A Quick Fashion Aside...

Most of you who know me know that I have a thing for great handbags. I love to own them, especially love making them, and can appreciate a good one when I see it. These aren't the exact photos I want, but lately I've seen more and more of this Louis Vuitton Motard Monogram bag around. I've seen the solid color versions and they are to die for. I don't own one yet, but I haven't purchased myself a birthday present yet either.... maybe I'll update the post over the weekend with the photos from InStyle. Have a good one!

Ready Made

Despite my love for all things bespoke, sometimes you just can't wait or afford to go the full custom route. I have my usual collection of web sites and catalogs that I go back to time and time again. Here are a few of my favorite recent picks. Above: a garden seat from Horchow.




Above: a beautiful paned mirror from Pottery Barn. This is a great way to add dimension to your room without having to use one giant, and less interesting, mirror.




Above: Tres elegant outdoor rugs from Horchow. I've been eyeing these for a while now.....




Above: From Gump's an adorable little pagoda shelf.
Above: Ikat pillows from Source Perrier in the ever classic blue & white.




And last, but not least, a classic Chinese Chippendale outdoor furniture collection by Brown Jordan which debuted in 1967! Available at Gump's.

Suzanne Kasler

Suzanne Kasler




Of everything that I saw at the recent High Point Market, the collection I love the most is Hickory Chair's new furniture collection designed by Suzanne Kasler. I'm dying to get my hands on the catalog for this group, which is not yet on their web site. Here is a quick peak from the Designer Preview magazine from Market. What I love about this collection the most is that almost everything is available in 42 finishes. You can't believe the difference that finish and hardware have on the very same piece of furniture. I can't wait to use this collection!






I had admired Kasler's designs before and had even clipped an article on a French themed dinner party she gave for an Atlanta museum collaboration with the Louvre. I love the attention to detail, and of course, the overall elegant luxury of it all. The clencher for me was when I read that the event was catered by Blackberry Farm, one of my all time favorites.





Her style is both classic and French- she says her inspirations are architecture, antiques, fashion, Paris- all of which are evident in her designs. In addition to her layered yet not over decorated look, Kasler has an amazing sense of color. Check out this image from her web site of a tabletop.





If you don't yet know the work of Suzanne Kasler, take a closer look the next time you peruse your shelter mags. She's everywhere and her work is really beautiful.

Staying on top of the wave....

I'll be back with more posts shortly. My apologies that they've been so sporadic, but between moving and keeping up with our clients, blogging has been on the back burner. I'll get back to regular posts next week and share some images of our new space, sparse and unlived in as it is...

Lee Jofa in Blue & White

Blue & White Fabrics

I've frequently said that if I had to choose just one brand of fabric to work from it would be Lee Jofa. With it's umbrella of brands and many designer collections (Kelly Wearstler forthcoming this year) it works in so many situations.

I've been talking about blue & white a lot, so I've pulled a few of my favorite blue and white fabrics from Lee Jofa.

Animal Prints

Animal Prints




Many of the rooms I've been looking at lately are filled with lots of traditional elements but they have that sense of freshness. I noticed a common element... the animal print. I showed you the other half of this room when discussing blue & white. Check out the animal print rug Barclay Butera used to anchor this room full of blue & white.



Above: David Jiminez keeps the lines in this room very clean and adds some zing with a hair-on skin right over the sisal. You may not be this bold, but there are other options.




Just a few pillows and an upholstered ottoman add a touch of difference that the room really needs. Believe it or not, animal skins and animal skin prints are classic design elements.




In a bit more of a modern twist, this room featured in O Magazine shows a "garden seat" used a side table in a zebra pattern. Picture the room without it....

Below is one of my favorite pieces using an animal skin print. It's an ottoman from Source Perrier Catalog. It's a perfect piece for jazzing up a room that needs some zip.

Blue & White Bedrooms

Blue & White Bedrooms



The above bedroom by Charles Faudree epitomizes the soft sophistication you can achieve with blue and white. He uses multiple prints but tends to use the same one on more than one thing, which helps tie the look together. It may seem simple, but it's not as easy as it looks. (Neither is a monochromatic room, no matter what anyone tells you). This room has the characteristic French feel of Charles Faudree designs.... lots of fabric but still clean. I love that the canopy panels just hit the floor.



The room above has that beautiful shade of blue with a lot of red in it... it almost goes slightly purple. I love it. Again, the blue and white feels fresh and crisp and the multiple patterns work well together. I have to speak up here though, and I don't normally do this... I really want to ditch those lamps and anchor this room with a nice feeling nightstand and a substantial and appropriate lamp. My apologies to the designer/stylist.



This small view of a blue & white bedroom reminds me of a the apartment of a friend in New York. She had a small studio that felt so big because it was well done and simple. The blue & white here are anchored with dark wood and neutral/gold curtains and flooring. This room feels like New England to me....




Blue & white doesn't have to be traditional and buttoned up though. I love the drama of this bed. The lines are so beautiful and gracious and it's covered with a traditional toile.... but it says modern to me. Mix blue and white with your favorite non-traditional pieces... I bet you'll be surprised. Coming up soon: my favorite blue & white fabrics.

Blue & White

Blue & white as a color scheme is about as classic as you can get. No matter how it's combined or exactly the shades, it works and it feels fresh and crisp. I instantly think Ralph Lauren & Aerin Lauder. And while blue & white has never actually fallen out of style, I'd have to say I've seen more and more of it lately. Everywhere. In so many styles.

There is so much to show you that I'll begin with the place settings and transferware pieces that seem to inspire the color scheme. If you look for it, you won't believe how often you see it.

Above is an exquisite setting from William Yoward as seen at Charlotte Moss. (I did finally make it to New York and was blown away by the Charlotte Moss Townhouse... my detailed review is forthcoming).

Below are two sides of a well-stocked china cabinet featuring so many of the well-known brands of blue & white transferware. This year Ralph Lauren teamed up with Burleigh to produce a collection (I've only seen the pitcher) with a pattern similar to the pitcher on the top left of this image.



You may think that this blue & white transferware is too traditional. Or you may not want to purchase antiques. But wait... it can be so chic and so soft.

Check out what Barclay Butera did in his own home with blue & white. It reoccurs throughout in many dramatic ways. I believe I've shown you one of these images before, but it just fits here.



Blue & white doesn't have to be the central theme, although it can really rock when done with drama. If you prefer just a touch, check out the room below. There is blue & white porcelain in the fabric on the window and a few small pieces on the table below. Looks like a great spot to spend the afternoon.


Because blue & white has been such a predominant theme lately, I'll post again this week about another of my favorite uses of blue & white: the bedroom.

Hollyhock & Suzanne Rheinstein

If you read any shelter publications you've likely heard of Suzanne Rheinstein & her Los Angeles store Hollyhock, Inc. I've long admired the antiques and new pieces that Hollyhock has decided to carry or reproduce. There is something very easy and old-fashioned , yet somehow current, about the aesthetic they share. The web site www.hollyhockinc.com is somewhat informative, but I'm still anxiously awaiting a trip to LA with Hollyhock at the top of my list.

One of my all-time favorites, Lee Jofa, has teamed up with Suzanne Rheinstein for a collection of fabrics that came out last fall. Prints that look hand blocked and have a lovely antique like feel... I love this collection of fabrics and I'm anxiously awaiting seeing a group of them used in one place (i.e. one of my clients' homes).

Check out these images of Rheinstein's home (same home for 27 years) featuring her Lee Jofa fabric collection. Plus a few fabric detail shots.