Tuesday, September 1, 2009

hampton designer showhouse: not your mother's screened in porch

the screened porch at the hampton designer showhouse, designed by brad ford, was definitely a highlight, and one of the most buzzed-about spaces both at the house and in all that has been written about the showhouse.

situated off the kitchen and breakfast room with an additional opening to the patio and pool, this room is a reimagining of a screened porch. no stodgy wicker furniture or musty upholstery here - ford took the relaxation factor of comfy couches and porch swings and hybridized them in this room that utilizes two loveseat swings suspended from the ceiling. add to that a fireplace and an installation of strung (i think porcelain) cones against the back wall, and you have a screened porch with an airy elegance that is fresh and nostalgic in the same breath. the lines of each piece are modern and the blend of pale neutrals is soothing.

as explained in heather clawson's post on habitually chic, ford was inspired by his childhood growing up in arkansas and he translated his notion of a traditional porch into something fresh and modern and...awesome. yesterday's porch swing became the suspended loveseats, while the standard windchimes have evolved into the cones. and when the wind blows, they actually do chime.

i think that's what i took away from brad ford's treatment of the room -- the idea of working within a space to reinvent something that resonates to you already, but in a fresh and modern way. i also think there's something really special about the idea of feeling the echoes of places you loved in the past in your current home. while the same elements might not work in your adult home that worked in a childhood home because styles and times are so different, i think it's great to be able to revisit fond memories by reenergizing that connection in a modern way.

do you have any examples of this reinvention concept in your own home? or do you have a concept you'd like to modernize but aren't sure how?

photos from www.materialgirlsblog.com

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