An Enviable Life

I have absolutely no desire to be Kim or even Kate, but if I really wouldn't mind being Kelly. 

I think I have confused you..... so I'll elaborate.... I don't want to be Kim Kardashian or Kate Middleton, but I would very much like to be Kelly Fleming.

Who is Kelly Fleming, you might ask?

Kelly Fleming is the woman who gets to live in this beautiful home, in these beautiful surroundings, and, to crown it all, spends her days making wine! 

The owner of Kelly Fleming Wines built a French inspired house and winery in the beautiful Napa Valley region in 1998.

 

Both the home and winery are clad in ancient-looking limestone siding and topped with red-clay roof tiles imported from France. Both buildings have French terra-cotta floor pavers inside and out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kelly works closely with her daughter Colleen, running the business and handling much of the day to day work, while her son, Robert, handles sales and marketing.    

The interior of the house is quite simply furnished with neutral colours and some antique furniture and light fixtures in the mix. The overall impression is one of timeless good taste. 

Both the house and the winery feature oversized steel doors and windows that allow views onto the magnificent landscape beyond.

 

The kitchen is kept simple and uncluttered and has a wonderful flow to the outdoors.

 

 

 

The tasting room of the winery has an inviting feel and leads out onto a covered patio, again with a wonderful view.

 

So I think I would be very happy being Kelly. Do you want to be Kelly too, or are you more of a Kim or a Kate?

Till next time

Sharon x

Sources:
http://galleryhip.com/kelly-fleming-wine.html
http://wherewomencook.com/2013/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Kelly-Fleming-Wines.jpg
http://www.californiahomedesign.com/house-tours/cellar-seller-calistoga-winery-wows/slide/7991
http://tiedemannonwines.com/blog/2429/
http://www.wine-muse.com/wp-content/flagallery/kelly-fleming/tasting-room.jpg
http://cdn2.gbot.me/photos/pa/bC/1338399846/-Kelly_Fleming_Wines-20000000002984469-500x375.jpg
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204632204577128570227433752#1

Tempting Trays

Containment .... the action of keeping something under control or within limits.

 I'm not talking about terrorists here or even teenagers  ..... just the stuff that accumulates on coffee tables or dressing tables or any other surface in the home. This is where the humble tray comes in handy. 

The selection of decorative and practical  items that adorn our coffee tables look so much more attractive and less haphazard when placed on a pretty tray.

 A drinks tray can be both stylish and functional. It could be an antique silver tray holding your vintage decanters or a more contemporary tray holding bottles, glasses, ice bucket and lemons for when you are entertaining.

 

Great styling by Mary Ann from Classic Casual Home

Another area where trays can be very useful is on a dressing table or bathroom vanity. Perfect for keeping those everyday make up items, perfumes, jewelry and toiletries corralled in an attractive way.

 And finally, a beautiful tray on a kitchen counter or island can turn your utensil storage into a gorgeous still life.

 

Now that you are convinced that you need to get yourself a couple of pretty trays, you need look no further than NetDécor for an excellent selection in different materials, shapes and sizes. Here is a small sample....



And you can choose your favourites from the comfort of your home.

So don't delay, visit   NetDécor   now.

  Till next time

Sharon x

Image source:

1. MJ Designs Florida, 2. Jessie Miller, 3. K Sarah Designs, 4. Stone Gable, 5. Home Interior Design Info, 6. Venturanaba.com 7. Emily A Clark, 8. Anything Savvy and Chic, 9. Classic Casual Home 10. Lonny, 11. Delight by Design, 12. Laura Casey Interiors 13. Pink Bow.net 14. House Beautiful, 15 Pinterest, 16 Nell Hill's Blog 17. The Old Painted Cottage 18. For the Love of a House

Calm and Collected

 

  Hearing the stories from people who had to evacuate their homes because of the devastating wildfires in Cape Town recently, it was interesting to hear what items people took with them. In general, photo albums, laptops (because of the photos), personal documents, a few sentimental items and of course, pets and animals were the things that people loaded into their cars. It makes us realise that everything else we own is just material and immaterial in the bigger scheme of things.

 However, we were lucky enough not to be affected by the fire and my heart goes out to those families who have lost everything and have to start again. It must be so traumatic!

I had a good look around my house and tried to imagine, if I lost everything and had to start again, what would the things be that I would want to replace and it struck me that I would probably be happy with less than half of my possessions. When I came across this home on the web, I was struck by the calm and collected atmosphere that prevails. While it isn't minimalist, as such, it has a clean, uncluttered look that really appeals. If I was in the position that I had to start again - this is the look and feel I would go for. Walls left predominantly bare, the absence of knick knacks, just a few carefully edited pieces to give it a warmer feel. 

 

 

 I love the steel and glass front door with the inviting view inside,

While the living room is spacious and elegant, it still feels warm and inviting.

 

 It leads into the kitchen on one side and the entry hall on the adjacent side.

 

I love the simple lines of the staircase.

 The living room overlooks the patio, pool and pool room.

 A close up of the pool room. Love that fireplace!

 A beautiful setting.

 

 Back inside, the view from the entry hall into the dining room. I love that they have used the same flooring throughout most of the downstairs area.

This cosy room serves as music room and TV room and I imagine would be well used in the winter months.

A close up of the beautiful fireplace.

 Another TV watching area. Big screen and comfy sofa with slipcovers - perfect if you have children.

 The kitchen is simple and uncluttered. The slip covered bar stools are a good idea in a kitchen.

 

A close up of the range. The extractor is neatly hidden in the chimney hood. The combination of cupboards and open shelving is a practical solution.

 Here you can see the breakfast area with a view onto the patio. Such pretty light fittings used throughout.

 Adorable sink in the cloak room.

And finally, the gorgeous bedroom! 

I could live so happily in this house. How about you?

Till next time

Sharon x

Image source: http://rsassoc.com/project/foothill-terrace/