Friday, October 16, 2009

The Official Preppy Handbook

TOPH:
Of Mahogany and Macrame
Decorating Haves and Have Nots

"There is only one look in Prep decorating: Not Decorated. Nothing is consciously coordinated, but everything works together through a successful marriage of utility and excellence.  Furnishings have always been in the family, but are not treated like museum pieces.  Everything is used: The Georgian silver is on the table at meals, the Canton china is chipped regularly by the dishwasher. And not using certain rooms except for special occasions would be like wearing curlers in public."

 
CHECK CHECK!! I pass this preppy challenge with flying colors.
#1 My house is filled with Mahogany
#2 I did not hire a decorator (I wanted to do it myself and save the money)
#3 I've inherited close to 90% of my furniture/art
#4We use all of our rooms/china/silver etc
#5 My furniture boasts some of Husbands nick nacks and they all blended beautifully (or they were thrown out)

This is going to be a fun chapter! I can't wait to show more of my preppy furnishings (just wait until you see all the ducks we have)! What's in your house? Did you get it from Mummy???

XOXO

SC

46 comments:

  1. Oooh what a fun challenge, can you believe I have never read the preppy handbook? Seriously, I need to invest in that book, perhaps for our vacation to mexico in November...

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  2. I would totally fail on this one...you wouldn't even want to see the junk in here. I'm saving up for the new place {if that ever happens-LOL} Love the red walls! Hope your having a great day! = )

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  3. I do love the "old" thinks so i buy them on BROCANTE places ! mummy had so different tastes than me! so i'm definitly not " a mummy thinks" owner !

    sorry for the bad english !

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  4. oh mahogany, I love it! and yes a lot of my furnishing are from mom, grandma and great grandma, I guess I am more preppy then I would have believed, I think I should get that handbok.

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  5. I have two chairs that match your bench:).

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  6. And here I thought my taste was eclectic. I have a wonderful wooden chest passed down a few generations. Other than that, everything is used--no museum pieces here.

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  7. I cannot wait to see...I love seeing where people live!

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  8. Hey Beth! No, don't worry, you're not being nosy. Yes, there is a couple of people in particular. For one, I talk about my job on my blog a lot, and while it doesn't have a picture of me or say my name, if one of my managers or coworkers saw this blog they would definitely know it was me, which makes me nervous. Same thing with my mother. And then there are a couple of friends who I used to be friends with that know about the blog and it makes me feel kind of unsettled thinking that they still read it. Sorry, I know that sounds so petty! I just hate the idea of every single time I write, I feel like I have to remember who might be reading it and be careful about what I should say.

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  9. Oh, and no I don't know who Brian Allard is, but he sounds really familiar. That's really cool that he had a book signing for you!

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  10. The house looks very pretty from what you've showed us. You know your stuff!

    Thanks for visiting Secret Story Time too!

    Secretia

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  11. Thanks for the comment and enjoying my poor sense of humor ;-) Your house looks beautiful, and you sound quite southern. I don't know if you are or not, but if you're not it's a high compliment.

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  12. I'm pretty sure I passed this one too, everything in my house is either a hand me down, came from the salvation army or a yard sale. all of my stuff is used as well!

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  13. Yep, I have treasures handed down from generation to generation. I am one who believes to use what you love. Can you hear my family gasping? My most prized possession is a wood carved mantel clock that belonged to my Great-Great-Great Grandmother. Isn't that GREAT!

    Have a lovely weekend using the things you love!!!

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  14. You're passing this challenge with flying colors! The description of this is how my grandmother had her home decorated to a T. She was such a lady and the ultimate prep. A lot of her antiques have been passed around to various members of the family. I have a few of her things and they're very special to me.

    I love that room with the plaid chair!

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  15. Love the plaid chair. And most of my stuff comes from second hand shops (not antiques) or rummage sales. It all blends tho (most of the time!)

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  16. HEY! So as far the book swap goes, here's the link to all the "rules" and what-not:

    www.pittsburghperambulations.blogspot.com/2001/10/swap-time.html

    I would love it if you would like to join in the swap. Can you let me know ASAP? Thanks!

