There was a little girl who had a little burl

Hamptons home office by Carrier and Company

Hello, all! I hope everyone is having a good week so far! I got sidetracked recently, brainstorming room ideas after I saw the picture below. It is such an interesting color scheme and it made me think of the burl table I just marked down over on Chairish. That got me thinking about other ways to style it and here we are!

Living room by Barbara Barry

I like how there is not much color here, but the room has such depth. It manages a balance of warm and cool tones that makes for such an elegant room. I know y'all are going to get sick of me posting stuff about the items I have for sale but I chose them because I thought they were beautiful: in form, in color, in style. This table in particular:

Its smooth curves and combination of olive burl and macassar ebony woods caught my attention immediately. The colors on it are so lovely and it somehow manages to ride the line between modern and classic.

Pretty book matched burl tabletop

I could go on and on. Ha!

Michael Smith's Palm Springs home via Architectural Digest

I saw a similar table in the Architectural Digest article about the completely renovated Palm Springs home of Michael Smith and James Costos. (It's hiding there in the back of the picture above.)

You guys have got to check out that article. The house is so neat!

Vignette with burl wood console by Lilly Bunn

Palm Beach living room by Cullman & Kravis

I really think this table could fit in many different settings, but I kept coming back to the idea of it in a room with similar warm tones.

Phoebe Howard from her book Mrs Howard Room by Room

Then I started thinking how neat it would be contrasted against darker walls, but still in a more casual, comfortable color.

Room by CeCe Thompson Green (a Bunny Williams protege) via DiCorcia Design

And, coincidentally, an olive green room by Ms. Bunny Williams herself

So using these images and the nascent autumn as inspiration , I came up with a room of my own:

Foliage / Lamp / Table / Bird Prints / Sofa / Pillow / Pillow / Curtains / Chair / Chair Fabric / Paint Color

Unless you want a moody, enveloping room (which is fun too), it's good to keep the curtains and larger upholstery in the space light. I love these Anthropologie curtains; they really do make me think of falling leaves! I love hints of a theme in a space, so that's why I did birds on the pillows and the framed prints. You gotta have fun with it!

I hope this gives you some ideas for your own home! Have a great day!

In the Style of Saarinen

Nantucket beach house dining via Elle Decor

I love to see a mix of modern and traditional pieces in a home. That tension, as some decorators call it, helps give balance to a room the same way pairings like warm and cool tones, and smooth and rough textures do.

Living room by Jesse Carrier of Carrier and Company

The Saarinen, or Saarinen-style, chair was really one of the first mid-century modern items that I was interested in. The undulating lines of the chair are a perfect foil for the straight legs and sharp edges of dark metal bookcases (like those above) or wood tables (like the one below). The smooth lacquer finish contrasts perfectly with nubby linen or wool boucle.

Via Nuevo Estilo

I could see that the chair was a piece that could not only fit in myriad settings, but give that setting a twist, a fresh slant to the design.

Via Apartment Therapy

Kitchen design by Ashley Putman via Lonny

The pictures above and below touch upon how I would style these chairs in a room. I love the sleekness of the chairs mixed with the rough-hewn wood of oak tables.

Via Fashionably Living

This is a gorgeous version of an oak table I saw in a local Birmingham, Alabama shop called At Home (not the junky big-box one).

Zurich dining room by Steven Gambrel

This combination of pale wood with black tile is fantastic! And adding some greenery and plants is always a good idea. It brings life to a room.

Via Elle Decoration UK

I am not a minimalist by any stretch of the imagination, so I would have to go a bit further with furnishings: adding things like paintings and candlesticks, pretty cushions and rugs.

Chairs / Dinnerware / Artwork / Curtain Fabric / Foyer / Table / Succulent Arrangement/ Rug / Flooring

The Saarinen-style chairs shown above are part of my collection for Chairish. The cushions that come with them are actually the original red-orange corduroy, so I would update them in an interesting new fabric like this faux shagreen:

Faux Stingray Vinyl in Quartz

From all white minimalism to French flair, there are so many decorating approaches you can use to combine pieces of different styles and eras. How do you all handle mid-century in your mix?

I hope you enjoyed the post and will visit back soon!

Light and Dark

Has it been too long? Why, yes, yes it has. So let's get a move on, then!

Sunlit Alabama home by Tracery Interiors

One of my friends recently repainted her home and she was worried over whether or not the color would be too dark. This is a reasonable concern if you're going for light and get dark by mistake. But, if you just can't decide between the two schemes, then lets do some comparing... 

Gallery style arrangement by Eric Cohler

Dark means cozy and sexy. Dark rooms have an instant ambiance that bleached interiors just can't imitate.

Bedroom by Hallberg and Wiseley

But, man, bright rooms sure are nice! Isn't this bedroom fabulous? I love the African accents, like the Kuba cloth pillow and chief chair, alongside the modernist headboard and wonderful Artemide Tizio lamps.

Living room by Dan Carithers as featured in Southern Accents

Are you looking for cozy....

Living room by Jesse Carrier

Or open and airy?

Salon by Katie Leede-McGloin for Veranda's Greystone Showhouse

Saturated color....

Spanish style interiors by Mark J. Williams (I think)

Or totally white-washed?

Den by Elaine Griffin

This room is nice because it gets so much light during the day, but don't you just know that, at night when those wonderfully textural shades are drawn, it just comes to life in a different way, with those chocolate walls just enveloping you?

