Gilded

Vignette by Madeline Stuart

I love to see flashes of gold throughout a home: in frames, mirrors, table legs, or lamps. It is so classic and, yet, it can be so glamorous. So, with that in mind, here is a little bit of sparkle for your Tuesday!

Dining room by Amanda Nisbet

Gold plus crystal and ebony equals some serious glitz!

Design by Thomas Britt

Design by Thomas Britt

Bleached wood acts as the perfect, neutral counterpoint to this enormous, gilded chandelier.


Entryway by Hillary Thomas



Veranda' Greystone Estate Showhouse bedroom by Windsor Smith

Fabrics, such as upholstery or curtains (like on the canopy bed above), are another clever way to add a few more karats to a room.

Bedroom by Westbrook Interiors

I hope you all have a great day today!

Brown Recluse

Study by Barry Dixon

As rumbling thunderstorms blow across the deep South (we've already seen kidney-bean-sized hail so far today), it is the perfect day for hunkering down inside, retreating somewhere cozy and warm.

Home of Thomas Britt - Courtesy of NYSD

I love the drama and warmth of dark walls, especially when they're done in deep chocolate.

Living room by Kim Winkler of Westbrook Interiors

You certainly need plenty of comfy seating to snuggle into...

Design by Bunny Williams

... And lots of soft reading lights close by....

Study by Elaine Griffin

... And a place to jot down all your thoughts and ideas.

Great room by Myra Hoefer

But, mainly, you need an elegant sanctuary where you feel secure, happy, and at home.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Bust a Move: Part II

Manolo Blahnik at his home in England

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Now let's get back to our sophisticated sculptural subject: busts!

I love the contrast of the red upholstery and the cool aqua walls in the room above. The bust, however, is in perfect sync with the grand mantelpiece and moldings.

Vignette by Eric Lysdahl



Living room by Thomas Britt

More red upholstery abounds in this sunny room by Thomas Britt. I love how the plants in the room are used as a type of sculpture, too, punctuating the doorways and large windows.

Design by Jay Jeffers

Another great contrast. Here you can see how the bust (along with that unique suit-of-armor mirror) ground the rather fanciful lavender walls and mirrored dresser.

Design by Garrow Kedigian

What a warm and masculine room. I love the combination of the wall color, painting, and dark, plush settee.

Vignette by Gary Spain

Gary Spain certainly knows how to go bold, but I love how, in this case, he tempers the graphic wallpaper with warm flooring, traditional furnishings (I love that dresser), and solid accessories.


Design by Gary Spain



Dining room by Richard Norris and Mark Leslie

I like how Norris declared that, since this dining room is not isolated, it has become a place to "linger over meals, plan trips, and discuss our problems".

Foyer by Timothy Whealon

Love, love, love this foyer! It seems more like a garden room than a foyer. What a cheerful room to come home to!

Living room by Matthew Patrick Smyth

I am ending today with one of my favorite designers: Matthew Patrick Smyth. I love his elegantly eclectic interiors, and this space is a perfect example. The pair of busts at the far end of the room have great scale, anchoring the space perfectly. My favorite pieces in the room are, by far, the delicate, gothic armchair and the fabulous, painted pedestal table. (Oh how I would love to have one for my own home!) This room is pretty but tidy, and grounded yet bright. Lovely!

Have a happy Tuesday!

Pretty Pastels

Design by Joe Nye

Although I usually err on the side of bold, jewel tones in my decor, I am starting to see the light.... the pale lightness of pastels, that is!

I am absolutely gaga over the room above. I love the mixture of pale and bright tones, and that rug is just to die for!


Photo courtesy of desiretoinspire

I appreciate the sort of non-committal tactfulness of the design above. The walls, upholstery and furnishings are neutral, while the pillows and rug bring in the color. These accessories could easily be traded out for ones in dark greens and deep plums and change the whole look of the space. It's not a bad idea to keep your options open!

Jay Jeffers keeps the look of this dining area serene, using blue and lavender to quiet the bright space.

If you live in Palm Beach, you really need a way to cool down your interiors (figuratively and literally), and Kemble Interiors does just that in this ultra-feminine sunroom of an old church transformed into an abode.


Design by Katie Ridder


How glamorous is this room in the home of PR guru Georgette Farkas?! I love those plush pink bergeres and the lavender walls that flow right up onto the ceiling! Traditional layout and furnishings in modern color combinations? Perfection!

Here is one last pastel place for the day: a room designed by the versatile Thomas Britt. There is so much to see in this room: whisper-pink walls, brightly striped curtains, those loopy, white Frances Elkins chairs, the striped rug that leads your eye through the room, and that huge armoire! What a lovely room to end on!

Happy Thursday to all! (Almost to the weekend!)

Lustrous Lacquer

Hallway by Steven Gambrel

As I may have mentioned before, I love lacquer! The effect of this wonderful finish is sleek and watery, and light can't help but bounce around in the space.

Living room by Melissa Rufty

The polish of the lacquer sheds the walls' flat, rigid appearance, and they suddenly become three dimensional, acting almost like a mirror would by creating depth.

