Tanque Verde flea market and a new project

The Tanque Verde Elementary Indoor/Outdoor Antique Fair  has become one of my favorite monthly activities. Held on the first Sunday of every month, the market has expanded to cover most of the school's vast athletic field and all of the indoor gymnasium.  Lots of furniture, pottery, artwork, clothing, tools-- a taste of everything and something for every collector. Everybody shows up decked out in hats in the warmer months, funky clothes every month; just about everyone I know goes at one time or another. This month, my husband accompanied me (I'll liken it to me attending a hockey event) which was a big treat. I love his company and his eye--I enjoyed every  minute of the trip.

Hey, who gave that guy a camera?

We brought this one home, for our portrait wall.

You probably think I spend all of my time at flea markets, junkyards, and in my kitchen. I actually have a busy interior consultation business that takes most of my time. Recently I began working with client who owns a lovely mid-town home. I love mid-town Tucson homes ( I live in one) for their funky ranch floor plans and their large, green lots but mostly for the neighborhoods where they are found.
This particular family has meticulously maintained the infrastructure of their large, territorial style home for the past 20 years, but have done little for the decor. Enter ME!

The kitchen now. I had the same yellow counters at my house! 

I will save other pictures for the before and after, but I thought it would be fun to take a look at my plans for the place:

Most designers create some sort of mood board as a starting point. This time, I made mine giant--the whole dining room table--so that I could visualize how the house would look when finished.

Beautiful saltillo tiles are in many rooms--we will keep them and try to complement them without allowing this territorial style house to become too sweetly Southwest. The bathrooms will have stone or porcelain tile, oil-rubbed bronze lighting fixtures and custom mirrors.

Bookcases in the dining room and this entertainment set up in the family room will add some architecture and unity to the house. Mark Wilson designed the units around the fireplace. Genius-

I am about as obsessed with bookcases as I am with bancos.  Although we have become increasingly electronic in our homes, I still believe it is important to have access to words and art, printed on paper. It adds warmth and character to a room and to your soul. Bookcases also provide flat surfaces for collections and pictures of loved ones.

The kitchen will get classic lighting with an oil rubbed bronze finish. All of the family room and kitchen  ceilings will be covered in 14 foot tongue-in-groove planks, painted off-white. The new cabinets will be painted pale green or ecru.

The contractor is the best: organized, experienced, patient (and how!) and has a creative eye. I can't wait for the demo to start. I think I may pick up a hammer myself!