Tammy Connor Interior Design

Black & Blue Berry Festival

Posted on July 17, 2012 by tammy

With summertime in full force, I have to admit that it’s been hard to set aside time to write. Between the projects going on in the office, travel and the craziness of summer schedules, I have a feeling that this season is going to be over before we know it! But, before it is, I wanted to share with you a fun summer activity that I stumbled upon recently.

I am often asked when I travel, “what is it like in Alabama?” I typically get a good laugh out of it, and ask the question right back, “what do you think it is like?” Or, I make something up and deliver it with as straight of a face as possible to see their recation. The truth is, I love living in Alabama. It is a beautiful state, with super nice people, and the slower pace of the lifestyle offers a good balance to the deadline oriented design industry. We are also fortunate to have a number of unique events and happenings around the state that occur throughout the year. One of these such events is the Black & Blue Berry Festival hosted by Petals from the Past, a nursery and farm in Jemison, AL. I took the kids down with some friends to Jemison to experience the annual festival for the first time this year. We were on the road by 9 to beat the heat, and we were picking blueberries, riding ponies (much to my daughter’s delight) and listening to the bluegrass band and hour later.

The berry bushes were full of fruit for the pickin’- they literally fell off by the handfuls! This experience was quite different from the blueberry picking we are used to doing at home in the backyard! Instead of picking a small handful at best, we left with basketfulls. And, the ones that were spared during the car ride home, were part of a yummy cobbler we made for desert that night!

For more information on Petals from the Past, visit their website. They have events throughout the year that I’m sure are just as enjoyable as the Black & Blue Berry Festival.

Posted in Alabama Highlights | Tagged Alabama | 1 Comment

Posted on June 12, 2012 by tammy

What did I do with my free time before Pinterest? Sometimes I can’t remember! Pinterest has revolutionized the design industries in ways I don’t think anyone truly expected. It’s the fastest growing social media craze, and it is a great source of inspiration for me and my clients– not to mention a fantastic way to unwind before turning off the light at night! Typically when we begin working with a client, one of the first things we do before starting the project is to look at their pin boards. It’s a great way for us to understand our clients and their style preferences.

I enjoy following ATELIER Home&Garden because she has such a great eye for design and detail. StyleCarrot and Cassandra LaValle are some of my favorites too!

Coty Farquhar has fantastic fashion pins. Some of which inspire the detailing I have used in client projects.

And, the pins from StyleMePretty are always drop-dead gorgeous! I love the endless pictures of peonies, stunning wedding bouquets and floral arrangements. One Kings Lane has a wonderful Garden board that I frequently pin from too.

Are you on pinterest? If so, please take a look at our boards. We even have a board designated for the images posted on The Journal. And, if you have not noticed, there is a tag that appears when you scroll over our blog images for your immediate pinning pleasure!

I’d love to know your favorite pinners and add them to to my list!

Posted in Inspiration | 2 Comments

We’re Hiring!

Posted on June 6, 2012 by tammy

Tammy Connor Interior Design is looking to fill an office assistant position this summer or early fall 2012, and I am hoping you can help us find a good match! We are considering a part-time or full-time assistant. As many of you know, our projects are located throughout the Eastern US, so travel is involved. We are accepting applications from well-rounded individuals with experience and interests in public relations, design, event planning and journalism. They need to be proficient at various programs within Adobe Suite, and it would be ideal for them to have knowledge of Word Press. The position will entail managing media requests, advertising, planning events and maintaining the day-to-day operations of the office. On a personal note, I am looking for someone that is detail oriented, organized, motivated and nice! The compensation package is competitive.

Resumes can be emailed to megan@tammyconnorid.com, or mailed to TCID 1809 Oxmoor Road, Birmingham AL 35209.

Posted in TCID | 2 Comments

Charleston: Restaurants

Posted on June 5, 2012 by tammy

June is finally here and it’s time for my monthly Charleston post! One my of most favorite things to do in Charleston is eat (do you blame me?!). How could it not be when the city is full of world-class chefs and restaurants! Friends often ask me for a list of my Charleston restaurant haunts when they vacation there and these have become my go-to suggestions. I’m hoping that some of you will be soaking up the sun on the South Carolina coast this summer and will use my list as a guide for your epicurean experiences. You might have to stay a few extra days so you can squeeze them all in!

