Bedroom challenged

The bedroom in my new place is a little on the small side, but it is cozy and comfortable. The problem is, it is not quite "done". It needs curtains, maybe a bedding revamp, but I cannot decide what direction to take it in, what colors and fabrics to use, etc.

So, I thought today's post would be a small sample of bedrooms that I think are fabulous and are currently giving me some design inspiration.... despite the fact that silver-plated canopy beds are unlikely to be in my future!

Bedroom by Michael S. Smith

The room above is cozy, yet elegant and worldly, definitely what I'm looking for in a room.

Bedroom by Delphine Krakoff

This room by the spirited Miss Krakoff is so glam and modern, yet plush and luxurious, again, aspects I would love to have in a bedroom.

Bedroom by Alex Papachristidis

This is one of my absolute favorite rooms of all time. Although my design personality leads me to more layered and colorfully eclectic interiors, I cannot help but be overcome with admiration for the sheer beauty of this room. The drape and color of the curtains, the contrast of the gold frame of the mirror and the warm wood tones on the Biedermeier chest to that gorgeous wall color, the chandelier, the plush bedding, and the scarce, yet engaging accessories all combine to create this extravagantly elegant space. Papachristidis is, to me, one of the all time greats.

What are your favorite aspects of a bedroom?

Classic Colors: Gray-Blue

Foyer by Daniel Sachs

My sister was recently pining away for a beautiful gray-blue paint color for her "grown up" living room, and, as any good design-obsessed sibling would do, I began to do some research into rooms shrouded in this sophisticated, yet moody, color. The shade above is Knoxville Gray by Benjamin Moore, and I think it complements the dark wood of the entry table and mirror and the striped dhurrie just perfectly.

Bedroom by Phoebe Howard

The fabulous Mrs. Howard creates a casual, yet textural, feel to the bedroom above with a striped coverlet, woven window shade, and, again, dark wood furnishings. (Check out the bobbin, or spool, canopy bed. I think it well matches the historical feel of the wall color.)

Study by Ben Soleimani

This was actually my first photo find in my search for this beautiful color. It is in a study in the home of Ben Soleimani, one of the talented designers at Mansour Modern (the newer, more modern branch of the venerable rug company, Mansour). I love the masculine look of this room, which is filled with beautifully structured antiques.

Design by Jeffrey Bilhuber

I love the door surround shown above. It, combined with the golden shade in the curtains, creates a interesting and welcome contrast to the cool blue walls. (And aren't those painted floors wonderful?)

Another great Ben Moore shade in this color family is Jamestown Blue, which I have seen used in photos and real life, and is a perfect option for those looking for something that is neither too dark, too gray, or too blue.


Bedroom by Chad Eisner

This bedroom, like that by Mrs. Howard, uses wood furniture and interesting textures to create warmth in this room. Eisner's designs, in general, are masculine and textural, and his website certainly deserves a look!

I especially love the pattern on the curtains; similar styles can be found at John Robshaw on beautiful, blockprinted linen.

This last photo is a gorgeous, whimsical dining room by the ever-inventive Charles de Lisle. I love the scale of the objects in the room: the huge evergreen trees, the shimmering chandelier, the black armoire, the gleaming white table. A study in contrasts for sure!

Here's to the beginning of the end: the first day of the last week of 2010!

The Real Living Room: Part II

Kitchen by fellow Alabamians Richard Norris and Mark Leslie

Again, the holidays have swallowed up a good deal of my time, but isn't that time well spent? I really do love the holiday season: the music, the decorations, the presents under the tree (mine are wrapped in a multitude of festive papers). To me, it is so much about time with family and celebrating what you have in your life and, in that way, I have a lot to celebrate.

But, enough about the holidays, let's get back to the pretty! The photos above and below are from a Montgomery, Alabama home featured in House Beautiful. Norris and Leslie did all the architectural and design work on the place, but did have a little help from Norris' employers, McAlpine Tankersley Architecture.

What a wonderful room! Norris and Leslie said that the kitchen was originally a dining room and so, in honor of its origins, they dedicated each piece in the new kitchen to a piece of furniture found in a traditional dining room (i.e., the sink is like a buffet, the island is like a dining table, etc). Quite creative! I love all the Gothic touches found throughout the home. (Check out those bat prints!)

