Tabulous Design

Color Blocking: Purple & Yellow

April 4, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Color blocking is defined as taking colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel and pairing them together to create a look, this has been done for years in fashion and is now being looked at more and more in home decor. The idea of color blocking was originally conceived of by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian who is thought of as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. While not all of the color combinations come from being opposite each other on the color wheel, red and yellow are only separated by three other colors on the wheel, that’s where we are going to start with our look of color pairings. We are going to start with Yellow and Purple, a very striking combination that combines the deep, rich hue of purple and the bright happy color of sunshine and butter. Join me today for a look at our first Color Blocking combo, is this something you could do in your home? Enjoy!!! (above image via)

April 3, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Today I’m going to take you on a tour of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, home to one of the largest and most priceless art collections in the world. The Uffizi was originally a building that housed the offices of the Magistrates for the city and was originally started in 1560, the top floor of the building was designated a gallery and house the massive art collection of the Medici. Over the years and decades, more space was claimed and more building was built and when the Medici family died out their entire art collection was bequeathed to the city of Florence and housed in the Uffizi. The gallery has been opened to visitors by reservation and request since 1765 and was officially opened to the public in 1865. Today the Uffizi is home to major artworks, such as Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” and “The Enunciation” as well as sculptors by Michelangelo and many others. If you are ever in Florence you have to visit The Uffizi Gallery, we scheduled a guided tour and I’m glad we did, he showed us the highlights and told us the history of the museum. Now I look forward to going back some day and touring it again on our own, join me now for a quick tour and some highlights of one of the most visited museums in the world. Enjoy!!! (above is The Adoration of the Magi by Fabriano)

April 3, 2018

By Tab Byrum

I’ve always enjoyed watching design shows on TV hosted by designer Vern Yip so I was excited the other day when I stumbled onto a Traditional Home online article about Yip’s home he shares with his partner Craig and their two children. Yip was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Virginia where he graduated from high school in 1986 and attended the University of Virginia and earned degrees in economics and chemistry. Yip was all prepared to attend medical school when he changed his mind and decided to study architecture instead, graduating from Georgia Tech with a Masters in Architecture. Today Yip is known for his classic designs imbued with color and personality and hosting shows on HGTV and TLC’s Trading Spaces. Vern Yip is now based in Atlanta and lives in a 1925 home. I love the design of this family’s home, there are so many traditional elements such as paneling, wide baseboards, large arched windows, and wood floors all done with lots of colors. Of course, you could also totally carry off this decorating scheme using neutrals for a very sophisticated look and feel. Join me for a tour of Vern Yip and Craig Koch’s Atlanta home and be inspired. Enjoy!!!

April 2, 2018

By Tab Byrum

A must see destination in Florence is “The Gallery of the Academy of Florence” or The Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s David statue as well as other statuary by Michelangelo and other artists and a large collection of painting by artists from Florence. The Gallery was founded in 1784 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany at that time, Pietro Leopoldo and today The Accademia is one of the most visited museums in Italy almost 1.5 million people passing through its doors in 2016. Join me today for a quick tour of The Accademia and a look at The David as well as other amazing sculptures in photos I took on our recent visit. Enjoy!!!

April 2, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Can you believe Mickey Mouse is 90 years old this year? In celebration of everyone’s favorite mouse turning 90 Le Creuset is teaming up with Disney and Williams Sonoma to present the Mickey Mouse Collection, this is where two icons come together to create something cute and useful. I love cooking in Le Creuset pans and dutch ovens, they go from range top to oven, cook everything perfect every time and the glazed cast iron cleans up easily. The Mickey Mouse 4 1/2 quart pot comes in red and is decorated with Mickey’s profile on the sides of the pot as well as the lid’s knob. In addition to the dutch oven, there are stoneware ramekins available in the shape of Mickey’s profile that are perfect for holding ingredients while cooking or you can also bake individual casseroles and desserts in them. If you and your household are Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse fans check these out, great gifts for the upcoming Mother’s Day holiday or something for that college grad who can’t get enough Disney. Enjoy!!!

