We’ve told you before how much we enjoy staging events in addition to our ‘day jobs’ as designers. Doug recently styled a neighborhood get together for Jeff Dungan, one of the principals of our sister company Dungan Nequette Architects (and one of the original founders of Tracery). Jeff and his family live in a wonderful 1930’s brick home that Jeff has slowly been converting to a more ‘Dungan Nequette-y’ looking place for the past several years. Their home is located in Homewood, Alabama on a beautiful hillside overlooking the valley below–and with a great view of Birmingham’s famous Vulcan statue.
For this early Autumn event–a casual Thursday night get together for friends and neighbors–Doug kept the decor simple. Doug and Jeff took the opportunity to rearrange some things and restyle and replace some art and accessories in the home. Parties are a great excuse to spruce up and reimagine your home and the best part is that you get to enjoy the results long after the event has ended.
In the Foyer, Doug placed an antique silver tray of candles next to an arrangement of dark red sunflowers and green-tinged white hydrangea. This vignette was the first thing guests were greeted with when arriving and set the tone for the event decor throughout the rest of the house.
Doug placed a smaller version of the entry arrangement on the ottoman in the adjacent Living Room. We like to keep a consistent look to floral arrangements when styling an event, adding or subtracting varieties of flowers in different rooms but always starting from a common base of selections.
Above the sofa, Doug and Jeff placed a quartet of architectural etchings (this is an architect’s house after all). Discovered at French Market Antiques in Birmingham, the etchings are matted in olive green–a choice we’d probably never make ourselves but we love the way the pieces look in this space!
The table lamp, made from fragments of antique ironwork, is also from French Market. You can see the Dungans’ dog Sofie at her regular perch along the back of the sofa in this photo.
Doug restyled an existing bookcase next to the piano with a collection of white pottery. He mixed in some of the Dungans’ collection of photography and etchings for variety and then added white candles on alabaster trays to create a warm glow for the early evening party.
In the adjacent Dining Room, Doug and Jeff moved a piece that originally hung over the Living Room fireplace. In this new setting, the piece appears in a whole new light and relates beautifully with the wooded view outside the room.
The console, fashioned from a piece of antique ironwork, was originally purchased to serve as changing table for the Dungans’ youngest daughter’s nursery–proof that a good piece can serve many purposes throughout its lifetime. Doug placed a collection of mercury glass votives next to an iron urn filled with moss and fresh pepperberries.
Tracery’s event planning and styling services area available throughout the Southeast from both our Birmingham and Rosemary Beach offices. With the holidays fast approaching we’d love to help you create the perfect setting — from new furniture and art to floral arrangements, if you are in the mood for a new look before your company arrives we’d love to talk!
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