More of Deborah Needleman's Country Home

Can't get enough of Deborah Needleman?

Did my post on her feature in November's Martha Stewart Living simply whet your appetite?

Are you poring over every page of The Perfectly Imperfect Home?

(don't rub that in; I don't have my copy yet!)

I just came across a spread of Needleman's garden at her Garrison, NY country home that appears in the November/December issue of Garden Design, and I think you'll agree that there are many scenic images that ward away the fall chill.

(all via Garden Design)

Now, wasn't that tour just lovely?
Note to self: purchase a country home and get really, really into gardening.

What would your ideal country home look like?
Could you image yourself in a vacation home like this?

Deborah Needleman in Martha Stewart Living

In honor of the impending release of her new book, The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well, former Domino editor-in-chief and current editor of the WSJ Magazine Deborah Needleman appears in the November issue of Martha Stewart Living. If you haven't yet grabbed a copy, be sure to pick one up and check out the lovely spread. Needleman provides a tour of her upstate New York country home as well as 11 tips for creating a chic-but-lived-in space.
Some of my favorite bits of advice from the article:

"Make places for drinks, books, and feet"
Home is about comfort and good design, and Needleman suggests decorating with those two objectives in mind.
The ottoman, below, is a prominent feature in the living room of her country home.

"Open storage can be liberating"

Chic baskets and hooks can elevate the look of your scarves, towels, and hats and need not be hidden, Needleman states. 

This photo reminds me I need baskets around here...

"Give some love to the guest room"

Though "no one expects Four Seasons service from you" says Needleman, it is important to consider the small details in the guest room, such as scented candles, a notepad, and a carafe of water.

"Furnish the bathroom"

In the article, Needleman urges us to warm up the bathroom with "a patinated piece or two" to "imbue it with the feeling of a well-lived life". Note to self: apply these tips to our bathroom STAT!

"Indulge in the bedroom"
Needleman is a big proponent of purchasing the best linens you can afford. While I can't splurge on Frette or D. Porthault linens (pictured), it's easy to add a touch of luxury with crisp and smooth sheets. After washing my sheets, I take about 10 minutes to iron my pillowcases and sheets before remaking the bed. It makes all the difference, I swear.

(all via Martha Stewart)

And on Monday, Kevin Sharkey (Martha's main decorating guy) featured a Q&A session with Deborah Needleman that touches on more of these tips, as well as the items on Deborah's decor wish-list. Be sure to check it out here.

(via Martha Stewart)

I don't know about you, but I cannot wait until Deborah Needleman's book is released on November 1st to get more tips from this stylish decorating expert.

Domino Taste on a Dollar Store Budget

(via M. Design)

When we moved to Philadelphia from New York, Adam and I came with little more than a few pieces of furniture. We moved into our former apartment in late August 2008 and lived a minimalistic life by default, rather than by choice. But, in actuality, my taste sits somewhere between the minimalist and the maximalist. I love the clean lines of a Parsons table against a jaunty Alan Campbell printed curtain, for example.

Somewhere between writing a Master's thesis, finishing coursework, and working full time, I felt the undying compulsion to furnish, to decorate, to accessorize my surroundings as both a distraction and an attempt to create a comfortable home base here in the City of Bro-ham Love.

My decorating budget remains tight but I haven't let that dissuade my search over the past year and half. Trips to pick up great deals from Craigslist, Ebay, parents' basements, and thrift stores have risen to the top of our weekend to-do lists (have I mentioned how wonderful and patient my boyfriend is?).

In the coming weeks, I will share photos of our current apartment, located in lovely Society Hill, and will share projects, inspiration and ideas about home. So, while there's no De Gournay wallpaper or pristine Paul McCobb in my immediate future, I'm not letting that stop me from making this apartment our home.