Friday Crush

Wrapping up this week of wallpaper crushing with one of the most brilliant uses of Thibaut's Fishbowl I've ever seen, from Anna Spiro of Absolutely Beautiful Things.

Hope you had a fab week! See you Monday!

 

Wallpaper Crush: Sheffield

I have been drooling over this paper for a LONG time - Sheffield by Thibaut in orange. And it's so good, I found it worthy of showcasing all colorways:

As an ode to my Alma Mater, I would paper a library or a study with this gem. Or perhaps a foyer that has some oversized ginger jars on a console table. So many possibilities...

Wallpaper Crush: Chinoise Exotique

Chinoise Exotique by Scalamandre in Mustard. If I had an expansive kitchen with dark cabinetry, this is the wallpaper that would grace its walls. Along with a settee upholstered in this fabric.

 

Wallpaper Crush: Blair House Palm

Welcome to another crush week. This time I'm posting some of my favorite wallpapers. I've been dreaming of wallpapering so many space in my house...a crush week is the next best thing.

First up, the classic Blair House Palm from Schumacher in Tropical. This leafy palm would be perfection for a little girl's room or a really fun dining room with pink silk chairs. I'd pair it with a stripe fabric in whichever of the paper's hues that strike your fancy. Upscale preppy at its finest.

 

Friday Crush

Photo by Roger Davies via elledecor.com

Crushing on this bedroom courtesy of Alex Papachristidis - what a fun hodge podge of accessories, colors and shapes. Though the wee chair is...interesting. I think my favorites are the decorative pillows on the bed - they make the room harmonize. Also of note is the way the bed is made - I firmly believe in white linens and I love the tucked-in coverlet with the simply laid head pillows and folded blanket. No need for a bed to be fussy to look fantastic.

Have a glorious (HOT) weekend. See you Monday!

 

Peach

Photo by Laurey W. Glenn via Southern Living, Design by Annie Werden*

Peach is one of those colors, along with maroon and hunter green, that has not seen its heyday since 1983. Or is that too harsh an assessment? I know I tend to stay away from it. But then I saw this image, with all its freshness and whatnot, and started to see the merits of this apricot hue.

I absolutely LOVE that piece of art against the white wall and fireplace. Peach + white + taupe is quite the chic combination. And with brass accessories (and a shout-out to those urns in the windows), well, it's good. Really good.

I shouldn't be surprised that I'm coming around to the virtue of peach - it is, after all, what you get when you mix Orange and Pink.

*UPDATE: Reader Kristin let me know that the pic is from Baltimore designer Annie Werden's home, as seen in the March 2011 Southern Living (how on earth did I miss it when I looked at the issue??) And the painting is "The Cotton Candy Machine" by her aunt Martha Dodd. Thanks Kristin!

Watery Blues

Two years (and change) into owning our home, we are now contemplating the renovation of our basement. Our basement is a little gold mine of space - three rooms, a laundry area, and a full bath. And it's half finished, so we have a good starting point.

Our house desperately needs a "comfy" den - somewhere to relax on a big couch and watch TV. We currently house our TV in our living room, but it's not the most comfortable place to stretch out and relax. So the plan is to turn the largest of the three rooms in the basement into this space.

I'd love for it to look something like this:

Design by Anne Hepfer, Photo by Virginia Macdonald, via houseandhome.com

Remember I said it is a basement den, so forget the natural light. That won't be happening. But I love the lighter, watery tones of the room, as well as the deep brown wood. Aqua blues, sandy taupes, brass accents.

Carter is terrified that I'm going to put foo dogs in every corner of the basement den, which he has claimed as his territory. Though I am not allowing use of the term "man cave," I do agree that it will be a space for him to work (we'll likely move his desk there) and relax. So, the design of the space needs to suit big C, which isn't a huge challenge because the man has good taste.

The brainstorming has officially begun...I'm hoping we tackle the space this fall. I'm really looking forward to this (future) project - should be a fun room to put together!

