Downton Abbey: Nothing Succeeds Like Excess

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/homeimages/umbrella_bg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/homeimages/umbrella_bg.jpg" width="570" /></a></div><br />Yes, it's finally back! After a nearly year long wait, we in the States will FINALLY get to see the next installment of <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/" target="_blank">DOWNTON ABBEY on PBS</a>. It's already aired in the UK and some of us (cough cough) may have already seen the series in its entirety. It's exciting and better than Season 2, which went a little off kilter, imho. But, as Shirley MacLaine's Mrs. Levinson says "Downton still stands" and so it does. The costumes, the upstairs and downstairs dramas and of course, the house. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOXUTPaNHaOYUhgJVcPp5Ci_xasUYXUKtQ1LyVhIzE_Qbs1D0AGeggDLhQQZ_F-e75XrCqaQJGpKeXfoeZqBgLXWGUdOn-INcTVks5C5sTQZziOhH-x6poQYtGT1rOq2PIEV8VE8pPTzh/s1600/IMG_2111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOXUTPaNHaOYUhgJVcPp5Ci_xasUYXUKtQ1LyVhIzE_Qbs1D0AGeggDLhQQZ_F-e75XrCqaQJGpKeXfoeZqBgLXWGUdOn-INcTVks5C5sTQZziOhH-x6poQYtGT1rOq2PIEV8VE8pPTzh/s640/IMG_2111.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZnTwNGjVTvO7hIQeYiGg0EHdLkpaxltSJGdNkdcFcAoPp-LGffK68LrrdcTwq4da8nK1HWn3N7aCmq16ZjhrbChD8JiLLqkr7Sk9GGr6VAs5GY08937-wxGwoa38SsC-Vn5C_iI8Ec_G/s1600/IMG_2110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZnTwNGjVTvO7hIQeYiGg0EHdLkpaxltSJGdNkdcFcAoPp-LGffK68LrrdcTwq4da8nK1HWn3N7aCmq16ZjhrbChD8JiLLqkr7Sk9GGr6VAs5GY08937-wxGwoa38SsC-Vn5C_iI8Ec_G/s640/IMG_2110.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />We've seen it before, but the drawing room really is a stunner. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYLm6ExCCYJaoQRCU6cRHnL3Bw4wsacs4vpJcMxxqkPcw9tq0sD4nUk4bdm6kZkU83giVFSFIG-5dA9gxtPcdUVmRnxgtUnxKEZggSm-f6xqIx-VvfKDhkrgtoF6UAsOMFxBLlfvEKoUS/s1600/IMG_2109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYLm6ExCCYJaoQRCU6cRHnL3Bw4wsacs4vpJcMxxqkPcw9tq0sD4nUk4bdm6kZkU83giVFSFIG-5dA9gxtPcdUVmRnxgtUnxKEZggSm-f6xqIx-VvfKDhkrgtoF6UAsOMFxBLlfvEKoUS/s640/IMG_2109.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Downton, err Highclere Castle, in winter. <br /><br />The real Downton, Highclere Castle, has 200-some rooms. Some have never been featured in the show even though they are really spectacular and there are many small details that we can't see in the camera angles. Here are a few of my favorites:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtT1eYF6Do8_O5ZGxvZUKt9KCoedh1VJx2RHRtmDskce8-QOz4Cd6M2d7_qx19l6Z76p1RAv5e0r1ziDT6mKbnhzOxwyj0GZL0-8HoD9_EbJ-RPzL2bYXA7KIvgSakV9sruke1MCKHfPVb/s1600/IMG_2106.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtT1eYF6Do8_O5ZGxvZUKt9KCoedh1VJx2RHRtmDskce8-QOz4Cd6M2d7_qx19l6Z76p1RAv5e0r1ziDT6mKbnhzOxwyj0GZL0-8HoD9_EbJ-RPzL2bYXA7KIvgSakV9sruke1MCKHfPVb/s640/IMG_2106.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86wZa3Hnlvj61Io-9nYmJcsvMAaU8OEi6PfBfZ23x5WYndGHBz9ZGrxqR66Jh-ozU0IpzArdEJl5y8vfnpbL4QeGqTSaflxLry1XJun8fK-YXI8UNw5Pi8iyHZgdSa1xbEQV1usAboNt2/s1600/IMG_2107.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86wZa3Hnlvj61Io-9nYmJcsvMAaU8OEi6PfBfZ23x5WYndGHBz9ZGrxqR66Jh-ozU0IpzArdEJl5y8vfnpbL4QeGqTSaflxLry1XJun8fK-YXI8UNw5Pi8iyHZgdSa1xbEQV1usAboNt2/s640/IMG_2107.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCadCnIaC-Ir8mqckw4gWXPznfv80YMy2VW3bXoZ4VWOs88aRv3TF6FgzOSoXg2q0VeQ7fY4i3Gvlx1FfzkBp0wcz4Sx_Exnp-taqCiZTUpPqxlbCb4kiLkwrpsmH56jzBP49jFAIg10F2/s1600/IMG_2108.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCadCnIaC-Ir8mqckw4gWXPznfv80YMy2VW3bXoZ4VWOs88aRv3TF6FgzOSoXg2q0VeQ7fY4i3Gvlx1FfzkBp0wcz4Sx_Exnp-taqCiZTUpPqxlbCb4kiLkwrpsmH56jzBP49jFAIg10F2/s640/IMG_2108.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTK8lIgdd5-DFu71XCqJvJD0HO9hOGwohTc40qEC-903JqemUrzhL_pXz7sccLT9lEg5bsSM4bSZAfpeYErgxINUCFmJ23kB2q53R918ssW5NnvHu9CQrdWRb6Vy8ElMRacdMwgM9w8Oh/s1600/IMG_2105.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTK8lIgdd5-DFu71XCqJvJD0HO9hOGwohTc40qEC-903JqemUrzhL_pXz7sccLT9lEg5bsSM4bSZAfpeYErgxINUCFmJ23kB2q53R918ssW5NnvHu9CQrdWRb6Vy8ElMRacdMwgM9w8Oh/s640/IMG_2105.PNG" width="532" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGhpduQmd2wjnEsBUOoWlFwVoileRsPR9srOv9Riga3Z90hPCXDJ7YK4ZkjSn_9dXUmVNrq1gYff_DsgrPIL5wogUry5iCSlWApQLUgZBzBnZ1cUjnAHObXKtf6aEHQrwuz-OUz6FgRIp/s1600/IMG_2104.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGhpduQmd2wjnEsBUOoWlFwVoileRsPR9srOv9Riga3Z90hPCXDJ7YK4ZkjSn_9dXUmVNrq1gYff_DsgrPIL5wogUry5iCSlWApQLUgZBzBnZ1cUjnAHObXKtf6aEHQrwuz-OUz6FgRIp/s640/IMG_2104.PNG" width="542" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Above images courtesy of <a href="http://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/" target="_blank">Highclere Castle</a></span>. <br /><br />While I have, in fact, seen the entire Season 3, including the Christmas Special, I will not post any spoilers and hope no one else does either. And if you don't wish the story to be spoiled, don't do too much Google image searching - that gives away a lot of detail as well. I will say that in this day of the internet and social media - it is well neigh impossible for these broadcasts to be aired months apart (it airs in the Fall in the UK) without it all getting out there before the US airing. I think WGBH/PBS/Masterpiece just needs to negotiate simultaneous broadcast rights like BBC America did with Dr. Who.  Makes sense to me. <br /><br />Will you be watching? I'll probably be hanging out on Twitter tonight at <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23DowntonAbbey&src=savs" target="_blank">#DowntonAbbey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23DowntonPBS&src=savs" target="_blank">#DowtonPBS</a><br /><br />I've extensively blogged on the set design in past seasons, which you can see <a href="http://chameleon-interiors.blogspot.com/search/label/Downton%20Abbey" target="_blank">here</a>. And check back here each week as I'll try to include links to several blogging buddies who cover the show - including the costumes, manners and social customs of the times, etc. <br /><br />xxooL <br /><br />If you would like my help on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please <a href="mailto:linda.m.merrill@gmail.com">email me</a>. Thanks!<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0; vertical-align: middle;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe to ::Surroundings::</a>

