#needed a filler photo so i chose one from two years ago ?? it’s the same vacay town though

[indigogirled]

lunch dinner 07.14.24

[terriblevocaloidshit]

Mod Mew Reads! “Don’t Trust Anyone, Not Even Yourself” (PART ONE)

Hihi, guys, and welcome back to Mod Mew Reads! And it only took eight months! Today, we’re gonna be reading something special. It’s gonna be big, it’s gonna be huge, and it’s gonna be personal. Why? Because today, we’re looking at the first three chapters of a fanfiction. 

A fanfiction that I wrote.

That’s right! Today we’re looking at Chapters 1 and 2 of Forbidden Magnetism, my GakuKai fanfiction I wrote three years ago! Is it as bad as I’m making it out to be? Well, let’s not stall any longer. Let’s dive in HEAD FIRST!

Kaito and Gakupo both have new girlfriends, they both love them so much. However, when they meet each other in a practice studio, an attraction that shouldn't be forms between the two. How long can this magnetism last before they are caught? Rated M for later chapters containing smut. Yaoi, boy on boy, KaitoxGakupo. UPDATED FROM MY TUMBLR WITH CORRECT SPELLING.

For a little context, I based this entire fanfic off of this video. The video is five years old and the creator has not updated in three years, but just watching it brings back memories. Hot tip for high school me; don’t make a name for yourself critiquing fanfic and then write a shitty one yourself. Anyways, enough stalling. 

Fate is a bitch.

I still think this is my best opening line of anything ever.

This is the conclusion Gakupo came to after the events that happened. First, he had finally asked Luka out, and, to his suprise, said yes.

Oi, past me, have you heard of this hot new tool called SpellCheck? “Surprise” still gives me trouble, but good lord.

However, he couldn't kiss her, not at the school. Luka had told him her best friend, Miku, also got a boyfriend not too long ago. He had decided to stay after in the school's expansive practice school, to write her a song.

Why was fate a bitch?

Because as soon as he stepped in, his eyes fell on a beautiful person.

He knew immediately who the person was. It was Kaito. He was part of the 'Big Five', the most popular kids at the high school. The most popular of them all was Kaito's new girlfriend, Hatsune Miku. If you were associated with them in any way, you were considered 'popular', or at the very least, 'known'.

The ‘Big Five’ in my mind were Miku, Luka, Rin, Len, and Gumi, if I’m remembering correctly.

Kaito was 16, but he looked around 20. He was tall, with dark blue hair. He always wore his scarf, no matter what.

OH YEAH I FORGOT I MADE THE CHARACTERS TEENS. Spoilers, but they have sex in later chapters, so I wrote underage smut when I myself was underage. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

I know age of consent laws are very iffy, and the AoC in my state is 16 years old, but to me the AoC always will be 18.

He was beautiful.

And staring right at Gakupo.

The events that followed were a blur in his mind. He remembered walking towards Kaito, and the next thing they knew, they were kissing furiously, unable to stop.

Fun fact, the inspiration for this scene was a seen in Brokeback Mountain.

What had lead up to this? 

Well, first off a thirsty 15 year old girl who had an unfortunate habit of fetishizing gay men, but that’s a story for another day.

Gakupo remembered talking to him, remembered him being asked to practice a duet with Kaito that he was going to do with Miku. His memory fogs up, then clears up around the time he hit the wall while making out with Kaito. They didn't want to break the contact, not even to breath, as of they feared that if they did, they could never kiss each other again. Their tongues were fighting for dominance, but it was becoming painfully clear that Gakupo was the dominate one.

The tall one isn’t always the dominate one open up your eyes sheeple.

Finally, the need for air overpowered their want for each other. 

There’s this funny little thing called your nose, try breathing through that.

They broke apart, gasping for air. Gakupo could feel that just the kissing had made them both half hard. He wanted to continue, so badly. However, the sudden realizations that both of them had girlfriends hit him like a bullet train.

YEAH NO SHIT ASSHOLE!!

He pushed himself off of Kaito, and, without another word, left the studio.

What school has a professional recording studio? All I had at my high school was a shitty photo room we used as a storage closet.

If the two boys had been smarter, that meeting would have been just a little fling, and nothing more. 

YOU STILL CHEATED ON YOUR GIRLFRIENDS YOU FUCKSUCKS!

However, nobody could even begin to guess how far out of control this situation would get. And it all started thanks to a magnetism that shouldn't have been felt.

Kabosoi hi ga kokoro no hashi ni tomoru Itsu no ma ni ka moehirogaru netsujou

... What? Once a weeb always a weeb.

—

(AN: So, yeah. That 's the first chapter. More to come! By the way, if this seems like déjà vu, it's because I've posted this on my tumblr [URL HAS SINCE CHANGED]. I've fixed the spelling errors in this version. Enjoy!)

