A Return to English Country

Vignette by Rosa Bernal via Nuevo Estilo

In honor of our little milestone yesterday, I decided to revisit a topic that is responsible for the most viewed post on my blog: English country interiors. Since this seems to be a favored subject (and I want to pay tribute to all my wonderful viewers out there), I thought I must give you more of what you want!

Living room by Kemble Interiors

Classic English style: warm and rich with layers of texture and color.

Vignette by Charles Faudree

Although Faudree is better known for his French-inspired interiors, I think there is a bit of the English politeness and subtle sophistication in this pretty little vignette.

Photo courtesy of Country Living

I love this room. It is sensible and slightly masculine, and has the most wonderful English touches (such as the portraits and that fabulous Regency-style chair in the foreground)!

Image of foyer courtesy of Cote de Texas

Isn't this picture so beautiful in its simplicity, with its marble-top console, rustic basket, and antique hall chairs?

Home of Bunny Williams - Photo courtesy of NYSD

Vignette by Cathy Kincaid



Design by John Peixinho


What a cozy space. I love the long ottoman by the fireplace and the way the mantel is set with such delicate pieces.

Design by Joe Minton

"The British brought back many different cultural influences from their colonies, so we didn't just stick to one type of furniture or style", says Minton. I think this design objective is what creates that layered look present in so many English-style interiors.


Living room by Sara Gilbane


Have a great day!

The Real Living Room: Part I

Design by Peter Dunham

I will go ahead and admit it: I am no chef. Not even close. I make coffee and that's about it. But, since my move to a home with a kitchen that is less than six feet wide and counterspace at a premium, I have come to appreciate this room quite a bit more.

Design by Phoebe Howard

Many kitchens (especially those exceeding 42 square feet) are truly the heart of a home, where the family congregates and meals, stories, and laughs are shared. In that way, they seem to be the truest living rooms of all.



Design by Krista Ewart

I think what I appreciate so much in these featured kitchens is that they look like actual rooms. It seems so often that the style of the kitchen is disjointed from the rest of the home. It is understandably hard to create that synergy between the kitchen's modern appliances and materials and other living spaces' more traditional (or, sometimes, antique) furnishings.

However, I believe these designers have created rooms that carry the feeling, colors, and style from the rest of the home into the kitchen just beautifully. (Isn't that little pink fridge above so fun? It is a line called Smeg, carried by Sears. Even cooler is the fact that for every pink fridge sold, Smeg will donate $100 to the American-Italian Cancer Foundation.)

Kitchen by Phoebe Howard

Design by Katie Ridder

I think the use of color and accessories, like rugs, aides in creating warmth and carries the style of the home into the kitchen. I love the rug in the kitchen by Peter Dunham at the top, the cabinets in the kitchen by Mrs. Howard (they look like beautiful French doors), and the chairs used by Miss Ridder above. All of these items bring texture to the space that typical cabinets and countertops alone could not.

Design by Hal Williamson

Even limited space is not an issue for these talented designers. The narrow kitchen above becomes an exotic and sunny sitting area due to large windows and the whimsical banana-leaf wallpaper (a Beverly Hills Hotel signature), while the one below is made cozy with warm colors and interesting details, like the round window, vintage pendant fixtures, and checkerboard floor.

Design by Cathy Kincaid

I think this is a perfect room to end with today. It is elegant, comfortable, and efficiently functional. Great design all around!

Have a great day! 

Luxe Lodge

Room by Christopher Coffin

It's another wet winter day here in Alabama, and my desire to hunker down inside has led me to a post all about the coziest of places: lodges. Yes, there may be a few antlers on the walls, but these are no run-of-the-mill, wood-paneled cabins!


Home of designers Dick Ridge and Rod Renault (courtesy of NYSD)

I guess my vision of a lodge is a bit more opulent and, again, British-inspired than something you might see in a true hunting lodge out in these Appalachian hills, but the theme is the same: cozy and warm.


Room by William Hodgins



Bedroom by Kemble Interiors



Bedroom by Christopher Coffin

I love the exotic flair in this room! It is so perfectly contrasted with the more traditional elements, like the oil portrait and vintage luggage around the bed.

Great room by Eric Lysdahl

One way to infuse a lodge-style interior with more modern flair is to use different finishes or pieces in a different style. Although the great room above has all the traditional lodge touches (wood paneling, antler chandelier, comfy furnishings), I love how Lysdahl gives it a mod twist by using a strictly black-and-white color palette. 


Study by Jay Jeffers


Jay Jeffers uses mid-century modern chairs and paneling in a lighter tone to create a more contemporary look in this traditional study. Check out that pair of swords and the brass horn lamp!

At the end of the day, if you've got a roaring fire and a comfortable place to sit, you've got cozy lodge-style perfection.


Design by Cathy Kincaid


Here's to a great (and, hopefully, sunnier) week ahead!