Peninsula Grill- The restaurant’s interiors were designed by Amelia Handegan in a distinctively Lowcountry style that I adore. Seagrass flooring, commissioned artwork depicting local scenes and velvet-lined walls are just a sampling of the many details that make this dining room so spectacular. If you go for dinner- don’t bypass dessert… The coconut cake is to die for!

Fulton Five- While the food at Fulton Five is fantastic, it’s the atmosphere there that I really love. The restaurant is small and cozy and makes you feel as if you have been transported to a trattoria in Italy.

Fig- With an edited menu, Fig serves only the best (I promise you won’t be disappointed). The farm-to-table approach of Fig focuses on seasonal offerings from local farmers and growers.

Five Loaves- Five Loaves is the best casual lunch spot in downtown Charleston. Their daily soup lineup is quite extensive and always delicious. I highly recommend the soup sampler trio!

Cru Cafe- This spot on Pickney Street is a great place for lunch or dinner. Cru Cafe serves up delicious Southern comfort foods with a gourmet twist. Give the macaroni and cheese a try!

Hominy Grill- And if you’re in the mood for real South Carolina lowcountry cooking, this is the place to go. Many locals claim that Hominy has the best shrimp and grits and vegetable plate in town and I agree! If you’re out and about early enough, I suggest stopping by for breakfast or brunch.

What are your favorite Charleston restaurants?

Posted in Charleston | 1 Comment

Bunny Williams’ Garden

Posted on May 29, 2012 by tammy

I could hardly contain my excitement as we trekked over to Falls Village, Connecticut on Saturday afternoon for a tour of Bunny Williams’ garden. (I was invited by Margot Shaw, editor of flower magazine, as she shot the location for an upcoming magazine article.) For years I have admired images of Bunny’s home and garden and I was very much looking forward to seeing everything in person. Her gardens far surpassed my expectations and the images I had seen! Everything about it was understated, yet incredibly sophisticated- Bunny has such a talent for layering elements in the most perfectly imperfect way!

The tour included seeing her guest house that doubles as a party barn when she entertains. The interiors (as you can imagine) were my idea of perfection! In my mind, the space wasn’t “decorated,” but rather it was a curated collection of beautiful objects that showcase Bunny’s eye for detail.

Bunny and her husband, John Rosselli regularly host dinner parties in their conservatory, which was already set for a dinner party they were having that evening. Again, the space was so much more wonderful in person than the photos I had seen, and a truly lovely spot for a meal with friends.

Outside the doors of the conservatory was one of the more formal elements of the garden– a beautiful boxwood parterre planted with blooming flowers. My favorite thing about Bunny’s garden is how the areas unfold in the most spectacular yet natural way. It is very Eighteenth Century English in its approach with informal paths leading to little surprises and focal points along the way.

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, we arrived at the pool house! I quickly realized and shared with Bunny that her Greek temple pool house was my new “Happy Place.” You know, the place you are supposed to close your eyes and picture when life becomes too stressful? Well I did a full sensory inventory– the singing birds, the scents of blooming florwers, the beautiful sunlight streaming through the canapy of trees… I wanted to soak it all in! The most incredible thing about this pool house is the combination of the classical greek architecture and proportions with informal materials. Tree trunks act as the columns and dozens of pinecones make up the pediment. This structure just goes to show that an object doesn’t have to be fine to be beautiful! I love that Bunny trusted her eye and the inherent beauty of these natural materials to create something unconventional.

We all kept marveling at how perfectly imperfect and inviting the gardens were, and had to keep reminding ourselves that it took a 30 year commitment on Bunny’s part to achieve this slice of heaven on earth. I am only 5 years in on mine, and I am now wanting to abondon it, move to a farm, and start over!

To read more about Bunny’s gardens and see all the fabulous pictures for yourself, I highly recommend buying her book, An Affair with a House.

Do you enjoy gardening? I’d love to hear about what you’re planting this summer!

Posted in Inspiration, Out & About, Travels | 5 Comments

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