Sure you did.

And that’s it for chapter one! Sadly, I’m a masochist who loves inflicting pain on myself and we still have chapter two to read through tonight, so let’s fuckin do that shit.

(AN: Alright, still going! On tumblr, I mentioned that I didn't want to write smut. Well, I will soon, I promise you. Enjoy chapter two!)

Here’s a tip for anyone writing smut; let your inhibitions go. otherwise, it’ll be so obvious that you’re uncomfortable.

—-

It had been a couple of days since their 'meeting', and both boys had become a bit restless, unable to shake the memory of each other out of their minds. They couldn't really see each other during the day, and they felt as if they were slowly going insane. They hoped their girlfriends didn't notice.

They did.

Oh, they noticed that you two fucking CHEATED ON THEM huh?!

Luka decided to keep silent about the situation, and not inquire Gakupo. After all, if the problem was truly bothering him, he would've told her by now. She chalked it up to nerves.

Kids, if you’re having relationship troubles, just talk it out with the person, it’ll be so much better in the long run.

Miku, on the other hand, was the talkative type. 

Speakin of which, if this goes up on time, happy 10th birthday, Miku!

She expressed her emotions through many words. Including her concern over Kaito.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Miku asked one day between classes. She needed to know. Otherwise, it would drive her nuts trying to figure it out for herself.

Kaito smiled sweetly at her. "It's nothing, Miku," he lied. He was a performer. He could fake any emotion at the drop of a hat. And no one could see he was faking.

No one, that is, except Miku.

I want to re-write this but like, not have the guys cheat on the girls??? Polyamory, it’s a thing.

"Don't lie to me, Kaito," Miku said sternly. "I won't be mad. I promise." Her puppy dog eyes seem to be staring right into Kaito's soul.

No, trust me, you’ll be pissed.

"I'm just nervous. You're my first real girlfriend. I don't want to mess this up."

I actually ship KaiMeiko more so LMAO @ past me.

Miku grinned. "Was that all? Well, that's a relief! I thought it was something seriously bad. I'll try not to make you nervous."

Kaito was relieved that she believed him. There were truth to his words; Miku was his first girlfriend, and he didn't want to screw up too badly. However, in his mind, making out with your girlfriend's best friend's boyfriend (try saying that three times) qualified as 'screwing up', and was in the subcategory of 'screwing up pretty damn badly'. 

JESUS YOU FUCKIN THINK!!!

The warning bell rang, and Miku gave him a quick kiss goodbye, before rushing to her classroom.

Kaito always felt a spark when he kissed Miku. He always felt like it was right, like she was the one.

But no matter how hard he tried to deny it, he had felt that same spark during that meeting with Gakupo.

See, this is something that I liked; Kaito having feelings for both Miku and Gakupo was super interesting to me, and I want to expand on it one day, but maybe in a format that’s... well, less shit.

Also, looking back, this might’ve been me working through the fact that I’m bisexual...

Because of their concern, the girl decided a double date would set everyone at ease. They planned it out, and didn't tell the boys about it until the day of. The boys didn't have any choice but to say yes.

For the girl, the date went just as planned. The park they chose was close enough so everyone could walk there and back, yet secluded enough for them to enjoy the day in peace. They had a nice day, and things felt right.

For the boys, it was a totally different story. Every time they saw the other's girlfriend kiss them, they wanted to say "No, he's mine." But they knew they couldn't. It was as if the girls were trying to make them envious. Envious of a love that they wanted to share with each other.

After the date had ended, and both girl went home, the boys arrived at Gakupo's house. They decided to make a promise: whenever they could, they would meet up at one of their houses, and leave when dawn came around. No one would know except them. It was the perfect plan. As soon as they agreed, they began kissing.

Hey past me, if you actually took time to develop scenes instead of acting like you’re Sonic The Hedgehog and speeding through them, maybe your writing wouldn’t be as shit.

Of course, anyone with half of a brain could see this promise was idiotic and flawed in so many ways.

No, really? I can’t see how cheating on your s/o with their best friend’s s/o is a bad idea, not at all!

—

(AN: The next chapter is just going to kind of be a filler. I'd still read it, but hey, it's just gonna be a filler. Don't kill me. Thanks!)

A lot of these chapters were filler, don’t lie to yourself.

Overall reaction:

Me @ my past self CATCH THESE FISTS.

Oh god oh god that was so bad. Maybe if I snark all of it, we can all heal together. I could see where I was going, I really could, but GOD it’s so bad.

And to all the fucking obvious cheating going on?

Well, thank y’all for reading, and I’ll see you next game!

