Animal Instinct

(Design Clique)

I recently purchased a blue leopard print pillows from The Kellogg Collection for our oversized white chair (pictures below).  It fits perfectly against the back of the seat and offers both lower back support and a pop of fun.  While I'm an adament animal lover and personally wouldn't decorate my house with anything that was shot and skinned for my design pleasure (though I might make an exception for faux cow hide rug; they look so real and a good quality ones only cost around $200), I do love an occasional animal print or faux fur for a touch of Hollywood glam.  I'd even do some antler accents for a rugged, organic feel.

One of my favorite designers, Windsor Smith, is an expert when it comes to incorporating tasteful touches of print into a home.  House Beautiful recently featured her showcase estate in a cover story and it's worth viewing the full slide show of her sumptuously appointed rooms and reading her interview for design inspirations.  Her LA home mixes casual, yet vibrant romanticism with grand, luxurious elegance, a true reflection of the designer's talents.

zebra rug layered on a sisal for an unexpected wow factor
(House Beautiful)

antlers repurposed as table legs tie in the rugged feel of the metal wall hangings
(House Beautiful)

Here are some other pictures of interiors I like that incorporate touches of animal prints and accessories.

leopard print rug by Ralph Lauren Home
(blossominteriors.com)

the acryllic table is the perfect choice to allow the faux zebra rug to take center stage
(shelterpop.com)

I love the bold blue print contrasted with the tangerie chair
(kcinteriors.com)

white antler chair and feather head dress in
Vanessa Traina's NYC apartment
(Harper's Bazaar; photo by Todd Selby)

faux cow hide chair
(image source unknown)

a fux fur throw on the couch adds a punch of fun to neutral furnishings
(birds of a feather)

a brown zebra ottoman compliments the coral window panels
(Mary McDonald)

Mirrored Image

(art deco asian living)

One of my favorite interior styles is art deco.  You're probably thinking how can someone who loves vintage French country headboards and distressed wooden farm tables also find a place for art deco in her home, but I promise you, if curated with just the right balance, these styles are easier to combine than you think.

The first connection is that the origins of art deco come from Paris in the 1920's.  It influenced many facets of design around the world from architecture, interior design, fashion, jewelry and even film.  It's a style know for high glamour, modernism, utilitariansim and elegance.  Some of Manhattan's most iconic buildings are examples of the style:  The Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building's spire, and the GE Building at the heart of Rockefeller Center.   With the economy flourishing during the Roaring Twenties, people had a strong appetite for luxury goods.  Art deco furniture, opulent and sleek, became a popular investment, and mirrored pieces were of the most sought after.

The Chrysler Building, 1930
(James Maher Photography)

I love decorating with a few mirrored pieces, my favorites are side or end tables, vanities, and coffee tables.  They look great placed on dark wood floors, next to black laquer or stark white furniture, and I like to accessorize them with a few color pops from decorative pieces placed on their surfaces.  However, use color sparingly around mirrored furniture; every item placed on or near is doubled.

A few rules I follow when personally decorating with mirrored furniture:  They must be placed carefully and tastefully (e.g. one piece in a room is usually enough, unless you live in a penthouse apartment in a big city or are going for all out LA-glam look--my Norfolk nest certainly isn't), too much reflection can be overwhelming.  Mirrored pieces can make a room appear larger and brighten a space with elegance and high gloss.  They are certainly investment pieces so take your time selecting.  I recommend a few websites when researching these pieces including Neiman Marcus,  Horchow, and a lesser known site Glam Furniture.  For other editorial ideas, Elle Decor recently did a feature on mirrored furniture that is definitely worth reading.  Here are a few pictures that use mirrored furniture perfectly.

(Horchow)

(Lennox)

(Elle Decor)

Sarah Jessica Parker's bedroom
(Elle Decor)

(HGTV Secrets from a Stylist)

Bedroom Bench Mark

(Decor Pad)

The bench at the foot of our bed is one of the nicest pieces of furniture we own.  It was a gift from my mother when we first moved to Charlottesville and found ourselves in a really large master with hardly any furniture.  Lucky for us, she had some extra Chinese silk fabric from a custom ottoman project and I had found a gorgeous hand carved antique bench that needed to be recovered.  If you find a shape you like at a flea market or consignment shop, you can always change the fabric on the top and voila, a perfect piece for the foot of your bed.

