Katherine Rally Textiles

You all know that the best way to start a morning of reading and writing is to catch up with old friends and to receive a note from a new one. This is why I put my original post on hold, to introduce you to the Dupps Family.

Katherine & Rally Dupps and their two small children surrounded by the beauty of Bali and their incredibly chic batiks!

He's originally from Nashville and she was born and raised in Arizona. A backpacking trip through Southeast Asia while dating brought them to where they are today.

Producing a beautiful line of batiks inspired by their love of travel, textiles, and design.

 Thank goodness you can see & shop for Katherine Rally Textiles and accessories at fine boutiques right here at home. 

xo Lisa

Good to be back!

Kids, kids, kids. What more can I say! 

It's good to be back and I am so looking forward to reading about all that you've been up to. I have some fun new posts below & many more that I've been looking forward to sharing with you!

xo Lisa

Nancy by Kate Headley

Number 23

 Walk through the heart of Montmarte, Paris

 and you will come to 

Number 23 Avenue Junot.   

 

 A white Directoire-style building, it has the look of a traditional French foursquare. 

A lush & leafy cobblestoned passage builds anticipation for what lies beyond.

 Tucked behind the gates, adventurous visitors find flourishing gardens surrounding a freestanding mansion.

Beautiful terraces & private patios for reading or cocktails greet guests throughout the property.

It's really a new hotel in a romantic nineteenth-century setting.

Welcome to

 Hotel Particulier.

 

First impressions can be deceiving...The chic hotel's five suites are hardly traditional!

Looks like she's dressed for dinner!

 

photos and information, Hotel Particulier, Vogue

Porch & Garden Tour

 Last weekend was gorgeous and great fun around here. Graduation and end of the school year celebrations continue to keep our family busy, busy & this blogger from blogging! My good friend Patti & I were able to scoot away for an afternoon though and enjoyed the Ashland Neighborhood Porch & Garden Tour. I thought you all might enjoy a peek.

The residents of The Ashland Park Historic District are a warm & a welcoming group of families. They take great pride in their historic homes surrounding Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate.

On this day, residents served lemonade & sweet tea and invited visitors to relax on their front porches and explore their private gardens.

This Colonial Revival was my favorite. Approaching from around the corner, the layers and layers of manicured greenery lead you up to the front door framed by massive cloud-shaped boxwoods.

Around back on the patio, the owners were serving up iced tea as I was adoring the arched French doors leading along the backside of the home.

Only a very clever man would turn a woodpile into such a handsome wall separating the carport from the yard. So easy on the eyes I almost missed it.

More beautiful layers of greenery create a restful & quiet refuge, not that you really need one in Ashland.

The mossy roof and stonework were charming. This home was not on the tour and stalking was frowned upon. I seriously wanted to peek around back. Maybe another time.

Another fine Colonial Revival & I love the symmetry & brickwork all the way out to the street.

These giggles greeted us as we walked down the long driveway past this darling side entrance.

The trees around Ashland add so much to the architecture in this historic part of Lexington.

A softly patinaed bronze set the tone for the shade garden of a Tudor Revival and called for a respite from the tour.

 

More wonderful brickwork allowed the small square back yard different levels and created rooms.

The sweet smell of honeysuckle lured guests to the back of a small cottage.

Simple and quiet.

The pool house was the star of this family's home.

I loved the black privacy door and the shutters suggesting windows along the white clapboard wall. Lavender lined the walkway just outside the French doors.

A perfect place for a home gym complete with a flat-screen and surround sound stereo.

What's upstairs you ask?

A heavenly retreat with fireplace, guest bath, and office. I declare!

If you're in Lexington please join us! We'll soon be enjoying the lazy days of summer and I'd love to show you around.

If you enjoyed the Ashland Tour, you might also enjoy my walk around Gratz Park.

click here

all photos Lisa Porter

A Room With A View

The other day I came across an interesting blog.

The View From Your Window

The View from Your Window is the name of a blog & a now a book. Sit back and enjoy the view from an array of villages, cities, countrysides & quite possibly the neighbors next door. You never know who you might run into to. Then click a photo of your view, send it to The View from Your Window and join the global village.

Biagre

What is your favorite view?

Grace's view

Views offer up inspiration and vision.

It's nice that views change with the seasons.

Simon's view

Do you remember a favorite view from your childhood?

Smendajen's view

What makes each view memorable?

via Garance Dore'

Garden, ocean, backyard?

via Hotel Particulier Montmartre

Even in a big city, you experience differences in light.

Ben's view

You may look directly at another building.

Hostel's view

You may be looking at roof-tops.  These are beautiful.

David's view

You may be happy simply looking up at the sky.

Stephanie's view

A view can be a lifeline to nature and beauty.

Your view might be so familiar that you really don't see it at all.    

A view of your private garden reminds you to go there often. 

via Jean-Marc Fray

   The elements can change your view quite dramatically.

Greet's view

I find myself holding on to the view at the end of the day.

via Hotel Particulier Montmartre

Somehow we all seem to hunger for a room with a view.

Visit blurb to view the book, The View from Your Window.