By Mi-Ling StonePoole
Entertaining in Asian style is easy for Sandy and Bob because through her travels she has accumulated an array of Asian pieces to fill their home.
“We only want things that we love in our home,” Sandy said.
Martin is a communications professor atOklahoma CityUniversityand she is required to spend several weeks a year teaching inSingaporeas part of her teaching responsibilities. While there she has managed to accumulate lots of items that she loves. Every year she adds them to her extensive collection of Asian influenced decorative pieces. Martin’s collections include: Asian jewelry, paintings, porcelain figures, and kimonos to name a few.
When you enter into the Martin’s home, you are immediately greeted by a beautiful replica of a Chinese Emperor’s coat. It hangs above the entry hall in a grand fashion above a beautiful china cabinet that’s filled with European porcelain pieces.
One of the most dramatic spaces inSandyand bob’s home is their dining room, or as their family members call it the “European Corner”. This room appears to be totally draped in rich green drapery fabric with tassels but a closer look reveals a unique wall paper that appears to be a drapery. She also added a rich green drapery to the window near the dining room table.
A bust they call Elizabeth, sits in the corner on a pedestal. To add a bit of whimsy to the spaceSandyhung an ostrich feather wrap loosely around the neck of the statue. Ornamental cranes add a touch of sleekness to the dining room table and display a set of candles.
A British painting takes center stage above the buffet. Beneath the painting is a blue and white Chinese vase that was transformed into a lamp. The entire room is filled with German, French, and Russian pieces that give it an eclectic European feel.
The great room is one ofSandyand her husband’s favorite spaces. Martin said she enjoys sitting in the room because it gives her the feeling of being out side no matter what the season because of the floor to ceiling windows and the view out to the pool.
On the fireplace in the great room Chinese Foo dogs stand guard. “The male is known as the guardian of the home and the female provides peace and harmony,” She said. Martin found them in a little antique shop inAsiaand brought them home to add to her collection of Asian art.
A strong porcelain piece that was produced by a master sculptor from mainlandChinarests on a Chinese alter table. Martin had heard that the art work was based on an old Chinese fable about a man and a mouse.
Sandy and her husband love to entertain Asian Style in their home and during the holidays they enjoy spending time with their three children: Kevin, Brian and Andrea and their families.
Sandyhas successfully created a unique and interesting comfort Zone in their home that is filled with jewels from their travels and represents over 40 years of memories.
If you would like to create you own unique Asian Comfort Zone, consider the following tips below:
Tips on creating an Asian inspire room:
- Group Chinese porcelain figurines together on a table
- Purchase Chinese rugs to add elegance to the room
- Incorporate large Asian vases or urns into the space.
- Hang a colorful kimono on the wall.
- Turn Asian inspired vases in to lamps.
- Display cranes on the tables.
- Paint the room a rich color of green or red.
Photo Credit: Mi-Ling Stone Poole
Sandy stands in front of a Japanese wedding kimono that hangs in her great room.
