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.

Glorifying the Closet

The closet is so frequently just an afterthought of an otherwise well designed home.... but not in these three. I searched to find several others and came up shy, which is not to say they don't exist. I'm sure I'll do an update. It's a simple fact that the closet must be well thought out in order to function for the particular person or people. The idea that everything has a place and that you can really see most all of it is so basic but so overlooked these days. The common features that I love are the chandeliers, the center tables or islands, and the seating or chaises. Granted, most of us don't have the luxury of such space for a closet (don't complain to me, I lived in NYC for 10 years) but it's such a nice inspiration to make the space we do have beautiful and functional. Don't just shut the door... make it a place you can't wait to show off.

Above: Closet designed by Robert Couturier.

Above: Oprah's closet designed by Nate Berkus. Image courtesy Nate Burkus' book Home Rules.


Above: Closet designed by David Jiminez. Image courtesy of House Beautiful.

Accessories Make the Room

Accessorizing is an art. A keen, well-edited selection that packs a punch is a difficult task. Here are a few examples that I think are successful. Above: This image has stayed with me for a long time. I go back to this for inspiration when I get stuck. This is a table in Amy Perlin's home and I think it was done by Amy herself. As you might imagine, it consists of antiques that Amy sells at her Manhattan shop. I love the mix of proportions and textures. Image courtesy of House & Garden.



Above: This highly symmetrical design by Barclay Butera feels casual and elegant. I like the large scale of the urns and the lamps together. Very unexpected and successful. Image courtesy of Traditional Home.


Above: I happen to love this table and the mix of accessories on it. A little French, a little Asian, and even a few books. Image courtesy of Elle Decor.



Above: A classic chest accessorized with very classic, clean pieces. Notice the layers. Boxes in trays, multiple height candlesticks, artwork leaning on artwork. Where you would expect symmetry, you find a beautiful asymmetrical balance. Designer: David Jimenez. Image courtesy of House Beautiful.


Above: This table top shows an interesting mix of artwork, objects, and books. I like the use of easels for the artwork and the idea that the mirror is a back drop instead of a feature... the designer is not concerned with the need to keep the area in front of the mirror clear. As much as I like the tabletop, I would personally prefer a different mix of furniture. These pieces feel a little bit disconnected to me. They need to speak to each other a bit more without being to matchy-matchy. Image courtesy of House & Garden.