 

Dressing Room Design

I came across this wallpaper and thought it would be absolutely lovely in a dressing room:

Leopard Blossom Wallpaper

Let's pair it with a set of these lamps on either side of the dressing table:

Zinnia Lamp

And we'll sit in this big chair while doing our makeup and hair:

Thurston Wing Chair

And we will obvi need a mirror to check out our good work:

Bamboo Mirror

Then we'll slip into these before heading out the door:

Shoes

Nice work, team.

 

Paule Marrot

The latest issue of Lonny did a wee spread on Natural Curiosities and the print "Feathers" by Paule Marrot demanded my attention. And once I viewed the rest of the collection from this new-to-me French textile designer, I was completely hooked. What GORGEOUS works of art.

From Natural Curiosities:

"Natural Curiosities recently acquired the beautiful textile archives of French engraver, painter, and textile artist Paule Marrot (1902-1987). Early in her career, Marrot shifted her emphasis from painting to textiles to create expressive patterns from the 1920s through the 1950s. Marrot’s bold use of flowers, color and patterns reflect a compositionally modernist style classically associated with the Art Deco movement. Marrot’s artistic influences include the expressive writings of Marcel Proust, as evident in her work Du coté de chez Swann, based on Proust’s book In Search of Lost Time."

The offerings from NC appear to be prints of her textile work and while not inexpensive (Lonny quotes "Feathers" at around $2,500), they are certainly things of beauty.

Have you come across these prints before or seen Marrot's work elsewhere? I'd be interested to hear...

 

Friday Crush

Head over to My Little Happy Place to read about a Friday Crush from my own house.

Have a lovely weekend and see you Monday!

 

Impulse Buy

I couldn't resist.

Guest bedroom #2 (which doubles as my office, sometimes) needed this pillow. The room is suffering from a bit of an identity crisis, so I'm just stuffing it with all sorts of things that I like. And this pillow was too awesome to pass up.

I got it on Etsy from seller leahduncan - seems she has another one up for grabs too!

 

Ken Malson Art

The Domicile Interior Design tag sale happening on One Kings Lane right now is fantastic...chock full of Chinoiserie. Many of the items are right up my alley but my favorite pieces are these incredible paintings by Ken Malson:

LOVE. The first one would look slammin' in my house. And I adore the hues and Georgia O'Keeffe vibe of the third and fourth ones (from a series called "Last Seen Out West"). The colors of these canvases would provide amazing palettes for a space.

Some of the paintings have sold, but there are still a good number available, and even more that I haven't pictured. You have to be an OKL member to access the sale, but let's be honest, you probably are.

Rustic Color from Jeffers Design Group

I am starting to have a serious obsession with the work of San Francisco-based Jeffers Design Group. Ever since this bathroom caught my eye, I've been interested in the spaces created by this group of talented designers.

My recent review of their portfolio just has me spellbound. In particular, this project:

All images via jeffersdesigngroup.com

I am not one for rustic spaces. And let's be honest, this home isn't exactly "rustic" - but the woodwork throughout (ceiling beams, doors) and earthy walls and flooring do give it that vibe. So I LOVE the mix of modern art and vibrant furniture with an otherwise "natural" space. Can't say I've seen this done too often.

If I lived on a California ranch, this is what my ideal home would look like. What talent, this JDG. There is nothing better than being completely inspired.

Sally Steponkus' Instant Room for House Beautiful: A Shopping Companion

Y'all know Sally Steponkus is my girl. Love her AND her work.  Did you catch her Instant Room in June's House Beautiful? A classic living room in soothing tones of blue and brown...a timeless space with beautiful details (hello coffee table).

So, Sally and I were dining the other night and discussing her beautifully curated room and I convinced her to share her resources with all of us. The House Beautiful article gave us a peek at all of the gorgeous fabrics Sally chose...and now she's giving us the scoop on the rest of the pieces!

