Thank you, Traditional Home Magazine!

Every year, Traditional Home selects a group of New Trads - young designers whose style represents a fresh take on traditional decorating.  Last week at the Design Bloggers Conference in Los Angeles, Ann Maine, editor in chief of Traditional Home, announced the New Trads 2012.  It is an honor to be selected in this group of ten designers, all of whom I greatly admire.

This year, the editors of Traditional Home invited bloggers to nominate designers. One of whom, Stacey Bewkes of Quintessence, nominated me.  Stacey's blog is fabulous and on Bunny William's sort list of daily reads.  You must check it out!

The 10 New Trads and the bloggers who nominated them will be featured in the May 2012 issue of Traditional Home.  Stacey has written a wonderful article on a house I just finished in Atlanta.  The article and full photo shoot will be in Traditional Home's online magazine, TradHome, in April, along with pieces on all of the fantastic designers and bloggers in the New Trads 2012 group - congratulations to you all and thank you!

Phoebe Howard Releases Her First Book

Phoebe Howard's first book, The Joy Of Decorating, is finally here!  I had the chance to preview the book during a recent visit to Mrs. Howard in Atlanta and pre-ordered a copy on the spot.  This is a wonderful chance for readers to know more about the principals behind Phoebe's designs and how to apply them in your own house.  There are also many never before seen images of Phoebe's work.  Congratulations, Phoebe! 

Thank You, Connecticut Cottages & Gardens!

A very special thank you to Connecticut Cottages & Gardens for mentioning us in the February 2012 issue, page 84!

The Real Downton Abbey

Highclere Castle - the real Downton Abbey estate.

Downton Abbey’s slew of characters, secrets, exquisite costumes and breathtaking scenery keep me glued to each episode.  The real Downton Abbey is Highclere Castle, built in the 1830’s, located in Hampshire, and home to the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon.   The 200 room 1,000 acre estate employs 60-80 staff members and offers tours in the summer months.  Check out Whitney Robinson’s story about Highclere, stunningly captured by English photographer James Merrell, in the February 2012 issue of Town and Country.


Picture Frame Shopping at Leo Design

Italian pewter picture frames with wooden backs by Match, available at Leo Design in Manhattan's West Village.

A framed photograph makes for a thougthful and personalized gift.  If the frame is simple in style and classic in material, it should be easy to incorporate into any decor.  Leo Design is my favorite place to shop for picture frames.  Their array of sizes come in silver, pewter, gilt, leather, bone and other materials.  Their skilled sales associates are happy to help you select a frame, then crop and frame your photo.  Leo Design's beautiful complimentary wrapping completes the gift!  In addition to picture frames, you will also find endless interesting accessories, primarily vintage and antique, which owner, Kimo Jung, collects from all corners of the globe.

Christmas Shop with MannerOfStyle!

Want stylish gifts, beautifully wrapped, and delivered to everyone on your list? Then shop MannerofStyle's Christmas Collection!

Chippendale Planter
Currently available in two sizes:
Medium (15"sq x 18"H) $182, Large (18"sq x 20.5"H) $300.
Color options: Black or White.
Gift wrapping not available.

Book Review: Fall 2011

Design books are a wonderful way to learn about decorating or to get inspired for a project. I constantly reference them for clients and my collection of design books is ever expanding. They are beautifully made, great for decorating with and make fantastic gifts. Here are a few new releases and my most recent purchases:

Shop Our Space at Rooms With A View!

Southport Congretional Church was buzzing last night with the opening party for Albert Hadley's "Rooms With A View" showcase. Thank you to everyone who came to Connecticut to see our space!

All items in our space are for sale! Ten percent of proceeds will be donated to Southport Congretional Church and the twenty charities that benefit from this annual fund raising event.

A custom "Parsons meets Empire Period" etagere desk with combed faux bois finish. Made in two pieces: bottom 30" high x 36" wide; top 58" high x 30" wide.

Our Space at Albert Hadley's "Rooms With A View"

My vignette at "Rooms With A View'.  Rendering by Victoria Molinelli.

It was an honor to be selected as one of twelve interior designers to decorate a vignette for the annual Albert Hadley "Rooms With A View" showcase, opening tomorrow night, at the historic Southport Congregational Church in charming Southport, Connecticut.  Design icon Albert Hadley came up with this fund raising idea seventeen years ago.  The vignettes are eight by six foot miniature rooms which are supposed to offer a "view" into a special room.  I constantly reference images of Mr. Hadley's work for clients and it was fun draw on inspiration from him to design my vignette.  Please visit "Rooms With A View" this Thursday night through Sunday afternoon!

Many wonderful people helped make my vignette possible.  Special thanks to sponsorship from Hennessy Automobile Companies; my assistant, Poppy Hall; Parker Rodgers; Marisa Marcantonio; and my outstanding vendors: Amelia Osborne, Bruce Wiley, Christopher Spitzmiller, Country Carpet, Eliko, Fabulous Things Ltd., Il Papiro, J. Pocker, Jerry Pair, Meg Braff, Mrs. Howard, Paces Paper, Potterton Books, Rosenfeld Interiors, Two Worlds Arts.

Shopping La Cienega: L.A.'s Design Quarter



Todd Romano's New York showroom has long been a designer favorite.  In 2010 Romano launched his LA outpost which is full of statement furniture, art and unique accessories.

