Classic Carpet

Have you ever noticed that there are design elements that pop up over and over in interior decoration? Certain books ("Cabinet of Natural Curiosities" and "Best of Flair" ), fabrics (Lulu DK's "Chant" and Clarence House's "Tigre Velours") and furniture (Frances Elkin's Loop Chairs and Billy Baldwin slipper chairs) have all joined the pantheon of classic design.

There are also classic carpet patterns, too, that are favored by many decorators. One such pattern (and also one of my favorites) is "Antelope" by Stark Carpet. The combination of the subtle animal print and the neutral colors makes it a winner. Todd Alexander Romano learned about the pattern from C.Z. Guest, who told him it was perfect for hiding muddy paw prints.

Room by Todd Alexander Romano



Room by Jan Showers

Leopard print carpet is another classic. Stark makes a great one, although other carpet companies have leopard prints as well. Makes me think of Elsie de Wolfe!

Worn leopard print in C.Z. Guest's estate.

And finally, no post about carpet would be complete without including David Hick's designs (such as those at top). These geometric prints have graced many a floor and are always the focal point of a room.

David Hicks rug in a Steven Gambrel room

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

Threshold by Kendall Wilkinson

Threshold is a fabulous design shop located in San Francisco. The spacious shop, owned by decorator Kendall Wilkinson, consists of lively tableaux that feature furniture (both antique and new), accessories, candles, books, and other chic items for the home. Wilkinson has a knack for mixing the traditional with the contemporary, but her real forte is her use of boldly colored accent pieces. Fortunately, much of the shop's wares are available for purchase on the website.

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

Lampshade Chic

In the February issue of House Beautiful, Miles Redd mentions that bad lampshades can ruin both a good lamp and a good room. I think he is so accurate. So many times lampshades are an afterthought. How many times have you seen a beautiful porcelain lamp topped by a boring beige shade? Or a crystal lamp wearing the wrong-sized shade?

The fun thing about choosing a lampshade is that you can create an impact with your choice of shape, color, and material. Good quality and well-made lampshades can be quite expensive, but you can find chic shades at a decent price. And don't forget the finials- they are like jewelry for lamps! I recently bought shades for some plain candlestick lamps. In order to give the lamps some pizzazz, I bought some black pagoda shaped shades. But what really gave the lamps that added flair were shiny, bright, Chinese red ball finials. It was like an exclamation point at the top of my lamps.

White ceramic lamp with Brunschwig and Fils toile lampshade by Woodson and Rummerfield

Orange shades by David Netto

Houndstooth lampshade and black lamp at Balsamo


Lampshade by Oriental Lamp Shade Company

Feather shade available at Gracious Home

*Image at top courtesy of Edgar-Reeves, Atlanta

Celerie Kemble

I was looking through my files today and came across an article on a Philadelphia house decorated by Celerie Kemble (House Beautiful Feb. 2003). While the overall look is traditional, I think Kemble added some youthful touches (mainly through her use of color) to keep it from looking stuffy.

I'm crazy for the living room- I especially like the moss green grass-cloth covered walls (see above and below). The green is repeated in the green velvet ottoman and the green and cream striped bergere. I think the red floral Bergamo fabric that Kemble chose for the corner banquette adds some punch to the room and keeps it from looking too serious.




The dining room walls, strie painted and glazed, are such a rich brown/ochre shade. It's the perfect backdrop for the red Chinese Chippendale chairs and the red beaded chandelier.




Kemble created a tranquil bedroom by using soft green and cream as the color scheme. But what I love best are the bed hangings- so luxurious!

Todd Alexander Romano

Todd Alexander Romano is one of those well-known designers who still manages to fly under the radar. It had been a few years since I had seen his work profiled. Fortunately, his Manhattan apartment can be seen in the current Elle Decor.

Romano's work is characterized by touches of the traditional and the urbane. I like that while his apartment is formal, it is also quite comfortable. I think he "warmed" things up with his use of sumptuous velvets in shades of brown and red. At the same time, he adds a crispness to everything with the antique mirrored panels, the mirrored garden stool, and the wonderful Queen's Ware displayed in the black bookshelves (very graphic).

Romano has a fabulous shop on Lexington Ave.- it's filled with wonderful antiques, and I believe he also carries de Gournay wallcoverings (reason enough to visit). The next time you're in that neighborhood, you should definitely check out his shop!