Without further ado, from Sally:

"I really wanted to show a fresh room with lots of white trim (like the paneling below the grasscloth on the walls) that was technically a 'formal' room, a Living Room, without a TV but that wasn't fussy or unlivable. I'm basically mourning the loss of the American Living Room. I'm not saying we don't need the big Family Rooms, we do, but we also need 'parlors' and spaces to entertain without giant televisions everywhere."

Coffee Table
Edgartown Coffee Table in Turkish Coffee finish with natural raffia top from Oomph

Side Tables
Miranda Lamp Tables in Espresso by Michael Weiss for Vanguard through And Beige

Tabourets

These were antiques I found on 1st Dibs, but the above link shows something similar. Or a pair of these (new) from Lee would also work.

Lamps
Christopher Spitzmiller Medium Hann Lamps in Shell Pink

Mirror
"String of Pearls" Mirror from my friend, Keith Fritz
 

Lantern
Century Furniture Grand Tour Chandelier (this one is 18"x18" so I fudged the size for the purposes of the drawing!)
 

Rug
Apadana, Inc. - I literally got an email solicitation from this line and just used this, can you believe that?  I've never seen this in person, but I loved it!  Oushak rugs are my favorite.

The upholstery is custom through Sally Steponkus Interiors, but the style is typical English-arm skirted sofa with loose backs, and turned-leg English club chairs with tight backs.  You can find these of varying quality anywhere.

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There you have it. The full low-down on Sally's Instant Room. My favorites are the coffee table, lamps and mirror - what gorgeous pieces!!

Thanks, Sally!

Sally's headshot photo by Angie Seckinger

 

Friday Crush

Photo by Peter Vitale via Veranda

Thought I would kick off your weekend with an eyeful. How bananas is this space? I'll be honest - I actually don't like the animal print, skirted, tufted, pink situation in the center of the room. But if you were to remove it, I think the room is wonderful. I especially adore the pair of lamps and the oversized artwork. I've never seen an exaggerated-scale piece of colorful modern art that I did not like. And this one is huge. Design by William Eubanks and Mitchell Brown for Veranda's show house at Greystone Estate.

Have the loveliest of weekends. See you Monday!

 

Dream Pillow

I saw this pillow the other day and never in all of my pillow-finding years have I come across a (retail) pillow that has been so divinely perfect.

Perhaps it is because I can NOT get enough of this vivid combination of orchid and orange. I find myself recreating the color combination in so many places. So, maybe it's just that I'm loving these colors so much lately - but the print is timeless and could really set the tone for a whole room.

They are from the Boho Collection by Villa and available here. Each pillow is $78, which in my pillow-making world is absurd, but I think I REALLY need a pair. Maybe I should splurge.

 

Drum End Table

I love a good garden stool(s) used as an end table(s).

Design by Phoebe Howard via phoebehoward.net

Let's say you don't. Let's say you love the shape and scale of these tables, but not necessarily the Chinoiserie appeal (I'm shocked!). Or let's say your looking for a twist on the classic. 

Then consider a drum table. Specifically this option I just found:

I love that it has the feel of a garden stool, but in a slightly more modern shape. I think these guys also provide a bit of storage - great for coasters, napkins and other entertaining bits that you might want to have on hand in the den, but not always out.

Buy them here...

 

Pink Walls

Photography by Rene Stoeltie published in Veranda

Pink walls can look amazing, as seen in this room by Roberto Bergero, published in April's issue of Veranda. The bold color against the intricate white molding is striking. Though I don't think I could go this bold in my own home, I am always drawn to strong hues of pink. To me, this particular shade of hot pink is executed so well because it is balanced with very traditional elements, which keep the look modern. Beautiful!

Hope you had a lovely 4th of July.

 

Friday Crush

Photo by Ray Kachatorian via High Gloss Magazine

I love the pagoda lampshade and the yellow couch - especially the stripe peeking out from the sofa's skirt. A lovely space with lovely colors from Kristen Buckingham's LA showroom. And that couch looks like it's velvet - bonus. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the 4th of July! I'm going to take a little breather Monday, so see you Tuesday!