~ Mod Mew 

*Who’s currently cringing oh god why the hell did I think that was okay at all*

[warmdevs]

New Post has been published on https://warmdevs.com/trustworthiness-in-web-design-4-credibility-factors.html

Trustworthiness in Web Design: 4 Credibility Factors

While in Singapore for our UX Conference, we conducted a usability study to investigate major differences between how Western and Asian cultures evaluate websites — and, by extension, businesses. While there were some interesting cultural nuances, the basic factors used to weigh site trustworthiness were the same, regardless of location and culture.

In 1999 Jakob Nielsen listed 4 ways in which a website can communicate trustworthiness: design quality, up-front disclosure, comprehensive and current content, and connection to the rest of the web. In our study, we observed that these very same factors continue to influence users. This is yet another example of the durability of usability guidelines: although design patterns and trends change over time, human behavior does not. Users’ priorities and methods of evaluation are the same today as they were 17 years ago, even though the web itself has vastly evolved. What we now consider a “quality” website design looks very different from a reputable website of the past, but what influences the perception of quality has not changed and will not change in the future.

This article delves into the original 4 methods of communicating trustworthiness, and provides examples of how these principles apply to today’s websites.

Design Quality

The first step to garnering trust is to make your site appear legitimate and professional. Both the landing-page content and the main navigation must be well organized and the site should use an appropriate color scheme and imagery.

Site organization. Meaningful navigation labels indicate that the company considers users’ needs and understands their mental models and vocabulary. When people are faced with clever or nondescript category names, they may not be able to determine whether the relevant content exists on the site. As a result, they will become frustrated and may abandon the site. In contrast, when the links unambiguously point users in the right direction, they will feel confident and will trust your company.

Visual design. The standard for what is considered a well-designed site constantly shifts in response to trends that eventually become the norm. For example, perhaps young adults consider flat designs as more professional than older audiences simply because they use more websites that have adopted a minimalist style, and have adjusted their expectations over time.

Color schemes used on the website greatly affect the perceived value of the business, and can brand an organization as corporate, budget, or luxury. Ideally, the colors chosen should match the type of service and impart some meaning — for instance, Singapore participants were drawn to cleaning companies that used green or a lot of white space in their designs because those matched their idea of what is natural, fresh and clean. In contrast, dark colors made the site appear more cluttered — and clutter is not what you would want from a cleaning company! Even companies not striving to match any particular color meaning should use colors strategically to support the tone of the organization. For example, including adequate white space adds to the perception that content is well organized. In our study, BoxGreen snack boxes were more appealing than those from GuiltFree because of the site’s colorful high-quality images and wise use of empty space that allowed those images to stand out without cluttering the overall look and feel.

4 out of the 5 participants who compared monthly snack-box services chose BoxGreen.co (left) over competitor GuiltFree.sg (right). They judged that website as more attractive and informational, and considered the pictures, fonts, and colors more appealing. When—as with these two sites—the prices and offerings are fairly similar between two companies, the design of each website becomes a major deciding factor.

Typos, broken links, and other mistakes quickly degrade credibility and communicate an overall lack of attention to detail. Upon noticing a misspelled word on the homepage of a large moving company in Singapore, one user stated, “I see a spelling error here: they’re not very detailed I guess. This is their face to the world; this is big stuff that they need to take care of … just some simple stuff like that can change my impression, can change my feelings toward all of them.”

Upfront Disclosure

You wouldn’t trust someone who’s hiding something from you, would you? On the web, like in real life, people appreciate when sites are upfront with all information that relates to the customer experience. This includes details such as prominently displaying contact information (a good place is in the utility navigation), documenting what is included in a base cost, stating any additional fees or charges that may accompany a service, presenting links to the return policy and guarantees, or revealing shipping charges before asking for billing information. When sites omitted basic information, they were almost immediately ruled out of consideration in favor of more upfront sites. One user spent only 35 seconds browsing the cleaning website HomeCleanz before she declared, “I would definitely not use HomeCleanz because they don’t state the rate here, they want us to actually write to them. So I feel they are not open enough.”

Depending on the type of industry, being upfront with information can extend beyond these basics. For example, when comparing several courier services, users expected to see estimated delivery windows in addition to pricing information — just as you would expect to see an estimated pickup time before you actually request a Lyft or Uber. The same was true of grocery-delivery companies: prospective customers want to know how quickly food would be delivered, and see information about what would happen if they weren’t home during the day to receive it. FAQ pages were frequently visited to look for answers to such information.

Making this important information easy to access on the website adds to a feeling of transparency, and shows that you understand your customers. Be aware though, that while users want to uncover possible hidden fees, they hate if they have to fill in lengthy forms to obtain that information. While a detailed quote form may provide a more specific price to the user, the interaction cost is too high: in the words of one participant regarding a moving company website, “I just want a quick quote, I hate having to key in all these particular details.” In such cases, it is okay to sacrifice some specificity and only provide ranges of costs, as long as all the relevant line items (tax, shipping fees, minimums, etc.) are exposed.