Miles Redd discussed this entryway during his Antiques in the Gardens speech, saying that he wanted to offset the owners' dark, inherited furnishings with playful color and shimmering surfaces.

Faye Cone took out a hefty staircase here, replacing it with this floating model, and then lacquered the adjacent wall to create even more airiness and fluidity.

Room by Melissa Rufty

Nate Berkus opts to lacquer only the ceiling in this bright Florida poolhouse, contrasting the warmth of the chocolate color with the watery coolness of the lacquer's polish. Below, he goes all out with a deep blue in a New York library.

Hallway by Todd Klein

Goodness, how I would love to come home to this entry hallway every day! The color and finish are ethereal and, to me, sheer perfection!

If you're going to go with lacquer, why not go all out, as Thomas Britt does in this rich, sultry living room. The contrast of purple and green is opulent, and the lacquer acts as the sparkling jewelry on this regal ensemble.

Although achieving the lacquered finish in these photos is no easy feat (generally requiring the work of a seasoned professional), the effect is priceless: creating space and light and.... well, luster.

Rouge

Design by Miles Redd

Bold and fiery, red can make a room come to life, create coziness, or inspire passion. It is not a go-to color for me (at least not in wall color), but, through these pictures, I can begin to see the draw of this sanguine hue.

Todd Alexander Romano keeps it classic in this cozy room. I like the traditional hunting scene on the wall, the deer hide rug, and that gorgeous chinoiserie fabric on the armchair. I believe it is Le Lac by Brunschwig & Fils, which is a favorite of mine - as well as design star Joe Nye, so much so that it is featured on the cover of his book, Flair.

Nye used a coral-tinted red in the beach house above to add some fun and playfulness, he explained. It is an unexpected color for the beach, but I agree that the room has a much more festive feel than if he had used a neutral or cool blue palette.

Thomas Britt channels a graphic, funky vibe in this living room by contrasting the rouge tones of the damask wallcovering with black and white furnishings and overscale artwork.

Robert Passal ups the intensity in this room with deep scarlet walls. He plays with an exotic theme here, using a zebra-print rug, pale leather headboard, and buddha lamps.

Chiqui and Nena Woolworth create a fun, fresh look using a combination of red walls and cheerful patterns. Again, we see that mixture of pink and red that is so unexpected and modern.

This bedroom, by Domicile Interiors, is my favorite version of a red room. I like how the red is more orange-toned and the intensity is lessened by the crisp white bedding and headboard, serene wallpaper panels hung as art, and the lively side tables. I think this room illustrates a perfect mixture of heat (from the red walls), tranquillity (that a bedroom needs), and curiosity (that comes from engaging accessories - like the super fun, blue foo dogs on the bench).

Although I probably won't be painting my walls crimson any time soon, I can't deny the allure of red. I use it in pillows, accessories, table linens, and artwork. It can create a buzz, a hum of energy, that you can weave into just about any interior.

To Grandmother's house I go

My Grandmother, who is a beautiful and stylish lady all around, has a wonderfully cozy bedroom, tucked away at the back of her large, 60s-era home. She has stacks of books surrounding the bed and the most perfect shade of blue-green on the walls.

With that as my inspiration, I set out to find gorgeous rooms that use the same or similar shades to bring interest and elegance to the spaces.

Room by Thomas Britt as seen in Architectural Digest

How totally glamorous is this room? I love the hints of animal print, the overscale art, the modern stone fireplace, those lanterns, and - of course - the walls! Britt even decides to carry the color into the kitchen as well, where it creates a fun and fresh look when contrasted with the white molding and furniture.

Albert Hadley settles on just a hint of blue by hanging a framed, painted panel of the bright hue. I love the contrast of the blue to the black console, stacks of books, and layers of artwork.

Living area by Miles Redd

Dining room by Delphine Krakoff

I love how this color can impart liveliness and fun to a range of styles, from classic to modern and glamorous to minimalist.

This is such a classy, funky room featured in the late Domino magazine. After doing a little digging, I discovered that, although Domino is officially gone, Brides.com was granted access to their digital archives. Now, viewers can browse through the steadily expanding Domino albums!

It is so sad to me that more and more shelter magazines are closing their doors. It's nice to know that all is not lost (especially not the wonderful photos)!

In this fabulous room by Bunny Williams (created for the 2009 Kips Bay Decorator Show House), there are so many colors, styles, and textures, but, to me, the room doesn't feel overwhelming or busy. I love how there are so many cozy places to sit, as well. A fabulous, inspiring space - just what you'd expect from the inimitable Miss Williams!

Space by Raymond Boozer

I can't get over this arrangement of art! So perfect! The wall color keeps the space fresh and modern, while the collection of pictures and furnishings grounds the space and makes it warm and engaging.

One last photo for the week, this one of an actual bedroom done in this fabulous blue!

I love this bedroom in the home of Julian and Olatz Schnabel. Julian is an artist in every sense of the word and Olatz is a former model who now runs a linen and home accessories shop. You can totally feel an exotic, international influence in this room!

I love how Olatz mixed that regal purple with a brilliant red, all contrasted against that perfect blue. I think this space illustrates so well how to achieve a captivating, yet soothing, space.

Happy Friday!