Collective Elegance

Maienza-Wilson Design

I've got a project I'm working on that's going to involve me painting the rest of the day (hopefully I'll have pictures soon), but I wanted to post a few pictures for you guys first!

Miles Redd

Stephen Sills

Richard Holley

Carrier and Company 

Ralph Lauren

Home of Jeff Lincoln via NYSD

White Webb

Patrick Printy via Elle Decor

Can you tell that I love eclectic-styled rooms? 

I hope you are having a great week and enjoying the first buds of spring!

Sur la table: Part II

Tablescape by Joe Nye

As I laid out in the first segment of this post, I have recently become wild for table settings. I have not done a lot of entertaining, but I am eager to begin!

It seems like an art, though, to not only weave together an attractive layout for guests to survey (i.e., the combination of china and flatware, flowers and linens), but also to prepare a meal appropriate for all palates (which is a delicate and logistically challenging process in and of itself). 

How gorgeous is the setting by Joe Nye above? I love that fabulous bamboo flatware and the contrast of the blue bowls and plates with the other, more neutral items on the table.

Isn't this warm and sunny setting by John Peixinho so perfect for fall! The bright yellow tablecloth and the warm, rusty orange china create an easy, autumnal ambiance, while the simple glassware keep the layout from being too heavy.

Table setting by Ralph Lauren

Did someone say "cozy"? Oh yeah, I did! Well, if you are getting in the mood for elegant, but comfortable dinners at home, here are some pics for you! (I love the blanket thrown over the back of the chair above! What a good idea for making the scene more casual and inviting, especially if the weather outside is frightful!)


Table design by Mimi Maddock McMakin



Table setting by Jeffrey Bilhuber

Now, if you are all about glamour, these last two photos are for you. (But, seriously, who doesn't love a huge, sparkling chandelier?!)


Room by Jacques Grange

Pink, pink, and more pink! I can't imagine why this room by Jacques Grange caught my eye! I do think that the pink creates a lightness in a room that could easily become overly formal. The dining table is large and solid wood, but it feels so fresh with the rosy linens, subtle florals on the plates, and delicate orchids crowning the whole arrangement (as well as leading your eye up to the drapey chandelier).

Here is one last example of a lovely table; this one set by the colorful Hal Williamson in his clients' New Orleans home. I love the color of the walls (Shantung by Martha Stewart for Sherwin-Williams) and the crystals dripping from the chandelier. I also love how personal this room is. The photo on the wall is of a local gospel singer done by a local artist, and the toile on the chairs features historical images of the Louisiana Purchase and was created by New Orleans enthusiast, Roulhac Toledano of Architextiles.


I love the amethyst glasses that so perfectly contrast with the simplicity of the tablecloth, china, and other linens, but perfectly complements the wall color and toile on the chairs. I recently purchased a set of Franciscan amethyst goblets and can't wait to create a setting like this to display them!

Here's to a fabulous table with lots of friends and family to gather around it!

Suit up!

If you lean towards bold, tailored interiors (and maybe pink walls aren't your thing?), then a more masculine approach may be a good way to achieve your design goals.

The use of suiting or other menswear fabrics can help channel that theme. The variety of textures of suiting fabrics will bring wonderful depth to your room, while the quality of these wools, tweeds, and cashmere will stand the test of time.

In this super-refined bedroom, designer Mary McDonald actually upholstered an entire wall in a grey suiting wool by Ralph Lauren and used accent pillows in vintage silk necktie fabrics. I just love the classic, elegant feel of this room; it seems fit for royalty!

In another bedroom by McDonald, a heathered wool flannel covers the armchairs while also serving as drapery material for the windows and canopy. A cool, minty fabric lines the canopy and provides a fresh contrast to all the grey.

Gil Schafer creates a very English feel in this Greenwich Village apartment (which was a collaboration with Miles Redd). The cozy throw across the foot of the bed is a wonderful muted plaid. Can't you just imagine throwing on a great fall blazer in that same fabric!


Although some of these fabrics do tend to run a bit dark, these next two rooms show that you can easily control the intensity by using a lighter, less potent mix of furnishings to still achieve refined masculinity in the space.

The seating area in the study above gets a cozy dose of tweedy upholstery on the sofa and armchair. Designer David Kleinberg knew what a great counterpoint the fabric would be to the clean lines and stark white of the paneling.

In this living room designed by Sean Michael Design, a tailored, mohair velvet couch acts like a nice jacket over a pair of khakis, dressing the space up a touch, but primarily staying on the same level of formality as the rest of the furnishings. 

The interpretation of a suit in the design of your home doesn't need to be quite as literal as the examples above. Merely gaining inspiration from menswear fabrics can have the same effect. The following photos illustrate this idea with wallcoverings that mimic the suiting feel.

In the foyer above, designer Ned Marshall uses pale grey stripes to convey a clean, tailored look.

That idea is repeated here, in another room by Sean Michael Design, where a darker palette adds a bit more drama to this hallway.

In a powder room by Isabel Lopez Quesada, the walls are papered in a pinstripe-like pattern that makes the space feel orderly and neat (while having the added benefit of making the ceilings feel taller).

This apartment is one of Quesada's Chamberi district projects in Madrid, and represents her fascinating style perfectly. If you like crisp, modern interiors, you absolutely must check out her work (especially the library of this apartment)!

Although covering the walls in grey wool may be too intense for me, I do think that bringing in simple, tailored pieces and refined fabrics provides balance to more ornate and vibrant furnishings (such as the colorful patterns on pillows or collections of items lining shelves). That contrast, the positive tension between items in a space, is what, to me, makes for truly striking, engaging design.