The Wanding Eye

It hit me – Oh crap!  I have a wandering eye!  I didn’t dare tell Emily, but I think she has started to catch on.  I could never tell any of my close friends for the fear of judgment on their part.  So here I am, stuck with my new found relationship.  I, Christopher Brockman, tend to let my eyes rest in places that are not mine.  I find myself imagining to myself how things could be.  I’m beginning to see a change in some of my relationships with other.  As soon as go into a friend’s home, I’m met with a “Hello,” and awkward looks to make sure my eyes start to wander.  

Is it all that bad?  As soon as I enter a room my eyes start to wander, seeing a whole new room and how it could be.  With a simple glance I see the room filled with multiple options for paint, rugs, lighting, chairs, tables, and pillows.  I don’t believe there’s a commandment saying, “Thou shalt not decorate thy neighbor’s house.”  Plus, there’s nothing that would suggest I would break my vow of style.  I’m grateful I’m not the only one who has a bit of a wandering eye.

Since we have now been open for a month in Cary Town, we will be offering a free design consultation, exclusively to the readers of House of Brockman.  Email houseofbrockman@gmail.com  to set up an appointment, and be sure to mention this blog post! We will discuss developing your style along with options for your space.  

Dreams are Not-so Black and White

I have come to find that a good night's sleep has a direct correlation to the birth of some of my more creative ideas.  Within a level of unconsciousness, I drift into dreams - some inspire, and some don’t. Bless Emily for enduring the wild nights of my sleep cycles.  I've been greeted many a mornings, not with a, "Good morning," but, "Do you know what you did last night?"  This is the most recent account:

About 3:00am, Emily woke up to me tapping her on the shoulder.  Frantic and worried something had happened to Elle, she looks over at me.  With her blurry vision, she was met with a very serious face, and with my finger pointed right at her, I said, “Remember, only you can prevent forest fires.”  I then gave her the cheesiest grin I could muster while still sleeping at three o’clock in the morning, rolled over, and continued to sleep.  Emily, angry and not impressed with my Smoky the Bear impersonation, she vowed to recount the tale to me the next morning. 

Even though I didn’t remember anything about Smoky the Bear of forest fires, as much I wish I had, I awoke with the idea of a collection of black and white photography.  I have been a bit of a photographer, dabbling in it here and there, taking a class when time permitted. As a teenager, my sister and her friend would occasionally ask me to take pictures of them. I don’t know about you, but there is nothing more fun than staging an impromptu photo-shoot.

 I have always had a deep love for black and white photography.  Most of the art I have collected has been an assortment of different photographers' black and white photos.  The inspired thought that arose with me that morning was the idea of a photography collection capturing the shadows of Richmond; playing with the light, with the city skyline, and the back alleys. Here are a few from the collection so far:

Glamorous

Old Hollywood, Celebrities, the Upper East Side.  They all seem to have something that ties them together.  Any guesses?  No, it’s not because of the high population of Jews.  It’s the glamour! I have some clients ask me about how to incorporate glamour in to their homes without making it look as trashy as the cast from “Real House Wives of New Jersey.”  Here are a few of my Easy Glam Tips you can add into your home that will give it a bit of tasteful glamour:

Silver 

It’s such a great color that gives a bit of a polished feel.  Silver accessories will do just the trick.  If you don’t have a whole lot of extra cash to throw around, a good coat of Valspar Silver Metallic Spray Paint will give a great makeover to just about anything.  Try spray painting the inside of a glass vase for a clean glossy look.

 



















Mirrors

Lots and lots of mirrors!  Check out our post Mirror, Mirror for more details.

 


Drama Colors 

You can add a lot of glamour by just the color you choose to put in your room.  High contrast such as black and white will always bring some drama.  If you’re up for being adventurous, try adding deep blues, purples and reds into your accents.

Crystal

Is there anything more glamorous than a crystal chandelier? My go-to stop is greatchandeliers.com  You can pick up a crystal chandelier for less than $100!