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)!

Calm and Collected

Living room by David Easton

Don't you just love rooms that look like they've been assembled over time: built, piece-by-piece, with objects loved and treasured by the owners?


Sitting area by Jill Morris

As I was just telling a new friend of mine (who inspired the addition of some David Easton, above), I adore eccentric accessories and this tiger rug and bird display are no exception!

Design by Muffie Faith of Elizabeth Stuart Design

Doesn't this picture just glow? It has a feminine touch, gilded and pretty, but, with a limited color palette, it stays serene. 

Bedroom by Stephen Sills

Design by Fiona Weeks

I love the deer skin pattern on this carpet. What a neat way to bring neutral color and subtle texture to the room.

Dining room by Jeff Woosley of Interiors 2

This room is part of one of my favorite homes ever. I think it was featured years ago in Southern Accents (my old favorite shelter mag).

Living room by José Solís Betancourt

What a mix this room displays: lucite, moire, velvet, oriental rugs over sisal/jute.


Vignette by Martyn Lawrence-Bullard

Living room by Robert Couturier


This room is so warm and inviting with its golden and coral tones, plentiful seating, lots of pillows, and intricate tapestry fabrics. Just lovely.

Design by Dan Carithers

What can I say? Deep, dark, warm... and beautiful.

Vignette in home of model Laura Ponte - Photo courtesy of Nuevo Estilo

I think this is possibly my favorite vignette ever. I can't stop staring at the fabrics (faded gray-lavender, mauvey pink, and bronzed yellow) and the stacks of books and objects on the shelves.

I hope you are having a relatively calm day wherever you are!

Sparkle

Photo courtesy of the late Southern Accents (designer unknown)

I am a bit of a girly-girl so, when I see a room layered with mirrors, crystals, silver, and chrome, I swoon! Isn't the room above just delightful? Those feathery pink pillows, the gorgeous Venetian-style mirrors, those silver Christopher Spitzmiller-looking lamps, and that totally glorious chandelier give the room a lightness and formality that provide quite the contrast!

Dining area by Aman & Carson

The snowflake pictures in this room by Steven Gambrel are appropriate for the 30s temps we've been having around here! They are well-complemented by the faded silver lamps and glass and mirror coffee table. Even the velvet on the couch gives off a wonderfully sparkly sheen!

Gambrel keeps the color palette simple and pale in this lovely dining room. Despite the whitewashing, the room maintains a warm, comfortable feel.

The folks over at Martensen Jones Interiors know the way to cool, shimmering rooms! Their website is full of rooms that have such a freshness and glamorous modernity to them. You must check them out!

Below, they pair a mirrored console, below a curvy mirror, with a glowing stone lamp. What an interesting piece!



Design by Kelly Wearstler

Wearstler is truly a master of glam. Some call her work "Hollywood Regency", but I think it has that hint of old-world combined with a collector's eye, that make the interiors feel so much more complex and multi-dimensional than that label can impart.

Ahh, Tom Scheerer. Talk about refreshing interiors! I love how he combines styles so seamlessly: the curvy Panton chair, the polite settee, the silk curtains, the earthy tabletop planters, and, again, that sparkling chandelier!

Our last photo of the day is from one of the fabulous homes of Mark Badgley and James Mischka. It is astounding to me how their talents apply not only in the fashion world, but in the interior design realm as well. I guess they simply know beauty, and can create it in whatever form they wish!

Just look at all that glimmering silver! This room is fabulous from top to bottom!

Here's to a bit of added sparkle to your day!