Ultimate Bedrooms

The current issue of House Beautiful is the "Ultimate Bath and Bedroom" issue, which inspired me to think about some of my favorite bedrooms. My list could probably be called a Top Thirty, but for the sake of brevity here are a few that I've been revisiting lately. I'm sure you're familiar with many of them as I've written about them before-when a room is a favorite, how can you not talk about it frequently? I do hope, though, that there are a few that are new to you!


I absolutely love the bedroom of designer Alexa Hampton. You just can't beat the combination of icy blue and white. The room is feminine but restrained.


I've always adored this bedroom designed by Albert Hadley for a 1959 Vogue feature "Summer on a Shoestring". While it's not necessarily the way I would design my bedroom, I think it is such a sweet, light, and airy bedroom.


The bedroom of Ruthie Sommers. I think the reason I like this room is because it's refreshing to see a dark bedroom, and the canopy really creates a cocoon within the room. So cozy! (Image from Cottage Living, Dec. 06)

Yes, I've gone on and on about Mary McDonald's bedroom but I love the crisp, tailored femininity of this room.


The bedroom of the late fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert. Blue and white ticking, purchased from Geoffrey Beene, cover the walls. Lambert was of the school that if you design it right the first time, there's no need to redecorate. This bedroom was designed in 1959. (Image from the New York Times, April 2000)


An exuberant use of fabric in this bedroom designed by Mario Buatta (Architectural Digest)

Image at top: A bedroom designed by David Netto. How clever to use a scenic wallpaper in a bedroom, and the chrome bed looks smashing against this traditional paper.

Dynamic Duo

A few weeks ago I came across a 1968 issue of House Beautiful. Now, to be totally honest, this era in design is not one of my favorites (I'm more of a 1930s gal myself). Flipping through the magazine I saw many photos of rooms that today look beyond dated. Well, when I came across this photo above I was floored. This room (minus the floral arrangement) is just as stylish today as it was almost 40 years ago.

The silver teapaper, the Serge Roche-esque plaster sconce, the geometric painted floor, the furniture- everything is just perfection. I could live in this room in a heartbeat. And just who was the designer? None other than my design idol- Albert Hadley. Of course! Hadley's work just doesn't seem to age, and he mixes antiques and contemporary pieces with aplomb.

Yesterday, I was looking through another 1968 issue of House Beautiful, and this home below caught my eye.







The dark glossy walls contrasting with the cream damask and chintz upholstered furniture is such a striking combination. I love the Chinese lacquered tables, the gilt mirror with sconces, and the beautiful antique painted wall panels in the dining room. Do I need to tell you whose home this is? That's right. Sister Parish.

Sis and Albert- a true design match made in heaven!

Hadley's Favorite Things

Albert Hadley has, in my opinion, the best "eye" in the business. I'm sure that from time to time Hadley makes mistakes, but if so I certainly can't tell. He has such a knack for finding those perfect pieces, whether it is a piece of furniture or an accessory. And the items that he does choose are timeless; in fact, many finds have been used by Hadley for years and in various settings. One of the most striking possessions of Hadley is a gold nut/pod (or is it a fruit? a vegetable?) tureen. It has been photographed in Hadley's Southport, Connecticut home and in the 2001 Kips Bay showhouse (see above), just to name a few. I don't know anything about this tureen but I just love it! Here are some other Hadley pieces that I covet:


The fabulous "what is it?" tureen in Hadley's country home.


Is this bookcase not amazing- it's a German piece that commemorates the 1928 Olympics. Also note the drawing by Van Day Truex, one of Hadley's great friends.


Notice this little modern red zig-zag table in the reception room of Parish-Hadley...


Well, here it is again, this time in Hadley's bedroom.

Black and Blue

A few readers have suggested that I post about favorite paint colors, something which I thought would be fun to discuss. I have so many favorite colors (and so many favorite rooms) that I thought it would be better to have a few different posts that are segregated by color.

Today I'm featuring just a few of my favorite blue rooms (and one black room) . I am particularly fond of ice blue- it's so soothing, yet so chic, all at the same time. In fact, I've always had a blue bedroom. As refreshing as pale blue is, a deep, dark blue that veers towards black can be quite mysterious. These deep hues look great in living, dining, and powder rooms. Furniture and accessories seem to take on a sense of drama when paired with a dark colored room.

I hope you like the rooms that I'm showing, but I would very much like to hear what your favorite blue rooms are. Please note that I tried to include specific paint colors when I could. Stay tuned for other colors soon!

Icy Blue Living Room of decorator James Andrew. The lettuce green of both the tureen and the chair fabric looks quite vivid when paired with this color blue.

