Friday, May 4, 2007

Friday Inspiration: Traditional Home - At Home with Meredith Viera

Traditional Home is my favorite magazine & I eagerly look forward to every issue. I have to confess, it's mostly for the pictures. The articles are nice too, but sometimes I only get to the pictures & can thumb through each issue time and time again just to see the pretty pictures. Most of the homes featured in there are very grand & way out of my league, but the style & feel is just so me, what I aspire to in my own home, the mix old old & new especially. When I picked up the Sept. '06 issue & saw Meredith Viera's home remodel, I just loved it. She & her designer really did a great job with it & it shows in every picture. Her home is really what I want my home to feel like...casual and comfortable, but elegant. Meredith says in the article that they had toyed with the idea of a modest renovation for the home north of New York city that Merideth shares with her family, but it immediately morphed into more. Their home is a 1930's Craftsman-style.

I've enjoyed seeing her in her new role on The Today Show. She seems like a really neat lady & her home is a great reflection of her personality.

The new foyer's mahogany table illustrates how the redo is "a step up" from her previous country style.

The foyer's long bench is covered in Beacon hill fabric. The clock, paintings, & accessories are antiques.

Meridith's existing dining table was refinished to work in the revamped house. A patterned wall covering & silver-leaf chandelier elegantly dress the space.

The new master suite overlooks the courtyard. The four-poster bed & chairs are from Hickory Chair. Lamps are from Restoration Hardware.

Given Meredith & Richard's careers, it's no surprise that flat-panel TV's are in nearly every room, including their own. A handmade Persian rug warms the master sitting area.

13-yr. old Lily's bedroom overlooks the woods that give the 2 1/2 acre property its sense of privacy.

A showcase for the beautiful reclaimed white oak flooring used throughout the house, the new kitchen includes Viking appliances & an island with a deep copper sink.
Just off the kitchen, the familyroom has a pair of the family's favorite leather chairs, repaired & good to go. A Philips flat-panel TV takes center stage. The door leads to the outdoor kitchen & dining area. The whole house revamp began with one small wish: Meredith's desire for a breakfast banquette; leather from Ralph Lauren.

Painted cool blue in a custom color created by interior designer Stanley Hurs, the living room features three windows that look out to the front portico.

Nail heads trim the living room's Lillian August sofa covered with Robert Allen fabric, & marble adds texture & rhythm to the fireplace. French doors open onto the new courtyard.
The nail head trim & tufting are repeated in the study. Paint is from Benjamin Moore.
Furnished in antiques, the new outdoor kitchen just outside the family room includes a grill & under counter fridge & a sink on the opposite side. The home's courtyard lies behond the archways. The floor is New York State bluestone.
Two sides of the courtyard are enclosed by the house. Access to the family room is near the patio table & chairs in the background.

The shapely pool adjoins the outdoor kitchen & courtyard.

How's that for a dream home??! It's always fun to see how celebrities live.

Happy Friday & hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

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22 friends stopped by:

Sandy McTier Designs said...

What a beautiful home she has ~ thanks for sharing.
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I have taken many Beth Moore bible studies and have always enjoyed them and I'm really looking forward to take the next one our church offers. This past one was Daniel as well.
Have a blessed weekend.

Southern Heart said...

Rhoda, I'm so glad that you posted this! I remember when that issue came out, and somehow I missed it. I hunted and hunted for it, disappointed to not have seen her home. Now I have! :) Very lovely post!

Andrea

PAT said...

I subscribe to Traditional Home. I have this issue, near my chair, where I page through it often.

I've always liked Meredith Viera. She seems down to earth. Not "affected", at all!

Pat
Back Porch Musings

Cape Cod Washashore said...

Wow! With each picture I viewed, I thought, "I want that... I want that..." And what a lucky little girl that Lilly is with such a lovely bedroom. And that outdoor pool! Thank you for sharing these photos!

Rosemary said...

I love that magazine too. I remember that issue. That is a beautiful home.
Have a great weekend!
Rosemary

Anonymous said...

I like Meredith Viera. She seems like a nice, normal person! Her home is stunning! I think her foyer is as big as my living room LOL! My favorite room shown is the study. It's very comfortable an cozy looking!

Just want to tell you that I'm making that chicken lasagna recp that you posted a while back & bananna bread for dessert. So dinner is courtesy of Rhoda!

Manuela

Deb said...

Fantastic Friday Inspiration Post. I like Meredith Viera very much as well ... her home is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing the photos.

PAT said...

Hi Rhoda...

When I was here earlier, I forgot you had mentioned my photo editing. Besides Picasa2, I use my Kodak software and a program, JanHT at GI recommended. It is PhotoFiltre. It's a free download. I don't have the address, but if you search Google using the name, you will be able to find it.
Hope this helps!
Pat
Back Porch Musings

Anonymous said...

Hi Rhoda,
This is a very comfortable and stylish house. Thank-you for posting the pictures. Your commentary made it enjoyable to tour the home.
xo
Robin

Jennifer said...

Such a beautiful home. It is always nice to see the personal side of "celebritites". Thank yo so much for sharing.
~Jen

Sandy McTier Designs said...

Hi Rhoda,
Congratulations!
Come by and check out the post I just put on my blog!

Tracey said...

Gorgeous home! I love Meredith Viera too and really think she's doing a great job on the Today show. She's so much more "approachable" than Katie Couric was!

Justabeachkat said...

I've always liked Meredith. She's so down to earth. See...I just used her first name as if I know her. Wouldn't it be nice to sit down and have coffee with her...perferably in her lovely home. Great post. Thanks for the tour.

Betty said...

Rhoda, I agree that Meredith's home is beautiful. It's dressy but warm and comfortable looking.

I need to get that issue back out and look at it again......

Jen Kershner said...

I remember that article. What a lovely home. A bit too formal for me but beautiful. My favorites are the teenagers room and the kitchen.

Anonymous said...

I love that kitchen! The entire home is beautiful, but her kitchen just looks like I could really cook a meal in it.
I had seen the magazine but thanks for the post!

Kim @ Home Is Where The Heart Is said...

Wow Rhoda, Meredith has a beautiful home. Thank you for sharing these pictures.

Sadie Olive said...

What a beautiful home. I love the colors and tone of it all.

Niesz Vintage Home said...

Gorgeous home! Thanks for the inspiring photos.
It is elegant, but it looks like a visitor would feel very comfortable there. Not an easy thing to accomplish.

Love the courtyard. That is definitely something I'm including in my dream home!

Kimberly :)

candy said...

stopping by to say I have a new blog :)

Sandy said...

Beautiful home. We have similar colors but not the SIZE! ha.
Thanks for sharing.

Happy Weekend!

Penny said...

Wow, that's a lovely home. I lean more toward cottage style, but love traditional as well. I could be comfortable in her home. Simply beautiful.