Downton Abbey: Nothing Succeeds Like Excess

Yes, it's finally back! After a nearly year long wait, we in the States will FINALLY get to see the next installment of DOWNTON ABBEY on...

Read more »

The Skirted Roundtable with Nathan Turner

This week on The Skirted Roundtable, we chat with LA based interior designer Nathan Turner. Okay, we actually chatted with him last month, but I had the slows and didn't get around to editing the podcast till this week - bad blogger, bad!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2012-10-25-NT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2012-10-25-NT.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />Anyway, Nathan is truly one of the most refreshing and delightful people I've spoken with. I interviewed him on ::Surroundings:: last year via podcast (<a href="http://chameleon-interiors.blogspot.com/2011/07/million-dollar-decorators-chatting-with.html" target="_blank">listen here</a>) when he was a regular cast member on Season 1 of Bravo TV's Million Dollar Decorators. I was disappointed that he was not going to be a regular on Season 2 of the show because he added such a refreshing calm to the proceedings - kind of like a nice palette cleansing sorbet. He still shows up to hang out with his bestie Mary McDonald, so we do get a little of him. On this week's<a href="http://skirtedroundtable.blogspot.com/2013/01/chatting-with-nathan-turner.html" target="_blank"> Skirted Roundtable podcast</a> we asked Nathan why he didn't return to the show and I loved his honest assessment about his own personality and the value of being on such a show. It's fascinating, so please, <a href="http://skirtedroundtable.blogspot.com/2013/01/chatting-with-nathan-turner.html" target="_blank">click on over</a> and have a listen!<br /><br /><br />If you would like my help on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please <a href="mailto:linda.m.merrill@gmail.com">email me</a>. Thanks!<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0; vertical-align: middle;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe to ::Surroundings::</a>

The Skirted Roundtable with Nathan Turner

This week on The Skirted Roundtable, we chat with LA based interior designer Nathan Turner. Okay, we actually chatted with him last month, b...