I love, love, love Tom Scheerer. His interiors are so bright and interesting; eclectic at its best. He has used the same tile (shown above and below) in several of his projects and I just love the color and texture it brings to the spaces.



Kitchen by Kathryn Ireland

To me, Kathryn Ireland is the queen of colorful interiors, and this kitchen is no exception. It is part of a 1920s Spanish-style home that was my dream home for a while (when I thought a move to sunny Arizona was in the cards). I love the color of the cabinets in this room. I think, if this were my home, I would only do the green on the bottom cabinets and white on the top, but it is lovely either way. Note how the window opens out to the patio by the pool as well. What a fabulous touch!


Kitchen in home of John Dransfield and Geoffrey Ross

Our last kitchen of the day is from a home I think I have posted excerpts from time and time again. And with good reason! It is gorgeous! The talented duo used a deep paint shade (Chelsea Gray by Ben Moore) and antique rugs and furnishings to create this supremely elegant kitchen.


One thing I find truly amazing about this kitchen is that Dransfield and Ross didn't gut the whole thing and start from scratch: the floors and countertop are laminate and the cabinets are original. I love that they created such sophisticated style without feeling the need to tear everything down first.

I hope these interiors give you some inspiration for you and your own kitchen-design challenges!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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! 

My Turkish Treasure

Design by John Saladino

Hello, all!

I am so sorry to have been away for so long! The holidays are certainly upon us and visiting family, setting up Christmas trees, and, not to mention, moving have set me back a bit!

Anyway, I wanted to share one of my favorite treasures I found this last summer, oddly enough in Florida: my Turkish cistern. I think they were originally used in fountains in the ancient baths there, and are generally made of very heavy marble or granite (as my mom and I found out when we were trying to haul that thing onto the table).

I enjoyed searching for how other artistic individuals out there employed their treasures....


Bathroom in home of photographer, Pieter Estersohn



Living area in home of Juan Carlos Arcila-Duque

My new place, a lovely little white house in a historic section of town, is still a work in progress, but, as I'm sure you all know, good design takes time! With that said, you must be kind when looking at these next two photos!

I nestled the glowing white basin between my two vintage lamps and found that gorgeous cascading rosemary plant to go in it. I love having herbs in the house: natural aromatherapy at its best!

The room has five windows and gets a good deal of light, although it's hard to tell in these photos since we've been experiencing our typical Alabama winter gloom recently.

I am slowly getting projects done, like the gallery-style grouping of pictures (in the top left area of the photo above) and the custom pillows on the couch (in funky-yet-neutral tigerstripe and deep aubergine fabrics). The fringed, pale orange, herringbone throw is by Sferra and was a gift from my super-stylish Mom.

There will be plenty more pictures to come, so make sure to check back often.

Have a happy Wednesday!

Classy clutter

I am finally getting moved into my new place and am beginning to realize how many random furnishings and accessories I really have. However, I am going to see this challenge as an opportunity to incorporate all my favorite things into one space. I think it can be done with elegance (and a lot of pizzazz), just like Eric Cohler does in this fabulous room below (one of my all time favorites).

There are so many colors, styles, and textures in this room, but isn't it just perfect?

This week's favorites

Hello, all! Today I wanted to give you a glimpse inside my cluttered, design-craving brain and show you the interiors that I've been pining over this week!

The photos above and below are from the home of the fabulous Candace Bushnell, which was designed with the help of Susan Forristal. I seriously cannot get enough of this room! The pairing of the polite furnishings (like that settee) with modern accessories (check out the multi-colored poufs!) creates such an artful, yet lively air to the space. I love all the colors too: that pretty coral velvet on the chaise and the blue-grays of the upholstery and walls.

Another photo that has caught (and kept) my eye is the one below of a room designed by Erinn Valencich of Omniarte.

I love the cool blue of the walls paired with the bright green of the chairs. What do you think makes this room so special?

Gary Spain created the bright, eclectic room above. What a wonderful combination of textures (like, sisal, lucite, hides, and wood)! Love that cozy Egg chair, too!