A bedroom bench is so practical.  Not only can it be used as seating, but if you need to maximize the space in your bedroom, you can store more unsightly items in baskets underneath.  I love the look of our long bench that runs along almost the entire width of the bed (just be sure the sides of the bed show at least a few inches on either side for a framing effect).  For our bench I'd like a cream colored cashmere throw to drape on one side, adding a luxurious touch.  Beneath the bench, place some dark woven baskets for extra sheets and blankets; I like round shapes for a contrast with the rectangular bench.  For a slightly different style for the guest room in our first house, I would like a set of smaller boudoir benches, or cross-legged or "x" benches--a his and her's for our guests.  On one of my favorite interior design shopping site's Serena and Lily, you can customize a set of x benches, selecting a unique pattern or single color fabric and piping.  I love the set below, both the color and the shape, in a room by one of my favorite, fearless designers Jonathan Adler.

benches by Jonathan Adler
(House Beautiful September 2009)

(decor pad)

(summer design studio)

(Decor Pad)

(Elle Decor)

(House Beautiful)

Boudoir bench
(frenchgardenhouse.com)



                          

Apartment Spotlight: Elegant Electicism in Downtown Charlottesville

I couldn't think of a better Royal Wedding viewing party than the one I attended last Friday morning. Our gracious host's Charlottesville "flat" was the ideal enclave to gather and watch Prince William wed his beautiful bride.  Within minutes of our arrival and exchange of compliments on each other's hats, fascinators, and dresses, we were offered a festive cocktail of chilled champagne, a dash of promegranate juice, and topped off with a few plump blueberries.  Over the most delectable homemade scones, deviled eggs, and fruit salad, we commented (unanimous adoration over Kate's dress), and critiqued (did Chelsy Davy forget to brush her hair, or look in the mirror all together for that matter?).  It was indulgent television spectatorship like I've never experienced before.

While we were certainly there to witness the historical British event, I couldn't help but ask my friend if I could photograph her apartment for my blog.  She graciously agreed and below are the pictures (my best attempt at using our new enormous Nikon camera.)  Her apartment that sits just above the historic downtown mall in Charlottesville, embodies understated elegance with an electic flair.  Her pieces are a mix of antiques sourced from auction houses and rare finds from her studies and travels abroad.  I had the chance to ask a few questions about her design inspirations, her favorite places to shop, and the story behind a unique Turkish settee.

Where do you find design inspiration?

A lot of my inspiration comes from touring other people's homes. Both on house tours and of [people] that I know. I adore taking aspects from my favorite parts of homes I have seen and trying to incorporate them into our decor. Also, growing up my parents renovated and decorated a variety of homes in different locations, and their style and ways they used touches of color as well as mixed new furniture, antiques, and finds from second hand stores has also been a huge inspiration to my style and influenced where I look for furniture or accessories for our apartment. Lastly, I have a few favorite stores I love to visit frequently as their displays and selection are always impeccable. My current favorites are Caspari and Random Harvest, which is located in Old Town, Alexandria. 

There are a lot of framed architectural prints throughout your apartment; is there a story behind them? 

The architectural prints were a 25th birthday present from my parents. They are from an antique store in Alexandria, Virginia and are of different buildings in London, which is a city I fell in love with after studying abroad there in college.  

I think you said you found the Turkish settee at an auction; what is story behind it?

Yes, the settee was purchased from Leslie Hindman auction house in Chicago. One Sunday of every month she had a live auction called "marketplace" which was a compilation of furniture from a variety of resources. We have many things from the auction in our apartment including the settee, the bookshelves, and most of our side tables.

What is your favorite piece of furniture or accessory?

Our horsehair dining room chairs. We love to entertain, and when I saw them in an antique store in DC I immediately fell in love with them. They were unique, and also classic enough to work in a more formal dining room, or could be placed in a more casual setting, as we have them in our apartment now. They are also extremely comfortable, and show no dirt, or wear and tear, an added bonus!