Dining Room of Brooke de Ocampo; the peacock blue walls and brown and white zig-zag painted floor were inspired by a photo of a room decorated by Parish Hadley. (Photo courtesy of the New York Times.)


Teal Dining Room in the Hamptons home of Aerin Lauder; custom color by Donald Kaufman


Deep, blue- black living room of designer Barclay Fryery; paint color is Black Panther by Ralph Lauren

Photo at top of designer Alexa Hampton's feminine blue bedroom

Chic Color Combos

In the current issue of House & Garden (March '07), there is a great article about color and how to use it. While bold and bright colors are the current trend, many people are very uncertain about how to incorporate it into their rooms. In fact, San Francisco designer Steven Miller warns that bright colors used with reckless abandon can look like "an angry fruit salad".

The editors write that the safest way to introduce bold colors to one's design scheme is by juxtaposing them against neutral colors and natural materials (shells, plaster, old leather). They also suggest the following color schemes: tangerine and stone; green, black, and white; pink and brown; chartreuse and silver; purple and gray; and orange and gray.

I think it's safe to say that pink and brown has been a perennial favorite amongst decorators (and us bloggers!) for a while now. H&G uses the photo at top (room by Tom Scheerer) as a great example. And I adore the combination of orange and gray- so clean and chic. There are certainly other color schemes where the bold color/neutral contrast would apply. What about bright yellow, black, and white? Or turquoise blue and white? I even think that chartreuse or apple green looks great against a very soft blue/gray. I would love to hear what others think about these color combinations. Which one is your favorite?


Bedroom by Albert Hadley- tangerine/coral walls and headboard with neutral trim, floor, bed linens, and furniture


Nick Olsen's command of the green, black, and white color scheme

Bright purple accents against a soft background by Jamie Drake


Bedroom in yellow, black, and white by Jamie Drake

That Touch of Red

Albert Hadley once said that there should be at least one red accent in every room. I couldn't agree with him more. Red is such a powerful color and can add such energy and drama to a room. Red walls add sizzle, while red furniture catches your eye. Red can be used sparingly, if you choose, through displays of books with red dustjackets or bunches of red roses, for example. Below are some photos of rooms designed by various decorators. Some use the color proudly, such as Miles Redd, while others use it in a more subtle way. However you choose to use it, perhaps you might find some inspiration.

Miles Redd


Steven Sclaroff & Kate Spade

Sam Blount

Woodson and Rummerfield



John Loecke

Oscar Does Silver!

Oscar de la Renta Home has recently unveiled its new line for Lunt Silversmiths. There are three collections- City, Country, and Island, and in typical Oscar de la Renta fashion, it's all pretty fab.

I love the silverplate revere bowl with the robin's egg blue enamel- a great pop of color. And, if you want something more subtle, there is a sophisticated wooden revere bowl with silverplated trim.

And for something really graphic, what about the lacquered tray below? It reminds me of a painted floor that I once saw- I think one done by Albert Hadley.

Books, Books, and More Books!

I love design and lifestyle books, both current ones and those that are out-of-print. I am constantly looking for new ones to add to my library- the only problem is trying to find space to store all of my books!

Here are some suggestions for books to add to your design library:

Jansen by James Archer Abbott. Maison Jansen was one of the best known design firms of the 20th c. A great anthology of their work.






Van Day Truex by Adam Lewis. While Truex is best known as the former Design Director at Tiffany & Co. (he designed the classic Bamboo flatware pattern, among others), he was also an instructor at Parsons for many years . Truex also famously introduced Albert Hadley to Sister Parish, and the rest is history!


And, one out-of-print suggestion:

"My Favorite Things; A Personal Guide to Decorating and Entertaining" by Dorothy Rodgers. This is a really fun work written by the wife of composer Richard Rodgers. Includes tips for decorating one's city and country homes, entertaining guests in one's home, and generally living a swell life. Includes classic recipes such as Jellied Madrilene(!).

Miles Redd Chic

I know that there has been much written about Miles Redd's NYC townhouse over the past few years. I, for one, can't get enough of it. I love Miles' work, and he truly is one of my favorite decorators of today (in addition to Albert Hadley, of course). Not only does he possess an inordinate amount of style, he is, like me, an Atlanta native!

I love the brown and white striped living room above, especially the decadent blue curtains. And the pink study, below, is tres chic. I would love to have a banquette like that in my living room. To me,the whole house screams Manhattan glamour, reminiscent of an old Astaire-Rogers movie.

And if you're interested in the mother-of-pearl cocktail tables in his pink room, I am assuming they are from Oscar de la Renta's Home Collection, of which Miles is Creative Director.