Admiring the view

Foyer vignette by Perch Interior Design

Growing up in a classically traditional Southern home (decorated by my very talented Mother), I was surrounded by landscapes: some dark and moody, almost all oil paintings. Back then (when I was a super-cool pre-teen, listening to Mariah Carey's "Dreamlover" and thinking that all color schemes should be based around a totally '90s pastel floral palette), I thought that they were so drab and boring. "Why even have a painting like that?", I would think.


Entryway staircase in Veranda showhouse by Tim Clarke


Ahh, but isn't that the way of things? You are young and have it all figured out and, then, you get older and you realize you didn't (and still don't) know anything at all! Ha!

My opinion of landscape paintings, for certain, has come full circle. Now, because of their moodiness and depth, they are something I crave for my own home.

Living room by Barry Dixon

This room is so great. I love how he grounds the neutral upholstery, neutral rug, and neutral (and totally fabulous) curtained bookshelves with dark accents on the furniture, on lamps, and accessories. A beautiful balancing act! (Oh, yeah, and doesn't that landscape instantly add class to the whole room, giving it this sort of sophisticated sense of significance?)

Foyer by Yvonne O'Brien

Here, Miss O'Brien breaks from tradition, using a plein air style landscape with a parsons-style console, kuba cloth pillows, and weathered old trunks, all of which makes for an engaging yet clean presentation.

Grand stairwell by Joe Minton

It seems like many designers prefer a neutral backdrop for the artwork they choose, but, here, Minton lives into the grandeur of the ornate woodwork and architecture of this house choosing, instead, a warm damask wallpaper for the space.

Living room by Patrik Lonn

I love the scale of the painting in this room by Patrik Lonn. The whole space has a geometric characteristic to it, I think, due to the clean lines of all the pieces: the painting and the coffee table, angular sofa and stools. It has a modern look to it, but not at the expense of softness and comfort.

Dining room by Phoebe Howard

The inimitable Miss Howard seems to be a fan of landscapes, using them in most of her projects in incarnations both large and small. (Love the combined drama and warmth of this room!)


Living room by Paolo Moschino


I love this space, mainly that facing wall. There is symmetry (for instance, on and above the mantel), but then there are also some individual groupings, like the pair of landscapes and lamps on the marble-top console table. So classic.

Dining area by Country Living editor Randy Florke

Here, again, I am loving the scale. The painting runs almost the length of the table itself, and Florke makes sure not to block the view, using a diminutive (yet quite sparkly) chandelier. (And what an apropos choice for a cozy country house: pairing the painting with gingham and amber-toned dinnerware!)

Dining room by Mary McDonald

And here, last, but certainly not least, is a gracious and elegant dining room by the fabulously fun Miss McDonald. (I mean, have you seen her on "Million Dollar Decorators"? What a hoot!) I love the luxe, aubergine-hued chocolate velvet (or, perhaps, mohair) on the dining chairs, those taupe/gold silk curtains, and glimmering silver accents, all punctuated with the cloudy, moody, and totally entrancing landscape.

What type artwork do you all prefer? Do you think these traditional pieces could work in your own home?

Have a happy Wednesday, everyone!

The Dark Side

Dining room by Markham Roberts

I am growing more and more fond of chinoiserie and the flair that that style of fabric, furnishings, and accessories can bring to a home. However, it seems to me that a lot of the styles we see right now are brightly colored, festive sort of pieces. Since I am girl who likes a bit of moodiness in my interiors, these black chinoiserie pieces strike the perfect balance between the dramatic and the exotic. They are dark and glamorous and fit in such a wide array of spaces.


Living room by Amanda Malson and Jolene Ballard

What a great combination of elements in this room: Moroccan rug, mid-century Eames lounge chair, large chinoiserie cabinet, neutral upholstered pieces, colorful accessories. Doesn't black ground a room just perfectly? I like that Malson and Ballard balanced the cabinet with the Eames chair, setting them opposite each other and using them to create a nice contrast with the paler-hued items in the room.

Bedroom by Timothy Whealon

Here is another large cabinet used, this time, in a bedroom. The size of this piece works so well with the scale of the room and other large furnishings (like the grand canopy bed).

Vignette by Phoebe Howard

I love all the textures in this arrangement! Wicker, chrome, wood, glass.... Just fabulous!


Photo courtesy of Southern Accents


Here, again, this painted piece is providing a lovely contrast to the delicate wallpaper and curtains, as well as to the painted armchairs and glass side tables. Light, dark, large, small, colorful, neutral: it is all about that tension.

Study by Mary McDonald

Mary McDonald is well versed in chinoiserie style, but, here, uses only one dramatic cabinet which she then contrasts against decidedly different styles, such as the baroque-style desk and Louis XV armchair. I love all the black accents in this room, especially when paired with the unexpected grayish-teal and magenta curtains.

Vignette by John Robshaw

Robshaw uses this amazing chinoiserie find as a bar (above), while Couturier (below) uses the subtle hint of black from a desk to contrast with the dark hues of the tapestry over the bed.