Read more »

Happy New Year!

Hello and Happy New Year! I have to admit that I am feeling a little trepidation about 2013. The last few years have been pretty chaotic for me and I'm not sure the number 13 makes me feel all that secure about the next 365 days; well, 362 at this point!<br /><br />So, I'm just going to focus on the good things happening right this moment as we begin the new year. I'd <a href="http://chameleon-interiors.blogspot.com/2012/10/my-award-winning-design.html" target="_blank">previously announced</a> that I won the IFDA New England 2012 Designer Showcase for best Living Space (yay me!) and am excited that media sponsor Design New England magazine has included a lovely spread about the awards in their current issue!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafw7_oMeqC6btFdA_HFM_t-pht1tZcPlfpom-5FD6vBpY0YAHQPMkQ0175K3RYBzueNrB91iWH4JW0JQ0a9VsRNJ0vA18IN886Mb53N5up_R9tJttQ7BGvZk78oj8tPW_UOyPEbqdR4Ey/s1600/DNE+IFDA+Showcase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafw7_oMeqC6btFdA_HFM_t-pht1tZcPlfpom-5FD6vBpY0YAHQPMkQ0175K3RYBzueNrB91iWH4JW0JQ0a9VsRNJ0vA18IN886Mb53N5up_R9tJttQ7BGvZk78oj8tPW_UOyPEbqdR4Ey/s1600/DNE+IFDA+Showcase.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />It's a great issue, which you can read <a href="http://digital.designnewengland.com/designnewengland/20130102/?lm=1357104688000&pg=112#pg2" target="_blank">here</a>. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KzbZz7vGq5XMpFr5YAVswv14oBRSOKtHCQXQoUrhCKk5Oo1sNEirYEDQnSWH7hQaZxCvLEJKVpYqKaEYe-ysxHJkjfDHPLMt8H_7uRTD95Mici2czTUTHjwsVkEpKSh8JpCBGBBTN9Ga/s1600/DNE+Jan+Fen+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KzbZz7vGq5XMpFr5YAVswv14oBRSOKtHCQXQoUrhCKk5Oo1sNEirYEDQnSWH7hQaZxCvLEJKVpYqKaEYe-ysxHJkjfDHPLMt8H_7uRTD95Mici2czTUTHjwsVkEpKSh8JpCBGBBTN9Ga/s1600/DNE+Jan+Fen+2013.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />I also wanted to share that I was asked to contribute one of my<a href="http://www.wsidesignermarketplace.com/content/designer/Design_Blog/2012/12/top_design_resolutio.html" target="_blank"> New Year's Resolutions</a> on the Williams-Sonoma Designer Marketplace blog. Thanks to Robin Callan for including me in such as esteemed group of professionals and for making me make my plans public - makes it harder to backslide. Read more <a href="http://www.wsidesignermarketplace.com/content/designer/Design_Blog/2012/12/top_design_resolutio.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wsidesignermarketplace.com/content/dam/designer/global/DM_logo_Main-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="37" src="http://www.wsidesignermarketplace.com/content/dam/designer/global/DM_logo_Main-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wsidesignermarketplace.com/content/designer/Design_Blog/2012/12/top_design_resolutio/_jcr_content/par/image.img.jpg/1355345493339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://www.wsidesignermarketplace.com/content/designer/Design_Blog/2012/12/top_design_resolutio/_jcr_content/par/image.img.jpg/1355345493339.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />I'm also focusing on two great projects I'm currently working on - an addition to an antique New Hampshire farmhouse and a fabulous modern oceanfront home on the outer Cape [Cod]. I've been covering a lot of miles - but the two projects have both really stretched my style - which I love. More to come soon on those!<br /><br />How are you feeling about 2013??<br /><br /><br /><br />If you would like my help on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please <a href="mailto:linda.m.merrill@gmail.com">email me</a>. Thanks!<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0; vertical-align: middle;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe to ::Surroundings::</a>

Happy New Year!

Hello and Happy New Year! I have to admit that I am feeling a little trepidation about 2013. The last few years have been pretty chaotic for...

Read more »