Isn't this room by Anne Coyle so comfy-looking? What do you think about a velvet couch with pets? I don't know, but it is gorgeous! That pale lavender color is so soothing, too, and looks great paired with the gray-brown of the couch and coral of the pillows.

This last photo was taken in the home of the extremely talented Windsor Smith. Plush, a bit exotic, and definitely glamorous, this room is a great example of her amazing work. (And you can't go wrong with those pink walls!)

I think my favorite thing about these rooms is that they look real, like you could actually live in them: sit down, have a glass of wine, watch TV, work on the computer. Isn't that what a home is for, after all?

Happy Friday! I hope you have a great weekend!

Gilded

Bedroom by Melissa Rufty

I love just about anything that sparkles (i.e., crystal, silver, chrome), so gold (or, at least, gold-finished surfaces), naturally, is high on my list! In the bedroom above, Miss Rufty uses gold-trimmed bedding (in a fabulous scrollwork - reflecting her classic New Orleans style) and a gorgeous gilded, upholstered headboard to punctuate the serene elegance of the space. (Aren't those blushing pink walls and leafy lamps to die for?!)


Dining area by Jeffrey Bilhuber

I love the finish on these walls. It really gives a depth and formality to the space (and a little bit of 70s glam too).

Room by William Hodgins


This study has such a light, but layered, look to it. I love that golden armillary in the foreground and the touches of gold on the desk, chair, and picture frames. Even just a hint of gold can have a big impact!


Foyer by Jan Showers


Miss Showers uses a finish similar to the one in the dining room above, creating a dramatic entryway. Paired with the sunburst mirror and the shimmering light fixtures, the space becomes quite glamorous (a hallmark of Miss Showers style). I love how the black in the chandelier reflects the painted floor below it, as well.

These last two photos are of a bedroom by designer Gary Spain. I love absolutely everything about this room! The wallpaper is quirky, fun, and modern. The headboard is so classic with that nailhead trim. The lamps are just.... perfection! The faux bois bolster pillow on the bed adds a bit of whimsy, while the three oversized mirrors open up the space and add even more sparkle. Love the portrait, love the armchairs, love it all!

What a perfect room to end on!

Happy Thursday y'all! The weekend is almost here!

Pattern at play

Design by the fabulous Hal Williamson

I may experiment with color, but, for some reason, piling on the pattern has always intimidated me, whether in fashion or interior design. It is a shame because, as these designers show, that layered look creates warm, engaging, and, often, dramatic rooms.

Design by Omniarte

Whether using a bold pattern like the wallpaper above, or a combination of prints, the effect is really dynamic and interesting.

The pic above is from decorator Milly de Cabrol's New York apartment as covered in New York Social Diary. I love how she piles on the printed fabrics (and books and art!) in this room, draping the table and settee in hand-blocked prints, giving the room a really cozy feel.


Bedroom by Katie Ridder


I love the subtle patterns Ridder uses above. Isn't that headboard just lovely? The room feels so airy, but textural too.


Den by Raymond Boozer from Apartment 48

I am a huge fan of a chevron pattern. Doing the couch in tone-on-tone greens keeps it from being too bold, while still mimicking the pattern in the rug.

Dining room by Schuyler Samperton

Schuyler Samperton combines traditional and trendy patterns here perfectly, using an ikat on the dining chairs over a gorgeous oriental rug. (Check out the beautiful wall panel in the background!)

I really can't get enough of Phoebe Howard's designs! She is so talented! The vignette above is so well-composed: the splash of color, the textural tortoise shells, the mirror, the avian prints. Look closely and you will see that the wallpaper has the most subtle pattern on it, giving even the walls a woven effect.

Our last two photos of the day come from designer Stephen Sills.

Now this is the way to bring energy to a room by using pattern! Love the rug, love the throw on the back of the couch, love the stripes on the ottoman. (And I totally love that leather chair!) This room is warm and comfortable, but artful and stimulating as well.

Another space by Sills is featured in this month's Architectural Digest (which is newly helmed by ex-Elle Decor editor Margaret Russell) and the interiors are so amazing, you must go get a copy immediately! It looks like Russell is really going to up the ante and makeover AD in the best possible way. I can't wait to see what's next!

Here is a taste of Sills fabulous AD-featured design.....

Heaven!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!