain its clean look. This home looks inviting, lived in, and natural.

There’s definitely a mood of eclecticism to this home. Simon Upton

Simon Upton Photography, Madeline Stuart Design

And I like that there’s dark, natural wood—unpainted. Why is it that more and more designers are painting beautiful wood?

Elle Decor, Simon Upton

Simon Upton

Kristen dedicated a few years transforming her home into something that radiated her authenticity and personal tastes. One of the things they worked hard at was finding unique, vintage pieces to fill the rooms. She became obsessed with locating certain elements, like the tobacco colored Terra-cotta floor and the reclaimed bricks.

Simon Upton

No doubt that it would be work to accumulate this style. Even with a large bank account.

What I found really intriguing about this story is that today, you can read about Kristen’s instinctive remodel of her home on the 1^stdibs Introspective Magazine. Personally, I think if you make onto 1stDibs Introspective, by all accounts, you've made it as an artist.

Buckingham Garden, Elle Decor

Apparently, she gained a passion and, to some extent, a knowledge about decorating from the whole experience.

After Kristen finished her home, she liked it so much, she couldn’t let go. Today, you can find her decorating company has expanded to her opening a boutique.

http://kristenbuckingham.com/

About the store, she says

 “When I worked with Madeline on our first house, we would often design custom furniture whenever we couldn’t find anything to fit the bill. Whether it’s an idea that could be shaped into a new table or chair or a vintage objet d’art I found on my travels, I wanted to share the excitement I feel every time I see great design. This store fulfills this perfectly.”

K. Buckingham's LA shop

Although I imagine that doors open easier when your husband is a member of Fleetwood Mac, still, it requires interest, desire and discipline to continue the effort.

Elle Decor, Simon Upton

I really like what she’s done to her own home (with the help of Madeline Stuart), and I’ll be curious to see other homes she designs.


-Tara

Approaching "Timeless Design"

Faint blue walls with gold toned furniture and accents. The wall color is close to Benjamin Moore, Stone White. Source

How do budget-conscious, young women decorate their homes today so that in 10, 20, or 35 years, we’ll still LOVE it?

·         Hire a designer?

·         Only purchase classic antiques or reproductions?

·         Splurge only on trendy accent pieces like rugs and pillows?

Since decorating styles cycle, it may be impossible to create a timeless home that won’t eventually bore you or require updating.

A timeless look by Jeff Harr Photography

Right now, trending styles include gray and whitewashed color schemes with European influences….been to Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware lately? What's interesting is that the 'hot' furniture right now includes antique replicas, or reproductions.

 Source

...and I LOVE this trend.

So, if your home reflects your personal style, you’ll love it.

But personal aesthetics change. Will this white-washed look remind everyone of the 2010s in 2040?

Really, there’s no way to stay safe from evolving styles, patterns, and fabrics…especially if you naturally enjoy decorating. After all, isn’t it “the hunt” that makes decorating so fun!?

A rule of thumb is to change out the textiles, paint, and accessories every 10 years to keep your home fresh.

Designed by Kathryn Ireland of Million Dollar Decorators

But, it is possible to have a home which only requires tweaks…if it’s filled with antiques....

Antiques…never go out of style.

Antiques or reproductions can really ground and warm-up a room. They give homes a level of sophistication. I love wood furniture and interesting wood grains. Most antique reproductions are solid, inviting, and comfortable. They can handle wear and tear. You can also have your antique furniture professionally painted, if you wish!

Room designed by Miles Redd

The use of antiques in the room above make it hard to tell what period it was created in...The lines in the antique furniture give it that everlasting grace. This room is a bit formal for my tastes, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't find similar pieces, like the rug, the chest on the back wall, or the lamps.  Antique furniture doesn't have to be this dressy...see more below.

John Saladino

Another way to design your home so it stays fresh-looking is by cleanly mixing styles, like modern and classical. Darryl Carter is a newer designer who has received attention for his ability to put seemingly unrelated items in a room to create comfort. 

This small space is so interesting! Antique chairs, mirror, round table, and weathered doors mixed with contemporary coffee tables

Darryl Carter, Simon Upton Photography

Darryl Carter Design in Elle Decor. Even though this room is so interesting, it holds classic pieces.

Mid-century furniture is hot right now...but be careful of purchasing more than a few pieces for your house. Filling an entire home with period-pieces won’t achieve ‘timeless and traditional.' 

Source. This room feels cold and sterile to me. Are the owners of this home going to appreciate the style for 30 years to come?

Look at these next photos...can you guess when they were photographed?

Timeless and traditional, warm and elegant. Photo from Pinterest.

Source

You or I could guess, but we may be surprised.

What do you think? Is antique furniture something you would purchase today?


Thanks for stopping by!

Tara