Living room by Christina Rottman

I love this space. It is simple, but comfortable. It has an artist's loft sort of look, and I love how the window showcasing that amazing greenery looks like a piece of art itself.

Study in home of John Dransfield and Geoffrey Ross

Another fabulous room from one of my favorite houses EVER. It was featured in Elle Decor a few years back and the interiors of Dransfield and Ross' lovely home amaze me still. (Yes, I still have my 2010 copy. Don't judge my packrat ways.)

Bedroom by Mark J. Williams

Umm, yes please. I want this bedroom. Although I am obsesssed with canopy beds (see here), a true canopy bed can be a bit much. (Have you ever slept in a true, totally upholstered one, because it gets HOT!) However, I love this incarnation. Hanging the fabric from the ceiling gives you that same canopy-like cocoon, while accentuating the height of the room and leaving the space feeling airy and light. I also just adore that furry carpet... What better way to hide the sheddings of your own furry creatures!

Over the years I have done light and dark. My bedroom in a previous home was a pinky-chocolate color whereas my house now is coated with layers of glossy, quarter-formula Cliffside Gray from good old Ben Moore. I think different phases in life need the appropriate alterations in the home. That way your home always reflects you and stays your own personal haven.

Anyway, I hope you all have a good remainder of your week, and I will be back again soon!

Persimmon

Foyer vignette by White Webb

Hello, everyone! I am so sorry it has been forever since my last post! But I am back and ready to dive right into some beautiful interiors!....

Packing the same intensity of orange, the warmth of red, and the subtle sweetness of pink, persimmon manages to add both energy and interest to any space.

Dining area by Carole Weaks

I love the unexpected pairing of this coral/persimmon upholstery with the exposed wood beams and walls of this cabin. Warmth and sophistication in perfect harmony!

Landing by Lichten Craig

Persimmon and green? Quite the bold choice for such traditional interiors!

Living room by Elaine Griffin

Aren't these chairs so inviting? Their wide cushions give off that "have a seat" feel, while their frames politely declare "I'm a classic". Even more perfect is that they're situated directly below Elaine's homemade collection of pop-art prints.

Library in home of Matthew White - Photo courtesy of NYSD

White goes all the way with color in this small library...

Dining room by John Phifer Marrs

While Marrs takes the drama up a notch with chocolate and black accents.

Living room by Jesse Carrier and Mara Miller

Here you can see how just a touch of this color can enliven the most neutral of spaces. Goodness, how much I love Carrier and Company: love the patterned pillows, love the giant portrait, love it all!

Today's last space comes from a designer whose personality is as lively as the color she uses here....

Foyer by Bunny Williams

I hope you all have had a great weekend and have a great week ahead!

I love.... Lucite!

Entry by Jesse Carrier (in Jason Wu's office)

I am totally loving lucite right now! I don't think I'd want a whole mod room with multiple lucite pieces, but the way these designers add a modern touch using this material is just fabulous.


Bedroom by Eric Lysdahl

What a great contrast to use lucite with such plush and traditional furnishings!


Den by Raymond Boozer



Foyer by Melissa Rufty

This material has the amazing ability to keep the interiors light and airy by not taking up much visual space. (Plus, it adds a bit of sparkle, which is always good!)


I know I've shown this pic of a dining area by Timothy Whealon before, but I think this bears repeating! The pale pink walls and the cane-back chairs combine perfectly with the lucite to create a bright and elegant room.


Design by Tom Scheerer

I love how Scheerer subtly tucks this small lucite side table between the armchairs and the gorgeous marble-top console. Functional and stylish!

Our last photo of the day is a gorgeous room by the talented Katie Ridder. I love the putty-gray walls, the politely cozy armchairs, the sconces, the photo, and, of couse, that coffee table!

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Fabulous faux bois

Chair from Williams-Sonoma

One of my absolute favorite fabric patterns is faux bois (and its close relative, moire, as well). For you non-Francophiles, "faux bois" simply means false wood and aims to simulate wood's grain (as opposed to the bark/trunk of a tree). These fabrics come in a variety of colors, but, I think, the neutrals make the most of this fluid pattern.

Room by Lichten Craig

Although, to me, an interesting and modern pattern, it is still hard to find examples of its application in the mainstream design world. I think this will soon change as this fabric can bring such subtle depth and movement to a space.

John Dransfield and Geoffrey Ross use a small Saarinen table and one faux bois throw pillow to make a sweetly traditional settee more modern in their gorgeous New Jersey home. (You must check out the whole house at Elle Decor!)

In the living area above, Jesse Carrier uses the wavy fabric to give warmth to a modern space.

In this gorgeous dining room by Andrew Raquet, the faux bois chairs and striped rug provide a casual touch that contrasts with the rest of the glamorous space. The pattern reminds me of rain dropping on the surface of water, again creating quiet movement.

Glimmering Gracie wallpaper, Greek key-trimmed curtains, delicate faux bois dining chairs, and a four foot pagoda? How could you not love this room?!

I am all about interiors that are elegant, but I think there needs to be interest and intrigue in them, too. Finding things that make you smile and keep you thinking are invaluable to an happy, and engaging, home!

Let me know if you can find more examples of this fabulous fabric!

Happy Tuesday!