Login walls and gated content are other examples of how a website may not seem upfront with its users. Asking for information before providing any value is a breach of trust: asking for too much too soon means you don’t get anything because users leave instead of answering. Even creating the perception of a gate to content can degrade trust and turn users away: several participants visiting the grocery-delivery site honestbee wondered why had to sign up for an account in order to view any content on the site. In fact, the site was asking for an address in order to display participating stores in the area, but the prominent address form and call to Sign Up left a negative impression.

honestbee.com: Participants immediately questioned why they had to enter an address before viewing content. Asking for personal information before allowing users to explore is the opposite of being upfront, and degrades trust.

Comprehensive, Correct, and Current

Thorough information related to the business exudes expertise and authority. In our study, users appreciated sites that contained a large amount of relevant content because it showed that the organization was well informed and committed to helping its customers. For example, participants favorably noted moving companies that presented moving tips such as how to best pack boxes to prepare for the movers.

It is also imperative that service sites display photos from all stages of the service, not merely the end result. When evaluating cleaning services, people wanted to see not only photos of clean rooms, but also images of the actual cleaning process and who would be doing the cleaning. Especially for industries that require a large amount of trust from potential customers — you are inviting a stranger into your home, after all — users want to get a better understanding of whom they will do business with. Generic photos of already clean rooms or other end results are more likely to be considered filler images rather than useful content and thus ignored.

UniHomeCleaning.com.sg: Participants commented that the website only displayed photos of clean places and not of the actual cleaning process. Although this was not a deal breaker for the site (which did include text explaining what services were included), people appreciated competitors’ photos that showed actual cleaners in homes and they spent time looking at those photos.

Most importantly, the content on the website must represent the full range of services or products offered by the organization, or it risks alienating those users looking for the less featured items. For example, people looking for home movers were put off by companies that appeared to mostly cater to commercial relocations but also handle residential moves. Even though participants found the relevant content on the site and understood that the company did offer the right service for them, the overall lack of house photos, of testimonials from homeowners, and of other supporting content left the impression that the company did not value that line of business as much as its corporate customers. Similarly, cleaning services that only showed photos of high-end residences or large office spaces turned away those people living in smaller homes. No one wants to feel like a second-rate customer.

HomeCleanz.com: The Portfolio page only showed large condo complexes and office buildings, so users questioned how often the company actually worked with smaller residences.

Connected to the Rest of the Web

Today, businesses and their websites cannot live in a vacuum. When researching products and services people do not rely solely on one website to glean information about its credibility and reliability, but instead look for external, unbiased sources. An isolated website that does not link to and cannot be found on third-party review sites, social media, or news outlets appears to either have something to hide or not be a fully established, stable company.

(Even if you don’t have an omnichannel user-experience strategy, your customers employ an omnichannel approach to their information seeking.)

Due to the sheer amount of social media and review sites available, people have learned to trust these external sources more than company-sponsored content. Several participants in our study commented that while they do research online for various services, they are distrustful of sites or services that weren’t recommended by friends or family or at least other people on the web — regardless of how beautiful the website may be. One participant explained, “Whenever I choose a company to work with, I make sure I know them well. So it has to be a company [that I can see others use]. It would be good if they have customer reviews, maybe a media [press release].”

Every participant in our study stated that they would read reviews before deciding which company to hire. When it comes to reviews, people trust testimonials from external sites more than those listed on the website itself. Participants liked quotes and case studies displayed on the company website, but they regarded them with a healthy dose of skepticism, wondered if the stories were true, and noted that the website would of course include only positive reviews. So, while reviews and testimonials are useful, it is more important to have a presence on external review sites. Linking to these outside sources shows you are transparent and confident about your service.

Conclusion

The 4 factors of trustworthiness are important to every website, and have remained stable for decades. Even though the specifics of how to meet these trust guidelines have evolved over time, the underlying principles still stay valid. This is why it is always important to see the why behind design guidelines rather than blindly applying them. By understanding why people care about design quality, upfront disclosure of information, comprehensive content, and a connection to the rest of the web, you can adapt to new expectations and new web-design styles.

Learn more about credibility and establishing trust in our full-day training course on Persuasive Web Design.

[taniasinel]

Carolyne in Charleston

  Today is the final chapter in the Charleston Series of beautiful houses.  A few years ago I showcased Carolyne Roehm’s latest book that corresponded with her visit to the Skirted Roundtable HERE.  We were surprised by Roehm.  We didn’t know what to expect and what we got was a vivacious, fun woman who was very warm and friendly and intelligent.

I have long been in awe of this brilliantly talented person – is there anything she can’t do?  Seriously?   What would it be?  She was a successful dress designer, even had her own label which is not an easy feat.  She is an interior designer.  A master gardener.  A writer with many books under her wings (I think she’s written 14.)  An incredible photographer. 

