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!