Serengeti Style

Living room by Dan Carithers

I've noticed the attention my Creature Comforts post has been getting recently, so I thought I'd give you guys a little more of what you want! (And, as I said in that post, a little animal print goes a long way!)

Study by Elaine Griffin

Bedroom by Bradley Thiergarten - Photo courtesy of Habitually Chic

Library by Schuyler Samperton

Bedroom by Stephen Shubel

Half way through the week!

Linen

Room by Dana Lyon

For weeks now, I have been on the hunt for the perfect linen (in order to recover a graceful chaise). For some reason, this has proven to be a bigger challenge than I imagined (linen apparently being a quite elusive fabric around this part of Alabama). So, I will just have to content myself with these lovely pictures of rooms filled with that casually posh, comfortably elegant material.



Design by Tom Scheerer



Living area by Wolfe-Rizor Interiors

I love the range that this gorgeous and durable fabric has. It can really span the design spectrum, from casual and cozy (like the room above by Hattie Wolfe and Abby Rizor) to superbly glam. It is the neutral of all neutrals, a true chameleon!

Bedroom by Phoebe Howard

What a fabulous bedroom by the incredible Mrs. Howard! If you have not been to her website, you must go! There are literally hundreds of beautiful photos to browse through. But, be careful, you might be there all day!

Entry by Peter Dunham

I love how, even when Peter Dunham is using a neutral palette, there is complexity in his design. He always uses such a fabulous range of textures (with linen being the perfect fabric to compliment any of his interiors).

Bedroom by Lisa Luby Ryan


Our last two pics of the day are by the spirited and stylish Stephen Shubel. His designs are so elegant and eclectic; you can see why this versatile fabric is a go-to for him.

Here's to a good week!

You are my sunshine

Unknown design

 Well, it is a gray and dreary day here in Alabama and I am needing a little pick-me-up. So, I thought good spaces to feature today are those that are lit from within, doused in sunny yellows.

Entry by Katie Ridder

I like the idea of leaving the cold, dark, and damp outside, and retreating into cozy, cheerful interiors like these. The yellow wallpaper that Ridder uses above is done in a warm tone, making for an inviting entrance.

Robert Passal uses a pale, buttery yellow to lighten up this large bedroom. I like how he contrasts such a bright hue with plush velvets in darker tones.

Jay Jeffers uses a hefty dose of lemony shades in the living room above and, again, in the second floor landing below.

I absolutely love this swing! It was one of my dream items to have in a house when I was a kid! (Along with a spiral staircase and a walk-in closet with a huge tufted ottoman and chandelier. I dreamed big!)

Dining room by Kelly Wearstler



Yellow is certainly a go-to color for coastal interiors, such as this living room in a Palm Beach condo by Aman & Carson. It keeps things light and cheery, and reminds you to smile cause you're at the beach!



Dining room by Leslie Klotz

With yellow, a little goes a long way, as Klotz illustrates in the dining room above in a lovely Hamptons beach house.

Stephen Shubel takes a more reserved approach with his use of this sunny shade as well, featuring it only in the drapery fabric surrounding the crisp white bed. (Don't you just love that stack of books as a nightstand? It makes the room feel so casual and lived-in.)

Our last photo of the day comes to us courtesy of the talented design duo John Dransfield and Geoffrey Ross from their fabulous Somerset County, New Jersey home.

I love everything about this house, featured in the July/August 2010 edition of Elle Decor, and this room is no exception. I love the black leather sofas, the driftwood table, the collection of sketches surrounding the mirror. Purely great design!

Hope you're having a sunny day wherever you are!

You're so vain, you probably think this post is about you

Room by Timothy Whealon

There is nothing more decadently feminine than a vanity, and I absolutely love them! I think I love the idea of having a place reserved just for your daily, girly activities. It is far better than leaning over the bathroom sink!

Plus, vanities and dressing tables give you the opportunity to bring some glamour into a space. Look at the fabulous bathroom by Stephen Shubel above. I love the color of the walls (guaranteed to make you look like you just came back from St. Tropez!) and those billowing silk curtains. (Have I mentioned I love silk?)


Room by Martensen Jones Interiors



Bedroom by Meg Braff

It appears a lot of designers turn to mirrored pieces to find that touch of glamour. I love all the different incarnations of this diva staple: femmed-up (like the version by Braff above), flashy and European, or truly eclectic.


Design by Martyn Lawrence Bullard



Unknown design

However, you may prefer to have a simple and quietly elegant place all to yourself, like in Broadway producer, Candia Fisher's, Manhattan bedroom (designed by Aman & Carson).

Although you may not have space for a true dressing table, I think it's important to create a space just for you (even if it is just a small mirror and shelf, or an antique valet, like in the home of Waterwork's Barbara Sallick below). 

Here's to convenient primping for all!

Short on time, but not on design

Hello, all!

I am a bit strapped for time today, but I still wanted to share some of the beautiful designs that make my little heart go "pitter patter"! Enjoy!

First up is a photo from Matthew White's Italy of my Dreams. Just seeing this pic alone makes me feel the need to make a mad dash to the store to get a copy!

Shifting from bright and airy to moody and warm, here is the living room of David DeMattei and Patrick Wade, the head honchos behind Lucky Brand Jeans. Love the Burberry throw, love the zebra benches, and totally love the contrast of the sparkly chandelier against the chocolate walls!

Alessandra Branca also knows how to play up the drama in a room. I love all those red lampshades and actually bought a pretty one for myself recently. Now I just have to pick which lamp to put it on!

Now just feel the calm wash over you as you look at this next room by Christina Rottman. I just love the scale of the mirror, fireplace, and palm.

Garrow Kedigian certainly knows his way around a muted palette as well, as you can see in these next two photos of his living room. His apartment was actually featured in the New York Social Diary's section on the home. He said that he was going for the "abandoned mansion" look. Well said! 

I just adore this room! Loving the mixture of furnishings, the textures. I love the pedestal supporting that large, sculptural bowl.

I found a fabulous marble sink, excavated from a Turkish bathhouse (or "hamam"), on an impromptu antique stop on my way back from the beach this past summer that is just waiting for just such a platform. (The thing is so heavy that it's still riding around in the back of my car! Ha!)  

That man sure can do pink! Fabulous. Enough said.

Living room by Stephen Shubel

Alrighty, one more fabulous space then I must be off. This exceedingly cheerful living room (note the gorgeous coral paint and grasscloth on the dining room walls beyond) is by design duo Bill Brockschmidt and Courtney Coleman.

This Florida home has such a soothing feel due to a limited color palette (coral, white, pale blue) and what Brockschmidt has cleverly tagged as a "tidy informality". I love that phrase!

I feel the same way about getting the positioning of furniture and accessories, and the introduction of color just right. Then, when everything is in its "proper place" (as Brockschmidt says), everything feels easy and nothing is jarring.

Orderly breeziness: my ideal decorating style! And what better theme to end on than that? 

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....