And then there was this.  An announcement that she was now an artist.  A watercolorist. 

OK.

Can you just decide to become an artist and then be BRILLIANT at it????!?!??

Only if you are Carolyne Roehm.

Have you seen her work?  I was stunned.

    Here is a  sample of Carolyne’s watercolors which are now available on her web site!

I ask again, is there anything this woman can not do?

Carolyne writes a beautiful blog where her photography is showcased to perfection.  She wrote about being obsessed with 18th century France and wanting to buy a house there.  Over the years, she found four houses that she loved and longed to bring back to life.  But, in the end, it wasn’t to be.

Instead, she decided to stay here in America where she lives in her NYC apartment, her Connecticut farmhouse and her Aspen house.

She dreamed of a place in the sun,  where she could grow the southern flowers that have alluded her in Connecticut:  camellias, magnolias,  and gardenias. And of course, she found the perfect place in Charleston. 

She has spent the past few years renovating her house, room by room.  It is now completed and she has posted photos of it on her blog.

Sigh.  It’s impossible to have a favorite room.  Impossible.  You just can’t say which room is your favorite because each is so special!!

Of course the house has a name.  It has for all its many years: 

“Chisholm House” 

If you read her blog, then you have been following the renovation, but I realized this week that I have missed a few updates – and thought maybe you might have too.  So, here is a recap of Carolyne’s Chisholm House – all in one.   I’m hoping that her next book will be the story of this house, her own “An Affair With A House.”  Please!!!

  The History:

The earliest view of Chisholm House in 1865 – a torpedo boat the “Little David” was beached in front of the house.  The area where the house was built was actually a marsh – that was eventually filled in.  It is located just a few blocks from the waterfront. 

  Here, an early view when the house was owned by Dr. Rowland Alston. 

Chisolm House is a Greek Revival, built in 1836 and designed by Prussian-trained Charles Reichardt, the architect of the original Charleston Hotel and the Milford Plantation. 

  1977 View.

The house has what is described as a flying staircase, flanked by double drawing rooms.  There is also a dining room and a family room.  Upstairs there are three bedrooms ensuite.  The property sits behind a privacy wall.

  1977.  From the side – the house sits on a corner.

  It was rumored that Carolyne was going to remove this upper balcony and build a larger one that stretched the length of the house, but that hasn’t proven true.  And, I can’t see her changing this.

  A close of the beautiful capital.

When Roehm bought the house,  it had been owned by Stephanie Saunders, daughter of Cliff Robertson who had once been married to Mar A Lago’s Marjorie Merriweather Post’s daughter Dina.  The house is 5,800 sq.ft. with 4 bedrooms, and 4.5 baths.  The swimming pool was one of the first things that Carolyne had removed.  In fact, she also removed all the landscaping – it was most important that she design her new garden from the ground up, so to speak.

  The large expanse of concrete in the back of the house was removed – in order to make room for the garden along the side street. 

    The house, when it was sold to Carolyne.

  Before:   When Carolyn bought the house, the renovation of the gardens was one of the first things she undertook.  The swimming pool was taken out to make room for the garden.  At the fence is a row of ten 16’ tall holly trees that will act as screen to hide neighbors and telephone wires.  Remember at the Ravenel house how the electrical wires were so overwhelming?  Here, a few blocks away, it’s the same story.  Apparently the city is slowly burying all the electrical wires but it’s a long, slow process.  Also bought early on, were 80 camellia bushes.  In the front yard, she planted 2 huge, old live oaks to create shade. 

  The back of the house completely cleared out – no sign of the pool was left.

I wish there were more photographs of the garden, but there have been a few natural disasters.   Last year,  there was a hurricane which was fatal for the landscaping.

  The problems started with the torrential storm of 2015.  Here you can see the water in the bowl – how deep it was.  Still, look how beautifully Carolyne has laid out her garden, with the blue & white as focal points.  Last year, more troubles came with Hurricane Matthew.

  At first, Carolyne was hoping she had avoided disaster with Hurricane Matthew.  She planted these bright mums to liven up the beds, but two weeks later, the salt water turned it all brown and the entire garden of boxwoods had to be thrown away and replanted.  Today, it’s hard to believe she went through this.  And it’s even harder to believe her gardens are just three years old! 

Notice, the wonderful design with the center fountain and the brick walkway.  A year later and Carolyne is entertaining outside again.

INSPIRATION:  I love mums, especially pink ones.  But, I never plant them anymore because they don’t last that long in Houston.  Still – seeing these, used as a filler, it makes me realize that mums can be so useful.  Think party.   When you need to freshen up the garden and make it look wonderful – immediately – plant mums!

