Inspiration Interpretation

For our next installation in the "Inspiration Interpretation" series, we look to the Gilded Age, or Belle Epoque, for direction. My lovely friend Trisha sent in the photo above as her inspiration item: the haunting yet glamorous fashion print by Paul Poiret from 1912.

Although my work on her room is not yet complete, I thought I would include you all in some of the process (in my classically rambling train-of-thought style, of course).

Living room photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Because I know Trish, I have a little more info than I would starting out on just anyone's project. She is a hip gal who exudes a combination of Midwestern warmth with a good dose of European (particularly French) flair. Her living room walls are currently painted in a muted green color, not unlike Farrow & Ball's "Vert de Terre" below.

I see her style as a blend of fin de siecle bohemian and Art Nouveau flair mixed with "granny chic" coziness... with a dash of Gilded Age glamor thrown in. When I look at the Poiret print above, the word that first comes to mind is drama. Now, I don't think the whole room should be painted black with gilded sconces and a merlot-hued Chesterfield, but I do think the room should capture a touch of that ambiance.


Living room by April Sheldon


In order to find the balance between cozy and moody in this space, I think there needs to be some cool, unexpected color to temper the reserved, yet mellow, green on the walls: in this case, smoky gray-blue and deep indigo. If you look at the Poiret print, you will see these colors featured in much of the background (as well as her wall color in the dress cloaking the lady on the right).

So, with these musings as my jumping-off point, I shall continue my quest to create a warm, Parisian-style room for my fabulous friend....

Have a great weekend, everyone!

The Beauty of Simplicity



Vignette by José Solís Betancourt


Enough said.....

Going Goth

Dining room by Joe Nye

I love a little touch of the unexpected, a beautiful room with a few pieces thrown in that are a bit... off. I think it gives a home character, displays the personality of the home-owner, and relaxes the interior by showing that beauty doesn't have to mean predictable!

So, with that said, I am a fan of items that are striking in some way, such as the intriguing Gothic-style pieces in these photos. For instance, Joe Nye uses that dark, Goth armchair to anchor the bright and glittering dining room above.


Dining room by Eleanor Cummings courtesy of House Beautiful

Miss Cummings amplifies the warmth of this room with heavy wood chairs and dining table (and that gorgeous terracota wall color).

Bedroom by the late Gaser Tabakoglu

Another option for your Goth pieces: paint them a bold and unexpected color! I like how the color of this bed blends with the striped walls, while the silhouette remains prominent.

Powder room by Joe Minton

Joe Minton mixes it up by combining the Gothic vanity with Italian linen walls, a French mirror, and a framed Chinese needlepoint.

Dining room by Martyn Lawrence-Bullard

Here, Martyn Lawrence-Bullard gets playful by contrasting a visually heavy dining set against funky Majorelle curtains from his own fabric line.

Dining room in home of Keith Johnson and Glen Senk of Anthropologie/Urban Outfitters

And, last but not least, we can always rely on the keen eye and inventiveness of Anthropologie's Keith Johnson to create rich and engaging rooms, like the dining room above where a Gothic cabinet mingles with an Irish dog statue, French lantern, Chinese building blocks, and dreamy Cole & Son "Lily" wallpaper.

In today's world of cerused oak and white-washed, dainty settees, I love that some of these designers have stayed true to the warm and staid appeal of this mysterious and wonderfully ornamental style.

Soothing Neutrals

Living room by Garrow Kedigian

After the busy weekend (and yesterday's extensive post of it), I wanted to focus on some easygoing rooms that make you just want to say, "Ahhhhhh".

Design by Erinn Valencich of Omniarte

Using a palette of creamy ivories, washed-out blues, greys, and greens, as well as a bevy of natural textures from linen to seagrass, these rooms please the eye with their serene composition.


Bedroom by Elizabeth Martin


I love that this bedroom uses five different patterned fabrics, but doesn't feel in the least bit busy or garish.

Seating area in Kips Bay Showhouse by Charlotte Moss

Bedroom by Joe Minton for the Southern Accents Riverhills Showhouse

Bedroom by Ginger Barber

Is it just me, or is gingham popping up everywhere? This pretty pattern is one that is definitely growing on me.

