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Country Cottage Idea House
Julie Dodson reports that she’s in the midst of securing donors for the Country Cottage Idea House, part of her Designer Dream Spree project at The Compound during the upcoming Spring show which that will benefit the Gardenia E. Janssen Animal Shelter of La Grange. The first to come on board is preeminent international supplier of decorative tile, Walker Zanger. From the WZ showroom in Houston, Julie will soon select the tile and finishes for the newly renovated cottage. “The palette will be neutral, but interesting,” she says. Of course, it will. Julie can do no less! She’s also got her eye on a few items for the tiny kitchen including a vintage-style refrigerator, and a wine chiller. Hm. Coffee and a light breakfast in the morning on the darling front porch; “wine- thirty” in the evening. Both perfect takes on how to approach the design of what is to become a representative guest house that someone might envision on their farm or ranch.
During the recent WinterFest art show at The Compound, she was seen selecting some abstract landscapes from Adele Sypesteyn Art & Design and perusing artful lighting fixtures and diminutive, one-of-a-kind side tables from ReWorks of Austin. Will they make the cut?
This week the Dodson Interiors crew arrives on site to take measurements and stock of what is actually needed to finish out the structure, then fill the little house with a host of bright ideas. Julie has expressed her wish to combine styles – from mid-century modern to antique – to demonstrate how diverse furniture design and periods can meld seamlessly and beautifully into a living environment, making it a cocoon of comfort and good taste. Her plan includes identifying some basic pieces of furniture, then “shopping the show” at The Compound when dealers are loading in, to finish her interior design. The journey to completion will be a whirlwind, with the weeks to opening day (March 24) now in the single digits. Will it get done? “I love working under pressure,” says Julie “the adrenaline pumps and my team gets in synch, clicking away on all cylinders. I just love the process.”