  Martha Stewart visited before Hurricane Matthew.  Here is the blue and white garden – with the gate opening to the front lawn.

  And the pineapple fountain.  It’s truly hard to believe the garden was planted just a few years ago!

Here, the steps leads down to the back side of the house where tables and chairs are set out for entertaining.  Martha Stewart photo.

  Recently, Carolyne entertained in her garden.

Perfection!

  Another photo.

  And this week, Susanna Salk visited – filming Chisholm House for her video blog.   Link at the end of the story. 

Can’t wait to see her video on the house!!!

And wow!  I love the house with the blue and white urns and the topiary!!

  The front door photographed by Susanna.   

  BEFORE:   The entry, as it was when Carolyne bought the house – pine floors that had an orange-tined stain.  The floors were damaged and had been patched over the decades.  Instead of removing them, Carolyne chose to paint them – which I love!

  BEFORE:   The entry hall with the “flying staircase.”

  TODAY:  The floors are painted to mimic marble and the walls are papered in Farrow and Ball.  A collection of coral sits on the console – this is a beach house, don’t forget!

  Another earlier styling.

  Looking down at the fabulous floor!

  Black and white chair with red.

  The console!  Just gorgeous.  Carolyne is a master at styling and at photography.  Together, her houses are her laboratory where she experiments with different looks. 

Flanking the entry hall are two parlors.  On the left is the Chinoiserie Room and on the right is the Bird Room. 

  And now this is the time you get to decide which is your favorite room!   Good luck with that!

First, on the left side is the

The  Chinoiserie Room:

BEFORE:  The room used to have two entrances on each side of the fireplace, but one was closed off.  In order to fit her furniture in the room, Carolyne had the other entrance blocked off – so now, the only door to the room is off the entrance hall.

  Here is the room, readied for the renovation.  The two openings (to the Media Room) will be closed off.   And, there was the matter of the fireplace.   Victorian mantels had been installed in all the rooms – but they didn’t match the age or style of the house.  Carolyne chose to remove and replace them (not repeal & replace!!)  The paint is Farrow & Ball’s  Chalke Green.  Be sure to read her blog story about the details of the renovation. 

  Here is the room in candlelight- when it looks its prettiest, I think.  The floor is a different pattern than the entry – here it is a faux marble with faux cabochon insets.  Two settees face each other here.

  A view of the front windows.  This room is like candy – it’s so delicious!   The color of green was taken from the Green Salon at Drottningholm Palace.   Carolyne has said that her love of all things chinoiserie started when she was a child and her grandmother gave her a piece of Blue Willow china.

  These statues were painted green and gold.

  The mirror was designed by Carolyne using a door surround from Clayden House as inspiration. 

  Subtle damask pattern on the fabrics.  I love the hot pink pillows that will dictate the color of the flowers.  Perfection!

  Chinoiserie table.  Wow.  Gorgeousness.

  18th century desk – was obtained for this room.

  This 18th century desk is incredibly beautiful.  

  This is a view not seen before – a screen sits behind the settee.

  Another photo of the desk – love the pink shades on the lamps.

  Is there a prettier room?  Well, maybe!  Just walk across the entry hall to...

The Bird Room:

On the right side of the foyer is the Bird Room. Seen here, is how the previous owners decorated it.

  And here is the Bird Room, cleared out for the renovation.  The Victorian coal burning fireplace and its mantel was removed, as these were a later addition to the house.  Additionally, the doorway on the right of the mantel was opened up – to the Library.   This room became the blue and white Bird Room, inspired by a 17th century painting bought in France.

  And here is the room – an early version.   The mirror was made for the house, the chairs are Syrie Maugham, the fabric is Quadrille.  Crystal chandelier and painted floor.

  The inspiration for the Bird Room came from this 17th century painting that Carolyne spotted while bicycling in the France – of course!   Carolyne has had a long love of birds in painting and this room is the perfect manifestation of that love.

  The view from the Entry Hall into the Bird Room.

  The table – the view is of the corner of the two streets that the house sits on.

  Seriously?  This German clock is so gorgeous I could cry.  It’s absolutely beautiful.  And I love the birds flanking it.  Carolyne writes that the clock was in her Aspen house but she moved it here where she felt it belonged.  Yes.  I agree!!

Seriously though.  This room is gorgeous – I could cry!  OK, I won’t cry, but it’s just so beautiful to me – probably because I’m a cool color person.  Blues just appeal to me.  While I love the Chinoiserie Room – I probably am drawn more to this decor.

Which room do you prefer so far?

  The fireplace with the mirror that Carolyne had made for this space.  Notice through the newly opened door is the Library.

  Old plates that feature birds are set for a dinner in the Bird Room.

  Another view of the Gustavian sofa and the inspiration painting.