March 30, 2018

By Tab Byrum

With this weekend being Easter this is the perfect time for me to share with you photos of the amazing Easter displays in chocolate and candy stores we saw on our recent trip to Italy. The displays are gorgeous and involve not only amazing pieces done in chocolate but also gorgeous papers and ribbons. We saw beautiful displays in all the cities we visited with perhaps the most beautiful being in Florence. Join me today for a look at how candy and chocolate are used to celebrate Spring’s big holiday in Italy, I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a Happy Easter to all. Enjoy!!!

March 28, 2018

By Tab Byrum

We’re off to the third city on our Italian vacation and its the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence. Florence or Firenze as it’s known in Italy is a city of over 300,000 people and the capital of Tuscany. Florence is filled with art created by some of the greatest artists with the names of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Titian and so many more. We found the city of Florence to be amazingly hospitable and had some of the best food we had on the entire trip. The architecture is amazing everywhere but especially in the Town Square and on the Ponte Vecchio. Join me today for an introduction to Florence as we hit the highlights and I’ll focus on certain aspects of the city in the coming days. Enjoy!!!

March 27, 2018

By Tab Byrum

During our stay in Venice, we toured the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica, we weren’t allowed to take photos inside the Basilica which is usually the rule in most churches and Cathedrals in Europe, but we were allowed to photograph the interiors of the Palace. The current Doge’s Palace was first built in 1340 and is done in the style known as Venetian Gothic. The Doges were the elected officials in Venice who basically ran the city, they were also the Chief Magistrate and they were elected for life. The Doges ruled in Venice for 1,100 years with the last Doge being Ludovico Manin who abdicated in 1797 after Napoleon marched into Italy and conquered the city of Venice. Today the Doge’s Palace is a museum and filled with gorgeous art and murals and is available to be toured year-round, we recently went on our tour during the snowstorm I was telling you about. We were able to tour the Palace itself and the rooms that the Doge and other Venetian officials used to greet dignitaries from other countries as well as the armory and the prison that is next door to the Palace and can be reached by crossing the Bridge of Sighs. Join me today for a tour of the Palace and as always, Enjoy!!! (above image via)

March 27, 2018

By Tab Byrum

The Lilly Pulitzer brand is known for bright colors and tropical patterns and combining the two into fun beachwear and fashion but they recently worked with Pottery Barn and created collections for Pottery Barn, PB Kids, and PBTEEN. Today we are going to start off by looking at the collection designed for Pottery Barn that runs the gamut as far as color and pattern. While a lot of you ladies will be partial to the pinks and greens I’m especially loving the Reds and Blues just because that’s one of my favorite combos. The collection has everything from beach towels to pillows, bedding, rugs and even planters. Join me for a tour as we get ready for the warmer days of Spring and Summer with Lilly Pulitzer and Pottery Barn, Enjoy!!!

March 23, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Our second full day in Venice dawned with more snow falling but this time it would continue to snow most of the day. We had a tour of the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica scheduled today but not until the afternoon so we headed out to do some walking and sightseeing. Just like in Rome the residents of Venice aren’t used to seeing a lot of snow, it does get cold here because they are in the north and really not a long way from the Alps but the Adriatic Sea helps to keep the temperature more temperate. Today though, the snow was falling fast and furious, as you’ll see in photos I’m sharing it was so heavy at times that you couldn’t see the monastery across the bay. I’m sharing a few snowy pics from our afternoon tour but I’ll do another post on the palace and Basilica later next week, for today though, Enjoy!!!

Color Blocking: Purple & Yellow

April 4, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Florence: The Uffizi Gallery

April 3, 2018

By Tab Byrum

At Home With Designer Vern Yip

April 3, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Italy: Visiting David & The Accademia

April 2, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Le Creuset Celebrates Mickey Mouse

April 2, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Italian Chocolate Easter Displays

March 30, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Italy: Welcome To Florence

March 28, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Venice: Doge’s Palace

March 27, 2018

By Tab Byrum

Lilly Pulitzer At Pottery Barn

March 27, 2018

By Tab Byrum

A Venetian Snowstorm

March 23, 2018

By Tab Byrum

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