    Kelly

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  17. oops. in the link above it's 2009 not 2001. i typed it in wrong!

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  18. Love the red in your room and the window treatements. Fabulous!

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  19. Im very into vintage things..so the majority of my furniture is from my grandparents from the early 1900's its been passed down for years I had a blast making it mine! <3

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  20. I am loving the gorgeous rug and chair. Can't wait to see some more pictures!Best wishes, NM.

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  21. Hi Beth,

    What a fun blog! I enjoyed reading several of your posts. You are lovely and have lovely things that you love. Lots of "love" words in that sentence.

    I used to be "preppy" once upon a time, although I don't know if they called it that back then. But then I moved to the country, where my 100 acres of woods is the home I love, with everything that lives in it. My house is rustic country inside and out. I even collect wild flowers and interesting weeds, dry them and use them as decorations. That's not very preppy at all, but I enjoy doing it.

    I did enjoy reading everyone's comments as well. Your book sounds like a fun read. I'll have to look for it.

    Thanks so much for visiting my blog, where I post sporadically, these days. Are you on Facebook? I hope so. Got lots of writer friends on there. I'll see if I can find you, okay?

    Got to follow you here though, so I don't miss any of the fun.

    Renie xox

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  22. Hi, I love your pictures, I like the idea of "nothing is consciously coordinated".

    Love the pic of you in the previous post in red and those boots, wow! You look cute.

    Thanks for adding DJ's to your reading list and taking time to comment, so nice of you.
    xxx

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  23. That's a good one!

    I wish you a great weekend, my friend! :)

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  24. Right with you!!! Left you an award on the blog!

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  25. Love your cheery red room...so warm for this time of year! Thank so very much for leaving a comment on my blog...so glad you did because now I have found you. Off to read some more of your past posts. Happy weekend!

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  26. you have been tagged... check tomorrow (Sunday)!! yeah... way under decorated... we're working on it... slowly! Lots of wood... lots of hand me downs and shhhhhhhh... lotsa silver ;)

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  27. lol, I have a bunch of all sorts of things, probably more ala Goodwill than preppy.

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  28. Thanks for following and leaving a comment! I looove Nutcracker music too! Nice to find your blog! Can't wait to read a little more:)

    have a great weekend!

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  29. ooo good challenge! I think I am there with you on the check check check...minus all the mahogany! :) Viva le prep!

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  30. I have been reading your blog for a while -- love these segments on the Preppy Handbook! I got my first copy when I was 16...my husband and I love to read it. :)

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  31. he he like this post x

    Missy
    Enter my giveaway:
    http://thefashionfusion.blogspot.com

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  32. I would definitely fail on this one too...you have many fun preppy decor items! Thanks for your sweet response on my kissing post, if I had kiddos I think their kisses would be my favorite too. Hopefully I will get to that point in my life sooner rather than later. ;)

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  33. Ha ha. I don't think my house would at all pass the preppy test. Although I do fit the criteria of not hiring an interior decorator. This is so funny.

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  34. How beautiful!
    You did a wonderful job..
    Nope. Bought our own stuff.
    No hand-me-downs here...
    Decorater? Umm....nope. I'm cheaper. LOl!

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  35. Thanks for visiting my blog! Yours is so fun! Can't wait to catch up!

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  36. great job on your challenge. I'm happy for you!

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  37. I love used furniture/furnishings. Your house is beautiful and so are you :)

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  38. Your home is lovely!
    Sadly, my parents did not have anything for me after their divorice (spite is a terrible thing!) I had to buy furniture for my mom!

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  39. isn't it fun to have lots of family silver and china to use?! makes it so much more special!

    xoox

    kHm

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  40. I have a coffee table from my grandmother, an end table from another, and my son sleeps in my grandfather's bed. They are my most favorite pieces. I also just recently received a lamp from my grandmother that my mother reluctantly gave to me... constant pressure on my part.

    Thanks for visiting and commenting... I can't wait to see those ducks of yours!

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  41. Oh what a beautiful home!! Love that way of decorating... although our stuff really isn't inherited, we still use it all!

    :)

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Talk preppy to me! xoxo