  The watercolor is by Scott Kelly.  Carolyne writes that besides the antique painting from France, her biggest extravagance in the Bird Room was the pair of tole pineapples by Carmen Almon.   When Carolyne wrote her stories on the Bird Room she was debating whether she should get curtains for this room.   I think she would be happy without curtains – she obviously loves a less textured look without rugs and layers.   But, the room is exposed to the street, so privacy is an issue.

  Recently Carolyne posted a video that showed the Bird Room with curtains – pretty white curtains with blue trim.   When the 2015 storm hit, she also posted a few pictures of the curtains on that night  - pulled up to avoid dampness leaking through the windows.  (Glad to know I’m not the only person who has to do that!)

  So pretty!  Waiting for the book to properly see the room with all the curtains!  Hint Hint.

  The Library

Past the door in the Blue Room is the Library.  On her blog Carolyne has said several times that she is going to discuss this room in detail – but she hasn’t yet.  I tired to find as many photos of the library that I could, but there aren’t that many.

  The library was actually the dining room.  Here is the Before photo.

  Carolyne posted this painting and said it was going in the Library.

  This chandelier was in storage – and is now in the Library. 

  The Library – with dark, dark brown walls that read almost black.  The dining table is white.

  A dinner party – with views of the bookcases that were built on both long walls.

  The place settings and flowers for the dinner party.

  In this view – you can see a bit of the architecture of the Library with the medallions above the shelving – which I LOVE!!  You can see a bit of the red chandelier in this picture. Through the door is the hall off the entry.  

Until Carolyne posts about the Library, we will just have to wait for proper photos!

  In this photo, you can see how the table is set up daily – like a Library table – with books and lamps.

  Another dinner table set with the lamps and red roses.  Gorgeous.

  Another table setting – with red apples.  Are those lamps or candelabras???  How are they lit?

And the same table at night – here you can see the gold votives lit up.  Those are really pretty votives. 

  And yet, another table setting.  Makes me want to have a dinner party!!!

  The stools in the library.

One thing I don’t see is the painting that Carolyne said was going in the Library.  We’ll have to wait for Susanna’s video on Friday!

  Moving to the Media Room!

Before:  The Media Room had more of the orange stained floor.  It is located behind the Chinoiserie Room.

  BEFORE:  Here is the room ready to be renovated.  The Victorian fireplace is to be replaced and more substantial crown molding is added.

The inspiration for the room came when Carolyne saw four large paintings on canvas at Christie’s.  She believes they may have been made for the stage.  The 18th century French panels are 12’ tall x 9.5’ wide and depict the four seasons.  She bought the panels, had them framed and shipped them down to Charleston to be hung in the Media Room.

The problem though was the large flatscreen TV and how to hide it.  The panels took up so much of the wallspace, there wasn’t a place for a TV that was large enough.  In the end, she and her partner Simon came up with a solution for the flatscreen.

  To give you an idea of how large the framed panels are – here is one of them waiting in the kitchen before it was hung!!

  But first, the gorgeous Media Room:

The panels set the color scheme and tone for the room – soft and romantic.  A beautiful crystal chandelier hangs over the room, which is toned down with a Starke rug.

Gorgeous!!!

  Against this wall is a chest that sits in front of one of the panels.

  This panel was set over the fireplace. There is a table for small meals.  Through the doors is the foyer’s main hall.  Across the hall is the library.

  Carolyne decorated the room with seafans and coral since this house is so close to the beach.

  The fabric is Bennison.  Love!!!   The panels are so beautiful – aren’t they?  I told you it’s hard to decide which room is the prettiest!!!  My first favorite is the Bird Room and then maybe this room – or maybe the Chinoiserie then the Media.  But maybe the Media Room first!  ahahahah

Can I just buy the house, furnished?

  Now – how about the TV? 

At a recent dinner party, the guests had no idea there was a flatscreen in the room.  Notice the mural that is on an easel in the corner?  That’s the flatscreen!

  When Carolyne watches it, she just removes the mural and flips the TV to the horizontal position.  Ingenious!

  Viola – the TV is gone!!!

    Here is the beautiful table setting in the Media Room during a recent party.

  The Kitchen:

The entry hall leads into the kitchen – with the twin columns that mark the space.  Today – there is a French Door at the end - that lets in light.

  Before:  The kitchen is a long room – here with the columns that lead into the hall.

  And the breakfast room side of the kitchen.

  As with all the other rooms – it was renovated – to become the vision that Carolyne had.

  Here – the kitchen with its classic black and white floors and white marble.  Her small flower sink is in between the two windows.

    The room is bright and light with green walls that mimics the green from the gardens.  At the left not seen is the French door that opens to the back garden.

  Across from the kitchen table is the large storage for Carolyne’s collection of plates and glassware.

  Two of Carolyne’s watercolors hang in the kitchen.