Off to the Races

This Saturday marks the the 137th running of The Kentuck Derby, the longest, continuously conducted sporting event in US history.  The annual "Run for the Roses" at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky conjures images of elegant ladies in decorative hats, silver cups of cool mint juleps, eager jockeys clad in bright, silk uniforms, and the familar sound of bell at the starting gate, signaling the beginning of what many refer to as "the greatest two minutes in sports."  And they're off!  I have a great appreciation for the powerful athleticism of the three-year-old thoroughbreds, running their hearts out for 1 and 1/4 mile...in about 120 seconds.

(CNBC)

At the age of four, I was placed on the back of my grandmother's chesnut thoroughbred named Chipper and I've been a passionate horse lover and equestrian enthsusiast ever since.  My parents' house is full of horse-themed details, from weathered black leather riding boots lining the fireplace hearth, to painted portraits of our past beloved thoroughbreds on the walls of the foyer staircase.  My sister and I still have a few faded blue ribbons proudly hanging in our vacant bedrooms from horse shows of long ago.

Even if I'm headed to a life of coastal living, I would like to incorporate elements of hunt country style in my Norfolk nest.  I have an old tack trunk that would make a great coffee table in a wood paneled den, and I could repurpose a set of silver stirrup cups as bud vases on a side table.  I highly recommend the book "Equestrian Style" by Vicki Moon for inspirations.  Here are some other images that exude equestrian chic.

(Ralph Lauren Home)

(Blind Pash Interiors)

(Blind Pash Interiors)

(Amanda Harlech)

Bagdley Mischka's guest bedroom
(Elle Decor)

My family home provides some of my most influential inspirations for hunt country style.  My mother framed a large Hermes silk scarf with a circular horse motif and hung it on a wall in the sunroom.  I would love to frame a set of three equestrian Hermes scarves and place them above a sitting area in a study or guest room someday. Here are a few I really like.

A final note... no matter where you are this Saturday, whether it be in your Sunday best at Churchill Downs or gathered around a flat screen at a friend's house, you must sip at least one mint julep (preferrably in a silver cup) while you watch the race. Below is a fool proof recipe my husband and I were given when we visited Maker's Mark Bourbon Distillery in Louisville, KY.  This receipe will serve two Derby enthusiasts so double, triple, quadruple as neccessary!

8 fresh sprigs of fresh mint (leaves only, the stems will make it bitter)
5 oz Makers Mark bourbon whiskey
2 tsp powered sugar

4 tsp water

Muddle mint leaves, powdered sugar, and water in a collins glass. Divide into two silver julep cups with shaved or crushed ice and add bourbon. Top with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve with a straw.



(roseredandlavender.com)



Settle into a Settee

Cristina and Chris Cuomo's house in the Hamptons via Elle Decor

A settee was originally defined as two seats, one set of arms.  It's earliest forms in the 1600's most resembled a double chair with a high back, but looked more like a bench.  These were commonly used for women to sit in formal living rooms; they did not have much cushioning and thus were not very comfortable (imagine sitting on a hard bench in a tightly bound corset for hours!).

Peacock settee in a French style

(Amber Heptinstall)

1780 Dutch antique sette 

(Van Nie Aniquiars)

In the 18th century settees began to take on a much more comfortable form with cushioned seating, splendid upholstery, and intricate woodwork.  There are a variety of European styles from French, Turkish, and Dutch, but no matter what type you prefer, their size makes them perfect for smaller living rooms or an alternative to a second couch in a very open living space.  I like to place them in smaller spaces, framed by a window. They are great pieces to seek out at flea markets because if you like the shape and size, recovering them with a fabric of your choice is a fun way to make it your own.  We have a vintage French settee in a sage green linen our bedroom in front of a big window.  It's the perfect spot to wrap up in a blanket and read on a rainy day.  Here are a few others I am inspired by for our first house.

Bedroom by Celerie Kemble

(interiors.net)

(decorpad)

linen settee
(Country Living)

(decorpad)

(cococozy)