I am wild crazy over chandeliers. One of the happiest days in my own home design history was when this chandelier was installed in my living room. I love this style of chandelier – it’s one of my favorites.
Another good day was when I bought this chandelier from a friend who was redesigning her house – taking it from English to totally Swedish. This was in her bedroom and this Italian style light fixture didn’t mix with her new Swedish design. Good thing for me! This style is another favorite of mine and has gained greatly in popularity these past few years.
There are few makers of chandeliers who get it right – consistently - and Julie Neill is one of them. Her designs are based on the classics, yet she adds a youthful twist to each fixture. I would have trouble picking one favorite – I love so many of her chandeliers! She designs and crafts all her light fixtures from start to finish in her own New Orleans workshop. Everything is customized to the job. In fact, all the designs in her portfolio started life as a custom commission. Julie is so creative – she began her career as a painter, then moved on to painting things for the home instead of canvases, next she tried interior design which lead her to this very successful career in 2000. Her retail shop is on Magazine Street – one of America’s best streets for antiquing. If you’ve never gone antiquing on Magazine Street – you should include it on your Bucket List.
Besides designing chandeliers, Julie also creates sconces, furniture, and accessories. New Orleans heavily influences her designs – a crown is an oft used element in her romantic and decidedly feminine creations. Julie’s stamina and creativity is boundless. Not only does she run her own successful retail store and workshop, she has employees and two children to watch over, and she maintains a charming 1800s shotgun house. I first met Julie on the blogs – of course – where she writes The Bayou Contessa, a beautiful glimpse into New Orleans design. If you are planning a trip to NOLA, a stop at Julie Neill is a must. If you are in the market for a chandelier, give Julie a call. She works with each client to create the exact fixture they desire.
Julie has just redesigned her web site and it’s gorgeous! Here is a small sampling of her product. Each fixture can be customized to any specification. Her range is from traditional to contemporary. All the finishes are hand applied and painted.
Here is the glamorous Cinderella chandelier in a dining room.
This bedroom’s chandelier is a more contemporary design mixed with traditional elements. Leontine Linens.
Julie designed this lantern with matching sconces for Tobi Fairley’s Richmond Symphony Designer House. I love this room!!!! The red of the chandelier is picked up in the trim of the table.
Seen in this month’s Elle Décor magazine – this fixture is one of the many Italian styled chandeliers that Julie makes. Shown is the entry hall of Jane Scott Hodges’ house in Kentucky. Jane Scott is the founder of the fabulous Leontine Linens Note: the pillows are by BVIZ. Just beautiful!
The Sheldon Chandelier is reflected in this trumeau.
One of her most popular designs is the graceful and romantic Elizabeth chandelier. Named after this client, the chandelier is great for lower ceilings – as it is more horizontal than vertical. This couple commissioned several chandeliers from Julie and an article on their house appeared in the New Orleans Home magazine. Shown here.
For their dining room, Julie created the Denise chandelier. I love the combination of the chairs and the bench around the square table.
The Ingrid fixture is another popular design – more contemporary than Julie’s crystal chandeliers. Room designed by Jeffery McCollough for the Acadiana Symphony Decorator Showhouse.
These charming Beatrice hanging fixtures and Beatrice sconces designed by Julie made the cover of House and Home.
Julie Neill’s shop on Magazine Street is filled with her creations – chandeliers and sconces - along with the pieces of furniture from her line.
Here’s a close up of two chandeliers from the shop, one French and one Italian! The trumeau and the cabinet under it are also in Julie’s line.
Julie’s team hard at work – the chandeliers have to first be constructed, then hand finished, before they are able to be installed on the sales floor. Each fixture goes through a long and laborious process to be ready for sale.
OK. OK. OK.
ON TO THE GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
o, you ask – what is the giveaway?!??!?!? I have been bursting at the seams keeping this a secret for the past month or two. One day Julie emailed me asking if I would like to host a giveaway of her product. What a silly question – of course I would love to!!!! I thought maybe she would be donating a sconce, or a small accessory from her shop. You can imagine how my mouth dropped to the floor when she so generously offered a CHANDELIER for a giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes!!! An original, Julie Neill Chandelier will be given away to one lucky winner!!! Oh My Gosh!!!!! Unreal. Seriously, y’all, I am SO excited about this. It’s the biggest giveaway ever here on Cote de Texas and we’ve had some great giveaways in the past. Read on for the deets (details to those of you over 30.)
The winner will have their choice of either a traditional or contemporary fixture. The ELIZABETH Chandelier is the traditional choice. I was so excited about this choice because this fixture is one of my all time favorites of Julie’s. Can you believe this giveaway? Seriously!!!!!! You can win this!!!!! Retail value is $3,800.00
Or, if you are a more contemporary person, the Ingrid Chandelier will be the second choice for the winner. The mirror and table are also from Julie Neill. Retail value for this chandelier is $3,495.00
Are you an Elizabeth or an Ingrid Person????
OK – HOW TO ENTER AND WIN EITHER THE ELIZABETH OR INGRID CHANDELIER:
Go right now to the Julie Neill Design web site www.julieneill.com and look under the Chandelier, Sconces, or Lanterns sections. Pick out your favorite item that is for sale. Come back here and leave me a comment on what your favorite item is and explain why you like it so much. That’s it!!!!
You have until Saturday night at 11:59 p.m. The contest closes at that time. One person will win either the Elizabeth or Ingrid chandelier – their choice. BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IF YOU POST ANONYMOUSLY!! And please, only one comment per person!!!
Your choice: The Elizabeth
Or the Ingrid!!! Good luck to everyone!!!
And finally - a huge, huge thank you, kiss and hug to Julie Neill for her generous giveaway. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Julie!!!!!
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Becky Vizard and Ann Connelly at Watkins Culver this Thursday and Friday!!
NOTE: Houstonians – I wanted to let you know that BVIZ and Ann Connelly Fine Art are back in town at Watkins Culver this Thursday and Friday. Becky Vizard has the most wonderful pillows – many of which have been featured on the pages of the best design magazines (including the Elle Décor picture previously shown!!) Her good friend, Ann, has a wonderful art gallery in New Orleans. To read all about these two talented ladies from Louisiana, go HERE. For details on when and where, call 713-529-0597.
