House Crush

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

All In The Family...

I spied the most beautiful antique "family tree" painting in this month's Veranda Magazine. Imagine the time/effort it would take to track down this level of lineage... let alone paint the results... absolutely stunning...

Veranda Magazine March 2011 "Belgian Beauty"
Interior design by: Brigitte Garnier
Photo credit: Miguel Flores-Vianna

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark...

Black walls have been an "IN" thing for awhile. Not sure if they will ever be a "mainstream" thing but I've got to say, I recently tried it out in my entryway (thanks for the idea/encouragement Carrie Hayden) and LOVE. I love the unexpectedness of it... people walk into my home and know that something is different but they're not quite sure what. It can be a bit of drama but often times it reads more neutral than you would expect. If you are curious, give it a whirl... afterall, it's just paint...

Drama! Rob Southerns entryway via House Beautiful

love the black french doors - via decor pad

Aerin Lauder's dining room via elle decor

Aerin Lauder's study via elle decor

black walls & rustic kitchen via house and home... gorgeous!

Jenna Lyons master bedroom & bath

black wallpapered walls via decor pad

Celerie Kemble's closet via lonny mag

Monday, February 21, 2011

Happy President's Day!

And on this honorable day, why not give a shout out to one of the most fabulous First Lady's and her renovation of the White House 1961-1963. See/read all about the renovation at www.whitehousemuseum.org. A few of my favorite photos...

Color photo of Jackie's tour of the white house (which aired in black & white) in 1962

Jackie's bedroom

The White House Blue Room as redecorated by Stéphane Boudin in 1962.

Caroline's bedroom... I remember having a canopy bed just like this one

John Jr.'s nursery - LOVE the old school "play pen"... why don't we use these anymore??

Green room - Moire green silk walls by Sister Parrish

First Cowgirl Caroline Kennedy riding "Macaroni the Pony" up the south lawn (notice in the background the torn up rose garden which Jackie overhauled)

buy the book...

Jacqueline Kennedy : The White House Years: Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum

Friday, February 18, 2011

Ooh La, La...

Can't wait to get my hands on this beauty... Parisian Interiors: Bold, Elegant, Refined...

From Amazon.com... "Barbara and René Stoeltie invite us inside the private oases of twenty of the city’s celebrated interiors gurus, capturing in vivid photographs these havens of perfection, brimming with inspiration for the home. While each interior is distinctly unique, they all draw from a rich historical tradition of decorative arts combined with an instinctive desire to reinvent itself, mixing the best elements from different epochs with contemporary art, bold colors, or surprising pattern combinations. A foreword from Jacques Garcia, with his gracious nod to the great Madeleine Castaing, opens this handsome volume." -- Release date 2/22... pre-order today at Amazon... Parisian Interiors: Bold, Elegant, Refined

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Framed Galleries Make For Fantastic Art...

I am often asked for help in arranging framed photos on walls. It's a painstakingly, time consuming process but the effort is always worth it. If done right, blank walls come alive and truly speak... just like the ones below...

elle decor

elle decor - photograph by Eric Piasecki

Canadian House & Home

Kristen Buckingham

via lonny mag

elle decor

via decor pad

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

For The Love Of Greek Key...

Is there really a person out there that doesn't LOVE greek key? If there is, I haven't met them. I'm partial to playing up modified versions of this classic pattern in defining details... little touches of the graphic that put a punctuation mark on whatever it adorns. Some examples...