    She sets the prettiest tables.  Variegated camellias! 

Inspiration:  Concentrate on the napkins!

  There are two rooms that are just hinted at on Carolyne’s instagram.  First, her powder room fashioned out of the broom closet!  An Oriental blue and white bowl becomes the sink.  So beautiful.

  With her signature “CR” written over this photo, there is this small picture of her bedroom in lilac.  OMG – dying to see  more  of this bedroom!!!!!  Apparently the bedroom is covered in a Quadrille fabric.  Those silk curtains!!!

I just hope she is writing a book about this house.  Until then, don’t forget to watch Susanna Salk’s video of the house this Friday!!  HERE.

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Be sure to visit Carolyne’s beautiful blog for her in depth writing and photographs of her life, her houses, and her art.  HERE. 

To listen to Carolyne on the Skirted Roundtable, go HERE.

To see all of her prints that you can purchase – go HERE.

Carolyne’s two latest books.  Click on the cover to order.

    Ideas To Set A Table With Antiques:

HERE

  HERE

    HERE

  HERE

HERE.

from COTE DE TEXAS http://cotedetexas.blogspot.com/2017/05/carolyne-in-charleston.html

[sailwildfire]

4-21-17    I have made a tad of improvements since the last post.  Boat work is still going slowly.  It is the unofficial rainy season here and humidity has been high, temps cold-warm and rain plenty.  The first three photos are the port side of the repair which is not finished yet but very close.  I put a coat of barrier coat on just Wednesday to see how it looked.  The very bottom is straight but just upwards of the very bottom it is still a little bulbous shaped.  As you can see it looks pretty freakin good.  The starboard side needs a lot of work still and long boarding is something I can only do like one time in a week.  The first photo shows the repair without barrier coat and I just want to point out a few things for the next people who own the boat...There are 3 patches of brown which is Mas epoxy and west system low density filler.  I am using low density filler near the rudder area that needs a lot of shaping.  All the low density filler is over barrier coat most likely so sanding through that now is going to be confusing if it ever has to be done (if there are ever problems which I do not anticipate).  There are two patches of yellow located within red that were major original high spots in the keel.  Yuliya’s repair has basically no bubbles so that is good.  Before I barrier coated with gray I covered everything you see in the first photo with mas epoxy and then sanded that to 80.  Me and Yuliya, Michelle and one of Yuliya’s co-workers bedded the port section of the toe rail a week or so ago.  I bedded to the two aft parts of the rain and the two fair leads.  Compound came out everywhere except one area on the port side aft section of the toe rail.  I am not worried about that area at all however.  I have been long boarding the top of the toe rail to get it looking nice and flat to the eye over the expanse of its length.  It is starting to look amazing.  We used 4200 white to bed the rail to the deck and boat life black inside the nose piece and between the wood and fair leads.  The boat life black is a bitch to work with.  In the last photo you can also see me mocking up the aft rail.  That is half of it made out of tape.  This weekend we will make a full template out of paper and bring it to be cut out.  I picked up the new back stay chain plate from the machine show today and because of barriercoat/paint/coatings buildup the new chain plate did not fit in its grove.  A bit of sanding was necessary to make it fit nicely in there.  It will have to be painted white before it is installed or it is going to look stupid.  The aft rail is going to be flat and the the same height as the aft most section of the toe rail (1″? aprox.)  It will be bedded flat to the deck like the toe rail and with have scuppers on each side port and starboard for water to flow out.  It is more narrow in the middle section of the rail and wider on the port and starboard area of it (see photos).  I think it is going to look cool.  It will be made out of three pieces of wood and scarfed together (for looks as well).  You can also just make out that I started working on the port side of the deck (filling and glassing where need be).  It is incredible to me how few holes there were in the deck.  Basically there were 4 holes where one cleat was located on each side of the deck, front and aft (total 16 holes that were filled using glass and filler).  Then there were a few random holes (spinnaker pole mounting hardware that did not come with the boat when I bought it)(6 holes (port side) just ground out with a 3/4″ taper bit and filled with high density filler).  And then the holes for the winches and winch cleats.  Any big holes were glassed and filled there small holes I just used a 3/4″ tapered bit on and filled with high density filler.  These holes are not a big deal because they will most likely be covered up by the next winch bases and such.  We have sanded off most of the original nonskid on the port side now (including the original diamonds in the mold and the after market sand paint).  We chose to take off the original non skid diamonds because I could not figure out how to get the old nasty unknown paint product out from the 4 million crevasses they were filling.  This has left us with a less crazed clean fiberglass surface that will be coated in epoxy, sanded and then barrier coated white for the boats launch this season.  Eventually we will have kiwi grip but not this year.  With her very impressive new toe rail and cleaner looking decks she is really starting to look like a boat!