Classic Design- Tortoise

These Jansen chairs (sold by Benjamin Stork Ltd.) are fabulous and so inspiring! Of course, the Regency style of the chairs is very Jansen. But what really makes these chairs so striking is the tortoise print oilcloth.

Tortoise print is such a classic and sophisticated way to add zip to a room. Tortoise furniture and accessories were long considered to be a luxury, and we can now recreate that luxury with faux tortoise painted furniture. Markham Roberts designed the faux tortoise mirror below using warm, rich tones. Jeffrey Bilhuber, on the otherhand, used more neutral tones for his tortoise bookshelf.











To add some major wow to your room, why not give the tortoise treatment to your room's architecture? One designer created this knockout faux tortoise door using dramatic red and brown tones as well as a lacquered finish.

For a more stylized and whimsical approach to tortoise, Tyler Hall has designed a witty tortoise print called "Sardinia Tortoise Shell" which comes in five colorways, including a cool platinum.

Mary McDonald's Website

Mary McDonald is a decorator whose work I've admired for a few years. I had spent some time trying to find her website, and after a lot of searching, I finally found it (it's www.marymcdonaldinc.com)!

I like McDonald's take on traditional style- in her interiors, rooms are glamorous, snappy, and classic. The dining room below is striking in a subtle and sophisticated way. The walls- covered in a vivid green de Gournay hand-painted chinoiserie print- are what really make this room a knock-out.

Her office (seen below) was featured in the Jan/Feb Domino. Here,the look is more movie star glamour. Once again, there are touches of chinoiserie in the desk and lamps (a girl after my own heart!). And the curtains in the pink room add graphic flair.

There is a section on her website entitled Mary McDonald At Home (currently under construction). Perhaps she is designing her own line of furniture and home accessories? I hope so! I definitely think she is an L.A. designer to watch, along with Ruthie Sommers.

In Tents

Interior tents- current design trend?

In two recent magazine articles on two different New York apartments, tents have made prominent appearances. Jeff Pfeifle, president of J. Crew, tented the entrance hall in his formal apartment. Instead of concealing the ceiling with its beautiful molding, Pfeifle tented the walls only using a Greek Key motif with tassel trim. He covered the walls with tent like curtains, but thankfully chose to leave much of the antiqued mirrored walls unobscured. I think the tent is a nice contrast against the geometric design of the terrazzo floor, and the red gourd lamps with red lamp shades really pop against the cream colored fabric of the tent.

Another tent, albeit one much smaller in scale, was created by Nick Olsen, assistant to decorator Miles Redd. In order to create some visual interest, Olsen designed one which is attached to one of his walls. The exterior fabric is white, and the lining looks like a robin's egg blue. At the top of the tent, Olsen created a small tent-like awning that protudes from the wall. This was a very clever way to delineate his work/dining area within the confines of a small apartment.

Perhaps these designs will inspire you to create your own oasis within your home.

McMillen Chic

McMillen, Inc. is considered to be one of the most influential and celebrated decorating firms of the 20th century. During the latter part of last century, the firm was led by Betty Sherrill, one of decorating's grande dames. Mrs. Sherrill is still with the firm today and is joined by her daughter, Ann Pyne. In the November issue of House and Garden, there is a great story and photospread of the apartment of Elizabeth Pyne, daughter of Ann and granddaughter of Betty. All three generations joined forces to create a feminine and fun first apartment for Elizabeth.

The dining room is an interesting mix of iron furniture- a Mathieu Mategot bench and table and Rene Prou chairs. The classic modern furniture provides a crisp counterpoint to the traditional butterfly and floral wall covering.

The three women have also combined both traditional and contemporary furniture to create a living room that is both youthful and sophisticated. I like the Louis XV chairs with the solid green velvet upholstery next to the punchy fabrics of the curtains and the chrome bench.

And truly, what woman would not like a pink bedroom with Rose Cumming coral wallpaper and feminine linens?

Stylish Sconces

I was just scanning the new additions to the 1st dibs website and was wowed by these sconces being sold at Chapman Radcliff.

While they may look a bit like theater props, I really like the feminine and whimsical design on the wooden background- a bit of Rococo! And the silver tole adds a splash of shine! They look like something that Dorothy Draper might have used in one of her early installations.