"Happy New Year . . . "

From Rue Magazine, Holiday 2010.
(image by Tinywater Photography)

Greetings,

Sending wishes for an amazing new year!

Cheers,
Scot

"Kiss Me . . . "

Greetings,

New Year's Eve.   Midnight approaches . . .

Hepburn and Stewart

Newman and Woodward

Grant and McDowell

Taylor and Clift

Curtis and Monroe

Redford and Streisand 

Peppard and Hepburn 

Grant and Kelly

And, easily the best screen kiss . . . from the Italian film - "Cinema Paradiso" . . .

Cheers - and Happy New Year!
Scot

"Top Hats. And Trees . . . "

Greetings,

I've had the last few days - most likely like you - with precious little to do.  Been in the office a bit.  Catching up with friends.  And reflecting on the holiday that has just passed.

I'm always fascinated with the build up to any holiday.  And the inevitable aftermath.  We seem to absolutely submerge ourselves in Christmas carols and shopping.  Decorating and cooking.  Mailing cards and hosting parties.  But, usually by around noon on Christmas day - it's over.  And it all immediately looks dated.  Wrapping debris everywhere - and piles of dirty dishes in the sink.

I've discovered a theme in the images that I had been collecting for the last few weeks.  Sometimes when I open one of my image folders - I see thoughts and ideas that I had never planning on.  Images of a holiday - that can stretch beyond the 26th of December.  Kind of a late December palate cleanser.   An etude in black and white.  A time of the longest night.  But, the beginning of longer brighter days.  Years ending.  Years beginning.

A bracing sorbet for those of us who are visually stimulated . . .

Cheers,
Scot

"Happy Christmas . . . "

SMW Design, Lake Tahoe Project

Greetings,

Just a simple greeting from our home to yours - happy Christmas and best wishes for an amazing new year.

Cheers,
Scot

Christmas Eve . . .

Greetings,

As the sun begins to set here on the west coast - we're busily getting ready for Christmas Eve . . . so I leave you with one of my favourite Christmas tunes (in fact, it's one that my own chamber choir performed a few weeks back at our SF holiday concert) - in the glorious setting of King's College in England.

Enjoy . . .




Cheers,
Scot

"A Holiday in Pictures . . . "

SMW Design, San Francisco

Greetings,

Everyone has been so kind with their response to the video from my home this holiday season - I thought I would take a bit of time and share the background on some of my belongings and the decorations . . . 

The garland.  The garland.  Yes, there is 80 feet of garland in the drawing room.  And it makes the room totally 'magical' . . . a word that I love to use when describing my house for the holidays.  The garland itself is made from fresh magnolia leaves, cedar, douglas fir, eucalyptus, and stripped dogwood branches.

My drawing room also contains a large portion of my artwork.  In fact, I've hung most all of my portraiture in the room.  A collection of black & white and colour photography, etchings, and oil painting from numerous periods all mix together . . . from wall to wall and floor to ceiling.

My bar - with some vintage Arthur Court Stag Head DOF cocktail glasses . . . and my monogrammed cocktail napkins from SFERRA.

The antique military uniform is a new addition to the house.  And I love how well it pairs with the oil portrait on the table behind my sofa.  And of course, stacks of art books, and remembrances are everywhere.  In fact, the b/w images of the bartender is a picture that I took myself - at the opening party for the San Francisco Polo store in 1996.  Several people have inquired about the tartan clock in the drawing room . . . and it's actually a piece from Ralph Lauren from the early 1990's. The china pattern is called "Clarendon" and it also came in chargers and serving pieces.

And we don't need to get too deep into the details of my shoe fetish.  Shamefully, this is only a small portion of them . . . lol . . . but, I love the way the colours work with the rug in my bedroom.

If you recall the holiday photo shoot for Rue Magazine last year (you can see a video here) - this is the space that used to be my dining room.  Now, after several years as a study or dining room - it's back to serving its original purpose as my bedroom.  And, yes, there is something madly magical about sleeping in a room filled with Christmas trees.  I highly recommend it.

Since there is so much artwork hanging in other parts of my home - I love the simplicity of just the few pieces that hang in my bedroom.  And the 90 odd yards of marine blue taffeta tenting the room create the most wondrous space to sleep in.  The leather and tartan headboard is a custom piece that I designed last year.

Opposite the bed, you might recognize the antique chairs upholstered in Diamond and Baratta's "London Plaid" -as they were a big part of the photo shoot at the house last year . . . and now these two chairs rest underneath another of the over-sized theatrical backdrops that I had framed for the house.

And for the tree this year . . . especially after last year's tree had been so bright and metallic . . . I wanted something really organic and natural.  So this year's tree is filled with apples, pears, and lemons - with little woodland creatures and bird's nests throughout the branches.  I also filled the interior of the tree with dogwood branches, bleached eucalyptus, dried gourd and mushrooms.

A fun little detail from the tree.

If you missed the video that I posted earlier in the week - you can see it here. 

Cheers,

Scot

"The Envelope Please . . . "

Greetings,

Well y'all . . . it's been another great year of our annual Holiday Decorating Contest.  All combined, we had over 200 entries from all over the country - and a few from around the world.  It has honestly been one of the best parts of my day - seeing everyones creativity - and sensing the great joy that you all take in celebrating the holiday season with great style.

But you've not stopped by today to listen to me prattle on . . . you've all come to see who our winners are.  But firstly - let me thank our judging panel.  I think we all know what a difficult job it was to determine a winner.  So a big tartan 'thank you' to :  Grant Gibson, Megan Arquette, Tobi Fairley, Ronda Carman, Michael Devine, and Kathryn Greeley.


Even though it's kind of an awards show - I decided not to make you suffer through any opening dance number by the "SMW Design Dancers" . . . so let's just get right to the announcements . . .


*drum roll . . . . *

The Best Dining Table

from Jennings & Gates, Virginia

who will be receiving 

An autographed copy of Kathryn Greeley's beautiful new book, The Collected Table.

The Best Mantel

from Noreen Kloc, Georgia


who will be receiving

A beautiful 11X17 inch Serving Tray from Michael Devine Home.

The Best Christmas Tree

Steve Fuller, Massachusetts 


who will be receiving . . .

A collection of ornaments, hand-selected by me, from Gump's San Francisco.

And in Second Place . . .  


for Table Top

Lori Cropp, Pennsylvania 


for Mantel 

Katie Denham, California 


for Christmas Tree

Mark Sunderland, Georgia 


who will each be receiving . . . 

The Holiday Scented Candle, from Ralph Lauren.

A big plaid congratulations to the winners . . . and a huge 'thank you' from me to everyone who participated, and commented, and generally shared in my delight to seeing these beautiful spaces.  

Cheers,

Scot