Bedroom by Robert Couturier


Our final pic of the day is from one of my favorites, Mr. Miles Redd, and this photo shows just why. Combining grand and, often, glamorous pieces (such as this mirrored canopy bed and oversized chinoiserie screen) with more traditional elements (like the diminutive side table and creamy linens), Redd creates unforgettable, truly one-of-a-kind interiors.

Bedroom by Miles Redd

Here's to a great week ahead (and, hopefully, no more Blogger technical difficulties)!

A Touch of the Unexpected

Design by Dan Carithers

I love rooms that have a touch of the unexpected, a bit of playfulness, that keep more traditional rooms feeling fresh and, well, happy.

Vignette by Mary McDonald

I love Miss McDonald's use of malachite obelisks here. They are so unique and also complete the collection of green accents in this tabletop vignette.

Design by Angie Hranowsky

Bedroom by Eddie Ross

Traditional elements, like the pair of Louis XVI-style beds with coronas overhead, contrast perfectly with a giant robin's egg painting.

Design by Tilton Fenwick

How pretty is this tufted chaise? Its orange upholstery and the large patterned wallpaper update this hearthside arrangement.

Have a happy Tuesday everyone!

Far East Flair

Design by John Barman

For too long now, I have been estranged from chinoiserie. As I have begun to see it in more places (and in a myriad of applications), I am growing warmer to it all the time.

Generally colorful and ornate, chinoiserie style makes for fabulously fun and intriguing interiors. Mary McDonald is a fan, using cool white, oriental accents to make these rooms (above and below) exotic, yet modern.

You can use just a hint of far east flair (like Sara Story does above with a sturdy black sideboard), or you can go all out, layering chinoiserie-inspired patterns, fabrics, china, and furnishings like Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke do in the room below. I am loving that wallpaper, mirror, and lamp! (What can I say; I am a sucker for bold interiors!)

Lee Radziwill and Miles Redd warm up the living areas above and below, respectively, using intricately patterned fabric and scarlet tones.

Room by Angie Hranowsky

One popular place to bring in that foreign feel is the dining room. I love the elaborately crafted backs of the chairs used by Hranowsky and Wearstler and that gorgeous wallpaper (and fabulous light) used by Nye! There are so many possibilities to create interesting, engaging interiors!

Room by Joe Nye

Dining area by Kelly Wearstler

Whether you use seating, wallpaper, fabric, or china, chinoiserie will prove to be a wonderfully colorful and exotic addition to any interior.

If you are a fan of this style, you simply must check out the Chinoiserie Chic blog: a fabulous resource for your daily dose of Far East inspiration!

Design by Michelle Nussbaumer

In the waning days of a luxuriant summer

It's a delightfully sunny day here in Birmingham so I thought I'd share a picture of an equally sunny interior: a promenade by Mary McDonald.

I just love the idea of fruit trees indoors! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Creature comforts

One of my new favorites in the design world is animal print. I am just dying to use this somewhere! It can add such texture to a room, plus a bit of whimsy (and wildness)! Of course, it should probably be used in limited quantities or you risk ending up like the poor leopard lady on Thom Filicia's Tacky House!

For instance, this royal blue, zebra-striped entryway by Ashley Whittaker is definitely risky, but, since this is the only place in the home where she uses this much pattern, it acts as a playful introduction to the rest of the relatively serene design.

Even the smallest dose of leopard, zebra, or tiger can add such playfulness to a room, or give a formal room an exotic edge.

Although I love all the animal prints shown in this post, I am intrigued by the tiger stripe shown in these next few photos. This first picture is a study designed by Albert Hadley and illustrates how to give a traditional room an unexpected twist.

Markham Roberts also employed this pattern in several of his projects (above and below). To me, it is less conventional than the other prints.

Roberts also explores animal print as a flooring option in the absolutely gorgeous room below.

I just love the contrast of the traditional landscape painting and armchair with this leopard rug!

Richard Mishaan has the same idea in the living room above, where he uses a faux deer hide rug to add another subtle texture to the muted patterns already on the armchairs and ottoman.

Jeffrey Bilhuber uses a leopard pattern to carpet the foyer and stairs of this lovely home. Many people may fear that the use of this much leopard would be tacky or extreme, but, as Bilhuber shows us here, it can be incredibly elegant!

Zebra is another fun pattern to introduce in a room due to its graphic black and white coloring. Even the smallest hint can be dramatic, as Skye Kirby of Lillian August says, "a little bit of zebra goes a long way"!

Kirby illustrates this idea by using just a touch of zebra in the crisp living room above.

Mary McDonald limits her use of animal print in this room to one classic ottoman, while Joe Nye mixes it up below with leopard in the serene study of his West Hollywood residence.

Throw pillows bring a flash of fauna to these rooms by Stephen Shubel (above) and Markham Roberts (below).

At The Parker hotel in Palm Springs, Jonathan Adler puts a bamboo and leopard bench at the foot of a bed, adding a far-east flair to the mod style of the rest of the room (below).

So, are you hearing the call of the wild yet? (Ha!) Alright then, I will end this post with a couple of photos from the home of the queen of subtleties, Suzanne Kasler. With a deft hand, she combines pieces of all different styles to create truly inspired interiors.

 
And one of my all-time favorite rooms....