Every time I visit L.A., I can’t wait to hit La Cienega. This sunny street of antique dealers, workshops, and showrooms is full of unique finds for my clients back East. Many of the shops have courtyards in the front or gardens in the back, which is a fun contrast to Manhattan shopping. La Cienega has too many sources to mention but here are a few highlights not to be missed!
 

Susan Lapelle Brings Old World Charm to Sea Island

Susan Lapelle and Nicky Lapelle Arnold are the chic mother-daughter design duo behind one of the prettiest houses on Sea Island, which graces the pages of the September issue of Coastal Living magazine. By mixing period pieces with comfortable upholstery and eye catching accessories, the Lapelle’s make old world European elegance livable and inviting. Creating value for clients is one of the foundations of Atlanta-based Lapelle interiors. Susan, Nicky, and the home owner antiqued for months amass the collection seen here which is timeless and beautiful. The neutral palate and classic silhouettes will make this house look as current today as it will in years to come.  

Hello, Again!

Colorful scheme I am working on for a stylish client in Virginia.

It was a busy summer installing two houses on Long Island and starting three new jobs, but I have a lot of great blog posts planned (interviews, shop tours, new product, projects) for the fall so stay tuned! 

Hot Off the Showroom Floor: Lilly Pulitzer at Lee Jofa

Sneak Peak: on Friday, the Lilly team put their finishing touches on the front room at Lee Jofa in New York. 
Fabrics by Lilly Pulitzer Home; furniture by Lee Jofa and Holland & Company; lucite coffee table available through Lee Jofa; elephant end table by Lilly Pulitzer Home.

Since the fall 2010 debut, decorators could not wait to get their hands on the posh, preppy prints of Lilly Pulitzer Home, a complete collection of furniture and fabrics with a vintage Palm Beach vibe.  As of this week, the Lilly Pulitzer Home fabrics are available to the trade through Lee Jofa. 

Charlotte Moss Lectures on Design Inspiration and Asks "Why Not?"

Ginna Emmet, Allison Hennessy and Tricia Collie with Charlotte Moss.

Last month a few design savvy friends joined me at Atlanta's Piedmont Driving Club for a very ladylike luncheon preceding a lecture and book signing by Charlotte Moss.  Moss talked about the different people, places and interests that have shaped her decorating aesthetic.  She kept the audience entertained with a slide show featuring inspirational photos, many of which she had taken herself, and bits of humor such as, "(as a child) I thought decorating happened only when my father went out of town!"


Sidewalk of Seashells

Business has been extra busy the past few weeks, leaving little time to blog!  I will be back to regular posts soon but wanted to share a quick find from last week's trip to Savannah, Georgia. 

Charm abounds in every corner of downtown Savannah, an example of which is this simple cement sidewalk with inset seashells.  This is an inexpensive way to add some whimsy to an ordinary sidewalk or driveway.  I will remember this for when I have my ocean side dream house!

This Week In Design: Gala & Auction with Meg Braff & Charlotte Moss, Showhouses, Charlotte Moss Lecture & More!

We're on the cusp of yet another busy Spring in the design world! On Thursday, April 14, two of my favorite designers, Meg Braff and Charlotte Moss, are co-chairing The Bone Marrow Foundation Gala at the ICA Building in New York.  I am excited about this chic event; click here for tickets: http://www.bonemarrow.org/.

The Decorated Wall

Utilized by the early Egyptians, stenciled walls are still very popular today.  Refined stencils were used in this 1800's home in San Miguel, Mexico.

Art dealer Jennifer Gyr invited me to attend Florence de Dampierre's lecture on her new book, Walls: The Best of Decorative Treatments. In her research, de Dampierre found that in many people, walls stir passion. Thus, she began the lecture with Oscar Wilde's deathbed quote: "my wallpaper is killing me - one of us must go!"

Bliss Campbell's Innate Sense for Art and Design

Artist Bliss Campbell.

Bliss Campbell is a talented young artist living in New York.  Campbell studied and practiced both art and interior design; we met a few years ago when she was working for legendary design firm, Mark Hampton.  Here are a few of Campbell's most recent works, her ideas integrating art into decorating and more!

Take the Gloom Out of Gray

Tone variation of the brush strokes on "Positano in Graphite" by Amanda Nisbet look as though someone actually hand painted the silk ground.  This fabric would make very chic pillows.

A new client of mine likes the soothing sophistication of gray for her beach house living room but still wants the room to feel fresh and cheerful.  The key to achieving gray without gloom is to pick the clearest grays without any beige or green undertones.  We decided to layer gray in fun prints on a warm toned sisal rug with grass cloth walls.  Here are a few new happy gray fabrics that I discovered while scheming the room!

Zwada Home Imports Ancient Chinese Techniques from Hong Kong to Vancouver

The Imix Club's Chair 1 features hand carved faux bamboo knots.

On a trip to Canada last month, I came across Zwada Home, an Asian influenced interiors shop in Vancouver's Yaletown.  Zwada Home has exclusive North American representation of The Imix Club, an exquisite line of solid wooden Chinese reproductions. The Imix Club's pieces are hand made in Hong Kong using the centuries old Ming Dynasty joinery techniques.  Unmistakable quality is evident in the workmanship of the furniture and the luster and depth of the wood finishes.