Living area by Chad Eisner



Living room design by Phoebe Howard


What a lovely room for our last post. I love the florals, the bobbin chair, and the peachy beige on the walls of this room.

Here's to a happy (and, hopefully, stress-free) day!

Elementary, my dear blogophiles

This past weekend I was lucky enough to attend the 2011 Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville. My aunt and several of my friends live in that lively city, and it was so nice to be able to combine a visit with such a grand event!

Making the show even more exciting was the fact that one of their guest speakers was the lovely and talented Charlotte Moss. Some bad weather threatened us, but my Mom and I braved the icy roads north and, along with my vivacious Aunt Kathi, made it to Moss' Friday morning lecture... And, let me tell you, it was worth it!


Charlotte Moss, being a good sport, having her picture taken with me


Moss' passion for what she does was clearly evident throughout her speech. I loved her description of her upbringing by a mother whose passion for interior design inspired hers, saying that her mother has been her role model and was even where she learned to decorate. (A sentiment to which I can certainly relate!)

"I grew up with a mother who spent her life making things better... I'm still trying to be my mother", said Moss. She also discussed how, sometimes, men don't "get" the decorating process, and may have to be circumvented in order to get things done: "I thought decorating was something that happened when your father went out of town... My mother always had a project lined up". She said this taught her that, in decorating, you "had to have a plan, had to be organized, and had to be fast."

Moss further discussed her personal style (crediting her Southern heritage as its most significant contributor), and beauty (which she records in all its forms on her C'est Inspire' blog). Moss takes a camera with her everywhere in order to record the diverse sources of her inspiration (which include travel, house museums, gardens, and architectural details, to name a few), saying her staff is generally left with the daunting task of cataloging and organizing the thousands of pictures she takes.

So, Moss asks, "How do we create the beauty that leads us to the decorating?" She says that, in order to translate the beauty found in the things that inspire each person, you must have an open mind and be fearless.

Moss says she looks to women of the past, such as Fleur Cowles, Leslie Blanche, Pauline de Rothschild, and Elsie de Wolfe, for empowerment. The room above represents a "convergence of chics": watercolors on the wall belonged to Katharine Hepburn, the anemone flowers were a favorite of Fleur Cowles, the chair by the desk belonged to Doris Duke, and the pattern on the D. Porthault sheets on the daybed was a favorite of Jackie Kennedy.

For this Kips Bay Showhouse bedroom, Moss placed a beautiful canopy bed in the center of the room.... much to the distaste of one of the attendees. Apparently this woman approached Moss (looking her up and down and making a back-handed comment about Moss' apparel) and asked Moss what possessed her to put a bed in the middle of a room. Moss, fed up with the woman's attitude, said, "Why the hell not?!", turned on her heels, and walked away! Ha!

"Why not" was a sort of mantra for the lecture (even appearing on the back of the note cards left on our seats). She encouraged everyone to experiment in their own home, saying "your house is your laboratory". Moss says that she doesn't follow any strict rules when layering patterns and objects, using a sort of trial-and-error approach and combining things "hickeldy-pickeldy", instead. (Moss' sense of humor penetrated every aspect of the lecture.)

Overall, it seems that Moss feels that if you spend time truly absorbing the beauty around you, the things and ideas [for your home or projects] will "find you". So, this is exactly what I did for the next several hours on the main floor of the antiques show!....

The intricate gardens and endless booths melded together into one, huge, beautiful space.

There were rugs....

Lamps and light fixtures of every kind....

Beautiful flowers....

And strange, yet intriguing, objects....

A couple of my favorite booths were those by Margaret Doyle Antiques (from Cumberland Foreside, Maine)...

And Bob Withington Antiques, also from Maine...

I am a huge fan of spiral staircases, and this one definitely stole my heart! They had it affixed to the wall so you could actually walk up it, putting you two stories in the air!

Another favorite of mine was Laval Antiques out of nearby Atlanta. They had the most beautiful collection of antique textiles and tapestries. I was like a kid in a candy store!

Mid-century modern pieces were a new addition to the show this year, such as those at Ronald Wells antiques and gallery.

In one of the gardens, layered up for the 20 degree weather outside that day!





My Mom (left) and Aunt Kathi (right) next to a collection of blue-and-white pottery

But, what it all really came down to was a magical day with the people I love!

Here's to a great week ahead!