50 Shades of Grey.

Irish Style!!

In my last blog, I showed the amazing kitchen transformation Marie achieved in her new home – a dated 60’s house which she has totally refurbished.

Well, it didn’t stop there…

.. as the room, she was most looking forward to transforming, was the sitting room.

This room was basically a “featureless box”…

.. so Marie concentrated on adding depth and detail by creating a chimney breast and adding things like T&G paneling, deep cornices, and skirtings along with a stove.

From a photography perspective, rooms without contours or features are usually less interesting – which is why we mostly tend to shoot Period or Architectural homes.

But with this one, by the time Marie had dressed it out…

.. using mostly existing furnishings – but painting some pieces too and adding a few new cushions & throws…

.. it looked a million dollars.

On a side note: We both enjoy shooting homes with color – but for her own home, Marie usually opts for a calm neutral pallet and then injects interest with layers of accessories and subtly different tones.

So in this case undoubtedly…

.. she was inspired by 50 Shades of Grey

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Cheap & Cheerful.

I think not – is probably what Marie was thinking here…

.. as she stands looking at this…

.. which is part of a major project she has been working on – this being the kitchen area in a house that she & her husband, Alan, bought last year.

Over the 10 years, I’ve worked with Marie, in between photo shoots, she has designed and project managed several jobs like this – mainly for others but also a quite a few for herself too. So this is nothing new to Marie – and I have of course shot most of them at various stages.

With this one, Marie is turning what used to be a very dated 60’s house, into a stylish, yet understated, comfortable home – which she & Alan are planning on living in now… for a wee while at least – before she gets itchy feet again.

I know her too well, but time will tell 🙂

Anyway, a few days before Christmas, Marie invited me round to shoot the final result (for a possible future magazine feature) – and all I can say is: Wow !!

I love it…

.. love it…

.. love it 🙂

Ashley
www.ashleymorrison.com

Closing Down…

.. and 25 plus years on, I see my images are still on display…

.. in this recent BBC programme called Closing Down.

“John and Heather are a soon-to-be-retired couple whose world for the last 28 years has been a shoe business. Now they are pulling down the shutters on their business.”

As Candy talks about the photo shoots – this being the first one…

.. which I believe was shot back in 1986, a year or so after I started – for their full-page ad in the Ulster Tatler magazine or it may have even been used on the cover.

Anyway, when Heather said “They were my ideas really”

.. I had to smile – as I remember I would have spent most of the day setting up these sets before they arrived in the late evening. But nevertheless, it was amazing to see these images again after all these years – and to see Candy, John & Heather again – all looking so well.

Closing Down
Broadcast on BBC Two, 6:30PM Sat, 8 Dec 2012.
Available on iPlayer until 6:44PM Sat, 15 Dec 2012.
Duration: 15 minutes.

Winter wonder.

Is the title of our latest published work in the January 2013 issue of Country Homes & Interiors magazine…

.. on pages 36 to 41 – featuring Marie’s townhouse in the Cherryvalley area of Belfast at Christmas time.

“At this time of year Marie Scott goes to town decorating her elegant home from top to bottom.”

Shot back in November 2010 – the first of our christmas home shoots that year, so a bit of a wait to see this one in print…

.. however, it was worth waiting for, as this is a very stylish publication for lovers of “modern country” decor – so always a nice one for homeowners to appear in.

Big thanks to everyone involved and a very Merry Christmas to everyone, from Marie & me @ ampiamge.com

An American Tale.

Is the title of our latest published work in the January 2013 issue of Ireland’s Homes Interiors & Living magazine…

.. on pages 94 to 104, plus on the cover too – featuring Ryan and Danielle Cleland Bogle’s converted stable block near Killyleagh in County Down.

“A city girl at heart, Danielle wasn’t sure whether escaping to the country would be all it was cracked up to be. But over four years since she moved into her rural retreat near Killyleagh, Co Down, with her husband Ryan, she’s pretty much a convert now to the charms of more pastoral pleasures.”

An American tale indeed – which we talked about shooting here: They say the camera never lies – so a huge thanks to everyone involved for their hard work on this one – and congratulations to Ryan and Danielle here…

.. especially for making it onto the cover too.

From Marie & me @ ampimage.com